How do you feel about jargon in games where things that exist to some large extent in the real world have names that differ from their real world equivalents. This could be names for specific types of weapons that are similar to real world weapons, names for types of buildings, or anything else that the player may recognize. In my specific case I have a swamp setting with high fantasy world rules and weapons based on those from the Moro culture. These weapons will often look a bit like daggers, machetes, swords, or spears. What if a spear just isn't called a spear, though? What if a spear is a Budaik, and a dagger is a Pira?

I'm not sure about the Budaik, Tom, but the Pira is a specific design of bladed weapon. The words in this example are historically accurate usage from a foreign, non-english speaking culture.

The Pira:

Considering I had never heard of them before I did weapons research for my game though, I hardly think that true historic accuracy really means anything. Also, if I can use a different name for a specific weapon design, then I can name the general weapon group it is part of as well.

In Diablo 2, Wavi, there are also pictures that you see of the weapon every time you are exposed to the name, which helps identify what it is and what it means for your character. This would also be the case in my game as it would be used in a similar way.

Another example was in Morrowind the signs pointing to cities used the native alphabet which was unreadable but then had a tooltip on it translating it. How do you feel about that sort of treatment?

Indeed, though I don't necessarily need to go all out with a different language. Morrowind just used a font for those things that made it look non-english even though the letters were 1-to-1 with english and just looked different. In that case it would only be drawing a new font, comparably easier. As for naming things, well we do a large amount of that already. Every place name and character name has to be thought up, this does add to that in that now I'm naming weapons and other item types. Depending on the number of weapons and the number of characters and monsters I already have to name this can be a small increase or over doubling that work load of creating names.

I can't say that the foriegn lettered signs of Morrowind added much on their own, though it was a nice touch, but a new font is probably a fairly easy and very efficient tool for this considering the reusability. As for names, overuse would possibly get confusing, but again, in moderation it would add a nice touch. That is all I can see either of these really being at best. A little work for a little gain, and not a replacement for the atmosphere and worldbuilding effects of good art design, building architecture, and geography.

The Morrowind made good use of art design and architecture to create its atmosphere and for me it was pretty immersive. What I wanted to know here is not if these little touches add much, but rather, do they, or can they be a detriment?

Yes, but most people haven't heard of a Pira, so if this is ok, what do you think of the situation when I make it up?