Talk:Force Field Ring

If this is a unique item, should it not indeed be capitalized? I can see this issue is going to get complicated... :P --Terilem 04:52, May 9, 2010 (UTC)


 * Whatever happened to strict English? AngusM 03:31, May 10, 2010 (UTC)
 * My understanding of proper nouns is that capitalizing it WOULD be adhering to strict English. From the wikipedia entry on proper nouns:


 * "Proper nouns are not normally preceded by an article or other limiting modifier (such as any or some), and are used to denote a particular person, place, or thing without regard to any descriptive meaning the word or phrase may have. The meaning of proper noun capitalization is uniqueness within an implicit context, that is, it provides a name to an instance of a general type when the instance is unique within an implicit context."


 * I'm interpreting "Force Field Ring" to be the name of a unique item, as opposed to "any ring that allows passage through force fields." *shrugs* --Terilem 03:50, May 10, 2010 (UTC)
 * I don't remember specifically about this ring, but from what I recall about the game, is that you could have multiple instances of the same item (not quite so unique). While this does not help one immediately, it was practical, since items can be stolen. AngusM 04:34, May 17, 2010 (UTC)
 * Well, that does put things in a different light. I must admit my knowledge of Ultima II is scarce at best, so if there are indeed multiple force field rings then of course it shouldn't be capitalized (not to mention be preceded by "a" instead of "the" -- the way it is now just looks wrong) --Terilem 07:03, June 16, 2010 (UTC)
 * I seem to remember that if the ring is stolen from you, you can't get a new one. I can't really verify that, though. --Warder Dragon 11:51, June 16, 2010 (UTC)
 * Can't verify this, either. However, I really feel that, since this magic ring is important enough that you can't win the game without it, it should be treated as a proper noun. Also, many Ultimas had a habit of making items that felt like important, singular items obtainable more than once (the Jeweled Weapons and Jeweled Shield, for example). There are multiple copies of the Mystic and Exotic weapons and armour, too -- but shouldn't these be treated as proper nouns? --Polygoncount 18:42, June 16, 2010 (UTC)
 * Why does importance make it proper? Oxygen is essential for winning the game, but it's common.
 * Also, it just occurred to me that Wikipedia has a strange qualifier that a proper noun shouldn't be preceded by an article. We have "the Avatar", and even more broadly: "the Internet". AngusM 21:36, June 16, 2010 (UTC)
 * According to the Ultima II transcripts found here, every instance of the force field ring is referred to as "the" ring, not "a" ring. Since U2 was originally in all-caps it is unknown if it should have been capitalized. I think the multiple-item defense doesn't hold up... can't you get the Quicksword multiple times, too? --Polygoncount 23:54, June 30, 2010 (UTC)