It would seem vs it seems

Question

When to use it instead of "It seems..."
Below is a screenshot of a cutscene from the video game World of Warcraft. The character Lord Stormsong" was talking to "Queen Azshara" while the players approach, and Queen Azshara says

It would seem you have guests

Why use "would" here instead of simply general tense "It seems"?

Diary of a Speedreader · Accepted Answer

The verb “to seem” already implies uncertainty. The implication of using would seem vs seem is to increase the uncertainty of predicate.  In other words, maybe they are guests... or are they something else?  Alternatively, it indicates that at some point uncertainty existed greater than normal, a changed probability of certainty.  It could have started out that they were something other than guests. But now, it would seem they were guests. It means uncertainty greater than normal exists.
Hope that helps.

Anton · Answer

They are equivalent in meaning and may safely be used interchangeably.
I see only pale shadows of difference between them that may reflect my personal experience rather than any rule. "It seems ..." is a more neutral statement of possibility. "It would seem ..." sometimes has overtones of detachment from the circumstances, or of admitting that the speaker's perception could be euphemistic or even wrong. "It would seem (to others perhaps, although I realise that she is probably your mistress) that you have a guest."

It would seem vs it seems

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