Things have moved a long way since primitive table-tennis classic, Pong, represented the peak of video gaming. A simple 2D game in which a straight line representing a bat was moved vertically to hit the ball might have needed little doctoring to make it accessible across different cultures but as video games have grown ever more complex, so the process of localising versions for use in other regions has become more elaborate.
The value of localisation has also grown massively in importance. Japan, the USA and the UK are the three biggest players in game development but the gaming audience is now a truly global one and the potential for increased sales afforded by well planned and executed localisation cannot be ignored.
Comments
April 01, 2011 09:31 AM
Jacob's opinion is very interesting.
I'm from Argentina (spanish speaking country) and I see two kind of gamers (among my friends):
* Those who don't speak english and say "I don't play it because I don't understand it" "It's boring" "When is the spanish version coming up?"
*Those (including myself) who do speak english, but can't understand (just like Jacob) what the game is saying because we're used to english terms when it comes to gaming or PCs in general. Not to mention dubs that are with spanish (from Spain) accent, although it's the same language, it's too different the latinamerican accent. In other words, THE HORROR. The dub problem is a localisation problem already pointed out in the article, but still I often find myself switching the in-game language for written text back to english, except cut-scene subtitles (when this is possible).
Sometimes the game allows switching subtitles and dub's language independently, but sometimes you're forced to use both; which IMHO is bad for the experience.
I'm from Argentina (spanish speaking country) and I see two kind of gamers (among my friends):
* Those who don't speak english and say "I don't play it because I don't understand it" "It's boring" "When is the spanish version coming up?"
*Those (including myself) who do speak english, but can't understand (just like Jacob) what the game is saying because we're used to english terms when it comes to gaming or PCs in general. Not to mention dubs that are with spanish (from Spain) accent, although it's the same language, it's too different the latinamerican accent. In other words, THE HORROR. The dub problem is a localisation problem already pointed out in the article, but still I often find myself switching the in-game language for written text back to english, except cut-scene subtitles (when this is possible).
Sometimes the game allows switching subtitles and dub's language independently, but sometimes you're forced to use both; which IMHO is bad for the experience.
April 01, 2011 02:38 PM
Very interesting. As an Anglophone game writer with an slight (but I'm assured, truly comical) level of ability in French and German, I've never been involved in the transalation side of a localization project. However, I've worked on a number of titles that were either imported into English-speaking markets or developed for them in non-English-speaking countries Although the developers (or in a few cases, some kind of translation agency) did their best, there was still a lot do to in polishing the text both for style, accessibility, and tone.
In case anyone is intersted, I blogged on this a little while ago (http://graemedavis.wordpress.com/2011/03/11/ten-things-i%E2%80%99ve-learned-about-localization-editing/). I'd love to hear from other folks who have worked on localization projects going into English rather than out of it, to compare experiences and insights.
In case anyone is intersted, I blogged on this a little while ago (http://graemedavis.wordpress.com/2011/03/11/ten-things-i%E2%80%99ve-learned-about-localization-editing/). I'd love to hear from other folks who have worked on localization projects going into English rather than out of it, to compare experiences and insights.
April 14, 2011 06:22 PM
I'll agree that you should always have a native speaker - preferably also a trained writer - read and edit the localization copy (text). And, yes, even if the localization writer is a dual-language speaker.
I realized that means you really need two people to do a localization. So often well-trained dual-speakers have some outdated phrases they learned (from decades old textbooks or simply decades old vernacular in newer textbooks) or are over confident in their translations that they do not use American English grammar or spelling.
It's akin to a copy editor on a print publication double checking work (and often helping to create a better flowing read).
I realized that means you really need two people to do a localization. So often well-trained dual-speakers have some outdated phrases they learned (from decades old textbooks or simply decades old vernacular in newer textbooks) or are over confident in their translations that they do not use American English grammar or spelling.
It's akin to a copy editor on a print publication double checking work (and often helping to create a better flowing read).
May 31, 2011 01:53 PM
Get an overview of the process and pitfalls of localizing a game for several countries during or after development
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[font="Times New Roman"][size="3"][/size][/font]Recently some gameshave been stepping up the localization (especially Ubisoft published games).And I can’t possible express how annoying it is, I recently played AssassinsCreed: Brotherhood on the Xbox 360, here all menus and in-game hints / tooltips have been translated to Danish. This leave me wondering what they mean,since they’ve had to make up new expressions Danish gamers are used to read inEnglish. In the case AC: Brotherhood you actually have to change the Xbox 360settings to get the original English wording.
[font="Times New Roman"][size="3"][/size][/font]I think coming from asmall country like Denmark you more easily realize that the world is biggerthan you. Making it easier to appreciate details like the German soldiers inThe Saboteur speaking German, this greatly adds to the immersion in the game.You just couldn’t get this feel with the usual overly bad English with a thickGerman accent.
[font="Times New Roman"][size="3"][/size][/font]There’s also thepoint of experiencing the work (be it movie or game) as close to way theauthor(s) created it. I believe some of the larger countries like America,England, France, Italy, Germany etc. is missing out on grander more diverseexperience, because they’ve been “raised” to expect everything in their native tongue,to the point where they almost think other languages are “stupid”. That if ofcause not totally true, but it’s often the feeling you get when going abroad ortalking to people online (speaking English to a French waiter, or recommendinga French movie in an English Forum).
[font="Times New Roman"][size="3"][/size][/font]I do of cause realizethat you can’t release a game in a territory where only small part of thepopulation will be able to fully play the game. But I think that gamers shouldalways have the option of playing a game as it was originally created.
[font="Times New Roman"][size="3"][/size][/font]That got a bit longwinded,but my point is that while localization is definitely needed, I feel thisarticle is a bit lopsided.
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