Software Localization

Software Localization

The Four Steps To World Domination A Programmer's Guide to Foreign Languages "T" Time: Text and Translation Visuals Talkin' The Talk Wrapping It Up

The key to translating a computer game effectively (especially if it's a text-dependent game) is attention to detail. Giving the translation to a friend who "lived in Paris for a few years" may improve your friendship, but most likely won't do your game justice -- unless, of course, your friend is from another area in France and just didn't like Paris. But I digress... The moral of the story is, bring on the experts. Translating any form of entertainment is quite different from other types of translation -- you essentially have to rewrite the text to recreate the atmosphere within the cultural context of the target country. Real-world references in a game can add a lot to the dialog, but once those references have been translated and moved out of their original context, they actually do more harm than good. A good translator will replace (and often improve) those references with some that are more suitable. Similarly, some freedom should be left to change the nature of the characters. One of your game's characters may be mere filler in the original version, but given a local dialect, might transform into a real highlight. The new emphasis on this character might even compensate for a slightly uneventful dialog with the main character. Changing the a character's name may very well improve this "new" character further. The film and cartoon business are no different in this respect; take a peek at some of your favorite cartoon characters, such as Bugs Bunny.

In order to be able to recreate your game's atmosphere, the translator needs as much information as possible. An experienced game translator will require less coaching, and a well-commented script will go a long way; character sheets and sketches are helpful, too. I've seen scripts that go so far as to comment each line with a brief explanation of any slang that's used and a quick mention of the context (Table 3). The point is simple: assume that the translator knows nothing about the game. Even such a simple line as, "That's great" can be interpreted and translated in many ways -- most of which are wrong -- depending on the context in which it's used. Translators may have a near perfect grasp of the language from which they're translating, but some peculiarities are lost even on a native speaker. This is exactly the problem that leads to obscure and pointless dialogs, such as the introduction to this article.

                             Table 3. A complete audio script.

LEGEND: R: To be recorded. TD: Translators direction. AD: Actors direction.

Character Name	Flags	Filename	Text	Translation
Mike	R	Mike1	I say, chaps! Marcus really blew his gasket when he heard the news!	Meine Güte, Leute! Marcus ist total ausgeflippt, als er's hörte.
	TD		'Chaps' means 'men'. 'blew his gasket' means he became very angry.
	AD		Mike is very surprised.

You should also inform the translator, in advance, of any restrictions -- such as text lengths and, more importantly, the in-game purpose of the text -- that they may have to watch out for when translating. Translating text to be dubbed to video is somewhat more difficult than translating static text that is simply displayed. Ideally, you want the syllable count to be as close to the original as possible, so you don't end up with characters who speak without opening their mouths -- this really makes things look cheap. Experienced voice talent can compensate for minor differences, but when there is only time for a simple "Yes," you won't be able to fit in, "Certainly, my dear," even though that may fit the dialog better. Note that in the example script (Table 3), the translation is inserted next to the original text; it does not replace it. This format serves two purposes: first, when you're looking for a particular file, you can just look for the English and find all the information in one place; and second, you can judge approximately how long the translated versions are relative to the original.

Any text that appears literally in the game should be explicitly marked to ensure that it isn't translated. The best example of this is a game that required the player to input a password. The password itself wasn't particularly difficult for players to find; sufficient clues were dropped in previous conversations. For most players, the difficult part was figuring out that the password had to be input in English -- not the most logical conclusion considering that the rest of the game was completely in German. The same rule applies to any text that appears on graphics, such as place names and labels.

Often, you'll end up using several translators. You'll need to ensure that they are all aware of the previously translated work. Many words don't have unique or obvious translations, and the last thing you want is a menu that's translated differently in the game, the manual, and the help file. Usually, there are standard words for everything about the computer or console being used. Sony actually has a set of guidelines with translations for standard items that appear in PlayStation manuals, such as controller, memory card slot, and so on.