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Translating a game HELP
09-04-2019, 08:43 AM
Post: #23
RE: Translating a game HELP
(09-04-2019 12:28 AM)TkSilver Wrote:  For visual novels there are programs like AGTH (Anime games text hooker) that like the name implies can hook (read) the text in a game and offers up on the side of the game window some machine translated text in a different language. If you play a game with this program you very quickly realize exactly how much goes into a "good" translation. There will always have to be compromises between the intention of the original text and the understand-ability of the text. Idioms and word play very rarely survives translation without either being completely changed or loosing all meaning.

I understand what you mean about the idioms and culture differences, however my exchange with the YouTuber was mainly about menu text and such. I mean, sure I'd like to be able to enjoy the entire story, but if the menus and mission descriptions were in English, at last I'd be able to understand what I was supposed to do? Otherwise, I look at the little icon of a thing that looks like a piston with a price of 50 next to it. What is it? What does it do? Should I buy it? Then you get dropped into a mission and if it's not of the "shoot everything that moves" variety, I have no idea what I'm doing.

I've noticed a trend that fan translators are far more likely to translate text-heavy games like RPGs, than they are to translate something like a Gundam or Macross game. Maybe they figure those games don't need translation, but trying to figure out a bunch of menu options that lead to other menu options, that lead to screens full of stats in Japanese isn't easy. Then I start a mission and I'm flying along in space. Am I supposed to be attacking the large ships or protecting them? OK, there's obvious enemies I can shoot, but why did the mission end in failure even though I didn't get shot down?

I was trying to work out how to play the PS1 game Mobile Suit Gundam: Perfect One Year War. I figured out how to move around the starting map and shoot at the enemies, but there are a bunch of options that don't seem to do anything. After completing that map, I get a bunch of cascading menus with all sorts of options, some kind of carrier/transporter screen, more options, etc. I got completely lost.

(09-04-2019 12:28 AM)TkSilver Wrote:  That being said I would like at least the framework to be put in to more games to allow for fan translation patches to be done more easily (if at all in some cases).

Unfortunately, companies seem to hate fan translations. In the movie/TV scene, it's much easier (from a technical standpoint) to make translated subtitles for other languages and the studios treat these subs like they're a plaque that needs to be wiped out. Sad
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Messages In This Thread
Translating a game HELP - bigal80ak - 11-06-2013, 01:16 PM
RE: Translating a game HELP - shan109 - 11-07-2013, 01:30 AM
RE: Translating a game HELP - Ritori - 11-07-2013, 04:13 AM
RE: Translating a game HELP - Gurlok - 11-07-2013, 08:22 PM
RE: Translating a game HELP - globe94 - 11-07-2013, 08:07 AM
RE: Translating a game HELP - bigal80ak - 11-07-2013, 02:45 PM
RE: Translating a game HELP - globe94 - 11-07-2013, 02:55 PM
RE: Translating a game HELP - vnctdj - 11-07-2013, 10:33 PM
RE: Translating a game HELP - bigal80ak - 11-09-2013, 10:59 PM
RE: Translating a game HELP - Squall - 11-10-2013, 12:11 AM
RE: Translating a game HELP - bigal80ak - 11-10-2013, 01:23 AM
RE: Translating a game HELP - globe94 - 11-10-2013, 05:30 AM
RE: Translating a game HELP - Ritori - 11-10-2013, 05:38 AM
RE: Translating a game HELP - Rekrul - 08-28-2019, 11:11 AM
RE: Translating a game HELP - TkSilver - 09-04-2019, 12:28 AM
RE: Translating a game HELP - Rekrul - 09-04-2019 08:43 AM
RE: Translating a game HELP - Buko Pandan - 11-10-2013, 05:58 AM
RE: Translating a game HELP - Ritori - 11-10-2013, 06:05 AM
RE: Translating a game HELP - Gurlok - 11-10-2013, 07:16 PM
RE: Translating a game HELP - bigal80ak - 11-10-2013, 07:49 PM
RE: Translating a game HELP - Squall - 11-10-2013, 08:29 PM
RE: Translating a game HELP - tung12345 - 08-04-2019, 05:58 AM

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