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tranfree issue 28 - 19th March 2001
Games Localisation - An Introduction
by Carolina Medberg
The localisation of computer games holds opportunities for
translators which, in my view, don't get their fair share of
publicity. In textbooks and articles about localisation, games
tend to be lumped in with the general term "software".
However, as the markets and processes relating to the
localisation of games are very different to those of general
application software, the area deserves some particular
attention. This brief overview is intended as an introduction for
freelance translators and other language vendors to this highly
dynamic business area.
Market Structure
The majority of computer games (which can be taken to mean games
for a variety of platforms) are developed in the US, with a
smaller number of titles originating from the UK. Some games are
developed by the production company's internal development team,
while others are outsourced to third-party developers. Many
titles are fully or partially localised into anything from one or
two languages to ten or more.
Most of the production companies have internal localisation
departments, who in turn work with vendors ranging from large
localisation firms to individual freelancers. In cases where the
production company does not have a localisation department in-
house, the entire localisation process is normally outsourced to
a localisation vendor or to the local distributors, who may or
may not be owned by the production company.
Development Processes
Computer games fall within the multimedia category, and as such
they are subject to extremely complex development processes.
Multimedia products contain not only text but also any
combination of graphics, sounds, animations and video. The
techniques used to produce these components are tremendously
diverse.
Not only does the technology vary from producer to producer, but
different products by the same producer may also involve entirely
different sets of tools. Even mid-way through the development of
a title, the technology may change drastically.
The development of computer games is standardised to a much
lesser degree than that of general software applications.
However, most games developers like to keep the source code to
themselves as a security measure. This means that the technical
complexity tends not to be of great consequence to the individual
translator, who often receives the text for translation in an
easy-to-handle format such as Word or Excel. (To a localisation
company, the picture might look rather different, though.)
Time Constraints
In today's games market, simultaneous release is the norm. In
order to capture the foreign markets before it's too late (i.e.
before impatient players have gone and bought the game in
English), foreign language versions of a title are shipped at the
same time as the English version.
Also, bundling several languages on the same disk saves money.
This is by no means specific to the games industry, but as the
product life cycle is much shorter for games than for most
application software, simultaneous release is a more serious
matter here. For the translator, the obvious implication of
simultaneous release is an extremely tight...
...schedule.
As a rule (though not without exception), the translation of a
product takes place alongside its development. The producer
simply can't afford to freeze the development one minute too
early, as every little improvement could be crucial for sales. So
the translator can expect continuous amendments to the material
throughout the translation process.
This can be frustrating, and involves superhuman organisational
efforts (which, I might add, are not always matched by the
producers!), but knowing that there is a reason for it helps.
Profit Margins
Computer games are consumer goods, not capital investments. A
standard application may serve the user for many years, albeit in
the form of updated versions. This fact is normally reflected not
only in the development and localisation schedules of such
products, but also in their budgets.
For games, the product life cycle is much shorter. This leads to
a difficult trade-off for producers, in that they need to invest
in the development of a cutting-edge product (or lose out to
competitors) whilst keeping retail prices low.
The translator won't escape this dilemma, and may find
translation rates for computer games comparatively low. In other
words, if you want to get rich translating computer games, you
need to increase your turnover, not your price!
Specific Skills
As mentioned before, computer games normally comprise a range of
different components, such as graphics, audio and video. The
localisation of these components places specific demands on
translators. Translating an audio script, for example, you may
not only have to adapt your translation for speech, but also
consider timing and lip and/or picture synchronising.
Screentext is often length restricted, and may be in a custom
font that doesn't support certain special characters. When
translating computer games, I occasionally get asked not to use
any words containing the very common Swedish special characters
Å, Ä or Ö, as there is no room in the budget for localising the
font!
Cultural Considerations
The term localisation (meaning more than "just" translation) is
particularly appropriate for computer games. Filled with culture
specific text, visuals and sounds, parts of the original product
will be ill fitting, incomprehensible or even offensive to the
target market.
In some cases, the differences may be so severe that in order to
ensure that the product sells in the target market, it has to be
virtually redeveloped. This is a challenging task, but can be
extremely satisfying for the translator.
Is It Worth It?
With so many aspects of games localisation potentially making the
translator's job difficult, is it really worth going into at all?
Would it not be better to shy away from this complex and
sometimes hugely demanding area? Well, if you aren't remotely
interested in games, it probably would.
To translate at the speed that is necessary in this none too
generously paid sector, you have to enjoy the subject matter and
have extensive knowledge of gaming terminology. Lateral thinking,
and a willingness to adapt to constantly changing requirements,
also helps.
If you do have these abilities, translating computer games can be
very rewarding. In my years as a localisation translator, I have
never felt more involved in the look and feel of the final
product than with games.
Perhaps due to the low level of standardisation in the industry,
I have found that games companies (and as a consequence, the
localisation companies who work for them) are exceptionally open
to input from translators.
Being able to pick the final product off the shelf in the target
country knowing that, from the box text to the CD label, audio
script, screentext and manual, the work is your own is extremely
satisfying.
Where To Start
So, you've decided that translating for the games industry is for
you? Then you are hopefully already a keen games player who knows
the names of most of the major games companies. Have a look at
their web sites! It's rare that any of them advertise directly
for translators, but through their sites you will get an idea of
what sort of games each of them produces (sometimes including a
schedule for future releases).
General information on the industry is available from the web
sites of trade organisations, exhibitions, conferences and
magazines. (At the end of this article, you will find some links
you might want to check out).
Several of the large localisation companies work for games
companies. Again, visit the companies' web sites. Client lists,
where available, are particularly useful. If you decide to
contact a localisation company, stress your interest in games. If
they want to take your application further, they may offer you a
games specific translation test.
There are also smaller localisation firms who specialise in games
and multimedia products. A simple search on the web should give
you an idea of who they are. If you are very keen to work
primarily with games, these companies may be your best bet. Due
to the high level of specialisation, work from these sources into
your particular language may be limited.
The aim of this article was to give you an idea of what games
localisation is all about. Hopefully, the article has either
confirmed your fears about the industry or inspired you to think
about getting into it. Either way, good luck!
Useful Links
Trade Organisations
European Leisure Software Publishers Association
http://www.elspa.com
Interactive Digital Software Association
http://www.idsa.com
The Game Manufacturers Association
http://www.gama.org
Publications
Computer Trade Weekly
http://www.ctw.co.uk
Gamasutra
http://www.gamasutra.com
The Market for Home Computing & Video Games
http://www.mcvuk.com
Trade Fairs And Conferences
Games Developers Conference
http://www.gdconf.com
Milia
http://www.milia.com
E3
http://www.e3expo.com
ECTS
http://www.ects.com
Carolina Medberg (MIL, English into Swedish) is a localisation
translator and consultant based in the UK.
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