My presentation at the I International Conference on Translation and Accessibility in Video Games and Virtual Worlds. Barcelona, December 2010

2. Videogames, Arcade games, Facebook
applications, phone applications,
smartphones, mobile games, online
games…

3. →

4. Translation
↓
Companies
↓

5. Good Localisation
↓
→
CHA-CHING!

6. What is a Good Localisation?
Adaptation of a product to the Language,
culture and requirements of target market.
↓
Message = Same effect

7. TOO FAR!

8. Little King’s Story
“A blackl lake // A whitel lake // In the morningl”

9. Fistra

10. Main characters
• Howser -> Hauser
• Liam -> Liam
• Verde -> Verdi
Secondary characters
• Mr M. -> M.
• Elaine -> Rosario
• Kenzie -> Darío
• Nicole -> Romilda
• Jaden -> Merluzo
• Mike -> Florentino
• Lunasa -> Aurelia
• Keine -> Belén
• Deon -> Wilfredo
• Sadie -> Concepción
• Adolf -> Rosendo
• Lily -> Pecadora
• Caden -> Aznarín
• Shea -> Fabián
• Alena -> Soraya
Other characters
• Xavier, Josh, Merlan, Lyrica, Conner Kaleb, Aidan y Cace.
• Elias, Ariadna, Hortensio, Agapito, Claudio, Aurora, Fecunda, Fistra, Araceli, Tintorro, Grace.

11. Incomplete translation

12. Unknowing source grammar

13. Not all news is bad news!

14. German version

15. German version

16. How to get a good localised product?
• Good Localisation
• Good Quality Assurance
And, of course…
Good Localisation Professionals

17. A) Good Localisation

18. 1. Knowing what you are localising
Familiarising with the product →
→ Play the game/Use the software

19. 2. Making sure the you have the
right translator
Making sure they are the right one →
→ Assign each project the to right translator

20. 3. Making sure everything is
understood
Making sure the translator understands everything →
→ Collaboration and communication client-translator

21. 4. Proofreading
Proofreading → 4 eyes see better than two

22. A) Quality Assurance

24. 1. Ability to perform repetitive tasks
• Version 1 → Errors
• Focus on a task
• Find BUGS…

26. 1. Ability to perform repetitive tasks
• Version 1 → Errors
• Focus on a task
• Find bugs…
• Report bugs
• Continue testing
• Game finished
• Wait for new version
• Start process again

27. 2. Attention to detail
• Observation
• Photographic memory
• Able to see changes

28. 3. Language skills
• Writing Skills
• Good Grammar, Spelling, Punctuation
• Make sure the text is accurate and easy to
understand
• Localisation → Foreign Language Skill
• Localisation → Last link in Localisation chain
• Make sure everything is in the same language

29. 4. Gaming skills
Fond of videogames / Being a gamer→
→ Important but not absolutely necessary

30. 5. Communication skills
• Communication ≠ Talking
• Communication → Making sure the right
message received by the right person
• Communication is KEY
• Communicate problems → Is it worth testing?
• Communicate solutions → We can fix it soon

31. 6. Knowing the target public
• It is important → Do NOT ignore
• Testers know what the gamer/user wants
• Knowing the game you are creating is key
• If a game is not good, don’t blame the tester!

32. 7. Good Knowledge of Platform
Holders’ Standards
• Console, PC, Smartphones, Online, Betting games
• Videogames → Nintendo, Sony & Microsoft
• Wrong Game Standards → Game NOT approved→
→ Fails submission → Game is NOT distributed

33. Pleeeeeeeease!!!!!
LEARN THE STANDARDS

34. Ways of carrying out the Localisation
In-House vs Outsourced
The Translator is the Tester

35. In-House
Team In-House → Expensive?
Not necessarily

36. Outsourcing
• Independent Translators or Companies
• High volume → Companies → Might use several
translators proofreaders → Inconsistency
• Just one proofreading → Fix inconsistencies
• Agencies → Can do discounts but also charge
administration fees
How about having
ONE translator + ONE proofreader?

37. In-House
• Translator/Tester → Right next to coder
• Fix possible Localisation issues instantly
• Help designing a game according to target
culture
• Available at all times
• No admin fees, no rush fees
Independent translator → In-House

38. Translator = Tester
• Tester knows all in-game text
• Tester can make the right language changes
• In-House (Language skilled tester)
• Outsourcer (Independent translators)
THE BEST

39. Curri Barceló Ávila
Curri_barcelo@yahoo.es
http://localiza-me.blogspot.com (Spanish)
http://localise-me.blogspot.com (English)