Checklists - How to Avoid Game Localization Pitfalls

Internationalization in Video Games
How to Avoid Main Localization Pits
Virginia Parades Gurrea
Diana Díaz Montón
I VGVWA, Barcelona 2010

Localization Pitfalls
Context
Inconsistencies
Mistranslations
Format & Coding
Wrong Implementation
Layout
Hardcoding & Variables
PRE-DEVELOPMENTCHECKLIST
Familiarization – Templates – Query Log

Format & Coding
Wrong Implementation
Why?
Extraction & Insertion
Embedded text
File structure & naming
Track of changes

Format & Coding
Layout
Overlapping
Cropping
Wrong rendering

Format & Coding
Hardcoding & Variables
Date & Time Format
Decimal Separators
Currency
Measuring Units
Variables

Context
Inconsistencies
Clearly identify game terms
Glossaries
Termbases
Translation memories
Automated QA & terminology checks

Context
Cosmetic Issues in Layout

Context
Mistranslations
Gender – male or female
Puns – plays on words
Grammar – noun or verb
Disambiguation

Context
Templates
Glossary
Ingame
Dialogue

Context
Familiarization
Play the game
Game website
Legacy
Design documents
Character descriptions
Screenshots
Artwork

Context
Translator Log

Asset Organization & Format
File Structure & Naming Conventions
Folder for each language with subfolders
Logical naming for each type of file
Clearly state file version & date
Unique ID for each text string
Date in files
Format
Text not embedded in code
Unicode font
Allow increase & decrease of fonts
Minimum concatenated screens
Gender & grammar changes support
Support for duplicating a string
Engine that allows gender marks
Duplication of all dialogues
Allow change of format dates & times
Artwork text images in layers
Different tracks for voice, music & sfx
 Use of icons for common features of UI
Avoid cluttered UI screens
Translation –friendly assets
Information about the game
Brief description of game, characters,
places, missions, game phases, etc.
 Glossary with a screenshot of each term &
organized in categories
Differentiate text, artwork, dialogues...
 Character limitations
Built-in macros to check lengths
 Scripts organized in columns:
 File ID
Location
Stage direction
Speaker
 Addressee
Information about procedures
Familiarization Yes No
Changes allowed  Yes  No
Translators in QA  Yes  No

thank you
Virginia ParadésGurrea
vparades@gmail.com
Diana Díaz Montón
diana@wordlabtranslations.com

Checklists - How to Avoid Game Localization Pitfalls

by maloria on Dec 09, 2010

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Checklists - How to Avoid Game Localization Pitfalls — Presentation Transcript