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Video game Localisation and Testing

  1. Console games, PC, Arcade games, Facebook applications, phone applications, smartphones, mobile games, online games…
  2. “Selling a videogame in an international market can prove huge benefits for its creator” (Diana Monzón, 2006: 4) CHA-CHING!
  3. “The games industry creates more benefits than the movie industry in the UK and US markets alone, an industry that brings people out from cinemas and television and sits them with their controllers to play during hours instead.” (Chatfield, Tom. 2009)
  4. What is ‘Localisation’? “Localisation is the adaptation of a product, application or document content to meet the language, culture and other requirements of a specific target market” (Melanie D. Flanders, 2006). Message = Same effect
  5. Localisation disasters Zero Wing © 1989
  6. Localisation disasters Final Fantasy VII © 1997
  7. Localisation disasters Final Fantasy VII © 1997
  8. Localisation disasters Final Fantasy VII © 1997
  9. Localisation disasters Final Fantasy VII © 1997
  10. Localisation disasters Final Fantasy VII © 1997
  11. What should we take into account when localising a product? a) Translations that are too specific for a culture or a generation
  12. TOO FAR!
  13. Little King’s Story Little King’s Story ©XSeed Games 2009 “A blackl lake // A whitel lake // In the morningl”
  14. Fistra Little King’s Story ©XSeed Games 2009
  15. 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 Little King’s Story • Caden -> Aznarín ©XSeed Games 2009 • 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.
  16. Not all news is bad news!
  17. German version Hitman: Blood Money ©Eidos-SCi 2006
  18. What should we take into account when localising a product? a) Translations that are too specific for a culture or a generation b) Unfinished or partly localised Localisations
  19. Partly Localised products CityVille - Hometown, ©Zynga, Inc. 2011. Source: iPhone App
  20. What should we take into account when localising a product? a) Translations that are too specific for a culture or a generation b) Unfinished or partly localised Localisations c) Lack of context or poor knowledge of the in-game
  21. Blind-folded translation - Dietz, F. (2006) Context Key BAT
  22. What should we take into account when localising a product? a) Translations that are too specific for a culture or a generation b) Unfinished or partly localised Localisations c) Lack of context or poor knowledge of the in-game d) Poor knowledge of the source language or culture
  23. What should we take into account when localising a product? a) Translations that are too specific for a culture or a generation b) Unfinished or partly localised Localisations c) Lack of context or poor knowledge of the in-game d) Poor knowledge of the source language or culture e) Specific requirements for each market or culture
  24. German version
  25. What should we take into account when localising a product? a) Translations that are too specific for a culture or a generation b) Unfinished or partly localised Localisations c) Lack of context or poor knowledge of the in-game d) Poor knowledge of the source language or culture e) Specific requirements for each market or culture f) Knowing what you are localising
  26. Knowing what you are localising Familiarising with the product Play the game/Use the software Source: http://techgyo.com/index.php/play-your-favorite-video-games-in-pc/
  27. What should we take into account when localising a product? a) Translations that are too specific for a culture or a generation b) Unfinished or partly localised Localisations c) Lack of context or poor knowledge of the in-game d) Poor knowledge of the source language or culture e) Specific requirements for each market or culture f) Knowing what you are localising g) Choosing the right translator
  28. Making sure the right translator is chosen Making sure they are the right one Assign each project the to right translator
  29. What should we take into account when localising a product? a) Translations that are too specific for a culture or a generation b) Unfinished or partly localised Localisations c) Lack of context or poor knowledge of the in-game d) Poor knowledge of the source language or culture e) Specific requirements for each market or culture f) Knowing what you are localising g) Choosing the right translator h) Proofreading
  30. Proofreading Proofreading 4 eyes see better than two
  31. Quality Assurance Quality assurance is a planned and systematic pattern of all actions necessary to provide adequate confidence that the product optimally fulfil customers’ expectations.
  32. 1. Ability to perform repetitive tasks • Version 1 Errors • Focus on a task • Find BUGS…
  33. Coding error in a computer program that prevents it from functioning as designed.
  34. 1. Ability to perform repetitive tasks • Version 1 Errors • Focus on a task • Find bugs… • Report bugs • Continue testing • Finish game • Wait for new version • Start process again
  35. 2. Attention to detail • Observation • Photographic memory • Able to see changes
  36. 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
  37. 4. Gaming skills Fond of videogames / Being a gamer Important but not absolutely necessary
  38. 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
  39. 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!
  40. 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
  41. I want to be... ... a games localiser
  42. And now, what? • Well-written CV.
  43. And now, what? • Well-written CV. • Presence on the web.
  44. Website
  45. And now, what? • Well-written CV. • Presence on the web. • Business cards. • Experience. • Doing something you love.
  46. Never giving up! Thank you!
  47. Curri Barceló Ávila • E-mail: curri@localiseme.net • Twitter: @Currixan • Facebook: Localisation and Testing With Curri • Blog: http://localiza-me.blogspot.com
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