Console games, PC, Arcade games,
Facebook applications, phone
applications, smartphones, mobile
games, online games…

“Selling a videogame in an
international market can prove huge
benefits for its creator”
(Diana Monzón, 2006: 4)
CHA-CHING!

“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)

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

Localisation disasters
Zero Wing © 1989

Localisation disasters
Final Fantasy VII © 1997

Localisation disasters
Final Fantasy VII © 1997

Localisation disasters
Final Fantasy VII © 1997

Localisation disasters
Final Fantasy VII © 1997

Localisation disasters
Final Fantasy VII © 1997

What should we take into account when
localising a product?
a) Translations that are too specific for a culture or a generation

TOO FAR!

Little King’s Story
Little King’s Story ©XSeed Games 2009
“A blackl lake // A whitel lake // In the morningl”

Fistra
Little King’s Story ©XSeed Games 2009

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.

Not all news is bad news!

German version
Hitman: Blood Money ©Eidos-SCi 2006

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

Partly Localised products
CityVille - Hometown, ©Zynga, Inc. 2011.
Source: iPhone App

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

Blind-folded translation - Dietz, F. (2006)
Context Key
BAT

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

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

German version

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

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/

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

Making sure the right translator is
chosen
Making sure they are the right one
Assign each project the to right translator

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

Proofreading
Proofreading 4 eyes see better than two

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.

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

Coding error in a
computer
program that
prevents it from
functioning as
designed.

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

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

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

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

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

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!

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

I want to be...
... a games localiser

And now, what?
• Well-written CV.

And now, what?
• Well-written CV.
• Presence on the web.

Website

And now, what?
• Well-written CV.
• Presence on the web.
• Business cards.
• Experience.
• Doing something you love.

Never giving up!
Thank you!

Curri Barceló Ávila
• E-mail: curri@localiseme.net
• Twitter: @Currixan
• Facebook: Localisation and Testing With Curri
• Blog: http://localiza-me.blogspot.com