LocJam is a game localization contest held between April 5-13, 2014. This presentation covers all the localization insights that Curri Barceló and Jennifer Vela-Valido gave in workshop in London on April 5. Topics include: - Wordplay - Cultural adaptation - Lack of context and space limits For more details about the LocJAM competition http://locjam.org

2. All your base are belong to us!
Jennifer Vela Valido
jvela@jennifervela.com
@ligeis
Curri Barceló
curri@localiseme.net
@currixan

3. LEVEL 1: Once upon a time…
LEVEL 2: Localise me!
LEVEL 3: All your base are belong to us
LEVEL 4: I bet you can do better
BONUS TRACK

4. LEVEL 1: Once upon a timeLEVEL 1: Once upon a time……

5. Video game
industry:
a brief story

6. MAIN CHARACTERS

7. 6060’’ss

8. AtariAtari
19721972

9. 19721972
MagnavoxMagnavox 1st console1st console
Magnavox OdysseyMagnavox Odyssey

10. 19771977
AtariAtari Atari 2600Atari 2600

11. 19781978

12. TaitoTaito LicensedLicensed Space InvadersSpace Invaders
for Atari 6000for Atari 6000
19781978

13. 8080’’ss
Commodore 64Commodore 64
ZX SpectrumZX Spectrum

14. 19831983 Nintendo Entertainment SystemNintendo Entertainment System
(Famicom/Nes)(Famicom/Nes)
3rd3rd--party licensingparty licensing

15. Nintendo Game & WatchNintendo Game & Watch
19851985

16. Commodore AmigaCommodore Amiga
Sega Master SystemSega Master System
19851985

17. Atari LynxAtari Lynx
Sega Mega DriveSega Mega Drive
Nintendo Game BoyNintendo Game Boy
End of the 80End of the 80’’ss

18. Super NESSuper NES
Game GearGame Gear
SNK NeoSNK Neo--GeoGeo
Sega MegaSega Mega--CDCD
9090’’ss

19. Atari JaguarAtari Jaguar9090’’ss
Sony PlayStationSony PlayStation
Nintendo 64Nintendo 64Sega SaturnSega Saturn

20. 0000’’ss
Nokia NNokia N--GageGage
PCPC MMORPGMMORPG

21. 20002000--20032003
Sony PlayStation 2Sony PlayStation 2
Microsoft XboxMicrosoft Xbox
NintendoNintendo
Game CubeGame Cube

22. 20042004--20062006 Nintendo DSNintendo DS
Sony PlayStation PortableSony PlayStation Portable
Microsoft Xbox 360Microsoft Xbox 360
Sony PlayStation 3Sony PlayStation 3

23. 20062006--20102010
Nintendo Wii + Canal Tienda WiiNintendo Wii + Canal Tienda Wii
Sony PlayStation Move +Sony PlayStation Move +
mando de navegacimando de navegacióónn
Microsoft KinectMicrosoft Kinect

24. 20122012
Sony PlayStation VitaSony PlayStation Vita
Nintendo Wii UNintendo Wii U

25. TODAYTODAY New ways of playingNew ways of playingSmartphonesSmartphones
+ Tablets+ Tablets

26. FacebookFacebook Social GamesSocial Games
New ways of playingNew ways of playing
WebsitesWebsites
TODAYTODAY

27. 20132013
Sony PlayStation 4Sony PlayStation 4
Xbox ONEXbox ONE
OUYAOUYA

29. LEVEL 2: Localise me!LEVEL 2: Localise me!

30. “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 gets them to sit
with their controllers to play
during hours instead”
(Chatfield, Tom. 2009)
Videogame industryVIDEOGAME INDUSTRY

31. • 61 billion dollars (Forbes);
• 91 billion dollars by 2015 (Chandler,
Heather 2012);
• 30-50% comes from the international
market (Chandler, Heather 2012).
Videogame industryVIDEOGAME INDUSTRY

32. South-Eastern Asia
Eastern Europe
Latin America
Middle East
Potential New MarketsPotential New MarketsPOTENTIAL NEW MARKETS

33. “Localisation is the adaptation of a
product, application, or document
content to meet the language,
culture, and other requirements of a
specific target market”
(Flanders, Melanie 2006).
Message = Same effect as the original
WHAT IS LOCALISATION?

34. What do we need to take into account?
1. Internationalisation;
WHAT DO WE NEED TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT?

35. Internationalisation
“Internationalisation is to create a project that can
be easily localised with a minimum amount of
work on the developer’s part” (Chandler, 2005(Chandler, 2005))
WHAT DO WE NEED TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT?

36. InternationalisationWHAT DO WE NEED TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT?

37. What do we need to take into account?
1. Internationalisation;
2. Knowledge of the source language and culture;
WHAT DO WE NEED TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT?

38. What do we need to take into account?
1. Internationalisation;
2. Knowledge of the source language and culture;
3. Specific requirements of the market or culture;
WHAT DO WE NEED TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT?

39. SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS OF MARKET/CULTURE

40. What do we need to take into account?
1. Internationalisation;
2. Knowledge of the source language and culture;
3. Specific requirements of the market or culture;
4. Lack of context or poor knowledge of the in-game;
WHAT DO WE NEED TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT?

41. Blind-folded translation - Dietz, F. (2006)
BAT
LACK OF CONTEXT OR
POOR KNOWLEDGE OF THE GAME

42. What do we need to take into account?
1. Internationalisation;
2. Knowledge of the source language and culture;
3. Specific requirements of the market or culture;
4. Lack of context or poor knowledge of the in-game;
5. Knowing the final user and what they want.
WHAT DO WE NEED TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT?

43. Knowing the final user and
what they want
“A blackl lake // A whitel lake // In the
morningl”
Little King’s
Story
KNOWING THE FINAL USER OR
WHAT THEY WANT

44. Knowing the final user and
what they want
1994
Chiquito de la
Calzada
KNOWING THE FINAL USER OR
WHAT THEY WANT

46. LEVEL 3: All your base areLEVEL 3: All your base are
belong to usbelong to us……

48. Bubble Bobble + Pro Wrestling

49. Ghostbusters

50. Dragon Quest + Legend of Zelda

51. Metal Gear

52. Metal Gear

53. Double Dragon II

55. LEVEL 4: I bet you can do betterLEVEL 4: I bet you can do better

56. Challenges: Word play

57. Challenges: Target cultue

58. Challenges: Lack of context

59. Challenges: Lack of context
ORIGINAL:
%1$s: %2$s level %3$s to %4$s %5$s
TRANSLATION:

60. Challenges: Lack of context
ORIGINAL:
%1$s: %2$s level %3$s to %4$s %5$s
TRANSLATION:
WTF??

61. Challenges: Lack of context
ORIGINAL:
%1$s: %2$s level %3$s to %4$s %5$s
CONTEXT:
%1$s = Name of the object
%2$s and %5$s = HTML tags: «span».
%3$s %4$s = Max and min level to get
that object
TRANSLATION:
WTF??

62. Challenges: Variables
ORIGINAL 1: You have found a
%item%.
ORIGINAL 2: You have got %d star(s).
ORIGINAL 3: %s%s is located in theis located in the %s.%s.
ORIGINAL 4:ORIGINAL 4: %, you look so hot in that!%, you look so hot in that!
TRANSLATION 1:
TRANSLATION 2:
TRANSLATION 3:
TRANSLATION 4:
WTF??

63. Challenges: Character limitation
ORIGINAL 1: Take cover! (12 char)
ORIGINAL 2: OK (4 char)
ORIGINAL 3: Save all changes? (17 char)
TRANSLATION 1:
TRANSLATION 2:
TRANSLATION 3:

64. Challenges: Character limitation
Limit: 6 char.

66. BONUS TRACK: LOCJAMBONUS TRACK: LOCJAM

68. All your base are belong to us!
Jennifer Vela Valido
jvela@jennifervela.com
@ligeis
Curri Barceló
curri@localiseme.net
@currixan