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Posted

I know what you're saying about having a small localization team and all that but - isn't this the EXACT same game as the DS game, but for one chapter? Does it really take 8months to translate 1 chapter of the game? And I very much doubt that space is a problem, considering this is a DS game with a little extra. Put onto a DVD there should be PLENTY space.

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Posted
And I very much doubt that space is a problem, considering this is a DS game with a little extra. Put onto a DVD there should be PLENTY space.

 

I didn't mean space in most classical sense. Many games have fixed length for paragraphs, and if your translation is longer than the fixed length, you need to adjust code. Here is good and relatively simple example from my own Kid Icarus english-to-finnish translation:

 

Original english paragraph

 

"MAY I HELP YOU?+

WE HAVE EVERYTHING.

 

35 characters

 

Finnish translation

 

"KUINKA VOIN AUTTAA TEITÄ?+

MEILLÄ ON KAIKKEA."

 

44 characters

 

+ = Means break in the text.

 

Without doing any changes to code, my translation would be restricted to maximum length of 35 characters, resulting in some extremely wonky dialog. That's actually reason why old NES games had some bizarre dialog. When localizers translated text, they were forced to work on same character lengths that original writers had used. They couldn't add more size to game, because bigger cartridges would have been too expensive to manufacture.

 

These days situation isn't really that much better. Japanese can fit their dialog in much smaller space than in english, and localizers need adjust code to make their translations fit. And even this isn't always possible, because in menus, for example, there literally isn't room for long words. In these cases, you must replace words with icons, use abbreviations*, or do something *really* creative. When European localization starts, you get even more problems, because all four European languages are little bit different structure- and grammar wise.

 

Sorry for long explanation, but I really hope this helps to understand what problems localizers face. :)

 

* Some good examples could be PhoenixDwn for Final Fantasy VI, and C.STN from Breath of Fire.

Posted

Another thing about translations is that a direct translation isn't always possible. Some sentences don't have the same "effect" (usually humour) in another language - these must be modified to a sentence with creates the same "effect", yet doesn't change the story. IIRC, in the Paper Mario games, the jokes in the different languages are actually different, tailored for each language.

Posted

Thanks for that very interesting post, Teppo - I wasn't aware of this stuff at all!

 

As for the date, eurgh it seems far away, as in after my summer holiday, and pretty much anything after my summer holiday doesn't seem important :P

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Posted

My mum, girlfriend and I all saw the TV advert yesterday (or maybe the day before..) and it looked pretty good :heh:

 

I still have the DS one to keep me occupied, but maybe in the future I will consider parting with some money for it..

Posted

Yay! :yay:

 

I'm quite looking forward to this game. If it'd been a launchtitle (as it originally was), I'd have picked this up alongside my Wii on laynchday.

 

But it's finally here. Some eight months later, but it's here. Well, almost. ;)

Posted
8 months later...:D

 

it better be worth the ridiculous wait!

 

I really hope it is.

 

For me it will be as I never had the privilage of playing the DS version so this will be all new to me.

 

I only ever played the Demo from a download station and loved it and been craving for more ever since.

 

And hopefully soon I can see if it was worth it all cause my copy got sent to me today :)

Posted

Preordered, can't wait. Loved the DS version and this looks even better! This game can only be made for Wii too, which is awesome, I love seeing peoples reactions on games that have previously been impossible!

Posted
I'll have to wait to about 5pm to get this from my dads house!

 

I was surprised that Gameplay sent it yesterday! :yay:

 

I was really surprised aswell.Seen that money was off my account and the only order I had was this.

 

Finally Owen our long is is over :D


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