Checklists - How to Avoid Game Localization Pitfalls
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Transcript of Checklists - How to Avoid Game Localization Pitfalls
Virginia Parades Gurrea
Diana Díaz Montón
I VGVWA, Barcelona 2010
Internationalization in Video Games
Localization Pitfalls
Context
Inconsistencies
Mistranslations
Format & Coding
Wrong Implementation
Layout
Hardcoding & Variables
PRE-DEVELOPMENT CHECKLIST
Familiarization – Templates – Query Log
Internationalization in Video Games
Format & Coding
Wrong Implementation
Extraction & Insertion
Embedded text
File structure & naming
Track of changes
Why?
Internationalization in Video Games
Format & Coding
Layout
Overlapping
Wrong rendering
Cropping
Internationalization in Video Games
Format & Coding
Date & Time Format
Decimal Separators
Currency
Measuring Units
Variables
Hardcoding & Variables
Internationalization in Video Games
Context
Inconsistencies
Clearly identify game terms
Glossaries
Termbases
Translation memories
Automated QA & terminology checks
Internationalization in Video Games
Context
Cosmetic Issues in Layout
Internationalization in Video Games
Context
Mistranslations
Gender – male or female
Puns – plays on words
Grammar – noun or verb
Disambiguation
Internationalization in Video Games
Context
TemplatesGlossary
Dialogue
Ingame
Internationalization in Video Games
Context
Familiarization
Play the game
Game website
Legacy
Design documents
Character descriptions
Screenshots
Artwork
Internationalization in Video Games
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 fontsMinimum 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 NoChanges allowed Yes NoTranslators in QA Yes No