Game Localization

By Silvia Fornós

Daily Quests

1. About Me

2. The G8N Process

3. Main Roles

4. Tools

5. Indie Localization

6. Official Guidelines

2. The G8N Process

Core values: History, Religion, Culture and Politics -> NATIVE SPECIALISTS

*IGDA’s “Best Practices” Doc

STEP 1: I18N

Localization ready*

• Length restrictions: UI, HUD, pop-up windows,

messages, warnings, subtitles, etc. • Fonts

*Simplified document

• Lack of awareness of local market • Uncoordinated

• Unexperienced staff • Difficulties to communicate in English

• Missing I18N

Common mistakes

STEP 2: L11N

Product adaptation to the market

TRANSLATION (RE/TR) TESTING (RE/TE/TR)

THE G8N PROCESS

PRODUCT

DESIGN

DEVELOPMENT

GLOBAL TESTING/QA LOCALIZATION

LOCAL TESTING/QA

LOCAL MARKETING

L11N STEP 2

I18N STEP 1

3. Main Roles

• Localization Project Manager

• Reviewer/Language Team Lead

• Translator(s)

• Tester(s)

4. Tools

• Glossaries

• Style Guides

• CAT: memoQ

• TM

• Query Logs

• Reference materials

• Access to the game

Translation

• Game familiarization

• Create project in memoQ: MT + TB

• Translation

• Review

• Automated QA

Testing

• Test Case

• TE: Bugs -> Tracking System (Jira)

• PM/QA bugs validation

• TR treats bugs

• TE verifies bugs in new build

5. Indie Localization AVOID AGENCY

BUILD OWN TEAM: *IN-HOUSE Loc PM

*PROZ.COM/LINKEDIN *TESTS/FEEDBACK

Agile Methodologies • L11N ASAP

• Small Batches

• .xls files without hardcode

Quests

• Divide files Spells

Items

Achievements…

• Postmortem

Consoles: Official Guidelines

• Sony

• Microsoft

• Nintendo

*One per device