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Rethinking Game Localization as Global Game Development

Rethinking Game Localization as Global Game Development. Presented by: Miguel Bernal, Roehampton University Heather Chandler, Media Sunshine Inc. Tom Edwards, Englobe Inc. Fabio Minazzi, Binari Sonori Srl. A special panel session sponsored by:. 20 FEB. 2008, 10:30-11:30AM. Agenda.

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Rethinking Game Localization as Global Game Development

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  1. Rethinking Game Localization as Global Game Development • Presented by: Miguel Bernal, Roehampton University • Heather Chandler, Media Sunshine Inc. • Tom Edwards, Englobe Inc. • Fabio Minazzi, BinariSonoriSrl A special panel session sponsored by: 20 FEB. 2008, 10:30-11:30AM

  2. Agenda • Introduction • Localization as Core Game Development • Translation and Translators • Localizing Game Audio • Content Culturalization & Geocultural Issues • Discussion/Q&A

  3. The Game Industry’s Future is Global • PricewaterhouseCooper’s projections for 2007-2011 indicate a global gaming market worth $48.9B by 2011 (up from $37.5B in 2007). • U.S. sales will lag behind the world during the next 5 years, averaging 6.7% annual growth while Asia and EMEA will average about 10%. • Bottom Line: Future of revenue growth requires increasing one’s global exposure, which means implicitly localizing content as part of game development.

  4. Integrating Localization is Critical • Many developers realize that localization is a ‘no-brainer’ aspect of game distribution, and they regularly localize into FIGS (French, Italian, German & Spanish), Japanese, Chinese and Korean. • Russian, Norwegian, Finnish, Danish, and Dutch are also becoming more popular. • Game revenue models always include global sales; the idea of releasing a major title without localization is unheard of (unless a very small studio). • Old Model: Produce for one market (North America), then localize it as much as possible. • New Model: Produce for the global market and plan your content and localization strategy from Day 1.

  5. Localization as Core Game Development Heather Chandler Executive Producer Media Sunshine Inc. heather@mediasunshine.com

  6. Preparation of Localization kits • Translation • Linguistic Play-Testing • Bug Reporting & Fixing • Cultural Content Review (if any) • More testing, fixing, reviewing! Current State of Game Localization Pre-Production Production Post-Production Release • Localization is usually viewed as post-production • All the work is crammed in at the end • Limits the potential of localized titles • Makes simship a challenge

  7. Sample Game • 30,000 words in-game text: • 10,000 in-game words • 20,000 words of dialog • All dialog subtitled on screen • 30 art assets to localize • 2,000 lines of recording VO: • 12 major characters (100+ lines each) • 20 minor characters • 400 dubbed lines in cinematics • English to FIGS • Xbox 360, PS3, and PC platforms

  8. Estimated Production Time • Translate 30,000 words: • 20 days (single translator) • Casting 32 characters: • 7 days (including time for approvals) • VO Recording for 2,000 lines/32 characters: • 14 days (both recording and processing) • Asset Integration: • 1 day (assumes no art assets to be integrated)

  9. Estimated Production Time • Linguistic testing: • 21 days (3 rounds testing/fixes) • Ratings Review: • Takes 3-4 weeks to secure ratings • Need 100% content • Production of one language/platform: 63 days • Production of one language/3 platforms: 107 days • 107 days x 4 languages = 428 person days • This assumes BEST case scenario

  10. Desired State of Game Localization Pre-Production Production Post-Production Release • Localization Friendly Code • Determine Content Scope • Define distribution • Select vendors • Review content w/vendors • Content audit • Organize assets • Complete translation • Complete VO recording • Integrate assets • Develop testing plan • Cultural content review • Complete integration • Linguistic testing and fixes • Review tech requirements • Final content check, all issues identified • Final approval on localizations • Resolution of any remaining issues • End-to-end process • Starts in pre-production • Proactively plans for localizations • Plans for technical, process and content needs

  11. Keys to Localization • Technical • Localization-friendly code • Automation • Process • Scheduling • Asset management • Testing • Content • Political & Cultural sensitivity • Assume global audience • Ratings boards

  12. Translation & Translators Miguel Bernal Lecturer in Media Translation Roehampton University London m.bernal@roehampton.ac.uk

  13. WYSIWYG localization tools Translation (1/3) • ↑Data ↑Tools = ↑↑Quality ↓↓Time

  14. Translation (2/3) • Creativity? Yes. Context + Co-text

  15. Translation (3/3) • Natural Vs Artificial Languages: 戦士はドラゴンを殺さ ない The warriorwillnotkillthe dragon El/La guerrero/anomataráal[a+el]dragón/aladragona • Immersion and Variables: {GH_ADJ} {GH_NOUN} {GH_VERB} {GH_VENUE} Great performance electrifies The Palace

  16. ID Watermark Secure server Translators and testers • Trained in audiovisual translation. • Aptitude for creative and technical writing. • CAT trained. Build in l10n toolkits compatible with CAT tools that allow translators to correct text directly.

  17. Localizing Game Audio Fabio Minazzi Localization Manager BinariSonoriSrl fabio.minazzi@binarisonori.com

  18. Contents of presentation • Overview of the audio localization process • The central role of the script in the localization process Global audio production chain Country 1 In-country Audio Production Unit Centralized Development Team Country 2 CoordinationInt’l Pre-Production Int’l Post-Production QA In-country Audio Production Unit Audio Studio Country n In-country Audio Production Unit

  19. The audio localization process SCRIPT Localization script affects all phases, all loc team

  20. The Localization script: fundamentals • Localization script is not the Production script • Localization scriptmust contain a minimal set of critical information for localization Layout: • One line = one sentence by one character • Different information => separate columns

  21. Information to be extracted from the Localization script • Cast + text Amount of actors required • Type of dubbing + text Amount of studio time • Scene + text Organization of sessions • Number of files Amount of audio post time • Ref. to media files Completeness of assets

  22. Managing script updates • Carefully track original studio changes • Handoff for loc consistent script and A/Vassets Scenario Original audio production: 10 to 50 actors FIGS localization=> 40 – 200 actors What happens when script is updated?…

  23. Impact of script changes … the audio localization resets  • Re-check A/V assets vs text • Re-count amounts • Re-evaluate effort • Re-prepare the rec script • Re-handoff to studio • Re-schedule actors • … UPDATE

  24. Conclusions on Audio Localization • The localization script is not only a tool for actors to speak, it’s a main production document • Creating and maintaining the localization script is a critical activity in global game development • Benefits of good script management: • Save money • Save turnaround time • Speed-up decision making • Focus audio loc team on creative goals

  25. Content Culturalization & Geocultural Issues Tom Edwards Principal Consultant Englobe Inc. tomedw@englobe.com

  26. Why Culturalize Game Content? • Culturalization is a step further beyond localization to take a deeper look into a game’s content choices and gauging their viability in a multicultural marketplace. • Culturalization helps gamers potentially engage the game’s content at a deeper, more meaningful level. • Primary Goal: Protect the game developer’s (and industry’s) image and revenue stream and allow local customers to simply enjoy a “fun” game. • Additional Goals: • Minimize/Eliminate local market backlash events. • Build customer loyalty and trust in your content. • Expand revenue potential by increasing appeal across cultural boundaries. • Catch issues that are NOT covered by the ESRB, PEGI, CERO and other review agencies. • Review yourself, or else expect potential sanctions by government(s) – including your own.

  27. Why Culturalize Game Content? Because of religious issues like in KakutoChojinin 2003 • Audio containing chanted verses from the Islamic Qur’an was mistakenly included in the game. • The game reached international locales via the gray market. • Local governments and consumers vocally protested and criticized after discovering the content. • The game clearly crossed over a line of acceptability and required a global recall. • This event had strong parallels to other events (e.g., the Danish political cartoons of Mohammed in 2005).

  28. Learn More about Geocultural Issues • Tom’s lecture entitled: “Self-Censoring Potential Content Risks for Global Audiences: Why, How and When” • Time: Thursday, 12:00-1:00pm • Place: Room 2002, West Hall

  29. Concluding Thoughts • Process, Translation, Audio and Geocultural Issues are just 4 aspects of a broader and more complex localization task. • As the game market becomes increasingly global, game design and development must likewise become global is order to succeed. • Get involved! Continue the conversation at the IGDA Localization SIG Meeting (tomorrow at 8am, Room 114, North Hall).

  30. Thank you for attending!Questions or Comments? Contact Information: Miguel: m.bernal@roehampton.ac.uk Heather: heather@mediasunshine.com Tom: tomedw@englobe.com Fabio: fabio.minazzi@binarisonori.com

  31. Bibliography &Recommended Reading Bernal-Merino, M. 2006. “On the Translation of Video Games”. Jostrans, The Journal of Specialised Translation, Issue 6: 22-36. www.jostrans.org/issue06/art_bernal.php ------2007. “Challenges in the translation of video games”, Tradumàtica, issue 5. Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona: online. www.fti.uab.es/tradumatica/revista/num5/articles/02/02art.htm Bortoli, M & Minazzi, F. 2006. “Localizing media-rich interactive content”, Multilingual, volume 17, issue 83 www.multilingual.com Chandler, H. 2005. The Game Localization Handbook. Massachusetts: Charles River Media. DePalma, D. 2006. “Quantifying the return on localization investement”, in K. Dunne (ed.) Perspectives on Localization. Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins. Díaz-Montón, D. 2007. “It’s a funny game”, The Linguist. Volume 46, number 3: 6-9. Di Marco, F. 2007. “Cultural Localization: Orientation and Disorientation in Japanese Video Games”, Tradumàtica, issue 5, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona: online. www.fti.uab.es/tradumatica/revista/num5/articles/06/06art.htm Edwards, T. 2007. “Geocultural literacy, part 1”, Multilingual, volume 18, issue 90: 29-31. www.multilingual.com -----2006. “Navigating the ‘Geocultural Edge’ of Game Content”, Multilingual, volume 17, issue 80: 29-31. www.multilingual.com Finegan, P. 2006. “Games: quality, localization and the world market”, Multilingual, volume 17, issue 84: 56-61. Heimburg, E. Sept. 2003. “Localizing MMORPGS”. Gamasutra, online www.gamasutra.com/resource_guide/20030916/heimburg_pfv.htm Kehoe, B. & Hickey, D. 2006. “Games Localisation”, Localisation Focus, March 2006, 27-29. Mangiron, C. & O’Hagan, M. 2006. “Game Localisation: unleashing imagination with ‘restricted’ translation”. The Journal of Specialised Translation 6: 10-21. www.jostrans.org/issue06/art_ohagan.php Mandel, R. 2000. “Unravelling the mysteries of game localization”. Online www.avault.com/articles/getarticle.asp?name=local&page=1 Sioli, F., Minazzi, F. & Ballista, A. 2007. “Audio Localization for Language Service Providers”, Getting Started: Localization Guide, supplement to Multilingual, volume 18, issue 91: 18-23, online. www.multilingual.com/downloads/printSupp91.pdf

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