Let's talk about multiple languages support, shall we?
O_Bruce
Member Posts: 2,790
As the title of this topic suggest, I would like to mention a certain (and rather global, I fear) issue with Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition - support for dubbing for languages other than English. Those are, after few months, still in phase of BETA (so basically, no dub, even for a original BG1 content), in spite of being said that this game will provide support for multiple languages - and what's more important - I don't recall it being stated to be done "post ship". Basically, for some players, Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition is still incomplete game.
While for developers it is apparently a small issue, judging from that releasing incomplete game to other platforms seems to be a priority, it is pretty big deal for non-native english speakers, such as myself. While I can recognise that playing the default language version of BG:EE is a useful and fun way to improve my proficency in English language, it is not nearly as fun as playing the game with the dub I've played for years. To express how I feel about lack of dub in my native language, I'll give you example. Imagine that in BG2:EE David Warner has been replaced as a voice actor of Irenicus by some random person you don't know anything about, you don't care about and you does not like his voice acting. Feels pretty dissapointing and sad, enraging maybe? Exactly.
Since we are speaking about localizations, we have to talk about volunteering teams. I don't know about other teams than Polish, since I cannot speak German, French, Russian, etc, but judging from what I know and heard the volunteers are doing a solid job. Hell, we, Polish people, had a workaround for a dub avaliable from the day of releasing the game (then again, it's not good, since it requires messing with the files, and the game is called Enhanced Edition instead of Workaround Edition). But, what isn't right lies on your side, dear devs. It is good that @CameronTofer was sending lists to volunteers regarding what is to be done for language to be "out of beta", but some points on those lists cannot be done without developers' attention. Example:
- "Subtitles on movies are translated and display correctly" Translation? No problem, even someone like me can do that in less than five minutes. Display? I believe it can be done easily too. But first you, Overhaul, have to make subtitles on movies avaliable at all!
- "Credits display correctly and are complete" That's cute. Last time I have finished BG:EE there was no credits after ending movie.... Soooo?
It would be also nice from Overhaul to deliver the volunteers some better tools to work with, than the Google docs, next time. I have acquired the information that those were hard to work with, sometimes impossible even.
I'm aware that support for other languages is supposed to be done after Android release of the game, but I don't think it's ok. That's because instead of releasing complete gam on multiple platforms, you are releasing a incomplete game on multiple platforms. That's not the way to go! Even thought majority of the players are native English speakers, you cannot ignore minority in forever. It could bite you back, dear devs, when BG2:EE wil; be released - number of pre-orders might decrease considerably.
Another, yet minor thing. I get an impression that @TrentOster isn't well informed about current state of localizations. Judging from some tweets, I think he's convinced that Polish team has still a lot of things to do, making it sounds like volunteers are hardly working at all. It's little disrespectful, if you ask me.
If you are going to release the game to Android first, then do so, there is nothing someoone like me can do about it. But, after that, please start taking issues with non-english languages support some more seriously. As much as I appreciate the entire Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition project, it doesn't make me blind to some shortcomings. You cannot keep ignoring minority in forever.
The reasons I make this thread are following:
1. I am tired of months of fruitless waiting. I want to do something in this case.
2. It is harder to pretend that nothing is happening, when issue is discussed in public thread than via private message.
3. Second, I want to invite people from others volunteering teams to state their remarks regarding this topic.
4. I want to motivate you, Overhaul. I know you guys are able to deliver us what you promised, even if you aren't aware of your own capabilities ;].
This topic, however, is not meant to offend anyone from developer team. I apologize if I did that.
I'm also not sure if I have mentioned everything I wanted to, so I'm sorry if this post contains some mistakes. It was hard to write for me, even without poor search function on this forum.
While for developers it is apparently a small issue, judging from that releasing incomplete game to other platforms seems to be a priority, it is pretty big deal for non-native english speakers, such as myself. While I can recognise that playing the default language version of BG:EE is a useful and fun way to improve my proficency in English language, it is not nearly as fun as playing the game with the dub I've played for years. To express how I feel about lack of dub in my native language, I'll give you example. Imagine that in BG2:EE David Warner has been replaced as a voice actor of Irenicus by some random person you don't know anything about, you don't care about and you does not like his voice acting. Feels pretty dissapointing and sad, enraging maybe? Exactly.
Since we are speaking about localizations, we have to talk about volunteering teams. I don't know about other teams than Polish, since I cannot speak German, French, Russian, etc, but judging from what I know and heard the volunteers are doing a solid job. Hell, we, Polish people, had a workaround for a dub avaliable from the day of releasing the game (then again, it's not good, since it requires messing with the files, and the game is called Enhanced Edition instead of Workaround Edition). But, what isn't right lies on your side, dear devs. It is good that @CameronTofer was sending lists to volunteers regarding what is to be done for language to be "out of beta", but some points on those lists cannot be done without developers' attention. Example:
- "Subtitles on movies are translated and display correctly" Translation? No problem, even someone like me can do that in less than five minutes. Display? I believe it can be done easily too. But first you, Overhaul, have to make subtitles on movies avaliable at all!
- "Credits display correctly and are complete" That's cute. Last time I have finished BG:EE there was no credits after ending movie.... Soooo?
It would be also nice from Overhaul to deliver the volunteers some better tools to work with, than the Google docs, next time. I have acquired the information that those were hard to work with, sometimes impossible even.
I'm aware that support for other languages is supposed to be done after Android release of the game, but I don't think it's ok. That's because instead of releasing complete gam on multiple platforms, you are releasing a incomplete game on multiple platforms. That's not the way to go! Even thought majority of the players are native English speakers, you cannot ignore minority in forever. It could bite you back, dear devs, when BG2:EE wil; be released - number of pre-orders might decrease considerably.
Another, yet minor thing. I get an impression that @TrentOster isn't well informed about current state of localizations. Judging from some tweets, I think he's convinced that Polish team has still a lot of things to do, making it sounds like volunteers are hardly working at all. It's little disrespectful, if you ask me.
If you are going to release the game to Android first, then do so, there is nothing someoone like me can do about it. But, after that, please start taking issues with non-english languages support some more seriously. As much as I appreciate the entire Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition project, it doesn't make me blind to some shortcomings. You cannot keep ignoring minority in forever.
The reasons I make this thread are following:
1. I am tired of months of fruitless waiting. I want to do something in this case.
2. It is harder to pretend that nothing is happening, when issue is discussed in public thread than via private message.
3. Second, I want to invite people from others volunteering teams to state their remarks regarding this topic.
4. I want to motivate you, Overhaul. I know you guys are able to deliver us what you promised, even if you aren't aware of your own capabilities ;].
This topic, however, is not meant to offend anyone from developer team. I apologize if I did that.
I'm also not sure if I have mentioned everything I wanted to, so I'm sorry if this post contains some mistakes. It was hard to write for me, even without poor search function on this forum.
5
Comments
Overhaul has since provided us with a much more stable tool created and hosted by them.
That's surprising. Last time I have checked it looked like not everyone were blessed to work with new tools.
@AndreaColombo
That's neat. Now, the rest of issues are still remaining.
"Czy tak mam... skończyć?"
Stałem się Śmiercią, niszczycielem światów! -Google translate. It looks fascinating but I wouldn't begin to understand how to pronounce it!
Can you tell me something more specific? I want to know if something will be done about matter I raised here in this topic. I don't want to see few words that are just said in order to remain a words.
Hey Andrea, the portuguese (brazilian) translation was released some weeks ago and the credits aren't there. Can you please log a ticket for that? Thanks.
About this beta thing, I got it from main menu of the game, in language choosing section. "The following languages are considered BETA, and are still being approved". A common trait of those "beta" languages is that voiceovers are missing. That is a fact - questioning this is useless.
About credits... Ok, they are there. My bad, maybe?
"The following languages are considered BETA and are still being approved" means that any language - english included - is not in its final version. Since the original text was very inaccurate and full of typos, we are working to improve it. However, polishing dialogues and spell/item/class/kit descriptions requires a lot of time and work - that is why all the languages are classified as beta.
They updated the texts (localized versions included) any time they released a new patch, while other developers never do such a thing.
I agree that they can and should improve their support to the localization teams, but I think you are too unconditional in your judgement.
"However, polishing dialogues and spell/item/class/kit descriptions requires a lot of time and work - that is why all the languages are classified as beta."
Nope, we can polishing all of them and update in patch. Any reason for classified Polish localization as beta is - problem with font(uppercast algorithm) and subtitles movies. Hmm... 4 months on it, it is challenge!