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As soon as I saw Elebits< I knew it was destined to be one of the most refreshingly original games for Nintendo’s Wii. And I couldn’t wait. Reviews across the web praised the title for it’s unique and satisfying approach to gameplay. And it is for this reason that I cast an envious eye over my American cousins. Because, for us poor UK gamers, the game isn’t out yet.
In fact the game, which has been pointlessly renamed Eledees, isn’t due for release until April. But that’s nothing compared to the six months we waited for the GameCube, or the ten months we tapped our feet for Pokémon< or the two years it took for Animal Crossing to come out. Indeed, watching the world play games and consoles weeks, months and even years before we get to, is a bane we European gamers have had to bare since the market began.
Publishers blame these delays on the translation. There are so many European languages that it takes time (although not as long as publishers would like you to think) before games are translated into every one. So before we in the UK get our hands on the software, we must await its translation into French, German, Spanish, Italian and so forth. And this is despite the fact we speak the same language as our American friends.
However, the real problem I have is not with the delays, that I can cope with, it’s with lazy translations.
Last year I spent some time working for Partnertrans, a video game testing company that specializes in testing languages. Therefore I know first hand how much effort developers put in when trying to get that German version of Splinter Cell just right. So then why are these developers incapable of getting the English version just right? Who is this “Mom” I speak to in Pokémon? Why is “autumn” called “fall” in Harvest Moon? And as for the Gameboy Color, well that was just an embarrassment when it first hit UK shores.
You may think this is just pettiness, and in many respects it is. But if I have to wait months or years for a game to get translated then why is my copy still in American? Why do the French get a nicely translated video game whilst I am left with some American code shoe horned into a PAL disc? It is no wonder that importing is so popular over here when you can buy the exact same game earlier (and for less) from the United States.
I know developers can translate their games properly. It took Nintendo eight months to release Majora’s Mask in England, and in that time they gave the game to some plucky young Brit who translated it perfectly. He even introduced quintessential English terms, such as “Blimey”, into the mix, additions that did not go unnoticed.
The eight months we waited for Majora’s Mask was not so the Greeks or the Italians could have a nice personal version of the game… it was so we could as well, and it soon became my favourite (not favorite) Nintendo 64 game.
But this didn’t catch on and don’t expect things to change in the future. Elebits will still take another two months to come out, it’ll still feature a heavy dose of American prose and it’ll still have that ridiculous new moniker. But you know what? Who cares? What is two different variations of the same language really? And you know I can always entertain myself in the mean time by playing Excite Truck.
That game that was released two months earlier in the states.
In fact the game, which has been pointlessly renamed Eledees, isn’t due for release until April. But that’s nothing compared to the six months we waited for the GameCube, or the ten months we tapped our feet for Pokémon< or the two years it took for Animal Crossing to come out. Indeed, watching the world play games and consoles weeks, months and even years before we get to, is a bane we European gamers have had to bare since the market began.
Publishers blame these delays on the translation. There are so many European languages that it takes time (although not as long as publishers would like you to think) before games are translated into every one. So before we in the UK get our hands on the software, we must await its translation into French, German, Spanish, Italian and so forth. And this is despite the fact we speak the same language as our American friends.
However, the real problem I have is not with the delays, that I can cope with, it’s with lazy translations.
Last year I spent some time working for Partnertrans, a video game testing company that specializes in testing languages. Therefore I know first hand how much effort developers put in when trying to get that German version of Splinter Cell just right. So then why are these developers incapable of getting the English version just right? Who is this “Mom” I speak to in Pokémon? Why is “autumn” called “fall” in Harvest Moon? And as for the Gameboy Color, well that was just an embarrassment when it first hit UK shores.
You may think this is just pettiness, and in many respects it is. But if I have to wait months or years for a game to get translated then why is my copy still in American? Why do the French get a nicely translated video game whilst I am left with some American code shoe horned into a PAL disc? It is no wonder that importing is so popular over here when you can buy the exact same game earlier (and for less) from the United States.
I know developers can translate their games properly. It took Nintendo eight months to release Majora’s Mask in England, and in that time they gave the game to some plucky young Brit who translated it perfectly. He even introduced quintessential English terms, such as “Blimey”, into the mix, additions that did not go unnoticed.
The eight months we waited for Majora’s Mask was not so the Greeks or the Italians could have a nice personal version of the game… it was so we could as well, and it soon became my favourite (not favorite) Nintendo 64 game.
But this didn’t catch on and don’t expect things to change in the future. Elebits will still take another two months to come out, it’ll still feature a heavy dose of American prose and it’ll still have that ridiculous new moniker. But you know what? Who cares? What is two different variations of the same language really? And you know I can always entertain myself in the mean time by playing Excite Truck.
That game that was released two months earlier in the states.
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Dringo wrote:
>
> I didn't reply because I guess you're right. It really isn't
> suited here. But I thought I may as well post it. I mean what
> was the harm?
Exactly. There is no harm, but you will get people asking why you posted it and questioning whether it should have been. That's just how it is.
>
> I didn't reply because I guess you're right. It really isn't
> suited here. But I thought I may as well post it. I mean what
> was the harm?
Exactly. There is no harm, but you will get people asking why you posted it and questioning whether it should have been. That's just how it is.
Dringo wrote:
> You think I have a problem with criticism? Really? I know I write
> some bad eggs. I start off with an idea and if the end product
> isn't quite right, well I'll post it anyway.
And there's the first mistake
> I'd understand it in the creative writing forum, or the reviews
> forum... but in a chat forum... no... sorry I don't understand
> why you have to say anything at all.
Exactly how long have you been on the internet? As soon as you post anything up on a forum it's open for criticism especially when it's a review, article or whatever. You gave your opinion and after my ultra "malicious" attack of suggesting the latest edition of Edge was out (wow how the heck did i manage to avoid a banning for that vicious attack?) i then gave my opinion. Of course you then start babbling about interviews for this and that so yea i'm going to comment on that to (and like i said twice now, more power to you)
You don't want opinions or criticism then don't post, otherwise post your article and deal with the fact not everyone will be showering you with plaudits and may *gasp* dare to criticise your writing and not agree with you.
God this has dragged on way too long
> You think I have a problem with criticism? Really? I know I write
> some bad eggs. I start off with an idea and if the end product
> isn't quite right, well I'll post it anyway.
And there's the first mistake
> I'd understand it in the creative writing forum, or the reviews
> forum... but in a chat forum... no... sorry I don't understand
> why you have to say anything at all.
Exactly how long have you been on the internet? As soon as you post anything up on a forum it's open for criticism especially when it's a review, article or whatever. You gave your opinion and after my ultra "malicious" attack of suggesting the latest edition of Edge was out (wow how the heck did i manage to avoid a banning for that vicious attack?) i then gave my opinion. Of course you then start babbling about interviews for this and that so yea i'm going to comment on that to (and like i said twice now, more power to you)
You don't want opinions or criticism then don't post, otherwise post your article and deal with the fact not everyone will be showering you with plaudits and may *gasp* dare to criticise your writing and not agree with you.
God this has dragged on way too long
Hedfix wrote:
> Dringo wrote:
>
> I didn't reply because I guess you're right. It really isn't
> suited here. But I thought I may as well post it. I mean what
> was the harm?
>
> Exactly. There is no harm, but you will get people asking why
> you posted it and questioning whether it should have been.
> That's just how it is
There is the oppertunity to win a game of your choice every day... I have a recently produced article... would you not do the same?
But I've learnt my lesson. If I feel it won't get read or commented on then I'll leave it. I stick with reviews or cheats for my voucher fix.
> Dringo wrote:
>
> I didn't reply because I guess you're right. It really isn't
> suited here. But I thought I may as well post it. I mean what
> was the harm?
>
> Exactly. There is no harm, but you will get people asking why
> you posted it and questioning whether it should have been.
> That's just how it is
There is the oppertunity to win a game of your choice every day... I have a recently produced article... would you not do the same?
But I've learnt my lesson. If I feel it won't get read or commented on then I'll leave it. I stick with reviews or cheats for my voucher fix.
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