a 10 point localisation plan for games
DESCRIPTION
Presentation at GDC 2009 in Cologne Germany, incorporating how Advanced TM\'s such as Catalyst are potentially far better fits for game localisation than traditional text based translation memory tools.TRANSCRIPT
Localization toolsLocalization toolsA 10 point plan to maximise game localisation
productivity
Support the maximum number of file types Centralise all your Translation Assets Use an advanced TM solution Provide flexibility for internal localisers (memos,
parsing) Maximise your Automation Validate, Validate, Validate Provide a common platform to external vendors Push quality/consistency back to your vendors Assure maximum reporting capability Achieve Visual Localization
Shamus [email protected]
Maximum File type supportMaximum File type support
Single environment supporting all players all formats, versus a plethora of tools comprising of free downloads or in-house developed applications with single use functionality
Facilitates greater asset sharing, TM’s /Glossaries
Maximise the capabilities of this single environment
Shamus [email protected]
Centralise all your Translation AssetsCentralise all your Translation Assets Use a standards based Translation Repository for
translation assets including existing Translation Memories.
With controlled and secure web based access to these stored translation assets
With a set of web based services to populate, publish, find, report on, integrate to and share translation assets.
With a management console for Translation Repository administration and features such as security, installation, backup and database cleaning.
Shamus [email protected]
Use an advanced TM solutionUse an advanced TM solution Provide the translator with the best TM and Glossary
hits ID Based Leveraging 100 % Match’s Fuzzy Match suggestions Machine Translation/Substring Match suggestions Dynamic hits for both Glossary and TM Integrate and Manage TRC, TCR and Lotcheck
translation terminology Substring locking, Keywords, Regular expressions Interoperability Standards
Shamus [email protected]
Provide flexibility for internal localisersProvide flexibility for internal localisers Parsing technology; Ability to take any file, following
a logical pattern and only show the translator the relevant text for translation
Conditional Xml, Multilingual Xml, xls etc. Memo’s Locks, Max string Lengths, API
AutomationAutomationThe Key to Maximising productivity“The build system kicks off a Catalyst job using a source
control trigger in perforce. Catalyst updates the files automatically, and then we submit the files back into source control. The rest of the build process continues until the build is uploaded to the release server. “
“Effectively, no single person is involved in the process from the point a developer submits the resource code to the point the build is uploaded. It is fully automated. The only human resource required is that of translation. Which alas is still fairly manual.”
Robert O’Keefe, Citrix Systems
Shamus [email protected]
Validate, Validate, ValidateValidate, Validate, Validate Automated validation checks consistency checks Keyword checks Spelling checks Tag checks Mismatched empty strings Design your own checks generic and game
specific
Shamus [email protected]
Validate, Validate, ValidateValidate, Validate, Validate Automated validation checks consistency checks Keyword checks Spelling checks Tag checks Mismatched empty strings Design your own checks generic and game
specific
Shamus [email protected]
Validate, Validate, ValidateValidate, Validate, Validate Automated validation checks consistency checks Keyword checks Spelling checks Tag checks Mismatched empty strings Design your own checks generic and game
specific
Shamus [email protected]
A common platform for external vendorsA common platform for external vendors Ideally an affordable or free translator Editor Provide the translator with productivity tools,
allowing them to work faster and with a higher consistency
Must be user friendly Need to be able to import existing TM’s
Shamus [email protected]
Push Quality and Consistency back on Push Quality and Consistency back on your translatorsyour translators
Automated Validation checks
Accept translations only when flags have been addressed or explained
Shamus [email protected]
Assure maximum reporting capabilityAssure maximum reporting capability Achieve accurate and comprehensive reports
including all levels of the TM hits
Validation check results
Transparency over the entire localisation process
Shamus [email protected]
Achieve Visual LocalisationAchieve Visual Localisation
What does Visual Localisation bring to mainstream software localisation?
Higher Quality Translations Faster Turnaround Time Lower overall cost of Localisation
Shamus [email protected]
Achieve Visual LocalisationAchieve Visual Localisation
How does visual localisation achieve this?
Prevents bugs- eliminates them earlier in process
Prevents Linguistic Issues, provides context Allows translators to concentrate purely on
the linguistic aspect of translation Reduces Engineering, provides space
restrictionsShamus [email protected]
Achieve Visual LocalisationAchieve Visual Localisation“Same, same but different”
Engineering?Engineering?Imbed mark-up in text categories such that it is
possible to determine font size, available space and text characteristics.
Audio - context
Shamus [email protected]
Shamus DermodyBusiness Development Manager Alchemy Software [email protected]
Former Vivendi Universal Games,Senior Internationalisation Engineer
The Hulk, The Hobbit, Leisure Suit Larry, Ground Control, Lord of the Rings:
The Fellowship of the Ring, Empire Earth, WarCraft 3 and many many more..