Game Localization Network Ltd. - How to localise a game
Sitemap
Localization adds linguistic color to your favorite game, that's our two cents! Localisation adds linguistic colour to your favourite game, that's our tuppence worth! Version française  
Game Localization Network Ltd. - Home Services provided by Game Localization Network Ltd. Game Localisation - targeting foreign markets Links - International game charts and game sites Contact - Game Localization Network Ltd.  
   
  Game Localization Network Ltd. - Home page
  Services - provided by Game Localization Network Ltd.
  Game Localisation - targeting foreign markets
  Overview of localisation
  Game localisation - general information and models
  Internationalisation - issues for coders
  Culture and legal - issues for designers
  Links - international game charts and sites
  Contact - Game Localization Network Ltd.
   
 
Localisation > Game localisation
Game localisation
 

The objective in localising a game is to sell it to game players in other territories. Game players are a smart and demanding group. No matter what language they speak, or where they live in the world, game players expect the best.

Localising a game requires stealth. A good localisation does not draw attention to fact that the game has been translated, it just works elegantly and seamlessly in another language. The purpose of localisation is to immerse the player in the game, no matter what language they speak. In the localised version the UI must be as intuitive to use, the story must be as polished and the audio must be as engaging as it is in the original.

Determinates in game localisation
There are two determinates in game localisation - word count and audio file count.

Small games with approximately 20000 words and 500 audio files can be localised in four weeks of well planned translation, recording, engineering and testing. Medium games between 20000-50000 and 1000 audio files need planning and 5-8 weeks. Large games with more than 50000 words take 5-8 weeks in production but you also need to add a week of translation time for every 10000 extra words.

Models of Game Localisation
There are two models in game localisation - sim-ship localisation and post-gold localisation.

Sim-ship localisation is the process that will give the game a simultaneous worldwide release date in all supported languages, it is a marketing event and is usually AAA territory, but it can be achieved for any game. Careful planning and a keen eye on costs are essential in the process. The localised versions are usually completed and in manufacture within two weeks of the gold date of the original version. It is best to plan the task at least six months in advance, but the real work of localisation happens during the last 4 months of the development of the game. Translation begins 4 months before the gold date, audio recording happens 3 months before gold and full production is underway during the final 2 months of the development project.

Post-gold localisation is the process of localising a game after the original version has been completed. It is a more straightforward, it easier to cost and if you have a game with a small word count or flexibility on your worldwide release date then you can have a sim-ship too.

Levels of Game Localisation
The level of localisation a game receives is predominantly dictated by sales projections for the game in the targeted territory, thus the required level of localisation can be determined by a country-by-country cost/benefit analysis. The genre of game also has an influence on how easy it is for players to understand the objective of the game and the level of localisation may be dictated by this factor.

Shipping a game with a translated manual (a “doco” version) might be considered sufficient for a arcade racer but it will not engage and assist players of a story driven RPG. An RPG that is targeting a large language market might benefit from a “full” localisation (user interface, in-game text, spoken audio, manual and support documents), a similar game targeting a smaller market might be better shipping as a “sub-titled” version (user interface, in-game text, manual and support documents), thus contributing to the bottom line by saving the cost of audio recording.

 

 

 

Game Localization Network Ltd. © 2012 ::: info@gamelocalisation.net ::: Powered by Electricity