So, you've been assigned your first video game localization project... Congratulations!
You must be over the moon, as I was when I first got mine. Your eyes are sparkling, your heart is racing, your face is radiant with joy...
Well... now what?
Let the excitement flow, but don't let the panic set in. If you're new to the world of game localization, the prospect of managing your first big translation project can be intimidating. But with planning, organization, and following some good practices I have listed below, you can successfully complete your project from start to finish.
These are tips I have learned from experience, tips which might sound obvious to experts in the field, but that might be useful for those who are just starting as freelance translators in video game localization.
Although every task might look different in terms of what kind of files you're working on, what CAT tool you're using, and what the client's requests are, these suggestions surely apply to the vast majority of translation projects and can help you to better organize your workflow.
1. 📚 Carefully read the Style Guide and reference materials
Chances are that the client will provide you with localization guidelines you'll need to follow and keep coming to throughout the entire translation process. The Style Guide is the sacred text of the project and so are all the other reference texts you might receive, as they ensure consistency and accuracy across all segments of the text. The client puts a lot of effort into writing them, and you should put the same effort into following them.
These guidelines and references can include various info: a summary of the video game plot, descriptions of the main characters, places, game mechanics, the tone of voice of the title, character limits for specific strings, spelling, punctuation and grammar rules that apply to the title. The more info there is, the better you can do your job!
All these materials will be useful to facilitate the next step: familiarization.
2. 🎮 Get familiar with the game
If you're lucky enough, you'll get the chance to play the game you're about to translate, this is often the case for mobile or indie games. Even if you feel the urge to dive into your work and start translating immediately, you should fight the deadline pressure and take some time to play the game to understand its lore, mechanics, story progression, etc.
After the familiarization stage, you'll be better equipped to make conscious decisions. Scary words and lines without context will be not so scary anymore, as you'll remember where you've seen those in the game. Although it might be time-consuming at first, familiarization will help you save time further on during the translation process, allowing you to better understand the text you're working on.
What if you're translating a game that hasn't been published yet? Well, it's time to put your investigator hat on, and start some digging!
3. 🔍 Research, research, research
Research is important. Research everything.
Has the game been mentioned in articles? Read them. Does the game have official social media pages? Scroll them. Whenever you have a doubt of any nature (terminology, meaning, cultural context), before doing anything else, research: check dictionaries, glossaries, books, websites, and everything that might help answer your doubts.
Do you know what else might help in solving linguistic mysteries? IDs. String IDs.
4. #️⃣ IDs are your best friends
Are you getting lost in an ocean of random Excel lines without context? Turn to your best friends: string IDs.
Descriptive string keys are useful for providing some context about the string you're translating (is it a title, a name, a description?), and the way they are ordered might also help to understand the flow of dialogues (who is talking, what's the gender of the character?).
Some string IDs have clear structures, such as, for example, #ItemName_01 which refers to #ItemDesc_01. Easy peasy, right? So, if you're in doubt about how to translate an item's name because you don't know exactly what it does or what it looks like, scan your source text and look for the right key: it will probably solve most of the doubts you had.
Other times, working out the relation between strings, IDs and their meaning may be a bit more challenging, but if you think of it as a puzzle game, you might also have fun while trying to figure it out! (Especially in an ideal world where there's no pressing deadline...)
⚠️ Now, let's say that familiarization, research, scanning IDs... nothing has worked and you still don't know what a string, a name, or a verb refers to and you desperately need more context... Well, it's time to ask a question directly to the client, right? Just about right.
There's one more thing you can try before asking a question on the query sheet, especially if you're not pressed by an urgent deadline and are well-organized with your workload.
5. 🗎 Create your own Query Sheet
Aside from using the online spreadsheet that will very likely be provided by the client for translators' localization queries, you might find it useful to create your own document with all the questions that keep popping up in your mind during the translation process. As you keep cracking mysteries, write down anything that makes you wonder: "What the hell is this?", "Who the hell is talking?", "How the hell should I translate this?".
Your list of questions might be longer at the beginning, but you'll see that, moving forward with your translation project and coming back to your questions, you'll happily and progressively cross them out as you realize you have the answer to almost all of them. Why? Because you have a deeper knowledge of the overall source text and because you've done well in the previous steps we've talked about.
6. ❓The last resort: the client's Q&A sheet
You've read the Style Guide, you've played the game, you're familiar with its mechanics and characters, you've checked and double-checked the string IDs, you've used your investigative skills at your best, yet... there still are unanswered questions bugging you, something you can't wrap your head around, no matter how hard you think about it.
We all know that games can be huge, dense with lore and things to do and unlock as the story progresses, so it's comprehensible that there will always be something you've not experienced yourself directly: who is talking in this string? Where does this word appear? What does "Free" mean in this context? If you can't still find an answer, ask the question on the online Q&A sheet provided by the client.
This is a document that gathers all the questions from linguists working on the same projects, with answers from the client. Remember to check the entire document and read the questions posed by the other colleagues: chances are, someone else has faced the same problem and has already asked about it. Finally, when asking a question, remember to state it clearly, politely, and as specifically as possible so that you can hopefully receive a precise answer.
There are certainly many more steps separating you from delivering a high-quality, localized game, but you can do it! Working with awareness, curiosity, passion and expertise, you will gain experience and confidence to deal with more and bigger projects. Use these tips to guide you as you move your first steps into this field.
Remember that you're never truly alone with your text and your computer screen. For any hiccups or issues that might arise during the translation project, especially those of organizational nature, you can always and should always communicate with the PM that assigned you the task.
Stay organized, communicate effectively, and be willing to adapt as needed.
Best of luck with your first video game localization project!
Animated Rainbow Star Divider by Gasara