Czech for games is a big topic at the moment, so we decided to interview one of the Red Dead Redemption 2 translators. Below you can find out more about what he thinks about machine translations, which Czech was the most difficult language he worked on worked, and much more. more about this work.
Zing: You released the Czech version of Red Dead Redemption 2. How did the creation of this localization start?
Translator: Actually, it started the same way as any other of our projects. Of course, we were aware of the grandeur of the game, but after much deliberation, we assembled a team within the group and just got to work. The advantage was that at the beginning of the translation it was not a completely new game, and therefore we could glean valuable information from the Internet, which helped us a lot, especially with the translation of the main storyline.
Zing: Could you tell our readers more about the scope of this localization? And how difficult was it to translate this project compared to all your productions?
Translator: If I remember correctly, there are about 11 million characters in total in this project. Of course, we didn’t translate every single character, because that includes various tags and variables in the game, but even so, it should be taken into account that basically all of them went through before our eyes. It is difficult to compare it with other projects, because each project has its own specifics, and even much less complete titles can cause difficulties for translators and technicians. The biggest difference was precisely how difficult it was to follow the established translation rules.
Zing: Speaking of projects, what was the most difficult Czech language for your team?
Translator: For me it will really be RDR2 from a translation standpoint, but also from an organizational standpoint.
Zing: How long does it take on average to develop such a Czech language? And what about finances, for example, how much is needed to actually pay for such production by 100%?
Translator: It costs as much time as the person is willing and able to give it. Sometimes it’s 2 hours a day during the work week and most weekends, and sometimes you don’t do it at all for a few days. This is leisure, so in terms of time spent, I would compare it, for example, with recreational sports or reading.
Sing: Is the production of the Czech language itself divided into stages? And which one do you think represents the most critical moment of the whole process?
Translator: Most of the time it all starts with technical preparation, i.e. removing the texts from the game and checking that there is a way to put them in order. Then, depending on the information available, the basic translation rules are established and the most important known terms are added to the dictionary. Then the actual translation of all texts from the game takes place. After the translation is completed, internal testing begins, where you need to “check” the entire game as much as possible and identify all inaccuracies. Once we are satisfied enough with the localization, we will be able to provide it to anyone who is interested in it. Each of these stages is important in its own way, because the underestimation of any of them affects not only the next one, but also the project as a whole.
Zing: Could it be that during development you decide to finish it, perhaps even in the later stages?
Translator: Of course, this can happen for many reasons (framework and timing, studio decisions, unexpected technical issues), but I don’t remember this happening to our team. On the contrary, several times in the past we have taken on a project that, for various reasons, remained in a dead end, and thanks to the enthusiasm of the people on the team, we were able to bring it to a successful conclusion.
Zing: How are games selected for translation? What is more important: personal preference or the ability of the name to attract the attention of the community?
Translator: Technical capability is always of the greatest importance when choosing the next project. If our programmers are not sure that they can provide localization from a technical point of view, it is pointless to speculate on the project. Once this is decided, there will be a match between what translators would be interested in and what the community would like to play in Czech.
Zing: One of your “competitors” claims in his presentations that he receives games from publishers in advance for sale in Czech. Possible? Does your team think the same or do you think it’s fiction? I work here with your many years of experience.
Translator: Our group has never requested a key for the game we’re about to localize, and never will, unless the manufacturer/distributor wants it to. We buy all the games on which we test localization ourselves. I don’t know that any team will get the key to the game that they localize in advance, but at the same time I don’t think it’s technically possible at all and that some Czech distributor would do it consciously.
Zing: What programming knowledge is required to create translations? Is it possible to work without his knowledge?
Translator: If you have mastered programming, the path to success will be a little easier. However, it must be said that not every programmer knows reverse engineering. Yes, it can be done without any programming knowledge as you can search the forums and only rely on other people’s work. After all, many do this, and we also use this opportunity, but the vast majority of us write tools ourselves and rely on our knowledge. Conversely, we share many tools with the community on various forums and websites.
Zing: Does the game engine of the work in question affect the complexity of its subsequent translation?
Translator: We haven’t had a situation yet where our group couldn’t handle the engine, so the answer should be no, but I have to admit that in tiny cases it can play a role (also due to our workload), but it’s just never decisive factor.
Zing: The big topic right now is machine translation. Are you also going to involve him in your work in the long run?
Translator: Machine translation is nothing new to us, after all, we also have a built-in translator in our internal translation app, and although it is not currently used there, many translators use machine translation from time to time when needed. .
Zing: How do you really feel about machine translation? What is their greatest strength and what do you consider to be your weakness?
Translator: Machine translation in the sense of using Google Translator or DeepL is, in my opinion, a great servant, but a bad master. If a person uses it as a tool to help themselves in some situations, I do not see this as a problem, but as soon as you completely trust it without any control, human creativity and ingenuity, the result will be far from ideal, especially for games, in which there is at least a hint of the plot, where you need to look at the context.
Zing: Do you mind competition or do you sometimes collaborate with other translation teams?
Translator: I believe that the very term “competition” in the translation community is incorrect. I never had the impression that this is a competitive environment. Until recently, almost every time, individual teams agreed among themselves about who wants to translate what.
Zing: Last question, where are you going in the future and do you have anything to say to our readers?
Translator: First of all, work will continue on RDR2, which is currently in beta testing and therefore still waiting for constant updates. In addition, there are ongoing projects within the group, such as Legacy of Hogwarts or Guardians of the Galaxy, which are being worked on by experienced translators and which I am very much looking forward to the final translation.
Source :Indian TV
