So, you’ve developed an amazing game, and now you’re eager to share your creation with players around the world. But perhaps you’re not familiar with the localisation process and you might be wondering where to start. Fear not, as we bring you a comprehensive guide to help you navigate the process of game localisation.
Preparing for Localisation
Early Planning
The sooner you plan for localisation, the better. Ideally, you should start thinking about localisation during the initial development stages. This allows you to design your game in a way that facilitates easy adaptation to different languages and cultures.
Create a Localisation-Friendly Game
Ensure your game is ready for localisation by following these best practices:
1. Separate Text from Code:
Store all text elements (e.g., dialogue, menus, tutorials) in external files rather than hardcoding them. This makes it easier to extract and translate text without modifying the game’s code.
2. Use Unicode:
Implement Unicode (UTF-8) to support a wide range of characters from different languages, including special characters and symbols.
3. Be Careful with the Use of Variables:
Using placeholders and variables can cause issues in other languages. For example, something that might seem simple, like “You have won a [colour] [item]” or “I’m glad you’re alive, [name]!” can cause many issues due to different word order and grammatical endings depending on whether the noun is masculine, feminine or neutral.
4. Flexible UI Design:
Design your user interface to accommodate text expansion since translated text can be longer than the original. Text boxes that can expand or scrolling text work great. It’s also better to have text that wraps than having to ask localisers to implement manual line breaks.
Preparing is an important step, but of course, we realise that sometimes planning won’t be possible, but don’t worry, there is still a lot you can do to ensure your game is a success.
Create a Localisation Kit
A localisation kit (lockit for short) is a comprehensive package that includes all the necessary materials and information needed to adapt your game for different markets. It ensures consistency, accuracy, and efficiency throughout the localisation process. A well-prepared localisation kit helps translators, voice actors, and QA testers understand the context, tone, and nuances of your game.
What should a good lockit contain?
1. The Game Text:
Obviously! Extract all the game text you need localised (and we mean all; UI, dialogues, subtitles, credits… ALL). Usually a good old Excel file is the best option, as it’s compatible with our localisation tools.
2. Game Overview:
A description of the game, its genre, target audience, age rating, platform and storyline.
3. Contextual Information:
Context is crucial for translators to understand the nuances and intent behind the text.
It can include the following:
– Character Profiles: Information about characters, their backgrounds, and personalities.
– Dialogues: Information about the characters speaking the lines. Because translations can vary depending on whether the characters are male, female or non-binary, and if they’re speaking to one person or several. Descriptions of the scenes or settings where dialogues occur also help.
– Screenshots and Videos: Visual references of the game, like screenshots of the characters, enemies, weapons, a demo… Or even better…
– Access to the game! If you could give us access to the full game, like for example, a Steam key, we’ll be forever grateful! And not just because we get to enjoy the game before everyone else! 😉
– Glossary and Style Guide: A glossary of key terms, character names, and a style guide with preferred tone and formality to ensure uniformity across translations. This can help but if you don’t have them, we can always create them for you!
Define the Scope and Requirements of the Project
1. Languages:
The languages you want to localise your game into. If you’re not sure what languages to go for, ask us for advice!
2. Deadlines:
Set realistic deadlines for each phase of the localisation process and tell us when you would like to have it ready for (and no, not yesterday please).
3. Character limits:
Tell us if there are any screens with character limits, like in the UI, so we know we need to keep the text short from the beginning. Although flexible design, as we’ve seen above, will help immensely.
4. Dialogues:
Define what type of text we’re dealing with:
– Text for subtitles: There are certain norms for subtitling, like character restrictions, duration, etc. Usually we don’t have to alter the timings, but we can do that if needed.
– Text for dubbing: Dubbing needs to be handled more carefully. We’ll need to know if the timing should be strict (same as the English) or loose (can be around 20% longer or shorter), or if it’s for lip synching (when it must match the movements of the characters’ lips on screen). Each type requires different approaches.
It also helps a lot to have the dialogues sorted in chronological order in the game, with information on when one scene ends and another finishes.
Choose the Right Localisation Partner
Finally, selecting a reliable localisation service provider is crucial. Look for a company with experience in game localisation, who knows and breathes games and understands the unique challenges of localising interactive entertainment.
At Localise My Game, we specialise in delivering high-quality localisation services tailored to the unique needs of the gaming industry. We are dedicated to helping developers bring their games to a global audience. Our team of experienced professionals is here to guide you through every step of the localisation process, ensuring your game is culturally relevant and enjoyable for players everywhere.
Once you start working with your localisation partner, maintain open and regular communication. Provide them with all the information they need and be available to answer questions. We’ll try not to swamp you with messages, we promise! Provide constructive feedback and collaborate closely to make necessary adjustments.
Conclusion
Localising your game can open up vast new opportunities and significantly increase your player base. However, it requires careful planning, preparation, and collaboration with a skilled localisation partner. By following these steps and working closely with a trusted provider like Localise My Game, you can ensure that your game resonates with players around the world, delivering a truly global gaming experience.
Start your game localisation journey with confidence and watch your game thrive in new markets!
