Localization and game translations

[solzerogame]

Sol 0 now supports localization. I would eventually like to officially support between 4-6 languages. Official language support is going to take a bit more time, since it involves paying for a high quality translation and modifying a few graphics that contain text. However, unofficial community translations can now be created using a translation tool available here (Windows only), and lets you modify nearly all the game text and share the language file:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/wc2b8lm8je9e374/Localizer.zip?dl=0

A few notes on using this tool:

Start the program and load the ‘English’ file. Clicking on a text item will allow you to edit the text in the upper right box. A preview of the new text will display in the lower right box. The lower right preview box also shows a greyed out version of the original text, so you can try to keep the length the same (which is important!).

A small red square next to each text item indicates whether the text has been modified, to make it easy to find text that still needs replacing.

Once you’ve edited the file, give it a name other than ‘English’ and press Save. If you then copy the language file, located in ‘Localizer_Data/Languages’ to ‘Sol 0_Data/Languages’, you’ll be able to switch to that language file from the home screen in-game setting menu.

The tool is forwards compatible for future versions. If I add text in a later version, you can copy over all your work onto the new language file using the ‘Overwrite language file with:’ box in the lower left.

[solzerogame]

I'm happy to help with any questions regarding the localization tool. It's a bit of an experiment, so let me know how it can be improved.

[Some1xx]

Had a quick look at it as it sounded a rather interesting idea, just wated to point out that there's no scroll bar on the top right view.. bottom one has it.
It bugs me when you can't scroll with mouse. ^_^

Also, you can't press enter to make new line, I dunno if that's intentional and not a clue if that would even effect anyone or not, I'm just messing around with it and seeing how it is. Wanted a bit of fun. =(

Undo text (Ctrl + Z) is always nice to have.

[solzerogame]

Thanks - it's tricky to get the formatting to work right. There are a few special symbols that you can type in the top and see the effect in the bottom. If you type:

\n

You'll see a new line in the preview window,

\t

gives a tab.

[Some1xx]

Able to reset/default the text, mainly if it had formats on and you've accidently messed them up... XD

[Some1xx]

Originally posted by solzerogame:

Thanks - it's tricky to get the formatting to work right. There are a few special symbols that you can type in the top and see the effect in the bottom. If you type:

\n

You'll see a new line in the preview window,

\t

gives a tab.

I tried and it wasn't doing anything (at least not in preview.) I'm not that good with coding and stuff so to make sure it wasn't just me that was being stupid, I asked someone that can programme if I was missing something.

He tried it and says:

i think its not working as he intends it to
cause i'm doing what i'd expect and its not showing a tab

[solzerogame]

Hm thanks - I'll look into it. The tool is pretty easy to update and build, since it's not part of Steam's system, so I can put out a quick update if needed.

[SadKnight]

Hi.

Thanks to give us this tool to translate your game but I have a big question about translations. I'm doing spanish translation with your tool.

Other languages use more words than english (I'm spanish) and need more space in box texts.

Some descriptions in english use (for example) 70 words but in spanish need 80 words to read perfectly. When i read the description in game i cant read the text complete because the last sentence doesnt appear.

My idea is extend box texts with a code or put a scroll bar.

Have you any solution to fix it? Can you do it?

PD: Sorry if i dont write to good in english, if have questions you can ask without problems.

[Some1xx]

I don't know if he can change it or not but I think it has to be the way it is.

"The lower right preview box also shows a greyed out version of the original text, so you can try to keep the length the same (which is important!)."

He's clearly aware of the issue of longer texts - sounds like there isn't anything he can do without also changing the code in the game, it would be a lot more effort and possibly take up a long time to do.
I don't think the issue is just with the translation tool.

[embero]

I started a german localization. The text file isn't optimized, multiple same occurrences you have to translate. A better format would be appreciated. Just my 2 cent as a developer.
---
Ich habe eine deutsche Übersetzung angefangen. Es ist bei Weitem noch nicht alles übersetzt, aber ein erster Anfang ist gemacht.

Falls jemand helfen möchte kann ich die Textdatei gerne in ein Github Repository laden.

Hier die Links:
Screenshots[www.dropbox.com]
Download Übersetzung 0.1[dl.dropboxusercontent.com]
VirustotalAnalyse[www.virustotal.com]

[Gunnare]

moin Danke für die Arbeit ,kann aber nicht helfen

[matisk]

The Susbcribing is not fonctionning correctly. (version 1.02)
My way:

- Subscribe the language, after:

1. found the tranlation, here:
STEAM/SteamApps/workshop/content/387370/685608956/lang_"your_language!"

2. put in the folder:
STEAM/SteamApps/common/Sol 0 Mars Colonization/Sol_0_Data/Language/

Start Game, enjoy!

Thanks

[matisk]

The French version is completely translated.

Note from the length of the texts:
VIRTUALLY all European languages are longer than the English by 10-20% (20% in French about, German more). Hungarian language is the only lower (-10 to -15%)!
(I worked 7 years into translations companies, but not as a translator. :-) )


Several things are needed:
- Save the default chosen language (English is selected for each start of the game).
- Text of the notification box (top-left): automatically carriage return if the text is too long.
- Localizer software: it's difficult to understand because the text is CENTERED (up-down, left-right)! It's hard to see the long sentences.
- The square image displayed (as seen in the list) can not be imported via the Editor map.

Thank you!

[solzerogame]

Originally posted by BobTheRob:

I started a german localization. The text file isn't optimized, multiple same occurrences you have to translate. A better format would be appreciated. Just my 2 cent as a developer.
---
Ich habe eine deutsche Übersetzung angefangen. Es ist bei Weitem noch nicht alles übersetzt, aber ein erster Anfang ist gemacht.

Falls jemand helfen möchte kann ich die Textdatei gerne in ein Github Repository laden.

Hier die Links:
Screenshots[www.dropbox.com]
Download Übersetzung 0.1[dl.dropboxusercontent.com]
VirustotalAnalyse[www.virustotal.com]

Thanks!

The tool is very rough - I would like to pay for a professional localization service for a few languages, but that will take a bit of time, and so I made the tool to provide an interim solution. But it is certainly not very friendly to use... and as you note there are some duplicates.

[solzerogame]

Originally posted by matisk:

The Susbcribing is not fonctionning correctly. (version 1.02)
My way:

- Subscribe the language, after:

1. found the tranlation, here:
STEAM/SteamApps/workshop/content/387370/685608956/lang_"your_language!"

2. put in the folder:
STEAM/SteamApps/common/Sol 0 Mars Colonization/Sol_0_Data/Language/

Start Game, enjoy!

Thanks

It should work in 1.04... it searches for language files in both places. But you may need to press the 'Refresh List' button on the custom maps screen to get the list to refresh... I'll check this, as if this is the case that's a bug and the list should automatically refresh.

[solzerogame]

Originally posted by matisk:

The French version is completely translated.

Note from the length of the texts:
VIRTUALLY all European languages are longer than the English by 10-20% (20% in French about, German more). Hungarian language is the only lower (-10 to -15%)!
(I worked 7 years into translations companies, but not as a translator. :-) )


Several things are needed:
- Save the default chosen language (English is selected for each start of the game).
- Text of the notification box (top-left): automatically carriage return if the text is too long.
- Localizer software: it's difficult to understand because the text is CENTERED (up-down, left-right)! It's hard to see the long sentences.
- The square image displayed (as seen in the list) can not be imported via the Editor map.

Thank you!

Thanks for the tips. I've got these bugs on my list (someone, maybe you, mentioned them before), and they should be in the next update, couldn't make it into this one!