[Official] English Localization Discussion Thread

[Alice The Developer]

This thread is for discussing English localization. Whether it's unclear phrasing or incorrect terminology, feel free to point out anything you find unusual in the text. Thank you for your help!

If you’d like, you can also start a new discussion thread.

Endless Alice official Discord localization channel: https://discord.gg/pS52WQNVPX

[Alice The Developer]

Discussion threads started by players
https://steamcommunity.com/app/1425000/discussions/0/595137983640812623

[ruff1298]

Need differentiation of the Recharging Shield and Bonus Barrier over Max HP.

Suggest Blue health should be renamed "Shield" and Yellow health as "Armor."

Shields in other games tend to recharge on its own, Armor does not.

[ruff1298]

Skill trees for upgrades are confusing in the English translation.

Names should be Skill 1-4, as currently the nuances in Chinese did not translate well. It looks like there are 2 different "Ultimate" skills you can buy cooldowns for.

The issue is different characters have very different themes of skills. LB could be a channeled "Ultimate" with a long cooldown, or a simple weapon swap skill.

Other games like FPS hero shooters tend to consistently design characters with one mobility (RB), a secondary fire (LT), a primary fire (RT), an active (LB), and an ultimate (Y on Xbox).

I'm not saying the key bindings don't work for each character, but the lack of consistency makes swapping between them with muscle memory from someone else, plus the current upgrade naming is confusing.

It might also help to have a "More Info" key to remember whose skill is in that slot.

Alternatively, rename it as "Upgrade (keybind) Skill".

[ruff1298]

"Not Opened" for Awakenings maybe should be "Skill Tree Locked." Unless it's supposed to be "Lack Previous Tier."

[ruff1298]

"Life Steel" sounds too much like "Lifesteal," a mechanic in many videogames. Please consider calling it "Living Steel" or or "Bio Steel" or "Bio Metal", to emphasize that it's a survival tool, and not an offense/defense option.

[ruff1298]

Alice Awakenings

• Heavy Assault - Suggest description change to, "+25% Critical Hit Chance to Radish Machine Gun. +50% Fire Rate to Rabbit Cannon."
  
• Shrinking and Enlarging Potion - Title too long for English. Consider leaning into the Alice in Wonderland story, and call it "Drink Me" instead. Description should also be changed. My suggestion is, "Every 5 Switches, drink a Size Potion. +50% Damage Reduction and -(value) Movement Speed for Big Potion. +50% Attack and +50% Movement speed for Small Potion."
  
• Weighted Backpack - Please consider changing title to "Loaded Backpack". The description should be, "When Switching, chance to get 1 bonus Radish Landmine or Rabbit Grenade."
  
• Explosive Bomb - Please rename to "High Explosive Warhead". Description should probably be, "+25% Rabbit Cannon Blast Radius over (value) seconds."
  
• Mother and Son Fireworks - Consider rename to "Mommy/Baby Bombs" - Descriptions could be improved as, "+1 Rabbit Cannon projectile per Red Heart Verdict shot. +50% damage to Electric Mini Mini Cannon."

[ruff1298]

"Anti-aircraft Equipment" is a little boring and janky, considering the context of the game. Maybe rename it to "Anti-Air Gear" and its description to "+(value) Bonus Damage to Flying and Knocked-Up Enemies."

[ruff1298]

Artifacts Names/Descriptions that are Confusing

• Time Bomb - Too wordy and confusing. Maybe compress it down to, "5% chance On Hit to inflict a Sticky Grenade on enemies. After 2 seconds, attack the enemy again to detonate for 180% Attack within 5 meters."
  
• Red Thumbtack - "20% Chance On Hit to inflict Bleeding. Bleeding stacks X amount of times max."
  
• Vengeful Spirit Doll - "25% bonus damage on enemies with 3 debuffs. 75% bonus damage on enemies with 6 debuffs."
  
• Gravity Ankle Weights - Propose rename to "Gravitic Ankle Weights." Description to "Massive boost to Jump Height. Number of jumps (cannot understand the downside)." Does it reduce the total amount of Jumps, so Alice is debuffed by it?
  
• The Stone of Greed - "On Hit, 50% chance to gain 2 PLTR. Lose PLTR on Damage Taken, equal to 100% of Health Lost."
  
• RBrand Crystal Cup - "50% Chance to Freeze enemies On Damage Taken. Execute Frozen enemies.
  
• Antimatter Chain - Description should be "-1 Max Chain Targets, +1 Chain Effect".
  
• Magnetic Levitation Shoes - Suggest name change to "MagLev Skakes". Description to +60% Movement Speed. Your character will now slide around."
  
• Infinity Edge - "+100% Attack. -50% Max HP."
  
• Torture Instruments - Rename to "Torture Implements" or "Torture Tools." Description should be, "-80% Direct Damage. +1,000% Tic Rate for DOT Damage."
  
• Echo Tube - "-50% Attack. +1 Bonus Hit."

Side note, any "Slay" terms should be relabeled as "Execute," since I think it is an instant kill on enemy despite HP.

[ruff1298]

Need clarification on "Small Tip" for Shibako's dog.

Is it supposed to be, "Shibako's Shiba Inu can block projectiles for her." or "The statue from Shibako's Shiba Inu Starfall can block projectiles."?

[ruff1298]

A small tip is confusingly worded and poorly done, about "dominance value."

I think it should be, "When you damage a monster, the Posture bar beneath their HP will also drain. When it's empty, they will be Stunned."

Dominance should be English translated as "Posture," "Stagger," or "Balance." "Imbalance" should be "Stunned" or "Dazed.'

[ruff1298]

Shibako's "Shiba Inu Starfall" is confusingly worded. From what I understand, the effect is:

1. Shibako goes into Channeling mode, unable to attack but can still move.
   
2. Shiba Inu Starfall crashes onto the marker, causing AOE damage in and around it.
   
3. The resulting statue will now taunt enemies.

The way it's worded, it seems like the effect should be:

1. Shibako goes into Channeling.
   
2. The Shiba Inu Starfall statue appears.
   
3. The statue attracts enemies, and damages them as they're near it.

A clearer description might be, "Shibako Channels her power and summons a Shiba Inu Statue in the sky. When it lands, it will deal (value) damage around (value) units. It will stay for (value) seconds, attracting enemy attacks and blocking projectiles."

[ruff1298]

Skill Tree

• "Tool Enhancement" should consistently say "Increases/Boosts Tool Damage," not "prop" damage. It should only be referred to as one word, with how many items may be dependent on it for active use item effects.
  
• Rewards Return should both be renamed and have its description changed. Maybe call it "Cashback Special," and the description should be "Gain a chance to get some coins back when you buy items." Levels should be named "(value)% chance of (value)% Gold refund."
  
• "Another Chance" maybe should be called "Two For One," and its description as "(value)% Chance of Double Rewards from Chests."
  
• Lightweight's description should be "Boosts jump height/power." "Jumping ability" is very awkward.

Shibako Awakenings

• "Multiple" should be renamed as "Duo Laser" or something. Description should be "+1 Forward Beam for Shiba Inu Laser."
  
• Aggressive Attack should have a catchier name, maybe "Offensive Maneuvers". I also can't understand the description. Is it supposed to be "After using the Special Skill, inflict 50% Wand Attack to surrounding enemies."
  
• Combo Mastery is also boring and too generic. I also cant' understand what it does. What is "Trigger Combo" and what is the cooldown time? Is it time between shots, like Attack Speed?
  
• Proficient is quite boring. Maybe consider calling it "Dancer's Grace"? The description should also be something like "+1 Charge for Special Skill."
  
• "Insightful Tips" feels more like a self-help article or topic than a skill. Can think of a skill rename. Maybe "Epiphany" because it's her "ultimate" skill with the longest cooldown? I also can't understand its description. Is it supposed to be, "+200 (units) to Shiba Inu Rain's AOE. 33% Chance of casting the skill again (which is called "triggering the 'second wave'")."
  
• Rapid Chanting is a little messy for description. A more concise version would be, "-50% Chanting Time for Shiba Inu Starfall."
  
• Triple should be called "Tri Laser." Description should be "Shiba Inu Laser will now fire in a 3-point fan for 25% damage."
  
• French Ball has a very confusing description. Is its description, "While firing the Wand, Chance On Hit to summon Extra Fire Projectiles."?
  
• Powerful Strike is a little generic. Maybe call it something silly like "Shiba Meteors?" Description, I think should be something like, "10% of Shiba Ina Starfall projectiles will become Shiba Inu Starfall. -Damage, -Range, does not inherit other Awaken effects."

[ruff1298]

Alice Hero Talent/awakenings

• Hero Talent 1 is currently untranslated, all in Chinese. Since it affects the Heat generation system of her rifle, I suggest the English name should be "Advanced Cooling System" and the description should be "-(value) Heat generated per Shot."
  
• Continuously Locked - Name is clumsy. Could be better as "Focus Lock-On." Description should be, "Laughing Cat Missiles can now lock-on to targets multiple times. Missiles with launch to each locked- target. 100% Critical Hit Chance for 3 seconds after.", I think.

Talent Tree

• Emergency Personnel - I think the name is a little clumsy. Something like "Rescue Worker" would be better, I think.
  
• Great Luck - Description is very clumsy. I don't know what an "interactive pets" is, only that there's a chance to interact with them twice.

Tools

• The Hand of the Undead Warrior - Description is too long and a bit confusing. Could be shortened as, "15% Chance On Hit to generate a Whirlwind around your character. The Whirlwind Attacks 3 times for 250% Fire Damage within 10 meters. Attack Speed gives extra Attacks."

[ruff1298]

I'm deeply disappointed the game has so many English translation issues. The game should at least launch in English, or be able to detect user region. Failing that, it should have a pop-up at the start saying, "Select your Language."

I'm used to muddling through untranslated games, but most players expect a paid game to "Just Work" out of the box.

It damages your reputation and future sales, since most players will see it's not even translated, then machine translated poorly, and just ignore the game. First impressions are forever, and you only have 1.0 to make a second impression with gamers. Please, for the sake of the game's success and so your hard work doesn't go to waste, make the English translation at least consistent, with no Chinese text leftover and obvious the moment you try to hover over skill descriptions.

[ruff1298]

Lea Hero Screen Skills Untranslated/Messy

• Archery - "Lea fires arrows that Mark enemies On Hit. Marked enemies take more damage. Royal Drones prioritize attacking Marked enemies."
  
• Summon Drone - "Summons a Gun Drone that attacks nearby enemies. (Multiplier: 0.3x)." What is the Multiplier? Do Gun Drones scale of a percent of Lea's attack? It's not explained well.
  
• Bombing Drone - "Summon a bomber drone to create a sea of fire. (Multiplier: 1x)"
  
• Drone Cannon - Suggest rename to "Orbital Drone Strike." Description should be, "Mark an area for Orbiting Drones to bombard. After a few seconds, they will release a Laser Cannon Strike."
  
• Mark - "Attacks have a chance to Mark enemies for 10 seconds. Chance to Summon Thunder Drones on Marked enemies."
  
• Missing description for Royal Drones. What do they do? Do they rush forward and charge the Marked enemies? Do they passively attack enemies too close to Lea?

Lea Hero Description

• A ranged character who fights with a bow and arrow.
  
• She specializes in using flying Combat Drones and long-range bombardments.
  
• Her drones have a variety of useful skills.