English "Localization" issues

[Dexter]

I enjoyed the Demo overall, but I couldn't help but notice that Lolcowlizers have seemingly been involved with translating this game, why do they keep hiring them?
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3442528858

The Japanese voice line for this one was just "Hai":
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3442528952

She was yelling about him being dead here:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3442577897

For many others, they didn't have voice lines, but I somehow heavily doubt the English translation is even close to what's being said in the Japanese version:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3442577943
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3442529003

There were a lot more Cringe ones especially for Darumi throughout, I didn't Screencap them all. Also still plenty of simple typos left.

This kind of stuff downgrades an interesting game from "get it early" to at least "wait for a Deep Sale", or if it's bad enough even "Ignore", just like I wouldn't buy a book I'm interested in if I find out that parts of it have been purposefully mistranslated.

[Shogo40499]

well, I feel like most people like these garbage translations sadly

[Shuichi's Hat]

I've chosen not to support games with bad localizations before. However, this is one of those games that I'm almost certain I'll be buying no matter what. Danganronpa didn't have perfect localizations either, and as much as I hate the practice, it's still my favorite franchise of all time. The only thing that MIGHT make me reconsider is if the international release censors and removes content like the leaked Takumi/Eito sex scene (spoilers), which I'm worried about because Nintendo has been getting especially awful in this regard recently. But I'm hoping for the best.

[優月妃]

This might be the worst localization i've seen in a very long time.

[Space Dandy]

I like it. I normally don't like overly word salad Gen Z dialogue.... But Danganronpa has always had this issue. And I've always enjoyed the English dub and script (aside from a few sore parts).

The last one does irk me, though. I believe the direct translation is not close to that. The translation is confusing- I've never heard that phrase before.

[Shylaar]

If you're going to complain about the localisation being bad you should be actually comparing them to the original text instead of just saying you doubt they're accurate with no proof.

[Dexter]

Originally posted by Shylaar:

If you're going to complain about the localisation being bad you should be actually comparing them to the original text instead of just saying you doubt they're accurate with no proof.

I don't need to check the Original for the few lines that didn't have voice-overs to recognize annoying ill-fitting Meme-speak and Discord-lingo and doubt the Japanese creators intended it that way, but that it's the work of some "localizer" taking creative liberties translating again.

If it takes you out of the game enough to think about that sort of thing, like the people who did the translation, and what their major issue is that they chose to insert this stuff - then it's a bad translation, maybe rethink it. For instance I played the Demo for "The First Berserker: Khazan" for 5 hours before, and while I had some issues with Crashes and Parry mechanics, not once did I have to think about the translation. Not once did I have to wonder if Khazan really talked about "pwnzoring noobs". Guess which game I'm much more likely to buy and play?

I don't get why this keeps happening and being a problem to (especially Niche Japanese) games, and why they're not finally putting their foot down and doing something about quality control? When I'm watching a foreign movie with Subtitles (say Italian, or French or even Japanese) or reading Ancient Greek literature "Has the translator portrayed this accurately, did Odysseus really talk about his "rizz", or is it just made up Modern day Meme-speak?" is usually the last thing on my mind.

[Graknorke]

Originally posted by Dexter:

I don't need to check the Original for the few lines that didn't have voice-overs to recognize annoying ill-fitting Meme-speak and Discord-lingo and doubt the Japanese creators intended it that way

I think you do have to, actually. Or if you're not going to I can just as easily assert that it's perfectly believable that it's authentic to the Japanese. Especially when your other examples indicate that you either did not understand the English line (1 and 3) or do not understand how the game works (2). Makes you not look very credible.

[2Dement3D]

Originally posted by Dexter:

I don't need to check the Original for the few lines that didn't have voice-overs to recognize annoying ill-fitting Meme-speak and Discord-lingo and doubt the Japanese creators intended it that way, but that it's the work of some "localizer" taking creative liberties translating again.

Your entire discussion is about how the localization is bad. Regardless of which side people are on here, how would a direct line comparison not be worth it? Best case scenario, it would help your point. Avoiding it makes it seem like you're just using "localization bad" as a scapegoat for your dislike of the writing.

I personally don't care if the team takes creative liberties with the translation, as long as the original intent of lines is kept intact. That's what is most important, otherwise it'd basically be a different game. Rather than saying you "doubt it", show it outright. For instance, you said Darumi especially has a lot of these "ill-fitting meme speak" moments in the translation, so presumably she doesn't talk like that in Japanese, right? That shouldn't be hard to prove?

[Hinamina]

Well. Given who the head localizer is, it is not surprising. Either learn japanese or pray someone runs the script through MTL/A.I, and edits it; like the recent Kiseki games. But really, learn japanese and you will enjoy japanese games much much more.

[Yana_playzz]

Like have y'all ever thought that maybe the game devs wanted their TRANSLATORS to do this style? Localization makes edits to make sure what the initial translators made make sense for people. So stop just blaming localization.

[Melodia]

Originally posted by Yana_playzz:

Like have y'all ever thought that maybe the game devs wanted their TRANSLATORS to do this style? Localization makes edits to make sure what the initial translators made make sense for people. So stop just blaming localization.

It's pretty crazy that people seem to think people aren't just doing what they are being paid to do.

[Dexter]

Originally posted by 2Dement3D:

Your entire discussion is about how the localization is bad. Regardless of which side people are on here, how would a direct line comparison not be worth it? Best case scenario, it would help your point. Avoiding it makes it seem like you're just using "localization bad" as a scapegoat for your dislike of the writing.

Anyone with working eyes can see the translation is wrong at a glance, which is the problem, and some people seem to just be contrarian about it for the sake of it. For me it was just one of like two dozen Demos this SteamFest that looked interesting enough to give it a try (and I did play some of the Danganronpa games before). I didn't know this game existed or anything about it before that. My one other issue is that I found it in the Strategy RPG section, even though it's more of a VN.

The Winners so far this round are the Gothic 1 Remake, Neo Junk City, The First Berserker: Khazan and Anoxia Station. I could probably play it twice and Screenshot even more examples, or switch to Japanese and try to compare, but that wasn't the purpose of this thread and would require even more time investment. I've since deinstalled the Demo and moved on to trying some other games I didn't get to before like Breathedge 2, which I also enjoyed.

This is just Feedback of why their game isn't part of that list despite me generally enjoying it, like I left on half a dozen other games, why it probably won't be converted to a Sale - or possibly even three like in the case of Breathedge where it's a sequel in a franchise, and what they could do to fix it. And Warning any other prospective buyers of what they're potentially in for. I'm sure there will be people doing in-depth comparisons on release, like I've seen people already debate in some of the other threads.

[Dinglebat]

Any translation worth their salt will require a degree of interpretation, which is pretty much what each and every example you're complaining about amounts to.
Sure, they might not be a direct translation of the lines in original japanese script, but they very much fit the characters that fit.

Just look at Darumi. She's a manic nerd teenager with gruesome interests and heavily implied mental health issues. Every inch of her design tells you that she is not medicated. In what other way she be talking than "cringe but free"?

[Graknorke]

Originally posted by Dexter:

Anyone with working eyes can see the translation is wrong at a glance

I think you are too deep in ideology to realise how ridiculous this sounds.

[Sven Viking]

Someone already alluded to this, but regarding: "The Japanese voice line for this one was just "Hai"":

That's almost certain to be just one of the tons of lines that don't have full voice acting and instead reuse a vaguely-appropriate short sound clip.