This presentation was used at "Fun for All: 4th International Conference on Game Translation and Accessibility", on June 9th, 2016. The main focus was the difficulty of out-of-game texts: all game related texts which are found outside the game (websites, wikis, articles, etc.). These are challenging for professionals, as they require a different set of skills, most of which are seldom taught at university.

1. CHALLENGES OF
OUT-OF-GAME
LOCALISATION
Ana Ramírez

2. WHAT IS OUT-OF-GAME
LOCALIZATION?
“All game-related text produced by a developer
which is not inside the game itself.”
Examples:
- Website, forums, wikis, social media in general
- Emails
- Competitions
- Release notes (or patch notes)
- DLC...? Nah.

3. WHAT IS OUT-OF-GAME
LOCALIZATION?

4. WHY SHOULD I CARE?
1. It’s a constant source of work
• Developers don’t want to be forgotten

5. WHY SHOULD I CARE?

6. WHY SHOULD I CARE?
1. It’s a constant source of work
2. Player communities demand to be heard
product players

7. WHY SHOULD I CARE?
1. It’s a constant source of work
2. Player communities demand to be heard
3. Growth of eSports

8. WHY SHOULD I CARE?
Source: “eSports Market Brief, October 2015”. superdataresearch.com

9. WHY SHOULD I CARE?
Source: “eSports Market Brief, October 2015”. superdataresearch.com

10. WHY SHOULD I CARE?
1. It’s a constant source of work
2. Player communities demand to be heard
3. Growth of eSports
For participants…
• Rules
• Dates
• Requirements
For viewers…
• Results
• Analysis
• Interviews

11. WHY SHOULD I CARE?
1. It’s a constant source of work
2. Player communities demand to be heard
3. Growth of eSports
4. Different type of problems
• The game itself
• The game culture
• eSports
• Website localization
• Marketing
• Subtitling

12. CHALLENGES

13. 1) Global public
CHALLENGES

14. CHALLENGES
Source: blogyourspanishteacher.com/learning-spanish

15. CHALLENGES
SPAIN ARGENTINA CHILE MEXICO VENEZUELA
¿Diga? ¿Holá? ¿Aló? ¿Bueno? ¿Aló?
Lavabo Lavatorio Lavatorio Lavamanos Lavamanos
Judía verde Chaucha Poroto verde Ejote Vainita
Bragas
Bombacha,
bikini
Calzón
Chones,
calzones,
pantaleta
Pantaleta,
blúmer
Manitas
Hombre
orquesta
Maestro
chasquilla
Mil usos Todero
Estupendo Bárbaro Regio Padre Chévere
Tonto Boludo Huevón, gil Pendejo
Gafo,
pendejo,
huevón
Source: “El español de España y el español de América. Vocabulario comparado”. Ediciones SM (2003)

16. 1) Global public
Lack of resources. What can we do?
CHALLENGES
• Read Latin
American writers
• Forbidden words
 Coger
 Chaqueta
 Concha
 Bollo
• Avoid regionalisms
 Pasta (money)
 Currar
 Mola
• Bilingual: extra careful!
 Plegar → salir del trabajo
 Rachola → azulejo
 Hacer un café → tomar un café

17. 1) Global public
2) Different time zones
CHALLENGES
Be sure to tune into our Twitch channel
on Saturday, June 25 at 11AM PDT.
How do we convey this info?
• Leave it as is?
• Change to UTC? → June 25 at 6PM UTC
• Change to other? → June 25 at 8PM CEST (3PM ART)

18. 1) Global public
2) Different time zones
CHALLENGES
Be sure to tune into our Twitch channel
on Saturday, June 25 at 11AM PDT.
How do we convey this info?
• 12-hour format or 24-hour format?
→ June 25 at 11:00 PDT
→ June 25 at 18:00 UTC
→ June 25 at 20:00 CEST (15:00 ART)

19. 1) Global public
2) Different time zones
CHALLENGES
Offer applies only to DLC Maps purchased from
00:00 a.m. PDT on June 24, 2016,
through 23:59 p.m. PDT on June 25, 2016.
SOURCE FILE REAL MISTAKE.
DO NOT MIX 12 AND 24-HOUR FORMATS.

20. 1) Global public
2) Different time zones
CHALLENGES
Offer applies only to DLC Maps purchased from
00:00 a.m. PDT on June 24, 2016,
through 23:59 p.m. PDT on June 25, 2016.
↓
Offer applies only to DLC Maps purchased from
09:00 CEST on June 24, 2016,
through 08:59 CEST on June 26, 2016.

21. 1) Global public
2) Different time zones
CHALLENGES
The change from summer time (daylight saving time)
to winter time (standard time) and vice versa does
not occur at the same time in all countries.
Summer time starts Winter time starts
Europe March 27th October 30th
USA, Canada, Cuba March 13th November 6th

22. 1) Global public
2) Different time zones
CHALLENGES
• Not all countries change time, like Chile or Urugay.
• Special cases:
 México:
Summer time starts Winter time starts
Most of the country April 3rd October 30th
USA border March 13th November 6th

23. 1) Global public
2) Different time zones
CHALLENGES
• Not all countries change time, like Chile or Urugay.
• Special cases:
 México.
 Morocco and Egypt: they suspend summer
time during the month of Ramadan.

24. 1) Global public
2) Different time zones
3) Tournaments and eSports in general
• The quantity of tournaments the same game
can have.
CHALLENGES

25. CHALLENGES
Source: lolesports.com

26. CHALLENGES
Source: lolesports.com

27. CHALLENGES
Source: lolesports.com

28. CHALLENGES
Source: lolesports.com

29. CHALLENGES
Source: lolesports.com

30. 1) Global public
2) Different time zones
3) Tournaments and eSports in general
• The quantity of tournaments the same game
can have.
• The names of the tournaments themselves.
CHALLENGES

31. • The names of the tournaments themselves.
CHALLENGES
Leave them in English?
Translate them?
Result: long and awkward names.
Advantages
• Same name
everywhere
• It’s common
Disadvantages
• Strange mix of
English and target
language

32. 1) Global public
2) Different time zones
3) Tournaments and eSports in general
• The quantity of tournaments the same game
can have.
• The names of the tournaments themselves.
CHALLENGES
Whatever you do… keep consistency!

33. 1) Global public
2) Different time zones
3) Tournaments and eSports in general
• The quantity of tournaments the same game
can have.
• The names of the tournaments themselves.
• Writers of eSports articles assume you
understand them.
CHALLENGES

34. • Writers of eSports articles assume you
understand them.
CHALLENGES
Source: lolesports.com/en_GB/articles

35. • Writers of eSports articles assume you
understand them.
CHALLENGES
Source: lolesports.com/en_GB/articles

36. • Writers of eSports articles assume you
understand them.
CHALLENGES
Source: lolesports.com/en_GB/articles

37. CHALLENGES
He wasn’t afraid to trash talk other carries, and found himself
embroiled in rivalries with other ADCs.
He’d occasionally lash out in Solo Queue.
Team Liquid’s new roster includes a new support, jungler, and
top lane. Piglet is maintaining his fast friendship with mid laner
Fenix, but more importantly, he’s backed up by (...) TSM’s
former coach Locodoco.
Every eye was on Piglet, farming the bottom lane, refusing to
give up a death to his opponents.
Source: lolesports.com/en_GB/articlesSource: lolesports.com/en_GB/articles/piglets-journey-solo-queue-star-veteran-carry

38. • Writers of eSports articles assume you
understand them.
Solutions?
 Experience
 Check reviewed version
 Ask questions
CHALLENGES

39. 1) Global public
2) Different time zones
3) Tournaments and eSports in general
4) Release notes (or patch notes)
Detailed explanations of the changes
developers made to the game.
CHALLENGES

40. 4) Release notes (or patch notes)
CHALLENGES
Source: Patch 6.9 Notes. http://euw.leagueoflegends.com/en/news/game-updates/patch/patch-69-notes

41. 4) Release notes (or patch notes)
The tactic of a solo player abandoning lane to farm monster
camps with their jungler (we call it 'buddy jungling') evolved
in response to the 2v1 lane swap. Rather than sit under
tower, zoned out of experience, top laners ditch their lanes
for safer prospects. Buddy jungling is enabled by the
'comeback' mechanic, which increases monster experience
for lower-level champions. Though the jungler and top laner
are both constantly underleveled due to splitting camps,
comeback experience softens the punishment by adding net
experience versus a solo clear.
CHALLENGES
Source: Patch 6.9 Notes. http://euw.leagueoflegends.com/en/news/game-updates/patch/patch-69-notes

42. 4) Release notes (or patch notes)
CHALLENGES

43. 4) Release notes (or patch notes)
CHALLENGES
Problems
• Solid knowledge
necessary
• Mix of terminology
• Poor style, jargon
Solutions
• Experience
• Good translation
memories
• Good term bases

44. Thank you
@AnRamz