If you are going to do a Live Letter

[NessaWyvern]

Are we forgetting that there's literally software out there that squeenix can use that automatically live translates languages into other languages? How hard is it to set one up? Sure, some translations might be a bit janky, but it's better than nothing.

[Saintly]

They could at the very least post a summary of upcoming changes in announcements in the forums when the stream started.

We don't pay a discounted monthly fee in comparison to JP so its our right to demand to receive the same services.

[HyoMinPark]

Just because he understands english that doesn't mean that he's fluent enough to talk on a LL. And that's especially true when you know that japanese don't like to do it unless their english is perfect.

I’ve met plenty of Japanese exchange students that speak in English with us even if it isn’t perfect. Foxclon still communicates in English sometimes on the streams—I recall during the ShB pre-expansion PLLs where he used quite a bit of English during the sound and video fiasco they were having. So I don’t know how much weight that comment really holds.

On top of that they most probably felt that it would have been unpolite towards the japanese audience there. You would know if you weren't so close-minded and self-important. The world doesn't revolve around you (general "you"). There's other cultures, and life circumstances related to that, that you should respect.

I certainly hope you aren’t prefacing your arguments with calling me close-minded and self-important—since I don’t see your “general ‘you’” disclaimer included with that statement. Uncalled for ad hominem is not how you lead a productive discussion. Look no further than the derailment between Zanarkand-Ronso and other posters: people ignored what they had to say all because they chose to “call out” another poster as being a “self-important American”. Said poster wasn’t even an American, so their generalization had no basis to even stand on—aside from the fact that it was irrelevant to the discussion and completely uncalled for; your comments about how “close-minded and self-important” I am are similar in nature.

All that said...

You do realize that real-time translations can occur without a translator being on the scene, yes? The PLL was already being streamed to FFXIV’s global audiences—a translator could be embedded into the stream from a separate location and still translate in real-time. They don’t always have to be face-to-face with those that they are translating for or interpreting for. With technology the way it is, they could be across the globe performing this. This solves two major issues: your concern with the experience being hampered by an on-site English translator, and the global market’s desire for information to be given to them in a language they can understand.

You demand for us to respect their circumstances, but you don’t expect them to respect ours? Like how we don’t understand their language? Like how we also pay to play this game, and would love to receive information in a far more timely manner directly from the source as opposed to relying on third parties? Isn’t that a bit of a double standard you’re defending here?

You'll get the same information eventually, once they translate it, so what's the matter? That you have to wait for it once per year? You can literally wait without it being an actual inconvenience for you, unlike the audience that was there.

Wait once a year? How many PLLs do you think the developers do? They do at least two per new patch—generally split into a “Part 1” and “Part 2”. With patch cycles generally being slightly over 3 months in length, that means we usually see 2 or 3 patches a year. Meaning 4 to 6 PLLs. The number is actually a bit higher, since sometimes in-between patches will have PLLs associated with them. Only Fanfests and Expansion PLLs tend to have real-time translators—the rest we have to rely on third parties; or we wait and twiddle our thumbs until they release a Digest a couple weeks later because not everyone is aware that some sites (like FFXIV’s Subreddit) do fan translations. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

People are allowed to request that a global company provide its global audience with more readily accessible news with regards to PLLs and Patch content—and even the additional “fluff” stuff, like the interaction with Yoshida and Yoko Taro. Just because you’re of the opinion that that makes us “close-minded” and “self-important” doesn’t make it so.

About the "strawman", it was an example to show you how ridiculous this is. English may be the lingua franca nowadays, but you can't expect everyone to learn or use it. Is it nice if they do? Yes. But no one should be forced to use it, and much less on a local event with live constraints (read previous posts) preventing them to properly offer a free translation like they always do otherwise.

You say this request is ridiculous, but I disagree. I don’t think it’s outside of the realm of possibility, nor do I think it’s a crime for asking that more PLLs include translations in real-time.

They are saying that you are wrong. And you are. English is definitly not as "worldwide" and easy as you think.
It's a common misconception that got carried from the fact that english is the default language used in international trading. But we're not in that context here.

English is a business language. With regards to MMOs and marketing future content, we are very much within the applicable context here.

[Barraind]

They are saying that you are wrong. And you are. English is definitly not as "worldwide" and easy as you think.

Ehhh, I have had a foot in a lot of overseas communities due to previous employment, and even those communities which are not native-English speaking use English as a common language, specifically where video games are concerned. I was in a few dutch and german groups where addressing me in any language but english was, by their own rules, a suspend/bannable offense, and part of the reason I was interacting with those groups was a passable ability to read dutch and german so they didnt have to use english all the time.

Theres also generally no reason for an MMO or persistent online community to care about those populations which have no internet access (which makes up somewhere between a third and a half of the "dont speak english" category in that link).


On the business side of MMO things, I've never run into anyone who doesnt speak passable enough English to communicate (Squeenix being the one major company I havent worked with/for).

On top of that they most probably felt that it would have been unpolite towards the japanese audience there. You would know if you weren't so close-minded and self-important. The world doesn't revolve around you (general "you"). There's other cultures, and life circumstances related to that, that you should respect.

Theres slapdash speedrunning events or RPG broadcast events that can get barely delayed re-streams in 3 or 4 languages on a weeks notice.

Squeenix is a massive company with people they pay specifically to do those things.

It is not out an out there idea to expect they can re-stream their live letters in their supported languages, especially when they already know what is going to be addressed given they've made slides for it and likely have a rough script.

[Jybril]

You would know if you weren't so close-minded and self-important. The world doesn't revolve around you

Why does every time someone expresses their dislikes someone needs to insult them.
You guys are always so mob mentality it's hard to talk sometimes on these forums.
I'm seeing it a lot lately. Perhaps it's time to walk away for a
bit for some of you because goodness me it's bad lately...

[Vahlnir]

Why does every time someone expresses their dislikes someone needs to insult them.
You guys are always so mob mentality it's hard to talk sometimes on these forums.
I'm seeing it a lot lately. Perhaps it's time to walk away for a
bit for some of you because goodness me it's bad lately...

HOW DARE YOU QUESTION THE FORUM RAGE!

...I kid. Yeah, it might seem like it's happening a lot more lately but honestly? It has been happening in every internet forum since...idk, forever.

[NessaWyvern]

Ehhh, I have had a foot in a lot of overseas communities due to previous employment, and even those communities which are not native-English speaking use English as a common language, specifically where video games are concerned. I was in a few dutch and german groups where addressing me in any language but english was, by their own rules, a suspend/bannable offense

So much this. My dad used to go overseas for business alot, especially in Asia (due to geographical location) and they always insisted on speaking English, even when my dad could speak their languages. This is including when he went to Japan for business. They spoke to their English customers for business in English only, so it's kinda weird that squeenix doesn't offer at least live translations using software, they are being potentially disrespectful to most of their customers when they have JP only streams.

[Zanarkand-Ronso]

Why does every time someone expresses their dislikes someone needs to insult them.
You guys are always so mob mentality it's hard to talk sometimes on these forums.
I'm seeing it a lot lately. Perhaps it's time to walk away for a
bit for some of you because goodness me it's bad lately...

Why is it every time somebody Disagrees and has a Different Opinion a Fight Breaks out?
And then there is a lecture about how its so important to state that you are right to Criticize, as if anybody else can control you?

Like, it seems like Discussion is a bad thing all of a sudden, and people just want to fight so they can Validate their Criticism. Anybody on the opposite end is an opponent to take down, and its just childish. Everyone has the right to speak their mind, wither or not its with the Mob or not. We shouldn't devolve so eagerly and so quickly.

[HyoMinPark]

Why is it every time somebody Disagrees and has a Different Opinion a Fight Breaks out?
And then there is a lecture about how its so important to state that you are right to Criticize, as if anybody else can control you?

Like, it seems like Discussion is a bad thing all of a sudden, and people just want to fight so they can Validate their Criticism. Anybody on the opposite end is an opponent to take down, and its just childish. Everyone has the right to speak their mind, wither or not its with the Mob or not. We shouldn't devolve so eagerly and so quickly.

There’s a vast difference between having a discussion, and someone outright insulting another poster due to disagreeing with them on a point. There's no reason to result to insults or negative generalizations; you and I have already had this discussion in this very thread. You can easily counter points you disagree with without resorting to calling other posters names or using phrases like “close-minded” and “self-important” against them.

The discussion at present isn’t a fight until someone makes it one. Usually by opting to insult and generalize rather than actually address what’s being said. Countering arguments isn’t the same as fighting or trying to “take down” an “opponent”. It’s participating in discourse and debating.

[Zanarkand-Ronso]

The issues is people are having to wait a while for them to translate it.
It'll be nice to not having to use other social media sites to get your info.
SE is a multibillionaire company, let's not pretend they're scrounging for money
and are a "small indie dev, please understand" meme that they couldn't afford
translators. Not only that, they gave us news on the website about said Live Letter then tell us
"Oh it's in Japanese only"....In English. They could find a way to appeal everyone here somehow.

So I understand your speaking your mind, and I whole fully respect that and encourage it, but you realize your not the only person to tell me this exact thing?
Bit of a Broken Record Post.

I dunno, you kinda dug yourself in the grave with that one comment
so that's why you're getting tore a new one.

I know what I said. I already Multiple times admitted I generalized and it didn't need to be said.
Still doesn't mean it was Aggression. Meanwhile 2 people gave me Aggression, do love how everyone excuses them though. Especially the "You...Humans" post.