Formal request for Spanish as a new language for ARR.

[Abriael]

Like other people said, there are many successful MMORPGs widely localized, I don't see any reason why one of the largest companies like Square-Enix couldn't do that. I don't think that's a good point.

Because this isn't a successful MMORPG yet. Even WoW wasn't localized in Spanish or Italian for a long time after release.

Square Enix should focus all available resources in making it successful (and a better product for everyone), before even thinking to move to marginal improvements like further localizations.

[Vilhem]

Sure, but it's not the last language I learned. Learning languages is not a matter of luck. It's just a matter of effort, especially when study material is so abundant as it is for English.

In this day and age people simply use localizations as a crutch, and as an excuse not to learn English, which is well within anyone's possibilities.



Sorry but those sound like excuses to me.

They are not so much excuses as they are the reality of the situation. Try teaching English or your native language to a mother who has to go home after work, after class, do chores, cook dinner for their kids and keep themselves involved in their activities. I'm not saying it can't be done, but it is a difficult situation for some. Again, don't hold others to your standard of success.

Sorry, but you're the first i meet that works in localization that doesn't admit that a part of the original is always lost with a localization. There's simply wordplay that cannot be translated, and has to be replaced with the nearest possible approximation. The job can be done better or worse, but there's no "perfection" to be reached.

You twist my words. I never said there was a "perfect" way to translate. I think you can agree with me when I say translation is an art, not a science, and that every translator/interpreter's output will be slightly different. But the meaning is what counts.

Yes a part of the original will always be lost, that is always to be expected. But you saying "Latin" languages don't translate well is just the same as saying JP doesn't translate well to English. There IS a loss with English too. We're unable to log on, but I tested this very thing playing back the cutscenes with voice acting with the different subtitles (JP French and German). The Japanese subtitles almost did not match up what the English voice overs were saying in the Gridania opening scenes. Yet the French subtitles more or less went with what the English voice overs were saying. So even with our English language client, we are not playing a close "original" translation of the JP text.

The gist of the story is there in the localized languages we have (even English). So why wouldn't the same be said for a Spanish language client?

[Vilhem]

Because this isn't a successful MMORPG yet. Even WoW wasn't localized in Spanish or Italian for a long time after release.

Square Enix should focus all available resources in making it successful (and a better product for everyone), before even thinking to move to marginal improvements like further localizations.

I agree with you here in that they SHOULD be focused on the game itself more...but these are two separate teams working here. The dev team doesn't handle localizations nor even the marketing of the game they develop.

[Eiz]

This staff dares to take risks. ARR is a risk itself.

Do you consider to open the market to almost an entire continent like South America is a minor improvement? Is a risk, of course, but no bigger than revamping the entire game.

They have discussed the possibility of introducing new languages and i can only say that's just another step in the way of success.

If you take a look at the forums of the top four or five videogame webstites in Spain, you will see a large majority of players who have never played Final Fantasy XI / XIV because wasn't translated to Spanish. If it was, Spanish community may well be doubled or even triplicated.

As in XI, they know that many people is still going to pay play even with no investment on a Spanish localization. What they don't know is how many would come.
It well deserves to be studied thoroughly, and i'd like they really consider it.

[urban]

just my opinion..i think this thread going to be about equal rights >.>.. the more player playing this game i.e (na,french,germany, all Asian languages, spanish, etc) then SE will implement these language. it wold be nice if SE add all the languages in the world but that'll take up a lot of translating time lol

[Hart]

It is the 2nd most spoken language in the world. Frankly, I'm surprised it isn't translated already.

I wish you guys the best of luck.

[Rutelor]

Most people that speak Spanish and are a fan of the series already speak English or another compatible language. It's just not a core market language like French or German.

/facepalmagainandagain

[Chime]

I knew someone in this game that stopped playing she couldn't understand the main story and cutscenes, but liked the game in general. She could speak english somewhat but not enough to understand the lore. I'm all for this.

[Abriael]

They are not so much excuses as they are the reality of the situation. Try teaching English or your native language to a mother who has to go home after work, after class, do chores, cook dinner for their kids and keep themselves involved in their activities. I'm not saying it can't be done, but it is a difficult situation for some. Again, don't hold others to your standard of success.

As a matter of fact, my aunt is in the process of learning English and she is exactly in this situations. She keeps it fun and relaxing (watching movies, reading books and studying grammar during dead times), and she enjoys it and is learning well.

You twist my words. I never said there was a "perfect" way to translate. I think you can agree with me when I say translation is an art, not a science, and that every translator/interpreter's output will be slightly different. But the meaning is what counts.

The problem is that even part of the meaning is lost, otherwise, if you mean just the general meaning of things, even a superficial knowledge of the language is sufficient to get it.

Yes a part of the original will always be lost, that is always to be expected. But you saying "Latin" languages don't translate well is just the same as saying JP doesn't translate well to English. There IS a loss with English too. We're unable to log on, but I tested this very thing playing back the cutscenes with voice acting with the different subtitles (JP French and German). The Japanese subtitles almost did not match up what the English voice overs were saying in the Gridania opening scenes. Yet the French subtitles more or less went with what the English voice overs were saying. So even with our English language client, we are not playing a close "original" translation of the JP text.

The gist of the story is there in the localized languages we have (even English). So why wouldn't the same be said for a Spanish language client?

Never said that the English localization is a good one. As a matter of fact it isn't. It's not awkward, which is good, but it distances itself a LOT from the original, to the point that some characters are dreadfully warped.

The reason why I talk about latin languages is that they are all much more nuanced than both English and Japanese in their grammar structure, causing most translators to slip rather badly when they work on them.

Japanese translates much easier to English that it does to Italian, French or Spanish (when the translator knows how to do his job). And English doesn't translate very well itself to Italian, French or Spanish. The result is that a double translation that passes by english is normally dreadful.

I agree with you here in that they SHOULD be focused on the game itself more...but these are two separate teams working here. The dev team doesn't handle localizations nor even the marketing of the game they develop.

I'm very aware of that, but while manpower is different, resources are not. The game has a budget, and localizations have a cost that fishes from that budget

[Abriael]

Do you consider to open the market to almost an entire continent like South America is a minor improvement? Is a risk, of course, but no bigger than revamping the entire game.

A localization doesn't open entire continents, as a lot of the people interested in mmorpgs and a franchise that has always been international, have at least enough knowledge of English to enjoy it.

Most people that don't know English (not all, so don't get your panties in a bunch) are either older or belong to lower social areas that normally aren't interested or don't have a chance to play a Pay to Play MMORPG.

So the equation is not as automatic as "more languages bring more people!". Also, they'd bring more people unable to communicate properly within the game, and that's a problem in itself.