That's... actually a kind of big translation difference. [2.5 spoilers]

[Risvertasashi]

I've been only vaguely aware of people chattering about the differences in Midgardsormr's speech, but today I came across a thread to see it (well, read it) first hand.

I saw Fernehalwe's post too, of course.

Sure, sure, say the dragons and their language has quite a tendency to be vague thanks to their history and culture, and yet...

I can't help but notice the Japanese version nonetheless has quite a bit more content. Namely two things:

1. It's unambiguous that Midgardsormr is trying to help you, in his own way.
2. The dragons aren't beings of pure, unforgiving vengeance; they're going to attack Ishgard because of what they're doing/will do, not just what they did in the past.

It's not just a verbosity thing. To me #2 is a huge difference of characterization, the sort of thing that would determine who's side I was on (if we had a choice anyway).

This isn't the first time this has happened either. Anyone remember how much more informative the Hunts hints were in the Japanese version?

So... what gives?

[Askio]

like many games, the literal translation from Japanese to English (languages in general though) is not always accurate or as forthcoming. Perhaps it may seem more straightforward with someone translating the japanese version for us, but it was just as subtle in theirs. Personally, I always thought Ishgard was a pretty messed up place. Both sides so brutally willing to shed blood. A never ending cycle.
But other than the translation issues, maybe the creators though Western audiences would like it this way.

[axemtitanium]

It was an authorial decision to make Midgardsormr's relationship with the player more ambiguous in the English version, perhaps to set up a more dramatic reveal later. The EN team is no less a part of the lore/story team than any other language, including Japanese. The story in this game is a collaborative effort and the EN team decided to characterize EN Midgardsormr in this way, making him more mysterious, terse, and ambiguously adversarial than his JP characterization. You are free to dislike that authorial choice, but it's no less "correct" than the Japanese version because all people involved are full-fledged "authors" of the work.

[Alice_89th]

I have yet to start on the 2.5 scenario so I can't really say anything on this, but do you happen to have (links too) the text in both languages?


PS: woudn't the Localization subforum have been a better place for this thread?

[Risvertasashi]

I have yet to start on the 2.5 scenario so I can't really say anything on this, but do you happen to have (links too) the text in both languages?


PS: woudn't the Localization subforum have been a better place for this thread?

The link to text of both versions is in my original post. And I did consider that forum, but... in a way, this isn't a localization issue. Not precisely.

I don't have a problem with them deciding to stylize/flavor the translation. Like I said, I did read Fernehalwes's post.

[Intaki]

It's really not that different at all.

It was pretty obvious Midgardsormr was helping us, even if he wasn't being particularly pleasant about it.

And, I mean, if you need to be told that the dragons are going to attack Ishgard because of what Ishgard is presently doing... you really haven't been paying much attention to what Ishgard is presently doing. Ishgard wants to exterminate every dragon everywhere ever, and they haven't exactly been subtle about this goal.

[Risvertasashi]

I've been paying attention just fine, thanks. You seem to be missing the point: The characters' motivation.

On the other hand, as axemtitanium said... they can basically do whatever they want, I guess. This is one case where I wish I'd been on the JP client instead of the EN one, however.

[Intaki]

I've been paying attention just fine, thanks. You seem to be missing the point: The characters' motivation.

So explain how the motivation has changed, exactly?

EN: "They killed us, we kill them."

JP: "They're killing us, we're gonna kill them."

Sure, you could try and argue that the former is simply someone being blindly vengeful and only lashing out due to injuries past, but that completely ignores the actual context of the quote where we know those past offenses are presently ongoing.

[Risvertasashi]

That's oversimplifying it a bit, at least in my mind... but it seems I'm the only one that thinks so. I'll just let the topic rest, then. Farewell until next time/patch/etc.

[Dyvid]

It was an authorial decision to make Midgardsormr's relationship with the player more ambiguous in the English version, perhaps to set up a more dramatic reveal later. The EN team is no less a part of the lore/story team than any other language, including Japanese. The story in this game is a collaborative effort and the EN team decided to characterize EN Midgardsormr in this way, making him more mysterious, terse, and ambiguously adversarial than his JP characterization. You are free to dislike that authorial choice, but it's no less "correct" than the Japanese version because all people involved are full-fledged "authors" of the work.

Pretty much this. The EN and JP lore master work side by side so it's not the simple read, translate, paste. Its a direct decision to change the wording to make it more appealing to the audience and the general tone of the context is true in both versions. The motivation the same in both version, to test the player in the upcoming conflict.