Weird english

[Valkyrie_Lenneth]

don't remember old English being a big theme in FFXII as much as it is in XIV

Did you mute Balthier then?

[MeeDeggiThePunisher]

I'm not a big fan of Eorzeanese either.

It's also very much in line with the style of Vagrant Story, Final Fantasy Tactics (War of the Lions) and Final Fantasy XII.

Not once have skipped over or facepalm'd at the dialogue in any of those games or in the other fantasy game/book/movie I've enjoyed.

[Berethos]

I'm not a big fan of Eorzeanese either.



Not once have skipped over or facepalm'd at the dialogue in any of those games or in the other fantasy game/book/movie I've enjoyed.

The vast majority of dialog in the English version of the game is just modern English with a few older phrases or words thrown in from time to time (and some aren't even that old, or were still in use just 50 years ago), alongside the typical use of Final Fantasy jargon.

I'm having trouble believing you really found the dialog here to be so much worse that you skipped parts and and somehow avoided the same reaction in other fantasy works. Hell, if you've read Tolkien or watched the LOTR trilogy then you've read/heard essentially the same type of fantasy-speak.

[Valkyrie_Lenneth]

Because from my understanding, the Japanese translation directly to english is kind of boring, from what Koji has talked about. Like, instead of it being told like an adventure, its "He went there, and there were bad guys"

[Theodric]

Because from my understanding, the Japanese translation directly to english is kind of boring, from what Koji has talked about. Like, instead of it being told like an adventure, its "He went there, and there were bad guys"

I've heard that too. Japanese players seemingly don't value storytelling as highly as European and American players do. Heck, from what I gather role-play isn't really a thing over on their servers but it is over here.

Well a good alternative to avoid the English localization would be to learn Japanese. Honestly original works are always superior to subs and dubs. Think about your favorite film and try watching it another language, its not the same.

That's just an opinion rather than a fact. I think those sorts of statements does the wonderful work of the localisation team for FFXIV a major disservice.

[AshlikeSnow]

I think those sorts of statements does the wonderful work of the localisation team for FFXIV a major disservice.

I think its your opinion that its wonderful work and your absolutely entitled to it as I am to my own.

[Voltyblast]

Because from my understanding, the Japanese translation directly to english is kind of boring, from what Koji has talked about. Like, instead of it being told like an adventure, its "He went there, and there were bad guys"

Ehm, not to sound harsh or anything here, but you do know that you have basically said "The dialogue is badly written?" Sure I'm not expecting the dialogue to be 100% accurate but, if the translation itself is said to be boring DIRECTLY from one of the big guys, I don't think we were going to expect greatness to begin with.

I mean, to put it in perspective, as someone who is currently playing Trails of Cold Steel and has TONS of dialogues with TONS of exposition in it, I can say that the translation in that game is not only top notch but extremely fluid and I hardly got tired to read anything in it. Heck even the secondary characters tend to have well made speeches and dialogues, it's that good.

[Berethos]

Ehm, not to sound harsh or anything here, but you do know that you have basically said "The dialogue is badly written?" Sure I'm not expecting the dialogue to be 100% accurate but, if the translation itself is said to be boring DIRECTLY from one of the big guys, I don't think we were going to expect greatness to begin with.

I think the point was that a direct translation would sound boring in English. What works fine (or even works great) in the Japanese language, if translated directly, wouldn't really work in English - that's what I believe Koji was saying.

As a result, they localize to make it more flowery and medieval and such in English, because for this kind of setting that is generally what is expected by a native speaking English audience.

[Voltyblast]

I think the point was that a direct translation would sound boring in English. What works fine (or even works great) in the Japanese language, if translated directly, wouldn't really work in English - that's what I believe Koji was saying.

As a result, they localize to make it more flowery and medieval and such in English, because for this kind of setting that is generally what is expected by a native speaking English audience.

I've played Dragon Quest, which was heavily medieval in its themes (even had templars and all that) and its dialogue had SOME slang in and there with medieval english, but most of the people talked pretty much normally and it didn't spend too much time on the dialogue (each character had didn't make semi-para worth of text to begin with). What about other older final fantasy with their rather normal dialogue? Sure I remember seeing some exception, but you know who spoke with said medieval english in basically all of the rpgs I've played? Dragons and other immortal beings.

My point is that I don't really see the need for medieval speech, when a well done dialogue can easily make it worth (or in this case, a good translation)
It's like spice on food: it increases the taste and flavour but it's often used to hide the flaws behind it - and as someone who doesn't cook with spice (well except salt now and then), this is how I feel about the dialogue of this game overall.

And in my opinion the dialogue in this game is anything but fluid: we're talking about 20-25 lines of dialogue for a quest only to say "go kill this, then return". Talk about needless! Infact someone in this thread said that the dialogue has a very shakespearean vibe, and I can see that because it also gets one of his major flaws: he was pretty bad at pacing and as someone who heavily studied him for one year (cause I failed the exam once, neat!), he wasn't the most enjoyable of reading.
If anything I could excuse his reasons for making lengthy because it was a a theatrical representation, but give me a break when it comes to games!

[Valkyrie_Lenneth]

Ehm, not to sound harsh or anything here, but you do know that you have basically said "The dialogue is badly written?" Sure I'm not expecting the dialogue to be 100% accurate but, if the translation itself is said to be boring DIRECTLY from one of the big guys, I don't think we were going to expect greatness to begin with.

I mean, to put it in perspective, as someone who is currently playing Trails of Cold Steel and has TONS of dialogues with TONS of exposition in it, I can say that the translation in that game is not only top notch but extremely fluid and I hardly got tired to read anything in it. Heck even the secondary characters tend to have well made speeches and dialogues, it's that good.

No, what I meant was the styles are different.