Differences between English and Japanese MSQ Dialogue (bit of a rant)

[Sigiria]

While some rephrasing always need to be done when translating, I think the example provided is actually a good one that changes the feeling of the scene.

In the japanese one the exarch say it like Vauthry used to be different and has been sinking deeper and deeper in his own self indulgence. It also establish that the exarch propably knew him for a long time, before he started to completly lose it.

The other one feel like he's telling him "well aren't you the same old fatty" like a petty provocation.

Another example that used to irk me was a line during the fight with Zenos in the french translation. When he's doing his big attacks in japanese he say something like "Don't die from that" which is in line with the personality of the character that just want to enjoy the fight. While in french it's translated as "Won't you just die already?" which is pretty much the opposite and don't match Zenos' personality.

Smalls things like that can really alter your perception of the story or the characters. Personally I'm not interested in the translation team caring about my cultural comfort, I want to know what the original author wanted to convey. Which is why I prefer to get every media in it's original language if I can understand it. Lot's of things are lost in translation.

[ArcanoJones]

The difference the OP points out is just unimportant chit chat and does not change the story. So I don't see how it matters.

Every language has words and meanings that may not even exist in other languages. a 100% translation is not even possible.

[Tsalmaveth]

I'm going to pop in here and say that I have enjoyed a great deal of the localization... it isn't EASY... but they very MUCH play to the 'culture/audience' when they do it and I don't always APPRECIATE that in the least.

-They changed Haurchefant drastically. Did they do it to protect the NA audience's delicate sensibilities? For whatever reasons they had, it still sucks.
-They changed Frey. I've read the Japanese version of the DRK quests and I honestly PREFER that version of Frey far far more than the English. I had far more feelies and tears in my eyes for that Frey.
-They shorten and leave out a lot of things? I don't understand why... I play with the Japanese Language on, I just am more comfortable with it. I'm in no way fluent, just bits and pieces, but I can still tell that it's not 'all there' and it makes me wince.

I still love and adore the team. I just wish they'd... I don't know... -_- ShB has maybe been the closest yet, but there are still glaring points where I'm going 'wait... no stop... go back...'

[Kallera]

I'm going to pop in here and say that I have enjoyed a great deal of the localization... it isn't EASY... but they very MUCH play to the 'culture/audience' when they do it and I don't always APPRECIATE that in the least.

-They changed Haurchefant drastically. Did they do it to protect the NA audience's delicate sensibilities? For whatever reasons they had, it still sucks.
-They changed Frey. I've read the Japanese version of the DRK quests and I honestly PREFER that version of Frey far far more than the English. I had far more feelies and tears in my eyes for that Frey.
-They shorten and leave out a lot of things? I don't understand why... I play with the Japanese Language on, I just am more comfortable with it. I'm in no way fluent, just bits and pieces, but I can still tell that it's not 'all there' and it makes me wince.

I still love and adore the team. I just wish they'd... I don't know... -_- ShB has maybe been the closest yet, but there are still glaring points where I'm going 'wait... no stop... go back...'

I have to ask...is there a english translation of the Japanese version of the DRK quests?

[Tsalmaveth]

I have to ask...is there a english translation of the Japanese version of the DRK quests?

Yes. A tumblr user went through and translated the quests: Here and Here

The User discusses the differences in the translations, why they might have been and their own personal bias as well. I have my own feelings regarding them. There's just a marked difference in the tone and personality of the characters and I dislike seeing that, personally. I think the change was done for the audience and I don't know if I care for that kind of thing. But given how popular Frey is, it went over well regardless.

[Makeda]

The particular example you give of commenting on the size of the guy would be offensive to many in English countries. I guess the same is not true in Japan?

There are YouTube vids comparing the dialogue and I have noticed that the Japanese stuff often has a lot of sexualized commentary that to my reading comes across as somewhat juvenile and not as well written... I have heard Yoshi-P say that most lore questions come from NA and EU players and reading what the Japanese players get makes me guess why...

I would encourage them to have the English localization team rewrite the Japanese scripts and then have the Japanese staff rewrite again for cultural localization. Whoever is in charge of the English localization is just a much better fiction writer than anyone else there, and also know when to make and when to pull back on juvenile humor...

Unless the YouTuber in question was lying, the entire Hourchefaunt story arc in Japanese was just him repeatedly trying to get the character in bed... whereas in English he develops an amazing personality...
- this is the kind if difference that can lead to very different levels of player devotion to a game...

[Musashidon]

I would encourage them to have the English localization team rewrite the Japanese scripts and then have the Japanese staff rewrite again for cultural localization. Whoever is in charge of the English localization is just a much better fiction writer than anyone else there, and also know when to make and when to pull back on juvenile humor...

koji fox does both himself, he is lore master and makes sure that both the JP and NA are the same. ( i mean he isn't literally the only one) but he is a major part of it all.

[Alleo]

I dont understand whats so bad about having one character in the game that has the outright hots for the WoL and shows it? (And they have made the HW Haurchefant in the english version more in tune with the japanese one, at least thats what I heard) In a game with so many mature themes why is that so uncomfortable for NA? Its not like the majority of the characters are that way and no he was not constantly just trying to get into our pants, he was also still trying to be a good friend and to help us.

Also as someone pointed out, its not always for the "better" too. The english exarch seemingly making Vauthry angry with mean words while the jp version seems to hint more at him noticing the change is not that great imo.

Then you have stuff like Middy which outright made people think that he is bad, even though the JP version seemingly showed quite clearly that this was not the case. Is it truly better writing to make many things seem more mysterious just for the sake of it?

Anyway Koji already has his hands quite deeply in it by drowning us in all those puns.

[Nestama]

I dont understand whats so bad about having one character in the game that has the outright hots for the WoL and shows it? (And they have made the HW Haurchefant in the english version more in tune with the japanese one, at least thats what I heard) In a game with so many mature themes why is that so uncomfortable for NA? Its not like the majority of the characters are that way and no he was not constantly just trying to get into our pants, he was also still trying to be a good friend and to help us.

We'll never know (probably. It might not have translated well into English). Like I said before, this was before all localisation teams worked closely with the author.
Also I never really got the impression that 2.5 Middy was bad. Just that he wasn't impressed or something.

[Iscah]

One of the core complaints here seems to be based on a misreading that makes the English version sound much worse than it actually is.

While there are many instances of this throughout the MSQ, one is when the Exarch meets Vauthry; In the Japanese version, the Exarch says something along the lines of, you've gotten really big since I last saw you. Where as the English version is something like your as "enormous as ever".

The Exarch doesn't say anything about Vauthry's size, changed or not. He thanks him for his hospitality and calls him as generous as ever.

(Vauthry responds by calling the Exarch "disingenuous" - insincere or having secret motives. Which is accurate, but hardly the thing you call a guest...)

Most likely it was changed because any sort of remark on his size would come off as rude and undiplomatic in English, though I have no idea about the intended impression in the Japanese version.

It's cutscene #2 of 'An Unwanted Proposal' if anyone wants to go rewatch it.