Serious issue with English localization for Foreigners from FFXIV

[Alien_Gamer]

I understand what you're trying to say and you're right, it is a little awkward for me to see the issue because I am a native speaker. I can try and give you a different perspective on what may be hindering you though.

The Ivalice quest had a couple of things going on in it which will compound the issues a non-native speaker could have. The first is several characters have a different dialect or way of speaking to try and differentiate them from other npcs much in the same way Urianger does from the scions; individually its not a hinderance but having several different types of speaking together could be problematic. The second is the story itself was...convoluted, to put it kindly. A mess if you're less kind. I know several native english speakers that were just left wondering "WTF just happened?!" because it didn't make sense to them. I think its more the convoluted story than the words itself that made it an issue for you.

The weapon quests weren't as convoluted but they suffered from a heavy use of technobabble. Technobabble, as a concept, originated all the way back in Star Trek and basically just means the use of semi random technical sounding words to pad out a description for something, often with the intent of leaving the reader/viewer at a loss for understanding what is actually happening. Usually the best way to handle technobabble is to ignore what is said directly and focus more on the context for the general idea of what is going on. IE, instead of internal combustion engine, its the power source. For a native speaker or something with a great deal of fluency, its not a problem but I can see how it might be an issue for some. But if you can't find understanding through the context all you can really do is move on and hope its clarified later. Sometimes thats all anyone can do, native or not.

Most confusion I've seen regarding Amaurot is from the story itself. They're just starting to open up the final chapters of the story around that time and they're throwing a lot of new information at the player that doesn't fit together well, but its not supposed to. Its like getting a book with 2/3 of the pages removed, its almost nonsense. At the time there was a lot of player speculation for how things fit together, and maybe thats the root of what caused you problems there. Not the the words themselves but how it fit in with the greater picture of the story.

I'm trying not to be presumptuous of what you understand and maybe you've already thought of all that, in which case I apologize.

[Akamadoshi]

I understand what you........I'm trying not to be presumptuous of what you understand and maybe you've already thought of all that, in which case I apologize.

Oh wow you made great post!! No no, you actually did say the right things!!
And not only that, what I ask is NOT to simplify common use of English (Because as the post above of user said, it helps vocabulary also) and it is never something I am against of. However, what troubles me is the techno..babble! That! yeah! The, how do I say this, When they try to explain, for instance, many times they make WOL make option "Oh it's that <solution>" which has .... answers where I am like... "What is that" then that is an issue, there have been so many times I couldn't relate. And I do not mean the entirety of English.


As I have stated, it is NOT the slang or Urianger either (I love Urianger's English and Pirates!) Because, strangely, and this may be exclussively me only in this case, it makes it easier for me to pronounce in my head (lol!) but, no, those are 100% never an issue, I love them, they better stay (they do this in Japanese too!)

However, for instance, they use words that, are unnecessarily 'expensive vocabulary' this often happens, when they try to explain the source of issues, or they explain the whole theory behind something, those moments. So I do not talk about, for instance, "Pray return to the Quicksand" this type of English I have come to love (and it also became a meme for a reason!) So, I think I have also explained it a bit excessive because I do not know how to explain it. However, I also have autism, the fact I CAN speak more than 1 language I didn't learn but grow up to know them (not fluent in a weird way) then English, I learned through school/games, so I consider myself very blessed, but then it becomes frustration when I cannot understand what the story is telling (especially under those circumstances they explain) and begins to cause anxiety. I do not know how to communicate this part, but I hope it offers more explanation, and I had heard of this, from many, so I decided, I take a step to try explain my situation to forum. but, I am happy your post explains for me too, thank you!