Ask English Localization Lead Kate Cwynar Lore & Localization Questions

[kentauris]

The state of Parley in-universe

So, obviously we don't use Parley tiles as a game mechanic anymore. That being said, how popular - if indeed it is still used - is Parley for the rest of the in-game world?

[Firalia]

Something I've been wondering for quite a while has to do with the Ancient civilisations outside of Amaurot.
We know they existed, but did everyone living outside the capital follow the same customs and beliefs with the robes and masks? Were there any outliers, or different standards of dress?

[CaffeinatedKing]

Most of my burning lore questions are already present in this thread, I just wanted to post and say that you guys are doing a great job writing/localizing and making awful puns throughout the game.
So many of my favorite video game quotes come from XIV, at this point.

"My ideals are inviolate. Invincible." Is going to stick with me for many, many years to come.

[FelixSunblade]

My question is about The Twelve. We're learning a lot about them (possibly) on the Source, but I noticed that when Grenolt was showing off his fine kettle on the first he said the symbol of Rhalgr came to him in a dream. Are the twelve present or have some influence on other reflections? And if not, did the people of the first have a different system of religion?

[renzei_sanzei]

To the localization team:

I'm always surprised at how smoothly the dialogue and narration runs across so many different languages, yet still comes off as the same great story that players across many, many regions enjoy. In many games, a lot of meaning is lost from the original upon translation. For example, Japanese may have certain idioms or phrases that English doesn't have and vice versa. Certain phrases may come off as more poetic in Japanese, yet when translated to English may not make sense or sound silly.

How does the team decide how to translate narration and character dialogue so the original intent of the story writers isn't lost? Do they need to research local slang and nuances of words? Have there been any instances where certain scenes were difficult to translate and localize?

[crimda]

Hello again!

It seems like Ancient's have a different tinge of color when they teleport. Some have purple tinge and others have a white tinge. Maybe other colors, too? Is there some significance to the color they have when they teleport?

[RisingLotus]

Hey there!

I love fishing and filling out the fish journal, all the little bits of lore are so neat! What's the process for coming up with the fish lore? Like how do you decide which ones will be more normal and based on species from real life compared to the ones more based on the world of FFXIV? And what are some of your favorite fish?

[duckslap]

Hello Kate! I'd like to ask a question that's been wracking my brain since finishing Endwalker.

In the Eight Umbral Calamity timeline where G'raha is woken up and sent to the First, the WoL perished before the Final Days could come to pass, meaning they couldn't have travelled back in time to meet Venat and tell her about it. How did the events in Elpis we played through ourselves unfold in this timeline without the WoL?

[bunnybun]

Hi Kate! I have some questions about Pandaemonium.

How exactly did Athena witness the events of Asphodelos and Abyssos if she was dead? I assume she must have put her memories in the Heart of Sabik before Lahabrea ended her and took the stone, so how did she obtain knowledge of what happened after?

[bunnybun]

Anabaseios revealed that Athena had Erichthonios solely to be a vessel to accept her power in her pursuit for divinity. Why did Athena need a vessel in the first place? What exactly is so special about Erichthonios's and Claudien's bodies that only they can be used by her to become a god?