Feature Request/Suggestion - English (JP) Language option in Launcher

[PorxiesRCute]

The voice of the mage soul in p9 in the JP dub is young and energetic, but old and smokey in EN. Absolutely baffling how people can defend this. This isn't even some "nuance" thing, this is straight up change in character.

P9's voice actor choices in English were straight-up ridiculous, but that's not something that OP's suggestion would have changed; this suggestion is only about offering a different on-screen text that's more faithful to the Japanese dialogue.

OP has said multiple times they're not suggesting multiple VA recordings, and even if they were, "faithful translation" and "similar-sounding voices" are different topics.

[Telkira]

P9's voice actor choices in English were straight-up ridiculous, but that's not something that OP's suggestion would have changed; this suggestion is only about offering a different on-screen text that's more faithful to the Japanese dialogue.

OP has said multiple times they're not suggesting multiple VA recordings, and even if they were, "faithful translation" and "similar-sounding voices" are different topics.

It's semi-relevant. It goes to show that a lot of the localization choices factored in things like voice talent and how voice direction, accents, etc. influence how these characters are intended to be received or perceived by the playerbase. Like you don't want to give a character a certain type of voice or accent that the player might not 'hear' when they read their dialog in a text box.
But a lot of players (myself included) choose to play with Japanese voiceover and audio, so we're not considered in that.

As you pointed out, my ask would basically just be to have the EN text-content be representative of the spoken Japanese dialog you hear in cutscenes.

[Kfarc]

I would also like to ask for an option for that. I think it was in Yakuza/Like a dragon games where since adding dubbing they started doing a double text localization. One for dubbing + subtitles and one for OG Japanese dubbing and text that fits closer to said original dialog. So it was done somewhere else before and if English translation team of FF14 would so kind to add it, I would be very greatfull.

[Telkira]

I would also like to ask for an option for that. I think it was in Yakuza/Like a dragon games where since adding dubbing they started doing a double text localization. One for dubbing + subtitles and one for OG Japanese dubbing and text that fits closer to said original dialog. So it was done somewhere else before and if English translation team of FF14 would so kind to add it, I would be very greatfull.

I would love nothing more than that. That's the norm for anime produciton, idk why it can't be that way for games too.

[MeeDeggiThePunisher]

I've always hated dubtitles but accepted them in video games. Doing two text tracks for the English dub and JP sub is a big ask.

[Kuroka]

Playing on German, i shiver on the though of having to play English, the localization is just too hard, the liberties too far... (And we dont even start about a certain VA lol).

IDK why so many english translations are so obsessed with changing things, censor or adept em for more sensitive ppl...

[Telkira]

I've always hated dubtitles but accepted them in video games. Doing two text tracks for the English dub and JP sub is a big ask.

I have too, that's why I always go towards fansubs since those are usually more accurate and are just better than dubtitles.
As for doing two text tracts being a big ask? I argue that it's really not. most of the work is already done, it's mostly just testing. It's certainly not a trivial thing to implement, but it's also not too significant.

Playing on German, i shiver on the though of having to play English, the localization is just too hard, the liberties too far... (And we dont even start about a certain VA lol).

IDK why so many english translations are so obsessed with changing things, censor or adept em for more sensitive ppl...

It's because they want it to be *for* them. Like I see a lot of socially-progressive people who will shriek about 'cultural appropriation' but that sentiment of respecting cultures and skewed perception of cultural relativism suddenly fizzles up when it comes to Japanese media, because it's 'problematic' or 'offensive' to their limited worldview, and it disgusts me to see people argue that these things need to be fixed or censored or 'written out' in the adaptation process.

[PorxiesRCute]

It's because they want it to be *for* them. Like I see a lot of socially-progressive people who will shriek about 'cultural appropriation' but that sentiment of respecting cultures and skewed perception of cultural relativism suddenly fizzles up when it comes to Japanese media, because it's 'problematic' or 'offensive' to their limited worldview, and it disgusts me to see people argue that these things need to be fixed or censored or 'written out' in the adaptation process.

Aaaand now we see what this is really about.

Nobody here is saying anything like that, I highly recommend you re-read the responses you've gotten.

[Telkira]

Aaaand now we see what this is really about.

Nobody here is saying anything like that, I highly recommend you re-read the responses you've gotten.

I was responding to Kuroka's post.

If you actually read the substance of my post, instead of responding to a set of buzzwords, I was calling out the hypocrisy of people who will virtue signal over respecting cultural differences until said cultures offend them, or doing so is inconvenient for them.

Kuroka's post specifically mentioned liberties that are only present in the EN localization which DO go far, objectively, in that they deviate from the Japanese content in an egregious way.

Like when the localizers saw what Haurchefant's characterization was like in the JP release and felt the need to censor him, rather than just let him be presented as he was across all languages.

Or when the EN localizers felt the need to 'spice up' the description for Wind-up Moenbryda with an implication regarding Urianger's intentions that was not present in the Japanese text. It was later changed to be in-line with what was actually present in Japanese.

This anatomically accurate representation of Moenbryda was secretly crafted by none other than Urianger immediately following the untimely passing of his beloved companion. What he did with it before it passed to your hands is a tale best left untold.

which was changed to:

This finely detailed tribute to Moenbryda was crafted in secret by none other than Urianger following the untimely passing of his beloved companion. Though known for her warm and jovial nature, the resolve within this doll's eyes perhaps speaks to the strength he admired in her.

Specifically regarding the Haurchefant censorship, no shortage of EN players who approved of it, despite it being a blatant act of censorship that was even regarded as a mistake which they apologized for. A lot of the people who celebrated this change fell squarely within the 'hypocrite' camp. It's disgusting to see people talk about respecting cultures literally do the exact opposite.

I didn't respond to the 'certain VA' comments because I'm not interested in English VAs. I don't play the game with English voiceovers, and what I'm asking for in this thread is more in-line with the Japanese content but properly translated into English and not a 'dubtitle'.

[PorxiesRCute]

I agree that Haurchefant shouldn't have been censored, but that had nothing to do with any fans "shrieking". It was translators observing that certain media tropes come across differently in different cultures. And the example with Wind-up Moenbryda is, like, the exact opposite of "socially progressive people shrieking"; it was a dumb masturbation joke that never should have been made.

But you know what, you've convinced me. I'm now 100% in favor of a faithful non-localized subtitle option, just so all the Gamers can finally see that there's no "SJW censorship" ruining their Pure Ideal Nihongo Story.