About shines and shades of The Witcher release – interview with Michał Kiciński

[ironanno]

According to various websites (and previews) the dev team had help from the same translator (and publisher) who translated the Last Wish to get the translation right . This was also done to keep the character and location names consistent.

Alright, thanks for clearing that up. Have these guys saved expenses anywhere? My respect for them just keeps rising.

From what I've heard (and read from a sample story from the English version of The Last Wish released by Gollancz), the book's translation isn't very good either. Unfortunately, it was translated by a native speaker of Polish, not of English, so while it's mostly correct, the language used is quite bland.

Translators should be of native speaker level in both languages. But it's rather hard to translate humour. I remember reading about someone complaining about the translation of the Finnish book The Unknown Soldier and saying the war cries sounded really bland. Hehe so when Syvere commented the translation was up to par with the Last Wish it wasn't a compliment.

 

[matches81]

I read that too, luckily you can use the original script by modifying the game's ini.Polish voiceovers + Original English translation = Win.

Could you point me to where I could find any specific info on this? Would love to have that.

 

[Wersy]

Excuse me? Based on what? Have you actually played the game in Polish and actually know the language well enough to say that the translation is bad?

Based on gameplay movies and gamers opinions. Actually, I played only the Polish version, but I guess what I watched and read is enough to say that the translation was done badly. Examples? Let's look at the dialogue with dwarven blacksmith (http://www.thewitcher.com/community/en/videos/latest/)English:Geralt: Why do locals persecute nonhumans?Blacksmith: Humans have always hated dwarves and elves.Polish:Geralt: Why do humans persecute nonhumans?Blacksmith: And why does pri_ck go into pus_sy? This is the Natural Order of the Universe. Humans have always clashed with dwarves and elves and it's not up to me to decide whose fault is it.See the difference? Another thing, from gamespot review(BTW the Witcher also recived special "award" for bad translation on gamespot): 'One moment you're cruising along listening to fairly standard RPG conversations, and then you're hit with out-of-the-blue modern slang and "F" bombs'. This is certainly not the case in the original version, where npcs use very nice archaismes for swearings (which were taken out directly from Sapkowski's books so maybe it was somehow easier to write itthan to translate it, but this is certainly not the excuse). You can also go to http://www.rpgcodex.net/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=21134&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0&sid=53001ed6d3b731482ed608f18a4d873b and see people claiming that about 20% of the original script was lost(May someone from CDP confirm or disclaim it once and for all?. I'm Polish (I'm writing on the international forum becouse translation is rather international than Polish issue) so maybe I should be happy that I play the better game than the rest of the world, but I also know that if there is to be a sequel, the Witchers has to sell well. And ruining down the best aspect of the game (it's a story-based RPG, so the dialogues (escpecially so well written) are its core) it's not the way to achive it. It's very sad for me to hear that the translation was screwed up and I'd like to know why it happend.

 

[Wersy]

Ah, I forgot about the most important thing. Past is the past, my curiosity may remain unfullfilled, the reviews with complains have been written and the sales have already been hurt (that's probably an Atari fault and it's Atari who will be left with the most of consequences) but there is still something that you can do for gamers. If it's true that the orginal script was cut to save on voice recording (which seems somehow unbelivable - to make voice recording for Hungarian version (there are ~10 mln people in Hungary) and try to save (on quality!) on international (US+UK+Australia+...) seems sooo stupid - but too many people claim that really happend) why not realese(some people claim that it is already in the game files - if so, just announce officialy that it's there to make more people know about it) the not butcherd one and allow players to use it? There are many people who would really want to play the Witcher with original voice covers and well-translated dialogues. Why prevent them from doing it?CDP has screwed up the polish limited edition realase, but was able to own up and fix what was broken. I appreciate that and I strongly belive that you can do it again. Can't you?EDIT: I've found some threads with guys from CDPR saying that the english dialogues were cut down indeed. It still seems very strange and unclear, though. Why to do 10 language versions without the money to do each of it(I've seen complains from German, Spanish and Russian players) properly?And YES, it is important. Let me quote one of the opinions I've read and with which I tottaly agree:

Secondly, in my opinion the changes in script and translation in english version are mainly cosmetics, but... in entertainment industry EVERYTHING is about cosmetics. If you take just the important, meaningfull lines from let's say The Beatles lyrics, or Woody Allen movies, or Burns poems, you end up with something unberably dry and lacking any value.

 

[petra_silie]

A bad translation due to non native speakers is a sad issue.The German translation missed also

And why does pri_ck go into pus_sy? This is the Natural Order of the Universe.

But... how much influence has it on the procedure of the game if we had the complete answer from the dwarf? How seriously spoiled are the dialogues because he merely answers "Humans have always hated dwarves and elves." ?

 

[PrisonerofIce]

And why does pri_ck go into pus_sy? This is the Natural Order of the Universe.

But... how much influence has it on the procedure of the game if we had the complete answer from the dwarf? How seriously spoiled are the dialogues because he merely answers "Humans have always hated dwarves and elves." ?

The dialogues make the game like TW. If this was a FPS, it would not matter if the dialogues are brilliant or not as long as they perform their function = people know what and where they should shoot next. TW is played for those dialogues. If they get butchered so badly as in this case, it IS bad. It's more a summary of what the dwarf said and not a translation.

 

[petra_silie]

It's a matter of opinion ;D I know "strong language" is a strong part of the Sapkowski novels and maybe the game as well. But if I had to make a list of pros and contras of the game I wouldn't list that jus strong examples are missing in some translations of the game. It's not sth that's make the qualitiy of the game and it doesn't lower it.