CDPR about languages in the game

[Aver]

CDPR about languages in the game

Polish site, dubscore.pl, asked CDPR how they want to make different language versions of the game and CDPR's answer was very interesting. Every NPC in the game will talk in his native language - Average Joe will speak in English, but there will be a lot of foreigners living in Night CIty Koreans, Mexicans, Polish etc. and they will talk in mostly their native language (especially among their countrymen) and to understand them you will have to buy translation implant that will translate for you what they are saying.

So there will be only one voiced version of the game, but there will be translation implants in the game that will allow you understand foreigners .

This is not official yet. It's what they plan to do, but it may change.

Video (only in Polish):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=RzwUslpNe4k

 

[Kodaemon5924]

Damnit, you just ninja'd me

Anyway - I LOVE this idea, I suggested something like this on the Deus Ex: Human Revolution forums before the game was released

 

[braindancer12]

awesome idea i would like it! CD are the best

 

[blank_redge]

Very cool. As it should be, imo. =)

 

[darcler]

Just a quick translation:

As of yet no decisions have been made, but we're thinking about a system that could tell the world's story. The idea is to record everything in original languages, i.e. if we'll meet Mexicans in the game, they'll be taking -- Mexican slang even, portrayed by Mexican actors. The player would be able to buy a translator implant, and depending on how advanced it is, he'll get better or worse translation.

You can't reliably recreate street slang of Los Angeles or some other American city, you can't simply dub it and reproduce those emotions, rythm of speech, mannerisms. Everything has to be cohesive. Otherwise we'd simply hear that Polish actors are trying to imitate Americans. That won't work.

I think it's a brilliant idea, simply love it. Hope they'll decide to implement it.

 

[Garrison72]

Excellent idea.

 

[Edo34]

I like this..I like it a lot!

 

[braindancer12]

Just a quick translation:



I think it's a brilliant idea, simply love it. Hope they'll decide to implement it.

thanks for translating

 

[wisdom000]

This is a fucking awesome idea....

 

[username_3644576]

This is one of those rare ideas that are not only brilliant from the player's perspective, but are also great money savers. The only thing I'm concerned about is how it will be received in non-english speaking countries that have a strong tradition of dubbing films and games.

 

[gregski]

Wow, if the pull this off...

IMMERSION +98

 

[Suhiira]

I like it the idea!

 

[Aver]

The only thing I'm concerned about is how it will be received in non-english speaking countries that have a strong tradition of dubbing films and games.

Sleeping dogs was voiced only in English because they wanted to keep voice overs with accent from HK. And it sold better in EU than in US.

 

[thylbanus]

Well I have to say, that it would be awesome. I need to touch up on my Spanish and Japanese anyway. I'm getting rusty from lack of use.

 

[braindancer12]

Well I have to say, that it would be awesome. I need to touch up on my Spanish and Japanese anyway. I'm getting rusty from lack of use.

me too my English is good but my Spanish is awful....

 

[darcler]

This is one of those rare ideas that are not only brilliant from the player's perspective, but are also great money savers. The only thing I'm concerned about is how it will be received in non-english speaking countries that have a strong tradition of dubbing films and games.

As for money saving, that's also my understanding. Plus, audio files are heavy; in TW2 each language version's dialogues are around 1 GB in size, and they are the largest files after the game's main resources file (~9.8 GB). So it is something devs have to pay attention to. Getting rid of multiple language audio files will make room for adding more resources to the game, so the overall quality and scope can go up.

As for the reception in non-english-speaking countries, I think it'll be fine. At least in Poland many (most?) gamers (myself included) prefer to stick to the original language anyway, and only sometimes when a localization brings an entirely new quality to the game it becomes the preferred option (like Planescape: Torment or The Longest Journey, both localized by CDP ).

 

[Aver]

Getting rid of multiple language audio files will make room for adding more resources to the game, so the overall quality and scope can go up.

Actually it isn't problem. On DVD you have only default for your country language version anyway other language version you have to download by yourself. On GOG you can choose what language version you want to download and Steam downloads only language version that is default for your account. So there is no more room for adding more resources.

 

[darcler]

Well... Granted, in Poland TW2 came out with both Polish and English language versions, and others you could download, but TW1EE came with (*checks the box*) 9 language versions

 

[username_3644576]

I was thinking more of countries such as Spain, where virtually everything gets dubbed.

 

[Aver]

I was thinking more of countries such as Spain, where virtually everything gets dubbed.

Not games. There is a lot of AAA games that don't have Spanish dubbing. The Witcher 2 is one of them. Only France and Germany are crazy about dubbing, but still, Sleeping Dogs doesn't have French nor German dubbing and sold very well in those countries.