Games Localization – Mind the pitfalls

When working on the adaptation of the game, we keep seeing the same issues, which mostly result from bad game internationalization. Open source projects are the most notable example.

Internationalization bugs are usually caused by the fact that the game was not even considered to be localized in future. This is where the troubles for localization engineers start. It does not necessarily mean that it is impossible to adapt these games for other locales, but it makes the localization much more difficult.

As it often happens, if the game was developed without localization in mind, the whole localization process becomes not just a mere translation of text strings and fixing geometry bugs or adapting the graphics. It is an incredible process of looking for work-arounds at different program levels.

As a rule the internationalization problems require attention of developers to avoid extra complicated fixes multiplied by the number of target languages.

In particular, I would like to draw your attention to the following types of problems:

•          Hardcoded strings. These are texts coming from the functional part of the game that are visible to users. Even having access to the source code but without knowledge of the whole project structure, it is difficult to get the hardcoded strings translated without the risk of bugs which will be caused by this translation.
•          Regional settings support. This presents the most painful issue: support of fonts, correct displaying of regional standards for dates, units etc.
•          The last point worth highlighting is the separation of functionality and UI parts. Otherwise the engineering of localized files will become a headache for localization engineers.

Please keep in mind that even if you work on the realization of the fantastic idea and want to implement it as quickly as possible, do not forget that this great game may get so popular that users from other locales would want to play it too… in their native language.

by Ihor Kuznietsov

Senior Localization Engineer