Translating missions: mission author consensus request

[Bikerdude]

All one would need to do is include all the replacement sounds in a PK4, name the file something like zzz_whatever.pk4 to ensure it's loaded last, and slap it in the base or FM directory.

Cool idea, but ultimatly messy because we would have to provide a download link for each sound archive for every mission. It would be better if all the different language sound files could be dumped into the same archiive. Eg "mymission_l10n_snd.pk4"

[NeonsStyle]

I'm also active, though still working on my first TDM level, but when it's done, if it's any good and someone wants

to translate it, I'm fine with that.

[Tels]

Tels will correct me here, but I dont beleive TDM has support for another set of sound files that would be used by non-english players...

 

I'm not sure off-hand if we have or not have, have been away for too long. But even if that is not possible yet, it can be added relatively easily, because we have the full source.

 

One could, f.i. just load all sound files from "#str_01234" + "sound/blah/whatever", and set the String 1234 to "" for english (and default). Then the code would still load the same sound files. For Russian, you set it to "#str_01234" = "ru" and the loader will then first look for "ru/sound/blah/whatever", then fallback to "sound/blah/whatever"-

 

Sounds like it might be a 10 line code change and would make it a lot more flexible. The font loader code uses a similiar trick.

 

And yes, I think various language sounds should be part of the main mod, and be in an extra PK4 for each language. Then it can be easier be updated (after an initial flurry of updates to say Russian, Russian would be quite stable) and also non-russian players could delete the file if they really need space.

 

If there actual mission-specific sound files, these should be part of the FM.

[charisma]

Oh, thank you Tels!

 

 

My opinion is that all localisation sounds must be downloaded separately for each language. An example of how I see it:

 

When someone downloads TDM it comes as it is now - in English, by default. And if person wants TDM sounds - he\she must download a pack with Russian\German\Italian\etc. sounds.

When I'm testing my sounds in-game I just make a folder in the root directory named (for example) "tdm_sound_vocals02" and put all the files in it with the same names. And TDM just reads the newest file. (This way I do not overwrite the original files in *.pk4's) When I do not wish these files any more I just rename the folder or delete it or move to somewhere else.

[RPGista]

Yes, I think most if not all mission authors would like to see their missions translated and reaching people who otherwise would struggle with english. So permission granted. However, I would just like to reiiterate Melan's request, translators should do their best to do the original's justice (just as I did when translating the game's menu to portuguese).

 

Also, I cant see any way this could be heavilly automated. Readables must be carefully built page by page, going over the available space inside a page will NOT send the text to the next one as in Word, it will get cropped out, and so even translating a readable txt word by word without being inside the readable editor in Dark Radiant will often result in cropped texts in game because of size differences in number of letters.

 

I far as I know, the solution is either to change the way the readables are presented in game (text not being limited inside single pages, but rather the text body automatically generating enough pages to be displayed in full), or, most likely, translators will need to do this manually, learn enough DR to use the readable editor and repackage the translated missions as separate downloads (yes, that means mission updates would be a bit of a mess, translators would have to go back to it - thats why, to me, missions should only be translated after completely stabilished as fully playable and stable). Might be wrong here, its been a while, but Im not aware of a different way.

Edited September 29, 2014 by RPGista

[jaxa]

Down to 7

[charisma]

jaxa

So now we need to be programmers to translate TDM? I can't write scripts and I do not now anyone in our team of translators who can.

Edited June 9, 2016 by charisma

[jaxa]

So now we need to be programmers to translate TDM? I can't write scripts and I do not now anyone in our team of translators who can.

 

I didn't say anything about you+translators needing to do scripts/programming. I said that most missions don't have custom vocal packs, so if you were to translate the base voice packs, that would work for 70+ missions.

 

I also thought there was "talk" (on the forums) about subtitles, which ultimately may or may not require scripting. It wouldn't require scripting if TDM was programmed to read an extra file that attaches strings (and maybe timing) to custom voice files.

 

aka something like

 

mymap_voice_004.en = "Goodbye";

mymap_voice_004.es = "Adios";

[Tels]

I didn't say anything about you+translators needing to do scripts/programming. I said that most missions don't have custom vocal packs, so if you were to translate the base voice packs, that would work for 70+ missions.

 

I also thought there was "talk" (on the forums) about subtitles, which ultimately may or may not require scripting. It wouldn't require scripting if TDM was programmed to read an extra file that attaches strings (and maybe timing) to custom voice files.

 

aka something like

 

mymap_voice_004.en = "Goodbye";

mymap_voice_004.es = "Adios";

 

Yes, that was what I meant, TDM itself will have (or should) the ability for subtitles. Likewise, for language packs, these should be part of TDM, so they work for every mission. Translators should not need to code or script, just use the existing system.

 

Wether we let every user download all languages, so he can switch between them easily, or only let the foreign users manually download their language is a matter of taste - both have drawbacks and advantages. However, TDM itself needs to have the ability to select a different sound file if the language is switched (and fall back to English if it cannot be found).

 

That is exactly the same as it works for the font files, and is the one and only sane and future-proof way.

 

 

The exception to all this are custom sound effects or voice files for FMs, these should be part of the FM package, and be part of the FM i18n-package (so an additional language does not have to repackage the entire FM). Since most FMs don't use custom sound effects, this is not that important, tho.

[demagogue]

I've already given permission for translating my FM somewhere, and in fact it's already been translated into at least French and Russian.

[Petike the Taffer]

If I may ask, is the Training Mission and The Tears of Saint Lucia fair game for translators, seeing as it's part of the base install of TDM ?