As an RPGMaker Dev, what can be done to make translation easier/more convenient?

[Oir]

It stands to reason that it's pretty much in the best interest of everyone if a game is easier to translate. Better for the dev to potentially reach foreign audiences, and obviously better for those audiences who gain access to a previously inaccessible game.

If an RPGMaker dev were to develop a game with the express purpose of making it easier for translators to translate, what would be some practices that they should keep in mind?

For example, making use of common events instead of copy-pasting events everywhere, etc.

 

[Bryanis]

Well, maybe making it simple in term of name and desciption of character / item / skill (different language mean different interpretation and also size to say the same thing. If you got a saying in one language, the next might not have one to convert to, and one line could translate as 3 or 4 to say the same thing).

Avoiding specific language pun / play of word and culturaly based riddle (you may translate all the word, but how many westerner know the history of old Japan ? ).

Thoses point are purely related to translation and not to RPG maker really, but still to take in mind for possible translation.

One thing taht come to mind for rpg maker, are all the variable and switch. While switch name don't need to be changed for the game to work, it's easier if they can be simple to identify (maybe more for bug hunting).

 

[mayaktheunholy]

A lot of it really depends on whether the dev will be working with translators directly or not. Most issues can be overcome pretty easily if the dev is working with the translator.
But here are a few things in no particular order:

1. Avoid using excessive numbers of plugins/scripts that display text. Not only is it a pain to track them all down sometimes, they can easily end up breaking the game when translated (whether due to a minor typo or due to the way scripts sometimes look for an exact term and can't find it if it gets translated).

2. Avoid using images (or at least large amounts of them) to display text. Especially highly stylized fonts, they can be hard to interpret even if one is somewhat fluent and not relying on OCR. Also can be an issue for unofficial translations as it can complicate the patching process if images are encrypted or in an archive (see below).

3. Avoid packing the game into archive(s). This just makes additional steps for the translator and/or end user, making it less likely foreign audiences will play your game (whether it's due to lack of understanding how to patch it or just not wanting to bother with the inconvenience). Obviously if working directly with translators this is not an issue as there would be an official pre-patched version.

4. On that note, avoid aggressive DRM. If the game's data is too hard to get at, it limits the number of people who would be willing to translate it, and the number of end users who would be willing to bother with the patching process. But as above, if the translator and dev are working together, this is not as much of an issue.

Might also be worth noting with those last 2, they also encourage people to just upload the full game pre-patched instead of supporting the dev. Especially the DRM, it never works and just makes people more likely to do the very thing the dev is trying to prevent.

 

[candyfloss]

Some money to maintain software licenses, keyboard, and mouse will make it easier for the translator. (っ* ´□` )っ

Otherwise, most of the stuff that can make translating easier were already mentioned.
Coding events into common events instead of putting it in a map usually makes the whole project cleaner and easier to work with.
Images with fanciful fonts are usually a problem. You might need an artist to work with to make good ones.

 

[Kernog]

Having translated a game from English to French recently, I think that the one resource that will definitely help a translator, is having a "guide" or similar kind of document that gives context to the dialogues. Or at minimum, making yourself or resources available to answer the translator's questions about the context.

Also, while I can work with the default functions of Translator ++, I would be better working with a sheet telling me exactly which scene or which dialogue I am translating, and who is speaking.

Additionaly, for testing purposes, either cheat codes or a repository of saves would be appreciated, in order to spend less time on it.