Game Translation for Indonesian Gamers: Benefits and Challenges
Nowadays, playing games has become everyone's hobby. The presence of many game genres with interesting concepts has attracted everyone's attention, especially in Indonesia. The influence of gaming in Indonesia is getting bigger and companies operating in the gaming industry are being created. However, most of the games on the market are Western production games.
As we know, Indonesia is a non-English-speaking country, and not everyone can understand foreign languages. In other words, not all game lovers can play the games they want. Translation service providers are of course aware of this difficulty. Thus, they offer language localization services so that all game enthusiasts can enjoy the thrill of playing international games.
The problem is, translating games is not the same as that of novels or other books. There are several aspects that game translators need to pay attention to, such as which parts should be translated and which should not, do Indonesian gamers prefer fully localized games? Now, let's shift focus a little while on MMORPG.
The development of the gaming world is very rapid. Previously, there were only a few publishers bringing MMOs to Indonesia. However, currently, the number of publishers is much greater, and the games are very varied. Of course, it is the publisher's obligation to translate the game into Indonesian so that it can be understood and enjoyed by all gamers in Indonesia. Do Indonesian gamers need that translation? Many translations are also done haphazardly or even just using Google Translate. However, the game translation process must still be carried out.
Surely you agree that Indonesian-language games should be easier to understand than English. It's just that the problem with translation is that it is often considered bad and only makes gamers not understand what it means. However, there are several publishers whose translations of games feel funny. For example, TOD Online, which is translated in terms of character attribute skills into Indonesian, and Lineage II Indonesia, which has a dubbing tutorial in Indonesian.
Read More: Diving into Dota 2 Global Appeal: The Importance of Localization
One genre that often gets translated is MMORPG, and the reason why it has to be translated is because there are lots of NPCs in dialogue games, especially those that have quests. So you can imagine how many millions of words have to be translated in one game. Meanwhile, the publisher wants the game to be released as quickly as possible. This results in poor translation.
For those of you who are not very good at English, of course you will be a little annoyed by a bad translation, and you will be even more annoyed if the game can't be translated at all. This is what causes gamers not to be able to enjoy the storyline in MMORPGs in Indonesian. Often, it takes longer to read skill descriptions because they seem less detailed and messy.
Whether translation is important or not depends on the genre. MMORPGs require good translation, especially for dialogue and various descriptions. Meanwhile, FPS games such as Point Blank and Crossfire do not require translation because gamers can understand their aspects without knowing the language.
Recommendations for Indonesian Game Translation Services: Pay attention to the length of your translation.
1. Indonesian Game Translation Services
Translated games in Indonesian are usually 20% longer than the English version. If there is a character limit, an experienced translator will leave the English terminology and delete some words as long as they are not taken out of context. Since the translation cannot be longer than the original, character limits are common. This can make it difficult to choose the right terms for translation. Therefore, Indonesian language game translation services must be transacted frequently.
2. It is Important to Provide Context for Indonesian Language Game Translation Services
There are several linguistic signs in Indonesian that do not exist in English. Because language differences are diverse, translators must also pay attention to the context within them. In Indonesian the word 'sister' has many forms, so it can be confusing. It is important for the translator to know whether the sibling is older or younger. Another example, such as translucent, are defined as translucent and transparent.
3. Remember to Format Your Numbers Correctly
In Indonesia, commas are used to separate thousands of commas and decimal points. DD-MM-YYYYY is the local date format. The time must be formatted in 24-hour format (HH.MM).
4. Names and Abilities Can Be Left as It Is in Indonesian Game Translation
Because they often compete with other players around the world, gamers want unique names for their characters and in-game skills.
5. Hire Linguists Who Have Worked in the Gaming Industry
Working with a professional translator for Indonesian game translation services is a must. It's not surprising that translators are usually gamers, as this demonstrates their interest in gaming. Through this approach, it will be easier to know which terms work and which do not. Because Indonesian language game translation services are not just per my word but need to pay attention to other aspects such as good communication.
Prohibition on Indonesian Game Translation Services
1. Don't Just Think of a Translation as a "Translation.”
In Indonesian Game Translation Services, a mistake that often occurs is translating game sentences out of context without considering who is talking and to whom. This can confuse gamers if they read in-game or interpret English idioms too literally. You should be more attentive to know which parts need to be translated and which parts do not. This is the key to the success of Indonesian-language game services.
The game localization process involves translation that maintains the original context, culture, and feel. For example, in an RPG game, dialogue like "We need to find the ancient artifact before the enemy does" translates to "We need to find the ancient artifact before the enemy does," maintaining a tone of urgency. Game instructions like “Collect 10 mystical crystals to unlock the hidden door” translate to “Collect 10 mystical crystals to unlock the hidden door,” ensuring the message remains clear. Culture is also taken into consideration, such as “traveler” becoming “wanderer” for proper contextualization. With careful localization, the gaming experience becomes richer and more accessible for players from all backgrounds.
2. The Lack of Information and Time
When talking about Indonesian game translation services, you also have to know the information and the time. Suboptimal localization is also caused by a lack of information and responses from game publishers to queries and unreasonable deadlines.
3. Sensitive Topic Indonesian Game Translation Services
Topics such as religion and sexuality should be avoided by Indonesian game translation services. The Aceh regional council has called the PUBG game a sin and claimed that the game insults religion and causes violent behavior among young people. Even though there are no formal rules in Indonesia that limit PUBG games, it is important to remember that there are cultural norms Because the majority of Indonesia's population is Muslim.
In conclusion, game localization differs from localization in other fields. In fact, not all games have good localization translations, making game enthusiasts hesitant to play them since they don't grasp the plot. If game translation services in Indonesia can employ skilled game translators who can critically assess whether elements of the game should be translated, retained, or avoided, this would increase the game's value while also attracting more game aficionados.
To improve gameplay in Indonesian, various parties need to play an important role. The role of game localization services is also very important because games are not only played but also need adjustments in terms of language, culture, funds, and so on. Digital Trans Asia provides services in terms of game localization. For those developers or companies out there who want to expand the market in Indonesia, don't hesitate to consult with us. Digital Trans Asia has been handled by experts in their field. So don't hesitate to trust us.