• Source: http://www.epicsound.com/resources/gamelocalization.html
• 翻译：颜玉祚 （北京大学计算机辅助翻译专业）

做好游戏本地化的 14 个技巧

Asbjoern Andersen

想要扩大用户群？将游戏产品本地化以适应目标市场是一个极好的办法。下面我们提供一些顺利完成游戏本地化的技巧。

译前准备

• 找一个不错的、讲英语的剧本写作员

如果游戏内容需要翻译成好几种语言，最好使用英语作为原文资料，因为几乎所有的译员都接受以英语为原文的翻译。如果原文资料不是英语的，可以先将其翻译成英语，然后才转译到你的目标语言。在本地化过程中总是存在误解蔓延的风险，因此从最开始就采用一位不错的、讲英语的剧本写作员有助于避免这类问题的发生。

• 在发送翻译之前先审校剧本

英语剧本是其它所有翻译的原文，因此有必要事先对它作全面的审校。审校包括拼写检查和语法检查，检查术语是否一致、注释是否恰当、有无可能造成的误解以及在其它语言中不能引人发笑的笑话。

• 使用一致的角色名/场景名/物件名/界面名

保证对话、屏幕文本和手册中术语的一致性是非常重要的。它可以保证统一性，方便翻译并有助于避免出现误解。

• 语言特有的笑话翻译效果不好

翻译笑话从来都不轻松，遇到有双关语/俏皮话以及其它语言特有的笑话或出处时尤其如此。 因此，如有可能，避免出现这类笑话——否则，至少记住你得让每个笑话都引得所有目标语用户哈哈大笑！

• 检查台词长度

如果游戏为某句台词设置了最大字符数，请告知译员。尽管用原文表述的这句台词可能不会超过最大长度，但是在译文中很可能就会超过，因为即使表达同一个意思，有些语言就是用词更多。还要注意对话中的台词是否有最长限时。

• 原文错误将按目标语言数量倍增

原文剧本中出现的任何错误都会在需要本地化的所有目标语言中反映出来。因此，在发送翻译之前确保原文资料准确无误肯定是一个好主意!

协助译员

• 译员可能没见过游戏

记住：译员可能没有见过真实的游戏。因此给特定台词（在单独的一列中）添加尽可能多的信息以帮助译员在恰当语境中更好地理解台词。如有可能，提供一个游戏的测试版，这样译员可以在正确的语境中看到台词。

• 提供指引

如上所述，提供游戏的测试版可以帮助译员理解资料的正确语境。假如你不能提供测试版，有可能的话提供物件/人物的图像和描述。截图也是使译员对上下文产生直观感觉的一个好办法。

• 正式还是非正式？

在有些语言中，正式的称呼和口吻与非正式的差别很大。你所希望的目标风格并不总是能在原文资料中一目了然地体现出来，因此让译员或翻译公司知道你想要何种风格。

在本地化过程中

• 较大批量地提交更改

如果在翻译进行的同时原文资料总是在不断更新（不建议这么做，但是有时不可避免），较大批量地提交对原文资料的更改或更新可以保持较低的翻译成本。

• 对于单独的翻译批量：创建一个术语列表

如果屏幕文本、玩家手册、对话、包装不是一次性全部发送翻译，做一个常用物件/场地/措辞的术语列表是不错的主意。在第一轮翻译过程中，译员确定术语列表中术语的译文。在后续的翻译中，这个列表可以用作参考资料。这样做可以确保译文中术语的一致性。

声音表演小贴士

• 使用模拟发声

将英语模拟发声录下来可以帮助你了解游戏中的对话是如何进行的。使用模拟发声还可以使你确保对话中的某句台词表达恰当。在找来配音演员之前，将这些记录下来——当配音演员开始念台词录音时，批准通过的模拟发声可以作为一个指导。

• 为你的剧本添加感叹台词

为了让游戏角色生动起来，给每个角色添加一些感叹台词常常是一个不错的办法——即使你起初可能觉得根本不需要它们。给这些额外的台词录音并不会增加多少开支——但是如果后来你才决定把它们添加进去，可能不仅花费更多，也更耗时，如果你要再次找配音演员来给这些额外的台词录音的话。

• 维持角色

为确保未来作品中的一致性，最好记录下你给当前作品使用的配音演员。这可以保证同一角色的声音在所有产品中听起来都一样。

关于作者

Asbjoern Andersen 是语音制品公司 Epic Sound ApS的合伙人。该公司发布原创音乐、音效设计和各种媒体的本地化。Asbjoern Andersen 和他在 Epic Sound ApS 公司的同事为可口可乐、芬达、雪碧、迪斯尼、星空传媒、Fox Kids（美国最受欢迎的儿童频道）、本田公司以及其它品牌提供语音服务。

14 IDEAS FOR BETTER GAME LOCALIZATION

Getting your game localized to fit your target markets is a great way of reaching a wider audience.
Here are some ideas to make the process as smooth as possible.

• Get a good, English-speaking script writer
If the content needs to be translated into several languages, it’s a good idea to use English for your source material as pretty much all translators can handle this. If your source material is not in English, it may have to be translated to English first, and then into your target language. There is always a risk that misunderstandings may creep in during this process, so getting a good English-speaking script writer in from the beginning can help avoid these issues.

• Proof-read the script before sending it off for translation
The English script will be the source for all other translations, so it is essential that it has been thoroughly proof-read in advance. Proof-reading includes spelling and grammar checking, checking for term consistency, proper commenting, potential misunderstandings and jokes that won’t work in other languages.

• Use character/location/object/interface names consistently
Consistent term usage throughout the dialogue, on-screen text and the manual is very important. This ensures coherency, eases translation and helps avoid any misunderstandings.

• Language-specific jokes don't translate well
Translating jokes is never easy, and this is particularly the case with puns/wordplay and other language-specific jokes or references. So refrain from these types of jokes if possible – or at least bear in mind that any joke will have to work in all of your target languages!

• Check your lengths
If you have a maximum character length for a given line, let the translator know. While the line in your source language may not exceed the maximum length, the translated line potentially could, as some languages simply need more words to say the same thing. Also note if there is a maximum duration on dialogue lines.

• Source errors will be multiplied by the number of target languages
Any errors in the source script will be mirrored in all the languages your product needs to be localized in. So it’s definitely a good idea to ensure that the source material is as good as possible before sending it off for translation!

• The translators may not see the game
Remember that the translators may not get to see the actual game, so add as much information as possible about a given line (in a separate column) to help the translator better understand the line within its proper context. If possible, provide a beta build of the game so the translators can see the lines in the proper context.

• Provide guidance
As mentioned above, providing a beta build of the game can be help the translators understand the proper context of your material. If you cannot provide a beta build, provide object/character images and descriptions if possible. Screenshots can also be great for giving the translators a feel for the context.

• Formal or informal?
In some languages, the difference between formal and informal addressing or tone of voice can be huge. Your desired target style may not always be apparent from your source material, so let the translators or agency know what style you want.

• Submit changes in larger batches
If the source material is being continuously updated while translation is ongoing (not recommended, but unavoidable in some cases), submit any changes or updates to the source material in larger batches to keep translation costs down.

• For separate translation batches: Create a term list
If everything (onscreen, manual, dialogue, packaging) is not sent off for translation in one go, it’s a very good idea to keep a term list of commonly mentioned objects/places/terms. During the 1st translation run, the translator fills in the term list with their translations of the listed terms. This list can subsequently be used as a reference for the following translation runs. Doing this helps ensure term consistency in the translation.

• Use dummy-voices
Getting English dummy voices recorded can help you get an understanding of how your dialogue will work in the game. You can also use dummy voices to ensure that the proper expression is used for a given line of dialogue. Get these recorded before the voice actors are brought in – the approved dummy voices can then serve as a guideline when the voice actors will be recording their lines.

• Add exclamation lines to your script
To bring life to your game characters, it’s often a good idea to add a selection of exclamations for each character – even though you might not think you’ll need them at first. Recording these extra lines don’t add much overhead - but if you later decide to add them in, it may be more expensive and time consuming if voice actors will have to be brought in again to record those additional lines.

• Staying in character
To ensure consistency across future titles, it’s a good idea to keep note of the voice actors you’re using for your current production. This ensures that character voices sound the same throughout your productions.

About Asbjoern Andersen
Asbjoern Andersen is co-founder of Epic Sound ApS, an audio production company that delivers original music, sound design and localization for a wide range of media. With his colleagues in Epic Sound ApS, Asbjoern Andersen has provided audio for brands such as Coca-Cola, Fanta, Sprite, Disney, Sky, Fox Kids, Honda, and many more.