{"id":1520,"date":"2023-08-24T09:33:12","date_gmt":"2023-08-24T07:33:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/81.95.125.200\/~geekypen\/?p=1520"},"modified":"2023-11-28T13:12:24","modified_gmt":"2023-11-28T11:12:24","slug":"empires-of-the-undergrowth-translation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.geekypen.com\/nl\/empires-of-the-undergrowth-translation\/","title":{"rendered":"Playing With Fire (Ants) \u2013 Adventures in Video Game Localization"},"content":{"rendered":"

Empires of the Undergrowth<\/em><\/strong> is a fun real-time strategy game<\/strong> where you are in control of an ant colony. Your task is to create and manage an efficient nest, hatch ants, protect the queen, and evolve as a colony.

The game was already released in English, German, Russian and Chinese, but publisher Slug Disco Studios<\/em> decided to localize into other languages.

They asked The Geeky Pen to translate the game into Dutch, Polish, and Czech<\/strong>.

However, the translation of such projects is not as easy as it seems: although we obviously got to play the game, the task does come with its own challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apart from the obvious requirements, such as an understanding of both languages, their grammar, vocabulary, and idioms (which can be tricky), there are also other aspects that have to be taken into consideration: a basic knowledge of\u00a0entomology<\/strong>\u00a0(the scientific study of insects) and computer games (you won\u2019t get far if you don\u2019t know your basic terminology).
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
The challenge is not to leave too many sugary crumbs of mistakes, because in the words of Sterling Archer: \u201cThat is how you get ants!\u201d<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How Default is Default Really? (On Language Structure)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Image Courtesy of Slug Disco Studios<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When working on this translation project, the first challenge I encountered was the language structure<\/strong>. The task of constructing a coherent translation seems easy, but it\u2019s really not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You see, a structure that\u2019s perfectly fine in English might not work in another language, especially one that at its base has gender and declination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Polish, which is my native language, has 7 grammatical cases<\/strong> and therefore the endings of words change depending on the number, gender, and case of that word. We have 17 different ways<\/strong> to say \u201ctwo\u201d. You see how that can make things a bit\u2026 problematic at times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While translating a full sentence might require a little bit (or a lot of bits) of thinking, translating part of a code is at times nearly impossible.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Some of the terminology strings in our translation software<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A perfect example is this translation string from Empires of the Undergrowth. It says \u201cThe {ColonyColour} player\u2019s minimap\u201d<\/em>. In English you simply insert a color: black, pink, blue etc.

In Polish it\u2019s no longer that simple: colors change depending on the situation. While the adjective \u201cblue\u201d<\/strong> is \u201cniebieski\u201d<\/strong>, \u201cthe blue player\u2019s minimap\u201d would be \u201cminimapa niebieskiego gracza\u201d<\/em>.

Another example.

Ironically, the word \u201cdefault\u201d<\/strong> might be straightforward enough in English. In Polish however:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • default settings \u2013 domy\u015blne ustawienia<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • default map \u2013 domy\u015blna mapa<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • default enemies \u2013 domy\u015blni wrogowie
    <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    I Could Eat 50 Eggs (Idioms and References)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    \"\"
    Image Courtesy of Slug Disco Studios<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Finding and recognizing idioms or references is also quite a challenge. Not only do you have to be able to spot them, but you also have to make sure that the translation is relatable in the target language. It needs to convey the same message as the original.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In some cases, that\u2019s quite easy: <\/em>\u201cPicky Eater\u201d<\/em> or <\/em>\u201cQuality Not Quantity\u201d<\/em> translate perfectly well into Polish. Then there are some phrases that need a bit more work, like <\/em>\u201cGet Your Own Eggs\u201d<\/em> or <\/em>\u201cPrison Break\u201d<\/em>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    But there are some that will really rattle your brain. You might spend an hour (or more) doing research and looking for something that will work and still convey the same pun, only to realize that it\u2019s just not going to happen.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    For me that phrase was <\/em>\u201cJust Isn\u2019t Cricket\u201d<\/em>. I couldn\u2019t find a bug phrase or idiom that would do the job in Polish, so I had to work around it.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Empires of the Undergrowth includes a challenging level where you get to be a spider at Christmas time. To make it even more interesting, the narrator constantly <\/em>quotes a bunch of Christmas movies and songs.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The level is fun and difficult, and so was the translation. The client did provide us with the list of references, but that was only half of the job. Finding their counterparts in Polish wasn\u2019t that easy.<\/em>
    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    At one point the narrator quotes\u00a0Die Hard<\/em><\/strong>:\u00a0\u201cWelcome to the party, pal\u201d<\/em>. You\u2019d think that finding the scene in an already translated movie should be enough. I thought so too, until I realized that there are\u00a06 different Polish translations of this one movie.<\/strong>

    Another challenging reference was\u00a0A Muppet Christmas Carol<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0en\u00a0\u201cAnd after all, there\u2019s only one more wave \u2019til Christmas!\u201d<\/em>\u00a0because\u2014 even though the movie was translated\u2014the song itself was not.
    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Formica Fusca vs. Black Ant (Scientific vs. Common Names)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    One of the biggest challenges of any project involving terminology that\u2019s deeply rooted in entomology, zoology, or any other scientific field is\u2026 naming things<\/strong>.

    For Empires of the Undergrowth, the challenge was naming all the creatures. I had to find the correct name for the correct bug, then make sure that it actually is the same bug, and then\u2026 you guessed it, check and confirm the name.

    Even if you are 90% sure you got the correct name, you still might be wrong. It happened to me at the start of the project.

    The Black ant<\/strong>, a common ant that I was completely convinced I translated correctly, turned out to be a bit trickier. It doesn\u2019t directly translate into Polish with the word \u201cblack\u201d in its name.

    Then there are some species that don\u2019t even have common names in the target language. This game references quite a lot of creatures that aren\u2019t native to Poland, which made me wonder what to do with them.

    There are a few solutions to a problem like this:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    • leaving the scientific name everywhere as-is;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • creating a name, following the rules of the target language\u2019s names for other bugs of the same family;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • directly translating the name mentioned in the source language.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      Unfortunately, none of these solutions are perfect, and in this case the client has the final say. What do they want to do?
      <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \"\"
      The Spiny Devil Katydid – Isn’t He Cute?<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

      The Spiny Devil Katydid<\/em><\/strong> was my arch nemesis. Its name does not exist in Polish, and Google searches were not giving me any results. I wasn\u2019t even able to find any pictures while searching for it in my native language. In the end, after talking to the client, I invented a name based on other katydids and nicknamed the little devil Pasikonik Kolczasty<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      The Level of Difficulty (Game Specific Language)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      Last but not least, a challenge in its own right: video game lingo<\/strong>.

      This includes concepts and terms that are known to all gamers, phrases that are universal regardless of language, and terminology that doesn\u2019t translate well but requires a translation nevertheless. Things as straightforward as difficulty levels can sometimes provide a challenge because of the target language\u2019s vocabulary and phrasing.

      Resources in the game were another challenge. For example, in the real world, \u201cRoyal Jelly\u201d<\/em><\/strong> is honey bee secretion, but in Empires of the Undergrowth it\u2019s a substance made by ants. The name Royal Jelly is neutral enough in English, but in Polish it is called \u201cBee\u2019s Milk\u201d<\/em><\/strong>. Therefore, the direct term translation is out of the question. Should I go with \u201cant\u2019s milk\u201d<\/em><\/strong>, \u201cant jelly\u201d<\/em><\/strong> or the literal \u201croyal jelly\u201d<\/em><\/strong>?

      What if two specific terms in the game, \u201cimprovements\u201d<\/em><\/strong> en \u201cupgrades\u201d<\/em><\/strong>, translate to the same word in the target language and synonyms don\u2019t work either? What about tools? Actions? Even though I\u2019ve been a gamer most of my life, this still required lots of research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Ant Infestation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      My brain has been infested by ants (and other crawly thingies) for weeks now!

      This project is as fun to work on as it is challenging. It constantly makes me think outside the box and research stuff that probably should be left alone.

      I\u2019ve seen plenty of spiders and scorpions and other things that might make your skin crawl, all for the fun of figuring out the name of, for example, the\u00a0alligator back scorpion<\/strong>.

      Also, while trying to find the Polish name for bullet ants, I learned that the reason for their name is that\u00a0their sting hurts as if you got shot with a gun<\/strong>.

      If you\u2019re wondering: yes, there is a video of\u00a0Coyote Peterson<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0getting purposely stung by this type of ant and, on the scale of most painful insect stings, the bullet ant is second only to the\u00a0executioner wasp<\/strong>. Admit it: you want to watch, right?
      <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \"\"
      The Bullet Ant: Image Courtesy of Alex Wild<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

      To wrap things up like a spidery meal, there were so many things that made this project challenging. Language structure and grammar are some of the main issues. Translating and navigating 7 cases is not easy, especially if you add code to the equation.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      As if that wasn\u2019t enough, navigating idioms and references and making sure they hit the spot was also a brain burner.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Still, nothing was more difficult than translating the ants\u2019 names: do I use a Latin or common name?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      It would have definitely made things easier if the client had used scientific names throughout the game, but then it wouldn\u2019t be as fun to translate!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      In any case, I hope you\u2019re enjoying playing Empires of the Undergrowth as much as I\u2019m having fun translating it!<\/em><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      Empires of the Undergrowth is a fun real-time strategy game where you are in control of an ant colony. Your task is to create and manage an efficient nest, hatch ants, protect the queen, and evolve as a colony. The game was already released in English, German, Russian and Chinese, but publisher Slug Disco Studios decided to localize into other […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":1522,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"\n

      Empires of the Undergrowth<\/em><\/strong> is a fun real-time strategy game<\/strong> where you are in control of an ant colony. Your task is to create and manage an efficient nest, hatch ants, protect the queen, and evolve as a colony.

      The game was already released in English, German, Russian and Chinese, but publisher Slug Disco Studios<\/em> decided to localize into other languages.

      They asked The Geeky Pen to translate the game into Dutch, Polish, and Czech<\/strong>.

      However, the translation of such projects is not as easy as it seems: although we obviously got to play the game, the task does come with its own challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Apart from the obvious requirements, such as an understanding of both languages, their grammar, vocabulary, and idioms (which can be tricky), there are also other aspects that have to be taken into consideration: a basic knowledge of entomology<\/strong> (the scientific study of insects) and computer games (you won\u2019t get far if you don\u2019t know your basic terminology).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \"\"
      The challenge is not to leave too many sugary crumbs of mistakes, because in the words of Sterling Archer: \u201cThat is how you get ants!\u201d<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

      How Default is Default Really? (On Language Structure)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
      \"\"
      Image Courtesy of Slug Disco Studios<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

      When working on this translation project, the first challenge I encountered was the language structure<\/strong>. The task of constructing a coherent translation seems easy, but it\u2019s really not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      You see, a structure that\u2019s perfectly fine in English might not work in another language, especially one that at its base has gender and declination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Polish, which is my native language, has 7 grammatical cases<\/strong> and therefore the endings of words change depending on the number, gender, and case of that word. We have 17 different ways<\/strong> to say \u201ctwo\u201d. You see how that can make things a bit\u2026 problematic at times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      While translating a full sentence might require a little bit (or a lot of bits) of thinking, translating part of a code is at times nearly impossible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \"\"
      Some of the terminology strings in our translation software<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

      A perfect example is this translation string from Empires of the Undergrowth. It says \u201cThe {ColonyColour} player\u2019s minimap\u201d<\/em>. In English you simply insert a color: black, pink, blue etc.

      In Polish it\u2019s no longer that simple: colors change depending on the situation. While the adjective \u201cblue\u201d<\/strong> is \u201cniebieski\u201d<\/strong>, \u201cthe blue player\u2019s minimap\u201d would be \u201cminimapa niebieskiego gracza\u201d<\/em>.

      Another example.

      Ironically, the word \u201cdefault\u201d<\/strong> might be straightforward enough in English. In Polish however:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \n
      • default settings \u2013 domy\u015blne ustawienia<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • default map \u2013 domy\u015blna mapa<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • default enemies \u2013 domy\u015blni wrogowie<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

        I Could Eat 50 Eggs (Idioms and References)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
        \"\"
        Image Courtesy of Slug Disco Studios<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

        Finding and recognizing idioms or references is also quite a challenge. Not only do you have to be able to spot them, but you also have to make sure that the translation is relatable in the target language. It needs to convey the same message as the original.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

        In some cases, that\u2019s quite easy: <\/em>\u201cPicky Eater\u201d<\/em> or <\/em>\u201cQuality Not Quantity\u201d<\/em> translate perfectly well into Polish. Then there are some phrases that need a bit more work, like <\/em>\u201cGet Your Own Eggs\u201d<\/em> or <\/em>\u201cPrison Break\u201d<\/em>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

        But there are some that will really rattle your brain. You might spend an hour (or more) doing research and looking for something that will work and still convey the same pun, only to realize that it\u2019s just not going to happen.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

        For me that phrase was <\/em>\u201cJust Isn\u2019t Cricket\u201d<\/em>. I couldn\u2019t find a bug phrase or idiom that would do the job in Polish, so I had to work around it.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Empires of the Undergrowth includes a challenging level where you get to be a spider at Christmas time. To make it even more interesting, the narrator constantly <\/em>quotes a bunch of Christmas movies and songs.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

        The level is fun and difficult, and so was the translation. The client did provide us with the list of references, but that was only half of the job. Finding their counterparts in Polish wasn\u2019t that easy.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

        At one point the narrator quotes Die Hard<\/em><\/strong>: \u201cWelcome to the party, pal\u201d<\/em>. You\u2019d think that finding the scene in an already translated movie should be enough. I thought so too, until I realized that there are 6 different Polish translations of this one movie.<\/strong>

        Another challenging reference was A Muppet Christmas Carol<\/em><\/strong> and \u201cAnd after all, there\u2019s only one more wave \u2019til Christmas!\u201d<\/em> because\u2014 even though the movie was translated\u2014the song itself was not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Formica Fusca vs. Black Ant (Scientific vs. Common Names)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

        One of the biggest challenges of any project involving terminology that\u2019s deeply rooted in entomology, zoology, or any other scientific field is\u2026 naming things<\/strong>.

        For Empires of the Undergrowth, the challenge was naming all the creatures. I had to find the correct name for the correct bug, then make sure that it actually is the same bug, and then\u2026 you guessed it, check and confirm the name.

        Even if you are 90% sure you got the correct name, you still might be wrong. It happened to me at the start of the project.

        The Black ant<\/strong>, a common ant that I was completely convinced I translated correctly, turned out to be a bit trickier. It doesn\u2019t directly translate into Polish with the word \u201cblack\u201d in its name.

        Then there are some species that don\u2019t even have common names in the target language. This game references quite a lot of creatures that aren\u2019t native to Poland, which made me wonder what to do with them.

        There are a few solutions to a problem like this:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

          \n
        • leaving the scientific name everywhere as-is;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • creating a name, following the rules of the target language\u2019s names for other bugs of the same family;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • directly translating the name mentioned in the source language.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

          Unfortunately, none of these solutions are perfect, and in this case the client has the final say. What do they want to do?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          \"\"
          The Spiny Devil Katydid - Isn't He Cute?<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

          The Spiny Devil Katydid<\/em><\/strong> was my arch nemesis. Its name does not exist in Polish, and Google searches were not giving me any results. I wasn\u2019t even able to find any pictures while searching for it in my native language. In the end, after talking to the client, I invented a name based on other katydids and nicknamed the little devil Pasikonik Kolczasty<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          The Level of Difficulty (Game Specific Language)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

          Last but not least, a challenge in its own right: video game lingo<\/strong>.

          This includes concepts and terms that are known to all gamers, phrases that are universal regardless of language, and terminology that doesn\u2019t translate well but requires a translation nevertheless. Things as straightforward as difficulty levels can sometimes provide a challenge because of the target language\u2019s vocabulary and phrasing.

          Resources in the game were another challenge. For example, in the real world, \u201cRoyal Jelly\u201d<\/em><\/strong> is honey bee secretion, but in Empires of the Undergrowth it\u2019s a substance made by ants. The name Royal Jelly is neutral enough in English, but in Polish it is called \u201cBee\u2019s Milk\u201d<\/em><\/strong>. Therefore, the direct term translation is out of the question. Should I go with \u201cant\u2019s milk\u201d<\/em><\/strong>, \u201cant jelly\u201d<\/em><\/strong> or the literal \u201croyal jelly\u201d<\/em><\/strong>?

          What if two specific terms in the game, \u201cimprovements\u201d<\/em><\/strong> and \u201cupgrades\u201d<\/em><\/strong>, translate to the same word in the target language and synonyms don\u2019t work either? What about tools? Actions? Even though I\u2019ve been a gamer most of my life, this still required lots of research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Ant Infestation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

          My brain has been infested by ants (and other crawly thingies) for weeks now!

          This project is as fun to work on as it is challenging. It constantly makes me think outside the box and research stuff that probably should be left alone.

          I\u2019ve seen plenty of spiders and scorpions and other things that might make your skin crawl, all for the fun of figuring out the name of, for example, the alligator back scorpion<\/strong>.

          Also, while trying to find the Polish name for bullet ants, I learned that the reason for their name is that their sting hurts as if you got shot with a gun<\/strong>.

          If you\u2019re wondering: yes, there is a video of Coyote Peterson<\/em><\/strong> getting purposely stung by this type of ant and, on the scale of most painful insect stings, the bullet ant is second only to the executioner wasp<\/strong>. Admit it: you want to watch, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          \"\"
          The Bullet Ant: Image Courtesy of Alex Wild<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

          To wrap things up like a spidery meal, there were so many things that made this project challenging. Language structure and grammar are some of the main issues. Translating and navigating 7 cases is not easy, especially if you add code to the equation.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

          As if that wasn\u2019t enough, navigating idioms and references and making sure they hit the spot was also a brain burner.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Still, nothing was more difficult than translating the ants\u2019 names: do I use a Latin or common name?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

          It would have definitely made things easier if the client had used scientific names throughout the game, but then it wouldn\u2019t be as fun to translate!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

          In any case, I hope you\u2019re enjoying playing Empires of the Undergrowth as much as I\u2019m having fun translating it!<\/em><\/p>\n","_et_gb_content_width":"","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1520","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-geeky-projects"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.geekypen.com\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1520","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.geekypen.com\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.geekypen.com\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.geekypen.com\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.geekypen.com\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1520"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.geekypen.com\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1520\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2433,"href":"https:\/\/www.geekypen.com\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1520\/revisions\/2433"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.geekypen.com\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1522"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.geekypen.com\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1520"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.geekypen.com\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1520"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.geekypen.com\/nl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1520"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}