27 réponses à ce sujet

[The Kotovsky]

Hey, Bio guys,
do you know that Russian localization of DAO is totally messed up?

there is a lot of misspellings in text data.
some dialog text is not pronounced by actor at all.
there is some uncutted working materials in dialogs 
voice acting is really terrible.
women speaks with male voices and vice versa.
young women's vioce is of an old hag.

you can see it by yourself:


russian edition isn't multilingual,
so every russian who have at least one ear is forced to buy Steam version or to download pirated iso-images of international release.

i think there is something to be done with all this incompetence.
i think that country with 180 000 000 population (CIS have 280 000 000 in total) deserves localisations of good quality.

[msbouvier]

This is really useful feedback and hopefully it will cause improved loc in the future.



The problem is primarily that Bioware can't localize or test localization itself--the game gets sent to another company (or possibly a subsidiary of EA) to be translated and to have the voice over done, and then once that's in the game, it gets sent to another place for "localization testing". Loc testing is *supposed* to catch and fix things like that, but apparently they haven't and unfortunately Bioware, being 99.5% English speaking North Americans, can't know if something is screwed up unless those people loc testing point it out.



Sorry, I know that doesn't help you much, but I hope it explains why there are problems. It's not for lack of trying on Bioware's behalf.

[Yoshidingue]

I believe EA is to blame for this. I'm not concerned, but I'm with you guys.

[Orvy46985]

I second that Mr.Kotovsky expresses the general disguist of Russian people towards this localization. I too think that localization went horribly wrong and the voice over ruins an otherwise amazing game.



Also I have a question on my part. I bought a legal copy of the game, but I'm unable to buy DLC points. I want to have all the features of the game, and it wasn't written on the game case that I would not be able to pay for future downloadable content. Do you plan to allow us to buy points at some point? And do you plan to allow us to download necessary files to play the game in English? Even those of us who don't speak english that well would rather prefer english voice over to that terrible 'acting' that we have now.

[aries1001]

It is my understanding as well that many people (who don't speak English very well) would rather play the game in English, not in Italian, or Spanish, French or German. Since they learn English by playing - or at least they can use the to learn better English.



I'm sorry for your guys in Russia that you aren't allowed to buy Bioware points at all. Jesse van Herk, a Bioware employee, said in another thread that this was a decision made by EA, not Bioware. The rumours abound as to why this is.



As for the DLC, hopefully it will appear on Steam or Gamers Gate one day...

[DragonRageGT]

I hope that was not a russian girl in the russian part of the movie! Ouch! Things like this make me really happy that we never gets dubbed/translated games in Brazil... there's nothing like the original and well, the community can provide subtitles for those who can't speak the language. I hate dubbing but EA sux dog balls, as Thaler the fence would put it. Abso-fraking-lutely unforgivable mistake to make in such a wonderful game!

Modifié par RageGT, 24 novembre 2009 - 12:12 .

[Zealuu]

Wasn't this the story with some other Russian-localized game as well? Can't remember which one out of hand though. Maybe EA needs a better subsidiary for Russian localization.

[J.O.G]

Russian localisation is relatively new. Only in the last, maybe 5 years I consider german game localisations actually somewhat good, and Germany is the world's largest movie-dubbing market ever since the 50ies.

I still prefer english, though, because translations while (meanwhile) technically correct, often sound awkward ("Verletzungsausrüstung" - search the web, every single place where you find this word talks about DA:O) or imply something different (i.e. in DA:O "Cunning" was translated to "Klugheit" (cleverness, prudence) it kinda contradicts the point that in DA:O this is *not* just Intelligence but also (if not more so) the shrewdness to use it to your advantage.

Some small progresses were made, but I still prefer the original, a big progress is that games nowadays are multilingual and I no longer need to buy an imported version

Long story made short: Developers should appeal to the local publishers that they also include the original version, and for localisation services look among the professionals that do dubbing for movies and TV series.

Modifié par J.O.G, 24 novembre 2009 - 03:46 .

[Tanger Soto]

Well I see, I’m not the first, but still I’ll put it here (I'm not sure about the spoilers, but this is the correct topic, after all). Hope it will somehow reach the people responsible for the international release of DA:O, for I have a few things to tell them, and I mean to.

I come from Russia, and thus, I am used to listening to game makers’ endless lamentations about the vicious pirates stealing their intellectual property. Naturally, the Russian release of DA:O provoked the regular anti-pirate crusade. First thing we were told: there’d be no original English track in the game to prevent its re-export. Next thing we know: the game will cost 900 – 1,000 RUB, DLC – another 240 RUB (compare: the previous RPG big hit “The Witcher” (Collector’s Edition: 4 DVDs, 10(!) different language tracks, DLC, 1.3 patch, bonuses) is available for 450 – 500 RUB) – all for the sake of fighting the possible re-export. So, you’re fighting the pirates? Fine, guys, but what do you offer us for the price twice or even trice higher than any?

We were told, this is going to be something real big, a "spiritual successor" to the Baldur's Gate series, a "dark heroic fantasy" story told on an epic scale with mature themes. How many years it took you to make? Six years or so I was told? How come, than, the Russian release of DA:O is more and more often referred to as … epic fail?

Honestly, people, has EA Games gone bankrupt and has to hire undergraduate students from some tech school to translate your hit of the decade? Maybe you should have given it straight to the pirates to see if they could have done any better? It’s a safe bet, they could’ve.

Some time ago there was a popular myth that the Russian localization teams are not very enthusiastic about hiring professional interpreters, since they have no understanding of the gameplay or RPG specifics. Thus, they preferred gamers fluent in English. But who the EA interpreters are is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma.

Forgive me, but I truly doubt their deep knowledge of the gameplay, since…

1.  “Resume [game]” in the main menu is translated as “Sum up [game]” (whatever that is supposed to mean).
“Reduce damage” is translated as “Lowering the defense”.
“Background” of your character’s portrait is translated as “biography”.

In the legend of the top-left corner map:
The exclamation mark tag (is it a trigger?) is translated by a word that simply does not exist in Russian.

Surprisingly enough the interpreters have no idea that the phrase “right-click” means “click the right mouse button” and “left-click” – “click the left mouse button”. They translate it as: “click Right click” and “click Left click”.

BTW, “Dragon Age: Origins” is translated as “Dragon Age: Beginning” (after which there *logically* comes “DA: Awakening”, right. Couldn’t wake up in the Beginning?)

2. The entries in the Codex (for instance, Characters) are supposed to come in the alphabetical order, are they not? Well, they do… sort of. The trick is: in Russian they come in English alphabetical order! In Russian the names like Wynne and Zevran start with the 3rd and the 8th letters of the alphabet respectively, not with 23rd and 26th! They should come somewhere close to the top of the list, not the bottom! Thus, there’s no any sensible order in the sequence of the names, and to find a person in the Codex, you have to look through the whole section, which is frustrating.

3. From the *true gamers* you’d expect to have some idea of Easter eggs, no? Funny thing, the interpreters fail to recognize the ones that deal with BioWare’s games.

In Haven’s cemetery tombstone message ("In memory of the Lohs, forever frozen in never-ending winter nights.") the interpreter didn’t take the hint and simply translated them as “endless winter nights”.

Similarly, he didn’t recognize the Easter egg load screen message: “If all else fails, run for the eyes!” and translated it as “If all else fails, run as fast as you can!”

4. Next come the Russian gameplay specifics:

The NPCs do not recognize your player’s gender. For the Russian language it’s more than simply the difference between he/she (his/her). All the nouns (not only those describing people) are masculine, feminine or neutral. This includes names as well. The gender is defined by the word’s ending. In the game, however:

The interpreters haven’t decided whether ‘halla’ should be masculine or feminine, so when it’s singular, it’s feminine, when plural – masculine.

Some of the names in the game are both masculine and feminine at the same time:

The Tower of Ishal in Ostagar: in the game Ishal is a masculine name, in the Codex – a feminine.

When you perform The Flemeth’s Real Grimoire side quest, you receive two items: Flemeth’s key and Flemeth’s Grimoire – they appear in your inventory, the name Flemeth is masculine.

In the game you can acquire a Belt of Andruil’s Blessing (the name’s declined as masculine), but later you learn that Andruil is an Elven goddess. The same thing with Mythal and the Shield of Mythal’s Blessing.

The name Ser Nancine is feminine in the game, but masculine in the Codex.

In accordance with nouns, some other words – adjectives (always), verbs (in the past) also take gender-sensitive endings. Thus, for example, in the phrases: “A pretty boy came in” and “A pretty girl came in”, the words “pretty” and “came” will have different endings.

However, the interpreters seem unaware of such differences in their own language.

Thus, a Load Screen message reads (for female PC): “You’ve got trapped (masculine ending) by the Sloth Demon and became (masculine ending) its prisoner (feminine ending) in the Fade.”

Talking to Morrigan, when you give her the “real grimoire”:
(Morrigan): You meant (masculine ending) to keep it. Thank you for deciding (feminine ending) to give it to me.

Moreover, in the Russian version, whether you’re playing a male or a female, half of the time you’re addressed as male, the other half – as female. That is especially typical of Wynne, who until the end of the game cannot decide, whether she is traveling with a male or a female (probably it has something to do with her eyesight?).

Other NPCs, who are supposed to know you or see you in plain view, would also fail to identify your gender (maybe in Ferelden myopia is contagious?).

In Alienage in the course of a single conversation an elf-beggar would say:
“Give good lady time to take a breath”
and then
“You know, sir, how many poor there are in the Alienage!”

Noble Origin (PC is a female):
(Teyrn Cousland) Duncan, I beg you, get my wife and son out of here!

City Elf Origin (PC is a female):
(Father) I hope you’ll like the bride I have chosen for you.

Even if your PC is a female, talking to Anora about the succession of the throne, you’ll get the option: “Do you think I am a better candidate than Alistair?”
(a candidate for what?)

The same goes with NPCs talking about other NPCs:

In Orzammar during the coronation scene, irrelevantly to whom you have supported (Caridin or Branka), Lord Harrowmont will talk about a She-Paragon, and Prince Belen - about a He-Paragon.

If asked about his life with Branka, Oghren insists that Hespith is male.

Zevran doesn’t know, whether he used to work for the He-Crows or for the She-Crows.

In Russian game localization practice the solution for this problem usually is making two separate dialogue files – one for a male, another for a female PC. It’s obvious the EA interpreters did not even realize such problem exists! How that could be in the country, where computer games are translated and sold for more that a decade, is simply beyond me.

5. Another point, where the gender problem arises again is the “Stone Prisoner” DLC. The question who Shale is gets extremely complicated, when it comes to Russian.

Chris Priestly, Community Coordinator: “Shale is an object, not a person. As such there really is no gender to apply. Since golems are "things" I am going to use "It" to describe... well, it. I know some people will say "he" (a few may even say she, I guess), but I am calling it "It".

It’s too bad Mr. Priestly did not make his opinion known to the EA localization team… or they were not curious enough to ask.

The word “shale” has a direct Russian equivalent, but I take it, the interpreters found such matters too complicated to consider. The way out they’ve found is simple, yet elegant: instead of “Shale” you call it “Sheila” – and Bob’s your uncle!

It kills the joke of “being named after certain stones like 'Flint'”, but who cares?

So, I suppose we’re not talking about the EA localization team hiring hard-core gamers to make the translation. Probably, then, they’ve invited those mythical “professional interpreters”, who know the language, but have no idea of the game-making specifics? Guess again.

Modifié par Tanger Soto, 07 avril 2010 - 05:28 .

[Tanger Soto]

II. Need a Dictionary?

I cannot help, but wonder, if DA:O costs that much simply because EA Russia needs money to buy itself an English-Russian dictionary? I seriously doubt they had one, when making the translation.

There’re moments in the game, where the words simply failed the interpreters: the opening poem in the game is in English, as well as the map in the cutscene showing your way to Ostagar (after finishing the Origin story). Load Screen messages of the DLC have also been left untranslated.

The pearls of the interpreters’ wisdom are scattered throughout the game, and some of them are simply delightful.

The interpreters don’t know the difference between “armor” and “armoire”, “caste” and “castle” (by the way, it doesn’t trouble them in the slightest that the Codex entry, entitled “Death Castle” reads of the Dwarven Caste of the Dead – the words “caste” and “castle” in Russian look anything but similar).

In the Noble Origin “trunk” is translated as “tree trunk”. In the nobles’ bedroom, yeah.

The description of sapphire: “A star-cut sapphire, almost the color of the nightsky”. In Russian it reads: “A star-shaped sapphire…”

Instead of the Howe Treachery quest during the Noble Origin you get the quest named Howe Treasury.

Trickster Whim character from the Unintended Consequences quest is called “Caprice of the Trickster”.

The “hurlock (genlock) grunt” is translated as “the growl of a hurlock (genlock)” (Beautiful! Has it ever occurred to the interpreters that these are the names of the units?)

In the final battle in Denerim you also meet a “genlock creator mage” (could be even more fun, if he were a maker mage).

During the random encounter, where Wynne first uses the Vessel of the Spirit ability, you meet a hurlock boss with an orange rank named “lesser hurlock”.

When you kill a dragon in the Elven Ruins of the Brecilian Forest, you find a “dragon horde” instead of “dragon hoard”.

When you’re fighting in the Fort Drakon courtyard, the “dragon prisoner” is called “the prisoner of the dragon”.

The interpreter doesn’t know that “welcome” is used as a conventional response to thanks, so in the dialogue:
(Bodahn Feddic) You arrived just in time.
(PC) You’re welcome, Bodahn Feddic.
he translates “welcome” as an expression of cordial greeting.

The “Orphanage” in the Elven Alienage is translated as “asylum”, hence, it is not clear, why there’re so many ghosts of children.

In the King’s Confidant side quest, during the encounter in Bann Loren’s lands, you face a few “personal militia detachments” (another good name for a unit, right?).

In the Return to Ostagar quest you face a mini-boss named “hurlock from the front line”.

Zevran talks to Shale about Alistair:
(Zevran) Here, take that templar fellow. Rugged good looks, quick wit, manly shoulders.
In Russian he says:
(Zevran) Here, take our youthful templar. Innocent beauty…

On the main floor of the Redcliffe Castle you run into a “cellar” (which is in fact a “vault”).

Another bit of pure delight are, naturally, conversations (predictable, isn’t it?), where questions routinely do not match the responses or leave you to wonder, where’s the catch?

Talking to an elf servant in Ostagar:
(elf) How can I help you?
(PC) Not from you.

Talking to the Ash Warriors Captain:
(PC) I have to go.
(Captain) Thank you, we’ll need all the luck on our side.

Talking to Zevran:
(PC) I’d love to have a friend by my side.
(Zevran) No more than a friend?
(PC) I don’t mind.

The Guardian in the temple talks to Zevran before the Test of Faith:
(Guardian) Is there anything you regret more than murdering a woman named…
(Zevran) How do you know? Well, yes, if you must know, yes! (and here you’re left to wonder what it can be, that Zevran regrets more that killing his only love).

Talking to Alistair, when he gives you a rose:
(PC) So, do you think I am delicate as a flower?
(Alistair) No, no! Of course not! I didn’t mean that at all! (why not??)

Talking to Zevran:
(PC) So, what has changed you?
(Zevran) Indeed, people often told me that I was unbearable, after that they usually went to bed with me!

Talking with Dulin and Zevran about lord Harrowmont in Orzammar Diamond Quarter:
(Zevran) Why are we to seek an alliance with the one, who is even afraid of meeting us in person?
(PC) (Persuade) You’d be nervous yourself, if someone threatened to kill you.
(Zevran) That’s true! A few can face death as fearlessly as we, Antivans, do.

After being rescued from Fort Drakon:
(Anora) We prayed for your safe return, Warden.
(PC) No, I think, I’m fed up with prison cells.

Discussing the situation in Elven Alienage with Arl Eamon:
(PC) What’s going on in Alienage?
(Eamon) Only the Maker knows, what’s on that man’s mind!

The Hungry Deserter side quest:
(Hungry deserter) I hope you didn’t come here to announce my sentence.
(PC) What, if I find?

Upon arrival to Lothering:
(PC): I am ready to go.
(Alistair): Yes, we can go there.

Alistair to a female PC:
(Alistair) I just wanted to tell you, I can’t even imagine how I could have done all that without you.
(Female PC) And you are to me.

Alistair to a female PC:
(Female PC) How did you become a Grey Warden?
(Alistair) Just like you. Drank the blood…
(Female PC) If you don’t need an answer, just say so!

In Soldier’s Peak, when you meet Avernus:
(PC) You’re the old Order’s mage, aren’t you? Are you still alive?
(Avernus) Only. (I bet it should have been “Barely”.)

Guess, who they are talking about:
In Haven
(PC) Is brother Genitivi here?
(Local guard) Indeed he is holding a service at the moment. He cannot be disturbed.
(Alistair) Reverend Father? Have you always had male priests?

Talking to Zevran, when you give him the Dalish Gloves:
(Zevran) Are you giving me gloves?
(PC) This is a token of my gratitude.
(Zevran) Don’t think me ungrateful. The leather was finer, there was more embroidery, but in general, they look very much like those. And they’re beautiful.

Talking to Alistair before the final battle:
(Alistair) It was an honor to fight at your side.
(PC) I have the same feeling. You were a good friend.
(Alistair) I have the same feeling.
(Yes, you can get the idea, but do they have to speak like that?)

When you’re in Redcliffe preparing to march for Denerim to fight off the darkspawn invasion, you have the following exchange with Arl Eamon (if Alistair is made king):
(PC) Shouldn’t Alistair stay in the capital?
(Eamon) He insists on going with you.

But we’re going *to* the capital, how can Alistair *stay* there?

And there’re so many more funny trifles that make the game process way more interesting!

1.    If you go to the Denerim brothel with Morrigan, she will comment: “Whoa! I’ve been here before. Not for money, of course, just for fun!” Err… isn’t your PC supposed to be her first man or what?

2.    When you report the innkeeper in Denerim that you’ve completed a quest, he “makes a note of the recognition you’ve deserved” (charming, especially considering that the client is anonymous).

3.    The Grand Oak tells you: “Now I have answered a query of thine but thou hast yet to answer mine”. If you translate what he says in Russian back into English, it’ll be: “So, I have answered your question, but the wind hasn’t brought me the answer”. How many answers will that be?

4.    Leliana: “Your Zevran is a person, right?” Right, Leliana, he is a person. Who else can he be? Chicken soup?

5.    Codex entry about Arl of Redcliffe reads: Connor, the youngest son of Arl Eamon (so, he wasn’t the only child?)

6.    Not that this one is crucial, but still: the answer to Archon Hessarian’s riddle in Russian is “Compassion”, not “Mercy”.

7.    In the Arl of Denerim’s Estate, once you’re in the dungeon, you’re faced with “Arl Howe’s butcher” (I guess), who is for some reason called “Arl Howe’s tormentor”, which sounds a bit equivocal.

8.    After killing Arl Howe you get the Biteback Axe, which in Russian is (somewhat equivocal as well) called the Axe of Abstinence.

9.    Another equivocal remark comes from the “innocent beauty” Alistair: if you select Alistair in the active party, he will proclaim: “I want and I’m ready!” (was it “Ready and willing”?).

10.    In Arl Howe’s dungeon the doors of the prison cells are called ‘the compartment door’.

11.    “Gaxkang the Unbound” side quest is named “Freeing Gaxkang”.

12.    Talking to the Mad Hermit can literally drive you crazy. I wonder, did the original conversation look exactly like this?

(Mad Hermit) Now it's my turn to ask.
(PC) Do you want me to ask you a question?
(Mad Hermit) Do I want? Can I? (asks his question)

13.    This one is my favorite: if you translate the phrase “Can you join me in my tent?” from Russian back to English, it will look more like “I suggest that you proceeded to my tent”. How very romantic!

Modifié par Tanger Soto, 18 mars 2010 - 09:05 .

[Tanger Soto]

III Guess What!

Playing the DA:O, you also constantly play that little guessing game – thanks to the interpreters, who seem to be unable to agree even on the little details:

1.    The name of the village with the golem is both Honnleath and Gonlit – depending on where you look for it (Journal, Map or Load Screen).

2.    Blackstone Irregulars will insist on calling the Health Poultice a Medicinal Poultice (Restocking the Guild quest).

3.    The Wonders of Thedas has different names – one is written on the sign above the door, but the tranquil shopkeeper will give you another.

4.    Aodh (a waraxe) is called differently in the Codex entry and the Inventory.

5.    Topsider in the “Admirable Topsider” side quest has different names – “topsider” and “surfacer” (Codex entry and the name of the sword in the Inventory).

6.    The Watchguard of the Reaching has his name spelled differently: Sha Wyrd (Codex entry) and Shah Wyrd (game).

7.    The Black Vials side quest: you find five glass phylacteries throughout the game, but the one in the Circle Tower (the first Corpse Walker) is for some reason translated as “an amulet”.

8.    In Soldier’s Peak Levy Dryden’s cousin is named both Michael (in dialogue) and Mikhail (label).

9.    The Ash Spirit is also called Ashy Spirit.

10.    The Lifedrinker amulet is translated as Devourer of Life in the Inventory, but as Shedder of Life in the Codex.

11.    The Arcane Warrior specialization you get from the character called Warrior Sorcerer.

12.    The Legion of the Dead is sometimes called Death Legion. Yet, in the final battle in Denerim you meet dwarfs labeled “Legion of the Dead Avenger” (whoever that is).

13.    Some of the werewolves in the Elven Ruins are called “shadow wolf”, though when you kill them, they leave the “werewolf pelt” to loot.

14.    When you perform the Drifter's Cache side quest in Orzammar, you get the Codex entry, telling you that you’re looking for the “Wanderers’ Treasure”, but the mark on your map reads “Drifter's Cache”.

15.    Elven goddess Sylaise is named differently in the game and in the Codex.

16.    In the Caverns (the Urn of Sacred Ashes quest) you fight “dragon youngsters”; in the Codex they’re called “dragonlings”.

17.    In Ostagar the same person is called both “intendant” and “quartermaster”.

18.    Location in Elven Alienage is called both “Rooms” and “Apartments”.

19.    BTW, is Ironbark bark or a tree (as they say in the Russian version)?

20.    In the Redcliffe Castle courtyard, when you first come there, you meet a Lieutenant Revenant. After you’ve killed him, you receive a Codex entry that reads: Expatriate from the Dead (for what crimes, I wonder).

21.    Both Teyrn Loghain and Bann Teagan will occasionally call King Maric’s wife Queen Gwendolyn.

22.    In the course of the Urn of Sacred Ashes quest, instead of Drake Scales and Dragon Scale you get the Dragon’s Scales and the Scale of the Dragon. Consequently, instead of the Journal entry about the Drake and Dragon armor(s), you get an entry about the Dragon Scale armor and… another Dragon Scale armor! Go figure.

23.    The same thing happens to shapeshifters and werewolves. They are translated by the same word! So, the specialization you get from Morrigan is “Werewolf”, and then you travel to the Brecilian Forest to meet… more Morrigans! Err… I mean, werewolves, of course.

24.    “Abomination” is translated as “possessed”, which doesn’t seem *very* wrong, except for the fact that Connor is also described as “possessed”, thus, it leaves the question: why the boy remains a boy and doesn’t look like an abomination?

25.    But the most thrill the translators’ imagination puts to performing the Calling side quest in the Mages Tower: you’re supposed to collect a dozen objects spread about the library and given an instruction to do that. And here comes the trick: not a single object in the library matches the names given in the Codex! Surprise!

[Tanger Soto]

IV Where the Hell Was Your Editor-in-Chief?

Did you have one? And what was he doing all this time? It looks like he had other things to do rather than editing. As well, as your testers had other things to do rather than reading through the dialogues in the game. Otherwise, I fail to picture to myself how all this BS got in your game:

1.    During the Mage Origin prologue, Gregoir says the same phrase twice: first to PC, and right after that – to Lily.
Gregoir (to PC): Look at the men hurt by the blood mage!
Lily (to Gregoir): I’m here, sir!
Gregoir (to Lily): Look at the men hurt by the blood mage!

2.    When talking to Zevran about his joining the party, he says something like “I think you’re gorgeous. Or should I not say that?” The possible responses are these: “Yes, you shouldn’t”, “I’ll cut your throat”, “No, you shouldn’t”. What the hell am I supposed to choose here?

3.    When performing the quest in Redcliffe (I don’t know, whose bug this is): if you choose to bring the mages from the Tower to save Connor and Isolde and make everyone happy, after completing the quest your journal still says: Connor was saved through the sacrifice of his mother. Isolde: died saving her son Connor.

4.    The Spot side quest in the Magi Tower. The English letter reads: “If you make it here, something in the "the spot" may help you out. No point in hiding it from the senior mages now, and don't worry about Denri's usual fee for moving his bed. He's dead.” The Russian letter reads: “If you make it here; something "in the spot" may help you out”, which leaves you to wonder what “the spot” is and where you should look for this mysterious place. The interpreter obviously did not understand that “the spot” is put in quotes to signify that the text has been damaged – and translates “the spot” as an object actually described in the letter. Also, instead of “Denri’s usual fee” it says: “Denri’s usual grumbling”.

5.    Playing through the Mage Origin you might get mildly surprised at how easily your tender-hearted PC, who was so sympathetic with his dear friend Jowan, turns into a cold-blooded mass murderer, since no one bothers to inform you that these are not real people you’re killing in the basement to get to the room with Jowan’s phylactery.

6.    When you perform the Flemeth Grimoire side quest (I don’t know, whose bug this is). Irrelevantly to your decision about killing Flemeth or letting her go, the following message will appear in your Journal: “You have fought Flemeth and won. Now Morrigan has the Grimoire, and she is very thankful to you”.

7.    After you complete this side quest and get the message in your Journal, you can talk to Morrigan, and in the dialogue there’ll still be the line “Do you still want to kill your mother?” If you select it, Morrigan will respond: “Do you mean to fulfill your promise?” and “Waiting here drives me crazy”.

8.    Leliana gives the same answer to different questions: when asked “Who are “they”?” and then “How did you escape?”, she replies: “Orlesian guards. They’ve arrested me…”

Another point, when she does the same thing, is when she speaks of Zevran:
(Leliana): I thought it was for my best interest to learn as much as I can about our traveling companions. Especially Zevran, since he tried to kill you. But you have a good taste and he’s very attractive (nice coherent thinking, BTW).
(PC): Sorry, he’s already taken.
(Leliana): I thought it was for my best interest to learn as much as I can about our traveling companions…

9.    When talking about his past, Zevran gives the following impressive monologue starting with: “Truth be told, I left Antiva seeking for death…” and finishing it saying: “Whatever I looked for, when I left Antiva, I seem to have found it”. Found what? Death?

10.    When Arl Eamon wakes up after you perform the Urn of Sacred Ashes quest, there comes the following exchange between him and his wife:
(Eamon) Where’s Connor?
(Isolde) He’s alive, but many have died. There’s much I need to tell you.
(Eamon) He’s dead! So it was not a dream.

11.    When the Lady of the Forest tells you about the fate of Zathrian’s children, your PC has a dialogue option that reads: “That’s terrible! They deserved it!”

12.    In your party camp, Emissary Caron asks for Elf roots and Deep mushrooms.
But when you give the ingredients to the Elves, you receive the following dialogue options:
“Give all Death roots” (Death roots are taken from your inventory).
“Give all topazes” (but instead of the gems, all the Elf roots will be removed from your inventory).

13.    During the Noble Origin Fergus will call his wife a “Calabrian woman” and they’ll go on discussing this mysterious Calabria. Yes, I know, it’s not the interpreter’s fault, but isn’t that the job of a good editor-in-chief to ask questions, when he meets something weird. Like: where do the “Calabrian women” come from, if there’s no Calabria on the map he has just translated? (At least, I hope, they’ve translated the map first).

14.    If Zevran and Ohgren come to rescue you from the Fort Drakon, pretending to be The Famous Broma Brothers from Antiva, they have the following exchange with the guards:
(Guard) If you’re brothers, why do you not look alike?
(Zevran) We’re not exactly twins, we’re identical twins!

15.    When presented with Duncan’s shield, Alistair exclaims: “This is Duncan’s shield! Yes, this is his plume!” (Was Duncan that posh as to carry a shield with a plume??)

16.    In exchange with Zevran Ohgren says: “There are a hundred men for each elf, but we do not bow to them!” (Identity crisis, Ohgren?)

17.    Talking to Zevran after you’ve killed Taliesin:
(Zevran) I don’t think I should really be thankful to you. It was a coincidence that you saved me from the Crows. And I don’t think I have to thank you for that. It doesn’t matter, why you did it, but you did. I owe you that. So, thank you. (Logical, isn’t it?)

18.    In the Dereliction of Duty quest for the Blackstone Irregulars you’re instructed to look for a deserter in the Brecilian Forest, while he is in the Lake Calenhad Docks.

19.    The same way, when you’re given the Defending the Collective side quest, you’re instructed to look for Knight-Commander Harrith in Lothering, while he is in Redcliffe.

20.    In Alienage Something Wicked side quest the interpreter did not recognize the quotation and translated it simply as “Evil”. (What’s the point in playing a  “dark fantasy epic” *after* you’ve killed the Evil?)

21.    Talking to Alistair upon coming to Redcliffe for the first time:
(Alistair) I am the king’s bastard. Arl of Redcliffe took me in and raised me because… (he makes an awkward pause as if reluctant to speak)… because my father was king Maric (yeah, you’ve already told us in the first sentence your Dad was a king! We got the hint, no need for repetition).

22.    In the Circle Tower, while you discuss, what to do with the mages, Shale votes for killing them off.
(PC) Do you think all the mages should die, just because you hate your old teacher?

He was Shale’s master, not teacher.

23.    Alistair – to Shale:
(Alistair) Have you ever thought of going back home? To Redcliffe, I mean.

Shale is not from Redcliffe.

24.    The name of your PC’s noble family is Cousland, however, when you reveal your identity to Wynne, she’d pronounce the name as “Couslend”. Moreover, when you meet the ghost of your father during the Glove quest, he’ll also insist that your family name is Couslend, not Cousland.

BTW, EA Russia also definitely needs money to hire a proofreader – they desperately need one! I mean, you don’t expect such an amount of typos in an A-class game. No do you expect “"” to appear in dialogues and the Codex instead of “”.

[Tanger Soto]

V The Point of a Joke

Misery. Or agony. Take your pick. It’s not that the interpreters fail to give the point of lots of jokes in Russian. The trouble is that they simply don’t see the jokes. What they give you instead is either another round of the guessing game, where you’re trying to figure out “what the hell did they mean by that?”, or some trite phrase and a feeling that something’s not right here.

Take Zevran’s battle quotes for example.
One goes like this in Russian: “There’s much more honor in killing yourself, don’t you think?” (Is it just me? Does everybody else understand what this was about?)

On another occasion he says: "Ha ha! This really gets the blood pumping!"
In Russian, however, it is: “Oh, we’ll need a pump to get all this blood out!” (Not too bad, simply incorrect).

Yet one more: "We are ridiculously awesome."
In Russian it is: “Surprisingly, we’re worth something”.

Zevran’s phrase: "Grey Warden, Darkspawn. Darkspawn, Grey Warden."
doesn’t appear in Russian at all. Too difficult to translate?

Other jokes in the game leave you little to hope for in the coming add-on:

Performing the Broken Circle quest:
(Alistair) (upon arrival at the Tower) As I recall from my time as a templar, locking the door and throwing away the key was 'plan B'.
In Russian he says:
(Alistair) Locking the door and throwing away the key… that’s what the templars would always do.

(Zevran) Now that we have mentioned tying me up in that context, do we have any extra rope around?
In Russian he says:
(Zevran) Now, speaking of tying up… haven’t I just added a couple more knots?
(which makes it sound rather bitter, removing any possible sexual context).

(Zevran) (when searching the tree stump of the Mad Hermit) Ha! Let's see... When was the last time I slipped my hand into some dark hole? Hmmm... Long story, that.
In Russian there’re two different words – one (more general) meaning “hole” (any kind of hole), the other (more specific) meaning “a hole, where an animal lives”. The interpreter chose the latter, removing any double meaning from Zevran’s remark.

In Elven Alienage “Orphan” Olly instead of “My mother is especially dead”, says: “My mother is as dead as dead can be”.

Morrigan talks to Alistair:
(Morrigan) I do wonder. Is it permissible for two Grey Wardens to... oh, what is the word I search for?
(Alistair) Caboodle?
(Morrigan) Fraternize.
(Alistair) What's wrong with fraternizing?
In Russian, however, the word Morrigan “is searching for” is “friendship”, not “fraternizing”, thus, any sexual context is lost.

Alistair talking to Wynne:
(Alistair) Why are you smiling like that? You look suspiciously like the cat that swallowed the pigeon.
(Wynne) Canary.
(Alistair) What?
(Wynne) I look like the cat that swallowed the canary.
The irony is lost on the Russians, since we have no saying about a cat eating a canary. Instead, we have a saying about a cat and sour cream. Why not make the joke understandable?

When your PC tells Zevran “I want to discuss something personal”, he’ll respond with “Again? I’m game”. Why is this response translated literally? In Russian it’s neither rhymed, no particularly funny.

Alistair – Wynne:
(Alistair) What would you do, if someone told you that he loved you?
(Wynne) I would probably check their eyesight first.
In Russian this exchange goes like this:
(Alistair) What would you do, if someone told you that he loved you?
(Wynne) To begin with, I will look him into the eyes.

Well… Translating jokes is tricky, yeah? But all in all, the whole thing doesn’t look like anything professional to me. Or should I check my eyesight first? Or maybe, look somebody into the eyes?

Modifié par Tanger Soto, 18 mars 2010 - 08:44 .

[Tanger Soto]

VI The Big World Around your PC

What if I am wrong? What if EA Russia found another worthy criterion for selecting their interpreters? What if instead of gamers or “professionals” they’ve hired the people, who have a full understanding of fantasy worlds and how to re-create them in another language environment? I mean, this is important, right? An interpreter undoubtedly should have an idea about fantasy world-building. What about Thedas and Ferelden as they’re presented in DA:O?

1.    In Russian word stress patterns differ from those in English. Thus, for Russians Ferel-DEN will sound more natural than Fe-REL-den, and Zev-RAN more natural than ZEV-ran… So, I figure, since the voice actors were just given the text with no word stress marks, they pronounce the names the Russian way… well, most of the actors. Some of them would insist on the English originals. Too bad the interpreters didn’t bother to mark the word stresses in names.

2.    According to the rules of the Russian language, the second word in such geographical names as Amaranthine Ocean, Waking Sea, Southron Hills, Frostback Mountains, Brecilian Forest, Brecilian Passage should start with a small – not capital – letter.

3.    For some reason the names like Waking Sea and Southron Hills are translated into Russian, but Amaranthine Ocean is not. Most likely, the interpreters took it that the Ocean is named after the Arling of Amaranthine.

4.    The Harper’s Ford village, mentioned in the Noble Origin, is also left untranslated.

5.    The Uncharted Territories to the south(!) of Korkari Wilds for some reason turned into Uncharted Permafrost in Russian on the Load Screen message (it reads: Korkari Wilds reach as far as uncharted permafrost in the south…), but remained Territories on the World Map.

The social structure of the Ferelden society also leaves a lot to wonder about. I am talking about the titles, naturally.

Ser – in Russian it’s transliterated as is, which is sometimes confusing (it’s written with both capital and small “S” – see the list of the names in the Soldier’s Peak) and kinda funny, since the word “ser” in Russian means “grey”.

On the other hand, some of the NPCs address others simply as “sir”. For instance, when you perform the quest in the Korcari Wilds, Daveth addresses Ser Jory as “sir knight”. Also, in the exchange between Morrigan, Alistair and Zevran, the latter addresses Alistair as “good sir”. That could be OK, but in Russian the address “sir” is reserved for the English-speaking (like, when you translate a book, where action takes place in England, it would be natural for the characters to address each other as “sir”, like “monsieur” would be for the French, but Fereldans are not English, right?) and, especially, to denote people, who have been knighted. Thus, since Fereldans are not English, and there’s another word for knights, the interpreter should have substituted “sir” with a more neutral equivalent.

Arl – for some unknown reason is transcribed as “Earl”. Why not translated then? We have a Russian equivalent for “earl”.

Bann – Bannorn. Keeping the title as is, the interpreters renamed the “Bannorn” into “Banns” on the Big World map. On the other hand, when you leave Lothering, you move on to the location named “Bannorn”. In the Codex, Amarantine is also called a “bannorn”. Why, then, is the term banned from the Big World map?

Bann Teagan is addressed as ‘bann’ throughout the game, except for the last stay in Redcliffe, where he is labeled as ‘lord’.

VII Places You Must See

Speaking of geography, I simply cannot restrain myself from describing to you a few unique places of interest. So, travelling through Ferelden, make sure you don’t miss these locations:

When you get out of Caridin’s Cross, you move on to the location named “A Chest in the Orthan Thaig”, whatever that is supposed to mean.

In Denerim make sure to visit a place called “Killer’s Messenger Person for Leliana” (this is Marjolaine’s house, if you didn’t get it).

When you leave Arl Eamon’s Estate in Denerim, you move on to the location named “Façade of the Estate”. The same thing happens, when you leave the Arl of Denerim’s Estate. BTW, there’s no Arl of Redcliffe’s Estate on the Denerim Map. Instead there’re two Arl of Denerim’s Estates.

And thank god, due to the plot issues, you cannot miss the most mysterious place in the whole Ferelden, which is, naturally, the Gauntlet:

During The Gauntlet quest your PC and the NPCs refer to is as “the glove”, which sounds rather weird, like:
(Guardian) “The Glove” will not let a deceiver through!
(PC) I’m not ready to talk to “the Glove”.

The Codex entry will also read “The Glove”. And when you leave “The Top of the Mountain” location, you move on to the place called “The Glove”. However, once there, the map in the top right corner will be labeled “the Test”. If you call the local map by pressing “M”, it’ll also be called “the Test”, and if you save the game in this location, the save will also be called “the Test”. Go figure.

[Tanger Soto]

Now, to tell you the truth, as I progress through the game, there’s one question concerning the interpreters that puzzles me more and more, and that is:

VIII Is Russian Their Native Language?

Honestly, I begin to doubt that. It starts with small things, like: Sister Justine in Denerim claims that she’s served in a “much more less temple”; Leliana tells to Marjoline: “Go back to Orlais and don’t come back!”; and a wonderful phrase “made by the Maker”.

The more the better: a Russian native speaker should know that there’s no “front attack” in Russian. The Russian equivalent will be the “forehead attack”. There’s no “crime wave” in Russian. The Russian equivalent will be the “crime rise”. The main floor of the Redcliffe castle should not be called the “ground floor” in Russian, since there’s no “ground floors” in Russian tradition.

All these are more or less occasional errors, but there’re way more serious issues:

a) In Russian there’s a difference between “you” and “thee”. It’s more than just “singular-plural” opposition. Any person can be addressed either as “you” or “thee”, the former being a token of respect, senior age or higher social status, the latter – a certain familiarity, condescending manner or contempt. Unfortunately, it seems the interpreters are totally unaware of the use of pronouns in their own language.

When your PC arrives to Ostagar with Dunkan and has the first encounter with King Cailan, Dunkan (who is going to be your captain, and is senior than you, anyway) addresses the king as “you”, but your PC says “thee” to the king, as if they’re close friends, or as if your PC intentionally shows his disrespect to the monarch.

The talk with Bann Teagan is a complete mess in that sense.
You both start off as old buddies:
(PC) [about King Cailan] Thy nephew?

(Bann Teagan) Are thee a Grey Warden as well?... Thy face looks familiar to me.
(PC) Thee might have known my father, Teyrn Cousland.
(Bann Teagan) I’m really glad to meet thee!

Then he gets all important and official:

(Bann Teagan) Thank you! You can’t imagine how much it means to me.

But he finishes the conversation by addressing you as “thee” again.

Other Redcliffe inhabitants also don’t seem to agree on that matter, for example Ser Pert will address you as “thee”, but when you meet elf Berwick, your PC will address him as “you”, even if you are a Human Noble (nice change after conversation with king Cailan, whom you addressed as “thee”, mind you).

If you send First Enchanter Irving into the Fade to rescue Connor, he and Arl Eamon will fail to agree how they should address each other and will switch between “thee” and “you” without any reason.

In addition, the interpreters demonstrate a surprising uncertainty in their word choice in Russian. You’d expect more knowledge of stylistics matters from those, who earn their living making translations.

Noble Origin (female PC). Your brother Fergus calls you a “saucy minx”, but in Russian he says: “You’re lewd”, which sounds very offensive, even compared to the “wench” that caused a discussion earlier, and certainly this is not a word for a well-brought-up noble to describe his own sister.

On the other hand, when Zevran uses just the same expression ("Why aren't you the saucy little minx then. I've been used and wasn't even aware of it! A masterpiece."), it is translated much more polite (and that coming from a person raised in a brothel, go figure!).
    
And yet, again, there’s the following exchange: when the Warden invites Zevran to his/her tent, one of his occasional responses goes like “has the itching started again?” I take it the interpreters didn’t know, that the word describes “a restless desire” as well, so what he says in Russian is about “an irritation or tickling sensation of the skin causing a desire to scratch”. It sounds rude as it is, but even more so, considering that he says it to the person, he supposedly loves.

c) And then there comes Her Majesty Grammar…

In English there’re three grammar cases (nominative, possessive, objective) and they are marked with either prepositions (like, “speak of Alistair”, “talk to Alistair” or “family of Alistair”) or with an ’s. The noun itself (Alistair) never changes its form. In Russian there’re six and they are all marked by different endings. If you say “speak of Alistair”, “talk to Alistair” or “Alistair’s family” in Russian, each time the name Alistair will take a different ending. Yet again, these would be masculine endings. If the name is Leliana, it will take feminine endings instead. Moreover, not all feminine names are declined in the same pattern – the name Morrigan will not take any endings at all! Thus, you can never predict what kind of a name a gamer will choose, and in what way it should be declined.

With so many variants to consider (both case- and gender-sensitive ending for each name), it is simply impossible to build any phrase with a [CHARNAME] variable in any grammar case, other than nominative.

Thus, a phrase, like “[CHARNAME] should study the treaties, find allies, gather an army” will work just fine. But something like “Zevran was sent to kill [CHARNAME] and Alistair” will not, because of the wrong ending.

The same thing is with the dog’s name. In the dialogue options: “Pet [DOGNAME]” and “Leave [DOGNAME] alone”, the name of the dog will inevitably take a wrong ending.

This problem is specific to the Russian language. And any interpreter, who has at least some experience in translating computer games into Russian, cannot be unaware of this issue. However, DA is full of the examples of the opposite.

Moreover, the interpreters don’t recognize grammar cases in English, just as they don’t in Russian.

Open the Tactics menu, the conditions section and select “The enemy”.

Enemy: Attack on a party member: (but next instead of) attacks Alistair, attacks Leliana, attacks Morrigan…
what you see is: Alistair attacks, Leliana attacks, Morrigan attacks, etc.

Next entry:
Enemy: Target of party member: (here instead of) Alistair’s target, Leliana’s target, Morrigan’s target…
what you see is: target Alistair, target Leliana, target Morrigan, etc.

d) At the same time, as if to assure everyone that they *are* Russians, the interpreters use every chance to make DA:O look as Russian as possible… or should I say “as impossible”?

Thus, at the Test of Faith quest, there’s a girl named Ealisay, who gives a riddle about a tune. For some reason, the interpreter puts her name as “Yelisei”, which could be OK, if it wasn’t the name of the Prince in Alexander Pushkin’s “The Tale of the Dead Princess”, which everyone in Russia knows since childhood! (http://russian-craft...d-princess.html) It’s like you had a male character named Cinderella or Little Snow White in the game.

The interpreters’ valiant effort doesn’t stop there. They proceed by translating the “Champion” specialization as “Vityaz” (the Russian for “knight”, “hero”) and the “Powerful” warrior talent as “Bogatyr” (the Russian for “mighty man”). It could be OK, if these terms were not *too Russian*. It’s like translating “Champion” as “Samurai” or “Rogue” as “Ninja” into Japanese – it gives the idea, yes, but it destroys the whole European-like atmosphere of Thedas.

After that you half expect your party to play balalaikas, drink vodka and eat blini, but lo! Next thing you know – they’re imagining themselves nomads, for when Alistair tells your female PC that he wants to spend a night with her, she will graciously invite him to her yurta! Feeling international now?

Modifié par Tanger Soto, 07 avril 2010 - 05:26 .

[Tanger Soto]

Now, if you’ve read this far, I promise, I won’t take much more of your time, since there’s just one more topic to discuss here, and that is

IX The Way It Sounds.

We’ve all heard that BioWare hired 144 actors, including a few well-known ones, to do the voicing. That sounded intriguing. We were anticipating something big. Now, can you tell me, why the only things that are intriguing about the Russian version are: why there are just about 60 actors performing and who the hell all these people are?

Do you know how many well-known voice actors were engaged in performing DA:O in Russian? One (playing Duncan – and doing a good job, BTW). Out of sixty. And why only sixty? Is it too hard to find enough actors in the country with a population of some 140 million? (By the way, compared to the dog, the actors fail miserably, when they’re trying to snarl like werewolves).

On the other hand, 60 actors may even seem too much, since it looks like there’re more actors than roles. Otherwise, how can you explain that some of the NPCs (Ser Pert (Redcliffe), Bandelor  & Prince Bhelen (Orzammar), Hespith (Dead Trenches), Morrigan, Sergeant Kylon (Denerim), Weylon (Genitivi’s house, Denerim), First Enchanter Irving (Circle Tower), Ser Landry (Denerim), Brother Genitivi (Haven), Cammen & Gheyna (Dalish Camp), Riordan (Arl of Denerim’s Estate), Teyrn Cousland, Ser Gilmore & Dairren (Human Noble Origin), Raelnor (head of the Blackstone Irregulars), Slim Couldry (Denerim, Crime Wave) – to name just a few) will talk to you in different voices: when you converse with them, most of their responses will be read by one man, but some of them – by another.

Since they obviously didn’t have too much work to do, the voice actors entertained themselves by making Easter eggs of their own: some of the male NPCs will talk in women’s voices (the refugees – a Desperate Haven side quest). On the other hand, the woman decoying your PC into Zevran’s trap speaks in a man’s voice.

In Ostagar (Russian vs. original):


Everyone’s favorite – crazy elf family in Lothering:


Sometimes Morrigan starts to speak in some kind of Joda-like style, for what she’s been nicknamed Jodarrigan on a few Russian-speaking forums. Another guy, who prefers the same manner of speech, is the Guard in the Gauntlet.

On the other hand, there were times, when the actors evidently grew tired of pretending: when performing The King’s Confidant, you run into a mortally wounded Elric, and yet he would speak to you as calmly as if you’re having a polite conversation over a cup of tea. Dying Bryce Cousland carries himself in just the same manner. By the way, it’s kinda weird to see the perfectly calm face of the same Bryce Cousland, while the voice actor is laughing in the background. The same goes for Flemeth, and other NPCs. But, I guess, that was fine with the sound engineer.

It looks like the guy was doing his job in the state of nirvana, where the woes of this world simply did not reach him. Naturally, from the eternity’s point of view, it isn't that much trouble if someone somewhere says something twice, right?

Like, the Guard Captain in Orzammar:
“Prince Bhelen sends to the Council his attorney Vartag… (HE DISTINCTLY SWEARS IN RUSSIAN UNDER HIS BREATH AND STARTS ANEW) Prince Bhelen sends to the Council his attorney Vartag Gavorn…”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPyaw7OjVds&feature=related


Or Zevran (when asked to tell about his adventures): Well, I didn’t say that. The old men are fond… Uh-huh… Well, I didn’t say that. The old men are fond of telling tales.

Or Queen Anora, who in the epilogue talks like this: I have to admit that despite the skepticism of my father … skepticism, ****, skepticism… despite the skepticism of my father…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBC_Igj8xcw&feature=related

This is Alistair talking about Sten: He seems so very reasonable, but still he killed all those… but still HE killed… yes… but still HE killed all those people, and he won’t even deny that (0:24 to 0:35 in the video).
Talking about Leliana: Even the Church thinks that most of these visions are just trick… tricks… tricks… visions, correct?... yes, visions… visions… Even the Church thinks that most of these visions are just trick played by human mind… (1:03 to 1:12 in the video).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUUg5-aA_D8&feature=related

This one’s in the camp: the Emissary’s trying to say “Warden, you’re generous as always”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92naGJFj9PY&feature=related

Often the NPCs would just stop talking and take a long pause before they go on. Like, for instance, Zevran: when reading his poem he suddenly falls silent in the middle of it.

On the other hand, sometimes the voice actors simply omit phrases.

In Denerim, Alistair’s Family side quest:
(Alistair says): Is this what I think it is? That house with a yellow door…
(PC): OK.
But if you read the titles, you’ll see that what he really says is:
(Alistair): Is this what I think it is? That house with a yellow door… Can we pay a visit?
(PC): OK.

This becomes quite a problem, when you perform the Test of Faith during the Urn of Sacred Ashes quest. The voice actors fail to read the riddles to the end, so you’re left to guess what they are talking about (especially Brona, Disciple Cathaire, Disciple Havard, and Archon Hessarian).

Sometimes the volume would rise and fall in the course of a conversation, most notably in Denerim, when you talk to Alistair after leaving Goldanna’s house, and in the Dalish Camp, when you talk to Geyna about Cammen.

(After watching a few videos on YouTube) Oh, Zevran and Leliana speak with an accent… What a surprise! And Isolde, too. Who else, I wonder?
Considering that Isolde speaks without any trace of accent in Russian, you’re left to wonder, why everyone calls her brother-in-law TE-gan, while she calls him Ti-GAN.
Same thing with Zevran: he speaks with no accent, yet, calls his best friend TaliesOn. Looks like he simply doesn’t remember his name.

Well now, if you’ve read this far, can you, guys, tell me, what should we call this Russian localization? Is the phrase “epic fail” suitable to describe it? Or is there another definition?

Modifié par Tanger Soto, 18 mars 2010 - 09:23 .

[Sloth Of Doom]

Some of the mistakes you have noted seem rather minor or aren't mistakes a all, simply somewhat confusing (For example, Ironbark is both a bark, and a tree. The tree gets its name from its bark) but overall i am appalled at the translations. Although it is true that a third party did the actual work, why is it that nobody at EA/Bioware decided to have that work quality tested?



This is the kind of shoddy development I expect to see from minor studios with extremey tight budgets (For example, a of of Russian games from smaller companies have poor translations into English) but not from a company such as EA whom one assumes can afford to hire a single native russian to play the game before it is released.

[Tanger Soto]

Sloth of Doom

The localization was made by EA Russia. I don't think they're particularly small or have a tight budget.

[Sloth Of Doom]

Tanger Soto wrote...

Sloth of Doom

The localization was made by EA Russia. I don't think they're particularly small or have a tight budget.

That is my point exactly.  We shouldn't see such shoddy workmanship frm a large company.

[Gliese]

That was perhaps the best example of wall of text I have ever seen since I started perusing internet forums in 1995 but with that said it was definitely a both disturbing and hilarious read. Thankyou.

[Petsura]

Why does this thread remind me so much of Gothic 3?

Modifié par Petsura, 19 mars 2010 - 05:49 .

[Cowboy_christo]

EA dont like russia O_o

I feel for ya guys.

[Tanger Soto]

Well, thank you very much, people, for support and understanding (and the compliments, too!). But as much as I am grateful to you, I would still want to hear from somebody from BioWare itself. Just curious about their opinion on this matter. I think, I’m not the only one, who wants to see something done. Too bad, no one of them found time to take a look.

[Murzilka17-17-17]

Thanks, Tanger Soto, for the interesting reading material. I can confirm that there are too many mistakes - minor or not, but I've got a feeling that the game was made in haste and there was no time for beta-testing.

I've noticed several more things that were rather confusing - "down the coridor" was translated as "downstairs". And I haven't got the point of the dialogue between Allistair and Zevran (about some roots for "energy") until I read the English version:



Zevran: It did seem as if you just got going when all grew quiet. You are... feeling all right, yes? Perhaps you are tired?



In Russian it sounds like: "When everybody went quiet, you just got going", as if there was some kind of orgy in the camp and Alistair was too late to join, and Zevran is worried that he'd missed all the fun.

[Tanger Soto]

Update: patch 1.3

Well, they’ve fixed the “Sum Up [game]” and the Caste of the Dead (instead of the same-name Castle) – and that’s about it. How many dozens of patches, I wonder, will it take them to correct everything?

Obviously, all the rest didn’t change much.

During the Landsmeet Queen Anora accuses us of intending to give Ferelnden’s throne… to Maric the Impostor.

After the Landsmeet, when an engagement of Alistair to female PC has been announced, the two have the following exchange about producing and heir:
(Female PC): Well, maybe it won’t be *your* heir.
(Alistair) (sounding absolutely unimpressed): We’ll talk about that later.

The famous scene with Leliana inquiring about Alistair’s performance in bed was for some reason totally reconsidered. If in English she is indeed giggling, in Russian she is all bitter, ****y and jealous.

Oh, well… we’ve reached the coronation scene: my female PC is going to rule with King Alistair. Funny thing: her future husband thinks she is a male!.. but is going to marry her (him?) nevertheless. Some like it hot©?

Sure enough, Fergus Cousland – her brother – also thinks she’s a male. As well as Zevran and Arl Eamon.

Sten will entertain you with an enigmatic phrase: “If I were too weak to defend myself, I’d emancipate myself.” Oh, who can tell with those qunari.

Well, this is how my female PC became a queen (or a king, I’m still not sure).

No, enough of that. Let’s move to Awakening, shall we?

Welcome to Amarantine!

Have a look at the local map: you will learn that Amarantine is situated between “To the west of Highever” and “To the south of Denerim”. Interesting location!

Something new!

1. A new specialization for mages has been introduced. Now we have: Battlemage – a nice match to the Warrior-Sorcerer we’ve had in the original campaign (that was the interpreter’s for “Arcane Warrior”). Can you tell the difference?

2. Two-handed weapon talent “Onslaught” somehow turned into a trivial “Fight”. The name of the Dual wielding talent “Low Blow” has lost all its double meaning and turned into a simple “Strike from Below”.

3. The Rainswept armor (Tier 9) is made of (surprise!) “High Dragon Cache”. Go figure!

4. Dunno, who’s bug this is, but now we have two Oghrens in the Codex.

OC Heritage

Some of them translation bloopers made their way into the add-on directly from the original campaign. That, naturally, leads me to the conclusion that the add-on was translated by exactly the same people:

1.    “You” vs. “thee”:

My old buddy Alister suddenly forgot that we used to be friends, and he used to address me as “thee”. Now it’s “you” – all distant and official.

2.    That tricky gender thing:

Oghren thinks I am a man. As well as Nathaniel… But I finally got my revenge over that short-sighted Winne! Now I talk to her as if she were a male!

The poor halla suffered another forceful change of sex. In the original campaign the interpreter couldn’t decide, whether they should be male or female, in add-on he finally decided to make them… neither. So, when you find the Ornate Silver Bowl (gift for Velanna) with pictures of “elven hallas”, the word will make the plural as being of neutral gender.

Velanna doesn’t know that Mythal is a goddess, not a god. No wonder, that elf didn’t get her promotion!

3.    Funny mess with the titles

My apostate mage companion is also a “ser”. Is he secretly a knight?

4.    Geographical names: translation

The name Blackmarsh is translated into Russian everywhere (world map, local map, Codex, load screen message), except for the dialogues, where it’s somehow left untranslated.

Here I’ve highlighted the translated variant of “Blackmarsh”
http://s001.radikal....4fb422136b7.jpg

Here – the untranslated (from the dialogue with the local guard)
http://s39.radikal.r...75d7e7e61dc.jpg

5.    Quotation issue (see the “Something Wicked” side quest from the original campaign)

The interpreter did not recognize the quote “Pride goes before the fall” (that’s an achievement), and translated it as “Pride in front of the fall”.

6.    Items

In the church of Amarantine you can find a wooden box called: “Lost and found department”.

(In the original campaign it was the “tree trunk” in the Cousland’s bedroom)

7.    Voice-over

It has now become impossible to play without titles: in the occasional exchanges between companions whole lines are left out.

8.    Same thing, different names

The Dark Wolf turns into a Black Wolf all of a sudden: we’re tipped to look for the former, but then run into the latter.

9.    Two-word creatures

The Dragon Thrall predictably turned into the Trall of the Dragon (say hi to those Prisoners of the Dragon from the OC).

10.    Word stress

The word stresses continue to wander as they please. Thus, we have NathaniEl vs. NathAniel and Kal’HirOl vs. Kal’HIrol.

11.    Dialogues and Missions

a) Voldrik Glavonak says: “Good luck to those trying to rebuild the walls” – as if he is not the one to do the job.

The interpreter doesn’t know that “tonight” means not only “this night”, but “this evening” as well (in Russian there’s no single word to describe both). Thus, when the lady knight Ser Tamra warns the Warden about the conspiracy, she says: “I would have brought the letters this night”, as if she’s been invited to spend a night with the Warden.

c) Conversations with companions haven’t become less confusing. For instance, when Oghren asks to join the Grey Wardens, your dialogue options are:
1.    We’ll find a place for you.
2.    You mustn’t spit.
3.    I’m afraid, it’s a bad idea.

However truthful the second statement is… well.

d) The interpreter somehow doesn’t now the difference between “apologize” and “sorry”, when it’s used to express sympathy, so when Sigrun moans her fallen friend there’s a dialogue:
(Sigrun): He died.
(PC): I apologize. (Sorry, lass, didn’t notice I’ve killed your pal!)

Upon Mhairi’s death, Seneschal Varel says:
(Varel): My apologies, Mhairi. (Join the club, Seneschal!)

e) In exchange with Sigrun:
(Sigrun) Your actions will influence my opinion of your race. Forever.
(Velanna) Oh. Thank you. I needed more anxiety.

In Russian Velanna says instead:

(Velanna) Oh. Thank you. I will exercise extra caution then.

f) Nathaniel – Anders:
(Nathaniel) You don't always wear robes, do you?
(Anders) Not when I'm naked I don't.
(Nathaniel) I mean when you run from the Circle. Robes would make you easy to spot.
(Anders) So does the "I'm a mage!" sign around my neck. I like to make it easy for the templars.

In Russian what Anders says is:
…You have to make it easy for the templars, since they’re too thick.

g) Talking to Nathaniel about his grandfather, who was a Grey Warden:

(Nathaniel) Father always said he was a horrible man for abandoning the family to join a pointless cause. I grew up ashamed of my grandfather, but now I see his bravery. That will take some getting used to.
(PC) The only shame was your father's.

In Russian your PC says:
(PC) The only man you should be ashamed of is your father.

h) Questions still don’t match the answers.
Nathaniel upon receiving his grandfather’s bow:
(Nathaniel) Are you the one, who I am thinking of? (WHO?? Me or bow?)
and then…
(Nathaniel) This bow belonged to my grandfather.
(PC) Was your grandfather a Grey Warden?
(Nathaniel) Yes, that’s the one!

i) The mission in Kal’Hirol. The Load screen message reads:
Fighting your way through Kal’Hirol, you’ve encountered a group of darkspawn searching for someone they call The Lost.

Funny. Just before that you have a cutscene with a darkspawn lieutenant shouting: “Fight, my Lost!”. Looks like he’s lost his “Lost”…

Or, more likely, the interpreter confused “fight” with “find”, and instead of “Fight, my Lost!”, there should have been “Find the Lost!”

j) The best one this time comes from the Codex description of “Crown and Lion”. The original reads: “There was only I, the lovely and fair Rosalyn, master and mistress of the Crown and Lion, who proved that no man is mightier than the slightest of lasses”. Well, “master and mistress” proved a bit tricky, but the interpreter coped with the predicament graciously: “There was only I, the fair Rosaline, the host and the hostess of the Crown and Lion…” A fair hermaphrodite?

Just a couple more questions to EA Russia

First: has EA Russia gone so poor that it cannot afford printing the User’s Manual as it should be? C’mon, guys! It’s downloadable for free in a number of languages, including Russian! And it’s colored! So, why the hell should we pay you for printing it out in black and white, like this:
http://s47.radikal.r...a0f070b7d27.jpg ??

Second: why doesn’t EA Russia bother to make the Russian version of the DA toolset? Are the Russian fans not good enough? When you register you Russian game on the Russian EA site, you receive a letter IN RUSSIAN, encouraging you in Russian “to create your own Dragon Age content and share it with your friends”, and offering to download the toolset from here: http://dragonage.bioware.com/toolset/

Well, thank you guys, but if I were a Russian-speaking Russian, I figure, a reference to an English-only toolset would be the last thing I needed!

What I mean to say is this: the toolset for the Neverwinter Nights was translated and, naturally, sold by the pirates. Are we waiting for them again? Then just say it, why don’t you? Why not put an official announcement on your site? Something like: “Dear pirates! We’re too busy to make the Russian version of the DA toolset, so you’re welcome to give us a hand with that!”

So, that would be about all news from Russia today. Thank you all for reading.

Modifié par Tanger Soto, 09 avril 2010 - 09:34 .