Suggestion about languages

[Jeyelyahoo]

Hello there, first of all I'm sorry because I know what I am going to talk about has already been written in the guide topic for suggestions as not planned. It's basically about languages ingame.

 

I've been a developer on different games since a few years now, and I think I'm able to help the developement team. I would like to contribute to PRO's developement, and I'm very interested about which technologies are currently used, our your systems work, etc. I'm convinced that refusing to add any other language is a TERRIBLE mistake as a decision from the staff. Here come explanations :

 

The first reason is that, as far as I know, this is not the most complicated thing to implement. Especially if you consider that translations will probably done by your community, and as I've talked with a few persons now, I know this wouldn't be that difficult to get volunteers. If it's about encoding issues, well, you can at least limit to LATIN alphabets, this is still going to improve game experience for LOT of people. If you meet troubles from that kind, please, feel free to ask.

 

The second reason is that, even after implementing other languages (which would happen during the whole developement period as people will do it on their free time), you can still set english as default language. So I don't think this would cause any problem.

 

The third reason is that I already saw, in the world chat, many spanish, french, and I think even italian (probably more ones) people trying to get helped. Sometimes people are lucky and get answered by someone who can understand their language, but all those questions would probably not happen if there were locales of their language in game.

 

The fourth reason is that, definitely, I don't understand why any people in the team would be against this decision. It's going to offer the ability to play to WAY more people (yes, english is not as well-spoken in each european country as people think). You'll get notoriety, new population, so probably more donations too. And of course, players who don't know english well will be able to enjoy the game properly (which is actually really good currently). This would be 100% win, for everyone.

 

 

Now, obviously, decision is yours. But I would like you at least to answer me with a complete and constructive post. Now I'll resume my questions :

 

- After reading this, do you still want to not implement more languages ?

- If you still don't want to, could you tell me why ?

- If it's any technical issue, would you like to get my help ? I would be motivated enough to take care of the whole system myself.

- If you don't want me to help, could I know why ?

 

I would like to have asked you all of this through private messages, but I'm forced to make at least one real post to be able to. I really hope you'll read this and answer this. I would appreciate if not only community managers but also administrators and/or developers could have a look on this post. This is some important business, please consider this.

 

Edit : Sorry, I already submitted this post, but it instantly got removed, I don't know why.

[Namelesshero27]

I think add different languages might be a deadly decision for trade chat and generally trade.

Try think about that. You say different different languages would be good for people who don't know english, but if you allow people to speak their own language, trade will become a mess.

We now have two "codes", "wts" and "wtb", based on english "want to sell" and "want to buy". How to say what you want with a multi-language trade chat?

An italian kid who can't speak english and want to buy leftovers, has to keep asking "compro avanzi" in trade chat and wait for some other italian who sell it to him? Isn't better if he learn that "avanzi" are "leftovers" and highly increase his chances to buy it? Lot of people will end trading only with other people with the same nationality.

 

Different languages will be good only in "Options" menù.

[Jeyelyahoo]

Hi, thanks for reading and replying. Actually, I was absolutely not talking about chat/trade language conventions. Incite players to communicate between themselves in english is a good practice, this is still an universal language which should be mostly used from everyone, to form a homogeneous communication code through the community.

 

Right here, I'm talking about menus, NPCs interactions (names, texts), and why not Pokemon names/abilities. As I thought the system, it should have no impact about trades/chats. The point is that the players will understand what they read, at least for playing. I sincerely think communication between players must be dissociated than direct in-game content.

 

Here is a simple example : I'm french, I discovered the game a few days ago, really liked it, and introduced it to some of my friends. Today they are thinking about leaving the game, because their english skills need practice, and they can't even understand what a Pokemon trainer tells them to do, to clear arenas or even getting a bike.

[Windypuff]

236187 Hi, thanks for reading and replying. Actually, I was absolutely not talking about chat/trade language conventions. Incite players to communicate between themselves in english is a good practice, this is still an universal language which should be mostly used from everyone, to form a homogeneous communication code through the community.

 

Right here, I'm talking about menus, NPCs interactions (names, texts), and why not Pokemon names/abilities. As I thought the system, it should have no impact about trades/chats. The point is that the players will understand what they read, at least for playing. I sincerely think communication between players must be dissociated than direct in-game content.

 

Here is a simple example : I'm french, I discovered the game a few days ago, really liked it, and introduced it to some of my friends. Today they are thinking about leaving the game, because their english skills need practice, and they can't even understand what a Pokemon trainer tells them to do, to clear arenas or even getting a bike.

The game might have translate, however, only minor thing will translate (such as menu, option). PRO will not transfer major thing as dialog of NPCs (as it write in the code of game, not the txt. And we will never release the public code as security reasons. Also translate these things means write all thing of game again). Additionally, as staff do volunteer and it fan based game, these translate will always in the lowest priority. However, the alternatively is you can create the own chat in-game (based on the language) and then help each others to overcome the story thing. That's important why we have community in here. Moreover, in YouTube also have a lot of guide about story related (with using other languages). So I will recommend you to look out it, or even when you done, you can make the guide by your self in YouTube. So it will help us and contribution to the community for best result. Thanks for your respond and we know this issues, however, as many obviously reason of capability (comparing to demand), we only can trade off and choice to implemented the high priority thing only. These other low priority will be done after the high priority implemented.

 

P/s: if you stuck in any story-related you can find the hint in the game guide or ask in general support.

[Jeyelyahoo]

Hello Windypuff, I have to correct you about some points.

236197as it write in the code of game, not the txt.

I don't know exactly what you mean with "the txt", but no matter if this is in the code or not, these are simple text data. It can be stored in some database systems, loaded at server starting under string format, then used in approximately the same way it's already done in english only, depending on the client language the player have chosen.

236197And we will never release the public code as security reasons.

I've never been talking about releasing source code in a public way. Of course I understand those security measures. I've only offered my help to the team, in individual term. Contributors as I was talking about could have some dedicated simple interface to write translations without getting access to anything.

236197Also translate these things means write all thing of game again

That's wrong too, a simple parser tool could get all quotes fastly, and replace it into a database would be a few hours question.

 

 

Btw, I was not looking for a solution in game, I'm not stuck. And I have no problems about understanding english, even if mine is not perfect. But I know there are lot of people who would enjoy it. I'm simply looking for some support from the developers team. That's also why I specified in my first post that I would like admins/devs to have a look at this post. :)

[Inspirateur]

I'm fully with you jeyelyahoo, to me, the whole translation is a very important step the game has to take to get bigger and better, and I am, as many other people, ready to do this myself (for the french traduction).

I can't understand neither why the staff is so reticent about this, you're right in every point, it can easily be done without any public code release...

 

I would like a detailled answer from a PRO developper or at least somebody that knows why this is being rejected, because it's a thread that was brought up many times with no consistent answer, at least not that I'm aware of.

[Drayano]

I can help too for the french translation if needed.

[Yasham]

Translation might come but only for minor things such as menu. We can't translate NPC's dialogues and pokemons names due to the massiv amount of work it represents. In fact we'd need to rewrite ALL dialogues / quest in foreign languages, PRO being a multicultural and languages games we can't just stick to one or two, we'd have to do it for a lot of foreign language which is not possible at all for now. Translation isn't a priority.

[Thor]

Also, withlut knoedge of how the scripting system works here, you can't simply come on here and say that it is easy and in our best interests to make multi-lingual dialogues.

 

Most of the team speaks english as their first language, this game was built as an english game, we simply cannot let people have access to proprietry code to add translations (as this is what would need to happen). Also, text dialogue is stored per NPC, so even the most basic NPC would be huge if we instantly had to cater to other languages.

 

Long story short: There wont be translations outside minor things such as items/pokemon.

[Jeyelyahoo]

Greeting people doesn't seem to be regular here. Sorry guys, but I'm afraid you don't understand the purpose of my message here.

237072 We can't translate NPC's dialogues and pokemons names due to the massiv amount of work it represents

I already said that, if it was going to be implemented, it would simply have to be done by the community. What's the problem ? It won't change anything for anybody in the staff.

237072 PRO being a multicultural and languages games we can't just stick to one or two

You are wrong again. As the community would fill translations itself, it's up to each person in there to have his own language in the game. So, if no one asks for russian, Czech or whatever, there will be no need to implement it.

237079 withlut knoedge of how the scripting system works here, you can't simply come on here and say that it is easy and in our best interests to make multi-lingual dialogues.

When you know scripting, you just need to immerse yourself in a new project to understand how the structure works. It can take a few hours, a few days, maybe a few weeks depending how big the project is. But honnestly, I worked on some kind of complex MMORPG systems as World of Warcraft, and I don't think PRO would be a real problem. I never said it was going to be easy, don't misunderstood me. I think the problem comes from the fact you guys (devs) are volunteers. This is, one more time, why I offered my help (not only for the translations, but also about thinking the system).

 

When I say it's in your (and your community) best interest, it's not just me saying this. This is a fact, and you can see in this thread people agree with me.

237079 Most of the team speaks english as their first language, this game was built as an english game

What is this argument ? So, thinking that way, all English video games companies wouldn't release their games in a few more european languages ? Are you serious ? Btw, "built as an english game" makes no sense. Implement a localisation system doesn't mean rewritting the whole game. This is what evolution developement is about, implementations.

237079 Also, text dialogue is stored per NPC, so even the most basic NPC would be huge if we instantly had to cater to other languages.

I don't see any problem here. I guess all your texts and data are stored server-side, and accessing to the correct locale in a table with a simple index doesn't consume as many resources as you seem to think it would.

 

You are right about the fact I don't know the architecture of the project, how scripts work, etc. But I know things about developing anyway. Simply refusing my help without discussing about real technical possibilities show how you guys don't want to hear/do more about it.

 

It's just that you had a decision, and don't want to get back with it. Even if people can show you it would help. This is so incredible.

 

 

237079Long story short: There wont be translations outside minor things such as items/pokemon.

And finally, now, perfect example of what I said upper in my post. No matter how many people offer their help, no matter if finding a solution to get it +/- simply implemented can happen with discussions. We told it won't happen, so it won't happen.

 

 

I still have some hope. If you change your mind, please contact me in private message. I'd be glad to help. Even if convincing you seems harder than become the best trainer of the yellow server.