Working in Japanese to English game localization, I'm often assigned the task of coming up with English names for characters. Usually this is just a transliteration, but in some cases a completely new name is required. The publisher makes the final call, and I've had to fight hard sometimes to get names that just won't work in English changed. Japanese developers often go to great lengths to research meaningful names for their characters, but not understanding how differently names can be interpreted in other languages, they can get attached to some really ridiculous ones. The only way I could deter one developer from using "Milla" for the name of a huge, ugly dragon boss was by telling them that most players would associate the name with a supermodel...
Hey, at least you can play it DRM-free if you get the pirated version, though, right?:p
It's the same old story, DRM only ends up screwing the legitimate users.
I have to agree with you on this. I bought Phoenix Wright on a whim the other day, and I have to say this is the most fun I've had with a game in a long time. They have really done an amazing job with the localization on this one. I laughed so hard on some parts that I had to put down the game until I'd calmed myself down.
Definitely the kind of adventure game I want to see more of.
Nintendo will no doubt be thrilled to learn that they have now licenced a game that contains code from an "unofficial" emulator.
Considering how the want to prohibit even legal hardware emulation of their systems (unless they have control over it), I think Jaleco might be in a tiny bit of hot water...
Has anyone seen the Japanese television adaptation of Spiderman made in the late seventies? It has little to do with the original (the main actor was a typical Japanese "hero" type, showing none of the weaknesses of Peter Parker), but is interesting as a rare case of Japan importing American style comic heros.
Would it be just nice to find a repository of voice "donors" that would do the job for free?
I am a video game localizer for a company in Tokyo, and have often wished that something like this existed. When a game requires voiceover recording, the budget usually only allows for a few professional voice actors (professionals will charge up to $1000 for a few hours work). For this reason we often end up getting amateurs to perform smaller parts. Surprisingly, some of the amateurs do a better job than the professionals when it comes to capturing what the client wants. The reason? Because they're willing to be flexible and spend time getting everything right, unlike professionals who demand extra money for every second they run over their alloted time.
To drag this back into vaguely on-topic territory, I feel that the value some professionals put on their talent is often exaggerated, and when money becomes more important than doing a good job, something is lost.
I'm not saying the Simpsons voice actors are doing a bad job, but when I read about their money demands like this it takes something away from what makes the Simpsons special to me. I feel that the writers for the show are who make it what it is, so perhaps it is time the Simpsons moved out of Springfield, and the Sampsons moved in instead?
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My old iPhone 4 shattered in a 3-foot fall from my pocket to the concrete... The new one hasn't had a scratch on it since, though.
"Mila-Boreas" was the original name for the enormous black dragon in Monster Hunter. It became "Fatalis" for the English version.
Working in Japanese to English game localization, I'm often assigned the task of coming up with English names for characters. Usually this is just a transliteration, but in some cases a completely new name is required. The publisher makes the final call, and I've had to fight hard sometimes to get names that just won't work in English changed. Japanese developers often go to great lengths to research meaningful names for their characters, but not understanding how differently names can be interpreted in other languages, they can get attached to some really ridiculous ones. The only way I could deter one developer from using "Milla" for the name of a huge, ugly dragon boss was by telling them that most players would associate the name with a supermodel...
Hey, at least you can play it DRM-free if you get the pirated version, though, right? :p
It's the same old story, DRM only ends up screwing the legitimate users.
I have to agree with you on this. I bought Phoenix Wright on a whim the other day, and I have to say this is the most fun I've had with a game in a long time. They have really done an amazing job with the localization on this one. I laughed so hard on some parts that I had to put down the game until I'd calmed myself down.
Definitely the kind of adventure game I want to see more of.
Nintendo will no doubt be thrilled to learn that they have now licenced a game that contains code from an "unofficial" emulator.
Considering how the want to prohibit even legal hardware emulation of their systems (unless they have control over it), I think Jaleco might be in a tiny bit of hot water...
Has anyone seen the Japanese television adaptation of Spiderman made in the late seventies? It has little to do with the original (the main actor was a typical Japanese "hero" type, showing none of the weaknesses of Peter Parker), but is interesting as a rare case of Japan importing American style comic heros.
I am a video game localizer for a company in Tokyo, and have often wished that something like this existed. When a game requires voiceover recording, the budget usually only allows for a few professional voice actors (professionals will charge up to $1000 for a few hours work). For this reason we often end up getting amateurs to perform smaller parts. Surprisingly, some of the amateurs do a better job than the professionals when it comes to capturing what the client wants. The reason? Because they're willing to be flexible and spend time getting everything right, unlike professionals who demand extra money for every second they run over their alloted time.
To drag this back into vaguely on-topic territory, I feel that the value some professionals put on their talent is often exaggerated, and when money becomes more important than doing a good job, something is lost.
I'm not saying the Simpsons voice actors are doing a bad job, but when I read about their money demands like this it takes something away from what makes the Simpsons special to me. I feel that the writers for the show are who make it what it is, so perhaps it is time the Simpsons moved out of Springfield, and the Sampsons moved in instead?