ROM Hack [Project] The Great Ace Attorney (Dai Gyakuten Saiban) Fan Translation

[Uwabami]

Without any intention of disrespect, then I must ask, what part of your script does include localization?

I get the rationale of keeping the names intact because half are english and the setting becomes London after a while, but to what extent is this a localization, then?

This has been addressed in detail before in this thread, but the gist of it is:

Translation of longer texts at some point always ends up as a Localization, as puns, proverbs or certain pop-cultural references would not be understood by an audience outside the country of origin.

Your flag suggests your first language is probably not English, so you should be able to think of a few examples that you'd have trouble translating to English verbatim, right? It's even worse with Japanese.

Having several years of experience doing many different forms from scientific translations (super exact, MANY footnotes) to (for fun) a complete re-location of the story, I can tell you there is no clear line between a perfect 1:1 translation (which people would hate, believe me - you'd have to read tons of translation notes) and a complete re-location. There's only shades of grey.

We decided that relocation and white-washing would not work with this game and we have discussed this at length and gave good reasons for that. It's a case-by-case decision of what we believe will be understood by everyone and what we have to change to make it work. There are certain aspects of this game for which we're still undecided on how to handle them, as we are commited to do the source material justice (pun intended) but still want people to enjoy a fluent, natural sounding dialogue.

I'm sure you will enjoy the result of our hard work, you saw a "demo" with rough translations that we haven't finalized yet already.

 

[Nin]

Are you still accepting applications for the team? I have sent you an email with my application, as I would love to help <3

 

[MattieBoy4]

First off, thank you so much for doing this guys! I was beyond disappointed when Capcom decided not to bring this over.

That said, there is something I am curious about. This games has anime cutscenes and several bits of voice acting. Will you be dubbing these bits? Or will it just be subbed?

 

[onepiecefreak]

I would assume, they only sub it.

 

[sdtg34520]

First off, thank you so much for doing this guys! I was beyond disappointed when Capcom decided not to bring this over.

That said, there is something I am curious about. This games has anime cutscenes and several bits of voice acting. Will you be dubbing these bits? Or will it just be subbed?

No, these will only be subbed.

 

[Deleted User]

I have two things.

1. You're not going to include all that -kun/-sama/-san stuff, right? That's the biggest thing that bugs me in the Persona series, and many localizations that do that.
2. Why don't you make two versions? A translated names one, and a localized names one? Why do you automatically assume one of those is better than the other. Not saying you have to make the first case take place in America; have one be Naruhodou, and one be Raito, it's not that hard, you say "white washing" but it's not. It's something fans like, and enjoy about the series. Each has it's own personality, yet you selfishly assuming that what you do is "best". That's incredibly ignorant to the fans and shows just how self centered you are.

 

[sdtg34520]

I have two things.

1. You're not going to include all that -kun/-sama/-san stuff, right? That's the biggest thing that bugs me in the Persona series, and many localizations that do that.
2. Why don't you make two versions? A translated names one, and a localized names one? Why do you automatically assume one of those is better than the other. Not saying you have to make the first case take place in America; have one be Naruhodou, and one be Raito, it's not that hard, you say "white washing" but it's not. It's something fans like, and enjoy about the series. Each has it's own personality, yet you selfishly assuming that what you do is "best". That's incredibly ignorant to the fans and shows just how self centered you are.

It's a Japanese game.
Set in Imperial Japan.
Why would they have American names?

And no, honorifics are not kept.

 

[Spikey]

It's a Japanese game.
Set in Imperial Japan.
Why would they have American names?

And no, honorifics are not kept.

Having the honorifics would make sense in the first episode, since they're speaking Japanese during that case. However, as I'm to understand, in episodes 2-5, it's meant that the characters are all actually speaking in English, so omitting them from then on would make sense. Just a thought, anyways.

 

[Uwabami]

I have two things.

1. You're not going to include all that -kun/-sama/-san stuff, right? That's the biggest thing that bugs me in the Persona series, and many localizations that do that.
2. Why don't you make two versions? A translated names one, and a localized names one? Why do you automatically assume one of those is better than the other. Not saying you have to make the first case take place in America; have one be Naruhodou, and one be Raito, it's not that hard, you say "white washing" but it's not. It's something fans like, and enjoy about the series. Each has it's own personality, yet you selfishly assuming that what you do is "best". That's incredibly ignorant to the fans and shows just how self centered you are.

Yes, I'm completely self-centered for helping to translate a game I can already play for people who unlike me don't speak Japanese. I'm such an asshole.

Again: the game is COMPLETELY unrelated to the main series. You can start complaining about the FREE WORK we are doing once you have actually played it.

You are not paying us. How come you have such an attitude? If you piss us off enough, you get nothing at all.

People like you (who by the way do nothing and only complain) are the problem in this community, not us.

 

[Dasanko]

You are not paying us. How come you have such an attitude?

The one accusing others of being self-centered is being self-entitled. What a surprise.

 

[sdtg34520]

-deleted-

 

[Uwabami]

How about you all calm the hell down and stop with the ad-hominem arguments?
Yes, we are not being paid. However, we will glady take polite criticism and suggestion.
If you want to suggest something to the team, do it kindly, and we should always be replying as such.

(non team opinions here)
Honorifics are useless to Western readers, and I also believe that having multiple patches over something as silly as names is incredibly time-wasting and confusing. It's set in Imperial Japan, their names should damn well be Japanese.

I never said we're not open to suggestions, but they never seem to come in a polite way from people like that. And usually, they don't know the first thing about the game.

Imagine treating someone to some chocolate ice cream and them throwing it back into your face because they wanted vanilla.

 

[Feroz El Mejor]

I have found something interesting:
https://twitter.com/Capcom_UK/status/784433035211046912

Hear the background music, maybe is a hint... (Remember that they said that Ace Attorney fans on the west are going to have good news late this year...) *And yes, I didn't found that, but I'm pretty sure to have hear it from CAPCOM in summer.*

 

[Deleted User]

Damn right I'm self entitled, as least I admit it, you don't even admit your selfishness

 

[Uwabami]

Damn right I'm self entitled, as least I admit it, you don't even admit your selfishness

Please explain to me again how helping translate a game *I* can already play, for the benefit of others is selfish...

 

[brigcaster]

Please explain to me again how helping translate a game *I* can already play, for the benefit of others is selfish...

Kinda off-topic, but may I ask how did you learn Japanese? My inability to play DGS annoys me to the n-th degree.

 

[onepiecefreak]

Pls, can you just heat off? @Uwabami isn't selfish. And @Blizdi you could at least put your thought more polite. What you said sound very disrespectful. Just my opinion, but stop this offtopic, nonsense talk about selfishness.

 

[Uwabami]

Kinda off-topic, but may I ask how did you learn Japanese? My inability to play DGS annoys me to the n-th degree.

Japanese Studies at Uni. If you're serious about learning, the Genki books are pretty good for beginners...

Pls, can you just heat off? @Uwabami isn't selfish. And @Blizdi you could at least put your thought more polite. What you said sound very disrespectful. Just my opinion, but stop this offtopic, nonsense talk about selfishness.

I'm just irritated by entitled people who haven't even played the game and know nothing about it. No established character from the other games appears and there are very few references to the main series. Like the director said, it's a new take on the concept.
We didn't decide that way to spite anyone, we (people who have actually played the game!) just don't see any way to do it. If people could wait and see what we're doing instead of judging work that's not even finished yet, there'd be no bad blood.

So please, please just wait for our work to be finished until you judge it. We're fans, too and we know what we're doing.

 

[Barawer]

We all appreciate your work and cant thank you enough for the work you are doing.
We are excited to be able play the game, and we completely trust your judgement.
Keep up the good work, not all of us are like Blizdi.

 

[DeiStar]

If Capcom announced they were going to localize this game, would you shut down the whole project?