Translations / Multi Language Support

It would be cool if EMP supported more languages then english. I know these translations have to be done, but I guess they WILL be done if someone is willing to do it. Personally, I'd help with a german translation.

Having multiple languages should work that way that emp automatically loads the language which steam is set at (cl_language variable :p), if the language is not present (or the language file broken) it falls back to english. However players should have the power to change their language if they wont to (by setting it in their controls or having a strat parameter like -language german).

The language files should be located in the emp folder and easily changeable. Example:

empires/languages/english/<content>
then it would contain files like
mainmenu.txt
chatmessages.txt
research.txt
commander_interface.txt

If I want to do a translation it should be easy to do; create a new folder coressponding to the steam lagunage var (languages/lulzlang would be invalid of course =P). Then you would have to copy the files from english and translate them into german...

On the coding side it should be easy to add, but it might be a bit annoying if you need to change a lot of .cpps to use the new language system..

Pros:
- "Everyone" can parcipate with translations (devs can deceide which to release with emp though)
- Foregin players (bad english speakers) have an easier time getting into the game since they understand more (or they understand the game better)
--> This might result in making the mod more popluar (german, french, russian, spanish, etc. players)

Cons:
- Probably takes a while to implent due to many code changes and
- translation process takes a while due to a huge amout of strings

-----

P.S.: I think emp would be the first mod with more than one language Never seens multi-lingual mods for some reason (and I've played quite a few), though multi-lingual server-plugins are not 'that' rare

---- EDIT 07/02/2011

Translation:

German:

Omega_K2
theotherjms (Post)
Wookie (Post
Lollum (Post)
f1r3w4rr10r (Post)

Swedish:

Zacca (Post)

Russian:

BitterJesus (Post)

Hungarian:

Predator[HUN] (Post)

Dutch:

Blizzerd (Post)

Voice:

German:

Flasche
f1r3w4rr10r (Post)

Spanish:

Grantrithor (Post)

Not too serious stuff:
http://forums.empiresmod.com/showpost.php?p=351366&postcount=34

 

I think that, nowdays when the main language spoken is, ENGLISH there isn't a need for another language?

I mean, if someone made Emp into german, people would speak german.. As ''the game is in german''.

English aint that hard to learn is it? The age of emp is about 15+

 

Not everyone is great at learning other languages, granted some are, but not every one is (simply like not everyone is great at maths or sports). Also there are some people that never learned English and can't affort to learn english or don't have the time to do it. It's hard to tell how many (espcially gamers) can speak proper english. For example I know someone who finished school and an apprenticeship, but he speaks poor english and has a hard time to understand more complex (more difficult then simple) texts.

Your point is valid, but those who can't speak english, won't do it anyway (example: Once I've been in the traning server because the other servers were empty and we had some russians in the server who kept writing and speaking russian, they did not react to anything english) . But I'd like to have some more players in empires and multiple langues is one way to get them. In addition, players might prefer playing the game in their native language rather then in English.

Anyway, to ensure "basics" remain the same, you can keep some strings in english. Classes, for example, would good to keep in english (unless they are very close to english).

Rifleman -> Schütze (If someone is talking about Schützen, you wouldn't understand them, but if we keep Rifleman, it will be clear what he is)

Command Vehicle -> Kommando Vehikel (close), or less close (and better) Kommandofahrzeug

 

This has been brought up in the past, there were people able to do it by ourselves but the devs said they don't want it.

 

Krenzo has mentioned this possibility in an interview, but he was already retired back then and just speculating. I guess the devs will have the same problem with this as with any other good idea: it takes time to implement and isn't strictly necessary, so it has a low priority.

Also, Germany has one of the biggest non-English speaking communities and in my two years I have been in exactly two rounds with enough German-speaking people so we could communicate in German. I simply don't see the necessity of a German interface when you have to be able to speak English anyway in order to understand your comm and teammates.

@Omega_K2:

Nur über meine Leiche.

 

ja, und mein Deutsch ist nicht toll
was macht ich wollen? (guessing on the grammar there)

 

I'd just start doing it yourself. I imagine it doesn't require much technical knowledge to start translating the text files.

 

Ich bin David.
Ich bin aus Schweden
Du bist ein kartoffel.

 

This is a planned feature.

 

Then I'd like to volunteer for the German translation.

 

I think it languages would be good if labs support not how many. But I for myself have translated in a folder scripts some files and all works for me with a Russian translation.

 

We need a an aussie translation.
What the fuck is a base? I've heard it many a time, I have to thoroughly explain that a base is essentially a Barbee with a few shrimps and snags.

 

Necro'd (aka 2lazy2repost)

For a 'planned feature' is takes quite some time. Simply adding support once the steam release is out wouldn't be too hard, would it?
I renember some dev saying it's mostly a matter of replacing certain functions in source code anyway.

 

I'd love this too.

 

problem is though that once you start translating stuff it will be extremely hard to help people who have problems

how to explain someone he has to select a certain option if you do not know what the russian translation translated it to?

windows is a great example, only ms has gazillions thrown at tech supprt in specific languages and we dont have that

 

Google translate. But as an example, there's a guy a few posts above, called VAMPIR. View his posts. They're converted from Russian to English a few years ago (google has since improved, as it constantly does). As you can see, the results are entertaining anyway, so it's worth it.

 

google translate will probably still translate to a sysnonim out of context

id be all for as long as we have people translate it themselves instead of bots doing it, additionally we should then also translate the tutorials in the wiki aswell otherwise these people would be betteroff installing english version