Posted February 13, 2018
What do you think about the localization of Gothic 2 and its add-on Night of the Raven into English?
I am writing a thesis on the localization of Gothic 2 and would like to hear the opinion of some native speakers on this subject.
I am not a native speaker of English myself nor am I resident in a country where English is an official language. So I figured it'd be best to ask people who are intimately familiar with the language for their opinion, especially when it comes to the finer nuances of spoken language and the feeling that is conveyed. This way, I might also learn of aspects or issues with the localization that I, not being a native speaker, wouldn't have thought of myself.
In particular, I am interested in how the localization is received by people in the US. Of course, I will also be happy to hear your opinion if you are not from the US.
So, what do I actually want to know when I say "localization"?
Well, one aspect I'm very much interested in is language:
What's your opinion on things like syntax, spelling, choice of words, cohesion and coherence?
Is the writing engaging or lackluster? Are stylistic devices like metaphors, proverbs, similes employed to achieve the effect you believe is desired?
What about humor? Do you think there are parts that are unintentionally funny? Are there parts that are supposed to be funny but aren't really? Are there things that make you laugh or chuckle? Maybe, the game does a great job at presenting its humor? Or maybe you think there is no humor at all?
What about profanity and swearing in the game? Is it justified given the setting? Is it gratuitous? Is it too little and/or too tame?
What's your opinion on the voice acting?
Does what is being said make sense? Does it sound natural? Does it fit the situation?
What about intonation and stress? Do the voices fit their characters in game? What's your opinion on the accent or idiosyncrasies in the speech of in-game characters?
What's your opinion on the subtitles?
Do you use them? Are they helpful? Does it matter that (AFAIK) voices and subtitles can only be in the same language, i.e. you can't combine German voices with English subtitles (without mods or tampering with the game files)?
Other aspects include:
Depiction of violence, gambling, sexuality, drug use and behavior displayed by characters in the game.
Do characters in Gothic 2 act in a believable way? Are they presented as holding different or the same values as those that apply in the society you live in? Do you think someone might take offense at the game?
How "exotic" do you find the game? Think for example of clothes, armor, food, weapons, architecture, vegetation, tools, and wildlife - or the culture shown in the game (crafts, religion, history, behavior, music, and so on).
The above is not an exhaustive list of aspects that can be subsumed under the term localization, but I hope it gives you an idea of what I am looking for. You don't need to write about every aspect listed and you are also free to write about aspects that aren't mentioned above.
If you have played both the English and the German version, or any two versions, of the game, what does the English version do better or worse than the other version(s)?
How strongly does the quality of the localization impact your enjoyment of this particular game, or games in general?
Thank you very much for your replies!
As a general rule, I assume that by replying to this post you give me permission to quote your statement or parts of it in my thesis. If you do not want me to quote your reply or parts of it, or do not want your username to appear in my thesis, please let me know and I will respect your wish.
If you write your opinion on the localization, I'd very much appreciate it if you could include some or all of the following information in your post (descending degree of relevance to me):
- Your variety of English (the more precise the better, but does not have to be super precise, i.e. "US American English" or "British English" is sufficient, but you can also be as specific as "Boston English" or "Yorkshire English")
- Your current residence (national level is sufficient, e.g. "USA", "Australia" - as above you can be more specific if you want)
- Your video game preferences (genres, platforms, favorite titels, etc.)
- Your approximate age (e.g. younger than 18, 10-20, 50-60; decide for yourself how exact you want to be)
- Your gender
I am writing a thesis on the localization of Gothic 2 and would like to hear the opinion of some native speakers on this subject.
I am not a native speaker of English myself nor am I resident in a country where English is an official language. So I figured it'd be best to ask people who are intimately familiar with the language for their opinion, especially when it comes to the finer nuances of spoken language and the feeling that is conveyed. This way, I might also learn of aspects or issues with the localization that I, not being a native speaker, wouldn't have thought of myself.
In particular, I am interested in how the localization is received by people in the US. Of course, I will also be happy to hear your opinion if you are not from the US.
So, what do I actually want to know when I say "localization"?
Well, one aspect I'm very much interested in is language:
What's your opinion on things like syntax, spelling, choice of words, cohesion and coherence?
Is the writing engaging or lackluster? Are stylistic devices like metaphors, proverbs, similes employed to achieve the effect you believe is desired?
What about humor? Do you think there are parts that are unintentionally funny? Are there parts that are supposed to be funny but aren't really? Are there things that make you laugh or chuckle? Maybe, the game does a great job at presenting its humor? Or maybe you think there is no humor at all?
What about profanity and swearing in the game? Is it justified given the setting? Is it gratuitous? Is it too little and/or too tame?
What's your opinion on the voice acting?
Does what is being said make sense? Does it sound natural? Does it fit the situation?
What about intonation and stress? Do the voices fit their characters in game? What's your opinion on the accent or idiosyncrasies in the speech of in-game characters?
What's your opinion on the subtitles?
Do you use them? Are they helpful? Does it matter that (AFAIK) voices and subtitles can only be in the same language, i.e. you can't combine German voices with English subtitles (without mods or tampering with the game files)?
Other aspects include:
Depiction of violence, gambling, sexuality, drug use and behavior displayed by characters in the game.
Do characters in Gothic 2 act in a believable way? Are they presented as holding different or the same values as those that apply in the society you live in? Do you think someone might take offense at the game?
How "exotic" do you find the game? Think for example of clothes, armor, food, weapons, architecture, vegetation, tools, and wildlife - or the culture shown in the game (crafts, religion, history, behavior, music, and so on).
The above is not an exhaustive list of aspects that can be subsumed under the term localization, but I hope it gives you an idea of what I am looking for. You don't need to write about every aspect listed and you are also free to write about aspects that aren't mentioned above.
If you have played both the English and the German version, or any two versions, of the game, what does the English version do better or worse than the other version(s)?
How strongly does the quality of the localization impact your enjoyment of this particular game, or games in general?
Thank you very much for your replies!
As a general rule, I assume that by replying to this post you give me permission to quote your statement or parts of it in my thesis. If you do not want me to quote your reply or parts of it, or do not want your username to appear in my thesis, please let me know and I will respect your wish.
If you write your opinion on the localization, I'd very much appreciate it if you could include some or all of the following information in your post (descending degree of relevance to me):
- Your variety of English (the more precise the better, but does not have to be super precise, i.e. "US American English" or "British English" is sufficient, but you can also be as specific as "Boston English" or "Yorkshire English")
- Your current residence (national level is sufficient, e.g. "USA", "Australia" - as above you can be more specific if you want)
- Your video game preferences (genres, platforms, favorite titels, etc.)
- Your approximate age (e.g. younger than 18, 10-20, 50-60; decide for yourself how exact you want to be)
- Your gender