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Translators needed

Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 7:19 am
by Maugrim_The_Reaper
A php game I work on needs approx. 10 HTML templates translated into various languages. The game itself is open source ( http://sf.net/project/quantumstar ). Any takers - drop me a PM or reply here. The templates will be downloadable from tomorrow - so I'll post a link for those who like to do something before committing it...;)

Thanks.

Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 8:21 am
by elecktricity
Well a nice free site is
http://www.freetranslation.com/
it's not always 100% accurate when translating full paragraphs but it works good enough for me.

Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 8:50 am
by foobar

Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 9:12 am
by Roja
elecktricity wrote:it's not always 100% accurate when translating full paragraphs but it works good enough for me.
When working on online games, its important to note that terms like "Warp engine", "Dagger of death +5", and even "Planetoid explodes in your face" are nearly impossible to machine translate into anything *remotely* resembling their original meaning.

Thats why we ask for translators. It makes the game less "What the hell do they mean by Twisted Engine", and more "Wow, even in spanish, I can show you why you shouldn't mess with my Razorback class ship!".

Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 9:27 am
by foobar
I'm interested, a little community service won't hurt. ;)

I can translate from English to Polish, German, and French (the latter not very well).

Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 10:16 am
by Maugrim_The_Reaper
Maybe I should have specified "From English"...;)

In something like a php game where you may wind up with a community of Polish or other users, you really want 100% accuracy in the translation. If grammatical errors suck in English, you can bet Pols feel the same way about their language...

It's pretty light work by the way - these aren't mega page long tracts of text...

I prefer people with a near native feel for the language (no offence). Small errors have a way of biting you in the ass when it comes to translations... Something even big companies fall afoul of...;) http://www.learnenglish.de/Level1/Extra ... stakes.htm

Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 10:23 am
by elecktricity
haha funny site...
Pepsi

Not to be outdone by Coke when Pepsi started a marketing campaign in Taiwan, the translation of the Pepsi slogan "Come Alive with the Pepsi Generation" came out as "Pepsi will bring your ancestors back from the dead."
Tesco On Tesco's Tiramisu dessert (printed on bottom of the box) - DO NOT TURN UPSIDE DOWN.

Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 11:21 am
by foobar
Maugrim_The_Reaper wrote:Maybe I should have specified "From English"...;)

In something like a php game where you may wind up with a community of Polish or other users, you really want 100% accuracy in the translation. If grammatical errors suck in English, you can bet Pols feel the same way about their language...

It's pretty light work by the way - these aren't mega page long tracts of text...

I prefer people with a near native feel for the language (no offence). Small errors have a way of biting you in the ass when it comes to translations... Something even big companies fall afoul of...;) http://www.learnenglish.de/Level1/Extra ... stakes.htm
:)

Let me set the record straight:

-I am a native Pole; ie. my parents are both Polish, and I speak the language fluently.
-My German is perfect, as I was born in Germany, grew up, and live here.
-I learned English at the age of 5 (reached fluency then, although I started when I was 3), and have attended a school that teaches exclusively in English (except for language classes, of course).
-As to my French, well, it's not that great. I started learning it at the age of 11 - the first few years were of very low standard, since most students didn't give a hoot - and I managed to earn myself a 7 in IB French B Standard Level (IB being the International Baccalaureate).

Cheers,

Tom

Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 11:30 am
by Maugrim_The_Reaper
Then ye be perfect, me matie...;)

So that's for definite:

Polish
German

I think I can organise Czech.

Anyone with another language to add?

Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 12:11 pm
by Roja
Maugrim_The_Reaper wrote:It's pretty light work by the way - these aren't mega page long tracts of text...
Pout.

I resemble that remark.. The latest version of BlackNova Traders has 1200+ lines of text for translators.

We just have a lot of text.

Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 2:29 pm
by foobar
Roja wrote: I resemble that remark.
Don't you mean "resent"?





Sorry for being a pretentious ass and correcting your post.

Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 5:16 pm
by Nathaniel
foobar wrote:
Roja wrote: I resemble that remark.
Don't you mean "resent"?
Resemble is a play on "resent" in that statement. Instead of resenting the remark, you resemble it - it applies to you.

Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 5:40 pm
by Charles256
hence the joke:)

Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 5:58 pm
by Maugrim_The_Reaper
We're starting small on QS - for the moment its just the installer I'm finishing up on. The main game page templates have yet to be added (lot more work to go before our Christmas Beta).

Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2005 11:12 pm
by ryanlwh
need Chinese (more of Hong Kong style Chinese tho)?