Theory and Practice of Games
Localisation: Academic Training vs
Professional Reality in Spain and the
United Kingdom
International Conference on Translation and
Accessibility in Video Games and Virtual Worlds
Roehampton University. London, 9th June, 2012
Jennifer Vela Valido
[email protected]
Curri Barceló Ávila
[email protected]
Overview
1. PROFESSIONAL REALITY
2. ACADEMIC TRAINING
o Academic training in Spain
o Academic training in the UK
o Spain vs UK
o Academic profile
3. RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS
1. Professional Reality
“The games industry creates more
benefits than the movie industry
in the UK and US markets alone,
an industry that brings people out
from cinemas and television and
sits them with their controllers to
play during hours instead.”
(Chatfield, Tom. 2009)
Games industry market
• 31.6 billion dollars annually
• 91.98 billion dollars by 2015
• Around 30-50% to world market
(Chandler, 2012)
Potential markets
South-Eastern Asia
Eastern Europe
Latin America
Middle East
“Selling a videogame in an
international market can prove
huge benefits for its creator”
(Diana Díaz Montón, 2006)
• Publishers find ways to maximise the
sales abroad by creating localised
versions of their games.
• There is still some lack of knowledge
about how to make the localisation
process more efficient and smooth,
yet keeping high quality standards
and within budget.
• Fast pace industry → Try and Error
Some ignorance of how the industry
really works.
• Joined in 2005
• Requirements: BA in Translation and
Interpreting (or equivalent) and fond of
games
• Good eye for detail
• Good communication skills
• Excellent command of their native
language and good knowledge of English
Tester’s Training within the company
• One-week training.
• Explanation of tools to use (bug-tracking).
• Reading 70-some pages documents about
Games industry, Games glossary and
Company guidelines.
Ready, steady... You are now a tester...
Tester’s Learning within the company
• Enter bugs (accurately).
• Spending hours playing the same (repetitive
tasks)
• Use of bug tracking tools (TestTrackPro)
• Format Holders Standards
• Gaming skills to finish as quick as possible
• Games terminology

3-4 months to reach the required level
Shorten the training process.

Adding this knoledge at university level
2. Academic training
Academic training in Spain
Academic training in UK
Spain vs UK
Academic profile
3. Recommendations and
Conclusions
Academic profile
Professional profile
Recommended
✓
Use of CAT, l18n and TM tools
✗
Proficiency in source and target languages
✓
Subtitling and Screen Translation
✗
✓
Domain of oral language, jargon, informal
style…
✗
✓
Reduction and condensation
✗
✓
Basic IT knowledge
✓
✓
Knowledge of specific terminology
✓
✓
✓/✗
✓
Creativity &Transcreation
✓
Academic profile
✗
✗
Professional profile
QA and testing
Use of bug tracking tools
Required
✓
✓
✗
Video game PM
✓
✓/✗
Format Holders Standards
✓
✗
Gaming skills
✓
✗
Repetitive tasks
✓
Theory and Practice of Games Localisation:
Academic Training vs Professional Reality in
Spain and the United Kingdom
Thank you!
Jennifer Vela Valido
@ligeis
[email protected]
Curri Barceló Ávila
@Currixan
[email protected]