Comment by dwroberts
2 months ago
> like localization
I think you’re making a big mistake with this one. Assuming it’s being used for anything other than eg placeholder before real translation/localization.
Even decent professionally translated games get this stuff wrong sometimes and irritate their audiences, I can’t imagine how badly AI will bungle it
I think in this case the choice is between AI localization and no localization at all. If that is the case, I actually think that users will appreciate localization with minor issues over doing things in English.
Anecdotally, I have found AI translation to be perfectly acceptable for the languages that I do know, on par with a human translation service, at least. This may be different in a game with e.g. fantasy vocabulary that is made up.
As a non-English native-speaker, I strongly prefer no localization to bad localization.
Yes, but you speak English and read the Latin alphabet. You can play the game without shitty localization.
Put yourself in the shoes of some kid somewhere in the world who does neither of those things, and just wants to play a video game. If the two options are 1. imperfect translation or 2. no clue what is going on, and no ability to enjoy the game; which do you choose?
The fun part about shitty localization in games for ESL speakers is that you don't have to use it.
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