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Submission Type

Paper

Start Date/Time (EDT)

18-7-2024 3:30 PM

End Date/Time (EDT)

18-7-2024 4:30 PM

Location

Hypertexts & Fictions

Abstract

The video game industry is experiencing consistent and robust expansion, and video game localization is receiving increasing academic attention as a greater number of games from diverse national backgrounds enter the global market. Going beyond translation of the linguistic level, game localization is a multifaceted process that involves the adaption of cultural references and values to fit the target players' cultural context, as well as technical and legal elements (Bernal, 2006). It is quite complex as it involves multiple actors and produces multidimensional and multimodal products (O'Hagan & Mangiron, 2013). Differing from translation, localization involves adapting a product from the business standpoint of game production and distribution, a process that necessitates a deep understanding of the industry's operations (Bernal, 2018).

This project proposes the use of Twine, an open-source tool for telling interactive, nonlinear stories, as a medium to explore and analyze the process of game localization. In this Twine-based game, players are immersed in the role as a game localization project manager, where they navigate a complex array of decision-making branches that simulate the localization process. The game is designed for two objectives: First, it aims to reveal the shifts in characterization and narratives that stem from localization. Second, it endeavors to employ Actor-Network Theory (ANT) as a lens to analyze the interconnected web of the localization industry, highlighting the significance of each actor, from text and tools to translators, in influencing the end product. Twine's hyperlinked structure and interactive capabilities enables a more nuanced analysis and understanding of the localization network.

Reference

Bernal-Merino, M. Á. (2006). On the translation of video games. The Journal of Specialised Translation, 6, 22-36.

Bernal-Merino, M. Á. (2018). Creativity and playability in the localisation of video games. JIAL: The Journal of Internationalisation and Localisation, 5 (1), 101-137.

O'Hagan, M. and Mangiron, C. (2013). Game Localization: Translating for the global digital entertainment industry. Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing.

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Jul 18th, 3:30 PM Jul 18th, 4:30 PM

Exploring Game Localization Through Interactive Narratives in Twine

Hypertexts & Fictions

The video game industry is experiencing consistent and robust expansion, and video game localization is receiving increasing academic attention as a greater number of games from diverse national backgrounds enter the global market. Going beyond translation of the linguistic level, game localization is a multifaceted process that involves the adaption of cultural references and values to fit the target players' cultural context, as well as technical and legal elements (Bernal, 2006). It is quite complex as it involves multiple actors and produces multidimensional and multimodal products (O'Hagan & Mangiron, 2013). Differing from translation, localization involves adapting a product from the business standpoint of game production and distribution, a process that necessitates a deep understanding of the industry's operations (Bernal, 2018).

This project proposes the use of Twine, an open-source tool for telling interactive, nonlinear stories, as a medium to explore and analyze the process of game localization. In this Twine-based game, players are immersed in the role as a game localization project manager, where they navigate a complex array of decision-making branches that simulate the localization process. The game is designed for two objectives: First, it aims to reveal the shifts in characterization and narratives that stem from localization. Second, it endeavors to employ Actor-Network Theory (ANT) as a lens to analyze the interconnected web of the localization industry, highlighting the significance of each actor, from text and tools to translators, in influencing the end product. Twine's hyperlinked structure and interactive capabilities enables a more nuanced analysis and understanding of the localization network.

Reference

Bernal-Merino, M. Á. (2006). On the translation of video games. The Journal of Specialised Translation, 6, 22-36.

Bernal-Merino, M. Á. (2018). Creativity and playability in the localisation of video games. JIAL: The Journal of Internationalisation and Localisation, 5 (1), 101-137.

O'Hagan, M. and Mangiron, C. (2013). Game Localization: Translating for the global digital entertainment industry. Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing.