Client Localization workflow

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• Game Updates - Russia
  • Version Numeration
• Game Updates - Foreign Territories
• Text Translation
  • Source Language
  • Branch Translation
  • Links
  • Integration
    • Game Resource System
  • Repetitions
  • In-Branch Updates
  • Links
  • Excel Spreadsheet explanation

Primary language of Allods Online is Russian.

All in-game content, including texts, visuals, voiceover, promo and reference materials, is developed in Russian, with very rare exceptions.

Game Updates - Russia​

The game is updated on a regular basis, and new content must be localized for each territory in order to deploy the version. Each territory forms its own updating schedule.

In Russia, updates to the game are usually released within the following timeframe (according to past experience and future plans):

• Large content updates, which add new zones, game mechanics and/or classes, are released once in 6-12 months.
• Regular content updates, which introduce several major features as well as improvements to existing content, are released once in a month, sometimes once in two months.
• Hotfixes to the game are released weekly. They aim to fix errors and enable certain in-game events at a specific day and time.

For testing purposes, Mail.ru can build a version with incomplete localization, in this case newly added strings can remain in Russian.

Version Numeration​

Versions are numerated in the following way, for example 3.0.02.21:

• First index ("3") is changed only when a large content update is released, once in 6-12 months.
• Second index ("0") is reserved for technical purposes.
• Third index ("02") is changed with each monthly update.
• Fourth index ("21") is a version number.

You will often see that number up to the third index is referred to as a "branch", for example: "branch 2.0.08", "branch 3.0.02", "branch 4.0.00". "Branch" stands for a named version with locked functionality, as opposed to "trunk" version into which developers add new features constantly. You can read more on the subject here:

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Changes to the fourth index indicate that developers have modified source codes and/or data and the game has been fully rebuilt (including server and client). Number up to the fourth index is often referred as simply "version". Server and client must be of the same version, otherwise the client will fail to connect.

You may also see an additional fifth index occasionally, such as 3.0.02.21.2 - it stands for localization update. Changes to the fifth index indicate that the game was not rebuilt fully, only certain localizable resources were modified (most likely texts). Game client can connect to the server even if their fifth indexes do not match (but only with GM binaries).

You can always find the official list of updates released in Russia here:

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(this is a webpage hosted on Mail.Ru site and displayed in the game launcher).

Game Updates - Foreign Territories​

On foreign territories, updating schedule is different. Due to a significant amount of text to translate for every branch, it can be hard to update to a new branch monthly, as it takes up to several weeks to localize the strings related to the new content and features. Besides, testing and stabilizing a new branch often require additional time. This is why branches with odd numbers (2.0.09, 3.0.01 etc.) are usually not adapted for foreign territories. Instead, branches with even numbers (2.0.08, 3.0.00, 3.0.02 etc.) which incorporate all previous content are normally released once in two months.

It is up to local producers and Mail.Ru territorial managers to decide which branch is released next, and in which timeframe it should be localized, built and tested.

New versions for already released branches are released for foreign territories in order to fix critical issues. Sometimes they require additional translation.

Text Translation​

Source Language​

Mail.Ru translates in-game text of even branches from Russian into English. It is provided to all territories in a form of Excel file which contains:

• "English base" translation (EnBase) (it is further adapted for the US, UK and Philippines by respective publishers).
• Russian source (Ru).
• Status of each line, allowing to determine if you should translate this line or use the translation done earlier.

Feel free to use either English or Russian as a source for your translation. Although we are translating in parallel with the general preparation of the branch, sometimes Russian is available a few days earlier than English. Please contact the localization manager if you are aiming to receive Russian texts as soon as possible.

Keep in mind the following points when choosing the source language:

• Russian text is free from translation errors.
• English text contains random translation errors, but special translation fixes are released to address them.
• Russian text of a new branch can be received prior to English.
• Sometimes English text is more consistent than Russian, with clearer game mechanics explanations and concise wording.
• Russian is changed actively from one branch to another, as writers and editors tend to fix and improve texts constantly. Not all of these improvements must be applied to translation. For example, fixing a single typo in Russian is irrelevant to translation, but this small fix may result in a line worth of 100+ words being marked as "modified", and this line cannot be easily distinguished from other changes. Usually it leads to 10-50% higher word count of Russian "modified" lines, so you can expect higher costs and longer time horizons if you translate from Russian. It is a small issue if you have Russian in-house translator available, or if your translation agency offers a special rate for editing existing text in order to align it with the changed source.
• If you do not have a Russian in-house translator available, you might need help of translation agency even for small updates, which may be not so time- and money-efficient. For small updates (hotfixes within a branch) you can opt to use English as a source (as it is always provided by Mail.ru), but in this case you will encounter a problem of aligning your terminology, wording and style with English instead of Russian.
• All documentation on this wiki is in English, and the terms used are taken from English base translation.
• Depending on target language, agency's translators from English may be more proficient, because not many games are translated from Russian directly into other languages apart from English.

Branch Translation​

Source text for even-numbered branches is usually provided to all territories once the branch goes live in Russia - in other words, when all related Russian texts are polished enough to be given out to players.

This delivery is the largest batch of text to be translated for a given branch. Added lines may constitute up to 20-60 thousand words. For modified lines, word count is about the same, but these lines usually require editing rather than translation.

 

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Links​

All texts, including small updates are permanently stored on Mail.ru FTP: /Pub/Localization/Ingame_text

Mail.ru localization manager sends out email notifications, as soon as the new texts arrive. Number of a branch they are intended for is always mentioned.

Integration​

Game Resource System​

Repetitions​

Note that 20-40% of the new lines of a branch usually match in content. It is a good idea to process duplicate lines in one way or another, in order to avoid unnecessary work.

There are various ways to do so:

• via Excel formulae: sort the spreadsheet by source column and compare each pair of consequent lines (using EXACT formula). For subsequent lines matching in content, only the first one should be translated. Translation for the rest can be retrieved later using VLOOKUP formula.
• via Excel macro (VBA script): the "sort&compare" method described above can be automated by using Excel VBA script.
• via CAT system: you can use Trados, Deja Vu, SDLX, Wordfast or MemoQ software to prevent repeating sentences from being translated twice.
• via translation agency: you can also entrust your agency with this job. Most agencies offer up to 90% discount for repetitions. Trados statistics is usually used to count the repetitions in the source text.

Whichever method you are using, please bear in mind that translation retrieved automatically requires careful proofreading, keeping the context in mind. This is especially true for shorter lines and homonym words, such as "character" or "chest".

In-Branch Updates​

Branch text is the largest batch that needs localization, but there are also smaller text updates within a branch lifetime which require translation and integration. They are intended for a specific branch only (branch number is stated in the email). If a branch is in the works (live or being prepared for launch), please integrate all localization updates you receive before delivering your translation to Mail.ru.

Localization updates are sent out by email, in form of Excel files containing Russian and English source. There is no status column (as there are no "unused" strings there), instead one file contains added lines and another has the changed ones.

"Added" lines must be appended to your current Excel file with complete localization. Lines that changed must be modified accordingly in your translation.

Reasons for releasing in-branch updates are as follows:

• After a branch goes live in Russia, it receives several updates (usually 4-5) to fix emergency issues. When the last hotfix for a given branch is released, this branch is considered "locked" (no further modification are planned for Russia). Localization manager gathers all added and modified strings, translate them and send to foreign territories, because these updates will be incorporated into the subsequent versions.
• As soon as new features specific to foreign territories are merged into the branch, corresponding texts are sent out.
• Emergency fixes sometimes require text modification.

Links​

Excel Spreadsheet explanation​

Overview
Localization of a game as large as Allods Online is usually performed in several steps. Some steps are repeated iteratively, as the game receives new content updates. Such updates (new [Versions]) are usually released once per several weeks.
Pre-launch localization procedures:

Translation of the texts added in the new version (new quests, NPC names etc.) and adapting the texts that changed from the previous version (ability descriptions, fixed errors etc.). Mechanisms for translating and integrating the texts are described on the

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page. Usually this is the most time-consuming step, so you might want to prioritize and translate the most sensitive lines to test them comprehensively. You can use the

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to determine which lines are most important for (usually it is worth pay special attention to *Itemmall category, as it affects game monetization) and find them in the localization document (XLSX) using filters. Visit the

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page to for better understanding of the game mechanics.

• Translation of the new/added textures. Note that textures do not change as often as texts. Please visit
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  page for detailed information.
• Translation of the new/added voices. Again, voiceover usually does not change too often. Visit
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  page for more details.
• Game launcher translation. Please visit
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  page for more information.
• Setting up your local [Item Shop] assortment and prices.
• Setting up [Strongbox] contents, scheduling Strongbox lotteries and other events.

All changes related to localization should be accompanied with a comprehensive testing.