[HELP FOUND] Russian localizations (programming not translating)

[m0ds]

If you think you can take an AGS game, and a Russian translation file, and turn that AGS game into a Russian version (some funky stuff with fonts I presume) let me know! If you're Russian that's fine though we need to be able to communicate clearly with each other. Also a big plus if you've been here a while/have experience/credits with AGS games - but not essential. It'd be good to know you already use AGS though.

Working with you and Russian translators I'll ask you to try it with a small game first and then pay for you to adapt our commercial games into Russian versions.

Only if this is possible and someone knows how...if not oh well TBH right now I'm just interested to know if it's within someones capabilities.

Thanks for reading!

[m0ds]

Thanks for the mails folks, I'll reply individually over the weekend!

[m0ds]

Thanks for all the advice. I had a tinker and tried to follow the various ideas...

After which, for me - it's still not working, not in the slightest. I don't understand at all, it's driving me nuts. I think I'm missing something small but fundamental

I would have thought that a TRS file saved in Unicode (to preserve raw Russian language) and a Cryllic font would work together, but nope. (Think you suggested this method Stee - seems oh so simple doesn't it? But no it doesn't seem to work..)

Extract from Unicode TRS file:

Code: ags

&556 You can be living next door to a murderer who'll blow your head off for a bit of fun.
&556 Твоим Ã'Ð¾Ã'ÐµÐ´Ð¾Ð¼ можеÃ'‚ оказаÃ'‚Ã'Å'Ã'Ã' какой-нибÃ'Æ'дÃ'Å' манÃ'Å'Ã'Ðº, коÃ'‚оÃ'â,¬Ã'‹Ð¹ Ã'Ð½ÐµÃ'ÐµÃ'‚ Ã'‚ебе баÃ'ˆÐºÃ'Æ', Ã'‡Ã'‚обÃ'‹ немного Ã'â,¬ÃÂ°ÃÂ·ÃÂ²ÃÂ»ÃÂµÃ'‡Ã'Å'Ã'Ã'.

(note for angry Russians looking for answers as to why their Steam copy doesn't have Rus language yet...(!!): this is from the Akella script which I'm doing testing with)

Leaving it Unicode and it comes out as question marks in game (with cryllic font). So Unicode TRS files should to be saved as ANSI, and then all my notepads, words and writers turn the raw Russian into "?? ?? ? ?? ?? ?? ??" question marks also.

In other TRS files for Russian, the Russian is different letters, like this (below). Not replaced with ?? ?? ?'s but odd looking enough, yet this does show up in Russian when it's got a properly "mapped" font (I think? Alex_ASP thanks for your advice and demo you sent me). But all that font mapping is beyond me...

Extract from Alex's TRS file (ANSI) that seems to work with a custom "mapped" sci font (? if i understood it correctly)

Code: ags

It's another bottle but there appears to be somthing inside this one. 
Šù¸ îäíà  áóòûëêà , íî â íåé, ïîõîæå, ÷òî-òî åñòü.

Any further suggestions welcome. How can I turn my raw Russian into all those Auiaieea's seen above? How exactly does mapping a font or whatever work? Why does AGS not just read a unicode trs and spit it back out when using a cryllic font!!! Grrr!! 

This is out of my depth. Still happy to pay someone if they can make it work...

ty!

[Scavenger]

Solution:

1) Save the file as UTF-8 with Notepad. Using this one I've found gives the most faithful conversion.
2) Open Charco
3) Use UTF-8 Input and WindowsCyrillic output.

AGS doesn't read unicode as it can only read 8-bit encoded strings and Unicode is 16bit+.

[m0ds]

Ooh thanks Scavenger! Sounds simple, I will try that asap

[m0ds]

Thank you, so that step is successful. But now how do I get AGS to display the Russian characters instead of "îäíà  áóòûëêà , íî â íåé" etc?

The game uses TTF fonts, I've got a cryllic one set. It cannot use SCI fonts. Do you have a few steps on how to map a TTF font if that's what I need to do? Whatever the next step is, I can't grasp it...

ty for your help!

[Scavenger]

You've got to have a TTF font mapped to Code Page 1251. There's an example TTF font here. You'll need someone versed in a TTF editor, and it'll be a little tedious, but it's possible.

[m0ds]

Thank you Now some progress! Much appreciated

[Scavenger]

Looked it up, you can reencode TTFs really easily with FontForge. Tried it out with a couple of system fonts. Do this:

1) Download FontForge.
2) Load the TTF you want to reencode in it.
3) Encoding-->Load Encoding...-->The file in this archive (make sure you extract it).
4) Encoding-->Reencode (the top option)-->Windows1251.
4) Save the TTF as X_1251.ttf, where X is the font name.

It's not well tested, but FontForge doesn't work well with the computer I'm using.

[m0ds]

Thank you, and thanks Afterimage and Abisso for contacting me. I hope to get back to you both personally asap

Looks like this is pretty much covered for now. Thanks for your help Scavenger