AGS translations

[WHAM]

If the developer of the game is unable to or unwilling to update and maintain his game, that is his decision. If he doesn't answer e-mails or doesn't use the e-mail anymore and has not updated this information, then he has not given a permission to alter OR improve his creation, thus it should not be done.

If you really want to improve or translate his game, you will keep dilligently bombarding him, or any developer, with e-mail and other communication until you get a response or accept the fact that there will not be one.

I understand that it seems a bit cold and unforgiving, but if you can't be sure the original developer accepts what you are doing, you are basically going against their will by default.

Ultimate bottom line and my last word about the matter: if you do not have explicit permission, then you should NOT do it! If the developer does not give permission, then he loses potential players, but this is a tradeoff I believe many developers are willing to take.

[RoliX]

If the developer of the game is unable to or unwilling to update and maintain his game, that is his decision. If he doesn't answer e-mails or doesn't use the e-mail anymore and has not updated this information, then he has not given a permission to alter OR improve his creation, thus it should not be done.

If you really want to improve or translate his game, you will keep dilligently bombarding him, or any developer, with e-mail and other communication until you get a response or accept the fact that there will not be one.

I understand that it seems a bit cold and unforgiving, but if you can't be sure the original developer accepts what you are doing, you are basically going against their will by default.

Ultimate bottom line and my last word about the matter: if you do not have explicit permission, then you should NOT do it! If the developer does not give permission, then he loses potential players, but this is a tradeoff I believe many developers are willing to take.

You are a lawyer, or something like this?
You sounds like a politician, always act by following the "paragraphs" 10000% and do not care about what is good for the massive amount of people.

Many great COMMERCIAL adventure games don't really lock their translation files. Officially they don't support amateur translations, of course... But also don't really fight against translations It's good for the business: more people buy telltale games, for example, if there is some kind of translation available in a particular country.
I'm really surprised that we talk about free games here, what you made with a FREE TOOL, and some of you fight till bleed against unnofficial translations :/
You just give +1 reason to many people why play new fancy games(unnoficially translated, ofc) instead of AGS games...

Edit: Kweepa's idea should be acceptable for everyone. I'm sure that in the past, most of game authors wouldn't have chosen the "locked translation" deliberately, if they had had the oppurtunity to choose. But there is still a chance to make the future easier. Much easier for authors, they don't have to maintain their games for 10-15 years or more... Translators could do all the work alone.

About this: "If the developer of the game is unable or unwilling to update and maintain his game, that is his decision. "

No, I think this is not a "decision". Things are not so easy and "black and white" that you might think. Considering that we are talking about free games, there is far more chance that the author is not against translations. Although, if we cannot ask the particular author, we can not be 100% sure that he would agree. But if he don't care about his games anymore, then why would he care about its translations?
And what if he accidentaly lost his resources? Or just didn't think that somebody wants to translate his game in the future, and didn't care to save their resources when reinstalled his os, or changed computer... In these situations, the author didn't make any decision about translatings, just lost his own game.

[WHAM]

If the author loses his game and does not have backups, then that is the author's problem, end of that line of argument right there.

And no matter how much you argue how "FREE games created with a FREE tool" should be far less of a problem than, say, a commercial game, the fact is that even if the developer tool is free and the game is playable for free, its creation was not "free". The author makes a huge personal investment of time and effort to create a game, and no one should have the right to alter that creation in any way without the original authors consent.

The translations should remain locked and the original author's consent should be required by default. A way to unlock your game to translations in AGS would not be a bad thing, even in this thread some have shown they would gladly allow free translating of their games, but this should not be the default.

To me, translations are welcome in my games, but I will definitely want to know what translations are being made, and would want to hear from the translator during the creation process of the translation, as well as be able to check the translation on my side before releasing it.

Every translation I release for my games I read through using google translate or similiar tool, and if I see something striking me as odd, I will contact the translator and ask for explanation first and only then release the translation.

[RoliX]

Edit: Nevermind... Whatever I say, won't help foreign nations to play abandoned games... Probably some people should learn some attitude from open source associations. Not to make all games open source, but to don't be paranoid.

[ddq]

No one is entitled to being able to play a game. A game is an artistic effort on the part of the author, who should have creative control over its release. You're using the same arguments as piracy advocates that if a game isn't released in their region legitimately, they are entitled to it anyway and can illegally download it with a clean conscience. Games are entertainment and luxuries, not commodities.

And anyway, you're wasting your time on Yahtzee. In case you hadn't noticed, he's kind of an asshole and I doubt he cares at all about having his several-year-old games translated anymore. I am impressed that you have managed to out-asshole Yahtzee with your insane troll logic, though, so props.

[RoliX]

"No one is entitled to being able to play a game."

Since we are talking about free games, everybody is entitled to play those games for free. Just many people don't speak english and can't play the game, even though they are "entitled".
But call me a troll, if you feel better...

I decided to give up arguing though... Waste of time. At least I hope most authors won't be "assholes" and do not loose their resources.

[ner0]

Ok, I want to start off by saying, I don't want to rub anyone the wrong way!

I wanted to challenge myself with a task in something I have never done before, so I decided to make a program that can read the compiled .tra files.

I have it nearly fully functional (except non-alpha/Special characters).

I don't want to be disrespectful and release it without permission. I am creating this specifically for translation of games, because it would be nice to have a program that can be used without tracking down the owner and getting the source to the translation. (not sure if a program exists already)

I am not sure how you feel about this topic, and as I wont release it if you are totally against it. I think it would be a great tool for the community to easily translate games!

if you agree to allow me to distribute it, I plan on making a simple column based editor, which will use google translate + other methods to help the translator.

Thank you for your time!

Did this have any further development since the thread started? I understand that some people opposed to the tool being published but I think, in my own opinion,  they fail to see the big picture. It would be a really nice tool for people who have friends that don't speak/understand English. Sometimes I get frustrated because I try to engage my friends in some great adventure games but the language barrier is what it is... a barrier. Another thing, is it possible to add translations to an AGS game that doesn't have any external translation?

Best regards.

[Gilbert]

I'll say that if someone insists on doing it and releasing it just go ahead, as since AGS has become open sourced this is hard to prevent now, but don't expect this would get any official support.

IMO it's the games' creators' own decision on whether translations should be available in any specific language. If they don't want it just leave them alone.

[ner0]

I'll say that if someone insists on doing it and releasing it just go ahead, as since AGS has become open sourced this is hard to prevent now, but don't expect this would get any official support.

IMO it's the games' creators' own decision on whether translations should be available in any specific language. If they don't want it just leave them alone.

Thanks for the reply, although it's not really a reply to my question...
As I understand, krum110487 never released his tool because he's the real deal, he respects.
In fact he respected so much the negative feedback that the positive feedback was overshadowed in all senses.

And what's up with the use of the verb "insist", is there some implying there?
About the lack of official support, are you a member of the developing team of the tool in question Iceboty V7000a?

And addressing your opinion, by my question it's quite perceptible that I'm on the "foreign-player side" (a.k.a. The Dark Side) so don't bother with the egocentricity. I'v read the whole topic and the likes of it are all over. My regards to RoliX, for his humble but seemingly useless effort to establish a bridge of common sense. Also congratulations to krum110487 for the project he achieved even if it wasn't released.

krum110487, if you're reading, I hope you can get AGS developers support on this. But I'm referring to a serious debate about the subject, it would be nice for a change. In my opinion this topic was poorly reviewed and curiously most posters that expressed their ideas shared the same "ideals", not much diversity obviously.

Thanks.

[Gilbert]

And what's up with the use of the verb "insist", is there some implying there?

I meant, someone insists on doing this despite there is no official support.

About the lack of official support, are you a member of the developing team of the tool in question Iceboty V7000a?

No (and I have no interest in it anyway), but I am a mod here.

[krum110487]

Thanks for the kinds words, and to answer your question, no that night I am pretty sure I deleted the file, it only took me about 3 hours to crack, it wasn't extremely hard since I could input the text build the game, then see check the binary, rinse repeat.

I imagine one day I might release it if/when ags hasn't had a new game for x amount of years, I doubt that day will come, but if the community ever dies (hopefully never) I would be more inclined to release it.

the main reason I made it in the first place is because I wanted to play the Maniac Mansion games that are only in German, since I am an english speaking person and I don't know German, and it was kind of a challenge for my programming skills.

My thought on fan translations is that they are flattering and would be great for abandoned games, it would be neat to have a service where someone would contact users for permission to translate games, I would gladly safe guard the program and not allow anyone to have it and simply rip the games that have been permitted by the original author or the game has been abandoned for x amount of years, then the translation would have to be released on here in a special section declaring it is a fan translation. (but that is the ideal world)

but as I stated before, I have no idea if I even have the program anymore, and I wont be developing it until someone on the dev team or the majority ok's it.

Have a good day

[Lumpupu]

Dont want to continue diggin up this thread,  but as an Spanish user, i think the language barrier is TOO MUCH for many, many people out there. And, ok, it a work of author, then its kind of artistic, aka a work of art, then... is for everyone.

Someone makes a point with the "piracy" argument, but the majority are free games, so, i think the best, and more reasonable solution woud be to have an option in the editor.

I agree on the "more pros than cons" argument. Just think on many many animes out there. And if a translation is really bad, is almost sure some person will redo it again.

A check option could be a wonderful and simple solution.

Cheers,
L.