If you’re a game developer, you know that localization is vital for reaching new markets. But do you know how to prepare your game for localization? Here are a few basic rules to follow:
1. Be Strategic with Your Choice of a Software Development Team
When you’re looking for a software development company to help with your game localization, choose one with experience in the area. They should have a good understanding of the process and navigate any potential challenges, such as cultural differences.
Your localization partner should also be able to work with the game engine you’re using and have a good understanding of your target audience. For example, if you’re aiming for a Chinese market, they should be familiar with the Chinese gaming industry and know what gamers are looking for.
Also, ask about their quality assurance (QA) process. A good QA team will test the game in all target languages, looking for errors and inconsistencies.
2. Don’t Wait Until the Last Minute
This is probably the most important rule on this list. If you wait until your game is finished before you start thinking about localization, then you’re already behind.
You need to plan for localization from the very beginning of development. That way, you can make sure that all of your game’s text is easily translatable and that there are no technical hurdles to overcome later on.
3. Make All Your Texts Externalizable
If you want to localize your game, all of your text needs to be stored in external files. This includes everything from menu items and button labels to in-game dialogue and tutorial messages.
Having all of your text externalized makes it much easier for translators to work with and also makes it possible to easily update the text in your game without having to recompile the entire project.
4. Avoid Hard-Coded Text
Just like all of your text needs to be externalized, you should also avoid hard-coding any text into your game. You shouldn’t have any text directly baked into your game’s executable file.
Instead, always reference external files when displaying text in your game. This will make localization much more accessible and prevent any potential problems down the road if you need to update the text.
5. Use Standard Unicode Fonts
When localizing a game, use standard Unicode fonts to ensure that all texts in your game can be displayed correctly in any language. You can choose from a variety of Unicode fonts to choose from. These include the likes of Arial Unicode MS, Lucida Sans Unicode, and Code2000.
If you use a custom font in your game, then be sure to check that it supports all of the languages you’re planning to localize your game into. Otherwise, you may run into problems when displaying text in specific languages.
Also, keep in mind that some languages may require special characters not included in standard Unicode fonts. For example, the Arabic and Hebrew scripts use a different character set than most other languages. If you’re targeting one of these languages, you’ll need to find a font that supports them.
6. Support Right-to-Left Languages
If you’re localizing your game into a right-to-left language, be sure to support it properly. This includes setting up your game engine and interface to display text correctly in a right-to-left language.
It’s also essential to consider how right-to-left text will affect your game’s layout. For example, in many right-to-left languages, the buttons and icons on the screen are displayed in reverse order.
You’ll need to consider this when designing your game’s interface and make sure that everything is displayed correctly regardless of the language your game is being played in.
7. Keep Text Strings Short and Sweet
When localizing a game, keep text strings short and sweet. This will make them easier to translate and less likely to cause any formatting problems.
Ideally, each text string should be no longer than 15-20 words in length. Anything longer than that is likely to cause trouble during the translation process.
8. Use Localization Tools If Possible
If you want to make the localization process easy for your team, consider using localization tools. These tools can automate many tasks involved in localizing a game, such as extracting text from files, merging translated files back into the game, and much more.
There are various localization tools available, so be sure to do your research and select one that will work well for your specific needs.
Localizing a game can seem like a daunting task, but if you follow these eight basic rules, you’ll be well on your way to success. Remember to take things one step at a time and always keep the end goal in mind. With a bit of hard work and dedication, you’ll be able to localize your game for any market easily.