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[artsi]

I finally got my localized version and oh boy, this game is full of these fansub level translations.

At least they tried.

 

[Dead End Irony]

This thread. So much hyperbole! I think I'm cool on GAF for a while lol. Y'all be good.

 

[kewlmyc]

I think he means that it's even more awkward when voiced, which partially mitigated by original japanese track.

You don't have to hear native English voice actors speaking broken English.

Fair enough.

 

[PsionBolt]

• Whether or not the ruin will befall us depends on your rehabilitation. Others will also have parts to play, however.
• And yet, have you not just met another who wields the same power?
• What a guy... Not just anyone would help a punk like him.
• Got it. I won't let you down.

• It's not often I see you with friends.
• What've you been you up to so late?

• Let me live with you.
• Is there a "Mr. Sakura" here?

Obviously, all of these need context to be certain of (should "friends" be plural? Will ruin befall "us", or just "you"? and so on), but the point I'm trying to get at is that there's nothing arcane or overly cultural here. The game's script just wasn't treated well, plain and simple.

 

[Aarglefarg]

You keep citing "definition 20" on an unofficial dictionary website. That's not doing you any favours.

The dictionary doesn't have any sources or citations for that definition. It's highly likely this formation was used over 100 years ago, in which case it is completely irrelevant to a piece of English written in 2017. Indeed, someone on the last page asserted we should hard Google search for "answer your expectations" and - lo and behold - we could only find sources from non-native English websites (mainly French and other non-English European sites) or historical examples. It's an archaic form.

"only find sources from non-native English websites"
http://www.interwestmoving.com/corporate-relocation-domestic/
http://www.jfrederickandsons.com/bathroom-remodeling/
http://www.jwcole.com/warehousing-distribution/
http://www.dysturb.com/education/#intro
https://www.humbletill.com/store-types/home-lifestyle-2/
http://www.goldenvanlines.com/storage-warehouse/
etc etc (as much as 'native speaker' can be guessed at from a website)

It's not a question of whether it makes sense or is "definitively" right. What matters is how human beings speak and what this game's dialogue is trying to capture (teenagers in conversation, typically).

This was (not much of a spoiler at all, being overly cautious)

Spoiler

a (sports/PE) teacher speaking to the principal, if I remember correctly

. It is a bit unusual but that wasn't under contention.

 

[Venfayth]

This thread. So much hyperbole! I think I'm cool on GAF for a while lol. Y'all be good.

Nobody is saying it's a disaster or anything. Why do people keep saying stuff as if we're being hyperbolic?

People can be critical of a thing without being outraged.

 

[MTC100]

Perhaps it's because I am not English native but... I don't see any problem with the examples shown in the OP?

Like, what would you replace your examples in the OP with? Can you give an example?

We're in the same boat here I guess, as I haven't found much to criticise in my first 5 hours with the game. The only thing that felt odd so far was reading the dialogue option "take care of me" right at the beginning, this felt somewhat out of place, is the MC some kind of pet or baby that needs to be taken care of badly?

 

[Murkas]

"A public transit bus was driven down an opposing lane with its customers still in it!"

Sugoi such authenticity and charm.

;_;7

 

[King Gilga]

English is my first language, and I had no idea that these screenshots had anything wrong with them. I stared at them for quite some time. For the most part, they don't look anymore awkward than the idea they're trying to portray.

Have you never talked to another person in real life before?

Nobody talks like that.

 

[Zarathos no Daimaoh]

Which is weird for such a passionate language.

Nothing new imo , on that front . I avoid playing anything in French , even games like AC Unity , or the First Broken Sword , set in French locales . Beyond what i dislike in their translation process , it's the epitomy of blandness , be it within the texts or voice overs . They have usually worse budgets , pool of actors and writing teams to do the job anyway .

 

[ShadowSoldier89]

Fair enough.

I'd find it waaay worse reading. Having to actually parse it yourself rather than it running past on its own passively.

 

[MagnaderAlpha]

Nobody is saying it's a disaster or anything. Why do people keep saying stuff as if we're being hyperbolic?

People can be critical of a thing without being outraged.

Maybe THEY are being hyperbolic about how they perceive these criticisms as hyperbole.

 

[Rozart]

This thread. So much hyperbole! I think I'm cool on GAF for a while lol. Y'all be good.

Right?

Maybe I'm just immune to it all 'cause I've played my fair share of awkwardly localised JRPGS. And honestly though, let's not act like the previous Persona games were the bastions of great localisation either.

Nobody is saying it's a disaster or anything. Why do people keep saying stuff as if we're being hyperbolic?

People can be critical of a thing without being outraged.

Just on that last page, you have someone calling the game garbage.

 

[bomblord1]

Edit: nvm this is getting silly and going nowhere.

 

[R_thanatos]

I paid 50$ for this garbage? Wtf atlus

You forgot the /s at the end

 

[MTC100]

"A public transit bus was driven down an opposing lane with its customers still in it!"

That's a rather hard to swallow statement indeed and to make things worse: The customers are still in it!!!

 

[Korigama]

This doesn't actually answer the question of why they chose to have the VAs pronounce it that way. It's a bizarre choice and points to a confused and clumsy localization.

That it doesn't. It accounts for whose idea it was, but it's no clearer as to why. Considering how long it took to release this game, along with the multiple delays, it makes even less sense.

 

[gregor7777]

Is this a disaster or totally fine? We're on the internet so it has to be one of the two, but I can't tell which.

 

[Charamiwa]

"A public transit bus was driven down an opposing lane with its customers still in it!"

Yeah that line was super awkward. There has to be a simpler way to say this.

 

[TheFatMan]

I feel like people are getting worked up over some relatively poorly done translation in a game that is over 100 hours long.

God only knows how much dialogue is in this game. Is this really a huge deal? haha

Man GAF, we gotta stop getting so worked up over shit like this. We turning into game snobs.

 

[Skronk]

At first glance they seemed confusing but after I read it again they're fine.

 

[Soriku]

I am not a native speaker so feel free to disregard my opinion, but these sentences all sound weird to me.

No one IRL says "answer your expectations" right?
No one IRL says "if ruin can be stopped" right?
Other two sentences are grammatically OK, but they sound unnatural. Not really like everyday speech said by native speakers.



OMG I would love to play that!

Answer your expectations is straight up Japanese style writing.

The ruin part is spoken by Igor so it's fine.

The translation is on the nose but doesn't seem bad.

 

[Slayven]

I feel like people are getting worked up over some relatively poorly done translation in a game that is over 100 hours long.

God only knows how much dialogue is in this game. Is this really a huge deal? haha

Man GAF, we gotta stop getting so worked up over shit like this. We turning into game snobs.

Who is GAF?

And why do a lot of threads where people are calmly talking and joking about something attract so many people that shout "stop freaking out!!!!"?

 

[Brat-Sampson]

Again depends on context, was it 'hijacked and forced the wrong way down a one-way street, with passengers still on board?' Or just a bus driver making a wrong turn

Spoiler

with customers still in it

?

 

[Aarglefarg]

Yeah that line was super awkward. There has to be a simpler way to say this.

A bus full of passengers drove down the wrong side of the road.

Again depends on context, was it 'hijacked and forced the wrong way down a one-way street, with passengers still on board?' Or just a bus driver making a wrong turn?

Spoiler

Something happened to the bus driver to cause this.

 

[Rozart]

Is this a disaster or totally fine? We're on the internet so it has to be one of the two, but I can't tell which.

Ever played a JRPG before? It's fine.

And like others have said, P5 is game that can span over 80-100 hours long. Chances are you'll just blink through some of these awkwardly, stilted dialogue.

 

[Kssio_Aug]

Perhaps it's because I am not English native but... I don't see any problem with the examples shown in the OP?

Like, what would you replace your examples in the OP with? Can you give an example?

I feel the same way. But I'm not English native either.

 

[Shadow Ranger]

I feel like people are getting worked up over some relatively poorly done translation in a game that is over 100 hours long.

God only knows how much dialogue is in this game. Is this really a huge deal? haha

Man GAF, we gotta stop getting so worked up over shit like this. We turning into game snobs.

Too late.

Way too late, actually.

 

[squall23]

I feel like people are getting worked up over some relatively poorly done translation in a game that is over 100 hours long.

God only knows how much dialogue is in this game. Is this really a huge deal? haha

Man GAF, we gotta stop getting so worked up over shit like this. We turning into game snobs.

Let me flip that around then. Why can't the translation be perfect? Or even at least above average? Why does a super long game get a pass for a relatively poorly done translation?

 

[AcademicSaucer]

So this is how Atlus treats it's flagship series.

 

[RDreamer]

Yeah, there's some real clunkers in there. Had quite a few times where me and my fiancé who was sitting next to me playing Zelda just looked at each other and laughed. There was a big non sequitor from Sakura that got us giggling.

Overall in like three and a half hours of Persona 5 I've side-eyed more dialogue than in 60 hours of Mass Effect Andromeda.

 

[King Gilga]

Answer your expectations is straight up Japanese style writing.

And a decent translation should change that.

 

[LowParry]

I feel like people are getting worked up over some relatively poorly done translation in a game that is over 100 hours long.

God only knows how much dialogue is in this game. Is this really a huge deal? haha

Man GAF, we gotta stop getting so worked up over shit like this. We turning into game snobs.

It's more of people becoming more critical of a game they are playing. It's fair complaints. Guess it's just something we grow into as we get older in the gaming industry. I still plan on playing the game but it is a little off putting. Guess we just deal with it, right?

 

[ioriyagami]

Is this a disaster or totally fine? We're on the internet so it has to be one of the two, but I can't tell which.

It is not for me, for sure. After watching so much fan-subbed anime online I am used to worse...much worse.

It is still a shame, because the characters personalities get a bit lost (or feel somewhat random) on poor localization works like this, but not a deal breaker for me... (also English is not my first language, so I am more tolerant for unnatural language constructs than a native)

 

[Black Hat]

It's honestly not that bad.

Hyperbole GAF at it again.

 

[matrix-cat]

That's a rather hard to swallow statement indeed and to make things worse: The customers are still in it!!!

Not the customers! The customers of the public transit bus! How regrettable!

 

[Holy Order Sol]

Sentences could definitely be written better but honorifics shouldn't go away. Persona alone gets a pass for that and rightfully so.

 

[TheFatMan]

Let me flip that around then. Why can't the translation be perfect? Or even at least above average? Why does a super long game get a pass for a relatively poorly done translation?

Because of budgets and time restraints? Look how long Trails of Cold Steel 2 took to release. Sure the translation is fantastic, but the game took like 4 years JUST to translate, not including development time.

I guess for me it's a matter of realistic expectations. If a game has 2 million lines of dialogue I give it a pass for having some translation problems. Mostly because I'd like to play said game before the ice age begins again.

 

[Pompadour]

So all the characters talk like Oh Dae-su from Oldboy?

 

[ZangBa]

This feels like hyperbole to me. I've only played for 5 hours so far, but I haven't noticed anything weird. A lot of people talk weird in real life anyway.

 

[Geg]

Ever played a JRPG before? It's fine.

Most JRPGs I've played in the last15 years have had a better localization than the lines in the OP though. Those read like something from an amateur anime fansub.

 

[Majima Everywhere System]

Nothing has caught my attention when compared to previous entries.

 

[Thud]

So all the characters talk like Oh Dae-su from Oldboy?

That would be awesome.

 

[Curufinwe]

The mispronunciations are the bigger concern for me.

If Atlus don't have the personnel to do a good localization any more, they should hire 8-4 to do it for them.

 

[sixteen-bit]

considering the perceived long turnaround on localization i can understand why folks are upset

 

[DrROBschiz]

Enough with the blinders

The criticisms are valid and I would like localizers to recapture the art of translating effectively and efficiently

 

[mindsale]

That would be awesome.

Laugh at questionable localization and the world laughs with you. Weep and you weep alone.

I know I am no better than a beast of the field, but can't even I expect an intelligible localization?

(Takes a hammer through a hallway of localization staffers).

 

[Brawly Likes to Brawl]

Because of budgets and time restraints? Look how long Trails of Cold Steel 2 took to release. Sure the translation is fantastic, but the game took like 4 years JUST to translate, not including development time.

I guess for me it's a matter of realistic expectations. If a game has 2 million lines of dialogue I give it a pass for having some translation problems. Mostly because I'd like to play said game before the ice age begins again.

A kiseki game is far from a good example because even by JRPG standards their scripts are enormous.

 

[Dabi]

Was looking forward to playing this with Japanese VA but the missing subtitles will drive me crazy 😅

 

[rucury]

Enough with the blinders

The criticisms are valid and I would like localizers to recapture the art of translating effectively and efficiently

Hear, hear. So many people saying they don't see anything wrong with it. So? As you can see, many of us are noticing the awkward sentence structures and stuff like that. It's a valid criticism, especially since the game was supposedly pushed back in order to fix some localization issues.

A great localization goes a loooooong way and can work to retain the quirks or nuances of the original language, just look at Yakuza 0.

The examples people have posted here of text in P5 are bad localizations of Japanese sentences, period.

Or should I say: There have been some submissions in this thread which demonstrate how not good enough the conversion from Japanese as an effort was.