[arg_discuss] Budgets

[Adam Martin]

despain at quantumcontent.com wrote:
> 
> Have any of you used professional localization companies for ARGs?
> 
> I'm wondering if it would be better to partner with game/media companies
> in those countries who have previous experience with running their own
> ARGs instead of trying to explain the concept to video game or business
> localization companies. And of course there's the possibility of hiring
> in-house translators.
> 

Not used any, but spoken to quite a few specifically about the 
possibilities of converting puzzles and ARGs. Have also spoken to quite 
a few European portals and similar who do large scale / aggregated 
localization (they take games from many sources and either manage the 
outsourcing of the localization themselves, or help the developer to do so).

On the whole, advice seems to be: they should have no particular 
problems with localizing ARGs. If they can handle all the subtleties of 
Azeroth and co, mere reality-bending is a doddle :).

Modulo of course all the traditional warnings about being VERY careful 
that they know exactly what you mean and intend - especially being 
careful to preserve context, and do in-place testing of assets (best: 
give them a complete walkthrough checklist plus a dynamicly bound asset 
system, so they can test their own localization in-situ).

Adam