DCS localization effort

DCS localization effort

In light of so many topics regarding translations of available English or Russian documentation into languages other then those shipped with DCS, I would like to suggest more official approach to localization effort. I do not ask ED to change their plans nor to press additional languages into existing distributions. Rather, I suggest something like "language packs" that end-users could download by themselves after installing DCS.

There are market researches according to which about 70% of software consumer prefer localized application over non-localized. It is my strong belief that expansion of localization can give immense boost to popularity of DCS, not mentioning revenue.

If DCS is going to be distributed with addition of Spanish, French and German localizations, that means there must be some level of organization. That organization will not suffer on account of additional languages, as their distribution could be organized separately.

Naturally, providing a bit of official support and help for interested groups is mandatory so they could more easily localize DCS into their own languages. The help would include providing files with source strings, help on implementing those, and means of testing and distributing. Preferable means of distribution of localized packages is DCS web site. This would be great improvement over unofficial GUI localizations, such as Croatian, because I've lost many month just on searching for language strings and endless testing.

This is nothing to be scared off or frowned upon. I work on several localizations, among which I would like to mention KDE as most complex, but well organized. Their current list of language teams is quite long, but they distribute only those translations that have certain percentage of basic packages actually translated. Similarly, DCS could distribute only those packages that are translated in full and within agreed timeframe. Here I would like to suggest only to separate GUI translation from translation of various Manuals, as the later is much more complex.

I've contacted several members of this forum asking them if they are interested into joining up on such effort and I was surprised with enthusiastic replies. I hope they will be equally enthusiastic in public, so we could show out interest into improving and enhancing DCS, thus making it unique in a special manner - as only multilingual flight simulation!

I hope that a person of authority from ED/TCF will seriously consider my suggestion. We want to help!

Thanks for considering

EDIT - List of languages for which community expressed desire to work on GUI localization and Game/Aircraft Manuals translation.

(lang - contact person, webpage/forum)

Project location:

DCS Localization

Project discussion forum:

Croatian LO/DCS Support - DCS Localization

Chinese - 3GO*CHN-443, web: 3GO workgroup

Croatian - Renato71, web: Croatian LO/DCS Support: lockonhr.com

Lithuanian - ZaltysZ, web: Lietuvos Virtualūs Pilotai

Norwegian - d0ppler

Polish - Jascha, forum: http://www.il2forum.xt.pl

Serbian - =4c= Hajduk Veljko, web: http://www.4c-squad.rs

Thai - Leafer

+1

and here are few guys who are already translating DCS manual to Polish : http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=32908 :)

+1 :)

fully support!!

:)

+1

Great idea!

Thanks for your support! I hope that big brass ( ;) ) will read this and consider it seriously. There is no extra cost in time or money, no need to take eyes opf their work - just slipping some guidelines over the table.

With all those (more or less) bad news going on, I think an effort like this could realy pimp-up DCS. With a little show of help and support, we could expand popularity of DCS so nobody will have to look "elsewhere" to get thier copy of DCS - and in their language :D

Count me in, brotha.

Forgot to say that I don't think I have the time nor the will nor the brain to translate the manual into Thai, but the GUI -- no problemo.

Good idea. I support you too Renato.

I am with you all :)

Quite nice response, especially from Poland :)

I think we should start creating a list of volunteers for this poject! If you agree, I would like to edit my first post with info on your language and contact person, maybe even a web page if you have one.

Send me a PM or post your info here, and I will create a list. I've contacted some of you earlier, but I did that using personal judgement and topic starters ;)

fully support!!

:)

same here

Renato,

Let me know exactly what kind of info do you want me to write in Thai.

I'm reconsidering doing the manual, but I'll give you a definite answer once they release the English version. Keep in mind that I am a single dad and have very little time.

Hi leafer,

Well, for starter, just a language name and a contact person. That way you could gather your team, and more importantly - we could show ED there are seroiusly interested people into this project.

Later on you could add info about how many people have contacted you - the more the merrier :)

Still, we should approach as professionals - that is the only way to show our support to ED and comunity.

Well, I had small exchange of PMs with our dearest producer :)

There could be an option where ED could host additional translations of DCS manuals, providing their quality (naturally). As for GUI localization, it looks that could be as complicated as was in the case of FC. I still can't study DCS structure on my own, will have to wait to get one first.

I guess there is no need at this moment to push ED any more than necessary at this critical moment for them.

My thanks to Wags for kind permission to relay his replies to you all...

Hi Renato,

 

Although you guys are free to localize all the documents, the GUI is buried in the code such that I'm afraid it is not possible for external parties to alter. Sorry.

You may relay our discussion to the General Forum discussion on this matter you started.

Thanks,

Matt

 

Thanks for you reply. Guys from other countries will appreciate that. In fact, it would be very nice if you could post something equally helpfull into forum.

Many are also very interested into localizing GUI itself, as this is most visible part of the game. Any help from your side will be helpful. If there are any legal limitation to this, I'm pretty sure people would accept any kind of NDA just to have an opportunity like this.

You see, no matter how much I try, it is very hard to explain how one feels when everything is foreign language, when all companies think that your nation is too small to justify speaking in our language - and the pride one we can freeely speak and have something written in our own language. Small nations are under great pressure, and localization efforts are gaining huge popularity solely on account that they help establishing national identity.

Thanks again!

Renato

 

Hi Renato,

 

Regarding your localizations questions, once we release the manuals in the near future, you should be able to use a free-ware tool to convert the document to a standard word document.

If you and others wish to then translate the manuals to other languages, that is perfectly fine. In fact, if the quality is high, we will set up a separate section on our web site such that consumers can download them for free from a centralized web site.

Thanks,

Matt

I've added info on contatct persons and webpages into first post, for Chinese, Croatian and Serbian languages. Others: just give me some info so your countrymen could contasct you more easily.

Important note - At this momenet this effort is without official support, but it is our hope that by showing our interest we could get some support from ED and show them our support in best possible way :D

Meanwhile, we could exchange out experience, like those modeler and skinnig guys and girls are doing ;)

- The real M.Wagner

Did I miss an M. Wagner impersonation contest???

Afraid so, some fool on a pirate sites that loves me so much he wants to be me ;) Funny that most of them took it hook, line, and sinker.

looks like someone has a stalker....:lol:

good luck with this mateys...

Afraid so, some fool on a pirate sites that loves me so much he wants to be me ;) Funny that most of them took it hook, line, and sinker.

Uh-huh. I'm willing to bet this guy goes by the name of ____ over at ______ :D

In light of negative rep for speaking my mind, I would like to ask following:

1. If tweaking RU edition into ENG language is forbidden, does that mean that adding a new language or replacing an existing one will be illegal?

2. Does that apply to RU edition only, or ENG will be more open minded?

Please, official replies only, no speculations.

OK, Wags is online and within minutes he confirmed me that we can localize the GUI, althought the code is embeded in game and they cannot provide us with tools. Thanks Wags, I can briefe again!

As for tools and methods, we will dig out something - thats why I started this topic.

DCS uses gettext library for GUI localization. Files, which reside in "..\l10n\[lang_id]\LC_MESSAGES\.." are in binary format (*.mo). gettext utilities (particularly msgunfmt) are need for conversion to text format (*.po). After editing is completed, they should be compiled back to binary format (*.mo). That is all.

Good luck.

DCS uses gettext library for GUI localization. Files, which reside in "..\l10n\[lang_id]\LC_MESSAGES\.." are in binary format (*.mo). gettext utilities (particularly msgunfmt) are need for conversion to text format (*.po). After editing is completed, they should be compiled back to binary format (*.mo). That is all.

Good luck.

In fact, I know that as I was able to talk over Skype with some owner from Ukraine :)

He sent me those files and I've sent him back test files, and they work fine. However, I was not all that keen to talk about that before as I was not sure about the legal side of that procedure, and with all that fuss following RU edition, and on top of everythin being called for "farting my mind" - I'm not sure if I should write anything at all. If I do not get banned on account of other topics, then I will get spat :(

But, I will try to keep this one up to date with progress.

Thnx for support, will contact other via PM.

Have you tried to use characters like: č, ć, đ, ž? Although localized strings are in UTF-8; it seems that fonts, used in game, aren't.