13 Challenges in Thai Game Translation Services (P2)

You can get succeed in the Thai market if you plan your Thai game translation services carefully.

If you like the Thai game business, translating your games into Thai might be your dream. However, Thai translation and localization aren’t easy for any game company.

After part 1, we will continue with part 2 where we talk about serious challenges related to Thai game translation services. These tips can help you get started, and even if you are a seasoned localizer, you can also find something new.

#7. Thai game translation services supplier has low creativity in translating

It may appear that translating individual words and phrases literally is the best strategy to improve localization efficiency and accuracy. In fact, you need to understand the sentence clearly, then conveying in a way that is appropriate to your character’s personality and intent, and natural to your audience as it is spoken by a Thai.

For example, you may need to shorten a piece of translated verbiage to make it more abrupt, strong, or to make the phraseology more lilting and melodious. It’s critical to stick to the translation. However, the correctness of the character’s intent is given greater weight than the precision with which the term is implemented.

As a result, you must allow yourself to be creative to an appropriate extent. After all, the story of game translation is not a technical manual.  

#8. HTML code issues 

Small, simple pieces of code that are either corrupted or missing might cause problems and make the translation process disrupted.

So, if you’re a professional game localizer, it’s highly suggested that you consider acquiring some knowledge of programming languages as part of your skillset. Even though your clients have their own coding professionals and it is their job to create the game, problems arise that make having a better understanding of coding fundamentals useful. This way, you add value to your service to clients. At a minimum, consider learning HTML mark-up.

#9. Source text and file problems before sending to Thai game translation services

These are technical problems that, like minor code problems, may frequently be resolved quickly and simply within the standard translation process without the need for outside assistance. Source text problems are often simple to spot (as they may be missing or misspelled words, typos, etc.). It’s convenient to be able to simply report them, repair them as you go, and continue with a seamless translation process.

Some source text or file errors, on the other hand, are more difficult to detect. Less obvious issues, such as displaying the wrong skill/object names for configuration, may not be found until the game is played on a screen. Even so, unless you’re paying attention to details for long hours when testing the game, you might not discover the issue.

#10. Alter text placeholders

Placeholders are small pieces of code that are used to fill a gap in a line of text before being replaced by permanent text later. They usually look like this: %1$s, %2$d, and so on. It might also be in the form of an all-caps word or another type of placeholder. So, above all, placeholders must not be translated or altered!

Changing or removing placeholders by accident might create major issues in the game. Errors in this procedure might cause serious problems.

#11. Provide insufficient context for Thai game translation services

A game’s development might be seriously impaired without testing to debug contextual problems and other concerns. Professional game localizers frequently send their clients a list of questions, which include questions concerning context for use in-game.

However, no matter how thorough you try to be, responses aren’t always as specific as you’d want, and Thai game translation services may have to rely on guessing. Localizers may assume they’re on the right track when they aren’t since the context offered for text is often wrong. As a result, quality testing and debugging must extend beyond technological quality. It needs to make sure that the game’s translated strings make sense.

#12. Unrealistic customer expectations

When you tap into international gaming markets, untested game translations put a game at risk of failure. Customers’ expectations must be managed in order for them to be satisfied with the localization process and the results.

Some customers may be irritated because translators have made mistakes that need to be fixed. So, it’s logical to suggest more time for translation to reduce the amount of reworking. Also, if a customer complains your Thai game translation services costs are too high, advise batching orders to help save money.

#13. Miscellaneous oversights

Even the best industry specialists in the field will make occasional mistakes. Game localization is a difficult task. We all sometimes make a translation mistake, make a dreadful typo, or suffer some sort of failure. So, don’t worry; it’s all manageable and shouldn’t prevent you from continuing to perfect your craft.

Get professional Thai game translation services 

Working with people/Thai game translation services agencies who have no experience in game and localization for Thai gamers could turn your penetration to Thai into a disaster.

At GTE Localize, we combine experienced native linguists and technology to provide you with error-free translations. 

• Our native Thai translators have over 5 years of experience translating a wide range of content into Thai from a variety of languages.
• To improve translation quality and minimize turnaround time, we employ a range of translation and localization management platforms, CAT Tools, DTP Tools, and other technologies.

Please contact our team for more information on our Thai game translation services, or to request a free consultation from our Thai localization experts.

Download our free whitepaper for further localization tips into 10 major Asian languages if you plan on localizing your content into the Asian market.