Jose Barragán (devilot@WORLDNET.ATT.NET)
Sat, 4 Sep 1999 00:38:15 -0400
X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 4.72.2106.4 Message-ID: <008c01bef68f$510fd1a0$4d34460c@141149625> Date: Sat, 4 Sep 1999 00:38:15 -0400 From: Jose Barragán <devilot@WORLDNET.ATT.NET> Subject: Re: Compromise of Standards>I'm a purist. I didn't start out that way. I watched Ranma dubs like >most of you... then got sick of Sarah Strange's horrible acting. I >watched Tenchi dubs... then was horrified at Tenchi's annoying voice. >It's because of dubs that I am a purist. That being said, my purist views >can often be seen in my arguments. But in this case, it's not a driving >force- only an aspect in an entire equation. On the contrary, I think it is the driving force behind any argument you make regarding translations. You were the one who said that if you could translate games for the DC, you'd leave the game intact, in Japanese, and just make it playable on US DCs, and you did not say that jokingly. Face it, Terrence, you're a total otaku. :P > >I'm still bitter at this nonchalant attitude that is prevalant among >Americans. > >"Who cares if they change the translation? If it's in English, then >that's all that matters. At least they brought it out." No one said that on this ML. And I must object to your saying this is an 'American' attitude. That's just racism on your part, it seems. I don't see what a person's attitude has to do with their nationality. >Lemme say that I am not criticizing Working Designs. Vic does what HE >wants to do. I just wish he would stop saying he's for the gamers, as I >agree with ZFP and the like who think he's not. He's for himself. He >likes what he does, and you know what? In some ways I respect that about >him. I just wish he wouldn't cower behind certain false statements like >that(oh whoops, i guess I am criticizing WD now ^_^). But anyway, this >post isn't about WD. It's about game companies in general. It's about >America business in general. It's about the American attitude. But I >will focus on WD only because they choose games in which they need to do a >lot of dubbing. It's not about 'American business' or 'American attitude.' It's about the fact that video game companies screw up during translation at times. >"The dubbing of Lunar wasn't that great, but it's good for an English >'dub'. Not that good as 'acting', only 'dubbing' ". It's the same >attitude all over again. Never mind the fact that I wish for a well acted >game that was well-acted in the original. I'm going to now throw that >expecation away just because WD brought it out here at all? I'm going to >throw my expectations away just because "although it's not good, it's >better than most"? Uh...this makes no sense to me whatsoever. I don't think anyone who buys WD says that. I think people who buy WD games like their jokes and their translation styles...if you don't, well, there's always the Japanese original. I don't even know why you _care_, Terrence, since you're so anti-translation, you only own imports, blah blah blah. > >Is it really too much to expect a game which came out 3 years before(i'm >talking the saturn version, or 2 years for the mpeg which is pretty much >PSX version) to be equal, heck... BETTER than the original? > >But no, that's not how it works. The sheer fact that it has roman >characters supercedes any flaws a game has. It's not the game we're >after, it's the language it's in. A lot of people would say WD's version is better because of the humor they add to what would otherwise be dull conversations with villagers and such. > >Thus this brings me to what I'm trying to say. People are compromising >their standards. I am pretty darn sure all of you agree with me - you >want a game as close as possible to the original. But somehow, little by >little, people overlook flaws in US ports just because it's in English. >People don't care if entire meanings in dialog are changed. People don't >care that the mediocre acting is affecting how convincing the game is to >you. (Btw, I was nearly in tears playing the import Grandia. Somehow I >don't think Sony could do as good as a job, but we'll see). People don't >care about the game as much as they care about what language it's in. Well, supposedly Grandia is going to have really godawful dubbing. I already own the Japanese original, but I will buy this version...because it is in English and because, voices aside, it _is_ well translated. WTF do you want me to do, simply _not_ be able to enjoy/buy a game because I don't like some small changes that were made? > >The ONLY difference between me and some of you is that I stand for what I >believe in. No, the only difference between us and you is the fact that you're a total psycho purist otaku fanboy. No offense. :P > I have the originals right in front of me and I fully expect >a port which comes out later to be just as good. Why!?! You're not going to buy them anyway!!! Why do you care?? Just smile and say "my version's better! my version's better!" >Or what about another game example? Some of you, i'm sure, have played >the Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon SuperS game for the PSX/SS. It is >absolutely the worst 2d fighter I have played. (the super famicom >version is actually pretty good though). I tell others not to buy it. I >warn them. Tell them what's wrong with it. ANd you know what? Nine >times out of to ten, they buy it anyway. Why? "Because it's Sailor >Moon!". It's absolutely disgusting. I'm upset becaue I actually LIKE >Sailormoon. I think it's horrible that companies can buy licenses and >make crap games out of them. But you know what? They sell. They sell. >I tell others not to buy this game... because as fans we should show the >companies that they can't just produce crap. Buying crap only encourages >more crap-production. This has nothing to do with translating games and is just a baaaad analogy... > >That's really the bottom line. I think as fans, you should care what >happens to a license when it gets picked up. I think as fans, you should >care what you buy. So let's all buy the Japanese versions even though there's an English version out!! Let's buy the version we can't understand, because even if we can't understand the dialogue at all, it's better than reading a few lines of dialogue that have been changed from the original! Whoo hoo! > >The moment you start compromising is when the company has got you. You >buy their stuff. They keep doing what they're doing with no regard to how >you may dislike what they're doing. But sales figures don't lie. We'll >keep getting our Sailormoon SuperS's as long as we keep asking for them. >If the fans don't care, then tell me... who will? You, man. You're so hardcore. I bow down to you. > >-Terrence