8BT translation projects

[Meister]

It was French and Italian, respectively.

Don't start kissing my feet just yet (though financial donations won't be objected to); those links are defunct and probably have been for quite some time. www.archive.org has copies of the pages, I think, but not of the actual comic files as far as I could see. If you want to track those down, I think you have a real load of disgusting work in front of you.

[Ultima08]

if anyone translates every 8-bt comic into other languages they deserve the biggest cookie in the world foer allowing 8-bits fan base to increase by... (carry the two) a lot
it would also be a lot easier if one managed to get the original .psd photoshop files from Brian

[Meister]

*shrugs* Hell, I'm up for it.

[gundevako]

I just noticed that this post was still going(I thought all had forgotten). I would take up the challenge myself for German or Japanese but because neither are my native language(for the record I study in Germany and my family comes from Germany which is why I am here), I don't feel confident in my abilities as a translator(I can have a conversation over Descartes' Meditations in German but translation...don't get me started), also I have no photoshop skills. But thanks for the help in finding those links, even if they are dead(I will try to find a copy somewhere). I am just glad someone remembers them other than myself!

[WingedLion]

Well, maybe the best approach if possible, is to gather a "team" of ppl who want to do it and given them different responsabilities, e.g. fans that are native speakers of any language can write in a word document the translation (because honestly, the translation engines usually lost the real meaning of the sentence in favor of a literal one) of each episode, making a more fluid, exact translation of the pun/joke spirit, and give numbers to each paragraph, making ties between each dialogue bubble and the translated text.

Then the work is upon those with good Photoshop skills just to copy and paste the texts using the list and the number relationship and that is all.

Well, just my two cents.

[Clord]

Those quotes outside bubbles need box to background when translated.

[gundevako]

Originally Posted by WingedLion

Well, maybe the best approach if possible, is to gather a "team" of ppl who want to do it and given them different responsabilities, e.g. fans that are native speakers of any language can write in a word document the translation (because honestly, the translation engines usually lost the real meaning of the sentence in favor of a literal one) of each episode, making a more fluid, exact translation of the pun/joke spirit, and give numbers to each paragraph, making ties between each dialogue bubble and the translated text.

Then the work is upon those with good Photoshop skills just to copy and paste the texts using the list and the number relationship and that is all.

Well, just my two cents.

This is all very good. I believe we would need many, let's call them, translation groups to do this, each for a different language. I have pretty much thought it over and have figured this much out.
a)Based on the locations of people on the board and this thread I would say the biggest language possibilities for translation would be right now German, Spanish, and possibly Chinese and Japanese. Most definitely German and Spanish because there seem to be a lot of people from or living in these countries on the board(myself included), so they would be able to easily set up a group.
b)Each would need their own photo shop person, because in some languages it would be better to keep some things in the original English and in other languages not.
c)It would take much longer to translate a comic as it would take Brian to write a comic, the group would have to be prepared for this!
d)Japanese would cause problems, there are a lot of people who are learning Japanese here, but I think almost no native speakers. I would really be worried that it just wouldn't come out right. This leads me to think maybe native speaker exclusive groups would be the best idea, however that would shut out too many people who might be interested in starting such a project, so we have there a gray area. I single out Japanese because I would not even think to start it until you have a native speaker in the group. I guess my suggestion would be minimum one native speaker groups.
and
e)It goes without saying but I say it anyway, they would have to take it seriously

That was extremely long but I think worth it. After typing all of that out though I think that maybe i would be willing to start or join one of these groups, if anyone forms one. I would LOVE to be a part of a German or Japanese language group as a consultant or something,(I would probably do much better in German though)again IF ANYONE FORMS ONE. I don't have the courage to start one myself(I am not a native speaker of those two languages, that's why) but if I have to I am willing to.

I am just hoping that anyone who reads this thinks, 'hey that isn't a bad idea and it doesn't seem difficult, I think I will do it!'

[Meister]

I can see that setup working. It's best if the letterer speaks the language, too (okay, it's best if one guy does everything, but it would certainly reduce the workload). It's not done with copy/pasting, though; you have to fit the text into the speech bubbles (and of course you have to translate it so it fits), you have to know your way around text options for recreating sound effects, and so on.

[WingedLion]

That is why we need to work with ppl who has good if not excellent photoshop skills. (In the spanish case I'm regular with the photoshop, but only to a basic level, and 8-bit deserves a good design in the translations).

Again in the case of Spanish, a friend of mine from Argentina and me can be part of the spanish group (since spanish has too many slangs according to the country, is best to have different spanish based speakers to settle a neutral slang) to translate.

Also I was thinking that until we get ppl with image editing skills for each group, still post the word document with the translation, like the manga translationn that you can find in the web (I know, not the best solution, but is better than nothing) and in that way, those who want to read the comic in their native language can use the word document as a help until the release of a full translated comic.

Anyways, as gundevako said, given the speed of new releases of the comic and the HUGE amount of episodes already in the archives, is going to take a looong time, so patience both from the translation groups and from the readers would be needed.

[gundevako]

WingedLion, if you want to start a Spanish group go ahead, I am after all not the final authority on the matter. If you decide to go ahead with it Would love to see it eventually.

For the record I separated it into groups because I know it would be too much for one person to handle, and because good photoshop skills no not equal good translation abilities. If you can do both well that is great but I think that would be seldom. I also thought it would be good when it comes to the translation to have at least one other person to double check the translation and say, 'hey that did not translate right!', you know things someone would not notice sometimes when translating alone. Another reason is just practical, if one person can't do it anymore there is at least still someone on the project to keep it going so it doesn't die. And also for the same reason that WingedLion said, sometimes somethings don't make sense in every country that speaks a language.