Localizing Orbiter? (Русификация)

[Artlav]

Localizing Orbiter? (Русификация)

Why have Orbiter never been translated to other languages, i wonder?
A question asked in the russian thread here prompted me to try it out.

True, there is little point in having technical stuff translated, but what about just the launchpad and the menus? It would help people from other countries to make sense of what there is to some little extent.

It's for Martins to decide how and if it is to be done, of course.
So, there stands the question, largely for him.

By the terms of use i can't release the exe, so here is what it looks like:

 

[MeDiCS]

Interesting. The only way to do that now would be to modify the executable, but if support is officially added I can certainly translate it to pt-BR.

 

[SiberianTiger]

1. Are you sure the demand for it is really high and not just a few guys who studied French in school?
2. What about the most popular addons? Do any of them support localization?

 

[MeDiCS]

1. Are you sure the demand for it is really high and not just a few guys who studied French in school?

I wouldn't say high, but enough to support, at least, localization of the main screen and/or critical addons, such as the scenario editor.

2. What about the most popular addons? Do any of them support localization?

That depends on the particular addon, but, apart from the manual, I can't see big needs for localization.

One (dreamy) possibility would be to use a common string pool in various languages, so that addon authors could use them without requiring specialized translators. :hmm:

 

[Richy]

That's a good idea. I know many people speaking german, who don't understand english very well. So they're a little "scared" of using a program that's entirely english. If it would be translated, or say "translateable", it would help, not-english speaking people get known to orbiter and extend their horizon!

 

[mc_]

Great job, Artlav, but i don't think it is really necessary. There is not much text in Orbiter. Also, it may happen like in MSFS - most ot the russian-speaking virtual pilots installing the original english version to aviod terminology issues, etc.

The only thing really needed to be translated is a documentation and a built-in help. And this localisations must be avaiable on the official web site, so new orbinauts coud have them instantly, without searchig on a many different fan sites.

[localized]
Не так уж много там текста, чтоб париться с переводом. Кроме того, некоторые обозначения по-английски короче и понятнее. А вот манул, тьфу, мануАл надо переводить, причем желательно с сохранение оригинальной терминологии на англицкой мове (хотя бы в скобках) - так меньше путаницы будет.

С другой стороны, локализация должна поспособствовать популярности Орбитера. Но, если подумать, отсутствие русскоязычных надписей на кнопках отпугивает в основном школоту, не способную открыть "руководство пользователя" перед запуском. Адекватный человек с развитым межушным нервным узлом вполне разберется, даже и не особо напрягаясь.
Если нам нужна популяризация, то куда проще оаботиться обзорами, статьями и т.д.
[/localized]

 

[RisingFury]

Well, I would translate into Slovenian, but then a whopping two people would understand what it means...


I think the easiest way to go about localizing Orbiter and it's addons is by defining an XML or similar file that would have a <language> tab. Every addon would then also define an XML. The trick is that if you wanted another language added, you'd just edit the XML by adding a language.


The question is: Is it worth it? Sure it'd be easier for some people to understand, but with all the technoblabber associated with Orbiter and space flight, it might open another can of worms. People with poor English would now try to translate the terminology when asking for help on OF and that would lead to a world of confusion...

Another thing is that I'd be surprised if Orbiter has more then 1000 users... sad, but true. It's a tiny community and I'm not sure it's worth the effort...

 

[dbeachy1]

Actually, Orbiter 2010 already has 4584 downloads just from my mirror site alone over the last 24 days, and the download rate is remaining pretty constant. And that doesn't include the main download site or the other mirrors, nor the many thousands of people who are still running Orbiter 2006.

Furthermore, based on XR download counters I estimate over 50,000 different users just for the XRs, and that's still only a fraction of the total number of users running Orbiter. Orbiter's homepage has over six millions hits. It's a safe bet that Orbiter has well over 100,000 users, and I wouldn't be surprised if it's half a million or more.

 

[Izack]

You know...I'm sort of glad now that not everyone who plays Orbiter is inclined to join the associated forum...:shifty:

 

[SiberianTiger]

[localized]
Не так уж много там текста, чтоб париться с переводом. Кроме того, некоторые обозначения по-английски короче и понятнее. А вот манул, тьфу, мануАл надо переводить, причем желательно с сохранение оригинальной терминологии на англицкой мове (хотя бы в скобках) - так меньше путаницы будет.[/localized]

[localized]
А ведь у kulch'а он уже лежит переведённый, правда, для новой версии, вероятно, свежий перевод потребуется. Всё, что надо - это организовать лёжку мануалов на разных языках на главном сайте орбитера.
[/localized]

International users may have already translated the primary orbiter manual, like the Russians did (see kulch's website). All what we need is to collect such translations on the primary Orbiter site (and keep them up to date).

 

[mc_]

will approve it.

[localized]
А ведь у kulch'а он уже лежит переведённый, правда, для новой версии, вероятно, свежий перевод потребуется.
[/localized]

[localized]Товарищ Кульчицкий недавно отписался на русскоязычном форуме о том, что перевод в процессе. Так что ждем.[/localized]

 

[jedidia]

you now, I can understand some russian, but I'll be darned if I'll ever get sufficiently fluent with that cyrilian alphabet to actually read it!

 

[SiberianTiger]

you now, I can understand some russian, but I'll be darned if I'll ever get sufficiently fluent with that cyrilian alphabet to actually read it!

I thought the alphabet was the easiest thing to learn and use. But that must be individual.

 

[Jarvitä]

you now, I can understand some russian, but I'll be darned if I'll ever get sufficiently fluent with that cyrilian alphabet to actually read it!

Enjoy

 

[SiberianTiger]

Ё! = an emotional invective. :lol:

 

[mc_]

And what about "Ы"? I mean, Ыыыы!

 

[SiberianTiger]

And what about "Ы"? I mean, Ыыыы!

A sound emitted by a man with a strong hangover. :rofl:

 

[mc_]

As you can see, russian language can be maked extremely hard to understand. But russians still will be able to read it:

йожыннаэ норречие йесть таййнай изыкъ апщенийа ЙОЖЭЙ, абетающщих въ деббрях варонишшских лисоф иинагда пат шкаффам… праисхажденнее изыка давольна баналльнае: оччинь трудны пападать йожынай лаппай панужнай кнопкимдыр. аднакка нивзирая нна ету баналнастць ии видимайу прастату громатекимдыр, йожынаэ норречие давольна сложжно въ иизученийи ии дайотся далико нифсем ехехехехех… сложжнастць заключаитца фтом шшта громатичискии искажэннея ниретка имейутъ кантекстна-зовиссимый либба интуетиввнай характир инипаддайуцца фармалецаззыи… нно зото ФАРМАЛИНИЗАЦЦЫИ атлична паддаютса фсякие никашэррнаи аляшы пытайушчиися скампрамитиравать йожэй ниабаснованными напатками паповаду «урродаванейа русскава изыка», хехехех… оттто кливита! йожы — грамацнайа наццыя, фФф.фФфф.фффФФ!!! ии махнаттайа, дад.

Google translate?

//so, i mean, that translation is a hard work

 

[SiberianTiger]

йожыннаэ норречие йесть таййнай изыкъ апщенийа ЙОЖЭЙ, абетающщих въ деббрях варонишшских лисоф иинагда пат шкаффам…

:rofl: Splendid! :thumbup:

But I think, :threadjacked: a bit.

 

[T.Neo]

It's a safe bet that Orbiter has well over 100,000 users, and I wouldn't be surprised if it's half a million or more.

May be slightly offtopic, but it could be debatable whether a fair figure of that is people who actually use Orbiter (even on a rare basis), or 13 year olds who delete it after discovering that it lacks lasers...