월요일 오후, TRR Games, Purple 회의실
1. Opening
Minji: Good morning, everyone. Thank you all for being here. I know coordinating schedules across time zones isn’t easy, so I really appreciate your efforts. For those I haven’t worked with directly before, I’m Minji Lee, the Localization Manager for Twilight Dominion. My job is to ensure our localization efforts run smoothly and effectively.
Jake: Morning, Minji! Ah, I guess it’s afternoon for you—lucky you, you’re closer to the end of the day! Thanks for hosting. Hi, everyone, I’m Jake Martin, your cultural advisor for this project. I’ve been in localization for a while, but this one has me particularly excited—Twilight Dominion looks incredible.
Soyeon: Good morning, everyone. I’m Soyeon Kim, the UX/UI designer. I’ll be focusing on ensuring the interface and user experience align with our localization goals.
Jake: (Smiling) And now, the highlight of today—Amit Patel is here. Honestly, Amit, I’ve followed your work for years, especially your time at LinguoSphere Studios. The way you handled Celestial Tides was pure artistry. It’s great to finally meet you.
Amit: (Laughs humbly) Thanks, Jake. That’s really kind of you—and I’m just as excited to be here. This is my first project since joining the team, and I’m already impressed with the work you’ve done on the cultural side. Twilight Dominion looks like it’s going to be something special.
Soyeon: I just want to add—I’m a huge fan too. Your work on Nova Trails really stood out to me. The way the characters’ personalities came through in different languages felt so seamless.
Amit: That means a lot. Thank you. I’m happy to be working with all of you.
Jake: (To Minji and Soyeon) I’m just saying—it’s my first time meeting him too! You can totally get why I’m geeking out right now, right?
Minji: Jake, we absolutely do. Amit, your reputation in the industry precedes you—ten years of working on AAA projects, and I’ve heard your team has even been praised for making stories feel more immersive than the original. That’s exactly the kind of expertise we need to bring Twilight Dominion to life for players around the world.
I think we can all agree that having someone with your insight and experience is a huge advantage. Let’s channel this enthusiasm into today’s discussion. Here’s the agenda:
- We’ll review the localization scope and key challenges.
- Discuss cultural and UX/UI considerations.
- Set priorities and finalize timelines.
Everyone ready?
Jake: Absolutely. Let’s do this.
2. Game Overview and Localization Scope
Minji: To start, let’s ensure we’re all on the same page about the game itself. Soyeon, could you give us a quick rundown of Twilight Dominion?
Soyeon: Of course. Twilight Dominion is a fantasy RPG set in a world divided by two factions—the Lumina Order and the Shadow Vanguard. The story evolves based on the player’s decisions, with choices affecting alliances, character arcs, and the ultimate ending. It’s heavily narrative-driven and targets 18-to-35-year-old gamers who love deep storytelling and immersive worlds.
Amit: Fascinating. Narrative-heavy RPGs are always rewarding but challenging to localize. Maintaining the emotional impact across languages requires a lot of nuance.
Soyeon: Exactly. The branching narrative makes it tricky. One decision can completely change the dialogue or how a character interacts with the player. If those changes don’t feel natural in the localized version, it could break immersion.
Jake: (Smiling) Spoken like someone who’s already dealt with that pain before. Have you had to handle branching narrative localization in past projects, Soyeon?
Soyeon: Not on this scale. I’ve worked on mobile games with smaller decision trees, but Twilight Dominion is on another level. It’s exciting, but also a little daunting.
Minji: You’ve done amazing work so far, Soyeon. I have no doubt you’ll handle this challenge just as well.
Soyeon: Thank you, Minji. Though I think having a strong glossary, like Amit mentioned, will be a game-changer here. It’ll save a lot of back-and-forth during the localization process.
Amit: Absolutely. A well-built glossary is like a compass—it keeps everyone moving in the same direction.
Jake: (Laughing) Now I’m picturing a team of translators literally lost in the woods without one.
Soyeon: It does feel like that sometimes. When you’re deep into designing a screen, you suddenly think, ‘Wait, did we already decide how this button should look for this faction?’ That’s when having the right system really saves the day.
Amit: Been there. It’s why centralized systems are a lifesaver. Once we set it up, I’ll make sure everyone has access to it, Soyeon, so you can incorporate those terms seamlessly into the UI.
Soyeon: That’ll be a huge help. Speaking of the UI, some of the faction names, like “Shadow Vanguard,” are tied deeply to the game’s lore. Amit, how do you approach translating such culturally significant terms?
Amit: Great question. For terms with narrative weight, we prioritize capturing the essence rather than the literal meaning. For instance, if “Shadow Vanguard” represents rebellion and defiance, we’d find equivalent imagery in the target culture that evokes the same feelings.
Jake: And this is where cultural feedback is crucial. Sometimes a name might work linguistically but clash with regional sensibilities. Vetting these with local experts ensures we avoid any missteps.
Soyeon: It’s amazing how much thought goes into even the smallest terms. It really highlights how localization is so much more than just translation—it’s almost like rewriting the story for each region.
Amit: That’s exactly it, Soyeon. Localization is storytelling. If we get it right, players in every region will feel like the game was made for them.
Minji: Agreed. Let’s flag this as a key priority as we move forward. Amit, once the glossary is ready, can you work closely with Soyeon to ensure the UI design complements the localized terms?
Amit: Of course. I’ll coordinate with her to address any spacing or layout adjustments as well.
Soyeon: Perfect. I’ll prep a few UI mockups with placeholder terms so we can test them as soon as the glossary is finalized.
Jake: Soyeon, I think you just saved us from a hundred last-minute redesigns.
Soyeon: Let’s hope so.
(to be continued) |