"Theory and Practice of Games Localisation: Academic Training vs Professional Reality in Spain and the United Kingdom" My presentation, together with Jennifer Vela, at the I Media Across Borders Conference. Roehampton, London, June 2012

1. Theory and Practice of Games
Localisation: Academic Training vs
Professional Reality in Spain and the
United Kingdom
International Conference on Translation and
Accessibility in Video Games and Virtual Worlds
Roehampton University. London, 9th June, 2012
Jennifer Vela Valido Curri Barceló Ávila
jvela@jennifervela.com hello@localiseme.net

2. Overview
1. PROFESSIONAL REALITY
2. ACADEMIC TRAINING
o Academic training in Spain
o Academic training in the UK
o Spain vs UK
o Academic profile
3. RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS

3. 1. Professional Reality

4. “The games industry creates more
benefits than the movie industry
in the UK and US markets alone,
an industry that brings people out
from cinemas and television and
sits them with their controllers to
play during hours instead.”
(Chatfield, Tom. 2009)

5. Games industry market
• 31.6 billion dollars annually
• 91.98 billion dollars by 2015
• Around 30-50% to world market
(Chandler, 2012)

6. Potential markets
South-Eastern Asia
Eastern Europe
Latin America
Middle East
“Selling a videogame in an
international market can prove
huge benefits for its creator”
(Diana Díaz Montón, 2006)

7. • Publishers find ways to maximise the
sales abroad by creating localised
versions of their games.
• There is still some lack of knowledge
about how to make the localisation
process more efficient and smooth,
yet keeping high quality standards
and within budget.
• Fast pace industry Try and Error

8. Some ignorance of how the industry
really works.

9. • Joined in 2005
• Requirements: BA in Translation and
Interpreting (or equivalent) and fond of
games
• Good eye for detail
• Good communication skills
• Excellent command of their native
language and good knowledge of English

10. Tester’s Training within the company
• One-week training.
• Explanation of tools to use (bug-tracking).
• Reading 70-some pages documents about
Games industry, Games glossary and
Company guidelines.
Ready, steady... You are now a tester!

11. Tester’s Learning within the company
• Enter bugs (accurately).
• Spending hours playing the same (repetitive
tasks)
• Use of bug tracking tools (TestTrackPro)
• Format Holders Standards
• Gaming skills to finish as quick as possible
• Games terminology
3-4 months to reach the required level

12. Shorten the training process.
Adding this knowledge at university level

14. 2. Academic training

15. Academic training in Spain

16. Academic training in UK

17. Spain vs UK

18. Academic profile

19. 3. Recommendations and
Conclusions

22. Theory and Practice of Games Localisation:
Academic Training vs Professional Reality in
Spain and the United Kingdom
Thank you!
Jennifer Vela Valido Curri Barceló Ávila
@ligeis @Currixan
jvela@jennifervela.com hello@localiseme.net