CD Projekt Talks About Cyberpunk's Language

[Karloff]

CD Projekt Talks About Cyberpunk's Language

[youtube=RzwUslpNe4k

[B]The last thing CD Projekt wants in its Cyberpunk 2077 game is a bunch of Poles trying to sound American.[/B]

"It's impossible to translate Los Angeles (or similar) street slang in a believable way," says CD Projekt RED's Sebastian Stepien, which is why CD Projekt is considering having each Cyberpunk 2077 [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/117529-CD-Projekt-Red-Reveals-Cyberpunk] in-game nationality played, and spoken, in its native tongue. It's all about the world-building; if it doesn't sound real, it won't feel real, and the very last thing CD Projekt wants is a bunch of Poles trying to sound American.

"It's just not possible to record voices in other languages, and give all emotions, behaviours, at the same time," says Stepien."It must be coherent." Those worried they may not understand what's going on needn't panic, as CD Projekt is considering having translation chips available for sale to your protagonist. The better the chip, the better the translation. Something very similar was available in the original pen-and-paper RPG, which given CD Projekt's fondness for its source material [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/121594-Pen-And-Paper-Creator-Talks-Cyberpunk-2077] should come as no surprise.

This is all pie in the leaden dystopian sky for the moment, as CD Projekt is still heavily involved with Geralt [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/121934-UPDATE-The-Witcher-3-Really-Is-Geralts-Last-Adventure]. There isn't so much as a confirmed release date for its Cyberpunk 2077 title yet, but if CD Projekt's prepared to put this much thought into its world-building, the finished product ought to be something worth paying attention to.

Source: YouTube [http://www.youtube.com/user/dubscorepl?feature=watch]

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[Daystar Clarion]

Well, The Witcher is pretty much lost on me, so it looks like this game is the only thing I need to pay attention to in regards to CD Projekt

 

[Abomination]

This is why I love CD Projekt - they really think about the setting of their games and try to make it as immersive as possible.

I hope they have the funds to afford voice actors as good as or better than Witcher 2. Vernon Roche's actor really impressed me.

 

[synobal]

Ah I dunno different chips seems silly, wouldn't it be one chip, with different software packages? Also I'd pay my left nut for a Malkavian software package that made everyone speak like a Malkavian.

 

[The Artificially Prolonged]

Man the guys at CD Projekt really do look into all the small details in a world. It's certainly an interesting idea.

 

[felbot]

oh god id love it if they would do that.

 

[Erttheking]

So I have to buy something in game to understand what the Hell people are saying? Not sure if I like that idea.

 

[Riobux]

While I love the dedication of CD Projekt to sound believably from places, there was one part I took more note of:

So I have to buy something in game to understand what the Hell people are saying? Not sure if I like that idea.

This. I look the idea of a translation chip. Instead of having everything waved off as "oh, you understand a completely different language", for you to actually have to purchase a chip to do it is fantastic and I love the idea. I'd say it'd have to be something you can get early game without much problem, but it'd be a fantastic and amazing thing to have from a lore perspective.

 

[Erttheking]

While I love the dedication of CD Projekt to sound believably from places, there was one part I took more note of:

So I have to buy something in game to understand what the Hell people are saying? Not sure if I like that idea.

This. I look the idea of a translation chip. Instead of having everything waved off as "oh, you understand a completely different language", for you to actually have to purchase a chip to do it is fantastic and I love the idea. I'd say it'd have to be something you can get early game without much problem, but it'd be a fantastic and amazing thing to have from a lore perspective.

I mean some people who play Metro 2033 say that it adds to the oppressive atmosphere when everyone spoke Russian and you only got subtitles from people talking directly to you, but at least they made that optional. I'll be kinda annoyed if these things turn out to be expensive. Also this is a concept Mass Effect came up with five years ago and didn't require you in game cash to pay for.

 

[Riobux]

While I love the dedication of CD Projekt to sound believably from places, there was one part I took more note of:

So I have to buy something in game to understand what the Hell people are saying? Not sure if I like that idea.

This. I look the idea of a translation chip. Instead of having everything waved off as "oh, you understand a completely different language", for you to actually have to purchase a chip to do it is fantastic and I love the idea. I'd say it'd have to be something you can get early game without much problem, but it'd be a fantastic and amazing thing to have from a lore perspective.

I mean some people who play Metro 2033 say that it adds to the oppressive atmosphere when everyone spoke Russian and you only got subtitles from people talking directly to you, but at least they made that optional. I'll be kinda annoyed if these things turn out to be expensive. Also this is a concept Mass Effect came up with five years ago and didn't require you in game cash to pay for.

If they made the item expensive, I'd likely be a bit annoyed. However, I think they'd make it medium or low cost so it's possible to pick it up early game but not too low so it feels like you're just going through the steps.

 

[Thunderous Cacophony]

I really like the idea of translation chips. I wonder if it will just be subtitles added to your HUD, or if the voice itself changes? I'd be fine with either, really.

I imagine that it'll be subtitles, otherwise they're back in the same "need to record voices in a bunch of different languages, using appropriate words" trap.

While I love the dedication of CD Projekt to sound believably from places, there was one part I took more note of:

So I have to buy something in game to understand what the Hell people are saying? Not sure if I like that idea.

This. I look the idea of a translation chip. Instead of having everything waved off as "oh, you understand a completely different language", for you to actually have to purchase a chip to do it is fantastic and I love the idea. I'd say it'd have to be something you can get early game without much problem, but it'd be a fantastic and amazing thing to have from a lore perspective.

I mean some people who play Metro 2033 say that it adds to the oppressive atmosphere when everyone spoke Russian and you only got subtitles from people talking directly to you, but at least they made that optional. I'll be kinda annoyed if these things turn out to be expensive. Also this is a concept Mass Effect came up with five years ago and didn't require you in game cash to pay for.

"The better the chip, the better the translation." It would work best if they offered cheap ones at the beginning of the game to handle the most common languages, and upgrades to that for additional languages and better translations.

 

[1337mokro]

Amazing. That was an idea I had not even thought possible. To have a translation augmentation with different qualities impacting the way you play.

Translation devices will probably not be that expensive and based on the language you speak yourself you might even get a completely different experience in the story. Just think about it. You are a new arrival in the city, quite literally off the buss from Mexico. Now there are allot of Latino NPC's you will be able to easily understand these, however your limited personal English skills will prevent you from talking to other people until you get that translation chip.

It's basically AR-Gaming. The language you speak yourself limits the game. You might have to get out a little pocket dictionary for the most part until you can get a translation chip, kinda like you would have to do if you decided in real life to visit a city that speaks a different language.

However people did raise a point where if this lasts to long or the chip is TO expensive it can cause a problem. I can see either of two ways around it.

You can Loot a chip. Basically rip it out of the first body with one that you find and implant it or it is a quest reward. Kinda like at the end of the tutorial you get a VERY basic chip that basically translates everything into Broken (insert Langauge).

It will require allot of work though to balance immersion with comprehension. Because it will probably be about 6-8 languages in total that are going to be, all requiring voice acting, translated dialogue, modified translated dialogue based on implant level, etc.

An interesting concept with high risk. But it is CD Red. I kinda want them to take this risk and see if it works.

 

[Christer]

I certainly hope that they're talking about subtitles! Making the cheapo translation should be easy -- google translate ftw.

 

[Tradjus]

Well, I certainly love the idea of in-game translation chips that improve the quality of the translation of languages you hear being spoken, but.. I'm ambivalent about if the idea will actually be in the game. Voice acting sections currently take up the majority of space allocated too any video game, even cinematic use less, so we'd certainly be looking at a -monster- of an install if this were actually done.

 

[MrBaskerville]

Why not just have polish with subtitles?