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Multimedia and Videogame Localisation B-A

Code: 44380 ECTS Credits: 6
2024/2025
Degree Type Year
4315982 Audiovisual Translation OB 0

Contact

Name:
Carme Mangiron Hevia
Email:
Carme.Mangiron@uab.cat

Teachers

Itziar Andujar Garcia
María Elena Hernández García

Teaching groups languages

You can view this information at the end of this document.


Prerequisites

There are no previous requirements.


Objectives and Contextualisation

The module's objectives are the following:

-Understand a multimedia localization project.

-Familiarize with computer-assisted translation tools.

-Present a panoramic vision of the videogame industry (market, producers, platforms, etc.).

-Familiarize with the localization of video games: special characteristics of this type of translation and description of the localization process, text typologies, etc.

-Apply the knowledge acquired by translating videogames.


Competences

  • Act in accordance with the code of ethics of the profession.
  • Continue the learning process, to a large extent autonomously.
  • Discern the different modes and textual genres of audiovisual translation and media accessibility and their characteristics.
  • Manage projects in audiovisual translation, accessibility, multimedia localisation, and translation of web pages and video games.
  • Master strategies for the correction, linguistic revision and post-edition of audiovisual products.
  • Recognise the translation problems specific to the different modes of audiovisual products and use the knowledge acquired to solve them.
  • Translate and make accessible audiovisual products, multimedia products, web pages, video games and software.
  • Use specific software to translate and make accessible audiovisual products, multimedia products and video games.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Act in accordance with the code of ethics of the profession.
  2. Continue the learning process, to a large extent autonomously.
  3. Develop the skills needed to translate a video game or multimedia product without access to the original.
  4. Gain practice in the localisation processes for websites, multimedia products, video games, and applications for mobile phones and tablets.
  5. Identify and correct errors in localised products.
  6. Identify the different text types present in a video game and a multimedia product.
  7. Produce translations that fulfill the professional standards of the localisation industry.
  8. Recognise the economic and professional aspects of the localisation industry.
  9. Show familiarity with quality control for localised products.
  10. Show familiarity with the technical issues related to localisation.
  11. Solve problems related to the location of web pages, multimedia products, video games and applications for mobile phones and tablets.
  12. Use software to translate web pages, multimedia products, video games and computer applications.
  13. Work in and lead teams engaging in localisation, multimedia, web pages, video games and applications for mobile phones and tablets.
  14. different components video games, multimedia products, web pages applications mobile phone.

Content

1. Multimedia localization 

Introduction to multimedia localization 

Multimedia localization: characteristics, priorities, restrictions, localization process, models, tools, technical aspects, etc. 

Translation practice

 

2. Localization of video games 

Introduction to the game industry.

Videogame localization: characteristics, priorities, restrictions, localization process, models, tools, technical aspects, etc.

Translation practice of different textual components and typologies.


Activities and Methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Exercises, debates and discussions 8 0.32 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
Lectures 18 0.72 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
Translation tasks 26 1.04 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
Type: Supervised      
Preparation of translations and assignments 62 2.48 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
Student portfolio preparation 3 0.12 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14
Task preparation 19 0.76 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
Type: Autonomous      
Expanding knowledge 14 0.56 2

An active methodology with activities of various types is used. The UAB Virtual Campus is used.

The didactic activities are organized in three blocks, according to the degree of autonomy required of the student:

- Directed activities: requires the direction of a teacher.

- Supervised activities: requires some supervision of a teacher.

- Autonomous activities: the student organizes time and effort autonomously (individually or in groups).

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.


Assessment

Continous Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Class participation 15 % 0 0 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
Exercice 1 - Multimedia 21.25% 0 0 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14
Exercice 1 - Video games 12.5 % 0 0 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14
Exercice 2 - Multimedia 21.25 % 0 0 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14
Exercice 2 - Video games 12.5 % 0 0 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14
Exercice 3 - Video games 12.5 % 0 0 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
Student's portfolio 5% 0 0 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 14

Continuous assessment

Students must provide evidence of their progress by completing various tasks and tests. These activities are detailed in the table at the end of this section of the Study Guide.

Review

When publishing final marks prior to recording them on students' transcripts, the lecturer will provide written notification of a date and time for reviewing assessment activities. Students must arrange reviews in agreement with the lecturer.

Missed/failed assessment activities

Students may retake assessment activities they have failed or compensate for any they have missed, provided that those they have actually performed account for a minimum of 66.6% (two thirds) of the subject's final mark and that they have a weighted average mark of at least 3.5. 

The lecturer will inform students of the procedure involved, in writing, when publishing final marks prior to recording them on transcripts. The lecturer may set one assignment per failed or missed assessment activity or a single assignment to cover a number of such activities. Under no circumstances may an assessment activity worth 100% of the final mark be retaken or compensated for. In case of retaking, maximum grade will be 5 (Pass).

Classification as "not assessable"

In the event of the assessment activities a student has performed accounting for just 25% or less of the subject's final mark, their work will be classified as "not assessable" on their transcript.

Misconduct in assessment activities

Students who engage in misconduct (plagiarism, copying, personation, etc.) in an assessment activity will receive a mark of “0” for the activity in question. In the case of misconduct in more than one assessment activity, the student involved will be given a final mark of “0” for the subject. Assessment activities inwhich irregularities have occurred (e.g. plagiarism, copying, impersonation) are excluded from recovery.

Single assessment

This module is not suitable for single assessment.

 


Bibliography

Multimedia localisation

AUSTERMÜHL, Frank. 2001. Electronic tools for translators. Manchester/Northampton: St. Jerome

CORTE, Noelia. "Localización e internacionalización de sitios web". http://www.fti.uab.es/tradumatica/revista/articles/ncorte/art.htm

DR. INTERNATIONAL. 2003. Developing international software. 2nd edition. Redmond: Microsoft Press

ESSELINK, Bert. 2003. A Practical Guide to Localization. Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins

GUZMÁN, Rafael. 2007. Manual MT Post-editing: “if it's not broken, don't fix it!”

http://accurapid.com/journal/42mt.htm

REINEKE, Detlef (ed.). 2005. Traducción y localización. Mercado, gestión y tecnologías. Las Palmas de Gran Canaria: Anroart.

SOMERS, Harold (ed.). 2003. Computers and Translation. A translator's guide. Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins

YUNKER, John. 2002. Beyond Borders: Web Localization Strategies. Los Angeles: New Riders Press 

Game localisation

Bernal, Miguel. (2014) Translation and Localisation in Video Games. London: Routledge.

Bernal, Miguel. (2006) “On the Translation of Video Games”. The Journal of Specialised Translation. Disponible en: http://www.jostrans.org/issue06/art_bernal.php

Chandler, Heather y O'Malley Deming, Stephanie. (2011) The Game Localization Handbook. Massachusetts: Charles River Media.

Granell, Ximo; Mangiron, Carme & Vidal, Núria. (2017). La traducción de videojuegos. Sevilla: Bienza.

Mangiron, Carme. (2006) “Video Games Localisation: Posing New Challenges to the Translator”. Perspectives: Studies in Translatology, Vol. 14:4.

Mangiron, Carme.  (2012) “The Localisation of Japanese Video Games: Striking the Right Balance”. The Journal of Internationalisation and Localisation, II, 1-21.

Mangiron, Carme.  (2013) “Subtitling in Game Localisation: A Descriptive Study”. Perspectives: Studies in Translatology, 21 (1), 42-56.

Mangiron, Carme.  (2016). "Games Without Frontiers: The Cultural Dimension Of Game Localization". Hermeneus.18, 187-208.

Mangiron, Carme.  (2018). "Game on! Burning issues in game localisation". Journal of Audiovisual Translation, 1(1), 122-138. http://www.jatjournal.org/index.php/jat/article/view/48.

Mangiron, Carme. (2021). Found in Translation: Evolving Approaches for the Localization of Japanese Video Games. Arts 10, no. 1: 9. https://doi.org/10.3390/arts10010009

Mangiron, Carme, O’Hagan, Minako (2006). "Game Localisation: Unleashing Imagination with 'Restricted' Translation". The Journal of Specialised Translation. Disponible en: http://www.jostrans.org/issue06/art_ohagan.php

Mangiron, Carme, Orero, Pilar & O’Hagan, Minako (ed.) (2014) Fun for All: Translation and Accessibility Practices in Video Games. Bern: Peter Lang.

Muñoz, Pablo. (2017). Manual de localización de videojuegos.Madrid: Editorial Síntesis.

O’Hagan, Minako; Mangiron, Carme. (2013) Game Localization: Translating for the Global Digital Entertainment Industry. Amsterdam & Philadelphia: John Benjamins.


Software

SDL Trados

memoQ

Phrase

GIMP

 


Language list

Name Group Language Semester Turn
(PAULm) Classroom practices (master) 1 Catalan/Spanish first semester afternoon
(TEm) Theory (master) 1 Catalan/Spanish first semester afternoon