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Persona Community Thread |OT4| The Golden Number

Nachos

Member
I think they'll keep the name, and plus the Q can stand for Quest in this situation.

They could, but what about that name would communicate that it's a Persona game in the Etrian style? Plus, if they get whoever designs the English Etrian logos to do the English the one for Q, then it'll actually look good, unlike the one for SMT4.

*The Pepsiman speaketh.*

Wow, I kinda feel like I've flung open the flood gates in the subject, but I really enjoyed reading all of that. It's funny, though -- as I was reading, I was coming up with questions to ask, only to have them answered just a bit later on.

I definitely get what you're saying, though. The job of a translator -- specifically, a localizer -- is to take the constructs of a language and rework it into a new context that is much more readily accessible to an audience who would remain unexposed otherwise. That's kinda the definition of translating in general. In this particular case, though, the translators aren't necessarily translating the experience -- one which operates so well and so selectively within the confines if Japanese culture, cherry-picking the best aspects to elevate its story -- but rather, the vehicle with which one uses to traverse it.

A good translation would make things smooth sailing the entire way, as the moment the consumer stops and goes "well that doesn't sound quite right," there's very clearly a problem. I think that with a good translation, even the most foreign concepts or objects can be made all the more palatable with little issue. I mean, just look at Persona -- I certainly didn't know what a kotatsu was prior to playing it. It just boils down to how one is able to appraise how things might need to be retooled or replaced outright. If you need to turn a cruise liner into a submarine to get the job done, assuming that job is moving through water and doesn't deviate too much from the original intended purpose, then that's what needs to be done.

The most recent 8-4 podcast even went into this with Alexander O. Smith, mentioning that even a literal translation strips something away, so there needs to be something reinjected to fill in the gap. Whether that's by reordering words to make grammatical sense in the new language or doing entire rewrites/revisions to do the most accurate approximation of a specific intent, the original author likely never intended for the work to read poorly. Obviously, though, the best translations require mutual understanding and respect on the behalf of all parties. Like you said, translating the game isn't exactly the midst enviable position, especially on deadline. Still, I feel like the deadline could actually be beneficial, as otherwise, the writers would just toil away at the smallest minutiae, never satisfied but always tinkering. At some point, you just need to happy with what you've wrought and push it out the door, especially since realistically, the original writer did the exact same thing.

If your examples are spoiler-free, though, then I'd love to see them and hear your thoughts.
 
Man, how tall is kanji?

183cm apparently..

tumblr_n0mluwOKV31t46pjso1_500h.jpg

I'm taller than everyone in Persona :(
 

Pepsiman

@iiotenki on Twitter!
Junpei trailer subtitles all done. One of those videos where I was kind of banging my head on my desk for a while trying to divine decent lines without proper context. Your mileage may vary pretty dramatically from the officially localized game, so... yeah. Disseminate as you will. I think that marks the end of my long week translating Persona shit finally, ahaha.
 
@Pepsiman: What you said is very interesting; I played the fan-translation when it came out and enjoyed it, but I don't know the original to understand in detail what you're saying. I would aprreciate it too if you would share those screens! I have yet to play the "Official" translation, so I can't judge that one.
Also, I can't quite remember the Persona reference? What was it about?
 

Shengar

Member
So, just looking at my Catherine art book again, and man, some of the art is so great.
Catherine Art book is a thing?
I think I must searched it now.
Unless you count most of the pre-existing demon designs, nope. Dude's gone incognito for a while.

Regardless, excited to see what you come up with next!
Wait, then who did the persona design for Persona 4? (also persona 3).
Kaneko didn't even do SMTIV, what's up with that. That seems wrong.

Back to Persona 3: I have taken to calling Yukari "Peninsula" ("Yuka-tan"). I should write for Ikutsuki.
Kaneko wrote the script for it though. It's been a while since he's doing any demons design right?
 

Pepsiman

@iiotenki on Twitter!
@Pepsiman: What you said is very interesting; I played the fan-translation when it came out and enjoyed it, but I don't know the original to understand in detail what you're saying. I would aprreciate it too if you would share those screens! I have yet to play the "Official" translation, so I can't judge that one.
Also, I can't quite remember the Persona reference? What was it about?

I'm a bit worn out from doing all the translation work from this week, so I'll provide some screencapped examples after I've slept and I'm more awake, but the really brazen Persona reference I'm thinking of is in
Chapter 06, when Kyoko and Monokuma are hashing out the terms of their freedom and he suddenly starts speaking like Teddie. Teddie has a distinct way of speaking in Japanese as well, but it's mostly in a different way and it's pretty easy to miss as a translator if you're not familiar with how his character is originally written in Japanese. I was really impressed with how elaborate the bear puns got in the Zetsubou translation since the original Japanese line is done mostly as a non-sequitor gotcha moment that's not quite as layered. It's much harder to do bear puns in Japanese, so it's mostly an English Teddie thing only.
 
Catherine Art book is a thing?
I think I must searched it now.

I was un-aware of a Catherine Art book..there's the guide book that features some art?

Or there is the Heroes and Heroines art book that also features Catherine art http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/4756241697/

------------------------------

Ah I just realised that you're probably talking about the mini book that came with pre-orders of the game.

edit* Guess there's one called Venus Mode.
 
Almost two hours in and I'm really enjoying the story and characters in Persona 4. Even though it's largely been about setting up the story, characters, and tone with tons of dialogue...it's been very enjoyable and I can see hints of what the game play will have to offer.

I do, however, feel like there should be an option for the original Japanese voices coupled with the English text. Forgive me for saying this, but, while not without their charm the English voices are mostly terrible. I could turn them off completely but I feel like that would strip the game of some of it's vibrancy.
 

FluxWaveZ

Member
Looks like you're wrong again Flux.

Yukari. Junpei.

YES JUNPEI HAS THE GAG GLASSES!!!!!! Yukari calls him an idiot too. XD

Looks like Meia was totally right, the order of release for the trailers is probably going to be the order in which the characters joined their respective parties.

...Unless next Friday proves me wrong again, which would be just great.

Edit: Huh, without having seen the subbed trailers yet, what Yukari tells Junpei in the PQ trailer (thought it sounded like "You're really an idiot, aren't you?") is exactly what she calls him in the P4A2 section of the Nov. 24 reveal event.
 

Shengar

Member


2400 yen. If it not because Bravely Default Design Works always low on stock, I'll bite this right now.

He came up with the original concept, not the script.

Just original concept? I thought I read it on the credit roll also as "script writer". \I hope he come back soon.
 

Dantis

Member
Yep, it's called Venus Mode.

Correct! Shame it will never get translated. It's excellent.



2400 yen. If it not because Bravely Default Design Works always low on stock, I'll bite this right now.



Just original concept? I thought I read it on the credit roll also as "script writer". \I hope he come back soon.

Be warned that it has a large amount of text-only pages. About 80 - 90 pages of art, then the rest is text stuff.
 
Looks like Meia was totally right, the order of release for the trailers is probably going to be the order in which the characters joined their respective parties.

...Unless next Friday proves me wrong again, which would be just great.

Edit: Huh, without having seen the subbed trailers yet, what Yukari tells Junpei in the PQ trailer (thought it sounded like "You're really an idiot, aren't you?") is exactly what she calls him in the P4A2 section of the Nov. 24 reveal event.

No, if that were true the first videos after the protagonists would have been Yukari/Yosuke, then Chie/Junpei and so on and so forth. Unless they're doing it chronologically, and not in game terms.
 
=Be warned that it has a large amount of text-only pages. About 80 - 90 pages of art, then the rest is text stuff.

I just read that it talks largely about the script and the multiple endings. Would love to hear their thoughts on some parts. Especially certain endings.
 

FluxWaveZ

Member
No, if that were true the first videos after the protagonists would have been Yukari/Yosuke, then Chie/Junpei and so on and so forth. Unless they're doing it chronologically, and not in game terms.

Meia proposed it was chronologically, so that's what I'm going with as well now.
 
I'm a bit worn out from doing all the translation work from this week, so I'll provide some screencapped examples after I've slept and I'm more awake, but the really brazen Persona reference I'm thinking of is in
Chapter 06, when Kyoko and Monokuma are hashing out the terms of their freedom and he suddenly starts speaking like Teddie. Teddie has a distinct way of speaking in Japanese as well, but it's mostly in a different way and it's pretty easy to miss as a translator if you're not familiar with how his character is originally written in Japanese. I was really impressed with how elaborate the bear puns got in the Zetsubou translation since the original Japanese line is done mostly as a non-sequitor gotcha moment that's not quite as layered. It's much harder to do bear puns in Japanese, so it's mostly an English Teddie thing only.
Oh I see, thanks for the explanation. I'm honestly not sure if I didn't even notice or just forgot it though D:
 

Shengar

Member
Be warned that it has a large amount of text-only pages. About 80 - 90 pages of art, then the rest is text stuff.

How many page is it? I own FEA artbook that have 120 pages of text, and about 180 pages of art, but for me it still worthed it.

I just read that it talks largely about the script and the multiple endings. Would love to hear their thoughts on some parts. Especially certain endings.

I definitely want to read that too. It's not so often for us to hear developers thought on their own project.
 
How many page is it? I own FEA artbook that have 120 pages of text, and about 180 pages of art, but for me it still worthed it.



I definitely want to read that too. It's not so often for us to hear developers thought on their own project.

160 pages.

It's a shame that these art-books rarely ever get translated. It's been out since 2011, so if anyone has it should be out there to find by now.
 

Pepsiman

@iiotenki on Twitter!
180+ centimeters is actually a pretty bad way to be in Japan, especially in the more rural-ish parts like Inaba that aren't super urbanized with buildings updated to current codes. I'm 185 when you convert my height to metric and I somewhat routinely run into trouble with buildings and vehicles with low ceilings whenever I'm there. When I was last over there, I used to commute to Osaka pretty regularly by train just to get out and part of my route there involved taking the subway. The ceiling was fine, but they have these metal signs for advertisements that jut down just far enough that I could do some damage to my forehead if I wasn't careful about where I was walking. I was often the only person around that would have such trouble, too; I've perhaps seen four or five natives in my time that were actually my height. So I don't envy Kanji being so tall in that society. :(
 
The Junpei trailer was awesome. I'm so hyped for his appearances in PQ and Ultra Suplex Hold!

On an unrelated note, are any of you peeps seeing The Lego Movie tonight? Phil Lord and Chris Miller is one of my favourite writer/director teams ever, so I'm excited to see how they handle the subject matter.
 

FluxWaveZ

Member
I love characters who put on a facade of normality only to actually be incredibly twisted:
Just posting this 'cause it kinda reminded me of Shadows, except they don't really put on a front only to subvert it later on.

Guess too many characters like that in Persona would make it unremarkable, but I can only really think of one character like that in the series.
 

Dantis

Member
Kanji's PQ design is my least favourite by far. Everyone else ranges from okay to good.

I love characters who put on a facade of normality only to actually be incredibly twisted:

Just posting this 'cause it kinda reminded me of Shadows, except they don't really put on a front only to subvert it later on.

Guess too many characters like that in Persona would make it unremarkable, but I can only really think of one character like that in the series.

Not a fan of that kind of thing, personally (In regards to anime games, at least). Always comes across as silly because they have to make it so over the top.
 
Kanji's PQ design really reminds me of Viral from Gurren Lagann crossed with a Kill La Kill character. He looks waaaaay too lanky for someone who's been described as a "beefcake."

I still like it, though. All of the PQ art is really charming.
 
Kanji always came across as somewhat lanky to me. His Arena sprite is way too beefy.

EDIT: So is Akihiko's but I'll give that the benefit of the doubt due to time passage.
 
Kanji's PQ design really reminds me of Viral from Gurren Lagann crossed with a Kill La Kill character. He looks waaaaay too lanky for someone who's been described as a "beefcake."

I still like it, though. All of the PQ art is really charming.

Yeah, Soejima did a great job conveying each character's personality with their PQ artwork. Even with such a drastic shift in style it's definitely still the characters we all know and love. I really can't wait to play as the P3 crew again!

Also, as Dantis might say, Koromaru is kawaii as fuck! ;)
 

Dantis

Member
Yeah, Soejima did a great job conveying each character's personality with their PQ artwork. Even with such a drastic shift in style it's definitely still the characters we all know and love. I really can't wait to play as the P3 crew again!

Also, as Dantis might say, Koromaru is kawaii as fuck! ;)

What was it that I said that about again?
 

PK Gaming

Member
Those PQ trailers were great! The wait for those games is going to be killer (I might just spoil myself when it comes out in Japan...)

I love characters who put on a facade of normality only to actually be incredibly twisted:

Just posting this 'cause it kinda reminded me of Shadows, except they don't really put on a front only to subvert it later on.

Guess too many characters like that in Persona would make it unremarkable, but I can only really think of one character like that in the series.

Yeah same here. It really depends on the execution, since it falls flat when it comes way out of left field. My favorite character who fits that profile is
Adachi
.(P4 spoilers) My least favorite is
probably Ikkutski.
(P3 spoilers)
 

Omikaru

Member
This week's trailers once again proving that Yukari and Junpei are the best.

Also, as always, nice work on the translations, Pepsiman.
 

FluxWaveZ

Member
Yeah same here. It really depends on the execution, since it falls flat when it comes way out of left field. My favorite character who fits that profile is
Adachi
.(P4 spoilers) My least favorite is
probably Ikkutski.
(P3 spoilers)

Oh yeah, forgot about the latter. Heh, probably means I didn't much care for them either.
 
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