Why do you translate?

I translate because it's an escape from my real job (which is, lolz translating).

Nothing feels better after pounding an 8-hour day grind making into cohesive English some random script you have no (explicative) interest by some horrible deadline lest you be out on the streets begging for food than going home and occasionally picking up a work you actually like and translate it freely in the way you like at the pace you like.

Originally Posted by zalas

Or it can be an overly aggressive reaction to attitudes of "fans".

Very true. The average "fan" is little more than an entitled leecher, a pirate with no respect for rights the original creators whatsoever. The average "fan" is little more than pond scum. Is it any wonder that the better translators look down on them and spit on them.

[appztetra]

It's a scapegoat to stretch out my abilities as a translator, and further breaking down the wall between copyrights...

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Very true. The average "fan" is little more than an entitled leecher, a pirate with no respect for rights the original creators whatsoever. The average "fan" is little more than pond scum. Is it any wonder that the better translators look down on them and spit on them.

Hey Seung! How have you been?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Very true. The average "fan" is little more than an entitled leecher, a pirate with no respect for rights the original creators whatsoever. The average "fan" is little more than pond scum. Is it any wonder that the better translators look down on them and spit on them.

At least fans know how to be thankful. Whereas, a group like insani has no regard for anyone. If you don't like the work you're translating, as insani seems to express, then well, don't do it.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Whereas, a group like insani has no regard for anyone. If you don't like the work you're translating, as insani seems to express, then well, don't do it.

Aside from Wind and a few commercial demos, I don't think that's entirely true. insani always had good things to say about the amateur games they translated. What they promoted was reverence for the original works, the authors, and the translation process - basically, an intellectual and artistic view of the visual novel medium (which is partly why they had little interest in commercial works, which tend to be written as disposable entertainment). They then gnashed their teeth when they saw that lay readers (and many other translators) rarely gave a damn about any of that. Piracy was only one symptom of a lack of reverence.

Indeed, they're sometimes prone to extremes - for instance, Narcissu was placed on a high pedestal and dissected as if it were avant-garde literature.

That said, they're pompous snobs all right. It isn't necessarily the attitude toward so-called fans that bothers me, but somewhere along the way, civility seemed to disappear (the open hostility toward Agilis was particularly uncalled for, IMO). They became way too caught up in a sense of personal superiority, in terms of their translation activities, their broad knowledge, and their educational/professional backgrounds.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Aside from Wind and a few commercial demos, I don't think that's entirely true. insani always had good things to say about the amateur games they translated. What they promoted was reverence for the original works, the authors, and the translation process - basically, an intellectual and artistic view of the visual novel medium (which is partly why they had little interest in commercial works, which tend to be written as disposable entertainment). They then gnashed their teeth when they saw that lay readers (and many other translators) rarely gave a damn about any of that. Piracy was only one symptom of a lack of reverence.

Indeed, they're sometimes prone to extremes - for instance, Narcissu was placed on a high pedestal and dissected as if it were avant-garde literature.

I see. BTW the fact that visual novels aren't as well-known as some other things may cause them to be held high.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

That said, they're pompous snobs all right. It isn't necessarily the attitude toward so-called fans that bothers me, but somewhere along the way, civility seemed to disappear (the open hostility toward Agilis was particularly uncalled for, IMO). They became way too caught up in a sense of personal superiority, in terms of their translation activities, their broad knowledge, and their educational/professional backgrounds.

Professional backgrounds? It's fine to have some educational training, but they shouldn't be so forceful with it and make that justification for their attitude. I know people with college degrees that are well-known on Youtube for popular videos. If they're going to dissect it so much, then show me the degree in Japanese and comparative literature or something. And if they DO have such superiority in Japanese, they can go work in professional Japan. Don't work on visual novels and then complain. It's fine to work on something less than professional if they wouldn't be so overboastful.

And why the hate against Agilis? Why can't they leave someone that's hard-working and caring alone? Not to mention that Agilis has an MS. They, caring so much about being professional, should not mess with an MS degree holder.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

And why the hate against Agilis? Why can't they leave someone that's hard-working and caring alone? Not to mention that Agilis has MS.

I... never knew. I feel sorry for him now. :(

Originally Posted by Moogy

of course all that's really happening here is a divide between the "casual" fans and the "hardcore" fans, since obviously you wouldn't bother translating shit if you weren't a fan of it in some way

yeah, this is pointless semantic rubbish, but i think pointless semantic rubbish is kind of interesting

<Message> Moogy: "yeah, this is pointless semantic rubbish, but i think pointless semantic rubbish is kind of interesting" <-- No, you think hearing yourself talk is interesting.
<Agi-Sumika> [EXACTLHY
<Agi-Sumika> fucking moogy and his " I L:ikle the sound of my own vcoice on the intarwebs BASK IN MY GLORY YOU WORMSSSQ WWWAWWWAWA"

stop posting, you're not liked around here

[Agilis]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

And why the hate against Agilis? Why can't they leave someone that's hard-working and caring alone? Not to mention that Agilis has an MS. They, caring so much about being professional, should not mess with an MS degree holder.

I'm going to stay out of most of this train wreck, but just in case it's not clear from previous corrections to people's posts. I hold a Masters of Science degree, hence, I have an MS. It is also not a degree in translation or language, which is typically an MA. (Aside from linguistics... but I've not a Ling degree).

I do NOT, in any way, have Multiple Sclerosis, the other MS that one can have without talking about software.

And as an aside, translating is not a particularly lucrative profession. The few pros I do know are making less than me working for game companies here and there (some being multinational game companies). Sure they could make more, but they'd have to climb the ladders of management and not be translators.

I work with numbers as my vocation, and it pays quite well, with good room for improvement. I know other translators who have (hard math/science) PhDs, or have MBAs, MDs, all degrees with very good income potential.

To make the same amount or more as a translator, We'd have to get lucky and translate (and get royalties) on a blockbuster hit like Harry Potter, or be in the top X% of the industry.

Let's be realistic, good translators and translations deserve good money, but the market doesn't support that, because a game will sell maybe, 250-500 copies, with 1k being amazing. Plus people are only willing to pay $50 for a game (that the publisher sees half of), and people will then complain about the price? The economics simply don't work.

[LoSs]

This thread:

Originally Posted by Unregistered

<Message> Moogy: "yeah, this is pointless semantic rubbish, but i think pointless semantic rubbish is kind of interesting" <-- No, you think hearing yourself talk is interesting.
<Agi-Sumika> [EXACTLHY
<Agi-Sumika> fucking moogy and his " I L:ikle the sound of my own vcoice on the intarwebs BASK IN MY GLORY YOU WORMSSSQ WWWAWWWAWA"

stop posting, you're not liked around here

I like Moogy when he's not posturing like a teenager or taking everything way too seriously (i.e. 2% of the time).

He used to be pretty cool a year or two ago but I think all the self-importance has got to his head. Or maybe he's finally turned 13 and the hormones are kicking in.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I like Moogy when he's not posturing like a teenager or taking everything way too seriously (i.e. 2% of the time).

He used to be pretty cool a year or two ago but I think all the self-importance has got to his head. Or maybe he's finally turned 13 and the hormones are kicking in.

Self-importance is rather common in this community, its not just limited to Moogy.

[Asceai]

If you do good work, you're allowed to be self-important and arrogant, I feel.

No comment about Moogy here since I haven't actually seen any of his work!

Originally Posted by Asceai

If you do good work, you're allowed to be self-important and arrogant, I feel.

Exactly. However, the typical fanboy is just too stupid to recognize good work when it is placed in front of his acne ridden face.