Topic: Ever wondered where the GnR names for the X5 bosses came from? Well now we know.

[Flame]

       
MMX5 English localizer Alyson Court, perhaps best known for her role as Resident Evil's Claire Redfield and star of The Big Comfy Couch, spent some time this evening reminiscing on her work on Mega Man X5 via Twitter, subsequently revealing the history behind the game's infamous localization:

 "Apparently the localization (text editing) I did for a Capcom game is *famous*. Er, make that infamous. Who knew?"
My then husband was responsible 4 text localization. He asked me 2 do it &, since he was a GnR fan, I changed the names 2b GnR references. I didn't know the game nor did I know how mad fans wld be that Id changed the characters' names. But yrs later ppl now like it!"
 "My ex-husband had his own company, GenAzea, which did localization for many Capcom games. I did a lot of that work."
 "At first my hubby laughed & liked it [the GnR names]. Then when fans started complaining he got mad at me. I meant well."

credit protodude

I was expecting something a bit better than that, but hey, its cool to know either way. It almost serves as a "rub in" to the GnR song X3 ripped off.

That said, I LOVED Big Comfy couch when I was younger. Who would have thought that girl would be involved in X5's localization. Or at least, related to the guy that was. Damn, its a small world.

[Align]

My then husband was responsible 4 text localization. He asked me 2 do it &, since he was a GnR fan, I changed the names 2b GnR references.

did she write this on a [tornado fang]ing cellphone

[Hypershell]

Well, it is a tweet...

It almost serves as a "rub in" to the GnR song X3 ripped off.

Rosered's stage is considered a visual GnR reference as well (roses with gun-shaped buildings), so that's two that came from Japan.  I can also appreciate one wanting to stick to the general musical motiff that the series is known for (wish we had a bit more of that mentality in ZX and Powered Up...), but at the same time I'm not sure who in their right mind considers Mattrex more "palatable" than Burn Dinorex.

Either way, Zero's dumbed-down attack names concern me more.

I'm curious who else was involved in X5's translation/localization, and how well if at all they "knew the game", as Alyson says she did not (take from that what you will).  Anyone who's tried to dissect the story knows that GnR is the least of X5's translation woes.  Between that and the consistently badly done manuals of pretty much the entire console generation, we these days get a lot of fans who would rather make their own assumptions as to the context of fan-translated japanese sources (LIGHT CREATED THE VIRUS!) than even look at an english localization.  And really, a PROPER localization team should have access to relevant background information (as I believe I have seen stated in the L3 Devroom already) rather than simply throwing them the script and be done with it.

EDITS: Found it.

In English, these seemingly minor details can change the entire structure of a sentence or at least change certain words, so the localizer must always be well informed on the surrounding context and general scenario. Otherwise the text might end up inconsistent with the actual game content.

I'd say that was a lesson which Capcom learned the hard way.

[Kieran]

You imply that Capcom has actually learned that lesson at all.

[Reaperoid]

It's like how some people say that Rush is a namesake of a band of the same name: musical references, etc.

[Rin]

Welp, I find all of this hilarious. Especially the part with:

"At first my hubby laughed & liked it [the GnR names]. Then when fans started complaining he got mad at me. I meant well."

Dohohohohohoho.

[Flame]

I'm not sure who in their right mind considers Mattrex more "palatable" than Burn Dinorex.

Dont know about palatable, but it was worth it if only for-

[Hypershell]

Touche, Flame.

You imply that Capcom has actually learned that lesson at all.

Maybe they haven't perfected it, but I'd say that there's been a significant drop in in-game localization blunders since around Z2, and that from X8 onward the game instruction manuals aren't nearly as ludicrous, either.

Most translation issues brought up since then are either a questionable choice of terms (Mega the lab assistant being most infamous), or a matter open to interpretation, as opposed to the sheer nonsense that pops up throughout X5, destroying and distorting several key plot points (hey, remember X's old evil comrade?).

[Flame]

(hey, remember X's old evil comrade?).

Uhhhhh...

Hmmm....

Vile...?

[MrBaryl]

Is it really that big of a deal?

[Gotham Ranger]

Just your typical translation herp and derp.

[Flame]

Consider it "funfacts"

[Mirby]

*cue Bill Nye's NOW YOU KNOW... voiceover*

[The Great Gonzo]

And of course, there were many dipshits over on PRC who wanted to physically assault Mrs. Court and/or her ex-husband for this. Christ.

(For whatever reason, I'm again wondering how much of X5's story was actually in the goddamn game. I'll bet that could muck up a translation just as badly as anything else)

[Rin]

And of course, there were many dipshits over on PRC who wanted to physically assault Mrs. Court and/or her ex-husband for this. Christ.

PRC?

Also, those people need to chill out, take a deep breath...
[spoiler]And then shoot themselves in the head, thus helping all of humanity.[/spoiler]

[The Great Gonzo]

PRC?

Protodude's Rockman Corner. I really need to learn not to read the comments there anymore.