Grimrock

Because you just announced a new project...

I can't find information about the language of Grimrock. I assume it's shipped in English. Are there other in-game-languages at least in the pipeline?

Are there meanwhile plans to design a boxed version of Grimrock - beside something like this cover?

Aren't there any news about foreign languages? I only read about Manual Translations.

No news about a boxed version?

I'm a little disappointed.

As far as we know, boxed verisons are not available. Perhaps when the company continues to grow, a later game might have a boxed version. And if they get really big, maybe they'll make boxes for their old games.
One of the biggest problems with having a boxed version is that you need to get a hold of a distributor. Then you have to weigh distribution costs vs customers of that format.

Languages we know for sure are English only. Petri gave a good explanation as to why this is some time ago, but I forget the specifics to quote it even verbatim.

Neikun wrote:As far as we know, boxed verisons are not available. Perhaps when the company continues to grow, a later game might have a boxed version. And if they get really big, maybe they'll make boxes for their old games.
One of the biggest problems with having a boxed version is that you need to get a hold of a distributor. Then you have to weigh distribution costs vs customers of that format.

Welll.. in practise you can just buy cd boxes in bulk, print the covers with an inkjet and burn CD-Rs, so boxed versions can definitely be made without a distributor. My copy of "dr. horrible's sing-along blog" is such a small run thingy. I think.

On the other hand, nothing stops an user from printing the cover and building a "boxed" version of the game.

Well no. That's not what my problem has to do with. Of course fans can make their own boxed versions, the forums have the resources for all of that. But you can't buy it from the developers until they have a distributor to do so. (And a manufacturer now that I've had my nap) 'Cause I'd rather have AH making games than packaging them lol.

Neikun wrote:Well no. That's not what my problem has to do with. Of course fans can make their own boxed versions, the forums have the resources for all of that. But you can't buy it from the developers until they have a distributor to do so. (And a manufacturer now that I've had my nap) 'Cause I'd rather have AH making games than packaging them lol.

In "good old times" (infocom and co) it was pretty common for developers to have packing days =)

But anyway, I think we have two distinct requests here:

a) "I wanna have a cool box on my shelf"
b) "I don't want to buy online, can I buy a box from a retailer?"

a -> print the label yourself. done.
b -> yes, that requires a deal with a distributor.

Sol_HSA, you are so analytic I think I'm something like a mishmash between a and b because b is a reasoning of a: I deeply want a cool box on my shelf and because of that I don't want to buy online - Nip it in the bud!! In a pinch the self printed cover will do but it's not the same, it feels like surrender.

Neikun wrote:Languages we know for sure are English only. Petri gave a good explanation as to why this is some time ago, but I forget the specifics to quote it even verbatim.

I think you mean this phrase:

petri wrote:The text is not packed neatly in one place, which is one of the reasons why localization is not a simple task.

That bites!

If I want to sell software in quantities, it's one of the firsts step to design the basis for multilingual translation in the future. That would not be the first game translated by the fans.

wired wrote:If I want to sell software in quantities, it's one of the firsts step to design the basis for multilingual translation in the future. That would not be the first game translated by the fans.

The problem with taking everything into consideration when building something is that it makes the process prohibitively expensive. Something's gotta give.

Whether not including the localization support at start was a wise move is impossible to say; if, let's say, having it would have delayed the game two more months and thus possibly caused the game never to ship in the first place, then yes, it was a wise decision.. it's also difficult to say how much better grimrock would sell (or would have sold) with localization.

Your are right, it's difficult to say how much better grimrock would sell (or would have sold) with localization. But laying the foundation of localization is not significantly expensive. An RPG like Grimrock already needs a database and so you only need to add one datasheet more and fill it up with the on-screen text, instead of writing it in the code. Only making the translation itself takes time and needs money - but this could be made very easy later, e.g. by fans.

A good example for this procedure is Wizardry 8 - imho the best game ever made.

But this discussion is useless because it is like it is.

wired wrote:But laying the foundation of localization is not significantly expensive.

Yeah, nor is any one thing, but taking *everything* into account is significantly expensive =). And hindsight is 20/20.