Unit names

**TWoxy** · May 09, 2007, 10:58 AM

Just been playing EB, with it's numerous language integrations and such, when I got a thought? Are we going to name units in their native languages? Or, for that matter, call factions in their own languages? I think it would lend an air of realism to the mod, but I suppose we'd need translators, which would stretch our resources somewhat...

**Dimitri_Harkov** · May 09, 2007, 01:20 PM

It would really be great if all the factions used their own languages!
In the good old times of MTW1:VI someone did this too and I loved it (MedMod, maybe?).

If you need a translator for german, just tell me.

**Yggdrasill** · May 09, 2007, 02:24 PM

This may be more trouble than it's worth. We attempted to do taht in Citadel. and there are a few obstacles.

First of all, it's easy to translate into German, French, Italian etc... But you know of any good translators inot Turkish, Hungarian or Arabic? Or whichever language the Golden horde used? Even native speakers can't help you always since some of the words are no longer used in modern languages.

Second, it creates a problem with generic units shared by multiple factions (which is often the case with Western factions).

Good news is, I already have translations for many units...

A further problem is when dealing with multiethnic fations, such as Hungary (where you have Hungarian, Croatian, Romanian, Chech and Slovakian languages and units), or Ottomans (Turkish and Arabian words).

So my suggestion is to absolutely use authentic names when possible and especially when dealing with unique units (for example we shouldn't use the name Winged hussars but rather Husaria), and provided the end result is not too confusion or ridicilous. But we shouldn't push this too far. When units are used by multiple factions, we should go with the English version (example, with the generic Hussar unit which is used by Hungary and Poland, we should stick with the English name since the Polish version is Usaria or Husaria and the Hungarian Husarok or something similar).

Faction names in origanal languages could work, if not too confusing though...

**TWoxy** · May 10, 2007, 04:00 PM

I did not mean to have the units speak in their own languages. I meant to simply change the text.

**Dimitri_Harkov** · May 11, 2007, 08:08 AM

I don't really see the problem here.

We could translate everything we have the specialists for. No one will blame us if some faction's units keep their english names. And IF someone complains "Why have my homecountry's units english names while others have been translated blabla...": well, than we have probably found a "volunteer" to translate this faction's unit names

To keep things simple, mercs and multi-faction units should have an english name or something like that.