北京外国语大学

A Study of Game Localization Strategies from the Perspective of Multimodality: A Case of Disco Elysium

姓
名王琰

学 号 19131026

导 师孙婷婷

研究方向
翻译与跨文化交流
专业翻译学

系
别高级翻译学院

A Study of Game Localization Strategies from the Perspective of Multimodality: A Case of the Simplified
Chinese Version of Disco Elysium

A thesis/dissertation submitted in conformity with the requirements

For the degree of Master of Arts in Translation Studies

Supervised by Sun Tingting
Graduate School of Translation and Interpretation
Beijing Foreign Studies University
${15}^{\text{th}}$${15}^{\text{th }}$15^("th ")15^{\text {th }} February 2022

随着游戏产业在全球扩张，越来越多的游戏在寻求海外发行的机会。在游戏全球化的过程当中，本地化在帮助海外用户理解游戏内容、增强文化交流方面发挥着重要作用。

本文运用多模态话语分析框架，对爱沙尼亚游戏工作室 ZA/UM 开发的《极乐迪斯科》游戏的中文版本地化进行描述性分析，将游戏中的文本、视觉、听觉等模态的关系分为互补和非互补关系，并根据两种关系传达信息的内容及方式，分析游戏本地化策略及挑战。

研究发现，游戏内文本在原版本的多个模态呈互补关系的情况下，可能会较多运用意译策略，而非互补关系中常使用直译策略，但也有例外的情况。而在游戏的印刷类素材当中，上述特点更为明显，且例外情况较少。同时，该游戏的翻译存在脱离语境、语句不通顺等问题，部分游戏界面未完全本地化，给中国玩家带来不便。对此，本文对游戏本地化提出建议，包括本地化人员应当深入体验游戏，关注游戏的声音图像信息，并且应当在完成翻译后在游戏内检查译文是否有误。

本文的创新点在于选材较为新颖，并且在理论框架上结合了游戏本地化和多模态话语分析，将电子游戏的视觉、听觉和文字模态之间的关系对翻译策略的影响进行了剖析，而非拘泥于文字翻译本身，提供了翻译策略选择的参考，同时也丰富了游戏本地化的研究，并为游戏本地化工作提供了参考。

关键词：《极乐迪斯科》；游戏本地化；多模态话语分析；翻译策略

It turns out that for the in-game text, free translation is more often used in complementary relations, while literal translation is more common non-complementary relations, despite a few exceptions. In printed assets, the case of free translation in complementary relations and literal translation in non-complementary relations is more common, and fewer exceptions are included in the printed assets. At the same time, however, the translation also includes problems such as inconsistency with the context, awkward sentences, and some of the game interface is not fully localized, which has brought bad experience for Chinese players.
结果发现，在游戏文本中，互补关系中更多使用的是意译，而非互补关系中更多使用的是直译，尽管也有少数例外。在印刷资产中，互补关系中的自由翻译和非互补关系中的直译更为常见，而且印刷资产中的例外情况较少。但与此同时，翻译中也存在与上下文不符、句子别扭、部分游戏界面未完全本地化等问题，给中国玩家带来了不好的体验。

The originality of this study is shown from two aspects. Few studies have been done on the game of Disco Elysium, and the combination of multimodal discourse analysis with game localization is new, too. With multimodal discourse analysis, the translation strategies in this game are analyzed based on the relations between audio. visual, and linguistic modalities. Rather than limited in text analysis, this study has provided translation strategy selection suggestions as well as a reference for game localization.
本研究的独创性体现在两个方面。关于《迪斯科极乐世界》游戏的研究很少，而将多模态话语分析与游戏本地化相结合也是新颖的。通过多模态话语分析，我们可以根据音频、视觉和语言模态之间的关系来分析该游戏中的翻译策略。本研究不局限于文本分析，而是为游戏本地化提供了翻译策略选择建议和参考。

Key words: Disco Elysium; Game Localization; Multimodality Discourse Analysis;
Translation Strategy

First of all, I would like to thank all of the people who have supported me to finish my study at GSTI in BFSU. Thank you for your kindness of helping me in my life, work, and study to not only broaden my horizon, but also to give me power to face challenges in daunting tasks in thesis writing and daily life. Without your help, it is hard to imagine how I can get through in difficult days of study.
首先，我要感谢所有支持我完成在北京外国语大学 GSTI 学习的人们。感谢你们在生活、工作和学习上对我的帮助，这不仅开阔了我的视野，也给了我力量去面对论文写作和日常生活中艰巨任务的挑战。如果没有你们的帮助，很难想象我如何度过艰苦的求学岁月。

I would like to express my gratitude for the professors who have taught me not only the knowledge of translation and interpretation, but also the ways of learning and how to deal with difficulties in work and life. Here I am delighted to give my special thanks to Sun Tingting, my supervisor, who helps me a lot in thesis writing, and her greetings when I am alone during Spring Festival without a chance to go home. You have given me great mental support, which is why I have got rid of difficulties in writing. I am also grateful to Dr. Lu Xinchao, Dr. Lin Wei, and Dr. Zhao Tianyuan, who gave me valuable suggestions on this article.
在这里，我要特别感谢我的导师孙婷婷老师，是她在论文写作中给了我很大的帮助，在春节期间，我一个人没有机会回家，是她给了我很多的问候。在这里，我要特别感谢我的导师孙婷婷，她在论文写作上给了我很大的帮助，在我一个人春节没有机会回家的时候，她的问候让我倍感温暖。您给了我很大的精神支持，所以我才摆脱了写作上的困难。我还要感谢陆新潮博士、林伟博士和赵天元博士，他们对本文提出了宝贵的建议。

Also, many thanks go to my parents, who have supported me a lot in my days of high and dry. You have tried so hard to understand my feelings and have given me help in dealing with challenges in life.
此外，我还要感谢我的父母，他们在我高不成低不就的日子里给予了我很大的支持。你们努力理解我的感受，帮助我应对生活中的挑战。

Last but not the least, I would like to thank all my classmates, thank you all for sharing with me good experiences in thesis writing and studying, and giving me warmth when I am alone, writing the thesis late at night. There is always a silver lining when you are around.
最后，我要感谢我的所有同学，感谢你们与我分享论文写作和学习的好经验，在我独自一人深夜写论文时给我温暖。有你们在，总会有一线希望。

摘要 … i
Abstract … ii
Acknowledgements … iv
List of Figures … ii
List of Tables … iii
Chapter 1 Introduction … 1
1.1 Research background … 1
1.2 Research objectives and significance … 2
1.3 Structure … 3
Chapter 2 Literature review … 5
2.1 A brief overview of localization … 5
2.2 Game localization: main issues … 7
Chapter 3: Theoretical framework … 11
3.1 Key conceptualizations of multimodality … 11
3.2 The relevance of multimodality theory to translation studies … 14
3.3 The application of multimodality to researching Disco Elysium’s localization17
Chapter 4: Analysis of Disco Elysium’s localization strategies … 21
4.1 Material … 21
4.1.1 Disco Elysium and WhisperTrans Studio … 21
4.1.2 Disco Elysium’s localization in various markets … 23
4.2 Analysis … 26
4.2.1 In-game texts … 26
4.2.1.1 Complementary relations … 26
4.2.1.2 Non-complementary relations … 34
4.2.2 Printed assets … 42
4.2.2.1 Complementary relations … 42
4.2.2.2 Non-complementary relations … 44
4.3 Discussion on problems in localization … 45
Chapter 5: Conclusion … 49
5.1 Major findings … 49
5.2 Limitations and future research … 50
References … 52

Figure 1 Multimodal Discourse Forms and Relations … 13
Figure 2 Dried May Bell … 19
Figure 3 The Pigs … 27
Figure 4 From A to ZRIEEK! A guide to cockatoos … 29
Figure 5 La Fumée … 30
Figure 6 Dolorian Church of Humanity … 31
Figure 7 Nightclub in the Church … 33
Figure 8 Motor Carriage … 34
Figure 9 Skills in English … 37
Figure 10 Skills in Chinese … 37
Figure 11 Bowls of Water (Left) … 41
Figure 12 “Precinct 57 sent their finest.” … 43
Figure 13 “Precinct 41 sent… YOU.” … 43
Figure 14 “And a strike is about to become a war.” … 44
Figure 15 Error in Thought Cabinet … 47

Table 124 Skills in Disco Elysium

According to the Chinese Game Industry Report 2021, the annual revenue of exporting games is 18.013 billion dollars, up to $16.59\mathrm{\%}$$16.59\mathrm{\%}$16.59%16.59 \% compared with 2020 , revealing a steady growth in the sales of Chinese games abroad. In 2021, the actual revenue of games in Chinese market is 296.513 billion yuan, increasing by 17.826 billion yuan or $6.4\mathrm{\%}$$6.4\mathrm{\%}$6.4%6.4 \% compared with ${2020}^1$${2020}^1$2020^(1)2020^{1}. The thriving market of game industry has shown the importance of selling games abroad, particularly since when ISBN approval was restricted, and numerous games have to look for global markets, and only a few games are allowed to sell online To open markets overseas, high-quality game localization is needed to customize the domestic products to foreign countries.
2021 年中国游戏产业报告》显示，全年游戏出口收入为 180.13 亿美元，比 2020 年增长 $16.59\mathrm{\%}$$16.59\mathrm{\%}$16.59%16.59 \% ，显示中国游戏海外销售稳步增长。2021 年，中国市场游戏实际收入为 2965.13 亿元，比 2020 年增加 178.26 亿元，增幅为 $6.4\mathrm{\%}$$6.4\mathrm{\%}$6.4%6.4 \% 。游戏产业市场的蓬勃发展表明了向海外销售游戏的重要性，尤其是在 ISBN 审批受限后，众多游戏不得不寻找全球市场，只有少数游戏获准在线销售。

Language localization is the procedure of adapting a product and translation to a particular country or region. It is the second phase of a larger process of product translation and cultural adaptation (for specific countries, regions, cultures, or groups) to account for differences in distinct markets, a process known as internationalization and localization. Rather than purely translating one language to another, localization contains more, including marketing and product design.
语言本地化是根据特定国家或地区对产品和翻译进行调整的过程。它是产品翻译和文化调整（针对特定国家、地区、文化或群体）大过程的第二阶段，以考虑到不同市场的差异，这一过程被称为国际化和本地化。本地化不是单纯地将一种语言翻译成另一种语言，而是包含更多内容，包括市场营销和产品设计。

According to Zheng (2016), authorized game localization in China is far below the market demand of Chinese mainland players, owing to a comparatively small market for foreign game manufacturers and huge number of pirated games in China. Since around 2000, numerous games have been translated into Chinese thanks to fan localization groups like 3DM game localization studio and WhisperTrans Studio. Some translation done by fans is free of charge, for the translators are entirely volunteered to provide the service because of their love for the game. Others launched crowdfunding in order to persuade more translators to join the project.
根据 Zheng（2016）的研究，由于国外游戏厂商在中国的市场相对较小，且盗版游戏数量庞大，中国授权的游戏本地化远远低于中国大陆玩家的市场需求。自 2000 年左右以来，在 3DM 游戏本地化工作室和 WhisperTrans Studio 等粉丝本地化组织的帮助下，许多游戏被翻译成了中文。粉丝们所做的翻译有些是免费的，因为翻译人员完全是出于对游戏的热爱而自愿提供服务。还有一些则发起了众筹，以说服更多的译员加入项目。

Disco Elysium is a role-playing game without traditional combat elements. Produced by ZA/UM, an Estonian game studio, Disco Elysium has a storyline that takes place in a fictional city called Revachol, which is troubled by crimes and poverty. In this game, by playing the role of Harrier Du Bois, the protagonist who is a police officer addicted to alcohol and had lost his memory, the player investigates a murder with Kim Kitsuragi, his colleague and partner.
Disco Elysium》是一款没有传统战斗元素的角色扮演游戏。Disco Elysium》由爱沙尼亚游戏工作室 ZA/UM 制作，故事情节发生在一个名为 Revachol 的虚构城市，这个城市饱受犯罪和贫困的困扰。在游戏中，玩家将扮演一名酗酒并失去记忆的警官 Harrier Du Bois，与他的同事兼搭档 Kim Kitsuragi 一起调查一起谋杀案。

The game was localized by WhisperTrans Studio, a Chinese translation studio and is specialized in providing translation services from English to Chinese for American role-playing games, such as Lords of Xulima, Urban Empire, and Cross Code. Since Disco Elysium is a game with a word count of more than one million, it is hard for WhisperTrans to finish the localization within 6 months, but finally they succeeded. Their translation of Disco Elysium has earned a good reputation as well as some criticism since the Chinese version of the game came out. It is rare for a game produced by an independent game studio unknown before to receive so many comments on the Internet, and many of them in Chinese are about translation. Most of the studies on game localization however, focused on the translation of massive online games like League of Legends and Hearthstone. Therefore, the study on Disco Elysium can provide new inspirations for the game localization independent role-playing games to choose proper translation strategies and avoid problems in localization.
该游戏由中文翻译工作室 WhisperTrans Studio 负责本地化，该工作室专门为《Lords of Xulima》、《Urban Empire》和《Cross Code》等美式角色扮演游戏提供英译汉服务。由于《Disco Elysium》是一款字数超过 100 万的游戏，WhisperTrans 要在 6 个月内完成本地化工作十分困难，但他们最终成功了。自《Disco Elysium》中文版面世以来，他们对该游戏的翻译赢得了良好的口碑，同时也受到了一些批评。由一家名不见经传的独立游戏工作室制作的游戏在互联网上受到如此多的评论是罕见的，其中许多中文评论都是关于翻译的。然而，大多数关于游戏本地化的研究都集中在《英雄联盟》和《炉石传说》等大型网络游戏的翻译上。因此，对《Disco Elysium》的研究可以为独立角色扮演游戏的本地化提供新的启发，以选择适当的翻译策略，避免本地化中出现的问题。

In this study, descriptive analysis is employed to find out the strategies and challenges of the game localization in Disco Elysium. With multimodal discourse as the framework, this study pays attention to the relations between visual, audio, and linguistic modalities in the game, and discover how the relations produce meanings in the original text as well as how the meanings influenced the localization strategies.
本研究采用描述性分析方法，探究《迪斯科极乐世界》游戏本地化的策略和挑战。本研究以多模态话语为框架，关注游戏中视觉、听觉和语言模态之间的关系，探讨这些关系如何在原文中产生意义，以及这些意义如何影响本地化策略。

Game localization is an important step taking domestic games abroad, as it not only includes the translation of games, but also the localization of graphic, audio materials
游戏本地化是国产游戏走出国门的重要一步，因为它不仅包括游戏的翻译，还包括图形、音频资料的本地化。
and videos. Nowadays more and more studies on texts with multimedia, including audiovisual texts and video games, are using multimodality theory to analyze the translation, because the visual, color, and linguistic modalities interact with each other to produce meanings, and the translation should carry the meaning expressed by all the modalities.
和视频。如今，越来越多关于多媒体文本（包括视听文本和视频游戏）的研究开始使用多模态理论来分析翻译，因为视觉模态、色彩模态和语言模态相互作用产生意义，译文应承载所有模态所表达的意义。

With multimodality as the theoretical framework, the study attempts to discover:
(1) What are the localization strategies employed in Disco Elysium?
(2) What are the challenges of the localization in this game?

This study involves not only the translation of texts, but also other elements like picture and sound. By classifying the game assets into in-game text and printed assets, the study focuses on the complementary and non-complementary relations between visual, audio, and linguistic modalities within the game to know what meanings are conveyed in these relations, and how these meanings or information are interpreted in another language with the strategies by the localizers. In addition, the problems within the localization will also be discussed in the analysis.
这项研究不仅涉及文本的翻译，还涉及图片和声音等其他元素。通过将游戏资产分为游戏内文本和印刷资产，本研究将重点关注游戏内视觉、音频和语言模式之间的互补和非互补关系，以了解这些关系传达了哪些含义，以及本地化人员如何通过策略用另一种语言诠释这些含义或信息。此外，分析中还将讨论本地化过程中存在的问题。

This study consists of 6 chapters. Chapter 1 introduces the research background, significance, research objectives, and structure in the game. Chapter 2 is the literature review about localization, focusing on its main issues. Chapter 3 is the introduction of multimodality, the theoretical framework of this study, and its application in recent translation studies. Chapter 4 is the methodology of the article, introducing Disco Elysium and WhisperTrans Studio, the Chinese localization group of this game, and the classification of game assets in this game. This chapter also summarizes the localization into different markets including China, and the application of multimodality to researching on the localization in the game. Chapter 5 is the analysis under the framework of multimodal discourse analysis. Based the classification proposed by
本研究共分 6 章。第 1 章介绍了研究背景、意义、研究目标和游戏结构。第 2 章是关于本地化的文献综述，重点是本地化的主要问题。第 3 章是多模态介绍、本研究的理论框架及其在近期翻译研究中的应用。第 4 章是本文的研究方法，介绍了 Disco Elysium 和 WhisperTrans Studio、该游戏的中文本地化小组以及该游戏中游戏资产的分类。本章还总结了包括中国在内的不同市场的本地化情况，以及多模态在游戏本地化研究中的应用。第 5 章是多模态话语分析框架下的分析。根据

O’Hagan (2011), the study focuses on the in-game text and printed material (trailer) of this game, and analyzes the complementary and non-complementary relations between various modalities to find out the translation strategies. There is also discussion about the challenges and within the game in terms of translation and interface problems, which WhisperTrans neglected during localization, and they have caused bad user experience for Chinese players and need to be improved. Chapter 6 is the conclusion of this study, consisting of the major findings from the analysis above, and discussion about limitations as well as suggestions for the future research in the area of game localization.
O'Hagan（2011）的研究侧重于该游戏的游戏文本和印刷材料（预告片），并分析了各种方式之间的互补和非互补关系，从而找出翻译策略。此外，还讨论了游戏在翻译和界面方面面临的挑战和存在的问题，这些问题是 WhisperTrans 在本地化过程中忽略的，给中国玩家造成了不良的用户体验，需要加以改进。第 6 章是本研究的结论，包括上述分析的主要发现、局限性讨论以及对游戏本地化领域未来研究的建议。

Localization refers to “the processes by which digital content and products developed in one locale (defined in terms of geographical area, language and culture) are adapted for sale and use in another locale” (Dunne 2006: 4). According to Dunne (2006), localization emerged in 1980s, when software companies started to translate their products to sell them abroad, and this process contains more than translation, including (1) translate the source language into target language and meet the textual conventions; (2) adaptation of non-textual content (e.g., colors, icons, packaging) and the mechanism of input, output, and delivery. From the perspective of translation, localization consists of pre-translation preparation, translation, desktop publishing, testing and correction (Esselink 2000: 17-23).
本地化指的是 "将在一个地方（根据地理区域、语言和文化定义）开发的数字内容和产品调整为在另一个地方销售和使用的过程"（Dunne 2006: 4）。根据 Dunne (2006)，本地化出现于 20 世纪 80 年代，当时软件公司开始翻译其产品以便在国外销售，而这一过程包含了比翻译更多的内容，包括：（1）将源语言翻译成目标语言并符合文本惯例；（2）对非文本内容（如颜色、图标、包装）以及输入、输出和交付机制进行调整。从翻译的角度看，本地化包括译前准备、翻译、桌面排版、测试和校正（Esselink 2000：17-23）。

Localization is a part of GILT (globalization, internationalization, localization, and translation). Dunne (2006: 4) pointed out that translation is “the world’s second-oldest profession”, and software companies attempted to sell their products with translation, which was how localization emerged. Then the birth of localization encouraged the development of internationalization to make localization easier by steps such as separating translatable text strings from the executable code, and globalization helps to manage global businesses in the context of localization. According to LISA (Localization Industry Standards Association), internationalization is “the process of generalizing a product so that it can handle multiple languages and cultural conventions without the need for re-design. ${}^2$${}^2$^(2){ }^{2} Internationalization takes place at the level of program design and document development” (Esselink 2000: 2), and globalization “addresses the business issues associated with taking a product global” (Esselink 2000: 4). According to Dunne (2006), a localization project consists of software files, online help,
本地化是 GILT（全球化、国际化、本地化和翻译）的一部分。Dunne (2006: 4) 指出，翻译是 "世界上第二古老的职业"，软件公司试图通过翻译来销售产品，这就是本地化的由来。随后，本地化的诞生促进了国际化的发展，通过将可翻译文本字符串与可执行代码分离等步骤使本地化变得更加容易，而全球化则有助于在本地化的背景下管理全球业务。根据 LISA（本地化行业标准协会）的定义，国际化是 "将产品通用化，使其无需重新设计即可处理多种语言和文化习惯的过程"。 ${}^2$${}^2$^(2){ }^{2} 国际化发生在程序设计和文档开发层面"（Esselink 2000: 2），而全球化 "解决的是与产品全球化相关的业务问题"（Esselink 2000: 4）。根据 Dunne (2006)，本地化项目包括软件文件、在线帮助和软件开发、

documentation and websites, and localization providers include account managers, project managers, translators, QA specialists, localization engineers, CAT (Computer Aided Translation) tools specialists, and DTP (Desktop Publishing) operators. Wang and Liu (2015) summarized localization technologies into translation technologies, quality assurance technologies, engineering technologies, testing technologies, desktop publishing technologies, and business management technologies. In this study, the authors predicted that in the future, localization technologies will develop based on cloud computing and automation.
本地化服务提供商包括客户经理、项目经理、译员、质量保证专家、本地化工程师、CAT（计算机辅助翻译）工具专家和 DTP（桌面排版）操作员。Wang 和 Liu（2015 年）将本地化技术归纳为翻译技术、质量保证技术、工程技术、测试技术、桌面排版技术和业务管理技术。在这项研究中，作者预测未来本地化技术将在云计算和自动化的基础上发展。

Frasca (2001: 4) defines the video game as “any form of computer-based entertainment software, either textual or image-based, using any electronic platform such as personal computers or consoles and involving one or multiple players in a physical or networked environment”. Wolf (2005) argues that despite different definitions of “games”, people seek for conflict, rules, use of player ability, and valued outcome. The classification of video games varies. Solomon (1984: 10-11) categorized video games into “simulations (reflecting the life in reality), sports, and abstract games (the game itself is an interest)”.
Frasca（2001: 4）将电子游戏定义为 "任何形式的基于计算机的娱乐软件，可以是文字的，也可以是图像的，使用任何电子平台，如个人电脑或游戏机，并在物理或网络环境中涉及一个或多个玩家"。Wolf (2005) 认为，尽管对 "游戏 "的定义不同，但人们追求的是冲突、规则、玩家能力的发挥和有价值的结果。视频游戏的分类各不相同。Solomon (1984: 10-11) 将电子游戏分为 "模拟游戏（反映现实生活）、体育游戏和抽象游戏（游戏本 身就是一种兴趣）"。

Chandler (2005) describes game localization as a procedure of translating the game into other languages, while localization involves issues apart from translation itself. Non-translational activities, such as changing the soundtrack from the original one to the one that fits the culture of target language country, are also included in game localization (Bernal-Merino, 2006). The process of game localization includes prelocalization (preparations such as localization kit, appointment of the staff and familiarizing with the games), translation, editing, recording, post-localization (integration, debugging, and quality assurance), submission of release candidate version, and production and distribution (O’Hagan and Mangiron, 2011: 128-140).
钱德勒（2005）将游戏本地化描述为将游戏翻译成其他语言的程序，而本地化涉及的问题与翻译本身无关。游戏本地化还包括非翻译活动，如将原声带改为符合目标语言国家文化的原声带（Bernal-Merino，2006）。游戏本地化过程包括本地化前（准备工作，如本地化工具包、任命工作人员和熟悉游戏）、翻译、编辑、录制、本地化后（整合、调试和质量保证）、提交候选发布版本以及制作和发行（O'Hagan and Mangiron, 2011: 128-140）。

Game localization involves not only textual contents, but also non-textual ones. O’Hagan and Mangiron (2011) classified game localization into four levels: no localization, box and docs localization, partial localization, and full localization. No
游戏本地化不仅涉及文本内容，还涉及非文本内容。O'Hagan 和 Mangiron（2011 年）将游戏本地化分为四个层次：无本地化、盒子和文档本地化、部分本地化和完全本地化。无本地化
localization means that the games are sold abroad without localization. Box and docs localization refers to the translation of packaging and the manual of the game. Partial localization means that while the in-game text is translated, voiceover files are not. Full localization refers to the translation of all the assets besides the in-game text. Game assets include in-game text, art assets, audio and cinematic assets, and printed assets.
本地化是指游戏在国外销售时不进行本地化。包装盒和文档本地化是指翻译游戏的包装和手册。部分本地化是指虽然翻译了游戏文本，但没有翻译配音文件。完全本地化是指翻译除游戏文本以外的所有资产。游戏资产包括游戏文本、美术资产、音频和电影资产以及印刷资产。

The history of game localization is short because the game industry is an emerging sector too. Bernal-Merino (2011) summarized the brief history of game localization from 1970s to 2000s. Early in 1970s, several Japanese games were exported to the United States with few texts localized into English because the demand for localization was rather low. An early example was Pac-Man, which was originally translated as Puck-Man. In 1980s, game consoles like Sega Genesis and Nintendo Game Boy came out, and Super Mario became one of the best-known games around world. Although the in-game texts remained in English, the package of the game was translated into other languages such as German and French. In 1990s, some game producers began full localization, and the localization of audio assets can be referred to as the game’s first step going international. Since then, the industry of game localization has become an important partner of the game industry. In 2000s, localization marked a great success in MMOs (Massively Multiplayer Online games) by allowing game creators to collect information about subscribers, their game style and language of interaction.
游戏本地化的历史并不长，因为游戏产业也是一个新兴行业。Bernal-Merino（2011）总结了游戏本地化从 20 世纪 70 年代到 21 世纪的简短历史。20 世纪 70 年代初，几款日本游戏被出口到美国，但由于当时对本地化的需求较低，很少有文本被本地化为英文。早期的一个例子是《吃豆人》，最初被翻译为《Puck-Man》。20 世纪 80 年代，世嘉创世纪（Sega Genesis）和任天堂游戏机（Nintendo Game Boy）等游戏机相继问世，超级马里奥（Super Mario）成为全球最知名的游戏之一。虽然游戏中的文字仍然是英语，但游戏包装已被翻译成德语和法语等其他语言。20 世纪 90 年代，一些游戏制作商开始全面本地化，音频资产的本地化可以说是游戏走向国际的第一步。此后，游戏本地化产业成为游戏产业的重要合作伙伴。2000 年代，本地化在大型多人在线游戏（MMO）中取得了巨大成功，使游戏制作者得以收集有关用户、游戏风格和互动语言的信息。

The research on game localization, however, is still infant because the area that is accompanied by the emergence of video games is new, and few scholars have been involved in game translation. O’Hagen and Mangiron (2011) pointed out that many of the authors who are publishing in this domain are or have been practitioners with firsthand experience in localizing games, and most of the studies about game localization were done by localizers before 2005. Fewer than 10 articles published are recorded on a database in Translation Studies Abstracts Online between 2006-2012, according to O’Hagen and Mangiron (2011). Dietz (2007) argued that “strong computer and internet
然而，有关游戏本地化的研究仍处于起步阶段，因为伴随着电子游戏的出现而出现的这一领域尚属新生事物，很少有学者涉足游戏翻译领域。O'Hagen 和 Mangiron（2011 年）指出，在这一领域发表文章的许多作者都是或曾经是拥有游戏本地化第一手经验的从业者，而大多数关于游戏本地化的研究都是由本地化人员在 2005 年之前完成的。据 O'Hagen 和 Mangiron（2011 年）称，2006-2012 年间，《翻译研究文摘在线》数据库中记录的发表文章不到 10 篇。Dietz（2007 年）认为，"强大的计算机和互联网
research skills, sufficient knowledge of gaming genres and conventions, as well as subject matter expertise relevant to the specific game” are required for competitive localizers. Czech (2005) examines in his paper from a linguistic and cultural standpoint, and illustrated challenges in localization with the case study of Call of Duty, a game that is notorious for its flawed translation.
有竞争力的本地化人员需要具备 "研究技能、对游戏类型和惯例的充分了解，以及与特定游戏相关的主题专业知识"。捷克（2005 年）在其论文中从语言和文化的角度进行了研究，并以《使命召唤》这款因翻译缺陷而臭名昭著的游戏为例，说明了本地化过程中面临的挑战。

As mentioned before, game localization includes not only translation, but also technological and cultural issues. In a localization team, people are responsible for different jobs, so how to manage a localization team deserves discussion. In addition, since localization has been cooperated frequently with the game industry, the training of localizers is also an important part in the discussion of game localization.
如前所述，游戏本地化不仅包括翻译，还包括技术和文化问题。在一个本地化团队中，不同的人负责不同的工作，因此如何管理一个本地化团队值得讨论。此外，由于本地化与游戏产业合作频繁，本地化人员的培训也是游戏本地化讨论的重要部分。

Pyae (2018) stated the importance of cultural attributes, including language, norms and values, sex and gender and religion are important in game localization and culturalization, and reviewed the application of these attributes in commercial games. Shi and Tian (2019) studied the translation of cultural-specific items in League of Legends by Riot Games and concluded “the understanding and translation of these words is the core to the reconstruction of the game background and game culture, and thus may effectively influence game players’ knowledge and interest in the game.”
Pyae（2018）指出文化属性的重要性，包括语言、规范和价值观、性和性别以及宗教在游戏本地化和文化化中的重要性，并回顾了这些属性在商业游戏中的应用。Shi 和 Tian（2019）研究了 Riot Games 对《英雄联盟》中特定文化项目的翻译，认为 "对这些词语的理解和翻译是重构游戏背景和游戏文化的核心，从而可能有效影响游戏玩家对游戏的认知和兴趣"。

Some game localization studies are about management. Bartelt-Krantz (2020) found out how localization decisions are reached and revealed when pre-production should start. It turned out that it is important to manage the project closely and investigate some of the challenges involved in reaching the goal of shipping a localized product with the English version worldwide at the same time.
一些游戏本地化研究是关于管理的。Bartelt-Krantz (2020) 发现了本地化决策是如何做出的，并揭示了何时应开始前期制作。结果发现，密切管理项目非常重要，并调查了在实现将本地化产品和英文版同时运往全球的目标过程中遇到的一些挑战。

According to O’Hagen (2011), game localization is a professional activity, so people need to pay attention to pedagogical issues in training game localizers. O’Hagen also encourages the cooperation between game industry and universities so that more students interested in game localization can contribute to the industry with their own skills learned from their schools. Odacıoğlu, Loi, Köktürk, and Uysal (2016) discussed
O'Hagen （2011）认为，游戏本地化是一项专业活动，因此人们在培养游戏本地化人员时需要关注教学问题。奥哈根还鼓励游戏产业与高校合作，让更多对游戏本地化感兴趣的学生能够利用自己在学校学到的技能为游戏产业做出贡献。Odacıoğlu、Loi、Köktürk 和 Uysal（2016 年）讨论了
the position of game localization training in academic translation education, and it turned out that translation competence, which translators must develop, can make student translators familiar with game localization and raise their awareness of this new area. Esqueda (2020) described possibilities for incorporating video game localization in translation teaching using a collaborative pedagogical approach through the analysis of previous literature and online localization resources, Esqueda confirmed the importance of collaborative pedagogy to promote the cooperation between students, as game localizers work in teams. However, it has only been a short time since game localization became a part of the game industry, localization training has not been widespread in the industry. In addition, training in game localization is still not widely available at university level, mainly because universities cannot always adapt quickly enough to the demands of new specializations (Bernal-Merino, 2008). Miao and Zhu (2008) mentions that due to the high expenses of faculty and equipment, many colleges are unwilling to open a course centered on localization.
Esqueda（2020）对游戏本地化培训在学术翻译教育中的地位进行了研究，结果发现译者必须培养的翻译能力可以使学生译者熟悉游戏本地化并提高他们对这一新领域的认识。Esqueda（2020 年）通过分析以前的文献和在线本地化资源，描述了使用协作教学法将电子游戏本地化纳入翻译教学的可能性，Esqueda 证实了协作教学法对于促进学生之间合作的重要性，因为游戏本地化人员是以团队形式工作的。然而，游戏本地化成为游戏产业一部分的时间并不长，本地化培训在该产业中并不普及。此外，游戏本地化培训在大学一级仍未普及，这主要是因为大学无法始终快速适应新专业的需求（Bernal-Merino，2008 年）。Miao和Zhu（2008）提到，由于师资和设备费用高昂，许多高校不愿意开设以本地化为中心的课程。

As game localization develops, full localization of games with voiceover and art assets localized, as mentioned before, is more common. Therefore, the localization of dubbing in games has also been more discussed recently. Mejías-Climent (2018) discussed a new taxonomy of dubbing synchronies in the Spanish localized version of Batman: Arkham Knight, a video game developed by Rocksteady Studio, and confirmed that the taxonomy based on game situations can be applied to the localization of game dubbing.
随着游戏本地化的发展，如前所述，游戏配音和美术资产本地化的全面本地化越来越普遍。因此，近来关于游戏配音本地化的讨论也越来越多。Mejías-Climent（2018）讨论了 Rocksteady Studio 开发的视频游戏《蝙蝠侠：阿卡姆骑士》（Batman: Arkham Knight）西班牙语本地化版本中配音同步的新分类法，并证实基于游戏情境的分类法可应用于游戏配音的本地化。

In China, many of the game localization studies focus on game translation and translation strategies. Zhang (2013) studied the application of transcreation in the translation of the title, terms, and dialogues in games such as League of Legends and Tomb Raider. Some studies are descriptive analysis of game localization strategies based on theoretical frameworks such as Skopos theory, text typology theory and functionalist theory. Wu (2021) did researches on the localization of card names in Hearthstone, a strategy card game from Blizzard Entertainment, with the framework of
在中国，许多游戏本地化研究都侧重于游戏翻译和翻译策略。Zhang（2013）研究了转创作在《英雄联盟》和《古墓丽影》等游戏的标题、术语和对话翻译中的应用。一些研究基于 Skopos 理论、文本类型学理论和功能主义理论等理论框架对游戏本地化策略进行了描述性分析。Wu（2021 年）在暴雪娱乐公司的策略卡牌游戏《炉石传说》中对卡牌名称的本地化进行了研究，其研究框架为

Skopos theory, and found the main challenges in localizing the game as: the game’s background knowledge is large, the original text is not entertaining, puns are difficult to translate, language differences are untranslatable and cultural barriers are large. Lyu (2017) studied the translation strategies and challenges based on functionalist equivalence theory, and found translation challenges such as wrong terms and vague reference in the game Civilization VI.
Skopos理论，发现游戏本地化的主要挑战为：游戏背景知识量大、原文娱乐性不强、双关语难以翻译、语言差异无法翻译、文化障碍大。Lyu（2017）基于功能主义对等理论研究了翻译策略和挑战，发现游戏《文明VI》中存在术语错误、指代模糊等翻译难题。

Peng (2021) discussed the differences between not only the Chinese and English version of the game Total War: Three Kingdoms, but also the differences between the texts in the game and the Chinese ancient novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms. In this article, the author studies the hidden indirectness in the localization in (1) the number of languages; (2) the complexity of mediating texts; (3) the medium and (4) the multimodality of the game. The author also stresses that to improve the game localization, the extension of understanding intermediate translation is needed, when the game is adapted from classic works.
Peng（2021）不仅讨论了《全面战争：三国》游戏中英文版本的差异，还讨论了游戏文本与中国古代小说《三国演义》文本的差异。在本文中，作者从以下几个方面研究了本地化中隐藏的间接性：（1）语言的数量；（2）中介文本的复杂性；（3）媒介；（4）游戏的多模态性。作者还强调，当游戏改编自经典作品时，为了改进游戏本地化，需要扩展对中间翻译的理解。

In summary, recent studies on game localization mainly focus on game localization issues such as game translation, localization technologies, culturalization, and project management. New areas such as dubbing localization have also been discussed in recent studies. In China, most of the research focuses on the translation strategies of in-game texts themselves, while the influences from visual and audio materials seem to be neglected. Few studies have employed multimodality theory to analyze translation studies based on different modalities such as visual, audio, and linguistic modalities.
总之，最近关于游戏本地化的研究主要集中在游戏翻译、本地化技术、文化和项目管理等游戏本地化问题上。近期的研究还讨论了配音本地化等新领域。在中国，大多数研究集中于游戏文本本身的翻译策略，而来自视觉和听觉材料的影响似乎被忽视了。很少有研究运用多模态理论来分析基于视觉、听觉和语言等不同模态的翻译研究。

Multimodality, by its definition, foregrounds that people draw on distinctly different sets of resources for meaning making (e.g., gaze, speech, gesture). (Jewitt, 2009) According to Hu (2007), modality is a system of symbols that can be compared, including listening, seeing, and touching. Rather than focusing on only verbal languages, multimodality does not prioritize verbal language at the expense of other meaning-making modes (Perez-Gonzalez, 2014: 182). Multimodality is now prevailing in audiovisual translation analysis, due to its property of the combination of speaking, writing, visualization, and music, all of which are common in films and television works.
根据其定义，多模态强调人们利用截然不同的资源（如凝视、言语、手势）进行意义建构。(Jewitt, 2009）Hu（2007）认为，模态是一个可以比较的符号系统，包括听觉、视觉和触觉。多模态并非只关注口头语言，而是不以牺牲其他意义生成模式为代价而优先考虑口头语言（Perez-Gonzalez，2014：182）。多模态目前在视听翻译分析中十分盛行，这是因为多模态具有将说话、书写、视觉化和音乐结合在一起的特性，而所有这些在影视作品中都很常见。

Multimodality is a concept of functional linguistics originated from the theory of multimodal social semiotics by Halliday (1978). According to Halliday, language should be interpreted in the context of the social culture, which is a non-verbal symbol. Mode, or modality in related literature, refers to “each type of acoustic and optic semiotic sign involved in the creation of multimodal texts” (Perez-Gonzalez, 2014: 185). Chuang (2006) argued that (1) different modalities have different materiality and possibilities of meaning-making; (2) all modalities have social comments and requirements, so the meaning of modalities may rely on the requirement by communities and social contexts; (3) all modalities produce their meaning by intersection and interaction with each other in the context of communication; (4) all modalities are constructed, invented, and converted by reacting to social semiotics.
多模态是功能语言学的一个概念，源于 Halliday（1978 年）的多模态社会符号学理论。Halliday 认为，语言应在社会文化背景下进行解释，它是一种非语言符号。模式，或相关文献中的模态，指的是 "多模态文本创作中所涉及的每一种声学和光学符号"（Perez-Gonzalez，2014：185）。Chuang（2006）认为：（1）不同的模态具有不同的物质性和意义生成的可能性；（2）所有的模态都有社会评论和要求，因此模态的意义可能依赖于社群和社会语境的要求；（3）所有的模态都是在传播语境中通过相互交叉和互动产生意义的；（4）所有的模态都是在对社会符号学的反应中被建构、发明和转换的。

Martin (1992) concluded a functional linguistic framework that consists of 5 aspects: culture, context, meaning, form, and media. In this framework, culture includes ideology, which is the main form of culture. Context refers to the discourse field, tenor, and mode. Meaning is composed of discourse, concept, interpersonal, and textual meaning. Form includes linguistic, visual, audio, tactile forms, and interplays among
马丁（Martin，1992 年）总结出了一个功能语言学框架，包括 5 个方面：文化、语境、意义、形式和媒介。在这个框架中，文化包括意识形态，这是文化的主要形式。语境指的是话语领域、主旨和模式。意义由话语意义、概念意义、人际意义和文本意义组成。形式包括语言形式、视觉形式、听觉形式、触觉形式以及各种形式之间的相互作用。
these forms. Media refers to the carrier of how the discourse generates meaning in the real world.

Multimodal discourse refers to the phenomenon that people interact by linguistic, visual, audio, and tactile approaches as well as symbolic resources (Zhang, 2009). It was ignored until the birth of multimedia discourse, which has evoked researchers to realize the importance of multimodal discourse and launched studies on it. Barthes (1977) is one of the earliest researchers on this area, with his discussion about the interaction between visual and verbal information when expressing meanings. Kress and Leeuwen (1996) discussed how multimodality expresses meanings regularly, including the interaction between media like pictures, color, grammar, and the outlet of newspapers. Multimodal discourse analysis is often employed in many studies on audiovisual translation, as it mainly studies how multiple semiotic resources cohere to make sense.
多模态话语是指人们通过语言、视觉、听觉、触觉以及符号资源进行互动的现象（Zhang，2009）。在多媒体话语诞生之前，多模态话语一直被忽视，它唤起了研究者对多模态话语重要性的认识，并展开了相关研究。巴特（Barthes，1977 年）是这方面最早的研究者之一，他讨论了表达意义时视觉信息和语言信息之间的互动。Kress 和 Leeuwen（1996 年）讨论了多模态如何有规律地表达意义，包括图片、颜色、语法和报纸出口等媒体之间的互动。多模态话语分析在许多视听翻译研究中经常被采用，因为它主要研究多种符号资源是如何结合在一起产生意义的。

Hu (2007) studied the differences between multimodal semiotics and multimedia semiotics. Computer semiotics with dual characteristics of media and mode is also introduced. Certain questions like symbol resources as a symbol system, the design of multimodal symbols using screens instead of books, and coherence realized by discourse participants are discussed. Hu pointed out that we should pay more attention to the cultivation of multimodal reading ability in the new century when mankind has entered the multimodal social semiotics.
Hu（2007）研究了多模态符号学与多媒体符号学的区别。还介绍了具有媒体和模式双重特征的计算机符号学。讨论了作为符号系统的符号资源、用屏幕代替书本的多模态符号设计、话语参与者实现的连贯性等问题。胡晓明指出，在人类进入多模态社会符号学的新世纪，我们应更加重视多模态阅读能力的培养。

Zhang (2009) summarized multimodal discourse form into a framework in Figure 3.1. According to Zhang, the most important issue in the research is to find out how different media between the modalities are related with each other, and multimodal discourse form and relation is a framework that explains what forms and relations are from the perspective of multimodality and how they interact to each other. Multimodal discourse consists of form and relations, the former composed of linguistic, visual. audio, and haptic languages, while the latter composed of complementary and noncomplementary relations. The framework of multimodal discourse forms and relations is as follows:
张晓东（2009）将多模态话语形式归纳为一个框架，如图 3.1 所示。多模态话语形式与关系框架从多模态的角度解释了什么是形式与关系，以及它们之间如何相互作用。多模态话语由形式和关系组成，前者由语言、视觉、听觉和触觉语言组成，后者由互补关系和非互补关系组成。多模态话语的形式和关系框架如下：

Figure 1 Multimodal Discourse Forms and Relations
In this framework, the complementary relation is composed of reinforeced and nonreinfored relations. The reinfored relatons means that one modatity foregrounds another or others. In remfored relations. one modality only provides the backeround
在这个框架中，互补关系由再现关系和非再现关系组成。前置关系是指一种模态优先于另一种或其他模态。在非前置关系中，一种模态只提供后置关系
information to reinforce others. For example, in dramas, the background provides the background information to foreground the audio and visual information. People speak while giving gestures, and the gestures prioritize the speech. When playing a speech by George Bush, playing other video clips of him at the same time is a supplemental relation. The non-reinforced relation refers to that the two modalities are indispensable for each other, and this relation is composed of relations of intersection, combination, and coordination. In intersection, the communicator can tell what he is doing while working. In combination, the video carries its meaning by playing the scenes while dubbing to interpret the visual information at the same time. In coordination, the video plays the sound and scene at the same time to display the meaning.
信息来强化其他信息。例如，在电视剧中，背景提供了背景信息，以突出视听信息。人们在讲话的同时会做出手势，手势优先于讲话。在播放乔治-布什的演讲时，同时播放他的其他视频片段是一种补充关系。非强化关系是指两种模态互为不可或缺的关系，这种关系由交集关系、组合关系和协调关系组成。在交叉关系中，传播者可以说出他在工作时在做什么。在组合关系中，视频通过播放场景，同时配音来诠释视觉信息，从而表达其含义。在协调关系中，视频同时播放声音和场景，以显示其含义。

The non-complementary relation refers to that one modality does not contribute a lot to another in terms of expressing meanings. This relation is composed of overlapping, inclusive, and contextual interaction relations. Overlapping means that multiple modalities appear at the same time, but they do not supplement each other. In inclusive relations, other modalities only add details to one modality but they have no contribution to expressing the meaning. The contextual interaction can be referred to as the relation between active and passive modalities. The situation in the context can be a part of the meaning in the context.
非互补关系是指一种模态在表达意义方面对另一种模态的贡献不大。这种关系由重叠关系、包容关系和语境互动关系组成。重叠关系指的是多种模态同时出现，但并不相互补充。在包容关系中，其他模态只为一种模态补充细节，但对表达意义没有任何贡献。语境互动可称为主动模态和被动模态之间的关系。语境中的情境可以是语境意义的一部分。

According to Pan (2022), multimodality is applied as a methodology to specific texts such as audiovisual, website, advertisement, and game translation, and audiovisual translation is the most familiar area for researchers on translation studies. Diaz-Cintas (2009: 3) pointed out that audiovisual translation has been a focus in multimodal analysis in translation. Zabalbeascoa (2008: 24) categorized the semiotic types of audiovisual texts into “audio-linguistic” “audio-nonlinguistic” “visual-linguistic” “visual-nonlinguistic”. Taylor (2016) studied the multimodal approach in audiovisual translation, and found that by combining multimodal transfer and subtitle translation,
根据 Pan（2022）的研究，多模态作为一种方法论被应用于视听、网站、广告和游戏翻译等特定文本，视听翻译是翻译研究者最为熟悉的领域。Diaz-Cintas（2009：3）指出，视听翻译一直是翻译中多模态分析的重点。Zabalbeascoa（2008：24）将视听文本的符号类型分为 "音频-语言""音频-非语言""视觉-语言""视觉-非语言"。Taylor（2016）研究了视听翻译中的多模态方法，发现通过将多模态转移与字幕翻译相结合、
translators can select the proper translation strategies based on the meanings provided by visual, music, color, and other semiotic forms.

Audiovisual texts are composite products of the combined effect of all the resources used to create and interpret them (Baldry and Thibault 2006: 18). PerezGonzalez (2014: 185) argued that audiovisual translation practices in other areas of the media marketplace pay increasing attention to the interaction between language and other communication modes within the text, and this enhanced awareness of multimodality is keeping up with the digitization of audiovisual texts and the growing prominence of translating agencies. Perez-Gonzalez (2014) pointed out that audiovisual texts are usually referred to as multimodal because they “involve the simultaneous deployment of several sign repertoires (including but not limited to speech or the written language of subtitles, film editing, image, music, colour or perspective).”
视听文本是所有用于创作和解释视听文本的资源综合作用的产物（Baldry and Thibault 2006: 18）。Perez-Gonzalez（2014：185）认为，媒体市场其他领域的视听翻译实践越来越关注文本中语言与其他传播方式之间的互动，这种对多模态性的强化意识正与视听文本的数字化和翻译机构的日益突出同步。Perez-Gonzalez（2014）指出，视听文本通常被称为多模态文本，因为它们 "涉及多种符号的同时使用（包括但不限于语音或字幕的书面语言、电影剪辑、图像、音乐、色彩或透视）"。

As mentioned before, Zhang (2009) defined multimodal discourse as the phenomenon that people interact by linguistic, visual, audio, tactile approaches, and symbolic resources. Therefore, video games can also be referred to as a kind of multimodal discourse. Fernández Costales (2012) argued that video games "combine video, audio and narrative techniques to make compelling stories in which the players do not observe the advance of the game but take part and perform an active role in the development of the story’. According to O’Hagan (2005), the multimodality of video games has allowed players to interact with the story and get involved in the game. Mejias-Climent (2021: 4) said that multimodal can be used to describe video games, because video games involve different semiotic modes of verbal (e.g., textual content) and non-verbal (e.g., sound effects, visual icons, colors) expression, and together they create meaning, which is referred to as multimodal content.
如前所述，Zhang（2009）将多模态话语定义为人们通过语言、视觉、听觉、触觉方法和符号资源进行互动的现象。因此，电子游戏也可以被称为一种多模态话语。费尔南德斯-科斯塔莱斯（Fernández Costales，2012 年）认为，视频游戏 "将视频、音频和叙事技术结合起来，创造出引人入胜的故事，在这些故事中，玩家不是在观察游戏的进展，而是参与其中，在故事的发展中扮演积极的角色"。O'Hagan (2005)认为，视频游戏的多模态性使玩家能够与故事进行互动，并参与到游戏中。Mejias-Climent（2021：4）说，多模态可以用来描述电子游戏，因为电子游戏涉及语言（如文字内容）和非语言（如声音效果、视觉图标、颜色）表达的不同符号学模式，它们共同创造了意义，被称为多模态内容。

Multimodality is also employed in studies on game localization. Yan and Lan (2021) discussed about the intersection of audiovisual translation and localization and pointed out that multiple modalities such as linguistic, picture, music and color are combined with the main function of multimedia, foregrounding the importance of technology in
游戏本地化研究中也采用了多模态技术。Yan 和 Lan（2021 年）讨论了视听翻译与本地化的交叉问题，指出语言、图片、音乐和色彩等多种模式与多媒体的主要功能相结合，突出了技术在本地化中的重要性。
production and translation. O’Hagan and Mangiron (2011: 198) described video games as “constructed in the highly structured use of multimedia and multimodality”. Elements like texts, sound, picture, and even tactile experiences compose of the gameplay experience of the player, and they also need game localization to satisfy the demand of the target market. “In order to recreate a gameplay experience that is equivalent to that provided by the original, game localization operates at all levels from linguistic manipulations at the micro level to the macro level of the product, retaining not only functionality but also the intended affective appeal to the end users. (O’Hagan and Mangiron, 2011: 198)” As a common theoretical framework, multimodal discourse analysis is also employed in the research on the analysis of games. Tho (2015) investigated players’ understanding of how the different video game modes combine to create meaning, aiming to explore how players understand the relationships between narrative and gameplay.
制作和翻译。O'Hagan 和 Mangiron（2011: 198）将电子游戏描述为 "高度结构化地使用多媒体和多模态"。文字、声音、图片甚至触觉体验等元素构成了玩家的游戏体验，这些元素也需要游戏本地化来满足目标市场的需求。"为了重现与原作等同的游戏体验，游戏本地化工作涉及从微观层面的语言处理到产品宏观层面的所有层面，不仅要保留功能性，还要保留对最终用户的预期情感吸引力。(O'Hagan and Mangiron, 2011: 198）"。作为一种常见的理论框架，多模态话语分析也被运用于游戏分析研究中。Tho（2015）研究了玩家对不同电子游戏模式如何结合创造意义的理解，旨在探讨玩家如何理解叙事与游戏性之间的关系。

Localization, however, does not only include the translation of game assets, but also interaction, which should be changed into what the people in the target market will accept. According to Silva (2016), developers are expected to be concerned about the localization of the different modes of interaction regarding, for example, how players will interact with games by means of gestures, voice commands, and other stimulate that could be linguistically or culturally mediated. In his dissertation Silva argued that people can consider translation resources as culturally mediated interactions rather than arbitrarily rendered relations of meaning and form. Furthermore, the perspective of considering games as texts which are composed by culturally mediated resources can be attributed partially to their narrative dimensions, and to the multimodal apparatus that are part of most games.
然而，本地化不仅包括游戏资产的翻译，还包括交互方式的本地化，交互方式应转变为目标市场的人们所能接受的方式。根据 Silva（2016）的观点，开发人员应该关注不同交互模式的本地化，例如，玩家将如何通过手势、语音指令和其他可能以语言或文化为媒介的刺激方式与游戏进行交互。席尔瓦在其论文中认为，人们可以将翻译资源视为以文化为媒介的互动，而不是任意呈现的意义和形式关系。此外，将游戏视为由文化中介资源构成的文本的观点，部分可归因于游戏的叙事维度，以及大多数游戏中的多模态工具。

Evans (2013) did research on the translation of board games. According to his study, board games give “a multi-modal participatory text that combines rules, game parts (including the board), and in-game text.” The rulebook itself may also be multimodal, using words and images to show how the game is played. Translators need to keep the
埃文斯（2013 年）对棋盘游戏的翻译进行了研究。根据他的研究，棋盘游戏提供了 "多模态参与性文本，将规则、游戏部件（包括棋盘）和游戏内文本结合在一起"。规则手册本身也可能是多模态的，使用文字和图像来展示游戏的玩法。翻译人员需要保持
rulebook as a guide for playing the game so that players can play the same game in the same way in different languages. In fact, some games avoid using a lot of text in their games, thus reducing the need for translation. However, even if the game uses languagespecific items, such as the use of Chinese characters in Chinese chess, the player can integrate these elements as part of the game system and must learn how to play the game.
规则手册作为游戏指南，这样玩家就可以用不同的语言以同样的方式玩同样的游戏。事实上，有些游戏避免在游戏中使用大量文字，从而减少了翻译的需要。不过，即使游戏中使用了特定语言的项目，例如在中国象棋中使用汉字，玩家也可以将这些元素整合为游戏系统的一部分，并且必须学会如何进行游戏。

In China, most of the studies about the application of multimodality in the research on translation or localization are based on multimodal discourse analysis, which is common in audiovisual translation researches. Zhuo (2017) studied the subtitle translation of Desperate Housewives, a TV series produced by ABC, and found that the coordination between visual and audio modalities have a major influence on expressing the meaning of the TV series. Li (2021) did research on the translation of League of Legends, an online game by Riot Games, and confirmed that multimodal discourse analysis applies to game translation.
在国内，有关多模态在翻译或本地化研究中应用的研究大多基于多模态话语分析，这在视听翻译研究中比较常见。Zhuo（2017）对美国广播公司（ABC）制作的电视剧《绝望的主妇》的字幕翻译进行了研究，发现视听模态之间的协调对表达电视剧的意义有重要影响。Li（2021）对 Riot Games 制作的网络游戏《英雄联盟》的翻译进行了研究，证实多模态话语分析适用于游戏翻译。

In summary, multimodal discourse analysis is more widely used than before in areas like audiovisual translation and game translation. With case study as the main research method, the authors employ multimodal discourse analysis in order to find out the characteristics shown in a particular work.
总之，多模态话语分析在音像翻译和游戏翻译等领域的应用比以往更加广泛。作者以案例研究为主要研究方法，运用多模态语篇分析来发现特定作品所表现出的特点。

As is mentioned before, the video game can be referred to as a multimodal discourse. The analysis on the localization of Disco Elysium will focus on visual, audio, and linguistic modalities in the game. For in-game text translation, which is the main body of localization, modality analysis discourse is employed to find out the influences of visual, audio, and linguistic modalities on each other, and how non-verbal languages influence the translation of verbal texts. For the localization of dubbing and edition of the Disco Elysium’s trailer, which is a part of printed assets, the analysis focuses on the
如前所述，视频游戏可以被称为多模态话语。对《迪斯科极乐世界》本地化的分析将侧重于游戏中的视觉、听觉和语言模式。对于本地化的主体--游戏中的文本翻译，将采用模态分析话语来找出视觉、听觉和语言模态之间的相互影响，以及非语言如何影响语言文本的翻译。对于作为印刷资产一部分的《迪斯科极乐世界》预告片配音和版本的本地化，分析的重点是
visual and audio symbols in the game, and tries to figure out how the game presents localization that suits Chinese players with the interaction between non-verbal elements. When playing the game, players receive the information from the scenes and sound, so user experience involves the interaction between audio, visual, and linguistic modalities, because the relations between them compose the whole meaning in this game. In summary, the next chapter analyzes the localization strategies and challenges based on the relations between the modalities.
游戏中的视觉和听觉符号，并试图找出游戏如何通过非语言元素之间的互动来呈现适合中国玩家的本地化。在玩游戏时，玩家从场景和声音中接收信息，因此用户体验涉及音频、视觉和语言方式之间的交互，因为它们之间的关系构成了游戏的整体意义。总之，下一章将分析基于各种模式之间关系的本地化策略和挑战。

According to O’Hagan and Mangiron (2011), game assets can be categorized into (1) in-game text; (2) art assets; (3) audio and cinematic assets and (4) printed assets. For Disco Elysium, the localization work done by WhisperTrans is partial localization, which means the in-game text and printed assets (the trailer of the game) are translated, but the most of the voiceover files are not. Since the in-game text and the trailer are multimodal discourses, they are analyzed under the framework of multimodal discourse analysis by categorizing the modalities into complementary and non-complementary ones in order to find out what strategies are employed in relations, and what are the challenges of the localization. For in-game texts, the linguistic modality is usually more dominant compared with other modalities, and is the main body of the game, so usually other modalities add information to the linguistic modality. For the trailer, or printed assets, however, linguistic modality is more peripheral, and it usually adds information to help express the meanings in visual and audio modalities. This difference may lead to different translation strategies.
根据 O'Hagan 和 Mangiron (2011)，游戏资产可分为：(1) 游戏文本；(2) 美术资产；(3) 音频和电影资产；(4) 印刷资产。对于《Disco Elysium》，WhisperTrans 所做的本地化工作是部分本地化，即翻译游戏内文本和印刷资产（游戏预告片），但大部分配音文件没有翻译。由于游戏内文本和预告片是多模态话语，因此我们在多模态话语分析的框架下对它们进行分析，将模态分为互补模态和非互补模态，以找出在关系中采用了哪些策略，以及本地化工作面临哪些挑战。就游戏文本而言，语言模态通常比其他模态更占主导地位，是游戏的主体，因此其他模态通常会为语言模态补充信息。然而，对于预告片或印刷品来说，语言模态更多的是边缘性的，它通常会添加信息来帮助表达视觉和听觉模态的含义。这种差异可能导致不同的翻译策略。

In Disco Elysium, the game assets can be categorized into in-game texts and printed assets. In-game texts are the textual content in this game, including terms, the dialogue and descriptive texts of certain items. Printed assets refer to all those elements in print that accompany a game, including a game’s trailer (Al-Batineh, 2021). For in-game texts, while some are relatively isolated texts with no information added by other elements in the interface of the game, others are accompanied with pictures, sound, and motions of characters. The printed asset of Disco Elysium mainly refers to the trailer
在《迪斯科极乐世界》中，游戏资产可分为游戏内文本和印刷资产。游戏内文本是指游戏中的文字内容，包括术语、对话和某些物品的描述性文字。印刷资产是指与游戏配套的所有印刷元素，包括游戏预告片（Al-Batineh, 2021）。就游戏内文本而言，有些是相对孤立的文本，没有通过游戏界面中的其他元素添加信息，而有些则伴有图片、声音和人物动作。迪斯科极乐世界》的印刷资产主要指预告片
released to markets including China, dominated visual and audio information. Based on the framework of multimodal discourse forms and relations, and the relations within the different modalities in Disco Elysium. this chapter analyzes the localization by categorizing the relations between modalities into (1) complementary and (2) noncomplementary. As mentioned before, complementary relation in multimodal discourse refers to the relation where the meaning cannot be expressed with one single modality, while non-complementary relation means that one modality does not contribute a lot to another in expressing meanings. Complementary relation includes reinforced relations (highlighting, prioritizing, supplement) and non-reinforced relations (intersection. coordination, combination), while non-complementary relation includes overlapping relation, inclusive relation. and contextual interaction relation.
在包括中国在内的市场发行的《迪斯科极乐世界》中，视觉和听觉信息占主导地位。基于多模态话语形式和关系的框架，以及《迪斯科极乐世界》中不同模态之间的关系，本章将模态之间的关系分为（1）互补关系和（2）非互补关系，从而对本地化进行分析。如前所述，多模态话语中的互补关系指的是单一模态无法表达意义的关系，而非互补关系指的是一种模态对另一种模态表达意义的贡献不大。互补关系包括强化关系（突出、优先、补充）和非强化关系（交叉、协调、组合），而非互补关系包括重叠关系、包容关系和语境互动关系。

The following analysis is a descriptive analysis. By analyzing the relations between different modalities and how they interact to produce meanings. this study linds out the translation strategies and challenges in the game localization of Disco Elysium. Here is an example of analysis:
以下分析为描述性分析。通过分析不同模式之间的关系以及它们如何相互作用产生意义，本研究找出了《迪斯科极乐世界》游戏本地化过程中的翻译策略和挑战。下面是一个分析示例：

Sl: Dricd May Bell

Figure 2 Dried May Bell
This is the name of an item, a boupuet of may bell that the protagonist caught on
the roof of a bar. Dried means 干的 in Chinese, but according to the picture, the text is the supplemental information of this item. Supplementary relation is a kind of complementary relation between modalities, and in this sentence, the linguistic modality is in a supplementary relation with the visual modality. So instead of a literal translation as 干的铃兰，the localizer chose free translation as 枯萎的铃兰 to indicate that as is shown in the picture, the May Bell has withered.
酒吧的屋顶。干的汉语意思是干的，但根据图片，文字是这个物品的补充信息。补充关系是模态之间的一种互补关系，在这个句子中，语言模态与视觉模态之间是一种补充关系。因此，本地化人员没有选择直译为干的铃兰，而是选择了意译为 枯萎的铃兰，以表示如图所示，五月的铃兰已经枯萎。

With analysis like this, the study is going to discover what kind of strategies are used based on the relations between different modalities, and how the modalities influence the strategies.
通过这样的分析，研究将发现根据不同模式之间的关系使用什么样的策略，以及模式如何影响策略。

Based on the theoretical framework in Chapter 4, this chapter is going to analyze what strategies are used in the localization of different assets and what are the challenges in localization when linguistic, visual, audio, and interactive modality interact and intersect differently with each other.
基于第 4 章中的理论框架，本章将分析在不同资产的本地化过程中使用了哪些策略，以及在语言、视觉、音频和交互方式相互影响和交叉的情况下，本地化所面临的挑战是什么。

Developed by ZA/UM, an Estonian game studio, Disco Elysium is a nontraditional role-playing game featuring no combat. Events in the game are resolved through “skill checks” by rolling dice to check if the choice will be successful in the event, and dialogue trees via a system of 24 skills that represent different aspects of the protagonist, such as his perception and pain threshold. Thought Cabinet, a system in this game, represents the protagonist’s other ideologies and personality traits, and players can support or suppress the ideologies and personalities as they want. Robert Kurvitz, one of the writers who composed the story, based the game on a form of tabletop role-playing game that he figured out before. In 2016, Kurvitz decided to produce the game by establishing ZA/UM, whose first work is Disco Elysium and won widespread applause in game communities. By 2022, the game has been awarded with The Game Awards 2019 in categories including Best Narrative and Best Independent Game, and is also nominated in influential awards such as Golden Joystick Awards and Nebula Awards. ${}^3$${}^3$^(3){ }^{3}
Disco Elysium》由爱沙尼亚游戏工作室 ZA/UM 开发，是一款非传统的角色扮演游戏，没有战斗。游戏中的事件是通过 "技能检查 "来解决的，即通过掷骰子来检查在事件中的选择是否成功，而对话树则是通过一个由 24 种技能组成的系统来实现的，这些技能代表了主人公的不同方面，例如他的感知力和疼痛阈值。游戏中的 "思想内阁"（Thought Cabinet）系统代表了主人公的其他意识形态和个性特征，玩家可以根据自己的意愿支持或压制这些意识形态和个性特征。罗伯特-库尔维茨（Robert Kurvitz）是创作这个故事的编剧之一，他根据自己之前琢磨出来的一种桌面角色扮演游戏的形式制作了这款游戏。2016年，库尔维茨决定成立ZA/UM公司制作游戏，其第一部作品就是《迪斯科极乐世界》，赢得了游戏界的广泛赞誉。到2022年，该游戏获得了2019年The Game Awards最佳叙事、最佳独立游戏等奖项，还入围了Golden Joystick Awards、Nebula Awards等有影响力的奖项。 ${}^3$${}^3$^(3){ }^{3}

WhisperTrans is a game localization studio that introduces English games into China. In November 19 ${}^{\text{th}}$${}^{\text{th }}$^("th "){ }^{\text {th }} 2015, WhisperTrans launched a crowdfunding for the localization of Lords of Xulima, an American role-playing game developed by Numantian Games, with its detailed description about the game and frequent updates of the project. ${}^4$${}^4$^(4){ }^{4} The studio has been providing translation services since 2009 as a group of local translators. After six years of hard work as a groups of game lovers, WhisperTrans finally became a professional translation studio in 2015. Now WhisperTrans studio has provided Chinese versions of games such as Legends of Eisenwald, Urban Empire, Splasher, and Disco Elysium. In 2018, WhisperTrans met the creators of Disco Elysium, who were interested in Chinese market and wanted WhisperTrans to translate the game into Chinese. It was ZA/UM saw the positive reaction by Chinese players to the demo version of Disco Elysium when ZA/UM applauded the work of the studio and received good comments by Chinese players, and then decided to hand over the localization work to WhisperTrans.
WhisperTrans是一家将英文游戏引入中国的游戏本地化工作室。2015年11月19日 ${}^{\text{th}}$${}^{\text{th }}$^("th "){ }^{\text {th }} ，WhisperTrans为Numantian Games开发的美式角色扮演游戏《修利马领主》（Lords of Xulima）的本地化发起众筹，并对游戏进行了详细的介绍和频繁的项目更新。 ${}^4$${}^4$^(4){ }^{4} 自 2009 年以来，该工作室一直以本地翻译团队的形式提供翻译服务。作为一群游戏爱好者，经过六年的努力，WhisperTrans 终于在 2015 年成为一家专业的翻译工作室。现在，WhisperTrans 工作室已经为《艾森沃尔德传奇》、《城市帝国》、《Splasher》、《Disco Elysium》等游戏提供了中文版。2018 年，WhisperTrans 遇到了《Disco Elysium》的创作者，他们对中国市场很感兴趣，希望 WhisperTrans 将游戏翻译成中文。正是ZA/UM看到了中国玩家对《Disco Elysium》试玩版的积极反应，当时ZA/UM对工作室的工作表示赞赏，并获得了中国玩家的好评，随后决定将本地化工作交给WhisperTrans。

Disco Elysium has attracted players who are interested in role-playing games without battles in it. Its storyline and settings are partly based on the contemporary history, especially that of the Soviet Union. The intriguing storyline of the game and the contents that involving the understanding of Marxism have obsessed game lovers to have an in-depth look at the game, despite its huge number of words. ZA/UM announced that the word count of the game may be outnumber 1 million. In some forums, many players have commented on Disco Elysium, including “how much pain they suffered from reading the texts of the game with so many difficult words as well as terminologies of history and politics”. Nevertheless, such a huge number of words have never stopped game lovers to support this game on Steam, the online game store. According to a comment on Google, "This is a game that sinks into your subconscious and lingers there, whispering and murmuring to you about the transient nature of reality.
Disco Elysium》吸引了对没有战斗的角色扮演游戏感兴趣的玩家。它的故事情节和设定部分取材于当代历史，尤其是苏联历史。尽管游戏字数庞大，但其引人入胜的故事情节和涉及对马克思主义理解的内容还是吸引了游戏爱好者对其进行深入了解。ZA/UM宣布游戏字数可能超过100万。在一些论坛上，许多玩家对《Disco Elysium》发表了评论，其中包括 "他们在阅读游戏文本时遭受了多大的痛苦，因为文本中包含了太多难以理解的单词以及历史和政治术语"。尽管如此，如此多的单词并没有阻止游戏爱好者在在线游戏商店 Steam 上支持这款游戏。谷歌上的一条评论说："这是一款沉入你潜意识的游戏，在那里徘徊，低声喃喃，向你诉说现实的短暂。

whilst reminding you not to be afraid to sing karaoke, get drunk, make a fool of yourself, and go hunting for imaginary stick-insects just for the fun of it." ${}^5$${}^5$^(5){ }^{5}

By 2022, Disco Elysium had released 10 language options, including English, Simplified Chinese, French, German, and Russian. The localization into Spanish, French, German and Russian is done by Testronic, a service provider with quality assurance, localization, compliance and certification, and customer support. According to an interview by gameindustry.biz, a forum for game players, Testronic faced key challenges with quality expectations, text complexity, and logistics in the game. Jeremy Pavy, the lead French editor in this program said that “Disco Elysium was an incredibly unique project with its own set of challenges and obstacles. In terms of sheer text volume, it was unlike anything we’ve worked on before.” Besides, the localizers focus on issues like “Do all lines fit in the given length?” “Has an element of interface disappeared due to translation?” “Are there any contextual errors?”. ${}^6$${}^6$^(6){ }^{6}
到 2022 年，Disco Elysium 已经发布了 10 种语言选择，包括英语、简体中文、法语、德语和俄语。西班牙文、法文、德文和俄文的本地化工作由 Testronic 完成，该公司是一家提供质量保证、本地化、合规性和认证以及客户支持的服务提供商。根据游戏玩家论坛gameindustry.biz的采访，Testronic 在游戏中面临着质量预期、文本复杂性和物流等关键挑战。该项目的法国主编 Jeremy Pavy 说："《Disco Elysium》是一个非常独特的项目，有其自身的一系列挑战和障碍。就纯文字量而言，它不同于我们以前的任何作品"。此外，本地化人员还关注以下问题："是否所有行都符合给定的长度？"是否有界面元素因翻译而消失？"是否存在上下文错误？ ${}^6$${}^6$^(6){ }^{6}

According to Testronic, they altered their strategies of localization into Russian from a community-dominated one into incorporating the leader of translation in Russian into the program.
据 Testronic 称，他们改变了俄语本地化的策略，从社区主导的策略转变为在程序中加入俄语翻译的领导者。

Manuel Verdinelli, the head of Translation services at Testronic said that "Translation and editing were carried out in parallel, with the lead editors having access to the content as soon as each file would be translated. There was also some overlap with the testing team in order to make the plan work, and this was very helpful as LQA’s changelogs, suggestions, improvements, etc. were circulated back to our editors for a
Testronic 的翻译服务主管 Manuel Verdinelli 说："翻译和编辑工作同时进行，主编可以在每个文件翻译完成后立即查看内容。为了使计划顺利进行，我们还与测试团队有一些工作重叠，这对我们非常有帮助，因为 LQA 的更新日志、建议、改进等都会传回给我们的编辑人员，以便他们进行修改。

cyclical feedback process." ${}^7$${}^7$^(7){ }^{7}

The first language option other than English in Disco Elysium is Chinese. According to “the last letter from the Soviet Union”, a letter to Chinese players by ZA/UM, “we hope that the spirit of the former friendship between China and the Soviet Union, which was once glorious and has undergone various changes now, can be found in these words.” Developers from ZA/UM have also praised the spirit of the Soviet Union and China, for they are also supporters of socialism, which is embraced by China and the Soviet Union. In 2018 on G-Fusion, a game exhibition based in Guangzhou, China, ZA/UM met WhisperTrans and complimented them for their work in localization, because the producers were satisfied with the reactions by Chinese players after playing the demo of the game in Chinese. Since then, the Chinese localization studio signed with ZA/UM and launched the program that was supposed to be finished within 6 months. ${}^8$${}^8$^(8){ }^{8}
迪斯科极乐世界》中除英文外的第一个语言选项是中文。根据ZA/UM公司写给中国玩家的信--"来自苏联的最后一封信"，"我们希望能从这些文字中找到中苏两国昔日友谊的精神，这种友谊曾经辉煌，如今却经历了种种变迁"。来自ZA/UM的开发者们也曾为中苏两国的精神点赞，因为他们也是中苏两国所拥护的社会主义的支持者。2018 年在总部位于中国广州的游戏展 G-Fusion 上，ZA/UM 遇到了 WhisperTrans，并称赞了他们在本地化方面的工作，因为制作人对中国玩家试玩中文版游戏后的反应感到满意。此后，中国本地化工作室与ZA/UM签约，并启动了原定于 6 个月内完成的项目。 ${}^8$${}^8$^(8){ }^{8}

One of the testers with the nickname as “Dewangsky” of localization commented in the page of Disco Elysium on Steam, ‘It’s my great honor to be a part of the localization as a tester.’ This indicates that the group of localization has kept in touch with the players of Disco Elysium and wants feedback on their work. ${}^9$${}^9$^(9){ }^{9} At the end of ‘Disco Elysium’ page, there is a QQ group number left by the staff of WhisperTrans, which stays in touch with players in this way and discussed the translation and bugs in the game with group members, according to an interview by GAMECORES. a Chinese media that focuses on games and game players. WhisperTrans decided to spend from 6 months to a year to improve the localization of the game after the Chinese version came out, because the texts in this so important and so rich that they should be responsible
其中一位昵称为 "Dewangsky "的本地化测试人员在 Steam 上的 Disco Elysium 页面评论道："作为测试人员参与本地化工作是我莫大的荣幸。这表明本地化小组一直与《Disco Elysium》的玩家保持着联系，并希望得到玩家对他们工作的反馈。 ${}^9$${}^9$^(9){ }^{9} 在《Disco Elysium》页面的末尾，有一个由 WhisperTrans 工作人员留下的 QQ 群号码，据关注游戏和游戏玩家的中国媒体 GAMECORES 的采访，WhisperTrans 通过这种方式与玩家保持联系，并与群成员讨论游戏的翻译和 Bug。WhisperTrans 决定在中文版推出后花 6 个月到 1 年的时间来改进游戏的本地化，因为游戏中的文字如此重要，内容如此丰富，他们应该负起责任。

for ZA/UM and players, according to a localizer in from WhisperTrans with a pseudonym as ‘w 君’ and interviewed by GAMECORES. ${}^{10}$${}^{10}$^(10){ }^{10}

According to the localizers, they got stressed when accepted the job because of a lot of words to translate. By the end of September, 2019, four months after starting the program, the first draft of the in-game texts were done, and spent another month in translating updated texts.
据本地化人员介绍，他们在接受这项工作时压力很大，因为有很多字需要翻译。到2019年9月底，也就是项目启动4个月后，游戏内文本初稿完成，又花了一个月时间翻译更新文本。

The translation, though difficult for the staff in WhisperTrans Studio, gained positive comments on the Internet. On Zhihu, a Chinese question-and-answer website, the question “如何评价《极乐迪斯科》的中文汉化水平” (“How do you comment on the translation into Chinese of Disco Elysium?”) is replied with both positive and negative comments. Most of the replies gave kudos to the translation, “nice translation of the skill points” “hilarious translation” “many smart parts of translation, despite some crashing work”. On NGA, a forum of games in China, the users commented “well done, for there are so many difficult words to understand.” 11
虽然翻译工作对 WhisperTrans Studio 的工作人员来说难度很大，但在互联网上却获得了积极的评价。在中文问答网站知乎上，"如何评价《极乐迪斯科》的中文汉化水平"（"您如何评价《Disco Elysium》的中文翻译？"）这个问题得到了正反两方面的评论。大多数回复都对翻译表示赞赏，"技能点翻译得很好""翻译得很搞笑""翻译有很多精妙之处，尽管有些地方做得很糟糕"。在中国游戏论坛 NGA 上，网友们评论道："做得好，因为有很多难懂的单词"。11

Some players, however, have expressed their unsatisfaction when playing the game and commented on Steam, as mentioned before, a game platform, “感觉阅读困难, $\cdot$$\cdot$*\cdot为什么会这么样，警探？’…到底是什么意思啊，还有很多地方，看的眼花，翻译真没问题吗？”（What does it mean by '为什么会这么样？警探’. Hard to understand and it makes me dizzy. Does translation really has no problem?) “选中文后卡死，关掉之后连游戏标题界面都打不开。”(“The game is dead when I opted Chinese and failed to enter it again”) and so on. These players are puzzled by the difficult words and sentences in the Chinese version, and showed how they are disappointed with the language quality in Chinese. Others complain that some parts are consistent with each other, even though they refer to the same thing according to the
不过，也有玩家在玩游戏时表达了自己的不满，并在 Steam 上发表了评论，正如之前提到的游戏平台，"感觉阅读困难， $\cdot$$\cdot$*\cdot 为什么会这么样，警探？'......到底是什么意思啊，还有很多地方，看的眼花，翻译真没问题吗？到底是什么意思啊，还有很多地方，看的眼花，翻译真没问题吗？"（"为什么会这么样？很难理解，让我头晕。翻译真的没问题吗？）"选中文后卡死，关掉之后连游戏标题界面都打不开。"（"选中文后卡死，关掉之后连游戏标题界面都打不开。"）等等。这些玩家对中文版中的难词难句感到困惑，并表现出对中文语言质量的失望。还有一些玩家抱怨说，有些部分虽然指的是同一件事，但却前后矛盾。

game content. Errors and bugs when switching to Chinese were common when the first version of Chinese came out.

In summary, most of the localization work is done by professional teams with translators, QA (quality assurance) and technological staff. Despite different languages, most of the localizers underwent the same procedure of game localization, including pre-translation, translation, QA, and other improvement after translation.
总之，大部分本地化工作都是由翻译、QA（质量保证）和技术人员组成的专业团队完成的。尽管语言不同，但大多数本地化人员都经历了相同的游戏本地化流程，包括翻译前、翻译、QA 和翻译后的其他改进。

For a role-playing game like Disco Elysium, the linguistic modality is the main body of this game, because players must read the dialogue and options to continue the game by making choices. In addition, players may have to spend a long time in reading the texts because of the complexity and difficulties in the sentences. The visual and audio modalities often give additional or more detail information for the players to fully understand and enjoy the game. As mentioned above, the relations between modalities can be divided into complementary and non-complementary relations.
对于像《迪斯科极乐世界》这样的角色扮演游戏来说，语言模式是游戏的主体，因为玩家必须阅读对话和选项，才能通过选择继续游戏。此外，由于句子的复杂性和难度，玩家可能需要花很长时间来阅读文本。视觉和听觉模态往往能提供更多或更详细的信息，让玩家充分理解和享受游戏。如上所述，模态之间的关系可分为互补关系和非互补关系。

As mentioned in Chapter 3, the complementary relation in multimodal discourse means a kind of relation that modalities must combine to express meanings. The complementary relation can be categorized into reinforced and non-reinforced relations. In reinforced relations, there are highlighting, primary-and-secondary, and supplementary relations, while for non-reinforced relations, there are intersecting, combining, and coordinating relations. In Disco Elysium, linguistic modality mainly refers to the in-game texts, while visual modality refers to the visual materials in the game including the pictures in the game as well as the layout of the interface. Audio modality includes the voices, including the dubbing of voiceover and characters’
如第三章所述，多模态话语中的互补关系是指模态必须结合起来才能表达意义的一种关系。互补关系可分为强化关系和非强化关系。在强化关系中，有突出关系、主次关系和补充关系，而在非强化关系中，有交叉关系、结合关系和协调关系。在 Disco Elysium 中，语言模态主要指游戏中的文本，而视觉模态指游戏中的视觉材料，包括游戏中的图片和界面布局。音频模态包括声音，包括配音和角色的声音。
dialogue.

In the complementary relation. different modalities interact with each other to express one or several meanings. The following analysis includes examples of complementary relations in the game. and translation strategies and methods are adopted in the texts based on the changes of different relations. Here are the examples of complementary relations.
在互补关系中，不同的方式相互作用，表达一种或几种意义。下面的分析包括游戏中互补关系的例子，以及根据不同关系的变化在文本中采取的翻译策略和方法。以下是互补关系的例子。

ST: The Pigs
TT：䧆猪火夷

Figure 3 The Pigs
Some people in Revachol are refered to as the ir nicknames. rather than real names. which are often tramslated with transliteration. Ior nichnames. Here is more space for
在雷瓦乔尔，有些人被称为 "绰号"（ir nicknames），而不是真名。或者说绰号。这里有更多空间用于

In this example. The Piges refers to an old woman called Marianne I. cllante who has mental disorder and stoke the police gun of the protagonist when ste was out of her mind. As a detective. the protagomist was supposed to find oun his lost police sum. and The Pies appeared when the protagonist linished the task by livart (late a worker:s union`s leader in Revachol. By the name “The Pies” itsedtic it is hard to tell the identily of the name"s owner, which means the translation of 'The Pigs need to combine the
在这个例子中。在这个例子中，"小猪 "指的是一个叫玛丽安-伊-克兰蒂的老妇人，她精神失常，在主人公失去理智时捅了主人公的警枪。作为一名侦探，主人公本应找到他丢失的警枪，而 "馅饼 "则是在主人公完成任务时出现的。通过 "The Pies "这个名字，我们很难看出这个名字的主人是谁，这就意味着 "The Pigs "的翻译需要将 "The Pies "和 "The Pies "结合起来。
plot and the image in the game.

To translate The Pigs, which refers to 猪 in Chinese, further plots and graphic information are needed to decide the strategy. In the original version, linguistic and visual modalities are complementary in revealing the identity of The Pigs - an old woman with mental disease. The figure 3 is the image of The Pigs, an old woman with a dirty face and mental illness. The combination relation between the visual and audio modality has connected the image with the title The Pigs to tell the identity of the woman. In Chinese，猪猪 and 女侠 are childish words that may be used by children who often watch cartoons, so to use 猪猪女侠 to describe an elderly woman who is disdained by the local is proper. 女侠 also indicates the gender of The Pigs while the English text does not, and in this case, the linguistic modality is in an inclusive relation with the visual modality by adding the information of gender displayed by the visual modality.
猪》在中文里指的是 "猪"，要翻译《猪》，需要进一步的情节和图像信息来决定翻译策略。在原版中，语言和视觉方式相辅相成，共同揭示了猪的身份--一位患有精神疾病的老妇人。图 3 是 "猪 "的形象，一个面容猥琐、患有精神疾病的老妇人。视觉和听觉模式的组合关系将图像与标题 "猪 "联系在一起，揭示了这位妇女的身份。在汉语中，"猪猪 "和 "女侠 "都是比较幼稚的词语，经常看动画片的孩子可能会用，所以用 "猪猪女侠 "来形容一个被当地人鄙视的老妇人是恰当的。在这种情况下，语言模态通过增加视觉模态显示的性别信息，与视觉模态建立了包容性关系。

To express the meaning, the translation into Chinese also kept the meaning of “Pigs” and revealed the image of a crazy woman in the picture through addition, a translation method, and free translation as the strategy. 猪猪女侠 is the combination of The Pigs and the crazy image of an elderly woman in the picture. As a result, the complementary relation between linguistic and visual modalities has made the image of The Pigs more vivid. In addition, while the original name The Pigs does not indicate the gender, 猪猪女侠 added the gender information in the name, which has changed the original relation between visual and linguistic modalities.
为了表达意思，译文还保留了 "猪 "的意思，并通过加译法、意译法等策略，将画面中的疯女人形象展现出来。猪猪女侠 "是 "The Pigs "与画面中疯狂的老妇人形象的结合。因此，语言模式和视觉模式之间的互补关系使猪猪女侠的形象更加生动。此外，原名 "猪猪 "没有标明性别，而 "猪猪女侠 "在名字中加入了性别信息，改变了视觉模态与语言模态的原有关系。

In this example, the Chinese translators do not want to display the meaning of various modalities including the visual and linguistic modalities in separate ways, and they tend to suppress the meanings in different modalities into a single linguistic modality. In this way, rather than translating The Pigs into 猪, Chinese translators ignore the combination of different modalities and try to express the meaning in only linguistic modality. Therefore, the translation into Chinese tend to use paraphrase in order to express the meaning covered not only in the English text, but also in the image.
在这个例子中，中文译者并不希望将包括视觉和语言在内的各种模态的意义分别展示出来，他们倾向于将不同模态的意义压制到单一的语言模态中。这样，中文译者在翻译《猪》时，就会忽略不同模态的结合，而只试图用语言模态来表达意义。因此，中译本往往采用意译的方式来表达英语文本和图像所涵盖的意义。

ST: A book about different cockatoo species and their behavioral problems. Perhaps it could also offer some insight into your own often problematic actions? The spectacular Major Majestic cockatoo eves you from the cover.
ST：一本关于不同鹦鹉种类及其行为问题的书。也许它还能为你自己经常出现的问题行为提供一些启示？从封面上就能看到壮观的Major Majestic凤头鹦鹉。

This sentence is the introduction of a book named as From A to ZRIEEK! A gurde to cockutoos. a book can be bought by the protagonist atter talking to a working-class woman in the bookstore. The cocketor on the cover has a commanding look in its eyes. just as the original text says. spectacular Major Majestic cockatoo’. combining
这句话是一本名为《从A到ZRIEEK》的书的引言！这本书是主人公在书店与一位工人阶级妇女交谈后买到的。封面上的凤头鹦鹉眼神炯炯有神，正如原文所说："壮观的'Major Majestic cockatoo'。
time. under the influence of visual medalit?. Which supplements the information that the lingustic modality expects to ceppeses with a picture of a thrilling cockatho.
时间。它通过一幅惊心动魄的公鸡图片，补充了语言模式希望获取的信息。

Ilere vistal and linguistic modalities are in a foregrounding relation. and the linguistic modality highlights visual modatity by presenting additonal information when introducing this book. Therefore in translation. the translator uses gencralization to sumbarize the meaning as “majesty.” stressing the distinctive characteristics of the cockator on the cover. The Chinese transtation keeps the characteristics of both the picture and the text by using additomal tramstation. In the Chinese version, the foregrounding relation of lingustic and vistal modalities are somehow ignored ?
在介绍这本书时，语言模态通过提供补充信息来突出视觉模态。因此，在翻译时，译者使用了 "genralization"，将意思概括为 "majesty"，强调了封面上 "cockator "的鲜明特点。中文翻译版则通过使用 "添加"（additomal tramstation）来保持图片和文字的特点。中文版在某种程度上忽略了语言模态和视觉模态的前景关系？
compared with the English version, and free translation is used to express the meaning of both modalities in texts. and the relation has somehow transformed from foregrounding to supplemental relation.
与英语版本相比，自由翻译用于表达文本中两种模态的含义。

ST: LA Fumée. VOL. 1 NO. 4 - The face of King Frissel smiles at you. For some reason the smile now strikes you as more forced than it did before.
感觉这笑突出得比之前更自硬了。

Figure 5 La Fumée
This is the introduction of a magaine called l. frumé the leading intellectual organ ol Martinaise communism. It offers a radical Mavovian perspective on a ramge of
这是一本名为《L. frumé》的杂志的导言，该杂志是马蒂纳共产主义的主要思想刊物。它从激进的马沃夫视角对一系列
of white anters on his head In this magaine. consumerism. capitalism and ill sponsorship are criticized by citing a car accident ingrand prix. King lrissed is smiling at the reader or the protagonist in the game. while the protagonist is somehom uncomfortable when turning its pages hecause of some of the thoughts and criticism in the magurine.
在这本杂志中，消费主义、资本主义和不正当的赞助都受到了批评。在游戏中，King lrissed 正对着读者或主人公微笑，而主人公在翻开书页时却有些不自在，因为杂志中的一些思想和批评。

When translating $\cdot$$\cdot$*\cdotor some teason the smile now strikes you as more fored than it did before", the meaning of werh “strike” is rather important. The literal translation of “strike” is "打 Hi, but it does not make sense. As the modalities are interactive with each other and visual modality can be suplemental for the linguistic modality in this
在翻译 $\cdot$$\cdot$*\cdot or some teason the smile now strikes you as more fored than it did before "时，"打 "的意思相当重要。罢工 "的直译是 "打嗨"，但没有意义。由于模态之间是互动的，视觉模态在这里可以作为语言模态的补充。
paragraph, the localizers may figure out what 'strike` means - resembling a fake smile making someone uncomfortable. Therefore, totally keeping the original relation is unacceptable in Chinese. and free translation is better to convey the meaning carried by the combination of the picture and the text. In the translation. 显得比之前果生硬了 is better to cover the meaning of visual and linguistic modalities in English.
段，本地化人员可能会弄明白 "strike "是什么意思--类似于让人不舒服的假笑。因此，完全保留原文的关系在汉语中是不可取的，而意译更能表达图文结合所承载的意思。在译文中显得比之前果生硬了更能涵盖英语中视觉和语言模式的含义。

ST: Suddenly your palms are siveaty. The church seems cold and large, somehow…

Figure 6 Dolorian Church of Humanity
This sentence describes the ferling when the protagonist shisers in the church as

Soona tries to mute the loudspather. and the protagonist lieds ansions about the upcoming silence.

The linguistic modality is in a foregromding relation with the visual modality, for the amosphere in this seene is not only convered by the pieture ol the church, but also foregrounded by the fextual description. “cold and large”. Figure 6 is the seene of Dolorian Church of Humanity a local church buill 320) years ago and now it has fell into distepair. so in winter. it is cold inside.
语言模态与视觉模态之间是一种前置关系，因为在这个场景中，氛围不仅被教堂的外观所吸引，而且还被文字描述所突出。"冰冷而巨大"。图 6 是多罗里安人类教堂的场景，这是一座建于 320 年前的当地教堂，现在已经破败不堪。

The addition of ‘更’, a comparative word in Chinese meaning ‘more’, carries more information than the original text itself. To translate the sentence “The church seems cold and large” in a literal way as ‘教堂好像变冷变大了’ is fine, but this version may indicate that the church is originally warm and small, which is not the case. The protagonist trembles because he does not know what will happen in the next few moments, as if he gets colder when feeling scared. So rather than 变冷变大, this sentence may imply that the church feels “colder and larger than before”.
更 "在汉语中是一个比较词，意思是 "更多"，它所包含的信息比原文本身还要多。将 "教堂好像变冷变大了 "这句话直译为 "教堂好像变冷变大了 "是可以的，但这一版本可能表明教堂原本是温暖而狭小的，而事实并非如此。主人公颤抖是因为他不知道接下来会发生什么，就好像他感到害怕时会变得更冷一样。因此，这个句子可能暗示教堂 "比以前更冷更大"，而不是 "变冷变大"。

In the foregrounding relation between visual and linguistic modality, the translators try to convey the same information as the original text by adding 更 to indicate that the church is originally cold and large, highlighting the fact that the church is getting colder and larger. In the original text, this meaning can only be conveyed by the combination of the visual and linguistic modalities, while in the Chinese version the text covers the meaning of both image and words in the original text, and the original relation is somehow omitted.
在视觉模态与语言模态的前置关系中，译者试图传达与原文相同的信息，通过添加"＋"来表示教堂原本又冷又大，突出了教堂越来越冷、越来越大的事实。在原文中，这个意思只能通过视觉和语言方式的结合来表达，而在中文版中，文字涵盖了原文中图像和文字的意思，原文中的关系在某种程度上被省略了。

ST: Like a deftly cast fishing net, sleep pulls you out of the world and into its dak shore. The rough mesh chafes, then tightening around you, it digs into your brain.
ST：睡眠就像一张巧妙撒下的渔网，把你从这个世界拉到它的岸边。粗糙的网眼先是皴裂，然后收紧，钻进你的大脑。

TT: 就像一张熟练抛酒出的渔网, 睡眠将你拉出这个世界, 抛在黑暗的海岸上。粗糙的网眼擦痛了你的皮肤，然后紧紧将你困住，深深侵入你的脑海。

When the protagonist calls it a day and tries to fall asleep on the bed on day 6 , the descriptive text appears as he is falling asleep. This sentence describes the how does the protagonist feel when submerged himself into a deep sleep. In this game, the voices from the mind of the protagonist are all dubbed with a deep but rough man voice, and usually describes how miserable it is when the protagonist is on his own, afflicted by his alcoholic problems and painful past. In this case, the voiceover as the audio modality foregrounds visual modality (the dark background when he closes his eyes) and
第 6 天，当主人公结束一天的工作，试图躺在床上入睡时，描述性文字出现了，因为他睡着了。这句话描述了主人公沉浸在睡梦中的感受。在这款游戏中，来自主人公心灵的声音都是用低沉而粗犷的男人声音配音的，通常描述的是主人公独自一人时的痛苦，他被酗酒问题和痛苦的过去折磨着。在这种情况下，作为音频模式的配音突出了视觉模式（他闭上眼睛时的黑暗背景）和
linguistic modality (the text in the dialogue box), giving players a straight empathy of the pain. Besides, the key tone in this game is cold according to the plot and art style, and most of the texts in this game give people a feeling of seriousness and despair. In this example. the Chinese version conveys as much meaning as the English version. and the relation can be kept in the strategy of literal translation.
语言方式（对话框中的文字），让玩家直观地感受到痛苦的共鸣。此外，根据剧情和美术风格，这款游戏的基调是冷色调，游戏中的大部分文字都给人以严肃和绝望的感觉。在这个例子中，中文版和英文版所传达的意思是一样的，可以在直译的策略中保持这种关系。

ST: Pump it to the brick, pump it to the hard master! There is no other way. Gluestyle.
渎漆的风格。

Figure 7 Nightclub in the Church
Ander Noid and Vecke. Who made the abandoned chureh together into a nighteluh playing dance music. the protagonist tries to borrow a cable from him and meets problems. Meambile. Feg Itead submerges himself into dance music, playing the role as a DJ and ignores the words by the protagonist and others. He loves shouting hard core’ when playing loud music in the church. and when soona tried to make him keep the music down when she is working. Fige Ilead coud not hear her and continued his shouting like “Pump it w the hrick. pump it to the hard master!”. a slogan that attracts
Ander Noid 和 Vecke。主人公试图向他借一根电缆，却遇到了麻烦。Meambile.费格-伊泰德沉浸在舞曲中，扮演着 DJ 的角色，对主人公和其他人的话置若罔闻。他喜欢在教堂里大声播放音乐时高喊 "hard core"。Fige Ilead 听不见她的话，继续大喊 "Pump it w the hrick. Pump it to the hard master!"。

the slogan by associating it with a trendy song on Chinese social networks called Wild Wolf Disco（《野狠Disco》）。

In this scene, the visual modality, audio modality and linguistic modality are in foregrounding relations. In Figure 8, at night the nightclub in the church is open, and the founders of the nightelub are dancing with the music and light. “Pump it to the brick, pump it to the hard master” is a lyric. which has no specific meaning, but can foreground the atmosphere here, adding rhythm and rhyme to the scene with disco music and glittering lights. As the foregrounding relation is hard to keep in the Chinese version. the translators chose a line that is familiar with Chinese people and try to re-depict the atmosphere in a wat more acceptable by Chinese players. Therefore instead of fully interpreting the lyrics word-for-word, the localizers adopted naturalization and decided to equal the underline sentence with a popular (hinese lyric that is in consistency with the atmosphere convered by visual and audio modalities in a nightelub.
在这个场景中，视觉模态、音频模态和语言模态处于前景关系。图 8 中，晚上教堂里的夜总会开张了，夜总会的创始人在音乐和灯光的映衬下翩翩起舞。"Pump it to the brick，pump it to the hard master "是一句抒情诗，没有具体的含义，但却能烘托出这里的气氛，为迪斯科音乐和闪烁灯光的场景增添了节奏和韵律。译者选择了一句中国人耳熟能详的歌词，试图用中国玩家更容易接受的方式来重新描绘气氛。因此，本地化人员没有逐字逐句地完全诠释歌词，而是采用了归化的方法，决定将下划线句子与一句流行的中文歌词等同起来，使其与夜总会的视听模式所营造的氛围相一致。

sT: Motor Carriage

TT: 汽車

Figure 8 Motor Carriage
According to Whispertrans. the translation of Motor ('arriage was studied and
verified for many times before the localizers decided to use 汽車. The character 車 makes sense in this word, rather than simply transferring 汽车 into traditional Chinese. In Figure 4, Motor Carriage looks ancient and resembles early cars in 1900s. When early cars were invented, the English-speaking world called it a motor carriage, because the shape of the car was indeed a carriage with engine. Then it evolved into an auto vehicle, which eventually evolved into a car. Since there is no Chinese completely equivalent for Motor Carriage, the localizers tried to find compose a word that can combine the meaning of a vehicle while reflecting the characteristics of it, and finally chose 汽車.
在本地化人员决定使用 "汽车 "一词之前，已进行了多次验证。在这个词中，"车 "字是有意义的，而不是简单地将 "汽车 "转为繁体中文。图 4 中的 "汽车"（Motor Carriage）看起来很古老，很像 20 世纪早期的汽车。早期汽车发明时，英语世界称其为 motor carriage，因为汽车的外形确实是一辆带发动机的马车。后来演变成汽车，最后演变成轿车。由于中文中没有完全对应的 "马车 "一词，本地化人员试图找到一个既能结合 "车 "的含义，又能反映 "车 "的特点的词，最终选择了 "汽车"。

The word carriage gives a more ancient or old-fashioned impression, so is the Motor Carriage in the picture. The visual and linguistic modalities convey the same message: not only the name of the vehicle, but also its basic characteristic: oldfashioned. Therefore, the visual modality and linguistic modality have an overlapping relation.
马车一词给人更古老或老式的印象，图片中的马车也是如此。视觉模态和语言模态传达了相同的信息：不仅是车辆的名称，还有其基本特征：老式。因此，视觉模态和语言模态具有重叠关系。

To translate Motor Carriage into Chinese, the translators are supposed to take the overlapping relation of visual and linguistic modalities into consideration. In overlapping relations, Chinese players tend to convey the meaning in the same way as the English version, and keep the “ancient” feeling of the original word “carriage”. The Figure 4 is the picture of Motor Carriage, which resembles the early cars in 1900s, keeping some characteristics of carriages in the ancient time. The traditional Chinese車 instead of 车 not only looks as old-fashioned as carriage, but also indicate the ancient structure of early vehicles in China, which can indicate the old-fashioned characteristics in this picture. As a result, the word-for-word translation is employed to keep the original meaning of Motor Carriage, an old-fashioned type of vehicles.
要将 "马车 "翻译成中文，译者需要考虑视觉和语言的重叠关系。在重叠关系中，中文译者倾向于用与英文版相同的方式表达意思，并保留原词 "马车 "的 "古 "感。图 4 是 "马车"（Motor Carriage）的图片，类似于 20 世纪早期的汽车，保留了古代马车的一些特征。用繁体字 "车 "代替 "辇"，不仅看起来像 "马车 "一样古色古香，而且表明了中国早期车辆的古老结构，可以看出这幅图的古色古香的特点。因此，我们采用了逐字翻译的方法，以保持 "旧式车辆"--"Motor Carriage "的原意。

Example (9)

Table 124 Skills in Disco Elysium

Figure 9 Skills in English

Figure 10 Skills in Chinese
Skills are a main mechanic in Disco Elysium. They decide the abilities and thoughts of players. The 24 skills of the protagonist are an example of terminology translation in this area. To fit in the interface. Chinese localizers chose to translate these skills into idioms with four Chinese characters. As the table and figure show. while the English version display the skills with different length in the interface, the Chinese version is clearly in order when every skill has a same length of word. Without a new line, the texts of the skills in Chinese looks in order. In this example. interface, as a graphic or visual modality, confines the Chinese translation by limiting the length in the translated
技能是《极乐迪斯科》的主要机制。它们决定了玩家的能力和思想。主角的 24 种技能就是这方面术语翻译的一个例子。为了适应游戏界面。中文本地化人员选择将这些技能翻译成四个汉字的成语。如表和图所示，英文版在界面中显示的技能长短不一，而中文版中每个技能的单词长度都相同，显然是有序的。在没有新行的情况下，中文版的技能文本看起来是按顺序排列的。在这个例子中，界面作为一种图形或视觉模式，通过限制译文的长度来限制中文翻译。
translation. and this translation will not be aceepted becaluse it is too long. or the visual modality repels serbal languge. Which is anon-complementary relatom in this context.
由于译文太长，或视觉模式排斥语义语言，因此译文不会被采用。在这种情况下，这就是一种非互补的关系式。
but also lits in the box in the interface. Io avoid non-complimentary relation between vistal and verbal languages that may cause bad visual experience the translation of the 24 skills adopted paraphrase as the translation method. Other examples of paraphrase
但也在界面的方框中点亮。为了避免视觉语言和口头语言之间的非褒贬关系造成不良的视觉体验，24 种技能的翻译采用了意译的翻译方法。意译的其他例子

For this part. various strategies have been used to fit in the boxes with four Chinese characters. Some of them are the generalization of the characteristics of the skills, and these skills cannot be directly translated into Chinese until the localizers have a full
在这一部分中，我们采用了各种策略，以便在方框中填入四个汉字。其中一些是对技能特点的概括，在本地化人员对这些技能有全面了解之前，这些技能无法直接翻译成中文。
experience in the game and an in-depth understanding of these skills. If these skills are put into a limited space on the interface, then the visual modality may be dominant in order to limit the length and size of the font.
在游戏中的经验和对这些技能的深入理解。如果把这些技能放在界面上有限的空间内，那么视觉模式可能会占主导地位，以限制字体的长度和大小。

ST: Moonshine probably.

This is a description that came out of the protagonist’s mind when he passes by a jar of wine nearby a river. According to Zhang (2009), multimodal comprehensive analysis framework consists of 4 aspects: culture, context, content, and expression. Culture makes communication possible since the tradition, form and technology are decided by culture. Moonshine ${}^{12}$${}^{12}$^(12){ }^{12} means the light of the moon, but in this sentence, moonshine refers to a kind of wine whose production was prohibited under the ${18}^{\text{th}}$${18}^{\text{th }}$18^("th ")18^{\text {th }} Amendment of Constitution of the US. The name was derived from a tradition of creating the alcohol during the nighttime, thereby avoiding detection. Nowadays since the ban has been lifted, alcohol produced in a private family can also be called moonshine.
这是主人公路过河边一坛酒时脑海中浮现的描述。根据 Zhang（2009）的观点，多模态综合分析框架包括四个方面：文化、语境、内容和表达。文化使传播成为可能，因为传统、形式和技术都是由文化决定的。Moonshine ${}^{12}$${}^{12}$^(12){ }^{12} 意为月亮之光，但在这句话中，moonshine 指的是一种酒，美国宪法修正案 ${18}^{\text{th}}$${18}^{\text{th }}$18^("th ")18^{\text {th }} 禁止生产这种酒。月光酒的名称源于一种在夜间酿酒的传统，这样可以避免被发现。如今，由于禁令已经解除，私人家庭生产的酒也可以称为月光酒。

According to multimodal discourse media system (Zhang, 2009), the contextual interaction between modalities can be regarded as the relations between active and passive modalities. In English culture, moonshine can be interpreted as privately produced wine, while it may make confusion when translated into 月光, for China did not undergo that history as the US did. Without this context, it is hard for Chinese players to understand 月光 in this sentence. Thus, rather than keeping the original contextual relation, translating moonshine into 私配酒 is more understandable for Chinese players.
根据多模态话语媒体系统（张，2009），模态之间的语境互动可视为主动模态与被动模态之间的关系。在英语文化中，"moonshine "可以解释为私人生产的葡萄酒，而翻译成 "月光 "则可能会引起混淆，因为中国并没有像美国那样经历过那段历史。如果没有这样的语境，中国选手很难理解这句话中的 "月光"。因此，与其保留原有的上下文关系，不如将 moonshine 翻译成私配酒，更容易让中国玩家理解。

You’ve spoken. The wall will now silently repeat the message. For a decade or so, until the sea air degrades the paint, adding another layer of * detritus* to the city.
您已发言。现在，这面墙将默默地重复这句话。十年左右的时间，直到海风使油漆变质，为城市再添一层*垃圾。

TT :你开了口。现在墙壁会安静地重复这条信息，持续大约 10 年左右，直到海风降解了油漆，给这座城市再增添一层残渣。

When the protagonist finishes his task of “Add even more beauty to the wall”, the sentences above come into his mind. In this task, the protagonist is supposed to get a brush from a girl called Cindy the Skull, and then find heavy oil as the paint to draw on the wall. This description is a linguistic modality, and this modality interacts with the context, which is a passive modality. The sentence “until the sea air degrades the paint, adding another layer of * detritus* to the city” is a description about the future, and the reason for the possible “detritus” is that Revachol is a seaside town, and paint on the wall can easily wear off as the sea wind sweeps around.
当主人公完成 "为墙壁增添更多美丽 "的任务时，他的脑海中浮现出上面的句子。在这个任务中，主人公要从一个叫骷髅辛迪的女孩那里拿到画笔，然后找到重油作为颜料在墙上作画。这种描述是一种语言模态，这种模态与语境相互作用，是一种被动模态。句子 "直到海风使油漆变质，给这座城市又增添了一层*残渣*"是对未来的描述，之所以可能是 "残渣"，是因为里瓦乔尔是一座海滨城市，墙上的油漆在海风的吹拂下很容易磨损。

In this sentence, the linguistic modality is in the inclusive relation with the visual modality. In inclusive relation, no additional information is conveyed by the modalities, but one modality adds details to another. The sentence is only a prediction of the possible future of the wall, rather than additional information introducing what the protagonist has painted on the wall. Therefore, the sentence is relatively independent of the visual or audio modality, and the detail information should be conveyed by itself. The localizers chose literal translation to keep the non-complementary relation between the linguistic and visual modality in the English version, and convey the original meaning of the text without adding or omitting any information.
在这个句子中，语言模态与视觉模态是包含关系。在包容关系中，模态没有传递额外信息，但一种模态为另一种模态增加了细节。这个句子只是对墙的可能未来的预测，而不是介绍主人公在墙上画了什么的附加信息。因此，该句子相对独立于视觉或听觉模态，细节信息应该由其本身来传达。本地化人员选择直译，以保持英语版本中语言模式和视觉模式之间的非互补关系，在不添加或省略任何信息的情况下传达文本的原意。

ST: TITUS HARDIE - The big man laughs, nearly spitting out his beer. “What’s that, copper? You want us to help little old ladies now?”

TT ：提图斯$\cdot$$\cdot$*\cdot哈迪 - 大块头笑了，几乎要把啤酒喷出来。“你说什么，条子？你现在想让我们出去帮小老太太了？”

In this part, the protagonist asks Titus Hardie, the leader of a local gang called the Hardie Boys, to look after the The Pigs mentioned above. The Hardie Boys are a group of people who are active in the local worker union, and they are suspected to be related to the murder at the beginning of the story, which is why the protagonist often visits him to find out clues on him. This time the protagonist caught The Pigs and try to find someone to send her to the local asylum, so they ask Titus Hardie for help. Since Titus is familiar with the protagonist, he directly calls him copper.
在这一部分中，主人公请当地黑帮 "哈迪兄弟 "的头目泰特斯-哈迪照看上文提到的 "猪"。哈迪兄弟是一群活跃于当地工会的人，他们被怀疑与故事开头的谋杀案有关，因此主人公经常去拜访他，寻找有关他的线索。这一次，主人公抓住了 "猪"，想找人把她送进当地的精神病院，于是他们向泰特斯-哈迪求助。因为泰特斯和主人公很熟，所以直接叫他铜匠。

Copper is a slang of police in English. To translate copper into 警察，the police in Chinese, however, is strange, because people like Titus may not refer copper to “the police”. In Chinese, there is a word 条子, which is often used among criminals or local gangs to call the police. As an argot of the locals，条子 is more equivalent to copper. From the perspective of audio modality, copper sounds more casual when calling the police, which is in line with the personality and identity of Titus - the head of a local gang. According to the functional framework, culture includes the ideology that is the main existing form of culture, and style, or style structure potential. Choosing a word that fits in the culture of the target market when localizing is important in order to express the meaning equivalent to coppers rather than the police. Since the context does not exist in Chinese, the translators somehow abandoned the original contextual relation between different modalities and used free translation to interpret “cop”.
Copper 在英语中是警察的俚语。但在中文中将 copper 译为警察，就很奇怪了，因为像 Titus 这样的人可能不会将 copper 称为 "警察"。在中文里，有一个词叫 "条子"，通常是罪犯或当地帮派用来称呼警察的。作为当地人的口头禅，"条子 "更等同于 "铜"。从语音模态的角度看，"铜 "在报警时听起来更随意，这与当地黑帮头子 Titus 的个性和身份相符。根据功能框架，文化包括作为文化主要存在形式的意识形态，以及风格或风格结构潜能。在进行本地化时，选择一个符合目标市场文化的词是很重要的，这样才能表达出相当于 coppers 而不是 police 的意思。由于汉语中不存在这种语境，译者在某种程度上放弃了原有的不同语态之间的语境关系，采用了意译的方式来解释 "cop"。

ST: SOONA, THE PROGRAMMER - “I brought them here. These are my machines. Please don’t touch anything.”
2.- “What about those bowls of water over there?”

TT：程序员苏婔 - “我把它们琴过来的。这些都是我的机器。青不要碰任们东㽞。”
2.-“那边那些水盆呢？”

Figure 11 Bowls of Water (Left)

In this dialogue, the protagonist is asking Soona, the programmer, for what she is doing in the Church. Soona is the former lead programmer of Fortress Accident and RSA Radios. and now she is in the church and investigating through programming. On the ground are bowls of water that are connected to the intricate equipment owned by: Soona.
在这段对话中，主人公向程序员 Soona 询问她在教堂里做什么。索娜曾是要塞事故和 RSA 广播公司的首席程序员，现在她在教堂里通过编程进行调查。地上有一碗水，连接着苏娜拥有的复杂设备：苏娜。

than another. According to the ligure 8 . it is obvions that the sien of the how can be as large as aman`s head. Theretore. ‘Bowls of water here means $\cdot$$\cdot$*\cdot Sirn’. In this example, the picture of the ‘bowl’ as visual modality is supplemental for linguistic
而不是另一个。根据第 8 章，"如何 "的 "sien "可以和 "aman "的头一样大，这是显而易见的。这就是 "水碗"。这里的'碗水'指的是 $\cdot$$\cdot$*\cdot Sirn'。在这个例子中，作为视觉模态的 "碗 "的形象是语言模态的补充。
modality and lingustic modality are in an overlapping relation. since “bowls of water”. Whether in words or the picture, refer to the same thing. Therefore. to interpret the phrase into Chinese as accurate as possible is important, and therefore literal translation is used here.
因为 "一碗水 "是指同一事物。无论是文字还是图片，指的都是同一事物。因此，尽可能准确地将这句话翻译成中文是很重要的，所以这里采用直译。

In summary, for complementary relations between visual, audio and linguistic modalities in this game, especially when linguistic modality is supplemental for other modalities like visual modality, free translation is usually adopted to express the hidden meanings in verbal texts but are shown in visual and audio modalities. For noncomplementary relations, linguistic modality is usually independent of other modalities, or only add details to other modalities, so literal translation is employed to express the original meaning in the text. As a part of non-complementary relations, however, contextual interaction between modalities usually carries the hidden meanings in verbal texts too, and this interaction should be omitted in Chinese translation. Therefore, the translators choose free translation or paraphrase rather than literal translation.
综上所述，对于游戏中视觉、听觉和语言三种模态之间的互补关系，尤其是当语言模态是视觉模态等其他模态的补充时，通常采用意译来表达语言文本中隐藏的、但在视觉和听觉模态中表现出来的意义。对于非互补关系，语言模态通常独立于其他模态，或仅为其他模态添加细节，因此采用直译来表达文本中的原意。然而，作为非互补关系的一部分，模态之间的语境互动通常也承载着言语文本中的隐含意义，这种互动在汉语翻译中应该被省略。因此，译者会选择意译或意译，而不是直译。

In Disco Elysium, there are printed assets that are put on the official site of the game as well as the index on Steam. One of the best-known printed assets that is localized into Chinese is the trailer of Disco Elysium released in 2020 when Chinese option was added to the game. At the same time, ZA/UM released the trailer to English and Chinese markets. In the Chinese version of the trailer, subtitles and dubbing have also been localized into Chinese. In the trailer, the music, sound, and scenes are relatively dominant in the video, while the linguistic modality in subtitles is more peripheral in the trailer. Linguistic modality usually supplements, highlights or in a noncomplementary relation with other modalities, and give detailed or additional information to express the meaning in the scene.
在《迪斯科极乐世界》中，游戏的官方网站和 Steam 上的索引中都有一些印刷资产。其中最著名的中文本地化印刷品是 2020 年游戏加入中文选项时发布的《迪斯科极乐世界》预告片。同时，ZA/UM 向中英文市场发布了该预告片。在中文版预告片中，字幕和配音也进行了本地化。在预告片中，音乐、声音和场景在视频中相对占主导地位，而字幕中的语言模式在预告片中则较为边缘。语言模态通常是对其他模态的补充、突出或非补充关系，并给出详细或额外的信息来表达场景中的意义。

ST: Precinct 57 sent their finest. Precinct 41 sent… you.

TT: 57 分凬派出了他们的王牌。41分局派出了…你。

Figure 12 “Precinct 57 sent their finest.”

Figure 13 “Precinct 41 sent… YOU.”
The trailer is an introduction of the main story of Discollysium. At the begiming is a bloody dead body hanging on a tree behind a har. Which intrigues the audience to
预告片介绍了 Discollysium 的主要故事。一开始，一具血淋淋的尸体被挂在竖井后面的一棵树上。这引起了观众的好奇心
the protagonist and his partner Kim Kitsuragiare responsible lim this case and players will play the role as a detective in the game.

In this example, the audio modality and visual modality are in a complementary, or more specifically. supplementary relations. The voiceover describes Kim Kitsuragi. a lieutenant and the partner of the protagonist as “finest”. Instead of the literal transtation
在这个例子中，音频模式和视觉模式是互补关系，更确切地说，是补充关系。画外音将主角的搭档、中尉 Kim Kitsuragi 描述为 "最优秀的"。而不是字面上的转述

something". In Disco Elysium. Kim Kitsuragi is a smart and competent officer. who is
in sharp contrast with Harrier de Bois. the protagonist that was an alcoholic and lived in a life of failure at the beginning of the story. 牌 stresses the competence of Kitsuragi. In addition. instead of four syllables in 最溙泊人。王牌 sounds more powerful and firm in the dubbing without hesitation. recognizing the capability of Kitsuragi, especially when this sentence is followed by ‘Precinct 41 sent…You’, with a funny scene of the protagonist kicked out of bathroom. Thus, 土牌 as a paraphrase of ‘finest’，is better than 最棒的人。
故事一开始，主人公酗酒并生活在失败之中。牌强调了北木的能力。此外，最溙泊人。王牌中的四个音节在配音中听起来更加有力和坚定，毫不犹豫地认可了北木的能力，特别是当这句话后面出现 "41 分局派......你 "时，出现了主人公被踢出浴室的滑稽场景。因此，"土牌 "作为 "最棒 "的意译，比 "最棒的人 "更好。

The linguistic modality supplements the audio and visual modalities. The players of Disco Elysium can be impressed by the trailer with the dubbing and scenes. which are complementary with each other. In the video, the localizers tend to express the meanings in the visual and audio modality in a single linguistic Chinese modality. so free translation is used to make the lines more understandable for Chinese players.
《语言模式是视听模式的补充。迪斯科极乐世界》预告片中的配音和场景给玩家留下了深刻印象，两者相辅相成。在视频中，本地化人员倾向于用单一的中文语言模式来表达视听模式中的含义，因此采用了意译的方式，使台词更容易被中国玩家理解。

ST: And a strike is about to become a war.

TT：一次罢工正演变为一场战争。

Figure 14 “And a strike is about to become a war.”
There are also examples of non-complementary relations in the trailer. In this
relation, the audio and linguistic modalities are relatively independent on the visual modality, and they convey meanings in a more parallel way. In this case, most of the subtitles convey the same meaning as the scene does.
在这种关系中，音频和语言模式相对独立于视觉模式，它们以更平行的方式传达意义。在这种情况下，大多数字幕传达的意义与场景传达的意义相同。

In this example, the scene switches from a local strike to a fighting in Revachol. Since this city has been troubled by poverty and violence, and workers have been suppressed for long, the locals are about to revolt and “become a war”, according to the original text. The dubbing is the same as the subtitle, and the what the subtitle says is exactly the video plays in its content, so there is an overlapping relation between the visual modality and linguistic modality in this video. To interpret the meaning of the original text, using literal translation is the safest way to carry all the meaning without adding or omitting anything. Therefore, the Chinese version has kept the overlapping relation and used literal translation.
在这个例子中，场景从当地的罢工切换到了雷瓦乔尔的战斗。由于这座城市饱受贫困和暴力的困扰，工人们长期受到压制，根据原文，当地人即将起义，"成为一场战争"。配音与字幕相同，字幕所说的正是视频播放的内容，因此在这段视频中，视觉模态与语言模态之间存在重叠关系。要诠释原文的含义，直译是最安全的方式，可以不增不减地承载所有含义。因此，中文版保留了重叠关系，采用直译。

For printed assets, the translation strategies are almost the same as those in in-game texts, except for more free translation in complementary relations, and more literal translation in non-complementary relation. That is because in the trailer, the linguistic modality is more peripheral than in in-game texts, and most of the time the verbal texts in subtitles should interpret the scenes and accord with the sound in the complementary relations. In non-complementary relations, less contextual interaction is involved because most of the time the subtitle only interprets what is happening in the scene instead of echoing with other contents in a long video, which is why there is more literal translation in the non-complementary relations of the trailer, or printed asset, in this game.
对于印刷资产，翻译策略与游戏文本几乎相同，只是在互补关系中更多地采用自由翻译，而在非互补关系中更多地采用直译。这是因为在预告片中，语言模态比游戏文本更边缘化，字幕中的口头文本在大多数情况下应解释场景，并与互补关系中的声音相一致。在非互补关系中，语境互动较少，因为大多数情况下字幕只是解释场景中发生的事情，而不是与长视频中的其他内容相呼应，这也是本游戏中预告片或印刷资产的非互补关系中直译较多的原因。

With various localization strategies and transcreation, the translation of Disco Elysium won reputation in game communities. However, despite applause, some players have given negative comments on Steam and social network such as Zhihu and Baidu Tieba. From the translation of game assets to other experiences, the localization
通过各种本地化策略和转译，《迪斯科极乐世界》的翻译在游戏社区赢得了口碑。然而，在一片叫好声中，也有玩家在 Steam 和知乎、百度贴吧等社交网络上给出了负面评价。从游戏资产的翻译到其他体验的本地化
still needs improvement in both translation quality and user experience.

On Baidu Tieba, one of the biggest online forums in China, some players expressed their dissatisfaction with the translation. Users in the Tieba of Disco Elysium complained “Literal sentences without transferring from English to Chinese” “Strange word order and no grammatical mood shown in the sentences” “reading the texts is as tired as reading western novels.” ${}^{13}$${}^{13}$^(13){ }^{13}
《在中国最大的在线论坛之一百度贴吧上，一些玩家表达了对翻译的不满。迪斯科极乐世界》铁霸中的用户抱怨说："直译句子，没有从英文转到中文""语序奇怪，句子中没有显示语法语感""读文字就像读西方小说一样累"。 ${}^{13}$${}^{13}$^(13){ }^{13}

One of the members in this Tieba pointed out one of the mistakes in the translation of Disco Elysium:

ST: YOU - ‘It’s one of the first things I remember doing in Elysium.’

KLAASJE (MISS ORANJE DISCO DANCER) - ‘Wow,’ she nods, ‘Elysium. You don’t hear that term often.’

TT: 你 - “这是我能记起的在这个世界上做的第一件事。”

卡拉洁（奥兰治小姐，迪斯科舞者）-"哇哦，"她点点头。“极乐世界。这个词可不常听见。”

The Tieba user argued that since the first Elysium in this part was mentioned before, It cannot be neglected in the first sentence, and Elysium in the sentence by Klaasje appears again, which is strange and inconsistent with each other. The inconsistency will damage the game experience when reading the translation, as from the perspective of context, it failed to stay aligned with the content above. In this case, the linguistic modality has a repelling relation between the contextual interaction modality, making it hard to understand the context.
该铁巴网友认为，既然这一部分的第一个极乐世界在前面已经提到，那么在第一句中就不能忽略它，而在 Klaasje 的句子中极乐世界又出现了，这就很奇怪了，前后不一致。这种不一致会破坏阅读译文时的游戏体验，因为从上下文的角度来看，它未能与上文的内容保持一致。在这种情况下，语言模态与语境交互模态之间产生了排斥关系，使人难以理解上下文。

Many mentioned the difficulty reading the Chinese text. Some argue that the translation is not satisfying, while others think that the English version is originally hard to understand because there are terminologies in history. anthropology, and politics. and it takes time to sit down and play the game slowly to have an in-depth understanding in the game. To change the style and content of a game is unrealistic when localizing. and for WhisperTrans, their responsibility is to retell the story in Chinese as faithfully as possible. Mistakes like the example above, however, are unacceptable by most players because it makes no sense in this dialogue, which is an obstacle helping players understand the game. The ignorance of the context in the translation would result in incomplete understanding.
许多人提到了阅读中文文本的困难。有些人认为翻译不令人满意，有些人则认为英文版本来就很难理解，因为其中有历史、人类学和政治方面的术语。在本地化过程中，改变游戏的风格和内容是不现实的。对于 WhisperTrans 而言，他们的责任是尽可能忠实地用中文重述故事。然而，大多数玩家都无法接受像上面例子中的错误，因为这在对话中毫无意义，是帮助玩家理解游戏的障碍。翻译中对上下文的忽视会导致理解不完整。

Figure 15 Irror in Thought Cabinet
the contlicts between the vistal and lingentictic modatities hate also culused bad user experience. As is memioned aboue, despite the efforts done by Whispertrans Studio, there are still small mistakes, which are not confined in textual errors. but the bad user experience. In this geme. some parts of localization do not only include the translation. but also the interaction between textual and vistal content. In the interface of Thought Cabinet: players have ideologies and personality trats armed or suppressed to strengthen or weaken their skills. The Thought Cabine contains more than 50 thoughts. so the total list with only one row to display all thoughts is long. Tio
视听模式和听觉模式之间的冲突也造成了糟糕的用户体验。正如上文所述，尽管 Whispertrans Studio 付出了很多努力，但仍然存在一些小错误，这些错误不仅限于文本错误，还包括糟糕的用户体验。在这个问题上，本地化的某些部分不仅包括翻译，还包括文本内容和虚拟内容之间的交互。在《Thought Cabinet》的界面中：玩家的意识形态和人格特质可以通过武装或压制来加强或削弱自己的技能。思想橱窗包含 50 多种思想，因此，仅用一行显示所有思想的总列表就很长。游戏
thoughts according to the first letter of them. When localized to Chinese, however, the
list of A-Z is not in order. The table in Chinese is not listed according to the surname strokes or the first letter in pinyin of the first character. When clicking “日期”, the list remains unchanged, while this is not the case in English.
A-Z 列表不按顺序排列。中文表格没有按照姓氏笔画或第一个字符的拼音首字母排列。点击 "日期 "时，列表保持不变，而英文则不然。

Although the texts are translated into Chinese, the way of ordering the words and the function are not fully localized into Chinese. The interaction, which can be regarded as a part of tactile modality in the game, should accord with the textual information. In this case, the repelling relation between visual modality and linguistic modality fails to create the a satisfying user experience here.
虽然文本已被翻译成中文，但排序方式和功能并未完全本地化。交互作为游戏中触觉模态的一部分，应与文本信息保持一致。在这种情况下，视觉模式与语言模式之间的排斥关系就无法创造出令人满意的用户体验。

Video game is a multimodal discourse that includes visual, audio, and linguistic modalities, and these modalities interact with each other to carry the meaning. The relations between the modalities in Disco Elysium are categorized into complementary and non-complementary relations, and translation strategies are decided according to the meanings produced by the relations. By analyzing the relations between the modalities in the game, this study tries to discover what translation strategies are employed in the game and what the challenges are in the localization. The findings are as follows:
《电子游戏是一种多模态话语，包括视觉模态、听觉模态和语言模态，这些模态相互作用，承载着意义。迪斯科极乐世界》中各种模态之间的关系分为互补关系和非互补关系，翻译策略则根据这些关系所产生的意义来决定。通过分析游戏中各模态之间的关系，本研究试图发现游戏中采用了哪些翻译策略，以及本地化过程中存在哪些挑战。研究结果如下：

The relations of different modalities may change when the text is translated from English to Chinese. When localizing contents that include complementary relations between linguistic, visual, and audio modalities, the Chinese translators sometimes tend to express the meanings of all the modalities in the English version in only texts in Chinese, instead of keep the original complementary relation in English, so naturalization or free translation are often selected to express meanings in the original text. In complementary relations like overlapping, however, In non-complementary relations, however, the Chinese localizers try to keep the original relation in the Chinese version, so literal translation is used. In printed assets, or videos in the game, this characteristics is more obvious.
当文本从英文翻译成中文时，不同模态之间的关系可能会发生变化。在对包含语言、视觉、听觉等模态互补关系的内容进行本地化时，中文译者有时会倾向于只用中文文本来表达英文版本中所有模态的意义，而不是保留英文中原有的互补关系，因此往往会选择归化或意译来表达原文中的意义。然而，在重叠等互补关系中，中文本地化人员会尽量在中文版本中保留原始关系，因此会使用直译。在印刷资产或游戏视频中，这一特点更为明显。

Still, there are some challenges of localization within this game. According to some comments on the Internet, criticism can be summarized as “obscure and hard to understand” “inconsistency” “the same word order as English”. Such problems exist because of the carelessness in proofreading, and “translationese” (awkwardness or ungrammaticality of translation, such as due to overly literal translation of idioms or syntax) is obvious because modalities other than linguistic modalities are ignored. There are some problems with user experience when the game is localized into Chinese
尽管如此，这款游戏的本地化仍面临一些挑战。根据互联网上的一些评论，批评意见可以概括为 "晦涩难懂""前后矛盾""词序与英文相同"。这些问题的存在是由于校对的粗心造成的，而 "翻译语"（翻译的突兀或不合语法，如对成语或句法的过度直译）则是显而易见的，因为语言模式以外的模式被忽视了。游戏本地化为中文时存在一些用户体验问题
in the interface of Thought Cabinet, where tactile modality is in a repelling relation with the linguistic modality, and wrong information has been conveyed and has puzzled Chinese users.
在 "Thought Cabinet "界面中，触觉模态与语言模态处于排斥关系，传递了错误的信息，令中国用户感到困惑。

For the problems in the game localization, there are a few suggestions: (1) localizers should get an in-depth experience in the game before and when translating the game to get a comprehensive sense of audio and visual elements; (2) when translating the game, the translators should pay attention to the sound and graphic elements as well as user experience in this game; (3) after translation, translators should proofread the translation by putting the text in the game and play it to check if there is anything wrong with the interface or texts.
针对游戏本地化中存在的问题，有以下几点建议：（1）本地化人员在翻译游戏之前和翻译游戏时，应深入体验该游戏，全面感知游戏中的视听元素；（2）翻译游戏时，译者应注意该游戏中的声画元素和用户体验；（3）翻译完成后，译者应校对译文，将译文放到游戏中玩一玩，检查界面或文字是否有问题。

Despite the findings, there are limitations in the study.

Firstly, this study selects the Simplified Chinese version of Disco Elysium to analyze the game localization strategies, while this game has 10 language options, and different versions may have different strategies of game localization. The strategies of other versions of localization need further discussion.
首先，本研究选取了《迪斯科极乐世界》的简体中文版本来分析游戏本地化策略，而该游戏有 10 种语言可供选择，不同版本的游戏可能会有不同的本地化策略。其他版本的本地化策略还需要进一步讨论。

Secondly, since Disco Elysium is a game with partial localization, the study lacks the analysis of game assets other than in-game texts and printed assets. Therefore, this article might not be well-round in the study of the full game localization with art, audio, and cinematic assets localized.
其次，由于《Disco Elysium》是一款部分本地化的游戏，研究缺乏对游戏文本和印刷资产以外的游戏资产的分析。因此，本文在研究艺术、音频和电影资产本地化的完整游戏本地化方面可能不够全面。

Further studies on game localization can focus on a game’s different localized versions into different markets. In this case, a comparative analysis may provide more information about the differences of localization strategies when the game is targeted at more than one market, so that game localizers can get suggestions on localization into different markets.
对游戏本地化的进一步研究可以关注游戏在不同市场的不同本地化版本。在这种情况下，对比分析可以提供更多信息，说明当游戏面向不止一个市场时，本地化策略的差异，从而使游戏本地化人员可以获得针对不同市场的本地化建议。

Moreover, game localization studies can also pay attention to the localization of game assets other than in-game texts. An analysis of game with full localization (ingame texts, art and audio assets and printed assets are all localized) can provide comprehensive localization strategies, which includes not only translation of texts, but also the localization of visual and audio materials. In the future, more fully localized games will be released overseas, and making targeted localization strategies of all game assets will be necessary in the upcoming development of games.
此外，游戏本地化研究还可以关注游戏文本以外的游戏资产的本地化。对完全本地化游戏（游戏文本、美术和音频资产以及印刷资产均已本地化）的分析可以提供全面的本地化策略，其中不仅包括文本翻译，还包括视觉和音频资料的本地化。未来，将有更多完全本地化的游戏在海外发行，对所有游戏资产进行有针对性的本地化策略将是游戏开发的必要条件。

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