European ENGLISH WOW Collectors Edition

[nobbie]

On November 26, when the pre-orders for the European WOW retail versions (due in early 2005) have been announced, I had ordered the GERMAN version of the Collector's Edition. Originally, I wanted - I really wanted one - the ENGLISH version of the WOW CE for Europe, but had no luck to get one in the U.K. where it was sold out almost immediately. I believe it was even just one U.K. dealer that had it. The German WOW CE was finally completely sold out here in Germany as well on December 6.

Now, why the English version by all means? The disadvantage of all localized WOW CE's, including the German one, is that it's just partially localized. You get the game, manual and artbook in German language, and the rest is in English. So, the package - we are talking about an exclusive, limited edition package here - is not very "consistent" and appears to be a quite cheap compared to the English original. Also, the German voice acting is not as good as the English one.

Yesterday, when I checked my mailbox, I've got a mail from my German game dealer which said that they give me the opportunity to exchange my pre-order of the German WOW CE by an English one at no extra costs! I replied, and got today the confirmation that I'll get the English WOW CE once it is released in Europe in early 2005. The guys from the shop obviously had problems to satisfy all German WOW CE pre-orders, then got (or ordered) some extra English CE's from Vivendi which they now try to offer in exchange to people who ordered the German CE.

Point in case: Sometimes, you just have to have a bit luck, and your original wish comes true later automatically :)

PS: I hope you didn't find this little story too boring :P

[TheDragoon]

I'm glad to see that you got what you were looking for, even if it did have to happen in a round-about way! :)

[Artega]

Tauren speaking in German would just be too funny. I wish I knew enough German to make a funny joke about it, but I don't.

Glad you got what you were wanting, nobbie.

[NuurAbSaal]

/teh envy

;)


Glück gehabt!
Oh, btw, thanks for your continuous scouring for all news WoW!

Although some people might start thinking that you have developed an unhealthy obsession there...

:lol:


Nuur

[nobbie]

/teh envy

;)
Glück gehabt!
Oh, btw, thanks for your continuous scouring for all news WoW!

Although some people might start thinking that you have developed an unhealthy obsession there...

:lol:
Nuur
[right][snapback]62529[/snapback][/right]

I'm just having too much time ;)

[nobbie]

Well, the German voice acting isn't bad, it's just different. For a U.S. resident with no German knowledge, it can style-wise probably best described as typical British theatre actors performing a Shakespeare piece. It's not that theatrical/artificial, let alone that professional, but it has the distinctive theatre voice acting touch to it. The U.S. voice acting, on the other hand, sounds much less artifical and more involved like that of a Hollywood movie. It's certainly a matter of taste, but for games, which should immerse you as deep as possible, I personally prefer the U.S. voice acting over the theatrical one. The artificial, stylized component in the German voice acting is probably the reason why many people find it so funny - it just doesn't quite fit a (computer) game :)

[NuurAbSaal]

Well, the German voice acting isn't bad, it's just different. [right][snapback]62535[/snapback][/right]

I'll have to disagree.

"Bad" in my book encompasses the complete lack of emotions, which pretty accurately describes the German voice acting in D2, I couldn't stand it, I actually had to turn off voices to play D2 until I got my English version. WCIII and FT are another example where A LOT of "feeling" gets lost because of unbelievably unimaginative and dull voice acting. The Shadow Hunter's "Wont to see somthing reeeel sgary?" is brilliant (take note: I LOVE the Jamaican accent, so -> biased), the German equivalent, while translated properly (*) sounds like a sleep-deprived sloth speaking perfect textbook German. Hmpf. Same goes for all other Horde Races, they sound exactly like the Humans (well most of them anyway) or Dwarves, for that matter. This can actually be a gamebreaker for me but I realize that my PoV may be a bit extreme, I just think that the German language (or at least the translations I read/heard) doesn't really fit a fantasy setting. And reading the German WoW site gives me stomach cramps, no, not the forums, the content pages.

While my first language is indeed German ("Austrian German", mind you :P) I can probably be described as teh ubar anglophile, I myself don't really know why. Maybe because my first out of school contact with the English language occured via playing "Arthur's Quest", one of the first games on my father's first Mac. Ahh, the memories :) . Or it may have to do with English being ridiculously simple in comparison to most other languages :lol:
Later I studied to become a translator/interpreter for a couple of years and from this semi-informed point of view I suspect that finding decent people to do the (German) localization of games is generally not high on the priorities list of game developers/publishers. Heck, I would have applied for the WoW localization team if I didn't have to work in Paris...


Greetings

Nuur

P.S.: Hmmm, were you talking about the German voice acting in WoW? I haven't heard any of it yet (didn't dare to try the samples on the Blizz Europe page) and it would therefor be unfair for me to bitch about it (just yet :) ). Just take this as a mild and slightly off-topic rant then. Thanks.


* you have to be grateful for that, in KotOR they translated "You are not gonna take this from him?", meant as encouragement to answer an insult, into "Das wirst du doch nicht von ihm annehmen?" / "You are not gonna receive that from him?" =ouch. "Wipe this pathetic planet from the face of the galaxy!" Turned into "Mach diesen Planeten frei von der Galaxie!" ARGH!! In some 3rd class action movie they even translated "air strip" directly into "Luftstreifen" :wacko:

[nobbie]

You're right that the German voice acting in Diablo II was definitely just plain bad, read: unimaginative, dull and without any fantasy. It made me sick too, so I finally ordered both Diablo II and the Expansion from the U.K. later. However, in my opinion, the German voice acting in WarCraft III and The Frozen Throne is GOLD compared to Diablo II, with the (minor) nit that it all sounded a bit too theatrical for my personal taste. Some lousy voice acting is in there too, but not nearly as much and bad as in Diablo II. Same goes for WOW. I also do believe that the German language CAN fit a fantasy setting very well, maybe even better than English (just think of Wagner stuff like the monumental "The Nibelungen" saga), but it requires imaginative actors with a true vision.

So, you are working as translator in Paris? You don't happen to work as German translator for the European WOW team in Velizy/Paris, do you? :)

PS: How does the German word "Brathering" translate to English? It's called "brathering" .. rrriiighttt!! :P

[NuurAbSaal]

So, you are working as translator in Paris? You don't happen to work as German translator for the European WOW team in Velizy/Paris, do you? :)
[right][snapback]62543[/snapback][/right]

well, so much for my English ubarness. didn't have/would not have had to, apparently not the same. I do not work as a translator in Paris.

  ...if I didn't have to work in Paris...

T'was late and the post was long and...and I'm running out of excuses :). I would have taken the job if I had been able to work from here (Graz) and if (and that's a biggun') they would've taken someone without a degree in translation. Seems like I quit without one, don't know how that happened ;).
ATM I'm trying to get into this thing Last year I was about number 35 of around 100 on their final candidates list and they take up to number 28 (last three on waiting list). D'oh! I hope I get in this year.

I read "Deutsche Heldensagen" at least three times, I like epic fantasy stories, but the language used in them isn't the same German as is used in the localization of computer games. "Brünne" "weidlicher Degen" and even "holde Maid" are rarely found nowadays, though they would spice up something like WoW a great deal IMHO :) . Hmm, maybe I should petition for a second "German" localization...

Quest:
"Des Hauptes Raub"
Und so fahret nun hinne, stattlicher Gesell, dem üblen Orkenschurken mit starkem Schwertstreich Schild und Halsberg samt und sonders zu durchbohren, auf dass des ruchlosen Wüterichs Haupt dem edlen Volke von Sturmwind auf langer Ger gespießt zur täglichen Ergötzung vorgeführt werden möge!

YAY!
B)

further off topic:
Were you brave enough to watch "Die Nibelungen" on TV, about a week ago IIRC? Double-Argh. If you missed it, rejoice!


Greetings

Nuur

[Walkiry]

How to get rid of any aversion towards localized versions of anything, in 3 easy steps:

1. Acquire a DVD of the film "A Perfect Murder", one that includes german version (not just subtitles).
2. Look for the early scene when Gwyneth Paltrow is changing her clothes.
3. Switch German version on.

Gwyneth in black underwear speaking german = win!

You're welcome ^_^

[Arnulf]

further off topic:
Were you brave enough to watch "Die Nibelungen" on TV, about a week ago IIRC? Double-Argh. If you missed it, rejoice!
Greetings

Nuur
[right][snapback]62669[/snapback][/right]

Sô sprach von Tronje Hagen
,daz hât er getân;
alsô grôzer krefte
nie mêr recke gewan.
Noch weiz ich an im mêre
daz mir ist bekant:
einen lintrachen
sluoc des heldes hant;
er badet sich in dem bluote
sîn hût wart hurnîn.
des snîdet in kein wâfen
daz ist dicke worden schîn.'

English:

Thus spoke Tronje Hagen:
"This is what he did;
And so he won great might
no other knight has got.
Another tale -
that I know of him -
a dragon wyrm
was slain by his hand.
He bathed in his blood
that his skin got hard as horn.
No weapon could cut him
which was often shown."

Thanks, but no thanks. I prefer modern languages. ;)

-Arnulf

[LavCat]

Sô sprach von Tronje Hagen
,daz hât er getân;
alsô grôzer krefte
nie mêr recke gewan.
Noch weiz ich an im mêre
daz mir ist bekant:
einen lintrachen
sluoc des heldes hant;
er badet sich in dem bluote
sîn hût wart hurnîn.
des snîdet in kein wâfen
daz ist dicke worden schîn.'

English:

Thus spoke Tronje Hagen:
"This is what he did;
And so he won great might
no other knight has got.
Another tale -
that I know of him -
a dragon wyrm
was slain by his hand.
He bathed in his blood
that his skin got hard as horn.
No weapon could cut him
which was often shown."

Thanks, but no thanks.  I prefer modern languages. ;)

-Arnulf
[right][snapback]62719[/snapback][/right]

The Ryder translation I have gives:

"Thus said Hagen. All this he has done.
Greater power never fell to anyone.
And I recall one other thing I knew:
Once there was a dragon Sigfrid slew
And bathed himself in his blood. His skin was turned
To horn no blade will cut, as many men have learned."


I this case I think the movie was better than the book.

[LavCat]

well, so much for my English ubarness. didn't have/would not have had to, apparently not the same. I  do not work as a translator in Paris.[right][snapback]62669[/snapback][/right]

Your original sentance was perfectly good English, at least American English. Progressive tense is often used in subjunctive constructions like the one in question.

"Would not have had to" sounds awkward in this example. In game people would target you and type "/peer".

[Treesh]

Your original sentance was perfectly good English, at least American English.  Progressive tense is often used in subjunctive constructions like the one in question.

"Would not have had to" sounds awkward in this example.  In game people would target you and type "/peer".
[right][snapback]62756[/snapback][/right]

"Wouldn't have had to" wouldn't have been awkward up there, at least not to me. /shrug

[nobbie]

Were you brave enough to watch "Die Nibelungen" on TV, about a week ago IIRC? Double-Argh. If you missed it, rejoice!

Yes, I saw some minutes while zapping through the TV channels, and the latest "Nibelungen" was awful even with such beauties like Kristanna "T3" Loken. The German film (after WW II) is generally dead IMO, with some very rare exceptions like "Das Boot", "Heimat" (the first series) or the latest "Hitler" movie with Bruno Ganz as Hitler. All mostly "serious" movies, by the way. The best filmed "Nibelungen" saga remains that of director Fritz Lang. That was a German silent movie and filmed during the 1920's.
It's a shame, because Germany was once, during the golden age of silent movies and the expressionistic phase, the most interesting film land in the world (after WW I, from the 1920's to the 1940's). Fritz Lang's "Metropolis", the "Dr. Mabuse" trilogy or "M", F.W. Murnau's "Nosferatu" or "The Last Laugh" (a.k.a. "The Last Man"), Paul Wegener's "The Golem" or Robert Wiene's "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" belong to the best film's ever created. But that was long, long ago ... ("in a galaxy far, far away" one is tempted to say ;))