Sega UK's rewriting of Shining Wisdom
SR Dominguez
Okay, so I may have looked a little silly in previous posts, praising WD
over their 'sensible' translation of Shining Wisdom. It turns out that they
did not write the UK version at all, or at least their translation was
vetted and amended by Sega.
It turns out Sega UK are a little reluctant to release Working Designs games
to the UK. This is largely down to the fact that these games are aimed at
the US audience, what with their references to American culture. I don't
know if this was wholly the reason behind Sega re-writing Shining Wisdom,
but I know for a fact that they were originally planning to release the WD
version - then changed their minds and re-wrote it. I don't know if the
game was entirely re-written as I have barely played the US version - but
certainly, it was changed A LOT.
Anyway, either Sega can't be bothered to re-do Dragon Force and Lunar, or
there's some other reason behind the fact that neither game is on the list
of up-and-coming UK Saturn games (this is an official list). I can't
comment on the part of the magazine I write for, nor give any information
that has been made exclusive to myself at the time, but the outlook is not
good. We must have these games in the UK, and I will take no sides in the
matter concerning how we get them - we simply must have them. If the issue
is entirely down to Sega UK not liking WD translations, then I must appeal
to Victor Ireland's better nature - Mr Ireland, please tone down some of the
US-only humour! If only so that us Brits can enjoy your games.
I will be speaking with Sega over the matter ASAP - and will probably post
the full facts when I get them. Sega have covered up a lot of information
surrounding their re-writing of Shining Wisdom, and I for one want to know
what they (or Working Designs) are up to.
- Rachel Ryan (Sega Power's RPG reviewer)
Victor Ireland
>It turns out Sega UK are a little reluctant to release Working Designs
games
>to the UK. This is largely down to the fact that these games are aimed
at
>the US audience, what with their references to American culture. I
don't
>know if this was wholly the reason behind Sega re-writing Shining Wisdom,
>but I know for a fact that they were originally planning to release the
WD
>version - then changed their minds and re-wrote it. I don't know if
the
>game was entirely re-written as I have barely played the US version -
but
>certainly, it was changed A LOT.
Here's the real story. SEGA handed us a terrible, rough English version
of the game, and we insisted on rewriting it. It took us the better part
of 3 months to get out all the bugs and make the story completely
coherent. SoE wanted it desperately, and went so far as to print manuals
with our name in it before they had a deal with us (check the PAL
version's load instructions, it instructs you to press START at the WD
logo screen!). SoJ wanted to basically get the work we did for free, and
we told them to take a leap. SO, SoE got the crappy, bug-laden (text-
wise, they were kind enough to rip off the game version that we had
extensively debugged - Sonic had the code) version with boxes that scroll
too fast, poor spelling, less than totally coherent story, etc. It had
nothing to do with US references, and EVERYTHING to do with SoJ's
cheapness. Shining Wisdom barely had ANY US references.
Either the guy you're talking to at SoE is clueless, or he's lying.
DBTH - Vic
SR Dominguez
Victor Ireland (SMR...@prodigy.com) wrote:
:
: Either the guy you're talking to at SoE is clueless, or he's lying.
Actually, I haven't been able to get hold of Sega, the guy I speak with is
on holiday. However. The word is still that Sega Europe (sorry, I always
refer to them as Sega UK) aren't too fond of WD translations. I've got this
from a couple of sources now - but it may be just bitterness on their part;
because nobody, NOBODY who bought Lunar II in the UK liked the translation.
I wasn't too up on why the Shining Wisdom UK translation was different, which
is why in a recent piece that I wrote for Sega Power, I explained that I could
only speculate that the translations were different due to US references. As
I say, I have not played the US game, so I can't be specific. I noticed on the
box that it was totally different, and wondered why. I also noted that it
mentioned WD in the manual for the UK game, and again - I wondered why (I
actually commented on this in a review I wrote in my fanzine a while back).
I can never take sides, only to say that I think that some WD translations are
unsuitable for a UK audience. I am waiting to see what Sega UK have to say
about Lunar, and whether they will follow the same procedure as they did
with Shining Wisdom. I personally did not know that two different companies
could buy the rights to a game, and I am intrigued. There's a lot of
covering up going on, and one reason that I was given for the different UK
version was that Sega did not like WD's translation. This seemed plausible,
and was backed up by a reputable source - I've done a writeup about this for
Sega Power, and I thank God that I did say that it was speculation - and
that it would be a shame if it were true.
If it is partially true, and Sega will not release Lunar because of it, I
personally will do everything in my power to get them to change their minds
because I love the game. I'm relieved that the US version of Shining Wisdom
doesn't have many US references, because as I say, word is that Sega
Europe's decision to release your games in future may be affected by this.
I can't really blame them, as it cannot be disputed that UK gamers would not
enjoy the jokes in say, Lunar II, as much as American gamers. I've made this
point time and time again in my fanzine.
I have to say that I didn't mind the translation on the UK Shining Wisdom, as
I say I thought it was well done. It bugs out only twice as I remember, and
the only thing I didn't like about it was that it didn't gel story-wise (I
thought this was down to the game, as most action-based RPGs are like this).
I did actually criticise Sega for the bugs a long while back, but I thought
the bugs were due to the hasty PAL re-programming. Mind you, WD games
without the culture references WOULD in my opinion, be the best
translations to release over here.
Anyway, thanks for clearing some of this up. And if it really isn't down to
Sega vetting your games, for God's sake, please WD - pull some strings to
bring out Dragon Force and Lunar in the UK, won't you? If what I hear is
true and DF has the most perfect translation yet - there won't be
anything else in your way. Will keep me in a job, too. :)
- Rachel Ryan (Sega Power)
Ron Ruffin Dippold
u5...@cc.keele.ac.uk (SR Dominguez) writes:
>matter concerning how we get them - we simply must have them. If the issue
>is entirely down to Sega UK not liking WD translations, then I must appeal
>to Victor Ireland's better nature - Mr Ireland, please tone down some of the
>US-only humour! If only so that us Brits can enjoy your games.
There really wasn't all that much US-only humour in Shining Wisdom, really,
at most one or two bits, if that... Lunar certainly had more snatches of it.
Unless SoE is thowing a fit over all those missing 'u's (humour, honour,
colour, etc.) and 'z's instead of 's's, it sounds like a cover for something
else to me.
--
I've got Parkinson's disease. And he's got mine.