Alright Lunar fans, I’ve been promising a surprise for you all for a while now, so I think it’s time I came clean! I, and the rest of PK Bloggin’! are excited to say that Jessica Chavez of XSEED Games was kind enough to make time for us to do an interview, and even provide some great exclusive Lunar: Silver Star Harmony screenshots just for us! (I’ve never conducted an interview before, how exciting!) Even if you aren’t a Lunar fan, please enjoy it, since there’s a lot of great information here about the localizing process, and being part of the game industry in general.

For those who don’t know you, can you tell us who you are, and what you do at XSEED Games?

My name is Jessica Chavez and I am a localization monkey at XSEED Games.  I am the company’s sole editor at the moment and I oversee the translated text in some of our games. Mostly I smooth out rough translations, fix spelling errors and adjust for formatting, but for some titles I also go to the recording studio and, as you’ve seen lately, I manage some online community stuff like the blog and facebook.

I am female, hopelessly fond of the phrase “clowns taste funny” and addicted to coffee.

How long have you been working in the video game industry, and how did you get your start?

I’ve been at XSEED for nearly two years come September, and I owe my start here to a bittersweet combination of ill-timing and pure luck.

I actually started off first in comic books (I worked for TokyoPop previously) and through unhappy circumstance (TokyoPop’s subsequent downsizing in 2008) I made the happy transition to video games. A prior three-year stint in Japan also contributed to my move to niche Japanese game publishing.

Were you a “gamer” prior to working in the business? If so, has having a career related to gaming made them less enjoyable?

I was a gamer prior to working in the industry and I’m afraid I have to say “yes” to the, er, being less-inclined to play part of that question. Most of my work is done staring at the computer screen until my eyes bleed as I wrestle text into shape, but I do have to play our games quite a bit here as well. As a result, when I go home the last thing I want to do is play anything… But, I am still a big fan of RPGs and my love of those has made this career choice very desirable despite the drain on my own personal enjoyment of games.

I still haven’t touched much of Dragon Age Origins since I got it…

What’s the localization process like? For RPGs, especially, there’s a lot of text, and usually a lot of cultural references. What kind of work goes into making the game accessible to a Western audience?

Brace yourself, this might be a bit long…

The localization process is actually extremely complicated and depends on the coordinated efforts of a lot of people. Bare minimum you need,

1) A trusty translator, 2) a cutthroat editor, 3) a go-between the publisher and the Japanese dev team (my boss, Kenji, does this), 4) Marketing/PR gurus, and 5) suffering interns. we don’t actually have one of these right now but they’re such a staple of the gaming industry that I thought I’d give a nod to their stoic plight.

There are other steps prior to the translation of the game, but the translation stage is the approximate start for my role in this so I’ll begin there.

First the text is sent via file format (.xls, .csv, etc) from Japan and the translator will begin laying the groundwork for system text. We’re talking character names, locations, menu text, etc. I’m usually in communication with the translator during this period and together we settle on naming conventions and the general feel of the game. After that, the files start getting tossed back and forth between myself and the translator as he/she finishes it and I take a scalpel to it.

For my part, I go through chapters and chapters of roughly translated text at a time and sift out spelling mistakes, grammar issues, even graphic problems. I do rewrites where cultural clarification is required or make outright changes that are needed for the NA audience and also insert quotes from “The Tick” where I see fit. Additionally, I spend a lot of time getting the script to fit into the nice, clean little speech bubbles you see in-game. That’s probably the most tedious aspect of the job.

After a few rounds of that, the edited files are sent to Japan and implemented into the game. A few days to weeks later (depending on the Japanese dev team) I’ll have an English build of the game to look at. With this ‘beta’ version in hand I’ll start playing through and doing more minor rewrites, check that names/places/spells match up and clean up any mistakes that I missed previously. This is the beginning of the QA (Quality Assurance) period of game localization. After we think we’ve caught most of the problems, the final files are given to Japan and those are what end up in-game.

At the end of the process, essentially the game is still what it is in Japan, just now in a language that makes sense to you, and presented in a way that’s also going to make sense to you. We do take liberties here and there but we also have a deep respect for the Japanese team and their intended vision of the game. It’s a balancing act for sure.

The XSEED, Lunar, Ragnarok, etc. Facebook pages are one of the only times I’ve really seen a company strive to actively converse with, and touch base with their fans. It’s really great to see. Is that mostly your doing, or is it a team effort?

Well, we had always hoped to be big enough to expand out and reach more fans, but prior to the Facebook push we’ve only had a blog or two for a few games. It has always been a matter of having enough people/time to be able to manage a community, and even though we still don’t have that luxury, we really want to develop a relationship with our fan base.

For my part it seemed natural for me to take control of the Lunar Facebook, because I’m the one who worked on the game. I like talking with fans and it’s nice to have a chance to explain what’s in the game and what we’ve done to make it special for you. I want people to know that we care and that we’re working hard. I want you guys to know that you’re supporting something worthwhile and that we appreciate it. As a gamer myself I’ve always kind of felt like I was nothing but a dollar sign to companies, and personally, I believe that you enjoy your purchase more if you know what went into it, who’s behind it, and that they’re listening.

Honestly though, the Lunar Facebook has been really fun. It’s hard for me to budget time for it but I’m actually quite obsessed. It delights me to see it grow so exponentially over the last few weeks and in return I try to post as often as I can to make it worth your while.

I’ve talked about the Lunar: Silver Star Harmony release a lot on the site. Do you have any funny anecdotes from the translation process, (or anything interesting really,) that you could share with our readers?

Well, there was definitely a lot of shock and amusement when we played the SSSC version to prepare for it (that book in Vane still has me gaping) (yes, you know the one I’m talking about) and it gave me no end of opportunities to slip in my own stuff…so I’ll leave you with this. See if you can pinpoint where all these things are in-game. A treasure hunt, if you will.

ALL-NEW Lunar: SSH inserts

1)      Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy reference
2)      Cameo of the infamous “graveyard duck” from Castlevania
3)      The unfortunate adventures of Mr. Tiddles
4)      5th Element nod
5)      The best children’s book title ever
6)      Monty Python stuff
7)      Buffalo Bill, is that you? (X 2)
8)      Jaws reference
9)      Nivea commercial gag (props if you know what this is or noticed it)
10)     Breaking of the 4th wall a la Jessica

For readers unfamiliar with the game, (though if they’ve been reading this site at all I don’t know how they could be!) what would you say makes Lunar stand apart from other RPGs?

Lunar stands apart from other RPGs on the strength of its story and the depth of its humor. It’s one of the few RPGs today that doesn’t take itself too seriously and yet packs such an emotional punch for not just one character, but all of them. It’s no hack and slash, fetch-quest, generic RPG. Yes, the story is familiar but it’s done so well that it’s classic, not clichéd. It doesn’t try to coax you out of your money on pretty visuals or gimmicky undress. Lunar: Silver Star Harmony is bacon, folks. Pure, unadulterated salty goodness.

We’ve been commanded to inform people that there are bath scenes in the game. Who are you most excited to see there?

I’m excited for Jessica and Nash because I have two killer outtakes for those scenes! Coming soon!

A lot of people on the internet are concerned that this new version of Lunar for PSP is not going to hold up to the older versions on Sega CD and Playstation. Is there anything you want to say to ease their concerns?

Lunar: Silver Star Harmony will be both familiar to you and yet wholly new. It will comfort you with its recognizable humor and charm and surprise you with the fresh coat of paint the visuals, history, music and characters were given. It’s worth buying because it adds to the richness of the series. It doesn’t try to subvert the old Lunar that you love, it just adds another facet that you’ve yet to see. And more of Lunar is never a bad thing.

Lastly… how about that Lunar: Eternal Blue? ;P

I’d love to see it too, and I know Japan is watching the American response very closely. I have my fingers crossed the same as you.

I cannot thank Jessica enough for taking the time to answer all of these for us (and so thoroughly/wittily, to boot!) and for being among the first interviewees for PK Bloggin’! ..and for the exclusive screenshots, of course! I’m so glad to have had the opportunity to talk with her. (…in the metaphorical-internet-typing sort of way.) It is really interesting to read about the whole process (I had no idea about quite a few things that she mentioned!) and her writing is always fun to read! (I really like parentheses!)

I’ve come across a few of the new references in Lunar that Jessica’s mentioned here already, and will definitely be keeping my eyes peeled for the others. Everyone should keep an eye on their Facebook page for those outtakes that she is going to post, too… I bet they’ll be hilarious! (There’s some great ones uploaded already, if you’ve got time to check them out.)

As you should all know by now, Lunar: Silver Star Harmony was released March 2nd for the PSP, and March 4th for the PSN for those unfortunate enough to have been suckered into a PSP Go. Whether you’re a Lunar fan, or an RPG fan with a PSP and a penchant for classic themes with added personality and charm, I think you’ll really love it!

(For those of you wondering what else XSEED Games has done that is awesome besides Lunar, or wondering if I even know or have played anything else that they’ve done, some other great games they’ve localized include Half-Minute Hero for the PSP, Ragnarok DS and Retro Game Challenge for the Nintendo DS, and Little King’s Story and the upcoming Fragile Dreams (which looks stunning) for the Nintendo Wii… just to name a few. See, I can totally talk about games that aren‘t Lunar!)

I… guess that’s all from me, really. I promise I’ll write something that’s an actual article soon. And hey… While I’ve got your attention, don’t forget Lunar: Silver Star Harmony comes out in just 6 short days!!! The anticipation, it hurts us. *cough* Okay, thanks for your time, you may go about your business.

Lunar: The Silver Star, Silver Star Story, Silver Star Story Complete, Lunar Legend, and now, Silver Star Harmony…

As you can probably guess from that list, the first game in the Lunar saga has a bit of a convoluted history, with more remakes and rereleases than you can shake a stick at. There’s alot of argument among fans about which version is the best, and non-veterans of the series generally have no clue where to begin as a result. Despite all this, Lunar’s popularity these days is still quite a force to be reckoned with. Perhaps it is even because of that thriving fanbase that we’re about to get yet another installment in the series: Lunar: Silver Star Harmony.

For those unfamiliar with the story of Lunar: Silver Star, it centers around a young man named Alex Noa, who has always dreamed of becoming a Dragonmaster; Sworn protector of the Goddess Althena. By his side in their aptly-named hometown of Burg, is his sister-esque lifelong friend/lover, Luna. (Yeah, that’s always been weird to me, too. Here’s a girl that your parents took in and raised from when you were little, making her practically your sister, and… you’re in love with her. Huh.) Debauchery aside, you can probably surmise that within short time, young Alex gets his wish for an adventure, heads off to the big city with his best friend and girlfriend-sister, and alot of shit goes down. Don’t you dare complain to me about spoilers; Wouldn’t be much of an RPG if that weren’t the case, not to mention the fact that the game is well over a decade old.

Now, you’re probably thinking, “Oh, well Christina, that sounds like standard RPG fare for any game made back in the 90s, so why shouldn’t I just go play Final Fantasy instead?” Well, to that I would slap you upside the head. Then, I would advise that you educate yourself on the greatness that is Lunar. Let’s break down the greatness in a point-by-point list that’s a bit heavy on alliteration, shall we?

Awesome Anime: At the time, these were a pretty big deal, and if I may be so bold, I say that these cutscenes are STILL pretty amazing-looking even by today’s standards. I just downloaded the Lunar: Silver Star Harmony demo off the Playstation Network to the PSP a few nights ago, and the cutscenes have DEFINITELY benefitted from the superior hardware. Even though it’s got the same animated cutscenes as the old Playstation version (Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete, for those trying to learn), they look crisp and clean and shiny, just like a brand new car! (Excuse the cheese, please.)

Stellar Soundtracks: All of the Lunar: Silver Star Whatever games have had amazing soundtracks, composed by the talented Noriyuki Iwadare (and, in some cases, along with some of his comrades), but the audio is a bit of a hot-button issue that I’ve noticed from browsing different forums. I’m personally of the opinion that they’ve all been wonderful, but many argue that the original, Lunar: The Silver Star (for Sega CD) had the best music. You can be the judge for yourself, the soundtracks are relatively easy to find, but here’s a sample of my hands-down favorite instrumental Silver Star Story Complete:

If you’re paying attention, you’ll notice that I said that was my favorite INSTRUMENTAL… which leads me to my next point…

Very Vocal!: The thing I love about Lunar, (and Lunar:SSH, even though I have only played the demo), is that it’s one of the earliest games I can remember playing that had an English dubbed vocal theme song at the beginning, and voice acting throughout. This is, again, a touchy subject, since some people prefer the old games’ theme song, and some people hate what they’ve heard from the upcoming game, but I strongly believe that 1) The Lunar:TSS and Lunar:SSSC dubs were fantastic for their time, whether they’ve aged well or not, and 2) The new Lunar:SSH dub isan excellent take on the characters and should not be written off by people who are wearing Nostalgia-Goggles(tm). If you’ll browse over to the official Lunar: Silver Star Harmony website, you can hear the new version of the theme song, as well as check out small voice clips of each character to see what I mean.

Perfect Plot: I don’t want to get into too much detail for those that haven’t played it yet, but please, don’t rush to write this off as just another “a young boy saves the world” JRPG. It’s so much more than that, because that’s barely scratching the surface of the story. There’s character depth and development, expansive backstory through NPCs and such, and plot twists like you wouldn’t believe!

There is, of course, so much more to the Lunar: Silver Star games than I’ve talked about, but I can only ramble on about its greatness for so long. I wouldn’t want to bore you!

So why am I posting this now? Is it significant or relevant at all? Well, yes! As a matter of fact, one month from now (that’s March 2nd, for you, er, intelligent folk..) XSEED is releasing Lunar: Silver Star Harmony for the PSP handheld system. It aims to be the “definitive” version of the Lunar: Silver Star saga, and honestly, if the demo I played is any indication, it may just succeed at that! I preordered the Limited Edition bundle off Amazon.com so I could get the soundtrack and “bromide” cards (basically postcard-size trading cards with pretty artwork of the girls from the game), so if you’re die-hard about these sorts of things like I am, you’ll probably want to do the same at some point soon.

Alot of people I see on the internet are whining about this re-release, because they “liked the old one way better-er” and are always wearing Nostalgia-Goggles(tm). Well, I think that’s pretty silly. If you like the old game, then play the old game. Don’t yell and cry that the new game isn’t identical to it in every way. It’s supposed to be a reinventing, not a direct port. Would you really rather keep the game away from new audiences, just so you can keep your memories exactly the way they are, and not make any new ones? Come on. In case you’re wondering what people are complaining about, here are the primary things I’ve seen:

“The theme song has different words, they’re awful! It’s supposed to be about love, not adventure!” – Uhh, hate to burst your collective bubbles, but actually the old song was originally about adventure, not love, in the original Japanese lyrics. The old translation, while good, was far from accurate. The new version is nearly a literal translation, and still fits the melody perfectly… as someone who’s worked with translating music before, I can say that THAT is a feat rarely accomplished!

“Nall doesn’t sound like a squeaky little girly cat anymore!” – Nall was always supposed to sound like a little boy. Listen to his original Japanese voice! Not to knock the original English voice actress of him, because at the time she sounded great, but I much prefer him to sound like a young male creature. (I will miss “Come on, get back on your feet!” immensely, though. *tear*) The same pretty much goes for complaints about any other new voices, too… Except maybe Ghaleon. His old voice was so perfect, but I’m sure I will learn to love New Ghaleon as well. His voice is totally different, but it seems… hmm… creamier?

“There’s some new bad guys and I don’t like that!” – Well, I admit I haven’t really looked into this, since I’m trying to avoid spoiling it for myself, and from the couple of sentences I’ve read by accident, it seems very spoiler-ish, so I can’t really say with a certainty if this is good or bad. However, I can’t stress enough that this is not intended to be a direct port. Change for the sake of change, if it affects the story too drastically, is a bad thing, but from most of the less-ragey reactions I’ve seen to whatever this may be, it sounds like it barely affects anything. So, try to keep an open mind, everyone. If you feel that strongly that you just want to play one of the older ones, then simply go play the older version of your choice.

In conclusion, I strongly encourage you to check out the Lunar series if you haven’t ever done so. If you’ve got a PSP, you should absolutely download the Lunar: Silver Star Harmony demo on the PSN, and pick up the game when it comes out on March 2nd. I don’t normally promote the hell out of games like this (Geez, you’d think I was getting paid or something! ((I’m not.)) (((Though I kinda wish I was.))) ), but having played the demo, heard the new voices and seen the new artwork, and read the website, and the XSEED blog, and discussed the game on the Facebook page… I can just tell that a TON of heart and soul have gone into making this game (both on the GAME ARTS designing side of things, and the SEED localization side), and the people who have worked on it genuinely care about the series they are handling, and the fans (new and old!) and on doing things RIGHT. If I may say so, it is VERY uncommon nowadays in the land of huge faceless corporations and making the biggest bucks, for companies to treat things with as much respect as I see this game getting. So for that, if nothing else I’ve said here convinces you… Please give it your support at least for the sake of the folks who made it!

[This article has been guest-written by Christina! We're working on getting me a Mii to correspond to my posts like Joe's, so thanks for your patience! I appreciate your feedback!]