Friday 24 April 2015

My apologies?

This is in response to the following post:
http://www.reddit.com/r/LightNovels/comments/33h61g/disc_spoiler_konjiki_no_word_master_chapter_85/cqm0bv3

The reason I'm answering with a post is because I'm actually quite busy right now, yet, I thought this was something that needed to be addressed quite quickly. Also, I don't have a reddit account...

I understand that this may have caused outrage, for whatever reason. I'm aware that there are several things that need to be fixed with our approach to this translation project. After all, it would probably be disrespectful to the original author if we did not do this right.

Now, let me just clarify a few things.


Camus/Kamui:

NetBlazer decided to use Kamui as the translation. Our reference sheet does say Camus, yet, NB felt that this did not suit well with him, thus the current Camus/Kamui confusion. I did mention to NB that the rest of us have used Camus. It was up to him in the end to use Kamui.


Chapter 86:

I'm sorry, but this may have been my fault. I am currently very busy this week and I did not think I would complete 86 in time, thus, I did 87. Following this, Caps reserved 86 so I went ahead to 89. Then, 86 became an open translation so, at the moment, it's only been NB and I working on it. NB can only work on the project 2 hours at a time, and I'm currently on my way to a week full of assignments...


New Additions:

We've got new members that just asked recently to come on board the translation project. I have had no interaction with them prior to today.


Chapter Gap (AKA Chapter 114 + 115):

This is my hypothesis. Not gospel. If you want more details, you're better off asking the actual person.

Loliquent wanted to translate some chapters as a test of their skill. Thus, they reserved a chapter far, far ahead thinking that we wouldn't get up to it by the time they finished translating. Undoubtedly, this was done so they could contribute to the project without being redundant (double chapter).
This was done before they asked to join the project without our knowledge. Thus, it has not gone through quality control, nor was it actually reserved beforehand.

I'm not particularly blaming Loliquent. I just want you to understand that we are not omnipotent. You cannot expect us to be psychic, nor can we expect people to follow our 'weird' procedures.


The 'Team'

We call ourselves a team, but I think of it more as a collaboration of people who do whatever we want. I've been told that Editors of a trans team are usually the Team Leader. However, I consider NB the leader cause he got onto the project before I did (and Yoraikun kind of deferred leadership to NB as he's working on Tate no Yuusha). With that said, we don't really work together. We just reserve our own chapter and release it. Yes, they pass it to me for editing, yet, not all of the decisions I make go into the final post (see Camus/Kamui above).


With all that said, I apologize for the confusion. I am trying to see if I can influence a change in the team's 'method of operations' but I cannot promise.


Remember, I am a human being that takes some of his free time and puts it into this translation project. Please understand that I have other commitments. I really don't want to quit this project as I'm enjoying it so far...


Update 1 (25/4/2015):

After a certain conversation, I felt that my points haven't been made quite clear. There are also additional points I'd like to make, thus the update. (Though I doubt anyone'll read this...)


  • We have been using Google Drive from the very start. We are well aware of it's benefits.
  • We are not a formal team. We do not have a proper leader. We are just a bunch of people.
  • We have little influence over each other's translation style/format/motivations
  • Loliquent was an unrelated third party when they translated chapters 114-115
  • Blazing Translations is the blog to follow if you want to be properly notified of posts in Chronological Order.
    • If you read the other chapters ahead of time, it is no-one's fault but your own
  • ELYSION may be offering donations but it is not compulsory. You can talk to him about costs/prices and release schedules but, in the end, he will still release chapters for free (regardless of quality).
    • English is not ELYSION's first language.
    • ELYSION often places an 'UNEDITED' label at the top of his trans.
      • If you have issues with the quality, either don't read them or do something about it. Actions speak louder than words. (Kind of Ironic considering we're doing KnW)
  • Yoraikun's blog is updated infrequently as he is busy with Tate no Yuusha. I suggest not following it if you want to be updated the instant a chapter comes out.
    • I'm not encouraging you to stop going to Yoraikun. I just wish you'd respect that his blog is behind as he does not update it frequently. You shouldn't really blame him for it.
  • We 'reserve' chapters before hand. I, at least, translate line by line, not chapter by chapter. We are not MTLs (at least, not purely).
    • I am a Machine Assisted Translator FYI (it's stated in the FAQ). I do not rely on it, I use it to help me with my Kanji reading. Still, I try and output my trans with a certain degree of quality.
    • I'm not sure about the others, though. Go ask them yourself?
  • I know that we still have much to learn, but we're a new group...I myself have only been translating for barely 2 months...
    • I have a lot on my plate being the team editor (along with Dal). I can try and fix up the quality as long as the TLs let me.
  • Rei_Hunter, I know you're trying to be helpful. I just believe there is a better way of going about it. I appreciate the input, although I can't guarantee that anything will change.
    • Yes, I realize that, at the moment, this post is probably no better than Rei's. Still, I'm trying to clear up some confusion while clearly stating the current situation.


This is not meant to be a rage post. This is meant to inform the readers of the project's current status.

17 comments:

  1. to XcrossJ:
    Calm down, calm down bro, no mater where you are, whether in RL or the internet, there are still such people that insults and criticize others but don't forget that there are also understanding people and fans that will side with you with no reservation even if they don't voice themselves
    so if you want to rage just rage here and we understand
    a very sorry leech

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sorry, did it sound like I was raging?
      I kinda didn't mean it to sound that way. I just wanted people to know what's happening and try to clear up the confusion...
      Thanks for the support?

      Delete
    2. You guys are gold, you have accurate, fast translations, the last people you want to take advice from are re:translations...

      Delete
    3. I see what you did there (gold = konjiki).
      Also, is there something wrong with re:translations? I'm not too knowledgeable about this kind of thing...

      Delete
    4. They are known for accurate but extremely slow translations...like months per chapter, they started out really well, but they decided to take on a multitude of series at once and just kind of imploded, they have no middle ground, its either weeks to months for a single chapter of your guys quality, or something quick that hurts your brain to read, which is still slower than you guys on your worst day.

      Delete
    5. I see...
      I've seen their translation method and, I have to admit, it's quite extensive.
      They will look over their translations at least 3 times over (probably even more) so they can be absolutely sure of the quality, including nuances, alternate trans, etc.
      It's quite different to us as we're just a bunch of solo translators that have been squished together into a team. As I've seen and edited most of the works, it's quite interesting seeing how each individual has a different translation style.
      Now, I think what you say has merit. But please remember that they are slow because they are ensuring quality. While we are trying to do the same, I cannot say 100% that the translations are absolutely precise.

      Delete
    6. to XCrossJ:

      While I'm thankful for their quality releases for the most part, they have abysmally slow releasing speed. I don't think that they have the grounds to criticize This collaboration on stuff when they have their own things they could improve, Souen no Historia need major translation improvements so its not a headache to read a big improvement needed off the top of my head. While you and this collaboration are releasing fast and equal or better quality translations (in my opinion anyways). I personally don't mind the name differences as long as i can surmise who the character is. So many thanks to you and this collaboration for the hard work.

      Delete
    7. Please don't get me started with Souen No And I can't believe you would dare compare. This is paradise compared to that nightmare. Btw, it's updated, I read one chapter but decided to stop. Just can't deal with it right now....maybe when I've run out of things to read at one point. That's what happened when I suffered through it. Their other trans are awesome though, you have to at least admit that

      Delete
  2. You don’t need to apologize you guys translate for free so don’t worry if you can’t spend much time or need to take a break to focus on life. Thanks for the translations. (^ω^)/

    ReplyDelete
  3. No need to apologies for anything, it's not your fault.. We or I am at least glad enough that people are translating this WN. New people on the team is a plus too :) I just hope that big gap difference won't be a norm :P

    We all know how important IRL stuff can be, so you don't have to apologies mate. Looking forward to future chapters!! Ty

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  4. I have no issue with how things are going. I got used to giant chapter gaps when I was reading Mushoku Tensei a while back. It's my choice to jump ahead several/many chapters when following chapters haven't been translated so any fault lies with me, if I'm not pleased with the situation because I couldn't wait for releases.

    The name change can be confusing, but I'll figure it out. The nuances in naming by different characters happens, if I can't figure it out. I'll ask.

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  5. I don't mind the Chapter gaps at all. Just keep posting to Netblazer page when everything catches up and people can just follow that to get updates.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Different name/dialogue style is fine, as long as it was explained beforehand.
    Chapter gaps are kinda annoying, but that's cool too.
    The only thing that sparks my autism is that chapters are posted in different blog/website each time, I have a difficulty on following updates.
    And Yoraikun's blog usually only updates after there's several chapter up already.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, if you really want to follow updates cleanly then just follow NetBlazer's site? He posts in a manner that makes it easier for people to follow the updates (although he only posts in chronological order).
      As for the matter of different sites, if we were an actually team then we could probably put it all on a single site...but we're not a team. We're just a group of individuals that were bunched up together...

      Delete
  7. Thanks for all of your work, I intend to continue following your blog and I'm glad for your pace. As others have stated, Re:translation has an abysmal translation speed, they may have quality, but it's just too slow. In a few days I'm leaving for a military training exercise that is 2 weeks long, I will not be able to have any contact with the outside world at all during that period, no internet, no cell phone, nothing. With this, I know you guys are going to do your work as you please and I can be reasonably sure that I'll have a few chapters to read at least, perhaps several, but with Re:translation, it's been a while since their last update, day 73 of Re:Monster I think, and at their pace I don't know if they will have anything done by the time I get back. Going for super quality is fine and all, but if they could find a middle ground to increase their pace, perhaps drop a few projects and dedicate more time to a handful then they would do much better. Either way I'm thankful for all of your hard work, and I wish I had the motivation to learn japanese and work towards translating like you guys are doing now.

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  8. Hi! I think that the work of everyone working on it is already pretty good! I understand the time it takes up to do something like this for the benefit of others (and I guess yourselves?). And many thanks from me! Also, language is after all quite subjective. The important thing is the semantics, conveying the meaning intended as best as one can, and even then I doubt the official translations can be that perfect or thorough, and the author can't be deep and interpretative the majority of the time, or else even a lot of Japanese readers would have trouble! Humans often have to glean information amongst variations in the English language daily, be it from another's idiolect or dialect (or ethnolect), or one's lecturers'/teachers' frequent typos or ambiguous use of language.
    If I may provide my opinion, I think it would be useful to have the Google Doc editable by the readers under (only) 'Can Comment', for proofing and typos and wording suggestions and clarifications. Though of course I can see there are disadvantages to this as well. Yoshhhhh, readers giving back to the translators/editors/proofers (...and back to the readers - and those who aren't fluent in Japanese or English I guess)!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for your appreciation.
      Also, interesting suggestion. I'll pass it along to the rest of the team.

      Delete