Weird changes in French version (Warning: Image-heavy)
INTERJECTION: What a hell? I tried to change the thread title but it's only showing up on this page. The forum index is still showing my previous title!
Okay, it's half term, I've got no college for a week and I'm bored, so I'm gonna play through the French version of FF8 on my PSX emulator and show you all some of the weird little differences in the translation.
Having played through it a couple of times already I found it fascinating how much they changed. Many of you will probably be more interested in plucking nasal hair, but nevertheless I'm gonna present a bunch of screenshots and point out some of the weird little differences: It's evident from the amount of stuff that is different that very little of this was based on the English version, but rather directly retranslated from Japanese. Man, I am such a geek
Little note: If it's a visual thing or an item name, I'll just add an explanation. If it's dialogue, I'll try to add the dialogue from the English version, with a translation of the French underneath. You'll see what I mean...
First off, the intro: Nothing too special, the text was even left in English. Since the majority of native French speakers seem to be fluent in English anyway this probably doesn't matter.
English: "I can't just run away."
French: "It's about the honour."
English: "I knew it'd either be you or Seifer!"
French: "Oh my god! I knew that would end badly!"
English: "I'm more complex than you think."
French: "I'm more complex than you think."
English: "Then tell me..." (And then "...tell me more about yourself.")
French: "Complex? Yes, you've got some complexes!"
Ah, the menu. Most of it's just the same but there are some notable differences. Look at where you'd normally find "Junction" and "GF", and you'll see "Associer" (Associate) and "G-Force" in their places. G-Force shouldn't be a surprise to anyone, but what the hell's with "Associate"? This, along with Squall's exchange with Quistis, is what leads me to believe they weren't basing it on the English version very much.
Phoenix Down = MT-Psy. If anyone can tell us what this means, go right ahead!
Update thanks to Hyperion4444: "MT stands for Magic Thaumaturgic 'revivication magic', and then "Psy" refers to the mind so it's about reviving the mind, as people don't die in FF8, they're knocked out cold.
Another update: In the French version of FFTA (and possibly a fair few other games now too), these are known as "Queue de Phénix", which is self-explanatory.
Status ailments are "Attaques mentales" (Mental/psychological attacks) in this one. Yep, that horrible "poison" you claim to be suffering from? All psychosomatic, good sir! You're gonna be alright!
Tent = Red Kross. Um, okay. A not-so-subtle pun on the Red Cross, but the icon of a pyramid-shaped tent is gonna confuse some players :P Sure, first-aid kits have red crosses on them as well, but it appears that this translation's trying to go for a more "technical" feel.
Time to name my first G-Force! No Quezacotl this time round, but instead "Golgotha", the hill upon which Jesus was crucified, but also apparently based on "Golgoth", the French word for a Gigas or a Titan. It seems kind of random, but then Quezalcoatl didn't fit and looked weird, plus I'm sure our ol' Mayan friend was a bit more humanoid. (I've heard the odd theory that it was always meant to be called Garuda... anyone able to back up this claim?)
You'll notice "BGU" appear a few times in this shot. "BGU" stands for "Balamb Garden Université", and is constantly referred to by that acronym throughout the game. When referring to Galbadia and Trabia, they're referred to as faculties, or usually just a "fac".
Boost = Turbo. Fair enough.
Status menu! Most of the stat names are pretty simple (do I have to explain the abbreviations? If you've read this far then you obviously play the game enough to know which stat goes where...) but most notably, "Spirit" is now "Psy". That doesn't seem to be short for anything, it's always just called "Psy". Also, the name of Squall's weapon, the "Pistolame" is a portmanteau of "Pistolet" and "Lame", the French words for "Pistol" and "Blade" respectively. Gunblade!
Fire Cavern = "Mine de Souffre" (Mine of suffering)
Update: No it's not! Going by all the chatter from Hyperion4444 and Takara (are you guys Québecois by any chance?), I hereby conclude this is a pun: "souffrir", to suffer, and "soufre", sulphur, basically making it the "Mine of Sulferring".
^_________________^
Go to the Cafeteria if you want somehot dogsBretzels, but keep in mind you're "gonna have to form a queue". I'm told that Bretzels are a lot like hot dogs, but the sausages are fried in batter. (Hey, it was just bread in the Japanese version.)
Fujin is a lot more articulate this time round, and I think this makes sense: Near the end of disc 3, Fujin suddenly drops her composure for no reason. I'm not sure if she did this in the Japanese one as well (I know for a fact that she normally talks in single character kanji sentences) but you get a rather nice twist with Fujin's dialogue later on. But I'll have to reach that point!
Draw Point = "Source de Magie" (Magic source)
More to come!
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Originally Posted by Tallulah
