Introducing the Cloud Localization Tool Suite

Updates Announcements
#1

Hey Developers (and Translators!),

Over the past year, Roblox has made it easier for developers to translate their games for audiences around the world. Starting with the release of Studio-based text scraping, localization tables, and LocalizationService APIs in March, we began building a suite of tools for translating and sharing your content with players worldwide.

We are excited to announce the release of the next phase, web-based cloud localization, a system of features and settings to help you translate your games with minimal effort and reach more people around the world. A core element of the new web-based cloud localization system is the cloud localization table. This table lives outside of Studio so you can add, edit, and update it from anywhere. You can even recruit translators from the Roblox community to dynamically translate your game as you develop.

If you’d like to access the cloud localization table through Studio, or would like to migrate an existing embedded localization table to the cloud, learn more about how to do that in one of the linked posts below.

While we are excited to offer these tools to you, we also wanted to make a note that these tools are still in an early form. Over the coming months, we are looking forward to partnering with our developer community to gather feedback and iterate on these tools. Our work is far from over, but with our developers’ expertise and feedback, we will continue to push these tools closer to what developers need.

Please try out these new tools and leave feedback below. We will review and incorporate this feedback as we release updates to these tools!

Read more about the cloud localization tools in these posts:

  • Using the Localization Management Web Portal
    • Enabling Automatic Text Capture (ATC) and using cloud localization data
    • Adding and managing translations in the Translation Management page
    • Adding Translators to your game
  • Read before enabling Automatic Text Capture for your game
    • What is Automatic Text Capture (ATC)?
    • Before you enable ATC for your game
      • Disable AutoLocalize
      • Parameterize your strings
    • How to clear your cloud localization table
  • Migrating Existing Translations to the Cloud
    • Understanding the differences between the old embedded localization tables and the new cloud localization table
    • Uploading and downloading your cloud localization table data using the Localization Tools Studio plug-in for offline/local editing and translation management
    • Migrating your existing Studio-based/embedded localization tables to the cloud

We will be updating this thread as new fixes are released. Please leave comments and let us know what you think below!

Update: We’ve made some updates to the Localization Tool Suite! You can read about them here: Localization Tool Suite Update

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February 2019 Monthly Recap: What's Happening the Developer Community
#2

Amazing, glad to hear that the localization tools are being improved!

3 Likes
#3

Amazing job! I can think of loads of wonderful applications to this feature, especially in expanding my groups community to the international market! Thanks a lot!

#4

That’s an exciting feature. Will make our work a lot easier! Can’t wait to start working with those.

1 Like
#5

Okay, this is epic

Honestly, I feel translation in the past has been a chore. While it was worthwhile, having to edit a table in excel and then re-import it every time I update the game has been just an annoying step. I love this update. The ability to do it all from a web portal, the improved automatic text capture, and the sheer ease of adding new translators makes localisation a ton easier. Thanks!

It would be extra cool if there was an area where willing volunteers could put forward translations for their native language though, similar to subtitles on YouTube :wink:

4 Likes
Localization Tool Suite Update
#6

Glad localization is being worked on. Thanks for the update :slight_smile:

#7

I was previously very hesitant to use the provided translations tools, but this is beyond enough to make me implement them. Amazing job.

2 Likes
#8

I actually thought about this last night, and I considered how useful a system like this would be. A process where users could volunteer to translate selected phrases for free and those translations be used by any developer would be a lot more efficient and friendlier for those who don’t know the language and need to find a translator for it.

3 Likes
#9

I’m interested in translating my games, but am not ready to hire translators. I saw there was an automated text translator but don’t see it available in the Cloud Localization tool. Is this an option I’m missing, or is it not available in there yet?

#10

The Translator is not an automated text translator, but an instance containing the translation data for your game, which developers can use to retrieve translations for their game. Developers first retrieve a Translator instance for a specific language/locale through LocalizationService.GetTranslatorForPlayerAsync(player) , then use Translator.Translate to look up the translation for a given Context/Source. (Context is the GUI element instance in which the text appears; Source is the original text (presumably English) that you need a translation for). There is no automated text translator as part of the cloud localisation tools.

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#11