«Games - a risky business, but the winner takes all." Interview with Pavel Tokarev, the founder of game localization studio INLINGO

Pavel Tokarev - the founder of the project to translate computer and mobile games in various languages. Localization allows gamers to explore projects created anywhere in the world. We talked with businessman and discovered a relationship require translators, why 20-year olds voiced differently and what games he chopped himself.

"Sometimes you need to get away from the reality and gain strength"

- When did you first come into contact with the computer game industry?

- Like many, I started to get involved in games in primary school - in 1998 or even earlier. I remember that cigarettes worth 6 rubles, and in a crisis the price rose as much as 30 rubles. At that moment, I just smoked and played the game. I even managed to catch the items on the tapes. Father worked another pilot, brought from somewhere in the console, and we of it was simply not tear.

- What's in the game fascinated most of all?

- It's an experience that can not be obtained in reality. I lived in Novokuibyshevsk - ordinary industrial city. Of course, from time to time chasing the ball in the yard and went to

sport sectionsBut the game still seemed more interesting occupation. This form of activity in which I was looking for myself. In this case, hard gambling addiction I can not call myself: at that time there were no projects with regular or given, so the purchase was one-off and quite rare.

As a teenager, I was not into any forbidden means changing reality - my highs were a cigarette and a light alcohol. In comparison with all these games seem much more cool pastime.

Gaming - the best thing that could happen to humanity. Year after year, for the overall development I've been watching the number of people who are in prison. I can say that with confidence is improving statistics, which means that the level of aggression becomes lower. I want to believe that the games contribute to this.

If a person still bad, much better if he leaves with the head in the Dota 2 than in alcohol. The virtual world will help to fill the inner emptiness and preserve liver. This is the safest way to compensate for the gravity experienced by children and adults.

Sometimes you need to get away from reality and gain strength to then return.

- Why do you want to leave the reality?

- I grew up in a place that can hardly be called Barvikha. Part familiar with my yard has been in prison or even killed. All that is shown in the TV series "Brigada", took place in front of me - this school dvizhuha during the 90s. Starshaki solve the real thing, and small throughout this imitated.

Of course, the situation in which I lived, impact on my perception of the world. I can not say that the reality infuriated me, but games It was for me the opportunity to breathe. They played the role of oil, which helps the engine does not stall due to friction.

- When did you start to think about their own business in the gaming industry?

- It was in 2012, and at that time I had to work a corporate sales trainer in large corporations, "Eldorado», DNS, LG. All anything, but I caught up with the classic crisis faced by many in the period from 27 to 30 years: there was a reorganization of values. I clearly realized that the role of a hired employee is no longer satisfied me. Body refused to move in the same direction.

To change this situation, I began to test different designs: in the left freelance as a business coach, he tried his hand in the logistics and resale of legal services. One of the most significant attempts to become a sales position in a translation agency. After a year of work in the project, I realized that he does not develop. One evening we were sitting with colleagues and discuss what the problem is. I said that we are doing all the translations in a row - medical, legal, technical, and you need to concentrate on something one. In the course of the conversation was the subject with games, for which reason I was hooked. It seemed to me that this is a growing area, which is also interesting to me.

Over the next three months, I closed all the projects that I worked before, and focused only on the game localization. It was difficult, because everything that I have done before, has become irrelevant. I was engaged only in offline sales, but to go for a personal meeting with the developer from Moscow, when I'm in Samara, is not an option. I had to write and call everyone. Over time I was able to get a few orders and the efforts of our team to perform the test for large companies. load cell good luckBecause at the moment they are just looking for contractors.

- What projects were the first?

- It was a major project for translation from Korean into Russian. The name can not voice, unfortunately: this is a bargain. Besides him we did games from the company WebGames. For business cooperation has proved very fruitful: we have learned to look for translators and evaluate them. Our team translated from Korean into Russian, then in English, and with him on all the key European languages: Spanish, French, German, Italian.

Localization - part of marketing. You can spend a million dollars to develop, but to save money on translation, and this has a negative impact on the success of the game.

Of course, if the project will not start on time or did not get to the intended audience, even perfect localization not save, but if everything turned out, focus on different markets can significantly improve the situation.

"Translators are sitting at home all day and interact with the screen only"

- What are the stages of localization is the process?

- Zero phase - preparing. We are studying the game and look at the text as a work of art. If the name of the character, location, game mechanics or control is repeated several times, the term should be translated the same way. To comply with these subtleties, we with developers create a glossary.

Then, if possible, we try to talk with producers and writers to better understand, on what audience a timed game and what hidden meanings embedded in the text. These are important points that should find out more before starting work.

The next stage - to choose the translators. Our team of over 150 professionals worldwide. We choose people who speak the required language pair, and we specialize in a particular genre. There are guys who are cool translate fantasyWell aware of the specifics of the game Blizzard for a long time or are cut in Perfect World.

When the choice is made, we start to educate people. It is the task of project managers: they help professionals get comfortable, and then use the questions checked how they are subject. After that translators play, watch teasers and learn glossary to understand exactly what they are dealing with.

The third stage - translation. The logic is very simple: from the original language into English, and then - to those that ask the customer. Thereafter, the process begins proofreading. It can be complete or partial. English is always checked completely, and other languages, if time is short, can be viewed excerpts. However, in this case, we must be sure that the translators were the most experienced.

Previously this process was over, but now we ask the client the final version of the game with the translation. It is the most sacred thing: no matter how well you may know the specifics, as a result text still looks a little different. It is important that all the translated words are placed in the cell for which they are intended, and looked as they should. If testers team found a bug, we put it in the report, and then send the developer. It makes changes, and we conduct final test only those moments in which defects were found.

- How much time is required to localize the game?

- Translation of mobile game into 20 languages ​​requires from 2 to 30 days depending on the genre and text. Most clients release regular updates, so processes are parallel. In one week, we can translate the elements of renewal and lead testing another.

- I heard that the perception of a player affects a huge number of factors: the accent of the character, tone, intonation. As you are looking for the dates of your voices from around the world?

- So far we have talked about text localization, but three years ago we had services in the voice acting. From that moment on there was even more difficulties because the perception vote very subjective. Work goes based on the reference: the client sends option, which seems to him true, and we suggest that from the proposed exactly you want to change.

Once the Chinese have said that they need a voice of 20-year-old boy. We have shown how it sounds, but we are told: "What is the old man," They send, in their view of the world sounds a 20-year-old, and there is direct baby. I have long to explain the examples of famous American show that everything is a little different. To solve the difficulties need to engage in dialogue with the customer - we have all of the work is based on this.

Now we are doing voiceovers for 10 key European and Asian languages. The staff appeared to producers, which helps to record and process the voice. We cooperate with the studios in different countries: they provide a database of actors and help to choose the right person on the basis of our request. Then we show the customer several test options and he selects one. The result of the sum of the work of the actor, sound engineer and project manager - here we have to communicate a lot more than the organization translation.

We record the version with the selected actor, show them to the client, and it brings changes - sometimes from 20 scenes is that the five need overdubbed. When the customer confirms that we have hit the mark in terms of intonation, work continues on the next episode.

- How much can you earn on localization?

- Annual revenue of the company Keywords - 150 million dollars, it is the market leader. I like that amount, and I'm coming to it. At the same time margins in our business is extremely low. The exact amount will not mention, but the profit is similar to the earnings in the Russian reteyle. The main costs are internal processes: the maintenance and training of project managers, marketing, introduction of new solutions in the sphere of IT.

- And how many earn translators and voice actor?

- If we are talking about the speakers, their salary ranges from 3 to 8 thousand dollars a month. With voice acting about the same. It all depends on the rate and number of hours, Carried out the work. The specialists need to be careful: if the bet is small, then a lot of orders, but the value of hours is quite low.

- How many people work in your team?

- The state is now 67 and about 150 translators who work full-time. In addition, the reserve still about 500 people - we have a large community around the world. I keep working with translators to control, because it is not just a resource. I regularly give feedback to children through the project managers - as a corrective and positive. This is important, because the interpreters sit at home all day and interact with the screen only.

Once we have lost a man, because it is too hot to work and ended up in hospital with fatigue. People need communication and support.

To the staff members I have three key requirements: focus on results, loyalty and openness thinking. The first value is very important: one should not conceal the difficulties encountered in performing the task. Moreover, it should be able to find solutions to the problem. Any discussion at the meeting should be completed by fixing the action plan. It is important that people do not spread the idea of ​​the tree.

The next term - loyalty. However, it always goes against the terms of reference: smarter than people, the less faithful. I wish that the employee was willing to sacrifice personal time for the benefit of the company, when it is needed. For example, if a customer offers to come to the office in a week, and you have at that time had already bought ticket to Europe, you can donate it. I am happy to reimburse costs of such employee, so he went on holiday with peace of mind and to make transactions on bonuses. For people who are willing to invest in the company, I do not regret the money, the resources or the proper time.

In this case, everything must be balanced. Usually people most loyal when they realize that they can not achieve the result wisely. It is much easier to say the right words leadership and mimic violent activity.

I see no reason to sit at work for 12 hours, if it makes no sense. Loyalty should go in tandem with the results.

Last value - open-mindedness. It is a serious thing, is killed in our society. You must be able to refuse from previous experience in order to fulfill the new tasks and constantly look for practices to address the issues within their competence. I strive to expand horizon their employees so that they reflected on issues of linguistics, thought about how to make games, and tried to find a customer problem. My knowledge of the speed - that's about one paper book in a week. Also, I do yoga, traveling, constantly learn new skills and speak in public.

In my team there are guys who play baseball and fanateyut from Japanese or Korean culture. This is not the ordinary people who every day after work for a beer and chase at best fitness. To me it is important to see that the person has a hobby and the direction in which it develops. It is because of this openness and develops thinking.

"Business - it's surfing, so sometimes you a tidal wave"

- How does your workplace?

- I fidget. My work place - office, spread out on the 70 squares. There is a large conference table and a separate one for the computer that I check reports. I have a treatment room where I meet tete-a-tete, and more bar, over which I am drinking coffee and looking at the Volga. However, there are situations when it is necessary to open the whiskey. It just so happened that the business - it's surfing, so sometimes you a tidal wave. However, stress I try to take off with the help of exercise.

On the walls hung a bunch of flip charts and boards, because I fix everything that happens, and try to focus. Even if the idea can be implemented now, I'm putting it in a separate folder. Once there lay a proposal to do voice acting, and now we are doing it on a regular basis. If you get tired of sitting in the office, I move to the cafe.

Almost all of my equipment from Apple, because I'm a fan of the company. In the office there is a computer on Windows, because it is easier to use special translation software and reportable. I need a big monitor, because I try to devote at least two hours three days to play a little trends in their customers. This is not an obligation, and lifestyle: I'm really interested.

I also like expensive accessories: I love Moleskine notebooks and sturdy handles. One day I bought this for autographs on the book "Our game" which I co-wrote, and I realized that buzz. I love it when things are tough, and quality.

- Do you often play at work - for example, to check if everything is correct localized and reported?

- I do not play in order to test the game. I like to dive into worlds that create our colleagues, to better understand their business on an emotional level. Also, I watch closely incomes of their customers. It is important that their costs are paid off. Translation should become a part of the success of the game - this is a key idea, which occupies my mind.

- What is your favorite game and why?

- I have a lot of money in zadonatil War Robots. She looks like World of TanksBut with robots. This is a very dynamic game, in which the 10 minutes you have to defeat the other team by using various strategies. Periodically I go into it at the airport, while waiting for the landing - it's enough to play a couple of games. More like the projects connected with the construction of fortresses and attacks.

- What components should have a game to win the love of users and organically integrate the list of the top representatives of the industry?

- The exact answer to this question, it seems to me, no one knows. There Playrix company that regularly repeats the successful projects, but sometimes happen and failures. Even the largest game developer Blizzard occasionally makes mistakes.

I think there are a few components of a class project: cool idea and the team enough money to bring the idea to release the correct mechanics and economics. If the game is not asking for money from the user, it will not fight, and if takes too much - no one would play.

An important point - the timing. It is necessary to produce the product on time, but to calculate the universal time is difficult. People with a lot of experience, probably can already predict what will be important tomorrow. I think about user preference data in this help.

It is worth remembering that the game - a risky business, but the winner takes all. The mortality rate is high, but it is compensated by the super-income, if it is possible to reach Olympus. people become billionaires for tens of years.

- Abroad, the game industry is developing much more actively than in Russia: there are more and proposals, and the players themselves. What is the reason the backlog?

- I would not say that the game industry is poorly developed in Russia. From the point of view of the companies that make the game, we are not the losers. For example, Playrix is ​​in the top mobile developers.

At the same time, the quality of our products is weaker. In this regard, in recent years China broke forward strongly. I think it all depends on the degree and volume of the market. In Russia, much less players than in the United States, Korea, Japan and the same China. At the same time the economy in these countries developed better - people are willing to pay more.

- How do you organize yourself throughout the day?

- This year discovered Todoist - it is very easy to use application, in which I bring all the tasks. It is convenient because it is possible to distribute them to the project and specify tags. The app is on the phone and the computer, and in addition to everything else, and is synchronized with the Mail, Gmail, so Todoist for me a real assistant. However, I still use a blank sheet on which I write out all the tasks for the day. Since the brain works better.

It helps «Google Calendar." There I stand all the meetings of Todoist and a timeframe. Sometimes there are overdue tasks, but I try to exclude such incidents as dedicate this year of personal effectiveness. I realized that in order to further the company's growth spurt and the need to bring order to the head and set an example for their employees.

- Share application that helps you to simplify work and life.

- To relax, I do yoga and cardio. Periodically tested different schedulers fitness, but eventually came to what do with the coach - he paints a class for me. In addition, a half-hour a day, I meditate. It's like brushing your teeth, only helps to refresh the mind.

I often use the voice recorder, because in the state of a person who recovers quickly record and translates them into text. But for English classes I downloaded Quizlet - Coach leaves me jobs directly in the application.

- What do you do in your spare time?

- Previously, I worked airsoft, and now no longer ride on it. Most often ride a bike, I read books, do fitness. Recently I realized that I wanted to buy a boat, because he loved hunting. I tried several times and I felt that I like to shoot a gun. Duck once killed with the first shot - for me it's very cool. Tokarev - a hunter's surname, so that genes leaped. I think the hunt will become my hobby for the next 10 years for sure.

Layfhakerstvo from Pavel Tokarev

books

I like the book of Nikolai Chernyshevsky "What to do"- it is about business. The author predicted the emergence of skyscrapers and combines. This is a real life hacking to build a business and selection of people. For me, this book was a revelation, so I re-read it periodically.

«Seven Highly Effective People Skills"Stephen Covey is also a hot topic. Everyone says that it read, but no one can list yourself skills. I think this is the basic things that can and should be used. Another revelation of this year for me was the book by Alexander Friedman "You or you, the professional operation of subordinates». Now I keep reading "You or chaos"His own authorship.

If we talk about the product, you should pay attention to the book "Revolution of platforms." In addition it is required to read the Strugatsky "It's hard to be a god"And"Count of Monte Cristo"Alexandre Dumas. I love more and Viktor Pelevin. Especially like "Generation P"- it is strongly influenced me in terms of business.

Movies and Series

Good series - "Silicon Valley" and "force majeure". In America, everything is not quite as shown on the screen, but the picture is very steep.

The next level - the series "Billions". Most do not look at the storyline, and the way the role of people described there. Besides him like "House of Cards." The series is about how to be a politician. Very useful, including in terms of business.

But the coolest show for me - "young dad». This is simply a masterpiece. From the old I recommend "Sherlock Holmes" and "Seventeen Moments of Spring."

Podcasts and videos

One of my favorite podcasts - Chill Artyom Dmitriev. Periodically I listen "Silicone gave"And I watch YouTube-channel Yevgeny Chernyak Big Money - a new Oleg Tinkoff. Thoughts that he utters, and its presentation - it's very cool.

Periodically look channel "Russian standards». Leading I do not like, but the guests cool. More subscribed to the game and watch the channel streamer ted Talks - I like the theme of the public appearances.

From the point of view of PR watch for Lebedev. The way he talks about business, always true. In addition, like channel Andrew Kurpatova - information from him hard to take, but it is interesting talks about the work of the brain. Then I study the original sources to which he refers. And the last - the channel "Point G. How to earn in the IT». Guys publish a very high-quality content.