Translations

Help translate OpenFront into your language using Crowdin

OpenFront is played by people around the world, and we need your help to make it accessible in multiple languages. We use Crowdin to manage translations collaboratively.

Quick Start

1. Join Translation Discord

   Join the Translation Discord to connect with other translators and get support

2. Access Crowdin Project

   Go to the OpenFront Crowdin project: https://crowdin.com/project/openfront-mls

3. Sign In or Sign Up

   Log in if you already have a Crowdin account, or create a new account if you don’t

4. Join the Project

   Click to join the OpenFront translation project

5. Select Your Language

   Choose the language you want to translate into. If your language isn’t listed, click “Request New Language” and submit your request

6. Start Translating

   Begin translating strings! Each string represents text that appears in the game

Translation Guidelines

Understanding Context

Many strings in the game need context to translate accurately:

• Game terminology: Words like “territory”, “alliance”, “structure” have specific meanings
• UI elements: Button labels need to be concise to fit in the interface
• Messages: In-game messages should match the game’s tone

If you’re unsure about the context of a string, ask in the Translation Discord! Other translators or the development team can clarify.

Best Practices

1. Stay Consistent

   • Use the same translations for recurring terms
   • Check how other strings translate similar concepts
   • Maintain consistent tone throughout

2. Consider Length

   • UI elements have limited space
   • Try to keep translations similar in length to the original
   • Test if possible to ensure text fits

3. Preserve Formatting

   • Keep placeholders like {playerName} or {count} intact
   • Maintain HTML tags if present
   • Don’t translate variable names or code

4. Use Natural Language

   • Translate meaning, not word-for-word
   • Make it sound natural in your language
   • Consider cultural context

Common Translation Patterns

Placeholders

Original: "Welcome, {playerName}!"
Correct: "¡Bienvenido, {playerName}!"
Incorrect: "¡Bienvenido, {nombreJugador}!"

Original: "Click <strong>here</strong> to continue"
Correct: "Cliquez <strong>ici</strong> pour continuer"
Incorrect: "Cliquez **ici** pour continuer"

Original: "You have {count} territories"
Correct: "Du hast {count} Territorien"
Note: Position of {count} can change based on language grammar

Working with Crowdin

Translation Editor Features

• Translation Memory: See how similar strings were translated
• Glossary: View agreed-upon translations for key terms
• Machine Translation: Use as a starting point (always review!)
• Comments: Ask questions or provide context
• Voting: Approve good translations from other contributors

Translation Workflow

1. Browse Untranslated Strings

   • Crowdin shows you strings that need translation
   • You can filter by file or search for specific text

2. Translate

   • Enter your translation in the editor
   • Check suggestions from translation memory
   • Review machine translations (use with caution)

3. Save

   • Submit your translation
   • It will be reviewed before inclusion in the game

4. Vote on Others’ Translations

   • Help improve translation quality by voting
   • Upvote good translations, suggest improvements

Machine translations often miss context and nuance. Always review and edit machine-generated suggestions rather than using them directly.

Requesting a New Language

Don’t see your language on the list?

1. Click Request New Language

   In the Crowdin project, find the “Request New Language” button

2. Select Your Language

   Choose your language from the list, or specify a regional variant if needed

3. Submit Request

   The project maintainer will review and approve language requests

4. Wait for Approval

   You’ll be notified when your language is added to the project

Quality Assurance

Proofreading

Translations go through several quality checks:

• Peer review: Other translators vote on translations
• Context verification: Discord community helps clarify ambiguous strings
• In-game testing: Translations are tested in the actual game interface

Common Issues to Avoid

• Untranslated placeholders: Always keep {variables} in original form
• Broken formatting: Preserve HTML tags and special characters
• Inconsistent terminology: Use the same word for the same concept
• Overly literal translations: Focus on meaning, not word-for-word
• Inappropriate length: UI text that’s too long may be truncated

Contributing Translation Code

If you’re a developer working on translation infrastructure:

Adding Translatable Strings

All user-facing text must be processed through translateText():

import { translateText } from './translations';

// Good
const message = translateText('welcome_message');

// Bad - hardcoded string
const message = 'Welcome to OpenFront!';

Adding to en.json

When adding new strings, update en.json with the English source text:

{
  "welcome_message": "Welcome to OpenFront!",
  "territory_count": "You have {count} territories"
}

All code changes that add or modify user-facing text should include corresponding updates to en.json. These will be synced to Crowdin automatically.

Translation Status

The badge above shows the current translation progress across all languages. Click it to see detailed statistics for each language.

Getting Help

Need assistance with translations?

1. Join Translation Discord: https://discord.gg/3zZzacjWFr
2. Ask in Crowdin comments: Use the comment feature on specific strings
3. Check existing translations: See how similar strings were handled
4. Review the glossary: Look for established terminology

Discord Community

Join the Translation Discord for support and coordination

Governance

Learn about the project’s contribution model