Consistent names, from one update to the next.

Build a termbase for characters, items, skills, and systems, with definitions, context, and relevant NPC details. Compare it with localization files, track changes, and review all affected text.

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A glossary notebook with game item references and language materials

Extract terms with their game context.

Review localization files, character profiles and gameplay references. Human review confirms candidate terms, including important names that appear only rarely.

Characters & NPCs

Names, titles and relationships

Places & factions

Cities, groups and worldbuilding

Items & equipment

Names and practical uses

Skills & attributes

Effects, states and mechanics

Systems & UI

Features and interaction points

Currency & events

Resources, rewards and rules

Term type

Classify characters, items, skills and other concepts.

Definition

Explain meaning, use and distinctions from similar concepts.

Usage context

Link source lines, string keys, screenshots and profiles.

What should a termbase entry include?

Stable ID

Keep the same ID when a term is renamed, and use separate IDs for different concepts that share a name.

Language rules

Approved terms, parts of speech, grammatical gender, allowed variants and forbidden terms.

Review & version

Pending, approved or deprecated; record the reviewer, reason and effective version.

Who is the anxious passerby?

Chinese and English generally do not mark grammatical gender on nouns. Confirm the character’s gender and context before choosing gendered forms in other languages.

Two anxious adult pedestrian characters in a harbor town
Illustrative character and translation · Check the approved character profile

Anxious passerby

NPC label

The name displayed above an NPC who is worried about a harbor closure.

French translation examplePassant inquiet
Character gender
Male
French form
Masculine singular

Assuming the character is confirmed as male.

French translation examplePassante inquiète
Character gender
Female
French form
Feminine singular

Assuming the character is confirmed as female.

French translation exampleConfirm the character first
Character gender
Not specified
French form
Awaiting approval

Ask the product team; do not infer gender from names or appearance.

Record character details and grammar separately

Character gender and grammatical gender are distinct fields.

Account for variable character settings

Use text variants or an approved neutral expression.

Check all related text

Review pronouns and agreement in dialogue and quests too.

Keep your termbase and localization files in sync.

Select a step or play the walkthrough. Each stage records what was decided, why, and how it was checked.

Termbase creation
Localization file updates
New localization filesSource term changedTranslation revised
New versions and unresolved issues enter the next review
01 / 05

Extract terms and assign stable IDs

Collect and classify candidates from text and reference material. Separate identical names that refer to different concepts.

OutputCandidate term list
02 / 05

Confirm the meaning, character details, and usage

Add definitions, NPC gender and usage context. Send unresolved questions to the product team.

OutputConfirmed context & profiles
03 / 05

Approve terms and language rules

Language reviewers confirm translations, grammatical forms, permitted variants and forbidden terms.

OutputApproved multilingual terms
04 / 05

Compare the termbase with the localization files

Check affected text when new localization files arrive or terms change. Review the agreed content before delivery.

OutputDifferences & affected text
05 / 05

Update, verify and record the version

Confirm the change, update the termbase, localization files and relevant translation memory, then verify and record the effective version.

OutputVersion & verification log

One term changes. What else needs updating?

Compare the termbase with the localization files to find missing terms, outdated wording, and mismatches. Review each difference before making changes.

  • New localization files
  • Source term changed
  • Translation revised
  • Before delivery

Maintenance example

Previous wording in the file恢复药水
Current approved term治疗药水

Locate affected text

Item name · Description · Quest objective

Confirm why the Chinese name changed. If the meaning is unchanged, a target translation may remain valid; assess and record the decision.

Previous wording in the fileRecovery Potion
Current approved termHealing Potion

Locate affected text

Inventory · Shop · Item received message

Assuming the approved English term has changed, locate the old wording, review context and update relevant translation memory.

Previous wording in the filePassant inquiet
Current approved termPassante inquiète

Locate affected text

NPC name · Dialogue · Quest description

Assuming the character is confirmed as female, review the name, pronouns and adjective agreement together.

Check more than spelling.

Source naming

Multiple names for the same concept

Translation consistency

Missing new terms or lingering old forms

Complete information

New terms, definitions and languages

Forbidden & conflicting terms

Deprecated or confusing terminology

Context & grammar

Gender, number, case and forms of address

Permitted variants

Approved short names, aliases and inflections

Tools flag possible issues; reviewers check them in context. Approved aliases, short names, and inflections help prevent valid wording from being replaced unnecessarily.

Track each issue through verification.

  • Term ID / String key
  • Language & affected scope
  • Before, after & reason
  • Owner / Review status

Deliverables

Files, records and acceptance criteria are agreed for each project.

  • Multilingual termbase with types, definitions, context and NPC information
  • Open questions and terminology issues
  • Change log, affected content, and version checks

Keep exploring

Quality managementGameplay & UI textCulture & narrative

Keep terminology in step with every update.

Share your termbase, localization files, and character profiles. We’ll agree on which terms to collect, when to check them, and how to maintain them.

Discuss your translation project