Make context traceable
Retain string IDs and provide screenshots, quest flow, character notes and relevant mechanics. Mark speaker, listener and tone requirements alongside the affected lines where possible instead of relying only on general notes in a separate file.
Document the technical limits
Define variables, tags, plural handling and character limits and mark protected content. Agree the development environment and import format to prevent encoding, escaping or field-order problems after delivery.
Plan checks and updates
Linguistic review and in-game checks are separate stages. For testing, provide an accessible build, account permissions or screenshots, with a defect log and retest process. Live-service work also needs a release cadence, text freeze and revision naming convention.
A checklist for your brief
- Strings with IDs and context
- Character, terminology and style notes
- Test access and update schedule
A common question
Can the UI be translated before the narrative?
Yes, but agree core terminology, character names and world-building early; later narrative decisions may otherwise require changes to earlier UI work.
This guide supports project preparation and communication; it does not replace legal, financial or specialist technical advice. Service scope, recipient requirements and delivery arrangements must be agreed for the specific project.
