About Fields

[tokiedian]

The game manual explains the type of fields are Yellow Crops, Green Crops, Early Winter Field, Ploughed Field, Snow-Covered Winter Field and Crop Stubble. However, in thw actual game, most of them called differently. Yellow Crops are called as Wheat Field, Green Crops called as Field, Early Winter Field as Light snow, Ploughed Field as Tilled Field and Snow-Covered Winter Field as Snow Covered. Why is the difference? Which is the correct names?

[scorpio_rocks]

The "beauty" of the english language - there are always several words that mean the same thing.

ploughed, tilled, furrowed, harrowed or turned all mean the same thing for instance (when applied to fields)

[Imp]

Use the second set as that's what your players will see.

[tokiedian]

Thank you for your kindness. However, I feel them something embarrassing. Some of the in-the-game names don't represent that they are the name of the type fields. These must have similarity as fields, but in-the-game names won't tell you that till you read the game guide. How about the below?

[Imp]

I would perhaps just put there are various types of field, their movement costs & hinderance to LOS (line of sight) vary slightly depending on the season.

[tokiedian]

I see. Thank you very much. However, I still have other questions. What is crops of these field, especially the fact that Yellow crops field is called "Wheat" field in the game? And I regard "Tilled Field" as Field with no crops or stubble because the terrain appeared in the late fall when there no need to plows them for snowy winter. Is it true or not?

[scorpio_rocks]

Fields are ploughed in spring prior to sowing and in autumn, to turn the "stubble" under the earth and so the winter frost "breaks" the soil. A "Tilled field" is one that has been ploughed and is in ridges or furrows.
eg:

Yellow crops are any of a range of crops which ripen to a yellow colour, ie wheat, corn, etc.

[jivemi]

It doesn't really matter what crops are growing, if any; whether the field is tilled or stubble; or what season it is. For game purposes what matter are line(s) of sight (LOS), movement and defensive value (or liability) through (or in) the field--as for any other terrain. Unfortunately the manual doesn't tell you much about defensive value of terrain, but LOS and movement possibilities are easily determined (I assume you already know how to do that).

Pardon my interjection tokiedan but I hope this project isn't being sidetracked by "the 'beauty' of the english language" (H/T to scorpio rocks). A direct translation of the whole manual into Japanese risks getting bogged down in a "swamp" of confused meanings and unnecessary complexity. That can be a distraction from the main point, which is TO PLAY STEEL PANTHERS (my apologies for shouting).

Most beginners don't read the entire manual before trying the game; they usually start with the tutorial scenario and fill in their knowledge gaps as they continue playing. May I respectfully suggest that the section "Playing WinSPWW2-Tutorial" have priority of translation so Japanese beginners get a quick "taste" of the game even as they learn? (According to your posts it seems this section hasn't been translated yet. Please correct me if I'm wrong. Thanks.)

The tutorial is the simplest way to start playing Steel Panthers, without the need to purchase or deploy units. There's also a list of other ready-made scenarios suitable for beginners in the Tutorial Introduction. After students have familiarized themselves with the basics of gameplay then it will be more feasible to move on to greater complexity like generated battles, cross-attachment of units, and so on.

Sorry if my unsolicited advice is "out of order" or inappropriate. I'm very enthusiastic about your project and wish you all success, regardless of how you choose to do it. Thanks for reading and have a great day. Cheers!

[Pibwl]

Excuse an off-topic, but speaking about "the beauty of the English language" I recalled, how difficult it was to translate different names of winds, clouds, moons etc. given to Japanese destroyers, when I tried to write about them in Wikipedia