Good evening, everyone! I’m TheSpecter95!
You might know me for my (few) reviews on Visual Novels, JRPGs, and Anime (VN is Life). Anyway, I decided to write this article to share an experience that directly involved me and left me with a profound sense of satisfaction.
Premise
Let me start by saying that I’ve contributed as a proofreader for some of the translations made by one of the admins of the group mentioned above, woosk.
These experiences always brought me immense joy—there’s something indescribably rewarding about seeing that you've made an impact and contributed to something.
Now, the translator's job is even more amplified by the advent of AI, which is being used in many cases to translate into different languages or even create Visual Novels and all kinds of games.
Sadly, most of these are no longer made with passion but simply as a cheap way to make money, without any real heart or soul behind them.
This trend saddens me, as it leads to a loss of the effective teamwork and human connection necessary to create truly remarkable projects.
This brings me to the main point of this story and explains why I’m so happy to share it with you.
Let’s Get Started
Some time ago, I was contacted by an up-and-coming studio, VenusVision Studio, and they offered me the opportunity to translate their game, Scarlett Steele: Viral Temptation, an adult Visual Novel.
I was pleasantly surprised, especially since it’s increasingly rare to find this type of game translated into my native language, which is Italian.
Since this was my first time as a real translator, I didn’t know exactly what to expect. However, I hadn’t accounted for a whole set of variables that ended up having a significant impact on the experience.
Challenges And Struggles!
First, let’s talk about Italian grammar and vocabulary, which is very varied and complex.
If a sentence in English is made up of, say, five words, it could easily double in Italian.
As a result, I had to make some cuts here and there to avoid exceeding the available word count, but nothing too serious.
Here you'll find an example:
And this is the result:
Additionally, I don’t think I’ve ever used a dictionary’s Synonyms section so much as I did while working on this—never even in school!
Why mention synonyms?
Well, because repeated words are an eyesore, and I didn’t have much choice but to keep things varied.
Moreover, a direct translation of an English sentence into Italian might not always sound right, so I had to make some adjustments to ensure the meaning stayed true without distorting the original text.
Another crucial factor was time—specifically, how much of it I could dedicate to the task each day, considering I had a deadline.
In my case, the only available time was in the evenings/nights after work, usually about three or four hours a day.
Since I had no time during the rest of the day, this was the only favorable time slot.
Thankfully, I was able to meet the deadline.
Speaking of work, another factor that played a key role was tiredness, particularly mental fatigue. After a long workday, it was tough to stay focused, and concentration often went out the window. This made me prone to making mistakes—sometimes silly ones, I must admit.
On top of everything, my family’s support was crucial.
Phrases like “Stop wasting time, it’s not worth it,” were common, to which I often responded with colorful language (but not too much!).
In the end, though, they had to give up. ^^
Sadly, most of them think I sit at my PC just to play games or warm up the chair, but spoiler alert, that’s not the case! (Well, not always, at least).
Now, one more variable to consider is habit.
This might sound a bit odd but let me explain: if your eyes or mind get too accustomed to see or reading the same thing, you may overlook mistakes.
So, a friend suggested I take breaks—sometimes even a full day—just to rest my mind and get a fresh perspective.
Now, many of you might be asking, “Is all this really worth it?”
Ladies and gentlemen, my answer is absolutely yes, and here’s why:
It’s always exciting to take part in new experiences.
I’ve been able to test my abilities and push my limits.
You can always learn something new.
It can open new career horizons.
I can show the world that my country (Italy) deserves recognition in the gaming industry, as it once did in the past.
About The Developers
While I’ve mostly talked about the variables related to my job, I’d like to shift focus to the developers because, through this experience, I’ve seen firsthand how everything works, and I must say that many things need to be taken into account.
Let’s start with bugs—because, oh boy, the number of times someone thought everything was running smoothly, only to encounter some annoying little issue that cost those poor slop hours of work, is countless.
It’s like seeing a smiling Jack Nicholson with an axe in hand, ready to waste your time.
These problems can sometimes take several days to resolve.
In situations like these, I learned that creativity is key—the most obvious solution isn't always the best one.
Another thing I didn’t fully understand was the importance of social networks. As someone who isn’t too inclined toward them, I realized they are an essential tool—not only for attracting new people to your project but also for keeping the existing audience engaged.
I saw how masterfully crafted posts could captivate and motivate, always keeping the flame alive and making sure to spread them across multiple platforms.
Now, let’s talk about time again—because, while meeting the deadline was important for me, for developers, it’s simply vital. Many factors need to be considered: timing for render uploads, soundtracks, program compilation and debugging, and, of course, the review process by platforms like Steam. The entire process can take several days, and any lost time means a change of plans, which leads to delays and additional problems.
And lastly, but perhaps most importantly, the most unpredictable factor is daily life itself.
Life is the most unforgiving teacher of all. I saw the developers endure a lot of challenges throughout the project, but despite everything, they managed to push forward, always holding their heads high.
It was truly amazing to see how they worked tirelessly on this project, pouring their blood, sweat, and tears into it. Countless hours went into making sure everything was as close to perfect as possible, always striving to create something they could be proud of.
Final Thoughts
Witnessing this was incredibly heartwarming, and I can honestly say that I’m proud to be part of such a project.
This is my first translation job—and maybe even my only one—but I can assure you that I will put the same passion into my translation that the developers put into creating this game.
I’ll continually improve it out of respect for the creators who gave me this opportunity and for everyone who will play it.
For now, you can find a “prototype” of my translation in the demo, and the final, improved version will be released when the game is complete.
Thank you all for taking the time to read about my experience.
Please check out the full game or download the demo.
Considering all the effort the team has invested in this project, Scarlett Steele: Viral Temptation truly deserves your attention.
Below you will find links to the Steam page, Patreon, Boosty, Discord, Instagram and X.
Once again, thank you all, and have a wonderful evening! ^^
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