I'm really hoping that, in Shenmue 3, they won't be using Japanese character variants in Chinese writing, as they did in Shenmue 2.
I'm talking about stuff like this: https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EDwimdjz00c/WAcu6yPBdBI/AAAAAAAAA1Q/x5Anr2Z2z50vr-QFExhgKIN5cVrqDAUMwCPcB/s320/BuyingMap.png
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n1V25Gtav_k/VPi_DSdfTPI/AAAAAAAAFKo/PKgfT-lDrEI/s1600/05.jpg
Notice, in the fist pic, the 図 instead of 圖, and, in the second pic, on the red sign on the right, the 広 instead of 廣.
Now, when I played Shenmue 2, all those years ago, on the Dreamcast, I didn't notice any of that. But a lot has happened in the meantime and, one of the things that happened, is that I've learned Chinese, learned about China, lived and studied there and travelled all over the country. And while this means that now, I'll be able to appreciate lots of new details in Shenmue 2 (waiting for the HD remaster to replay it, hopefully, not in vain) and in Shenmue 3, it also means that Japanese character variants in China stick out like a sore thumb. That's what happened when I came across these screenshots. And there are probably more examples. I'm pretty sure I've also seen a 仏 instead of 佛 (Buddha) in some screenshot too.
Frankly, I think they really dropped the ball on this one and find it very odd that, considering the fact that they even used real-world weather data for Yokosuka in 86, 87 (which, while a cool story, adds nothing to the experience, to be honest), they went ahead and used Japanese character variants for writing in China.
Also, since, as far as we know, Shenmue 3 will be set entirely in mainland China, they should use the simplified writing system which is used over there (thanks, commies!). For instance, the above-mentioned 図, which in Hong Kong (where they use traditional characters) should be 圖, in Guilin should be 图. The 広, which in Hong Kong should be 廣, in Guilin should be 广 (keeping in mind, however, that traditional characters are often still used in mainland China in certain situations, as in temple signs, paintings and all sorts of art, and, as a general rule, anything that should feel traditional).
I mean, c' mon, I'd say that using the proper writing system in the game's setting is far from a small detail, so I hope they won't disappoint in that regard with Shenmue 3.
Interesting point that I hadn't been aware of. By the way, does the "Man Mo" found on various signs around the streets approximate the Cantonese pronunciation?
Thanks! Love all of your translation analysis you regularly put out, by the way.
Well, I've never really learned Cantonese, but rather Mandarin, but I'm pretty sure I've seen, in some Cantonese context before, 文武 (which, in Mandarin, would be "Wen Wu)" written as "Man Mo" (and maybe also as "Man Mou"?), so it seems about right to me.
Having said that, this reminds me of something that now I remember having mentioned in another thread, back when Shenmue 3's locations were made known...
Baisha (白沙; lit. White Sand ) and Bailu (白鹿; lit. White Deer ) are both the Mandarin reading of those characters (as seen in that stretch goal artwork), but Choubu (鳥舞; lit. Bird Dance ) is definitely not Mandarin and I'm pretty sure it's a Japanese reading. In Mandarin, it would read "Niaowu".
I find it very odd that they are naming two of the towns according to its Mandarin reading and then one of them according to its Japanese reading, as all three of them are in China. This inconsistency is somewhat troubling and it does make me worried that in Shenmue 3, once again, we may get Japanese character variants in China...
However, since I don't know Japanese, I don't actually know what Ys Net has been calling those towns in Japanese. I'm only going by what we get in the translated press releases and interviews. So maybe they've actually been using the Japanese reading for all three of them, but, for some reason, whoever translated it into English, decided to only keep the Japanese reading in Choubu and use the Mandarin reading for Baisha and Bailu?
Switch?
EDIT: Funnily enough, I missed an even more obvious Japanese character in that second pic I posted. There's a big red 実 there where there it should be, in fact, a 實, as that is the traditional Chinese form used in Hong Kong. So, in that one screenshot, we have two Japanese character variants (広 and 実 in place of 廣 and 實) on the shop signs. Which makes me think that, for all the Chinese writing, the developers simply used a Japanese program without taking into account the fact that Japanese uses certain variants not used anywhere in China. Seems pretty negligent, if you ask me, especially in a game with such minute attention to detail in its other aspects.