Haven

Hello everyone,

If so many players could enjoy Haven in 9 different languages, it’s thanks to our amazing translators. It’s time to highlight their work with an interview of Thomas Brasdefer and Diana Díaz Montón!

Can you introduce yourself, your background and your work on Haven?

Thomas: My name is Thomas, I’m an anthropology professor currently at University of Vermont, I specialize in linguistics and I translated Haven from French to English.

Diana: My name is Diana, I am a professional translator specialised in game localization, and have been working in the industry for over 20 years. I have participated in the localization of hundreds of games, as a translator, editor/proofreader or multilingual project manager. I am also co-founder of Native Prime. I was the Spanish editor at Haven.

According to you, what are the most important qualities to be a great video game translator?

Thomas: Translation is never just about words, most of the work is making sense of something for someone else… Which means that the translator has to understand the reasons why the words exist. But in a video game you have a million things to interact with, from the NPCs to the environment, and a surrounding community of gamers; so you have to take an entire universe into account before you even get started. I would say that having a carefully crafted game as material is definitely a big part of it.

Diana: I completely agree with Thomas. In game localization, the goal is to convey the emotions into the different target languages, so players can truly engage with the characters they are controlling and immerse themselves in the game universe. A good video game translator needs to understand how games work as a whole, they should be familiar with the different mechanics. It is important that they also master the source formats we work with, and how strings will be used in the game, be it as part of the interface or as VO dialogue. And also need to know their target audience well, their expectations. But overall, translators have to master the source and target language so the results sound fluent and natural and match the tone and style of each particular game.

Haven is a huge project, with more than 90 000 words. How do we start while translating a game as talkative? How long did it take to translate the game?

Thomas: Believe it or not, Haven isn’t the longest game I’ve worked on. And on top of that, there are parts of the script that didn’t make it into the game! I actually like it better when there is a lot of dialogue, because that gives me time to become closer with the characters, and to watch them grow through the storyline. But it does have some drawbacks when it comes to continuity: games aren’t being developed in a linear manner, there’s alternate stories, some parts are ready before others, some need to be re-written, etc. I think it took a bit over 3 months for the whole process, but it was spread out over the course of a year from start to finish.

Diana: As Thomas mentioned, this is not a large game, though it does have quite a bit of dialogue. I also agree that this is the most fun part of any project. Dialogues give you the chance to become more creative, and you can decide how a character should talk, based on their personalities. It is fun to shape them through the words we type. The project spanned over several months, mostly because not all content was ready when we first started working on it. The drawback is that there are several pauses and it makes it a bit harder to get a general picture of the game and the different parts that make it.

How do you approach cultural specificity? Some references could make sense in some countries, when they don’t in others. What are the best practices for you?

Thomas: Losing your reference points is a big part of Haven, so I had to be careful for what is alien to Kay and Yu to be also alien for gamers, while also maintaining the cozy parts as relatable. This is where knowing the characters is absolutely crucial because I’m not telling the story, they are! My job is to make sure that gamers are hearing the story more than my own voice.

Diana: This is what localization is all about, bringing the game, the story, the characters to a target audience through expressions and words they can relate to. Again, the goal is to keep in the target version the same effect the text causes in the original. Haven however has its own universe, so the challenge here was not to use references to the real world! I remember one line in which one character called another a “parsnip” and one of the translators was like: “But parsnips don’t exist in Haven”. So we had to change that to something else that made sense in the game universe. We had to keep on our toes and that was fun!

For Haven, writer Pierre Corbinais created a lot of new words: apple dew, creamberry, loofacrid, or even swear words like bloot or boron! How was it to translate those words?

Thomas: Pierre is a terrific writer, and I’m always looking out for what he comes up with. He speaks English quite well too, so he definitely had some input when it came to word inventions, as did Emeric, the creative director for The Game Bakers; some words they came up with, some I gave them options. This is another case where their vision is much more important than my translation because they know the universe better than I do. Cursing is especially difficult because you don’t casually say them, they come straight out of your limbic system; I liked using “boron” as a swear word tough, because it sounds very close to an existing insult, but it’s also an ore that’s kind of everywhere and not particularly valuable.

Diana: This was the most fun part in the localization process. All three translators decided together each of the terms in the game. Each of us suggested a translation and then held a couple of meetings to discuss the terms one by one to settle on a final translation. It was fun making up words for the food and medicines. We based our translations on the French and English alike, also considering the description and the visuals, trying to come up with words that were evocative and that matched the game lore. We also came up with a series of cursing words that we had to use in a different way compared to English. We spent a lot of time deciding the names of the planets. We felt these were an important part of the universe and we wanted to get them right. I am quite happy with the names we came up with.

Thomas: We owe the planets’ names to one Murray Gell-Mann, who actually passed away while the game was in production (look him up!). One of many cheeky references to be found in Pierre’s writing.

What makes a difference for you to be able to provide the best translation? Is it playing the game, a good translation guidebook, a good glossary, direct access to the team to ask questions, a little bit of all of that or actually something else?

Thomas: There’s no one-size-fits-all approach. I generally find it hard to rely on glossaries and guidebooks for video games, because it’s such a different practice than other visual media, but sometimes you need specific technical terms. I’ve also never started working on a game that was finished or fully playable (at first I only had gifs for Haven!), but having storyboards and demos is definitely a plus. Access to the team is certainly important in a narrative game, because they have a pre-existing relationship with the characters, but they also have to trust that you are doing your job. So I guess the key is to make sure that translation is part of your design process, and not an afterthought.

Diana: I’d say a bit of everything. It all depends on whether the game is finished by the time we start working on it, or if it’s still early in development and subject to lots of changes. I’d say, the key is to have good communication with the dev team, so we can ask questions and get as many assets as they can share with us: be it a build, gameplay videos or screenshots. In Haven we received a very detailed lockit up front, which helped us all get familiar with the characters, the universe and the mechanics of the game. This to me can be even more valuable than playing the game, since it helps us define how characters will talk, or how we will tackle the localization of certain terms. Having contextual information in the files we work is also very helpful, so that we know exactly where a string is used in the game, or in which context a line is spoken.

What did you enjoy the most while working on Haven?

Thomas: Literally everything: it was a wonderful experience from day one because everyone at The Game Bakers is so talented and dedicated, and the game is obviously beautiful. It felt really comfortable to spend all this time with Kay and Yu. And receiving a new batch of text was always exciting!

Diana: This was a really nice project. The game is beautiful, the characters are lovable and the dialogue was very relatable, so it felt great giving voice to them in our language. I was the editor in the Spanish team, so I got to discuss lots of things with the translators and had to make it all consistent and cohesive. As an editor, or if you are the sole translator, you get to read all the content and that gives you a good understanding of all bits and parts. The Game Bakers were also a very cooperative team, always eager to help. Feeling backed up and taken into consideration is not always a given!

And what was the most challenging for you?

Thomas: Because I was discovering Source at the same time as the characters in-game, approaching some of the practical details was sometimes pretty abstract. Things like Flow and Rust have no analog either for me or for them, so even if I knew more, it wouldn’t necessarily be helpful since the characters don’t have that information. It’s too tempting to over-explain things when you’re dealing with the unknown.

Diana: Probably defining the right terms to keep faithful to the game universe. We wanted to get it right so we took our time. As Thomas mentioned, there are some elements whose meaning was harder to grasp, such as the Flow, and we struggled to convey the exact meaning, but eventually everything fell into place!

Any last word for Haven players?

Thomas: I have to say that the community that came out of Haven is also something to behold. I still lurk on Discord and Twitch pretty regularly to check out how people are reacting to the game, whether it’s their first or hundredth play-through. But it was especially soothing during the early months of the pandemic, when I could just plug in to Haven and enjoy some quality time with my friends… including Oink!

Diana: Since the game was launched, reading all comments players left in Twitter and Discord, I could already tell this was quite a special community, very welcoming. And I feel honoured to be part of it. I just hope the players continue enjoying Yu and Kay for many years, in whatever language they choose to play!

You can follow Diana on Twitter and read more about Thomas on his website!

Haven is at its core a story about love and freedom, and we’ve asked our team to share with you their Favorite Love Stories (and they had plenty to share!).

So if you like romance, you will find below some recommendations of new works to read, watch or play. Please share yours in the comments too!

Pierre, Writer

• The Heart is a Lonely Hunter (Novel) by Carson McCullers: When asked by a journalist why there weren’t any love stories in the Heart is a Lonely Hunter, Carson McCullers seemed startled and she replied : « There is nothing but that ! ». This is always the first book that comes to my mind when I hear « love story », and even if it is not a romance, it’s definitely all about love.
• Locas (Comic book) by Jaime Hernandez: Locas is a comic book series started in 1985 and still going today. It tells the decades long love story between two L.A. latin-american punk girls Maggie and Hopey. At times they’re together, at times they’re apart, and sometimes they’re not even there. I’ve been reading their stories since I’m a kid and I hope I’ll keep reading them for a long time. Locas is my The Young and the Restless.

• Pilules Bleues (Comic book) by Frederik Peeters’ Lupus: I already mention Frederik Peeters’ Lupus when asked about my inspirations for Haven. Pilules Bleues is an autobiography about a couple dealing with H.I.V. It’s funny, sad, beautiful but most importantly : it’s deeply human.
• Strangers in Paradise (Comic book) by Terry Moore: Katchoo loves Francine. David loves Katchoo. As for Francine, well, she’s figuring things out. This might sound like a pretty classic love triangle, and it would be if Strangers in Paradise didn’t also involve troubled pasts, secret agents and crime syndicates. Is this soap opera comic book a bit too long? Maybe. Did it jump the shark a few times? Certainly. It’s still a landmark of US indie comic books and is well worth your time!
• When Harry met Sally (Movie) by Rob Reiner & Nora Ephron: This movie is often mentioned as one of the best romcom movies of all times (if not the best) but what I love the most about it is that… it’s hardly a romcom? I mean, most of the movie is about friendship, not romance. A Friendcom maybe? Now, is there really a difference between friendship and romance? Are they two different categories? A spectrum? Is sex compatible with friendship? Its absence with romance? Well let’s watch the movie and find out.
• Castaway on the moon (Movie) by Lee Hae-joon: He’s stuck on a desert island in the middle of Seoul, she’s stuck in her room. Soybean noodles will bring them together. Sure, it doesn’t make any sense now, but in its own way, Castaway on the moon is a pretty classic romcom.
• Language Lessons (Movie) by Natalie Morales & Mark Duplass: After a year in lock-down doing zoom calls after zoom calls, I didn’t think I would enjoy a movie which is basically that, zoom calls. And yet. Language Lessons is a super impressive first movie, a surprising huis-clos, and a wholehearted friendship/love story.

• Alabama Monroe (The Broken Circle Breakdown) (Movie) by Felix Van Froeningen and Carl Joos: Sometimes you want to watch a cute lighthearted romcom, sometimes, you just want to cry every single drip of water your body contains, and more. Alabama Monroe is for the latter. You’ve been warned.
• Big Ocean Wide Jacket (Video game) by Turnfollow: Would Big Ocean Wide Jacket even qualify as a love story? I think it does. It even offers two love stories for the price of one: the newborn, tweenish and cute love story between Mord and Ben, and the steady, tried-and-tested and not any less cute love story between Uncle Brad and Aunt Cloanne. It’s literally the best video game ever made (I mean it) and it’s short enough to be played 5 times in a row in a single day.

Emeric, Creative Director

• Thelma & Louise (Movie) directed by Ridley Scott and written by Callie Khouri: A road trip that goes bad for Louise and Thelma. I first saw this movie when I was much younger, and it struck me as one of the best love stories ever. To the point that, when I saw it again much later, I was surprised to realize that they were only presented as “friends”. Still one of the best love stories for me.

• Ruby Sparks (Movie) written by Zoe Kazan and directed by Valerie Faris and Jonathan Dayton: It’s the story of a writer who sees the character of his novel come to life. It’s both very funny and surprising and a nice angle on what happens in a couple when the balance of freedom is broken.
• Maison Ikkoku (manga) by Rumiko Takahashi: I love Maison Ikkoku not so much because of the love story but because it shows the daily life of normal Japanese people. It’s fun, moving, and still very unique even though it’s 40 years old.

• Nagi no asukara (Anime) directed byToshiya Shinohara & written by Mari Okada : Despite its cheesy looks, this anime is quite a surprise if you give it a chance for more than 3-4 episodes. I won’t spoil anything but if you’re into coming of age romcoms with a twist, it’s a good one.
• Marin Eden (book) by Jack London : This book by Jack London is probably the most impactful love story I ever read. A young, poor and illiterate sailor falls in love with an aristocrat and to seduce her he dedicates his life to become successful as a writer. An unmatched love story about obsession.

Audrey, Executive Producer

• Saga (Comic book) by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples: A major inspiration for Haven. The story of a couple from two nations at war, fugitives hunted down by formidable foes, trying to protect their child. Yet on the backdrop of the epic odds they are against, their story is so ordinary and relatable: lassitude in the couple, raising children, getting on with the in-laws, giving birth…
• In The Mood for Love (Movie) by Wong Kar-wai: For the sensuality and the restrained desire that emanate from this impossible love but also for the voluptuousness of the nights of Hong Kong.
• Lost in Translation (Movie) by Sofia Coppola: for everything that doesn’t happen between them, the unspoken words, everything that could have been and never will be.

Marjorie, Game Artist

• Lore Olympus (Webtoon) by Rachel Smythe: I love the cartoonist art style and the story. It’s about the kidnapping of Persephone by Hades but in a revisited and more modern version. It also deals with a lot of difficult subjects like harassment, physical & moral violence, rape.
• Wuthering Heights (Novel) by Emily Brontë: It’s a dark but delicate story and setting. A story of love and revenge in England in the early 1800s.
• Final Fantasy X (Video game) by Square: My favorite game of all time, but also a amazing story of chemistry & love between Tidus & Yuna.

Julien, Programmer

• A Court of Thorns and Roses (Novel) by Sarah J. Maas that tells the tale of a young mortal Feyre Archeron who is abducted into the land of fairies after she accidentally kills one. This is a fantastic love story full of tension.

• Kimi no Na wa (movie) by Makoto Shinkai. What to say? Probably my favorite Japanese animation movie. A cocktail of emotions and surprises that left me with a wonderful memory, and especially a reaction like: “But wait… what? WHAT?!”
• Outlanders (TV Show) based on the novel from Diana Gabaldon: A huge crush. I think I watched the first season in just one week.

Also, one of my passions being music:

• Crépuscule – Coeur de pirate,
• Enfant de – Pierre de Maere
• Margaux, Omar, Marlow – Kyo

Steven, Game Designer

• Banana Fish (Manga) written by Akimi Yoshida : This manga starts off pretty intense: the first volume shows gang wars, murders, corruption, sexual exploitation… It kind of feels like a gritty HBO show. And in the middle of that, these two characters meet. At first, I didn’t think much of it, there was a lot going on anyway. But the more I read, the more I found myself rooting for these two, hoping they would overcome the many obstacles between them and find their way together. It might not be a love story in the strictest sense, but in my book, it’s definitely a great one.
  tldr: Came for the gunfights, stayed to see the relationship between the two main characters unfold.

Mylène, Marketing Specialist

• Malgré tout (Comic book): This story by Jordi Lefebvre is about two lovers who never had the opportunity of living their love. It’s very touching and the narrative structure is very refreshing <3

• This is Us (TV Show) created by Dan Fogelman: This is a story about family but also about love. I really enjoy the couple dynamics which are always trying to get the best of their partners. They feel relatable and a couple goals at the same time, and make us cry a lot!

Here you go for a few recommendations from Haven’s team, we hope you will make some discoveries that will stay with you for a long time.

Hello everyone,

Over the last two years (time flies!), you have been sharing with us your stories playing Haven, how you thought Yu or Kay reminded you of people you knew, how some of you enjoyed playing the game with a partner, and how you were touched by their adventures in the world of Source. We received so much love from this community, so again thank you for all the messages, artworks, or recipes shared. It’s time to give a little back, so let’s have a new community week celebration!

For this new Haven Community Week, we will share some behind-the-scenes details and secrets about the game, new wallpapers, interviews with some of the team members who worked on Haven, a selection of our dev team’s favorite love stories, and more! As a tradition now during our community week, and because many of you are so talented, we are having a Fan art contest on the theme “You love them when they do…”. All the details and the prices to win are available here. We can’t wait to see what this subject inspires you!

Haven is also discounted with the highest discount ever, -60% off on Steam, GOG, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch and 50% off on Xbox so we count on you to spread the word among your friends!

They love each other, but they can’t be together, so they do what anybody would probably have done in this situation: escape to an unknown planet.

This is the story of Haven, a romantic space adventure about two lovers trying to stay together against all odds. Who are these two lovers, you ask? Well, with this Couple Update, the question just got more interesting.

Haven originally let you play as Yu, the hot-headed mechanic and Kay, the cautious biologist. This free update introduces two new characters: Yu, the hot-headed mechanic; and Kay, the cautious biologist. Which means you’ll now be able to play with Yu & Kay, Yu & Kay, or even Yu & Kay.

Still confused? Ok let’s clarify a bit: while Haven originally let you play as a heterosexual couple, you will now be able to play as a same-gender couple.

It could feel like a small change, but Haven being a game about the freedom to love whomever you want, we’re really happy to provide more ways for players to identify with our precious couple.

Whoever you chose to play, the main story won’t change, nor will the personality of the characters. What will change is their design, models, art, animations, quite a few lines, and of course, their voices, since the 80,000 lines of dialog have been entirely re-voiced by our amazing voice actors, Lexie Ann Kendrick (Kay) and Ryan Highley (Yu).

When we first started to work on this update, soon after the release, I was curious, as a writer, about how the original dialogues would translate for these two new couples. Will some of them sound odd? Unnatural? After all, I wrote Kay as a man, and Yu as a woman, didn’t I?

I was pleasantly surprised to realize that, pronouns and minor details aside, almost nothing had to be edited. Overall, the alchemy between the characters remained unaffected.

As if characters weren’t determined by their gender. As if men and women could have the same interests, the same thoughts, the same feelings.

Funny.

We hope you’re as excited as we were to discover or rediscover your favorite couple. Oink, for once, can’t wait to meet his two new moms. Or dads.

Haven Couple Update is available for free on PC, PlayStation 5 & 4,Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch.

Pierre Corbinais

Hello everyone,

Haven is a game about the freedom to love whomever you want, and that’s why we’re particularly happy to bring this free Couple update to all platforms. You can now choose to play the game with the Yu and Kay you prefer: either a woman and a man, two women, or two men. Check the update trailer:

This update will not change the story arc for Haven, and you still play as Yu and Kay, but the game offers more options as to the composition of the couple. Haven can now represent love in a broader way!

This update is special to us. Originally, the concept for Haven featured 8 couples, with a diverse range of relationships. It became clear during production that we wouldn’t be able to reach our initial vision for the full cast of characters, so we focused on the two characters you know well. But right after the game launch, we went back to work on this update to add the alternate couples!

You can read more about the Update in two very exciting blog posts:

• One by our Creative Director Emeric Thoa for Sony Playstation: Read the blog post
• One by Haven’s Writer Pierre Corbinais on Xbox Wire: Read the blog post

We’re very happy to be able to provide the lovers’ story in two new ways that more players can identify with. We’re looking forward to seeing which Yu and Kay you will play, as you enjoy the two lovers’ adventures on planet Source (and catch up with Oink!).

As always, a big thank you for playing our games and your support,
The team at Game Bakers