How Larry Laffer spoke in Russian or About the interpreters of the Sierra quests
... Sometime in the mid-nineties, I was in Rostov-on-Don, a small, but still proud and already eight-page newspaper about computer games. In one of the issues there was a great interview with a representative of the once famous team of “Taraley and Zhabokryak” - famous for the fact that almost all the Sierra on-line quests that appeared in the late 80s and early 90s were translated into Russian these people:
Recently, I was asked to scan a newspaper page with an interview, so I thought that maybe it would be interesting for Habra - as part of the history of the Russian game world?
')
Under the cut - scan and text of the interview. The text is unchanged. Added a few hyperlinks (well, then there was no internet ...), for a better understanding of the topic of conversation.
UPD: Sergey Eremenko responded and gave a few comments about :-) Put them after the interview.
(c) Image Game, 1995
Most of our readers probably know the Russified versions of the Sierra On-Line quest - a series with Larry Laffer , Roger Wilco and others. No less well known is the fact that the entire translation and modification of English originals was carried out here, in Rostov, by a group of talented programmers, more familiar under the trademark of “Taralej & Jabocrak Software”. One of the project participants, Emil Markman, recently returned from the United States, where he worked as an informatics teacher and studied the game life of America in parallel. His arrival and served as a pretext for today's interview.
Showroom company "Rainbow". People come and go incessantly, phones ring, computers work. Friday, three in the afternoon.
Emil, for starters a trivial question - how did it all begin?
It all started a long time ago when we were still university students. At that time, we had one university, no one had heard about DGTU, and now, in 1988, no, rather, in 1987 Larry came into our hands, and that one, the first one, CGA'shny ... We played it on Iskra “, You know, but the game was great, and we all quickly became fans of Sierra’s quests.
Then there was a problem - the game is in English, knowledge of the language is required. And since it takes a lot to read on the screen and to make some logical actions based on what you read, knowledge does not require school and not institute. Almost all games use serious American slang.
Naturally, the ideas of Russification and the first attempts to do it. I must honestly say that the idea does not belong to us, but to our, one might say, mentors: Alexander Koptev and Igor Malyshko. Igor, for example, Russified Space Quest I. Looking at this, we had a desire to do something like that, or maybe even better. Competition in the good sense of the word. So there was a trust "Taralej & Jabocrak".
By the way, where does the name come from?
EM: Translated from the Bulgarian - "Hedgehog and the Frog."
Lord, and we just did not think something ...
The initial composition was as follows: Mikhail Kondakov and Sergey Eremenko. For several years, they looked at the Sierra files, the so-called "resources", tried to open them up with what they could - they redid them. Constantly new games from Sierra came, they also had to work with them. The situation changed qualitatively in 1992, when a young man came to us, very young, he was still in school 14, named Leonid Sobolev. With his “enthusiasm” literally everybody was a bit crazy, every day he came: “Everything, guys, it's time to do, let's do this, let's try this!”
We had English as the main sticking point, as Lyonka said: “I have a special school behind my shoulders, I will translate!” And it really went well, for three months of that summer we made Russian Larry I VGA in one breath. Initially, by the way, I was against this particular game, and did not participate. But then the guys called, saying: “Emil, do not make it come true, we need to transfer jokes there, some more ...” So I joined the trust.
Here, too, it is interesting - it was hard for you to pass in English, but after all, to facilitate the process and create the Russian version, it is necessary to go through the original version extremely carefully, or not?
Along and across. Everything that we Russified, was passed more than once or twice, with different variations. That is, of course, we did not need the Russian version. But you imagine how many people in the country do not know English! And you want to play ... In this sense, we can say that we worked for future generations ...
And what about the commercial side of the project?
We put bags of our toys on the shelves of bookstores and managed to sell about 70 copies. Almost all the money went on the purchase of new diskettes and consumables. You know, we have never paid even a single salary yet, we are working on that “enthusiasm”.
But on the other hand, the left copies were distributed throughout the Union - from Khabarovsk to Brest. We put the Hochma in the program there: Larry has to call a woman by phone, so, if you dial a certain number, then the Sierra On-Line technical support service allegedly answers the player in the original. In the Russian version, the phone was ours, Rostov. And the people, after reading it, really went to call, said thanks for the game, “let's say something else.”
The most remembered call?
Once they called, Sergey picked up the phone, listened a little, said: “I don’t understand anything, some military telephonists agree on passwords ...” After a while, a voice breaks out: “Hello, guys, we call from Plesetsk, by special connection ! ”We ask:“ Is it not where the rockets are launched? ”And he happily says:“ Yes, from there, only now we are launching nothing, we are sitting behind your toy and we have this question ... ”
Wow people play!
Of course, Larry made us popular. On his success, we continued to work and the next “victim” was Space Quest 4. We made it for four and a half months, and somewhere in the early spring of 1993 it was finished. By this time, for quite serious and valid reasons, Mikhail Kondakov left us. He began to translate the second "Goblins" from the French and did it very well. And we very carefully, compared to Larry, prepared SQ4.
Yes, to be honest, there were grammatical mistakes in your Larry, and jokes were not always that ...
Well, firstly, we must bear in mind that it was a trial ball. Regarding the jokes, I can explain that we tried to adhere to the original script whenever possible, all the questions for Sierra On-Line. And in Space Quest 4 we tried to lick all the errors. In addition, they prepared a lot of innovations: an installer was written, a customer’s registration card was made, and not only text, but also graphics were altered in the game ...
Well, of course, the famous inscription “Rostselmash” on the fence during the blasters shootout in the intro cartoon! You, apparently, in general, the patriots of Rostov?
Yes, it is. In each of our games, we tried to insert some joke about us and about Rostov. Or, for example, at the end of any Sierra game there are captions. So there are always our names and motto: "From Rostov - with love!"
And then?..
And then came the break. He was associated with the problem of choosing the next game, too many of them appeared. Yes, new types of resources ... In the end, by September 93rd, we did Space Quest 5 and russified everything there! We even have Russian mouse cursors in the game. In the first Larry, remember, you had to say the password when entering the back room of the bar? That was the first attempt, I think, not very successful - “I am from SAE”. That is, “from Sergey Alexandrovich Eremenko.” And in SQ 5 it was where to turn.
Have you really dug up everything?
Yes, except for the sound. Just at this time Sound Blaster hit us, we listened to it and said, “Oh, yes! ..” And how to remake the voices, none of us knew.
Listen, where did you do it?
Most of us at that time worked in high school number five in the computer class. In the first half of the day we taught schoolchildren, and then we drove them out of FIG and engaged in quests. To the detriment of the educational process, this did not happen, otherwise our students would not have won two Republican prizes in computer science.
As far as I understand, Russian Space Quest 5 was originally developed as a commercial product?
Yes, but we are faced with the problem of piracy. Just a few days after the appearance of the program on the shelves - on the radio market, it was being traded in full swing. We wrote defense not against hackers, but against boys. Plus, add a rise in price of floppy disks, therefore, we had to raise the price.
Something after SQ 5 new Russian quests from Rostov is not visible ...
The crisis of the genre has come. Leonid Sobolev went to the United States for a year. We are waiting for him by the end of June. Doing quality things together is no power, time, or opportunity. Now all the pictures in the games are very well done. And we are definitely not artists, we are programmers. To create hack somehow does not pull. Nevertheless, Larry is fully translated into Russian, working with Freddy Pharkas, our students are almost Russified King's Quest VI - Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow.
And what, computer companies do not pay attention to you?
Probably, the first and last organization that took us under its wing was the Raduga company, under which we now exist. Yes, and we also worked a bit with Forte, they even provided their computers for demonstrating our developments at exhibitions in the North Caucasus Scientific Center. And with "Rainbow" there is an opportunity to closely engage in your favorite Sierra quests on good equipment.
Does the Sierra know that you love her so much?
He knows. We always wanted to legalize our activities, understanding that we ourselves do things that are not very fair from a legal point of view. And when the opportunity arose to report about ourselves, we reached Ken Williams himself (editorial note: Williams Ken is the founder and permanent president of Sierra On-Line).
They did not immediately believe in the existence of Russified versions, asked to send copies. We sent files, correspondence ensued, and recently a positive response came to our proposal to open an official Sierra office in the city of Rostov.
Yah!?
Now the issue is almost solved. If to estimate: in Europe there will be Coktel Vision, Dynamix and T & J Software ... At least in the territory of the CIS we are definitely the only ones.
And what does it give to Rostov fans of quests?
We get the legal right to Russify the Sierra programs, we will sell licensed English versions of games, now there are about 30 of them.
It is known that the forbidden fruit is sweet. And then - a license, it will not cool you?
It will calm us. Constantly experiencing a certain guilt complex, pleasant in this little. Another thing is that a large front of work is opening up, enthusiasts are extremely needed, because the Russification of a modern game program is no less than six months of hard labor.
Will source code help you abroad?
While the question remains open.
And what are the immediate plans?
I really want to translate Space Quest I VGA, I believe that it is one of the best quests in general.
And what do you, by the way, think about quests in general?
Quests is a game for adults. The current trend of simplifying the interface (icons, mouse control, cartoon design) is not to my liking. Words and text commands that you need to type in English yourself - this was better.
Well, yes, this is how now the old programmers grumble about the rejection of Windows, or the command line matter ...
Something like that.
But all of America went to the "Windows" ... Damn, they forgot about America! How are things, what are they playing?
I visited five states, simulators everywhere in high esteem. The new X-Wing and its modifications, aircraft simulators ... Breathtaking airjacks and supermouse! All modern games come in two versions, for the PC and for the Mac. A shop selling only gaming software has racks to the ceiling, completely filled with boxes. Every time I went, I also died at the entrance. Everything is designed exceptionally beautiful, although there are very few really cool games, in my opinion.
And the cost?
New game from Sierra - $ 40-50, unsold remnants, for example, King's Quest V - about $ 15.
What are the trends in games, judging by the American impressions?
Definitely going to virtual reality. The time of hand-drawn games has passed - everything is done with the help of video and computer editing, stereo and even quad. One can see the triumph of technical progress, perhaps to the detriment of ideas and subjects. The standard of the gaming computer today is - Pentium-75, 8 megabytes of RAM, 540 megabytes hard disk, CD-drive, fast modem on the 14400, 15-inch monitor. Sound Cards - Sound Blaster exclusively from Creative Labs, other companies in America do not know and do not want to know.
Yeah ... In order not to get upset, let's quickly return to Russia.
Good. Wishing to cooperate with " Taralej & Jabocrak Software ", write down phones in Rostov-on-Don: 67-44-30, 67-41-78. In addition, Moon Rainbow BBS works, where you can download demonstrations of Russian versions, utilities for working with resource files, distributions, etc. Her number is 67-44-30, from 20.00 to 08.00.
Thank you for the informative interview. Are there any wishes for a young and inexperienced newspaper?
Let the newspaper be not only printed, but also readable.
Well, in that case, why don't you publish an article on the Sierra quests in the first issue?
No problems.
Thank.
It's my pleasure!
Goodbye.
Goodbye.
Showroom company "Rainbow". People come and go incessantly, phones ring, computers work. Friday, four in the afternoon.
UPD: Comment from SAE aka Sergey Eremenko:
Thanks for the kind word, read, impressed;)
In my LiveJournal there is a post about games , it seems like everything has been said there and in Lenya's LiveJournal. There was an idea to port on smartphones, but with current copyright (70 years) there is no point, our actions have long been beyond the statute of limitations, and new ones can easily be attracted;) Again, initial capital is needed.
Right, by the way, JaboCrack. Jabocrec was originally, the idea of ​​the name was Kondakov and mine, but then I corrected a bit. The only product with Jabocrec is the target compiler for Astrofort.
These are the cases, citizens :-) I’ve persistently invited Sergey to Habr, he even promised an invite, but he says, while there is no time, he reads only occasionally through external links. Although it seems to me that this would be mutually beneficial communication.
Well, okay, the main thing is that no one is lost. Larry lived, Larry is alive, Larry will live!
Recently, I was asked to scan a newspaper page with an interview, so I thought that maybe it would be interesting for Habra - as part of the history of the Russian game world?
')
Under the cut - scan and text of the interview. The text is unchanged. Added a few hyperlinks (well, then there was no internet ...), for a better understanding of the topic of conversation.
UPD: Sergey Eremenko responded and gave a few comments about :-) Put them after the interview.
“We worked for future generations!” Or Russian Sierra
(c) Image Game, 1995
Most of our readers probably know the Russified versions of the Sierra On-Line quest - a series with Larry Laffer , Roger Wilco and others. No less well known is the fact that the entire translation and modification of English originals was carried out here, in Rostov, by a group of talented programmers, more familiar under the trademark of “Taralej & Jabocrak Software”. One of the project participants, Emil Markman, recently returned from the United States, where he worked as an informatics teacher and studied the game life of America in parallel. His arrival and served as a pretext for today's interview.
Showroom company "Rainbow". People come and go incessantly, phones ring, computers work. Friday, three in the afternoon.
Emil, for starters a trivial question - how did it all begin?
It all started a long time ago when we were still university students. At that time, we had one university, no one had heard about DGTU, and now, in 1988, no, rather, in 1987 Larry came into our hands, and that one, the first one, CGA'shny ... We played it on Iskra “, You know, but the game was great, and we all quickly became fans of Sierra’s quests.
Then there was a problem - the game is in English, knowledge of the language is required. And since it takes a lot to read on the screen and to make some logical actions based on what you read, knowledge does not require school and not institute. Almost all games use serious American slang.
Naturally, the ideas of Russification and the first attempts to do it. I must honestly say that the idea does not belong to us, but to our, one might say, mentors: Alexander Koptev and Igor Malyshko. Igor, for example, Russified Space Quest I. Looking at this, we had a desire to do something like that, or maybe even better. Competition in the good sense of the word. So there was a trust "Taralej & Jabocrak".
By the way, where does the name come from?
EM: Translated from the Bulgarian - "Hedgehog and the Frog."
Lord, and we just did not think something ...
The initial composition was as follows: Mikhail Kondakov and Sergey Eremenko. For several years, they looked at the Sierra files, the so-called "resources", tried to open them up with what they could - they redid them. Constantly new games from Sierra came, they also had to work with them. The situation changed qualitatively in 1992, when a young man came to us, very young, he was still in school 14, named Leonid Sobolev. With his “enthusiasm” literally everybody was a bit crazy, every day he came: “Everything, guys, it's time to do, let's do this, let's try this!”
We had English as the main sticking point, as Lyonka said: “I have a special school behind my shoulders, I will translate!” And it really went well, for three months of that summer we made Russian Larry I VGA in one breath. Initially, by the way, I was against this particular game, and did not participate. But then the guys called, saying: “Emil, do not make it come true, we need to transfer jokes there, some more ...” So I joined the trust.
Here, too, it is interesting - it was hard for you to pass in English, but after all, to facilitate the process and create the Russian version, it is necessary to go through the original version extremely carefully, or not?
Along and across. Everything that we Russified, was passed more than once or twice, with different variations. That is, of course, we did not need the Russian version. But you imagine how many people in the country do not know English! And you want to play ... In this sense, we can say that we worked for future generations ...
And what about the commercial side of the project?
We put bags of our toys on the shelves of bookstores and managed to sell about 70 copies. Almost all the money went on the purchase of new diskettes and consumables. You know, we have never paid even a single salary yet, we are working on that “enthusiasm”.
But on the other hand, the left copies were distributed throughout the Union - from Khabarovsk to Brest. We put the Hochma in the program there: Larry has to call a woman by phone, so, if you dial a certain number, then the Sierra On-Line technical support service allegedly answers the player in the original. In the Russian version, the phone was ours, Rostov. And the people, after reading it, really went to call, said thanks for the game, “let's say something else.”
The most remembered call?
Once they called, Sergey picked up the phone, listened a little, said: “I don’t understand anything, some military telephonists agree on passwords ...” After a while, a voice breaks out: “Hello, guys, we call from Plesetsk, by special connection ! ”We ask:“ Is it not where the rockets are launched? ”And he happily says:“ Yes, from there, only now we are launching nothing, we are sitting behind your toy and we have this question ... ”
Wow people play!
Of course, Larry made us popular. On his success, we continued to work and the next “victim” was Space Quest 4. We made it for four and a half months, and somewhere in the early spring of 1993 it was finished. By this time, for quite serious and valid reasons, Mikhail Kondakov left us. He began to translate the second "Goblins" from the French and did it very well. And we very carefully, compared to Larry, prepared SQ4.
Yes, to be honest, there were grammatical mistakes in your Larry, and jokes were not always that ...
Well, firstly, we must bear in mind that it was a trial ball. Regarding the jokes, I can explain that we tried to adhere to the original script whenever possible, all the questions for Sierra On-Line. And in Space Quest 4 we tried to lick all the errors. In addition, they prepared a lot of innovations: an installer was written, a customer’s registration card was made, and not only text, but also graphics were altered in the game ...
Well, of course, the famous inscription “Rostselmash” on the fence during the blasters shootout in the intro cartoon! You, apparently, in general, the patriots of Rostov?
Yes, it is. In each of our games, we tried to insert some joke about us and about Rostov. Or, for example, at the end of any Sierra game there are captions. So there are always our names and motto: "From Rostov - with love!"
And then?..
And then came the break. He was associated with the problem of choosing the next game, too many of them appeared. Yes, new types of resources ... In the end, by September 93rd, we did Space Quest 5 and russified everything there! We even have Russian mouse cursors in the game. In the first Larry, remember, you had to say the password when entering the back room of the bar? That was the first attempt, I think, not very successful - “I am from SAE”. That is, “from Sergey Alexandrovich Eremenko.” And in SQ 5 it was where to turn.
Have you really dug up everything?
Yes, except for the sound. Just at this time Sound Blaster hit us, we listened to it and said, “Oh, yes! ..” And how to remake the voices, none of us knew.
Listen, where did you do it?
Most of us at that time worked in high school number five in the computer class. In the first half of the day we taught schoolchildren, and then we drove them out of FIG and engaged in quests. To the detriment of the educational process, this did not happen, otherwise our students would not have won two Republican prizes in computer science.
As far as I understand, Russian Space Quest 5 was originally developed as a commercial product?
Yes, but we are faced with the problem of piracy. Just a few days after the appearance of the program on the shelves - on the radio market, it was being traded in full swing. We wrote defense not against hackers, but against boys. Plus, add a rise in price of floppy disks, therefore, we had to raise the price.
Something after SQ 5 new Russian quests from Rostov is not visible ...
The crisis of the genre has come. Leonid Sobolev went to the United States for a year. We are waiting for him by the end of June. Doing quality things together is no power, time, or opportunity. Now all the pictures in the games are very well done. And we are definitely not artists, we are programmers. To create hack somehow does not pull. Nevertheless, Larry is fully translated into Russian, working with Freddy Pharkas, our students are almost Russified King's Quest VI - Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow.
And what, computer companies do not pay attention to you?
Probably, the first and last organization that took us under its wing was the Raduga company, under which we now exist. Yes, and we also worked a bit with Forte, they even provided their computers for demonstrating our developments at exhibitions in the North Caucasus Scientific Center. And with "Rainbow" there is an opportunity to closely engage in your favorite Sierra quests on good equipment.
Does the Sierra know that you love her so much?
He knows. We always wanted to legalize our activities, understanding that we ourselves do things that are not very fair from a legal point of view. And when the opportunity arose to report about ourselves, we reached Ken Williams himself (editorial note: Williams Ken is the founder and permanent president of Sierra On-Line).
They did not immediately believe in the existence of Russified versions, asked to send copies. We sent files, correspondence ensued, and recently a positive response came to our proposal to open an official Sierra office in the city of Rostov.
Yah!?
Now the issue is almost solved. If to estimate: in Europe there will be Coktel Vision, Dynamix and T & J Software ... At least in the territory of the CIS we are definitely the only ones.
And what does it give to Rostov fans of quests?
We get the legal right to Russify the Sierra programs, we will sell licensed English versions of games, now there are about 30 of them.
It is known that the forbidden fruit is sweet. And then - a license, it will not cool you?
It will calm us. Constantly experiencing a certain guilt complex, pleasant in this little. Another thing is that a large front of work is opening up, enthusiasts are extremely needed, because the Russification of a modern game program is no less than six months of hard labor.
Will source code help you abroad?
While the question remains open.
And what are the immediate plans?
I really want to translate Space Quest I VGA, I believe that it is one of the best quests in general.
And what do you, by the way, think about quests in general?
Quests is a game for adults. The current trend of simplifying the interface (icons, mouse control, cartoon design) is not to my liking. Words and text commands that you need to type in English yourself - this was better.
Well, yes, this is how now the old programmers grumble about the rejection of Windows, or the command line matter ...
Something like that.
But all of America went to the "Windows" ... Damn, they forgot about America! How are things, what are they playing?
I visited five states, simulators everywhere in high esteem. The new X-Wing and its modifications, aircraft simulators ... Breathtaking airjacks and supermouse! All modern games come in two versions, for the PC and for the Mac. A shop selling only gaming software has racks to the ceiling, completely filled with boxes. Every time I went, I also died at the entrance. Everything is designed exceptionally beautiful, although there are very few really cool games, in my opinion.
And the cost?
New game from Sierra - $ 40-50, unsold remnants, for example, King's Quest V - about $ 15.
What are the trends in games, judging by the American impressions?
Definitely going to virtual reality. The time of hand-drawn games has passed - everything is done with the help of video and computer editing, stereo and even quad. One can see the triumph of technical progress, perhaps to the detriment of ideas and subjects. The standard of the gaming computer today is - Pentium-75, 8 megabytes of RAM, 540 megabytes hard disk, CD-drive, fast modem on the 14400, 15-inch monitor. Sound Cards - Sound Blaster exclusively from Creative Labs, other companies in America do not know and do not want to know.
Yeah ... In order not to get upset, let's quickly return to Russia.
Good. Wishing to cooperate with " Taralej & Jabocrak Software ", write down phones in Rostov-on-Don: 67-44-30, 67-41-78. In addition, Moon Rainbow BBS works, where you can download demonstrations of Russian versions, utilities for working with resource files, distributions, etc. Her number is 67-44-30, from 20.00 to 08.00.
Thank you for the informative interview. Are there any wishes for a young and inexperienced newspaper?
Let the newspaper be not only printed, but also readable.
Well, in that case, why don't you publish an article on the Sierra quests in the first issue?
No problems.
Thank.
It's my pleasure!
Goodbye.
Goodbye.
Showroom company "Rainbow". People come and go incessantly, phones ring, computers work. Friday, four in the afternoon.
UPD: Comment from SAE aka Sergey Eremenko:
Thanks for the kind word, read, impressed;)
In my LiveJournal there is a post about games , it seems like everything has been said there and in Lenya's LiveJournal. There was an idea to port on smartphones, but with current copyright (70 years) there is no point, our actions have long been beyond the statute of limitations, and new ones can easily be attracted;) Again, initial capital is needed.
Right, by the way, JaboCrack. Jabocrec was originally, the idea of ​​the name was Kondakov and mine, but then I corrected a bit. The only product with Jabocrec is the target compiler for Astrofort.
These are the cases, citizens :-) I’ve persistently invited Sergey to Habr, he even promised an invite, but he says, while there is no time, he reads only occasionally through external links. Although it seems to me that this would be mutually beneficial communication.
Well, okay, the main thing is that no one is lost. Larry lived, Larry is alive, Larry will live!
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/151638/
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