Filetype:Translation Table

To do: - Document the filetype itself instead of just the parts that make it up. - Document how LAMS Keys are generated from Translation Tags - Record some footage or show screenshots of the Tweak Menu bug in action.

Overview

The Translation Table filetype .trans is a special file used for the game's language strings.

Subsections

Translation Tags

Translation Tags are unique string identifiers used for the game's languages. A Translation Tag can have a string associated with it in multiple languages, while keeping the tag the same across regions. This was helpful for the developers to tell what string is meant to be loaded for a given language without needing to understand the language.

Some examples of Translation Tags and their associated strings are below.

Tag - AZTEC_STONE_CARVED_NAME
English - Aztec Stone
Spanish - Piedra azteca

Tag - AZTEC_STONE_CARVED_DESC
English - Heavy material from the Canyons theme.
Spanish - Material pesado del tema Cañones.

Tag - POPIT_PAGE_PLAYER_COLOUR
English - Player Colour
American - Player Color
Spanish - Color del jugador

Title Tags

Some special tags are in use for items with names and descriptions; the main translation tag will be appended to with _NAME and _DESC for level titles, music titles, and item titles present in Plan files.

The default _NAME and _DESC tags are loaded when an asset does not have an associated tag loaded; this can result in the title "Blank Level Background" being loaded instead of the intended tag if something interrupts the translation process.

Below are the default translations for _NAME and _DESC.

_NAME
Blank Level Background

_DESC
An empty level background.

Message Tags

Any Magic Mouths and Notes in a story level will have their translation tags autogenerated; the tag will take the internal title of the level, and append the Thing UID of the object that the message is from, along with the type of object the message is from. Some examples are below.

Format:
<Level Title> + <Thing UID> + <Message Type>
LEVEL_12345_SPEECH

Speech Bubble Examples:
AFRICA_MAIN_CROCS_16979_SPEECH
USA_NEWYORK_MAIN_KING_KONG_16221_SPEECH
MARVEL_ISSUE_1_317124_SPEECH

Note Examples:
MAIN_01_ROOKIE_TEST_164442_NOTE
MAIN_02_BATTLE_OF_CLAY_VALLEY_5769_NOTE
MAIN_01_BASIC_PILOT_TRAINING_1541381_NOTE

When a Message Tag is not present in the Translation Table, the object using the key will instead output the string MISSING_KEY: followed by the translation tag used for the object.

LAMS Keys

LAMS Keys are translated Translation Tags, generated using a special hashing function. Plan files were updated to use them in place of Translation Tags in an update for the original LittleBigPlanet; however, none of the other formats that use Translation Tags (Music Settings, Slot List, Sound Object Settings) were updated to use them.

An example of a LAMS Key and its associated strings are below.

Tag - DLC_PACK_CROWN_NAME
Key - 3924943189
Translation - Crown Costume

Keys Translation Table

Many builds of the LittleBigPlanet games that are not retail builds will have a special Translation Table called keys.trans. This translation table is unique in that it uses the original Translation Tags in place of the normal strings for a language. These files are useful for finding out what Translation Tag is associated with a specific LAMS Key, since the hashing function for LAMS Keys is one-way only (You can only find the Key from the Tag, not the Tag from the Key).

Early Translation Table Format

While the final Translation Table format is a list of LAMS Keys followed by their respective strings, the early Translation Table format is in raw text. This format is a list of Translation Tags followed by their strings. It was switched out for the modern format sometime after June 2008, meaning all early builds of the original LittleBigPlanet use this early format. This is something to keep in mind when looking for translation data from that time, as it will all be in raw text.

Oddities

Create Mode Command Requests

Occasionally when in Create Mode multiplayer, if a user that is not the host is spamming any of the command requests (Undo, Unpause, Redo) while the host is undoing or redoing, the raw Translation Tag will appear due to the translation function being interrupted. The most common one to appear is the undo Translation Tag, TC_REQUEST_UNDO.

Tweak Menus

In the tweak menus of certain gadgets such as the Microchip and Sequencer among others, you can input a name for the gadget to appear when you tweak it or hover over it. If a Translation Tag is input instead of normal text, it will automatically translate the tag and output it as the name of the gadget instead. This can cause some issues for some commonly used names, but generally has no affect on user input. If the gadget is saved in this format, instead of having the name appear as the saved name it will instead save the Translation Tag used.