English and German dialogue improvements - we show you the difference!

[Brysiu]

As you probably know, the changes introduced in The Witcher: Enhanced Edition include more than 5000 dialogue lines re-written and re-recorded in the English version of the game, with German dialogues created from scratch (22,000+ dialogue lines re-written and re-recorded!). Of course that's just a bunch of numbers, which is why we've decided to show off some examples - check out some texts and videos with conversations from both the English and German versions, and compare the premiere edition of the game with The Witcher: Enhanced Editon. Click on more and have fun!

ENGLISH:

Dialogue 1 (Conversation between Geralt and the Rich Merchant - Act3) -

Old:
-    Why are you here?!
-    None of your business!
-    Do you know who I am?!
-    I don't. But I do know lots of ways to kill a man.

New:
-    Why are you here?!
-    This is none of your business. Get lost.
-    How dare you?! Do you know who I am?!
-    I don't, but I do know this cut that leaves the victim with one ear, one cheek and half a jaw. People survive it, but playing the flute is just one of the things they can't do.

The old threat was just cliche. Though perhaps uncharacteristically verbose for Geralt, the initially intended threat is far more original. Call it a rare verbal flourish for our hero…

Dialogue 2 (Conversation between the Dwarf Smith and Geralt - Act1)

Old:
-    Why do locals persecute nonhumans?
-    Humans have always hated dwarves and elves.

New:
-    Why do the locals persecute nonhumans?
-    Why do pricks go in cunts? It's the natural order of things. Humans have always hated dwarves and elves. Not for me to know why.

In the world created by Andrzej Sapkowski dwarves curse like there’s no tomorrow. Much of their ‘strong’ language disappeared in the editing process. We decided to restore it.

Dialogue 3 (Conversation between Berengar and Geralt. - Act4)

Old:
-    That so?
-    I have the distinct feeling you're not telling me everything...
-    How perceptive. One more thing. Salamandra sent me to find Alvin. He's important to them. I have no intention of following orders. After I earn some orens, I'll leave for good...

New:
-    Yes?
-    I have the distinct feeling you're not telling me everything...
-    How perceptive. There is one more thing. Salamandra wants Alvin. I don't know why, but he's important to them. They sent me here to find him, but I have no intention to. I just want to earn some orens and leave, for good…

There were several instances where recurring greetings were awkward because the lines themselves were treated only as if they followed from the initial conversations with characters in a given chapter. ‘That so?’ is one such instance. Berengar’s was also one of the voices we decided to replace in its entirety as the original voice seemed forced.


GERMAN:

Dialogue 1 (Conversation between Geralt and Elf - Act 2)

Old:
- Seid gegrüßt. Ich spreche die Alte Rede nicht.
-Schade, Weißer Wolf. Ich stelle mir Eure Sprache im Vergleich zu einem eleganten Idiom wie unserem gern als Steinaxt vor.
- Würdet Ihr sie mir beibringen?
- Ein jugendlicher Verstand kann unsere Sprache in wenigen Jahren meistern, aber um Palästren zu formen ...

New:
- Seid gegrüßt. Leider beherrsche ich die Alte Rede nicht.
- Schade, Weißer Wolf. Eure Sprache ist wie eine Steinaxt, unsere wie das elegante Schwert der Viroledan, es liegt gut in der Hand, egal welche Technik man auch ausführt …
- Würdet Ihr sie mir beibringen?
- Lernen braucht Zeit. Ein jugendlicher Verstand kann unsere Sprache in wenigen Jahren meistern, aber um Palästren zu formen ...

Dialogue is more colorful.

Dialogue 2 (Conversation between Geralt and Vesna – Act 1)

Old:
-    Endlich. Dieser Ort ist so gruselig ... Habt Ihr Wein mitgebracht?
-    Hab ich vergessen.
-    Ihr empfindet keinerlei Respekt für mich! Ich fürchte mich vor den Gespenstern da drinnen!

New:
-    Endlich. Ich dachte schon, Ihr kämt nicht mehr. Dieser Ort ist so gruselig ... Habt Ihr den Wein mitgebracht?
-    Hab ich vergessen.
-    Was bin ich für Euch? Ihr habt den Wein vergessen? Ihr empfindet keinerlei Respekt für mich! Ich fürchte mich vor den Gespenstern da drinnen!

Vesna’s reaction is now much more emotional, it is much easier to notice anger and disappointment in her response.

Dialogue 3 (Conversation between Geralt and White Lady - Act 5)

 Old:
- Ja, die dortigen Adligen reagierten ungnädig auf Eure Vettern ...
- So ist es. Hoffentlich kehren sie sicher nach Hause zurück.
- Lebt wohl.
 
New:
- Eure gelangweilten Vettern wurden Opfer der hiesigen Adeligen, die Intrigen und dunkle Machenschaften schon mit der Muttermilch eingesaugt haben ...
- Exactement. Hoffentlich kehren sie sicher nach Hause zurück.
- Lebt wohl.

Dialogue lines are clearly much longer. Characters are no longer using one-liners, dialogue is much more interesting.

[Master_ Of_ Darkness]

The new Voice Overs from Geralt is Great but The Voice Actor speak The Dialoglines a Very Slowly

[RandyMyers]

But the English dialogue is not in the NA version, correct?  This is only in the Eurpean version.  Am I correct or not?  Can people in the US get the full, uncencosed version.  Will you offer it to us in a download, free or for a fee?  As an American fan and game purchaser I feel the censored version has really not allowed me to experience the full game.

[ignoramus]

What? Improvements??? The "new" german voice sucks! It is not possible to keep the old voice? Please pimp the game without changeing the voices...
auf gut deutsch: Die alten Stimmen gefallen mir besser. Keine Spur von Verbesserung, eher wohl wieder eine Verschlimmbesserung. Hätte man nicht die "alten" Sprecher nehmen können. Ich finde die neue Stimme passt nicht zum Witcher....oh man, schon wieder ein gutes Spiel kaputt gepatched...

[Jorje]

CDP said EE has the same dialogues and voice covers all over the world... I didn't play much and i already heard ehhm... "sh*t", did original version have that?

[Petra Silie]

Sooo schlimm find ich die neue Stimme von Geralt nicht 
I don't think Geralt's new voice is that much horrible. At any rate the new dialogues are improved. Old one were somehow stilted phraseologie. Now it's more lively but still suitable for that century. 

[Hamon]

Judging the clips,  I still think the german voiceovers lack emotion and color, even if there is a slight improvement. Now I'm curious if there is a 1 on 1 translation of "pricks, cunts" etc in german, haha. Usually they're stuck up their arses in that term
But I prefer english over german anyway. Mentioning that: the english dialog sounds much better now compared to the old version (from a non native speaker point of view).

[mothra]

I agree. especially the elf sounds much better now. I'm gonna play it on polish anyways

[Sparrowhawk]

I like it.  Geralt's voice is still similar but a bit more nuanced.  I especially like Berengar's new voice.  The new voice sounds much less petulant.  The old Berengar sounded really pissed-off and whiny all the time.  The new one is a little more respectable I think.  Still a tad hostile, but more professional-sounding.  A+ so far, can't wait to try it!

[Hexenmeister Raven]

Well, I just posted it in the german tavern:

Geralt's old german voice - horrible
Geralt's new german voice - horrible too.

Seems that all german speakers are only reading their dialog lines without emotions and without anything. But it's the same in movies, I think, we haven't talented speakers at all.
Maybe the next patch contains the voives from the fans here. 

I for myself leave the english installation, if I don't understand something, then I can show the german subtitles. Thanks, that this is possible with the EE now. 

[Sparrowhawk]

Well, I just posted it in the german tavern:

Geralt's old german voice - horrible
Geralt's new german voice - horrible too.

Seems that all german speakers are only reading their dialog lines without emotions and without anything. But it's the same in movies, I think, we haven't talented speakers at all.
Maybe the next patch contains the voives from the fans here. 

I for myself leave the english installation, if I don't understand something, then I can show the german subtitles. Thanks, that this is possible with the EE now. 

The first German actor sounds a bit like this:

http://pl.youtube.com/watch?v=VD7_7SXsHU8

A goofball, basically.

The second one is a bit better...a bit deeper, but he sort of sounds like a child molester.  Too bad!  Maybe you Germans are all just nerds....joking joking :-)

[Hexenmeister Raven]

@ Sparrowhawk

The second one is a bit better...a bit deeper, but he sort of sounds like a child molester.  Too bad!  Maybe you Germans are all just nerds

Sure, we are... 
I think they don't get enough payment for those speaking roles, so they sound just like the lots of money they get. 

I can only hope, that the subtitles are correct, but... who knows.  Reminds me of that movie: Rocky Horror Picture Show, it was the english original, but the subtitles that the german translators placed there, made this thing horrible.
So, I hope, the Witcher subtitles are translated correctly, else.... my dictionary is my best friend. 

[Sparrowhawk]

@ Sparrowhawk

The second one is a bit better...a bit deeper, but he sort of sounds like a child molester.  Too bad!  Maybe you Germans are all just nerds

Sure, we are... 
I think they don't get enough payment for those speaking roles, so they sound just like the lots of money they get. 

I can only hope, that the subtitles are correct, but... who knows.  Reminds me of that movie: Rocky Horror Picture Show, it was the english original, but the subtitles that the german translators placed there, made this thing horrible.
So, I hope, the Witcher subtitles are translated correctly, else.... my dictionary is my best friend. 

Yeah...a good translation is really hard to find.  I'm from the US and study Spanish, so I watch movies from Spain with English subtitles and they change a LOT, some of it stuff they don't even need to change.  So hard to capture the original intent and all the nuances when translating though....good luck!

[lovely_psycho]

A-ha, you guys rock, thanks for the clips The differences in dialog is something I've been dying to see

I like what's happening with the English version. Geralt should get verbose more often, that line with the rich merchant is gold Although I must admit, one of my favourite lines is Geralt's classic, drawled, "riiiight" - short, sharp, straight to the point, and just a touch of scorn Always nice to hear from Geralt, though, so a few more words don't go astray The voice of the actor is divine And it's nice to have some of the more stilted conversations flow a bit better

I haven't played the original German version, but going by the clips, it sounds as though Geralt has had a laid-back transplant for the new version Maybe I've been spoiled by the style of the voice acting in the English version, but I think it gives Geralt this aura of cool when he's not in a hurry to say something It seems as though the conversation flows a bit better, but yeah, I'm not fluent in German so I can't say that for sure

Loving it Can't wait to get my hands on the new version. I've even arranged a day off work just so I can play the new version when I get it

edit: oh dear, smiley overload!

[Hexenmeister Raven]

Just one word from me, before I go to bed:

Brysiu posted:

New:
-    Why do the locals persecute nonhumans?
-    Why do pricks go in cunts? It's the natural order of things. Humans have always hated dwarves and elves. Not for me to know why.

In the world created by Andrzej Sapkowski dwarves curse like there’s no tomorrow. Much of their ‘strong’ language disappeared in the editing process. We decided to restore it.

I'm sure, that the word "Prick" (or similiar words) will not be translated correctly into german, but I still have the hope it will be.... 
Good night.