Julie

Hi Altom! Thank you for your reply. Funny enough, I found way less typos in your document than what I would normally find correcting another translator's document. About the first change. I am terribly embarrassed! That change wasn't suppose to go in. You see, a great tool for (french) spell checking is a program called Antidote. It's usually right on the money, except once in a blue moon, it will be wrong. Well, it proposed the change you saw. I first accepted the change (it got noted with Track Changes), but then I changed my mind and ctrl-z the change... Except that ctrl-z doesn't undo Track Changes. So, for that one, you were right. Sorry for the confusion. As for "punks", it does make sense. As I said, those are just my personal opinions. Editing is a lot like two people arguing over which shade of white to pick for a room that people won't care about. I will look over the FM ones asap. I actually cannot wait. I used this one as a trial because the english text was also available, which made it easier.

First of all. I apologize for the long delay. Sure enough, as soon as I posted that I was not busy anymore and would have time to look files over, I got swamped! Second, Altom, your translations are amazing! To see how I would do it (I have never worked with this kind of file before), I used CP's Friday. If you are fine with the way I did things, I will go trough FM as soon as I can.

Hi Altom! You understood perfectly! I will look them over and see what I can do. Although, I'm sure it's perfect already!

Hi Luis, First, I'm sorry for the delay in replying to you. Most translator, like me, tend to work "freelance". Which means that sometimes you get 15 different clients talking to you at once and your free time just becomes... this thing that you think you use to have. But you're not sure. At any rate, it will be my pleasure to check Altom's and trankzen's subtitles and let you know what I find. If you guys have the original files (the ones with the text that is currently used in the videos) it would be easier to check for typos and things like that, if not, I can just go by the actual videos. Let me know Again, you have my deepest apologies for the delay.

I think the subtitle forum (and the subtitle idea in general) is a GREAT idea. As many others, my native language is not English (it's French Canadian), but watching shows that were subtitled to other languages helped a lot back when I was learning English and now that I'm trying to learn a new language (yeah, I'm one of those autodidact weirdos that likes to *learn* stuff when I'm bored ). For what it's worth, I am not that knowledgeable about subtitling, but what I am good at is translation. It actually is my profession (credentials available if required ). While it's not subtitling per say, I would like to offer my services (free of course ) to assure correct translation, spell check, localization or to simply help if any person subtitling or translating has any questions. So, drop me a line here or as a private message.

What is this world coming to?! I personally blame today's edgy TV sows... WTH! It's got me too! Run for your lives!

Speaking of the "Gestures" for sale. This is a pretty good article. http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/columns/experienced-points/8819-Experienced-Points-DLC-for-Dummies

See, I think one of the problem is that as human, we tend to enthropomorphize everything. Valve isn't just one guy in his basement who, after making a few awesome games, decides to stop worrying about quality and just sell shite to fan boy and girls. The creative minds are not the same people as those who handle finances. While I'm sure that working at Valve is an awesome thing on it's own, the game creators still have to answer to the money guys. It's very true that there is a VERY fine line between "selling things" and "selling out", but at the end of the day, money needs to be brought in at some point. I don't think that for a company (who's sole purpose is to make money, let's not kid ourselves) there is in fact a level of "enough money". No CEO is ever going to say "Well... It's been great guys, be made a gagillion quadrillion dollars. We've done it. Let's stop and just give our stuff away, you know... because it's the right thing to do." No it's not. It's the equivalent of saying to your boss "Thank you for the raise, but I don't need it. I make enough to pay my bills and save a little bit. I don't want any more money. That would be greedy". Now, I'm not a TF2 player, but, haven't they been selling HATS in there as well. Is there a difference between a virtual thing you put on your head (and that only others can see, really) and a virtual gesture that your virtual robot makes? The point I'm trying to get at is that I have a lot of trouble understanding why a capitalist decision (i.e. cash shop) is met with animosity, when it's obvious that the people making those decisions are not the ones making the game. They talk to each other, and yes, they influence each other, but I doubt we'll see Bobby Kotick break down Ghost Crawler's office door and request that holy paladins stop being nerfed... Not that I would know anything about that... Not like I play one at all... Not like Arenas are a pain because of it now...

What are you boys talking about? No one uses pink letters. That's just silly!

Why wouldn't they charge for something if the market is there? People are forking over $25 for Word of Warcraft crack pony and other virtual goodies. I'm not surprised at all that others are doing it as well. I agree that a gesture seems a tad minimalist, but when you think about it, there is no difference between a virtual gesture and a virtual mount or virtual hat. Furthermore, why are we still offended that a company establishes a way to make money? It's their primary goal. Yes, it's very nice when the core team understands its medium and treats it with the respect it deserves, but money has to come in at some point. If there is a market, then there is no reason not to offer what it wants. I personally will not buy it because I do not play multiplayers, apart from MMOs, but I will not complain about it. As far as I know, I have received no threat from Valve, saying that I had to buy it. As for those who buy it, good for you. If it makes your gaming experience more enjoyable, then go nuts. As for me, I will thank you for encouraging a company for which I have nothing but love and I hope that this money will fund many, many more projects. Pink letters!

What pink lettering, this is fuchsia. ... ... ... I'll be good

I don't remember exactly when this happens, but doesn't Glados say something about her (Glados) being the only thing standing "between us and them" ("them" potentially being The Combine). Not to mention "When I look outside, I'm really glad I'm not you". And the few slides talking about competition with Black Mesa. Furthermore, HL contains a few mentions of Aperture. I think that's what Gabe may have been referring to. They are both taking place in the same time (kinda) and on the same planet, but that's it. It's not a cross over. Actually, I'm not sure about how I would feel if it was a cross over. Both games, and story lines, are so strong on their own that melting them together would dilute them both, in my opinion.

I am afraid this is something only you can answer. But... dare he? DUN DUN DUN!

That video was beautiful! And them are som' pretty snazy boots!

It was amazing. It answers some questions, but not all of them, and asks new ones. It was touching and poetic, just like Portal was. I loved it...

I finished, for the fifth time, Portal yesterday and I`m just about to sit down and read the comic. I just love the art!

I agree. Some of us are big fans and don't mind trying to solve the riddles. But many people don't have the time or will to do it. As you said, those of us who can't help can warm the benches and cheer the others on. At any rate, it gives more back story to something that truly deserves it.

See, that's something that always got to me about any ARG. I think I'm a fairly smart woman. I went to school and I got street smarts... yo. But, sometimes, in order to decode some of the clues, it feels like you'd have to work at NASA.

I've been following it with interest. If anything, it has made me download Portal again. It's downloading now, maybe there will be slight changes. I'll try to keep an eye out. I did read the article about the emails sent by Newell and some of the conclusions that the community came to, regarding the ARG. If we could only figure out what the deal is with the potatoes!

Oh I agree! It was something very interesting in the game. It was part of the whole quirkiness, but it got grabbed and turned into a meme and quoted in every time of context. I honestly don't understand that at all. It's like, I personally love Catburry's cream eggs, but I wouldn't eat them at every meal.

This joke was 2 years past its expiration date 2 years ago. Not to be a party pooper, but I've never really thought of it as a joke. The whole cake thing kinda ties into the story, or rather, the craziness atmosphere that surrounds Glados. There are so many great lines, or so many other situations and experiences that are as interesting. The reason why the cake is so popular is that it's a nice compact little thing that could almost be funny on it's own... if it had not been so over used. I for one love the line "I think we can put our differences behind us, for science. You monster."

Wow, I had to google that one. Thank you kindly! You just gave me reading material for an hour or two!

Or, it could be a red herring. Portal 2 is coming out soon and, correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that Valve stated that they were not using any publicity firm to advertise that game... Releasing some very strange pictures and getting us talking and making hypothesis is a good way to get people talking about them.

Oh I'm sorry! Here is another place that talked about it. http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/109033-Rumor-Leaked-Concept-Art-Hints-at-New-Valve-IP

You know. The many different kind of people; the pregnant women, the weird costumes, the weird, distorted faces. Maybe they are going for a Mass Effect like game. Something with a lot of NPC interaction or something very character driven. Whatever it is, the weirder, the better. I wouldn't really qualify those pictures as "sick". If we don't allow ourselves to play with games that are outside our zones of comfort, outside what we see as "normal" or "pretty to look at at", we run the risk of having to put up with a situation like we have with movies. How many people have only seen movies with A list actors, simply because they don't take the time to look at other genre, or see movies with people they don't know, or languages they don't speak?