Translate

Each language is one UTF-8 JSON file with LF line endings in languages/, such as en.json or ja.json. Adding a language doesn’t require changing the others.

Add a language

python tools/retromao.py init language --id fr --name Français --author YourName

locale uses BCP 47, such as fr or pt-BR. name is the language’s own name for itself.

Translation rules

• Translate from the sentences in zh-Hans.json and the actual interface. Don’t change the Chinese baseline.
• Preserve keys, numbered placeholders and protected names. Placeholders like %1$s can be reordered, but not added, removed or changed in type.
• Leave unfinished entries as null. Don’t use Chinese as a placeholder or delete them.
• Keep short labels concise for their context, while preserving actions, directions, states and save types.
• If the context isn’t clear, check contracts/message-context.json or ask in your pull request.
• Fill in author and credits. When editing in a fork, keep credit for the original authors and translators.

Validate and preview

python tools/validate_languages.py --write-index
python tools/validate_languages.py
python tools/retromao.py preview languages/fr.json

The preview lets you search source and translated text. Validation rejects duplicate, missing or unknown keys, placeholder errors, incompatible baselines, missing protected names and indexes that don’t match their files.

index.json is generated, so don’t edit it by hand. Don’t change catalog_version or catalog_hash, which identify the Chinese baseline.

Publish

Languages don’t use a ZIP or a Release. Commit the language JSON and generated languages/index.json, then push.

Players who add your repository URL can find the language in Settings → Appearance → Language → Download languages. Only complete languages that match the baseline and pass validation can be installed.