Event Localization (and how to do it)

[Chairman Baad 2,000]

If you've seen or created an event before, you'd understand the various issues behind the event text. Why can I only see part of the text in the event creator? Why did the description I just wrote get deleted when I added a trigger? Why are all the events in a different language? For many mods, these issues are common in scenarios with events. Luckily, there's a better way to display event text: event localization! Inspired by the system in Hearts of Iron IV, and originally demonstrated in The Reaper's Collection (rest in lack of content and peace) before being used in Norrvägen and The Second Great War, event localization alleviates all of the issues present with the standard way of event writing.

So how do you use event localization?
Event localization is a process that's simple for even a first-time modder.

1. Go into your AoH2 directory, go to game/languages/, and open Bundle.properties. (the English language file for AoH2)
2. Write your event's title, description (if you plan to add one), and outcomes under a tag for each piece of text. Be careful not to use the same tag for more than one event.
   Here's an example with the Turkish defensive pact event from TCBC. In this example, _t corresponds to _title, _d is for _description, and _o1 and _o2 are for _outcome1 and _outcome2 respectively. Replace each tag and description with your own, and make sure to save your changes!

tur_azeripactexp_t = Defensive Pact with Azerbaijan Expiring
tur_azeripactexp_d = Our agreement for mutual security with Azerbaijan is set to expire on the 16th of August. However, we have the option to renew the agreement and extend it until 2030. The only catch: both parties must agree to a renewal. What should we do?
tur_azeripactexp_o1 = Appeal for a renewal.
tur_azeripactexp_o2 = Let it expire.

       3. In the AoH2 event creator, instead of writing your event text like you normally would, write the tags corresponding to the ones you added in
           Bundle.properties.

And that's it! You've just set up an event using event localization! During gameplay, if your event pops up and you see the event tags instead of your text, go into the settings and reselect your game language. This reloads the Bundle files so that your text will appear the next time you see the event.

Now how does this solve the issues with normal event text?
Let's go over that, shall we?

Why can I only see part of the text in the event creator? By writing your event text in Bundle.properties, you are relieving yourself of this issue by using a text editor instead of the event creator. Unlike the event creator which doesn't let you scroll through your text, a text editor will let you see your text in full, allowing for longer descriptions and clear writing.

Why did the description I just wrote get deleted when I added a trigger? It is frustrating to spend a few minutes writing an event description only to lose it upon adding a new trigger. But with event localization, you don't have to spend another few minutes retyping your description from the beginning. The next time you lose your description, you can simply retype the description's tag rather than the description itself, saving you some precious time in the event creator.

Why are all the events in a different language? Ah yes, the classic "events only support one language" issue. This is probably the biggest advantage of using event localization: events can support multiple languages! Let's say that you want your event to support Turkish and English. By writing your English event text in Bundle.properties and your Turkish text in Bundle_tr.properties, players will see the event text in the correct language whether they're playing in English or Turkish. No more confusion or duplicate scenarios for each language!

Now that you know the steps and advantages of using event localization, I hope you consider using it the next time you add events to a mod or scenario!

Edited August 3, 2023 by Chairman Baad