Perhaps someone who has dabbled in fallout 3/nv can answer this, but I noticed that fallout 4 full interface/subtitles/audio for various languages.

So, my question is this, when you are playing the Russian(or french, or etc) version of the game, is a stop sign in English?

I just got to toying with the idea, of trying to grab assets from all the different localization's, and porting them into the English version. That way, I could have a settlement, that every last person speaks Russian (for example). It'd take at least a little work, as you would have to rename the assets probably, so they don't overwrite your native language... but it could be neat to run into a person speaking another language. (And since its likely different voice actors, and language signs, you have about 4x the voices to work with.)

Well yes mostly. Mod Authors will primarily make mods In English, but if a mod is popular or requested enough it can be translated into another language. Eventually there will be translations so don't worry too much about that.

Not exactly what I had in mind. I am looking at the steamfront sales page, and it lists the translations it has available. For example Russian being one of them. I am wondering, how far do the translations go? If you came across a stop sign, would it be an English or Cyrillic? I am hoping its in Cyrillic so I or other modders could take that version, rename it (so it doesn't replace the English sign), and port it into our game.

Think of it this way, a modder, with very little effort, could set up a unique world space, and say its set in Russia/France/Germany/etc. Bandits, would already have the correct language, signs would be in Cyrillic or whatever language you pick.. all the modding effort is basically done for you, by Beth.

Edit: Admittedly trying to re-use named npcs would be sort of nutty, but for raiders and various other bad guys, how many ways do they need to curse? So it would primarily be used as a starter kit to jump start new world areas.

Things might be different this time around, but I believe that any given install of the game will only have the localisation for that region. So you'd have to buy at least two versions of the game to get two sets of voice files. I'm not even sure if (buying over Steam) it would let you do that.

Could be tricky.

I sort of figured you would have to install the game multiple times, to get the translation files, but once that work is done.. its all gravy. Come up with some sort of easy naming scheme.. Like attaching an R at the name for Russian localization names... basically trying think of a framework modders could then use with ease.

Of course this is all theory, never tried any of it. I just think it'd potentially be a really neat asset.

edit: Instead of entire settlements with just certain languages, imagine if someone modded in say, a shop/restaurant/etc. The Chef speaks french, some of the other patrons speak Spanish/Russian.. I honestly don't think I have ever seen a game with that sort of atmosphere. And it opens up other options, do you simply translate via sub-titles? Or do you make the person guess at whats being said? Or do you add in some sort of INT check?

There may be legal issues - you'd have to ask Bethesda about that. I have no idea, but it's conceivable that the publisher which actually does the localisation owns rights to the localised assets, and it might only be permissible to use them in the same region.

Just trying to think of hurdles which it would be worth investigating to assure yourself the project was actually do-able, rather than waste time (and maybe money) to find it isn't.

Why would a stop sign in Boston, MA (USA) EVER be in Cyrillic?

Would an English stop sign in Moscow make much sense to you?

Well, if you bothered to read the opening post you would understand. If your a Russian player, and your playing the translated version.. I wanted to know what the sign looks like. Why? As I explained in the opening post, for unique world places.

For example, if you were to create a Russian town, you would have all the assets needed to populate it. Russian speakers, Russian signs. However, if Beth didn't translate signs in those localized versions, that idea goes out the window. Does that clarify things for you?

Yeah I was thinking about the legal issues, but it seems like it'd be possible. I am fairly sure if you pick one localization, it wouldn't lock you out of the others for redownloading (just guessing). And even if they did, I think of all those re-texture packs on nexus. One would think that'd have been locked down, as I am sure some folks used them outside of whatever localization they picked, and I am fairly certain they started off with the base textures the game provided.

With Steam you can easily change the language in the game settings and Steam will download the new language (at least this was the case with Skyrim). It will override the old language, so you have to create a backup. Legalwise there shouldn't be any problem as Bethesda usually let us use all their assets for modding without saying "but this language you are not allowed to use in you mod".

As far as I know Bethesda never bothered to localise their textures, so it will very likely be in English.