How VN Translator works

VN Translator is designed to keep game data valid while translating only the parts that should be translated.

The high-level pipeline

1. Load a source file in the browser (.rpy, .json, .txt, …)
2. Extract translatable strings (dialogue, UI text, etc.)
3. Protect placeholders (tags, variables, control codes)
4. Send batches of text to a translation backend (DeepSeek / OpenAI / DeepL / Lingva)
5. Validate and merge translations back into the original structure
6. Open Preview & Editor for QA
7. Export translated files back to your machine

What gets “protected”

Different engines have different rules. VN Translator tries to keep these unchanged:

Ren’Py

• text tags: {i}, {b}, {color=#fff}, {size=+10}, …
• tag pairs must remain balanced: {i}...{/i}
• interpolation / variables: [player_name]
• escape sequences: \n, \", …

RPG Maker MV/MZ

• control codes: \V[1], \N[3], \C[2], \I[10], \G, …
• literal backslashes and JSON escapes
• line breaks and spacing that affect message windows

Local storage & stability

VN Translator stores session data locally in your browser to enable:

• resuming translation
• preview/editor sync
• safer recovery after refresh/crash
• better performance than localStorage for larger datasets

Most tools use IndexedDB (browser database).
To reset everything: clear the site’s storage in your browser settings.

See: Privacy & security

What leaves your device

• Your raw file is processed in the browser.
• Text segments are sent to the translation provider when you translate.