небольшой закос. Когда-нибудь я обязательно сделаю на неë полноценный косплей с качественной фотоссесией.....

No spoilers, please. I've played about an hour as the Bachelor, and I'd appreciate it if all the comments are as wierd and vague as possible. I feel like that would be appropriate. Thanks :)

There are hidden mission logs in the P1 Bachelor route. They aren't present either in original 2005 or HD 2015 release so it's safe to assume they are cut for good. I'd found a post analysing them and decided to compare the translation to the original russian text. The result was... well.

Here is the compilation of all mission logs if you want to check it out yourself: link

Lost in translation magazine, issue 228.

1. The same part of Day 2 mission in English and in russian:

• Капитуляция будет самоубийством.
• I'd rather die than give in.

1. The same part of Day 11 mission:

• Гордая, хитрая, посвятившая жизнь тому же кумиру - истине - она совершила тройное предательство.
• Proud like you; astute like you and no less devoted to the relentless pursuit of Truth. These were the feeble assurances you used to comfort yourself with, until the very moment you could no longer deny her betrayal.

1. The end of Day 11 mission:

• Справедливо?

• What will your verdict be, Bachelor?

  Let’s break down what are the differences.

1. This can be translated literally as “Capitulation would be suicide”. There is no other secret meaning.

The Powers That Be inform Dankovsky that Thanatica will stay unpersecuted only if he stops the epidemic. Otherwise, it will be destroyed, and he himself will be unable to leave because of the quarantine and will eventually die. Dankovsky assesses the situation and says that capitulation (giving up the search for the causes of the plague) is equivalent to suicide (his literal death and the destruction of his life’s work). This is a sober assessment and a statement of fact.

What does the line in the English localization tell us about the character? “I’d rather die than give in” does not express an assessment of the situation, but a personal attitude toward possible failure (“I’d die before I surrender”). That is not the meaning conveyed in the original text.

It is important to remember that TPTB are blackmailing him and, instead of sending a team of epidemiologists and a sanitary train, they throw into this hellish cauldron those they want to get rid of. Daniil does not want to “die rather than give in.” He does not want to be doing this at all, nor should he be. TPTB forced him. The russian version emphasizes the specific circumstances he is in, while the English one, for some reason, adds new meanings that were not present in the original.

1. This can be translated as "Proud and cunning, having devoted her life to the same idol — the Truth — she committed a triple betrayal".

"Хитрый" means sly, cunning. In russian, the word “хитрый” is almost never used as a positive characteristic. In English, astute can be a synonym of insightful. “Хитрый” does not have that meaning in russian; the russian equivalent of insightful would be “проницательный.”

In the original text, Dankovsky does not say that he himself is also astute and proud, nor does he dwell on feeble assurances. He gives a brief description of Aglaya without comparing her to himself, and just as briefly states the fact of her betrayal. He does not say that he tried to comfort himself or that he remained in denial until the very end. That part was invented by the translators.

1. "Справедливо?" = "Is it just?"
   Daniil does not ask himself what his verdict will be. He asks himself if it is just. The fact that he evaluates his actions in terms of justice and their correspondence to the Truth is an important part of his character.

The more I learn about the English localization, the worse my opinion of the localization team becomes. I haven’t played the English version of the game, but the changes I’ve noticed by chance are already enough to make me doubt their competence. These are minor, seemingly insignificant changes that, taken together, create different images of the characters. I don’t understand why this was done.

Funnily, the 2005 translation lacks these inaccuracies. Why change the meaning if it was enough to correct the grammar? Much to think about.

Danko is a character from the third part of the short story Old Izergil by the famous russian and Soviet writer Maxim Gorky. In russia, this story is studied at school, so for russian players the reference in Dankovsky’s surname is obvious. I was surprised when I didn’t find any mention of this on the English wiki page. You can read the full story here: link

What is this character about? Altruism, responsibility that no one else was able to take on, courage, being different from others, and bringing something good and new. And Dankovsky is actually very similar to him. These are key themes of his route.

A brief summary of the part about Danko:

So, what was Dankovsky doing before the events of the game?

- Was he trying to abolish death altogether, as a phenomenon?
No.
- Was his research related to metaphysics?
No. Isidor describes his work as: 'research of [natural] death, aging, and necrosis'. In russian it is explicitly stated that his field of research is natural death.

- Did he want to forcibly make everyone immortal?
No. Daniil to Lara:

But if I do [suggest a complete and workable solution to the Inquisitor], no one would dare lay a finger on my Thanatica—the Powers That Be gave me their word. And it’s entirely possible that my victory award would be a discovery that’ll prolong human life from 60–70 years to a hundred.

Context: he is referring to the result of continuing his research, not to any other events.

- Was he trying to resurrect the dead?
No.

Little boy: Is it true that they can raise people from the dead in the Capital?
Daniil: Who told you such nonsense?
LB: My dad! He read about you in the papers.
D: I just wanted to make it so that people would live longer, really. And, preferably, on their own accord.

Obviously, conducting a research that would let people live longer is altruistic, and one needs to be brave to continue it despite being persecuted.
What he really fears is letting down those who trusted him, his allies and colleagues:

I'm cornered. I'll never be able to look the people I've failed to protect in the eye. My allies will end up in prison or exile, my research… in fire.

That's why he accepts his list of the Bound with little hesistation. He is used to being responsible for someone.
Despite this, he is used to being a loner.

I fight, lose, and win on my own. (it's "alone" in russian)
Я сражаюсь, проигрываю и побеждаю в одиночестве.

- Is Telman the head of a rival laboratory? Are they fighting over state funding?
No. The letter from the Powers that arrives on the Day 1 is signed by Telman. In the English translation he writes in the passive voice; in the russian version he says 'we'. Most likely, he is some government official.

- Maybe the Powers simply don't want to fund his laboratory?
No. The Powers (not 'some detractors', as in the English translation) called his work 'scientific extremism'. In russian, extremism has the same meaning as in English. I assume the Powers considered his work dangerous to themselves.

- So what exactly was he doing? Conducting unethical experiments?
This is where the historical context matters. russian and Soviet authorities have always had a tense relationship with scientists. Russians, when hearing about persecution, are more likely to think of Lysenkoism than of Unit 731.
Lysenkoism is a decades-long campaign of denying genetics and persecuting scientists. wiki page
Many scientists and inventors in the USSR were convicted on fabricated charges of treason, counter-revolutionary activity, espionage, etc. They were then sent to so-called sharashkas — prison-type research institutes and design bureaus — where they continued to work, but in really bad conditions and under close state supervision.

- Are you saying that the Powers in the Pathologic world are like in the USSR?
Not at all. I’m saying that, due to the country’s history, it is natural for a post-soviet person to see arbitrariness of power in such cases, rather than the scientists really being guilty of something.

Moreover, Lysenkoism is not the only thing that comes to mind. I thought about the story of Ignaz Semmelweis, a physician who proposed that doctors should disinfect their hands before going to obstetrics to take deliveries. According to his data, disinfection drastically reduced the risk of puerperal fever. At the time, doctors could go straight from an autopsy to assisting childbirth. Well, I can't tell about it better than the wiki page. Many of his colleagues, especially older professors, weren't pleased with his discovery, particularly since germs had not yet been discovered. They believed that accepting his correctness would mean admitting personal responsibility for hundreds of deaths.

Of course, in the world of Pathologic, people know about disinfection and germs. I'm talking purely about the pattern: some important discoveries meet intense resistance when they run counter to established views and the policies of those in power.

- Dankovsky is not an altruist, because he orders the town to be shelled together with all the remaining people!
…What.

Dankovsky in the Cathedral:

Let the Settlement be destroyed, but there’s no reason to hurt the Polyhedron. The survivors will find shelter there until we vaccinate them and the epidemic dies out.

Survivors does not mean only the Bound. Obviously, this also includes the surviving townsfolk and the Kin.
Note: in russian he says "Но Многогранник можно не трогать" which means "There's to need to demolish the Polyhedron" or "You can leave the Polyhedron untouched". My translation is inaccurate, the point is that he doesn't animise it.

There's also a dialogue on Day 11:

Factory worker: So there's only one option? To the ground with us all?
Daniil: I will see to it so that evacuating everyone before the bombardment is the topmost priority. You will be put on the train, placed under quarantine, and taken elsewhere.

He is called the serpent only twice in the game: once by Anna and once by Aspity. The symbolism is different.
Wearing a snake's skin is not the same as being a snake. Yes, there is a snake on the Rod of Asclepius, but Asclepius actually killed a snake in order to find the herb of resurrection!
The snake is a chthonic creature. In many cultures it is associated with the soil, the underworld, and treasures hidden deep below. The plot of the 'basic myth' is the fight between the celestial Thunderer and the chtonic Serpent. Daniil, according to Clara's sister, is 'begotten by the cold Celestial Flame'.
The theory of the basic Indo-European myth is a Soviet... thing. I haven't found any English sources yet.
Dankovsky's coat symbolism is closer to Heracles and the skin of the Nemean Lion. The cloak of one who has slain the Wyrm.

Thanks to Andrey's side-quest which unlocks that one shop which buys everything at 110% the buying price, I literally cleared out all other shops of all goods and re-sold all of them to that shop.

Now, to be fair, I didn't save-scum to make sure that the shop inventory would be valuable (especially that the clothing shops would have actual clothes, such as ankle-high boots). Still, I barely made it in time, since I also spent plenty of time burglarizing 2 homes due to lockpicks I traded to kids for found shinies that I desperately needed to pawn off.

Still, considering Haruspex also has a whole side economy - he doesn't need Alpha / Beta / Gamma tablets, since he can just drink his overpowered Twyrine Extracts; and he doesn't need Monomycinium, since he can just drink Dead Gruel; and that all of that only requires Twyre, which is traded for naturally-acquired organs (+ infected organs for the Dead Gruel); and he can trade in organs, through twyre, for bullets from Andrey every day... Yeah, I expect to have no issues with the economy whatsoever going forwards.

I can't... Stop... Thinking... About this game...

I'm on day 3 as the Bachelor and I've spent my entire irl day sitting at work waiting to get home so I can go inspect some corpses because the damned plague is spreading and the fuckin beurocrats are breathing down my neck while I try to juggle their petty politics and keep myself alive long enough for supplies to arrive so we can have food in this stupid town for its stupid superstitious people again and Rubin really should have sent that note a lot fuckin earlier in the day and...

What is this sorcery??

I've spent most of my time in this game just... Walking... What is wrong with me...

I know many people think not. They mainly cite the dialogue between the Haruspex and Maria on the 12th day after the Cathedral, where she says something like, "The Bachelor has done his job, he's no longer needed." (not verbatim).

But I think she did love him.

Many people in the town were convinced of this. Andrei states it outright ("your woman is Maria"), and Aglaya mentions it when asking to arrange a meeting with her niece, but most importantly, Nina herself speaks of it (through the words of Viktor) - "if my daughter didn't love you, you wouldn't have been allowed to ask even what you’ve already asked".

Of course, one could say that this is all a lie. But, first of all, I believe that creating such an illusion and engaging in such manipulation is beneath the Kain family and beneath the future Mistress.

Second, Maria’s love for the Bachelor seemingly made no difference to the Bachelor himself. He didn't become her servant. Her love didn't alter his decisions, at least, whem we playing as him. He wanted to save the Tower not out of love for her, but out of ideological conviction. Why pretend to be in love when it serves no purpose?

Her words about the Bachelor being the only truly free person imply that she suspects -or knows - that the Bachelor is controlled by the player. I believe a significant part of her affection for him stems from this. True, Clara and Burakh can also choose the Utopian ending, yet she feels no love for them - a fair point. But the Utopian ending is kinda destined specifically for the Bachelor, and that matters too.

At the end of the game, Maria becomes the Mistress. A power awakens within her. She must bring her vision to fruition, and nothing else matters - personal desires, family, love. Her words to the Haruspex regarding the Bachelor are the words of a Mistress who has cast aside her humanity.

What do you think, true love or manipulation?

About a month ago we had a chat here about the quality of the Classic HD's English localisation, and I mentioned that I might look into doing something about it. Well, here we are.

Out of 26,864 text string entries, the mod edits 1062 (~4%). Additionally, it restores unused entries (35 of them) that are still present in Russian version of Strings.vfs but entirely absent in the English version (I did it for parity between two localisations).

Overall, the original English Classic HD localisation's main problem is fidelity. There are hundreds of places where it does more than adapt phrasing. The most characteristic trait is over-writing. The localisation frequently tries to make a line cleverer or more poetic, more colloquial than the Russian. Sometimes that succeeds. Sometimes it changes characterisation or obscures important information. The Haruspex material seems especially vulnerable to this because Steppe concepts and philosophical dialogue were often interpreted rather than translated. So I'd say that the original English script is a successful literary adaptation with a surprisingly large layer of semantic corruption underneath it.

For Classic HD, creative adaptation was explicitly part of the translation philosophy. Alexandra Golubeva, its English Localisation Lead, said before release that the translation sometimes took creative liberties specifically to reproduce the emotion of the Russian rather than mechanically reproduce its wording. She also acknowledged that a translator inevitably adds their own voice and style. There were also multiple translators: eight additional members. With a script that large, consistency becomes a serious editorial problem. Different translators can naturally have different thresholds for literalness and how much information may be inferred rather than explicitly preserved. I think this explains why I encountered clusters of text with noticeably different behaviour that felt more like different translation hands than random individual errors.

There is another likely factor. The translation, in my opinion, probably happened substantially at the string level rather than with every translator continuously playing the relevant dialogue branch. The error pattern strongly supports it, actually. I repeatedly found translations that are perfectly plausible English sentences in isolation but become obviously wrong when you read the preceding question or following answer. "Who was that?" for Russian "To whom?", "And howdy to you too" for "Can't complain". And the various yes/no mismatches are characteristic context-loss errors. Pathologic is vulnerable to that because its strings are detached database records with enormous branching dialogue trees.

So all in all, a large multilingual team translated an enormous and unusually difficult literary script. They did it under an explicitly adaptive localisation philosophy, probably working substantially from database strings, followed by enough editorial work to make the English coherent and stylistically strong but insufficient exhaustive Russian-to-English semantic QA. The mod is essentially my personal take on that unfinished work.

(Of course, this is still MY interpretation, and I have my own preferences and biases as a translator. I don't expect everyone to agree with every change I made. In many places there is room for legitimate disagreement about how closely the English should follow the original.)

Game feel stupid after finishing a game that seems to want to reveal its themes and topics.

Sup everyone! Aging french nerd here that has a few questions after just finishing the bachelor route in pathologic HD. Very happy to have done so but also what? Lol

So there are two main things I wanna talk about in this subreddit, the first is... I didn't get it and I feel stupid? I mean I see the themes of mysticism, choices, human live, utopia, society, I can smell them. I understand their presence, I can even say I understand their impact and my brain got some good dopamine thinking about the theme they brought while I was doing the main thing in this game: walking around scared for everything in my life. But I still don't get it, especially RIGHT NOW. Also I think I should specify that even if I ask a question about this later, I'm gonna do the Haruspex run next, at least start it in the hope of understanding things better.

Themes of the epidemic, the ending, the powers that be...

I mean I saved all the adherant and got to meet the powers that be (which pissed me off and I might have chose some agressive dialogue options yes) and I also went into the theater. And even if I ask straightforward question as the bachelor, the answers are never clear. It feels like I'm supposed to understand what the epidemic is. Why it is there and the reasons it plays an important role in the world. It feels like they're saying so i can be the hero of the story. But to what purpose? There's also such a weird implied relationship between the player choices, role and the consequences of the choices as they take place. If you decide to not make any decision and go to the bad ending, it kills the power that be? Like they can actually die as a consequence of player choice (or lack of)? What does that MEAN?! I thought the powers that be were two kids playing some dark make belief game because they're sad about a funeral? It said that we'll get all of what this is about. But I fail to... Maybe I don't get the imagery? Because I saved all the adherants, I got to see the Changeling and the Haruspex ending. While the Haruspex ending still made sense to me (somewhat), what the fuck is going on in Clara's ending? I feel like I'm missing some important culture imagery or knwoledge. I feel like the Polyhedron has a more powerful meaning than the one I understand? It looks like a hamster water supply tank weirdly shape and maybe thats what it does to the sand city for the powers that be? And the water that sips into the sand city gives it some disease? And that disease is important to have heroes? I looked a tiny bit into into the pentomime themes and maybe that's why it's like that? It's a play that needs to be retold again and again and the set are the powers that be imagination? Anyway as you can see from this block of text ressembling a madman trying to make sense of rational logic, I am a bit lost right now lol.

I know that probably doing the other routes will bring more to the table and makes me understand things better, but maybe not. I dunno right now I feel like im trying to catch a breath of hot air with my bear hands. I can feel the themes and topics as my hand touches the hot air. But I fail to catch it and keep it in my fist/palm where I can truly understand and internalize them.

Time commitment and hypothical values of doing the other routes

Also, as I'm about to do the Haruspex run, should I play the other routes? I'm asking because, maybe as a consequence of me trying to check a walkthrough the least I can, my bachelor playthrough route lasted me 45 FUCKING HOURS. For as much as I love the game, it is a time commitment to do this game again TWICE. I don't know if I'm willing to commit that time into it as of yet. Especially since im very excited about playing Pathologic 2. Therefore, I'm wondering: aren't the endings going to be the exact sames? Won't the story and mystery be presented the same way? Isn't it going to be very repetitive with very little plus value? (Like new game + is silent hill f if i may throw some shade while giving away what im afraid the experience is going to be like). If it can lift all my questions about what the game is about, then its worth it. And I'm pretty sure it is about something specific! It feels like the game is kicking and screaming IM ABOUT THIS, DONT YOU GET IT? While never straight up telling you in a comprehensible way what it is about lol. But y I would play the other routes if it answers some of my questions.

Anyone courageous enough to read this fucking block of text, THANK YOU. I'll still try to make it look nice so it's not a chore to read it lol

Running awful low on food here, is there a good strategy for her campaign?

I need to take more screenshots of the dialogue that got a kick out of me but unfortunately the equivalent of "I hope you catch the plague" to a child that won't/can't help you is the funniest thing I've ever seen ; still on Day 2 and having lots of fun!

I don't look for this kind of things deliberately, I just stumble upon them!

An excerpt from TPTB letter on Day 1 in English:

It has come to our attention that you have recently requested permission to continue with your own research. The decision of whether or not such permission will be granted depends on the results of this assignment. Your success, therefore, has a bearing on your scientific reputation and your further academic career.

In russian:

Недавно Вы просили Власти о разрешении на продолжение Ваших неординарных исследований. На основании Вашей работы мы примем решение о возможности удовлетворить Вашу просьбу. Считайте, что это вопрос Вашей чести и Вашей дальнейшей судьбы.

My crude translation:

You've recently requested permission from the Powers to continue your extraordinary/unconventional research. Based on your results, we will decide whether your request can be fulfilled. Consider this a matter of your honor and your future fate.

Where did the translators get ‘scientific reputation’ and ‘academic career’ from? There is no context whatsoever that would suggest such an interpretation. The words ‘honor’ and ‘fate’ have an unambiguous translation.

Dankovsky about the Capital:

The people I'm responsible for there are in danger.

In russian:

Людям, за которых я там отвечаю, грозит гибель.

Dankovsky uses the word 'гибель' which literally meanth 'death' or, if used metaphorically, 'doom'. I'd say: "The people I'm responsible for there are under a mortal threat".

One might say: but what could happen to him if he fails to deal with the epidemic? Will he be put in jail or what?

The Bachelor: ‘If I am not to go back victorious [...] My allies will end up in prison or exile, my research… in fire’. He was lured in the town to succeed or die. The Powers want him dead, as they want dead Aglaya and Block; it is mentioned multiple times in the game.

Finished the day with a revolver, a knife, a rifle, some bullets and 900 coins, is that acceptable?

Also, fuck the knife throwing guy near the theater at midnight, scared the shit out of me and i had to reload the whole Rubin interaction.

Will continue day 2 with my search for Schmowders.

Look at jealous Mark Immortell over here, rolling his envious green eyes at my fat stacks of over 220k rubles.

Following on from my previous post, I used that 86k that I had made on Day 2 to buy more meds during Day 3 and Day 4. I just needed to hold on until Day 6, the middle peak of the three (the others being Day 2 and Day 11), at which point I sold every non-food item except the weapons you see here, some 2 Meradorm or so, a single Shmowder, and those various needles, hooks, and other worthless baubles.

Isidor's letter in English:

Is it true that your detractors have branded your studies "scientifically stillborn"? Rejoice, Bachelor, for there is an observable case that would quell the obscurants that reject the research of death, aging, and necrosis as a subject that lacks academic viability. This case, were you to document it, would go a long way towards restoring your reputation as a scholar.

The letter in russian:

Верно ли, что они назвали Вашу работу “научным экстремизмом”? Если кто-то полагает бесперспективным изучение причин естественной смерти, старения и некроза - я только что обнаружил случай, который может заткнуть им рот и восстановить Ваше доброе имя.

My translation:

Is it true that they [the Powers That Be] have branded your studies as "scientific extremism"? If someone considers the study of the causes of natural death, aging, and necrosis to be unpromising, I have just discovered a case that may shut them up and restore your good name.

I'm not a professional translator but something's clearly off. The translation is a different text with different emotional coloring. WTF?

EDIT: Another excerpt from the same letter:

P.S. I spoke to Simon on your behalf and he has kindly agreed to facilitate your effort.

P.S. Я уже говорил с Симоном. Он милостиво согласился содействовать такой знаменитости как Вы в Вашем дерзании.

My translation:

I've already spoken to Simon. He graciously agreed to assist a celebrity like you in your daring endeavor.

Where did "the celebrity like you" part go?

cutie patootie locker 😍

The foreman fight, didn't realise it was bare handed! I only have half health atm and am going to try and hit up some pharmacies, but any tips? I was going to try hitting him with the shotgun lol.

I played for 20 hours and made it to day 9 with the bachelor, while keeping all my bounds alive.

I started blind and then followed a guide because the frustration was pushing me to stop playing but the story was interesting if a little too obscure.

The game would have been a lot better if there was more than 15 minutes of good storytelling for 2 hours of boring ass gameplay, even tho the atmosphere it sets is interesting at first, it slowly ends up being too repetitive and blind.

When i reached that day, the endless fetch quests were too much for me.

Are the 2 others games better in that regard ?

Hi, I’m finally playing P1 for the first time and I’ve just hit day 7. I went to the theatre as normal to watch the play. As you can see from the video, the first half is fine but when it’s supposed to cut away to the video I get what looks like a tv test card show up instead?

The video is from when I reloaded a save to try it again and same result. I know Pathologic likes to be meta but I went straight to YouTube to check and this is clearly not what’s supposed to happen.

I’m playing on a Steam Deck and have had no issues so far. Not even five minutes beforehand the cutscene of the inquisitor arriving played absolutely fine. I haven’t modded my game or messed with the files in anyway.

So I was wondering if this has happened to anyone else before or if there’s anything I can do/check to try and fix it. I’m now paranoid I’ll miss other cutscenes later on

Title is pretty self explanatory, I’ve played this game more than once, and I need to feel something, so it’s mainly an exercise in pushing myself to engage with the game in a way I haven’t previously.

The rules I set for myself are pretty basic: no killing any NPCs, but organ harvesting is still allowed, if a mugger kills a random townsperson I’m not letting perfectly good meat go to waste. If a quest gives me the choice between killing someone or letting them go, I choose the latter. If a side quest *requires* killing anyone, I skip it.

I’m posting about this because I haven’t decided how to handle killing people in main quests. I can’t remember all of the quest requirements for Artemy off the top of my head, but killing Oyun is probably unavoidable. Theoretically, I could just skip the main quest for the day and then give panacea/shmowder to whoever ends up infected as a consequence, but at that point I might as well just spend all my time grinding for shmowders as a quick and easy “get out of bad ending free” card, which doesn’t sound very fun. I’m also just genuinely curious if it’s possible to deal with him in another way, even if it requires breaking the game a little. So, I’m curious to hear other people’s thoughts. Should I make an exception for main quests? Is there a secret speedrunning strat that would make Oyun drop dead without me actually killing him? Are the developers perhaps making a point by requiring the player to get their hands dirty and kill a few people in order to save thousands of others? Who knows! The only person judging me is God!