I need help reading a letter from Capcom Japan
 

I applied for a job at Capcom Japan, and they sent a letter which I can't read. My guess is that it is a polite rejection, but I want to be sure. I scanned it, ran OCR and then tried Google and Bing's translators, but it doesn't make sense.

Can some one please read this and let me know the basic gist? You don't have to translate it word-for-word. I just need to know if they rejected or accepted my application.

Thanks for your help!

Are you willing to post the letter on the forum? I suspect you might get more help that way. It might also serve to help other people as well.

You don't see it? I attached the image to the post and I can see it.

Here's a link to the image: http://i55.tinypic.com/2iqof0n.jpg

My apologies-- I didn't know there was an image. I personally can't see it but I'm assuming that's my browser.

It`s a polite and formal rejection.
They basically thank you for your interest, but are unable to fulfill your request.
They carefully considered your desired position, but want you to understand their decision.
It also says that they returned the documents you sent them.
They send you their best wishes...

And that`s about it for a quick rundown.

I take it you applied out of the blue? The tone kind of implies that.

Edit: A bit of a delay one that one >_< apologies.

Yes, I applied out of the blue. Also, the works I sent were in english. I included a small part that was translated with Bing Translator. I knew it was a long shot.

Thanks for the translation!

It's good to get a second opinion. I read it before your edit. Thanks!

By the way, the following is the email which I received from Capcom before I mailed the application and work. Using Bing Translator, my understanding was that they didn't accept applications electronically, only via mail.

Was I correct? (My poorly translated message has the brackets on the left, obviously.)

Larkin　Tim　様

こんにちは。
カプコン開発採用チームでございます。
この度は 開発職採用情報へのご質問をいただき
ありがとうございます。
ご質問いただいた内容につきまして以下のとおりご返答 を
差し上げます。

> これは 5 年間で作成されたスクリプトに基づいてゲームを開発す る提案
> です。これは完璧にフィットする JRPG の叙事詩の物語です。物語の
> JRPG の強い性格開発とアート デザインを維持しながら、西にアピール
> とであります。また、私が発見した、新しいゲームの演 劇機械工は、
> ターンベースの戦闘内も合うでしょいます。
> 以下のリンクを確認する場合は光栄です。これは、Micros oft のビンビ
> ンの訳者を使用して翻訳されました。
> Japanese Summary:
> http://home.comcast.net/~tplarkin7/JapaneseSummary.pdf
>
> English Summary: http://home.comcast.net/~tplarkin7/Summary.pdf

ご質問いただいた件でございますが、カプコンではＷＥ Ｂ上でのご応募を
受付しておりません。
中途採用の募集要項の詳細につきましては、
お手数ではございますが下記ＵＲＬをご参照いただき、 ご応募いただける際
には、応募書類をご郵送いただきますようお願いいたし ます。
株式会社カプコン：開発職｜中途採用案内｜募集職種一 覧

Larkin　Tim様のご応募をお待ちしております。

以上となります。
ご返答差し上げた内容についてご理解いただけましたで しょうか？
最後となりましたが、
Larkin　Tim　様が弊社の求人情報にご関心をお寄せいただ いたことについて
大変嬉しく思います。

どうぞよろしくお願い申し上げます。

ＣＡＰＣＯＭ　開発採用チーム <[email protected]>

Out of interest... what were the works?

Ideas for games?

It is an historically based written work which includes the people, places, things, and story for the game. It is both fictional and non-fictional. It includes an 840 page script equal to a 14 hour movie.

If you want to see it, the project is summarized in this PDF: http://home.comcast.net/~tplarkin7/Summary.pdf

Just so you know (and I'm speaking as a lawyer here), companies dealing with IP are loathe to accept unsolicited works because of the risk that, if they come up with something later on that resembles your work, they run the risk of being sued by you.

As a matter of policy, this type of company does not even look at the work you submit. They just send a rejection letter.

Hollywood companies are notorious for doing this with unsolicited scripts. The advice is usually to find an agent and push it through the "proper" channels.

An RPG game based on the bible?

Interesting.

Jesus used holiness to turn water into wine. It's super effective!

I understand that it might be a hard sell. Some of the highest grossing movies are based on the bible. To me, this idea is a no-brainer for something new in video games.

True. Imagine standing at the six stone water jars after they turned to wine and then tipping one over.

That's just a thought regarding the interaction with such an event. Of course, it would never change scripture, but it's OK to have fun with it.

Thanks for your advice regarding the fear of lawsuits. I have learned that it is nearly impossible for a developer to lend me an ear.

Basically this.

I'm studying areas related to game design and I've also visited a game design company to do testing (Team 17, made Worms and Alien Breed and had involvement with Lemmings.)

There is no way you will ever step into a job where you are the 'game designer' or the 'ideas man.' You must study a discipline and then work your way up to a lead position before they will even begin to take an interest in your ideas.

Unless you work for a very small company or start your own indie company (not recommended unless you are highly skilled and highly motivated because 90% of the time, they fail) you don't stand a chance on ideas alone.

Also, what qualifications do you have? Game design is very portfolio orientated but I think around 70-80% of new recruits have a degree. Compared to most other creative industries this is a high rate.

If you are interested in ideas and such, perhaps scriptwriting is a discipline you could take up. Get a degree in English.

I can guarantee you that 99.9% of all Japanese game companies will not hire you for anything other than translation, localisation or cultural research work. Why? Because Japan already has a highly trained and highly skilled workforce in Japan that are fluent in Japanese.

I'm not saying it's impossible, like almost everyone told me when I was younger. You just have to have a hell of a lot of motivation.

Great places to be for game design at the moment (if you aren't Japanese!) are Canada, the UK and the USA in places.

Also, never use free translator tools like babelfish/bing when sending off formal requests. It's better to learn a bit of Japanese and try really hard, or just send it in English. Otherwise it can scramble things totally and sound really foolish.

[This advice isn't entirely aimed at you, but it's general for others too.]

To me, if the job wouldn't require Japanese (which is hilarious considering this is a position with Capcom Japan [in Japan], almost guaranteed to require near-fluent Japanese), then the correct path when sending a cover letter for a job would be to have it professionally translated if it were necessary to have it in Japanese.

Yeah, you are right. :)

But yeah, if you can't speak near-fluent Japanese there is really no point...

Family-oriented/Christian/'Edutainment' ... that all sounds closer to what a firm like Brethren Entertainment might be doing:

Games, Demos, Fun - Brethren Entertainment Studios

Why would a Japanese game maker be interested in a game about the Bible?

Maybe all the things they could do with the 'Sodomites'? :D

@MissMisa, I don't disagree with you that it is far better to be on the inside if this were to see the light of day. What I have is a finished product that took 5 years to complete. It's voluminous. I have had success prior to this effort which convinced me that you could be an outsider, and succeed. This work is compelling enough for the right developer at the right time. How many awful games are made by "insiders"?

@MMM, Japanese game developers have been losing ground in the West for over a decade. They do have a fascination with biblical themes in their games and anime.

@steel, This is an epic RPG. It could be a WRPG like Oblivion, or a JRPG like Final Fantasy. Only, the setting is 30 A.D. in the Roman controlled terrtories west of the Jordan river.

Steel, I don't know what you are saying or who you are quoting

Biblical themes have appeared here and there, but I think it is a stretch to say there is and significant level of "fascination" for Christianity in Japan. Religious themed games don't even sell in the US.

It might be... but I've never heard of it happen. What is the past success you talk about? Those with original ideas usually learn the tools of the trade, get a few friends and do it themselves. This is a great time to be an indie game maker, (iphone apps, facebook games, xbl arcade etc)

If you are looking to make a high detail, highly graphical, big blockbuster AAA game title then it just will not happen. Why would a company like Capcom risk big bucks to a stranger? The fact you contacted them at all suggests to me you need to do a little more research.

All my lecturers at Uni are ex game designers, and they tell me that the majority of games made and designed get canned anyway.

If it took you 5 years to write this product, it won't be harmful to spend time getting a degree in scriptwriting and give you a better chance to get it published, if it's something you really believe in.

It's not intangible there is just ways to do it and ways not to do it.

Also, if you are set on doing it, send the script to all your local game companies. I strongly doubt any game company will even look at it but... you'll have better luck than any other Japanese company.

It really depends if it's based on the the time period or actual religion. If it's a religion based story then probably not, but if it's set in a historical religious context and that is only a minor or non-existant part of it, then it's not an issue. Assasin's Creed springs to mind.

I was going to post something similar.

I am not sure why anyone would apply for a job in Japan, without being proficient enough in Japanese to do it. Also to do something as unprofessional as use google-translate :eek: eeep. What a waste of time :rolleyes: