A couple of thoughts:

1. Now that players are becoming better informed and more investigative it often happens that an FM has to be modified after release. I had the best team of testers you can imagine working on Soulforge Revisited, but after release first fibanocci and then Lawviz found game-breaking bugs, so I've had to issue 2 new versions. I haven't got the Russian translations so I couldn't update the Russian version (and don't know where I should send them anyway).

This is a problem that needs to be addressed. Do the translators take on the responsibility of updating revised versions and issuing them in their national forums or should the author do it?

2. It's not always a good idea to let the TTLG Fan Mission forum know that there is a mission in beta. If you do there is a danger of the builder being pestered by impatient fans and consequently testing being hurried. With a pool of translators here, this forum should be safe enough, but I reckon it should be up to the author whether or not to ask for translators at TTLG rather than common practice.

Most things would be better than what we have at present but there should be some clearly defined procedures.

1. In many cases texts and other "language" material in an FM aren't changed (at least as I notice). Otherwise, I think, the author should connect with translators again and inform them about the changes.

I think it's more the translator's work. At least on DarkFate we test any Russian version without author's help.

2.
IMHO, pressure of fans shouldn't influence an author. Look at Gaetane for example - she tests The Black Frog at her rate despite the fans wait for the campaign to be released for months.
The author's work shouldn't be hurried or slowed down by such "external factors".


I agree. However, even considering the fact I suggested this kind of working, I think it will be changed in some way. Practice will give us tips - how to do it better.
Maybe the most simple way will be to observe the FM news and to connect with authors via PMs.
I just want an author and a translator to cooperate but not to wait for each other.

A couple of times now I've helped Zontik with the editing of texts, trying to make sure that the meaning is clear. With King's Story I didn't do any testing as I've done for the latest mission. And in testing the latest, I found that a word that seemed OK for a text, wasn't the right word in playing the game. And I think if I'd run through King's Story before release I would have changed some words in that.

So text in context is important and I'd agree that if a translation is to be done before release, then it's better if the translator can be included in the beta testing to ensure that something that seems perfectly clear at first read, does actually fit the action/situation it's designed for.