Localization
Since TFE is about 90% text, localization is one of the game’s most important features. And it all starts with a Google spreadsheet (pic.1).

The spreadsheet contains a column of keys and one text column for each language. The game uses these keys internally — depending on the selected language, it automatically inserts the appropriate text.

A special script converts this spreadsheet into a JSON file (pic.2) — a structured text format that’s easy for both humans and computers to read and edit. This file is placed in the game folder and loaded into memory when the game starts.

In the Prologue, we used a single JSON file for all localization. But in Planetfall, this will change. It makes no sense to load everything at once — you don’t need texts from episodes you're not currently playing. That’s why localization will now be split into parts (pic.3), and only the necessary section will be loaded. This will not only speed up loading and reduce memory usage, but also make things easier for both developers and translators. The texts will be more structured, and there’ll be no need to scroll through one massive sheet anymore.