Normality is a first-person 3D point-and-click adventure game released in 1996 and developed by British studio Gremlin Interactive. Self-published within the UK, the original version of the game had all parts performed by [three voice actors](https://youtu.be/5Asi8L_5I-o?si=FloVWRum0toa6SoG&t=71): [Tom Hill](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0384732/), [Lorelei King](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0455009/) (misspelled in the credits as "Lorrelli"), and [Rob Rackstraw](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1050409/).
It was published in North America by Interplay. In an unusual decision, for the US release, a complete recasting and re-recording of all in-game dialogue was undertaken, with a much larger cast of 16 credited voice actors. Most notably, former teen hearthrob [Corey Feldman](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000397/) was recast in the role of the player-character, Kent Knutson. I have long admired his over-the-top surfer-stoner vocal performance in this game; each one of his line reading is, quite frankly, a work of art.
The version that is generally available for purchase online, on [GOG](https://www.gog.com/en/game/normality) and [Steam](https://store.steampowered.com/app/400370/Normality/), is the original UK release only. Presumably the rights to the US version are more complicated and expensive to handle, and I doubt that the folks at Gremlin were thrilled at having awkward dated surfer lingo forcibly inserted their game anyway - a position I can respect, even if Corey Feldman's performance is objectively flawless. So the North American release is harder to come by.
I've known most of this for a long time. What I was not aware of, until recently, was that in addition to the voices being redone, the script was also modified for its American audience. This was brought to my attention by a GOG forum thread with [detailed instructions for patching the game to use the US voices](https://www.gog.com/forum/general/voices_selector_for_the_game_normality). GOG user "KeyperOS" mentions that a subtitle file should also be included in the patch, providing instructions for how to fix it. He provides the following instructions for quickly testing to ensure that the proper subtitle file is in place:
> ...right after starting the game to go to the kitchen on your right, "use" the kettle once to boil the water and then "use" it again to pour the water in the coffee mug.
>
> If it says "Easy does it..." then it is the UK LANG file.
> If it says "Whoah! Singe City" then it is the US LANG file.
`lang.dat.uk` and `lang.dat.us` are the original subtitle files for the UK and US releases, respectively. These are copyright Gremlin Interactive and included here for research purposes.
`diffscript.py` is a simple Python script that examines the `lang.dat` files and produces two text files: `all-subtitles-uk-us.txt` and `diff-subtitles-uk-us.txt`.
`all-subtitles-uk-us.txt` contains a full human-readable dump of the two subtitle files, with strings at the same index place next to one another. `diff-subtitles-uk-us.txt` contains only the strings that are different between the two files, sorted by a "difference score" - the biggest changes are at the beginning of the file.
## Preliminary Findings
The writer in both releases is credited as [Ade Carless](https://www.mobygames.com/person/5209/adrian-carless/). However, the US release has an additional credit for "Additional Script Writing", attributed to [Dennis M. Miller](https://www.mobygames.com/person/183890/dennis-m-miller/), who is also credited as the US producer. This suggests to me that he is the person primarily responsible for the changes to the US script. If anyone wanted to interview someone to get the full scoop, he would be the guy.
Scrolling through `diff-subtitles-uk-us.txt`, some themes emerge:
**UK:** Look, Kenty babe! You either borrow summat or you don't. You can't 'sorta'. And yes, yes, you can 'sorta' borrow it. Just 'sorta' bring it back when you're done, all right?
**US:** Look, Kenty babe! You either borrow something or you don't. You can't 'sorta'. And yes, yes, you can 'sorta' borrow it. Just 'sorta' bring it back when you're done, all right?
**UK:** I wonder where these doors lead? To a secret smuggler's hideout, I bet!
**US:** I wonder where these doors lead? To a secret smuggler's hideout, I bet! Or I know, a gang of terrorists! A bunch of people with guns and machines and they want to kill everyone they see and slit their throats and blood and guts!!!
**UK:** Hey, it's Barbara Barbie! I remember watching her on 'Minor-Celebrity Triangles'!
**US:** Hey, it's Barbara Barbie! What a hot chick. She was always a guest on that stupid show "Love Cruise." That was one of those Miss Spelling productions.
**UK:** I suppose this must be the creature's eye. I think the sculpture must be a metaphor for jealousy or something. A green eye? Hmmmm... Well if this thing is interactive, you just press the eye to watch the display. Here goes...
**US:** Hmmm, what an interesting sculpture. Let's see, if I remember my art classes and I -don't... my guess is the creature's green eye represents jealousy towards a materialistic world. Let's see if it's interactive. I'll just poke it in the eye and check it out.
**US:** What is this? What do you mean just me?? Aren't you guys gonna help? I'm no one-man army. Plus, I'm a wanted man already. I'm too young to be tortured!
**UK:** A cool glider. I lost my pet terrapin on one of these things when I was a kid. Stupid animal didn't steer, even after I told him three times!
**US:** A cool glider. I lost my pet hamster on one of these things when I was a kid. Stupid animal flew straight into a tree-mulching machine! Gross-a-rama!
**UK:** Hey, we are going to see the Sun, right? Just in time for Paul's mighty meeting up at the stadium.
**US:** Oh yeah, we're going to see the Sun, that would be bitchen. I've always wanted to get a tan. Just in time for Paul's mighty meeting up at the stadium.
**UK:** You keep saying 'WE'. The only one of you who helps in any way is old, mad and incontinent. I don't know why I'm risking my skin to satisfy your crazy plans!
**US:** Yeah, it's bitchen! Except, who's 'WE', you gotta mouse in your pocket?. The only one of you who helps in any way is old, mad and incontinent. I don't know why I'm risking my skin to satisfy your crazy plans!
