Localization

Localization returns a translation for the game’s current language. The API is client-only; its global value is nil in a Reflex server.lua.

GetTranslation() only returns a string and does not display it automatically. Pass the result to UI, ImGui, NotificationController, or another presentation API.

Where the string comes from

The localization system first looks for the key among module strings and game terms for the selected language. If a module translation is empty, it uses the English column; if the key is missing everywhere, the API returns the key itself. The result is a regular string that is then handled by the calling UI or another API.

localization.csv

The file belongs in the module root and uses semicolons as separators:

Keys;English (United States);Russian
PanelTitle;Status panel;Панель состояния
FallbackOnly;English fallback;

The first column contains keys. The remaining headers are language names, followed by their translations. UTF-8 Cyrillic text loads correctly.

GetTranslation

Localization:GetTranslation(term: string): string

Returns the string for the current language:

local title = Localization:GetTranslation("PanelTitle")

For the file above, the result is Status panel in English and Панель состояния in Russian.

English fallback

When the current language cell is empty, the method returns the English (United States) value:

local text = Localization:GetTranslation("FallbackOnly")
-- In Russian: "English fallback"

Fill the English column for every key.

Missing key

When a key does not exist, the method returns the argument unchanged:

local text = Localization:GetTranslation("UnknownTerm")
-- "UnknownTerm"

This gives the UI a readable fallback, but a typo does not raise a Lua error.

Built-in game translations

The method searches both module strings and the game’s global terms. These results were confirmed with Russian selected:

Key	Result
`Play`	`Играть`
`Settings`	`Настройки`
`Back`	`Назад`
`Cancel`	`Отмена`
`Buy`	`Купить`
`Close`	`Закрыть`

local cancelText = Localization:GetTranslation("Cancel")

Practical pattern

Resolve user-facing strings when building or refreshing the interface:

local Text = {
    Title = Localization:GetTranslation("PanelTitle"),
    Cancel = Localization:GetTranslation("Cancel")
}

If the language can change without restarting the module, resolve the strings again during an interface refresh instead of caching them forever.

Common mistakes

using commas instead of ; in localization.csv;
omitting the English (United States) fallback column;
expecting nil for an unknown key—the key itself is returned;
calling Localization from server.lua.