Itemstexts

Itemstexts is a term used in software development and game localization to refer to the collection of text strings that describe items within an application or game. These strings cover display names, descriptions, tooltips, stat bonuses, and flavor or lore text that appears in inventories, shops, or item popups. The data is typically kept separate from code to facilitate localization, content updates, and content creation workflows.

Structure and formats commonly used for itemstexts include JSON, YAML, XML, or platform-specific resource files. Each item entry is identified by a stable item identifier and may include fields such as name, description, tooltip, stats, and flavor text. In some systems, texts are split into multiple files or locales to support multilingual interfaces and to simplify translator handoffs.

Localization and presentation are central concerns for itemstexts. Strings often contain placeholders for dynamic values (for example {attack} or {durability}) resolved at runtime. Good design also accounts for pluralization rules, text direction for non‑Latin scripts, and UI constraints like line length and wrapping. Fallback strategies ensure that if a translation is missing, a default language or a closest locale is used without breaking the interface.

Maintenance and workflows involve extracting strings from game code or UI, providing them to translators, and performing QA to verify on-screen length and formatting. Version control and changelogs track edits to item texts across patches, and in-context editors or tooling can streamline updates and consistency across items.

See also: localization, internationalization, string tables, resource management, user interface strings.