• يمكن الوصول إلى النسخة العربية من هذا الدليل من هنا[docs.google.com]
  An Arabic version of this guide can be found here[docs.google.com], translated by the awesome Abomhmmod.
  
• This mod contains a version of the game's Arabic translation that's displayed in a readable way in the game.
  
• This is an alpha version. By following the installation instructions you acknowledge you are responsible for doing so. This version has not been thoroughly tested.
  
• I (SigmaGamma) am the sole maintainer of this mod - do not approach Crowbar Collective or anyone else with questions about the mod.
  
• If you need help or want to report an issue, you can do so in the comments here, or look me up in https://discord.gg/KpBDTqm under the handle sigmagamma.
  Feel free to leave any kind of feedback - Positive feedback would be nice as well :)
  
• The translation was created by the fans at the Crowbar Collective discord channel #translation-discussions. Some lines were modified due to technical issues. It may not be the most recent version created there - unfortunately I did not have access to that.
  
• I do not know Arabic and therefore could not address issues related to incorrect Arabic - but if you have the time and want to work with me on this, you’re welcome to offer.
  
• Windows and some protection tools might not like the exe installation files, as they are unsigned. If that’s an issue, try the zip files instead or the workshop version.
  
• This mod creates an additional locale which is called Unofficial Arabic. It does not change the Arabic locale - that would still show the game’s built-in Arabic which isn’t displayed correctly at the time of this writing. Please make sure you’re using the Unofficial Arabic locale before asking about incorrectly displayed Arabic.
  
• Only Windows is supported at the moment.
  
• Only captions and some of the in-game texts are translated. Asides from the menu, if you've noticed additional texts that should be translated, feel free to comment on that. The chapter titles unfortunately cannot be translated to Arabic without issues.

Streamer RedPotato is making a Let's Play video series which uses the mod. You can find it here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfJ1M8N2T-0
This video is from the left-aligned version, which is also the version in the workshop. There is a version with right-aligned text which is more complicated to install - read on for installation instructions and disclaimers.

This section details the various installation options.

For lower resolutions (vertical resolution lower than 1000), and left-aligned text, you can use the workshop mod.

For higher resolutions or right-aligned text, it is recommended that you use the downloadable versions.
Consider that the right-aligned version will require you to change system settings in a way that changes the display of your desktop and other programs. A way to reverse this is included, but the solution is provided without guarantees. Additionally, the RTL version does not support italic and delays/lens (mostly relevant for the tram ride) - it removes those from the captions. The RTL version comes as an EXE for a windows installation or as a zip.

There are also an EXE and zip for the LTR version but using the workshop version is simpler for LTR.
By running exe or reg files you assume responsibility for those uses.

Workshop version
Go here and hit subscribe. Most probably you’ll have to select Unofficial Arabic as the captioning language in the options menu under audio. Notice that it may appear as an empty language (right after Arabic). To uninstall hit unsubscribe in the same page.


The other versions can be found here[github.com].
RTL EXE version - install_black_mesa_a_win_rtl_ex.zip

Unzip the file and follow the instructions in portl_readme.txt to install or uninstall. You will have to choose the installation folder - that should be the “Black Mesa” folder under steamapps/common.

RTL ZIP VERSION - install_black_mesa_a_win_rtl.zip
Unzip the file and follow the instructions in portl_readme.txt

LTR EXE version - install_black_mesa_a_win_ltr.exe

Run it and follow the instructions to install or uninstall. You will have to choose the installation folder - that should be the “Black Mesa” folder under steamapps/common. Make sure you’re installing into the correct folder.

LTR ZIP VERSION - install_black_mesa_a_win_ltr.zip
Unzip the file and follow the instructions in portl_readme.txt

If for some reason you're running the game without the Necro Patch (released 04.2024) you can try the old mod versions[github.com], but I won't be able to help with those.

• Arabic shows up reversed - Please select Unofficial Arabic as the captioning language in the options menu under audio. Notice that it may appear as an empty language (right after Arabic)
  
• Following the latest patch, the audio menu is inaccessible - the mod has since been updated to fix this. Please use the latest version of the mod from either the workshop (this should happen automatically) or the downloadable versions. I'm keeping the downloads for the old version, but I won't be able to help with those.
  
• Arabic shows aligned to the left - You’ve installed LTR. See above notes on installing the RTL version.
  
• Subtitle size is very small in higher resolutions - use the downloadable version rather than the workshop version.
  If you really don't want to use the downloadable version, follow the following procedure to increase the subtitles size for the workshop version:
  
  Find a file named "gameinfo.txt" in ...\Black Mesa\bms, and add the line
  
  game+mod ../../workshop/content/362890/2893890254/portl.vpk
  
  within the parentheses for "SearchPaths", like this:
  
  ...
  SearchPaths
  {
  ...
  game+mod ../../workshop/content/362890/2893890254/portl.vpk
  
  // Black Mesa VPK files.
  ...
  
  Note : You might need to edit gameinfo.txt again following game updates.
  

You can find the github project for this mod here[github.com].

Arabic Translators and Proofreaders (for the official version, of which texts were reused for this mod):
Maitham Harb (maithamharb)
Rana Tarek (Ryannessence)
CS PRO (cs_uravity_pro)
HAMOOD (DA_KING_HAMOOD)
Frost (__Frost__)
ZFI-TA
Icarus Creed (wasdawgamer)
Ammar Hamdan (Ammar_Hamdan)
Mahdi (mahdimc895)
Shadow Side (GORDONman)
Sultan Alghamdie (sultanalghamdie)
Doot76
Youssif Thabet (youssif10thabet)
taoufik_keskes
Old Bill (Old_Bill)
Shyshy

Unofficial Arabic Localization:
Shai Greenberg
Zorah Anapolsky
Faris Alenizi
Muhammad Abdul-Azim (3ab3azim)
Niv Baehr
Abomhmmod
Everyone who helped at the Crowbar Collective discord