Cortex Transl

Cortex Transl is a Windows desktop application for real-time screen translation. It is designed for games, visual novels, videos, and dense in-game UI panels where text appears on screen.

The app is screen-capture based only. It does not inject into games, hook game processes, click game UI, automate gameplay, or interact with the game.

Translation Modes

Subtitle Mode

Subtitle Mode is the default mode. It is best for:

• Dialogue
• Cutscenes
• Visual novels
• Videos
• Repeating subtitle areas

In this mode, Cortex Transl captures the selected dialogue region, translates the detected text, and shows the result in a stable subtitle-style overlay.

Menu / Screen Mode

Menu / Screen Mode is designed for dense game UI text, including:

• Settings windows
• Inventory panels
• Quest logs
• Skill descriptions
• Option menus
• MMORPG interface panels

In this mode, Cortex Transl reads the whole selected region, detects multiple OCR lines, translates the lines together in a batch, and shows a structured side-by-side result with original text and Arabic translations.

Features

• Screen-capture only: No DLL injection, DirectX hooks, process hooks, anti-cheat bypassing, game UI clicking, or gameplay automation.
• Simple Mode: Translation mode, theme, provider status, region selection, and the right action for the current mode.
• Advanced Mode: OCR preset, language/provider controls, overlay settings, profiles, timing metrics, and debug details.
• Small Text OCR Presets: Normal, Small Text, and High Contrast Text preprocessing for tiny or low-contrast UI text.
• Batch Menu Translation: Menu lines are sent together when possible instead of one request per line.
• Line Cache: Repeated menu text can load from cache instead of being translated again.
• DeepL Support: Uses a user-provided DeepL API key, stored locally with Windows DPAPI encryption.
• Dark First Launch: New installs start in Dark mode. Saved user theme choices are respected.

Quick Start

Subtitle Mode

1. Choose Subtitle Mode.
2. Press F9 and select the dialogue/subtitle area.
3. Press F8 to start auto translation.
4. Press F8 again to stop auto translation and hide the overlay.

Menu / Screen Mode

1. Choose Menu / Screen Mode.
2. Press F9 and select the whole game menu or panel.
3. Press F10 or Translate Screen Region.
4. Read the translated menu lines in the result panel.

For the best overlay experience in Subtitle Mode, run games in borderless windowed mode when possible.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Shortcut	Action
F8	Toggle Auto Translate in Subtitle Mode
F9	Select Region
F10	Capture Once / Translate Region

Requirements

• Windows 10 or Windows 11
• .NET 10 Runtime or newer
• DeepL API key for DeepL translations

Building From Source

Install the .NET 10 SDK or newer, then run:

git clone https://github.com/your-username/Cortex-Transl.git
cd Cortex-Transl
dotnet restore
dotnet build

From this repository, you can also run:

.\Cortex_Dev.bat

The development script restores packages, builds Debug, and starts the app.

Troubleshooting

The Overlay Flickers Or Does Not Appear During Recording

Use Recording Compatibility Mode in Advanced Mode overlay settings. If needed, capture the entire desktop instead of a specific game window.

Region Selection Does Not Work In A Game

If the game uses exclusive fullscreen, choose Fullscreen Game in the setup wizard or use Menu / Screen Mode. Cortex Transl will use screenshot-based region selection for those scenarios.

Small Menu Text Is Missed

Switch to Menu / Screen Mode and use the Small Text or High Contrast Text OCR preset in Advanced Mode.

Privacy And Safety

Cortex Transl is screen-capture based only and does not interact with the game.

DeepL API keys are stored locally and encrypted with Windows DPAPI.