|
|
Posted by Cless on 12/19/2006
|
|
The site was down today, as you might have seen. It was just some stuff happening
on the back end of the site. Everything should be working fine now.
Might as well mention some project stuff while I'm at it.
ToD2: Still progressing rapidly on the technical front, not so much on the translation
side. I hope to get the menu patch out in the not too distant future but I don't want to
put it out until it's 100% complete (possibly minus tech names unless I find a way to
reduce that ridiculous font size). Item, tech, title, strategy, and enchant descriptions
still need to be translated as well the titles list. Some all-around polishing still needs
to be done as well.
I've been working damn near relentlessly on this project for the last month with my free
time, but I'm taking a break right now to actually play some games...
ToP: Shinhoshi has signed back on as this project's main translator, since Xero disappeared
again.
|
|
Posted by Cless on 11/17/2006
|
|
Some updates on Tales of Destiny 2 and Tales of Phantasia Narikiri Dungeon.
Tales of Destiny 2
I'm getting some programming experience under my belt. With Klarth's help
I've just recently put together a script dumper and extractor, for all the
main story dialogue. Download
the script! It's already being translated by a staff member, so have fun
with it.
Script inserter works great, I just successfully inserted a test that changes
the first several lines of story text.
Later I'm going to put together a dumper/inserter of the skit subtitles. Skit
subitle scripts are interestingly in the same format as the main story script,
so it won't take much effort to port the utilities to the skit file format.
Lastly, it seems a custom patch format is going to be necessary for the full
translation (menu-only translation should still work with a conventional format).
To avoid a release delay when the full patch is ready I need to get the ball
rolling on this custom patch format ASAP. I'm going to need external help with
this.
What do I need help with? I need a bit of technical information on the UDF file
system format. Just enough so that I can change the size of the files, and have
no problems generating a modified image.
Wait... there's more? I guess I lied, that wasn't last. It seems to me that both
the Mega Hits and "PS2 the Best" re-releases of the game are in fact 100%
identical. So the final releases will come in two flavors-- one for the original
black label release, and one for the budget re-release versions. There is a
possibility that the re-release patches might take some extra time to prepare,
since I'm primarily working with the original release. Please be aware that we
are only translating the Japanese releases of this game, and not the Korean or
Chinese versions.
Tales of Phantasia: Narikiri Dungeon
Oh! An update on the little project that doesn't get much attention...
Anyway, I'm getting some assembly level help from evo... who will be
implementing a much-needed variable width font into the game, and some simple
compression for text. One of my big concerns for this game was getting a
translation that looks good... there's a horribly tiny amount of screen
space for text in this game and the variable width font should help a freaking
crap ton. Only drawback is that it will take him some time to get around to
implementing the stuff. Oh well... we can wait right? I mean, we only started
the project 6 years ago... what's another one? :P Well, at least the wait will
be worth it, and there's still a thing or two I need to do with the game...
Tales of the Abyss
The best Tales ever was at last released in the US last month. Did you buy it?
No? You'd better... or else... MIEU SMASH.
Wii + Zelda = awesome
If there's anything that's going to slow down the pace the projects have been
moving at, it's the pending release of the Nintendo Wii... with Zelda having
plenty of potential of displacing even Valkyrie Profile 2 on my list of
top favorites. It will be mine... oh yes... it will be mine.
|
|
Posted by Cless on 9/29/2006
|
|
It just dawned on me that the front page hasn't been updated in three months. And
there's a lot to tell about.
Tales of Destiny 2
Lots of big news in the last few days. First of all, it doesn't scream at you anymore!
At long last, the font has been found, and has been replaced by an awesome one with lowercase letters. Tales of Phantasia PSX
I've given up on Xero again. In other words, I'm looking for someone to translate
the script, again. I've given him a very generous amount of time to reply to my sent
emails and have received nothing back at all. We'd greatly prefer someone familiar with
Tales of Phantasia and has enough knowledge of Japanese to grasp its dialogue with little
trouble. Symphonia knowledge a plus.
I'm thinking of putting out a patch soon that implements the better proportionate sprites
from the PSP version of the game and also adds multiplayer and manual control mode
without using using an accessory (assuming things go well with that. PSP sprites are
already a go).
Tales of Phantasia THE ANIMATION Episode 4
Hate to break it but this is probably never getting released, since the director and
voice actor, Patrick Seitz, for the official English dub has
spoken out and confirmed that an English dub for it has been recorded. He even posted
on our forum about it.
Bang Zoom's panel at Anime Expo 2006 also
mentioned that it was in production (confirmed there before Mr. Seitz' blog post, even).
So there's a 99.9% chance that the DVD is indeed coming out here, to be formally announced
probably in the not too distant future.
Distribution of released episodes has been halted as a result. The torrents have been deleted
from the site and the tracker they were hosted on.
Regardless, translated scripts are still coming out eventually. Including one for
episode 4. When it comes out depends on motivation, and honestly this project has
been fairly low priority. I'd much rather focus on Tales game translation hacks
and my video game backlog in my free time. The fact that I completely hated the 4th
episode kinda bolstered the lack of motivation to get the subbed video out, really.
Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria
The best RPG ever, and sequel to the former best RPG ever, came out a couple days ago.
So go buy it, dammit. Or feel the divine wrath of Hrist.
|
|
Posted by Cless on 6/21/2006
|
|
It would appear that the PS1 version of Tales of Phantasia will soon be dethroned
as the best version of the game. A
new version
is coming out for the PlayStation Portable soon, which appears to be a direct
port of the PS1 remake with some additional content (new skits, grade system system
from the newer games, more animation videos, and sub-events) and some other minor
changes (like redesigned battle sprites, and fully voice-acted storyline
dialogue).
Well, personally I was hoping the next version of ToP (if there ever was going to
be) would be another fully ground up remake, more like the upcoming and incredibly
awesome looking Tales
of Destiny remake for the PS2. Although many may disagree, I think that ToP
seriously deserves another majorly upgraded remake that helps it feel much less
primitive, since the PSX version still came out while the series's features
were maturing. (Basic Tales engine was perfected with Eternia, and that one still
holds up well against all the newer games).
Anyway, just because ToP PSX will soon be losing its status as the king of all ToPs,
we will not be dropping the translation project! If anything, I'd like to
try implementing some of the changes into the PSX version, I can't guarantee
anything. I might be able to put the new battle sprites in if it the format is the
same...
|
|
Posted by Cless on 6/2/2006
|
|
Lessee... Tales of Phantasia PSX. Skeud managed to fix real console compatibility
with both the menu and battle 8x8 fonts! Which of course is really cool and helps
to increase confidence that our first release (whenever that happens) will run on
a real console.
I have updated both the ToP PSX and ToD2 pages with all the recent progress. ToD2's
FAQ was updated and some screenshots that I released only to the forum were added.
|
|
Posted by Cless on 5/24/2006
|
|
Status update.
Tales of Destiny 2
Still needs translation assistance.
As it is, the tech (buggy), equipment, customize, shop, refine and item menus are
translated. The item and cooking recipe lists are also translated. But before we
release the first patch I at least want to also have the strategy, enchant, cooking and
status menus done as well. Those are a little out of Babelfish's, Excite translator's
and my league though...
Tales of Phantasia PSX
Skeud is back and implented variable width 8x8 font in battle. It doesn't yet work
on a real PSX.
He also refined his code for the menu's 8x8 in an attempt to get it working properly
on a real system. It's halfway there. It actually works as normal, except for that the font
colors get all weird. Still works as intended in emulators, though.
A new script dumper is on the way from Klarth, but it still needs work before we get any
usable dumps with it.
I'm really hoping that we'll FINALLY be able to test script insertions by the end of the
year. Not a promise, but it could happen!
...but for any real script insertions... I'm on verge of giving up on Xero as script translator
(again). I re-sent him the script 10 months ago, and tried getting his status in February,
but I've still not heard back yet. We'll see what happens...
Tales of Phantasia THE ANIMATION episode 4
Timed and translated. Needs editing. But the man who's inserting the script and doing
the first draft is currently MIA. D'oh!
|
|
Posted by Cless on 4/30/2006
|
While I am still waiting for progress on Tales of Phantasia PSX from other members
of the team (I have done all I can on it since the last update), I have started on
a new project.
It's still in fairly early stages, but I am working on a menu translation patch. Not for
ToP PSX, but for TALES OF DESTINY 2 for the PlayStation 2 system. This
is the real Tales of Destiny 2 that is actually a sequel to Tales of Destiny,
and not the game we received in the US under that name (which is really Tales
of Eternia). It's been nearly four years since its release and it seems Namco
has no interest in releasing it stateside.
At this stage of the game, I'm only intending this to be an english menu patch, or
more accurately, a patch of the text in the game's executable file (which as far as
I can tell contains mostly menu text).
Things to note:
The patch is being made for THE ORIGINAL JAPANESE VERSION, with the black label
packaging, and most likely will not work on any other language versions, and the
Megahits/PlayStation 2 The Best budget label re-releases. I have heard there were
differences in the budget label versions (and I don't know what they are, so don't
ask). If I had access to the re-releases I'd probably port the patch to them, but I
don't.
You will need a copy of the original version of the game, a DVD burner and a
modified PS2 system to play this patch. The game runs at an unplayably slow speed in
current emulators on decent machines and most likely on high end ones as well.
Unless of course 0.5 to 4 frames per second is somehow not a problem for you. That's
what I get on my P4 2.8GHz system with 1GB of RAM and shiny new Radeon X800XT graphics
card.
As of now, only the internal fonts will be used for the translation. There doesn't seem
to be any lowercase characters so everything will be in UPPERCASE.
As far as I can tell, the following is in the executable files:
1) Item list/descriptions
2) Titles list/descriptions
3) Skills list/descriptions
4) Main menu text
5) Enchant menu text
6) Monster list
7) Recipe list/descriptions
8) Location names
9) Probably some other stuff that isn't so obvious to me.
Long-winded description text may not be translated in the first release, we're going to
need a dedicated translator for that stuff.
 > |
|
Posted by Cless on 2/1/2006
|
|
I've updated the Tales of Phantasia PSX project page.
Many new screenshots have finally been posted,
featuring the latest hacks to the menus, and there's even a couple of
battle shots (though they're not quite as nice). The FAQ part has received
a lot of new entries and parts of it rewritten, so be sure to check it out.
Other news? Klarth wrote a monster list dumper and inserter, and I did a lot
more refining to the menu cosmetics, as well as replaced the dialogue font with
something that more closely matches the menu font.
And the site. I coverted a lot of code (mostly table properties) to use more CSS
and fixed anything that wasn't W3C compliant. The result is that tables are now
colored correctly in Opera.
|
|
|
HELP WANTED
|
|
Have English writing or Japanese language skills? Are you interested in Tales of
Destiny 2? We need editors and translators to help finish up the menu patch. See
the sticky on the community
project board
|
|
SPONSOR LINKS
|
|
Play-Asia.com
Play-Asia is loaded with imported Tales games and merchandise, as well as other video game and anime
related goods.
|
|
