ROM Hack Baten Kaitos HD Remaster - Dub Restore Effort

[Elevna]

MEGA or GoogleDrive will be good options indeed Helsionium! Especially MEGA.
I absolutely cannot WAIT to finally getting the remaster we fans deserve. Also cannot believe how fast you managed to do this. This is magnificant!

Hooray for such a dedicated fan!

those are generally the best sites for file hosting, no ads/high storage space/high download speed, its more a problem of would there be legal problems by putting a download up containing all of the english lines. Maybe get in contact with gamebanana moderation or something, they'd probably help with that. If it's not okay, maybe could hire someone to make a program where you select your BK gamecube iso and it auto-rips all the files from it or something.

 

[IBNobody]

Back in the Wii days there was Riivolution, you would put the mods inside the SD card or usb drive but you still had to use the original game disc:

https://www.wiibrew.org/wiki/Riivolution

Anybody knows if there is something similar but for Switch?

I use the custom firmware Atmosphere, but never tried mods

a quick search gave me these:

This one for Smash Ultimate:
https://github.com/Raytwo/ARCropolis

This one for all games:
https://github.com/nadrino/SimpleModManager

Maybe the mod could work in a similar way?
Putting files in the SD card and one app does the magic, using the original cartridge?

( Sorry, I'm speaking as a layman )

Yes.

https://nh-server.github.io/switch-guide/extras/game_modding/

It's the layeredFS approach.

Files in a layeredFS folder override files inside the game ROM.

You just take whatever mod you're given, create a folder on your SD card with a matching title ID, and drop the mod inside it.

Creation of the mod might be more difficult depending on how the mod is distributed, as it may require you to have the original GameCube ISO to extract sound files from.

 

[Helsionium]

Thank you for all your input. I think I will be writing a custom patcher tool like I did for my Baten Kaitos Origins translation. Users will have to provide a romFS dump of the remaster (I think any version should do). Every user who is going to use the patch should in theory be able to create a romFS dump, either with homebrew on the Switch or using an emulator. The original GameCube files will not be necessary. It should be legal, as my patcher will be based on VCDIFF and the copyrighted material cannot be reconstructed from the patch files that I'm going to distribute, alone. The resulting files should be small enough for me to host on my own server.

 

[Erebos]

• A lot of text changes have been made between the original version and the remaster. Most of them are just for formatting, fixing typos/grammar issues etc, but there are also some other changes like name changes (Taintclouds -> Toxiclouds). Mizuti's grammar has been "fixed" for the remaster. I definitely must revert all changes made to voice acted dialogue so that the old dub matches the text on screen. While I'm at it, I'm also going to undo any censorship I find. However, I need to go over all text lines that have been changed (~2,000 out of ~13,000) in order to do that.

Please, could you post the changed text lines somewhere such as pastebin? I don't think I'm going to buy the remaster but I would like to find out what exactly they changed.

 

[EvilBakura]

Please, could you post the changed text lines somewhere such as pastebin? I don't think I'm going to buy the remaster but I would like to find out what exactly they changed.

i haven't played the remasters yet but i noticed that one of the things they changed are character's taunts in battle

Like in the last video Helsionium posted, Xelha with the old english audio says to the boss " you are pretty ugly, you know that? " but on the screen the dialogue says " nobody likes brawn without brains! "

So the japanese version is toned down a bit, i expect Guillo in Origins is less edgy too now No more calling Millie a wench and no more Koa monkeys in heat

 

[Lightmanone]

i haven't played the remasters yet but i noticed that one of the things they changed are character's taunts in battle

Like in the last video Helsionium posted, Xelha with the old english audio says to the boss " you are pretty ugly, you know that? " but on the screen the dialogue says " nobody likes brawn without brains! "

So the japanese version is toned down a bit, i expect Guillo in Origins is less edgy too now No more calling Millie a wench and no more Koa monkeys in heat

And this all most likely will be fixed I presume. At least from what I understand, this mod is to bring this remaster back as closely as possible to the original version, without giving up anything that the remaster gave us (upgraded visuals).
Man, I honestly can't wait for the mod to release. I have the game as well, but I want to hear this game the way i've heard it all the times I played it. English please hahaha.

 

[Helsionium]

Please, could you post the changed text lines somewhere such as pastebin? I don't think I'm going to buy the remaster but I would like to find out what exactly they changed.

It is actually a little bit difficult to tell exactly what has changed because the lines are in a different order than in the original games. I've written a tool that identifies all lines that are identical or nearly identical, but it failed to identify about 2.000 (of about 13,000) lines. Moreover, it appears that each of the European language versions (for the first game) was revised separately, so there are some changes that affect only a specific language. What I can tell you so far (note that I only worked on BK1 so far):

• By far the most changes simply fix punctuation, formatting and spelling errors. These will not be reverted by my patch.
• Alcoholic drinks are replaced with non-alcoholic drinks. This seems to affect all languages. Some of these changes are hilariously nonsensical (e.g. "Beer" -> "Wheat Tea" or apples simply becoming apple juice by aging instead of fermenting to wine). This will be reverted by my patch.
• In the English version, the Taintclouds are now called the Toxiclouds. The word "taint" is also replaced in every other instance (e.g. with "corruption"). Don't ask me why. This will of course be reverted. It may or may not affect other languages - e.g. the German name for the Taintclouds was not changed ("Kummerwolken", i.e. clouds of sorrow). I guess someone at Namco doesn't like the word "taint".
• In the English version, all of Mizuti's lines were updated. Mizuti now properly conjugates the word "to be". Otherwise, Mizuti's dialogue is the same. Will of course be reverted.
• Some dialogue has been changed because the original was objectively mistranslated or updated to use terms from BKO (e.g. use the word "machina" for Alfard-made machines). I will revert these only when they're voiced.

i haven't played the remasters yet but i noticed that one of the things they changed are character's taunts in battle

These aren't really changes, but rather direct translations of the Japanese lines. I'll try to change them to the dub taunts, but I don't have a Voice 4 or Voice 5 magnus in my save file to test them all.

So the japanese version is toned down a bit, i expect Guillo in Origins is less edgy too now No more calling Millie a wench and no more Koa monkeys in heat

No, all of these English lines are left unchanged, as is Sagi's mother being called a "wh*re" at one time.

 

[Erebos]

It is actually a little bit difficult to tell exactly what has changed because the lines are in a different order than in the original games. I've written a tool that identifies all lines that are identical or nearly identical, but it failed to identify about 2.000 (of about 13,000) lines. Moreover, it appears that each of the European language versions (for the first game) was revised separately, so there are some changes that affect only a specific language. What I can tell you so far (note that I only worked on BK1 so far):

• By far the most changes simply fix punctuation, formatting and spelling errors. These will not be reverted by my patch.
• Alcoholic drinks are replaced with non-alcoholic drinks. This seems to affect all languages. Some of these changes are hilariously nonsensical (e.g. "Beer" -> "Wheat Tea" or apples simply becoming apple juice by aging instead of fermenting to wine). This will be reverted by my patch.
• In the English version, the Taintclouds are now called the Toxiclouds. The word "taint" is also replaced in every other instance (e.g. with "corruption"). Don't ask me why. This will of course be reverted. It may or may not affect other languages - e.g. the German name for the Taintclouds was not changed ("Kummerwolken", i.e. clouds of sorrow). I guess someone at Namco doesn't like the word "taint".
• In the English version, all of Mizuti's lines were updated. Mizuti now properly conjugates the word "to be". Otherwise, Mizuti's dialogue is the same. Will of course be reverted.
• Some dialogue has been changed because the original was objectively mistranslated or updated to use terms from BKO (e.g. use the word "machina" for Alfard-made machines). I will revert these only when they're voiced.

Thanks, my main concern are changes like the "yikes". Given how silly that addition was, it makes me wonder what else they could have messed up. Is the description of the "Stalker's Letter" Magnus still intact?
I also heard that they altered a cutscene where two characters were killed. I guess there's nothing you can do to restore it, right?

 

[Helsionium]

Thanks, my main concern are changes like the "yikes". Given how silly that addition was, it makes me wonder what else they could

Just for your info, I will not undo this particular change. It doesn't meet my criteria for "censorship" and it isn't part of a voiced dialogue, so it can stay.

have messed up. Is the description of the "Stalker's Letter" Magnus still intact?

Unfortunately, I don't yet know what descriptions go along with which magnus. Is it this one: "Speaking from my vast romantic experience, I'll tell you what... listen to her. Just lend an ear, and keep on sendin' love letters, and eventually she'll warm up to ya." ? That line has not been changed.

I also heard that they altered a cutscene where two characters were killed. I guess there's nothing you can do to restore it, right?

Really? I didn't expect them to change anything other than the text. It's strange, because there are several death scenes in the two games. Why would they change only one particular scene? In any case, I will not be able to restore it. Maybe some else with more Unity experience can do it.

 

[Erebos]

Just for your info, I will not undo this particular change. It doesn't meet my criteria for "censorship" and it isn't part of a voiced dialogue, so it can stay.

It's not censorship, but still an unnecessary addition. In my opinion a localizer shouldn't be a babysitter that has to tell you that misogyny is bad and that drinking is harmful...

Unfortunately, I don't yet know what descriptions go along with which magnus. Is it this one: "Speaking from my vast romantic experience, I'll tell you what... listen to her. Just lend an ear, and keep on sendin' love letters, and eventually she'll warm up to ya." ? That line has not been changed.

That is the description of "Secret Recipe 9", I was talking about this:
https://batenkaitos.fandom.com/wiki/Stalker's_Letter

Really? I didn't expect them to change anything other than the text. It's strange, because there are several death scenes in the two games. Why would they change only one particular scene? In any case, I will not be able to restore it. Maybe some else with more Unity experience can do it.

It should be the flashback

Spoiler

with Savyna. Maybe because there was a child involved?

By the way it seems that an official pc release is close, I hope this will make things easier.

 

[Elevna]

It's not censorship, but still an unnecessary addition. In my opinion a localizer shouldn't be a babysitter that has to tell you that misogyny is bad and that drinking is harmful...

That is the description of "Secret Recipe 9", I was talking about this:
https://batenkaitos.fandom.com/wiki/Stalker's_Letter

It should be the flashback

Spoiler

with Savyna. Maybe because there was a child involved?

By the way it seems that an official pc release is close, I hope this will make things easier.

official PC port?? I highly doubt that, where on earth did you hear that?

 

[Erebos]

A pc port was spotted on the Australian classifications board:
https://www.classification.gov.au/titles/baten-kaitos-i-ii-hd-remaster

 

[Elevna]

A pc port was spotted on the Australian classifications board:
https://www.classification.gov.au/titles/baten-kaitos-i-ii-hd-remaster

I figured it was one of those games that will never leave nintendo platforms. Will blow my mind if this is true

 

[Lightmanone]

Yeah first it was spotted in June at the South African classification board. But since we haven't heard anything since then, people chalked it up as a mistake of some sorts. But now the Australian board did it too, so I think it's highly likely we will have a PC port indeed. Please Helsionium, don't let that deter you from doing the work you're doing. Waiting in patience here for the mod of all time!

​

 

[marksteele]

Yeah first it was spotted in June at the South African classification board. But since we haven't heard anything since then, people chalked it up as a mistake of some sorts. But now the Australian board did it too, so I think it's highly likely we will have a PC port indeed. Please Helsionium, don't let that deter you from doing the work you're doing. Waiting in patience here for the mod of all time!

​

if the PC port is also done in unity I imagine much of the work done here could carry over to PC mod as well.

 

[Helsionium]

That is the description of "Secret Recipe 9", I was talking about this:
https://batenkaitos.fandom.com/wiki/Stalker's_Letter

Oh, so that's the one... no, the Stalker's Letter description has not been changed except for punctuation.
In general, there's really no sign of true "censorship" apart from the removal of alcohol. And - without defending that choice - I kind of get where they're coming from. I mean, both games show alcohol use by minors and that really is a serious issue.

I just don't think it is my job to judge which of the very large number of changes are good and which aren't, and given that most changes seem to be well-intentioned (like fixing erros, formatting, poor wording etc), I'm just going to focus on changes to voiced dialogue and the alcohol issue.

By the way it seems that an official pc release is close, I hope this will make things easier.

If it's also built in Unity, it will not make much of a difference. Only applying the patch would probably become easier.

if the PC port is also done in unity I imagine much of the work done here could carry over to PC mod as well.

Definitely.

 

[Erebos]

Oh, so that's the one... no, the Stalker's Letter description has not been changed except for punctuation.
In general, there's really no sign of true "censorship" apart from the removal of alcohol. And - without defending that choice - I kind of get where they're coming from. I mean, both games show alcohol use by minors and that really is a serious issue.

It struck me as rather hypocritical. You can show minors involved with violence and warfare, but alcohol is a no-no. In a game which is clearly non targeted at children and they don't even sell in American retail stores.
But this is not the place to debate this matter.

I just don't think it is my job to judge which of the very large number of changes are good and which aren't, and given that most changes seem to be well-intentioned (like fixing erros, formatting, poor wording etc), I'm just going to focus on changes to voiced dialogue and the alcohol issue.

Of course! Your patch, your decision.
I was just hoping you could extract the relevant text lines so that we all could check the changes without having to play the remaster. If it is too bothersome, never mind.

 

[kiyafox]

looking forward to a english voice on baten kaitos 1. nice to finally have a portable version of it i can play but hate the voice on the remaster.

hows the progress on the english voice mod for baten kaitos 1?

not trying to rush just wondering how its going and maybe if you have an idea of timeframe. we all know those mod magnus can take a while hehe

 

[Helsionium]

hows the progress on the english voice mod for baten kaitos 1?

The voice mod was completed several days ago. I also finished the text mod that needs to go along with the voice mod today, but so far, the game refuses to boot with that mod. I hope I'll sort out the issue soon. When I do, I'll release the mod as a beta version (it's not tested thoroughly, but it should work just fine)

 

[kiyafox]

The voice mod was completed several days ago. I also finished the text mod that needs to go along with the voice mod today, but so far, the game refuses to boot with that mod. I hope I'll sort out the issue soon. When I do, I'll release the mod as a beta version (it's not tested thoroughly, but it should work just fine)

looking forward to the release! you do awesome work