So I have been going back and forth comparing the two versions of Ni no Kuni to each other: Dominion of the Dark Djinn (DS) and Wrath of the White Witch (PS3/PC/Switch/PS4).
I noticed that the scripts between the DS fan translation and the official PC release are wildly different. I noticed it already with the Japanese audio, where the audio clearly says Mark but the subtitles say Philip.
I finally got to play a more literal translation of the game with the DS version, but it is the different Dominion of the Dark Djinn version with turn-based combat and pre-rendered environments. I loved the game still but it made me curious on comparing both versions to each other in terms of the translation script, between the literal fan translation of The Jet-Black Mage and the heavily altered localisation of Wrath of the White Witch.
It made me curious of providing the idea for a fan translation of the PC/PS3/Switch/PS4 version called Ni no Kuni: The Queen of White Sacred Ash, that would be a literal translation of the Japanese script just like the fan translation of the DS version.
On the other hand, it also made me curious on what an official localisation of the DS version would have been like, under the title Ni no Kuni: Dominion of the Dark Djinn, alongside its companion book, now under the name The Wizard's Companion instead of Magic Master. I have a PDF of The Wizard's Companion reconstructed from the PS3 in-game version thanks to Ghibli expert neo1024. And it would be a great version of the book to include with the DS localisation port.
I assume making the localisation port of Dominion of the Dark Djinn would be simpler, as it has already been hacked and it just needs to port over the script from the official translation of the PS3 version, with the few DS exclusive content being taken from the fan translation but rewritten and/or tweaked in the style of the official translation.
Meanwhile, the literal translation for The Queen of White Sacred Ash would not only have to take the DS fan translation, but translate the new content including the endgame from scratch, but the Steam, PS3, Switch and PS4 versions would also have to be hacked so the translation can be patched.
Russians have already made Russian fan translations of all versions of this game so maybe the Russian hackers can share their code for the literal English translation.
Unfortunately, I am not good with hacking and coding, nor am I fluent in Japanese, so I can't contribute much to this project other than the ideas.
It would also be great since it would make the translation dilemma for the two versions of the game perfectly balanced.
I noticed that the scripts between the DS fan translation and the official PC release are wildly different. I noticed it already with the Japanese audio, where the audio clearly says Mark but the subtitles say Philip.
I finally got to play a more literal translation of the game with the DS version, but it is the different Dominion of the Dark Djinn version with turn-based combat and pre-rendered environments. I loved the game still but it made me curious on comparing both versions to each other in terms of the translation script, between the literal fan translation of The Jet-Black Mage and the heavily altered localisation of Wrath of the White Witch.
It made me curious of providing the idea for a fan translation of the PC/PS3/Switch/PS4 version called Ni no Kuni: The Queen of White Sacred Ash, that would be a literal translation of the Japanese script just like the fan translation of the DS version.
On the other hand, it also made me curious on what an official localisation of the DS version would have been like, under the title Ni no Kuni: Dominion of the Dark Djinn, alongside its companion book, now under the name The Wizard's Companion instead of Magic Master. I have a PDF of The Wizard's Companion reconstructed from the PS3 in-game version thanks to Ghibli expert neo1024. And it would be a great version of the book to include with the DS localisation port.
I assume making the localisation port of Dominion of the Dark Djinn would be simpler, as it has already been hacked and it just needs to port over the script from the official translation of the PS3 version, with the few DS exclusive content being taken from the fan translation but rewritten and/or tweaked in the style of the official translation.
Meanwhile, the literal translation for The Queen of White Sacred Ash would not only have to take the DS fan translation, but translate the new content including the endgame from scratch, but the Steam, PS3, Switch and PS4 versions would also have to be hacked so the translation can be patched.
Russians have already made Russian fan translations of all versions of this game so maybe the Russian hackers can share their code for the literal English translation.
Unfortunately, I am not good with hacking and coding, nor am I fluent in Japanese, so I can't contribute much to this project other than the ideas.
It would also be great since it would make the translation dilemma for the two versions of the game perfectly balanced.
