ROM Hack Translating question

[Sora de Eclaune]

If I were to do a partial menu translation for a game (I don't know Japanese, so the translation could only be partial at best), how would I find someone who knows how to edit the translations in? I would like to do as much of a menu translation as I could for Little Charo Travels in English, but as I do not know how to hack into games and change things in them... I'm learning, I just don't know enough to work with.

So, how exactly would I find a hacker person to help in a translation?

 

[Densetsu]

You could start a translation project and create a topic for it. In the first post you should state your intent and goals (be very specific about the goals) for the translation patch, and that you are looking for hackers and translators to help you with the project. If you're lucky, some of the members here will answer your call.

But there are some caveats.

If you're a relatively new member and no one really knows who you are, it will be difficult to gain the support you need for a legit translation project. You should have something substantial to offer to the project yourself (either be good at ROM hacking or be fluent in Japanese) if you want to be taken seriously.

It's also a big time commitment, even for a partial translation. A lot of people underestimate the amount of time that goes into translating a ROM, they become busy with their real life obligations and eventually the project dies. Most translation projects never get finished, so unless you're highly motivated to start one and see it through to the end (e.g., you fulfill the goals of the project as explicitly stated in the first post), you might reconsider starting a project. You'll either: [a] generate a lot of hype that will end in the disappointment of many members, or no one will take you seriously in the first place.

Just to put things in perspective, I've been studying Japanese for 14 years and I have never started a translation project. I have worked on several projects, and most of those were open translations (multiple translators working together) like Ragnarok DS and Jump Ultimate Stars (here and here). I have only ever done one ROM translation where I did most of the translating on my own. The open translations are ideal because even if you pull out, there will still be others doing the work. The solo translation is difficult because once you pull out of it, the project dies.

The reason why I'm not very actively involved in ROM translation is because it takes way too much time. Most people with experience translating ROMs (or just translating in general) know this all to well, which is another reason why it might be difficult to get help. Most translators' line of thinking is, "why translate a game when I can already play and understand it perfectly in Japanese?" It would have to be something many people would want.

You should also find out if the game you want to translate will be localized. If it is, then there's really no point in starting a translation project because all your work will be obsolete if the game is officially released in English.

That all said, I wish you the best of luck should you decide to start a translation project

 

[Sora de Eclaune]

You should also find out if the game you want to translate will be localized. If it is, then there's really no point in starting a translation project because all your work will be obsolete if the game is officially released in English.

This is the easiest part. The game will NEVER be localized. It is based off of a television show that's only on Japanese television networks.

And besides, I would only need to do a menu translation, anyway. Most of the game can be in english anyway (it has an option for it).

 

[jjjewel]

You should also find out if the game you want to translate will be localized. If it is, then there's really no point in starting a translation project because all your work will be obsolete if the game is officially released in English.

This is the easiest part. The game will NEVER be localized. It is based off of a television show that's only on Japanese television networks.

And besides, I would only need to do a menu translation, anyway. Most of the game can be in english anyway (it has an option for it).

I don't think you'll need a translation project for this as it's an edutainment game that teaches English to Japanese people. And most scripts are already in English.

Unfortunately, this game's file format is not easy to hack. (Most files are packed and compressed.) Even if you can unpack and decompress the files, you'll still have to locate what files you need to change for the menu translation. Then, you'll need to edit, recompress, and repack the files back to the game.

It might be way easier to ask someone to translate the menu for you and you just keep that as a reference when you play, instead of really hacking the game to make a menu translation. (It's just my opinion though. You might wait if someone can help doing this. But I think it will need so much effort to hack this game, even just for menu translations.)

 

[Sora de Eclaune]

You should also find out if the game you want to translate will be localized. If it is, then there's really no point in starting a translation project because all your work will be obsolete if the game is officially released in English.

This is the easiest part. The game will NEVER be localized. It is based off of a television show that's only on Japanese television networks.

And besides, I would only need to do a menu translation, anyway. Most of the game can be in english anyway (it has an option for it).

I don't think you'll need a translation project for this as it's an edutainment game that teaches English to Japanese people. And most scripts are already in English.

Unfortunately, this game's file format is not easy to hack. (Most files are packed and compressed.) Even if you can unpack and decompress the files, you'll still have to locate what files you need to change for the menu translation. Then, you'll need to edit, recompress, and repack the files back to the game.

It might be way easier to ask someone to translate the menu for you and you just keep that as a reference when you play, instead of really hacking the game to make a menu translation. (It's just my opinion though. You might wait if someone can help doing this. But I think it will need so much effort to hack this game, even just for menu translations.)

Oh.