ROM Hack [WIP] Dragon Quest VIII (8) "Restoration" Project

[Asia81]

missread, sorry

 

[urherenow]

I built and tested the USA version and it's based off Canzah's EUR version which also has been tested. So both versions are working, if you use Gateway you might need to do some extra steps tho.

like...? Without Gateway, Luma works just fine with the EUR one. I want to use Gateway because... cheats

 

[davhuit]

Canzah's version (EUR) works fine with the Gateway.

At least, if you take the one Billy shared on the same website.

About the japanese undub, I hope we can offer a first beta version (with 99% of the voices in japanese) in a few days.

Edit : More than 900 files (~75%) renamed.

 

[davhuit]

I guess I finished. The game will probably still have some english voices in some battles because I'm not sure I managed to localize all of them (battle voices files are a mess) but the voices for all the in-game dialogs should be okay (or near it, I would say 99% of them will be okay).

 

[Asia81]

Like I said, I will open a new thread with info/releases about it.

 

[davhuit]

Now checking which voices are still in english in the game, listening to the whole undubbed sound folder (it's pretty sure I probably missed a few of them).

We'll give some news about it pretty soon.

 

[Canzah]

Sorry, not entirely related but is this a good game to get into the DQ series with? I've always wanted to try it.

Dragon Quest games are generally completely standalone, though there's two trilogies (Loto/Erdrick Trilogy and the Zenithia Trilogy) that are vaguely linked but take places hundreds of years from eachother, generally I recommend playing those two trilogies in order to catch all the references but you're not forced to do so, Loto/Erdrick Trilogy (the two names are based on two different translations it had over the years) is DQ1, DQ2 and DQ3. Personally I recommend the fantranslated SNES versions for those.
And Zenithia is the DQ4, DQ5 and DQ6. I recommend DS/iOS/Android for those, though know that the DS version of DQ4 is butchered and is missing a vital part of the game known as Party Talk (talking to your party members) because they were on low budget and couldn't translate it so they cut it out instead. It was however finally translated for the iOS/Android release which is a port of the DS version. DQ5 and DQ6 are fine on DS.

Then you've got DQ7, DQ8 and DQ9 which are all completely standalone and any of those 3 is a great entry point, though personally I think 8 is the best one for newcommers due to its high production values (for back in the day on PS2) and being more streamlined than the other entries.

like...? Without Gateway, Luma works just fine with the EUR one. I want to use Gateway because... cheats

You can use cheats on Luma CFW as well, just need to set up NTR plugin.

 

[KingBot]

Would it also be possible to implement the super saiyan hairstyle the hero get at 100 % tension ?
I am really pissed that it is missing in the 3ds version

 

[LoneFlo]

Would it also be possible to implement the super saiyan hairstyle the hero get at 100 % tension ?
I am really pissed that it is missing in the 3ds version

This is more complicated because there is no "100% tension model" to replace. And there was an animation if I remember right...

Just for those who don't know the "super sayajin" feature wasn't in the original version (Japanese PS2 ver.), that's why it's not in the remake. This feature was added to use Dragon Ball's reputation to make occidentals buy the game.

 

[Canzah]

There is a "100% tension model" actually, the hair does change a bit, just not the way it did in the western PS2 version.
In Japanese PS2 version (and the subsequent mobile and 3DS versions) his hair turns greyish-purple instead so there definitely is a change, just not a drastic one like in western PS2 version.
The real problem is that the model format is completely different in 3DS version than it was on PS2, and unless someone knows how to convert and rig the models for this 3DS format then we're simply shit out of luck.
It's also why we will never get the playboy bunny outfit back.

 

[BORTZ]

There is a "100% tension model" actually, the hair does change a bit, just not the way it did in the western PS2 version.
In Japanese PS2 version (and the subsequent mobile and 3DS versions) his hair turns greyish-purple instead so there definitely is a change, just not a drastic one like in western PS2 version.
The real problem is that the model format is completely different in 3DS version than it was on PS2, and unless someone knows how to convert and rig the models for this 3DS format then we're simply shit out of luck.
It's also why we will never get the playboy bunny outfit back.

While not as simple as replacing text or music tracks, some one who is highly dedicated to rigging/modeling might be able to make one. @Voxel likes this kinda stuff.

 

[Canzah]

While not as simple as replacing text or music tracks, some one who is highly dedicated to rigging/modeling might be able to make one. @Voxel likes this kinda stuff.

I'm not saying it's impossible but assuming the models also contain skeleton data, you'd need to reverse engineer the 3DS models themselves first, export the skeleton data, then have the PS2 model rigged to the 3DS skeleton, and export back to the 3DS version's proprietary model format.
Without necessary plugins for such export it's going to be quite a hard task, nigh impossible.

 

[BORTZ]

I'm not saying it's impossible but assuming the models also contain skeleton data, you'd need to reverse engineer the 3DS models themselves first, export the skeleton data, then have the PS2 model rigged to the 3DS skeleton, and export back to the 3DS version's proprietary model format.
Without necessary plugins for such export it's going to be quite a hard task, nigh impossible.

I guess I wasn't clear but I was assuming someone could just export an existing skeleton and try to edit the model but I guess I don't know enough to really know what I am talking about. Either way, tons of work for not much payoff.

 

[LoneFlo]

There is a "100% tension model" actually, the hair does change a bit, just not the way it did in the western PS2 version.
In Japanese PS2 version (and the subsequent mobile and 3DS versions) his hair turns greyish-purple instead so there definitely is a change, just not a drastic one like in western PS2 version.
The real problem is that the model format is completely different in 3DS version than it was on PS2, and unless someone knows how to convert and rig the models for this 3DS format then we're simply shit out of luck.
It's also why we will never get the playboy bunny outfit back.

Oh, my bad... I was pretty sure it was only an sfx without model changes. ^^'
Anyway, adding polygons on 3DS without graphics glitches will give some headaches to the modder. But I only have edited pokémon's models, so I don't know if it's exactly the same in other games.

 

[Canzah]

I had a look at what exactly got censored about the playboy bunny oufit and I've got good news, it should be possible to restore its original look with a texture as thankfully they didn't get rid of the ears, they just changed the texture of the leotard into a sports bra and shorts. I wrote a PM to DarkSynposis to hit me up with the textures as I've actually got experience texturing and modelling (nothing fancy mind you) back from Quake 3 Engine-era moddable games and I probably can make outfits replicate their PS2 variants much closer, like the Magic Bikini for example.

But yeah, Super Saiyan Rose for Eight is basically a pipe dream.

 

[Kourin]

@Canzah Thank you very much for all the info!

 

[Arubaro]

I've never played a DQ, but I'm looking forward to playing this one!

 

[Ranger72]

Nice work.

 

[davhuit]

Dragon Quest VII have a pretty long game length so I don't think it's the best to start with (~80/100h to finish it, and I'm not even talking of a 100%).

I also think Dragon Quest VIII is a pretty good entry for newcomers.

 

[Canzah]

Dragon Quest VII have a pretty long game length so I don't think it's the best to start with (~80/100h to finish it, and I'm not even talking of a 100%).

I also think Dragon Quest VIII is a pretty good entry for newcomers.

Agreed, DQ7 may be overwhelming for new players compared to DQ8 and DQ9, but DQ9 for example has no endgame due to servers going down and now the only way to unlock it is hex editing the save.

DQ8 is really just the most entry friendly.