Sorry I haven't gotten back to some of your questions sooner than this. I of all people know the pain of waiting for this game to be transulated. Sorry but I dont think I am the person that can do this. Even so here is a quick writeup (that should answer most questions) of what went into this project and its status.
Sorry this is going to be a long post.
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GENERAL INFO
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Sadly I was never able to get the Japanese characters to show in any hex editor and I didn't like the script dump route. Here is why:
The text has 2 restrictions as best as I can tell.
1) Length in the code
2) Space on the screen
The Japanese code uses 2 spaces per character while the English only uses 1 space. At first glance that looks nice but it screws up the way the text orients on the screen. This is why I had to abbreviate things and get creative with the naming. Now if the script was fully dumped (with locations of where it came from) and translated (properly - not Google translate) there shouldn't be too much hassle in inserting the text. I would just have to take my time and some creative licensing to get everything to fit.
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GENERAL PROCESS
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I don't really have a good process for ripping apart the rom, but here is a very useful trick that I found on the net that made all the difference in making this translation.
1) Map the Japanese characters to hex. Start by changing the main characters name to all of the same character, save and open the save in your hex editor. Start looking for a repeating pattern thats the same or double the length of the name. Repeat for as many characters as needed.
2) Hex Editor: XVI32 - I found this years ago and it has the dump feature I used. Select the hex string and dump.
3) Japanese Word Processor: Jwpce - Allows you to take the dump from XVI32 and change it to the Japanese. Just open the text dump file.
4) Translator: Google translate - The quick lazy way to translate. Its not perfect but does ok. Copy and paste whatever you get from Jwpce.
Tada the fastest way Ive found to translate.
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The text in the game pretty much starts at DEC: 347391
Here is what I have so far:
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Act 1
----------------------------
DEC: 347391
Enperosu customers, DaiMitsuru, has returned
DEC: 347450
Enperosu
Or "Opisu ...
DEC: 347478
Enperosu
Plan in Example was how?
Na It will not be the defensive blunder to ...
DEC: 347565
Opisu
"Yes, Please leave
DEC: 347601
Opisu
"Planning is already
And there is transferred to the effective
DEC: 347666
Opisu
Of Enperosu sama "all
Thanks for your power ...
DEC: 347733
Enperosu
"Fufufu, I apparently
Seems to have put the view point ...
DEC: 347810
Enperosu
"O Opisu
The powerful Zoids hurry
He will assemble
DEC: 347900
Opisu
Certainly "
DEC: 347930
Opisu
Certainly the strongest "
By creating a Zoid army
Let's put to see
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ACT ????
----------------------------
DEC: 348114
Enperosu
I wanted to be there, "I ...
DEC: 348238
Hagaru
"Sorry
DEC: 348272
Hagaru
In your power of "Enperosu customers
In the hands of our
But I had ...
DEC: 348362
Enperosu
"Another good Hagaru ...
DEC: 348415
Enperosu
"Fufufu, or not funny ...
DEC: 348461
Enperosu
The figure "Domo is human struggle
I wanted to see this because I also
DEC: 348552
Opisu
"Hihihihihi ...
DEC: 348593
Opisu
That "Both the state
Let there be to in order
DEC: 348662
Opisu
In ", Enperosu customers
So let's focus on the preparation of the next
I Enough ...
DEC: 348766
Enperosu
"Existence, and Opisu would you kindly
DEC: 348854
Enperosu
Or are in the "realm, the realm!
DEC: 348906
Realm
Enperosu customers or would be, "and
DEC: 348954
Enperosu
"Presence or absence ...
In the story of the Hagaru
I oppose to us
Apparently there are stupid human Domo ...
#### As you can see Google translate is not perfect. ####
SoonToBeProgrammer: I really don't know where to start on a script dump. Ill try to do some research and get back to you.
