Xenogears Retranslation Project

[Lord_Skylark]

If you don't know...Xenogears was translated very very terrible. They did no research at all when translating it (including reading the japanese book that listed many correct translations for things). I am planning on a project to retranslate the game...

Anyhow...
I was curious during this project, if a coupel things could be done...

#1 - I would like to add in a couple of the dummied enemies into random encounters. Does someone have a list of the battle formations, the list of which formations are on which maps (and the enemy hex #s)? I know where the enemy data is stored already.

#2 - Do you think it would be possible to add in the deleted 'Sophia painting' scene into the actual game at some point?

#3 - Has anyone made a text table/extraction from the japanese version?

#4 - Once I extract the text, how can I reinstert it? (and how would I reinstert it if I add in more text than originally, since the translation will take up more space that was allocated in the english version - will it have any effect on the placement of text from other areas if I expand one area?)

#5 - After extracting the movies (japanese) and subtitling them, how can I replace them back into the ISO?

Thanks,
~Sky

 

[Cyberman]

Well considering how far Akari has progressed hmmm

Well the file table is stored using an "insteresting" system.  
UINT24 and UINT32 the UINT24 being the sector (ISO systems can have up to 80 minutes which translates to 360000 sectors) and the UINT32 being the file size.  The file types are allocated to specific directories.
The only thing left is examining the script engine and knowing how it works.

So in summary yes it's possible. You need to

• 
  know the script engine details
  Rebuild the file structure from the extracted file set
  extract the script into proper scene sections.
  edit the script
  recompile the file structure
  Rebuild the ISO from the new data and hope there is room.

[/list]

 

[Akari]

Some of this is not so hard. I think you need to use japanese version as start and edit text in there. This way you will have all scenes that has been deleted, almost every language (there are most of world languages are stored in font file and you could use them).

#1 - I would like to add in a couple of the dummied enemies into random encounters. Does someone have a list of the battle formations, the list of which formations are on which maps (and the enemy hex #s)? I know where the enemy data is stored already.

Probably the hardest part, because we don't know how enemy's encounters stored.

#2 - Do you think it would be possible to add in the deleted 'Sophia painting' scene into the actual game at some point?

If you use japanese version as start point thia problem automaticly solved.

#3 - Has anyone made a text table/extraction from the japanese version?

Nope, only english. But it not so hard to expand it to japanese version.

#4 - Once I extract the text, how can I reinstert it? (and how would I reinstert it if I add in more text than originally, since the translation will take up more space that was allocated in the english version - will it have any effect on the placement of text from other areas if I expand one area?)

English editor automaticly recreate file after save. Though you has restriction on file size. (size of file must not exceed the original sector's size)

#5 - After extracting the movies (japanese) and subtitling them, how can I replace them back into the ISO?

Some people already create util for subtitling xenogears movie. (http://www.sadnescity.it) They translate xenogears from english to italian.

 

[Lord_Skylark]

Is the deleted Sophia scene in the JP version? I thought it was deleted from both versions and only accessable from the debug room in either verison.

I meant, actually reprogramming the game at some point to play it.

Thanks
~Sky

 

[Akari]

Is the deleted Sophia scene in the JP version? I thought it was deleted from both versions and only accessable from the debug room in either verison.

I meant, actually reprogramming the game at some point to play it.

Thanks
~Sky

Maybe it is, may be not... it's the first time I actually hear about that =)
Could anyone give me link to description of that scene?

For inclusion we need to understand scripting system first =)
After that it will be easy.

 

[Micky]

I heard that some things were toned down from the Japanese to the English version, mostly related to Christian symbolism. And I can imagine  there are leftover pieces from the unfinished parts of the second disk around. But I remember seeing several scenes where Lacan is painting Sofia, so I'm not sure what other scene there could be.
But it definitely would be interesting to insert the English text into the Japanese version, to see the original.

 

[Cyberman]

For inclusion we need to understand scripting system first =)
After that it will be easy.

For translation as well.   I don't think there would be a space issue as long as you rebuilt the structure table. It allows 4681 files and there are 4151 files on the first disk.  So there is room.
I suppose one can even use the empty slots ( 0 start 0 length spots) in the table possibly.
Have you examined disk 2 Akari? if so are they more 0:0 files on it? I know Disk 1 has a bunch disk 2 is probably pretty empty.

My speculation is that the files are indexed from the script.  I guess a little script poking is in order?

 

[Akari]

For inclusion we need to understand scripting system first =)
After that it will be easy.

For translation as well.   I don't think there would be a space issue as long as you rebuilt the structure table. It allows 4681 files and there are 4151 files on the first disk.  So there is room.

I really dont think game use that file system. The data somewhere else, because in russian translation file table was left unchanged, but file sizes are changed and my extractor crush with assert =)
Probably I just misunderstood something... need to be futher explored.

Have you examined disk 2 Akari? if so are they more 0:0 files on it? I know Disk 1 has a bunch disk 2 is probably pretty empty.

Not really empty. Second disk contain 420mb of video (first disk only 241). Second disk missed most of field files (1 - 215mb/2 - 63mb)... but the number of files are much lesser.

 

[Cyberman]

I really dont think game use that file system. The data somewhere else, because in russian translation file table was left unchanged, but file sizes are changed and my extractor crush with assert =)
Probably I just misunderstood something... need to be futher explored.

Hmmm the directory table is identical? Maybe we need to compare those tables.  If the table is only 32Kb in size it can easily be kept within one of the executables as well.

Not really empty. Second disk contain 420mb of video (first disk only 241). Second disk missed most of field files (1 - 215mb/2 - 63mb)... but the number of files are much lesser.

Well I ment by count LOL. Most of the 2nd disk is video (420mb is a LOT of viddeo for the PS1).

I don't have the Xenogears Japanese varient in any case how about generating some parsable XML type 'stuff' for the directory records?
IE
Code: [Select]

<dir  Start=#### Length=####><file Start=#### Length=####></file></dir><null></null><null></null>

Then compare the data in some meaningful way.
It should be easy enough to see if everything is identical. If they are then that would make such a project a lot more interesting (and adding scenes in less likely).

Cyb

 

[Lord_Skylark]

I don't have access to the japanese Xenogears, but if someone does, it would like to talk to them over email ([email protected]). If the japanese text can get extracted, then I can start on translation with an online person fluent in japanese.

The very short deleted sophia scene is NOT in either the JP or US version. It can only be accessed via the debug room.

That's why it would need encoding at some point in the game to play this scene. I imagine it could be called up with the same call-function that is used in the debug room, but place it at some point during the course of disk2.

Thanks,
~Sky

 

[Sephiroth 1311]

If you don't know...Xenogears was translated very very terrible. They did no research at all when translating it (including reading the japanese book that listed many correct translations for things). I am planning on a project to retranslate the game...

Anyhow...
I was curious during this project, if a coupel things could be done...

#1 - I would like to add in a couple of the dummied enemies into random encounters. Does someone have a list of the battle formations, the list of which formations are on which maps (and the enemy hex #s)? I know where the enemy data is stored already.

#2 - Do you think it would be possible to add in the deleted 'Sophia painting' scene into the actual game at some point?

#3 - Has anyone made a text table/extraction from the japanese version?

#4 - Once I extract the text, how can I reinstert it? (and how would I reinstert it if I add in more text than originally, since the translation will take up more space that was allocated in the english version - will it have any effect on the placement of text from other areas if I expand one area?)

#5 - After extracting the movies (japanese) and subtitling them, how can I replace them back into the ISO?

Thanks,
~Sky

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