Translation without scripts

[whyoucry 10]

Hypothetically speaking, you have a game that you're interested in translating. You know all the route specific info, and everything that needs translating. You're not a programmer though, and you can't rip the scripts to do your translation. Nor do you want to try, for fear of fucking up the VN's files.

 

So, you decide to write out the translation in a word document, exploring all possible routes and everything you need to in a very organized way.

 

When all is said and done, you have an organized bunch of word docs with every piece of translated dialogue in the VN. Only then are you smart enough to contact a programmer to see if he/she will hack the code and insert the text into the game for you, and create a patch. Assuming you kept the text as close as possible to the source material (i.e. all punctuation marks are kept in the appropriate places, so finding the correct matching dialogues should be fairly easy), do any of you think it is possible for a coder/programmer to be able to insert the text properly into the game, or is it pretty much a lost cause?

 

 

 

I know, it's probably a dumb scenario. Is it still doable? I have no idea what goes into translating VNs, myself, and every "how to" guide I've read starts with "find a programmer to rip the scripts for you".

 

Please keep in mind, it's only hypothetical.

[OneManArmy 82]

Of course it's possible. You "just" have to copy line for line from your word docs into the script file.

[whyoucry 10]

So keeping similar sentence structure is a good idea after all. Okay, I'll keep doing what I've started and wait to contact a programmer when I know I'm 100% going to finish it.

 

Thanks!

[OneManArmy 82]

Well, it's probably wiser if you're doing this. So ask a programmer for the script file and copy and paste the lines by yourself.

Anyway, good luck with your tayutama translation..........don't kill my dream man~

[shizzrig 11]

Sir, Whyoucry,

you are a good. GOOD man.

I wish you the best of luck and I pray that in the near future you become a translator of many great eroges!

[Ryu 15]

You can do what hackerless translators do. Use FRAPS and record your gameplay and make a youtube translation with English Close Captions.

 

Here you have an example.

 

[whyoucry 10]

Haha, thx shizzrig, I hope you're not taking the tayutama thing to heart though (sorry, onemanarmy, I guess the dream is dead lol). I hope this whole thing does work out for me though, and that I'll go on to translate a good many games and VNs. We'll see where this goes. I do have my cousin willing to help me out, and she knows a good bit of Japanese herself (goodbye, kanji problems).

 

Ryu, that's an excellent idea! I've tried to use Fraps before with kinda bad results (I've made many RPGMaker games that I would love to show off and get some more downloads for), but hopefully I'll get it to work eventually. I'm only 2% through my translation project right now though, as I just started it the other day, but things are going better than I could ever have expected. If things keep going this well, I'll announce what I've been doing for the weekly release thread. Until then though, it's probably better to keep it a secret.

 

Anyways, I'm feeling a bit more confident about the whole thing thanks to this thread, so thanks for the input, guys!

[Cross 12]

Youtube translations have disadvantages for the reader:

 

- because it's a video you have to live with slow text-speed

- no 18+ titles (or censorship, which is even worse)

 

My suggestion: If you are really willing to translate such a huge amount of text, you could do it in a cool way (eng-patch) right from the start.

Of course, this is just my selfish wish, so whatever you do good luck^^

[OneManArmy 82]

sorry, onemanarmy, I guess the dream is dead lol

Awwwwww....

 

Youtube translations have disadvantages for the reader:

 

- because it's a video you have to live with slow text-speed

- no 18+ titles (or censorship, which is even worse)

 

My suggestion: If you are really willing to translate such a huge amount of text, you could do it in a cool way (eng-patch) right from the start.

Of course, this is just my selfish wish, so whatever you do good luck^^

I second this, I don't like youtube translations either. Also, it shouldn't be that hard to find a hacker after you announced your project...probably.

[whyoucry 10]

Yeah, I actually have a hacker in mind already. I'ma gonna at least try to make a patch before resorting to other methods, but it doesn't sound like it'll be the hardest thing in the world. As long as I'm able to insert the text myself.

[strom 10]

As long as you are writing down the Japanese script and the English translation that corresponds to it I don't see a problem with you finding and inserting the text into the proper script. It will probably come out to look something like what you will find here: Entrans

Once you find the Japanese text, you will then just need to match the English script, and then maybe getting a programmer (unless you are one) to make a patch for the whole process. I look forward to how things go for you.

[IllyrioM 11]

Or, if you can't find a scripter to do that stuff for you, just release the translation as a nicely formatted text document to be read along the original VN. Better than nothing for sure...

[whyoucry 10]

Thx, strom. I think I'll take your advice and add the jap text right above the english text in my word docs. That way, if the programmer wants to do it himself, he has the option. And if not, it'll be much easier for me to keep track of my place.

 

It's funny you mention that, Illyriom. Initially I was going to do that instead, and release it on gamefaqs or something. I'll probably just keep that as a last resort, but you're right that it's better than nothing.

[strom 10]

Thx, strom. I think I'll take your advice and add the jap text right above the english text in my word docs. That way, if the programmer wants to do it himself, he has the option. And if not, it'll be much easier for me to keep track of my place.

 

It's funny you mention that, Illyriom. Initially I was going to do that instead, and release it on gamefaqs or something. I'll probably just keep that as a last resort, but you're right that it's better than nothing.

 

No problem. The only reason I mentioned that is that if you do get the script taking out by the hacker, it will allow you to find and match up where the translated script goes. The whole scripts that the Japanese company use can be confusing as they jump around during the script, and also jump to scripts further down then what you would think. Like, I have the scripts from Boob Wars, the title MG is gonna release, because I am a tester. If you follow one route you would go something like script 1-4, but if you went another route you would go something like script 1, 2, 6-10. Knowing the Japanese text just makes it easier to find exactly where you are in the scripts as far as plugging in text.

[whyoucry 10]

Ah, I see. That's really good to know. My plan before was just to keep the punctuation as close as possible and hope that the scripts followed a sorta linear path (as hard as that would be for me to find it all, it'd probably have been impossible for a programmer to have found his way through). Consider my ass saved lol.

 

Anyways, just about done my playthrough, and then I'll be ready to really crack down on this thing. I have the prologue all finished, which was done as a test run. Now I'll go back and add the Japanese text in as well. Here's hoping the rest goes just as smoothly.