[DarknessSavior]

I decided I wanted to work on the FFIV script translation recently, and I actually managed to get a lot of it done.

But when I went to insert the scripts, I ran into some trouble.

For those not in the know about FFIV, there are two pointer tables full of script for the main dialog (non-battle dialog). One is for the script at 80400 - 87ECB, and one is for the script at 9A700 - 9CE18.

I've expanded the ROM to allow for a lot of the elongated text I've already inserted (like the 15 character item names, the 7 character spell names, etc). I made allocations for the script as well. Currently, I've got it set up like this:

120000 - 126000 is for the first script bank. 126000 - 130000 is for the second. These are estimates that I'll likely wind up cutting down once I actually get the whole thing translated.

But for some reason, the script from the first script file will insert fine. The script from the second file will not.

The problem is, even in the intro, a lot of the script in the game will use parts from BOTH pointer tables. For example, on the airship in the beginning when they cut to the flashback from Mysidia, it goes from the first pointer table (the airship) to the second (the flashback). Parts of the rest of the speech on the airship are also split up.

So while I've got some of the script working, the other parts are either random screens full of gibberish (random Japanese that fills the screen until it hits an [End] control code) or other pieces of the translated script (for instance during the airship scene it will somehow read text from the scrolling thing that happens after Cecil and Kain leave the castle).

I'm 100% confused. I feel like I may have done something wrong, but I'm honestly not sure. I had KitsuneSniper take a look at this, and he gave me a few pointers, but we were ultimately unable to figure out what was going on. Kitsune thought it was because there were a lot of empty strings I hadn't translated yet, so on his request I went through and put "Filler. [End]" in all of the strings that I hadn't translated.

That didn't help at all. T_T;

Can someone perhaps help me figure out wtf is going on?

~DS

[KillerBob]

Hi DarknessSavior, sorry for bumping your thread when I can't provide any help. I was just wondering if there is some thread or site where the progress on your project can be followed, the link in your signature seems to not be working? Very curious about your work and I'm dying to be able to play the original FFIV the way it was meant. Really hope you manage to overcome these obstacles. Wish I could help but am unfortunately very inexperienced in rom hacking.

[DarknessSavior]

Unfortunately, the guy hosting my site disappeared and isn't paying for the domain any more.

I have an old backup, but I haven't put any time into getting a new host or setting everything up.

There's some screenshots here on RHDN if you look into the Translation section. That's really all I've got.

On the plus side, there's two people helping me out with my FFIV problems. So if we're lucky, we'll get this finished.

~DS

[Gideon Zhi]

120000 - 126000 is for the first script bank. 126000 - 130000 is for the second.

Is this game hirom? Cuz if not, these numbers are bad.

Your best bet would be to convert the pointer tables to use 24-bit addresses instead of 16. Then the text can literally be anywhere, whereas with 16-bit addresses you're still restricted to bank boundaries (which are either 32K (lorom) or 64K (hirom) EVEN. Not 24K and not 40K, which is what you've got up there.)

[Lenophis]

FF4 is lo, and with how hackish the game is already, converting the text to 24-bit pointers could be a chore.

[kogami]

Did you find a solution to your problem?

I started the hack of Final Fantasy IV, but I would enlarge the space for dialogue.

[DarknessSavior]

Did you find a solution to your problem?

I started the hack of Final Fantasy IV, but I would enlarge the space for dialogue.

Me and the guys who offered to help are working on it. But my professional life is kinda getting in the way of my personal projects, so it may be a while.

~DS

[kogami]

The ideal would indeed put the pointer on 24bit, my plan is to get the French translation of the Game Boy Advance version.

I've done a few translations on Super Nintendo, but I have little notion of the asm hack.

I looked at the different hack this game, and I saw that the group Final Translation had changed  pointer 16 to 24bit.

If you can understand their change in the game

http://kogami.free.fr/Divers/FF4.zip

Dialogue bank 1:
0x118000 - 0x124C6F

Pointer 24bit (512 pointer)
0x110000 - 0x110600