Translator needing help? (Don't kill me if I'm in the wrong place)

[mariosmentor]

I thought I could translate Wrecking Crew '98 for the SNES, and although my Japanese skills were adequate enough, everything else wasn't, to put it lightly. I really want to get this game translated, but I just don't have the technical know-how, and every tutorial I find makes little to no sense. Are there any hackers willing to help a guy out?

[henke37]

Post a help wanted ad. You will surely find a lot of attention.

[mariosmentor]

Already tried that. It was rejected, because without the help I'm asking for, I can't do ANYTHING. I'm literally a guy who knows Japanese and absolutely no hacking ability.

[Zynk]

@OP for starters, just opening a topic thread is enough. But you still need to have some proof attached to it, like do you have a complete translation of the game's script; or, did you have any previous fan-translations done?

[mariosmentor]

Never worked on fan translations before, and how can I translate the script without a text dump, which is supposed to be uber important?


Fine, I can take a hint. I'll stop trying with this.

[Zynk]

You can translate the game's displayed texts alone. Why do you need a text dump? Does that mean you did not start any translation before asking for technical help?

[julayla]

Lucky you. I'm actually starting to learn how to do a hex editor and I'm currently trying to figure out how to fix up the text of a Sailor Moon game without having the game crash at the very beginning. That and I can't read Kanji too well, as I found out.

[flame]

Can text dumps with translations be submitted to the documents section?
I would guess not, just making sure.

[FAST6191]

The trouble with text dumps is unless you format them and document the means you used to do as such then they are really annoying to use for the hackers that come along in the end. For a straight dump you have no pointers, no markup, not end of section/line stuff (possibly), no knowledge of what line length limits you face and so on and so on.

To that end most hackers will probably opt to redump the script if it only exists in a gamefaqs style text file.

[pablitox]

there are some script dumps here if you want: https://github.com/Normmatt

We can do a "you translate, I insert translated lines" deal if you want.
still if you want to translate wrecking crew you will need a snes hacker.

[mrrichard999]

Pretty sure this has compression or encoding too... Won't be an easy one to do.

[elmer]

You can translate the game's displayed texts alone. Why do you need a text dump? Does that mean you did not start any translation before asking for technical help?

This!

You're asking for a programmer to spend probably weeks or months of his/her spare time cracking the game and figuring out to get your translated text to work in it.

If you don't already have a track-record that shows that you'll finish-off translations and deal with the sometimes-difficult task of rewriting/rewording your translation to fit within the game's technical limits ... then it can be difficult to attract the right partner to work on the hacking side of things.

It might be a good idea for you to show that you have a real passion for the game, and do what you can to get the translation started from the game's displayed-text.

If a programmer can see that you can do a good job of the actual translation itself, then you'll have an easier time finding someone with the (uncommon) skill set to help you out.

[BlackDog61]

I guess you need to find a balance.
I agree with FAST and the OP: doing a home-made text dump that isn't usable for re-insertion, and translating the whole thing, is pretty much useless. Pablitox has had all the trouble in the world trying to get a translation he has matched to something that can be reinserted, so he can talk about it...
On the other hand, agreed: it is easierto feel appealed by existing translations than by "hey I need help" messages.
So rather than being extreme on the need to show a passion through the translationof the whole game, I'd ideally suggest the OP to choose a "good chunk" of the game (I'd have said a mission for a turn-based strategy game, for instance)and translate that chunk of story. That will show your style, how good your English is, and show there's work done.

I would suggest to refrain from dumping the whole script yourself (whether by youtube watching or whatnuts).
I wouldn't ask to show you can fit into technical constraints. That (for me) comes as a second step.

Also, with regards to rules on this site, I think Japanese-to-Western-language translators are too few and far between not to try and ease thei finding a match in the community. But that's up fo discussion I guess. 

Overall, dear mariosmentor, don't give up just yet! Translate a few pages, start sharing around, then something may happen and you may meet "the right person".

[flame]

http://www.romhacking.net/translations/2747/
As the description says, most of the text in it was taken from AegisSub .ass scripts, and it wasn't that annoying, honest.
Anytime someone prepares one of these, it will be organized in order by scene, it's really not that bad.
On his videos you can see the Japanese together with the English, so that was helpful. Even when the Japanese isn't next to the English *cough RTT2 project cough* it's not all that bad.