Tengai Makyou Zero translation project

[Tom]

I thought I'd start off the post with some pictures of the current work in progress... I figured it'd be more fun that way.

After mulling over the possibilities, and discussing things with byuu, I've decided to open up the project to another hacker to get the game released in a reasonable time frame.

If you're a hacker (or know a hacker) who wants to work with me on this project, please post a reply to this thread. Show some pictures of SFC/SNES games you've worked on. I want some public feedback as well. Who do you think would be the best hacker for this project?

Looking forward to hearing from you.

[Gideon Zhi]

The pictures look good, but you haven't given any indication of the project's completion level. What's been done and what's left to do?

[Tom]

Hacking-wise, very little has been done... It's just that what has been done was done very well. In terms of hacking, I'd say it's less than five percent complete.

The script, however, is good to go.

Off the top of my head...

All text has been translated, but not all of the translated text is integrated into the current version. Menus aren't working due to no small font... In the current version, the menus have been left in Japanese for the sake of playability... All of this text has been translated. It's just been left out of the patcher.

The game needs to have the date-entry screen hacked to allow for more current dates...

There are three "custom strategies" in the Japanese version that can be named by selecting two (of many possible) kanji tiles. These two kanji will appear as the name of the skill in the battle options screen... (All battle options are shown graphically.) This will have to be totally reworked, because it would make no sense in English. I think the best solution is to have pre-set strategy names that cannot be changed by the player. They should only be able to customize each strategy.

Plenty of graphics hacking still needs to be done... Some in battle, but most outside of battle.

Variables don't always display properly, and the game has a tendency to let traces of previously-on-screen text linger in places where it shouldn't... And if an enemy (or skill) name goes past a certain number of characters in the battle window, the name becomes totally invisible.

The credits screen causes the current version of the game to crash, but it can be played through all the way to the end in its current state.

I'm sure there's more.

This project isn't going to be just a couple of brush-ups. Hacking it would be pretty much starting from "Zero."

[DougRPG]

I already told you, go ask bongo or Nightcrawler.

Bongo is a very active romhacker and do stuff fast.

Nightcrawler just finish the Glory of Heracles 4 translation, and afaik Glory of Heracles 4 is a much more complex game to hack than Feoez, so he can be your guy. He has experience in doing these crazy vwf font in menus.

Gideon is another guy to ask, but by his site he has dozens of other projects, so who knows. But he already posted here, so maybe you can convince him to put this game in the top of his queue.

[Tom]

The reason I have not contacted anyone personally and instead requested that interested hackers post here is because I wanted to give everyone the opportunity to offer to help, or make their suggestions.

I looked at the Glory of Heracles 4 English footage on Youtube, but it looks like the title screen was left in Japanese. There's a lot of graphics editing that needs to be done in Tengai Makyou Zero, so I hope whoever hacks it is up to the task. Maybe the footage from GoH 4 is from a preliminary version?

As for Gideon, I'm more interested in finishing up our older translations before starting up another project, because I know how full his plate is, already. In fact, I'd love to give the old Madara 2 script another pass to polish it up, if he still has it. (It's been how many years?)

[KingMike]

Glory of Heracles 4 translation with a Japanese title screen is indeed old.

[Tom]

Thanks for clarifying, KingMike.

Hopefully Nightcrawler is interested in the project... But I realize that it's not exactly a popular game, and it's a lot of work.

It's understandable if he's not interested.

Hopefully somebody will offer to pick it up soon enough.

[Gideon Zhi]

As for Gideon, I'm more interested in finishing up our older translations before starting up another project, because I know how full his plate is, already. In fact, I'd love to give the old Madara 2 script another pass to polish it up, if he still has it. (It's been how many years?)

This I have a lot on my plate and not nearly as much time as I used to. I'd take this on if nobody else does though. Don't get me wrong, it's not because I don't want it, I'm just not sure about my ability to finish it in a timely fashion.

[Tom]

Everybody's already got a lot to do, and the game just isn't worth moving to the front of the queue for most hackers.

The sad thing is, it really is worth it.

[khalismur]

Oh glad to see this gem is again getting another translation attempt ! Been very curious to play it since DaJap days 

[Tom]

Well, the translation is finished.

The problem is finding a hacker to work on it.

[Gamerhenky]

.

[Tom]

I put a help wanted ad up once before, when I was looking for an editor for the Echo Night 2 manual.

Right after I put up the ad, I started to get a bunch of junk mail sent to that address, so I decided that I'd rather get people's attention through the message board.

[Lentfilms]

Really happy to see something being done with this project after so many years! I don't know if he would be willing to help but have you thought about asking ddstranslation? He may be too busy finishing Fire Emblem 4 (I think he also recently started working on Goemon 2) but he has done some really great work on the Super Nintendo and seems to enjoy helping to finish long running projects.

Whatever ends up happening, I wish you the best of luck 

[patuli]

Apart of ddstranslation; another capable and expert snes hacker is magno, he's giving some help to the guys working on the Gokuuden games for the snes .

[Pennywise]

By all accounts magno is an excellent SNES hacker, but his focus has always been on doing Spanish translations. I've yet to see any serious attempt by him to do an English translation.

[Tom]

I haven't asked individual hackers personally, as I want to have this offer open to anyone who can do it... Not just the people I know personally. If any hackers can do it, I'd like them to post here in this thread. I'm not going to beg each one personally. I just want to put the offer out there for a hacker who actually wants to work on it.

[DougRPG]

You need to wait people find this thread.
And Gemini, do you have contact with him?

[Gemini]

I would have helped if I had the proper knowledge to handle SNES stuff at this degree of difficulty, but it's out of my league entirely. I'm more of a MIPS guy.

[ddstranslation]

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