The Legend of Dragoon Script Overhaul (and more) [LODModS Update]

[theflyingzamboni]

UPDATE: I will be using this topic for updates to all of my non-Script Overhaul LOD hacking-related activities now, as well. See this post and this post for the most recent updates!

Hey now, Dart, that disc took a lot of work... (and can be downloaded here: http://www.mediafire.com/file/587n5o4ue5gkcs5/LODSO_Disc1_beta.zip/file)


ORIGINAL: I've been working on this for a while now, but I feel like I'm finally far enough in this project to post a topic for it here.

This project is intended as a fix for the (often amusingly) poor official localization of The Legend of Dragoon. To be clear, I'm calling this a "script overhaul," not a retranslation, as it is based off of the English version of the game. The aim isn't to create a more technically accurate translation of the game, but to edit and improve the script that English-speaking players already know and love, in spite of its foibles.

This is also more than a simple grammar fix. Some of the changes I make to individual lines are quite substantial, but I always strive to make sure that the original intents of the lines and personalities of the characters are retained.

In general, what I'm trying to do is:

• Fix poor grammar and punctuation
• Better word choice
• Remove bowdlerizations
• Rewrite clumsy sentences
• Improve dialogue flow
• Generally add more "color" to dry dialogue, and make sure characters say things that humans might actually say
• Expand some NPC dialogue, so that they have more to say (that is, the dialogue seen when returning to locations later in the game)
• Quality of life upgrades, like making item/spell descriptions more explicit, and displaying chest contents even when inventory is full

I am doing this for all the text in the game (eventually). That includes the main story, NPCs, environmental objects, combat, and in-engine cutscenes. For now, the project is just me, with some editing help on my altered script by a friend of mine. The script on the first disc alone is well over 40,000 words, so it won't be finished for quite some time. Progress is steady, though, if not very fast.

Progress

Script Overhaul
Completed:

• Disc 1 Beta v0.92: 100% (http://www.mediafire.com/file/587n5o4ue5gkcs5/LODSO_Disc1_beta.zip/file)
• Spell/Item/System/Battle Menu text: 100%
• Disc 1 script, script file prep/semi-final draft: 100%
• Adding semicolon to font table. Why is there no semicolon?: 100%
• Also italics: 100%
• (OLD) Demo: 100% (http://www.mediafire.com/file/36y6jut111bf6sv/LOD_disc1_demo_patch.zip)

In Progress:

• Disc 2 script: 0%

To do:

• Disc 3 script: 0%
• Disc 4 script: 0%

Other LOD mods
Completed:

• LODModS Mod Pack v1.1: 100% (http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/4348/)
• Expanded Inventory v1.0: 100% (http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/4360/)
• Full XP mod v1.2: 100% (http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/4072/)
• tfz's Encounter Rate Bugfix v1.2: 100% (http://www.romhacking.net/hacks/4347/)
• Zychronix's Half HP v1.2 update: 100%
• NoOneee's Undub v1.3 update: 100%
• NoOneee's Rose's Blood v1.3 update: 100%

To Do:

• Extend NoOneee's Undub mod to include all voice audio: 90%
• Include pre-rendered FMVs: 100%
• Include remaining Dragoon voices: 0% (currently no way to replace LODXA00.XA)

Legend of Dragoon Modding System (LODModS)
Completed:

• LODModS Patcher v1.3: 100% (http://www.romhacking.net/utilities/1445/)
• Open-source LODModS tools v1.0a: 100% (as done as it will be before merging with Dragoon Modifier)

In Progress:

• Translation to C# and integration with Zychronix's Dragoon Modifier: 0%

To Do:

• Hacking tools documentation: 1%
• A lot, probably: ???%

Example Images
Italics proof of concept:

Spoiler

[close]

World map text change proof of concept:

Spoiler

[close]

[Chronosplit]

This sounds like an A+ idea!  Is this compatible with the encounter rate fix and Demon's Gate uncensoring?

[theflyingzamboni]

This sounds like an A+ idea!  Is this compatible with the encounter rate fix and Demon's Gate uncensoring?

I have no idea how applying multiple patches works, but those should target different parts of the image, so hypothetically?

[FlamePurge]

Oh wow, this project sounds so cool! I've been waiting for someone to do something like this for LoD for a long time. I'm a big stickler for natural scripts in games, so I'll be patiently awaiting this.

Someone should do a full game undub and subtitle the FMVs, too. Just 'cause the voice acting can be, uh... rather unintentionally hilarious.

"Ohhhh, ZIEG! It cannot BEEEEE!!!"



But that's likely beyond the scope of this project. I think I speak for many when I say that I'm glad to see this.

[Morinis]

I'm definitely going to be keeping watch on this 

[ultimaweapon]

Great idea. I'll definitely be waiting for this one.

I wish there was a way to get the Divine Dragoon armor before the final boss.

[theflyingzamboni]

I've really been wishing that this game had italics, for when I wanted to put emphasis on a word. I finally realized, "Oh yeah, I can just add those myself."

[Spooniest]

So what you're saying is that you're going to make me finally try playing Legend of Dragoon umpteen years after I passed on it originally.

... You sly devil.

[theflyingzamboni]

Even more devious, I'm hoping to make you like it. 

[PowerPanda]

I've been wanting to replay this game for a while. I'll wait for this project.

[Spooniest]

I am only now pondering the irony of posting a picture of Kurt Wagner (aka "Nightcrawler," the blue faced guy with the yellow eyes) on RHDN.

[agathor35]

Do you have plans on editing the menu words as well? Because there are alooooot of things that could be worded differently lmao
Like

Changing Main Menu :
Item -> Items
-- Use it -> Use 
-- Goods -> Key Items

Armed -> Equip
Addition -> Additional
Replace -> Party

Also, the texture for the "Don't Select" i feel could be changed to "Cannot Select" or "Can't Select"

As for over world things, All i can think of changing is changing "No Entry" to "Leave"
cause the way its worded it looks like it would be shwoing that you cant enter lmao

[theflyingzamboni]

Do you have plans on editing the menu words as well? Because there are alooooot of things that could be worded differently lmao
Like

Changing Main Menu :
Item -> Items
-- Use it -> Use 
-- Goods -> Key Items

Armed -> Equip
Addition -> Additional
Replace -> Party

Also, the texture for the "Don't Select" i feel could be changed to "Cannot Select" or "Can't Select"

As for over world things, All i can think of changing is changing "No Entry" to "Leave"
cause the way its worded it looks like it would be shwoing that you cant enter lmao

It's not high priority for me, but I'll do it if I can. The issue is that I'm not sure where to find or how to change all that stuff. Everything that isn't dialogue is compressed, so far as I can tell, and I don't know anything about recognizing and dealing with compression algorithms.

That said, if anyone can help me identify the compression algorithm used, I would be grateful. I made a separate topic here: http://www.romhacking.net/forum/index.php?topic=26184.0

P.S. I speak English, and in English we call 'em Additions, not Additionals. Don't know where you got that idea.  (Kidding, kidding. But I do think Addition sounds better and is ingrained in the English LOD lexicon. Agree on the rest, though.)

[theflyingzamboni]

Good news! It took a whole lot of time staring at the disassembler in debugging mode, but I was able to identify and reverse engineer the decompression algorithm the game uses for its .OV_ files, where all the items, monster names, menu text, etc. is stored. I'm a little surprised I managed that, to be honest.

Anyway, I was able to reconstruct (correctly, so far as my tests have shown) the decompression algorithm in Python, and have been able to decompress all the .OV_ files. Next, I need to figure out how to reverse the process and re-compress the files so they match the originals. EDIT: I think I have compression working (potentially barring at least one fringe case). I've tried decompressing and re-compressing one of the .OV_ files and replacing it in the ISO, and the game worked. The re-compressed file isn't identical to the original, because it's apparently impossible to exactly replicate how it orders byte pairs with equal frequencies in its dictionaries, but that shouldn't and doesn't seem to matter to the game.

If I can manage that, I'll start seeing about extending my script editing tools to handle the new pointer type, and then see whether I can change the length of the text without breaking everything. EDIT: Already ran into some troubles with expanding the text that defines Addition text effects in the bottom right of the screen during battle. Have some ideas on how to expand the font table, at least.

[FlamePurge]

I wish you luck, friend!

Also, I agree with you on Addition being the name kept. They're additions to your base attack, not additional attacks. (Very slight nuance there)

[Digitsie]

Do you plan to employ any of the hacks on RH into the translation, or have the trannslation script be compatible?

[theflyingzamboni]

Do you plan to employ any of the hacks on RH into the translation, or have the trannslation script be compatible?

I don't intend to include them in my patch, but I think they'll be compatible. I'm reasonably certain that none of the files NoOneee's patches target contain game text, and I know for certain now that SMAP.OV_, the file modified for the encounter rate fix, does not.

The translation patch would have to be applied first. I'm just making a PPF patch, so it has to be applied to a clean copy of the US ISO. But NoOneee either applies a patch to an individual game file, or inserts MRG files extracted from a Japanese ISO into certain game files. If their MRG file replacer works properly, it shouldn't matter what's in the rest of the file, or even if the file has changed size.

If that doesn't work, I may reconsider including them in my own patch. I'd rather not either force people to use mods they may not want or release a bunch of different (and large) patch versions to offer different combinations of mods, though.

[theflyingzamboni]

Still some hinks to work out of compression for some particular unusual circumstances in a couple of the .OV_ files, but it basically works, and text can be altered and repointed, and the compressed and uncompressed file sizes expanded.

[ultimaweapon]

Is there any way you can include the ability to use the Divine Dragon armor from the beginning ir right after you get the Fire Dragon spirit?

[theflyingzamboni]

Is there any way you can include the ability to use the Divine Dragon armor from the beginning ir right after you get the Fire Dragon spirit?

That sounds like something more up zychronix's alley.

https://www.reddit.com/r/legendofdragoon/comments/86wws4/dragoon_modifier_suggestions/