Dragon Quest Monsters (GBC) Delocalized

[nejimakipiyo]

Dragon Quest Monsters: Delocalized is live, folks! 
https://www.romhacking.net/hacks/5882/

The exp revert patch and HTM guide format might sit in the queue for a while once submitted, but in the meantime here's a Dropbox with both, for anyone who may need them.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/rdxved06czox8uw/AAB3m5NdWRCE1NL_hkdvTshRa?dl=0&fbclid=IwAR3uBMpK1hFaCBV2htZQbG693OOMjSpNuqUm5so93IdUS4eJEDSteUnUTHk

[Chicken Knife]

Looks like those changes were approved and are now part of the download.

[Special]

Only had time to check the readme of this so far, but I lied. There is absolutely no way I could "wing it" without a proper guide, some of those new names are completely alien to me. (not a good or bad thing, just saying.)

[nejimakipiyo]

Only had time to check the readme of this so far, but I lied. There is absolutely no way I could "wing it" without a proper guide, some of those new names are completely alien to me. (not a good or bad thing, just saying.)

Yes, a lot of the names are completely different. I wasn't sure I would like all the changes at first, because I've been playing this since my childhood and a lot has changed. But over the course of two thorough playtests I've found the new names to be quite charming and the skills and spells much easier to understand. I hope the Delocalized naming system grows on you and others!

~

One other thing I would like to post here is that some technical issues remain with this hack. Nothing so pressing that it had to delay our release, but some things I want to make known and intend to try to address in the future once I have more time to devote to learning more hacking skills.

The issues are:

1) Menu text.


For reasons of symmetry, we would like this to read TEXT SPD, ORDER, PLAN, JOURNAL. Having "CH" (standing for "change") in the menu seems strange when the others don't have a verb in front of the menu command. I wasn't able to find these menu items in the ROM.


2) Personality list.


I was trying to change all of the personality text in the game to have only the first letter of each word capitalized, and the rest lowercased. While I did find a list of personalities in the rom, changing that list didn't affect the game.

I'm assuming that the personalities and the menu text are stored as compressed graphics somewhere, just like the list of gate names.

3) Pete, the gift monster.


I have a suspicion that Pete was intended to be a male monster, yet is coded as female in the game. Not only is the monster's name Pete, but after Machiko gives you this monster she goes on about how it's odd that male monsters can learn PuffPuff. It seems to be non sequitur for her to make that comment after giving you a female monster with the PuffPuff skill.

4) Master designation on breeding screen.
In the screenshot of Pete above, you also see that it says MASTER: May. May is the former name of Machiko, whose name was changed to Machiko in dialogue but I can't seem to affect her name in this list (even though I have changed others). This sort of maser designation also appears when you check the 4th page of a monster status after breeding monsters with an NPC. There are two names I would like to change on these screens, but my changes didn't work.

So... just some minor things that I didn't feel equipped to deal with just yet, and may eventually be in a future update.

[zarkon]

Cheers to everyone who worked on this.  Will dive back in to DQM this weekend.

I recall the good endgame skills being HellBlast, BigBang, QuadHits, HealUsAll, Revive, TwinHits, GigaSlash, Ironise, UltraDown, Defence, Increase, DeMagic & MagicWall. 
Will have to try to work out the combination paths again

[nejimakipiyo]

Cheers to everyone who worked on this.  Will dive back in to DQM this weekend.

I recall the good endgame skills being HellBlast, BigBang, QuadHits, HealUsAll, Revive, TwinHits, GigaSlash, Ironise, UltraDown, Defence, Increase, DeMagic & MagicWall. 
Will have to try to work out the combination paths again

Would love to hear your feedback when you play!

Those are indeed great skills for the most part. In the order you mentioned, they are now called: HellSpark, BigBang, ExploHits, Helomazun, Vivariku, Ampiruto, GigaSlash, Ferreron, DarkWave, Softinara, Fortiruto, FreezWave, and MagicWall. My guide in the zip file can tell you how to get them if you need it, but I also endorse experimentation!

I'm also partial to having a strong DEF monster, like GoldGolem or GoldSlime, with the Guardian skill. And TitanSlash (formerly EvilSlash) for those pesky metals you fight in the arena.

[Special]

So I went to take this for a little spin just now and correct me if I'm wrong here, but does this not work in the emulator mGBA v9.0? (shame if so)

What emulator do you recommend? I only have and use mGBA.

[Tyrantnyx]

What emulator do you recommend? I only have and use mGBA.

I recommend BGB for GB and GBC games, it hasn't failed me yet.

[zarkon]

Just gotten to Rank B.  Still using rather unimpressive monsters:



As I'm waiting for marbledmeat and the control gate to be available before I really start messing around.  I have been catching the odd monster, as well as doing the most important thing in the game - stealing other trainers monsters. So I do have a small stock of semi-rare monsters for when the time comes (All recruitable portal bosses, MovingStatue, Gigantes, Andreal, Archdemon, Unicorn, Grendel) to speed things up a bit.  Also this time I haven't been stupid enough to breed my skydragon away for something relatively useless.

New translation has been great so far.  Also fantastic to understand a lot of the call backs, the last time I played this 20 years ago I'd only played DQV really, though I got the GBC versions of I&II/III shortly after.

[Chicken Knife]

You seem to really know what you're doing for someone who hasn't played this in 20 years! Very glad you are enjoying this version!

[zarkon]

You seem to really know what you're doing for someone who hasn't played this in 20 years! Very glad you are enjoying this version!

This game made a huge impact on me back then.  The systems were so complex, it was the game that drove me online to gamefaqs so that I could try to understand how everything worked back then, after I'd made so many wrong turns.  The way they set up breeding still kinda blows my mind.

Over the years I've thought about it in my mind every now and then - all the mistakes I made (I bred a Dragolord1 to get a Skullrider lol) and how I could speed up the process.  This patch finally gave me the impetus to do something about it.

[Chicken Knife]

This game made a huge impact on me back then.  The systems were so complex, it was the game that drove me online to gamefaqs so that I could try to understand how everything worked back then, after I'd made so many wrong turns.  The way they set up breeding still kinda blows my mind.

It really is a brilliant breeding system. I kind of find it more satisfying than the class systems in the main series.

As for me, I only discovered this game as a result of nejimakipiyo's constant insistence a couple years ago. I would have absolutely loved to play this as a kid, but it still managed to make me feel like one in my late 30's. The biggest shock to me is that it feels like a true Horii product, a valid alternative branch of the main series. I've always seen the DQ spin offs as games where Horii may have lent his name or sat in a couple meetings, but not true works of his. That isn't the case here. From the story to the gameplay design to the NPC writing itself, his fingerprints are everywhere. I really encourage you or anyone else to keep talking to the NPCs all around GreatTree repeatedly, especially after the quakes. You really get entwined with these characters and their relationships. There's something about how Horii writes NPC text that is simply on another level from any other RPG series imo. It's what makes this process of retranslation such a joy rather than a tiresome chore for us.

And I haven't even touched DQM2. Looking forward to that one day not too far off.

[zarkon]

It really is a brilliant breeding system. I kind of find it more satisfying than the class systems in the main series.

As for me, I only discovered this game as a result of nejimakipiyo's constant insistence a couple years ago. I would have absolutely loved to play this as a kid, but it still managed to make me feel like one in my late 30's. The biggest shock to me is that it feels like a true Horii product, a valid alternative branch of the main series. I've always seen the DQ spin offs as games where Horii may have lent his name or sat in a couple meetings, but not true works of his. That isn't the case here. From the story to the gameplay design to the NPC writing itself, his fingerprints are everywhere. I really encourage you or anyone else to keep talking to the NPCs all around GreatTree repeatedly, especially after the quakes. You really get entwined with these characters and their relationships. There's something about how Horii writes NPC text that is simply on another level from any other RPG series imo. It's what makes this process of retranslation such a joy rather than a tiresome chore for us.

Yes, the writing is great.  Far superior to the Joker games.

Have noticed one issue though, when you talk to the person in the bottom right of the tournament signin screen and choose yes, half way through the explanation the game serious bugs out:



I've done a bit of testing, when I saw this issue I was rank B, but I did have some old save states, and it seems this only starts happening after you clear the gate that gives you access to challenge C rank (So just after the DeadTree King mocks you).

I'm using Gambatte, but have tested in BGB with the sav file and the issue persists.

One thing though, I have been liberally using save states because I'm too lazy to use the journal that often, so it could do with someone replicating the issue just in case my save is naturally borked due to that.
April 18, 2021, 07:18:18 PM - (Auto Merged - Double Posts are not allowed before 7 days.)
Just cleared S rank, the dialogue has changed and the bug no longer happens.

[nejimakipiyo]

Yes, the writing is great.  Far superior to the Joker games.

Have noticed one issue though, when you talk to the person in the bottom right of the tournament signin screen and choose yes, half way through the explanation the game serious bugs out:



I've done a bit of testing, when I saw this issue I was rank B, but I did have some old save states, and it seems this only starts happening after you clear the gate that gives you access to challenge C rank (So just after the DeadTree King mocks you).

I'm using Gambatte, but have tested in BGB with the sav file and the issue persists.

One thing though, I have been liberally using save states because I'm too lazy to use the journal that often, so it could do with someone replicating the issue just in case my save is naturally borked due to that.
April 18, 2021, 07:18:18 PM - (Auto Merged - Double Posts are not allowed before 7 days.)
Just cleared S rank, the dialogue has changed and the bug no longer happens.

Oh crap on a stick. Somehow this passed 3 testers.
Could you PM me your save file or save state?


Edit: Never mind, I found the issue! Thanks for your detailed bug report, zarkon. An update will be issued shortly so that this doesn't happen again.

I'm glad you're enjoying the game so far (despite that  ) and I'm impressed with how fast you're making progress!

[Thirteen 1355]

Been playing Pokemon FRLG lately, and planning to pick up the rest of the Gen. 3-5 games. How does DQM actually compare to those games? Does it end up feeling more like DQ or like Pokemon?

I played lots of DQ11 but sadly, I couldn't stay invested for the entirety and quit during Sniflheim. I'm beginning to wonder if DQ is really my thing. As of now, the only DQ I fully finished is the first one on SNES. That one felt the most unique.

[Chicken Knife]

nejimakipiyo is probably the better person to answer this, as they have played a lot more Pokemon & Dragon Quest Monsters, but I feel like the overall DQM gameplay feels something like a hybrid between Dragon Quest 5 gameplay and Pokemon. The structure of the game with its constantly evolving hub town and the randomly generated "mystic world" dungeons really has very little to do with either of them. The collecting aspect in DQM has has a little relevance with unlocking additional content, but the main purpose of collecting monsters is to fuel your breeding chains in the pursuit of ultimate monsters with the best possible spells & abilities.

As for DQXI, I mostly really like it, but some of the more contemporary aspects of the game don't sit as well with me. My sensibilities are thoroughly retro. The same things many people consider to be clunky or tedious in older games are often what I find most charming, so the first few Dragon Quests are my favs.

[zarkon]

Edit: Never mind, I found the issue! Thanks for your detailed bug report, zarkon. An update will be issued shortly so that this doesn't happen again.

I'm glad you're enjoying the game so far (despite that  ) and I'm impressed with how fast you're making progress!

That's great to hear.  My progress has slowed down now due to work, but yeah I played the hell out of it in the weekend.  I did manage to see dialogue I never saw back in the day lol:



back then in early game I didn't know about the generous sell rates of the gate merchants, and by the time I did all my money went straight into sirloins so I never reached 99999.  This time I've been holding off on buying marbledmeat until I reach the Control gate, but now I've hit 99999, I'll start buying some and putting them in the bank until I'm ready...feels weird putting meat in a bank!

Did find a small typo, again at the tourney entrance (it's cursed! ):



This is before completing the gate of reflection.

[nejimakipiyo]

Thanks once again! I submitted another patch update. Apparently I didn't talk to the Cursed Receptionist as much as I should have when play testing. 

So, you're waiting until you can grind against StrayMetals, right? I'm curious if you're using the optional exp reversion patch or not.

[zarkon]

Thanks once again! I submitted another patch update. Apparently I didn't talk to the Cursed Receptionist as much as I should have when play testing. 

So, you're waiting until you can grind against StrayMetals, right? I'm curious if you're using the optional exp reversion patch or not.

Yup.  I have the reversion patch on, I'm no masochist lol.  The time to breed all the skills forward and then keep the monsters at a strong enough level so that the child isn't too weak is high enough as it is.

Also I recently bred a PrismBird and had the harsh reality returned to me of how long levelling monsters who need 100 exp at level 1 is (ie all boss monsters from memory).  My original idea was to go DarkDream + 2 x Deathamoor3's, but I think I'll change that to DarkDream, Goldslime & Divinegon.  Deathamoor's third form always looked dumb anyway.  I have now reached the control gate, so will start working out the necessary genealogies to get there quickly.

[Rabite890]

Been playing Pokemon FRLG lately, and planning to pick up the rest of the Gen. 3-5 games. How does DQM actually compare to those games? Does it end up feeling more like DQ or like Pokemon?

I played lots of DQ11 but sadly, I couldn't stay invested for the entirety and quit during Sniflheim. I'm beginning to wonder if DQ is really my thing. As of now, the only DQ I fully finished is the first one on SNES. That one felt the most unique.

Pokemon and DQM are very different yet very similar games. DQM is almost always 3 vs 3 and you can recruit the last monster you kill.

Pokemon is almost always 1 vs 1 and you have to catch the Pokemon you want before you kill it. The worlds of DQM tend to be more of a hub, while Pokemon is about exploring this massive premade world.

Each Pokemon has a set of moves it can learn with some changes that can be made by parents, TM, HM, etc. DQM has 3 skills/spells per monster that can be passed on to the children if the parent knows it. You lose the parent in DQM, but not Pokemon.

Pokemon get 4 moves at a time with PP for each, run out and you do a move called Struggle that does damage to itself. DQM gives you 8 spells/skills you can learn but still have a normal physical attack if you don't want to use MP. Spells/skills can upgrade into better versions or merge into a completely new spell.

Pokemon has a crapload of boxes you can forget Pokemon in and never use them again. DQM gives you a much smaller amount of space to store monsters in so you need to be more selective with who you keep and who you allow join you.

In DQM spells/skills do a set amount of damage (like normal DQ). Pokemon relies on your stats for how much damage attacks do.

In Pokemon breeding isn't a huge thing. In DQM it's how you get monsters better stats/spells to make up for how few they would normally get.