Dragon Quest I+II Addendum Fix by Rod Merida

[lan-vuhoang]

The mismatched graphics and sprites are honestly probably my biggest complaints for the Switch version along with the localization, and are the main reasons I just can't play it. The graphics in particular are a weird mishmash of sprites at different pixel scales, character sprites looking Godzilla sized, high res UI fonts, and what looks like the DQ3 SNES battle backgrounds run through a smoothing filter and a couple of touchups with JPG enemy sprites just put on top. The Switch ports are genuinely really ugly looking, IMO.

It might not be for you, but it might be for other people. Peoples' opinions differs, you know.

[saldite]

It might not be for you, but it might be for other people. Peoples' opinions differs, you know.

Yep, I know. Just adding to the discussion. If it helps, on the plus side, the gameplay and balance improvements especially for DQ2 probably make it the best version of the game, gameplay-wise. Likewise, 3, I've been told, has auto-battle and AIs implemented, which could help with a lot of the random encounters as you're going from point A to point B.

They're definitely not the versions for me and I do think the cons presentation-wise outweigh the benefits, but I mean, it's still all Dragon Quest at the end of the day.

[lan-vuhoang]

Yep, I know. Just adding to the discussion. If it helps, on the plus side, the gameplay and balance improvements especially for DQ2 probably make it the best version of the game, gameplay-wise. Likewise, 3, I've been told, has auto-battle and AIs implemented, which could help with a lot of the random encounters as you're going from point A to point B.

They're definitely not the versions for me and I do think the cons presentation-wise outweigh the benefits, but I mean, it's still all Dragon Quest at the end of the day.

The most important thing: did the Switch version of DQ3 has the Sky World and Ice Cave?

[Bobza]

Another few slight issues in DQ 1 on patch 1.052rtm:

When choosing to remove items from the vault, the keeper says:
"What item will you retreive?"  (Should be spelled "retrieve")

Another apostrophe missing - when using the Cursed Belt as an item, it says:
"The Cursed Belt clamped itself onto ****s body!"  (Should be "... onto ****'s body!")

In the town of Rimuldar, the guard at the south of town between the buildings who asks about the ring - if you are wearing one, he says:
"Oh, you're wearing a ring.
Aren't  you embarassed?"  (Appears to be two spaces between Aren't and you, also spelling should be "embarrassed")

In the town of Garai, after you have defeated King Dragon, two issues:

The bard says:
"... For sure you must think It's a much more wonderful ..."  ("it's" shouldn't be capitalized here)

The old man in the house in the southwest of town says:
"... My eyes never decieve me."  (Should be spelled "deceive")

Just before the end of the game, when Laura asks to go with you - If you choose No, she says:
"Don't  treat me this way."  (Appears to be two spaces between Don't and treat)

Update from my previous post - As I went back into that secret room in the final castle for a second time, the door (all 4 graphics) was complete.  Must have been an emulator issue, or maybe just from the first time loading the area.. ?

If you are happy with your patch as it is, let me know and I won't continue posting these mundane updates haha.

[RodMerida]

I'm happy with the patch as it is, man. Those issues are very tiny and if I fix them I'd also have to fix many missing commas after the hero's name, many capitalizations after comma, when that comma is followed by Enter, and all that.
I have decided very much time ago to leave those things as characteristics of the original patch, like a typographic decision (that I don't agree but is part of the nature of the patch), and I leave them for a matter of editorial respect.

Two spaces in an isolated sentence, one saxon genitive without apostrophe (like in archaic orthograph), one retreive instead retrieve, they're the typical minor typos that even official translations could sometimes contain, like the one of Terranigma or Lufia in Spanish. "It was released like that" (or as we say in Spanish: "¡Salió así!").

Anyway thanks for putting me these, because it's interesting.

[RedDogs]

I'm happy with the patch as it is, man. Those issues are very tiny and if I fix them I'd also have to fix many missing commas after the hero's name, many capitalizations after comma, when that comma is followed by Enter, and all that.
I have decided very much time ago to leave those things as characteristics of the original patch, like a typographic decision (that I don't agree but is part of the nature of the patch), and I leave them for a matter of editorial respect.

Two spaces in an isolated sentence, one saxon genitive without apostrophe (like in archaic orthograph), one retreive instead retrieve, they're the typical minor typos that even official translations could sometimes contain, like the one of Terranigma or Lufia in Spanish. "It was released like that" (or as we say in Spanish: "¡Salió así!").

Anyway thanks for putting me these, because it's interesting.

Ugh, Translation Quest's patch can't get here soon enough

[Special]

I'm happy with the patch as it is...

Thank God, those constant updates were getting annoying! And you probably need a rest anyways.

[RodMerida]

Thank God, those constant updates were getting annoying! And you probably need a rest anyways.

Yes. Basically. That's the other main reason.

[lan-vuhoang]

Here's my checklist for a RodMerida English patch for DQ3:
1. Bug-fixed. (obviously)
2. Based on the DQ Translations patch, not the RPGONE patch, because the DQ Translations patch is more complete.
3. No cracktro altogether, so that people who mashes buttons when starting games don't have to unnecessarily deal with it. Just add an additional copyright line to the title screen and credits.
4. Modern terminology. (preferably optional for the user)
5. English names. (also preferably optional for the user)

[RodMerida]

It seems the letter to the 3 Wise Men (los Reyes Magos) so they bring you many gifts. Lol.

Still I don't even have an idea of where those bugs may be in the ROM. It seems like finding a pin in a desert.

But miracles exist. I had many miracles with DQ1+2 (still I don't believe them), and many days of research, too.


"4. Modern terminology."
-> I will leave the ROM as it is in English. Not my business to change the translation. Also I will respect the original terminology from those times as it comes (however they may have translated it), since it's historical info that talks to us about the evolution of terminology in DQ games. The fan English terminology is even mentioned in Fandom Wiki. And is good. It's interesting I think.

"Just add an additional copyright line to the title screen and credits."
-> very easy to say. Yes, go ahead. Teach me how to do it. I'm listening.
"3. No cracktro"
-> No cracktro, but splash screen. There was already a splash screen in DQTranslations work and nobody has complained about it. I will just update it.

"2. Based on the DQ Translations patch, not the RPGONE patch"
-> Is there even an RPGOne patch of DQ3?? Really?? Didn't know. And is it finished?
I'm just translating DQTranslations work to Spanish, so I will work over it.

"1. Bug-fixed. (obviously)"
-> That will be my only addition (in English at least; in Spanish I'm doing the translation, too).

"5. English names."
-> Whatever it comes in the DQTranslations work.
Does it come "Loto"? Then Loto.
Does it come "Ludatorm" and not "Radatome"? Then Ludatorm.
Or it won't match with walkthroughs on Internet (there are many, and all of them say Ludatorm, so that's what there is).

[lan-vuhoang]

It seems the letter to the 3 Wise Men (los Reyes Magos) so they bring you many gifts. Lol.

Still I don't even have an idea of where those bugs may be in the ROM. It seems like finding a pin in a desert.

But miracles exist. I had many miracles with DQ1+2 (still I don't believe them), and many days of research, too.


"4. Modern terminology."
-> I will leave the ROM as it is in English. Not my business to change the translation. Also I will respect the original terminology from those times as it comes (however they may have translated it), since it's historical info that talks to us about the evolution of terminology in DQ games. The fan English terminology is even mentioned in Fandom Wiki. And is good. It's interesting I think.

"Just add an additional copyright line to the title screen and credits."
-> very easy to say. Yes, go ahead. Teach me how to do it. I'm listening.
"3. No cracktro"
-> No cracktro, but splash screen. There was already a splash screen in DQTranslations work and nobody has complained about it. I will just update it.

"2. Based on the DQ Translations patch, not the RPGONE patch"
-> Is there even an RPGOne patch of DQ3?? Really?? Didn't know. And is it finished?
I'm just translating DQTranslations work to Spanish, so I will work over it.

"1. Bug-fixed. (obviously)"
-> That will be my only addition (in English at least; in Spanish I'm doing the translation, too).

"5. English names."
-> Whatever it comes in the DQTranslations work.
Does it come "Loto"? Then Loto.
Does it come "Ludatorm" and not "Radatome"? Then Ludatorm.
Or it won't match with walkthroughs on Internet (there are many, and all of them say Ludatorm, so that's what there is).

2. There's a RPGONE translation of the game. Here it is: https://www.romhacking.net/translations/339/
3. Okay then. Just make sute to remove the cracktro from the DQ1+2 translation too.
4+5. In my opinion, the best way to handle them is just to make them optional options. If you don't want it, just don't use it.

[RodMerida]

2. There's a RPGONE translation of the game. Here it is: https://www.romhacking.net/translations/339/

Ah, yes! I had seen it.

Oh, my...! But this is completely unfinished!! And how uggly menu fonts! They've just romanized the kanjis! Lol, how funny. And how orthopaedic.

Not even crazy I work over this one.
But it may be very useful for finding out the bugs (or try so).

[niuus]

Ah, yes! I had seen it.

Oh, my...! But this is completely unfinished!! And how uggly menu fonts! They've just romanized the kanjis! Lol, how funny. And how orthopaedic.

Not even crazy I work over this one.
But it may be very useful for finding out the bugs (or try so).

Are you continuing your work with DQ III? That would be great, since your patch is the reason i started playing the series again, with the intent to finish them all. 

[RodMerida]

Yes, Niuus.
I'm glad to hear so.

[lan-vuhoang]

Also, since the Start and Select button are pretty close together in a SNES controller, you also have to make sure that player don't accidentally press Select and trigger the cracktro, instead of the Start button whick skip the splash screen.

[VicVergil]

Pardon my cultural ignorance, but isn't that because Japanese writing in general tends to have qualities off-putting to English audiences unfamiliar with it? Their particular systems of honorifics and politeness have no smooth analogue in the English language.

That's not the reason why Dragon Quest translations are "spiced up". It's the marketing suits telling Enix they should "fix it" to sell better outside of Japan, whatever "selling better" means.

Ever since Dragon Quest 1 bombed on the NES, Enix was convinced the series as it is originally just doesn't work for non-Japanese versions, because it's too kiddy, too generic, too cartoony, too Japanese, too primitive, whatever.
However, that's just how the series is. Anyone who considers these "issues to fix" doesn't like the series to begin with, and is better off with a different JRPG franchise (which is what Square Enix basically did by promoting Final Fantasy as their JRPG tailored for Western audiences, and then later Kingdom Hearts).

Enix even toyed with the idea of redesigning the entirety of Akira Toriyama's artwork for DQ2's Western release, but then his editor threatened to end his involvement in the franchise as a whole. DQ3 had extra cinematics for the Western version... Then starting from DQ8, their "selling point" was the accents. That worked in moderation with that first attempt since it was voice acted and the cuts and changes were minor, but then things like "generic story", "puff puff", "spell names and characters that are named after sound effects or fruits that don't make sense" (that are normal for anyone familiar with Dragon Ball) were seen as "issues to fix". Then after Sony bankrolled a PS4 entry and that became the new baseline for the franchise, Square Enix is attempting the same ARPG westernization they did for Final Fantasy for DQ12, with a low budget DQ3 remake in the style of Octopath Travelers (or what Bravely Default was to Final Fantasy) as a consolation prize for disgruntled Japanese fanbases.

The Game Boy Color and NES versions, as well as the various fan translations, are the least compromised versions of Dragon Quest translations. Modern localizations can't even get battle move translations consistent or making sense in any way, and somehow are more puritanical than the Enix of 1988 (which also pulled with gusto the regal, old English accents, far better than the Plus Alfa hacks could ever hope to achieve. It's readable, fit for purpose, full of personality, concise, and enjoyable.)

Here's my checklist for a RodMerida English patch for DQ3:
1. Bug-fixed. (obviously)
2. Based on the DQ Translations patch, not the RPGONE patch, because the DQ Translations patch is more complete.
3. No cracktro altogether, so that people who mashes buttons when starting games don't have to unnecessarily deal with it. Just add an additional copyright line to the title screen and credits.
4. Modern terminology. (preferably optional for the user)
5. English names. (also preferably optional for the user)

Is RodMerida even working on DQ3 after all of this nonsense about the cracktro? That would be wonderful.

4 and 5 are horrible suggestions. The fact that DQ Translations translated the game properly isn't a "flaw" to be corrected by an "addendum fix".

Please leave that to a completely separate project, in the best interests of both those interested in the English names (it would require a complete rework of the battle text to pull prerendered strings, no way those english names are going to fit when some are made excessively long and obnoxious on purpose) and those who chose to play the SNES version rather than the readily available Switch/Android version with the Plus Alfa script and those English names.

[RodMerida]

Is RodMerida even working on DQ3 after all of this nonsense about the cracktro? That would be wonderful.

I have just released DQ3 for SNES in Spanish four days ago (and in ROMhacking.net this morning), and it's bugfixed. It doesn't corrupt saved games anymore, and items descriptions are not messed now, when read by a female Dealer. Also two paragraphs in the ending narration have been restored.

But honestly, seeing all these attitudes with my previous English port of my bugfixes, for DQ1+2, it's really problematic for me to just port right now these simple bugfixes to English. What will I get that way? Seeing endless attempts to crack my own patch since the next day for the sake of discrediting my work and my mates' contributions, a bunch of harassing and criticisements, people calling me jerk in an anonymous forum, and bugging me here? Or silly attempts to rewrite the English text (that is well- translated), or even the Spanish one, with nonsense, now that is bugfixed? NO, THANKS!

Until I don't see a serious self-criticisement and meditation exercise from those that demonstrated an awful "obnoxious" "spinning-vomit" attitude to my work I won't do anything.

Now suffer!

[Felipefpl]

I have just released DQ3 for SNES in Spanish four days ago (and in ROMhacking.net this morning), and it's bugfixed. It doesn't corrupt saved games anymore, and items descriptions are not messed now, when read by a female Dealer. Also two paragraphs in the ending narration have been restored.

Congratulations on another good job, hopefully if you change your mind in the future and port this to english it'll be enjoyed by even more ppl than before, perhaps even by those who dissed you.

PS: you need a new thread at "Personal Projects Forum" to discuss this. 

[RodMerida]

It will take a while to bugfix that hellish mess with Dealer's mixed descriptions in English too, though. I really suffered with that in Spanish. It's not so quick. But more or less I have a much clearer idea of the steps to do, now.

[Felipefpl]

It will take a while to bugfix that hellish mess with Dealer's mixed descriptions in English too, though.

I dont know about this, never played the game.

But more or less I have a much clearer idea of the steps to do, now.

Good to know, good luck with that.