Samurai Shodown RPG translation NOW AVAILABLE

[MoriyaMug]

So, a general update.

General playthrough testing is MOSTLY done, and I'm making tweaks to the script for readability and flow. I have to do a few debug runs still. The main thing I'm waiting on right now is ASM hacks, which are pending the hacker's availability, and he's been pretty busy with his other projects for the past several weeks.

Still pending:

• Fixes to the intro text crawl (basically making it look more professional, with proper spacing and line widths), as well as fixing a stray tile in the logo at the end of the attract mode.
• Fixes to the smithy/weapon upgrade screen. Due to the VERY odd way the game handles this screen, it will require some coordination.
• The big one is forcing text windows to be displayed during the unsubtitled voiceover bits that occur at a few points. The game has the text in the files (with timing codes and everything), so I suspect the functionality is there, just suppressed for those moments. I'm using the debug mode to create saves to get right up to these moments in MAME, so the hacker can use its debugger and pick them apart.
• Lower priority is cleaning up the save data screen, perhaps moving a bit of text to make it look a bit less cramped.

I think that's about it. It's so close to the finish line, I can taste it. And it will be nice to finally put this project to rest after sixteen years of it hanging over my head.

[nopantsx]

 
Amazing! Thank you so much for your hard work!
Can´t wait!!

[midget35]

Magnificent stuff, Moriya.

The level of detail and quality you are striving for is inspiring. I sincerely hope you are enjoying the process. Infinite thanks for the regular updates

[reyvgm]

I think that's about it. It's so close to the finish line, I can taste it. And it will be nice to finally put this project to rest after sixteen years of it hanging over my head.

I know what that feels like.

[Malenko]

Got any docs or a script dump so I could maybe translate the Saturn version?

[kaiisen]

It took me time to realize this is actually a release for Neo Geo CD, I thought it was for Saturn at first, but after having tried the Neo Geo CD version I'm very glad MoriyaMug picked it up. It has much better animations and other features like an exclusive extra mini-chapter. Of course, the more the merrier, but I'm very happy with MoriyaMug's choice.

The second choice in my opinion would be the PSX version since it has an exclusive extra "side story mode," so more story content.

Saturn only has an interview mode after completion instead, which is also accessible on the PSX via hacking.

[Greyfox]

Thanks for the update!

[MD_Prometh]

It took me time to realize this is actually a release for Neo Geo CD, I thought it was for Saturn at first, but after having tried the Neo Geo CD version I'm very glad MoriyaMug picked it up. It has much better animations and other features like an exclusive extra mini-chapter. Of course, the more the merrier, but I'm very happy with MoriyaMug's choice.

The second choice in my opinion would be the PSX version since it has an exclusive extra "side story mode," so more story content.

Saturn only has an interview mode after completion instead, which is also accessible on the PSX via hacking.

Be cool if a PS1 patch could happy, especially if the interview could be reenabled to be unlockable, maybe after beating the game.

[MoriyaMug]

The second choice in my opinion would be the PSX version since it has an exclusive extra "side story mode," so more story content.

The main reason I'd be interested in the PSX version is that bonus mode, which I honestly think is better than the NGCD's overall. The NGCD bonus is neat and has some replay value, but it's not very content-rich. The Saturn is the weakest version of the three on the whole, though it's functionally almost identical to the PSX version (same code base, distinct from the NGCD), primarily because its bonus is so underwhelming. The PSX bonus mode is sometimes cute little vignettes, like in the case of Kyoshiro's story of him learning to overcome his fear of dogs and coming to trust Poppy. For others, it can be little epilogue chapters that flesh out the game's ending a bit. These in particular are a loss for the NGCD.

But as I've said in the past, basically nothing of my work outside of the translation itself (and the graphical changes) would map over to the other versions. If someone wanted to hand me a script dump for the PSX version, I'd be happy to contribute the English text and translate the bonus material, but I have neither the knowledge nor inclination to work on them directly.

[rsuggers]

I just joined specifically to say thanks for working on this. I've been waiting decades to play the SS rpg to no avail. I really hope it doesn't stall at the finish line like so many attempts from people before, but by the sound of it that seems unlikely. Keep up the great work, I'm presuming its release will go live on this thread or there will be links to the download?

[MoriyaMug]

I'm presuming its release will go live on this thread or there will be links to the download?

Yes, I'll be providing links here and via social media, in whatever form that takes by the time the last issues are ironed out.

[rsuggers]

Yes, I'll be providing links here and via social media, in whatever form that takes by the time the last issues are ironed out.

Great! I will keep an eye on the thread then and see how it's going.

[JonLeung]

Through this post i found out that you're the guy responsible for VG maps. Thank you very much. Love to see maps. Hope to see samurai shodown RPG as soon as this amazing project is finished.

Thanks for your kind words.  Yes, I'm responsible for the site, VGMaps.com: The Video Game Atlas.  But I hardly ever do any mapping myself, the VAST amount of content on my site are maps that others have contributed.  So we should be thankful for all of them - hopefully also including MoriyaMug soon!  We have almost 50,000 maps, and continue to accept more, and I am especially excited for interesting ones such as this Samurai Shodown RPG.  Looking forward to that map set when it's all done!

[MoriyaMug]

I am especially excited for interesting ones such as this Samurai Shodown RPG.  Looking forward to that map set when it's all done!

Well, the entire game is mapped, barring a possible of outliers. I think I may have someone who's going to help with the annotations. So hopefully soon.

[Malenko]

But as I've said in the past, basically nothing of my work outside of the translation itself (and the graphical changes) would map over to the other versions. If someone wanted to hand me a script dump for the PSX version, I'd be happy to contribute the English text and translate the bonus material, but I have neither the knowledge nor inclination to work on them directly.

Id still be interested in porting the translation over in time (too many irons in the fire as is). Ive already sorted a good chunk of data and the encoding.

[MoriyaMug]

Id still be interested in porting the translation over in time (too many irons in the fire as is). Ive already sorted a good chunk of data and the encoding.

Very nice. If you do, I'd suggest coordinating with someone working on the PSX version as well, as my understanding is that they're extremely similar under the hood. I'd bet money that the PSX bonus is also on the Saturn, as the reverse is certainly true. In the meantime, let me know when you dump the script and I'd be glad to have a look at it and see what's involved in matching up the text. I've transcribed a couple of the bonus segments, so I can also give you a few strings from them you could look for.

[lehuynhminh]

i just play NeoGeo Version
wow, i can buy item to regen SP in shop
why we cannot buy it in PSX version 

[MoriyaMug]

Tales from the Script:

As I work on testing a Cham Cham playthrough, I hit the most common bug, introduced by human error while translating.

The way the text parser works, there is a <SPEED> command that is passed a positive numerical value, indicating "wait X ticks after displaying one tile before displaying the next one." It also turns on auto-advancing text, which will stay on until the parser is passed another <SPEED> command with a zero value. So if you forget to pass that zero value, auto-advancing text just continues on until you happen to run into another bit of auto-advancing text that DOES end properly.

So testing often involves detective work, hunting through the script dump for the functional equivalent of a missing closed parenthesis. Fun!

[sagatwarrior]

Tales from the Script:

As I work on testing a Cham Cham playthrough, I hit the most common bug, introduced by human error while translating.

The way the text parser works, there is a <SPEED> command that is passed a positive numerical value, indicating "wait X ticks after displaying one tile before displaying the next one." It also turns on auto-advancing text, which will stay on until the parser is passed another <SPEED> command with a zero value. So if you forget to pass that zero value, auto-advancing text just continues on until you happen to run into another bit of auto-advancing text that DOES end properly.

So testing often involves detective work, hunting through the script dump for the functional equivalent of a missing closed parenthesis. Fun!

Thank you for all of the hard work that you are doing. Appreciate it. Consider taking some time out for yourself to rest.

[MoriyaMug]

I've had a very hectic month. Just moved last weekend and am still getting situated in the new place. It seems my ASM hacker isn't going to be able to continue work on SSRPG for the foreseeable future, so he advised that I reach out to another person to help get this project over the finish line. I shared the project stuff with the new gentleman this morning, and he said he will have a look this weekend. In the meantime, I'm playing through as Cham Cham to fix up some rather egregious context errors in the script. I was hoping to have released it by this point, but I guess that was a bit ambitious.

Here's what's left to be done:

• Modifying the opening text crawl to get more uniform line width and enable me to use the 8x16 font instead of the 8x8 font currently in use. What's there is functional, but isn't pretty.
• A handful of minor adjustments like moving some text in the menus and fixing a stray graphical tile in the intro.
• The big one: forcing text to display during the handful of scenes where there is voiceover without subtitles. Since the text that corresponds to these lines is in the script dump (with timing commands and everything), but it doesn't get displayed, I strongly suspect that there may be a simple flag being turned on that disables the text box for these moments.

Still on track, just held up by unforeseen circumstances. It's still coming, still free to everyone. I appreciate everyone's patience.