Dutch Zelda OOT translation

[TRS]

I have started to translate Zelda OOT to dutch. It is going to be a hell of a job, so I thought it might be a good idea to check wether there is a dutch version available? If anyone out there knows or ever heard of such a version, please post some info on it in this thread so I won't be doing useless work!

Thanks in advance, TRS

 

[Anchel]

I was going to say that the European version already has a "select language option" for dutch, but I got confused with German, sorry. I've just edited it.

 

[Anton]

It seems that there are no dutch version. Don't know about german, though.
As long as I know - there are french, spanish, japan, english
(jap+eng - in same USA rom)
Also there are 100% finished portugues & italian translation patches.
And 82% ready - russian patch

 

[Mayco]

TRS, afaik there is no dutch version, but i would like to help you to translate if you need some help

 

[TRS]

Mayco,

I sure could use all the help I can get! So far I have only translated and implemented the intro-part. I also took al the text from the rom and put it in a textfile, so I can do the translation even when I'm not at my PC. If you want to I can send you the text-file so you can see what you can do. I'm not planning to get this done as quick as possible though, caus' I cannot afford to work on this project 8 hours a day. I do however want to make a 'decent' translation that doesn't take away any of the game touch.

The difficulty is that the translated text has to be about the same length as the original english text because to program will be looking for the different pieces of text at fixed adresses. The textfile I made is about 70 pages long, so if you're still interested, let me hear!

Greetings,

TRS

 

[Anton]

TRS - how you'll hack graphics?
If you want a 'decent' translation - you should repaint all names in rom to dutch, such as places names, names in the inventory, bosses names, etc.. to make a FULL translation if you want.
If you interested - I wrote a small tutorial, translating Zelda:OoT to russian:
available at: http://www.zophar.net/tech/n64.html
Maybe this will help a bit...
I described some stuff there, related to Zelda only.
Sorry for some mistyping, if so... This tutorial was translated from russian under some beer...

 

[Anton]

Another question.
How you'll insert back all translated text?
(without errors in game)

 

[TRS]

Anton,

Thanks for the usefull tip. I had already figured out how to change the text, but I might do the graphics afterwards!

I was thinking on first trying to translate al the text to dutch, if I still have some motivation left after that, I might give it a try to hack the graphics! It did cross my mind though, but as I have limited available time, I will first concentrate on just the plane text.

As for you're second question, I already implemented the intro part so I think I know what problems you are reffering to. That's why I said in my previous post, when translating the text, the sentences will have to be about the same length as the english sentences. Using the hex-editor included with Visual C++, I can modify the text. It isn't that hard to figure out what the codes, that are not characters, mean, so if you keep them at the right places, everything works fine! Check the screenshots, they are from the original english version, as well as the modified dutch version. As you can see, I used the codes to change the color of the text and the end of line codes to match line-length.

Greetings,

TRS

 

[TRS]

The english version:

 

[CpU MasteR]

Wow, Very Good Work...

 

[Anton]

TSR - I translate directly in rom, and then test changes in game, after translating a couple of dialogues.
But even if I try to extract a small script from rom (I use 'hexposure' program), then insert it back - there are some glitches in game, like misaligned text or garbage on screen (because of incorrect insertion of pointers (this codes, which describes end of line, dialogue, color, alignment of text, speed of displaying text - there are 'pointers')
You can easily move some of them, like 'color' or 'end of line', so you must fit to the length of a separate dialogue.
What the name of hex editor that you use? (and where I can download it)

Telling about graphics - this is very annoying part of translation, especially compressed graphics...
Also you're lucky, because you don't need to repaint fonts.
I should, and I must not change the letter's width (I repainted font, fitting new rusian letters to the width of english I replacing)
Here is what I have:

 

[Anton]

See, the letters loooks a bit crappy, but readable.
Another one:

 

[Anton]

And this is some compressed stuff, changed:

 

[Anton]

Another one:

 

[TRS]

The hex editor I use is the one that comes with MS Visual C++ 6.0 (professional edition). I just open the rom in the 'open file' menu, and the compiler opens it in hex format as you can see in the screenshot. I've selected a small piece of text in the right column just to show how both columns relate to each other. Now when I type over some of the text, the compiler takes care of the middle column. For the control codes, I type those in the middle column, because those codes can't be typed in ascii.

I don't know if this compiler is availlable for download. I have a legal version.

I don't know how the other hex editors work, I always had the C++ compiler availlable, but it seems to me that it is a lot easier than how you discribed it in your HowTo! At least I don't have to export or import text. I only copied all the text to a text file, and removed all the non character codes just to make it easier for me to translate all the text. After that I will do the modifications in the rom itself, so I can control what will happen to the other codes myself!

You're right about the fonts! I'm very happy I don't have to edit them! But looking at youre screenshots, I must say you've done a great job!!:thumbsup:

Also now I saw what it looks like, having the graphics also translated, gave me a bit more motivation to do them too. It will however still be at a later stage, after I translated all the text.

Greetings,

TRS

 

[Anton]

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