Anime Droiyan 2: Absolute Monarch Translation Thread

[zwanzig_zwoelf]

I've decided that it's time to introduce my small side project to you. Some time ago I've managed to get my hands on the Russkie version of this game, and since my Russian skills allow me to fully understand it, I thought about translating the game, since it never saw an official release in English.

For those who're unfamiliar with the series, Droiyan 2 is the sequel to the game known as "Icarus: Sanctuary of the Gods" in the west. While original Droiyan was a tactical RPG set in the fantasy/sci-fi mashup world, here we have a full-fledged cyberpunk/sci-fi Diablo clone and one of the first "cinematic" Korean games. The game also advertised a magic system based on GURPS, but I'm unfamiliar with it, so I can't say anything about it.

So, take a look at some early shots (typos, mistakes and other issues are present for now).

Spoiler

The plan is the following:

• Remove all "DA" from the text.
• Redraw some UI elements to remove "DA" from them.
• Avoid touching voice-overs. Might look for a way to turn them off, so you won't have to listen to "DA".
• Add subtitles to the ingame movies.

The game is not hard to translate, but there are some issues with making it run properly on modern system (MrRichard999 couldn't make it run at all). Also, the translation is based on the Russkie version (since I couldn't get my hands on the Korean version), so enjoy gulag voice acting. Ping me if you find it, though, I'd like to see whether I could make my translation compatible with it.

I also planned to track down Lamentation Sword 2, but unfortunately, the Russkie version was never released (because Russkies couldn't translate it, lol).

 

[MrRichard999]

 

[MrRichard999]

Im going to have to use a virtual machine to run this ... UGHHHHHHHH

 

[zwanzig_zwoelf]

Im going to have to use a virtual machine to run this ... UGHHHHHHHH

Try to beat the first game instead. You can find it at that russkie old-games site.

 

[zwanzig_zwoelf]

Once I'm done with the majority of work, I'll write a few articles regarding the translation, since there are aspects which will be useful to aspiring translators.
It's also pretty interesting to people who have to play translated games, since the process requires tons of creativity and effort.

For example, translation based on the existing translation. The original version is in Korean, but I don't speak Korean at all, yet I can gather information on what kind of character writers wanted to create by taking information (text) from the Russkie translation and applying the intonation from Korean voice-overs (while trying to reimagine the character to bypass the shittiness of Russkie translation).

 

[zwanzig_zwoelf]

Update:
Icarus chapter (first out of 5) is about 30% done. I had to restart from scratch due to my lack of experience in hex editing and understanding the structure of the game, which led to hilarious and saddening bugs, from disappearing portraits to item icons turning into Darth Vader masks (I'm not even kidding). Also discovered multiple new ways to use the available space more efficiently, so maybe I'll have a demo of the translation by the end of the summer. Maybe.

 

[MrRichard999]

sounds like you are learning something about control codes

 

[zwanzig_zwoelf]

sounds like you are learning something about control codes

And about translations too. How the fuck do you translate games with even less space is beyond me.
Stuffing more or less reasonable and genuine English lines into this game requires some work one the side, btw. Some convos continue in different areas, so you have to remember the exact "last" line in the area to avoid accidentally stuffing some later lines there and ultimately spoiling the fun.

I hope the game won't start messing with me again, it's already demanding for a half-baked Diablo clone.

 

[MrRichard999]

With that I can't help. You would have to repoint text and possibly expand shit. I have no idea how to do that and thats where you have to ask pros for help.... Usually the help is not that helpful unless you get lucky with someone that Will actually help you.

 

[zwanzig_zwoelf]

Good thing this is a PC game with enough place to stuff text. Translating something like Spriggan: Lunar Verse would be funny, though.

 

[lightbane]

I don't know if this will help you somehow, but I do have this game too, but translated to Spanish (or at least that's what the game box says). I picked it up in secondhand sale shop, but unfortunately I can't make it run in my PC, so I dunno if it's actually in Spanish, Korean or whatever.

 

[zwanzig_zwoelf]

I don't know if this will help you somehow, but I do have this game too, but translated to Spanish (or at least that's what the game box says). I picked it up in secondhand sale shop, but unfortunately I can't make it run in my PC, so I dunno if it's actually in Spanish, Korean or whatever.

That would help a lot, actually. Might as well see if my translation will work (and it probably will).
I kinda get the feeling that you have a translated Russkie version with retarded DRM (one of the reasons why it doesn't work, I think), but if it's a translated Korean version, it'll speed up my work, because some files in Korean version are in English (menus, etc), and I can't find a way to properly modify some of those.

Also, I can send you some patches which remove the retarded DRM and probably make the game run on modern PCs (at least in my case it worked).

 

[zwanzig_zwoelf]

Screenshots of a new update (ugh, gotta rearrange the text again):

 

[zwanzig_zwoelf]

(Butthurt update)
I realized that original character names are stored in the artwork on my HDD. The same case was with original names of in-game areas - hours of arguing about romanization, then accidental discoverty and butthurt for days.

DAMN YOU, KOREANS!


EDIT:
Actually, this brings some conflicting data. Guess Koreans couldn't decide how their character names are written, so I'll just take another look at the files and romanization.

 

[felipepepe]

Quick question: are these games, like, good?

 

[zwanzig_zwoelf]

Quick question: are these games, like, good?

Original Droiyan (Icarus) is a pretty good tactical RPG, but it's not for everyone, slow pacing ruins it for most players.

Droiyan 2 is so-so. It's pretty buggy, the gameplay leaves a lot to be desired, and as far as I know, development was a clusterfuck and it sold like shit. In a lot of areas it feels unfinished, too, but it's not like there are thousands of cyberpunk/sci-fi games out there, which is the main reason why I'm translating it (also because I feel like a vatnik when I'm playing games in Russian, so I'm translating it as I go through the game).

I never played Droiyan Next or original freeware version of Droiyan, so I can't say anything about them, though Droiyan Next lies on my hard drive, waiting for the right moment.

Unrelated to the series - Lamentation Sword is pretty fun to play when you're drunk, but Lamentation Sword 2 sucks donkey balls.

 

[lightbane]

I don't know if this will help you somehow, but I do have this game too, but translated to Spanish (or at least that's what the game box says). I picked it up in secondhand sale shop, but unfortunately I can't make it run in my PC, so I dunno if it's actually in Spanish, Korean or whatever.

That would help a lot, actually. Might as well see if my translation will work (and it probably will).
I kinda get the feeling that you have a translated Russkie version with retarded DRM (one of the reasons why it doesn't work, I think), but if it's a translated Korean version, it'll speed up my work, because some files in Korean version are in English (menus, etc), and I can't find a way to properly modify some of those.

Also, I can send you some patches which remove the retarded DRM and probably make the game run on modern PCs (at least in my case it worked).

I see. Well, I tried installing it and the installation menu along with the Autorun one are in English. However, when I try to play, it asks me for the "game cd" (which turns out to be CD2, that one message is in Spanish, so it seems that's the language the game does use). After that I get a an error message saying something like "Get Format" with some strange gibberish letters. Clicking "Ok" does nothing but repeat the same warning until it kicks me back to the Desktop.

 

[zwanzig_zwoelf]

I don't know if this will help you somehow, but I do have this game too, but translated to Spanish (or at least that's what the game box says). I picked it up in secondhand sale shop, but unfortunately I can't make it run in my PC, so I dunno if it's actually in Spanish, Korean or whatever.

That would help a lot, actually. Might as well see if my translation will work (and it probably will).
I kinda get the feeling that you have a translated Russkie version with retarded DRM (one of the reasons why it doesn't work, I think), but if it's a translated Korean version, it'll speed up my work, because some files in Korean version are in English (menus, etc), and I can't find a way to properly modify some of those.

Also, I can send you some patches which remove the retarded DRM and probably make the game run on modern PCs (at least in my case it worked).

I see. Well, I tried installing it and the installation menu along with the Autorun one are in English. However, when I try to play, it asks me for the "game cd" (which turns out to be CD2, that one message is in Spanish, so it seems that's the language the game does use). After that I get a an error message saying something like "Get Format" with some strange gibberish letters. Clicking "Ok" does nothing but repeat the same warning until it kicks me back to the Desktop.

Send me the game and I'll see whether it's runnable. If not, I'll at least attempt to salvage some useful files and notify you once my translation is complete so you can finally play it.

 

[feud]

http://www.mediafire.com/download/hqj2l20qx7q8kzx
names in credits movie7
voices /event .snf

 

[MrRichard999]

Help has arrived for you ZZ! :D

 

[zwanzig_zwoelf]

Holy fucking shit, dude.
You and lightbane turned this day into a joyfest.

Thanks for your help, both of you. This is going to turn this translation project into a cakewalk.

 

[zwanzig_zwoelf]

Speaking of cakewalks.

I was a bit lazy... ahem, busy lately, but now I'm slowly getting back to it. Currently finishing the quest data, since it's copied to save files every time you start the new game and testing them requires replaying the game over and over again.

 

[MrRichard999]

CURRENTLY LOOKING FOR PEOPLE TO DO VOICE OVERS FOR THIS PROJECT TO REPLACE THE CURRENT DIALOGUE! WHO WANTS TO DO VOICE ACTING!

MESSAGE SWINEZIG FOR DETAILS!

 

[Mustawd]

Why are you yelling like an old person?

And I'm pretty sure none of us here are professional voice actors...

 

[zwanzig_zwoelf]

And I'm pretty sure that the translation is on hold and I've never planned to do English voice-overs.

However, I'll gladly consider English VA if:

• Rickie makes a Star Stable LP;
• Rickie makes full translations of Spriggan: Lunar Verse, Gensou Suikoden (PC), all TWoG games (including spin-offs), Magna Carta: The Phantom of Avalance, Lamentation Sword 2 AND Geisters;
• Rickie sends me more of his sister's pics, preferably nudes;
• Rickie confesses that his actual name is Ricardo Muchacha;
• Rickie gifts me the King's Field Dark Side Box and the Evergrace Soundtrack.

Sounds fair?