Translation of the original japanese game project aka How to wind up flunkies

DLPB · May 20, 2009

Restored original post
I am urgently seeking any help at all in this huge project. I have already translated large parts of the game from Cathy's translations. What I really need is a japanese speaking person to go through the game with me and manually translate all text.

At the least I need the orginal japanese script.

An example of the retranslation is here>

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgd69vkKFB8&fmt=18

Unfortunately, cathy only translated some main areas. I wish to translate whole game. The PC version can be edited using a program called Loveless.

I am on the qhimm forum here>

http://forums.qhimm.com/index.php?topic=8395.msg102300#new

Any help is appreciated because FF7's english translation is awful.

Edited later:
This place turned out to be a waste of time (so I have removed most of my posts to reflect this) aside from a couple of posters. Poorly modded, clique atmosphere, gang up mentality and absolutely no progress; just diversion tactics. Everything I have come to expect from a forum bereft of proper management. Most of the mods seem to be aggitators.

Channy · May 20, 2009

Holy shit, look at little realistic Cloud go!

DLPB · May 20, 2009

McChanny said:
Holy shit, look at little realistic Cloud go!

the boys at qhimm forums have moved ff7 on a few years. The pc version also has an NPC swap ...meaning most character models around towns are now much better. And battle models are used for main characters as well as rufus and sephiroth. Have a look at the video

the pc version now has 100% compatibility with windows xp and a new driver has been made for graphics by Aali at qhimm forum.

In short the PC version is now the nearest thing to a remake and I hope to be half responsible for the retranslation.

Channy · May 20, 2009

Holy crap, that's pretty amazing. Really puts into perspective how this and that would look like.

Cat Rage Room · May 20, 2009

Not to sound dickish, but here's some constructive criticism.

A common problem with retranslations by fans is that they sacrifice flavor for direct translation. A lot of personality and flavor is lost when you DIRECTLY translate word for word, and everyone ends up sounding the same and really stale. Barret for example may end up sounding like a robot or something.

Just a word to the wise!

DLPB · May 20, 2009

The Notorious M.O.G. said:
Not to sound dickish, but here's some constructive criticism.

A common problem with retranslations by fans is that they sacrifice flavor for direct translation. A lot of personality and flavor is lost when you DIRECTLY translate word for word, and everyone ends up sounding the same and really stale. Barret for example may end up sounding like a robot or something.

Just a word to the wise!

that is possible. But this particular fan seems to have got it spot on. This is also why I need someone working WITH me....so we can swap ideas and get a much better dialogue. There are few people who know this game better than me

I am not even convinced that barret talks like Mr T either. Cathy certainly tones down a lot of that but Cid still swears and sounds the same cid so I am guessing this was just added....
frankly, anything is better than what we have at the moment. The original english translation is attrocious...

"sephiroth has many flunkies....its nothing for him to throw their lives away"

translated: "Sephiroth can duplicate himself, remember? he can get it without risking his own life"
------------

"Ive been tricked" tseng to cloud in temple of the ancients

translated: "he...beat...me"
------------

"oh? then why don't you REALLY worry" aerith to cloud, sleeping forest

translated: "oh? Then why don't you keep on brooding?"

Strangelove · May 20, 2009

I think a danger with comparing fan translations to the official ones is that sometimes people tend to think that if a fan translation is different, then it is the right one and the official one is wrong, whether or not it's actually so.

I compared the scene of Cid talking about Loveless with a Japanese script, but neither translation seems to get it exactly right. The official English one seems to confused a couple of things (like 'sister of the lead' instead of 'lead woman'), but the other seems to just have made stuff up ("I'm a lucky guy" "because I have Shera").

Masamune · May 20, 2009

I don't understand why they use Compilation portraits for the original characters. But maybe that's just me. :lol:

DLPB · May 20, 2009

hitoshura said:
just have made stuff up ("I'm a lucky guy" "because I have Shera").

That part of the game is not made up. When cid is explaining the play loveless and how he used to mock it. He ends by saying

"Now I understand...I have Shera" on reflection that he understands the sentiment.

In the original he says "“I think I understand…”

and that is it. It never seemed right and it is a real shame that they missed the line about Shera since it is important character development.
Cathy makes direct reference to that scene.

Other parts which are totally wrong:

Cait sith on the bridge and Reeve with heidegger. In the japanese version, Cait uses different dialect to reeve. So that when it is supposed to show how Cait and reeve mix up the dialects, Scarlet says "haha reeve, you talk funny" This has been totally lost in translation in the original.

When cait sith uses Reeve dialect, in the original, barret says somethin silly like "you're busted reeve" when in fact he says "Cait, we know you're Reeve. It's obvious! Hiding your identity
won't do anything now."

Even Weapon are none plural in the original translation, whereas in the japanese version they seem to be pluralised. "the weapons"

and finally, the nail is in the coffin because they even mistranslated Aerith.

Having replaced a lot of the text already, the original seems to be a complete mess and so far the loss, if there is any, is more than worth it.

Strangelove · May 20, 2009

DLPB said:
That part of the game is not made up. When cid is explaining the play loveless and how he used to mock it. He ends by saying

"Now I understand...I have Shera" on reflection that he understands the sentiment.

In the original he says "“I think I understand…”

I mean that dialogue isn't there. I played the Japanese version about a month and don't remember seeing that, and the script I have doesn't have any of those lines.

Even Weapon are none plural in the original translation, whereas in the japanese version they seem to be pluralised. "the weapons"

Japanese doesn't use plurals for nouns, it was just 'WEAPON'. Obviously there were more than one and that should have been reflected in the translation, but that distinction wasn't made in the Japanese version.

DLPB · May 20, 2009

hitoshura said:
just have made stuff up ("I'm a lucky guy" "because I have Shera").

That part of the game is not made up. When cid is explaining the play loveless and how he used to mock it. He ends by saying

"Now I understand...I have Shera" on reflection that he understands the sentiment.

In the original he says "“I think I understand…”

and that is it. It never seemed right and it is a real shame that they missed the line about Shera since it is important character development.
Cathy makes direct reference to that scene.

Other parts which are totally wrong:

Cait sith on the bridge and Reeve with heidegger. In the japanese version, Cait uses different dialect to reeve. So that when it is supposed to show how Cait and reeve mix up the dialects, Scarlet says "haha reeve, you talk funny" This has been totally lost in translation in the original.

When cait sith uses Reeve dialect, in the original, barret says somethin silly like "you're busted reeve" when in fact he says "Cait, we know you're Reeve. It's obvious! Hiding your identity
won't do anything now."

Even Weapon are none plural in the original translation, whereas in the japanese version they seem to be pluralised. "the weapons"

and finally, the nail is in the coffin because they even mistranslated Aerith.

Having replaced a lot of the text already, the original seems to be a complete mess and so far the loss, if there is any, is more than worth it.

Strangelove · May 21, 2009

DLPB said:
If what you say is true, how is it, a none professional decent speaking japanese/english person managed to make the script work....and how did that person know about the Loveless/shera line?

That's the thing, there doesn't seem to be a Shera line. From that quote it looks like she might be writing from memory, so perhaps she made a mistake and invented a line. But I remember specifically tried to talk to Cid to hear that line, and don't remember him directly mentioning Shera.

1 question I have at the moment from soneone is the end of the game FMV "Holy is having the opposite effect"

What does he actually say there? It sounds so out of place...

It's Red XIII, but he says the same thing in Japanese.

oh and please could you send me that script?

http://members2.jcom.home.ne.jp/ffstory/ff/index.html
That has the dialogue with some narrative bits written by the site owner. Needs Javascript to work.

http://rosquare.hp.infoseek.co.jp/ff7p-index.htm
Missing some small bits of dialogue (and it's based on the original Japanese version so is missing added scenes from the International version). But it doesn't use JS.

It would probably be less of a workload to go through the existing English script and fixing what isn't right, than redoing the whole thing from scratch.

ForceStealer · May 21, 2009

DLPB said:
"oh? then why don't you REALLY worry" aerith to cloud, sleeping forest

translated: "oh? Then why don't you keep on brooding?"

If this is the line I think it is, the quote on the Playstation version is ""Oh? Then maybe you SHOULD worry."

That makes perfect sense, Cloud apologizes for "before" (beating her), she says "don't worry about it."
Cloud responds by saying "I can't help it."
To which she says "Oh? Then maybe you SHOULD worry about it."

I'm not sure of the Japanese version, nor of the quote you supplied, maybe the PC version is different there. But neither that quote nor the retranslated one seems to fit quite as well as the PS1 one.

DLPB · May 21, 2009

hitoshura said:
But I remember specifically tried to talk to Cid to hear that line, and don't remember him directly mentioning Shera.

Can you check the original game again and see that quote? It seems like too big a mistake for her to make....and cathy did extensively cover the game in high detail.

What is the difference between the japanese international and original in terms of translation? none?

It's Red XIII, but he says the same thing in Japanese.

Interesting....well at least they got that right

There are other parts which confuse me. I will place them here in time, and see what you make of them?

Thank you for your help so far. I also have another japanese speaker ion discussion. It seems that I will be forced to redo parts which are completely silly.,...

The honeybee inn springs to mind. in the english translation, it makes little sense....and I read that Reeve's parents were there but I can't remember any reference to that in the game.

Here is an example I have never understood (disc 2, highwind):

{TIFA}
“If only {CLOUD} was here,
everything would be fine.”

....

{TIFA}
“He'd say‚'Everything's
under control‚{TIFA}.'”

and then the part I don't understand is>

{RED XIII}
“And {TIFA}…the reason why we all
thought it was {CLOUD}
was because…”

{TIFA}
“I know.”
{NEW PAGE}
“That's why I want to make sure.
That's why I have to see him again.”

I mean that doesnt make sense at all?

DLPB · May 21, 2009

ForceStealer said:
If this is the line I think it is, the quote on the Playstation version is ""Oh? Then maybe you SHOULD worry."

That makes perfect sense, Cloud apologizes for "before" (beating her), she says "don't worry about it."
Cloud responds by saying "I can't help it."
To which she says "Oh? Then maybe you SHOULD worry about it."

I'm not sure of the Japanese version, nor of the quote you supplied, maybe the PC version is different there. But neither that quote nor the retranslated one seems to fit quite as well as the PS1 one.

No, your quote is wrong. The psx and pc version both say:

{AERIS}
“Then‚why don't you REALLY worry about it?”

as seen here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4db3QVA0ic

and here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lINf3ak8t30&feature=related

at 23:03

Interestingly, her saying "then maybe you SHOULD worry" doesn't seem like aerith. Telling him teasingly "then, why don't you keep on brooding" seems more plausible?

Where did you get that quote from? because it wasnt the psx or pc versions I have seen...

edited.

ForceStealer · May 21, 2009

Maybe my quote is wrong, but her telling him he should worry isn't nonsensical oranything.

If you couldn't help turning and beating the woman behind you, that WOULD be something to be concerned about.

But I guess its moot if my quote was wrong, sorry.

Pixel · May 21, 2009

Wow, this is a great project, I love seeing this with the nicer models.

I'd definitely like to see scenes explaining the cetra, specifically Bugenhagens explanation of lifestream etc. That's the biggest annoyance for me. Since it basically says cetra travel from planet to planet, rather than "the cetra travelled the planet". Pretty bad

DLPB · May 21, 2009

Pixel said:
Wow, this is a great project, I love seeing this with the nicer models.

I'd definitely like to see scenes explaining the cetra, specifically Bugenhagens explanation of lifestream etc. That's the biggest annoyance for me. Since it basically says cetra travel from planet to planet, rather than "the cetra travelled the planet". Pretty bad

yes, Cathy did translate that right. See here

http://www.ff7citadel.com/gameinfo/index.shtml#translations at the bottom. Under kalm flashback

Sephiroth says

Seph: Traitor who knows nothing. I will explain to you.
This planet belonged to the Setra. The Setra were nomads...they
travel...they unlock the planet... and they travel again. After their
long and painful journey, they reach the Promised Land and find their
final happiness. (turns to Claude) However. One day, a few of them
started to hate this journey. They chose the easier life, they built
houses, they took from the Setra the gifts from the planet, and never
returned them. (points accusingly at Claude) These... are your
ancestors.

To contrast with the original:

Sephiroth
“You ignorant traitor.
I'll tell you.”
{NEW PAGE}
“This Planet originally belonged to the Cetra.
Cetra was a itinerant race.
They would migrate in,
settle the Planet‚then move on…”
{NEW PAGE}
“At the end of their harsh,
hard journey‚it was said
they would find the Promised Land
and supreme happiness.”

Sephiroth
“But‚those who disliked journeying appeared.
They stopped their migrations,
built shelters and elected to
lead an easier life.”
{NEW PAGE}
“They took that which the Cetra
and the Planet had made without
giving back one whit in return!”

Personally I like parts of this better than Cathys but you can see parts that cathy's translation clears up much easier. So I used both in part in this example. "those who disliked journeying appeared" is a poor translation for starters. Appeared is a poor word to use in context. " One day, a few of them
started to hate this journey." is much more plausible.

That link has bugenhagens speeches also translated. But I don't think it is the first one at cosmo canyon....

DLPB · May 21, 2009

ForceStealer said:
Maybe my quote is wrong, but her telling him he should worry isn't nonsensical oranything.

It is....since that is not what she is doing., She is teasing him after he says "I can't help it" and after she has said "don't worry about it"

"then, why don't you keep on brooding"

to say "why don't you REALLY worry" does not fit in with this....and is a very poor translation.....but maybe if someone here looks at the japanese text we can make sure....

Max Payne · May 21, 2009

That the reunion model mod?

DLPB · May 21, 2009

Dacon said:
That the reunion model mod?

http://fem1.uniag.sk/Miroslav.Jezik/ff7ncopam.html

Although be aware, saints patch and the bug fixes are now obsolete thanks to:

http://forums.qhimm.com/index.php?topic=8306.0

which is a driver which corrects all the main bugs in windows xp and vista, provides open gl support, windowed screen support and pretty much full compatibility. It still in beta but it works like a charm.

Max Payne · May 21, 2009

Wow, shit's really progressed since the last time I checked this stuff out.

DLPB · May 21, 2009

oh yeah and check out my startup part 1:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jWLSSdExGo&fmt=18

With better music and graphics.

Ravynne Nevyrmore · May 21, 2009

About this Cathy person... How can you trust someone who has told you that the original Japanese made a distinction between plural and singular when it's fairly common knowledge that there is no distinction between plural and singular in Japanese, and who translates "Kuraudo" as "Claude"? Does she really think they meant to name him Claude Strife?

Aeris/Aerith, on the other hand— not the biggest fuck up in the world, and there's at least as much right to get Aeris from Earisu as there is to get Aerith from it. It's not like Aerith is a common noun and Aeris is a gay French name.

I'll give her Midgard, fine, whatever. Maybe it was meant to be Midgard. I don't know how it was written in Japanese, and Midgard is mythologically correct.

But using an S for Setra instead of just going with the C they used in the English version... That's just anal. There's no difference, so I don't see why she had a problem with just going with the spelling already used. Was it "not Japanese enough" for her because there's no C in Japanese? It's a translation, not a romanization.

Strangelove · May 21, 2009

If you don't know what it's supposed to be based on,

DLPB said:
Can you check the original game again and see that quote? It seems like too big a mistake for her to make....and cathy did extensively cover the game in high detail.

The only saves I have are after that bit and 20 hours before it, so I can't really check it.

http://www.geocities.co.jp/Playtown/5186/novel/nov11_1.htm
http://rocketport.holy.jp/love/loveless.html

But these are two more sites with the script, and those lines aren't there either.

What is the difference between the japanese international and original in terms of translation? none?

The International version has all the added scenes the English version got (). That's the one I own, but I don't think the rest of it is that different

The honeybee inn springs to mind. in the english translation, it makes little sense....and I read that Reeve's parents were there but I can't remember any reference to that in the game.

Reeve's parents are there, in the room with the little Cait Sith/Moogle toy. But I don't think the English version really reflects their (or Reeve's) accents.

{RED XIII}
“And {TIFA}…the reason why we all
thought it was {CLOUD}
was because…”

I think that might be more along the lines of "but [the person] we thought was Cloud was... [actually Sephiroth's puppet]."

"then, why don't you keep on brooding"

I think that one sounds best. Aerith tells him not to worry, Cloud says he can't, and she tells him to worry as much as he wants. I've lost track as to which translation that was.

Translation of the original japanese game project aka How to wind up flunkies

Banned Flunky

Bad Habit

Banned Flunky

Bad Habit

Great Old One

Banned Flunky

AI Researcher

Fiat Lux

Banned Flunky

AI Researcher

Banned Flunky

AI Researcher

Double Growth

Banned Flunky

Banned Flunky

Double Growth

The Pixie King

Banned Flunky

Banned Flunky

Banned

Banned Flunky

Banned

Banned Flunky

that one Lucrecia fangirl

AI Researcher