Saturday, February 12, 2011

Operate Shooting Star Fan-Translation Update

It's been pretty quiet on the Operate Shooting Star fan-translation front, but fret not: the project is very much alive and kicking.

Despite being noted as roughly 0.2% complete at the official translation site, LuigiBlood, head of the project, has assured me things are progressing smoothly. Basically, a lot of time is being spent on the development of a tool that will speed up the text alteration process -- one of the biggest hurdles for any fan translation.

Assisting LuigiBlood is the ever-talented Prof. 9. The prof has been working diligently at fixing some holes in the translation and is currently working on implementing a few secret codes that's not in the original game. That's right, we're getting some extra content... unlockable after you finish the game.

No word on what exactly the codes will do right now, but we should be hearing something on that front in the very near future. We still don't have a patch release window either, but do bear in mind these things take a while, years at most.

Stay up to date with the OSS translation project at LuigiBlood's official site here.

25 comments:

  1. In fact, Prof. 9 has already made the codes working. BTW, i didn't really update the translation website.

    I plan to release the translation tool, after OSS Translation is finished (or not, if i really can't finish it, which i don't think it will happen because i have a god with me)

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  2. What I would give to have my own localized copy right about now...

    But I can wait for this.

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  3. Excellent.

    Thanks for the update, keep 'em coming!

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  4. Man, Prof. 9 must be a very busy person.

    It seems he just finished up programming extra content into MegaRockEXE's EXE 6 Falzar revision patch a little over a month ago.

    (I have never been able to play with the patch myself, but from the sounds of it, Prof. 9 is responsible for adding a function that allows you to challenge enemies that were originally exclusive to the opposite version. He even programmed a way to use the opposite version's Link Navis (and even Blues later on), essentially removing the version barrier. And then there's the SoundTest that allows you to listen to any music or sounds from EXE 6, which is something that has yet to exist within the series.)

    Last I heard, he's still assisting MegaRockEXE with making a Hard Mode. (Coding some kind of folder capacity/total folder MB restriction based on the amount of MB you currently have, which is something that doesn't currently exist within the series.)

    And now this? Wow... Do we have a programming god among the EXE community?

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  5. Whew, not every day I find my name on Protodude's!

    ASM isn't hard at all, it's just that not many people bother to learn it (or don't know how to start). There are many people around who are better than me, though.

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  6. Just only cuz someone can HEX EDIT that doesn't make him a friggin programming god,unlike someone who builds up battle network engines from SCRATCH. Think before you write something.

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  7. @Tom:
    I think someone is jealous, haha

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  8. @ Tom: Hm? Oh, you're involved in that Chrono X project.

    I used to be in support of the project, until I decided to take a look around your site after seeing your rude comment here.

    Holy [censored], you have an ego the size of Mars. No wonder why it seems half the EXE community is reluctant to lend you any support.

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  9. @Anon

    Tom is talking about how it is harder to build a MMBN game from scratch as opposed to someone who edits hex values. There is a difference between a person that built an entire MMBN game from scratch as opposed to someone makes minor edits in already made data.

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  10. you guys do realise that this is hacking right not actual programming and before someone says anything there is a massive differance, programming is making something from scratch and hacking is editing something

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  11. @Alil

    Big ego? Maybe, but the point Tom is trying to make is that credit should be given where credit is due. I'm sure Prof9 has some skill in his own right but he's not necessarily a programming god by any means. I'm sure there are a few programmers, such as MaxRock that I would consider before calling somebody else god.

    And maybe the Chrono X team does have a big ego. So what. I'm willing to bet the admins of TREZ are similar. It still doesn't change their accomplishments and contributions to the EXE series as a whole. And Chrono X has the support of its fans, more than you realize.

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  12. Eh, modding roms and programming from scratch are 3 different things that shouldn't be compared. Each has it own pluses and minuses. So please don't say that I'm more skilled/better than Prof.9 and vice versa.
    @Alilatias "(...)No wonder why it seems half the EXE community is reluctant to lend you any support." How can you say when it was your first visit on the site/forum? You can't judge book by its cover".Exe-related communites aren't so active like they used to be. Check how many people are supporting us at other, non MegaMan related communities. You choose to like/support the project by it's members personalities, not by the game itself? I find it strange cause normally it is the game itself people are carring about, not moods of developers. Yet you can't judge the entire team by one member and his feelings(I'm main leader of CX, not Tommy btw)
    You can't deny that BN Chrono X is the most advanced fanmade game related to Battle Network series(of course if you have played the demo). The thing is, people just don't belive, until trying it our by themselves(check Rockman PM for example). I don't wait for aplause or fame, nor I care what others thinks about me and my team members. I just want to bring EXE fans what they want, a working BN7 game.
    @Prof.9 & LuigiBlood I give full support for the OSS's translation patch, hope your gonna finish it soon^^

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  13. Absolutely what Maxy said there.Sorry if i sounded rude.

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  14. @MaxRock: ::Slow Clap::
    Wonderful. I never knew there would be someone with enough common sense to explain things in such a reasonable and polite manner, something which most people on the net don't even bother doing.

    After hearing Killer's & Anon4's explanations, I realize that I had a skewed idea with the differences of programming and hacking. It has given me a better appreciation of what effort one gives to them.
    That being said, however, this doesn't change the opinion I hold on megaman 2 & 3 hacks: specifically exile, ultra, and Rockman No Constancy (or as I call it "No Consistency"). In fact, I would hold this translation hack & Chrono X a thousand points higher than any of those hacks. Some would say I'm being too harsh and that the hacks appeal to fans that wanted a better version of Megaman. You know what? That's what they said about Godzilla when making the American movie, because that's all I see in the hacks: Zilla 'Megafied'.

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  15. I'm Waiting for a translation for OSS! Thanks for your efforts, guys!

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  16. @Rock-X: Chrono X is from scratch. It is not a megaman battle network hack of any kind.

    But one question... technically you have the original manuscript to work with in the form of MMBN for GBA... the only extra bits would be the SFmegaman hints and scenario and maybe one or two other things such as the new chips, subchips etc. So why is it taking so long to do the translation portion?

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  17. @Yatterman-2: Precisely why I hold it in high regard in contrast to the previously mentioned hacks. Another point I was making was the translation was no different in Chrono X's 'built from scratch' as far as the time & effort that is put into them.

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  18. @Yatterman-2 :
    Because OSS behaves differently for game texts, while it's the same format, how the texts are put in the game is quite different, and you don't know which is what. That's the problem. That's why i'm doing a tool.

    Also, there's another reason of why it's taking so long : OSS Translation is not my first priority, and i said that since the start.

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  19. I really don't care how long it will take since I shall wait for this even though it will take FIVE effin years or something!! I love Megaman Starforce and I haven't really played the Rockman series (Only the Double Team DS game, please don't kill me) so the story line will be new to me. I have no complaints about this game (other than the fact that I prefer the fighting style at Starforce than Rockman coz I suck in Rockman xD) so even if the last person gives up on this I will support you all the way!!!

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  20. The length of time is IRRELEVENT!
    As long as it eventually gets finished, I'm happy.
    May Chuck Norris smile upon your project (:

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  21. "a lot of time is being spent on the development of a tool that will speed up the text alteration process" Will that tool be shared with the public? Because, if possible, I'd like to play the game with the original names of all the characters (like Rockman instead of Megaman and Blues instead of Protoman). I haven't really played those games, but I HAVE seen most episodes the anime in Japanese, and it's a bit weird and confusing if characters suddenly have another name.

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  22. @LuigiBlood:
    If you are accepting help, I'd like to try my hand at translation. I'm a Japanese learner (just finished my undergrad), and I would like to turn my attention to translating written material.

    I'm not much of a programmer, so I have no idea how to do the technical side of things, nor have I been able to find the script in the rom myself.

    I'd love to help. Just let me know how I can get in contact with you.

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  23. @LuigiBlood

    What's your progress? I would really like to start playing the English Patch.

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  24. If you need help with french translation(i'm french, i don't know how to use your programs but........)

    just contact me -> ben_le_herisson@hotmail.fr

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