Difference between revisions of "Retranslation"

From Chrono Compendium
Jump to: navigation, search
(45 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown)
Line 3: Line 3:
 
==General Information==
 
==General Information==
  
Welcome to the Chrono Trigger Retranslation Project, as led by the Chrono Compendium. The objective of this effort is to oversee and effect a full retranslation of Chrono Trigger from its original Japanese script. This includes all dialogue in the game, as well as all lists of items, weapons, armor, locations, etc. featured as well. In undertaking this project, we hope to present a clearer portrayal of Chrono Trigger as intended by its Japanese creators. It is not the opinion of this project that Ted Woolsey's official translation was bad or insufficient in any way -- only that some essence of the game was lost or altered, given Nintendo of America's censorship standards and the inability of the game to hold all the original text when translated to English.
+
Welcome to the Chrono Trigger Retranslation Project, completed in script form on March 30, 2007. Thanks to fan translator KWhazit, the dream of a full original translation is now reality. All dialogue in the game, as well as all lists of items, weapons, armor, locations, etc. have been rendered in English once more. A clearer portrayal of Chrono Trigger as intended by its Japanese creators is now available. It is not the opinion of this project that Ted Woolsey's official translation was bad or insufficient in any way -- only that some essence of the game was lost or altered, given Nintendo of America's censorship standards and the inability of the game to hold all the original text when translated to English. Here's a sample of the final product:
  
==Why retranslate?==
 
  
A few factors contribute to our desire to have Chrono Trigger retranslated. Specifically, Ted Woolsey did remark in an interview ([[Bob_Rork_Woolsey_Interview#BR:_What_were_the_easiest.2Fhardest_games_for_you_to_translate.3F_Why.3F|see here]]) that a lot of text was cut out because the strings became too long after translation. Aside from that, a lot of references to the planet as Mother Earth and Magus and the Mystics as the Demon race (deemed too religious) were removed; these omissions could affect the plot somewhat. Also, Woolsey did make mistakes in places. For instance, take the line:
+
[[Image:retranslationexample.png|600px]]
  
Gaspar: One of you is close to someone who needs help. Find this person, fast.
 
  
It was supposed to read something to the effect of, "For matters concerning each time era, talk to your teammates." It's a hint telling you to talk to the various player characters standing around the End of Time; upon doing so, they will provide information about the sidequests in their home eras. The original meaning was heavily distorted, and led to endless discussion in the community befor e a proper translation was given. Additionally, there's a line in Zeal that states, "Janus, Schala's step-brother, doesn't have a speck of magic." We had that one specifically translated about a year ago, and there is no step-sibling reference whatsoever. Time will tell if there are any good mysteries or revelations buried elsewhere in the text!
+
The retranslation is presented in HTML, Excel, and text files. The scripts present Woolsey's original translation, the Japanese script, and KWhazit's retranslation (with annotations) in a four-column format which allows easy cross referencing of sources. For those seeking specific and important differences between the original North American release and the original, a special article has been made with excerpts of the scripts. A full name guide is also up for download with the spreadsheets.
  
==How is it being done?==
+
==Patch==
  
Unlike other game retranslations, which are completed by a core group that often plan several translations and are active participants of the rom hacking community, the Chrono Trigger Retranslation Project hinges entirely on contributors and volunteers. Chrono Trigger has legions of fans throughout its decade-long reign as a popular RPG, and several students and fluent users of Japanese have been included in these ranks. We ask for any help we can get from willing volunteers who are confident in their ability and display a good level of Japanese skill. The attitude of this project, above all, is '''Come and go as you like!''' We know that the Chrono Trigger script is huge, and that students of Japanese often only have precious little time to devote to free translation. To this end, we accept any help given to us and encourage contributions of any size; whether a volunteer translates a full block of dialogue or a few sentences doesn't matter -- each building block helps.
+
==Patch==
  
===What will be the end result?===
+
To play the Retranslation, download the .ips patch and follow the installation instructions in the readme text file included.
  
After the retranslation has been completed, a second Chrono Trigger script will be organized from the ground up according to the order of the current English CT script assembled by the Chrono Compendium. It will feature the retranslation in its entirety. The original translation will be featured with its native Japanese and our retranslation, making for easy reference to anything that was found to have been censored or significantly altered in the original US cartridge. Here's an example:
+
*[http://chronofan.com/Black/Publications/Retranslation/Chrono%20Trigger%20Retranslation.7z CT Retranslation] (7z, 371 kb)
 +
*[http://chronofan.com/Black/Publications/Retranslation/Chrono%20Trigger%20Retranslation.zip CT Retranslation] (zip, 809 kb)
  
<pre>
+
To download three patches allowing the patch's hard changes to be applied to your own work:
  Long before you were born...
+
  ...there was a kingdom where magic
+
  flourished.
+
  Everyone there could use it!
+
  
  But in time, people began to abuse
+
*[http://chronofan.com/Black/Publications/Retranslation/Retranslation%20Hard%20Pack.7z Retranslation Hard Pack]
  their powers. It got so bad that no
+
  one was allowed to use magic except
+
  wizards.
+
  
  おめーらの生まれるずっと昔…… 魔法でさかえた王国、あった。その世界、みんな魔法使った。
+
If you would like to remove the title screen so that you can use the retranslated Chrono Trigger as a template for your own ROM hacking work, apply this anti-patch:
  けどその王国、魔力におぼれほろびた……。
+
  それから人は魔法を使えなくなった。魔族以外はな。
+
  
  A zillion years before you brats were born... There was a kingdom where magic thrived.
+
*[http://chronofan.com/Black/Publications/Retranslation/CT%20Retranslation%20Title%20Screen%20Anti-Patch.ips Title Screen Anti-Patch]
  In that world, everybody could use it.
+
  But that kingdom drowned in its own power...
+
  Since then, people haven't been able to use magic. Well, except for the Mystics, right?
+
</pre>
+
  
Another interesting deviation! All changes will be gathered in this document according to the above format. In this manner, we'll have an easy reference for ostensible translation differences.
+
To learn about the making of the patch, hit this feature:
  
==So how do I help?==
+
*[http://www.chronocompendium.com/Stories/45 Making of the Retranslation].
  
By all means, if you are capable of translating or know others who are and might be interested in assisting with the retranslation, contact [mailto:zeality@gmail.com Zeality@Gmail.com] and let me know! I will provide you or your translating friend with a list of what's currently done or in-progress by other contributors. Let me stress again that this is completely voluntarily; you can come and go as you wish, translating as little or as much as you like! We would like a sample of your ability in translation beforehand, and your honest opinion of your ability. We appreciate all the help we can get, and hope that you'll help bring a new Chrono Trigger to fans! Thank you for your consideration.
+
This patch does not feature:
 +
 
 +
* Variable-width font (slows down performance)
 +
 
 +
This patch does not enable this Japanese feature:
 +
 
 +
* Equipment screen item count (would interfere with names)
 +
 
 +
This patch does enable these features:
 +
 
 +
* Ayla's Cro nickname (via second naming screen with Ayla; choose the nickname)
 +
* Marle's formal name (simply adding "dia" to the end of {Marle} strings)
 +
* Special Japanese ending art for Crono & Marle's balloon parade ending
 +
* Sky / Dark element icons replacing Lightning / Shadow images
 +
 
 +
Certain item and location names were shortened. To view the full names, consult
 +
the script release. There are no easter eggs; don't bother searching. Thanks go to KWhazit (translation), ZeaLitY (script insertion and miscellaneous), Geiger and JLukas (technical assistance and hard hacking), Vehek (title screen creation), and Lena Andreia (elemental icon and banner creation). Lastly, Kyronea contributed a few location insertions as well.
 +
 
 +
==Script Presentations==
 +
 
 +
Choose your method of viewing below. The Dialogue Packet Edition presents strings in the order they are stored in the game. The Game Order Edition presents them as the player would naturally encounter dialogue. For the HTML files, give them a few seconds to load, as the multitude of tables from spreadsheet conversion make them especially demanding on browsers.
 +
 
 +
<div class="clearhr" style="margin: 0 10%;">'''Changes Article'''
 +
 
 +
[[Image:Retransthumb.png|left]]
 +
[[Translation Differences|Chrono Trigger Translation Differences]]
 +
 
 +
Characterization, censorships, and other myriad details were altered, effected, or lost in Trigger's original release. Thanks to KWhazit, you can discern the changes here.<Br /><Br />
 +
 
 +
'''Full Release''' ''(each spreadsheet is 2.5 megabytes)''
 +
 
 +
*[http://chronofan.com/Black/Publications/CT%20Retranslation%20-%20Dialogue%20Packet%20Edition.xls Chrono Trigger Retranslation - Dialogue Packet Edition]
 +
*[http://chronofan.com/Black/Publications/CT%20Retranslation%20-%20Game%20Order%20Edition.xls Chrono Trigger Retranslation - Game Order Edition]
 +
*[http://chronofan.com/Black/Publications/Retranslation/ctterms.html Comprehensive Name Guide]
 +
 
 +
'''HTML Chapters''' ''(give them time to load)''
 +
 
 +
*[http://chronofan.com/Black/Publications/Retranslation/CT%20Retranslation%20-%20Chapter%201.htm Chapter 1]
 +
*[http://chronofan.com/Black/Publications/Retranslation/CT%20Retranslation%20-%20Chapters%202-3.htm Chapters 2-3]
 +
*[http://chronofan.com/Black/Publications/Retranslation/CT%20Retranslation%20-%20Chapters%204-5.htm Chapters 4-5]
 +
*[http://chronofan.com/Black/Publications/Retranslation/CT%20Retranslation%20-%20Chapters%206-7.htm Chapters 6-7]
 +
*[http://chronofan.com/Black/Publications/Retranslation/CT%20Retranslation%20-%20Chapter%209.htm Chapter 9]
 +
*[http://chronofan.com/Black/Publications/Retranslation/CT%20Retranslation%20-%20Chapters%2010-11.htm Chapters 10-11]
 +
*[http://chronofan.com/Black/Publications/Retranslation/CT%20Retranslation%20-%20Chapters%2012-14.htm Chapters 12-14]
 +
*[http://chronofan.com/Black/Publications/Retranslation/CT%20Retranslation%20-%20Chapters%2015-17.htm Chapters 15-17]
 +
*[http://chronofan.com/Black/Publications/Retranslation/CT%20Retranslation%20-%20Chapter%2018.htm Chapter 18]
 +
*[http://chronofan.com/Black/Publications/Retranslation/CT%20Retranslation%20-%20Chapters%2019-21.htm Chapters 19-21]
 +
*[http://chronofan.com/Black/Publications/Retranslation/CT%20Retranslation%20-%20Chapter%2022.htm Chapter 22]
 +
*[http://chronofan.com/Black/Publications/Retranslation/CT%20Retranslation%20-%20Chapter%2023.htm Chapter 23]
 +
*[http://chronofan.com/Black/Publications/Retranslation/CT%20Retranslation%20-%20Chapter%2024.htm Chapter 24]
 +
*[http://chronofan.com/Black/Publications/Retranslation/CT%20Retranslation%20-%20Chapter%2025-1.htm Chapter 25 (Part 1)]
 +
*[http://chronofan.com/Black/Publications/Retranslation/CT%20Retranslation%20-%20Chapter%2025-2.htm Chapter 25 (Part 2)]
 +
*[http://chronofan.com/Black/Publications/Retranslation/CT%20Retranslation%20-%20Chapter%2025-3.htm Chapter 25 (Part 3)]
 +
*[http://chronofan.com/Black/Publications/Retranslation/CT%20Retranslation%20-%20Chapter%2026.htm Chapter 26]
 +
*[http://chronofan.com/Black/Publications/Retranslation/CT%20Retranslation%20-%20Endings%20and%20Lost%20Lines.htm Endings and Lost Lines]
 +
*[http://chronofan.com/Black/Publications/Retranslation/CT%20Retranslation%20-%20Other%20Appendices.htm Other Appendices]
 +
*[http://chronofan.com/Black/Publications/Retranslation/CT%20Retranslation%20-%20Character%20Sets%20and%20Credits.htm Character Sets and Credits]
 +
 
 +
'''Text Files'''
 +
 
 +
*[http://chronofan.com/Black/Publications/CTNAScriptonly.txt Chrono Trigger (North American Script Only)]
 +
*[http://chronofan.com/Black/Publications/ChronoTriggerComprehensiveScript.txt Chrono Trigger Comprehensive Script]</div>
 +
 
 +
==Why Retranslate?==
 +
 
 +
A few factors contributed to our desire to have Chrono Trigger retranslated. Specifically, Ted Woolsey did remark in an interview ([[Bob_Rork_Woolsey_Interview#BR:_What_were_the_easiest.2Fhardest_games_for_you_to_translate.3F_Why.3F|see here]]) that a lot of text was cut out because the strings became too long after translation. Additionally, Woolsey did make mistakes in places. For instance, take the line:
 +
 
 +
''Gaspar: One of you is close to someone who needs help. Find this person, fast.''
 +
 
 +
It was supposed to read something to the effect of, "For matters concerning each time era, talk to your teammates." It's a hint telling you to talk to the various player characters standing around the End of Time; upon doing so, they will provide information about the sidequests in their home eras. The original meaning was heavily distorted, and led to endless discussion in the community befor e a proper translation was given. Also, there's a line in Zeal that states, "Janus, Schala's step-brother, doesn't have a speck of magic." Hey, he's not a step-brother! Little mistakes like these can cloud comprehension and understanding of the game's finer plot details and characterization.
 +
 
 +
Just to clarify, we aren't saying Ted Woolsey sucks. Censorship standards were imposed by Nintendo, and translators often have a hard time fitting every last bit of meaning into sentences without running over. For a clarification of Ted Woolsey's experiences, see [http://tomato.fobby.net/old/woolsey.php this page].
 +
 
 +
For the whiners: We apologize for not translating your favorite Japan-only game, ''Densetsu no Haineko LXI''. In the future, KWhazit will be more mindful of your nerdy complaints and choose an obscure game to satisfy your refined tastes in RPGs. Also, we will no longer present our work as a "hobby" by fans and for fans, but instead we will present ourselves as crusaders against Nintendo's sacrilegious inaccuracy and censorship. In line with this paradigm shift, KWhazit will begin demanding monthly Paypal contributions to continue, and will make irregular posts complaining about real life. To make a splash, we will announce no less than 10 new fan translations at at time, with release dates (if you're lucky) of no less than ten years out. Only then will we be a true fan translation unit and cater to your expectations and tastes.
  
 
''From'': [[Main Page]]
 
''From'': [[Main Page]]
 +
 +
[[Image:CTPG2.png|center]]
 +
 +
''Thanks to Lena Andreia''

Revision as of 21:46, 28 April 2013

Ctretrans.png

General Information

Welcome to the Chrono Trigger Retranslation Project, completed in script form on March 30, 2007. Thanks to fan translator KWhazit, the dream of a full original translation is now reality. All dialogue in the game, as well as all lists of items, weapons, armor, locations, etc. have been rendered in English once more. A clearer portrayal of Chrono Trigger as intended by its Japanese creators is now available. It is not the opinion of this project that Ted Woolsey's official translation was bad or insufficient in any way -- only that some essence of the game was lost or altered, given Nintendo of America's censorship standards and the inability of the game to hold all the original text when translated to English. Here's a sample of the final product:


Retranslationexample.png


The retranslation is presented in HTML, Excel, and text files. The scripts present Woolsey's original translation, the Japanese script, and KWhazit's retranslation (with annotations) in a four-column format which allows easy cross referencing of sources. For those seeking specific and important differences between the original North American release and the original, a special article has been made with excerpts of the scripts. A full name guide is also up for download with the spreadsheets.

Patch

Patch

To play the Retranslation, download the .ips patch and follow the installation instructions in the readme text file included.

To download three patches allowing the patch's hard changes to be applied to your own work:

If you would like to remove the title screen so that you can use the retranslated Chrono Trigger as a template for your own ROM hacking work, apply this anti-patch:

To learn about the making of the patch, hit this feature:

This patch does not feature:

  • Variable-width font (slows down performance)

This patch does not enable this Japanese feature:

  • Equipment screen item count (would interfere with names)

This patch does enable these features:

  • Ayla's Cro nickname (via second naming screen with Ayla; choose the nickname)
  • Marle's formal name (simply adding "dia" to the end of {Marle} strings)
  • Special Japanese ending art for Crono & Marle's balloon parade ending
  • Sky / Dark element icons replacing Lightning / Shadow images

Certain item and location names were shortened. To view the full names, consult the script release. There are no easter eggs; don't bother searching. Thanks go to KWhazit (translation), ZeaLitY (script insertion and miscellaneous), Geiger and JLukas (technical assistance and hard hacking), Vehek (title screen creation), and Lena Andreia (elemental icon and banner creation). Lastly, Kyronea contributed a few location insertions as well.

Script Presentations

Choose your method of viewing below. The Dialogue Packet Edition presents strings in the order they are stored in the game. The Game Order Edition presents them as the player would naturally encounter dialogue. For the HTML files, give them a few seconds to load, as the multitude of tables from spreadsheet conversion make them especially demanding on browsers.

Why Retranslate?

A few factors contributed to our desire to have Chrono Trigger retranslated. Specifically, Ted Woolsey did remark in an interview (see here) that a lot of text was cut out because the strings became too long after translation. Additionally, Woolsey did make mistakes in places. For instance, take the line:

Gaspar: One of you is close to someone who needs help. Find this person, fast.

It was supposed to read something to the effect of, "For matters concerning each time era, talk to your teammates." It's a hint telling you to talk to the various player characters standing around the End of Time; upon doing so, they will provide information about the sidequests in their home eras. The original meaning was heavily distorted, and led to endless discussion in the community befor e a proper translation was given. Also, there's a line in Zeal that states, "Janus, Schala's step-brother, doesn't have a speck of magic." Hey, he's not a step-brother! Little mistakes like these can cloud comprehension and understanding of the game's finer plot details and characterization.

Just to clarify, we aren't saying Ted Woolsey sucks. Censorship standards were imposed by Nintendo, and translators often have a hard time fitting every last bit of meaning into sentences without running over. For a clarification of Ted Woolsey's experiences, see this page.

For the whiners: We apologize for not translating your favorite Japan-only game, Densetsu no Haineko LXI. In the future, KWhazit will be more mindful of your nerdy complaints and choose an obscure game to satisfy your refined tastes in RPGs. Also, we will no longer present our work as a "hobby" by fans and for fans, but instead we will present ourselves as crusaders against Nintendo's sacrilegious inaccuracy and censorship. In line with this paradigm shift, KWhazit will begin demanding monthly Paypal contributions to continue, and will make irregular posts complaining about real life. To make a splash, we will announce no less than 10 new fan translations at at time, with release dates (if you're lucky) of no less than ten years out. Only then will we be a true fan translation unit and cater to your expectations and tastes.

From: Main Page

CTPG2.png

Thanks to Lena Andreia