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Topic: Castle Shikigami 1[Shikigami no Shiro/'Mobile Light Force 2']: help needed! (Read 2 times)
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cj iwakura
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« on: August 22, 2009, 12:04:42 pm » |
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Hi all. I've asked around at a few niche boards, and had a hard time getting any info or interest for this project, so that brings me here. I'd like to undertake a translation for the original Castle Shikigami.  /  It was released on PC, Xbox, and PS2, and the PS2 in the states. However, the US version was infamously butchered, leaving all the dialogue removed, and portraits taken out.  So, I'd like to start a translation for the original(PC) version.  This is a shmup, and has minimal dialogue, but at very least, there are seven different storylines, with character dialogue between the bosses and monologues taking place between each stage. Unlike the sequels, SnS 1 doesn't have voice acted dialogue, only minimal used during the stages. Unfortunately, I'm basically an amateur in the field. I have no experience with hacking, and minimal knowledge of the language, but I'm willing to learn. I do have access to the PC version. So if there's anyone with knowledge of hacking PC dialogue and/or love for the SnS series, I'd greatly appreciate the assistance. Thanks in advance. |
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« Last Edit: January 07, 2010, 09:37:56 pm by cj iwakura »
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aishsha
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« Reply #1 on: August 22, 2009, 01:58:51 pm » |
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I'm afraid, this is a wrong section for such issues. Try to post Help Ad.
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cj iwakura
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« Reply #2 on: December 01, 2009, 07:23:40 pm » |
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Hi there.
I have a very awesome collaborator who's working on hacking this game's text for me.
Once we manage to crack Shiki 1, we'll be rolling.
Just an fyi.
Now, it's about justice!
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cj iwakura
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« Reply #3 on: January 07, 2010, 09:37:37 pm » |
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So hey, we need some hacker assistance on this. Shikigami 1 is proving a tough nut to crack. If you want to help us out, email me at cjiwakurax@aol.com or hit me up on AIM: cjiwakurax. Thanks a bunch. Here's a sample of what we're up against here: 00000000 ??? EAX=00000000, ECX=00000000, EDX=00000000, EBX=00000000, ESP=00000000, EBP=00000000, ESI=00000000, EDI=00000000
main 00423D96 MOV AX,WORD PTR DS:[ECX] EAX=00000000, ECX=0082B998, EDX=000000D0, EBX=00000000, ESP=000CFE54, EBP=00727208, ESI=00000002, EDI=00000000
main 00423D99 AND EAX,0000FFFF EAX=000000AA, ECX=0082B998, EDX=000000D0, EBX=00000000, ESP=000CFE54, EBP=00727208, ESI=00000002, EDI=00000000
main 00423D9E CMP ESI,EAX EAX=000000AA, ECX=0082B998, EDX=000000D0, EBX=00000000, ESP=000CFE54, EBP=00727208, ESI=00000002, EDI=00000000
main 00423DA0 JL SHORT 00423DBD EAX=000000AA, ECX=0082B998, EDX=000000D0, EBX=00000000, ESP=000CFE54, EBP=00727208, ESI=00000002, EDI=00000000
main 00423DBD MOV EAX,DWORD PTR DS:[ESI*4+ECX+4] EAX=000000AA, ECX=0082B998, EDX=000000D0, EBX=00000000, ESP=000CFE54, EBP=00727208, ESI=00000002, EDI=00000000
main 00423DC1 ADD EAX,ECX EAX=00001BF8, ECX=0082B998, EDX=000000D0, EBX=00000000, ESP=000CFE54, EBP=00727208, ESI=00000002, EDI=00000000
main 00423DC3 POP ESI EAX=0082D590, ECX=0082B998, EDX=000000D0, EBX=00000000, ESP=000CFE54, EBP=00727208, ESI=00000002, EDI=00000000
main 00423DC4 RETN EAX=0082D590, ECX=0082B998, EDX=000000D0, EBX=00000000, ESP=000CFE58, EBP=00727208, ESI=00000000, EDI=00000000
main 00462100 PUSH EAX EAX=0082D590, ECX=0082B998, EDX=000000D0, EBX=00000000, ESP=000CFE5C, EBP=00727208, ESI=00000000, EDI=00000000
main 00462101 CALL 0042DD40 EAX=0082D590, ECX=0082B998, EDX=000000D0, EBX=00000000, ESP=000CFE58, EBP=00727208, ESI=00000000, EDI=00000000
main 0042DD40 PUSH EBX EAX=0082D590, ECX=0082B998, EDX=000000D0, EBX=00000000, ESP=000CFE54, EBP=00727208, ESI=00000000, EDI=00000000
main 0042DD41 PUSH EBP EAX=0082D590, ECX=0082B998, EDX=000000D0, EBX=00000000, ESP=000CFE50, EBP=00727208, ESI=00000000, EDI=00000000
main 0042DD42 MOV EBP,DWORD PTR SS:[ARG.1] EAX=0082D590, ECX=0082B998, EDX=000000D0, EBX=00000000, ESP=000CFE4C, EBP=00727208, ESI=00000000, EDI=00000000
January 08, 2010, 10:09:15 pm - (Auto Merged - Double Posts are not allowed before 7 days.)
Update: I did look for SJIS strings but no luck. I haven't tried unicode (I always forget about it since I've only reversed one game that used unicode). I should say the code isn't the problem as I can read it fine enough to know mostly what's happening. My problem is the graphics themselves since I'm not very good at figuring out graphic formats and such. The *.dat files are what I suspect holds the text somehow. From what I've seen there a simple archive format (I can describe it if you like) that holds LZSS compressed files. From what I've noticed, the files when uncompressed appear to be some type of image format. My reasoning being how many 0s are in there, as well as the grouping of the bytes (basically a large transparent graphic with something in the middle, like how our text shows up). I suspect it's *.dat files since those are the ones it keeps accessing right before displaying the text. One thing I noticed which I found interesting is I found a routine which appears to use those files to index something (maybe a font?) but later on it is accessed by my nvidia driver. I could be mistaken honestly so hey  I'm more use to dealing with compressed text of some kind and graphics aren't my thing at all unless there obvious in the format they use. I'm almost certain there TGA files, but i'm not sure how to rebuild the header for it. Later on I can post up a portion of the uncompressed piece of one of the files. if anyones interested I don't have access to my code on the laptop I'm using right now though. |
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« Last Edit: January 08, 2010, 10:09:15 pm by cj iwakura »
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mahjdve
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« Reply #4 on: January 08, 2010, 10:35:23 pm » |
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Are you sure about the first instruction in that code sample AX is a 16 bit register but the rest seem to be 32 bit registers. I don't know too much assembly but there seems to be a call instruction (00462101 CALL 0042DD40) that simply jumps to the next line maybe the code is some how hiding parts of itself.
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cj iwakura
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« Reply #5 on: April 11, 2010, 09:49:18 pm » |
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So if anyone cares, this project is on indefinite flatline. I haven't heard from Esper Knight in months.
Shame too, because he seemed to be making progress.
So if you have any love for hacking an obscure PC shmup and making it English, hit me up.
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cj iwakura
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« Reply #6 on: May 06, 2010, 10:28:20 pm » |
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Rise, grave, etc. We ain't done yet, dang it.  Me and Esper are back on the grind. But we need a translator!We can't promise fame or glory, but there will be lots of hilarious dialogue for us to improv. As of now, the XS Games version is the only way to play this game in English; if you can call it that. You don't want that and neither do I. So send me an IM or email me or whatever. If you can translate Japanese to English, your assistance is welcome; bonus if you have previous experience with this stuff, but honestly, we'll take what we can get. Let me clarify a little: this will not be a very large job. At all. Shikigami 1 has seven characters. There's five stages. Each character has maybe 25 lines of dialogue, 30 counting the ending, tops. So we're looking at a few pages of work, if that. This would be a pretty short-term job.
May 08, 2010, 10:18:22 am - (Auto Merged - Double Posts are not allowed before 7 days.)
Good news: I have a translator. So it has begun. The above screencap roughly translates to "What are you looking at, asshole?", or so I'm told. Here's my improvised result, to add flavor(and character specifics). [Redacted] So that's a taste of the 'feel' I'm going for. Now we just need to hack this thing.So I'm updating the request: I need someone to help us integrate the changed text. This is the hardest part of the task, and likely the most time-consuming. I'll still take any assistance, but the translation part is pretty much covered. The font is still up in the air, but I like this one. Palatino Type, 14. |
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« Last Edit: May 28, 2011, 07:03:59 pm by cj iwakura »
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Auryn
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« Reply #7 on: August 22, 2010, 12:53:41 am » |
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Do i have missed something?? so where was the text?? what format??
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cj iwakura
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« Reply #8 on: September 23, 2010, 11:52:36 am » |
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Well, my hacker's made no progress as of yet, and no translator wants to stick with me on this, so it's still on indefinite hiatus.
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BRPXQZME
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« Reply #9 on: September 23, 2010, 03:52:04 pm » |
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How heavy is the script?
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cj iwakura
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« Reply #10 on: September 23, 2010, 05:39:31 pm » |
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Very light. Maybe... oh, 120 lines of dialogue, give or take.
September 24, 2010, 10:23:22 am - (Auto Merged - Double Posts are not allowed before 7 days.)
I was keeping this for my personal use, but what the hell. http://game.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/20011109/sikigami.htmText dump. At this point, I'll take any help I can get. |
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« Last Edit: September 24, 2010, 10:23:22 am by cj iwakura »
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BRPXQZME
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« Reply #11 on: September 26, 2010, 01:29:53 am » |
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I took a look at it. Got kind of tripped up over the background elements. Alfa System games have their own world, basically. Look at the length of this article on Wikipedia. That is considered a stub. |
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cj iwakura
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« Reply #12 on: September 26, 2010, 11:31:32 pm » |
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I wrote the HG101 article and help run the wikia article on the series.
This game's plot is more convoluted than it has any right to be.
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I.S.T.
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« Reply #13 on: September 27, 2010, 03:59:37 am » |
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You wrote the HG101 article on the series? I recently read and enjoyed that. Thank you. |
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cj iwakura
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« Reply #14 on: September 27, 2010, 11:03:37 pm » |
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It was not an easy write-up. I had to scour Japanese fansites just to get an inkling of what the heck these games are about, especially Shikigami 1, since XS butchered it to pieces.
Then I found out about the text adventure through google searching. You can imagine my reaction. :banghead:
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