7/27/05:
--Metal Gear Remix/Redux revision is coming up. I've retyped the script for lowercase and inserted with little problem (22 free bytes after insertion, thank you very much). Using multi-character font tiles allowed me to successfully do it. Also there are a couple corrections made to the script: 1) Diane's "...Bye" signoff was missing in one message that should have had it (there's another one that doesn't have the signoff, but that's the way it's supposed to be). 2) Big Boss' title is "commander-in-chief" of FOX HOUND rather than just "commander" as was in the original release (also my fault). This jives with previous operations and the original japanese. Anyway, I'm in the middle of doing the readdressing for all the messages and new wordvar (dictionary) entries. Completion will be dependent on interest and time.
--Ghost Babel dump: Did some more work on those mysterious 24-bit flags/functions/whatever. They are appearing to act as context-relevant pointers. It appears thus far that there is an indication beginning each message of which byte value cues up one of these pointer functions (which is why you can't just take a random 3 byte number and make it work). Some messages use <07>, <08>, or <04>, etc. to flag one of these and it's currently unknown to me why this is being used, beyond confounding those trying to dump the script, becuase it serves no compression value (no compression is really needed for the script becuase there is a shitload of empty space in the game code). Anyway, the next step is to determine what offset (if any) is used. By the way, as if you cared, this script is a major pain in the butt. :P
--Thinking of looking into a dump of Metal Gear Solid 3, since the script available for that is also a transcript. Probably should look at Artemio's work on the MGS2 codec dump to see if the PS2 version (i have the PC version) used compression like the MGS3 one appears to.
7/20/05:
--Put work on Ghost Babel dump on hold since I've reached an impasse for the moment. There are some 24-bit markers imbedded in the script which I might be used as cues or tags to notify the game when certain dramatic actions are to be taken on-screen while characters are talking. (ie Snake character demonstrating flattening against a wall on-screen while Campbell explains how to do it). Problem is that there is dialog happening while these cutscenes are occuring and it isn't in the script area. I have yet to find where the missing dialog parts are as yet. (Probably have to debug the game, but I don't want to). Here's an example of what's dumpable thus far:
| 7I2Onc7x0're7 8 7 1, you'll be surrounded in a matter of[prompt] seconds. |
You'll notice the 3-byte (24-bit) markers I mentioned (712, 7x0, etc). It should say something like 'Once you're spotted (or discovered, can't remember)...', but the relevant text is somewhere else in the game code. I've tried using some of these markers in test messages to see if I could determine for certain what they're for, but that results only in the characters of the marker being displayed (ie not calling any function at all). This makes me think they're contextual.
--The MG2 dump isn't done yet becuase I have to trace out all the wordvars since MTH pointed some to pre-existing text in the area. Like if you wanted to use 'the' and 'he' as wordvars, instead of spelling both of them out individually in the wordvar area you could merely put 'the' in there and point the wordvar you want use for 'he' to the 'h' in 'the', thus reducing the amount of space used up by the two entries by 3 bytes (counting the separator).
--My primary work right now concerns updating the MG Remix/Redux (whatever you know the project as) patch to include the use of lower case characters. It appears this might work space-wise becuase of some tricks with the font tiles (added things like "'m", "'s", "'ll", ei, ie, in, if, "...", etc as single tiles to save space in the script area). Also, I've discovered a couple of problems with the script that somehow got overlooked. One of Diane's messages is missing her "...Bye" sign-off. There was another thing, but it slips my mind at this moment. I've also decided to change the message describing the Enemy Uniform from 'schoolgirl's uniform' to 'sailor's suit'. I think the latter is a more accurate compromise. 'Sailor's' is the word used in the original japanese translation from Takamichi-san, but using 'suit' instead of its original 'uniform' conjures up the correct image for english-speakers to get the joke I think. I also tweaked some phrases that sounded awkward (used the same vocabulary as the original translation, but rearranged it to sound more natural for it coming from BB, being that he's an american) But, if you disagree let me know. Anyway, I think the new tiles will save a bit more space for the sometimes uppercase/sometimes lowercase wordvars etc. I hope it works.
Ah, if you're interested, here's the new font with lowercase etc:
The lowercase is based off of the lowercase in MG: Ghost Babel
--Also, I've offered to do some work with Policenaut's font (haven't heard back yet) and will probably go hunting for the bloody tiles in my copy of PN shortly.
7/6/05:
--Added dumps of MGS2's Previous story sections to the Documents area. There are already transcripts available on the net, but I wanted to do some of my own to make sure there were no errors or changes to the formatting since I plan to read them. I just did all the Dog Tag collection on Hard and have begun to do the same on Extreme. I was surprised to find out how much this refreshes the gameplay.
--Progress continues on both the Ghost Babel and MG2 script dumps. Mostly on the GB script though. That particular script system is extremely functional (supports all sorts of timing changes, sound effects during display, etc) and as such has a crapload of extra non-textual data that I have to figure out and am currently making useful for the final product or removing as useless. Final output will likely have an indicator of who's speaking at the time and a note of when a character pauses etc. It will likely end up resembling a movie script in some respects. Anyway it's a pain in the butt and will still take some time, when I have it, to finish. As for MG2, I did a couple things related to symbology and need to use the pointers for the wordvars to figure them all out. Also, when finished I'm thinking of releasing the documentation I've created during the process of figuring out the code for all the scripts I've done thus far. Hopefully somebody looking to do a translation into some obscure language will find it useful.
--I've had the notion to dump MGS2's subtitles since no one appears to have done that yet for the game (just the Codec data has been done thus far I think). If there's interest I might do it, but they're buried in the demo.dat which is 1.37 GB in size. Interestingly though, they appear to be in actual order-of-appearance, unlike the Codec or the scripts of the previous titles.
--Almost forgot! I'm halfway working on an update for the Metal Gear translation patch. I originally intended to fully integrate lowercase lettering but, becuase of the space shortage and the wordvars it can't be done to the main script, without redoing almost everything. I easily added a lowercase font and it can be used pretty much anywhere that doesn't use a word variable (dictionary) becuase sometimes the wordvars need a cap at the beginning and in other instances not. There's simply not enough space left to add data to distinguish the instances, unless I try some translation tricks with the font. In fact, there is only 1 byte of space remaining in the script area and only ten left in the wordvar area. I was also considering the idea of changing the boss names to those being used in the new mobile phone translation which is apparently canon for the series now. I don't think I'll do it though since I'd rather play the original game with the original names. Hell the new ones aren't any better than the old ones anyway. Why no one can figure that "Shoot Gunner" is intended to be Shotgunner rather than "Shot Maker" is beyond me.
--Also, technically I still have no internet service. I am, however, currently making use of others' charitable creation of wireless networks with internet access.
6/14/05:
--Added another Wallpaper. I've resumed the Ghost Babel dump as it was pointed out to me that the existing 'dump' on the 'net isn't a dump at all. It's basically a transcription of the main story and doesn't include all the game text. It's progressing. All the figuring on what the wordvar values are etc is done. However, the conversion is proving to be a major pain in the butt since Konami has, for some inconceivable reason, overlapped their useage of certain hex values in numerous instances causing the conversion to be done in a certain order. On top of that I've just begun to try and figure out the extra data in the script which likely is used to tell the game which character is speaking and so forth. I'm also thinking there are tags in the script to cue cutscenes. Until I figure this extra stuff out the script is only partially understandable when converted to text.
--I've taken interest in the ongoing Policenauts translation project. I've gotten the PC-98 version (I've yet to get it running at all...) and am looking at getting the PSX version as well. I went to the trouble of obtaining the Truemotion video codec stuff for the purposes of dealing with the video and will soon start poking around in the game data.
--Also, I will be moving soon (Tomorrow) and will have no internet service for a while so I will be out of contact for a while. This means more work on these projects since I won't be able to play Jedi Academy online for a while.
6/8/05:
--Changed the Weapons page to reflect that there's no real-world equivalent to the Remote Controlled Missiles. Also put on a couple of MGS4 wallpapers I whipped up after the e3 announcement. Did a bit of work on a Ghost Babel script dump and realized that it wasn't necessary since one is already available on the net. I'm considering whether or not to prepare a patch that alters the MSX Metal Gears to utilize the new character names and images from the mobile phone updates of those games. If the new names are intended to be canon for the series, then I will probably do it. Also, I'm gonna probably remove the improvised legal mumbo-jumbo for the MG patch download and just leave it to the Readme.txt included with the patch to handle the disclaiming.
5/11/05:
--Howdy everyone. I'm out of the U.S. Army for injuries sustained during training, so I'll be lurking around again. Here's my contact info [email protected] . I will try to have MSN Messenger signed in for that email as often as possible. I also have "nekurahoka" for both AIM and Yahoo, but I really only use those by specific request. Anyway, If anyone needs anything or has some questions or what-not, you can contact me there. Oh, by the way, I've been working off-and-on on a script dump of Metal Gear 2, but it is proving to be an interesting task to perform manually since the script is somewhat different in arrangement as compared to Metal Gear's. Will it see the light of day? I don't know.
2/16/05:
--On leave for a while and updated some texts since I've finally gotten a chance to play MGS3. Also uploaded the remix script in a text file rather than keeping the comparison page. This should be more convenient for users wanting to reference it. Also, I noticed someone has done a translation of Metal Gear into French language, congratulations to those responsible for that work! I'll probably be lurking on some forums for a few more days while I'm home, so I might read some of you there. Oh and check Metal Gear Remix project page becuase Takamichi has finished the manual translation and done a damn good job of it I might add. Take a look at it, he obviously put a good amount of effort into it.
11/18/04:
--For quicker reference: Translation patches for Metal Gear ( Japanese MSX) are now available. Please click Download, read and agree to the disclaimer to get the patches. Check Takamichi Suzukawa's original Metal Gear Remix project page for progress on the translation of the original Japanese manual for the game. The Japanese manual includes much more information about the game and its characters than have been released in english counterparts. Click 'About the Project' for info on my end of this translation. You can also check out how the progress of the coding went over time by clicking on 'Old News'.