Cannonball Translation Project

[CrimsonFox]

Hello, I'm new here and I was re-directed here from mirrormoon.

I would like to start my own translation project for the VN Cannonball (http://www.getchu.com/soft.phtml?id=17403). I know that translating it will be no small feat, and that's why I came here for advice on how to get started.

First off, and please correct me if I'm wrong, a translation of a VN would require four main categories of skill sets: Translating, Programing, Image Editing, and Proofreading.

*)Now for the Programing and Image Editing after asking around I believe I have a sufficient amount of skilled people, myself included, who are able and willing to do what is required.

*) Proofreading I think will be able to be outsourced to volunteers not directly involved with the project once the translation is done. Also, because as it is at the end of the project, hopefully the momentum that we have gathered now that it is close to realization will help us pick up editors with sufficient knowledge of Japanese more easily than finding members for the other parts of the project.

*) And now for the biggest problem, Translation. I don't have a translator and would like to know where to find one. I know that this is the most important part and that translators are by far the rarest and most sought out of all these skill sets.


So my question is: where can I find a translator, or at least where should I start looking? And also please give me any other advice about starting up, logistics, or anything else that may help.

Oh, and anyone is interested in volunteering or helping out please post here!

Thank you very much! *sorry for the wall of text :)

[zalas]

Originally Posted by CrimsonFox

*)Now for the Programing and Image Editing after asking around I believe I have a sufficient amount of skilled people, myself included, who are able and willing to do what is required.

Don't want to burst your bubble here, but the way you phrased it, it sounds like you think you have the ability to do so, but don't have a clear idea of how to proceed in the programming aspect. Do you actually know enough about the game engine to program extraction and insertion tools?

*) And now for the biggest problem, Translation. I don't have a translator and would like to know where to find one. I know that this is the most important part and that translators are by far the rarest and most sought out of all these skill sets.

Well, I think if there were any translators who are idle and want to pick up a new game, you'd have to demonstrate more on your part on what you can provide. For example, showing work-in-progress pictures of text successfully replaced in the game would be a good start.

[CrimsonFox]

Originally Posted by zalas

Don't want to burst your bubble here, but the way you phrased it, it sounds like you think you have the ability to do so, but don't have a clear idea of how to proceed in the programming aspect. Do you actually know enough about the game engine to program extraction and insertion tools?

I said that awkwardly. I meant that by asking around I found some programmers who are willing to help me as I attempt to do it and will provide support or do it instead of me in the event that I fail to do it myself.

[CrimsonFox]

Originally Posted by zalas

Well, I think if there were any translators who are idle and want to pick up a new game, you'd have to demonstrate more on your part on what you can provide. For example, showing work-in-progress pictures of text successfully replaced in the game would be a good start.

Took your suggestion and after a few hours managed to insert one line of text that I translated using google translate.



And the edited version:



No formatting of course, but this is just to show that I can insert some text.

[NTX]

What's the appeal of this game? I'm going to guess that it's not really well known, and the art doesn't seem to be its strong point. You won't find a fan translator that'll work on a game they wouldn't want to play normally, why do you think they should try this game?

[CrimsonFox]

I discussed this with a few other people who are willing to help out and we came to an agreement to try and translate either Cannonball or Beat Blades Haruka. Due to one persons love of this game we thought we would try and see if we could get this translated and if not we were going to try and do Beat Blades Haruka.

[GatoNegro]

is this the game that was buggy as hell right?

[CrimsonFox]

It was but the patches fixed it.

[GatoNegro]

Well anyway i would prefer Beat blades Haruka, i loved Sengoku Rance

[CrimsonFox]

Personally, so would I. Would you be willing to help out?

[GatoNegro]

well men, i'm still learning japanese, but is currently very bad, besides english is not my native language as probably you have already noted, so i think that only as a testers i could help...

[luckyovermind]

As far as I can remember the language of this game is more on the difficult side, errr no that's probably not the right way to put it, you will need a good translator to explain the setting well enough.

All the translators for eroge / visual novels are either:

A. Elitists / People who already know Japanese, and they don't bother translating crap they're not interested in if at all.

B. Already busy with their own projects.

C. Don't know Japanese well enough, still studying, etc...

You might get lucky and find a random person to do it for you, but most random people tend to drop the project or let it sit in limbo because of real life issues or whatever occurs. And then we have the majority who are into everything translated, and don't bother with learning Japanese since they think other people will eventually do the work for them, which results in a big circle of people doing their own thing. But hey, they're doing it for free so whatever floats their boat.

That said, good luck finding someone.

[LoSs]

I can support you with translation/hacking questions, but you should search for expert translator because text is pretty tough. Appeal of this game is gameplay, story and Liar Soft.

[NTX]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

All the translators for eroge / visual novels are either:

A. Elitists / People who already know Japanese, and they don't bother translating crap they're not interested in if at all.

I think they all don't bother translating crap they're not interested in, whether they're elitist, busy, or still learning. There have been projects up in the air for like 2 years now without a translator, and honestly I don't think there's anyone with enough free time to be translating games randomly.

My point: find a translator that really enjoyed 'Cannonball', or figure out a way to make one think that it's the shit.

I dream of the day that there are TOO many translators.