[Game] Umineko no Naku Koro ni - Translation Project

[AuraTwilight]

I concur entirely with Ukyo9. Quit complaining unless you're contributing something to the fanbase. It's not like you're paying for the damn patch.

[Madman6510]

Remember guys, Witch Hunt has been translating at an EXTREME pace compared to a lot of other translation groups, including paid ones.

We've been pretty spoiled with speed the past releases, and now we're freaking out when they slow down. The team leads are still communicating with the community, and making every effort to tell us why it's taking longer this time. This is enough proof that the project is alive and fine.

Take some time, and catch up with other series. Maybe reread Umineko (in the past year I've forgotten enough to be able to reread and enjoy it again and still be surprised at bits). The project is fine. Just slow.

[Kishin]

While I only really skim these forums, I feel like the comments are something like this,
10% complaining and bitching
20% witch hunt news
30% defenders of witch-hunt
30% general comments of thanks
20% misc questions or corrections
Disclaimer: These percentages have no actual value and are completely made up by me, use only as a rough estimate of how I myself see this thread

At least to me who skims the forums, there are at least 3 times the amount of people who go into walls of text defending witch-hunt from flamers and impatience while the rest are nothing but positive or constructive. Almost every post I read here holds WH in nothing but respect
now to finish with the trademarked :p

[chronotrig]

Well, there is a small bright side, at least for the short term. The rough translation has just passed a few particularly difficult chapters (mostly difficult because Ryuukishi is now putting an average of 3 meanings into a line).

One more large chapter and we'll reach the incredibly massive series finale that takes up half the patch. For the next week or so, you can expect regular updates to our percentage (http://www.witch-hunt.com/news.html). While we're at it, let me say that I'm committed to finishing the rough by Christmas, probably of this year.

I apologize for the near-constant delays, but the ball has started slowly rolling again. Hopefully it doesn't get caught in the muck again. I've already been burned by Lion's autocorrect, which changes "Mariage Sorciere" into "Marriage Sorrier" half the time, and catbox into hatbox (not that catbox is a word).

[goldenlove27]

I know I haven't posted here in a long while but I have been keeping track of what's going on and I just want to say that I am glad that you guys are working on the project. I haven't complained nor will I start complaining about the process of the game for the simple fact that you guys have the skills required to translate something as complicated as Umineko as well as translating period.

Even if you were to stop I wouldn't complain as I know how it was for ya'll to come this far. I wish I knew how to read Japanese so I could help even a little but unfortunately I only understand English. :( The very least I can do is say thank you for your hard work and be patient and wait until you guys are finished translating.

I never would have gotten into VN if it wasn't for ya'll so I'm glad that you guys have opened me up to new experiences. I just wanted to say that b/c since an incident happened the last time I was here happened, I felt the need to show appreciation for everything that happens and not take things for granted.
Whether or not you read this allow me to say Thank You all so very much and I wish you luck on everything you do. :D

[Yirba]

Ooh, that does sound kinda tough… I know you're all doing your best, so keep the good work up! :)

Hmmm… doesn't Lion allow you to turn off autocorrect? I much prefer red underlines instead of it automatically 'correcting' me…

[bigemperor]

Well, there is a small bright side, at least for the short term. The rough translation has just passed a few particularly difficult chapters (mostly difficult because Ryuukishi is now putting an average of 3 meanings into a line).

One more large chapter and we'll reach the incredibly massive series finale that takes up half the patch. For the next week or so, you can expect regular updates to our percentage (http://www.witch-hunt.com/news.html). While we're at it, let me say that I'm committed to finishing the rough by Christmas, probably of this year.


REALLY REALLY THANKS :) i am dying to play the ending but i can's believe people are complaining, i will never read a patch made by another group.

Keep up the good work and is nice to have regular updates :) it will be awesome to have the patch like a Christmas gift =)

[Oblivion]

Haven't even started complaining yet but this is really great news. And really? Hatbox? That's kinda funny lol.

[maximilianjenus]

I can't help it but laugh at the schrodinger's hat thought experiment.

[Madman6510]

Not to mention the fact that Ryukishi is using it completely wrong.

It's a physics "experiment", not a philosophical one.

[Revelation]

In what other sense is it applied incorrectly though? If it takes the "many-worlds" interpretation, I can't really understand why people call this paradox completely inappropriate in the usage.

[Madman6510]

I'm just going to wrap this whole thing in spoiler tags. It should be pretty safe for anyone past Episode 2 anyways, but just to be sure:

This is just my understanding, so I could be an idiot and misunderstand it myself. What I *think* the characters are trying to say in the series is that "as long as the box is closed (the cat having a 50% chance of being dead, with an equal probability of being alive), you can make up all kinds of crayzee stories about what happened to the cat, and as long as the box is never opened (as is the case with the island), then all of them are equally probable. However, if the box is opened ("checking the Braun tubes"), then the one truth will be revealed. This is the understanding I'm getting from the characters' explanations.

Of course, if you wanted to apply the concept to the reason the Kakera exist for the island, with the island being a "closed box" with many possible universes, even if the "truth" is revealed, all other possibilities still remain valid (as long as they are physically possible, this doesn't allow room for magic to exist), just not in this universe. This is a perfectly valid explanation, but this particular train of thought isn't brought up by any of the characters at all.

Of course, I don't have a degree in theoretical physics (I'm not Gordon Freeman). I'm not even that good at math. I could be completely wrong, although I have heard somewhere that Ryukishi's use is wrong.

[AuraTwilight]

Madman basically has it. Ryukishi just misappropriated the concept in order to make his point, and it's a fully VALID point; it's not like he's discussing cosmology.

[VDZ]

Not to mention the fact that Ryukishi is using it completely wrong.

It's a physics "experiment", not a philosophical one.

It's not a physics experiment, it's a thought experiment, just one that was thought up to show how stupid part of quantum theory was, and later adapted to explain said aspect of quantum physics. Arguments from one part of science can be used in a different way in another science; if physics were to say mixtures with iron in them can't boil, then biology could use that information to conclude blood cannot boil just fine. Just because something is discovered in science A doesn't mean science B can't use it. (Whether philosophy is a science or not is a different matter altogether, but thought experiments from one can also be used for the other, and some are even more philosophical than they are scientific (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_room).)

I'm just going to wrap this whole thing in spoiler tags. It should be pretty safe for anyone past Episode 2 anyways, but just to be sure:

This is just my understanding, so I could be an idiot and misunderstand it myself. What I *think* the characters are trying to say in the series is that "as long as the box is closed (the cat having a 50% chance of being dead, with an equal probability of being alive), you can make up all kinds of crayzee stories about what happened to the cat, and as long as the box is never opened (as is the case with the island), then all of them are equally probable. However, if the box is opened ("checking the Braun tubes"), then the one truth will be revealed. This is the understanding I'm getting from the characters' explanations.

Of course, if you wanted to apply the concept to the reason the Kakera exist for the island, with the island being a "closed box" with many possible universes, even if the "truth" is revealed, all other possibilities still remain valid (as long as they are physically possible, this doesn't allow room for magic to exist), just not in this universe. This is a perfectly valid explanation, but this particular train of thought isn't brought up by any of the characters at all.

Of course, I don't have a degree in theoretical physics (I'm not Gordon Freeman). I'm not even that good at math. I could be completely wrong, although I have heard somewhere that Ryukishi's use is wrong.

Congrats, you don't get the point of the thought experiment. It's not 'alive or dead', it's 'alive AND dead'. The two possibilities are both true at the same time, until someone observes the result and concludes only one of the two is true (at which point the other option is no longer true).

As none of the stories have been disproven, they all exist simultaneously in different kakera.
even if the "truth" is revealed, all other possibilities still remain valid (as long as they are physically possible, this doesn't allow room for magic to exist), just not in this universe.
How are you so sure of this? Umineko (especially episode 8) very strongly implies this is not the case. Remember that all "non-true" kakera are made of magic (they're game boards made by witches), and that magic can only exist in unobserved places and situations. When the truth of the Rokkenjima incident is revealed, all of that magic is disproven and disappears, leaving only the true kakera and its natural variations. In all of those variations, the publicly known details are the same. Remember how in Higurashi
Tomitake was always the first victim, Miyo was always the culprit, and Hinamizawa was always completely destroyed because of the "Great Hinamizawa Disaster"? Those are all information known by outside sources, and therefore unchangeable facts. Every single kakera had those elements. Only the events people could only guess at were different between the kakera. The only exception to this is the final kakera, which was created through a miracle.
Known facts do not differ even between the kakera. For that reason, once the truth is revealed about the Rokkenjima accident, it is very likely all other kakera not compatible with it just vanish.

Or, the simpler answer, courtesy of Steins;Gate:

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i136/VDZx/catboxexplained.png

[Madman6510]

Yeah, told you I wasn't an expert and was basically guessing based on what I read on Wikipedia :P

I did understand the bit about it being both alive and dead until "determined" by the observer originally (although the cat can still exist in the opposite state once observed as-per the many-worlds interpretation, but the observer would never be aware of this), I just wrote it wrong the first time.

The point I was trying to make is that Ryukishi was trying to use a physics thought experiment (I was aware it wasn't a real experiment, as such I put "experiment" in quotes) and re-appropriate it as a philosophical thought experiment. Or rather, why what was originally used to explain quantum physics became an explanation for why you can make stuff up as long as nobody knows the difference.

[AuraTwilight]

How are you so sure of this?

He's not, he's talking specifically about kakera theory. Stop being so confrontational, friend.

[Lotaphi]

Really? people had trouble getting the catbox thing? It's actually really simple. Unless you can somehow open the "lid" on the answer of what happend that weekend, then there is no single right answer. All answer's that could exist are true at the same time.

It is in no way used wrong.

I guess another example would be a lottery scratch off. before you scratch it, you can go around and tell everyone you won 1,000,000$ with it. Someone else can say "I'm pretty sure you won 5000$ with it.

neither of them are wrong (thus making them both correct) since you can't disprove either of them unless they removed the "lid" on it and scratched the scratch off.

Yeah, told you I wasn't an expert and was basically guessing based on what I read on Wikipedia :P

I did understand the bit about it being both alive and dead until "determined" by the observer originally (although the cat can still exist in the opposite state once observed as-per the many-worlds interpretation, but the observer would never be aware of this), I just wrote it wrong the first time.

The point I was trying to make is that Ryukishi was trying to use a physics thought experiment (I was aware it wasn't a real experiment, as such I put "experiment" in quotes) and re-appropriate it as a philosophical thought experiment. Or rather, why what was originally used to explain quantum physics became an explanation for why you can make stuff up as long as nobody knows the difference.
so you take information you read on Wikipedia to completely mock someones work?

[Madman6510]

I was in no way mocking it. Where did I say that the modified usage was bad? I just said that it was incorrect usage of the actual thought experiment. People started talking about how they lol'd at the catbox thing (which, actually, I misread from the post above mine), and I added something saying that the usage in the story had been modified a ton from what it actually was. Someone asked for clarification, so I clarified from what I knew.

The explanation you gave fits the explanation used in the story, but not the original thought experiment, which is about two conflicting states existing at the same time, even after (in some interpretations) one state was determined by the observer. This DOES fit with a part of the story, but not the parts explained when the "catbox" is brought up in the story (but it does fit the "alternate" explanation, but not the original point of the thought experiment).

Let's stop this now. This is just starting to get stupid.

[Leo_Otaku]

I would also like to thank witch hunt and expressive amount of thanks. I can not even imagine who has to go through all of that text!! I swear there is more than most visual novels. Thank you so much for all your continued hard word and dedication!

[gtr06]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOYyCHGWJq4

I like this simple Shrodinger explanation.

:)

[Yirba]

I would also like to thank witch hunt and expressive amount of thanks. I can not even imagine who has to go through all of that text!! I swear there is more than most visual novels. Thank you so much for all your continued hard word and dedication!

Yup, Umineko is one of the longest visual novels ever. Heck, it's arguably even one of the longest novels ever written (although I'd rather not bring up that discussion again :p)!

[Witch of Uncertainty]

Longer than higurashi? :p

[AuraTwilight]

Most definitely.

[Orophin]

Actually, Higurashi is slightly longer according to the script sizes.

Higurashi no Naku Koro ni: 2.17 MB
Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai: 3.24 MB

Higurashi Total: 5.41 MB

-----

Umineko no Naku Koro ni: 2.75 MB
Umineko no Naku Koro ni Chiru: 2.55 MB

Umineko Total: 5.30 MB

Those numbers are taken from TLWiki (http://tlwiki.tsukuru.info/index.php?title=VN/Eroge_Scriptsizes) and are based on the Japanese versions of the games.

[Number1-Syaoran-Fan]

True. Remember, Matsuribayashi-hen was massive. And Umineko had quite a few shorter ones like EP3...

[AuraTwilight]

File sizes aren't a good indicator of length, though, since you have to consider graphics, scripting and coding, etcetera.

[Yirba]

We're not going back to this discussion again, are we? :p

Anyway, it's true that you can't really compare by file size…

…but you can certainly measure the amount of time it takes to play the visual novels. In that case, Umineko feels longer to me. I didn't actually time it though, maybe that's something to look into…

[Cao Ni Ma]

Well, if you count EVERYTHING in the Higurashi-verse it would be longer than if you count everything in the Umineko-verse right now. There's a lot of chapters added to higurashi in the DS and PS2 games.

If you only count the original PC games and supplemental texts, then Umineko is the longest visual novel in existence.

[aiman24]

wow, i'm quite surprised to see the recent updates to the percentages...

i hope you all can keep the pace a bit longer.

thank you Witch-Hunt

[DoktorFunk]

wow, i'm quite surprised to see the recent updates to the percentages...

i hope you all can keep the pace a bit longer.

thank you Witch-Hunt

Whoa! You're totally right. Its nice to see updates on their progress. At this rate, Ep 8 may be finished before Higanbana.

The sheer volume of work WH has done up to this point is really something. It's hard to believe they're this close to the finish line!

[Yirba]

Whoa! You're totally right. Its nice to see updates on their progress. At this rate, Ep 8 may be finished before Higanbana.

The sheer volume of work WH has done up to this point is really something. It's hard to believe they're this close to the finish line!

Yeah, at one point I was thinking that we would be done before WH, but their pace is really picking up.

Of course, our goal is Winter Comiket, whereas WH's goal is 'by the end of the year', but it's quite hard to say.

It would be logical (in terms of chronology) to have Umineko out before Higanbana, though.

Just a tiny bit more to go… *excited*

[Kylon99]

Isn't Winter Comike at the end of the year? Specifically December 29th - 31st? 8)

[Yirba]

That's right. Higanbana: The Second Night should be released there, so it would be nice to get the translation done before then. Of course, that's only our goal… I can't say if it will actually be out by then or not.

Anyway, back to the discussion about the Umineko translation…

[KanonTheFurniture]

Anyway, it's true that you can't really compare by file size…

…but you can certainly measure the amount of time it takes to play the visual novels. In that case, Umineko feels longer to me. I didn't actually time it though, maybe that's something to look into…
Personally I think the manga is a good indication of length. Both the Higurashi and Umineko VN's were adapted into manga while trying to retain as much of the core story as possible, and if you compare the Question Arcs of Higurashi's manga (each one contained two volumes) to EP1-4 of Umineko...

Legend - 4 Volumes
Turn - 5 Volumes
Banquet - 5 Volumes
Alliance - 5 Volumes and counting

That's in adapted form, which means for both Higurashi and Umineko, they're trying to convey as much of the story's actual message and scenes without being bogged down by Ryukishi's (often unnecessary) wordiness, which is something you have to consider when just looking at wordcount in the script :heh: Just judging it from that perspective, I think Umineko is a far longer series, and for Witch-Hunt to have carried it this far is truly a testament to their hard work and dedication :D

[rogerpepitone]

Significant portions of Higurashi are filled with various club games, which usually aren't too plot-important, and gets dropped from adaptations. There's much less obviously filler material in Umineko.

[haguruma]

Significant portions of Higurashi are filled with various club games, which usually aren't too plot-important, and gets dropped from adaptations. There's much less obviously filler material in Umineko.
And I found Higurashi to be much, much more repetetive and draggy in certain scenes. Some events were described in 3 to 4 different ways before finally going on, while Umineko was actually pretty tightly paced, though people might disagree during the portions describing the family conference.

[Kylon99]

That makes me very sad. 8) EDIT: I mean 8(

I wish he'd do something about that particular writing style. Unless he's trying to make a point about presenting us with clue over and over and us not getting it, at most some things could be repeated twice, but not four times in succession. I remember times in EP6, 7 and 8 where he kept doing that...

Going through Umineko, I'm pretty much guaranteed to never, ever forget the word 'sunawachi'. ("In other words" etc). Every time I see that now, I cringe in horror of feeling like I will repeat my life over and over like Rika...

[maximilianjenus]

now you know why he did not get published as a novelist originally and had to start with vns.

[LyricalAura]

now you know why he did not get published as a novelist originally and had to start with vns.

Not that he doesn't have issues with repetition, but I invite you to look up "Kaidan to Odorou", a light novel he got published before he started Higurashi.

[haguruma]

Not that he doesn't have issues with repetition, but I invite you to look up "Kaidan to Odorou", a light novel he got published before he started Higurashi.
The story was published in 2005 just a short while before Higurashi was finsished and it only consists of two chapters. Well, published is a relative term. He made it into FAUST, an irregular Kodansha magazine which gives young pop-authors from the light novel and visual novel area a place to write, as well as releasing some more otaku'ish works of Mephisto winners like Nishio Isshin.
Kaidan to odorô soshite anata wa kaidan de odoru was never published outside of FAUST magazine (very few of those stories are) and it was more of an experiment than anything else.

But yes, he admitted himself that his wordiness is one of his biggest flaws and he hoped that it would be one he would learn to handle when writing short stories. Higanbana dares to imply he failed I think... :heh:

[LyricalAura]

The story was published in 2005 just a short while before Higurashi was finsished and it only consists of two chapters.

Oh, I guess my dates are off then. My understanding was that it was an early work that ended up being somehow related to Higurashi, but I haven't read it myself.

It's interesting that it was published in FAUST though. I guess his relationship with that magazine goes back pretty far.

[guro]

woahhhh I read the first half of episode one all in Japanese finally! I had some trouble with Kanji but I kept my kanji finder next to me and managed to get through.

However it takes half the time to read in English so thank you witch-hunt for making my life easier! I'm not good enough yet to breeze through R07's works! I honestly don't mind the wait between translations because I am very busy with school work anyways. In fact it would be perfect if you don't finish it til the last week of December or first week of January because that is when I have no school.

[Kylon99]

guro, maybe you could use Translation Aggregator to help you look up the Japanese faster. The instructions are in my signature link.

[guro]

guro, maybe you could use Translation Aggregator to help you look up the Japanese faster. The instructions are in my signature link.

Omg! Thank you!

[zorahk]

The story was published in 2005 just a short while before Higurashi was finsished and it only consists of two chapters. Well, published is a relative term. He made it into FAUST, an irregular Kodansha magazine which gives young pop-authors from the light novel and visual novel area a place to write, as well as releasing some more otaku'ish works of Mephisto winners like Nishio Isshin.
Kaidan to odorô soshite anata wa kaidan de odoru was never published outside of FAUST magazine (very few of those stories are) and it was more of an experiment than anything else.

But yes, he admitted himself that his wordiness is one of his biggest flaws and he hoped that it would be one he would learn to handle when writing short stories. Higanbana dares to imply he failed I think... :heh:

While he is definitely wordy, this is something which is not really a unique problem to him. Most Japanese authors, are, by western standards, "wordy". Japanese is a language where sentence length is essentially unbounded. You can have sentences which go on pages, though abusive use of 〜て and other verb endings. This problem is compounded in classical Japanese by the use of the form 〜たり as a normal verb ending rather than a set phrase, and its sole purpose is to allow the author to make sentences as long as possible. The fact that it was reduced in usage for modern Japanese is some consolation, but its still easy to get a Japanese sentence to seem like a paragraph if not a novel. The Tale of Genji makes Ryukishi's wordiness almost seem non-existent.

[LyricalAura]

The fact that it was reduced in usage for modern Japanese is some consolation, but its still easy to get a Japanese sentence to seem like a paragraph if not a novel. The Tale of Genji makes Ryukishi's wordiness almost seem non-existent.

That's not really the same thing though. What we're talking about is Ryuukishi's tendency to explain things two or three times in different ways, even when the original explanation was adequate. It's more the redundancy than the word count.

[maximilianjenus]

I boiled some eggs, because the eggs needed to be boiled as boiled eggs are needed i ahd to boil some egg, i spent some time in the process of boiling eggs, beasue for eggs to eb edible they have to be boiled, i can eat them raw so i guess they can still be edible even when not boiled, but I boiled them anyway, I heated water and put eggs in it, I put eggs in heated water, the water was hot because i want to boil eggs in it, the water was hot enoguh so that you could boil something on it, like eggs, i boiled some eggs in hot water, in hot water I boiled some eggs, the eggs boiled because the water was hot, it was hot enough to boil eggs, I boiled some eggs, then walked to the breakfast table.

[aiman24]

I boiled some eggs, because the eggs needed to be boiled as boiled eggs are needed i ahd to boil some egg, i spent some time in the process of boiling eggs, beasue for eggs to eb edible they have to be boiled, i can eat them raw so i guess they can still be edible even when not boiled, but I boiled them anyway, I heated water and put eggs in it, I put eggs in heated water, the water was hot because i want to boil eggs in it, the water was hot enoguh so that you could boil something on it, like eggs, i boiled some eggs in hot water, in hot water I boiled some eggs, the eggs boiled because the water was hot, it was hot enough to boil eggs, I boiled some eggs, then walked to the breakfast table.

hah, it's not thaaaat bad, but haha..

what i dislike is, that sometimes these explanations come back later in another chapter or episode.

[zibbazabba905]

At least he doesn't explain the story after we've figured it out by summing up our discussions about it like some authors (http://mspandrew.tumblr.com/post/11941710181/about-eoa5-part-2)

[DaBackpack]

At least he doesn't explain the story after we've figured it out by summing up our discussions about it like some authors (http://mspandrew.tumblr.com/post/11941710181/about-eoa5-part-2)

I find those useful :( But then again I don't really follow the fanbase.

Ryukishi is quite redundant though.

[zibbazabba905]

The redundancy are probably important... This was my first "mystery" not counting what little mystery is in certain acronymically titled TV shows that may or may not be on TV, but it seems like a clumsy slight of hand trick, saying "look over here, look over here, LOOK DAMNIT!" to hide their comparatively subtle hidden clues

[Ace of Dragons]

I dunno, I can't really see the need to repeat 'Ep 6 Beato is like a chick' (and that's just one example) twelve million times by twelve million characters (who somehow see things in the exact same way despite different circumstances and upbringing).

[Yirba]

guro, maybe you could use Translation Aggregator to help you look up the Japanese faster. The instructions are in my signature link.

By the way, ITH is now recommended over AGTH.

[st_nick5]

50% complete :D

[cattz]

While I only really skim these forums, I feel like the comments are something like this,
10% complaining and bitching
20% witch hunt news
30% defenders of witch-hunt
30% general comments of thanks
20% misc questions or corrections
Disclaimer: These percentages have no actual value and are completely made up by me, use only as a rough estimate of how I myself see this thread

At least to me who skims the forums, there are at least 3 times the amount of people who go into walls of text defending witch-hunt from flamers and impatience while the rest are nothing but positive or constructive. Almost every post I read here holds WH in nothing but respect
now to finish with the trademarked :p

What % check the news on witch hunt, see no progress in the 6 months or so since last checked, browse the forums for information why, see nothing but pages of the same 2-5 people holding conversations between themselves about random stuff that doesn't relate to the translation, then "usually" just roll their eyes, sigh, and move along.

"Some people" just want to know what's going on with the project, rather then people using the thread as a chat about their preference for authors and eggs..

[st_nick5]

What % check the news on witch hunt, see no progress in the 6 months or so since last checked, browse the forums for information why, see nothing but pages of the same 2-5 people holding conversations between themselves about random stuff that doesn't relate to the translation, then "usually" just roll their eyes, sigh, and move along.

"Some people" just want to know what's going on with the project, rather then people using the thread as a chat about their preference for authors and eggs..

... There has been progress in the last 6 months. The second half of the patch is at 50% now.

[Yirba]

... There has been progress in the last 6 months. The second half of the patch is at 50% now.

For some people, 'progress' means that they actually get to play something. Well, Episode 8 has been 75% translated, which I'd call good progress. :D

[Kishin]

What % check the news on witch hunt, see no progress in the 6 months or so since last checked, browse the forums for information why, see nothing but pages of the same 2-5 people holding conversations between themselves about random stuff that doesn't relate to the translation, then "usually" just roll their eyes, sigh, and move along.

"Some people" just want to know what's going on with the project, rather then people using the thread as a chat about their preference for authors and eggs..

By Witch-Hunt news I really mean any posts by Klashi or Chrono, theyr fairly active on the forum and at least for me hearing words from Witch-Hunt members lets me know that they havnt disappeared into thin air like a lot of translaters who get bored of their projects

lol at the preference about eggs though, I hope you got the point of the boiled eggs comment and not just thinking it was someone who was describing their breakfast

[LawfulNuetral]

I just wanna voice my thanks to those involved in the translation of Umineko. Please don't get discouraged by any ungrateful people. Keep up the good work!

[Oblivion]

For some people, 'progress' means that they actually get to play something. Well, Episode 8 has been 75% translated, which I'd call good progress. :D

Still waiting on you guys too hehe. But from the preview I've seen so far, it makes me want to start reading Higanbana right away as much as I want to finish Ep. 8.

[chickenchaser]

Umm, how do I say this without looking like a tool...so I downloaded the japanese version of the game and when the files were extracted via 7-zip (winrar)...well, I can't find them! I don't even know the name of the files. Does anybody have a clue to what the file names are? Please help.

[AuraTwilight]

You probably should have checked where you were extracting the files. Otherwise there's not much we can do for you.

[chickenchaser]

Dang, you wouldn't happen to know the type of file? Even that could help.

[AuraTwilight]

Not offhand. Do you still have the archive files they were stored in? Because you should be able to look inside of those without extracting the contents.

[LyricalAura]

Umm, how do I say this without looking like a tool...so I downloaded the japanese version of the game and when the files were extracted via 7-zip (winrar)...well, I can't find them! I don't even know the name of the files. Does anybody have a clue to what the file names are? Please help.

Search for a file named "arc.nsa". That's one of the core files.

[chickenchaser]

Well, heres the thing, when the file was downloaded and fully extracted, it never prompted me to either of the 7-zip or winRaR programs. Im looking througt the archives on both programs and it says nothing about anything as recent as 11/14/2011.

[AuraTwilight]

...You uh...

I have no idea what you did. But try looking for arc.nsa as Lyrical said.

[chickenchaser]

Thanks for the help guys but nothing showed up, not even the arc.nsa file. Oh well.

[AuraTwilight]

Then the files were probably never unpacked. Or you don't have an official version of the game or some weird thing like that.

[chronotrig]

Okay, first the not-so-great news. The second half of EP8 will be particularly tough to edit, and this is one patch that we have to do right to make it worth reading. To all former editors whom I haven't contacted yet, we could use all the help we can get.

If anyone else wants to help edit and has a good grasp on Japanese, please let me know and we can get this project finished faster. Either way, editing is going to take some time.


On the bright side, the rough translation has been completed for everything except the ???? tea party. That puts it at about 93% done.

[Madman6510]

Oh, cool. Updates :D

Out of curiosity, how much of EP8 is in the "main" part of the episode? In Episode 7, it felt that a pretty significant chunk (at least 40% it seemed) of the episode was in the Tea Party.

[AuraTwilight]

If I recall the tea parties are pretty brief; just short epilogues, basically, so the main part of the episode is BY FAR the main bulk as one would think. The ???? is a bit longer than the first few, but we're not talking EP7 Tea Party-length.

[chickenchaser]

...actually I did find one arc.nsa file....is there suppose to be just one?

[chickenchaser]

wow, the whole Umineko8 was in a temporary internet file. Once again, thanks.

[BuuHuu]

nice to hear the translation status.
good luck at the editing.

and thanks guys for your hard work till now. ;)

[RedKey]

Only the utp left to translate? Wow! GJ, guys! Hope editing will proceed smoothly. If only I had known Japanese at a good enough level to be somewhat useful, I would have gladly helped. :(

[Aeriven]

Thanks for the update Chrono! Like RedKey, I don't have a well-enough grasp on Japanese to help in that regard, though I really wish I did. All I could do is proof-reading for typos and such in the final translation. I'm definitely happy to help in that regard if it's needed, but if not, I'll be happily waiting for Episode 8's release with everyone else. Good luck, Witch-Hunt! :)

[Melisa]

Thanks Witch-Hunt for translating these series, I really appreciate your hard work. I also wish I knew japanese to give a hand, but my japanese is very basic and I don't think im skilled enough to help.
Still, i'll be waiting no matter how much it takes ^^ thanks again.

Changing the topic, I heard something about an Umineko fan-disc called "Hane", what is it about?
Sorry for putting this in the wrong thread, but I didn't know where to put it.

[chickenchaser]

Hey again, so finally installed the patch and not suprisingly it was unsuccessful. I got a message saying this: "Umineko no Naku Koro ni Episode 8 translation pack. This patch is not installed properly".

So after this I checked the [WH] Umineko Chiru English file and came out with the following:

arc.nsa
default.ttf
GPL.txt
nscrpt.dax
ons.cfg
Readme Chiru V4
SDL.dll
and of course the application.

I'm using windows 7, so is anything out of the ordinary? Is there something missing?

[battle22]

witch-hunt thanks for your work. :)
will you also to tsuba and the two other games that got announced

[Witch of Uncertainty]

The pace has really been picking up. :D
Good luck on the last part. Can't wait to read it!

[battle22]

Does anyone know where i can get tsuba's english patch if it exist's?

[Yirba]

Good to hear about the progress of the translation. Unfortunately, my knowledge of Japanese isn't really good enough to help, but I wish you the best of luck with wrapping this thing up! :)

Changing the topic, I heard something about an Umineko fan-disc called "Hane", what is it about?

I believe it's similar to what Rei was to Higurashi, but apart from that I'm not sure.

Hey again, so finally installed the patch and not suprisingly it was unsuccessful. I got a message saying this: "Umineko no Naku Koro ni Episode 8 translation pack. This patch is not installed properly".

For episodes 1-4, download Windows patch from here (http://witch-hunt.com/stage4d.html) and run.

For episodes 5-8, download Windows patch from here (http://witch-hunt.com/stage8d.html) and run.

Does anyone know where i can get tsuba's english patch if it exist's?

Download patch from here (http://forums.animesuki.com/showthread.php?p=3463154#post3463154).

[chronotrig]

Well, as some of you have already heard, Ryuukishi has announced that a booklet called "Our Confession" will be released at the next Comiket (Dec. 31), containing answers to at least some of the puzzles and mysteries.

Which means I can now guarantee that we'll have the EP8 translation released before Comiket. With another editor or two, we might have it ready by the first week of December, assuming nothing major comes up.

[AuraTwilight]

Kickass, thanks for all your hard work.

[Zero Sora]

I am so hyped to finished Episode 8. Also that "Our Confessions" sounds interesting. I wonder if someone could translate the interesting parts of that booklet.

[ghost_zero5]

That's great news.

Btw. are you planning to translate the booklet too? Though I guess it might be problematic regarding legal issues ?

[Yirba]

That's great! I look forward to reading the translation. :)

Btw. are you planning to translate the booklet too? Though I guess it might be problematic regarding legal issues ?

Unless Ryuukishi07 doesn't own all the rights to the booklet, Witch Hunt should be able to work something out with him, if they wanted to translate it.

Although I'm guessing someone will translate it anyway, regardless.

[Witch of Uncertainty]

Our exams are starting now, so I don't mind you not completing the patch before 15th december.. Or I might fail this year. :P

Must admit that Our Confession sounds interesting. Will you translate that too?

EDIT: I just remember that I can play the PS3 version simultainiously with ep the PC version, meaniong my first experience with it will be with voice acting ...
Any new information released regarding that limited edition of nocturne gives?

[zibbazabba905]

I'm pretty sure the answer is no, but is there any way possible for Ryu to make witch-hunt "official"?

[Madman6510]

IIRC, Witch-Hunt got a letter from Ryu basically saying that he was pretty much 100% ok with the translation project, and thanked them for it. He also put the name of the project in the game.

So unless there was some weird legal thing (it's a booklet, so I wouldn't think there would), it should be fine.

[Jan-Poo]

witch-hunt is already de facto official since they have an agreement with a commercial party involved in the distribution of the games (Hobibox)

[chickenchaser]

I believe it's similar to what Rei was to Higurashi, but apart from that I'm not sure.



For episodes 1-4, download Windows patch from here (http://witch-hunt.com/stage4d.html) and run.

For episodes 5-8, download Windows patch from here (http://witch-hunt.com/stage8d.html) and run.


Thank you Yirba, but I already downloaded the patch through for episodes 5-8. I think I may have gotten to the crux of the problem. When I tried to run the japanese version (unicode enabled), it came with an error message that looked like this



define

099.txt line:2

|
|
>

There is Japanese kanji before and after "define". Would anyone know what this error means because I believe is showed up during the patch installation.

[Message]

Hey again, so finally installed the patch and not suprisingly it was unsuccessful. I got a message saying this: "Umineko no Naku Koro ni Episode 8 translation pack. This patch is not installed properly".

So after this I checked the [WH] Umineko Chiru English file and came out with the following:

arc.nsa
default.ttf
GPL.txt
nscrpt.dax
ons.cfg
Readme Chiru V4
SDL.dll
and of course the application.

I'm using windows 7, so is anything out of the ordinary? Is there something missing?
I don't know what you've been trying to install, but the Witch Hunt installer never uses the words "translation pack". Also, our patch does not include a file called nscript.dax. Where did you get this "patch"?

Please re-download the patch from the official site, like Yirba suggested. http://witch-hunt.com/stage8d.html

[Keriaku]

Well, as some of you have already heard, Ryuukishi has announced that a booklet called "Our Confession" will be released at the next Comiket (Dec. 31), containing answers to at least some of the puzzles and mysteries.

Which means I can now guarantee that we'll have the EP8 translation released before Comiket. With another editor or two, we might have it ready by the first week of December, assuming nothing major comes up.

Wow, it's really wonderful of you guys to pick up the pace just so people can have a unique experience with the series. I can feel the passion here.

[Kishin]

Only problem I see with the 'Our Confession' booklet is that, unlike the game, a translation of it wont be able to incorporate a way to ensure they have a copy of the original version. Unless 'booklet' just means its short or something and not physical paper

Great news on early December! Looking forward to finally being caught up with all the japanese who already finished with Umineko. Gotta get my inspiration pumped up to get me off my ass and finish painting Eva-Beatrice, Beato is getting lonely all alone

[Cao Ni Ma]

Its like a really big Extra Tip, they really should have incorporated it into Tsubasa 2 and just sealed it so that the person would have to input an code to access it just to prevent spoilers.

[Yirba]

I'm pretty sure the answer is no, but is there any way possible for Ryu to make witch-hunt "official"?

Witch Hunt have permission to translate the sound novels, so I'm sure he'd be willing to give permission to them again to translate other stuff. There's really no need to make them 'official'.

Only problem I see with the 'Our Confession' booklet is that, unlike the game, a translation of it wont be able to incorporate a way to ensure they have a copy of the original version. Unless 'booklet' just means its short or something and not physical paper

It seems to be a physical paper booklet. It might be possible to have a digital version that you'd need to pay to access, but it's difficult to say how such a translation could work.

Its like a really big Extra Tip, they really should have incorporated it into Tsubasa 2 and just sealed it so that the person would have to input an code to access it just to prevent spoilers.

Tsubasa 2? Do you mean Hane? I suppose it might have been possible to include it in that, but I think a physical booklet is quite cool.

And to be honest, I don't think a code is really necessary. I don't think readers exactly need to be 'locked away' from spoilers for fear they'd read them. If they don't want to read spoilers, they should just not read it, simple.

[Leafsnail]

It seems to be a physical paper booklet. It might be possible to have a digital version that you'd need to pay to access, but it's difficult to say how such a translation could work.

Simple. Witch Hunt just creates an elaborate cipher that requires you to refer to the original Japanese text in order to break it!

[Madman6510]

Simple. Witch Hunt just creates an elaborate cipher that requires you to refer to the original Japanese text in order to break it!

This reminds me of the piracy protection mechanisms in old games where you had to look up a "magic spell" in the manual to get past part of the game :P

[chickenchaser]

Okay I'm at the part of the installer where it says "Japanese game files required". So I try to put the location of my installer file and I see this message:

"The specified file does not exist. Please insert the DVD or enter the download installer location, and try again."

The only way I could continue the process and click "next" is if I put the file location as:

C:\Users\Name\Documents\UMINEKO8_DL\UMINEKO8_DL\Um ineko8\うみねこのなく頃に散.exe



So, is the .exe file (うみねこのなく頃に散.exe)
the only thing I have to put on the installer location?

Then, it takes me to the "Ready to Install" part and when I click "Install", the Japanese version starts to run. Is this suppose to happen?

Next, the screen says, "extracting downloaded archive Please wait..." (this is the small screen witht the Beatrice thumbnail) and it's taking forever. When I say taking forever I mean the "extracting files from download bar" bar makes no progress.

[Message]

Hmm, interesting. It's not supposed to accept a random exe file. I will look into this for the next release. Can I PM or email you with more specific questions, if I encounter any problems?

To answer your question, you should point it at the exe file you downloaded from Hobibox, so the 'installer' that created your UMINEKO8_DL directory.

[chickenchaser]

Appreciate the response and you can PM anytime! Also, not quite sure what you mean by this specific exe file. The only exe files I have come across are the two application files: the japanese and english versions, respectively. Can you please elaborate?

[Message]

Appreciate the response and you can PM anytime! Also, not quite sure what you mean by this specific exe file. The only exe files I have come across are the two application files: the japanese and english versions, respectively. Can you please elaborate?
If you bought the game from Hobibox, you got a large self-extracting archive. That is the file you need.

[Drifloon]

Hi, I don't know if this has been reported already, but I found an error in the episode 5 translation:

http://img829.imageshack.us/img829/1897/umineko5error.png

Also, this less significant error in episode 1:

http://img694.imageshack.us/img694/9858/umineko1error.png

Also, I registered to say that I really appreciate the amazing amount of work you guys have gone to to translate a huge amount of text with absolutely no benefit to yourselves. I only recently discovered this series and I've had a great time spending the last month playing through the first seven and a half episodes, so thanks a lot for making it possible for us to experience this great story. I eagerly await the rest of Ep8!

[Yirba]

Appreciate the response and you can PM anytime! Also, not quite sure what you mean by this specific exe file. The only exe files I have come across are the two application files: the japanese and english versions, respectively. Can you please elaborate?

When you purchased the game from Hobibox, you should have downloaded a single file called UMINEKO8.exe. This is the file that you put into the installer.

To clarify, Witch Hunt's patch ([WH]_Umineko_EP8_English_v4.0.exe) does not contain the game. It only contains the translation. When you install the patch, it will ask you to input a copy of the game (UMINEKO8.exe). The installer will then extract all the files it needs from the game, and generate a patched version with the English translation. You do not need to run UMINEKO8.exe at all. Just run the patch installer ([WH]_Umineko_EP8_English_v4.0.exe) and select the UMINEKO8.exe when prompted.

[chickenchaser]

Hmm how strange. There's no single file on my computer named UMINEKO8.exe. I hope your not referring to the うみねこのなく頃に散.exe. If it's actually a file named like that in English, I'll just redownload from hobibox again and see if that file will come up. Of course, this is all slightly urgent because the email said **Notice**

*Make sure you re-download within 7 days from this date.

*After 7 days have passed, the above download link will become inneffective.

[Message]

If that file doesn't exist on your computer, you either

1) Deleted the file after you extracted it
2) Renamed the file, or downloaded to a different name
3) Didn't download the file from Hobibox at all.

So yeah, just redownload it, and this time, don't run it. Run our installer instead.

[Yirba]

Hmm how strange. There's no single file on my computer named UMINEKO8.exe. I hope your not referring to the うみねこのなく頃に散.exe. If it's actually a file named like that in English, I'll just redownload from hobibox again and see if that file will come up. Of course, this is all slightly urgent because the email said **Notice**

*Make sure you re-download within 7 days from this date.

*After 7 days have passed, the above download link will become inneffective.

うみねこのなく頃に散.exe is the name of the file created after running UMINEKO8.exe. You should never need to use うみねこのなく頃に散.exe.

You may have to re-download the game from Hobibox and make sure you keep UMINEKO8.exe safe. Then, run [WH]_Umineko_EP8_English_v4.0.exe and select UMINEKO8.exe when prompted.

For reference, うみねこのなく頃に散.exe is just the NScripter interpreter. Which is mostly useless since we're using ONScripter-EN.

[AuraTwilight]

Hi, I don't know if this has been reported already, but I found an error in the episode 5 translation:

Are you sure that's a translation error? Kinzo doesn't know his money is being embezzled.

[Yirba]

For reference, the original line is:

金蔵にも絵羽たちにも、それを悟られるわけにはいかない。

Google Translate:

We also also feather treasure house painting, from knowing that it does not go into.

Not very useful, as ever.

Still, Kinzo is certainly mentioned, so I don't think there's a translation error.

[Klashikari]

The first part mentions that either Kinzo (金蔵) and "Eva's group" (絵羽たち) must not learn about it.
Even when Kinzo was still alive, Krauss was already doing his shaddy stuff left and right. This isn't a translation error at all.

[kaeruranawa]

Whenever I try to extract it, 7-Zip tells me that it Cannot open the file as an archive. Help?
I have the file UMINEKO8.exe from hobibox.
Windows Vista Home Premium 32 bit.

[Madman6510]

There should be no archives that you have to extract. What file are you trying to open? Are you using the download version or the DVD version?

In either case, you should just have to run the patch, and supply the installation source when asked.

[kaeruranawa]

Even when I try to install the patch, 7zip spits out that message. I'm using the downloaded version. Should I uninstall 7zip?

[Madman6510]

I've had old versions of 7zip cause problems before. Uninstall it, reboot, and try running the patch again.

You don't need to run the file downloaded from Hobibox, only the file downloaded from Witch-Hunt.

[Cao Ni Ma]

Even when I try to install the patch, 7zip spits out that message. I'm using the downloaded version. Should I uninstall 7zip?

If its an .exe it shouldn't need to be decompressed, just run it like you would any program. Why would 7zip associate .exe as one of the files it handles?

[Madman6510]

Installers often have built in extractors to decompress the files it contains as part of the installation process. 7zip is pretty commonly used for this. Maybe it's using the version installed on the computer, and not the version that comes with the installer, and that's causing issues. Or maybe the installer could be corrupt and have to be redownloaded.

It's worth a shot, I've seen old versions of 7zip cause issues before when extracting files.

[kaeruranawa]

I installed the latest version, and I'll restart my computer now just for good measure. If I have to redownload the installer I'll have to do that tomorrow... :T

[Madman6510]

If the newer version doesn't work, try redownloading the patch before redownloading the entire game. It's a lot smaller. Once you rule out 7zip (maybe try uninstalling it completely) and the patch, then redownload the actual game.

Corrupt installers do some pretty funny things :S

[chickenchaser]

I'm at the point where a window pops up called "7-zip self-extracting archive". What should I do next so I won't screw up.

[Madman6510]

You should not be running the file you downloaded from Hobibox. Run the patch that you downloaded from Witch-Hunt. It will ask you where you saved the file downloaded from Hobibox, and install using that. If you run the patch in the same directory as the downloaded file, then it will find it automatically and skip that step.

At no time should you be running the file downloaded from Hobibox. Run the patch from Witch-Hunt and it will install the game for you.

[chickenchaser]

So for clarification, when the "File Download" windows says, "Do you want to save or run this file"? I click save. Then I install the patch when it prompts me to the put the installer location?

[Madman6510]

Yes. Save both files, and put them in the same folder. Run the file you downloaded from Witch-Hunt (the smaller one). It will find the other file that has the actual game files, extract it, and patch it automatically.

[chickenchaser]

Put them in the same folder? Would'nt that overwrite something? I saved both files now.

[Madman6510]

No, since the files are named differently. Just put both the patch and the game in the same folder, and run the patch. It should do everything automatically and install like any other program.

[chickenchaser]

I'm finally getting it now. However I get an installation aborted message. Here are all the files it shows in the window:

Create uninstaller
Extract ons.cfg
Extract default.ttf
Extract GPL.txt
Extract nscript.dat
Extract Readme Chiru V4.html
Extract SDL.dll
Extract Umineko no Naku Koro ni EP8.exe
Extract arc.nsa
Extract downloaded archive
File extraction failed
Installation failed

?

[chickenchaser]

I can now play the game in English.
Thanks for the help...and patience!

[Message]

Even when I try to install the patch, 7zip spits out that message. I'm using the downloaded version. Should I uninstall 7zip?

I don't think uninstalling 7zip will help, as our installer uses the exe's internal self-extracting code to unpack umineko8.exe.

Can you summarize the steps you take when you're trying to install the game? Your description of the problem is not very clear.

[Drifloon]

About the episode 5 thng...

That scene is right after Kinzo's death is discovered; Kinzo learning about anything is certainly not an issue. Looking back at the dialogue you can take it as looking back on Krauss' reasons for his actions, but it still seems a kind of sudden change of tense. But if it's what the original said then that's that I suppose.

[Yirba]

Hmmm… it seems that a number of people are having issues installing the patch. Perhaps the website could make the process a bit clearer?

I know WH have tried to make it easy and simple, but I suppose it might be confusing to some people.

[Message]

I see no real need to give additional information, beyond what's stated in the installer and on the website (http://witch-hunt.com/stage8d.html). It's really as simple as a-b-c: Download the Japanese version of the game. Download the patch installer. Run the patch installer and follow the instructions.

Though I suppose it's understandable if someone automatically runs the exe from Hobibox after downloading, so we could add a note that this isn't necessary.

[kaeruranawa]

Ah, okay, it works! Thank you!

[chickenchaser]

I have a hunch that most people who have no experience in downloading visual novels will in fact, as Message pointed out, run the exe. instead of saving it.

[legomaple]

I have a hunch that most people who have no experience in downloading visual novels will in fact, as Message pointed out, run the exe. instead of saving it.

>had no experience with VNs before umineko
>downloaded it and installed it without any problem.

[Message]

(I don't have the sourcecode at hand right now, but if I recall correctly the patch installer also accepts installation into the UMINEKO8_DL\Umineko8 directory. So technically it shouldn't be a problem even if they run the exe. They just need to point the patch installer at the extracted folder, in that case.)

[Madman6510]

It says it can patch a previously installed version, but the problem is that IIRC the 7zip extractor doesn't use Unicode, so it would mangle some of the filenames when extracting the game files unless the system locale was set to Japanese. Mine is, but most people's probably aren't.

I know the installed version of 7zip does this, so I would assume the standalone version would as well. Correct me if I'm wrong.

[Message]

Actually we asked hobibox to use 7zip for the redistributable, specifically because it DOES extract using unicode. Even if the filenames aren't rendered properly in non-Japanese Windows, they are extracted successfully and the Japanese game works fine.

(Although to be honest I can't recall whether we tested this with FAT32.)

[Silverkun]

It's just a minor issue, but I thought I might report this.


After Erika is properly introduced, if you go to the second character page on the menu, and then click on Erika's picture, and then go to the second page of her text...
http://i43.tinypic.com/eafe5z.png

[Kylon99]

By the way, regarding translations. I know Witch-Hunt is busy with EP8 and probably not interested in considering even more work... but...

What about the 我らの告白 (Our Confessions) booklet?

I and maybe a few others in the merchandise thread will probably be getting a hold of this booklet. I thought I might give a hand at summarizing it instead of full on translation. However, does Witch-Hunt intend to translate this? I suppose I could help, but my main question would be about how and where this translation would even be released, considering it's a bonus item for Umineko Hane.

Could we tack it onto the end of Umineko Hane, assuming someone's going to translate that? Would Ryukishi like that?

Anyone have any ideas?

[Oblivion]

To add on to what Kylon said, I'm also wondering if Tsubasa is going to be finished? There are a number of stories that still aren't translated yet such as the Siesta and Cornelia story.

[jjblue1]

It's just a minor issue, but I thought I might report this.


After Erika is properly introduced, if you go to the second character page on the menu, and then click on Erika's picture, and then go to the second page of her text...
http://i43.tinypic.com/eafe5z.png


There's a similar problem when you try to look at the stakes in their maid clothes (EP7 tips).

[chronotrig]

@Kylon99:

We will indeed be doing a full translation of "Our Confessions", but we're still figuring out the details of how that'll work.

As for the rest of the Extra Tips, we will get to them if we have time, but it doesn't seem likely in the near future.

[Yirba]

@Kylon99:

We will indeed be doing a full translation of "Our Confessions", but we're still figuring out the details of how that'll work.

As for the rest of the Extra Tips, we will get to them if we have time, but it doesn't seem likely in the near future.

Ah, that's cool. There's no need to rush, really. I'm sure people won't mind waiting for the extra content.

[legomaple]

Ah, that's cool. There's no need to rush, really. I'm sure people won't mind waiting for the extra content.

Agreed! Better yet, take a break after Chiru. Do completly nothing, then a month later or so, do whatever you want to translate. I only care about Episode 8 right now, just patiently waiting.

[Solachinx]

Agreed! Better yet, take a break after Chiru. Do completly nothing, then a month later or so, do whatever you want to translate. I only care about Episode 8 right now, just patiently waiting.

This. You guys deserve it :)

[UnknownBeast]

Since Tsubasa was released at the same time with EP8, I'd at least like a translation for the "Postscript" is in Umineko Tsubasa. <_>

[Witch of Uncertainty]

Oh my god. It's 75% completed. I'm sorry, but I've waited a YEAR for this (Please don't misunderstand).
I'm feeling the hype build up (again!) :D Can't wait!

[Misuzu]

Ah, that's cool. There's no need to rush, really. I'm sure people won't mind waiting for the extra content.

It'll be nice knowing we have something to look forward to sometime in the future. It'll make parting with Umineko a little bit easier! Though avoiding these forums for fear of spoilers helps with that too, I'm going to have so many posts to read.

[st_nick5]

Is this "booklet" thing on sale now? Where can I get it? And will it be one of these limited time only things where they only make a certain number of copies?

[RedKey]

Is this "booklet" thing on sale now? Where can I get it? And will it be one of these limited time only things where they only make a certain number of copies?

I'll redirect your attention to the Merchandise thread.
http://forums.animesuki.com/showthread.php?p=3871508#post3871508

[st_nick5]

I'll redirect your attention to the Merchandise thread.
http://forums.animesuki.com/showthread.php?p=3871508#post3871508

Ooh, I didn't see that. So this:

http://www.amiami.jp/shop/?set=english&vgForm=ProductInfo&sku=TVG-PC-0401&template=default/product/e_display.html

comes with:

Higanbana 2nd night (contains 1st night as well?)
ougon musou kyoku CROSS (Hadn't heard of this before, an expansion for the first one?)
Umineko Hane (Not heard of this either.)
Wareraga Kokuhaku booklet (which I assume is the booklet that was being discussed earlier.)

I'm not entirely up-to-date on 07th Expansion news, as I'm trying to avoid all spoilers for Episode 8. Been waiting until the translation is completely finished before starting it. Could you fill me in without spoiling anything? Thanks :)

edit - Just pre-ordered my copy. Does it come with the first volume of Higanbana as well? Like how Umineko Episode 4 contained episodes 1, 2 and 3 as well?

[RedKey]

Higanbana 2nd night (contains 1st night as well?)
ougon musou kyoku CROSS (Hadn't heard of this before, an expansion for the first one?)
Umineko Hane (Not heard of this either.)
Wareraga Kokuhaku booklet (which I assume is the booklet that was being discussed earlier.)

Higanbana 2nd night - does not contain 1st.
MusouKyoku Cross - indeed an expansion to the first game.
Umineko Hane - similar to Tsubasa, it's a collection of old and new TIPS.
Warera no Kokuhaku - the booklet wich supposedly contains the answers and solutions to the tricks in Umineko.

[st_nick5]

Higanbana 2nd night - does not contain 1st.
MusouKyoku Cross - indeed an expansion to the first game.
Umineko Hane - similar to Tsubasa, it's a collection of old and new TIPS.
Warera no Kokuhaku - the booklet wich supposedly contains the answers and solutions to the tricks in Umineko.

Excellent. Thanks for explaining that, I'll order the first copy of the game as well. Spending £135 on amiami just on umineko/higanbana stuff in December :eek: One more question, sorry if it's been asked loads of times already, but are there any plans by Witch-Hunt or any other group to translate Higanbana as well?

[Orophin]

One more question, sorry if it's been asked loads of times already, but are there any plans by Witch-Hunt or any other group to translate Higanbana as well?
There's already a group working on it: http://ronove.blogspot.com/

[st_nick5]

There's already a group working on it: http://ronove.blogspot.com/

Excellent. Thanks for your help guys!

[legomaple]

Higanbana 2nd night - does not contain 1st.


Is this true? I would like a conformation for this before I order anything!

[GoldenLand]

I apologise if this question has already been asked, but is there a way to access the patch's text to the games in a way which allows copy and pasting? I'm going through theories about the games and would like to be able to copy important lines from them for my notes without having to write them out the slow way. I've been typing them out, but it's been taking a long time and it's getting to be a drag, so I thought it was worth asking about a way to copypaste just in case it's possible.

I'm sure that the Witch Hunt doesn't provide things like direct downloads of the script, for obvious reasons, but is there a way anyone knows of to get to a copy-pasteable version of it through the patch files themselves?

[AuraTwilight]

I'm not aware of one. You'll probably just have to transcribe by hand.

[GoldenLand]

Thanks for the info. I didn't want to spend the time transcribing only to find out "Wait, there was an easier way?!" when I'd finished.

[Message]

Umineko runs on *NScripter. Simply decrypt nscript.dat to get the plaintext script.

[GoldenLand]

I see! Thanks, Message. I'll get *NScripter and look into how to decrypt it.

[battle22]

I see! Thanks, Message. I'll get *NScripter and look into how to decrypt it.

i have site that has ep1-6 .but im not sure if it's allowed to link other site's here.

[LyricalAura]

i have site that has ep1-6 .but im not sure if it's allowed to link other site's here.

I know the site you're talking about, and based on Witch Hunt's policies I'd say the answer is "almost certainly not."

[Judoh]

I see! Thanks, Message. I'll get *NScripter and look into how to decrypt it.

Look for either NSDEC.exe or extractdata. Those two programs should both be able to decrypt the text from the nscript.dat file so you can copy it yourself and take notes.

[st_nick5]

Is this true? I would like a conformation for this before I order anything!

I asked amiami, they confirmed it. Got both games ordered now.

[CrimsonMoonMist]

I asked amiami, they confirmed it. Got both games ordered now. Paletweb says the same.
no sources seem to say the opposite, so I'd say it's true.

[Yirba]

I apologise if this question has already been asked, but is there a way to access the patch's text to the games in a way which allows copy and pasting? I'm going through theories about the games and would like to be able to copy important lines from them for my notes without having to write them out the slow way. I've been typing them out, but it's been taking a long time and it's getting to be a drag, so I thought it was worth asking about a way to copypaste just in case it's possible.

I'm sure that the Witch Hunt doesn't provide things like direct downloads of the script, for obvious reasons, but is there a way anyone knows of to get to a copy-pasteable version of it through the patch files themselves?

Download ONScripter Tools (http://unclemion.com/onscripter/releases/#onscripter-tools), then run nscript.dat using NSCDEC.

On Windows, just drag the nscript.dat icon on top of the NSCDEC.exe icon.

You should get a result.txt file which is the script.

Encoding is supposed to be SHIFT_JIS, but I believe Witch Hunt uses the MacOS encoding…

[Kishin]

If I remember correctly chrono or someone from WH said something about release during first week of december, I think it was an earliest eta but I'm curious of how things are going. If things have gone on track there should be a good view of the finish line.
No pressure ofc for release, just curious about how the eta is looking now

[Yirba]

If I remember correctly chrono or someone from WH said something about release during first week of december, I think it was an earliest eta but I'm curious of how things are going. If things have gone on track there should be a good view of the finish line.
No pressure ofc for release, just curious about how the eta is looking now

Well, here's the quote in question:

Which means I can now guarantee that we'll have the EP8 translation released before Comiket. With another editor or two, we might have it ready by the first week of December, assuming nothing major comes up.

So the patch will definitely be out before the end of the month.

[Witch of Uncertainty]

Tbh, I'm hoping for it to be released AFTER 15th december. Thinking that I could play umineko during my exams will be horrible. :P

[Katsu Koneko]

Tbh, I'm hoping for it to be released AFTER 15th december. Thinking that I could play umineko during my exams will be horrible. :P

My thoughts exactly. ;u;

[Madman6510]

May as well add me to the "can't have EP8 released in the first half of this month because I will fail this semester" party. Also the reason I'm the only one in my class who hasn't played Skyrim, if I get that game I will get nothing else done XD.

[RedKey]

Oh come on guys, it'll take a few hours at best to finish reading what's left of EP8 XD The sooner, the better!

[Corfish1001]

Oh come on guys, it'll take a few hours at best to finish reading what's left of EP8 XD The sooner, the better!

I agree, sooner the better! But my finals are this week, so I'll have the rest of December to read it lol. But I'm fine with whenever, I'll finish it the day it comes out =O

[chronotrig]

Right now, we're looking at a full EP8 release on the 17th or the 18th, to get as many edits in as we can.

[legomaple]

Right now, we're looking at a full EP8 release on the 17th or the 18th, to get as many edits in as we can.

Yes! Do want! Can't wait!

[Witch of Uncertainty]

Sounds brilliant! Looks like I won't have to worry failing this semesten then.. :heh:
Thanks for the update!

[Aeriven]

WOOO, that's right before my week-long vacation starts up! Guess I know what I'm doing all week! (Well, I'll probably blow through it in a day, knowing me.) :heh:

Can't believe you guys are already in the final stretch; feels like only recently I was anxiously awaiting the Episode 2 release. Good luck W-H, and I can't wait to play Umineko again! :D

[DoktorFunk]

Right now, we're looking at a full EP8 release on the 17th or the 18th, to get as many edits in as we can.

I am forever in debt to you and the rest of WH. You guys take all the time you need to have things polished and neat, and take it easy afterwards. Personally, I don't care if the epilogue and fightan game don't get translated; WH has already done an exceptional job and expecting anything more is ludicrous.

...so how do you plan on celebrating this accomplishment anyway? Is there any way the readers can show our appreciation for the team's hard work?

[Klashikari]

This might be a line that sounds corny as hell, but as long you enjoy the last episode with our patch, that's fair enough (I do not imply you have to like it, obviously. I expect you to have a fun read, hopefully).

As usual, should issues (mistranslations, awkward lines, glitches, etc) occur, please report them.

[MainCharacter]

I'm so excited! Thanks for all the time and hard work, you guys. You all really dedicated yourselves to something for no profit, and with such quality, I am truly thankful.

[Message]

Is there any way the readers can show our appreciation for the team's hard work?

I can't speak for the whole team, but personally I believe that the best thanks one can give for any fan translation is buying the game. Again, if needs be. It's almost Christmas anyway.

[Witch of Uncertainty]

This might be a line that sounds corny as hell, but as long you enjoy the last episode with our patch, that's fair enough (I do not imply you have to like it, obviously. I expect you to have a fun read, hopefully).

As usual, should issues (mistranslations, awkward lines, glitches, etc) occur, please report them.

Just wondering, was it corny in japanese too? :p

[Kishin]

I can't speak for the whole team, but personally I believe that the best thanks one can give for any fan translation is buying the game. Again, if needs be. It's almost Christmas anyway.

Buy it for a friend! Get them hooked so you have someone to talk to about it! I'm kinda depressed personally that effing no1 I know knows about Umineko or want to give it a chance...

Nice to hear its coming up for next weekend! right after this semesters exams finish, planning through arnt u?

[Klashikari]

Just wondering, was it corny in japanese too? :p
I implied that my line was corny.

[The Creator]

Thanks a lot guys!!!


Totally looking forward to the 18th!!!

[Witch of Uncertainty]

I implied that my line was corny.

I guess I implied that I was retarded. :|

[Kishin]

I guess I implied that I was retarded. :|

Yes. Yes you did.

[Poetic Justice]

Can't wait for the 18th, Thought this would probably be out next year by now.

[legomaple]

Now I feel bad of just reading it. I want to donate money to you guys for all the hard work :<

[CrimsonMoonMist]

Now I feel bad of just reading it. I want to donate money to you guys for all the hard work :<
Seconded.
I'd love to donate some if I could.

[The Creator]

You could always buy hobibox's version

[goldenlove27]

I wish I had money to donate. You guys need something for all your hard work.

[chronotrig]

The rough for EP8 is finally complete, and we have a strong set of editors to top off this series (whom I must apologize to for taking so long translating). Release next weekend is still looking good.

[battle22]

Oh my god. can't wait. thanks witch-hunt for all your hard work

[confused_kitsune]

Yaaay! I'll be looking forward to more Umineko material to read! You guys are awesome! :D

[Vega Lyra]

Thank you all for sticking with the project for so long! I really appreciate the work and effort.

[otakufan]

Just popping in the say thanks a bunch to the Witch-Hunt team for their hard work and dedication!

Now, back to lurking...

[afairris]

Thank you so much, for all of this. For such hard work and such charity.
I wish there was more that I could do for you guys besides support the release.

[Yirba]

I'm sure Witch Hunt would be happy enough just for people to play the game and purchase legitimate copies. But hey, getting your friends interested such that they buy their own copies would also be very nice. :)

[zorahk]

Did you guys decide to change the romanization for the siestas to chiester?

[DoktorFunk]

Did you guys decide to change the romanization for the siestas to chiester?

I hope not. I don't care what the legitimate name is, when you hear it, it sounds like 'Siesta'... Sure I'm bias because that's what i have come to know them as, but the relation between the imperial guards and Kinzo's western arms seems vague at best. I think OMK is the one that needs to change the romanization :p

[zorahk]

I hope not. I don't care what the legitimate name is, when you hear it, it sounds like 'Siesta'... Sure I'm bias because that's what i have come to know them as, but the relation between the imperial guards and Kinzo's western arms seems vague at best. I think OMK is the one that needs to change the romanization :p

Regardless of what you like, if the romanization is inaccurate it needs to be changed. It's obvious they're supposed to represent the guns, but I'm not sure why they didn't then write the name as チエスタ or チェスタ if it was supposed to be Chiester. So I'm not sure which is supposed to be correct.

[Oblivion]

To be honest though, whenever I see the word Chiester, it sounds like Chester to me lol.

[LordMune]

How is the romanization inaccurate? Both "siesta" and "chiester" are corruptions of "winchester", and "siesta" is closer to the original kana. Nevermind Ougonmusoukyoku- hell, IIRC Battler's sprites are named "but_*.bmp" in the files of the original games, but that doesn't mean he's called Butler.

[Witch of Uncertainty]

As of today, I am done with my exams.
I look forward to the release!

[Jan-Poo]

How is the romanization inaccurate? Both "siesta" and "chiester" are corruptions of "winchester", and "siesta" is closer to the original kana. Nevermind Ougonmusoukyoku- hell, IIRC Battler's sprites are named "but_*.bmp" in the files of the original games, but that doesn't mean he's called Butler.

that's a different matter. How they call the files is simply something that they use for their own convenience not something that the readers are supposed to see and use as reference.

For example "Lion"'s files are called RIO_****.bmp but when asked what was the official romanization they said "Lion".

[Klashikari]

Due to the fact 07th expansion is busy for the preparations for C81, we didn't nudged them that much about things, so we don't really have an "official" romanization for Siesta/Chiester.

This bring another point that concerns fans a bit more, but it is nowhere critical as the former issue: a specific name to "translate".
Warning: I would like that only people with remote japanese knowledge to answer this "survey". This concerns a late point of Episode 8, so you better have read it as well.


As you probably know, Ange uses a pen name, 寿ゆかり - Kotobuki Yukari (we still don't have the reading for 寿, but most likely reading, that or Hisashi). However, if you look closely, Yukari was deliberately written in Hiragana, and could be converted into this kanji: 縁
Suffice to say, her name is 寿縁, which is a reversed order of kanji of Ange's first name, 縁寿.

Now that I'm done with the explanation, the issue at hand: how to handle it in English? it is obvious to say that "A N G E" won't be enough for a proper pen name, let alone in Japanese, so we have to tweek this matter, and we have 3 options:

1) Currently, Chrono opted for "Gean Otabe", which is reversing the order of syllabes for "Ange Beato". Conveniently, Otabe is a proper japanese name, but Gean is simply way too odd. I personally have trouble with "Beato" since she was never fiendly to her, but "Ange Beatrice" is hardly conveivable due to the new letters and the lack of O.

2) The solution I was thinking for few days was to change the whole deal into an anagram, and using "Ushiromiya Ange" instead, since the original wordplay was about Ange's human name.
This allows a huge deal of japanese first names. HOWEVER, the last names themselves are "japanese sounding" only, as I doubt many of them are correct japanese, unless we use the "prime example", "Shirogane Ayumi", which is quite... "cliche" to say it bluntly.
a non exhaustive list of possibilities can be seen below:


-Shirogane Ayumi
-Suynaga Orihime
-Sunogayari Hime
-Yahirogumi Sena
-Yoshigune Maria
-Himegunori Saya
-Gushiromi Ayane
-Hisogane Mayuri
-Shiinagoya Yume
-Yamagune Shiori
Some syllabes can be switched, but most are hardly genuine japanese name (I'm not expert though, so if someone can prove me otherwise, feel free to do so). If you have other suggestions for this option, please be my guest.
Note that the lack of K, W and T makes the deal a tad annoying for last names... thank goodness there wasn't any B or V...

3) The "laziest" option: Keeping Kotobuki Yukari and explains it in a note file.
The principal argument for this option is to keep concistency with our translation choices done so far, especially the likes like Hachijou Tohya and her previously other pen name involving 18^18.
The only "drawback" of it was the fact it was never explained in the VN, but it wasn't really difficult to realize this trick, but from a romanization standpoint, it is nowhere close to possibly guess that.
The possible solution for this is that we can make an explanation similar to Hachijou's name when she describes she was found by Ikuko and Tohya , although it isn't in the original script so heh

If any of you have another option, please submit it as well. Either way, I would like answers and opinions about this issue as soon as possible. Please be sure to enclose your answer in spoiler tag, since it is still a spoiler for those who didn't read Episode 8 to the end.

[Jan-Poo]

My opinion on the matter is to simply go with the "lazy" option. "Yukari Kotobuki" is the safest bet and an explanation wouldn't be harder for the average Umineko fan to understand than many other existent ones.

"Sayonara Zetsubo Sensei" is a prime example of that. I can't even imagine what it would have become if translators tried to render in english the pun of every name.

"Mirai Nikki" is another example. Some names are straightforward so there's no problem, but some others like "Yomotsu Hirasaka" can only be understood if you have a proper knowledge of the language. Still if a character is called "Yomotsu Hirasaka" you leave it as it is, no point in changing it into "Hades" or "Pluto".

In Umineko we already have "Berune" and "Asune" who won't make any bell ring without a basic knowledge of kana and Kanji (or an explanation).

So basically these are my reasons to stick with "Yukari Kotobuki"

[rogerpepitone]

"Gean" is awful, but "Jean" is okay.
Optionally romanize "Ange" as "Anje".

[LordMune]

I greatly prefer keeping "Kotobuki Yukari" over any lingual gymnastics attempting to emulate an implied Japanese anagram.

---

that's a different matter. How they call the files is simply something that they use for their own convenience not something that the readers are supposed to see and use as reference.

For example "Lion"'s files are called RIO_****.bmp but when asked what was the official romanization they said "Lion".
I kind of want to declare the death of the author re: romanizations precisely because they're willfully/negligently inconsistent. Siesta is a better romanization of the original Japanese than Chiester is.

All in all Chiester is a bad name, as it somehow manages to insult the reader's intelligence (it's winchester GET IT) while also adding a token corruption of a single letter that makes little sense and brings nothing to the table.

And that's all I have to say about it. :o

[UsagiTenpura]

Heh.... Yoshigune Maria sure would make it fitting Imo.
I like your ideas Klash, I don't exactly mind Gean Otabe, but "Ange Beato" makes a sorta lame name.

[LyricalAura]

As much fun as trying to come up with appropriate anagrams is, I'm on the side of sticking with Kotobuki Yukari. Besides the points other people already made, changing it will just create needless confusion between new readers and people who read spoilers or the original Japanese.

Though I do like Yasugane Hiromi (安金拡実) as an alias for plot reasons.

[UsagiTenpura]

Is the majority of people actually aware of such spoilers tho? I'd think not. Chrono wanted to avoid having to do a "lenghty boring explanation" about it, which is really needed.

[Jan-Poo]

Heh.... Yoshigune Maria sure would make it fitting Imo.
I like your ideas Klash, I don't exactly mind Gean Otabe, but "Ange Beato" makes a sorta lame name.


That's the one I would avoid at all costs.

It would give the impression that Ange named herself after her cousin Maria, which she could have done, and that would fit, but ultimately she didn't do that. And whatever were her reasons when she chose the name "Yukari Kotobuki" homaging her deceased cousin wasn't one.

[matteas]

I vote for the "lazy" option too. I have two reasons for that. The first is the consistency. Having one character bear two or more names depending on the language is something which, in my opinion, should be avoided in most cases, if possible.

The second reason is that whilst it doesn't require any extra deep thinking in Japanese to realize that the kanji for 縁寿 can be read "yukari kotobuki", and then you only have to switch the positions, it's much harder to solve an anagram in romaji. If you opt for, let's say Shirogane Ayumi, which seems to me as the most natural sounding name out of the listed possibilities, the reader will have to play with the name a bit in order to "get it", and I wonder how many people would realize that the name itself is yet another riddle to be solved.

It needs to be said, however, that the second option is really smart. When it comes to smartness, I find it the best out of the three.

[Bluemail]

I think keeping the original name is the safest bet... I'm one of the people who heard the name only through spoilers in this forum, though. But Kotobuki Yukari already feels somehow familiar, and it doesn't seem to need as long explanation as Itouikukuro Reigonamu. It's just the kanji reversed and one of them turned to hiragana, right? Well if people don't know what kanji or hiragana are, it might get a bit longer, but anyway. I'd be fine with a Grimoire explanation, but I don't mind if you sneak in a couple of lines of your own.

I do like some of your suggestions like Yoshigune Maria for plot reasons (but I don't know if Ange would use that name out of respect or dare not to). Does Yoshigune mean anything? Yasugane Hiromi sounds fun as well. But does Ange know about Yasu's name? Would it just be a coincidence? "Cheap gold" might be fitting anyway (well those with no japanese knowledge might not spot the "gane"). Hiromi might be translated as something like "broad truth", right? Jean/Gean Otobe is a bit weird and indeed Ange Beato as the source sounds lame. :p

You don't have a real english version of "heso kande shinjaeba~" either. It's not really anything important. But I just thought up yesterday that something like "disappear forever" could work (foreva~)! :D

I don't know what to do with Chiesters. I've also thought that it's too easy to figure out if it's going to be romanized that way. And Siesta is what I got used to. But it seems to be the official romanization, and makes more sense that Siesta in the end, especially for those who don't know about japanese spelling.

I feel bad for spoiling so much of EP8 for myself already, but I'm sure there's still many reasons to enjoy the real thing at last. Can't wait for the weekend!
Witch Hunt, the best of luck with reaching the finishing line after all your hard work!

[RedKey]

I vote for the "lazy" option too. I have two reasons for that. The first is the consistency. Having one character bear two or more names depending on the language is something which, in my opinion, should be avoided in most cases, if possible.

The second reason is that whilst it doesn't require any extra deep thinking in Japanese to realize that the kanji for 縁寿 can be read "yukari kotobuki", and then you only have to switch the positions, it's much harder to solve an anagram in romaji. If you opt for, let's say Shirogane Ayumi, which seems to me as the most natural sounding name out of the listed possibilities, the reader will have to play with the name a bit in order to "get it", and I wonder how many people would realize that the name itself is yet another riddle to be solved.

It needs to be said, however, that the second option is really smart. When it comes to smartness, I find it the best out of the three.

My thoughts exactly.

[zorahk]

Translations have a duty to be faithful to the original. The only option which is therefore acceptable is option 3, the lazy option.

[UsagiTenpura]

In a way a name that would keep the (almost exact) spirit of it would be something like G. Anne.

Uh... Or Jill Anne, but that might be a bit more fetched. Anne Jill = Angel, what Ange means

[Kishin]

It feels like watching a conversation between people using sign language.... I don't dare click the spoiler button...

[Number1-Syaoran-Fan]

I like the idea of something like Jill Anne because I think it's much less of a leap than most romaji anagrams and it is the closest to what the original "jumble" was. Also, It's not as though it would be ridiculous for a japanese person to use an english pen name, right?

[Serafh]

What about something like "Anne Gretel", calling back to the name she used in ep4 and keeping the whole "Anne G" thing? Best I got, might be a little too obvious though XD

I think probably the best way to go would be the "lazy" option

[TwilightsCall]

It feels like watching a conversation between people using sign language.... I don't dare click the spoiler button...

I feel very much the same way lol.

[Escargotage]

What about something like "Anne Gretel", calling back to the name she used in ep4 and keeping the whole "Anne G" thing? Best I got, might be a little too obvious though XD

I think probably the best way to go would be the "lazy" option

I actually really like this suggestion. However, the most plausible solution seems to be sticking with the "lazy" option.

[earthfairys]

I too go for the "lazy" option. I like the efforts in changing the pen name for those without much Japanese knowledge, but seriously, I don't think anyone who have read through Ep 1 to 8 would be unable to have at least a basic knowledge about the language. Especially with the epitaph-solving in Ep 7 and all the Western-sounding Japanese names. Technically, it shouldn't really be that difficult for them to understand.

[UsagiTenpura]

Wow thanks, didn't think my idea would be liked ^^

Well anyway it's not certain yet what's going to be chosen...

[Kishin]

and then at the very end of the conversation one of them says something totally out of context when you didn't understand the sign language. Its like when my grandma is talking to everyone at the table in spanish and then turns to me and says one line following up in english and I'm sitting there with a O.o look on my face lol... :p

[Sajomir]

I like the idea of something like Jill Anne because I think it's much less of a leap than most romaji anagrams and it is the closest to what the original "jumble" was. Also, It's not as though it would be ridiculous for a japanese person to use an english pen name, right?

Personally, I really like this suggestion. I really think this is the best English option that sticks to the spirit of how the Japanese pen name was formed.
-It takes the meaning(vs the reading) of the name, from Ange into Angel
-changes the spelling from Angel to Anne Jill (since Ange is an odd pronunciation of her Kanji to begin with, this is true to the Japanese original),
-and reverses the positions
In short, it keeps all 3 elements of the original "puzzle."

The best alternative to this would be the "lazy" route.

Regarding the Siesta/Chester, it's an annoying problem. I really think that "Chester/Chiester" is too easy of a hint. At the same time, without knowledge of how Japanese is pronounced, namely "see" turning into "chi," it is difficult to make the link between Siesta and Winchester.
Personally, despite knowing basic Japanese, I had to rely on other clues to confirm the sisters' identities. I never even noticed the name Siesta itself.
By clues, I mean things like how all their numbers were gun serial numbers.

There would almost have to be a double-take in the script where someone like Battler mishears the name and gives a goofy "did you just say 'Chesta sisters?'" kinda thing. This is a pretty common pun set-up in anime, so it might pass in a VN.

[MainCharacter]

Survery spoilers thing whatever:
Keeping the "lazy option" is the best. We have never had a problem reading translation notes explaining things in the past, I don't see why we suddenly need to change that.

Well, that's my opinion. Personally, I really wouldn't mind too much either way, and if you guys really want to do something different then go ahead and do it.

[Kylon99]

I would also vote for keeping Kotobuki Yukari with the same reasons as the others have mentioned, but I'd like to add one more thing.

Significantly changing the name from the original Japanese version would have many going, "Who is this Yukari character that everyone else mentions?" I don't believe the English and Japanese worlds need to be partitioned in such a way...

EDIT: Oh, RedKey already mentioned this... 8)

[Ayu-ayu]

I agree, the "lazy" option is best and most consistent with what has gone before. The translation notes are used sparingly and appropriately thus far and gracefully allow for the rare awkward situations like this one to be addressed without seeming like too much of a band-aid.

[legomaple]

I feel very much the same way lol.

Same here:/

[moichispa]

I feel very much the same way lol.

Same here too.

But I'm glad that all these people is helping in choosing the best option for us who haven't read it yet .

[TwilightsCall]

Personally I look forward to going back after I've read Ep 8 and finding out what they are all talking about xD

[zibbazabba905]

I kinda like the Siesta (Besides being cuter than "chester") its like something's saying Battler is "asleep" at the wheel of the story

[legomaple]

I've tried to learn to say chiester, but I keep saying siesta instead:/

[Witch of Uncertainty]

There. I feel it's safe to begin the 50 % patch now and just assume that the 100 % patch will have arrived before I've reached the end of this patch. Just purchased Twilight. Making some dinner, and .. Aaaa, so excited! I've waited a year for this! ^^

[Ander]

Hi!.

I just want to say thank you for ALL the great effort of Witch Hunt in these past few (and a lot) years. Thank you so MUCH for bringing us Umineko all this years.

Can't wait for the full patch (:

PS: http://i.imgur.com/5WdLu.jpg

[KanonTheFurniture]

As someone who only knows about EP8 via spoilers at this time, I'm going to say the 'lazy' option of Kotobuki Yukari. This forum offers discussion between many different types of fans. Obviously, a large amount of regulars on this forum have read EP8 in Japanese, or with tools like ATLAS, while others (like myself) have to wait for the patch release to have a hope of grasping the story's finale. Once the patch is released, both sets of fans will converge in discussions as 'people who have read EP8 in full'. Discussions could very easily get confusing if one set of fans refer to Kotobuki Yukari (those who adapted to this name pre-patch), and another set (patch-readers) use a different name entirely.

For example, I've been a fan of the Dragonball series for many years - of the Japanese version. For those unfamiliar, the dub has a pretty sordid history of mistranslations, including numerous character names that were changed in localization. Among the issues I've often encountered when discussing with fans who are only familiar with the English dub, it's the clash of name choices. While some are more obvious for a Japanese fan to know who a dub fan is talking about (Kuririn vs. Krillin), others are genuinely baffling for people who have never seen the dub of certain arcs or movies to be familiar with the name changes (ex. the Bardock special characters; one time I encountered a discussion about 'Fasha' and had absolutely 100% no idea that this was the name change of the character Selypa...clearly the two names aren't even remotely similar). It can cause a lot of confusion where there shouldn't be, as the main goal is for fans of all kinds to come together and discuss a common fandom. I can only imagine how irritating and confusing it would be for patch-only readers to dive into a discussion halfway through (we all know how quickly threads around here move, and people aren't always willing to go 10+ pages back to find the origin of a discussion) and see a bunch of people talking about 'Yukari', and having no idea who that refers to. It reminds me of when the anime was first airing and a lot of people who hadn't read the VN kept asking questions like 'how can Battler deny witches when he's talking to one', or other things that weren't addressed that clearly in the anime but were obvious to VN readers. They were understandable questions on part of the askers, but it got really irritating to have to constantly answer the same 3-4 questions over and over again just because that audience was familiar with a different medium.

Besides the discussion issues, I really think consistency applies here. The entire story has been full of 'lost in translation' elements that have no choice but to be answered in the Grimiores, especially when the epitaph comes to a head. There is just no way a fan who has 0 knowledge of Japanese can get that. Explanations are required. It's always been that way, and that's why the green text is such a useful feature of the patch. It's like certain manga publishers who put footnote references for translation notes, or a glossary of terms in the back of the volume - a comfort for an unfamiliar reader to know they can rely on to explain those odd Japanese elements that just can't be translated. I feel like abandoning that method after 7 episodes would be bizarre and inconsistent. People reading EP8 should have read 1-7. Therefore, they should be familiar with using the Grimiore to clear up translation oddities. Why shouldn't EP8 work in the same fashion? It'd be like picking up volume 8 of a series that always had that end-of-volume glossary and finding that they didn't include it, instead replacing the joke or pun or whatever with an English equivalent. Sure, it might still get the same point across, but it's inconsistent with the style used by all the preceding volumes...basically, if it ain't broke, don't fix it, and I feel like anyone and everyone reading EP8's patch would already be plenty familiar with using the Grimiore after 7 episodes that they're okay with it.

As for Siesta/Chester/Chiester...I personally hate the alternatives because I'm so used to Siesta. I will always refer to them as Siestas in my head. I'm sure many others here feel the same, and therefore the problem I mentioned above would also apply between 'Siesta' and 'Chiester' in discussions...however, in this case, I feel like they should be changed. Unlike the Yukari issue, the name 'Chiester' has appeared in official materials now, and is clearly the intended romanization. If Umineko ever gets licensed (anime or manga), it's the romanization I'd expect to be used in official material. The Yukari matter is a lot more unclear, so I'm swaying to the side of 'keep it for consistency', but because the Siesta/Chiester issue is much more black and white - official material referring to them differently - I'd say it makes more sense to change it. It's obviously the way 07th Expansion intended it to be. IMO, though, Chester sounds better than Chiester...some would argue that it's 'too obvious' but it was probably supposed to be, and those of us used to 'Siesta' just aren't used to it.

Sorry for the wall of text, but I thought I'd give my thoughts on the matter. ^^;

[UsagiTenpura]

Ah yeah, we'll be going for the lazy option.
And yes, I don't see why it wouldn't be out today or tomorrow so it should be pretty safe to begin said patch.

That said, I guess anything can happen.


I kinda like the Siesta (Besides being cuter than "chester") its like something's saying Battler is "asleep" at the wheel of the story
I sorta feel like chiester is a mix of both actually. Maybe Ryuukishi meant for us to understand it both ways.

[sailorsean]

I had a dream last night that both Little Busters! and the Ep. 8 patch would be released today.
Heh, some dream right?

[immblueversion]

Well, I'm not one to make choices, but should an EP8 patch be released after it's confirmed through the PS3 version of Chiru, it should probably be made to match what is said. It can be the actual complete patch or it can be an update, but still.

[Yirba]

Well, they can always make changes to the patch… I think they're planning to fix typos and stuff, so if they feel something should be changed, I'm sure they'll just release a new version.

[Sajomir]

Haha I'm getting really excited. Even though December 18th was named a while ago, I keep checking the Witch Hunt news every day XD

Can't remember if I posted this or not, but

Thank you so much for all your hard work! Umineko got me to overlook my original dis-interest in Higurashi and has shown me a totally different VN from what I was used to.
I look forward to seeing the result of your efforts. :)

[Roll]

Hi!.

I just want to say thank you for ALL the great effort of Witch Hunt in these past few (and a lot) years. Thank you so MUCH for bringing us Umineko all this years.

Can't wait for the full patch (:

PS: http://i.imgur.com/5WdLu.jpg

Ok, this was awesome xD. I was surprised when I read "From Venezuela" (I'm venezuelan, too!)

[st_nick5]

Can't wait for the patch. Thanks for your hard work Witch-Hunt!

[Escargotage]

I've been refreshing the page non-stop since I got up. Thank you very much, Witch-Hunt for all of your hard work!

[Message]

Whew. Builds, re-builds, and reverse-builds... A hurricane of MD5 hashes is whirling through the staff channel. But we're making progress!