[Game] Umineko no Naku Koro ni - Translation Project

[RedKey]

Originally Posted by battle22

is the project dropped?
it's been on hiatus for month's ..

The group is busier than usual IRL, and Klashikari wrote on page 345 that

Originally Posted by Klashikari

I unfortunately cannot bring more details of our current situation (aside of being roughly at 65% of the overal translation of ep8)

[Klashikari]

We never planned to drop it to begin with.
Really, on the offchance we decide to do so (which would be unlikely, even if a "miracle" is needed for that), we would announce it -right- away, not dragging it for months.

Again: the problem is that our main translator, chrono, has a job since june, which dramatically sucked dry his free time (compared to what we could do the past 3-4 years).
This is why we only translated 15% after 4-5 months: Chrono's free time is literally 10 times shorter than what it used to be, hence the current situation we are in, but recently, he could have a few free week end, hence the possible update.

Now, people might ask: why not hiring other translators?
The thing is: having several translators is really not the best option for a translation project considering it is very rare to have translators having the same skills, but more importantly: the same style and perspective.
It isn't like we don't want to, but in practice, it may be really too much of a clash than anything else.
Chrono wishes not to resort to that solution -if possible-, but if it is considered as required, we will officially ask if there isn't anyone ready for this job. But as for now, we are trying to wrap it up.

As for our objective, we hope to deliver it by the end of the year, but that's only an objective. It isn't an ETA or anything.

[battle22]

good to hear that it isn't dropped. .thanks for your work.

[Yirba]

I'm sure the project will be fine. It may go slow, but it will continue to make progress, one bit at a time.

Anyway, I don't mind how long you guys take, as long as we get a quality translation by the end of it. Besides, it takes the pressure off us (Higanbana translation).

[Tiduas]

Thanks a lot for the update, it means so much just telling us that you're alive and kicking even though it takes some time. Now we have a very clear reason as of why.

[Yirba]

To be fair, Klash did explain the situation some time ago and gave an update a few pages back, so it's not as if Witch Hunt aren't keeping us informed.

I suppose there isn't really much they can say apart from "we're working on it but it may take a while"…

[Witch of Uncertainty]

Sounds like I'm able to play the game simoultainiously on the PS3/PC without actually knowing everything that will happen!
Will be interesting.

[mariusrhpsd]

any idea if someone is going to patch the portable version of the game?

[st_nick5]

Originally Posted by mariusrhpsd

any idea if someone is going to patch the portable version of the game?

I'd imagine it'd be the same as the PS3 version. It can't legally be patched unless it gets licensed in the US.

[mariusrhpsd]

i might be missing something as i'm a newbie, but that doesn't make much sense since, afaik, pc version of the game hasn't been licensed either on the US...

[st_nick5]

Originally Posted by mariusrhpsd

i might be missing something as i'm a newbie, but that doesn't make much sense since, afaik, pc version of the game hasn't been licensed either on the US...

On the PS3 you have to rip the files from the CD to patch them. You don't need to do that on the PC.

[MainCharacter]

Originally Posted by st_nick5

On the PS3 you have to rip the files from the CD to patch them. You don't need to do that on the PC.

He's asking about something different than that, though. You are referencing the reason why Witch Hunt won't make a PS3 to PC patch, but unless I am mistaken this person isn't asking for a PSP to PC patch, they are asking for a PSP patch. As in, the translated script put on the PSP version, as opposed to the PS3 sprites put on the PC version that was the problem before.

Technically speaking, a patch for the actual PSP version of the game is no more illegal than what we have here for the PC version, as you are only putting a script into the game rather than taking things out of the game and adding it to another version. You'd still need the PSP version of the game to play it too.

[LyricalAura]

Originally Posted by MainCharacter

Technically speaking, a patch for the actual PSP version of the game is no more illegal than what we have here for the PC version, as you are only putting a script into the game rather than taking things out of the game and adding it to another version. You'd still need the PSP version of the game to play it too.

Well, here's a question. Witch Hunt has explicit permission to create a patch from 07th Expansion's script and release it, but the PSP version is owned by Alchemist. If a patch is created for that, does it become an illegal copy of Alchemist's script rather than a legal copy of 07th Expansion's? From a legal perspective, I mean.

Also, doesn't patching a PSP game require you to illegally jailbreak the hardware anyway?

[MainCharacter]

Originally Posted by LyricalAura

Well, here's a question. Witch Hunt has explicit permission to create a patch from 07th Expansion's script and release it, but the PSP version is owned by Alchemist. If a patch is created for that, does it become an illegal copy of Alchemist's script rather than a legal copy of 07th Expansion's? From a legal perspective, I mean.

Also, doesn't patching a PSP game require you to illegally jailbreak the hardware anyway?

From what I understand, Witch Hunt got their blessing from 07th Expansion after they were already doing this. The reason why there is no legal issue here is because they aren't distributing anything but a translated script. We need to provide the game itself and all it's sprites with our own physical or legally digital copies. The same would be true of a patch to put the script on the PSP version.

The reason why the PS3 to PC patch was illegal was because it was taking the sprites and voices of the game and distributing it with the patch. A PSP patch, where you need to provide the sprites and voices yourself and the only thing being distributed is the translated script, is no more illegal than the PC patch we currently have.

As for needing to jailbreak the PSP in order to use patches, I honestly don't know. I know that you can use fan-translated patches on the Wii without needing to jailbreak your system and add costume firmware or anything. The patch for Fatal Frame 4 runs right off a SD card without jailbreaking anything. It's possible the same can be done on the PSP, but I really don't know. Regardless, so long as you aren't doing any pirating or distributing the files from the PSP version to something outside of it, like what the PS3 to PC patch was doing, you should be fine.

[xBTAx]

Originally Posted by MainCharacter

From what I understand, Witch Hunt got their blessing from 07th Expansion after they were already doing this. The reason why there is no legal issue here is because they aren't distributing anything but a translated script. We need to provide the game itself and all it's sprites with our own physical or legally digital copies. The same would be true of a patch to put the script on the PSP version.

The reason why the PS3 to PC patch was illegal was because it was taking the sprites and voices of the game and distributing it with the patch. A PSP patch, where you need to provide the sprites and voices yourself and the only thing being distributed is the translated script, is no more illegal than the PC patch we currently have.

As for needing to jailbreak the PSP in order to use patches, I honestly don't know. I know that you can use fan-translated patches on the Wii without needing to jailbreak your system and add costume firmware or anything. The patch for Fatal Frame 4 runs right off a SD card without jailbreaking anything. It's possible the same can be done on the PSP, but I really don't know. Regardless, so long as you aren't doing any pirating or distributing the files from the PSP version to something outside of it, like what the PS3 to PC patch was doing, you should be fine.

Don't you need to get the Wii to run homebrew software (similar to jailbreaking in this case) to even get it to play foreign games such as Fatal Frame 4?

But I'm with you on the not knowing about a PSP patch. I haven't seen a PSP translation patch that works with a legal copy of the game, but then again, I've only seen a few and I don't know much about them.

[RedKey]

Originally Posted by xBTAx

I haven't seen a PSP translation patch that works with a legal copy of the game

The God Eater one did. Therefore, technically maybe it could be done, but I suppose that that possibility changes from game to game. I think it's more a matter of getting permission from Alchemist.

[MainCharacter]

Originally Posted by xBTAx

Don't you need to get the Wii to run homebrew software (similar to jailbreaking in this case) to even get it to play foreign games such as Fatal Frame 4?

Nope. The patch itself makes the game runnable on any Wii console without jailbreaking or using any kind of homebrew. It says so right on the website itself:

"Enables region-free loading for patched games, on any console of any region. Runs directly from the SD card, with no need for any other homebrew or modifications. Enables translations, custom levels, texture modifications, custom music, and other user created additions. Exclusively for use with original discs."

It loads the patch from the SD card and applies it to the game disk. A similar method should work with PSP games, I'd imagine. But, again, I'm no expert on such things.

[Message]

Originally Posted by MainCharacter

The reason why there is no legal issue here is because they aren't distributing anything but a translated script.

This is incorrect. The script is also copyrighted, and distribution of an unauthorized translation usually counts as copyright violation. An easy explanation by a Japanese law student: http://comipress.com/article/2007/06/09/2093

[DoktorFunk]

Originally Posted by Message

This is incorrect. The script is also copyrighted, and distribution of an unauthorized translation usually counts as copyright violation. An easy explanation by a Japanese law student: http://comipress.com/article/2007/06/09/2093

I don't think it's fair to say he is outright incorrect. This article uses translating articles as an example, whereas our subject is based upon a novel script. Furthermore, what is to be said of Google and their web-translation (albeit not very accurate)? Even the article makes mention it's applicability:

*A note: As this account was not written by a practicing lawyer, but was pieced together by a law student using books and magazines for information, I am unable to ensure the reliability of the contents. For individual, real-life problems, I would ask that you consult a legal specialist.

In any case, I think MainCharacter is saying "The reason why there is no legal issue here is because they aren't distributing anything but a translated script (which was permitted by the copyright holder)"

[rogerpepitone]

The important part of that is "(which was permitted by the copyright holder)", not "because they weren't distributing anything but a translated script".