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Post by filler on May 12, 2019 19:57:52 GMT
As someone working on fan translations, I'd be curious to know what games folks who are, or are potentially, into the PC-FX would like to see translated. Not too long ago I set out to dump and translate scripts for the remaining 60 Game Gear games without English versions. As of right now it's realistic to expect at least 30 of those 60 should see fully playable translation patches at some point in the next handful of years. The PC-FX is a different story however. Despite a similar amount of games, the sheer size of the scripts for many of the games, and the skill-set and interest required probably means that I'll see a meager number of translations for this system in my lifetime.
If you had to choose 5 games to see translated for the system, what would they be and why? Please consider your picks as the ONLY fan translations that will ever be made for the PC-FX. If you only have 1 or 2 choices that's okay. It's also fine to add more later. Please consider WHY these games deserve to be translated, and make a case for each one. I consider all of us lucky that we have Welcome to Pia Carrot, and Zeroigar already. What else deserves to be on that list? NOTE: J.B. Harold: Blue Chicago Blues, and Return to Zork have been omitted since they already have English versions on other systems.
Here are the games:
EDIT: I've added a running tally. Note: This is not a popularity contest. I just want to take stock of games with a high demand. Since AggieTsubi made two lists I'm prioritizing the exclusives list. I'm also prioritizing Jeff's "general audience" list as a matter of personal preference. Cccmar wasn't specific about Angelique so I'm allowing Angelique Special to represent that selection.
Aa! Megami-sama! (1)
Akazukin ChaCha: Osawagase Panic Race
Angelique Special (1)
Angelique Special 2
Angelique: Tenkuu no Requiem Anime Freak FX Vol. 1
Anime Freak FX Vol. 2
Anime Freak FX Vol. 3
Anime Freak FX Vol. 4
Anime Freak FX Vol. 5
Anime Freak FX Vol. 6 Arubarea no Otome (1)
Battle Heat
Blue Breaker: Ken Yorimo Hohoemi o
Boundary Gate: Daughter of Kingdom
Can Can Bunny Extra DX
Chip-chan Kick! (1)
Comic Road
Cutey Honey FX
Der Langrisser FX (1)
Doukyuusei 2
Dragon Knight 4 (2)
Farland Story FX
Fire Woman Matoigumi (1)
First Kiss * Monogatari
Fushigi no Kuni no Angelique
Ginga Ojousama Densetsu Yuna FX: Kanashimi no Siren
Hataraku * Shoujo: Tekipaki Working Love FX
Kishin Douji Zenki FX: Vajra Fight (3)
Kokuu Hyouryuu Nirgends (1)
Konpeki no Kantai
Last Imperial Prince
Lunatic Dawn FX
Mahjong Gokuu Tenjiku
Makeruna! Makendou Z
Megami Tengoku II
Minimum Nanonic
Miraculum: The Last Revelation (1)
Ojousama Sousamou
Pachio-Kun FX: Maboroshi no Shima Daikessen
Power Dolls FX (2)
Ruruli Ra Rura (2)
Shanghai: Banri no Choujou
Sotsugyou II FX: Neo Generation
Sotsugyou R: Graduation Real
Sparkling Feather (1)
Super Power League FX
Super Real Mahjong PV FX
Team Innocent: The Point of No Return (4)
Tekipaki Working Love FX
Tenchi Muyou! Ryououki FX (1)
Tengai Makyou: Dennou Karakuri Kakutouden
Tokimeki Card Paradise
Tonari no Princess Rolfee! (2)
Voice Paradise
Wakusei Koukitai Little Cats
Zen-Nippon Joshi Pro Wrestling: Queen of Queens
Zoku Hatsukoi Monogatari: Shuugaku Ryokou |
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exodus
Punkic Cyborg
Posts: 151
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Post by exodus on May 12, 2019 20:02:56 GMT
I feel like it would be crazy to ask for an RPG, but most of the games that feel worth translating are RPGs...
I'd say:
- Power Dolls FX (I like tactics RPGs)
- Zenki (an easier project which would make a big impact at least!)
- Tonari no Princess Rolfee - she's the mascot after all
- Der Langrisser FX (could check to see if the story is mostly patchable from warsong, say)
- Team Innocent (let's give our resident evil-like launch title its due!)
that's my feeling!!
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Post by dshadoff on May 12, 2019 21:18:56 GMT
I'm a sucker for 90's anime... and I don't think I would get a chance to play games with a super-long script.
1) Aa! Megami-sama!
2) Tenchi Muyou! Ryououki FX (although this looks like the same game as the PC-E, it might be technically easier to translate the FX version)
And because the others in the series were pretty funny,
3) Dragon Knight 4
And this one, being a good cross between action and RPG, looks interesting
4) Ruruli Ra Rura
And I'll throw in one that should be a walk in the park (by comparison), and would get played:
5) Chip-chan Kick!
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Post by AggieTsubi on May 13, 2019 13:40:57 GMT
I'd be overjoyed for any additional fan translations to be completed for PC-FX, so literally anything and everything would be welcome to me. I feel a little greedy getting picky.  I'm gonna cheat here and make two lists, one for PC-FX exclusives and one where I consider everything, because I think anything that's multiplatform has a better shot of getting translated in at least some form, while the exclusives really have the odds against them. Exclusives: 1. Zenki (The game already gets more attention than most PC-FX games, so a translated version would draw even more people to the system. And as said, it'd be easier to translate than most.) 2. Team Innocent (From what I've heard, it already has a nearly finished fan translation? I also agree that a launch title should be translated. Battle Heat doesn't especially need a translation, and Sotsugyou II already has a translation in the form of Graduation for Windows 95 [though a better translation without wretched dubbing would be awesome].) 3. Nirgends (I know some Japanese players thought very highly of this game, so I'm intrigued.) 4. Princess Rolfee (Yeah, I'm down with the reasoning that the mascot of the system deserves to have her game translated.) 5. Miraculum (Another game with relatively decent mainstream appeal that would be good for representing the system.) Anything goes choices: 1. Angelique Special (A very historically significant game, as it's the first ever otome game. Despite that, I don't believe it has a translation on any platform. Closest it gets is a partial translation on Super Famicom that only has the intro and some question responses in English.) 2. Der Langrisser FX (A classic. It already has fan patches for the Mega Drive and Super Famicom versions, so maybe those could aid in patching the PC-FX version, which I assume is better than the 16-bit versions.) 3. Dragon Knight 4 (The third game in this series already has an official localization, so it only seems fitting for the next game to get a translation.) 4. Boundary Gate (Just seems like a pretty rad first-person dungeon crawler.) 5. Fire Woman Matoigumi (This one just seems cool from what I've played too.) |
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Post by elmer on May 13, 2019 15:24:03 GMT
One noticeable thing about the PC-FX, is that a lot of the games on it were also released on other platforms.
The 5th-generation consoles, because they were designed to be programmed in C, was the 1st console generation (IMHO) when this wholesale porting of games became common (much to the disdain of both consumers, and the platform manufacturers themselves).
So, one other thing to take into account, I believe, would be whether the PC-FX game was either unique to the platform, or if it was the best (in some important way) of all of the ports.
For instance, a lot of the PC-FX games were ports from PC98 games. In that case, it is likely, but not certain, that the PC-FX version *should* be more polished than the original.
On the other hand, games like, Angelique, Der Langrisser, Doukyuusei 2, Dragon Knight 4, First Kiss * Monogatari, Sotsugyou II, etc, were all released on multiple platforms, often in the 5th-generation (either PlayStation or Saturn).
For games were available in Japanese on other platforms ... is there already an English translation available?
For games that are unique to the PC-FX ... are they of a high-enough quality to look good in comparison to the PlayStation and Saturn games of the time that people care about.
An example of something that falls woefully short in that department would be "Makeruna! Makendou Z", and other titles like it, which just appear to be PC-Engine games released on the PC-FX.
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Post by elmer on May 13, 2019 15:39:30 GMT
Looking at two of the games that were ported ... I've seen some really positive reviews of First Kiss Story as a game that does a good job of getting the player to care about the characters. Now, after the PC-FX, it was ported to the PlayStation, and addition content was added. But was that an improvement, or was it also changed to fit Sony's standards? This site might answer that, but Google Translate does its usual mediocre job, and so I can't really tell ... ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%95%E3%82%A1%E3%83%BC%E3%82%B9%E3%83%88Kiss%E2%98%86%E7%89%A9%E8%AA%9EFor something like Dragon Knight 4, the wikipedia article suggests that the PlayStation & Saturn versions by Banpresto were definitely censored. Was NEC Avenue's port also censored? |
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Post by dshadoff on May 13, 2019 16:08:59 GMT
For something like Dragon Knight 4, the wikipedia article suggests that the PlayStation & Saturn versions by Banpresto were definitely censored. Was NEC Avenue's port also censored? I’m not sure, but I doubt it. PC-FX was fighting to get a following, so they weren’t strict about censorship, and as time went on, it only got more pronounced. |
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Post by AggieTsubi on May 13, 2019 18:56:02 GMT
The PC-FX release of Dragon Knight 4 is rated 18+, so it's definitely got more risque content than any of the other console versions. I suspect the Wikipedia page isn't quite correct in suggesting the SNES, PlayStation, and PC-FX versions were all edited in the same way. But I wouldn't be surprised if the PC-FX version was still toned down some from the computer versions. Such was the case for games like Welcome to Pia Carrot. It was toned down from the PC release, but still adult on PC-FX, and then toned down further for Saturn (where they shoehorned in an extra character who doesn't really fit to make up for the editing).
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Post by filler on May 13, 2019 20:50:42 GMT
Looking at two of the games that were ported ... I've seen some really positive reviews of First Kiss Story as a game that does a good job of getting the player to care about the characters. Now, after the PC-FX, it was ported to the PlayStation, and addition content was added. But was that an improvement, or was it also changed to fit Sony's standards? This site might answer that, but Google Translate does its usual mediocre job, and so I can't really tell ... ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%95%E3%82%A1%E3%83%BC%E3%82%B9%E3%83%88Kiss%E2%98%86%E7%89%A9%E8%AA%9EIt states on that article that CGs related to the scenes recommended for 18+ were changed for the PlayStation release. Also I didn't know but apparently the limited edition of First Kiss Story II was the only way to get a copy of the original game on the Dreamcast. I guess I lucked out grabbing the LE, not that I don't already have it on the PC-FX...
One of the things I think western gamers don't fully appreciate is that these games are actually enjoyable without any adult content. Most of the appeal is in the story itself, either in the interaction with the characters, or the way the story unfolds. Sometimes they a full-fledged RPGs or strategy games, that just had some spicy stuff added for PC just because. The quality can vary of course, and I'm sure some developers weren't above pandering to sell a mediocre game, but that's the exception rather than the norm when it comes to games with console ports. That said, the PC-FX versions can be considered superior in some cases for a more lenient, PC-like approach to adult content. Welcome to Pia Carrot on PC-FX is what I'd consider a definitive version of the PC game.
I'm not sure that I'd agree that "Makeruna! Makendou Z" falls woefully short. My verdict is still out since I haven't played the game, but while it looks like something that could have come out on the PCE CD, but it's also a very intriguing looking RPG that's part of an established series with a 2D platformer (SNES/SFC), and a 2D fighter (PlayStation) respectively. As an original game on the PC-FX I wouldn't dismiss it out of hand. If we're holding all PC-FX exclusives to the same standard as PlayStation and Saturn releases, I think history proved that those consoles were much better received and remembered. The fact that it's the only version of the game on any platform at all warrants at least consideration on its own merits.
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Post by AggieTsubi on May 13, 2019 23:43:27 GMT
Not one of my top picks, but Makeruna! Makendou Z is still pretty high up there as an exclusive I'd want patched. It's not the greatest platformer out there, but I enjoyed Kendo Rage on SNES and would like to see more of the series in English. What works against Makeruna! Makendou Z, besides the fact that the developer was shutting down as it was getting made, is that there doesn't seem to be a lot of info about the actual gameplay out there (most screen shots are of the anime FMV; even the back of the game's case shows nothing in-game) and it's usually pretty pricey when it shows up for sale. So even among PC-FX fans, I don't think many people own a copy or know much about it, which is going to keep demand for a patch low.
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Post by filler on May 15, 2019 3:51:01 GMT
There were a couple responses directly to a tweet I made about this, so I'll include those here. I'll post any more if they show up.
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Post by AggieTsubi on May 15, 2019 12:47:30 GMT
Personally, I think Konpeki no Kantai is one of the least deserving PC-FX titles. The franchise is dangerously close to being Japanese nationalist propaganda, as it portrays Imperial Japan as good guys who did nothing wrong in WWII. The disc art is even of the Imperial flag, which is offensive to Koreans and the Chinese. I have a copy in my collection and the gameplay seems decent, and I'd use a patch if one were available, but if the unfortunate reality is that most PC-FX games are going to go untranslated, then I'd rather see the patches go to games that will give people a positive impression of the PC-FX rather than a game that many may find off-putting for its themes. (Granted, there are people who find pornographic games off-putting and also fanservice-y loli games like Chip-chan Kick, so it's all a matter of perspective. I guess what's most important, in my opinion, is offering a diverse assortment of PC-FX games in English, and things are already going in that direction, as Welcome to Pia Carrot and Zeroigar are about as dissimilar as they can get. I'm super happy that Welcome to Pia Carrot was patched, but I don't know how I'd feel if, say, the only PC-FX patches were for the system's adult games, as that would reinforce the idea that the PC-FX has nothing but hentai. Konpeki no Kantai is a pretty unique game in the PC-FX library, so even if people were put off by it, I would hope they'd see what else is available on PC-FX and not leave with a negative impression of the system as a whole.)
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Post by filler on May 15, 2019 17:28:25 GMT
Personally, I think Konpeki no Kantai is one of the least deserving PC-FX titles. The franchise is dangerously close to being Japanese nationalist propaganda, as it portrays Imperial Japan as good guys who did nothing wrong in WWII. The disc art is even of the Imperial flag, which is offensive to Koreans and the Chinese. I have a copy in my collection and the gameplay seems decent, and I'd use a patch if one were available, but if the unfortunate reality is that most PC-FX games are going to go untranslated, then I'd rather see the patches go to games that will give people a positive impression of the PC-FX rather than a game that many may find off-putting for its themes. (Granted, there are people who find pornographic games off-putting and also fanservice-y loli games like Chip-chan Kick, so it's all a matter of perspective. I guess what's most important, in my opinion, is offering a diverse assortment of PC-FX games in English, and things are already going in that direction, as Welcome to Pia Carrot and Zeroigar are about as dissimilar as they can get. I'm super happy that Welcome to Pia Carrot was patched, but I don't know how I'd feel if, say, the only PC-FX patches were for the system's adult games, as that would reinforce the idea that the PC-FX has nothing but hentai. Konpeki no Kantai is a pretty unique game in the PC-FX library, so even if people were put off by it, I would hope they'd see what else is available on PC-FX and not leave with a negative impression of the system as a whole.) This is good to know and I agree with your perspective. I do enjoy anime and such dealing with WWII as I think media is a good way for folks to process thoughts and feelings around complex and difficult events. Things like Grave of the Fireflies, and Barefoot Gen I think are not important just for Japanese folks but the world to see and think about. The war touched not just stories explicitly about it, but also those indirectly about it like Mobile Suit Gundam and Captain Harlock (the whole medium for decades really). Specifically I always find it a bit baffling that folks get really jazzed about Arcadia of my Youth because I'm like "You know that's about the occupation of Japan after WWII right? Like we're explicitly the bad guys, and it's about Japan breaking out of western occupation/influence?" Like I think it's a story that should be allowed to be made, and it's a way to process those feelings. But yeah, when it comes to what may be one of the few PC-FX translations I probably wouldn't pick an Arcadia of my Youth based game to translate for instance.
I don't know if I've mentioned (publicly) before, but it actually weighs on me that by translating WtPC as the first game in English on the system I probably reinforced a stereotype about the PC-FX that is pretty unfair. I've mentioned before that westerners have no frame of reference for romance-for-guys (not that WtPC can't be enjoyed by any gender, but it's distinct from romance oriented towards ladies), and look at any Japanese games with any adult content as porn because that's the only way we have to conceptualize it. Really it was the few reviews of WtPC on YouTube that helped me understand this because everyone was like "Wow, this is way different and more enjoyable than I was expecting." and I had to be like "What were they expecting...? Ohhhh." It means that the FX gets a stigma that isn't technically wrong as much as it's misinformed or just misunderstood.
I'd like any other projects I work on to help combat that stigma, though when it comes down to it, perhaps translating more romantic adventure games might be the best way to help people understand them. I'd like folks to be able to have a better impression of the system without having to work too hard in adjusting their expectations, though maybe that's asking a lot. At any rate, if there are a few more fan translations I'd like them to showcase a variety of game-play types and themes. It's one of the reasons I'm taking the idea of an Angelique game a bit more seriously. Angelique Tenku no Requiem in particular seems interesting since it's a traditional RPG set in the Angelique universe. Though perhaps one of the raising-sims would be better from a variety perspective. I also need to work on things I will enjoy translating and playing so I don't go nuts.  We'll have to see. |
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exodus
Punkic Cyborg
Posts: 151
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Post by exodus on May 15, 2019 18:12:31 GMT
First Kiss Story is not a favorite of mine (it's about a highschool girl falling for her dad's cousin!?), but it has that rudimentary fighting game in it, and I'm curious to know whether that made it into the PSX or other versions...
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Post by AggieTsubi on May 15, 2019 18:50:41 GMT
Yeah, I think the Western game industry and consumer base is still in its infancy of giving games with romance respect. I don't think it's coincidental that the only romance visual novels to get much attention and praise are ones that are satire and/or a Western take on Japanese VNs (Hatoful Boyfriend, Dream Daddy, Katawa Shoujo, etc.). Most Westerners don't seem prepared to assess romance games from an unironic viewpoint. Eroge has it even worse. Western gaming would have you believe all eroge is nukige. So I think having Welcome to Pia Carrot available in English is helpful in reframing what people think games with adult content are like. Maybe it'll take baby steps to get people to better understand what the PC-FX offers, such that'll go "all PC-FX games are porn" to "these 'porn games' are actually pretty good" to "hey, the PC-FX has cool games without adult content too". I think Welcome to Pia Carrot was a good choice for the PC-FX's first translation. If it had been Zeroigar instead, I think some could have gotten the wrong impression of the system and then been disappointed when they'd learn there aren't many other action games on PC-FX. Welcome to Pia Carrot is more representative of the platform, not because it's got adult content but because it's text-heavy, story-focused, and is full of cute anime-style girls.
I think any Angelique game, or Arubarea no Otome, would be good in showing the variety the PC-FX offers. I think a lot of gamers get the impression from all the bishoujo games that the PC-FX was targeted solely at male gamers, but they were obviously catering to female gamers too with the otome games. There's a decent selection of them for a system that only has 60-some games total and for a time when the otome genre was brand-new and still testing the waters.
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We'll have to see.
