Quick update
The new site’s up, yay! It’s only been just a few days since my last progress update, but even so I’ll toss a little bit of info + some screens in here.
Still need to move stuff around. 
A *VERY* early main script pic
- First, this game does make many references to MOTHER 2 in many different ways, and the plan is to make those references into EarthBound references that EB fans can recognize and enjoy. These range from simple things like the change from “YOU WIN!” to “YOU WON!” that happened between MOTHER 2 and EarthBound, to big stuff I won’t mention. This project is ultimately for EarthBound fans, so it only makes sense to do stuff this way.
- For those who are worried/concerned/whatever, the readme or some other supplemental file will have a list of all changes made, so don’t fret. I do get the feeling that an official translation might miss many of these old EB references — some of them are pretty small. So in this regard, I think a translation done by really, really detail-oriented fans is good.
- I know there’s been a huge lack of pictures and info about the actual meat of the game – the main script in action. As I mentioned before, a variable width font HAS been incorporated into the main text routine, but the big problem is that the Japanese script is in 16-bit format. We need to make it into 8-bit so the script can fit. Expanding the ROM isn’t an option, sadly.
- Also, at the moment, the game automatically adds line breaks every 21 characters, which is why that main script screenshot looks so ugly. This text is still in 16-bit format, and I actually typed it in manually in a hex editor just to show that the VWF is indeed working. Hopefully we’ll have more and better main script pics in the near future.
- Yes, all these screens that have ugly-looking fonts will have nice-looking fonts eventually. That’s why I’m usually careful to say “very early” and stuff like that 😛
- I posted a very quick video of battle stuff + sound player stuff on the sidebar. Check it out. It’s nothing that incredibly new, but I wanted something up there for the time being. Hopefully we’ll have better/newer stuff before too long.
Been working hard on the first draft translation. About 70% done with the first draft, MAYBE 75% by the time I go to bed if I work hard and fill up on caffeine 🙂
Hopefully the other team guys will show up and post their own info/progress/whatever soon. I feel like I’m hogging the stage lately. But in any case, we’re working really hard. Goodness is afoot.
[…] Login « Quick update […]
Tomato, you rock beyond words.
If you need any recruits, i’ve been playing through the game and assisting a friend with some translation when I came across this. Just offering anything I can, should you need any extra help. 🙂
Sweeeeet. The english font you’re using looks like the orange kid one. That’s the one, right? Nice.
yay…If it’s as good as Bahamut Lagoon was, then It’ll probably be the best “Fanslated” game I’ve ever played…
No crying until the end! We believe in you!
Very exciting. I’m so used to translation projects being announced and then falling to the wayside, but it’s a great thing to know this is in the right hands and will be finished. Yay!
Well, it’s the font from EB 😛 I always personally consider the “Orange Kid” font to be the TrueType font for computers, which is often not very accurate to the original.
Good to see the site up and that things are coming along pretty well. Thanks for the hard work you’ve put in!
I can’t remember if or how this was answered in any of the older projects or such, but since this seems to be focused on being true to the Earthbound references, will certain things be ‘censored’ like how Earthbound may have done? Will words like damn that would be appropriate in Japan be changed to darn or dang it or something more child friendly, or will such parts of the story be left to keep the atmosphere?
Keepin’ an eye on you guys! Keep up the good work!
Matthewsomeguy: No, there won’t be any censoring. If Itoi has someone yell the equivalent of a curse word, it’ll be there in English too. There aren’t too many cases of this, but I know some people are taken aback that a Mother game could have swearing. It’s definitely a darker game, too.
Saw your post on 4cr, msprout 🙂 Hopefully we’ll have more stuff soon here, I know how much you love to gush about EB/M3 😛
Hopefully this site will have more active updates then the ill-fated mother3.org. Thanks for all you do Tomato!
Ooh, awesome. Things seem to be going great! Keep up the good work!
i still need to find a rom i can use for the translation patch =\
its hard to find them, ones that actually work anyways
but when this translation is done, count me in on a download
Looks fantasteriffic. Fight the good fight, you edible member of the deadly nightshade family, you!
You guys are doing a great job! Keep it up! 31,338 fans will rejoice when you are done!
I’m both surprised and overjoyed at your diligence Tomato. Thank you for the hard work.
Go! People! We’re with you.
on behalf of all the EB maniacs like me out there who purchased a japanese copy of MOTHER 3, THANK YOU!!! I’m so very excited to finally get the chance to play this “strange, funny, and heartrending” adventure in english. I LOVE YOU GUYS!!! YOU ROCK!!!!
I’m behind you 100%