ZX Japanese with English Text Mod!

[Yekkusu]

So, it's not here on guides yet, I dunno if the owner of the mod will do that, and I tried exactly what he did but maybe I did something wrong. Anyway, I tested his patch and it works so here:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Megaman/comments/fbexdx/mega_man_zx_undub_mod_zerozx_collection_pc/

Go on, say thanks to the guy and play ZX with Japanese dub and English text. I'm happy someone did that. I won't complain about ZXA english dub, because at least ZXA has oficial dub in english. ZX is so more alive with voice acting guys. You should try it too!

[Kaed✩Wolf]

I don't know if the person who posted this on reddit is the same person who posted it here, but user def_nomad had already made a similar mod for both ZXA and ZX, and posted it here on Steam for everyone to try it out.
https://steamcommunity.com/app/999020/discussions/0/1746772308312266296/

[AmethystViper]

I mentioned this mentioned this on the other thread, but if we can mod the collection's EXE and change the Japanese version's character names into English, this could help with making a complete VO mod with English text.

Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/Megaman/comments/fbexdx/mega_man_zx_undub_mod_zerozx_collection_pc/fjpdbdo/

[Yekkusu]

Originally posted by Kaed✩Wolf:

I don't know if the person who posted this on reddit is the same person who posted it here, but user def_nomad had already made a similar mod for both ZXA and ZX, and posted it here on Steam for everyone to try it out. :lunar2020thinkingtiger:
https://steamcommunity.com/app/999020/discussions/0/1746772308312266296/

Probably. But I feel that this kind of mod should be on the "Guides" section, just like the Music mod is. Because I wasn't able to find it here, I had to search it and only found the link because of a Youtube video. That's not good. D:

[Yekkusu]

Originally posted by AmethystViper:

I mentioned this mentioned this on the other thread, but if we can mod the collection's EXE and change the Japanese version's character names into English, this could help with making a complete VO mod with English text.

Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/Megaman/comments/fbexdx/mega_man_zx_undub_mod_zerozx_collection_pc/fjpdbdo/

To me, the best thing would be to insert a better font for the English versions of Megaman ZX/ZXA, this way it would be possible to shorten those extra english boxes, because the problem on those games are the font. A lot of times playing ZX with English texts Japanese voice, it's possible to see that the only reason the text wasn't fitting in the entire box was the font size and type. They were able to "remove" the original fonts and add that new font on the new game for Megaman Zero series, so I'm sure it would be able to place a better font and shorten those boxes. This would make the english texts to match the numbers of Japanese text boxes, and it would make it easy for Capcom to make the voice acting swappeable. HOWEVER, there's not a modding tool who would let us do that and I'm not smart enough to reverse engeneering their game to try to fix something they would be able to do easier. Believe me, it's easy to make modifications when you have the source code than when you need to reverse engeneer something.

[Kaed✩Wolf]

Originally posted by Yekkusu:

Probably. But I feel that this kind of mod should be on the "Guides" section, just like the Music mod is. Because I wasn't able to find it here, I had to search it and only found the link because of a Youtube video. That's not good. D:

We have this Guide with a compilation of mods, including the english text on Rockman ZX and ZXA by def_nomad, who updated his mod to show english names on text box! :3
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2008335805

[nomad]

Originally posted by Yekkusu:

To me, the best thing would be to insert a better font for the English versions of Megaman ZX/ZXA

The problem with this, is that the font is defined as a tilemap so all the characters have to fit that defined size, here's an example of the english font in ZX https://imgur.com/DGIwfhy, the script then uses numbers to reference a certain character in that (00 would be +, 01 would be *, 02 ), etc.), which is then displayed in the game.
This could theoretically be modified by for example, putting two characters in a single tile, but then the entire text scripts would need to be modified, and there might be a limit to how many characters can be in a font (the english font has 245, the japanese one is like five times bigger I think, so I'm not sure what the limit would be), but that might make the text less clearer and stuff...but maybe by splitting the combinations cleverly enough it would be possible (but still a bunch of work to identify which combinations of letters to include, then to modify all the text to fit that)

In either case, theoretically it might work, but I don't know if anyone is willing to put all that work in

[Zerox]

Ahoy, scallywags!
I come bearin' important information from a scurvy cur, forbidden from postin' upon this forum without payin' bounty t' Gaben.

"Removing the extraneous text boxes in the English version of ZX is surprisingly simple. Bytes 0 and 2 in the font files control the character width and height (English font is 8x16 pixels and Japanese font is 12x16). With a smaller font (6x12 in this case) and some adjustment to the text spacing, you can fit nearly double the text in one box. I also think the script structure is regular enough for the text spacing to be feasibly automated if anyone's up to it.

Here's the edited font, an example script with Aile's intro cutscene, some screenshots, and further explanation:

{LINK REMOVED}http://www.mediafire.com/file/dawbxs51zgmrxp3/Mega_Man_ZX_font_test.zip/file
https://pastebin.com/hYnRQGpR

I haven't touched ZXA, but I assume there's a lot of overlap."

https://a.uguu.se/leDP7ChLmWRG.mp4
https://i.imgur.com/YGFLgbP.jpg

[Jinpachiro]

Originally posted by Zerox:

Ahoy, scallywags!
I come bearin' important information from a scurvy cur, forbidden from postin' upon this forum without payin' bounty t' Gaben.

"Removing the extraneous text boxes in the English version of ZX is surprisingly simple. Bytes 0 and 2 in the font files control the character width and height (English font is 8x16 pixels and Japanese font is 12x16). With a smaller font (6x12 in this case) and some adjustment to the text spacing, you can fit nearly double the text in one box. I also think the script structure is regular enough for the text spacing to be feasibly automated if anyone's up to it.

Here's the edited font, an example script with Aile's intro cutscene, some screenshots, and further explanation:

{LINK REMOVED}http://www.mediafire.com/file/dawbxs51zgmrxp3/Mega_Man_ZX_font_test.zip/file
https://pastebin.com/hYnRQGpR

I haven't touched ZXA, but I assume there's a lot of overlap."

https://a.uguu.se/leDP7ChLmWRG.mp4
https://i.imgur.com/YGFLgbP.jpg

Pretty good. One of my complaints from the undub mod was the next chat box having no audio. If this can be implemented in both zx and zxa the games will literally be perfect

[Kaed✩Wolf]

Originally posted by Zerox:

~Big text.~

That's awesome! I hope someone can use this to mod all ZX and ZXA text.

Original font size (and with def_nomad EXE box name edit):
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2023961327
Modded font size + script edit (and with def_nomad EXE box name edit):
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2023961373
The modded font_jp.bin file works with ZX Advent too!
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2023971135
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2023971170

[Yekkusu]

Originally posted by def_nomad:

Originally posted by Yekkusu:

To me, the best thing would be to insert a better font for the English versions of Megaman ZX/ZXA

The problem with this, is that the font is defined as a tilemap so all the characters have to fit that defined size, here's an example of the english font in ZX https://imgur.com/DGIwfhy, the script then uses numbers to reference a certain character in that (00 would be +, 01 would be *, 02 ), etc.), which is then displayed in the game.
This could theoretically be modified by for example, putting two characters in a single tile, but then the entire text scripts would need to be modified, and there might be a limit to how many characters can be in a font (the english font has 245, the japanese one is like five times bigger I think, so I'm not sure what the limit would be), but that might make the text less clearer and stuff...but maybe by splitting the combinations cleverly enough it would be possible (but still a bunch of work to identify which combinations of letters to include, then to modify all the text to fit that)

In either case, theoretically it might work, but I don't know if anyone is willing to put all that work in

That's why I think Capcom should do this nonetheless. As a programmer I do know how much more easy would be for THEM to do it, since they do have the source code, the game files not compiled to run as the final version we have. A modder needs to do a ton of work to make something this simple. And yes, by unsplitting those texts they would have to mess with the entire scripting for the game. That's why I think they do not bother with it.

[Yekkusu]

Originally posted by Zerox:

Ahoy, scallywags!
I come bearin' important information from a scurvy cur, forbidden from postin' upon this forum without payin' bounty t' Gaben.

"Removing the extraneous text boxes in the English version of ZX is surprisingly simple. Bytes 0 and 2 in the font files control the character width and height (English font is 8x16 pixels and Japanese font is 12x16). With a smaller font (6x12 in this case) and some adjustment to the text spacing, you can fit nearly double the text in one box. I also think the script structure is regular enough for the text spacing to be feasibly automated if anyone's up to it.

Here's the edited font, an example script with Aile's intro cutscene, some screenshots, and further explanation:

{LINK REMOVED}http://www.mediafire.com/file/dawbxs51zgmrxp3/Mega_Man_ZX_font_test.zip/file
https://pastebin.com/hYnRQGpR

I haven't touched ZXA, but I assume there's a lot of overlap."

https://a.uguu.se/leDP7ChLmWRG.mp4
https://i.imgur.com/YGFLgbP.jpg

This. Is. Proof. Of. Concept.
Really, a lot of the problems is the font size and font style. Since it's possible to change the size and un-split the texts that are in two boxes without the need for it, it's possible to make the undub version of ZX.

And that's the thing that makes me angry: It's so possible and it would be so easier to do that, that it's a shame Capcom haven't done it yet. If this is released as a MOD I will use it. At the time, the DS screen was really small, but today? This game doesn't need that big font at all. ZX would be so much more enjoyable this way.

[Zerox]

Originally posted by Yekkusu:

Originally posted by Zerox:

Ahoy, scallywags!
I come bearin' important information from a scurvy cur, forbidden from postin' upon this forum without payin' bounty t' Gaben.

"Removing the extraneous text boxes in the English version of ZX is surprisingly simple. Bytes 0 and 2 in the font files control the character width and height (English font is 8x16 pixels and Japanese font is 12x16). With a smaller font (6x12 in this case) and some adjustment to the text spacing, you can fit nearly double the text in one box. I also think the script structure is regular enough for the text spacing to be feasibly automated if anyone's up to it.

Here's the edited font, an example script with Aile's intro cutscene, some screenshots, and further explanation:

{LINK REMOVED}http://www.mediafire.com/file/dawbxs51zgmrxp3/Mega_Man_ZX_font_test.zip/file
https://pastebin.com/hYnRQGpR

I haven't touched ZXA, but I assume there's a lot of overlap."

https://a.uguu.se/leDP7ChLmWRG.mp4
https://i.imgur.com/YGFLgbP.jpg

This. Is. Proof. Of. Concept.
Really, a lot of the problems is the font size and font style. Since it's possible to change the size and un-split the texts that are in two boxes without the need for it, it's possible to make the undub version of ZX.

And that's the thing that makes me angry: It's so possible and it would be so easier to do that, that it's a shame Capcom haven't done it yet. If this is released as a MOD I will use it. At the time, the DS screen was really small, but today? This game doesn't need that big font at all. ZX would be so much more enjoyable this way.

you got your hopes up for crapcom that was the problem

[Yekkusu]

Originally posted by Zerox:

Originally posted by Yekkusu:

This. Is. Proof. Of. Concept.
Really, a lot of the problems is the font size and font style. Since it's possible to change the size and un-split the texts that are in two boxes without the need for it, it's possible to make the undub version of ZX.

And that's the thing that makes me angry: It's so possible and it would be so easier to do that, that it's a shame Capcom haven't done it yet. If this is released as a MOD I will use it. At the time, the DS screen was really small, but today? This game doesn't need that big font at all. ZX would be so much more enjoyable this way.

you got your hopes up for crapcom that was the problem

You're right. XD

[CrossTrash]

So, a question for the thread, how is this mod progressing currently? Im working on a ZX dub and this mod would help with a few of the problems im encountering.

[Yekkusu]

Originally posted by CrossTrash:

So, a question for the thread, how is this mod progressing currently? Im working on a ZX dub and this mod would help with a few of the problems im encountering.

As far as I know, I've tried to warn about it on the Megaman Zero/ZX oficial Modding page here on Steam, so the page owner already knows about it.
BUT, there's not a single information about the progress or if they are even working on it, sadly.

The undub versions of Zx and ZxAdvent are working very good, and even have the text re-worked so they call the Biometals as Livemetals and such.
But no info about this mod yet.