Commander Keen translation project

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Levellass
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Post by Levellass »

Writing a translation program wouldn't be too hard, would you be using UTF-8 or UTF-16? In theory I'd just need a list of the symbols you're using and the squares they were being mapped to.
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Post by nanomekia »

UTF-8 I believe - so you would like me to pass the font bitmap on to you when I'm done? I'm not sure how to find out what things are mapped to, because derp.
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Levellass
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Post by Levellass »

Yes, I'd also need a document, preferably .txt (Which is the simplest format) with each symbol in it, preferably separated by spaces for clarity and in the same order they're put in on the bitmap. SO something like:

'a b c d e f g h i j'....

But with your symbols instead. Then it should only be a matter of half an hour to build a small utility to take an input text and covert it either to a patch or a game document.
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Post by nanomekia »

I can do that! I'll get cracking on it ASAP. :D
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Re: Commander Keen translation project

Post by nanomekia »

I haven't forgot about this.

I've just been having Stuff(tm) slamming me from every direction and that makes it quite hard to sit down and do the thing. I plan on sitting down to work on the bitmap tomorrow, $deity willing, and from there I can hopefully move on to the fun actual-translating part.

New year, new determination, let's do this thing, self.
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Nospike
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Re: Commander Keen translation project

Post by Nospike »

Good luck mate, thanks for the update. :) No need to rush anything.
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Levellass
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Re: Commander Keen translation project

Post by Levellass »

Just try and get it done before year's end.
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Re: Commander Keen translation project

Post by nanomekia »

I think that one will be doable. :P

I'm nearly done with it actually, I just seem to have misplaced a font.
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Re: Commander Keen translation project

Post by nanomekia »

And there we go; have PMed ye, 'lass.
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Levellass
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Re: Commander Keen translation project

Post by Levellass »

PM received, I will work on a little something on the weekend (Since it seems that you are not yet completely done with getting the bitmap organized. I see the format you're writing in, should be simple enough; a drag-and-drop to convert to Keen compatibility, that way you can do the patch file and the game texts in the same way, just putting in the right characters in a regular patch file or what-have-you. Should be fun!
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Re: Commander Keen translation project

Post by nanomekia »

Take your time! My SSD decided it wanted to die the most painful, unexpected and unnecessary of deaths today, and my backup machine can't run Paint Shop Pro. I should have a new SSD by the middle of next week, $deity willing.
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Re: Commander Keen translation project

Post by Levellass »

Ok,so I notice one critical error here.

Your list suggests you're fitting 17 symbols in a 16 symbol wide line. In Keen 1-3 font characters must be *exactly* 8x8 pixels wide, no more, no less.(Notice for example the number 1 has a lot of white space around it.) You need to make sure that all of your characters are in said 8x8 boxes or the game won't display them right.
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Re: Commander Keen translation project

Post by nanomekia »

Hmm, alrighty, I'll have a prod at that the instant I'm back on the editing machine. Good catch.
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Re: Commander Keen translation project

Post by RoboBlue »

This is a really cool idea! More games need to be translated into as many languages as possible.

If I might make a suggestion that would make this project as easy as possible: why not start out by just distributing the story (with pictures) as a PDF file?
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Re: Commander Keen translation project

Post by nanomekia »

Thanks mate!

Mm, that's a possibility. I think it may lose a lot of its appeal as a static picture story instead of something that can be played, but if this turns out to be too terrible to work with I'll keep that in mind. :)

'lass, I'm back on Ze Good Machine - I'll poke at the bitmap ASAP.
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