Gaming Persona 2: Eternal Punishment - Time for a Fan Translation?

[GDW]

Unfortunately, this is all stuff I'd already found and done! But I welcome anything that gets us closer to finding text.


Files that are just PNG(s) (and what I've done with them):
ADDBIN.BIN (unused image data, stored at the back end of ID values in the CPK)
advcg.bin (NPC talk prompt)
bingo.bin (Bingo GUI)
bj.bin (Blackjack GUI, translated)
bt_menu.bin (Battle menus, translated)
btef.bin (Battle GUI, cursors)
ca_cmn.bin (Casino GUI with text, translated)
ca_face.bin (Character faces for casino GUI)
ca_hlp.bin (Casino help GUI, translated)
card.bin (All the Persona card images, doesn't need to be touched)
card.bin (Another casino card game)
ch_menu.bin (Character status stuff, translated)
cm_menu.bin (Another menu, three images untranslated)
credit.bin (Image underlays for the endgame credits, two images untranslated)
cut_in.bin (Typical Persona face cut-ins for battle)
datapack.bin (Two images; one is a font table, but both are bit-identical between P2 versions)
dunchar.bin (Main character dungeon sprites)
edit.bin (Four images untranslated)
entry.bin (Two unimportant images)
exresult.bin (Battle result GUI)
gallerycg.bin (Cutscene gallery thumbnails)
img_bunner.bin (Banners for overworld shops, translated)
img_shop.bin (Shop GUI, untranslated)
img_velvet.bin (Velvet Room GUI, translated)
kiyaku.bin (Terms of use for the quest editor probably)
m_ef gim files (fog overlays)
map_w.bin (Map stuff, no translation needed)
poker.bin (duh)
result.bin (Result stuff, one image untranslated)
slot.bin (heh)
ss pngs (Spaceships; test images probably)
syscg.bin (Font tables)
titlecg.bin (Title screen GUI, basic translation done)


Files that definitely contain text:
CD_SHOP.BIN (Shop dialogue and procedure tables)
event.bin (Strongly suspect this is archived text files, no idea how to make them sing)
F_BE.BNP (Some battle event text)
And the decrypted eboot, which contains Persona names, names for the credits, etc. as well as the ISO load order)


Many of the BNP files are visual overlay effects (fusion, minimaps, etc), but some seem to also contain text or game logic. I haven't been over them with a comb.

I've also made an ordered list of the files by their ID in the CPK (attached), which corresponds to their location offset in the CPK. It's clear from the list which files are logically grouped together, even though some contents are still a mystery.

 

[For Whom?]

Unfortunately, this is all stuff I'd already found and done! But I welcome anything that gets us closer to finding text.


Files that are just PNG(s) (and what I've done with them):
ADDBIN.BIN (unused image data, stored at the back end of ID values in the CPK)
advcg.bin (NPC talk prompt)
bingo.bin (Bingo GUI)
bj.bin (Blackjack GUI, translated)
bt_menu.bin (Battle menus, translated)
btef.bin (Battle GUI, cursors)
ca_cmn.bin (Casino GUI with text, translated)
ca_face.bin (Character faces for casino GUI)
ca_hlp.bin (Casino help GUI, translated)
card.bin (All the Persona card images, doesn't need to be touched)
card.bin (Another casino card game)
ch_menu.bin (Character status stuff, translated)
cm_menu.bin (Another menu, three images untranslated)
credit.bin (Image underlays for the endgame credits, two images untranslated)
cut_in.bin (Typical Persona face cut-ins for battle)
datapack.bin (Two images; one is a font table, but both are bit-identical between P2 versions)
dunchar.bin (Main character dungeon sprites)
edit.bin (Four images untranslated)
entry.bin (Two unimportant images)
exresult.bin (Battle result GUI)
gallerycg.bin (Cutscene gallery thumbnails)
img_bunner.bin (Banners for overworld shops, translated)
img_shop.bin (Shop GUI, untranslated)
img_velvet.bin (Velvet Room GUI, translated)
kiyaku.bin (Terms of use for the quest editor probably)
m_ef gim files (fog overlays)
map_w.bin (Map stuff, no translation needed)
poker.bin (duh)
result.bin (Result stuff, one image untranslated)
slot.bin (heh)
ss pngs (Spaceships; test images probably)
syscg.bin (Font tables)
titlecg.bin (Title screen GUI, basic translation done)


Files that definitely contain text:
CD_SHOP.BIN (Shop dialogue and procedure tables)
event.bin (Strongly suspect this is archived text files, no idea how to make them sing)
F_BE.BNP (Some battle event text)
And the decrypted eboot, which contains Persona names, names for the credits, etc. as well as the ISO load order)


Many of the BNP files are visual overlay effects (fusion, minimaps, etc), but some seem to also contain text or game logic. I haven't been over them with a comb.

I've also made an ordered list of the files by their ID in the CPK (attached), which corresponds to their location offset in the CPK. It's clear from the list which files are logically grouped together, even though some contents are still a mystery.

This is all very impressive. Thank you for this. I've tried looking around the internal files of both IS and EP and found almost nothing. I did however get P2all decompressed and have the files you have listed. If you don't mind me asking, how exactly did you get png's from these files? Did you use a tile editor like Sky did?

 

[GDW]

I've done the first reinsertion test yesterday. This time I was checking to see if the ISO would boot, after manually switching compressed files in the CPK out for their uncompressed versions and editing all relevant values. I'm happy to report that the ISO boots fine, which is very good news. The file I used was SE_SLOT.BIN, so I'll need to get to the casino in my save file to ensure that the sounds still load, for consistency's sake.

The next test I'll be doing will be insertion of an uncompressed edited file, to make sure that it appears in-game as normal. If that's successful (I expect it will be) then I'll write an insertion tool to do the work, and a translation project can get officially underway.

I should also note, this strategy of using uncompressed files in the CPK will only add a negligible 13-14 MB to the total filesize when all is said and done.

This is all very impressive. Thank you for this. I've tried looking around the internal files of both IS and EP and found almost nothing. I did however get P2all decompressed and have the files you have listed. If you don't mind me asking, how exactly did you get png's from these files? Did you use a tile editor like Sky did?

At first I wrote a brute-force splitter that separates the files from one another, then runs them through gimconv in a batch, disregarding any information that's irrelevant to image data. The image files all start with that "MIG" header I was talking about earlier.

I do it more politely lately, by preserving all the non-image pieces of the file, using pngout to convert the 8bit+alpha PNGs into 32bit for editing, using pngnq to convert back to 8bit+alpha when they're done, and after adding them all back into the file as MIGs again, editing the file's table of contents to account for any changed file sizes. I've written a little program that does all that heavy lifting, of course.

 

[Arizato]

The next test I'll be doing will be insertion of an uncompressed edited file, to make sure that it appears in-game as normal. If that's successful (I expect it will be) then I'll write an insertion tool to do the work, and a translation project can get officially underway.

Hell yeah! This is great news. Thank you for putting effort into this! However have you found the files which contains any parts of the story/dialogue?

 

[iamatmylimit]

Imagine how cool would it be to extract the text from the PSX ENG version and put it in the PSP JAP version xD.

I would imagine extracting the script from the psx version is more difficult since there is less documentation.

 

[Arizato]

I would imagine extracting the script from the psx version is more difficult since there is less documentation.

Don't think that will be much of a problem as long as we get hold of someone that has experience with PSX games.

 

[GDW]

I don't think that will be possible. They would have had to have kept the same order of text and they would have to be stored similarly.

Arizato, I do have a hunch about several files containing text, haven't found it though.

 

[Arizato]

I don't think that will be possible. They would have had to have kept the same order of text and they would have to be stored similarly.

Arizato, I do have a hunch about several files containing text, haven't found it though.

Well, I think extracting the story segments from the english version of Eternal Punishment for PSX and then manually implementing it in the PSP version. It would surely save alot of time translating.

Cool! Looking forward to more results!

 

[Andrefpvs]

I just want to say an honest "Thank you" to everyone who's been taking a look at this. I was very disappointed when this game was not localized, so your efforts are truly appreciated.

 

[GDW]

Well, I think extracting the story segments from the english version of Eternal Punishment for PSX and then manually implementing it in the PSP version. It would surely save alot of time translating.

Cool! Looking forward to more results!

I'm not sure that I'm content with the PSX translation, when it comes to that, and we'd still have to match English lines with the Japanese translation, meaning it's only a little less work to actually translate the lines. Gotta find the text first, though.

 

[LeonDeka]

Holy crap!
I take a break from the forum for Xmas, and SkyBladeCloud posts in here!!!

Ermahgerd! *faints*

itshappening.gif

 

[SkyBladeCloud]

Well, I was considering this one as a future project... But it looks like you guys are well served

...

 

[LeonDeka]

Well, I was considering this one as a future project... But it looks like you guys are well served

...

Hey, always room for more help! Tallent like you on board could really help boost popularity! Plus, your work on Type-0 is more or less professional!!

 

[Michael M]

Glad to see there is some progress with this. I must say I agree that a fresh translation would be better than extracting the English PS script. There may be some changes in the text from the JP script and there is new content in PSP. You'd have to alter some character names due to it matching with the English ones from Revelations: Persona. I am actually replaying Eternal Punishment at the moment and there are some major issues with text/spelling and the like. The spells have names like Maha Agi instead of Maragi. Persona and demon names are iffy. Waitley should be spelled Whateley (a character from Lovecraft's The Dunwich Horror) and Stymphalides is incorrectly called Stuparideth. Item names differ as well.

 

[GDW]

I wouldn't mind if anyone had an off-the-cuff hunch on this one, as I'm not terribly familiar with the PSP, haha. In particular I'm talking about the mangled graphic next to the title.

This is from the reinsertion test -- the file containing all of these title screen images is the one I reinserted in its uncompressed form. I've double-checked all my maths, so I'm more inclined to believe that this error has to do with the game, maybe a memory allocation issue. I'm just wondering if anyone has seen a similar error in PSP hacking and can point me to an obvious cause. I should add, the error is consistent on actual hardware and PPSSPP.


In other news though, the actual reinsertion tool is just about finished being written. I understand and can replicate every aspect of this CPK format now, short of re-compression of files. So trial and error is going to be a lot quicker and easier in a short while, meaning progress can ramp up.

 

[Arizato]

Well, I was considering this one as a future project... But it looks like you guys are well served

...

While GDW certianly has talent we could still really use your help on this. Just look where your thread on Type-0 is today.

I wouldn't mind if anyone had an off-the-cuff hunch on this one, as I'm not terribly familiar with the PSP, haha. In particular I'm talking about the mangled graphic next to the title.

This is from the reinsertion test -- the file containing all of these title screen images is the one I reinserted in its uncompressed form. I've double-checked all my maths, so I'm more inclined to believe that this error has to do with the game, maybe a memory allocation issue. I'm just wondering if anyone has seen a similar error in PSP hacking and can point me to an obvious cause. I should add, the error is consistent on actual hardware and PPSSPP.


In other news though, the actual reinsertion tool is just about finished being written. I understand and can replicate every aspect of this CPK format now, short of re-compression of files. So trial and error is going to be a lot quicker and easier in a short while, meaning progress can ramp up.

Call me stupid, but what is the actual problem? I'm guessing you tried to replace the text at the bottom of the screen which explains what the "LOAD GAME" option is, but it still appears in japanese?

Nice to see that the reinsertion tool is coming along well!

 

[GDW]

Call me stupid, but what is the actual problem? I'm guessing you tried to replace the text at the bottom of the screen which explains what the "LOAD GAME" option is, but it still appears in japanese?

Nice to see that the reinsertion tool is coming along well!

The mangled square-shaped graphic next to the title. 32 rows of 60 pixels loaded in a linear fashion, then another 32 pixels, and after that it looks like the hardware tried to fill in the rest of an expected image size with whitespace.

More insertion testing should point out a pattern, it's not a big concern.

 

[Michael M]

Really happy to see this progress

I know 罰 is Batsu.

 

[Tayruu]

Aaaah, I'm glad to see this has regained footing, I was kinda worried.

Well, I think extracting the story segments from the english version of Eternal Punishment for PSX and then manually implementing it in the PSP version. It would surely save alot of time translating.

Honestly that sounds like a bad idea. The scripts could be compared to assist with translation, but the PSX version uses a lot of different terms/names, and for all we know there are new segments of dialogue or the like that won't make it exactly the same.

... I wish I could contribute, the most I think I could even do would be to say, edit those splash screens posted earlier if I had a translation. Although I don't have the PSP-IP font, if that was reused for this translation. I would use that because consiiiistencccyyyy.

EDIT: Well this was tedious, but an interesting experiment. I wanted to at least give some sort of edit a shot because I felt like I was making empty statements. There's probably a lot of situations where text is overlaid on some background that has texture...

 

[Arizato]

The mangled square-shaped graphic next to the title. 32 rows of 60 pixels loaded in a linear fashion, then another 32 pixels, and after that it looks like the hardware tried to fill in the rest of an expected image size with whitespace.

More insertion testing should point out a pattern, it's not a big concern.

Haha, now I just feel stupid. It's clear as day now.

Honestly that sounds like a bad idea. The scripts could be compared to assist with translation, but the PSX version uses a lot of different terms/names, and for all we know there are new segments of dialogue or the like that won't make it exactly the same.

Yes, I am aware of that fact. But what if we changed terms like Maha-Agi, spelling error and mistranslations? Someone edited the Aeon Genesis patch for Shin Megami Tensei SNES to make those changes and it was a job well done. I am saying this because there might be problems with finding enough translators who are interested in this game.