So, whaddya do?

[Cless]

You spend seven years working on a project, which is entirely a labor of love. Every little step of the way forward no matter how small or trivial it may seem, feels like Christmas.

And then just practically overnight, someone comes along and completely trivializes all the time you had spent, instead of offering the help you need to finish things up. So what? You come to the realization that you've just been kicked in the nuts, hard.

[themongomania]

Cless, I don't mean any disrespect, but the person who is leading that group has time and time again asked to help you.  Throughhim413 has offered to help translate the game before and you have seem uninterested.  On his blog, he states that you and him tried to reach an agreement about working together on this project so that it would reach the light of day. 

I understand that you have put so much time and effort into this project, but I don't think anyone has kicked you in the nuts; instead I think that they started their project because they felt unwanted and unneeded.  I may be wrong, but I've read this forum for many years and that is my take on it from an objective standpoint.

At the end of the day, it's about the game being done and in the hands of its fans.  As far as I'm concerned, no matter who finishes, the fans win, and that should be what translating a game should be about.

[Cless]

This isn't about throughhim.This is about whoever's hacking for the other project. Why couldn't he/she step in and help us complete OUR project at light speed. Does this person have an agenda against us, or what?

Also, I realize throughhim has offered to help before. I didn't request it because I already had someone on that position.

[themongomania]

Quoted from the other translation -

My intention with this project is not to take anything away from Phantasian Productions work on the PSX version of the game. Rather, I had a conversation with Cless the other day that I felt was a very positive discussion on the matter. While in the end, we were unable to reconcile the projects into a single effort, he wished our project the best and as always, I of course wish his the same.


I don't know exactly why you would say that they didn't offer to help, unless this paragraph is a lie.

[Cless]

that says nothing about his hacker though, whom of which I am taking issue with. I don't have any issues with throughhim.

I am angry because the hacker just made our 7 years of hard work look like it was nothing at all in just 1-2 weeks or less and never so much offered a helping hand to help boost our project.

[Skeud]

Yep, there is another translation.
Yep, there are fast.
So what?
Keep working on it, you both have different point of view about the translation anyway. So, at the end, the audience will choose which one to use. There are enough room for both.
And for the hacker : his identity isn't really too hard to find. there aren't much PS hackers around. You can still ask him why he didn't offer his help, but it doesn't really matter. We are near the finish line, and you can be proud of your work!

[Cyllya]

Maybe he didn't know enough to be helpful until recently? Or maybe he doesn't care about ToP and is working on it now because he's throughhim's friend?

[Kogahazan]

Although incredulous, it is possible, as Cyllya said, that this hacker has not heard of your translation. I was reading throughhim's blog and he says this sprung from talk of general romhacking so it is possible this person had no interest in Phantasia in the first place therefore would not seek to offer his services to a group he did not feel a part of.

I shall stop here and say it doesn't matter how all this came to be. It would obviously be awkward to ask for this hacker's help at this point therefore you should continue on. I would rather not see you take this in a negative light and instead see it more positively. Think about it. You have improved your skills through the course of this project and have created something with your two hands (with some help from others, not to discredit them).

So what are you going to do? Sit there and whine like a kid on their livejournal or get back on the horse alongside those who have and still are helping? I apologize if that seems insulting but I only mean to present the reality of the situation. I feel I speak for most of the community here that we support you no matter what happens. Seeing someone else making short work of something you've spent long to do is no reason to quit. If you won't do it for anyone else, at least do it for yourself. Finish this project so you can say "I did this." When you can say that, no one can take that away from you.

[Sinbad]

Cry me a river.  I felt the need to get my thoughts in.  I've been watching the progress of Phantasian Production for some time now.  It's silly to let your pride get in the way here.  It's a video game and a great one at that. There are two groups, both with different goals in the end.  No reason to point fingers really since I'm assuming anyone willing to work on this has a passion for the game and just might not see eye to eye on everything.  So why not do it yourself if you can?  When push comes to shove, everyone is going to use which every version they like best.  There is no reason NOT to finish yours.  Stop crying over spilled milk, pick up your crumbled pieces and do the best you can.  It doesn't matter who the hacker is  or if he/she betrayed you.  I think we're losing focus of what is really the main objective and that's the joy of a great game.  Shake hands and move on.  If anything this is a GOOD thing.  Look at all the positives!

[Cless]

Cry me a river.  I felt the need to get my thoughts in.  I've been watching the progress of Phantasian Production for some time now.  It's silly to let your pride get in the way here.  It's a video game and a great one at that. There are two groups, both with different goals in the end.  No reason to point fingers really since I'm assuming anyone willing to work on this has a passion for the game and just might not see eye to eye on everything.  So why not do it yourself if you can?  When push comes to shove, everyone is going to use which every version they like best.  There is no reason NOT to finish yours.  Stop crying over spilled milk, pick up your crumbled pieces and do the best you can.  It doesn't matter who the hacker is  or if he/she betrayed you.  I think we're losing focus of what is really the main objective and that's the joy of a great game.  Shake hands and move on.  If anything this is a GOOD thing.  Look at all the positives!

Is there a reason why you just registered a second account, themongomania?

Anyway, anyone who thinks I'm about to throw away our work is crazy. I hate competitive crap. How can one not feel they've just been spat on after something like this?

And there's no chance the hacker didn't know about this project. The hacker behind the other project is Gemini, he's the most proficient PSX hacker I know of, there's no way he couldn't have known of our project because he knows the scene quite well and has actually posted here in the past.

The only other rationale I can come up with is that he wanted total control over everything, as I do this project. I guess... that's fine. Would've been nice if he would have at least told me directly, because I've been talking with him a bit the last few days. But he never mentioned his ToP progress to me.

LOL PP SUX SUM UTHER GUYZ TRANLATED TOP PXS IN 3 MONTHS AND THAY TOOK OVER 7 YAEARS LOLOLOLOLOL

[Kogahazan]

Heh, after all I said... I must look like a fool now, don't I? Honestly, to think you were quitting... All I can say now "my bad."

[Sinbad]

We're brothers and two big time Tales fans (obviously).  I can't have my own thoughts?  With that said, I'm glad to see you're not going to give up since that's what it was looking like.  As a fan I wouldn't mind seeing two versions at all.  It's interesting from my point of view.  I really don't think it's a negative at all. Maybe you feel like you're being spit on, but I'm looking at it from the point of view from a fan only.  So again, glad you're still going to work on it through thick and thin.  I just don't like the blame game. That's what I came here to say and see ya later. 

[Cyllya]

Well, I can understand why you feel kind of hurt, Cless. (It should be pretty understandable to anyone looking from the point of view of the person DOING the work instead of someone who just benefits from the work afterwards regardless of who did it.)

[Cless]

Well, okay. Nevermind all the crap from previous postings.

I spoke with Gemini. Things are cool. He said he'd at least consider lending us the code he will make for the skits and prologue battle, which would be a great boost.

[Cless Aileron]

Nice to hear that the problem you felt manage to be resolved quickly.  I understand why you feel hurt previously but at least there's the bright side to what happened and what you did like others have said (like learning a few things in hacking as well as that resolution).

[raigan]

Based on the screenshots he's posted I wouldn't feel too bad about it. Your version looks way better so far. You've clearly spent more time with font selection, placement, and other cosmetic details that produce a quality end product. Also, you're aiming for different things. It's simple, the aim of his version is to have Tales of Phantasia in english. It will probably feel like a fan patch. The aim of your patch is to produce an experience that feels like what Tales of Phantasia should have been had it been localized here.

Also - the fact he says he's going to be using a "complete and accurate" translation terrifies me for some reason. I have this mounting sense of dread that I'd be encountering multiple Japanese sayings and proverbs that make absolutely zero sense to me.

PS:I apologize if this doesn't make any sense, I haven't got through my coffee yet. It's too early...