First time poster, so I'll beat around the bush....

I'm sure EVERYONE here knows about the old MEGA-CD (Japanese SEGA-CD, for the truly uninitiated...) Shadowrun game.

Unfortunantly, I, much like a lot of folks here (or at least, if the people I know are any indication) don't read Japanese well, if at all.

Now, I'm thinking...

What if some fool, with too much money on his hands, picked up one of those MEGA-CD Shadowrun games from Ebay or somewhere, made an .iso of it, and sent it to a ROM translation group.

It's been an idea I've toyed with in my head, but this seems like to place to ask it....

well, first problem i can see, is it'd technically be illegal i think...

Anyone who can use Google can download an ISO of the game (yes, that definitely includes translation groups). The problem is that no translation group seems interested in undertaking the project. Last time I searched for signs of interest the most recent was this thread, but it doesn't appear to have gone beyond idle talk.

There's a translated script on gamefaqs, actually. I haven't really gotten much time to check out how good of a translation of it, but having a script already done would make actually producing a translated rom that much easier. Check it out at http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/segacd/gam...ame/919216.html

The probably is converting the same message in another language. The Japanese language is very simple in this respect. Sure it has a double character set (there's Hirigana for japanese based words, and Katakana for 'borrowed' or forgein words. Let's not even metion the Kanji) but the message can be conveyed in a few characters.

Let's take this example:

Ri|n|go| |o| |ta|be|ma|su

Each '|' seperates a character. That's ten characters, including spaces.

What does it mean? "I eat the apple." With the "I" being implyed since you are the one saying it. A direct translation into game code (exchanging one character for another) you would be able to including everything upto, but not including "apple".

This is usually the problem encountered today with localization. Conveying the same message using less space. And making sure all the ideas get across. This isn't much of a problem nowadays but in the 8-/16-bit era, it was. Which usually resulted in hacked scripts or missing extras to make room. (See metal gear, final fantasy series)

Ja, the .iso et al. have been out for a while, but no translations...last I heard, DV8 had tried to play it with no joy. Couple of the songs and the manual have been ripped, though.

The real problem is that the game is almost a cult artifact at this point: the necronomicon of our genre, remaining undecipherable and so witholding whatever precious secrets it might contain!

But really. That's the same with most Japanese SR products. Didja know the Japanese SR2 hardcover had manga in it? I got to flip through it at auction, but some bastard outbid me.