Which translation to use?
6 years ago
Canada

I have to ask since I am planning on buying a translated copy of this game since I prefer physical game vs emulation. Which translation is better to use for speedrunning...?

Nevada, USA

I highly recommend the translation I made, of course :)

Canada

I still have to download it, but no tests have been done to see which is faster...?

Also, awesome job on the translation, Projared is using it for his LP on the game :3

Florida, USA

To be honest. You can't compare the two translations. TheSiege's version is inheritantly faster. It does NOT play exactly the same as the japanese version.

Case and point: Play the 3 versions off the same input on an emulator. The emulator basically makes it so the console is the same. What you will see is that the J and old trans patch will keep in sync as the game goes on, but TheSiege's patch will start to break off as little as 1-2 combats in.

The revisions to the text system make it the ¤faster¤ version but it isn't correct. It leads to impossible RNG seeds comparing into the original game.

This is very easy as I can de-sync them on the first combat VERY easily, which means that due to the frame rules this game uses... TheSiege's patch has options to improbable seeds that may or may not be possible in the original.

If you are going for authentic, use the OLD or the raw J. If you want fastest / un-reproducable on console, go with TheSiege's

Nevada, USA

Thanks for doing the research Rane. I honestly didn't know all of this, and after hearing it, it would seem that it invalidates my run. The rightful thing to do would be to pull it from the record and start running the J version.

Nevada, USA

I personally vote for the idea of using the Japanese version if you're going for serious attempts at WR, but stick to my translation if you're playing the game in a marathon setting.

Anyone that gets a WR in this game at a marathon surely deserves it.

Florida, USA

To be honest Siege. I dont blame you; that translation does GOOD things for just playing the game casually. There are some faults with the Gaijin translation I fault it for (the woods and some other things).

But basically because text boxes are used heavily in combat this is what can cause the problem. Basically cause it handles them some few frames faster, and what frame the combat ends on determines the step count for the next combat... The early combats cause the seed to split VERY fast off the same input.

Basically the short of it, for those wanting to verify the desync, is that you'll do one combat and it will sync up fine. Preferably I use the Ghost encounter at the start of the game. The game is forced to a starter step count (21 or something i'm too lazy to remember), so you'll always get that combat. What frame you start the combat on determines the target (doll or ghost). Once that happens the combat plays out, and depending on the circumstances and inputs you can keep the seed or break it. If you hold the advance button, the text keeps going and ends the first frame possible. Doing this, leads to the de-sync issue. If you wait the number of frames such that the other versions catch up, you can end on the same frame and continue the sync.

So someone could, in theory, gain benefit from the menus/texts elsewhere in the game but still use the combat to look like its running the same, keeping the noted techs in sync.

TLDR: Combat's ending frame determines steps to next encounter, holding button to end it fastest, leads to new translation ending combat FASTER than old translation/J. This leads to new seeds and just frame saves per menu/combat/text that shows up.

Canada

Should this then be added to the rules on the leaderboard for future runners...?

Positive note, get to brush up on reading Japanese :3