Sakura, Moyu. -as the Night's, Reincarnation- Translation Project (Discontinued)

[Erogamer]

8 hours ago, Xelane said:

Happy new year everyone!

I'll be honest here, I had some last minute trouble and I couldn't get it in before the year end, but the common route is finally here.
I have added a link to the download in the post, you can check it out. Hope you all enjoy it.

I eagerly await everyone's feedback and criticism.

It could use some more editing as some of the words and phrases are not quite right. Most of it is pretty good tho. Just taking this on is a dream come true for many people. Just know that and be encourages as many will be ecstatic when this is finished.

[Studs]

On 1/1/2024 at 10:35 PM, Xelane said:

Happy new year everyone!

I'll be honest here, I had some last minute trouble and I couldn't get it in before the year end, but the common route is finally here.
I have added a link to the download in the post, you can check it out. Hope you all enjoy it.

I eagerly await everyone's feedback and criticism.

I have read the first hour of the common route and so far I'm having a blast rereading it. Also translation is great although some words feel abit off.

[Kazuto_Hitori]

Congrats on the release  

[Cryptah]

Great job. Translation been pretty good for first few hours, there is however few translation errors but nothing major which is good if this really is your first project. The biggest problem still would be a bit too direct translations. Like "complicated face" or "head not being good" or "train running". 

Plenty of small typos and few line breaks, but I am sure you are well aware of those already. Favorites engine is quite tedious to work with especially with those line breaks and weird glitches.

Really looking forward the rest of the translation and I hope you will get there. This game truly is one of those "stories that no matter how many times you read, you never get bored off" So good luck with rest of the translation!

Edited January 2 by Cryptah

[Satsuki]

Only read a bit to check the quality of the translation (already finished the game long ago) and yeah, I agree that the translation is fine, but way too direct so lots of them just sounded either awkward or textbook-ish. Definitely requires some serious editing.

Just a bit of advice from me, but rather than keeping the translation at point-blank range from the original, try to think about how you would say a sentence like that irl instead. Worked quite well for me before.

Edited January 4 by Satsuki

[Nokts]

Just created this account for the sole purpose of writing a comment here 

I heard about Sakura Moyu a while back and as I kept digging for opinions and review, I found nothing but praise for it. As such, I'm really happy you decided to undertake this giant project for the sake of sharing a story you love with the rest of the English speaking world. And for me, that is is key point, that you love what you are translating. Now, I apologize if this is a bit cheesy, but when I hear about any big localization company picking up a VN, I'm usually really skeptical about the quality of whatever they plan to release. Hearing you say that you absolutely adore this game, and that is even your reason to learn the language, I immediately went "yup, that's it, I feel pretty good about this one". The skills needed for this can be learned and improved along the way, but someone's devotion for a piece of fiction can't. If you're willing to commit and pour everything you have into this, iterating over and over until you are satisfied, I wholeheartedly believe it's in good hands. No one will be more demanding than a true fan, after all. Heck,  for me, even the fact that some things ended up being translated a bit too literally is a good sign. Sure, there might be inexperience, but also extreme care being put into not altering the original message.

Ok, cheesy remarks over. I'd love to contribute to the project somehow, but I can't even offer my help as a proofreader, what with English not being my native language and being unable to pick up on odd-sounding stuff. Regardless, you have all my support and appreciation for what is worth. Keep it up man!

[Xelane]

Alright this will be a long one, but please bear with me.
Some of you might have seen this coming (some might have not) but I cannot continue translating this anymore due to a request from NekoNyan.
Please do not hate anyone for this. This is mostly an oversight from me.

...Let's talk about a story.
This was about... over a year ago.

I had a conversation with my friend that went something like this:
"Hey this game is great you should play it"
"Okay but my Japanese is bad"
"That's fine just take your time"
"I'll play on the weekend"
On the weekend:
"Weekly reminder for you to play Sakura Moyu"
"Okay" *disappears*
The next weekend:
"Weekly reminder"
"Okay" *disappears*
...And that went on for about a year. Yes, a year. I think it was even more.

At one point, I think I lost it and said:
"You know what, if you can teach me how to edit the game files then I'll translate it for you"
"lmao ok"
And then we spent the next few nights looking up for tools to decompile the game files and edit them.
Few months pass, I get some more people to play my initial patches, I go around editing it over and... I reach here.

Do I have any regrets? Nope. None at all. I have probably spent a few hundred hours on this. After getting the initial know-how I mostly worked on it alone, that included figuring out how the script works, breaking it a couple of times and falling into despair (after which I made sure to create backups like everyday), figuring out how some of the formatting worked by looking at other games made in FVP, photoshopping the images, dealing with errors in the existing translation tools due to them using outdated libraries, practically having to learn English in Japanese, and making sure I didn't miss any references (mostly a few songs, although it's about impossible to tell in the translations).
But that's okay, as long as more people get to know about this game, that is more than enough for me. At the very least, I got some of my friends hooked to the game.

As for what I want to do next, I don't know. It likely won't be a translation project. Maybe I'll learn to draw and make a game of my own, or maybe just focus on my studies.
Some people have asked me to translate other games instead. I can understand your feelings but I honestly cannot get myself to translate anything else when this game sits untranslated. The only other game in my mind was Sakura no Uta, but it seems that someone else has already started translating that, and I'd say that's a good thing in its own.

With that, I only hope the best for the future of this game with whoever takes it into their hands.

[Novel21]

It's okay I understand and does it mean It's possible for NekoNyan to pick up this VN? 

I hope so and good luck with whatever you decide to do.

[NowItsAngeTime]

2 hours ago, Novel21 said:

It's okay I understand and does it mean It's possible for NekoNyan to pick up this VN? 

I hope so and good luck with whatever you decide to do.

Most likely they'll have to finish the Iroseka trilogy first, then maybe Sakura Moyu after

[NowItsAngeTime]

3 hours ago, Xelane said:

Alright this will be a long one, but please bear with me.
Some of you might have seen this coming (some might have not) but I cannot continue translating this anymore due to a request from NekoNyan.
Please do not hate anyone for this. This is mostly an oversight from me.

...Let's talk about a story.
This was about... over a year ago.

I had a conversation with my friend that went something like this:
"Hey this game is great you should play it"
"Okay but my Japanese is bad"
"That's fine just take your time"
"I'll play on the weekend"
On the weekend:
"Weekly reminder for you to play Sakura Moyu"
"Okay" *disappears*
The next weekend:
"Weekly reminder"
"Okay" *disappears*
...And that went on for about a year. Yes, a year. I think it was even more.

At one point, I think I lost it and said:
"You know what, if you can teach me how to edit the game files then I'll translate it for you"
"lmao ok"
And then we spent the next few nights looking up for tools to decompile the game files and edit them.
Few months pass, I get some more people to play my initial patches, I go around editing it over and... I reach here.

Do I have any regrets? Nope. None at all. I have probably spent a few hundred hours on this. After getting the initial know-how I mostly worked on it alone, that included figuring out how the script works, breaking it a couple of times and falling into despair (after which I made sure to create backups like everyday), figuring out how some of the formatting worked by looking at other games made in FVP, photoshopping the images, dealing with errors in the existing translation tools due to them using outdated libraries, practically having to learn English in Japanese, and making sure I didn't miss any references (mostly a few songs, although it's about impossible to tell in the translations).
But that's okay, as long as more people get to know about this game, that is more than enough for me. At the very least, I got some of my friends hooked to the game.

As for what I want to do next, I don't know. It likely won't be a translation project. Maybe I'll learn to draw and make a game of my own, or maybe just focus on my studies.
Some people have asked me to translate other games instead. I can understand your feelings but I honestly cannot get myself to translate anything else when this game sits untranslated. The only other game in my mind was Sakura no Uta, but it seems that someone else has already started translating that, and I'd say that's a good thing in its own.

With that, I only hope the best for the future of this game with whoever takes it into their hands.

I 100% saw this coming the minute this was announced on vndb

[Novel21]

8 minutes ago, NowItsAngeTime said:

Most likely they'll have to finish the Iroseka trilogy first, then maybe Sakura Moyu after

How close are they to finish Iroseka trilogy? 

[NowItsAngeTime]

Just now, Novel21 said:

How close are they to finish Iroseka trilogy? 

The first one has a chance of releasing in the next few months. Wouldn't be surprised if the next two took several years IF they come out.

[Alvi]

3 hours ago, Xelane said:

Alright this will be a long one, but please bear with me.
Some of you might have seen this coming (some might have not) but I cannot continue translating this anymore due to a request from NekoNyan.
Please do not hate anyone for this. This is mostly an oversight from me.

...Let's talk about a story.
This was about... over a year ago.

I had a conversation with my friend that went something like this:
"Hey this game is great you should play it"
"Okay but my Japanese is bad"
"That's fine just take your time"
"I'll play on the weekend"
On the weekend:
"Weekly reminder for you to play Sakura Moyu"
"Okay" *disappears*
The next weekend:
"Weekly reminder"
"Okay" *disappears*
...And that went on for about a year. Yes, a year. I think it was even more.

At one point, I think I lost it and said:
"You know what, if you can teach me how to edit the game files then I'll translate it for you"
"lmao ok"
And then we spent the next few nights looking up for tools to decompile the game files and edit them.
Few months pass, I get some more people to play my initial patches, I go around editing it over and... I reach here.

Do I have any regrets? Nope. None at all. I have probably spent a few hundred hours on this. After getting the initial know-how I mostly worked on it alone, that included figuring out how the script works, breaking it a couple of times and falling into despair (after which I made sure to create backups like everyday), figuring out how some of the formatting worked by looking at other games made in FVP, photoshopping the images, dealing with errors in the existing translation tools due to them using outdated libraries, practically having to learn English in Japanese, and making sure I didn't miss any references (mostly a few songs, although it's about impossible to tell in the translations).
But that's okay, as long as more people get to know about this game, that is more than enough for me. At the very least, I got some of my friends hooked to the game.

As for what I want to do next, I don't know. It likely won't be a translation project. Maybe I'll learn to draw and make a game of my own, or maybe just focus on my studies.
Some people have asked me to translate other games instead. I can understand your feelings but I honestly cannot get myself to translate anything else when this game sits untranslated. The only other game in my mind was Sakura no Uta, but it seems that someone else has already started translating that, and I'd say that's a good thing in its own.

With that, I only hope the best for the future of this game with whoever takes it into their hands.

That's too bad, i was looking forward to this project and i'm sure that it was in good hands considering that you are a fan of the game and dedicated so much time and  hard work on making a translation patch but then NekoNyan had to arrive and butcher it. At the very least I expect them to take this matter on their hands even though i believe that it would have been so much better if the translation came from a fan like you who genuinely liked the game.

[SeizethePoets]

I don't know if there have been similar cases with Sekai Project, just beware that Nekonyan can issue a DMCA at any time if they like. They've taken down translation projects like Amairo * Islenuts, KoiChoco for the PSP, and most notably Houkago no Cinderella after 2 years of work and two routes away from completion. The news of the takedown of this visual novel greatly saddened me and engraved my disdain for Nekonyan in my heart.

[Nokts]

Well, that's fucked up. Complete lack of respect for the fans and the efforts made by the community as usual. 

Now the least they could do is to offer a better translation than OP could even possibly dream of in a timely manner. But of course, that's highly unlikely. They could deliver hot garbage instead and there would be no accountability nor hope of ever fixing the mess without incurring in a lawsuit.

I'm sorry Xelane, I know you probably don't want people to throw hate at Nekonyan, and I won't aside from expressing my frustration here out of respect for you. I can't help but expressing my absolute contempt towards them here, however.

Thank you a lot for your efforts thus far and I hope you are very successful in your future endeavors! Lots of love!

[Erogamer]

As someone already said, watch as Nenonyan butchers this translation. Clover Days has a shitty job done on the TL and I have low expectations for Irosekai. You should have done this in secret. Perhaps if you could work with NN this would actually get a decent TL.

[Cryptah]

Thanks for your effort so far and sad to see it ends like this. It didn't come as a surprise as its highly likely NekoNyan will eventually translate this game as well. Until then I will also have to keep asking my friends to wait to experience Sakura Moyu, but sadly thats many years away.

[littleshogun]

Well, ...how should I say this? Perhaps I shouldn't update the VNDB entry when it was released so that VNTS person from 4chan didn't caught it and then inevitably spread the news that caught up one of Nekonyan's staff attention considering Sakuramoyu is from their FAVORITE company (Sorry for the intentional pun).

That aside, I understand very much that this is neccesary evil seeing that they'll face huge risk if a fan released the patch of the VN from their partner companies, especially if the company caught the wind of it. Personally speaking though, I didn't exactly like on how it's going after all even if I understand the situation.

in the end, sorry for the rambling and what was done is already done. So, let's just move on from this complex matter.

PS - Forgot to say congratulation for the common route patch release, and good luck on whatever you'll do next.

Edited January 9 by littleshogun

[Studs]

I'm a bit sad that this project got discontinued as I was looking forward to seeing this VN get fully translated.

Also, I wish you good luck with whatever you are planning to do next.

 

[Satsuki]

On 1/9/2024 at 8:46 AM, SeizethePoets said:

They've taken down translation projects like Amairo * Islenuts, KoiChoco for the PSP, and most notably Houkago no Cinderella after 2 years of work and two routes away from completion. 

I understand that you hate Nekonyan but...what?

Amairo Islenauts project was abandoned years before Nekonyan became a thing.

I never heard about any project for KoiChoco PSP, and in any case, the translation for the PC version was already finished long before Nekonyan so going after a simple porting project is just weird.

As for Houkago no Cinderella, I'm not too sure about their situation but from what I read, they got DMCA by Hooksoft themselves, and people only assumed that they acted under Nekonyan's "order" with no real proof.

Edited January 10 by Satsuki

[Duckery]

18 hours ago, Satsuki said:

I understand that you hate Nekonyan but...what?

Amairo Islenauts project was abandoned years before Nekonyan became a thing.

I never heard about any project for KoiChoco PSP, and in any case, the translation for the PC version was already finished long before Nekonyan so going after a simple porting project is just weird.

As for Houkago no Cinderella, I'm not too sure about their situation but from what I read, they got DMCA by Hooksoft themselves, and people only assumed that they acted under Nekonyan's "order" with no real proof.

I was the editor on Houkago Cinderella when the project was dropped, joining a few months before it was dropped due to the takedown notice. At the time, I was tasked with focusing on editing Youka's route and was about half-way finished with the route, but due to the takedown, nothing I worked on was released in the partial patches that came out. I was not in the conversation when the takedown was requested, but based on statements, the translator was messaged to stop the project from someone at NekoNyan since they are partners with Hooksoft and the image editor made a statement along those same lines(saying it was NekoNyan) in the Discord server when announcing the project was dropped. Though when news spread and when it was announced it was worded like it came from Hooksoft(the AfterschoolTL's blog post stating "HOOKSOFT representative") themselves since NekoNyan was acting as Hooksoft's representatives due to the partnership. Part of the reason why things shifted to not announce what future projects, if any, are. The translator was honestly surprised they weren't hit sooner by a takedown notice or something, and so was I. 

Edited January 11 by Duckery

[Brad807]

On 1/9/2024 at 2:31 AM, Erogamer said:

Perhaps if you could work with NN this would actually get a decent TL.

This is a good idea, i'm pretty sure it would benefit them to have someone translating the game for them and maybe with their help the translation could be released even quicker.

[Xelane]

On 1/14/2024 at 11:54 PM, Brad807 said:

This is a good idea, i'm pretty sure it would benefit them to have someone translating the game for them and maybe with their help the translation could be released even quicker.

I did actually request them to make my work official, if possible in any way.
They said they will review my last uploaded patch and decide when the license for the game comes into question.
In other words, if it does happen, it will take a good while. I'd say anywhere around 2-3 years. They have the entire triology of IroSeka before deciding on their next Favorite game, and I wouldn't be surprised if they decide to do AstralAir next.
I personally wish to translate this game officially if possible as that would mean a lot to me, but honestly speaking I wouldn't be surprised if someone else decides to get something done before NN as an official translation would definitely take some long time.

[Brad807]

3 hours ago, Xelane said:

I did actually request them to make my work official, if possible in any way.
They said they will review my last uploaded patch and decide when the license for the game comes into question.
In other words, if it does happen, it will take a good while. I'd say anywhere around 2-3 years. They have the entire triology of IroSeka before deciding on their next Favorite game, and I wouldn't be surprised if they decide to do AstralAir next.
I personally wish to translate this game officially if possible as that would mean a lot to me, but honestly speaking I wouldn't be surprised if someone else decides to get something done before NN as an official translation would definitely take some long time.

I believe that if they (hypotetically) already had the game translated they would just publish It even before waiting to complete the Irosekai trilogy or AstralAir since they would just need to get the license and publish it because a lot of people wants to see it translated.

If i were you i wouldn't give up on translating it anyway because you already managed to do so much but i believe that considering the popularity of the game and the fact that you already released the common route it might not be long before someone decides to fully translate the rest of game officially or not. I would even try doing it myself if i knew Japanese better but i basically just started studying it so it would surely be a mess even if i attempted to do it.

Edited January 21 by Brad807

[Cryptah]

1 hour ago, Brad807 said:

I believe that if they (hypotetically) already had the game translated they would just publish It even before waiting to complete the Irosekai trilogy or AstralAir since they would just need to get the license and publish it because a lot of people wants to see it translated.

If i were you i wouldn't give up on translating it anyway because you already managed to do so much but i believe that considering the popularity of the game and the fact that you already released the common route it might not be long before someone decides to fully translate the rest of game officially or not. I would even try doing it myself if i knew Japanese better but i basically just started studying it so it would surely be a mess even if i attempted to do it.

Nekonyan actually has the whole AstralAir already translated.It's been fully translated for years. So you can't really say hypotetically anything about releasing it early.