Messages

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General Discussion / Re: picklejar's Kujatas.com is down. Alternatives for Japanese FF7 Script?

« on: 2020-06-22 05:33:23 »

Thanks so much for this! It's great to see the site up and healthy. Really appreciate the spreadsheet too.
I will keep trying to make something good of all this, and thanks for the encouragement to that end.

Regarding 3., I know what you mean! I am trying to at least have a reliable Japanese source, and am only using translations as a cross-reference if the Japanese is unclear. Roden's idea certainly sounds cool, but I haven't seen anything released.

I very much get what you're saying about the wider variety of sources. Something I want to integrate is the concept of "Range" rather than just "Frequency". For example, I have done this with Zelda games for myself, identifying the "core Zelda vocabulary" that appears in all Zelda games and then lower ranges, ranked by average frequency in the games they appear. I think the same idea of what makes vocabulary significant applies not just to franchises (even across media - game and anime), but whole genres.

I do think regular and nutritious input is such a big part, and as you say, it has to come from a number of angles. I used to be very slavish about drilling flashcards (with reviews eating into time I would spend reading, etc.), but now see that more as a short- to mid-term strategy (to get a leg-up for extensive reading/watching, etc.), whereas I think regularly consuming media (reading, playing, listening, etc.) is more significant long-term. Hope it helps others too!

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General Discussion / Re: Places where you can buy FF7 **legally**

« on: 2020-06-20 07:04:49 »

Hope it's okay to post here, but I am wondering if it's helpful for those interested in playing the game in Japanese (or is that just obsessive lil' me?) that it's available through region-locked purchase on the Square-Enix Japan site (where surely all the same issues with the NA/EUR S-E versions apply) and, although presumably unmoddable*, certain (mostly Asian?) PS Store regions have access to the 2015 "FINAL FANTASY VII (English/Japanese Ver.)" for PS4 [JP0082-CUSA01330_00-ASIAFINALFANTASY] and 2009 "FINAL FANTASY VII INTERNATIONAL (Japanese Ver.)" for PS3/PSP (and, according to the label, PSV).

I am holding off for a sale on the PS4 version, which is more attractive for a number of reasons (bilingual release being a major one), but if anyone has experience with the 2015 PS4 release (even a NA/EUR version) I would appreciate the insight.

*I am aware of Mods for the PSX original, but I am assuming these PS Store versions are much harder to mod? If any exist, please enlighten.

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General Discussion / Re: DF Retro: Final Fantasy VII (featuring Qhimm site)

« on: 2020-06-20 06:52:10 »

Great share, thank you! Where does one read up on the JW & "Qhimm Team" document he shows?
Man, I feel such regret as disposing all my old CRTs so hastily...

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General Discussion / Re: [SPOILERS] FF7 remake discussion time!

« on: 2020-06-20 06:41:59 »

Yet to try Hard Mode on Remake (I want to try it in Japanese - the VA alone reveals significant translation differences with the English script), but like some others:

• I appreciated the utter deviation from the original plot, in scope and specific beats. I can understand that that makes the word "Remake" misleading, as it is neither "complete" nor the same as the original, but I think "word is out" about that.
• I appreciated the shift to an FFXII-esque quasi-real time combat system, as I felt (a) occassional challenge and (b) occassional tactics. Maybe New Threat and things like that are better entertainment value (please recommend if so!), but the J-RPG trope of cheesing enemies through grind-based-overpowering stimulates me little now.
• The slice of life pacing, particularly in slum areas, added a socio-economic level of detail (which I appreciated) that is kind of implied but never fully explored by the original. YMMV.
• At a meta-level, I am somewhat amused that the endgame plot deals with a bizarre forking of reality, where events can be remade. I just pray, whether it's Nomura or another at its core, that someone keeps the Kingdom Hearts-isms in check. I was happy to just laugh at the Arbiters (and wonder if the translators were Discworld fans), and the fan-fic level of deviation. If they can make that resolve remotely satisfyingly I will be stunned and impressed.
• I did appreciate that it was a Remake that drew on knowledge of the original to appreciate the deviation. Shockingly post-modern use of inter-textuality...
• I played through the game with m'Spouse for company, so there was a rich level of in-jokes. YMMV. I actually think this helped make the more absurd elements more positive.
• The OST alone is a massive success.
• The memes it has spawned (Chaireth, etc.) are positively gold.

I definitely felt I enjoyed myself for what I paid, but it would be a strange game to try and recommend. I would find it easier to recommend a fan of the original listen to the game rather than play it, which is bizarre. That said, it is the most attractive addition to the "Compilation" for me - I tolerated DoC, was bemused by AC, and was warned off CC/BC. Reading up on the latter two, I think the warning was fair, but they seem to somehow have their fans.

*(In FFXII I was a big fan of chasing the biggest "game" available as early as possible - it made you OP for the main plot - but put you in conflict with the next bit-too-much Side Quest or Secret Boss, improvising to compensate the advantages plot progression would later give you, which added a strategic layer. Yet to try the Zodiac Age version and very curious for impressions on that.)

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General Discussion / Re: Learn Japanese from Final Fantasy VII examples!

« on: 2020-06-20 06:05:42 »

Hi picklejar,
I am not sure if you grace these boards with your presence anymore, but if so I would really appreciate the chance to talk about your site and Herman1134's comparison. I am using a parser tool to make a frequency-based "dictionary" of the Japanese script of FF7, to try and help let's say the average N3/N2-level learner enjoy the game in the original, with a "Primer" of important words they may be missing for ~95% comprehension.

Not sure if you can DM me (I am but a newbie poster, so I at least cannot initiate DMs myself), but if you were interested in this project it would be great to talk, as your site while up was a huuuuge help to me, but a little more if possible would be great. (Outlined here, if interested.)

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General Discussion / picklejar's Kujatas.com is down. Alternatives for Japanese FF7 Script?

« on: 2020-06-09 07:15:23 »

I am working on a frequency-based Japanese-for-FFVII project for which picklejar's Kujatas was immensely helpful, but it seems down.

It seems Dialogue for sections 38, 40 and 43 are not even to be found on any available web archive or cache...

I had a previous version of the project complete based on transcripts, but not only did the Japanese of these contain transcription errors, they were also typically incomplete (reflecting only single paths). With my goal being to comprehensively prime Intermediate+ Japanese learners for the language of the game, both mistaken lines and missing lines are signficant issues! Redoing everything with Kujatas (or its source) seemed the best way forward.

Additionally, having searchable side-by-side translation comparison on Kujatas was great for when I encountered ideosyncratic Japanese or kana-izations that caused issues for parsers/translation tools. That way, I could confidently infer what reading etc. was likely intended.

So:
1. There are multiple reasons Kujatas could be down and it might only be temporary, but good for people to know that it is.
2. If people are interested in my project, having the missing script and Herman1134's side-by-side comparison would be a big help to me. Seems DLPB has shared the script in the past, but I don't know if thats still possible, understandably.
3. Was the Japanese script picklejar used the most correct and complete version? I am guessing Kujatas had no updates since changing host in 2018, but DLPB and luksy have been doing so much work on the translation, I wonder if they might have unearthed e.g. overlooked script snippets or even errors in the original Japanese.

Ultimately, the aim would be to either produce flashcards for learners or a tabular glossary, with a focus on vocabulary outside "ordinary" intermediate written Japanese. Happy to illustrate it if people are interested!

I was about to make a fresh start with the fuller and improved script having picked up the Japanese PS4 edition and readied a Japanese text/audio playthrough of Remake, but, this is a disheartening stumbling block right now. Really appreciate any help that the community here can offer, and any interest in my own project!