Actually, I should have expanded on each of these so that I don't look like a mindless bigot (although, I am going to come across as a total asshole), but most of these are in the Reunion Database or have been explained time and again, and I have a policy of simply not replying to posts asking for items we've discussed 100x to be changed, ad nauseam. But let's break that rule and run through these.
"If it ain't broke, don't fix it."
It was broke. So, I fixed it. If you look at the very first post, you will find The Reunion Database, which lists every single non dialogue change. We did not change things blindly.
There's a point where you have to consider if a change actually has a purpose and is helpful/desirable.
The changes are made where the original translation was incorrect or too far removed from what the Japanese was getting at. It has absolutely nothing to do with "helpful" - and "desirable" is very subjective. What is desirable to this project is translating and localizing based on the facts and on what the writers wanted... not keeping things simply because people are used to it. Or because canon dictates it. This is made clear on the translation post at the beginning, which you should have read.
- Changes like "Mystile" to "Mystere" and "Chocobuckle" to "Chocobokkuru" are an un-translation/localization; why?
Because they are correct. See The Reunion Database.
And there are tons of other items that got such a complete change (likewise in undoing translation/localization)
You can't "undo" a translation or a localization.
that I now actually have no idea what they even are, especially since they're not listed anywhere I've seen
The first post and the Help file both point to The Reunion Database.
I also had to use menu option "Form" to realize it was "Order"; what the option does isn't what "form" means, where "order" is clear and fits perfectly, so I don't understand why that's the word you used much less why it was changed at all.
Names are now totally consistent across all menus. Either word works. It's not breaking your back to learn about 3 drop down menus. Come on.
I don't know if Enemy Skill "Enigma" is in fact a closer translation to whatever the original is,
Then why are you adamant I should change it? Why are you bringing this up when you said in your post that you wanted to discuss this with an argument of reason? How can you have a reasoned argument when you don't know if it's closer than "Pandora's Box"? And why should I listen to you that being the case?
but I wouldn't have used it for a spell name over "Pandora's Box".
And, thus, would have completely failed at localizing the game accurately. Instead, you'd just keep a name that means NOTHING close to the original and was pulled out of thin air. That is not professional. It's not what this project is about.
Maybe it's a question of taste,
It's not in most cases.
but that goes both ways.[/li][li]Changing "Underwater" Materia to "Aqualung",
The original name is "Diving" from "Scuba Diving [equipment]". There is no reason I couldn't change it.
and original Enemy Skill "Aqualung" to "Aqua Breath" again seems like it comes from your personal taste
The Japanese is literally "Aqua Breath" アクアブレス [Akua buresu].
I've actually come across the idea of swapping names around before and I don't believe it's something game devs would do without significant reason.
And you worked out I didn't have a significant reason... how? On the basis of me seeming to change things willynilly?
[/li][li]Saving seems to have some control delay before and/or after it that wasn't there before.[/li][li]Why is the menu option "Quit" gone?! That's just a downgrade to functionality.[/li][/list]
Well, this has obviously rattled a few people up, but let's consider that
A. Alt + F4 will close the game. So the Quit menu is redundant anyway.
B. I have added "hold select + start" to close game too. If you hold those two for a few seconds, the game will close from ANYWHERE.
C. The quit menu does not exist in PSX version, and indeed makes the menu look overly long and ugly.
I'd love to discuss more and I hope you'll consider these things.
If you look at the Reunion Database, it says the following:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1DUjmyW94zcYoX7gIW5yAT4giTPeNmCR4TCaHAiXOLlU/edit#gid=1292658812Items in white, blue, or orange are not up for discussion.
This isn't me being Adolf Hitler. This is me ending 100 more posts like yours - because I've been through this gauntlet so many times it's unreal. And we've gone over these things again and again and again. The project is near finalized.