Question about the unused characters/symbols.

[sicatrix]

Actually i do believe that there may be enough characters available. The game has a lot of weird symbols and characters with accents on them that shouldn't ever be used in the english version of the game.

How can I make the game allow me to input and show these unused symbols for battle, field dialogue,menu, and character naming menu?

Because,I think I found a way to make the battle portraits thing to work with this information.

[DLPB_]

My translation project does require 2 characters for Mystile > ミスティール > Mystère 

and

Deen > デイン > Dáinn

Although the original did not need them. 

[sicatrix]

How were you able to use them in-game, and can they also be used during character naming screen?

[DLPB_]

The original font has them, so as long as you input the correct symbol into an editor like loveless or wallmarket it will be fine.

Use ALT codes or just copy and paste:

Hold ALT and press a code like 0456

As for naming screen haven't checked it in ages so cannot remember.  You could manually insert them into ff7.exe by hex editing if all else failed.   The code set is here:

http://wiki.qhimm.com/FF7/FF_Text

If you want me to change the default character names at runtime naming screen for you I will create a patch for you.

[sicatrix]

If you want me to change the default character names at runtime naming screen for you I will create a patch for you.

Do you mean when the naming screen appears.

You will be able to change what is shown initially on the input area to something like this...

from Cloud____ to üéâçËÆôÙΩ

[DLPB_]

Yes that's easy if the menu supports the characters which I think it does....  as part of the retranslation project I had to change Barret to Barrett and Aeris to Aerith for example.

What you're asking for can be done quite easily by hex editing and if you want me to make you a patch for whatever names you want changing I can do that for you?

If you mean you want those foreign characters to actually choose in the menu, then that would be more difficult and would require editing the game, something I can probably not do.

[sicatrix]

If you mean you want those foreign characters to actually choose in the menu, then that would be more difficult and would require editing the game, something I can probably not do.

No need, they just have to appear as the default name.

I'm planning to do something like this.




Example process:

So I would change the fonts used for battles first like this.


Battle Fonts
üéâçËÆôÙΩ - These symbols are replaced with graphic blocks that form the character portrait.

Field/Menu Fonts
üéâçËÆôÙΩ changed to  Cloud*blank*

Same process done with the battle fonts, but instead of graphic blocks the Alt symbols will be replaced with used letters and blank spaces that will form a name.(The field/menu texture will now have two C's , two l's , extra blank spaces, etc. )
So that out-of-battle texts will show a name instead of the Alt symbol combination.


If both the Field/Menu text and Battle text supports the Alt symbols then this will work, right?

And if it does, I would be very greatful for your help.

[Klownboy]

I'm planning to do something like this.
Image removed

I like the Idea of pictures instead of names, however it seems like there is alot of unused space in the box.
and the pictures seem to be too thin, can't really tell which pic is what char.

[Furzball]

I'm curious though. Because these symbols will be placed in the name selection screen will that mean everytime the characters' name comes up in normal text outside of battle it will appear as the picture bar?

[Gemini]

Throw them in the "empty" region of the texture, then call those with the 0xF8XX code and you should do no harm to any text that uses special characters.

[DLPB_]

Gemini is right, that would be a better idea, but for now I will do as you ask with the current set. 

I'm curious though. Because these symbols will be placed in the name selection screen will that mean everytime the characters' name comes up in normal text outside of battle it will appear as the picture bar?

yes....never through about that.  Assuming the texture is placed over all font areas, yes it will.  However, there is a way around that, if you change the field text font in the same areas to show "Cloud" etc by default.  i.e. you edit the field font with the real characters but the others you use textures.  This should work ?

[sicatrix]

I'm planning to do something like this.
This "don't quote images rule" is really not being taken seriously

I like the Idea of pictures instead of names, however it seems like there is alot of unused space in the box.
and the pictures seem to be too thin, can't really tell which pic is what char.

Unused space? If you mean the blank area to the right of the portraits  then of course they should be blank. Since that is where the Barrier bar is located, Character name limit will not allow you to, and where the battle menu appears.

I'm curious though. Because these symbols will be placed in the name selection screen will that mean everytime the characters' name comes up in normal text outside of battle it will appear as the picture bar?

YOU FAILED!(lol, sorry just a little payback. Try to remember why.)
at reading/understanding the quote below.

|

Field/Menu Fonts
üéâçËÆôÙΩ changed to  Cloud*blank*

Same process done with the battle fonts, but instead of graphic blocks the Alt symbols will be replaced with used letters and blank spaces that will form a name.(The field/menu texture will now have two C's , two l's , extra blank spaces, etc. )
So that out-of-battle texts will show a name instead of the Alt symbol combination.

Throw them in the "empty" region of the texture, then call those with the 0xF8XX code and you should do no harm to any text that uses special characters.

Some have already told me to do that and heard it was difficult.
That is why I plan to do this workaround instead.

Battle fonts and Filed/Menu fonts are separate.
So the battle fonts will have the unused symbols replaced by graphic blocks.
While the Filed/Menu fonts will have the unused symbols replaced with used letters/symbols.

Ÿ - C (I don't mean that I will redirect it to a used symbol, but replace the picture of the symbol itself. So when you look at the Field/Menu texture fonts you will now see two uppercase C's.

Example out-of-battle Dialogue:

1.)
Tifa
Did you forget your promise,üéâçËÆôÙΩ? - unedited field/menu font texture

2.)
Tifa
Did you forget your promise,Cloud*blank*? - edited field/menu font texture(downside will be those blank areas after short canon names in dialogues.)

So like I said, if both the battle text and the field/menu text both allow the use of these unused symbols. All I need is a way for the initial names to be replaced with those symbols during the naming screen or a way to edit them after.

Edit:

Yeah what seif said.
I'm too slow to reply. ;P

I will start editing the textures and give you the symbol combinations.
Thank you, thaynk you, for this help.

[DLPB_]

https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B1JH_wU1qqN4N2EwNTk4OGQtYjQyZi00NGFiLWE3NWQtZjNlMTYzYmQ5NmJj&sort=name&layout=list&num=50

Try that as a test.  It is üéâçËÆôÙΩ for Cloud

[sicatrix]

https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B1JH_wU1qqN4N2EwNTk4OGQtYjQyZi00NGFiLWE3NWQtZjNlMTYzYmQ5NmJj&sort=name&layout=list&num=50

Try that as a test.  It is üéâçËÆôÙΩ for Cloud

I am on it! Thanks!