FS: Translated SNES carts

[Kitsune Sniper]

Instead of simply editing your post like that, a way to set things straight with the guys that did the translating would be to specify just -how much the thing costs to build-. Detail the cost of things, how much the chips cost, how much they cost to get them to you, and such. You scored bonus points with testing them on a copier to make sure that they worked right (truth is, a lot of hackers simply do or did not have access to that kind of hardware), but the way your original post was worded was very suspicious. It made a lot of people think that you were not doing this as a hobby but as a way of making money.

Hell, the fact that you did this in buying and selling even reinforced that thought, at least to me. And the fact that you said that you were going to donate money to the translation teams... well, that also did not jive well with a few of us. Many groups don't accept donations (except RPGOne, but that's another case altogether due to their leader's illness and economic situation) so it made us freak out, and also, some of the teams responsible for making those patches do not exist anymore. And then there's the case of how much money goes to the people involved in each translation - it could be anywhere from two to twenty people. This is why we don't take money. It's a hobby, a lot of us are proud of what we do, but we're simply leery of people trying to sell our work to make a buck.

So yeah. I apologize for going off like that. You just set off a ton of alarms with your post.

[shadowkn55]

I don't articulate my sentences well and more often than not it doesn't come out the way I intend it.

I came up with the donation idea because I remember reading about chrisrpg needing some help and way back when Dejap was still around. Their hard drive crashed and they needed some help to send the drive to data recovery specialists.

Sometimes there is a book/tool that would really aid in the patch making process but the members can't afford it. So I thought a donation would help them so it would make their lives easier. Or just keep it as rainy day money just in case something like this happens.

[MarioMania]

I don't plan on doing this forever so I have no plans on putting up a web page. It's something I do on the side for fun. Like I said, I don't do this for money. I don't have the time to mass produce them like the guys at nesrepros or gamerepros.

Also, a flat rate pricing doesn't work well with snes games. Unlike nes games which use 2 at max of a fairly inexpensive eprom, snes games are much bigger and requires more expensive eproms. The games I listed were mostly priced by mbit size and build difficulty.

If anyone wants to try building their own cart, check out d4s site and feel free to ask any questions if you have problems.

Link Please

[shadowkn55]

snesdev

It's not as techical as romlab but has the information to build various carts.

[bangtango]

As the first person to flame you, I'll also be the first person to say I appreciate you being man enough to own up to your mistake. I don't think there's anything wrong with reproductions of unlocalized games in principle, but the admittedly sleazy way you went about it set off all kinds of alarm bells.

As for constructive criticism:
1. Make youself a webpage. It doesn't need to be anything fancy, but it'll let you explain yourself, build up a reputation, and is generally more professional.
2. Charge a flat rate unless the cart requires special hardware.

Wow.. sure are a LOT of guys joining this forum on the same day (today) who have never contributed here making random comments. Kinda' makes you wonder.

Conspiracy theorys don't seem to be your strong suit, buddy. All of the one-posters who replied have distinct bodies of work in rom hacking you can refer back to.

Then why don't you all introduce yourselves on the Classic Gaming forum instead of simply assuming that everyone on this board already knows your reputation(s) for rom hacking?

Aside from two or three people here who obviously directed you to this forum and thread, most of us just don't know who you are. Maybe a proper introduction will put those conspiracy "theories" to rest.

Otherwise, we'll have to assume you came here just to reply to the thread and will disappear never to be heard from again, like so many before you (which leads to those very same conspiracy theories). We all expect to read your introductions once they are posted

[nik]

Regardless of price, I would be interested, even if its only a little bit to help you guys keep on translating!

I worked on the DQ5 translation and I haven't heard jack shit from this joker.

News Flash: Giving him money isn't going to help us "keep on translating" the vast majority of us do this for free because it's a hobby. Don't delude yourself into thinking that giving that jackass money is going to make any of us any more likely to translate a game you like.

Calm down, I'm not the enemy here. That coment was in context to the the alernate future of the translators and him making a deal.

News Flash: Nobody asked you to translate games, the game companies probably don't enjoy the fact you encourage downloading ROM's this way. So who is in the right in this thread again?? Thats right buddy, NOBODY, so get off your high horse.

[RedComet]

News Flash: Nobody asked you to translate games, the game companies probably don't enjoy the fact you encourage downloading ROM's this way. So who is in the right in this thread again?? Thats right buddy, NOBODY, so get off your high horse.

Except those of us who do translate the games aren't trying to make money from it.

Like Kitsune said, if shadowkn just posts a list of costs that justifies the price tag, I don't think he'd be met with as much animosity. I mean, you don't see us all grabbing our ropes and pointy hoods to ride on gamereproductions or nesreproductions.

[jajaja]

Are you allowed to hack games without permission? :P I dont think many care and it doesnt hurt anyone anyway. I dont know why so many start with the flaming. Then you must do it to the other members who sell NES reproductions here too.

[scorch56]

Well Kitsune.. I haven't kept up with the translation scene in a long time (not since I got out of emulation about 5 years ago). I used to visit The Whirlpool on a weekly (if not sometimes daily) basis back then. I know the Whirlpool went down some time back and is now Romhacking.. but I've never hung out there. After the Whirlpool went down I lost interest.. but I do remember the translators and site ops were really nice guys.

Having said that however.. I DO know the names of all the long-time translators; and their groups that were around and in the forefront back THEN. Most of the pros back 10 years ago are obviously 10 years older now.. which I would hope would place them in their late 20's or 30's. We're talking (I am) about guys and groups that have been around for years and translated more games than one could shake a stick at.

So I decided to Google and find Romhack tonight. Made a little visit and saw your name in the forum there. You have a 600+ post count there as well.. I see.. so I guess YOU are a regular. I'm not familiar with any of your translation work and I'm not saying you aren't one it's just that I haven't kept up with the new names and faces in years.

Whether the OP is right or wrong in what he's doing is not what I'm discussing. Like I said.. I don't do EMU anymore so I could care less. As far as making a profit goes.. back when I was into emulation I remember the very hard work that the emulator authors themselves (And if you ask me.. they're the forgotten underdogs nowdays, if it wasn't for their software.. I guess none of you would have a job/hobby/whatever) put into developing their apps and I get infuriated whenever I see some schmuck on eBay selling ROM compilations with their emulators included (One of the biggest taboos and insults to emu developers that can happen. Especially since it opens them themselves up to legal actions from the game developers. Every ReadMe I ever saw for an emulator asked people to specifically not do that; and nowdays no one listens.) So yes.. I CAN sympathize with even a translators work being exploited for profit.

But my point right now is this. I don't know if you called out these two or three new clowns to this forum or not.. but from their actions and childish name calling.. I'm assuming they're nothing more than angry teenaged fanboyz who hang out over there on THAT forum. One can judge another's age on the internet by the language they use and the tone of voice/writing they use it in very accurately.. contrary to popular belief. Sure.. many adults SOUND like children.. but the opposite rarely turns out true. Children find it very difficult to put forth the persona of a rational adult.

In fact.. I'm betting that ANY older translator still around has heard of Digital Press (hell.. maybe even a few of them are already members and we don't know it). Remembering the way the forums were on TW and how nice the guys were there.. even to noobs and idiots leads me to believe that any of these first time posters calling names and acting like total assholes.. could be one of them.

Maybe that's why guys like Wraith and such closed it down.. I don't know. But if this is the way the next generation of rom hacking acts.. I certainly could see it. I'm NOT trying to stir you up KS because you DO speak eloquently on this forum and I always enjoy reading your posts.. but your "friends" sound like 16 year olds. Maybe if they would all like to step forward and offer us proof of their work.. and identities in the translation circles (Don't see why they couldn't.. you seem to be fine with using your same nym over there) then I'd give more than two shits about what they have to say. Anybody can go to one of these new group sites and lift a name, doesn't mean they're the real person. I don't think translating A game.. makes anyone a spokesman for the entire movement.. either.

I'd be shocked as hell to learn that any of them are members of DeJap or Aeon Genesis, and that their names were tomato.. or wraith.. or ANYONE like that who commands my utmost respect. My guess is that you just went over there or to wherever you and your little circle of friends hang out.. and started in on the BIG <sarcasm money scam going on over here.

I'm just getting so fucking tired of having to pander to a bunch of foul-mouthed "angry-at-the-world" teenagers anymore around here whenever somebody steps out of bounds or does the slightest thing they don't agree with. This god damn site is going downhill..

Joe! Why not just sell it to G4 or IGN and stick a fork in it.

Sheesh...

One last thing.. ther's an AWFUL lot (and always has been) of "favoritism" that goes on here at DP. Everyone's asking "Why aren't we criticizing the other two sites that sell carts like this?" Know why guys? Because they've been around here in the forum long enough and plied their wares to even some of us. They're familiar and "endorsed" with the DP forum members seal of approval.. that ALWAYS puts anyone above reproach here. Like Messiah.. or the "Beggar Prince" guys.. or ANY of those other logos you see along the right side of the DP front page. God forbid any of you should ever insult any of those entities. The wrath of the DP boyz will come down on you like a ton of bricks. I see it happen all the time. This whole for profit thing is also a bunch of crap. Somehow.. I just don't see the operators of the other two "approved" sites coming home from their real jobs everyday; neglecting their social lifes and families and sitting down to an all night session of turning out conversions simply because they like soldering either. They've simply been doing it long enough to be more efficient at it money-wise. People have hobbies sure.. but people don't work for nothing (Do you REALLY think ID makes less than $1 off his items? That would be just plain stupid.. gimme' a break.) If the OP makes 10 or even $20 dollars on a cart.. I could care less. If his price is too high for me.. I'll simply ignore it. Maybe some of you should choose to do the same.

[bangtango]

I'm not a moderator. However, since there is no longer anything for sale, isn't it time this thread was locked?

[nik]

News Flash: Nobody asked you to translate games, the game companies probably don't enjoy the fact you encourage downloading ROM's this way. So who is in the right in this thread again?? Thats right buddy, NOBODY, so get off your high horse.

Except those of us who do translate the games aren't trying to make money from it.

Like Kitsune said, if shadowkn just posts a list of costs that justifies the price tag, I don't think he'd be met with as much animosity. I mean, you don't see us all grabbing our ropes and pointy hoods to ride on gamereproductions or nesreproductions.

Doesn't matter if you make money from it, pirates don't make money off ripping games, or making them burnable, such as you make the playable when they are translated, that was my point, people who live in glass house's shouldn't throw rocks, bottom line, you encourage people to download the roms and play the english versions, I mean lets be serious here, how ELSE would you play them?

Like scorch56 said, if its not worth it, nobody will buy. For me, I like this idea, but honestly, if you worked SO hard on this, and someone is using YOUR work to produce things people will enjoy, why get insulted? Why arn't you PROUD of your job well done?? If anything, you should be pissed off you didn't do it first, I mean, obviously there IS a market for this sort of thing, and in the meantime, this will add to experience translating games, and you could point job offers to your "resume" a playable english game.

It's such a huge world we live in, why does everyone go crusade on the tiny nothings.

[Brandino]

I just don't understand your latest post, scorch. It seems like you should realize that what shadowkn tried to do is reprehensible. It's exactly the same as your example of exploiting emulator programers by selling their works on eBay.

I remember the very hard work that the emulator authors themselves... put into developing their apps and I get infuriated whenever I see some schmuck on eBay selling ROM compilations with their emulators included (One of the biggest taboos and insults to emu developers that can happen. Especially since it opens them themselves up to legal actions from the game developers. Every ReadMe I ever saw for an emulator asked people to specifically not do that; and nowdays no one listens.) So yes.. I CAN sympathize with even a translators work being exploited for profit.

It's also exactly the same as publishing a book full of plagerized material, or printing out guides from GameFAQs and selling them. That kind of behavior is insulting to the original creator, who had his work exploited, and harmful to the unknowing buyers, who are out of their hard-earned money. There is no moral ambiguity here.

So I decided to Google and find Romhack tonight. Made a little visit and saw your name [Kitsune Sniper] in the forum there. You have a 600+ post count there as well.. I see.. so I guess YOU are a regular.

Maybe if they would all like to step forward and offer us proof of their work.. and identities in the translation circles (Don't see why they couldn't.. you seem to be fine with using your same nym over there) then I'd give more than two shits about what they have to say.

You must not have looked very hard, because Nightcrawler, RedComet, and Neil_ also all used their same names and have work there.

I don't think translating A game.. makes anyone a spokesman for the entire movement.. either.

Nobody's claiming to be a spokesman for the entire movement, and you don't need to be in order to be PO'ed at you work and your friends' work being exploited.

But my point right now is this. I don't know if you called out these two or three new clowns to this forum or not.. but from their actions and childish name calling.. I'm assuming they're nothing more than angry teenaged fanboyz who hang out over there on THAT forum.

You do realize the irony of condemming insults in the same breath that you hurl them, don't you? But you just don't get it. They should be angry. Wouldn't you be?

And in all fairness, I'm not a ROM translator and was meaner than everyone else combined.

[Mayhem]

Well I think everyone's had their say here now...