Turbob Xpress: Bringing affordable "gamer's" games to the community! Nearly Gone

[johnnykonami]

Yes they will.  Their TOCs all match up correctly.

Sweet, although a bit surprising for Dracula X since it's a translation hack.

You would have to look into how it was hacked.  I don't understand all the tech shit.  thesteve or NightWolve would be able to explain that.  It's probably a simple explanation though.  For example, the audio in the TOC has the lead in/lead out, lengths, ect.  If you keep that the same, there's not an issue there.  Far as the graphic changes and text insertion, I have no clue.

BurntLasagna executed my TOCFixer app (download link) on the ISO/WAV/CUE image file set which correctly resized all wave files to match the original Japanese file sizes, so when you burn it back to CD-R, all LBA offsets will exactly match the originals. Thus, the TOC remains unchanged or undamaged (from say if you ran the waves through MP3 encoding, and back to wave again which is the normal reason original TOCs are changed/damaged).

Well, you might as well call it "damage" since a % of games, like Dracula X, have the LBA offsets hardcoded in the game code of the data track; they don't dynamically fetch it from the TOC, so MP3 decoding to wave will break such games with crashes and lip sync issues if you don't run TOCFixer or use OGG instead which restores the original wave file size when you decode (unlike MP3 which is sloppy).

In the translation project's case, BL took English wave files from the hidden PSP game that Konami localized, and then replaced the Japanese wave files for the PC Engine image file set. I'm sure those English waves weren't exactly the same size as the originals, not to mention synced exactly to match the cinemas they're played for, so there likely was some tinkering on his part (with Audacity) to match them up before TOCFixer was run to resize everything proper.

Cool!  Thanks for the thorough explanation, NightWolve!  I got my discs on thursday evening and finally got a chance to rip them, all with no problems.

It's weird hearing some of the differences in Dracula X after playing the original so much, so the dub over is from the PSP version?  The German narrator is different (I think, we checked it out on my friend's really terrible computer since I was at his house and magic engine played it back like half speed, I dunno what is up with that PC of his - but it sounded like a different guy to me) and I played only the beginning to hear Death's voiceover.  I am gonna try it out again at home to get a better idea - but just wondering if this was all on the PSP version or was some of it done by fans?

Anyway, thank you again Bernie, BlueBMW, and also Bernie's son (I think!) for bringing them to us!

[NightWolve]

It's weird hearing some of the differences in Dracula X after playing the original so much, so the dub over is from the PSP version?  The German narrator is different

Yeah, I hate the new German narration, I like the original better. It just doesn't sound right to me... Indeed, it was ported over from Konami's PSP version.

[ClodBuster]

I speak German, and I don't like the old narrator. The new one, also found on the VC release, is a professional voice actor. In my eyes, uhm ears, he does a better job.

[johnnykonami]

I speak German, and I don't like the old narrator. The new one, also found on the VC release, is a professional voice actor. In my eyes, uhm ears, he does a better job.

I could tell the new narrator sounded more serious, but the old one was more... I dunno.. flamboyant?  I just liked his energy in comparison.  The new guy almost sounds a little bored.  I didn't hear death properly (I think it was pcm/psg audio) so it was really tough to hear correctly at half speed but from what I could tell he was no where near as cool as the Japanese voice actor I've loved all these years.  Other little things missing too, like on the title screen the two slashes that form the X... I think that was missing, or did we just not wait long enough?  I think the former since they totally redid the title screen text.  Anyway, it's still awesome to have an english translated version around.  The differences are fascinating since I played so much of the original bitd.

[ClodBuster]

The old narration isn't bad by any means. What I'm talking about are just personal preferences.
I wrote some more detailed thoughts down here: https://www.pcenginefx.com/forums/index.php?topic=7918.msg394703#msg394703

[NightWolve]

I could tell the new narrator sounded more serious, but the old one was more... I dunno.. flamboyant?  I just liked his energy in comparison.  The new guy almost sounds a little bored.  I didn't hear death properly (I think it was pcm/psg audio) so it was really tough to hear correctly at half speed but from what I could tell he was no where near as cool as the Japanese voice actor I've loved all these years.  Other little things missing too, like on the title screen the two slashes that form the X... I think that was missing, or did we just not wait long enough?  I think the former since they totally redid the title screen text.  Anyway, it's still awesome to have an english translated version around.  The differences are fascinating since I played so much of the original bitd.

Yeah, the original narrator sounds more scary to me, and more like emphatic or something. There's a more eerie feeling to it. And that's all we have to judge it by since we don't know what a lick of either of them are saying.

I was also opposed to Bonknuts being called in to eliminate the 'X' animation and go by the same localized PSP title. Konami did localize it as Dracula X some years back for the SNES cart, and everybody in the PC Engine scene knows it as Dracula X, so I didn't think that was right, but either decision is defensible I guess, going by the previous localized title or the newly localized PSP title.

[Jason_dicarlo85]

They look fantastic thanks Bernie and josh

[Mathius]

I vote for the first narrator as well.

The removal of the X really diminished the title screen for me.

[NightWolve]

The removal of the X really diminished the title screen for me.

Yeah, when you think about it, to me, it was like taking an Orwellian eraser and eliminating its history, something that made it a classic from the very start, an homage to slasher horror in how it slashed that X together and then the creepy door opening sound, etc. The only argument in favor of the new title is because people growing up with PSP will know the game by that title, but far more know the older title going by SNES and Turbo Duo/TG-CD, etc. I think the arguments for keeping the original title far outweigh any for its elimination if favor of the new PSP title.

I was thinking of asking Bonknuts some time for an unpatch to restore the title screen but never got around to it. A smarter patcher should've given you a choice.

[Gentlegamer]

Yeah, the original narrator sounds more scary to me, and more like emphatic or something. There's a more eerie feeling to it. And that's all we have to judge it by since we don't know what a lick of either of them are saying.

The new narrator sounds more "professional," but the original was better because part of the speech takes on an almost chanting quality, as if invoking the forces of Hell to awaken Dracula in keeping with the opening cinema.

[Bernie]

I guess I'm in the minority here.  I liked the hacked title screen. 


Sent from my iPhone using your mama

[NightWolve]

The new narrator sounds more "professional," but the original was better because part of the speech takes on an almost chanting quality, as if invoking the forces of Hell to awaken Dracula in keeping with the opening cinema.

Yeah, exactly.

I guess I'm in the minority here.  I liked the hacked title screen. 

I just don't like that the slasher 'X' animation was eliminated.

[roflmao]

Ok guys, as soon as I get the next batch of shipping envelopes in, I will start shipping again.  Shouldn't be but a few days, so lick my balls. 

How can there not be a sticking out your tongue smilie???

;p ;p ;p ;p ;p ;p ;p ;p

 

[Scillianaire]

its really cool that save data from dracula x works for either version the original or the translation, you can go back and forth as you want. i also really like both versions, the translation is cool in some ways. i like the maiden cut scenes in english. and the new german is cool, better german for certain. the opening font isnt as cool and kinda reminds me of bloodlines but w/e.

[MotherGunner]

Got my Drac X thank you so much guys!  It plays flawless!  Can't wait for the next few discs.  =)