Sure thing, Zunar.

The pointers in M2 are offset by the address they're located at. Meaning... If you want a pointer to go to an address, say FFFBAE, here's what you'd do:

1. Find where the Japanese line actually goes in the ROM.

2. Then, you need to find the xx xx xx xx part, which is different for every line. To do this, take the address that you want to place the line at (FFFBAE, for example) and subtract from it the address of the line where the pointer is located at using a hex calculator (Windows has one).

EX-Here's an example with Tracy's first line:

FFFBAE (Address where I want to put the line)
-3C232 (Address of Tracy's JP line)
-------
FC397C (The offset)

3. Now, convert the offset to 'little endian' i.e. flip it backwards and add 00 at the end for good measure.

FC397C becomes 7C 39 FC 00. Yay!

4. Put it all together, and place the code at the original address of the JP line.

At 3C232, it should read [80 FF 7C 39 FC 00]. We did it!

This works because FC397C+03C232=FFFBAE.

As for [86 FF xx xx xx xx], it works the same way. Just remember to place a [00 FF] at the end of this one.

I'm not using a debugger yet, but I will be soon. My next goal is going to be to get a text insertion tool up and running. It's difficult and risky to just edit in a hex editor.

Hope this helped! Just ask me if you have any problems.

Ok, I'm doing this with just the capitals just to test it out, and it works good except for one thing. You have to subtract 2 from the resulting offset, otherwise the first two characters are cut off. By the way, thanks so much for your help and what you've done, Pranav!

Anytime, my friend. What I usually do instead of subtracting 2 is just add two spaces (00).

However, we won't be able to use Mato's m2_misc_text now. All of our betas will have to be in IPS format.

You'll have to handle those, probably. I don't know how to create IPS patches. Besides, I'm not really sure how to use the text like you are, so I'll just have to send it to you and you make the IPS patch.

And BTW, I subtract two after I add the 00. You must do both. Take Tracy's first line for example. With everything done (except the subtraction), it comes out (codes parsed for better understanding)
Y BRO. DID THE[BREAK] SOUND WAKE YOU[BREAK] UP?[PROMPT][DOT]WERE YOU FREAKED OUT?[END W/O PROMPT]

You must subtract two from the last digit of the offset to allow for those first two letters, and have the whole word HEY show up.

By the way, the end w/o prompt means there is no prompt, but a button press will advance the text, like in Earthbound at the end on conversations. That code is [1d ff]. Use it in combination w/ the [00 ff] to achieve good conversation endings.

Thanks so much for explaining the goto codes! Now we can write the lines in Earthbound there, instead of having to deal with the available space!

EDIT: Just to clarify, the VWF does have commas (,), apostrophes (') and stuff like that in it, right?

Yeah, I'll take care of the IPS patches. The VWF includes everything in the EarthBound font, so yes, commas, apostrophes, and fuzzy pickles (:D) are included, free of charge!

Now, we have a decision to make.

Based on Mato's Mother 2 vs EarthBound article that maps differences, we can insert Mother 2 lines in there instead of EarthBound ones, to make it a real 'translation', or we can just stick with making an EB portable. I'm fine doing it either way, so the choice really is up to you... What do you think?

Oh, and do you understand how to use the Multiple Address Pointer? I'll explain that too if you'd like

Well, I'm sorta torn between. Personally, I like some of the censoring and stuff done, but it's supposed to be Mother 1+2, so...

I think we should go for the Earthbound. Why? Because little kids could be playing this, and I don't think their parents would approve of them playing a game with swearing and/or serious religious things. If the Mother 2 line sounds better, then go with it, but try to avoid swearing and such, ok?

Then again, Ness is naked in Magicant, so... Go with Mother 2. We already have Earthbound, so why shouldn't we be able to play an uncensored English version?

And maybe, once we finish, we can censor the stuff afterwards and have a Mother 2 version and an Earthbound version, just to please everyone.

And, how would the Multiple Address Pointer help? Is that like the yes/no things? If yes, please explain.

Also, could you please email me what you have so far, and explain how I can re-write text, please?

If you want to insert text with the VWF, you'll have to do it with a hex editor... I can convert what lines we have so far, if you'd like.

In retrospect, I think we should go for a faithful Mother 2 translation. We can post some kind of warning on the project site (once we have one) about such swearing and stuff. Besides, how many little kids do you know that can use IPS patches?

The Multiple Address Pointer is a code with multiple branching pointers within itself. I'm not sure where it's used, but if you'd like for me to explain it, I will.

From now on, so we can fully utilize the VWF, use the Character map.txt in jeffman's files to construct new lines IN HEX. That way, we can put 'em in easier. We'll have to do that until someone can make a text insertion tool for us... Once you've finished lines, post 'em and I'll plug 'em in to the ROM. Each time we reach a landmark in the game, I'll make an IPS patch and post it (first one will be once the Meteorite scene is fully translated, and when we've cleaned up the VWF as best as we can).

I'm not sure what you mean by 're-write text'... and I don't know exactly what you want me to email you....

This is why I say you should learn how to program, it comes in very handy and you don't have to rely on anyone else.

I'd definitely like to learn how to program, but I don't know which one to pick (C or VB or Perl or Java). And I know Java is free, but don't the others cost money? Money is something I just don't have much of...

Please. And what exactly do you mean by construct new lines in hex? Can you give me an example, please? And how about, instead of posting them, I'll email them to you so this topic isn't full of hex codes that might be very confusing. Would that be ok?

What I meant by re-write text is re-write it in the new VWF, instead of the all-caps roman alphabet already in the game.

And yeah, you do have a point. Just go with Mother 2 then.

Mato, would you know how to create a text-insertion program, or is there some kind of specific document on romhacking.net or some other place that might explain how we could go about doing that?

One more thing, Mato. Could you and/or Jeffman help us out in hacking the naming screen to fashion it like it is in Earthbound, with just the English letters and no japanese characters, like you did in Mother 3? Or could you just explain to us how we could go about doing that? I'm asking this because you did this with Mother 3, and if anyone knows, you do.