Best FFVI English Script?

Well, in its lifespan, VI has seen a few translations, and I was curious as to which one members on here prefer. You got the original Ted Woolsey, Nintendo-of-America-Friendly script, and all the good and bad that goes along with it (later used w/ minor changes for the PSX); most recently, the GBA port, which I've heard many people applaud for actually improving the game, and of course the infamous RPGOne fan translation which has come a long way.

Personally I prefer what has been called the "non-bull**** version" by the people who made it - RPGOne. I also kinda like the font a little better than the SNES/PSX and what I've seen of the Advanced port. But I do like certain word choices by Ted Woolsey a little better (biggs/wedge calling terra a sorceress, as in a later FF there would be another sorceress with an orphanage), and I have to see more of the GBA kind to really rate it. But overall, which do you prefer?

GBA Script is better in all regards except for a few.

"Son of a Sandworm" wasn't so great, and Kefka's final speech is more Clique then it use to be.

Other then that, I really can't think of anything right now that wasn't as good.

KoShiatar's. :P

I'm not familiar with the RPGOne, but in all honesty I enjoy the GBA version as its more eloquent and fleshes out the characters personalities better. Kefka seems downright more evil in the first half of the game instead of the comic relief sidekick villain that Ted Woolsey script portrayed him as. Character like Setzer and Sabin are given a better sesnse of depth to them through their dialogue. From a story standpoint the GBA script just improves everything.

Seriously, after finishing the GBA version I could honestly say VI has the best written and overall best story in the series. Before I played the game I would have said it was the best for its time... Granted I don't think it will win anyone over who didn't like the game to begin with; but if you loved the story, its nice to see it fleshed out a bit and written in a more mature fashion.

GBA has it's moments. The only thing I'd change in the GBA for sure is the entire ending before and during fighting Kefka.

The original script:

Kefka: Welcome, friends! I knew you'd make it here, so I've prepared some suitable
entertainment for you!
Team: How long are you going to let the destruction continue?
Kefka: I've tapped into the ultimate power. Observe...!
Kefka: Such magnificent power! You are like insects to me!
Kefka: I will exterminate everyone, and everything!
Team: People will keep rebuilding the things you take from them!
Kefka: Then I'll destroy those too. Why do people rebuild things they know are going to be destroyed? Why do people cling to life when they know they can't live forever? Think how meaningless each of your lives is!
Team: It's not the net result of one's life that's important! It's the day-to-day concerns, the personal victories, and the celebration of life... and love! It's enough if people are able to experience the joy that each day can bring!
Kefka: And have you found your "joy" in this nearly dead world of ours?
Team: Yes!
Terra: I know what love is...!
Locke: And I have learned to celebrate life... and the living.
Cyan: My family lives on inside of me.
Shadow: I know what friendship is... and family...
Edgar: It is my dream to build a kingdom in which I can guarantee freedom and dignity.
Sabin: I have come to experience anew the love of my brother...
Celes: I've met someone who can accept me for what I am.
Strago: I have a special little Granddaughter!
Setzer: My friend's airship... and her love!
Mog: I have my friends here!
Kefka: This is sickening... You sound like chapters from a self-help booklet! Prepare yourselves!
Kefka: Now, for my next trick, I will make you all... disappear!
Team: Kefka, you don't know what you're doing! Stop!
Kefka: I command the greatest power in the universe! You are all helpless before me!
Kefka: I will destroy everything... I will create a monument to non-existence!
Team: Life will go on! There will always be people, and dreams!
Kefka: No! I will hunt them down. I will destroy it all! Destroy! Destroy! Destroy!!
Team: We will not allow you to harm another living thing.
Kefka: Hee, hee, hee!! But what fun is destruction if no "precious" lives are lost?
Team: It's over, Kefka!

Kefka: Life... dreams... hope... Where'd they come from? And where are they headed? These things... I am going to destroy!
The end comes... beyond chaos.


The GBA Script:

Kefka: Welcome, friends! I knew you'd come, so I've been practicing my greeting!
Party: How much do you have to destroy before you'll have had your fill, Kefka!?
Kefka: I've acquired the ultimate power! Observe...
Kefka: Such magnificent power! You're all nothing more than fleas compared to me now!
Kefka: Embrace your destruction... It is the fate of all things.
Party: To be destroyed? Maybe it is! But people can always rebuild, and new lives will always be born!
Kefka: And time will destroy all of those as well. Why do people insist on creating things that will inevitably be destroyed? Why do people cling to life, knowing that they must someday die? ...Knowing that none of it will have meant anything once they do?
Terra: Because it's not the end that matters! It's knowing that you have something to live for right now, at this moment! Something you've worked for... something that's worth protecting! As long as you have
that...that's enough!
Kefka: And did you all find your "somethings" in this broken world that just won't die?
Party: Yes!
Terra: Love!
Locke: A person worth protecting.
Cyan: A life and child who live on within me.
Shadow: Friends...and family.
Edgar: A peaceful kingdom.
Sabin: A loving brother who always looks out for me! Gah-ha-ha-ha!
Celes: Someone willing to accept me for who I am.
Strago: An adorable little granddaughter.
Relm: An obnoxious grandpa...who I couldn't live without!
Setzer: Wings from a dear old friend!
Mog: New pals, kupo!
Kefka: Bleh! You people make me sick! You sound like lines from a self-help book!
Kefka: If that's how it's going to be... I'll snuff them all out! Every last one of your sickening, happy little reasons for living!
Party: No, Kefka, stop!


[Kefka uses the Light of Judgment across the world.]


Kefka: I wield the greatest power in existence! You may as well be the dirt on the bottom of my boots! Or the dirt stuck to the bottom of that dirt!
Party: You can't destroy everything! People will always have dreams!
Kefka: No! I'll destroy the entire world! There won't be anything left to dream about!
Party: We won't let you hurt any more people!
Kefka: Hee-hee-hee! But what fun is destruction if no "precious" lives are lost?
Party: It ends here, Kefka!


[The party enters into a final battle with Kefka!]


Kefka: Life... Dreams... Hope... Where do they come from? And where do they go...? Such meaningless things... I'll destroy them all!

Kefka: The end draws near...



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I never got as much inspiring feeling from the GBA ending as much as the original translation.

While were on the subject on the script can anyone tell me what it says during Celes attempted suicide scene on the GBA version? I cant be bothered to play up to that part and i want to see if they got rid of that "Leap of faith" nonsense

I do rather prefer the Snes/Ps version, i find exageration humourous
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MAGIC

The Original:
Celes: Granddad. You have to eat, or else... W...What's the matter?
Celes: Cid...
Celes: No... NO!! You promised you'd stay here with me!!
Celes: Granddad, ANSWER ME! Tell me you're just joking!

Cid: Those others who were here... when they were feeling down they'd take a leap of faith from the cliffs up north... perked 'em right up!
Celes: Everyone's gone... Even Locke, who promised to watch over me... The world's slowly ebbing away...

Celes: Phew... Why did you nurse me back to health? Did I ever ask you to help me!?
Celes: A bandana??? No... it can't be...
Celes: Hey, you! Where'd you get this!? Is the person who healed you still alive? Answer me!
Celes: He's alive... Locke's still alive!!!


The GBA:
Celes: Granddad... You have to eat, or... Wh-what's the matter? Granddad...
Celes: Cid...
Celes: No! ...No!!! You promised you'd stay here with me!
Celes: Granddad, answer me! Tell me you're just joking!


[Celes rushes off, crying, to the Northern Cliff.]


Cid: The other people who were here with us all gave up hope... One after the next they flung themselves from the northern cliffs in despair...

Celes: Everyone's gone... Even Locke... There's nothing left for me in this world.


[Celes throws herself off the cliff, attempting to commit suicide.]


Celes: Uhhhn... Were you watching over me? Why would you wnat to help someone like me? I've already given up hope...
Celes: This bandana... It couldn't be...!
Celes: Hey, little bird... Where'd you come from? Is the person who wrapped your wound still alive? Please, tell me...!
Celes: He's alive... Locke's alive!

Well thats much better but i did prefer "the world's slowly ebbing away"

I think someone should make a rom hack that takes the better parts out of the two and puts them in one.

overall, I prefer the GBA, except for the ending and a couple other scenes. (kefka's hate hate hate hate hate hate hate HATE speech comes to mind :P)

I don't remember the leap of faith part in the psx version, was it in the original SNES? I remember bringin that up here and someone said 'no, that never happened'.

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Originally Posted by Bolivar

I don't remember the leap of faith part in the psx version, was it in the original SNES? I remember bringin that up here and someone said 'no, that never happened'.

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I don't remember about SNES but when I played through FFVI on anthologies I remember it being there. I'll play through on the SNES version just to make sure, but I'm 98% sure it stayed the same.

Um... SkyRenders? :p

Out of the list, I haven't seen much of the GBA version, and all though Woosley's translation on Snes had it's floors it was pretty good to read, plus it seemed to refer to things more (look at some monster names). I think I'll check soon.

I've only ever played through the entirety of the SNES versions translations. I've seen an ok amount of the others, but not enough pops into my head of the actual dialog to make much of a decision on which is best. Though either way SNES will always have some classic lines that no matter the translation will never die.

"You sons of a submariner!!!!"

Overall I'd have to say the GBA's translation is the best, although like Avarice mentioned, there are some parts that are better or worse in the SNES or GBA versions.

I don't have a favourite. Even Sky Render's translation had its faults, and being very literal gave no space to style.
In the end, in my opinion only the Japanese version still retains all of its meaning.

P.S. Silly Roto, mine was not an English script. And it was too literal to be good, too.

SkyRender had a few faults I admit, but then the script openly admits that, as there were parts that just didn't work being directly in translation, a good example is the EXP EGG scene. In Woosley's version atleast it was "The World Is Square". I have no idea if Square where as comercial in Japan, but SkyRender's script, fails misereably at translating that scene, and it still appears as forgien language.

Out of interest, does any besides me like the SkyRender version - that's OT but I'm just wondering.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by KoShiatar

I don't have a favourite. Even Sky Render's translation had its faults, and being very literal gave no space to style.

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I agree with that, somewhat. Cyan's introduction definately is an example of this:

"If compelled, I will forego all honor and fight you as a regular soldier!"

I kinda liked

"I am your worst nightmare."
a little better.

I don't think there's a single perfect script. Overall I liked the improvements made in the GBA version. Obviously it would've been nice to have kept the 'son of a submariner' line (amongst others) but it's much smoother and overall more enjoyable to read.

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Originally Posted by MJN SEIFER

SkyRender had a few faults I admit, but then the script openly admits that, as there were parts that just didn't work being directly in translation, a good example is the EXP EGG scene. In Woosley's version atleast it was "The World Is Square". I have no idea if Square where as comercial in Japan, but SkyRender's script, fails misereably at translating that scene, and it still appears as forgien language.

Out of interest, does any besides me like the SkyRender version - that's OT but I'm just wondering.

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well to your first post: I listed it as RPGOne as it takes more than a translator to bring a translation to the masses. Plus with ChrisRPG dying and all it would've felt wrong.

But I very much do like SkyRender's version better thant he SNES/PSX versions I've played. I have yet to play the GBA version, but I probably won't since an updated script doesn't seem like worth the purchase for me, plus with the screen being smaller having battle background art cut. I suppose I could get the emulator, but I'm sure GBA ones are nowhere near as advanced as SNES ones have come, so I'd still play the translated japanese rom over it.

The localization process of North American publishers continues to evolve. My favorite translation will always be the latest official translation of the game; in this case, Final Fantasy VI Advance serves as my favorite translation.

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Originally Posted by Bolivar

well to your first post: I listed it as RPGOne as it takes more than a translator to bring a translation to the masses. Plus with ChrisRPG dying and all it would've felt wrong.

But I very much do like SkyRender's version better thant he SNES/PSX versions I've played. I have yet to play the GBA version, but I probably won't since an updated script doesn't seem like worth the purchase for me, plus with the screen being smaller having battle background art cut. I suppose I could get the emulator, but I'm sure GBA ones are nowhere near as advanced as SNES ones have come, so I'd still play the translated japanese rom over it.

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Oh I see, I stupidly assumed RPGOne was another system.

I initaly mentioned SkyRender as a sort of "joke" as I assumed I was the only who liked his version.

The reason I assumed that (and asked the question you answered) is because whenever someone comments on something bad about what ever version they have, a common reply here is "are you playing SkyRender's version?".

Hope I didn't cause offence to anyone.

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Originally Posted by MJN SEIFER

The reason I assumed that (and asked the question you answered) is because whenever someone comments on something bad about what ever version they have, a common reply here is "are you playing SkyRender's version?".

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lol really? I didn't think it was that bad, and prefer it for certain things to the others.

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Originally Posted by Avarice-ness

The end comes... beyond chaos.

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... is a much more powerful final line for Kefka than ...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Avarice-ness

The end draws near...

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by NeoCracker

"Son of a Sandworm" wasn't so great, and Kefka's final speech is more Clique then it use to be.

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Yeah, I too found Kefka's speech to be a small group of similar people. :p

I preferred the GBA translation. The SNES version wasn't bad, just not good either.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who has a nostalgic fondness for the SNES translation. At the same time it's an undeniable fact that the GBA version is much more accurate.

Of course, it's also an undeniable fact that Terra's actual name is Tina..... But that don't make it good.

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Originally Posted by Kenshin IV

I'm sure I'm not the only one who has a nostalgic fondness for the SNES translation.

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Yeah... here u have one =D

...
I prefer the Snes one... In the GBA translation they changed lot of good things, like the name of the items, blitz and things... ¬¬'

But, speaking just about the dialogues...

The SNES too... of course!!

How to forget the "Son Of A Submariner!" quote?!
Is a classic xD

Old School FTW!

I haven't played through all of the GBA version yet, but so far I find the translation really good. I do still prefer the SNES translation, though. I think it's because I'm used to it.

Although it pains me to say it, I do like the GBA version the most. That said, not all of the changes it made were for the better. I wish they had looked more to the original SNES translation sometimes (such as with the son of a sandworm line, the final speech and some other parts). I also didn't like that they removed the scene near the beginning with a guard beating Celes. I understand the reasons why Square removed it in Japan, though I don't agree with taking it out at all, and see no reason it couldn't have been put back for the North American release.