Gates of Skeldal (Brany Skeldalu)

Dark Savant

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June 13, 2007
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When looking for some new freeware RPGs I came across this little gem from Czech Republic. It was never released in English so I contacted some fans via forum and ask them to translate the game. Part of the game (NPC dialogue) has already been translated and now they need some help with item descriptions, user interface and other elements of the game.

Any Czechs here who are willing to help translating this game as I would really like to play it.
I am sure it would receive a lot of attention if properly translated.

official site from developer

Great fan site with downloads and forum (diskuze)

Full game download (Czech version)

Partially translated file (read !README file)

review of the game with pics (in Slovakian, use google translator)
 
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Jun 13, 2007
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People who find the idea of Lands of Lore with turn based combat appealing might want to keep an eye on this.
 
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hi,

I hope I will be able to edit the files
it is really old technology from 1998

+ string maximum length should be kept, can cause text truncations or crash the game
will be quite a challenge to make it work

*

lot of code lines :)
http://krsiakdaniel.minus.com/mWMjHuqQR/1f

example problem is encoding
http://krsiakdaniel.minus.com/mWMjHuqQR/2f

I can hardly read my native tongue as characters are mess
will have to figure it out

I work on daily basis with files for Microsoft so I can handle this
is lesser mess :D

*

+ I am preparing new english version of fan website so you guys can get more info, tips + tricks ;)
 
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Jun 29, 2012
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Sweet! This does sound pretty interesting. I'll czech it out when it gets translated. Thanks for all the work.
 
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Oct 18, 2006
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Are you Karel Fingon Musil from Brany Skeldalu unofficial forum? This guy is also working on translation as far as I can read Czech.

There was the same problem with Goldenland translation. Same strings restriction with hex editor. Even with developer tools. Eventually I stopped translating as it was too much of a hassle. Let me know if you find a way to avoid strings length limitation.
 
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I am gonna worship you if you succeed in translating the game. Geeez, I certainly look forward to it! Good luck!
 
Joined
Jul 22, 2012
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Hello,

I am bringing this thread back to life in case there are still some players, who would be interested in playing this beautiful game in English.

Background:
I decided to translate this game as a fan project back in 2013. Back then, I did some halfway translation, but I never finished it and archived the project. Like many other translators did. But I picked it up again this month and I spent some time to find out how to translate everything, including the interface. Today, I present you the first version.

I'm sure there will be mistakes, and some translation solutions (like the menu buttons) are not ideal as I would like them to be. But I want to see, if there are still players interested in this game today in 2018, and if continued work on the translation makes any sense :)

The Czech fan site hosts an English translation, which was machine translated by google-translator. I took that one, completely rewrote the horrible google translation for ALL texts in the game, and I translated everything else that wasn't translated before:
- all the stat and item descriptions
- all NPC interactions and descriptions
- all Journal entries (including the poem, ugh..)
- all spells
- interface buttons, options, compass and the main menu
- partially translated the big map (there were some..issues..)

My english isn't perfect, so you will definitely find some weird sentences, and I will fix them if needed.

A couple of screenshots:
https://imgur.com/a/FhsQhlC

And the download link (opens up a directory with files), containing the full game (windows version) in Czech, my English translation and a readme.txt file:
https://mega.nz/#F!AENX1CZa!2zDeRq1CjDQ-XEwiY6nU-A

The only thing that is NOT translated is the game launcher, some programmer would have to rewrite it in English and compile it. The English.zip includes an installation guide and screenshots with translation to help you navigate through it (its easy, only 2 screens).

Enjoy!
 
Joined
Jun 23, 2018
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Excellent!

Thanks for continuing the English translation on the game Oldrich. I certainly do appreciate it very much. Was playing this a few years back and found myself translating text in the game and keeping notes of my translations than actually playing the game.

After playing your updated English patch version the game is now very enjoyable and I played it for hours today :)

I can share some of my findings with you as follows….

Some notes:
=========

You can find the latest build for the game here (which is build 20):
http://skeldal.vyletnici.net/main.php?page=download
I believe the installer has build 16?

When installing the game:
---------------------------------
- nevytvaoet slozku v nab idce start = do not create a folder in the start menu
- Dalsi zastupci : Other options
- Vytvooit zastupce na plose = Create a shortcut on the desktop
- Vytvooit zastupce na panelu Snadne spustini = Create a shortcut on the Quick launch bar

- Vytvorit zastupce na plole = Create a shortcut on the Desktop


GAME START SCREEN

Nastaveni = Settings:
=====================

*** OBECNE = Current ***
- Spoultet hru v okne = Run game in Window
- Vychozi monitor = Default monitor
- Druhy monitor = Second Monitor
- Treti Monitor = Third Monitor
- Llirokouhly monitor = Widescreen Monitor
- Vldy nacist celou uroven do pameti = Load whole level into memory
- Povolit automaticke ukladani na posledni pozici = Enable automatic saving of last position
- Rychlost hry = Game Speed
Pomalu = Slow……..Rychle = Fast
- Urychlit bitvy = Accelerate battle
- Vychozi = Default


*** Zvuk = Sound ***
- Mixovaci frekvence = Mixing rate
- Hudba = Music
- Skreky = Sound Effects


*** Video ***
- Neprehravej intro pri startu = Do not play the intro at start
- Nezobrazuj video prokladane = Do not show interlaced video


*** Rozlireni = Extras ***
- Nahodny backfire (pri kouzleni) = Random backfire (while casting)
- Recykluj nestvury (zabite nestvury se casem obnovi) =
Recycle monsters (kills a monster with restoration time)
- Alternativni bojovy system = Alternative Combat System
- Vracej do hry znicene nebo utopene predmety =
Return to the game the destroyed objects
- Vloli predmety ze zeme do batohu pomoci CTRL =
Insert objects from the ground into backpack using CTRL
- Lepli vyhody Ltitu pri soubojich = Better advantages shields during fights
- Rychlejli obchodovani pri pouliti CTRL = Faster trade while pressing CTRL
- Zobrazuj minmapu i mimo boj = Display Minimap - in and out of combat
- Hromadny utek z boje = Mass escape from combat
- Vldy otevri knihu pri jejiho zmene obsahu =
The book opens when contents (words) are added
- Vldy zobraz sebranou runu =
The book shows the collected runes
- Male nestvury chodi take diagonalne = Monsters walk diagonally


*** Cheaty = Cheats ***
 
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Joined
Oct 20, 2006
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Great work. Looking forward to play this one after you clean all spelling errors and bugs.

Please also try to translate the options menu as suggested above. Would love to see the manual translated but that would be too much work I guess.

Can this mod be installed over latest v20 patch as your build is v16?
 
Joined
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Hello,

I'm glad to see you enjoy the game :)

You can find the latest build for the game here (which is build 20):
http://skeldal.vyletnici.net/main.php?page=download
I believe the installer has build 16?

I know about the czech fansite.
The only reason the installer includes a v16 launcher is because I took an installer with full base game included. It is not my installer, it was available for download from a czech site dedicated to games. The fansite only hosts launcher without the base game (which is puzzling to me, as the game is freeware), so I opted for the quick and easy solution.

Looking forward to play this one after you clean all spelling errors and bugs.

Please also try to translate the options menu as suggested above. Would love to see the manual translated but that would be too much work I guess.

Can this mod be installed over latest v20 patch as your build is v16?

Well, I was kinda hoping the players might help me with the mistakes :) Pointing me to the mistakes. There should be no bugs affecting the gameplay, I did some play-testing to prevent that.

The translation will definitely work with the latest v20 patch.

Translating the launcher is a problem. There are no simple files like "items.dat" where I can easily change a few text lines. You have to find and replace strings within a C (or C++?) programming code, then compile the whole launcher from the modified source codes.
That means, translating the launcher basically equals creating a patch v21 ;)


Translating the manual is easy. Question is, which manual do you have in mind?
- There is a printed czech manual for the DOS game, which came with the original game package. Probably not available anywhere on the internet :biggrin:
- There is another printed czech manual for the DOS game, which came from a local gaming magazine GAME4U. It is available on the internet.
- Next, there is the manual for the windows launcher (an .rtf file within the launcher source codes).
- Then there is the map editing manual (aka. Documentation).
And then, there are other fan-written manuals and guides.
 
Joined
Jun 23, 2018
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The patch v20 installer requires you to have an ISO file of the original game (or the original CD).
You don't need the v20, there is exactly one meaningful update - fullscreen support for windows 7, but the game will look stretched in fullscreen on today's FullHD screens.
 
Joined
Jun 23, 2018
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How to apply v20 patch?

Just use the installer provided by Oldrich and then download:
Brány Skeldalu pro Windows Release Version 1.2 Build 20 (562KB) (1.8.2009)
from the link I posted above.

This will download the file: SkeldalW_12b20.zip
Extract to your game install directory.
It simple replaces the main file Skeldal.exe with the latest build 20.
 
Joined
Oct 20, 2006
Messages
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For anyone interested, here is the translated change-log from Build 16 to Build 20:

What's new in version 1.2 Build 20
==================================

Fix:
Fullscreen in Windows 7 (and probably in Vista)

Improvements:
Widescreen monitor support (720x480 mode)

What's new in version 1.2 Build 19
==================================

Fix:
1) Disposal of flying objects in the transition between levels took place in
context of a newly uploaded level because it was not done correctly
leaving the level. This could cause a fall of the object if at the new level
the flying object was outside the map of the non-existent sector.
Correction: Every object should be flying before loading a new level and
objects are perfectly destroyed.


What's new in Version 1.2 Build 17
==================================

Fix:
1) The ability to enter long song titles. There is only one restriction, the name
must contain a space. Also beware of Czech characters, which will not work
properly on all OSs.

2) Potential buffer overrun.

3) The game now respects the CESTA_MUSIC setting both in both the original INI and ADV file. It allows playlists to use both original songs as well custom songs.
Custom songs have precedence if there is a conflict of names.


What's new in Version 1.2 Build 16
==================================

Fix:
1) Fix the stuttering of the battles when using magic
2) Buffer overrun correction. You can no longer use official WinAmp plugins.
Instead, use unofficial old plugins that can be downloaded from skeldal.jinak.com
Their default location is the Plugins folder
 
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Oct 20, 2006
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