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Author Topic: For a good time, call...  (Read 26458 times)

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Offline Zeke

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For a good time, call...
« on: February 21, 2009, 09:59:04 pm »
... up your Aquaria directory, go into your gfx folder, and locate the two files called 'aquarian' and 'aquarian_alt'.  Switch the names.  Now, if you're playing through again and want to read all the messages on various walls, stalagmites, biers, and statues, you don't need to take a screenshot, minimize, and translate letter by letter.  It's just right there, on the wall!  Also handy for first-timers who don't really care about spoilers, I guess.

Note that the letters will sometimes overlap a bit at the corners, since Aquarian is a round font, and English text is more rectangular.  Also, since the English text letters are in yellow as opposed to the black of Aquarian text, words will tend to pop out at you a little more, visually.  Personally, I think Alec and Derek used this method to plan the location and content of the various hints and notes during development.
« Last Edit: February 22, 2009, 08:20:22 am by Zeke »

Offline Xiagan

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Re: For a good time, call...
« Reply #1 on: February 21, 2009, 10:10:21 pm »
Nice find! Want to post a screenshot of how it looks? :)
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Offline Nava

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Re: For a good time, call...
« Reply #2 on: February 21, 2009, 10:11:13 pm »
Hehe cool!
I'll have to try this on my next play through, as I never bothered to translate any of the runes.

Offline Alphasoldier

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Re: For a good time, call...
« Reply #3 on: February 21, 2009, 11:27:25 pm »
Sadly enough this doesn't translate everything, like the mithalas Mithalas. And several other things I believe.
Nice find though, never thought about switching the file names.
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Offline Chibi

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Re: For a good time, call...
« Reply #4 on: February 21, 2009, 11:30:22 pm »
The only reason is doesn't translate the tablet is because the engravings and the rock are one picture. Neat method, Zeke. :)

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Offline inkblob

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Re: For a good time, call...
« Reply #5 on: February 22, 2009, 12:03:18 am »
ooo very cool. yea the ones that are written in the gfx folders wouldn't translate of course but this is a great hack regardless!
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Offline Zeke

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Re: For a good time, call...
« Reply #6 on: February 22, 2009, 02:44:48 am »
As requested:




You can see in the Song Cave door picture where the O overlaps the . that it otherwise wouldn't.  It's significantly less classy or pretty, but is rather more practical.  I can't wait 'til I get to that enormous block of text in Mithala near the Spirit Form boss.

The ambitious can create their own font files to use in Aquaria.  Since it's a .png, the command probably maps each character to a particular X-Y position in the image, and imports it into the game with a transparent background.  As long as the letter images you create also have a transparent background, the same dimensions, and the same position in the .png file, it should work.
« Last Edit: February 22, 2009, 08:18:36 am by Zeke »

Offline Chibi

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Re: For a good time, call...
« Reply #7 on: February 22, 2009, 03:49:46 am »
Great work - as you said, it's not quite the same, but it's an easier alternative to decoding the raw text.  :)

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Offline Xiagan

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Re: For a good time, call...
« Reply #8 on: February 22, 2009, 12:26:59 pm »
Awesome. :) Hasn't the same amount of flair ofc, but may be interesting for a second (or third, or...) playthrough. :)
And thanks for the pics!
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Offline silverflagon

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Re: For a good time, call...
« Reply #9 on: February 22, 2009, 04:48:51 pm »
It looks interesting but I think that I will pass on messing around with the files, I'm basicly a coward lol
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Offline Alphasoldier

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Re: For a good time, call...
« Reply #10 on: February 22, 2009, 07:14:40 pm »
Eventually, you could add your own font, which is what I just might do. ^^

I also don't like the yellow. *cough* >.>

Or maybe it's green, I don't know, I'm colourblind, go bother someone else.
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Offline Zeke

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Re: For a good time, call...
« Reply #11 on: February 22, 2009, 09:00:31 pm »
Eventually, you could add your own font, which is what I just might do. ^^

*coughfourpostsupcough*  ; )

Also, it is indeed yellow, edged with red.

Offline Alphasoldier

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Re: For a good time, call...
« Reply #12 on: February 22, 2009, 11:51:20 pm »
I didn't even see the red! D:

Also, I didn't see the text at the bottom of the pictures either, I was amazed at the pictures, sorry.
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Offline Zeke

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Re: For a good time, call...
« Reply #13 on: February 23, 2009, 02:09:42 am »
That's ok.  Great minds jump to similar conclusions.   :)

I will say, though, having the text large and readable does make certain settings more imminently... tense.  Sriking, if you will:



The scene loses its anxiety if you have to minimize and translate letter by letter, especially if you don't keep the arrangement of the words in mind.

Offline Alphasoldier

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Re: For a good time, call...
« Reply #14 on: February 23, 2009, 11:54:54 am »
Psst, it's why you should learn the Aquarian language from your head. =p
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