[MEIM?] Make an option for independent dubbing/subbing/UI

[mirh]

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe. Well, ME1RE being english-only kind of gave me the idea, but I guess this is very much orthogonal to it.

Describe the solution you'd like By editing FileIndex.txt(s) (which is some kind of ancestor to PCConsoleTOC?) it should be possible to shoehorn separate locales without touching any other actual content file.

Describe alternatives you've considered [Engine.Engine]Language only seems able to change the entire game localization in bulk. And I guess like the old usual solution to disguise file names back and forth in the right folder is still valid but it's somewhat "messier" imo (and idk if some mod couldn't be sensitive to that). I'm also usually a fan of the transparency batch files afford for such menial tasks, but stream editing with Windows native tools is masochism. So a "proper program with bells and whistles" would seem the right conclusion at this point.

Additional context I get this isn't really about "inis" anymore (unless you can still find some easy peasy variable like in ME2?), but idk what better place for it.

[Mgamerz]

I'm not sure what you mean. Localizations are available in the TLK file, in ME1 it has multiple languages in the same file. To localize it, it would need to have that file updated.

[mirh]

Check the links I posted. When I say "independent" I mean playing with the italian dubbing with english subtitles and a french UI (as a very extreme example). I know it can be done at least in the ways I mentioned above, there should be no need to touch tlks (though I'm open to better ideas).

[mirh]

https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Mass_Effect#Independent_UI_and_dubbing.2Fcaptioning Ok, I'm actually surprised by just how effective tricking with GlobalTlk.upk has been. (though I'm wondering if you couldn't force it inside an .ini like instead happens with the DLCs autload)

Still, be it manually editing FileIndex.txt, or manually renaming/symlinking files all over the Maps and Dialog folders.. it'd be a chore nonetheless. I hope with those examples you can better understand what I wished could be done automagically.

EDIT: btw, while I was investigating locales, I figured out the hell IniVersion probably are. They are unix dates, as we already acknowledged, that point to the last modified date of their corresponding DefaultXYZ.ini. This is also the why switching language in steam and origin can even work (since they are only able to ever touch those config files, which would normally be overridden by the "user-complete" ones)

[mirh]

unless you can still find some easy peasy variable like in ME2?

Well, it turns out the only time VOLanguage was ever reported to actually work was in the Polish game build. Do you know if it's possible to rehook its functionality with other languages/editions, or is it the usual native code magic?

[Mgamerz]

As this is now officially supported in Legendary Edition, I'll be closing this, as I'm not really interested in adding new features for OT, as the majority of development is now focused on LE.

[mirh]

Not going to question your bent, but are you sure this is actually fulfilled for LE?

My feature request isn't just about having a "general" toggle for language, and profit. But untangling UI, audio and subtitles from each other.

[Mgamerz]

In LE you can choose to have English voice with French text. There is no difference internally to the game of UI vs subtitles, it's all just one localization source.

On Mon, Nov 15, 2021, 11:01 AM mirh @.***> wrote:

Not going to question your bent, but are you sure this is actually fulfilled for LE?

My feature request isn't just about having a "general" toggle for language, and profit. But untangling UI, audio and subtitles from each other.

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[mirh]

Uhm.. Right, that's the unified design adopted by the engine from ME2 onwards. And since the June 7th patch took care of adding GUI toggles (I can only imagine that's just a simple build-in override of the TLK?), there really isn't much more that can be done there.

Could you still give a quick skim to my PCGW instructions? Even just from a "piece of your mind" prospective, should I prefer FileIndex meddling, files renaming or is either eventually just as good and "safe"? How about instead my symlinking trick to avoid messing with the steam/origin file integrity gods?

[Mgamerz]

FileIndex meddling won't work if you use any mods are we always rebuild the fileindex file on game boot. Symlinking requires admin rights (or changing some windows settings), and it also doesn't work with texture tools (they ignore symlinks). I think you'd just have to rename the files around.

[mirh]

Right (so it couldn't even be just a matter of "first mod, and then do the trick") ..and I'm ashamed I missed the privileges detail.

So, excluding a dubbing switch DLC mod, the second-best thing is good old file swap indeed (at most still through the Published folder in order to keep somewhat cleaner the game folders.. putting aside I don't think any mod touches dialogs) I'll try to repurpose the batch file they made during the first days of MELE.

[Mgamerz]

If you use the Published folder, it’s pretty much a guarantee it won’t work with any modding tools, which in fact might just break the game.