UPDATED INFO - Catherine - English Language Version - 3.55 FIXES

Published on 08-16-2011 07:30 AM

19 Comments

When Catherine came out in japan on the PS3 console, coming encrypted in 3.55, and was easily playable on CFW. Well, by the time Catherine finally hit North America, it sadly came with 3.60 encryption in place to prevent the game's use on modified systems. Working with others, members of this forum, PSX-SCENE, have created a 'hybrid' eboot from tinkering around with US and JAP eboots, that will allow you to play the English version on CFW.

SCROLL DOWN FOR UPDATES!!!

This project is not yet complete, and still has parts of the game untranslated; although you should be able to navigate your way through them. They are seeking testers, and if you are interested, please read the following, including the guide:

Originally Posted by Trugen

I hacked together some pretty terrible short form responses in order to fit the space limitations in the Japanese MailData and MTFL. They're far from perfect, full of grammar and other mistakes, and frankly I'm embarrassed about them. But in order to fix those problems, I need testers. However, torrents on such sites like BitGamer, have not linked the issue page, nor have any of the DDL files. So while people are able to play the game, it's far from perfect and not only are they likely to be disappointed, their disappointment won't reach my ears.

With that being said, I'd rather no credit be given to me for my terrible job (however I do give credit to Wilson-PSG for providing the upperscore free English subtitles).

For those wondering what the current status of the project is, we're still working on it - but trying to edit the Japanese EBOOT so we can get a real, proper, release. But in the meantime, I'm working on fixing up the shortened versions of the cellphone messages and replies, and the rope answers for the worst case scenario of us not being able to fix the EBOOT.

If you wish to test and actually give feedback, the files have been freely available and I linked them multiple times. But for those that wish to not read back through the forums, here is a handy guide on how to set things up.

1. Ensure that you have either the Japanese or North American of Catherine available.
2. Download the required tools to make the modifications to your game from : mediafire.com/?bfjnaruk41cr1oy
3. Download the other required modifications to 'partially' put your game into English : mediafire.com/?6klv96qcmc47ylj
4. Extract both archives.
5. From the tools archive, open the quickbms folder and open up 'quickbms.exe'.
6. A file selection dialog will appear, asking you to select the BMS script or plugin to use, go to the extracted quickbms folder and select 'cpk.bms'.
7. Another file selection dialog will appear, asking for the input archive. Now browse to your copy of the Japanese or North American version of Catherine (BLJM60215 or BLUS30428) and from the PS3_GAME\USDIR\ folder within it, select 'data.cpk'.
8. The last file selection dialog will appear, and you can choose the output folder of your choice, I suggest you create a new one called 'data'.
9. After several minutes, the files will be extracted to the folder you specified. Now copy the folders from the mod.rar archive that you extracted earlier, and paste and merge them in the output folder from quickbms that you selected. Allow them to overwrite the folders.
10. From the tools archive, open the 'CRI Packed File Maker-ElPocho96' folder, and go into the 'crifilesystem' directory. Open the application named 'CriPackedFileMaker.exe'.
11. Next to the 'Base Directory' bar at the the top of the application, click the folder icon with an arrow. From the folder selection dialog, choose the output folder from quickbms for the contents of your now-modified data.cpk.
12. Allow a few moments for the application to load all the files, and press the 'Build CPK file...' button in the bottom of the application.
13. In the settings box, change the 'Data Align' slider to 2048, and change the 'File Mode' dropdown to 'Filename'. Also uncheck 'Try Compression' if it happens to be checked.
14. Hit the 'Start to Build' button and be prepared to wait 7-15 minutes for data.cpk to be rebuilt.
15. Once it finishes, backup your old data.cpk in the PS3_GAME\USDIR\ folder of your game (for preparation of future patches), and place your new, modified data.cpk in its place.
16. Transfer the files over to your PS3, and load the game in your backup manager of choice - please ensure that all previous game data the update for the japanese game are deleted prior to starting the game with your new data.cpk.
17. The last, most important step is to please report any bugs you may find, translation issues, or other things you have a problem with at the project issues page code.google.com/p/cathyeng/issues/list

For those using the North American release as a base, please be warned that the rapunzel.pac is not included in the mod.rar as we don't officially support the NA release quite yet. For both releases, Babel seems to crash and we're still investigating those problems. Circle is accept/confirm and Cross is cancel, because of the Japanese EBOOT. When everything is fixed, we will release the full game already modified for those who don't wish to fool around with patching (and probably offer the patch method anyways for all of you that have already downloaded the game).

Any further questions can be answered by one of the users or 'staff' at the Catherine IRC channel, #catherine @ irc.rizon.net

Hope this posts clarifies the intentions, and clears up confusion some of you may have been experiencing.

Originally Posted by Tim3888

- Trugen was the one who shorthanded the English SMS & Rope questions & manually placed them into the Japanese files.
- Wilson_PSG was the one who removed all the upper scores from the game.
- Wakka I believe was the one who figured out that the US file rapunzel.pac was causing freezes in the US version when Rapunzel was played and needed to be replaced with the Japanese file.

I never got around to testing but I believe Wakka also noted that Babel mode was freezing due to the US charselect.bmd found under the title folder and needs to be replaced with the Japanese file. The charselect.bmd found in the rar actually is the US version which is why both the US version and JPN version would be freezing.

UPDATE - Ready-Made file with Rapunzel but with Japanese SMS and ROPES:

Originally Posted by Tidusnake666

Either you do steps 1-17 and you'll get engrish SMS and ropes but no rapunzel, or download ready-made file : http://www.megaupload.com/?d=78P667UV with rapunzel but with japanese sms and ropes.

(Update) - All upperscores have been removed & sheep subs have been fixed.

What is in English

•All audio (If using the US version as your base)

•Cut scene subtitles and in game text

What is not in English

•Cell phone - English files just ended up screwing up the phone so I replaced the cell phone folder with the Japanese one.

•Confessional booth questions & answers - this is what caused the 2nd stage freezing so the Japanese files had to be put in.

•Rapunzel minigame subtitles (Text on arcade machine still reads in English) - this is due to using the rapunzel.pac from the Japanese release to fix the freezing issue.

Other Issues

•O & X are reversed with O= Confirm/Grab/Push & X = Cancel

•Some loading screen quotes go off screen.

•Babel mode will freeze after introduction video (This isn't related to any part of the main story mode)

Download (Doesn't include the sms & rope question fix) Fixed data.cpk with jpn eboot & param: megaupload.com/?d=78P667UV

Installation Directions

1. Extract contents of both rars to their appropriate sub folders in your Catherine back up folder overwriting the old files (make backups of these files before overwriting just in case a better fix comes out)

2. Done and Enjoy.

Credits to the users of of psx-scene forums & those on irc who got it this far. I only followed the thread and used their methods to create this repacked cpk. Hopefully a better fix will arrive eventually.

Tidusnake666 quote (and) alternate instructions from: PS3News

And, thanks to PS3Hax member pepethedon for uploading the POC video!

UPDATE-2: This team is looking for help testing, and sync reports they are also looking for those who can better help them understand "how the PS3 ELF file is structured", and "how it stores its code". With your help, they can "make a better fix."

Originally Posted by sync

Okay, time to post something here at last.

Since I am/was (I don't even know anymore) one of the guys working on how to fix the SMS and any kind of in-game resource text (meaning, text that isn't in the eboot [i.e.: Save dialog, Load Dialog, Install messages, PSN message, etc are all inside the eboot]) that the game uses to tell the story.
I couldn't find how the game works with them.

I also don't know how a PowerPC Core (the Cell BE CPU Core, excluding the SPEs) works and how the PS3 RAM understands what a string value is, or how it is terminated or even how the string is mapped, I couldn't find a way to translate the SMS text file structure into something that could be freely edited and wouldn't crash the game.

You see, Gamebryo (the game engine) probably calls some sort of function from CRI Ware Engine (the thing that handles all resource files, music, text, textures, etc) that returns the maildata DAT file from inside the PKG datasource.
Than, the data file is read by some sort of custom function that knows how to structure the file into PS3 ram, and that is when the problem arises.

The DAT file does not tell the game engine where the string ends, it tells when it starts, but does not tell where it ends. It is strange, since C++ normally works with string using a NULL signal,
i.e.:
array = [0][1][2][3][4][5][6][7]
...........[f ][o][o][,][b ][a][r][\0]
here at index 7 is a string NULL signal. It tells that the string is finished.

Since the DAT file is a binary file, the fastest and easiest way to read it is by loading it into RAM with a structure mask.
i.e.:
struct maildata {
char str_from[10]; //10 characters to use with the FROM: text
char str_subj[10]; //10 characters to use with the SUBJECT text
char str_body[255]; //255 characters to use with the BODY text
}

That tells the Gamebryo engine how to access the RAM area that holds the maildata DAT text to properly display it on screen.
But leaves it with a problem, normally C++ strings are dynamic, meaning that all strings are NULL terminated, in this case, you do not have a dynamic string mapped into the system's RAM reflecting a structure, you have a fixed length string.
Which means only one thing: you can't go over the allocated string space. Otherwise your game crashes.

Guys at the IRC channel tried to look into the eboot searching for the reading function, which could fix this problem of limited space, but that alone won't suffice. We need to modify the structure.
Than again the eboot is a mess, I don't know if it is encrypted or not, also, I don't know how ELF files data structure is organized into it.
I know how a ELF file is supposed to be written, but how it is structured after the must-have pieces is a mystery to me.

We need someone that knows how to hack PS2 or PS3 games, knows how to make cheat codes for PS2 or GameShark/ActionReplay codes.
Or someone that can explain that to us. :P

If you want to have a better, polished final version of this game fix, please help us to understand how Gamebryo and Cri Ware engines handles these files.
Help us understand how the PS3 ELF file is structured, how it stores its code.
Help us make a better fix.

Thank you very much.

TL;DR: We need someone that can help us/tell us how the game's ELF file will read data from resource files.

For more information, visit our Catherine Subtitles thread here on: PSX-SCENE

Thanks to all the PSX-SCENE members involved including Tim3888, Trugen, Wilson_PSG, Wakka, and sync. Also, thanks to Tidusnake666.

Remember to visit the PSX-SCENE, your home for the latest and greatest homebrew developments, exploits, and more!

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Categories:

_{Tags :

catherine,

english,

fix,

scene,

update,

us version}

19 Comments

owanef - 08-15-2011, 07:04 PM
- Reply
WOW!!!

Thorn - 08-15-2011, 07:31 PM
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>.< nice very nice ill keep on waiting till they manage to decrypt the 3.6x eboot shouldent be too far off now

simonhardy - 08-15-2011, 07:54 PM
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Originally Posted by tthousand

Really, that is just plain stupid. Who are you to tell people what to do. If anything, there needs to be less 3.70 consoles out there, and more 3.55. We need more support as a scene, not less. And if you can afford only one console, would you rather have one that Sony owns, and can take away features from anytime they like, or your own console, with a real scene where you can talk with real people, and be a part of real developments.

The bottom here is... Stay on Topic, or stay out of the topic!!! Like it, or leave

well said tthousand that idiot got 90% of what he said wrong ... what was that he said about no dual boots ever been possible...nand/nor etc haha

what an meff please tell me this fools gone ?

simonhardy - 08-15-2011, 07:56 PM
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btw what is this game like i might try it

dagrimmreepa - 08-15-2011, 07:59 PM
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Been playing Cath for about a week now, not a lot, but as much as time will allow. I've the JAP game + ENG subs - voice acting is great and the subs are damn near perfect. Some minor abbrev. for obvious space constrains but overall very understandable and definitely recommended for anyone who, like me, cannot stand dubs. The only thing that sucks on the JAP version, though, is that, even on Normal, the pillow only gives 1 life (which means you cannot stock up and I'm playing on the 4th world with 1 retry D: ) and there is no option to "undo" your last move, which makes me have to re-load previous saves a lot, since the controls can be finicky and one wrong move can, and very often does, result in (infuriating) death. But still - great game, beautiful artwork, love it.

Originally Posted by ;

Ginez

Speak for yourself, dude. I couldn't give less of a crap about online gaming, nothing but a bunch of immature, rude brats screaming into their mics, anyway. At least in the old days of internet cafes, you were within reach of each other, so, for the most part, everyone behaved. And those who didn't got taken out back

simonhardy - 08-15-2011, 08:06 PM
- Reply
Originally Posted by dagrimmreepa

Been playing Cath for about a week now, not a lot, but as much as time will allow. I've the JAP game + ENG subs - voice acting is great and the subs are damn near perfect. Some minor abbrev. for obvious space constrains but overall very understandable and definitely recommended for anyone who, like me, cannot stand dubs. The only thing that sucks on the JAP version, though, is that, even on Normal, the pillow only gives 1 life (which means you cannot stock up and I'm playing on the 4th world with 1 retry D and there is no option to "undo" your last move, which makes me have to re-load previous saves a lot, since the controls can be finicky and one wrong move can, and very often does, result in (infuriating) death. But still - great game, beautiful artwork, love it.

Speak for yourself, dude. I couldn't give less of a crap about online gaming, nothing but a bunch of immature, rude brats screaming into their mics, anyway. At least in the old days of internet cafes, you were within reach of each other, so, for the most part, everyone behaved. And those who didn't got taken out back

well said and thanks for the game info mate i think im going to check this one out

ChakkiBakki - 08-15-2011, 08:21 PM
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Don't know if anyone saw this, but the devs of digital angel ( Italian site ) are claiming to have succesfully downgraded a ps3 ( "NOR") from 3.70 OFW to 3.55 and vice versa, check it out, it's also on ps3crunch

Darkman-PSG - 08-15-2011, 08:42 PM
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@ChakkiBakki I just seen what you are talking about (well a video would be nice to prove that it is real) @Tthousand I understand what you mean by that. Even though I own 2 ps3's I would NEVER update my ps3 with the dongle to OFW that is just madness @Ginez Online is good but it isn't all that most of the time you hear 10year olds screaming noob or something on MW2 with their camping and etc..etc.. OFW is good for the netflix and the updates for the games like GT5 seasonal mode and etc..etc.. CFW haves its ups and down just like OFW does.

jac72 - 08-15-2011, 08:53 PM
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I'll one day have to play this game, just because of how cute the evil Catherine is. Does that sound weird?

akherem - 08-15-2011, 09:23 PM
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i love this game. Katherine is my favorite. I like the voice jap version

Misfit - 08-15-2011, 09:27 PM
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No Man, it's a cool game regardless of the fact that i'm an Atlus whore

Finished the japanese version a while back, good times

Hey, swearing is being muffled , idk

Tranced - 08-16-2011, 02:39 AM
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@tthousand +1 Well said. Now can all the whiners stay on topic. OT/ I have seen many a post about people wanting to get this game to work on CFW, maybe it's time for me to check what all the hype is about.

tthousand - 08-16-2011, 02:58 AM
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I have been meaning to go down to my local gamestop and spend a gift card that has been sitting in my pocket for almost a year now (well, trade in card ), and buy the deluxe version before they out! It would be nice to see them be able to make a Jap audio with sub version, I would like to check that out in the future after I have tried the game. I have had the demo on my 360 for awhile, but have not made it around to trying it out... just tried El Shadai Accension or something today on there, so getting closer to that atleast!

EDIT: I think the reason half you text went away, is because you hit Post Reply, and then right next to it, you see this circle and a message saying posting reply(look for it next time)... and sometime it does not take you away. Well, if you keep posting, and hit it again, sometime it does not send it through, and you are stuck with what you had the first time you clicked it. Just a thought, could be something else

tthousand - 08-16-2011, 08:47 AM
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Updated the first post with some more info. Added some more source, and credits Also added a quoted from sync, and a message to other out there, this team is looking for help understand PS3 ELF files. Please read the article for more information!

.Spike. - 08-16-2011, 12:10 PM
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Wish you guys could do this with the rest of the games that have been out for months. Shadows of the damned and Alice 2 still need to be worked on.

SwordOfWar - 08-16-2011, 05:25 PM
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I've made Codebreaker codes before, but in this case I doubt it will help you modify the eboot.

Cheat devices don't even touch the real files at all (they edit the memory after the game is loaded). Now, this is how they done it on PS2. On PS3 I think the few cheat softwares I heard about used permanent modding of some of the game files.

zzk2001 - 08-16-2011, 06:33 PM
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I took all the time of renting this game and making it work on my 3.41 just to find out the game sucks O'well that's what i get for playing a Hyped up game.