                            MOTHER 1+2 Fan Translation
                                  English v1.01
                             Released April 30, 2011

This is an unofficial translation of MOTHER 1+2, a compilation of the
first two MOTHER games, released for the Game Boy Advance in 2003. MOTHER 1
is commonly known as EarthBound Zero, and MOTHER 2 is known as EarthBound
outside of Japan.

MOTHER 1 has been completely retranslated from scratch and features many
improvements to make the game more palatable for fans. MOTHER 2 has a basic
"menu patch"-style translation that translates menus, item names, and more.

For more details about this translation and the project, please visit:

                               http://mother12.net

  =========================================================================

HOW TO USE THE TRANSLATION PATCH:

  1. Unzip the contents of this zip file to a folder/directory. You should
     find the following files:
     
    * mother12.ips
    * mother12.txt (that's this file)


  2. Second, you will need to obtain a ROM of the Japanese version of
     MOTHER 1+2. This clearly steps into promoting piracy, so you will have
     to find this on your own. Search engines are useful for this sort of
     thing.
     
     Once you have the ROM, make sure it is unzipped/uncompressed. The
     file should be 16 MB in size. Put this file in the same folder as
     the files from above.


  3. Most modern emulators will automatically patch IPS ROMs when you
     load the ROM. This is known as "soft-patching". If your emulator can
     do this, then make sure the IPS file is called "mother12.ips" and
     that the ROM is called "mother12.gba". Then load the ROM in your
     emulator. If all goes well, the translation patch should work
     automatically!
     
     If it's not working and you're sure your emulator can soft-patch IPS
     files, then you might have to put the IPS file in a different folder,
     depending on your settings and what emulator you're using. Check your
     settings and read the documentation that came with your emulator.
     
     
  3b. If you don't want to use soft-patching or if you can't get it to
      work, then you can always hard-patch it. Download Lunar IPS here:
      
               http://www.romhacking.net/utils/240/
               
      With it, you can permanently patch the ROM. Then just load your ROM
      up in your emulator.
      

  NOTE: If you're still having trouble getting either methods to work,
        then see here: http://www.romhacking.net/faq/

  =========================================================================

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

  Q: What's different about the MOTHER 1 translation? Why should I care?
  A: For many (most?) Western fans, the first game in the series is really
     hard to get into. My goal was to create a translation of the game that
     tries to make the game more palatable. Some of the things I did were:
     
       - Retranslated the script from scratch. The EarthBound Zero ROM has
         a good number of changes, censoring, and mistakes with plot details
         and dialog. The text in the EarthBound Zero ROM is also very dry
         due to limited NES resources. Doing a retranslation with this GBA
         version allowed for a lot more text, and censoring/changes weren't
         necessary. The result is a script that should hopefully be more
         engaging and natural-sounding.

       - Expanded many text boxes, allowing for more dialog text at a time,
         making the text more natural, more presentable, and easier to read

       - Expanded menus and names wherever possible, allowing for more
         natural-sounding text

       - Improved the font for better readability
         
       - Added a gift box with an "Easy Ring" to Ninten's room for
         those who don't like to grind for experience and money. This
         item, when equipped, greatly increases the experience and money
         you win from enemies while also reducing the amount of random
         battles. It makes the game much less of a chore, which is
         one of the main reasons EarthBound fans have a hard time getting
         into the game.

       - The GBA port already included a number of extra features - for
         example, the L Button acts as a shortcut key now, just as it did
         in EarthBound
         
       - Some of the bugs in the Japanese GBA version have been fixed
       
       - Connections with EarthBound and MOTHER 3 have been left intact,
         so fans of the series will surely appreciate that. The
         EarthBound Zero translation had changed a lot of things, which
         broke many of these connections.

     This WAS just a Famicom game originally, so it's not as if all of this
     will suddenly make it an entirely new game, but my hope is that it will
     at least make it easier for fans to get into and enjoy.
     
   
  Q: Why didn't you translate the MOTHER 2 part too? Can't you just stick
     EarthBound's translation into the ROM?
  A: Short answer: if it were that easy, it would have already been done a
     long time ago.
     
     Long answer: It's a LOT more complicated than what you can imagine.
     It would probably take me just as much time - if not more - than the
     MOTHER 3 project took. I don't think it would be worth the effort;
     the GBA version of MOTHER 2 has a bunch of bugs, the music and
     sound effects are significantly inferior, the programming is a
     nightmare, etc. etc.
     
     Still, if I had a lot of free time and/or money I'd love to work on
     the MOTHER 2 side of the game so we could have all three GBA games
     fan-translated. But I don't think that'll ever happen.


  Q: I equipped the Easy Ring in MOTHER 1. How do I take it off?
  A: The only way to unequip items is to equip something in its place.


  Q: I want to translate this into my own language!
  A: I'm releasing all the tools and source code I used to make this
     translation. I designed this project with other languages in mind,
     so it should be very easy for anyone to translate the MOTHER 1 part!
     See the project site for the tools/source code.


  Q: I found a bug and/or a typo!
  A: First, be extra sure that you're not the one mistaken. If you're
     really sure it's a bug or a typo, then let me know by contacting me
     on EarthBound Central at: http://earthboundcentral.com

  =========================================================================
  
TIPS & SUGGESTIONS WHEN PLAYING MOTHER 1:

  It's usually hard for EarthBound fans to go back and play the first game,
  I understand that all too well. I was excited when the beta ROM was
  released, but was very quickly disappointed - it seemed bland, grindy,
  and hardly like EarthBound at all. Over the years - and through this
  project - I've come to appreciate the game a lot more, so here are some
  personal tips and suggestions for trying to get into the game:
  
  - First, DO NOT COMPARE THIS GAME TO EARTHBOUND. When you're playing this
    game, don't even think about EarthBound. This game was made BEFORE
    EarthBound, so it logically goes that EarthBound wasn't in mind when
    this game was made. Forget entirely about EarthBound and let this game
    stand as its own thing. This is one of the biggest hurdles people run
    into, but if you can see it as its own game of its own time, it's
    much easier to appreciate.
    
    If you really have to compare it to something, then think about
    the other NES games and RPGs that came out during the late 80s /
    early 90s as you're playing the game.
    
  - Following that same thought, it's important to realize this game was
    released in 1989. Of course it's going to be tough to get into if you
    use a 2011 (or whatever year this is) mindset. So do this:
    
    Imagine you're a kid in 1989. You have an 8-bit NES with a couple
    games. On a Friday afternoon on the way home from school, you stop by
    a video store and rent a random game called "MOTHER". Usually when
    you rented games back then it was always a very hit-or-miss thing,
    so whatever game you got, you were stuck with it for the whole weekend.
    Try playing this game with that mindset - that you're a kid in the
    late 80s with a weekend ahead of you to play this game. Do that, and
    you might start to appreciate it in new ways!

  - If you've played the EarthBound Zero beta NES ROM before - push it
    away from your thoughts. Pretend you're playing the game for the
    first time now. The beta ROM had a lot of localization changes,
    censorship changes, and just no-real-reason changes. This translation
    doesn't include those, so it's going to be different - that's the
    point of the project, after all. Basically, don't go in expecting the
    EarthBound Zero names and text to be used.

  - Use the Easy Ring! It increases the experience and money you get from
    enemies by a ton, and it also reduces the number of random battles.
    I tested it out a lot and got a lot of feedback to make sure it
    all balances out.
    
    As long as you play right (instead of constantly running away)
    it'll make the game a lot easier. It won't make it SUPER easy, just
    less annoying and generally more enjoyable.

  - Use the map! The Start Button opens up your world map. It's very easy
    to get lost in this game or not know where to go next. Basically,
    if you see a town nearby, head there. Or, if you see any black dots
    on the map nearby, go check them out! It's a crappy-looking map, but
    it really will take away all the random wandering!
    
  - Use the R Button to run around more quickly than normal.
  
  - When you're walking around outside, you can tell if there are random
    enemies where you are by pressing the L Button or using "Check".
    If there are enemies around, it'll say something about danger lurking
    nearby. Otherwise it'll say the default line of something like,
    "There's nothing here."    

  - Turn the battle text speed up all the way. You can do this during
    battles or from the file select screen. Having the battle text at
    maximum speed makes it less frustrating somehow.

  - If you're using an emulator, try not to use things like cheats or
    save states. If you can, I recommend playing the game on actual
    hardware.

  - If you're not sure where to go, talk to everyone and/or try to visit
    any nearby black dots on your map. If you go through the game normally,
    without consulting any guides or rushing through, you'll almost always
    be at a decent level for each new area.
    
    Still, if you really need help from a walkthrough or guide, you can
    check the online EarthBound Zero walkthrough here:
   
            http://walkthrough.starmen.net/earthbound0/
            
    That walkthrough uses all the EarthBound Zero names and such, but it'll
    still help you figure out where to go and what to do next.

  - Unless you're an ultimate awesome gamer, you WILL find the big Duncan
    factory to be brutal. You can find a map on the online walkthrough site
    above, but if you don't want to cheat, just know that you basically need
    to head as far up as possible. Leaving the factory might be a little more
    complicated, though, so try making a trail of bread crumbs (use Bread
    instead of eating it) if you can.
    
  - Some of the other dungeons in the game are tough and confusing, but
    you can usually get through them just fine if you persevere and/or
    draw a map yourself.
    
  - There are two Franklin Badges in the game. One you get from Pippi, and
    the other you can find in the big Duncan factory. Unlike in EarthBound,
    these block PK Beam instead of PK Thunder. Actually, they only block
    stronger versions of PK Beam that enemies in the last half of the game
    use. Strong PK Beams can instantly kill party members, so you definitely
    want to get both Franklin Badges!
    
  - Don't rush through the game. Shigesato Itoi said this many times himself,
    even before the game was released. Completing a section of the game or
    discovering a new area in the game is supposed to feel like a big
    accomplishment. I can just see Japanese kids running to tell their friends
    whenever they finished a new part of the game. It's harder to feel that
    way now if you're an older gamer, but if you at least keep that in mind it
    should help.
    
  - The game doesn't explain what each PSI technique does, and some of these
    are very different from what they do in EarthBound. Knowing what the PSI
    moves do WILL make battles a lot easier. Here's a quick list with info:
    
    Lifeup α       - Restores a little HP to one ally
    Lifeup β       - Restores more HP to one ally
    Lifeup γ       - Fully restores an ally's HP
    Lifeup π       - Restores some HP to all allies
    Lifeup Ω       - Fully restores all allies' HP
    
    Healing α      - Cures an ally who's been poisoned
    Healing β      - Cures an ally who's been paralyzed
    Healing γ      - Cures an ally who's been petrified
    Healing π      - Cures an ally who's been put to sleep
    Super Heal     - Revives an ally who's been defeated

    PK Fire α      - Fire damage to all enemies
    PK Fire β      - Stronger fire damage to all enemies
    PK Fire γ      - Very strong fire damage to all enemies
    PK Fire Ω      - Destroy all enemies in one hit (RECOMMENDED!)
    
    PK Freeze α    - Ice damage to a single enemy
    PK Freeze β    - Stronger ice damage to a single enemy
    PK Freeze γ    - Lowers a single enemy's HP to almost nothing (RECOMMENDED!)
    PK Freeze Ω    - Strong ice damage to all enemies
    
    PK Beam α      - Damages a single enemy with a beam of light
    PK Beam β      - Damages a single enemy with a strong beam of light
    PK Beam γ      - Damages a single enemy, can even instant-kill
    PK Beam Ω      - Damages all enemies with a strong beam of light
    
    PK Thunder α   - Lightning damage to an enemy
    PK Thunder β   - Strong lightning damage to an enemy
    PK Thunder γ   - Lightning damage to all enemies
    
    PSI Block      - Prevents an enemy from using PSI
    PSI Shield α   - Halves damage from an enemy, for a single ally
    PSI Shield β   - Halves damage from an enemy, for all allies
    Power Shield   - Reflects damage from attacks back at the enemy
    
    Brainshock     - Confuses an enemy
    Brain Cyclone  - Confuses all enemies
    Hypnosis       - Puts an enemy to sleep
    Paralysis      - Paralyizes an enemy
    Darkness       - Blinds an enemy, lowering their attack power
    
    Offense Up     - Raises a single ally's offense
    Defense Up α   - Raises a single ally's defense
    Defense Up β   - Raises all allies' defense (can be stacked!)
    Quick Up       - Raises a single ally's speed
    Shield Off     - Destroys an enemy's shield
    Defense Down α - Lowers an enemy's defense
    Defense Down β - Lowers all enemies' defense
    PSI Magnet     - Steals an enemy's PP
    
    Telepathy        - Use this to read the minds of various characters in the game
    Dimensional Warp - Use this to escape a battle with 100% certainty
    Teleportation    - Use this to return to any town you've been to before.
                       You need a good running start. You can also use the control
                       pad to change your direction while running. If done well,
                       you can teleport even when there isn't much open space
                       around you.
    
  =========================================================================
  
TROUBLESHOOTING:

  Q: I can't get the patch to work!
  A: Read the directions above. If you STILL can't get the patch to work,
     try asking on the Starmen.Net or Romhacking.net message boards.


  Q: I tried applying the patch to a ROM that already had another patch
     on it. Now it's weird! What do I do?
  A: You NEED to make sure you've applied the patch to the original
     Japanese ROM. If you apply it to an already-modified ROM, then it's
     naturally going to behave in unpredictable ways.


  Q: The MOTHER 2 stuff is still in Japanese!
  A: The MOTHER 2 side of this patch only includes translations of menus,
     item names, enemy names, etc.


  Q: The naming screen stuff in MOTHER 2 is mostly in Japanese still!
  A: The naming screen programming is truly insane and would take me more
     time to hack than I felt was worth it.


  Q: I can't get my game to save!
  A: This happens mostly with Mac emulators. I don't have a Mac, so I
     can't really troubleshoot this. If all else fails, you can use
     save states (I think they call them "freeze states" on the Mac emus).


  Q: I double-click on the .zip file but nothing happens!
  A: If your computer doesn't have .zip file support (most computers in
     the last 10+ years have support by default), look on Google for
     things like 7-Zip or WinZip.


  Q: The game gets stuck at the intro screen. Help!
  A: You can skip this normally by pressing any button. If you're using an
     emulator, keep in mind that you might need to set up what keyboard
     keys act as what GBA buttons. If you're new to emulators and you don't
     understand what that means, then just smoosh your face into the
     keyboard until it works.


  Q: The game crashes/freezes on my hardware!
  A: This may be a hardware-specific problem. I don't know much about this
     stuff, so I can't really help you in this regard.


  Q: I'm trying to use a save file from the Japanese version, but the names
     and stuff get all messed up!
  A: There's no way to fix this, you'll either have to start a new game
     or live with your wacky new names!

  =========================================================================
  
CREDITS

  Hacking/translating: Tomato
  Misc. hacking help:  Jeffman
  
  Thanks to:
  
  Poe		byuu		reidman		Jonk		Plo
  sarsie	HockeyMonkey	weasly64	Rhyselinn	PKDX
  Buck Fever	dreraserhead	Demolitionizer	Kasumi		Ness and Sonic
  PK_Fanta	linkdude20002001		climhazard	TheZunar123
  Skye		Triverske	Mother Bound	Blair32		PSIWolf674
  Ice Sage	PK Mt. Fuji	The Great Morgil		Ness-Ninten-Lucas
  Ross		rotschleim	LakituAl	Kuwanger	MotherFan
  Anonymous	BroBuzz		Trevor		Rathe coolguy	EBrent
  Robert	KingDarian	Satsy		tapioca		curtmack
  Chuggaaconroy	Roido		MarioFan3	blahmoomoo	VGMaster64
  Corey		Superstarman	Halloween	Robo85		ZUUL
  Crav		Priestess Paula	My Name Here	LordQuadros	sonicstar5
  Aangie	platinatina	Petalklunk	Aviarei		Realn

  And probably a hundred or more other helpful people! Forgive me if your name
  should have been here, there are so many to remember that my brain is failing
  me now. But know that your help was appreciated and led to this patch's creation!

