A little while ago, somebody asked if they could borrow a copy of my old Gold Box games so they could set up an OLD computer for use with some kids. This included the translation wheel for Elvish and Dwarvish runes.

Now, I was just in the Harper Base, and noticed the symbols on the walls on the first floor. They kinda look like what I remember on the codewheel. Has anybody else noticed this and tried to translate it to english?

Since my wheel is currently on loan, if they do match, could somebody try to translate it and post the results?

Old translation wheel, meaning the copy protection crack for Hillsfar? I thought that was just, well, copyright protection and had no other meaning.

I still have the wheel. You need to match up two symbols, and pick one of the three line types (--- or .... or -..-..- ). I don't have the game working anymore though. Perhaps you could send me a screenshot and describe what you are seeing.

In Pool of Radiance there were certain messages you would get in the game that would be in either Elvish or Dwarvish, and you'd need the code wheel to translate them, as some of them were passwords you needed to pass through certain checkpoints without fighting. Pool of Radiance, Hillsfar and Curse of the Azure Bonds all came with the same code wheel, but I don't think the latter 2 games used it for anything but copy protection.

Unfortunately I haven't got BG2 installed either (and don't have a saved game that would let me into the base anyway), but I've got the wheels handy (played the games recently) so I can help with that if you send me a screenshot as well.

How do I post a screenshot? I remember seeing a few people had shown links screenshots that seemed to be hosted on this site, but I don't see any place to submit new screen shots. I've got two shots, one for the runes at the top of the Harper Base, and one for the ones at the bottom.

Sorry I took so long to reply, the boards were down for a couple days, and this kinda slipped my mind. Not to mention I wasted time trying to figure out how to make a link to a screen shot. I don't have any webspace that I know of, though it's possible my Yahoo or hotmail account might have one that I don't know of off-hand.

tried photobucket or snapfish?

will be interesting to see a screenshot, i dont have a saved game near that area to check it out myself.

You probably don't want to submit the screenshot to this site because I heard it will take months before it gets posted. The fastest way probably is to email the image files - the ones I've taken are only 1Mb, so nothing that hotmail can't handle. (Just click on people's profile to get their email.) Otherwise, try photobucket, or flicker.

I remembered Yahoo photos, but then I got told that Yahoo photos was being closed, and to goto this new site called fliickr. I've done so and tried uploading them there. I remember using Yahoo photos once before, but I've never used this new site. HOpefully this will give you the full size pics:

Upper runes in Harper Base (http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1207/958910333_6ca73c1077_o.jpg)

Lower runes in Harper's Base (http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1350/958900535_48e0dbdf07_o.jpg)

hmmm I'd say those symbols were not meant to look like those on the wheel. Some look like upside down and deformed versions. But except for the T, the similarity is not immediately clear.