My PC-98 translation projects

[BabaJeanmel]

While you're waiting for Lakers 2 to be completed (just a question of days now!) and as a little bonus, here are script ports for three of the four games composing the JAST memorial collection : Runaway City, Season of the Sakura and Three Sisters Story.

Disclaimer : despite being fully playable, they have their share of limitations (check the readme file for info). Consider this to be a beta.

They're downloadable here.

Post automatically merged: Nov 9, 2022

Just to let you know, the patch has been updated with localized graphics (title screens, character bios in Sakura). Downloadable at the same place

 

[Nikokaro]

Even three masterpieces all at once! Three milestones in the history of VNs/Dating Sims in the west return in english on PC-98. Another great event to celebrate for nostalgic fans of this genre, which came to us on ms-dos in the 1990s.
Yet another thank you to you and your colleague for this surprise: your presence here is warmly appreciated and truly priceless.

Note: Unfortunately, Runaway City has a flaw right from the first scene; after the father's lecture, the next text is missing, and a Japanese script appears above the image, as pictured below.
Could it be that this defect only affects NP2 for PSP? I don't think so.
I am waiting for other users' test about this.
The other 2 VNs seem okay so far.

 

[BabaJeanmel]

Looks like it can't find a file. I haven't encountered this issue, but I'll double check when I have the chance.

 

[ecto]

Note: Unfortunately, Runaway City has a flaw right from the first scene; after the father's lecture, the next text is missing, and a Japanese script appears above the image, as pictured below.
Could it be that this defect only affects NP2 for PSP? I don't think so.
I am waiting for other users' test about this.
The other 2 VNs seem okay so far.

View attachment 336449

I tried just it on win10 with nk2fmgen and didn't have this issue...

 

[Nikokaro]

Looks like it can't find a file. I haven't encountered this issue, but I'll double check when I have the chance.

I re-started from the beginning and by changing a little bit the order of reading the various topics I was able to get the father out of the way and now everything is okay. I think the defect occurs if you read that damn lecture a few too many times.

 

[BabaJeanmel]

OK, glad to see it's sorted out

 

[BabaJeanmel]

Holy Girl Force Lakers II is released! Download it here.

 

[Nikokaro]

Holy Girl Force Lakers II is released! Download it here.

Domo arigato gozaimashita!

 

[ecto]

Holy Girl Force Lakers II is released! Download it here.

Thanks a lot! I'm looking forward playing it.

Just a quick question: why don't you like it being on RHDN? It's always my go-to source when I'm looking for a patch...
Anyways, thanks again for all those great PC98 releases and have a nice, hacking free (?) time

 

[BabaJeanmel]

Thanks a lot! I'm looking forward playing it.

Just a quick question: why don't you like it being on RHDN? It's always my go-to source when I'm looking for a patch...
Anyways, thanks again for all those great PC98 releases and have a nice, hacking free (?) time

RHDN has switched to a pretty strict non-adult policy lately, and all these games all have some "problematic" content in them.
The Lakers menu patches were there at a point, but I removed them. I only let the Dante patch (all ages)

 

[ecto]

RHDN has switched to a pretty strict non-adult policy lately, and all these games all have some "problematic" content in them.
The Lakers menu patches were there at a point, but I removed them. I only let the Dante patch (all ages)

Ah, thanks for the answer. That makes sense.
With all these adult games on pc98 (and to be honest with some pretty drastic content) it is sure difficult to "promote" them...

 

[BabaJeanmel]

That being said, all the games I worked on are pretty "tame" compared to what you can encounter on this platform. I've stopped a couple projects after finding out some stuff that grossed me while playing ^^

 

[Nikokaro]

That being said, all the games I worked on are pretty "tame" compared to what you can encounter on this platform. I've stopped a couple projects after finding out some stuff that grossed me while playing ^^

Hey buddy, I have a question for you. Answer me freely when and if you want to. Do you know anything about the history of all these strange and unique pc-98 games, an amazing mixture of adventure games and porn? This has always astounded me, ever since the first game I discovered in the 90s for ms-dos (Knights of Xentar). Moreover, created by such a civilized, polite people with high moral values.
The pc-98 is full of them, thousands of official and doujin games produced in a few years and aimed only at the Japanese market.
The very first games for pc-88 and pc-98 were mostly "ecchi" with sexual innuendos, the last ones for pc-98 much stronger and blatantly "hentai," until landing in recent years on windows with visual novels/rpgs shamelessly "hard porn" and frankly disgusting, as easily found on a famous "eroge" games site.

Can you tell me something (or post a link) about the birth of these bizarre games on pc-98, who they were aimed at, and why there was such immense production of the genre: perhaps because most Japanese "salarymen" in their daily lives were sexually frustrated and inhibited and found outlet in deviant sexuality? It would be interesting to discuss this. If anyone else is also interested in the topic and would like to respond, they would be welcome to do so.

 

[Aurelessa]

First of all, thank you so much to you and the rest of your team for the translation of the Lakers games. It's great to have them in English at last. Such nostalgic blast from the time I completed the first one without understanding a word.
Now, I'll risk to reveal myself as the clumsiest person on Earth but I can't seem to follow the instructions for the second one. For the first one I just dragged the files of the patch to the folder of the game, rewriting the files, and the game was all dandy to go. I played it from start to end with no trouble.

However, if I try to do the method described above with either the new version of the patch with the fixed apostrophes for the first game or the patch for the second game I cannot play the games, they froze very early.

I understand that it was a crude attempt, probably a miracle that it even worked the first time, ok fair enough I ought to follow the proper instructions but I can't find a HDI image for Sei Shoujo Sentai Lakers II. What I found was the Japanese version which are FDI files (that I take are related to floppy disks) or the Chinese(?) version containing a folder with all the games files, uncompressed. Is there a software to create a HDI image with either version of Lakers II?
I'm probably embarrasing myself with my lack of knowledge, but I've only a basic understanding of getting dosbox to run MS-DOS games.

 

[BabaJeanmel]

Hey buddy, I have a question for you. Answer me freely when and if you want to. Do you know anything about the history of all these strange and unique pc-98 games, an amazing mixture of adventure games and porn

This article of hg101 pretty sums up stuff : https://hg101.kontek.net/JPNcomputers/Japanesecomputers2.htm but basically, Japanese developers were aiming at more demographics than just kids. It was natural to offer some adult entertainment within this media, as it was already the case for movies, comics or photography. Also, taboos are not the same depending on the cultural ascent. Western countries were reluctant to use nudity and sex in their games at the time, while gore wasn't an issue. Japan didn't make any distinction, all content was available but just not for everyone (porn was absent from console games until the PC-FX and Saturn because the target demographics was not the same)

Now, I'll risk to reveal myself as the clumsiest person on Earth but I can't seem to follow the instructions for the second one. For the first one I just dragged the files of the patch to the folder of the game, rewriting the files, and the game was all dandy to go. I played it from start to end with no trouble.

If you can't launch Lakers 1 when you inject the files from the latest release, that means I let an outdated version of the executable in the "FILES" folder. My bad, I'll correct this quickly.

Using the xdelta patch should work on the Lakers 1 HDI version. Use delta patcher: https://www.romhacking.net/utilities/704/

As for Lakers 2, there is a HDI version available but for obvious reasons I can't give you the address there, sorry. The patch isn't compatible with the chinese DOS version.

By the way, great choice of avatar ^^

 

[Aurelessa]

To be honest, I was between Yayoi and Natsune but I feared to be deemed basic if I chose the latter for my avatar ha, ha. Anyway, game's working now. Thank you all for all your help.

 

[Nikokaro]

Does anyone know how to recharge weapon energy (M.P.) in Lakers II? After a few shots it runs out right away.

 

[BabaJeanmel]

You must either let your character still for a few turns, or gain a level (by dodging hits). If you have sp points, don't hesitate to use your special techniques.

 

[Aurelessa]

There's a battle where you control only two characters during the whole stage that I really don't know how you are supposed to clear without constant save scumming. It did illustrated a point: you have to use (a lot) your healers. Akira and Yayoi are both MVP in that regard.
In my run, the two characters available in that battle levelled up five times each, so dodging a lot or taking damage and then heal seem the sure way to level up. Faster than even actually defeating enemies.

 

[BabaJeanmel]

To win this particular battle (chapter 7-1), you must heavily rely on Akira's Bladdard Spark. Basically, you lure the ennemies to make them gather around Akira, praying not to have your equipment damaged in the process, and you use your filled SP bar to use the technique (if you don't know how to use SP technique, check the readme, it's pretty non-intutive tbh)

A well-aimed Bladdard Spark can kill most Gildran goons and all the ninja dogs expect the leader in one hit.

It's the hardest battle in the game. Chapter 9 has a rough start, but becomes more easier after a couple turns. The rest of the game is pretty straightfoward.