Game Basics

Since most games are ADV games, they typically all share the same type of format. Of course each game has its own individual styles of how to access its option menus and which options it offers, but this should give a general idea of basic game setup, as well as some commonly used option menu terms. In the Kichiku Megane screencaps provided below, some very basic features of Japanese games will be illustrated.

Typically the first thing you'll see when you start a game is a splash screen with the company's name or other affiliates associated with the game, and sometimes it will be followed by a liability warning.

The next screen will be the title screen. Outlined below are some of the most common options you'll find on a game title screen:

1. Start a New Game - This is usually always the very first option on the game title screen, which will start a new game from the beginning. Usually this option will be listed as Start (スタート), or はじめから (from the beginning).

2. Load from a Saved Game - This is usually always the second option on the game title screen, which will bring you to a screen with all of your saved game files, of which you select one to begin your game from that point. Usually this option will be listed as Load (ロード), or Continue (つづきから / 続きから).

3. Extra Mode - This is where your unlocked CGs, scenes, and background musics are available. Many games will not show a link to the Extra Mode on the title page until you win the game once. The Extra (エキストラ) Mode may go by many different names, such as the Bonus (ボーナス / おまけ) Mode, or simply be divided up on the title screen into the CG Mode, which is often also called an Album (アルバム) or a Gallery (ギャラリー), a Scenario (シナリオ) or Scene (シーン) Mode, which is often also called a Replay (リープレー) Mode, Memorial (メモリアル), or Memory (メモリー) Mode, and a Music (BGM / ミュージック / 音楽) Mode, which is also often called a Sound (サウンド) Mode. The sections are pretty explanatory: the CG mode includes all of the CG images that you have currently unlocked, which are often organized by character, the scene mode let's you replay scenes you have unlocked, typically the adult scenes but sometimes also all the character-specific events, again usually organized by character, and the music mode let's you listen to the different background musics, which may offer all the background music by default, or only musics that you have currently heard so far in the game. The contents within the Extra Mode may vary from game to game; not all games offer CG modes, scene modes, or music modes, but now these are pretty standard for more recent games.

4. Game Configuration - This is where you can set different configuration settings within the game, such as whether the game will run in a window or full-screen, how fast you want the text displayed, how loud you want the volume of the music or voices, and other system settings. Often, the game configuration option will not be accessible on the title screen, and only within the game screen after entering the game. Sometimes the configuration may be made by drop-down menus across the top of the window, similar to most software programs, or by a right-click menu. Therefore, of all the typical items on the title screen, the game configuration section is the most common to find missing. This option also goes by a lot of different terms, such as Config (コンフィグ), Option (オプション), Settings (セッティング), or System (システム).

5. Exit the Game - This is usually always the last option you'll find on the title screen, which will close out the game window. Usually this option will be listed as Exit (エグジット) or 終了(close).

Now we'll take a look at what these different selections do.

Start a New Game

The first option is to start a new game. When you start a new game, usually the game will have some sort of prologue (which may be graphical or may just take place in a normal game window) followed by an opening theme, and then the main game begins. Some games may start with an opening theme at the very beginning, or even before the title screen. Many games (especially older ones) will not have a theme at all, but having an opening theme is becoming more standard for new games.

The game window for most ADVs will all have the basic components shown below. Be aware though that each game will have its own layout of these options, and they may be labeled differently.

1. The scene window - This is the top portion of the screen where you see what is going on in the game. For the most part, you will see one of two things in the scene window: still images of the characters that will change pose or facial expressions, or full-screen CGs.

2. The dialogue window - This is the bottom part of the screen where you can see the game dialogue and narration. Most of the other options in the game screen will be located around the dialogue window.

3. Hide the dialogue window - Most games will have some sort of toggle to temporarily remove the dialogue window, since it covers part of the screen. This is handy when you want to view a CG that is being displayed without the dialogue window in the way. Many games offer a little X button somewhere on the dialogue window to hide it; others may have an option from a right-click menu or a keyboard toggle.

4. View the dialogue log - This feature let's you view past text, if you missed a line. The log (ログ) feature may be part of the dialogue box with back and forward arrows to move to the dialogue in previous windows and foward again to current text, or it may be a separate option that loads a full screen showing the most recent past text. Usually the text from the log will have a different color so that you know it is previously viewed text and not new text. Some logs may offer to here the vocals of the past text, while others only display the past text without the voice. Exiting the log will bring you back to the current dialogue line. Some older games may not feature a dialogue log feature.

5. Save your game - The save (セーブ) feature lets you save your game. On some games you are allowed to save your game at any point in time by using this feature, and then start exactly where you left off. Other games may only let you save at certain times, like at the beginning of each day or other periodic points within the story. However, it is most common for ADV games to offer the ability to save your game whenever you chose. However save slots are available differs from game to game. When you click on Save, you will go to a screen showing your save slots, and you select one to save your game. Usually you will be asked some sort of confirmation of if you want to save in that slot or not, particularly if there is already information in it, and you will have to select Yes (はい) or No (いいえ). Some games will not ask for confirmation.

6. Load your game - The load (ロード) feature lets you load a game from one of your saved games. The load screen usually always mirrors your save screen; all of your save slots are shown, and you click on one to select it, and then may or may not be given a confirmation window asking if you'd like to load from that save or not.

7. Turn on Auto Mode - This feature lets you toggle Auto (オート) Mode. Auto Mode allows the game text to advance on its own without needing a click of the mouse or press of the enter key to display the next line. The downside of this is that the text may advance faster or slower than you prefer. Some games offer in the settings a toggle speed for approximately how log automode will wait before advancing to the next line.

8. Turn on Skip Mode - This feature lets you toggle Skip (スキップ) Mode. Skip Mode allows the game to quickly scroll through all text that you have already viewed, and usually stops as soon as new dialogue that hasn't been viewed appears on the screen. This is very handy since it lets you quickly move over scenes you have already seen. Some Skip Modes will allow you to skip over all text, regardless of if you have viewed it or not, or a setting may appear in the options to set it to skip only previously viewed text or all text. Typically clicking your mouse while it is in the middle of skipping will abort the Skip Mode and return you to the dialogue screen. Skip Mode usually also has a keyboard toggle, which is typically either the Shift or Ctrl key.

9. Access the game configuration - This allows you to load the game configuration, where you can select different settings for the game, such as window or full-screen mode, text speed, volumes, fonts, dialogue box colors, customizations for Auto and Skip Mode, or other features. Access to the configuration screen may also be available from the title screen, or it may only appear in the game. Sometimes the configuration is accessible by a right-click menu or drop-down menus at the top of the screen instead of having its own button on the screen. Some of the common items you'll find in the configuration screens will be outlined later in this section.

Right-clicking in the game window usually will bring up a command box with most of the above options included on it. In some games, commands may only be available from a menu screen accessed by right-clicking the mouse, instead of having buttons on the screen around the dialogue box to access these options.

If you want to end the game and click End or Close (or the close program X at the top of the window), most games will ask you a confirmation of if you really want to exit the game or not, where you must chose Yes (はい) or No (いいえ).

Load a Saved Game

The second option from the title screen was to load from a saved game. When you click on this, you will get the same screen you will find within the game, which will show all of your save states, and you must select the one you wish to load from. You may or may not be asked to confirm if you would like to begin from that save state, depending on the game.

Extra Mode

Accessing Extra Mode from the title screen may take you to a new screen that asks which section you would like to view (won CGs, replay scenes, listen to background music, etc.) or these items may be available on the title screen after clicking on the Extra Mode option. These items also may simply be displayed on the title screen separately instead of having an Extra Mode option at all. In the example of Kichiku Megane, selecting the Extra Mode option on the title screen brings up the different Extra Mode items on the title screen, and then you may select one.

Game Configuration

The game configuration window may be accessible from the title screen, or from within the game (sometimes it will not appear on the title screen and you must access it from within the game. There are a lot of different game configuration options possible, and which features are offered changes from game to game. Sometimes you may get lucky and the majority of the configuration screen is in English (like in the example below) but most of the time the different setting options are listed in Japanese, which can get very confusing. Further down in this section is a list of commonly used option menu terms, which should help you when trying to make game configuration changes. You can get an idea of the many different types of configuration changes that may be available in a game from the image below. Also, most configuration screens will have some sort of an apply option or ask for some sort of confirmation when you exit the screen to keep the changes you have made, or to cancel them and go back to the defaults.

Exit the Game

The last option on the title screen is to exit the entire game. Usually you will get some sort of confirmation screen after selecting this option wanting to know if you really wish to exit the game or not.

Common Commands and Option Menu Terms

There are many different commands and options you will find within Japanese games. Often times the commands or options may be written in English letters, or be the katakana form of English words. Other times, they may be written in kanji and kana. Every game varies in what sort of options it offers, and how it labels these options. Below is a list of some common command and option terms, but this is certainly not complete, and you may find the same options labeled differently depending on the game.

Game Commands

はじめから = Start from the beginning
スタート = Start
つづきから / 続きから = Continue
セーブ = Save
ロード = Load
クイックロード = Quick Load
オート = Auto
スキップ = Skip
ゲームに戻る = Return to Game
タイトルに戻る = Return to Title Screen
エグジット = Exit
終了 = End (close the game)
はい = Yes
いいえ = No

Game Modes

モード = Mode
エキストラ / おまけ = Extra
ボーナス = Bonus
アルバム = Album
ギャラリー = Gallery
メモリアル = Memorial
メモリー = Memory
シナリオ = Scenario
シーン = Scene
リープレー = Replay
ミュージック / 音楽 / BGM = Music
サウンド = Sound
コンフィグ = Config
オプション = Options
セッティング = Settings
システム = System

Game Configurations

画面サイズ = Screen Size
ウインドウ / ウインドウ画面 = Window
フルスクリーン / フル画面 / 全画面 = Full Screen
画面エフェクト = Screen Effects
ボリューム = Volume
ミュージック / 音楽 / BGM = Background music
効果音 / サウンドエフェクト = Sound effects
声 / ボイス = Voice
= Low /  = Medium / = High
フォント = Font
メッセージスビード / 文字表示速度 = Message Speed
速い = Fast / 普通 = Normal / 遅い = Slow
メッセージスキップ = Message Skip
ディフォルトに戻す = Return to Defaults


Boys' Love Games Headquarters Complete Idiot's Guide to Japanese Gaming © March 2009
Presented by Mastress Alita @ Boys' Love Games Headquarters
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