Roommania #203 Manual Translation w/added comments 1.21 Table of Contents I. Copyright Information II. About this FAQ III. Contact IV. The Translation V. Ending Tips VI. Acknowledgements I. Copyright Information- As of version 1.2 of this FAQ, since information aught to be free, I entitle anyone to freely use and distribute this FAQ in so much that it is used and distributed for private uncommercial use and it is not altered in anyway from its original, complete and unedited form, unless under terms of "fair use". The free use of this FAQ extends to sites which derive profit from indirect means such as banner ads, but it may not be used if it bundled with a sold product or put into such an area/state which requires payment so that it may be viewed. So far, the public WWW entities which have contacted me in using this FAQ for their use are the site domain gamefaqs.com and cheatcc.com and cheatcity.com. Copyright 2000 Casim Neff. II. About this FAQ Version 1.0- This FAQ is planned to be a translation of the Roommania #203 manual. However since the manual often doesn't elucidate certain topics very well when talking about the various games aspects, I will be adding in extra comments framed in paranthesis where I think appropriate. What needs to noted though is that since I haven't played the game entirely, this won't be a walkthrough, but more translation of how to play this very weird but neat game (as the manual says) along with my own tips. Also, as of this version of the FAQ I'm going for a functionality approach to learning and translating the manual, rather than translating it verbatim. In example, the way the text in the manual is set up, as if it is sometimes third person speaking and sometimes from a first person voice. I'm not going out of my way to make these distinctions, since I'm just getting stuff down for now. Also also great portions of my translation can be wrong, plus as to make some explanations flow better I'm also taking some liberties with the text, just so you know. The information will be the same, or at least it should be. Verision 1.1- Completed all useful pages in the manual (page 18). Wrote up Ending Tips and Acknowledgments. Added my extra note in Contact etc. section. Version 1.2- Updated copyright section. Fixed some spelling errors. Version 1.21- Added a beginning list of people contacted. III. Contact If you'd like contact me at mecasim@hotmail.com for any questions, or telling me how royally I messed something up or if this was useful or not or if you want to send me some ASCII art 'cause I suck at it or ANY tips at all,. it'd be appreciative. I'll make sure to list you as contributing:) NOTE: I would like to add to this FAQ a listing of people who actually own Roommania #203 and their email addresses. Since I do not actually own this game anymore I am not in the posisition to answer many questions about problems in the game. Again contact me at mecasim@hotmail.com, if you don't mind at having your email addy listed so you can get in touch with other Roommania owners. IIIa. Other (previous or otherwise) owners of Roomania to bother: Charis Hoo - charishoo@yahoo.com IV. The Translation Page 4- (At the bottom of the page under the table of contents) This game uses memory (VMU). You'll be able to save your game as well as play mini- games. A varying number of memory blocks will needed to use (especially) the mini-game and save function respectively. Page 5- (Top of page on) The year is 2002, its January. You have come down from the heavns to the human world for 50 years. From a year before, you have watched a student name Neji Taihei living in this apartment. This is your third journal now (on him?) and more or less hasn't done anything. But you've come to be interested in this apartment and this boy and recently you thought perhaps you will introduce some ups and downs into this boys life and make some drama happen for him. From now on, you have decided to intervene in his life and started changing things. At the outset though, what will you do? Below is the observations you have made to date of Neji. Pictures and info tabs at bottom of page (Neji is the guy on the games front cover btw): Neji, he's an average student who has come out from the country to goto a city college.He seems to enjoy his time alone but he doesn't seem to do very much of anything when spending it. He likes music, especially Serana Poji (she's the girl on the poster in his room). He seems to have many friends, but none harldy ever come over to his apartment. (Also there is a guy's next to Neji's portrait here whose name and bio I forgot to write down, but I'll wing it) He is totally opposite of Neji, he is very outgoing and sometimes he comes over to visit Neji. Page 6- (From top the title) The Means of Intervenention. In intervening with Neji's life you'll be using a Dreamcast Controller. Since it is a 1 person job only, the controller must be put in controller slot A. Also, use your oberservation journal (your save game file/VMU I believe is what it means). Controls: (These are self-explantatory and faster learned with the least bit of experimenting than actually reading them, however there are some unituiative contols these are..) Pressing A+B+x+y=Start takes you out the main load-up screen. A button is for confirming and throwing the mode altering ping-pong balls at things (this is the most important command in the game, as you throw the balls at things in Neji's room to get him to be interested or throw them at objects when he is not in the room to move them). Page7- When you push the start button at the title screen you'll be taken into the area where you have the tools to change Neji's life or the Mode Select (this is the intro start screen, from top to bottom the choices are with their further break downs into other menu's if you choose them) -Start Game (for starting the game the first time, created new save file) Omake Menu (you are taken here after pressing start) Start game Omake -Continue Game Omake Menu (you are taken here after pressing continue, below are your two choices) Start game Omake -Option (breakdown of the option menu, and their options as they appear on screen after selection) -Sound Setting Stereo Mono -Jump Pack attach Use jump pack Don't use jump pack -Screen adjust (the red circle should be covering the black hole in the middle) -Display (meaning area) Normal Big Small -Internet (I haven't used it so I don't know what the sub-menus are) Description (under mode select)- This is where you can listen to (from left to right, the icons) TV clips that Neji has watched in the game so far, radio music clips or progreams, CD songs of Serana Poji, or things he has said to himself (like "its so cold" Live video feed (last section on page) - If you leave the Dreamcast running at the Title menu (before start menu) the game will go into a live camera mode where you can watch Neji jus going about his room or sometimes other video clips. Page 8- Fundamental Knowledge, the things I can do. 1. Move inbetween times (meaning the calendar select option during game play. 2. Get Neji to be interested in things (this is the basis of the game, you do this by throwing what looks like ping pong balls at items in his room). 3. When Neji's not in the room, you can move objects (TV, books etc.) Things I should do- In the course of his life up till now, Neji hasn't had a whole lot going on. But you will have chance to change this for the better. Neji will have various drama points where he will confront some sort of action. At these points its possible to help Neji, or not. Depending on which you choose you'll influence his life accordingly. Sometimes these drama points will occur out of order (maybe if you've played the game before you'd know this) and you will simply skip over some conflict point or perhaps return to them later. Regardless, the drama points (the manual calls them nabi) are important to what happens with Neji's life. Page 9- Nabi presentation: At the start of each calendar time frame, the game will present a short clip which will describe you mission you want him to complete. Complete it and good things will happen. However, depending on the time of day you choose in the calendar select, Neji will not always be home (usually in the mornings he is out). Also, sometimes you will have to complete 2 or more objectives in a given time frame. Intervention results: after completing a time period allotted to you for a given mission (not the mission itself though, you have to use your alottment of days, even if it is to just waste), you a results check telling you how well you've done with Neji. (The various elements that all the lines at the bottom of the page are pointing to are as follows from the left side first) -Total clicks for the given time period (or ping pong balls thrown in the past time period) -Total clicks which resulted in a good mood for Neji (this is misleading tho, its as if the game gives you easy money here. As long as Neji is in a good mood to begin with and you just keep throwing ping pong balls, but don't get him in a bad mood, you'll get points for this) -Total clicks which resulted in a bad mood for Neji (same as above in house this click count works) -Total clicks to date (now the bottom, this line points to) -This bar represents the ratio of how well you've done with Neji. Blue is the clicks throughout, green are effective clicks and red is the amount of detrimental clicks. (from the right, top to bottom) -The day you were watching over him. -Status of Neji's life (I don;t understand how this is rated, perhaps by how many points you have to date) -Score to date -Status of the current nabi under review (whether you've completed passed it successfully or not, you can tell by the chimes if you've donw good or bad, more on this on the next page) Page 10- Inverntion day decisions: Intially at the calendar select screen, if you have taken choosen the tutorial, you will start out during January of 2002. If not, Febryar of 2002. Per nabi event, you will be given a period of days in which to complete your mission, and at the calendar select screen you must pick which days you will carry out your mission. (Sometimes you will be given as few as two days, sometims as many as 6, again this is a misleading section since you while you may be given say 6 days you can never use up all the 6 days as each day is split into a morning section and a night section. What you are given per nabi event is the ability to choose a certain number of these morning or evening time periods. So say you have 6 time periods over a 7 day period in which to carry out your mission, you could have 6 morning sessions with Neji and 1 night session. To find out how many of these morning/night sessions you have per nabi period, push B on the calendar selection screen. Here you can review past nabi events or review your current nabi. Current nabi will list how many sessions you have to complete your mission. It is the number next to the concentric squares symbol. Also if you want to see the nabi event mission movie again, push the A button in this screen, or the B button to get back to the calendar select. Other elements of the calendar select are a timer where you must pick a day before the time runs out or a day will be picked for you. Finally below are the three symbols you will see on review nabi selection from pushing B in the calendar select screen, these symbols on the bottom of page 10 in block- type paranthesis). First symbol- failure Second symbol- success (this is the symbol on all the nabi's in picture at the bottom of the page) Third symbol- The current nabi will succeed when it finishes. Page 11- (explaining just the things marked by the larger swirls on this page. The symbols(words) next to these large swirls can be matched up to the picture on this page, starting from the top swirl on the page Cursor- This is your cursor, what its pointed on you click(throw ping pong balls at) Time left- How much time you have left during your morning/night session. (Some sessions give you as little as 20 seconds, watch out) Neji's list- This will show the mental list of what Neji is thinking of doing. This list constantly changes, and the item is at the top of his list will be doing (usually smoking of watching TV). The more you click on something, the more likely it will come to the top (try getting him to do something easy for a while, like listening to a CD). Items marked in red are items which are directly related to the current nabi mission at hand (you want to do these). ChibiNeji- This is the little figure at the top corner of the screen which matches Neji's motion on screen. Besides showing what he is doing (sometimes you can't view Neji say when he's going to the bathroom), it also show's Neji's mood as shown by the ChibiNeji color and the words which hit it on the head every so often.. You'll notice the more you click the more green dots surround the image of the ChibiNeji. There is a limit to how many times you'll want to click on anything to get Neji to do anything. If you click way too much a fill up the ChibiNeji frame with all red, Neji will leave his apartment. As for the ChibiNeji model's color, if it's is red, he's happy and active, if white he's neutral, if blue he's tired or depressed. Also in relation to the ChibiNeji frame, the weather also affects Neji's moods. When it good weaher, he'll be more happy and active, when normal weather he'll be more neutral, when its bad weather he'll be more depressed. (Sometimes its difficult to determine the type of day. You can usually see the type of day through the window, or hear it in case of rain) As can be expected with these moods and mood elements they either will make him either easier or harder to get to do things. Camera number- this shows you what camera number you are currently on. You can usually switch between a number of cameras per session of watching Neji, or in case of when he is not home, you will be able to fly freely about. Page 12- More explanation on clicking on things: Click on things with your cursor to get Neji to do something. (basically, its harder when its rainning, and you have to keep clicking on something to get Neji's attention. Usually one or two clicks every second or so is good. You'll be able to tell how close you're getting Neji mad by listening to pitch of the sound when you click (throw ping pong balls). More on changing cameras: Sometime you'll get more cameras than normal. Switch between the cameras with the B button. Listening to the Radio: Its possible to listen to the radio to varying effects. If the Radio DC or Powerstream program comes on when listening, you'll get sound clips you can listen to in the omake menu. Also there is a relaxing music program which can relax Neji if he is in a bad mood. Page 13- Serani Poji: He REALLY like listening to Serani Poji CD's and it is possible to get him in a good mood by listening to her so. Incomplete List of Nabi missions (covering the tutorial month mostly, with the titles of each of these Nabi missions and tips on what to get him to do. 001- Because I clicked on something, watching. Click on anything and make him do anything. 002- Thoughts, during this time. Read Neji's diary 003- Gotta long and important day (tommorrow). Set Neji's alarm clock. 004- Whose words? The computer is curious… 005- For the mean time, water. Get Neji to drink some water 006- That was different, I saw it! Move the kotatsu (his table, or anything else I think in his room) around when Neji's not home. 007- The call of nature. Get Neji to goto the bathroom by having him drink lots of milk and water. 008- Ah, Serani. Get Neji to listen to some Serani Poji Page 14- When Neji's not home. (more or less everything has been explained previously. However you fly about freely when Neji is not home, instead of switching between camera's. Also you can access Neji's chat log on his computer, or his personal diary. Sorry, no translation of them though. Page 15- Let's play some tricks: You can play various tricks on Neji while he isn't home by moving things around, turning things on etc.. (in the picture below) in example, his computer, his table, his curtains. ChibiNeji?- When Neji is not home, sometimes a ChibiNeji will be hiding out in the room (the same little figure that is in the top corner frame when Neji is in the house). If you hunt him down and find him (after finding 5) you'll receive a present of a downloadable game for your VMU. Therafter, every 5 you find from the first, more puzzles will be available for download to the VMU. When one is in the apartment(not always) you'll hear "ChibiNeji sagashi yooi don" (in a weird little muchkin like voice). Page 16- (Note: I never played this min-game, so this is right out of the manual, so it may be right or very wrong, if someone could help me on this) Mojiouchi (the name of the downlaodable game(- Once you've collected enough ChibiNeji's, after the game is saved and you recontinue, from the omake menu (right after you press start or continue option on the main menu) you will be presented with a "present" option alongside of the start game and omake option. If you go into this menu, you will be able to download the mini- game onto a VMU. The game- The game is played by switching two letters in a given row of letters so that you try to create a correct word. Creating the word with the least amount of mistakes results in high points. These points can then be used and will be added to the total points acculmulated in Neji's life so far. The VMU- A-Button, choose the two letters to be switched. B- Attempts to pass the puzzle A+B- Starts the mini game from the main menu on the VMU Control pad- Moves the cursor around to highlight letters in the game Page 17- Internet (This section describes only a bit how to get online with Roommania and how to obtain Dream Passport interenet software from Sega. The instructions simply say push the A button over the internet option on the main page and away you go. However, since I've never been online with my DC, I can't give you any better instrcutions than that. Also, I'm going to leave out the section that entails how to send money to Sega of Japan to obtain a Dream Passport, unless some English player in Japan really needs the address). Page 18- (This page includes a short description of the options menu which I previously brokedown, also..) You can receive a hint for a particular nabi (sorry, I don't have any hint translation) in the game by either reading Neji's journal while he is out or going to the nabi listing screen when a "!" "?" is presented next to the nabi (meaning you're yet to complete it), as a hint will be presented there next to it. Also you can exit the game through the pause screen (hitting Start while inside a Nabi mission) the options which result are (from top to bottom as they appear on screen) -Continie mission -Quit watching (quit this particular attempt at the mission, go back to the calendar select screen) -Return to title screen (quit out of game) Finally, when quitting out of the game through the pause menu, be very careful since the game will autosave while you are quitting out of the game. So if you turn off the power before you get to the title screen you may corrupt your game data. V. Ending Tips -The game autosaves after every mabi missions attempt and at exiting the game. I don't think you can do anything about this but have copies of more than one save game at a time. -Finding ChibiNeji is pretty easy, just fly around Neji's room until you hear one of them talk (they'll say stuff like, "ack close!!") when you're near (except in Japanese of course). -If you've already beat a Nabi objective early on in a time period, you can get him more bonus points by doing it again or simply by getting lots of happy clicks on him. VI. Acknowlegdments Thanks to.. Gamefaqs.com- What a great site, too useful. Japanese people and culture, specifically anime and video games which constantly impress me and from which I owe so much inspiration for learning Japanese- Maido! LiTtLeBoY319- For my buying my copy of Roommania, and being a sport with me taking so long to write up this manual translation. "Through these thousand millenia, I have thought only of you" -Ifurita from El Hazard Copyright 2000 Casim Neff