Post by rt054 on Apr 22, 2011 9:30:51 GMT -7
For those who are familiar with anime I'm sure you've heard about Clannad and Shuffle! (Which LCAD's special guest Monica Rial was the voice actress for Shigure Asa in Shuffle!).
Well I recently found a Japanese social MMO called Ai Sp@ce where you can make a character that lives in the worlds of Shuffle!, Clannad, and another anime called Da Capo and interact with characters from those series. You also receive a companion character called a chara-doll that you can supposedly customize, program to do things like dancing and dress up, as well as take control of for cosplay watergun fights. Updates to the game also include characters and cosplay costumes from other anime, including Project Diva, and Touhou Project.
The game is free to play but you need to have at least a silver Nico Nico Douga account which is free for a standard "silver" account but a monthly fee for a premium "gold" account.
Here's a link and directions for making an Nico Nico Douga account with translated images
secure.nicovideo.jp/secure/static/register/index.html
Silver button is the free account
img168.imageshack.us/img168/1013/85760776.jpg
Enter the email address you want to use.
img37.imageshack.us/img37/1233/75079335.jpg
Input account information and make an alphanumeric password that's at least 8 digits long.
img26.imageshack.us/img26/3364/85039127.jpg
Then you get a verification page where you need to input the code that's on the picture.
img687.imageshack.us/img687/2363/80236222.jpg
After that you'll get an email with a verification link open the link and you're done.
Warning this game is in Japanese but knowing the language is not required to play in fact there's a growing english speaking community with translated guides on the web including an Ai Sp@ce wikia. I recommend the group on www.crunchyroll.com they have some guides on their forum and a growing english speaking group for Ai Sp@ce.
Now to installing Ai Sp@ce first download the client which can be found at
ai-sp.jp/top/download/#
In order to install the client however you need to change your computer's language to japanese this is required for the game. Here are instructions on how to do it that I've copied from the Crunchyroll website.
Regardless of what you may be thinking, this is not just a luxury to help you play the game. Quite the contrary, this is required. If you do not do this, you will get a runtime error whenever you try to start the client!
Option 1: Setting your computers language to Japanese. VISTA USERS MUST USE OPTION 2!
Basically you have to turn your computer's language into Japanese. By doing this, everything will still be in English EXCEPT when you try to install Microsoft stuff.
But if you wanna turn it back to English, it's easy. :]
Okay, soooo go to Control Panel.
And then to Regional and Language Options. (Looks like a globe with a computer in front of it.)
There should be 3 tabs at the top. "Regional Options," "Languages" and "Advanced."
Go to Advanced. :]
There should be a pulldown box. Click on that and find Japanese, and set it to that. Hit Apply, and then hit Okay. :] It will probably ask for a computer restart so if you have anything cool open make sure you save it or whatever.
Like I said, turning it to Japanese only changes Microsoft installation things.. So really, it's no different from English. I can't really read a lick of Japanese but I just have mine on Japanese mode all the time for things like this. ;
So no risk, no worries. :]
That should get rid of your runtime error.
If you wanna turn it back to English, just go to the same spot, and change that Japanese back to English. Good to go. ~_^
Option 2: Applocale. FOR VISTA (and Windows 7) USERS!!
Applocale is a program that will allow you to play foreign games without changing the computer language.
Unfortunately, Vista users must use this option, because for some reason setting the language to Japanese on Vista just isn't enough.
Step 1: Go to www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=8C4E8E0D-45D1-4D9B-B7C0-8430C1AC89AB&displaylang=en and download that program.
Step 2: After downloading, install it. (If you have problems installing it, please refer to the last part of the section).
Step 3: Go to START and in the search bar at the bottom, type in Applocale. It should show up at the top. RIGHT CLICK that and go to SEND TO, and choose desktop. This will make a shortcut to your desktop so that you don't have to run the search every time. Now double click the icon on your desktop. Hit next, and then browse for Ai Sp@ce (usually C: Ai Sp@ce). MAKE SURE YOU USE THE LAUNCHER! If you use "ai sp@ce" instead of "ai sp@ceLauncher," it won't work.
Step 4: Open up the game, and you should be good to go.
For those of you who got the error when installing AppLocale:
Windows has a security setting that will not allow you to install things it finds "unsafe." Applocale was made for Windows XP, so it's typically not SUPPOSED to work on Vista, but it does. It works perfectly well. The only problem is that Vista doesn't want you to install it.
So these are the steps you must take to fix this problem.
Go to START and CONTROL PANEL, and open up User Accounts and Family Safety.
Click on User Accounts.
Then, the last option on that page is "Turn User Account Control on or off"
Click that, UNCHECK the box, and hit okay. You'll now need to restart your computer.
Once you've done that, install AppLocale. It should install with no problems. Afterwards, you can go back and turn that security option back on, which I recommend you do.
Part 3: Direct X Issues.
If you get an error message when you start the game, and somewhere in there it says something about Direct X, don't panic! This is easy to fix. Simply visit www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=2DA43D38-DB71-4C1B-BC6A-9B6652CD92A3&displaylang=en to get the latest version of Direct X. Problem solved.
Part 4: Updates and patches after install. (RT 054 added in)
Ok you just need to fire up the game and it will take you to an update screen with a bar on the bottom with a play button next to the bar. It'll take some time for the game to scan for the updates, patches and install them. This link has translations for the status of the update page.
www.crunchyroll.com/group/Ai_Space/forum#s=/group/Ai_Space/pages%3Fextra_param%3D12884932244
Part 5: Logging in.
When you put in your account's email address and password, hit enter and you SHOULD be good to go. If you get a message, make sure you're using the EMAIL ADDRESS you signed up with, NOT your user name.
image of translated login page added by RT 054
I advise reading through this thread if you run into any problems or having any trouble figuring out the game. Highly recommend joining the group they started there if you have any real interest in the game.
www.crunchyroll.com/forumtopic-366406/unlocking-ai-spce?pg=0
Here are a few vids for Ai Sp@ce
This one features a chara-doll that was programmed to speak english
Character creation and game intro and Akihabara which is the hub that connects the islands for the Shuffle!, Clannad, and Da Capo worlds and where everyone goes to socialize.
Ai Sp@ce x Touhou Project and a cosplay watergun fight where you play as one of the characters.
The game OP is U Make ai Dream by Kotoko who also did Ao Iconoclast and Hekira no Sora e Izanaedo for Blazblue and Continuum Shift.
Well I recently found a Japanese social MMO called Ai Sp@ce where you can make a character that lives in the worlds of Shuffle!, Clannad, and another anime called Da Capo and interact with characters from those series. You also receive a companion character called a chara-doll that you can supposedly customize, program to do things like dancing and dress up, as well as take control of for cosplay watergun fights. Updates to the game also include characters and cosplay costumes from other anime, including Project Diva, and Touhou Project.
The game is free to play but you need to have at least a silver Nico Nico Douga account which is free for a standard "silver" account but a monthly fee for a premium "gold" account.
Here's a link and directions for making an Nico Nico Douga account with translated images
secure.nicovideo.jp/secure/static/register/index.html
Silver button is the free account
img168.imageshack.us/img168/1013/85760776.jpg
Enter the email address you want to use.
img37.imageshack.us/img37/1233/75079335.jpg
Input account information and make an alphanumeric password that's at least 8 digits long.
img26.imageshack.us/img26/3364/85039127.jpg
Then you get a verification page where you need to input the code that's on the picture.
img687.imageshack.us/img687/2363/80236222.jpg
After that you'll get an email with a verification link open the link and you're done.
Warning this game is in Japanese but knowing the language is not required to play in fact there's a growing english speaking community with translated guides on the web including an Ai Sp@ce wikia. I recommend the group on www.crunchyroll.com they have some guides on their forum and a growing english speaking group for Ai Sp@ce.
Now to installing Ai Sp@ce first download the client which can be found at
ai-sp.jp/top/download/#
In order to install the client however you need to change your computer's language to japanese this is required for the game. Here are instructions on how to do it that I've copied from the Crunchyroll website.
Regardless of what you may be thinking, this is not just a luxury to help you play the game. Quite the contrary, this is required. If you do not do this, you will get a runtime error whenever you try to start the client!
Option 1: Setting your computers language to Japanese. VISTA USERS MUST USE OPTION 2!
Basically you have to turn your computer's language into Japanese. By doing this, everything will still be in English EXCEPT when you try to install Microsoft stuff.
But if you wanna turn it back to English, it's easy. :]
Okay, soooo go to Control Panel.
And then to Regional and Language Options. (Looks like a globe with a computer in front of it.)
There should be 3 tabs at the top. "Regional Options," "Languages" and "Advanced."
Go to Advanced. :]
There should be a pulldown box. Click on that and find Japanese, and set it to that. Hit Apply, and then hit Okay. :] It will probably ask for a computer restart so if you have anything cool open make sure you save it or whatever.
Like I said, turning it to Japanese only changes Microsoft installation things.. So really, it's no different from English. I can't really read a lick of Japanese but I just have mine on Japanese mode all the time for things like this. ;
So no risk, no worries. :]
That should get rid of your runtime error.
If you wanna turn it back to English, just go to the same spot, and change that Japanese back to English. Good to go. ~_^
Option 2: Applocale. FOR VISTA (and Windows 7) USERS!!
Applocale is a program that will allow you to play foreign games without changing the computer language.
Unfortunately, Vista users must use this option, because for some reason setting the language to Japanese on Vista just isn't enough.
Step 1: Go to www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=8C4E8E0D-45D1-4D9B-B7C0-8430C1AC89AB&displaylang=en and download that program.
Step 2: After downloading, install it. (If you have problems installing it, please refer to the last part of the section).
Step 3: Go to START and in the search bar at the bottom, type in Applocale. It should show up at the top. RIGHT CLICK that and go to SEND TO, and choose desktop. This will make a shortcut to your desktop so that you don't have to run the search every time. Now double click the icon on your desktop. Hit next, and then browse for Ai Sp@ce (usually C: Ai Sp@ce). MAKE SURE YOU USE THE LAUNCHER! If you use "ai sp@ce" instead of "ai sp@ceLauncher," it won't work.
Step 4: Open up the game, and you should be good to go.
For those of you who got the error when installing AppLocale:
Windows has a security setting that will not allow you to install things it finds "unsafe." Applocale was made for Windows XP, so it's typically not SUPPOSED to work on Vista, but it does. It works perfectly well. The only problem is that Vista doesn't want you to install it.
So these are the steps you must take to fix this problem.
Go to START and CONTROL PANEL, and open up User Accounts and Family Safety.
Click on User Accounts.
Then, the last option on that page is "Turn User Account Control on or off"
Click that, UNCHECK the box, and hit okay. You'll now need to restart your computer.
Once you've done that, install AppLocale. It should install with no problems. Afterwards, you can go back and turn that security option back on, which I recommend you do.
Part 3: Direct X Issues.
If you get an error message when you start the game, and somewhere in there it says something about Direct X, don't panic! This is easy to fix. Simply visit www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=2DA43D38-DB71-4C1B-BC6A-9B6652CD92A3&displaylang=en to get the latest version of Direct X. Problem solved.
Part 4: Updates and patches after install. (RT 054 added in)
Ok you just need to fire up the game and it will take you to an update screen with a bar on the bottom with a play button next to the bar. It'll take some time for the game to scan for the updates, patches and install them. This link has translations for the status of the update page.
www.crunchyroll.com/group/Ai_Space/forum#s=/group/Ai_Space/pages%3Fextra_param%3D12884932244
Part 5: Logging in.
When you put in your account's email address and password, hit enter and you SHOULD be good to go. If you get a message, make sure you're using the EMAIL ADDRESS you signed up with, NOT your user name.
image of translated login page added by RT 054
I advise reading through this thread if you run into any problems or having any trouble figuring out the game. Highly recommend joining the group they started there if you have any real interest in the game.
www.crunchyroll.com/forumtopic-366406/unlocking-ai-spce?pg=0
Here are a few vids for Ai Sp@ce
This one features a chara-doll that was programmed to speak english
Character creation and game intro and Akihabara which is the hub that connects the islands for the Shuffle!, Clannad, and Da Capo worlds and where everyone goes to socialize.
Ai Sp@ce x Touhou Project and a cosplay watergun fight where you play as one of the characters.
The game OP is U Make ai Dream by Kotoko who also did Ao Iconoclast and Hekira no Sora e Izanaedo for Blazblue and Continuum Shift.