An Aero-Gamer’s Guide to Using ATLAS

Installing and Configuring Eroge

This section is mainly intended to help noobs who aren’t good with computers. Here I’ll go over how to install an eroge, and which settings you should change to make playing a bit more comfortable.

For those who are accustomed to using computers, feel free to skim through this section or skip right to the Bare Essentials =>>

1) Set your system locale to Japanese for non-Unicode programs (IMPORTANT!!!)

This is VERY important. If you don’t do this, a lot of the Japanese text won’t display correctly on your computer. This means that the installation process will look screwed up and games won’t produce Japanese text properly. No proper Japanese text means that you won’t be able to use most of the stuff in this guide. In some cases, the game may not even run proper if you haven’t changed this setting.

• Control Panel>Region and Language>Administrative
• Change the system Locale to Japanese (will need to restart after doing this)

Unfortunately, I only have access to “Windows 7”. How you change the system locale for other versions of windows may not be the same, but I’m guessing it’s pretty similar.

There are actually methods of somewhat getting around doing this, like Applocale and  Locale Emulator. These programs will make games produce Japanese text even if the system locale hasn’t been changed. However I personally feel that changing the system locale is the most efficient method if you plan to play eroge in the long run.

2) Download an eroge

I won’t go into detail on HOW to download an eroge. Chances are that you’ll probably find what you need on anime-sharing.

If you download a game using torrents, then you can probably skip to the next step (Mount the Game .iso).

However if you’re thinking of downloading the game using direct download links (e.g. depositfiles, mediafire, etc), it’s very likely that you’ll be downloading the game in parts. If this is the case, once you have successfully downloaded all the parts, you’ll need to extract the contents of these files using a program such as 7zip or winrar. Because 7zip is free, I’ll be using it in my examples:

http://www.7-zip.org/

You’ll also need a program like 7zip to extract the various tools shared within this  guide.

Depending on what system type you’re using, you’ll need to download a different version of 7zip. Right click the computer icon on your desktop and select ‘properties’. You can see that I’m using 64-bit. So I downloaded and installed the 64-bit version of 7zip.

Now select all the parts you downloaded, and right click. If you installed the correct version of 7zip for your system, a sub-menu for 7zip should appear in the context menu. Select one of the various extract options. I’ve chosen to ‘extract here’. Don’t worry, even if you DON’T select all the files and you extract it, 7-zip will extract the whole thing.

What you should be left with is an ‘iso file’.

If 7zip DOESN’T appear in your context menu, find and run it from your start menu. From there, find the folder that contains the part files. Then double click one of the part files to isolate it.

After isolation, choose where you want the files to be extract to. Then press okay. This will lead to the same result as the method above.

If one of the parts happens to be corrupt or if you’re missing a part, the extraction process will show an error. The end product of the extraction won’t be what you’re looking for (it’ll probably be some iso file that’s just WAY too small). In the example below, my part 4 is missing, which is why an error occurred. On occasion one of your parts may be corrupted, which means you need to re-download it. An error may also indicate that there’s something wrong with the thing as a whole, which may mean you need to re-download the whole thing from somewhere else.

FINALLY, here are some settings to change to make life a bit easier for you. Go to the options via the tools menu.

In the options, I’ve changed it so that 7zip automatically associates itself with certain types of files. I have also made it so that the sub-menu for 7zip in the context menu shows less stuff.

3) Mount the Game .iso

Use a program like Daemon tools lite or Virtual Clone Drive to mount the game iso. I have used Daemon tools lite in my examples.

With Daemon tools lite, make sure you choose the free license when installing. Also you probably want to pick ‘don’t allow’ for the other two random things that appear during the install.

I chose the following settings when I was installing it.

If you selected the ‘file associations’ box during the install, your extract .iso files should now be associated with daemon tools. Double click to move

Once your iso has been mounted, an autoplay pop up should appear. Choose to run the installation.

If it doesn’t appear or if you chose not to accept it, you can always run the setup by double clicking the mounted disc in ‘My computer”.

With all that done, we now move on to installing the game.

4) Installing the game

It’s not unexpected that the installation is in Japanese. The good thing is that the installation process is pretty much the same as installing a program in English. Occasionally you’ll get a very mind blowing installation that just has too many settings, but it’s pretty rare. In any case, be prepared to use a bit of trial and error.

Unlike most English programs, a small window will normally appear for you to start the installation process. If it doesn’t automatically appear, run it from the disc your “my computer” folder.

Generally to start the install process, you’ll need to click one of the following terms:

• インストール = install (common)
  
• セットアップ = setup (uncommon)
  
• Other (rare)

So we’ve finally gotten into the install process. Now let’s learn how to navigate around.

• 次へ = next
  
• 戻る = back
• キャンセル = cancel (sometimes 中止)

Even without me giving you that info, it’s pretty obvious that the button with ‘(N) >’ means next, and the button just left of it means back.

The first thing of significance you will usually see is something asking where you want the game to be installed. It’s pretty easy to identify just by the fact that it’s showing a folder location. It’s also pretty obvious that the button on the left of the folder location is for you to change the install location.

The install process MAY ask you where you want the game’s save data.

In the example it’s easy to tell that it’s asking you this because it says save data in English (sometimes referred as just ‘data’). If no hints are given in English, the terms that will most likely appear will be:

• セーブ = save
• データ = data
• セーブデータ = save data

Another way to tell that this is referring to save data is by shuffling through the given options. The typical places for save data include:

• The game folder
• Somewhere in your  “Documents” folder
• Somewhere in your “AppData” folder (This folder is normally hidden. To view, select “show hidden files” in your folder options)

So if you spot these in the folder location while shuffling through the options, you can guess that it’s asking about save data.

This next window is asking if you want start-menu and desktop shortcuts made.

Unfortunately it’s never in English; however it’s still pretty easy to spot. If you ever see one of these words:

• スタートメニュー = start menu
• デスクトップ = desktop

Then you can pretty much assume that it’s asking you if you want shortcuts made. Note you may be only given one of the options or even none at all.

That’s the end of the configuration for the installation. The only thing left is to actually start installing. For this particular example, to start the installation you need to press:

• インストール = install (sometimes followed by the words: 開始 = start)
  
• セットアップ = setup (very rarely used here)

Start the process, and then you’re done! The above is an example of your typical eroge installation. Sometimes there will be more settings, other times less. All in all, they will probably follow that typical format.

Just to complicate things a bit, here’s another example.

Using what we learned from above, we can easily start the install process by clicking インストール (install). That was easy. Here comes the harder part:

Unlike the previous example, all the settings are given to you at once. You’ve probably noticed a number of settings look familiar.

The ‘red letters’ indicate the settings covered previously. They are:

A – The install folder
B – Shortcuts (in these given options, the start-menu shortcut is always made)
C – Save data location

Now the ‘blue numbers’ indicate stuff that wasn’t covered in the previous example. I’ll go over them briefly.

1 – Here it’s asking you how much of the game you want to install. The smaller 2.4GB version doesn’t install the voices, while other version does. When given this option, ALWAYS install the larger one. If you install the smaller version, you’ll NEED the game iso mounted when you play the game. Trust me on this. If you play enough eroge, you’ll see why this is annoying.

2 – I can’t remember EVER seeing this setting before, which means that it’s pretty damn rare. It’s asking you where you want the game config data to be saved. Truth be told, this is not a setting that matters that much.

3 – You can probably guess what this is, simply by contrasting it with the button opposite it. The other button means ‘cancel’ (中止), so that implies that this button means something along the lines of ‘install’.

Though the possibilities aren’t limitless, you’re bound to see lots of terms that weren’t covered here. Especially when installing older games . However, don’t worry. After doing this enough times, it’ll become second nature to you. Otherwise, there’s always trial and error.

5) Patches and cracks

When you downloaded the game, did it come with anything extra? This extra thing could be very important.

If the game comes with a txt file label something along the lines of ‘serial’, chances are that you’ll need to insert that during the installation phase or right after you open the game. This is pretty self explanatory, so I’ll leave things here.

Other vital things that could be included with your download include:

• An update patch. Will contain the word ‘update’ and/or the word ‘patch’, and a number like 101 or 1.01, which means that it updates your version to version 1.01.
• A nodvd patch. This makes it so that you don’t need the iso mounted in order to play the game
• A crack or patch to get around an activation process or other annoying process that stops you from playing the game. This is VITAL.

NOTE: Occasionally this extra stuff, cracks in particular, will trigger your virus scan. Don’t fret; they’re usually nothing dangerous, and leaving them on your computer won’t do any harm.

So the rule of thumb this stuff is: if it doesn’t look dodgy, paste it into your game folder and run it. If what you pasted into the folder is a crack, by running it will simply open the game. The crack should bypass any annoying process that you would have seen otherwise. If it’s a patch, a process will pop up to ‘patch’ the contents of your game folder.

Unfortunately I can’t really give you a definition on what’s dodgy and what’s not.  But I CAN show you some examples of stuff that isn’t dodgy:

In the event that nothing extra is included in your download, and you can’t play your game for some reason, I advise you to look for a patch or crack on anime-sharing.

6) In game

It took a while, but we’re finally inside the game.

Each game has a decent number of settings you can change. It’s impractical for me to cover everything, so I’ll just be going over the stuff I think is the most important.

The config menu can be accessed through the title screen. Also, there’s usually a button for it included in the dialogue box. It’ll generally be labelled as one of the following:

• システム = system
• 設定 = settings
• Config

As you can see with the above example, the word to access the config menu is in English (i.e. system). Newer games appear to be doing this a lot these days. So navigation around the place usually isn’t too difficult.

If you’re LUCKY, the game you’re playing will also have a settings menu that contains a lot of English.

With the above example, it’s very easy to navigate around. However, chances are that you’ll be stuck with settings that are fully in Japanese. When that’s the case, you’ll probably be too lazy, and only want to change the minimum number of settings possible.

In saying that, here is the list of settings you’ll most likely be interested in.

Window mode (1)

You’ll need your eroge to be in window mode so that you have space on your monitor to use all the random stuff in this guide. Luckily, most eroge are in window mode by default these days. If it isn’t, the key word you should look for is:

• ウインドウ = window (mode)

Text speed (2)

You will need the message speed to be on max (instant). If you don’t, ATLAS may only translate part of the sentence. This option is pretty easy to set, and usually comes in 3 variations:

-Drag bar (common)
-Selectable speeds via numbers (uncommon)
-Selectable speeds via described speeds (rare)

Though I listed those 3 types, probably 95% of the time you’ll get the drag bar type. This makes it pretty easy to find. Words to look out for include:

• 速度 = speed

Along with one of the following:

• テクスト = text
• メッセージ = message
• 文字 = letter/character

Sound settings (3)

The title says it all. Within the sound settings the things of interest would probably be the BGM and voices. Similar to the message speed, this is usually in the form of a drag bar, so it’s pretty easy to find.

The BGM (back ground music) setting is pretty obvious most of the time because it’ll just be under ‘BGM’.

Voices will usually be under:

• ボイス or 音声 (both mean voice)

Keep voices on until next voice (4)

This option makes it so that dialogue audio will continue to play until it reaches the end or until the next dialogue audio, even if you choose to progress the dialogue text. This is one of my favourite options, but it’s pretty annoying to set for the following reasons:

1. The option isn’t always there, especially with older games
2. If it IS there, it’s not always on by default
3. The naming of this option isn’t very consistent. So it’s somewhat hard to find

The setting name will contain the words:

• ボイス or 音声 = voice

Along with one or more of the following:

• 次 = next
• カット = cut
• 停止 = stop
• クリック = click

Here are several examples of the config menu. I’ve colour coded it so that you can refer back to the settings I described above.

That’s the gist of things. Of course, there’s always the chance that the layout you get will look nothing like the stuff I’ve shown you. That’s where good old trial and error comes in. Back in the day when I knew NO Japanese, I used trial and error for basically every setting >___>.

Other things you might find helpful:

• Useful terms:
  • セーブ = save
  •  ロード = load
  • クイックセーブ = quick-save
  • クイックロード =quick-load

• Right click on the mouse will either bring up some menu, or hide the dialogue box.
• Enter, like the left mouse click, progresses the dialogue
• Generally by default, the skip setting is set to only skip read text. However, pressing Ctrl will generally skip ALL text (including unread text). If you’re not a fan of H-scenes, you’ll be using this very often.
• The space bar usually hides the dialogue box.

Other than that, other settings you’ll probably not need, or probably can learn from good old trial and error. If you feel that I missed out on something in this section, feel free to drop a comment below.

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