Burai - japanese text become blanks in intro

Master (141)

19-11-2019, 21:17

I started Burai today with sofarun on my Philips NMS 8250 - wow, really awsome music and intro
...but below the intro images no japanese text is displayed. The games starts to write white blocks instead. Any idea what might be the problem? I'm runing the game with Carnivore2 and in 60hz.
Could it be that my Phlips NMS 8250 lacks the support for certain japanese letters or fonts?

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Por tfh

Prophet (2595)

19-11-2019, 21:23

You are indeed missing the Kanji ROM's. These are only found in Japanese MSX machines.

Por siddy6581

Master (141)

19-11-2019, 21:30

that's too bad. Is there any known kanji-rom mod for the Philips machine?
Is the kanji-font often used in japanese games - or is "kanji-graphics" more common?

Por Manuel

Ascended (17255)

19-11-2019, 21:36

Can you read kanji?

In Generation MSX an attempt is made to mark games that use kanji ROM, see e.g. https://www.generation-msx.nl/software/riverhill-soft-inc/bu... (at: Uses Kanji).

I don't know of any mod for European MSXes to install a kanji ROM. But there are cartridges available that implement it.

Por siddy6581

Master (141)

19-11-2019, 21:48

No I cannot. I was actually just testing the Burai dsk-sets in Sofarun when I noticed this. However, I just started (baby steps really) to learn some Japanese on the side, and while I don't expect to be any fluent speaker or reader within any time soon at all, I do hope some day to be able to pick up some language from JRPGs. At least that is one of my long term goals (I've previously studied some Japanese religion and film on university, so I have other intrests as well). Burai I and II was also ported to PC engine btw. I never seen any translation of those titles, yet they seem rather epic and with somewhat complex stories (or at least that is my impression from the long intro).

How does these cartridge work? Are they easily found?

Por KdL

Paragon (1363)

19-11-2019, 22:35

You can get this cartridge to have Kanji JIS1 and JIS2 on European machines.
https://www.msx.org/wiki/Sony_HBI-J1

Por Manuel

Ascended (17255)

19-11-2019, 22:52

If you're really interested, you might want to get a Japanese MSX2 anyway. But here's a list of the cartridges: https://www.msx.org/wiki/Category:Kanji-ROM#Cartridges_with_... Obviously, you can typically only get them in Japan.

Por siddy6581

Master (141)

19-11-2019, 23:25

Thanks for the list. Do you happen to know if anyone of these are more common/less rare, and easier to find on ebay? The Sony HBI-J1 seems to be a collecter item, or maybe it's just some sellers who are over priceing.

Por siddy6581

Master (141)

19-11-2019, 23:39

Btw, how many games are known for using the Kanji-rom? Except for Burai and Burai II, I could find no listening of Kanji use among the usual RPGs at Gen. MSX - Ys, Xak, Fray, La Valeur, Arcus, Crimson, Dragon Slayer, Emerald Dragon, The Way of Ninja, Snatcher, Runemaster, XZR, War of the Dead etc

Or maybe the listing is simply missing from most games which use it.

Por Manuel

Ascended (17255)

20-11-2019, 00:12

https://www.generation-msx.nl/software/result?uk%5B%5D=1

If you fill in blank in the search box and then on the left set "Uses Kanji" on Yes, you can search them all. 62 entries.

Por siddy6581

Master (141)

20-11-2019, 20:02

Thanks Manuel. Let's check out the list!

Burai 1 & 2 off course and then mostly obscure titels like:

Gals Quest;
Gladius;
Legend of the Melvel (has a special version for non-kanji rom users;
Magical Labyrinth Remix;
Maison Ikkoku;
Makai Revenge;
Princess Maker (though I think I had no problem with that one, theres a english translation as wll);
Ranma ½;
The Wig;
Twinkle Star;
War of the Dead 1 & 2 (must have missed that listing previously. Part 2 has translation though);
as well as a few hentei anime games, quiz games, mahjong games and a lot of education programs.

Guess it could be worth to get a Kanji rom, mostly to be able to run War of Dead and Burai as well as some of the more rae adventure games, but overall the kanji-mode seem to be a rare treat for games, and especially the more well known RPGs series.