Tutorial for installing and playing visual novels?

[Crackle]

Is there an actual tutorial anywhere? I've only been able to get about 30% of the games downloaded on this website to work, even with cracks and patches. There are no tutorials on how to apply "No DVD patches", how to use Alpha Rom Cracker, how to properly install the games etc etc etc. If anyone knows a guide that can answer at least a few of the technical issues I'm running into, please point me to it.

1 - Run setup from the .ISO, game installs... then just won't run. Clicking the EXE either wants a CD key or just does nothing. This happens with or without local emulator, and it happens regardless of what my local is set to (tried it in both Japanese and English). Even when I use a crack, it doesn't work. A popup in Japanese comes up when I use the crack, and the game just doesn't run. Tried different comparability modes as well, they don't work. Even tried copying the contents of the ISO to my hard drive first then running the installation with Local Emulator, and it doesn't change anything.

2 - Patches and cracks don't seem to work, in particular the No DVD patches. I've installed the games, then unzipped the No DVD patch, then put it in the games folder, then run the patch. If I just install the game it asks for a CD key. If I use the patch, there's a load bar that goes all the to 100% then completes... But then then the game once again just doesn't run at all. In some cases (Gyakusuuu 3 and 5) the game opens then immediately crashes, in others (Ma o Jutaiseshi Otome no Kuetsu 2) the game process is up in my task manager, but it's sitting idle at about 13 and sits there forever.

3 - For some reason (and this has only happened with Gyakusuu5) I tried using the crack on the .exe file that was mounted on the .ISO. It ran. Just I can't save or load any game files like that, obviously.

Had this problem with Monster Park, Gyakushuu 3 and 5, Ma o Jutaiseshi Otome no Kuetsu 2, yet I didn't have this problem when I ran Monster Park 2 or any of the Black Lilith games I've played, or the Valkyria games. Can anyone direct me to a step by step guide on how to install these games and get them to run?

 

[Frankincense]

Hello.

It's quite hard to give a universal guide because each game/game engine has its own patcher. Your best bet is to post in those games' threads and hope that someone actually replies.

But for AlphaROMdiE, just drag the game's .exe file into AlphaROMdiE's window and it will create a shortcut for you.

Is this the locale emulator you use? https://pooi.moe/Locale-Emulator/ Maybe you have to set the profile to run as admin and fake UI language.

That patcher with 100% progress bar, I don't know. But did you run it as admin? Maybe the patcher shows 100% progress but nothing is really done, because it doesn't have the right to modify that folder's content.

 

[amaimono]

Are you on Windows 10?

Windows 10 breaks quite a lot of eroges. There are workarounds such as setting the compatibility to Windows 98 or downloading compatibility patches, but no universal solution. I too haven't found a way to run "Ma o Jutai Seshi (Otome) no Kuetsu 2" in Windows 10. For old games like that, you should either install a VM or use another PC with Windows 7.


Anyway, going back to the topic... I'll provide basic steps to run most Japanese eroge in non-Japanese Windows (Windows 7 and above). These steps don't cover crack installations nor specific workarounds (these things should be asked in their own threads). They are meant to be done before installations and only once, but may be reverted for convenience:

1. Press Windows key + R.
   
   
2. Type intl.cpl and press Enter.
   
   
3. Open Administrative tab.
   
   
4. Click Change system locale... button.
   
   
5. Select Japanese (Japan) and click OK. This will install Japanese language pack if you haven't. Restart if required.
   
   WARNING: Changing system locale to Japanese may cause future software installations to use Japanese as default language. Revert this step as necessary.
   
   
6. By this point, you should be able to run a vast majority of titles. But some titles, particularly Atelier Kaguya's ones, require a further step. Start by repeating step 1 and 2.
   
   
7. Under Format:, select Japanese (Japan) and click OK.
   
   WARNING: On rare occassions, this may prevent you from running certain non-Japanese programs. Revert as necessary.
   
   
8. By this point, around 95% of titles should be perfectly playable. Unfortunately, old Cyberworks's titles such as the original Inyouchuu are among the remaining 5%. For these royal pains in the backside, you have to change your Display Language to Japanese. How? Look it up, I've forgotten. Sorry.
   
   
9. Game's still not running? amaimono is a big fat liar? Well, you might be missing DirectX components or Visual C++ libraries (here or here).

That should do it, or I'm a big fat liar.