can't display japanese

[uglijimus]

Hi,

I've have been playing the game Icewind Dale II for the past few years on my laptop (windows XP). It's the japanese version and in order to play it, I had to go into the regional settings and change the default language to Japanese and it displayed the Japanese font correctly.

I haven't played it in a few months and decided to try it again last night. It would not display the Japanese characters correctly. The only thing that has changed since I last played it, was that I reformated the hard drive recently and before the reformatting, I was using Windows XP Pro and now, after the reformatting I am using Windows XP Home.

A colleague at work told me to download this http://www.microsoft.com/globaldev/tools/apploc.mspx

but it didn't work. Anyone ever hear of this or have had a similar problem such as this?

thanks

[iPhantom]

Goto: Control Panel
--> Regional and Language options
--> Under "Langauges" tab, check "Install files for East Asian Languages"
--> Click OK

This will install it for you. However, you will be asked to put in your Windows XP CD-ROM as it needs some files located on this disc.

[ozkai]

Originally Posted by iPhantom

Goto: Control Panel
--> Regional and Language options
--> Under "Langauges" tab, check "Install files for East Asian Languages"
--> Click OK

This will install it for you. However, you will be asked to put in your Windows XP CD-ROM as it needs some files located on this disc.

My machine didn't come with a CD. In this case, what would one do to get around the procedure you are describing?

Just curious in-case Uglyjimus hasn't got one..

Just recalling, i installed form the Windows site and was never asked..

[iPhantom]

Originally Posted by ozkai

My machine didn't come with a CD. In this case, what would one do to get around the procedure you are describing?

Just curious in-case Uglyjimus hasn't got one..

Just recalling, i installed form the Windows site and was never asked..

I suppose your machine has a licensed windows XP. Download it from torrent site and burn it. It will work.

Installing from the windows site requires downloading it. The CD workaround is faster and some people don't have internet.

[uglijimus]

Originally Posted by iPhantom

I suppose your machine has a licensed windows XP. Download it from torrent site and burn it. It will work.

Installing from the windows site requires downloading it. The CD workaround is faster and some people don't have internet.

I should have already told you that the east asian language files are all ready installed and I have all of the XP Japanese IME software installed as well. I can see Japanese on any webpage and input it into any software. But for some reason this game just won't display it properly...

[kisftw]

I have Vista, but it doesn't have a disc, and I don't know how to torrent, help please?
But I also want to fix my keyboard to type in Japanese too, if anyone can help...

[Aniki]

Originally Posted by kisftw

I have Vista, but it doesn't have a disc, and I don't know how to torrent, help please?
But I also want to fix my keyboard to type in Japanese too, if anyone can help...

Since you're using Vista maybe I might help you. To enable Japanese characters on your keyboard you need to:
1. Right click on the language bar and select settings.
2. Then in General window click on add...
3. Then look for the japanese language and select Microsoft IME (I use this one) and push OK.
4. Then on your language bar simply select Japanese and you're all set up.

Just in case I'll post some pics bellow so it would be easier to undertand what I wrote here.

[kisftw]

But now, how do I type in Japanese?

[Aniki]

I knew you'll ask that.

Here's how to type in Japanese:

1. First you must select Japanese language (obviously).

2. If you want to type something in katakana, just left click on the あ or A icon (look at the pic below if you don't understand) and when table appears click Full-width Katakana or Half-width Katakana.
Pic 4.jpg
The icon should change to カ, and then you are able to write in katakana. To write Japanese letters you must know how the kana sounds: that is if you want to write シ - you just need to type the letters s-h-i, カ - type k-a, ノ - type n-o, and etc. But to type the kana ン - you'll have to type the letter n twice. This is how Microsoft IME works.

3. If you wanna type in hiragana just just left click on the same あ icon and then select hiragana. Everything writes the same as katakana.

4. And of course kanji. This will be a little bit more difficult. When you type in hiragana it can change into kanji depending on a word or a sentence you write. Example: if you wanna write Japan in kanji, you'll just need to type Nihon in hiragana - にほん (n-i-h-o-n-n) and then press space and when the kanji 日本 appear press Enter. But the word Nihon has several meanings so if it's not 日本 you need, then just type にほん and press space several times until you'll get the meaning you need, and then press Enter again.
As for the sentences. If you need to write something like - What will (you) eat? in japanese, then just type Nani wo tabemasu ka?, and press space and Enter only when you're done typing. This is what you should get if you typed it correct - 何を食べますか?.

At the beginig it's kinda strange and difficult to type like that, but once you get the hang of it, it becomes quite easy to write in Japanese.

Oh, and try to explore everything by yourself before you want to ask something else you don't understand.