-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Space Battle Ship Yamato 2 - for Sony Playstation Farewell Space Battleship Yamato in the name of love ************** ***** *** ******** ************** ***** *** *** ********** *** *** ************** *** *** *** *** *** *************** *** *** *** *** *** **** *** *** *** *** **** *** *** *** *** *********** *** *** *** ************ A.K.A. STAR BLAZERS Japanese Playstation Game FAQ _ | nisk72@cs.com <_)I ____ copyright 2000 Nick Flor _/|_ / / / <<<|o|___ / / / __I I I \/ / / _ __===/__\ ooooo _I __ / / / / ===/__\_/ oooOOOOOOoo \_/__\===/ \_______ | \____________________/ \__________/ I__I_/______/ =====\ \\ | = = = = = = =======| // \&/ ========| \_______________________________(o o o)____________________========| / D =======| | D =====/ \_____D______________________________________________ | ____|____ \__________/ <<<_______> \ \ \ \__\__ http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Harbor/3904/geoyamato.html -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is my attempt to write an FAQ on the Japanese Sony Playstation game Space Battle Ship Yamato 2 - Farewell Space Battleship Yamato in the name of love. I do not know Japanese. This faq is intended to help those who have imported the game, don't know Japanese and are stuck. This faq best viewed with a fixed width font! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 0.0 - Contents 1.0 - What's new (updates) 2.0 - The Story 3.0 - Menus and Buttons 3.1 - Options 3.2 - Buttons on Space Map Screen 3.3 - Yamato Menu - Crew positions and names 3.4 - PURPLE - Miscellaneous 3.5 - BLUE - Mechanic/Science post 3.6 - GREEN - Navigation 3.7 - YELLOW - Communications and Radar 3.7a - Yamato communications 3.7b - Earth Defense Fleet ship communications 3.7c - Cosmo tiger communications 3.8 - RED - Weapons and Tactical 4.0 - Strategies 4.1 - Transferring Posts 5.0 - Fleet Ship Directory - Battle controls 5.1 - Yamato 5.1a - Movement 5.1b - Weapons 5.1c - Items 5.2 - Cosmo Tiger Fighters 5.2a - Targeting 5.2b - Items 5.2c - Escape 5.3 - EDF Cruisers 5.3a - Movement 5.3b - Weapons 5.3c - Items 6.0 - Away Party 6.1 - controls 6.2 - Away Crew abilities 7.0 - Extras 8.0 - Rewards 8.1 - Cosmo Tiger Hyper "Hoshin" Missles 8.2 - New Fighter 19.0 - Misc. 19.1 - When was the game released? 19.2 - Where can I get a copy in the U.S.? 20.0 - FAQ Credits -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1.0 - what's new (updates) 05-29-00 Added 7.0 Secrets/Extras (but I can't find them! Help me!) Added 8.0 Rewards 05-27-00 Updated 2.0, added 6.0 Away Party 05-21-00 Updated 3.7a Yamato to Fleet communications 05-20-00 Updated 4.1 05-17-00 Added 5.0 Fleet Ship Directory, added to 3.5 05-16-00 Added to section 3, most commands defined Added section 4, Strategies 05-08-00 This faq is born! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2.0 - The Story The Playstation game is based on the second television series of Yamato, NOT the movie "Farewell Space Battleship Yamato", there are significant plot differences between the two. Having watched the series Star Blazers as a kid and watching it over and over on video tape, I have memorized the series. If you have seen Star Blazers second series, "The Comet Empire" you will see that this game follows the events in the series closely. However it does ad battle events and enemies that were not seen in the series. There is a lot of new animation in this game as well as 3d renderings. But the game uses the same music and sound effects from the show. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3.0 - Menus and Buttons 3.1 - Options These are in English, you can turn the vibration on or off, you can turn the "voice over" on or off, you can turn the animation on or off, and you can choose to restore the default settings. 3.2 - Buttons on the Space Map Screen This is the screen that is split into hexagonal sectors. A yellow arrow acts as your cursor. You can move it around the screen with the "d" pad. "O" - Open Yamato Menu when cursor is over Yamato, If within the Yamato firing line (orange areas) Yamato will blast the sector with shock cannons, if on out of range area it does nothing. The energy bar will decrease with each blast and then slowly charge again. "triangle" - brings up mission window (describes goals I guess) "square" - brings up ship data, description and hit point bar. Pressing left or right on the "d" pad will cycle through multiple ships within that sector. "X" - Brings the cursor back over Yamato 3.3 - Yamato Menu - Crew positions and names On this menu you have a wheel of 5 colored characters. Pressing left or right on the "d" pad will rotate the colors and the Crew box on the right will change according to that color's crew assignments. I will list the names of the crew displayed on screen and will follow them in parenthesis by their Star Blazers name and position. GREEN - Navigation CREW - Shima (Mark Venture, Pilot) - Ohta (Eager, navigation and radar) BLUE - Mechanic/Science post CREW - Sanada (Sandor, Repairs) - Arakorhe, I think it's hard to read (Roister, ?) PURPLE - Miscellaneous CREW - Tokusawa (Orion, Engineering) - Sado (Dr. Sane, Doctor) - *cant read yet* (Sergeant Knox, Space Marines) - Analyzer (IQ-9, Load/Save/Options) YELLOW - Communications and Radar CREW - Aihara (Homer, Communications and Radar) - Yuki (Nova, Communications and Radar) RED - Weapons and Tactical CREW - Kodai (Derek Wildstar, Main Guns and Wave Gun) - Nanbu (Dash, Gunnery) - Katou (Conroy, Black Tiger Squadron 1 Leader) - Yamamoto (Hardy, Black Tiger Squadron 2 Leader) When you rotate to a color, press "O" to activate it, and "X" to cancel out of the selection. Here are the menu functions of each station: 3.4 - PURPLE - Miscellaneous - Box 1 - Raise engine output to 120%, this is necessary in order to warp. - Box 2 - Allow a day to pass by. Purpose = ?, to allow time for repairs? I don't know yet... - Box 3 - A drop down box appears, move the "d" pad up or down to highlight a character. Tokusawa - transfer his post from bridge to engine room and back. Sado - transfer his post from his quarters to operating room and back *Knox* - locked for the time being Analyzer - 3 options appear: the first loads a game, the second saves a game, and the third brings up the options screen. 3.5 - BLUE - Mechanic/Science post - Box 1 - brings up a drop down menu - selection 1 - repair the Yamato. This brings up a diagram of the Yamato, damage areas will flash. Scroll down the list and a small indicator will show the area you are looking at and give what % it is damaged. You may repair only a five sections at a time, press "triangle" while over the section to select it for repair. - selection 2 - repair the Cosmo Tigers. - Box 2 - this brings up the limited weapons and items. -"triangle" can select the item to replace, you then use the "d-pad" to enter the number you want replaced -you can only replace 4 items at a time. - the first 3 are missles from different launchers. - the last 2 are the raise hp/damage in battle items. - they can only be replaced if Sanada is at his second position. - Box 3 - transfer postitions. 3.6 - GREEN - Navigation - Box 1 - activates moving the ship - select a direction by using the d-pad - "triangle" will move the ship one sector forward in the direction of the arrow, your ship will stop in the sector with the last "dot" and face the direction that the arrow is facing - "X" will cancel your last "triangle" input - "square" will accept your selection and the ship will begin its movement. - Box 2 - This is for warping across many sectors, in a straight line in one movement, the ships energy must be at 120% (see PURPLE) - Box 3 - Characters transfer posts 3.7 - YELLOW - Communications and Radar - Box 1 - communication with Cosmo tigers and other ships in your command. The sub-menus will depend on the ship you select to communicate with. Select this then choose a unit using the d-pad or the L1 or R1 buttons to rotate through your options. See sections 3.7a thru 3.7c for detailed, ship specific commands. - Box 2 - Brings up the large space map - Box 3 - Transfer crew positions 3.7a - Yamato communications - When you choose box one and then select Yamato you are given 3 options (some are inactive based on the situation) -1 - (so far has been inactive) -2 - Order ship to follow - choose this option, then choose a fleet ship. The ship you choose will fly to the sector behind Yamato and begin to follow Yamato, it will also join the attack on an enemy on the main map by firing shock cannons like the Yamato. -3 - SOS - apparently when your ship is down to a certain % damage you can sound an SOS call, what this does I don't know yet. 3.7b - Earth Defense Fleet ship communications - When you choose box one and then select an Earth Defense Fleet ship, 3 options are available -1 - (so far has been inactive) -2 - this brings up a sub menu (options become available based on situation) - 1 - go directly to a sector you choose and stay there - 2 - ? - 3 - attack an enemy ship in a sector you select - 4 - ? - 5 - ? -3 - SOS - apparently when your ship is down to a certain % damage you can sound an SOS call, what this does I don't know yet. 3.7c - Cosmo Tigers communications - choose the yellow crew section, and the left most box, then select a Cosmo Tiger unit, there will be 3 levels of commands available. -FIRST - selection is for Cosmo tiger patrol orders. -1 - patrol to the right of Yamato's current heading -2 - patrol to the left of Yamato's current heading -3 - patrol directly ahead of Yamato's current heading -4 - patrol directly opposite of Yamato's current heading -5 - patrol a sector you choose, which will be marked by a "P" - I know a limited amount of Japanese words so I can give you some hints in whether your commands are accepted or not. If you hear "Yo ki" as the first response from Katou or Yamamoto, you know they are going to do it. If you hear "Chota matee" from Katou, that means "wait a minute" roughly, and he cannot carry out the command for some reason. Yamamoto will say "Oi" - SECOND selection is only active when Aihara is at his second station.(some are inactive based on the situation) - 1 - go directly to a sector you choose and stay there - 2 - ? - 3 - attack an enemy ship in a sector you select - 4 - ? - 5 - ? - THIRD selection is return squadron to ship 3.8 - RED - Weapons and Tactical - Box 1 - Select weapon system for sector map firing This is a tough menu to interpret, the only difference I can see between the choices are the sectors of their range. The firing on enemies seems to be the same shock cannon animation. Based on the ranges and choices I conclude that the choices are based on the shock cannon turrets. Perhaps the 3 large/long range turrets are more damaging and use more energy than the 2 small ones. And perhaps you are give the option of choice based on what damage each turret has taken from battle, so if one is in bad shape you should choose another. These are just guesses on my part, I am not certain. So here follows my educated guess on the sub menu choices: Sub options - -1 - Front gun turret - firing range ahead 3 sector arc -2 - 2nd gun turret - firing range ahead 3 sector arc -3 - Rear gun turret - firing range behind 3 sector arc -4 - Small front gun turret - firing range ahead 2 sector arc -5 - Small rear gun turret - firing range behind 2 sector arc -6 - blitz fire, this can only be used when the ship is at 100% energy. When chosen the Yamato blasts at any targets in it's range until the energy bar is depleted. It seems to be a good blitz attack but the enemy isn't damage enough in my opinion and it leaves your energy bar dry. - Box 2 - Wave Motion Gun This fires the Yamato Wave Cannon in a straight line in any of 6 directions for 5 sectors. Any enemies in those sectors will be completely destroyed. You only have 3 Wave Cannon uses per mission (or sector map, I'm not sure) marked by dots in boxes in front of the Yamato HP bar. - Box 3 - Transfer positions and launch Cosmo Tigers - Kodai has 2 options (1- switch post, 2- launch in fighter) When you pick launch in fighter you have 2 more options (1- launch alone in the Cosmo Zero, Kodai's personal fighter, or 2- launch with Cosmo Squadron 3 in a regular fighter) - Nanbu can only switch stations - Katou - Launch Cosmo Tiger unit 1 (the engine plates are orange on the main map) - Yamamoto - Launch Cosmo Tiger unit 2 (the engine plates are yellow on the main map) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4.0 - Strategies 4.1 - Transferring Posts From the Yamato menu, the right most option allows you to move most crew members to alternate positions. When an enemy ship enters the same sector as the Yamato you are sometimes asked if you want to move crew around. A crew members "basic position" seems to be the safest place for the crew member. When you move the crew members to alternate positions the crew member seems to take a more active roll and also begins to have his or her hit point bar depleted. When move the crew to their alternate positions for a battle and non battle, that position becomes better. For example: Navigation - Yamato moves much faster. Gunnery - Yamato fires more frequently, and does more damage. Engine room - Yamato's energy recharges faster. Some crew members have new options available when they move to alternate positions. Aihara for one, has greater control over the Cosmo tigers and fleet ships. Each character looses hitpoints while at the secondary post. Crew members will regain lost hit points over time when moved back to the "basic position". If a crew members hit points goes to zero, the crew member is moved back to the "basic position" and his special commands cannot be used, and he cannot be transfered until his points have been fully regenerated. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5.0 - Fleet Ship Directory - Battle Controls 5.1 - Yamato When an enemy ship enters the same sector as the Yamato you are sometimes asked if you want to move crew around. "Yes" will allow you to move the crew. After you finish "yes" will allow you to join the battle. From experimentation, it seems that if you move the characters to their alternate positions for a battle the Yamato moves faster, fires more frequently, and does more damage in battle. I cannot garrantee that this is what happens, but from observation it seems to be the case. There are 2 gauges in the lower right hand corner, hit points and energy. Energy determines the rate of fire of your weapons, and is slowly recharged in battle. Hit points show you ships amount of damage your ship has taken, it can only be recharged outside of battle or by items. 5.1a - Movement "triangle" will bring up the movement map, you can move the ship any direction using the "d-pad" and up or down using the "R1" and "R2" buttons. If you move the cursor to an enemy target a triangle will apear over the enemy and spin, this means you will follow the enemy until it is destoyed (you can still use the "R" buttons to station your ship above or below the enemy while chasing them. 5.1b - Weapons "O" will bring up the weapons display. You can cycle through the weapons using the "d-pad" and select upto 4 weapons to automaticaly fire in battle. The weapon selected will be identified by a flashing "x" in a white circle. The box to the lower left will display 1. the available amo for the weapon, 2. the % damage the weapon has taken, and 3. something else ? Selections: -1 - Main Gun Turret 1 - forward and up range -2 - Main Gun Turret 2 - forward and up range -3 - Main Gun Turret 3 - rear and up range -4 - Front Small Gun Turret - forward and up range -5 - Rear Small Gun Turret - rear and up range -6 - Anti aircraft/Missle guns - rapid fire close range guns for destroying incoming fighters and missles -7 - Homing Torpedos - fire from front - range forward (amo = 20) -8 - Homing Torpedos - fire from rear - range rear (amo = 20) -9 - Homing Smoke Stack Missles - fire up - range up (amo = 20) -10 - Homing Keel Missles - fire down - range down (amo = 20) 5.1c - Items "square" will bring up items, in the begining there are only 2. -1 - Raise HP 50%, this is like a health item, it restores damage done to the ship -2 - Raise Energy 50%, this will refuel your energy gauge These items are limited in number, but can be recharged by Sanada (outside of battle) by using Box 2 of the BLUE - Maintainence main menu selection. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5.2 - Cosmo Tigers These are the fighter planes you launch from the Yamato, they fly in sets of 5 fighters. The fighters are controlled by the Yellow/Communications menu selection from the main Yamato menu. When the fighters enter battle there are new options to control the craft. 5.2a - Targeting Pressing "trinagle" will bring up the map screen, it displays positions of fighters and the enemy. Press "O" to bring up the list of fighters, use the "triangle" to select one or more ships, then press "O" to choose a target for the ships you selected. You can do this to focus your fighters on a single enemy or to split them up. You can change your choices anytime during the battle. This is the only way to control the fighters, they will automaticly make passes at the enemy targeted. You can only watch from the perspective of fighter one. Should fighter one be destroyed battle will end and the squadron will be back at Yamato until it can be repaired. 5.2b - Items In the upper right hand corner of the screen there is a box showing items that you have. In the begining of the game you will only have one, rockets, of which you have unlimited supply as displayed directly under the picture of the item. As you obtain more items you can select them by using the "L1" and "R1" buttons to cycle through them. The "square" button activates the item. Rockets - when activated, this item brings up crosshairs which you aim as enemies come into range bring the crosshairs over them and use the "O" button to fire them. You can fire upto 3 at a time in rapid succession before they need to recharge. 5.2c - Escape Should battle be too tough you can escape, press "X" and select the sector you wish to withdraw too. "E" will apear in any sectors occupied by enemy forces. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5.3 - EDF Cruisers When Cruisers enter battle you control them just like the Yamato. Any damage done and items used will be repaired and replaced as time progresses outside of battle, you do not have to and cannot instruct the ships crew to do repairs or replace items or weapons like on the Yamato. 5.3a - Movement "triangle" will bring up the movement map, you can move the ship any direction using the "d-pad" and up or down using the "R1" and "R2" buttons. If you move the cursor to an enemy target a triangle will apear over the enemy and spin, this means you will follow the enemy until it is destoyed (you can still use the "R" buttons to station your ship above or below the enemy while chasing them. 5.3b - Weapons "O" will bring up the weapons display. You can cycle through the weapons using the "d-pad" and select upto 4 weapons to automaticaly fire in battle. Selections: -1 - Close range rapid fire guns - these are good against fighters and to destroy incoming missles -2 - Main Gun Turret 1 - forward and up range (power of 40) -3 - Main Gun Turret 2 - forward and up range (power of 40) -4 - Main Gun Turret 3 - on the bottom of the ship, forward and down range (power of 40) -5 - Rear Side Cannons - rear range, up and down I think (power of 20) -6 - Rear Side Cannons - rear range, up and down I think (power of 20) -7 - Homing Missles - shoot from aft section, range up and any direction. Limited amo weapon, standard is 10 shots, these recharge (outside of battle) over time. 5.3c - Items "square" will bring up items, in the begining there are only 2. -1 - Raise HP 50%, this is like a health item, it restores damage done to the ship -2 - Raise Energy 50%, this will refuel your energy gauge These items are limited in number, but recharge (outside of battle) over time. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6.0 - Away Party At certain times you will have the oppurtunity to take an away party of crew members down to planet surfaces, etc. Most cases there will be a preset crew you must take and others will allow you to choose. The control of the away party gives you a more active roll of control. 6.1 - Controls "start" - brings up the map, left and right on the "d-pad" will rotate it, and up and down will recenter it. "L1" and "L2" will cycle through the character that you control with the "d-pad" "R1" targets the enemy so your weapon fire is easier to control. "R2" cycles through enemy targeted "X" character rolls to avoid enemy fire "O" fire standard lazer gun "square" use secondary weapon (differs per crew member) "select" brings up the control option, you can select that each direction on the "d-pad" will move the character in that direction or you can select a 1st person like style, "up"=forward, "left or right"= turn, "down"=backup 6.2 - Away Crew abilities - Medics - they have not secondary weapon, but have the skill to heal hurt crew, they do this automatically - Yamamoto and Katou - secondary weapon is greanade, will be thrown and then explode after a few seconds - Sandor - secondary weapon is bomb set down, then move the characters away and hit "square" to blow it up - Space Marine Knox - his secondary weapon is his fist -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7.0 - Secrets/Extras There are a few oppurtunities during the game to find "extras" as shown on the "beatdown" mission review screen. In the lower left hand corner there is a picture of what, to me, look like minerals. I tried flying to most areas of the maps but cannot find where to obtain or how to obtain these extras. I have seen them displayed as "you got 0 of 1" on the "beatdown" screen on 2 occasions. Can you help? I will give more info as soon as I find one of these elusive things. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8.0 - Rewards After certain missions you are show a "beatdown" screen giving you destruction totals and a captaincy rating. After some of these screens you are awarded new items and upgrades. 8.1 - Cosmo Tiger Hyper "Hoshin" Missles A new Item that the Cosmo Tigers can use, during combat press "square" and then use the "R1" or "L1" buttons to cycle to them. They are limited in number (Sanada can make more) they are more powerful than standar rockets, and the pilot says "Hyper Hoshin Missles" whenever he fires them. 8.2 - New Fighter At one point you are awarded a new fighter that Kodai can fly instead of his cosmo zero. It looks like the seemless plane that he and Sanada used to fly to the magnatron wave satalite in series one. It's purpose and advatages are as yet unknown. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 19.0 - Misc. 19.1 - When was the game released? May 2, 2000. 19.2 - Where can I get a copy in the U.S.? I got my game at http://www.tronixweb.com. I pre-ordered the game. The game was released on 5-2-2000, I got email and a phone call telling me it was in and giving me a price, they shipped it out and I got the game monday 5-8-2000! Now that's service! Tony Super Genius (see credits) also says that you can get the game at www.ncsx.com. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 20.0 - Credits Thanks to "Tony J. Case, Super Genius"(tonyc@isomedia.com) for his wonderful gratuitous information on the game's Japanese website, keeping me up to date with the release date, and finding a place to pre-order the game. Thank you Super Genius, you are truly a genius!!! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- THAT'S ALL FOR NOW. I'll try to get more info to you asap! thanks Nick Flor, nisk72@cs.com The most recent version of this faq can be found at http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Harbor/3904/yam2play.txt For great Star Blazers and Yamato info visit my site: http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Harbor/3904/geoyamato.html Please mail me anything you have discovered, or with anything I have done wrong!