Any info about Daichi Kun Crisis: Do Natural?

[zimzolla]

 I just started collecting pc engine games, and on a whim I picked up Daichi Kun Crisis off eBay because I liked the box art a lot and the price wasnt bad. I can't find any information about this game online, pc engine bible just says it's about animals planting crops and defending against invaders.

Anyone have any insight on what this game is about? Is this an existing character in Japan or made just for this game?  What kind of game is this?

[Digi.k]

oh I think I need to buy this too.  I keep forgetting about it but like you I am drawn to it's art cover.

[Otaking]

It's a game that's always interested me too. It's near the top of the list of games I would like to see a fan translation of

[Digi.k]

I just got the game in the post myself.  From what I can gather it's based off a children's show on agriculture in Hokkaido aired around 1988.

One of the mascot characters the cattle folk called: Kitano earth, so I am guessing this game is based from those characters.  They were made popular from the song they were singing "Ya Ren Soran Hokkaido"


I think the show may be called PeekaPika musical estate /  ピッカピカ音楽館.  It is owned by TV Asahi.

Salio Inc. (サリオ) was a video game publishing company. It was the first third-party publisher to support a Sega console in Japan. Situated near Tecmo HQ, Salio published three games - Argos no Juujiken (a.k.a. a port of the Arcade version of Rygar), Solomon no Kagi: Oujo Rihita no Namida (Solomon's Key) and Daichikun Crisis: Do Natural. The first two for the Sega Master System in 1988 and the third for the PC Engine (Turbografx-16) in 1989. The company then stopped publishing.  So I think Daichi Kun is their first and only pc engine game released.

http://www.giantbomb.com/salio-inc/3010-1042/

Title:Daichi Kun Crisis - do Natural / 大地くんクライシス
Publisher:Salio
format: HuCard
Release Date: November 22nd 1989
price: 6,400円
card size:  Somewhere between 3megabit and 4....(need more info here)

I hope my hiragana/kanji is correct here




Story:
The year is 1997 (which is the year of the Ox according to the Chinese calendar)  Daichi kun with his family and companions lived in Moo Cow Land which is cold and infertile.  One day a witch named Jaren appeared and began making Volcanos.  Eventually the land turned green and warm and became rich in cultivation.  A "Black Path" was also formed from the Volcanic crater and monsters lurking underneath the Volcano began to surface and and spread volcanic ash destroying the greenery and life. 

Who is this mysterious woman called Jaren? Why did she appear?  Where did these Volcanic underground monsters came from? Why are they attacking? What is the purpose of the "Black Path"????

Daichi Kun with his companions are joined together along with a Crow called Alice and a bear called Goro they fight and keep the islands agriculture safe. But, with their agriculture know how and a machine called "Geiger No" Together you must save the island!
Build and make yourself stronger by planting crops, learn to harvest them at the right time, sell them to make money,  use this money, keep yourselves fit and healthy, build your defences (Think strategically)!!, upgrade your machinery! Fight to save the island(Be Bull-ish! ho! ho!)!!!!  Daichi Kun Crisis!


Controls:



Gameplay:


The main aim of the game is to grow crops and sell them to earn money.  In order to do this you will have to clear the island of the monsters and the ash they leave behind.  The monsters and volcanic ash are toxic and will destroy your crops.  Ash spreads from the monsters that appear from the "Black Path" exit.  Ash over time when left will spread and begin to harden.  they also damage young tree saplings.

So taking control of Daichi Kun you start of with 200 Tomato Seeds and 200 corn seeds.  (using select to select between the seeds you have on you) by pressing button I you will sow them anywhere on the island provided there is no volcanic ash.  To remove any ash just stand over it and press button I x 3 to clear (imagine the island is made up of an invisible grid) a grid.   Whenever the land is clear of ash pressing button I will sow whatever seed is currently displayed on the top right of the game screen so be careful where you plant them as certain terrain the seeds will just die.  Volcanic ash will also harden into a square block.  This will require a bit more time to remove.

Your companions for most of their part just automatically follow you around and automatically just pick up the ash.  When monsters appear Alice the crow since she is always flying acts as a lookout will signal with her crowing sounds to warn you of oncoming danger.  Your companions automatically fight.  You can too by pressing button II.  Getting hit will knock you unconscious so you will have to find a way to attack strategically (the best way is to approach enemies like you do while controlling Adol in Ys I & II and YsIV) you will need to approach them at a certain angle and attack by pressing button II rather than attack them head on. There are certain enemies that cannot be attacked!

Be careful what you sow.  Seeds don't grow very well during the colder months.  Also crops do not like the sea air so keep them away from the island borders.

Geiger No Machine
I am guessing the game creators researched into this machine and it's creator: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geiger_counter
The Geiger No Machine is quite important in aiding you agriculturally.  Using Button II to pick up or put down the Geiger No, once you are carrying it you can use button I to suck up all the ash.  This speeds up volcanic ash collecting considerably.  Only problem is Daichi Kun cannot attack monsters while possessing the Geiger No.  The Geiger No can also be used to create rivers.  While in possession of the Geiger find a lake, walk towards the edge of the lake by pressing button I you can dig up the ground around the lake and the water will eventually flow into the dug up ground.  Be careful however if you use the Geiger No over your recently made river you will fill up the grid you are standing on back to it's original state cutting off the river flow.

Rivers once fully flowing will slow both you, your companions and enemies down when you are trying to cross to the other side.  Be careful tho river banks tend to over flood so they can get get larger over time.  Particularly from October 9月 up til around December 12月.  You can use the Geiger No to reduce the size of these flooded lakes and rivers.

*Rivers can slow down enemies and they will perish if they wander too much in the river.  Any flying enemies which can't be attacked will also perish quickly while flying over rivers that you have created* 

You can also use the Geiger No to harvest your crops.  Watch out because when left alone enemies will also try and destroy it.

The Geiger No will also need fuel and upgrades.  The top right of the game map just under the seed icon will show you the level of fuel in your Geiger.  When the fuel is depleted the Geiger will be very slow to move around.  You can refuel and upgrade the Geiger when Port Town is open.

The Menu System:


RUN button
The RUN button will bring up a pause window. Here you will see the date and how much money you have. If you click on Daichi Kun's avatar You will bring up the 'Main Menu'.
1) Check brings up status of you crops and everyone in the field plus items in their possession.
2) Use items purchased in Port Town
3) The gift icon allows you to give/take items purchased in town to and from your companions
4) Give set, instructions to your companions individually or as a team. ie concetrate on removing ash, fight etc.
5) Grandpa Hokkaido gives your hints (in hiragana of course)
6) Back up,  back up to RAM or write down the the password.  (although the back up RAM does not seem to save the current state)!

pressing SELECT will bring up a brief description too.


Purchasing items:


Shovels:  You will need to be careful with shovels.  They are used for digging holes and great for getting rid of monsters or making rivers become wider (especially Shovel B).  You companions can also injure themselves if they fall into those holes.  Digging a hole is restricted to certain terrain.

Mil 9: purchase from the pharmacy for 100 each.  You will need this to replen your HP when after fighting and your HP is low.  Otherwise you or your companions will collapse and be out of action for a few months.  check status to see their HP levels.  The health point meter kinda looks like a baby bottle!

POWER UP:  Is basically for Geiger No machine.  Makes the machine stronger in sucking up ash etc.
Each character apart from Suzuran can carry up to 4 items each.

One in-game month lasts 1 minute of real life time.  So 12 in-game months is basically 12 real life minutes.  Then the in game year will start all over again and you will have to plant certain crops during certain seasons in order for them to grow and be harvested.

During certain times of the year particularly in January 1月, March 3月, July 7月 and October 10月 the game will chime a "moo moo" sound.  This is to let you know the port town is open for trade.  Here you can sell your crop and use that money to buy food, medicine, fuel for the Geiger No machine, increase your strength, buy a better hoe, and most importantly buy more seeds; Tomatoes, Corn and Tree seeds.


Harvested tomatoes sell for 80 each
Harvested corn sell for 50 each

Port Town.  Sell your harvest in the florist merchant area.



NOT sure if this is 100% correct yet but:
Tomatoes should be planted around march 3月 up till the end of August 8月  (although I think the manual says it is better to grow them during April till July)
Corn should be planted from Sep 9月 till around Nov 11月



Those seeds play a very important aspect of the game! Trees have a way of spawning so you do not have to buy many tree seeds and neither do you need to plant them so close to each other.  Trees seeds along with Tomato and Corn seeds will not grow on certain areas of the island.


Trees: can be sown all year round.  It looks like Trees take a full in-game 12 months to mature.  Once a tree has fully grown volcanic ash cannot settle on them and be destroyed unlike the younger saplings.



Trees should be planted strategically where the volcanic monsters won't destroy any new tree buds the island will eventually turn green.. Get the island covered with at least 75% fully matured trees and you will be .... confronted with the boss of that island!  Beat it and you will advance to another island.  Rinse repeat
First Volcano Boss, avoid boss projectiles and any toxic droplets from the ceiling.  Button I = Jump, Button II = attack.  Hold button II down to power up and unleash a street figher-eque surging-hoof.
You cannot pause during boss fights and while powering up you cannot move!


After you beat the Island boss it's time for new adventures.   You can sail and start any island whatever order.


This can be a very long drawn out game.  I think it is a necessity  to have a memory back up unit in order to save your game play.  There is a password feature where you write down a lot of Hiragana characters but good luck with that....

It's quite possibly this game was a huge influence in the the creation of Yashushiro Wada's Harvest Moon series.  The similarities seem more than coincidence. Purchase seeds, grow your own vegetables, sell them to make a profit. Manage your money and manage your companions.   Don't know why TTI passed this up.  An all-in-one fantasy farm simulation meets RPG meets real time strategy with some arcade action boss fights. This could have had a cult following in the US even globally.  If you are one of those that likes spending hours creating things.  This is for you.  It can be quite slow and the monster fights ever few minutes adds a little annoyance and distraction to the growing and harvesting of crops.



TIPS: TBC
Unfortunately this is one of those games that seems to play the intro everytime you boot up the game.  Fortunately it can be skipped.  Just press the RUN button and tap button I a few times after the publishing names fade away ie 'Presented by Salio'
 

[SignOfZeta]

It's an RPG where you play as a cow. It being kinda low end and HuCard-only I haven't had the motivation to go through it. I would love to play a translated version.

[Digi.k]

It's an RPG where you play as a cow. It being kinda low end and HuCard-only I haven't had the motivation to go through it. I would love to play a translated version.

It's kinda more real time strategy too.  Kinda like Harvest moon meets populous...  Where you live on an island you raise crops and fend off invasions from monsters that appear from the foot of a giant volcano.  The volcano spreads ash around the island and you along with your family and friends have to remove it as the ash is toxic to your crops.   

It looks like you can only grow either tomato or corn and later on you can grow trees.

EDIT:
Fighting invaders exhaust you so you will need to recharge with mil 9 which you buy at port town.  This town you can visit which I think opens up during certain months throughout the year.  The month is displayed on the top left of the screen. for example
1月 = january, 2月 = February, 3月 = March etc.  I think Tomatoes only grow well during certain months of the year.

[esteban]

It's an RPG where you play as a cow. It being kinda low end and HuCard-only I haven't had the motivation to go through it. I would love to play a translated version.

It's kinda more real time strategy too.  Kinda like Harvest moon meets populous...  Where you live on an island you raise crops and fend off invasions from monsters that appear from the foot of a giant volcano.  The volcano spreads ash around the island and you along with your family and friends have to remove it as the ash is toxic to your crops.   

It looks like you can only grow either tomato or corn and later on you can grow trees.

Fighting invaders exhaust you so you will need to rest.  There is a town you can visit which I think opens up during certain season throughout the year.  The month is displayed on the top left of the screen. for example
1月 = january, 2月 = February, 3月 = March etc.  I think Tomatoes only grow well during certain months of the year.

I love hearing about this. It suddenly became intriguing.

Not that I will ever play it. But the concept is pretty neat.

[NecroPhile]

Digi.K made it sound kinda fun - fun enough that I'd definitely play it if it were translated. 

[Otaking]

Interesting read, keep it coming. Makes me want a translation even more.

I hope my hiragana/kanji is correct here

It's mostly right, just I tiny bit wrong in places, like one example it should read Hokkaidō not Hokaido, very minor, doesn't really matter.

[Digi.k]

Crap this is one of those games where you can't skip the intro.. Thankfully it's not very long and you can speed it up by pressing button I continuously.

EDIT:

After seeing the first of many boss fights of this game..



Dat Daichi Kun influence??!!

[Digi.k]

There's a few things I might add especially since there are items you can buy in town not listed in the game manual but I let you guys find out their purpose.. maybe one day I can get a decent card capture device for the macbook since my pc's just keep breaking on me... and put up some extensive play through on youtube

anyway I found this link

Interesting to see that Famitsu didn't really give many high scores to a lot of pc engine games but Daichi Kun got 8,8,8,8 score totalling:  32/40
http://retoro.g-player.com/pc-engine/action/index.html

[NecroPhile]

"street fighter-esque surging-hoof" 

TTi definitely should've given this one a go.  It probably wouldn't have sold like hotcakes, but it surely would've been more fun than Sim Earth.

[esteban]

"street fighter-esque surging-hoof" 

TTi definitely should've given this one a go.  It probably wouldn't have sold like hotcakes, but it surely would've been more fun than Sim Earth.

Poor SimEarth. It was doomed before TTi released it. All of those computer sim games (Falcon, Gunboat) must have sold poorly.

The only reason SimEarth might have sold would have been brand recognition....but SimEarth is no SimCity.

And IF folks with consoles were going to play any Sim, it would have been SimCity, IMHO.

[esteban]

hey digi.k!!!

PLEASE TELL ME you have the original files (of the images + text you created) so that I can put high-quality images on a page for your Daichi Kun Crisis Guide/FAQ

If I don't make a page out of your post, it would be a crime.

 

[Digi.k]

hey digi.k!!!

PLEASE TELL ME you have the original files (of the images + text you created) so that I can put high-quality images on a page for your Daichi Kun Crisis Guide/FAQ

If I don't make a page out of your post, it would be a crime.

  

They are not high quality tho.. unless someone can do a proper screen print of similar scenarios to the ones I have taken and the game running on some kind of emulation and preferably running at a bigger window.

[esteban]

hey digi.k!!!

PLEASE TELL ME you have the original files (of the images + text you created) so that I can put high-quality images on a page for your Daichi Kun Crisis Guide/FAQ

If I don't make a page out of your post, it would be a crime.

  

They are not high quality tho.. unless someone can do a proper screen print of similar scenarios to the ones I have taken and the game running on some kind of emulation and preferably running at a bigger window.

Sorry, I meant the screens where you added text...I was hoping to recreate your work in PhotoShop (or use your file, if it is .psd).

I think the actual images are fine, I just wanted to clean up the text (I have OCD)

Here's a WIP (very rushed):

https://www.tg-16.com/Daichi_Kun_Crisis_FAQ_Guide.htm

NOTE: I'm using the Software Etc. page as a template, hence all the Software Etc. content.

[Digi.k]

I think the actual images are fine, I just wanted to clean up the text (I have OCD)

Here's a WIP (very rushed):

https://www.tg-16.com/Daichi_Kun_Crisis_FAQ_Guide.htm

NOTE: I'm using the Software Etc. page as a template, hence all the Software Etc. content. 

yea I have them still on psd.  I was planning on making my own site and redoing those images with text at a later date but some family issues have popped up causing me to postpone things till a later date.. 

There are still a few things I am trying to work out.  how the save function works because it doesn't seem to save your current progress.  Plus there is this option to upgrade the Geiger machine by changing the name.. I haven't noticed any thing and its gotta be something more than just that...

There is also a strategy I want to add regarding using toxic waste which you can purchase.  I'll try and get it done before the end of this week but Tengai Makyou Kabuki Den has also caught my attention.

finally it might have been the witch Jaren's intention all along to destroy all green living things by creating these volcano's and this "black path", but then maybe we should just leave her intentions as an inigma and let the player decide.


also every time you boot up the game it always plays the intro before you get to the start game/continue screen but you can skip it by holding the RUN button and tapping button I a few times.

[Digi.k]

So Este do you have drop box ??

[esteban]

So Este do you have drop box ??

Hahjjajajaa. I have Dropbox, but I haven't used it in a long time.

As an alternative, I can create a TG-16.com  FTP account for you, if you'd like.

Or Dropbox

What the heck was my password?

Hold on....

[zimzolla]

Wow! Thanks for the info! I hadn't seen a reply for a while and gave up. I come back and there's all this info. Can't wait to read through it.

[esteban]

Wow! Thanks for the info! I hadn't seen a reply for a while and gave up. I come back and there's all this info. Can't wait to read through it.

https://www.tg-16.com/Daichi_Kun_Crisis_FAQ_Guide.htm

I slightly reformatted/revised Digi.k's excellent work.

I'll be adding screenshots from the children's show soon, too.

[Digi.k]

Wow! Thanks for the info! I hadn't seen a reply for a while and gave up. I come back and there's all this info. Can't wait to read through it.

https://www.tg-16.com/Daichi_Kun_Crisis_FAQ_Guide.htm

I slightly reformatted/revised Digi.k's excellent work.

I'll be adding screenshots from the children's show soon, too.

oooooooo

[esteban]

Yeah, I put the screenshots from the TV show in there.

Also, I need to clean up some random stuff.

[Digi.k]

Have gone back to this game and have beaten a few more islands.

Need to work out some strategies on how to take over those islands quicker but then you also need to make cash and that takes a lot of time....

complete playthrough of the beginner island.

These are boss fight clips.

[NecroPhile]

Those boss fights are a lot more interesting looking than the rest of the game.   Neato!

[esteban]

If you have any still screenshots of stuff from videos, I can add them to the FAQ ...

[Digi.k]

Will Gifs work?

So regarding Daichi Kun Crisis;
It is strategically important to make a river as soon as possible so you can divide the monsters volcano from as much as the rest of remaining island as monsters will hurt you and your friends. It will give you some time to clear up the toxic mess and reduce spread of any new toxic ash forming caused by roaming monsters.

Use the Geiger Machine head to the lakes and draw the water and make a river to seperate the monster base.  Water will begin to flow and can slow down monsters or even drown them depending on how ferocious the water flows.  Flying monsters will NOT be affected by water.  Ignore Nessy she's just there for show.


You can help your friends and family to clear away the volcanic ash but they will automatically clear it away for you.


You need to create clear spots to grow tomatoes or Corn!  These will be your only source of income.
Tomatoes should be grown from April 4月 and should be sold to the town port as soon as it opens on : 7月 any that are harvest after should be sold no later than 10月 otherwise keeping them on you they will spoil! Pressing SELECT will cycle between your crop seeds.


Corn can be grown between 8月 and harvested as sold in the town port between 10月 or 1月
Pressing SELECT will cycle through your crops.  Be careful what you plant! 
Also it looks as if roughly 60% of your seeds succeed.  The rest will die.

The town port (an icon of an Anchor on the island) will signal with a fog horn and its doors will open on months: 1月, 3月, 7月, 10月
The shop with the flower is where you sell your harvested crops. Use the last icon to sell your goods.



Use the money to buy more seeds, tree seeds, or fuel/upgrades for your Geiger Machine.


When you plant tree seeds it takes a while for them to become fully adult but you only need to plant a few together and then they will slowly spread out.  You might have to strategically create a water barrier to divide a spot where you can continue to grow and harvest crops because if you don't you will run out of space! Without any crops to sell you will have no money.

[Digi.k]

using the geiger machine creating large rivers will slow down monsters and protect your crops and stop you and your friends from getting harm from monsters and importantly stop monsters from spreading their toxic ash from settling.  It reduces your chance for fighting volcanic monsters too.


From 9月 the rainy season starts and your rivers can over flow and spread out!  Use the geiger machine to dry up the land and reshape your rivers.  Rivers also tend to dry up during the hot summer months so expect to see volcanic monsters roaming around if you don't check your surroundings.

Use the money to also buy fuel for your geiger machine.  In the port town head to garage at the bottom of map and purchase fuel.  It looks like a gas fuel pump and should cost 1000.
Back on the island map head to your geiger machine press RUN and select the SPANNER icon and use the fuel to refil the geiger machine.  If your geiger machine gets beaten up by monsters.. replacing it costs a lot of money!



You can select the actions of your comrades but when you move around they can get stuck as they try to follow you!!
Try to avoid fights if possible unless you cannot avoid it.  If you become incapacitated you will lose a few months worth of progress!  If your friends/family become mortally wounded they will be out of action for a few months. Afterwards you can head to your home and get them out of bed once they are fully recovered.

[Digi.k]

By pressing RUN button will bring up a menu where you can check status, back up-save either to a back up ram unit or you will be given a password system, give items to other characters, the butterfly-like icon you can change the characteristics of single or grouped friends/family to be free, relax, fighting etc.. but only can you do this when characters are CLOSE TO YOU!

In the status icon that milk bottle shows the HP of your character. The weapon that's equipped ie his hoof.  MIL 9 is a recovery tonic bought at the health store in port town, each character can only hold 4 items max.


use the geiger machine to control the over flowing rivers


The geiger can also be used to clear caked ash much quicker

[Digi.k]

So once the Trees start to multiply and take over the land you will be thrown into battle and all the real time strategy gets thrown out of the window and you will have to deck it out with the island boss.

Daichi Kun has just a basic jump and attack but the attack can be held down to unleash a power up (almost hadouken fireball like) but you cannot move until you unleash it.

[Digi.k]

You can save your progress too and make sure you write it to back up RAM.  I'm not sure if it saves your in game progress but I do know that if you make it to a new island you can save from there.  The save file takes up virtually all the back up RAM!

Once you beat the first island you can choose which other island to populate.. Some are quite tough!
When you enter a new island you carry over the same items and money you had.  So if you are broke and your geiger has no fuel it will be tough!

[esteban]

THE .gifs ARE AWESOME

I can't believe this game... it has so much... IS THERE ANY PROGRESS ON THE STORY?

Is it a meditation on the agricultural revolution? Or is it a parable about urbanization? Imperialism?

[Bardoly]

Looks somewhat like Actraiser for the SNES... in style of gameplay anyway.

[munchiaz]

Holy crap this game has a lot of content. Never knew about this one. Thanks for all the info and updates Digi

[SignOfZeta]

I don't have words to explain how grateful I am that people are showing interest in this game. I've had it for years and haven't had the motivation. This should get me well along.

[Digi.k]

THE .gifs ARE AWESOME

I can't believe this game... it has so much... IS THERE ANY PROGRESS ON THE STORY?

Is it a meditation on the agricultural revolution? Or is it a parable about urbanization? Imperialism?

 

so far I'm on my 4th island, Its just basically the same, conquer the land with farming, defeat the Volcano, fight boss and pick the next island and so on and so forth which hopefully will unravel a final island......  In the map above the center has this swirling vortex's which I think will reveal the final spot of the wicked person that created the volcanoes...

Regarding the  agricultural revolution....  I guess the original TV bosses wanted to turn their farming mascots into the Mario and Co video game stars... This is pre Harvest Moon and later on Setsuko Miyakoshi thought farming would be a great idea for a game and hence Harvest Moon was born.  I guess Daichi Kun was ahead of its time and probably may have been an influence on those games.. 1989 release

I think the TV show finished long before the game was released so the characters lost popularity.

If TTI had decided to translate this game I think this would have become one of those hidden tg-16 gems and value would have rocketed to Magical Chase levels..




Famitsu gave daichi kun a decent score where each reviewer awarded it: 8,8,8,8.    That belongs in their Gold Hall of Fame (32 points)

The pointers: "surprising" "amazing" and "more interesting than sim city"

[Digi.k]

The game might have a bug too.  If you allow water to enter the cave of the volcano the game will stop apparently. I haven't tested this out yet.

Also want to point out that this is a real time strategy game. it is not relaxing like other sim games as you are always fighting monsters and having to deal with over flooding and drought during certain months.  The only way this becomes relaxing is if you can completely seal away the volcano from the rest of the island by making big rivers.  Also you can purchase a drum that has some kind of radioactive waste and place it somewhere in one of your man made rivers.  This will draw away monsters from harming you but these don't last very long.   You buy these in the health store in the port town.