Snatcher PC8801

A forum for discusion, suggestions and information on any Snatcher-related material. Music, games, versions, differences and references.

Also the space for feedback regarding the Snatcher Music Arrangements section by MrRudi.
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digitalkarma
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Joined: Thu Mar 05, 2009 10:16 pm
Favorite Game: legend of zelda

Snatcher PC8801

Post by digitalkarma »

so i finally found it, booted it up on the M88....saw the kick-ass intro but i am already stuck right after the intro ends and at the part where gillian is inside the turbocycle. i don't know what buttons to press to move forward. i've tried pressing all the keys on the keyboard and pushing space bar doesn't seem to do anything but repeat the same line of characters on screen. where are the controls? help please!
snatcher1988
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Re: Snatcher PC8801

Post by snatcher1988 »

An actual PC8801 Mk. 2 had 2 different disk drives (one was for the program disk, while the other was for the data disks). Snatcher had 1 program disk, and 4 data disks (disk 2 was data 1, disk 3 was data 2, and so on, and so on). The same thing goes for the M88 emulator. What you're gonna wanna do is insert the program disk into drive 1, and then for drive 2, insert data disk 1. Also, don't forget that during the shooting scenes, you need to hold down the shift button, and then press the number keys on the top of the keyboard in the screen that you want to shoot at.

BTW, you'll love the PC88 version of Snatcher. Yes, it's never been translated into English, but the graphics are a bit better, the image window isn't as cropped as the image window on the MSX2 version, and best of all, the load times aren't as slow and tedious, as the ones on the MSX2 version.

This version also has what is by far the games' best soundtrack. You certainly can't go wrong with 80's YAMAHA keyboards in an 80's Japanese home computer game like Snatcher. It is so gorgeous, and the dark tones of the keyboards fit this game like a glove.

Of the two initial versions of the game, this version is easily the best of the two, and is second only to my favorite version by far, which is the PC Engine version.
Last edited by snatcher1988 on Sat Apr 25, 2009 8:25 am, edited 1 time in total.
digitalkarma
Posts: 18
Joined: Thu Mar 05, 2009 10:16 pm
Favorite Game: legend of zelda

Re: Snatcher PC8801

Post by digitalkarma »

yay i got it. thanks! i am loving the music alot in this version. "Biohazard" sounds more ominous and downright creepy and "Twilight of Neo Kobe City"'s melody is beautiful that it's stuck in my head
Dancingcat
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Joined: Mon Apr 20, 2009 10:41 pm
Favorite Game: Snatcher

Re: Snatcher PC8801

Post by Dancingcat »

Hello, I play the game recently. Now I'm at Gibson's house, I try to run his computer but there is a password for it, does someone know the password?
digitalkarma
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Re: Snatcher PC8801

Post by digitalkarma »

heh, i just finally got past that part just a minute ago. it was annoying. you get the hint after you get it wrong so many times. its that single character highlighted in red. it got annoying pressing 1 character at a time so i just went back to the Jordan Computer and typed up all the characters i could find on the keyboard, that's how i found it. i was wondering why HOME was mentioned but now it makes sense....
digitalkarma
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Joined: Thu Mar 05, 2009 10:16 pm
Favorite Game: legend of zelda

Re: Snatcher PC8801

Post by digitalkarma »

arggh stuck. i'm at joy division but obviously i need the mask and need to find more info about Outer Heaven...i'm thinking i need to talk to Napoleon again...but i can't get past his other password with 4-characters...i'm using the password guides from the PC Engine version but it's not working! anyone who can help me here? thanks in advance.
snatcher1988
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Re: Snatcher PC8801

Post by snatcher1988 »

Unfortunately, I have no idea which keys should be typed in for the 4-letter password.

I do know that the 3-letter one (TENKA) should be typed like this:

WYR

As for the other passwords, they should be typed like this:

BENSON ("YCY); after typing in the first katakana character (you do that by pressing the puncuation mark button, which is directly right of the enter button, make sure you add the two marks above the first character, by holding down the shift button, and the "~" key. That key is located somewhere at the bottom of the escape key.

QUEENS (:E\Y); for this password, type in the first character by pressing the colon button (left of the puncuation mark button), then the letter "E", then the "\" button (which will give you the "-" mark), and finally the Y Button.

Did you get all that?
digitalkarma
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Joined: Thu Mar 05, 2009 10:16 pm
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Re: Snatcher PC8801

Post by digitalkarma »

i already met Napoleon once using the 3 letter password before i visited Katrina, but now i need him again to give me more inside info to get into Outer Heaven...because i can't seem to get the mask from Joy Division. so on my 2nd playthrough i should wait until after i check out Gibson's computer to contact Napoleon? that way i don't have to deal with the 4-letter password?

but anyway thank you for the other passwords
snatcher1988
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Re: Snatcher PC8801

Post by snatcher1988 »

After the factory, first go through all of the detective and engineering rooms, (talk to Napoleon, guess the right password), then go to your apartment, call Jamie, then go to Gibson's house, and after you do everything there (including trigger the scene with Alice the Dog), then go to Altimira (I prefer to call it by its original name, as opposed to calling it Alton Plaza)
Dancingcat
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Re: Snatcher PC8801

Post by Dancingcat »

Ah, that's interesting, I just notice the home key, thanks.

Napoleon's 4-letter password is owatta, 6 0 shift+Z Q for our keyboard. This is a Japanese keyboard, hope it would help you. :)
digitalkarma
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Re: Snatcher PC8801

Post by digitalkarma »

cool, it works the same on a u.s. keyboard! the guides had it as (o ne tsu ta) which was wrong...it was (owatta) after all. and i notice the shift key makes the two marks on the "tsu" character go lower...what does that mean to the pronunciation?

despite figuring out Napoleon's passwords...i still can't figure out how to get to Outer Heaven! i triggered the scene when Alice barks. i talked to Jamie a little bit. it seems like i've exhausted every option available inside Joy Division and i still haven't got the mask. i've talked to Napoleon and nothing has come of it. i must have missed something...as i recall in the sega cd version, you had to bribe napoleon with cash to leak info on Outer Heaven but...i don't think i had an option available to give cash...

thanks snatchernaut and dancingcat for all the valuable info. i'm surprised i made it this far into game. at least i'm getting familiar with some of the commands.
Dancingcat
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Joined: Mon Apr 20, 2009 10:41 pm
Favorite Game: Snatcher

Re: Snatcher PC8801

Post by Dancingcat »

lol I'm not Japanese, I only know a little Japanese. The lower "tsu" means the sound produced by a sudden breakage.
digitalkarma wrote:i don't think i had an option available to give cash...
The option path is 5 持物 - 3 使う - 1 持ち金. Also, in PC Engine and Sega CD version, you must give Joy Division a call to get its address before go to there.
Last edited by Dancingcat on Fri Apr 24, 2009 9:18 am, edited 1 time in total.
snatcher1988
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Re: Snatcher PC8801

Post by snatcher1988 »

digitalkarma wrote:cool, it works the same on a u.s. keyboard! the guides had it as (o ne tsu ta) which was wrong...it was (owatta) after all. and i notice the shift key makes the two marks on the "tsu" character go lower...what does that mean to the pronunciation?

despite figuring out Napoleon's passwords...i still can't figure out how to get to Outer Heaven! i triggered the scene when Alice barks. i talked to Jamie a little bit. it seems like i've exhausted every option available inside Joy Division and i still haven't got the mask. i've talked to Napoleon and nothing has come of it. i must have missed something...as i recall in the sega cd version, you had to bribe napoleon with cash to leak info on Outer Heaven but...i don't think i had an option available to give cash...

thanks snatchernaut and dancingcat for all the valuable info. i'm surprised i made it this far into game. at least i'm getting familiar with some of the commands.
I forgot! You have to call Joy Division. You do that by calling them on the videophone at 69-1170
digitalkarma
Posts: 18
Joined: Thu Mar 05, 2009 10:16 pm
Favorite Game: legend of zelda

Re: Snatcher PC8801

Post by digitalkarma »

just finished the end of Act 1 and it's still awesome and tense as i remember! i am liking this version better than the Sega CD version. Snatcher's gameplay is better suited for PC interface than game consoles, naturally. The blaster sections are much easier and fun. i like dialing videophone numbers on this version...it felt like dialing on a touchpad phone. Napoleon always shows up when you arrange a meeting instead of disappearing sometimes like in the Sega CD versioin, kinda annoying. some scenes look better drawn and are bigger in this version even if the color is not all that that great, like the scene when gillian puts the gun in freddy's mouth..still startles me everytime i see that. the music is better. the only things i miss are the voice acting and no Act 3..but those are only minor shortcomings in exchange for the most authentic Snatcher experience in it's rawest and purest form. i took a lot of screencaps during most of Act 1. now to begin Act 2....
snatcher1988
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Re: Snatcher PC8801

Post by snatcher1988 »

There were two things in Act 2 that took me almost forever to solve:

The scene where you have to investigate your bathroom can only be triggered once you go through all of the possibilities at Altamira, and also after you go through all possibilities at Junker. When you see a light in your building from far away, that means you've triggered the scene.

The only way to trigger the scene where Napoleon leaves a message for you is if you investigate all 3 rooms on the first floor of Queen's Hospital during your first visit there (don't forget to LOOK at the top left corner of room 3, as well as the portrait of the Kremlin). Also, go through all possibilities at Junker, including showing the note with the Chinese characters to Harry. Only then will you trigger the scene where Napoleon leaves a message for you.

Oh yeah, make sure you save often.
digitalkarma
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Re: Snatcher PC8801

Post by digitalkarma »

the ending credits are freakin' long, and there were less than 20 people working on that game..it's not a compplaint though, the awesome ending credits music made it bearable to sit it through. what a cinematic experience for a 1988 game!
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The Spoony Hou
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Re: Snatcher PC8801

Post by The Spoony Hou »

That credits music is the best Snatcher music of them all.
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