Where is the manual?

[SlickRCBD]

I just got the game, but I can't find a link to the manual. Some of the settings for the game are rather cryptic, and I was hoping it would explain it.

Also is there a way to prevent the game from automatically selecting a resolution incompatible with my primary monitor? If not, is there a way to put the game on the secondary monitor (as that resolution IS compatible with the secondary one) without having to reverse which is primary and secondary? If not, is there some kind of batch file or VBS file I can make that would reverse the primary and secondary monitors in Windows, launch the game, and then set things back when the game exits? I don't know any way to to that from the command line, only from the display settings control panel GUI.

Next, did I miss a cut scene or something that means the game is misconfigured? A character named Pleinair just silently joins the party at the very start of the game with no dialog or explanation.

Finally, story wise, how old are Laharl and Etna in human years? They seem to be around 12 or 13 with how the VA's sound and how they look. Just curious. Note that I've only seen the tutorial and the first level of Vyer's castle due to the screen glitching in full screen mode and I don't like the smaller Windowed Mode. I just have a habit from childhood of trying new games out first, then sitting down to RTFM, but I didn't have a choice here since I couldn't find the manual.

[Melodia]

Pleinair is a bonus character, not playable in previous versions. She's normally the one who runs the Dark Assembly.

As for Laharl and Etna's ages, they are clearly stated at a certain point in game (I think chapter 6 or so).

[Yaybuttons]

Throwing in Laharl thinking we won't catch you look at Etna huh??!!!??

[SlickRCBD]

I saw a flat-chested girl in a skimpy bikini, and of course it drew my eye, but they both look and sound like junior high kids.
While I'm not into big boobs, I prefer women that look like they are in college, not junior high. I don't mind small chested women, just as long as they look like they are 21, not 12.

[Bomb Bloke]

Originally posted by SlickRCBD:

Where is the manual?

This release of the game doesn't have its own manual.

Pretty Prinny should allow you to force the correct resolution for your primary monitor:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=641932497

Originally posted by SlickRCBD:

Next, did I miss a cut scene or something that means the game is misconfigured? A character named Pleinair just silently joins the party at the very start of the game with no dialog or explanation.

Pleinair is the developer studio's mascot, and she gets minor roles in a variety of games. She doesn't say much and has no relevance to the plots.

In Disgaea 1 she grants access to the Dark Assembly. In the Nintendo DS release, after your first playthrough you could go there and recruit her via an extra bill that gets added to the list.

She wasn't originally playable in Disgaea PC, but NISA added her in through a later patch, half-assing it so that she just gets dumped into your party immediately. This patch also introduced some rather serious bugs: Pleinair's starter equipment gets assigned to certain monster enemies, causing a game crash if you ever let them try to attack your characters. Clearing Etna mode will also cause Flonne to have her inventory overwritten with Pleinair's starter gear, nuking whatever items you've actually assigned her.

Originally posted by SlickRCBD:

Finally, story wise, how old are Laharl and Etna in human years? They seem to be around 12 or 13 with how the VA's sound and how they look. Just curious.

According to Disgaea Infinite, one human year translates to a hundred demon years. Their ages in demon years are revealed as part of this game's story.

[SlickRCBD]

I've got another one. Up until today pressing the E or Q keys would rotate the battle screen, as would using buttons 5 or 6 on my Gamepad Pro controller. However now pressing those buttons seems to SLIGHTLY zoom out or send the pointer/cursor to the base portal. I can't figure out how to change it back. I don't think I even messed with the config options.
For that matter, is there a guide that explains the options under the "settings" menu? A lot of them are not as self-explanatory as the developers thought and normally I'd RTFM, but I just got told there was no manual.

I looked under "configure controller" and all the available options have buttons assigned, and I tried hitting every button.
Also under "assign keys" on the third page it is confusing, since some options seem to be assigned to the same key.
https://flic.kr/p/2n5rbg1DisgaeaKeys[flic.kr] by slickrcbd[www.flickr.com], on Flickr

[Bomb Bloke]

Originally posted by SlickRCBD:

For that matter, is there a guide that explains the options under the "settings" menu? A lot of them are not as self-explanatory as the developers thought and normally I'd RTFM, but I just got told there was no manual.

Which ones are you actually wondering about? Most should be self explanatory.

The "friendly effect" and "enemy effect" options are notable in that they toggle the animations that occur when units attack or use skills. I suggest leaving them on for your first run through the story stages, but you'll want them off throughout most of your time in the item world. If you find the game crashes when certain skills are used, these toggles may also help you out there.

[SlickRCBD]

Is there no save in the Item World? It takes over an hour to get to floor 10 at my low level, and sometimes I just don't have the ability to play uninterrupted. While I can minimize it, sometimes I just feel like going to bed.
A quicksave to let me save and come back the next day would be nice. It's 2022, not 1990, there is no reason for save point starvation when we might get a phone call or other interruption.

Originally posted by Bomb Bloke:

Originally posted by SlickRCBD:

For that matter, is there a guide that explains the options under the "settings" menu? A lot of them are not as self-explanatory as the developers thought and normally I'd RTFM, but I just got told there was no manual.

Which ones are you actually wondering about? Most should be self explanatory.

The "friendly effect" and "enemy effect" options are notable in that they toggle the animations that occur when units attack or use skills. I suggest leaving them on for your first run through the story stages, but you'll want them off throughout most of your time in the item world. If you find the game crashes when certain skills are used, these toggles may also help you out there.

Cursor mode I think I've figured out.
Key mode isn't obvious when there is a "key configure" as well.
Friendly and Enemy effect have already been covered. They sound like something to affect game difficulty rather than animations.
V-sync is not very intuitive, but I give it a pass since most games don't explain what V-sync is and I learned the answer to that 15-20 years ago.
User interface seems to affect the colors, but I'm unsure if it does anything else.
Character filter isn't explained at all, just seems to affect sprites display.
Is Map texture just cosmetic?
What about Screen End blur, and depth of field? Are they just cosmetic?
SSA0 is something I've only seen in one other game, but it's apparently a general gaming/graphics term.
Normal map on/off is dimmed and not explained.

Finally, I don't understand why these seem to be mapped to the same keys and don't seem to do anything when I press said keys.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/10736018@N05/51902362966/
P.S. I'm unsure the correct way to post images here.
[img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51902362966_5b537924ce_o_d.jpg[/img]

[Melodia]

There is no save in the item world, no. You can always leave with a Mr. Gency Exit though.

[B.O.B.]

Item world is pretty much late game content. You really should power level in Cave of Ordeals a bit before trekking into the item world.

As to Mr. Gency Exit, if it is an item you are trying to actively level (and not just farm the specialist in), exiting early hurts the end stats of the item.

I believe User Interface just switches between the original menus (PS1) look & feel to the 'remastered one'. Boils down to personal preference - albeit I believe there was a bug in one of the two interfaces, not sure if that ever got resolved.

Character filter also switches between what the character sprites from the original (PS1) and remastered sprites. Again also personal preference. There is also a 3rd party patch that uses the HD sprites from Disgaea 2 in place of like 99% of the sprites. Personally I prefer this patch on high res monitors because even the new remastered sprites look like garbage on my 4k monitor.

[Bomb Bloke]

Originally posted by B.O.B.:

As to Mr. Gency Exit, if it is an item you are trying to actively level (and not just farm the specialist in), exiting early hurts the end stats of the item.

I've heard that failing to leave an item immediately after an Item Boss stage will deprive you of its bonuses... in the original Hour of Darkness for the PS2. That was fixed for all subsequent versions of Disgaea 1, and I don't know of any other issues that would cause a Gency to hurt your end stats.

Rather, if you want an item to reach its maximum potential, you'll usually want to Gency out at least once prior to the first Item General kill so as to remove the original specialists. Each boss gives permanent stat bonuses according to the number of slots containing stat boosters, so for eg a bunch of Armsmasters won't do you any good: you'll want all slots filled with Gladiators for most weapons. You'll likewise want to exit after each Item King dies, as those add still more slots for you to fill.

[Melodia]

Originally posted by B.O.B.:

As to Mr. Gency Exit, if it is an item you are trying to actively level (and not just farm the specialist in), exiting early hurts the end stats of the item.

This is 100% false. The way it works is that any stat specialists on the item after every ten levels will increase the base stats. The only time you need to worry about leaving is for the Item /King/s, on levels 30, 60 and 90, as those will increase the number of specialists you can add, so you want to leave before 40, 70 and 100 (and of course, best to just leave after the kings, since you can for free).

Originally posted by Bomb Bloke:

I've heard that failing to leave an item immediately after an Item Boss stage will deprive you of its bonuses... in the original Hour of Darkness for the PS2. That was fixed for all subsequent versions of Disgaea 1, and I don't know of any other issues that would cause a Gency to hurt your end stats.
.

I've never heard this, perhaps you're thinking what I wrote above, but it's the same in all versions that I know of.

[Bomb Bloke]

Originally posted by Melodia:

Originally posted by Bomb Bloke:

I've heard that failing to leave an item immediately after an Item Boss stage will deprive you of its bonuses... in the original Hour of Darkness for the PS2. That was fixed for all subsequent versions of Disgaea 1, and I don't know of any other issues that would cause a Gency to hurt your end stats.
.

I've never heard this, perhaps you're thinking what I wrote above, but it's the same in all versions that I know of.

No, I'm referring to the report here:

https://disgaea.fandom.com/wiki/Item_Bosses#Notes

Read as written, in HoD you either exit every time the game offers you the opportunity, or you'll forgo the Item Boss bonuses - for eg, continuing on and using a Gency later results in a penalty.

[Melodia]

Oh yeah I vaguely remember that, but note that it's about the kings. Pretty sure it's badly written and means you have to leave after kings, and not generals (which, again, you want to do anyway if you care about stats).

Kinda irrelevant for this version anyway.

[B.O.B.]

Ah did not know that. I have been playing since the original PS2 version and always operated on that. Didn't know it was just a bug.

[SlickRCBD]

Originally posted by B.O.B.:

Item world is pretty much late game content. You really should power level in Cave of Ordeals a bit before trekking into the item world.

I was getting my butt kicked in the last level of Vyer's castle, so I tried the item world for some of the lowest tiered items for my grinding and exiting at level 10.
I thought this would be more useful and less boring than repeating the same levels over and over again. I started harvesting the specialists and sold off the low-tier items like common bows.
I really need brokers because I'm short on HL for restoring SP.
Was that not the correct approach? I thought the item world was the intended side-quests for grinding.

The problem is that doing levels of item world takes too long, wish I could save and come back.