Dosei
Encyclopedia
is a Japan
ese adult
social simulation game
developed by Tactics
, a brand of the joint company Nexton
, and first released on May 23, 1997, the same day as the famous To Heart by Leaf
. The game was initially playable on the PC
as a CD-ROM
on the Windows 95
operating system, but was later re-released compatible for Windows 95/98
on September 14, 2000 under the title Dōsei Memorial Collection. The gameplay
in Dōsei follows a plot line which offers pre-determined scenarios with courses of interaction, and focuses on the appeal of the sole female main character Manami Minase. The player assumes the role of the protagonist named Masaki Yamada who is living with Manami shortly after they have graduated from high school. Masaki earns money at a job, and when he returns home will have sex with Manami often; this process of work in the day, and sex at night repeats many times throughout gameplay. Four of the staff that created the game, Itaru Hinoue
, Shinji Orito
, Miracle Mikipon, and Shinory later became four of the founding members of the visual novel company Key
.
requires little interaction from the player as most of the duration of the game is spent on simply reading the text that appears on the game screen which represents either dialogue
between the various characters, or the inner thoughts of the protagonist. Every so often, the player will come to a "decision point" where he or she is given the chance to choose from options that are displayed on the screen, typically two to three at a time. The time between these decision points is variable and can occur anywhere from a minute to much longer. During these times, gameplay pauses until a choice is made that furthers the plot in a specific direction, depending on which choice the player makes.
The story begins with two main characters shortly after graduating high school who are living together. They are, the protagonist who the player assumes, and the heroine named who he is living with; both characters' names can be altered to anything the player chooses. There are two parameters related to Masaki and Manami which change depending on decisions the player makes during gameplay. Masaki's parameters are physical and emotional strength, and the Manami's parameters are affection and lewdness degrees. How much money the protagonist has from his job also is a factor in the game; the player starts out with 100,000 yen
(about US$
1,100).
The story opens on Sunday September 14, 1997. One of the main attractions during gameplay are the viewing of the erotic scenes depicting Masaki and Manami having sexual intercourse. Typically, Masaki will come home from work and after a short conversation with Manami will have sex with her. This continuously repeats many times day in and day out, causing much of the gameplay to occur during sex scenes. Depending on the choices, the protagonist may even become unfaithful to Manami which is when more sex scenes with five different women can be viewed. The player is occasionally given the opportunity to rest, but if he rests too much then he will soon go bankrupt and the game will end.
's first game. Planning was headed by YET11, who also did programming, and Don, who wrote the scenario, though this person did not contribute in future Tactics titles. Art direction and character design was headed by Itaru Hinoue
, and was the second time she had ever contributed in a visual novel. Hinoue also contributed with the computer graphics
along with Miracle Mikipon, Shinory, and Suō Akiyama, and Mikipon also worked on the game's animation sequences. The music in the game was mainly composed
by Shinji Orito
who had at the time moved to Tactics after working under Leaf
for three games. Hinoue, Orito, Mikipon, and Shinory later became four of the founding members of the visual novel company Key
founded in 1998. Three others—Myū, Paste, and Ishisan—also helped with the music, but between them only composed one third of the game's soundtrack. The game's soundtrack was released bundled with the soundtrack for Moon.
, the game Tactics made after Dōsei, and was called Dōsei and Moon. Original Soundtracks. The album contained a single CD and was released on August 10, 2000 at Comiket 58
by Exobitant Records. The disc contained thirty-one tracks; the first fifteen pertained to Dōsei and the latter sixteen were for Moon..
playable only a Windows 95
PC
. The release date was coincidentally the same day Leaf
released their visual novel
To Heart. Nexton
, the publishing company Tactics is under, re-released an updated version Dōsei compatible with Windows 95/98
on September 14, 2000 under the title Dōsei Memorial Collection.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese adult
Eroge
An or Ero-ga is a Japanese video or computer game that features erotic content, usually in the form of anime-style artwork. Eroge originated from galge, but unlike galge, they feature erotic/pornographic content.-History:...
social simulation game
Social simulation game
Social simulation games are a subgenre of life simulation game that explore social interactions between multiple artificial lives. The most famous example from this genre is The Sims series of games.-Influences and origins:...
developed by Tactics
Tactics (company)
Tactics is a Japanese visual novel studio which specializes in the development of dating sim and eroge style games. Tactics is actually a branch of the joint company Nexton. Their debut release was a game entitled Dōsei in mid-1997, followed by Moon. in the same year, and One: Kagayaku Kisetsu e in...
, a brand of the joint company Nexton
Nexton
is a Japanese software company specializing in the publishing and distribution of visual novel video games for a nine game developers that Nexton is partners with. The company is located in Osaka Prefecture, Osaka, Japan...
, and first released on May 23, 1997, the same day as the famous To Heart by Leaf
Leaf (company)
Leaf is a Japanese visual novel studio under the publisher Aquaplus, and has offices in Yodogawa-ku, Osaka, and Tokyo. It and its competitor Key are the most popular and successful dedicated visual novel studios operating today. It was launched out of obscurity by its early release ToHeart...
. The game was initially playable on the PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
as a CD-ROM
CD-ROM
A CD-ROM is a pre-pressed compact disc that contains data accessible to, but not writable by, a computer for data storage and music playback. The 1985 “Yellow Book” standard developed by Sony and Philips adapted the format to hold any form of binary data....
on the Windows 95
Windows 95
Windows 95 is a consumer-oriented graphical user interface-based operating system. It was released on August 24, 1995 by Microsoft, and was a significant progression from the company's previous Windows products...
operating system, but was later re-released compatible for Windows 95/98
Windows 98
Windows 98 is a graphical operating system by Microsoft. It is the second major release in the Windows 9x line of operating systems. It was released to manufacturing on 15 May 1998 and to retail on 25 June 1998. Windows 98 is the successor to Windows 95. Like its predecessor, it is a hybrid...
on September 14, 2000 under the title Dōsei Memorial Collection. The gameplay
Gameplay
Gameplay is the specific way in which players interact with a game, and in particular with video games. Gameplay is the pattern defined through the game rules, connection between player and the game, challenges and overcoming them, plot and player's connection with it...
in Dōsei follows a plot line which offers pre-determined scenarios with courses of interaction, and focuses on the appeal of the sole female main character Manami Minase. The player assumes the role of the protagonist named Masaki Yamada who is living with Manami shortly after they have graduated from high school. Masaki earns money at a job, and when he returns home will have sex with Manami often; this process of work in the day, and sex at night repeats many times throughout gameplay. Four of the staff that created the game, Itaru Hinoue
Itaru Hinoue
is a female Japanese artist from Osaka, Japan, and is one of the founding members of the software company Key. Hinoue's choice of her pseudonym stems from the manga C by Shō Kitagawa; the protagonist in the manga was named...
, Shinji Orito
Shinji Orito
is a Japanese musical composer originally from Hyōgo, Japan working for the software company Key. Before forming Key, Orito worked for another software company named Leaf where he contributed to four games...
, Miracle Mikipon, and Shinory later became four of the founding members of the visual novel company Key
Key (company)
Key is a Japanese visual novel studio which formed on July 21, 1998 as a brand under the publisher Visual Art's and is located in Kita, Osaka, Japan. Key released their debut visual novel Kanon in June 1999, which combined an elaborate storyline, an up-to-date anime-style drawing style, and a...
.
Gameplay
Dōseis gameplayGameplay
Gameplay is the specific way in which players interact with a game, and in particular with video games. Gameplay is the pattern defined through the game rules, connection between player and the game, challenges and overcoming them, plot and player's connection with it...
requires little interaction from the player as most of the duration of the game is spent on simply reading the text that appears on the game screen which represents either dialogue
Dialogue
Dialogue is a literary and theatrical form consisting of a written or spoken conversational exchange between two or more people....
between the various characters, or the inner thoughts of the protagonist. Every so often, the player will come to a "decision point" where he or she is given the chance to choose from options that are displayed on the screen, typically two to three at a time. The time between these decision points is variable and can occur anywhere from a minute to much longer. During these times, gameplay pauses until a choice is made that furthers the plot in a specific direction, depending on which choice the player makes.
The story begins with two main characters shortly after graduating high school who are living together. They are, the protagonist who the player assumes, and the heroine named who he is living with; both characters' names can be altered to anything the player chooses. There are two parameters related to Masaki and Manami which change depending on decisions the player makes during gameplay. Masaki's parameters are physical and emotional strength, and the Manami's parameters are affection and lewdness degrees. How much money the protagonist has from his job also is a factor in the game; the player starts out with 100,000 yen
Japanese yen
The is the official currency of Japan. It is the third most traded currency in the foreign exchange market after the United States dollar and the euro. It is also widely used as a reserve currency after the U.S. dollar, the euro and the pound sterling...
(about US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
1,100).
The story opens on Sunday September 14, 1997. One of the main attractions during gameplay are the viewing of the erotic scenes depicting Masaki and Manami having sexual intercourse. Typically, Masaki will come home from work and after a short conversation with Manami will have sex with her. This continuously repeats many times day in and day out, causing much of the gameplay to occur during sex scenes. Depending on the choices, the protagonist may even become unfaithful to Manami which is when more sex scenes with five different women can be viewed. The player is occasionally given the opportunity to rest, but if he rests too much then he will soon go bankrupt and the game will end.
Development
Dōsei was TacticsTactics (company)
Tactics is a Japanese visual novel studio which specializes in the development of dating sim and eroge style games. Tactics is actually a branch of the joint company Nexton. Their debut release was a game entitled Dōsei in mid-1997, followed by Moon. in the same year, and One: Kagayaku Kisetsu e in...
's first game. Planning was headed by YET11, who also did programming, and Don, who wrote the scenario, though this person did not contribute in future Tactics titles. Art direction and character design was headed by Itaru Hinoue
Itaru Hinoue
is a female Japanese artist from Osaka, Japan, and is one of the founding members of the software company Key. Hinoue's choice of her pseudonym stems from the manga C by Shō Kitagawa; the protagonist in the manga was named...
, and was the second time she had ever contributed in a visual novel. Hinoue also contributed with the computer graphics
Computer graphics
Computer graphics are graphics created using computers and, more generally, the representation and manipulation of image data by a computer with help from specialized software and hardware....
along with Miracle Mikipon, Shinory, and Suō Akiyama, and Mikipon also worked on the game's animation sequences. The music in the game was mainly composed
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
by Shinji Orito
Shinji Orito
is a Japanese musical composer originally from Hyōgo, Japan working for the software company Key. Before forming Key, Orito worked for another software company named Leaf where he contributed to four games...
who had at the time moved to Tactics after working under Leaf
Leaf (company)
Leaf is a Japanese visual novel studio under the publisher Aquaplus, and has offices in Yodogawa-ku, Osaka, and Tokyo. It and its competitor Key are the most popular and successful dedicated visual novel studios operating today. It was launched out of obscurity by its early release ToHeart...
for three games. Hinoue, Orito, Mikipon, and Shinory later became four of the founding members of the visual novel company Key
Key (company)
Key is a Japanese visual novel studio which formed on July 21, 1998 as a brand under the publisher Visual Art's and is located in Kita, Osaka, Japan. Key released their debut visual novel Kanon in June 1999, which combined an elaborate storyline, an up-to-date anime-style drawing style, and a...
founded in 1998. Three others—Myū, Paste, and Ishisan—also helped with the music, but between them only composed one third of the game's soundtrack. The game's soundtrack was released bundled with the soundtrack for Moon.
Moon.
Moon. is a Japanese adult visual novel developed by Tactics, a brand of the joint company Nexton, and first released on November 21, 1997 playable on a Windows 95 PC as a CD-ROM; the game was re-released five more times between 1998 and 2003. The game was described by the development team as a...
, the game Tactics made after Dōsei, and was called Dōsei and Moon. Original Soundtracks. The album contained a single CD and was released on August 10, 2000 at Comiket 58
Comiket
, otherwise known as the , is the world's largest self-published comic book fair, held twice a year in Tokyo, Japan. The first Comiket was held on December 21, 1975, with only about 32 participating circles and an estimated 600 attendees. Attendance has since swelled to over a half million people....
by Exobitant Records. The disc contained thirty-one tracks; the first fifteen pertained to Dōsei and the latter sixteen were for Moon..
Release history
Dōsei was first released to the public in Japan on May 23, 1997 as a CD-ROMCD-ROM
A CD-ROM is a pre-pressed compact disc that contains data accessible to, but not writable by, a computer for data storage and music playback. The 1985 “Yellow Book” standard developed by Sony and Philips adapted the format to hold any form of binary data....
playable only a Windows 95
Windows 95
Windows 95 is a consumer-oriented graphical user interface-based operating system. It was released on August 24, 1995 by Microsoft, and was a significant progression from the company's previous Windows products...
PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
. The release date was coincidentally the same day Leaf
Leaf (company)
Leaf is a Japanese visual novel studio under the publisher Aquaplus, and has offices in Yodogawa-ku, Osaka, and Tokyo. It and its competitor Key are the most popular and successful dedicated visual novel studios operating today. It was launched out of obscurity by its early release ToHeart...
released their visual novel
Visual novel
A is an interactive fiction game featuring mostly static graphics, usually with anime-style art, or occasionally live-action stills or video footage...
To Heart. Nexton
Nexton
is a Japanese software company specializing in the publishing and distribution of visual novel video games for a nine game developers that Nexton is partners with. The company is located in Osaka Prefecture, Osaka, Japan...
, the publishing company Tactics is under, re-released an updated version Dōsei compatible with Windows 95/98
Windows 98
Windows 98 is a graphical operating system by Microsoft. It is the second major release in the Windows 9x line of operating systems. It was released to manufacturing on 15 May 1998 and to retail on 25 June 1998. Windows 98 is the successor to Windows 95. Like its predecessor, it is a hybrid...
on September 14, 2000 under the title Dōsei Memorial Collection.