Which Is The Superior English Version(GK2)

I've yet to find the version I want to start work on. I've been playing GK2 PC(the best abandonedware game next to the original X-Com) and its superior to 16-bit console versions in everyway but one.

For english reading audience you can't go wrong with just playing the PC version.

1 its free and you don't have to own the original SNES/Genessis cart(I do but I wish I had the manuals) and its manual is online and downloadable at the underdogs website
2 its TWICE the size of the console version.
3 Talking portraits with funny emotional responses
4 The PC version does more things. When a rebel takes territory its not the Ruler's name ala "Jatan empire/kingdom/Sultanate, etc" its a randomly generated name.
5 Better chance to get more effective generals in the game. Its random elements generate better IMHO.
6 Better intro & ending scenes. Check out my blog to see them. http://aokiookami.blogspot.com/
That first picture is from the PC version.
7 Battles flow better. I guess the graphics are better within the carts thats why the PSX remake keeped them in favor of the PC version. If you have 30 mongels left in your unit they should be able to escape from the castle/walled areas better and not be the same clunky graphic sprite. I used to NEVER do unit to unit battles because it was annoying to me. Better I just reset the game and plot through it. With the PC I enjoy out manuvering my opponett and rushing their castle gates.
8 Different portraits then the carts. I've played them to near death and I like getting more portraits for my children.
9 AI setting!!! A game changer. Hostile and intellectual computer opponetts. Makes the game more interesting and a little less predictable.
10 Battles are different. When you task a country with attack another you get to see the loses even if you turned off viewing battles and viewing unit to unit fighting. With the carts you can beat the game with a loyal general, max gold/food and 20 mongols maxed out. Not so here. Your going to lose units here. Especially if your against intellectual opponetts.
11 Everything is in there but the harem subgame and the possible elixir of youth.


SNES Version has one chip on its shoulder
1 Sound. Its superior to the noise the PC and Genesis versions make.

GK2 UNDERHANDED TACTICS

Before the only real underhanded thing I tried was driving frontline countries into the ground. Meaning say I have half the map under my rule and the other half of the world is ruled by one or more powerfull countries that I couldn't ally with and can stand up to a 20 unit assault and dust themselves off, recruit loses, and handle another assault just as effectly. Its rare tome to find that on the console versions but on the PC setting the AI to "intellectual" it was commonplace. Minomoto, John Lackland, Genghis Khan, and Ala-al-din were forces and annoying.

Tactic #1 Effective on World scenarios- "Salt the earth"

Step 1 I took a country added policy that gave all production to specialty items
Step 2 Recruited the population and threw them at my enemy with a worthless/common group of generals.
Step 3 Put a patsy in charge of that country and moved large forces on its borders.
Step 4 Wait until the enemy takes the bait and pounce on them once they do. When they take the country I give them a season or two to realize that they stepped in crap and attack them with full force. Any loses are replenished with another 20 unit force on the border. Then I continue the attack into the country they were holding.
Step 5 Recruit half the population and dismiss them in the salted country.
Step 6 Redue policy in the salted country
Step 7 Repeat


Tactic #2 Effective for small forces and scenario 1-"RAID"
Use this one if you have a limited force.

Step 1 Identify target. Your enemy should have more troops then you and have many cities/villages/towns within their territory. If they have little food/gold, a large force, and high approval rating then they are the best suited for this.
Step 2 Attack them with one unit. Bring few supplies with them. Seem like suicide? Its not. The computer's first move will typically be a defensive ambush surround the ruler.
Step 3 Go to a village away from the Ruler and his force and use "supply" on the village repeatively. Do this for seven turns.
Step 4 Withdraw. Then next turn notice you have 400+ more gold & food. Your enemies supplies havn't changed and the approval rating should be zero! Meaning if they had little gold or food within the next few turns they are SCREWED. A country with no approval can not support a medium to large army.
Step 5 Watch chaos in country. Build yours up from the pain of the other ruler's people!
Step 6 Laugh sinisterly and rub your hands together you evil bastard!

GK4 Scenario 2 Year 1271 Select your Ruler

After toiling through a sad sorry attempt at playing GK4 effectly as the Burmese PAGAN empire with Naratyapate(I pronounce it NAH-RAT-YAH-PAIT) I have a good grasp on the basics of the gameplay. This update of BWH will focus on the ruler/country selection screen for 1271 Scenario 2 of the game. With 27 different rulers and crazy Koei portrait swapping makes this more difficult then I thought going in.

PAGE 1


Rulers from Top left to right; Kublai Khan(Yuan), Du-Zong(Song), Baibars, Rudolf I, Minomoto(Kamakura), Abaga*(Ilkhanate), Henry 3(Angevin), Phillip 3, Mangu-Temur*, Borqa*, Balban(Delhi), Lorenzo Tiepolo*, Sheng Zhong(Daiviet), & Micheal 8

PAGE 2


Rulers from Top left to right; Alfonso X(Spain), Adu Yusuf Yaqub*(Morrocco), Istvan, Khaidu, Malvarman, Al-Muntasir*, Magnus(Norway)*, Charles I, Yaroslav, Boleslav, Hphags Pa, Won-Chong(Korea), & Naratyapate(Pagan)

*Potrait trouble


Looks like Abaga right? Its not Abaga! Its the leader of the Golden Horde Mengu-Temur!


This is Abaga!


Looks like Baybars in GK2, right? Its Al-Muntasir.

*New guys

Mentioned before we have Magnus of Norway joining GK's huge cast. Dandolo was in GK2 but I don't think Tiepolo was. In fact I am 99.9% sure he wasn't in the SNES version.
Why does Dandolo matter? He is the Doge of Venice a new country/ruler of GK4. 1271 Doge is Lorenzo Tiepolo.


Tiepolo



Hphags Pa rules Tibet and is not under Yuan's complete command unlike GK2.


Morocco makes an appearance in GK4. Abu Yusuf Yaqub rules in 1271

All the other "new" faces were there in GK2 just not as a selectable ruler. There is no ruler within the game that is not accessable.

TOP TWENTY PEOPLE OF THE GK4 WORLD!

Vasily of Kostroma will be our model for BWH's next post. I have to say the response so far is pretty underwhelming. I've had three people semi interested. Vasily reminds me of that really annoying commerial with the 'Berries & Cream' dude.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasily_of_Kostroma

Oh yeah... he sucks... HARD! I could see him doing the berries and cream dance! As you see above is a rough translation of a GK4's personal stats. The important ones that we are looking at are ranged from 01 the worst to 99 the best. They are politics, combat, and intelligence. I've translated this list from a Japanese fansite and added additional info and images. One small note is that omitted four people due to the fact I was unable to translate. I know these four are from the PUK add on to GK4. We start this off with rank twenty...

20. Takauji Ashikaga, Polit 82 WAR 76 Intelligence 85
He is somewhere within the PUK add on.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashikaga_Takauji

19. Hugalu Khan, Polit 77 WAR 86 Intelligence 83
starting off the list we have a new face to the GK series. He is a addition from PUK Scenario 3 1229. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hulagu Very far representation of Hugalu. He and Kitbuqa Noyan tore up the middle east and sparked mongolian civil and religious war.

18. Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, Polit 89 WAR 71 Intelligence 87
Another new face to our beloved series. Japan's Ruler in the PUK scenario 4 1370 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashikaga_Yoshimitsu


17. Jamuga, Polit 72 WAR 83 Intelligence 93
GK2 Stats, Polit B, Lead B, War B, Charm B, Body 14.

Rocking a new portrait that made me think he was a woman at first Jamuga also is a new ruler in the world conquest mode in GK4. Only him and Togorul Khan made the cut from GK2 scenario 1 to GK4 Scenario 1. Jamuga no doubt deserves it. He could have been Genghis Khan had he won. I enjoyed the Mongol movie recently released in theatres. His charactor plays a big role. "There is only ONE sun in the sky!" Indeed, Jamuga, indeed! His wife is pretty cute too! I do think his intelligence/cleverness is overated.

16. Charles V the Wise, Polit 91 WAR 72 Intelligence 85
Another new face from PUK Scenario 4 1370. He is the ruler of France.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_V_of_France

15. John Hunyadi, Polit 78 WAR 86 Intelligence 84
PUK Scenario 4 General. By the time you get him though it might be to late!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Hunyadi

14. Shams Al-Din, Polit 84 WAR 87 Intelligence 78
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sayyid_Ajjal_Shams_al-Din_Omar

13. Edward I Longshanks, Polit 78 WAR 90 Intelligence 83
Four new guys in a row! Damn we really missed out on the good stats! Well, untill that son with straight A and 15 body points is born ;). Longshanks is the son of Henry 3 and is the next in line to rule England. In GK2 he is no where to be found. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_I_of_England


12. Muqali, Polit 78 WAR 91 Intelligence 84
Muqali is one of Genghis Khan most loyal general and he is really good. Comparing him to history I personally feel he is a little overated. If your trying to get him in Scenario 1 of GK2 recruit from 6 or 1 from the promote a general screen. Muqali isn't a starting general in GK4 and I've yet to look for him. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muqali

11. Zhu Yuanzhang, Polit 91 WAR 72 Intelligence 92
Founder of the Ming Dynasty. Southern China Ruler in the PUK 1370 Scenario.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hongwu_Emperor


10.Kublai Khan, Polit 87 WAR 85 Intelligence 84
GK2 Stats, Polit B, Lead B, War B, Charm A, Body 14
The Great Khan of the Yuan Dynasty makes the top ten.

10.Baybars, Polit 78 WAR 94 Intelligence 85
GK2 Stats, Polit C, Lead C, War A, Charm B, Body 13 Baibars is an outstanding ruler to start of with in GK4. He has a kid, great stats including a S in horse units, two cities, and a few good generals.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baibars



7. Bayan, Polit 77 WAR 95 Intelligence 86
General of Kublai Khan. The highest ranked non ruler. Bayan deserves it. I conquered the world with him doing all the work one game in GK2.


7. Saladin, Polit 83 WAR 91 Intelligence 84
GK2 Stats, Polit B, Lead A, War B, Charm A, Body 13. I really liked the way they portrayed Saladin in the movie "Kingdom of Heaven". Saladin would have earned himself a noble peace prize for that. His only flaw is his age.

7. Casimir 3, Polit 94 WAR 79 Intelligence 86
King of Poland(Kazimierz3). A PUK addition. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casimir_III_of_Poland

5. Mongke Khan, Polit 86 WAR 84 Intelligence 91
PUK addition and star of the first additional scenario.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%B6ngke_Khan

4. Batu Khan, Polit 82 WAR 96 Intelligence 83
Son of Joti/Jochi and PUK addition/star of the first scenario.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batu_Khan

3. Timurlane, Polit 80 WAR 98 Intelligence 91
PUK addition and star of the second scenario. I wonder if you can stack decapitated heads in front of sacked city like he did...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamerlane

2. Genghis Khan, Polit 81 WAR 97 Intelligence 92
Polit C, Lead A, War A, Charm A, Body 15
The legend finally gets a fair shake in the fourth installment. None of this Politics C crap! I was surprized to see he wasn't #1! At this point I figured... "Those guys at Koei probably wanted to have a supreme Japanese dude at #1... but...

1. Phillip 2, Polit 94 WAR 90 Intelligence 98
Polit A, Lead B, War B, Charm B, Body 12,
Really? Wha... why? Look at that godlike 98 intelligence... I have no clue why he should get such a high score. Surely, if he was that skillfull he would have been able to undermind that cruddy John Lackland guy in England...

Honorable Mentions: Rudolf I(77 82 83), Khaidu(74 86 82), William Wallace(56 92 94)

Harem Subgame guide

For the first time in english anywhere is a rough guide to 'gettin jiggy' with the wife or wives! Usually the heart icon just takes you to a random comment from your one wife. Within the way Koei ment the game to be played you had the option of turning on or off a different dimension of the game. One that would enable you to have many consorts and wives.


"Is that lipstick on your collar?"
"Damn, right it is!! I AM KHAAAAAN!"
Below are two examples of what your goal should be the bar full in one color. Now the color system I am not 100% sure on. Its common knowledge that red is hot and blue is cold.





As her heart meter increases she will get close to your ruler. If it decreases she will move away. When its full both Ruler and Wife will embrace and the angels will sing thee to rest ; )

Another thing to note is that the heart meter is 20 points in relation to the body points meter. Most of these options can increase the meter by 1-8 points or decrease it 1-5 points.

These are not direct translations but they are not completely off the mark.


Many times I notice unless the intented is talking about how "she misses me so" [hearts] [hearts] this system can be random as everything else is in the game. Some women are bashful, some play hard to get, or tackle you, and others truely do seems to love your ruler. Unfortunately there isn't a dismiss wife icon ; )

The GIFT, LEAVE, and CHAT options have no submenus. They go directly into;

GIFT: Either you'll anger your wife and her meter drops or you will pay money out of your countries pocket to get a nice boost(4-9 points) to her meter with the added bonus of turning her bar red.

CHAT: This is where the game takes ALL of its usually wife chit chat. "Don't put to much trust in General A" "Son B is a charming Boy!" "ALL YOU EVER THINK ABOUT IS WAR BLARG!" You know the usual. I have an unproven theory that some of those statements help out your child stats. One thing they do do is give you hints at your child's strengths and the loyality of some officers.

LEAVE: Leaves the subgame and returns to your countries menu.

Alright down to business with the submenus. If the above image doesn't help leave comments on why and I will clarify.



If any of these fail your wife's meter will drop 2-5 points.

1: Astrology- Ruler talks about how the stars are in favor of the two of them. Works well to increase her meter by one point and change color of her bar to red.

2: This never worked well for me. For now I'd advise avoiding it!

3: Policy- Ruler talks about them? Same as 1.

4: Two face- Ruler gets down to one knee and tells a passionate story. When this works her meter will always go to red.

5: See 2! ;)



BRAGGING! These worked well on shy or hard to get wives.

1: "We are so tough. Our Weapons and tactics can't be beat!" Your Ruler flexs and steam comes out of his mouth. 1-3 point increase with a red effect on bar.

2: "My subjects are all loyal..." The Ruler bobbles his head proudly. Same as 1.

3: "My Army kicks ass!" The Ruler bobbles his head proudly. Same as 1.

4: "I am the Fist of the North Star! OMG!" Same as 1

5: "My empire is the largest in the world!" Same as 1

6: "I beat up so and so and crush his army!" Same as 1.


PROCLAIM YOUR LOVE!
These options raise her meter quickly but turn it blue. I am unsure if its a fact that the color effects the probability of getting children out of the encounter or not...

***1: Stare: Stare into your her eyes. THIS IS THE QUICKEST WAY TO INCREASE HER METER! The bonus sometime is 6-11 points! But the bar darkens or goes to blue.****

2: Wear heart on sleave: Ruler talks about running away from it all or watching the setting sun. Wife either melts or tells a sarcastic story about a flower dieing in the winter. :/ Good boost. 5-7 points bar darknes or goes blue.

3: Sweet Talk: Ruler expresses himself as hearts pour out of his head. Good boost. 5-7 points bar darknes or goes blue.

4: Bleeding Heart: Ruler gets sappy. Same as 3 but seems to work less.


Each of these uses 1 or 2 body points. I am not 100% sure on what effects Politics or Charm have here. No doubt Charm play an important role here.

I've had many fun experiences with this. I have to say I was intimidated a little at first. Then it became easy after exploiting the save/load state alittle. I didn't spoil everything infact I left out a few hilarious bit you'll have to find out yourself!

Once again if something doesn't sound right or I made a mistake somewhere please do leave a comment.

The many faces of Khan

Genghis Khan 2 the clan of the gray(blue) wolf has many different versions. I am almost at a loss as to how to acquire some of them. Namely the Korean versions. If I had any idea that Korea had a alternate version of GK2 when I visted there I would have made it a point to go around with my SNES cart and point lamely at it towords all the game dealers in Puson.

Within the Korea version you had the choice of picking an additional ruler with the Koryo kingdom! Thinking about it... if this version had everything else intact(harem/all of the other rulers) plus a bonus ruler it would be the more ideal rom to hack!

Genesis(US, JP, KOR)
PC(US, JP, KOR)
X6800 Gaming PC(JP)
SNES(US, JP, KOR)
Turbo CD(JP)
Sega CD(JP)
PSX Remake(JP)



So far I've played the PSX, SNES(US), Genesis(US & JP), and the PC version. I'm still toying with my X68000 emulator.

The most popular version among my peers is the SNES. Better graphics(not by much) and music then Genesis port. The PC game is larger and has animated faces, a choice of AI(intellectual & hostile), and a cool intro with more scenes and story on Temujin's early life and the Mongol's shamanist idealism. Its funny that the gray wolf is BLUE(like you know the wording in Japanese) and the white doe is... GREEN!

(I'll take a screen for my lurkers later)

No version or port of the game released in the US has the infamous harem subgame.

The Playstation Remake has a full score(mp3s!), movie ending, ROTK styled bios, voice acting for the harem subgame, an additional scenario Japan 1180 Genpei Wars on a new map, and brand new portraits!


I am thinking about pooring all my gameplay knowledge/experience of GK4 into a faq. I found a cheat for it!

Aoki Ookami to Shiroki Mejika: Genchou Hishi

Preface: This Blog is dedicated to the Koei series of historical simulation games known to its english speaking audience as Genghis Khan. The last game in the series was released last year for Japanese cellphones. The last console version of the game was released in 1999 in Japan only. The last game to come here was on the Super Nintendo known as Genghis Khan 2: Clan of the gray wolf in 1993.

A little about me "Sartaq Khan". I'm male, caucasian, pushing 30, and love video games. I've been playing this game on and off since 1995. Its one of my favorite game of all time.

NAME: Aoki Ookami (blue wolf) is Genghis Khan and the horizon is looking at the future.

GOAL: I hope to start interest and build/gather a english speaking/reading community towords a goal of having a "perfect" version of Genghis Khan 2 for our audience. If I am successful or not I will spend my spare time on trying to acheive this goal. Meaning if I have to hack a rom or an iso by my lonesome I will.

Perfect version?: By Perfect version I envision two things...

A translated version of the Japanese SNES cart(1 MB size) with the ability to pick any one of the 50+ rulers in the game. The Japanese version has the harem subgame left in it. Using a little common sense each ruler will have a wife already in the game and sons already in the game(Example 1271 country 8 Boraq and his son Dua) and tweeking the AI a little bit to allow for capable military commander to plan escape routes and Supreme Rulers like Kublai Khan not to put themselves in harms way.

&

A translated version of the Japanese PSX 1998 remake. The remake has Romance of the Three Kingdom styled bios, an additional starting scenario "genpei wars 1180 Japan", voice acting, full score, movie ending(s?), new portraits, and hopefully hidden stuff I havn't unlocked yet. Just translating this would be satisfying enough for me. 70-75% of the game has already been translated through older versions. The hardest part translating would be figuring out for example if ワラン Waran is Qaran a hundred or so times over.

Starting Point: Starts at the promotional screen. I've looked through the internet communities and there is only life within the Gamefaqs SNES board for Genghis Khan 2. If you have ideas, experience, the ability to read Japanese, interest, treasure, or encouragement to give lets make this the starting point for the Perfect version of Genghis Khan 2! Maybe in the future taking a crack at Genghis Khan 4 will be realistic!

-Sartaq Khan