I would like to buy Japanese VNs from DLsite, have questions

[NowItsAngeTime]

So as far as buying VNs from DLsite I have a few questions:

• I know you need to go to the Japanese site URL. Which section specifically would most/all the eroge be in (most if not all VNs I'd buy would likely be 18+). Anyone got a specific link?
• Do you have to search by VNs with Japanese characters or is English characters/romaji ok? I assume just copying Japanese characters from vndb will help?
• Is it hard to get in your (North America) credit card in there and get it properly charged and stuff?
• Is it safe to say all the versions would be digital copies? I'm not into physical copies for VNs and don't want any for the ones I want to get.

[Dergonu]

Link (or simply go to dlsite.com and select the middle 美少女ゲーム button. This is generally where eroge is. Some can be under 同人, "doujin" but not many. You can always check there too, just to be safe. That would be the button above 美少女ゲーム. Also, there are still some JP games on the English store, so you could always check there first.)

Generally you need the JP name, though sometimes romanji can work. Depends on the title. Safest bet is searching by the JP name/ developer.

You can use western credit cards just fine, though note that you need to make a new DLsite account for the JP site. Your English one won't work.

It's all digital, yes. I for one have never come across a physical item on the site.

 

Note that DLsite often uses serial code type DRM on their games. (Especially newer ones.) You'll know if the game you are looking at has it or not by looking for this on the game's store page:

(You will get your serial code when you open the page to DL the game, and only need to input it once, so it's not that bad. Though, their DRM has been known to cause issues with text hooking tools should you use them, so do keep that in mind.)

[NowItsAngeTime]

52 minutes ago, Dergonu said:

Link (or simply go to dlsite.com and select the middle 美少女ゲーム button. This is generally where eroge is. Some can be under 同人, "doujin" but not many. You can always check there too, just to be safe. That would be the button above 美少女ゲーム. Also, there are still some JP games on the English store, so you could always check there first.)

Generally you need the JP name, though sometimes romanji can work. Depends on the title. Safest bet is searching by the JP name/ developer.

You can use western credit cards just fine, though note that you need to make a new DLsite account for the JP site. Your English one won't work.

It's all digital, yes. I for one have never come across a physical item on the site.

 

Note that DLsite often uses serial code type DRM on their games. (Especially newer ones.) You'll know if the game you are looking at has it or not by looking for this on the game's store page:

(You will get your serial code when you open the page to DL the game, and only need to input it once, so it's not that bad. Though, their DRM has been known to cause issues with text hooking tools should you use them, so do keep that in mind.)

Do you have to use a separate DRM software to use the DRM code? 

I don't have an account on English DLsite. Is it fairly easy to make a proper Japanese DLsite account?

Edited October 23, 2018 by NowItsAngeTime

[TheUnknownMercenary]

I have a DLSite account that i use, from the various times playing it have separate DRM software that you login with using the DLSite account which checks if you have access to run whatever software you are running.

It's not difficult to use but can be annoying at times.

[NowItsAngeTime]

Hmm so I found a few I was looking for on DLsite but a bunch I want aren't on there (probably cuz they're bigger names?)

I looked for:     Hidamari Basket (ひだまりバスケット), Nanatsu no Fushigi (七つのふしぎの終わるとき), Hinata Terrace (ひなたテラス) ～We don't abandon you.～,  Kakyuusei2 (下級生2),     Iro ni Ide ni keri Waga Koi wa (色に出でにけり わが恋は), and a few others

Anyone have any advice on where to find them?

[1P1A]

22 minutes ago, NowItsAngeTime said:

Hmm so I found a few I was looking for on DLsite but a bunch I want aren't on there (probably cuz they're bigger names?)

I looked for:     Hidamari Basket (ひだまりバスケット), Nanatsu no Fushigi (七つのふしぎの終わるとき), Hinata Terrace (ひなたテラス) ～We don't abandon you.～,  Kakyuusei2 (下級生2),     Iro ni Ide ni keri Waga Koi wa (色に出でにけり わが恋は), and a few others

Anyone have any advice on where to find them?

DMM has,

七つのふしぎの終わるとき

ひだまりバスケット

下級生2【Windows10対応】

色に出でにけり わが恋は

Couldn't find any digital for ひなたテラス.

[NowItsAngeTime]

3 minutes ago, 1P1A said:

DMM has,

七つのふしぎの終わるとき

ひだまりバスケット

下級生2【Windows10対応】

色に出でにけり わが恋は

Couldn't find any digital for ひなたテラス.

Thanks!

 

Is it also easy to make an English account with English credit card on DMm?

Edited October 24, 2018 by NowItsAngeTime

[1P1A]

1 minute ago, NowItsAngeTime said:

Is it also easy to make an English account with English credit card on DMm?

Pretty sure you have to buy points. @Dergonu @Kiriririri bestow upon us your knowledge.

[Dergonu]

8 hours ago, NowItsAngeTime said:

Do you have to use a separate DRM software to use the DRM code? 

I don't have an account on English DLsite. Is it fairly easy to make a proper Japanese DLsite account?

No you simply input the code you get in the box that appears when you run the game for the first time.

Not really. You just click register and input your name and email, but the site is in Japanese, so if you can't read much Japanese it could be a bit more challenging.

4 hours ago, NowItsAngeTime said:

Thanks!

 

Is it also easy to make an English account with English credit card on DMm?

So, for DMM their stance on western cards varies. I have used my credit card on DMM tons of times, though now and then they'll go "oh no, this is not ok!" Then suddenly they change their minds, lol. There is no harm in trying it out. (And as stupid as it is, if they do decline it you can always try again the next day and it might magically work, lmao.)

But yeah, like @1P1A said, you can always buy DMM points and simply use them instead. Then you don't need a credit card. Though, buying points is more expensive than using your card, as the dealers that sells digital DMM point cards takes an extra cut. I personally use Play-Asia. They deliver the codes instantly and I have never had an issue with them when buying codes.

In terms for registering it's pretty much the same as DLsite. You make an account with an email and password, then you get an email to confirm your account, that's it really. Again, the site is in JP, so that's the only "obstacle" I suppose.

[NowItsAngeTime]

1 hour ago, Dergonu said:

No you simply input the code you get in the box that appears when you run the game for the first time.

Not really. You just click register and input your name and email, but the site is in Japanese, so if you can't read much Japanese it could be a bit more challenging.

So, for DMM their stance on western cards varies. I have used my credit card on DMM tons of times, though now and then they'll go "oh no, this is not ok!" Then suddenly they change their minds, lol. There is no harm in trying it out. (And as stupid as it is, if they do decline it you can always try again the next day and it might magically work, lmao.)

But yeah, like @1P1A said, you can always buy DMM points and simply use them instead. Then you don't need a credit card. Though, buying points is more expensive than using your card, as the dealers that sells digital DMM point cards takes an extra cut. I personally use Play-Asia. They deliver the codes instantly and I have never had an issue with them when buying codes.

In terms for registering it's pretty much the same as DLsite. You make an account with an email and password, then you get an email to confirm your account, that's it really. Again, the site is in JP, so that's the only "obstacle" I suppose.

 

Oh yeah I've used play-asia before for digital JP PSN codes

So I could get something like this:

https://www.play-asia.com/dmm-gift-card-10000-yen/13/70bm6p

 

Then just find where to enter the code on my profile, and then buying VN(s) for whatever yen just subtracts my DMM yen point total based on how much yeh the VN costs?

Edited October 24, 2018 by NowItsAngeTime

[Dergonu]

31 minutes ago, NowItsAngeTime said:

 

Oh yeah I've used play-asia before for digital JP PSN codes

So I could get something like this:

https://www.play-asia.com/dmm-gift-card-10000-yen/13/70bm6p

 

Then just find where to enter the code on my profile, and then buying VN(s) for whatever yen just subtracts my DMM yen point total based on how much yeh the VN costs?

Yeah, when you put an item in your cart and go to pay, you'll see this:

You can see your available points in the red square, and set the amount of points you want to spend on the item with the button marked by the arrow. (I think it automatically marks the amount needed to pay for the whole item with points when you do that.) I have a credit card registered too, so I have to make sure I use enough points if I want to only pay with those, though if you never register a card you don't have to worry about that.

The top option means "don't use points" and the one below means I'll use my points. (In this case I don't have enough for the whole item, and I would just use 834 points to remove some of the price.)

 

@NowItsAngeTime Oh and for adding points to your account once you have a card:

Spoiler

First, go here after you've logged in:

Then select DMMポイント and then the circled option in the right

Finally you input the code here and you're done!

 

Edited October 24, 2018 by Dergonu
Added a guide for adding points

[NowItsAngeTime]

8 hours ago, Dergonu said:

Yeah, when you put an item in your cart and go to pay, you'll see this:

You can see your available points in the red square, and set the amount of points you want to spend on the item with the button marked by the arrow. (I think it automatically marks the amount needed to pay for the whole item with points when you do that.) I have a credit card registered too, so I have to make sure I use enough points if I want to only pay with those, though if you never register a card you don't have to worry about that.

The top option means "don't use points" and the one below means I'll use my points. (In this case I don't have enough for the whole item, and I would just use 834 points to remove some of the price.)

 

@NowItsAngeTime Oh and for adding points to your account once you have a card:

  Hide contents

First, go here after you've logged in:

Then select DMMポイント and then the circled option in the right

Finally you input the code here and you're done!

 

Wow this has been quitr helpful

 

Thanks a lot!

[Yuuko]

13 hours ago, NowItsAngeTime said:

Wow this has been quitr helpful

 

Thanks a lot!

No problem

[Kaito1]

On 10/23/2018 at 5:15 PM, NowItsAngeTime said:

I don't have an account on English DLsite. Is it fairly easy to make a proper Japanese DLsite account?

I mean all you have to do is highlight the kanji or whatever you don't know, copy it, then paste it to Jisho. And it will tell you what the kanji means. Then you just fill in the fields.