About playing with the Japanese...

[Sinue_v2]

So I've been online with Infinity for a few days now, and I find myself hesitant to join Japanese games. I don't want to be a burden on a team while I learn the minutiae of team vs. solo play, especially when I can't speak the language to do basic communication. So I was wondering if anyone had any tips for playing with JP players, or short Japanese phrases that I could fit onto my chat shortcuts. Specifically one which asks whether or not it's ok to play with them if I can't speak Japanese.

I picked up a couple good phrases from this thread, but many of them are too long. Specifically, this one; "日本語がわからないけど、参加して良いですか?" ~ " I don't understand Japanese. Is it alright if I join you?" If I parse that out between two chat bubbles at the comma thing, would it still retain the same meaning?

[Aki_Yoruno]

Yes, just end the first bubble with the comma.

Of course they'll be confused since you're using Japanese text, but if they're nice great! If you can tell. :/

Hmm... Maybe you can shorten it to 日本語は分らんが、参加していいか？ Not formal at all, but who IS formal on there? Especially when it's a pain to type and bubble space is so limited.

[Sinue_v2]

Yes, just end the first bubble with the comma.

Of course they'll be confused since you're using Japanese text, but if they're nice great! If you can tell. :/

Thanks. I just thought it would be courteous to put it in Japanese. I mean, I know it's a required HS course for them, but it's easiest to understand in their native language. I guess I never thought of it as confusing since I've had French, Spanish, and German speaking players tell me in English that they can't speak that language.

(Yeah, fuck, I just realized that has Kanji in it. What about "にほんごがわからないけど、" "さんかしていいですか？")

[Aki_Yoruno]

Either way it's fine, but it tends to be a little longer if all in hiragana rather than kanji. Just go with what you feel is best. Don't sweat it.

[Koiwai_Keiji]

Nearly all Japanese teams I've played with are very friendly and even with very limited knowledge of the language I was able to get by no problems.

The structure of most conversations will go:

Hello / Konichiwa (afternoon) or Konbanwa (night) or Ohayo (morning)

You can add 'Yoroshiku Onegai shimasu' to the greeting (which is like 'please regard me well' someone has a better explanation probably). Then just wait for the leader to pick a mission, usually if they want to ask what mission I just wait for another person to answer that. You could always say 'Omakase' which is 'I'll leave it to you' if you're the only other person.

After a mission is done; most people will say 'Otsukare' or 'Otsukare sama deshta' which is 'good job/good work'.

If someone name checks your character, they're specifically asking you something, then I usually say 'I understand very little Japanese, from america' (in japanese like 'nihongo wa skoshi dekimasu, America jin desu'). I'm sure that's not gramatically correct speech, but they'll get the gist of it.

Usually there's a 'Oh wow, really?' that follows or them trying to simplify what they're asking. If you can't answer then you get kicked...sometimes I can tell if they're politely asking me to leave politely (since whatever their asking might be something necessary for better mission time or what not). In this case its up to you to read the situation the best you can.

If they said 'sorry' (gomen) and 'error' エラーです upon joining; it usually means they were all disconnected and are waiting for the original party members to show up again. They usually put this on the description of the mission but sometimes a leader forgets and thats why they kick you out when you join.

I hope this helps, its very fun playing infinity online, I should probably try playing online again.