Notes:Metal Gear (MSX2)
This page contains notes for the game Metal Gear (MSX2).
Keywords
These are a list of keywords (including phrases) for both, the Japanese and English version of Metal Gear for the MSX2, which are frequently used throughout the script. Each keyword is assigned to a different byte starting at A1, which the script calls for reference when it needs the keyword. This was done as a memory-saving measure - rather than use 8 bytes to write "BIG BOSS" (including space) every time it's used on the script, it only uses a single byte to reference the database and print out the characters.
The list of keywords differ significantly between both versions in order to suit the different needs of the language being used and as a result they don't exactly match-up. The Japanese database in particular has more keywords related to items and weapons, which are absent in the English database. This is why all the item pickup messages, along with Big Boss's item commentaries were removed in the English version.
The database starts at offset 0x1995F for the English ROM and offset 0x19C84 for the Japanese ROM.
| Byte | English | Japanese |
|---|---|---|
| A1 | BIG BOSS | コチラ |
| A2 | ... | SOLID SNAKE |
| A3 | INTRUDE | ソウシレイカン |
| A4 | OUTER HEAVEN | BIG BOSS |
| A5 | DESTOROY | JENNIFER |
| A6 | THE ULTIMATE WEAPON | OVER |
| A7 | METAL GEAR | BYE |
| A8 | CONTACT | ．．． |
| A9 | GREY FOX | GREY FOX |
| AA | SEARCH FOR | DIANE |
| AB | FROM | レシ゛スタンス |
| AC | NOW | リ―タ゛― |
| AD | OVER | SCHNEIDER |
| AE | MOVE | DR．PETTROVICH |
| AF | YOU | ELEN |
| B0 | CAPTURE | FOX HOUNDER |
| B1 | RESISTANCE | METAL GEAR |
| B2 | MR.SCHNEIDER | OUTER HEAVEN |
| B3 | WAVEBAND | KEY ヲ オス ト, |
| B4 | PUT ON | SHOOT GUNNER |
| B5 | LEADER | MACHINEGUN KID |
| B6 | RESCUED | TANK |
| B7 | FOX HOUND | HIND―D |
| B8 | ENEMY | FIRE TROOPER |
| B9 | KEY FOR | ARNOLD |
| BA | SELECTING | COWARD DUCK |
| BB | CHECK | カ―ト゛ |
| BC | HAVE | ホ゛テ゛イ―・ア―マ― |
| BD | CONFINED | ホ゛ム．フ゛ラスト・ス―ツ |
| BE | SECRET | フラッシュ・ライト |
| BF | SOLITARY | コ゛―ク゛ル |
| C0 | CELL | セキカ゛イセン |
| C1 | WILL | カ゛スマスク |
| C2 | MUST | シ゛ライ |
| C3 | ONLY | アンテナ |
| C4 | DR.PETTROVICH | ソウカ゛ンキョウ |
| C5 | BUILDING | サンソホ゛ンヘ゛ |
| C6 | BASEMENT | タンチキ |
| C7 | FLOOR | コンハ゜ス |
| C8 | JENNIFER | ハ゜ラシュ―ト |
| C9 | ELLEN | ケ゛ト゛クサ゛イ |
| CA | ROCKET LAUNCHER | レ―ション |
| CB | SOLID SNAKE | テキ ノ ユニホ―ム |
| CC | EMERGENCY | タ゛ンホ゛―ル |
| CD | DESTRUCTION | ハント゛カ゛ン |
| CE | THE | サフ゛マシンカ゛ン |
| CF | COURTYARD | ク゛レネ―ト゛・ランチャ― |
| D0 | COMPLETE | ロケット・ランチャ― |
| D1 | THIS IS | フ゜ラスチック．ハ゛クタ゛ン |
| D2 | WEAPON | ア―!ネムイ!! |
| D3 | EQUIPMENTS | リモコン・ミサイル |
| D4 | CARD | サイレンサ― |
| D5 | PLEASE | ネテシマッタ! |
| D6 | BAND | トヒ゛ラ |
| D7 | DIANE | タスカッタ! |
| D8 | GAIN | STEVE |
| D9 | WITH | ヲ ニュウシュ シタ。 |
| DA | AND | サイシュウヘイキ |
| DB | DOOR | ワ,ワカッタ!ハナス |
| DC | HELLO! | シュウハスウ |
| DD | BYE | カイハツシャ |
| DE | MACHINE GUN KID | オクシ゛ョウ |
| DF | REMOTE-CONTROL | ツカイカタ ハ ワカッテイルナ |
| E0 | MISSILE | タ゛ンヤク |
| E1 | CAN | エレヘ゛―タ― |
| E2 | ON | イイワスレテイタカ゛ |
| E3 | BE | チュウイ シロ |
| E4 | AVAILABLE | トラック |
| E5 | NOT | フ゛キ,ソウヒ゛ |
| E6 | TO | ヒツヨウタ゛。 |
| E7 | SHOULD | フロア |
| E8 | WALL | コンタクト |
| E9 | DEFEAT | サホ゜―ト |
| EA | NEVER | ツカエ |
| EB | BY | ヒミツ ノ ト゛クホ゛ウ |
| EC | THERE | センニュウ |
| ED | OPEN | サカ゛セ |
| EE | TAKE | ナカニワ |
| EF | LORRY | ハ―イ。 |
| F0 | GAS | オレ ハ |
| F1 | ACCESS | |
| F2 | FOR | |
| F3 | BOMB BLAST SUIT | ハカイ |
| F4 | HERE | シ゛ュンハ゛ン |
| F5 | LEAD | レンラク |
| F6 | ROOM | イト゛ウ |
| F7 | WAY | ヨウサイ |
| F8 | MR. ARNOLD | テ゛キル |
| F9 | KILL | トコロ |
| FA | FORTRESS | ココカラ |
| FB | BREAK | タ゛ッシュツ |
| FC | TRANSCEIVER | ワタシ ハ |
Unused Keyword
There's a final keyword in the Japanese ROM at offset 0x19FB0, which is never assigned to any byte. ホウホウ (houhou), which means a way or method to do something, is typed out in five instances throughout the script instead. Why they didn't assign it to one of the empty bytes is anyone's guess.
Virtual Console Changes
The Wii Virtual Console version makes the following changes to the database in the Japanese ROM.
| Byte | Original | Virtual Console |
|---|---|---|
| A9 | GREY FOX | GRAY FOX |
| AE | DR. PETTROVICH | DR. MADNER |
| B0 | FOX HOUNDER | FOXHOUND |
| B4 | SHOOT GUNNER | SHOTMAKER |
| B9 | ARNOLD | BLOODY BRAD |
| BA | COWARD DUCK | DIRTY DUCK |
| BC | ボデイ・アーマー | ボディ・アーマー |
| CB | テキ ノ ユニホーム | テキ ノ ユニフォーム |
| CF | グレネード・ランチャー | グレネードランチャー |
| D0 | ロケット・ランチャー | ロケットランチャー |
| D1 | プラスチック・バクダン | プラスティックバクダン |
| D3 | リモコン・ミサイル | リモコンミサイル |
| D4 | サイレンサー | サップレサー |
| F1 | タイイン | |
| F2 | DRAGO PETTROVICH MADNER |
F1 and F2 were blank in the original Japanese ROM. The "DRAGO PETTROVICH MADNER" text string is stored outside the database at offset 0x19FE0.
