******************************************************************************* --------------------- P I C T O C H A T --------------------- Nintendo DS FAQ, Version 1.1 Last Updated - 24/03/2005 By Crazyreyn (crazyreyn_faqs@hotmail.com) Copyright (c)2005 Matthew Reynolds. All rights reserved. ******************************************************************************* Legal Notice ------------ The ONLY sites that may have this FAQ and all my other FAQs are the following.. http://www.gamefaqs.com http://www.neoseeker.com http://faqs.ign.com/ http://www.cheats.de http://www.cheathappens.com http://www.gamerhelp.com You will find the latest versions here. If you DO see this FAQ on a site other than those above, then please contact me straight away. Contact Details --------------- If you see a fault of ANY kind or you want to contribute some data to me, then either email me at crazyreyn_faqs@hotmail.com OR speak to me on MSN Messenger on crazyreyn_faqs@hotmail.com, or on AIM at Crazyreyn. If you are emailing me, then please have the subject title as 'PictoChat FAQ' or something similar, otherwise it will not be opened. Full credit will be given in due course. =============================================================================== INTRODUCTION =============================================================================== Hello and welcome to the PictoChat FAQ. This text document will give you the full lowdown on the chat software that's built in to the Nintendo DS, which will include how to use it and what possible uses it has. It's not a long or particularly in-depth guide, as the software itself isn't that complicated. Either way I hope it assists you in what questions you might have about the software. Pointless Trivia: I was the first person to post on the PictoChat board on GameFAQs. =============================================================================== TABLE OF CONTENTS =============================================================================== 1. Version History 2. PictoChat Overview 3. Possible Uses of PictoChat 4. FAQ's 5. Conclusion and Special Thanks =============================================================================== 1. VERSION HISTORY =============================================================================== Version 1.1 - 24/03/2005 ------------------------ General update; Added some more FAQs, and general bits and bobs. Version 1.0 - 28/02/2005 ------------------------ The first complete version of this FAQ. Everything is complete. =============================================================================== 2. PICTOCHAT OVERVIEW =============================================================================== PictoChat is built in chat software that allows you to send images and text to 16 other people in one room using the wireless communication. To open PictoChat, go to the Main Menu on the Nintendo DS and click the PictoChat panel. You will then be taken to a screen showing you four chat rooms, labelled A to D. Each room can house up to sixteen users, and it will display how many users are in each room and the signal. Select a room to enter. If there are no users then you can enter anyway and talk to yourself; not very social but ideal if just want to mess around and draw stuff. If it's full (16/16) then you can't enter. Here is the PictoChat screen - +-------------------------------+ |1 | 2 | |--| | |3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |--| | |4 | | +-------------------------------+ | 5| 9 10 X| | |¯¯11¯/¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯| |6 |¯¯¯¯¯ 12 | | | | |7 | | |--|----------------------------| | | 13 |14 | |8 | |----| | | |15 | | | |16¯¯| +-------------------------------+ 1 - Signal Strength This shows how strong the signal is in the chat room for communicating with other people. More bars mean the strength is stronger; try having two or three bars for optimum use. 0 - No signal 1 - Weak signal 2 - Good signal 3 - Strong signal 2 - Message Display This shows the messages entered into the chat room thus far. You can scroll through these using the arrows on the touch screen. Each message also has the nickname tagged on to it so you know who said what. 3 - Scroll Bar This shows a column of lines; different colour lines represent messages from different users, and the bold set of lines show where the messages in the message display are located. You can scroll through this using the arrows on the touch screen. 4 - Chat Room This tells you what chat room you are in - either A, B, C or D. 5 - Scrolling Arrows Use these arrows to scroll through the message list. 6 - Pen Tool Here are two icons; a pen and an eraser. If the pen is selected you will draw lines, whereas if the eraser is selected you can erase drawings. 7 - Thickness Here are two icons; a large and small dot. These represent the size of the pen or eraser on the input board. 8 - Keyboard Styles Here you can change the keyboard styles via five buttons; these are Alphanumeric, International, Japanese Hiragana / Katakana, Symbols and Pictures. Click a button to change the keyboard to that style. 9 - Room Members This displays the nick names of those in the chat room. Click a name to view their personal message! 10 - Exit Click this button to exit the chat room. 11 - Nick Name Displays your nickname above the input board - selecting it displays your personal message. 12 - Input Board Here is where you input your drawings, and where your text goes when you use the keyboard. 13 - Keyboard Here be the keyboard, argh. This is a standard qwerty keyboard with functions such as backspace, enter, space, caps and shift. Caps will make all the letters capitalised and shift will replace symbols and numbers with other symbols. Either use the stylus or buttons to enter text - if you are using the stylus, you can drag and drop letters on to the input board anywhere you like. 14 - Send Message Button Add the message on your input board to the Message Display (to the rest of the chat room). 15 - Retrieve Message Clicking this button will retrieve the bottom message on the top screen and copy it onto your input board. So if the last person started a game of noughts and crosses you can retrieve the last message and add your move, then send etc. Use the Scrolling Arrows to change what message is at the bottom of the top screen for retrieving. 16 - Clear Input Board Button Purges whatever is on the input board. -------- Controls -------- You can use either the D-Pad and Buttons or the stylus to use with PictoChat. With the stylus you just tap buttons to do whatever it does and it will be done - sorta like having a magic lamp, except you get as many wishes as you want and there is no blue genie to piss you off. Using the D-Pad you can pretty much do everything the same as the stylus bar drawing and dragging and dropping text. And it takes about 4 minutes longer to type words too. Here are the controls - D-Pad - Highlight text A - Insert Text B - Backspace (delete text) Y - Scroll through Keyboard Styles X - Alternate between Caps and Shift L - Scroll down through messages R - Scroll up through messages SELECT - Retrieve Message START - Send Message ------------------------------ Adding people to the chat room ------------------------------ Although the title is somewhat false, basically for people to enter a chat room just enter one and on other people's chat room screens it will add a person to that room; people then just enter to start chatting. No invites or passwords required. The DS will constantly search for other users in PictoChat, so people can come and go at any time. --------------- Retrieving Text --------------- Here's a quick low down on retrieving text. Clicking the retrieve text button (or pressing SELECT) will retrieve the bottom message on the top screen and copy it onto your input board. So if the last person started a game of noughts and crosses you can retrieve the last message and add your move, then send etc. Use the Scrolling Arrows (or L and R) to change what message is at the bottom of the top screen for retrieving. ------ Sounds ------ There are different sounds that occur when using PictoChat - you get clicks and such when using the keyboard and pressing buttons, a scrapeing-esque noise when drawing and a bell will chime when someone enters or leaves the chat room. ------------ Wireless Use ------------ The Nintendo DS can connect wirelessly with other systems for multiplayer games or PictoChat. It uses radio frequencies to connect (802.11) and is a Class 1 product. To start transmitting wirelessly to other DS systems then just open PictoChat; it will search for other PictoChat users constantly. When using PictoChat an icon will appear to show the strength of the wireless signal. The more bars in this icon, the higher strength and the greater the connection. Try having two or three bars for optimum use. 0 - No signal 1 - Weak signal 2 - Good signal 3 - Strong signal To get a stronger signal, try lowering your range. The DS is said to travel from 10 to 20 metres (30 - 65 feet) but there are rumours stating it can go as far as 100 feet. To get stronger signals then avoid obstructions, get closer together and face the systems together. There is also a chance of getting interference off other wireless networks and devices. ------------------------------- Creating new symbols and shapes ------------------------------- Insert a symbol or shape from the Keyboard styles, then send it. Now recall it and drag and drop another symbol onto the one you put in last time, to merge them together into a funky new shape. Pretty cool! There are loads of possibilities to try out, so have fun! Thanks to some guys on the PictoChat message board for finding this. You can get credit guys if you give me an email, I couldn't find your topic. =============================================================================== 3. POSSIBLE USES OF PICTOCHAT =============================================================================== PictoChat can be used for several things other than chatting, such as simple games. Here is some inspiration, but the possibilities are pretty much endless. Although when using PictoChat you have to be in talking / seeing range with other people so it's not MSN or anything. - Chatting - Chatting in a quiet place - Chatting between rooms - Sketch Pad (just for drawing in one player) - Roleplaying (or PictoQuest as it's known on message boards) - Tic-Tac-Toe / Naughts and Crosses - Hangman - Fill the input box black, then use the eraser to write / draw things - Anagram games - Countdown (you know, the channel 4 quiz?) - Crossword - Pictionary - Three Word Story (start with three words, someone adds three, then another three etc. to make a story) - Picture Story (somewhat same as above, but with pictures) - Fast Typing game (see who can type out a sentence the fastest) ...and so on. If you have any really good ideas then give us an email. =) =============================================================================== 4. FAQ'S =============================================================================== =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Q. What is PictoChat? A. PictoChat is built in chat software that allows you to send images and text to 16 other people in one room using the DS's wireless communication. It's a pretty cool piece of software. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Q. How do I open PictoChat? A. Boot up the DS system in manual and select the PictoChat panel on the main menu. A few seconds later the program will start and you will be presented with four chat rooms. Enter one to start chatting. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Q. I cannot find PictoChat in the shops! Has it been discontinued? A. Nope, it comes free built in with every Nintendo DS system. When the DS was first announced and shown at E3 PictoChat was classed as a separate game, but Nintendo decided to have it built in (a wise move). There is another chat program out called Ping Pals, but it's pretty much the same as PictoChat (which is free anyway). =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Q. Can I try it out if no one else is in a room? A. Yes. Just enter an empty chat room and you can draw and send messages like normal. However if someone enters PictoChat they would see you in the room still. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Q. How do I add people into the chat? A. They simply invite themselves. Go in a room and when they open PictoChat it will show that there is someone within one of the rooms; they then enter and you can just start chatting from there. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Q. How do I view other people's personal messages? A. Above the Input Board (touch screen) are people's nick names; select the name and their personal message will be displayed. If you want to change your own personal message, then you can do within the options from the DS main menu. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Q. I've lost my stylus! Can I still use PictoChat? A. Sure, you just cannot draw or drag and drop text onto the input board. Check the controls within the PictoChat Overview section above. Remember though that you can just use your thumb, nails, or a cotton bud / Q-Tip for a stylus (thanks to Tim Larsson for the funky info). =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Q. How can I improve my signal strength? A. Limit the number of obstacles between systems (walls for example) and have the systems face each other as best as you can. Getting closer will improve the signal of course, and also staying away from other wireless stuff too. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Q. What's the wireless range? A. 10 to 20 metres (30 - 65 feet) but there are rumours stating it can go as far as 100 feet. Try it out and see. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Q. Will the DS come to life if I leave Pictochat on standby? Say, if anyone enters the room? A. Nope, although Nintendo said that was one of the features when the DS was first announced they didn't impliment it in the final version. Shame. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Q. Are there any Easter Eggs? A. Yes; if someone in the chat enters on their birthday, Happy Birthday messages appear. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= =============================================================================== 5. CONCLUSION AND SPECIAL THANKS =============================================================================== If you could, please either ask me questions, suggestions, comments or contributions at crazyreyn_faqs@hotmail.com. Also could you rate this FAQ so I could get some feedback. Thank you for reading. Special Thanks to these who have contributed to the guide in some way... CJayC (Gamefaqs) - For accepting this guide and for creating the best site on the internet. Thanks! http://www.gamefaqs.com IGN - For accepting this guide and for creating an awesome video games site. Thanks! http://www.ign.com Nintendo - For creating the DS system and PictoChat. Ta! Tim Larsson - For the email about using the touch screen with other items! A Special Thanks to my good GameFAQS friends for help and support, and everyone else at the FAQ Contributors board! :) If I have forgotten you, then please contact me and I'll fix your name up here! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- C R A Z Y R E Y N - http://www.gamefaqs.com/features/recognition/27600.html ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Crazyreyn (crazyreyn_faqs@hotmail.com) Copyright (c)2005 Matthew Reynolds. All rights reserved. Copyright Notice ---------------- This may be not be reproduced under any circumstances except for personal, private use. It may not be placed on any web site or otherwise distributed publicly without advance written permission. Use of this guide on any other web site or as a part of any public display is strictly prohibited, and a violation of copyright. All trademarks and copyrights contained in this document are owned by their respective trademark and copyright holders. ======== END OF DOCUMENT ========