Kisekae Set System

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The Kisekae Set System , or KiSS for short , is a virtual implementation of the paper dress-up doll principle, which was developed in Japan in the mid-1990s. Kisekae is short for " kisekae ningyou ", the Japanese name for dress-up doll.

Short Summary

KiSS offers the user a kind of interactive picture on virtual paper with various elements that can be moved with the mouse. It depends on the creativity and the possibilities of the creator of a module, whether you can move clothes or objects with a click, find hidden elements, change hairstyles and facial expressions or trigger small animations.

From a technical point of view, KiSS is a graphics standard that simulates “2½ dimensions” , ie works with layer technology, in which each object is its own or grouped cel with its own depth information.

Example: Socks cover feet, but not the shoes pushed over them, the back of which is covered by the socks.

Origin and development

The idea for the first version of Kisakae Set System came from a programmer named Yav while looking at a manga with a paper doll game in 1991. There was the possibility of moving a few static elements on the screen within the module.

Over the years a kind of virtual paper developed from this, which is comparable to a website due to the program structure. Above all, the insertion of Java to develop new functions clearly shows that the boundaries between a website and a KiSS module were removed faster than one would have expected in the beginning.

The amalgamation of Kisekae modules and websites can best be described with the term pseudo KiSS , because with the appropriate means from Flash or Java you can integrate something similar on websites without a KiSS viewer.

With the difference that you can scroll through different sets (different levels) with the number field in the viewer. Different color palettes may also be available for backgrounds and elements. The biggest advantage of Kisekae, however, is that you don't have to be connected to the Internet, so you can use it offline.

But related functions can also be found in games, such as changing armor in the RPG area or the Create-a-Sim (CAS) mode in Sims 2 . The simulator's modding scene has a kind of relationship with the Kisekae scene. However, at least the possibilities of creating characters in creativity are not restricted by given standards, such as the size of the body or the ability to put it into the perspective of the finished clothing texture. The possibilities and content are only limited by the skills and imagination of the module creator.

KiSS viewer and modules

When using the Kisekae Set System, one must above all be aware that there is a major difference between viewers and modules .

Kisekae viewer

Kisekae viewers are basically freeware programs that are required to use modules. They are constantly being further developed by users for users and can now be found for every platform, from Amiga to Linux and even for some PDAs. Here, UltraKiSS is particularly recommended, as it offers not only the usual viewer functions, but also extensive options for creating and editing your own modules and is compatible with all standards.

The integrated functions include: B. a text editor, a color editor, a drawing program and a media player. In addition, the user has a simple browser within the program with the “UltraKiSS portal”.

Please note that UltraKiSS is an open source project that is compatible for Windows, Mac and Linux. So it would not be surprising that in the future there could be a version in which e.g. B. the possibilities of a web browser like Firefox integrated.

Module standards

  • FKiSS
    Since the introduction of the F rench KiSS standard, also known as FKiSS , there has been more interactivity such as winking or playing sound or music elements. This was extended by intermediate stages FKiSS - FKiSS4, which are present on top of one another, but not in every set.
  • CKiSS
    With the C herry KiSS standard, also known as CKiSS , a 32-bit standard for colors was created, which, however, is not supported by every viewer.

Kisekae modules

The contents of a module are mainly dolls, it can also be models of machines in which you can exchange parts or e.g. B. be a calculator.

An example of hidden functions can be found in the Ranma-½ module by Dov Sherman, in which you can switch between Ranma-kun and Ranma-chan including adapted clothing with a simple click.

The modules are data sets that you unpack to get a folder with one or more dolls . The possibilities of what you can find and discover are only limited by the creating artist.

Since the beginning, the Kisekae modules have been packed in LZH files as in the LHA standard and can also be read by the viewers. In the meantime, modules in ZIP format can also be processed.

In general, Kisekae modules consist of 3 file types:

  • CEL files
    Contain the individual pictures of the dolls and their clothes. Each item of clothing and the doll itself are represented by their own CEL file.
  • KCF files
    In which the palette of modules are saved. Up to 10 color palettes can be saved.
  • CNF files
    Contain the information about the arrangement of the layers and the coordinates of the images. These can also be edited with a text editor.

Sometimes modules are supplemented with text files or images, which is why it is always worth looking into the module's folder before opening it.

Protection of minors

When it comes to providing the modules, the protection of minors is definitely an issue that you have to consider when creating Kisekae modules in order to avoid problems. Not only moral, but also legal aspects are to be seen for the possible target group. Because if it is designed a little too correctly from an anatomical point of view , this can have serious consequences for the artist.

Which is why in some countries the programmers are more reluctant to use their own modules in order not to be put in the wrong light. However, links to modules with adult content are marked with appropriate information or are made as inaccessible to children as possible by the administrator of the web archive through secure areas.

There are also setting options for a discreet type of “child safety”, such as increased fixation of various items of clothing that cannot be bypassed in every viewer.

Dissemination and Community

In general, artists are organized in Kisekae Ningyou clubs, which can be found on platforms such as B. Yahoo there. In Japan, the homeland of the Kisake Set System, there are huge databases that are still growing today.

First and foremost the Big KiSS Page, but since March 16, 2001, access to most of the modules on the start page to cover the costs of web hosting has only been possible via a payment service. A small collection of "free" modules and a selection of viewers and editors can be found on the page. However, due to the switch to the payment system, the number of active artists in this area has decreased and the sub-scene of collectors has shrunk.

In other countries it is sometimes only possible with great effort to find a database or individual modules on pages in the respective native language. This is mainly due to the large number of converters and aids, most of which are only available in English or Japanese.

In Germany z. B. the distribution of modules on booklet CDs is limited to the mid-1990s and a few booklets such as:

  • Fun Online (November 1996)
  • Inside Shareware (1996–1997)

In the end, this will not change in the near future with the changed provisions on the content of the magazine CD.

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