Ukagaka 伺か (aka Nanika 何か) is a well known Japanese Shared Format Desktop Assistant Program known as "Sakura Script Player" that helps you with daily tasks depending on the plugin/mascots you installed.
The progam enables you to install a "GHOST" module that contains several "SHELL" (anime mascot characters) as your assistant.
They can do something like:- Help receive mails and notify you
- Changing date/time of your system
- Managing notes
- Managing to-do list
- Schedule Calendar
- Desktop Clock/Calendar/Monitor (Recommended plugin,
猫刻 nekokoku )
- Google Search
- Calculator
- Dictionary
- Live Weather Report
- Live RSS news feed (The mascot will read the news to you in chat bubble as soon as it received a RSS news feed)
- MP3 play list
- Media Center
- Help Eject your CD/DVD-Rom drive
- Tells you info about your HDD/CPU/Memory Usage etc
- There's even a built in Ukagaka Messenger
- etc etc depends on the 3rd party coding, you can add almost anything.
P/S: Some plugins even allow some of the mascots to talk in voice instead of the normal text bubbles.
The most popular basic Ukagata program provider will be SSP for windows from SSP Lab, and from there you can visit the "Ghost Town" to download the 3rd party user made GHOST you like. Or if you are good with arts you can make your own SHELL by modifying one of the GHOST,or if you are able to do a bit scripting, you can even make your very own GHOST!
The English version support started more than 10 years ago so you should be able to find English speaking Mascots in the Ghost town as well. (Or simply google "SSP English Ghost")
P/S: It's not necessary to download a 3rd party GHOST because SSP and the others program does come with a default GHOST and SHELLs. But since the one provided by SSP, even well and complexly made, isn't very helpful with their default attitude (they don't see you as their master and try to attack you when you click on them or even go on strike sometimes
) so it's advisable to get another Ghost that's more, you know, obedient if you are after a good service and don't want any "event" interruptions.
Program providers:
SSP Download: http://sspnormal.shillest.net/archive/ssp_2_3_21f.exe (Windows version)
SSP Home Page: http://ssp.shillest.net/ (You can find other language versions here. Chinese/Korean/Russian)
Plugins for SSP: http://ssp.shillest.net/warehouse.html
Niseringo Home Page: http://ccm.sherry.jp/ninni/ (English supported Mac version based on the old Ringo)
Ninix-Aya Home Page: http://ninix-aya.sourceforge.jp/ (Unix version)
Others like CROW, USADA/SAKURA isn't listed because they kinda no longer do updates.GHOST database:
Ghost Town: http://ghosttown.mikage.jp/Nanika Ghost Center: http://www.aqrs.jp/ngc/Chat Balloon Download: http://happen.kotonet.com/craft_balloon.htmlBalloon Town: http://ghosttown.mikage.jp/cgi-bin/tdb/tdbbln.cgi?menu_formencode=sjis;menu_sort=id;menu_sorttype=r;(Note that not all Ghosts are compatible depending on which version of Ukagaka program you use.)
(Note2, each GHOST may contains more than one mascot characters "Shell" and you can add more "Shells" to your GHOST as extra Shell add-on, some will do simple dialogues between themselves "aka, talk to each other", they will show up on your screen randomly depends on event script. But most of the time there should be at least one on your screen to serve you, unless the Ghost maker programmed them to go on strike. That's a different story.
)
(Note3, Some Shells will required a specific Ghost to work, so to install those Shells you will need to have the correct Ghost up and running.)
How to Install a Ghost/Shell? http://keshiki.nobody.jp/index_e.htmlhttp://ameblo.jp/cannonblade/entry-10619774176.html (Teaches you how to install ssp and get Miku as your desktop mascot)
- Extract the SSP files to a folder
- Start SSP
- Right click Emily and choose "Option"
- In general option, select the file association, you should now be able to use the .nar file
- Download the GHOST/SHELL .nar files you like. Double click them to install it to your SSP.
- To install a special SHELL to a GHOST, you will require to load the GHOST in SSP first before using the SHELL .nar file.
More info/origin of Ukagaka: http://usada.sakura.vg/ (Sakura is the 1st to start the Ukagaka project but discontinued after other better programmers are picking it up. Now, SSP Bugtraq Lab took over the project.)
Ukagaka Chat: http://ukgkchat.saloon.jp/For more infos about the Ukagaka Projects
http://ukadev.shillest.net/
Tutorials on How to make your own Ghost Mascot:http://www34.atwiki.jp/ua-ks/pages/13.htmlhttp://disc2.s56.xrea.com/manual/
Developer Tools Center: http://ms.shillest.net/yaya_as.xhtmlDLL database for Ghost Maker: http://www34.atwiki.jp/ua-ks/pages/33.htmlCharacter Voice Database: http://majyo3com.ddo.jp/List.files/WAV/WAVsouko.htm
