Instruction Manual

=Welcome to Dr. Gasse's[sic] Laboratory!=

Thank you for purchasing the Vivarium Seaman Kit!

Please note that this software is designed only for use with a Dreamcast console. Be sure to read this instruction manual thoroughly before you start.

This package contains a Seaman habitat and one Seaman egg.

To begin with, let's learn a bit more about Seaman, shall we? Historical references to Seaman first appeared in the spoken folklore of ancient Egypt, passed down from generation to generation. Until recently, it was assumed that the Seaman creature did not actually exist (similar to the many other mythical creatures of ancient Egypt). However, in 1997, the discovery of a live Seaman in the Egyptian city of Old Alexandria disproved this assumption, and Seaman came to be known the world over.

While the originally discovered Seaman specimen died shortly after being captured, its remains were quickly rushed to the foremost biological research institute in France where a number of eggs were discovered inside its body. We at Vivarium were then able to assist in this endeavor by covering the research and development costs in return for the sole distribution rights that have enabled us to offer this product to you.

It is well known that as a part of its genetic labeling, Seaman passes knowledge on to subsequent human generations orally. Furthermore, Seaman is said to have had a strong influence on the progression of ancient civilization, but the details of exactly how this was done are not yet fully understood.

=The History of Seaman= The man who made the original discovery of Seaman was a French scientist by the name of Dr. Jean Paul Gassé (1899 -?). Dr. Gassé was a member of a special team of French biologists dispatched to Egypt by the French government of the 1930's. When he discovered references to a creature he dubbed the "omnipotent messenger of the gods" among the ruins of the Third Dynasty, he became determined to pursue this line of research and unravel this mystery.

In March of 1932, in the city of Alexandria, Dr. Gassé happened to meet up with a local resident who had caught a Seaman while fishing. Dr. Gassé obtained a sample of some of the eggs, which he carried back with him to France.

When Dr. Gassé returned, he immediately attempted to raise the Seaman eggs in his Parisian laboratory but, unfortunately, in the midst of his experiment Seaman died. Shortly thereafter, Dr. Gassé published a detailed thesis of his work. However, other leading academics of the day dismissed the young scholar's work as a publicity stunt and without the proper evidence (e.g., a living specimen) to support his theories, his work was shunned and no one believed him.

Dr. Gassé's hypothesis suggested that Seaman was perhaps responsible for transferring knowledge that proliferated during the Third Dynasty across oceans to other lands. This theory eventually became the basis for Anthro-bio Archeology, a highly valued field of study today.

Soon after the publication of his thesis, Dr. Gassé was dismissed from his post. He then disappeared for quite some time. Recently, a diary was discovered detailing Dr. Gassé's subsequent work and continued research to unravel the details of Seaman's evolution. For further details, kindly refer to the following website: www.meetseaman.com (Editor's note: Redirects to www.yoot.com (now defunct))

=Before Starting a Game=

First Thing's First - Reality Check
Seaman is a one-player game.

Once you begin raising Seaman, you are expected to assume complete responsibility for the care and upbringing of a living, breathing creature. So, before you begin with the initial set-up procedure, you are strongly recommended to double check with yourself that you are mentally prepared to assume this important responsibility.

The first step you must take in preparation is to set-up the required equipment. At this time, should you experience any tension-related symptoms such as heart palpitations, perspiration, etc., resulting from the sheer weight of the responsibility for rearing a Seaman, you may wish to loosen up a bit by stretching or taking a bit of exercise. Once you are sufficiently relaxed, you are ready to begin (do not turn the power of the Dreamcast ON just yet).

Insert the Memory Card
The very first item you must obtain is a memory card [Visual Memory Unit (VMU) sold separately] used to save and maintain the Seaman and its raising environment, or habitat, data. The VMU to be used must have a maximum of 64 blocks of free memory available. Once the initial habitat set-up is complete, you are required to continue using this same VMU in order to successfully rear the Seaman contained within it. Consider this VMU to be both the Seaman and its habitat, and handle it with appropriate care.

When you are ready to begin, connect the Dreamcast Controller to Control Port A of the Dreamcast and insert the VMU into Expansion Socket 1 of the controller. A VMU application, a storage matrix called "SM2000US._VM," will be created to the VMU. This file is similar to the mini-games and other VMU application files used by other games. Only one VMU application can exist in each VMU. If another VMU application already exists, you will be given the option of overwriting the data. Select "Yes" to do so, however, this will delete the data in question. Select "No" to cancel the set-up and then, either delete the data manually or obtain a different VMU. Take care not to delete Seaman data when playing another game. Note that both the "SM2000US._VM" and "SM2000US.USR" files are required to continue raising your Seaman.

Insert the Microphone
As Seaman matures there will come a time when it will begin to converse with you. A microphone has been included in this package for the express purpose of speaking to your Seaman. Whenever you wish to play with your Seaman, always be sure to insert the microphone into Expansion Socket 2 (see diagram) of the Dreamcast Controller. Note that the VMU must be inserted into Expansion Socket 1. The Seaman software will not run if these two devices are not correctly inserted in their proper places.

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CAUTION!
'''The sponge protector attached to the top of the microphone is intended to reduce extra noise that may occur while conversing with Seaman. Ingestion of this sponge by small children may.[sic] result in injury or death, so always be sure to have a responsible guardian explain this before allowing minors to use this peripheral device.'''
 * }

=Creating a Seaman Habitat =

Memory Card File Creation
Once you have confirmed that the VMU to which you will create the Seaman habitat is firmly inserted into Expansion Socket 1 and the Microphone into Expansion Socket 2 (refer to the diagram on p 4), you are just about ready. At this point you are advised to pause, relax and release any tension you may be feeling.

Now, insert the Seaman disc into the Dreamcast and turn the power ON. After a few moments, the following message will appear:

"This memory card does not contain a habitat for Seaman. Would you like to create a new habitat?"

Do not despair upon seeing this message. For if you select "Yes," a brand new habitat with all the required data will be downloaded from the disc and installed, or created, to this VMU. If you realize you have mistakenly inserted the wrong VMU, select "No" and replace it with the correct VMU.

After selecting "Yes", should the following message appear:

"There are not enough blocks of free memory available. 64 blocks are required in order to save game data. The game will not continue."

This indicates that this VMU cannot be used to create a Seaman habitat. In this case, you must abort the current procedure and either obtain a new VMU or delete enough data in the VMU (refer to the Dreamcast instruction manual for details) to free up the required 64 blocks.

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CAUTION!
'''Never attempt to remove the memory card while this message is displayed. Doing so may result in damage to or malfunction of the memory card.'''
 * }

Once you have successfully selected "Yes", the following message will appear:

'Saving data to the memory card... Do not remove the memory card or turn the power off.'

Once this procedure is complete, the following message will appear:

'(Month, Date, Year) A new habitat has been created for Seaman. Please enjoy your time with Seaman.'

Congratulations! This VMU now contains your very own Seaman habitat. Do not forget that you must use this same VMU when accessing this habitat in the future. If you attempt to use another VMU, this data will not be available, as it cannot be read from any other VMU.

Furthermore, if you delete the data saved to this VMU, you must begin the entire process from step one, so be sure to handle this VMU with the utmost care. In order to prevent you from accidentally losing track of your Seaman, we have made sure that it is not possible to create more than one Seaman habitat to each VMU.

Remember, 'Only one Seaman habitat per memory card.'

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CAUTION!
'''Never touch the analog thumb pad or Triggers 🅻/🆁 while turning the Dreamcast power ON. Doing so may disrupt the controller initialization procedure and result in malfunction.'''
 * }

=Mental Preparation= The most fundamental requirement for successfully raising Seaman is daily care and maintenance. At the very least, you are kindly requested to attend to various custodial tasks such as providing oxygen, water, food, cleaning, etc., on a daily basis. Just as with a daily exercise program, it is important that you participate each and every day without fail. This concept is a prerequisite for being a guardian to Seaman.

Seaman is a game in which you will experience the growth of a living being. You will be witness to the drama of life over an extended period of time. Therefore, do not expect an experience similar to any other games, in which clearly defined events happen each time you play. As well, there are no scores to be earned, stages or final game to be cleared, etc. This is not the type of game in which one can spend several hours in one sitting and expect to experience vast amounts of action or change. As with life itself, change only occurs over time and even then, slowly. Change is only evident through the accumulation of experience over time.

Enjoy communicating with Seaman while you attend to these daily maintenance tasks. Tap on the glass of the aquarium to get its attention, use the microphone to greet and converse, as well as other methods you will discover in order to express your affection to it. This is paramount to ensuring the successful growth and development of your Seaman. As Seaman matures and reaches a certain level of development, recognition will increase and it will begin conversing with you.

Seaman's development will accelerate when in good humor. The only way to ensure Seaman is kept in good humor is to take adequate care of it daily, without fail, while constantly providing loving affection.

Although raising Seaman does require a bit of perseverance, it is a bit like writing in a diary; something you need to persist in doing on a daily basis. By doing so, you will find yourself experiencing a grand drama, the likes of which have yet been rendered possible by even the most realistic of computer or console games.

For those of you with time to spare, one highly recommended and interesting method for enjoying your time with Seaman is to darken the lights to your room and simply vegetate while watching your Seaman go about daily life. Similar to a typical aquarium, Seaman will provide completely different and ever-changing scenery for your television set. And for as long as Seaman lives, the show will go on.

=Let's Begin (Starting a Game)=

Beginning Operation (Day One)
Once again, you are urged to review the set-up procedure starting on p. 4 and confirm that the VMU containing the Seaman habitat and storage matrix, as well as the microphone, are firmly and properly installed to the controller connected to Control Port A of the Dreamcast. Then, press the OPEN Button on your Dreamcast to open the Disc Door, place the Seaman disc inside and close the Disc Door. now press the POWER Button to turn the Dreamcast power ON. The starting screen will appear on your TV followed by the opening narration. Listen carefully as it contains important information that is very helpful for raising Seaman.

First, Transfer the Egg into the Tank (Toggling Displays)
Press the Start Button on the Dreamcast controller to display the raising habitat (in the beginning this will be an aquarium). The very first thing you must do is place the Seaman egg into this tank. Press Trigger L (🅻) to toggle the display over to the storage matrix. The milky white object located in the top left storage box is the Seaman egg. Use the Analog Thumb Pad to select the egg, and while pressing and holding the X Button (🅧), press and hold Trigger R (🆁) to grab hold of the egg. If you are successful, you should see the egg displayed on the clipboard in the lower right corner of the screen. In this state, press 🅻 again to toggle the display over to the aquarium. Next, let go of 🅧 and 🆁 to release the egg into the tank. The clipboard will disappear and the egg will be visible in the tank. This process is used when moving items from display to display. Whenever you grasp an item it will appear on the clipboard. If you release the item (let go of 🅧 and/or 🆁) before switching to the display in which to release the item, the item will return to its original location.

Subsequent Operation (Day Two and on)
(When continuing from a previously saved file). Insert the memory card to which the Seaman habitat and storage matrix (saved files) are saved into the Expansion Socket 1 of the controller. Next, place the Seaman Disc into the Dreamcast and turn the power ON. In a few moments the Start Screen will automatically appear.

As explained earlier, only one Seaman habitat is able to the created to a VMU. Therefore, file selection or other such procedures are not required. All you need to do to continue is press the Start Button when the Start Screen appears.

Note that whenever the Start Screen is displayed there will be a short narration that reports on the current status of your Seaman's development and provides a brief explanation of what has occurred previously. As there are often important hints and tips on how to proceed offered during this narration, it is recommended that you listen to it carefully every day.

If the Mushroomers do not evolve within a few days of their hatching, they will die. Position the hand icon over the Nautilus at the bottom of the tank and press 🆁 to patiently tap it. The Mushroomers will float towards the Nautilus and be eaten. Do not be alarmed by this behavior and continue as normal. Once the Nautilus has consumed at least 4 Mushroomers, it will begin to undergo a transformation, so observe it carefully.

For other information related to Seaman's development, visit our website. If you are able to connect to the Internet (we recommend using your Dreamcast to do so), then you are cordially invited to visit the Sega Seaman website in which you'll find a wealth of helpful information. (www.meetseaman.com)

=Basic Controls=

=How to Converse with Seaman=

Let's Chat with Seaman, Shall We?
=How to Interact with Seaman=

=Observation Controls=

=Caring for Your Seaman=

Operating the Heater and Other Habitat Devices
=Feeding Your Seaman= Press 🅻 to switch to the storage matrix. Here you will notice 11 food pellets that are to be used to feed Seaman once it reaches the 'Gillman' stage of development. To feed Seaman, use the Analog Thumb Pad to select a food pellet and then press and hold 🅧 and 🆁 to grab it. While holding both 🅧 and 🆁, press 🅻 to toggle to the aquarium tank. Then, release 🅧 and 🆁 to drop the food pellet into the water. (This is the same process used when placing the Seaman egg into the tank.)

The food pellets initially available in the storage matrix enable you to feed Seaman for a short time, provided you do not overfeed it. However, after that you will need to create an alternate method of providing Seaman with food. There is no need to panic, for Seaman may be able to help you to determine a new method for providing food when the time is right, so be sure to observe carefully and listen well to what Seaman has to tell you.

Take the utmost care to prevent using up all the food in the storage display. You are advised to only feed Seaman when it is hungry. Prick up your ears, listen very carefully to what Seaman says and be sure to carry out its instructions in a timely fashion.

=How to Say Goodbye to Seaman =

(Exiting and Saving)
To exit the game, press the Start Button and select ' End ' from the displayed menu, then press 🅐. Wait until the save process is complete before turning the Dreamcast power OFF. Unlike most games in which you are required to save yourself, all of Seaman's growth progress is automatically saved to the memory card throughout your playtime. Note that you will be unable to return to a previous stage. Such as with life itself, you may only continue forwards.

When the game file is being saved, a warning will appear on the LCD screen of the VMU.

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CAUTION!
A memory card [Visual Memory Unit (VMU) sold separately] is required to save game files (habitat and storage matrix).

Never turn the Dreamcast power OFF, remove the memory card or microphone, or disconnect the controller while game data is being saved.
 * }

=Starting Over with Seaman=

How to Reset the Habitat
When raising a new Seaman, or when Seaman has prematurely died.

To do away with the habitat and storage matrix you had been using up until now (delete the data files) and start over from scratch, simply press and hold 🅑 while re-booting the Seaman disc. Once you have done so, the following message will appear:

'This memory card already contains a Seaman habitat created on (Month Day, Year). This data will be deleted, and a new habitat will be created. All previous data will be lost, and cannot be recovered. Do you still wish to proceed?'

If you select "Yes", all the data you have been using up until now will be erased and a new habitat can be created to this VMU. If you select "No", this procedure will be canceled. Note that it is unnecessary for you to arrange to have Seaman's corpse disposed of. Do, however, mourn your loss and express your grief in whatever manner you deem appropriate.

=Living in Harmony with Seaman= If Seaman is in a bad mood, it will elect to discontinue conversing with you. Whether the cause of this mood swing is inadvertent or intentional on your part is of no relevance. The following situations have been noted to cause a deterioration of Seaman mood:
 * If you are violent towards or speak rudely to Seaman
 * If you constantly use strange or foreign terms that Seaman does not understand
 * If you willfully and consistently repeat the same types of words over and over
 * If you fail to feed Seaman over an extended period of time
 * If you fail to maintain a suitable living environment
 * If you willfully and continuously flick or grab and pick-up Seaman

Pay Attention to Seaman's Health
Seaman is a living creature. In order for Seaman to remain healthy, it is an absolute must for you to provide food, oxygen, a clean living environment and other necessities required to sustain life.


 * Pay attention to the state of the water (environment) and oxygen levels.
 * Keep in mind that if you are away and unable to attend to Seaman for a couple of days, Seaman could possibly die of starvation.

=Exchanging Food with Another Raiser=

Utilizing Your Storage Matrix Effectively
If, in the course of your raising Seaman, you should happen to discover a new habitat, be sure to experiment with it judiciously. If you discover that something can be placed into the storage matrix, you will be able to save that item to the storage matrix. By connecting your memory card with that of another raiser in the manner depicted in the diagram below, you will be able to exchange items stored in each memory card's respective storage matrix.

VMU Controls
First, connect two VMU's (each containing their own respective habitat and storage matrix) together as depicted in the diagram to the right. Note that the memory cards for both parties must each contain a complete Seaman raising environment and have fully charged batteries. Each storage matrix contains a total of 12 storage compartments (1-12). Use the D-pad ⇧ ⇩ on the VMU to toggle between each of the compartments. Select the compartment containing the item you wish to send over and press 🅐. Once the confirmation screen appears, press 🅐 again to confirm that you wish to send this item. The item will then be sent to the storage matrix of the other VMU.

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CAUTION!
'''Do not attempt to disconnect the memory cards while exchanging data. Doing so may damage the save files. Also, note that leaving two memory cards connected for an extended period greatly reduces the battery life of the memory cards.'''
 * }

=Advice= Please realize that concepts such as goals or scores do not apply to this game. You are free to enjoy Seaman in whatever manner you find appropriate.

However, if you endeavor to successfully raise and assist in Seaman's evolution, there are a few points you must take into consideration.

First off, there is a strong relationship between knowledge acquisition and Seaman's growth process. As Seaman's caretaker, you are encouraged to take the initiative and talk to Seaman daily to stimulate its desire to learn and in turn, aid its maturation.

Note that without conversation, Seaman's growth process with stop. Therefore, it is important to speak to Seaman throughout its growth and development, even well before it has matured to the stage of being able to converse with you.

Secondly, it is imperative at some point that you transform the habitat aquarium into a terrarium (a habitat that contains land) for Seaman, as this is crucial to aiding in its evolution. But not to worry, Seaman will assist you in achieving his goal when the time is right.

Be sure to listen carefully and attentively to all that Seaman tells you. Eventually, when an appropriate level of maturity has been reached, you must help Seaman become free of the confines of the habitat.

How do I transform the habitat aquarium into a land-filled terrarium? What environment lies outside of the habitat? How do I enable Seaman to gain freedom from its confines? These are all questions you must be longing to have answered. However, we have opted not to provide those answers in this manual. We feel it would be a far more rewarding experience for you to experiment using the exact same laboratory conditions as contrived by Dr. Jean Paul Gassé in the 1930's. We have the utmost confidence that you will be successful in your Seaman rearing efforts.

Currently, we at Vivarium are hard at work developing an observation kit for the express purpose of observing Seaman within the environment outside of the habitat. Utilizing the most advanced scientific technology, we continue with our rapidly advancing research in order to follow up on the developments of Seaman's continuing evolution. Based on the results of these research efforts, we will be offering a new kit to you as soon as we are able to do so. In the meantime, you are encouraged to make the most of this kit and hone your custodial abilities.

Well, if you are certain you are ready, shall we bear witness to the unconventional world that is Seaman?

=Final Notes and Pointers=
 * Be sure to hold the microphone the recommended distance (as specified in the Microphone manual) away from your mouth when speaking to Seaman. Also, be sure to speak as clearly and succinctly as possible at all times. Shouting is prohibited.
 * Seaman is an honest and decent living creature who will ask you numerous questions. Please answer as truthfully as possible and never, ever lie.
 * Seaman is only so clever, and as you will discover, patience is not its strong suit. When answering questions, avoid long or wordy answers and instead answer in one simple, easy to understand term or phrase. For example: if Seaman asks you, "Do you know?" your reply should be "Yes." or "I know." in a normal voice. Remember to remain calm and speak clearly to make yourself easier to understand. You will find it advantageous to provide the patience that Seaman is lacking to ensure productive communication is achieved.
 * Seaman will ask you numerous questions and obtain a considerable amount of personal information from you, however there is no risk of this information being leaked to an outside source nor will your confidentiality be breached, provided that you maintain sufficient care and management of your memory card. If you prefer to be absolutely safe, ensure that you are alone when you play to prevent someone from overhearing your conversations with Seaman.
 * If multiple people wish to play Seaman using the same disc, ensure that each prospective guardian has their own VMU and maintains their own Seaman data. Each VMU must be used to maintain the information of each separate guardian. If the guardian is changed midway, this may cause Seaman to become confused.
 * Once Seaman's conversational ability develops, it will come to desire a personal name. You are encouraged to provide Seaman with a name. Once a sufficient level of conversational ability has been reached, try saying, "I will give you a name." Seaman will then explain how to proceed. Seaman will remember and recognize the name from there on. Having a name is such a happy event for Seaman that it will change color, and will be easily recognizable. Note that it is only possible to name one Seaman in the habitat at any given time.

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The Sanctity of Life
''Your role as the caregiver of an animal does not entitle you to end the creature's life. While the "law of the jungle" states that the weak are the victims of the strong, this only applies in the wild, where it is merely a facet of the food chain, necessary to ensure the survival and balance of life. Please remember that humans have been responsible for the senseless obliteration of numerous life forms on this planet. If you are interested in the protection and preservation of wildlife, please visit the following website to make a difference: http://www.panda.org/''
 * }

=US Version Credits=

Producer and Game Designer
Yoot Saito

US Development Director
Arka Roy

US Script Programming Team
Seppo Helava Chris Craig Alex Genadinik

Narrator
Leonard Nimoy

Casting and Recording
Webtone

Localization Producers
Mari N. Schaal Osamu Shibamiya

Test Lead
Steve Peck

Assistant Test Leads
Rick Ribble Jr. Bob Homan

Music
Trans Global Underground (UK)

Product Marketing
Stacey Kerr John Golden

Creative Services
Robert Schonfisch

PR
Heather Hawkins

Assistants to Mr. Seaman (Jellyvision, Inc.)
Brian Chard Lina Chern Shannon Miller Steve Newman Kate Powers Amy Lippa Mike Brumm Jeremy Hornik Traci Todd

Special Thanks
Buzzy's Recording Dylan Bromley Toshiro Kezuka Greg & Kin Weber Jason Kuo Jim Yamashita Jin Shimazaki June Honma Klayton Vorlick Will Wright Liz Michaels Hiroaki Ohmura Sandra Castagnola Shinobu Toyoda

=Manual Production Staff=

Translator/Writer/DTP
Monika Husgins

Supervisor
Kaoru Ichigozaki

DTP Advisors
Yoshihiro Sakuta Osamu Nakazato Eiichi Ogawa

=Japanese Version Original Staff=

Producer and Game Designer
Yoot Saito

System Designer
Arka Roy

Director
Satoshi Endo

Art Director
Atsushi Hotta

Programmers
Kazuhiko Sugita Takahisa Suzuki Shigekazu Ito Yoshito Hirose

Sound
Tsuneo Kaneda

Graphic Artists
Makoto Iwanagawa Tomomasa Ueda Nobuyuki Usuki Minoru Urano Koichi Okada Yoko Shibusawa Bujin Hirai Yiting Fu Cozzy Sumitomo

Assistant Programmers
Ryo Takeishi Makoto Fukuichi Tomomi Hiramatsu