Interdimensional Observer

Columbia was the goddess-personification of the American continents (which Europeans initially regarded as a single continent) -and later the United States- from the late 1600s to the end of the 1800s (in the US perspective). When the Big French Lady came our way in 1886, the copper-green goddess gradually replaced Columbia, and this was finalized by 1931- when the "Star-Spangled Banner" replaced "Hail Columbia" as the national anthem of the United States. Although, Columbia Pictures was so named in 1924, one of her last starring roles. (Uncle Sam appeared in the first half of the 1800s, yet it was not until the 1860s and 70s that he began gaining widespread popularity/notoriety as the embodiment of the United States/federal government. It wasn't until World War I that Uncle Sam fully replaced Columbia in war propaganda.) ...I remembered a two-page article on the history of Lady Columbia in Smithsonian Magazine *flips to the cover* from September-October last year. Just parroting what's written in it.🇺🇸🤓 Thankfully we have the regional concept of "Oceania".

I would've had no idea of that.😆 With Super Star in mind, I was reminded today that in Japanese, "Revenge of Meta Knight" is "Meta Naito no Gyakushu". "Gyakushu" being alternatively translatable as "Counterattack". Changing the English word structuring to "Meta Knight's Counterattack"... trade the blue cape for a red, add one of those helmets, and I'll leave the rest to your imagination.😜

-Nothing, I have no idea what'd even define the appearance of one. It was a joke, is all. Sorry!😅 It was seemingly a mostly peaceful(?)-looking VN, glasses girl suddenly swaps to contacts and a hella big sword, seemed kinda incongruous and as if she had become 5* pull material.

The problem with Assault was the on-foot segments are generally thought to have been insipid. While the Arwing missions/segments are liked or disliked depending on who you're talking to. If they had tightened the 3rd-person 3D foot shooter stuff, maybe Assault would've been better received. Not like Nintendo has any franchise that specializes in this kind of action. Although, this might've required divorcing these physical levels from having Arwing/Landmaster stuff built into them too. I did like Assault years ago, the presentation looked good. And the narrative -while nothing new for sci-fi whatsoever- was serious with surprising dark notes. The popularity of multiverse shenanigans in media has drastically grown in the past decade. Thus, I propose we continue Star Fox from the ending of Command, all of them. We begin Star Fox: Disorder from the perspective of the pre-Key of Destiny ending. Where Fox still can't get over his breakup with Krystal. The primary villain is Venom yet again, led by the Evil Dash from that ending. He meets internal yet underground opposition from the Good Dash from the happy ending where Amanda joined Star Fox. Kursed is out there, somewhere, struggling to redeem herself. Star Fox Gen 3- the one led by Fox & Krystal's son Marcus, also shows up in this story. As does Star Falco, and the triumphant Star Wolf from the same ending as Kursed. Also, prepare for FALCON BARREL ROLL! Because who did you think Fox & Falco met during their F-Zero days? Oh, and Pigma -since he was only fought on two endings- shows up yet again, a copy of him from every other route. Because who can truly eradicate the Aparoids? ...I never played Command, but I will give it points for giving everyone their own personal air/space fighters instead of identical Arwings and Wolfens. Style matters in sci-fi. I thought Tsukihime wasn't Servantmon? I feel like they were ruined for me at a young age. Blame Soulcalibur II and Ivy.

I know that. But the 3D capacities of the SNES were pushing the system to its limits, and graphically-limited as a result. The original Star Fox (and the scrapped-but-now-conserved Star Fox 2) was making the seemingly-impossible work, which is historically notable in its own right. Yet -from an ""objectively" good game quality" perspective- while SF64 was made for a console whose entire selling point for its existence was good 3D graphics, that, probably, for most Star Fox fans, makes it the better game. Working within restrains can produce good results, but not having restraints doesn't produce an inferior game. From your perspective, I suppose the glitz of N64 visuals doesn't do enough to overcome the sameyness with the original SF. Although, I likewise guess that some SF64 > SF1 proponents would argue that SF1 is more of a (impressive) tech demo, and that the franchise couldn't blossom until freed of the confinement to a 16-bit processor pushed to its max. An argument I see being used -with more efficacy- by the F-Zero crowd.

I wouldn't disagree that SF64 is a reboot of a one-series game (and then SF Zero appears to have been yet another reboot?). -But the original Star Fox was on the ultimately-2D console of the SNES, and 64 on the wholeheartedly-3D N64, big difference IMO. I think the choice was justified. While child-me never got past the first of the "hard route" stages of SF64, seeing them as an adult via the Internet, I would say -even as a nonplayer- that they showcase a fair deal of variety for a 3D on-rails shooter. It does seem like the genre was explored with devotion on the part of the staff who made SF64. The dinosaur-themed setting was neat, and it looked sorta nicely realistic for a 64-turned-GameCube game? ...Although the ingame world in retrospect doesn't seem all that big or lively.

...You don't have to play either.😆 I ain't forcing you. Ultra contains all the content of the original. It does have a few audio-visual tweaks: the openings to each mode is became videos instead of still-images, some UI was relocated to the bottom screen, some sprites and such were redesigned, music retouched, I think bosses were given a few more invincibility frames IIRC. However, Ultra does add a couple bonus modes and minigames. Nothing crazy, though one of them is the very first True Arena in Kirby history. It's enough that I'd say Ultra over the original KSS. I can't think of any serious downsides to Ultra. -I was just sayin' that b/c Kirby Super Star is literally the one game from the 16 and 64-bit eras that I probably adored most in my early childhood. Being at my grandparents' house, in my grandmother's bedroom, it was probably the game I was looking forward the most to play, more than even Zelda and Mario (or Goldeneye or Harvest Moon 64 -these two I enjoyed alongside my also-young relatives).😄

-That's fine, opinions and all. ...Though it's only making me brace even more for whenever/if ever you get to Kirby Super Star, the old crown jewel of that franchise. If thy judgment be lukewarm... *half-heartedly hides axe, shotgun, plastic explosives, arsenic*.😏

Is it even a Star Fox game? It's an 3D action-adventure that began its life completely devoid of anything Star Fox, and then at a suggestion of Miyamoto, Fox got thrown into it later. As a Zelda-esque game... I never actually made it past the Cloudrunner Palace as a child, but is it great or anything? Seems to be more adequate than amazing in the general "objective" reception. The Arwing segments feel tacked on too, which only makes sense given the game's development. Also, in the past year I recently rewatched some of Adventures. The first time Fox sees Krystal... whoever wrote that should be fed to a RedEye.😑

-You've trashed literally the only Star Fox game that all the franchise's fans can agree is good. So, proportionally, what you've said is more devastating than your remarks on Jugdral, Super Metroid & Prime 1, ALttP & OoT, and Persona. Impressive. ...Not like I mean to disparage for thy personal opinions. I was just wasn't expecting this out of nowhere after midnight. (I wouldn't say I have fondness for Star Fox, despite playing 64-Adventures-Assault growing up. Just some familiarity.)

If you're focusing on the action and actiony-parts of the plot, then yeah, action is for little boys. Fire Emblem is for little boys. Traditionally, female audiences have been fed/favor nonviolent material, with more of an emphasis on characters than over plot. ...And Fire Emblem has always had great big casts, who have always -accelerating with Genealogy and then skyrocketing with GBA inventing Supports- had some peaceful chit-chat. Treat the violence as the cobblestones of roads connecting the character events, not as the red manly! meat of the game. Perhaps that's the answer? -Not to overly gender-stereotype, particularly in the present day and age. (Kinda unrelated, but I have been told that within Gundam, Gundam Wing was very popular among females. For the reason that Wing was very dramatic (and having a pinch of fujoshi material), while still political and stuff and not a Dragonball parody as was G Gundam. Nonetheless, I get the last impression that there are still plenty of menfolk in the West who grew up loving Wing.) (And, within the world of JRPGs, Tales has had a strong female following. Which I can see, given its abundance of Skits and other instances of character bonding. Plus, maybe the -never gritty nor DQ-shounen- aesthetic.)

Dream of the Red Chamber was it?😛 I did see some comments last year maybe where someone questioned the placement of one character's route in the second half instead of the first. Cloudy sky and greenery makes me think Ireland.😆 The church is nice too. ...Something about the stained glass here looks very modern, and out of place. Thanks.😀 Before you open it- do what I do and wash thy hands thoroughly. Sacred tomes are not made to be touched by filth. Or follow Judaism (not like Xeno hasn't ever borrowed a word or three from the old faith) and never touch the pages themselves. I've never owned a physical art book for any game. -But I do like 'em.😄 Why can't more devs do like Odin Sphere and Okami and include free digital copies in the games?

The now-fame of Fate be making the devs think "more of a good thing is more of a good thing"? The Square problem? Not a big deal.😀 Text is only text, this peculiar medium which is interpreted by the eyes, yet replicates what is usually understood by the ears. It's a form that straddles the senses and is fully embraced by neither. Inducements of 🤢 and 😨 you can probably get away with more via text with because of that. -I guess. Hopefully it's cathartic/whatever you hope to get out of a VN!😃 Reminds me I had wanted to make a topic a few months ago, on Tellius... ...But the process of reorganizing these thoughts into something more readable for others felt like too much effort.😅

https://www.gematsu.com/2024/04/sunnyside-launches-may-24-for-pc-july-10-for-ps5-and-xbox-series I think I remember reading about this before... "It's been really important to us that the social system for SunnySide feels rewarding and immersive for everyone. We have a lot of different types of people that you can pursue friendship or romance with, and our priority from day one has been to make sure that the locked sexuality of the characters is an enhancement to the story, rather than an inconvenience for the player. With 24 romanceable characters, every player should have at least 4 different people they can romance, and at most about 14. Overall, we're really proud of the system and can't wait for players to get their hands on it and see what it's really about!" https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2023/01/exclusive-farming-game-sunnyside-shows-off-24-dateable-residents-in-new-trailer Yep. Only so many modern-day farming sims to possibly have that "locked sexuality" thing which I hadn't forgotten over a year later.😆 24 romance options sounds downright massive. *Checks my self-complied SoS & RF NPC notes*: 12 bachelor/ettes has long become the standard for both SoS and RF. A greenhorn indie doing double that... I'm afraid that the game is going to be manure as a result. Curious though I am on how it'll turn out. -Not so much on getting it myself, I'm finicky about character portraits/art style. Old beats still hit hard? As you like it? More graphic than I was expecting for this😐 (but, VN, so I get it -no holding back), the simplicity of the murder makes it more gruesome than it is. Looks very nonchalant about what they just did suggesting psychopathy?.

Mercenaries are hardy people who know the world has things to kvetch about in it, though individuals might vocalize their complaints, the horde will quietly bear with some employer overwork. I think I recall an instance during the 30 Years' War where the mercenaries of some country did go on strike -but only after ...was it three or six months of not being paid? -Whatever it was, you've got time before they revolt. There was -not sure if there is still is in this patch- a glitch where dismounting Seliph has a chance of trapping him in the northwest corner of any map (0x0 in map coordinates). -Don't do it, to be on the safe side. "Yes I CAN take it with me!" *Vanishes via smoke bomb upon taking fatal damage.* -Random Rogue. Well you took forever. I think I had him done by C7's end.😅 Speed players will totally get him to 20 before C6 is done. ...Eh, Claud can say "religious matters/receiving revelations" unfortunately takes priority over family life. Beowulf judging from his C5 convo with Lach could totally ditch all of a sudden. Arden is still huffing it out of the Yied all these years later -their dad didn't run off, he got left behind. Jabarro feels intentional. Ares has been raised by this man since his life got upended -but as soon as Ares finds out that Dancer is in lecherous hands, he goes from red to blue. A flip so effortless despite the tie that should lead to strong loyalty... that -maybe I'm reading too much into it- it feels like it's a conscious act of spite against the Camus archetype. And Kaga did say Ares exists because Eldigan was a stickler-for-the-rules idiot. Shin: …I hadn’t asked you yet. Which clan are you from? Fir: What? Shin: Are you from the Bulgar clan? Or are you part of the Djute clan that betrayed us? Fir: …I don’t know. Shin: …… Was that…a joke? Fir: N-No, it wasn’t. I lived with my parents, so I don’t really know much about the clans… I'd say no. Fir isn't culturally Sacaean, I doubt she knows much about that beyond some of its swordplay. She is half-Sacaean genetically, but genetics aren't entirely what defines an identity.

I did have that in mind of course. It was a neat little side activity, if you didn't mind gathering the building materials. Wouldn't mind Xenoblade having something like that again. I'd take a ship as a base for something narratively more flexible than a city if that was preferable for the writing (because, speaking purely of a sense of place devoid of base-building, the Yggdrasil and Elsa+Durandal had some). -Although NLA, while not a buildable base, does end up having a strong sense of progression as you proceed through the game. On my second playthrough, it felt kinda like a ghost town seeing the walled city consisting of naught but humans at the start. X2 -if we're still in NLA instead of off in New Other City crashed on the other side of Mira- should consider filling in the Residential and Commercial Districts (and Ma-non Ship, and maybe a bit of the Industrial District) with some side activities though. Or at least have the Commercial sell newly-added Pouch Items and casual clothing options, to make the player feel its name, not just see its name. I'd be completely fine without romance as one such side activity though. The XCX playable cast at least wasn't made with it in mind, at all (perfectly acceptable ofc, not all games with silent MCs need would-be lovers). Really, there's nobody I'd remotely consider (though the sequel could be different). And, side activities in NLA is a lower priority, more an appreciable novelty than anything for me. My actual X2 priorities would be: seeing the plot of XCX concluded (with good execution, ideally), exploring the rest of Mira, seeing the combat system improved (particularly for Skells), and if there is an online component again- having more than two Global Nemeses.

Remembering the new FMP thing, and seeing the sword, I was thinking "Domon & Rain's daughter?". 30 years later in-universe.

@Acacia Sgt https://www.siliconera.com/g-gundam-new-project-announced-on-its-30th-anniversary/ IDK what "project" means in this case, but a character sketch should mean something more than merely new figurines of oldies.

Good point, I knew the comparison would fail at some level. Moving the wyverns through the mountains in pursuit of elusive game hiding amid the peaks, in craggy locations where humans rarely visit, isn't the most feasible of ideas. -But I tried.😅 ...Sawdust becomes mighty tasty when you've been under siege long enough. Gorons then? Or are we talking biological automobiles who, once they've been massively bred across the entire continent, will produce enough carbon-rich flatulence that southern Silesse will have snow-free winters by Jugdral Count 900?

I tried Discord a couple times, the flow doesn't jive with me. Responding to anything written three minutes ago might as well be necroposting there. Toofastformewhocanspendanhourwritingameticulouswalloftextheretokeepup.

It's not "famine all the time", but IRL, I'm thinking of Central Eurasia. There are fertile river valleys where agriculture can thrive, yet the vast geographic region is known for animal husbandry. Comparing horses to wyverns isn't exactly a perfect analogy, and southern Thracia isn't as expansive as the steppes, but you can be relatively thinly-populated in human numbers over less-than-ideal dirt, yet have significant herds of other animals.

Killer clown-ish, or murderous Rageddy Ann doll. Only one romance candidate per sexuality is it? I can understand the choice to restrict, but maybe too narrow indeed for a big WRPG. Decline is okay, but if totally dies, it means back to zero social existence for me. As someone who has watched videos on dozens of airline incidents, flight and fight are not incompatible. The inclusion of base-building sounds odd. Not totally unheard of for a JRPG, Suikoden comes to mind, and Skies of Arcadia gave you a pirate base about halfway through the game, yet it's uncommon. -Oh, and I guess FE with Fates and Engage. Base-building isn't a bad idea though, can develop a strong sense of place, potentially. A base can provide an element of simulation without going full-on farm sim or Sakura Wars. Mandatory leveling of the base to progress the plot, perhaps hiding really good equipment behind some annoying/tedious work- these are the two possible faults with base-building as I see it. Reading the Gematsu comments -well one wishing to live in bliss should never reading Internet comments.😅 But after Eternights, I suppose unlike others I'm totally okay with Westerners attempting to make 3D JRPGs (this studio is based in Madrid), even if -b/c indie limitations- it results in a lack of visual polish. It's refreshing, contrasted against all the pixel projects said Western indie devs churn out. That prismatic nude is straight out of magical girl anime -though featuring more body contours than my memories from age 4 watching Sailor Moon recalls.🌙 "Hurray for religion!"? How strange. Aren't JRPGs supposed to be the medium where all churches are shams and the corpses of gods litter the dormitory floors?😛 -These are pretty belated, I don't get why. But I do know that I shouldn't criticize for lateness regarding UO.😅

I would -but I am keenly aware I'd be out of SRW (without figuring out how to make a Japanese account on Switch) after that.😆 I did glimpse the secrets list. Already decided from looking at that, that on my first run, I'd nab the (probably useless) MaZ, and 'Rapier; along with leaning Super on my final team composition (the only SRW for Golion and Orgun, plus W will educate me on pre-vs. Betterman GGG). The NG+ run (after the fourth J) would pick up the alternative exclusive secrets, which seem SEEDy, and being NG+, even if the only appearance of Astray provides naught but a bunch of Real clunkers, carryover funds/upgrades would more than fix that. ...Although maybe getting SRW behind me would be beneficial. In the sense that my eyes would be forced to look forward towards wholly-new experiences in the world of gaming after that. Without a backlog of the familiar hanging around, I would have no choice to experiment with new things outside of the ultra-comfort zone. I'll admit my tastes in photorealistic-fictional and IRL men are underdeveloped.😅 Cursed enough it's not to be gay and autistic, my lifelong interests have to be video games of the anime kind, which will be of no help whatsoever when I, hopefully, eventually, try finding someone for real.🤣 But, of the two characters presented above, definitely the one to the left I say.😜

Sorry!😅 I've still been playing Endless Legend for the past few days (runs with 7/8 factions almost done, I'll set the game aside after this until its DLC goes on sale again), nothing worth discussing here. I meant to start something else today that'd trigger discussion here, but... delay delay delay is me.😆 I saw this joke character got into the Type Moon fighting game thing like a year ago. I recall the comments were saying that their fighting style had a measure of luck mixed in it, which is totally flavorful for a immersion-breaking silly fighter.

I'd say so. I don't get the appeal of JamkexAnyoneExceptAyra. Unless no other child needs the ring, Lester would rather have a Pursuit father to always quad, somewhat better Str isn't enough of a gain over Midir. And I don't get JamkexBrigid at all. ...I think peasants had limitations on their wartime use? Can't take them too far from the farms, can't take too many during the planting and harvest times, plus they're unskilled. -Alas, aristocrats/knights, though they have all the time to train thanks to those fiefdoms they own, number only so many, and there is only so much land to dole out as titles. And mercenaries, though the finest warriors there are, they're sooooo expensive and the feudal world was cash-poor (but land-rich, hence landed aristocracy). It's not like the Internet exists, how can 90% of people be certain what a one-of-a-kind uber spear looks like? Just lie about what it is, Altena's entire life in South Thracia is a deception already. The pinnacle of the Fujiwara clan's political power came under Fujiwara no Michinaga (966-1028AD). Four of Michinaga's daughters married Emperors of Japan, and he gave the fifth to an imperial prince who threatened his control of the court.😛 What followed the fall of the Fujiwara clan was something more unusual: insei- "cloistered rule". The Emperor would abdicate, get tonsured, retire to a Buddhist monastery, and then proceed to puppet-rule over his successor while he lived and held his own separate court as a "retired" emperor. -After this, the samurai/bushi warrior class finally reached political maturity and established the Kamakura Bakufu/Shogunate (began in 1185), leaving the emperors and aristocrats powerless until the Meiji Restoration. I've more liking for Trav' than Arv', that is certain. I don't love Travant's portrayal, it has a few issues, one of the better villains in Genealogy overall. Agreed. Travant has one goal, just one goal. Conquest yes, but it isn't world conquest, it's just the other half of a peninsula, is that too much to ask for? Reminds me that I sorta liked the Ashura Kai in Shin Megami Tensei IV. Yakuza who, as fragile as their order seems, comes off to me as being largely responsible for keeping humanity in Tokyo alive after the apocalypse. The goody-good Hunter's Association seemed kinda weak, and the downright chaotic Ring of Gaea... well they do run one part of the city well it seems, but they don't look to have any control beyond that. -And I offer this "praise" to the Ashura Kai, despite the Reverse Hills Building -essential to their peacekeeping efforts- morally draining me in a way few others things have, on all four playthroughs of SMTIV.