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Serenes Forest's Teehee Thread


MisterIceTeaPeach

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20 minutes ago, Benice said:

I'd be content just to get even something more basic, such as an Incan-themed FE.

Yes, the Quechua. 

I can only dream what the classes would look like.

This is one of the reasons why I'd love to make a Fire Emblem game.

30 minutes ago, Benice said:

Maybe thieves could get pistols*, while dedicated musketeers get more options?

That would be interesting.

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Time to begin.

Please be good, please be good, pleasebegoodpleasebegood.

Quite the contrast from the style of opening I get from a JRPG-heavy catalogue. I like it. Modern, vibrant, artistic.

The music here sets the score of what follows, it's upbeat yet chill. I like it.

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As if it wasn't transparent which I would pick.😄

Some commenters have pointed out the lack of a hetero male Yu female Kay option, it is slightly odd, but no biggie to me.😛

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I'm not used to screenshooting on Steam, and the text autoscrolls, but Yu said Kay had a nice butt to explain the above line. 

Mind, as the screenshot beforehand indicates, all the dialogue is exactly the same (barring gendered words) if straight or lesbian. Although "nice butt" in a gay context... does gay Kay bottom? Maybe they're both verse, the ultimate man-to-man dream.😝

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From working at the stove to lighting a whole 'nother fire.😙

Literally two minutes in. The script jumps from mundane matters of survival to hormones in the blink of an eye.

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They changed out the load screens. They redid the title screen before I exited the game after a two-hour play session too. The only thing that doesn't update is the game's opening, that remains straight, which I understand given the technicality of it.

Yu still looks a little too girly in some of these shots I think, no surprise given it's a gender swap bound by script and technical limitations. However, it does not detract from the experience all that much for me. I'm satisfied with what I've been given.

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I wasn't expecting dialogue choices. Some of these boost the choosing character's confidence, whatever that does gameplay-wise. Though as my rate of confidence-boosting answers is less than 50-50 despite the rather large quantity I've gotten so far, I take it not all of them do that.

Also, context- Yu means if the dystopia they fled from catches them. Speaking of which PLEASE DO NOT END WITH THAT!🥺 If this game because "Indie Poignancy" ends tragically, it's going to sink Haven soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much for me. I get depressed IRL already, I don't need that, give these two a totally happy ending!

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The folder I made for this on my image-sharing site is coincidentally called "Steam Stuff". Now I've got real steam in there.

Did they actually make a nude model, or is Kay in his underwear? Probably the latter.

And no, Yu is not in the shower with him. The game so far has no actual sex scenes on-screen, nor "can't see it, but the dialogue sounds like they're screwing". It almost doesn't matter, because it would be impossible to conclude from everything they say and do that they aren't having sex at some point offscreen. You know they're very into each other, romantically and physically.

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Moving into the gameplay, the game's world looks pleasing enough. It's not open world, that'd be too expensive for an indie methinks. The game is divided into islets connected by bridges and moving from one island to another triggers a load screen. 

I tried taking a screenshot of the gliding technique as you can see. However, as you move rather fast as you do it, I couldn't take a good one. Walking is really slow in Haven, you have to activate the jet boots and glide everywhere. The boots can't run out of fuel, but it seems they do slow down if you don't refuel every so often by gliding through blue Flow lines that the islets are covered in. The lines tend to be located along the main pathways of the islands and they make you move pretty rapidly, so you've some incentive to follow them anyhow. The speed and easy of adjustment of gliding -which includes drifting for smoother & somewhat slower turning, and near-instantaneous u-turning even- isn't easy for me to get a full grasp on yet. But, it's fun, I'd take it as a form of traveling in another game.

No mini-map is odd, I could use one. The controls do indicate a button for "radar", so I take it the map takes a little time to unlock.

I got into my first battles, but I didn't snap any pictures of it. I'll do so next time.

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Petting the wildlife. Up your game Xenoblade.

A few other thoughts from my first impression.:

The voice acting is good, as it should be when there as naught but two characters. The cel-shading is solid, though the character models could use more definition. The bodies are perfectly fine, but the heads look blurry. Thankfully, I rarely have to look at them and can instead focus on the portraits, and after a slight period of adjusting to it, their art style is fine to me. 

It's amazing what difference one change makes. Back when I first saw reviews for this game, I thought it was a very interesting premise, but eeeeeeeeeh it was str8, I ruled out any real chance of buying it. Now, it doesn't really matter that the story began hetero', love is love, sure, sometimes LGBTQ+ love takes on distinctive nuances possibly not found in straight relationships. Yet, as long as there are creative minds making both "love is love" and "our love is special"-styled stories in the whole, I'm okay with individual stories being one or the other.

And boy-on-boy let me repeat myself- what a difference one change makes!😃 I don't consider myself someone who usually cares for love stories. I dislike or are disinterested in most romances  I encounter in video games, and I watch no love/sex & drama movies or TV shows, movies, or books of any kind. But here I am, in the first few minutes, already falling in love with the writing. Dialogue, that when all of a sudden it's between two men, comes alive to me. I was smiling with a full grin from beginning to end during my first play session.😁 -And nothing more than smiling FYI. For all the romance here, I was in the thralls of grinning, and entirely without nether-region arousal. This blissfulness, I think I understand now, homoromanticism without homoeroticism, my heart and mind are stirred to love, without being stirred to sex (though of course I would appreciate it). This is gayness -or at least asexuality leaning towards homosexuality- as I don't think I've experienced it before.☺️

Contentment with life is 📈.

I'm not sure this would've been possible if I had shoved myself off a cliff into watching a gay rom-com or the like. It had to be a video game, the medium with which I am by far the most familiar and intimate. My guard lowers, my fear and hesitation fades, and the strange and distant can become integrated into my soul.

 

1 hour ago, Armagon said:

Like F-Zero SNES however, it kinda feels like once you've done one cup, you've done them all, especially given that locations will often be reused.

Puh-lease Arma, I never thought you would sink so low as to be a graphics whore!😜

Not every game can have the budget of Mario Kart and create 16 new tracks with distinctive locales. As long as the track itself is distinctive, the venue is unimportant gameplay-wise. In the case of F-Zero, I'm okay with a locale being recycled 2 or 3 times in a given game, perhaps it gives different perspectives on the same location. And unlike Mario where one never seriously thinks the tracks are in the Mario world, technically -even if F-Zero is Story/World-Zero- they're all real places in the F-Zero universe.

-Although, GX is better with the visuals, since it didn't need to sacrifice them for a then very impressive stable 60 fps 30 racers high-speed racing as FZX did.

And, it is perfectly fine for casual low-intensity racing fans to prefer Mario Kart. I am Zero good at C. Falc's dead franchise myself.🙂

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39 minutes ago, GuardianSing said:

Yes, the Quechua. 

Damnit, I've studied 'em by myself multiple times, and I still can't remember their proper name...

40 minutes ago, GuardianSing said:

can only dream what the classes would look like.

The map designs could also be really unique! Mountain maps with lots of paths, cities, jungles, a desert map on the coast where it rains once every several years... It could be quite nice.

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11 minutes ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

Not every game can have the budget of Mario Kart and create 16 new tracks with distinctive locales. As long as the track itself is distinctive, the venue is unimportant gameplay-wise.

Yeah i think i've just been spoiled by Mario Kart's vibrant courses haha.

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I was close to giving TS a hard time for disregarding my choices, but I did well to wait.

Spoiler

They bent over backwards to make me appear not completely evil after choosing to give the Roselle back to their oppressors. Sure, we were going to do that, but without force, instead trying to convince them to come along. We failed, obviously, and then this other hilariously evil noble guy immediately resorted to backhanded murder. So we stood with the Roselle and defended them, killing the noble. The noble's bodyguard informed us that he had already sent word to Hyzante that we had disobeyed orders and their armies were on their way. I was sure they'd railroad me into a route where we make enemies of Hyzante.

However... Seeing us defending them, the Roselle had a change of heart and decided to trust in us to save their people, and came along to save our asses. Unlike the other route, where @lightcosmo said he'd been branded a hereric, Serenoa has been name one of the Saintly Seven for bringing them back to the concentration camp.

Awesome. I always enjoy when these choice games actually stick to, well, the choices.

Also, you know this game is from Japan because a character that looks like this

show

Calls herself old. Leave it to Japan to make at-most-40 year olds out to be ancient great-grandparents!

2 hours ago, Armagon said:

F-Zero X review

Whereas the original F-Zero was a tech demo, F-Zero X is an actual game and it is pretty neat. There ain't much but there's actual mechanics this time and the tracks are more than just flat surfaces. Like F-Zero SNES however, it kinda feels like once you've done one cup, you've done them all, especially given that locations will often be reused. There's not really much in the way of variety here. Game also has the Mario Kart 64 problem of drifting being way too sensitive to be worth it.

Ehhh 6/10 is fine i think. 

I would recomment giving F-Zero GX a shot. The game still reuses locations, but the locations themselves are far richer. I haven't played X, so I can't speak for how better or worse the drifting is, but do give it a chance. I mean the fact I love it bodes ill for you, but...

Edited by Saint Rubenio
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41 minutes ago, Benice said:

Damnit, I've studied 'em by myself multiple times, and I still can't remember their proper name...

Inca is a fine term but only truly works if you're talking about just the empire itself. I'm talking about the people who lived and still live in those mountains and in that culture.

43 minutes ago, Benice said:

The map designs could also be really unique! Mountain maps with lots of paths, cities, jungles, a desert map on the coast where it rains once every several years... It could be quite nice.

Aye, lots of biodiversity to be found.

Lots of colors as well, can ye imagine the character designs?

33 minutes ago, Saint Rubenio said:

Also, you know this game is from Japan because a character that looks like this

show

Calls herself old. Leave it to Japan to make at-most-40 year olds out to be ancient great-grandparents!

If you live a healthy life it's certainly possible. My mother for example is nearly in her 60s yet looks as young as this lass.

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1 hour ago, Armagon said:

You know, Persona's time management is.....actually kinda ass.

Thank you for confirming my choice to not to play any game in the franchise beyond P2!😛

I've always been concerned about how much life-sim I could handle, and if you're struggling with it -well we aren't identical players that's for sure, but I'll take it as a sign.

Although, Devil Survivor 2's quantity of bonding-time wasn't a bother to me at all, to name another Atlus attempt at doing so. Perhaps it helps it had none of the side jobs or social stats I hear Modern Persona has. And is an overall shorter game I would think.

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35 minutes ago, Shrimpolaris said:

Persona is a blight on the genre

When i'm in the dungeons and shit, the game's pretty dope. When i'm not, it kinda feels like my time is being wasted.

32 minutes ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

I've always been concerned about how much life-sim I could handle, and if you're struggling with it -well we aren't identical players that's for sure, but I'll take it as a sign.

It's not that i'm struggling with it, it's that you can barely do anything because one or two actions ends the day and when you can do stuff, most of it feels pretty meaningless. Doesn't help that it's just there to pad the time. Persona 5 may be an 80-100+ hour JRPG but remove the time management and you could probably trim the main story down by like 30 hours.

Also i've played Atelier, which, back when it did time management, it was way better (as in, Atelier time management is better than Persona, not that i actually want time management to return). Even when Atelier's time management was stressful and whatnot and caused me to drop the game (Totori, Ayesha), i still felt like my actions in this limited time were actually contributing to something. 

Also i've played Three Houses, which is doing a way better job at time management than Persona 5. Also i've played Majora's Mask, which is one of the kings of time management but that's a different kind of game i'm aware.

I've kinda been feeling this for the 10 hours i've thrown at the game but while i am enjoying it generally,  i can't help but feel that a lot of what it's doing has been done better in other games i've played. I don't feel like i'm playing it for the sake of playing it, which is good because that's why i dropped FF7, but i don't know if the game will wear out it's welcome.

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Oh boy. Choice time.

(Chapter XIII)

Spoiler

And a three-way choice, no less! We have a big bomb that Hyzante gave us, and we're going to take back the Glenbrookian capital. Roland says to sneak into the city, sink their warships and kill the commanders in one fell swoop. Freddie proposes we blow up the bridge, isolating the Aesfrosti and forcing them to negotiate.

...or, we take the Benedict approach: break a dam upstream and flood the entire fucking city. People and all.

I love this guy. He's so utterly shameless. Obviously I'm doing that. Sacrifices need be made in war, or something.

Hey, this is going to be the first time I don't go against Erador in the voting. He's undecided, for once. Awesome.

1 hour ago, GuardianSing said:

If you live a healthy life it's certainly possible. My mother for example is nearly in her 60s yet looks as young as this lass.

Huh. What do you know. I have no confirmed ages on anybody, so she could very well be 60 for all I know.

1 minute ago, TheChoZenOne said:

I been playing TRS blind if anyone wants to see the shenaniagns we get into. Or cause them... 💀 Streaming it right now: 

 

Oh damn, thanks for letting me know. I wasn't going to check.

Edited by Saint Rubenio
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1 minute ago, Saint Rubenio said:

 

  Hide contents

...or, we take the Benedict approach: break a dam upstream and flood the entire fucking city. People and all.

 

Always gotta involve that strategy somehow.

Spoiler

2-BF38-002.jpg

 

Always...

Spoiler

Expected Talrega?

 

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1 hour ago, Armagon said:

i can't help but feel that a lot of what it's doing has been done better in other games i've played.

I have no idea how spicy this is, but I want to imagine it's up there on the Scoville scale.😋

-Not that I have anything against Persona. Contrary to what the Internet might tell you, preferring Shin Megami Tensei doesn't mean you have to abhor its more popular spinoff-turned-independent-franchise. Though admittedly, not having attachment to the modern stuff myself lets me enjoy this criticism.

1 hour ago, Armagon said:

Also i've played Three Houses, which is doing a way better job at time management than Persona 5.

Weird, the few times I've heard the two compared, it's 3H that got criticized and Persona praised. On the grounds that Persona keeps the time meaningful, whereas it pretty much isn't once you get to the second half of 3H.

But then, FE forums are more likely to attract criticism about FE than about Persona. And, I can't say which if either is better myself.

1 hour ago, Armagon said:

When i'm in the dungeons and shit, the game's pretty dope. When i'm not, it kinda feels like my time is being wasted.

And that would very likely sell the game for me. Since Persona's combat foundations are rooted in SMT, I readily think that I'd enjoy Persona. -If only someone could take over during the life sim time. That's what I tell myself.

'Course they'll never get rid of all the "wasteful" time, since it is essential to what made Persona famous. It's a sacred cow I would think and like FE supports, Shrimpy is hungering for the pedestaled beef

1 hour ago, Armagon said:

I don't feel like i'm playing it for the sake of playing it, which is good because that's why i dropped FF7, but i don't know if the game will wear out it's welcome.

If the fatigue sinks in, but you're still able to go quite some distance, perhaps you could finish at the original ending point, and not bother with the Royal bonus story stuff. From what I know from memes, the pre-Royal final battle takes place in December on the calendar.

I'm not even sure Royal's additions are canon. Since the Musou-styled Strikers spinoff-sequel doesn't include it at all. Leaving in question which is real, and which belongs in a parallel dimension that was drained of its existential energy and now exists as but a shade of a universe. Atlus has an iffy record with later-release bonus story writing and sometimes content anyhow.

Edited by Interdimensional Observer
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14 minutes ago, Saint Rubenio said:

Huh. What do you know. I have no confirmed ages on anybody, so she could very well be 60 for all I know.

It does require a lot of dedication, a life free of heavy stress and a devote healthy diet that'll make you sick if you try anything even slightly deviating from that diet, as well as plenty of exercise and mental awareness.

I don't know how my mom does it. I'm honestly afraid she'll end up outliving me at this rate.

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5 hours ago, Benice said:

Yeah, but I don't know that I'd want to play the game... It's four times, right? IIRC you pick two playables at a time, I think.

I'm sure the game's good, of course, but... Well, we'll see how I enjoy it when I get there.

You can only go through one chapter at a time (of each of the eight stories, all of them get four chapters each), but you can have a party of four, although you can’t remove your protagonist until you complete their story. And with the way the game is structured, unless you want to spend 15 years grinding for some reason* you’ll likely do everyone’s chapter one, then everyone’s chapter two, then three, then four.

 *Some grinding after every chapter one is pretty much unavoidable, but I never had to grind after that just by rotating my party members, minus the grinding I did for the super boss.

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