Serenes Forest's Teehee Thread

[Interdimensional Observer]

13 minutes ago, Acacia Sgt said:

Well, I accidentally walked into the boss room, and it was indeed an icy mammoth. So I guess it really is RF2 bosses for the full Rune Prana run. Or who knows.

All I think I remember about the ice mammoth is something about it constantly emitting a "chime" of some sort. I think the chime was supposed to somehow alert you to some big damage icicle field attack, I might've been KO'ed by it once. -Again, it has been a long time, my memory is foggy of this. (I've forgotten most of RF2 beyond basic characterizations and plot details.) And my desire lingers for a remake that gives us both Aaron & Aria, and adds some new parents & children-related scenes that differ based on the mother (and perhaps even some 2nd Gen upfront gameplay bonuses depending on your choice of mother).😆 I don't think Rune Factory had the budget for such things back then.

 

25 minutes ago, Codename Shrimp said:

Is what i would've said, but apparently the real game starts now, so i won't say much... I didn't even unlock half the characters yet lol. That said, fun action, cool characters, and story that's really only there to make the game work and as an ad for the gacha.

A short and SWEET! plot then? Eh, better that I guess than overstaying its welcome.😄

[Codename Shrimp]

5 minutes ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

A short and SWEET! plot then? Eh, better that I guess than overstaying its welcome.😄

I feel like the game didn't even greet me yet xD

[Acacia Sgt]

3 minutes ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

All I think I remember about the ice mammoth is something about it constantly emitting a "chime" of some sort. I think the chime was supposed to somehow alert you to some big damage icicle field attack, I might've been KO'ed by it once. -Again, it has been a long time, my memory is foggy of this. (I've forgotten most of RF2 beyond basic characterizations and plot details.) And my desire lingers for a remake that gives us both Aaron & Aria, and adds some new parents & children-related scenes that differ based on the mother (and perhaps even some 2nd Gen upfront gameplay bonuses depending on your choice of mother).😆 I don't think Rune Factory had the budget for such things back then.

Hmm, well, if that's the case here too, then I'll keep it in mind. Looking at the paltry damage I did to it, I need to upgrade my weapon again. Though, at least for Short Swords, I need to increase my Forging level to unlock more. Well, will focus on forging other weapon types first, then.

Is it stated if RF3S did well enough? I do remember they stated that if it did well enough, it could encourage making remakes of the first two games. Either way, yeah, those would be good additions to make in any hypothetical remake.

[Acacia Sgt]

Alright. So, SRW X.

The X stands for Cross, as it tends to be typical. Crossover? Heh, well, maybe, but it's more accurate to say it might be for Cross Over. Since if there's one way to describe SRW X, is that it's basically: SRW The Isekai.

It's not the first time SRW has done in, actually. Going all the way to SRW EX (EX... X... hmm?), where the licensed series would end up in the world of I-can't-believe-it's-not-Byston-Well... er, La Gias. Of course, back then, they all were from the same world, but X instead goes the route of the Zverse or V in involving several worlds. So they all are... well, Crossing into the world that serves as the main setting of SRW X. Granted, this is my conjecture as to the usage of X/Cross. No official statement has been made about it... I think. But it's a logical conclusion to make. Anyway...

So, the game takes place in the world of Al-Warth. Any relation the concept of Al-Waarith? Anyway, it is quick to advertise itself as a world of fantasy. Now, just like with V, I don't have the pre-order/first-print DLC, sadly. X actually has a Scenario 0, so to speak, only available as such DLC. So I can't play it. I think it mostly just reveals stuff that won't be learnt until later in the game anyway, so it's not a big loss... I hope. As such, I'll start with Scenario 1, as intended.

So, we start with one of X's debut series, Mashin Hero Wataru. Wataru is kinda like the Yamato of X. In that its plot is what the game mostly revolves around. I think there was criticism about this, feeling it hogged the spotlight too much. And Wataru isn't as iconic as Yamato, I guess, to soften the blow. Either way, the titular Wataru has been isekai'ed to Al-Warth. Unlike La Gias, Al-Warth is actually a mix of OG and Licensed stuff. So what this means is that the world Wataru gets sent to is now part of Al-Warth here. Anyway, he soon finds some strange beings (called Burikinton, and curiously wonders if they're Dr. Hell's, indicating Wataru's home world also houses Shin Mazinger, as that's the Mazinger version that X uses, just like V).

Anyway, the robot-like things are hounding the selected OG protagonist, who uses magic (referred to as Dogma here) to drive them off. Apparently they were there waiting for Wataru. Alongside them is their bird familiar... well, for some reason, just like the Perolina/Likitee situation V, the translation decided to change their name. In the original Japanese, it's Hopes, but the translation goes with Spero. Anyway, he's certainly a dapper bird, wearing an actual suit (or at least the upper half) and glasses. Befits the whole mage's familiar image I guess. XD Anyway, now actual mechs show up, called Mashin... so they're from Wataru's series then. They're still after him, but apparently one of them isn't, having destroyed a Mashin instead. Then the OG calls their own mech, the Xelguard. Ah, Wataru now mentions the Brave Express Corps. So Might Gaine, also returning from V, is also part of his homeworld.

So, it's Xelguard and the unknown mech (name displayed as ???, even the pilot's, and their portrait is even obscured) against some... Geppern MP's, huh. Metal Burikintons as pilots. Hmm...

Okay, let's begin, shall we.

[Interdimensional Observer]

1 hour ago, Codename Shrimp said:

I feel like the game didn't even greet me yet xD

Is it rude for a game to throw you through multiple bombastic set pieces and the final boss before saying "hello"?

Oh. Well that changes the secondhand vibe I'm feeling.😅 

 

1 hour ago, Acacia Sgt said:

Is it stated if RF3S did well enough? I do remember they stated that if it did well enough,

...First two weeks' total physical sales in Japan- 19k. But that doesn't take digital into account, nor international numbers. According to Wikipedia, RF5 did 500k, RF4 did 453k and 185k for 4 Special. 5 is actually the best-selling game in the franchise, followed by 4 (minus Special), everything else seems to be waaaaay less. As of May 2022 (about a month after RF5 went international), the franchise sold 1.5 million units counting all the games.

...And I can't find total sales figures for RF3S, they're nowhere to be found. The Marvelous financial report from earlier this year didn't single out the game either. Hopefully this doesn't mean anything bad.😐

40 minutes ago, Acacia Sgt said:

it could encourage making remakes of the first two games. Either way, yeah, those would be good additions to make in any hypothetical remake.

The first two games are more intimidating to remake. The combat is a whole lot stiffer for one.* And for RF1, noooooooooooooo personal character events!😵 -Well, almost zero. A few were one & done, which was like the most anyone got.🤣 I feel like RF1 had the team focused on establishing the basic foundations for a new farm-ARPG hybrid series so much, that they didn't have time/resources left to do much else.

Thankfully RF2 did add a bulletin board for character requests and bonding. I can't remember 95% of it, much less how good it was, but it was there!😆 Every girl had their own specific proposal item even! Whatever specific writing shortfalls it has, RF2 has much less of a writing problem compared to the first. And some of those faults I'd assign to it come from the 2nd Gen being something no other RF has (not like a 2nd Gen didn't create writing issues for Fire Emblem the three times it happened!).

Another thing RF2 Extra Special Remake could use? New portraits for everyone from the 1st in the 2nd Gen! -Maybe not the oldest adults, but at barest minimum, Roy and Cammy need redesigned portraits, 8 years should seriously change how the kiddos from Gen 1 look. -Though I get why RF2 didn't have new portraits for anyone, budget & the Dynasty/Samurai Warriors problem.

The 1st Gen is kinda boring too, since Kyle can't craft, can't explore the dungeons all that much (paths either blocked by wooden fences he's too big to sneak through, or obstructing stone blocks in ancient text he can't read). The meat of the gameplay is Gen 2. If you focus, I remember hearing people say, you can clear the 1st Gen (seeing the school under construction) by the end of the first Summer. This means you have to go really slow if you want to see all the festivals for no reason other than to see any Gen 1 dialogue related thereto (I did that😆). ...But I'm not sure how one could accelerate a year.😅

*RF1 has the 100RP cap limitation too, which you can't ever increase (neither can you increase the cap in RF2, but it's a better 200RP there IIRC). In the long run it isn't a serious limitation, once you can buy enough RP-restoring food, but for the first cave or three it intentionally handicaps your ability to fight through caves, as swinging your weapon will deplete your RP so fast. -And you need to destroy every monster generator in the entire dungeon to enter the boss room.

The RF1 economy is also really broken and empty since you've nothing to spend big money on. Plus, IIRC, the old item quality system, rather than add +20% to the base value per item level above 1, multiplies the value by the whole number instead. Level 7 sapphires in the 2nd cave? Economy shattered so soon, that I do recall on my second playthrough. (I'm 100% forgetful of RF2's economy.😅)

Crafting runs into its own issue of not being available from the get-go in RF1. You need the one house expansion to unlock all of it. Finances aren't the problem, it's that it costs 2000 wood and you can't buy any! It'll be a few seasons until you acquire enough timber for the expansion (you should have enough by sometime in the Fall, comfortably before Winter arrives and the story-delaying lake cave becomes accessible), and until then you'll have to rely on the handful of storebought weapons.

...RF1 will require a few dozen stacks of Greenifer+ to remake.🤨 RF2, less, but I'm not sure many stacks to subtract for existing improvements over RF1, and then how to much add back owing to RF2 specific issues.🧐😵‍💫

 

5 minutes ago, Acacia Sgt said:

Alright. So, SRW X.

The X stands for Cross, as it tends to be typical. Crossover? Heh, well, maybe, but it's more accurate to say it might be for Cross Over. Since if there's one way to describe SRW X, is that it's basically: SRW The Isekai.

It's not the first time SRW has done in, actually. Going all the way to SRW EX (EX... X... hmm?), where the licensed series would end up in the world of I-can't-believe-it's-not-Byston-Well... er, La Gias. Of course, back then, they all were from the same world, but X instead goes the route of the Zverse or V in involving several worlds. So they all are... well, Crossing into the world that serves as the main setting of SRW X. Granted, this is my conjecture as to the usage of X/Cross. No official statement has been made about it... I think. But it's a logical conclusion to make. Anyway...

That explains why OG Isekai Boy slipped in!😃

...And even if it be conjecture, I like the explanation.😀

8 minutes ago, Acacia Sgt said:

selected OG protagonist, who uses magic

I haven't ever actually looked at Xelguard, so I wasn't sure what design direction it goes in. (All I know is that it eschews unit name changes as it gets its upgrades.) Magic Robot? Cybuster and everything in La Gias aside, that hasn't been done much with Banpresto Original lead machines? -Though I guess the entire OG high fantasy world that got one-two and much later another three games about it, left Banpresto not hankering to invent them very often.😝

...As with V, I'm only going to skim what you write, since I wouldn't mind playing these sometime in the future. -And yes, I know I keep passing on the sales.😆

[Armagon]

7 hours ago, Lightchao42 said:

The Loptrians are basically Satan-worshiping Nazis. If they didn't kill kids for fun, they wouldn't have been overthrown and people would be cool with them.

I would remove the Satan worship and just make them Nazis.

5 hours ago, GuardianSing said:

as well as being somewhat disinterested in independence.

Tbf Puerto Ricans are kinda like this, not that calls for independence don't exist. Like I'll be seeing Twitter posts about "freeing Puerto Rico" and like, personally and statistically, a lot of Puerto Ricans actually like being Americans. 

Whether they want full statehood is a different matter.

Anyways Brighid does admittedly gain independence in some endings anyways.

5 hours ago, Codename Shrimp said:

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/far-right-bids-power-france-holds-parliamentary-election-2024-07-07/

*PHEW*

It's our turn now (help).

[Interdimensional Observer]

I could not dig up a copy of this on the Internet Archive.:

Which I had. If the Internet archive doesn't catalogue more game guides from yesteryear, I'll build the Database to replace it, world-threatening glitches be darned.

-But I could find this:

Do you deserve to be the cover?😝

...The Internet Archive has the Brady Games guidebooks for the other two Episodes as well. And BK:EWatLO as I already knew (Origins doesn't look to have gotten one). And both Tales of Symphonia and Abyss, those two game from the other JRPG franchise Namco owned that told them where the big bucks laid.😜

Official though they may not be, these guides are still a sherd of video game his-tor-ee!😄

And @Saint Rubenio, looks like Brady Games did a guidebook for Covenant. I have no idea how the quality of the advice is, I've never seen this before, maybe it says "Roienbourg will keel over if you as much as look at him", but the guide existed. That's all I'm saying.😀 

[Acacia Sgt]

Spero is actually a sub-pilot. Something not seen with the other kind of OG familiars, hehehe.

With the enemies defeated, the unknown mech leaves, so it's back to just the OG protagonist, Spero, and Wataru. Wataru is pretty much gonna be the Audience Surrogate (TM) here, really cementing he might as well be the main character, and not the OG, pft. More so being called The Savior of Al-Warth... with Al-Warth also getting the moniker of The Beginning. Land of Beginnings? Anyway, now Wataru is gonna be escorted to Monja Village (a Mashin Hero Wataru location, I wager). And thus ends the scenario.

A DLC scenario opens up. Like V, it's the "windfall of money, TacP, and items" one, if you want to start overpowered... or if you're playing the highest difficulty and absolutely need it, haha.

39 minutes ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

...First two weeks' total physical sales in Japan- 19k. But that doesn't take digital into account, nor international numbers. According to Wikipedia, RF5 did 500k, RF4 did 453k and 185k for 4 Special. 5 is actually the best-selling game in the franchise, followed by 4 (minus Special), everything else seems to be waaaaay less. As of May 2022 (about a month after RF5 went international), the franchise sold 1.5 million units counting all the games.

...And I can't find total sales figures for RF3S, they're nowhere to be found. The Marvelous financial report from earlier this year didn't single out the game either. Hopefully this doesn't mean anything bad.😐

I see. So hard to say if it met their quota or not.

39 minutes ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

The first two games are more intimidating to remake. The combat is a whole lot stiffer for one.* And for RF1, noooooooooooooo personal character events!😵 -Well, almost zero. A few were one & done, which was like the most anyone got.🤣 I feel like RF1 had the team focused on establishing the basic foundations for a new farm-ARPG hybrid series so much, that they didn't have time/resources left to do much else.

Thankfully RF2 did add a bulletin board for character requests and bonding. I can't remember 95% of it, much less how good it was, but it was there!😆 Every girl had their own specific proposal item even! Whatever specific writing shortfalls it has, RF2 has much less of a writing problem compared to the first. And some of those faults I'd assign to it come from the 2nd Gen being something no other RF has (not like a 2nd Gen didn't create writing issues for Fire Emblem the three times it happened!).

Hmm, I see. Well, it can always be expanded/added, hopefully. It's a matter of actually being done.

39 minutes ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

Another thing RF2 Extra Special Remake could use? New portraits for everyone from the 1st in the 2nd Gen! -Maybe not the oldest adults, but at barest minimum, Roy and Cammy need redesigned portraits, 8 years should seriously change how the kiddos from Gen 1 look. -Though I get why RF2 didn't have new portraits for anyone, budget & the Dynasty/Samurai Warriors problem.

I mean, if they give Roy and Cammy older portraits, then that would pretty much kill them being options for Aaron and Aria, which... might not be a bad choice at the end of the day. Why were they even romance options for Kyle's kids to begin with?

39 minutes ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

The 1st Gen is kinda boring too, since Kyle can't craft, can't explore the dungeons all that much (paths either blocked by wooden fences he's too big to sneak through, or obstructing stone blocks in ancient text he can't read). The meat of the gameplay is Gen 2. If you focus, I remember hearing people say, you can clear the 1st Gen (seeing the school under construction) by the end of the first Summer. This means you have to go really slow if you want to see all the festivals for no reason other than to see any Gen 1 dialogue related thereto (I did that😆). ...But I'm not sure how one could accelerate a year.😅

The game is certainly built on the fact that Kyle's segment is meant to be a prologue. It's not a Sigurd/Seliph kind of situation where each gets a roughly 50/50 split. It is meant to be unequal, with rescuing Kyle as the main plot.

39 minutes ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

*RF1 has the 100RP cap limitation too, which you can't ever increase (neither can you increase the cap in RF2, but it's a better 200RP there IIRC). In the long run it isn't a serious limitation, once you can buy enough RP-restoring food, but for the first cave or three it intentionally handicaps your ability to fight through caves, as swinging your weapon will deplete your RP so fast. -And you need to destroy every monster generator in the entire dungeon to enter the boss room.

The cap could always be raised, I suppose. I feel they might retool the gameplay from the ground up anyway, to make it match the latter games.

39 minutes ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

The RF1 economy is also really broken and empty since you've nothing to spend big money on. Plus, IIRC, the old item quality system, rather than add +20% to the base value per item level above 1, multiplies the value by the whole number instead. Level 7 sapphires in the 2nd cave? Economy shattered so soon, that I do recall on my second playthrough. (I'm 100% forgetful of RF2's economy.😅)

This could also get changed to match, haha.

39 minutes ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

Crafting runs into its own issue of not being available from the get-go in RF1. You need the one house expansion to unlock all of it. Finances aren't the problem, it's that it costs 2000 wood and you can't buy any! It'll be a few seasons until you acquire enough timber for the expansion (you should have enough by sometime in the Fall, comfortably before Winter arrives and the story-delaying lake cave becomes accessible), and until then you'll have to rely on the handful of storebought weapons.

Hmm, so overall, it is kinda closer to how HM/SoS worked back then. Which makes sense, I guess. Since RF was more or less just HM/SoS with RPG combat added in. But as the subseries grew, it could evolve into its own thing.

39 minutes ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

...RF1 will require a few dozen stacks of Greenifer+ to remake.🤨 RF2, less, but I'm not sure many stacks to subtract for existing improvements over RF1, and then how to much add back owing to RF2 specific issues.🧐😵‍💫

I guess that's why they put the success of 3S as a condition. Not just to gauge interest, but also get the funds to modernize the first two games? Could be.

39 minutes ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

That explains why OG Isekai Boy slipped in!😃

 ...And even if it be conjecture, I like the explanation.😀

He certainly fitted like a glove, heh. They certainly were aiming to have the Classicverse OG's to show up for VTX. V having Grungy and Hucky, X having Cybuster, and T with Gespy.

39 minutes ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

I haven't ever actually looked at Xelguard, so I wasn't sure what design direction it goes in. (All I know is that it eschews unit name changes as it gets its upgrades.) Magic Robot? Cybuster and everything in La Gias aside, that hasn't been done much with Banpresto Original lead machines? -Though I guess the entire OG high fantasy world that got one-two and much later another three games about it, left Banpresto not hankering to invent them very often.😝

Hmm, yeah, not that I know of. Xelguard is more or less the first time it's done outside Masoukishin. A bonified magic-capable mech. Well, it's more that the mage pilot can channel their magic into the mech, which gets amplified so it can be fired off the mech? I suppose it will get explained in detail later on.

39 minutes ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

...As with V, I'm only going to skim what you write, since I wouldn't mind playing these sometime in the future. -And yes, I know I keep passing on the sales.😆

Haha, it's fine.

I think the sale lasts until the 17th, so... you still have time, heh.

27 minutes ago, Armagon said:

I would remove the Satan worship and just make them Nazis.

I mean, some aspects of Nazism was indeed an interest in the occult. Well, I know Himmler did (or was it Goering? One of the two for sure).

27 minutes ago, Armagon said:

Tbf Puerto Ricans are kinda like this, not that calls for independence don't exist. Like I'll be seeing Twitter posts about "freeing Puerto Rico" and like, personally and statistically, a lot of Puerto Ricans actually like being Americans. 

Whether they want full statehood is a different matter.

Anyways Brighid does admittedly gain independence in some endings anyways.

I think there comes a point where one has to accept that outcome. Not to mention the pragmatism of it. Best to have easy access to some of the larger nation's power and resources at your disposal by being part of it, than having to fare on your own. No need to worry for stuff like tariffs, after all. Specially if you weren't a big or powerful nation to begin with.

Which yes, it becomes a bigger concern in wanting to have the proper level of representation and autonomy, but without wanting to break off. Which is certainly the case for a situation like Puerto Rico. They enjoy certain perks by being a territory. Statehood would give them some stuff... but also take away others. Hence why the topic is divisive to this day.

Regarding Brigid. Basically, if Petra was recruited (or was part of your initial party to begin with), then Brigid becomes independent. This happens even in Crimson Flower. The only time Petra shows acceptance of Adrestian rule over Brigid, is in AM/VW if you never recruit her. Even then, it feels it's more because of Edelgard herself that she's willing to put up with it.

Edited July 8 by Acacia Sgt

[Acacia Sgt]

I like that with Spero's portrait, it includes showing him atop a perch. Which is funny to think it's being carried everywhere for him to stand on. lol

Anyway, so the DLC scenario, as with V, is just a simple fight against a couple enemies. Except it's now Otherworlder mechs. Let's see, we have an Aura Battler (Drumlo), two mechs from Might Gaine (Ninjar and Fromage), and a... Mobile Suit (Catsith)? Yes, X includes Aura Battler Dunbine. It already showed up in... BX? Or was it UX? Point is, this was around the time where SRW would finally use Dunbine again, after a long absence. I think Compact 3 was the last time it showed up before then. As for the Catsith, it's from... well, I'll say more when its series is properly introduced. For now, time to fight!

Edited July 8 by Acacia Sgt

[Armagon]

27 minutes ago, Acacia Sgt said:

Best to have easy access to some of the larger nation's power and resources at your disposal by being part of it, than having to fare on your own. No need to worry for stuff like tariffs, after all. Specially if you weren't a big or powerful nation to begin with.

Yeah the truth of the matter is that a lot of these places would become worse if they gain independence. Things would get worse before they get better and for many, getting better is too far away. Might even ask to be let back in if things got really bad.

Look at the grander scale with Brexit. Similar deal.

32 minutes ago, Acacia Sgt said:

They enjoy certain perks by being a territory.

Puerto Ricans the only Latinos that have free access to American opportunities without having to jump through visa hoops and whatnot. 

[Acacia Sgt]

Scenario 2

The little group has reached Monja village. Wataru was meant to appear here to begin with, but it seems he was a bit off course. In any case, he's given the crash course. The Ruler of Evil, Doakdar, has taken over Mt. Sokai, greying out the rainbow that arcs above it. So long the rainbow is without its colors, destruction will come to Al-Warth. So he's meant to defeat Doakdar and save the world. Have I mentioned Wataru is only nine years old?

...

He better be thankful Mitsuba wasn't conceived yet. Or that he missed out on showing up in 30 too.

Still, he's not that fuzzed about it. Just then a couple figures show up. Himiko, thirteenth head of the Shinobibe Ninja Clan... and also looks as young as Wataru. Well, guess that's why his age was not seen as a concern! XD And also Shibaraku, a master swordsman from Miyamoto Village. He scoffs at the idea of Wataru being the Savior, but before he can put him to the test, enemies attack!

12 minutes ago, Armagon said:

Yeah the truth of the matter is that a lot of these places would become worse if they gain independence. Things would get worse before they get better and for many, getting better is too far away. Might even ask to be let back in if things got really bad.

Look at the grander scale with Brexit. Similar deal.

It's also not a guarantee. They could suffer for nothing, as they could end up even worse off for a really long time. *cough*LatinAmerica*cough*

So it's a gamble to take, and yeah, this being real life, many would be wary of doing so.

12 minutes ago, Armagon said:

Puerto Ricans the only Latinos that have free access to American opportunities without having to jump through visa hoops and whatnot. 

And on the other hand, they can't vote in the large elections. No Electoral Votes, no Senators. They have a token delegate in the House, but they can't vote there either beyond minor stuff. And the funny thing is... they must still pay some taxes. So they can't vote, but must pay taxes. Some, at least. They do get to skip out on others.

How did that phrase went again? No Taxation without Representation? Didn't the US once had a grievance related to that? Well ain't that something...

Edited July 8 by Acacia Sgt

[Interdimensional Observer]

50 minutes ago, Acacia Sgt said:

Spero is actually a sub-pilot. Something not seen with the other kind of OG familiars, hehehe.

Ahahahahahahahahahahahaha.🤣

It stings in a funny way, after all these years.

...Though as Masa, his fellow three Elemental Lord Heralds, and Shu (put that bird he doesn't like(?) to use), would be the only ones with sub-pilots, I'm okay with the Masoukishin games not having Kuro & Shiro as sub. Everything else, still a serious enigma.😆

50 minutes ago, Acacia Sgt said:

I mean, if they give Roy and Cammy older portraits, then that would pretty much kill them being options for Aaron and Aria, which... might not be a bad choice at the end of the day. Why were they even romance options for Kyle's kids to begin with?

Well, it's not true romance. It is children pretending to marry, a normal children's activity they might play. You can actually do it with all of the options in the 2nd Gen*, it isn't a real commitment. Since Cammy and Roy are not quite adults (I don't know if they have canon ages) and seem to be entrusted with watching over the kids, I can see them going along with the pretend-wedding play overseen by Cammy's cheery adoptive father priest. - Or so I remember being told, I didn't ever finish Gen 2, I forget how far I actually played.😅

*Sera & Serena (the twins are a package deal, always together, always conversed with as one) could "wed" Aaron ...and Aria.🤔 I think it's an innocent lack of understanding what marriage is -which at the time of RF2 was defined worldwide as a vow between one man and one woman- on the part of the twins. ...With modern sensibilities having changed, if I can't give Aaron & Aria a second daddy, then I'd take the tiniest addition of giving Aaron a balancing equivalent to AriaxS&S. Leonel (Barret's son) has the softest appearance of the three boys, so he'd make sense on cliched grounds; I strangely remember Leann (Max's daughter) saying she thinks Leonel would look good in specifically a pleated skirt.

50 minutes ago, Acacia Sgt said:

I guess that's why they put the success of 3S as a condition. Not just to gauge interest, but also get the funds to modernize the first two games? Could be.

I'd be all for turning these countryside fixer-uppers into modernized mansions. But, like the great estates of the rural England in the late 19th, early 20th centuries, it'll take a bride from the Vanderbilts or the Woolworths (with a robust dowry💰) to pay for the renovations. -Okay, not that much. And Fire Emblem has done remakes of antiquated games before!😃 ...Albeit with people making critiques of gameplay not improved enough, and character writing not sufficiently added to.😅

50 minutes ago, Acacia Sgt said:

He certainly fitted like a glove, heh. They certainly were aiming to have the Classicverse OG's to show up for VTX. V having Grungy and Hucky, X having Cubyster, and T with Gespy.

Indeed, sounds just plain lovely to me. So they thankfully did it again with 30!😄

50 minutes ago, Acacia Sgt said:

Hmm, yeah, not that I know of. Xelguard is more or less the first time it's done outside Masoukishin. A bonified magic-capable mech. Well, it's more that the mage pilot can channel their magic into the mech, which gets amplified so it can be fired off the mech? I suppose it will get explained in detail later on.

The Masouki have both their spirits providing magic, and the heralds offering up their prana. Does that make those both magic-already-within and magic-pilot-added? Whatever it's all magical just the same.🪄

50 minutes ago, Acacia Sgt said:

I think there comes a point where one has to accept that outcome. Not to mention the pragmatism of it. Best to have easy access to some of the larger nation's power and resources at your disposal by being part of it, than having to fare on your own. No need to worry for stuff like tariffs, after all. Specially if you weren't a big or powerful nation to begin with.

Didn't a few post-WWI countries realize only after the war that leaving Austria-Hungary had its drawbacks? If only the Magyar nobility wasn't so culturally intransigent. -Not sure how much the Austrian Germans were to blame for any feelings of cultural oppression among the non-Magyar ethnicities.

Edited July 8 by Interdimensional Observer

[Codename Shrimp]

1 hour ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

Is it rude for a game to throw you through multiple bombastic set pieces and the final boss before saying "hello"?

Well, i wouldn't call it rude, but well...

Appetizers are a thing ya know xD

This game feels like a well done main dish after main dish, exquisite even. But... well, i think one should've atleast enough time during main story to try every character for an appropriate amount of time and learn their tricks instead of leaving that for post game? xD

I mean, tbf, atleast the game doesn't waste time with senseless filler and is short and sweet for those who want it, and i definitely enjoyed the 20h main story (and can recommend it if you want a sweet and short action experience) - i just think with the amount of characters the game has it needed quite a bit of more meat instead of leaving that (and the difficulty) for post game

Edited July 8 by Codename Shrimp

[Acacia Sgt]

1 minute ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

Ahahahahahahahahahahahaha.🤣

It stings in a funny way, after all these years.

...Though as Masa, his fellow three Elemental Lord Heralds, and Shu (put that bird he doesn't like(?) to use), would be the only ones with sub-pilots, I'm okay with the Masoukishin games not having Kuro & Shiro as sub. Everything else, still a serious enigma.😆

At least they still do something, what with the High Familiar attacks. But still, yes... XD

1 minute ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

Well, it's not true romance. It is children pretending to marry, a normal children's activity they might play. You can actually do it with all of the options in the 2nd Gen*, it isn't a real commitment. Since Cammy and Roy are not quite adults (I don't know if they have canon ages) and seem to be entrusted with watching over the kids, I can see them going along with the pretend-wedding play overseen by Cammy's cheery adoptive father priest. - Or so I remember being told, I didn't ever finish Gen 2, I forget how far I actually played.😅

Yes, true, but even as a pretend wedding it still looks awkward having Roy and Cammy be part of it.

1 minute ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

*Sera & Serena (the twins are a package deal, always together, always conversed with as one) could "wed" Aaron ...and Aria.🤔 I think it's an innocent lack of understanding what marriage is -which at the time of RF2 was defined worldwide as a vow between one man and one woman- on the part of the twins. ...With modern sensibilities having changed, if I can't give Aaron & Aria a second daddy, then I'd take the tiniest addition of giving Aaron a balancing equivalent to AriaxS&S. Leonel (Barret's son) has the softest appearance of the three boys, so he'd make sense on cliched grounds; I strangely remember Leann (Max's daughter) saying she thinks Leonel would look good in specifically a pleated skirt.

Only in localization. In the original Japanese they were quite aware.

1 minute ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

I'd be all for turning these countryside fixer-uppers into modernized mansions. But, like the great estates of the rural England in the late 19th, early 20th centuries, it'll take a bride from the Vanderbilts or the Woolworths (with a robust dowry💰) to pay for the renovations. -Okay, not that much. And Fire Emblem has done remakes of antiquated games before!😃 ...Albeit with people making critiques of gameplay not improved enough, and character writing not sufficiently added to.😅

Oh, we'll certainly get divided opinions on the matter, for sure.

1 minute ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

Indeed, sounds just plain lovely to me. So they thankfully did it again with 30!😄

It really felt they were overcompensating with the Huckebein there. Considering the weird period of trying to ignore them or put them out of even OGverse.

As an anniversary title, of course the first OG was not going to miss out, heh. Though using his Alphaverse counterpart was a curious choice. Why not the very original Classicverse one, then?

1 minute ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

The Masouki have both their spirits providing magic, and the heralds offering up their prana. Does that make those both magic-already-within and magic-pilot-added? Whatever it's all magical just the same.🪄

Haha, indeed.

1 minute ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

Didn't a few post-WWI countries realize only after the war that leaving Austria-Hungary had its drawbacks? If only the Magyar nobility wasn't so culturally intransigent. -Not sure how much the Austrian Germans were to blame for any feelings of cultural oppression among the non-Magyar ethnicities.

Pretty much. Not to mention, some like the Slovene and Croats, simply traded one overlord for another. Serbia's preach of panslavism/Yugoslavia ended up being more "Serbians at the top" than true panslavism in the end. They were indeed much better off with A-H. But then, it was the time of nationalism frenzy killing off the idea of multi-ethnic states.

Without World War I, it's very likely A-H could've survived to this day. Doable, at least, even if it still wasn't guaranteed. The Empire was modernizing/liberalizing. Ideas like the United States of Greater Austria would've become more and more doable and popular as time passed on.

[Acacia Sgt]

Okay, so, the enemies are led by a guy called... Schwarvenegger!? What?

He even looks like this:

I... can't even... lol

To take matters further, he introduces himself as the right hand of one of Doakdar's Big Seven... Cruising Tom.

... I may need to look up about Wataru's series, because this is just hysterical. XD

Anyway, the Big Seven rule over each of the seven tiers of Mt. Sokai. Anyway, the big moment has come. Wataru calls forth the dragon Ryujinmaru, which also manifests as a mecha for Wataru to use. And just like in T or the older SRW's, they show the actual original anime clip. So cool!

So it's now Wataru against more Geppern MP's, with Scharvenegger in one of them. Let's go!

[Acacia Sgt]

These Burikinton... voice-wise, they only shout "Buriki!", but the text does have them saying actual sentences. Though in parenthesis. So they really are saying only Buriki, but they do have meaning. It's also very... familiar. Like I heard this before, despite X being Wataru's only game (well, mainline since he is in DD too). Ah, I remember! Some Machine Robo enemies (Impact and MX) also shout "Buriki!" Do both series have a relation? I wonder...

Anyway, a turn in, Shibaraku wants to join the fight. He has his own Mashin, the Senjinmaru, which he summons via... pay phone? Oh lol, they do have a portrait of him using one! And the sequence is even voiced! XD So now he deploys, as well as the Xelguard. Alright, we got this!

[Armagon]

48 minutes ago, Acacia Sgt said:

They could suffer for nothing, as they could end up even worse off for a really long time. *cough*LatinAmerica*cough

Cuba a few decades after gaining independence 

 

49 minutes ago, Acacia Sgt said:

How did that phrase went again? No Taxation without Representation? Didn't the US once had a grievance related to that? Well ain't that something..

It's cause they're not white /s

 

[Interdimensional Observer]

10 minutes ago, Acacia Sgt said:

Only in localization. In the original Japanese they were quite aware.

...This was three years after HMDS Cute had "Best Friends". Curious.

14 minutes ago, Acacia Sgt said:

Yes, true, but even as a pretend wedding it still looks awkward having Roy and Cammy be part of it.

Kids IRL sometimes do it with their parents I believe, can't be more awkward than that.

16 minutes ago, Acacia Sgt said:

Oh, we'll certainly get divided opinions on the matter, for sure.

If only if only it happens.😆 And we've Project Dragon and RF6 to get through first.😄

21 minutes ago, Acacia Sgt said:

Pretty much. Not to mention, some like the Slovene and Croats, simply traded one overlord for another. Serbia's preach of panslavism/Yugoslavia ended up being more "Serbians at the top" than true panslavism in the end. They were indeed much better off with A-H. But then, it was the time of nationalism frenzy killing off the idea of multi-ethnic states.

Without World War I, it's very likely A-H could've survived to this day. Doable, at least, even if it still wasn't guaranteed. The Empire was modernizing/liberalizing. Ideas like the United States of Greater Austria would've become more and more doable and popular as time passed on.

The nation-state, how many parts new tribalism to how many parts breaking the old tribalism? Did it truly allow humans to see themselves in a bigger picture than what came before?🤔 

And I agree, a toast to Austria-Hungary!🍻

2 minutes ago, Acacia Sgt said:

... I may need to look up about Wataru's series, because this is just hysterical. XD

Worse/better than Rayearth's automotive name craze?😛 And both are better than GaoGaiGar's oddball villain names with their emphasis on "p"s.

 

 

37 minutes ago, Codename Shrimp said:

Well, i wouldn't call it rude, but well...

Appetizers are a thing ya know xD

This game feels like a well done main dish after main dish, exquisite even. But... well, i think one should've atleast enough time during main story to try every character for an appropriate amount of time and learn their tricks instead of leaving that for post game? xD

Think of it like an Ottoman banquet.🤓 In the Islamic world, up to and including the late Ottoman Empire, the grand dinners for a great audience were both similar and different from what Europeans engaged in through the same centuries.

Similar, in that you would be presented with soooooooo many dishes, that you'd be expected to only eat a bite or three of everything presented before you. (Islamic dinner etiquette also said you shouldn't hog all of one dish, or eat all of the best parts of it, nor reach across the table for a distant delicacy, all rude.)

Different, in that Islamic banquets would unfold not as you'd expect it. You'd start with appetizers, then dinners, then desserts ...then dinner again, and more dessert?, and how about another round of appetizers, and some more dinner, then maybe extra appetizers, and why not desert once more! It got "chaotic".😆 In the Ottoman era, one purported constant in this sequence-shattering mealtime was that every banquet would end in pilaf. European feasts from William the Conqueror's court to the Titanic could be expected to always strictly abide by the sequence of apps-dins-'serts. (Though in the Medieval and Early Modern eras, sweet and savory in a single dish that was also say meaty and spice-laden, was normal in Europe. 17th-century French haute cuisine is what began refining meals to sweet or savory, with a focus on fewer flavors in each dish and bringing those select flavors out more, and relegating sweet to desserts.) 

59 minutes ago, Codename Shrimp said:

I mean, tbf, atleast the game doesn't waste time with senseless filler and is short and sweet for those who want it, and i definitely enjoyed the 20h main story (and can recommend it if you want a sweet and short action experience) - i just think with the amount of characters the game has it needed quite a bit of more meat instead of leaving that (and the difficulty) for post game

*Cough* ...Tangent caused by a food metaphor over. Thanks for providing your critique!😀

[Acacia Sgt]

I like Wataru's battle theme.

AHAHA, Schwarvenegger even has an "I'll be back!" defeat quote. XD

What year is Wataru again? 1988, huh. Yeah, that is after Terminator, then.

Wataru is instructed to head to Mt. Dokkoi next, where a guide awaits at the Twin Dragon Rock. The OG protagonist has been there before, so they know the way. And thus, the journey begins...

The Vault now unlocks. It's this game's version of the Factory. Unsurprisingly, Spero is in charge of it. He even says that meeting Ryujinmaru awoke his ability to access the place. Yeah, I can see why people thought Wataru was given perhaps too much for this game. As before, this is where power parts can be bought or sold, and also TacP Customization is used. So, while Nine had her interest/mission to learn about humanity as to explain getting stuff out of SR Points / TacP Bonuses / Aces, with Spero is his recently awakened thirst for knowledge. Well, it is kinda neat how they justify it, heh.

So, for TacP Customization, called Magic Customization here, it's expanded from what V had. V's bonuses are here, with only slight tweaks to them. But there are now six grades of upgrades, not just four. Also, unlocking each Grade now does something extra. In addition to the spells used for combat, the OG protagonist can have access to additional Dogmas. These ones are more support based, and used via menu command. Oh, so they reused this for Windam's Spell Menu in T! Anyway, each Grade gives a Dogma. So six total. They can only be used once per scenario. Windam only had three spells to use in T, so Xelguard having double the options is neat.

Now, if I had the FirstPrint/Pre-Order bonuses, a Bonus Scenario would be next. As with V, this is to recruit the additional OG's. In this case, Masaki and his Cybuster. On that subject... why not add Lune and her Valsione too? Would've been neat, but I guess Valsione was not enough fantasy-like to qualify. Anyway, as with V and T's, they still join regardless, but at a much later point instead.

5 minutes ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

...This was three years after HMDS Cute had "Best Friends". Curious.

Still a time of censorship, I suppose.

Though what was exactly being censored there. The lesbianism? The threesome implications? Both? Since it was also changed for Aaron... or is it because it's more or less the same text used for both so changing it for one meant changing it for the other too? Admittedly, I don't know.

5 minutes ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

Kids IRL sometimes do it with their parents I believe, can't be more awkward than that.

I guess.

5 minutes ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

If only if only it happens.😆 And we've Project Dragon and RF6 to get through first.😄

Aye, if only.

5 minutes ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

The nation-state, how many parts new tribalism to how many parts breaking the old tribalism? Did it truly allow humans to see themselves in a bigger picture than what came before?🤔 

And I agree, a toast to Austria-Hungary!🍻

Hmm, good question. Even if promoting a single "identity", you still can't have it fully homogeneous. We'll always have some individualism within us. The question is... will we let it divide us or simply let us still be unique despite being part of the greater whole?

5 minutes ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

Worse/better than Rayearth's automotive name craze?😛 And both are better than GaoGaiGar's oddball villain names with their emphasis on "p"s.

It's certainly something, for sure. XD

Would need to see other names from Doakdar's people to see if there is a theme or these are just... random choices for names. lol

[Interdimensional Observer]

8 minutes ago, Acacia Sgt said:

On that subject... why not add Lune and her Valsione too? Would've been neat, but I guess Valsione was not enough fantasy-like to qualify.

If SRW is going to keep slipping in an old OG as a bonus, I wouldn't mind if we got Lune instead of Masaki for a third time. She does have an EX route, she is the first SRW heroine -if in the greater picture more the love interest of original Original lead than his equal in standings. Maybe her Classicverse self could end up in a sudden miniature wormhole after leaving Jupiter but before making back to Earth's orbit during the events of SRW3.

Shu does feel like more of an equal to Masaki than Lune, because of his villain/rival status, and being Original no.2, and the sheer gravitas him and Granzon have. ...Yet Shu is imposing, and kinda aloof. He obviously can get along just fine with other heroes, but something about him makes me feel like it'd be strange having him tag around with a bunch of heroes in another dimension until he got back to his own. Not the case with the more normal Lune.

-On the related matter of Huckebein and Grungust as VXT use them, if "Original unit, but not the Original pilot" wanted to be done again, it dawned on me what would be a good fit for that- the A quintet. There is no mega-special technology any of those units, nor elaborate "this unit is necessary for saving the world!" lore tied to them. I know Silly Axel would make a fine fit for ending up in another universe, his story is already that. Yet I don't see a single problem with somebody else pulling off a Code: Kirin. Or maybe the Vysaga could get some love, that gender-neutral Super that gets little attention with Soulgain and Angelg being the robots of Axel & Lamia.

[Acacia Sgt]

Scenario 3

Some kind of birdman, Kurama, is being tasked by Doakdar to join Wataru's group and act basically as a spy. He'll have his own Mashin, but must never actually reveal it's his. Seems he's being promised something out of it. Hmm...

With the heroes, Wataru is finally being taught about the Keepers of Orders, the group the OG protagonist belongs to. They try to keep the peace in Al-Warth, using their magic to do so. They are the disciples of Ende, the God of Wisdom, creator of Al-Warth. Wataru expresses interest, but it seems not everyone can become a mage. Only those who can sense and control Od, which is apparently what Al-Warth is composed of. Even then it seems it's something you are born with, not actually learn. Now also... ah, yes, as I figured. Their mechs, referred to as Autowarlocks, serve as amplifiers.

As the conversation goes on, Himiko suddenly shows up, having followed them since leaving Monja. She then senses someone else. Another girl, Marie, calling for help, as her friends are in danger. And this is where Kuruma decides to introduce himself as well.

Hm? Is Shibaraku being referred to as Mr. Hippo a running gag in Wataru? Either way, seems here it's not exclusive to just the Wataru characters... and lol, they even have a portrait with him with a hippo head! XD

Anyway, the group reaches Marie's friends.... and this is it. Just like V with Yamato and T with Arcadia of our Youth, X has its own "battleship only" series. Here, it's...

Nadia, the Secret of Blue Water

I've heard of it, but never saw it. I think a highlight is that, made by Studio Gainax, a few of the character designs would actually get reused for Evangelion. Like, Nadia herself is pretty much female!Shinji. Or Shinji is actually a male!Nadia? I once saw mention that Jean's design is pretty much reused in Kensuke's and... now that I am seeing it again... yeah, it sounds about right. Anyway, they mentioned being attacked by... Neo Atlanteans? Interesting. Anyway, as Wataru, they are all Otherworlders, but not from the same world, as it were. They mention how their ship, the Nautilus, was attacked by Neo Atlantis. They managed to escape, but found themselves here, in Al-Warth. lol Nadia seems to have trouble accepting stuff like Kurama's birdman shtick. XD And ahaha, Shibaraku has a crush on Grandis. Anyway, the Neo Atlanteans seem to be after Nadia. Or rather, the jewel she carries, the Blue Water. By this point, she's about fed up about it, considering all that has happened. And now to make matters worse, Schwarvenegger shows up, intending to steal the jewel too!

11 minutes ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

If SRW is going to keep slipping in an old OG as a bonus, I wouldn't mind if we got Lune instead of Masaki for a third time. She does have an EX route, she is the first SRW heroine -if in the greater picture more the love interest of original Original lead than his equal in standings. Maybe her Classicverse self could end up in a sudden miniature wormhole after leaving Jupiter but before making back to Earth's orbit during the events of SRW3.

Could work. Well, I'd still rather have both of them than either, heh.

You know, to this day, from which world the Masaki of VTX comes from remains a mystery. I doubt they'll ever tell, but still...

11 minutes ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

Shu does feel like more of an equal to Masaki than Lune, because of his villain/rival status, and being Original no.2, and the sheer gravitas him and Granzon have. ...Yet Shu is imposing, and kinda aloof. He obviously can get along just fine with other heroes, but something about him makes me feel like it'd be strange having him tag around with a bunch of heroes in another dimension until he got back to his own. Not the case with the more normal Lune.

Well, as his own route in EX showed, he can work with others in such situations. It all depends on what his agenda is. And we do have Hero Chronicles, where both Masaki and him end up in Elpis, and Shu does join the party for a bit, and can potentially be re-recruited for the final dungeon.

11 minutes ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

-On the related matter of Huckebein and Grungust as VXT use them, if "Original unit, but not the Original pilot" wanted to be done again, it dawned on me what would be a good fit for that- the A quintet. There is no mega-special technology any of those units, nor elaborate "this unit is necessary for saving the world!" lore tied to them. I know Silly Axel would make a fine fit for ending up in another universe, his story is already that. Yet I don't see a single problem with somebody else pulling off a Code: Kirin. Or maybe the Vysaga could get some love, that gender-neutral Super that gets little attention with Soulgain and Angelg being the robots of Axel & Lamia.

Hmm, could be. Would be interesting to see them doing the VTX thing again, but with even more mechs.

[Acacia Sgt]

So, just like Yamato also had the Cosmo Zero, here we have the Gratan from Nadia Secret of Blue Water, piloted by Grandis, Sanson, and Hanson. They totally give me Yatterman Expies vibes, and I would not be surprised if that's the case. Anyway, unlike Cosmo Zero, the Gratan is a permanent unit. Oh, it has Repair. That will be useful. Okay, let's go!

Edited July 8 by Acacia Sgt

[Interdimensional Observer]

10 hours ago, Lightchao42 said:

Why are Sonic prequel animations always peak fiction?

...I didn't watch the video, but only three minutes ago did I look and read comments elsewhere that they brought back Emerl, who now I see is in the vid you posted.😅

Sonic Battle is not a great game. The story is long and repetitively filled with fights, Emerl skill-acquiring is random, and why can I charge up my special attacks into insta-kills? However, I give Sega a few points for attempting something between a traditional fighting game and Super Smash Bros. And the sprites are nice while the GBA 3D battlefields are a technical novelty for the portable. Most importantly- I played and completed Sonic Battle ages ago.😆 That being so, seeing the old orange learning android return cracks a small smile from me.😄

 

2 minutes ago, Acacia Sgt said:

Some kind of birdman, Kurama,

My internal SMT compendium was instantly triggered.💡 Kurama Tengu, named after the mountain near Kyoto where they are said to reside, are considered to be among the strongest of the stronger type of tengu. (Karasu and Koppa are the lesser type of tengu.)

[Acacia Sgt]

Schwarvenegger has been sent packing. Wataru thinks of pursuing, but then Nadia's jewel begin to glow, which she interprets as a warning. Sure enough, other mechs show up. It's Cruising Tom himself, it seems, as well as Kurama finally deploying his mech too. Due to his own mission, Kurama ends up intercepting Tom's attack, wanting to take down Wataru himself. He's not keen on explaining himself, so Kurama bails, and Tom orders Schwarvenegger to go after him. And now Tom calls forth reinforcements, but among them are Neo Atlantean mechs! Seems they don't mind helping him out if it means getting to capture Nadia.

And so the fight continues!

3 minutes ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

My internal SMT compendium was instantly triggered.💡 Kurama Tengu, named after the mountain near Kyoto where they are said to reside, are considered to be among the strongest of the stronger type of tengu. (Karasu and Koppa are the lesser type of tengu.)

Well, this one is Kurama Wataribe, heh.

[Interdimensional Observer]

*Hops on Gematsu*

*Sees comment that says Sting is the developer for a game.*

*Sees description of game*

"Battle in a grid system with a unique blend of real-time strategy elements and bullet hell madness!"

*Sees image*

Knights in the Nightmare 2?🤔

(The Touhou IP might be a natural fit for these guys. Though it be a decade-and-a-half since KitN was made.)