Serenes Forest's Teehee Thread

[Interdimensional Observer]

...My once-and-done detailed description of BK made me forget to add that, while I do have games in a backlog I'll never get to, I don't have anything new to play right now. Nor can I think of very many titles that I can realistically emulate that I actually want to play.

[DragonFlames]

25 minutes ago, Shrimperor said:

ok internet

what the fuck

why is this #1 in trending xD

(tl: fish sticks pizza)

Germany pls

14 minutes ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

Don't get to looking into my suggestions of the Devil Survivors and Luminous Arc!

I haven't forgotten, no worries!

[Caster]

@Interdimensional Observer You never told me Nocturne was a horror game!!
Finished the 3rd Kalpa last night. The Dante fight started awfully but I managed to run it back.

I don't think I can get to the shady broker? I would assume he is in another route, since I went physical, and I know I can't open the magic or luck doors, so, I'm unsure which door that would even be in. And regardless I might get blocked by a route door anyways, so.

[MisterIceTeaPeach]

Apparently there's no option for horizontal scrolling - too bad!

Love such levels with moving platforms like part 2 of Lemmy's castle.

Anyways Mario Maker 2 is just a little break.

I cannot play any games which challenge my brain whilst the current heat.

Just hope it will be over next week, then I can go back to Persona 5.

Edited August 12, 2020 by Julian Teehee

[null]

40 minutes ago, Julian Teehee said:

@twilitfalchion

Played both levels.

 

First one was not hard, but I didn't memorize that the jumpstyle in SMB3 is different than in SMW. Still a nice and fair level overall. It reminded me that midway goals exist. Btw I even died after beating the boss because I passed the door but thought there was a barrier right of it. Ran through and fell down... lol

 

Second level was great. The winter level had a perfect atmosphere. How did you change the music theme? Ice mechanics were executed well as annoying. Wasn't fond of the boss though because the platform was really small combined with the ice physics. Needed more than 20 attempts to beat it.

 

Good work!

I took something from these levels!

Thanks for playing them!

To change the music theme, there are icons you can use on blocks and similar items to make it so a certain theme plays when you hit or touch those blocks.

Tbh, I'm kind of surprised I made an ice level at all. I usually hate the sliding mechanics in the Nintendo-made ones.

47 minutes ago, Shrimperor said:

i skipped that boss fight by taking a key from somewhere else xD

I think I put the key there as a skip for those who find it IIRC. It's been so long since I made it I don't remember what I was thinking with some of my design decisions, lol.

----------

Olivier is as entertaining as always. And I love that theme he plays (and sings in the Evo version of FC IIRC). Put in spoilers for size reasons.

Spoiler

 

 

[MisterIceTeaPeach]

I just noticed if the layout is changed, the music also does.

I can't even remember Super Mario World having an ice level.

Probably on star road, I never completed.

I think in vanilla cavern was a small (optional) ice section (3-2).

[Interdimensional Observer]

23 minutes ago, Caster said:

I don't think I can get to the shady broker? I would assume he is in another route, since I went physical, and I know I can't open the magic or luck doors, so, I'm unsure which door that would even be in. And regardless I might get blocked by a route door anyways, so.

There are three Shady Brokers in the 3rd Kalpa, which you get access to is dependent on two things:

• Whether the Demi-Fiend is Dark, Light, or Neutral at the moment, which is dependent on which Magatama they've mastered. 
• And if they met the required stat thresholds to pass through a door.

The three Brokers are:

• Str and Dark- This Broker sells a demon with all the Megido spells. 
• Mag and Light- This Broker sells a demon with a bunch of defensive spells.
• Lck and Neutral- This Broker sells as many Deathstones for Fiend fusion as you can afford.

You can always come back later with higher stats and a changed alignment if you want to.

Edited August 12, 2020 by Interdimensional Observer

[Shrimpica]

 

3 minutes ago, Julian Teehee said:

I just noticed if the layout is changed, the music also does.

I can't even remember Super Mario World having an ice level.

Probably on star road, I never completed.

I think in vanilla cavern was a small (optional) ice section (3-2).

iirc Star world had 1 yeah

and there was another one that allows you to take an early sneak peak at world 8 iirc

[Caster]

7 minutes ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

There are three Shady Brokers in the 3rd Kalpa, which you get access to is dependent on two things:

• Whether the Demi-Fiend is Dark, Light, or Neutral at the moment, which is dependent on which Magatama they've mastered. 
• And if they met the required stat thresholds to pass through a door.

The three Brokers are:

• Str and Dark- This Broker sells a demon with all the Megido spells. 
• Mag and Light- This Broker sells a demon with a bunch of defensive spells.
• Lck and Neutral- This Broker sells as many Deathstones for Fiend fusion as you can afford.

You can always come back later with higher stats and a changed alignment if you want to.

which magatamas count as what?
And what are the stat tresholds for each door? And I'm assuming magatama boosts don't affect it.

[Shrimpica]

Press F

Spoiler

 

[Interdimensional Observer]

28 minutes ago, Caster said:

which magatamas count as what?

The Light Magatama are:

1. Ankh
2. Iyomante
3. Narukami
4. Nirvana
5. Geis
6. Kamurogi
7. Adama
8. Sophia

The Dark Magatama are:

1. Marogareh
2. Shiranui
3. Anathema
4. Miasma
5. Djed
6. Satan
7. Gundari
8. Gaea

The rest are Neutral and hence won't affect the DF's alignment. If you've an equal amount of Light and Dark mastered (all skills learned from them), you'll count as Neutral.

 

28 minutes ago, Caster said:

And what are the stat tresholds for each door? And I'm assuming magatama boosts don't affect it.

Magatama boosts don't affect it indeed. What you need is 18 Luck and 25 Str and Mag to open every single stat door.

I ignored these parts of the kalpa, but if you were a real completionist (nobody says you have to be), you'd want to get the Luck eventually, because separate Burial Chambers are in the Lck and Str sections. Completing all the Burial Chambers in the turn limits they suggest gives you an extra Press Turn ...on NG+ only.😑

Edited August 12, 2020 by Interdimensional Observer

[DragonFlames]

1 minute ago, Shrimperor said:

Press F

  Reveal hidden contents

 

F

[Caster]

1 minute ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

The Light Magatama are:

1. Ankh
2. Iyomante
3. Narukami
4. Nirvana
5. Geis
6. Kamurogi
7. Adama
8. Sophia

The Dark Magatama are:

1. Marogareh
2. Shiranui
3. Anathema
4. Miasma
5. Djed
6. Satan
7. Gundari
8. Gaea

The rest are Neutral and hence won't affect the DF's alignment. If you've an equal amount of Light and Dark mastered (all skills learned from them), you'll count as Neutral.

 

Magatama boosts don't affect it indeed. What you need is 18 Luck and 25 Str and Mag to open every single stat door.

I ignored these parts of the kalpa, but if you were a real completionist (nobody says you have to be), you'd want to get the Luck eventually, because separate Burial Chambers are in the Lck and Str sections. Completing all the Burial Chambers in the turn limits they suggest gives you an extra Press Turn Icon ...NG+ only.😑

I see, I see.

Also, what... uh, what do the Burial chambers... actually do?
Cause I just see the graves of the bosses I beat when I go in, is there supposed to be something else I can do?

[null]

2 minutes ago, Shrimperor said:

Press F

  Reveal hidden contents

 

F

Nightmare difficulty?

[Shrimpica]

1 minute ago, twilitfalchion said:

F

Nightmare difficulty?

yup

There's an Inferno difficulty btw, but i am not gonna touch that xD

Edited August 12, 2020 by Shrimperor

[Interdimensional Observer]

1 minute ago, Caster said:

Also, what... uh, what do the Burial chambers... actually do?
Cause I just see the graves of the bosses I beat when I go in, is there supposed to be something else I can do?

There is a key in the second Kalpa which unlocks the door to the Burial Chamber on the west side of the 1st Kalpa. In that room is the Black Visor. Using it, you can refight any boss via their gravestone.

[Caster]

1 minute ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

There is a key in the second Kalpa which unlocks the door to the Burial Chamber on the west side of the 1st Kalpa. In that room is the Black Visor. Using it, you can refight any boss via their gravestone.

I see, I see. Do I get any rewards for doing so?

[Armagon]

@Shrimperor

Can't believe Chika is elitist. Smh.

2 hours ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

Although I wasn't aware that Atlus is charging a full $60 for the HD remaster itself. That is a scummy move, regardless of the Dante cost.

Actually, i don't think the price has been announced yet. It's just assumed to be $60 because market price.

2 hours ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

Curiously, the interview I took that from, which I cannot link because it contains major spoilers, had one Monolith Soft employee say BK was intended to be the "anti-Xenosaga", that term wasn't meant to criticize Xenosaga they said, but annoying they didn't go further into what it meant.

I think they meant like, Xenosaga was PlayStation exclusive while Baten Kaitos was Nintendo exclusive. It's the most plausible guess i can come up with.

2 hours ago, lightcosmo said:

Fixed that for you!

 

 

[Shrimpica]

Oh yeah Chika in 197 was not a good girl xD

[MisterIceTeaPeach]

I completed Super Mario World (of course the short way). Skipped Star Road Stage 1, but the other ones were not icy. Btw I told nonsense I completed Star Road, just did not play the bonus stages. Completing Star Road is required to reach final castle quickly.

Anyways I think it has been enough with my little Mario excursion.

Would like to go back to Persona 5, once the weather allows me.

[DragonFlames]

Big old storm clouds in the distance, some wind, some lighting.
Getting my hopes up until...

...

nothing happens. It's still hot. It's still humid. I swear the weather is actively trolling me at this point.

---

Anyway, I continued my playthrough of Nights of Azure and finally unlocked Kanshou & Bakuya Dual Daggers, by far the most flexible of Arnice's weapons, since these are the only ones that allow for aerial combos. They're also really fast, and you can dodge roll at any time, even during an ongoing attack animation, allowing for dodge cancelling to reduce animation cooldown, or whatever you call it. The trade off is that their damage output is low, but they make up for it by their speed and hit count. I'd say the standard sword is still more useful during boss battles, but standard enemies, particularly the faster ones, are better off attacked with the daggers. Though they do take some time getting used to, since they almost completely change how Arnice plays.

*grown up Illya intensifies*

Furthermore, I have not yet reached Chapter 3, I am still in the interlude phase of Chapter 2, which has some plot advancing quests and events, such as the search for three separate items so that Professor Pervert--- I mean, Alucard, can restore what he calls a "Black Book", which supposedly holds the secret on how the First Saint sealed the Nightlord.
... Kek.

I was also tasked with finding some ingredients for Lilysse, because she came up with a new recipe. "'Atelier Lily - The Alchemist of Azure Nights' when?" is the obvious joke here, but in this case, it's for her cooking. She wanted a Honey Drop so she can make a new drink and wants Arnice to try it.
... Too bad Lilysse's cooking is horrifyingly terrible. To the point where Alucard and Lloyd faint from one of her cakes, nobody wants to even touch anything she makes, and Arnice actually calls one of her cupcakes a "murder weapon" (She's not kidding, either. There's an event later in the game where some unaffiliated Servans in the Arena "go missing" and it turns out that Lilysse has been feeding them...).
That the event ends with Lilysse tripping over herself and spilling the drink is perhaps the better ending, all things considered.

In another Lilysse-related incident, she lost sight of her favorite hat and has Arnice track it down for her.
It turns out that one of her Servans, the Alraune named Rise (not to be confused with the Persona 4 character) has been using it as a bed, and Lilysse, kindhearted as she is, lets her keep it. How sweet!

[Acacia Sgt]

Well, grinding progress been quite fine so far. LMS's do show often enough in Gotha Pass. Sometimes even two at a time... one time three! With Sands of Time and carefully targeting, I can rack up the EXP!

Pft, Starkers keep gaining empty levels or just paltry HP and MP gains. My King Cureslime reached its level cap (20), so I decided to put Rebjørn and see how he fares. Turns out, he has quite the steep EXP curve. Then his levels are so... low, likely since it's a 1-99 spread. Ah well. He's just a bonus. Don't mind Starkers much either since he could be used against Estark even at level 1. At least, for the strategy I'm going for. My Golem has over 200 Str now. I think he's close to what I need. Killing Machine also getting to that threshold too. I think once both have over 200 Str I'm gonna fight Estark and see how it goes.

Though I'll continue... next time.

[Interdimensional Observer]

4 hours ago, Caster said:

I see, I see. Do I get any rewards for doing so?

No, nothing besides the extra Press Turn on NG+, so you don't need to mess with them. Would've been nice if there were more rewards though, would a few gems and rare consumables, Macca, and a couple incense have been too much to ask for?

 

3 hours ago, Armagon said:

I think they meant like, Xenosaga was PlayStation exclusive while Baten Kaitos was Nintendo exclusive. It's the most plausible guess i can come up with.

They did state in a different interview that they had wanted to create an RPG franchise for the GameCube to fill in the genre void that system had.

Namco did indeed fill that void ...with Tales of Symphonia. According to sources cited by Wikipedia, Namco wanted 500k copies of EWatLO sold worldwide, in reality Japan in two weeks bought only 80k and North America in a month-and-a-half 161k, so slightly less than half of expectations. Symphonia by contrast reached 575k between Japan and NA. Origins looks to have sold even worse, only 14k in Japan in the first week and it wasn't deemed significant enough for a European release.

Comparing to Xenosaga, Episode I sold 240k in three days of release in Japan alone. Episode II sold 260k in total in Japan and an undefined amount of additional copies in the US, apparently this was just over half of what Namco wanted though. Episode III sold 181k in Japan alone and 343k factoring in NA and East Asian sales. So Baten Kaitos floundered even worse than the better-known Monolith fiasco.

Either Namco had unrealistic expectations for what JRPGs could sell, or Monolith was making games that lacked widespread appeal -if the problem wasn't that were bad games😉. In whichever case, Monolith in this era was making beached white whales on two different consoles.

Edited August 12, 2020 by Interdimensional Observer

[Shrimpica]

Late Night Cold Shower

Feels like freedom

[Armagon]

42 minutes ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

Either Namco had unrealistic expectations for what JRPGs could sell, or Monolith was making games that lacked widespread appeal

Feels like the former is what likely happened. I remember reading that Namco considers the Xenosaga trilogy to be an underpreformance, despite the good numbers you mentioned.

It may also have to do with the fact that Xenosaga Episode II was the only game in the trilogy to be released in Europe.