Made good progress in Echoes of Wisdom. Did a handful of side quests while also finishing the Goron and mountain area. Now I have the Deku area and what I assume is the last dungeon. I'm definitely not going to do every single side quest outside the rift repairing because I want this game done and dusted asap. I plan to finish it on Monday, and here's hoping I can.
I also did a short replay of Raging Loop yesterday. Basically, once you finish the story, you unlock a mode that lets you hear character's inner thoughts and shows extra scenes to contextualize the story better. I got both of the alternate endings and then called it quits. I just had the urge to revisit this title and it was fun.
And I realized that I have the day off after Monster Hunter Wilds releases, so I know what I'm doing that day~!
Backlog 2025
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Kikki
- UNoT Extreme Mooomber
- Posts: 4330
- Joined: Apr 14, 2015 6:01 am
I am reeeeally struggling to stay awake, atm. Rough day with first day of returning for guest stint at last year's job, with new duties, plus cramps, plus being in the very middle of a stuffy, throat-achy cold (my first cold since BEFORE THE PANDEMIC...broke my five year streak, dang it!) plus having current flare of neck/jaw problems. And a headache.
Very hard to concentrate! But I got through it. And I think I did everything properly, to boot.
Back to regular job again tomorrow, and on Wednesday I will probably...sleep, lol. I think I will mostly sleep!
I'm playing TONS of Anthos. I probably wouldn't have played quite so much if I hadn't come down with a cold at the same time as buying this. It's quite fun, though the writing is terrible, and I hate that they make finishing the story what triggers all kinds of improvements and expanded availabilities to open up, because I need the story to keep me going. Don't lock marriage to post-game, Natsume, you have been TOLD this by nearly everyone! And marriage is the least of my concerns. Honestly, candidates tend to be not worth bothering with in Natsume games.
Well, I guess I could buy the DLC and do that if I get bored after finishing the story. The DLC candidates are uninteresting, but the items and crops and animals and gameplay features seem cool, plus extra story.
I still have what must just be pretty much the end of Crisis Core to do, but I'm gonna have to grind a bunch to do it, and I just don't wanna, though I DO want to see the remainder of the game.
I also have some stuff I want to write. At the moment, I'm so tired I can barely keep my eyes open. I'm too sore to even sit in my recliner to play. I'm typing in bed, lol, on my laptop, propped up. I wonder if I can wake up enough to write anything. I want to just listen to music, but that'll put me to sleep for sure. I've got Christopher Cross' 'Sailing' in my head and that's enough of a drowse even in such a ghostly form.
Why does his guitar have two necks, btw? He never plays anything but the top one. Does its conjoined twin have any purpose?
Oh, Next Fest is on. I see about 3 demos I want to try. Maybe more, once I comb my list properly.
Very hard to concentrate! But I got through it. And I think I did everything properly, to boot.
Back to regular job again tomorrow, and on Wednesday I will probably...sleep, lol. I think I will mostly sleep!
I'm playing TONS of Anthos. I probably wouldn't have played quite so much if I hadn't come down with a cold at the same time as buying this. It's quite fun, though the writing is terrible, and I hate that they make finishing the story what triggers all kinds of improvements and expanded availabilities to open up, because I need the story to keep me going. Don't lock marriage to post-game, Natsume, you have been TOLD this by nearly everyone! And marriage is the least of my concerns. Honestly, candidates tend to be not worth bothering with in Natsume games.
Well, I guess I could buy the DLC and do that if I get bored after finishing the story. The DLC candidates are uninteresting, but the items and crops and animals and gameplay features seem cool, plus extra story.
I still have what must just be pretty much the end of Crisis Core to do, but I'm gonna have to grind a bunch to do it, and I just don't wanna, though I DO want to see the remainder of the game.
I also have some stuff I want to write. At the moment, I'm so tired I can barely keep my eyes open. I'm too sore to even sit in my recliner to play. I'm typing in bed, lol, on my laptop, propped up. I wonder if I can wake up enough to write anything. I want to just listen to music, but that'll put me to sleep for sure. I've got Christopher Cross' 'Sailing' in my head and that's enough of a drowse even in such a ghostly form.
Why does his guitar have two necks, btw? He never plays anything but the top one. Does its conjoined twin have any purpose?
Oh, Next Fest is on. I see about 3 demos I want to try. Maybe more, once I comb my list properly.
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greensara
- Carrots... yum
- Posts: 493
- Joined: Jul 28, 2016 12:10 pm
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Bluie
- UNoT Extreme Mooomber
- Posts: 3279
- Joined: Jun 29, 2005 11:02 am
I finished Echoes of Wisdom. It was a fun little game that kinda felt like a tech demo for something in the future too. IDK, the last dungeon especially felt like it should have been more or at least programmed into more? Regardless, fun game, and for some reason I almost cried at the end lol.
While I wait for the last days before Monster Hunter Wilds comes out, I think I'll work on Emerald Seaglass? Probably while binging a show. I really should invest in one of those GBA-like systems that play romhacks. No idea what they're called, but I see them often enough. I'm just worried I'm too stupid to get them running properly.
While I wait for the last days before Monster Hunter Wilds comes out, I think I'll work on Emerald Seaglass? Probably while binging a show. I really should invest in one of those GBA-like systems that play romhacks. No idea what they're called, but I see them often enough. I'm just worried I'm too stupid to get them running properly.
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Kikki
- UNoT Extreme Mooomber
- Posts: 4330
- Joined: Apr 14, 2015 6:01 am
Weeeeeeelly welly welly...
I'm done Winds of Anthos. Sort of. Things I have completed:
I've been craving a replay of Tears of the Kingdom. Not a FULL replay...just the beginning. For some reason, every once in a while, I want to play the whole Great Sky Island beginning again. I don't know why. I don't have any desire to go back into BotW and replay the Great Plateau, so I'm not sure what it is about the Great Sky Island that feels like a cozy, nostalgic place, to me.
I also want to replay whatchamajigger again. FFVIIR. AGAIN, lol...because I've finished all but the final bit of Crisis Core, and it makes me want to see the beginning of FFVIIR again. Perhaps I just want to see the beginning, though; I'm not sure. I did replay it before Rebirth. I think back in January? Or maybe a bit earlier than that, in November or December...I'd have to look up my list to be sure. But it was within the last half year. Yet it feels very distant, at the moment...all fuzzy in my head. It's such a huge and detailed game/series.
Other than that, I don't know what I want. But that's plenty to be getting on with. Especially since what I SHOULD be doing is writing. Creative and journaling, both. My brain needs the bulk.
I'm done Winds of Anthos. Sort of. Things I have completed:
- The story
- Unlocked every region of the map
- 3 tool upgrades
- 1 (of 2) house upgrades
- 1 (of 2) barn upgrades
- 1 kitchen upgrade (there's probably another of this, too, though I don't know yet)
- Refrigerator and storage upgrades. (Fridge upgrade desperately needed as that is where all the seeds go.)
- 10 stamina upgrades out of about 15.
- About 12 bag upgrades (out of...I dunno, 30?)
- Got Equestrian festival unlocked
- Unlock every crop (well, maybe)
- a lot more tool upgrades
- Get all festivals unlocked (there are five more, I think.)
- One more house upgrade
- One more barn upgrade
- Probably another kitchen upgrade
- Make custom furniture
- Make spare outfits
- Do DLC quests and get the extra features
- Get married (to Nikolai) and maaaaaybe have a kid (it sounds like a big pain in this game, though.)
I've been craving a replay of Tears of the Kingdom. Not a FULL replay...just the beginning. For some reason, every once in a while, I want to play the whole Great Sky Island beginning again. I don't know why. I don't have any desire to go back into BotW and replay the Great Plateau, so I'm not sure what it is about the Great Sky Island that feels like a cozy, nostalgic place, to me.
I also want to replay whatchamajigger again. FFVIIR. AGAIN, lol...because I've finished all but the final bit of Crisis Core, and it makes me want to see the beginning of FFVIIR again. Perhaps I just want to see the beginning, though; I'm not sure. I did replay it before Rebirth. I think back in January? Or maybe a bit earlier than that, in November or December...I'd have to look up my list to be sure. But it was within the last half year. Yet it feels very distant, at the moment...all fuzzy in my head. It's such a huge and detailed game/series.
Other than that, I don't know what I want. But that's plenty to be getting on with. Especially since what I SHOULD be doing is writing. Creative and journaling, both. My brain needs the bulk.
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Kikki
- UNoT Extreme Mooomber
- Posts: 4330
- Joined: Apr 14, 2015 6:01 am
Woo, very lucky day in Anthos, today! I caught 3 Nidhogg in one sitting, and ended up making an extra $66,000.00 over the 157,000 I already had, giving me not only enough to upgrade my house to the last level (well...or so I assume?) but also enough to buy the HQ lumber I needed for it, too (which cost an extra $54,000.00.)
Plus everything lined up. I forgot it was the mining meet, but then i went to buy my HQ lumber and there it was. And I was short 6 bronze for my upgrade and the Meet gave me 5. And I had 2 spare in-game hours and was able to go into the mine again and got 3 bronzes in a row, giving me enough to smelt and then apply to my upgrade.
Then instantly went and gave Nikolai my Blue Feather. Without even stopping to see my new house upgrade first, lol.
AND AND AND, possibly luckiest of all? I planted 13 Heart of the Earth seeds at the volcano several days before, went to water them...and found that 12 of them had grown into Giant's Hearts! I had no idea that a second-level mutation would be so common. (Second level meaning turnip is the base crop, Heart of the Earth is a first level mutation, and Giant's Heart is a mutation of HotE. I call that second level mutation. Dunno what it's actually called. I thought they'd be rare, but apparently not!)
Now I just have to wait one more day, I think, and I can see if I got any Giant Squash in my autumn plot. I need 6 of those (along with the Giant's Hearts) to upgrade my house storage to triple my space. I neeeeeed the room! I already got the fridge upgraded but I desperately need more room for seeds.
Anyway, going very well. I have one spare outfit now too, with a weather effect. I assume those two other outfits are the ONLY other outfits in the game, though I don't know for sure. I've also unlocked all the festivals except, uh...oh yeah, just one, which was in a town I raised more slowly than any other. It's easy to unlock, though, so no biggie, I'll probably be able to do that on the next game day, or maybe two. Easy peasy. Then every festival is unlocked. And one town is at max, too.
There's still lots to do with all the treasure hunting and the DLC story stuff, but I've got all the major stuff from the base game done now. I do need to do a lot more tool upgrades, though. And still one barn upgrade, though I still have lots of room in my barn, so I don't know if I even need the maximum barn upgrade. And now that I can get the outfits, I'll probably let Melody, my llama (or alpaca?) go, since it provides no bonus nor any product, though she's pretty. I could let my snowy owl, Moonlight, go as well, but she's so small and regal, I dunno...
Maybe if space gets tight. Tippi is cuter than Moonlight. Most of the pets are cuter than the owls.
Guess I'll play around with Anthos for a while yet, but I think I'm ready to make my main game something else, now.
Oh! I've now tried the demo of Sugardew Island. I think I've got the name right. Sugardew something, though maybe not Island (maybe I'm mixing it up with Stardew.) It is SO cute and colourful and glossy on my laptop screen. Runs very smooth, too. And I like the goal/quest system. It's not making it overheat, either...I'm surprised. Either the demo is well-optimized, or my laptop is a better gaming machine than I gave it credit for. I still have 2 other demos to try but I'm only one day into Sugardew. I wonder how long the demo is...
Still, none of this feels 'main'. XCX (definitive) is coming up soon. Maybe I should just fart about with little stuff like this until then. No sense getting too into anything before my baby arrives. (Though I'm still worried. I love that game so much that a remaster CANNOT make it better, except in technical details like better UI and better sound controls. It can only keep it as good, or make it worse. I liked the character design better before they made it more standard anime-looking. Elma looked better before, though Lin looks great now. I sure hope I can still make MY character look pretty much the same.)
Perhaps I'll do the demos, play with Anthos post game...and replay the beginning of Tears of the Kingdom. Those are all appealing. And I should write. Just to improve my brain and keep it calm and running well. I have to put aside the fact that writing is otherwise pointless since I don't meant to DO anything with my writing, even share it on a more private level. It's just for me. But exercising my brain and keeping my head in order are very valuable things, with no other justification needed, I think.
Plus everything lined up. I forgot it was the mining meet, but then i went to buy my HQ lumber and there it was. And I was short 6 bronze for my upgrade and the Meet gave me 5. And I had 2 spare in-game hours and was able to go into the mine again and got 3 bronzes in a row, giving me enough to smelt and then apply to my upgrade.
Then instantly went and gave Nikolai my Blue Feather. Without even stopping to see my new house upgrade first, lol.
AND AND AND, possibly luckiest of all? I planted 13 Heart of the Earth seeds at the volcano several days before, went to water them...and found that 12 of them had grown into Giant's Hearts! I had no idea that a second-level mutation would be so common. (Second level meaning turnip is the base crop, Heart of the Earth is a first level mutation, and Giant's Heart is a mutation of HotE. I call that second level mutation. Dunno what it's actually called. I thought they'd be rare, but apparently not!)
Now I just have to wait one more day, I think, and I can see if I got any Giant Squash in my autumn plot. I need 6 of those (along with the Giant's Hearts) to upgrade my house storage to triple my space. I neeeeeed the room! I already got the fridge upgraded but I desperately need more room for seeds.
Anyway, going very well. I have one spare outfit now too, with a weather effect. I assume those two other outfits are the ONLY other outfits in the game, though I don't know for sure. I've also unlocked all the festivals except, uh...oh yeah, just one, which was in a town I raised more slowly than any other. It's easy to unlock, though, so no biggie, I'll probably be able to do that on the next game day, or maybe two. Easy peasy. Then every festival is unlocked. And one town is at max, too.
There's still lots to do with all the treasure hunting and the DLC story stuff, but I've got all the major stuff from the base game done now. I do need to do a lot more tool upgrades, though. And still one barn upgrade, though I still have lots of room in my barn, so I don't know if I even need the maximum barn upgrade. And now that I can get the outfits, I'll probably let Melody, my llama (or alpaca?) go, since it provides no bonus nor any product, though she's pretty. I could let my snowy owl, Moonlight, go as well, but she's so small and regal, I dunno...
Maybe if space gets tight. Tippi is cuter than Moonlight. Most of the pets are cuter than the owls.
Guess I'll play around with Anthos for a while yet, but I think I'm ready to make my main game something else, now.
Oh! I've now tried the demo of Sugardew Island. I think I've got the name right. Sugardew something, though maybe not Island (maybe I'm mixing it up with Stardew.) It is SO cute and colourful and glossy on my laptop screen. Runs very smooth, too. And I like the goal/quest system. It's not making it overheat, either...I'm surprised. Either the demo is well-optimized, or my laptop is a better gaming machine than I gave it credit for. I still have 2 other demos to try but I'm only one day into Sugardew. I wonder how long the demo is...
Still, none of this feels 'main'. XCX (definitive) is coming up soon. Maybe I should just fart about with little stuff like this until then. No sense getting too into anything before my baby arrives. (Though I'm still worried. I love that game so much that a remaster CANNOT make it better, except in technical details like better UI and better sound controls. It can only keep it as good, or make it worse. I liked the character design better before they made it more standard anime-looking. Elma looked better before, though Lin looks great now. I sure hope I can still make MY character look pretty much the same.)
Perhaps I'll do the demos, play with Anthos post game...and replay the beginning of Tears of the Kingdom. Those are all appealing. And I should write. Just to improve my brain and keep it calm and running well. I have to put aside the fact that writing is otherwise pointless since I don't meant to DO anything with my writing, even share it on a more private level. It's just for me. But exercising my brain and keeping my head in order are very valuable things, with no other justification needed, I think.
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Bluie
- UNoT Extreme Mooomber
- Posts: 3279
- Joined: Jun 29, 2005 11:02 am
Been busy, been gaming here and there. I got a few more badges in Emerald Seaglass, but I've been into Monster Hunter Wilds mostly. I haven't played as much as I wanted, but I've still made good progress. I'm in the oil town and I just had to double back to the first area for plot reasons. My husband just started playing yesterday and he's almost caught up to me. He's a night person, he literally plays all night long into the early morning, so he gets way more gaming time than I do. I also have like, way more hobbies than he does, so he just eats a game up and then has nothing to to but watch youtube videos. I'm in no rush, XCX isn't out for fifteen more days, and I do have four days off next week when I'll probably binge a lot of it.
Though I might take a chunk of one of those days to play Class of 09. This freaking parody VN will not stop showing up in my Reddit and YT feed, and what the hell, it's actually pretty funny from what I've witnessed. It went on sale for 5 bucks, so why the hell not. I graduated from high school in 2008, so I have a feeling the setting/humor will definitely be a very specifc flavor I'll enjoy.
Though I might take a chunk of one of those days to play Class of 09. This freaking parody VN will not stop showing up in my Reddit and YT feed, and what the hell, it's actually pretty funny from what I've witnessed. It went on sale for 5 bucks, so why the hell not. I graduated from high school in 2008, so I have a feeling the setting/humor will definitely be a very specifc flavor I'll enjoy.
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Kikki
- UNoT Extreme Mooomber
- Posts: 4330
- Joined: Apr 14, 2015 6:01 am
Poor Sugardew Island is getting a bashing.
N-E-way...
I'm having a lot of pain issues and my neck seems to be spasming or clenching all the way down to my elbow, this morning...I don't think I can play any more today, unless it stops. I finished scouring the Great Sky Island in the start of TotK just for fun...got all 18 (there are 19 in all, but one isn't possible until you've touched ground in Hyrule at least once.) korok seeds that exist up there, and every chest. I think I even killed every enemy, including the Flux. No blood moon exists before you touch down, so the enemies don't respawn at this point.
But, guys...I have a bokoblin guts in my inventory. Just one. I have never left the Great Sky Island. How on earth did I get Bokoblin guts when no Bokoblins exist up here, only construct-type enemies??
I'd like to play more of something. Anthos or DQB2 or even finish the Sugardew demo. But I don't think I can. I think I've gotta sleep, instead. Neck problems only get worse when pushed even a little.
Spoiler:
I'm having a lot of pain issues and my neck seems to be spasming or clenching all the way down to my elbow, this morning...I don't think I can play any more today, unless it stops. I finished scouring the Great Sky Island in the start of TotK just for fun...got all 18 (there are 19 in all, but one isn't possible until you've touched ground in Hyrule at least once.) korok seeds that exist up there, and every chest. I think I even killed every enemy, including the Flux. No blood moon exists before you touch down, so the enemies don't respawn at this point.
But, guys...I have a bokoblin guts in my inventory. Just one. I have never left the Great Sky Island. How on earth did I get Bokoblin guts when no Bokoblins exist up here, only construct-type enemies??
I'd like to play more of something. Anthos or DQB2 or even finish the Sugardew demo. But I don't think I can. I think I've gotta sleep, instead. Neck problems only get worse when pushed even a little.
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Kikki
- UNoT Extreme Mooomber
- Posts: 4330
- Joined: Apr 14, 2015 6:01 am
This is specifically about backlogs. Bet many of us still have them!
I watched a video today, about the 'science' behind backlogs/unfinished games. I don't know how scientific it really is...he doesn't cite any studies, iirc. But it's interesting, because it mentions the 'science' behind completing games to be two things we already all discussed.
One is to write or talk about what you did in your game, and then what you want to do next time. Which is basically what we do here in this thread! Plus I also remember saying that one good way not to completely lose touch with a game is just to open the game (whatever it is) and run around for a few seconds, open the map (if it has one) and teleport somewhere (if that is an option), pick up a few items, talk to an NPC, jump, swing a weapon...whatever the basic mechanics of the game are. Just press a few buttons. Just for a minute or two. Then you can quit again (unless you happen to be enjoying yourself and want to continue, of course, but this is really something just to not lose touch with a game and have it slip so deep into your backlog that you never go back to it.)
That's the other thing he mentions as a main way to complete games. I think he called it the 'two minute rule' or something like that. But it's basically the same thing I 'came up with' on my own, without any scientific studies or research. Just common sense, imo.
If you want to see the video, you can, but I find he talks way too much. It's a 20+ minute video, but it'd be much more helpful and impactful if it was a 5 minute video. (I kinda stopped listening to him half way through and started to skip ahead through the video.)
Well, happy gaming everyone. As for me, my neck and arm are still in bad condition and though I played a bit of TotK again this morning since playing a big game with loads of little things to complete is appealing right now, it worsened matters before too long, so I probably can't go back to gaming until I visit the chiropractor at least one more time, and thankfully, I can go tomorrow.
I'm definitely in the mood for comforting gaming, right now. I want to see the end of Crisis Core, but I don't feel like experiencing anything sad, right now...I feel like it'd take too big a toll, atm. Plus I'm not into grinding through the missions I'd need to do to get myself equipped enough for the final battle. I'd also love to restart Ys X: Nordics, but it's VERY hard on my arm/neck, more than most games I play. I don't think I'm even up to finishing the file I've got so close to the end already, honestly. My hand is crunching like crazy...I'm all clenched up from jaw to fingers on the left. Boo.
I watched a video today, about the 'science' behind backlogs/unfinished games. I don't know how scientific it really is...he doesn't cite any studies, iirc. But it's interesting, because it mentions the 'science' behind completing games to be two things we already all discussed.
One is to write or talk about what you did in your game, and then what you want to do next time. Which is basically what we do here in this thread! Plus I also remember saying that one good way not to completely lose touch with a game is just to open the game (whatever it is) and run around for a few seconds, open the map (if it has one) and teleport somewhere (if that is an option), pick up a few items, talk to an NPC, jump, swing a weapon...whatever the basic mechanics of the game are. Just press a few buttons. Just for a minute or two. Then you can quit again (unless you happen to be enjoying yourself and want to continue, of course, but this is really something just to not lose touch with a game and have it slip so deep into your backlog that you never go back to it.)
That's the other thing he mentions as a main way to complete games. I think he called it the 'two minute rule' or something like that. But it's basically the same thing I 'came up with' on my own, without any scientific studies or research. Just common sense, imo.
If you want to see the video, you can, but I find he talks way too much. It's a 20+ minute video, but it'd be much more helpful and impactful if it was a 5 minute video. (I kinda stopped listening to him half way through and started to skip ahead through the video.)
Well, happy gaming everyone. As for me, my neck and arm are still in bad condition and though I played a bit of TotK again this morning since playing a big game with loads of little things to complete is appealing right now, it worsened matters before too long, so I probably can't go back to gaming until I visit the chiropractor at least one more time, and thankfully, I can go tomorrow.
I'm definitely in the mood for comforting gaming, right now. I want to see the end of Crisis Core, but I don't feel like experiencing anything sad, right now...I feel like it'd take too big a toll, atm. Plus I'm not into grinding through the missions I'd need to do to get myself equipped enough for the final battle. I'd also love to restart Ys X: Nordics, but it's VERY hard on my arm/neck, more than most games I play. I don't think I'm even up to finishing the file I've got so close to the end already, honestly. My hand is crunching like crazy...I'm all clenched up from jaw to fingers on the left. Boo.
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Bluie
- UNoT Extreme Mooomber
- Posts: 3279
- Joined: Jun 29, 2005 11:02 am
Pfft, okay, I played through Class of 09. While it wasn't entirely my brand of humor, I managed a few gigglesnorts and one joke in particular made me pause the game (because it just keeps playing if you don't) so I could get my laughs out. I would never, ever recommend this visual novel to anyone. It was basically almost 4 hours of an adult targeted cartoon that gets a handful of jokes right while the rest are subjective or annoying. I am legitimately surprised this series has such a big fanbase (36K members on Reddit - WHAT). It's funny, but people legitimately care for these characters and enjoy them unironically? They're all horrible people, written to be caricatures of teenagers (or horrible adults) from the late 2000s. I guess that's part of the 'charm', but I pray that no one actually idolizes Nicole for her actions despite them being darkly relatable. The two anime shorts on Youtube are honestly more worth watching than playing the game. I probably wont be buying either of the two sequels.
Anywho, also made some good progress in Monster Hunter Wilds. The game's splash screen says I'm 50% through, but I have no idea if that means the base story or quest progression. I feel like the story is getting ready to wrap up, but I'm also only 10 hours in. Regardless, gonna play more tomorrow. I want to see if I can get through the base story before I have to get back to work this week.
10 days left until XCX~
Anywho, also made some good progress in Monster Hunter Wilds. The game's splash screen says I'm 50% through, but I have no idea if that means the base story or quest progression. I feel like the story is getting ready to wrap up, but I'm also only 10 hours in. Regardless, gonna play more tomorrow. I want to see if I can get through the base story before I have to get back to work this week.
10 days left until XCX~
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Kikki
- UNoT Extreme Mooomber
- Posts: 4330
- Joined: Apr 14, 2015 6:01 am
I'm scared.
~
Meanwhile, I still feel like farting about TotK a bit and doing a little more Anthos. Maybe a lot more Anthos, over time? And maybe a bit more DQB2. Though that's kind of a given. I just want to COMPLETE things. Collections, quests, etc. My neck is still bad but chiro this morning has improved things, so I can probably play tomorrow. Some day I'll get back to Ys X: Nordics and Crisis Core, both of which had about one chapter apiece left in them before the end, for me. But they're both pretty demanding of thumb movement and frenzied button-pushing, and I don't want to play anything emotionally stirring, atm. Good or bad, I think. Calm blue ocean, and all that (except I'm afraid of the ocean...it gives me the willies. I would NOT be calm, if I were on an ocean. Calm blue sky, that's what. Calm mound of soil, yes. Calm pretty petals. Calm leafy rustling. No such thing as calm blue OCEAN.)
But really, I think I want to write and do photography and maybe even draw hideously bad illustrations of my games and crafts and cooking and gardening. I think those things would improve me as a person more than any gaming can. Honestly, gaming is for suppression, for me. Escapism is too light a word for how I use it. It's a layer of cement I pour over top of my various bubbling anxieties, to keep the bubbles from being able to break the surface.
I know this.
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Bluie
- UNoT Extreme Mooomber
- Posts: 3279
- Joined: Jun 29, 2005 11:02 am
It's gonna be OK! I think!!!
Though the entire game has leaked now if you wanted to look into whatever is worrying you.
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Played through ZZZ's most recent story update. I wanted Pulchra from the gacha and I got her (they're also giving her away for free in a current event, so I'll probably grab that copy when motivation strikes). ZZZ remains the only Hoyo game maintaining my attention, for now. I can't help but respect the amount of effort that goes into the character's animations after Hoyo's other offerings of 3 bodies with different coats of paint. Also, the game gave me ANOTHER Nekomata. That's four now. The game really, REALLY wants me to main her, huh? Honestly though? She's cute and I don't mind. Her kit is great for triggering combos/team attacks. I feel like she'll get an outfit down the line and I'll probably buy it LOL. Usually I don't like 'nekomimi' style of character designs, but she actually acts like a cat instead of it just being cat ears slapped on a human.
In other news, I bought four visual novels on steam plus that one Bokujō Monogatari game that released on phones exclusively in Japan. They were all in my wishlist and were less than 10 bucks each, so I impulse bought them. I'll probably play them once in finish XCX?
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Kikki
- UNoT Extreme Mooomber
- Posts: 4330
- Joined: Apr 14, 2015 6:01 am
I'm afraid they're going to try to connect the games. The numbered games, with X.
They are NOT connected. When the game released, they even called it a 'spiritual successor', which always means it's not an ACTUAL successor, just in the same...flavour, perhaps.
In X (this is something you learn in the opening cutscene, and it's in the trailers, too, so not a spoiler, imo), Earth was destroyed by massive bombardment on all sides from aliens, and that's why you're out there...humanity got wise barely in time, and managed to send a bunch of ships out. You (player character) were on the White Whale, which ended up being forced into a crash landing on Mira. It's possible that the White Whale is the only ship that survived the escape (most didn't manage to get away at all.)
That's the premise that begins the story.
This immediately tells us that this is NOT the universe that Shulk or Rex or Noah came from, and it's got nothing to do with...Spongebob Spoilerpants.
And yet, I keep seeing videos pop up with thumbnails and titles that say things like 'they were connected all along!' and so on. 'We just missed the signs!' I block not just those videos, but the channels that made them. *grumpy*.
I'm afraid Monosoft may try to connect the games, now that they're bringing X back into the fold, just to appease the fans, not because it was their original vision for the game. Kind of like how Nintendo created the timeline to appease Zelda fans, and now there's a huge number of fans who are desperate to know 'where it is in the timeline!?!!?' when a new game comes out. They get angry when anyone doesn't believe in their precious timeline, even though Nintendo themselves has said 'Look guys, don't get too caught up in the timeline. It's open to interpretation. You can think of it how you want.'
X 's tremendous specialness (to me at least) comes from the fact that it is its OWN universe. It is NOT connected to the numbered games. They would ruin the game if they tried to somehow make it part of the same universe.
Now, I'm okay if the connection from the numbered is the Zohar. The Monolith. The Conduit. Whatever name you want to give that mysterious power
It's amorphous and it's interesting and comfortable because it barely exists in the story, even if it made the entire story possible. So I don't mind if THAT also exists in X. I'm already sure it does because it's basically Monolith Software's centre. I mean, they NAMED themselves after it.
Not that it was confirmed as being part of XCX. But if they decided to do that, it won't bother me. But any other connection...NO. I can only think of a few tiny things that would be okay to connect, that wouldn't ruin the flavour of X, and I'm afraid they'll try to go too far.
I trust Monosoft to write great stories and compose fantastic soundtracks...but I don't trust companies not to pander to fans, even changing their original intentions drastically to suit the market. But I love X the way it is, NOT connected to the other Xenoblade games, and I think if they cook anything up, it'll ruin it for me.
I have my own theories about how a couple of things will exist in ALL Xenoblades. Like how Nopon are in every game. And how certain things can appear in the fighting gateways. But I'm afraid they'll try to cook up some much larger connection that'll ruin X's autonomy.
They are NOT connected. When the game released, they even called it a 'spiritual successor', which always means it's not an ACTUAL successor, just in the same...flavour, perhaps.
In X (this is something you learn in the opening cutscene, and it's in the trailers, too, so not a spoiler, imo), Earth was destroyed by massive bombardment on all sides from aliens, and that's why you're out there...humanity got wise barely in time, and managed to send a bunch of ships out. You (player character) were on the White Whale, which ended up being forced into a crash landing on Mira. It's possible that the White Whale is the only ship that survived the escape (most didn't manage to get away at all.)
That's the premise that begins the story.
This immediately tells us that this is NOT the universe that Shulk or Rex or Noah came from, and it's got nothing to do with...Spongebob Spoilerpants.
And yet, I keep seeing videos pop up with thumbnails and titles that say things like 'they were connected all along!' and so on. 'We just missed the signs!' I block not just those videos, but the channels that made them. *grumpy*.
I'm afraid Monosoft may try to connect the games, now that they're bringing X back into the fold, just to appease the fans, not because it was their original vision for the game. Kind of like how Nintendo created the timeline to appease Zelda fans, and now there's a huge number of fans who are desperate to know 'where it is in the timeline!?!!?' when a new game comes out. They get angry when anyone doesn't believe in their precious timeline, even though Nintendo themselves has said 'Look guys, don't get too caught up in the timeline. It's open to interpretation. You can think of it how you want.'
X 's tremendous specialness (to me at least) comes from the fact that it is its OWN universe. It is NOT connected to the numbered games. They would ruin the game if they tried to somehow make it part of the same universe.
Now, I'm okay if the connection from the numbered is the Zohar. The Monolith. The Conduit. Whatever name you want to give that mysterious power
Spoiler:
Not that it was confirmed as being part of XCX. But if they decided to do that, it won't bother me. But any other connection...NO. I can only think of a few tiny things that would be okay to connect, that wouldn't ruin the flavour of X, and I'm afraid they'll try to go too far.
I trust Monosoft to write great stories and compose fantastic soundtracks...but I don't trust companies not to pander to fans, even changing their original intentions drastically to suit the market. But I love X the way it is, NOT connected to the other Xenoblade games, and I think if they cook anything up, it'll ruin it for me.
I have my own theories about how a couple of things will exist in ALL Xenoblades. Like how Nopon are in every game. And how certain things can appear in the fighting gateways. But I'm afraid they'll try to cook up some much larger connection that'll ruin X's autonomy.
Last edited by Kikki on Mar 20, 2025 11:33 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Kikki
- UNoT Extreme Mooomber
- Posts: 4330
- Joined: Apr 14, 2015 6:01 am
Wow, already the 18th. XCX out in two more days. I SHOULD be getting my copy on the 21st. I want physical for this and after all, I've played this game through many times already. It's not like I need to be in a hurry. Plus I'm still very uneasy about this whole 'definitive' re-release thing.
I'm happy the UI looks more user friendly, and I think they fixed the wonky audio issues (probably). So the only two clear issues I had are probably fixed. But it was already beautiful...the graphics didn't need any updating and imo, don't really look better now than they ever did. Maybe a faint upgrade in colour/definition? But not significant.
It's great that I can play it online again, though. And that it will now live longer...it is no longer exclusive to a dead console. But I'm still really concerned about everything else. *shrug*
And I've played quite a bit of TotK. Just comfort gaming, but I somehow now have 2 wheels of stamina and uh...10 hearts, I think. And one major dungeon done, and some armor upgrades, and all the stable quests, and almost all the towers...I've actually done quite a bit.
Why does Josha insist on referring to Link as Swordsman? Why doesn't she just call him by name? But I have just finished her quest, too. Was ignoring the depths (I 100%ed the Depths in my first play and I guess now I don't much care about it since it's not pretty and is empty of everything but monsters and gloom and drab greeny-grey scenery.)
I still really need to get that old lady her de-glooming porridge, and I've gotta get the Hateno lab opened up again. I'm SO tired, though. I swear my vitality (if I ever had any) is decreasing by the day and never filling back up. I feel like my life is leaking out permanently because it never gets a chance to refill, even after a day or two off together.
Well...I'll get through March and April and hopefully a few weeks into May, I'll be feeling better. If not, I'll probably have to figure out something to change. Even gaming is often too tiring, right now.
I keep getting cravings to play other games right in the middle of what I'm currently playing, even if I'm enjoying it. I always want to stop and play some DQB2, and sometimes Anthos, and now Tales of Arise...and I even want to replay Daylight or maybe grab and start Daylight II. Not sure why I want to jump to other things when I'm already having fun!
I'm happy the UI looks more user friendly, and I think they fixed the wonky audio issues (probably). So the only two clear issues I had are probably fixed. But it was already beautiful...the graphics didn't need any updating and imo, don't really look better now than they ever did. Maybe a faint upgrade in colour/definition? But not significant.
It's great that I can play it online again, though. And that it will now live longer...it is no longer exclusive to a dead console. But I'm still really concerned about everything else. *shrug*
And I've played quite a bit of TotK. Just comfort gaming, but I somehow now have 2 wheels of stamina and uh...10 hearts, I think. And one major dungeon done, and some armor upgrades, and all the stable quests, and almost all the towers...I've actually done quite a bit.
Why does Josha insist on referring to Link as Swordsman? Why doesn't she just call him by name? But I have just finished her quest, too. Was ignoring the depths (I 100%ed the Depths in my first play and I guess now I don't much care about it since it's not pretty and is empty of everything but monsters and gloom and drab greeny-grey scenery.)
I still really need to get that old lady her de-glooming porridge, and I've gotta get the Hateno lab opened up again. I'm SO tired, though. I swear my vitality (if I ever had any) is decreasing by the day and never filling back up. I feel like my life is leaking out permanently because it never gets a chance to refill, even after a day or two off together.
Well...I'll get through March and April and hopefully a few weeks into May, I'll be feeling better. If not, I'll probably have to figure out something to change. Even gaming is often too tiring, right now.
I keep getting cravings to play other games right in the middle of what I'm currently playing, even if I'm enjoying it. I always want to stop and play some DQB2, and sometimes Anthos, and now Tales of Arise...and I even want to replay Daylight or maybe grab and start Daylight II. Not sure why I want to jump to other things when I'm already having fun!
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Bluie
- UNoT Extreme Mooomber
- Posts: 3279
- Joined: Jun 29, 2005 11:02 am
I'm genuinely excited to play XCX for the first time tomorrow. Funnily enough, my husband has played it. He literally only bought a WiiU just to play it and only because he likes any games that let you play as big robots (he also just likes the concept of Sci-fi regardless). The only other Xenoblade game he's played is 2, but I predict he'll be stealing a lot of glances at my screen while I play through XCXDE. We got rid of the WiiU before I started liking the series lol...
Been picking at ZZZ's sidequests. I finished the character quests for Grace, Koleda, Lycaon, and Rina. Gameplaywise, Lyacon's was the best as it didn't force me into TV mode, but the story of Rina's was genuinely good (even if I did see the twist coming immediately). Gonna be hard getting back to this game with both XCX releasing and FFXIV updating this week. Ah well, at least ZZZ has almost no FOMO and encourages people to take breaks, so I really only miss out on gacha currency.
Been picking at ZZZ's sidequests. I finished the character quests for Grace, Koleda, Lycaon, and Rina. Gameplaywise, Lyacon's was the best as it didn't force me into TV mode, but the story of Rina's was genuinely good (even if I did see the twist coming immediately). Gonna be hard getting back to this game with both XCX releasing and FFXIV updating this week. Ah well, at least ZZZ has almost no FOMO and encourages people to take breaks, so I really only miss out on gacha currency.