Granaboard 2013 virtual gathering

[midnightryder259]

If you don't rescue them(basically walk into them, then take them to the exit as they follow you), they're gone for good.

Actually haven't played it in quite a while. I tried easy to see how far it would go, it gets rid of Round 4(stages 31-40), which probably is the toughest section of the game, but I somehow ran out of time against the final boss on easy, while I didn't on normal, and it was instant game over. Not sure if I would have had continues on normal if I lost that fight to a time out.

Normally I favor the archer, but there comes a point when you appreciate the raw power of the any of the 4 knight characters(includes the Samurai, and I guess a Dragoon, he has a circlet with dragon wings on the sides in his portrait). Those last 10 stages are generally made much easier with the rocket guys, despite how slow they move. One has rockets that spread out, and hit multiple targets over time, and the other has rockets that hit long range, and will travel high if they encounter higher ground.



I actually started a 2nd game, in the span of 2-3 weeks, of Phantasy Star IV, taking my own notes, kind of making my own walkthrough. I don't think I generally play the game like other people do. For example, for a lot of boss battles, guides generally recommended the main character use a skill called Cross Cut(especially early on, since his recommended skill as he learns it later is Ray Blade), but I find his TSU/THU techs(which are like using magic, and he doesn't have a lot of TP, but usually enough to use them through boss battles) to be much more effective, and I haven't encountered a boss, since I've been using them, that has been resistant to it. Another thing I do(and I find this useful throughout the rest of the game, but you're maybe halfway through it when you can do this), is that when you're on the ice planet Dezolis, there's a town called Zosa where the weapon shop sells elemental weapons. I take the time to get the money to buy the weapons for the characters that can equip them, and then make sure to have 2 of each(and these get expensive, especially the Flame Swords), for the weaker spellcaster types, while they have shields equipped instead of weapons(that last bit is common strategy). The game has this system called Macro's, where you can sort of program up to 8 different battle behaviors, before getting into a battle, and use them as sort of autofight options, instead of selecting an action for each character individually, every round of every fight. Christ, I don't know if I could even go back to something like Chrono Trigger after a system like this... Anyway, I just make 3 Macro's for each of the elemental weapon types I buy. There's also a character that uses Slashers(bladed boomerangs that hit all enemies), but her attack power and defense are much lower than everyone else, so I use her the same way(shields instead of weapons, while using the elemental weapons as items in battle to cast spells. Also with the shields she actually gets more defense than the rest, at that stage of the game), especially as she has some decent techs of her own, and can do some good single target healing in between battles.

I don't want to do much RPG gaming, but this game shot up there as a favorite. You can almost see some influence on the Grandia series in this too. Characters specifically commenting on things NPC's say, while you see their portrait as they speak so you know who's talking, and manga panel cut scenes showing you the emotion on their faces. Hell before some more recent games had been doing this, you can can have conversations with your characters, if you forget what you should be doing. Plus, speaking of Chrono Trigger, I'm sure this isn't the first JRPG to do this, but it is the first one I know of that was localized for English speaking audiences, to have technique combo attacks.

[That_Bojack]

I played PSIV briefly a few years back. I was taken aback by how strong the game was. I should pick it back up and finish it this time perhaps? The presentation was top notch and the story lines and characters didn't all seem absurd as fuck like FF.

[That_Bojack]

I bought a 2600 today. Missile Command, Berzerker, and Defender are fun as fuck.

[midnightryder259]

Yeah, they are. I know some look at the 2600 as too archaic. Christ you gotta get the Pitfall games(first side scrolling platformer, and the 2nd was pretty much the first metroidvania), Frogger(or The Official Frogger anyway, the one by Arcadia in '83, not Parker Bros. in '82, if it can be helped), Kaboom, Circus Atari, H.E.R.O., Keystone Capers, River Raid, Solar Fox, Tapper, Wizard of Wor, & Yar's Revenge.

I also recommend the much lesser known No Escape. There's a lot of cool time wasters on the VCS/2600.

...and yeah, you definitely need to give Phantasy Star IV a full playthrough some time. Final Fantasy VII wishes it did Aeris half as well... though I guess it is getting a 2nd chance at it, so time will tell if they finally pull it off.

[That_Bojack]

Hoooly shit I got hella sidetracked and forgot to update ye olde Granaboard. Anyways, for the first time ever I plugged a DC into my tv with the official DC VGA converter box (at least it has the dreamscast logo and looks official an all) into my HD tv and fuck man, the graphics are sharp as all get out. Almost too sharp, looks almost like if you turned off the anti aliasing.

So I will have to research the different versions of Frogger you're talking about. I only have the Parker Bros one for now which honestly is a fairly damn good port all things considered. The rest of those are either in my collection or will be soon.

[midnightryder259]

I only know the differences by rom. The Official Frogger(or whatever the cartridge is actually called) gives you 7 chances, and it just looks a lot better. As well a 2600 game can look anyway.

I'm not a fan of sharp images. It reveals too much. Developers depended on the blurry image of CRT's to pull some tricks off and stuff, though usually much more noticeable in the 2D/cartridge era.

I've been watching the anime "Dirty Pair." A good companion piece to playing the Trouble Shooter/Battle Mania(the Japanese title) games. It's about 2 "trouble consultants" (that's their official job, I just don't know what it could be compared to) called the "Lovely Angels," but they have a reputation for leaving problems almost just as bad as the ones they fix, hence being called the "Dirty Pair." Which they hate. It's pretty good, it's got this kind of Bond/Lupin vibe to it. Never been dubbed though.

Sat through some '80's teen movies I could probably do without seeing again. Nothing terrible, just don't think I'd have the urge to watch them again. The one that blows my mind is that anyone thought so highly of that boombox scene in Say Anything. That must have been parodied 20 times on The Goldbergs by now, for example. It just didn't seem all that memorable to me.

[That_Bojack]

Is Dirty Pair on netflix? If so I'll give it a shot. Also, on netflix, check out Psycho Pass. It's a Blade Runnery future cop anime that shamefully doesn't seem last past 22 episodes.

[midnightryder259]

Doesn't appear to be. Does Netflix normally have subtitled anime?

[That_Bojack]

Doesn't appear to be. Does Netflix normally have subtitled anime?

Yes, Samurai Champloo, Naruto, Psycho Pass and more. I've yet to see a dubbed anime on Netflix.

[midnightryder259]

Well, if you want to try streaming something on the internet, look up what the episodes are titled, then do a Google video search. You'll probably find a good site for watching stuff that way. Unfortunately you may have to keep up with Adobe Flash.

Not sure what possessed me to do this, but I've been playing that Exit Fate RPG again. I got through this one point where you needed 4 teams, and having had experience with that before helps a lot. I think you're probably fine as long as you have an idea who you want on your team, and take the time to level them up in a couple key locations. The leveling is fairly quick though. There's also the armor, weapon, and accessories setup. Takes a fair deal of preparation for that point in the game. I remember you go through something similar a little later on, but you're less a team. The main thing is that the back row of characters are mages. They do the real damage, while the front row characters are meant to absorb damage.

I watched a series of VH1's I love the '80's(all 3 series are on youtube, the other 2 being "strikes back," whch is the one I've been watching, and "3D"). Sometimes a good source for finding out about something(mainly a movie/TV series) you didn't know existed. Other than that, the forced humor of some of these people... I swear, if that Grounded For Life was a good show, it was more because of the writers than the main guys ability to improv(and he still may not be the worst when watching these)...