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May. 29th, 2018 07:45 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
estiroseI'm still looking for prompts for my usual June Ficspam, but in the meantime, I'm going to share a link to an interesting video, talk about a possible purchase, and then mumble a bit about Final Fantasy II.
CGR Undertow - Shining Force: The Sword of Hajya talks about that game, which I first played on Palm OS, and then finally finished on my 2DS a year or two back. It's a very challenging game! It's funny, I'm not into tactics games, but this one I liked.
I don't know if Japanese word processors interest most people, but there's a Kickstarter for an English version of the Pomera DM30. It does use 2 AA batteries, but specifically says that rechargables are fine. The Pomera series of portable word processors have been available for years and I know that most of the series offers English input if you don't mind a Japanese keyboard.
These things do not connect to the internet (though with QR codes, you can transfer text to say, an iPhone, and you could also transfer via PC cable/SD card), so they're ideal for things like NaNoWriMo. This one will not be ready for that this year.
Ever since I figured out that Yuu had a word processor on his desk in Fatal Frame III, I've kind of wanted a Japanese word processor, but I don't know if this Kickstarter will bear fruit. :( It looks like some used models are expensive but might be worthwhile on Amazon, though.
Also, not having to do with anything else, but Slime Rancher has a new update, so... new ornaments! I'll try to screenshot my ornament collection from last year sometime soon and share it.
My first Final Fantasy title (and my first JRPG) was Final Fantasy II. I'm not sure if I would have gotten into JRPGs/Final Fantasy without this game, and so it holds a special place in my heart.
Which is why I get a bit grumpy when people hold its odd leveling mechanic. This is one of the few RPGs I've ever played where you advance your skill levels instead of your character levels. (In a way, Stardew Valley is the same, except it's a farming game with a little combat). Thus, you can make the characters what you want them to be instead of, say, being a fighter, a black mage, or a white mage. The downside is that the game levels these up kind of randomly sometimes - I've gone down to maybe 1 Magic Point on Maria with full Hit Points and her Hit Points still level up instead - but it's something I'm willing to put up with just to shape the characters. I know that it's slightly insane to play a game where it makes sense to hit each other with swords, but ah well.
Generally speaking, Firion and Guy are kind of fighter-white magic specialists (with a tiny bit of black magic) in my games - Guy heavier on the combat side and Firion on the white magic side - while Maria tends to end up as primarily a black mage with fighter and white magic on the side, and the guest member as whatever I need them to be. That way, I have a fairly strong mage with Maria (who can still shoot a decent bow), with good support.
In other words, it just makes more sense to me to have characters that grow organically like the Final Fantasy II characters, instead of the standard JRPG level system.
I wanted to mention that Rune Factory 4 does some similar things - while there is a level system, you have a lot of choice on how to develop your character. For example, you gain levels in everything from Sleeping and eating to fire magic and weapon skills. My version of Frey (currently around level 122 of ~2000 or so) is an incredible dual blade wielder who is a pretty good cook (level 52 at that), and a decent forging person (30s), though not as good at working the field. Now if I could only trigger both of Vishnal's events so I could marry him, goshdarnit!
Likewise, Fantasy Life also has levels, but almost more important are your class levels and skill levels. You choose what you want to work on - if you want to be a tailor who happens to be able to do a bunch of other stuff, you darn well can be. Or you can be a fairly Life-balanced character like my current playthrough (all Lives except Paladin and Wizard at either Apprentice or Adept right now).
I'll also side-mention My Time at Portia here - it has levels (which raise your hitpoints/stamina), but it's otherwise a 3D Stardew Valley where you level up your skills via level-up perks rather than doing things. Don't know what I think of it yet, but it is enjoyable.
CGR Undertow - Shining Force: The Sword of Hajya talks about that game, which I first played on Palm OS, and then finally finished on my 2DS a year or two back. It's a very challenging game! It's funny, I'm not into tactics games, but this one I liked.
I don't know if Japanese word processors interest most people, but there's a Kickstarter for an English version of the Pomera DM30. It does use 2 AA batteries, but specifically says that rechargables are fine. The Pomera series of portable word processors have been available for years and I know that most of the series offers English input if you don't mind a Japanese keyboard.
These things do not connect to the internet (though with QR codes, you can transfer text to say, an iPhone, and you could also transfer via PC cable/SD card), so they're ideal for things like NaNoWriMo. This one will not be ready for that this year.
Ever since I figured out that Yuu had a word processor on his desk in Fatal Frame III, I've kind of wanted a Japanese word processor, but I don't know if this Kickstarter will bear fruit. :( It looks like some used models are expensive but might be worthwhile on Amazon, though.
Also, not having to do with anything else, but Slime Rancher has a new update, so... new ornaments! I'll try to screenshot my ornament collection from last year sometime soon and share it.
My first Final Fantasy title (and my first JRPG) was Final Fantasy II. I'm not sure if I would have gotten into JRPGs/Final Fantasy without this game, and so it holds a special place in my heart.
Which is why I get a bit grumpy when people hold its odd leveling mechanic. This is one of the few RPGs I've ever played where you advance your skill levels instead of your character levels. (In a way, Stardew Valley is the same, except it's a farming game with a little combat). Thus, you can make the characters what you want them to be instead of, say, being a fighter, a black mage, or a white mage. The downside is that the game levels these up kind of randomly sometimes - I've gone down to maybe 1 Magic Point on Maria with full Hit Points and her Hit Points still level up instead - but it's something I'm willing to put up with just to shape the characters. I know that it's slightly insane to play a game where it makes sense to hit each other with swords, but ah well.
Generally speaking, Firion and Guy are kind of fighter-white magic specialists (with a tiny bit of black magic) in my games - Guy heavier on the combat side and Firion on the white magic side - while Maria tends to end up as primarily a black mage with fighter and white magic on the side, and the guest member as whatever I need them to be. That way, I have a fairly strong mage with Maria (who can still shoot a decent bow), with good support.
In other words, it just makes more sense to me to have characters that grow organically like the Final Fantasy II characters, instead of the standard JRPG level system.
I wanted to mention that Rune Factory 4 does some similar things - while there is a level system, you have a lot of choice on how to develop your character. For example, you gain levels in everything from Sleeping and eating to fire magic and weapon skills. My version of Frey (currently around level 122 of ~2000 or so) is an incredible dual blade wielder who is a pretty good cook (level 52 at that), and a decent forging person (30s), though not as good at working the field. Now if I could only trigger both of Vishnal's events so I could marry him, goshdarnit!
Likewise, Fantasy Life also has levels, but almost more important are your class levels and skill levels. You choose what you want to work on - if you want to be a tailor who happens to be able to do a bunch of other stuff, you darn well can be. Or you can be a fairly Life-balanced character like my current playthrough (all Lives except Paladin and Wizard at either Apprentice or Adept right now).
I'll also side-mention My Time at Portia here - it has levels (which raise your hitpoints/stamina), but it's otherwise a 3D Stardew Valley where you level up your skills via level-up perks rather than doing things. Don't know what I think of it yet, but it is enjoyable.
