Chrono Compendium
Zenan Plains - Site Discussion => General Discussion => Topic started by: Boo the Gentleman Caller on December 25, 2023, 03:58:35 pm
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Welp, we're officially here! It's Christmas 2023 and I'm jumping into a playthrough of Chrono Trigger. Do you want to just keep using this thread or start a new thread?
EDIT: Regardless, I'll go ahead and kick us off...
The opening song ("Morning Sunlight") always stands out to me. It's strangely nostalgic. Really, all of the 1000AD music is stellar -- "Peaceful Times" and "Memories of Green" both have strange qualities to them that strikes me very soul. I like to just stop in the worldmap and listen to Memories of Green and watch the clouds slowly go by.
Damn, this game is a masterpiece.
I remember the first time I heard of Chrono Trigger was around Christmas in 1995; my friend David and I were in the van riding somewhere, and he was telling me all about it - specifically about the events in 2300AD with the ruined future. I was picturing Mega Man in my head, and I wasn't overly familiar with jRPGs (but had recently played LoZ: A Link to the Past, so I understood isometric view).
I remember asking my mom if we could rent it from the local game store, which she did when she was buying groceries. I came home from school and she had handed it to me. My entire family went to a basketball game, but I convinced my parents to let me stay home and play the game. I ate pizza pockets and the game rocked my world. I had never played anything like it. Like you, I spent hours exploring the Millennial Fair, trying all the various games and racking up Gold Points. I spent considerable time fighting Gato and eating that old man's lunch to refill my HP/MP.
I played for hours and eventually time traveled to 600AD. I remember it taking me me ages to find the hairpin in Manoria Cathedral; I didn't know where to go and kept running around Truce and Guardia Castle thinking that I was somehow missing something important.
Anyway, I played today and got to that spot. I haven't grabbed the hairpin yet, but will next time I play. Hopefully tomorrow.
Oh, and btw - I'm playing it on my mobile, so it's the most current PC version that includes all of the 3DS enhancements.
Anyway, I've started palying
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Hey Boo-Boo, I read your reply earlier but I knew the 502 Bad Gateway was gonna hit me so I didn’t bother writing a response immediately. I was gonna suggest starting a new thread but we can keep using this one if you want to are you gonna edit the thread title to Chrono Trigger Dualplay?
Ok, so here’s where I am I am juggling a couple of a games right now: Revelations Series Persona I am just drooling at myself w/the Poker and Big and Small. I still have to check out the other machines. Chrono Trigger I just popped in for a quick second the third mini-game at Bekkler’s it aksed me to come back, so.. I went ahead and checked out the second ground floor I fought Gato, brought the pussycat back to the lit’l girl and danced at the top-farthest-right corner of the fairgrounds. The soda I had a spot of trouble with I was using my Survivor buff to swipe the X-button back-and-forth as quick as possible but I forgot the trick is to use a, it has to be a cotton T-shirt so I have to do that. The strange girl I’m avoiding and Lucca’s not leady yet so I’ll just come back.
I’m playing Yakuza 0 ZERO its kinda RPG-esque. I’m re-playing New Game+ and doing all the things I skipped-by before for trophies and what-not.
I remember my friend Allan and I would play at his house he had a tough time beating the last boss so I was there for moral support. After he beat it he asked if I wanted to play with him / go through it again. I think I remember him using Robo and Frog. Yeah the soundtrack to CT is really nice I enjoy the overworld World Map music a lot too. I think the one I hum the most to myself in my head is Robo’s theme. I have no idea where I bought it from probably Toys ‘R’ Us.
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Let's just start a new thread. I can move our posts over.
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And here we are!
I did play a little bit more today, but not much. I spent some time grinding and battling through the cathedral, but didn't advance the story or get to the boss. I'll wait for you to catch up when you're ready -- no rush on my side, as it sounds like you have quite a few games in flight at the moment.
I'm still playing through Star Ocean: First Departure R at the moment. I'm at about 11 hours total, so it's slow-going. I've rounded out my party with the four default characters (Roddick, Millie, Ilia, and Ronyx) and chosen by other four: Ioshua, Mavelle, Ashlay, and Pericci. The last time I played this game (back when it was released on the PSP, so about 10 years ago or more), I actually got the same party except for Pericci. Instead I got the werewolf character. I think his name is T'nique.
I really like the Star Ocean series. Up until 3 it's pretty solid, although 3 really did go wild with some combat elements (such as your MP being 0 being a game over) and some story beats (4-dimensional space). I tried to play The Last Hope, but it was too cringe-y and anime-ish, and I've not been able to play any of the games since.
Unrelated, but I think I may get a Steam Deck to help me squeeze in a little more gaming.
Chat at you later, man!
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Hey Boo, before the 502 Bad Gateway gets me...
I played a little earlier, I made it to 600 AD and just talked to everyone in Truce Village then I made my way through Guardia Forest and I saved in front of the castle. I'll continue more to the Cathedral later which's my goalpost.
Yeah, I'm busy with Revelations Series Persona right now I'm trapped in the Black Market and I have to fight up to the Harem Queen. Eerie. lol I've jacked myself out of all the Poker - Big and small. lol So I guess time to move on.
I was kinda of a playing Final Fantasy VIII but I might try to get the physical Remaster or I could just dl it.
And I'm kinda going through Final Fantasy Tactics again. I kinda wanna start doing portables on my bed so maybe after Persona/FFT I might try to bus' out my PSP and do Persona 1 and War of the Lions. lol
I'm sorta super busy with Yakuza 0 just taking my time and fine combing the streets idly-by... lol. It's kinda creepy I have so much time on my hands to do that. But whatever. Anything it takes to be a console RPG otaku.
I'm always playtesting a bunch of other RPGs. Oh! I managed to snag SEGA Genesis Classics Collection and it comes with Phantasy Star and Shining Force and those are the two games I missed-out on my generation and I hear a lot of fans talking about it a lot. Is you familiar with it at all? I'm expecting a lot of hype for it so I hope its not underwhelming when I finally boot it up. Lol
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Hey Boo-Boo,... I thought I'd throw everything into our playthrough this Holidays.
So, the Millennial Fair was really colorful. I really like the Present age I always have both in the game and in-RL. I just think its fine. Whenever people aks me what age I'd like to travel to I always say the Prehistoric/Jurassic though. Yeah I never really get to explore Mr. Bekkler's Tent of Horrors and there was that moment where it was just me and Marle and I could do the 3rd mini-game but I just went ahead and went ahead. I couldn't do the Soda drinking for some reason I think the SNES controller is specially-built or something and the cotton T-shirt trick doesn't work on the PlayStation controller. Hey! I was thinking after our CT Chrono Trigger playthrough I was thinking about playing Chrono Cross alone or if you want you can join me? I just think-thought hey, why not just play the sequel right after? And I already told the Discord but I still haven't gotten all the characters like Janice and prob. a few of Pip's transformations. I always wanted to get the Angel one but I always got stuck with the yellow rendition.. thing... .
I thought how they break down time travel was pretty cool. Like the Telepod resonates w/the Pendant but its really the field in-between that opens up sorta lol. Like, really cool stuff. You seem like the type to read The Timetraveler's Wife if you've read it would you recommend it? Anyway, lol, yeah .... And then everything thereafter.
I'm in 600 A.D. and its kinda bleak to steal a term from Breath of Fire. Like really sepia-toned like all of Final Fantasy III US. It's almost like a flashback. Or a remembrance of something in the present
I accidentally opened a treasure box in the kitchen but I stopped opening them when I go to the past. I'll start opening them in the future.
I made it to the part where Lucca joins. She's sorta of a my favorite character just because people diss on her so heavily online calling her Velma from Scoobey-Doo. LOL I think she's pretty cool. And she kinda reminds me of myself like being some super academic in their room, mad genius, sorta. .... And I'm super close to my Dad and Mom. I'm like your friend in that lives down the neighborhood street! :d
I made it to the Cathedral part. This's the part that confuses me cause I know Frog joins for the first time somewhere arnd. here but I don't know how to make him show up so I start wandering around to the Cathedral and back to the castle and to Zenan Bridge. I start thinking about events that happen in the same place but in different time periods.
Anyway that's all for now. Good lifes. I'm looking for his bush home.
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Yeah, I'm busy with Revelations Series Persona right now I'm trapped in the Black Market and I have to fight up to the Harem Queen. Eerie. lol I've jacked myself out of all the Poker - Big and small. lol So I guess time to move on.
Nice! I always wanted to play the series but never have. I played the first one on emulation, but never beat it. I liked it, but didn't love it. If I remember correctly, the battle frequency was high and it definitely wasn't a chill or easy game (which was what I was wanting at the time). I remember there's a branch in the storyline with the ice queen, and after that I ended up just going to the casino to make lots of money so I could buy all the best equipment, and I got burnt out and never picked it back up.
Have you played the entire series? What's your favorite one? With all the re-releases of 3 (plus there's the upcoming remake), 4 Golden, and 5 Royal, I've been tempted to pick them up.
And I'm kinda going through Final Fantasy Tactics again. I kinda wanna start doing portables on my bed so maybe after Persona/FFT I might try to bus' out my PSP and do Persona 1 and War of the Lions. lol
Tactics is such an amazing game. I really wish they'd do another one. I've never played the Tactics Ogre games, but I think I'd like them. The FFT Advance games were good, but the storytelling just wasn't on par with the first Tactics game.
As for Chrono Trigger --
I accidentally opened a treasure box in the kitchen but I stopped opening them when I go to the past. I'll start opening them in the future.
I may be wrong, but the only chests that affect the timeline like that are the sealed chests that require the charged pendant to open. Once that happens, you'll want to go to the chest in 600ad, charge the chest, then go open it in 1000AD. Then you can return back to 600ad and grab what's inside the chest. You can get really good elemental gear this way.
... Like the Telepod resonates w/the Pendant but its really the field in-between that opens up sorta lol. Like, really cool stuff. You seem like the type to read The Timetraveler's Wife if you've read it would you recommend it? Anyway, lol, yeah .... And then everything thereafter.
Never read it. I do enjoy time travel stories, though. There's one of my favorite types of science fiction.
And as for the Marle's pendant, there's a rumor that it's a dream creature a la Masa and Mune. They have a sister named Doreen that they don't really explain, and I do think that she's actually the pendant while Masa and Mune are the sword. In the Japanese translation they're called Grand and Leon and make the Grandleon sword rather than the Masamune, which I've always liked.
Anyway, I've since finished the Cathedral and will wait for you to catch up. Did you pick up the hairpin in the Cathedral yet? It's a little sparkly (like a tab) near the stairs. Once you pick it up, the nuns will attack and ultimately Frog will join the party.
Yakra was such a turd. I remember the first time I played the game he was pretty hard, but now he's easy. His design is kinda cool, though.
Also -- don't forget to find the SECRET ROOM in the Cathedral, where there's a statue of Magus aka The Fiendlord. There's some excellent loot in that room! I don't think I learned about this until a few playthroughs in, so I missed it the first few times I played.
I always liked the song that plays in the Cathedral. It's sort of mysterious and makes me feel the feels. There's a mod for the game Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind where someone made a 3D version of Magus' Castle, including all the same enemy placements, bosses, and loot. It's a really fun mod and was amazing back in like 2001 when it first game out, but now seems pretty dated. Anyways, that mod imported this song into the game and I loved it. I think it's called "Silent Light."
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Hey, Boo--Just a quick update. I'm fighting off the urge to crash right now. lol I've just been kinda getting in the groove of living my fantasy console RPG otaku lifes. It's kinda easy but also a little different as I like to romanticize emulating the prisoner's life but I've been playing Yakuza 0 and kinda getting hints and you kinda have to think of social, society, what the police think you're doing lol, etc. Like I could go complete mad genius and never sign-online but I think with doing this you kinda have to make friends online and post at times just to keep your "fans" interested in what you're doing and update your life to their's. Anyways What are- Any thoughts on that?
Uh Persona is kinda iffy, hit-or-miss for me. I have most copies of the games in the series but I've never beat any except the first! ;_; I was enamored with the first game on the PSX Revelations Series Persona which's the one I'm playing right now. I kinda hated the 1st-person view in the dungeons it reminded me of Eye of the Beholder but the other game mechanics is pretty fun so I don't mind one crappy thing. lol I think it's a pretty hot game. I almost kinda think it's a DEMO? I think the physical copy is also pretty rare & expensive and hard-to-find but I got a copy from Electronics Boutique in Tanforan Mall in California, but of course the retailers wrote all over the disc probably to prevent re-selling. I dunno how they know all that stuff like 'if a RPG is gonna be rare in the future?' Anyways Yeah, I like the story and right now at this time in my life I think about High school a lot so it kinda takes me back there. It almost makes me wanna block a few more people on Face|Book to be honest, "It's Like a Game!!" Lol But yeah I like all the characters. I jacked myself out in the Black Market casino but I was thinking you don't really need the weapons that badly cause you'll be spending all your time using your personas in battle to level them up, so.. ? You can't leave the Black Market to go back to the other mall to buy defensive armor gear either so I'm kinda stuck here. It deals with a lot of that mental illness stuff that's so popular "hot topic!!!, hot topic!!!, hot topic!!!" on Tik Tok right now but whatever if little kids wanna go back and search for a old game that'll help them deal with their inner outwardly externalized demons. LOL.
I always get so excited to re-play FFT but it's so easy. I just kinda... wind up forgetting about it...
Yeah I was on both PS3 and PS4 PSN Store and was wondering about Tactics Ogre. I had a friend that preferred Tactics Ogre to FFT and it kinda went inside my head and made me think about it, LoL!!!... I also saw some other hot deals on RPGs.
Ok, I'll open the regular chests now. I made it to the Cathedral now. I wanted to level up with just Lucca but on my last re-play I remembered you can just level up quite a bit in the church and you'll be fine yeah Yakra's a easy boss. So PS3's still pretty popular here in The Philippines I think I'll try to stick on it I always think about it breaking but I think I can always just buy another replacement quick and for cheap.....
I'm actually really into my PS4,--I had a lot of time to playtest during the Christmas Holiday break--, and I've been super getting into not just Yakuza the game but like the whole Japanese console RPG otaku thing. I was thinking about blogging but that's kinda what I'm doing here with you. Plus if I make it serious I'll'd start making index cards for ea. vlog video I make and it'll get too serious and out-of-hand lol. So yeah I'm kinda really into doing that like getting serious fun in my room for a couplea hours and going and eating Cup-a-Noodles or something and have that be my fuel. I'm so into doing that kinda lifestyle.
I'm waiting for SEGA Genesis Classics Collection to come in and I'm looking forward to trying Phantasy Star & Shining Force. I started up Shadow of the Colossus for PS4 and I'm gonna try to keep it hot and do one colossus a day for the trophys list. I'm also doing Secret of Mana PS4 just to see if it still holds up to the SNES standard. So far I think its kinda ok. I'm also still doing my RPG Cookbook and pretty much SoM is all candy, chocolate and jams. LOL!!!!!!!!! Imagine living off of that to replenish your "HP" my Mom would kill me if she saw me eating condiments out of the jar. :lol
Alright, I really wanna type more and update you on all my thoughts but I'm gonna try to fake-sleep or something. Haha see you later mens
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Envious you got to play it back then. I got my SNES Everdrive finally working and am dying to play the MMX games again to relive them, because I did the same thing there—I'd rent them from Blockbuster for a weekend and try to beat them in three days. Who knew those would be some of the most expensive and valuable carts out there now?
But I won't distract too much! Back to he party.
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Ah!-Zeality the prince of the Compendium. It's my pleasure. I've always been a huge no. 1 fan ever since I was a teenager I used to always visit and read your theories even though I never signed up to register for posting. I'm humbled you posted in Boo's and I's thread. hehe
Oh! I was just talking to my Dad abt. when I got my first Super Nintendo Entertainment System obvs. it was probably sometime in the early-90s and I remembered it was prob from The Good Guys we had one in the city downtown ... As for the game itself, it was one of those things where my Dad would buy it "from those small stores in the mall" while I was at school and when I got in the car he said he had a gift for me in the glove compartment and I remember it happened three times w/Secret of Mana, Chrono Trigger and& Illusion of Gaia. And I'd thumb through the instruction manual on my way home My friends and I were all pretty into SNES at our school. We'd go to each other's houses for birthdays and we'd all hang out in the room playing Super Nintendo. And we'd get called out and blow the birthday cake whatever, lol.
Uhhhhh... I loved Blockbuster. Yeah that was one of my questions was how did guys beat say Final Fantasy III US with 56 hours in just a 3-day-rental? I was baffled cause I'd get maybe 2-3 hours in on a schoolnight and mine savefile was always the one they'd erase either because I got the third slot or I was quote-unquote the "weakest" cause I'd be in the beginning at like Lv. 2. With :43 minutes. Haha I used to always wonder how video games were always popular with older guys in the neighborhood but to be honest now I think they were like cops or something that stayed awake for 18-hr.-shifts and needed something to do. Lol
Yeah, I put away my 30+ year old working SNES cause I don't want to live through it dying before mine eyes. Neither with my cartridges. Yeah They are pretty expensive. I put them away so they won't break. Up on the shelf they go!
Again nice meeting you ZeaLitY
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Anyways, Boo --
I just beat the Cathedral. I found the secret room yeah I didn't know about it before either or I couldn't figure it out as a kid but I got the 2 accessories the room offered. Yakra was easier than I remember I just X Slashed the hell outta him while Lucca healed w/Tonics. I kinda love CT's battle system. I was kinda of a Final Fantasy kid growing up and I'm used to the ATB bar and waiting and waiting itself it always usually pretty strategic to me. I always put it on Wait mode though so I can go to Items if I'm in the middle of I battle if I have to answer the door or go to the bathroom lol.
So I get that the monsters need Magus as some time of leader as the humans are fighting a war against them. Okay Lol And we rescued Leene which's pretty cool. I saved as soon as the events in the throne room were done. I just have to run up to the Queen's Room and find Marle. I was tempted to re-name Frog to Glenn but being that I'm named John I have to have default for everything (it's like a joke like being most common, / boring.) The next thing I remember is having to fight Hekran which I remember as a kid was ridiculously hard cause you're stuck in the cave and I don't think you can go back for equips you might missed. Yeah I'm always careful about going into that tidepool cave and facing him cause I was stuck there at one point when I was young.
Uhhhhh! (Fireworks going off here right now in the Philippines) As for other games I'm back at the casino haha I kinda mindlessly think about my lifes and just play Poker - Big and small. Yakuza 0 I play at like 4:00 A.M. in the morning cause I think it's kinda cool copying what's going on in the game. I kinda wanna playtest a few other PS1 RPGs.
I'm also reading a book The NeverEnding Story.
I got SEGA Genesis Classics and yeah Phantasy Star seems like exactly as I expectered. Pretty cool stuff I was thinking about Thousand Arms or God forbid!- Final Fantasy Tactics Anyway I'm all abt. PS1 RPGs I mainly keep a PS3 around so I can play them and with unlimited memory cards such as for games like SaGa Frontier which wants you to use all 15 blocks? And a few others that where it's fun to tinker around with multiple saves like if you have a theory site and need to go re-read dialogue saved in a certain slot. Okay anyways
My dogs are freakin'! I have to go for a but but I'll see ya around Boo for ya next update!!!
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Envious you got to play it back then. I got my SNES Everdrive finally working and am dying to play the MMX games again to relive them, because I did the same thing there—I'd rent them from Blockbuster for a weekend and try to beat them in three days. Who knew those would be some of the most expensive and valuable carts out there now?
But I won't distract too much! Back to he party.
Glad you got to join in, Z. This thread is for anyone that wants to participate. Every year for the past two years CC and I have been playing an old RPG and just having fun talking through the game (and through life).
I was thinking about blogging but that's kinda what I'm doing here with you. Plus if I make it serious I'll'd start making index cards for ea. vlog video I make and it'll get too serious and out-of-hand lol.
YOU TOTALLY SHOULD. I feel like you could write a guide for Survivor or about retro jRPG or something. Could be a good time! Just sayin'...
I got SEGA Genesis Classics and yeah Phantasy Star seems like exactly as I expectered. Pretty cool stuff I was thinking about Thousand Arms or God forbid!- Final Fantasy Tactics Anyway I'm all abt.
Man, I missed the whole Sega Genesis jRPG era. I focused only on the Nintendo systems (NES / SNES / GB / GBA / etc) and the PS1 in like 1998+.
PS1 RPGs I mainly keep a PS3 around so I can play them and with unlimited memory cards such as for games like SaGa Frontier which wants you to use all 15 blocks? And a few others that where it's fun to tinker around with multiple saves like if you have a theory site and need to go re-read dialogue saved in a certain slot. Okay anyways
Man, kids these days will never know the pain of having to constantly be balancing the number of blocks used on the PS1 memory cards! I remember having to buy several of them (and I remember them being $15 apiece) just to cover all the games. Legend of Mana took two slots. I rented Saga Frontier but never beat it; I got sort of bored with it and ended up returning it to Blockbuster. With the new remaster, though, I have considered playing it when it goes on sale. Same with the other Saga games - there are quite a few of them! I just never really loved that FFII-style leveling system (where you don't truly level up, you just increase stats based on what generally happens in battle).
I'm also reading a book The NeverEnding Story.
I loved the movie when I was a kid, although I've never read the book. Is it very different? Is it any good?
Anyways, Boo --
I just beat the Cathedral. I found the secret room yeah I didn't know about it before either or I couldn't figure it out as a kid but I got the 2 accessories the room offered.
Nice! I also moved the story along and returned to 1000ad, Crono was deemed NOT GUILTY, and I saved before the end of the prison. Next up is the Dragon Tank boss. A few thoughts around this segment of the game (in case you didn't know).
-Your actions at the Millennial Fair dictate if you're deemed guilty or not guilty. The punishment is ultimately the same, however, as the Chancellor is a huge dick (and you'll find out why during Marle's end-game sidequest).
-You can actually wait out the sentence. I didn't learn this until several playthrough's into the game, when I had sat the controller down to multitask and noticed that I received a message indicating that 2 days remain." I decided to wait and was shocked that I was sprung from prison by Lucca, rather than waiting to meet her at the end of the dungeon.
-The guards with the eyes (called Sentry) are worth good points and are easily taken down once they're not hiding behind the shield.
-Don't forget to explore all the jail cells -- one of them has an opening in the wall and allows you to climb down into some other jail cells and obtain good items.
-And don't forget to free Fritz!
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Alright, just a quick check-in. I went ahead and beat the Dragon Tank and traveled onward to 2300ad. I haven't done anything yet, though. :)
I hope you're having a great start to 2024!
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Hey, Boo -- I was gonna write a short, quick update earlier but it was during the 502 Bad Gateway error and I fell asleep. I've been having the hardest time scheduling my write-ups with you mostly because I pop a pill right after dinner, but tonight I fell asleep so I'm feeling brisk right-now! :)
Okay, so I just made it back to 1000 A.D.. I laughed when the soldier-knight said Frog swam back across Zenan Bridge. I was also thinking so in 400 years they drilled a hole thru Truce Canyon and laid-out a fairgrounds? That's pretty chill!! Lol. Ok, so now that I'm back in the present I have to take Marle back home but I'm gonna stop by the Fair and try to see if I can do the third minigame at Bekkler's. It seems really hard I dunno if I've ever done it or what the prize is. I also wanna see if the Cat food went down during the small trip to the Medieval Ages. lol
We're much alike--I stayed on SNES and then onto PlayStation. I had a Sega Genesis though I remember playing Mortal Kombat at my grandma's house! With the green blood and everything. Yeah I only had 2 Memory Cards and I had to juggle my entire PS1 RPG Library on it!!! Lol Hahaha Some games were a thrill to delete though like SaGa Frontier, as you said!!
Re: Neverending story. Its, The book is nice. I'm reading a chapter every late-night. I remember loving the movie when I was a little tyke tho. Apparently there's a part 2 and 3. The first movie is only about the first 10 chapters of the book which's quite hefty. But that was the best part I think. It makes me wanna read the Chronicles of Narnia next.
Are your kids into fantasy books or novels? Or what kind of books do they like to read? Do they just like to hear dad tell his stories about RPGs before bedtime or during the dinnertable?
I'll take Marle home in a little later bit. I have a lot of other RPGs juggling on my playlist, don't worry though Chrono Trigger (CT) and my dual-play w/you takes precedence. Still doing Revelations Series Persona, I just wanna beat the game and move onto Persona 2 Eternal Punishment. And maybe just trounce the whole series this year ... Some other misc. PS1 RPGs: FFT, Thousand Arms, Star Ocean 2: The Second Story.
How's Star Ocean The Second Story R, btw? I might think about getting it in the future once I master the PS1 rendition. Of course for my RPG Cookbook! I wonder if the text desc. changes!!?!
And I'm doing PS4: Yakuza 0 just f*cking around town, Secret of Mana, Shadow of the Colossus. And if I have time I might do Journey or something. Or maybe a VN (Visual Novel).
Well that's pretty much it for me Boo, I hope you and the family are doing well and had a great holidays! Everything here at the farm is doing nice, my parents are visiting they said they're gonna try to take a trip up, go grocery shopping and bring me a few things, namely vegetables and condiments we can't get (fresh) here. Kimchee, etc. Just things like that you don't always think about. Most stuff I order online though through a app called Shopee its like a way small Amazon but its cash on delivery so you can check your packages at the door before you fork the payment over.
Still doing Survivor. I'm watching Worlds Apart (Nicaragua) right now. Its season 30 I like the older classic seasons but I eventually have to move on haha! Alrite, take it easy, Boolicious!
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Hey, Boo —
I went ahead and beat the Dragon Tank too. I was found 2/7, ‘Not Guilty’! Ah—! What did I do to ear the ire of 2 judges? Anyways I always thought the little trial was so the most interesting part of the game. If I had my druthers, I’d suggest that the Main character always has to get arrested in every RPG. Have you noticed it happens in quite a few? Chrono Trigger is probably the most noted one of all, it happens to Alex in LUNAR: Silver Star Story Complete and I was thinking about it and I think Squall gets thrown in prison for a brief amt. of time too? Do you ever think every young teenage guy kinda goes through it as a sort of rites of passage almost? Like at a rock concert or something. LOl
I have a few things I’m doing:
- Revelations Series Persona I have to go through the Karma Palace.
- Yakuza 0 I’m just f*cking d*cking arnd.
- Star Ocean: The Second Story I’m at the beginning at Cross castle in Rena’s filegame. I’m writing down all the food item desc(s). for my RPG Cookbook.
- Secret of Mana kinda of a little bit.
If I have time I’ll get to:
- Arc the Lad 1
- FFT?… maybe
- I’m at the Floating Continent in FFVI Remaster I wanted to re-visit every town in the World of Balance and say goodbye to everybody before changing the world.
- Maybe Visible Panty: Lines (Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth) This game is actually pretty good I dunno why I’m not into it I think it’s because of all the noble voices. It’s made by tri-Ace as well and you’re doing Star Ocean: The Second Story R have you ever tried playing it before?
It’s kinda random I’m not playing it but it’s made by tri-Crescendo (tri-Ace?) have you ever played Eternal Sonata? I have it for PS3 and its gorgeous. I also really need to get back into my Atelier mood. I kinda wanna get Atelier Rorona +Plus for PS4 and just demolish it.
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Hey hey! I tried posting yesterday but was getting the 502 error, so here I am today, instead!
Re: Neverending story. Its, The book is nice. I'm reading a chapter every late-night. I remember loving the movie when I was a little tyke tho. Apparently there's a part 2 and 3. The first movie is only about the first 10 chapters of the book which's quite hefty. But that was the best part I think. It makes me wanna read the Chronicles of Narnia next.
The movie is fire, yo. I had a metal band back in high school called 'The Falcor Alliance,' actually. We even had a song called "Big Strong Hands" (although we never sung about The Neverending Story). The wolf scared the shit out of me when I was a kid -- Grok or whatever his name was. I watched the second movie, which was far less impressive than the first movie, and even watched the final third movie in which Falcor and the Childlike Empress come to our world (fun fact: that film also starred a young Jack Black as a leather jacket-wearing villain).
I'm curious what happens after Sebastian names the Childlike Empress! Is it different than the other movies? In the second movie Sebastian goes to Fantasia and teams up with Atreyu to stop some kind of memory-stealing witch, and all the while it's Sebastian's dad that's reading the book.
Man, I loved all those 1980's fantasy movies... The Neverending Story, Legend, Labyrinth, even Ralph Bakshi's Wizards...
Are your kids into fantasy books or novels? Or what kind of books do they like to read? Do they just like to hear dad tell his stories about RPGs before bedtime or during the dinnertable?
Haha, my daughter reads mostly nature-oriented books, although she loves the television show Hilda and has been reading the books for those. I've told her I'd pay her $50 if she read Howl's Moving Castle, which is one of my favorite fantasy novels, but she hasn't taken me up on it yet. Interestingly enough, I've also bribed her $50 if she beat's Chrono Trigger, haha...
We don't do bedtime stories much anymore, but I did tell them the story of Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time over the course of a month or so. I've tried telling Chrono Trigger as a bedtime story and it didn't land like I'd hoped, haha...
Anyway, my Steam Deck came in the mail today so I'm going to try to get it up and running. I didn't play Chrono Trigger today, but over the past few days I visited Arris Dome and finished up the events here. I raced Johnny and went to Proto Dome to recruit Robo. I think I'll leave Lucca here and take Marle, so I have some healing abilities.
I remember the Guardian (and Pods) being the hardest boss at this point - far harder than Yakra or the Dragon Tank. Then, I remember it took me FOREVER to catch that pesky rat. Nowadays it's not hard, but back then it sure was. Also, the "pep talk" the party gives the people of Arris Dome always inspired me as a kid, haha... I remember I would move Crono around afterwards and make his head shake so it looked like he was talking, and I would sort of pretend like Crono was continuing the peptalk and promising to help. It's funny.
Tomorrow I'll probably try to tackle the Factory in it's entirely.
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Hey, Boo-Boo --
I actually just finished reading the book earlier this evening. The 3 movies pretty much depict most of what happens in the book though but it pretty much stops after the 2nd movie. The first movie was pretty much like the first 7-8 chapters about the wolf Gmork stalking Atreyu and the movie stops when Bastian names the Childlike Emperess "Moon Child". Though it's hard to make out in the movie without subtitles since I remember Bastian yelling it out the attic window and there's wind and rain everywhere. I don't think I ever heard what he said until I randomly watched the movie w/the closed-captioning on. I thought he yelled out his mom's name. shrug The 2nd movie is when Atreyu and Bastian kinda of a have their little tiff. I never got to watch the third movie though I remember hunting it down and I finally found it at Suncoast but my Mom wouldn't buy it for me, so I stormed off inside the mall where she'd have to go looking for me -- Haha!!! There was really no mention of Bastian's dad reading the NeverEnding Story in the book. I thought it was pretty good overall I'd love to have the movies.
So I went ahead and trod on and I made it to the Arris Dome. I figured I'm so close behind you I was gonna wait for your next update and catch up to where you is. I remember Lab 16 used to fuh-reak me out as a kid cause I really don't like abstract (like Yoshitaka Amano's artwork) blob strange creatures with no shapes especially that Mutant monster with the lips that sucks your HP. I remember the one thing on the internet that would freak me out were those so called supposed FBI pictures of Martians. Oh, my Lord... ! But yeah I'll be waitin' for ya.
I remember some other good movies were Masters of the Universe where they had to protect some sorta special "key" and it looked like some sorta musical instrument. I think it was He-Man or one of them, ... . And I really liked Clash of the Titans/And the Seven Voyages of Sinbad.
That's nice. My Dad's a simple Filipino guy and I remember we would all sit on the bed and he'd tell me stories of "the Hero" and how he had a sword and he would fight monsters and stuff. Super basic, super simple Filipino-isms which's probably why I like RPGs? shrug again
I'm super rejuvenated after the Christmas-New Years' Holidays that I'm back to just playing anything and everything I want to. Revelations Series Persona I sorta put on hold cause it's a high-difficulty game with all the high monster encounters rate and the lack of save points in dungeons so that's 'dere, I'm really into Yakuza 0 right now I want to date girls and do the telephone club/cabaret club it kinda reminds me of the "Party Line" in the US in like the 90s? lol LMAO But I remember on my last-first playthrough I couldn't do it cause my PS4 controller was a bit wonky so I'll have to try to fix that but I'm playing, going through the game again super slow and trying not to miss any substories and stuff. Kinda creeping around town and stuff. Lol I'm doing Secret of Mana I'll try to beat Tropicallo tonight. I know you're doing R and I'm on just regular ol' Star Ocean: The Second Story doing Rena's paths I really do love this game I told you I worked at Chipotle: Mexican Grill and I remember doing the Cooking and stuff to get me in the mood before work, at times, LOL... Also the game mechanics are really ...intricate?... in that there's hidden Emotional Points spread amongst your party members and the like affecting how they feel and therefore act in battle like who they choose to heal. So I really like how there's so much stuff to do in a PS1 game.
Oh, as I was playing CT earlier I was mulling to myself how... great!... SNES RPGs really were. I mean, they're not like some generic-ass Tetris from 1980 GameBoy green-grayscale screen they were pretty detailed and almost like works of art. What comes to mind the most is Final Fantasy VI and how on the SNES w/all the pixels it does kinda look like a Monet or something from far away like little dots but up close you can see it's almost like a delicate painting. I know a lot of RPG enthusiasts love oldschool classic RPGs for this reason too and plus we were all there as kids growing up. But yeah, ! Chrono Trigger definitely isn't a sleeper nor was it slept on I really came to appreciate how marvelous it is in today's age, I guess I never realized it back then when I was growing up.?
I know we both agreed that we were like Nintendo Kids growing up and never really checked out much of SEGA but you should maybe guguru (:Google) SEGA Genesis Classics for PS4 it has a bunch of the RPGs we missed-out-on like: Beyond Oasis, Phantasy Star and Shining Force. And you also can't go wrong with Sonic, and ToeJam and Earl. I remember I was the only kid that was into games like ToeJam & Earl and Earthworm Jim, for some reason my other friends weren't into platform-shooters whatever they're called but I loved it-them? There's also Golden Axe.
As for me I'm still doing the Survivor thing on the side. Just finished an episode of 15: China wee-in-the-late-night. I like how out of touch Survivor is, it's really into minority culture, and it's almost gotten a little "woke" in it's more-recent editions but the earlier seasons were really a hit in the house at least for me they got to go to such great places like Borneo, Thailand, China etc. For a White/Latino and; or Other like me it's almost like it beckons me sometimes you know I'm a total Asian Nerd Gamer and don't really follow sports or cars, I just like to game but Survivor really hooked me and it's really my only other hobby.
Anyway have a good night, Boo. I was thinking if you have any other book recommendations (I love Children's Fantasy Literature?) I'd be up to hearing them. I was thinking about watching To Kill a Mockingbird and reading the book after cause there's some things you CAN'T say on film, that just stays in the book. Hannibal Lecter's "Does it come out long, Clarice?" line comes to mind. But I was maybe thinking of reading The Chronicles of Narnia next? But I saw it's like a entire boxset but anyhoo that's fine I can just take it one book set at a time. I'm also kinda avoiding Harry Potter that shit is so big I think it's best to stay away from and save it for way later.
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This will be a short post, as I'm short on time for the next day or two, but...
The first movie was pretty much like the first 7-8 chapters about the wolf Gmork stalking Atreyu and the movie stops when Bastian names the Childlike Emperess "Moon Child". Though it's hard to make out in the movie without subtitles since I remember Bastian yelling it out the attic window and there's wind and rain everywhere.
SAME. I always thought he named her after his mom!!! I actually didn't know that he didn't until just now, so you taught me something new tonight! I liked the movie, maybe I should read the book soon. I think the original was in German or something.
I'm super rejuvenated after the Christmas-New Years' Holidays that I'm back to just playing anything and everything I want to.
Glad you're up and healthy and feeling rejuvenated! I need some of that optimism. Going back to work has been a grind, and after the past two weeks of nearly non-stop rain/sleet, 35 degrees F weather (just warm enough to not snow), and no sun, I'm feeling pretty beat down. I tend to get the winter blues and I've got them something bad right now, haha...
Revelations Series Persona I sorta put on hold cause it's a high-difficulty game with all the high monster encounters rate and the lack of save points in dungeons so that's 'dere, I'm really into Yakuza 0 right now I want to date girls and do the telephone club/cabaret club it kinda reminds me of the "Party Line" in the US in like the 90s? lol LMAO
That was my experience with the game. I would probably enjoy it more if I cheated with a trainer. In all honesty, I don't even remember that much about the game. It's been maybe 8 or 9 years since I tried playing it. I think I was wanting a very Japanese-oriented game and it was recommended.
You know what game was stellar and helped scratch that itch? Mother flippin' Yokai Watch. I heard it was great for a little slide of Japan, and boy was it. I love that series so much and wish they'd localize the fourth game (for the Switch). The others were on the 3DS.
But back to the Yakuza series - I actually downloaded it onto my Steamdeck. I want to finish Star Ocean First Departure R before I move on to anything else, then probably try to finish Final Fantasy XV... both of which are great games for the Steamdeck and run great. I downloaded them both but haven't gotten to try them yet.
So I went ahead and trod on and I made it to the Arris Dome. I figured I'm so close behind you I was gonna wait for your next update and catch up to where you is.
I played a little more yesterday and this morning, and I'm in the Factory now. I was leveling some before I turn the factory on and fight the bosses.
Alright man, I'm out for now. Catch you soon!
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Hey, Boo-Boo. ---
I crawled out of my bedroom to type this response up on the laptop in my living room. I'm just living-out-my-fantasy of the whole console RPG otaku thing, lol. ^_~V It sure is kinda pretty fun. I sleep the hot day away and I move arnd. at night when it's cooler. Plus with the timezone issue I'm also closer to Japan, so it's, like, cool!!! LOL.
Yeah, I think the orig was in German. I remember looking it up a long time ago. LOL
Ok, so pretty much yeah I went thru the Sewer Access to the other side of the continent(?) to the place where Death Peak and the Keeper's Dome is. I fought Krawlie which I don't think can even be considered a boss maybe a sub-boss? Definitely a lackey. I'm gonna go inside the Keeper's Dome which I think has some optional scenes IIRC and I'll backtrack and go into Arris Dome and go meet-up w/Johnny. So that's where I am rn I'll try to make it to the Factory where you're at. lol
So I've been concentrating on:
-Secret of Mana
-Star Ocean The Second Story non-R
-Yakuza 0
Secret of Mana I just beat the second boss in the Dwarf Village and I have a- like 5 weapons I need to level the skill up of on before I upgrade them, and I have to head to face Elinee the witch at the Haunted Forest cause of the girl's boyfriend, -Dyluck.
In Star Ocean, I'm grinding in the beginning to get the Bandit's Glove so I can start pickpocketing cause there's one key/rare accessory in the beginning called Mischief where you get a random item as you walk. It's also pretty fun doing this ea. & every time you go through the game. I'm curious if everything's pretty much the same in R.?
In Yakuza 0 I'm slowly going through the game and trying to do everything. I missed one bronze trophy already where you give a homeless guy a YEN 20,000 Gold Champagne and it's the second time I did this. Drats! Anyway I'm just trying to make it to Ch.(s) 5&7 where the telephone and cabaret clubs open and you can start dating girls. I neglected to do that in my first initial playthrough cause I just wanted to see the story and my PS4 controller was acting up. I messed w/the setting and I think it's just bec I had it on USB and not bluetooth? Maybe, who knows that could be it, we'll see?
I'm also playtesting a few other RPGs like I said like FFT, Thousand Arms, Shadow of the Colossus and the SEGA Genesis Classics Collection. Thousand Arms is super hard, I forgot. I just f*ck wit FFT whenever I feel like it, SotC I'm just taking suuuuuuuuuuper slowly. And I'm gonna play a lit'l Phantasy Star II in a lit'l bit.
Revelations Series Persona is pretty cool. I'm committed to going through it w/ea. one of the optional characters so I can at least call it complete and the Poker - Big and small is so much fun to fire up whenever I feel stressed out and I'm having racing thoughts. Its just a whatever game I can pop on and just relax. After I beat it this time again though, I'm probably gonna try to beat Persona 2 Eternal Punishment so I can get to the hard stuff like Persona 5 Royal. I heard Nocturne is a pretty good game too though albeit hard difficulty but I see all the SMT games as such cause they always have super strategic random battles where you have to memorize elemental absorption, reflect and ish like dat.
Anyway hope you're hangin' in there Boo. Keep on truckin'! :)
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Hey man!
I'm back at it! We've had a hectic few days, but at least it's almost the weekend! We have a three-day weekend, which will be much needed for everyone. I think we're going to hike this weekend. We definitely need to buy some groceries, so we'll be hitting up Costco and all the places, too.
I haven't played any Star Ocean the past few days, although I did finish the Factory. I will try to go through the Sewers and fight Krawlie tomorrow(-ish). I also downloaded Chrono Trigger on my Steam Deck, but I don't know how workable it will be, and I don't think I can get my save transferred off of my cell phone. Darn.
Ok, so pretty much yeah I went thru the Sewer Access to the other side of the continent(?) to the place where Death Peak and the Keeper's Dome is.
I wonder about Krawlie -- is he a Mystic that survived the Day of Lavos? Is he a monster that mutated because of Lavos, and gained intelligence? Or is he a human that was mutated into a beast? Obviously he can talk, and he's much more intelligent than most of the non-Mystic monsters encountered in the game.
I'm also playtesting a few other RPGs like I said like FFT, Thousand Arms, Shadow of the Colossus and the SEGA Genesis Classics Collection. Thousand Arms is super hard, I forgot. I just f*ck wit FFT whenever I feel like it, SotC I'm just taking suuuuuuuuuuper slowly. And I'm gonna play a lit'l Phantasy Star II in a lit'l bit.
Man, Shadow of Colossus is one of those games that I've never played but really want to. It's been on my radar since it first came out on the PS2 decades ago. I keep hoping that the Remake will end up on PC, but alas -- it has yet to happen. Since the last Sony platform I bought was the PS3 (which is now in storage), I don't see it happening any time soon. Let me know how it goes.
As for Thousand Arms, I think I told you about that one game that was on Kickstarter: Armed Fantasia: To the End of the Wilderness. It's by much of the same creative team as the original Thousand Arms. I've never played it, but I think the western aesthetic works really good for 1990's anime / video games. Trigun was an amazing anime series, and that sort of spaghetti western influence is just cool as fuck.
Alright, I'm off for tonight. It's late and I need to do a little bit of work to catch up. See ya later, homie!
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Where my seagulls at??
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Right'chere.
Hey, Boo Boo. GOD!!! I've been waiting for that durn 502 Bad Gateway error to go away for like 3 hours now I've been really itching to post my thoughts is there any way to fix that?
Anyhoo- So in Chrono Trigger I'm in front of the Factory. I'll probably get it done later today sometime.
I actually wanted to touch-upon what you said earlier about feeling in the doldrums. So I've actually just been starting to feel better and it's because my Dad aksed me to start taking my medication again,-it didn't really start taking effect and making me feel good until like 1.5 months into it of taking it again but I just wanted to let you know that it at least is really helping me out. Usually when I don't take it, my psych says I have a 'chemical imbalance,' I'm really in my own head and think thoughts that annoy me and it really shows. But now I actually feel great, WONDERFUL. I'm starting to watch Survivor again on the daily and that's a good indication that I'm feeling better and more myself. My parents know I love that show.
But yeah, I finished up the Arris Dome and I went across Lab 32 or whatever summat and I stopped in front of the Factory. I watched all the scenes and was in awe that this's a game that came out in the 90s when I was a little kid I had no idea I was playing games such as like this! Really cool,-good stuff.
I'm've also gotten into my whole 'I want hella trophies' thing that I do and I decided to try to stick to the PS3. (You mentioned not going further than that.) It's still really popular here in The Philippines and people are still selling games for it on our Shopee app thought not anymore in-stores, not even PS4 either. I just wanna play a lotta RPGs and get as many trophies as I can and even try to Platinum some my paltry amount of Platinums is at a 1 - Thanks to Final Fantasy XV. For some reason, I'm so addicted to getting-and showing off my trophies I don't know WHY!!! Ever since the PS1 days "I've always wanted something/a recognition of some sort to show that you've done something" in an RPG. So this's me like salivating at whoever thought up Achievements.
I'm not as annoyed anymore when I'm doing my console RPG otaku thing, like I went back and tried VNs again (Hakuoki/steins;Gate) just cause they seem easy both to get trophies in, and in-general overall.
As for the PS4, the only thing that's even picqued my interest is Yakuza 0. I have Kiwami 1 but I actually liked Kamurocho when it was set in the 80s so I'm gonna try to concentrate on that. I'm only gonna fire up my PS4 whenever I have to doe. I'm gonna try to stay on PS3 for now until I just play all the games I want to.
I'm also going through Journey. It's a really interesting game, gorgeous, majestic. The shining sand is so cool. It seems like a game you just go through and experience with no boss battles and I like that. It's also one of 'those games' people say you HAVE to experience so I picked it up.
Usually my routine is I just watch a few episodes of Survivor when it's really quiet we have an inside joke that the T.V. is like "watching the fire" / or, "watching out for animals that're prevalent at nighttime" so I just do that while everyone's asleep. All the while drinking coffee and energy drinks laid up in bed. Then I wake up do my breakfast thing, kinda play a little more... Really good stuff. I'm really pulling for you as I could NEVER do the 9-5 thing, I'm so happy here getting out of a routined schedule and having it dictate my lifes but you're well got it better than me with a family and everything I'm just still doing the single guy/college/frat thing! Maybe I'll be 50-60 unmarried and still a Silver Fox! Haha take it easy Boo!!!!! :)
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The dang 502 forum errors don't help. I really need to work with Zeality and Rasmus to fix that. Several times I've tried to log in to post, but can't and my response ends up getting delayed as a result.
Alright, first up -- Chrono Trigger. I've bum-rushed the rest of 2300ad and moved on. I did the sewers, visited Keeper Dome (I love the song here - one of my favorites, and I'd argue even better than Schala's theme), finished the Factory, visited the End of Time, and returned to 1000AD and am in front of Hekran's Cave.
Thinking through my memory bank, I remember I got this far that first weekend. I remember it being late Sunday night when I fought the R-series robots and I was dumbstruck by the attack. It really caught me off guard, for some reason, and was one of the more emotional elements in the entire game for me during that first playthrough. I remember it being late because we had church on Sunday and my mom kept telling me I needed to go to bed, and she ended up sitting up with me for a little while so I could finish the Factory.
I then went on to the End of Time and recall trying to figure out how to get around Spekko's room three times to learn magic. For some reason, I couldn't get it right. I also remember being confused by clockwise / counter-clockwise, but even when I asked my parents for help and learned it, it took quite a few times... I got so frustrated I rage quit, hahaha! I came back it later that day and didn't have a problem, though.
Man, this game really is superb and I'm tempted to jump over to play it on my new SteamDeck. I wonder if I can somehow move my save. I'm a bit OCD (not really, although I am particular) and I don't want to play on another person's save. Anyway, moving on...
I actually wanted to touch-upon what you said earlier about feeling in the doldrums. So I've actually just been starting to feel better and it's because my Dad aksed me to start taking my medication again,-it didn't really start taking effect and making me feel good until like 1.5 months into it of taking it again but I just wanted to let you know that it at least is really helping me out.
You've mentioned the need for medication before, but we've never really talked about it at length. I wasn't sure if it was depression or another condition. You don't have to disclose, of course, I've just never been sure what your battle has been. I've actually been on and off depression medications since my early 20's. I run 4 or 5 miles every day and that seems to be the sweet spot helping me keep me sane some days, haha...
I'm also going through Journey. It's a really interesting game, gorgeous, majestic. The shining sand is so cool. It seems like a game you just go through and experience with no boss battles and I like that. It's also one of 'those games' people say you HAVE to experience so I picked it up.
I've always wanted to play this game ever since it popped up on the PS3. How long does it normally take to the get to the center tower and finish the game? My daughter likes a game called Meadow that is somewhat similar, in that you play in a shared sandbox world with other players and can't communicate outside of emotes.
We're getting the first snow of the year right now, so we're going to get out in it. Hope you're having a solid day/evening/week!
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Hey, Boo --
I've been on a tear/-binge, lemme tell you!! Like staying up for 2 days gaming-like lol Oh, I think I got depressed when I was like 23 I remember the day I had just got let-go from my first job and was walking home and I saw a red line in the sky and all of a sudden everything started feeling weird and awkward to me all of a sudden. I had actually passed out right in front of my house and I remember cutting-in-and-out of blacking out but I somehow made it inside nobody was home and I struggled to make coffee in the kitchen wherein I passed out again and hit my head on the rice container my Mom keeps. I got up again drank coffee in my room and started working on my resume, went on the computer and then I went out... I kinda don't remember maybe to go see some friends. It was really weird. Ever since then real life has been kind of just strange and I chalked it up to just growing older and experiencing things different. I didn't start on my medication until I got home to The Philippines cause in my strange state I didn't trust disclosing my personal, innermost thoughts to American doctors -- something about them just creeps me out. Lol But my psychotherapist here is really great put me on something right away and about 2-3 years ago my depression went away due to exercise (I was really heavy at like 350 lbs), and now I just take it as "maintenance" and as a sleep aid.
I really don't think about it that much.
Ok, so I wanted to post and was hoping I would get another one in before you had posted again haha! I'm leveling up in the Factory I guess I'll just go ahead and finish it up and wait where you are, again for your next update.
Right now,-I've been cruising through some playtestings of mine. I really like Harvest Moon: Light of Hope for PS4 I figured it'll help me get in that state of mind of running a farm here and I'm already thinking of different types of seeds I can get, et cetra. I had just ordered some soil like loam foam soil or somethin' like dat?? It was between HM and Rune Factory and I ended up liking Harvest Moon better, it takes me back to the SNES days and the game. I was also recommended/suggested I try out Stardew Valley so once I finish this up I might go ahead and get it, or search around for some other HM games. Farmsimming is really addicting to me and you know me I have a addictive personality. I was also in a Discord chat for Survivor and the young kids said I should check out Undertale, -- Do you know anything about it?
Still doing Yakuza. I've kinda chilled out on playing PS1 RPGs only because like it's so old and I'm only being stubborn and wanted to go through all character branches so I can say I 100% completed it. :shrug I'm like that sometimes. Trophy-hunting is really addicting to me, actually. I'm just playing the different mini-games in it and picking up trophies here-and-there. lol I need to get sommore PS4 RPGs actually but I'm trying to actually get gametime in on some PS3 ones.
I've kinda gone back to my Atelier kick I'm doing Atelier Escha & Logy right now. I'm gonna finish it up, then do Atelier Shallie and I'd have beat the 6 Atelier games for PS3. Then I can move on to Atelier Sophie on PS4. It's a really good franchise if you like items, inventory, crafting, alchemy. I didn't think I'd like it at first cause I never really liked that game mechanic before but I've grown really addicted to it. Plus the character sprites are really nice and the games thesselfs are really collectible. Atelier Rorona is the first game and it's a really good place to start out. The games go as far back on the PS1 as Mana Khemia or something along those lines if you wanna research.
Journey is really fun. I was reluctant to say it but it seems really Arabic or... can I say it but Muslim to me? The tapestries, shrouded faces, the lettering of the symbols seems really... just... like... that... ? It's pretty cool. It seems like one of those Shadow of the Colossus, ICO, The Last Guardian games. I really like those cause it has like 10-14 trophies overall and the game itself seems like it's like 5 hours and you can go through it a bunch of times and it's really fun. I might try to check out that Meadow game you said about lol. After this, I might go back and re-do ICO and just Platinum it and do all the trophies cause I think that'll'd be fun just staying up all night.
Alrite, Boo, -- I'm actually about to snap *hwarf* down some sushi and Burger King right now. 2 types of tempura sushi (one is like the inverted one), and like 2 burgers French frys. Reminds me of me in my late-teens we lived near the highway and of course there's just a street row of fast food joints and it takes 10 minutes to get there and back, plus a 7-11, if you're ever in Daly City, Ca. check out 88th street if you need In-N-Out if you're on a business trip or something. I'd come home late at night drunk/stoned out of my mind and just eat in my room in front of the computer like Carl's Jr. usually or something. And just go online, and pass out. Ahhh!!--Takes me back to my prime.
Ok see you Boo
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2-3 years ago my depression went away due to exercise (I was really heavy at like 350 lbs), and now I just take it as "maintenance" and as a sleep aid.
Exercise really does to wonders for the body and mind. I run about every other day and do 4 or 5 miles at a 9:00-10:00 min-per-mile pace, and it does WONDERS. I struggle with depression (especially in the winter) and it's been a game changer. Even when I start having a dark spiral, a run can help me snap out of it pretty quickly - gotta get those endorphins and seratonin flowing!
Good on you for the weight loss and self-care!!! There's a lot of people who can't manage to find the drive and energy for it.
I'm leveling up in the Factory I guess I'll just go ahead and finish it up and wait where you are, again for your next update.
Take your time. I'm back in the work week, which means I'll be gaming much slower (if at all).
Farmsimming is really addicting to me and you know me I have a addictive personality.
I've never really been able to get into them. I tried one of the old Harvest Moon games so my wife would game with me, and neither one of really got into it. I've tried a few more since then, namely Yonder the Cloud-Catcher Chronicles. It was a little indie game and all the farming stuff was optional; I stuck to the exploration and questing. I know the Rune Factory series has a bit more of that, so that's a series I'd probably be more keen on.
I was also in a Discord chat for Survivor and the young kids said I should check out Undertale, -- Do you know anything about it?
It's on my backlog list, and I've heard nothing but good things about it, but unfortunately, I've never played it. If often gets compared to Mother 2 and Earthbound, which is a jRPG series I LOOOOOOVE, so that comparison is a high compliment. If you play it, let me know what you think!
I've kinda gone back to my Atelier kick I'm doing Atelier Escha & Logy right now. I'm gonna finish it up, then do Atelier Shallie and I'd have beat the 6 Atelier games for PS3. Then I can move on to Atelier Sophie on PS4. It's a really good franchise if you like items, inventory, crafting, alchemy. I didn't think I'd like it at first cause I never really liked that game mechanic before but I've grown really addicted to it. Plus the character sprites are really nice and the games thesselfs are really collectible. Atelier Rorona is the first game and it's a really good place to start out. The games go as far back on the PS1 as Mana Khemia or something along those lines if you wanna research.
I think we talked about this before, but this series really interests me. I like the art design and sort of Ghibli-esque slice of life element to it, but the games are ALWAYS so expensive. Even on digital sales, you're lucky if you can find them for under $35 or $40 bucks, so it's kept me away.
Alrite, Boo, -- I'm actually about to snap *hwarf* down some sushi and Burger King right now. 2 types of tempura sushi (one is like the inverted one), and like 2 burgers French frys.
Aaaaan now you're making me hungry, hahaha!
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Hey-yo, Boo.
I'm at The End of Time. I was planning on going to the Prehistoric Age and grinding the Ruby equips but alas, I don't think the Gate is available yet so I'm forced to go the Present time period. Oh, well. I'm nervous of about Heckran cause the first time I had played I remembered getting stuck there for a week cause I was underleveled and I had no more items left stuck in the cave, so my little kid mind had to use strategy. It was Heck-tic! No pun intended. lol I'll remind myself to take my time then.
In regards to exercise I prefer doing my "Old Lady Exercises;" mostly stretches (it feels really good on the bed), sit-ups on the bed too if you remember that scene of Meryl in Metal Gear Solid doing crunches when she was imprisoned and you were in the vents. I dunno if it's because I'm such a big guy or I had just lost a good amount of weight but stretches help me tremendously to loosen up the humours, stretch out my tendons and muscles, cartilage I dunno. In college,-I lost so, SO much weight just doing yoga and being on a diet. I'm 6'3" (with shoes) and I got down to about 150. I had always thought I was flabby and overweight in HS (180 lbs. all four years) but everyone tells me they thought I was "tall and skinny." I guess it's all perception. I think as Americans we carry around a lot of fat reserves. shrug
I've been on this kick lately of saving up money only to buy games I'm particular about specifically good RPGs for PS4, so I decided to stick to my PS3 for now. I've been going through my games and getting trophies since I made a new PSN account. Been trying to go through the must-plays like The Last of Us and the Red Dead Redemption. I've beaten these games but I'm kinda just picking up the straggler trophies and making the most of my experience.
I beat Journey last night, and I spent this morning again just picking up trophies here-and-there. It makes me wanna boot up ICO & Shadow of the Colossus Collection (I wanted to tell you I get scared easily when it comes to video games I dunno if it's because I've been living off the grid and greatly understimulated but I don't like story-driven games that make my heart race or get me too excited) go through it again and pick up trophies and try to platinum. SotC on PS4+4K T.V. is SCARY!! Big LOL I decided to stick to the PS3 version and maybe stick to something safe when it comes to PS4/4KHD like easyplay- JRPGs and Yakuza.
Yeah I hear a lot about the Undertale/Earthbound comparisons which makes me wanna get it, for showe!!!
I got the Atelier games physical for a pretty good price here in The Philippines, it's definitely worth taking a look a lot of the characters and story sequences are kinda "girly" (but, I find most JRPGs are... already... to begin with) your wife might like it or maybe even your girls. I kinda just wanna finish up games 5 & 6 on PS3 then I can start with Atelier Sophie on PS4 which's I think the first game released for the console.
Rune Factory I find a little more Japanese-y compared to Harvest Moon which I find a little more appealing to American audiences cause the chars seem very "big, and cartoony" the game is beautiful though especially when you till the soil and make these perfect square patches. "Practice makes prefectures." It's really aesthetic and I like that a lot. I've made it to the first Summer and I'm going strong the story is pretty good it's about a island with a lighthouse and you have to restore light to it which's where the power of the island comes from, and nature seems to resonate with it. There's fishing, mines you can explore and a half-ass dating sim-esque game mechanic which's fine for me since a lot of my friends say they don't like dating sims too much like Thousand Arms.
Anyway yeah just back into the groove and been gaming non-stop. Been eating, and sleeping nicely and I seem to just plow through games during the day when I'm awake. Hope you're doing well, Boo-man, take care of yourself!
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Hey hey hey!
On the Trigger front, I ran through the Hekran Cave and have officially ended up back in 1000AD, and I've gone all the way to the Denadoro Mountains to find the Masamune. This dungeon is one of my favorites in the entire game; I love the innocent little Kilwala chilling at the summit looking at the mountains -- "Mountains're nice." I dunno why, but it's such a great scene and the ambiance is perfect.
I'm actually sick at home with covid and in quarantine. It's essentially the flu for me, symptoms-wise. I spent most of my day sleeping, but did sneak in some Chrono Trigger time. I also played Star Ocean First Departure R today and pretty much bum-rushed it to the ending and finished it. I was going to do the post-game dungeon, but I don't know if I have it in me. I always forget by how quick this game goes -- it's like 25 hours in and out. If you want to find all the PAs and level and get the best equipment, it can be a little longer, but it's not a long game by any means. It only took me like 4 or 5 months to beat, hahaha...
I also watched Rebel Moon today on Netflix. It was actually better than what I expected, although it was definitely a bunch of scifi tropes stapled together. Not bad by any means, but not great, either. Reviews made it sound like it was abysmal, though. I'm looking forward to the second one.
(I wanted to tell you I get scared easily when it comes to video games I dunno if it's because I've been living off the grid and greatly understimulated but I don't like story-driven games that make my heart race or get me too excited)
Oh man, I love me some good survival horror games. I just have to play them on easy mode, haha... I recently picked up Resident Evil: Village and want to play it. I've played every mainline game in the series and back in 2020 I played through all of them (although I skipped 4 and 5 has having played them recently). I need to pick up the Resident Evil 4 remake once the price tag goes down. I want to play the Dead Space remake, too, as that's one of my favorite horror series.
I got the Atelier games physical for a pretty good price here in The Philippines, it's definitely worth taking a look a lot of the characters and story sequences are kinda "girly" (but, I find most JRPGs are... already... to begin with) your wife might like it or maybe even your girls. I kinda just wanna finish up games 5 & 6 on PS3 then I can start with Atelier Sophie on PS4 which's I think the first game released for the console.
See, I don't mind if it's a bit more on the "girly" or softer side. I actually want a game that's a little more relaxed and not so story-driven, but still enough to keep me interested and driven to play the game. I've found that if a game can't keep me hooked with the story, I'll lose interest and not play for a week or two, and then I don't want to pick it back up at all. For example, Final Fantasy XV. I haven't played it in probably two months and even though I want to, there's a part of me who doesn't care. I'll pick it back up soon, though. I tried to get it to run on the SteamDeck, but it kept crashing for me. It's supposed to be playable, though.
Anyway, I'm peacing out. The Nyquil is kicking in and I'm fading fast.
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Ah!--Boo, I've been itching to talk for some wired reason. On Chrono Trigger, I saw that the gate to 65,000,000 B.C. was open so I went there hoping to farm the Ruby equips but alas, Ayla has to meet you first so I went back to the End of Time with my tail between my legs. Oh, well. I'll probably run through the Heckran cave a little later today!
Oh, Boo I hope you're doing ok. I've been so careful not to catch Covid since I think it's such a stigma. Is it really still a "thing" over there? We've essentially forgotten about it here in The Philippines but it's probably due to it being mostly Asian people who actually like to take showers, make proper hygiene and use isopropanol rubbing alcohol and/or hand sanitizer before going out in public. An anecdote, I was actually in the Gaijinworks (formerly 'Working Designs') server, and the cats there were so wired about Covid. Essentially they had this front of being very "Murican" but they called Covid a hoax and didn't believe any of the media on it--I sat there thinking, Nahh, this's very real but they prided on being very Murican but they don't really believe and/or trust their own government and they had a Off Topic channel where they called U.S. news lies on a daily basis. I was there for 2 years and then left, but I can see why no one really likes the Prez. of Working Designs anymore, Victor Ireland, or many of its fans. (You guys are cool here though.) I think I'm very American and I just keep my head down, and work, and stick to my own lane--and I don't mind that the FBI is on my computer and I actually trust "Big Brother." They're mostly the anonies online and such, and I had a stalking scare where they would stalk my Face|Book so I essentially logged off that server I hope we never see each other again. It reminded me America(ns) are super like dis.
Ok, I actually have and have forgotten I have Star Ocean: First Departure R downloaded so I might try to pop it on today! I'm like 2 hours into the game and it's enticing you say it's pretty short!! Sad it's download-only and never got a physical release version. :(
Lol you're gonna laugh at me but I'm actually watching Laguna Beach: Season 3 on Netflix. It's fun watching rich kids and how much better they have it and how perfect their lifes are. It takes me back. I remember talking about the show with my guyfriends' girlfriends and they always thought there was something weird up with me!!! I actually loved the show mainly because I'm just up the state in San Francisco and they were in Southern California so it was kinda cool seeing my neighbors, and one of the stars of the show actually went to S.F. State. But yeah my guyfriends HAATED!! that I watched the show for some reason. =P
I'm actually very interested in Resident Evil, Silent Hill & Dead Space and I'll probably get around to playing them eventually, ...It's just that the lot of my friends that were into those games were so weird, and were seen as borderline creepy. So I kinda stay away from the games for some reason not to sound shallow or superficial or anything lol. I actually just got Resident Evil Origins so I can play RE1 if I want to. Like for example, my Dead Space friend I found online on a website called VampireFreaks in high school and he was on webcam with vampire make-up on and fangs. It was, HELLA scary!!! He was a really nice guy IRL though we hung out after HS and well-into college but it was crazy stumbling in on what he does online!!!! lol
Oh I try to advertise Atelier as much as I can to other gamers. I actually stumbled upon it just by happenstance on a whim back-in-like 2012-13 at GameStop I was harassing the employee about "cheap RPGs" and she recommended I play Atelier Rorona so I bought it. I didn't play it until I got here to The Philippines 7 years ago but boy, did I really like/enjoy it!!! Atelier Rorona is a really good starting place the "girly"-theme is pretty prominent in the first 3 games and they kinda trail off, and the alchemy mechanics are super simple in the first 3 games (there's 6 different titles on the PS3, plus "pro" versions) I noticed the alchemy gets more complicated as the series goes on but I totally don't get it half the time and just "mash" through it, lol!!! The first game is really simple though, and then 2 + 3 slightly up the difficulty. But I think you'll enjoy it a lot and maybe even your family!!! :)
As for me, I'm mostly doing Harvest Moon: Light of Hope I'm just mindlessly going through it most afternoons here and I kinda pop in something random like Red Dead Redemption or something. I ordered a lot of the must-play PS3 titles we all saw advertised at GameStop back-in-the-day like Mirror's Edge, Heavenly Sword, Beyond Two Souls, etc. I figured everyone's probably played these so they're probably good'uns... Like can't go wrong if it's super popular or just out-there. PS3 games are super cheap here like $3 American so I'm picking them up while they're hot.
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[(Dbl. post.)]
Hey, Boo I hope you're feeling better. I was just thinking about the Compendium and what we're doing here. So, in Chrono Trigger I'm in the Heckran Cave. I was thinking about grinding a little bit but I thought about just heading for the boss. I noticed that Lucca's Fire Toss is almost magic-esque? so I was using that a lot in the caves. Medina Village is quite interesting how the mystics don't want to do business with you and even straight-up attack you! I was quite interested in the equips the store was dealing but they're quite overpriced!!! Shucks
Melchior cleaned me out of all my G but I've upgraded all the equips so far. I was thinking about grinding in the back cavern but it seems pretty straightforward.
As for my other dealings, -- I've got quite the routine-rhythm going on. I sleep pretty early now but I'm thinking about staying up late gaming if my energy output is still charged. I am pretty much on Harvest Moon: Light of Hope's face just going at it hecka hard... It's super addicting haha, and it's pretty mellow & chill so I get a lot of time alone to think to myself about... other RPGs I might want to play or just my lifes, in general. lol I'm mindlessly playing which's what I like doing I haven't really done that since the Dragon Quest games which're, upon reflecting, the specific type of RPG I really get involved with. Classic, traditional, turn-based,--They don't make too many of them-those anymore!!! I was thinking about interrupting my session I have going on and going-back to DQIX* and doing the epilogue which I haven't done yet, lol haha... I was also hoping that we'd get some sorta remaster for Dragon Quest VIII from the PS2 which I quite thoroughly enjoyed, stayed up til 7 A.M. some nights on that one... I know there's a bunch of DQ games on-for the DS but I was never really into portables back then- My friends even egged me on to get one for the plethora of RPGs that Nintendo finally put out but I was never interested. Maybe one day! Like the Ace Attorney games and such. :)
I got Beyond: Two Souls in today. It's hilarious, kinda reminds me of the Heavy Rain-type games,-pretty cool. I can could get into it in-between seshes. I also fired up a little bit of Assassin's Creed. I'm just doing a little each day on each game which's my strategy. It has no trophies which sucks but I see the AC franchise is pretty huge so maybe I can just beat the first game and go onto the next one. It seems the earlier-older PS3 games never got such achievements. Heavenly Sword has no trophies either which sucks. There's a couple of games I want to tackle but the "No trophies." thing makes me want to push it to last on the itinerary like: Eternal Sonata, Valkyria Chronicles. Meh *shrug* I'm a showoff
I was also kinda wanting to tackle a few RPGs that I'm not really THAT excited for to play but I wouldn't mind doing anyway like Tales of Symphonia or something. Anyway just wanted to update ya
Dragon Quest XI*
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Nice dude! I'm on the mend -- in fact, I'm back to work and the office tomorrow, so tonight will be a shorter post. I have interviews all day long - both for the leadership program I'm part of, as well as for the department (and I have an opening on my team I need to fill). It's going to be a loooooooong day!
My covid spell is over, and luckily, it doesn't appear anyone else in my house got it. I have the vaccine and got a booster in November/December, so I guess I must have gotten a fairly bad strain to have gotten as sick as I did. I mean, I wasn't as sick as I have been, but I was still knocked out of commission for about three days. Fever of up to 103, body aches, head aches, nausea and vomiting - the whole nine years. I did eat for or drink for three days, which didn't help, but I finally ate last night and today I've felt like a new man!
Oh, Boo I hope you're doing ok. I've been so careful not to catch Covid since I think it's such a stigma. Is it really still a "thing" over there? We've essentially forgotten about it here in The Philippines but it's probably due to it being mostly Asian people who actually like to take showers, make proper hygiene and use isopropanol rubbing alcohol and/or hand sanitizer before going out in public. An anecdote, I was actually in the Gaijinworks (formerly 'Working Designs') server, and the cats there were so wired about Covid.
As for your questions around covid, I mean, there are still some people who think it's all a scam or conspiracy theory. Those tend to be mostly right-wing, uber-conservative yokels, though. For most Americans, we look at it like we look at the flu - it's just another virus we have to contend with, and we'll have "seasons" where it's worse. Some will still wear a mask when going out when things get bad. I don't understand why some people are so anti-mask. Shoot, when I was in Japan people wore masks if they had so much as a sniffle. Not only does it help keep others from getting sick, but it helps me from spreading anything that I may be carrying. I view it as more altruistic than anything else.
It should also finally get above freezing tomorrow, so I expect much (if not all) the snow and ice will melt away. I'm ready -- we've been stuck in this house for a week! I only left on Wednesday for a minute to buy medicine, and the roads were horrible. We live in a rural area, so they don't really do anything to help the roads. Plus it's the SE United States, so they don't get snow that often and don't know what to do when it arrives.
I did pick up Harvestella recently. It's a Square Enix farming sim / RPG hybrid. I put a little bit of time in and showed my 12-year old; she didn't act that interested, haha... She really likes exploration games like Meadow right now, although she used to love a game called Slime Rancher. I got Slime Rancher 2 when it came out, but it was an early release title and very much incomplete, so it didn't hold her interest. Maybe she'll like it again, soon, who knows?
I'm actually very interested in Resident Evil, Silent Hill & Dead Space and I'll probably get around to playing them eventually, ...It's just that the lot of my friends that were into those games were so weird, and were seen as borderline creepy. So I kinda stay away from the games for some reason not to sound shallow or superficial or anything lol.
That's hilarious. I don't really talk about video games with anyone in my life outside of my one friend William, and he doesn't like the scary games. I like horror movies, too. I'm also well-adjusted, not weird, and the games don't impact my life outside of the times I'm playing them, hahaha... I don't do social media or other forums, either, so I don't know what people who play them are like!
Some days I actually think about giving up video games altogether. It's weird; I rarely have time to play them (especially the older my kids get) and I just don't enjoy them like I used to. If I play for more than about an hour at a time, I think of all the other IRL responsibilities I have to do and think about what I'm missing out on. I dunno, just thinking out loud.
An anecdote, I was actually in the Gaijinworks (formerly 'Working Designs') server, and the cats there were so wired about Covid. Essentially they had this front of being very "Murican" but they called Covid a hoax and didn't believe any of the media on it--I sat there thinking, Nahh, this's very real but they prided on being very Murican but they don't really believe and/or trust their own government and they had a Off Topic channel where they called U.S. news lies on a daily basis. I was there for 2 years and then left, but I can see why no one really likes the Prez. of Working Designs anymore, Victor Ireland, or many of its fans. (You guys are cool here though.)
That's sort of wild and disappointing that the forums had that sort of conspiracy theory bullshit culture. That's a small, but loud, segment of the American people. But about Victor Ireland -- what does he even do anymore? After Working Designs shut down, I feel like I haven't heard about him or Gaijinworks or anything anymore. Looking them up, the've helped published a few games in the mid-2010s but nothing in the past seven years or so. Arc the Lad and Summon Night games, mostly on the PSN. Sort of sad, because Working Design really was the GOAT back in the 1990s.
Anyway, I did play some Chrono Trigger, though. I beat Masa and Mune and got the broken sword. It's actually hilarious to me -- the design for the Masamune monster is hilarious. He's this huge muscle dude with a big mouth, small legs, and most of his moves are martial arts-oriented. Now I'm going to get to 65 million BC, but I'll wait before I do that. Once I get there I'll probably spent some time grinding in the Hunting Range to get trading supplies.
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Hey, Boo — I was posting sounding a little weird because my parents were visiting but they’re going back to their house tomorrow morning. I’m all set to just BINGE.LIKE.CRAZY lol —- Usually when I’m alone at the house sometimes I’ll enjoy gaming with a few beers lmao But shhh don’t tell anybody. ;)
I’m glad you’re back in tip-top shape. Ooohhh ok, I wasn’t too sure how things are going back in the US of A as I’ve been on the sticks and haven’t really had time to check the news on YouTube. I actually just went to the bank today (Mondays I think are safe to run errands) and nobody was really wearing a mask except the teller and securrity guard. shrug I’ve actually never gotten the flu in my life and I had to think back and the last time I got a cold was 5 years ago. Actually when the bug hits me I’m a total methhead and OCD clean my space like rubbing alcohol and Lysol wipes and everything. I used to kick it with a few guys who were like this (most were young dads) and they always ate my ass about my being a slob so it’s rubbed off on me. I’m not a freak about it my Mom used to clean the house once a week doing her Mom thing but I do try to sweep everyday and I’ll get up and just start cleaning stuff whenever I notice a stain or smudge or something. I used to catch the cold twice a year on the dot but the guys getting on me about my cleaning helped, a LOT.
I researched Harvestella and it seems like a Switch exclusive right now shucks. I am still on Harvest Moon: Light of Hope. I zombie-ly play it like a drone all day and I think of the most random of things but lighthearted games like this help me relax my mind and get me thinking about what next to play. I ordered some stuff like Nier (I heard it was good) for the PS3 and Little Dragons Café for PS4 you know I love games like this. =P I’m trying to get my trophies back and buy the games that were PS3 exclusives and must-plays but honestly after this I’m gonna move on to something else.
Some days I actually think about giving up video games altogether. It's weird; I rarely have time to play them (especially the older my kids get) and I just don't enjoy them like I used to. If I play for more than about an hour at a time, I think of all the other IRL responsibilities I have to do and think about what I'm missing out on. I dunno, just thinking out loud.
Boo, I’ve already thought of all this probably sometime around in high school I knew once I got a job, and got a family video games specifically 85-hr. RPGs just weren’t gonna be around so I almost kinda molded my life into what it is now where I can sustain myself and still have a free schedule where I can game. I honestly wonder how you working guys do it. I am sort of in monk mode though where it’s all I do and I kinda look at the Japanese otaku culture a bit too as well. In the US, I always thought my lifestyle was looked down upon and I was almost seen as a weirdo in society but maybe that’s my thoughts coming from how video games were like at my age and I was growing up. Sometimes I see the US markets video games as just for kids and you know Japan anime and games are more for adults. I think it’s just a difference in culture. Most Japanese working people that game usually do portables so they can play on the train on their commute so maybe you can try that? When it comes to kids, whenever it happens for me, I’m likely gonna bring them up on Survivor… and, maybe I can sneak off and doing my gaming thing in a dark backroom in the house or something. LOL
Well, I used to post at the Gaijinworks forum and got banned for talking about video games too much? Their people are wired. Last I heard the prez was hospitalized and stopped being active online. Oh, vell. Yeah they were the shit in the day but once I met the fans I was quickly just turned off. I wanna forget about that place, and to be honest it makes me not wanna play their games anymore specifically LUNAR. Their sense of “humor” is just whacked or it’s that typical white boy humor that NO ONE GETS.
I think you’re a whole section ahead of me in CT. I just beat Heckran I’m thinking I have to go to Denodoro Mountains? I’m playing it in between breaks of my Harvest Moon fiesta. Heckran is hilarious he looks like he’s acting scared and I found it almost kinda cute? I have to talk to everyone on the island before jumping to the Medieval Ages again.
Thanks again Boo I really found this place helpful to spit out my thoughts ‘sides writing in a journal this way everybody can read it. Take caaare
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Well, let's start this post off with some great news:
https://www.rpgfan.com/2024/01/25/lunar-silver-star-story-touch-launching-for-android-devices-on-january-26th/
It's about friggin' time. I plan to buy it, even if I don't plan on playing it (at least not any time soon).
Well, I used to post at the Gaijinworks forum and got banned for talking about video games too much? Their people are wired. Last I heard the prez was hospitalized and stopped being active online. Oh, vell. Yeah they were the shit in the day but once I met the fans I was quickly just turned off. I wanna forget about that place, and to be honest it makes me not wanna play their games anymore specifically LUNAR. Their sense of “humor” is just whacked or it’s that typical white boy humor that NO ONE GETS.
This is a bummer. I mean, I do agree, that the humor is sort of lame by 2020's standards, but back in the 1990's it felt very on-par and right for the times. It's a bit self-aware. But I dunno, when you use pop-culture and humor that's sort of tied to the times, it becomes outdated sort of quickly. LUNAR (and pretty much all Working Design games) fell into this category. Anywho...
I haven't had a chance to play Chrono Trigger much this week, so hopefully that has given you time to get caught up. All I did was do the initial events in 65 Million BC, meet Ayla, and then spent time at the Hunting Range. Don't forget to find the Nu when it rains, here! In fact, you can Twin Charm him for the ULTIMATE WEAPON - a mop for Crono! Literally, a mop! I also lied, and it's his weakest weapon in the game, and totally just a goof. I remember when I first found out I was so excited, only to find that it was useless. Those were the days.
I also remember getting the Wolflobe Sword on accident, which I think I got from Twin Charm-ing the optional Yakra in 1000ad. I was so confused because afterwards I couldn't find the weapon in my inventory, and even when I reset the game and tried again, I couldn't seem to get it again. It was years later before I found out that it was a glitch. If you've never encountered this glitch before, it's here: https://www.chronocompendium.com/Term/Wolflobe_Sword.html
I researched Harvestella and it seems like a Switch exclusive right now shucks.
Bummer, I didn't know that. It must be PC and Switch exclusive, because I bought it on Steam. I also bought the latest Star Ocean game (Star Ocean: the Divine Force). I did beat Star Ocean: First Departure R, and I've been leveling in the optional post-game caves. I think my party is up to level 140-ish. The story for First Departure R is sort of lame, especially the last segment on the other planet Fargett. Meh.
Hope you're doing well, man! Keep healthy!
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Hey, Boo—I took some time out of my nightly routine to really reflect on what I’m doing (since you had mentioned quitting gaming altogether I thought about it) and I’m really just happy. The neighbors are singing karaoke I’m inside with my dogs lying down just thinking about sorta what I’m doing? I actually got watery-eyed (the tears were hot) cause I think my gaming has a lot to do with how others saw me in the US: I was the weirdo neighbor kid. shrug It’s gotten me into a lot of trouble growing up people saw me as kinda of a living inside their room all the time sort of person, and even the police mentioned to me stuff like why are you at home when you’re 19,-20 years old? Gaming I realized was not really as normalized as I thought but I had already knew that and it wasn’t like I hid it from anybody? I’m cut from a different cloth. I prefer fighting metal dragons to crunching numbers as an accountant I guess. This is really looked down upon and I’m from a big city like San Francisco where weird isn’t seen as that weird but everyone my neighbors used this a lot against me. There was a bit of stalking involved which’s why I left America. The nasty neighbors and culture clash. They really shouldn’t know I lived in that house.
This’s in contrast to now where Corona happens and a lot of people are stuck indoors.
I also grew up on Survivor and have come to realized how Americans are like when it comes to money and modern day survival needs.
I think magic comes from the heart, it exists in your mind. It can help you make the right decisions for yourself. For me, for example… My favorite is when the hero is on his last legs, but finds the strength to carry on I think people can relate to that the moment of decision to keep going on the same path. I think a lot of people had doubts in me like what’re you gonna do with your RPGs? Well I see lifes as a RPG you can mold your life into what, whatever you want it to be I just want to learn more about video games just today I was admiring the skill of the people (I c-haven’t been able to articulate properly lately cause I’ve been so happy) who make these games I can never do it I just play their idea(s). I’m at thaet point in my life where I’m pretty set in my ways, nothing’s ever gonna change I’m just gonna look around the corner of the house to see if a new game was delivered.
I’m just happy to get out of the ghetto. My parents never realized how bad of a neighborhood we lived in, and just how bad the crime goes deep in San Francisco. I’m glad to take them to a place where they’re safe. Core Asian values stem from loving your parents, I hear Americans aren’t really as reverent to the two that brought them up. I’m actually really happy I didn’t go all the way with assimilating into the U.S. culture and stuck with being just Asian, sometimes I look forward to meeting RPG fans since it is a Japanese game to see if they like our shit? Japino is a term I’ve come across where people can’t differentiate between Japanese/Filipino.? I mentioned being turned off when I meet fans but really I sometimes think they don’t “get as much out of RPGs” as I do. I pay attention in class.
I don’t know if you like these long dialogues of mine but I’ll probably post again what games I’m testing out. I’m in the Denadoro(sp?) Mountains.
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Hey, Boo-Boo. :) I’ve actually been taking it easy the last couple days just reflecting on what I’m doing for the most part and the heat zaps my energy so much here once the sun goes down I feel so lethargic by attrition, I want to game but something like my mind’s so zapped I just wanna lie down by the electric fan or turn the air-condition on.
Ok, anyways. I just beat Masa & Mune I’m not gonna lie the PS1 version is DEFINITELY slower than the CT I remember from SNES, going to the menu and getting through battles is rough but I’m not gonna let that deter from my enjoyment of the game. There’s enough battles so when you get to key storypoints it’s kinda exciting. The battles is kinda tough if you don’t know what you’re doing or haven’t played the game before for sure
So i promised an update of what games I’m playing: So I’m like a total sucker for “rare and collectible” games the bug kinda bit me and the Phils is a haven for purchasing say PS3 pick-ups so I watch YouTube videos where gamers say what’s rare and I go try to hunt em down and I picked up managed a few. Akiba’s Trip is hella weird you have to rip enemies’ clothes off expose them to the sun cause they’re vamps, def weird. I picked up Deception IV: Blood Ties think it’s related to Tecmo’s Deception for PS1 where you lay out traps for enemies to hit combos almost kinda like those boardgames where you had to make the props work like 13 Dead End Drive or Rat Trap, definitely weird but might put it lower on my play- list. I mentioned I beat Journey and got all the offline trophies and Harvest Moon: Light of Hope SU-per fun I’m such a basic human like it’s teaching me how to be self-reliant plus my whole farm thing IRL. The main game was like 30 hours i Didn’t even make it to Winter and the story’s over I found it interesting how getting married and having a child wasn’t apart of the main narrative and more of just extra(s) to do
I picked up Nier PS3 cause I read thru the grapevine its supposed to be pretty good you’re like this dad finding a cure for his sickly daughter. It’s interesting a Square Enix game. I’m trying to push getting into Resident Evil type games cause by now I still haven’t played RE and I feel I’m doing a disservice to the gaming community? The enemies are all shadows and abstract creepy which’s kinda ok and not scary compared to like crazy bloody zombies you have to cut in two. Oh vell. I still kinda want to fluff up my trophies so I might do ICO & Shadow of the Colossus /CatherinePS3 idky I care SO much. I like the silent recognition..
And that’s it for me just watching a episode of Survivor in the afternoon when it’s really hot during my break and maybe lounge in bed but usually i’m Play-testing a whole bunch of games
I’m also really interested in “cozy games” as they call it I really wanna check out Stardew Valley apparently one guy made the entire game almost kinda like Minecraft and they’re coming out with a pseudo sequel called Haunted Chocolatier where it involves making chocolate. Another one on my radar is Potion Permit where you heal villagers with medicines you make from resourcing materials reminds me of Trauma Center. Oh and I can’t forget about Undertale I have to find a physical if there is any
Aand das it for me Boo check you out later !
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Hey, Boo—I took some time out of my nightly routine to really reflect on what I’m doing (since you had mentioned quitting gaming altogether I thought about it) and I’m really just happy.
And if you're happy, that's the most important thing! I don't think there's anything wrong with video games; I see it no differently than watching television or reading a good book. For most people, anyway. But I do think some people can use it as a crutch to escape the real world, but again, that can really be anything and doesn't have to necessarily be video games. For me, I just don't have the time for it like I used to... what little freetime I have I use for quality time with the wife and kids, and for working around the house. I've recently started to really enjoy cutting fire wood, for example. I dunno, it's a good, physical hobby and I enjoy it.
Gaming I realized was not really as normalized as I thought but I had already knew that and it wasn’t like I hid it from anybody? I’m cut from a different cloth. I prefer fighting metal dragons to crunching numbers as an accountant I guess.
The problem is that we have huuuuuge inequalities in America right now. House and rent prices are through the roof, and interest rates are high and not helping. There's a housing shortage, in fact. Not to mention how insanely expensive our health care is -- I pay $500 a month for health insurance, and they barely pay a dime until I hit my mandatory annual deductible, which is so high I sometimes don't even hit it every year. Our insurance gets worse and worse every year. Not to mention inflation and cost of living. I think everyone in America is strapped for cash right now and desperate, and I know I'm grinding because if I don't we lose our current standard of living. It seems that every year things feel worse as an American. I can barely make ends meet, and I have a master's degree and a great wage. The grind is real and it's not necessarily because I want to grind.
It's been a long time since we've touched on the subject, but if it wasn't for my parents, I'd very much be moving to the EU. Probably one of the Scandinavian countries. We almost moved to Japan in 2018/2019, but decided against it after my dad had a heart attack. We decided to stay here to help take care of our parents. Like your comment, there are a lot of cultures that focus on the family and taking care of each other -- I don't think that's an Asian value, as it exists in A LOT of the world... but yeah, it's not as prevalent in the United States. Obviously it's not everyone, though. I'm living proof of it.
I haven't really played games much the past few days. I did try out Harvestella a little and the graphics look like a PS2, maybe an early PS3 game, but it shows a lot of promise. It actually has a lot of time travel in it, surprisingly. For a farming sim, the story is pretty deep so far -- much deeper than I expected. I thought it'd be more like a Harvest Moon game.
As for Chrono Trigger, all I did was continue grinding for Hunting Range loot. I now have my entire party decked out in Ruby Vests and Stone Helms, and Crono / Lucca / Marle / Robo all have their gear. Now on to the Forest Maze and the Reptite caves to retrieve the Gate Key!
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Hey, Boo-I'm glad to finally have the house to myself. I'm thinking about partaking in a little beer later on tonight just because I've been kinda stressed? Not in anyway usual people are dealing with their regular, day-to-day lives but little things just irk me like how I have a annoying aunt? Lol! My dog is giving birth literally like right now-So I have to take care of her. I figure it's a farm so there's animals giving birth, dying all over the place!
Lol you remind me a lot of my Dad we never really used to talk but he just watches the news all the time and now that he got Twitter he's even worse. I actually don't ever watch the news so I tell him stuff I read on messageboards and he always has something to say, but the last thing he said to me was, "You're in the Philippines." So I all that awful stuff back in the U.S. I try not to think about. I'm just happy where I am right now.
Tbh, it feels really good to be here. I just know I'll be ok no matter what happens. And I really only have to take care of myself, really, for the most part.
Rn, I've been doing a BUNCH of games:
- Chrono Trigger, ofc
- Harvest Moon: Light of Hope, finished main story now I have to wife a female and have a kid etc. The usual Harvest Moon-stuff
- ICO & Shadow of the Colossus Collection, I'm going through ICO right now you can beat the game in 2 hours so it's one of those Journey games that you can go through hella times and kinda master
- Nier, I just got the quests going so I'm doing that for now waiting for it to get good for the most part
- Akiba's Trip, I forgot to mention although the game is weird and the char art is just mid the voice acting is really good in this game. It's made by Xseed reminds me I have to do LUNAR: SSH but we'll see... lol!
- Whatever videogame RPG comes to mind to me the most... Lol!
Take care, Boos
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Hey broseph!
My dog is giving birth literally like right now-So I have to take care of her. I figure it's a farm so there's animals giving birth, dying all over the place!
Congrats on the dogs! How many puppies? What kind of dog do you have? We love animals -- we have both a dog and cats.
Lol you remind me a lot of my Dad we never really used to talk but he just watches the news all the time and now that he got Twitter he's even worse. I actually don't ever watch the news so I tell him stuff I read on messageboards and he always has something to say, but the last thing he said to me was, "You're in the Philippines." So I all that awful stuff back in the U.S. I try not to think about. I'm just happy where I am right now.
Haha, believe it or not, I don't watch the news at all. I hate the 24/7 news cycle and thing it's all bullshit. It tries to rile everyone up and makes money on making people angry. Any of my thoughts around some of the struggles of America is firsthand or just watercooler talk you'll find anywhere. America tends to think it's the best country on earth, and while it's certainly a good place to live (access to food/water, healthcare, lots of personal freedoms, etc), it's far from perfect.
Off topic, but I read today about how the northern Philippines is a beautiful, mountainous area. I thought of ya when I was reading it!
- Nier, I just got the quests going so I'm doing that for now waiting for it to get good for the most part
You're playing the original version, right? I played the remake/remaster when it came out a few years ago. It was a pretty solid game. I loved the characters and the soundtrack is amazing. I haven't played Nier Automata, but it's on my list and I want to check it out at some point soon. Kaine and Emil were great characters, and the storyline really made me stop and think.
I think I remember that the Japanese version has the main character (Nier) being the older brother of Yonah, but they were worried that the non-Japanese audience wouldn't care for him as a character, so they tweaked him to be an old, grizzled dude and Yonah's father. The remake has him as Yonah's brother like in the Japanese version, so that's how I'll always see him.
- Akiba's Trip, I forgot to mention although the game is weird and the char art is just mid the voice acting is really good in this game. It's made by Xseed reminds me I have to do LUNAR: SSH but we'll see... lol!
Dang, I've never even heard of this game. I'll check it out! I reached out to Xseed a while back and asked them to support a remake or port of LUNAR: Eternal Blue, and they actually responded, They said they they were just the publisher and that any game-making decisions would fall with Game Arts (who made LUNAR: Silver Star Harmony). I asked them forward on the request, haha...
As for Chrono Trigger, I'm not sure where you're at, but I've shot ahead. I finished 65 million BC and I've repaired the Masamune. I'm now in Magus' Castle. This is where the game really starts to vibe for me... Frog's scene when he uses the Masamune to cut open the mountainside to reveal the Magic Cave is just so badass.
Which makes me think... the PSX cutscenes have never really done it for me. Not that they're bad or anything, I just don't think they're anything special and they don't add anything that's not already in the game. I sort of miss when I was a kid and all the games were low or mid graphics, but in my head (with my imagination) they were so epic and gorgeous. Chrono Trigger has a lot of scenes that were like that, to me. Don't get me wrong, Chrono is a great looking 16-bit game!
Story time. When I first played Chrono Trigger in 1996, my first Chrono Trigger save was accidentally deleted. I remembered it well. I was back in 1000ad after having learned magic at the End of Time. I think I was in the Hekran Cave. I had stayed up late playing and couldn't get to a save point, so I left the SNES on all night and was going to pick it back up in the morning. My mom was helping me make my bed, and I asked her to be careful to not kick the SNES so it wouldn't reset (it was sort of wonky and if you barely tapped the console it would reset), and my mom said she would be careful. Two seconds later she threw the pillow off my bed and it landed on the SNES. I was mortified and turned it back on, only to find that it had corrupted my save and I'd lost it entirely. I wasn't mad or anything, but I was disappointed. Pretty sure this was on a Sunday night or maybe it was Monday morning.
Anyway, I didn't let it deter me and I just restarted the game with a new save. I don't think I spent as much time grinding the second go-round, but I got back to where I was.
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Hey, Boo.
I sort of miss when I was a kid and all the games were low or mid graphics, but in my head (with my imagination) they were so epic and gorgeous.
I feel you on this. It's a thought that's always floating around with me but you said it perfectly. RPGs, even if the graphics is outdated, is never gonna be as fun as they were when we were a kid. It's that whole seeing the world through a child's eyes thing.
Anyway, Boo... I had an epiphany today or a revelation. Pretty much I've been alone at the farm to myself for a couple of days now and I've just had trouble getting right. I think I was so used to routinely gaming day-in-and-day-out and just basically living off coffee and meager dishes I would ask the cook to make me that I felt like puking thinking about it all. So I've been on a kindaof reverse-rehab where I dirty myself a little bit? Kinda like instead of cleaning the inside I've had a beer here and a beer there, and it almost kinda of puts me in this high-meditative mood and of course I excrete or just let everything out... It's weird, lol?
Tbh, I looked at my surrounding today and I've been kindofa living like a fratboy, with beer bottles out front and garbage bags and trash inside. But it's not anything too bad? Anyway, I'm here sitting with a small personal bottle of Emperador (brandy) and I'm mixing it with Coke. It's sooo hot here and I feel like getting a lit'l bit of alky in me + the hothothot heat of the Sun, will help me excrete all the toxins and poisons out of my body. EVERYBODY (aka the house staff/neighbors/friends/delivery people) have been telling me, "Kuya (brother) John, you've been losing a lot of weight..." so I've been getting excited. I haven't really been doing anything out of the ordinary just staying up more now that my depression doesn't have me lying in bed for 3 days at a time..
I haven't picked up where I left off on Chrono Trigger at all but I'm gonna put all my new games aside and just concentrate on one RPG, so I'll probably play for an hour or so later. Prob gonna farm the Ruby items. It'll be kinda funny playing thru CT inebriated. Now that I'm an Adult.
Anyway It's like close to 3 P.M. here in the Phils and I'm gonna roast in the Sun and just drink my fill... then, I'll go inside and enjoy the wonder of Chrono Trigger later tonight. It's fun just forgetting about my responsibilities for a little bit.
Oh, the dog. She only had one tuta (puppy) but unfortunately it didn't make it I saw when she gave birth to it and it looked pre-mature and lo and behold it had trouble breathing, the kids on the farm don't seem to care they treat dogs like they would a chicken or a horse and they're like kuya John don't worry about it it's just an animal. Tbh, I'm trying not to get so emotionally attached to this dog like I did my first German-Shepherd but she has me in her visor grip it's hard not to feel her presence when I go to sleep at night and she's on the floor and stuff. Yeah, the pupster didn't make it but Karla is 6 going on 7 years old so she's pretty old, I think---And it's hard to not let the dogs go at it when they're in heat I literally have to tie the other dog up for the whole time maybe months and he goes directly to the other dog. Oh, well. I keep thinking about how in the US we spay and neuter our animals but here all the vets closed since Corona (go fig) so I just let the dogs do what they want. Karla herself is okay though. :)
I'm trying to go in super stone cold farmer mode where animals birth and die on the farm but it's so hard sometimes. LOL I was really close to my previous dog and I get super sentimental sometimes. Oh well.
This's happened before where puppies don't make it sometimes. I'm actually gonna try to not let the dogs go at it again cause I'm afraid for the mother. I might post again later cause I'm in the mood!
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Hey, BuBu
The dog is fine no worries she's just a little lonesome but she gets like that when separated from her puppies. All's good. So just wanted to update you on my spinner binge today before the Error hits me (if it does I'll just leave my post here qnd hit reply at 11:30 P.M.) so, pretty much with me I've just been cooped up, holed up in my room doing my God only knows why console RPG otaku thing... I went out into the sunlight today for a little bit of variety and lol. I just wanted to let you know getting through Trigger's pretty hard for me just because it's like THE JRPG of JRPGs we all played it when we were kids and it's just an epic feat. I might go to 65,000,000,000 B.C. tonight and check it out.
With me too my whole body's just been aching and stiff and I've tried everything sometimes I think it's my neck but pretty much what helps the most is not going to sleep so I'm gonna try that again plus this house was built by a small (size/stature) person with everything really low to the ground. Philipinos here are like the Japanese/Korean and they eat and sleep on the floor, so I've been trying to get a lot of the "down" energy & feng shui out now that I live here and it's my house. I like feeling up. #stayup Um, anyways that's neither here nor there. The only other problem I have is my annoying aunt I've been seeing her in my Mind's eye and with the booze and everything today I'm just totally blank and relaxed... lol.
So I managed to get through the boring afternoon and made my face shown in society by going to the store and stuff. LOL I'm back in my comfort zone. I realize I feel so uncomfortable if I don't watch an episode of Survivor each day. So ,yeah. I was kinda hoping we could telecommunicate like Illusion of Gaia HAHA in Dragon Warrior they talk about ESP and call it "Ghost-Speak" lololol. Anyway that's where my head's at hope to talk to ya soon
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Holy shit! I just came back to Chrono Trigger after a few days and boy, does it bring back memories. It really is a trip playing this (CT) and going to a modern day game and comparing the graphics and everything to how we grew up and the games we had. It’s a trip, man!
I’m trippin’ out over Lucca’s helmet I keep on catching it and it makes her face look funny out of the corner of my eye I always thought it was like the visor thingy they use in Dragonball Z to tell power level.
I actually had left off just gotten whirlwinded up out of Denadoro Mountains so I had to go see Frog (I have actually always hated those stupid Cursed Woods and the flock of enemies that’s there. I always hated fighting them so I’d run and zig-zag through. What’s up with the Nu that’s there that you can chase and talk to?) again, go to see Melchior, and& now I’m finally at Mystic Mountain looking for the red rock. Ayla and this era has always been my favorite maybe why I love Survivor? People in rags, the simple way each communicate and I always thought it was interesting Ayla has no magic and magic was discovered or invented.
Edit(1): Oh my God, Boo I surely didn't want to quadruple post!
Harvest Moon is an evil little game. I just realized if you don't do any housework of course you're gonna be able to build a farm and your Field of Dreams. I just thought it was funny for a lifesim you don't have to do any housecleaning and the main farmerboy just plops into bed and wakes up in his overalls! So I woke up from my little binger,--It was so well-needed. I think I was just stressed out from doing my console RPG otaku thing and locking myself up in my room, you really do get stressed and all sorts of thought flood into your head but a little alky kindaof got rid of it! No more bad thoughts! #noworries I was looking up stuff on the Prisoner's Lifestyle and I came across "goshiwon"; it's like in Korea how they have super small, teeny-tiny apartments where students live for super cheap like $300/a month American. It kinda emulates the prisoner's life that I'm looking for when I'm doing my projects.
I remember I was in that Gaijinworks discord and they said they didn't want a "play by play" of my life. But I just wanted to thank you all for giving me a space to express my thoughts, I think it's better than writing in a private journal and keeping it to myself. It's like my Pandora's box is open!!! =P
I went back to my OCD Methhead overlycleaning bit and did my room and the whole house and even the front patio where I smoke, took care of the dogs's needs cleaned their bowls et cetra. It feels so good having a clean house "Cleanliness is next to Godliness" and I'm a- celebrate by having a few beers and playing games!!! I made veggie tikka masala and I've been eating that with rice it's one of the few cheap collegedays foods I remember helping me get by. Let me tell you-the housework-and being a single guy... I never realized. And after that I HAVE to do self-care, which you brought up, I have like clogged pores ever since highschool called sebum I dunno if everybody has it I think? So I do that and my basic routine is just washing-cleansing my face with Witch's Hazel which you can get from Walgreens. If I have time I have a whole routine with micellar water and toner, etc. But I think my face doesn't need all that. Oh, man!! I just wanted to tell you all that Boo---Like I look forward to getting projects done and coming on here to tell you all. :)
Hope everything's going good with you.
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Hey hey hey! Happy Monday!
EVERYBODY (aka the house staff/neighbors/friends/delivery people) have been telling me, "Kuya (brother) John, you've been losing a lot of weight..." so I've been getting excited. I haven't really been doing anything out of the ordinary just staying up more now that my depression doesn't have me lying in bed for 3 days at a time..
Glad you're keeping healthy, buddy. Mind, soul, and body all in equal parts. Keep losing that weight and getting fit, homeboy. Make that body last a long time, as it's the only one we get!
Oh, the dog. She only had one tuta (puppy) but unfortunately it didn't make it
Damn, dude, sorry to hear that. Animals become part of our family, and there's nothing wrong with getting attached. Dogs, in particular, love humans - and they usually love us unconditionally - so it's only natural we do the same. Sure, they're just animals... but they're also capable of feelings, even if they are simpler than what we humans experience. I dunno, every dog or cat I've ever had has been part of the family. We had one cat, in particular, named Willa and I still think about her and miss her to this day, and it's been probably 6 or 7 years since she passed.
I remember I was in that Gaijinworks discord and they said they didn't want a "play by play" of my life. But I just wanted to thank you all for giving me a space to express my thoughts, I think it's better than writing in a private journal and keeping it to myself. It's like my Pandora's box is open!!! =P
Not gonna lie, it sort of sounds like Gaijinworks fan's are assholes. It seems to attract a lot of bitter types, from the sound of things.
As for Chrono Trigger...
I actually had left off just gotten whirlwinded up out of Denadoro Mountains so I had to go see Frog (I have actually always hated those stupid Cursed Woods and the flock of enemies that’s there. I always hated fighting them so I’d run and zig-zag through.
ME TOO. And it's really hard to avoid the enemies in that little section.
What’s up with the Nu that’s there that you can chase and talk to?
I don't think there's a purpose... unlike the Nu in the Hunting Grounds. Actually, you can use him to farm TP and learn techs. I went back and did that so that everyone knows up to their level 2 elemental tech (Lightning 2, Water 2, Fire 2). I haven't beat Magus' Castle yet, but I'm going to go with Crono, Frog, and Robo.
I've always liked Robo because his Laser Spin is decent magic that hits all enemies, he has healing spells, and his physical attacks are pretty solid. He's a very well-rounded character outside of double/trip techs.
Who are your favorite party members in the game?
When not in Magus' Castle (where Frog is mandatory) I'm usually Crono, Magus, and Robo. Sometimes I swap Robo out with Ayla. I love Magus, although I do miss having as many double and triple tech options when he's in the party. When Crono dies, I usually make him leader of the party (and in the first position), and then once Crono comes back I drop him into the third position.
Keep up the projects and keep taking care of yourself!!!
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Hello, Boo.
Well, when my first German-Shepherd died and I told my friends I got such a frosty reception w/responses like “It’s not like you lost your father!” and similar replies how it’s not the same thing as losing a loved one that’s a human being. It didn’t really sit well w/me and I broke off those relationships. The Gaijinworks fans loved to tell me that I would never be a natural born English speaker so maybe I just ‘didn’t get it’—it was one of those Facebook-ish moments when people try to say “Condolence” and I never understood it. It was genuinely the first time I felt sad in my life, followed by being fired from my first job which happened back-to-back and I do sometimes feel Conan’s presence and sometimes I call my German-Shepherd now by his name cause they both look the same.
Uhhhh… I still genuinely love Working Designs and live in those Golden Years where it was king, but a lot of love is lost whenever I go online and meet fans. I don’t have any other way of expressing it but the fans were very all-American, golden boy “white boys”—they talked about front yard work, ‘Merikka & white pick-ups trucks. You go into their Discord, which they know isn’t public, and they no. 1 make fun of Asians soo much. They would on a daily basis say “Asians are small” and I would just be kinda there and they had this attitude that all minorities have to be oppressed. I also had a stalking scare where one of them called the police station all the way out here in The Philippines and I have boundaries and just blocked all of them. Maybe it’s because I know their secret and they’re projecting onto me their heinous insecurities. shrug
Ok, so Chrono Trigger I made it out of the Forest Maze. Right now, I like Crono, Ayla, Robo. I started to not like Marle and by association Lucca I’ve been using them for awhile Marle for her healing but their attack is so weak and Robo has futuristic healing anyways. Funny story, I actually hated Magus as a kid and during that moment where Frog fights Magus I actually chose to kill Magus lol. Whenever I tell this the fans is like nooo John please don’t -just let him join you. Haha
I’ll- I have an idea of where my project is going basc. I’m in that SNES, PS1 RPG era and I was thinking about downloading Grandia III on PS3. I have Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth of PS4 which I have to finish and I can keep that trend going.
For PS3 I’m juggling-
Catherine
Beyond: Two Souls
ICO/SotC
Nier
PS4-
Little Dragons Café
Moonlighter
Yakuza 0 picking up trophies
Basically I’m continuing the SNES+PS1 RPG train while playing other games here and there. I’ll try to get another post up
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Hey, Boo!
I just beat Nizbel, so I’m like a step behind you right now I think. I had to switch in Marle for Aura Whirl as I didn’t grind tech points with the Nu at the Hunting Range so Robo didn’t have his all-curing ability but it’s fine. I’m starting to get kinda bored with using Marle and Lucca LOL. Marle is useful for Aura Whirl but I think Robo has a better single tech? It really takes me back to that placid childhood dreamy-like state I was in I haven’t played CT in a minute the graphics is still pretty @_@Whoa to me and I think it’s hilarious whenever you dance and Crono just chooses to spin around LOL. The slowness of the battles isn’t getting to me it’s almost kinda nice and relaxing in Wait mode I’m just worried for when you have to come back and fight that huge dinosaur or the Ocean Palace cause there’s a gangwad of enemies IIRC. ^_^;V lol
So I’ve decided to say bye to my PS3 for now since the console itself is like 18 years old. Yeah I could get back old trophies from a previous PSN or play the exclusives like Nier, 3D Dot Game Heroes, Folklore but I decided to just focus on PS4 gaming. ….. I was also thinking about my Switch which I haven’t been using but this frees up some space so to speak for other games. I’m solely gonna do Chrono Trigger on PS3 for our Let’s Play! :)
I’ve been kinda getting into Dragon Quest Builders - it’s my first try at building games or whateverz they’re called. I was hesitant to try Minecraft and Stardew Valley cause they seem like the mecca or their realm or genre but I might at some point. I picked up Life Is Strange, forgot about Sleeping Dogs, Horizon & MGSV is coming in soon too. I used to be pretty good at the Metal Gear Solid games way back when on PS2 and I kinda wanna see where the franchise ended up. I saw there’s a horrible survival game! - LOL
Moonlighter is kinda cool I’ve been learning about pixelart or cozy games - I dunno, as long as the game’s fun I’ll try it I’ve been keeping my eye on Coffee Talk and Potion Permit doe
So everything’s good in the hood. The last few nights I’ve been kinda zonked out on my bed but today I got like a spurt of energy and started burning everything! - lol I’m just kidding but I’ve been trying to get in these moods where I try to figure out how I’m really feeling, is my mental health cool? It’s kinda boring since I’m not doing anything but I notice the next day I feel really good my Dad is always like “Observe yourself.” LOL. I don’t really do that since I’m always busy all the time but in Survivor, yoga is a huge thing with the people since there’s no weights on the island and you kinda use your body weight and I sometimes get melancholy and drift off into maybe nostalgic reminiscing while I have a smoke, re-hydrate with tons of ice water, do calisthenics sit-ups and push-ups and I’ve been doing just regular stretches and even Downward-Facing Dog. - I rem. I took swimming & yoga in college and lost tons of weight.
I know you run and I’m getting in the mood to go back to it but my left knee is a little wonky cause I was like 350 lbs. before running on it. I do walking after every meal so I’m not being a lazy and the heat here really helps with targeting fat loss. I talk up my dogs and we kinda run around and play they love barking at the gate even though there’s no mailman. The heat is super magical it you can really literally feel it on your skin it kinda makes you feel like a human walking on this earth. I’ve come a long way with the weightloss and I’m concentrating on the vanity weight like the extra pudge we carry just to make my life more comfortable.
So yeah everything’s going great. I’ve stuck to my medication and I’m not sleepy at all (it’s for sleep!) so I might burn the midnight coil tonight just ruminating on lifes. …… I’ll see you when I see you!!! =p
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Uhhhh… I still genuinely love Working Designs and live in those Golden Years where it was king, but a lot of love is lost whenever I go online and meet fans.
I hate to cast judgment, but it sounds like those guys are losers. They're all probably our age (or older) and have shitty lives, so they project their insecurities on others and act out in what sounds like it flat-out racism. Fuck them. I have no room for people like that in my life, so you're better off not even hanging out on those forums or on their Discord.
I'm sort of at this point recently where I'm just fed-up with bullshit. A lot of people suck and if they do, I just don't have the energy of patience for them. I'll stick with the people are decent folk, and by my definition, are cool as fuck.
So I’ve decided to say bye to my PS3 for now since the console itself is like 18 years old.
RIP, sweet prince. I put mine in storage quite some time ago. I remember when it came out and MGS4 was one of the earlier titles (or may have even been one of the launch titles). My how things have changed!
Basically I’m continuing the SNES+PS1 RPG train while playing other games here and there.
I really haven't played any video games since last week. I've been slammed with work responsibilities. I am really starting to think that this Chrono Trigger playthrough may be my last gaming experience for a while. I'm not going to consciously just give up video games as a rule; and when my life slows down, I may pick them back up, but for this phase of my life, it's just not a priority. Maybe in ten years or something I'll have a bit more time...
...I say that, but with FF7Rebirth around the corner, I'm salivating at the thought of that game's release. Between that and Dragon's Dogma II, the very idea of giving gaming up is not one I cherish, haha...I dunno. Just don't be mad at me if I'm really slow getting through Chrono Trigger. My priorities are all over the place sometimes and today is one of those days I'm spent.
Moonlighter is kinda cool I’ve been learning about pixelart or cozy games - I dunno, as long as the game’s fun I’ll try it I’ve been keeping my eye on Coffee Talk and Potion Permit doe
I've bought this game and haven't played it yet. I have a soft part for pixel art. Kingdom / Kingdom Two Crowns are two of my favorites. The gameplay, the graphics, and the soundtracks are AMAZING. Check them out. They're super frustrating at times, but I love the heck out of them.
Anyway, today is the Super Bowl. I'm going to get shitfaced and stuff myself full of horrible food. Go, Chiefs!
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Gaijinworks “bros”: I’d rather not be that person but you said pretty much what I was thinking, about them. I think they HAIL Working Designs for this length of time and were really hoping something was gonna come out of Victor Ireland’s new company, and I think they were butthurt that lo and behold he disappeared again. They kinda seem like live in the basement with a crazy uncle & a buncha cats types. shudder Tbh, I think me and them were worlds apart in terms of upbringing and state of life now—you know ,I’m kinda happy-go-lucky not a care in the world type and I find RPGs enrich and add something to my lifes and they seem super collecting serious and their life is about re-selling these super old games. I-It was weird! I’d honestly rather not talk about that “thing” in the basement…
Well I’ve gone back and forth on the PS3 I still fire it up to beat some old titles. Lols In order to save money I’m gonna refrain from buying a PS5, and stick to in and around PS4. I dunno if I’ve mentioned it but I don’t do pay-to-play at all and I don’t go on Steam: 1) bec I am not a PC person at all, 2) I like the sticks in my hands, and I’d rather not dl games onto my computer. I try to get physical if I can (I do sometimes think about re-sell value in the future, not gonna lie if I wanna just sell some games shrug) Philippines is super poor LOL and if I can help small video game businesses to boost the economy or get things going why not.
Boo, it’s alright I know I talk abt. my “console RPG otaku”-locking myself in my room gaming 24/7 thing but honestly right now I’M TAKING A BREAK FROM IT ALL. I haven’t picked up CT in a few days because I’ve been working on my self-care my medication has me feeling super AMAZIN’ and after waking up I take a walk and get exercise in and most of the time awake I spend watching streaming Survivor. I bought a few games recently triple AAA titles is a thing? like Horizon Zero Dawn I see it all everywhere and I got MGSV: Definitive Experience my friends know I’m an RPG whore but when I take breaks I practice on Metal Gear Solid it’s that quirky Kojima humor that I don’t make fun of and doesn’t bother me. He’s like doing his own thing now away from Konami with his new Kojima Studios and Death Stranding right? One of my former friends bonded we met in a mall parking lot one time and he let me borrow MGS4 and his PS3 like a drug deal? I still don’t know why he did that?
Yeah I wanna play Rebirth too but alas it’s on PS5 and I wanna kinda platinum the first FFVII Remake. I’m swamped w/new games and it kinda overwhelmed me so I took a step back mostly now when I wake up I pop in Harvest Moon just to kinda f around Little Dragons Café is hilarious and reminds me of working at Chipotle+WingStop and for some reason I’m playing Life is Strange and I’m finding it just eh It’s half in between an RPG with no monster encounters but not really quit a Visual novel shrug
Tbh, I know this’s contradictory but I just wanna concentrate on PS3 like my Catherine trophies, ICO+SotC, I really enjoyed the Deadrising with Chuck not the fat guy, and I have a couple VNs I wanna delve into and see if I even really like VN. It takes like an hour of hitting action and reading to complete like one chapter and I’m like eh Nothing on PS4 has really grabbed me besides Dragon Quest 11, FFVIIR & Harvest Moon shrug we’ll see
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I dunno if I’ve mentioned it but I don’t do pay-to-play at all
Me either. Gatcha games and their ilk suck. During covid I got really pulled into Final Fantasy: Brave Exvius - War of the Visions. The storyline was solid, but the gatcha elements were HORRIBLE. I spent some money on it, but ultimately recognized that I wasn't even really having fun.
and I don’t go on Steam: 1) bec I am not a PC person at all, 2) I like the sticks in my hands, and I’d rather not dl games onto my computer.
I buy some physical, especially for the Switch, as I know Nintendo tends to not make many physical copies of most of their games. But since that's the only console I own (although I was gifted an Xbox S last year -- it's digital only), I mostly do Steam and PC gaming. Plus, I love the modding scene, and you can really only do that on PC. But there are downsides to Steam games -- they're the same price, plus you never truly own the games. If Steam went bottom up tomorrow, I would literally be SOL around the thousands of dollars in games I've bought over the past fifteen years or so.
I try to get physical if I can (I do sometimes think about re-sell value in the future, not gonna lie if I wanna just sell some games shrug) Philippines is super poor LOL and if I can help small video game businesses to boost the economy or get things going why not.
I love it.
Boo, it’s alright I know I talk abt. my “console RPG otaku”-locking myself in my room gaming 24/7 thing but honestly right now I’M TAKING A BREAK FROM IT ALL. I haven’t picked up CT in a few days because I’ve been working on my self-care my medication has me feeling super AMAZIN’ and after waking up I take a walk and get exercise in and most of the time awake I spend watching streaming Survivor.
No worries, man. I played a little bit but not much. I'm in Tyrano Lair still. This is such an epic part of the game, and where it really starts to gain momentum. Well, really it started with Magus' Castle and that epic battle. I think I'm going to do a strong push next week to really get through Chrono Trigger, and then I'm done with video games for a while. I really do think this is it for me.
I bought a few games recently triple AAA titles is a thing? like Horizon Zero Dawn I see it all everywhere and I got MGSV: Definitive Experience my friends know I’m an RPG whore but when I take breaks I practice on Metal Gear Solid it’s that quirky Kojima humor that I don’t make fun of and doesn’t bother me.
I played Horizon Zero Dawn and did really enjoy it. It wasn't a 10/10, but there was a lot I liked about it. I can't remember if I platinum'd it or not, but I know I came close. I haven't played the second one yet, seeing as how it's not on PC yet. I played the first three MGS games but never played the last few.
Anyway, hang in there, man. Keep investing in yourself and working on your body, mind, and soul. Glad you're in a good place.
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Aw, thank you, Boo. You know I really look forward coming here to post you’re a really nice guy (kinda like me) and after I’ve seen the kids on various Discord servers and Tik Tok & such you don’t really meet too too many uh “normal” people like us anymore, I’m not saying shit trending now or Gen Z is “ab-“normal I just miss the guys from the days of yore shitting around just talking about RPGs. But I digress.
So, Chrono Trigger,—I popped it in today and did storypoints I brought the Dreamstone and broken Masamune to Melchior, then brought the sword to Frog and opened up the Magic Cave. This area particularily brought back tons of memories cause as a kid I had such a hard time figuring out how to get Frog to join me (this’s way before I touched a faq) and I didn’t know you could go into that 2nd mountain range after giving him the sword back so I kept going to Denadoro Mountains confused me cause it was also in his flashback. I stopped there for now. …..
I was just thinking about wow, these’re the Japanese RPGs I played as a kid long before I ever even knew they were from Japan. I don’t think CT has aged badly and I kinda like how it’s slower in battle this version cause I like to drink coffee when I’m gaming so I can get a slurp or glug of caffeine in. I think I’m gonna go back to the Hunting Range Nu to farm tech points especially with Robo for his al-cure move cause I don’t want to lose to Slash, Flea and Ozzie. I really don’t wanna use Marle and Lucca and sad times Ayla’s back in Prehistoric. So that’s my thoughts so far!
I’ve been kinda having to sneak game time in lately because—I’M- A JUST BE HONEST. My body is not in the best shape right now :groan: I am pretty much normal body size as a average American we’re a little bigger than most so I have maybe 30 lbs. of vanity weight I’m targeting. I’m losing fat at a REALLY, really slow pace cause I’ve seen horror videos online of YouTubers documenting their fat loss and they go at it so hard and so fast that they have a lot of loose skin leftover cause they didn’t give their body enough time for the skin to stretch back cause it is elastic right? I’ve been so cognizant of that during my #weightlossjourney people think I’m not going hard enough but I’m playing smart.
Ok, so imagine I got most of the weight off now I’m trying to restore flexibility and mobility to my body now that I can actually move it around and get stretches in. #sedentary My problem point is probably my neck I tended to hunch over when my fat was in my stomach and man boobs sometimes I feel there’s always a crick in my neck that takes me all day to finally be able to reach. Now I’m targeting my shoulder blades, not quite so neck afterall so I thought and mainly my upper back & shoulders. It’s mainly the picking yourself up move I’m having trouble with like your arms pushing up picking up your own body. As a big guy I have a hard time finding tall enough things to lean on so I’ve been using my windowsills and the back of my bedhead and just leaning on it backwards and forwards. I try to get other stretches in but it’s mainly that for me. :/
Oh, I’m probably just gonna stick to physical console gaming. Now that I’m alone I scared as hell of falling into some type of hole and trying to save money here-and-there. I’m afraid of making one bad decision. :rabbit:
So here’s my plan. PS5 constantly hovering around. PS4 Pro I spent bank on so I think it’ll work for awhile but same time don’t want to push it. I am kinda enamored with the guys on YouTube that do gaming on the PS3 in 2024 replacing a PS3 is really cheap for me and there’s still a ton of good games for it/RPGs I have to finish like Nier I wanna play in release order, have to finish up Atelier, and tbh I kinda wanna “double-up” / stacking my trophies? like if it’s for PS3 and PS4 I wouldn’t mind getting both versions… I realize I have a lot of time on my hands and I mainly focus on gaming anyways (No T.V. 42 minute per episode, I realize I’m just not into music but I do like OSTs, 3 hour movies are too long) I literally focus on gaming time. I’m about done w/Catherine, and I’m mainly focused on the games that’re supposed to be rare, collectible and good Lollipop Chainsaw I heard is getting a remake. I mentioned wanting to do Deadrising 2 again and Red Dead Redemption, Last of Us. …..
I mentioned before the PS4 kinda excites me too much and I get a little scared. I like being understimulated so I still enjoy gaming. I have to finish up ICO/Shadow of the Colossus for PS3 before trying it again for PS4. The overstimulation kinda was what got me in trouble before I started to feel bored/tired.
I was listening to what you said about depression sneaking in sometimes and I think I kinda get that too there are days where I don’t want to get up and I hear CT’s music in my head and I get really creeped out by it. It’s usually the Middle Ages world map theme and the sealed box chime. I think to myself, …..why do I feel like this
I just wanted to tell you that I’m starting to feel more emotional lately. Games don’t really make me cry but when there’s a emotional moment when I watch Survivor I start to tear up now which I’ve never done before. As a teenager I went through life with such stoicism like school I treated like a game I never bothered with social connections, I just got the work done to start work and college. Even work I treated like a challenge and I put my all into it but when I got fired the first time I kinda just didn’t care. Sometimes I put on this hero façade where I strongly lean into just… myself and I know I can get it done if I have just me. But I guess getting to know others and making allies is part of the game too.
Ok, I babbled-rambled way too much. Take it easy, bro! (I guess this means we’re not playing Chrono Cross: Radical Dreams version next huh? =P)
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Hey, Boo. Just a short update don't worry! laffin'
I beat or re-beat Catherine to get my trophies back (I changed PSN accts.) it's a pretty good puzzle game with anime sequences-storyline that I greatly enjoyed the artwork was nice and so was the voice acting. I have a thing for all the localization companies in the West Coast sometimes I think they come to San Francisco and notice all the people for "inspiration" or motivation!
In Chrono Trigger, I am copying what you said w/the Nu at the Hunting Range and farming tech pts. I remember Magus gives me trouble sometimes esp. after/when he summons Lavos.
As for non-RPGs a.k.a. my self-care I have been listening to a lot of the Survivor soundtrack which's mostly just instrumentals or orchestrals done by the local indigenous tribes in ea. of the countries they visit. I lit. just watch the opening sequences on YouTube where they have a picture of each contestant and background music & sometimes I get a little teary-eyed. Survivor's been in my life since early, early highschool and it's still going on! I guess I'm surprised I love Survivor so much. They do 2 seasons a/per year so it almost timelines my life and I recollect memories and feelings as I hear the music and see all the characters, again.
I am doing a Prisoner's workout in my room. Basc. I do sets of 16 push-ups, then I take a break. Prisoners kinda only do upper body but I do core exercises like sit-ups on my bed, then I take a break. Inmates have nothing to do but workout, eat a really basic meal 3x a day and they get a lot of sleep in. I do go out and walk but I don't have time for like an hour hike but just to get blood flowing to my legs bec I always think of how sedentary I am gaming. I mostly graze all day on snacks but I do drink a lot of coffee but a TON of water. My motivation, work ethic and desire seem to be a bit more balanced now, I'm enjoying gaming (each trophy is like a dopamine hit) and I do occassionally show my face at our market area more and it feels kinda good? I dunno if it's bec ppl see me.
Still gaming, still watching Survivor & still enjoying lifes! Hope you're feeling good these days man! *ciao*
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Hey man,
Sorry for the gap in responses the past few weeks -- things have just been ramping up and I haven't had much downtime for gaming. My brother-in-laws did convince me to pick up Helldivers 2, which I have played with them a smidge (like 4 hours since it came out, and almost all of it was in one gaming session this weekend). I admit... I don't love the game, as I don't like games that require you to do missions and grind for all the things (i.e. skins or new weapons). It's a bit much and leads to FOMO, and I don't have time for that shit. But I love my BILs, and it's a good social outlet with them, so I'm staying plugged in at least a little bit.
I haven't even touched Chrono Trigger the past week or so, but on that topic...
In Chrono Trigger, I am copying what you said w/the Nu at the Hunting Range and farming tech pts. I remember Magus gives me trouble sometimes esp. after/when he summons Lavos.
If you get Crono and company to roughly Lightning 2 (5th tier), you'll have a much easier time. I remember one time even getting all of the parties techs at this point, and I stomped Magus' ass with Luminaire and Confuse. The only bad part when I did that was that the party members I did not level with TP were still back back on their third of fourth tech, haha... Plus, those high level skills take up a lot of MP and at this point you only have a Silver Stud to help reduce spell costs.
Fun fact -- Magus has 6666 hp during the battle.
I beat or re-beat Catherine to get my trophies back
Was this Catherine or the re-release that had the additional scenarios? I wanted to play the game but never have. It's sort of a visual novel with some puzzel levels scattered about, right? Tell me about the game -- what'd you think of it? What did you like/dislike about it?
In Chrono Trigger, I am copying what you said w/the Nu at the Hunting Range and farming tech pts. I remember Magus gives me trouble sometimes esp. after/when he summons Lavos.
Ok, so imagine I got most of the weight off now I’m trying to restore flexibility and mobility to my body now that I can actually move it around and get stretches in. #sedentary My problem point is probably my neck I tended to hunch over when my fat was in my stomach and man boobs sometimes I feel there’s always a crick in my neck that takes me all day to finally be able to reach.
Glad you're still on the journey of self-care, my friend! It's always a very long journey, and it's taxing and exhausting and comes with a lot of sacrifice. Doing the yoga and focusing on flexibility will help.
At this point I'm almost addicted to the "runner's high" from when I go running. I still run about every other day and do 4 to 5 miles each time. Those endorphins and serotonin and all the good chemicals help me keep my mood stabilized and keeps me sane. It takes a while to build up to it, but running may be a good option for you -- it also helped with my posture (more on that in a minute).
I used an app called C25k which stands for "Couch to 5k" and it starts out off as someone who has never run a day in your life up to being able to run 5k (a little over 3 miles) in 9 or 10 weeks. I can't recommend it enough if you decide you want to start doing some jogging/running. I've recommended it to others and just about anyone who sticks with it loves it -- even if they had to repeat some weeks. I know I had to repeat a few weeks when I was still building up my endurance and didn't think I could keep pressing upward.
Regarding the posture and pain -- sitting and playing video games can actually do horrible things to your neck/back. Even gaming chairs aren't really as great as they make it out to be. It's because often when we game we're not keeping our back straight and we're often looking down a little. Something to be mindful of, because it can get worse the older you get. I would think the yoga would help here, though. I know I like to go against a flat wall and just make my spine and neck straight -- make it so the back of your feet, your butt, your shoulders, and the back of your head are all touching the wall. It can be be awkward and comfortable, but that's ultimately what our posture *should* be in a perfect world. It helps me, anyway, so something that may or may not be useful to you.
Anyway, hope you're well buddy. Sorry my response time has been nuts - I'll try to do better this week.
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Hey, Boo-monster just a medium update on my lifes tonight.
Oh, that story reminds me of when two of my childhood friends roomed together and we went over and they were playing Gears of War like some co-op FPS and they were ogling the dudes bulges and saying the HD graphics make them jiggle so lifelike now. It was very weird, I didn’t know if they had smoked some good stuff before we came over but yeah I’m not into those types of games at all either there was one I liked I think it was Left 4 Dead that had a witch enemy that would pop out of nowhere like Nemesis and you had to kill her. That was fun.
Oh, Catherine is like mainly a puzzle game where you move around boxes and you have to climb this tower each night and in between are story segments with your girlfriend and your buddies at a bar and you can minx and mingle with the other patrons and help them with a mysterious affliction affecting young men and their dreams at night that sometimes leads to death. It’s mainly you the main character in this love triangle with another girl you met at the bar which’s the game’s namesake. I mainly liked it cause I enjoyed the story I played on easy so I could just watch the scenes right after the other and it kinda had this overtone of guys in their 30s confused about where to head to in life like do they like their job?, are they finding romantic interests in their kinda bumtown city?, most of the MC’s buddies are childhood friends so it’s this undertone of escaping your hometown life and finding true freedom on your own. My favorite part was the girlfriend she seems really responsible, I liked her voice, she’s the type of person that just knows how to manage relationships in life and can kinda read a person like a book or by slight nuance she was my favorite part. My least favorite part was it seemed like the last boss had 9 lives like the game tells you it’s almost over but you have to climb the tower sommore. 🤷🏼 It only took me 12 hours to beat and it has diff modes and stuff. You might like it! There’s a trick to the blocks and once you figure it out it makes the puzzles a cinch to climb if you’re frenzy.
I’m still farming the Nu rn I got finished with Robo and I thought if I don’t do Lucca I’ll never do Marle. I just kinda wanna breeze by Magus’s…
Dude!!! Self-care has been a journey but a triumphant one! So I dunno what it is here in The Philippines but I think it has a lot to do with the heat that’s been making me feel like a shriveled up old granny prune. I have been noticing that Asian culture has a lot of small rooms with furniture low-to-the-floor and I felt so confined within the walls basically. I got a upper back/shoulder blade back support brace and it’s helped me sorta pull my body up and open my chest up and out. I dunno how my wings got clipped. I do notice a “down” energy here I dunno if it’s bec people prefer the floor but I’m very #up and I like putting things up like on shelfs. I’ve been using the windowsills as something to lean on like I said and the back of my bedhead I’ve been using to support my weight. Boo it’s so scary what a physical change one’s body goes through during weightloss I went to turn to the side a little bit and nearly hit the ground with a stroke I can’t believe I’ve lost so much flexibility and mobility and I haven’t noticed is the thing!!! Tbh, I have been gaming hella much in a super small low to the floor chair and was just being irresponsible with how sedentary I was being. At the same time I have lost weight though others have told me so maybe that’s why I didn’t notice.
I’ve gone back to doing one-meal-a-day mostly because it makes me feel good I feel so disgusted with food but I’ve never liked eating ever since I was a kid I just wait to eat dinner and late at night I might graze on a few nibbly snacks and a little caffeine, and TONS of water. I have kinda felt like a turtle hiding in it’s shell and I’ve finally pulled my head out of my ass. After this post, I’m gonna do more physical activity—-tbh Survivor’s really helped I pop on a episode and put my backbrace on and I do stretches on my bed which’s a little more elevated. It’s helped so much the past few days I almost want to cry at how happy I’m feeling both physically and mentally—I’m just enjoying myself more and having fun. I hate to be like physicality is everything but idk it’s all I’m feeling rn.
I got the huge cricks out my neck. I crack my body a lot. I don’t know if you do. I’m just gonna keep doing the push-ups and sit-ups, and with a lot of stretching prob some more yoga. I - It was getting to the point where it was affecting my thinking my physical ailing but it was mainly the upper back brace and shoulder blade support that helped me out back there. I dunno if I have Alice in Wonderland syndrome and don’t know I really am such a big guy or ??? Tbh I’d hate to say it but maybe it was whoever built the house and all the “down” energy I feel from furniture being so low to the floor. I can’t help but notice that about Asia and Asian culture is everything’s just down. It really sucks when you’re a big guy it’s very confining like wearing a shirt that’s too small.
I’ll try to get another post with my thoughts I dunno if you like the dbl.-posts but I LOVE getting my thoughts out to you, Boo!
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Hiya, Booster! I’ve been craving dying to let slip out another post!
So I just finished all the characters getting their techs to Lightning 2. I might just go wander inside Magus’ now. Tbh, my PS4 Pro has been acting weird I go to turn it on, the light beeps blue and it shuts off. I’m thinking it might be the power cord cause it came with this weird UK switch-plug, I’ve never seen befoe I ordered another one that’s akin to the US power cord. Anyways, so that means I’m mainly focused on Chrono Trigger now!!! It’s such a Godsend cause I put my harness on and I like or prefer being able to face the T.V. and I’m in a sorta mid-sit-up position on my bed and I’m able to stretch my neck or is it head out of my neckhole or chest from-on both sides? I just got doing it now and getting the kinks out of my body feels so just rehabilitating I dunno? Opposite of debilitating?
Yeah usually I like to grind for days in one spot in RPGs and trounce the game but I never knew where to do that in CT.
It makes me think of childhood memories. I’m in a really good place right now mentally I just kinda have fun thoughts that make me chuckle while I watch stuff or something. I might go back to watching Survivor on my PS3 Slim while I have my backbrace on and I can get more of the humours out some more, and take a break and do sit-ups, crunches and push-ups. A lot of my friends when I was in “rehab” we would often work out together at night after dinner’s settled in. We work out mainly doing push-ups and sit-ups then when it was over we hit the shower and nibble on snacks and stuff before lights out. I remember I passed out one time cause I was so out of shape it was so hilarious.
So yeah that’s the plan man!
I attached a photo of the harness so you can get a better idea instead of me TRYING to explain it. Like pulling my shoulders back and opening my chest out. One time I was at work and there was a late shipment and the truck driver had on one of those back support braces that went around his upper hips-stomach cause they say don’t lift with your back and I was drooling wanting to ask him where to get one but I never did!
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I dunno how my wings got clipped.
Some of that's aging, dude! You're getting older! Our bodies aren't what they once were. I know I can't do what I could ten years ago, not without lots of effort, anyway. I used to run a 7:30 mile no sweat, now I'm doing about a 9:00 mile with the same amount of effort. It's just part of life!
I’ve gone back to doing one-meal-a-day mostly because it makes me feel good
Hopefully you're getting some calories outside of that one major meal, though. And drinking lots of water!
I attached a photo of the harness so you can get a better idea instead of me TRYING to explain it
Oh yeah, that's what I figured it was. I almost bought myself one, at one point.
My week was slammed, although I did play some Chrono Trigger this weekend. I actually just got the Epoch from Keeper's Dome, so I am WAY ahead of you. I went to Zeal and then got kicked back out. I may pause for a week or two to let you catch up.
A few random thoughts:
- Can I just say that Giga Gaea (the boss of Mt. Woe) has one of the best designs in the entire game? He looks so cool, and how he comes up out of that giant crater, it's such a cool boss.
- The Mud Imp and the two beasts was always one of the toughest bosses for me. Then I ended up getting elemental arms to keep them at bay, and that always helped a lot. The first time I played the game I was stumped on these guys for probably a week - I just wasn't able to beat them.
- Don't forget to battle ALL the Boulders on Mt. Woe - they're worth A LOT of Tech Points... assuming you can hit them!
Anyway, not much going on in my neck of the woods. The cat brought in a bird and it's still alive, so my kids are trying to nurse it back to health. I don't have the heart to tell them that it probably won't make it -- it probably has some internal injuries. We've tried before and they haven't made it (when she caught other birds).
Hope you're well, buddy!
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One time my old dog brought me a dead bird and left it by the backyard sliding doorstep.. I was just like wtf? I was figuring he thought he was giving me a gift. LOL
It’s weird. I’m like a total Asian nerdboy and I never really cared about having a chiseled body but I was always naturally big and tall and I always relied on that. After said dog died, I quivered, and said ok John, - let’s get in shape, quit weed and get-it-together so I dropped like 30 lbs. which I guess wasn’t that much but I was 150 lbs. I swam and did yoga then when I went to rehab (this like hospital place) the nurses I guess thought I was too skinny and I was diagnosed with Food poisoning I’m guessing they tried to fatten me up and the food there was good so I gained maybe 100 lbs. in 6 months like I looked down had a belly - woomp. I’ve spent this whole time shedding it.
So I just got done doing 5 sets of 20 push-ups and a set of sit-ups. It is all I can do for now til my arms feel like Jell-O. I was doing stretches after and hit a few cricks but it felt and sounded right. I’m just gonna keep doing this everynight. I’m also battling a ailment of some sort just a scratchy throat not really feverish. So I haven’t had time to put into CT.
Here’s my plan doe: I’m waiting for my PS4 Pro’s power cord which I’m hoping is the issue otherwise I’m out a PS4 Pro but I can always tinker with it and see what’s wrong. Survivor I can just watch on my celly I know peoples is like omg John using his PS3 Slim as a DVD player noooz groan. Heh. I just wanna finish up a few more games on it and I’ll be done I’ve researched these: Akiba’s Trip, Deception IV, Lollipop Chainsaw, Puppeteer, Eternal Sonata (I feel you may have heard of this… ?), Resonance of Fate, Nier, Rune Factory: Tides of Destiny, Star Ocean: The Last Hope, the last 2 of the 6 Atelier games for the PS3 and I kinda wanna see if I can do FFXIII-2 and Lightning Returns. Um. PS3 is still really popular here in The Philippines and some dudesters are still on it in 2024 on YouTube so I thought why not…?
3D Dot Game Heroes, Folklore I might try to get. And there’s these two elusive games I dunno you might know about, Boo: rain / Lost in the Rain and The Last Guy.
I’m still doing my Prisoner’s workout thing and one of the keys thing I guess is really not eating too much and just consistently doing push-ups. It makes me feel a little soggy in my tshirt and glistening with sweat but it’s my whole shoulders, upper arms issue that I’m targeting. I watch Survivor and they always show the most awkward shots of people in challenges like struggling and gritting their teeth and that’s how I feel like right now with the pain. It’s like sore too.
Yeah one of my biggest fears is becoming old and feeble / not being able to take care of myself and I’m starting now and trying to be consistent so when I’m say 60 I can still being able to like lift those packs of Costco water bottles or whatever. I look at my parents and they worked really hard at work but they kinda destroyed themselfs come retirement so I kinda wonder if it is totally worth it. Health or wealth?
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Man, I love your plan for all the upcoming games! There's so much out and coming out. I haven't touched video games in over a week, but I'm still chomping at the bit for FF7: Rebirth and Dragon's Dogma 2. I love my family, but I wish I could have a few days to just hike and play video games by myself -- I don't think I've been by myself for more than a day in like seven or eight years. So it goes.
Are you still playing Chrono Trigger once your PS4 gets sorted out? I think that was the console you were playing on. It's okay if it's sort of fallen to the wayside. If you're done, I may just do a push to the finish line and get it done. I still need to go back to Zeal after getting the Epoch and finish out events there... and I can't wait to get Magus!
Akiba’s Trip, Deception IV, Lollipop Chainsaw, Puppeteer, Eternal Sonata (I feel you may have heard of this… ?), Resonance of Fate, Nier, Rune Factory: Tides of Destiny, Star Ocean: The Last Hope, the last 2 of the 6 Atelier games for the PS3 and I kinda wanna see if I can do FFXIII-2 and Lightning Returns.
Out of these games, I know most of them. I actually own Eternal Sonata for both my Xbox360 and the PS3 release (with added content). I never finished it, though. If it's an RPG that came out after like 2008, there's a chance I own it and haven't played it, haha... Once I got married and started having kids, those long games are really not feasible very often. You see firsthand how long it takes me to get through a smaller jRPG like Chrono Trigger or LUNAR 2! I did start the game, though, and the graphics and soundtrack were beautiful. It's sort of macabre story, and I'm really curious how the studio/writer came up with it.
Nier I played it during covid and while it had some frustrating elements, I loved it. Really solid game. The story and soundtrack were both excellent. I played the most recent re-release. Nier Automata is pretty high on my wishlist of games I need to play.
Star Ocean: The Last Hope I tried so hard to get into this game. You know I love the series, but this game just wasn't great. The storyline was mediocre at best, and it leaned really hard into anime obnoxiousness. The version of Welch in this game was by far the worst version of Welch in the entire series.
Speaking of, I did finish Star Ocean: First Departure R late last year. Somewhere around Christmas. I was going to do the optional bonus dungeon after you beat the game, but I got fed up with grinding and called it quits. I feel I got what I needed out of the game.
Did you ever play Skies of Arcadia? It was a Dreamcast jRPG that got ported to the Gamecube, and it's one of my favorite games. It's got a cult following, sort of like the LUNAR series. I WISH this game could get a remake or remaster -- it was awesome.
Alright, man, stay strong and keep on the healthy train. Take care of your mind, body, and spirit.
Talk with you soon!
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As people know, I’m an only child so I’ve been alone a lot and I’ve grown to love it maybe why my psych thinks I’m an introvert.or part of it. Sometimes I think being around people the conversations can be so vapid and I just think it’s a waste of my time and I could be getting work done by myself. My doctor says to have more face-to-face relationships outside of the comfort zone of my family so I’m doing that with the people here on the farm in The Philippines. It’s mostly just whatever but I always listen to doctor’s orders even if I disagree with it or think it’s stupid. el shrugo
Yes! I am still playing Chrono Trigger don’t worry! I dled it onto my PS3 Slim and it was the PS4 Pro that shit the bed so all’s good. I know I’m way behind I just beat Magus and I’m at the Tyrano Lair I plan on playing more tonight cause playing older games really relaxes me and the thoughts I have to myself are really lifes~ and lighthearted, even melancholy and it’s a nice ambiance combined with it being nighttime and I’m trying to release energy… I dunno what that is!
Omg, everyone always axes me if I’ve played Skies of Arcadia and I actually haven’t! tears I went out LOOKING for it ‘pacifically during when I had a Dreamcast and I could only find games like Evolution, Evolution 2 and E.G.G. Everyone always says it’s tehBeSt!1one so I’m in tears whenever it’s brought up to me. I’m always on it though I keep my heel on it’s neck.
So after losing the Pro I get antsy whenever I think of games and what console I’m gonna run back to and back-up & support so I’m taking a chillpill right now and just sticking to CT. My Dad got a driver so I might make it more easier or accessible for me to make it out to the malls and check out the electronic gaming stores, I might just re-buy the Pro. I did manage to have a good time with it for the short time doe. I’m kinda just waiting on the PS5 and I’m looking at older games I dunno why I’m more interested in it’s social commentary. I bussed out my PSP Go and Vita and I might play Lunar: SSH and I do have a Switch I’ve been such a Sony boy my whole time but after losing 2 Sony consoles so far I’m fed up I might make a random strategic decision and defect back to Nintendo which was my childhood and I had such a good time with on the SNES. The only thing deterring me is lack of trophies which I personally love so I don’t know why they don’t do that?
I also have original FF7 on Go and I was scheming at the thought of being able to play it comfortably in secret (no trophies) but apart of me doesn’t want to be lulled or lured back to *that* one game. I’ve gone all these years without having re-played it I think I’m doing good. I was there we were all there when it first came out and I don’t want to lose the magic by approaching the behemoth again.
Tbh, I’m still doing my Prisoner’s workout I do 10-11 sets of push-ups at night (16-20 push-ups=1 set) and I try to get sit-ups in. My mobility and flexibility is essentially back, my upper shoulders don’t hurt anymore and I don’t have annoying-ass cricks in the left side of my neck. The key is either: not eating too much or the consistency of doing it everyday. Inmates don’t get to eat a whole lot and being in a cell for 18 hours a day they have nothing to do but push-ups, sit-ups, running in place… My friends and I would do our workout back in college arnd. nighttime like I remember having dinner just a flat steak nothing else the whole day and going to the college gym/pool. The other friends I met work out at night too. After just shower, relax, nibble on a few snacks. I was thinking I’m always a hero in games but IRL I’m just a dorky, Asian nerdboy so I want it to translate so I’m prob just gon keep this up everynight. Maybe I’m a late-bloomer? It’s also when my energy levels drop at nighttime but after a few sets I’m WIDE AWAKE and I can watch a lit’l more T.V. or maybe get gameplaying in. We do drink a lot of coffee but I dunno coffee is lifes a little bit of caffeine is awesome be up for 5 days. I mostly just watch Survivor and pump myself up in-between breaks.
Ok, Boo I’m still down for CT. ‘True to my word.’
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Hey, Boo—just a slow day at the farm got me to thinking about my old life in the US. I haven’t been keeping up with the news lately so of course I go to Tik Tok lol, I have been hearing stories about everyday Americans’ daily struggle with the economy in mass chaos with inflation/cost of living increasing. I opened up the app to check if it was really true and was bombarded with people ranting and raving about how they can’t afford groceries to feed their family, they can’t afford to go out with their kids anymore, people that can’t find jobs, layoffs… just wondering how you were doing amidst all this or what your take was?
I was kinda just melancholy and thinking about my life. In the 90s after my Mom and I had moved to the US (My Dad had already been there working) I got to see the American Dream myself and how my parents worked hard and I got to see them be able to afford better and better houses and cars. I really thought they had that new immigrant mindset of just working hard, not getting into party culture? they don’t drink or smoke, we never really took any vacations besides weekend road-daytrips to Disneyland or maybe staying in Las Vegas. I was playing CT and it almost kinda seems like the games were better then too. shrug There was a meme I saw of the Home Alone movie where Kevin buys groceries: basic essentials like bread, milk, etc and it costs $19.83 in 1990 and they compare the same groceries to the price we have to pay now and it’s $72.28. :o It just really makes me miss those days when I was a kid and tagging along with my parents going to Blockbuster, going to Safeway and the times really felt almost perfect to me.
Going back to Tik Tok I read a book in High school called Death of a Salesman and it was about this older, overworked gentlemanly father that was struggling really hard set in the late 40s, and it was mostly about how hardworking Americans sometimes don’t achieve that American Dream of finding or landing a nice job/house, dealing with a broke-down old used car, not to mention raising a family and keeping your wife and children happy so in highschool I already had this idea brewing in the back of my head that sometimes the hardest worker doesn’t get ahead and there’s more to the work+life culture that’s more complex like say maybe you have to schmooze your boss over more for a payraise? I kinda kept all that in the back of my head when I finally did start to work and realized what the atmosphere was like there.
I just kinda think about what’s going on there in comparison to what I have here: the farm’s great. How are your chickens by the way? We put up a large fenced area for the chickens and chicks to run around and play in cause there’s just way too many of ‘em it’s definitely a full grown chicken farm now. I don’t have to deal with a lot of stress mostly the biggest problem I have during the day is: “Am I gonna game today?” or, “You know I really don’t know if I should get into the Switch or not since I’m such a Sony boy?” Seriously. I just have God to thank for letting me live a comfortable lifes ; but I do still think about you guys there too and keep y’all’s in my thoughts I would never want to see someone fall out of the struggle which seems to be happeningo a lot more families now. Thing is, I’m not really a politician and a lot of news stories go over my head with the terms they use but I do get the gist of it.
Anyways, just checking in,,, Hope you’re doing good, man! Oh I just beat the Black Tyrano and Lavos crashed did Azala summon him or did he always mean to be “born” in the Prehistoric Ages?
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Hey yooooo!
I have been hearing stories about everyday Americans’ daily struggle with the economy in mass chaos with inflation/cost of living increasing. I opened up the app to check if it was really true and was bombarded with people ranting and raving about how they can’t afford groceries to feed their family, they can’t afford to go out with their kids anymore, people that can’t find jobs, layoffs… just wondering how you were doing amidst all this or what your take was?
All very, very true. I think I referenced some of this earlier in this thread - or it may have been the LUNAR thread late last year. Regardless, it's very much true. In the past two years or so, groceries have increased by probably 35% on average. Every company is trying to raise their costs "because of the economic squeeze" and yet posts record-breaking profits. It's insane.
We're okay and surviving. Luckily, I'm middle-class with a stable job and good earnings, but any pay increases I've made through promotions or merit is largely obsolete. We live mostly paycheck-to-paycheck, although I do contribute to my 401k.
... and it was mostly about how hardworking Americans sometimes don’t achieve that American Dream of finding or landing a nice job/house, dealing with a broke-down old used car, not to mention raising a family and keeping your wife and children happy so in highschool ...
I've heard of the book, although I'm not overly familiar with it. But yeah, the American Dream died in the early 80's with Ronald Reagan. In America, you can slave and slave and slave away in the hope that you'll strike it rich, but the odds are very low, and are definitely stacked against you (more now than ever). I get the impression that much of the world is operating this way now - especially in what would be deemed first-world countries.
As for the vidya...
I haven't done much recently, still no Trigger. I'll probably get motivated once you catch up to me -- not too far now! I have played Harvestella a little here and there, which is surprisingly good. I also picked up Dragon's Dogma II, although I probably won't be able to play it much when it launches.
Oh I just beat the Black Tyrano and Lavos crashed did Azala summon him or did he always mean to be “born” in the Prehistoric Ages?
I think Lavos was always fated to crash into the planet. It's just that the Reptites were advanced enough to understand what it was (compared to the cave men of the era). I think that foreknowledge makes Azala's plight that much sadder.
Anyway, I'm traveling this week and won't be back until next week, so it may be about 1.5 weeks until I can reply. Stay awesome and keep calm and carry on!
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Hello, Boo I read what you wrote but I’ve been saving my post. So it’s weird because I JUST got into the news bit about the economy/grocery prices increasing/inflation woowoowoo etc. And I’m just like wondering “Is it even affecting me here?” I know people is struggling, so I don’t want to say the wrong thing in that I’ve been doing just plain ol’ great here!! We have a small market and all the Filipino ladies selling vegetables is so cute, and um whenever I go to the big grocery store I just buy the food that I know - you know I love Survivor/Big Brother so I just buy-get my absolute necessities for just myself and ooh, boy I can live off instant ramen. I’m also emulating the Prisoner’s diet and they eat a lot of Cup-a-Noodles in there and if you look at their bodies I mean it can’t be that bad if you’re looking to just want a hardbody like me. I haven’t really felt the squeeze but I don’t get the super fancy, Erewhon, I’ve only stepped foot in a Trader Joe’s once!!!! — my Mom’s always shopped at the small, Asian markets and she just gets what she needs to feed 3. If I don’t get my Cheez-Its it’s fine. I’m tryna fix my diet so rice, Filipino-Asian homefood is fine w/me. :) My Dad says “observe yourself” and I’m the happiest I’ve ever been, the meds are fine and I almost like them. The farm is growing I got more workers my Dad hired a driver so I can have a chauffer that’ll drive me up-and-down The Philippines I’ve been looking to re-buy that PS4 Pro and I can finally now make it to the big city malls ‘n stuf.
Anyway. Now. In Chrono Trigger I just beat the Golem in Zeal Palace it took me 2 tries cause the first I was taking my time talking to people and ooh battle and I was just unprepared. I notice after Magus the boss battles get harder the Golem was really really hard even though I breezed through with Ruby Vests and casting Fire Sword. The game’s really fun I agree with you it is like a “masterpiece” art piece I’m kinda just like : o in awe of the game and, wow.. I’m not treating it like a regular RPG romp but just like a treat everytime I turn it, pop it on. Kinda like when you have a sweet tooth?
Back to what’s going on in the US and in the world doe, I was thinking and I almost kinda feel like I got out of there just in time like I got here Sept 2017 so I was already settling down a year and then Corona happened and a few friends online told me the lockdowns were just a disasters and kids got really sensitive to EVERYTHING!! after that, and now there’s Inflation going on for the last 2+ years. Like my heart goes out to anyone that’s struggling in these times, but speaking for myself-you know I love strategy Idk..? I feel like I made the right move for me. If it’s worth anything before I moved my lifes was not doing too good in San Francisco, I had just gotten out of rehab and even though I was (finally) clean I felt like shit at home, and there was all this weird stuff going on with my neighbors & the police department up the hill anyway, it was a crazy mess. I realized I’m too stupid to live in America I never knew how to pay for bills or even do taxes and I only managed to live on my own there for what like 4 years I just felt that America makes everything so complicated and they never taught adulting in school and I just felt people are so WEIRD about ever approaching or asking your parents for help once you’re past 18. Tbh, I’m glad I’m back home and I just belong on the farm. I’m way too simple Too be honest I got a bad feeling before I left.
Oh, I’ve been on portables I’ve been weening off my PS3 and just using it as a DVD player for Survivor and we have so many brown/blackouts here I don’t want my consoles to break. But I’m concurrently on LUNAR: Silver Star Harmony I’ve been playing it on my PS Go I rem you wrote a fanfic about the 5 Dark Princes? Anyway, You know I love lunAr so it’s given me peace of mind lately and I’m just relaxing, working out at night and its put me in a good mood. I buss’sed out my Switch and I’ve given Octopath Traveler a try
Also I’ve been doing sets everynight, like 16-16-16 push-ups and it’s taken all the annoyance I’ve been feeling with my body away.literally. My neck crick pain is gone, I’m more flexible-mobile and the workers here said I’ve lost weight. I’ve only taken one rest day so far but I do it everyday with my upperback-shoulder support on. Lifes good, man!
Take it ez, Booster!!!
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I felt bad abt. calling myself stupid so I came back the next day to fix it!! lol Well, since everyone online is on a soapbox telling their lifes struggle, I thought hey I wanna chime in on what I do too. I kinda just wanna get it out. So I don’t think I give myself enough credit. I think ever since I started stoning I’ve felt like I was looked down on by society, only going to community college.. only ever have worked fast-food jobs. I’m not saying I “hear voices or anything” but I’ve always gotten that feeling from neighbors and the police dept in my neighborhood. I’ve noticed Americans are very dramatic, and they make a big deal abt. everything like “owning your first house.” Expensive cars, number of T.V.s you have.. Going on vacations.
I kinda wanna throw in that being a gamer makes me some sorta dreamy-eyed, lives in his own fantasy world freak, degenerate too. I just don’t think people get me. The Whole Moving to The Philippines thing was my plan all along to be able to live the lifestyle I want for myself mainly: a.) having freetime hrs to game all I want b.) get away or live somewhere where it’s socially-acceptable well into adulthood (I still think people-society looks down on video gaming, at least I’m aware of it) c.) Pretty much get away from America. I have 2 houses here. I don’t have any debt in the US. I just didn’t like how society there made me feel everyday.
Re: calling myself stupid. I look at Tik Tok and watch these people ranting about student loan or credit card debt. I don’t have any debt that followed me here. Can’t afford rent/Live in a apartment and can’t move. Everything we just mentioned like can’t afford to eat, live, function. I’m kinda sorta tryna pick myself up from being so “down” in America, to being just comfortable, still humble, kind-of-a normal life with no stress. I’m abt. to game rn, sip on coffee and a energy drink- relax, have fun.. Work out laterz on my hardbody. Lmao I can feel it right now like
I guess all I can really do is just enjoy myself here. I love strategy not just in games but big life decisions. Oh, I’m still enjoying Survivor- I get emotional now during it. Idk, why?? I got a bad feeling before I left, and I’m glad I listened to that feeling that something bad was coming. I’m by no means a rich person that just grabs food and pays whatever, just a normal dude I felt I made the right d-decision for myself at the right time. I hate to say it but I don’t miss the way America made me feel, about myself, everyday. Society? Social commentary?? “Ghruguru- I’m a loser @Chipotle do u want Buritto?” I don’t like the people in America. But you’re one of the cool dudes Boo you’re like a nice neighbor not like a nasty neighbor in the nasty neighborhood. Loser? Why do these words exist?
Anyway. I just wanted to say something about all this mess cause the easy thing for me to do is just forget my old life there and just ignore and just enjoy my life now but.. I do care for the most part ofc. Tbh I get such a kick out of watching all these Tik Tok rants while I do sets. I donno.
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Naw man, you be you. This is a pretty "real" place, as in the people here are pretty authentic and not tied to fake online persona's and a pursuit of clout or money. We're all here because we love a 29-year old video game about time travel! It's okay to let your freak fly or talk about your goals / weaknesses / whatever. At least with me.
But yeah, you may very well be insulated against some of the financial issues that's happening in North America. And mostly first world countries. It's all about greed and price gauging because they can, not because they need to.
But whatevs. I just got back from vacation and haven't picked up Chrono Trigger since I left. I may just do a strong final push to the end of the game. I'm not going to do any of the optional late game stuff from the DS version - none of the Lost Sanctum or other DS content. Not sure if you've played any of it, but it's not great content. It's very grind-y and just sort of bloat.
I did play Harvestella some on my vacation. I have to be like 75% through the game, and it's turned out to be far better than I expected. I thought it would be a farming sim with some light storyline elements, but it's the other way around. It's a traditional jRPG with some light farming sim elements, haha... It's been easy to play it on the Steamdeck, though. I can pick it up and play for ten minutes at a time rather than having to be glued to the PC or a console.
I did pick up the HD remaster of Chrono Cross on PC so I can play it. I think that may be a game for us next winter, assuming I have it me. We'll see.
But yeah, I'm going to do a final push and wrap up Trigger within the next week or two. In all honesty, I'm ready to be done with it!
Other than that, there's not much new in my world. Same old, same old.
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Hey, Boo. I was thinking for a few days about what to reply with.
So, in Chrono Trigger I'm at the Mountain of Woe. All of a sudden it hit me like 'this's kinda cool.' The game itself. I was trying to make a big deal about going to Zeal, the home of the Enlightened Ones, and seeing what kind of text the NPC's were gonna deliver. And it was mostly about how they sleep to dream, and your dreams are almost kinda truthful or prophetic in a way and it tells you a lot about yourself, and how all the inhabitants on Zeal just kinda sleep the day away. It kinda makes me think they are kinda 'rich' in a way because the Queen gives them everything they could ever have wanted? And in return they revere the Queen. But it is almost kind of interesting that all they ever do is sleep.. and they kinda record what their dreams tell them? I'm thinking you must have all the time in the world in order to be able to do that you know without having to work or anything. There was this post floating around on the internet I came upon one time about rich/poor people, and poor people describe rich people as "having time to think" you know cause they don't have to work as much. Poor people are always working, working they never have enough time to think about their next move? Whereas rich people have all the time in the world to relax, think about how they're gonna move in life's decisions and most of the time it pays off for them being able to think, and think ahead, and even think as far as retirement? I thought Zeal was gonna let me know more intimately about how Magic was created but they only had brief texts about it, unless I was just more focused on the sleep part. Sometimes I love playing RPGs cause it lets me figure out like 'How are they gonna explain where magic comes from in this world?' Mostly in CT, it's all about the elements. But I think in Zeal they managed to come up with something more powerful like a second-tier above that elements. So all that was really interesting.
The Earthbound Ones just makes me think about another favorite RPG of mine EarthBound, haha. lol It's funny cause all these RPGs pretty much all came out around the same time on the SNES. I LOVE that library of RPGs definitely one of the best!
Uh. Well, I was just thinking like 2-3 days about the cost of living crisis and stuff and it was honestly just like another reminder that I am here! I'm not in the US anymore. It was just like reminding me why I moved in the first place? I'm very "out of sight, out of mind" or my friends have a cruder saying: not my chair not my problem. You know it's not really a problem for me right now and I don't think I should feel bad that I'm doing ok. I try to be as humble as possible about it because obviously I'm still a proud American, and I do care how Americans are doing but I'm kinda like ignorance is bliss!.. right now about everything. I was watching the Tik Tok rants for a few nights while I was working-out, lol and I just had to turn it off eventually because I wasn't watching it and feeling bad for these people it was like I had no empathy I don't know why? lol My Mom's always taught me to save my money and don't buy frivolous things. A lot of the stuff people were ranting about I would probably never buy in my life, like that Trader Joe's stuff I'm thinking make your own food at home using cheap ingredients? Or this one breezy was raving about $50 basket of green grapes, - but, she bought it anyway? O_o
I was talking to a couple of friends who post news in our Discord and they're saying American national pride and morale is pretty low. And not a lot of people are proud anymore these days to live in America. I have a cousin back in S.F. who says he hates it life there now and when his children are 18 he's planning on moving here to The Philippines. I'm just grateful. I'm happy! I'm an American too I just don't happen to be living in the U.S., but I'm making things happen where I am. So
So right now, I'm kinda off the console/or more treating it like a DVD player for Survivor while I game on portables. I LOVE LUNAR: Silver Star Harmony, dude! It's like so cool. And I'm ducking around with my Switch. I saw Harvestella on the Nintendo eShop and I was like, ooh that was the game Boo was talking about and it does look pretty cool. Square-Enix seems to be pumping out a lot of games. Everytime I'm interested in a newer RPG I'm like oh Square-Enix did it. I'm kinda observing myself and playing an older game and see what kinda thoughts I have/then, I play a new-ass game and see if my thoughts like it, or whatever I'm thinking?
With Survivor, I'm kinda playing detox/rehab mode where I try to rest a lot, then work out, do a lot of cleaning-hygiene and just living a simple life. I kinda felt like Survivor was almost challenging me to live outside of the US, and to see if I can do it? On the show you see Americans living out of their comfort zone and without all the amenities that we're so used to back at home, so it's a nice little diversion for me. :)
Yeah, I was out on my walk this morning thinking about the Chrono Cross: Radical Dreamers ver. I keep seeing advertised on the e-store and I'm totally down.
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Hey, Boo. I have made in-roads with Chrono Trigger. Lemme just say it’s always a treat to boot up everyday I can see why you call it a masterpiece and why everyone here enjoys it so much? I just beat the Mt. of Woe, and I have to sneak into the palace again. I usually always remember just the beginning of all the RPGs I play, so this’s about the point where I forgot everything that happens. :)
Was just chillin’ on my thoughts today and had more on America, and what’s going on and stuff. So (I’m so far-gone from my old life there but I do remember a few poignant things) I remember I always had a big fear of all the tall buildings in downtown San Francisco, I hated all the traffic and one-way streets so confusing to navigate but I remember anytime I was in the middle of the street downtown with all the big, tall skyscrapers and I happened to look up I felt such a scary feeling everytime cause it made me feel so small in comparison and I would get a little lightheaded. I’m from another country so I believed all the stereotypes about the U.S.: Big, everything’s big. Sex, drugs & rock ‘n roll all that.
To be honest, a few things happened while I was living there that scared me. America was such a scary place. The 90s were really fun. But after say 2000 and the internet got popular I was starting to see what a scary and weird place it was. Most would probably say strange. I almost kinda felt like you had to be a model citizen at all times 24/7, and make no mistakes. Like I said before in past posts I felt unsafe even farting in my own house cause I felt like neighbors were listening to me (why do old people want the neighborhood to be so quiet?) I was scared of what America would do to you should you ever fall from grace and mess up. I just felt kinda like it was this Pleasantville which was really awkward. Sex and violence. Action movies with tons of blood, gore, guns and explosives. The tackles in football look so real to me.
I kinda caught the drift. That America’s a big, bad scary country and you don’t wanna mess with it.
I mean, I caught that. And I got the hell outta there. There’re times when I remember bits & pieces parts of it but I’m here in The Philippines now, my real home (never felt comfortable there) and I love it here. I’m such a simple maybe simple-minded traditional Filipino boy grandparents raised me I just never liked it there but really just so we could make money. I was thinking it doesn’t take a genius to realize when the struggle was gonna get real so it was time to leave? Anyway the point is just wham, bam thank you American ma’am for the school and being able to save up money, and it was like early retirement for me here. I don’t even know what I’m saying anymore.
It was kindof just like my old life left behind, things’re so much more simpler here, the people are (actually) nice, things is way cheaper… I just never really liked the people.
So ANYWAYS,
Been planning a trip with my driver to go to a bigger city, hit up a mall, eat & re-buy the PS4 Pro. I’m still on portables while I multitask either I watch Survivor on the DVD or I’ll watch like YouTube rants or something. Been messin’ arnd. with the Switch more and more. Mostly it’s CT for me first, then I’ll hit up LUNAR: SSH and if I’m feeling spicy I might fire up Octopath Traveler. Anyway das’ it
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Hey brother!
First, let's talk Chrono Trigger. I've finished all the main side quests and all I have to do is destroy Lavos. I'll wait for you on that one, and we can finish the game around the same time. I'm ready when you are!
This game really is such a gem. It's still my favorite jRPG for so many reasons - the graphics and art design are stellar, the music is amazing, the gameplay fun and, while simple, rocks. The story is amazing and it's not too short and not too long. This game really did capture lightning in a bottle and I don't think I've played another jRPG that has hit me in quite the same way.
Anyway, back to life...
I LOVE LUNAR: Silver Star Harmony, dude!
So glad you're enjoying LUNAR SSH! I actually thought it was a really good remake. The bonus prologue with the Four Heroes in their adventure was a great way to start things off.
The voice acting, while it won't be the SSSC, is on-par. I think I told you about it back when we were playing EBC, but I like Nall's voice acting better. A few other's as well. I think I liked Ghaleon's better, too, but it's been a long time, so I can't remember.
The biggest complaints I had with it were the lack of a proper world map (I like to walk on the world map, even if there are no encounters), and the changed lyrics in the theme song. I dunno, the OG lyrics will always be better.
The Earthbound Ones just makes me think about another favorite RPG of mine EarthBound, haha. lol It's funny cause all these RPGs pretty much all came out around the same time on the SNES. I LOVE that library of RPGs definitely one of the best!
Funny you should mention it... Earthbound really is a great game. I played the original NES game two winters ago. Earthbound is actually one of those RPGs I've started several times but haven't finished, and I've been listening to podcasts and Youtube videos about it the past month or so. I really want to replay it and also play Mother 3. I've never played the GBA game.
I saw Harvestella on the Nintendo eShop and I was like, ooh that was the game Boo was talking about and it does look pretty cool.
I wouldn't call it a great game, but it's actually exceeded my expectations. It's definitely a AA-game and not top-tier, but I've put maybe 30 hours in since Christmas and it's been a good ride. I'm now in the last chapter, but I'm pretty sure there's some post-game content. There's definitely a lot to do, especially around the farming and cooking elements.
The story is cool because it actually ends up taking place in our world/universe, and there's time travel involved. I won't go into spoilers in case you ever play it, but the story is better than I thought it'd be.
Was just chillin’ on my thoughts today and had more on America, and what’s going on and stuff.
It's probably my mood, but I don't really have much more to say on the topic (at least not tonight). Things are tight financially for almost everyone. I just got a 5% pay and I swear that increase is already gone with increased grocery prices and rate increases, my house taxes went up because the home/land value went up, my utilities have all gone up... corporate greed is out of control. It's ridiculous; we're in late-stage capitalism at it's best, and I'm over it.
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Hey, Boo-rother! Haha
So in CT, Crono just died so that’s where I am. So crazy whenever they kill the main character off and the party scrambles. I was also shocked that I had to do the Ocean Palace so early I thought it was way later in the game…
So in other news, I’m just enjoying life and relaxing. One of the workers on the farm got his driver’s license so he’s gonna be a driver that takes me to places all around the Philippines, prob hit up a few malls and electronic stores. Um, in the meantime I’m always watching Survivor so I pop on a ep. and chill relax hydrate myself with water, coffee just whatever liquids. Snack on something. Then I work out a little bit. I’ve lost some weight belly’s becoming flat thanks due to the push-ups I’ve been doing everynight so I’m quite please with myself. :)
Other than that, not really much else goin’ on just relaxing, doing random stuff online mostly I watch mukbangs of prople eating Idk..why? lol Just hanging out at the farm, kinda planning a future trip with the driver, I wanna re-buy the PS4 Pro but I’m having a good time on portables so. Conundrum. Anyway, das’ it Boo - Enjoy lifes, relax have fun 8D Peeeeeace
Edit: I forgot to tell you about the mangoes! So on the farm we have a couple like 5-6 fully-grown mango trees and they finally bore fruit! The kitchen is spread full of mangoes ready to ripen and I’ve just been stuffing my face with them! I think the in US the mangoes come from Mexico here they’re really super sweet and tastes really good! I’ve been dieting so of course like rice, chicken, whatever vegetable but I just had 2 mangoes for dessert and they were super sweet, sticky, juicy I might sneak out a little later and slice, slurp, toss some more :D
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Hey, Boo just a small, short little update. I just got the Epoch back I didn’t realize there was so much story involving Dalton either I find him so annoying I put it out of mind or I genuinely don’t remember this deep into the game. Anyway I love RPGs where you can swap out the main character cause you can see what the rest of the party is up to and I hate having to be stuck with one person as the lead no matter how helpful they are.
I’ve been going a little slow I admit cause I’ve been prioritizing my health: I was like in such bad shape a month ago I couldn’t even move my upper half above my torso, plus head/neck pain and I decided to experiment w/my medication and eff’ed up my sleep. But now I believe I have everything situated again so I’m back on the sticks. I was also starting to get really excited to possibly play Chrono Cross I think if you’re having trouble getting through newer RPGs it’s nice to play a oldie but a goodie to kinda of get you in the mood to play again.
Anyway I’ve fucked my brains out with Survivor so I’m- a stop for rn. I’ve wholeheartedly gone back to just concentrating on video games so basically my routine is wake up early get some gametime in, do meals stuff like that and in between seshes do a couple sets of push-ups. I’ve been doing the push-ups regularly and it’s taken all the pain away and I’m like back to regular. I was thinking of how Japanese gamers is more into portables how they have busy work lifes so they play while commuting on the train and was kinda feeling it. Maybe I kinda got tired of the console-T.V. which I’ve -MOSTLY- been doing my whole life and decided to give portables a try. Still doing LUNAR: SSH I’m in Lann the fishing village with the fake Dragonmaster and I’m about to fire up the Switch and see my thoughts on it.
Have a good one! 8P
Edit: Boo you can go ahead and finish while I lag! I’ve just been busy with diet/fitting in my workout! Don’t worry about me, I’ll probably finish in a bit I think I’m at the part where you revive Crono and do sidequests… I’ll for sure finish and leave my thoughts doe!! 8P
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Sorry for the lack of response, we had a death in the family, so I've been handling a lot of the family stuff. I'll be traveling for the next few days, actually.
I still haven't finished Chrono Trigger, but I will soon. All I have to do is finish Robo's sidequest and then straight on to Lavos.
Not really much else going on here.
Also, mangoes are legit. They're probably my favorite fruit. I tend to like more tropical fruits like mango, dragonfruit, and pineapple. But mango is definitely the best!
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I’m so sorry to hear that.
Nothing much going on over here neither, been doing push-ups still and the weight seems to just melt off I think if I keep it up I’ll end up with no more belly so I’m excited for that! Messing with my diet more tryna eat stuff I’m craving/actually want to try like today I tried ground beef and couscous,—it was actually really delicious. I saw a Tik Tok of bodybuilders eating just ground beef (stir-fried obvs, not raw) and at first I was like wh..??! But then the ground beef here is really fine and it pairs with the light couscous really well. I was thinking of stuffing a pita w/it. I’m also gonna try not to eat rice as much I’m getting kinda sick of it and I like the couscous a lot better. The maid also likes to experiment in the kitchen so I think she gets a kick out of my inventions and requests.
I’m abt. to fire up CT I do like 15 min sessions because it’s such-a special game I just got Magus. I got confused at the prompt and almost fought him but I’m about to talk to the Nu/Belthasar in the Future and go to Death Peak I think. I love the part about how everybody cherishes Crono and keeps him in their heart, even though he doesn’t talk at all I guess being around someone a lot is enough. I kinda do short story sequences and plot out where I need to go in my head.
I have the day all to myself and I’ve been clamoring to game so I was thinking abt firing up some random games. On the PS3 still, until I can re-buy the PS4 Pro and ditch it. Been also playing Link’s Awakening on Switch it’s such a throwback to the earlier Zelda games and it’s much more my speed. Also L: SSH the music lulls me to sleep since I know the game so well so I might try to avoid it if I can.
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Hey, Boo ofc another dbl.-post from me w/my thoughts. :p Hope you don’t mind.
The game mechanics in Death Peak are so annoying like hiding behind the trees and the wind blowing you off the cliff I had to re-try it so many times! Anyway I loved the scene at the summit when Crono comes back you know him leaving always shocked me when I was younger, and it was touching how the rest of the party cares for him so much even when he doesn’t say a word! Even the Old Man at the End of Time had choice words to say about him. I wanted to mention the anime title screen where Crono’s in his room and picks up a picture of his friends to look at it,—I thought that was really nice. I guess one of the main themes in the game is friendship. I was thinking about it earlier and a lot of the RPGs I played when I was younger really taught me a lot given that a lot of the main protagonists in the games is always a young male. I was a young male, then, too. It kinda-sorta made me feel more appreciated, I dunno by who, but that maybe a lot of people look to me as reliable, and possibly as a good leader. I think RPGs influenced me in a good way moreso than not.
So I’m doing sidequests now and just finished the Sunken Desert as I think it’s the easiest. I was thinking abt. possibly skipping or doing the bare minimum at this end-portion of the game and maybe try to defeat Lavos as fast as possible cause I keep getting the same ending in CT (the one where Mom runs after the cat into the gate) and I want to get another one. Any tips?
Anyway,-Just hanging around the house still doing my push-ups, went for a walk today, basically I sit down to game or browse YouTube then get up and do sets and I do that pretty much the whole day. How’s everything going on with you?
Edit: I tried out this new game for PS3 called Puppeteer and it’s SO, REALLY good. The voice acting is in that Renaissance Medieval English so that’s always really nice. It’s a platformer and takes place on a acting stage and each level is like a diff Act 1, Act 2… and it has Chapters. You’re like this doll of a boy and you get to wear different heads, while you control a floating cat at the same time and your weapons are magical scissors. My dad’s a barber so I was like, ohh..??!! Scissors 48! lol (MGS2)
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Hey man!
Welp, I finally finished the game! I chose to go to 1999ad, fight Lavos' shell, and then enter the shell for the final battle.
So I’m doing sidequests now and just finished the Sunken Desert as I think it’s the easiest. I was thinking abt. possibly skipping or doing the bare minimum at this end-portion of the game and maybe try to defeat Lavos as fast as possible cause I keep getting the same ending in CT (the one where Mom runs after the cat into the gate) and I want to get another one. Any tips?
For some reason, all the character side quests at the end of the game are probably my favorite parts of the game. Maybe because it gives resolution to the characters I care so much about. Robo's is probably my favorite, then Lucca's (make sure you save before you attempt it so you don't mess it up), then Marle's, and Frog's is my least favorite because of all the jumping back and forth in time to fix up the Hero's Grave. Magus' sidequest with the Black Omen is also excellent.
A little hint -- you can defeat the Black Omen at different time periods; if you start at 2300ad and then work backwards to each time period (2300ad, then 1000ad, then 600ad, then 13000bc) you can fight the panel enemies (I can't remember what they're called) and charm them for Speed Tabs.
My recommendation would be to complete all the sidequests so you can really get the full experience of the game, but you do what you feel you should at this point. If you're not really feeling the game any more, don't force it.
I only wish Ayla had more of an end-game sidequest.
Off topic, but the unused track 'Singer Mountain' (rumored to have been part of her side quest) is a banger of a tune. It's such a mysterious and enigmatic song. I've always liked it and thought it would have been a good fit for Death Peak or something. If you've never heard it, it's here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BynwSnP-F4c
Going back to Magus' quest with the Black Omen -- you can defeat the Black Omen at different time periods; if you start at 2300ad and then work backwards to each time period (2300ad, then 1000ad, then 600ad, then 13000bc) you can fight the panel enemies (I can't remember what they're called) and charm them for Speed Tabs.
Been also playing Link’s Awakening on Switch it’s such a throwback to the earlier Zelda games and it’s much more my speed.
Man, Link's Awakening is one of my favorite Zelda games. In fact, it's one of my favorite games of all time. It's such a fever dream in the best possible way, and everything about it is excellent. I think out of all the Zelda games, it probably has the best soundtrack... Ballad of the Wind Fish... Richard's Villa... Sword's Search... Mabe Village... The Ghost House... I got this game when it first game out on the original GameBoy, and I used to go to some of those locations and just let it sit so I could hear the tunes.
I'm not sure if you've played it before, so I will avoid any spoilers and won't go into details.
One last thing -- when I was on my trip I booted up Yazuka 0 and gave it a try. I love the ambiance and it did a good job capturing the look and feel of Tokyo (or at least I guess Japan as it was in the late 1980's). I think it's fun, but it didn't capture me quite like I had hoped. I didn't get to do much, but I did walk around picking fights so I could get money and upgrade my skills. I'm still on Chapter 1 but not sure I'll continue playing.
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Hey, Boolicious! Man, …
I haven’t had time to put time into the ‘rono, my bad, it’s mostly because I’ve been really into my exercising and dieting. I wake up ea. day and everything seems to revolve arnd. it. Like I said I do my push-ups pretty much around-the-clock all day now instead of just at night it gives me something to do indoors (‘sides games) cause it’s way too fucking hot here I mostly stay in my room w/the dogs and they sleep. Yeah, I don’t have the exact measurements or scale numbers but I’ve been losing slabs of weight the workers on the farm kinda root me on and say John, it’s only a lit’l bit left/or that I look totally un-recognizable now. My parents saw me recently and even they have complimented me on the weight loss and you KNOW that’s legit when the parentals chime in and actual give you a compliment like that. :p So yeah I’ve just been doing that this whole time it’s crazy cause sometimes I feel like I have to kill myself w/exercise to see any loss, but the push-ups have been a Godsend and it’s almost-actually pretty, alotta fun. I can’t wait to keep doing ‘em and see where I end up. Maybe InstaGram thot. :mouthlips
I have been playing other games though, just finishing up some PS3 exclusives that I prob won’t go back to once I re-buy the PS4 Pro: ICO, Nier, Lollipop Chainsaw, Eternal Sonata, White Knight Chronicles…. Just making my PS3 PSN account nice & neat with the trophies cause I prob won’t go back to it again. I see my friends online haven’t signed-on PS3 in close to 3 years and here I am still on it. :p O_O
Yeah, been toying around with PSP Go and Switch: still doing LUNAR: SSH it- the voiceacting isn’t as good as the Working Designs version that’s for sure and the songs are off or too wordy longwinded. But it’s nice to play my favorite game in like a different way if that makes sense most of the lines are still all the same and the graphics is nicer esp in battle. thumbsup
Link’s Awakening is pretty cool. I know you’re talking about the really classic GameBoy version but I’m playing the remake on Switch. I was thinking you must really know your games if you’re talking about GameBoy Zelda cause I pretty much just started out on SNES with my RPGs. But yeah this ver of Link’s Awakening is pretty cool I kinda wanna check out the other Zelda games I played OoT 2 years ago and that was cool. I’ve been on PlayStation so much I neglected Nintendo and maybe it’s time to check it out again.
Edit: On Yakuza 0, —I was actually quite into this before my PS4 Pro broke, I had beaten the game and started over to just fuck around and get trophies. There’re mini-games in it that I got WAAAY addicted to like the Cabaret Hostess one in like the latter chapters it’s really fun if you can check out a video of it. I was stuck on this other mini-game and it was taking forever so I had thought to just stop and move onto the next Yakuza game. A couple of my friends online are into it I’m just like at a tepid medium and there are quite a few games in the Yakuza series. It might be worth investing time into cause the 7th or 8th game, Like A Dragon, is a full-blown turnbased RPG. I was going through the games just to play that one. thumbsup
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Hey, Boo another latenight double post from me with my thoughts. lol :p
So I actually have been a little bit busy the recent days mostly just errands running to the bank and such. I've noticed more energy and just a general motivation to go out more even if it's for snacks during my work outs and that's due to all the push-ups I've been doing! All the neckpain I was complaining about is gone :) and I'm gradually incorporating the push-ups into my daily routine. (My friends would be so proud of me.)
I have been putting time into the Trigger! I'm trying to do a sidequest a day just to finish up the endgame I just beat Ozzie's Fort. I didn't think you had to steal the 3 minions' items but I checked online and it seems you don't even have to worry about them. I'm playing a level per night in Puppeteer, I think there's 21, just to get through the last bit of my PS3 games. :)
I just beat Link's Awakening for the Switch. It was so refreshing I really needed that. I'm into lengthy JRPGs but I need a break from it all sometimes! ^_^; I think it's like the 3rd Zelda game I've beaten. It was really interesting you kinda have to explore the island on your own, no Zelda in sight and the ending was kind of predictable just only cause they put in so many hints but it was enjoyable seeing the ending credits nonetheless! I was expecting more wizardry like mystic forces and such but it seemed like pure adulterated just exploration & dungeons. Cool, though! I managed to get all the Heart pieces and shells so I'm like proud. First game I beat on the Switch. Can't wait to explore what else the system has to offer!
I've kinda put LUNAR: SSH tucked away, the music and overall vibe puts me to sleep man cause I've played the PS1 ver so many times and a lot of the lines is the same the only that changes is the graphics in battle as well as on the map. I'm just setting it on my bedside for now maybe fire it up if I have trouble sleeping
So met up for lunch and dinner w/ the parentals and they sat me down and told me they thought I haven't been spending money and having fun with my life here in the Philippines so instead of a PS4 Pro I'm thinking about going ahead and just picking up a PS5 Slim. or SOmething And I told them I'll try to hit up the malls more where a lot of restaurants are tucked away.
Yep not too much just same old same old. just incorporating exercise more into my life
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I'm back! Sorry for the long absence, real life has just taken it's toll.
Link’s Awakening is pretty cool. I know you’re talking about the really classic GameBoy version but I’m playing the remake on Switch. I was thinking you must really know your games if you’re talking about GameBoy Zelda cause I pretty much just started out on SNES with my RPGs.
Both, actually! I first played it on the original GameBoy, then bought the DX version for the GameBoy Color (which added a bonus dungeon). The remake is an outstanding remake, though. It has all the charm of the original, it's just that the graphics had a makeover. The gameplay and overall game plays entirely the same, which is awesome. I wish all remakes were this solid! Anyway, glad you're loving it!
One thing I really love about the Zelda series is that, up until Breath of the Wild and it's sequel, the Zelda series were generally games you could pick up and finish in ~20 hours. They are a great break to the grind of jRPGS.
Did the ending catch you off guard at all? I always found the ending pretty sad -- Koholint and all of those on the island were all just a figment of the Wind Fish's dream. It was sad to see them all snuffed out like that.
Speaking of remakes, I hear the Super Mario RPG remake is like that. :D
So met up for lunch and dinner w/ the parentals and they sat me down and told me they thought I haven't been spending money and having fun with my life here in the Philippines so instead of a PS4 Pro I'm thinking about going ahead and just picking up a PS5 Slim.
Nice! Did you get a PS5 slim? You'll need to pick up Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, if you did!
Yep not too much just same old same old.
Same. I've been swamped with life responsibilities. The weather's warmed up here, so I've put in my garden and we've gotten more animals, including some ducks. It all keeps me very busy, but I enjoy it. I haven't been gaming much, to be honest.
I did decide to rush straight to the ending of Harvestella. It also had some post-game content, so I grinded through that got done as quickly as I could while skipping over most of the optional stuff. It was a pretty solid jRPG and there was a lot I liked about it. The storyline was time-travel oriented, but I'll save spoilers in case you ever play it. In fact, there was one scene where I swear it was intentionally alluding to Lavos...
Since I've wrapped up both of those games, I haven't played any video games in a few weeks. I've not picked Yazuka 0 back up, although it's possible I will sooner or later. I enjoyed the ambience, but the story and gameplay was just so-so.
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Hello!
Link’s Awakening (remake) was great. I managed to find all 32 Pieces of Heart and all 50 secret seashells so I did everything, can put the game on the shelf and not have to look at it again. The ending wasn’t surprising to me at all,—only because the game and its characters (esp. the bosses when you defeat them!) gave so many hints as to what would happen if you wake the Wind Fish from its sleep I wasn’t shocked at all. I do think I managed to get the secret ending and it showed Marin in the sky and if you re-load your completed save the game forces you to make the island is un-touched and you wake up outside the last dungeon & everyone is fine contrary to what the cutscenes show. So, I dunno! 🤷🏼 ((Truth be told,—I did follow a 100% complete walkthrough on YouTube LOL only bec I have soo many games to get, and beat and get-through I just wanted one gimme I can finish in 15 hours have done everything and be proud of myself. Hehe.))
Yeah, after this experience I’m gonna look into trying to play some of the earlier Zelda games I missed out on. Def before Tears of the Kingdom & Breath of the Wild. I do look for those games to play in-between taking breaks from epic JRPG games.
I haven’t secured the PS5 Slim yet but it’s in the works. Been talking to my Dad’s friend (I just call my Uncle?) who stays in Manila, and seeing if he can secure me a brand-new one. I’m still taking my time w/ other games so I’m in no rush…
CT—I just finished another sidequest, I only have 2 more to go. The one about “someone close to you … you should help them fast” I have no idea whose it about I had thought Lucca/and her mom but I already did that one. Been appreciating the Trigger as an amazing JRPG I can see myself re-playing it years down the line and really immersing myself in the experience I wish I wasn’t playing so many games at once but it almost excited me in that way. I’m gonna push tthroguh to the end like you say but I almost don’t want it to end. Loved the scene with Frog at Cyrus’ grave and their friendship they only showed a few scenes of them two together but it seemed like 2 stoic friends and kinda was like big brother-ly. Pretty cool shit.
Nice on Harvestella! I’m just playing whatever comes to mind when I can. This week it’s been Atelier Escha & Logy and Puppeteer for PS3. I’m also interested in starting up Luigi’s Mansion 3 for Switch since I got it. I think I’m just excited to pick up the PS5 and pick up where I left off on the PS4 before it died (since it’s backwards-compatible). I was on such a good trip too: I left off on Dragon Quest Builders cause it reminded me of Survivor and you had to build a shelter and forage for food, and build a little community. I’m also looking forward to catching up with the times and playing games like Horizon and Yakuza Kiwami and just feeling like I’m in modern-gaming? I’ve been stuck on the PS3 for way too, long…
Aside from gaming: Been doing push-ups everyday. Been noticing I need to up my food just noticing whenever I eat just rice and vegetables (I get my workout in/notice progress) but I feel a little weak and my workout wasn’t like URRRGH!!!! I got some burgers a few days ago and 2 pizzas which’s lasted me these last 3 days… and the work outs have been AMAZIN’!!! I want to feel stronger instead of getting weaker. I’ve been bugging the workers on the farm to make me dumbbells too. But anyway yeah, just taking more time to exercise everyday and my fixation is just on staying consistent and everyday doing the push-ups. :)
Have a good one, Boo!!! :)
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Hey, Booster!
I know it seems I’m takin’ HELLA long w/Trigger but I just have the Rainbow Shell left to do and it’s off to the Ocean Palace. I have to pick up sommore sealed chests too. I was thinkin’ abt it today and I know it seems like I’m playing a lot of games at the same time but this playthrough of Chrono has been really meaningful to me I dunno if it’s bec of all our talks in this thread too but: it’s helped me become a better me. It reminded me of a time where I was careless as a child is but everything seemed to always just work out for me. I just needed that carefree feeling or thinking back. I’ve started to do the push-ups everynight now and all the pain I had in my neck is now gone and upper shoulders, it was really all due to me just being I dunno maybe still depressed and being a lifer just laying about not taking care of myself. This might seem random but CT helped me do stretches on my bed that eventually got that knot out of the leftside of my neck, I rem one night I didn’t crack but I crunched and WRENCHED!!! my neck to the right and that spot finally disappeared so I’ll always remember CT and our talks about exercise, getting older, etc. I don’t want to talk to other guys abt it. You’re a really cool guy and you remind me to take care of myself now that I’m living all alone by myself. Namaste ::bows::
I’m tryna finish Atelier Escha & Logy, tbh I just wanna go back and platinum the first game Rorona cause I want a PS3 plat lol. I’m tryna get thru Steins;gate VNs are easy I just click X really fast through it half-reading just getting the gist. And on-for Switch I tried out Luigi’s Mansion 3- I wanted to get your thoughts on it cause my friends on Discord don’t really play Switch too much and you seem to be versed in’it. The vacuum is so much fun to play with just sucking everything on the screen. I’ve kinda put away LUNAR: SSH cause the music lulls me to sleep like a siren …
He secured the goods. My Dad and his friend got a PS5 Slim wDiscdrive in Manila today I can’t wait to try it out. I foresee myself getting super obsessed about video games from now on I just feel that excitement in my veins again. I’d love to know what titles you’re into, esp NON-JRPG since I’m so curious
Anyway Have a good one!