Andrew Moore's Blog, page 125
April 23, 2022
Addendum
Don't make it about that guy you steal the charisma cloak from in Baldur's Gate, though. That guy's a little too much like me.
April 21, 2022
A New Dungeons and Dragons Movie, You Say
I hope it's about Raistlin. He's just like me! Failing that, I hope it's about Sammaster. He's just like me! Failing even that, I hope it's so good everybody like me who's ready to start making fun of it is forced to reexamine everything we thought we knew about the world.
April 20, 2022
The Sadness of Things
Fantasy is an existing word, but science fiction isn't anything. Just as most people say mystery instead of detective fiction and history instead of narrative of past events, science fiction will always lose the terminology wars to fantasy. Therefore, we should accept science fiction's place as a subsidiary of fantasy and henceforth refer to it as gun fantasy, or guntasy. There's more to the difference between science fiction and fantasy than guns, you say? Not really. When you think about it.
Tower of Fantasy Review
Where's Tower of Science Fiction?
April 18, 2022
Thoughts on Triangle Strategy
It was pretty good.
I like that each character had a different ability set. However, that makes the low number of deploy slots even more irritating, as does the fact that some of the mock battles had higher limits than the story battles.
The characters look as if somebody ran Eureka Seven through a Final Fantasy Tactics-izer, a strange device invented for a niche market.
The battles managed to change things up from one to the next without becoming a real pain with gimmicks and triggers players have to negotiate in a restricted way. Most importanty, the gimmicks and terrain features sometimes work in the player's favor, which games sometimes neglect to do and give all the fun to the enemies instead, who are incapable of appreciating it. This post was written before the AI revolution, if any future readers are confused. The TP system is fine, but I think the more expensive abilities are impractical beyond what the developers must have hoped.
The story doesn't really support the weight placed on it, and also isn't good. My perception of the situation, the resources available to each faction, the implications of various approaches, and so on always differed from that of the characters, which created a sense of alienation. Sometimes none of the available decisions made sense to me based on what I understood of things as they stood. Beyond that, it's overall a mess with elements, especially regarding Hyzante, that seem to intrude from other games. Possibly better games. It swings between basing everything on personal motives and being a struggle of ideological frameworks in a strange way, as if the writers never agreed which style they would pursue. The long, long sections between battles, which at first I accepted as setup for later events and decisions, ended up being mostly too much talking about stuff that didn't really matter later.
Grinding mock battles is unnecessary to succeed, but seems necessary to enjoy some characters. Only late in the game could I afford offensive items.
The hidden items in the exploration areas makes them a slog instead of a break between battles which give a deeper feeling to the world.
The point of New Game+ in a game like this is so that I can replay it faster to see different paths. Increasing enemy difficulty is fine for a mode, but leave one for easy replays. Sure, the game isn't hard, but I'm talking really fast, as in not paying attention at all.
The endless trips between the merchant and the forge are irksome and unnecessary. The smith should sell the upgrade items.
Before playing it, I thought Triangle Strategy was a bad name. Nothing has changed.
I like that each character had a different ability set. However, that makes the low number of deploy slots even more irritating, as does the fact that some of the mock battles had higher limits than the story battles.
The characters look as if somebody ran Eureka Seven through a Final Fantasy Tactics-izer, a strange device invented for a niche market.
The battles managed to change things up from one to the next without becoming a real pain with gimmicks and triggers players have to negotiate in a restricted way. Most importanty, the gimmicks and terrain features sometimes work in the player's favor, which games sometimes neglect to do and give all the fun to the enemies instead, who are incapable of appreciating it. This post was written before the AI revolution, if any future readers are confused. The TP system is fine, but I think the more expensive abilities are impractical beyond what the developers must have hoped.
The story doesn't really support the weight placed on it, and also isn't good. My perception of the situation, the resources available to each faction, the implications of various approaches, and so on always differed from that of the characters, which created a sense of alienation. Sometimes none of the available decisions made sense to me based on what I understood of things as they stood. Beyond that, it's overall a mess with elements, especially regarding Hyzante, that seem to intrude from other games. Possibly better games. It swings between basing everything on personal motives and being a struggle of ideological frameworks in a strange way, as if the writers never agreed which style they would pursue. The long, long sections between battles, which at first I accepted as setup for later events and decisions, ended up being mostly too much talking about stuff that didn't really matter later.
Grinding mock battles is unnecessary to succeed, but seems necessary to enjoy some characters. Only late in the game could I afford offensive items.
The hidden items in the exploration areas makes them a slog instead of a break between battles which give a deeper feeling to the world.
The point of New Game+ in a game like this is so that I can replay it faster to see different paths. Increasing enemy difficulty is fine for a mode, but leave one for easy replays. Sure, the game isn't hard, but I'm talking really fast, as in not paying attention at all.
The endless trips between the merchant and the forge are irksome and unnecessary. The smith should sell the upgrade items.
Before playing it, I thought Triangle Strategy was a bad name. Nothing has changed.
The Creation of Shadows
Enjoying the Contract Renegotiation Festival? What? You don't think we should have a festival for that, or even allow it? Now, you might not know this, but the gods sanction contract renegotiations by their own example.
Once, Day and Night agreed between themselves to split the guardianship of the world evenly. The creatures, the corn, and the fruit all prospered under their eyes that watched together, though most preferred one or the other.
Then one creature, you know which, discovered the use of fire to repel enfolding Night. That guardian met its obligations less and less, and Day made up the difference. At last, Day called Night to account.
"Do you, then, yield all the Earth to me for all time? Or will you resume the proper execution of your duties?"
"Alas, I cannot do as I did before. However, my half of the work can be done in this way. Now and forever, the creatures, the corn, and the fruit, as well as the rocks and the clay, will cast shadows as my spies during your time that I may lighten your burden as I fear you must mine."
And so Day and Night renegotiated their contract to the good of all the world. In that same spirit, why don't we discuss the two cows someone much like me but younger may or may not owe for services possibly rendered to someone much like you, but less dignified?
Finis
Once, Day and Night agreed between themselves to split the guardianship of the world evenly. The creatures, the corn, and the fruit all prospered under their eyes that watched together, though most preferred one or the other.
Then one creature, you know which, discovered the use of fire to repel enfolding Night. That guardian met its obligations less and less, and Day made up the difference. At last, Day called Night to account.
"Do you, then, yield all the Earth to me for all time? Or will you resume the proper execution of your duties?"
"Alas, I cannot do as I did before. However, my half of the work can be done in this way. Now and forever, the creatures, the corn, and the fruit, as well as the rocks and the clay, will cast shadows as my spies during your time that I may lighten your burden as I fear you must mine."
And so Day and Night renegotiated their contract to the good of all the world. In that same spirit, why don't we discuss the two cows someone much like me but younger may or may not owe for services possibly rendered to someone much like you, but less dignified?
Finis
April 16, 2022
The Latest Videogame News
You know, I played Front Mission Evolved, and I can't call it great. Stay posted for more news.
April 15, 2022
An Announcement for Confused Detective Conan Fans
I don't know why he didn't use his skateboard in that running mobile game either, but we don't have to worry about that now. Even end of service has its consolations.
April 14, 2022
An Announcement for Confused Fate Grand Order Players
That Waver guy all the guides are telling you to get is called Zhuge Liang (El Melloi II) in game. Also, you should get Zhuge Liang (El Melloi II) if you don't have him.
April 13, 2022
Addendum
"It was only a dream," the book begins. Would you read a book like that? Me neither, but it might just be crazy enough to work.
