Messages

451

Gaming / Re: The "What are you currently playing?" Thread

« on: May 31, 2013, 11:26:20 PM »

Well, some sound advice...throw any and all Sol abilities out the window. Be ready with Vantage and Luna/Veangance.

Huh, Vantage/Vengeance, why didn't I think of that?  ...well, there is the fact that I hate maintaining low HP as a deliberate part of strategy; I've experimented with Vantage and really dislike how easily it can get you killed in higher difficulties.

It's a shame, Counter/Lifetaker is such an outrageously awesome combo, but in Apo, EVERYONE has Dragonskin, so that doesn't help any...

452

Gaming / Re: The "What are you currently playing?" Thread

« on: May 29, 2013, 02:03:08 AM »

More "just 'cuz".  It occurs to me that before attempting Apatheosis I should probably start whoring Limit Breaker.  But besides that, I also have the entire "Future Past" set and Roster Rescue unfinished yet.  And I've done one HELL of a lot of grinding on Lunatic + for a long, long time.

453

Gaming / Re: VG Music Thread

« on: May 29, 2013, 02:00:44 AM »

Not sure what it is with 3DS games that have an outlandish sense of humor and awesome boss music...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8NBM6ZejK8[/youtube]

(I really should not have waited so long to play this game)

454

Gaming / Re: The "What are you currently playing?" Thread

« on: May 29, 2013, 01:55:52 AM »

FINALLY, my Fire Emblem addiction has waned...  Not gone, but I'm stepping down.

Now I'm playing Code of Princess.  Frikkin' hilarious.  I haven't gotten that far yet, but I'm already loving Zozo, and the whole "Sergeant Emble and Ergeant Semble" thing gets me every time.

455

Gaming / Re: The new next-gen 2013 Xbox reveal (discussions here)

« on: May 27, 2013, 11:02:09 PM »

Is the Wii U even worth it in this period of time?

It seems like the really stellar games haven't even come out yet.

Well, it's not uncommon for people to buy a platform as an investment in its future.  I mean, pretty much everyone who got a 3DS when it launched was doing that.

I'd say with the WiiU the problem is less the sum total of what is there and more the fact that outside of Monster Hunter it was basically all there since launch, hence "momentum" bit the system in its ass.  After all is said and done, Super Mario Bros. is still "the" definitive WiiU game (and make no mistake, it's a hell of a lot better than the unfortunately timed 3DS title).  But if that's not enough, then by all means, keep waiting.  We're rapidly closing on E3 and its accompanying Nintendo Directs; more is on the way.


Logic errors are fun, let's have a few.

First, let's fix the incomplete information by giving the same incomplete information.  I guess Microsoft figures that if they use the same line often enough, someone might eventually buy it.  

Second, Sony of course taught us that companies lie about their systems, so I guess it stands to reason that Microsoft might lie about the cloud.  Of course, we already KNOW that they are lying if they're continuing to allege that the cloud opens up infinite possibilities even though games are supposed to work without it for up to a day at a time.  So...yeah.

456

Gaming / Re: The new next-gen 2013 Xbox reveal (discussions here)

« on: May 27, 2013, 05:56:04 AM »

http://www.oxm.co.uk/54748/xbox-one-specs-are-boosted-by-the-equivalent-of-three-xbox-ones-in-the-cloud/

Keep in mind the previously mentioned fact that you only need to connect once a day. But, realise that if you play a game that supports Microsoft's Azure cloud processing, you will need a constant connection to play.

Microsoft needs to get their message straight.  As a "cloud gaming box", they MIGHT actually be able to sell the damn thing.  It's the only way they'll come close to justifying an "always online" architecture, which is what the frikkin' box is whether it tolerates an up-to-one-day break or not.  For as much as an annoying as the momentary connection hickup is, there are a wealth of other concerns that "it's okay because you only have to check in once daily" simply does not address.


Frankly, at this point, embracing the always-online thing might be the better way to go for them, IF they can show us why definitively cloud gaming is producing a better experience than the other consoles.  But...be honest, even if their theoretical spec sheet smokes the PS4's, what are the odds that an "XBone" game will make that difference clearly apparent to the player?  Very little, I'd imagine.  "Same [parasitic bomb] with less jaggies" isn't going to cut it.

457

Gaming / Re: Super Smash Bros. Thread

« on: May 26, 2013, 07:28:10 AM »

Startropics U would be awesome.  Could be their next Kid Icarus Uprising; may not be the definitive blockbusting system-seller, but it would most definitely keep the hardcore Nintendo fans happy.

Mario...look, I like Wart, but he has nothing on Bowser.  Still, if Triclyde comes with him, it'd be pretty tough for me to argue.

Zelda sounds like they're just telling us what we want to hear, coupled with a believable release date.  I mean, really, if Nintendo was going to start building a game off of that tech demo's style I would think they'd have made it a point to let the world know quickly, seeings how that video really WAS the biggest "wow" factor of the otherwise sketchy system reveal way back when.

Mario Kart's prediction makes very little sense to me; outside of Double Dash the premise of all of them is pretty much the same, and with retro courses being a known phenomenon for quite some time, what makes a game "just a souped up MK7"?  Gliders and propellers returning?  I wouldn't complain about that.

Price/Ambassador stuff I expect to be on hold until MS and Sony announce their system's price points.  Moreso Sony, unless Microsoft's E3 is the complete and polar opposite of their craptacular system reveal.  If they are going to hit the 500-600 dollar area then I don't think Nintendo has much to fear.



Now, back to the topic title, the Bitchslap rumors...

Smash Bros. always seems to have at least one "out of nowhere" character pop up with each entry, so I actually don't consider Tharja that far-fetched.  The whole "replace Ike with Chrom" thing is a little too predictable, and Sakurai certainly likes to throw his curveballs.  However, even assuming the desire for a new magic-based character to round out the cast, I do find it surprising that they wouldn't go with My Unit and/or Morgan.  Mewtwo is similarly predictable, but in this case the marketing opportunity coincides with a pre-existing popular demand, so I think it actually will happen.  I just REALLY hope his normal form is an alternate (similar to overalls Wario in Brawl), or there will be heck to pay.

I'm not one for "balance" discussions and I don't really give a damn about the competitive community.  Much less so in an online game because I hate dealing with random schmucks who ALWAYS PICK THE SAME GODDAMN STAGE.  However, I will say this:  Bowser.  Tripping.  They both suck.  Fix them.  And while you're at it, try to make fireballs not dissipate three feet in front of you.

458

Gaming / Re: The new next-gen 2013 Xbox reveal (discussions here)

« on: May 22, 2013, 01:53:15 AM »

Dude, I never even owned a damn X-Box, and I can't wrap my head around what's happening...

The only thing close to "logic" that I can apply to their whole internet-authorization thing is that they really WANT to be doing a download-only system, but knowing that everyone hates it, figured they had to disguise it somehow.  I mean, it really is all of the limitations of being download-only without any of the benefits.

Well, here's to a new and exciting way to watch sports on TV.

Posted on: May 21, 2013, 06:51:52 PM

Oops...

Thanks.  That justified the last six pages for me.

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Gaming / Re: RPM's Nintendo Network and Friend Code lists

« on: May 22, 2013, 12:28:08 AM »

Jeez, I laxed a little with this thread, sorry...

Updated the front page and added DarkWaltz to my 3DS.

460

Gaming / Re: Talk about Sonic

« on: May 19, 2013, 06:55:56 AM »

Dang.  Now I wish I had some mobile thing that would play that...

461

Gaming / Re: Nintendo Releases New Wii U Details: PB is Pleased

« on: May 18, 2013, 05:47:39 AM »

Yep.  That, and do you think Nabbit won't behave similarly if he falls into a lava pit?

Posted on: May 17, 2013, 10:44:35 PMQuestion:
y cant metroid crawl?

I had to share that.  Proof positive that Miiverse gives us certain things the rest of the world simply cannot.

462

Gaming / Re: Pokemon Generation VI: Pokemon X and Pokemon Y

« on: May 18, 2013, 05:43:27 AM »

EDIT: Plus an immunity to dragon would be stupid because Dragon is only super effective against Dragon.

Well, to be fair, Normal is super-effective against nothing and Ghost is immune to it.  That and Dragons (the good ones) tend to be more about bulldozing with raw power than about type advantages.

But I agree, a Dragon immunity would suck.  I enjoyed Outrage being, you know, useful.  Rule it out for fear of switch-ins and we're quite possibly stuck with frikkin' Dragon Claw, unless somebody threw a new attack in there...

Also, I applaud any efforts to make Steel worth something offensively, but we ALL know Poison isn't going anywhere when it comes to type effectiveness.  Poison attacks exist for Poison status, that's pretty much it.  Further, if ANY new type is to exist for the sake of "game balance", then Ice types had damn well better resist it.

463

Gaming / Re: Nintendo Releases New Wii U Details: PB is Pleased

« on: May 18, 2013, 05:28:08 AM »

I love how the general public is expected to believe that this wasn't EA's attitude since day one.  If I wanted to play their shitty ports and the last 1/3 of the Mass Effect Trilogy, I wouldn't have bought a WiiU in the first place.  I guess the general public sees a lack of Madden as cause for concern, though.  I, personally, don't.  

Meet New Super Luigi U's 2nd Player.

I don't know how the crap I didn't see this before, but...that's the same bandanna that Bowser Jr. wears.

Nabbit isn't even a real 2nd player in the normal sense.

Completely invincible.

Tails says hi.

464

Gaming / Re: Talk about Sonic

« on: May 18, 2013, 05:17:02 AM »

So allegedly this deal with Nintendo is not just that they're BigN-exclusives but that Nintendo is helping to produce them?  I actually expect this to go quite well.

Unleashed, Colors, and Generations were all really good.

To be fair though, the only real "Bad" games have been 06 and Heroes. Shadow wasn't great but it tried something somewhat different with the Weapons and branching paths, Heroes tried something different too but that mostly consisted of forcing people to use forms that weren't very fast to get past things that were in their way/fight enemies with lifebars because that was totally a good idea.

The side games that were "eh" (Riders, Storybook series) were just that, side games. They weren't great but Riders at least could be fun at times.

I'm probably the only person on the face of the Earth who thinks that Black Knight was better than either Unleashed or Secret Rings.  Heck, I'd call it at LEAST on even ground with Colors.

Don't try to defend that steaming pile of horse [parasitic bomb]

The final stage was actually good.  It just took one hell of a lot of pain to get there...

I didn't really mind the weapons so much since they are treated as a tack-on and a tack-on is where they are best suited.  The game is primarily a hedgehog running and jumping, which was surprisingly rare for Sonic games at that time, and adding a slightly different flavor without interfering with the primary focus didn't bug me that much (oddly enough I thought the early trailers looked INCREDIBLY worse than the final game turned out).  The problem is that the camera/framerate were jittery as hell, the mission structure was overly rigid, and that last branch to the final set of stages was simply uncalled for.

But hey, it gave us that DAMN fourth Chaos Emerald.

465

Gaming / Re: The Gyakuten Saiban / Ace Attorney Thread

« on: May 16, 2013, 03:28:52 AM »

also here's what i was mentioning.
Source

If that's true, then Sven is screwed.  Contrary to popular belief there is a big world out there of people who buy video game consoles without considering in-home wifi a necessity of life (kids who have no choice in the matter especially).  Going download-only may cut the production costs but it also cuts out potential customers.  Add to that the "techno-literate" who could download but have married themselves to the traditional box (like myself), along with those who wonder why a "digital-only" game is costing as much as a retail game, and I think Capcom has a much greater uphill battle on their hands than they realize.

So, yeah, it beats nothing.  And I'll download it because of that, probably.  But it's also a setup that a blind man could see coming.

Can't wait till they say "Baww not enough people bought AA5 so we're not giving you anymore Ace Attorney games."

Namely, this.

466

Gaming / Re: Official Nintendo 3DS Discussion Thread - Specs, Tech, Price? It's all here!

« on: May 10, 2013, 01:46:49 AM »

...Really, unless it's a 3D game, in which depth perception is actually helpful, 3D is a useless gimmick.

...your point is what?  It looks pretty.  It doesn't NEED to be anything more than that.  Not every game can be Super Mario 3D Land.

Not to mention a better port is on its way to iOS and Android.

Ah, the old "they're the same damn game but you obviously should own it on this system" discussions, how I miss those.  Personally I don't care much unless I find out Tails is in the iOS/Android STH1.

And if he is, then I'll curse the fact that I don't own either device....

467

Gaming / Re: Official Nintendo 3DS Discussion Thread - Specs, Tech, Price? It's all here!

« on: May 09, 2013, 04:30:05 AM »

Damn.  I'd actually be MORE interested in that, since I don't already own it...

468

Gaming / Re: Official Nintendo 3DS Discussion Thread - Specs, Tech, Price? It's all here!

« on: May 09, 2013, 04:09:23 AM »

Because of the 3D effect, which is the preferred way to play it.

Blurriness + 3D = eye strain. Well, 3D blurriness hurts my eyes at least.

I imagine that's why both it and the 3D mode are presented as options.

Isn't this the first "16-bit" 3D Classics game to be released?  I'd just about buy it on those grounds alone.  Funny to see Sega of all people pushing a level of presentation that everyone else gave up on.

469

Gaming / Re: The Senran KAGURA (Ninja Chick Brawler) Thread (3DS, Vita, etc)

« on: May 08, 2013, 02:26:46 AM »

Supposedly they've BEEN hinting at that since December, but as a download.

I missed this part of the "soccer mom wars", but the mentality seems to be that there's less likelihood of public outrage on the eShop than on a retail store shelf.  ...thoughts?

470

X / Re: X6's difficulty like Castlevania's?

« on: May 04, 2013, 04:38:37 AM »

F*@#! that.  Unarmored X works just fine.

What they needed was an Exit option for uncleared levels that doesn't involve the Title Screen (and unfortunately X Collection removed even that due to an oversight with the new save/load menus).

This is pretty much my stance on X6 as well. I wouldn't call it well-crafted simply because I don't think the "open-ended" design was intentional (Gate Lab stages come to mind). In terms of good open-ended game design, I think Super Metroid and Zero Mission would be much better examples of intentional branching paths. On the other hand, I can see why others can appreciate the open-ended-ness, even if it was by accident. Even Super Metroid's large array of sequence breaking wouldn't be possible without some notorious glitches like Mockball.

I don't think they "accidentally" built a spike wall that has 7 different clear methods, including some EXTREMELY convenient enemy placement for barrier abuse (something X2 did on a smaller scale, BTW).  And that's where most of the bitching comes from.

X6's stages have their annoying moments, to be sure, but the only one that I consider badly designed is Yammark's alternate route, in that it has a jump that is actually MORE difficult than Gate's Lab 2, subjects it to Nightmare effects, AND actively baits the Shadow Armor into accessing it via the ceiling dash.

Of course, when I say the game is open-ended, I'm referring equally if not more to the availability of the power-ups in the first place as I am their usage in tackling later/more difficult obstacles.  And X5 demonstrated what "bad design" in that regard truly means.  In X6 you can freely choose which armor you want to pursue first, something that was near impossible in X5.  There's also the fact that despite the incessant bitching about how inaccessible some of X6's nooks and crannies are, they were each crafted so that both X and Zero can access all of them despite the differences in their abilities.  Again, in X5, this was not the case, as numerous secrets were built specifically around X with no work-around for Zero, and many of the work-arounds that DO exist for Zero are far more needlessly difficult and complex than most of what X6 throws at you.

Also, on the topic of "how much of X6 was intentional?", I submit to you the alleged issue of permanently losing power-ups.  Basically EVERYONE who doesn't know their way around X6 bitches about this despite the fact that all of the "essential" parts are located in areas where they cannot be lost (the most important part that you can permanently lose is Speedster; which is ONLY useful in aiding physics exploits that you have absolutely no reason to be attempting once you get Hyper Dash).  In X5, the aforementioned oddball Zero work-arounds for an extra Heart Tank or two often require power-up parts that you have a less than 50% chance of ever obtaining, and that you may deliberately want to forsake depending on your preference.  X6 has no such restrictions; whatever you outright NEED is always available, whether you found it yet or not.

471

Gaming / Re: VG Music Thread

« on: May 04, 2013, 04:35:24 AM »

FE Awakening's DLC reminded me how awesome this is:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8CFxicvvsg[/youtube]

472

Gaming / Re: Nintendo Releases New Wii U Details: PB is Pleased

« on: May 04, 2013, 04:31:10 AM »

I think you are overstating the effectiveness of Nintendo Direct. But feel free to be at a disagreement with me on that.

Nintendo Direct is covered/copied by internet news sites the same as E3 is.  E3 is just the bigger spectacle.  I don't necessarily know that that translates to effectiveness in marketing, especially when the reality is that PS4/NextBox WILL be garnering the majority of the hype regardless of whether their launch plans are any more solid than WiiU's were or not.  And there will still be Nintendo E3 news/demos, just not the big press conference.

Nintendo's biggest issue is less the consumer and more their business associates.  You know, investors, third party developers, those kinds of people.  WiiU is following the same trend 3DS did: "It's [parasitic bomb] until Nintendo singlehandedly builds the game library enough to attract a decent userbase, then the third parties who weren't up to the task wonder why nobody forsakes Nintendo's stuff for theirs on Nintendo platforms."  It WILL be an uphill battle, for sure.  But the 3DS is winning it, and the WiiU (eventually) can too.  The funny thing is, WiiU has games out there, but they're not getting attention, probably in no small part because they basically all lack any announced release dates.

473

Gaming / Re: Fire Emblem discussion

« on: May 04, 2013, 04:19:41 AM »

Roster Rescue is a freaking [sonic slicer], arguably the hardest chapter yet released.  Not only the walls but also the reinforcements swarming you; and you CANNOT pussyfoot around since the Revenants are making for the exit and the walls may or may not cut you off.  I might need to man up and start packing Brave weapons, even if I can't buy them yet (I've been doing all the DLC after perpetually grinding around Chapter 19 on Lunatic +).  Even maxed/paired Limit Breaker Morgan doesn't always score the needed kills...

hell after the US kept the Nowi/Tharja conversation in Harvest Scramble about Tharja's Tits

It IS rather silly to draw the line at Tharja's butt in a bikini after that one made it in, isn't it?

What gets me is the fact that the unknown is arguably more suggestive; Tharja's strong mention of "riding" in that scene suggests to anyone who hasn't seen the uncensored pic that she's wearing a string.

Oh, and the Cordelia breast stuff did make it into her swimsuit scene, although I don't know how the dialogue compares to Japanese.

Well, if there was an "uncensored" option, I'd use it.  But in this case, there isn't, and the placement of scenery isn't a major enough point to dissuade me from playing the chapter.  But I agree it's idiotic and pointless.

474

X / Re: X6's difficulty like Castlevania's?

« on: May 01, 2013, 01:06:50 AM »

I'd honestly say that most of X6's core level design is awesome, and more than that, the power-up access/distribution is phenomenal.  The Nightmare System is really what bogs it down, but once you know it, you can predict and to a limited degree manipulate it.  As I've often stated, I appreciate the fact that as difficult as the obstacles are, they all have multiple solutions, which allows for an element of personal preference that goes way beyond the "use this weapon to destroy that block" formulas that we usually see.

I think we've all seen the

Sequelitis episode

where egoraptor talks about the difficulty in CV1 being a good thing, and how it makes you stop and think rather than just blow through enemies the moment they show up on your screen.

It occurred to me that X6 might have a similar thing going on, this being why it's appreciated by a number of us here on RPM.

Actually, although X6 kinda starts like that, it grows away from it.  Which, to me, is brilliant, because it emphasizes that you're growing stronger, which is a central theme of most Mega Man games and ESPECIALLY the X-series.

No other Mega Man game has such a huge difference between how you start and how you end, in terms of how powerful you are (besides MAYBE Xtreme2, but the enemies in that game aren't strong enough to really emphasize it).  In X6, you start out in pretty desperate shape, and by the end, you're plowing through MOBS of enemies, realistically strong enough to take them head-on, but at the same time not so much that you can afford to get completely careless.  That balance does not exist anywhere else in the franchise.

Not only did the game place a greater emphasis than ever on growing stronger, but it also did the same for the non-linear nature of Mega Man games (which was VERY refreshing after X5 went the complete opposite way).  That one is disorienting and even frustrating to people who aren't looking for it, which is another reason why X6 may not be for everyone, but it's also another reason why I love it.  Every level has a branch, even problem has multiple solutions, you can unlock the end whenever you feel you are up to it without the need for some damn cutscene lottery, and above all else you have a respectable level of freedom in what power-ups you pursue, when, and with what character.  The game may be hard as hell, but when you find a way through, it's YOUR way through.

475

Gaming / Re: Nintendo Releases New Wii U Details: PB is Pleased

« on: May 01, 2013, 12:44:23 AM »

Oh yeah, we haven't discussed the Nintendo not doing a big E3 conference thingy this year.

I have no real issue with it since I love Nintendo Direct.

That is all!

Ditto.

I mean, seriously, didn't E3 2012 ween us off of Nintendo's press conferences already?  'cuz that one was CLEARLY not directed at us, we were all WTF, and then Nintendo Direct came along and blew our socks off.