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Post by Ambrienne on May 4, 2009 0:18:13 GMT -5
As far as online stuff goes, I've played a bit on some free (ha, ha) ones. I have seen many idiots on those games, a few genuinely nice people, a sociopath (who, for some reason I can't quite figure out, enjoyed talking to me), and various other strange and/or sickening people. And I had great fun pointing out all the flaws of a hacker that was trying to justify his hacking. Funny how the power of logic made him retreat faster than people threatening to report him. I think I took the thrill he got out of cheating away. More than all this, though... what killed me on those were three things: my knees turned into screaming balls of agony after a long gaming session (unfortunate room design I can do nothing about due to limited space/furniture), the poor plot/over reliance on fetch quests drove me insane, and... the final straw... they made the patches to the games so freaking huge that my internet would disconnect before it finished (it would restart the download at the beginning if you tried to reconnect). But yeah, I'm mainly a console person when it comes to games as well. You may search with Blaze & Blade to find a decent computer game, but you're not too likely to find one anymore. Unless you live in Japan. It's not uncommon in certain genres to have games that are released to both computers and consoles. In the earlier computing days, a few of those games even snuck over here like a flash of Gemfire through Sorcerian means. (B&B was both computer and PS, though I suspect the PS version was Japan only, Gemfire was on the Commodore 64 as well as the Genesis and SNES, and Sorcerian was relased on PC here in the days of 3.5 inch disks.)
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Post by Solana on May 4, 2009 9:54:19 GMT -5
Poor guy, but logic is a dangerous weapon in the hands of those who know how to use it. He should have known better than to take you on in that arena. I sometimes wonder if people are just that much weirder on the Internet compared to in RL. There's a name to hide behind, no expressions to see, and some of the Flamers that are left as comments on things like videos in youtube can be just scathing. If anything, I'm just the opposite. I start off more polite and careful and then let the true strangeness out as I get more comfortable in a place. > Actually, there was one more console title I kind of fell in love with- the Sims. Not for living out the lives, oh no. I loved putting together the houses with the Rosebud code. My coolest one used bamboo fencing for the outside walls, and regular walls only on the inside, so I could grow trees and flowers in my little buildings alongside the furniture. There were four little bedrooms at the corners, a dance floor in the very middle, and little pools separating the bedrooms. It was basically a cross between a South Seas bungalow and nightclub and waterpark and Erica's gym from the first Pokemon slapped together. (Spell from TSS, the other two were covered.)
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Post by skylark on May 4, 2009 11:44:59 GMT -5
Yeah, I'm sort of the same way on the internets; polite at first, then strange when I finally start to loosen up. It was like learning how to walk again when I joined the chronocompendium a little while back. Whenever I think of something deep like that, though, I usually tend to dunk my head in a Laike to snap myself out of it. (Lunar. Someone had to do it. )
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Post by Solana on May 4, 2009 21:45:52 GMT -5
That's one of the reasons I went with two avatars straight off. They're two of my "modes", for want of a better term, although Aryn is really a mix of my crazy side and a lot of my younger brother as well. I love having her around for some of the more snarky things to Besaid. Say, Lark, what exactly is this chronocompendium? I've seen you mention it a few times and I'm curious as to what exactly you're referring to. (City in FFX and FFX-2.)
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Post by skylark on May 4, 2009 22:17:52 GMT -5
www.chronocompendium.comA website that has pretty much anything you want to know about the Chrono franchise. There's an entire encyclopedia for the series as well as detailed theories. The forums are where I had been spending most of my time since the Boards crashed. They allow cussing though, so be careful if you decide to sign up. It's not a small community like ours either, so some might not understand your aversion to flirting (if they do that). Almost all of them are good people, though. (self explanatory)
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Post by Solana on May 4, 2009 23:53:22 GMT -5
Thanks, that is quite the impressive site with all the reading material.
I found the articles on the various plot theories in Chrono Cross, specifically the Dead Sea articles, quite fascinating in their depths to work with various realities and timelines and maintaining all the facts of canon simultaneously. All of the Riddels in that game gave me a number of headaches trying to figure everything out on my first runthrough, especially because physics is my worst branch of science. It was also nice having the 'Radical Dreamers' clip that was stumbled across explained.
I have to disagree with the game creator about cutting out a role for Magus, since I think it would have added a much greater sense of closure in many aspects. However, since the loose ends for available for tying up in the Saga here instead, then all's well.
(Just to clarify, it's not an aversion to flirting but when people get pervy or disrespectful to me that I have no time for. At least that sixty year old guy that used to bother us ladies at work and want to touch our hair has been behaving himself. For his sake.)
(Chrono Cross again.)
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Post by Ambrienne on May 5, 2009 0:49:20 GMT -5
I don't think people are any less weird in real life. It just that certain... characteristics become a lot more visible in different situations. What you call a mode, Solana, is what Atlus calls a Persona. It's supposed to be the mask to overcome life's hardships. Too bad my own masks are never that effective (at least, not when I want them to be). And I'm not talking from a shadow slaying perspective. For instance, being quiet enough to go unnoticed (aka, going into stealth mode) is not always a good thing. I have had people slam right into me, because they didn't 'see' me there. Or hear me, apparently. I even took to wearing a little trinity drum jingler to try and counteract it, and it still happens on occasion. My conclusion: Either the majority of the world is too self absorbed to see/hear beyond the end of their nose/cellphone or... that same majority started going deaf around the age of 12. Perhaps both. And if you're wondering whether I'm more weird in real life or here, then the answer is... yes.
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Post by Solana on May 5, 2009 17:24:42 GMT -5
That's a good answer, and certainly it seems that mindfulness is quite lacking in the general public at times. An example is the number of times people come up to the front counter to ask if we buy books, directly underneath the 18 by 30 inch sign that says, "Sell your books here." It's quite hard not to point at it and say, "There's your sign." If you like, I have a pair of earrings that have little dancer's bells on them that might help. Interesting theory by Atlus. One question, though- when he speaks of masks, does he mean a sort of "false self", or rather drawing out a particular aspect of our personalities at the time? Certainly the mask theory is true at times. I pull out the polite one when going to yet another specialist and shelling out an afternoon and cash and sometimes blood for one more test and they're not able to tell me about some aspect of the fibro. One smiles and nods and thanks them for their time, and the frustration only comes out later. Or when dealing with a customer and one has to show their impeccable customer service skills. At other times, it feels more like having a community in the head, and different people hold the reins at different times. There's the Muse, who favors pink Grecian tunicas and has her own schedule; the Warrior side when anyone is messing with a "pod member", the Motherly side when someone's having a bad time, the Scholarly side, etc. I don't think that any one of them is the most accurate "me", but just whichever part needs (or wants )to be in charge at a particular time. (City in Suikoden II.)
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Post by Ambrienne on May 6, 2009 0:12:27 GMT -5
It's a drawing out of a portion of your personality. In P4, especially, it seems to have aspects that you're trying to hide or repress for one reason or another. In general, the dominant traits seem to form it, though, in everything from appearance to skill set. For instance, the dog in P3 has Cerberus for a persona. And Mitsuru, who's got a cool personality and can be a bit tough or harsh at times has one with ice techniques that wields a whip. So, it's like a distilled, triple strength, you. It would likely be given the name of a mythological character that most fit you. One name/appearance for a more immature stage, and another (grander) name/appearance for a level of maturity where you've had to overcome some difficult external problem or come to terms with equally touchy portions of your own personality that you chose to ignore, intentionally or not. Not that those appearances are always exact; sometimes they're simple exaggerations. For instance, Abaddon looks like this huge blob thing that is virtually all gaping maw. I think they were going for the thoughts of 'Sheol' always being hungry or never lacking in room for more. If someone remembered which Lunar characters we mapped to which tarot cards, we'd probably have characters like this: Arcana: Magician Lower level manifestation: Nash Higher level: Magic Chicken Suit, er Weapon Nash ...Okay, so that one doesn't quite work. From a maturity standpoint. Maybe this is better. Arcana: Justice Lower level: White Knight Leo Higher level: Mystere ...Oh, dear. Let's try a third. Arcana: Lovers Lower level: Luna Higher level: Goddess Althena Okay. That's better.
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Post by Solana on May 6, 2009 8:47:53 GMT -5
Ohhhhh, I see. That game sounds like it'd be a lot of fun, both in the playing and in the philosophical theories behind it. Especially the part about only achieving grand maturity (or "maturity", as the case may be ) after facing a difficult situation. I think writing itself can work that way, too. It seems to go easier when writing something we're passionate about, either for characters or even a cause. For the characters, it can be a full-blown Mary Sue to just a Tinto us in something like a love for a certain food or a certain quirk that we've always wanted to bring out into the open. It can even help just putting a situation into another setting and getting answers that way. Aryn- So what about the villains? Are they parts of you, too? ..... ..... ..... no. Of course not. And sometimes you just want to write delightful parodies or awesomely awful puns or really strange things like Celebrity Deathmatches between meatballs and tofu for your bosses at work or wonderful tales of bumbling wizards like Terry Pratchett. I wonder what his thoughts behind his gems truly are. (City in Suikoden II.)
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Post by Ambrienne on May 6, 2009 23:57:54 GMT -5
The dynamics of humor... To laugh or not to laugh. I think it came from observing the natural absurdity of people in action. When confronted with it, you have two choices, to get angry and frustrated or to laugh. Fortunately, he chose to laugh and shared that view with the rest us.
And thus was born the Luggage, Death the Pale Rider, and many other strange, yet familiar figures that you can't help but identify... in someone around you, if not yourself.
...And just out of curiosity, who won? The meatballs or the tofu? Or did a surprise contender, seaweed, drag them both down into the depths of a squid ink soup?
You can blame Iron Chef for the squid ink soup. I remember the looks on those judges' faces. They're like 'it looks so disgusting, but... he (Chen) made it, so... urgh... got to try it.'
(A persona from the Death arcana, appropriately enough.)
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Post by Solana on May 7, 2009 9:20:14 GMT -5
Neither. The winners were the penguins.
I'll explain. Our head honcho likes meat and was sitting on one side of the audience with a Bazooka loaded with ketchup and was surrounded by the penguins that he loves so much. (This bazooka was borrowed from our pudding one.) Our former second in command was sitting on the other side with a seaweed whip. The ring was surrounded by a giant stir-fry pan.
Long story short, Tofu ended up getting lodged inside Meatball. Meanwhile, outside the ring, our FSIC was mad about the bazooka being used twice, and used her whip to break it. The ketchup was released, shot towards the joined contestants, and knocked them onto the pan. The penguins came down to chow down. (You can only eat the same thing for so long.)
The funny part was, the FSIC kept mock-threatening me the whole time about what would happen if Meatball won. She's a hardcore vegetarian. The whole thing was inspired by a little comic about a meatball that had been found inside a buy of books.
(Weapon of Barret's in FFVII, unlockable character in Resident Evil II.)
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Post by Ambrienne on May 7, 2009 21:15:44 GMT -5
Ah, I see. The penguins were just waiting for the chance to ambush their unsuspecting foes. You'll have to keep an eye on them next time. Perhaps with a suitably fishy bribe, they'll remain content to be spectators. But then again, maybe not. They could be really be advance scouts for the Prinny Army that are just waiting for you to turn your back, dood. ...Not that you're in any danger. Unless you let one sneak up behind you with a lit bomb while you're in the middle of a fighting tutorial.
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Post by Solana on May 7, 2009 23:09:27 GMT -5
They were penguins, certainly enough. This was a few years ago, before I knew that prinnies existed. Besides, I'm counting on the bribery of taking out the time traveling toilet for...now... I think we forgot something. (Aryn's in the motel's kitchen by its back door. The time traveling bathroom arrives, along with some VERY upset prinnies.) Prinny 1- What's the deal, dood? Prinny 2- This isn't Fare. Bury and leave us behind, will you? Aryn- Look, we already told you guys that you needed to stall for time. Roas built the motel and he only made the freezer area big enough for the penguins. Do you WANT to keep on living... existing... whatever it is you guys do? Prinny 2- She's got us there, dood. We DID have some fun in this thing. Prinny 1- So, what now, dood? Aryn- Your timing's perfect. Techno and Darrell finished your new crib just yesterday. Prinny 1- Dood, you said that it was already done. What's the story on making it bigger? Aryn- Oh, it's not just for you guys. (At that moment, a huge freezer truck pulls up to the back door. A delivery guy gets out without giving the prinnies or time-traveling bathroom a second glance, since he's used to odd occurences around the Fire Guardian or any Shriners by now.) Prinnies- Delivery Guy- There you go, that should be enough meat to last you for quite a while. Sign here, please. Aryn (obeying)- Thanks. We've got plenty of residents and three growing youngsters. Do you know how much meat we go through keeping so many fed? Prinny 1 (sweatdropping) - I hope you saved SOME room for us, dood. (City in Dragon Quest VIII.)
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Post by Ambrienne on May 9, 2009 22:08:08 GMT -5
The time travelling toilet's... in the motel. Oh, no. Now, I'm having a Vision of going back in time to stop the Shrine from imploding... with only the prinnies as backup. But then, knowing what we do about a prinny's combustible qualities, we'll find out that going back in time to save the Shrine will be, in fact, what doomed it in the first place. I could be wrong, of course. The incident could have happened in the kitchen. I was there. Or rather, I distinctly remember not being there making candy for any reason. There's no way the sugar could have reached critical mass that quickly, even if I was there. Which I wasn't. But if I was, any evidence will be gone whenever my supply of chocolate caramel chips runs out. Then try proving that I was there. ;D (Name of the world in Brave Story.)
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