Final Fantasy VI Demo Scene

I wrote a little FFVI Snippet as an Example post (About covering backstory without going all super expositiony) on Reddit, and it's not quite long enough to be its own thing, but it's the perfect bite size for here. ;P

"Ghestalian Scum!" one of the young men in the crowd shouted at their group as they made their way up the staircase.

"Ignore them," Locke muttered under his breath, "they're not really good at this whole... change thing."

"I probably signed the orders that burned his village down..." she responded, in a quiet voice as they reached the landing above.

"Stop that!" he snapped back, turning to her, "That was a different life. A different you."

"But was it really?" she retorted, her voice rising with her words, "a different me? Isn't that why I'm here? Because of who I am, what I know?"

Locke was ready to snap back, but she held up her hand and chuckled darkly before continuing, "I still wear the armor of a Ghestalian general, and do you know why?" she asked him.

"We're not really that well equipped here," he muttered, "so it's not like you've got a lot of options for good armor just lying around."

"True," she replied, "but that's not it. I wear it to remind me... no. To remind everyone, who I was."

"So what, you get off on reminding everyone-"

She backhanded him before he could finish his statement, and he stumbled back an angry retort ready to erupt, but she cut in first, "Don't you dare accuse me of enjoying this."

He tightened his jaw, but did not respond, his hand clenching and unclenching in a fist betraying his anger.

"May you never have cause to understand how few words it takes to end hundreds of lives," she told him, her anger cooling as she continued, "how a simple dismissive wave of your hand," she demonstrated, "can take a father from his family, or a family from its father."

He said nothing, though some of the tension left him and she continued, "I will never escape what I've done. If we succeed in stopping the Empire, that will not somehow absolve me of my sins. I wear this armor to remind me, and everyone, who our enemy is."

Finished, she strode past him, continuing their climb up the stairwell... and Locke followed with a sigh, speaking under his breath, "But when are you going to realize that you're not the enemy anymore..."

So... I've got a new home now.

  I mean... a new digital address anywho. It's not like it was planned or anything. I was just up past 0300 sitting in a hotel room and I thought to myself, "How much would it cost to have my own domain?"

  Under $5 for the first year it turns out (Using NameCheap). Beyond that, $2 of that was for an SSL Certificate that I'm not sure I'll be able to use... so it could have been even cheaper. Now I know the cost jumps up considerably after the first year... but that just means I've got a year to suss out whether or not I want to keep it. What do ya'll think?

*Crickets*

  Cool, that's great point. I'll take that into consideration. ;P If nothing else... the novelty of having my own domain may (I hope) encourage me to do more writing... because... reasons. >.> We'll see.

  Coming back here after so long though... Man... I really need to clean up that sidebar yo... like for real.

Windows 10 Synchronization between PC and Cell

  Okay Microsoft, let's have a chat. I've been in love with the Microsoft Vision since you dubbed Windows Phone 'Windows Mobile'. The idea of all my life essential gadgetry playing nicely together was exciting, and now with your Windows 10 Pitch I'm even more excited. So let's talk about how this can go from awesome, to Framazing!


  First thing's first. Let's talk about the Desktop + Cell Unification. Way back in the Windows Mobile Days, there was this beautiful little app know as 'My Mobiler'. With it you could fully use your mobile phone through a window on your Desktop. Since then, this has kind of become 'a thing', (And you've even released a 'Project my Screen' app that you've failed to update since launching it... ;?) and if you're truly serious about this platform being 'One System across multiple devices', let's see that here.

  There is no reason (Considering that most of what I'm suggesting exists in Apps on Other Platforms.) that the phone and the desktop cannot FULLY play together if it's designed that way from the get go. Especially now that you log into the Windows 10 Desktop with your Microsoft Account. If you log into a Desktop, and a Phone, with the same Microsoft Account, from that point on (Assuming you select the 'Sync all the Things' options, which should be presented as an option when you first log in) you should be able to use either device for any phone related functions and have access to: Call history / Visual Voicemail, SMS / MMS History, Buying / Downloading Apps, Setting Alarms / Reminders, Etc. just as easily from either device.

  Now, when the devices connect, you've got the potential for some serious awesome now. Bandwidth across all usable 'Connection' methods on relatively modern devices (Wifi, Bluetooth, USB), is plenty sufficient to fully utilize the hardware in either device from the connected device (And when it's not, a message indicating to the user that they need to utilize an alternate connection can be generated). So once the devices are connected, the PC should now have access to all the hardware on the phone (Cell Antenna, Wifi / Bluetooth Antenna, NFC Reader, Camera, Touch Screen, Speakers / Screen, Gyroscope, Etc,) and the Cell should be able to take advantage of whatever hardware the PC has connected (Especially the Second Screen, Keyboard, Connected Cameras, Speakers, Etc.), even if some of these connections require specialized app interfaces for them (Where others can just show up as 'Connected Devices' in the Windows Device Manager and thus become available to other applications, Both Ways).

  Specifically, with a suitable connection between devices, a user should be able to make calls and send text messages from their desktop, manage any of the settings on their device, use any application they have installed on their device (Even if some of them must run through emulation, or screen projection when core device functionality is necessary), receive all notifications on the desktop, and as the device should be recognizing the hardware from the PC, they should also be able to utilize the keyboard, screen, and speakers for the device (Even if it's only through screen projection in necessary cases).

  THIS would make Windows 10 the truly unified OS they've been advertising. And while some of this functionality may need a little baking time to get right, having all of this on the roadmap in a manner that any end user can access without needing to look for Unlocked Device Apps would Truly set Windows 10 in a position above the rest. (And even though I'm only addressing Phone and PC Synchronization here, this One Platform vision should apply to the Xbox One and any other Microsoft Devices... and maybe I'll explore that in a future post).

Stories 'For Sale'

Like, not really. I mean, I'm not selling any stories. But when I make posts on Craigslist, I like to 'Spice them Up' a little. Here are my last two posts as an example. ;P

Moving Boxes... All of the Moving Boxes

  So my girlfriend just moved in. That's awesome. Before the move, she asked me for boxes. So I brought her a few. Then I brought her some more. After that I got her the rest. All the rest. There are more boxes than can be used. There are enough boxes to make awesome box forts, and wage a small cardboard backed war. There are boxes enough to craft fine box armor, and to fortify box walls. We could mount an assault on mount box, and tear the tyrannical rulers of the packing kingdom from their Banana Box Thrones! The Apple Boxed will have their revenge!

Orrr.... you could just use them to move your stuff. Your call. Bring a Truck. We have a bunch.

condition: excellent
make / manufacturer: Box Makers?
model name / number: Apple and Banana Style?
size / dimensions: Various. Plenty Big Though

Bookshelf with Infinitely Adjustable Shelves

  So we're moving, and this awesome bookshelf didn't make the cut for the new space. There's just nowhere to put it. :? Our loss is your gain however, and for a cool $20, you can have a bookshelf that will accommodate all the weirdly different heights you can throw at it. Note the inoffensive white color that goes with everything, and the sweet shiny stickers (On the right side of the unit if you're facing it) that probably belonged to the eight year old girl that owned it before us. Add to that the six adjustable shelves, and this lovely unit will hold it all!

  Those cute little 1" figurines that just 'have' to have their own shelf? You can do that! That weirdly tall art book that just can't fit on a regular shelf without losing the shelf above it? It fits! And no lost shelves in the process. There's no limit to the configurations this unit offers (Okay, there 'is' a limit, but you can do the math on that yourself. ;P) and it can be yours tonight!

Side note, if you're going to put significant weight above the halfway point on a carpeted floor (Like we did with the books), I would advise either fastening it to the wall, or leaning it at the angle displayed in the pictures due to it's narrowness and height, but that's up to you. Just don't come yelling at me if it dumps your *ahem* exotic novella collection on you when you pull a book out. ;P

condition: good
make / manufacturer: No Bloody Clue!

model name / number: Shelf... of Books... or Something
size / dimensions: 36 x 76 x 7 3/4

Wrassling with Word 2010's Table of Contents

  Sooo... I'm working on a 'Sekrit' project (It's the Novel Form of my Terraria Fanfiction. Dang... I suck at secrets... ;P), and a part of that involved using the 'Table of Contents' feature baked into Microsoft Word. As long as you begin your chapters with a title that uses H1, you're fine just letting it loose on your project, and it will auto populate with Titles, Page Numbers (That you can update as you add / remove words from your project), and Hyperlinks to that Chapter. It's wondermous. The 'Problem' arises if you're doing something 'Different' in your Chapter Naming scheme... for example... Using H1 for the 'Chapter X' part, and H2 for the Chapter Name. (I did this so that I could use the Chapter Names Separate from the 'Chapter X' portion in the headers). If this sounds incredibly complicated... That's probably why I ran into problems. ;P

  The 'Problem' arose when I wanted to add another chapter to the story. See... you can have the table update the page numbers... or update the entire thing (Redoing all the Formatting, and pulling all the titles anew). I had manually adjusted the formatting of my ToC, and once you do that you can still use the 'Update Page Numbers Only' option... but updating the whole thing means you have to reformat (And in my case, Write in all the Chapter Names again) it. Now... before we continue... you can adjust an incredible amount of formatting option in the advanced Table of Contents generation menus. This problem was because I just went with the default, and then 'Manually' formatted it. If you're just deciding to add a Table of Contents... I'd spend a little bit of time playing around with the formatting options up front, and you can maybe save yourself this headache. >.>

  ANYwho... since I needed to update it, AND I wanted to keep my custom formatting, I used this guide, to learn about Field Switches, and re-familiarized myself with Copying and Pasting 'Only' Formatting. (CTRL + SHIFT + C to Copy Only Formatting and CTRL + SHIFT + V to Paste Only Formatting) Specifically... I learned that you can adjust the Field Code to pull multiple heading levels, and then once I did that, I pasted my custom formatting on top of the pulled Table. From there, I merely needed to bring the now separate sections (It by default gives each heading it's own line) together for each chapter... which was as easy as putting in my delimiter of choice (I put a : after that 'Chapter X') and hitting DELETE four times for each line. FAR quicker than retyping everything.

  All in all, I love working on this project. I've learned an incredible amount about formatting a novel... so 'One Day' when I end up writing my own original work... I'll be able to adequately format it for private printing. (If I ever go 'Pro' I realize that I'll have to play with LaTeX or something akin to that...  Yay? ;P)

This post brought to you by.... The Music of 'Two Brothers' (OST)

  Two Brothers? What kind of orchestra can you possibly hope to have with only two brothers? Let's just say that the title may be a little misleading. 'Two Brothers' is the title of an upcoming love song to classic gaming (Specifically of, the 'Isometric Action Adventure' variety) in the shape of what looks to be a rather awesome 'Retro Inspired' 'Modern Game'. Mouthful? That's my fault. Let's just say that 'Two Brothers' is a new game, based on old games, that looks like an older game, until it gets newer looking. Better? No? Fine.

Two Brothers is an Action Adventure game that features a classic Gameboy aesthetic

  And THAT's official Ad Copy that I totally stole directly from the Official Site (Font and All). So if you want better, you'll just have to write it yourself. In all seriousness though, I'd love to give you more about the game, but sadly I do not have a copy of it to give you my impressions from. So you'll have to experience it yourself when it releases soonish. (I was slated to 'Beta Test' this little gem, but unfortunately life and luck prevented that from happening. So I'll just enjoy it in it's polished state once it releases formally. Perhaps I'll even write about it after that as well ;P). You can also of course learn more about it from the link to the site just above.

  Why tease you about this title here then? Speaking of titles, what is the meaning behind this post's title? More important than either of those though, why am I asking so many questions today? The answer to the first two is simple. A one 'Brian Allison' (For I assume there is only one... >.>) posted on the 'Ackk Studios' Twitter that he was looking for people to listen to and write about the Official Soundtrack. I warned that I was no penman, but that I would gladly take the excuse to bring words to pixels... and shortly thereafter found myself saddled with "About 4 hours..." of finely crafted, classical (Gaming) inspired music.

  Let me be upfront here and mention that I am no aural connoisseur. If you were to snatch a sample from beneath my earbuds (In the rare occasion I am in fact listening to music) you would likely scour your ears after the horrors found within. Let's just say, this song was... for an undisclosable amount of time... my favorite song (Not the video, just the song... and I know that's bad enough...). On top of that, the Pandora station that gets the most mileage out of me is this one. So this is less a dissertation on how this soundtrack fits into the spectrum of musical accomplishments, and more a few words from the dark recesses of my consciousness while the music finishes playing in the background.

  What do I think then? Well it goes without saying that I love it. Not because I have such a limited musical vocabulary that synthesized bleeps and bloops (In the occasions that such sounds are present in this music) are enough to gain my love, but because this soundtrack dances through everything that was ever right in classical gaming music. It plays, sometimes overt, tribute to the music of games long past while maintaining an energy and overall presence that is truly it's own. You can believe, listening to this music, that the soundtrack itself is a reimagining of music from a well loved classic, and that fits perfectly the overall 'vision' for the game. The only negative thing I could say at this point is that listening to the soundtrack has now made me even more eager to dive in and experience this currently unreleased title. And that's not really a bad thing at all... (For them. For me it's terrible. ;P)

  I close this as the Credits tune plays, which is not only quite an awesome coincidence, but provides a fitting backdrop to this entry. What did they do with the last song? Beat the game, pre-order the deluxe edition and listen for yourself, or imagine if you will a slow stroll through nostalgia as expressed musically on a piano, and you'll be at least part way there. In the off chance that you aren't yet interested in this title (And if you're reading this blog and fall into this category, I... don't even know you...), here's the most recently posted Trailer to remedy that (As I've not really talked about the game itself. This was, after all, a post about the Soundtrack).

Minioning at the Emerald City Comic Con

  Now... there's something wrong with the fact that I'm going to be writing a "Full" Blog post in about a show I've only 'sort of' done once before I've written 'Fully' about PAX. Be that as it may, that's what's going on. ;P So this weekend was supposed to be a 'resting' weekend, as I work often times 7 Days a week and I've been running even harder these last two weekends due to things that needed done (Family visiting, and etc.). That was the case up until about... 2130 Friday night.

  I saw a post about how one of my friends could use extra bodies at the ECCC and as I was 'technically' available (I did work, but not until evening...) I texted him to let him know I was available, and in short order it was arranged for me to come in the next day and work the show. (This is on the strength of our having worked PAX together for a few years now. So it wasn't like I was just a random dude wandering in with no clue what to do. ;P) So the next morning, I wandered in, with no clue what to do... >.>

  On a slightly more serious note, while I knew 'how' to work a show, I obviously didn't know 'how' to work 'this' show. So the obvious Customer / Exhibitor Service Overlaps were easy, but the 'technical' operational differences needed some clarification. Good thing I catch on pretty quick. ;P Though, at a certain operational level, you kind of have to. For anyone who's ever worked a show of any kind knows... things change... and sometimes you don't get any appreciable warning before they do. Of course, it's 'generally' not 'core' things that change, but the little processes... and as the 'majority' of what you'll be doing come doors open is 'little processes'... that can sometimes be a headache.

  Anywho, I showed up to be a 'Minion' (PAX has Enforcers, ECCC has Minions), got my shirt, badge, and welcoming smile from 'The Lair', and made my over to the "Gaming" section of the show. On the way over I started to get that familiar show feel. People rushing to and fro, doors open imminent, and the last minute touches being made by the exhibitors. I will say, that having only done PAX in the past, I was a little surprised by the scale of the exhibitor booths... but I reminded myself that the entire focus of the Expo Hall here is different.

  While PAX's Expo hall is the "Big Guys" coming in to show off their latest and greatest to the public, and interact with Gamers, mixed with a wonderfully healthy dose of the smaller guys showing off their work... Emerald City is primarily the smaller guys showing off their work, with the "Big Guys" being the glaze. Now there's nothing wrong with that (Especially since, while they cater to an 'Overlapping' audience... it is in fact a different demographic that the shows are targeting), it was just a different feeling walking through the ECCC Expo Hall for me. (For one, I could see over the booths to the walls, and the show floor is nowhere near as dark, or noisy with games and videos blaring at you from every booth. ;P)

  Now before I continue, I must confess that there has been some... irritation between Enforcers and Minions in the past. No hate, but certainly tummies being rubbed the wrong way, and that is a problem with the individuals causing it, that has been attributed to the groups as a whole. We are not apples, and a bad, or even just sour, individual does not spoil the rest. Apparently, someone(s?) "Representing Themself(ves?)" as an Enforcer(s) [That's a headache to read... ;P] came to ECCC and basically communicated that "You're doing it all wrong". I want to make it clear that no Enforcer I know would approach another organization in that way, and I am ashamed that someone seemingly did (Of course, that's just one side of the story... but the take away is that this is a poor approach, and not something I would like to see happen in the future. ;?) So once I made it to my department for the show, it was time to see what they were doing wrong... ;P (Okay... I've run that 'joke' twice now... I think I need some new material. >.>)

  After a brief orientation (Again, I've done a 'few' shows) and some instruction, it was time to hit the floor. Being a minion is at it's core a Customer Service position. Our 'Customers' are the Attendees, and in some cases the Exhibitors, attending the show. Each minion (This department, I won't assume operations for the others) is assigned an area where they are to monitor crowd flow, answer questions, and otherwise make themselves available for the odd jobs that pop up during a show. As I have some experience working with Exhibitors, I was primarily focused on taking care of their needs, while making myself useful wherever I was able.

  The actual "Mechanical" part of the job is less interesting to write about (As much as I may love doing it. :P). Answering procedure questions for Exhibitors (How Load Out is handled, who to contact for X,Y, and Z, How late they're allowed to stay... etc.), pointing things out on the map to Attendees (The Sixth Floor... and the fact that as there are two buildings... Floors 1-4 can refer to either. ;P), and even escorting and Exhibitor from an Panel, and Running for Coffee for a Management Level Minion (Something that absolutely tickled me. I know I'm silly, but I can recall asking someone to do so for me on a number of occasions, as I knew I wouldn't be able to wait through the lines, so it was fun to be on the 'other' side of that. ^.^). But these are the little things that keep a show going while making the experience enjoyable to all parties involved, so I was happy to contribute my bit.

  After my shift (Which is an entirely new experience for me as well. During PAX, my 'Shift' is Wednesday/Tuesday to Monday/Tuesday... with a few hours to nap each night. ;P) I was lucky enough that my friend had taken a room at the hotel nearby, and I had the opportunity to take a shower before running to work "IRL". I will confess... working a show and then going to work is a bad idea. I was exhausted... but I made it, with barely enough time to get home, pass out, and do it all again the next day. O.O

  I did manage to rack up a few golden stars during the weekend. I was confused when they were placed onto my badge, and upon check-out I was informed that someone had 'busted' me doing a good job... so that was cool. (As I said in my dA Post, I was first teased that they represented Waffles... and the Waffles were a lie! D:)

  So at the end of this "Mad Impulse", I was exhausted (The Nights leading up to the show were spent getting exceptionally little sleep, as there were a number of things that 'needed' to be done, and I was 'originally' planning to relax and re-energize over the weekend. O.o), pleased at how the weekend had gone, and lightly educated in the differences between shows. Have I the time, I can see no reason why I wouldn't enjoy "Minioning" it up again. ;P

Writing Again. ^.^

  And since this is my "Creative Blog" one would assume that I'd have updated it with that information... right? Well, I'm not that "On the Ball" yet... but I'm getting there. ;P

  Sooooo... that Advent of Indies thing... yeah... December was a crazy month filled not only with the usual hustle and bustle of the "Holidays", but also a large sum of "Extra" hours at work, and even the joys of looking for, and changing jobs... So I kind of dropped the ball there. Alas, it seems that there is no surer way for me to fail at a project than to announce it in writing... All except for one, which I am proud to say I have kept to for the entirety of the year thus far.

  Right on the First of the year, one of my friends had mentioned that she was going to take a photo a day for the year. Now... I'm no photographer. I mean, my Dad was, and I've had a childhood filled with "Family Photos" being set up, "Just So"... so I'm a little more in tune with it than some, but it's certainly not something I've ever felt "Called to".

  That said, for some reason, when I read about her project, I was 'Inspired' and decided to take on the challenge as well. I am aware that 'Part' of it was the fact that for the last couple months I 'have' kind of wanted to take pictures 'On the Side', and another 'Part' would be the fact that this Christmas the "Household Gift" was a new DSLR, but that alone wouldn't have drawn out the crazy in me.

  A "Larger" part of this project, for me, is that along with each shot, I'm making myself write 2+ Paragraphs... about the shot, about what's going on in my life, sometimes just 'Off the Cuff' ramblings from my thoughts. This has been amazingly inspiring for me. Typically, I try to make myself write, but then 'Real Life' gets in the way, and whatever project I'm trying to work on peters off. But this time.. there are even more variables that have been working in my favor.

  First, I've been working on a Fan Fiction (Yes, another one. ;P) for awhile now. It's been on and off for the last year, and I'm ecstatic at the fact that I've been able to keep myself working on it when I get the chance. So, my writing has been pseudo consistent for a little bit anywho.

  Second, One of the things that has killed my "I'm going to start writing" urges has been the lack of 'Inspiration'. I'm a workaholic, and not a lot happens in my day to day that's worth writing about. Sure I think sometimes 'Interesting' things, sure I have sometimes 'Interesting' experiences... but neither of these is predictable, and 'Most' of the time my schedule is / was... "Wake up and Rush to Work -> Work for 12+ Hours sometimes split across Jobs -> Come Home and eat my meal for the day -> "Maybe" spend some time trying to get things done around the house OR attempt some entertainment -> Sleep -> Rinse, Reuse, Ad Nauseum.

  So having to first come up with (Though that happens "Last Second due to late nights at work most of the time. :?) a photo idea, but then to take it and post it gives me 'At Least' that to write about if nothing else. And thanks to this shift in Daily Planning, I've actually gotten accustomed to looking around me with a more 'Visually Inquisitive' Eye. I've always been able to pull stories out of the air, and likely always will (Not that all of them are 'Interesting' ;P), but I will admit that until recently the 'Natural Beauty' of the world around me has mostly gone by unnoticed. So in a little way, that helps to inspire me too.

  All that said, There is one additional element that has helped this transition. Even as I type this, I am 'At Work'. I realized long ago that my "Workaholic" nature was killing my Creative Output. Now... I've tried in small ways to counter that.. but it always ends up boiling down to time / energy running out before I can get home and actually "Create". So I made a decision that 'This Year' I would either cut my work schedule to the bone (Work 'Just Enough' that I could pay my bills and not a moment more), so that I would have more time / energy, or that I would move into a job that allowed me the opportunity to "Create" even as I worked. I managed to luck into the latter... and this has been the best choice I've made in a long time. ^.^

  Anywho, the long winded point here is that yes, I am writing again, yes, I am 'Creating Again' and I have the unusually good feeling that 'This Time' it will stick. In previous attempts I've never felt compelled to 'Write Even More' than I'd intended... and now, I can't help it. ;P

The Advent of Indies

  I’ve heard of “Advent Calendars” in the past, but I’ve never really looked into them, or paid them any heed. This however, an “Advent of Indies” is the kind of tradition I can get behind. For purely selfish reasons of course. A slow buffet of free indie games, and an introduction to a new purchasable / winnable one each day? Sign me up!… Or don’t, as thankfully this site doesn’t require that silliness. ^.^ It does however provide a free game (From each day until Christmas, and an opportunity to win a copy of a purchasable game (Though that’s of less interest to me, I just like the overall idea. ;P )

  I was introduced to this (Follow me down the Rabbit Hole) through a PC Gamer RSS Feed Item, read through Game News Now an RSS Reader (Tailored “Shockingly” to games. ;P ) on my HD7. Apparently it was dreamed up by Indie Developer Jana Reinhardt of Rat King Entertainment (Who I’ve admittedly never heard of until now).

  What I am going to try though, is to peek in each day, and briefly review/introduce (Depending on my interest, time, length/quality of the game, platforms the game is on, etc.) the bite sized game on offer for the day. This works on two fronts for me. 1) I get to try out new and potentially interesting indie games each day. 2) I now have a motivation to write, even if just a little bit, each day. Win-Win I think. =^.^= As an aside, I’ll mention the “For Sale / Gift” title, and provide whatever information I may or may not have about it.

  Since I’m a bit late to the party, the first post will be covering the first 4 Days. I’ll also note that as I live –8 UTC and they who are hosting this live at +1 UTC, the “New Day” happens at 1500 for me, so I may occasionally be talking “About the Future”… ;P

Sooo… NaNoWriMo Eh?

  I’ve come, I’ve Failed, I’ve Given Up. But that was the past. That was “Old Me”. This year, I think I can do it. There’s no particular reason other than it really shouldn’t be as difficult as I’ve let it be in the past to “Make” time for myself to just sit and write. So here I go for another year of “Literary Abandon”. Join me?

New Game +

    Okay, so now that I’ve beaten Chrono Trigger for the DS, I figure it’s time for a Review. Did I like it? Of course, it’s Chrono Trigger. Main Game wise, nothing’s been changed. That was never a concern. Did I like the Extra Content? Not so much. By the by, this is a review for people who have played the original game to completion. There are points that won’t make as much sense to you, and a few spoilers if you haven’t. You have been warned. (I also “Ruin” the extra content, but there’s not much there to “Ruin”. Again, just warning you.)

    First the DS interface. The bottom screen provides a world map when you’re on the field, and an area map that fills itself in as you explore the different zones. On top of this they provide the ability to move using the Touch Screen. You move by touching a point on the bottom screen away from the Center. Close to the center and you walk, further and you run. Also, the “Action Button” (Talking to people, searching, opening a chest, etc.) is activated by tapping the screen, and whenever there are dialog choices they appear as buttons on the Bottom Screen. I don’t like this method of movement and have yet to meet anyone who does. Unless a game has been designed around this movement system, I don’t think it should be shoehorned in (It’s not “Bad”, just not something I like. It works fine.) . I will admit that I did find myself using it while “Grinding” a few times, as I could play the game one handed while doing something else (Using the Mouse/remote/etc.) with the other. There’s an entire post that could discuss grinding in games, but Chrono Trigger’s not that bad about it, so we’ll skip it for now. ;P

    On both sides of the Map are customizable menu buttons. Direct access to your Item/Equip/Swap/Tech/Etc. screens, and even the Menu Screen itself are available via these buttons and they give you the ability to arrange them however you like. Like the movement I initially didn’t like them, though the fact that you can go directly to these screens without having to go through the Menu Screen, and the ease with which you can reach them (As they are along the sides of the Screen) kind of grew on me. With one tap access to screen that would normally be Menu –> Screen, it wasn’t a bad thing, and I found myself using them on and off as I remembered them.

    Your actual “Menu Screen” has also been reworked. When you hit the Menu Button, your Character’s Base Stats (Name, Level, HP/MP), Time Played, and Gold are displayed on the Top Screen. On the bottom you have the Sub-Menus as larger buttons filling the screen. You can still navigate the Menu via the control pad, but everything has been reworked into Buttons/Tiles to make navigating via the touch screen easy. I found myself using the touch screen over the control pad occasionally as they really did a good job with it.

    Finally, you also have the option of the Battle Menus and Character Status (Remaining Health/MP) appearing as they did before (On the Game Screen) or showing up on the bottom screen to keep the top screen uncluttered. I must say I enjoyed that, as it was just as easy to use as if it’d been up top, and it gave the whole top screen to the actual combat. Of course them Menus were redone in the Button/Tile Fashion of the Game Menu, in case you wanted to use the Touch Screen to navigate them. I just used the Controls for the most part though.

 

    Now onto the Extra Content. The first one I’ll mention is the Arena Mode. As that’s the first one you can access. If you wait to use the Arena of the Ages until it’s “Reachable” in the Game Proper, you won’t have access to them until you reach the End of Time. There’s another little light column that shows up in the corner up the Hub room with the Lamppost that leads to it. They have however given you the option of going into the Arena directly from the Title Screen. You just choose which file you’re entering it from, and make sure to save before you exit it. It has no effect on your current position in the game, save that you suddenly have whatever items you’ve won in the Arena. (There is a point in the game where you’re stripped of your equipment and during that point the Arena is “Down for Maintenance”. ;P I thought that was a nice touch.)

    The arena is pretty much what I’d feared it would be. You choose a character from four identical monsters with different elemental attributes, and you let them bash away at whatever other monster shows up in the Arena. You do not directly control the monster, so it’s very dry. There is the option to “Assist” it by handing it an item that Heals/Boosts/Makes it Cast a Spell, but it’s generally unnecessary. You can also train it (Which you need to do to raise it’s Stats so it can bash away at stronger monsters) by “Sending it out” into an Era that you’ve visited. Each of which upgrades different stats. You can even hand it the same limited items you can use on it during it’s battles to assist it in increasing it’s stats while it’s out. Sometimes, after in game criteria have been met, you’re monster will come back as a “Bigger Better” Monster.

    That said, the reason you’d even waste your time there is because through this little Arena you can win items that you’d generally not have at that point in the game. The higher the tier you choose to fight in (The tiers unlock as your monster gets more powerful, and you advance enough in the game), the higher the entry fee, and the better the items you can win. There’s also the ability to get multiples of items that are limited in the Game, and even a few things that do not exist outside of the Arena. Though truth be told the “Arena Only” Items are rather lame. Accessories that are Character Specific which allow your characters to counter attacks of elements not their own 25% of the time. Seriously. And an item that “Might” reduce the enemies HP to 1 when you hit it… Maybe. I did spend enough time there to get enough of the End Game Equipment to fully equip my entire party. Something you can’t do in one play through of the Original Game. I guess you can also send your monster off to fight someone else’s… but I cannot imagine this adds too much to the interest as you do not directly control them.

    I would have liked it a bit more if it either had more depth, or at least let you interact with your monster through items you could find in game. That way it felt like it was a part of something more than just it’s own little corner of the world. Maybe let you give it your old equipment/accessories when it went out to train or something. (Which would have in turn allowed you to recycle a lot of the things you were winning in the Arena, but not needing. Win/Win. :P )

 

    The next extra comes in the form of a set of portals that open up in both the Prehistoric Era and the Middle Ages once the Black Omen rises. You need to enter the one in Prehistory first, and it leads to a village of Reptites from an Alternate Time Line or something in both times. (It’s very poorly explained.) In this new zone, known as the Lost Sanctum, you do a series of self contained quests that net you very powerful new equipment not available in the original game, and some of which is not even winnable in the Arena. It’s kind of neat at first, to get this extra content… but when you realize that it’s COMPLETELY self contained, and has not only no impact on the game proper, but also isn’t an offshoot of something that occurs in the game… it really comes off as “Tacked On”. It would have been neat had they worked it if not “In” to the story, at least “Around” it. That way it felt like it belonged. (Say that they descended from Azala’s people, and were scraping by in this new world they found after Lavos squished their home or something.) Also, the “Story” being told through this area was poorly written. It was hard to see anything more than “I have a Fetch/Kill Quest that I need you to do for me. Please do it and come back for your present.” So even in it’s own little world, it wasn’t well put together.

    After that, there are these “Dimensional Vortex’s” that appear in Antiquity, Present, and Future once you’ve beaten Lavos at least once. Again little portals that this time lead to a series of randomly generated dungeons pulled from a stock of areas from the game with a new area or two mixed in that climaxes in a new “Dungeon” with a Doppelganger of Marle/Crono/Lucca respectively to fight at it’s end. These dungeons also have new equipment not attainable in the original game nor winnable through the Arena, and once you beat a Character’s Doppleganger, that Character gets a little Stats Boost. There is absolutely no story to them whatsoever… outside of a Completely pulled from the air fight with Dalton which not only makes no sense story wise, but is quite literally just dropped in there at the end of the Future Dungeon. (There is a little bit of dialog there… but it’s so out of place that I didn’t care.)

    Finally, after you’ve beaten all three Vorti, the Bucket at the End of Time “Acts up” and you are suddenly able to access a new boss. It’s the Final Boss from Chrono Cross (I’ve already made clear how I feel about “that” gem). You get a little bit of Dialog from a Magus from this “Alternate Time Stream” explaining it, and then you bash away at it until Schala sends you home since you “Can’t defeat it at this point”. After that battle you get another Exceptionally short animation, a mini Magus Ending, and Crono’s Ultimate, no “Really this time” Ultimate Weapon. There’s no other reason to do it, and the ending isn’t all that hot. It, like the Vorti, feels tacked on. (Though it’s obvious from the content that both Dalton, and this ending are supposed to help “Set the Stage” for Chrono Cross…. ;? )

 

    In Summary, I liked having the Extra Content. Even as bad as it was, as it gave me something I didn’t have before. I would have just liked it more, had they put a little more work into it. Overalll, I preferred the Arena, and the Dimensional Vortex’s over the the “Lost Sanctum” and Dream Devourer Boss, as they didn’t even try to pretend to be more than “Here you go, Extra Shat. Have fun”. It would have been completely the opposite had more work gone into making them a part of the game proper. Heck, I’d have liked the Reptite Village better had it just been better written. Seriously, a few scenes, and some better dialog to tie it all together, even with it being self contained, and I would have liked it better. As it stands, I would have preferred the “Lost Sanctum” had just been a long dungeon with possibly interesting connections across time, and the Dream Devourer to have just been another “Uber Boss” no questions asked or answered over what was delivered.

    Do I still feel the game is worth picking up? Heck yeah, it’s Chrono Trigger. And while the Extras may not add considerable incentive, they certainly don’t detract from what was unquestionably an amazing game. Just don’t expect much from the Extra Content.

 

    Oh, I almost forgot to mention. There’s also an “Extras” option on the Main Menu. This let’s you choose a File and then presents an “Encyclopedia Chrono” for you of all the Songs/Artwork/Techs/Items/Movies/Beasties/Endings/Treasures you’ve obtained for that Save categorized into smart little submenus… as if the OCD “Completionists” didn’t have it bad enough. ;P (As and OCD Completionist, I happen to like this feature, though I wish it was accessible through the In Game Menu. The Bestiary is, but not the rest of it.)

    It would have been nice had they fleshed this out a little more as well. Let you watch the Characters execute the Techs. (Possibly on the Arena only Smidges for the Lols. ;P ) Watch the Endings. (Since you’d have to beat the Game again at that particular point to watch it again) And see the Beasties execute their attack animations. Nothing crucial, it’s fine the way it is, but those little touches would have been nice.

 

Not Related: While browsing for images/videos to link in  my review, I realized that I really just need to find a way to capture image/video directly from my DS myself, as it’s hard to find “Just” what I’m looking for. ;P On the positive side of searching though, I found this, which is rather awesome. ^.^

My D&D Character

  Okay, so I went quite a while without ever playing D&D. Not that I didn’t “Role Play”. I’d actually tried D&D out when I was younger, and just didn’t like the system. By then, I’d already been playing a game of my own device, one that I’d already created “Some” Documentation for, and I couldn’t see a good reason to change over. So while I have Run RP Campaigns for 15+ Years (Started as a child, and never really stopped. ;P ) I’ve never “Really” played D&D. Until about a year ago. So now, I’m a complete package geek, D&D and all. I can even almost make D&D related jokes. Almost.

  Anywho, one of the New Enforcers made a post asking people to describe their most recent character, and I figured I’d share my little monster here as well. ;P (He’s huggable.)

"Bekker" Trollkin from the Backwoods, 3rd Level Berserker (3.5, Iron Kingdoms) Chaotic Neutral

  An Ugly, Sexist, and Sadistic Sociopath who's only redeeming value is that he's "likely" to get himself killed before the rest of the party... "Likely". Grew up hating his family and tribe for being larger than him, and was banished from his kriel after being caught torturing one of the younger trollkins. (They would have killed him if not for the intervention of his older brother) Originally started "Adventuring" to avoid being followed by those in his tribe that may have followed him to kill him. Prefers Blunt Weaponry, as things tend to live longer, and thus suffer more if they're not cut open.

“Specialties”: Causing Pain to others, and Killing things. Has fed Baby Bats to Alligators, and attacked the entombed body of a Past Ruler. (The last of which blinded him long enough for him to learn a new word. Chasm.)

Has a short attention span, and impatience that only tends to get himself and those around him into trouble. Can focus on something if it catches his fancy (As was proven when he and the party thief went to work breaking open the glass between his party and a view of unknown stars, to see where it led while exploring a Seerist Temple, almost losing the entire party to the vacuum of some kind of subspace.)

"Accomplishments": Once crushed a man's skull for looking at him (He may have said something insulting as well. It didn't matter, he was in a bad mood) and almost got himself and the party thief hung as a result.

Considered using a little girl found during a zombie invasion as a distraction/bait for zombies. This idea was shot down by the rest of the party.

Greatest "Achievement": Has survived this far into his life (As Trollkin heal rather rapidly, his logic follows that if he’s okay when he wakes up. It must not have been that bad.)

Most "Tragic" Moment: Lost his original WarHammer after attacking the "WitchFire" in an attempt to destroy it. Went through a period of mourning, in which he finally understood the concept of loss. Until he replaced it with a better hammer. ;P

Found in his Inventory: A Chattering Skull found in an abandoned castle full of undead things, and a necklace made from the teeth and foot of an Alligator he “rode” in the Marshes

Random Character Notes: Had never come near to death in his miserable little life. Since he’s been with this party, he’s been truly faced with his mortality, and has begun to rethink some of his life choices… slowly…

E-Mail Storylett

  Okay, so I warned that occasionally I may decide to syphon some of my terrible writing through here, so you cannot claim you’ve not had fair chance to evacuate. ;P

  One of my Co-Workers was fixing to leave for a Week’s vacation, and I generally send him some Oddball quip in my Nightly Numbers E-Mail to him, for amusements sake. Well, I warned him that when he left, I’d have time to flood his Inbox with an “Epic” that he’d then have to wade through upon his return. He thought that was funny… until I made good on my threat.

  This isn’t meant to be a “Complete” writing, nor was it well Proofread/Edited/Etc. I literally rattled each Chapter out at the end of the night right before I went home. So that’s the level of Quality present here. I’d originally meant it to be longer, but I missed a couple of days of work while he was out, and thus I shortened, and “Abruptly” ended it. Here it is, in all it’s “Glory”. ;P

 

*****

Peering into the darkness, he was once again accosted with his fears.

What am I doing here? he thought to himself.

For three days he’d been tracking her, and why? Because she’d stolen from his home? He knew it was more than that. But what. It’s almost like he knew her… though that was impossible. Wasn’t it? Moving forward, he lit a torch and decided that the why wasn’t important. He’d come too far to start having second thoughts about this. There was nothing for it but to continue.

Looking at the walls of the decrepit cathedral he was reminded how poor things were outside the Sanitization zones. People out here didn’t have access to the luxury’s he was accustomed to, and thus things were generally left in a worn state. It’s like their buildings reflected the state of their minds. What kind of person opted to live in an uncontrolled environment? Animals mostly. And the Mentally ill… though occasionally someone would willingly choose to leave the Safety of the City… That’s why he was here. To find out why. She was just an excuse. He knew that, but to have really made the choice, to actually be here… there was no turning back, and that’s what really scared him.

Coming to the back of the Cathedral, he heard noises. Sounds of people talking, yelling even, though it was muffled, like it was coming through a padded wall. As he reached the wall he started looking for a door of some kind.

*Snap*

He’d stepped on something, a loose board or something, and the sound of it was loud in the empty building. The noises stopped. He slowly turned to leave, and noticed figures moving near the doorway. He’d been caught.

*****

Climbing through the Broken Window, she couldn’t believe he’d tailed her this far. First he surprises her by leaving the Sanitation Zone. Something she’d never seen a Zonie do before. And then he managed to keep up with her through the wastes. It just didn’t make sense. But now she was pretty sure she’d lost him. Sure he was in town, but it’s not like he’d find her amongst all the ruins.

“You’re late.” her sender stated as a way of greeting, from his seat at the only table in the room.

“Thanks for you’re concern.” she replied, letting the sarcasm drip from her words, “I’m fine really. Don’t worry about it. I was just taking my time, you know, to see the sights.” she finished, throwing the carrier bag at him.

Peering inside, he asked, “Did you manage to get out unnoticed?”

She paused. She didn’t have to tell him she’d slipped up. It’s not like you expect to run into someone home during the work shift at a Zonie House. Though then she’d actually have to explain her tardiness…

“There was someone home.” she answered finally.

“So?” he stated, “What does that have to do with anything? You should have killed them and moved on.” he ended, narrowing his eyes at her. “Why didn’t you?”

How was she to explain to him how she’d felt when she saw his face. She knew she’d seen that face before. She had a knack for remembering people, but it didn’t make any sense. Sure she’d made a few runs into the Zones. But never Zone B. So why would he look familiar to her? She’d not bothered to worry about it at the time, needing to hurry and get out with her target, but still…

“I asked you a question!” he shouted, standing now, the bag laying on the table.

“Listen!” she shouted back, “I was in a hurry, and I didn’t want to make my escape any more difficult than it already was. You know how they respond to death in the Sanitation Zones. I figured I could…”

“Excuses!” he cut her off, “You always have an excuse for not killing people, and I’m tired of listening to them. If you think that..”

*Snap*

They both moved for the entrance to the front of the Cathedral. She had a sick feeling that it was him…

*****

This job sucked. He’d been “Pre Selected” at Eight to be a Protectorate. This was supposed to be some kind of honor or something. He must have missed the good part while he was sleeping through his four year training regime, and following 4 years of Public Service.

Sure they trumpeted it up. Making a big deal around the Zone for the populace, so that the people came to know, and even envy his position… but what they didn’t see was the grueling 16 hour days and seemingly endless amount of physical training they had to endure. From the moment he’d graduated ,not at the bottom of his class but not too high either, at 12, he’d not had a real nights sleep. At least that’s what it felt like. Getting to bed when he could hardly move, and up before his muscles had really loosened up. It was craziness… but he was supposed to honored by being there.

It sickened him to see the other Protectorates in Training (PiT’s he liked to call them) trying to outdo each other for some meager praise from the Teachers. He was just as content to let them ignore him, and though he never quite managed to stay completely off the radar, he certainly did a good job of keeping low. So it was a surprise when they graduated him early, and sent him right out into the De-Zones. The looks of jealousy his classmates gave him when the High Protectorate himself came and pulled him from classes a full month before he should have been finished was priceless.

They didn’t really give him a reason though. Which kinda bothered him. Just suited him up, issued him a roamer, and told him to patrol the outskirts of B-Zone. When he asked why he’d been pulled, they only told him that he was done, and they saw no reason in delaying him further. There were rumors that the last Protectorate had disappeared, roamer and all… so he was suspicious of their intent. Mayhaps they felt that he was expendable.

Coming into the ruins of old B, he was startled from his thoughts when his Life form Sensor started to blip. Pulling up the scan information, he could see that there were 4 humans in what looked like the ruins of a church, and two of them were armed with energy weaponry. Well, this was great. Now he was going to be shot at. Having trained for an encounter with rouge’s he wasn’t too concerned, but this would be the first time he’d actually run into anyone. Parking the roamer a block away, he activated his phasing gear, and pulled his stun rifle out. Locking the vehicle, he slowly made his way towards the door…

*****

He was tired of waiting for her. Tired of her excuses, and tired of trying to shape into the weapon that her father had been. Sure she was quick. That’s the only reason she was still alive. He’d tried to kill her the night he’d wiped her father, but she’d managed to get away. It had taken him several hours to finally catch her, and he was impressed enough that he took her on instead of finishing her off. Of course he’d had to wipe her as well. This was to be her final test. His way of making sure that she was ready to take the next step… and she was late.

Sitting at the Table, he thought about it… He’d known it was risky sending her to her father’s house, but that was the only way he could be sure. If she killed him, he knew she’d be ready. If not… well, no one would miss her now. He heard her before  he saw her crawl in through the window.

“You’re late” he informed her. Not because she needed the reminder, but because he was curious as to how she’d respond.

“Thanks for you’re concern.” she replied, in such a way that he knew she was stalling, “I’m fine really. Don’t worry about it. I was just taking my time, you know, to see the sights.” she finished, throwing the carrier bag at him.

He caught it, and peered in. It was there. Not that he cared, that hadn’t been the reason he’d sent her, “Did you manage to get out unnoticed?” he asked, already knowing the answer.

She didn’t answer right away. He knew she’d run into her father. He’d planned this run during a time he was sure to be home, workday or not. What bothered him was her reluctance to admit it right out.

“There was someone home.” She finally answered him. At least she wasn’t going to try and hide it but…

“So?” he stated, “What does that have to do with anything? You should have killed them and moved on.” he ended, narrowing his eyes at her. “Why didn’t you?”

This was a problem. Did he evade her, stop her, talk to her… Why was she taking so long to answer, was she considering lying to him!? He stood, discarding the bag onto the table, and yelled at her, “I asked you a question!”

“Listen!” she shouted back, “I was in a hurry, and I didn’t want to make my escape any more difficult than it already was. You know how they respond to death in the Sanitation Zones. I figured I could…”

“Excuses!” he cut her off, he knew there was more to it than that, “You always have an excuse for not killing people, and I’m tired of listening to them. If you think that..”

*Snap*

Someone had entered the building. They both moved with practiced ease toward the passages that would let them out near the front doors. First they’d take care of this intruder, and then he’d take care of her. He wasn’t going to take any chances.

*****

It awoke with a start. It had never been given a formal name. It didn’t really need one. Most people avoided it from a distance, and anyone close enough was too busy screaming to call it anything. It had been comfortable though, and being woken up made it grumpy.

Looking down from the beams of the building it’d been sleeping in, it noticed a manthing standing in the back of the building. He was looking across at the manthing and womanthing standing in front of the doorway. They were yelling at the manthing, but it was hiding behind some benches. That was silly of him. They couldn’t seem him there. It didn’t understand why the womanthing looked nervous, didn’t know why the manthing hiding looked scared. What it did know was that they were being noisy, and it knew how to take care of noisy things.

It dropped from the ceiling, and everything was thrown into chaos. It was used to that.

*****

  The Cathedral hadn't been lived in for several years. Once there'd been a small family residing in the back. The Husband was the Pastor, and the Mother and children helped keep up the building. This was before the world moved on. Since then, maybe it was the spirit of kindness that had inhabited the building, but for whatever reason, it had been left more or less alone for quite some time.

  Then the Unliving Thing moved in. The result of experimentation, it was a fusion of an Embryo, and a Mechanical Monster. To call it alive was too much, but it wasn't quite dead either. They grew... though not in the way of normal things, and they consumed everything around them. After which they would rest... indefinitely if left alone. So it seemed that once again this building would be at peace, even though it now housed a monster.

  Some time passed, and a couple of Humans, Man and Woman moved into the back. Sure they ventured to the front, but they were always quiet, this was their quiet place, and thus they never woke the thing. Again, it seemed the building would continue at peace.

  More time passed... and now, too many people were here at once. Too many sounds, too many problems, and too much activity. It awoke.

  Given the situation, it's a miracle that any of them lived. The two who had moved in turned on each other at the sight of an intruder. They were so intent on each other, that the man didn't see the thing as it came down on him. That's not fair. He saw it, but he was so convinced that "She" was behind it, that he went to take her out. That's why he died.

  The young officer didn't see this happen. What he did see was the man's head come rolling out of the door. He'd never expected things to elevate before he'd gotten there. He ran in to stop the commotion. His sensor told him that there were two humans right in the door. A young one, and an older one. The young one wasn't a threat. His sensors couldn't tell what "It" really was. So he came in ready to deal with the older one. That's why he died.

  The intruder wasn't sure what was going on. He didn't know what this thing was, and he didn't know what they'd been talking about. But he did know something. He didn't know why he knew, but he knew that her life was more valuable to him than his own. When the officer came running into the room, and pointed a weapon at her, he tried to get to them, before something happened to her. That's why he died.

  She was paralyzed. She'd just watched this, thing Kill four people... and none of them had stood a chance. Not even the officer. The officer however had been equipped with phasing armor. This particular suit was an experimental model. It was meant to take someone else along when it moved the officer. "It" was still holding the officer's body when the suit went off. That's why "It" died.

  She sat there... too shocked to move. Too scared to breathe almost. When they came, to collect her, where they knew they'd find her. They didn't ask questions. Their computer had never been wrong. It told them where to go. It let them know what to expect. And when they were told to come here by drop, and that they'd have a young woman sitting alone in a blood splattered ruin, with a charged rover sitting nearby, they hadn't even considered the oddity of the situation. Sometimes, it wasn't worth it to ask questions.

  After they left, the building was once again empty. And it was once again left alone... until the next time it would be needed.

*****

 

Okay, so that’s it. Please forgive me. ;P

PAX Brief.

Soooo…

*Looks around*

*Cleans up some Cobwebs*

   Yeah… I’ve not done a good job of updating this. Let’s end the thought from my last entry. I went to PAX, loved it all over again, worked even harder than before, and was sad when it ended. This is to be expected. I think everyone amongst the Enforcers experiences much the same thing. ;P

   I’ve waited long enough to write here that things are already in motion for PAX this year. I’m not part of the initial planning phases (Someday maybe. ;P ) but I have gained more responsibility this year, and I’ll admit that I’m ready to tackle it running (Even though it is early still, so I’m not getting carried away… yet. >.> ).

   That’s really it. Due to things in my life, I’ve not been “Quite” as involved in a lot of the Enforcer Activities, but such is the way of things. (Once my schedule figures itself out, I'll have more time.) I’m looking forward to this year, and if you’re reading this and you aren’t an Enforcer, and aren’t yet registered for PAX, what are you waiting for? ;P

Going for a Meet and Greet…

  So, I happen to be an Enforcer for the Penny Arcade Expo, a volunteer position I definitely love, as it comes attached to the most amazing group of people I’ve ever had the privilege of knowing. ;P  Anywho, we have a Meet and Greet/Function a week before PAX every year, to which I’ll be headed in the next 5 Hours. (Yeah, I should probably sleep, but I’ve never really been good at the whole Sleep thing. ;P ) This is the First Official step towards PAX this year for me (Last year I lucked into assisting elsewhere, but this year my schedule is whacked. ;P Which is why I’ve taken off work from Wed 08/27 – Tues 09/02 for it.) and I’m Psyched… which certainly isn’t helping with the whole Sleep thing. >.> Anywho, you can count on my next blog being somewhat about that, so stay tuned. ^.^

Chrono Trigger for the DS

  Okay, so I love Chrono Trigger just as much as the Next person who broke their way (Almost literally… ;P ) into RPG’s through Final Fantasy (The Original, on the NES), but I must admit that I’m not That excited for the release of Chrono Trigger for the DS. Don’t get me wrong, I’m going to snatch it up the day it comes out and I’ll be fighting Gato’s evil twin in the Black Omen before the weeks out… but I’m just not as Excited as I’d love to be…

  Here’s the thing. I’ve played Chrono Trigger all the way through, on not only the Snes, but also the PS1, and even on my computer… so when I pick it up to play on the DS, I’m looking for a compelling reason to do it again (Awesome Story, Fun Characters, Amazing Combat System, and Overall High Caliber Game aside… >.> ). I mean, if you Really want to get down to it I can take Chrono Trigger with me on the Go. I mean I’ve got a PSP, and there are perfectly fine Snes Emulators out there that run it… so why am I buying it on the DS Again?

  My main gripe is that it sounds like they’re doing practically nothing to it. One new dungeon (Though some quick Digging looks like they may have confirmed more. That at least would be ^.^ !!! )… wireless battles (Which with Whyte from the DS Remake of FFIV having reared his ugly head… even this doesn’t immediately excite me. ;? )… and the extra content (Bestiary, Cut Scenes, Etc.) from the PS1 Version. Whoop?

  Forgive me, but while messing too much with a classic can be dangerous (Anyone play Wild Arms Alter Code F? Did you like Wild Arms? Then Don’t. :/ Or at least realize that it’s a Re-imagining, and not a Remake… there’s a significant difference. ;? ), I like to see some kind of Additions. If you want examples of Doing it right look to the Ports of FFI/FFII (Would have Liked a Hard Mode), FFIV(<3 Character Swapping… could have fleshed them out a mite more. ;P ), FFV (The Odd duck, though since the Jobs were the core here, there wasn’t much they could do… except maybe more meat to the story. O.o ), and FFVI (Nicely done… though lighter on the awesome) on the GBA. If it turns out like these games, then I’ll be more than Ecstatic, I’ll be Jubilant.

  Finally though, it all comes down to the fact that I’m terribly hopeful that this is Sqeenix’s attempt at seeing how much sway Chrono and the gang still hold in the Market. That maybe, if this game does good, they’ll release a real sequel. (Chrono Cross feels like an Original IP that they chickened out on and attached to the Chrono Trigger Universe to cash in on the Fans… :/ Sad really, as it was actually a very good game… just not a good sequel to Chrono Trigger…. I think they actually hurt it more in going that route. ;?) For that, I’ll buy the game, recommend it to anyone who’s never played it (Everyone who has is in the same hope boat as I. ;P ), and watch the horizons hopefully.

I think I have a Plan....

Okay, so I've decided to keep both Blogs, suicideI know, but here's the catch. This Blog will be for my "Creativity" (Translation: Updates on my Horrible FanFiction,Thoughts and Musing about my Neglected Original Writings and anything else I decide to attempt. ;P ), general "What If's", and Gaming Related Thoughts. My other will be for more Day to Day musings. So with that as a Goal, let's see how this works. >.>

What is this?

Okay, so I "Just" created a "WordPress Blog" and now I see that I "Kinda" have a blog in my Google Accounts... :? Okay then... I guess I get to play "Compare and Contrast"... ;P