Bainick - 10:20 EST

Its a-me, Bainick (aka Nicholas "Whiter then Sour Cream" de Leeuw), here again for what is my 7th or 8th (I've lost count) guest host position in the Q&A section. You may know me from the forum's (Where my name is bain_nick due to me creating it at the start of 2005 and not visiting this site until around Matt's apperaence) and the Saving Throw (Go me), and currently residing in the state of Victoria, which is currently being attacked by a multi-pronged assult by bushfires. Luckily, we have the best Volunteer Fire Brigade in the World!

Now at the start of the year I created a list of what games I wanted to buy this year. Now I thought I was only going to buy about 12 games this year but I have, up to this point bought in no particular order; Magna Carta (Terrible game), Dragon Quest 8, Suikoden Tactics, Sukoden 5, Samurai Warriors 2, Harvest moon DS, LOZ: Twilight Proncess, New Super Mario Bros.,Wild Arms 4, Children of Mana, Star Fox DS, Pokemon Mysterie Dungeon Blue, Mario 3 on 3 Basketball,Yoshi's Island DS, Xenosaga 2, Drakengard 2, Harvest Fishing, Dynasty Warriors 5: Empires, Lunar Genesis, Galatic Civilization, Baulders Gate 1,2, and expansions, Settlers 5 2nd Expansion, Dynasty Warriors 2 (I wanted it), Snowboard Kids DS (Not as goos as the 64 games), Kingdom Hearts 2 annnnd the Wii.

A lot, isn't it?
I also increased my DVD collection from 3 to about 20!

Oh and I started these replys at about 10:30 and its now 12:30. And I'm only guest hosting. Respect increase towards Ouro and Matt jumps 30 points!

Oh and My Random 6 tunes from my PC (As i don't own an ipod) are: White and Nerdy - Weird Al, Float On - Modest Mouse, Pachelbel's Ganon- dj Pretzel, Bones - The Killers, El Manana - Gorillaz and Stairway to Heaven - Led Zeppelin (The best song never to be released as a single).

So anywho on with the show and no eating my popcorn lest thee face the wrath of mister fork!

Bainick has never played a Silent Hill, but as watched his brother play EVERY second of all 4 of them.

Bainicks Top 5 games he wanted but did not get in 2006:
1: Final Fantasy 12
2: Harvest Moon: Magical Melody
3: Dynasty Warriors DS
4: Disgaea 2
5: Magical Starsign

Bainick's top 5 most played games of 2006:
1: Samurai Wariors 2
2: Harvest Moon DS
3: Pokemon Emerald
4: Suikoden 5
5: Utopia (MMORPG)

Hiya Ouro and Bainick!

Through the glorious power of pre-ordering, I have finally got my hands on a Wii! And I have to say, it seems pretty amazing. I'm currently about 5 hours into Twilight Princess, and the controls work really well.

So anyway, Bainick, question for you. What PAL RPGs can you recommend for me, outside of any Squenix games (I'm close to completing my collection of all PAL Squenix releases!!)?

Also, Ouro, what would you recommend between Xenosaga Ep 2 or Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner ?

Genjuu likes 'em short and sweet. Actually, no he doesn't. He likes 'em tall, with long luscious legs that go on forever. He wouldn't mind them sweet, though.

Dear RPGamer Guys..

I'm sure you guys get a ton of comments or have in the past regarding the Ratings system here at RPGamer, I'm not about to say what's good, what's bad, or not...but I will say what I think would make it better.

Just for an example, I realized that you recently rated Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess 4.0 out of 5. Now, in your Rating Definitions section, 4.0 is considered Great. Now, I have no qualms with this, but the matter is this:

People might not bother to read the rating definitions or at least if they do, it's difficult to keep in mind when reading ratings. Your 4.0 might be different to another game website's 4.0, if you catch my meaning.

Now, I'm NOT saying that you should go back to the 10 Point rating system, far from it. What I AM saying, however, is that it'd be cool if you guys did something along the lines of what Gamespot does and put a big Word Label next to the rating, so that gamers have peace of mind as to what you think in a single word.

Basically, all I'm suggesting is putting the Definition next to the rating. Like so:

1.0 -- TERRIBLE
1.5 -- AWFUL
2.0 -- BAD
2.5 -- BELOW AVERAGE
3.0 -- AVERAGE
3.5 -- GOOD
4.0 -- GREAT
4.5 -- EXCELLENT
5.0 -- TOP-NOTCH

You could also do this for the sub-categories as well.

or example, you could say that Zelda: TP has these ratings:
Battle System: 4/5 GREAT
Interaction: 4/5 GREAT
Originality: 3/5 AVERAGE
Story: 3/5 AVERAGE
Music & Sound: 4/5 GREAT
Visuals: 3/5 AVERAGE
Challenge: Medium
Completion Time: 30-45 Hours
Overall: 4.0/5
GREAT

Just a suggestion.
~Blade

Hi Ouro and Bainick.

Euler doesn't suck! You suck! Bah, never mind...

I was pretty excited with the PS3's region-free properties. Because I live in Israel where we use PAL,

I imported a PSX and PS2 as well as all my games. Granted, it usually is cheaper (at least the games. I always had someone coming from the states who could bring me the consoles), but it takes time and you always worry about packages missing and so on. More importantly, the no region policy means I won't have any problems with online capabilities or whatever. Unfortunately, the high price tag means I won't be buying one for a while. Do you know if that means there's also no region restriction for PSX and PS2 games?

Bainick, how do you buy games? The most frightening thing about importing games is that you never know whether or not you'll be hit with an additional costumes tax when the package arrives. The first thing I imported is the FFVI OST. It cost around 40$ or something like that. When the delivery man got to my door, he demanded an extra 20$ because it was a CD. Go globalism!

Currently I'm supposed to be playing VP:Silmeria. However, I stop whenever I'm at a tough boss fight and switch to playing Heroes of Might and Magic V. The expansion pack has dwarves, how cool. Still, Silmeria is a great game. It's usually fun, the graphics are stunning, the music is good, dungeons long but sometimes too hard. It suffers from the same problem VP had, for me at least - some monsters are immune to almost every element and if you're not equipped with the appropriate sword or your mage has the right spell, it can get annoying/impossible to win. I need to finish it soon, so I can make room for Rogue Galaxy (when it comes out)

and FFXII (when my friend finishes playing his copy). Also, I have yet to play Okami...

Zohar Gilboa

Hello Ouro good sir,

I LOVE reading this column as much as I love RPGs, and that's saying a lot, so its really sad to see it in such a pathetic state. What's even more pathetic is that the lack of letters the column is completely reflective of how much people actually care about the column, so shame on you for lack of love toward OURO and MATT. They give you SOCK and THONG, and you can't even give them a quickie one-sentence question to help boost their letter supply?? FOR SHAME INDEED. >:-(>

I had a question about your remark about Legend of Dragoon... What exactly was so bad about it? I played it just a year or two ago, and it didn't seem THAT bad to me. Maybe it was because I was playing it "out of context" from when it was first released, when it was more comparable to FF7 and 8. Maybe I just spent so long hearing people rag on it that my expectations were lowered. Why all the hate?

First, concerning your current question, what I would like to see in plots in RPGs is more orginal concepts in gameplay where everything changes on its head midway through the plot in more than one way. For example, say you played the game as a regular turnbased RPG where everything is perceived cel-shaded. Then, a twist occurs similar to FF6 where the world goes from being balanced to ruined, but it goes farther then that. The game changes into an action-RPG type similar to Okami or Shadow of Colossus with a whole new look similar to FF10 or FF12 with a real-life perception to it. Leading on from this, my question is besides LoZ:TP, does any RPG pull off anything like this or similar to this?

Second, in RPGs, I would like to see more options that allow for interactivity from the outside. For example, say you play through an RPG, win the main story, and then open up a bonus sidequest where through your game console, you can interact with a web site that allows you to create your own summon monster and take it through a forbidden part of the game that's open now. On this web site, you could submit fanart that could then be remade into a summon that you and you could access only through your game console online with a special access code. Then, with that summon, you explore the forbidden part of that RPG you just played. I know this idea has probably been done before with previous RPG where you get to customize your summon from pre-existing options, but the new twist on this is that its 100% YOUR idea, without any suggestions or guidelines from the outside. Leading on from this idea, I ask you Ouro what RPG out there has taken this idea of limitless customization with your character or summon or beast and made it into one disasteriffic piece of crap?

Third, for this question, check out hornymanatee.com, and then reply to this question...
If you could be any esper or race from the FF series, which one would you be? When I see this site, I think of how this relates to the furry phenomenon as quoted from wikipedia...

"A member of the furry fandom - fans of artwork, stories, and related products (comics, movies, costumes, et al.) which feature anthropomorphic animals"

...then I think of how most of the summons and races from the recent Final Fantasies could be the subject of furry fandom, so I ask you, if you could be any esper and/or race (like moogle or viera), what would you be and why?

Finally, in regards to your game, what happens when a player reaches the GAME tile at the end of the path on THONG2? Does that mark the end of the current incarnation of THONG2, or do five people have to reach the end of it before this game ends? Or does it make any difference at all? That hasn't really been made clear in your intructions on how to play THONG2, so I might as well ask.

Hope this helps your column, and I hope my ideas make sense to you as they do to me,
Mystere

Ouro & Bainick -

GO NINER'S ! Figured I'd get that out of the way. The game starts shortly and as always during football season I've already started off with some irish coffee. Lord it's fun to drink in the morning. Anyways I've got a little time to kill before gametime so I figured I'd send in some questions for each of you and if I have time before the game starts maybe I can come up with something for your prompt on plot.

I'll start with Ouro. Shadow of the Colossus was great, I picked it up during the summer slump month's when I saw it had made the greatest hit's program. One of the better twenty dollars I've spent.

So I'm curious which of the colossi gave you the most difficulty? Which one was your favorite? And what's up with the weird made up language they use with subtitles in the audio? They do it in Okami also and I hope it's not the latest thing to do in games from Japan because I personally find it annoying. Little laughs or groans or eeps a la Zelda or Paper Mario don't bother me, they serve to add some emotion. These are more like a constant anoying fake language to go with every word in the subs.

Bainick, the Wii just came out down there last week. Didja get one?

Or did you even want to?

And if you did, did you guys get any games that haven't come out here? Anything we (wii) should keep an eye out for? I know Japan got that Pokemon game from the gate...

Umm, plot stuff. I think if more RPG's were just toned down some that would help a lot in my eyes, more save the kidnapped princesses, and a little less save the whole frickin' world/planet.

Also anything current would be awesome. So much sci-fi and fantasy out there, why can't I have a team of spies roaming the former Soviet Union to stop terrorists from aquiring a nuke.

Still kind of saving the world, but a whole new setting. Or maybe I could be coach Mike Nolan trying to lead the San Francisco 49ers out of the sewers of the NFL. Oh, that's Madden, nevermind, must be gametime.

outee five-thou, with my dope & a smile,
kezzy

Kathy Ireland says 'Yuck!'

Incidentally, Bainick, have you ever seen an episode of MST3K? That particular stinger comes from one where Kathy Ireland falls down a hole in Africa and winds up in 'Atlantis', which seems to be populated by Australians. Maybe a good introduction. Ouro?

All right Bainick, your mission is to convince me to play a Pokemon game when I've never taken up the challenge before. Better yet, can you convince me to pick one up immediately when my GBA refuses to recharge and I haven't yet upgraded to DS?

And I've done this with others before, so now it's your turn - gimme all your Sega experience! Yep, all of it. Think of this as a memory rescue operation.

I'm gonna relate an incredibly frustrating experience from my recent Dark Savior playthrough, for your (hopeful) enjoyment. Dark Savior's isometric perspective and lack of diagonal movement were accepted by me near the end of the second parallel, up until I ran into the hardest part of the game, the Silver Castle. Not only is it the single biggest one-room area in the game, but there are countless opportunities to fall into a pit and have to start it over again, because all of it takes place over a neverending sky.

To put yourself into the proper mood, listen to the music that accompanies this area: http://gh.ffshrine.org/soundtracks/3410/38079 It's nasty enough near the beginning with plenty of rapid movement and falling platforms, then we hit several parts where the walls are not lined up isometrically. Damn near everything else in the game is facing diagonally, but not these walls, requiring a very slow form of movement to make sure Garian doesn't fall off. After plenty of further sky-jumping which is a trial-and-error sort of thing, the final part requires absolutely precise timing to avoid some spikes that, if touched, cause Garian to involuntarily twitch back and probably fall off. Naturally the spikes must be circumnavigated.

I must've fallen off between 30 and 40 times, with numerous restarts required because getting pulled out of pits is not cost-free. But I FINALLY did it. And then in parallel 4 I had to RUN through that thing thanks to a time limit!

Incidentally Bainick, which Australian musical group do you most favor? Australia has produced quite a bit of music I enjoy consistently. Hell, let's throw another dose of what's coming up on my random iTunes playlist out: 'I Believe in You' by Kylie Minogue, 'Elevator Chase' from Panzer Dragoon Saga, 'Magic' by Olivia Newton-John, 'My Head's in Mississippi' by ZZ Top, 'I Don't Want Your Love' by Duran Duran, 'The Dean and I' by 10cc, 'The Holy Intruder' from Secret of Mana, 'Life in the Fast Lane' by the Eagles, 'The Look' by Roxette, and 'Heartbreak Hotel' by the Jacksons (aka Jackson 5 when they grew up).

Now do tell me, Bainick: with all the shafting that goes on to PAL gamers, have you never been tempted to import? I know it's harder trying to get non-PAL electronics to work via your electrical system, but far from impossible.

What I'm currently playing: Tengai Makyou The Apocalypse IV. The mechanics have their own interesting points, but the setting and plot are the most notable. I just had to fight Candy in her Candy Tower next to Candy Land, erected on plastic over the Indian village of Seattle, Montana. Candy is an idol singer, and she serenaded me earlier with a strangely catchy ditty called 'We Want Candy!' Upon finding her she asked Rizing (hero) if he wanted to see her body, then during the fight itself she slapped most powerfully and used her horrible Endless Love attack. Now I have to head to California.

Oh, and could you give me a mini-review of Terranigma? I tried to play it... but the PAL electronics wouldn't work on my Region 1 SNES!

Have a link that you just might find amusing: Maddox (Warning: NSFW, etc). I make no claim as to this being unbiased, but maybe you'll feel a little better by reading it.

And since it's exam time, I have a question that could fit into an exam! I'll make available $2000 US to you - but there's a catch. It can ONLY be used to purchase Saturn stuff. I am the champion of the Saturn around here, and I KNOW you'll need most of that money to purchase a worthy library. So, Bainick and Ouro; what will you buy?

Moon rock?? Oh, wow!!
JuMeSyn

Exactly what is the difference between a wyvern and a dragon? And further more if there is a difference then what would a Wyvern rider be called? Wyvoon? Wyvernir?

Arros Raikou
*Has started another story type thing so um uh yeah ^^;;*

A Wyvern is generally a type of dragon with 2 legs and 2 wings. There are some slight variations on this theme, but that's the gist of it.

Luca Phase:
Luca Blight charges up!

DAMAGE Phase:
Draconn takes 0 tile damage.

Movement Phase:
Bainick moves to Tile 14.
Leaper moves to Tile 43.
BLG moves to Tile 33.
Draconn moves to Tile 55.
Slashlen moves to Tile 51.
William.T moves to Tile 31.
Arpijy moves to Tile 42.
Vicissitude moves to Tile 35.
JDX moves to Tile 50.
Aurelius moves to Tile 50.
Aurelius was wrong on the board yesterday. The log was correct.
Tabor moves to Tile 51.

I didn't have enough time last weekend to perform all the EVIL I wanted to!

Answer to #L38: D. 11
Max: 1/4 = 2^-2, Min: 1/8192 = 2^-13. 13-2 = 11.

No question today!

Holy crap. I may need to start setting word limits on hosts! :P

Seriously, it was good having Bainick around!

However, time for the bad news...Matt has had a death in the family, so he won't be doing Q&A this week, and probably up to about a month. Also, I will not be here next weekend, because as much as I love you guys, I would really like to graduate, so I'll be studying for all 72 hours that weekend. The weekend after that is Christmas, so I know I'm not going to be the only one with my family. HOPEFULLY the weekend after that I'll be able to post something, but from January 3rd to the 11th, I'll be moving down to Georgia, so I won't even have a computer for a few days. So, my apologies, this is just a busy time of the year for all of us, and I hope you guys understand. I may pop up a column here and there, and some other staff members expressed interest in doing some columns, so stay tuned! Until then, take care, and happy holidays!

***Josh will be back, he promises!