As you may have noticed the Q&A Letters have not been updated since June 8. Alex has been busy taking his Finals, and at the last moment wasn't able to update.

Yes, JD your friendly weekend dude ASK JD is back again. Last week after the two days of my Lunar rant, I promised I would try to beat it by this weekend, so I can give you all my thoughts. I came in playing Lunar SSS with really high expectations since Lunar 1 Sega CD disappointed me somewhat. In the end Lunar SSS was a smashing success. I simply can't convey how great this game is. The love story was so touching, sigh :). Anyway as has been discussed numerous times, the gameplay is very old school and very simplistic. It works well if you like a RPG with a great story like this one. However I got several mails dissing Lunar in favor of Star Ocean 2. I have to say the ending of Lunar SSS was fantastic, it helped bolster my overall liking to the game. One thing I do miss are some of the soundtracks from the Lunar SCD version.....The Bonus CD Soundtrack has those, which by the way is Incredible! So it isn't a total loss I suppose. And as for the Making of Lunar CD, it was really enjoyable seeing the people behind the scenes. Kudos to Working Designs and GameArts for such a cool game. I can't wait for Lunar 2 - Eternal Blue. My overall grade for Lunar SSS, for those who care is a 9.4

Ok enough with my Lunar rant. I wasn't sure how today's letters would pan out. Surprisingly Lunar SSS once again dominated the questions, followed up by some Star Ocean questions. While on the note of Star Ocean 2, I still don't have it, grrrr.Our (RPGamer) review of it will be up sometime next week.
By the way, as stated last week my secret messages at the bottom will be Lunar quotes. To get things started I'm posting all 13 locations of the Lunar SSS Bromides, which I will also post again tomorrow for those who missed today's.

Doesn't this look inviting?

JD:With all the questions about asking where all Lunar SSS Bromides are....Here is what I've received. Since I beat the game before getting this list I can't verify if all of these work.
Remember there are some spoilers contained here. Skip this letter if you don't want to see it.

Mia - Nash starts with this one.
Mia - In vane prior to destruction. In mansion go to eastern-most classroom on the first floor. Talk to the student at the back left desk a couple of times.
Mia - From Ramus.
Mia - After Nash destroys the airship engine but before you head back to Myght, go to Illuck and talk to the person who wanted to photograph Mia.
Jessica - At Kyle's bed after he defeats the demons, but before he joins the party.
Jessica - After Jessica joins talk to the crazy priest at the shrine who thinks shes his sister, twice.
Jessica - From Ramus.
Jessica - Talk to the boat master in Lann after you first become a dragonmaster.
Luna - From Ramus.
Luna - In Alex's basement on a shelf. Anytime after Luna leaves the party.
Phacia - At Althena's shrine after Phacia reveals herself. Talk to the head priest twice.
Royce - Talk to one of the magicians on Black Rose Street right after Mel is turned to stone.
Xenobia - After finishing up the Grindery, go back to the room where you had the opportunity to save the vile tribe miner. Talk with the miner on the lower left side, and he'll give it up.

Thanks go out to my homeboy kevinH456@aol.com for the bromide pic.

Someone back on Monday or so was asking how to get into Myght's Tower in Lunar. Here's what I sent Alex: Yes, the strategy guide available does say that the sign on the wall will tell you how to go progress (and the sign doesn't), but the guide also includes an example of "If today's password is `Planet, Star, Sun, Moon,' go through the door marked with the planet, then in the next room, the door marked with the star, and so on." I tried this on a whim and it worked. If it doesn't work for you, just try different combinations, but remember that the fourth and last door would have to be the moon (north) door, because you enter the next area from the south.

-Nate Railsback

JD:
Thanks for the info. What was weird is I just went in random doors and luckily did the right combination :)

Hey JD!!

What the f**k is hapenning???? Lunar isn't release yet in Canada (and my local store tell me they going to have it only the 18!!). Why can't they simply release it the same time?!?!?

-Choco

Hey man, I had a question about Xenogears. I'm having a little trouble =ith the last boss in the game, and I'm pretty sure I've gotten the best =quipment for all of my gears. I went to Big Joe's shop and everything, got =ll the good stuff. So what I'm wondering is do the actual character's =tats affect how the gears perform? Would building levels help at all, =r do I just have to keep trying the way things are? Thanks for the =elp.

-Mog, the Knight who until recently said 'Nee'

hey JD

While doing my French exam the other day I found something interesting out. In XENOGEARS Ellie's Gear is called Vierge. In french this translates as the Virgin Mary; God is there anything that the boffins at SQUARE don't research? Are you looking forward to GRANDIA, man that games gonna be bigger the Tifa's chest!! Oh, in LUNAR have you any idea what the SOAP item that you get from the boat do?

-Fat Chocobo III

JD:
French isn't my forte... It came to my attention that Vierge means only Virgin rather than Virgin Mary. Comments on this from french speakers?
Grandia is gonna rule bro. Sadly I was hopping WD would do the translation rather than Sony. The Soap lets your characters take a bath at the Bath. Urgh Kyle looked OOOGLY, scary scene. So buy at least 1 as soon as you get on the boat, you have only One chance at it.

Heya JD,

Here I sit, reading through the letters to RPGamer, watching it like watching sheep being led to the slaughter. The masses flock to this game called "Lunar", not a bad little game in itself, even with its 2D look....But 60 bucks for a 25 hour game? ARE THESE PEOPLE NUTS? Oooo, wait, I get a soundtrack and cloth map too! Lemme get out my pom-poms and get a cookie for Working Designs for selling this load of crap to the gaming world. Sheesh, I'd rather spend my money on two older games for 60 bucks, than Lunar. Better yet, spend 45 on Star Ocean 2. God knows I would get twice the playing time. I made the mistake of shelling out 50 bucks for Parasite Eve....what a disease that was to the gaming world, all ten hours of it. BRING ON THE FMV! And ah, if I wanted anime, I'll buy it from a store, not as an excuse to shell out 60 bucks for a game. Gimmie 60-70 hours of Xenogears over Lunar anyday.

-Just plain Alan

JD:
Certainly valid reasons for passing up Lunar for Star Ocean 2. While Lunar is a bit short, I have to tell you the story is SWEET. So much so that it holds up the game even with the weakness of its gameplay and length. Rent it at least, it deserves that much.
Lunar fans opinions on this on? hehe. (JD waits for the hundreds of Lunar supporters)

I want to complain about the recent crappy music in RPG's! Most notably Star Ocean 2.. ugh... that bland Musak they have playing CONSTANTLY no matter WHAT is happening in the game is really getting annoying. They use the same music for towns, conflicts, and almost anything that has happened so far! I really was expecting more... The Lunar music has proven pretty sad as well, although nowhere near as bad as Star Ocean. And don't get me started on Legaia! There you have it... a short pointless rant!

-Dan Simpson

JD:
As probably the most hard core VG Music audiophile here at RPGamer, I'll have agree with you somewhat, generally speaking of course. As I said last weekend, I found Motoi Sakuraba's Star Ocean 2 songs uninspired, with some exceptions. The quality of Lunar SSS' does lack the robust red book quality of its Sega CD counterpart. I still liked it though. If you really want great VG Music try some YS Turbo CD OSV games or some of the soundtrack albums.

Seeing as how DVD is (at present), the "wave of the future," do you think synthesized RPG music will be replaced by pre-recorded (EG MP3- or RealAudio-eque rather than the MIDI-eque of current RPGs) tunes on future consoles? I would much rather hear music recorded by actual orchestras than Wavetable effects.... Would do you think?

-Geoff Kraus

JD:
Always a hot topic between audiophiles and those with lower tastes. Hehe just kidding. If you feel I mean you by "lower tastes" don't get your knickers in a twist, at least not just yet.
Synthesized music won't be going away anytime soon, sad to say. Even many Dreamcast games still don't use redbook. Eventually higher quality will become more pervasive, like in the days of the Turbo CD. Mp3 looks to be the choice format right now since it has good high quality/low file size ratio compared to Redbook. Only time will tell. I've been often criticized for my hard stance on this topic, as I just can't accept any music being excellent if it's not Redbook, perhaps I'm spoiled from YS Cd music. And yes I fully agree, bring on the real instruments/orchestras.

JD,

I have a great idea for a Nintendo 64 RPG. I think this game could turn the tables on the Sony dominated video game market. Nintendo should combat Square's Final Fantasy series with a ground breaking RPG.....FULL HOUSE RPG. Based on the late 80's , early 90's sitcom comes Full House RPG to the N64. Michelle has been captured by the evil Manny Tanner, Danny Tanner's evil twin brother. Now the Full House gang must take to the streets of San Fransciso to save the beloved Michelle. Danny Tanner, Jesse Golzolplis, and Danny's daughters, DJ and Stephanie are your party members and Kimmy Gibbler, the nieghbor sells you items and equipment. Joey and Rebecca are hidden party members. The tanner caln takes to the streets and crusading family values, teaching morals to the criminals they encounter. You can bulid levels in the the Tanner household and all the while the wonderful Full House theme, "Everywhere you Look" is the music to play by. Yes a true masterpiece....call Nintendo and request they make Full House RPG at once!!!!!! Oh and watch for the long awaited game from Harpo Studios Gaming Corps., Oprah Moes the Lawn....starring everyone's favorite talk show host....OPRAH WINFREY!!!!!

JD:
Perhaps this wasn't fit for print. I don't care, I laughed my head off while reading this.

Klin-ton of the Hillary type VS. The
Internationally known Child-Like Empress,
"Righty-o, Now who would win?" Says
I, but only one man knows:
NeiFirst. Okay, that's it for the intro.

Okay, now, this is a really weird thing to say, I know, but who would rather win? One, movement spearheaded by the Hillary women (aka Calves of Steel and Doom-to-all-who-oppose-her) who wants a lot stricter er...restrictions (really, really redundant) on the sale of videogames or the Child-Like Empress movement? Now, it's not actually LED by the Child-Like Empress, but instead refers the movement by some to make games less mature, and therefore appeasing all those grotesque senators who hate all forms of videogames. OOOOO! Have a poll! I know you don't want either to win, but still, just pick a side. Heaven knows I don't want either side to win either. Oh, and one other thing, if a bunch of similar looking men come after you, don't worry: you're not killing real people, they're just Al Gore clones. And another thing, never, EVER let little dolls that look like Tipper into your house. 'Tis a scary thing that might happen then...

A fondish sorta farewell,
- L. P. Craft