Lurker > pyresword

dowolf posted...

pyresword posted...

There's NPC dialogue stuff and some of the sidequests which--yes--I think there's effectively no explanation/context for at all.

That's largely what I mean, yeah. Though also, like, does the game really explain who Chairman MacDowell even is?

Not really, but they at least say that he's a well-respected Crossbell politician.
---

Oh woops. Putting Advokaiser in my sig like this until I think of something more clever

Well, I guess it also depends what you mean. I'm only really talking about the main story here.

There's NPC dialogue stuff and some of the sidequests which--yes--I think there's effectively no explanation/context for it at all.
---

Oh woops. Putting Advokaiser in my sig like this until I think of something more clever

dowolf posted...

pyresword posted...

Chapter 2 I think there's a lot more potential for there to be emotional context missing from having not played Zero/Ao. Though in fairness, I think the game does make some attempt to cover for that possibility and is at least somewhat successful. (Since I have watched playthroughs of Zero/Ao, I don't think I'm in a position to say exactly how successful...)

With Chapter 2, unless there's been significant changes to the script, I literally don't know how a lot of it makes sense without playing zero/ao. Which, I suppose, means those changes must have happened? *shrug*

Also the game starts straight-up spoiling pretty much everything that happened in Crossbell so <_<

Well I mean, just from Cold Steel 1 and 2 you already know the basic sequence of events that happens in Crossbell: (spoilers okay to read if you've played Cold Steel 1/2) ie. Crossbell is under pressure from both major countries --> The IBC asset freeze happens and Crossbell declares its independence --> weird magic stuff happens and the declaration is declared invalid --> Erebonia invades Crossbell And I think that's really all you need to know for the chapter to make sense from a logical perspective? It's possible I'm forgetting something I guess. There's some discussion about exactly what the "weird magic stuff" was that might go over people's heads but I don't think it's really needed to understand what's going on here anyway.

From an emotional standpoint, (CS3 chapter 2 spoils) I do think the game goes through some effort to show that national identity is important to Crossbell citizens through discussions about the SSS being heroes and about how people are upset with Chairman MacDowell not being invited to the dinner or whatever. I'm not sure how far that will go, but I do think it's a lot better than nothing.
---

Oh woops. Putting Advokaiser in my sig like this until I think of something more clever

Anyway I also finished chapter 2 last night.

I don't think it quite reached the sheer insanity of chapter 1 but it was also a much more emotional plotline. Hard to say which I enjoyed more but they were both very good.
---

Oh woops. Putting Advokaiser in my sig like this until I think of something more clever

ninkendo posted...

I'm guessing one wouldn't tear up at the big speech at the end of the day 1 field studies

This scene hit me hard not gonna lie.

colliding posted...

how is it if you didn't? hard to say I know, but hazard a guess.

I think the game does as reasonable a job as possible providing the missing context. I don't think it will fall completely flat, but I'd be lying if I said I thought the impact would be exactly as strong.
---

Oh woops. Putting Advokaiser in my sig like this until I think of something more clever

xp1337 posted...

Leonhart4 posted...

Also, I do wonder what sort of leverage they have over Rean that forces him to automatically accept official orders from Osborne. It could be something cliche like threats against his family or something, but you can tell Rean clearly accepts those orders from Lechter against his will.

I thought that was more or less explained as it happened? Osborne is a total ******* and literally creates situations in which Rean basically can't refuse (on purpose because he knows how to play Rean). Like in this case, the Imperial Government is intentionally doing nothing to help instead of sending the RMP or the Imperial Army to help. If Rean does nothing Ouroboros could easily run over a few towns or something so Rean is forced to accept to protect innocents from potential harm. I mean, perhaps there's more to it that we'll learn later but I felt it was a sufficient explanation at the time.

Yeah this was also my take on it. I don't think it's that Osborne has direct leverage over Rean, I think it's just that Osborne is intentionally engineering situations in which innocent people might/will die if Rean doesn't take action.

~~~~~

As far as Crossbell stuff goes, I don't actually think it was incredibly necessary for chapter 1. There's a bit more weight behind the Randy/Shirley stuff, but honestly I think most of the emotional weight of that character arc is in the Crossbell games itself and that things are more or less settled now.

Chapter 2 I think there's a lot more potential for there to be emotional context missing from having not played Zero/Ao. Though in fairness, I think the game does make some attempt to cover for that possibility and is at least somewhat successful. (Since I have watched playthroughs of Zero/Ao, I don't think I'm in a position to say exactly how successful...)
---

Oh woops. Putting Advokaiser in my sig like this until I think of something more clever

Yeah Cold Steel 3 is definitely the quickest to dive straight into the action out of the Trails games I've played, unless you want to count things like the first 15 minutes of Sky SC. (Which unfortunately comes before the worst tutorial/intro segment in the series...)
---

Oh woops. Putting Advokaiser in my sig like this until I think of something more clever

Laura has been one of my favorite old Class VII appearances so far.

Interestingly I haven't been that excited by the old Class VII characters as individuals overall, but I like them as a group somewhat more than I did in Cold Steel 1 and 2 even though this isn't even their game.

New Class VII still better anyways imo, but yeah.
---

Oh woops. Putting Advokaiser in my sig like this until I think of something more clever

Been making my way through chapter 2 of Cold Steel 3 and I love everything so much I don't even know where to begin.

(All spoilers for the chapter 2 field study)
Best NPC making a surprise return as a worker at the Times Department Store. Other best NPC's Vivi and Linde also making appearances.

Vita confirmed working against Ouroboros which is exactly the development I'd been hoping for for the past 3 years

Juna in particular being amazing this chapter and New Class VII having really good chemistry and being with her in her time of need.

Olivier also being fantastic.

I'm sure that didn't even cover everything but man I am loving this game too much.
---

Oh woops. Putting Advokaiser in my sig like this until I think of something more clever

Brave orders in general can be just very busted so far, it seems like. Ebon Crest is very good in certain scenarios but actually I think the most abusable one so far seems to be Sledgehammer (which you might not have yet? Idk). Some of the guest characters also have extremely good ones...

LeonhartFour posted...

Mob Psycho 100 Season 2 Episode 1 complete

I know topping the original OP would be a tall task, but they did a pretty good job with this one. It's nice that they had Mob use his powers in a "normal" setting to help that girl out.

Oh man I actually totally forgot about this episode but it was probably one of my favorites. I really liked the ending.
---

Oh woops. Putting Advokaiser in my sig like this until I think of something more clever

Maniac64 posted...

Tram Taichi for sure. Sadly I think Chihaya is Team Arata.

Just wait until Taichi beats Arata in karuta then there's nothing holding them back.

*To clarify this is not a spoiler. I have no idea if this happens but by god I hope it does.
---

Oh woops. Putting Advokaiser in my sig like this until I think of something more clever

Though I'm personally not the biggest fan of Mob Psycho 100, I do agree it seems like a show user SaveEstelle would like.

Then again I think that in principle it's a show I should like, based on my opinions of other shows, so who knows.
---

Oh woops. Putting Advokaiser in my sig like this until I think of something more clever

Aw yes currently at 30-0 in Vantage Masters in Cold Steel 3.

Am currently using a water focused deck using the spell (Uplink?) that gives +1 to all water cards and damages everything else, with the Knight as the master or whatever it's called.

Honestly the Knight seems pretty OP right now, though I've only seen about half the cards so far.

Also if I'm being honest, from a pure competitive standpoint, running Uplink at 3 probably isn't that good even in a water focused deck. In many scenarios it's a dead card, and the times when I have gotten value out of it are mostly situations I was already probably going to win anyway. Best strategy right now is probably just throw all the strongest cards together without any thought to synergy. However this gives my deck a theme which is more fun, and the opponents so far haven't been good enough to take advantage anyway.

Also have an Archer deck where the wincon is the 3/3 fire archers, but that one isn't quite as fun imo.
---

Oh woops. Putting Advokaiser in my sig like this until I think of something more clever

Yeah a lot of that is how I felt about the show also. Come to think of it I never actually finished it though.
---

Oh woops. Putting Advokaiser in my sig like this until I think of something more clever

Mobilezoid posted...

I legit don't have a preference. Both Taichi and Arata are great choices for different reasons. I like it when the childhood friend wins and Taichi is a supportive friend (he was a jerk as a kid though). Arata has the karuta angle working for him since a lot of Chihaya's passion for the game leads back to him.

Basically I'm hoping this ends in a threesome, they're both great.

You're either with team Taichi, or you're my enemy.
---

Oh woops. Putting Advokaiser in my sig like this until I think of something more clever

So are you Team Taichi or Team Arata?

Depending on the answer I may have to block you.
---

Oh woops. Putting Advokaiser in my sig like this until I think of something more clever

I am officially declaring that there is no Trails content more wholesome than (early chapter 2 CS3) Laura sending text messages.
---

Oh woops. Putting Advokaiser in my sig like this until I think of something more clever

Yeah I am pretty tight on Mirage Quartz also, mostly because the only two slots available to Altina from the start of the game both are Mirage-only slots for some reason...

In other news one of the things I did last night when I was playing was take the time to look through the dorm rooms of every person at Thors. Not every room was a winner but there's some cool things to find. Some examples:

--Towa has a bookshelf with a stepladder right next to it because she's too small to reach the top shelf.

--Tita has a picture of Estelle/Joshua/Renne in her room, along with another one of Agate

--(Early chapter 2 spoilers) The new mechanic helping out Tita still has her flute in her room that she played in CS1/2

--Randy's room has many Playboy-esque magazines and posters...including one with a girl that looks suspiciously like Elie. I suspect that was not actually the intent of the developers but I find it hilarious nonetheless.
---

Oh woops. Putting Advokaiser in my sig like this until I think of something more clever

redrocket posted...

I would not do this even if my fridge was literally in my bathroom.

---

Oh woops. Putting Advokaiser in my sig like this until I think of something more clever

I was having some trouble early on also, but I think even by the end of chapter 1 I wasn't really having issues anymore.

I don't know what the trick is, but I will mention there's apparently a cooking-based infinite money trick you can do in chapter 1, though I don't know whether or not you need specific stores and if those stores are available at the field study itself.

Edit: Responding to Leon
---

Oh woops. Putting Advokaiser in my sig like this until I think of something more clever

Cassius from Trails in the Sky The 3rd.

They've spent 3 entire games hyping this dude up and then he doesn't disappoint
---

Oh woops. Putting Advokaiser in my sig like this until I think of something more clever

ninkendo posted...

24 hours in now and just started Chapter 2

So many plots happening all at once both new ones and old ones from from all the previous games

Definitely the best Chapter 1 in the whole series

Yes this. All of this. Now time for Crossbell hype.

Didn't have much time to play last night* but after work today it is the weekend.

*Because I was tired after staying up until 4AM the night before finishing chapter 1...
---

Oh woops. Putting Advokaiser in my sig like this until I think of something more clever

Triple Triad is also great, to be fair.

Just give me literally anything other than Tetra Master I don't how FFIX screwed that up so badly.
---

Oh woops. Putting Advokaiser in my sig like this until I think of something more clever

LeonhartFour posted...

They just casually drop that Millium and Altina are homunculi created by the Black Workshop, and somehow Osborne hijacked the Black Workshop from Ouroboros.

Wasn't the last part of that already revealed in Cold Steel 2? I already knew it going into the game, though I've been spoiled on/spoiled myself on some things before starting so I don't know for sure if it was already revealed or not.
---

Oh woops. Putting Advokaiser in my sig like this until I think of something more clever

I haven't played Tokyo Xanadu but I think Gate of Avalon is the same or nearly the same as Blade?
---

Oh woops. Putting Advokaiser in my sig like this until I think of something more clever

Though for the record I was quite fond of Blade also. (The Cold Steel 1/2 card game)

Cold Steel series has definitely delivered on the card-based minigame front imo.
---

Oh woops. Putting Advokaiser in my sig like this until I think of something more clever

Yeah the game in Cold Steel 1/2 is more like a playing card game like Euchre or Uno or something. (Not that the rules are similar--just trying to illustrate the broad class of games I would categorize it under)

The Cold Steel 3 game is more like Magic the Gathering or something. There are way, way less cards (something like 40 in total with 20 card decks) and the rules and interactions aren't near as nuanced, but it's still more than enough to satisfy me.
---

Oh woops. Putting Advokaiser in my sig like this until I think of something more clever

Yeah I guess as someone with a lot of experience and interest in TCG's this is exactly the type of thing I'll immediately start running with in a game. Also the system is similar enough in structure to some actual TCG's I've already played which made it relatively easy to pick up.
---

Oh woops. Putting Advokaiser in my sig like this until I think of something more clever

Boo I really like the card game in Cold Steel 3.

Anyways I finished chapter 1 and this game's hype levels are already through the roof I guess.

There's a lot I could say here but I'll just leave it to these for now:

--The scene of all of the Thors students offering flowers at the gravesite toward the end of the chapter is very beautiful. (along with most related scenes at the same location)

--All hail the (Jaeger) king

--Ok seriously who in the actual fuck is Musse?
---

Oh woops. Putting Advokaiser in my sig like this until I think of something more clever

Personally I thought Lloyd was one of the best Crossbell characters. Close call between him and Rixia but those were definitely my top 2.
---

Oh woops. Putting Advokaiser in my sig like this until I think of something more clever

I can't handle all of this Lloyd slander. Lloyd best.
---

Oh woops. Putting Advokaiser in my sig like this until I think of something more clever

LordoftheMorons posted...

Its very simple, you see

Anyone testifying against Trump has proven themselves to be biased against him, and thus unable to be trusted. If they wanted to be credible, they should have testified that Trump is good and perfect!

This is literally the argument being made here

I mean this is the argument Trump has been using since 2015
---

Oh woops. Putting Advokaiser in my sig like this until I think of something more clever

More chanting. I like chanting.

Kara no Kyoukai 7: A Study in Murder, Part 2 - M41 + M42

---

Oh woops. Putting Advokaiser in my sig like this until I think of something more clever

Bungou Stray Dogs: Dead Apple - Nestiio


---

Oh woops. Putting Advokaiser in my sig like this until I think of something more clever

Yeah I have been very pleasantly surprised by Altina so far. I also liked her somewhat in CS2 but she's been way better here. I've been a big fan of all the "new" main characters so far (ie. Altina and then all the mains who are actually new)

Also yes Neinvalli is still a thing and continues to be amazing. Jingo one of my favorite NPC's
---

Oh woops. Putting Advokaiser in my sig like this until I think of something more clever

GANON1025 posted...

Yeah the Imeon side story was the weakest one, I thought.

Coincidentally this is the only part of the fandisk I've actually read. I don't really think of it as canon but I did definitely enjoy reading it.
---

Oh woops. Putting Advokaiser in my sig like this until I think of something more clever

Yeah I'm definitely a fan of the CS3 title screen music also. Some nice highway themes a bit further into the game as well imo.

LeonhartFour posted...

Also, I read Duvalie's profile and it said that they revealed that the leader of the Stahlritter was the Lance Maiden inside the Infernal Castle. Did that actually happen or is that a retcon? I mean, it was pretty heavily implied that it was her, but I don't feel like they ever outright said it! Also, I'm glad they got Duvalie's VA back, because man, she's so good!

I don't think they ever directly state it, but if you've played Ao you know this because you've seen the character before.
---

Oh woops. Putting Advokaiser in my sig like this until I think of something more clever

This topic makes me happy
---

Oh woops. Putting Advokaiser in my sig like this until I think of something more clever

To be quite honest I did not know Octopath Traveler was a Square game >.>

I should probably pay more attention to gaming if I plan to comment on the current state of affairs in the gaming world.
---

Oh woops. Putting Advokaiser in my sig like this until I think of something more clever

Though I guess in fairness maybe if you're into FFXIV that's not quite true since I think they're actually doing things with that?
---

Oh woops. Putting Advokaiser in my sig like this until I think of something more clever

I think Square as a whole is just a nothingburger at this point tbh
---

Oh woops. Putting Advokaiser in my sig like this until I think of something more clever

Jupiter is easily my favorite and a candidate for my favorite piece of music period, but I like all of them quite a bit except maybe Neptune
---

Oh woops. Putting Advokaiser in my sig like this until I think of something more clever

_stingers_ posted...

What do I play first trails in the sky2 or...

There is literally only one game that could follow this and get me to pick the second option, and that game is Trails in the Sky FC.

Danganronpa 2 is also great, but Sky SC probably my #1 game of all time.
---

Oh woops. Putting Advokaiser in my sig like this until I think of something more clever

My Ao no Kiseki character ranking: Lloyd > Rixia > Randy > KeA. The next 5 or so is some amalgamation of Tio, Ilya, Elie, Cao (I really like Heiyue...), and Dieter. Or something like that. Not going to try and rank them and I'm probably forgetting someone but whatever.

Ultimately I think I still like the Sky arc more but it's very close.

In other news the first 7-8 hours of Cold Steel 3 are extremely promising. (I didn't get much sleep last night...)
---

Oh woops. Putting Advokaiser in my sig like this until I think of something more clever

Also the KGNE anime was really good imo and I actually might even be more excited about that portion of the announcement than anything else. (Though I am very excited about all of it.)
---

Oh woops. Putting Advokaiser in my sig like this until I think of something more clever

There are KGNE characters in Muv-Luv Alternative!

It's more of a cameo using characters with the same design/personality than a real connection, since Muv-Luv Alternative takes place in an alternate sci-fi universe, but yeah.
---

Oh woops. Putting Advokaiser in my sig like this until I think of something more clever

https://twinfinite.net/2019/10/muv-luv-alternative-anime/

Muv-Luv Alternative Anime Finally Announced at 20th Anniversary Event

!!!!!!!!!!!

Please don't suck.
---

Oh woops. Putting Advokaiser in my sig like this until I think of something more clever

If reddit is any indication, it does and the "30" number is lowballing it...
---

Oh woops. Putting Advokaiser in my sig like this until I think of something more clever

ninkendo posted...

My assumption is Rean plus the 4 students plus 2-3 rotating old characters

Yeah this is what I'm hoping.
---

Oh woops. Putting Advokaiser in my sig like this until I think of something more clever

Prologue beated.

Probably my favorite prologue chapter of the series so far, depending on how heavily you want to weight the first 15 minutes of SC in judging that prologue. I am a fan of the setup along with the new characters (smaller main cast than CS1/CS2 is a good sign...if they actually maintain that for the whole game). Also just enough teasing of what's going on behind the scenes to keep me interested.

Also do people want a dedicated discussion thread for people playing through the game now for the first time? If so I can make one.
---

Oh woops. Putting Advokaiser in my sig like this until I think of something more clever