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Pahrak Model ZX

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Blog Entries posted by Pahrak Model ZX

  1. Pahrak Model ZX
    I just posted the twentieth chapter of Shooting Star Sonia 2, and with that, it is officially complete!
     
    Just completing something always feels good, but I’m extra jazzed about this one. The rough draft was technically all done in approximately a year (January to January), and from the time I started posting it (July) I was able to maintain a biweekly posting schedule from start to finish. PLUS an extra chapter on the 10th anniversary of Mega Man Star Force. I was able to hold myself to a schedule successfully, writing a 105k word story in about a year, despite a new Pokémon game being released in the midst of it. I tend to be utterly terrible at this sort of thing so thank you God for this small victory.
     
    Here I thought this was going to be shorter than the first story, which is around 80k. Who knew!
     
    I am planning to adapt Star Force 3, but there are a few other ideas I want to get off the ground before I really get into that one. I’m hoping one of those will be serialized in April and May, and if I can get that done and finish all preparations, I’d love to kick off SSS3 in July 2017! We’ll have to see, though. Judging from what I already want to do, there’s a good chance this one’s going to end up even longer! I’ve got plenty of ideas in store… *Rubs hands together menacingly, plus it’s a little chilly so the warmth is nice*
     
    I hope to have news on all my upcoming projects for you soon!
  2. Pahrak Model ZX
    There's a new Zelda game just out and none of you who actually play Zelda thought to use that joke in response to this trend by now smh
     
    (Oh right, they're probably all still playing the new Zelda game. Carry on.)
  3. Pahrak Model ZX
    I’ve been thinking on and off about a new concept for a game inspired by Steins;Gate. The idea was that the Great Beings have discovered a pocket dimension that is virtually identical to the main universe but is just starting out, and as time moves there they will send visions to certain individuals in an attempt to alter the sequence of events to see if they can accomplish a smoother reformation of Spherus Magna. My only idea for a title was “Crosswired;Gate”, but anyway.
     
    Figuring out how to set this up was difficult. What I’m thinking right now is that it’ll be a collaborative effort between players. There’ll be a “signup period” (48 hours?), but players will be able to join later if they want to. The player list will be necessary though—each round, a timeframe will be presented, and two players who are on the list will be randomly selected and asked to come up with a plan for what vision to send to whom in an attempt to alter how events proceed. The remaining players (including newcomers) will then vote on which plan they prefer, and these planners will be able to edit their plans using feedback from the other players, and when a certain amount of time has expired the voting will end and the winning plan will be implemented. I will then determine how the vision is received and how events proceed. Then we move on to the next round.
     
    At least a few fixed points will probably be necessary. The Great Spirit Robot will crash into Aqua Magna, the Kanohi Vahi will be forged, and Matoro will die—but the circumstances of these events could certainly be altered. Maybe more events should be fixed? I’m not sure.
     
    Well, really, I’m very unsure in general. The setup is still shaky, and this would be a tremendous workload. I’m also hesitant about a game which depends on my judgment to determine how it progresses. If someone disagrees with what consequences I think a vision will have, there won’t be much I can say in response, and I worry it could start to feel unfair to players. Maybe I could recruit a panel of judges? It would take longer to change rounds, though, since we’d all need to deliberate and then still write up the scene, plus I’m not sure it would be fair for the judges to actually participate in the game…
     
    I like the general idea enough to not just dismiss it, but I think it needs a lot of work before I consider building up the motivation to attempt it. So, if anyone has any thoughts, I would love to hear them!
  4. Pahrak Model ZX
    Life as a retired theme is actually pretty great! The extensive cast of the Bionicle franchise has spent the last few years relaxing in luxury with not a care in the world, and is having their annual reunion party as the film opens. The scene focuses on big name characters like the Toa and Makuta, with a few condescending references to “the Gen 2 side of the family” and a small appearance from an old drunk Slizer who rants some gibberish about the prophecy of the Slizers’ return. One of the Toa, probably Tahu, off-handedly turns away one of the minor characters near the end of the scene and goes home to resume his easy life.
     
    Soon, however, trouble begins. Numerous major characters are found missing their masks, which has resulted in them losing all their powers and memories! A few of the Toa are called out of retirement to fix this, but all of their combat experience and character development has gone down the drain after being out of the game for so long, and so they’re barely able to do a thing against the various generic enemies they keep bumping into. Eventually they come face to face with the one stealing masks: the minor character Tahu shunned at the reunion, who is fed up with being constantly shoved into the background even so many years later. Their goal is to steal the powers and memories of all the franchise’s major characters and make them their own, so that they will be the only important character ruling over a bunch of nameless nobodies!
     
    The Toa begin to realize how poorly minor characters are treated, and this leads to them visiting their estranged relatives in Gen 2 to ask for their help. Unfortunately, the minor character has become so powerful and amassed enough generic minions that even the combined forces of Generations 1 and 2 aren’t able to claim victory. (Around this time the minor character will transform and rename themselves Voriki Toa of Energy. The Toa will comment that name sounds really fake.) When all seems darkest, the sound of disks flying fills the air…and the Slizers bust in, shouting something along the lines of “TIME TO FULFILL THAT PROPHECY SON!!” The kooky geezers are enough to tip the scales, and the minor character is defeated by a Toa Seal created from the combined powers of major, minor, Gen 1, Gen 2, Slizers, and…some other sixth thing. The masks are returned to their rightful owners, who regain their memories and abilities, and the minor character laments at how they’re now forever doomed to life in the background.
     
    The last scene is a year later at the next reunion, where all the characters are being treated as equals, including the minor character who became the villain. Major or minor, Generation 1 or 2, Bionicle or Slizers—they’ve come to realize they’re all part of the same gigantic family, and that they should be treating each other with love and respect instead of looking down on each other based on silly things like how many sets they’ve gotten or which island they lived on. Tahu excitedly makes an announcement: Generation 3 is in the works, and he was able to convince Lego to include new versions of a whole slew of minor characters! The celebration goes on and the credits begin to roll, accompanied by a new remix of the Piraka Rap.
     
    (I’ve said this before, but you can hire me whenever you want, Lego. I’m free.)
  5. Pahrak Model ZX
    Coming up with titles for things has always been a struggle, but I felt like I had managed to come up with a few good titles here and there, and that was a very satisfying feeling so I kept trying.
     
    No more, though. There’s no point in trying to come up with titles that I think might sound good.
     
    No title I come up with could ever compare to a title like “Bahamut Disco”.
  6. Pahrak Model ZX
    Well it’s not out yet.
     
    But you know what is out?
     
    Slizer Mafia 2.8, a lazily-named short story that briefly introduces the situation you’ll find yourself in and a couple of characters who’ll be important. Also it goes into some mechanics so that I can skip the long explanations in the actual game to save space.
     
    Don’t worry, Slizer Mafia 3 is looking good, and I plan to request permission to host it soon. (Maybe mid-March if the opportunity is there?) And no, you don’t have to read 2.8 in order to understand 3, this really is just hype-building and a chance to elaborate on some of my nonsensical plot points in a less intrusive way.
     
    Although now I realize 2.8 focuses entirely on one faction and wonder if I should do something for the opposing faction too…
  7. Pahrak Model ZX

    More Remembering!

    By Pahrak Model ZX,

    So not only was Final Fantasy V in a commercial recently, there’s going to be a new Mega Man Star Force figure this year?!
     
    This is amazing. I like this trend of my favorite underrated games getting nods.
     
    Next on the list are Sinnoh remakes and a TWEWY sequel.
  8. Pahrak Model ZX

    Speaking of Games

    By Pahrak Model ZX,

    Oh yeah, it’s been quite a while since I last ran a Technic Tournament. Maybe I should do that. I mean, I’m doing Slizer Dome right now, and my next priority should probably be to wrap up the Slizer Mafia trilogy, but…
     
    Would anyone be interested in playing Technic Tournament 5? And if you have any suggestions for how the game system can be improved, I’m all ears.
     
    (The title would be “Technic Tournament 5 Ocarina of Majora’s Twilight” by the way.)
  9. Pahrak Model ZX
    (New name btw this is Pahrak if you can’t tell.)
     
    --Gehenna’s Stigma: Now this is an entertaining villain!
     
    --Vega and Altair: I have some mixed feelings about this but dang if it doesn’t feel epic as heck.
     
    --Twin Automata: Oh my gosh…I like Moeka now!!
     
    --Recursive Mother Goose: BUT DID YOU NEED TO MAKE IT THAT SAD?!
     
    --Promised Rinascimento: Since this is spoiler-free all I can think to say is “I dig it.”
     
    --Milky-Way Crossing: Not quite what I was hoping for, but definitely cool.
     
    The way 0’s plot is structured was a bit confusing at first, but I really do love how they did the endings this time around. In the first game, the alternate ends were all “What If” scenarios (except for the Kurisu End, which is just the True End minus the actual ending), and while that was really interesting, the endings of 0 flesh out different characters and ideas, and one of the endings even discusses this concept a little. I imagine choosing what to animate and what to leave out must be difficult, so the wait for the anime seems more justifiable now.
     
    On a related note, I’m so glad every Lab Member got to do stuff. I had mixed feelings about Moeka and felt that Ruka and Faris were sort of underused, and I think 0 did a better job on those fronts.
     
    Anything else I could say would be spoilery, so I’ll save it and probably do another entry with those.
     
    EDIT: Also I just found out that the English dub of the Steins;Gate movie is apparently being released on March 28th! Good, I've been thinking I should rewatch it and this will be a good reason to do that.
  10. Pahrak Model ZX
    So when I went to download Fire Emblem Heroes the other day it wasn’t available yet and the store recommended the new Yu-Gi-Oh Duel Links app, and I figured “pssh okay sure I guess I’m curious.”
     
    It turns out it’s…actually fun? Like, way more fun than children’s card games should be? I'm having difficult putting it down and I'm not sure I feel comfortable with this development.
     
    Part of it’s definitely nostalgia, of course. You unlock the ability to play as several characters from the original anime, you see, so you get to hear them constantly shouting out stock phrases and taunts. Basically everything Kaiba says is gold. Brooklyn Joey is there (even on some of his cards). Honestly my only complaint on that front is no Tristan, but more characters are already set to be added so who knows.
     
    I probably only played the actual card game less than five times when I was a kid so I don’t remember much (and certainly never had any skill), but Duel Links presents a streamlined version that’s extremely easy to pick up, so it took a while before I really felt like an amateur with a poor card selection. And, a few of those losses can be chalked up to bad starting hands…and being too tired/unfocused to do what I actually intended to do…anyway, what I mean is it feels pretty fair even to newcomers, except for when you fight that guy who looks like Red from Pokémon who cheats.
     
    I’d rate it 5/7 Millennium Items would recommend to nostalgia-prone friends.
  12. Pahrak Model ZX
    If you didn’t hear, Pokémon Bank has been updated! You can now use it with Gen VII games, transfer Pokémon from Gen VI to Gen VII, and transfer Pokémon from Virtual Console Gen I games into Gen VII!
     
    Bank now also has a National Pokedex function, which registers all the Pokémon you have in all games connected to it, making it even easier to keep track of your progress. Still hoping they update Sun and Moon with the National Dex, but this is pretty neat.
     
    When transferring Pokémon from VC to Gen VII, here’s how they’re updated according to Serebii:
    -They all have their Hidden Abilities! Unless the species doesn’t have a Hidden Ability, of course.
    -Nature is “based on experience”? Not very specific…
    -Guaranteed to have at least 3 maximum IVs.
    -Gender is random.
    -EVs are wiped clean.
    -There’s also a chance of being made shiny based on what their Gen I IVs are!
     
    Don’t forget that a Bank pass costs money, though. (I thought I had enough but taxes pushed it a few cents too high.)
     
    Oh, and using Bank from now until October 2nd will get you Mew’s exclusive Z Crystal! And that still leaves 2 more event Z Crystals to look forward to.
  13. Pahrak Model ZX
    So, Dragon Ball Super. They’re about to head into a new arc where 10 fighters from each of the 12 universes are brought together for a massive tournament, and the losers’ universes will be destroyed. I’ve been unsure what to think of this since the beginning: multiversal tournament sounds great, but the survival aspect…I mean I guess it adds stakes, but I love that we found out there are 12 universes, it opened up so much potential and if they’re going to throw all that away…
     
    *sigh*
     
    I guess we’ll have to see. Anyway, a new trailer for the arc was released today, giving brief glimpse of the gods of destruction and angels of some of the universes. Several of them have animal motifs like Beerus, though others are more humanoid, one is a clown…for some reason. There are also clips of some other fighters, including ol’ Cabba and Frost, and someone who…
     
    Uh…well, it’s early, but we see what appears to be a female character quickly transforming into a female Broly.
     
    I don’t think anyone was expecting this, but let’s think for a second. Broly is, well, “legendary” for being so powerful. If we’re getting a female version of that character, then that means we might actually be getting a female Super character…who can hold her own against relevant opponents?!
     
    We’ve already seen that Android 18 is going to be involved in this arc (finally getting back in the action after a long wait), so that could be cool, and Vados and any other female angels (or goddesses of destruction?) are definitely sitting at a high power level, but this feels a little different. Probably because:
    -CANON FEMALE SUPER SAIYAN
    -Being a Super Saiyan phenomenally increases one’s chances of being/staying relevant
    -Saiyan, so definitely going to be actually doing some fighting
    -A female Broly. That’s, like…something new!
     
    I mean we’ll have to wait and see how exactly this plays out, but…I’m extremely interested in seeing how it does.
  14. Pahrak Model ZX
    Someone has provided English subtitles for the entirety of the 0.2 section of 2.8, so I watched that. Master Aqua is even more my hero than she was five minutes ago, we don’t deserve her, she’s got to be one of the most awe-inspiring protagonists in video game history.
     
    Something else that really caught my attention, assuming the subs are at least approximately accurate there are some interesting lore implications brought up.
     
     
     
  16. Pahrak Model ZX

    STYLIN'

    By Pahrak Model ZX,

    I love the avatar system in KHUX.
     
    There's so much going on here:
    -The so-called "Disco Suit"
    -An enormous afro with a galaxy inside of it
    -The afro covers your eyes, but not your glasses??
    -Those headphones are just kinda...emerging...from within the afro galaxy...
    -A jetpack
    -Gauntlets and shield meant to evoke ancient gladiators
    -And, you know, the giant cartoon key used to slay evil
     
    I guess I had to look this good in order to slay 2016.
  17. Pahrak Model ZX

    It's Christmas!

    By Pahrak Model ZX,

    So, you know…have a Merry Christmas! Please. I mean, if you want to.
     
    Or if you celebrate something else, I hope you have a happy holiday as well!
     
    And if you don’t celebrate anything than I hope you have a nice day!
  18. Pahrak Model ZX

    Concept

    By Pahrak Model ZX,

    You scroll through the Library Forum and see a short story entitled “Bionicle Agni Kai Fight.”
     
    You think “Agni kai? Oh, those firebending duels from Avatar? It’d be awesome to see two Toa of Fire have one of those!”
     
    Upon clicking the link, you discover a tale of Agni and Kai having an argument.
     
    From there you’ll probably experience either regret, anger, or perhaps a feeling of “Oh, that was clever!”
     
    (Fingers crossed it’s the last one.)
  19. Pahrak Model ZX
    You all know what a Super Saiyan is. You scream a little and then BAM, spiky gold hair and a power level over 9000.
     
    But...what would happen if you tried to turn Super Saiyan and were bald?!
     
    This question has plagued the worlds' greatest* minds for decades, but fret not! At last, we have an answer!
     

     
    This is Super Saiyan 3 if you want to be technical. Either way, the question is answered!! If you don't have hair, then your beard gets gold and spiky!
     
    ...Although...what if you were bald...and didn't have any facial hair?!
     
    Hm, perhaps the quest for knowledge is neverending after all...
     
    *Not really
  20. Pahrak Model ZX
    It has officially been 10 years since the release of the first Mega Man Star Force game (in Japan)!
     
    I already went on about why I love this series a while back. In short, it's a sequel to my first Mega Man series (EXE), it's one of two that I was able to follow from the beginning (the other being ZX), it's fairly standalone so I don't feel like I'm missing a ton of references, and it has great character development not just for the main characters, but even a lot of the briefly-appearing characters you bump into along the way.
     
    Also, I just like the character designs and general mechanics of the universe. Not every reason for liking something needs to be complicated!
     
    Sure, I know it's not in the running for the greatest game series of all time, but still, I love it so much and it's nice to see some people celebrating it. Even Mega Man fans don't spend a whole lot of time talking about it, so it's a nice change.
     
    Hopefully Geo will get a comeback as the anniversaries keep coming. Until then, I'm going to press on with my Star Force fanfic and keep my fingers crossed!
  22. Pahrak Model ZX
    Believe it or not, there’s a new chapter of Beyond Ruin!
     
    This one is about a Queen discovering a location rich with magic and going in to investigate. Since we need conflict, that turns out to not be a great idea. It’s written a little more vaguely that the previous chapters, for reasons explained in the chapter itself, plus it sort of follows the last one’s idea of introducing new magical phenomena. I think that’s something I’d like to focus more on: not just establishing the Queens, but also building the world around them by having them discover it.
     
    …Now if I can just keep myself motivated. I don’t want to give up on this idea, but I can’t help but feel a little discouraged when I realize I’ve been “working” on it for 3-4 years now with what feels like not a lot to show for it. Guess I’ve just got to keep trying!
  23. Pahrak Model ZX
    Whaddaya know, we’re already getting our first Gen VII Mythical! Magearna is available starting today!
     
    So, to get this you need to have beaten the main story of Sun/Moon to unlock the QR Scanner. Go to Pokémon.com to find the QR code, scan it, and then follow the instructions to find an NPC who will give you Magearna!
     
    So that’s 1 of 2 Mythicals already available not even a month after Sun/Moon’s release. That’s…slightly concerning in a way…
  24. Pahrak Model ZX

    The Relic Song

    By Pahrak Model ZX,

    Wow, it’s December. 2016 is virtually over, we’re in Gen VII…but there’s one last Pokémon being distributed for XYORAS!
     
    Access Mystery Gift for Meloetta, the last of the anniversary Mythical distributions! You probably forgot about this one, since they were in the anime instead of a movie, and people don’t really watch the anime anymore. Well, except for those folks who got super into the XY series and immediately started whining when we got one look at the Sun and Moon series. They should get over it.
     
    CATCHY SIGN-OFF!
  25. Pahrak Model ZX
    I’m Alola’s first ever Champion! But I couldn’t have done it without my team:
    -Boko the Decidueye! My starter, the one who’s been with me throughout my entire journey. Love this archer bird.
    -Onepu the Mudsdale! The freaking MVP of this team! Seriously, if you play Sun or Moon, get yourself a Mudbray/Mudsdale with Stamina. You will not regret it.
    -Wargoyle the Marowak! Still working out her moveset, but no one can say she isn’t reliable! Handled most of the last-minute grinding done on Mount Lanakila, too.
    -Podzilla the Golisopod! Looks awesome and hits super-hard…when she doesn’t use Emergency Exit, that is. I love her and she’s great, but that ability has caused some problems—I wish they’d given her something else.
    -Frost the Sandslash! The whole reason I got Moon. I was a little nervous about his moveset and low Special Defense, but he barreled right through those concerns and made the switch worth it!
    -Nebby the Lunala! Unfortunately I haven’t gotten to use them in battle much yet, but they’re gorgeous and we have a lot of history anyway.
     
    I love this game. I love Lillie, and Hau, and Hala, and Kukui, and the player’s mother…I’m starting to begrudgingly develop an appreciation for Gladion, even. Characters aren’t always a focus in Pokémon games, and I’m so glad they’re changing that. I love the Alola region and so many of the Pokémon found there. I love Z Moves. I love the story, even if it isn’t perfect. (There wasn’t any actual plotline for Type: Null, that’s one thing that disappointed me, but the main plot was really good.) That’s the most touching ending to a Pokémon game I’ve ever seen.
     
    There’s still plenty to do, I know, but I already feel very content. I think I’ve got a second favorite region.
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