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Pahrak Model ZX

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Blog Entries posted by Pahrak Model ZX

  1. Pahrak Model ZX
    Anyone remember Technic Coliseum? It's a game I was running until the Forums crashed, and I've been thinking about restarting it.
     
    If you don't feel like clicking the link, here's the basics: you pick a character from Bionicle, Slizer, RoboRiders, or Hero Factory, and sponsor them in a fighting league. Sponsors can strengthen their fighters and arrange matches whenever they want, and occasionally there'll be a massive tournament open to all fighters.
     
    There will be changes, of course; for starters, I want to limit the roster to just 32 characters: the Toa Mata, the nine Hero Factory heroes released in set form, the seven RoboRiders, and the original eight Slizers plus Millennia and Spark. Should stop it from getting out of control, I think.
     
    Also, all 32 fighters will be entered in a tournament even if they don't have sponsors (unsponsored fighters will just fight amongst themselves). The first time around there were some instances where we'd have an uneven number of fighters in a tournament and somebody wouldn't get an opponent, giving them an easy win. Of course, if we still have an uneven number of sponsored fighters, this could still be a probelm...
    In addition, the time for each round is being cut from a week to 24 hours. Some tournaments would just drag on, and on, and on...
     
    I reduced the price of the upgrade that gives Toa-level powers to non-Toa, and I'm thinking of adding in items from later years of each theme as a substitute for adding new fighters. The Toa and Heroes will be upgradable, but at the start the only upgrades will be Toa Nuva and Hero 2.0, which I'm wondering if I should reduce the benefits of.
     
    But maybe I'm getting ahead of myself. Would anyone be interested in a new Technic Coliseum, or should I just leave it in the Archives and let it be?
  2. Pahrak Model ZX
    We’re all still alive! Who would’ve thought?
    (Sorry to sound spiteful, but I was sick of this 2012 apocalypse thing the minute I heard about it…)
     
    Since Christmas is coming up soon: Merry Christmas. If you celebrate something else, then I hope you enjoy that.
     
    This past Tuesday, December 18th, was the 25th Anniversary of the original Final Fantasy game, and thus the whole Final Fantasy series as a whole! So much for it being Sakaguchi-san’s final game, eh? (Yes, that’s why it’s called “Final” Fantasy.)
     
    So, we’re finally allowed to talk about Hero Factory 2013. First off, my thoughts on the sets:
    -When I first saw them, I thought “bland knights vs Piraka controlled by Krana that look like Kraata, woohoo.” Now, I’m a tad bit more optimistic…but still think it’s a bit of a downgrade from Breakout. I also now see the bit of Hordika they’ve thrown in there…
    -The Heroes are just all so…similar. And they all have that vanilla silver that I rather detest. Also, now that I’ve seen some close-ups of the faces of their masks, I’m not impressed with those. The visors minimize that, though, so as long as you keep those flipped down they’re okay. By the way, those visors…are they there to protect the heroes from being taken over by the Brains? That would make the most sense, but I’ll settle for any story explanation. I don’t think I’ll go over them individually, but aside from what I’ve already stated: I like the shift to melee weapons (just a personal preference) and for the longest time I thought Bulk was actually Nex…that orange confused me…
    -On to the villains, then. The Brains are actually very interesting pieces, and I like the unique way the heads are put together. Also, apparently they actually have functionality?! That’s definitely impressive! Overall I’d say they’re interesting, but I think I’ll only be picking up a few. One question: are those names the name of the Brain, the creature being possessed, or the resulting fusion? Hoping they clear this up…
    -It looks like all the heroes are going to be fighting villains with the same color scheme as them. Maybe this was done to make the combiners mesh a little better? I’ve been able to see a few combiner models, and some of them look really nice, so if that’s what Lego intended then it’s working. The heroes seem to be the base of these models, so I’m thinking these are supposed to be what the heroes would look like if they were taken over by Brains. Which, in my opinion, would actually be really cool.
     
    Now, to serve as a transition to Bioni-Lords updates, my plans on turning these sets into Spirits:
    -Truth be told, I worked out the Spirits of the heroes from the leaked images, eheheh…I’m sorry.
    -I decided to take a cue from Lego and drop the numbers, so these won’t be “(Hero) 5.0”. Right now I’m going with Knight Breez, Knight Rocka, and Knight Bulk (and Furno XL), but I’m not sure if this is so good…suggestions? Anyway, barring Furno, they all have 170 FE and attacks that make the standard damage progression up to 35 damage, plus two status techniques that are the same for all three: Shield (block), and Vanquish Parasite, which removes any and all Parasite Spirits the foe is using from battle (mwa-ha-ha!). They also have immunity to mind control added to their Technic Descendant effect, working off my hunch that the visors are to protect them from the Brains. Furno XL is a Fire/Light 200 FE Spirit with an expanded effect and a standard 200 FE moveset, including a technique that makes him pretty overpowered for a few turns (like Stormer XL’s Alpha Charge). Not sure if I’m going to put them online just yet, or if I should wait until we get more info to see if I want to make any changes…although I probably won’t want to make any changes, and if I do I could always just edit them later…hm…
    -For now, I’m just making the villains 140 FE Spirits. Pyrox and Bruizer are more or less done since I was able to pick Elements for them, but I haven’t settled on Elements for Scarox or Ogrum yet. They’ll also have two uniform status techniques: Brain Toss, which is essentially the same as Krana Toss, and Remove Brain, which will turn them into a Parasite Spirit similar to Eternal Secret Character’s Magichange move. Once I pick Elements for Scarox and Ogrum I should be able to get them done really quickly, so the villain Spirits should be up not long after the Heroes are put online.
    -Like I said, I’m impressed with the combiners, so I was going to make them into Spirits. However, after giving the villains Remove Brain that would be kind of redundant…but I think I’ll make up for that by giving them special attacks unlocked when combining the right villain with the right hero.
     
    This past week I was able to put up Kako 37 and update the Spirit Index with Mu Survivor and a new team of Exo-Vahki Spirits. Aside from the Hero Factory Spirits, I’m considering making a new Disgaea-inspired Spirit, and since I have some spare time right now that’ll probably happen. Kako 38, the first chapter of Le-Isle, should be up soon—I hope to type it up today, but we’ll have to see. One thing about Le-Isle that I didn’t mention during the 2013 Preview: we’ll finally get to see how one Element-Lord transfers the position to another.
     
    Side note: Chapter 1 of Story of the Violet Rose is complete! The bad news: don’t expect to see it soon. I want to fully write out Violet Rose and Honored Soul before I start typing them so I have a better chance to make them fit together. Plus, this project still takes a back seat to Kako for the most part, so it’ll be slow progress. I’ll keep you guys updated, though!
     
    Guess what’s going on in Japan right now? Jump Festa! If I find any news that piques my interest, I’ll be adding it to this post, right here:
    -Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII…why not Final Fantasy XIII-3? I’m just gonna call it XIII-3. Anyway, don’t really have any opinions on this yet, other than I think I preferred Lightning’s XIII-2 armor. Plus, it looks like they may have just given Lightning a sword instead of a gunblade this time? I hope I’m just mistaken.
     
  4. Pahrak Model ZX
    So much for accelerating my posting process...I've had writer's block on Sekai, and I've been busy with other things so I haven't gotten to typing the next chapter yet. I'll try to get it up today or tomorrow, and hopefully I can smash through this writer's block and get some more chapters out soon...
  5. Pahrak Model ZX

    BUT GUYS

    By Pahrak Model ZX,

    There's a Sword Pokemon!!
     
    A Steel/Ghost, possessed sword that you can catch and train and send into battle to cut down your enemies!
     
    How are we supposed to be patient for another three months when we know there's going to be a sword Pokemon?!
  6. Pahrak Model ZX

    Game News

    By Pahrak Model ZX,

    So it looks like my theory on how Kyurem changes forms was wrong...it doesn't eat another Tao Dragon. Apparently, when it gets really worked up it goes into "Overdrive"...still sort of vague. Oh, and apparently we're now referring to the forms as "Sparkling Blue Black Kyurem" and "Burning Red White Kyurem".
    And in relation to Pokemon, Pokemon+Nobunaga's Ambition came out in Japan! It's basically a strategy game that puts Pokemon in feudal Japan. So it looks kind of awesome. I hope it comes to America...
    Oh, speaking of which, Theatrhythm Final Fantasy is officialy coming to the US in summer!
     
    But on to VRHS. I've made a few further adjustments:
    -When trading with another player, you cannot give them any Spirits that exceed the current FE restrictions of their Spirit Tracker (see below). Also, you cannot trade your special version exclusive Spirit received near the end of the game or any Spirits that are unobtainable outside of special side-quests.
    -Just to be clear, I mentioned that if, during battle, you choose to de-fuse with a Spirit that still has FE left and then fuse with another one, it will cost you one turn.
    -When fighting other players, you may each only use up to three Spirits of your choice plus the unique Bioni-Spirit you obtain at the end of the game. However, you cannot use Orbs with an FE count that exceeds the FE limit of the Spirit Tracker (see below) belonging to whichever fighter is at a lower Level, the unique Spirit can only be used if the opponent also has their unique Spirit, and Spirits only obtainable through special side-quests cannot be used unless the opponent has also completed the same quests. Once battle is over, the loser must give 20 W to the winner; if the loser has less than 20 W, then the winner will just take whatever they can. You cannot fight another player if you have no Widgets.
    -At Level 5, you will be able to go on two side-quests for special Spirit Tracker attachments: the Magnetic Radar, which allows you to track Vehicle-type Spirits, and the Dimensional Inverter, which allows you to track Spirits with Elements associated with the opposite Version. Both require an additional 1 battle charge on top of the charge necessary for the Spirit's FE. (Since most Vehicle Spirits are Steel, it seems a little unfair to VioletRose players, but don't worry--while you will need the Dimensional Inverter to use the Magnetic Radar, you won't have to charge them both before using it.)
    -At Level 6, you will be able to go on a side-quest for the Symbiosis Detector, which will allow you to track Parasite-type Spirits. This also requires an additional 1 battle charge to use.
    -For Vehicle and Parasite Spirits, you will find them attached to pilot/host Spirits. The pilot/host will usually be random, falling into the range of how much you charged the Tracker, but for an additional 1 battle charge you can control which pilot/host appears with the Vehicle/Parasite.
    -The Dimensional Inverter will only be able to track a Spirit if its Element is the direct opposite of the Element associated with the area you are in. For example, a VioletRose player would only be able to hunt Ice, Air, and Water Spirits in the area associated with Fire, Stone, and Earth; Psionic Spirits in the area associated with Jungle; Light Spirits in the area associated with Shadow; Steel Spirits in the area associated with Thunder; and Dragon Spirits in the area associated with Rahaga. Also, the Dimensional Inverter will not be available when playing your second Version, since you will be able to trade with your first Version counterpart.
    -After completing one Version of the game, you will be able to go on side-quests to obtain any ONE fully upgraded Makuta Spirit and a Golden Tahu. You will also be able to start playing the other Version, and will be allowed to operate in both Versions simultaneously so long as you are clear which actions are taking place in which Version (I suggest using VR and HS in a simila manner to IC and OOC). After beating both Versions of the game, you will be able to go on a side-quest to obtain one more fully upgraded Makuta Spirit if you want to, and a side-quest to obtain a Krakha.
    -Hoping to add more side-quests, especially for early in the game.
    -Also, I removed the player form--it's not an RPG, so I really just need to know what Version you want to play and what Orb you want to start with.
     
    Also, I have come up with (tentative) names for the cities:
    In VioletRose: Valor City (Fire/Stone/Earth), Ion City (Thunder), Flora City (Jungle), Eclipse City (Shadow), and Chaos City (Rahaga).
    In HonoredSoul: Kaita City (Ice/Air/Water), Adamant City (Steel), Synapse City (Psionics), Shining City (Light), and Wyvern City (Dragon).
     
    As always, suggestions on VRHS are appreciated! Still fine-tuning the Element-Lord rosters and the specific rules for those restricted Spirits...
    Oh, and I was thinking that for next week's entry, I may post the introduction to the story I've been working on. It involves Hapori, but in a way kind of different from how I'm using them in my other stories. Having some trouble getting it off the ground, and I was thinking some opinions might help...
  7. Pahrak Model ZX
    As should be evident, this blog post will contain MASSIVE spoilers. Seriously, if you keep reading you’ll spoil a super important and surprising thing that happens in a video game, so do so at your own risk.
     
    At first this was going to be a post opening discussion about what games people felt had effective player character deaths, but then I decided to stop playing around and just openly gush about Final Fantasy V. Well, one aspect of it, at least. The title probably tipped you off, but around the middle (or maybe a little later) of the game, one of the four playable characters you’ve had up to that point actually dies as part of the story. And it’s actually pretty great.
     
     
     
     
    So basically, go play Final Fantasy V. It’s on smartphones now so you really don’t have an excuse.
  9. Pahrak Model ZX
    A while back I mentioned an idea I had involving Matoran using mecha inspired by Vahki. I decided to start writing it, and since feedback is essential I wanted to share part of what I've got so far. It's sort of long (over 2,000 words), but I'd be very appreciative if you'd share your thoughts!
     
    Order Rebuilt Preview
     
    Defilak entered the room with the pilots in tow. The lab had gleaming chrome walls and floors, with blinking screens and large contraptions whose purposes the newcomers could only guess at. All kinds of Matoran and Agori rushed from place to place, creating a blur of motion and a cacophonous atmosphere. Some of the engineers stopped to salute Defilak before hurrying on their way.
     
    For all the marvels within the massive laboratory, what drew the most attention was the glass wall on the far side. This window provided a view into a massive hangar inhabited by what could only be the Exo-Vahki the Matoran had been promised. The machines were much larger than expected, each about the height of a Tahtorak. Every one bore the familiar head of a Vahki, but that was the sole uniformity.
     
    “Welcome to the hush-hidden Vahki Lab,” Defilak announced proudly. “Allow me to introduce you.”
     
    He began to point to the robots one-by-one, assigning a Matoran to each.
     
    “Kapura, you’ll have the Exo-Nuurakh. It was fortified to withstand any strike-hit you can imagine!”
     
    This was in no way a boast. The red Exo-Vahki had more armor than the other five combined, giving it a stout, bulbous appearance. Its three-fingered hands held no equipment—its very body was a shield.
     
    “Hafu, you get the Exo-Zadakh. It may not reach the speed of bright-light, but it can cross-travel the entire planet in minutes.”
     
    This suit looked the most like the original Vahki, with the only noticeable difference in design being slimmer shoulders to make the unit more streamlined. It was lean and lightly armored, and seemed to crave freedom to run.
     
    “Onepu will pilot-ride the Exo-Rorzakh. As team technician, it’ll be up to you to repair-save the others in battle.”
     
    Exo-Rorzakh’s armor was not as thick as Nuurakh’s nor as thin as Zadakh’s. It’s right arm ended in what appeared to be a blowtorch, but this was its only remarkable feature.
     
    “For Kazi, the Exo-Keerakh. You’ll be responsible for seek-scouting enemy territory so the others will know what to prepare for.”
     
    The snow-white robot had the lightest armor, even less than Zadakh. It looked fragile, as if one hit would shatter it. Two appropriately-sized daggers were attached to its waist.
     
    “Here’s the Exo-Vorzakh! Tamaru, this one is built for nothing but raw smash-strength, and its weapon is one-of-a-kind. We’ll detail-talk about that later, though.”
     
    While Exo-Vorzakh had notably heavy armor, its cladding could not compare to that of Nuurakh. Resting next to it was a massive broadsword, one as wide across as an Exo-Vahki and longer than any were tall. The blade was a dull gray with a silver, tendril-like shell reaching out from the hilt and grasping the sword down its length like a hand.
     
    “And finally, the Exo-Bordakh for Macku. This one doesn’t really have a niche-role, but it can adapt to most situations easily. We’re also gift-granting it the Nui Staff, a very important weapon that you’ll have to use wisely.”
     
    Matching its lack of specialty, the moderately-armored Exo-Bordakh lacked any striking characteristics. The Nui Staff, also, seemed nothing special—just a large metal stick that inspired no sense of awe.
     
    Turning back to the Matoran, Defilak said, “Alright, now’s the time-chance for questions.”
     
    Tamaru rushed right up to the glass and pressed his mask against it, excitedly muttering to himself. The others took some time to think over their responses, though for Onepu it did not take very long.
     
    “I’m sorry, technician?” the Onu-Matoran sneered. “You want me to be a support unit?! I think not!”
     
    “I’m still not convinced,” Kazi said. “Besides, wouldn’t Piruk be better for scouting? Unless that would mess up your color-coded system.”
     
    “Any chance I can switch with Tamaru?” Hafu asked.
     
    At mention of his name, Tamaru’s attention snapped back to his companions. “Huh? Oh, I’m ever-fine with that. I just want to pilot one!”
     
    Defilak sighed. “Nobody’s switch-changing. And you aren’t allowed to decline—I already told you!”
     
    A hand grasped his shoulder. He turned to see Berix, whose expression made him realize that his temper was beginning to show itself.
     
    “How about I take it from here?” the Agori offered. “In the meantime, Nuhrii and Balta are having an argument you can mediate.”
     
    After a moment of hesitation, Defilak nodded. “Okay. Everyone, this is Berix—he’ll guide-help you from here. If you’ll excuse me…”
     
    When Defilak was out of sight, Berix faced the Matoran and smiled. “Hey everyone. So, I hear you wanna change mechs.”
     
    “Mechs”? Macku silently repeated. Is that some Agori word for robot?
     
    “There has clearly been a mistake,” Onepu insisted. “I was Captain of the Ussalry, Hero of the Makuta Wars, Right Hand to Turaga Whenua! I am no mere battle medic!”
     
    Kazi rolled his eyes. Berix suppressed a similar urge as he explained, “Well sorry, but all assignments are final. The Exo-Vahki power up by resonating with the dormant Elemental Energy within the pilot. It’d take about a week to recalibrate it for a new Matoran, maybe more.”
     
    “That’s silly,” Macku replied. “Why not make its activation simpler?”
     
    “Can’t do that,” Berix answered. “Giving the system a direct connection to the pilot makes it easier for you to control them. Your thoughts will have an influence on the Vahki’s actions, something that’ll become even more effective the more you get used to it.”
     
    Hafu shrugged. “Okay then. Strength sounds better, but I’m sure I can work with speed.”
     
    Kapura, a thoughtful look in his eye, asked, “Wait…that means only Matoran can pilot them. With all due respect, I have to admit I’m a bit surprised the Agori leaders agreed to that.”
     
    Scratching his head, Berix said, “Yeah, they, uh…took some convincing. But we drew up a prototype that didn’t use the Elemental Resonance System, and it was too complicated for even us engineers to operate. So many buttons and levers and pulleys and pedals…”
     
    A visible shudder passed through Berix. Tamaru, who seemed ready to explode, asked, “So…can we get in the Exo-Vahki now?”
     
    “Huh? Oh, sure,” Berix said. “Right this way!”
     
    Berix headed for a door that would lead into the hangar, with Tamaru and Hafu right behind him. Kapura followed a bit more slowly, but the other Matoran hung back a bit.
     
    “I can’t believe this,” Kazi mumbled. “How is this supposed to solve our problems?”
     
    “It will be helpful, no doubt,” Onepu argued. “Nuparu was good at what he did, and these other engineers seem…competent. But they made a grave mistake in squandering my talents.”
     
    “We don’t have a choice,” Macku reminded them. “This is our new assignment. We have to go along with it.”
     
    The Ga-Matoran headed off the join the others. Onepu came a few paces behind, but Kazi hesitated a while longer. The others waited at the door and stared at him. With a heavy sigh, he too went to meet up with them.
     
    When the door was opened, Berix led the Matoran onto a catwalk high above the floor of the chamber, extending the long way to the other side where the Exo-Vahki waited. The platform then turned sharply and ran behind the robots, providing access to the open hatches in the back of each machine’s head. One at a time, the Matoran stepped into their respective vehicles.
     
    The cockpits were poorly lit but surprisingly spacious. A seat with four metal clamps sat at the center, surrounded by a semi-circle of control panels displaying a multitude of screens, levers, and buttons.
     
    Onepu sat down in the chair and noticed a red lever labeled START jutting out of the floor. As soon as he pulled it, the hatch sealed shut and the clamps locked in place around his torso. A jolt of energy rocked the Matoran’s body as the screens flared to life. Two white levers molded for an easier grip sat directly in front of him, so he tentatively reached out and took hold of them. The far wall lit up—it was a massive viewscreen, Onepu realized, displaying what lay directly in front of Exo-Rorzakh.
     
    “Hey, don’t get a head start,” came Berix’s voice. “The others are still booting up.”
     
    Onepu looked around and spotted a speaker built into the wall. There was motion on the viewscreen—when the shock wore off, Onepu processed what had happened. Exo-Rorzakh had moved its head the same way he had.
     
    …Well that’s definitely efficient, Onepu thought. I won’t have to pause to operate the controls. It should be really fluid to command…if a bit unsettling.
     
    The experience was more surreal than he had expected. Judging by how the other robots were stumbling about, the rest of the Matoran were having similar reactions.
     
    “Alright, let’s get to work,” Berix announced. Several more Exo-Vahki heads swiveled as the Matoran within located their respective speakers. “Take the two handles right in front of you and push them forward to make the Vahki walk.”
     
    Onepu gently exerted pressure on the levers. A whirring reached his ears as the mechanisms activated—the world on the viewscreen lurched forward, and a heavy BOOM echoed as Exo-Rorzakh took its first step. The Onu-Matoran immediately let go. Amazingly, Rorzakh maintained its balance perfectly.
     
    “Just take it easy,” Berix warned as the other Vahki started moving. “Too much and you’ll—“
     
    He stopped short as Exo-Zadakh broke into a sprint. Berix could be heard shouting at Hafu, but it was in vain. The brown machine slammed face-first into the hangar wall, sending a tremor throughout the lab and knocking the engineers off their feet.
     
    Inside the Zadakh, Hafu shook his head. The impact left his mech slumped against the wall, giving the cockpit a harsh tilt that would have flung him at the viewscreen if not for his restraints.
     
    “Ah…sorry,” the carver sheepishly apologized. More carefully, he pulled back on the levers. Zadakh attempted to step backwards but ended up collapsing in a heap.
     
    “It’s not that simple,” Berix grumbled. Other angry voices could be heard in the background. “Remember, the Vahki is connected to your thoughts. Picture yourself getting up after a fall, and then pull back on the levers.”
     
    Scowling, Hafu closed his eyes and concentrated. He quickly played through a memory of getting back on his feet and gave a short yank on the controls. This time Zadakh put its arms out to steady itself, and was easily able to stand tall again. Hafu opened his eyes and surveyed his work.
     
    “Huh…that wasn’t so bad.”
     
    “It looked pretty bad from here,” Kazi commented over the speaker.
     
    Angrily, Hafu looked over his shoulder. It jarred him a bit when Zadakh turned to face Keerakh in compliance. “I don’t see you doing any better, Karzahni scrap.”
     
    Kazi was already feeling extremely frustrated. Hearing Hafu’s insult was more than enough to push him over the edge. Spotting a button labeled FIRE, he slammed it and watched to see what would happen.
     
    A compartment in Keerakh’s hand opened up, and a cluster of Kanoka flew out. Unfortunately for Kazi, Keerakh had not raised its arm first, so the disks struck the floor and released their weakening power. Even the reduced weight of the scout unit made the metal buckle and give way, sending Exo-Keerakh falling onto its back. Kazi reached for his Kanohi to prevent it from being dislodged in the impact.
     
    Zadakh reared back as Hafu laughed. “Well, at least we know you’ve got a knack for self-sabotage!”
     
    Kazi began counting in an attempt to calm himself down. Nuurakh shakily stepped in between him and Zadakh, Kapura demanding, “Stop this. We’re a team now; that means we need to develop a sense of unity.”
     
    Nudging just one lever, Kapura focused on Nuurakh’s right arm. The red Vahki offered its hand to Keerakh. Instead, Kazi instructed his mech to reach for the wall for support instead.
     
    “Unity?” Kazi scoffed. “Don’t tell me you still believe in those garbage virtues. A lot of good they’ve done us.”
     
    With an instinctive impulse from the Ko-Matoran, Exo-Keerakh moved to dust itself off. The resulting sound of scraping metal brought an instant halt to that thought.
     
    Tamaru, having eagerly set about practicing, was elated at his progress. Through trial and error he was already discovering how to make Exo-Vorzakh leap, crouch, punch, and more. Pulling hard on the controls, he spun the machine into a whirling kick that nearly pulverized Bordakh.
     
    “Oh—ever-sorry, water-sister!” he apologized. “Guess I’m getting rush-carried away, haha!”
     
    Macku’s glare reached right through both robots to bore into Tamaru. Setting the matter aside, she steered herself towards the window to the lab.
     
    “So how long are we going to just practice walking?” asked the Ga-Matoran.
     
    “Until the Exo-Vahki run out of power,” Berix answered. “There should be a monitor to your left that’ll let you keep track.”
     
    It did not take long to find the monitor in question. A light blue silhouette of Exo-Bordakh was displayed next to a yellow meter, with a random jumble of words running along the bottom of the screen. Just above the meter, “100%” was displayed in bright, flashing numbers.
     
    “…Do we really need to spend that much time on it?” Macku asked.
     
    “Yes,” Berix responded. “So come on—quit complaining and get moving!”
     
    “Remember,” Kazi mockingly said, “we don’t have a choice.”
  10. Pahrak Model ZX

    Whoa Whoa Piraka

    By Pahrak Model ZX,

    Someone disagrees with the Piraka
    No No Piraka
     
    Green light
    Go Go Piraka
     
    Someone asks the Piraka how they’re doing today
    So-So Piraka
     
    You see a Piraka set on clearance
    Low Low Piraka
     
    The Piraka get in a boat
    Row Row Piraka
     
    It’s winter
    Snow Snow Piraka
     
    “Hey we need a gimmick for these villains’ skull pieces”
    Glow Glow Piraka
     
    You need to do lawn work to raise money for Bionicle sets
    Mow Mow Piraka
     
    You laugh condescendingly at the Piraka
    Ho-Ho! Piraka!
  11. Pahrak Model ZX
    was released at TGS, as well as the game’s boxart and the announcement that it was being moved from December to January (but January in both Japan AND the US!). 
    Getting some nitpicks out of the way, I’m…not really a fan of the new Hikari remix. LOVE the name (Hikari - Ray of Hope Mix - ), but as soon as I heard it it just seemed kind of off. I dunno, maybe it’s just me. Also it appears there’s going to be DLC for the game (I mean I don’t have a PS4 so I probably will just watch someone play it but still…ugh), and my instant reaction to that isn’t positive for whatever reason. Lastly, one of the news sites I frequent points out that the Drop Gauge doesn’t appear in the footage of Dream Drop Distance, and says the Gauge was “frustrating” and if it has been removed that will make fans happy. Come on, people. It wasn’t that bad if you just managed it right. It was a lot smoother alternating between Sora and Riku than BBS’s method of playing through one whole story, then starting over with the second, and then starting over again with the third. (I love BBS but the Drop Gauge was definitely an improvement.) Kingdom Hearts fans really are unpleasable.
     
    Anyway, those are my complaints. Moving on.
     
    -Master Aqua is beautiful. I mean, everyone already knows this, but…Master Aqua is beautiful.
    -I love the way the snippet of 0.2’s opening goes, showing Terra and Ven in their possessed states. I don’t know why.
    -There really isn’t much to say about the Dream Drop Distance segment other than the apparent lack of Drop Gauge.
    -Following up on Aqua seeing an illusion of Terra in the remains of Castle of Dreams, we now see her finding an illusion of Ven in the remains of Dwarf Woodlands. She also finds the Magic Mirror, which produces a doppelganger for her to fight. I’m a sucker for doppelgangers.
    -We see a few short clips of the Foretellers. Aced wants to form an alliance, Gula’s being edgy and saying he can only trust himself, and there’s an interesting bit where Ava tells Invi that what she’s doing might be making things worse. Which is the first time we’ve seen any hint of Invi being interesting at all.
    -Back to 0.2, there appear to be some new Heartless, though I haven’t gotten a clear look at them. There also looks to be an interesting segment of exploring a castle and the world suddenly becomes inverted. Probably related to the ol’ Magic Mirror.
    -It keeps jumping back and forth, anyway, we also get to see Luxu and the Master of Masters in the same room for the first time. So, there goes one of the possibilities I was considering. But it still looks interesting.
    -Once again to 0.2, Mickey makes his appearance! This leads into a very…peculiar scene that I’m sure is going to be important somehow. We see a swarm of Darksides all throwing orbs of energy into the air (in a method reminiscent of whatever Master Xehanort does to summon Kingdom Hearts in BBS), all joining together into one massive sphere just like the one that appeared over Destiny Islands as it was destroyed back in the first game. It’s a striking image.
     
    Again, there’s little to no chance I’m going to be able to buy this and play it for myself, but I’m still really looking forward to watching Back Cover and 0.2. It’ll be wonderful to finally get full context on what’s going on in Unchained X, and seeing Master Aqua again is a lovely dream…I mean, aside from the fact that she’s…still in the Realm of Darkness…but, it’s a step. Plus we know the frame tale is going to show Master Riku and Kairi at Yen Sid’s tower and I really want to know what direction that’s going to point us in. (Kairi with a Keyblade with any luck.) Ah, maybe 2017 won’t be horrible!
     
    No, it probably will. But at least I’ll have Kingdom Hearts.
  12. Pahrak Model ZX
    Because why not. Subject to change as time goes on, surely, but as of right now, here’s how I feel about the seven main series regions.
     
    1. Sinnoh, to the surprise of no one. You’re probably saying this is solely based on nostalgic bias, and that is a huge part of it, I’ll admit that. Pokémon Diamond was what brought me back into Pokémon, and it and Platinum were the first times I started to really consume all the data I could about the games, which set the trend going forward. Sinnoh’s the reason I’m playing Pokémon today, so it will always have a very special place in my heart. Of course, there is more to love about Sinnoh: personally I very much like the general design aesthetic of Gen IV Pokémon, I adore that the region is steeped in legend and myth, Cynthia, you can play your badges like a xylophone, and how could you not enjoy the Underground? I know Sinnoh has faults, but it’s very special to me, and I dearly hope the eventual remake is on a system I own.
     
    2. Alola. Probably not surprising either. It’s a beautiful and extremely unique region, and it introduces many new twists on the Pokémon formula without rendering it unrecognizable. Many things I liked about other games/generations/regions were present in Alola, and while they weren’t all handled perfectly, I do think they were handled well, and it helps give the region a more “complete” feel. The plot and mythology are both engaging, though I do wish they’d intertwined a bit more. The Pokédex features favorites from every generation, and as for the new Pokémon…well, I’m a bit 50/50 when it comes to Gen VII’s design aesthetic, but that doesn’t weigh it down too much. And Alola forms are inspired (even if I can’t seem to get behind any that end up Dark-type). There are a few miscellaneous things from ORAS that I wish had stuck around, but Sun and Moon are improvements over X and Y in every conceivable way, and that helps me just really love this region. And judging from what we’ve seen of USUM, I’m beginning to wonder if it could even give Sinnoh a run for its money.
     
    3. Johto. Kind of bumpy getting here, but…nostalgia played a big part again. Gold version was the first Pokémon game that was really mine and I didn’t have to share, so it’s the focal point of nostalgia as far as I’m concerned. Yeah, some of my memories of Gold are hazy, I don’t feel like I excelled when I played HeartGold, and now that I’ve got VC Gold I’m just baffled by some of the Pokémon distribution choices, but the feel of the region is something that just works. Difficult to explain, but this is all subjectivity anyway. And there’s something interesting about this graphical style, something notably old but still in vibrant color, that helps it retain this feeling of being a refreshing update to Gen I. There are some great Pokémon here too, though it can be difficult to find some of them—Typhlosion will always be a favorite, and darn it, I love Unown, I know they’re utterly useless in a battle but I’m too fascinated by their concept to feel anything but love towards these letters with eyes.
     
    4. Hoenn. Before ORAS, if you heard me mentioning Hoenn, it was only to disparage it. I lost interest in Pokémon during Gen III, a large part of which I still blame on not being able to send Pokémon from Gen II up to the new Generation, and even now a large number of the Pokémon designs introduced here just feel a bit odd to me. Again, this hatred was all before ORAS. ORAS, when they came out, were the utmost pinnacle of Pokémon games on a mechanical level, and are still pretty darn close. They took a great deal of the good things in X and Y and really drove them home, capitalized on everything people already liked about the region (except for trumpets), and introduced plenty of new things that all worked very well. I utterly adore soaring, I can’t speak too highly about that feature. Hoenn’s personality also shone really well in those games, and it’s helped me find a much greater respect for the region. Though, since nearly all I like about it is strictly from ORAS, Hoenn itself falls smack dab in the middle.
     
    5. Unova. Really, I’ve always had a bit of a love-hate relationship with Unova, largely stemming from the fact that during Gen V I was unfortunately going through a bit of a genwunner phase. (Thank God that’s over.) Make no mistake, I still stand by some of my criticism: Black and White try far too hard to distance themselves from the other games, worst of all by expressly forbidding us from catching any Pokémon from the first four Generations until we beat their main story, and that issue is exacerbated tremendously by the general design aesthetic of Gen V Pokémon, which I find to be, well…pretty terrible. (With notable exceptions—Chandelure, Gigalith, and Zekrom are some of my all-time favorites.) But there’s also a lot that Gen V does right. It was an enormous step forward in story and characterization—the Gym Leaders never felt more like an actual ensemble of people, to say nothing of Team Plasma, and it’s always impressed me that the plot actually interrupts your initial League challenge. There’s also a wealth of post-game areas to explore, and we’ve still only covered Black and White. Black 2 and White 2 (as opposed to the expected Pokémon Gray) were a unique choice in and of themselves, and retained the best of their predecessors while strengthening the mechanics, adding loads more content, and no longer restricting you to Unovan-original Pokémon, thank God. (Though now that I think about it, I did only use Gen V mons when I played B2 and W2…huh…) Taking a fairer look at Unova, it really is a wonderful place, and as that teenage inclination towards arbitrary bad decisions abates it might actually move up this list. Still…Gen V Pokémon designs…I haven’t gotten over most of you.
     
    6. Kanto. Kanto is just, well…basic. And I mean, it’s the first Gen, it kind of has to be since it’s the template. But still, I just kind of…I don’t know, I guess I’ve used up all the nostalgia I had for it and feel like there isn’t really much else going for it? I’ve trekked through this region probably more than any other, but I don’t know that I really have anything in particular to say about it. The last two slots on this list were hard to decide between, and part of why Kanto’s here and not the bottom might just be extra slack for having the burden of getting the franchise off the ground. Again, I don’t know that I really have anything to say.
     
    7. Kalos. And like, I like Kalos. I do. But X and Y left me wanting more from it in the worst possible way, and while I was focusing on the positives and giving it the benefit of the doubt when I was expecting them to do a third version or a second pair to fix that, they dropped this region like it was hot and moved right along to Gen VII. So ultimately, Kalos feels like a half-baked trial run for the rest of the 3DS titles and even GameFreak doesn’t really care about it all that much. And that sucks. Because there are a lot of things I like about Kalos: the Gen VI Pokémon design aesthetic is marvelous, its Pokédex being a collection of favorites across all Gens was a wonderful decision that thankfully seems to be the new norm, and I love Mega Evolution and have honestly docked points from Sun and Moon for being so quick to discard it. It’s controversial, but I’m very glad for the changes made to experience—I’m in my 20s, I don’t have the time or patience to grind and now I don’t have to. But for everything Kalos did well, there’s a lot that is just so sloppy. Characterization is a huge step back from Gen V. Plot is about as bare as Gen I. Can’t say there’s much of a post-game. X and Y, in hindsight, just feel like they could have been so much more, and while we can forgive that at the start of a generation, not following up with a correction just makes it look so much worse. Because now X and Y are all we have to judge Kalos with, and it doesn’t compare well. Again, there’s a lot that I like about X and Y and Kalos—I enjoyed playing these games. I just wish I could have had an even better Kalos game after that. Sun and Moon feel like far more complete games, and remembering how abrupt the transition from Gen VI to Gen VII felt at the time, that’s somewhat strange to me. So I guess my relationship with Kalos now is a bit like what I once had with Unova, and maybe as time goes on I’ll be less bitter about the lack of a third game and I’ll feel better about this region. Chances are there will in the distant future come a day when X and Y are remade, and I dearly hope those take better advantage of Kalos.
     
    So, there you have it. Who’s offended?
  13. Pahrak Model ZX
    I was going to go with “Pahrak Master of Tournaments” but character limit ugh
     
    So my main ideas now are:
    -Stained Glass Pahrak
    -Pahrak III.7 HD ReNAME
    -Galactic Commander Pahrak
    -Sinnoh Slizer
     
    It’s a tough decision. Though since I’m now Pahrak the Sinnoh Slizer on another website I’d probably be better able to put that one aside to try out other ones for BZP here…
  14. Pahrak Model ZX
    Not a Bionicle story, though it does involve Elemental powers/regions I guess huh it may have influenced me more than I realized I should be careful about that
     
    It's a fantasy story in a medieval setting where the major countries are ruled by Queens with magic crowns. They're the characters the story will focus on. Right now I have 12 Queens, each attuned to a specific fighting style/school of magic. That’s kind of a lot of characters, so I wonder if I should take some out. Just going with the characters I have plans for right now, I could easily cut that number in half.
     
    But…since these Queens are also goddesses, I kind of want a larger group to build the mythology. Plus, I don’t want to cut any of these schools of magic, and if a school of magic exists, I want there to be a Queen for it. Even with a smaller cast, there would still be some Queens who get more attention than others. Also, I'm not entirely sure how I would want to reorganize my schools of magic to accommodate for this smaller cast of goddesses.
     
    Just going by this vague information, does anyone have any suggestions?
  15. Pahrak Model ZX
    11. In most cases, slang is nothing but flat-out silly. However, with the notable exception of Beat (whose overuse of slang is part of his character), TWEWY keeps the sland to a manageable level—it helps keep the game feeling different, but doesn’t overdo it. A prime example: your miscellaneous items are referred to as “swag”—and not the obnoxious definition.
     
    12. The game does only have one save file, but multiple people can still play it. Once you beat the game, you unlock the Chapters Menu, which will allow you to instantly jump to the beginning of any chapter in the game! This makes replaying the game a lot easier, since you don’t have to start over from scratch—think of it like the ultimate New Game+. I’ve played it about five times now. The Chapters Menu also allows you to access the bonus chapter, which we’ll get to shortly, and explains how to get the Secret Reports, which we’ll address in a few days time.
     
    13. Although it’s not my cup of tea, TWEWY does have a special mini-game that can be played wirelessly with friends. Tin Pin plays a glorious 8-bit track as you slide your pins across a tabletop, trying to knock your foes’ pins off the edge. Pins also have “whammies”—special attacks like swinging a giant hammer, turning into a meteor, and even pushing a pin that’s about to fall back onto the table. You do need to play it a handful of times during the story, but it’s not like the game requires you to be a master to reach the final boss—most of these events don’t even require you to win!
     
    14. That bonus chapter I mentioned earlier is called “Another Day,” and it’s set in an alternate universe where Tin Pin rules the land like children’s card games in a certain anime series. No, I’m not kidding. Even if you don’t like Tin Pin and can’t complete the “story” of Another Day (which does require Tin Pin proficiency), it’s still worth checking into because it’s just plain hilarious. Not to mention there are a few secrets hidden away in this parallel world…
     
    15. One of the secrets in Another Day is the Final Time Attack, an 11-round string of rematches against bosses you fought during the story. It’s one of the game’s final challenges, and, when done on Hard Mode, your time is added to your save file so you can remember how awesome you are. Clearing it also earns you a very special Thread and a small collection of pins.
     
    16. Pins. Glorious pins. The pins Neku uses to fight enemies come in a wide variety, but they’re all worth hunting down! The pin designs are neat, all the different attacks are fun and flashy, and there are so many different ways to activate them! Pins are a huge part of what makes the combat so fun, so be sure to find and master every last one! (Or just find one set that works really well, haha.)
     
    17. Lots of video games let you use your enemies’ powers in different ways, and TWEWY is one of them. Every Noise in the game, even the bosses, have a corresponding Pin with an attack related to the Noise it represents. Naturally, they’re hard to get, but they’re pretty powerful—the final boss’s pin, when mastered, has the highest base damage of any pin in the game!
     
    18. Your playable characters aren’t the only ones getting EXP—your pins level up too! When a pin’s level goes up, it becomes stronger and can be used longer or more often. Give it enough levels and it may even evolve into an entirely new pin! But, just wearing them into battle won’t be enough for certain pins—they may need a different type of Pin Points (PP) to evolve.
     
    19. We’ve all been there: playing video games late into the night because we just can’t put them down. TWEWY is highly addictive, but they also give you incentive to put down the DS and get some sleep. When you turn the game back on, the Pins you have equipped will gain “Shutdown PP” based on how long the system was off—the longer the better, all the way up to one week! (Of course, you can just adjust the DS clock to instantly get a week’s worth of PP, but that’s part of the fun!) This game is pretty hardcore, so giving you a reason to be a little more casual is probably healthy.
     
    20. The last type of PP is Access PP, obtained through using a little thing called Mingle Mode. Basically, you activate Wireless Communication and see who else is doing the same. It doesn’t even need to be someone playing TWEWY—anyone whose DS is using wireless will earn you a boost of Access PP, and apparently there’s even a chance to encounter some kind of mysterious entity…who knows what it could be? If you do encounter another TWEWY player, though, you get extra PP and can make friends with them. Friends are nice because their Threads and Pins are put into a special shop in Mingle Mode, where you can buy them at discount price, making it easier to obtain some of the rarest (and/or most expensive) itmes in the game.
  16. Pahrak Model ZX
    Well, I think it’s time.
     
    If you didn’t know, I’ve been putting together a new idea for an epic, taking place in a new world named Olkir. The full primer can be found here, but essentially the idea was to mash concepts from both generations of Bionicle, as well as Slizers, RoboRiders, and Hero Factory, into one fantasy world. (Though…since G1 has more content to play with than all those others combined, the end result is something that could probably be termed a fanmade Bionicle G3 story.) This world is populated by humanoid villagers made of a special kind of living metal who belong to eight Elemental Tribes, led by Coronets blessed with the power of Elemental Gods known as Slizers. Villagers have learned to mine minerals imbued with Elemental Power to craft special weapons, or they can go to a Rider to be made a proper Toa—though this is far rarer now, since automata known as Hagah have begun keeping peace worldwide.
     
    I’ve begun setting up the plot, but I was curious to see if anyone out there wanted to contribute characters to this story, so before I go any further I’m going to put out the call. If you’re interested, I’d recommend glancing over the primer to get a clearer idea of what’s going on before posting your form in the comments here.
     
    What I Need:
    -A name for your character, of course.
     
    -You can be a villager, a Toa, or a Hagah unit. For the first two you will need to pick an Element: Fire, Water, Ice, Metal, Lightning, Rock, Jungle, or Sun. However, for plot reasons, no Toa of Metal or Sun will be accepted. (Hagah can be associated with a particular Element if they wish, but it isn’t required.) Also, before you go jumping at the chance to be a Toa, there’s something specific about how Toa work that you need to know. A Rider turns a villager into a Toa and they are then free to do what they want for the rest of their life. When they die, however, the Rider takes them to an area at the edge of the afterlife where sixteen canisters are stored. Each Rider’s existence is stabilized by harmonizing with the souls of two Toa. When a Toa dies, their soul is put into one of these canisters to provide this effect, and the canister’s previous inhabitant is then sent into the proper afterlife. The stasis is by no means uncomfortable, and again, it is temporary, so maybe it isn’t a dealbreaker—but it still requires a degree of self-sacrifice, especially since the lack of Toa lately means the stasis can last for quite some time. In short, if your character is a Toa they must be someone who would agree to putting off their eternal reward for a while, which is something that should be reflected in their character.
     
    -Appearance. Villagers and Toa are humanoids with metal skin, and can magnetize armor to their bodies. Hagah can have more diverse appearances if they’d like.
     
    -Now’s where we get into powers and weapons! Obviously a Toa will innately have command over their Element. As mentioned previously, the villagers have learned to create weapons imbued with Elemental Power, so anyone can have access to those. Using these weapons also allows anyone, even villagers, to develop unique Element-derived abilities all their own, typically referred to as Plays. I want to be pretty open with weapons and powers, and would encourage you to think up some creative ones! Though, an Elemental Weapon can only power abilities of that one Element, and a villager is typically only proficient in the Element of their Tribe. Examples of weapons and Plays and how they work are detailed further in a read more below if you want to look them over. This section of your form can easily be tweaked as the story progresses, so for now, come up with whatever you want, and I’ll discuss modifications with you if I feel the need.
     
    -Related to that, on the topic of masks. Masks of Power do exist in this world, but they are rare treasures found in hidden temples that can only be obtained by passing various traps and tests. So your character might have a mask, but only one, and said mask must have only one specific ability. Some masks have already been decided on, and those will be listed in a read more below. (Of note, it’s entirely possible for two characters to have the same mask—a new one is forged for the temple each time one is removed.)
     
    -And a bio, for, you know…everything else. Gender, character traits, history, all that good stuff. Naturally, a good chunk of this will probably be used more as a guideline than put in word for word, but I plan to discuss my ideas on adapting your initial information with you in detail as we move forward. So please, give your characters some interesting pasts or quirks, and potential paths of character development! I won’t be accepting any applications for important figures like the Coronets, but that still leaves a lot of other options. Also, I don’t think I’ve mentioned the Priests of the Slizers yet, but that’s a thing if you’re interested. You will have to main disks, though.
     
    -Oh, uh, one last thing…on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being most likely, how likely would you say this character is to be a member of a cult dedicated to Shark Demon Pridak? Just a survey, you know, for demographic research and whatnot. Totally not a spoiler.
     

    Weapons, Elemental Facets, and Plays Weapons made from certain eleminerals have special properties and can be used as “batteries” for Plays. The eleminerals are lunapollonite (Sun), rockite (Rock), florate (Jungle), ionalloy (Lightning), volcanore (Fire), mallaidro (Water), nexidian (Metal), and freezon (Ice).
     
    Commonly used weapons:
    -Disks: Throwing disks are considered a holy weapon for their association with the Slizers. Given that, it isn’t at all surprising that disks have been made from every elemineral.
    -Sun Gun: Exactly what you’d expect. There’s a bit of variety in what these firearms look like, but they all use lunapollonite to store massive amounts of sunlight which is then fired in concentrated blasts from the barrel.
    -Morcian Swords: Blades made in the town of Morcia on the Island of Lightning. Being made from ionalloy, they possess the ability to fire lightning bolts from their tips.
    -Skrall Shields: Shields made from rockite, making them extremely resistant to damage, and extremely painful to get bashed over the head with.
    -Viridian Bow: A green bow containing florate. When you pull back on it, an arrow instantly materializes; many users develop Plays that modify the properties of the arrows formed.
    -Grappling Hook: Consisting of a long chain with a hook made of mallaidro on the end, this weapon is immensely popular amongst the Water Tribe for its utility. When the hook comes into contact with something, it melds to fit it perfectly, enabling the user to grab onto almost anything
    -Vortixx Axe: The head of this battleaxe is made of nexidian, and when swung downwards, it temporarily greatly increases in density and weight, adding to the power of each swing.
    -Storm Drones: Though a recent invention, these are a favorite weapon of the Ice Tribe since many of them prefer not to fight directly. Usually coming in pairs, these small airborne devices have their own power source and a limited AI, enabling them to act independently and fire freeze blasts at their designated target. They also have a voice recognition system to take orders from their owner at any time.
    -Kardata: Not a weapon, but a style of martial arts widely practiced on the Island of Fire. While often used in conjunction with volcanore weaponry like the Furnace Fists or the Scorching Pike, Kardata users have refined their barehanded combat skills to a degree very few others have, enabling villagers to continue to fight even if they lose the weapon that powers their Play. The Kardata uniform consists of two shoulder plates that each rise into three curved points (think the Tahnok’s Fire Shields), and a sleeveless robe that fans out to the sides of the legs like an overcoat. The color of the uniform denotes rank: red is beginner, orange is proficient, yellow is skilled (the lowest rank that typically leaves the island), white is expert, and blue is master (very rare, so don’t necessarily jump straight to this).
     
    In order to devise a Play, one must first recognize their Facet. As villagers and Toa alike continued to use Elemental Powers, they came to realize that different people had varying affinities towards using the same Element in different ways. These affinities are now referred to as Facets, and this increased understanding has led to much greater ease in the development of unique abilities. Identified Facets include:
     
    -Rock Facets:
    --Igneous: Skilled in energy-based abilities
    --Sedimentary: What they create is very difficult to destroy
    --Metamorphic: Able to devise very creative abilities that don’t necessarily look like Rock-based powers
    -Jungle Facets:
    --Lily: Best at emulating specific types of plants
    --Sakura: Excels in both healing and poisonous abilities
    --Dandelion: While they can work with plant life, Dandelion Facets usually develop Plays related to animals rather than plants
    -Lightning Facets:
    --Stratus: Good at compacting and reinforcing their energy, making them skilled at materialization abilities
    --Cirrus: Good at controlling the direction of their attacks, very precise
    --Cumulus: Good at storing and unleashing power, resulting in very heavy attacks
    -Fire Facets:
    --Fahrenheit: Specializes in explosions
    --Celsius: Excels at control, making it easy to create localized attacks and weapons
    --Kelvin: Produces fire that burns much hotter, achieving white and blue flames more easily than other Facets
    -Water Facets:
    --Atlantic: Does their best when focusing on offense
    --Pacific: Excels at defensive abilities
    -Metal Facets:
    --Noble: Excels at manipulation of metal
    --Precious: Better able to produce metal with unique qualities
    --Heavy: Able to quickly produce extremely solid constructs
    -Ice Facets:
    --Arctic: Specializes in abstract abilities, like manipulating cold and using blasts of freezing energy. Those with this Facet tend to focus on studying the future over the past.
    --Antarctic: Specializes in concrete abilities, like constructions made of ice. Antarctic Facets tend to study the past more than the future.
    -Sun is a unique case. It does technically have Facets (Sunlight, Moonlight, and Starlight), but any Sun user can easily utilize all three, and as may be obvious their usage is restricted by the time of day. Sunlight Plays can be just about anything the user can imagine, and can only be used during the day. At night, Moonlight can be used to create “reflections” of an opponent, their weapon, or even their powers, meanwhile Starlight Plays call upon specific constellations to empower the user.
     
    All this leads up to Plays. Once an Element-user discovers their Facet, they can then apply their Imagination to their power, molding it into nearly any form they can think of. The resulting ability is what is called a Play. For villagers, their lack of proficiency with Elements makes this process more difficult than it would be for a Toa, so a villager typically focuses on developing one specific Play that becomes their trademark. Plays can range from simple to extravagant, all depending on the Imagination of the user and if they can conceive a way to tie it back to their original Element through their Facet. It is unknown just what limits, if any, exist on what a Play can be, though it has been noted that more powerful Plays have larger weaknesses—nature always seeks to maintain balance, and even the most powerful Imagination cannot escape this fact. However, some very skilled warriors have found ways to turn their Play’s weakness into an advantage. Since a villager does not naturally possess Elemental Power, if they are disarmed they cannot use their Play.
     
    Example Plays:
    -Horizon Quill: Sunlight Faceted Sun Play. The user shoots a beam from their sun gun and “draws” a line, usually on a solid surface. After a short delay, a great amount of Sun energy rushes either up or down from that spot, sweeping away the target and causing damage.
    -Viridian Forest: Lily Faceted Jungle Play. Used in conjunction with the Viridian Bow—a very broad Play that enables the user to create arrows with the properties of any plant they know of, though it takes a bit longer than similar Plays that turn Viridian arrows into just one type of plant.
    -Astral Blades: Stratus Faceted Lightning Play. Eight lightning bolts strike in a circle around the user and form into tangible blades that the user can wield. Anyone else who touches these weapons is shocked. The user can call a blade through the air directly to their hand, though they must not use this ability on the same blade two times in a row.

     

    Masks of Power These are the Masks of Power I’ve already decided exist in Olkir, and you are free to use any of them. There are a few others I’ve decided on that will be rare/unique/plot-significant, though, so if you want to make a new one maybe ask about a specific name/power before you get your heart set on it.
     
    -Mask of Calix: Enhances wearer’s perception, allowing them to react to things much more quickly than usual (assuming their body can physically handle it)
    -Mask of Pakari: Enhanced physical strength for a short time
    -Mask of Kakama: Enhances speed, though can be difficult to control when used at full power
    -Mask of Huna: Makes the wearer invisible, though the effect goes away when they prepare to launch an attack
    -Mask of Sanok: Increases the user’s ability to make precision strikes
    -Mask of Felnas: If the wearer understands their opponent’s Play, they can remove their ability to use it so long as they are in direct physical contact with them
    -Mask of Pouks: If the wearer understands someone else’s Play, they can copy it for a brief time, though it will not be as powerful as the original [50%] (will be closer in strength if it is the same Element [75%], and much closer if it is the same Facet [90%])
    -Mask of Crast: Pushes a target away, though repeated use can be exhausting
    -Mask of Pehkui: Enables the user to shrink, though their physical strength will reduce as well
    -Mask of Kualus: Enables the user to grow larger, though this does make it harder for them to maneuver and react
    -Mask of Kualsi: Enables the user to instantly move to any location they can see, but becomes increasingly disorientating with each use
    -Mask of Kiril: Used to repair inanimate objects

     
    That should about cover it. So, anyone interested?
  17. Pahrak Model ZX
    Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, all that stuff.
     
    So much for getting Kako 38 online quickly, heh...sorry. The usual distractions kicked in, but I may be able to put them aside and get the chapter typed up today. I'm just about done writing Kako 39 as well, but I wouldn't expect that this year.
     
    In Spirit news, I was able to get my hands on some new Hero Factory sets and the books, so this combined with the fact that they're on Shop @ Home enabled me to finalize the Hero Factory Spirits! Those plus another unrelated Spirit will probably be up early next year/week, and that should bring us to 1598. (How did that happen?!)
     
    Other than that, not a whole lot has happened. I was thinking about doing a "Top 5 Apocalypses" thing, but then I realized that might be a little too spiteful. Oh well. See you next year.
  18. Pahrak Model ZX
    As usual, I have video game news to report that may or may not concern anyone else.
    I believe I previously mentioned Pokemon+Nobunaga's Ambition, the strategy game with Pokemon in feudal Japan? Well they're officially bringing it to America as "Pokemon Conqeust" in mid-June. So far it looks like they're leaving the names of the Japanese historical figures alone! *energetic fist pump*
    Oh, and the handheld Final Fantasy DDR is coming on July 3rd, and Kingdom Hearts 3D (!!!) is coming here July 31st.
    ...It's really difficult to avoid spoilers when you've been consuming any and all Kingdom Hearts news for months on end...
     
    Now for BZP-related stuff. Forgotten Bond's final duel is next Tuesday! Also, if you've read Chapter 28, you know about Tahu's new fusion form, Technic Tahu. Well, I did make a MoC of it (ZMoC-10)...but it turned out, ah...less-than-epic. If you still want to check it out, though, here's the gallery.
     
    I've been putting some thought into the story about Khadaz and Amy's wedding (thinking of calling it Eternal Fusion...), and after doing all the math, it turns out they're the last couple in their group to get married. Weird how things turn out...anyway, it'll take place fourteen years before Sekai, in 1307 A.B.L., probably sometime in April/May. I've decided on location, maid of honor, best man, minister, and some traditions for Bioni-Lord weddings and Ga-Isle weddings specifically, including the fact that they won't be using rings. On Ga-Isle, it's traditional to kill a Water Shark (one of the Elemental Animals I need to release more info on...like the Ice Wolves) and put one of its teeth on a necklace, with the first initial of the person you are proposing to carved on it in Matoran (so a Matoran 'A' for when Khadaz proposes to Amy). Then, once the couple is married, they each get a necklace with three Water Shark teeth carved with more Matoran letters: their first initial, the first initial of the person they married, and the first initial of their surname (so Khadaz's necklace has 'K', 'A', and 'I', and Amy's has 'A', 'K', and 'I'). Of course, due to conservation efforts, people aren't allowed to actually kill Water Sharks anymore and need to buy their necklaces at jewelry stores. And yes, this idea was inspired by Avatar: The Last Airbender.
    After deciding this I began to put some thought into what wedding tokens would be employed on the other islands and the Mainland...haven't decided on too many yet. Ta-Isle uses rings, but they have Lava Gems instead of diamonds; Le-Isle uses Air Eagle feathers tucked behind opposing ears (as either an earring or part of a headband); and Av-Isle carves rings out of Lightstones. As for Healer-Isle, I was thinking of turning that over to Keizah...
    Anyway, the original idea was to just write up the ceremony, but now I'm thinking I might want to do more, primarily to explain some of the traditions before or after the wedding so that I don't constantly have someone in the audience explaining things as they're happening. I was thinking a chapter of preparations, a chapter for the ceremony, and then a chapter for the reception...but I wouldn't know what Forum to put it in--it's not quite Epic, but it's too serious to be a Comedy...could serialize here in the blog, I suppose. Either that, or just put it all in one Short Story.
     
    *shrug* Well, I'm going to keep working on the wedding story and give you guys updates as I work. And don't worry about VRHS--I promise I'll have it ready in early June!
  19. Pahrak Model ZX
    So Unchained X is really fun. Help.
     
    But I'm making this entry to see if anyone wanted to form a party! I've set one up (right now it's just called "BZP", but we can brainstorm new names), and I believe I can add anyone if they just give me their ID. (And if you're a part of the Ursus Union.)
     
    I'm still figuring this out, but I believe that's really all there is to it. I'll edit this if further steps are discovered.
  21. Pahrak Model ZX
    Asterisk Holder: Einheria Venus
     

     
    Origin: Final Fantasy II (character), Final Fantasy III (Job) (called “Dragoon” in both)
     
    Was It In Bravely Default?: Yes
     
    Overview: Heavily-armored lance-specialists known for their jumping ability. Valkyrie is a powerful Job, starting out with an ability that allows it to attack the entire field at once, and then learning various jump attacks that prevents it from taking damage for a time before unleashing a powerful move. They also have a variety of nifty ways to manipulate MP and BP, as well as learning how to pierce Default, making them a tricky foe to take down.
     
    Personal Thoughts: Crescent Moon alone is enough to make this Job worth equipping as soon as you get it, and it only gets better from there. Jump and its variants have always been interesting: while you will avoid all damage while you’re in the air, you also can’t be healed, so it can be risky in a tough fight. Still, I’m sure many players find Jump very nostalgic and are perfectly willing to spam it, and hey, if it works, it works. Visually they’re a bit brighter than what I’ve come to expect from Dragoons, and then there’s the matter of the ridiculous skirt spears on the female costume. It looks weird at first, but you get used to it. I'm looking forward to using it again.
  22. Pahrak Model ZX
    Asterisk Holder: Ayame
     

     
    Origin: Bravely Second (Many Final Fantasy games have had upgraded Mage classes with Wizard in their names—White Wizard, Red Wizard, etc—but the Wizard Asterisk seems to use unique abilities that set it apart as a new creation.)
     
    Was It In Bravely Default?: No
     
    Overview: Wizards use magic in two stages: select an element (Fire, Blizzard, Thunder), and then select a method of attack. Confirmed so far are Darts, Hammer, Blast, and Mist (causes steady damage over time like poison). This should provide a wide variety of attacks that can take advantage of foes’ weaknesses.
     
    Personal Thoughts: Well, it sure sounds powerful! Everyone seems to be focusing mainly on the Elemental Mists, and I can see why: encounter a hoard of ice monsters, unleash a Fire Mist to burn them all over time. It sounds like Black Mage is going to have some serious competition as offensive magic Job. Wizard is playable in the demo currently out in Japan, so hopefully I'll be able to find more detailed data to update this soon.
  24. Pahrak Model ZX
    I’ve been thinking about some games I like that are sort of underappreciated so I don’t know I’m just gonna spit ‘em out. It’s late and I’m tired, here’s a closer look at how Pahrak thinks.
     
    -Mega Man Star Force: Seriously this is probably the least-liked of the Mega Man series…es. Unless you count Xover, but chances are a lot of people don’t even know that was a thing, so I’m not gonna count it. And sure, it has its flaws, and I know fans of the main timeline’s gameplay don’t appreciate the RPG style of this and Battle Network (I’m actually the reverse), but there’s something it has that the Mega Man series as a whole is not known for: character development! (…Granted, mostly the first game, but STILL.) You don’t just go around crushing random berserk robots or stopping a series of increasingly quirky cyber-terrorists, each boss you fight is an actual person going through an honest-to-God crisis when a freaking alien materializes in front of them and says “HEY I’LL HELP YOU SUCKER!”, and then Mega Man actually cares about what they’re going through and tries to actually help them through it in addition to kicking their butt. (It’s a game, butts have to be kicked.) And Mega Man has problems too, that he slowly works through over the course of the game/series! Geo is my Mega Man because I can actually relate to him, even if Hub was my first and Ven/Aile are the only main timeline heroes whose game I’ve actually beaten. Geo Stelar is like Shinji Ikari done right. Which is the perfect mix of what I’m actually like and what I’d kinda sorta like to be like. Please love him.
     
    -The World Ends With You: Oh man where do I start. Yeah, the only reason I bought it at first was because “oh hey a new Square game could be fun”, and then it ended up being one of the most fun games I’ve ever played. Grinding feels like a privilege. And I never even fully mastered the crazy combat system, I had a freaking blast being mediocre at it. On Ultimate difficulty. It’s just so much fun to play. And then you get a story with genuinely interesting twists in a world with neat mechanics (the more complicated ones you don’t even need to know about until you get to the post-game reports) affecting characters who feel like actual modern teenagers in a way that isn’t totally obnoxious. Okay, one of them is totally obnoxious. Maybe two. But Neku is great. And you know JRPGs are generally all “friendship and collectivism”, and there’s some of that there, but they actually make a point of showing collectivism going too far, and instead of demonizing introversion and individualism, make a darn convincing argument that it is vital to strike a healthy balance between the two extremes. How novel! And they make it so easy to replay it, which is the real danger here, because if you like this game you’ll probably end up playing through it at least seven times, which I’ve done, and I really don’t replay many games. For me the world ended when I realized I could play this game instead of interacting with it. That’s not entirely true but I thought it sounded funny. Anyway TWEWY is dramatic yet touching and you should love it, but no rush they’re probably never actually going to make that sequel they teased.
     
    -Final Fantasy V: Because it’s always about VII. Cloud has blocked the sun from falling on everything that came before him, except occasionally IV and VI. V is always in that dark spot, partly because the original SNES version was never brought stateside, and I guess the PS version had a bad translation? (So I’ve been told.) BUT DID YOU KNOW! Prior to the release of IX, V was Sakaguchi’s favorite Final Fantasy?! (Sakaguchi is the guy who made Final Fantasy BTW.) And now we have the GBA and mobile phone versions which have a much better translation and new stuff, and the sprites are pretty weird in the phone version but you can deal with that, so there’s no reason to ignore it any longer! FFV takes the Job System from I and III and enhances it before it disappears for a few installments, probably because it took them a while to feel like they could do it better. And this game, let me tell you, it has that balance of humor and drama that I love. A huge amount of it is self-parody, just messing around with standard Final Fantasy stuff and not taking itself too seriously. And then suddenly something super dark happens. And sometimes, there’s something serious happening, and someone says something that’s just genuinely hilarious. And then a few minutes later you’re crying. Like, you’ve got Gilgamesh taking about “NOW WE FIGHT LIKE MEN! AND LADIES! AND LADIES WHO DRESS LIKE MEN! FOR GILGAMESH, IT IS MORPHING TIME!” And then like, Exdeath just chucks your hometown full of innocent villagers straight into the Void for no practical reason. Exdeath is the most terrifying tree ever. Gilgamesh is the best recurring boss, which is why he recurs in so many Final Fantasies now, and those are just the villains. The heroes are great. Bartz is pretty normal I’ll admit, but he’s still pretty darn cool. Then you’ve got Captain Faris Scherwiz, who gets thrown off a cliff and just freaking climbs back up two dialogue boxes later. (She’s probably the coolest girl in this franchise, and was written in 92. A cool girl in a JRPG in 92. You didn’t think it was possible did you?) And freaking Galuf, who basically breaks the game mechanics through sheer force of will and I’m crying again. It’s goofy and dark and filled with lovable dorks and you get to master the piano to the point where mere mortals quake in fear of your superhuman keyboard manipulation skills. Please punch Cloud and play this game.
     
    -Pokemon Diamond/Pearl/Platinum: I mean, as far as Pokemon regions go. This seems to be about the cutoff for nostalgia blinders. But see, Young Pahrak (Pahrak Va) wasn’t allowed to watch/play Pokemon at first, not until around the end of Gen II/beginning of Gen III. At which point I binged, fell in love with Gold, but then got annoyed that I couldn’t trade my Pokemon up to Ruby and Sapphire. So my newly-permitted interest in Pokemon just completely dropped off, until I was in a store and saw Diamond, realized I had enough money in my pocket, and took it home with me. That game is the reason I’m playing Pokemon today. Sinnoh is a beautiful region filled with great Pokemon (I know, not enough Fire types, WE ALL MAKE MISTAKES), the Gym Leaders started to develop actual personalities and do things, and it had the first and still best female Champion (you were on your last Pokemon Cynthia, why did you do that to me, I still love you but why). And the mythology. Sure it led to Legendary inflation, which I’ll admit is obnoxious, but the mythic feel of Sinnoh just gives it a meaningful and fantastic (as in fantasy-like, though it is fantastic good as well) atmosphere I haven’t found elsewhere in the Pokemon world. Sinnoh is wonderful please love it like you love Kanto/Johto/Hoenn.
     
    That’s all I can think of right now I should probably sleep.
  25. Pahrak Model ZX
    (As I said before, I plan to start Chapter 2 of Divine Strength with a wave exchange between the Queens of Light and Sea. Since it's fairly short, I figured I'd just post it here directly. Hopefully this gives some insight into both characters and their relationship with each other.)
     
    Sea:
     
    I’m sorry to hear about what happened to your agreement with Nature—don’t fret, your soldiers didn’t offer the information, I dug it out of them. We agreed on a 20% increase in imports starting next month. When they return, they can answer any other questions you may have. As for the reports, I’ve read enough to know that I was right: the one behind these events is someone I have an interest in dealing with personally, and I am planning to depart tomorrow to hunt down the snake and take him into custody. However, since these recent incidents have had more of an effect on Ceandi than Bivor, I will understand if you would rather handle it. Please let me know.
     
    Light

    ***


    Light:
     
    First, I want to thank you for taking on such a large increase in trade. But if it ends up hurting Bivor, promise me that you will let me know, alright? I don’t want your queendom to suffer for lending us aid. As for the incidents…if two Queens are poking around in the same area, will that not be even more suspicious than my continued activities there? It would be no stretch to imagine War taking this as an excuse to start harassing us. How important is this matter? You’re not one to hold grudges, but you seem oddly invested in finding this man.
     
     
    Sea
     

    ***


    Sea:
     
    I promise to keep you updated on Bivor’s economy. Do not worry, I am sure all will go well. In regards to this sorcerer, his name is Riniyon. He is the one who launched a feeble attack against Bivor during my previous lifetime but managed to escape from my dungeon. What I haven’t told you is that he has been popping up every now and then for several decades now, causing trouble for me for reasons unknown. He has been a thorn in my side for much too long. I want to stop his foolishness and, perhaps, find out why it is that he hates we Queens so badly. I believe I can find his lair quickly, as I am somewhat familiar with his habits after all this time, and, truthfully…I think it will be most satisfying to confront the coward directly. So I will ask you plainly, Sea: please allow me this.
     
     
    Light
     

    ***


    Light:
     
    Haha, I know that tone. I can’t talk you out of this, can I? Very well, I’ll keep my distance. But Light, you do tend to get a little reckless when you’re this focused—I know you said Riniyon is actually quite weak, but if he has escaped and evaded your capture this long, he may be more cunning than he lets on. Or he could just be lucky. Either way, I would advise you to be ready for anything. It never hurts to be cautious, right?
     
     
    Sea
     

    ***


    Sea:
     
    I suppose I can get rather carried away…and you do have a point. I’ll try to be careful. For now, I think I will retire; should anything momentous happen in my investigation, I will keep you informed. Until then.
     
     
    Light
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