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[Katamari on the Swing.]

#51

Music / Re: Songs that get you pumped/...

Last post by DrampardonMe - January 07, 2025, 02:56

^I guess I haven't heard enough French music to really have an opinion on it in general. I have a nagging feeling I'm forgetting one or two retro songs that just so happened to be in French or of French origin, but I digress.

Now I have to add another video game and/or Japanese song to my own list, since it helped me more than I thought it would this evening: Katamari on the Swing. FUN FACT: playing We <3 Katamari on a demo disc was my first real experience with culture shock! ...but to be fair, the Katamari series IS pretty weird on its own. The opening sequence to the game is trippy enough visually, so the song (which is just as enjoyable without the visuals in its own right) just adds to the absurdity. Those first few seconds really sledge you over the head, and the song as a whole is basically a prelude of what to expect in the game itself. I'm... obviously nostalgic for it at the moment.

#52

Music / Re: Songs that get you pumped/...

Last post by Petzbreeder - December 29, 2024, 23:36

A French song called Bobo always gets me excited whenever it plays on my Liked Songs playlist on my Echo Dot.

My dad hates French music, but I think Gosch is good.

[Rule of Thumb]

#53

Music / Songs that get you pumped/exci...

Last post by DrampardonMe - December 27, 2024, 18:25

You know, those tunes you just KNOW will make you feel peppy/productive/etc.; when you hear them, you just can't stay bitter for long! Rule of Thumb: if you're chasing a wacky cartoon animal, and said animal plays this theme on a nearby radio, and it causes you to dance/smile/whatever long enough for the animal to escape, it belongs here. (because I have no better way to explain it)

This doubles as both my Vidya Pick and Obnoxiously Weeb Pick, but uh, the opening theme from Dragon Ball Z Budokai 3 (whatever it's technically called...) has that effect on me. It has a unique energy even among DBZ-related songs...

...I'lll get back to you about more "normal" tunes which do the same. I wanna say some power metal track or something, but none of the tunes I recall affect me like the above one... yet.

Anyone else feel that musical magic, or am I mildly mad?

#54

Your Art / [WIP] Five-Man Band A.N.A.-- H...

Last post by DrampardonMe - December 27, 2024, 16:27

Hoping to get some input on this here:



I threw this together rather quickly, when I probably should have been asleep. Still surprised myself at how well it came out, even considering it was meant as a mockup. I'll admit to recycling/resizing some older drawings of mine to get it to work, but again, this is a mockup; I intend to redo this properly.

Other than the scale/anatomy being off at parts (Yellow Jammer shouldn't be THAT short, for example), I know my clothes need work. First order of business when I try again: actually add Green Leader's camouflage. I'm running on horridly wonky sleep, or I'd have done so sooner.

Anything else look off? What's spot-on? Who ARE these characters, anyway?! ...Well, I know the answer to the last one, but those first two, uh... Speak up if you wanna help me out.

FULL DISCLOSURE: Yes, I'm referencing Captain Commando, but I really did try making an original "successful team attack" pose for these five characters of mine. Any advice with that would also be greatly appreciated.

#55

Fake Whatever / Idea(s) for Yet Another Snorun...

Last post by DrampardonMe - December 27, 2024, 08:14

Snorunt's probably my favorite Ice-type Pokemon, and while I don't hate its evolutions, they're all pretty sad fates for it, wouldn't you say? One's frozen solid for the rest of its life (and if you Mega Evolve it, its jaw unhinges. Talk about miserable!) and the other freezes so hard it becomes a ghost.

Anyone else think there should be a warmer outcome for Snorunt? Or maybe I'm missing the point here? At any rate, I only have a few ideas at the moment:

*I was thinking Ice/Fire. I'd say Water/Fire, but I feel as though it needs to keep the Ice-type in some capacity. Maybe its coat gets thicker and it holds a torch or something? Hmm...
*480 would have to be its BST. Glalie already has 80 in each base stat, while Froslass has weaker defenses to prioritize Speed. Maybe something like this?

HP: 80
Attack: 105
Defense: 70
Sp.ATK: 105
Sp.Def: 70
Speed: 50
BST: 480

I would have made either offensive stat a bit higher, but it seemed to be an unspoken rule that Snorunt's evos' offensive stats can't not be even, so I compromised. I guess I still sort of min-max'd a little; poor thing still has Snorunt's speed, whoops! But yeah, I don't see this being top-tier in competitive (but then that was never my goal, lol) Maybe Fur Coat and Slush Rush as its abilities, with Flash Fire as the Hidden one?

*As for its actual design, I'd have to think about that a bit. Wonder how it could look primarily cool while retaining some of Snorunt's cuteness? I'm picturing "Elder of a Snowy Village", myself...

Not sure what to do for its moves. Maybe someone can suggest an optimal moveset and we can branch from there? I'll make up a move or two, if I must! Maybe it evolves knowing a specific move it couldn't learn in previous generations? Those are always fun!

If anyone has any input or suggestions, let me know!

#56

Games General / Kanto Starters: Then and Now

Last post by DrampardonMe - December 24, 2024, 20:09

Felt oddly nostalgic for them, mere moments before life priorities, so I'll ask real quick: Who did you pick between Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle, back in the day? Who would you pick now? Do you like all the stages of these starters, or is there room for improvement? Mind you, I'm not too picky about which game was "back in the day" for you, so long as the choice is there. For example, Red/Blue, FireRed/LeafGreen, and X/Y are permissible, but Yellow and Scarlet/Violet are not.

I tend to go for the Water-type starter in most games, because my fondness for Water as an element predates the Pokemon series, so naturally I went with Squirtle in my Blue version! The exception would have been when I played Y; because I had already picked Froakie, I thought picking Squirtle would have been redundant, so I went with Bulbasaur. No regrets, though-- Mega Venusaur was pretty fun, from what I remember! But yeah, in case it wasn't obvious: under normal circumstances, I would pick Squirtle out of the three, even now.

Also:

Squirtle = Wartortle = Blastoise. I like them all! Mega Blastoise is cool, too.
Indifferent to Charmander, but Charmeleon is neat. Never cared for Charizard much; I guess I like Mega Charizard X over Y, but not so much for either of their designs as much as the novelty of it being part Dragon and also a physical attacker.
I don't dislike any of the Bulbasaur line, but Venusaur has my favorite Mega of the three. I miss when Ivysaur was allowed hind-leg-walking action, though...

Anyway, this took longer to type than I thought. Discuss your Kanto opinions below, if you want! Might add a poll later.

EDIT: Poll added. I voted Squirtle, of course!

[it's interesting that we're going back to Kalos before Unova]

#57

Games General / Re: Pokemon Legends Z-A Specul...

Last post by DrampardonMe - December 01, 2024, 00:36

^I had no problem with the battle system in the context of the game itself, but... yeah, I feel like it only works when an age where "Pokemon are terrifying creatures!" and such. Plus, catching Pokemon without engaging in proper battle felt a bit overpowered after a point. I mean, you could still engage, but even battle is a tad more streamlined/simplified. I mean, battle styles are cool, but no abilities and such. Wait, do we even know when Z-A takes place yet? I'll have to look into it later.

Thinking about it more myself, of course they should keep the shiny sound pre-shiny encounter. Some shinies you'd miss otherwise. Also, wasn't Frozen status replaced with a similar thing that reduced Sp.ATK? That was kind of, er, cool. Personally always wondered why we have Burn and Intimidate but not equivalents for Sp.ATK in the main games... besides, you know, stall being an annoying strategy in PvP.

Mega Jellicent would be interesting, if only to see the impressive mustache get even more impressive/the frills get even frillier. Always wanted to try base Jellicent, but never got around it, so a mega would be a good excuse. Interestingly, the first and last time I seriously used a Xatu was one which ended up being my PokeStar Studios ace in White 2. I'm all for Xatu getting more bones thrown to it, since I always thought it was kind of cool.

Speaking of...

i'm looking forward to Z-A anyway, should be a fun experience, and it's interesting that we're going back to Kalos before Unova. hope we get some more info soon

Makes me wonder if they're planning a proper "Black 3/White 3" with new protagonists or whatever, or if we're just getting remakes of the first one. Maybe, dare I say, a Pokemon Legends game which somehow works in the color Grey? Cautiously curious what they'll do there.

#58

Games General / Re: Pokemon Legends Z-A Specul...

Last post by Del - November 25, 2024, 03:07

keep everything except the battle system, and use the standard battle system we already have, and we're good I reckon. the battle system in Arceus was Fine™ but not really something that felt the best by time I was in the end game I think.

would also be great if the areas weren't actual sections in the game, but considering the performance issues we had in S/V it might be best if they were, since an entire open world just doesn't seem to work.

excited for megas to come back, not really sure who I'd want to get them though. i'm just gonna open my list of old teams and rattle off some names from there; Darmanitan, Scrafty, Jellicent, Sigilyph, Vikavolt, Jumpluff, Lanturn, Xatu, Staraptor, Bronzong, Gastrodon, Toxicroak, Talonflame, Trevenant, Tyrantrum, Klefki, Meowstic, Corviknight, Drednaw, Coalossal, Grimmsnarl, Toxtricity, Pawmot, Lokix, Ceruledge, Revavroom, Veluza.

the Gen 8s could just have their G-Max forms turned into Megas I guess, and would be surprised to see Gen 9s get Megas in their first gen. reckon Mega Darmanitan might be a bit too giga though, and it has a regional so would that also get a Mega?

i'm looking forward to Z-A anyway, should be a fun experience, and it's interesting that we're going back to Kalos before Unova. hope we get some more info soon

#59

Games General / Pokemon Legends Z-A Speculatio...

Last post by DrampardonMe - November 24, 2024, 04:07

In terms of official information, there hasn't been a whole lot to go off of yet, has there? I won't say I've been under a rock on the issue, but I don't have my pulse on it, either.

At any rate, Legends Z-A isn't a priority purchase for me (I'm in the "wait and see" stage at the moment), but I am curious about which new Mega Evolutions will happen. Honestly, though, I've gotten burned out on playing Pokemon Scarlet, so I'd have to be in the right mood for a Pokemon game in general (and, at time of posting, I am not in said mood)

To anyone who's played the first Legends game: What did you like and/or dislike about it? What should be kept for Z-A, and what should be left in the first? And, for those interested, which Mega Evolutions do you most want?

Me? I'd have to dust off my copy of Legends because I never 100%'d it (even though that was the entire point of the game, lol) so I'm not really qualified on what mechanics to keep, ditch, improve, etc. As for Megas, I feel as though Mega Hariyama isn't happening since Iron Hands is a thing, but never say never, I suppose! Otherwise, I just want there to be an alternative to Mega Pinsir, a Bug/Ground-type with Arena Trap. Chances of that happening are low, but I do not like the one we have now. It'd be nice if they brought back Mega Swampert, too. I'm indifferent to Flygon, but the lack of a Mega for it is strange even to me. I've heard rumors as to why that is, but eh.

Anyone else want to weigh in?

[under which circumstances the pirates could claim victory]

#60

Random Randomness / One Billion Pirates vs The Leg...

Last post by DrampardonMe - October 11, 2024, 19:42

Been thinking about this a bit more than I probably should, but it IS October, so no harm in asking, right?

I understand in a straight-forward fight that Team Dracula would most probably win, but it makes me wonder under which circumstances the pirates could claim victory. Keep in mind, the pirates in this scenario aren't magic/cursed/undead or whatever, but they ARE pirates, and there's a billion of 'em. All I've got at the moment is "Load the cannons with garlic!!"

(You can assess this seriously, or you can have fun with it. Mostly asking for research purposes.)