all made up with nowhere to go

(Subject line is my favourite quote of Balthier's. I thought he said it to someone else, but no, he says it Vaan).

OK so before I start, let me tell you that I am two episodes behind everyone else on Kill la Kill (no spoilers, thanks!) and I got SO DISTRACTED by FFXII, that I actually forgot to catch up today. I also have no interest in catching up tomorrow, either (I'll do it while I'm working instead :D )

(I love being self-employed. I can watch TV while I work and no-one tells me not to because I'M THE FREAKING BOSS).

*ahem*

Preliminary notes:

- this is the game that got me into Akihiko Yoshida's artwork and Hitoshi Sakimoto's music. Not a surprise, I know. I think both of them are equally awesome. I am sad that I wasn't more Yoshida's art at the time I was doing my HND because damn it would've been hilarious to see what my tutors made of his stuff (especially the one who had Opinions about what was and wasn't art and frankly as far as I am still concerned six years later, can go fuck himself).

SO THAT SAID, on with other stuff that may be spoilers! (From the start to arrival at Bhujerba - though there are spoilers for later game things, due to stuff I've been reading, so be warned).

( Read more... )

And now I am at Bhujerba.

<--- intro post | Bhujerba to Raithwall's Tomb --->

I am sure that Square-Enix employ a guy whose purpose is to sit there and say, "You know what this game needs? More bosses!"

Yeah.

In other news, I finished FFXIII yesterday! I only died once on the first version of Orphan because he cast Death on Lightning and, uh, it killed her. The post-story gaming is kind of weird, but I'll possibly post about that another time, when I've played a bit more of it.

I reeeeeeeeally enjoyed it. I didn't know if I would, but I do. The music and some of the locations remind me of X, and I think that's a part of it. And the scenery, OMG THE SCENERY. Even people who hated the game said the scenery was amazing. IT IS. I love running around, just taking in the scenery (and some of it, to some extent, reminds me of where I live which, if you saw where I lived, you'd think I was cracked). The game guide suggests activating as many waystones as you can to zap around Gran Pulse easily, and I'm all, "Why would you? This place is too awesome NOT to look at!"

Currently hunting marks and finding it 100% more entertaining than XII (opinions may change once I get access to the Fault Warrens and/or have to fight an Oretoise).

~*~

Mum is so totally in A Song of Ice and Fire, and it is adorable. She misses the TV series already. She's been reading A Game of Thrones and is on the verge of finishing it. I had to request her A Clash of Kings because she wants to know what happens next.

Adorable, I tells you, adorable*.

~*~

God, I haven't uploaded anything or looked at anyone's tumblrs in forever, and I feel bad about it (not that I don't have sketches to upload; or even stuff to take photos of, but...I dunno, I want to get and make stuff! Which is what I have been doing in this forever that I've not been posting stuff).

I guess maybe I will do it when a) my camera battery has charged and b) I stop feeling like drek (yay period pains!)

~*~

*I rarely ever get to see my mum being fannish about anything, and that's definitely how I'd describe her actions at the moment, even if she wouldn't.

Right. So.

About a month or so ago, I picked up Mass Effect. I didn't think I'd like it, so I thought, "I'll play it when I'm reeeeeeeally bored and sell it on when I get fed up of it".

Then my middle Xbox died, and took my FFXIII disc with it. I'd be lying if I said I was OK with this. I still only owned three Xbox games, so I slammed Viva Pinata in there and played on that. It is quirky, I like it, but, like all Sim games, I kind of get bored when I can't think of things to do (and run out of money, lol).

So eventually I put Mass Effect in. With trepidation, I might add. I made myself a female Shepard, her name is Jennifer (named for the awesome cat lady in Bucky O'Hare*). She is awesome, and I want to draw her so I can show you all, because I darn well wish I could screen cap (we can have dodgy pics of my TV again if you like?) I'm going to do another playthrough with male Shep just because I can.

But the point is that I played for maybe two hours, and I was addicted. I LOVE IT LIKE CAKE. Because of its vibe, but also the soundtrack! And I love that my Shepard is inquisitive and sassy, and also kind of hot (er, yeah). I also spent all week wanting work to be over super-quick I could get home, and get on with the further adventures of Shepard and Co™

I got my FFXIII disc back yesterday, after nearly a month of being without it. I played some when I got home (and rekicked Barthandelus' arse, and got to the Fifth Ark). I played some ilomilo today (which I will write about another time because everyone who owns an Xbox needs this games ;) ).

And then I thought about Mass Effect, and suddenly I realised that I missed it like FUCK.

Luckily, I have until Thursday off work next week, so plenty of time to actually complete the game (assuming I don't do all the millions of sidequests, although that was, in part, what attracted me to it in the first place).

(It's also made me dig out all my Vangelis albums that used to be my dad's (except 1492, because for some reason I find it kind of depressing to listen to, even though I love it), and then I realised I was missing a whole bunch (mainly because dad didn't have them). But daaaaaaaaaamn, music influences!)

TL;DR version: I will be playing Mass Effect for the next five days and drawing inane fanart. Who's with me?

~*~

Um. There is nothing going on in my real life. I am drawing a lot, and I seem insanely creative (by my standards, anyway). Other than, I am working, eating, and sleeping (sometimes even in that order!)

Talking of which, I probably better go and get some sleep, since I have errands to run tomorrow, and some inanities to draw.

~*~

*SHUT UP. Bucky O'Hare is, like, the first sci-fi thing I really remember watching on TV. And it was awesome. And Jenny was my fave character, and also awesome. Hence calling my female Shep after her.

Further Adventures of the Unluckiest Xbox Owner Ever™

I had this whole post about how well FFXIII was going, and how I'd figured out some things, and wow isn't chapter 11 reeeeeally long?

And then I was playing it on it last Sunday, and my Xbox went doink (like there'd been a power cut, except nothing else went off), and then it flashed the Red Ring of Death at me. I was halfway through an easy-ish fight at the time, so I was not best amused. I put my controller down, unplugged everything, tweeted angrily, and went and made the tea. Came back about two hours later, plugged it back in, and it was still red ringing. Also disc 3 of FFXIII was still inside it. The disc tray would not open.

Resigned, I sighed, annoyed. And then I packed it up and took it back to Game. I now have a new console, which if that goes tits up, I will not be best amused AT ALL. This is my birthday present, damnit! The girl who dealt with me in Game said a) I was the unluckiest Xbox owner ever (I agree), b) I shouldn't let this put me off preowned consoles (I'm not), and c) it would take up to a week or so for head office to remove my disc from defective Xbox #2 and send it back so I could come and pick it up.

On the other hand, now I've played so much of the game and had to forcibly restart (which is no problem, I'm loving it a lot), it's REALLY colouring how I'm viewing things second time around.

( spoilers concerning Vanille and Sazh. You have been warned )

~*~

Now on a weeks' holiday from work! \o/

I'm not going anywhere or doing anything, just kicking back and chilling, and maybe spending a day or two getting rid of stuff from the not-yet-existent studio (still working on it, even if I haven't mentioned it recently. Which I haven't).

Also going to scan a bunch of shit and get my tumblr updated. Because that needs doing, stat.

Ungh. Really cannot be bothered with el jay right now >.<

~*~

So I beat Ahriman on the first go? How on earth did that happen?! (Well, Penelo and Basch were level 40, so...that may have helped somewhat). For those of you new to this, or totally forgot what I was doing with this playthrough, Penelo's my tank and Basch is my healer. Balthier is my black/time mage (although, as usual, I'm not really using black magic because I really can't be arsed to set up the gambits, and I don't have all the necessary gambit-tech-thingies anyway). Fran is my green mage/alternate tank.

I'm not using Vaan or Ashe because I don't want to, and I don't have. And I dislike them both intensely. Which is a shame, really. I wanted to like Ashe despite her terrible taste in clothing.

Weapons are chosen to avoid defaults where possible thus:

~ Penelo was using a sword, she's now using a bow. Although all the bows are as big as, if not bigger than she is, and that looks kind of ridiculous.
~ Basch is using a hammer (or axe) mainly because they give him a massive strength boost and he hits stuff and they die, lol.
~ Balthier is using a pole, and I LOVE his animation for it - he tucks it under his arm when waiting, and tends to twirl it before hitting enemies. I've forgotten what I had him using before then.
~ Fran is using spears. Sadly because she's now close range, she dies so, so easily. She is very squishy.

Also I am at Archades for the first time, and I have close to 50K in gil. This is mainly from Balthier having the thief's cuffs, and stealing awesome stuff pretty much all the time. My best steal so far was a recursive crossbow from a bomb in the Stilshrine.

~*~

Going to be doing some work on the not!studio this weekend \o/ I am so, so excited and I don't even have the space yet!

My graphics tablet arrived at...dinner time-ish? yesterday! \o/ Also it works, but I am having problems with any programs detecting pen pressure. It is a puzzle, to be sure. (Done some noodling about on the Wacom site and they say to update the drivers. Which I have now done, and I still have the same problem, so I am going to post to the support forum. I suppose it's not a problem really, but I've got so used to it with past tablets that now it's just driving me a little crazy).

~*~

Happy Xmas everyone! I hope you all had a good one! c:

So that's another Xmas over and done with. I still actually feel pretty happy about it, and the house looks the most Xmassy it has done for years, so that's nice too. Sadly, my brother's girlfriend is really ill, so we don't know when they'll be coming to see us. Hopefully she will feel better very soon :)

I'd post about my presents, but I want to take a photo of my favourite one first so I can demonstrate its sheer awesomeness. Because it is awesome. And I totally did not know about it, so it was an awesome surprise, too.

I intended to spend the day playing SMT III, except that around 3pm, I started feeling really sleepy and kind of yucky, so I went to have a kip, and zonked out for three hours (oops). Good job I didn't have anywhere to go or anything major to do, I guess.

~*~

Another FF Friday Five from here.

1. The FF location where you'd want to spend Christmas Eve

2. The one FF that you'd recommend to someone who has never played the series before

3. A character you think should get his/her own FF sequel (a la Vincent in Dirge)

4. The Final Fantasy that you haven't played yet but really want to

5. Your favorite thief/ninja!

( Answers here )

I gave over playing P3 in favour of Ring of Fates (it is kind of addictive! And sadly, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing...although try telling that to my now rather large FF collection...I should make a list, because frankly it is now REE-DEE-CU-LUS).

I even kind of like Meeth now, even though she has the world's most annoying vocal tick and rather irritating voice acting (but I guess I can live with that. I've heard worse). I'm also thinking of changing my opinion from OMG Yuri Lowenthal is EVERYTHING to OMG Liam O'Brien is in EVERYTHING (because he seriously is. Although the pair of them are often found working together, so maybe it's not as weird as all that? *shrugs*)

Mind you, this is why I never get anything finished. Because I pretty much have the attention span of a gnat. Games-wise though, that sometimes happens because it gets too hard and I hate grinding. One day imma make a game that involves no grinding or other ridiculousness at all. Maybe.

From FFVII's High Octane Nightmare Fuel page:

One of the worst bits has to be in the Temple of Ancients, just before he attacks Tseng. You're having some sort of vision of the past, seeing the Turks search the temple, and then Sephiroth shows up, and he looks straight at you. You're not sure if he's just able to see Cloud & co., or if he can actually see you playing the game.

(Emphasis mine)

(Also one of the things I do love about FFVII is basically how much it fucks your shit up. There is so much creepy stuff going on. So, so much).

So I spent the day playing FFIV. Have I mentioned recently that it is my favourite game? Because it is. I have lost count how many times I've played in the last five years, I think I might have even played it more than I have VII (I know I've played both more than there are save files, because I kept saving over the IV file because for some weird reason it takes up two blocks, and that's a lot of space on a fifteen block memory card).

Also the last time I played it, I played the DS remake (which I don't hate, and it has its advantages, but I prefer the original*). So it is about time I played this version again c:

Maybe this time I will finish it! (Ha ha, famous last words. I keep telling myself I'll fight every random encounter and then running like fuck when I get tired or bored**). Maybe this time I will get to Zeromus on this version, and maybe even remember to block before he does Big Bang!

Nowt like being optimistic, eh?

Also: nightmare fuel in music form! Battle With The Four Fiends! Seriously, even though I actually like it a heap, it always - without fail - makes me remember the fight in the Tower of Bab-Il and losing like a loser versus Valvalis (I'd call her her proper name but that I can't spell it, and she'll always be Valvalis to me). Without fail. I hate that fight.

Although talking of fiends, Scarmiligone (sp?) went down oh so easily to Porom and Tellah spamming Fira at him. IT WAS AWESOME.

~*~

*Which yes, OK. It's the PSX version and not the SNES one but apart from a couple of things, they are pretty much the same.

**This is why I hate enforced grinding. Because as much as I enjoy RPGs, levelling actually bores the crap out of me after a while.

Games I want to play/replay:

~ Persona 3 (because it needs finishing, as does P4 but eh. Grinding to beat out Iznami's cheating tactics can wait. Also The Answer. It is headdesky, I know. Also also Monad!)

~ FFXI (because I want to play it "properly" and beat the shit out of Necron and actually beat it).

~ FFIV (because I seem to want to play it once a year or so, and it's been that long since I last played the original version (I like the DS remake enough, but it's not the same) Also RYDIA. NEED I SAY MORE?)

~ FFVII (because I seem to want to play that once a year, too, and now I am listening to an orchestrated version of the opening theme, and IT IS AWESOME).

I am tempted to play the crap out of one of them all weekend, but then I won't feel very productive, but I probably need something like that. Right now, I really want to play FFIV. I need to do something that I don't have to think about a lot (well, aside from what little strategy I have), and I shouldn't feel guilty for wanting to game all weekend. I enjoy it. I shouldn't feel like it's wrong to do it.

(One day Imma get a copy of SMT3, and actually play the original two. Which reminds me. I already chose a name for my new phone, but I should've named it MAGNUMPI and now I am reluctant to rename. Also how the hell do you explain that to someone when the answer is no, it has nothing to do with Tom Selleck).

(I suppose the guilt is because I actually have a full blown idea for a pic, but I dare say I can get it sketched out while I am waiting for FFIV to load, lol).

~*~

The boss and his wife took me to the theatre again last night. We went to see a farce called Tons of Money. I've never heard of it, but it was hilarious (A+ would lol again).

(Wikipedia informs me that it was made into a film in 1930, and the internet says that the original version was first shown in 1922).

~*~

Marnanel writes a poem about languages (lj link).

Everything I love and hate about the four languages mentioned is in that poem. ♥