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  • Locked thread
Sylphid
Aug 3, 2012
To be sure, it's not like this thread has been the first of my threads with this problem, nor will it be the last. My threads have always been much more readable when they're in the Archive. But, that failure is entirely mine. I've just never really been good at encouraging discussion. A truly unfortunate side effect of the way I LP games.

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The Gentlemieu
Jan 1, 2013
Soiled Meat
I know exactly what you mean.

wdarkk
Oct 26, 2007

Friends: Protected
World: Saved
Crablettes: Eaten
Eh, it happens. The Atelier games are kind of slow-paced so it's hard to get full enough conversation going.

Sylphid
Aug 3, 2012
Well, it's not so much I'm worried about that, as the thread becoming downright unreadable because there's so many updates on a single page. Anyone who remembers my Arland thread will know exactly what I'm talking about, like that time I had to edit out an entire update temporarily because there was like 6 updates on one page.

wdarkk
Oct 26, 2007

Friends: Protected
World: Saved
Crablettes: Eaten

Sylphid posted:

Well, it's not so much I'm worried about that, as the thread becoming downright unreadable because there's so many updates on a single page. Anyone who remembers my Arland thread will know exactly what I'm talking about, like that time I had to edit out an entire update temporarily because there was like 6 updates on one page.

Yes, but that's still related to how much discussion is on a page.

I'm helping!

Wentley
Feb 7, 2012
What, if any, are the mechanical differences of choosing Logix as your main character? Do you choose, or do you play as both?

Sylphid
Aug 3, 2012

Wentley posted:

What, if any, are the mechanical differences of choosing Logix as your main character? Do you choose, or do you play as both?

You choose at the start of the game. Fundamentally, there are no major changes between Logy and Escha's stories, but some scenes are different and you'll see scenes with Logy that you won't see as Escha, and vice versa. Also, Logy and Escha get different super attack items toward the end of the game, but on a New Game+ as the opposite character from your first playthrough, you can have both.

For the purposes of the LP, I'm switching between main characters just to give them roughly equal screentime.

Wentley
Feb 7, 2012
That's cool. A good way to get someone to play through again, and the choice of whichever character you think is the radest at the onset.

If you do choose Logix as your main, does Escha still do all the alchemy?

Sylphid
Aug 3, 2012
Yep. Since Logy's inability to do cauldron alchemy is part of the story, Escha handles all of that. Of course, Logy has something he can do as well, but that's not for a couple more assignments or so.

Sylphosaurus
Sep 6, 2007
So, do Logy have DLC costumes as well or are those only for Escha? I'm just curious since it seems that the developers didn't go too far with the fanbait this time.

Glazius
Jul 22, 2007

Hail all those who are able,
any mouse can,
any mouse will,
but the Guard prevail.

Clapping Larry
The animation for eating in combat is amazing. I hope the other characters have something similarly wonderful.

Can you set the level of everything you encounter, or just the slags?

Sylphid
Aug 3, 2012

Sylphosaurus posted:

So, do Logy have DLC costumes as well or are those only for Escha? I'm just curious since it seems that the developers didn't go too far with the fanbait this time.

He does, but it's not that interesting. Escha's other DLC costume is fairly fan-servicy, but I liked the witch costume a whole lot better.

gimme the GOD DAMN candy
Jul 1, 2007
The witch costume has a kitty hat. Does it really require further explanation?

Sylphid
Aug 3, 2012

Serious Frolicking posted:

The witch costume has a kitty hat. Does it really require further explanation?

Well, Escha will talk about it in a later scene with Logy, but basically that tail on her hat is from her original character design. Apparently that tail was made with alchemy, and Escha decided to start wearing it. It sometimes moves on its own, but it's just a bizarre fashion accessory. Since the witch costume has its own tail, I'm guessing that tail on her hat is just a nod.

Edit: oh, you mean the paw prints under the brim. No, there's nothing special about the paw prints. Might as well leave the above in, though.

Sylphid
Aug 3, 2012
Bonus Update 1

Welcome back. For those who didn't follow my Ayesha thread and are just joining us, to cover the extra content the bonus room provides, every five normal updates, I'll do a Bonus Update. These bonus updates will cover artwork, the composer commentary for all the music in-game, and anything else I feel the need to put in, which for this game will probably be stuff from the anime (all the episodes had ending cards done by different artists. I will be including those).

Since this game had a ton of different composers (I think more than 10, though most didn't do more than one or two songs), instead of the tagging system I did last time, I'll just put the name of the composer after each song. Also, for the music, I'll be using the names from another site, but listing each song in the order the in-game OST gives you. One final, really weird note, is that Katla's theme does not seem to be on the actual OST released in Japan. It is in the in-game OST, but I don't see it anywhere on the actual, physical version. I'll have to record it and post it next Bonus Update. That's so strange to me. Let us begin.


Artwork:
Escha artwork
Logy artwork
Awin artwork
Wilbell artwork
Nio artwork
Linca artwork
Marion artwork
Clone artwork
Solle artwork
Duke artwork
Colland artwork
Katla artwork
An Atelier For Two
Synthesis Background
Synthesis In Progress
Atelier concept art
Administrative Office artwork
Hall artwork
Promotional artwork / box art

Music:
Promise -Piano Version-
The game's main theme. We hope you enjoy the Dusk World through our illustrations and storytelling. The piano is based on my own demo, played by the pianist Kinoshita. Thank you! (Shimoda)

Autumn Collapse -Autumn Collapse-
This track was composed to tie into the main title theme. The idea was to convey the feeling of reading an old book, with a story taking place in a faraway land. (Shimoda)

Updraft
Escha's standard battle theme. She has a soft appearance, so unlike other battle themes I created this track to convey that same softness. Rather than making an epic track, I wanted it to sound like a girl running around and bonking things. Guitar and bass were both played by Dani. (Yanagawa)

My Name is Legion
There are two factors that drive progress. One is the expectation of new possibilities, and the other is dissatisfaction with the status quo. Such dissatisfaction creates anxiety, but that anxiety can be surpassed by expectations for progress. (Kikuta)

Fulcrum
This battle BGM has a fairly standard beat, yet feels more lively than usual. Guitar and bass were played by Dani, featuring an elegant solo section! (Achiwa)

A song for a time when you're not making a difference. You're making the difference.

Don't Panic
A boss battle BGM. We had Achiwa, Yanagawa, Kikuta, and Shade all writing battle themes for this game, so I wanted to create an amazing boss theme better than any of their songs! Rock on, my Ricken 4003, Gibson SG, Hammond B3, and Minimoog! I also used a synth I borrowed from Shade. (Shimoda)

Increase the Altitude
The victory jingle made to transition from Escha's battle theme. Escha is the type who would get excited over any little thing, so I went all out. Catching an Updraft, one begins Gaining Altitude. Escha's fight won't end until the day she can reach the sky! (Achiwa)

Beyond the Light
Since this track is meant to transition from Logy's battle theme, I thought of Kikuta's tune and tone styles while composing this piece. I feel Kikuta has been a great influence on me in composing game music, and I am happy that I can continue to compose alongside him. (Shimoda)

Most RPGs, I usually just skip past the "Battle victory" theme pretty fast, but this is actually really good. I like it a lot, especially since it's surprisingly long.

Our Planet Has But One Sky
While gazing at sunlight beaming through rainclouds, I thought, "I want to write a song that captures this feeling; setting out on a journey under a sky like this." The song name is taken from Miyamoto Musashi's Book of Five Rings. (Shimoda)

Because the Sky is Red
This track conveys the feeling of the Dusk World. The flute is performed by Kenji Imai. He is a great musician who performed alongside Dweezil Zappa at the Fuji Rock Festival. He performed this piece far beyond my expectations. This is one of my favorite tracks in the game. (Shimoda)

Morning Dew Pizzicato
Escha's Atelier BGM. The light guitar / bass tune was played by Dani. By the way "Escha" is pronounced the same as "ESCA" in the Nagoya dialect. ESCA is a famous underground shopping center. (Achiwa)

Magnum Opus
A Canterbury jazz rock in 13/8 time. This theme conveys Logy's cool image with his work in the atelier. There are a lot of tunes this game with prime numbers in their tempos. The track name is taken directly from alchemy terms. (Shimoda)

Kitchen Dance
A tavern run by a gruff man. The track builds up towards the latter half, as though it were recounting one's tale of valor. How exciting! The guitar and bass were played by Dani. A very stylish and passionate piece. Bravo! (Yanagawa)

Apple Tree
The arpeggio on Dani's gut guitar has a very rustic charm. The name was taken from a sweets shop in Nagano City. If you are ever in Nagano, please stop by! (Achiwa)

Cloud Harbor
The guitar and bass were played by Dani. I wanted to convey a bit of a worn down theme, so the instrumentation was kept simple. The tempo is a little strange, but I tried to make it subtle enough that you wouldn't notice. (Yanagawa)

Pavane
Reason why peaceful tracks can deviate from peacefulness is because game music doesn't embody the human spirit. There is no true tranquility in the human heart. It's fate to live an eternal cycle of unreachable inner peace. (Kikuta)

I like this Kikuta guy's commentaries a lot, just saying.

Dreadful Space
The name was borrowed from a famous documentary. The contents were quite heroic. Once I start reading expedition or castaway stories, it is difficult to stop. (Achiwa)

Look Up at the Sky
Logy's theme. He's quite handsome. He also seems to have a dark past. It's like he's holding something painful back while acting indifferent on the surface. (Achiwa)

Tails Numbers One and Two
Escha's theme. I actually composed this with Logy in mind (mainly for his interaction with Escha), but Escha's warmth, as seen by Logy, ended up overpowering the track and it ended up as her theme song. (Yanagawa)

A Flower Blooming Nearby Part 2
Nio again. Her tomboyishness has faded quite a bit since the previous game, so I did an arrangement to match. (Yanagawa)

If you may permit another divergence, I'd like to do a little voice actor chat, since Nio is another returning character. Nio herself is voiced by Kira Buckland, who apparently also voiced Odelia in Ayesha. I did not pick up on that at all. Linca is still Julie Ann Taylor, and Michelle Ruff is still Marion. Cristina Vee returns as Wilbell (and, who I've also found, also voiced Totori's sister in Atelier Totori. I can see that, even if I haven't played Totori for about a year and a half now. Not surprisingly, she also has a ton of anime voice acting roles). I imagine, given the very good chance that Shallie gets localized, she'll be back for round 3 as Wilbell.

Anyway, Nio grew up nicely between Ayesha and Escha. Looks like Kyle was right about what he predicted for Nio's future.


Baby Bird Part 2
Wilbell once more. She's become more of an adult since last game. Wait. She doesn't seem to have changed much. Oh right, she's using magic to keep her size small. The same amount of magic power compressed into a smaller space allows for greater concentration of power. It all makes sense! (Yanagawa)

The Pen and the Sword Part 2
An arrangement of Marion and Linca's theme from last game. It was originally intended to be a jazz rock tune, but I dropped the tempo and turned it into a shuffle-beat jazz. I wanted it to fit a more adult Linca, but she has two sides. She can be quite awkward at times, but I like it. (Shimoda)

Apparently Gust took some popularity survey in-between Ayesha and Escha, and found that Wilbell and Linca were by far the most popular characters from Ayesha, so Linca's return is a no-brainer here. Marion and Nio transitioned quite nicely, but I say Linca has the best character redesign in this game. Her clothes are so ornate and fancy this time around, but last time her outfit was quite plain.

Glass is Boiling
The third installment in the long-awaited Glasses series! I don't think anybody was waiting. Anyway, this time the glasses are overflowing. Awin seems quite active for a character with glasses. (Achiwa)

Distant Memories
I tried playing the piano while imagining a gentle lullaby, and it ended up similar to the sounds of Freddie or Paul or Todd. I like the gentle feeling conveyed by these three on the piano. (Shimoda)

What Should I Do?
As the title suggests, an incident occurs and you ponder what to do... Maybe less of an "incident" and more of a minor worry. (Achiwa)

Miss, Why Don't We Eat Apples Together?
Clone's theme. I actually have relatives who are apple farmers, and since every year I go for a visit, apple orchards are quite a familiar sight to me. If Clone was there, maybe it would sound like this? (Yanagawa)

Sugary Spice
Solle's theme. I think he really shines when he is speaking to a homunculus. (Yanagawa)

Spicy Sugar
Colland's theme. I made this track to sound a bit like a man who might be unexpectedly dominated by an overwhelming wife at home. There is also a reason why the melody is the same as Solle's theme, as revealed in a certain event. Did you see it? (Yanagawa)

Rice and Meat Anthem
Duke's theme. The title seems like it should be dedicated to middle school boys. There was something like this in Yoshida Sensha's manga. (Achiwa)

Simulcra
New things are always built upon the old. Whether it is accepting or denying old ideas, the new is always born with the old in mind. The new carries the old within itself, and even if there is discord, it tries to open new doors towards the future. (Kikuta)

Special Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe
An abbreviation of "Special Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe". A grand arrangement of the DLC add-on BGM "Flowery Orange Pekoe" from Atelier Ayesha. The end of a development for an Atelier game is always around the season for the first teas of spring. (Shimoda)

Perch
This track has a light image, like taking a break after climbing a hill. It also seems to have a bit of Marion's image in it as well. (Yanagawa)

A Story of an Adventure in an Uninhabited and Terrifying Place
A BGM composed as the theme for an expedition, exploring numerous dungeons. (Shimoda)

Germination
The tone of the intro and drums are inspired by the Beatles. The melody was played on an Andes keyboard recorder. (Shimoda)

Milk-iro no Touge (Milk-Colored Pass)
The full version of the opening theme. The song is very catchy, so we ended up playing it quite a lot, along with the ending song, during development. Without even telling Yuu from Chirinuruwowaka, the lyrics ended up fitting the theme of the game's story. (Okamura)

Commentary for game edit: The opening theme for this game, by Chirinuruwowaka. Combined with the high-quality opening movie, some of us wondered if this really was an opening for an Atelier game. Thanks to this song and the film direction, we feel the opening is very unique and a huge success. (Okamura)

Okamura is the game's director, just so you know.

The Way of Heaven and Earth
An attempt to turn mystery into sound. A fusion where neither melody nor harmony are dominant, instead of weaving and intertwining closely together to form a subtle secret. At that time, words cease to be simple words, sounding out into a voice outstretched to embrace new life. (Kikuta)

Hummingbird
"Hummingbird" reminds me of that game Laplace... This track borrows part of Escha's atelier theme and turns it into a swing style. (Achiwa)

Rest
If I think about it, I've made a lot of short jingles like this. By the way, I'm the type who likes to keep jingles as short as possible. Tempo is key in games. (Achiwa)

That was exhausting. Well, I hope you'll join me for the next update. Should have it up by the weekend. My schedule does not allow for a lot of free time, unfortunately.

Sylphid fucked around with this message at 07:46 on Jan 1, 2015

Nondevor
Jun 1, 2011





catposting
The soundtrack in this game is pretty great compared to the other games! Out of the OST variants, I tend to like Logy's soundtracks better than Escha's. That's a pretty convincing argument to play through his route more instead.

I also appreciate you uploading the concept art, as it's ridiculously pretty to look at. It's somewhat of a shame that the town isn't rendered as much in game though.

DNE
Nov 24, 2007
That's the same Hiroki Kikuta who did the Secret of Mana soundtrack, by the way! He has a really distinct signature sound.

Sylphid
Aug 3, 2012
Part VI: The Deserted Plains and Ruins



Wow, we've already completed our first task because of things we did last time! What did we do?

Receive 10 items from Supply. It is nice that they count things things that happened in the previous assignments for assignments in the current one, right?

Yeah. C'mon, we have to catch up with everyone. I'm sure a lot of things have happened since we decided to take a little vacation!

That's a good idea. Let's talk to Solle first. I want to ask him about something.



Of course. Please give me one moment...

Do you think it'll go through?

Hmm. Well, at the very least, you appear to have filled it out correctly. Oh, nope. You've made a mistake right here, and your numbers are off. Please submit it to me again.

I-Impossib--! Oh... It really is off. I didn't notice at all!

We do our books a little differently than other departments. Even veterans make mistakes. Don't worry too much about it. Just remember which areas are prone to errors, and resubmit the forms.

Um, can't we just cross out the mistakes on this one and write in the correct numbers?

Of course not! Please go get the seal of correction from you direct superior. Seeing as Ms. Marion has somehow approved the document, it appears she, too, has overlooked the error. We can't move forward until you've been realized where the mistake has been made.

drat... No dice. I've sometimes gotten documents through that way.

If it were a simple report, I could see that happening. But this is an official branch finance document. Small wastes here and there can eventually add up to larger losses. I'd appreciate it if the R&D Division can contribute to this effort by cutting back on spending.

Ugh... We're wasting that much, are we...?

According to my calculations, we can reduce R&D's operating costs by a significant amount.



Hey... That's not true! We could do it if we tried, too!

Those are not the words of one who has actually succeeded at what she has set out to do.

Y-you have a point...

Enough chit-chat. If you really can do better when you try, then I suggest you begin trying. As an organization, I have high hopes for you. I hope you can grow sooner rather than later.

Y-Yes... We'll be back.

(He's not wrong, but...he's just really, really strict. drat.)



Is he always like that?

Yeah... Nothing gets by him. I guess that's why Mr. Grumman keeps him around. He doesn't have any friends outside the homunculi, though. You can probably see why... Oh, I almost forgot. Nio wants us to come out to the apple orchard to see how the harvest season is going.



What are you up to?

Just gathering information. I'd like to ask you two something as well, since you're here.

What is it? If it has to do with magic, we have no idea...

Why would I ask non-magicians about magic? I'm looking for powerful spirits in this area. Know of any?

Spirits? The ones you see flying around outside sometimes?

Yeah, but much bigger and stronger. It's part of my magician's training. I'm going around making contracts with various spirits.

So you do that as part of your training? It sounds very difficult.

Actually, this is probably the easiest option. I was always training by doing assignments the Grand Witch gave me.

Assignments... Are they very difficult?

Basically, they're free-range missions where I can do anything. I tried a lot of different things, but she'd never accept them.



Right? But one thing she did accept was when I made a contract with a powerful spirit. So rather than think too hard about it, I'm going around making contracts with more spirits.

I'm not sure that's what your instructor would have wanted...

Ah, it doesn't matter. Still, getting stronger by making contracts is good, too. So, that's why I'm asking if you know of any powerful spirits, or places where they might be.

Hmm, I don't know. Maybe there were some...

Oh well. You really do need some skills to find things like this. I'll search around on my end, but if you find any places of interest, let me know.

All right... Maybe we can trade information we find on our future investigations.

You know what to look for, Logy?

Not at all. How would I know where a major spirit is located around Colseit? Though, it's possible we'll find one. It's just I wouldn't know a special area if I saw it.

Right... Well, like you said, we might as well keep an eye out.





I thought I saw another customer... Was I imagining things, or do you actually have customers besides us?

Of course I have other customers! You act as if I don't have any normal customers! Why are you so rude to me, Logy?

Now look who's being rude! You just that we're ABnormal customers!

I guess even Logy can't keep his cool all the time... Now, now, now, Logy... Calm down. But do you really have other customers, Katla?

Hmm... To be honest, not really. A lot of people do come in and look, but then they leave. Some people even stop by regularly, but they just look at the items and leave without buying anything. Though it's a peculiar shop for peculiar people, so I suppose I can't really blame them.

How exactly are you supposed to make a living off that? Isn't it really bad if you have no business?

I've tried to hide this fact, but the truth is... I'm actually really poor. Our poor little household can barely scrape up enough to afford a crust of bread...

Music: Alone in a Room By Yourself

Oh no... Why didn't you tell us this sooner?

It would be unprofessional, as a merchant...to tell one's customers about our personal lives. I lost my parents when I was young, so I need to earn money to help my two younger brothers...

Wait a minute...

I-I see... Sorry, I didn't know...

No, it's all right. I can't say the same for this store's fate, though. O, fickle life... If only I could sell this Ruin Pendant, then maybe I could stave off complete starvation.

Ohhh... Hang in there, Katla! You can't give up! I'll buy that pendant from you!

Wait... Before, she told us that her parents help her stock the store. They're obviously alive.

...Ah.

...Huh?

Besides, look at her healthy complexion. That's not the face of someone who's starving to death.

C-C'mon now... No matter how you look at me, I'm obviously an ill and frail little girl...



Why, thank you very much...! Wait, you weren't really praising me, were you?

...Um, do you mean to tell me, that whole thing about being a starving orphan was a lie?

Well... Not a lie, but a story to enhance your shopping experience. I do have enough customers to eat.

Th-Thank goodness... I was really worried when you told me how poor you were.

Ugh, and I thought I had her sold...

Do you really want to sell that pendant that badly? No offense, but you're one tough cookie. Escha, you should probably be wary of any of her claims. Seems she really wants to get rid of that Ruin Pendant.

Well, yeah... But I still feel bad for her.

I guess. But still, we have our own work to do, and sometimes that involves money. We can't get suckered into buying everything from Katla because of some sob story. Especially ones that aren't even true.

Oh yeah...why do you think she wants to sell it? Maybe it's a super valuable necklace she found in a ruin that gives good luck, and she wants to share that luck with the person who buys it!

Or maybe she bought it for a lot of money and needs to sell it to get some of the money back. She's probably as careless with money as you are.

Logy!



So did you find anything new about my sister?

No. She's completely disappeared. I heard that a lot of officials from Central City are after her. It's like she's a wanted criminal.

What!? She'll be fine, right? She won't get caught...

Hmm. I don't know how she'd fare alone, but she is with that old man... Personally, I think that the ones who are mad her for such trifling reasons are being stupid. Anyway, I think it's better if you lay low here until the heat dies down.

Yeah... Thank you very much, Wilbell.

Don't worry about it. I'm sure something will happen if you just wait. Good luck with your work.



Well, I'm actually having her look for my older sister.

I didn't know she had an older sister... Why, what's wrong?

Um, due to certain circumstances, we're traveling apart right now. My sister has been doing some excessive things with the person she's with...

Really... Maybe we'll help search during our investigations. What does she look like?

Actually... I don't think she would be anywhere around here.

That's really vague. Are things that complicated with her?



Yes, of course.

Yeah, I won't tell anyone.

This has to be kept secret. My sister is being chased by people from Central City...

Whaaaat? Is your older sister a bad person?

Not so loud! Quiet down...

I-I'm sorry... But why are they after her?

Well, my sister is the type who will go anywhere if it interests her. She joined an investigation of some major ruins... But they were really old and fragile. She didn't know, and kept going further, but the ruins ended up collapsing... Apparently they were really important ruins, but they totally collapsed and nothing was left.

Even if it wasn't intentional, destroying ruins like that would put you on the wanted list...

So anyway, that's what ended up happening! She told me that I should hide as far away as I could so that I wouldn't be pursued. Sigh... I wonder if my sister is all right...

We said we would keep this secret, but we're officials too. If we find her, we'll let you know, but we definitely would have to capture her as well.

Oh no, I knew it...

Logy! You're not keeping your promise...



...What? Do you mean that we would let her escape on purpose?

I never said that. It's purely a hypothetical situation, in the case that she DID escape.

I-I see. Yes, hypothetical!

...Thank you very much! I look forward to hearing more!

(We wouldn't get off easily if they found out, but seeing Nio's worried face... I can't help it...)



Looks like the harvest is going well so far.

Yeah. It's such a relief knowing I don't have to worry about the orchards as long as my father and Clone are around. I've lived on the orchards for a long time, so I'd be really sad if anything happened to them.

Escha, I've been meaning to ask: where did these trees come from? I've never seen trees this healthy in such a remote area. And to produce so many apples is very strange, at least to me.

To be honest...



O-Oh, that's right. When should we do it?

I understand that you are quite busy with your branch work...we should find a time when you are free. The last check-up was quite thorough, so I believe the next one need only be a simple one.

Yeah, okay... Let's do this one really soon, then.

Thank you very much.

Wow, so you're the one doing regular maintenance on her...? That's pretty impressive.

Oh, um... Well, all I really do is check to see if she's still healthy, and, um...

There's no need for that, Escha. Logy is already aware that I am an automaton.

O-Oh, I see... You already knew about that, Logy?

She was created with ancient technology, right? I never thought I'd see a working one out here.

I'm sorry. Sometimes it freaks people out, so we try to keep it a secret. As much as we can, anyway.

Well, it's not that well hidden... They could have at least put a shawl or hood on her head or something... I can see where you're coming from. I mean, I was pretty surprised by it, too...

Oh, were you? You certainly handled yourself quite calmly. I had no idea that you were unsettled.

Well, you may be an automaton, but from talking to you, you don't sound different from a human being.



My oh my... Apparently it has. I confess, sometimes I am quite surprised by your plans, Escha.

The...what? "Common phrase plan"?

Clone sometimes talks kind of funny, right? I guess a lot of people thought it was strange...

Though it would seem that the people of Colseit are not concerned by it...

M-Maybe they just decided not to bring it up to you...?

Anyway, we tried coming up with a way for her to speak more naturally.

Escha came up with the idea of giving me some phrases to say that would make me more relatable. For example, the phrase "My oh my" was Escha's idea to make my speech more colloquial. My oh my... Well? What do you think? Does adding little touches like this make me seem more human?

I-I just thought that was how you talked...



My oh my, that would be overwhelming... Would I really be able to master all of them?

What should we do next... How about you try saying "Now, now..." at the beginning of your sentences next?

I appreciate the effort, but you might not want to start going overboard with that...

Logy, I'm going to check Clone and perform the maintenance. Why don't you head to the atelier and get ready for our next trip?

Okay. Actually, I'll probably head to Duke's bar first. I'm feeling kind of hungry, and I think he said something a few days ago about new stock coming in today.



Hm...? What is it?

I've been thinking lately, my tavern, well.. You know, it just feels so MANLY.

Well, it's a tavern. I don't see anything wrong with it being full of men.

That's what I mean! It's full of men! It lacks that womanly touch of class and grace.

Does a bar really need a "womanly touch"?

I'm thinking... Maybe it's 'cuz my menu's skewed toward a male demographic that keeps ladies away. So, I'm thinking of creating a new menu. Do you think you could taste a few things for me?

Aw, c'mon, Pops! Why don't you let us decide what's good or not?

Hey, I'll try anything you cook up, man!

Shut the hell up! You idiots'd eat deep-fried dog doin's and ask for me! I don't need your opinions! See, that's what I'm talking about. These are the types of customers I get, but I want...normal people.

Hey, I'm a man, too, you know... I guess I can help you, but I can't say I have the feedback you want.

That's the spirit! For now, I tried making something sweet. I'm sure to get more females in here with this.

Wow, you're really changing things up here. I guess I'll look forward to it.

Here you go! Bon apetit!



Well, pancakes, obviously. It was pretty tough to gather all the ingredients to make 'em, y'know?

You might want to look up the idea of portion control. How can anyone possibly eat this much?

Hey, don't you be knockin' my whipped cream! It's the perfect accompaniment that defines a dish! C'mon, try a few bites for me. Yeah?

Mulph... It's not bad, actually. But I'll never finish this. It's like a never-ending pancake.

Right, right? I should put it on my menu and see how the people react. Time to kiss this sausage party good-bye, and say hello to a more metropolitan dining experience.

I think your biggest problem here is with the sheer volume. But as long as you're okay with it...



Ugh...I'm full already.

Logy! What are you doing here?

I stopped by Duke's bar, and he wanted to ask me a few questions. I wanted to ask Awin how the Maintenance Division is doing, since there was that whole problem with Awin modifying that person's chimney.



Sure, easy-peasy. Let me know how many you need later, and I'll get around to it.

Thank you so much! I'll get that ready.

Oh yeah, you helped renovate our entryway... It's so much more convenient now. Thank you so much!

Heh heh, didn't I tell you that I'd be a good idea to put a storage closet there?

Yes, but could you take another look at it? It'd be nice to have a place for my important documents...

Sure, leave it to me. There's still a lot of things I haven't tried yet.



People ask us for all sorts of things, as you just saw. Most of this facility is pretty dated. And it's not like we can knock down the whole place and rebuild, so I'm trying to make things convenient.

In fact, some of Brother's modifications have been officially approved by the branch management!

Huh... You got chewed out last time, but you've actually been getting some success.

Haha, as long as people know exactly what's wrong, coming up with a solution is the fun part.

Right... You just have to squash the problem they bring to you.

Brother generally gets yelled at for doing stuff that he comes up with on his own.

Hey, c'mon... Those people have problems, they just aren't aware of them yet! It's clear some solution needs to be made, but they just slap a bandage on the problem and move on.



Because every time we get called in, it's actually a lot of work... Do you remember that chimney problem? How many times do you think we got called for that?

I understand where you're coming from, but wouldn't they get angry at you for doing it on your own?

Heizman thinks that if we're being paid, our job is just to follow orders, but I disagree. Our job is to solve problems, not to obey orders. If we have to think outside the box, why shouldn't we?

I guess you have a point. Is it better to ignore orders if they don't get the job done...?

Well, I'm pleased to know you weren't changing that person's home just on a whim.

Heh, well... If you were to put me on the stand, I might not be able to deny it.

Really... Still, the fact that people come back to you means there's a certain demand for it...

You should slow down a little, and make sure you listen to everyone's opinions. Maybe he won't yell then?

Escha is more prudent than I thought about this. Maybe it's because he's her cousin...

Well, what should we do next? Do you want to get started on the ruins?


Yeah, that's a good idea.



The ruins south of Colseit...they're so mysterious. I've never been there, actually, but i think Linca has been there on business a few times. They're so big, too. Nobody really knows much about the people who left them, but I'm sure we can find some interesting things there.



Music: Chance Meeting

These ruins are incredible. Escha, have you been here before?

No, I haven't. It was always too dangerous for me to go, but Linca sometimes came here when she had orders to exterminate monsters. I'm surprised you say that, though, Logy. I thought Central would have lots of ruins like this.

No, not really. The area around Central City is highly developed, and what ruins there are near Central are closely guarded, so not many people are allowed to visit them. Something like Nio's sister sneaking into some ruins and causing them to collapse could never have happened in the ruins closest to Central.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot about that... What do you think about that story, Logy? Could Nio's sister be dangerous?

It's hard to believe, honestly. How could a normal person cause that much damage? It's true destruction of priceless ruins would get anyone from Central mad, but something doesn't add up. For the meantime, let's focus on our investigation here. There's bound to be a lot of materials you haven't seen before, but be very careful of all the slags around. Marion said to make sure we survey each major part of the ruins.



Oooooh! This is Phlogiston! It's a material made out of crystallized fire. It's hard to believe something this valuable would be here. It's an excellent ingredient to make bombs out of.



Escha, me and Awin are going to hunt for some rare materials. You should do your best, too.





On the map Marion gave us, she marked each part of the ruins as "Sectors", right?

That's right. This is Sector 1. She wanted us to survey Sectors 1-3, as well as a place called the "courtyard". Apparently the information they had back at the branch office is based on some very old data, and they really needed some new hands to help find out what's here. Wait...



Y-You're right... I wonder what they're doing?



C'mon, missy, don't get so het up. You keep makin' that face, it's gonna ruin those pretty cheeks.

I'm trying to engage you in serious conversation. Keep your opinions on my physique to yourself!

What a waste of beauty... Why d'ya have to be so uptight all the time?

We have yet to complete our investigation of these ruins. Frankly, you are a distraction.

Well, that's good to hear! You're sayin' there might be some good treasure deeper in, right?

Wha... You...! You're not listening to a single word I'm saying, are you?

Now, now, let's all calm down. We may have different goals, but we can still cooperate for now.

Let me be clear: You will not set one foot in these ruins until I finish my investigation. Got it?



Hmm...strange. My instincts told me this would've gone a lot smoother...

Now, I wonder about that... If you ask me, she just got fed up. But, back to what she said earlier. There's still treasure in there, right? Let's find another route in.

Hmm... This is true. Let us place priority on investigating this area.

You hang tight, sparkly treasures! We'll find you soon enough!

If my theory is correct, the ancient people who lived here were researching something... Then, this must be the legendary home of the alchemizitizers that I've heard about in this region! What say you to my amazing powers of deduction, eh? ...Eh? Wh-What the--!? H-Heeey! Wait for me! Don't leave me alone here!



Those might be the looters!

I know. On three, we'll rush up on them and catch them before they can touch anything else.

1...

2...

3...Go!


Don't run so fast!



Logy, I don't think they were looters. They didn't even try to take anything around here. Instead... Do you think one of them was the expert from Central City that Miss Marion was talking about?

There were two groups... I wonder which is which? Heh, we didn't even ask which gender the researcher is.



I kind of think the woman was the researcher. The man was talking about treasure, and Marion definitely wouldn't ask anyone from Central to come this far out just for treasure. The woman seemed to want to know more about the ruins, so I think she was the researcher. I don't who the two men were, though...

I did kind of get that feeling from the way Marion was talking...

Let's start by going a little deeper inside, then...



Hey Logy, do you know anything about the people who might have built this?

No, Central hasn't investigated that as much as the alchemical contributions left to us by the previous civilization. All we really know about them was that alchemy was a lot more widespread in the past than it is today. You know how you and your mother have been the only alchemists in Colseit for a while, before I came here? 1000 years ago, most of the town would have known how.

Wow... What do you think happened to them?

No one knows. But, it is clear there was a sudden break in their civilization hundreds of years ago. Why that break happened, and what happened during it, is a mystery.

That's...pretty scary.





The gathering is going pretty well...but we need to try even harder! I want Marion to be amazed by the things we found here!



Map says we're in Sector 2. Apparently this part of the ruins has suffered more damage than the rest, and it's hardly recognizable as to what it might have done. We should be careful when we get close to the ruins.

Hey, Logy, isn't that...

Music: Lady of the Mist



Someone alone all the way out here? Do you think it's the researcher Marion said was already here?

Should we ask her...?

Well, what's the worst that could happen?



Oh? And who might you be...?

I'm Logy and this is Escha, from the Colseit R&D Division. Are you the researcher from Central City?



Ah, nice to meet you. I am Threia, and my specialty is in historical research. Do you need to see my ID?

U-Uhhh, I think we'll be all right. Thank you, though...

I can understand that you're investigating the ruins, but what does "historical research" entail?

Well, as you can see, these ruins are scattered with evidence of ancient alchemy. My research is into what they were researching, and why here, in these ruins... Does that make sense?

"As we can see..."? Um... Is it that obvious to you?

You two came to investigate this area, too, have you not? How can you not see it?

We're simply government officials. We're not that knowledgable in ruins, to be honest.



When you put it that way, yes... But we only joined the R&D Division pretty recently, so...

...Either way, if it means little to you, then I doubt an explanation will be of much use.

Sorry... We'll brush up on our archeology. Have you learned anything new since coming here?

Unfortunately, I haven't made much progress. I need a little more help to fully investigate these ruins. I'm going to return to town, but i suggest you kids might try to find something of interest inside.

Yes, our boss told us to go take a look in the ruins!

Are you going to be okay on your own, Miss Threia?

Ha, I made it this far on my own, didn't I? I think going back out won't be an issue. Well then, good luck to you two.



She was really pretty, but there was something a little scary about her.

Yeah, I'm not good with her type, either... It's tiring just talking to her. Well, then... Why don't we investigate a little deeper, like Marion asked us to?

Yeah. I wonder if we'll find anything.

(It's not just that... I could have sworn I've heard her name before. But where?)



Oh! Did we complete another part of this quarter's assignment?

Yeah. Completing detailed surveys of these ruins will definitely be of help in the future. This area has a lot of gemstones. I'm sure that will be valuable knowledge to the branch.

What about that slag up ahead? Do you think that could be a part of the assignment?

Yeah. Marion's paper said that's part of the job for surveying Sector 2. Let's go!



The Flat Fish slag is known for being able to shoot powerful explosives, but this one doesn't seem that powerful.



Piece of cake!

Not bad, Escha. Let's move on to the Ruins Courtyard. This is supposed to be a pretty large area of the ruins. In fact, no one has ever been beyond this area...we probably shouldn't either until we complete this survey.



Wow, so this is what it's like deep inside the ruins here!

Are the ruins different from place to place?

Yeah. I'm not an expert on the details, but there are apparently a few different styles. You know how towns in different regions look different? I think it's something similar to that.

Hmm... I guess that makes a lot of sense when you think about it that way. By the way... You've never really investigated a ruin before, have you, Logy?

Hm? I suppose not, but...what about it?

What did you do in Central City? I don't really know what official alchemists in the government do...

...In Central City, I was mainly doing research. I don't know what everyone else was doing for sure.

I see... So alchemists did a whole lot of different jobs...

I suppose... C'mon, let's keep on investigating the area.

Yes! Let's do it!



It seemed like he wanted to end that conversation really fast...



This is a really interesting part of the ruins! The path goes on from here, but like Logy said, we shouldn't go there until we've completed this survey.



Escha, look what I found.

What is it?

It's an Ice Bomb. Not bad quality, too. Unlike our Bombs, the Ice Bomb chills the air around the impact by a significant amount. It gets so cold around the target that it can do a large amount of damage to anything near it. It's particularly effective against the slags around here. The effect isn't very long-lasting, though.

Wow! It should be great for exploring around here.



drat.

What is it, Logy?

Sector Three is blocked off by a lot of debris. There's no way we can get into the main area of Sector 3 unless we destroy some of it.

Really? I guess if we have no choice...but I wish we didn't have to destroy any of it. The debris is part of the ruins, after all.

I guess that's one way of looking at it. But, we do have a job to do. What bomb do you want to use?



The normal Bomb worked, right?

Yeah. That was a pretty good throw. We should be able to get through the debris now. Let's go. This is the last area of the ruins marked on the map.



The damage around this area is still really bad...

Yeah...but does this mean we've completed the survey?

We have. I guess it would be good to find what materials we can around here, then go back to town and report our findings to Marion.



We've really gathered a lot here! My Basket is getting really heavy...



Whew...that was an incredible adventure.

Yeah. We've definitely done a lot of good here. I'm glad Marion let us do a job like this. I imagine our job is only going to take us further and further away from Colseit, so who knows what we'll end up seeing?

Sylphid fucked around with this message at 02:01 on Oct 9, 2014

Sylphid
Aug 3, 2012
The choice you get when Escha and Logy see Threia for the first time isn't meaningless. If you choose "The girl", Threia will join the party first, then the cowboy. If you choose the man, cowboy will join the party first.

There's not a huge difference no matter who you choose. There's only a few months difference between both characters joining, from my recollection. Some scenes are different, but I'm just going to have Threia join first as the "official" storyline in the LP.

Wentley
Feb 7, 2012
Also, from the evidence they provide she is the obvious choice.

wdarkk
Oct 26, 2007

Friends: Protected
World: Saved
Crablettes: Eaten
Looking back over things, how tall exactly is Linca? In the previous update she looked to be shorter than Logy and maybe even Escha, but I thought she was fairly tall.

Seraphic Neoman
Jul 19, 2011


Thria is cooler than the cowboy anyway. I wonder if she wear her jacket like that when she fights enemies?

Sylphid
Aug 3, 2012

wdarkk posted:

Looking back over things, how tall exactly is Linca? In the previous update she looked to be shorter than Logy and maybe even Escha, but I thought she was fairly tall.

The numbers I've been able to find are Linca standing at 160cm, Logy at 173, and Escha at 158. So, she's tall, but not especially so. Interesting you could pick up on that via the in-game models.

wdarkk
Oct 26, 2007

Friends: Protected
World: Saved
Crablettes: Eaten

Sylphid posted:

The numbers I've been able to find are Linca standing at 160cm, Logy at 173, and Escha at 158. So, she's tall, but not especially so. Interesting you could pick up on that via the in-game models.

In-game models should be proportionate to the characters' sizes.

Genaro
Sep 22, 2011

Sylphid posted:

The numbers I've been able to find are Linca standing at 160cm, Logy at 173, and Escha at 158. So, she's tall, but not especially so. Interesting you could pick up on that via the in-game models.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't that make Linca 5'3, Logy a bit over 5'8, and Escha 5'2? Wouldn't call her tall, although in terms of the other game characters she might be.


Also, you have the line "There's no need for that, Escha. Logy is already aware that I am an automaton." with a Logy portrait. I'm guessing Clone is responsible for that line, unless there's something Logy isn't telling us...

Sylphid
Aug 3, 2012

Genaro posted:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't that make Linca 5'3, Logy a bit over 5'8, and Escha 5'2? Wouldn't call her tall, although in terms of the other game characters she might be.


Also, you have the line "There's no need for that, Escha. Logy is already aware that I am an automaton." with a Logy portrait. I'm guessing Clone is responsible for that line, unless there's something Logy isn't telling us...

Yeah, I messed up on that portrait. Thanks for pointing it out.

Also, yeah, most of the characters are really tiny in this universe, at least by the standards of the real world. Maybe the Dusk World just has a different scale in height than the real world. It better, because otherwise Marion is approaching dwarfism. 26 years old and 4'11.

wdarkk
Oct 26, 2007

Friends: Protected
World: Saved
Crablettes: Eaten
Maybe they're malnourished. This is supposed to be post-apocalyptic isn't it?

Sylphid
Aug 3, 2012
Not post-apocalyptic as much as on the precipice of another civilization-ending catastrophe. Keith mentioned it in a few scenes last game, but he made reference to the actions of past alchemists destroying the environment and thought that the alchemists of today were following that same path without really realizing it. In the past, civilization was all over the place at one point, hence the numerous ruins in this game and Ayesha, but the memory or knowledge of most of the ruins has been lost, so they're mostly historical curiosities to the people in the Dusk World today.

wdarkk
Oct 26, 2007

Friends: Protected
World: Saved
Crablettes: Eaten
There's been a big deal about declining agriculture in both games though right?

Sylphid
Aug 3, 2012
That is one thing this game's anime laid on fairly thick, was that Colseit was a town mostly surrounded by desert and uninhabited wilderness. It's in the game, it's just not as noticeable or I think even mentioned. But, you are correct. In the first scene of Ayesha Keith and Ernie were talking about the season's poor harvests, and various other environmental problems that have been popping up.

It's basically why Keith is wandering around, because he knows where this is going and needs to find a way to stop it. And that's basically why Ayesha and Nio decided to join him at the end of the last game, too. I still like in Ayesha, though, that only one ending really deals with the overall plot (Keith's ending, of course), and the others are just about Ayesha choosing different ways to live her life. It isn't like there's some major panic going on. People are living their lives and living the best they can, in spite of the world's difficulties.

Sylphid
Aug 3, 2012
Just a heads up for anyone following this thread: I'm going to be leaving for Tokyo for 5 nights and 4 days in a week. Obviously, I have much better things to be doing in Japan than sitting in my hotel room working on this LP, especially since it's my official vacation from my job, so you can probably expect one update before next Saturday. Two if I'm especially diligent, but that's unlikely. As soon as I'm back and rested, though, I'll resume work on this.

Sylphid
Aug 3, 2012
Part VII: The Evergreen Mountain and Atelier


Miracles of R&D

What's the matter, Logy?

It's just... I'm supposed to be an alchemist, too, but I've got nothing to do, next to you. Our superiors have done a lot to take care of us, which leaves me...

I don't mind things being the way they are now. Having you around is a huge help, Logy.

Still, I can't continue laying the burden on you like this, Escha. I'm going to ask Provisions if there's anything we can do about that.

Huh!? Don't you need, like...an application to get that through?

You do, but... I'm just feeling a little useless. I have to do something about it. I'm going.

W-Wait, think about this! It's all too sudden... This isn't like you! Come back, Logy!



Oh, it's you guys... Well? You getting used to the job?

Yes... Thanks to you, it's been great.

That's good to hear. I hope you can keep that up, for the sake of the town. ...Did you want something from me?

Um... The truth is... I've spoken to Marion about it, but the fact is I can't do cauldron alchemy like Escha can. Back in Central City, I was only trained using the latest alchemy equipment, and this branch doesn't seem to have any of that. Cauldron alchemy is a bit outdated in Central CIty, and I'm not skilled enough as an alchemist to be able work like Escha can with her cauldron.

I see... Marion's spoken to me about it, but I guess the equipment here is insufficient.

I've come all this way, but I feel as if I'm hindering the project...

Now, don't blame yourself. You could say it's our fault for not fully preparing for you. We tried to put the facility together in a hurry, so it understandably lacks some elements. Now that we have two alchemists, we should attempt to procure more equipment from Central City.

Th-Thank you very much, Sir!

Isn't this great, Logy? I'm sure he'll work something out for you.

Speaking of which, Marion has a request for me, too. Did you hear the research investment's been approved?

Huh? Umm... This is the first I'm hearing about it... I think?

If you save some of your stipend at the end of each month, it should add up to a significant amount. We encourage our staff to invest excess funds into the facility to help with day-to-day activities.

So, we can use some of our stipend to improve our working environment in the R&D Department?

I suppose you can put it that way. In any case, Marion's in charge of that, so talk to her. Continue your research and complete your missions, and you'll soon have more efficient equipment.

Understood. We'll try that when we have some leftover cash.



Whoa, when did this stipend come in? It's the 20th...

I'm not sure... Oh, it must be the stipend for this month. We left so soon for the ruins that we must have forgot about it. We're making good progress, to be sure, but we have to watch what we spend, as always.



Hey Escha, Duke talked to me last month and said he was going to be putting a new dish on the menu starting this week, and he wanted me to come in and see all the female customers that would be coming in. You want to come with me to see if he was right?

Oh... That should be exciting!



But it's full of male customers. I wonder if something happened...

Oh, hello there, you two! Are you after the new menu? It's the talk of the town.

Ah, I didn't expect to see you in a bar like this, Solle.

Yes, well, normally I don't, but there's always extra room for dessert. Oh, this bar is just superb! They've created exactly what we've all wanted...

Wow, you like the new menu that much? I'll have to congratulate Mr. Duke!

Well, I'll let you two go. Hahaha, I think I need to put this place on my lunch rotation.

Logy, let's go try it out, too!

(Mr. Duke can't be happy about this...) Wait... Don't you think the place feels a bit...off?



Huh? Oh, Duke... What's the matter?

See, I added my special pancakes to the menu, right? And they've been selling like hotcakes!

Isn't that a good thing?

The sales aren't the point! I was trying to make this bar more attractive to a female clientele. Now look at this place! It's just sweaty dudes packed from wall to wall! I wanted a new audience!

Sweet smotherin' sassafrass! These pancakes are fantastic!

I could eat any amount of dessert you churn out, Duke!

Put a sock in it! How the hell are you guys going to eat!? Don't blame me if you get sick later! Sheesh... As you can see, I've got nothing but sweet-toothed men and guys who'll eat anything.

As long as it's selling, then does it really matter?

There's not a single lady in here! Why the hell do these chumps think I added this dessert to the menu!?



Ha, come now, Escha. We both know you eat more like a man. I've got to credit your amazing appetite.

...I think you actually have a point there.

N-Not you, too, Logy!

Argh, that's it! If it's not getting the results I want, the new menu's cancelled.

Huuuh!? But that's such a waste!

Nope, it's decided. I can't have any more of this!

I think all you need to do is pull back on the volume a little bit, and you'll be in good shape...

Oooh, it's so sad... I wanted to try that, too.



Well...it's not a total waste. Duke told me when we first talked about this that if he ever took the new recipe off the menu, we could have it. It might be a bit much on an adventure, but it's definitely filling.

Really? Wow...this is an alchemy recipe! I'm sure I can make this! Yeah, I can't wait!

That's what he was talking about... Well, do you want to head back to the atelier? I kind of want to see what Marion's research projects are that Mr. Grumman was talking about.

I'm interested in that, too. I wonder what they could be...



Do something about that, please!

Hey, you guys! Help me out here!

Oh, Wilbell and... Brother?

What's wrong, Awin? Why are arguing with Wilbell like that?

Oh, you know this girl? Good, then you might understand, then. I'm asking--Wilbell, is it?--if she'll help me with something. You two can help me convince her.

Um, Wilbell, what is he asking you to do?

Well, this guy seems to have seen me flying through the air on my broom. And now he's saying he wants me to teach him to fly, too...

I've never even heard of someone flying around like that. It's amazing!

Oh brother... We definitely can't tell him the truth about Wilbell.

Ahaha... I suppose it would be pretty hard to forget.

Yeah... And you've been seen by the most irritating person possible.

You know, it might look easy to fly like that, but it's actually pretty difficult. It might be easy to float, but controlling your altitude and velocity takes a lot of training.

I see... So if I train enough I'll be able to do it, too!

NO! YOU! CAN'T! You're way too old to start training to be a magician.

I need to try before I can find that out! So please teach me, Ms. Wilbell!

Please stop, Brother. Wilbell looks really irritated.

I don't think it's going to hapen, too. Just give it up.

But... I know that if I put my mind to it, I know I could fly on a broom, too...



Ugh, fine! I get it. I'll show you everything I can!

You'll really teach me?

Yeah, yeah, I'll teach you that you can't do it. And I'll show you how amazing the Great Wilbell is!

Hey, don't get carried away. What are you planning to do?



Music: Let's Go, Development Team!

Whaaat? Seriously?

Just say I'm an associate or something. I wouldn't have to be so secretive around town anymore, too. It'll be good training for me, and I'll help with your investigations. You should be thanking me.

Well, it's good to know you're helping us, Wilbell, but shouldn't you be keeping your secret better?

All right! I couldn't use anything flashy up until now, but now I don't have to hold anything back!

I'm sure nothing bad will come from this... ...Was that all you wanted?



Music: Please Hold My Hand in Yours

How did that happen?

I'm not sure... But it'll be great having a powerful magician helping us!



It will definitely be interesting...



Katla, is something wrong?

Well... To be honest, my sales lately haven't been very good.

(Not surprising...)

Are you going to be okay?

It's not so bad that I'm going to have to close shop, but I'm not making any money either. I have been selling things, little by little, and my customer base is growing...

So you're not making any profit? You should really be thinking more about the prices you put on items.

I am thinking about it! There's got to be something else I can do. If only I didn't have to pay for the goods that I sell...

Haha... Your only choice would be to go and find stuff from around here.

...Hey, that's right! I can always do that. It totally slipped my mind! Um, there's something I really want to ask of you two...

Is there something we can do to help you? Just ask, and we'll do what we can.

...Do you mean that? You'll help me if I ask you to?

Well, sure. It does depend on what you're asking for...



Wha... Are you kidding?

Totally serious. I need to find some good stuff to sell, for free, if I'm going to make any profit. Being with you would make me feel a lot safer, so please, let me come along!

No, it's too dangerous.

I agree. Look, we can share some of the materials we find with you...

Why are you two being like this...? Despite how i look, I'm actually pretty good at fighting, you know. I could go to the nearby forest all alone...

That makes it sound even worse...

Besides, how are you going to sell anything at your store while you're gone?

I'll close shop for those days. Nobody would really be botehred if I took a break. So that's settled! I'm going to find some rare stuff while we're investigating, and make some money!

Wh-What are we going to do, Logy? She's going to just follow us if we don't let her come along...

...It would be dangerous for her to follow us without our protection. I guess we'll have to let her come.

I'm even more confused how that happened...

I know how you feel. I guess the more people helping us, the better... How much help a girl like her will be, though... I can't imagine. We'll just have to see if she can do it. Escha, I'm going to make sure Katla is prepared for the kinds of adventures we have. You go on ahead back to the atelier. I'll be back soon.



Escha, are you here?

Oh, Miss Marion! I'm glad you stopped by!

So, how's it going? Are you getting used to the work already?

Uh, I'm still trying to finish up. But Logy already finished his part, and left...

There's no rush, you know. As long as you do the job properly and within the time limit. Just focus on completing the task and getting a feel for your duties, m'kay?

Yes! I'm doing my best!

Still... I don't think I gave you all that much to do. Are you having trouble?

Well, I was asked to organize the archives earlier, so I wanted to finish my reports before I start that. Oh, and I also need to clean the hall, and submit applications to Solle for the people in town.

W-Wait a second! Why'd you take on that much work!? Are you sure you can finish all of that in time?

B-But... They asked for my help!

That doesn't mean you have to agree to do it all! How can you possibly finish all of this!?

Y-Yes... I'm sorry. Actually, I'm really not sure if I can...

Sheesh... I'll help you with the applications to Solle. Don't go helping out others until you've got your own assignments finished, got it?

I'm sorry... I'm creating more work for you...

Heehee, don't be so depressed about it. I know you have the drive to do more work, which is a great thing. But you do have a tendency to go a little overboard, so just be careful with that, m'kay?

Ahaha... Yes, I'll be careful.



What's that, Escha?

Oh...after I got back, I decided to take a bunch of jobs. Marion stopped by and asked me how things were going, and I told her. She got kinda mad at me and said I was trying to do too much. So now I'm trying to cross out some jobs so I can do them all...

Let me see... "Organize the archives", "clean the Hall", "completing reports", "submitting applications to Solle"... That's way too many jobs. We'd have to spend all day working on stuff like that.

I know, I know...

I'm going to turn in my report on the ruins expedition now. You should start organizing your own work.



The assignment is complete, but we've still got a lot to do.

Logy! I'm done! I want to see the R&D research stuff!



Escha, are you okay with this? This book will help you refine your searching techniques. You should be able to do it faster if you follow the instructions in this book.

Yeah, that sounds great!

Oh, and one of the main parts of this assignment is to buy another alchemy book from Katla. I'm going to head down to her shop to get it.



Yes, let's go.

W-Wait for me! Sorry I'm a little late.

Are you really going to be all right? We're not playing around, you know.

Stop saying that, Logy. I've already decided that I'm coming with you. I won't do anything to get in your way. I'll even help you with your work.

I guess we can't help it... It's dangerous out there, so don't wander too far away from us. Also, make sure you listen to everything we tell you.

RIght! I'll do exactly as you say!

Don't try carrying things that will get in the way. ALso, if you're not feeling well, tell us right away.

Okay, okay. You don't have to treat me like a child. I know these things...



...I know you're just worried about me, despite what it sounds like. You sound like the kind of parents who get overprotective of their kids, even when they're older.

Hmm... Clone's been telling me stuff like that since I was little. I was just repeating her...

I don't think you have the right to complain, since you're the one who insists on coming with us.

Are you that worried about me? Hee hee!

...Of course. Anyway, let's get going.



Wait! ...He left! I don't think he should be so cold to you. Sorry about that, Katla.

No, no, he's obviously just embarrassed and trying to hide it. What a difficult guy.

Well, you're sure optimistic about this. Anyway, make sure you don't get separated from us.

Okay, let's go!

Escha! Hurry up!



What do you mean, "how much"? The number of spells I know? The different types?

Both, I suppose. To be honest, I don't know anything about magic, so I want a better understanding.

I'm sure it would be helpful in our investigations to know more.

Uh, sorry. I hope you're not expecting too much. My speciality is in attack magic, after all. I like taking down monsters with big explosions and stuff. I don't need anything really fancy.

But you do have some spells, right? What else can you do?

Well, I can probably do stuff like helping you search for things, or light up dark places... Oh, but searching takes a while, so I can't find much. And you could just use a lantern in the dark. Magic was probably a lot more useful a long time ago, but now there's a lot of good substitutes.

I see... If you look at it that way, magic is pretty limited.

I guess. Oh, I fly on my broom, too.

Now that sounds useful. You could use it to scout the surroundings, or investigate high places.

Will you let me ride on your broom, too?

Well... You look kind of heavy...



Is that so? You know, you don't need to push yourself so hard like that.

Just a little less, really...

Regardless, riding with two people is too dangerous. It's hard to balance it, it's really too fast. Maybe I'll give it another thought when I feel for sure that you have my back.

Aww... I really wanted to try riding it...

I can understand how she feels, but we really need to get back to work...



Pretty expensive, but we had to do it.

Yeah. Oh, Clone wanted me to start the harvest. It's something I do every year when the harvest starts. I'll be back in the atelier soon! I'll start synthesizing as soon as I get back. We have to get started on planning on our next adventure.



I'm glad I still have the chance to pick the apples...



What is with that tail? She's always had it, but...

Logy, I finished it! Logy...?

O-Oh, right... Good job.

Um... Are you thinking about something? If you need to talk, I'd be happy to listen.

You know, I've been really curious about something for a while now...

Something? What are you talking about?

That thing on your waist...

Oh, this? This is a tail!

Y-Yeah, I figured that much...but what is it for?

Ah, I'm actually not sure how to make this myself...

Huh? What do you mean by that?



I see... No wonder you look like you've been cherishing it so much.

But, it's really amazing! It moves on its own sometimes, too!

So my mind WASN'T playing tricks on me! It does move! ...How exactly does it work?

Like I said, I don't know. If I knew how to make more, I'd have fifty of 'em!

Ah, o-okay... Well, I hope you figure it out someday.

Yes! And when I do, I'm going to give one to you, Logy.



But really, how did she...? No, I've got to stop thinking about it.



The Guryun Blitz? I never thought I'd be able to use one of those again.

What's that?

Hm... Do you see the machine on my left arm? It's an alchemy machine designed in Central. There are a number of items you can put inside it to let it shoot out an incredible amount of power in a single burst. It would be easier to make the Blitz first so I can show you how it works than try to explain the mechanics behind it.

Wow, that sounds interesting!



This should be good for... Hm? Sounds like someone's at the door.


First flight

What's up, Awin? You look awfully happy...

I think the R&D Division's ratings are slowly improving. The brass is rethinking the resource allocation. And the branch manager has finally given the seal of approval, so we get to use something really fun.

Interesting...? What could it be?

Haha, you'll know it when you see it! C'mon, follow me!

What could get Brother so excited?

Anyway, we'd better follow his directions.

Yeah. I can't wait to see it.

I have to admit I'm interested as well. Let's go.



Music: The Story of the Sky, the Balloon, and the Climate Geomorphological Sun



What is this...? It looks like a very old blimp.

Ahaha... Yeah, I've got to say that this is pretty old...

Heh heh heh, you sure you should be saying that? Believe it or not, this baby belongs to R&D now!

It belongs to--you mean we can use this however we want!? That's incredible!

Wait a sec... Are you really going to fly this thing?

I've done some solid maintenance on her and given 'er some TLC. She may not look the best, but don't worry.

Now that we have this, we can investigate further away!

Exactly! I'm gonna show you how to pilot this old girl, so what do you say we go on a test flight?

A blimp, huh...? Well, I suppose it would come in handy.

S'matter, Logy? Are you afraid of heights or something?

I'm fine. I flew to town on an airship. That's how I got here in the first place.

Okay, Brother! Start teaching!

Right on! First, we're going to lift off... I'll show you what to do, so get some practice in.







Music: Kaiyuugyuo no Genfuukei










Music: Treasure

That's the first time I've ever flown... Seeing Colseit from high in the sky is way different than being on the ground.

Really? I guess it might be a lot different if you've never flown before, but my trip from Central was so long, I kind of got tired of flying. But, it's definitely true with the balloon we can investigate a lot further away from town. Is there anywhere near Colseit that you can't reach on foot that might be worth investigating?

Hm...the only place I know about is some mountains to the west. There's supposed to be a bunch of ruins there. I guess we can try and see if anything interesting is over there. After all, we have completed our assignment.

True. I'll go over my notes from the flight and make sure I know how to pilot the balloon. If it's not too much trouble, could you start working on the Guryun Blitz? If we're going outside of town, I'd like to be able to show you what my gauntlet does.

Oooh, that sounds great! I'll start working on it. I have to make a few things first, though...


Logy's skill

...Hmm.

Huh? What's the matter, Logy? Are you worried about something?

I was just thinking... You've been improving so much lately, Escha, and I haven't been every much help at all.

He has been looking really worried lately... That's not true! If I was on my own, I'd be too scared of messing up to ever try Synthesizing anything!

Well... I'm just wondering if that's okay...as an alchemist, you know? Never mind.

Hello... How's work going?

Oh, Marion. Good to see you.

Haha, I've got some good news for you, Logy. I was able to get my hands on some equipment from Central City.

R-Really!? I'm amazed you managed to do that!

The branch chief really came through for us on this one. Maintenance is going to install it when you leave.

Oh, let's go, then. I wonder what new equipment they brought for you, Logy!

I am interested... Okay, let's step out for a bit.



Hmm, push it a little more... Yeah, right there. Perfect! Thank you. ...Okay, it's all done, you two. Go on in and take a look.



You can tell just by looking at it? I have no idea what that thing is... Well, here's where my job ends. Please keep up the good work, you two.

Thank you very much, Ma'am.

This is beginning to look like a blacksmith's workshop. We could probably sharpen knives and stuff!

Heh, I suppose we could... But this new tool is actually for alchemy. Unlike alchemy that combines two items into one with Synthesizing, Training materials enhances their properties. You can combine different properties and powers inside materials, and strengthen your equipment.

Strengthen, huh...? Yeah, I guess I really couldn't do that in a cauldron, could I? This is getting interesting. Do you think I would be able to use that, too?

...I suppose I could teach you, but you really have to use your head.

...Huh? You have to use your head...? You mean, I don't just toss stuff in and stir it around?

You have to forcibly merge materials into an existing item to enhance its properties. It can be dangerous. You also have to calculate the amount of stress the item can take, or you could end up breaking your equipment.

Whoa...! There's no way I could do that! I'm gonna leave all that stuff up to you, Logy!

From my point of view, the way you Synthesize looks equally difficult. Why don't we just keep things the way they are for now? I'll take care of this.

That's a good idea... I don't think I have the dexterity.



What are you reading, Logy?

Oh, I'm just writing down the recipe notes for making standard equipment. Before I start making more complicated equipment, it would be good to practice the basics.





Ah, the Blitz Core? Let me see it.

What do you think? I built it according to the specs you gave me...

Hmm... It's actually really well made. I never thought you could make this in a cauldron.

Wow, I'm glad you like it. But what is this thing, anyway?

I guess you could call it... A crystallization of nature's power. Using this allows you to tap into the power of nature for a brief moment.

Unleashing...? That sounds so dangerous.

It's not bad if you use only a little bit. In Central City, we'd seal all kinds of power in crystal. If you use the right materials and tools, I heard that you can make some pretty potent ones... In the end, it's all a balancing act. But I think I'll be able to do lots of stuff with this one.

Wow... I'd like to try using that, too!

I wonder... It might be a little difficult for you to wield this, Escha. It's pretty dangerous.

Aw, really? If I could use it, then it'd be twice as useful to us, don't you think? But, you know how to use them, right? I'll try making all sorts of them now!

Yeah, that would be great. If you had my gauntlet, you could probably use these with enough experience. But, as long as you keep experimenting with elemental crystals, I'm sure you'll be able to keep making more variations on this before too long.

Oh, someone's knocking on the door.


Prickly people

What's the matter, Marion?

There's someone I'd like to introduce to you. Please follow me.



Hello there. Hope I'm not intruding.

H-Huh? You're...umm... The historian or researcher...?

My name is Threia. That reminds me, you two said you were in the R&D Division, right?

Yes, we are. What are you doing here, Miss Threia?

I'll cut to the chase. From now on, when you go out exploring, I'll be accompanying you for my research.

Ooooh, for research... Hey, wait! This is all so sudden!

Well, I came all the way from Central City for this... But I don't sit back and read reports. Besides, I'm still not clear what your "R&D" Division does. You research AND develop? No fair!

Oh brother...

B-But... That's our job...

...Are you okay with this, boss? She's calling out our Division for...an ambiguous name?

Threia and I know each other from Central City. She's a walking encyclopedia, and good in a fight. We're short-handed as it is, so try to look past her prickly personality and work together.

"Prickly"!? I'll remember that, Marion.

See, that's exactly what I'm talking about. When are you going to realize...

It's good to know we have a real researcher to help us! I'm sure we'll make a lot of progress.

Perhaps. My own research comes first, but the results should help you. Consider this a joint effort.



(Marion wasn't kidding about her personality. Still, she should be a good asset if she'll work with us.)



Escha, I've been meaning to talk to you about something.

Oh? About what?

Well, including us, we now have six people helping us with our investigations. You know how I told you it would be a good idea to combine our attacks to not let the enemy recover? I was thinking it's about time we tried Special Support attacks. If the enemy is sufficiently off-balance, we can probably launch more powerful attacks then normally would be available.

Sounds a little complicated...

You don't have to think about it right now. We'll try it in the field if we get a chance.

Gotcha... By the way, did you inspect Katla's equipment? What did you think?

I'm confident she can do better than I thought, but... You should probably see for yourself.



That's another request done! This bomb can really slow down anything it hits. I'm sure it'll work great.

Yeah. We should start getting ready to head out. I'll head to the docks to prepare the balloon.





Looks like getting around here is going to be harder than I thought...



Music: At the Foot of the Hill

It's amazing to find something like this way up high in the mountains... Logy, there's a lot of fruit growing around here. We should gather as much as we can.



Looks like the path to the summit is this way. These ruins are...



The monsters around here can be pretty aggressive, though.



The view from here is incredible... I'm glad we came here.

Yeah. These ruins are definitely interesting, and we're still not at the top of the mountain. Let's keep going.



There's a lot of rocks around. It's probably a good idea to bring a lot of bombs whenever we go on an adventure.

Good idea. Especially as we go further away from Colseit, the paths are going to be more difficult to navigate.



These are the ruins of an atelier!

I was beginning to think that, but you're right. This is an incredible discovery. I think I see a passage into a building. Let's go check it out.



Logy, what was in that chest?

A Crystal Ring. Interesting alchemic item, I think. I'll take care of it for now. Looks like there's a basement level, too. Careful, the passage is pretty narrow.



Wow...a cauldron. I guess the methods of alchemy haven't changed very much from hundreds of years ago.

Yeah, these ruins are about that old, considering the amount of decay. Still...it's fascinating to find such a well-preserved ruin as this one.

It kind of makes me happy knowing I'm doing things the way alchemists of the past did them.





... I'll just make sure Katla isn't holding on to the documents we find in the field...


Magic show

Escha, careful! There's a slag coming out of that workshop!



Logy, I can do it! Let's take care of this!



Here I go, Escha! Watch carefully!







Katla's coming to help. It'll be interesting to see what she does, considering the size of the bag she brought...



That was impressive.







That was actually impressive... Looks like I don't need to worry about Katla and Wilbell after all...

Sylphid fucked around with this message at 16:25 on Oct 14, 2014

Seraphic Neoman
Jul 19, 2011


Hah, I love how Wilbell slumps onto her broom in her level-up pose :allears:

And what is Katla's weapon? A rifle in a cane?

Sylphid
Aug 3, 2012
Just a cane (with a hidden boxing glove attachment). Most of her attacks come from her opening the trunk she brought with her and attacking the enemy with something in it.

Sylphid fucked around with this message at 20:00 on Oct 11, 2014

Sylphosaurus
Sep 6, 2007
Man, I really enjoy watching these games and I wish that they'd be available on my PS 4, since getting a Vita or PS3 is not really feasible for me. Are there any Atelier games on it's way for the PS4 or has Atlus ever mentioned the possibility of porting the older games?

wdarkk
Oct 26, 2007

Friends: Protected
World: Saved
Crablettes: Eaten
Wrong company, the US publisher is Tecmo Koei (NISA for the older ones).

As for the PS4, despite it's worldwide success, it's not being bought terribly fast in Japan, so it seems unlikely.

Sylphid
Aug 3, 2012
Considering the age of the PS3, and there's been 6 Ateliers on the system so far, I wouldn't be surprised if Gust was planning to move the series to the PS4 by the next entry, maybe with a longer development time to boot.

Of course, whether it'll continue the Dusk storyline or start a new one, I have no idea. From the very, very limited knowledge I have of Shallie's True Ending, it seems that game doesn't really wrap up the overall storyline and there's more than enough room for a sequel. Honestly, even if they do start a new story, I'd be happy with Hidari continuing to do the character designs. I've loved (her? I've only seen Hidari referred to as a woman) the character designs and general art style of these games, and I hope it continues.

Roro
Oct 9, 2012

HOO'S HEAD GOES ALL THE WAY AROUND?
Just finished bombing my way through the Arland and Ayesha LPs, great stuff so far Sylphid! Quick question: Will this game end in romance between Escha and Logy a la Rune Factory Oceans, or does it continue in the traditions of the previous Atelier games? Not that I specifically want romance, but I was wondering how that would colour your dialogue for the MCs.

Sylphid
Aug 3, 2012

Roro posted:

Just finished bombing my way through the Arland and Ayesha LPs, great stuff so far Sylphid! Quick question: Will this game end in romance between Escha and Logy a la Rune Factory Oceans, or does it continue in the traditions of the previous Atelier games? Not that I specifically want romance, but I was wondering how that would colour your dialogue for the MCs.

First of all, thank you for reading my LPs.

To answer your question, if you were to ask me there's no real hint of a romantic relationship between Escha and Logy anywhere in the story, but it all comes down to interpretation of a few key scenes between them. You can maybe make the case, but I just don't think the writers really intended to make their relationship romantic in nature. Escha has a lot of respect for Logy's experience and professionalism and Logy admires Escha's dedication and cheerfulness, but there's not much beyond that.

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Wentley
Feb 7, 2012
Have fun in Tokyo!

So more of a brother/sister relationship at the closest. Respected co-worker, more than love interest. Are there love interests for each of the protagonists?

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