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  • Locked thread
Night10194
Feb 13, 2012

We'll start,
like many good things,
with a bear.

I still want to see one of these ritualistic death march stories where it is, in fact, a ritualistic death march. No worming out of it, no stabbing the devil in the face. A story about a doomed sacrifice and the people hired/recruited/volunteered to see it through. Exploring why someone would volunteer for such a terrible duty and what they do along the way to keep themselves going.

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The Dark Id
Aug 13, 2005

Why
you
know
I
LOVE
THIS SHIT !!!!
[citation needed]
There's gonna be streaming more Resident Evil 4 in an hour (5:00 PM EST.) There will be a Dingus filled proper Setsuna update later tonight. One which also features a returning character that dropped off the earth earlier in the game. It's a content rich 2017! Until it actually gets properly cold and I fall into an alcohol induced hibernation. Same place as usual:

http://www.hitbox.tv/TheDarkId

The Dark Id fucked around with this message at 22:19 on Jan 3, 2017

EponymousMrYar
Jan 4, 2015

The enemy of my enemy is my enemy.

Crystalgate posted:

However, making the plot twist unexpected is not what makes it great, it's the emotional investment of the player that does it. The plot twist being unexpected just prevents it from severely losing the impact you gained via the buildup.

This is why I get annoyed at people who hate spoilers because they often make this mistake. The buildup and payoff is the actual important part, not how unexpected that payoff is.

The Dark Id
Aug 13, 2005

Why
you
know
I
LOVE
THIS SHIT !!!!
[citation needed]
Part XLV: Diplomacy With Dingus



Democracy dictated that the runner up in the side quest election was our newest and final party member: Reaper Fides Dingus. And so shall be. The party piles into the Trebuchet and launches themselves towards the start of Reaper’s sidequest.




Music: Simple Gratitude




This quest takes us back to Gatherington, the Podunk town with the healer failed sacrifice old woman Sayagi, who we bugged a half dozen times during our journey through the region.



We won’t be bother Sayagi again during I am Setsuna. Her role in the story is complete. She’s just another NPC there to spout a single line of generic dialog until the game is uninstalled. A harsh fate. But, before we hit our actual side quest trigger, let’s pick up another scythe for Dingus. It IS his side quest, after all...



What the f—this is even WORSE than the first one... First of all, a dragon is not that tiny. Even idiot baby dragons that roll around in the mud and urinate for an exceedingly long span. That looks like a like pelican wing. Dingus, why are you wielding a pelican wing on a stick? That’s the stupidest thing I’ve heard all day...



This doesn’t bode well for this side quest. Poor weapon designs aside, the trigger for Dingus’ side quest involves talking to the Insufferable Man hanging out in the Gatherington pub. I bet you thought I pointed him out earlier solely because he was a giant piece of poo poo and had a funny name. Ha! You stupid idiot. Turns out I’m better at foreshadowing than this game’s writing. :v:



What spritnite stone?
Oh? So you’re not. I was sure you’d come here looking for the spritnite stone...
? What spritnite stone are you talking about!? Come on, tell us!
Was there non-stone spritnite I missed? Why are we all saying it like this? It’s like saying paper book.
Well, it was washed in by the sea... Apparently, it’s a really rare one, and has some mysterious power.
Wow... I like the sound of that! So where is it?
*shakes head* No, you’re better off not looking for it... take my word for it!
Then why even bring it up?
I’m just making conversation. You’re the ones making a big thing out of it...
Hmph. Really seeing where you got that title...

Why’s that?
Because it’s cursed.
You hear that? It’s cursed. Now that the intrigue is out of the way, let’s just head back to the Last La—
Sounds fun!
N-No... Endir...
Hey! This is no laughing matter! All right, listen up...



Each person who has owned the stone has since met a horrible end... It’s cursed. Anyone who lays hands on it will die.
Brrrr! Scary stuff! All right, count me out!
Pfft. What are you getting the willies over a curse for? Just slap a remedy on that and you’re set. No big deal.
......
*turns to Dingus* What’s wrong, Dingus?
*shakes head* No... nothing.
?
*turns to Insufferable Man* So who has the stone now?
Who knows... Rumor has it some kid stole it and ran off with it. Someone saw him fleeing to the north, apparently. If you want to know more, try asking around the town.
Kid wasn’t carrying around some gaudy badge and claiming to be a hero beforehand, right?
No... I don’t think so... Why?
No reason...




So there’s a cursed spritnite an idiot child has spirited away with to the north. Better hit up the town to find some leads...



...Or we can just step outside, where a man marching from the north collapses right next to the party. That’s probably gonna be a lead.



Yo?
......
RIP...?
*coughs*
No RIP. False alarm!


The man climbs to his feet.



What happened?
Well, I heard some caverns no one had entered for years were found in the Fridging Caves... So I went to have a look.
Everyone standing here has been through those caves and picked it clean of loot.
...Oh. I... Oh... That really dampens my exploits.
It’s trying times we live in, Hoarse-Voiced Merchant.
There might have been no treasure. But...

Inside I found a lone child. I was concerned, so I called out to him, but he attacked me using a strange spritnite stone! Just my luck, I tell you...
Why is everyone saying spritnite stone now? Why the stone? They’re ALL stones, right?
That one insufferable man said it and now it just sounds right...

He might have followed me back, so I’d get out of here as well, if I were you!

The man runs off out of town.



Yes, it sounds like this is the child who stole the cursed spritnite...
It’s a shame he’s likely already doomed. So, back to combating the Dark Samsara...
The Fridging Caves...


Music: The Strength of Time




Yes, Dingus. The Fridging Caves. That’s where the next part of this quest takes us! Let’s see what this dope child with a cursed spritnite stone has gotten himself into...





Nothing has changed in the enemy layout of the Fridging Caves. The party can absolutely steamroll everything in a single turn. Which is good, since we have to do the entire dungeon again returning to where the party fought the Aurorean Tiger.



Returning to the old boss arena, we find a cowering child. And as we approach him, it turns out we’ve seen this boy before...



They neglected to give him a proper name, despite the whole chapter he was centered on, which is something this game is REALLY bad about. But this is Beetle Boy from back in Julienne’s introductory chapter.



Oh! It’s you! I’m so glad to see you’re all right!
...Do we know this kid? Kir, was this one of your friends...? No... there’s no tail... Umm... Nah. I got nothing.
It’s the monster boy.
*blank stare and shrug*
The one Julienne had... issues with and Dingus... Err... Oh boy...
*snaps fingers* Ah. Right.

It’s all thanks to you... Since then, I’ve...
*notices Dingus* ! Y-you’re...
......
Ahhh! Now I see what you were “oh boy”in’ about, Aeterna. Pfft... This is gonna end well...



This is someone else.
Nuh-uh! He’s wearing the same clothes! And he’s got... well... not the SAME scythe, but STILL a scythe!
Purely coincidence, kid. Just happens to have the same bad fashion sense and questionable choice in weaponry.

No! I don’t believe you! I remember his face!
No, it’s all right... Dingus is on our side now... and he’s a very strong ally.
Who KILLED MY MAMA!!
Yeah, geez. Insensitive much, Setsuna.
I feel as though some context is alluding me again.
What the... AND HER! She tried to kill me! You’re friends with HER too?! I thought you were nice! Liar!
Oh... She had drank monster blood. It made her get mean. She’s nice now! Really. *smile*
She DRANK one of my kind’s BLOOD?!
Setsuna... maybe just stop...

*screams* No! I don’t believe you!

Dingus steps forward and addresses Skinny Child*



Dingus, wait...
I am here for one reason only... Give me that spritnite.
*screams* Say you’re sorry, then! Say you’re sorry for what you did to my mama!
Go on, apologize to him.
Let’s see your diplomacy in action, Dingus.
I... cannot do that.
Dingus...
I will not deny my past... I will not apologize for it, or regret it... If you wish to feed on hatred, so be it. It matters not to me. You must choose your own way of life. You are free... However, I shall use that spritnite. Give it to me.
Nailed it! Hit up the nearest Land of Snow embassy. You’re a fit for ambassador.
Dingus, wait! He’s just a child, you can’t threaten him like that...
It is a waste of time, true. A better tactic would to have been to taken it by force before talk.
Ya, you had that problem pretty bad when you fought us.
I am working on it.

I see... I get it now. You’re all after my stone!
*shakes head* No, that’s not true. Listen... That spritnite is cursed. If you keep it, something terrible will happen to you...
No, I can tell... this stone is really powerful... As long as I have this, I can even beat HIM! I can get revenge for Mama!
*holds out arms* If you will not give it to me, I shall take it by force.
Go on then, just try! I’ll... I’ll...
KILL YOU!



Beetle Boy charges up and starts lobbing Hadokens at Dingus. Good for him. That’s about what Reaper deserves.



I’ve been all by myself... It was hard... and lonely... But I didn’t give up. I believed what you said... I believed that one day I’d be able to make friends... But whenever they realize I’m not a human, they all run away!
I say “hey wanna see a neat trick” and turn into my real form and they ALWAYS scream and run away. It IS a neat trick! They can’t do it.
Oh... sweetie... No.

I hate them! I hate everyone! And I hate you most of all! DIE!
*Hadokens Dingus a few more times*
Dingus, what’re you doin’!? You ain’t gonna be able to take this for much longer...
You ain’t got that boss HP anymore. You can’t hold out like this.
It cannot be helped.
Not with that attitude.
I swore to Aeterna that I would lend my strength to the sacrifice... I cannot die here.
...That was Eutess, my creator but... Yeah, sure...

Dingus draws his scythe.



No! Stop it, Dingus! Endir! Make him stop!
Go ahead, do what you want.
I thought you would say that...
Endir, what the HECK!?
Guy clearly didn’t spec for Charisma. Who am I to tell him to re-roll this late on...?



CLICK HERE FOR THE CONCLUSION!
(Definitely worth watching.)

The Dark Id fucked around with this message at 04:16 on Jan 4, 2017

hey girl you up
May 21, 2001

Forum Nice Guy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zo-YVqV0v4Q

StandardVC10
Feb 6, 2007

This avatar now 50% more dark mode compliant
LOL what the gently caress was that.

Besides that drat beetle kid getting what was coming to him, anyway. :argh:

Llab
Dec 28, 2011

PEPSI FOR VG BABE
For once, a happy conclusion in this game.

Danaru
Jun 5, 2012

何 ??

The Dark Id posted:

CLICK HERE FOR THE CONCLUSION![/url] (Definitely worth watching.)

:magical: Heavens to betsy

Space Kablooey
May 6, 2009


:lol:

Deep Dish Fuckfest
Sep 6, 2006

Advanced
Computer Touching


Toilet Rascal
I'd say this went reasonably well considering the circumstances.

EponymousMrYar
Jan 4, 2015

The enemy of my enemy is my enemy.
See Setsuna, this is what happens when you save everyone. Especially mortal enemies of each other.

Bufuman
Jun 15, 2013

Sleep in the briefing room.
At your own peril.
Caim would've approved.

Renditious
Sep 25, 2012
Huh, did not expect that to happen. Why does Dingus care about this particular rock again?

FeyerbrandX
Oct 9, 2012

Say it with me.

1, 2 3....

Drakengard!

Nothing is safe from IaS's thieving grubby hands.

e: gently caress, they even took the weapon stories and made them a hollow husk. :sigh:

GeneralYeti
Jul 22, 2012

Look at this smug broken asshole.
Holy poo poo, that was magnificent. Truly, the ending Beetle Boy's story deserved.

Momomo
Dec 26, 2009

Dont judge me, I design your manhole
I don't know if the game will be able to top that. Dingus has had very little time to do anything, but he's at least trying to make up for it.

gimme the GOD DAMN candy
Jul 1, 2007
that was wonderful, albeit not in any way the writers intended.

JustAnotherNobody
Jun 20, 2015
Was Taro Yoko in the office for a day?!

FeyerbrandX
Oct 9, 2012

Its too bad you locked the thread for awhile. If we weren't loving goons we may have had that end with "Merry Christmas," like Jihad Kimarhi last year.

Blackunknown
Oct 18, 2013


With this, Dingus has been redeemed in my eyes.

Night10194
Feb 13, 2012

We'll start,
like many good things,
with a bear.

Oh my yes.

Araxxor
Oct 20, 2012

My disdain for you all knows no bounds.
Dingus being near the top of the sidequest results was the right choice. :allears:

Qrr
Aug 14, 2015


You know, it really wouldn't take much of a twist to have the party be the bad guys. I mean, Setsuna means well but she's incredibly gullible and naive, so she could be convinced to go along with whatever. And Endir, well, duh. Mercenary, kills for money. Aeterna is the projection of a thousand year old superpowered time judge, and that never ends well. Julienne was possessed by "monster blood", suuuure. And Dingus is obvious.

Nidr and Kir (gremlinness aside) would be tougher, but I'm sure someone could find a reason.

Long story short, Beetle boy was totally justified in looking at the party and saying "hell no am I giving you this super powerful spritnite [stone]".


(Also, why the heck did Reaper kill beetle mom? I guess maybe we'll find out in the alternate universe where Endir says "hey, no kidicide")

Sally
Jan 9, 2007


Don't post Small Dash!

hey girl you up posted:

I think we'll have to agree to disagree on this one.

Yeah, that actually sounds pretty funny.

Picayune
Feb 26, 2007

cannot be unseen
Taco Defender
Suddenly I have a favorite character. :allears:

EightFlyingCars
Jun 30, 2008


I was expecting this to turn into a boss fight.

WELP

Happy Landfill
Feb 26, 2011

I don't understand but I've also heard much worse
Ha! RIP

the_steve
Nov 9, 2005

We're always hiring!

So he's finally what? 1-4? 2-4 if you count the offscreen beetle mom killing?
Either way, his win percentage just skyrocketed.

Drunk Theory
Aug 20, 2016


Oven Wrangler
Ha. Well, Magus certainly never murdered a child after being recruited into the active party.
A point for I am Setsuna.

Fabulousvillain
May 2, 2015
Is this the whole reason why this was LP'd? If so, I honestly think it's worth cause I burst out laughing at about 1am.

Sindai
Jan 24, 2007
i want to achieve immortality through not dying
That was the best part of the game.

Omobono
Feb 19, 2013

That's it! No more hiding in tomato crates! It's time to show that idiota Germany how a real nation fights!

For pasta~! CHARGE!

:wtc:

This was a writer taking the piss, right? Because I honestly can't believe somebody thought this was a good idea in the context of the rest of the game.
Funny as hell though.

Mokinokaro
Sep 11, 2001

At the end of everything, hold onto anything



Fun Shoe
"THAT'S OUR DINGUS"

*cue laugh track*

Josuke Higashikata
Mar 7, 2013


...Dingus owns!?!?!?

DeafNote
Jun 4, 2014

Only Happy When It Rains
Well he certainly shot up in the ranks

Night10194
Feb 13, 2012

We'll start,
like many good things,
with a bear.

I mean I'm guessing there will be more afterwards where it turns out that didn't really happen even if Endir encourages it, but lol.

bman in 2288
Apr 21, 2010
Well, end the LP here, we've reached the zenith of endings.

Capfalcon
Apr 6, 2012

No Boots on the Ground,
Puny Mortals!

Josuke Higashikata posted:

...Dingus owns!?!?!?

There's a thread consensus that I never thought I'd see, but I'll be damned if I don't agree with it.

Drunk Theory
Aug 20, 2016


Oven Wrangler
This great moment is rather enhanced by Dingus's lack of character. It's sorta a "well, what did you expect to happen" moment. I mean, the guy has had no real motivation through the entire game and his main interactions with others is to murder them. He's remains consistent at least.

I hope telling him to go ahead was the correct choice for this sidequest

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Rainuwastaken
Oct 30, 2012

Another blue ribbon for Hecarim.
Holy poo poo, that was fantastic.

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