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Quantum Toast
Feb 13, 2012

Might be my memory playing tricks on me, but I think that drained fountain at the castle actually has two entrances, one for each size. Can't remember what's in the other one though.

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Albu-quirky Guy
Nov 8, 2005

Still stuck in the Land of Entrapment

one of the comments on the youtube video posted:

I am unashamed to admit that Din's sassy idle animation set in motion a sequence of events which much later in my life would lead me to discover what femdom is, and I am pretty thankful for that.

:what:

Commander Keene
Dec 21, 2016

Faster than the others



Never read YouTube comments. It's not worth your sanity.

EponymousMrYar
Jan 4, 2015

The enemy of my enemy is my enemy.
There are a bit too many green kinstones combinations that turn into blue kinstones. It gets to a point where it's like 'ok why didn't you just have two colors of kinstone and give me the rewards immediately.'

It's a neat idea but the execution's wonky and that's one of the biggest issues with it.

ThornBrain
Jan 25, 2011

Hi. I forgot your name. Whatever.
My... point is...
Hi. Your head's on fire.


Ah, dust, the most deadly part of wind.

Commander Keene
Dec 21, 2016

Faster than the others



Anyone who watched the STALKER LP can attest to Thorn's love of sniping, even with weapons that can't really manage long-range combat. :v:

The jingle that plays when you use the Ocarina of Winds is actually from Super Mario Bros. 3, not from Link to the Past.

CPColin
Sep 9, 2003

Big ol' smile.

Commander Keene posted:

The jingle that plays when you use the Ocarina of Winds is actually from Super Mario Bros. 3, not from Link to the Past.

It showed up in Zelda 1 first.

GunnerJ
Aug 1, 2005

Do you think this is funny?
This dungeon's music seems like a really disjointed remix of the normal cave music, it's kinda disorienting.

ThornBrain
Jan 25, 2011

Hi. I forgot your name. Whatever.
My... point is...
Hi. Your head's on fire.
Update on Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks: they're beginning for real for my Patreon patrons this week, and PH part 1 will go public next week - ST is for my patrons first. PH will be updated on Sundays, ST on Thursdays, and due to the usual tenuous availability of everyone, expect delays this time around.

ThornBrain
Jan 25, 2011

Hi. I forgot your name. Whatever.
My... point is...
Hi. Your head's on fire.


Remember how we very recently had two consecutive collection videos? Minish Cap does that.

Commander Keene
Dec 21, 2016

Faster than the others



You think it's odd that someone's backyard has a big ol' mushroom growing in it, but I pass a house on my way to work that frequently has mushrooms growing in the front yard. Big honkin' ones, too, sometimes. I'm more inclined to question the lifespan of the mushroom or the integrity of fungus as a building material than its simple presence.

Also, I just realized the Minish who gives the Power Bracelet hint is quoting Should I Stay Or Should I Go. Bravo, Nintendo. :golfclap:

Explopyro
Mar 18, 2018

Every time I play this "collect the books" sequence, I solve the puzzle to knock the book off the mayor's shelf and then forget to go back in the house at normal size to pick it up, then don't notice until I try to turn it in and the game informs me I don't have it. Every time. It never fails to frustrate me.

Rabbi Raccoon
Mar 31, 2009

I stabbed you dude!
Hyrule really is so lucky that every time someone is gonna destroy it or take it over, someone shows up who conveniently has the required magic ability needed in order to navigate all the places needed to defeat the bad guy. Imagine if Twilight Princess Link were doing this instead.

Commander Keene
Dec 21, 2016

Faster than the others



Rabbi Raccoon posted:

Hyrule really is so lucky that every time someone is gonna destroy it or take it over, someone shows up who conveniently has the required magic ability needed in order to navigate all the places needed to defeat the bad guy. Imagine if Twilight Princess Link were doing this instead.
It's more like "imagine if Midna showed up here instead of Ezlo", because he's the one with the convenient magic ability to shrink people. In fact, in recent games, it's usually the helper who enables the Link of the day to traverse the dungeons/overworld. Midna allows Link to move back and forth through the Twilight, King of Red Lions is a boat, Ezlo can shrink and grow people, etc.

AweStriker
Oct 6, 2014

Commander Keene posted:

It's more like "imagine if Midna showed up here instead of Ezlo", because he's the one with the convenient magic ability to shrink people. In fact, in recent games, it's usually the helper who enables the Link of the day to traverse the dungeons/overworld. Midna allows Link to move back and forth through the Twilight, King of Red Lions is a boat, Ezlo can shrink and grow people, etc.

This goes for... well, we'll get there.

Fi does not help, though. The red Loftwing is Skyward Sword Link's real helper.

Carbon dioxide
Oct 9, 2012

AweStriker posted:

This goes for... well, we'll get there.

Fi does not help, though. The red Loftwing is Skyward Sword Link's real helper.

Are you saying interpretive dance is not a useful skill?

Commander Keene
Dec 21, 2016

Faster than the others



Carbon dioxide posted:

Are you saying interpretive dance is not a useful skill?
It doesn't seem to enable Link to fly, so at the very least she doesn't qualify as the game's "navigation helper". She's more Navi than Navi ever was, though, so there's always that.

ThornBrain
Jan 25, 2011

Hi. I forgot your name. Whatever.
My... point is...
Hi. Your head's on fire.


True power is obliviousness to your permanent homelessness.

ThornBrain
Jan 25, 2011

Hi. I forgot your name. Whatever.
My... point is...
Hi. Your head's on fire.



The Zelda franchise's first foray into the dual-screened, touch-screened DS is a spotty affair. Developed much like a tech demo for the DS as every early game for the system was, Phantom Hourglass is controlled almost entirely with the touch screen and makes sure to take advantage of every gimmick the DS allows. People inherently disliked this, despite it working perfectly fine. It's not a particularly good-looking game, having the graphical strength and detail of a low-tier PlayStation 1 game. And its story is a bit thin, especially after Wind Waker, feeling like an arbitrarily tacked-on detour that doesn't even try to recapture the magic of similar sequels Link's Awakening or Majora's Mask.
However, the strengths of most Zelda games are in full effect here: the control scheme is plenty easy to get used to, with most of the weapons being perfectly tooled for a touch screen. The dungeons and puzzles are all fun and cleverly designed, and for a visually unimpressive game, it does translate the expressiveness of Wind Waker's art style to a portable system well. It's not a great game, but it's an undeservedly overlooked one.


PizzaJoe returns! Fresh off his adventure in Wind Waker, he and Tetra's band of pirates sail right into the sights of the Ghost Ship. Tetra jumps aboard like a brazen idiot, PizzaJoe falls and drowns, and he wakes up on an island in an unknown part of the ocean. A chipper fairy named Ciela, a mysterious old man named Oshus, and a twat with a boat named Lineback help him on his journey to find the Ghost Ship and rescue Tetra.


This will be an essentially-100% run. I.E.: I will be getting all of the major collectibles including Heart Containers and Spirit upgrades, and yes that includes the fishing, but I won't be wasting my time on ship parts.
I am joined this time by Mugiwara Yoshi and Skippy Granola, though due to our various erratic schedules, Skippy had to drop out after part 6.
I am also playing this game's much better sequel, Spirit Tracks, at the same time, but it's going up entirely for my Patreon patrons first before it starts going public.

Fabulous post-video art by Lore Cox/Mischievousart!


-------------------------













































-------------------------



(By Brenna Okazaki)

ThornBrain fucked around with this message at 20:03 on Sep 1, 2019

Alkydere
Jun 7, 2010
Capitol: A building or complex of buildings in which any legislature meets.
Capital: A city designated as a legislative seat by the government or some other authority, often the city in which the government is located; otherwise the most important city within a country or a subdivision of it.



I think Oshus has a minor but persistent speech impediment and his real name is OSHA.

"Look, young man I can't let you head north, there are just too many monsters and you're not certified to fight them!"
"I've fought an ancient evil and his army to death...""
"But you're not safety certified!"
"...Yeah I'm gonna just go steal your sword from the cave since I left my old one in an ancient shrine..."
"B-B-BUT YOU'RE NOT CERTIFIED!!!!"
"Okay...if it will lower your blood pressure, how do I get certified?"
"Hit these four logs without hurting yourself!"
"...like...this?"
"Exactly like that boyo! Now here's your high-visibility monster-fighting vest, helmet and safety goggles! Have a fun, and safe day!"
"Congratulations, I never thought I'd miss old man Orca screaming at me to fight him day in and day out."


Also I'm really sad that those gossip stones don't go "Waaah!"

ThornBrain
Jan 25, 2011

Hi. I forgot your name. Whatever.
My... point is...
Hi. Your head's on fire.
Minish Cap


Not every game manages to go bad at the exact halfway mark. It's almost impressive.

EricFate
Aug 31, 2001

Crumpets. Glorious Crumpets.
So, does it reset the lily pad when the lily pad is moving, or is it specific to when the lily pad occupies the same space as an open gate during a screen load?

AweStriker
Oct 6, 2014

I don't remember too much of when I borrowed Minish Cap from a friend but the sheer disappointment of getting that item in the Temple of Droplets instead of an item that evokes any immediate sense of power and value tops the list of what I do.

It's... not great, more powerful than the average lantern or no.

Explopyro
Mar 18, 2018

I'm with MeccaPrime on this dungeon; I think it's one of the better ones in this game, honestly. The ice physics can be annoying but they never really bothered me, and I'm more than willing to admit the lily pads are awful (mostly because of how slow and tedious they are; I never knew about the location reset bug, somehow that's never happened to me), but the puzzles are clever and I enjoyed them. (We're finally past the earlygame phase where most puzzles consist of "which thing do I use on the thing", some of these at least require actual thought.) Also, I have to admit I'm quite fond of the music, and it's refreshing to see the structure playing with traditional dungeon tropes a bit (the boss key isn't for the boss, and getting to the boss is a side-effect of a separate puzzle).

That said, I don't much care for the boss either. It can be drawn out and frustrating even when you know what to do, and it would've probably been fine if they'd just slowed down the rotation a little.

I might have more to say about Phantom Hourglass later; it's honestly a pretty forgettable game, even though it's perfectly fine to play and the control scheme (while weird and awkward in places) works better than I think anyone expected it to (even if, overall, I'd still prefer a more standard control scheme). I think the plot decisions were also pretty bizarre, doing a direct sequel without bothering to actually build on anything from the previous game. You could argue Majora's Mask did a similar thing, but at least that had a lot of interesting things to say on its own and a compelling atmosphere; I think PH sort of wanted to be MM but didn't know how to recapture the important aspects of what that game did.

Microcline
Jul 27, 2012

Explopyro posted:

I might have more to say about Phantom Hourglass later; it's honestly a pretty forgettable game, even though it's perfectly fine to play and the control scheme (while weird and awkward in places) works better than I think anyone expected it to (even if, overall, I'd still prefer a more standard control scheme). I think the plot decisions were also pretty bizarre, doing a direct sequel without bothering to actually build on anything from the previous game. You could argue Majora's Mask did a similar thing, but at least that had a lot of interesting things to say on its own and a compelling atmosphere; I think PH sort of wanted to be MM but didn't know how to recapture the important aspects of what that game did.

It's a pretty amazing technical achievement that they were able to implement a by-the-numbers Zelda game entirely using mobile phone controls.

Skysword, Phourglass, and Soul Train all seem to come from an era where they realized they had no idea what to do with the Zelda formula and were frantically bolting bad control scheme gimmicks onto otherwise mediocre games.

Explopyro
Mar 18, 2018

Microcline posted:

It's a pretty amazing technical achievement that they were able to implement a by-the-numbers Zelda game entirely using mobile phone controls.

Skysword, Phourglass, and Soul Train all seem to come from an era where they realized they had no idea what to do with the Zelda formula and were frantically bolting bad control scheme gimmicks onto otherwise mediocre games.

This is spot-on.

At the same time, impressive technical achievements are not necessarily good game design decisions. Mediocre though they may be, all three of those games would probably have been better sans gimmick. (The one thing I really did appreciate in PH, despite being right-handed myself, is that the controls were fully reversible to accommodate lefties. Nintendo don't always do that with their gimmicks - just look at Twilight Princess or Skyward Sword, where they warped the entire game to make it right-handed friendly and then didn't give options.)

That said, I suspect Phantom Hourglass would have been a much bigger success had it been released on mobile phones, because the dissonance wouldn't be smashing you in the face all the time ("look at all these face buttons I could be using! why can't I?") and a new Zelda release for that kind of platform, especially at the time, would have been revolutionary and might have opened the series up to new audiences.

MeccaPrime
May 11, 2010

Explopyro posted:

That said, I suspect Phantom Hourglass would have been a much bigger success had it been released on mobile phones

I get what you're saying, and I sorta agree, but now I'm just imagining paying $4.99 for 500 Rupees, a Heart Container, and a unique hat as in introductory, one-time offer to new players.

fucking love Fiona Apple
Jun 19, 2013

samus comfy so what

I understand the problems people have with Phantom Hourglass, but I really liked drawing on the map.

pointlessone
Aug 6, 2001

The Triad Frog is pleased with this custom title purchase.

Explopyro posted:

This is spot-on.

At the same time, impressive technical achievements are not necessarily good game design decisions. Mediocre though they may be, all three of those games would probably have been better sans gimmick. (The one thing I really did appreciate in PH, despite being right-handed myself, is that the controls were fully reversible to accommodate lefties. Nintendo don't always do that with their gimmicks - just look at Twilight Princess or Skyward Sword, where they warped the entire game to make it right-handed friendly and then didn't give options.)

That said, I suspect Phantom Hourglass would have been a much bigger success had it been released on mobile phones, because the dissonance wouldn't be smashing you in the face all the time ("look at all these face buttons I could be using! why can't I?") and a new Zelda release for that kind of platform, especially at the time, would have been revolutionary and might have opened the series up to new audiences.

At least for PH, there's a patch that adds the controls back onto the controls. https://gbatemp.net/threads/legend-of-zelda-phantom-hourglass-d-pad-patch.375388/

I think there might even be an option to mempatch it in via an action replay. I still don't know why they insisted of forcing touchscreen controls only instead of running it as a hybrid control, it's so much better with standard controls.

When the sensors worked, Skyward Sword was pretty decent. I loved the art style, the temples are great looking with mostly satisfying bosses, and the Bow and Beetle are the perfect items for use with the motion controls. Unfortunately, 90 percent of my experience in the game was fighting with the physical interface and frustrating stamina limitations. When combined with Fi, the vast majority of the overworld being empty and disconnected from each other, more back tracking than a Metroidvania, the repeated fights with the overgrown muppet, it felt like it got rushed out the door so they could release it in for the anniversary instead of letting it brew in production for a while longer. I legitimately think it would have been a much better game had they pushed it's release out to the Wii U without the complete reliance on motion controls.

Carbon dioxide
Oct 9, 2012

Explopyro posted:

This is spot-on.

At the same time, impressive technical achievements are not necessarily good game design decisions. Mediocre though they may be, all three of those games would probably have been better sans gimmick. (The one thing I really did appreciate in PH, despite being right-handed myself, is that the controls were fully reversible to accommodate lefties. Nintendo don't always do that with their gimmicks - just look at Twilight Princess or Skyward Sword, where they warped the entire game to make it right-handed friendly and then didn't give options.)

That said, I suspect Phantom Hourglass would have been a much bigger success had it been released on mobile phones, because the dissonance wouldn't be smashing you in the face all the time ("look at all these face buttons I could be using! why can't I?") and a new Zelda release for that kind of platform, especially at the time, would have been revolutionary and might have opened the series up to new audiences.

I recently found out that there's actually an option in the Option menu of the Twilight Princess Wii version to change all the Wii pointer aiming into control stick aiming. You still have to slash the Wiimote to use the sword and stuff but it does help if you can't be bothered with pointing your controller all the time.

C-Euro
Mar 20, 2010

:science:
Soiled Meat
It might not be my favorite Zelda dungeon but I've always found the name and atmosphere of the Temple of Droplets to be really evocative in a way that few Zelda dungeons achieve.

Silegna
Aug 20, 2013

Hey, heads up. I'm about to unleash my rage.

pointlessone posted:

At least for PH, there's a patch that adds the controls back onto the controls. https://gbatemp.net/threads/legend-of-zelda-phantom-hourglass-d-pad-patch.375388/

I think there might even be an option to mempatch it in via an action replay. I still don't know why they insisted of forcing touchscreen controls only instead of running it as a hybrid control, it's so much better with standard controls.

When the sensors worked, Skyward Sword was pretty decent. I loved the art style, the temples are great looking with mostly satisfying bosses, and the Bow and Beetle are the perfect items for use with the motion controls. Unfortunately, 90 percent of my experience in the game was fighting with the physical interface and frustrating stamina limitations. When combined with Fi, the vast majority of the overworld being empty and disconnected from each other, more back tracking than a Metroidvania, the repeated fights with the overgrown muppet, it felt like it got rushed out the door so they could release it in for the anniversary instead of letting it brew in production for a while longer. I legitimately think it would have been a much better game had they pushed it's release out to the Wii U without the complete reliance on motion controls.

If I remember right, when Thorn LPd Skyward Sword, his Wiimote kept desyncing and he modified his Wii to make Fi shut up.

Commander Keene
Dec 21, 2016

Faster than the others



Carbon dioxide posted:

I recently found out that there's actually an option in the Option menu of the Twilight Princess Wii version to change all the Wii pointer aiming into control stick aiming. You still have to slash the Wiimote to use the sword and stuff but it does help if you can't be bothered with pointing your controller all the time.
Honestly, the pointer aiming was fine, it was the waggle-slashing that bothered me in Twilight Princess.

Silegna posted:

If I remember right, when Thorn LPd Skyward Sword, his Wiimote kept desyncing and he modified his Wii to make Fi shut up.
I thought it was so that he could add in the patch that stops the game from telling you what you just picked up every single time. Granted, both are perfectly justifiable reasons to mod your Wii.

ThornBrain
Jan 25, 2011

Hi. I forgot your name. Whatever.
My... point is...
Hi. Your head's on fire.


Feckin birds again

BioEnchanted
Aug 9, 2011

He plays for the dreamers that forgot how to dream, and the lovers that forgot how to love.
Maybe the Royal Valley is called that because it's trying to call on the idea of the Valley of Kings, the collection of smaller tombs and catacombs in Egypt?

Explopyro
Mar 18, 2018

I seem to remember there being exactly one time I considered trading the remote bombs back for normal ones. The thing is, remote bombs have to land before you detonate them, you can't set them off in midair over pits (while a normal bomb can if you time it right). There's exactly one room in the final dungeon where I was initially stumped at how to get through with remote bombs, though there's a better solution: there are bob-omb enemies in the room, and if you launch one from the gust jar it'll explode on contact. The other (very minor) downside to remote bombs is that you can only have one out at once, unlike regular bombs where you can have two, but that literally never matters.

Remote bombs are awesome though, and lots of fun to use; they're definitely one of the better new items in this game. I always found them especially handy against Darknuts.

The Royal Crypt was always one of my favourite areas for some reason, but I think it's really just the music and nostalgia factor. The actual puzzles in there aren't terribly interesting, honestly, and it's very short. Then again, it could also be that it indicates my actual favourite area is coming very soon (Cloud Tops).

I think the "amulets" the newsletter is referring to are the "charms" the Oracles give you. Maybe that was a translation mistake?

Bellmaker
Oct 18, 2008

Chapter DOOF



Oh I definitely never found those butterflies.

That poo poo should be standard dammit :argh:

Quantum Toast
Feb 13, 2012

Huh, I remembered the butterflies appearing in those spots, but not what they actually did. I had a vague idea you had to catch them in a bottle for somebody.

It's kind of crazy just how many different upgrades this game throws at you, but I guess they had to fill out the kinstone rewards somehow. I'm certainly not complaining.

MeccaPrime
May 11, 2010

Quantum Toast posted:

It's kind of crazy just how many different upgrades this game throws at you, but I guess they had to fill out the kinstone rewards somehow. I'm certainly not complaining.

They really do pack a ton of content into a seemingly small, handheld game and that's why I love it so much (despite its flaws).

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ThornBrain
Jan 25, 2011

Hi. I forgot your name. Whatever.
My... point is...
Hi. Your head's on fire.
Phantom Hourglass



Freakin', you know. Boat captains.

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