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PAMaster
Mar 2, 2013

Tiger Bard Apprentice


Lost Kingdoms is an Action-RPG released in 2002 for the Nintendo Gamecube by From Software, the same team behind Armored Core and Dark Souls. Notable for a unique card-based combat system and an exeptionally generic storyline, Lost Kingdoms has found some popularity as a niche title and remains notable for being one of the first genuine RPGs released for the Gamecube prior to Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door. Despite having failed largely due to lack of marketing and some clunky mechanics at its original release, I still really enjoy Lost Kingdoms for its unique gameplay and the random elements in the combat system.

Lost Kingdoms is the story of generic princess Katia, whose kingdom is under threat by a strange Black Fog that has already engulfed most of the continent. Using the Runestone entrusted to her kingdom, Katia must use its power and the power of ancient magical cards to fight her way through the Black Fog and save the world.



Viewer Interaction
- If there are any cards that I find that you absolutely want to see, let me know and I'll try to throw it into the deck at earliest opportunity. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to give you guys full control of the deck I use, but if more than one deck was suggested it'd be a matter of trying to consolidate the suggestions as best I could and that'd just end up with a big mess.
- If you want to do guest commentary, send me a PM and I'll try to find a recording time that works for all involved.

Thread Rules
1) Keep things civil and moderately on-topic, but that almost goes without saying.
2) Spoilers are usually frowned upon, but the story of this game falls so short that most things aren't worth spoiling. That said, try to keep commentary related to stuff we've already seen.

--Videos--
Episode 1: Fog at the Gates
Episode 2: The Scholar of Blessoon
Episode 3: The Birds and the Bees
Episode 4: The Cards must flow
Episode 5: Collector's Edition Guest: Geop
Episode 6: Sewer Wader
Episode 7: The Castle of Secret Switches Guest: Latchford
Episode 8: My Kingdom for some Herb Guest: Latchford
Episode 9: Bridge over untroubled water
Episode 10: A Goose in Crystal Guest: E1ke
Episode 11: Pick a card Guest: TieTuesday
Episode 12: Playing the Field
Episode 13: Tiger Guild Guest: TieTuesday
Episode 14: Mediocre Demons Guest: Madithen
Episode 15: Give a Hoot
Episode 16: Duel
Episode 17: Repetition of a Stage
Episode 18: Forest Maze
Episode 19: Ancient Pyramid
Episode 20: Touch the orb
Episode 21: Out of the frying pan
Episode 22 [Finale]: Battle of the Gods

PAMaster fucked around with this message at 19:34 on Apr 19, 2015

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Zanzibar Ham
Mar 17, 2009

You giving me the cold shoulder? How cruel.


Grimey Drawer
Alright, another card-based game. And on the Gamecube! One step closer to maybe one day seeing someone competent play that PSO card game I couldn't get the hang of.

I was actually interested in this game, but I didn't get a chance to buy it in the end. It'll be cool seeing what I missed.

grandalt
Feb 26, 2013

I didn't fight through two wars to rule
I fought for the future of the world

And the right to have hot tea whenever I wanted
Interesting game. Pity I never heard of it before, I would have bought it.

Yapping Eevee
Nov 12, 2011

STAND TOGETHER.
FIGHT WITH HONOR.
RESTORE BALANCE.

Eevees play for free.
I remember hearing about this game! One of my friends loved it to pieces, but I've never been able to really see it in action. I'll be eagerly following along.

PAMaster posted:

Viewer Interaction- There are some points in the game where the levels will split between an optional sidequest and the storyline progression. When this happens, I'll ask the thread which stage I should tackle next.

Save yourself some time; sidequests always come before plot in RPGs.

PAMaster
Mar 2, 2013

Tiger Bard Apprentice

Yapping Eevee posted:

I remember hearing about this game! One of my friends loved it to pieces, but I've never been able to really see it in action. I'll be eagerly following along.


Save yourself some time; sidequests always come before plot in RPGs.

Fair enough. Some Sidequests are unlocked sequentially, which is why I was considering doing Story-Side-Story-Side or something like that... but they're pretty fun stages and we've already got 'em unlocked, so why not.

Yapping Eevee
Nov 12, 2011

STAND TOGETHER.
FIGHT WITH HONOR.
RESTORE BALANCE.

Eevees play for free.
Having actually watched it now, I'd say you've done a very good job with this opening video. Solid explanation, getting the rare monster, showing off Abort as a useful mechanic and saying you'll be getting the boss cards... All extremely promising.

PAMaster posted:

Fair enough. Some Sidequests are unlocked sequentially, which is why I was considering doing Story-Side-Story-Side or something like that... but they're pretty fun stages and we've already got 'em unlocked, so why not.

Ah, so there might be several straight videos where beating part 1 of a sidequest unlocks part 2 immediately, and so on and so forth? That's rather rare in videogames, honestly.

How Rude
Aug 13, 2012


FUCK THIS SHIT
I loving loved this game. The versus mode is hilarious fun, especially when all you have are weapon cards and one doppelganger each.

CatsPajamas
Jul 4, 2013

I hated the new Stupid Newbie avatar so much that I bought a new one for this user. Congrats, Lowtax.
I rented this game once and remember enjoying it, though I don't think I got very far. Glad to see it being LPed! The combat system is more unique than your typical RPG and I really appreciate games doing something different with their mechanics.

PAMaster, nice job with the presentation here! Like Yapping Eevee said, you explain the mechanics and show them off well. Also, though you made a good decision to skip over generic dialog and tutorial text. I'm looking forward to hearing more detail about individual cards in the future!

PAMaster
Mar 2, 2013

Tiger Bard Apprentice

Yapping Eevee posted:

Ah, so there might be several straight videos where beating part 1 of a sidequest unlocks part 2 immediately, and so on and so forth? That's rather rare in videogames, honestly.

Not even that complex. Each sidequest is a single self-contained level, which you resolve by the end of the stage. But they're unlocked based on completion of previous optional stages and total stages cleared, so we'll be seeing sidequests as early as episode 3.

gnome7
Oct 21, 2010

Who's this Little
Spaghetti?? ??
Ahh, Lost Kingdoms. I have a lot of fond memories of this series, I should go dig out my copy and give it a re-play. Your voice is pleasant to listen to and you're very thorough as well, so I'll be watching this LP!

And I'll be sure to tell you some cool cards to show off, but that will be later, when you get them.

booksnake
May 4, 2009

we who are crowned with the crest of wisdom
I vaguely remember seeing this game and back then, the From Software pedigree wouldn't have meant anything to me, but it looks neat. Enjoying your commentary, it's nice and clear.

Drakenel
Dec 2, 2008

The glow is a guide, my friend. Though it falls to you to avert catastrophe, you will never fight alone.
Oh hey, I had been thinking about getting this again recently just out of nostalgia. Guess I won't have to now.

Planning on the sequel too if this goes well, I hope?

PAMaster
Mar 2, 2013

Tiger Bard Apprentice

Drakenel posted:

Planning on the sequel too if this goes well, I hope?

I'd have to find a copy, first. I've never even played the sequel.

gnome7
Oct 21, 2010

Who's this Little
Spaghetti?? ??

PAMaster posted:

I'd have to find a copy, first. I've never even played the sequel.

You are missing out. It continues the fine tradition of excellent gameplay mixed with an incredibly generic story. It even improves on the first's gameplay! It adds a 6th element that is weak to itself and a million more cards, and you can actually just straight up replay stages before you beat the game! (That second one is a minor spoiler for this game, and the first one is a minor spoiler for the second game)

I highly recommend hunting down a copy, if you enjoyed this game.

Morbidmind
Feb 24, 2013
Wow, Lost Kingdoms, talk about a game that swallowed my childhood. I remember trying to 100% this, but never being able to catch a specific tricky bird towards the end of the game. I won't spoil it in case PAMaster is planning on showing off all the captures. (Good on him if he does, theres a lot.)

Maekrix Waere
Jul 10, 2010
Oh man, Lost Kingdoms. I absolutely adored this game. I really should hunt down the sequel....

Anyway, looking forward to this LP so much.

ExiledTinkerer
Nov 4, 2009
That's about the best introductory episode possible for this game---hit on lots of memories and stung me at the same time as I don't think I ever found that first hidden card despite clearing the game and the sequel multiple times back in the day.

Definitely looking forward to the rest to come!

Androc
Dec 26, 2008

Oh, man, I loved both this game and 2 in spite of playing them both on terrible used copies that forced you to open and close the disc case every 5 minutes. The whole 'action rpg with deck-building elements' actually reminds me a lot of the Mega Man Battle Network series, which I also adored. I would basically kill for a good modern game or mmo in the vein of either.

PAMaster
Mar 2, 2013

Tiger Bard Apprentice

Androc posted:

Oh, man, I loved both this game and 2 in spite of playing them both on terrible used copies that forced you to open and close the disc case every 5 minutes. The whole 'action rpg with deck-building elements' actually reminds me a lot of the Mega Man Battle Network series, which I also adored. I would basically kill for a good modern game or mmo in the vein of either.

I really think that the card-battle system within instanced arenas does smack quite a bit of MMBN, and I enjoyed that franchise as well. I definitely agree that a game with a similar battle system would be something I'd snap up in a heartbeat, but we can only hope that whatever new game uses the system would have a plot better than either MMBN or Lost Kingdoms.

Hrist
Feb 21, 2011


Lipstick Apathy
I was always so excited for this game when it first came out, but I never got a chance to buy it. I remember trying to rent it once a week for a while, but the Blockbuster never had it. I swear someone must have just stolen the disc or something.

Really looking forward to the rest of this. I always wanted a chance to see all the monsters the game has.

MadHat
Mar 31, 2011

Hrist posted:

I was always so excited for this game when it first came out, but I never got a chance to buy it. I remember trying to rent it once a week for a while, but the Blockbuster never had it. I swear someone must have just stolen the disc or something.

Really looking forward to the rest of this. I always wanted a chance to see all the monsters the game has.

There is quite the variety but we have already seen one of my Favorites, the Hobgoblin [red guy with the club] It is an Independent Card and when summoned will attempt to Fart your enemies to Death!

PAMaster
Mar 2, 2013

Tiger Bard Apprentice

Episode 2: The Scholar of Blessoon

Time for an update! We've got some more cards and some more things to show off, but mostly we're still getting our feet on the ground and our collection started.

Also, we meet a man who never took his cap off after graduation.

PAMaster fucked around with this message at 19:50 on Feb 4, 2014

Blue Ghost
Dec 12, 2012
I'm guessing there is an upper limit to the amount you can "evolve" cards into better cards. Is it possible to reach this upper tier if you have enough experience early in the game or is it too hard or illadvised?

PAMaster
Mar 2, 2013

Tiger Bard Apprentice

Blue Ghost posted:

I'm guessing there is an upper limit to the amount you can "evolve" cards into better cards. Is it possible to reach this upper tier if you have enough experience early in the game or is it too hard or illadvised?

Mostly it's limited by the cards themselves. There's no one "overpowered" card, but transforming can be used to get cards much earlier than you would otherwise.

And there's a soft cap in card cost. Higher tier cards cost more mana, and you only have 10 mana to cast them at the beginning of the game.

The Lord of Hats
Aug 22, 2010

Hello, yes! Is being very good day for posting, no?
Holy poo poo, I remember seeing someone playing this years ago, and I never found out what it was until now. I don't know *why* that memory stuck with me, but it sure did.

Six Of Spades
Oct 24, 2010

"...That too is according to my calculations."
Oh man, I really enjoy this game, even though in a few ways, it's not so fun to play. The deck building and action RPG battles are really neat, but the game is quite willing to screw you over without saying anything. On my first play of the game I went through some stages missing out on the boss reward card, saving, and then realising later I couldn't go back to the stage. Augh.

Also, Katia has awful movement, which isn't a problem right now, but will definitely becomes so once you start fighting in tighter spaces, or against foes with better attack speed and range than you.

The music's also pretty good in an understated way. The card shop theme in particular is really nice. Can't say the same for the environment design, though. It's a very grey game.

I have the sequel too - but I've not played more than the first hour or so of it.

PAMaster
Mar 2, 2013

Tiger Bard Apprentice

Episode 3: The Birds and the Bees


The world is in trouble? The land is in peril?
gently caress that, there are some bees menacing some villagers! Take 'em out!

Raptor Adaptor
Jun 2, 2013
Thanks for LPing this, I remember playing the poo poo out of this game but forgot it's name when card games were discussed.

PAMaster
Mar 2, 2013

Tiger Bard Apprentice
Hey, everyone! A couple quick notes about the LP updates.

I've got a couple episodes recorded ahead, just need to edit and upload them. So I'll have a bit of a backlog to work through.
This is important because a recent update to... iTunes, supposedly, broke the MSVCR80.DLL file on my computer and the computers of quite a few other people. This leaves my Elgato Capture Card software completely unable to boot, and leaves OBS and XSplit unusable as well.

I'm still able to use Bandicam, but until Apple releases an official fix or I can get my computer in to a professional... well, I'll have the updates I've already recorded at the very least.

So hopefully there won't be a delay in the update schedule, but forewarned is forearmed and all that.

Ubiquitous_
Nov 20, 2013

by Reene

PAMaster posted:

Hey, everyone! A couple quick notes about the LP updates.

I've got a couple episodes recorded ahead, just need to edit and upload them. So I'll have a bit of a backlog to work through.
This is important because a recent update to... iTunes, supposedly, broke the MSVCR80.DLL file on my computer and the computers of quite a few other people. This leaves my Elgato Capture Card software completely unable to boot, and leaves OBS and XSplit unusable as well.

I'm still able to use Bandicam, but until Apple releases an official fix or I can get my computer in to a professional... well, I'll have the updates I've already recorded at the very least.

So hopefully there won't be a delay in the update schedule, but forewarned is forearmed and all that.

Easiest fix is to uninstall everything Apple-related (iTunes, Bonjour, apple mobile support, etc.) but not Quicktime or Safari. Then reinstall iTunes. It should fix the problem. Apple Mobile Device Support may have trouble uninstalling, so just ignore it if it doesn't.

PAMaster
Mar 2, 2013

Tiger Bard Apprentice

Ubiquitous_ posted:

Easiest fix is to uninstall everything Apple-related (iTunes, Bonjour, apple mobile support, etc.) but not Quicktime or Safari. Then reinstall iTunes. It should fix the problem. Apple Mobile Device Support may have trouble uninstalling, so just ignore it if it doesn't.

But *not* quicktime? Tried it with and without quicktime, still have the same issue. I'll try it without uninstalling Quicktime again tomorrow, who knows.

Edit: I've also posted in the Tech Support forum about this, hopefully something helpful comes out of it.

Ubiquitous_
Nov 20, 2013

by Reene

PAMaster posted:

But *not* quicktime? Tried it with and without quicktime, still have the same issue. I'll try it without uninstalling Quicktime again tomorrow, who knows.

Edit: I've also posted in the Tech Support forum about this, hopefully something helpful comes out of it.

I just did it this way: Uninstall from Windows the following programs in this order: iTunes, Apple Software Update, Apple Mobile Device Support, Bonjour, Apple Application Support, iCloud, and finally MobileMe.

And it worked. Though AMDS didn't want to uninstall. I can't tell if it works for anyone else, though.

PAMaster
Mar 2, 2013

Tiger Bard Apprentice

Episode 4: The Cards must flow

Well I fixed my computer by reinstalling the OS, so it's update time again!

Have you ever wanted to see a really cowardly giant sand worm and an underwhelming desert treasure?
Well first off that's a pretty specific thing to want. And secondly, it happens to be the content of this episode.

Other content for this update:
Here's the Crystal Rose picture that I mention near the end of the episode, for reference.

PAMaster fucked around with this message at 09:09 on Feb 12, 2014

gnome7
Oct 21, 2010

Who's this Little
Spaghetti?? ??
Crystal Rose is a fantastic card, you need to use it in an episode or two :colbert:

Or maybe it's only fantastic in LK2, I don't recall how it was in the first game. Use it anyway.

Maekrix Waere
Jul 10, 2010

gnome7 posted:

Crystal Rose is a fantastic card, you need to use it in an episode or two :colbert:

Or maybe it's only fantastic in LK2, I don't recall how it was in the first game. Use it anyway.

IIRC, Crystal Rose in LK1 functions, essentially, like a significantly lower damage (I want to say less than half), Water type Banshee that has a chance of inflicting Charm.

Ledgem
Oct 20, 2010
The trickster is actually one of the sand beetle's 3 transformations. The thread reminded me that I'd never finished this game and I've been trying to follow along and knew I had gotten one somehow without capturing it.

Also, this game feels like it's just short of being incredibly amazing. If enemies were faster, you could use cards at any time, and perhaps the main character had a roll of some sort. She moves so slow and so often do I wish I could do a dodge roll out of the way of enemy attacks.

PAMaster
Mar 2, 2013

Tiger Bard Apprentice

Ledgem posted:

The trickster is actually one of the sand beetle's 3 transformations. The thread reminded me that I'd never finished this game and I've been trying to follow along and knew I had gotten one somehow without capturing it.

Also, this game feels like it's just short of being incredibly amazing. If enemies were faster, you could use cards at any time, and perhaps the main character had a roll of some sort. She moves so slow and so often do I wish I could do a dodge roll out of the way of enemy attacks.

Yeah, let me clarify this real quick because I botched that REALLY badly:

You cannot FIND a Trickster in a chest or in the environment. The only way to get it is by doing one of the following:
  • Capture it in the Gromtull Desert
  • Upgrade it from the Hobgoblin at 3k exp
  • Upgrade it from the Sand Beetle at 1k exp
  • Draw it as a stage reward for a stage we haven't seen yet.

What I was trying to communicate was that you had to capture or transform one, but you couldn't ever just buy or find one.


And as for your second point, I completely agree. A bit of a larger world, a bit of a faster protagonist, some slightly improved mechanics... this game feels like it had a bunch of great ideas that it never quite got to exercise fully.

ExiledTinkerer
Nov 4, 2009
Surely I wasn't the only one that, upon encountering and finally obtaining a Trickster, proceeded to then create a deck heavily comprised of them and just outright malign the daylights out of all manner of encounters and eventually bosses just to screw with them? Status ailment roulette and watching it survival-dance attempts to wreck it much as it did for me as a first time player made for prime cathartic entertainment.

Admiral H. Curtiss
May 11, 2010

I think there are a bunch of people who can create trailing images. I know some who could do this as if they were just going out for a stroll.
Too late now, but

PAMaster posted:

MSVCR80.DLL

Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable Version 8.0. Or in other words, this file.

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PAMaster
Mar 2, 2013

Tiger Bard Apprentice

Admiral H. Curtiss posted:

Too late now, but


Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable Version 8.0. Or in other words, this file.

Reinstalled that maybe six or seven times over the three days that I was tackling the issue and it never took. So maybe there was something else at fault, but that file was consistently the keystone of the missing BS.

ExiledTinkerer posted:

Surely I wasn't the only one that, upon encountering and finally obtaining a Trickster, proceeded to then create a deck heavily comprised of them and just outright malign the daylights out of all manner of encounters and eventually bosses just to screw with them? Status ailment roulette and watching it survival-dance attempts to wreck it much as it did for me as a first time player made for prime cathartic entertainment.

I don't create many Trickster decks, but I will admit that some of the status effects are absurdly powerful. Against the player, charm reverses your controls. Against an opponent, charm makes them attack their allies. The only status effect that I'd argue is worse for the player than for the monsters is Poison, and that's just because it interrupts your movement so frequently.

gnome7 posted:

Crystal Rose is a fantastic card, you need to use it in an episode or two :colbert:

Or maybe it's only fantastic in LK2, I don't recall how it was in the first game. Use it anyway.

Crystal Rose is a pretty middling card in the first game. Damage is only moderate, but it inflicts the just-mentioned Charm effect with infrequent reliability. Its range is insane and instant, mind, but the hitbox is also really really small for the Crystal Beam so it's easy to whiff the hit.
That said, I think it's in every episode from this point on. (That is to say, for at least as far as I've recorded)

PAMaster fucked around with this message at 04:22 on Feb 13, 2014

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