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Paint me like one of your French girls: Let’s Play Atelier Lydie & Suelle! Welcome! We'll be playing Super Mario 64, wherein we explore worlds within magical paintings with Mario to save Princess… wait, no, that didn't come out right. We'll be playing Atelier Lydie & Suelle ~The Alchemists and the Mysterous Paintings~, wherein we explore wondrous worlds within mysterious paintings with the twin alchemists Lydie and Suelle Malen! Tell me more about Atelier Lydie & Suelle. Atelier Lydie & Suelle (PS4/Switch/PC) is the 19th entry in Gust's crafting RPG Atelier series and the last entry in the series' Mysterious trilogy, Atelier Sophie (8 years prior) and Atelier Firis (4 years prior) being the prequels. Despite this, Lydie & Suelle stands on its own as a story. During the course of the game, we'll see our eponymous protagonists fulfill the promise they made with their mother on her deathbed to one day run the best Atelier in their country in spite of their inexperience, their family's grinding poverty, and their deadbeat dad. The main story is neatly divided into twelve chapters, almost all of which focus around an alchemy examination and a subsequent investigation of a Mysterious Painting. Keeping with Atelier tradition, we'll also delve into the friendships they make along the way—important friendships that will help them realize their dream and then some. Despite what the title might prime Dusk trilogy veterans to think, Lydie & Suelle does not have separate stories like Escha & Logy and Shallie did. You can even freely switch which twin is on the overworld, but the few resulting differences are all cosmetic in nature. That's nice. So how will this LP run? This will be a screenshot LP (with video links for events). I'll be showing the main story along with all character events, as is required to achieve this game's True Ending. There's also plenty of scenes where conversations between characters happen offscreen; in these cases, I'll do my best to fill in the blanks. I'll denote these inserted lines with italics next to the character's avatar. With this in mind, doing all character events means a lot of content to cover. To avoid bloating the LP, I'm not going to show all the gathering, battles, or syntheses done. Any of my own commentary will be denoted with italics. Spoilers This being a LP of the last installment in the Mysterious trilogy, it will spoil some major plot beats from Sophie and Firis.  I'll denote these with siren emotes and bold text when they come up, but if you care about plot beats from the prequels (especially since there's also a LP of Sophie going on), then tread carefully. As for the plot of Lydie & Suelle itself, please keep the black bar discussion to a minimum. The story is more cute, simple, comedic and lighthearted than complex and loaded, but there will still be scenes that can blindside you despite all of that.UPDATES  Part 1-1: The Twins Malen Part 1-2: Errands and Envy Part 1-3: The Painting in the Basement Debrief  Part 2-1: The Official Notice and Opportunity Part 2-2: Their Mentor's First Lessons Part 2-3: Creativity and Potential Debrief  Part 3-1: Ambition and Reputation Part 3-2: Encounters, Lessons and Visits Part 3-3: The Bodyguard and the Painting Part 3-4: A Mysterious World Part 3-5: Sue's Choice Debrief  Part 4-1: Paintings, Princesses and Purchases Part 4-2: Love, War and Alchemy Part 4-3: Respite...? Part 4-4: The Race to F Rank Part 4-5: Renown and Restoration Part 4-6: Their Rival's Challenge Part 4-7: Settlement Debrief  Part 5-1: The Budding Alchemy Hub Part 5-2: Heirs and Gifts Part 5-3: Plants and Puppets Part 5-4: Learning Curves Part 5-5: Pranks and Powers Part 5-6: The Mysterious Boy's Omen Part 5-7: In Want of Saviors Debrief  Part 6-1: Alchemy For Whose Sake Part 6-2: Calm During the Storm Part 6-3: Brewing a Storm Part 6-4: Medicine and Metallurgy Part 6-5: Revels in the Rain Part 6-6: The Legend Roars to Life Part 6-7: Despair and Hope Part 6-8: Arts of Ancient Times Part 6-9: Revenge of the Twins Debrief  Part 7-1: The Promise on Hold Part 7-2: Odd Jobs and Odder Clients Part 7-3: Teach in Tow Part 7-4: Puppets, Poltergeists and Prep Part 7-5: The Twins' First Vacation Part 7-6: The Captain's Treasures Debrief  Part 8-1: The Promise Resumed Part 8-2: Those They Miss Part 8-3: Those They Cherish Part 8-4: Those Who Can Part 8-5: Rock and Reminiscence Part 8-6: Defending the Paintings Part 8-7: Painting Travelers and Time Travelers Part 8-8: Promises From Their Youth Debrief  Part 9-1: Roger's Challenge Part 9-2: Luck and Leadership Part 9-3: Growth in Adversity Part 9-4: Trials and Tasks Part 9-5: Test, Texts and Stakes Part 9-6: Restoration Part 9-7: Miracle Debrief  Part 10-1: Family Secrets Part 10-2: Moms, Sisters and Voices Part 10-3: Longing, Regrets and Bonds Part 10-4: The Mysterious, Mysterious Story Part 10-5: Goals and Potential Part 10-6: Revels, Rivals and Royalty Part 10-7: Sophie's Dreams Part 10-8: Gifts and Growth Part 10-9: Fights and Footsteps Part 10-10: Voices and Conflict Part 10-11: Dreams and Promises  Part 11-1: The Hell Within Heaven Part 11-2: Paint-Purging Preparations Part 11-3: The Black Horizon Debrief  Part L-1: The Last Beginnings Part L-2: Reunions and Partings Part L-3: The Future Kings Part L-4: Things Finally Said Part L-5: The Goddess' Realms Part L-6: A Break with the Past Part L-7: A Dream Made Reality Part L-8: A New Reality Part L-9: An Oath of Return Part L-10: The Dream They Shared Part L-11: Their Cherished Mentor Part L-12: The Meaning of Happiness Part L-13: The Last Trials Part L-14: A New Way Forward Part L-15: Alchemy of Happiness Part L-16: The Promise Fulfilled  Honoring the Promise: Protecting the Atelier Honoring the Promise: Harbingers of Happiness Honoring the Promise: A Booming Business Honoring the Promise: Alchemists and Mysterious Painters Honoring the Promise: Vanguards of a New Age Last debrief and final notes Tutorials Alchemy Forging/Equipment Jerry Manderbilt fucked around with this message at 18:55 on Sep 8, 2019 |
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Nov 10, 2018 20:00
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Part 1-1: The Twins Malen Title Screen Opening Music: Chroma - riya (eufonius) / Ceui This is the story of two young girls…  …fulfilling the promise they made to their late mother…  …and the paintings that will make their dreams reality…  …and the mentors supporting them every step of the way.  Now let’s join them for a day in the field… Foraging for Father  Music: Off Together   Not a thing. Boy, this looks bad. We need to do something!  I know. If we don’t find some ingredients soon, we won’t have anything to eat tomorrow! Argh! I can’t stand that bitter uni soup anymore! Hahaha, me neither. We should just search some more. Well said, Sis! I’ll leave this in your capable hands! Hold it! No way, Sister! You’re helping me too! Bah! Alright! Don’t make a big thing about it! Alright! That’s enough Tauns! Whew. That should do it from around here. Next we need…Music: A Walk in the Woods Some ores and some fruit. Let’s start with the ores. Sure thing! Ore, ore, sweet little ore! Ah, there’s a promising looking rock over there! Promise with Mom Number 1! “Don’t give up before you even try!” I picked up loads more than you back there. Your turn to pull your weight, BIG sis. Uwah! Stop picking on me! OK, OK, I’m on this. You may have arms even flabbier than a Puni, but even you can do this, Lydie! Just keep swinging at the rock until it breaks! Phew! Finally got it! I can’t take any more. My lungs are burning!Music: Sue’s Favorite Things Yes, yes, great work. Leave the rest of this to me. Right! Fruit! There’s one place to find it. One good kick should start a fruit fall. Can’t hurt to give it a try! Phew… Sue can shake that tree with just a few good kicks without even breaking a sweat, while I’m… Well, that’s that! Ah! That takes care of the fruit, too! Which means we’ve collected everything that Dad asked for.Music: Twin Leaves Phew! I’m totally exhausted from all that! It was worth it, though. No more of that soup! Haha! Anyway, I think we’d better be…A thunderbolt rings in the background. Kyaaah! There’s been so many thunderstorms recently! I know. It’s hardly the season for them, too. Well, you can’t control the weather! Let’s just get back to the atelier before it starts raining. Not a bad idea. In which case… race you!Sue runs off. Hey! No fair! Wait up, Sue!Lydie runs after her.  The Proud Capital’s Humble Atelier Facing the Marle Ocean and enveloped in the smell of the sea, it is also home to our twin alchemists. The older sister is Lydie. A smart and gentle girl who prefers to avoid most physical activities. The younger one is Suelle. She is a tomboy with a cheerful personality, who can be rather mischievous. Lydie and Sue are always together, and they run a small Atelier along with their father.   A Typical Day for the Twins Malen Dad, we’re back! We gathered all sorts of great stuff! Ah, good work, girls! Although it took you long enough. Music: An Alchemist, an Artist and Our Father! Whose fault is that? You kicked us out the door with just a list and no time to prepare! Did I now, you little scamp? Sorry, I really am getting so forgetful in my old age! Even forgetting how many times you’ve used that one in the last week? Hahaha, you two! Here’s everything we collected. Dad, go ahead and synthesize them. Oh, about that. I’ve had a change of heart. You girls can handle it, right? What! You promised to handle that! There’s two things that need to be made, too! Sorry, I’ve been struck by artistic inspiration. I need to get this down on a canvas! I’m heading down to the basement at once! See you later, girls!Roger runs for the basement.  I’ll show you thunder, you dummy-daddy! Pushing all your work on your daughters! Hahahaha! Farewell! Gah, I can’t stand it! All he does is break his promises! I know it looks that way, but remember what Mom said. He always keeps them in the end, right? I heard her say that, sure. But do you really think it’s true? Nope. Not a word of it. See! Ah, no use complaining. We just have to sort this mess out for ourselves. You said it. We’re back on the soup if we don’t complete this job. Together, we can do it! I hope! Music: What Shall We Make Next? Right. We’ve got this. Lydie, just don’t use the wrong neutralizer again, okay? Me? What about you, Sue! No more broken flasks, understand? Alright, alright! Anyway, we’ve got two healing pads to make and deliver. Right! Ingredients… Princess Grass, some Magic Grass, and some Medicinal Materials. The Tauns you picked count as both Magic Grass and Medicinal Materials. Now, this synthesis will take six hours… That’s one of them finished. It looks like we pulled it off, too. Yes! One more thing to make, then. This was easier than I thought! I think we’re getting better at alchemy. Let’s go right ahead and synthesize the next thing! Yeah, we got this! Good. I’ll add the ingredients, so you turn up the heat, Sue! I’m on it! I can’t be bothered fiddling around, though, so… full power! Raaagh! Music: Overworked Xylophone Calm down, I’ve got it… Uwah! I spilt something? Ugh, what’s that horrible smell? Phew, the fire is out… and now the cauldron is smoking! Sue! Gah, this stink is never coming out! But hold on… why’s the cauldron making that noise? Oh, don’t tell me… It’s going to explode!KABOOM! Ugh! We’re going to be up all night cleaning this up… Music: No More Uni Soup In the end, it took us all night. At least we got it done. My eyes can hardly stay open, but we still need to deliver the goods. The orders were placed by the nun at the church and the blacksmith. Let’s go and finish the job, then. If we just sit here I’m going to fall… asleep… I agree. Yaaaawn! See you later, Mom. See you later, Mom.
Jerry Manderbilt fucked around with this message at 19:12 on Jul 12, 2019 |
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Nov 10, 2018 20:00
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Probably better than the snoozefest of Sophie and the grindfest of Firis
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Nov 10, 2018 20:15
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corn in the bible posted:Probably better than the snoozefest of Sophie and the grindfest of Firis This is easily the best of the trilogy, and the one that I would put up near Arland and Dusk in fun. Firis I consider the worst of the three for many reasons, the biggest being its tendency to crash at the drop of a hat. Nearly rage quit that one after I lost over an hour of progress.
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Nov 10, 2018 21:53
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Part 1-2: Errands and Envy Off we go! The Neighbors, the Nun and the Blacksmith That’s right. We’re off to deliver some items. We aren’t an odd job store! We’re an Atelier! An Alchemy Atelier! Haha, sure thing, Atelier, whatever you say. Good luck with it, anyway! Just be careful of your health! I’ll bring you something nice again soon! Hehe, great! We’ll be looking forward to it!The neighbors leave. Nice, something tasty to look forward to. But for now, we’ve got clients waiting on us! We need to head to Sea-view Hill and Soleil Street. Make the deliveries, get paid, and then sleep like a log! Gaaah, you’ll pay for this, dummy-daddy! We’ll be going to the church on Sea-view Hill first. Music: Escaping the Crowds So for us, that’s south to the Garden of Merk… …And up the hill… Music: A Small Prayer And we made it! Sister Grace! We’re here with a delivery! Those of you who’ve played Sophie and/or Firis may recognize Grace’s surname. But enough of that for the time being.  Ah, thank you for coming. I thought I placed this order with Roger, though? Hahaha, sorry about that. We ended up making it for him. Ah, again? What a deadbeat… I mean, with the grace of God, I gratefully accept your hard work. Here you go, Sister Grace! Thank you so much. I can tell how hard you must have worked on this. You both have bags under your eyes, after all! Ah! Hahaha. I guess we should have at least splashed some water on our faces. My dear children, thank you for your hard work. Here is your payment.100 Coll received. Once you’ve finished work, make sure to take a good long rest. Do you hear me? We will. Thank you, Sister Grace. Good girls. Be careful on your way home.The twins leave the church. Next up is the blacksmith. He’s on Soleil Street, so that’s back the way we came but on the other side of the garden from our atelier on Lune Street. Hello! Hagel, we have a delivery for you! Music: Unendurable Eccentricity (Lydie & Suelle Ver.) Uwaaah! S-S-Sorry, d-d-d-delivery for… Hagel, please. Don’t scare Lydie like that! Oh, it’s just you girls! Sorry about that, I didn’t mean to frighten you. No need to apologize. I do it to myself, honestly. You placed an order with our father, right? We’re here to deliver it for him. We worked pretty hard on this for you! Oh, then I can’t wait to try it out. Show me what you’ve got, girls! Music: Hum While You Work Hey, this is really well made! Especially when compared to the last one! I mean… Ah, hahahaha! Please, forget about that one. Hahaha, consider it forgotten! This will be more than enough. Here’s your reward.100 Coll received. Thank you so much! Hehe, look at this money! You’ve been a big help, girls. I’ll call on you again if I need anything else. The Proud Atelier and the Twins’ Jealousy Music: That Looks Like Fun! You too, Lydie. Do you think we’ll be able to eat tomorrow? I think so, but just a little more would be nice. 400 Coll isn’t much to work with… Why don’t we take a look at the Notice Board in the plaza on the way home? Not a bad idea. I just hope there’s something easy that pays big. Off we go! It’s at the north end of the street!  With all those customers I bet they eat like royals every night. I’d be more shocked if they didn’t! Sure, I’m jealous of the number of their customers too, but it won’t be that way forever. I mean… I know. Our atelier will give them a run for their money soon enough!  Yes, next! Oh! Lydie and Sue! Hello, you two! What are you doing here… Hey! No cutting! It’s my turn next! Butt out, gramps! I was next in line! Uwah, hold on! Stop pushing, please, form an orderly queue! Hey, hands off! Hey, Sue, did you hear something? Nah, I don’t think I did. Now back to business… Right then… What kind of jobs are there on offer? Fighting monsters nearby? That’s too tough for us. Finding a pet Puni? The reward is too small. Hmm, slim pickings. Most of the alchemy work goes to Borthayre. Ah well. Let’s give up on finding work for now. I’ll make the money work, somehow. Sounds like a great idea. I’m almost too tired to move. Let’s head back home, please? We’ve earned the R&R, after doing dummy-daddy’s syntheses and running all over town doing his deliveries for him! Ah, welcome back. You took long enough. Dad? You’re synthesizing? I thought you were painting down in the basement? Hahaha! I started painting and it gave me a recipe idea. So I switched to experimenting at once! Ah, I see. What it is to have such a carefree father. Nothing changes, anyway. Dad, we need some sleep. Just try to keep it down, will you? Sure thing. Rest well, both of you. Good night.The twins go to bed. But before they fall asleep… Music: The Road Home Phew. I can’t help thinking about all those people at Borthayre. I know. The greatest atelier in the kingdom. Totally different from our own little atelier. Tell me, Sue. Do you really think we can take the title of the greatest for ourselves? Hey, come on! Don’t start getting cold feet now. I know. You’re right. I’m just so hungry, I lost my resolve for a moment. We’ve got plenty of hard work again tomorrow, in order to keep our promises to Mom. To run the greatest atelier, together, as a family… Let’s hope Dad pulls his weight in honoring that promise. You say that, but since when could we rely on him for anything? Hahaha! Anyway… it’s been a long day. Good night, Sue. Yeah. Good night, Lydie.
Jerry Manderbilt fucked around with this message at 19:16 on Jul 12, 2019 |
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Nov 11, 2018 04:23
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I'm sure it's just the style of these games, but I have a hard time buying that this family is really that poor when they have such fabulous outfits.
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Nov 11, 2018 14:43
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marshmallow creep posted:I'm sure it's just the style of these games, but I have a hard time buying that this family is really that poor when they have such fabulous outfits. Yeah it's like some kind of dress code for Atelier protagonists, that they have to have fancy headgear and prim, frilly outfits. There's actually a story reason for why the twins have these outfits, but we'll cross that bridge 7 chapters later or so. Anyway, my neck of the woods has horrific air quality right now due to the hellfires in Butte County...which is a great excuse to stay indoors and transcribe more of the footage I recorded. Expect the last update of Chapter 1 later today! Jerry Manderbilt fucked around with this message at 15:09 on Nov 11, 2018 |
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Nov 11, 2018 15:00
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marshmallow creep posted:I'm sure it's just the style of these games, but I have a hard time buying that this family is really that poor when they have such fabulous outfits. I guess if you can just transmute stuff out of anything maybe clothes aren't hard to find. Just chuck some rags in there and stir, problem solved
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Nov 11, 2018 17:03
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I just wonder why Lydie's outfit covers the front and back of her body, but not the sides.
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Nov 11, 2018 20:16
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Part 1-3: The Painting in the Basement The Voice from the Basement Music: That Glaring Girl  What? What happened? Dad, are you OK? Hahaha! Look, girls! Another brilliant failure! You can’t joke your way out of this! I’m sorry! I really am sorry about that! But I’ll let you clean this up! See you later!Roger gets the hell out of the house. Ah, he’s made a run for it! Dummy-daddy, gah, I can’t believe this! Boy. There’s nothing we can say to him, is there. Let’s just tidy this up. Music: Hearing the Voice of Truth Huh? Man! Another over the top explosion. Look at all these fragments of gunk. Lydie? Tell me, Sue. Can you hear anything odd? What? Nope, not a thing. …sad… but… anything. There, again! It’s coming from the basement? Is someone down there? The b-basement? But only Dad is allowed down there. Hold on, though! Hehehe, that gives me a great idea! What do you say to taking a little trip down there? What? But Dad always says we’re not allowed to! You mean our Dad, who always breaks his promises? He doesn’t get a right to complain after yesterday!For those of you watching along, apologies for my trigger finger here! Still, I’m not sure about this… If he gets angry you can just blame me! Come on, we’re doing this! Uwah, I’m sorry, Dad! It looks like I’m going to be a bad girl for a bit!The girls go downstairs. Hehehe. Don’t mind our little intrusion, Daddy dearest! Uwah, Dad, I’m so sorry about this! The twins enter the basement.  You’re kidding! Dad painted this? I don’t know. I think we need to look at it a little closer! A little closer, yeah. …Whuh? What’s going on? It feels like… I’m about to… pass out…?  And with that, welcome to…  Avant Opening Music: Masterpiece! - Haruka Shimotsuki / Mineko Yamamoto Starring…       Our playable cast, joining in that order…    …our two DLC characters, and then some. Uhhmm… I can’t eat a bowl of Puni… I just can’t… ah! The World Within the Painting Amazing! This is totally incredible! I’ve never seen anything like this! Me neither! My heart is racing so fast, I think we might have another explosion on our hands! What is this place, Sue? Are we dreaming? It all looks a lot like that painting, doesn’t it. I don’t think this is a dream. I kinda remember getting sucked into that painting… Kinda. It’s much more fun if this isn’t a dream, anyway! A mysterious world inside a painting? So cool! Like something from a fairy tale! Hey, let’s take a walk around! Who knows what other sights we’ll find, and we do need to find a way home as well. I’m with you! Hehe, I bet we can find something really fun in here!They take a few steps forward and look around. This place really is mysterious. Do you think there are worlds like this in every painting? Hahaha, I’m not sure about that. I don’t think I could paint anything as fabulous as this. Me neither. I really don’t wanna hand it to him, but… I guess you need to be as good at painting as Dad to make this! …Oh? The mysterious woman walks away. She’s gone. Maybe she couldn’t hear me? Right! Come on, Lydie, let’s go after her! She might be able to tell us what this place is! Good plan! She went up this way. Through this hallowed pathway. But… Wow, we’re not making much progress here at all! Is she some kind of speed walker? I think she’s just got really long legs. Come on, try to pick up the pace… Music: Threat Uwah! What’s this thing?! A black monster! It looks a bit different from a Puni. Lydie, can you fight? Sure. I’m pretty scared, but I’ll do my best! Music: Mysterious Painting Kyaa! Lydie! Are you alright?! Yeah. It barely left a mark. Anyway, Sue, are you locked and loaded? Yeah! I’m gonna let this thing have it! Your turn, Lydie! Whack it with everything you’ve got!  Good going! Now I’ll finish the job!  Music: Victory Pose - Lydie That one was all squeak and no bite, huh. It really made me jump, though! Yep, it was like we couldn’t lose! But where’s that woman gone to now? That’s a shame. I really wanted to ask her about this place. Hm… what’s this at my feet? Hey! What is it? Found something? I think you’re right. Hey, look around! There are other potential materials all around here! You’re right! I was so caught up in chasing that woman, I only just noticed! This is great! Let’s start gathering! I’ve never seen any of these before. Imagine the items we could make with these! Sounds great! Let’s collect them all! As many as we can!The twins go flower picking. After they’ve had enough… Phew. That should be enough. I’ve found some really rare stuff! Me too! I’ve never seen these, even in an encyclopedia. I can’t wait to start synthesizing! Me too! Just one more thing, Lydie. You noticed too, Sue? Just how are we going to get out of here… Standing around thinking won’t solve anything. Let’s start walking and see what happens! Promise with Mom Number 5! “Don’t worry - just do it!” W-Well said! If we search a bit more I’m sure we’ll find a way back.After searching around for a while… Nothing. Gulp. If this is all we can find, I guess that means this is what we’ve been looking for! I’m not sure about that logic, but very well! I’m scared, but now’s the time to be brave! Well said! We can do this, together! 1, 2… 3!The twins jump. Elsewhere, the mysterious woman seems to have noticed something.  Alright! I think they should stop being mad at me by now. Anyway… time to go back to painting. …Wait, what’s this? Wondrous Materials What are you doing down here? Huh? Morning, Dad. Wow, what a great nap! Ah! What about all the stuff we just picked up? Girls! How many times have I told you not to come down here? Awesome! They’re all here in my basket! Really? So that world definitely wasn’t a dream! Are you even listening to me? I don’t mind you coming down here, to be honest, but… It was real! Which means we’ve got some synthesizing to do! You said it! Dad, out of the way!The twins run right past Roger. Out of the way? Out of the way, you say? You’ll make me cry, talking to your own dad like that! Alright! Mysterious synthesis! First, I’ll put everything we gathered in storage… And I’ll take over for this synthesis! Music: A Story True to the Heart Right. If we use these materials I bet we’ll create something incredible! Amazing, I bet! Let’s hope we can do it! Hey, Lydie. I don’t think we’ve ever laid our hands on materials this potent before. We haven’t! I can’t wait to see what we can make with ingredients like this! We did it! And look at that quality! I know. Just using the materials from the painting allowed us to make an item this wonderful? If we can make items like this, becoming the greatest atelier in the kingdom won’t be just a dream!Enter Roger. Hey, that’s a pretty well-made item. Where did you buy that from? Heh heh, why spend our money? We made this! Girls, please, enough joking around. I know you’re getting better, but this… We aren’t, joking, OK! We made it from materials we picked up inside that painting! Inside my painting, you mean? Yes! That beautiful one hanging in the basement. We got close to it, felt a bit funny… And when we woke up, we were inside it! Then we used the materials we picked up inside there and made this amazing item! Pretty amazing, right? There were some monsters in there, too, but it was a wonderful place! Hey, I know! Why don’t you come back in with us, Dad, and collect some more… Lydie, Sue. You’re not allowed to go to the basement, you hear me? No way! You’re joking, right? But there are so many incredible materials in there! Sue’s right, Dad! If we use the materials from that painting, our atelier can be the greatest… I’ve made my decision. Feeling funny looking at a painting? Monsters inside it? Come on. There’s some other explanation. The smell of the paint made you lightheaded, most likely. The basement is dangerous, anyway, so it’s off limits. Now, off to bed.Roger heads to the basement. Hey, Dad! Dad, come on! Look here! We’ve got all the materials we picked up right here! It’s no good, he’s gone. I’m pretty exhausted. Let’s just call it a day.That night… I went to take a look, but the basement has been locked up tight. He works fast when we don’t want him to! I guess we don’t get to go back into the picture? I guess not. Even when he gets serious, he still ends up getting in our way. I wanted to talk to that woman, too. Don’t you think she looked a bit like Mom, from behind? Hahaha, yes, I did think that too! But it can’t possibly be her, right? Elsewhere in Merveille…   Come on. Why do I have to do this? If not you, then who else? Come on. Keep those hands moving. You’re as bossy as ever! Alright. I’m doing it, I’m doing it! Hehehe. The real fun starts tomorrow!
Jerry Manderbilt fucked around with this message at 19:22 on Jul 12, 2019 |
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Nov 11, 2018 23:26
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I like Sue's choice in hardware. "We can't afford to eat regularly, but gently caress it, I'm strapped!"
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Nov 12, 2018 00:12
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Chapter 1 debrief And with that, we’ve finished the first chapter of the game! I figure now would be a good time to post some extra stuff about the art and music of the game, complete with composers’ notes. Yuugen and NOCO were the illustrators for the Mysterious trilogy, and with that, Yuugen drew Lydie and NOCO drew Suelle. You can even tell who drew whom by their in-game models: As a rule of thumb, you’ll know which characters Yuugen drew because they’ll have super glimmery eyes, while NOCO’s characters have more solid-colored eyes. The girls NOCO drew will also have a bit of a blush in their artwork, even when they’re not literally on fire like Lydie at the end of the first update. Background stills: Atelier 1 Atelier 2 Atelier 3 Church of Vegne CGs: Synthesis (Lydie) Synthesis (Sue) The Life of the Twins Music: Chroma The opening theme! Vocals are undertaken by Riya of Eufonius, together with Ceui, who sang the grand ending theme of the previous title. Featuring the gimmick of playing two tracks simultaneously, this song led to me being accused of being a pervert again by the bassist, HIROTOMO. Miyoshi is on guitar, while the violin is played by Mukoyama. […] Sound director Saito fired an arrow at us affixed with a remarkably original request: to come up with something that suggests that two people heard the same song, but remembered the melody differently. That’s a lie. There was no arrow. The request was verbal. I responded by suggesting that we play the two tracks simultaneously, which was a nice idea, but a lot harder to put into practice. To say this took plenty of trial and error would be an understatement. (Yano) As Yano alluded to, the title screen opening theme is actually comprised of two vocal tracks running side by side: Canvas One half of “Chroma,” Lydie’s song, sung by Riya, featuring a grand, solemn arrangement centered around strings, piano and orchestral percussion. The lyrics are also more restrained, with a more logical and intellectual feel than those of the emotional and active Suelle. The backing vocals are sung in pure neologism, created by Riya herself - what is commonly known as Riya-ese. (Yano) and… Painting The other half of “Chroma,” sung by Ceui and representing Suelle, featuring a simple guitar, drum and bass arrangement, with the lighter touches added by electric piano and violin. By comparison to the restraint of Lydie’s half, the lyrics feature dynamic, emotive and intuitive phrases like “set off running” and “do what the heart desires.” There is also a lot more vigorous vertical movement in the melody line. (Yano) and on THAT note, as you might have guessed from the descriptions, Lydie-specific tracks sample heavily from Canvas while Suelle-specific tracks sample heavily from Painting. For example, of everything introduced so far, here’s Lydie’s tracks: What Shall We Make Next? Congratulations on clearing the game! Hello, my name is Yano. This is the third title from the Atelier series that I have worked on, but this was the first opportunity I had to write an “in the atelier” track. This one is for Lydie. I used the underlying rhythm of the track to reflect her diligent, step-by-step development. For the introduction, I borrowed a little of the melody from a track written by Mr. Achiwa, for whom I have the greatest respect. (Yano) A Walk in the Woods Hello. Due to a confluence of circumstances, I was asked to arrange just a single track on this title. With the single-minded desire to make our Lydie even more adorable and attractive as a character, I wrote this piece with total dedication to my cause. Ride the rhythm carved out by accordion and marimba, and take a journey to the land within the paintings to make your dreams come true! (Mizukami) Victory Pose - Lydie This is Lydie’s victory music. Lydie’s part from the opening theme is used. The opening theme really is used in so many places throughout this title. (Yanagawa) and Suelle’s tracks: A Story True to the Heart This is Suelle’s “in-the-atelier” track. With twin sisters as protagonists this time, the map music has been designed to differ subtly for each character. For the atelier music, though, we thought a subtle difference wouldn’t be enough, so we wrote two entirely different pieces. In terms of feelings, Lydie’s track is more structured and serious, while Suelle’s featuers a more playful rhythm. (Yano) Sue’s Favorite Things This is the first piece I have ever written for the Atelier series, and was quite a labor of love. The sound director came back to me after my first effort with the comment that it was too refined. Matching it with the other music in the title proved quite difficult. If the piece blends in to the game world without standing out awkwardly, then I will have succeeded. (Nakamura) Victory Pose - Suelle This is Sue’s victory music. Sue’s part from the opening theme is used. The opening theme certainly is used in so many places throughout this title. …Hey, this isn’t just a copy and paste job! I changed it ever so subtly! (Yanagawa) So I hope you liked the title screen opening, because if you watch along you’re going to be hearing it a LOT in some way or form. And now for the rest of the music, in the order in which they’re listed in the game’s Extras section… Escaping the Crowds This is the music played in town during the day when playing as Lydie. There is a lot to do in town, so the track is fairly long, to avoid repetition. Each part of the track features differing emotions, to encourage the player not to use the map shortcuts but to enjoy strolling through the town and absorbing the atmosphere of the game’s world. (Yano) If you have Suelle active in the overworld, this is the track that plays instead in Merveille: Through the Tumult This is the music played in town during the day when playing as Suelle. Large parts of the melody are shared with Lydie’s version, but the key and arrangement differ. This version features drums entering from midway through, creating a more dynamic feel. While Lydie’s track expressed that “this is our home town,” Suelle’s is a more proud expression of the fact that “we live in the royal capital!” (Yano) Hum While You Work This is Yanagawa! I’m pleased to have been able to take part this time as a freelancer. I’m enjoying my days back in my hometown, feeding my pet minnows and finding my own happiness. But enough about me. This track is for the smithy. It’s so nice to be fire up this sound again after so long. Since Meruru, I think… It really takes me back! (Yanagawa) Mysterious Painting This is the generic boss battle music, which you may have noticed was used in the promotional video. It features TAM on violin, Miyoshi on guitar, and HIROTOMO on bass. The sound director had just ordered a retake, and I was about to start on a rewrite when a message arrived from the game’s producer: “This track is fantastic!” Thank you very much, Mr. Hosoi. You saved me. (Yano) An Alchemist, an Artist and Our Father! The protagonist’s father is a role that has appeared several times in the Atelier series (one was even a king), but I’m not sure any have been quite as distinctive and unique as this one. But while he is odd, certainly, he’s actually quite a handsome man. That’s kind of unfair. In old anime, the oddball characters generally had oddball faces, too. (Achiwa) A Small Prayer Yet another nun to make an appearance in the Atelier series. But just what is her story…? To match her image, I used an organ, to create the concept of a small church that is more friendly than solemn. To be honest, I’ve only ever heard a church organ live about three times in my life. All at weddings. (Achiwa) Unendurable Eccentricity (Lydie & Suelle Ver.) Since it’s the twentieth anniversary of the series, I thought I’d like to arrange a track from the original title, Atelier Marie, but I never thought I’d get to have a crack at this one (lol). Those who have only played the Arland series titles might be surprised, but the original blacksmith’s theme sounded like this. (Achiwa) I didn’t mention this when Hagel showed up, but yeah, you might have recognized him from the Arland trilogy or the Atelier Iris games, or maybe even the Atelier Salburg games if you’re really in deep with this series. In the Mysterious trilogy (or really, just in Lydie & Suelle since Logy fulfilled your smithy needs in Sophie and Firis), he comes from a long line of blacksmiths in Merveille. Off Together This composition represents happy, everyday life. Image-wise, it drifts closer to Lydie. This was one of a few tracks I wrote for this title in which I played an instrument myself: the flute or the keyboard harmonica. I always enjoy the recording phase, as it makes me feel like the whole creative process is coming to an end. (Yanagawa) Twin Leaves A slightly more cheerful everyday piece. This one was written with the image of Sue in mind. I like the chord progression used in its opening, and I find myself using it subconsciously a lot. I find its slightly melancholic feeling somewhat attractive. (Yanagawa) The Road Home I was instructed to write a calm, composed piece. It has the feel of a nostalgic traditional folk song like Yuyake Koyake (The Sunset Glow). You come home in the evening to find your mother preparing dinner. She tells you to wash your hands so you head for the bathroom. Once you’re ready, you help her set the table… These memories of childhood are the kinds of childhood nostalgia I was aiming for. (Yanagawa) That Looks Like Fun! This is an exuberantly happy track. Not cheerful or vibrant, but happy. I feel like true happiness makes you run about, then stay still and soak in the moment. This was the image I was going for here. With the relative youth of the protagonists this time, it may also have a more childish feel. (Yanagawa) Fitting notes, since this track will play during some of the most exuberantly happy scenes in the game. Hearing the Voice of Truth This is the backing for a very important discussion, so I made sure that the music maintained a consistent level of excitement so as not to interrupt. It’s enough to make you sleepy. (Yanagawa) Threat A track with the feel of coming under attack. I added a flute, though, to soften the tone a little. The nature of the series is such that you always want to keep a sense of comfort at all things. (Yanagawa) That Glaring Girl A track positively brimming with suspicion. But lest you think this is a simple piece, I assure you that the chords in this composition are complex, and overall it was very difficult! …But I understand that the struggle doesn’t really come across. I feel like I’m always making this complaint! (Yanagawa) No More Uni Soup “I’ve gone and done it now…” This is the feeling this track possesses. Int he real world, when I make a mistake the kind of piece two above this one plays in my mind! I’d much prefer to hear a light, comical piece like this instead! Overworked Xylophone This, too, is a familiar(?) comical march. I’d really like to use deeper notes for the main melody, at least in parts, as it would be more humorous, but the idea of matching deep notes with pretty young girls is always just a step too far, and I never quite manage it. (Yanagawa) Masterpiece! For the avant-opening theme, we asked Haruka Shimotsuki and Mineko Yamamoto, two integral pillars of the Atelier series soundtracks, to provide the vocals. While the song was originally conceived as a solo vocal track, I convinced sound director Saito to let me do things this way (lol). HIROTOMO is on bass, Miyoshi on guitar, and Mukoyama on violin. […] We were instructed by Mr. Jin, the scenario writer, to make this sound like an anime opening theme song. Just the other day, I attended the concern commemorating the twentieth anniversary of the Atelier series, and I saw just how excited the crowd was when Haruka Shimotsuki and Mineko Yamamoto were singing. I thought then that I’d love to write a song like that, so I really thought about the live performance aspect when I wrote this. (Yano) Haruka Shimotsuki's sang a song for most of the games in the series, while Mineko Yamamoto sang the openings for the Arland games and also the avant-opening for Firis. Jerry Manderbilt fucked around with this message at 19:22 on Jul 12, 2019 |
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Nov 13, 2018 03:01
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I really like the music in this game.  I suppose the obvious guess is that the dad is spending all his time painting to try and bring his wife back to life.
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Nov 15, 2018 02:33
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Without spoiling, I'll just say that's a really good guess! But the game won't follow up on the painting in the basement for a looooooooooooooooong time to come; blame Roger for being just competent enough to lock the twins out.
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Nov 15, 2018 03:28
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Incidentally, the three Arland games are coming to PC next month, and a brand new one is releasing next year!
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Nov 15, 2018 04:28
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Lydie has... apparently just strapped two active crystals of some type to her head? I guess in a highly alchemical world you can just bolt on whatever.
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Nov 15, 2018 04:59
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corn in the bible posted:Incidentally, the three Arland games are coming to respectful next month, and a brand new one is releasing next year! They're getting ported to the Switch as well! Hell, this is actually the first Atelier game I've gotten to play because I've never owned a Sony system and I don't have a Windows computer. But I'll be too busy with the LP to really dive into the Arland trilogy (or quadrilogy now I guess) for a good while. Glazius posted:Lydie has... apparently just strapped two active crystals of some type to her head? I guess in a highly alchemical world you can just bolt on whatever. Gemstones attached to her hat, I'd figure; Firis' father, a hardscrabble miner who'd never seen alchemy before, made some really ornate headdress for her out of a crystal just a game ago, so there's some immediate precedent. Jerry Manderbilt fucked around with this message at 13:36 on Nov 15, 2018 |
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Nov 15, 2018 13:33
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Part 2-1: The Official Notice and Opportunity  The Official Notice and Opportunity I know, but I don’t think we have a choice. We just have to improve gradually. How’s that working out for us so far? There’s a limit to what we can teach ourselves. I think we’ve already reached it, too. Dad isn’t much help. We need a proper teacher. A master. A master? In this city? Anyway, all that work has made me hungry. Hehe, very well. I’ll get something ready… ah, sorry, we’re all out of food! We’ll just have to go shopping. We’ve got the money from those jobs, so no problem. Hmm… wait!   Ah! They caught me… Hey, Dad. Did you use our money by any chance? I wonder. I can’t quite recall? I did see some nice looking paints, but did I buy them? Hmm… Raaaagh! Guwah! What now? We don’t even have enough money to buy food now. We need to make some Coll, quickly. You said it. Forget dummy-daddy and let’s go look at the Plaza. Girls! Ah, my bad! I’ll synthesize some old shoes or something and get you some food, just give me a moment! Dad. Just be quiet, please. Of course. I’m sorry. Gah, this is a new low, even for him! But whining won’t fill our bellies. Off to the Notice Board… oh? Something’s going on over here… I hope not. I hope it doesn’t mean another hike in taxes. Right, let’s see what we’ve got today. “Alchemists Wanted”? The Kingdom of Adalet has decided to proactively attract more alchemists to work here. We are therefore happy to announce the implementing of the new Atelier Ranking System. Ateliers will receive financial aid and a variety of other privileges depending on their rank. The rank will be determined via examinations. All who wish to take part and register their atelier should apply at the Castle. Sue! Do you know what this means? Yes! This system is incredible! If we increase our rank… Hold on. Did you just say “the best atelier in the kingdom?” Yep! Surely you’ve noticed that hardly any customers come to our atelier? Of course. They all go to Borthayre. I know! But it’s the exams that matter in this system. Actual ability, not customer numbers. I see what you mean. We can win on rank, even if we aren’t popular? Exactly. If we reach the highest rank, we’ll become the greatest in the kingdom, no doubt! I see! Amazing! Come on then, Sue. Let’s go and sign up right away! You don’t have to tell me twice! To the castle! We’ll be the greatest before you know! In we go! Just beyond that door, the road to the top awaits us! Music: Not That I Care… Hold on. Is that who I think it is? Oh my. If it isn’t Lydie and Suelle. Just what are you doing here? Hey, Lucia. We’re here to register for the Atelier Ranking System. I see. I thought you’d probably come, just lagging behind me again! Ohohoho! I think this will be a bit much for you two. You need to pass an exam just to sign up. Is that so? Are you here to take it too, Lucia? Of course not! The glorious Atelier Borthayre is exempt from such petty examinations! We had you create the exam, after all. There’s no point in you doing it. Heh. What was that about the glorious Atelier Borthayre again? Eh, Lucia? Mireille! You didn’t need to tell them that! Grrrrrr… she totally ruined the moment! Hah! I’ll see you later!Lucia storms off. Hahaha, Lucia’s always good for a laugh. So, what do we have to do first? Before signing up, can you introduce yourselves? I’m Mireille, by the way. Music: I’m Counting on You Both! I handle all general affairs for the kingdom. That includes our new Atelier Ranking System. Amazing! You handle all of them? Really? Ah, sorry, I mean… I am called Lydie. I’m Suelle! It’s nice to meet you, Mireille! Very well. Nice to meet you. Twins, aren’t you? Lucia already told me quite a bit about you, actually. Hehe. It sounds like the three of you are good friends? Hmm, we’re not exactly close friends? I mean, we’ve known her since we were kids… I’m quite jealous of that. I don’t have any friends who I grew up with. Anyway. Shall we get down to business? As Lucia already mentioned, you need to take an exam before you can register for the system. We heard that part. Just what kind of exam is it? Aren’t you in a hurry! I’ll tell you now, don’t worry. Here it is! To synthesize Dream Paintbrushes? We just have to make this item? Yes. That’s all. A nice and simple test. Here’s the recipe for the Dream Paintbrushes. Hmm, it looks fairly tough. I hope we can handle it. If you want to get a rank, you need to prove yourselves. You can adjust the recipe however you like. Just bring that item back here to me, OK? Sure thing! We’ll give it a try! Back to the atelier at once, Lydie! I’m with you! We have to see if we can make it. Thanks for everything, Mireille! We’ll see you later!The twins run off. Hehehe. Let’s see how it’ll turn out…Back at the atelier…  A Crash Course in Equipment Lucia is a great alchemist, sure, but I still think we can do this. Me too. The recipe is very straightforward, after all. We just need the materials. Should we head out and try to find them right away? Sounds like a plan. We’d better make sure to take some medicine with us. We should also bring some Uni Bags. They’ll come in handy if we run into any monsters.Sue starts synthesizing.  Sue walks to the table and leaves the Uni Bag on it. Later, Lydie walks over. Hehehe! I’ve saved up to buy this new book! I can’t wait to settle down and… hold on! Sue! Yes? What is it, Lydie? What do you think! This! The Uni Bag! Yeah, I just made that. Then why is it lying around here? What if something set it off? Not to mention leaving stuff scattered about like this is why you never have it when you need it! I’m not just talking about bombs. Try not to leave any of your stuff lying around, okay? Yes, fine. I’m sorry. So long as you understand!Lydie walks off. Huh, Lydie’s right. I need to try harder… hold on! What’s this? A new book? Hey, Lydie! Can you hear me, Lydie? If you’re going to lecture people, at least have the… Uwah, sorry! Now let’s take those Uni Bags and Healing Pads. They’re for you more than me! You need the firepower from the Uni Bags, and I can’t use the Healing Pads when fighting! So you’re on the hook for medic duties out there! And now we’re ready to go! But before we take off… Lydie, what do we need for the Dream Paintbrushes? Cobalt Grass, some Wood, and some Thread. I believe we can find everything we need at the Spring-green Odahlia. Music: Twin Birds Playing in the Fields Let’s poke around this bush… ah, here’s some Cobalt Grass! We’ve got the wood… what’s wrong, Sue? Bugs! In the wood! I don’t wanna look at em, I don’t wanna look at em! There she goes again… I don’t know why she’s so scared of bugs, but it’s time to move on. Now we just need some thread. And off of this animal carcass… some Rabbit Fur! That counts as our thread. We’ve got everything we need, so back to the Atelier! Let’s make the Dream Paintbrushes first thing in the morning… Dream Paintbrushes…? Let’s do this! Cobalt Grass, wood, and thread… it’s as easy as one, two, three! Well… We made one, but do you think this will let us pass the exam? I’m really not sure. They kinda look more like Nightmare Paintbrushes to me… We followed the recipe, though. To the letter, even. Let’s show it to Mireille. Why not? This might even be what she wants, although I’m really not sure about that… To the castle!The twins arrive at the Entrance Hall. Hello, Mireille! Ah, girls! Have you made the paintbrushes? Hmm. Sorry. I can’t give you a pass for this. Music: With Your Hand on Mine Hahaha. Yes, we didn’t think so. You’re on the right track here, but you need to make it a little bit more of your own. You can take the exam as many times as you like. Try again and come show me what you make! Very well. So we have to put our own spin on it?The twins walk toward the door… So the problem was that we were too faithful to the recipe… and we need to make it a little bit more of our own… Oh? It’s that voice from the basement! It came from the direction of that hallway to my right… What’s going on? Lydie, we’re leaving. We need to give making these brushes some more thought. Yes, I’m coming! I guess I really am just imagining things…The twins go back to Lune Street, hanging out right outside their atelier.  A Mentor Drafted  Say there, you two. Can you help me? You might be right. If only we had a master! I agree, but there aren’t many alchemists in Merveille, let alone ones who could become… What! Ah, sorry! What can we help you with? I just want some directions. Is this the way to the castle? Yes, this is the way. Are you going to see the sights? No. I’ve been summoned by the king, actually. Whaaaaat! From the king himself? Just who are you? I am Ilmeria von Leinweber. Nothing less than a genius level alchemist! Music: I’m Not Even Trying (Lydie & Suelle Ver.) What? Is that true? You’re dazzling me! Dazzling! My head is spinning!Sue faints. Sue? Are you OK? Ah, it’s happening to me too! I’m overwhelmed!Lydie, too, faints. Hey, you two! Are you OK? Speak to me!Some time later, after a chat and a meal… Thanks for the food! How did it come to this? Getting waylaid by these sisters on the way to the castle, and ending up having to feed them? Sorry about all that. You really are amazing, though, aren’t you Ilmeria! Becoming a certified alchemist at your age, and being invited by the king to start an atelier!For reference, Ilmeria is 19 and the twins are 14. The exam to get certified is super hard, isn’t it? I wish we could be like you! Hah, don’t make too much of it. I’m more surprised to hear that you two are alchemists. Hahaha, we can’t compare to you, Ilmeria. We just failed our exam. You have exams here too, do you? Can I have a look at it? Here you go, Ilmeria! Huh. That’s a nasty little test. Whoever put that hole in the recipe knows their stuff. What? Really? So we’ve been tricked? We botched it the first time because we didn’t think to adjust the recipe? Incredible, Ilmeria! You saw through the trick in an instant! Of course I did. I haven’t been an alchemist all this time for nothing. You’re so cool! Hey, Sue, you know what… I think I do. Pretty sure we just had the same idea, Sis. Ilmeria, can we ask you… What?! What are you talking about? We’ve been looking for a teacher. A master alchemist. Teaching ourselves isn’t getting us anywhere… We have to become better alchemists, no matter what! We have to become the greatest in the kingdom! That’s our promise with our mom! But there was no one we could ask… until now! Please, teach us how to be better alchemists! I see. I think I understand the situation. I thought you were mocking me, for a moment. Very well. I’ll teach you, if you’re sure. But take another night to think it over. If you still feel this way tomorrow, come and see me again. Understand? Yes! We’ll see you tomorrow, teach! Too soon to call me that! Get out of here, anyway! You are literally making me keep the king waiting! Sure thing. We’ll just head back home. See you again, Ilmeria!The twins leave. Talk about double trouble. That look in their eyes, though… I’ve seen that before. It reminds me of… her. And that title they gave me… The twins return to their atelier.  You did? Don’t worry about it. Someone treated us to a great meal. What? Hahaha. Sorry, Dad. We’ll eat that tomorrow. Goodnight!That evening… Ilmeria said to think it over, but we aren’t going to change our minds. Of course not! She seems really kind. I’m sure she’ll teach us all sorts of things. Me too! This will bring us that much closer to becoming the greatest alchemists! I can’t wait!
Jerry Manderbilt fucked around with this message at 20:20 on Jul 12, 2019 |
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Nov 17, 2018 02:16
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Part 2-2: Their Mentor’s First Lessons Thanks for the breakfast! We’re off, Dad! What? Where are you headed? It’s a secret! See you later! The Meaning of Alchemy Off we go! Anyway, Lydie, I gotta say… Yes! It’s really convenient for us that Ilmeria’s atelier is just down the street from our own! Master! We’re here! We haven’t! We want to learn alchemy from you, Ilmeria. Please! Master, teach us all about alchemy! OK. I’m not going to hold back, though. Get ready for this! We’re ready! You sound it. Let’s start your lessons at once. Tell me then, my students. Just what is alchemy? What do you mean? Mixing materials in a cauldron to make something, right? That’s not a bad overview, perhaps, but it isn’t entirely accurate. The voice of materials? They can talk? She’s already losing me… Yes. Only the very best alchemists can hear them. Most alchemists will never… Aaah! S-Sue, wake up! Teach, I’m sorry! Hehe. A lecture is too boring for Sue? No problem. You’ll need more than lectures to improve, anyway. Years of lectures can be trumped by one year of experience. That’s how alchemy works. Both of you, come over to the cauldron. I’ll teach you some high quality synthesizing. So what more is there to alchemy, Teach? This is more than just mixing materials. The order you add them, cauldron temperature, are all important. I see… Let’s begin. First, tell me something you already know how to make. Hmm… we’ve been making Healing Pads for clients. Then let’s start with Healing Pads. I’ll provide you with materials. Pay close attention to their components, and where you put them in the cauldron, and in what order. Let’s start with the Princess Grass. I’ve never thought to look for components before, or where to put them in… but now that I’m thinking of that, I see that this Princess Grass has one green component. The shape and color of the component determines how large of an effect it contributes to the final product, or if it contributes at all. But that’s not all. Let’s move on to the component from this Taun. It’s green, and so is that spot in the cauldron. Now put it in and see what happens. Whoa! That’s a pretty big boost! It is! Try to match up the colors of the components with their respective colored spots in the cauldron as much as you can. That’s what will yield the best results. Now mind the blue component of this Blue Flower. Sometimes you’ll have to rotate components before putting them in. Otherwise, they can cancel out parts of other components and weaken the product. Alright. I’m putting this one in. Now there’s the blue spot… That leaves the Blue Flower’s green component left! And there’s one green spot left! I know exactly what to do! Go ahead, Sue. See what happens… Whoa! I think these Healing Pads are gonna be more effective than anything we’ve ever made before! And they’ll be able to heal us a bit after being used! Even so… as it is, there’s a hard limit on how effective the Healing Pads we make can be, isn’t there? Sure there is. But as you grow better and better at alchemy, you can smash right through those limits. For now, my students, just finish this synthesis! Yes, that’s the way. You pick things up quickly. Sue. Look at that! Yes. It’s totally different! Like when we used materials from inside the painting. From inside where? Ah, no matter. These are the basics of synthesis. Remember them well. We will! At this rate, we’ll have the greatest atelier in the kingdom before we know it! No you won’t. Alchemy is more than just synthesis. Alchemy is about creation. Creativity and imagination are as important as synthesis skill. Imagination? Creativity? Yes. The ability to imagine new recipes, for example. It isn’t something I can teach, either. Thinking flexibly and experiencing many different things. That’s the key to discovering recipes. Experiencing many different things… like, fighting monsters? Gathering? Synthesizing itself? It’s time for me to test you a little. I want both of you to come up with some new recipes. What? Isn’t that a little sudden? We have to think of some new recipes already? You’ll be fine. I have a friend who can think up two or three recipes in a single night. Just go and try lots of different things! Off you go, and do your best! Hahaha, you might be right. She explained things really well though, didn’t she! I was sleeping for half of it, but she did seem pretty good at it! If we follow her lead, we can become great alchemists! We need to do what she told us. Get hints from experiencing various things. How about taking on some quests, then? Make some money, and earn some experience? That sounds like two birds with one stone! That settles it! Let’s head over to the Plaza right away! Lydie. Take a wild guess what that crowd over there is waiting for… Quips and Quests Uwah! Borthayre is as popular as ever today. I know. I’m so jealous. The Ranking system hasn’t changed that, has it? They’re a long standing store, after all. I’m still really jealous! Oh my! If it isn’t Lydie and Sue! Gah, we’ve been spotted… What’s with that reaction? What are you doing here, anyway? Uwah, she saw right through us… Yes, Lucia, you’ve hit the nail on the head. We were just talking about how nice it would be to be so busy every day! Ohohoho! I’m sure you were! This is my atelier, after all! What about your atelier, then? Empty? Deserted? Closed for the foreseeable future? I-It’s not that bad! We don’t have that many customers, but still… Hmm, I see. In which case… If you ask nicely, maybe I’ll tell you the secret to our success? Hehehe? R-Really? Tell us, Lucia! No thank you! Come on, Lydie, we’re leaving!Sue walks off. Ah, hold on! Sue!Lydie runs after her. Ah! I’ve gone and done it again… That wasn’t really my intention… Sheesh, Lydie, did you really think Lucia was going to give us an honest answer? Or help us? I guess not, Sue. Anyway! We didn’t come here to hear her talk down to us. To the Notice Board! Hmmm. I guess it’s to be expected, but a lot of them involve leaving the city. There are monsters out there, so we’ll have to prepare well. Make some items, and… Get some weapons and armor, too. We can find both of those at Hagel’s place. We’d better go and see him. Although we can’t buy anything without money. Ah, I completely forgot about that problem! Well… let’s just pick something, since we came. This looks doable! I feel bad for the guy who got licked by the mushrooms, though. We can also do this other job that involves hunting Beasts! It’ll pay 200 Coll. And finally, there’s this person who wants five Fairy Parasols. They’re not paying in Coll, but the Darkshrooms they give should come in handy for synthesis down the line. The Blacksmith and the Nun Now off to Hagel’s! Ah, it’s you girls! What can I do for you this afternoon? Hey, Hagel! You sell weapons and armor here, don’t you? That’s how I make my living! Off to fight some monsters? That’s right! We’re going to beat up every single monster we can find! Don’t get carried away! We just need to be ready to leave the city for some requests, that’s all. I see. In which case, you’re in the right place. Hahaha! I’m a master blacksmith! Take a look around! We’ll be back… once we have more money in our pockets. See you later! Sue, before we leave the city for our quests, I want to visit Sister Grace. Fine by me! Ah, welcome, welcome. You’re here to pray, of course! Hahaha! Of course not! Haah. No harm in trying. Even though our lord is saddened by your lack of faith, I’m sure. T-Tell him we’re sorry about that. I don’t mind a bit of prayer, but Sue… Hey, don’t blame me! You said praying was boring too, Lydie! Uwah, don’t say that! That’s not true, Sister Grace! Hehe, it’s all right. All children dislike prayer. If you aren’t here to pray, are you here to play? What’s it going to be today? Tag? Playing house? Sister Grace, please! We’re not babies anymore… We’re adults now. We’ve grown out of those childish games. Ah, of course you have. I’m sorry. I’ve known you since you were small, so it’s easy to forget. Very well. If you are adults, then you are here to pray. Correct? What! No, well… Sue! You know what, I think we are still children after all! Hahaha! You know what, I think you’re right! Come on, Sister Grace! Let’s have some fun! Honestly! Haha… I have a board game here that someone gave me, hold on. Very well, I will be there at once. I’m sorry, Lydie, Sue. It looks like I’ve got some work to do, so we’ll have to play again next time. I’m very sorry.Grace leaves to attend to business. Ah, she’s gone. It looks like she’s very busy again today. Yeah. It can’t be helped, she’s important. Let’s just come again another time. Alright… I really wanted to play that game, though. But I guess we’ve dawdled long enough. Right. Off we go!
Jerry Manderbilt fucked around with this message at 04:26 on Nov 20, 2018 |
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Nov 18, 2018 01:32
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Aw, I was all down for an exciting round of Ora et Labora, too.
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Nov 18, 2018 04:14
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Jerry Manderbilt posted:
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Nov 18, 2018 20:18
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Glazius posted:Aw, I was all down for an exciting round of Ora et Labora, too. I did not know that board game was even a thing until you posted this! holy poo poo 
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Nov 18, 2018 20:29
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Part 2-3: Creativity and Potential Let’s start at the Nearby Forest! Music: Twin Birds Singing in the Forest Just go and try lots of different things, said Teach. Now that we’re out here… Let’s start by fighting that Puni! Music: Hydrangea - Part 1- THOSE Puni, you mean!  Easy peasy! And we got some Puni Liquid out of this… Puni Liquid… I’ve thought of something! Blue Neutralizer!Lydie Battle We keep throwing Uni Bags… but what if we made something stronger out of those Uni Bags? Like… a Craft? We can definitely try that once we have more experience under our belts. Anyway, let’s go mining! Ore… we should be able to synthesize Ingots out of this! Let’s move on to the Spring-green Odahlia! More experiences, more ideas, more recipes! This rock is really hot… Lydie, I think we can use this to make Bombs! To the southwest, there should be a farm… Don’t mind if we do! Hmm… flour is made from wheat. Ergo… we should be able to make flour by synthesizing this Weiss Wheat! And there’s the five Fairy Parasols we needed for one of the requests! Let’s return some other day for the others…The next morning…  A Familiar Face Yeah, maybe. There might be something fun going on…The twins leave for the church.  Music: Ghost Girl (Lydie & Suelle Ver.) Very well. I think I can allow that. But you have to keep your duties as a nun too. Understood? Of course, I understand. I’ll do my very best! Oh? Could that be… Hey, Pamela! It’s been a while! My, if it isn’t Lydie and Sue? Nice to see you again! You’ve been gone a while. What have you been doing? I’ve been looking for items for my shop. I want to sell as many as I can! I see. You’ll be running a shop here again? Hahaha, opening a shop in a church! You’re a bold one, Pamela! It’s fine. I’ve got my reasons, and so I’m sure God will forgive me. That sounds a bit suspicious to me! What do you think, Sister Grace? Just like she said, there are reasons for this. She has my permission. That’s right. My shop is approved by the church! Ahem. I don’t think we should go quite that far. Really? Well, in any case, welcome to my grand re-opening! Hehehe, go ahead, girls! Take a good look around! We’ll check it out later. But it’s great to see you again, Pamela!The twins return home, put away the materials they found and mull on the recipes they thought up. Heh, we’ve thought up quite a few new recipes. Ilmeria was right, it was worth giving it a try! Looks like it. This should be more than enough. Let’s go and show her what we’ve come up with! The Next Assignment Ilmeria! We’ve come up with all sorts of recipes! Good, you sound confident! Let me take a look. Hmm… you came up with recipes for Bombs, just by collecting a Kaen Stone… Blue Neutralizer, just by collecting Puni Liquid… and Crafts, just by throwing Uni Bags… and Ingots, just by collecting ore… and Flour, just by collecting Weiss Wheat… Good! This is a pass! I thought it when watching you synthesize, and this confirms your potential. Really? Go on, you can praise us some more! Don’t get carried away. This doesn’t change your lack of experience. You’re ready to go to the next step, though. You remember the Dream Paintbrushes, I take it? Yes, of course. I think the two of you are ready to come up with the correct recipe and synthesize it. You’re my students now. You can’t back out of this! We’re not going to! We’ll bring you the greatest brushes you’ve ever seen! Good. I’ll be waiting right here. If you need any help, though, come and ask me. So, go get to work. I know you can do it.The twins go home.  I get the feeling that what the recipe Mireille gave us was missing… was some neutralizer! That’s it! I’m sure this recipe can create the perfect Dream Paintbrushes! Me too! We just have to keep our cool! Just one problem… we’re out of thread. And don’t have any neutralizer. Well, let’s make more bombs, test out the recipes we came up with, and head back out there! Right! Blue Neutralizer… we just need water and oil.  And now for a Bomb… a Kaen Stone, some gunpowder, and some fuel. Good thing that Kaen Stones also count as gunpowder! Flour is simple! Just three helpings of Weiss Wheat…  Hey, Sue. You notice how the materials we gathered out there don’t have particularly potent components? And that they aren’t particularly high-quality? Yeah. We couldn’t really hit any effect thresholds, except for making bombs that can burn enemies. If only we could go back to the painting in the basement… but I guess we just have to do our best with what we have for now. You said it. Anyway, let’s go back to the field! Oh right, we still have to defeat some more Beasts for a quest. Music: Sunflower -Part 1-  And that’s a wrap! The last request was to defeat some Lickshrooms…Sue Battle   That took them both out in one shot! We should try and exploit monsters’ weaknesses when possible.  The more we fight, the more flashy moves we can come up with! Now let’s move onto the Spring-green Odahlia, where we can find thread… Now that I think about it, we can synthesize Cloth out of this too! But that can wait until after we’ve made the Paintbrushes. Right! Let’s do that first thing in the morning!The next morning…  The Twins Inducted Ready, Lydie? Let’s do it, Sue! Cobalt Grass, wood, thread and neutralizer… This is our chance to prove ourselves, so we should use the highest quality ingredients we can for this synthesis! In they go… We did it! Great! Now these are Dream Paintbrushes! They’re overflowing with dreams this time! I bet Ilmeria will praise us again. Sue, let’s go and show this to her! Let’s! I can’t wait to see the look on her face! Ah, you’re back! Which means… Ilmeria! We’ve made the Dream Paintbrushes! Tad-dah! We’ve got total confidence in these. Check them out! Really? Yes! All that hard work paid off! I bet you’ll pass the test with this. How about taking it to the castle right away? I guess we could try. Having failed once, though, I’m a bit worried about trying again. No need. I’m telling you it will work out. Should I go with you? If they have a problem with your brushes, they’ll answer to me. Does that work for you? Yes! With you along we’ve got nothing to fear, Ilmeria! Please, come with us! Very well. Give me a moment to get ready.The twins leave for the Castle. Hey, Lydie. We still have to report on our quests, right? Yes! Let’s collect our rewards for jobs well done and on time! Now, to the castle! We’re going to pass this time! Take a look! Heh, looks like you’ve had a big boost in confidence. Is this thanks to you? Maybe. I think you’ll find they’ve made some significant progress. Music: Waltz Do You Want? Pay close attention to that gauge, as I’ll elaborate on shortly… It’s time to announce my evaluation! Okay, see this flower stamp? This is the highest grade you can get on an exam, and you get it by completely filling the gauge seen in the previous screen. Now I’ll spell this out for you because the game itself doesn’t: you need to get flower stamps for every exam, or almost every exam, in order to gain access to the True Ending sequence in the Final Chapter. You have very little room for error—one, maybe two exams without a flower stamp—and anything more will lock you out of it. Thankfully, the first exam with the Nightmare Paintbrushes doesn’t count for this, as far as I’m aware. Which, thank whatever god Grace and Pamela pray to, because Lucia set the twins up to fail for that one.For this exam, the Dream Paintbrushes must have at least 50 quality to get the flower stamp. Future exams may not necessarily involve synthesis, but whatever they’ll be, I’ll tell you how to ace them when they come up. With that, back to your regularly scheduled programming!  Wow. I’m impressed with your progress, and in such a short period of time… Both of you, you’ve passed! Welcome to the Atelier Ranking System! Yes! We did it, Lydie! Awesome! V for victory! This is all thanks to you, Ilmeria! I wouldn’t say that. This is thanks to your hard work. It's a testament to your creativity and persistence. You can be proud of this. I’m impressed, Ilmeria. You’re already getting involved with teaching. Inviting you here to join us as an alchemist of C rank was definitely the right move. C Rank? What does that mean? What are we right now? You two are the lowest, “Unranked”. We have S, A through G, and then the Unranked, for a total of 9 ranks. Which means C rank is… fourth from top? But didn’t the Ranking System only just start? Indeed it did. That’s how good Ilmeria is. You’ve found a good mentor, girls. Hehe! It goes without saying that I’m something special, but this pair shows promise too. Right, girls? That’s right! The greatest atelier in the kingdom? Show me, then, that this is more than just talk. We will! You haven’t seen nothing yet! You’d better be looking forward to what we got in store, Mireille!Later that day…  Stormclouds Of course. We’re glad to have you here. I’m ba- Uwah, that surprised me! Do you think all this is really going to work? Who knows? It’s all going well so far, though! The system is gathering lots of powerful alchemists. Those twins, too. They are going to grow fast, now that they’ve got Ilmeria on their side. We need to keep up, just like this. At least it’s better than doing nothing. You said it. Did I mention making that face makes you look really evil, though?
Jerry Manderbilt fucked around with this message at 20:25 on Jul 12, 2019 |
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Nov 18, 2018 22:25
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I wonder how big of a thing the paintings are going to be. I can see a whole spectrum from "largely optional Item World stuff" to "they're actually the plot and the whole world map is bucolic countryside".Jerry Manderbilt posted:I did not know that board game was even a thing until you posted this! It's worth a play if you have a local board game club or giant yet friendly nerd who owns a copy. It rewards careful spatial planning and high action efficiency, like some video games that come to mind.
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Nov 19, 2018 02:21
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Glazius posted:I wonder how big of a thing the paintings are going to be. I can see a whole spectrum from "largely optional Item World stuff" to "they're actually the plot and the whole world map is bucolic countryside". Well, the game's subtitle is "The Alchemists and the Mysterious Paintings"....
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Nov 19, 2018 02:29
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For now, I'll just post the Chapter 3 title card: The twins will be back in some Mysterious Paintings very soon! But I probably won't be recording for that until Thanksgiving weekend.
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Nov 19, 2018 03:58
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Chapter 2 debrief Chapter 2 is done! With that we’ve been introduced to quite a few characters and locations, and I’ll post character art/3D models, location notes, and last but not least, music! Character Art/3D Models: Lydie OA (Yuugen) Lydie 3D Model Sue OA (NOCO) Sue 3D Model Lucia OA (Yuugen) Lucia 3D Model Ilmeria OA (Yuugen) Ilmeria 3D Model Roger OA (NOCO) Mireille OA (NOCO) Hagel OA (NOCO) Pamela OA (NOCO) This is actually the same as her OA from Firis; Gust saw no need to have NOCO draw her another OA for Lydie & Suelle, I guess. Grace 3D Model (Yuugen) For whatever reason Koei Tecmo only posted Grace’s 3D model, and no official art, on the game’s website  You’ve probably noticed after watching a few of the videos that the audio is in Japanese. That’s because there is no dub, a first for the Atelier series! For Lydie & Suelle, Koei Tecmo ditched acttil (who localized Ayesha through Firis) for a new firm based in Tokyo, and uh, they weren’t gonna provide the budget to fly in the actors we know and love out of LAX to do the voice-over jobs. The game gave a montage of who voices the major characters in the avant opening from Part 1-3. As far as I can tell, quite a few of them, like Maria Naganawa (Lydie), Hikaru Akao (Sue), Kaede Hondo (Firis), Takuma Nagatsuka (Alt) and Reina Ueda (Lucia), begin their voice acting careers within the past 3-6 years; maybe some among you would know what they’ve been in. I think Hondo’s been in Hinamatsuri and Ueda’s been in Pokemon Sun/Moon? Others like Takehito Koyasu (Roger, also the voice of Rufus from Atelier Meruru and Dio from JoJo among many others) and Yoko Hikasa (Mireille, also Mio from K-On and Kyoko from Dangan Ronpa among many others) have been in the business for decades. Fumihiko Tachiki, in addition to reprising his longstanding role as Hagel, also voiced Kenpachi from Bleach. Moving on, location notes! And memos from Lydie. Location Notes and Memos: Merveille  This is the atelier where we live. It looks nice at first glance, but it’s pretty run down. I’m tired of all the heavy breezes and constant leaks. This is our friend Lucia’s atelier. It’s one of Merveille’s older ateliers, and unfortunately, it’s always busy. I’m jealous… This is Ilmeria’s atelier. It suits her perfectly, with a simple yet capable design. Except the corners of the rooms… This is the entrance to Merveille Castle. It also serves as the center of government for the capital, so there are always many people visiting. This is Hagel the mighty blacksmith’s shop. It’s quite convenient, just be sure to squint when you visit! The reason’s a secret… I can’t tell you anything about the church as an entity in Adalet or the Mysterious world at large, except that it’s just sort of there and Pamela and Grace are part of it. This is the most famous church in all Adelet. It’s also a popular tourist attraction! However, the sisters lament that few people actually go there to pray. Lune Street and Soleil Street are Merveille’s two biggest streets. Behind them is Teil Beach, so it’s a good place to take a quick swim. This is a large street opposite Lune Street. It used to be that Lune Street was more prosperous, but it’s the other way around recently. This is a plaza in front of Merveille Castle. Its most notable feature is the Notice Board in the center. Many people gather there in the morning to look for the highest-paying requests. This is a garden at the capital’s entrance. The people of Merveille are allowed to take as many flowers as they like, within reason of course. It’s important not to be greedy. This place gives you a great view of the ocean. It’s popular with tourists due to its picturesque setting. However, be careful you don’t fall into the ocean!Outskirts  This is a peaceful forest near the capital. There are no dangerous monsters, so people from the capital like to rest here. I often come here to relax. It is merely an average forest, but there’s a reason for that. It’s supposedly a training ground for the next king, which is why it was given this name. I wonder if it’s true…I like the Encyclopedia notes because they give more chances for characters’ personalities to shine through. Lydie, bookworm that she is, also gives us memos that flesh out the setting and tell us about Merveille and Adelet. More zingers from the twins don’t hurt either! Music: Waltz Do You Want? The entrance hall of the castle in most games tends to have a grand, formal atmosphere, but in the Atelier series it is a place to accept quests and other jobs, making it more like an office or agency in its function. This track blends together these two images of the castle entrance. But this title… That’s pretty corny. (Achiwa) Twin Birds Playing in the Fields The main setting for the adventures in this title are divided into two categories: the standard field maps and the worlds inside the paintings. I was primarily involved in the former. This title has a particularly strong fairy tale vibe, even for the “Mysterious” series, and the protagonists are both very young, so I tried to make sure the overall feel is charming and optimistic. (Achiwa) Twin Birds Playing in the FIelds -Night- This is a typical example of the “Mysterious” series’ nighttime arrangements. There are times when we begin with a plan for how we will arrange a piece to create a night version, and others when we make the daytime version without any consideration of its nighttime equivalent. There have even been tragic cases in the past in which the nighttime arrangement just hasn’t worked, and everything has to be started from scratch. (Achiwa) Twin Birds Singing in the Forest The forests that appear in anime and games tend to feature trees at convenient intervals allowing an idyllic space in which to enjoy a stroll. I used to love stories of adventure, and growing up in the countryside, I found myself the nearest forest, and set off for what I hoped would be a thrilling journey… (continues) (Achiwa) Twin Birds Singing in the Forest -Night- (Continued from previous) But when I entered the forest, I found the foliage was so think that I could barely walk! Forcing my way through the scrub would only result in scrapes and scratches, not to mention the mosquitoes! I remember dragging my sorry body home, and realizing that untouched nature is no fit setting for any tale of adventure. (Achiwa) Hydrangea -Part 1- This is Lydie’s standard battle music for the first part of the game. I was given the difficult task of incorporating the melody used in the opening theme within this piece. I was quite proud that this was a rare piece for me in four-four time, but as HIROTOMO, our bassist, pointed out, I break the time signature in the introduction. He has a point. The piece also features Miyoshi on guitar and TAM on the violin! (Yano) Sunflower -Part 1- This is Sue’s battle music for the game’s opening section. My task was to pick out the Sue-related phrases from the opening theme, and mix them in. It was a lot easier said than done. I asked Ono to play the violin parts. He always does such a fantastic job. (Yanagawa) Not That I Care… The protagonists’ heartless rival, from a famous family. I kind of like fitting little categories for each character to fit into. In fact, when you put each character into these stereotypical categories, it just serves to accentuate the ways in which they differ and are unique. In the end, it is these differences which wind up being the most important factors in the drama of the story. (Achiwa) I’m Counting on You Both! The responsible older girl. What’s more, it seems there is more to her than just being the receptionist. I also like the shift in balance as the game progresses, from the player characters relying on her to her beginning to rely on the player characters. Being able to savor that satisfaction of helping others out really is one of the great attractions of the Atelier series. (Achiwa) I’m Not Even Trying (Lydie & Suelle Ver.) Ilmeria’s theme returns. The original track played up her youth, but in this title she is the responsible teacher who provides support to our protagonists. To reflect this, I have arranged the track as a serene, composed waltz. It’s really nice for fans of the series to see these favorites from previous titles returning as more grown-up, responsible versions of themselves. (Achiwa) Ghost Girl (Lydie & Suelle Ver.) The familiar Pamela. This is probably the single character theme that has gone through more incarnations than any other. Appearing firstly in Atelier Judie, it has made subsequent rearranged appearances in Atelier Viorate, Atelier Iris 3: Grand Phantasm, Mana Khemia, Atelier Rorona, Atelier Meruru, Atelier Sophie, and finally this title. How many have you heard? (Achiwa) Thank you, Achiwa, for absolving me of having to detail Pamela’s extensive footprint in the series With Your Hand on Mine This is a melancholy piece, but I did intend to include elements of warmth as well. I made sure to try and keep my own feelings melancholy as I wrote by thinking of sad things. Unusually for me that evening, I ended up drinking alone. (Yanagawa) Jerry Manderbilt fucked around with this message at 20:25 on Jul 12, 2019 |
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Nov 21, 2018 03:19
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Part 3-1: Ambition and Reputation Rumors and Goals  Is someone knocking? Customers, hopefully? Are we already catching on? Hello! This is Merveille’s hottest up and coming atelier! Come on in! Oh. It’s just Lucia. Ah, Lucia! Do you want some tea? I’m not here for that. I heard a very amusing rumor, and came to check it out. Rumor? About what? Spit it out! You have joined the Atelier Ranking System? Is that true? You find that amusing, do you? Yes, we have signed up. We passed the qualifying exam with flying colors, even! But do you understand? Taking part in the ranking system means competing with Atelier Borthayre. On one hand, we have you two. Unranked, hardly any training, and just joining the system. On the other hand, we have me, given a G rank from the start in recognition of my many successes. Hold on. You have a G rank, Lucia? Yes, that’s right. You’re shocked by the clear gap between us, aren’t you! Not really. In fact, there’s much less of a gap than I expected. How dare you! All alchemists normally start Unranked, I’ll have you know? Heh-heh! Not our teacher! She started from C rank! C? C? Rank C? That’s impossible! I can’t believe such preferential treatment for anyone! It doesn’t matter to us. Thanks for coming, anyway! Now that we know there isn’t much of a gap between us, we’ll set our first goal as surpassing you! What! Whaaaat! That’s the plan, Lucia. Drop your guard and we’ll overtake you! Hehe, good luck! U-U-Uwaaah! Sob! I’m leaving!Lucia storms off. Bye-bye, Lucia! Still a crybaby, isn’t she! Anyway, do you even know how we raise our rank? We have to take more exams, I guess. Maybe we should start by talking to Mireille. Hmm. So what are we doing standing around here? To the castle! Tests and Reputation That’s right! We actually don’t have a clue how to do it. Sorry. I should have explained it before, but I got a bit distracted. I’ll tell you now. Just as you passed an exam to enter the Atelier Ranking System, you have to pass an exam to promote a rank. But I’m not going to just give you a promotion exam. You need to raise your atelier’s renown with the citizens you’re serving first. That should cover it. Did you get all of that? Yes, I think so. Maybe? Hahaha. Give it a try and you’ll pick it up. Just increase your reputation and take exams! It will mean leaving the city, though. I’m a bit worried about sending you two out there alone. Right… we’ll have to leave the city for gathering materials and fulfilling requests and other tasks, after all. You do. Also… There aren’t many of them. What should we do? Perfect timing, actually. Twins, you’re up. Could you go and take care of this monster problem? I want to see if the two of you can handle this. Very well. We’ll give it a try! I’m pretty sure we can pull it off. Good. I’ll be counting on you. Just take care!The twins leave, and reach the Gate of Merk when…  The Hunter and the Griffonian Music: Wind Chaser (Lydie & Suelle Ver.)  Hold it! You’re planning on leaving the city? You’d better rethink that, at the moment. We’ve got some trouble with monsters nearby. Hahaha. Actually, we’re on our way to deal with that problem right now. You are? Sorry, but you don’t look all that strong! Maybe “strong” isn’t the word I would use, but we are alchemists. That’s right! We’re going to blow those monsters away with a few quick bombs! Bang, boom! Hey, is that so? My sister is also an alchemist! I guess this is fate. Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Liane, a hunter. Liane. I’m Lydie. And I’m her twin sister Suelle! You can call me Sue! Lydie and Sue, is it. Nice to meet you both! I sell the things I hunt at my store. They might help with alchemy, too. Why don’t you stop by some time? I’ll even give you a discount. Just a small one! Wow! We’ll be sure to visit! I’m looking forward to it already. Good luck on your monster hunt! You know what, Sue? I want to take her up on her offer right now. Sure, why not? Her store is right there, too! Liane! Welcome to the Lovely Firis! What takes your fancy? This Princess Grass looks amazing. We’ll take it! 240 Coll, please! Alright! Thank you! Drop in any time. …Hey, Sue. Think we should ask her what “Lovely Firis” means? It’s fine. I get the feeling we’ll learn way more about it than we want to know soon enough, anyway. If you say so. Anyway… The report said the monsters were at the Spring-green Odahlia. Let’s go! I’ll get this started! That Bomb barely fazed it… I guess this thing doesn’t mind fire all that much! Just batter it with everything else we’ve got! Like our Uni Bag!A maelstrom of bullets and Uni later…  Yes! We won! I guess you really don’t know until you try, do you? We are alchemists, after all. Not much can stop the two of us together… Er… I don’t like the look of this… W-W-What should we do? We’re totally surrounded!Bang, boom!  Girls! What are you doing?! Are you hurt? T-Ilmeria! What’re you doing here?! Mireille asked me to keep an eye on you, so I’ve been quietly following behind. It looks like I made the right decision, bringing those bombs along. Waaah! Ilmeria! Teach! I was so scared! OK, OK, you’ll make your face all puffy. Just remember one thing. Watch closely, wait for a chance, and then strike their weak points. That’s how alchemists fight. We’ll remember it, for sure. Good. You did a good job by yourselves too, anyway. Come on, let’s go back to the castle. Mireille is worried about you, too. Let’s… The Name of the Twins We didn’t. If Ilmeria hadn’t shown up, I don’t know what might have happened. Mireille. I think it is too dangerous for them to be out there alone. We’ve seen an increase in monster numbers recently, too. I think I need to… Wait, Ilmeria. You’ve already got too much on your plate. True, you’re keeping me very busy. But still… You don’t want them risking their lives. I understand. I’ll find someone to watch over them. Twins… Until I find someone suitable, can you both promise me that you won’t do anything dangerous? OK. I’m sorry that we’re so weak! No need for any of that. You defeated those monsters, didn’t you? I’ll add that to your reputation. Thank you. What? Are you sure? Ilmeria defeated most of them? No I didn’t. I just cleaned up the stragglers. Right? Ilmeria! Once the kingdom recognizes the deeds of your atelier, you can take the Promotion Test. So you need to start by building your reputation. The exam requirements are written here for you. Read them carefully when you have a moment. I need to get back to work. You two, don’t push yourselves too hard. Bye-bye!Ilmeria leaves. Thank you, Ilmeria! I guess we need to get back too. Sounds good. We’ll see you later, Mireille!The twins leave. So, a bodyguard, huh… Luckily, I have just the person in mind.Just outside… I read the requirements. Basically, like she said, we need to increase our reputation. That makes sense. Increase our reputation, then! Where to start, then? That’s next… Sue, what are you writing down? Keeping a record of what we’ve already done will be useful, too. So you gain access to the next promotion exam by filling out the Ambitions Journal. The exam itself unlocks when you’ve filled out at least half of the tasks listed in three of the entries. If you want the True Ending, you have to finish close to all of the tasks. I’m not going to show the twins fulfilling all of the tasks, because as this tutorial screen shows, they can be pretty trivial, and later on you’ll come across tasks that depend on you having items with traits that you may not necessarily have, and I’m not putting the LP on hold just for that. I will post the entries in the debrief of the end of each chapter, though, just so you know what they are. I see! Great idea, Sue! Let’s fill up that notebook with ideas. Oh right! Before we go, Mireille gave us our subsidy. 500 Coll for an alchemist in the system, but without a rank. Awesome! Now then… let’s start simple. Let’s go all around town and chat with people! Right! Let’s start by going to Soleil Street! We have a knife that we need Hagel to repair, after all. A Blacksmith and a Vocalist I could recognize that singing from a mile away… Hello, Hagel! Hahaha, singing again today? Hey, girls. Haha, I’m always singing! Singing with feeling makes work go more smoothly. More than that… Hah, “waste” isn’t the word I’d use! Bah! You have no clue about art, Sue! No clue at all! Enough about this, anyway, What can I do for you today? Ah, well. We have a knife with a nick on it… We found some uni but they are super tough. I took a mighty swing and it was the knife that lost… Of course it did! A cooking knife isn’t a weapon! Gah, like this is the first time… Hahaha… You’ve repaired not only our knives but also our pots and even our cauldron many times! Good point. Come to think of it, almost all the metal stuff in our house was made by you, Hagel. Hahaha, you bet it is! Breaking things is what you do best, girls! Leave it to me, anyway. I’ll have that knife as good as new, before you know it! Great! Thanks so much, Hagel! No problem! Now, in exchange for this, maybe… Could I add a function to your cauldron? Press a button and the flame color changes… That sounds completely pointless. No thanks. Please just repair the knife. Gah, you guys are no fun… Alright, I’ll take care of the knife, as boring as that is. Alright! Let’s take a jog down Lune Street on the way to the Garden of Merk… oh? I’ve never seen it before. Whose do you think it is? It sure is a weird-looking tent. Oh well. Let’s move on! To the Sea-View Hill!The twins move on, where they find…  The Childhood Friend and Nun What’s this? The young mistress of Atelier Borthayre, slacking off in a place like this? Ah, hello girls. I’m not slacking off at all. I was just thinking what a lovely picture I must make, looking out over the sea. Ah, art! Is that so… Hey, Lucia. When you come here, doesn’t it take you back? To what? To when we used to play together, silly. We’d play tag and house and all sorts. Hehe. You always brought some delicious snacks for us to eat, too, didn’t you? Right! Those were the best. Ah, I can still remember that elegant, subtle sweetness. I know the ones you mean. My mom would give them to bring over. It does take me back, yes… Hey! If you’re sitting there thinking about how artistic you are, you’re free now, right? Hey! My beauty is an indisputable fact! Sure, sure. It’s been so long, why don’t we play a game? We need to let off some steam too. Hey, good idea! What do you want to play? Shall we draw some pictures? Uni battle? A little fun couldn’t hurt… but no, I’m sorry, I simply don’t have the time. Maybe next time. I’ll see you later.Lucia leaves. Ah, she turned us down. It looked like she wanted to have some fun though… She just can’t be honest to herself. If you want to play, go ahead and play! I know, right? Anyway, now that we’re here, I wanted to visit Pamela. I was wondering what she’s doing back here in Merveille. Right! Yes, that’s right. I trained here as a nun. Hehe, you were so small back then! This small! Ah, that takes me back! Haha, I don’t think we were quite that small! When you finished, though, didn’t you leave in a carriage? So why did you come back to Merveille? After all this time, too… Hmm. Do you really want to know? Yes, of course. All right. Have your handkerchiefs ready, though, girls. It was after I finished my training. I stopped in a large town on my way home. I was buying some gifts, and went and spent too much money! I couldn’t pay for the rest of the journey! Ugh… But I wasn’t going to give up! I earned enough money for a ticket, got another carriage… I see… That’s just like you, Pamela! Ah. So the reason for this new shop… That’s right! To make the cash to get me back home! Well, that’s a better reason than I expected. I thought maybe you were just passing the time! Please! Sue, that’s quite rude! This is about more than just passing the time! Finding products, managing sales, it isn’t easy! Hahaha, I guess you’re right. So please, think of it as helping me out, and buy a lot of things from me! Thank you! Hey, Lydie. After hearing a story like that… I know, Sue. Might as well help her out a bit… Can’t say she doesn’t have some good deals! Might as well go home for now! We’ve got homework from Ilmeria, and we’d better hone our alchemy if we want the reputation for the G rank exam. Say, Lydie. How do you think Mireille keeps track of our reputation, anyway? Maybe she just has a file on us? She jotted something down when Ilmeria told her we took out those Griffonians. Maybe she’ll get word of our exploits somehow, put it in the file, and use that to determine if we’ve built up the reputation to qualify? Oh. Now that I think about it, that’s actually kind of scary…
Jerry Manderbilt fucked around with this message at 20:28 on Jul 12, 2019 |
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Nov 23, 2018 22:10
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Part 3-2: Encounters, Lessons and Visits One morning…  The Boss on Soleil Street Of course! Hehe, a great chance to pick up some more snacks, too.The twins leave for Soleil Street.   I see. I think I understand, then. This could be called an opportunity. Hey. Those are some unusual clothes… You’re right. I wonder where she’s from? What about that other business? Ah! Well, I’m sorry to report, but we’re having some issues with selecting a location… I see. Will you please get it done as quickly as you can? For our future plans, the acquisition of the land is a most important starting step. V-Very well! All understood, boss!Tiny catgirl and her subordinate leave. Boss? I guess that means she’s someone important. Hahaha… You’ve been reading too many comics again, Sue… Anyway, let’s hurry. We’ve got some studying to do.The twins go home and commence studying, but…  Study Break Uwah, my head is starting to hurt… Lydie, what does this mean? Let’s have a look. You need to add them while mixing… Ah, Ilmeria! We’ve been waiting for you! Oh, you have? Do you have a question for me? I’m tired of studying… Let’s have some fun! That’s brave of you, Sue. To say that right after I just praised your diligence. But all this reading wears me out! I really need a break! Hahaha, I’m sorry… Sorry Sue is such a bad student… Hah, I guess it can’t be helped. I was going to give you these later, but here’s some sweets. Ah! Are you sure? These are expensive! Are they? Don’t worry about the cost, just eat them. Great! I love you! Let’s eat!One study break later…  Wow, they were really good. So rich, but then they just melt in the mouth! I think you ate a few too many, though, Sue. Keep that up and you’ll become fat! I needed sugar after using my head so much! I watch my weight, don’t worry about me! I’m still growing, too! Everything I eat makes me taller, not wider! …ugh. What, really? We might be twins, but I’m taller! Are you sure you aren’t getting wider? N-No I’m not! You’re taller by, what, a centimeter? Maybe? That doesn’t even count. I’m growing every day! I might even overtake you soon! …Uuuuh! Um, Ilmeria? You’ve been moaning and groaning to yourself over there for a while now… Fun fact: Lydie is 150cm, Sue is 149cm, and Ilmeria clocks in at 147cm. Oh… Don’t tell me, you’ve got a bit of a complex about your height? Hahaha… I don’t think we should bring up height around her… I’ll check in on you later, girls. Bye-bye. Okay… anyway, break’s over. We should practice synthesis some more, Sue. How about another Uni Bag? Let’s, and then call it a day!  That’s a wrap! …Wait, Lydie, what’re you doing? Diary Entry Music: Flying the Nest -Lydie & Suelle- Great, thanks. Let’s take a look. “Today I changed the way I made some cookies. I hope they turn out nicely.” …Ahh! There’s no need to read it out loud! Hold on, Sue, why have you stopped? Lydie, what’s this? There’s a drawing of a cat in the corner of the page? Oh, that. That’s Cookie! A cookie fairy that I thought up myself! Although he’s only just been born, he works every day to bring cookies to the people of the world! This is good. Real good! It’s so cute, I love it! Hehehe, I’ll draw him in my diary tomorrow as well, then! Hahaha, I’m glad you like it, but you already don’t write enough in your diary, Sue! We started swapping these daily diaries to help you with your writing. Hey, look! Chocolate Chip Cookie! What other kind of cookie would be good? At least she’s having fun… Hey, Sue. What about a Green Tea Cookie? That sounds great! But for now, let’s go to bed. We got another long day ahead of us tomorrow.The next morning…  “Smooth” Talking What? No! No way! Let’s go shopping. I’ll carry all the bags, OK? Sounds good to me. Off we go!The twins don’t even make it down the block when…  Are you t-talking to us? Have we met before somewhere? I always make such a strong impression. We did meet briefly, in the castle. Our meeting here, however, is surely due to the guidance of god himself. Uh-huh. Sure. Would you care to join me for some delicious cake, perhaps? My treat, of course. Well? Delicious cake! Sue, we can’t turn down an offer like… No, thank you. You’re kidding! Why? Why would you turn down cake? You were dreaming about it the other day! Sure, but this creepy guy is super suspicious. I hate these kinds of slimy smooth talkers. Smooth talker? You think that’s what he is trying to be? I said no, thank you very much. Let’s leave this toad by the roadside and go do our shopping! Hahaha, looks like her mind is made up. Hope we don’t see you around! Bye-bye!The twins leave to shop. Gah, mission failed. I guess I pushed my normal approach too hard? This is a problem, though. My sister is going to kick my butt again! Man, this sucks. Sheesh, Lydie, remember Promise with Mom Number 4? “Stay away from strange people!” Especially creeps who just offer us sweet treats like that! You’re right, Sue. Anyway, now that we’re on Soleil Street, I’d like to visit Hagel; we made some Ingot the other day and I get a feeling he’ll know what to do with it. Sure thing! Hagel’s Offer W-Whatever is the matter, Hagel? You gave me a real scare! Ah, I’m sorry, girls. You’ve just got something there that I’m really quite interested in! Specialized gear! Yes! That makes us sound super rich! Hagel! Tell us more! No problem! First things first… I’ll need all the requisite materials. Like for your Beginner’s Staff, Lydie, I need two Ingots—or any stronger metal like Silvalia—some Gems, and some Cloth. The better you craft your weapons materials and cloth, the stronger I can make your customized gear! And that’s how it works! I see. So we bring you the right materials, and you can create order-made equipment for us? That’s right. You’ll quickly form an attachment with items made just for you, and they’re strong too! You can bring me materials any time, girls! I’ll make the perfect gear for you!note: later on I’ll post a more detailed rundown on crafting weapons and armor because the equipment crafting system in L&S is legitimately pretty janky, and tests your knowledge on various aspects of the game’s alchemy system (hitting effect level thresholds and trait transfer). Aside from which, we only have access to the most basic materials at the moment, so I can’t show off the full depth of the system just yet. Anyway! Alright! We took a few detours, but now we’re home with the groceries. Hey, Lydie. Sister Grace had that board game for us, right? If we go now, we can play a match and make it home before the time Dad and us agreed on. Okay! I’m excited!The twins go to the church. Sister Grace! Let’s finally play some… A Game… no, Confessionals Talking? My daughter is so rebellious! She won’t listen to a thing I say. Sister, please. What should I do? How can I get through to her? Sometimes, I think you need to try and see things from her perspective. In order to create a common topic to talk about, how about trying something that she likes? Like what? I’m sorry, I’ve got no idea what it is kids are into these days. Young girls currently love a romance series called “Created Eyes”. For clothing, the brand “Lumoniel” is popular, and for food, a cake called the “Shucool”. R-Really? You know so much, Sister Grace… I do my homework. May you and your daughter find the blessings of God. Thank you! Thank you so much! She’s in touch with the youth, that’s for sure. I can’t believe she’s in her fifties! Me neither. She looks only about twenty, too! H-Hold on! She’s not a vampire, is she? Sucking blood in the shadows? Knowing the trends of the world is a way to help others. As for my appearance… Yes? What’s the secret? … I was born with it. … Right. Back to work. Hold it right there, young lady. God would at least allow you to crack a smile! Hahaha, she really is young at heart, isn’t she? She is! But Lydie… about the game… Oh! We didn’t get the chance to ask her. Oh well. Let’s go home and meet up with Dad.That afternoon…  What They Lost Yep, all of it. Dad, can we leave yet? The family leaves for Honnete’s grave.  Heheh. We’ve been working really hard! We’ve got a mentor and we’re even better alchemists now! That’s right! We’ll have the greatest atelier in the kingdom before you know it. Just watch over us! Quite a lot of time has passed… since we lost Honnete, hasn’t it? I know. I disappoint them at every turn! They’re getting a bit rebellious, too, for their part. Isn’t that also because of your behavior? You don’t hold back, do you, Sister? They need their mother, that’s all. There’s so much they want to say to Honnete. Things they can’t really say to me. That’s probably because they understand too, in their own way. I wonder… Roger. I think it’s about time… Girls! We’re heading back. Get ready, come on! Roger… I’m sorry, Sister. I’m a weak man, that’s all there is to it. Dad, what were you talking to the Sister about? Grace? Ah, she chewed me out. She told me to provide a better life for you. She’s got a point! You’re not allowed to buy any painting stuff for a while! That’s not going to happen. No one can quell the fires of creation in my heart!The Malen family leaves for their atelier. Almighty God. Please, grant that family your protection.That evening, after more studying…  Catalysts We’re getting better, slowly but surely, aren’t we, Lydie? We are! We’ve definitely earned this break… Guwah! Cough, cough! Ilmeria… come on. We were just enjoying a snack! Oh dear. Sorry if I surprised you. You did! So no unannounced lecture today. Sit down and eat some snacks with us! Alright? Nope, my little learners, that isn’t going to work. I’ve got something important to teach today! If you don’t know about this, you’re lower as an alchemist than a Puni! No, than water fleas! Water fleas! I don’t think I like the sound of that, Sue. Me neither. Very well, we’ll give up on snack time… Good. I’m about to teach you about Catalysts. Let’s get right into it. Alright, so… what are Catalysts? What do they do for alchemy? They are elements that influence synthesis. They can cause more colored spots to appear, and create reactive spots which can enhance or dilute effects, or even allow you to transfer more traits, or hit higher effect levels. Some can raise the quality of your final product, or allow you to make a bomb or elixir that has more uses. A few even allow you to make two items with one synthesis! More potent catalysts can even cause more spots to appear in your cauldron period, so you have more room to use components and get the most out of your ingredients. That covers it. Did you get all that? Yes! Mixing in a Catalyst allows for even more incredible synthesis! Sue, are you sure you understand? I guess that isn’t incorrect, but… Just give it a try and you’ll get it. Here’s your reward for making it through the lecture! I’ve got some delicious pudding here. Let’s all eat it together. Yes! I knew we picked the right teacher! Me too! Thanks so much, Ilmeria! Hehe, thank you. So… this one is regular, and this one is pumpkin…After they finish their study break in earnest… Sue! I want to try out a Catalyst! Sounds great! What should we test it with? Let’s try synthesizing a Bomb! Using a Red Flower as a Catalyst! These ingredients have the components that’ll yield the results we want. Activating this spot will raise the maximum effect level for this synthesis… Ooh, this is gonna be great! Done! Amazing! Sky’s the limit with Catalysts, Lydie! Right! With this in our repertoire, we’ll get the reputation we need for the G rank exam before we know it! Repertoire?
Jerry Manderbilt fucked around with this message at 20:31 on Jul 12, 2019 |
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Nov 25, 2018 01:29
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The world looks the same to me. Why, I'm not sure I even believe in mysterious! (Yes, I realize expecting an Atelier plot to cannon out the starting gate with a fire lit under it doesn't really fly, but all the same.)
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Nov 25, 2018 02:33
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To be honest, with this update, I could feel myself trying to string together all the rest of the character events from the footage, and I sure hope it wasn't terribly obvious to the reader! But anyway, tomorrow's update miiiiiiight have something very mysterious and otherworldly, and maybe a tad bit spooky. Depends on how much I can fit in.
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Nov 25, 2018 03:05
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Jerry Manderbilt posted:
sue your sister has literal crystals floating in her hair you do not get to talk about unusual clothes
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Nov 25, 2018 03:06
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Honestly, I love how the Atelier series is basically just an item crafting system with characters bolted on, but the whole 'time limit' aspect has always been the thing keeping me from going whole hog on every game in the series. It's why I'm always so delighted when an LP starts!
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Nov 25, 2018 03:36
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fluffyDeathbringer posted:sue your sister has literal crystals floating in her hair you do not get to talk about unusual clothes That weird outfit Yuugen drew for Lydie is A-OK, but something which clearly isn't from anime France? Now that's out of place!  Worldwalker_Pure posted:Honestly, I love how the Atelier series is basically just an item crafting system with characters bolted on, but the whole 'time limit' aspect has always been the thing keeping me from going whole hog on every game in the series. It's why I'm always so delighted when an LP starts! I didn't mention this in the OP, but there is no time limit in Lydie & Suelle! And it's on a broad range of platforms (via Switch and PS4 and PC/Steam) so by all means go ahead and buy it and play along if you're able and willing.
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Nov 25, 2018 03:56
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What does the Lv. Uparrow panel do?
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Nov 25, 2018 05:19
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OddObserver posted:What does the Lv. Uparrow panel do? It raises the maximum effect level you can hit. At alchemy level 8, when catalysts are introduced, you have a maximum effect level of 10 without them. Like for the Bomb I showed off at the end of the update... Without activating that panel, I would have been stuck with Fire Damage S, as the threshold for Fire Damage M is at effect level 11. But after activating that panel... It raised the maximum effect level and unlocked the next effect level threshold... so I could hit that threshold and get Fire Damage M (with a good component should I want to use this Bomb itself in a synthesis to boot). Your maximum effect level increases by 1 every 5 alchemy levels or so past 10 (excluding 30 and 50, which give you another trait to transfer), so level up arrow panels become less relevant later on, but it's critical during earlygame when you need a boost to unlock thresholds.
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Nov 25, 2018 15:16
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Part 3-3: The Bodyguard and the Painting It seems the reputation of our atelier is picking up. Maybe we can take the Promotion Test now? That was faster than even I expected. Let’s go and see what Mireille has to say! The Test and the Bodyguard Interesting. Your reputation has grown quite a lot. I think you might be ready for the test. What do you think? Do you want to try the next Promotion Test? Yes! We’re ready! Very well. I will reveal it! The next test is… …Collecting eggs…? Recently, cooking using eggs has become very popular. Suppliers just can’t keep up! Not just any old eggs, either. People want monster eggs. Monsters have been causing a lot of damage, too, so this is kind of two birds with one stone! Sure, but… surely anyone can collect some eggs? This doesn’t seem like work for an alchemist. What did I hear you just say? Ah, Ilmeria! I just came to take care of some business in the castle, and hear my students being silly? Come on. Anyone can collect eggs. And you’ve just taught us so much about synthesis, too! Gathering, synthesizing and fighting monsters. Alchemists take on anything they are needed for. A true alchemist won’t be picky about their jobs. Understand? Yes. I’m sorry, Mireille. We’ll do our best and find those eggs! Yes! We’ll bring so many that no one can eat them all! Hehe, glad to hear it. Girls, I’ll be counting on you. Oh, and about that bodyguard we talked about! I’ve chosen someone to protect you two exclusively. They’ll be waiting for you at the city gates. Wow, really! Hehe, I wonder what they’re like? Someone strong and cool, I hope! I can’t wait to meet them! Hahaha, me too! We’ll see you later, Ilmeria, Mireille! The bodyguard will be at the gate, right? That’s what she said! Here we are. This is where our bodyguard should be waiting, right? Don’t tell me, that’s our bodyguard…? No, I don’t think so. I mean, I hope not. Look at what he’s wearing! Yeah, but… Doesn’t he look like he’s trying to catch our attention? Don’t look! Promise with Mom Number 4! “Stay away from strange people!” You’re right. Do you think we should report him to the guards? Hey! Don’t cause any trouble for me! I’m not suspicious at all! Eck, no way, you’re grossing me out! You really are suspicious. Stay away from us! I knew this wouldn’t work, either! I didn’t want to dress like this! drat! This stupid thing! Music: What Do You Know? Laugh it up, little girl. We’re just getting started and I already can’t see how this can work. What does that mean? Mask creep, you really are meant to be our bodyguard? That’s right, apart from the “mask creep” part. My name is Mathias! Please, try to remember it. Cree… I mean, Mathias. My name is… I know your names, of course. You are Lydie, and this is Sue. Wow! We’ve only met briefly, but you already know our names? Creepy! You’re joking! My sister told me! When she asked me to look out for you, she told me your names! Your sister asked you to do this? Don’t tell me! Mireille is your sister? That’s right. She made this mask in order to help put the two of you at ease. Phew. If you’re Mireille’s brother, I guess there’s nothing to worry about. She always was the popular one. Well, at least you seem to have accepted me now. I’m here to protect you. You can count on me, both of you. Thank you, Mathias! Do anything odd and we’ll tell Mireille right away, you hear? Just remember that, Mathias. Ugah! They’re bossing me around already. These kids are evil beyond their years. Can I really make it work with them? My stomach is aching already. Say, Lydie. If Mathias here is gonna be our bodyguard… We can put him to work by having him take blows for us! What?! I mean… that’s what Mireille expects you to do, right? And you’re well built for it to boot! Gah… what has Mireille roped me into this time?! Okay, okay, that’s enough out of you. Off to work. Off to the Spring-green Odahlia! Uwah! I thought we were here for eggs? We have to defeat that monster first? That won’t be an easy battle. Wouldn’t it be faster to just pick up the eggs we can find? Hey, “bodyguard”. You’re getting cold feet already? Not exactly. Teaching you to avoid unnecessary battles is one of the key parts of being a bodyguard. And to be honest… I don’t want to fight that thing, either! Hahaha, some honesty at last! Let’s just grab all the eggs we can! We can find Unknown Eggs around these nests, I imagine. They must belong to the monsters. But they’re tiny! No wonder Mireille will reward us more for ones actually dropped by monsters… Griffon Battle Kyah! They’re pretty bulky, and Bombs won’t do much. And we don’t have any sources of electricity on hand… But this will work well enough! Nice one! Now it’s my turn… My turn! Not bad! It’s a sitting duck now, so we just have to keep battering it… Until it goes down! Phew! That actually wasn’t so bad! Yeah! We can pick up the eggs from the nest, or stick around and hunt the Griffons for their Large Eggs. Right! In for a penny, in for a pound! They seem to skulk around this particular spot… So we just have to keep coming back here every now and then until we’ve gotten our fill! That should do it! Let’s report back to Mireille! The Mysterious Painting Flower stamp condition : 4 Large Eggs OR 20 Unknown Eggs. A combination thereof like 2 Large Eggs and 10 Unknown Eggs will also work. I just gave away another Unknown Egg because hey, low quality, and why not, I’ve plenty to spare. It’s time to announce my evaluation! Well done. Most impressive, in fact! I can’t fault this at all! Hehe, great work. You passed. Congratulations on advancing to G Rank, both of you! Yes! We did it! We’ve caught up with Lucia already! I’m glad you’re pleased. Tell me, was Mathias any help? Yes, actually, he was! I was surprised to learn you have a brother, Mireille. Hahaha! Sorry if he did anything weird. You may use his services as you like, from now on. Hehehe, that sounds like fun! I’ve got so many ideas for pranks already! Ah, can I ask you to take it easy on him? Ri…ght… get… home… been… while… Lydie, what’s wrong? Are you OK? What? Oh, I’m sorry. I thought I heard a voice coming from over there. I also heard it last time we were here. Is there anyone back there? A voice? With the alchemy, I guess it is possible… It might be worth looking into. Say, girls. Would you like to go somewhere fun with me? Somewhere fun? That sounds lovely! Good. You can go on ahead to the gallery. Alright! It’s down that way, right? Race you there, Lydie! Hey! Wait, Sue! Now, both of you… I’ll lead the way.The three enter the gallery. Now! Look at this wonderful painting! A Mysterious Painting? It just looks like a regular painting to me? Well, this was painted by an alchemist. You see, there’s another world inside the painting! Another world? Yes. Including lots of rare materials. National policy is currently to collect these paintings. Wow! So the one in our basement was also a Mysterious Painting… That painting is a secret! You heard what she said. We don’t want them taking it away! Ah, you’re right! I’m sorry, I’ll be more careful. Sheesh. For all her book learning, she really isn’t much for street smarts. What are you two talking about over there? Nothing, nothing at all! Please, tell us more! I’d love to, but… There’s still plenty we don’t know about them. Our best alchemists are working on it diligently. And now I want to bring both of you on board. I see. That does sound like a great opportunity, but why us? Lydie talked about hearing voices from this direction. I think maybe you heard it coming from this Mysterious Painting. A voice from a Mysterious Painting? Is that possible? Maybe. Alchemists can sometimes hear the voice of materials, after all. If you can hear such a voice, you’d be perfect for investigating Mysterious Paintings. Even without that, I think you too can do some good in there. What do you say? Want to give it a try? Yes, please! We’re both really interested in the worlds inside paintings! Great. That settles it. Lucia is already inside. I want you to work together with her to investigate the painting. Go stand in front of it. Alright! …We’re doing that, but nothing’s happening yet? To get in, you just need to strongly wish to visit the world inside. And to come back out, you need to strongly wish to come back to your original world. What? We jumped into that hole for nothing? Hahaha, sounds like it. Come on then, Sue. Let’s go. Count me in! We’re going into this mysterious world!  Come on out, Mathias. There’s a lot we don’t know about the world in there. There might be dangerous monsters in there. I need you to protect them both. Understand? Yes, you can leave it to me. We’ll be right back.
Jerry Manderbilt fucked around with this message at 20:33 on Jul 12, 2019 |
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Nov 25, 2018 22:38
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From the few of these Atelier games I've seen LPed here, do any of them have a proper evil antagonist? Everyone seems so nice and friendly compared to NPCs in almost all other games I've seen and played. I think that is what keeps me away from these games. I feel like I'm watching a girl's doll commercial. The player is talked to and treated like a child by everyone, when they're supposed to be high-school aged (and can take down a Griffon 10x their size with just a staff, a pair of revolvers, and some improvised explosives made from random stuff found in the woods). I think they can handle themselves without a chaperone. That being said, the crafting systems is these games intrigue me immensely. Thank you for LPing this.
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Nov 26, 2018 02:23
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Depends on series, Iris series have antagonists, Sophia has one. Most conflicts are either environmental, or achieving personal growth.
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Nov 26, 2018 04:16
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