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And Hard Ball has a better description.
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Mar 20, 2016 19:59
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However, it is not The Best damage spell. You will know The Best damage spell when you see it--and in a couple updates we will! (You will also know The Best buff spell when you see it. Not the most effective, because that's Speed, I'm talking the Best one.)
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Mar 20, 2016 20:44
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Bruceski posted:Yeah, it's not so much that it was INTENTIONALLY unwinnable, and more that it's an interesting study for game design and chaos theory because relatively subtle changes can make it much more or less difficult to win. Not that this has anything to do with Secret of Evermore. I'm just a huge pedant.
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Mar 20, 2016 21:03
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FredMSloniker posted:Technically, someone will always win (barring a truly improbable run of die rolls combined with the time limit of life), and since the game is just dice-rolling, the only way the game can be made easier or harder for a specific player is if it changes the (dis)advantage the player has due to their place in the turn rotation. (That said, in a game like this, where players can't interfere with each other, I believe the players who move earlier always have the advantage.) Fair enough. If I'd had my pedant hat on (I left it around here somewhere...) I'd have said length of game rather than difficulty.
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Mar 20, 2016 21:19
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Rabbi Raccoon posted:I was telling Leave this the other night but I hated the aqueduct maze. I didn't notice the light so I spent about 20+ minutes trying to find the right hole. Secret of Evermore: I spent about 20+ minutes trying to find the right hole.
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Mar 21, 2016 01:23
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FredMSloniker posted:You have a citation for that? Because Wikipedia says that (a) the original version was an Indian dice game and (b) it was never made outright unwinnable in its adaptations. That is the origin I was thinking about, but it's been long that I think I'd conflated the fact that it had more snakes than ladders with it being designed as unwinnable - it was certainly designed to be easier to go backward than to go forward, and there was a moral dimension even with that original version.
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Mar 21, 2016 02:11
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So, uh... monsters? Monsters from the id?
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Mar 21, 2016 03:00
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Rangpur posted:However, it is not The Best damage spell. You will know The Best damage spell when you see it--and in a couple updates we will! (You will also know The Best buff spell when you see it. Not the most effective, because that's Speed, I'm talking the Best one.)
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Mar 21, 2016 14:10
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It's been a long time since I played this game, but I love the second area. Just everything about it is the best. Especially the predicament you get stuck with right off the bat. It's a prime bit of assholery on the part of the programmers, and I love it.
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Mar 21, 2016 23:08
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Update Twelve: Welcome To Crustacia, Where The Punches Are Made Up And The Rogues Don't Matter Welcome back, everyone! Last time, on Secret of Evermore, we discovered Fire Eyes had an evil twin, who owned a pet rock, and then we beat up said pet. We were then blown out of the volcano and landed in a new place, so let's boogie down and explore.  The funny thing is, that film only featured schooners and they sailed on a lake.  And "Dandy" Don drowned after filming the final scene, so they released the film as a tribute to his memory.  Hey, that's right. Where's our dog?  Well, he's a tough son of a bitch. I'm sure he's fine.  But, he could be close.  Perhaps even in this shipwreck.  This looks like his rough and tumble style, but there's no sign of any wolf-like creatures.  Treasure, you say? I fully support finding these treasures.  ...Couldn't I just keep the treasure itself and still be filthy rich? And Nobilia? Where the hell is that?  If you steal my plan, I will hunt you down, hit you with a brick, and tie your shoelaces together.  Was there ever a point in history where calling the strongest guy around Tiny wasn't tired and played out?  Aww, he has no friends. Like a weightlifting goon or something.  But, steady employment! That's good!   ...Crustacia? Reminds me of a joke about the difference between a lobster with boobs and a dirty bus station. One's a crusty bus station, and the other is a busty crustacean.  A guy at work told me that joke the other day. He also told me he's quitting, and I'm eagerly awaiting the day.  Uh, my bad.  Ah, if only all of our priorities were so well in line.    It's still a bright and sunny day, pal. Quit bein' a wuss and go.  I'm looking for my dog. Any treasure I find along the way is purely a bonus.   Yeah, I'm outta here. I don't need that kind of sass. Also, pots are the new gourds. That one in there contained some Clay.  We heard a lot about the west bank over there. Seems like a solid place to start our search for Zach.  And to meet some new enemies!  Sand Spiders and Rogues are two of the new guys we'll be meeting around here.  Rogues are buckets of health, with 200 a piece. They also drop 100 EXP a piece and 10 Jewels, since Talons are no longer the accepted currency.  The Sand Spider has 74 HP, with 72 EXP and 18 Jewels for a drop.  These two also have pretty good magic defense, so Hard Ball isn't quite as useful as it once was. It's still nice for some quick, long-range damage, but our Horn Spear can do that, too.  And there are still blood pops.  While the Rogue just goddamn explodes. There's no doubt about if York killed a man here.  Well, can't get past that. But, I'm sure we'll be back later.  And that leads out over the water, but with no way to cross. The bridge is also broken halfway across, so we're not going to get over to the west bank proper for a little while yet.   But, maybe we just didn't go high enough to find Zach. He's a dog and they get into all sorts of shenanigans.   Not quite sure why some of the Rouges are so desperate to tear our heads off while others just want to chat, but I'm cool with it.   His items are all stuff we've seen before (Nectar, Biscuits, Pixie Dust), but the Change Money option is new.  There are a couple of other areas we'll be visiting and each has their own currency. As I said above, Jewels are what we use in this area.  Man, we had a lot of Talons. And now we've a lot of Jewels!  Nabbing this reminds me, I should be leveling up Heal. Before long, it'll be stronger than the Nectar.   Thank you, Russel.  As long as it's not the ghost dad, I'm perfectly okay with that.  So, uh, yeah, this ship got the hell wrecked out of it.  Right you are, sir!    We drop the 1,400 Jewels to kit ourselves out in the new gear, which will come in handy.    Because they are definitely hefty upgrades over our previous stuff. Holy smokes.   We jack his Water and move on.   Yeah, you guys are alright. I like the cut of your jib.  If they're anything like the Rogues I already met, I'm not worried about that.   OH MY GOD SHUT UP ABOUT THE TREASURE  AND gently caress OFF I'M FINDING IT TO SPITE ALL OF YOUR HALF-DRESSED ASSES   Yarr, I'll be declining this request, ye scurvy dog.  Twenty Jewels will get you fully topped off, though.  His other pot contains more Water, which I won't turn down.   It's never until you're taking screenshots of what people say that you realize how much they say the same poo poo.  I get the message, game, but it'll be a while before we can get over there. Out of protest, I head into the nearest cave.    For that silly poo poo, I'm taking your Clay and Nectar. I hope a badger eats your man-thong.   This elevator takes us down to the bottom; it'll stay down there, too, so if we need a quick ride back up, we can hop back on.  But for now, before we head on up to the east side, let's take a break. Next time, we'll see a familiar face, snag a new (and very badass) formula, and do some other stuff, so stay tuned!
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Mar 22, 2016 07:26
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Hrm, I wonder if there's treasure to the west....? 
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Mar 22, 2016 08:04
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Psst Leave, look on the west bank of the river, there might be some treasure there.
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Mar 22, 2016 09:03
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counterfeitsaint posted:Psst Leave, look on the west bank of the river, there might be some treasure there. Um, spoilers??
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Mar 22, 2016 09:11
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Leavemywife posted:Was there ever a point in history where calling the strongest guy around Tiny wasn't tired and played out? quote:"Then have I gained a right good man this day," quoth jolly Robin. "What name goest thou by, good fellow?" So, in other words, no.
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Mar 23, 2016 01:34
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I wonder if we're going to get an anchor weapon and use it like a zipline on that rope.
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Mar 23, 2016 05:31
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Update Thirteen: Secret of Evermore: Canine Drift Welcome back! Last time, on Secret of Evermore, we washed up on the shores of Crustacia, and met some of the local Rogues. Today, we're going to explore around a little more, see an old friend, and catch back up with Zach. With that said, let's boogie.  We can't get to the treasure on the west banks, so we're forced to go easts.  Mad Monks are another new enemy; they attack by spinning their staves in front of them, which can inflict Confound, which is this game's version of confusion; it reverses your movement inputs, which is more annoying than anything else. It can also inflict Plague, which is a stronger Poison, dealing a little more than 30 damage every few seconds.  However, Mad Monks are not fans of alchemy.  They've only got 60 HP, by the way, giving 20 EXP and 75 Jewels.  We flash annoyingly when Confounded.  Despite messing with your movement, being Confounded doesn't seem to mess with anything else. You'd think it would tank your evasion or hit rate, since you can't move right.   This is another one of those odd areas that doesn't seem to have anything in it. I didn't find any hidden paths or ingredients here, so...Yeah, just a blank area. If anyone can explain it, I'd love to hear it.   Rogues can take a hell of a hit, can't they?  But, a couple of Hard Balls to the Rogue and to the Mad Monk, Hard Ball hits level 6. I think this is the highest level I've ever gotten an alchemy formula in this game.    Rogues also hit like bastards. They've the highest attack of anything we've met so far, counting the bosses we've fought.   However, using the power of style, we can not only take out both Rogues, but also snag a level up!   Maybe there's someone friendly in here.  Hey, it's Blimp! And...drat, did you mount Salabog's head on your wall? That's hardcore.  Big washout? Did I miss something? I know the volcano erupted.  Oh, that was a boat. I thought it was an upside down turtle shell. I guess it could still have been. And we didn't exactly use the boat; we just kind of fell into it.   Whatever is in the Mud Peppers apparently give them some sort of floating ability when mixed with water. Which we've already seen, so I don't know why I said that.   Speaking of which, Blimp, have you seen him?   Oh, we're fading to black.   Well, that's a dog alright.  Even better, it's our dog!   I'm going to have to get Explosionface to make us a new  for our new dog.   It seems that we're more in Roman times than Prehistoria. This area is called Antiqua.   : Fix this! Fix that! Never a moment's rest. Sacred Dogs? Maybe that'll come into play later on. I wouldn't expect it, though. Just some throwaway dialog. Also, yes, that guy is just a palette swap of a Prehistoria old guy. And Strong Heart. I didn't notice it until making that portrait, and I had the two side by side on a sprite sheet.   I like how the dog runs. Don't judge me.   : My husband complains about the all the work around here. Truth is, I do the work and he does the complaining. We came out of a fountain; I'm sure our paws are clean.  Now, if that's not a villainous man, I don't know what is.  And he has Caesar on his side, too.  Pompolonius is far too amusing to me.   : I must have the eyes of the Diamond Dog statue.  : But, Sir. The people will not support your actions unless we receive a sign from the Sacred Dog! : I hate to burst your bubble, Pomp, but the Sacred Dog is a myth. We can't expect for some mystic creature to simply slide into the palace! And we  pan over  to this.  Goddammit, I love Zach.   And we fade to black again...  "Looks like I'll have to punt you in the ravine. Nice knowin' ya."  If we're finding our dog, perhaps you have something to help us?  That's...Not quite what I was thinking.  Maybe some fancy new weapon?  If nothin' else, you did build the bridge. I suppose that's enough.  Aha! My man!  Crush is going to be in use for a very, very long time.  So we equip it; I'm going to keep Hard Ball around for a little longer, just in case I need some extra alchemy oomph.  We also stock up on what ingredients we can; we've got twenty-five castings of Crush at our disposal now.   Instead of going across the bridge, we go rob Blimp of some Ash and Wax.   And save up, since we're taking a break. But next time, we'll cross that bridge, a desert, and get a new formula. And maybe other stuff, but you'll have to stay tuned to know for sure!
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Mar 24, 2016 00:41
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And here it is. I'll leave you to show it off, but Crush is universally acclaimed as the attack Alchemy. 99 casts. A really cool casting animation. Fast, though not instant, so you can stack hits well. One of the cheaper spells in Antiqua. A middle power attack spell that hits hard, scales well, and you are guaranteed to get pretty early on. Unless you deliberately choose not to, you will probably use Crush for the rest of the game, so it'll level up to significantly and end up outdamaging the late game high power attack spells by the time you get them, unless you grind them up to compete. The handful of enemies a high level Hard Ball won't one shot, Crush will. It's a good idea to keep them both on your spell ring, so you can efficiently pick which one will hit hard enough for the enemy you are targeting, and have up to 198 attack Alchemy casts up your sleeve, which is a lot of ammunition in this game. As we can see with the Mad Monk, many annoying enemies are weak to Alchemy and high level Hard Balls clears them up just fine, so you can save Crush for the more resistant enemies like Rogues. Its only weakness besides discouraging players from experimenting with other attack spells is that there are a few areas of the game where Limestone can be hard to come by so you may need to ration casts until you can refill your ingredients, but Blimp is an easily accessible ingredient merchant for much of the game so keeping stocked up is easy most of the time. As for those screens you are coming across that don't have ingredients or seem to do anything-- they serve a purpose later in the game. Broken Box fucked around with this message at 07:22 on Mar 24, 2016 |
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Mar 24, 2016 01:27
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I should probably level up my Alchemy before I go much further. I'd imagine that this island/dimension/continent/whatever this is has the most hosed up geography this side of [insert RPG of choice here]
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Mar 24, 2016 01:36
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Broken Box wound up saying what I would've about the empty areas. Otherwise, just popping in to say I love this game and am happy to see it getting some much-deserved love. ^_^
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Mar 24, 2016 01:46
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You didn't use crush before ending the update. you loving tease
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Mar 24, 2016 02:08
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100 HOGS AGREE posted:You didn't use crush before ending the update. http://i.imgur.com/4Sfavvm.gifv
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Mar 24, 2016 03:45
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Ah, civilization has progressed far enough for people to create armies and conquer other lands! That's what progress does, right?
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Mar 24, 2016 04:43
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Yeah, Leave, the empty areas you stumble upon from time to time will have their purposes made clear by the time you reach late game. That said, I do agree that they could have done with one or two things lying around like there are in the rest of the game. Also, what I am looking forward to most is less Crush and more the exploration in the upcoming open-market madhouse.
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Mar 24, 2016 04:56
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Yep, Crush kind of shows that Alchemy is not that well-implemented. I love the Alchemy system, but the fact that Crush is the most viable attack formula for so long makes leveling up the other formulas into a bit of a chore. That said, Antiqua is my favorite area in the game and greyhound!Zach rules.
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Mar 24, 2016 06:09
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I find Alchemy better implemented than the rest of the combat system. Anyway, Crush is great, it's the first formula you get where it has enough raw power to have what seems to be exponential growth in terms of damage (really it's just growing stronger than enemies Mdef can keep up.) Or to put it in better terms, Crush is the 5th strongest attack formula in the game and you can stock 99 casts of it. Use it, you will not regret it.
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Mar 24, 2016 06:43
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You chalk up your hands so you can get a really good grip on your enemies in order to crush them?
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Mar 24, 2016 10:39
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By the by, I am still thinking of science ways to explain Alchemy stuff, but of course there's little possibility with "giant crushing fist lol". I've always liked this chapter's intro. Not too fond of what follows, but it's certainly...unique.
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Mar 24, 2016 11:15
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This was my favorite section of the game too. Greyhounds are sleek and awesome dogs.
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Mar 24, 2016 15:55
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counterfeitsaint posted:This was my favorite section of the game too. Greyhounds are sleek and awesome dogs. Greyhounds are ok.
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Mar 24, 2016 17:29
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Simply Simon posted:By the by, I am still thinking of science ways to explain Alchemy stuff, but of course there's little possibility with "giant crushing fist lol". I've got nothing. Limestone has a ton of applications, but none that even remotely seem like they could do damage to someone. Other than it being a very heavy and readily available mate... oh for fucks sake, you're dropping a stone fist on their heads. Dunno how the wax fits into it. Beeswax and a swarm of bees are carrying the fist?
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Mar 24, 2016 23:00
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Leavemywife posted:
When you get your own, um "personal transportation" way WAY later in the game, it drops you off here IIRC. The open space is just so that there's plenty of room to put the sprite for your transport. That said, I can't explain why they wouldn't put in like one pot or some hidden ingredients or whatever just so it doesn't feel totally abandoned.
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Mar 24, 2016 23:31
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Crush is probably the most satisfying spell to use. Nothing's more hardcore than dropping a huge rear end stone fist on your foes. 
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Mar 25, 2016 00:36
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Oh yeah, here's the OST if no one has listened to it. A lot of the soundtrack is ambience, which is kinda interesting but gets really samey in parts of the game when you're grinding or get lost or whatever. Titles can describe areas however just FYI if you want to just watch the game play out. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVcr7yQ9qbY
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Mar 25, 2016 01:20
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Fabricated posted:Oh yeah, here's the OST if no one has listened to it.
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Mar 25, 2016 01:46
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Seiren posted:Too much of the soundtrack is ambience, and what's there is...middling, in my opinion. There's still a handful of stand-out tracks, though, and those tend to be very good. In particular, the upcoming areas. The next act has a good portion of the game's actual music, and among them is my 2nd favorite in the game. I also liked Fire Eyes' theme, and there's another major character coming up who also has a sweet tune. But above all of those, the final boss song is fantastic, setting the stage for a brutal, desperate battle. I'd consider it average at best, but it's an excellent score to kick off a career with. Plenty of experienced musicians and industry veterans have produced far worse with more resources. The soundtrack in general is really moody/downbeat given the tone of the game.
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Mar 25, 2016 01:49
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Jeremy Soule originally had much bigger ambitions for the Evermore OST, but the limitations of the game's sound chip forced him to resort to a lot of ambience for most of the game's areas.
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Mar 25, 2016 01:54
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Just found and blitzed the thread, nostalgia nostalgia hnnngh etc etc When I first acquired a copy of this game way back when, it still had save data from previous owners. One of them had named the protag "Mr. Miyagi." The reference blew right by me but he was really high level so I was compelled to leave it alone. As for the music, apparently the official soundtrack includes proper orchestral versions of select pieces, this one being my favorite. On that note, I might as well plug my favorite remix.
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Mar 25, 2016 03:52
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counterfeitsaint posted:Greyhounds are sleek and awesome dogs. The sticky-up ears make me think it's meant to be an Ibizan hound or something along those lines:  a goode dogge
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Mar 25, 2016 04:48
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megane posted:The sticky-up ears make me think it's meant to be an Ibizan hound or something along those lines: That is an even awesomer doggie. I think in game it's supposed to be whatever sort of dogs were in ancient Egyptians, considering the rest of the theme. When I was a kid, my friend's dad has a miniature greyhound, and I thought it was the best dog ever. It was the size of a cat, and it acted the way my 8yo brain thought a cat should act, playful and excitable and friendly, instead of smug and diametrically opposed to being petted by small children like actual cats. He even trained it to jump up into his arms on command, which is pretty impressive for something that tiny. Ever since then I've been fond of greyhounds.
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Mar 25, 2016 05:20
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I'd do an update today, but my wedding reception is today, so don't expect it. Maybe tomorrow, even though it's Easter. In any case, Happy Easter, everyone!
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Mar 26, 2016 15:57
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