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Like A Shooting Star - Let's Play Fate/extella A brief overview Fate/extella, to put it simply, a musou-style hack-n-slash game released for the Playstation 4, Vita, and (soon) the Switch, but it's also a game with a large amount of pedigree and tradition surrounding it. The game is the latest (new) entry in the long-running Fate series, a franchise created by the Japanese visual novel company Type-Moon back in 2004 and has come to encompass several genres, over many platforms. Like almost every entry in the series, extella is primarily written by Type-Moon co-founder Kinoko Nasu. But extella is also the third entry in the Extra subseries, which concerns a series of wars fought on the moon in the digital world created by a giant future supercomputer. Although this is the third entry in the series, continuity is not a particular stumbling block for this game. Although this is technically a sequel to the PSP's Fate/EXTRA, there's not much backstory you need to know to understand the story of this game. It's almost entirely self-contained, with only a few references to previous entries. I'll point them out as the game mentions them. Gameplay-wise, it is a musou-style game, of which Dynasty Warriors is probably the most famous example of this type of game. Simply put, you control one character, and you slaughter hordes of extremely weak enemies, and defeat more powerful ones to finish a particular stage. Of course, there is the occasional gimmick level / boss to not have you do the exact same thing over and over again, but the vast majority of gameplay is the above. LP structure Because Nasu is a writer, and he is a very...long-winded writer, at that, a certain amount of care needs to go into LPing a game like this. The gameplay is simple, but there is loads and loads of plot, dialogue, and exposition, which I believe makes this game worth LPing. So the general way this thread will develop, is that the introduction to a stage will be its own update, and then the stage and its outro will be another update. I will of course adjust this structure as I deem necessary, but that's the general idea. Plot -> Gameplay + little plot -> Plot should be a pretty easy theme to follow. Spoiler policy Again, there is a lot of story to this game, so I would appreciate keeping things secret, if you do know what's coming next. However, I don't think I'll have a lot of trouble with this. Prelude Flame Poem Arc Sign Sing Scholar Skirmish Conquest Encounter Rebound Clash Resolve Duel Titan Hollow Intermission Orchid Words Arc Queen Sakura Passion Contact Sun Concert Corroded Magic Megami Golden Ataraxia Dawn Arc Darkness King Invader Elite Sword Body Messenger Fall Warpath March Mousetrap Sunset Choice Alter Sunrise Golden Poem Message Path Counterattack Flame Poem - Epilogue Change Gathering Orchid Words - Epilogue War Home Dazzle Turn Servant Side Stories Hunter of the Red Plains - Nameless Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Conqueror of the Moon - Iskandar Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Hero of the Poor - Karna Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Instant Vortex - Medusa Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 God's Resolution - Jeanne d'Arc Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Blood-soaked Fist - Li Shuwen Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Radiant Sword - Gawain Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Spear Barbed With Death - Cu Chulainn Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Ruthless Warrior of the Turbulent Times - Lu Bu Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 He Who Saw The Deep - Gilgamesh Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Cinderella Girl - Elizabeth Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Idylls of the King - Artoria Part 0.5 Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Shooting Star - Archimedes Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Golden Poem - Resumed Dawn Arc - Epilogue Golden Poem - Interlude Impact Fate Extella Sylphid fucked around with this message at 14:23 on Jul 18, 2018 |
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May 9, 2017 12:41
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Prelude Dawn  "Let's review the facts," the scholar said to me. "Earth scientists have hypothesized so-called 'parallel worlds,' other versions of Earth and its surroundings, expanding indefinitely like mirrored reflections. If true, that would mean that Earth has not only one future, but many. In other words..." "Think of it like this. The 'you' that you are aware of exists somewhere upon this timeline." "It might sound unreal. Humans aren't equipped to perceive, let alone traverse, the 'wall between worlds.' But what if I put it another way? Think of these parallel worlds as other possibilities." "Imagine what might have been in your life. Think of the connections that were cut off and thrown away. Options you see now, in retrospect, that you would never have considered at the time. Picture how your life today might be different had those 'what-ifs' come to pass. All those variant futures, in everyone's lives, make up the vast array of parallel worlds." "Your actions, those of the 'you' in this present moment on this particular timeline, can change the world in any number of ways. That proves such possibilities are alive, and that your world is on the 'proper axis'." "Conversely, a world where the future cannot be changed, regardless of your choices, can have no parallel worlds. Such a world is nothing but a dead end, solitary and singular, with a past as immutable as its future."  "This is a necessary evil, a byproduct of the way parallel worlds are structured together. After all, a world where humanity made radically different choices would bear very little resemblance to the world you know.""Some worlds may have crumbled by making all the worst choices. Other may have made all the right ones, and rocketed ahead, perhaps too far ahead. In either case, that world can no longer be said to resemble ours, and once a world moves out of sync, it is no longer 'parallel.'" "'Why would those worlds become solitary,' you ask? Could the people in those worlds not still make different choices?" "Unfortunately, no. This dimension contains a finite amount of energy, and has none to spare for creating new worlds from the worlds gone so far astray."  "If parallel worlds continued to increase in this manner, their number would eventually exceed the capacity of this dimension. Parallel worlds must exist, but in a manageable quantity. By my own rough calculations, and judging by the civilization of Earth alone, this solar system would collapse within 100 years if the parallel worlds expanded without limits.""Seeing as how we do, in fact, live and multiply, the solar system is clearly not oversaturated with possibilities at this time. I extrapolate that this dimension can sustain our existence for the next 100,000,000 years." "The system works thusly: At regular intervals, the dimension takes stock of the possibilities it contains, and only allows certain outcomes, those that would not cause undue difficulty in managing the next generation, to remain. As for the unneeded parallel worlds, the system closes off their futures." "Specificially, every 100 years, it calculates how many worlds will last another 100 years, and supports those worlds only. Have you heard of the Law of Conservation of Mass? This could be called the Law of Conservation of Events."   "And so, the civilizations in these numerous parallel worlds line up with one another. Think of it all as a giant tree. Only the trunk at the center can grow tall. The branches may bear fruit, but eventually they reach their limit, and fall without reaching the future.""You understand, yes? There are no parallel worlds for a world that has evolved too fast or crumbled too quickly. Such worlds are merely dead ends whose outcomes are predetermined." "And so, there is a set time frame in which these branches are trimed, extra possibilities are removed, and future histories, once fluid, turn to stone."  "Such laws apply to the Moon Cell as well. The Moon Cell is a self-updating observatory, which continues to record every incident and possibility on Earth. You could say it makes the same observations on parallel worlds. It's all quite vexing.""But in any case, the so-called Foundation of Humanity governs the Moon just as it does the Earth, tracking the various spiritron worlds and determining where their futures will come to an end." "Once one passes that event horizon, there is no turning back, nor turning aside. Any lingering 'ifs' become 'might-have-beens.'" "It is the work of a great invisible hand...no, of a god's invisible hammer. I have named this point in time 'the Quantum Timelock,' the event compilation set by an absolute observer." ...I vaguely remember being there for that long lecture. I passed through a deep, deep darkness for so long I felt my consciousness fade. To the end of SE.RA.PH. And then I set foot into the forbidden territories, where even the light of the Moon Cell could not reach.  Beyond this wall is the Zero Dark, the domain of the Umbral Star fragment that flew in from space and burrowed into the Moon Cell. Normally, a system manager like myself would never be able to go there. But your assistance has made it possible. ...Are you at peace with this? You know that SE.RA.PH must be protected against all external threats. This is the responsibility of the one who bears the Regalia, the prize and the burden for the victor of the Holy Grail War. Understand? I understand that you're worried. After all, your opponent is an incomparable monster. But rest assured. The Regalia is on your finger. You hold the power of the Moon Cell itself. You need only focus on deleting the monster inside. I nod in agreement, and look up at the wall again. ...It's huge. SE.RA.PH has its giant structures, but it's still rare to see anything on this scale. The bizarre architecture gives me the impression of a prison, capable of holding tens of thousands of prisoners.I feel an urge to touch the wall. It's hard as diamond, but smooth as silk. Normally, SE.RA.PH only builds objects out of the same materials found on Earth. The touch alone tells me this stone came from somewhere else. There's no doubt this belongs to an invader, something from beyond Earth, made from pseudo-spiritrons. Just as Archimedes said, it's an external threat. ...I'm afraid. Anyone would be. Inside this place sleeps a monster who nearly destroyed both the Earth and the Moon. And now they expect me, one lone wizard, to defeat it. If only Saber were here... That's not possible. If we were to bring a powerful Servant here, the enemy would sense our intrusion. However strong or high-ranking a Servant might be, nothing from the Moon Cell could ever defeat the Vanguard of the Umbral Star. There's only one way to win. We must use the Regalia to slay the monster before it awakens. That's why you and I are here. Besides, you wouldn't want to waste your Servant's life in a hopeless battle, would you? *nod**quake* Wh-What was that...?! The monster must be stirring in its sleep. ...Well, well. How perfectly horrid. But that also means I'm right. The enemy hasn't noticed just the two of us yet. This is our best chance to strike off its head. Let's sneak in through this breach. Please don't make a sound. ..Is everything clear, Hakuno Kishinami? *nod*
Sylphid fucked around with this message at 19:59 on Aug 30, 2017 |
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May 9, 2017 12:42
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Sign Memories of ancient days   A shooting star falls form the early dawn sky, a shining light streaming through the dark river of space. The earth's surface would be unfamiliar to modern-day eyes. All who dwell upon it look up. The people. The animals. Even the plants. The comet goes on soaring through the sky. For all their great speed, most comets appear to hold still in the sky, from the planet's perspective. And so the people believe this one to be another harmless spectacle, a tear-shaped jewel among the stars. They have no idea that their time on this planet has come to an end.  The surface of the earth is on fire. The planet is on fire. The catastrophe destroys all civilizations, without clemency or judgment. The beasts of nature suffer horrible mutations, run amok, and ultimately fall to ash. Prophets protest that the end has come too soon. Rulers call upon their people to fight. Scholars say only that it is too late. A few still cling to hope, believing that at least some of them will endure.  ...Until the true threat makes its appearance.   Welcome to the tutorial bit. As expected of musou-style games, the gameplay is pretty hack-and-slash simple. Square launches your typical weak, fast attacks, whereas triangle throws out more powerful, but considerably slower attacks. By combining square and triangle, you can perform various combo moves, several of which I show off in this brief bit. X is your jump button. A Servant can jump up to three times, and can get considerable hangtime. There's no particular goal to this tutorial. Just kill and kill and kill.  Circle will launch what are called Extella Maneuvers. When you've got at least one blue bar filled in that gauge beneath your Servant's life bar, you can press circle to begin the attack. While in the attack, you are impervious from attack, they will interrupt any enemy action, and, if you have more than one bar filled, you can press circle a bunch more to continue the attack and add on even more hits and damage. As you might expect, this is enormously helpful for dealing large amounts of damage to single targets or destroying large hordes of enemies. The gauge will charge with normal attacks.  ...We'll get to this a bit later. For now, just enjoy the animation.       That is all that remains of the ancients' final records. After the passing of 30 sunsets, or perhaps a few more, mankind's ancestors accept their end. Only one fleeting warning survives for future generations.  Fate/extella OP     The Master   ...The darkness is colossal. Imagine a deep hole, growing and swelling, nothingness spreading out to blind your eyes and eat at your heart. The sheer scale of it all... It's difficult to put into words. The stone monument of Altamira. The titan of Sephyr. This is...the magnitude of the being who can destroy even the Moon! We have no choice but to slay her. We are prisoners, and this is the only way to be free. You are the one. You have to do it! Don't you see?! This is why the Regalia exists. This is why the Moon Cell exists! It's glaring at you. It's targeting you. You should realize that without being told. You can see that the glowing points of light are its "eyes". A giant shadow from the unknown. It's looking at you. "That giant is shadow is not a Servant." That's what your nature, your Soul, screams. "But it's not an enemy program." Your Mind, your experiences, scream that out with conviction. All that comes from your Body, your instincts, is a cry of wordless terror on your quivering tongue.  It's coming. It's here. The giant shadow spreads out with overwhelming speed. With that much mass and velocity...its kinetic energy is on par with a plane crash. How much damage could it do to SE.RA.PH? A thought runs through your head: "There's no way this ends well." There is only an instant before the darkness engulfs all. Just as in the records, and the warnings, the Moon witnessed long ago. So I'll ask you one last time. Someone with nothing to look back on. Someone who has nothing to flash in front of your eyes. An empty shell. Was that what you were? ...Are you...really that kind of creature?  "No, I'm not..." That's what my Soul screams out. "Something's there..." That's what my Mind screams out. "Something irreplaceable..." That's what my Body screams out.  In that moment, a voice illuminates the darkness. I see a gleaming light.It's like daybreak. The titan disappears, and the darkness shatters. The voice and the light approach me...  My eyes become faint. Farewell to my righteous self. An old story that sent my consciousness drifting. ...The fond memories of the Moon end here. The overload from the connection with the Moon Cell core -or should I say the Holy Grail- temporarily damaged your memory. On top of that, your data has been destroyed. Your condition is critical. We need to restore your data as quickly as possible. First, we need to scan your value. This may give you a slight shock, but please, try to hold still.(Label) Victor of the Holy Grail War (Category) Exempt from Measurement Refusal Right: Y (Quality) E- Next, I'll need to confirm your identity. Please input your name.  This game does allow you to input your own name, but the weird thing is that even though she's (only in the most technical sense) a silent protagonist, Hakuno is a character with personality, and talks to other characters, so I'm pretty sure she's not a character you're supposed to project yourself onto. It's an odd situation. Now, technically speaking, you could choose the MC's gender (they're both called Hakuno Kishinami) before the above prologue scenes, but I didn't want to break the flow. In addition, the title card for the first arc of this game also popped up before the prologue scenes, but again, flow. As for why I went with a girl? No particular reason. Basically everything about the game is the same, but I'm of the opinion that several scenes in this game become more entertaining with a female protagonist. And I just like how she looks more than the male protagonist. ...Very good. No problems, then. Congratulations, Hakuno Kishinami. Champion of the Moon Cell Automaton. Let me clean up around here. Your throne awaits... Eyes open I'm sitting in a chair. Was I...sleeping sitting up? As I raise my head up, my joints ache. I must have been in this pose for a few hours, at least.   If so, allow me to welcome you back to your beautiful home. A woman in red stands proudly in front of me. From the bottom of my heart, I feel a sigh of relief. Her golden hair. Her slender body. The name of this beloved woman, together with whom I have overcome so many battles, is.....What is her name? Hm? Is something the matter, Praetor? Does your head hurt? ...Hm. Perhaps you've been working too hard lately. I admire the diligent, but if you take ill, your work will suffer. And I'd rather not have to work alone. It's quite boring, you know. Even in her formal demeanor, I can feel her warmth and affection...but something's wrong. I know her very well. She's the most important person in the world to me. But even so, I can't remember her name. Do I have amnesia?Even if I do...I can at least remember what I first called her. Saber. She's known as the "Heroic Spirit of the Sword," and as the Servant of Hakuno Kishinami. Me. Hm? All joking aside, is something the matter? Perhaps it would help you wake up if I reintroduced myself? ...Heh. Very well then. Then allow me to repeat my introduction. Only one Heroic Spirit blossoms with the stars of her glittering sword. I am the Emperor of the Roses, she whose hands are as fair as they are talented. My sword sings with the melody of the Muses. My heart roars like Vulcan's forge to light your way. And that is how one makes an introduction. If it fosters the bond between us, I'll say it again, as many times as you please. When I see her smile, I can feel the enjoyment from deep within her heart. That feeling flows through me and starts to clear the fog from my head. I can vaguely remember awkward dreams, far removed from whatever my real memories are. But as long as she's by my side, I know I'll never have to fear or doubt a thing. Of course, now that we've established my name, and my beauty, what about yourself? As Saber says those words, I look around the room for the first time. ...What is this?  A throne? I knew I was sitting down, but this is no ordinary chair. All around me, I see...A room befitting this throne. Complete with carpeted stairs to separate the ruler from his men. Did Saber prepare all this? I suppose it's no surprise if she did. But there's something else... I feel like I'm missing something important... What exactly happened to me...? What's the matter, Praetor? Why are you staring, and why haven't you moved? Hm. Had I known this would happen, I would have never let you go to the Moon Cell core by yourself... You slept an entire day upon your return. Something certainly happened there. My Praetor, please tell me everything. Asleep? For a whole day? And what's the Moon Cell core? ...Do you not remember? Oh, this could be dire... You must have undergone quite a journey... Right. We should discuss this in a more comfortable setting. A place where we can both lie down... None other than "My Room."   ...Do you like it? You may call it "My Room", as I do. It was built rather quickly, so pardon me if the amenities are still a bit lacking. For now, please rest yourself. We have much to prepare for. Or perhaps you have other interests. If so, please do not hesitate to ask. It would be my privilege to tell you a bedtime story. This is the My Room menu, which you'll be seeing a lot. I'll describe each from left to right. Talk: chat with your Servant. This will start a new scene if there's a green exclamation mark over it, where you can talk to your Servant about something. This is what we'll do whenever it comes up. Settings: this is where you manage a number of gameplay aspects, though there's not much to do here at the moment. From here, you can change Hakuno's Mystic Code (I'll get to those when it's relevant), skills your Servant is equipped with, and a number of options. If you want, you can also change Hakuno's gender / name here, although I will not be doing that at any point. Craft Item: you can use in-game currency, called QP, to craft new Mystic Codes, here. Not something we can even access at this point in the game. Closet: if you have alternate outfits for your Servant, you can equip them here. Nero gets one in-game if you've fulfilled a certain condition, and has two DLC costumes. I have one of those two, and I'll wear it in the latter half of Nero's story. It's really quite nice. Bed / Fight: basically exits out of the My Room menu. Doing so now will end this particular part of the game, but if the final icon is a pair of swords, that means you'll be taken to the pre-battle menu. To progress in the game, you need to rest. But for now, let's talk with Nero. Rest and explanation What should I do now? At the very least, I know our names. I'm Hakuno Kishinami. She answers to Saber. We clearly have some kind of relationship, but I don't know the details. And then there's this place. Where am I? And why does the word "SE.RA.PH" pop into my head when I ask myself that? Heh... Then allow me to regale you. Lend an ear to the tale of our passionate victory here in the Moon Cell! For those who are coming into this game without a particular depth of knowledge about the Extra subseries, which did include me the first time I played this game, this is a good option to pick, so we'll do that.  In 2032 A.D., mankind made a discovery on the Moon's surface, and named it the Moon Cell Automaton. It had the power to grant its owner's desires, reshaping reality with a single wish. For that reason, they called it the Holy Grail. It also created beings like me. I am an autonomous electronic life-form in the shape of a Heroic Spirit, also known as a Servant. And those who summon Servants and grant them their powers, in this technological context, are called Wizards. Like you. Servants are more than AI. We are genuine beings made manifest with SE.RA.PH. Put simply, we have souls, and we are alive. Your life force, meanwhile, is tied to the body of a Wizard back on Earth. If your mind dies within SE.RA.PH, the body will die as well. You were thrown into battle as a novice. But you, and the allies you earned, overcame mighty foes and uncovered vast revelations. You fought, and you fought, and you fought. And now... Now, here we are together, in our private lunar abode...Got all that? Basically, the Moon Cell is a giant supercomputer located on the actual Moon, that sponsored a digital Holy Grail War, a battle between Masters (basically the same as the Wizards Nero just mentioned) and their powerful Servants (128 Masters in all). After many battles, Hakuno was the last Master standing. This Holy Grail War was the story of Fate/EXTRA, which goes a bit more into the backstory of how this all came to happen. It's not particularly important to this game's story. SE.RA.PH (Serial Phantasm), on the other hand, is everything we see before us. It is the system which allows the summoning of the Servants, the creation of the digital environments, and basically everything else that happens within the Moon Cell. It also created the NPCs, which are referred to but never actually seen in this game. NPCs are those who are neither Masters / Wizards or Servants. There were many in EXTRA, however. ...My memories are still in fragments, but I do recall a few images here and there... The Holy Grail War. Many Masters and their powerful Servants. NPCs running the war from behind the scenes. So many combatants, but only one winner at the end of it all. And was that winner truly...me? You did indeed win. You proved your might and advanced to the Moon Cell core. There, you claimed the Holy Grail.But, that's all she has to say for today. So let's go onto the next day... Or, as much as there IS a "next day" in a digital environment. There is still much to tell you, but rest should be our first priority. Let us enjoy a bit of calm before the storm. Sleep sounds good. Even if I am just starting to wake up... As I close my eyes...I realize I have one more question for now. *giggle* Are you curious? You must be. Rejoice. This is a privilege given to the winner of the Holy Grail War... The Sovereign's Regalia, handed down by the Moon Cell! It symbolizes your Royal Authority within SE.RA.PH. A resplendent treasure, proving me to be the greatest Emperor of all tiiime! Isn't it? I would have preferred more of rose motif, but it will suffice as it is. And it makes a fine reward for our teamwork! When the Moon Cell bequeathed it to me, I knew it understood the heart of a maiden. Saber shows off her ring to me. Her joy is so infectious that I want to get up and give her a hug. Now that we've finished the Holy Grail War, you and I have been given the reward of traveling all over SE.RA.PH... ...Hm? Oh forgive me, I should not overwhelm you all at once. All things in time. Please lie down and rest. Tomorrow, you and I will survey our domain. I look forward to fighting alongside you again, my valiant Master. At those words, the lights in the room go down. ...As I start to fall asleep, it grows dark outside. Not because of the real sun, but because SE.RA.PH, a Serial Phantasm that mainfests as its own world, wants it to. All actions, even those of nature, have meaning. But human actions are in their own special category, and so Saber and I have taken human form in our digital selves....I'm thinking too much. I should take Saber's advice and sleep. I know that when I wake up, a new world will be waiting for me...  Gathering  As promised, I shall guide you through our lands today. We might encounter a few scraps, but consider them practice, if so. Oh, but before that, allow me to introduce our generals. The Regalia officially makes me the King - yes, King - of the Moon Cell. And what is a king without vassals? And so...  ...His true name, Cu Chulainn. Hey, long time no see, missy. We were enemies back in the Holy Grail War, but here we are now. I'm counting on you. The second general, the Demon Fist Master, without shape or sound! An Assassin known for his first strike, which needs no second strike! ...His true name, Li Shuwen! "Kaka" is just how the game writes his laughing sound, for the record.  I heard tell of an honest job. I had nowhere to go, so I welcome your hospitality. Take me to any battlefield. I won't complain. Third, the personification of righteous invincibility! The Knight of the Sun, and a Saber class! ...His true name, Gawain!  ...And Hakuno Kishinami, you were quite instructive to my former master Leo. I shall henceforth believe in your righteousness. Ooh. He has been known to be rather indecisive. No matter. If we need another Saber, I am more than ready myself. And last but not least, the fourth general! The final... Wait. Are we sure this is the right man? Of course. I'm on your side, aren't I? You chose me? New rules from SE.RA.PH. A certain someone came up, crossed swords a few times, made a pitch, and invited me here. So if you want to hire me, and if you can make it worth my time, I'll follow your contract. And you do have the Regalia, so for us Masterless Servants, your orders are just like Master's orders. Well it was indeed I who selected the four of you... By the way, were you in the Holy Grail War? You look familiar. Who knows? I was probably some low-level Heroic Spirit who died in the first round. Doesn't really matter now. By the way, do I not get an intro, Sovereign of the Moon Cell? I mean, as long as I'm pledging my loyalty and all. O-Of course. Behold, the fourth general! A stranger who wields twin blades. Despite being an Archer class. His true name...is unknown! I...do not know his name. Please stop making that face, Praetor. For some reason, his spirit level cannot be replicated as a Servant. At least, according to his self-report. *ahem* Moving on! These four generals are now my vassals! The Holy Grail War is over, but still these lands grow and change each day. Only I, the King, the Emperor, am fit to possess them! So proclaims the Regalia's Royal Authority! ...I see. So that's what she was talking about. SE.RA.PH is building new lands, and Saber and I are going out to claim them. Now, all of you, to your posts. The Praetor and I must depart on our outing together...er, our expedition, that is! No problem. Time to swat down whatever rogue programs pop up. Oh, may I ask one question first, Your Majesty? What is it? Speak quickly. You're the one holding the Regalia, right? So shouldn't you be on the throne instead of that little missy there? Ah, indeed, the throne is the seat of a King. But with all my obligations on the front lines, I have little time for anything else. That is why the one I trust and cherish more than anyone else will always sit there in my place. Besides, my Praetor is both the only remaining Master in SE.RA.PH and the victor of the Holy Grail War. Who else is more worthy? Without my Praetor, I would not be Sovereign. Keep in mind that I do not hold the fate of my domain; Hakuno Kishinami does. I get it. So not just for show, then. All right, works for me. Well, if you need anything, just give me a call, Master. I can spear things like even the Emperor wouldn't believe. On that note, if you'll excuse me too... SE.RA.PH's being decoded right now. I should be on the alert for any changes. If there's any fighting, give me a call. Unlike other Servants, I'm suited for going against people. Just make sure it's a challenge. I... Hmm, let me check on the AIs who are seeking refuge. They will be your citizens in the SE.RA.PH to come, after all. And a good King is always ready to hear the people's petitions. Now, by your leave... Ooh. Subordinates or not, they lack cohesion as a unit. If only they could act as one... Well, we can discuss that later. For now, Praetor, let me guide you through the long-awaited new world!So that cutscene will immediately lead into the first stage of the game, but as per the guidelines set about in the OP, we won't be covering that this update. I will give a brief rundown of the various Servant classes, some of which Nero mentioned. In the larger series, there are quite a few different classes, but in this game, you'll only need to remember 8. Saber: Heroic Spirits of the Sword. These are famous individuals who were remembered for their peerless swordfighting ability. It is generally considered one of the most powerful Servant classes, as many famous and well-known heroes were known for their skill with a sword. Archer: Heroic Spirits of the Bow. Now, in Nasu's works, an Archer does not necessarily need to be skilled with a bow. Several don't even use one. Instead, the definition of "Archer" seems to be spirits who are skilled with projectile weaponry. Nameless is skilled with both twin blades and a bow. An individual skilled in firearms would also qualify as an Archer. They are also generally well-known for superb eyesight and scouting ability. Lancer: Heroic Spirits of the Spear. "Spear" can include both spears and long-bladed weapons like glaives. These are warriors, like Cu Chulainn, who were known as masterful spearmen / women and for their formidable agility. Individuals summoned as Lancers are generally very fast and deadly. Saber, Archer, and Lancer are collectively known as the Knight Classes. Assassin: Heroic Spirits skilled in silent killing, and of course, assassination. One of the weaker classes, Assassins specialize in targeting Masters instead of Servants. Killing the Master will cut off the flow of mana to the Servant and lead to their disappearance. Early in the Fate series, the only individuals who could be summoned as Assassins were the leaders of the historical Hashashin. This rule has been...relaxed, a bit, as the series has evolved. Rider: Heroic Spirits of the Mount. These heroes specialize in riding mechanical and mythological beasts, and using them to defeat their enemies. Heroes summoned as Riders are well-known for their ability to ride various mounts to achieve victory, and is one of the most versatile classes. Caster: Heroic Spirits of Magecraft. These spirits specialize in using magic and spells to achieve victory. Perhaps the weakest of the seven classes, Casters use their considerable ability to change the circumstances, that is, give them more of an advantage over the other 6 classes, with magic. Berserker: Heroic Spirits of Madness. Individuals known for their madness and ferocity, or even regular heroes who who experienced bouts of insanity, are eligible to be summoned as Berserkers. In exchange for giving up their sanity (and in a few special cases, their ability to speak coherently), they receive the class trait Mad Enhancement, which substantially increases their power. Berserkers, Riders, Caster, and Assassins are collectively known as the Cavalry Classes. Ruler: one of the Extra Class Servants. Rulers are noble, pure-hearted warriors who, in the context of this game, are summoned by the Moon Cell to keep the Holy Grail War under control, and within certain parameters. Essentially a measure by the Moon Cell to protect itself if things got out of control. They're basically managers of the war. As for the individual Servants above, Cu Chulainn, Li Shuwen, Gawain, and Nameless, overviews will come later. But that's all the time we have for today. Next time, we begin the first stage proper of the game. Sylphid fucked around with this message at 00:50 on May 10, 2017 |
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May 9, 2017 12:48
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Yo a Fate Extella LP! From the guy that did the Atelier games. I'm following this. I played Fate Extella and it was pretty hm.... well it's only for people who are into Type Moon stuff, and you need to have played Fate Extra at minimum to understand who most of these characters are. There's like 1 character that you need to play Fate Extra CCC, but otherwise.. yeah this is not for newcomers.
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May 9, 2017 17:47
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Man, Nero is the best  Iskandar is also the best, but he's not here right now. GodofDiscord posted:I played Fate Extella and it was pretty hm.... well it's only for people who are into Type Moon stuff, and you need to have played Fate Extra at minimum to understand who most of these characters are. There's like 1 character that you need to play Fate Extra CCC, but otherwise.. yeah this is not for newcomers. I wanted to like Extra, but it was just such an unfun grind. Getting trapped in another battle, knowing you'd only get a pittance of XP out of it killed my will to play, but the storyline (or what I saw of it) was great.
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May 9, 2017 22:15
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Hm, apparently Marvelous got upset I linked the OP and blocked it in five countries, including the US. I'm currently uploading it to Vimeo and will update this post when that happens. Apologies to anyone who wanted to watch it. Didn't realize what the problem was until now. In the future, whenever I LP a game with a J-pop opening, the OP will go up on Vimeo. Tales of Xillia had this problem for wwdark, and I didn't want to take chances with the Xillia 2 opening. Edit: first update has been updated. If anyone can't view the OP now, let me know. Sylphid fucked around with this message at 00:50 on May 10, 2017 |
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May 9, 2017 23:52
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If I may offer a suggestion, could you add quotation marks to the spoken dialogue, to better differentiate from Hakuno's internal dialogue? Anyhow, Fate is a franchise I have a casual interest in, and is plenty ripe for fan-made or indulgent fun, though the actual content is pretty cool too usually. No idea about this game yet though.
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May 12, 2017 11:31
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Kaboom Dragoon posted:I wanted to like Extra, but it was just such an unfun grind. Getting trapped in another battle, knowing you'd only get a pittance of XP out of it killed my will to play, but the storyline (or what I saw of it) was great.
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May 12, 2017 12:53
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Gotta admit, when I think of Fate I don't think Musou. I'm looking forward to the LP!Kaboom Dragoon posted:Iskandar is also the best 
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May 12, 2017 13:03
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Endorph posted:CCC fixed a lot of the issues with that - less battles, more exp, battles moved quicker (and if you really hate playing a video game you can just pick Gil and oneshot most everything except the final bosses) - but sadly that never got localized. There is a fantranslation of it going, but a) it's a Type-Moon game, so the script is several million words long and b) it's a fantranslation, so you can expect it the wrong side of Never. 
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May 12, 2017 14:48
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freshlybaked posted:If I may offer a suggestion, could you add quotation marks to the spoken dialogue, to better differentiate from Hakuno's internal dialogue? This might not help all that much, because the game itself is super inconsistent about distinguishing the two. Sometimes Hakuno will have direct speech in quotation marks, other times there'll be a paragraph of narration and other characters will react as if she said something related to it.
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May 13, 2017 06:15
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Wait the Saber in his game is a pallet swap of Saber from the series, but is a different person? Gridlocked fucked around with this message at 06:44 on May 13, 2017 |
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May 13, 2017 06:39
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Gridlocked posted:Wait the Saber in his game is a pallet swap of Saber from the series, but is a different person? Long answer: One of the artists redraws Saber as new characters, a lot. She's a popular character and he likes the design. Even ignoring "alternate skin" sabers like Saber Lilly and Saber Alter you're still left with Saber, Saber Red (the Saber in this game), Saber of Red (a completely different character from Saber Red), Sakura Saber, and Mysterious Heroine X. If you throw in the various "alternate skin" sabers you have something like 10 or more characters all with strikingly similar features and designs.
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May 13, 2017 07:30
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Wales Grey posted:Short answer: Yes. Well, it's also important to distinguish which Sabers are Artoria and which are not. Artoria: Blue Saber (the original), Saber Lily, Saber Alter (who is her dark side, not just a costume change, like Lily), Mysterious Heroine X, Mysterious Heroine X Alter, two Lancer versions, and a Santa Alter. All of these are Artoria Pendragon in various incarnations. Sakura Saber is Okita Souji, who kinda has Artoria's face but is emphatically not. Takeuchi just drew her as a joke, pretty much. But yeah, Nero is occasionally referred to as Red Saber, and, as you mentioned, Saber of Red is someone entirely different. Saber of Red looks exactly like Artoria (because she's a clone), but has a different VA. Short answer: if she looks like Saber, and she's voiced by Ayako Kawasumi, it's Artoria. Anyone else and you need to get more specific. Thuryl posted:This might not help all that much, because the game itself is super inconsistent about distinguishing the two. Sometimes Hakuno will have direct speech in quotation marks, other times there'll be a paragraph of narration and other characters will react as if she said something related to it. Another thing that's weird about Hakuno is that she'll frequently talk to herself as if she's having an internal monologue but a nearby Servant will react to what she said. Maybe it could be chalked up to Servants reading her thoughts to some extent, but it's not something the game always treats the same way. Sylphid fucked around with this message at 09:34 on May 13, 2017 |
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May 13, 2017 09:31
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 There's a lot of Sabers out there.
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May 13, 2017 12:22
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Nero is better than all of them, anyway.
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May 13, 2017 12:26
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Kaboom Dragoon posted:
There's at least one Saber missing here.
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May 13, 2017 14:07
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More than one if you include Saberfaces as a whole.
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May 13, 2017 15:52
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All this Saber and Saberface talk makes me look forward to the day when I can gush about Artoria in her sidestory. I got a lot on my mind about the Best Servant.
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May 13, 2017 16:17
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Sylphid posted:All this Saber and Saberface talk makes me look forward to the day when I can gush about Artoria in her sidestory. I got a lot on my mind about the Best Servant. Isn't that like saying Ryu's your favourite from Street Fighter.
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May 13, 2017 16:51
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Kaboom Dragoon posted:There is a fantranslation of it going, but a) it's a Type-Moon game, so the script is several million words long and b) it's a fantranslation, so you can expect it the wrong side of Never.
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May 13, 2017 17:13
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One thing I really like. Red Saber/Nero is incredibly bisexual, and incredibly loves Hakuno exclusively. Even in the Fate/Grand Order iOS game, she is not interested in the MC of that game; because she loves Hakuno. This is even "before" and "after" she meets him/her. (Being a spirit in a plane outside of time in multiple timelines makes any explanation of continuity lol and the Nasuverse constantly contradicts itself about that anyways) Edit: Be careful looking at character descriptions of Fate/Grand Order, especially regarding characters from this game. There can be spoilers) Andyzero fucked around with this message at 22:01 on May 13, 2017 |
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May 13, 2017 21:42
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Sylphid posted:Well, it's also important to distinguish which Sabers are Artoria and which are not. Excuse loving me, they were very clear on the fact that Mysterious Heroine X was NOT Artoria. And I will not have you trying to confuse these poor people with your lies or confusion. With that out of the way, I'm honestly surprised with how much Fate's been picking up in the west recently, I wasn't expecting Grand Order or Extella to get western releases. With any luck, maybe we'll get ports of the Vita versions of Stay Night or Hollow Ataraxia to the PS4 in the west. I've always wanted to read Stay Night with an official translation, even if the fan one was alright.
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May 13, 2017 23:22
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Andyzero posted:One thing I really like. When it comes to Nero, her primary concerns are that you be powerful, useful and/or hot and in her eyes, you're three for thee. Gender just gets in the way of things unnecessarily. There's another character who considers you their husband/wife regardless of gender, but they haven't shown up yet.
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May 14, 2017 00:02
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Though, for the record, Nero does say she likes young girls just a bit more. I think that was in EXTRA or something.
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May 14, 2017 01:21
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So Protag wakes up in a room with Nero who calls herself Saber? Protag only has one assistant character? Some of the images like make it hard for me to tell if this is the same character or two different characters.
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May 14, 2017 04:50
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no, hakuno is pursued constantly by tiny cardboard cutout demons who look and dress exactly like the people she's actually interacting with, and they are two separate entities.
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May 14, 2017 05:40
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Sing Master's duty   Know well that the rules have changed since the arenas of the Holy Grail War. Now, put simply, all of us are equal.Even you, Master. To any foes we encounter, you are now as much of a target as I am. Ah, speaking of which, enemy programs are gathering just up ahead. If we proceed, battle is inevitable. Huh?! Wait, does that mean...those things can kill me?! Were I one of them, Praetor, I would come for you first. Your presence is like ambrosia to them, and your "blood" even more so. ...That's bad. I'm not a fighter. I know one program, Code Cast... Oh yes, of course. How foolish of me. You've only just returned, and now here I am, carrying on... Please forgive me. This is the perfect stage to show you my valiant figure, but... Urgh, let us re-evaluate. Praetor. Please stay behind me. It is a Servant's duty to protect the Master. Lonesome as it is, leave the fighting to me. ... Well, it's also the Master's duty to support the Servant, if possible. Wh-What are you saying, Praetor?! Ah, our feelings are more in tune than I even knew. How lovely! ...Regardless! These are not formal duels here, but wild brawls. I cannot guarantee that I will be able to protect you to the fullest..."Formal duels" is a pretty good way to describe the Servant-Servant battles in Fate/EXTRA, for the record. It wasn't everyone's thing. I understand. Even by her side, I'd be more of a liability than an ally. But I don't want that to push me away from her. Even if I can't fight, I still want to support her. If I didn't do that, I'd have no right to be called Saber's Master...! ...What?  P-Praetor?! Wh-Wh-What is the meaning of this?! Where did you learn to do that?! ...I can hear Saber's voice. More than that, I can see her and feel her warmth. Somehow, the whole of my consciousness is now inside Saber's ring. What...in...the...? Yes, that is certainly you in there. I can feel our bond. Stronger now than before. Could this be...my doing? Either way, I want to keep you this close. I want you to stay on my finger. Perhaps the Regalia sensed my apprehensions and brought you in on its own... Well, at least it feels like there's enough room in here, so I don't need to panic...In fact, I like this. Now I can be next to Saber and not slow her down. ...! Right. Now, remember, this is battle, and the first of many new battles together. Let us keep our heads and move as one. Impressive, Praetor! I knew I could rely on you! Simply give the orders, and I will carry out the execution.  So this is the first stage of the game, so it would be advisable to explain how the game works. First, Flame Poem Stage 1 The point of each stage (well, mostly), is to defeat the most powerful enemy-type, called Aggressors, and take over enough Sectors and get enough Sector Keys to "win" the stage. There's always a big fight with an enemy Servant after you've gotten the required number of Sector Keys, but that's your immediate goal. To take over each Sector, you need to make the Aggressors show up. To do that, you need to kill enough generic, low-level goons, who are always the robots with the swords. On the right side of the screen, you can see six little icons, two of which are filling up. Those are the Aggressors-in-Waiting, so to speak. Kill enough small goons to make the first two show up, then kill even more to make the next two, and so on. Once all six are dead, congratulations, you've taken over your first Sector.  Invasions are a notable mechanic to progressing in a stage. The vastly common type is for an enemy to have control over a Sector, then move on to a Sector you control. If you can see the northern-most Sector, you can see some red swords, which indicates the enemy is currently attacking. Now, invariably, if your sector gets invaded, then it's only a matter of time until your side loses. Your first response is to go and aid your allies, right? Not necessarily always wise, however. Let's say, for example, the sector being invaded is a 1*, and you need some big sectors under your control to stave off defeat. Sucks to be them, but it's better than you outright losing the stage. Oh, yeah, and if the enemy has too many Sector Keys, that's an automatic failure for your faction, so do your best to avoid that. Right now, however, that is not even an option. If you'll look closely at the Sector we're in, there's a key next to the exit, indicating we cannot leave. They'll just have to fend for themselves for the moment.  Hm... Well, the historical Nero indulged quite a bit in his own artistic expression, so maybe he's on to something. Also notice the enemy has already taken over the northern-most Sector. That was fast.  On almost every map, you'll have allied Servants in the field with you, and they'll do their best to assist your efforts. In this first map, Cu will automatically advance from the blue 4* Sector up to the top right and take it over. He'll stop there and defend it against enemy attacks, but it falls upon you to defend it, and him, from enemy attacks, should they come. Allied Servants will last substantially longer against an enemy invasion, however.  Enemies also occasionally drop items. This, a sake bottle, will restore one segment of the Extella Maneuver gauge. When a Sector is taken from the enemy, all enemies that are still standing will die, and they'll usually drop some items. If you're not in a particular hurry, might as well snap them up while you're here. Once you've conquered this Sector, up to you to decide where to go next. I'm going to play this a little defensively and go support Cu for now.  We'll be taking the shortest route, obviously. Now, going to this Sector, please notice that orange box (or whatever you want to call it) ahead. This is one of two or three (depends on the map) boxes that contains a Noble Phantasm Circuit. Collect three of these Circuits, and you can launch your Servant's Noble Phantasm, their ultimate technique, with a simple press of the R2 button. We'll be doing that at the end of this stage. Also, Nameless is talking about the source of the enemy invasions, the Plant. The green square on the mini-map correlates to your current main objective, which we'll get to, soon. Plants are usually how the enemy launches invasions. Destroy it, and the invasions stop.  But before we continue, you can use the PS4's touchpad to bring up this helpful mini-map. It'll tell you the current balance of power, the health of the Aggressors in each Sector (i.e. how close they are to being eliminated by the opposing faction), where the Noble Phantasm Circuits are, and which Sectors are currently in contention (you can see, in the blue key part of the bar, the last three are partially faded, which means three Keys are up for grabs. Since Cu's sector is being invaded and he is being attacked, that's two for the Sector and one for Cu himself. Yep, allied and enemy Servants have Sectors Keys attached to them).  Fighting alongside the Child of Light, let me talk a bit about the Dash. Dashing is one of your most useful moves. By just pressing R1, you'll initiate a quick dash forward, as you might expect. It can get you out of jams, it can quickly close the distance with an enemy, and, most importantly, can be spammed if you need to get out of danger quickly, or get to a Sector quickly. You can also do it in the air. For a little advanced technique, if you dash, and then, before it ends, jump, you can get a huge jump out of it and cover a lot of distance quickly. This isn't particularly advisible in a fight, because you just go flying, but if speed is your only issue, it's very handy.  While most robot Aggressors use swords, occasionally you'll have ones with giant axes. These guys are pretty dangerous, since that axe can send you flying and does a fair bit of damage on its own. If you must prioritize one, focus on killing axe guys first.  The invasion has been halted, and we can now continue with our conquests. Now, something strange about this sector. Someone is...singing. Guess we'll have to go on a warpath to find the culprit.  There are also a few generic enemy types. One of the most annoying are the archer-types, since they'll hang back and pelt you with energy arrows or whatever, which is annoying. Unlike the pissant sword-wielding ones, these guys can stagger you with a hit, which makes them a priority target. Also, notice those orange dots going from the Plant sector to where we just left. That means an invasion is about to begin. Next time, however, we'll leave Cu to fend for himself a bit longer.  Plants aren't restricted to just one invasion, however. They can launch multiple ones (I think up to three can be in the que at one time), and more arrows means its closer to happening than one with just dots.  Remember, an Extella Maneuver requires a charge, and if that charge lands, then the attack begins. If you miss that charge, or it's blocked, that can be big trouble, because you'll be unable to move for a bit.  Now, I've had several ally comments in screenshots, but if you're not looking at the touchpad health menu, allies in combat will give updates on their health. As they start sounding angrier / more upset, they're losing health. It is all to the good if you can help them, of course.  Blocking is done with L1. Blocks can deflect most every attack, and it's something you'll need to learn reflexively against powerful enemies. A non-Servant enemy who has their attack blocked will stagger back from it, allowing you the perfect counterattack possibility. Also, if you are blocking, and press a non-L1 button at the same time as an enemy attack connects, you'll parry it, and hit them with a decently powerful strike that will send them up into the air. It's... Let's just say if you're needing a parry to turn the tide of a fight, you're probably gonna lose that fight, let's just say that.  One advantage of triangle is that any move that involves the triangle button will end up with any enemy caught in it to get staggered. Definitely something to keep in mind.  Ah yes, and in all this fun, I forgot to talk about Nero as a playable character. She's, well, the perfect kind of starting character. Easy to learn how to play as, since she is decently fast, very quick with her attack speed, and has a lot of moves where she can get herself out of danger or take care of small mobs quickly. One of her most useful is the S + S + T combo, where she'll very quickly slash to the right, then to the left. It's a good move for scattering mobs / Aggressors, and can pile on some nice damage with a minimal chance of interruption. Her two main weaknesses are her lack of ranged moves, and she is, slash for slash, one of the weakest characters in the game, with a deserved D-rank in Strength. Now, this is not really a huge factor, since she she's so fast, she'll still end up outputting a fair amount of damage anyway.  Only one left...       All right, you little piggies! How're you all doing?! Thanks for coming to see my show! Stop this charade at once, you fool! Destiny has allowed us to go against each other this first round, don't you think...Elizabeth Bathory?! It's a shame your audience has such poor taste, but I suppose there's no accounting for that. Th-They're not tasteless! They just love to move to my beats! Cu Chulainn's words suddenly echo in my mind. Is she the "weird band" he was talking about? This is as far as you'll go, little hatchling. Your terrible noise will sully my lands no more! Free the music! Groupies, attack! Ooh, she got away. ...No matter, we'll conquer this sector first! We'll handle Elizabeth for later. For now, let's focus on the Plant. Plants are wily foes, given they are enemy generators. When you start attacking them, they'll start floating away. Eventually, they'll also go up into the air, and you've gotta smack them down. While they can't attack themselves, they can spawn Aggressors to defend themselves. Some high-level Aggressors + wily Plant can make attacking them dangerous, but they are large targets, so it's not overly difficult to take them out.  But now, our conquest is complete. Elizabeth will be our final major opponent. Make sure you also pick up the Noble Phantasm Circuit hanging out here. Elizabeth will appear in the southern-most Sector.    I realize he's just taunting, but I really love how much everyone hates Elizabeth's singing in this stage, and really, this game. It wasn't *that* bad, guys. Fun fact, though: the lyrics to Elizabeth's song (she sings a longer version if you hang out in Sectors close to her concert) were penned by Mai Kadowaki, who voices Illysviel von Einzbern, a prominent character in the franchise. I dunno, I just thought it was a somewhat strange connection. Elizabeth's thing is a bit odd. She was not in Fate/EXTRA. Instead, her first appearance was in Fate/EXTRA CCC, the pseudo-sequel to EXTRA that is referenced a few times in this title but nothing much specifically referred to (I am kinda glad I don't have to go into that labyrinthine plot to explain anything in this game. Not a complaint against CCC, just that it's complicated). Referenced very little, except for Elizabeth. In particular, Nero has a pretty close relationship with Elizabeth, as rivals. Both of them are flamboyant glory hogs, so they'd naturally get along like oil and water. Though, Nero harbors hate for basically none, and doesn't make an exception for Liz. Now, someone high-up on the extella staff (possibly Nasu himself), really likes Elizabeth, because she's one of the most prominent characters in the game. She'll be with us pretty much from start to finish. Which is fine, she's good. Now, the connection to CCC is that somehow, everyone knows Elizabeth and what her deal is, despite CCC taking place on the Far Side of the Moon, which is a whole other thing. Point is? Don't worry too much about it. Just enjoy the Idol Servant.  So Elizabeth is a Lancer, but unlike the likes of Cu Chulainn, is not particularly good with a lance, so she's nowhere near as fast as he is. Instead, she has a lot of techniques, that unfortunately for her, never got a chance to see the light of day because I was attacking her so much. Jumping is actually a pretty useful offensive tactic, because around enemy Servants, there's like a little vacuum is created by your jump, so you'll drag nearby targets into the air with you, and the enemy cannot retaliate in air. Also, while you can dash all the time, the enemy usually does not. Basically the only time they will dash is when you're attacking them a lot and they can't break out. They'll just dash out of your combo to avoid getting too badly hurt by it.  Enemy Servants can block, and if they are blocking, you'd best break off your attack pretty soon, because after a few hits, they'll automatically parry you and knock you into the air, which, as I stated, can be really bad against a super-strong opponent.   Every enemy Servant, once they've taken enough hits, will go into an Over Limit mode, become invulnerable to stagger, and becomes substantially stronger. Your best best is just to stay the hell away from them until it goes away. Especially when we have this small a life bar, a few good hits from Liz here can KO us. But, luckily, there is an option. Pressing R3 will lock-on to an enemy Servant and keep the camera constantly focused on their movements. Of course, you'll have to compensate for the camera being opposite of the usual back-focused camera, but it's not that hard, and the advantage of making sure your enemy can't do anything like smack you sideways from off-camera more than makes up for it. However, you can still damage Servants who are powered-up. It's just they won't stagger and you'll do quite a bit less damage to them, but if you can fit in a few strikes, might as well.  But, as promised, time to finish her off with a Noble Phantasm. The advantage to using NPs is that they activate instantly, and you are completely invulnerable to damage while it is charging up.  So what ARE Noble Phantasms? You can call them the proof of a Heroic Spirit, that they are deserving of that title. Servants are almost always incarnations of various famous historical and mythological heroes / heroines. Within their lifetimes, Heroic Spirits used many powerful weapons, artifacts, or techniques to create their legends and guarantee their places in the collective human memory. In Nero's case, her Noble Phantasm is Laus Saint Claudius, manifesting the Aestus Domus Aurea, a theater designed by Nero for her performances. Laus Saint Claudius is basically just a simple sword technique, in a world where Nero's abilities are substantially increased. The Aurea in this context is a Reality Marble, basically a pocket dimension created very briefly by a Servant where their rules apply. The victim is brought along with them, and the Marble lasts as long as the mana to sustain it does. The reason Servants can't use their Noble Phantasms, their most powerful techniques, constantly, is that they require an incredible amount of mana to manifest.  But that's the least of her problems right now.  And this is the end-of-level results screen. To get an EX rank, all results need to be EX themselves. Which means, regardless of map, you need to kill lots of enemies, get a long combo (taking any damage will end a combo, as will taking too long to add a new hit), take little damage, and conquer all Sectors. The first two are generally pretty easy, and you should be EXing those constantly. Damage is usually not an issue on Normal, but on Hard and Very Hard (only unlocked after finishing the game), even single enemy attacks can completely drain your health bar and do a ton of damage, if you don't have defensive buffs.  If you've unlocked any new Mystic Codes as a result of your performance, you'll be informed after the stage ends.  The level-up screen. Now, even though you do get this screen, the effects of leveling up apply once you've leveled up, so you don't have to wait until this screen to benefit.  And this shows everything your Servant can do, offensively.  Finally, Install Skills are occasionally dropped by enemies (much less than items), and them dropping them. If you don't manually pick them up, the end-of-stage screen will automatically give them to you. Install Skills are various buffs that can be applied to your Servants to increase their abilities or parameters. Starting next stage, we'll start using them.  The demon fox And Saber, that ring doesn't look good on you AT ALL!  ...Spoken like a sore loser. The Regalia suits me perfectly, and it belongs right here on my finger. Do you not think so, Praetor? Is the Regalia not a perfect fit? Of course it is. So I tell her that, from right by her side. I say it while reaching out to touch her fingers. P-Praetor...? Your words are joyful to hear indeed, but...y-you are quite assertive as well. ...Very well, you have my permission to touch my fingers. Y-Yes, as softly as you please. As you would with the finest white porcelain... One thing you should probably be aware of with Hakuno, is that she is, apparently, incredibly charismatic and can make even the haughtiest, most prideful Servants melt like silly putty in her hands. Absolutely everyone loves Hakuno in-universe. Well, that's not entirely true, but it's 99% true. But hey, speaking like this, who wouldn't love her? Absolutely joyless dopes, that's who. Y-Yes. Yes. You seem much more...forward than usual. I believe I may be falling under your spell... But... Well, this place might be unsuitable. The four generals are nearby, and they have eyes, of course... Perhaps if we were in My Room...? N-No, please don't mistake me! I shall accept every ounce of your affection! A-And as you see, we have won! The enemy is gone, and now that I look again, Archer and Lancer have left the field. This is our land now. You and I are victorious! It's true. There are no further signs of the enemy. Just as Saber says, this area has become her territory. That being said, I can stay at her side a bit longer. Or can I...? ...In that instant, a creak snaps from inside and outside my body. Did exhale? Did I speak? I don't know what just came out of my lips. A low groan? A short scream? Whatever sound I made, it's because I'm in agony. Praetor?! Even my virtual body feels pain. The Moon Cell is no different from the real world in that regard. Sense is still sense, and pain is still pain. And death is still death. Let us return to My Room, Praetor. Your face has gone ghastly pale. It's not exactly what we had in the Holy Grail War, but My Room does have a feature to diagnose and heal you. Quickly...This is another reference to EXTRA. The healing in that game was the responsibility of Sakura Matou, the NPC nurse on-duty who healed your Servants after various expeditions.  What...?! That voice... Like trickery, debauchery and malice all rolled into one...  This is Our land, God's land. You're in Nakatsukani, where the crops are abundant and the water is plentiful. The land replenishes water, travels to the Takama, travels to Yomi, and travels to the Sunlit Watery Heavens!I believe this is what's being talked about.. Japanese mythology is not my forte, unfortunately.    Dressed in her signature cute blue outfit, Servant Caster is ready to go! It is you, Caster! So you survived?! Caster...? Who...is that Servant? Why do I feel nostalgic about her? Do you remember? She assisted you in the Holy Grail War. But all the while, she was an insolent, scheming fool who made a provisional contract and tried to take the Holy Grail for herself. Of course, in the end, her wiles came to nothing. Which raises the question: Where did you go? You suddenly disappeared just as the Holy Grail War came to an end. "Suddenly disappeared"? How dare you say that to Us? You! On the path to the Moon Cell core! You shoved Us from behind and pushed Us off! Oh? Whatever do you mean? Praetor, if you don't recall what she speaks of, consider yourself lucky. Pay no heed to that character. She is nothing but a lewd, lowly wench. Hmph. Is it We who are "lewd", then? Tell me, which of us has her hooks in her poor, innocent Master? No matter. Soon enough, your Master will be Our Master. Just wait and see what happens next time. Ahh... Our ears are perking up. We hear you calling for help, Master. There is not enough room in Our heart for all your sorrow. ...I know her. I can't remember exactly, but I'm certain I know this Servant. ...Her name is... Something floats in the back of my mind. Like old footage. No...like memories. That Servant in blue is... It was just when I'd won the Moon's Holy Grail War. There were several people around me. Masters, Servants, and NPCs. I proceeded toward the Moon Cell core. And then... Then what? Ooh, your miraculous recovery is but a nuisance to me! Trouble me another time, Caster! My only concern is to let the Praetor rest! At least have some consideration! Yes, of course. Master's health is indeed paramount. But...if We might trouble you just a bit - apologies, good Master, but this is important. Sometimes a devoted wife has to take drastic measures. Ah, tee hee. Not that We haven't already, of course.♡ ...Yes, what any sane woman would call "drastic", you would call "routine". Well, all judgment aside, in the name of our "special" bond, let me ask you: What in Pluto's depths are you plotting?As I said, Nero genuinely dislikes very few, and Tamamo is not among them. As she says in the phone game Fate/Grand Order (which will come up more, count on that), "That strangely clothed caster... Casko is a little dumb, but I don't dislike her. In any case, she is my love rival!". Oh ho, how cruel to assume We must be plotting something. We are simply following Our nature. Besides, you know nothing. Emperor of Fools, that's what you are. You have no idea of the forces you've been meddling with. Was it fun to believe that the Regalia was unique, and that it made you the one true King? Well, it's time for a rude awakening.♡ We're afraid We hereby declare war - with the power of the other Regalia. War? What other Regalia?!  ...! ...Two...Praetors?! My body seizes up in pain. I can't even speak. What's going on? That being next to Caster is definitely me. The same face, the same features. From the look of it, we even have the same breathing pattern... ...What's the meaning of this? Why is that Praetor with you? Why are there TWO Masters...?! Hmm? Oh, you really don't know, Ms. Saber? That's rather pathetic of you. Then again, you were content to watch Us suffer, so pardon Us if We enjoy a little schadenfreude. Oh, and on top of that, We'd like to make another announcement.♡ ...What announcement...? Now hear this... As of today, We rule all SE.RA.PH. By Our Regalia, and with Our Husband beside Us, We proclaim Ourselves the ruler of all.♡ Quite a dreamer, aren't you? But it's time to put down that child's fantasy. The Sovereign of SE.RA.PH is I, and this Regalia proves... Ah, but can you not see the Regalia on OUR finger? We have the Moon's Royal Authority here before you. Oh, and if you don't believe Us, We just sent you the proof. Take your time and look it over. To be more exact, 50% of SE.RA.PH belongs to Us already. The rest is still yours, for now. *giggle* You know what that means? We and you, we're like twins now.♡ What...? Wh-Wh-What?! Half... HALF?! You've taken HALF my empire? Cut it down the middle, like a sandwich.♡ We and you are like two different suns, and the land is burning beneath us. We took that 50% in the last few days. Including the new expanded lands, of course. We'll have the rest in no time. And We won't leave a single piece for you. And that's the truth. She's staring at me. Despite her threatening words, she seems to sympathize with my pain. So prepare yourself, however you please. Oh, and you can hold onto that Master for now. Don't get too comfortable in that flimsy, flammable castle of yours. The Moon Cell chose Us. And We choose everything. We are beauty personified. For Our nation, for Our people, We will stop at nothing. And nothing can stop Us. Urgggh... Who does she think she is? And where did she find the Praetor's "twin"? How dare she disrespect me? How dare she declare WAR on me? Another Regalia?! It's not possible. It can't be possible. Oh, but Praetor! ...Are you all right? The surprise appearance of Caster and her "partner" had distracted me for a moment... ...But now I feel that pain again. Not only physical pain, but a deep sense of failure. Slowly, it begins to subside. I still can't move yet, but it doesn't hurt as much. At least I'm stuck looking toward Saber. Very well. Back to My Room for now, then.Yeah, this is a thing that comes up every now and then. Hakuno will be talking to herself, or something one might assume is internal monologue, but it's something other characters can hear. It's kinda heads or tails if what she's saying is something can be heard, or just thinking to herself. It's rather strange. Oh well, at least we have a supremely charismatic MC, in any case.  Alone time  As befitting our MC's personality, every time we can pick the flirtiest option, we'll do that. It's vastly more entertaining, and that's what it's all about, isn't it? The material benefit to us is increasing Saber's bond level. I'll explain those in more detail in a few more updates. Not terribly important now. Inside the Regalia... It felt just like holding her hand. Warm and safe. I could feel my pulse racing against her fingers. Like holding hands? Yes, yes! That's just what it felt like to me! But it felt like even more than that. As if we'd grown closer together than our skin would allow, and our hearts were in perfect harmony. It felt so intimate, so warm and pleasant. If this is the true nature of the Regalia, then it is truly a blessing on us both. I talk to Saber about the Regalia. I want to know everything she does. Material-wise, it looks as if it's made of white gold, though of course it's really a collection of data. Could it be some kind of keycode? She keeps referencing the "Royal Authority", but what exactly does that mean? Hmm. Hmm, yes. Just as I would expect from you, Praetor. Your curiosity and insight fill me with such confidence. Confidence... Huh? What's with the odd reaction? ...Is that really confidence she's giving off, or is it just bravado this time? Sadly, I know little more of the Regalia than you do. I know it's made of special mystic code from the Moon Cell, densely packed... In terms of file size, it holds more data than the largest territory. It seems all that data pertains to the most recent Holy Grail War. To be honest, it is difficult for me to quantity its true value. Gifted as I am, this task may call for a specialist. Still, is it not a beautiful ring? That alone makes it more than precious to me. I agree from the bottom of my heart. The ring's white golden sheen perfectly matches her finger. Beautiful? Of course. Precious? Unquestionably. Just wearing it increases Saber's charm tenfold, enough to overcome any opposing force. ...Y-You think so? No, of course. Of course you do! I thought the same of course, but it warms my heart to know you agree. ...Mmm, feeling ardent today, aren't you, my Praetor? P-Praetor... Have you no sense of self? I must say, you have never approached me...quite...like...this... ...Praetor...I...I... *gasp*! Your eyes! I cannot look away from your eyes. All this time, as I have given my all to conquer you, it is you who have conquered me. Well, now, this is...not to undesirable, I must say.Charisma Rank EX+++++. What else is there to say? Sylphid fucked around with this message at 06:22 on May 23, 2017 |
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May 14, 2017 06:28
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I hope you get Nero and the four general dudes all pining after Hakino by the end of the game. Anyhow, game looks fun. I imagine like any musou though, that it gets repetitive soon.
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May 14, 2017 07:04
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Kaboom Dragoon posted:When it comes to Nero, her primary concerns are that you be powerful, useful and/or hot and in her eyes, you're three for thee. Gender just gets in the way of things unnecessarily. Ah, but Gudao/Gudako/Ritsuka Fujimaru has bs mobile phone game powers and can summon all Servants. And Nero still isn't interested. She's very loyal.
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May 14, 2017 19:10
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Scholar I'm screenshotting the title screen again, because for each of the arcs in this game's story, the title screen changes quite a bit for each. I'll make sure I get the others ones, too.  If you cancel out of My Room to go back to the title screen, then when you reload an arc, it'll play the last My Room scene you saw before you go back to the menu. That's what I did, because I was done recording after coming back from the first stage, and when I was rushing through this scene, I thought I'd choose the other option. Have you no sense of self? Do you not know how...how different you are? ...Th-that will do, Praetor. Are you not a bit...closer than usual? Not that I haven't entertained the thought of such a thing, but...to be so close to you, it's... It feels so good, like a thunderbolt through the heart of me. I must hold you, now. And do you wish the same of me?I'm...a little disappointed I didn't pick that option for real. In any case, if you click the chat option this time, all Saber says is the Regalia holds secrets. No new scene this time, unfortunately. Off to bed.  Relief for the Master ...You scarcely need me to tell you this, Praetor, but please do not overexert yourself. From the look on your face, you are not yet at your finest. Better off than before, perhaps, but still in need of rest. Hmm, now how can I help you relax...? Ah, I have just the thing! Lemons covered in sugar. So sweet and stimulating! Saber laughs in ecstasy as she cares for me. Her words and her smile ease my worries, and the pain fades almost completely. Wait. You're still in a bit of pain, aren't you? ...Hm. I would have thought the pain would ease by now, but I won't compound your suffering by asking too many questions. As always, I appreciate your candor. The trust between us is paramount, after all. We need to know what happened to SE.RA.PH after the end of the Holy Grail War, and why Caster has a copy of me. Hm. We'll have to move quickly. I'd caution against being hasty, but that look in your eye tells me I shouldn't bother. Once your purpose takes hold, nothing can dissuade you. Come - we can access the Moon Cell core remotely from the throne. Now that I think about it, have we confirmed Caster's claim about taking half our territory? We haven't yet, have we? Since we went straight to My Room when we got back. Anyway, it's settled. Off to the throne room, now. The Greek Genius  ...Ooh. So Caster spoke the truth. Between her conquests in the old lands and the new ones, she has taken half already. Grr...Just chiming in to say Sakura Tenge, Nero's VA, does a great job "Grr"ing. A-Anyway. Let us try accessing the Moon Cell core as well. Perhaps it can tell us more of the second Regalia and the "other" Praetor...  What? ..."Access denied"? Why? This cannot be! I have the Moon Cell's Royal Authority! They cannot force me to start over now! Not while the Regalia still shines upon my finger!  And that is why, Servant Saber, you remain the Sovereign of SE.RA.PH. But SE.RA.PH now suffers from a fatal error. How dare you barge through our doors unannounced...?! State your name! As you can see, I am a Caster-class Servant... Well, I suppose that's not enough information. Very well, allow me to prove my loyalty to you. Accept my true name as a token of fealty. I am Archimedes. I am a system update worker, chosen by SE.RA.PH. Sis-stem up-day? I didn't expect it would take this long to reach you. That was my miscalculation. Normally, with my admin access, I can teleport anywhere, but now I have to walk. But that's my problem, not yours. A pleasure, Your Majesty. And you, Hakuno Kishinami, good to see you again. ...What? How does he know my name? Hold a moment, Archimedes... Archimedes...? Are you THAT Archimedes? I am. So you know me, then? Well, well, what a small world we live in. Of course I know you. All in Rome have heard of the "Greek Genius". I've even had the pleasure of studying your works a bit myself. Though I've heard it said you were too smart for your own good, and perhaps too far ahead of your time. Still, you seem a fine young man. Regardless, you spoke just now as if you knew the Praetor personally. I do indeed. I spent many hours with Hakuno Kishinami in the Moon Cell core. Hm, is that so? Then why is the Praetor confused to see you? Adorably confused, at that. I could stare at that face all day. But no, not right now! You strolled straight into our throne room. Clearly, you're not ordinary man. You claim to be harmless enough, but how do we know? I apologize for my rudeness. I shouldn't have barged in. But, "harmless" or not, I have no intention of making enemies here. If I may be so presumptuous, Your Majesty, I have come here to offer you my help. ...Hm. Then you have my hospitality. Revealing your identity is no small thing. Consider yourself beyond suspicion for now.This whole identity thing is kinda a relic of the franchise, going back to the early stay night days. The idea is that a Servant revealing their name would give clues to how to defeat them. For example, a hero connected with dragons would be vulnerable to heroes, like, say. St. George or Sigurd, who won fame by slaying dragons. Also a reason Noble Phantasms are scarcely used, as if the opponent survived the hit, the survivor would know exactly who are they are dealing with and what their weaknesses are. But, as I said, it's a relic. All the characters in this game go by their true names in every dialogue box, and with the wildfire-like proliferation of the Fate series, it's hard to keep anything about the franchise secret. Besides, it used to be when you said the name, say, Rider, there was only one character you were referring to. Now, you could be referring to any one of 18 different characters (at least as far as Grand Order's Rider count goes) if you say something like, "Rider's my favorite character". And "wildfire" is a drat good way to describe the proliferation of the franchise. It's absolutely bananas. At the time the original VN was released in 2004, Type-Moon was a very small company of like, at most, a half dozen guys (which, admittedly, already had a hit, Tsukihime, which really put their names on the map), and now they've got a tremdenously successful phone game under their belt, no fewer than four different animes, spin-offs as numerous as the stars (which includes this game, certainly), seemingly unlimited fan content, and in addition to that, it'll be getting two new animes in the near future (including one based on the EXTRA sub-series and the other based on the Fate/apocrypha manga, which will start airing next month), and three movies based on the third route of the original that will be hitting theaters in Japan soon enough. Personally speaking, I got into Type-Moon stuff via Fate/stay night in Autumn of 2010, as I recall. I spent much of my college life getting reading sessions in as much as possible, which always included a morning reading session over breakfast but before classes, and always assumed that outside Japan, it was a pretty niche thing. Now, that is certainly not the case. For god's sake, we live in a world where Bloomberg News anchors are talking about this series. That is still bizarre to me. All formalities aside, then, what do you think we should do, Praetor? I nod to Saber as I think of an answer. "System update"? "Fatal error"? I have so many questions. The game will do this occasionally, where it'll give you three choices, and you have to choose all three to continue the game. Might as well start from the top. Ah, yes, let me explain myself. As you now know, my true name is Archimedes. I was summoned and given the Caster class. Although I am a Servant, I unfortunately lack a Master of my own, unlike yourself, Your Majesty. So you are a wanderer? Ah, no. I never had a Master to begin with. The Moon Cell itself summoned me, to manage SE.RA.PH. Some would call me a Solo Servant. My job is to keep the Moon Cell's system up to date. It needed a reliable engineer, and it chose me. Hmm...Normally, Servants maintain their presence in our world via a mana link with their Master. The Master supplies the mana, and the Servant fights for their Master's victory. In addition, the talent of the Master in terms of magic and the amount of mana they have determines much about their Servant's combat ability. Even someone seen as traditionally very powerful, like King Arthur, is considerably weaker in the hands of a weak magus. However, the Moon Cell negates all that. The Moon Cell itself is responsible for maintaining the presence of Servants and supplies the mana necessary. What "system update" are you talking about? Holy as it might be, the Grail is still a system, and it needs regular maintenance. Its normal update occurs every 14,000 years. I needed to make sure that for the next 14,000-year mark, the system would manage itself on its own without any issues. Your victory in the War altered SE.RA.PH's management, such that the Moon Cell's system updated as scheduled...on one side. Originally, both sides were meant to proceed at the same time. But... I presume that didn't quite go as planned. Correct. You see, the Regalia truly is the Royal Authority of the Moon Cell, in that it represents the unity of the Moon Cell and SE.RA.PH. In fact, the system is so tightly bound to the Regalia that the update cannot properly proceed without it. In other words, I now require your permission to use it, as part of my duty. Hmm... Incidentally, had the update proceeded as scheduled, those hostile programs you've been seeing would never have spawned. Hmm, is that so...? What happened at the Moon Cell core? ...What happened was part of an assault from the enemy. What enemy? An unknown being attacked Hakuno Kishinami at the Moon Cell core, during the registration of the Royal Authority. And there was no shame in losing to it. Whatever it was, it was large and powerful. Was it an enemy program? Or a Servant's Noble Phantasm? We don't know that either. But it seemed almost like a titan, from before the age of the gods..."Age of the gods" is both a concept in Japanese mythology and Nasu's works in general, more emphasized in the later chapters of Grand Order. Within the context of this series, basically it refers to a time when gods were much more numerous and their power and relationship with humans was much greater than it is in the present (the 2030s). One of the most important chapters of Grand Order, Babylonia, takes place in 2655 BC, which is basically the end of the Age of the Gods.  ...An image floats in the back of my mind. Just a fragment, hard to make out. But I do remember that giant hand, reaching out for me. And a voice, like an echo inside a deep cavern. The words it spoke... It called itself a Solo Servant. ...Is that true, Praetor? Luckily, it seems your Praetor has recovered. But I believe that attack is what caused the schism we're seeing now. That attack, in other words, divided the Regalia. Divided? *gasp* I...I'd almost forgotten! Yes, I think I'm starting to understand. The reason why there are two Regalia...is that the one was split and stolen! Yes, just as you've surmised. The enemy sundered the Regalia itself and made off with the other half. And then, after the royal registration, the Praetor came back with our piece...and that other piece wnet to that Caster... That damned fox usurped it right out from under us! Is that right?! Then SHE was the enemy at the Moon Cell core! That trickster must have changed her appearance, disguised herself as that "titan"! ...Whatever it was, it was extraordinarily powerful. So much so that I could do nothing to stop it. You barely survived. In fact, let me put it plainly... I had to resuscitate you, Hakuno Kishinami. It took all my effort to pull you from the core intact. The Greek Genius indeed. One of the greatest scholars in human history, I must say. Please allow me to show my gratitude. You have done us a commendable service. What happened to the Regalia was unfortunate, but your rescue of the Praetor was a righteous deed. befitting of a noble scholar. Please do not waste such praises on me, Lord Nero. You are the righteous King of SE.RA.PH. And as SE.RA.PH's chief maintenance man, assisting your Master and companion is no more than my duty. Besides, it was the right thing to do, ethically and mathematically. I serve an orderly kingdom, after all. So please think of me as a mere student, ready to do what needs to be done. ...Your words are sound. And you call me "righteous King". Would you also say that certain other "Kings" are unrighteous? Yes, exactly. The one who bears the other Regalia is a mere pretender. The Caster Servant's true name is Tamamo no Mae. ...Just as I thought. I had hoped against all odds that she was someone else in disguise, but...it is indeed her. *sigh* ...Tamamo no Mae. I feel like I've heard that name somewhere before. The name has a pull for me, a deeper meaning. Did we fight together once in the War? But...something doesn'ta dd up. If we fought side by side, why can't I remember anything else about her? As you are aware, Your Majesty, Hakuno Kishinami is suffering from amnesia. Another side effect of the Regalia's sundering, no doubt. I can infer the rest, but please elaborate, noble scholar. I would rather hear it from you. As Your Majesty wishes. Simply put, half of Hakuno Kishinami has been stolen. Wait, hold on...! Half... You mean half of ME is gone?! I have a personal skill, called Method Elucidation, that allows me to discern such things. In other words-- At present, Hakuno Kishinami exists only as a Mind, implanted in an artificial form. I exist only as a...what? No, but as a Wizard, my Soul and Mind have already been uploaded to the Moon. There's nothing unusual about that now... In my experience, to implant an artificial body requires an individual's personality and passions. His or her Mind, in other words. But that alone is what resides within your digital shell now. ...Are you saying the Praetor is missing something? I am. Your Praetor is still a person, of course, but now lacks something critical. The Mind is obviously critical in itself, but it constitutes only a small percentage of the whole self. Passion, experience, memory, the Mind can hold them and manage them, but it cannot keep them forever. To persist beyond the transience of mortal life, they require a Soul. ...As you say. Continue, scholar. Without a Soul, such things fade away in time. Fade away...? My Praetor...?! Then what Caster had was.... That duplicate was...! Yes. Separated along with the Regalia. It's the other half of Hakuno Kishinami. Most likely the Soul. *gasp* ...This is starting to make sense. My memory loss. My physical condition. Both for the same reason. If nothing else, I understand this much: I don't want to die. For the sake of SE.RA.PH, and for my own Soul, we have to repair the Regalia and do something about that Caster. No matter what. Besides, there's Saber to consider...I don't want to see her with that sad look. Still you smile through it all. Even when you're staring down oblivion. It's okay. This won't be hard at all. I'm here, she's here. And it's obvious what we have to do. Reclaim all of SE.RA.PH, restore the Regalia, how hard could all that be?Don't say that. We all know where this is going, when you say something like that. My skills, limited as they may be, are all at the disposal of the one true King of SE.RA.PH. With your blessing, and with the completed Regalia, we shall restore the system and make all as it should be. Hmm! Then I name you my strategist!But, we'll be going back to My Room to prepare, of course.  To war drat that crafty little fox, declaring war against me. No need to worry. If she can take our land, we can take it back. She might think she owns "her" half, but we'll show her how wrong she really is. Of course, crafty as she is, she's no doubt plotting further treachery as we speak. But I see she hasn't shaken you, Praetor. I see that gentle fire in your eyes, the warmth that always kindles my soul, time and again. She's not going to shake me. I know Saber's the right person to wear the Regalia. And I know Saber's going to win. Caster doesn't stand a chance against her. Not a chance, you say? Are you truly so confident in me? Do you believe so deeply in my right to rule, then? Is it your faith in me that makes you smile so? Very well. I do, of course, suggest that you rest for now, but... I, meanwhile, shall continue to justify your faith in me! As the fifth Emperor of the Roman Empire, and as the Moon Cell's chosen victor, I am the one and only Sovereign of SE.RA.PH! ...So declares Nero Claudius! You and I will seize back what was taken and unite the land! Her words echo throughout the room. Her declaration. Her real name. An ally I could never forget. We fought together. We survived together. And through it all, we held each other. The Emperor of Roses, Nero Claudius. Centuries ago, the citizens of ancient Rome showered her with praise and applause. And here we are, fighting together again. Nothing can come between us, no matter who we're up against. Even if it's me. All I care about is being with her. Honestly, that's all that's keeping me moving.Next time, a real blast from the past.
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May 19, 2017 03:30
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I'm not fond of Archimedes' hairdo. But yeah, it's weird to recall a time when Fate wasn't a big deal and Grand Order memes weren't flying everywhere.
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May 19, 2017 10:01
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Personally, when people use the class names, I tend to think of the original cast (Medusa, Medea, etc.). The original story's just become so ingrained in my mind, that I think of those characters as the 'default' cast. Saber is always Arturia though  I'm still the only person I know personally who likes the series though, to the point where one of my friends jokingly refers to all things Fate-related as 'that thing you like' whenever she sees something about it, and we both immediately know what the other person is talking about. I expect that to change by the end of the year.
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May 19, 2017 15:01
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I really don't care for much of the Fate stuff beyond the original FSN, to be honest. For whatever reason, Nasu created a group of very compelling characters, and nothing I've seen of the expanded stuff beyond Fate/Zero really created anyone nearly as interesting as Rin or even Shirou*. But Archimedes as the God-Machine's IT Guy promises to be amusing. *before y'all start throwing rocks, I'll just say that I find the original premise of Shirou's character- someone broken in such a way that they have no sense of self, and only find happiness in serving others- to be an interesting concept that should be explored much more.
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May 19, 2017 15:03
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Rogue 7 posted:I really don't care for much of the Fate stuff beyond the original FSN, to be honest. For whatever reason, Nasu created a group of very compelling characters, and nothing I've seen of the expanded stuff beyond Fate/Zero really created anyone nearly as interesting as Rin or even Shirou*. This was basically me until I hit the Fate/Extra game on PSP and suddenly had a new favorite branch of Fate/whatever. Something about it clicked with me really well, and it led to me enjoying this game a lot, too. That said, it's deeply in "your mileage may vary".
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May 19, 2017 16:41
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I mean, it says a lot that even though this particular game came out more than 12 years after the original VN, that it still uses a very large percentage of its cast in this game's playable character roster. Part of that is definitely for marketing reasons, but even 13 years after its release, F/SN is still kinda unsurpassed in the franchise in terms of its depth and breadth of its content, not to mention the memorability of its cast. It helps that Nasu hasn't really done anything on nearly the same scale as it (maybe ataraxia excepted, but a large part of that game's appeal relies on your affection for the original cast), but it is an enduring testament that even though this series' Servant roster is something like 120+ now, the original seven (plus Gilgamesh and True Assassin, Bedivere kind of an edge case) stand out very prominently still. It really goes to show how well Nasu realized their characters at the time and why you can understand how Fate became as big as it is. Character writing has always been a huge strength of his. That's not to say there haven't been some great additions to the expanded universe, but there still really haven't been any added characters who have surpassed the originals in terms of how their characters have impacted the franchise. Sylphid fucked around with this message at 17:51 on May 19, 2017 |
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May 19, 2017 17:49
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Man I never have finished this. The thought of LPing it is something I considered, but I'd need a capture card because PS4Share literally blocks everything in this game that isn't just the Musou-style battlefields. Which would make for a pretty poor VLP if I have to summarize and explain every plot point while also having to talk about the battlefield you're currently on. Best of luck on this LP. I could never finish it because I can't be bothered to do the second route. Kaboom Dragoon posted:Man, Nero is the best Nero is the best, and she's basically a female Iskander from what I remember. Nasu was impressed with Gen's Iskander, so he made Nero as his own attempt at it.
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May 19, 2017 18:01
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Oh, its that Nero? How long until she sets the bedroom on fire?
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May 21, 2017 04:07
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I'm surprised by how.... cute Nero is, in terms of personality. I expected something much worse. I'm also surprised that she's that Nero, but I suppose I shouldn't be. History is a very loose inspiration here.
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May 21, 2017 08:46
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Seaogre posted:I'm surprised by how.... cute Nero is, in terms of personality. I expected something much worse. If I recall correctly from Fate/EXTRA: She's insane. This is her when she's in a sane state of mind. To clarify, her insanity is because of a poison her mother poisoned her with when she was young, and said mother carried the secret of the only known antidote to the grave. When the poison isn't acting up, she's fine if a bit self-absorbed. When it's acting up, she gets foul migraines (probably actual epileptic attacks) and her personality gets way, way worse. Mostly, she stops tempering her extreme narcissism with her good parts. Furthermore, she's fairly delusional, thinking she's the gods gift to the arts of music and theater. She's anything but. Nero fiddling as Rome burned? In the Fate continuity, it's a thing that more or less actually happened: she was away from Rome during the blaze, she came back as soon as possible but she decided her subjects needed a concert to raise their morale; attendance was mandatory of course. It would have been a good idea too, if Nero actually had been a good singer and actor instead of the dumpster fire everyone else knows she is.
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May 21, 2017 10:06
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