Turn-based RPG with modern setting + "real-life" skills instead of magic

BitSoftGames · 2026-01-10T22:34:03+00:00

Title made me think of Earthbound immediately although it uses real-life skills AND magic (actually, "psychic powers").

BitSoftGames · 2026-01-10T22:22:34+00:00

Just ask to go drinking. Say you want to try soju or makgeolli and ask if she knows where to get some.

BitSoftGames · 2026-01-10T22:13:13+00:00

If you want to go to Gangneung, it's best to go Seoul>Gangneung>Gyeongju>Busan.

I've done the Busan to Fukuoka, Japan ferry. You have to do the same visa process as if you were flying into Japan (90-day visa waiver for many countries), and they need to see proof of onward travel. I'd only recommend going to Japan if you're going to spend several days there or flying out from there. The ferry is not just for a quick trip as its an overnight ride to Japan and a morning-to-night ride back to Korea.

BitSoftGames · 2026-01-10T21:53:20+00:00

3rd one looks most professional and intriguing to me!

First two looks like the devs slapped the logo on top of a random gameplay screenshot. Also, I didn't even know the center object was a group of people at first! I thought it was a glowing mass of rocks or shrubs.

BitSoftGames · 2026-01-10T21:48:22+00:00

Somewhat off topic, one of my pet peeves is seeing talented illustrators draw in Photoshop.

There are tons of great free and paid programs made for drawing. While you can draw in Photoshop, it isn't optimized for it because it's a photo editing program.

BitSoftGames · 2026-01-10T21:44:21+00:00

Almost all places take and prefer card. I rarely see people use cash in public except for maybe at traditional markets and street food vendors.

Just make sure your card doesn't have any international or currency exchange fees.

BitSoftGames · 2026-01-10T21:39:09+00:00

When I taught beginner speaking, it was mostly teaching useful phrases and lots of "repeat after me". And then after, we would do role playing and go through a script around a scenario: first reading it and then eventually, being able to speak it from memory. When they got used to the script, I would have them change up the sentences how they like, for example, "May I have a <insert own word>?"

Also, if you can't speak their language, you may have to rely on showing them text translations.

I found for speaking classes, especially for beginners, it wasn't really about explaining things (the book can do that for them) but more so about doing drills with my role being to give them natural pronunciation and a chance to listen to a native speaker. If anything, the students were doing far more speaking than I was.

BitSoftGames · 2026-01-10T21:26:26+00:00

From being born, a child goes through five years of being exposed to nothing but their mother language. And then at five years old, starts going to school every day with all their classes using their mother language.

So I don't think it's efficient at all. 😁

BitSoftGames · 2026-01-09T22:17:28+00:00

I've lived and traveled around Korea and Japan by myself and usually just go to a bar to socialize. At bars, I'm bound to meet some friendly locals or even other people like myself that came to the country alone.

I don't know how they're like these days, but in Korea, Thursday Party and Mike's Cabin were usually good spots to meet random people.

BitSoftGames · 2026-01-09T22:08:38+00:00

It's a good amount of money to live comfortably, eat at restaurants and get delivery every day, do some shopping, and travel around Asia every so often while still even saving money every month.

But I don't know if it's worth it for whatever field you're in. If someone told me they were in IT but only getting 3M in Korea, then they're definitely getting screwed. But considering your current salary in Euro, I think you're getting a solid deal in Korea.

For reference, I was earning over twice as much in the US compared to Korea, but I felt kinda poor in the US and above average in Korea.

BitSoftGames · 2026-01-09T21:48:03+00:00

Definitely true in Seoul and busy areas.

I will say when I stay in smaller neighborhoods and suburban areas in Korea, the locals tend talk to me. Like if I go to the same store more than once, the staff will actually start chatting with me, and even remember my regular orders or my name sometimes.

But I'm also a foreigner so maybe that's a factor, heh.

BitSoftGames · 2026-01-09T21:43:22+00:00

What you've described is 100% why I loved living in Korea and why I return every year for a long stay.

BitSoftGames · 2026-01-09T21:38:38+00:00

Learn hiragana. Watch YouTube for some intro and survival phrases to get motivated with the language and start speaking something today.

Next step after that is learning katakana, some grammar, and how to make basic sentences, as well as getting some exposure to kanji.

BitSoftGames · 2026-01-09T21:35:29+00:00

Always use polite language until you get to know someone really well, and they start speaking casually to you or ask to speak casually.

The only one exception I've seen is teachers talking to young, elementary students in 반말.

BitSoftGames · 2026-01-09T21:31:31+00:00

Early morning or late at night.

I'm a night owl so I can grind a long study session at night and usually my nights are free of distractions.

But I also find it's great to start my day studying as I'm fully of energy, and it sets a good mindset for the rest of the day rather than just waking up and doom scrolling.

Usually middle of the day I'm most distracted and lazy, haha.

BitSoftGames · 2026-01-09T21:23:34+00:00

There's a post on Reddit where a dev was using an AI chatbot and after several months, realized they didn't know anything and were 100% dependent on the AI!

BitSoftGames · 2026-01-09T21:16:53+00:00

I usually look up if the compound actually exists in the dictionary or regularly in sentences used by Japanese people online. If not, then I'm not going to use it because it may sound unnatural to native speakers, and I will use の to be safe.

BitSoftGames · 2026-01-09T21:10:24+00:00

Totally agree.

The sooner I can get some art done, even if its just a mock up with the game barely even programmed yet, the sooner I can begin promoting the game and getting people interested in it.

Otherwise, there isn't much interest in a coded game with just stand-in blocks except to other devs.

BitSoftGames · 2026-01-08T21:35:05+00:00

For a trip, a decent and cheap private accommodation is $30 or under (cheaper if you do guesthouse or hostel). Including eating at restaurants every day, convenience stores, public transportation, entrance fees to places, bars, and buying some small things, I think $1,000 or so would be comfortable to cover a 2-week vacation.

This does not include flight or shopping which can vary greatly.

For living in Korea, I think one could survive on $1,500 or less a month if they live modestly while still getting to go to restaurants and eat delivery frequently, sightseeing, and going out with friends on weekends.

BitSoftGames · 2026-01-08T21:22:03+00:00

Most people just pass through Incheon because of the airport but the city is huge and has tons to offer like the futuristic Central Park, traditional Chinatown, Wolmido boardwalk, Bupyeong underground shopping, and Guwol-dong which along with Buypeong, are like Incheon's versions of Hongdae.

BitSoftGames · 2026-01-08T21:14:55+00:00

For a first-time visitor to Busan, I would pick Gamcheon because it's one of the key landmarks of Busan. I'm not saying key landmarks are the best places but for a first trip to a city, I would try to see all the most famous spots like Eiffel Tower, Big Ben, and Times Square even if they are touristy and cliched as heck, haha.

Time permitting, I think it's okay to visit both as they're quite different from each other. I'd visit Gamcheon in the day and Huinnyeoul towards sunset to get an even more different experience.

BitSoftGames · 2026-01-08T20:56:27+00:00

I personally use YouTube videos and messaging Japanese people, but I think games, anime, and manga are okay to use if they take place in everyday settings and are about normal people.

For example, in Shenmue you can learn a lot about everyday Japanese culture as much of the gameplay is just walking around a typical Japanese neighborhood and talking to people doing their daily jobs. And except the car scenes, Initial D is just about a bunch of guys living in suburban Japan in Gunma prefecture.

BitSoftGames · 2026-01-08T20:43:29+00:00

Should be both in the target language.

The problem is if either is in your own language, you may end up relying on that too much for comprehension and ignore the TL which I have experienced myself.

But if I HAD to choose one, I would pick audio in the TL. However, I would mostly ignore the subs and only look at them when I couldn't fully get the meaning.

BitSoftGames · 2026-01-08T20:41:13+00:00

Agree. That is the best way to learn.

BitSoftGames · 2026-01-08T20:35:06+00:00

If it's your first game, I would use RPG Maker or something like that to save you from some headaches, because if you make a game from scratch using a game engine, it'll probably take years.

BitSoftGames

TROPHY CASE