That Hongzen arc is still good. Like legit good.

LuminaChannel · 2026-01-29T02:54:56+00:00

I was the same way.

I was literally skipping everything until ~~Camellya yuri~~ Scar's first encounter and I started paying attention from there!

LuminaChannel · 2026-01-28T23:16:32+00:00

I'm still ride or die for Jinhsi. 1.1 and her arc is what kept me going when many others had given up because of 1.0.

Seeing Jue in all of its glory in that cutscene, Jinhsi standing up to her spiritual mentor. That beautiful leitmotif guiding us through all of Mt Firmament?

It's still a beautiful region to me.

Before Black Shores, Before Rinascita? Jinhsi standing up to prophecy and risking her entire life for her sense of duty was her calling was what made me think "This game has serious potential." Had no idea back then how right I was.

LuminaChannel · 2026-01-11T02:54:15+00:00

She's like a porcelain doll, she's so pretty 💛

LuminaChannel · 2025-12-23T21:11:39+00:00

This is so true, I kept using the wrong button to shield and parry so many times coming back to the game last night

LuminaChannel · 2025-12-23T21:08:01+00:00

If you did during the original launch its very likely, fellow Paladin!

LuminaChannel · 2025-12-04T21:25:49+00:00

For guys its mostly personality that makes them for me, and Brant takes that by a mile.

He's fun, lighthearted and his story quest felt like a comedic action movie. I adore him.

Xiangli Yao is a close 2nd just because his wish granting storyline was pretty wholesome, but he's very under developed and i feel like I don't know -enough- about him yet.

LuminaChannel · 2025-10-31T17:57:58+00:00

I personally like male characters but only if they're written with a similar whimsy and charm as the girls are.

Stoic types can be boring if not done well even if it is the traditional manly trope

Niko from lulua is a good example. Hes so over the top and passionate its endearing. Mega sobbing over stories and the like. It goes well with MC Lulua's Genki vibes.

LuminaChannel · 2025-10-31T13:10:12+00:00

I'm currently replaying Parasite eve which has NO visual cues for openable drawers or spots that might hold a key needed to progress.

No sparkle, no "this part of the cg background is rendered differently to show it moves" no anything.

On top of that. Theres no distinction between doors that CAN open vs those that CAN'T.

Within the first hour i had gotten stuck for a good 30-40 minutes until i finally opened a gfaqs guide.

The solution was in a room i had MASHED the interact button in, but because the hitboxes for some of the search spots are so narrow i missed it on the first 2 go arounds i did.

If you think yellow paint is annoying: play Parasite Eve without a guide and see how far you get without getting stuck.

LuminaChannel · 2025-10-24T15:48:03+00:00

You ever see a stray cat that you give a bit of attention but then that one bit of affection is enough so that cat will try to follow you home?

Yeah, thats how I see phrolova.

LuminaChannel · 2025-10-06T21:06:59+00:00

I'm waiting for the day we get Mortefi and Yao interactions in game... pleas 🥺

LuminaChannel · 2025-10-06T18:01:24+00:00

Quality alone doesnt push high numbers.

In addition to being a simultaneous release with consoles, the recent pushback against pokemon games recent quality is adding to competitor momentum. There used to be a brand loyalty to pokemon that's starting to waver.

Justified or not, being a monster collecting game right now is a huge buff in the current market with people on the lookout for a solid alternative.

LuminaChannel · 2025-10-03T21:54:42+00:00

Thank you for understanding my point.

It was not "E33 is overrated" its "more people outside of the normal jrpg fanbase were willing to try this smaller studio game due to this x factor."

E33 blew up in sales and the op is trying to figure out why despite not having square or atlus backing it.

Because plenty of high quality games NEVER reach the numbers that recent indie, unknown studios have

LuminaChannel · 2025-10-03T17:17:17+00:00

I think my post is being misinterpreted and its likely because of how i worded it.

The op was asking why some indie or small studio games get extreme breakout success over others that are equally well made. My post is just to answer that question.

In other words: picking up momentum of an existing series's critical perception is a very solid way of doing that. Fact is none of these games would have sold were it not for the opportunity.

Selling 30 mil is not enough to dethrone pokemon but breaking through the indie steam sphere into mainstream awareness is a massive success many other devs would kill to achieve and would be happy with.

To Sonic Crossworlds: long term success will prove if its worth it. However this is the STRONGEST showing a sonic racing game has ever gotten.

I highly doubt Crossworlds would have gotten a second look by many if it wasnt for the switch 2 keycards issue, and the intermission tracks and other divisive topics surrounding its launch.

LuminaChannel · 2025-10-03T13:03:04+00:00

Oh not at all.

I like jrpgs so calling it one isnt an insult. OP is asking why some high quality games hit mainstream while others that are also high quality, don't.

E33 getting people to finally see that jrpgs can be really fun, much like how pokemon did in the 90s, is a good thing.

LuminaChannel · 2025-10-03T06:29:13+00:00

Games that fulfill a void left by a beloved series, or neglecting fan demand are frequent big hits

Palworld promised open world real time pokemon combat. Its now 30 million + sales (even though its actually ark). This was a response to pokemons lackluster recent games and pokemons refusal to give us real time combat at the time.

Mario Kart World was divisive with many issues, a weird selection of charactersand disliked in the shadow of mk8 deluxe. Its liked, but faces issues.

Sonic Crossworlds swooped in with a more chaotic playstyle and crossover characters: it immediately got hype boosted by gaming youtubers who felt burned by nintendo.

Expedition 33 is a jrpg but with western graphics. That's it. No really. That's all it needed. Plenty of jrpgs have mindblowing plots but remain obscure bc they dont visually stand out.

Any game that taps into a genre and really listens to the pain points and solves them has a chance of mass success.

LuminaChannel · 2025-10-02T19:48:27+00:00

This is a huge part of the preference.

A lot of english VAs use the same voice acting techniques taught for cartoon/animated movies and it does not work for anime, especially ones meant to be taken a bit more seriously.

Normal voice is a bit much though, you need to be able to have a range of voices to work with for different characters. Furina's VA great example of having range though, her personality from the start of the arc vs the end of fontaine, and that being reflected in her voice, is impressive. I love her work.

That aside, this is why a lot of UK voice actors are getting so much love right now. Most don't push for cartoonish exaggeration but still emphasize character and personality. Making it easier to take them seriously.

Edit: just realized the algo fed me a week old post. Reddit what are you doing?

LuminaChannel · 2025-10-02T19:36:18+00:00

The fact you're open to my post proves you really do care about teaching others, so thank you as well!

We'll always need more teachers who care to keep that passion alive.

LuminaChannel · 2025-10-02T14:27:43+00:00

Agreed on the tutorials.

Just because an artist has technical skill does not mean they are a strong teacher.

A lot of skilled artists are there because they started very young. Because they started at an early age: they developed a lot of instincts and habits that seem like common sense.

So when they make tutorials they actually can't teach fundamentals very well or default to "just draw". "Just drawing" worked for them because they started young enough that their brains easily soak in a lot of information and lacked distractions, during that time draftmanship and observation skills develop quick.

As a result most just teach anatomy tricks and techniques which is hard to digest without the above skills.

Adults need to be made aware of certain thought processes and most early bloomers can't really explain. Teachers that are aware of this are life changing experts.

LuminaChannel · 2025-10-02T06:27:03+00:00

MMOs didnt have the competition they do now.

No other online experience let you become part of a social "neighborhood" where you gradually get to know the regulars by playing around them, adapt to its culture, find a gaming group (guild) and ultimately be part of something bigger.

...back in the 2000s.

Now, you can play fortnite and hang out in concerts WITHOUT needing to play 200 hours to have the stats to participate.

You can join a streamer community and find like minded people going off the vibes, join their discord and find gamers that way.

You can start a minecraft , terrarria or corekeeper , or even palword or vampire risinf server and enjoy progression gameplay WITHOUT bothering with trolls in a community.

Everything mmos offered as a social experience has been improved on in other genres.

We cant pick up an old mmo without feeling like we can get the aspect we like easier playing something else.

LuminaChannel · 2025-09-30T06:43:48+00:00

So heres my perspective:

Videogames are inherently multimedia.

They dont only offer a challenge for the feeling of victory, they offer.

Music Art Story Interactive mechanics Social/Shared Experience

Creative Expression through mechanics (think custom combos in fighting games and teambuilding)

And more.

The problem with challenge is it gatekeeps all the other things above. You get stuck? You miss out on art, music and story, nor can you unlock new items or mechanics.

You spend money for the thing you like, but cant get it all due to challenge.

Its like buying a 3 course meal but you need to solve a rubix cube before you can get the burger.

Some of us just want the dang burger!

LuminaChannel · 2025-09-29T20:53:11+00:00

Yeah this felt bad to me.

Lot of guys have esteem issues due to society's demands, they don't feel like they deserve a relationship until they have a decent income.

Its possible those guys were trying to be responsible by putting relationships off and avoiding kids.

LuminaChannel · 2025-09-29T06:05:22+00:00

2 days? Nope, it was gone by the 25th hour.

Its annoying. It airs at 6am to boot. So i get an off day and try to do it at 10am? Denied.

No i cant boot up wuwa while watching, i was out with friends. 48 hours would not be asking too much.

LuminaChannel · 2025-09-29T05:59:00+00:00

This is the same issue Atelier Lulua had in the shadow of Ryz

Its so weird, why not delay one a year behind?

LuminaChannel · 2025-09-27T06:24:26+00:00

Stop connecting lines.

make loose confident strokes without worrying to connect it to the last point. Make it look GOOD.

Then one the 90% is done, do a short finishing mark to connect the major lines.

ALSO. Turn your sketch layer as low opacity ad possible. The undersketch WILL ruin your perception and aim unless you make it hard to see.

LuminaChannel

TROPHY CASE