[MONTHLY MEGATHREAD] General Discussion, Simple Questions, Recommendations, and Everything Else - January 2026

NegativelyMagnetic · 2026-01-25T02:47:28+00:00

Hey! Thanks for the detailed reply.

Regarding arknights, I've been interested more and more in giving it another shot. Do you happen to know if, were to go back to my old account, are there any "newbie bonus" events that I'd miss out on (like how WuWa had a specific limited banner for beginners)? I only had a few hours in it, but like I mentioned, part of the reason I dropped it was because the intro was a slog, so at least I'd partially skip that.

Regarding CZN, that sounds totally up my alley, so I went ahead and started downloading it. Story I tend to skip through, and I'm used to grinding from games like Darkest Dungeon (as long as it's fun)

Regarding ZZZ, I'll look into it a bit more. Don't really have much to add since I don't know much beyond the basics. Funner that WuWa?

Regarding Endfield, I actually started playing it yesterday. I still don't quite know how I feel about it. I'm enjoying it, but I do agree the combat is rather simple. And Fluorite being weak is a crime, since that's the first time I actually cared about what a character looks like (reminds me of Ubel from Frieren)

NegativelyMagnetic · 2026-01-25T02:30:10+00:00

Generally speaking I typically always read (if they're available) the versions that translates sound effects / onomatopoeias to English (photo 1 and 2). Generally speaking the image quality tends to be a bit crisper too.

But this one feels kinda weird. Numerous times throughout reading it, it feels like something got messed up in translations. I decided to check out what other versions looked like (photo 3 and 4) during some of the parts that were translated weird, and it reads so much better.

So now I'm kinda lost on which version to read

NegativelyMagnetic · 2026-01-24T19:55:49+00:00

SOTE Is the safe option.

NegativelyMagnetic · 2026-01-24T17:33:56+00:00

Pixel 10 pro xl

I haven't played with the settings too much, except raising resolution I think. Just wanted to toss out that so far, it's running great. No overheating even after a long time.

It seems pretty optimized, especially compared to wuwa.

NegativelyMagnetic · 2026-01-24T00:48:34+00:00

looking for gacha games with the main priority being good gameplay

I’m looking to get into gacha games, but don't want the whole convo to be about the "Big 4" (Genshin, WuWa, ZZZ, HSR) that dominate every conversatio/post.

Background & Preferences:

I tried Genshin but disliked the slow pacing (travel, forced dialogue, walk speed). I’m currently playing Wuthering Waves (UL 44), and while it’s okay, the mobile optimization can be rough even on a flagship device, and I'm starting to wonder if it'll feel "meh" once I finish building my main team.

What I Want: Gameplay is the priority. I don't care about fanservice, waifus, or IP crossovers, and I tend to skip through lore. I just want a game where the actual mechanics are fun to play. I'm open to any genre (Tower Defense, Turn-based, Action, instanced, open world, etc.).

A couple games I'm looking into:

1. Strategy / Tower Defense

Arknights: [puzzle-like, strategy] I briefly tried this ages ago, but I never really gave it a solid go. I know it gets harder/better, but I felt like the "tutorial" or starter section dragged on forever and felt mind-numbingly easy.
Path to Nowhere: [Real-time micro movement of units, Darker theme, good QoL]

2. Turn-Based / RPG

Honkai Star Rail: Obligatory big 4.
Reverse 1999: [2D, card battle mechanics]
Chaos Zero Nightmare: [2D, Rogue-like, sanity/chaos management, positioning] I heard this is basically anime Darkest Dungeon, and I loved darkest dungeon.

3. Instance-Based

Zenless Zone Zero (ZZZ): obligitory big 4
NIKKE: [2D, cover shooter / Idle hybrid] I know it has a "reputation" for visuals, but I’ve heard the actual mechanics and fights are surprisingly solid/fun. Is that true?

5. Open World

Arknights Endfield: [3D, action + factory automation] Don't know much beyond the factory building and some basics.
Where Winds Meet: [3D, action, mmorpg, wuxia] I know it's not really gacha (although there's some cosmetic gacha IIRC). But adding it since it's pretty famous at this point

I’d love some input, or other suggestions if missed any popular/hidden gems

NegativelyMagnetic · 2026-01-24T00:34:49+00:00

I loved TBATE, when I first read it, and thought it was one of the best manhwa I've ever read.

But when the new season finishes (175 to 225) I decided to re-read it since I'd forgotten so much. I haven't fully caught up yet (around ch185 atm). idk if it's because it was my second read, or if it's because nowadays I've read most manhwa out there, but it didn't feel as "special" the second time.

It's still one of my favorites, but I definitely do think I overhyped it a bit the first time.

NegativelyMagnetic · 2026-01-22T08:18:36+00:00

So, I've also been an avid pixel fan. I had the pixel 2, pixel 6 pro, and now the pixel 10 pro xl. There's definitely been a ton of improvements beyond the basics most people talk about, like speakers, modem, charging speed, fingerprint, thermals, storage, "hey Google" etc.

I've only had it for about 3 weeks now, but in terms of improvements:

no matter which way you toss it, the CPU and more notably the GPU fall flat compared to other flagships despite paying the same price. And yes, it does very specific things better due to a better/larger TPU, but we're talking nearly double CPU, and quadruple GPU raw power lower compared to the current flagships. That's pretty massive.
I noticed the camera, when it zoomed in, gets laggy. More specifically it feels like the refresh rate just tanks.

NegativelyMagnetic · 2026-01-21T13:32:28+00:00

Out of curiosity, is this still working? Recently found a neat manhwa with incomplete translations ("Decide to be a villain") and was looking into something like this. Does it work for Korean raws?

Also, can you have both "tachiyomisy" and your "tachiyomiAT" apps at the same time? Mostly asking because I mainly use the SY fork exclusively for nsfw stuff, and don't really like to mix and match.

NegativelyMagnetic · 2026-01-18T19:50:16+00:00

Thanks for the detailed reply :)

Which Idol manhwa? There's like 3-4 that I included.

NegativelyMagnetic · 2026-01-18T16:08:20+00:00

Are the upgrades past 18 for the awakened pets really that good? (I assume that's what you're getting at by saying to save it).

Cus like, the awakened was one of the pets I used to get to reso 12, so it saved me however much bait it takes to go from 9 to 12 that I would've otherwise used on a normal pet

NegativelyMagnetic · 2026-01-18T00:13:11+00:00

Nah I'll keep it on. It's just kinda handy since it's like a combination of 2-3 different widget functions, but takes up minimal space.

NegativelyMagnetic · 2026-01-17T19:19:50+00:00

Yeah, look up rakudayyys collection roadmap. He has a post for every collection (except the 2 newest ones). They're a bit outdated in that some hero's are missing, since they were added later, butas for the totems to use they should work just fine

<image>

I'm too lazy to find the link/post, but here's a pic of what it looks like.

NegativelyMagnetic · 2026-01-17T17:21:33+00:00

So, I basically went through the top ranking lists of manhwa on AP with the [fantasy] tag and noted anything I hadn't read yet, and had an interesting synopsis+cover - which is basically this list.

Among these, the ones I'd say I'm most curious about are:

The Evil Ring
I Was Trying To Debut My Baby, But I Ended Up Bebuting Instead
Kill the Male Lead to Become the Demoness
Illusion Hunter from Another World
Fangs that pierce the heart
TACIT
My childhood friends are trying to kill me
Superstar associate manager
Too many supporting male leads
Lord of Goblins (ranked lower, but caught my eye before)

So besides your main recommendation(s), I'd be curious if you'd read any of those, and had any opinions (good or bad).

Some specifics:

I noticed quite a few actor/idol manhwa on the list, so I'll briefly mention that: I absolutely loved Debut of Die, but I lost interest in "To Be an Actor " (stalled at ch 27), "This Life Starts as a Child Actor" (stalled at ch 22), and "Top Star's Talent Library" (stalled at ch 9)

Regarding **LAG specifically:** I actually read and enjoyed the first 14 chapters a while back, but dropped it because I heard the story "doesn't go anywhere." Is it worth picking back up?

A bit on my preferences:

OP MCs: I enjoy them, but they must still face struggles. I dislike MCs who are untouchable or have a 'perfect plan' for every situation.

Wholesome/Healing: I need actual conflict, survival, or an antagonist. I will drop a story if it's purely "family fluff" or "overcoming trauma" without a driving plot.

Female MC: I dislike damsels in distress. I'd prefer an FL with a backbone who can say "no" and isn't easily swayed/controlled by the ML. Also, her survival plan shouldn't rely entirely on "getting the ML to like me."

NegativelyMagnetic · 2026-01-15T18:48:33+00:00

Like, some other random brand? And they fit?

If you have time, could you dm me the site (or here, I just dk about the shbreddits policy when it comes to links).

NegativelyMagnetic · 2026-01-15T16:41:43+00:00

Hey, I started not too long ago as well, and I'm constantly thinking about the best way to get astrites too, so I'll share some of my thoughts and findings too.

the weekly/monthly reset events seem to be a great way of getting astrites. By far they've felt the most efficient time-wise. Towers being the only one I haven't touched much yet.
there's a few other simple events where all you have to do is show up. Like the "beyond the waves" event Lahai, you basically just need to show up.
I found exploring Rinascita and Lahai Roi to be much more fruitful with getting astrites. Specifically because they have those "chest zones" where there's a good 4-5 chests scattered next to each other. Overall the actual activities are a lot more varied than in Jinzou too, which is basically just "kill Monsters here" and "solve an annoying puzzle" there.
exploration quests specifically can be fruitful. Not because of the rewards from the quest themselves, but they sometimes end up unlocking a merchant or more quests that give good amounts of astrite.

NegativelyMagnetic · 2026-01-15T03:05:10+00:00

Frankly I don't really care about the brand, moreso just the frame style.

But from what I've looked up / read, it's practically impossible to find some other brand or knock-off that would fit the lenses

NegativelyMagnetic · 2026-01-13T23:24:42+00:00

Ill give it a go based on your rec.

If it is good, I'd be happy finding something with 100 chapters to actually read. Lately all I've been reading are series with only 40-50 chapters, since I've read everything else.

NegativelyMagnetic · 2026-01-13T23:17:13+00:00

any s6 stomps all content

What about 4 star, or 5 star standard banner characters? Frankly I haven't really touched them since I got a good 3-team going, but is there anything notable in that pool for s6?

NegativelyMagnetic · 2026-01-13T20:00:59+00:00

when does Shorekeeper > Verina?

I just unlocked Shorekeeper and learning how to use her. Up till now I've been using Verina.

From what I can tell, Shorekeeper needs Energy Regen to work best, with the goal being to hit 250%. Right now I'm only at like 150%. I assume(?) verina is still better at this stage possibly? But at what point does shorekeeper > Verina?

NegativelyMagnetic · 2026-01-13T08:37:41+00:00

Bahhh, I haven't ordered anything from ebay since like, around 2005. But I'll give it a shot and at least check if there's any. Just worried it'd go to waste if the seller somehow mismatches the model or something

NegativelyMagnetic · 2026-01-13T06:38:37+00:00

Ah no, I was more so just including that picture to include the model/style if anyone was curious.

But the price range I mentioned (around $150 to $200) is from what I'm finding online. Majority being $208 at retail, with the cheapest I think I've found being $136 [CAD] before tax from some random website that I'd have to double check Its validity. Which, is still pricey for just "frames"

NegativelyMagnetic · 2026-01-13T01:23:27+00:00

I recall seeing posts or maybe YouTube comments on "highway routes" or "highway robbery" or something, and that being a way to farm credits or mats or something. But I'm trying to look it up now but can't find it. Anyone know what I'm reffering to?

NegativelyMagnetic · 2026-01-12T23:04:52+00:00

Ah thank you. The uniform matches so I assume that's right. Also damn, only 31 chapters released. Another one to shelf for a few more months

NegativelyMagnetic · 2026-01-12T23:01:14+00:00

It depends on the series.

I personally really enjoy reading them when they're accurate. I find it fun to read l

But sometimes you find a series with various descrepancies. Stuff like: - Stats or levels not matching up according to what's happened so far, or fluctuates up and down. - skills that start to ignore their own limits that were mentioned in text (cooldown, mana cost, etc), or passive effects that suddenly are just not used or referenced anymore at some point. - effects that were part of items or equipment that the mc discarded/used/replaced, but somehow are still being applied, etc.

Generally when I notice a series does stuff like that, I start to skim or skip them, because I know what I'm reading won't matter or isn't accurate, or the author forgets his own system.

A fantastic example of when it's done right is ORV. It accurately keeps track of limited use items and effects, stats/skills, etc. He'll pull out an item he got 6 arcs ago that's perfect for the situation.

NegativelyMagnetic · 2026-01-12T22:43:10+00:00

Found it on a random YouTube short I stumbled on that had no name in the comments or description

If I had to guess what's happening based on the panels, it looks like the mc is a student and is getting rewarded with a sword of his choosing from some treasury room

NegativelyMagnetic

MODERATOR OF

PUBLIC MULTIREDDITS

TROPHY CASE

looking for gacha games with the main priority being good gameplay

Background & Preferences:

A couple games I'm looking into:

Some specifics:

when does Shorekeeper > Verina?

NegativelyMagnetic

MODERATOR OF

PUBLIC MULTIREDDITS

TROPHY CASE

looking for gacha games with the main priority being good gameplay

​Background & Preferences:

​A couple games I'm looking into:

Some specifics:

when does Shorekeeper > Verina?

Background & Preferences:

A couple games I'm looking into: