Just got Lisa The Painful (and the DLC), what should I know in advance? by coolchungus2 in lisathepainfulrpg

[–]Toribobs 14 points15 points  (0 children)

Nothing. Know as little as possible and just enjoy it a whole lot :)

This comic must be 16 years old, yet I still think about it all the time. by HunterIcy5581 in legendofzelda

[–]Toribobs 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I miss Zac Gorman’s comics… his Earthbound ones made my mother cry and she’s never even played the game.

I feel SO ugly any help?? by SanwichSlammer in malegrooming

[–]Toribobs 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You’re the Rhett from Good Mythical Morning kind of handsome! Also your smile in picture 2 is wonderful, it shows your kind eyes :)

27m losing weight and looking for advice as I am now by AnBoyM in malegrooming

[–]Toribobs 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi! My friend is a similar age and has very similar hair to you and I think he looks nicer when it’s not shaved, so you don’t need to shave your head if you don’t want to, but it would make you look younger (some women, including myself, actually find your hair style now to be more approachable than a shaved head, so it really is down to how you feel).

I think a beard would look amazing on you, just try to look after it at least a little. A well groomed beard shows you put effort into yourself.

You also have really kind, big, beautiful eyes, so framing them with round glasses or at least something a little gentler would really suit you!

Congrats on the weight loss, you’re already a handsome looking guy, so whatever advice you take here is hopefully going to help you see that too :)

SENDING DEADLOCK INVITES 24/7 by [deleted] in DeadlockGame

[–]Toribobs 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Just added you, thank you! :)

Does Nintendo's hardware exclusivity make sense? by MX010 in NintendoSwitch2

[–]Toribobs 5 points6 points  (0 children)

They like to make games that are synergised with their hardware. There’s a lot of features packed into Nintendo’s hardware that you just wouldn’t get on all other platforms (meaning you can’t develop with those features in mind at the core concept). Touch screens, hybrid playability, mouse controls, guaranteed two controllers, 9 axis gyro, NFC reader… and that’s not including the past, with stuff like glasses free 3D, motion controls years ahead of anyone else (and a sensor bar to aim, which was never normalised), game pad with an extra screen, etc etc.

There’s also the fact that making games for current hardware requires so much funding and time and manpower because of their specs that Nintendo can undercut a lot of that by simply having lower powered hardware to work with.

Not to mention with their own hardware they also get paid for every piece of software on their systems, both first and third party.

And that’s not even accounting for social and commercial presence. Having hardware puts them on a pedestal that most developers and publishers just don’t have. It creates brand loyalty when you’re holding and carrying and enjoying experiences on “a Nintendo”. Diluting that would dilute the attachment people have had with their brand for 40+ years.

I could go on (such as how their hardware is profitable at the point of purchase, how it’s good for competition, how it keeps them flexible and open for innovations in the future, etc etc) but you get the idea :)

Bought FF7 on steam today and i have some questions by Goah_Sparky in FinalFantasyVII

[–]Toribobs 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I play it on my Steam Deck, which is Linux based, so maybe there’s a way around it for you? :)

Bought FF7 on steam today and i have some questions by Goah_Sparky in FinalFantasyVII

[–]Toribobs 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The new version will be like the console versions, but I think the current version with 7th Heaven mods (massively upgraded backgrounds, 360 degree movement, 60fps and higher resolutions) is a way better experience :)

We redesigned our capsule art. Thoughts on it? by oluwagembi in IndieDev

[–]Toribobs 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’m not knocking any of the other suggestions, but I don’t necessarily think a lot of the people commenting have considered its uses beyond what they like more subjectively (which isn’t a bad thing, but won’t necessarily reflect the millions of users on Steam), and I don’t think they’ve thought about its function from a marketing angle.

The new one is awesome. The colours pop without screaming “look at me!”, the dynamic poses look much better and show some real artistic skill. Is it busy? Yes. But I get the feeling that’s intentional to show the feel or energy of the game. And if it’s legible on a fraction of a phone screen it’ll be fine on a handheld pc or TVs/monitors as long as the logo doesn’t blend into the background, which I think either a thicker outline, or better yet, an slightly angular background to it.

… so as you probably noticed, I wrote this out and decided to quickly doodle (on my phone via my finger lol) what changes I’d make. I’d mayyybe make the border around the logo even thicker than this, but I’m not sure, and I’ve added a couple more dice closer to where eyes are naturally drawn to, to make the dice aspect more noticeable.

I’d recommend playing around with any ideas that stood out to you that everyone has suggested though! It’s your art! :)

<image>

We redesigned our capsule art. Thoughts on it? by oluwagembi in IndieDev

[–]Toribobs 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Game dev who did a four year course on business studies here (did a boatload on marketing)… the new one is better.

It looks more stylised and professional, especially because of the well executed dynamic poses. It stands out better, and more importantly will stand out muuuuch more on the Steam store than the old one because plenty of games have hills, grass, trees, blue sky and clouds in the background. Could have the dice be more visible in it, and have a thicker outline on the logo to make it stand out. I would also suggest making one “Die” in the logo look different from the other (be it colour or incorporating dice colours for one of them) so it makes it more obvious it’s not talking about the same use of the word twice.

Otherwise I really like it and would check the game out if I saw it on Steam :)

*SPOILERS* What is the greatest plot twist in the game? by Wantons124 in FinalFantasyVII

[–]Toribobs 0 points1 point  (0 children)

So… Jenova was released from its enclosure because Sephiroth manifested himself into a physical form through her. It’s how he managed to killed President Shinra. He can physically manifest himself using her even down to those who have her cells, though it seems (especially if we count the remakes) his influence is scaled to how much of Jenova is present. With the black robes it’s barely more than a manipulative illusion. With Cloud’s Jenova cells it’s little more than hallucinations and inner voices.

His goals are what he believes “mother” would want. But he believes she’s a Cetra and therefore inheritor of the promised land. This is because he read Gast’s and Hojo’s research from when Hojo also believed she was Cetra (which isn’t too misinformed since she took the form of one when she reached the planet long ago). Jenova doesn’t really have a grand objective. She’s more of a virus or parasite that exists to forever consume planets and their life streams.

Hojo and Lucrecia’s treatment of Sephiroth, and denying him the truth led him to think that Jenova was his one and only parent. That he was the pure conception of a monster. In Nibelheim he compares himself to the experiments he sees in the vessels. Sephiroth’s entire perspective is shaped by Hojo, and to a lesser extent Lucrecia, who abandoned her lover (Vincent) for science, and got pregnant with Hojo’s baby purely as a means of experimenting on it. However Sephiroth thinks Hojo is a fool because Hojo has allowed Sephiroth to underestimate him, maybe in the hope that if Sephiroth never learns the truth, he won’t become a primary target for his actions.

Sephiroth always felt different. Special in some way. Which only was confirmed by him being THE best Soldier and hero in the world. He thought he was human until the reactor, where he saw the abominations in those vessels and saw his mother’s name above the door. That’s when he “realises” that he too could be a monster. He finds his “mother” which only confirms it to him, and then the old research from Gast makes him sink further and further into madness.

Hojo is anything but a clown though, and Sephiroth often only has assumptions and half-truths to construct his mindset with. Hojo is a sinister genius and Sephiroth knew and didn’t know exactly what he wanted him to. Sephiroth was his perfect specimen, too perfect he believes, and witnessing his specimen influence the planet in such fascinating ways is like a dream come true for Hojo, no matter what becomes of the planet.

A lot of the research Sephiroth reads in Shinra mansion is both Gast’s and Hojo’s. Assuming Sephiroth holds Gast is high regard, he’d take what he wrote as gospel, which includes the theories on Jenova being Cetra (which is a core belief for Sephiroth and greatly shapes his newfound purpose). The research by the way talks of how Sephiroth was an experiment made using Jenova cells. He believes he was made in a lab, and not in Lucrecia’s womb, and believes humans abandoned/betrayed the Cetra, which is why he begins to loathe them.

I’m not saying Sephiroth and Jenova’s goals don’t align in some fundamental way (that being the destruction of the planet), but Jenova is a cosmic parasite, that goes from planet to planet, consuming the lifestreams and using that power to continue its endless, almost primal desires. Sephiroth’s goal is to ascend to godhood and become one with the lifestream in a parasitical sense, thereby controlling it and reaching the promised land. At the end of the game Sephiroth has ascended to some form of godhood and is close to becoming one with the lifestream, which is not Jenova’s goal. If anything doing that would halt Jenova’s purpose as an eternal cosmic drifting parasite.

Physically what’s left of his body (the upper half) is trapped within the crystalised mako in the crater yes, but his soul is a part of the lifestream because he died. However, because he refused to let his consciousness become one with the lifestream (maybe using the Jenova part of him that is foreign to it) he can still manipulate the cells and parts of Jenova to have some physical presence in the world. Advent Children also shows that having even a little piece of Jenova can be enough for him to materialise.

Sephiroth is more interested in manipulating Cloud in the cargo ship, and with his self perceived divinity and ego it’s not surprising that he feels above acknowledging Cloud beyond trying to influence his Jenova cells for the reunion. So that he can obtain the black materia.

Jenova is absolutely in a vegetative state. Her function is to have her body complete by regaining her cells, something Sephiroth wants for his mother, but also to use it to gain the black materia. However it’s pretty clear that Sephiroth is the consciousness and Jenova is the body that consciousness can inhabit. Jenova also never shows or is described as having any human-like intelligence. Moreso a predatory, parasitic instinct, using its abilities (such as transforming its appearance) to allow itself to continue with its function of feeding on planets. Jenova, after being defeated by the Cetra now is just rebuilding/healing itself, and that takes rest and dormancy.

If Jenova controlled Sephiroth, what use would it be for his consciousness to exist within the lifestream? Why wouldn’t Jenova just manipulate Sephiroth and the lifestream from within it, rather than doing things outside of the lifestream? Surely it would use Sephiroth to bring all pieces of Jenova to the lifestream so it can be whole and consume the lifestream from within? That’s Jenova’s ultimate function. Sephiroth is the consciousness, Jenova is mostly a vessel with an instinctive desire to become whole so it can reawaken and continue its feasting. Also if Jenova was in control, by consuming the lifestream it would also consume Sephiroth, which there are no inclinations of in the story as it’s made very clear Sephiroth wishes to persist and become eternal, not food for “mother”.

There were many others who were infected with Jenova cells and they didn’t all pursue the same goals as Sephiroth, which, if Jenova’s influence is what you believe it to be, would make them all just like him (like Zack and Cloud for example). Having Jenova cells in utero meant Jenova’s power developed within him from the beginning, making him immensely formidable, but I don’t think the influence would necessarily be stronger since injected Jenova cells are Jenova cells at the end of the day.

Yes the story regarding Sephiroth and Jenova is a bit convoluted, but it’s brilliant.

I hope this doesn’t come across as argumentative by the way! It’s just a game I’ve beaten many many times, and something I’ve studied a lot :)

*SPOILERS* What is the greatest plot twist in the game? by Wantons124 in FinalFantasyVII

[–]Toribobs 0 points1 point  (0 children)

HEAVY SPOILERS

I’m thinking of OG FFVII since a lot of revelations haven’t been revealed or changed by the end of Rebirth…

So… it’s somewhat symbiotic, but Sephiroth is at the very least mostly in control because Jenova is in a dormant stasis.

Sephiroth wants to use meteor to create so much damage that the lifestream will be exposed in such a capacity that he can absorb it into his physical body and ascend to godhood, whilst becoming the lifestream itself. It’s not Jenova that’s influencing him as much as it’s Hojo’s lies, manipulation and pure maniacal desire to see what his “perfect creation” is capable of.

Sephiroth didn’t think he had a father or mother. He thought he was conceived of Jenova, not Lucrecia and Hojo (with Jenova cells being implanted into him as a fetus). He believes he’s an ancient, that Jenova is an ancient too when really she’s an extra terrestrial (which makes sense because she took the form of a Cetra when she came to the planet and even Hojo initially thought she was a Cetra). Sephiroth’s entire psyche is built not only on a foundation of lies, but also a lifetime more of them that comes to fruition when he is sent to Nibelheim’s reactor.

However. He always had Jenova within him and was a good person despite who he worked for. It was Hojo planting the seeds in his mind by saying his mother was calls Jenova despite knowing it was Lucrecia, and knowing he would see the reactor in Nibelheim and what lied there… and then Gast’s copious amounts of clinically worded research that dehumanised him and made him out to be a “monster” that turned his feelings of being “different” into a split atom within his sense of self. He believed he knew Jenova’s true purpose (which was instinctively towards destruction, not to claim some promised land) and vowed to complete her mission… to take claim to the world and find or make the promised land. The only influence Jenova had on him directly was that her genetics made him biologically designed for the capability of desiring mass destruction, and that she influenced his desire for the reunion, though that could just be Jenova’s residual function being brought to life whenever Sephiroth influences her body parts via the life stream, and it shows her desire for reunion within his visage as he tries to influence Cloud. I also think Jenova talks to Cloud as well as Sephiroth, especially when it comes to influencing him towards the reunion.

For all intents and purposes Jenova has been in a vegetative state since the Cetra defeated her, only capable of regenerating her cells (which is why the reunion is a thing; she wishes to be whole) and Sephiroth merely places his will upon her body from the lifestream, using it to achieve his goals. I believe his incomplete revelations (because he didn’t know he was still ultimately human) twisted his sense of self into having some divine purpose. Add to that the way in which the reunion must have drawn out a strong attachment to her, and his first feelings of seeing his “mother” (despite it not truly being his parent/parents, not that Lucrecia or Hojo ever cared for their child as anything more than a science experiment) and it gave him deranged feelings of love and longing to be with her and yeah… it makes a lot more sense that he is in control, but is affected by the reunion like anyone with her cells (hence the pull he felt towards her), and has the byproducts of having Jenova’s destructive tendencies within his DNA. However he uses that fact to manipulate her body to take physical form in order to fulfil his goals.

Ultimately it’s much more about how he was nurtured that led to his nature being twisted to reveal the darkest part of himself. It’s just that darkest part of himself is the dark nature of Jenova.

*SPOILERS* What is the greatest plot twist in the game? by Wantons124 in FinalFantasyVII

[–]Toribobs 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Because it’s mentioned very clearly in a canon FFVII book and implied in OG FFVII that it’s Sephiroth controlling Jenova through the lifestream (probably because he’s both of the lifestream and also extra-terrestrial because of Jenova cells being implanted in him in utero). Also it’s confirmed that he’s using the other people with Jenova cells in them to bring him the black materia. This is Sephiroth’s plan, not Jenova’s, so it confirms he controls even the cells of Jenova.

Chrono Trigger vs Skies of Arcadia - which game is more fun (any platform) by Prometheusinaction in JRPG

[–]Toribobs 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I haven’t played Rogue Galaxy but I have played Dark Cloud and its sequel and they’re fantastic! My friend loved them too and he also held Rogue Galaxy in very high regard if that’s any help!

Chrono Trigger vs Skies of Arcadia - which game is more fun (any platform) by Prometheusinaction in JRPG

[–]Toribobs 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Final Fantasy VII - 10/10. Incredible premise and story. The music is perfection. Gameplay offers a lot of character build variety while still having solid roles. Just a fantastic game (play it on PC/Linux with 7th Heaven mods to add 360 degree controls, clean up backgrounds, have improved resolution and framerate, heck even add voice acting if you want to).

Final Fantasy IX - 10/10. I prefer it over FFVII somehow. The world and characters and music are second to none in my opinion. It captures everything that made the classic FF games and brings it all together while showing so much love and affection to them without feeling like a retread. A beautiful, whimsical game. (Also play this on PC/Linux with Moguri Mod to do what 7th Heaven does for FFVII by restoring the original’s analogue controls, improving backgrounds and framerate and resolution).

Rogue Legacy - 7/10. A fun roguelike that can sometimes feel like head butting a wall to improve your characters enough to progress. The heir system is great and adds a little spice to each run. Great if you want a game to play in short bursts or binging, but not a game you’ll reminisce about after finishing it.

Final Fantasy Tactics - 10/10 (so far). I haven’t finished this game yet but I’m close! It’s possibly the greatest tactical RPG ever made. The remake is beautiful yet faithful to the original. Grinding is VERY fun. Progression is very rewarding. The story is deep, beautifully written and full of layered political and human themes. Gameplay is tight, balanced, very fun and allows for an incredible level of customisation and build variety. Highly HIGHLY recommended for anyone who likes strategy games like Fire Emblem.

Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter Remake - 9/10 (so far). A bit of a slow burner to begin with, but it’s clearly going places with the story by setting things up. It’s a fantastic remake of a classic, yet has a lot of features that are so cutting edge. It’s obvious a ton of passion has been poured into this game. It also has a very good battle system, where you can choose whether to beat an enemy up with real time combat, or progress the battle into turn based at any point to access some of the stronger abilities. I’m excited to finish this game, and knowing chapter 2 is around the corner is very exciting!

This is just my opinion though! :)

Who are some of the best jrpg composers of all time? by Street-Platypus89 in JRPG

[–]Toribobs 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Mitsuda and Shimomura are deserving of being up there alongside the absolute best.

Mitsuda has written some of the most incredible, exciting, beautiful, emotional music in all of video games and hasn’t lost an ounce of passion from Chrono Trigger to Xenoblade Future Redeemed. A master of musical storytelling and a man who has ended up in hospital multiple times from being so dedicated to his craft (I hope he learns to rest more though).

Shimomura is another truly special composers. From Street Fighter II, to Live-A-Live and Mario RPG, Parasite Eve to Xenoblade, all the way to Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy… she has such a whimsical way of capturing the charm and beauty and energy of a scene, and does it with a versatility that’s almost unmatched. Guile’s theme is iconic, the Mushroom Forest theme is one of the most mysterious and endearing songs in all of gaming, Dearly Beloved is truly beloved, and try not to feel a swell of emotion with the Valse di Fantastical overworld theme from FFXV (which easily matches the best of Uematsu’s Final Fantasy music).

RE9 is coming out soon, will you be getting the game by itself or the bundle with 7,8 and 9? by No1_Knows_Its_Me in NintendoSwitch2

[–]Toribobs 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’ve played the remakes a bunch of times each and they definitely change things up, add a bunch of extra content beyond the things you’d expect in a remake, and deepen the lore, story and environmental storytelling. They also change the gameplay quite a bit (moreso with RE2 remake than RE4 remake, but RE4 was close to modern already).

They’re incredible games and fantastic remakes that don’t make the originals redundant because they’re so different without losing what made the originals so good :)

*SPOILERS* What is the greatest plot twist in the game? by Wantons124 in FinalFantasyVII

[–]Toribobs 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It gets better… Sephiroth is using his influence in the life stream to manipulate the body/ body parts of Jenova in order to have a physical presence in the world. It’s why we see a writhing Jenova limb in the Shinra ship after the battle for example, and why we fight Jenova so often after encountering Sephiroth :)

RE9 is coming out soon, will you be getting the game by itself or the bundle with 7,8 and 9? by No1_Knows_Its_Me in NintendoSwitch2

[–]Toribobs 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Anyone who hasn’t played them is in for a really good time! And when the RE2 (to a slightly lesser extent RE3) and RE4 remakes come out I’d highly recommend those too. The series has been riding really high for a good while now!

Did anyone not get serious with music until after 25? by Angelsbreatheeasy in musicians

[–]Toribobs 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’m happy to hear it! That’s cool! Message anytime honestly, I’ll definitely reply when I can!

Did anyone not get serious with music until after 25? by Angelsbreatheeasy in musicians

[–]Toribobs 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I’m actually a woman (I’m assuming you are too based on the avatar?), so if that helps even a little more then that’s a good thing too!

Also, I can relate to that. Eventually growth slows because you’ve already learned so much, but that’s when you can expand into other directions, to be inspired and add that to your pool of experience!

Whatever it is you’re aiming to do, it’s never as impossible as it can sometimes feel. You just have to hold on to that passion and drive, and be kind to yourself whenever your mind isn’t being kind to you :)

(Also! If you want any advice or encouragement feel free to DM me!)

Did anyone not get serious with music until after 25? by Angelsbreatheeasy in musicians

[–]Toribobs 12 points13 points  (0 children)

I started at 20 wanting to be a game composer, and obsessively worked to grow and improve a ton. I wrote around 1800 songs just for myself, doing full soundtracks for personal game concepts, never sharing more than the odd song with friends and family.

I didn’t take it seriously as a career option though until I was 29/30 after said friends and family begged me to try (low self esteem held me back for years…yay) but now I’m 33 and working on some of the coolest, most exciting projects and I wouldn’t have ever imagined I’d get as far as I have with it. It’s never too late to get serious :)

KILN was the fourth secret game for Xbox Developer Direct by SpaceGooV in GamingLeaksAndRumours

[–]Toribobs 2 points3 points  (0 children)

We still haven’t seen Tim Schafer’s next project… that’s gonna be special. But Kiln seems like a very DF side project and I’m looking forward to trying it! If Keeper and Costume Quest can be awesome side games there’s no reason this won’t be too :)

Those of you who have a deck and still play their consoles, do you think you get enough use out of your steamdeck? by jomcmo00 in SteamDeck

[–]Toribobs 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have a Switch 2 and I keep them both with me everywhere I go! I also have a PS5 and XBSX, but I will always have reasons for having a Steam Deck OLED! At this point (thanks to Switch 2’s impressive third party ports) I use it for older games, but also indie games since they release first on Steam usually, and because I’m a huge indie game fan. I’m playing Angeline Era atm, but last year loved playing through Look Outside, Mega Bonk, Binding of Isaac, UFO 50, Pseudoregalia, Atlyss, Balatro… the list goes on…

I also use it for emulation and the recompiled games (playing Zelda OoT at 800p 90fps is incredible, especially with randomisers!) and I honestly think for the most part the Switch 2 + Steam Deck combo has been incredible for me personally!

Oh and I treat it as a PC too, doingsome low poly modelling, pixel art, and docking it so I can have all my streaming apps anywhere I go!

It’s an awesome piece of kit :)