Topic: The Chit-Chat Thread

@Tyranexx Yeah, GOG is great for classic games, they actually get older games working on modern PCs too, which includes emulation for DOS games. That's fine too, I also use Steam.

@MarioLover92 Glad I caught it in time. Yeah, most places I always disable to e-mail notifications.

Yeah, I remember buying Ghost Blade HD on Wii U right before the Switch came out. It came out a few years later on Switch. It came out during that weird time between the Wii U and Switch. There was also a 3DS game called Tank Troopers that came out during this time. Didn't know about that game until 2018, wanted a tank game because I watched the anime Girls und Panzer at the time, and found out about that.

Twinkle Star Sprites is really fun, honestly, a game not many have played. I wish more people knew about it since it feels like that hidden gem that got ignored. I remember just stumbling across it on GOG during one of their summer sales and thought "this looked cute," and don't regret buying it. Even bought it on Switch just to have it there too, and have an option to play on the go.

@MarioLover92 Hey, wait a second. You switch user icon (Looking at my switch friends). It's mario odyssey, mario wearing the black tuxedo. I don't see that icon anywhere on the page of icons we can choose from. What kind of bullspit are you pulling over there?? 😠😁 Am I just not seeing it in the options? I looked REAL hard, didn't see it.

@WoomyNNYes Click the Nintendo Switch Online icon on the home screen and choose Missions & Rewards.

@Sunsy
Wait, is there something new on Switch eshop page?
What is the reward by doing so?

@Anti-Matter The Nintendo Switch Online button, the little red Switch icon on the bottom of the home screen that basically "advertises" Switch Online services. There's a new Missions & Rewards feature. It's not exactly the eShop page.

Examples of missions include playing the NES game of the month (Super Mario Bros), backing up a cloud save, and playing online (I did a quick Mario Kart 8 race, one race is good enough). You can earn points towards icons that can be customized, and not found in the default Switch menu.

Tagging @WoomyNNYes as I linked the article about this new feature in this post.

@X-Slayer It's all good. Basically, you complete simple missions to earn My Nintendo platinum points. You may have some points if you have My Nintendo now (I got my Peach icon by doing nothing but spending 10 points I already had).

For an easy 50 points, just play some Super Mario Bros on the NES app. You could also backup a cloud save, open the Switch Online app icon (that small red button on the home screen), and play an online game that uses NSO (free-to-play games like Fortnite or Paladins may not count as they usually don't use NSO for online play). I'm guessing missions update each week, save for the monthly game one. I'll know for sure once next week comes.

Then you can spend the points on the icons in that Switch Online app, or just use it on the My Nintendo rewards site. They have borders, backgrounds, and icons, you can mix and match them.

@Sunsy I think I heard of Tank Troopers a few times from you, I may see what that game's like. I heard of Pocket Card Jockey more recently too, there's a demo of it so I may give it a try as well. I'd probably get Twinkle Star Sprites on the Switch, I found myself playing games on that more, lol.

@WoomyNNYes Yes, as Sunsy mentioned, you go to the NSO app for the new Switch icons. Not only are there new icons, but there's also backgrounds and frames you could use. You use the My Nintendo platinum coins to get those.

I'd love a Mega Man Battle Network Collection. This is probably an unpopular opinion, but I much prefer that series and Star Force over the more traditional Mega Man platformers. I'm sure I'd like the Legends titles too, but alas I've never played them.

@Snatcher Yes, jump on it! Just be aware that the tutorials aren't always the best, but it is possible to get the hang of combat lol.

@MarioLover92 In addition, supposedly My Nintendo has added new missions, so now there are more ways to earn platinum coins.

To be honest, the first one went on fine without bubbles, but my OCD couldn't stand a bit of lint that made it on the surface during the brief time the Switch was out of its packaging and exposed to the general environment lol. The second one went on poorly. Third time's the charm!

@BruceCM I'll try to remember to provide updates on Torna as well when I get to that point.

@Vortexeo Thanks! Database work can be equal parts fun and frustrating depending on what you need. I'm much more comfortable moving around in SQL Server than I used to be, but some JOIN statements can get pretty insane. PowerBuilder's heyday was many years ago, and long story short the language (PowerScript) and IDE were mismanaged for many years. A company named Appeon is trying to make it relevant again and has made some decent strides, but playing catch-up takes a lot of work. To compare it with something you may be more familiar with, there are some similarities between it and C# Windows Forms in Visual Studio. In fact, the inner workings are all built on C if I recall. Good luck with the interviews! Depending on who you deal with, earlier questions aren't generally as technical until you get farther on in the interview process. It depends in part on the company's structure and whether you're being interviewed by someone in HR vs. someone you'd be working with on a daily basis. I work for a medium-sized company, and our HR handles the early stuff but then pulls in my manager and another team member or two for part of the interview process.

I've been staying out of the XC3 thread after VoidOfLight warned me away due to spoiler fears. Not as big of an issue now that I've finished XC2, but JIC I'm staying out of there until I also play Torna: The Golden Country. As for the third Aegis, I admit I'm still a bit confused on that point. Was it Pneuma, Pyra/Mythra's awakened form? Or is it technically that third core crystal that went missing?

@NintendoByNature You should finish by the end of the week if you don't have too many difficulties and don't go too far off the beaten path. Chapters 8 and 9 did run together a bit for me as well since there's way less open space at this point in the game. Quite a contrast to arriving in areas like Gormott and Uraya's stomach.

@Sunsy Duly noted. I believe a couple of game installs I have from an acquaintance and former coworker originated from GOG. It's DRM-free, correct?

@Tyranexx good stuff. Looking forward to it.

@MarioLover92 Yeah, I've been mentioning it quite a bit lately because of the eShop shutdown. Hoping more get to try it because it came out in that time between the Wii U and the Switch. I feel like it got ignored by many, me included. If it wasn't for Girls und Panzer making me want to play a tank game, I would have never known about it. Here's a trailer.

It's like how Splatoon is to shooter games, this is to tank games, like World of Tanks (I love playing Blitz on PC and Switch too). Some tanks are based on real life ones, and some are made up for the game.

Sounds good to me, however you play, Twinkle Star Sprites is fun.

@Tyranexx Yup, fully DRM-free. I've installed GOG games I've bought when I wasn't even connected to the Internet. It's the closest digital games have to physical, since nothing is locked to one system, or requires Internet aside from the initial download.

@Tyranexx That was actually a really cool feature they just added, the new profile icons on the NSO app. I'm really surprised it took them that long to implement missions for playing Switch games! Anyway, hopefully they'll add new themes for the Switch's home menu - they've been long overdue. Glad to hear one of your screen protectors got on the third time.

@Sunsy Hey thanks for showing me the trailer. It looks like a pretty decent game, though I think I'd just play the single player mode if I got it. That reminds me, there's that tank minigame in Mario Party called Shell Shocked/Tread Carefully, that one's pretty fun.

Heh, I bet you're quite pleased with the way you'd finally got around to XC2 & they announced 3, @Tyranexx .... Torna is really much shorter, you could probably 100% that in less than 50 hours!

First, well done on finishing Xenoblade 2, that's a monumental achievement. When I first played through it four and a bit years ago (today actually marks the four year anniversary of me finishing it) I struggled a lot at the Malos boss fight at the Cliffs of Morytha. Really had to optimise my setup, with Rex-Nia-Tora with lots of healing arts. I said to myself I'd wait until the easy mode update came out to beat it but by the time that rolled around I had began to struggle with Amalthus. Not an issue though, it was a marginal beating.

The game's really good as you say but the flaws you mention I agree with wholly. The Blade gacha mechanics are so off-putting, especially trying to get some decent Rare Blades. It really defeats the point of getting all these cool core crystals when you know you always have a chance of getting a Common Blade. Combat also comes across as extremely slow and the lack of ability to move while auto attacking is one reason.

I too edge Xenoblade DE over 2 but also Xenoblade X as well, because X had no business hosting such a huge open world with almost no technical flaws. X was a really good RPG at first but when you get your Skell license... it becomes one of the greatest power fantasies ever. 2 doesn't have anything like that, and while it helps the scope of the world it makes traversing a bit lame. I also don't like how they don't give experience for Landmarks and Locations in 2. Just because.

Glad you enjoyed it; I recommend going back and playing Torna soon, though. I mark it overall better than the original game; because it's really more emotional, and has better graphics and combat. Plus the dialogue delivery is spotless, much more than can be said for some VAs in 2. Rex is great but some of his lines feel like first takes.

As for Celeste; I'm so happy I could do it justice. Probably one of the first covers I can really say in decent conscience that I have. It's one of my best ones, I think. I added some new stuff to it, adding gravitas, while preserving the original theme. I encourage you to play it, it's such a good game. Awesome gameplay, pretty pretty graphics and great dialogue.

I also did a cover of the second level theme, so it's more enjoyment for fans of the game!

Hopefully, they'll bring X to Switch, too, @TheJGG .... I'd certainly love to play it! I'm sure all the others who got into the games on Switch would, as well as the people who played it before but would probably get it there, too

Finally done with the Castlevania Circle of the Moon diorama!

It is not 1:1 reproduction but I am still glad I did it!

Here is the original room from the game!

I saw a Pikachu mascot near of small cotton candy vendor this evening when I was in a trip to go home after working time. That Pikachu mascot, tho... 😆

Looks great, @Zuljaras ..... Are you planning any more of those, for other Castlevanias?

@BruceCM 100% ... I love Castlevania and I want to improve and make better and better crafts!

@Zuljaras it looks great! I love how detailed it is