Hello :).

Week among many, another ends and another starts, and I’d say this one was alright. I got some chicken from a local chicken place and played danganronpa with roommates for my birthday, and I couldn’t have asked for much more than that going into 2nd year soon.

SO. Where to start.

Well, I’ve gotten back to studying, albeit quite slowly. At the moment, I’m having a bit of a hard time deciding the material to work with, like a reading list, since you don’t get the next year’s reading list until the semester has practically almost started.

I emailed a couple of people, mainly a personal tutor, but to no avail. I’m thinking I’ll give a go at asking the module leaders themselves, and hopefully that works out even if its an old reading material, anything would be a nice jump off point, but we’ll have to see where that leads.

Till then, I started reading up on automata theory, so far from chapter 0 and 1 they’re just simplified models that work in a mathematical context, and it’s been quite easy to digest so far.

SO, FAR.

The thing is, tutors and lecturers speak on year 2 like it’s the devil, and it’s mostly SPECIFICALLY IN REFERENCE TO THIS. SO ITS CONCERNING >:/?

I’ll probably see why going forward a couple chapters, but it’ll take some time, though paradoxically, I feel like I’d be more productive if I had other books to read.

Reason being that it can get quite boring sticking to just one topic for a while, like having too much salsa with your chips. You gotta dip into other things, you know? Plus, it matches the structure of the university course, one module for math programming and hardware. Ill probably just copy that model for now and get two other books, and just swap between them to varying degrees of success :p.

I know what’s been taking a lot more of my time as of l8 though, is pokemon, both cobbleverse and firered at the moment. It feels like I fell back down this rabbit-hole a while back, but I just can’t seem to get out and I’m not necessarily complaining, it’s quite fun n.n.

Cobbleverse has been going on for a WHILE now, I think I’ve been playing with my friends on and off (mostly on recently) for at least a few months now, and it’s been really fun, ESPECIALLY fighting through the elite 4 and champion.

Starting off though, I hardly knew what to do. Even being a big Pokemon fan (though like I’ve mentioned before, not ever finishing a game up until recently) there was so much that the mod throws at you from the outset that it gets overwhelming quite fast. I know stuff like EV’s and IV’s are simple, even if admittedly I never cared about them before , but whether it be because it’s the culmination of all the games items despite going through generations one by one, stuff scales QUICKLY.

There’s a million different berries, as an example, a BUNCH of different masaladas to boost friendship in combination with other items and a type of bean, and each berry outside of that has its own use case, whether it be a one time battle use on a pokemon or to lower EV’s and IV’s.

AND THATS JUST THE BERRIES.

Even with the gens split, you can get each specific game gimmick, like mega evolving, Z moving, gigantamaxing, terastalizing, ALL WITH DIFFERENT WAY OF GETTING THEM, WITH THEIR OWN ITEMS. All the mints, ability patches and capsules, INSANE number of held items and INSANE number of evolution items fucking dwarf any individual game on their own. Even now, I still feel like I haven’t hit the limit on my understanding of all of it.

But holy hell is it a way to learn. I genuinely I don’t think I’ve ever been this in the know on pokemon EVER. ITS COOL :D.

The gen was dumb fun predicated on whatever the hell ragtag team I could assemble to beat the elite 4, pure trial and error, and a LOT of help, especially because I used pretty bog standard “hit em till they die” moves on everything, but the more you play, especially because of the quality of life like being able to change moves on a pokemon WHENEVER (only took gamefreak till the switch to try that :v) the more you come to appreciate, and honestly NEED to switch up the formula.

Even just in generation 2 (yes it got serious THAT FAST) I found myself experimenting with accuracy builds, or learning tried and true moves like calm mind, nasty plot or sword stance to get my attack (or special attack) up. I did my best to be both smart and boldy, bordering on stupidly, experimental, in a way that I just would not have known to do if I didn’t have to, and if the game wasnt so fun to mess around wiht, and fight trainers in.

And the trainers, GOD do they use cheese strategies of their own, so it’s fun retaliation in that sense too.

Even now in generation 4 I havent done all I could with the battles themselves, I havent touched environmental moves and GOD KNOWS im not ready for the entirely different 2v2 format, but my strategies even in generation 2 far outdo anything I would have ever even thought to do before, and that difference doesnt even let up from generations 3 to 4. Thing is, it does in the switch to generation 3 though, and thats for a very specific reason…

We mono typed!

That is to say, that for generation 3 we were forced to have each pokemon have one of the same type, and it was BRUTAL, let me tell you.

An challenge like that is just being to cause problems because the game fundamentally WANTS you to vary your types! Your not supposed to just stick to a single type, other heavy hitting teams, like a lot of strong trainers or the champion, will vary their pokemon so that they can kick any pokemon’s ass with maximum efficiency.

AND ITS WORSE IF ITS A GYM TOO, because what the hell do you do IF THE TYPE IS A DIRECT COUNTER TO YOU?!?!?!

The answer is cheese, a lot of cheese.

I chose the fairy type, which I honestly figured would be the easiest, and by the end it was (especially since we caught THE fairy type xerneas :0) but god was the middle of the run atrocious, even stuff that shouldnt counter me, like the water type gym (I believe the last gym?) had absolutely DEVASTATING aces, I will never forget that damn mega gyarados that ALWAYS HITS FIRST.

It was a roller-coaster that sort of cause another revolution, and it’s what caused me to fully invest in getting my pokemon’s EV’s up. And now? It’s supposed to be the hardest generation, but with the accumulated knowledge and work into maximizing the team’s BEST moves, its been easy n_n.

All this to say it’s been a great time, especially with friends. Battling each other along the way and having people to share in the fight to champion is so cool, and something I’ve always wanted, SPECIFICALLY with these friends too, but never got to have. All the more reason its a shame that its the last generation we’ll play for a while, since gen 5 is still in development, but god am I more happy than not.

We’ll play other stuff, lots of other stuff, and besides, you know a LOT of this knowledge transferred right into my main playthrough of the pokemon games, IM KICKING ASS WITH THESE BUSTED EVS AND MOVES >:>>.

But yea, for firered, I’ve been continuing as per usual like in my soulsilver playthrough and its been nearly as good. I have to say that honestly, soulsilver MOPS THE FLOOR in terms of quality of life and just pure enjoyment, especially cause some hidden machine moves GET ON MY NERVES, and the switching pokemon for exp and HM slaving feels much more prominent than it did in soulsilver, but otherwise things are still sick.

The main rival, gary, is much cooler than the soulsilver rival, who I thought was alright but didnt really care for as much. Could be my rose tinted glasses talking, cause I mean its GARY, but I felt a lot more excitement when fighting him, you know? Especially after having lost the first battle after getting our starters, I NEEDED, CARNALLY to wipe the floor with him since, that smug dumbass ~.~.

He’s arrogant, pompous, and shows up just enough to get you riled up, but he’s also gives you an item to help you along the journey, alongside lines that suggest that he still cares that you be able to meet him where he is and take on the champion as his rival. It shows in his dialogue, as minuscule as it is, and it makes for the quintessential rival.

Im all for friends helping friends as opposed to heated rivalry, I dont even necessarily hate being really friendly with newer gen rivals, but gary’s so much fun too.

The gym’s have been a blast too. Again, taking things from my cobbleverse runs, I feel like I get a much more intuitive grasp for what to play in each fight, and of course the type matchups, so battles both take more out of me but give a lot back in return, even given how easy they are.

I’ve stopped going for each and every trainer, like a completionist, and that’s also MASSIVELY elevated my enjoyment. Playing the game at your own pace in your own way, without thinking to beat EVERY trainer of that route for some odd satisfaction of completion diminished by pure fatigue, is so much better in every way.

And most interestingly of all, THE LEGENDARIES. I’ve caught all 3 main legendary birds so far, but not without INSANE effort, and mainly only for 1.

Articuno was straight forward. Get strength, push boulder, surf to, catch ice bird. And it came down EASY STYLE, less than 20 ultraballs max.

Zapdos? Even easier. At this point I’d gotten more comfortable using max repels, so having gone a while only seeing magnezone’s and pikachu’s, I used one to get to him, and he got caught in less than 10 (absolute legend).

But Moltres, the fire bird? That motherfucker was PISSED.

Not only did he refuse to get caught the first time, I FORGOT TO SAVE, dooming a full days worth of progress, including a chansey from the safari zone (a HARD ASS catch I tell you), a full gym, TONS OF GRINDING TO GET THERE and the battle itself.

It’s not like I didnt do the exact same thing either. Got it down to red, started throwing. I tried to pull out venasaur for the sleep powder but, oops, one shot, moltres’s typing of flying and fire are BOTH effective so its not like he stood a chance. Even so though, I threw nearly all of my 40-50 or so ultraballs, and it ended up running out of moves and so needing to struggle to attack, nearly killing it, so I ran. I ran from the fight, only to then find out that well, it’s gone for that save :’).

And there went a whole day’s worth.

Good news though, I went and did it again, and this time I was READY. The last time I didnt have revives and almost ran out of heals, but now? 10 revives, 15 hyper potions, like over 10 full heals (god knows I didnt need that many, I can only be burned so much), 90, NINETY ULTRABALLS, THE WHOLE NINE.

Even had a solid plan of lowering accuracy, then into paralysis and after whittling health down only THEN into sleep powder from venasaur, only to find out the hard way you can’t status twice, so sleeping moltres fails :’).

Still though, paralysis at a somehow EVEN LOWER LOW HP THAN LAST TIME, and the paralysis, with 71 throws, guaranteed the catch.

….

If only my luck was normal, BECAUSE NO, IT WASNT X).

yea, Seventy one, SEVENTY ONE THROWS, LOW AND PARALYZED, AFTER 40 IN THE LAST ATTEMPT, AND HE DIDNT BUDGE. HE STRUGGLED TO DEATH.

The chances of having lost the first time? They were about 40 percent or so. Not crazy, and I wouldnt expect it to be, not to mention I didnt come in prepared. But the SECOND TIME? OVER 90 PERCENT CHANCE. THE CHANCES OF BOTH FAILED RUNS? AROUND 3%.

MAN.

Having calmed down after the first loss, I was determined, and honestly shed the notion that I was super unlucky and that I just couldve prepared more, but DAMN was that second fight something. Moltres, I dont know what I did to deserve this burn.

But, thankfully, I saved this time, and so caught him right after on my third attempt, with sleep. Much easier :3.

So yea, its been a hell of a journey. Has it been good? I mean, you’ve been reading, of course it is, but its had its sluggish moments (like getting the dumb HM FLASH after already having went through diglett’s cave blind, silly me I guess :v).

Regardless, it’s gonna be such an interesting experience coming back to soulsilver to do kanto for the first time in gen 2 AFTER finishing the main gen 2 run AFTER gen 1, and I’m already so eager. After firered, its only up for a WHILE. Soulsilver kanto, then emerald, arguably the best game and YEA, although I never finished it I SEE WHY, and then I can begin playing the games that not only have I not finished because of fatigue, but just never played in general, but always wanted to since I wanted a 3DS as a kid (not knowing that crystal and the black and white games are DS games :p).

It’s gonna be a hell of a time.

And yea, as for the last day, my birthday, it was just as described. I’ve told you how danganronpa 2 went before, but V3 has been a recent play through with my roommates starting with chapter one around a week or two ago, near when we settled in, and its pretty cool so far!

We all love the art, the moments have been cool, and the characters feel as charming as theyve always been at their best, ESPECIALLY because there’s no teruteru equivalent :D.

Seriously, the ultimate tennis player being this nice and honest but troubled, lonely dude looking to find meaning after what he’s been through IS COOL, and felt like a genuine apology for the asswipe that was teruteru and how annoying he was bothe in the first chapter of danganronpa 2, and the danganronpa 3 anime, and I just can’t get over that.

The game still has its moments though, like the final minigame of each trial seemingly, or some of the stuff with miu. Cant escape al the danganronpa-isms I guess.

Still though, the story has been a slow but interesting burn. The first chapter was long, almost grating, but packed a hell of a punch for what it built, and I loved loved LOVED the kaede and shuichi bonding. The trial itself being the obvious standout, it was such a heartfelt way to move things forward, especially after what was to come (if you haven’t guess by now I WILL BE SPOILING, heads up).

The kaede death was spoiled already to both me and one of my roommates, both in different ways funnily enough (I knew our pov character would die and he knew shuichi would be the next pov, so we put it together almost immediately), but it was still a fun exploration of the struggle that you’d put up in a death game like that, and how far to take your hope forward, with the help of others.

The whole series’s message of optimism over pessimism hits the mark so well, I love it so much for that cause god pessimism sucks major ass, and portraying it in an otherwise powerless position where you need to fight the oppresive force that be, who hold frankly the shittiest of ideals, just hits such a mark <3.

The next chapters death, the maid’s, was also fun, and we played the whole thing on my birthday :3. I thought it was solid but totally flawed.

I think that technically speaking, the murder itself and its machinations, like building how it must have went, was easily the best bit but also the most flawed. It was elaborate, OVERLY so, but I kinda digged it, even if the plan felt a bit flawed from the start (and the first part about the getting the tennis player in the tank was much easier than figuring out the rest of it), the character herself is desperate, so its still a reflection of the circumstance, and the interplay, even if unintentional, is fun.

Where you lose me though is the reasoning. I mean, prime minister of japan, really?

I just felt like it didnt have much sauce, and it could’ve used it. After all, I dont know the ultimate maid all too well, and so it just compounded the problem more rather than tie in a reason that would maybe give us more to chew on then “she’s super utilitarian” and all, something that more cleanly lines up with what more character development we should have gotten from her.

Now dont get me wrong, I know from the first two, especially the nurse in two, how this goes, this somewhat crazy motive with an understandable reason will make A LOT more sense given whatever context comes later at the tail end of the game, but it certainly doesnt bridge the gap enough for me, especially considering other games, like the first games chapter two (though heavily flawed as well) did it much better.

And for what’ll happen, I do have a theory on that too. My current crackpot theory, though its a bit murky, is that none of the students are actually ultimates, at the very least not in the traditional sense.

The first game had good ultimates, and the 2nd had bad reformed into good, but why not, when we’ve already touched extensively on the topic of skill versus talent, finish off with students who, ostensibly, arent anything special, but think they are due to implanted memories similar way to 2?

Right now the students say theyre ultimates, but none of them show ULTIMATE merit, no? The detective sees himself as an apprentice, we never see the pianist play, the mechanic is introduced mentioning the types of inventions she likes to make and theyre DUMB AS HELL (mostly “inventions for doing stuff while you sleep” if I remember right), and a couple more examples fit this line of thinking.

It isnt to say they ARENT capable, like the maid in her taking care of others or us, shuichi, in investigating, just to say that we arent the pinnacles we’re made out to be by the narrative, a narrative fed to us by an oppressive force, monokuma. Im thinking that over the course of the game we’ll uncover that truth, whatever lies behind it, and learn to accept that regardless of status or position, that we can come to build the skills that we’re interested in. Maybe not as an ULTIMATE, but for whatever we wish to be, ultimate or not.

It’s kind of nutty as a theory, especially since the end of trial for the maid kinda douses the flame a bit, and the memories being implanted opens a can of worms of if the memory makes the person or if they can draw from that but GOD I FELT LIKE SHARING IT WITH THE CLASS ANYWAYS >:v.

Either way, the whole 2nd chapter, and the theorycrafting, made for a great night of shooting the shit. Im happy to have friends I can live with and be so cool with, the type of people thatd wish me a happy birthday, get a zinger box with me and binge danganronpa all night. Shit like that can’t be found so easily, ESPECIALLY people I get to live with, I learned that the hard way last house share, so this in and of itself made the day worth it.

If your reading this, thanks for being my friends, I’m glad that I eventually got to meet you two coming to Leeds :).

Anyways, that’ll be all from me for this week. Thanks for being patient with me, if you’ve had to wait this long! I forgot yesterday :3. I’ll be leaving you with a bit of an unpolished product in the form of this post as well, its getting late and I wont be waiting any longer than I already have to publish it, but I had so much fun making it I honestly don’t mind in the slightest like I thought I would. Hope you had fun too.

As usual though, I’d leave to leave you with a little something if you’d have it this week, but rather than a song or animatic, I’ll be leaving you with a youtube video by auranym.

https://youtu.be/QBaYOqaUkzE?si=6uPsuq-hnz9zGsI7

She’s a lovely youtuber making videos on game design, and I find the style of presentation and what she’s discussing, particularly about fairy types here but also the celeste art video, super interesting. It scratches the back of my mind in such a way that makes me want to start thinking and coding up a video game RIGHT NOW.

Its good stuff, so check it out if you think you’d like it. The meta read on pokemon typings from this video in particulat is very cool >:)

And with that, Ill be off for a while. See you all later, have a good rest of your week!