Every once in a while, I have a dream with enough potential to jot down as a short story. What follows is one such story. I hope you enjoy reading it!

The New Student

Once there was a girl, cute as can be, that moved into a new town. Having lived her entire life in her previous town, she was delighted to see the wonders this new world would provide. And what better wonders to behold than seeing the school which she'd be attending from now on? It was a bright and cheery Tuesday morning when her mother's car pulled into the parking lot of the school. Once she went through the paperwork, the little girl would be free to continue the first grade in this new school.

"You'll like it here," said the principal. He was an old man with a wrinkly face and white mustache.

And of that, the little girl had no doubt! When she was shown to her new classroom, the teacher stopped everything to introduce the new student. As are all children of that age, they whispered amongst themselves secrets of curiosity as to who this newcomer was. Perhaps she came from a faraway land? Or perhaps she merely switched classrooms from another side of the school building?

"I used to live in a town way up there," the little girl explained to her new classmates. "Where it snowed lots and lots!"

"Then you don't have to worry about snow here," said the teacher. "It only snows here during Christmas time."

With introductions complete, the teacher assigned the little girl a seat in the middle of the classroom. If all were only as sweet and good as that morning, this tale would end right now. But there were some classmates that didn't believe the little girl. There were some classmates that were jealous of the little girl's popularity and attention. What's more, one of these classmates, another little girl with hair as golden as the morning sun, had the strangest feeling she had met this newcomer before.

So it was, that during recess, the golden-haired child approached the little girl. Perhaps if she took the time to speak with her, she'd remember where they had met before. After shooing away the other students surrounding the girl, the golden-haired child announced her reservations clearly.

"Are you sure you're from the north?" Asked the golden-haired girl.

"That's what mommy told me," replied the little girl. She herself wasn't exactly certain where she once called home.

"You're lying," accused the golden-haired child, pointing a finger at her. This caused other students around them to gasp, as pointing fingers was against the rules.

"Why do you say that?" Asked the little girl.

"Because you are! I know who you really are!" The golden-haired girl had finally remembered where she saw the little girl in the past.

Leaving the newcomer almost in tears on the playground, the golden-haired child ran back into the classroom. She asked the teacher to borrow the magazine she was reading, and took it outside to show the little girl. Inside the magazine was a picture of another girl, one that looked identical to the little girl!

"See? I knew you were lying," screamed the golden-haired child.

"But that's not me," said the little girl in her defense. "My eyes aren't that color."

Stunned by this proclamation, the golden-haired child took a closer look at the picture in the magazine. The girl there had eyes as blue as a ocean, while the little girl sitting in front of her had deep, dark brown eyes.

"So? You could have painted your eyes brown!" Claimed the golden-haired child.

"Mommy says you can't do that," said the little girl. Some of the other students began to nod, siding with the newcomer.

"Your mommy is a liar!" Spat back the golden-haired girl. This was the final straw, and now the little girl couldn't help but start to cry.

Upon hearing this, the teacher ran outside to see what was going on. When she came upon the little girl crying, she asked what was wrong. Against the rules, all other students in the area pointed at the golden-haired child, who stood frozen in place with the magazine in her hands. The teacher placed her hands on her hips, the stance that always struck fear in the hearts of children everywhere.

The golden-haired child explained, with tears in her eyes, that she just wanted the little girl to tell the truth. She pointed at the picture in the magazine, to which the teacher just sighed.

"If you had read first," she explained to the golden-haired child, "you'd have seen that this isn't the same girl."

The teacher pointed to the words printed next to the picture. There, clear as day, was the name of the girl in the picture. And the newcomer's name was not the same. Feeling terrible about making the new student cry, the golden-haired girl apologized.

"It's okay," replied the little girl. "Now we can be friends."

"Yes, let's be the best of friends!" Said the golden-haired girl.

So the two girls became friends. Best friends. Forever!

Share your thoughts on this tale in the comments below!

I make sigs, it's what I do here on GS. Many of you are probably familiar with my main account's sigs, but these are all new and unique to this account! I give you: The Enishida Show!

Unlike the other sigs, these star different characters (and a much larger cast):

Enishida: Level-headed and surprisingly savvy, Enishida is a spectator to the antics of the board. While he'll occasionally pitch in by pointing out the ignorance of other users, he'd much rather not involve himself in the war. A manticore with an ever-changing slant.

Azami: No one really knows what Azami is ever thinking. No one ever really cares, either. She posts in favor of whichever faction seems to be on the losing side at the moment, or something completely random to derail entire conversations. Considered a fakegirl, her true standing is a mystery to all; possibly even herself.

Odamaki: A connoisseur of anything with an anime theme, a blatant-if-still-closeted otaku; if there's discussion pertaining to anime in games, Odamaki is there. And seeing as how most anime themed video games are located on Sony's platform, he's a blatant cow, too. Never mind games on other platforms that would otherwise interest him.

Yume: Gaming is more than just a hobby; it can almost be described as art. Almost, for now. Yume looks for the best gaming has to offer. Sometimes it's found in new IPs, other times in sequels. But like her fondness for tea, she's willing to sample first before judging.

Takeru: A newbie user, unsure how System Wars really works. Though things have changed a lot around the board, he works under the old TOU, where mods are to be feared and insults kept to yourself. Though he aligns himself with the sheep, he isn't as close-minded as other users on the board.

Yukari: Fascinated with technology above all else, Yukari has chosen the path of the hermit for its truly free range of possibilities. All gaming began with the PC, so even today all gaming can be done on the PC. Unlike her hermit friends, however, she has no qualms with those that wish to play games on their "intended" platforms. There's a charm to it, after all, for the kiddies.

Karin: Perhaps more out of place in System Wars than even Sakurai, Karin favors the handheld over the console. "Why stay at home when you can be outside and play?" But since handheld gaming isn't as highly regarded on the board, she kicks back and plays the game that is SW.

Ruri: Helpful, friendly, well-liked, and mostly absent from System Wars. Ruri favors the unions, and only wanders into System Wars to correct "facts" being spouted by others. She's not very fond of the rivalry between cows and lems, but if asked to take a side, she'd go with lems..

Euphorbia: She doesn't say much. She doesn't have to. She is a model user, and as such a model mod, superior to all others. Were she to have her way, she'd strip the powers of mods who who abuse their authority. As for her stance on gaming? She once played Tetris.

Iwachidori: Recurring guest character and well-known consolite. She drops by every once in a while to spread the good word that "consoles are better than PCs". She doesn't make very many friends because of it. Frequent target of the mods for her trolling.

Below is a complete episode list:

1. The Viewer
2. The Lurker
3. The Nerf
4. The Ignorance
5. The Opening Post
6. The TOU
7. The Random, Part I
8. The Cameo, Starring Iwachidori
9. The Look Back
10. The Consequence
11. The Block
12. The Romance
13. The Merit

Most of you probably already know (because I am quite the chatty bastard on the forum), but I recently acquired Final Fantasy XII: International Zodiac Job System. For those not in the know, it is a revision of the 2006 title, with rebalanced combat and the implementation of the series traditional Job System. Only available for Japan, the west never got to enjoy this version of the game. Which is a darn shame, because as far as I've seen, it is miles ahead of the original.

So on to the point of this blog: fun playing pretend!

The game's titular Zodiac Job System. While in the game you're free to choose whichever job you want from the board, for the sake of this blog you are tied to the job of your zodiac sign. So without further ado, here are the jobs:

White Mage (Aries) - Healers and support. If you're unlucky enough to be of the Aries sign, you'll be stuck in the back of the adventuring party keeping your friends alive and well.

Dragoon (Taurus) - Frontline lancers. Show off your mastery of the spear coupled with a touch of black magick as you plow through the hordes of darkness.

Machinist (Gemini) - Distanced support fighters. Expert gunslingers capable of piercing any armor, and dipping into mystic time magicks to stay ahead of the competition.

Red Mage (Cancer) - Jack of all trades, master of none. Versatility is the name of your game, with access to the widest array of magicks and physical prowess that puts other magicians to shame.

Knight (Leo) - Stalwart protectors. It is your duty to shield your companions from all harm, and even learn to keep them healthy with a small selection of white magicks.

Monk (Virgo) - Masters of the bare fist. Whether you suppress evil via polearms or your bare fists, you are among the most agile of combatants.

Time Mage (Libra) - Weavers of the flow of time. You specialize in slowing your foes and strengthening your allies. And when the situation demands it, you can fell foes with your choice of crossbow or good old swords.

Breaker (Scorpio) - Diehard ravagers. Your one goal is to utterly destroy any who stand before you with the might of your axe or the crushing strength of your warhammer.

Archer (Sagittarius) - Ace sharpshooters. No matter the size, no matter the distance, your keen eye and steady arm will down any foe, be they residents of the land or sky.

Black Mage (Capricorn) - Practicioners of the dark arts. With staff in hand you control the fabric of existence to burn, freeze, or electrify the monsters of the world.

Samurai (Aquarius) - Exotic combatants. With mastery of the katana under your belt, you also make use of black magicks to cut through the swathes of nasties.

Hunter (Pisces) - Silent assassins. Be it a dagger or longer ninja sword, your area of expertise is hitting hard, and hitting fast.

What role has the Zodiac assigned to you? Band together with others and set forth into Ivalice.

Of late, I find myself wanting to game less and less.

Not that I don't want to play new games, because there are still games coming out and out now that I want to play. But my desire to finish games is practically gone. Gaming has become more of a finger-food deal: I sample as much as I can, but never eat the whole plate.

I guess there's not much I can do about that feeling.

And as for my abscence (and thus, lack of blogs), it was because I came down with a pretty nasty stomach condition. I was out for the past couple weeks or so, weakened to the point where I could hardly move. Fortunately, I'm back to normal, so I'll be blogging again on my main account soon enough.

And for the sake of art (and sticking to my alt's theme), another image by riyo:

With the recent surge in popularity, Namco's Idolm@ster franchise has spread into the mobile/social game territory. For those not in the know, The Idolm@ster is a hybrid dating sim/rhythm game wherein you manage an idol agency and produce pop idols in Japan.

Your mileage may vary on whether this is a cool thing or not. Personally, I think it's a fun idea given how involving the game seems. I've yet to play it, so I'm going off the demo and positive word from my friend. And plenty of gameplay videos online.

Now, back to the topic at hand: Cinderella Girls.

A spinoff of the Idolm@ster franchise, Cinderella Girls is a sort of social RPG for web browser enabled cell phones and gadgets. In the same fashion as the primary games, you manage up-and-coming idols in an effort to make money for your agency. Only in this game, you're constantly switching around idols as you strive to find the best. Think of it as a Pokemon game on cell phones, only instead of collecting critters, you're collecting girls to produce.

Unfortunately, as neat as this idea is, it's only available in Japanese, though anyone is free to play the game (provided you understand the language). There are no fees or costs, just need a cell phone with which to access the game site.

Seeing as how I don't know a lick of Japanese, I'm stuck playing spectator and fantasy agency. Hence, the picture at the top of this entry. My friend and I have taken a selection of idols and created faux agencies, complete with logos. It's a timesink for chuckles, mainly. You can find my idols in my sig, which is randomized periodically.

So be sure to support 717 PRO, the best idol production agency ever! :o

Picture this: you buy a new game.

Maybe it was an impulse buy after seeing the title on the shelf on your most recent visit to your local game store. Maybe you've been looking forward to the purchase all week, all month, or even all year long. Regardless, you take this game home. You plop down, you play it.

Hours, days, weeks pass. From start to finish, you are absolutely blown away by the experience. Maybe it was timing, maybe it was genuinely good, but this game pressed all the right buttons with you. You deem it one of the best games you've ever played for a specified period of time. The game is so good, the thought of a replay is not only tantalizing, but inevitable. The ultimate question is, when will you be playing this game again?

Everyone has policies, I'm sure, on when you play a game over. Maybe you do it right away, maybe you wait until a special occasion or free day to relive the magic. Regardless, you get to playing it again. This time, you start to pick up on some of the game's flaws. What didn't bother you the first time through is now glaring at you from the other side of the screen. A tedious fetch quest, a graphical glitch, maybe even a line of dialogue with a typo. Little by little, that golden image you had of the game is chipped away.

That isn't to say you're going to hate the game. It could still be one of the greatest experiences ever. But now that the initial hype has died down, you become far more critical of the flaws. If this game is part of a series, you start comparing it to others from the series. Every game has a genre, so you start comparing it to your other favorites from the same genre. Little by little, you work to sort out your feelings on how good a game this really is.

Regardless of whether it ends up at the bottom of the list, or at the top, you've finally set up your opinion of the game.

Time passes. The game goes from experience to blissful memory. Rumor has it the game is getting a port, maybe even a remake (a word that has been muddled to hell and back in this industry, but that's a blog for another time). Your initial hype is high; this was one of the best games you've ever played. You build up this idea in your mind that the game is going to be an exact replica of emotions from your first time playing.

Well, the day of fate arrives. The game is played. Things feel... different. Those nitpicks you had the first time around suddenly become major flaws that are seriously hampering the experience. You try to look past them, so that you can either finish the game, or see what else has been added, if anything. Maybe you finish the game, maybe the issues prove to be too much. But let's say you do finish it.

The magic of the original version wasn't replicated, but you can safely say the new version has its perks.

Now comes the point of this scenario: someone asks you for a recommendation of the game in question. They know there's two versions available, and either is viable at this point. When asked which is the superior version, which do you choose?

Can you recommend the original version, hoping the novelty you experience will be experienced in a similar fashion? Or do you recommend the new version, acknowledging that despite the flaws, it's the overall better package?

..

I have experienced this very scenario many a time, but none so greatly as with Persona 3. With three versions to choose from, finding the right one to recommend between the two superior ones (FES and Portable) can be a hassle. The original was as unique as the other versions, but FES improved on that one in every way imaginable, rendering it obsolete.

Having played Persona 3 three times, FES twice, and Portable once, I would recommend FES over the other versions. Why, you ask? Despite Portable's great new features (bringing in the superior version of the game's combat engine from Persona 4, new missions, female protagonist), it takes too much away from the original's presentation, the very things that gave Persona 3 and FES a unique charm. Of course, this is just my opinion on the matter.

You've most certainly experienced this in the past. Which version have you recommended in the past: the original or the improvement? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

So recently, I saw an anime that really, REALLY yanked my heartstrings and nearly took my whole heart with them.I'll be talking about the anime proper some other time on my main account. Doesn't take a rocket scientist to notice my theme not fits with this anime. :P

Being a writer, one of the hardest things to accomplish is the establishment of an emotional connection between reader and subject. In the case of fiction, which is primarily what I write, the subject, more often than anything else, is the main character. But just how can a writer create this connection?

You start by being a good writer, naturally. :o

In all seriousness, I don't think there's a definite way of achieving this. There are documented approaches, of course. Flawed characters that the reader can relate to, pain or trauma that illicits sympathy, a bond formed over a goal both the character and the reader wish to see overcome, etcetera etcetera.

But the question is, do you set out with the specific goal of establishing the connection in the first place, or does it come naturally as you write? I think it would lean on the latter; you don't work to make a person like you, otherwise you come off as desperate.

What am I getting at? Is it possible for people to feel genuine heartache for a work of complete fiction?

Personally, I think so. It's no easy feat, but every once in a while, a figment of someone's imagination takes a form with such potency, such strength of character, that the audience cannot help but be drawn to it.

Ultimately, this blog is a bit of an outlet for the emotions stirred by the anime in question. I've been moved in the past by both anime and film, music or video game, to the point of tears. But rarely do I find myself lingering on the sentiment, lingering on the conclusion the work achieved. Such was the power of that story.

I'm certain few will actually be moved by the notions presented in that tale, were they to check it out. All the same, I thought it one of the most moving works I had ever experienced. One that will stay with me for a long time, at least. A great sense of melancholy hovers over me, one I do not like to experience, yet all the same relish.

Thank you for reading this, even if it ended up being a string of random and incoherent thoughts. Feel free to share your thoughts on anything relating to the entry, be it the topic of emotional connections to fictional characters, or melancholic experiences of their own.

When it comes to the Final Fantasy series, I have pretty shocking opinions on which entry in the series is better than the rest. Everyone is entitled to like whichever part they want above all others, but half the time people don't seem to understand the why behind my reasoning. Well, have no fear, I'm here to divulge my thought processes on this matter. Remember, this is strictly about the COMBAT of the game, not anything else.

(Yes, I know I once said this blog wouldn't be for gaming related discussion, but what the hay.)

When it comes to the original, I use it as the median. This is the standard for all games to follow, improve upon and shoot to surpass. It's a simple affair: you decide on your actions beforehand, then watch as your party and the enemy duke it out. Your party's abilities are chosen at the onset of the adventure, from a possible pool of offensive magicks, defensive magicks, and varying levels of physical prowess. It's the series' original c!ass system.

Does it work? Offensive magick and physical attacks tear through foes like a hot knife through butter. Defensive magicks do their job of protecting the party. However, as is generally the case in the series, debilitating magicks are useless. Combat turns into an Attack spam.

II reworked the way the characters leveled up. The idea was to have a means of growth that borrowed from realism; you attack often, your strength would rise. You use magick enough, and your spirit would climb. Other than that, this game used a combat system nearly identical to I. Commands are chosen prior to the round, and then you watch as the party dukes it out.

Does it work? Exploiting the leveling system makes it ridiculously easy to power level your way through the game. Magick can also be power leveled in the same fashion. However, this doesn't make your debilitation magicks any more effective. Attack spam is the way to go in this entry as well.

III reworked the leveling system again, and introduced the Job System the series would use for many entries to follow. And again, other than that, combat is the same. Actions are selected prior to the turn, then they play out.

Does it work? The Job System finally gives you incentive to do more than just spam Attack. Shifting between the jobs throughout the adventure allows you to take on any problem with a solution of your own design. How you fought through the game was almost entirely up to you. Unfortunately, many of the jobs in the game were only good for one use, then became pointless. Ultimately, only two jobs are of any real use, one that focused on Attack spam, and the other on offensive magick spam. Debilitation spells, while plentiful, are useless for the most part.

IV finally introduced the ATB, which revolutionized the series from a combat perspective. Battles flowed in real time, so the player's attention was absolutely necessary at all times. Strategy became a part of the combat experience, as you were free to delay actions for certain members until their participation was warranted. The Job System of III was removed, though characters in IV used familiar preset jobs to determine their skills.

Does it work? Learning your party's strengths and weaknesses as the roster shifted throughout the tale is one of the game's strong points. With every new character, whole new approaches to combat were not only possible, but necessary. The constant flow of battle also kept the player on their toes, and timing was especially important in the later parts of the game. Debilitation magick, while more effective in this game, is still largely unused in favor of a brute force approach. The woes of MP rear their ugly head beginning with this entry.

V improved on IV's ATB, and brought back III's Job System with improvements of its own. Players were now free to compound abilities from different jobs into other jobs, creating hybrid fighters with the strengths of one job and the powers of another.

Does it work? Mixing and matching your abilities to suit the task at hand is a huge boon and timesink in itself. Attack spam is easy to fall back on in this game, but the variety of jobs allows you to tough it out a bit and work with what your selection of abilities grants. Debilitation magick is still as useless as it was in previous entires. The biggest detriment to this game is MP, which limits your potential for magickal jobs.

VI did away with the Job System again, giving each party member a unique skill or set of skills to use in battle. The ATB was improved upon once more, adding in a hidden timer of sorts for casting spells. The more powerful the spell, the longer it would take for the command to be executed. Though a traditional leveling system was in place, only with the use of Magicite could characters increase their core attributes outside HP and MP.

Does it work? While every character as a strength to make use of in combat, it is far too easy to exploit. Half the party has abilities with no limitations and capable of raw damage output, whereas the other half is more situational. Magick is now available to all members provided they learn whatever spells they wish. Magick is expensive and powerful in this game, but is also outc!assed quickly by the skills of various characters. Rather than Attack spam, this game can easily turn into a spam of skills. Debilitation is a bit more effective in this game, but isn't practical.

VII took what VI started one step further. Rather than characters have unique skills, they have unique Limit Breaks, special actions that are available once they receive enough damage. All other actions are freeform, tied to the game's Materia System.

Does it work? The Materia System is extremely freeform, allowing any character to take on any role in combat so long as the Materia in place is geared for that. The drawback is that to accomodate this system, the general difficulty has been toned down. While it is possible to make use of every Materia and action granted, you could play a minimalist game and still win just as easy. Characters without focus have no identity in combat. Debilitation magick is again useless in this game.

VIII took what VII did yet another step further. The Junction System allowed you to use stocked magick to manipulate attributes directly as you saw fit. The only distinctions between characters were their Limit Breaks.

Does it work? In theory, Junction works as a means of using magick to strengthen your characters naturally as the game progresses. In practice, however, the system falls apart when the player has to draw large if not maximum quantites of spells from foes. To top it off, the game's scaling ensures the player will always be at a disadvantage unless they exploit the Junction System properly. Debilitation magicks are surprisingly useful in this game, but because of the limited quantity as opposed to MP, the only practical use for these spells are on bosses.

IX went back to basics with a combat system ripped straight from IV. Replacing Limit Breaks was Trance, a state where the character is more powerful for a limited time.

Does it work? Every character in IX has a role to fulfill in battle, and the cast shifts throughout the first half of the tale. Playing to your party's strengths is implied, but not necessary. The game's difficulty is toned down, allowing for more than enough flexibility in how to fight without fear of punishment for lousy tactics. Trance is also a weak replacement for Limit Breaks, as they take considerably longer to activate and aren't used at the discretion of the player. Debilitation magick isn't very useful in this game, nor is there much of it to draw from.

For the first time in years, the ATB was scrapped in favor of a traditional turn based combat system. Characters are given roles to fulfill in battle, but can expand beyond those roles at the player's discretion. Swapping characters in and out of the party as necessary is a key part of the system.

Does it work? The ability to call on whatever skill you need at will and without penalty makes this combat system the most flexible in practice to date. Every character has a purpose in battle, though it is very easy to break this fragile balance and throw the entire system into chaos. Debilitation magick now includes skills as well, and are much more effective than ever before, as well as practical thanks to higher MP counts and lower costs. Playing to your strengths is encouraged and rewarded with higher EXP payouts.

XII brings back an evolution of the ATB, the Active Dimension Battle. Combat is still governed by the ATB, only now everything is in real time, and transitions into battle from the field is eliminated, emulating combat found in MMORPGs.

Does it work? You are free to format your party in any manner you desire. You are free to approach any battle in any manner you desire. There are no distinctions between characters, so any character is fit to do any job without any hindrances. Attack spam is a must to take down the greater foes. Debilitation magick and skills are effective now, and practical as well thanks to regenerating MP. The Gambit System allows the removal of micromanagement, allowing for a more seamless combat experience.

XIII tried a different route altogether with the Command Synergy Battle system. The player stacks commands before the ATB is filled, and watches as they chain of abilities play out in sync with allies. Paradigm Shift allows for on the fly tactic changes.

Does it work? XIII's strength is in Paradigm Shift. Roles are extremely specialized, so constantly shifting amongst different set ups to take on foes is critical to victory. Emphasis on battles is placed on speed and efficiency, with the player serving more as a supervisor. Debilitation magicks are an absolute necessity, with enemy suceptibilities at an all-time high, and no MP to hinder the spellcasting process.

So there you have it. For these reasons, combat in entries such as XIII, XII and X are miles ahead of the rest. The sum of the parts is generally the argument when it comes to which game is better, but as for combat, you could say this is absolute.

Nuts to grandeur. I just want to be happy.

But happiness is usually tied to grandeur... so dismissing it would make me unhappy? Gah!

A while back, I decided to stop actively shooting for a dream. Rather than beat myself up day in and day out in an effort to create a piece of work that would launch me into stardom, I chose to write for my own sake.

Will many people read what I have to write? Probably not.
Will some? I hope so.
Will at least one person read it? Absolutely.

For those that actually read the blog I wrote about me , you know I dabble in fiction and fan fiction writing. Earlier this year, I completed my longest work to day, a piece of fan fiction titled StarCrossed set in the Pokemon Universe. It's nothing much, just a simple coming-of-age tale with plenty of action and laughs along the way.

And while it won't ever bring in a check, the positive reaction of my readers was all the reward I could ever hope for. I enjoyed writing the piece, and they enjoyed reading it.

I still focus on my own original projects, but I am not averse to writing more fan fiction. These readers actively look for something new yet familiar to read, and perhaps I can supply them.

And while I'm having fun writing, they'll be having fun reading. Everyone wins.

What to write about?

Well, if it isn't obvious enough already, this is an alt account. I wanted to have a separate account for just general loafing about, but I chose instead to give it a home on General Games Discussion. No, I won't be calling it Primary Games Discussion. That name is just stupid.

My main account, mmmwksil, is where I do all my video game chit chat and whatnot. This blog will be just for general musings and word vomit. Nothing too extreme. I might even share a short story or two here if I get inspired enough!

Later, all!