Mendanbar's recent activity

  1. Comment on CGA-2025-10 🕹️⏰ 🗺️ 🐸 REMOVE CARTRIDGE ⏏️ Chrono Trigger in ~games

    Mendanbar
    Link Parent
    I'm a firm believer that life is better with a soundtrack. Excellent choice, and congratulations!

    I'm a firm believer that life is better with a soundtrack. Excellent choice, and congratulations!

    2 votes

  2. Comment on CGA-2025-10 🕹️⏰ 🗺️ 🐸 REMOVE CARTRIDGE ⏏️ Chrono Trigger in ~games

    Mendanbar
    Link Parent
    Holy shit! Pardon my language, but this is just so good. Thank you for sharing. I was hooked with the shredding guitars in the first track, but then the next two tracks are absolutely the best...

    Holy shit! Pardon my language, but this is just so good. Thank you for sharing. I was hooked with the shredding guitars in the first track, but then the next two tracks are absolutely the best renditions I've heard of my two favorite songs in game! What a magical way to end this month of the CGA. ❤️

    3 votes

  3. Comment on CGA-2025-10 🕹️⏰ 🗺️ 🐸 REMOVE CARTRIDGE ⏏️ Chrono Trigger in ~games

  4. Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games

    Mendanbar
    Link Parent
    OK, I've watched this No Man's Sky dunk fest long enough without chiming in. :D Disclaimer: I'm not trying to change anyone's mind on the game. It's not for everyone for sure. But I did want to...

    OK, I've watched this No Man's Sky dunk fest long enough without chiming in. :D

    Disclaimer: I'm not trying to change anyone's mind on the game. It's not for everyone for sure. But I did want to provide some perspective on why I have chosen to give NMS just over 700 hours of my time. :)

    "Minecraft, but in space" is actually how someone sold me on the game. I had just finished Subnautica, and was looking for a new thing to try. I mentioned that I liked the base building, and also enjoyed playing Minecraft. The recommended I give NMS a try. It's not 100% accurate, as I think Minecraft is still superior as a sandbox experience. But the analogy fits well enough to get the initial point across.

    To me, NMS is a giant space sandbox with a few interesting mini-game loops tacked on. It has a main story in the way that Minecraft does, where you can finish it anytime you want, and it largely comes and goes. If you look at groups like Hermitcraft (or even our own Tildes Minecraft server community), you'll see that the Ender Dragon fight happens practically at the beginning. I think in most Hermitcraft seasons it happens in the first or second episode. Once that's done, the full game opens up, and the creativity of the Hermits is set free. NMS is very similar. The main story quest is really just there as a guide to show players how to interact with the world, and once it's done you have access to most of what the game has to offer. From there it's a matter of making your own fun and telling your own story.

    Here are a few activities that I like to do:

    • Explore the empty space. I like to traverse the Sudzerbal galaxy (one of 256 galaxies in the game) looking for interesting planets where I can build outposts.
    • Improve my freighter. Freighters are like huge mobile bases that you can build from scratch. I chose to make mine a large city with green spaces and separate buildings for each of the NPC merchants / other purposes.
    • Take on side missions. There are NPCs in game that can give you missions to complete to make money, increase standing with factions, or unlock unique items.
    • Find/build cool ships. Lots of options here. There are procedurally generated ships to find across the vast universe, as well as the ability to scrap and use parts to make your own.
    • Tend to my settlement. This one doesn't hold my attention as much, but it's a fun little loop where you are slowly building up a town of NPCs.

    None of the activities in game are deep experiences. It's why I'll tend to play the game intensely for a few weeks after a new update, and then put it down again until there's another new thing added. I sort of do the same with Minecraft (and Valheim). There is a certain familiarity and coziness to it when I return though, and I think that's part of what keeps me coming back.

    It also feels a bit like a giant collaborative art project, since all players are essentially sharing the same game universe. I'll be the first to say that the multiplayer in NMS is not the best experience. It can be disappointing if you are expecting to have a polished co-op experience with friends. But as a loosely shared universe it's pretty cool. You may occasionally stumble across someone else's outpost, or seek out one of the few hub communities. It's neat to see how others have settled in to the game.

    TLDR?

    No Man's Sky is really a sandbox game at heart. So if you like games like Minecraft or lean into the sandbox aspects of games like Subnautica or Valheim, then you'll probably get something from NMS.

    1 vote

  5. Comment on CGA-2025-10 🕹️⏰ 🗺️ 🐸 REMOVE CARTRIDGE ⏏️ Chrono Trigger in ~games

    Mendanbar
    Link Parent
    So there are some context clues, but I agree that I wouldn't have figured them out without looking up the guide. The solution was also really hard for me to execute on the DS, because there are a...

    So there are some context clues, but I agree that I wouldn't have figured them out without looking up the guide. The solution was also really hard for me to execute on the DS, because there are a couple of A button presses to get into the right state before it "accepts" the code. Anyway, here are the clues I noted:

    • Lucca's mom is always sitting in the present scenes, and she has a melancholy way about her. I think this is meant to be a clue, and I did note her attitude in the beginning. I didn't connect any of it to an accident until later.
    • There is a paper on a table that reads:

    "The password is... The name of my lovely wife. Use it in an emergency" - Taban

    • There is another paper that you can read after the event that changes based on the outcome. It's written by a young Lucca. I'm paraphrasing, but IIRC if you fail it reads something like: "I need to learn all about machines so I never again fail to help". If you succeed, she still decides to learn engineering, but because she (again paraphrasing) "wants to ensure machines are safe so that something like this can never again happen"
    5 votes

  6. Comment on What diagramming tools do folks use? in ~comp

    Mendanbar
    Link Parent
    I was super confused about this, because I was just using the live editor last week and was like "WHAAAT? They are taking it away??". Oddly enough, they seem to have 3 different entry points to...

    I was super confused about this, because I was just using the live editor last week and was like "WHAAAT? They are taking it away??". Oddly enough, they seem to have 3 different entry points to live editors, and it's not clear to me who owns what:

    1. mermaid.live - This is the one I've been using, and it doesn't require login or bug me in any way (just an unobtrusive banner at the top that is easily dismissed).
    2. mermaid.chart/play - Found this one today while trying to make sense of it all. It appears to be the same thing as mermaid.live, but none of my preferences are carried over (maybe different cookies?)
    3. The "Try Editor" button on mermaid.js.org. This one brings up a signup. I've never used this entry point, and I'm not about to sign up now, so I can't confirm if the editor is the same as the others.

    Super weird that there are so many paths here.

    2 votes

  7. Comment on CGA-2025-10 🕹️⏰ 🗺️ 🐸 REMOVE CARTRIDGE ⏏️ Chrono Trigger in ~games

    Mendanbar
    Link
    I finished the game! Here are my final thoughts: After my previous rant on the Golem Twins , I finished the rest of the Zeal portion of the game (through the blackbird). I didn't really like any...
    • Exemplary

    I finished the game! Here are my final thoughts:

    After my previous rant on the Golem Twins , I finished the rest of the Zeal portion of the game (through the blackbird). I didn't really like any of the Dalton bits. He comes in super strong with the golems, and that twin golem fight was really frustrating. Then he becomes more comedic relief, and it's just a roller coaster ride that overall was the lowest point of the game for me. It's too bad, because I really like the whole zeal setting, and would have liked to see more about the blackbird. Oh well. After that section, the Epoch gets full flight capabilities, and the game really opens up. I ended up finishing all of the optional side-quests. I'm not sure when I'll find time to play this game again, so it seemed best to complete all of the main character's stories to get some closure. I had to use guides at this point because I was really running out of time. If I had tried to discover everything myself it could have easily been another month of playing. That must have been really fun back when the game was released, but I had deadlines to meet! I did really like all the quests. I can't really pick a favorite, since they all added to the depth of the different characters. I am partial to the Frog and Robo arcs though.

    Speaking of characters:

    Characters

    I mentioned in another comment that Crono, Ayla, and Frog were my go-to team this round. This only got to be a stronger preference as I entered the endgame. In previous playthroughs, I was always stuck on Marle or Robo for healing, and I think the realization that Frog is a solid healer really opened things up. Marle is a relatively weak with physical attacks, so when I used her she was mostly on healing duty. She's ok, but she loses some versatility when stronger physical attacks are needed. Robo has some great early game dual techs with Crono, and can also heal. But that becomes part of the problem. You can't really dedicate him to either task, so he ends up using his magic points to straddle the two jobs and it throws off the balance of the fights a bit. Frog is great because he has some great standalone damage, and can achieve full party healing all by himself. This meant that my other two characters were free to focus on dual techs. I gravitated toward Ayla and Crono for the other 2 slots because of a couple of reasons:

    1. They are both really strong on their own. Their attacks hit hard, they are pretty fast, and they have single techs which are also really good. Also, Ayla's Charm ability becomes super useful late in the game since there are opportunities to steal some really great endgame gear and upgrades from enemies. I equipped Crono with the Frenzy Band when I got it and he would often end battles all on his own with counters.

    2. They have some really great dual techs together. Falcon Strike was probably my most used. It's super useful for clearing groups of enemies. Thunder Chomp is also great for single target damage, and I remember it hitting one of the bosses REALLY hard (I think it was one of the bosses in 65M BC).

    All around, I just found that this team in particular was able to handle most of the things I threw at them. I even managed to get through a couple of bosses where they clearly weren't the most effective group. This was especially the case for the mutants in the Black Omen. I think I could have specialized the team for each of the battles, but decided to stick with my regular group instead. They were still versatile enough to stay alive and limp through.

    Lucca and Magus never really got used outside of where they were explicitly required. I think I covered Lucca a bit in my other comment. None of that really changed in the endgame. I went back to mostly ignoring her unless specifically needed. Magus was also mostly ignored outside of his specific quests. In his case I think he suffers because you're supposed to be able to finish the game without him. So he ends up feeling really forgettable as a result of the game needing to be balanced independently of his presence.

    Lavos Fight

    This was super fun. I over-prepared a bit by tackling the Black Omen in all three of the eras where it appears. This let me stock up on potions, and charm extra Prism Dresses from Queen Zeal's final form. The outer (shell) version of Lavos was a cakewalk. I could one or two shot most of the "previous boss" forms with the 3D Attack triple tech. The fun really started though when I got inside the shell and fought the 2 final forms of Lavos. The music during this section was excellent. I was tapping my feet and grinning while I ripped the first form limb from limb. :D The second form was a bit trickier because of the mechanics of the two orbs, but I found a strategy that worked pretty well. I basically went all in with my triple tech to one shot the left orb anytime it was alive, then used the same triple tech to pound on the right when it was exposed. Anytime I needed to heal I used MegaElixirs instead of spending any MP on healing. I had plenty by the end, and figured there was no need to save them since this was the last battle.

    Ending

    The ending was surprisingly emotional. Somewhere during the side quests I became pretty attached to the characters, so seeing their arcs conclude hit me with a lot of feelings. I did not expect Robo's farewell to hit me so hard, but I actually teared up a bit! Wild to be that moved by a 16 bit game from 30 years ago.

    Summary/Closing thoughts

    I really like the game overall and I'm glad I finished. Pushing past the Zeal area was important to turning the game around for me. It really feels like two different games before and after that area. Before, it's a super balanced story experience (Similar in my mind to a Zelda-like game). After Zeal/Blackbird, it opens up to a more traditional JRPG, with open world travel and choices to be made. I think both are interesting in their own way, and it was a mistake to try to compare them. Once I accepted that shift I had a lot more fun.

    I think this game now holds my personal record for longest time to complete. I think I first played it around ~1999, so ~26 years start to finish? 😂

    8 votes

  8. Comment on CGA-2025-10 🕹️⏰ 🗺️ 🐸 REMOVE CARTRIDGE ⏏️ Chrono Trigger in ~games

    Mendanbar
    Link Parent
    My favorite track is Schala's Theme. I have listened to it on loop for hours in the past when doing homework, and I'm still not tired of it today. It's just such great ethereal background music....

    My favorite track is Schala's Theme. I have listened to it on loop for hours in the past when doing homework, and I'm still not tired of it today. It's just such great ethereal background music.

    But throughout this whole month I've found myself constantly humming Wind Scene. It's the song I most associate with "Chrono Trigger music".

    6 votes

  9. Comment on CGA-2025-10 🕹️⏰ 🗺️ 🐸 REMOVE CARTRIDGE ⏏️ Chrono Trigger in ~games

    Mendanbar
    Link Parent
    Return to Monkey Island had a pretty neat recap mechanic to address this. The whole game is set up as a story told by the protagonist, and every time you return to the game you get a quick "now...

    When I pick up a game I haven't played in a long time, I need to have a way to understand what's happening and what I need to do next.

    Return to Monkey Island had a pretty neat recap mechanic to address this. The whole game is set up as a story told by the protagonist, and every time you return to the game you get a quick "now where was I?" recap. I thought that was pretty clever, and didn't break immersion.

    6 votes

  10. Comment on Tildes Minecraft: What do you want to see in the next season? in ~games

    Mendanbar
    Link Parent
    Indeed. I was just thinking about a strategy to hopefully keep myself alive this time. :)

    Indeed. I was just thinking about a strategy to hopefully keep myself alive this time. :)

    3 votes

  11. Comment on Tildes Minecraft: What do you want to see in the next season? in ~games

    Mendanbar
    Link Parent
    I only really meant that it grows fast and can be used to make a quick visual barrier for early game. I'm assuming the area will be better delineated later on at which point the bamboo could be...

    I only really meant that it grows fast and can be used to make a quick visual barrier for early game. I'm assuming the area will be better delineated later on at which point the bamboo could be taken down.

    1 vote

  12. Comment on Tildes Minecraft: What do you want to see in the next season? in ~games

    Mendanbar
    Link Parent
    You could also achieve this pretty quickly in the early game with bamboo (depending on the availability of jungles near spawn)

    You could also achieve this pretty quickly in the early game with bamboo (depending on the availability of jungles near spawn)

    1 vote

  13. Comment on What's your favorite hobby? in ~hobbies

    Mendanbar
    Link Parent
    I use imgbb, but I'm sure there are others.

    I use imgbb, but I'm sure there are others.

    1 vote

  14. Comment on Tildes Minecraft: What do you want to see in the next season? in ~games

    Mendanbar
    Link Parent
    Another easier option would be to screenshot the map, draw some lines, and post it here on tildes. We did that in the past for road projects (and I think the airport?) and it worked ok. I think...

    Another easier option would be to screenshot the map, draw some lines, and post it here on tildes. We did that in the past for road projects (and I think the airport?) and it worked ok. I think the border wall would definitely be the most effective, though.

    2 votes

  15. Comment on CGA-2025-10 🕹️⏰ 🗺️ 🐸 REMOVE CARTRIDGE ⏏️ Chrono Trigger in ~games

    Mendanbar
    Link Parent
    I've also found that Falcon Strike is a super useful combo when you just want the random enemies to go away. :D

    I've also found that Falcon Strike is a super useful combo when you just want the random enemies to go away. :D

    1 vote

  16. Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games

    Mendanbar
    Link
    Still playing Cobblemon this week with the kids. We added a couple of addon mods to make the experience more fun. First is a mod that allows your Pokémon to fight vanilla Minecraft mobs. Cobblemon...

    Still playing Cobblemon this week with the kids. We added a couple of addon mods to make the experience more fun.

    First is a mod that allows your Pokémon to fight vanilla Minecraft mobs. Cobblemon felt very disconnected from Minecraft before since the Pokémon never interacted with the mobs. With the new mod in place there is an incentive to have your Pokémon out of their Pokéballs following you around. It's pretty fun to go caving with your 6 Pokémon guarding you.

    The second mod we added allows select Pokémon to be used as mounts. I say select, but there are actually quite a lot of rideable Pokémon. Some are only rideable in evolved forms too, so figuring out the best mount options added a cool new dimension to the game. In addition to land mounts, we also discovered that there are certain water types that can be used to swim underwater without losing breath, and a few flying types that can be used to fly around. They are even better than Elytra in a couple of key ways. For starters, they don't consume fuel of any kind, so you can fly them forever. Secondly, they can hover! Since you can still interact with the world while on a mount, we've been able to use them for building.

    We also took our Pokémon to the Ender Dragon fight, and as is customary in my family we took an end selfie. Here's the pic of me and the kids about to take on the dragon.

    2 votes

  17. Comment on CGA-2025-10 🕹️⏰ 🗺️ 🐸 REMOVE CARTRIDGE ⏏️ Chrono Trigger in ~games

    Mendanbar
    Link
    Possibly unpopular opinion: I dislike the active battle system. I prefer to take my time and strategize, and especially with some of the trickier bosses the active system just added more stress to...

    Possibly unpopular opinion: I dislike the active battle system.

    I prefer to take my time and strategize, and especially with some of the trickier bosses the active system just added more stress to the situation. Wait mode was a bit better, but still sort of confusing since only some menus would "pause" the action. The whole thing felt a bit clunky to me, in a way that was hard to pinpoint until late in the game.

    I do however love that enemies are visible on the map so they can potentially be avoided. This worked better in some areas than others, but I still prefer it to the random jump-scares of most Final Fantasy games.

    5 votes

  18. Comment on US President Donald Trump has begun demolishing the east wing of the White House, without approval in ~society

    Mendanbar
    Link Parent
    Awesome, thank you both for the context. FOMO abated!

    Awesome, thank you both for the context. FOMO abated!

    6 votes

  19. Comment on US President Donald Trump has begun demolishing the east wing of the White House, without approval in ~society

    Mendanbar
    Link Parent
    You've posted this same thing as a top level response to a lot of Trump related stuff recently. I agree with the sentiment, but I'm curious if there's another context I'm missing? FOMO and all...

    You've posted this same thing as a top level response to a lot of Trump related stuff recently. I agree with the sentiment, but I'm curious if there's another context I'm missing? FOMO and all that.. :D

    6 votes

  20. Comment on What's your video game comfort food? in ~games

    Mendanbar
    Link
    Minecraft has been mentioned, so I'll throw in my second choice: No Man's Sky. With all of the new game loops/mechanics added over the years, it's super easy for me to jump in and pick one to...

    Minecraft has been mentioned, so I'll throw in my second choice: No Man's Sky. With all of the new game loops/mechanics added over the years, it's super easy for me to jump in and pick one to spend the next few hours immersed in the task. Sometimes I'll traverse the Sudzerbal galaxy (my galaxy of choice) looking for interesting planets, plants, and creatures. Sometimes I'll go on missions to increase my standing with a faction. Sometimes I'll pick a pretty location and build a base. Sometimes I'll work on a cool new corvette. It's like several games in one! :)