Jenka's Nightmare - Done. *mic drop* [3.0.1.0]

Feb 26, 2015 at 9:30 PM
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Yeah I found your video/stream on Google the other day and marked it down for fixing (It let me view an unlisted video for some reason, because...? I don't know!).

I may decide to add alternate dialog to Suto #2 if you sequence break the first one. Just 'cause.
 
Feb 27, 2015 at 2:58 PM
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ZarroTsu said:
Yeah I found your video/stream on Google the other day and marked it down for fixing (It let me view an unlisted video for some reason, because...? I don't know!).

I may decide to add alternate dialog to Suto #2 if you sequence break the first one. Just 'cause.
I would love to hear what you come up with, I freaking love Suto's personality. Any inspirations for that particular personality? You already told me why he exists in the first place, but you could have made him less... Unhinged. Not towards the end of course, 3-5 losses can do that to anyone, but he was nuts from the beginning, so clearly it's his general personality.

So, I've made some more progress, and nothing to report. I haven't gotten into spoiler territory so I'll just say that I've done everything possible 100%, secrets included, up to finding the 3rd secret room.

Interestingly, in my last run, I neglected to use the Booster 0.8 to get the NG+ Life Capsule at the top of the Eroding Valve until after the Labyrinth. I didn't get the Bubbler til the Labyrinth either, and I could have gotten THAT as early as before even entering the Sand Zone for the first time. Needless to say, I'm remedying this for this run.

I'm considering going for Oblivion and Devil's Garden at the forks as opposed to Genesis and Egg Corridor, but... I'm not totally sure. I like using the Spur on Oblivion because I like to feel like I'm playing Gradius, and I prefer having Super Missiles for the Heavy Press battle since I don't have Curly to back me up this time around. I may just copy my profile before going for these parts since if I end up with 39 missiles again, I wanna see if changing my path would fix it.

By the way, another question, I noticed that on Booster's computer (jumping a bit ahead since I haven't gotten to the workshop yet,) he mentioned that the island is getting bigger and the mass is staying constant. The walls, he notes, are thinning. Mass is defined as the ammount of matter in an object (that is, how many atoms are in an object, or how much physical space an object takes up, both inside and outside, like a solid ball the size of the earth would have than the earth itself, and also why a dense object can be small, but still have a large mass, despite not necessarily being heavy,) and he notes that the walls are thinning, hense why Teleporters are technically no longer mandatory for navigating the island, namely, Mimiga Village, Grasstown, Sand Zone, and the Labyrinth are no longer seperate from the contiguous areas from the original game, and the island will soon implode or collapse on itself. This is the original content that Shmitz created, so I know you aren't the authority, but since the island is ledgey, and the areas are bigger, there are more platforms and stuff, hense more mass. The thinning of the walls seems to be the compensation and equalizing factor for the mass. Do you believe that given the larger areas that are all now interconnected, do you think that this plot point is actually scientifically accurate?

EDIT: Just noticed, Misery has a dog. Does it do anything besides exist? I know Jenka had 5 dogs and only 4 of them actively do stuff in the Sand Zone, so it's obviously the 5th dog. Point is, does it ever wake up, or is it just there to be there like all the other useless background stuff?
 
Feb 27, 2015 at 10:56 PM
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Mistress Nemesis said:
EDIT: Just noticed, Misery has a dog. Does it do anything besides exist? I know Jenka had 5 dogs and only 4 of them actively do stuff in the Sand Zone, so it's obviously the 5th dog. Point is, does it ever wake up, or is it just there to be there like all the other useless background stuff?
It's the one that gives you the errand list if you miss it. Otherwise it just naps all game.
 
Mar 1, 2015 at 4:50 PM
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ZarroTsu said:
It's the one that gives you the errand list if you miss it. Otherwise it just naps all game.

Oh, then I guess it's gonna just keep napping then for my run. I'm mostly working on it at school since I just started Metroid Prime Trilogy. It's weird to hear the Metroid item theme after coming out of Cave Story.
 
Mar 2, 2015 at 7:02 PM
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So, i having some problems at Conduit, next to little cotage door, i'm just stuck there as i saved and can't go back up since i dont have machine gun or booster 2.0 and 0.8 is just not enough.

Any ideas? i don't want to start game all over again.
 
Mar 2, 2015 at 7:15 PM
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I really need to remember to delete that Save Disk...

Pass me the save via PM and I'll fix it for you.
 
Mar 2, 2015 at 7:41 PM
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BooMario said:
So, i having some problems at Conduit, next to little cotage door, i'm just stuck there as i saved and can't go back up since i dont have machine gun or booster 2.0 and 0.8 is just not enough.

Any ideas? i don't want to start game all over again.

ZarroTsu said:
I really need to remember to delete that Save Disk...

Pass me the save via PM and I'll fix it for you.
Actually, I've gotten out of that area using only the Booster 0.8 on multiple occassions. I always have the Nemesis before going for Genesis, who I always go for first. It's difficult, not impossible. I would prefer it if you left that save disk there since I usually die a few times on my way out. Perhaps you should have the Save Disk warn you before using it that you may want to wait until you have something better than the Booster 0.8 unless you feel confidant.
 
Mar 2, 2015 at 9:47 PM
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If not delete, I may at least move it to the other side of the chasm.
 
Mar 2, 2015 at 10:36 PM
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Mistress Nemesis said:
Oh, then I guess it's gonna just keep napping then for my run. I'm mostly working on it at school since I just started Metroid Prime Trilogy. It's weird to hear the Metroid item theme after coming out of Cave Story.
It's also the Ys item theme.
 
Mar 3, 2015 at 12:55 AM
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ZarroTsu said:
If not delete, I may at least move it to the other side of the chasm.
Whatever you do, just don't delete it. It is fully possible to get out of there with effort. I'll post a screenshot of my inventory when I get to that point. With whatever your next update is, if it happens to come during my run, would I be able to safely use my old profile, do you think?
andwhyisit said:
It's also the Ys item theme.
Ys?
 
Mar 3, 2015 at 1:11 AM
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Mar 3, 2015 at 4:08 PM
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ZarroTsu said:
I really need to remember to delete that Save Disk...

Pass me the save via PM and I'll fix it for you.
So, i managed to get out of there after half an hour trying, but thanks for everything,
there's no need to remove that save disk but a warn is aways welcome.
 
Mar 3, 2015 at 5:45 PM
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BooMario said:
So, i managed to get out of there after half an hour trying, but thanks for everything,
there's no need to remove that save disk but a warn is aways welcome.
Told ya. The reason it's hard is because while taking advantage of the wind is the only way to get out, Cave Story uses realistic wind physics, so the small streams of wind have to be used in a very precice way. I say realistic wind physics as opposed to automated wind physics that require no input from the player to get to a specific and predetermined destination.
 
Mar 3, 2015 at 10:39 PM
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Finished it. The plot and the past came out pretty nice, it's good to bring the characters together and have them belong after all, rather than just being there. All in all a great addition to the Cave Story chronicles.
Maybe you could add some subtle hints or foreshadowing that the Doctor is involved before he shows up, since I agree with it being rather out of the blue. Ha, you can actually "finish" the game without knowing it.
Dunno how to say it, I was hoping and confident he actually was dead for good in this mod, I guess probably because I've played mods where he and other enemies were unconvincingly back and expected something fresh. Wasn't unbelievable to see he's back though, thank goodness you didn't bring back the actual Ballos as well though, as other mods' plot go.

While I think of the plot... at the very end, why wouldn't Jenka help you with her awesome powers, or stop the island's descent instead of Misery slowing it that? Of course, I do realize it's cooler for Misery to be the one to help.

In the end, many storylines suffer from characters just being in the background or even standing around, the phenomenom isn't unique to this mod. Your partner standing motionless for most of the game though... is cringeworthy. Theoretically to alleviate that you could actually make a version or NG++ or whatever that actually alternates between playing as Quote and Curly, throughout the game.
Also liked that fanfic you linked to in a post, that inspired you... that really had some rather horror moments and also invoked the feels. Perhaps you should link to it in a more central location. Couldn't help thinking of it when I just battled

Hidden text highlight (or click) to view:

Red Quote

, even though I know it's a completely alternate universe/scenario.

Was fun and I guess the right amount of hard, it's damn hard if I mess around or aren't focused enough or too impulsive, but at the same time possible to breeze through if you're in your Zen Mode. Funny how some later bosses can be easier or less dangerous than earlier bosses, when you're in that mode... probably applies to the original as well and is a result of learning the bosses, though.

I guess you didn't find a way to prevent the airbubble during the technically-but-not-really-underwater free flight parts? Maybe instead remove the air tank and see if it's possible to remove the drowning mechanic/message there? I think those parts would be even cooler without it, especially the last one.

So it seems that the Pointed Glasses, the ultimate secret reward, does this:
-Altered, cooler in-game appearance and in facepics. Which is admittedly pretty nice.
-Your character says one different line at the end.
-Unique final final boss BGM instead of generic BGM. Good thing because you've heard the generic ones a lot already, especially if you've cleared the boss rush.
Anything else? I feel like I must've missed something?! Why was it significant to be able to remove them, is that just for the appearance? At first I thought they caused a whole joke ending or something.
The last two... if you don't compare it, you could fail to even notice anything's special. Certainly wouldn't recognize it if it was your first time through (and you had that item). Looks like it is a bit more meaningful than I think because it's involved with some reference I don't get, because I haven't gotten around to watching the relevant anime. A bit of an anticlimactic reward to me, since getting it was more hell than Hell.

Does it change your Spur charging time if you don't have the... thing from the Spur capsule? I think I just imagined that.

Lastly... I did like that save point where it was there, in the Conduit, since it's easy to hit death spikes there even with the Booster 2.0, and would be annoying to have to get back and do the whole thing again. Was also helpful when I experimented with getting to the top without using the rocket. I never went there without B2.0, though...
 
Mar 3, 2015 at 11:35 PM
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at the very end, why wouldn't Jenka help you with her awesome powers, or stop the island's descent instead of Misery slowing it that?
Doc still has them up until you kill Tristitia. I suppose I could convey it better by having him say it outright (You may have saved their lives... But your magic is still mine to control!) just before the palace starts shaking.


Your partner standing motionless for most of the game though... is cringeworthy.
This is more a limit of the game itself than anything, unfortunately. I'd have happily let Curly accompany you for certain parts of the game if the AI were half-way intelligent, but I guarantee she'd be stuck on terrain too often to be useful, or she'd simply fall to her death in places like Outer Wall. I suppose alternatively she could be strapped to Quote's back in said instances, but the only weapon available to her is her version of the Nemesis. I suppose with some tweaking I could make it viable, but...

...The other issue is the enemies Curly attacks is set as a variable on the enemy itself, rather than a list Curly's AI would read from. So she'd simply ignore goddamn all of them unless she's strapped to your back at all times. Which ruins any illusion of her being capable of being the end-game-hero if she's strapped to your back in Egg Corridor of all places.

I mean I'd like to, but it's a limit of the system more than anything. And working around it clashes with the story a bit too much.

Does it change your Spur charging time if you don't have the... thing from the Spur capsule? I think I just imagined that.
Been stated a few times, but the Spur does indeed charge slightly slower than the original game. To compensate, one of the capsules gives an item ("Ursa Minor") to halve the charge time, making it charge slightly faster than the original game.
 
Mar 4, 2015 at 12:10 AM
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I think that the journal in the Prefab House when you get to the balcony is a good enough foreshadowing of the Doctor being involved. Either way, I prefer the surprise. Also, with regard to the Pointed Glasses being removable, what if you don't wan't to use them? As an example, what if you couldn't unequip the Whimsical Star once you get it? Certain enemies like Drolls would be a lot harder to deal with, don't you think? It's a matter of being able to unequip an item if you don't want to use it.

EDIT: Yeah getting from the Little Cottage back up to the main part of the Conduit with the Booster 0.8 is easy. It just requires smart use of the wind and the ledges on the sides.
 
Mar 6, 2015 at 1:34 PM
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Mistress Nemesis said:
Also, with regard to the Pointed Glasses being removable, what if you don't wan't to use them? As an example, what if you couldn't unequip the Whimsical Star once you get it? Certain enemies like Drolls would be a lot harder to deal with, don't you think? It's a matter of being able to unequip an item if you don't want to use it.
By the way, noticed they're "automatically unequipped" in the ending. Intentional?
Choice and customization is always nice, I'm not against it. I was just wondering at first if the item had more profound effects (thought I also might've missed some, perhaps due to my path in the game and/or a bug) that led to it being requested to be toggleable. Since it has no gameplay effect, there's no requirement to be able to remove it, it's just a nice thing to have, completely unlike the Whimsical Star, which has actual gameplay implications, as well as effecting emergent gameplay (could rarely aggravate or kill an enemy before you wanted that to happen, etc, or otherwise interfere).
Going on a tangent, even those implications of the Star are mostly meta-game and goofing-around based, of course, and it's a great idea to have it unequippable but not essential (it generally makes the game easier rather than harder, and if you didn't want that then I guess you could not get this powerup). I certainly don't unequip and reequip it when I pass by an area with aggro-able enemies (that sounds tedious, it's not like you can toggle it with a keypress)... I'd probably prefer not having it at all to doing that, but then it's not like regular enemies are regularly (heh) any threat unless you've barebones equipment, and aren't only like 3 of them are aggro-able anyway?

ZarroTsu said:
Doc still has them up until you kill Tristitia. I suppose I could convey it better by having him say it outright (You may have saved their lives... But your magic is still mine to control!) just before the palace starts shaking.
Oh yeah, that's a good idea... I didn't even think of that, just looked like it could be a case of Bystander Syndrome. The magic isn't too explained or comprehendable in this universe, sometimes when magic is involved, you can't quite figure out its source. The universe has witch powers, the Red Crystal, the Demon Crown and probably more things around. Though if you think about it apparently all those come from a single source of magic, apparently, at least in your mod canon. Tho I'm still not sure.
I don't know what the heck is Tristitia, of course. :p I mean, I guess that's what that ball is called, but what.

ZarroTsu said:
This is more a limit of the game itself than anything, unfortunately. I'd have happily let Curly accompany you for certain parts of the game if the AI were half-way intelligent, I mean I'd like to, but it's a limit of the system more than anything. And working around it clashes with the story a bit too much.
Oh no, you didn't get me. While you could have had her accompany you on a level or two and in a boss fight or two, also as a nod to the original game, that's not the issue, and I think neither are the technical limitations. Fixing the AI definitely sounds hard, however, the problem isn't that she doesn't play alongside you, you don't need to have that to have her involved, it's just that she's not active, as you've lampshaded in dialog. Specifically, she barely moves on-screen at all, and is barely mentioned to have done anything of note. She mostly just stands in place. Sometimes she changes the area in which she is standing in place.

What could be done, which is technically feasible as far as I know:
Have her do noteworthy things on-screen and off-screen (then mention them or show their effects). She could have different missions in parallel with yours, or something. To this effect, you could also switch control to her and back a few times, though not necessarily. Could also cut to her in cutscens and back a few times to show her progress, or not.
Have her do stuff in cutscenes, have her help you, or need you to help her. Don't Booster or Sue technically help you more than her? That feels weird.
She could:
-Warn you from danger or give a tip. Might not be too suitable here.
-Help clear or open the way for you in levels where one person can't get through alone.
-Rescue you from a sticky situation in which you find yourself in dire straits or even helpless. A trap, becoming surrounded in a threatening way, being attacked when you're unequipped, a self-destructing boss, a mistake or a fall, whatever (ending spoiler: you've done this once with Kazuma). Generally there are tons of tropes and cliches that could be used and you can also reverse them - you could save her, instead, from a trap, cage, impeding death, whatever. In the original after the Core she actually saves you then you immediately save her.
-Instead of her holding the fort being akin to being Put On A Bus, I suppose she could actually defend the humans/mimigas during an attack, disaster or other problem. You could play as her or have a cutscene.

Of course, I'm thinking this in general and open-ended terms as to what could be done, not as based on Cave Story and past conventions/mods/etc, and just a few such additions could be enough to make her feel like she doesn't stand around for most of the game, Jenka's Nightmare might not be itself anymore if too much of that is implemented, anyway. Some suggestions could also fit to the original game, or a prequel or another mod.
The original game gives Curly a smaller role and less presence, which could admittedly be why she is on screen and standing in place less often, because she's simply not around at all. You might be able to make it better by having her away doing something off-screen, instead of somewhere where you can see her standing around 100% of the time.

The speaking and narration roles you've given Curly are pretty great, though, and important because Quote doesn't talk... on-screen, anyway... subverting that is an idea to consider, although it is comedic that he "talks" in "..."s.

The above can apply to other characters, such as Balrog, Misery and others, Curly is not unique here, although she is your partner... and in the finale, more.
Balrog is also supposed to be your friend and apparently has some useful abilities in the original game, now that he's your ally they are handwaved and I guess the only thing he does is move Quote's unconscious body a few meters. And comic relief.

About the Spur, I know, I've read about that, sorry. I think you did good making it slower by default, by the way, as well as stuff like makign the Blade a bit shorter range. Good job on balancing efforts.
I meant I imagined the secret item changing the charging time and wanted to confirm it. Probably just a different subjective experience post-marathoning the challenege and all that.
 
Mar 6, 2015 at 7:26 PM
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Molten said:
By the way, noticed they're "automatically unequipped" in the ending. Intentional?
Choice and customization is always nice, I'm not against it. I was just wondering at first if the item had more profound effects (thought I also might've missed some, perhaps due to my path in the game and/or a bug) that led to it being requested to be toggleable. Since it has no gameplay effect, there's no requirement to be able to remove it, it's just a nice thing to have, completely unlike the Whimsical Star, which has actual gameplay implications, as well as effecting emergent gameplay (could rarely aggravate or kill an enemy before you wanted that to happen, etc, or otherwise interfere).
Going on a tangent, even those implications of the Star are mostly meta-game and goofing-around based, of course, and it's a great idea to have it unequippable but not essential (it generally makes the game easier rather than harder, and if you didn't want that then I guess you could not get this powerup). I certainly don't unequip and reequip it when I pass by an area with aggro-able enemies (that sounds tedious, it's not like you can toggle it with a keypress)... I'd probably prefer not having it at all to doing that, but then it's not like regular enemies are regularly (heh) any threat unless you've barebones equipment, and aren't only like 3 of them are aggro-able anyway?

Oh yeah, that's a good idea... I didn't even think of that, just looked like it could be a case of Bystander Syndrome. The magic isn't too explained or comprehendable in this universe, sometimes when magic is involved, you can't quite figure out its source. The universe has witch powers, the Red Crystal, the Demon Crown and probably more things around. Though if you think about it apparently all those come from a single source of magic, apparently, at least in your mod canon. Tho I'm still not sure.
I don't know what the heck is Tristitia, of course. :p I mean, I guess that's what that ball is called, but what.

Oh no, you didn't get me. While you could have had her accompany you on a level or two and in a boss fight or two, also as a nod to the original game, that's not the issue, and I think neither are the technical limitations. Fixing the AI definitely sounds hard, however, the problem isn't that she doesn't play alongside you, you don't need to have that to have her involved, it's just that she's not active, as you've lampshaded in dialog. Specifically, she barely moves on-screen at all, and is barely mentioned to have done anything of note. She mostly just stands in place. Sometimes she changes the area in which she is standing in place.

What could be done, which is technically feasible as far as I know:
Have her do noteworthy things on-screen and off-screen (then mention them or show their effects). She could have different missions in parallel with yours, or something. To this effect, you could also switch control to her and back a few times, though not necessarily. Could also cut to her in cutscens and back a few times to show her progress, or not.
Have her do stuff in cutscenes, have her help you, or need you to help her. Don't Booster or Sue technically help you more than her? That feels weird.
She could:
-Warn you from danger or give a tip. Might not be too suitable here.
-Help clear or open the way for you in levels where one person can't get through alone.
-Rescue you from a sticky situation in which you find yourself in dire straits or even helpless. A trap, becoming surrounded in a threatening way, being attacked when you're unequipped, a self-destructing boss, a mistake or a fall, whatever (ending spoiler: you've done this once with Kazuma). Generally there are tons of tropes and cliches that could be used and you can also reverse them - you could save her, instead, from a trap, cage, impeding death, whatever. In the original after the Core she actually saves you then you immediately save her.
-Instead of her holding the fort being akin to being Put On A Bus, I suppose she could actually defend the humans/mimigas during an attack, disaster or other problem. You could play as her or have a cutscene.

Of course, I'm thinking this in general and open-ended terms as to what could be done, not as based on Cave Story and past conventions/mods/etc, and just a few such additions could be enough to make her feel like she doesn't stand around for most of the game, Jenka's Nightmare might not be itself anymore if too much of that is implemented, anyway. Some suggestions could also fit to the original game, or a prequel or another mod.
The original game gives Curly a smaller role and less presence, which could admittedly be why she is on screen and standing in place less often, because she's simply not around at all. You might be able to make it better by having her away doing something off-screen, instead of somewhere where you can see her standing around 100% of the time.

The speaking and narration roles you've given Curly are pretty great, though, and important because Quote doesn't talk... on-screen, anyway... subverting that is an idea to consider, although it is comedic that he "talks" in "..."s.

The above can apply to other characters, such as Balrog, Misery and others, Curly is not unique here, although she is your partner... and in the finale, more.
Balrog is also supposed to be your friend and apparently has some useful abilities in the original game, now that he's your ally they are handwaved and I guess the only thing he does is move Quote's unconscious body a few meters. And comic relief.

About the Spur, I know, I've read about that, sorry. I think you did good making it slower by default, by the way, as well as stuff like makign the Blade a bit shorter range. Good job on balancing efforts.
I meant I imagined the secret item changing the charging time and wanted to confirm it. Probably just a different subjective experience post-marathoning the challenege and all that.
Curly's inactivity seemed to have been how Shmitz intended it, as well as Balrog's inactivity. Zarro refined and finished the game, he didn't reinvent the wheel with this.

Soooooo, I have 40 super missiles. I guess everything's fine.
 
Mar 7, 2015 at 9:12 AM
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What the ! i have snake capsuke and critter juice and chaba dont want open the capsule for me
 
Mar 7, 2015 at 3:46 PM
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Give the juice to Monster X. Then return to Chaba.
 
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