You know, it's just been one of those days. Bleh. The weather here reflected my mood. Or maybe it's the other way around, and my mood just kinda ended up being a reflection of the weather we had here today. Either way, it was just sort of this stupid 'bleh' feeling all day.

But vacation starts tomorrow. We even figured out how to get there. We didn't do a whole lot of planning for this trip, other than the dates, and just tonight, what route we'll take to get there. Kind of a planned impromptu trip out to Las Vegas. She's 19 (almost 20, as she'd like to point out), so I'd be the only one legal to gamble or anything, don't think I'll be doing much of it. We like to just go places and 'see them'. Kinda get a feel for the style of the city, have a good time scoping it out.. not the usual tourist stuff, even though we did do the whole aquarium thing when we were in Monterey.

Anyhow, that all starts tomorrow, but I'll be back during the week, (couldn't miss out on all my work.. heh) so I'll be here for next weekend as well, much to the dismay of miyuski. (Sorry Jasc :P) .. regardless, it'll hopefully be a lot of fun and bring me back somewhat 'recharged'. Dunno. Felt kinda .. 'empty' recently.. in the metaphorical gas tank sense. Weird thing is, I'm not in school or anything, so it's kinda like this break from school has actually worn me down. Makes me kind of scared to think what'd all go on after I graduate and have to do the work-only thing all the time. Oh well, enough of those thoughts.. graduation is still a lil' ways away, but hot damn, I can't wait.

So anyway, like I was saying, we've got a column today.. here she is.. have at 'er.

Brad,

I'm playing much Vandal Hearts II. Is there any way for me to save Adele? I can' believe she would just die, especially after I saved Jowy and Nanami from Suikoden2. The games are made by the same people, so I figured it was possible. Wow, thats 2 large spoilers in one letter. Help me.

SquireThomas

Brad:
Of course there's a way to save Adele. It's a bit tough (touph?), however... but here goes the annotated version, (consult a game faq for a more complete rundown of the steps):

• Make sure that Clive lives - This is done by telling Clive, when he asks you to protect Rosaly, should he die, that he's got to live and protect her himself. This will keep him alive. A good thing. (I actually accomplished this one :])

and

• Make sure that Yuri lives - A much tough(p)er part. You've got to have the Vandal Hearts (it's a sword) before the final battle with Yuri, and his life will also be spared. See other walkthrough for help getting the Vandal Hearts sword, it isn't exactly a 2 step process.

Anyway, a friend of mine saw my letter posted and has informed me that you can download Chocobo World for your PC at http://www.ff8-pc.com

Now everyone can experience Chocobo World! Only problem is you can't download the info into your FFVIII file. Oh well. This game is better then solitare, I presume.

~Kismet Nightingale

Brad:
Got a couple people mention that, so there's the link, kids.. too bad I'm spendin' too much time playin' AC to do stuff like Chocobo's World, but hey. Also, about the sig pic, well, you signed the email with the picture.. sorry about any embarassment caused :)

Yo, Steve.

I got sum questions fer ya. Just pick between which choice you like the best:

I can do multiple choice.. darr.. good job, me.

1.FF6 or FF4?

FF6, but it's a real close call.

2.FFT or Vandal Hearts?

Vandal Hearts.. but again, a close call.. FFT was a lot of fun... I need to go back through that game again.

3.PS2 or Dreamcast?

PS2.. not that I have anything against the Dreamcast.. I avoided the Saturn because Sega didn't seem like they were really playing on the same field as Sony and Nintendo, and I stand by that decision, but I really think Sega's cleaned up and put out a real quality platform with the Dreamcast. But let's say Square and a few other people who've signed onto the PS2 bandwagon keep my interest there, and well, I've only got room for one new nextgen console.

4.Googleshng or JD?

For President? Well, I know where JD lives.. and I have those pictures of him with Big Bird at that party, so.. heh.. JD for President. More fun to blackmail people with power.

5.Pancakes or Pie?

... pie, for sure.

Now for a real question:

Which last boss do you think is hardest/easiest of any game? (my hardest is Kefka and easiest if FF8 (holy wars make the game too easy)).

Well, using holy wars is just cheating anyhow.. cheater. But the last boss of FF8 wasn't that tough. Neither was Kefka, really, though he DID make you sweat a little bit. Try Zeromus. That's a tough last boss. I mean, you can get to him, meaning you can beat up all the enemies leading right up to him, but still be ten levels short of being able to beat him. He's a rough cookie, and he gets my vote in the absence of me thin-- AH! Lunar SSSC's last boss was actually somewhat difficult.. I barely beat him, but I guess I did get 'im on the first try. Oh, here we go. Lavos, in Chrono Trigger. The first time you come up against him, ... oh geez. :o I spent like an hour in battle with the final form of that boss, just to nuke the wrong bit, have it resurrected, and then get slaughtered. He's a lot easier once you get the patter down, but he's still one heck of a nasty boss. As for easiest, VH2 had a really easy last boss, (for me anyhow).. FFT's wasn't that hard, but I was using Orlandu, (see, I'm a cheater sometimes too).. (goes to game rack)..okay, Xenogears had a tough setup at the end there.. and OH GEEZ. Ultimate hard end boss... Star Ocean 2. Guy's a tough cookie, and THEN you can set his difficulty out the ROOF.. and THEN you can set the game difficulty up to two levels higher. And in the secret dungeon, there's an even HARDER boss. I've never seen such horrendously "HOLY FRICKIN A!" reaction-causing stats as those bosses incur. If you're looking for some mean bossage, hit Star Ocean 2.

1. Even though it appears that all that happens with the MAX HP containers you find/get from bosses is that it refills your life gague, it actually also increases your capacity to take damage. If you can find the rooms that have lots of these (under the first stairs at beginning of upside down castle/in the upper wall of the Castle Keep on the right side in the regular castle, etc., etc.) it can increase your resillience to damage amazingly!
2. Get the daggers and stick with them! Its the single best item crash. In case you haven't figured it out (I know I didn't for awhile), item crash is when you hit the triangle button and it uses 10 hearts instead of one, utilizing the secondary weapon in an extremely strong attack. With the dagger, Richter can execute 1000 Dagger Storm where he starts throwing hundreds of daggers like crazy for just about a full minute. While this is going on there are two things to note. First, you can tap either the right or left directions to make him change which way he's facing and second, he is COMPLETELY INVULNERABLE while doing this.
3. Learn all of his special moves. I can list them all:
   • backflip - XX
   • Slide - Down+X
   • Slide jump - X(while sliding)
   • Super Uppercut(since you can perform this in midair, it completely replaces the need to fly if you can just get the rhythm of it down)Down-Up-X
   • Whip Frenzy - Hold in the Circle button and tap any or all direction buttons
   • Run - Tap either direction twice
   • Power dash - Full circle on the D-pad clockwise from whatever direction you're facing plus the attack button.

- Cyberludwig

Brad:
Now I did play around with Richter for a little while, and I must say the special moves are a blast to mess around with, but I really haven't touched the game since. Thanks for the info, though!

Brad:
Yeah, people have done it. I know a person who did. I didn't do it myself, but well, I didn't own a SNES when FF6 was around. (Big ugly mess.. didn't get a SNES and FF6 for a while afterwards).. anyhow, it's definintely not easy, as my friend pretty much vanish-doom'd just about everything, (Except Poltergiest, huh Kev? .. Polt's immune to it) .. so yes, it can be done. Yes, you still will lose one of the three of them during the battle with Kefka, so yes, you'll want characters of at least level 80 or so to be taking shots at accomplishing this. The ending is all whacked out though. Pretty cool. Lots of neat things you can do in the ending of FF6. I personally like the whole Relm w/o Strago thing.. not one you see often. Oh, and there's a lot more than just Phoenix that you really can't get. Like Ragnarok, (brain fart) the Esper that you get when you bring Relm back into the fold.. the healing one. Anyhow.. let's see, what other things.. it's a big list. I don't think you can get Crusader either.. but I can't for the life of me remember why... (oh yeah, you can't get Alexander) .. but you can still get Bahamut, (yay!)....

Citan: Greetings, Fei! Citan I am. Would you like to try some Soylent Eggs and Ham?

Fei: No, I do not, Citan I am. For I do not care for Soylent Eggs and Ham

Bart: Some call them sick, you say they're delicious. As for Fei and I, we think they're suspicious!

Citan: I don't care that they were once human. I simply care that it is you that they go in.

Chu-chu: These things are sick and also barbaric!

Citan: I think this one's name used to be Derek!

Ramsus: I never trusted any food that came from Solaris. It's sick, and it's twisted and also cooked careless.

Citan: Wouldn't you eat them on Bart's boat?

Fei: I wouldn't take them over an artichoke!

Bart: Speaking of my boat, where has Sigurd been?

Citan: Oh, that ding! That must be my oven!

Fei: I give up! You've won, Citan I am! I, Fei Fong Wong, will eat your Soylent Eggs and Ham! (Munch) Mmmm! This cooking is definitely the best. It tastes just like Elly's white vest!

Citan: Well, boys and girls, for today I am done. I have a business to run, so you all should be gone.

And so the lever to the machine was pulled, taking Fei and friends together and full. Through the machine they rode and were slashed, only to turn up in a Soylent mass.

Citan: "What a delicious meal this is being. How come so many people call me disgusting?"

The End

Brad:
Sick, but humerous.. in a way.