Nonogram Jokes

Wed, Mar 12, 2025 Year 3, Spring 11

Al and Kev talk about Piczel Cross: Rune Factory

Timings

00:00:00: Theme Tune
00:00:30: Intro
00:01:23: What Have We Been Up To
00:23:29: Game News
00:32:12: New Games
00:38:58: Piczel Cross: Rune Factory
01:01:33: Outr

Contact

Al on Mastodon: https://mastodon.scot/@TheScotBot
Email Us: https://harvestseason.club/contact/

Transcript

(0:00:30) Al: Hello, farmers, and welcome to another episode of the harvest season. My name is Al,
(0:00:36) Kev: And my name is Kevin, and I’m, or so I’m told.
(0:00:38) Al: and we’re here today to talk about how tired we are, and also Cottagecore Games.
(0:00:44) Kev: Oh, gosh, yes.
(0:00:46) Kev: Oh, whoa, hey, that, that’s the correct one.
(0:00:55) Kev: That’s how my brain feels right now.
(0:00:55) Al: That’s all of the enthusiasm you get from this episode, though.
(0:01:00) Al: Right. This episode, we’re going to talk about Pixel Cross Rune Factory, the new Pixel Cross game.
(0:01:06) Kev: by the not to pick across people yeah
(0:01:11) Al: Yeah. Yeah. Pixel Cross by someone else. Before that, we obviously have the news.
(0:01:19) Al: Look at a chunk of news. So we’re going to talk about that. But first of all, Kevin,
(0:01:25) Al: what have you been up to?
(0:01:26) Kev: Oh gosh. So, not a lot in terms of games and all that. Why, you ask? Because I went on a
(0:01:36) Kev: work trip this week. I just got back this morning, a couple hours ago, when we start this recording.
(0:01:47) Kev: So, I went to sunny San Diego, California. My first time back to my home state in almost 25 years.
(0:01:57) Kev: I’m not from San Diego. I’m a little farther north. It’s my hometown area. But,
(0:02:04) Kev: yeah, I went to San Diego a few times because SeaWorld was there. But not too many memories
(0:02:09) Kev: other than SeaWorld. But the trip itself was fine. The work stuff was work stuff, whatever.
(0:02:21) Kev: But just yesterday, I got basically an extra day. I’m gonna spend a
(0:02:26) Kev: little time to run around San Diego. I went down to the beach, this place called La Jolla Cove.
(0:02:35) Kev: There are sea lions, there are rocky cliffs. You can wade in the water in the beach. It is
(0:02:43) Kev: all the hallmarks from my childhood because I lived by the coast. Farther north, like I said,
(0:02:48) Kev: but almost the same thing. Many seals and sea lions. Very, very enjoyable. The weather was nice.
(0:02:55) Kev: That was a great time.
(0:02:56) Kev: So, yeah, that was fun.
(0:02:58) Kev: What wasn’t fun was the kind of the bookends, the start and the beginning of this.
(0:03:06) Kev: So, as I was leaving, I was bringing my own personal laptop because, you know, I might need it for something or wanted to do stuff with it.
(0:03:16) Kev: And then I soon discovered that it wasn’t charging.
(0:03:22) Kev: At first I thought I was the charger, that wasn’t working, then I thought it was the
(0:03:26) Kev: port, but it wasn’t charging with another, the original charger which is a different
(0:03:31) Kev: kind of port.
(0:03:34) Kev: Long story short, I think my personal computer is dead.
(0:03:37) Al: Oh, no.
(0:03:40) Kev: So I have to get that repaired, I don’t know if it’s a battery thing or whatever, but I
(0:03:45) Kev: would like that fixed because I have things on there including my other audacity and recordings,
(0:03:52) Kev: that’s my usual recording computer.
(0:03:57) Kev: Next, and also that explains the chromium audio quality coming from me today because I have
(0:04:04) Kev: my microphone, but it’s a USB-A connector and the computer I’m using right now is only
(0:04:12) Kev: USB-C ports because of the brilliant design of course I guess, and I don’t have a dongle
(0:04:18) Kev: or adapter or whatever, so I’m just using standard laptop recording.
(0:04:24) Kev: So yeah, sorry about that.
(0:04:26) Kev: Folks. So that happened. That was not fun. I’m gonna address that. So the trip back, that was, that was something because the plane left or it was a, I had one layover in Los Angeles.
(0:04:48) Kev: So my first flight left like at 6 p.m. San Diego time and it was only not even a full house.
(0:04:57) Kev: I had a half hour to get to Los Angeles. So I was there by 7 p.m. or whatever, let’s just say, but then my, the other flight left at 11 p.m. So I was in the airport doing not much of anything for four hours.
(0:05:10) Al: Yeah, always fun.
(0:05:15) Kev: The fun part is, so we left at 11 p.m., right? And I’m traveling west to east so the time jumps gets weird and we had daylight savings time.
(0:05:27) Al: Oh, just to make even more confusing.
(0:05:27) Kev: So, yup. So my flight left at like 11 p.m. I arrived today at 7 a.m. but it was only a four hour flight. So you do the math.
(0:05:42) Al: Well, I don’t I don’t think I want to do the maths on that, to be honest.
(0:05:43) Kev: I, I, I’m, I think literally, yeah, yeah, yeah, literally.
(0:05:47) Al: It was it was bad enough. It was bad enough trying to figure out what time it would be
(0:05:51) Al: for you today when we’re recording it. What is normal time for me?
(0:05:56) Kev: I lost, like the flight was half the time of the time change. Like it’s bad. I almost left four hours, but I landed eight hours later.
(0:06:07) Kev: So I’m, it’s, I’m tired, my feet in pain from walking and all that. I’m kind of all beat up. So yeah, not a lot of games because of that.
(0:06:19) Kev: I got in a game of Snap here or there, but not, not that much, you know, but what I did get to see on the way, on the flight too.
(0:06:26) Kev: I got to watch a couple movies because it’s a longish flight
(0:06:32) Kev: The first one was John wick chapter 4
(0:06:35) Kev: Have you watched the John wick movies?
(0:06:37) Al: I have, yes, yes I have. I didn’t watch them for a long time because I was like, “Ugh,
(0:06:38) Kev: Okay, um, so
(0:06:43) Al: just another action film.” And then I watched the first one and was like, “Oh no, this
(0:06:44) Kev: Yeah
(0:06:47) Al: is, this is not just, this is like, I don’t, I don’t know why nobody told me before I watched
(0:06:47) Kev: Yeah
(0:06:53) Al: them that they were satire. Like, they’re fantastic, they’re so good.”
(0:06:55) Kev: Yeah, oh, yeah, they’re incredible, right?
(0:07:01) Kev: So, yeah, a big fan of the WIC series.
(0:07:05) Kev: The fourth one, I think, is the weakest entry in the whole thing.
(0:07:10) Kev: I feel like so obviously they’re just thinly veiled excuses for, you know,
(0:07:17) Kev: gun cottas and choreography and stuff, right?
(0:07:21) Kev: Like, I get that.
(0:07:22) Kev: but even even by
(0:07:25) Kev: those standards like I don’t know the plot here just wasn’t wasn’t doing it
(0:07:29) Kev: for me right like John’s motivations didn’t line up like he was supposed to
(0:07:35) Kev: go out and and kill the the 12 members of the table or whatever he killed only
(0:07:40) Kev: the one guy I don’t know but anyways the the action was good of course I feel
(0:07:48) Kev: like the most ridiculous of the the series which is you know a lot but cuz
(0:07:53) Kev: We I don’t know why we have guns
(0:07:55) Kev: Japanese bows and arrows and samurai swords, but we do because it’s cool. I guess but
(0:08:02) Kev: But yeah, I don’t know. It just feels like
(0:08:06) Kev: Even by John Wick’s changes. There are a few places that just kind of went a little over the top
(0:08:11) Kev: Or maybe it’s just a little fatigue from seeing the other three entries or whatever. I don’t know
(0:08:17) Kev: But I mean overall it was good. I’m not I’m not trying to berate it too much just probably my least favorite of the
(0:08:24) Kev: The entire series
(0:08:25) Kev: And hey, it’s Keanu, right? Like I was happy to see that and I love his his, you know, his his trademark
(0:08:33) Kev: Yeah, that he does in every movie like 50% of his lines are just that yeah
(0:08:41) Kev: Good old good old Keanu
(0:08:45) Kev: Let’s see the other one I watched was A Quiet Place day one
(0:08:49) Al: Hmm.
(0:08:50) Kev: So I have not seen either of the other quiet place movies. I didn’t know a third one
(0:08:55) Kev: came out but I saw it in my life so I was like sure why not. Have you seen quiet place either?
(0:09:00) Al: - Yeah, I’ve seen them all, yeah.
(0:09:04) Al: Which, I’m just noticing how funny this is (laughs)
(0:09:09) Al: because we were having a chat on one of the slacks
(0:09:13) Al: about someone claiming that I just watch everything
(0:09:16) Al: and then the two series that you’re talking about,
(0:09:16) Kev: Yeah, that’ll bring up. Yeah, yeah
(0:09:18) Al: I’ve watched both of them, but anyway.
(0:09:24) Al: The, I do, I don’t think it’s actually a bad place
(0:09:30) Kev: Well, from what I understand, they’re not like, all the stories aren’t directly connected,
(0:09:31) Al: to enter the series.
(0:09:40) Kev: right?
(0:09:40) Al: The first two films are, the second film is very much a direct sequel of the first one but day one is very much a prequel, not connecting directly to individual people, but the concept, yeah, so if you understand the concept of it, then yeah, but…
(0:09:41) Kev: They’re different.
(0:09:43) Kev: They are?
(0:09:44) Kev: Oh gosh, that doesn’t, oh, nevermind then.
(0:09:52) Kev: Okay.
(0:09:53) Kev: Right.
(0:09:54) Kev: Mhm.
(0:09:55) Kev: Okay.
(0:09:56) Kev: Sure.
(0:09:57) Kev: Sure.
(0:09:58) Kev: Sure.
(0:09:59) Kev: Sure.
(0:10:01) Kev: Yeah.
(0:10:02) Kev: I do.
(0:10:03) Kev: Yeah.
(0:10:04) Kev: Yeah.
(0:10:05) Kev: And then, you know, it’s not a terribly hard concept.
(0:10:06) Kev: So, yeah.
(0:10:07) Kev: Yeah.
(0:10:08) Kev: I was familiar with that.
(0:10:09) Kev: So, um, I don’t know, like, obviously I can’t compare it to the first two, I haven’t seen
(0:10:12) Kev: them, but they, this one felt like a little, they were forcing it a little too much, right?
(0:10:21) Kev: Like we, we, we’ve already got a cancer patient, right?
(0:10:24) Kev: So, you know, they’re already trying to tug at the, the heartstrings or whatever.
(0:10:29) Kev: and then you have a dank.
(0:10:30) Kev: In this movie it looks like my cat, which caused my anxiety to spike so much, because the cat in that movie looks a lot like my cat, or one of my cats.
(0:10:41) Kev: And of course what they can do, they’re going to keep putting it in danger.
(0:10:48) Kev: But yeah, a lot of it was very heavy handed in how it was trying to raise the stakes.
(0:11:02) Kev: But overall, not a bad film.
(0:11:05) Kev: Yeah, I think there are a few moments where it’s a little questionable, like I don’t know why this character did this or whatever, but overall pretty fine.
(0:11:19) Kev: Yeah, I don’t have much else to say, I liked it overall though.
(0:11:26) Kev: Um, but that’s what I’ve got going on for me. What about you? What’s going on?
(0:11:32) Al: Yeah, I’ve also not done a huge amount of gaming. This week has been busy, busy. Obviously
(0:11:37) Al: I’ve been playing Pixel Cross Rune Factory for the episode. And I did a bit of raids
(0:11:40) Kev: I did too. Great. Shadow Legend. Oh. [laughs]
(0:11:45) Al: in Scarlet and Violet this weekend. And obviously I’m continuing on Pokemon Go every day. Yeah,
(0:11:56) Al: that’s probably about it games-wise. I did watch the first two episodes of the new Daredevil
(0:12:01) Al: Born Again series.
(0:12:02) Kev: due to how are they do tell me
(0:12:03) Al: There’s that I very much enjoyed the right word.
(0:12:09) Al: I very much thought I thought there were I thought they were good.
(0:12:12) Kev: I thought they were shows
(0:12:13) Al: There was a couple of no, no, no, it’s more a case of I can’t say much
(0:12:18) Al: without spoiling it, but there’s this stuff that happens that doesn’t make me
(0:12:22) Al: happy, but it’s not meant to make me happy, right?
(0:12:25) Kev: okay so mission accomplished that’s not necessarily a bad thing
(0:12:27) Al: Yeah, I’m feeling what they want me to feel.
(0:12:30) Al: it. Yeah, it’s
(0:12:31) Kev: I don’t like the feeling.
(0:12:32) Al: the.
(0:12:35) Kev: OK.
(0:12:36) Kev: What is the plot?
(0:12:38) Kev: Because I don’t know any–
(0:12:39) Kev: I haven’t heard anything about the specifics.
(0:12:42) Al: Have you seen the the Netflix series?
(0:12:42) Kev: What is– I have not, but I know enough about it, I think.
(0:12:47) Al: I mean, the overall idea of the series is this is the Fisk is Mayor one, so, which they’ve
(0:12:58) Kev: » Okay. Sure.
(0:13:00) Al: done in comics before, I’m sure I know I’ve kind of seen some things about it, but that’s
(0:13:05) Al: the kind of overall something happens at the beginning of the first episode that leads
(0:13:10) Al: to Daredevil stopping.
(0:13:12) Al: being Daredevil, and then Fist becomes Mayor, and now we’re a little bit further on, and
(0:13:18) Al: now Matt wants to be Daredevil again, or doesn’t want to be Daredevil again.
(0:13:22) Al: But you know what I mean?
(0:13:23) Al: Like, it’s forced into being Daredevil again because of things that happen.
(0:13:23) Kev: yeah yeah okay uh okay then you know that’s fine I guess but okay well fisk is mayor okay that that’s
(0:13:29) Al: It’s hard to say much without spoiling the episodes, right?
(0:13:36) Kev: the elevator picture I was looking for um okay here’s a question where does this fit into the
(0:13:42) Kev: timeline like with she-ho because that’s the one i’m actually seeing with the good old man in any
(0:13:46) Al: Yeah, it’s a good question. They don’t directly tie it in, but I think as far as I can tell
(0:13:55) Al: it’s She-Hulk and then a little while later Echo happens and then a little while later
(0:14:01) Al: this happens. They directly reference Echo happening in the past. Yeah, they don’t directly
(0:14:02) Kev: Okay. Okay.
(0:14:13) Al: reference the racist.
(0:14:16) Al: that’s, I think it’s happened in the past, but not sure. Like just in terms of like
(0:14:20) Kev: Okay
(0:14:23) Al: just general MCU continuity, right?
(0:14:25) Kev: Mm-hmm, um, okay that that’s interesting because I haven’t seen echo
(0:14:32) Al: Echos, well, okay, I really enjoyed Echos. I thought it was very good. Yeah.
(0:14:35) Kev: Okay
(0:14:38) Kev: Okay, I mean no no like I believe it just I’m thinking just like cuz you know
(0:14:43) Kev: obviously I feel like there’s a lot of important context because you know with the
(0:14:48) Kev: the end of Hawkeye you get some kingpin and
(0:14:50) Kev: then you got Echo and She-Hulk, so I’m just, yup, yeah he is and that’s fine cause it’s
(0:14:51) Al: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, he’s he’s popping up in a lot of things,
(0:14:56) Al: isn’t he?
(0:14:59) Kev: a great portrayal, but you know just context wise like how do I, I missed a few chapters
(0:15:04) Al: I would watch Echo, I think it’s worth watching Echo. Not necessarily for Daredevil,
(0:15:05) Kev: in how we got here.
(0:15:10) Kev: I watch Hawkeye, yes.
(0:15:16) Al: I don’t think it really does a huge amount for Daredevil, but it does for Fisk. I think
(0:15:18) Kev: Yeah
(0:15:21) Kev: Okay
(0:15:22) Al: it’s important for Fisk’s story.
(0:15:24) Kev: Okay, okay, that makes sense is Kate Bishop in it Kate Bishop in any of this oh
(0:15:30) Al: has not been yet. I also like Kate Bishop. Yeah, there were some rumours that her stepdad,
(0:15:32) Kev: But I like Kate Bishop specific
(0:15:36) Kev: Specifically this one. What’s her name Haley Seinfeld? Yes
(0:15:44) Al: what’s his name? I can’t remember his name. Yeah, there were some rumours that he’s going to appear
(0:15:46) Kev: Oh the the sword guy
(0:15:48) Kev: Oh
(0:15:51) Al: in this series. But we’ll see.
(0:15:52) Kev: Okay, uh-huh that’d be interesting I don’t remember his name is he supposed to be a sword master I don’t know whatever um
(0:16:00) Al: I think he’s kind of loosely based on that idea, but he’s not actually. He’s just a bozo.
(0:16:04) Kev: Yeah, yeah
(0:16:06) Kev: Yeah, that’s that’s the feeling I get
(0:16:10) Kev: Well, you know, you know, I don’t even need Kate Bishop specific. I just want more Haley Seinfeld in my life
(0:16:16) Al: Well, well, yeah, there is that. Yeah, I would be surprised if we don’t get her in the next
(0:16:18) Kev: There is that
(0:16:23) Al: two years in something. I guess, is that cheating? Because in two years, we’ve got secret wars,
(0:16:25) Kev: I mean, yeah. Well, you know what?
(0:16:30) Al: and if we don’t get anybody, if someone doesn’t appear in secret wars,
(0:16:34) Al: they’re basically dead, right? Like, they’re not going to be in anything again.
(0:16:36) Kev: I was look I was I was about to say with at the current state of the mcu
(0:16:42) Kev: it’s a kind of a 50/50 on that question for almost anyone
(0:16:46) Al: I don’t think, I don’t think Kate Bishop was badly received at all. Like, there are some characters
(0:16:56) Kev: yeah
(0:16:57) Al: that I could see them just, like, I would be really sad if she helped never appears again,
(0:17:01) Al: but I would understand based on, you know, the internet. But I didn’t see anything about that with
(0:17:02) Kev: yes
(0:17:06) Kev: yeah
(0:17:09) Kev: yeah yeah no i’m here’s the thing like my point is it feel like in such a
(0:17:15) Kev: directionless disarray I don’t even think that’s a factor like what
(0:17:18) Al: Well, I think I think they’re at the point now where they’re just wrapping up the stories
(0:17:27) Al: that they weren’t sure about. And I think they probably have good ideas for what they want to do,
(0:17:33) Al: but they need to wrap up what they were doing before they can do that, if that makes sense.
(0:17:37) Al: Like it feels like we’re kind of almost like falling towards secret wars because they want
(0:17:42) Al: to get it over and done with and then reset into something that they can do the stories
(0:17:44) Kev: Yes
(0:17:48) Al: they want to. The classic comic book way, right?
(0:17:48) Kev: Yeah, yeah, yeah
(0:17:53) Kev: Yep, yep, throw away everything cuz we’re not sure anymore is just do the new thing I guess
(0:17:59) Al: Yeah, we would like to do our film that lets us have Pedro Pascal
(0:18:04) Al: alongside Robert Downey Jr. Please and thank you, move along.
(0:18:07) Kev: Yeah, you know, that’s yeah. Ooh, you know, that’s that might be a fair trade-off
(0:18:14) Kev: You don’t you won’t get what’s his name? Oh gosh One Direction guy Wow
(0:18:20) Al: Oh yeah, Harry Styles, Star Fox.
(0:18:23) Kev: Yeah, you’re not I promise you we’re not getting Harry Styles anymore, but we’ll get Pedro Pascal that’s that’s a fair trade-off. Oh
(0:18:32) Al: Yeah. Look, the one that boggles my mind that they’ve not brought back is Shang-Chi.
(0:18:33) Kev: Oh, man
(0:18:38) Al: Why has he not reappeared anywhere? Bizarre. Bizarre to me. Like, that was such a well-received film.
(0:18:42) Kev: Yeah
(0:18:49) Kev: It was yeah, I mean it but really I mean
(0:18:54) Kev: Everything post infinity war like not not not by individual like, you know, obviously there’s been great and highs and lows
(0:19:02) Kev: but just like the entire
(0:19:04) Kev: idea of their continuity and
(0:19:08) Kev: Connectedness has been an absolute mess a train wreck. So I don’t know
(0:19:12) Al: It’s really interesting if you look back on release dates. So we had a whole Iron Man trilogy
(0:19:13) Kev: You
(0:19:15) Kev: Mm-hmm. Yeah
(0:19:21) Kev: Yes, right
(0:19:21) Al: in five years, 2008 to 2013. It has been nearly four years since Shang-Chi came out.
(0:19:25) Kev: Yeah
(0:19:29) Kev: Oh sick
(0:19:32) Al: So in the time that it has been since Shang-Chi, Iron Man was nearly at its third film.
(0:19:40) Kev: Crazy.
(0:19:40) Al: Thor had a full trilogy and.
(0:19:42) Al: In six years, Captain America had a full trilogy in five years.
(0:19:50) Al: Like it’s just, it’s fascinating how slow they are at getting sequels out now.
(0:19:50) Kev: Oh, yeah, one of my favorite benchmarks of any time comparison is the US Confederacy,
(0:20:02) Al: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Two thousand, yeah. Fun. Fun times. Anyway, uh, I’ve also been watching
(0:20:03) Kev: right?
(0:20:05) Kev: And we have now a full Confederacy between Shang-Chi appearances.
(0:20:13) Kev: Oh, yeah.
(0:20:22) Al: Avatar the Last Airbender, so that’s the thing I’m watching through just now. So I have just
(0:20:24) Kev: Oh yeah, I forgot about that.
(0:20:27) Kev: Mm.
(0:20:28) Al: finished season one and I am enjoying it very much so.
(0:20:32) Al: Particularly there was a fun, so when they get to the North
(0:20:36) Al: Pole, there’s a very fun, Katara has a very fun fight with
(0:20:36) Kev: Yep.
(0:20:42) Kev: Yep.
(0:20:42) Al: someone. I don’t want to say too much, just in case anyone else
(0:20:44) Al: is wanting to watch them. It doesn’t want to get spoiled.
(0:20:46) Al: That fight is an incredible fight. I love all the different
(0:20:50) Al: ideas that they have for that fight. So yeah.
(0:20:53) Kev: oh well buckle up buckaroo because one thing they did excellent throughout the entire show
(0:21:01) Kev: up to the very end is the choreography um well the fight choreography and direction um it’s all
(0:21:09) Kev: stellar um but you know because all the the different earthbending styles are based off real
(0:21:15) Kev: life martial arts and whatnot and so they you know they they translate that well but then of
(0:21:20) Kev: And of course you have elemental superpowers.
(0:21:23) Kev: They translate, they do fun stuff with that sometimes.
(0:21:25) Kev: Um…
(0:21:27) Kev: But, uh…
(0:21:28) Kev: Oh, I am very excited for you.
(0:21:31) Kev: Uh, like, y-you’ve seen how good season 1 is.
(0:21:34) Al: Yeah, and people well people keep saying it’s the worst season, and I’m like this is the worst my word
(0:21:35) Kev: What if I told you…
(0:21:38) Kev: Yeah!
(0:21:38) Kev: YEAH!
(0:21:39) Kev: YEAH!
(0:21:40) Kev: YEAH!
(0:21:40) Kev: YEAH!
(0:21:41) Al: I’m looking forward to what comes next
(0:21:41) Kev: YEAH!
(0:21:41) Kev: YEAH!
(0:21:43) Kev: Yeah, exactly what I was about to say, yeah, I’m glad you’re enjoying it.
(0:21:45) Kev: You haven’t seen anything yet, you’ve seen garbage.
(0:21:48) Kev: It’s… it’s so good.
(0:21:49) Al: The humour in it is very good. It’s stupid for humour, but the comedic timing is what
(0:21:50) Kev: Um…
(0:21:53) Kev: It’s great.
(0:21:56) Kev: Yeah.
(0:21:57) Kev: Yeah.
(0:22:00) Al: gets it, right? There’s a bit where Katara is pretending to be an earthbender, right?
(0:22:00) Kev: Yeah.
(0:22:01) Kev: Yeah, it-
(0:22:06) Kev: Yeah.
(0:22:06) Al: And they do this weird thing where Aang is blowing air through a hole in the ground to
(0:22:11) Kev: Yeah.
(0:22:13) Al: levitate a rock, and Katara is pretending to do that.
(0:22:13) Kev: Yeah.
(0:22:14) Kev: Yeah.
(0:22:19) Al: The guys look over and they’re like, “Oh, that lemur’s earthbending!” It’s just such
(0:22:24) Kev: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, absolutely, you’re right, they are they’re killer with their
(0:22:25) Al: a stupid moment, but because of the tension, and they build it up, and the timing, and
(0:22:31) Al: that stupid moment is just so funny.
(0:22:37) Kev: comedic timing, like in general, because it’s, it’s, it’s wild, because it’s such a serious,
(0:22:44) Kev: like, show, right, like, both in terms of the overall plot, and they, they treat that,
(0:22:49) Kev: the tone gets very heavy at times, but they still managed to pull off.
(0:22:54) Kev: And I think part of it is because they’re stupid 12 year olds, you know, so they’re gonna do dumb stuff.
(0:23:00) Al: » Yeah.
(0:23:02) Kev: But yeah, oh man, I can’t hurry up and finish it so I can talk to you about my favorite episodes, the dragon dance.
(0:23:04) Al: » Yeah.
(0:23:10) Al: It will only be another few weeks.
(0:23:12) Al: I’ve got these done in three weeks.
(0:23:14) Kev: Alright.
(0:23:14) Al: So we’ll be done soon.
(0:23:16) Kev: Tell me you get to boo me.
(0:23:20) Al: Yeah, I think that’s everything.
(0:23:22) Al: So that’s what we’ve been up to.
(0:23:22) Al: My word.
(0:23:24) Al: I thought this was going to be a short episode.
(0:23:24) Al: We’re 25 minutes in.
(0:23:26) Kev: I’m on- I’m on this show, you know that won’t happen.
(0:23:31) Al: - Let’s get through this news.
(0:23:32) Al: So first off, desktop cat cafe is out now.
(0:23:35) Kev: Okay.
(0:23:35) Al: Not much to say about that.
(0:23:36) Al: That’s the bottom of the screen cat cafe game,
(0:23:38) Kev: The- the- the rusty leg is what I’d say, yeah.
(0:23:39) Al: the Rusty Like.
(0:23:42) Kev: Um, that’s-
(0:23:44) Al: So if you were like,
(0:23:45) Al: “Oh, I like the idea of Rusty’s retirement,
(0:23:46) Al: but I want it to be cats.”
(0:23:49) Al: There you go.
(0:23:50) Kev: Yeah, the the cats are kind of I’m still not the whole idea
(0:23:55) Kev: I don’t like I’m very on the idea, but the cats are very cute. I will say that
(0:24:02) Kev: Yeah, it looks nice. I’m sure it’s a wonderful entry for you rusty. Yeah, it’s right rusty lights. I’m rusty like fans
(0:24:13) Kev: I enjoy cute cats
(0:24:15) Al: Next we have one lonely outpost have released their 1.0 and are now on switch Xboxes and
(0:24:22) Al: PS5.
(0:24:24) Kev: Wait, they weren’t already on Switch?
(0:24:25) Al: They were not the this is their this is their console release.
(0:24:27) Kev: Okay.
(0:24:30) Kev: Oh, well, good for them.
(0:24:31) Al: The 1.0 is pretty slim.
(0:24:33) Al: It’s like yeah this is the 1.0 and it’s like almost all bug fixes.
(0:24:38) Kev: Hehehehe, it’s a game!
(0:24:40) Al: Which is like probably the right way to do it like I’ve always complained about people
(0:24:45) Al: 1.0 and like here’s half the game now because it’s because it just ends up being buggy.
(0:24:48) Kev: Yeah.
(0:24:50) Al: So this is probably the right way to do it but it’s just really funny saying here’s the
(0:24:53) Al: release notes for 1.0 and the only thing that isn’t a bug fix is added four new artifacts
(0:24:59) Al: to Sydney’s shop.
(0:25:00) Kev: I was about to say like, the amount of content for 1.0 is debatable maybe or a little subjective,
(0:25:13) Kev: yada yada, but the one thing, the game should work, right?
(0:25:17) Kev: That’s the minimum, so if it’s all just bug fixes to get to that point, I can live with
(0:25:22) Kev: that I guess.
(0:25:23) Kev: I probably won’t play this game, but you know, good for them.
(0:25:26) Al: for sure.
(0:25:28) Kev: They crossed a finish line.
(0:25:30) Al: Next we have a new DLC for Sprout Valley, it’s the Friends Forever DLC, I think this
(0:25:36) Kev: Didn’t expect this I don’t know why I just I don’t know but here we are sprovella dilsen
(0:25:42) Al: is what happens when you release a game that costs like a fiver, you sell DLC, 11 new friends
(0:25:45) Kev: I guess yeah
(0:25:49) Al: that can be found while visiting new islands, each of them has their own gift preferences,
(0:25:53) Al: hobbies, unique style, and they’re all different.
(0:25:56) Al: They’re all different kinds of creatures from buffaloes to frogs. Each new island’s dweller has a questlet at the end of which await new workspaces, items, and rewards.
(0:26:06) Kev: cool. 2-bit or 8-bit Hello Kitty Island adventure, basically. Yeah, no, I’m kidding, I’m kidding,
(0:26:12) Al: I it’s not as big as that, not by in no way as it was.
(0:26:16) Kev: I know. I know. Yeah, yeah, no. I’m just saying, because I’m looking at one of the, I think
(0:26:18) Al: I had fun with the, what, like five hours I played it.
(0:26:25) Kev: it looks like a dog. It looks a little like a cinnamon roll. Anyway, it’s still a very
(0:26:29) Kev: cute game, no matter what. Good for you Sprout Valley, keep on trucking.
(0:26:35) Al: Next, we have Everhome have released a 1.1.0 update.
(0:26:40) Al: This adds cooking, and it adds a compendium, tracking discoveries.
(0:26:42) Kev: like cooking that’s always a good one feels like it should have been at 1.0
(0:26:48) Al: Yep.
(0:26:52) Kev: but mmm true
(0:26:52) Al: Yeah, well, as you say, always debatable what these things are.
(0:26:58) Al: And they’ve also overhauled their quests and luck systems.
(0:27:02) Kev: oh okay that that’s probably good um well I get it you touche
(0:27:05) Al: So maybe we’ll see. Who knows?
(0:27:13) Al: Firelines have released their 0.4 update, adding relationships into the game.
(0:27:18) Kev: oh goody finally now now they’re cottage core oh um
(0:27:24) Al: I think you’ll find their space cottage core. Thank you very much.
(0:27:33) Kev: yeah I don’t i’m trying to think of a clever name I can’t think of one but here we are oh man
(0:27:40) Al: base kedge no i’m not no I should have not but
(0:27:46) Kev: Can I rome can I romance aliens do just the cat people boo
(0:27:50) Al: I don’t think so
(0:27:55) Al: yeah I haven’t seen anything about that anyway
(0:27:58) Kev: This should be
(0:28:00) Kev: There’s very clearly an alien-looking guy again. I would guess it’s an alien-looking guy
(0:28:06) Al: You know what, I think you might be excited about, OK.
(0:28:09) Kev: Yeah, the next news item
(0:28:11) Al: Mika and the Witches Mountain into the Montgaunt is now available.
(0:28:16) Kev: Oh snap this is a reason to come back
(0:28:16) Al: This is the as far as we know, as far as we know,
(0:28:22) Al: it’s the last update for Mika and the Witches Mountain.
(0:28:27) Al: I say as far as we know, just because in the release information,
(0:28:31) Al: they’re saying it’s the latest free content patch.
(0:28:36) Al: They’re actively saying it’s the final one.
(0:28:38) Al: But they have previously not mentioned any announcement of any other updates.
(0:28:44) Kev: Yeah, okay
(0:28:44) Al: But this is the one that adds in dungeons.
(0:28:46) Al: So there are three dungeons in the game to test your skill.
(0:28:50) Kev: So I was about to say because I’m looking down the dungeons
(0:28:54) Kev: There’s one of fire one of wind and one of water and I’m and you know, I’m no secret. This is
(0:29:02) Kev: Oh my god, but oh my goodness
(0:29:07) Kev: Wind Waker jeez, I know I took me to I’m tired people. Um, it’s wind Waker inspired
(0:29:08) Al: Mm-hmm
(0:29:12) Kev: I’m looking at like all that. I know that
(0:29:14) Kev: Wind Waker dungeon. I know that Wind Waker dungeon
(0:29:17) Kev: And I’m like, yeah, we’re just turning up the Wind Waker dial and then I scroll to the near the bottom
(0:29:24) Kev: And oh, there you go. They’ve also introduced your actual actually
(0:29:30) Kev: Link’s costume you get the tunic and a green hat. They call it the green witch but
(0:29:32) Al: I, yeah, I think you’ll find this is the green witch outfit, thank you very much. Legally distinct.
(0:29:43) Kev: Very cute
(0:29:44) Kev: Is this reason for me to fire up Mika? Yeah, I actually probably is I haven’t touched it so
(0:29:46) Al: you you yeah absolutely did you play the other two updates
(0:29:53) Kev: I’ve not so I’m gonna get them all at once. Yeah
(0:29:55) Al: well there you go then I was waiting for the for the mall as well maybe we
(0:29:59) Kev: Yeah, I’m down for that
(0:30:03) Kev: This is uh
(0:30:06) Kev: Whoa
(0:30:07) Kev: Sorry, I’m just reading when you get the green witch costume you get upward flight. So I
(0:30:13) Al: Oh, finally! There we go. Just a shame that that’s for completing the dungeons, i.e. having
(0:30:15) Kev: Snap
(0:30:17) Kev: The limiters are off
(0:30:19) Kev: Then it’s
(0:30:22) Al: done everything in the game. Well, hey, maybe it’ll be fun, who knows.
(0:30:24) Kev: Yeah, pretty much
(0:30:28) Kev: Yeah, yeah, I’m always I was kind of
(0:30:32) Kev: I’m always torn on this sort of design right because it’s it’s not uncommon where you get the
(0:30:37) Kev: The full power at the very end or whatever right and like on the one hand it makes sense that you know
(0:30:44) Kev: That’s where the progression leads to
(0:30:46) Kev: But on the other hand like what are you gonna do with it now, you know?
(0:30:50) Al: Yeah, yeah, I think this there is a balance to be had there and I think I
(0:30:55) Al: think this is why I like 3d platform or certain nothing just platformers in general because
(0:31:01) Al: You know excluding Metroidvanias, which the whole point is just unlocking
(0:31:05) Al: Skills as you go. I like the idea that it’s
(0:31:09) Al: What gets you through the game is your skill improving not necessarily the game just giving you things to make it easier
(0:31:16) Kev: Okay, sure, sure.
(0:31:18) Al: Um, and speaking of metroidvanias, I did.
(0:31:20) Al: Once, which you didn’t unlock stuff as you went through the game, it just told you about stuff as you went through the game.
(0:31:28) Al: So if you like just experimented and tried things, you would actually be able to do things much earlier than the game told you about them.
(0:31:35) Kev: Yeah, I like that, see that is a good design right there.
(0:31:40) Al: Next, we have the announcement that the Wholesome Direct is coming back this year, coming in June, there we go.
(0:31:47) Kev: Okay, just like I don’t mean like one punch man. Okay. I’m like, all right. Yeah, that’s fine
(0:31:56) Al: There we go.
(0:31:56) Al: That’s the thing.
(0:31:58) Al: That is a nice, easy episode for us later in the year.
(0:31:58) Kev: Yeah
(0:32:01) Kev: Yeah, that’s the real excitement here easy episode announced
(0:32:07) Al: No preparation except watching a video.
(0:32:09) Kev: Yeah, we can do that
(0:32:13) Al: And finally, we have the announcement of Monster Patch.
(0:32:17) Al: We have vaguely talked about this in the past, because this is the monster-collecting farming
(0:32:26) Al: game by the maker of Littlewood.
(0:32:26) Kev: Oh, by Sean Young. Yeah.
(0:32:30) Al: Yes, so, but this is like the first proper thing of it, and this is the Kickstarter
(0:32:35) Al: is going live soon.
(0:32:38) Al: So yeah, it’s very much Gameboy-style graphics, kind of traditional Pokemon-style graphics.
(0:32:46) Al: So if you like that, yeah.
(0:32:46) Kev: Very not just graphics like even art style like that those trainers. That’s a Brock misty and ash
(0:32:56) Al: Yeah, I was going to say the first one is definitely Gary.
(0:32:56) Kev: And there’s even a Gary on the first image
(0:33:00) Kev: That is definitely Gary
(0:33:03) Kev: And even some of these Pokemon, you know getting getting in that little little bit of power world school of thought that you know
(0:33:12) Kev: He squint is that a whooper? No
(0:33:17) Kev: It’s an ax a lot. No, that’s not a that’s not a whooper
(0:33:25) Al: Hold up. Hold up just a minute. Is Whipper based on an axolotl?
(0:33:27) Kev: Yeah, yeah
(0:33:30) Al: I had never noticed that before, but you’re right. It is, isn’t it?
(0:33:31) Kev: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, it’s got the little little you know antenna with a little
(0:33:34) Al: Wild. There you go.
(0:33:40) Al: It totally is. It totally looks like what…
(0:33:42) Kev: Yeah, yeah, there you go. Yeah, we made that connection. Oh, yeah
(0:33:47) Kev: um
(0:33:48) Kev: Could we make a cuter ax a little probably cuz ax a little are very cute, but whooper is good. No, it was good. Nonetheless. Um, I
(0:33:59) Al: And of course it’s shiny pink, isn’t it? Which is the standard axolotl, axolotl colour.
(0:34:01) Kev: Yeah, that’s correct
(0:34:04) Kev: Standard yeah, okay. Yeah. Yeah, you know, okay slight slight
(0:34:13) Kev: tangent here, um
(0:34:15) Kev: so
(0:34:17) Kev: They are you know 99 PI 99% invisible, okay, um
(0:34:23) Kev: For folks who don’t know it’s a podcast that just goes into the history and origins of all sorts of random topics
(0:34:28) Kev: I’m just everyday things um
(0:34:30) Al: It’s mostly like design stuff, but yeah, they stretch out of that quite a bit, but that’s the original idea.
(0:34:32) Kev: Yeah design stuff yeah
(0:34:34) Kev: They do they do yeah, yeah
(0:34:39) Kev: There’s an episode where they talk about axolotls
(0:34:42) Kev: And how the the pink acts a lot of the common one that
(0:34:46) Kev: so famous and popular and you can get pet shops is is so very distinct and different now because
(0:34:57) Kev: long story short they years ago they some researchers got like a handful like eight
(0:35:04) Kev: axolotls from the wilds of mexico and then like all the lab quote unquote lab axolotls though the
(0:35:12) Kev: the pink ones with the translucent skin all those are more or less descendants
(0:35:16) Kev: and they’ve just become so distinctly different from the wild ones because if
(0:35:23) Kev: you look at a wild axolotl from the ones in Mexico they’re not even pink
(0:35:26) Kev: they’re more like gray and they’re a little more fish-looking for lack of a
(0:35:33) Kev: better word they might just because their skin isn’t translucent like the
(0:35:36) Kev: the ones that so famous but it’s it’s a fascinating topic I love axolotls both
(0:35:43) Kev: with the wild ones and the not wild ones.
(0:35:46) Kev: But yeah, so going back to thing, Whooper’s cool, and more importantly Monster Patch.
(0:35:54) Kev: Like, all the jokes about the style and whatever side, it looks, at least the images look competently made.
(0:36:02) Kev: So I’m curious to see how this will pan out.
(0:36:07) Kev: Do we have a date for the launch? I don’t think we do, do we?
(0:36:09) Al: No, we just it’s coming.
(0:36:11) Kev: Alright, well, keep your eyes out.
(0:36:15) Kev: Yeah, I don’t know, we’re growing things.
(0:36:18) Kev: And Pokemon are there.
(0:36:20) Al: - Yes, yeah, fun.
(0:36:23) Al: We’ll see what it’s like, but I liked Little Wood,
(0:36:26) Al: so, and I like Pokemon.
(0:36:29) Kev: I do. I don’t know. I actually haven’t played Little Wood, but I like Pokémon.
(0:36:35) Kev: So we’ll see. That Apple Dragon Crocodile thing, I don’t know what that is. That’s a cute looking one.
(0:36:44) Kev: I’m down. Let me know when. I mean, obviously you will let me know when this launches, but I’m just
(0:36:49) Al: Oh, I just noticed it does actually say the Kickstarter is launching.
(0:36:50) Kev: speaking to Sean Young, I guess. Not you, Al. But let me know when it launches so I can play this.
(0:36:56) Kev: I am intrigued.
(0:36:59) Kev: Oh, yeah, there it is at the very end. Oh, that’s soon, relatively, but yeah, but it kills us. That’s no indicator. You know, it just gives us the various tiniest, like false hope of when it actually comes out because that, you know, we’re talking about it like, oh, that’s lunch. That is no correlation to when we can play it. Done.
(0:37:19) Al: yeah there was because they
(0:37:27) Al: yeah because there was the um what was the other chibi game uh elusive um the kickstarter for
(0:37:35) Al: that launched last week and yeah it was the expected release date for that is uh may 2027
(0:37:43) Al: so two years time
(0:37:44) Kev: You know what? At least, I think I almost prefer a long launch window because that feels realistic/believable/but you know, I get it.
(0:37:56) Al: Yeah, yeah, but it’s also the fact that elusive was announced three years ago originally.
(0:38:04) Kev: Oh, that’s a different story. You’re right.
(0:38:07) Al: So it’s like, yeah, games take a long time, but also this will be like five years from
(0:38:12) Al: the first time we hear about it when it eventually releases.
(0:38:14) Kev: Oh, sick.
(0:38:16) Al: It’s our first official 2027 release date.
(0:38:21) Kev: That is, that is also…
(0:38:21) Al: Just checking my spreadsheet.
(0:38:23) Al: We have a few saying 2026, but nothing saying 2027.
(0:38:26) Kev: Look, I don’t mean, I don’t want to be mean to elusive.
(0:38:30) Kev: Alright, like, the game dev’s hard, I get it, but…
(0:38:34) Kev: I just, again, it’s one of my favorite benchmarks.
(0:38:37) Kev: The elusive dev cycle is longer than one Confederacy of the United States.
(0:38:50) Al: Where am I? I lost my tab. There we are. That’s all the news. We are now going to talk about
(0:38:57) Kev: We did it
(0:39:01) Al: Pixel Cross Rune Factory. Now before we get into this, Kevin, did you play the previous
(0:39:03) Kev: So
(0:39:06) Kev: Yes, yes, yeah, yeah we did I was on the episode we did the episode yes, it was
(0:39:08) Al: one?
(0:39:09) Al: Pixel Cross.
(0:39:10) Al: It was me and you, was it? Right, OK.
(0:39:13) Al: So next question, did you actually get any time to play this game this week?
(0:39:15) Kev: A little bit it I’ve reached the first boss. There’s my
(0:39:20) Al: OK. Yeah, that’s decent. I think you get the customization by that point.
(0:39:26) Kev: Yeah, oh, yeah, you get that early on that’s like one of the first ones you get yeah, so I have enough to have thoughts
(0:39:31) Kev: I haven’t seen the full things, but I certainly enough for opinions. Yes. Yes, absolutely. Yeah
(0:39:34) Al: I think you’ve seen enough. You’ve seen enough, realistically, right?
(0:39:39) Al: Because you also see, I think the boss, the only thing you won’t have done is a colour one.
(0:39:44) Kev: Yeah, I’ve not seen a gun of color one yet. No, but uh, but
(0:39:47) Al: but I think they’re pretty clear.
(0:39:50) Al: They’re just slightly more complicated ones, but what comes to them when we come to it?
(0:39:51) Kev: Yeah, yeah
(0:39:58) Al: I’m changing this list around. I want to talk about the customisation first,
(0:40:02) Al: because this is the thing that’s different. This is the thing that’s different about this game,
(0:40:03) Kev: Oh
(0:40:06) Al: other than the bosses are different, the colours are different, but this is the thing that seemed
(0:40:09) Kev: Okay, well
(0:40:12) Al: the most interesting to me until I played the game.
(0:40:14) Kev: Well, there’s a few things oh
(0:40:16) Kev: Okay, I’m gonna take us to
(0:40:18) Kev: Hold on before we get them we can take one step back just for anyone who might not remember because you know
(0:40:23) Kev: That was a while ago and people aren’t remember, right? So we’re talking on a grand pic cross puzzles, right?
(0:40:29) Kev: Um, they did, uh, when we’re talking about his- his pixel-cross story of-
(0:40:33) Kev: That’s the previous game, and that was just a very straightforward bare-bones-
(0:40:39) Kev: Here’s a bunch of Picross puzzles, um, and there happens to be Harvest Moon, you know, they’re all Harvest Moon, er, story of seasons images, there’s
(0:40:47) Kev: music in the background, and a little farm growing in the background. Um, but that- that was pretty much it, right? A very-
(0:40:53) Kev: Yeah, I- I enjoy it, ‘cause I enjoy nonagram, but, um, but straightforward and, uh, basic sort of collection of puzzles.
(0:41:03) Kev: This one, they’re- they- they upped- they upped it. I’m just- I’m surprised, I didn’t think they could take it places, but they did, they’re doing stuff, right?
(0:41:13) Kev: Um, because- okay, let’s get into the customization. Now, that’s one of the biggest ones, ‘cause story of seasons was just
(0:41:21) Kev: automatically happening in the background, you kind of looked at it here and there, but here, go ahead, Al, tell them.
(0:41:24) Al: Yeah. Yeah, so here you I mean, realistically, it’s not fundamentally different, right? Like,
(0:41:33) Al: the back, the background is still doing the same thing is the background. And you have a farm,
(0:41:39) Al: like the previous one, because it’s all still farming, right? But you get to like, choose how
(0:41:45) Al: your farm looks, basically, right? So you have, you can, it’s very specifically, you can go down
(0:41:52) Al: down to which crops you want on which.
(0:41:54) Al: Crop plot point, you can say “I want a turnip here, I want a potato here, I want a cabbage there”.
(0:42:00) Al: You can be very specific about it. Weirdly detailed and you can also change your character’s
(0:42:08) Al: look and weapons and stuff like that. I guess the thing I was disappointed about it was
(0:42:14) Al: it doesn’t change anything. It is just the background and that’s fine. Maybe I shouldn’t
(0:42:18) Al: have expected any more but it doesn’t make any difference to gameplay.
(0:42:24) Al: It’s just changing what is on in the background which some people might really like but I’m just
(0:42:29) Al: a little bit… I don’t particularly care because it’s really in the background. It’s there but
(0:42:35) Al: you’re looking at the puzzle and especially… I don’t know how you play these games but I’m
(0:42:39) Al: trying to do them as quickly as possible and then I put it down when I finished.
(0:42:42) Kev: Yeah, right
(0:42:45) Kev: Well, okay there is I
(0:42:48) Kev: Think there’s a few more there’s a little more to it that gives it a little more meat on the buns
(0:42:52) Kev: First of all, this now introduces a collection aspect, right?
(0:42:55) Kev: Like one that you can actually display right whether it’s your displaying different crops on the field or perhaps more importantly to us
(0:43:02) Kev: You you can collect monsters, right?
(0:43:05) Al: Oh yes, I forgot about the monsters, of course.
(0:43:07) Kev: Yeah, right you can have a couple monsters on your farm and they’re just walking around
(0:43:12) Kev: background elements, but
(0:43:14) Kev: Gotta catch them all. You’re right. Gotta catch them all
(0:43:16) Al: Well and, and including, you won’t know this, but you can have the boxes there as well.
(0:43:20) Kev: Yeah, I figured so I think there’s a page for that like you could kind of see it on the
(0:43:26) Kev: Customization pages, but yes including bosses. So that’s fun
(0:43:32) Kev: And actually
(0:43:34) Kev: I guess you know, no, I’ll get to that in a second. Um
(0:43:38) Kev: The other big one I think is the quote-unquote
(0:43:42) Kev: And I say big is still not that big but the arms or equipment or whatever
(0:43:48) Kev: So you can unlock different weapons because room factory, you know has this combat based
(0:43:54) Kev: And there are combat scenes in the background when you’re fighting monsters to capture them or whatnot, right?
(0:44:02) Kev: So depending on the weapons you equip you actually get different animations going on the background
(0:44:07) Kev: I don’t know if you played around with that now or caught it but if you equip gauntlets versus a sword
(0:44:12) Kev: Or an axe or whatever you get different animations and again just background stuff. Nothing cats significant, but it’s it’s a cute little
(0:44:20) Al: Yeah, it’s, it’s, it’s fun. And I get why people like it. It’s just that’s not really my thing. I’m much more interested, I think, in the changes they made to gameplay, which we’ll come on to in a minute.
(0:44:21) Kev: Cute little nod. I appreciate that. Yeah
(0:44:27) Kev: Sure
(0:44:33) Kev: Sure sure
(0:44:34) Al: But yeah, it was…
(0:44:36) Kev: Okay, before we get to the some of the different puzzles or how they spice it up
(0:44:42) Kev: Other thing that I like so when you start the game you’re asked
(0:44:46) Kev: Basically, there are two modes you can do you can do puzzle mode or adventure mode now puzzle mode is just basically like the
(0:44:55) Kev: The first one where it’s just a collection of puzzles and you just do them
(0:44:59) Kev: And you know, I think you can still not the customization and so on and so forth, but it’s just a big
(0:45:05) Kev: block of
(0:45:07) Kev: puzzles a list of puzzles
(0:45:10) Kev: Adventure mode is a little bit
(0:45:12) Kev: different because you unlock the puzzles basically on a sort of map where you clear one puzzle and then surrounding tiles on them on this map will unlock so you can kind of bounce around and progress right at the end you know it’s it’s it’s just a it’s still just a list of puzzles just a slightly different direction and a little different presentation but it’s it’s again kind of a fun little nod to the rune factory series where you got exploration and whatnot right.
(0:45:40) Al: - Yeah, it kind of doesn’t make any difference
(0:45:43) Al: but in a way it does ‘cause it gives you a lot more
(0:45:46) Al: flexibility on what you’re playing, right?
(0:45:48) Al: Like in standard one, standard like nonogram games,
(0:45:51) Al: you just got like, here’s a list and you go and do one
(0:45:53) Kev: Yep.
(0:45:55) Al: then you do the next, you do the next, you do the next.
(0:45:57) Al: Whereas here, you do one and it kind of unlocks
(0:45:58) Kev: Yep.
(0:46:00) Al: the top and the left of that one
(0:46:02) Kev: Yeah.
(0:46:02) Al: and you do the one over there
(0:46:03) Al: and it does the bottom and the right of that one.
(0:46:05) Al: And it gives you lots and the,
(0:46:08) Al: As much as I was like, not massive.
(0:46:10) Al: I do feel like purely this map-based layout does make me feel a little bit more immersed
(0:46:19) Al: in this world, right?
(0:46:20) Kev: It it does it
(0:46:20) Al: Because it actually feels like you’re traveling, it feels like you’re exploring, and especially
(0:46:25) Al: as it shows you there are some areas there, but you can’t get to them yet, and then you
(0:46:28) Kev: Yeah, yeah
(0:46:30) Al: unlock that, and then it shows you more areas you can get to.
(0:46:32) Al: It feels like I’m exploring much more than anything else.
(0:46:33) Kev: Yeah
(0:46:34) Kev: It does right and it’s some that’s that establishes a goal of sort right like
(0:46:41) Kev: Actual progress which is you know not associate with the nonagram collection game, but but I agree
(0:46:48) Kev: Yeah, because like you said there’s
(0:46:50) Kev: I’ve reached a puzzle where okay, I cleared the the puzzles next to them, but it didn’t lock. Why is that?
(0:46:55) Kev: Well, that’s I guess I for me to discover and that’s kind of fun
(0:47:00) Kev: And you know if nothing else like I think it’s all I’m impressed by how clever all these ideas are right like
(0:47:07) Kev: Cuz they you don’t have a lot of room to play with this sort of game, right?
(0:47:11) Kev: Like it’s the bread and butter is just the nonagrams
(0:47:14) Kev: So how do we make it a little more interesting and they’re using some fun ideas here
(0:47:18) Kev: and the adventure map
(0:47:20) Kev: absolutely is one of them.
(0:47:22) Kev: Now the other thing with adventure mode is that you also get some different challenges,
(0:47:29) Kev: which are optional in the standard puzzle mode.
(0:47:35) Kev: And that amounts to different variations on the puzzle.
(0:47:39) Kev: The first one is color puzzles,
(0:47:43) Kev: which I don’t even know if it’s actually just locked to adventure mode.
(0:47:47) Kev: But anyways, so you have the color mode where–
(0:47:48) Al: I don’t think they are. I think the only thing that’s locked to Adventure Mode is
(0:47:51) Kev: Oh, really? Oh, okay, well.
(0:47:56) Al: the boss battles being challenges.
(0:47:58) Kev: Yeah, I think I said you can do challenges and puzzle, but it’s not required
(0:48:02) Al: Yeah, that’s the thing. Adventure Mode is you have to do them. But yeah, anyway.
(0:48:04) Kev: Yeah
(0:48:07) Kev: Yeah, you’re forced to do it. Yeah, okay, so the color puzzles as the name implies like
(0:48:14) Kev: You now not only have your numbers that you’re filling out, but you have them in different color blocks
(0:48:21) Kev: You need to fill them with the correct color. I haven’t done one. So I don’t remember all the specifics but
(0:48:28) Kev: but I think
(0:48:31) Kev: I’ve done other
(0:48:33) Kev: Nonogram games that they’ve done similar mechanics and I it’s always a fun little touch to add
(0:48:37) Kev: Just know just a little variation at least in the in the puzzle, right?
(0:48:42) Kev: Oh, oh, you know what this also reminds me
(0:48:46) Kev: One thing that I found intriguing is when you start the game and you’re setting up your profile
(0:48:51) Kev: You’re actually given a little tutorial on all the elements of the nonogram puzzles in the different modes and stuff
(0:48:59) Kev: You know not
(0:49:01) Kev: It’s nothing super heavy. No hand-holding. In fact, maybe it’s a little light for you know, how complex these can be but
(0:49:09) Kev: It’s a nice little touch and it’s presented in the frame of you know rune factory a tutorial character giving you info
(0:49:16) Kev: So that was a fun little touch
(0:49:19) Kev: But but yeah, did you actually get to the color puzzles now?
(0:49:24) Al: Yeah, I did one colour puzzle. It’s basically just the complication is that there are now
(0:49:28) Al: three states for each box, right? That’s it, right? It can be nothing. It can be red or
(0:49:35) Al: it can be blue, right? And it does make it more complicated, right? Because then you’ll
(0:49:40) Al: have like, you have numbers where they’re colours. The one thing that’s interesting
(0:49:44) Al: about it is that if you have, say, like a red one and a blue one, they can be next to
(0:49:49) Al: each other. That doesn’t have to be a gap between them. That, I think, is the biggest
(0:49:52) Al: difference between this and the normal.
(0:49:54) Al: It’s a fun extra challenge, you know, it changes things up as well.
(0:50:16) Kev: - Yeah, yeah, I agree.
(0:50:24) Al: Because it means that when you go into one and you’re like, oh, this one’s a color one, that’s cool.
(0:50:29) Al: That makes it more fun. I think what I more enjoyed though,
(0:50:32) Al: which I think we’re about to come on to unless you have something else, is the boss battles.
(0:50:36) Kev: Yeah, let’s get yeah, I don’t have anything else really because this is definitely the I think the the most interesting
(0:50:44) Kev: Edition because I don’t think I’ve ever seen
(0:50:45) Al: Yeah. Yeah, I’ve seen timed ones before, but not with the added part of this. So let me
(0:50:48) Kev: A a a nonogram use this sort of mode
(0:50:54) Kev: Uh-huh
(0:50:58) Al: just do a quick explainer. So the boss battles, first of all, they’re like one of them kind of
(0:51:03) Al: larger mosaic ones where you have multiple different ones to make up a bigger picture.
(0:51:06) Kev: Yeah right yeah so I well first of all okay they call it a challenge mode I
(0:51:10) Al: And then also they are timed. So I think you have like 10 minutes. I don’t know if they’re
(0:51:20) Kev: think that’s what they call it and it’s not just the boss battles even any time
(0:51:24) Kev: you fight a monster it’s a challenge mode puzzle but the boss battles are the
(0:51:29) Kev: multi the the mosaic one where you have to do several puzzles to unlock the
(0:51:34) Kev: the whole picture.
(0:51:36) Al: you sure? I haven’t done a huge amount this week on it. I was mostly doing it last week,
(0:51:37) Kev: I’m like 90% sure.
(0:51:42) Kev: Okay. Yeah, I’m 90% sure at any time.
(0:51:44) Al: so my mind might have just forgotten. But the thing that makes it more of a challenge
(0:51:51) Al: is that if you do something wrong, your timer increases. So you can’t just go super fast
(0:51:56) Kev: Yeah
(0:52:01) Al: and make a bunch of mistakes, because then you’re going to fail. So you have to be fast
(0:52:02) Kev: Yeah, yeah
(0:52:06) Al: and accurate, which is fun, I think. It’s like, yeah, here’s a different challenge
(0:52:10) Kev: Yeah, it is right
(0:52:12) Al: to do. Because personally, I don’t know about you, I like to zoom fast anyway, especially
(0:52:18) Al: the early ones. I’m always enjoying the ones. It’s like, OK, you open this and you immediately
(0:52:18) Kev: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, absolutely. Um, so I’m something of a non aggrand perfectionist,
(0:52:22) Al: know what to do. Can you do it in four seconds, sort of thing? Those are really fun. But this
(0:52:27) Al: This then extends that into the more difficult ones as well.
(0:52:38) Kev: if I make a mistake, I restart the game. But that’s complete. That’s completely self imposed.
(0:52:44) Kev: It is fun to have that…not acknowledge, but…
(0:52:49) Kev: I don’t lose the game if I make a mistake, but see a mode introduced that punishes you a little.
(0:52:56) Kev: I think it is a very fun idea and the part that kills me is it’s punishing me for a habit I developed
(0:53:05) Kev: because it’s not just filling…you know, you fill in the square with the color or you put an x if there’s nothing in there, right?
(0:53:12) Kev: It’s not just oh you have to put all the fill in all the squares correctly
(0:53:16) Kev: Even the X’s if you put
(0:53:18) Kev: the X in the wrong spot you’re punished right and I’ve just gotten into
(0:53:22) Kev: this habit where like I’m counting spaces and then I’ll put an X as a
(0:53:26) Kev: placeholder and I’ll go back and erase it or whatever right just to just to kind
(0:53:26) Al: ah
(0:53:31) Kev: of space it out and see the visual but I can’t do that anymore because they’ll
(0:53:32) Al: Yeah, yeah
(0:53:35) Kev: punish me and I do that a lot so that was that breaks me in challenge mode so
(0:53:36) Al: Oh, that’s funny yeah
(0:53:41) Kev: that little nefarious but I like it nonetheless but and also the
(0:53:48) Kev: presentation of it right because you’re fighting these enemy like there’s a the
(0:53:53) Kev: monsters show up as in the background it changes from the farm scenery to you now
(0:53:59) Kev: have the your character on one side you and I have the enemy on the other side
(0:54:03) Kev: and as you’re filling it out they’re kind of attacking each other right and
(0:54:07) Kev: it matches up with your progress if you’re doing well and you fill up a lot
(0:54:11) Kev: of spots or whatever your character will do an attack if you make a mistake the
(0:54:14) Kev: The monster will do an attack on you.
(0:54:18) Kev: And it is here where, as I mentioned earlier, if you have the different equipment, if you pick a sword versus gauntlets or whatever, you have different animations.
(0:54:27) Kev: Again, all background stuff, but very nice touch nonetheless. A lot of thought.
(0:54:32) Al: Yeah, yeah, it definitely felt, the battles felt much more fun, I felt, with, well, not
(0:54:41) Al: fun, immerses than the farming bit, right? Because the farming bit is just like, oh,
(0:54:45) Al: you’re doing a puzzle and there happens to be a farm in the background. Whereas the battles
(0:54:46) Kev: Yeah, yeah, yeah, absolutely
(0:54:49) Al: are like actually doing something in the background and what you’re doing affects the background
(0:54:51) Kev: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, you’re right
(0:54:53) Al: directly. So yeah, I found that much more. It made much more sense to do this than, than
(0:55:02) Al: the story of seasons one did, right? Because the story of seasons one is, it’s basically
(0:55:05) Al: just the farming bit of this one, but without the customisation, which, okay, fine, I guess.
(0:55:06) Kev: Yep.
(0:55:13) Al: But yeah, no, I really like the battles.
(0:55:15) Kev: Yeah, I fully agree.
(0:55:19) Kev: I think it’s, you know, to be fair, I think the story of Seasons 1 walked so this game
(0:55:25) Kev: could run.
(0:55:27) Kev: Not that they’re building off too many ideas, but you know, still, overall, it’s really
(0:55:35) Kev: cool the stuff they’ve done here that incorporates the combat and all that.
(0:55:40) Al: it definitely felt to me like they were building this game and then the story of seasons game was
(0:55:46) Al: the MVP right like the the minimum viable game and they’re like oh this is this is good enough
(0:55:47) Kev: Oh, oh that that that MVP not the other
(0:55:52) Al: let’s yeah so oh yeah sorry minimum viable product uh yeah and so they got to the point
(0:55:54) Kev: No, the story of seasons was the MVP rune factory is the other MVP
(0:56:01) Al: where they were like oh wait we can release this one and then keep going on the other one
(0:56:07) Kev: Yup, yup, yup.
(0:56:10) Al: like that to me just like change up the assets right make it the story of seasons characters
(0:56:12) Kev: Yup.
(0:56:14) Al: rather than the ring factory characters there you go done everything else the same
(0:56:14) Kev: Yeah.
(0:56:19) Kev: Yup, yup, yup.
(0:56:21) Al: which is like fair enough I mean that game in and of itself was fun no one’s going to say no to a
(0:56:22) Kev: Yeah.
(0:56:24) Kev: Yeah.
(0:56:26) Al: half decent uh nonogram game right like nonogram players will buy every nonogram game
(0:56:28) Kev: Nonogram collection.
(0:56:29) Kev: Yeah, absolutely.
(0:56:33) Kev: Yes, we do.
(0:56:34) Kev: Yes.
(0:56:37) Kev: Oh man.
(0:56:38) Al: So I think that’s good.
(0:56:40) Al: And I will say the controls are pretty good in this.
(0:56:43) Kev: Yeah.
(0:56:44) Al: And, you know, they allow you to use, like, touch screen or control buttons.
(0:56:50) Al: And the settings are pretty good.
(0:56:52) Al: Like, it didn’t default to what I like, but it let me change it to what I wanted.
(0:56:55) Kev: - Yeah.
(0:56:57) Kev: - Me too.
(0:56:58) Al: And while still being in challenge mode.
(0:57:00) Al: So I like, for example, when I like when the games change the numbers to grayed out.
(0:57:10) Kev: Yeah. Yeah.
(0:57:10) Al: And when you’ve completed a row, it will, like, ex out the empty ones that you haven’t done yet.
(0:57:16) Kev: Yeah. Yeah.
(0:57:16) Al: Because it’s like, that doesn’t make it any more difficult.
(0:57:18) Al: It’s just killing my time, right?
(0:57:22) Kev: Mm-hmm.
(0:57:22) Al: And I like it automatically doing that for me.
(0:57:26) Kev: Yeah.
(0:57:26) Al: So, yeah, I like the fact that it has all those settings, even if they’re not on by default.
(0:57:30) Kev: Yeah.
(0:57:32) Al: And those are separate from the challenge.
(0:57:34) Kev: Yeah, it is, uh, yeah, it’s wild, honestly, the amount.
(0:57:40) Kev: Of customizability they give you with the options, considering it’s just nonagram.
(0:57:44) Kev: It’s a pretty decent list.
(0:57:46) Kev: And hey, they even threw in dyslexic mode for accessibility purposes.
(0:57:51) Al: Yeah, I tried. I tried that. That was a horrible font to look at. But if you’re dyslexic, I’m
(0:57:52) Kev: Cool beans for them.
(0:57:56) Kev: Well…
(0:57:58) Al: sure it’s very helpful. But I was just like, I’m really intrigued just what this would
(0:58:00) Kev: Yup.
(0:58:01) Al: look like. I turned it on and went, no, not for me.
(0:58:04) Kev: It looks like the Pokémon gibberish runes.
(0:58:10) Kev: But, uh, that’s off to them for being there.
(0:58:14) Kev: There is one more element I want to talk to.
(0:58:18) Kev: I don’t know if you’ve gotten it to it, Al. I’m going to guess you haven’t.
(0:58:20) Kev: I’m going to guess it takes some investment.
(0:58:24) Kev: But the fact that it’s there, like, this is the first game in a while where I’ve been excited to see a relationship/spouse mechanic in the game.
(0:58:38) Al: Yeah, I haven’t gotten to that point, but I’m guessing it’s very limited.
(0:58:40) Kev: Finally, I can get married in my nonagram collection.
(0:58:48) Kev: Oh, yeah.
(0:58:49) Al: I think it’s just you have a space or you don’t have a space, right?
(0:58:52) Kev: Yeah, but here’s the thing.
(0:58:54) Kev: So it’s under the collections, the customizability stuff, right?
(0:58:58) Kev: The question that I have, and it clearly says, okay, you need to clear a certain puzzle to unlock this spouse candidate or whatever in your thing.
(0:59:10) Kev: The question I have is, if you pick one, are you locked in?
(0:59:14) Kev: Or can you change them?
(0:59:14) Al: Oh, surely you can change it. My guess is you unlock them the same way you’re like unlocking
(0:59:19) Al: the monsters, right? Like there’s a nonogram that if you complete it, then you can marry this
(0:59:20) Kev: Yeah, that’s what I guess to.
(0:59:25) Al: person. But I can’t see why. When everything else is optional, everything else is customizable,
(0:59:26) Kev: Yeah.
(0:59:30) Kev: Oh, I agree.
(0:59:31) Al: there’s no way they’ll lock you in, right?
(0:59:32) Kev: I most likely, but still, the thought of where you can only pick one, that is a fun thought.
(0:59:40) Kev: The fear of that choice, but you’re probably right.
(0:59:42) Kev: It’s probably just changeable whenever.
(0:59:44) Kev: So, you know, divorce and remarry as much as you want, I guess.
(0:59:48) Al: Especially as you’ll be meeting them slowly over time, right?
(0:59:52) Kev: Yeah.
(0:59:52) Al: So like, imagine you find one and you’re like, “Oh yeah, let’s marry this one.”
(0:59:56) Al: And then you meet someone who you’re like, “Oh, no, I should have waited.
(0:59:59) Al: Oh, no.”
(1:00:00) Al: I mean, that’s just life, right?
(1:00:02) Kev: Exactly!
(1:00:02) Al: Like, you settle for the first person in the co- That is not, just in case people assume
(1:00:08) Al: that is not my feeling towards my wife, I love my wife.
(1:00:10) Kev: It’s, I mean, what is marriage but the toy story throwing away what do you mean?
(1:00:13) Al: Just want to make that clear.
(1:00:20) Al: Oh my, what a way to end this section.
(1:00:26) Kev: See, this is how good the pixel cross rune factory is.
(1:00:32) Kev: It’s led us to this.
(1:00:34) Al: All right, last chance to bring anything up about the game.
(1:00:36) Kev: Oh, I can’t think of anything else.
(1:00:40) Kev: Yeah, no.
(1:00:41) Al: Okay, I guess we got to finish on then. You would recommend this to people, right?
(1:00:46) Al: That’s not a question. If you like an honor grand game, it’s a good one. Go for it.
(1:01:10) Kev: And, like, one thing I’ll say, again, all these are background elements or whatnot, right?
(1:01:14) Kev: But how they translate, quote-unquote, “translate” all those elements into this collection game.
(1:01:20) Kev: Like, it’s impressive, really.
(1:01:24) Kev: Just the care that went into it and whatnot.
(1:01:26) Kev: So, good for you, Pixel Cross people. You did a good job.
(1:01:32) Al: For sure all right. Well, thank you for joining me Kevin. Where can people find you on the internet?
(1:01:37) Kev: you all for having me on um if you want to find me on the interwebs um you can find me
(1:01:43) Kev: at cupa prez on blue sky or at the artist squared uh if you want to see my art that I have posted
(1:01:49) Kev: i’ll get to it you can’t exist that was a good first step and I got it and I i have been making
(1:01:54) Kev: a lot of art I just not even posting it i’m very bad about that um yeah yeah classic indeed um you
(1:01:58) Al: - Yeah, classic.
(1:02:02) Kev: can also find me over at rainbow road radio uh friend erg ship bluh how poor
(1:02:08) Kev: show I do with mutual friend alex where we talk about all things mario um we in case people
(1:02:14) Kev: didn’t hear we have alex has had to dial it down because he’s at other stuff pop up we are kind of
(1:02:21) Kev: monthly right now we haven’t exactly hard set the the schedule whenever we have the time uh basically
(1:02:23) Al: You’re whenever you have the time slash have something to talk about.
(1:02:29) Kev: yeah well see here’s the thing alex wants to keep playing the games he wants to
(1:02:34) Kev: more or less focus, make the episodes when we have a game.
(1:02:37) Kev: We’re both playing Mario Odyssey still, we’re doing the Sand Kingdom or whatever so that you
(1:02:51) Kev: know that will come out relatively, we don’t have it, I don’t know the date right now, but we are
(1:02:58) Kev: working on that. The other aspect of it and you know how I’m gonna mess up the idea right,
(1:03:07) Kev: we, when we talked about this, I wanted to keep it going as much as I could right, but I also knew
(1:03:15) Kev: my time is very, very severely limited. So that’s why I’d never edited episodes or whatever.
(1:03:23) Kev: We recorded an episode that has not been released because I have not been able to edit it. It’s been
(1:03:31) Kev: at least two weeks. And then worst of all, like I mentioned earlier, my computer died,
(1:03:36) Kev: including…
(1:03:38) Kev: including the files before the set episode.
(1:03:41) Kev: So now that’s gonna take even longer.
(1:03:43) Kev: But anyways, that’s just some inside baseball for folks.
(1:03:48) Kev: But there’s still other episodes of that and there are more coming out.
(1:03:52) Kev: So do tune in.
(1:03:54) Kev: It is still a great time when we do record and bring out an episode.
(1:03:57) Kev: That is again Rainbow Road Radio on all your podcast platforms and all that.
(1:04:01) Kev: What about you, Al? Where do people find you?
(1:04:06) Al: Yeah, well, find me here on this podcast. Or if you want to follow me on social media,
(1:04:08) Kev: Okay.
(1:04:11) Al: I’m @thescotbot on maston.scot and on Blue Sky. You can find the podcast on Tumblr and
(1:04:17) Al: on Blue Sky at THSPod. You can find our website, harvestseasons.club, where you can send us
(1:04:25) Al: feedback and you can also, yeah, if you’ve got questions, if you have an opinion on anything
(1:04:26) Kev: Ask us questions.
(1:04:32) Al: we’ve talked about, you can send it there or you can comment on.
(1:04:36) Al: Spotify, apparently. You can also find links to everything to do with the podcast on the website,
(1:04:42) Al: including a link to our Patreon, patreon.com/thspod, where you can find bonus episodes of the podcast.
(1:04:50) Al: Me and Kevin, a couple of weeks ago, just did one reaction to the Pokemon Presents,
(1:04:57) Al: and we’ll have some more coming soon.
(1:04:59) Kev: Yeah, I mean
(1:05:02) Kev: There’s a couple I’ve we’ve got set dates. We’ve talked about we haven’t actually done but
(1:05:09) Kev: Bug you about that later
(1:05:11) Kev: But yeah, the Pokemon presents. I love man. I you know, we should have
(1:05:17) Kev: We should have gone back and listened to our predictions episode to see how we did
(1:05:21) Kev: We didn’t even think about doing that. But yeah, you get the before and after the presents
(1:05:28) Al: And you can also get access to our Slack, where people chat about lots of things.
(1:05:33) Al: Yeah, I think that’s everything. Thank you, Kevin, again, for joining me.
(1:05:36) Kev: Thank y’all for having me on, and good harvests!
(1:05:37) Al: Thank you, listeners, for listening. And until next time, have a good harvest.
(1:05:40) Theme Tune: The harvest season is created by Al McKinlay, with support from our patrons, including our
(1:05:51) Theme Tune: pro farmers Kevin, Stuart and Alisa.
(1:05:54) Theme Tune: Our art is done by Micah the Brave and our music is done by Nick Burgess.
(1:05:59) Theme Tune: Feel free to visit our website harvestseason.club for show notes and links to things we discussed
(1:06:05) Theme Tune: in this episode.
(1:06:14) Kev: Ooh, let’s think of a nonogram joke.
(1:06:18) Kev: I didn’t think of one, but bye, everyone.
(1:06:24) Al: can think of nonogram jokes, that didn’t really work grammatically.
(1:06:26) Kev: Yeah, that’s correct, all right

The Harvest Season

Nonogram Jokes

Timings

Links

Contact

Transcript