Sharkyland
Feb 13, 2005, 05:43 PM
Someone asked me how I started out in challenge mode, here is my reply...
- Episode I:
As I started out in cmode, you wouldn't believe the amount of time my teammates and I have failed a challenge stage. We failed it so many times that my friends and I started to know where to go. Yes there were a few ppl who knew the way and helped us, but we were just following them not really memorizing. One thing I got to realize that certain stages of cmode are very similar to those that in regular mode. Once you project where the start and finish you begin to see what I'm talking about but there are a few stages that are unique. I usually memorize Episode I that way and I have failed probably each stage 20 times. Though most of us were really concentrated on finishing rather than doing it on a good time because we could shave our time later on. Now-a-days, I seem sorta confident in beating most of the stages without a FO... all you need is the 2nd substitute FO, the HUnewearl, and some luck hoping there is resta near the beginning for e1c7 to c9. There were eventually times where I was the HUnewearl and I had to FO. Though one thing you MUST realize in Episode I is the fact that you shouldn't worry about your time. Sure you can have an endless nightmare in one room increase the time way out of f!ck. I have seen the worse and the best e1 cmode times, and there isn't really and average you are following. If you really need a good time, tell your teammates and designate one person to pick up the items (also clarify boss strategies and who should get what wpn).
- now when you are in e1c5, and you finally get through having each room being an endless nightmare and you reach the last floor at 90+ minutes, then there is something you should be worried about (usually anything less than 40 is an okay number to give you an estimate, ppl always ask me if this is a good time because people get kinda jealous off some TAers (or close to TAers) time. Hell probably with a little luck you can get under 7 hours. (One of my Hunewearls has a time of 6'59"55. Talking about cutting it close.)
- Episode II
Now for Episodes II, it was almost the same story... we have failed it many times. I remember when we didn't know how to conserve our mates that well and lost to each of the bosses. It wasn't later until I learned that e2c1 and e2c2 could be done without a FO. I have done a complete run of e2c3 and man that stage is freaking as.s long x.x I remember going through it and we spent like 90 minutes for that stage, but we kinda slaughtered Gal since we were so high lvled and our items were uber powerful from what we found. I've played ep2 so much that I know where the enemies are going to appear it's quite odd that I know it and I can see what some TAers prefer ep1 better because now you know what enemies appear where and all you need to rely is on the FO and the wpns you get in the stage. Episode I is so random in the number of waves the enemies come in.
---
Hmm, I've helped a huge variety of people: new people (n00bs) to experts (experts usually don't require help unless its something that they didn't know about). Before the stage I usually tell what ppl are going to expect what wpn is best, what materials go to what person, what type is the final boss (n ab m or d), explain terminology I use (1mf, 1m, 2d, 2$, 40ab 50h hg, etc) and so forth.
Some of the n00bs I do help because when you get to a stage you realize sometimes you can't find a team yourself and you're like why isn't anyone on? I sometimes do tag along with them until they need that certain stage that I need and then I switch characters. I'll help anyone no matter what class you are, but I seriously think we need a FO for e2c3, e2c4, and e2c5. If you are good, you really don't need a FO for he other stages. It's reccomended but not quite.
---
Hmm, anything else?
- Yes, I have played with new japanese players. Communicating with them is very difficult sometimes, but certain phrases in word select do help. Like for instance "yes I found a healing ring" (is a good way to show you have found a ring)... "run away!" (good way to tell them to run away from the gal gryphon stomp), "hey I found a shortcut, follow me" and other various phrases. I can communicate a little bit in japanese, but I don't know that much to survive if I was living in japan though with my hobby in comics, anime, and video games, I would love to learn the language.
- I do love cmode even if we fail. Some of you I know are worried about failing, and it's a part of life and yes I do sometimes complain about the time wasted on cmode. I am also a busy person. I do work now FT. I also have friends that I do want to play with too (I do get a bit fed up if I'm asked several times in a day when we are doing cmode). Let me tell you ONE THING, I may coordinate cmode BUT if I CANNOT find a team, it doesn't me you have the right to tell me to find one. I do remember who needs what but one major problem is that I have 4 memory cards so I may not have you when I need to contact you.
- In Episode II, please remember that in stage e2c2 and e2c4 that players #1 and #3, and #2 and #4 are together. Please split your team according to plan and try to keep one person who knows where to go in each team.
- If you have ever noticed, I usually don't take any materials or some sort. I don't see much of a difference for def and evd, but if I'm the class that is required to use it I will use them. I also do not feed my mag except in certain stages.
Newcomers to cmode:
- PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE. If you need to talk, mail, OR even go afk for a bit, do not stand in the middle of the room where there is a bunch of enemies. Go to the hallway to where you are safe. I have failed certain cmodes just because someone stands out talking about something to another friend. I type pretty fast so I don't have to worry about that and I watch my radar very carefully.
- If you are new to a stage, please do not wander off. Sure there might be items, and in fact there might be traps and monsters (and there can be hidden warps). Usually I know what to do and you can follow me if you want. I also put items that I don't need at the door to the next room.
- try to use mates when you are either too far from the FO or you can survive the next attack from the enemy, but keep it at some number so you don't accidently die... I have kept my life low but enough to survive a regular attack and then I find myself getting criticaled and I die. Heck, it happens.
- Try not to hog all the wpns. I usually keep one that is good for me and will drop the others later, but if I'm comfortable using one wpn, then I will use it almost throughout the stage. Give a me a good hit for a hune, and I can almost go through the stage unscratched I love the infinites that the female characters have sometimes when they have a good high hit % wpn (weak hard, walk away a bit, weak hard etc).
---
Enemies I hate:
- Wolves & monkeys, I fukking hate wolves.
---
Some japanese phrases I can type:
- "sukoshi (little) nihongo (japanese) wakarimasu (I understand)" [I understand little japanese.]
- "boku wa (I am) gaijin (foreigner) desu" [I am a foreigner.]
- "nigeru" [run]
- "yamete" [stop it]
- "ryoukai" [I understand]
- "hai" [yes]
- "iie" [no]
- "ii desu ka?" [Is it okay?]
- "daijobu ka?" [Are you okay?]
- "daijobu desu." [I'm okay.]
- "arigato." [Thank you.]
- "doo itashimashite." [You're welcome.]
- "sumiimasen." [I'm sorry. or Thank you for your trouble.]
- "shitureshimasu." [Excuse me.]
- "onegai." [Please.]
- "gomen nasai." [I'm sorry.]
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Sharkyland on 2005-02-14 22:21 ]</font>
- Episode I:
As I started out in cmode, you wouldn't believe the amount of time my teammates and I have failed a challenge stage. We failed it so many times that my friends and I started to know where to go. Yes there were a few ppl who knew the way and helped us, but we were just following them not really memorizing. One thing I got to realize that certain stages of cmode are very similar to those that in regular mode. Once you project where the start and finish you begin to see what I'm talking about but there are a few stages that are unique. I usually memorize Episode I that way and I have failed probably each stage 20 times. Though most of us were really concentrated on finishing rather than doing it on a good time because we could shave our time later on. Now-a-days, I seem sorta confident in beating most of the stages without a FO... all you need is the 2nd substitute FO, the HUnewearl, and some luck hoping there is resta near the beginning for e1c7 to c9. There were eventually times where I was the HUnewearl and I had to FO. Though one thing you MUST realize in Episode I is the fact that you shouldn't worry about your time. Sure you can have an endless nightmare in one room increase the time way out of f!ck. I have seen the worse and the best e1 cmode times, and there isn't really and average you are following. If you really need a good time, tell your teammates and designate one person to pick up the items (also clarify boss strategies and who should get what wpn).
- now when you are in e1c5, and you finally get through having each room being an endless nightmare and you reach the last floor at 90+ minutes, then there is something you should be worried about (usually anything less than 40 is an okay number to give you an estimate, ppl always ask me if this is a good time because people get kinda jealous off some TAers (or close to TAers) time. Hell probably with a little luck you can get under 7 hours. (One of my Hunewearls has a time of 6'59"55. Talking about cutting it close.)
- Episode II
Now for Episodes II, it was almost the same story... we have failed it many times. I remember when we didn't know how to conserve our mates that well and lost to each of the bosses. It wasn't later until I learned that e2c1 and e2c2 could be done without a FO. I have done a complete run of e2c3 and man that stage is freaking as.s long x.x I remember going through it and we spent like 90 minutes for that stage, but we kinda slaughtered Gal since we were so high lvled and our items were uber powerful from what we found. I've played ep2 so much that I know where the enemies are going to appear it's quite odd that I know it and I can see what some TAers prefer ep1 better because now you know what enemies appear where and all you need to rely is on the FO and the wpns you get in the stage. Episode I is so random in the number of waves the enemies come in.
---
Hmm, I've helped a huge variety of people: new people (n00bs) to experts (experts usually don't require help unless its something that they didn't know about). Before the stage I usually tell what ppl are going to expect what wpn is best, what materials go to what person, what type is the final boss (n ab m or d), explain terminology I use (1mf, 1m, 2d, 2$, 40ab 50h hg, etc) and so forth.
Some of the n00bs I do help because when you get to a stage you realize sometimes you can't find a team yourself and you're like why isn't anyone on? I sometimes do tag along with them until they need that certain stage that I need and then I switch characters. I'll help anyone no matter what class you are, but I seriously think we need a FO for e2c3, e2c4, and e2c5. If you are good, you really don't need a FO for he other stages. It's reccomended but not quite.
---
Hmm, anything else?
- Yes, I have played with new japanese players. Communicating with them is very difficult sometimes, but certain phrases in word select do help. Like for instance "yes I found a healing ring" (is a good way to show you have found a ring)... "run away!" (good way to tell them to run away from the gal gryphon stomp), "hey I found a shortcut, follow me" and other various phrases. I can communicate a little bit in japanese, but I don't know that much to survive if I was living in japan though with my hobby in comics, anime, and video games, I would love to learn the language.
- I do love cmode even if we fail. Some of you I know are worried about failing, and it's a part of life and yes I do sometimes complain about the time wasted on cmode. I am also a busy person. I do work now FT. I also have friends that I do want to play with too (I do get a bit fed up if I'm asked several times in a day when we are doing cmode). Let me tell you ONE THING, I may coordinate cmode BUT if I CANNOT find a team, it doesn't me you have the right to tell me to find one. I do remember who needs what but one major problem is that I have 4 memory cards so I may not have you when I need to contact you.
- In Episode II, please remember that in stage e2c2 and e2c4 that players #1 and #3, and #2 and #4 are together. Please split your team according to plan and try to keep one person who knows where to go in each team.
- If you have ever noticed, I usually don't take any materials or some sort. I don't see much of a difference for def and evd, but if I'm the class that is required to use it I will use them. I also do not feed my mag except in certain stages.
Newcomers to cmode:
- PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE. If you need to talk, mail, OR even go afk for a bit, do not stand in the middle of the room where there is a bunch of enemies. Go to the hallway to where you are safe. I have failed certain cmodes just because someone stands out talking about something to another friend. I type pretty fast so I don't have to worry about that and I watch my radar very carefully.
- If you are new to a stage, please do not wander off. Sure there might be items, and in fact there might be traps and monsters (and there can be hidden warps). Usually I know what to do and you can follow me if you want. I also put items that I don't need at the door to the next room.
- try to use mates when you are either too far from the FO or you can survive the next attack from the enemy, but keep it at some number so you don't accidently die... I have kept my life low but enough to survive a regular attack and then I find myself getting criticaled and I die. Heck, it happens.
- Try not to hog all the wpns. I usually keep one that is good for me and will drop the others later, but if I'm comfortable using one wpn, then I will use it almost throughout the stage. Give a me a good hit for a hune, and I can almost go through the stage unscratched I love the infinites that the female characters have sometimes when they have a good high hit % wpn (weak hard, walk away a bit, weak hard etc).
---
Enemies I hate:
- Wolves & monkeys, I fukking hate wolves.
---
Some japanese phrases I can type:
- "sukoshi (little) nihongo (japanese) wakarimasu (I understand)" [I understand little japanese.]
- "boku wa (I am) gaijin (foreigner) desu" [I am a foreigner.]
- "nigeru" [run]
- "yamete" [stop it]
- "ryoukai" [I understand]
- "hai" [yes]
- "iie" [no]
- "ii desu ka?" [Is it okay?]
- "daijobu ka?" [Are you okay?]
- "daijobu desu." [I'm okay.]
- "arigato." [Thank you.]
- "doo itashimashite." [You're welcome.]
- "sumiimasen." [I'm sorry. or Thank you for your trouble.]
- "shitureshimasu." [Excuse me.]
- "onegai." [Please.]
- "gomen nasai." [I'm sorry.]
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Sharkyland on 2005-02-14 22:21 ]</font>