Topic: Episode 221: Prelude to Epicness

[Yoshidious]

We sneak in one more podcast before the big event and discuss The World Ends With You.

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/rfn/24488

We recorded this show on Black Friday, but it's not about Thanksgiving, shopping, or even football. We start with an extended preview of the big upcoming charity event, RFN: Doin' It Live... For the Kids! Find out what to expect on this epic live podcast, and why we're supporting Child's Play.

The second part is devoted to our RetroActive feature, with the initial discussion of The World Ends With You. This is one of the most interesting games yet for RetroActive, and indeed, it's probably one of the most unusual games ever made. Mysterious, complex, and eventually very satisfying, this is an RPG unlike anything you've seen before. Although Jon couldn't make it to record this week, we even have some comments from him in absentia.

[greybrick]

Why does Greg hate friendship?

That aspect of TWEWY's story annoyed me as well, especially since the game uses headphones to symbolize an anti-social personality. I usually have headphones, or at least an earbud in, and it certainly doesn't mean I don't understand, as Greg put it, "the value of friendship."

[Kytim89]

I use something called Magic Jack for long distance communication, so would it be possible to phone into your live chat using it?

[Killer_Man_Jaro]

Enjoyed the RetroActive discussion, as always. I'm willing the give the rest of the game the benefit of the doubt, though you are absolutely right in saying that The World Ends With You does not leave a good first impression. I played a friend's copy probably for 25 minutes back when the game was new, and the controls infuriated me to no end. It was very much as you described - in battle, the game constantly confused movement and the Flame attack. If they're going to do touch-screen controls, they need to work hard to differentiate the stylus inputs. Phantom Hourglass was released around the same time, and that demonstrated how this style of controls is done properly. I also remember getting annoyed with all the text, not necessarily because of Neku's (sp?) anti-social dialogue, but rather that there was too much. I suppose a lot of Square RPGs suffer from that, to be fair.

[KDR_11k]

Isn't the XP bonus for not playing limited to one week with exponentially decreasing gains?

[broodwars]

So to get the .mp3 version of the Live show, we pretty much have to donate?  Yeah, sure I'll do it and I can understand why you wouldn't just put it up on the main site due to size issues, but I'm not sure I care for the precedent that sets. 
 
*Inserts Greg response about doing the show for free, so "you'll pay for the Live show and like it!"    *

[Yoshidious]

I'd actually put it this way: "you'll give money to benefit ill children and like it!" I guess it's up to each person whether or not they consider this to be setting a dangerous precedent for the future; charity, as you know, is like gravity--all it takes is a little push...

[greybrick]

I'd actually put it this way: "you'll give money to benefit ill children and like it!" I guess it's up to each person whether or not they consider this to be setting a dangerous precedent for the future; charity, as you know, is like gravity--all it takes is a little push...

During the podcast, it did at first sound like the money was going to NWR. Mostly because Jonny mentioned the extra bandwidth costs, and that people would pay to offset it. It doesn't immediately follow that the money will be a donation.

[Yoshidious]

During the podcast, it did at first sound like the money was going to NWR. Mostly because Jonny mentioned the extra bandwidth costs, and that people would pay to offset it. It doesn't immediately follow that the money will be a donation.

Having edited the episode, I can confirm that Jonny said we will make recordings of the live show "available to anyone who donates" prior to mentioning the additional bandwidth costs and so forth. So, while obviously I can't argue with the fact that you heard it that way Nathan, I think Jonny made it very clear that he was talking about money going to Child's Play even before discussing the logisitical and cost reasons for limiting the availability of the recordings.

[Jonnyboy117]

There are two reasons we are thinking of making the recording available only to those who donate:


1. It may encourage more people to donate to Child's Play!


2. We are a bit concerned about the impact of an 8+ hour MP3 download spread over our entire 5000+ strong audience. RFN is already one of the biggest bandwidth drains on the NWR server. Limiting the number of downloads of this especially large show to people who really want it will help us to avoid a massive hosting bill that we can't pay.


Also, let me reiterate that we are making no guarantees about the availability or quality of this recording. It's a live show and many things could go wrong. Recording the stream is completely different than how we do normal shows, and we're not sure the technology will work or produce acceptable results.

[greybrick]

During the podcast, it did at first sound like the money was going to NWR. Mostly because Jonny mentioned the extra bandwidth costs, and that people would pay to offset it. It doesn't immediately follow that the money will be a donation.

Having edited the episode, I can confirm that Jonny said we will make recordings of the live show "available to anyone who donates" prior to mentioning the additional bandwidth costs and so forth. So, while obviously I can't argue with the fact that you heard it that way Nathan, I think Jonny made it very clear that he was talking about money going to Child's Play even before discussing the logisitical and cost reasons for limiting the availability of the recordings.

Now that Jonny clarified that the access-via-donation is simply a way to limit server drain the whole thing makes a little more sense. I had thought that the plan was just to encourage more donations; the dual purpose makes even more sense.

I did realize that Jonny wasn't asking people to send money to NWR shortly after the original conversation started Greg, I was just pointing out how someone who didn't listen quite as closely may have become confused.

[RagnaBlade]

I disagree with how the game mechanics were portrayed, I really do not believe the game is as complex as everyone makes it out to be. Many of the aspects that seem convoluted are not necessary, if you don't want to bother with the light puck or fashion you do not have to. I didn't even find the game all that confusing, the mechanics made everything more rewarding, and it makes me really want a sequel.

[RagnaBlade]

Also, everyone should calm down about the recording of the live show. The kind of fortitude it takes to do something like that... It's nothing to scoff at. And you are helping suffering children. So, everyone just be nice. Everyone acts like entitled children because this is the internet and RFN is customarily free. But help some kids, ok? Please? I'm broke, in college, and 19, and I'll try to contribute. By the by, is paypal the only way to contribute? I have a debit card, but I have no idea how this stuff works.


And sorry if I sound like a self-righteous prick.


And thanks for all you do, RFN crew!

[tyrian3]

I already wanted to donate something, because it's a very cool thing to support Child's Play and the idea of a live podcast is a great one. If you make the show available to donators the chance I'll be donating go as high as 101%
for the bandwidth couldn't you use an external server (like megaupload or something like that) and avoid to stress NWR's own server?

[GregLover5000]

My love for The World Ends With You is profound. It took me a couple of attempts to get into just because it's so complicated -- I had to force myself to stick with it, and now it's probably my favorite DS title of all time, up there with Elite Beat Agents.
 
I love the art style. (If concept art interests you at all, there's an official WEWY deviant art page.) I love the soundtrack and bought it from iTunes. I love the story; there are some amazing "Who shot JR?" cliffhanger day-ends. I even had fun buying food and clothing. Even not playing it was fun -- I loved carrying around the DS in sleep mode and "mingling." The one thing I don't love is Tin Pin Slammer; I'm unspeakably bad at it.
 
But yeah, it's a WEWY lovefest at my house.
 
 

[RPGamer]

Greg's commentary on the friendship themes were priceless. I was laughing for a good minute or so afterward.

By the way, what was the boss in FF4 that Greg couldn't beat? It seems so out of character for him to give up on a challenge.

[syn4aptik]

FIRST POST!  Hey guys, I love the podcast and this episode inspired me to 1) finally create a user account for the site and 2) make a donation to Child's Play.  I hope you can reach your goal.  I will be letting my friend's know they should donate

I played TWEWY a long time ago and admit that I forgot a lot of details about the game.  But I just wanted to say a few things.  First, I love the music! Yeah, it is weird J-pop, but I really like the quirkiness and the quality of the compression is fantastic for a DS game...so much so that I was blown away when I first heard it.  Second, I really got into the pin-collecting and combat.  It is tricky (I think patting your head and rubbing your stomach is a good analogy), but once you get the hang of it, it is addictive.  Did you mention that certain pin sets give you special attacks and bonuses?  I really liked that aspect of the battle system.  Finally, don't get too hung up on the stereotypical characters just yet.  The plot gets surprisingly clever for a JRPG without being "too" clever (JRPG veterans will know what I mean by that), and the characters do mellow out a bit and grow on you.

[NWR_Lindy]

RFN Live was epic.  We raised a ton of money ($2000+) and even though we didn't make our goal, we now have a benchmark to shoot for if we do it again next year!

WHOOOO!

[Sundoulos]

I'm glad to hear that you guys will do it again!   Armed with that knowledge, I'll be sure to put aside some  potential donation money for next year.   

I'm sorry that the goal wasn't met, but it's $2000 more that will go to a good cause.   

[Yoshidious]

By the way, what was the boss in FF4 that Greg couldn't beat? It seems so out of character for him to give up on a challenge.

Who says I've given up? I'm just taking a (very very extended) breather. One day...I'll get that Golbez when he least expects it...