Okay, I'm still figuring out how to do this whole "selling" thing, so apologies for any bugs; but even though I don't have a store, you can now grab the Last Boss's Black Mugs, as well as a box of Funbun t-shirts in both long and short sizes (modelled here and here by our glamorous assistant Mir, on location at the scenic Obscure Sandbox), for 50L each by pinging Jakuri Halostar in Second Life. Hopefully. Maybe. I will try to actually make this work.
Install ports coming soon, perhaps? XD
Letra - Eldharia ~Inori Saku Mori~
2 months ago
24 comments:
*shock!* It took me a while to make the connection between Funbuns and those Obonnu... Things. Who knew that's what Funbuns looked like once they've been opened up?
That smirk on Mir's face is cute. ^_^ She looks as cozy as can be, with everything a Reyvateil would possibly want in the way of simple pleasures. Music, a hot drink (kept eternally warm by her own WRATH), and a cute mascot.
Placeholder Hymmnos look-alike glyphs on her arms are neat too~. Most Reyvateils, at least Third Generations, seem to have an aversion to tattoos, but I think they'd be a fashionable complement to install ports. Especially if the ink glows in the same colour.
Actually, I believe that in AT1, if you stare at the image of Funbuns closely enough you can see that they're in fact in those little bird-shapes. I believe that Obonnu was the Japanese word used for Funbun....
That said, their appearance does cause me to associate them with Peeps. And I find the concept of Peeps a little worrying/disturbing, somehow.
She really does have all that she needs! Soft, fluffy, warm clothing, warmth, music... and if she wants to, she can go fly up out of there and find a cloud to curl up on. And nowhere's ever cold in SL.
I think matching swirly, flowy, abstract (or Hymmnos) tattoos in the colour of an install port-- particularly ones that glowed-- would be quite a beautiful concept for body art, yes. Especially if the install port were in a central/symmetrical location, then the whole ensemble would look quite balanced....
As for the look on her face, she sort of constantly has that little smirk. It's part of the way SL renders avatars; it's hard to get them to not have huge, supermodelesque full lips and not look like they're smirking/pouting. Which is annoying at times, though also somewhat appropriate for Mir. (I kind of do like the WRATH in her eyes in the first pic, too.)
My monitor's resolution-scaling-interpolation blurs small details into obscurity, so it's entirely possible that Funbuns actually do look like that, yes. It looked like a little flame of passion on my screen... Doesn't "Funbun" sound like a kind of bread? Like the thing in Chinese restaurants where a sweet filling is wrapped in Pom-shaped containers... Which may not be "bread", strictly speaking. Dough?
So cute~! *has never seen Peeps before*
An asymmetrically located install port can be nice too. Imagine a trace of lines and curves flowing out from it, extending from the tips of the port itself to reach an encompass crosses, circles, rivers... It'll be like a map of expressions, reaching out from different origins to map each individual as uniquely as the symphonic direction of their songs.
Doesn't "Funbun" sound like a kind of bread? Like the thing in Chinese restaurants where a sweet filling is wrapped in Pom-shaped containers... Which may not be "bread", strictly speaking. Dough?
Hey, I know those. (And "Pom-shaped containers"... I never thought of them like that before, but you're right! I wonder if that's what Poms were based on.)
So cute~! *has never seen Peeps before*
I think
An asymmetrically located install port can be nice too. Imagine a trace of lines and curves flowing out from it, extending from the tips of the port itself to reach an encompass crosses, circles, rivers... It'll be like a map of expressions, reaching out from different origins to map each individual as uniquely as the symphonic direction of their songs.
Awww. That's a fascinating image, and such a beautiful way to have put it... you make me want to draw/portray a Reyvateil covered with elaborate glyphs and designs, now. :)
I think I only partially finished that comment. Eheh. Anyway, I was trying to say that I think the fact that so many people have done videos, photoshoots, etc. of cruel and unfortunate things being done to Peeps and put them online kind of makes me squicked by them now. Also possibly the fact that they resemble tiny little baby birds....
... People torture Peeps for fun? Marshmallow chicks? ... I'm not sure what to say to that. Except, maybe, that they ought to find outlets for their aggression that don't deliberately shock other people.
And "Pom-shaped containers"... I never thought of them like that before, but you're right! I wonder if that's what Poms were based on.
They do sort of look like they were pulled into that shape and closed at the top, right? Hehe. I wonder if Poms taste that sweet on the inside, too... I kind of wonder what kind of metabolic process would allow them to produce such a filling within themselves. And where their other vital organs are. There isn't much room between the filling and that round package. Maybe when they eat, some of their filling leaks out, comes into contact with the object being eaten, and... Virally transforms it. Into more filling. So if one bites onto your hand, you're not only imagining that you can't seem to wash the smell off...
Awww. That's a fascinating image, and such a beautiful way to have put it... you make me want to draw/portray a Reyvateil covered with elaborate glyphs and designs, now. :)
^_^ I'm sure it will be a beautiful portrayal.
Except, maybe, that they ought to find outlets for their aggression that don't deliberately shock other people.
I think the key word is deliberately... they do intend to shock with it. But yes, I very much agree that it should Not Be Done.
[Poms]
That is... so creative I don't actually have words for it. XD
Also, you're now making me actually want those Chinese sweet buns with the pinched-together tops....
^_^ I'm sure it will be a beautiful portrayal.
Well, I'm not a great artist. But I can try to edit photos in Photoshop, at least....
This has absolutely nothing to do with SL or Jakuri's black mug/Funbuns, but I was replaying the airship-fixing scene yesterday, and you can see Lyra's tail in her little sprite, but only if you know to look for it. You can't see Flute's or Jack's, though-- both have enough long clothing to cover it.
Also, now I want steamed lotus buns.
I think this discussion has made everybody hungry for awesome food. ^^
Also, you can! And it's extremely adorable! Or at least I think so. I really love the detail on the sprites for AT; it's sort of hard to appreciate unless you see them close up, but they are so terribly cute and well-done. (I am really quite disappointed that Mir is not in this spriteset, though; we never get to see her sprite terribly clearly. Nor is there chibi art of her in any of the artbooks even though there's art of some pretty minor characters. So unloved.)
Eh!? Jack and Flute have tails!?
I think this thread explains it all, Thunder.
The sprites are so well done, a couple of people look better in sprite form than in rendered form... Falss looks more attentive and less arrogant as a sprite. (I guess that makes him OOC, but still. XD)
Tastiella's eyes are really, really cute in sprite form.
Dive Shop Guy looks even more mad sciencey from close-up. <3
Misha looks a bit nicer as a sprite, too... I'm not sure why, but she's kind of intimidating in full size. So much more resourceful than you'll ever be, so eager to get ahead, and everything... She has her reasons, and she isn't always like that, but the impression I have of her gives off that kind of vibe. Sprite Misha is okay, though. ^_^
I am really quite disappointed that Mir is not in this spriteset, though; we never get to see her sprite terribly clearly.
She only appears twice in the entire story where she isn't hidden behind armour or curled up into a ball... Rrha, so little time spent being herself. There's even an extra spot in the second-last row of sprites, so she could easily have been included. Though I guess, not exactly at that angle.
There's chibi-art of Jakuri, but, hmm. I want to see her more at peace than that.
Falss looks more attentive and less arrogant as a sprite. (I guess that makes him OOC, but still. XD)
I always rather liked the idea that Falss actually believed that Mir could help the world and was hoping to... well, gain power by being associated with her through it, but it's hard to imagine he exactly believed Mir was going to do what she did, given that that would have necessarily entailed his own destruction.
Tastiella's eyes are really, really cute in sprite form.
They are! Tastiella is in general adorable. And I always wanted to know what the dragon was about... since she's only a projection, presumably it's part of her. I wonder why she has it. So curious.
Dive Shop Guy looks even more mad sciencey from close-up. <3
...lol, he... kinda does. I never actually noticed, but he is clearly being this huge nerd stereotype. Which is a little worrying given that the specific male-otaku stereotype that's being played off here is not one typically represented as being thoughtful or kind towards women....
Though I guess, not exactly at that angle.
Hm... I wonder if a Mir sprite was ever designed for all angles. Since we do only see her from the front, maybe not. Maybe that's why she's not here. Poor thing.
I always rather liked the idea that Falss actually believed that Mir could help the world and was hoping to... well, gain power by being associated with her through it
He took the wrong approach to it. It was shown numerous times that the world, and Falss himself, was not prepared to understand Mir. She was feared (virus outbreak), reviled (defeating her before she grows stronger, leading to Phase 3 bad ending), and enslaved (Second Era, Falss). Bringing Mir into the world prematurely harmed her more than it helped her.
Falss fell for the archetypical demon summoner scenario. He didn't intend to cooperate; he wanted power to rule over everything. Does anyone seriously believe they can single-handedly run a world?
Tastiella is in general adorable. And I always wanted to know what the dragon was about... since she's only a projection, presumably it's part of her. I wonder why she has it. So curious.
Maybe the dragon can exist independently? Even if it doesn't... It could be a dragon cub that she took care of in life, so she keeps an image of it with her as a companion. If she has an active imagination, that cub could be a good friend... I'm sure she gets lonely a lot on guard duty.
I never actually noticed, but he is clearly being this huge nerd stereotype. Which is a little worrying given that the specific male-otaku stereotype that's being played off here is not one typically represented as being thoughtful or kind towards women....
I don't know, slightly socially-inept people with good intentions but an inability to express them properly have their own kind of charm. I don't think he's a threatening male-otaku stereotype.
He must be certified in Reyvateil psychology and be well-versed with the technicalities behind diving and downloading, at least, so he would need to have a degree of genuine interest in Reyvateils. I'm hoping that his interest manifests as kindness rather than a sick desire to experiment on unwilling subjects. There are probably rules against that? Analogous to the Hippocratic Oath.
Hm... I wonder if a Mir sprite was ever designed for all angles. Since we do only see her from the front, maybe not. Maybe that's why she's not here. Poor thing.
Yeah... I'm sure even Mir has her moments of modesty. Facing forward all the time must be hard for her.
He took the wrong approach to it. It was shown numerous times that the world, and Falss himself, was not prepared to understand Mir.
He did, and it wasn't, but taking the wrong approach =! evil, necessarily. I don't think anyone disagrees that he did some heinous things on a number of levels. My question is whether he had good intent for the world or not, even if his means weren't justifable.
It could be a dragon cub that she took care of in life, so she keeps an image of it with her as a companion. If she has an active imagination, that cub could be a good friend... I'm sure she gets lonely a lot on guard duty.
I did wonder if it might have been something like that, yes... an image of a creature she knew in life, who maybe now serves as a mental companion. Aww.
I don't know, slightly socially-inept people with good intentions but an inability to express them properly have their own kind of charm. I don't think he's a threatening male-otaku stereotype.
Oh, I agree that otaku don't have to be threatening at all, or anything. I just do wonder if, whether it's very accurate or not, the game's developers were playing into that stereotype to make Dive Shop Guy a little creepy.
It also, like you say, makes sense to make him an otaku because he'd need to be well-versed in Reyvateil nature, and things, and possibly that's seen as an otakuish interest in that society... which would say a lot about the nature of that society, that caring about that particular species would be seen as "nerdy" or "niche". As for whether he does it for good or bad reasons, one hopes good, of course... I guess it could go either way. And he could be a harmless guy who nevertheless does it because he has a personal interest in Reyvateils but would never harm them, and things... just like you don't have to be a sex offender to be a guy who wants to work at Hooters, even if it doesn't exactly make you the nicest, deepest or most egalitarian person. There are a lot of inbetweens.
Yeah... I'm sure even Mir has her moments of modesty. Facing forward all the time must be hard for her.
...you know, I never even thought of that. Poor Mir, indeed.
Does being a "Dive Shop Guy" really require that much? I always got the impression that they were really just operating the machine. It's the person who actually does the diving who has a need for psychology...
(Actually, I remember this coming up in a discussion somewhere, people calling the cosmosphere's a "dating sim", and someone else said it's more like a psychologist sim. Really, if you want dating sim in your RPG, you're looking for "Thousand Arms"...)
Some of them seemed creepy to me and some didn't. Though I ended up doing most of my diving late in the game at the Observatory, because it's just way too convenient. (And because Mei Mei's cute. *innocent innocent*)
I have a hard time believing that Falss had good intentions. There's just too many unneccessary seeming bits of nastiness from him for it to seem right to me.
I sort of feel bad for the Poms now, though. It's a little sad thinking of them as desserts to be eaten up... (Pom guts, as much of a shame as Nyo guts...)
I imagine Mei Mei as being better at assisting with dives than any of the Dive Shop Guys, because she's close to the Tower, so she's already connected to the deepest part of a Reyvateil's Cosmosphere... (Also, I think Shurelia has to be paired with either her or Kanade, something like that, because I don't think Shurelia/person-who-has-a-life-outside-of-the-Tower really works.)
Anyone know what's up with the "It costs 700 Leafy. Which girl are you going to dive intoey? Welcome backy" thing. Was it Osaka dialect or something in the original, and they just didn't know how to localise something like that?
My question is whether he had good intent for the world or not, even if his means weren't justifable.
It is easy for a good intent, once opposed, to become an obsession. In order to succeed at what he originally set out to do at Platina, I think Falss had decided to close himself to any possibility of restoring the world that didn't involve his overall goal of reviving Mir.
He had planned everything up to the point of her revival very carefully, but he doesn't seem to have given much thought to what is to happen afterwards. He also, for decades after Platina had forgotten about him, continued to fear that he would be assassinated, and continued to harbour is old grudge. I don't think one would be able to maintain a sense of animosity for that long if they didn't have a mental fixation from which they couldn't break free.
Oh, I agree that otaku don't have to be threatening at all, or anything. I just do wonder if, whether it's very accurate or not, the game's developers were playing into that stereotype to make Dive Shop Guy a little creepy.
I don't know... I think I'd be more worried about him having grimy hands from snacking in the poorly-lit back room while performing maintenance on his machinery (and being distracted by off-topic volumes on the side), than actually mistreating a client.
He doesn't look like the sort who would interfere with a vanguard's treatment of her, either, and not for professional reasons. He may be too in admiration of vanguard who takes their role seriously, and too scared to speak up against a vanguard who mistreats her. It may be a difficult job for him to see so many people he could potentially care about come and go with him being the least of the concerns in their minds.
Anyone know what's up with the "It costs 700 Leafy. Which girl are you going to dive intoey? Welcome backy" thing.
It plays into the impression of being slightly socially-inept in a childlike enthusiast way, doesn't it? As though he's too young to be taking this job, but wanted to start doing it so badly as soon as he was legal working age.
possibly that's seen as an otakuish interest in that society... which would say a lot about the nature of that society, that caring about that particular species would be seen as "nerdy" or "niche".
Reyvateil psychology is not otaku-ish! D: In fact, psychology, generally speaking... Oh, but that's a little bit like how psychology was treated in the First Era, too. "Shrinks" and other playfully derisive terms in circulation by people who don't understand the importance of the study.
Does being a "Dive Shop Guy" really require that much? I always got the impression that they were really just operating the machine. It's the person who actually does the diving who has a need for psychology...
I don't know, the world seems to appreciate seeing certification for some silly things (blowing the dust out from inside a chassis? configuring automatic updates?)... "Throw the Switch!" Sounds like it could be one of those things...
Not that I think Reyvateils are at all simple, mind.
I imagine Mei Mei as being better at assisting with dives than any of the Dive Shop Guys, because she's close to the Tower, so she's already connected to the deepest part of a Reyvateil's Cosmosphere...
I kept forgetting that Mei Mei can assist with diving. ^^; The few times I did it were quite by accident. And those times didn't do much to help me remember. Short-term memory loss and/or disorientation after returning to the outer world? The way the Dive Shop Guys ask whether you're okay after a dive seems to suggest that may be common.
Thanks Ayulsa! Hm...must find a comedic way to make use of this info in my fic.
Things like "700 leafy" really sound like an attempt to convey an accent to me. From what I've read, trying to convey accents in text is one of those things that really makes translator's lives hell. With that guy having so few lines, I can't blame them for it sounding a bit silly.
(And don't forget, there's 3 different dive shop guys! I think. Firefly Alley, Nemo, and Platina. There's only one I found creepy sounding, but I can't remember which one it was...)
(Deciare)
Not that I think Reyvateils are at all simple, mind.
Yeah. Except it seemed to me like the dive shop person is only doing the simple part. The partner is the one doing the complicated stuff, the machine operator just... operates the machine. (Besides, I think if the operator could see much more than the depth from outside, there'd be something about being a lot more picky about where you dived... privacy issues.)
Short-term memory loss and/or disorientation after returning to the outer world? The way the Dive Shop Guys ask whether you're okay after a dive seems to suggest that may be common.
Isn't there a scene that suggests diving can actually be dangerous if the relationship between those involved isn't good enough? It might have something to do with that.
(haounomiko)
(Also, I think Shurelia has to be paired with either her or Kanade, something like that, because I don't think Shurelia/person-who-has-a-life-outside-of-the-Tower really works.)
Huh. I'm kind of the opposite. It's actually why I don't like Lyner/Shurelia even though I enjoy their interactions. She should be able to have a bit of a life that isn't all tied up in being the tower administrator, and Lyner is just too much a part of that.
Mind you, I have no real reason for imagining her with Krusche. Except that Krusche is the only person in the game who can safely wear the Sailor Bunny Dress. ^_^
Oddly, I feel like Lyner is in no way part of the Tower in the sense I mean-- I don't think he really feels it or understands it from the inside; he just works there. I don't think he's close enough to the Tower to qualify.
I have trouble imagining Shurelia relating well to someone who doesn't dwell within its deeper workings, in that I think each of them would be coming from such a different world that they'd have so much trouble conveying to the other... Not that they couldn't learn about each other eventually, but rather that I don't see enough initial basis for a close relationship to grow out of.
As for the bunny thing... much like Kanade, bunnies can't count higher than four. =D
The way I mean it is, he's part of the job. Even in the later talk topics, their situation before the game as Knight of Elemia and superior keeps skewing their interactions.
Shurelia does say once that she'd like to try living a "normal life" once... Though putting it that way seems kind of weird. Still, I can kind of understand why she might feel that way. And I think that their previous relationship would keep getting in the way of that.
Aha, yes, that superior/subordinate thing is a baaaaaad combination. I worry about Lyner's being taken advantage of, honestly.
I guess I think maybe it'd be different with someone who's really part of the system? Hm.
Lyner does actually say "Shurelia...I think you're taking advantage of your position..." in one of the talk topics... he doesn't seem to be that bothered by it though.
The way I look at it is, Shurelia *is* the administrator, and unless she hands the job off to another (which, even looking at that one topic, I don't think she's really that likely to do), that's going to always be a part of her situation. But she seems to want to try experiencing things the way a person who wasn't in that position would, which is why I'd like to see her with someone who doesn't always view her first as the tower's administrator. Even if it was a relationship that couldn't last forever.
(Also, it could just be my ecchi mind, but the fourth "sleeping Mei Mei" conversation and the talk topic it triggers... Makes me think maybe they already have some sort of relationship already...)
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