Harvest Moon and Rune Factory are based on the principle of balance and harmony in all aspects of life. If you focus on one aspect to the exclusion of others, you will lose chances to benefit.
Cooking always is an important aspect of life in any Harvest Moon game. In Rune Factory, Forging is added to the Skills that your character needs to succeed. If you neglect to practice forging as well as cooking, you will be at a disadvantage where combat is concerned.
Here is a brief introduction to Weapons and Eguipment in Rune Factory Frontier. 'Dressing for Success' in terms of choosing Weapons and Equipment wisely may make the difference between victory and defeat, especially when confronting a Boss Monster in any Rune Factory game.
A Website for all Harvest Moon fans providing Links to all Guides by Freyashawk: Actual Links on Right Side of Webpage
Showing posts with label Forging. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Forging. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Fruit Trees in Rune Factory Frontier
In Rune Factory Frontier, books in the local library offer information as well as hints. New books are 'unlocked' as you make progress in the game.
To me, one of the irresistable charms of any Harvest Moon or Rune Factory game is the often unexpected and unique methods by which items are won. Players may guess the method they need to use to bring fruit down from the fruit trees, but reading the stories in the library adds depth to the plot.
By the way, harvesting fruit from trees is a very good way to augment your income in the first season of the game.
The memoirs of an adventurer named John Arthur provide tantalising hints about the game, including information about fruit trees and the 'Green Ruins'.
Here is one of the first books by this mysterious character from the past:
The Cornucopia Tree
The Adventures of John Arthur
Sec. 1, Ch. 9, pt. 4, P.S.
‘Cornucopia Tree’
At the very moment I was about to draw my last breath, I saw trees upon trees, so laden with fruit, it looked as though the branches would break.
I tried everything to get my eager hands on the fruits, from climbing to throwing rocks. My desperation gave me strength.
However, not a single fruit would budge, not even once.
Alas! If only I had a hammer with me, I could have eaten one! I would have been abel to survive long enough to see the next fruit bearing season…
END of BOOK
Fruit Trees are found on the Mountain Road and on the shores of Lake Poli. In Spring, the Trees bear Cherries. Another hint about this is found in Erik's Menu, where Cherries will be on sale...
You will not be able to harvest fruit until you have a Hammer. As soon as you obtain the Hammer from Melody, take a trip to the Mountains to collect some Cherries. There are cautions to the effect that you should take only as much as you need from the Orchard at Lake Poli. Remember that the amount of fruit that remains on any tree will affect Runey distribution.
With a Harvester from Candy, you will be able to gather Runeys for re-distribution to effect the fertility of the land. Runeys can be used to create Miracles and Rune Stones as well. The introduction of the concept of Runeys in Rune Factory Frontier is one of the unique aspects of this game.
Lake Poli is a very good fishing location as well as being the site of the Orchard and a place where romantic events can occur. The acquisition of a Fishing Rod often is delayed by at least a week in Harvest Moon games and Rune Factory Frontier is no exception. I believe there is a 'guiding' principle to this, forcing a player to focus on farming at the start rather than allowing the Field to remain fallow and untilled while he/she goes off to fish instead. Fish always provides both income and energy but is a time-consuming occupation. Furthermore, it usually is not one that unlocks progress in terms of the plot. It is farming primarily that is centre of your character's life.
In Rune Factory Frontier, it is only on 7 Spring that Kanno will arrive to take possession of the old Clock Tower. He is his granddaughter Cinnamon, not Kanno himself who will give you a Fishing Pole. The date of the arrival of Kanno's granddaughters is determined by your own social interactions with Kanno. Usually, it takes a couple of days to generate the pivotal dialogue that will be followed by their arrival.
Cooking is another aspect of Harvest Moon and Rune Factory that requires some action on the part of your character. In some games, your House will have a Kitchen but in most, it must be ordered or purchased. In Rune Factory Frontier, you must purchase your Kitchens from Lute. You need not expand your House first, however. The Handy Kitchen, Forge and Lab can be purchased as soon as you have the funds.
Your first two Recipe books are gifts from other characters. Others can be purchased from Selphy at the Rune Archives Library.
Here is a little video tutorial that deals with Fruit, Fishing and Cooking...
By the way, if you purchase the basic Pot Recipe Book as well as the Handy Pot from Lute and practice a little in your Kitchen, you can transform any Cherry you gather into Cherry Jam. Cherry Jam has a shipping value only slightly greater than a raw Cherry but in energy restoration terms, it is far superior, providing 10 HP and 100 RP as opposed to the 0 HP and 60 RP that a raw Cherry gives when eaten. Cooked Dishes almost always are superior to raw items in terms of energy values and the only way to increase your Skill Level in Cooking or in any other area of life is by practicing again and again...
To me, one of the irresistable charms of any Harvest Moon or Rune Factory game is the often unexpected and unique methods by which items are won. Players may guess the method they need to use to bring fruit down from the fruit trees, but reading the stories in the library adds depth to the plot.
By the way, harvesting fruit from trees is a very good way to augment your income in the first season of the game.
The memoirs of an adventurer named John Arthur provide tantalising hints about the game, including information about fruit trees and the 'Green Ruins'.
Here is one of the first books by this mysterious character from the past:
The Cornucopia Tree
The Adventures of John Arthur
Sec. 1, Ch. 9, pt. 4, P.S.
‘Cornucopia Tree’
At the very moment I was about to draw my last breath, I saw trees upon trees, so laden with fruit, it looked as though the branches would break.
I tried everything to get my eager hands on the fruits, from climbing to throwing rocks. My desperation gave me strength.
However, not a single fruit would budge, not even once.
Alas! If only I had a hammer with me, I could have eaten one! I would have been abel to survive long enough to see the next fruit bearing season…
END of BOOK
Fruit Trees are found on the Mountain Road and on the shores of Lake Poli. In Spring, the Trees bear Cherries. Another hint about this is found in Erik's Menu, where Cherries will be on sale...
You will not be able to harvest fruit until you have a Hammer. As soon as you obtain the Hammer from Melody, take a trip to the Mountains to collect some Cherries. There are cautions to the effect that you should take only as much as you need from the Orchard at Lake Poli. Remember that the amount of fruit that remains on any tree will affect Runey distribution.
With a Harvester from Candy, you will be able to gather Runeys for re-distribution to effect the fertility of the land. Runeys can be used to create Miracles and Rune Stones as well. The introduction of the concept of Runeys in Rune Factory Frontier is one of the unique aspects of this game.
Lake Poli is a very good fishing location as well as being the site of the Orchard and a place where romantic events can occur. The acquisition of a Fishing Rod often is delayed by at least a week in Harvest Moon games and Rune Factory Frontier is no exception. I believe there is a 'guiding' principle to this, forcing a player to focus on farming at the start rather than allowing the Field to remain fallow and untilled while he/she goes off to fish instead. Fish always provides both income and energy but is a time-consuming occupation. Furthermore, it usually is not one that unlocks progress in terms of the plot. It is farming primarily that is centre of your character's life.
In Rune Factory Frontier, it is only on 7 Spring that Kanno will arrive to take possession of the old Clock Tower. He is his granddaughter Cinnamon, not Kanno himself who will give you a Fishing Pole. The date of the arrival of Kanno's granddaughters is determined by your own social interactions with Kanno. Usually, it takes a couple of days to generate the pivotal dialogue that will be followed by their arrival.
Cooking is another aspect of Harvest Moon and Rune Factory that requires some action on the part of your character. In some games, your House will have a Kitchen but in most, it must be ordered or purchased. In Rune Factory Frontier, you must purchase your Kitchens from Lute. You need not expand your House first, however. The Handy Kitchen, Forge and Lab can be purchased as soon as you have the funds.
Your first two Recipe books are gifts from other characters. Others can be purchased from Selphy at the Rune Archives Library.
Here is a little video tutorial that deals with Fruit, Fishing and Cooking...
By the way, if you purchase the basic Pot Recipe Book as well as the Handy Pot from Lute and practice a little in your Kitchen, you can transform any Cherry you gather into Cherry Jam. Cherry Jam has a shipping value only slightly greater than a raw Cherry but in energy restoration terms, it is far superior, providing 10 HP and 100 RP as opposed to the 0 HP and 60 RP that a raw Cherry gives when eaten. Cooked Dishes almost always are superior to raw items in terms of energy values and the only way to increase your Skill Level in Cooking or in any other area of life is by practicing again and again...
Friday, March 13, 2009
Husbanding your Resources in Rune Factory 2
One of the challenges in Rune Factory 2, long after you have completed the 'story' is to complete your Shipping List. Although your character can have two Refrigerators and two Shelves, the fact that items can be anything from Level 1 to Level 10 make it almost impossible to store everything you need to forge all weapons and accessories and make Cooked Dishes and Medicines. The random quality of mining and Inquisitive Waltz treasure hunts almost guarantees that you will fill your Rucksack far too quickly with items of the same type but different quality levels.
I therefore began to designate some of the items by use in order to be able to clear out my Rucksack quickly without wasting any potentially useful ingredients.
For example, in the early days of the 2nd Generation, I found that I always needed more Silver as many low-level forging and accessory projects require Silver. Now, later in the game, I find that I collect too much Silver and never enough Gold.
I therefore began to hunt for uses for the Silver...
A quick study of Recipe Lists reminded me that upgrades for all Elemental Rings and Pendants use Silver. It is better to use the Silver to upgrade all Elemental Rings and Pendants to Level 10 than to ship the Silver or give it to my father. It is not for profit's sake but for the sake of increasing Skill Levels.
Although a few projects require Scrap Iron, for the most part it IS a fairly useless valueless item and therefore I give all Scrap Iron to my father, who often reciprocates with a gift of ICE CREAM. A Level 1 ICE CREAM has a shipping value of 6780G. Although you need to give him two gifts to obtain one after the very first exchange, it is well worth the effort. ICE CREAM may be the most valuable gift he gives, but the others certainly are worth more than SCRAP IRON.
This little gift-giving option in Rune Factory 2 reminds me of an essential point in the philosophy of Harvest Moon, to the effect that no item in this universe truly is useless. In how many Harvest Moon games has a common WEED been an essential ingredient in a Recipe? The fabled ELLI LEAVES are made from Failed Dishes/Burnt Dishes...
I therefore began to designate some of the items by use in order to be able to clear out my Rucksack quickly without wasting any potentially useful ingredients.
For example, in the early days of the 2nd Generation, I found that I always needed more Silver as many low-level forging and accessory projects require Silver. Now, later in the game, I find that I collect too much Silver and never enough Gold.
I therefore began to hunt for uses for the Silver...
A quick study of Recipe Lists reminded me that upgrades for all Elemental Rings and Pendants use Silver. It is better to use the Silver to upgrade all Elemental Rings and Pendants to Level 10 than to ship the Silver or give it to my father. It is not for profit's sake but for the sake of increasing Skill Levels.
Although a few projects require Scrap Iron, for the most part it IS a fairly useless valueless item and therefore I give all Scrap Iron to my father, who often reciprocates with a gift of ICE CREAM. A Level 1 ICE CREAM has a shipping value of 6780G. Although you need to give him two gifts to obtain one after the very first exchange, it is well worth the effort. ICE CREAM may be the most valuable gift he gives, but the others certainly are worth more than SCRAP IRON.
This little gift-giving option in Rune Factory 2 reminds me of an essential point in the philosophy of Harvest Moon, to the effect that no item in this universe truly is useless. In how many Harvest Moon games has a common WEED been an essential ingredient in a Recipe? The fabled ELLI LEAVES are made from Failed Dishes/Burnt Dishes...
Monday, January 26, 2009
When Ingredients are not Wasted in Rune Factory 2
Players who have spent some time in the Workshop slaving away over a hot forge or stove, wondering if the ingredients they have worked long and hard to collect will be wasted or not in an unsuccessful attempt to create a new item may or may not have noted the conditions under which your ingredients are returned to your Rucksack.
First, any unsuccessful attempt to create ANY item at the Forge or Workbench will not waste any ingredients. Your ingredients ALWAYS will be returned intact to your Rucksack if your attempt to create an item fails. The reason for this is because nothing is created in a failed attempt. Furthermore, the raw ingredients can sustain ‘damage’ and still be used again. A lump of ore that has been heated at the forge and yet has failed to become the desired item remains a lump of ore that can be used in another experiment.
In the Kitchen, however, a different set of rules prevails. There are two situations, each of which is subject to its own unique rule:
First, if you follow any recipe and it does not succeed because you have less than 100% chance of creating the dish, your ingredients will be lost as you will create a FAILED DISH. A FAILED DISH is an item and thus, the ingredients were used to create it. That is why they will not be returned to your Rucksack.
The other situation is when you use ingredients to create a dish that does not exist. In other words, when you use the WRONG ingredients in the Kitchen, your ingredients will NOT result in the creation of any item. In this situation, your ingredients will be returned to your rucksack intact.
An example of this would be when you sling a Yam into the Mixer by accident. You will see the 'FAILURE!' prompt and the Yam will reappear in your Rucksack. As there is no Recipe for pureed Yam, the Mixer will not accept the Yam. Do not forget, however, that ANY work conducted in the Workshop, however impossible it may be in terms of achieving a result, WILL USE ENERGY!
Finally, the more difficult the Recipe in terms of Skill Levels, the more experience it will bring, even if the result is unsuccessful. In other words, attempting a Recipe that has only 1% chance of success, whether in the Kitchen, the Forge, Workbench or Pharmacy will give you more experience towards the next Level of Skill than a Recipe that has 100% chance of success.
I do suggest that players attempt the easiest Recipes again and again when they first obtain their Workshop and fittings but once you have reached a decent level of Skill, you may wish to attempt very difficult Recipes with little chance of success in order to increase your Skill Levels more quickly with the most difficult Recipes in view. There are Recipes designated for maximum 99 Skill Levels.
Bear in mind the fact that the Skill Level assigned to any Recipe is the Level that guarantees a successful result, not the Level required to create the item successfully.
First, any unsuccessful attempt to create ANY item at the Forge or Workbench will not waste any ingredients. Your ingredients ALWAYS will be returned intact to your Rucksack if your attempt to create an item fails. The reason for this is because nothing is created in a failed attempt. Furthermore, the raw ingredients can sustain ‘damage’ and still be used again. A lump of ore that has been heated at the forge and yet has failed to become the desired item remains a lump of ore that can be used in another experiment.
In the Kitchen, however, a different set of rules prevails. There are two situations, each of which is subject to its own unique rule:
First, if you follow any recipe and it does not succeed because you have less than 100% chance of creating the dish, your ingredients will be lost as you will create a FAILED DISH. A FAILED DISH is an item and thus, the ingredients were used to create it. That is why they will not be returned to your Rucksack.
The other situation is when you use ingredients to create a dish that does not exist. In other words, when you use the WRONG ingredients in the Kitchen, your ingredients will NOT result in the creation of any item. In this situation, your ingredients will be returned to your rucksack intact.
An example of this would be when you sling a Yam into the Mixer by accident. You will see the 'FAILURE!' prompt and the Yam will reappear in your Rucksack. As there is no Recipe for pureed Yam, the Mixer will not accept the Yam. Do not forget, however, that ANY work conducted in the Workshop, however impossible it may be in terms of achieving a result, WILL USE ENERGY!
Finally, the more difficult the Recipe in terms of Skill Levels, the more experience it will bring, even if the result is unsuccessful. In other words, attempting a Recipe that has only 1% chance of success, whether in the Kitchen, the Forge, Workbench or Pharmacy will give you more experience towards the next Level of Skill than a Recipe that has 100% chance of success.
I do suggest that players attempt the easiest Recipes again and again when they first obtain their Workshop and fittings but once you have reached a decent level of Skill, you may wish to attempt very difficult Recipes with little chance of success in order to increase your Skill Levels more quickly with the most difficult Recipes in view. There are Recipes designated for maximum 99 Skill Levels.
Bear in mind the fact that the Skill Level assigned to any Recipe is the Level that guarantees a successful result, not the Level required to create the item successfully.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Easy Lesson for Cooking in Rune Factory 2
Having vowed to myself that I would not spend any more time on videos, I somehow persuaded myself that a little tutorial to help players obtain all the upgrades necessary for Cooking and Forging as well as a brief lesson in completing a successful dish might be useful. Here is Freyashawk'e Easy Cooking tutorial:
Much has been added to my Rune Factory 2 General Guide in terms of 2nd Generration information. The updated version should be published shortly.
Much has been added to my Rune Factory 2 General Guide in terms of 2nd Generration information. The updated version should be published shortly.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
The Incredible Potential in Rune Factory
I'm going to take a quick break from the Harvest Moon game I am playing at the moment to write briefly about Rune Factory as I have been receiving quite a few emails from players who have asked about the game.
Quite frankly, it is one of my very favourite games, inside or outside the Harvest Moon series. I studied sabre fencing and collect edged weapons in 'real life' and to be able to play a game in the Harvest Moon series that allowed me to forge and use my own weapons afterwards was the ultimate fantasy fulfillment for me. Furthermore, as some one who loves jewelry and designed some custom pieces at one time, it was very exciting to be able to make accessories at my forge in Rune Factory.
Rune Factory has incredibly beautiful graphics. The characters are some of the most attractive I ever have encountered in terms of their 'portraits'. The plot is compelling and you actually have the opportunity to become the 'saviour' of your country... but ultimately, it all works within the framework of the wonderful Harvest Moon philosophy: it is Nature who comes to your aid! When you defeat monsters in the mines, you do not slay them. Instead, you send them back to their original pure natural state, one that is not hostile. In essence, your sword frees them.
If you wish, you can tame the monsters and keep them on your farm instead of releasing them back to their original world. There are varieties of monsters who give you eggs, milk and wool. Other varieties can be ridden. I really loved being able to ride a monster who looked and acted like a wolf.
My General Guide as well as my Bestiary and Caves Guide gives detailed information about all the monsters and their precise location as well as the method by which each cave is unlocked.
My General Guide deals with all aspects of the game, including courtship, but as usual, I wrote little specialised mini-guides as well. Links to all my guides can be found on the right side of this page...
In the general excitement about Cute (which I share completely), it is good to remember that there are OTHER magnificent Harvest Moon games out there, and Rune Factory is one that was made for the DS, my own platform of choice.
N.B. The DS platform appears to allow games from any part of the world. Players in Europe CAN purchase the U.S. Natsume version of any Harvest Moon game and play it successfully. I am adding this note because Rune Factory has not been yet released in any European edition...
Quite frankly, it is one of my very favourite games, inside or outside the Harvest Moon series. I studied sabre fencing and collect edged weapons in 'real life' and to be able to play a game in the Harvest Moon series that allowed me to forge and use my own weapons afterwards was the ultimate fantasy fulfillment for me. Furthermore, as some one who loves jewelry and designed some custom pieces at one time, it was very exciting to be able to make accessories at my forge in Rune Factory.
Rune Factory has incredibly beautiful graphics. The characters are some of the most attractive I ever have encountered in terms of their 'portraits'. The plot is compelling and you actually have the opportunity to become the 'saviour' of your country... but ultimately, it all works within the framework of the wonderful Harvest Moon philosophy: it is Nature who comes to your aid! When you defeat monsters in the mines, you do not slay them. Instead, you send them back to their original pure natural state, one that is not hostile. In essence, your sword frees them.
If you wish, you can tame the monsters and keep them on your farm instead of releasing them back to their original world. There are varieties of monsters who give you eggs, milk and wool. Other varieties can be ridden. I really loved being able to ride a monster who looked and acted like a wolf.
My General Guide as well as my Bestiary and Caves Guide gives detailed information about all the monsters and their precise location as well as the method by which each cave is unlocked.
My General Guide deals with all aspects of the game, including courtship, but as usual, I wrote little specialised mini-guides as well. Links to all my guides can be found on the right side of this page...
In the general excitement about Cute (which I share completely), it is good to remember that there are OTHER magnificent Harvest Moon games out there, and Rune Factory is one that was made for the DS, my own platform of choice.
N.B. The DS platform appears to allow games from any part of the world. Players in Europe CAN purchase the U.S. Natsume version of any Harvest Moon game and play it successfully. I am adding this note because Rune Factory has not been yet released in any European edition...
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