One never should make assumptions in any game... and Rune Factory Frontier is no exception. Although once any new Festival appears on your Calendar, it will become a permanent fixture, the Formal Dates that are designated for each season do not remain on the Calendar.
Any Formal Date will appear on your Calendar with a Star and a description only after you ask a Girl on a Date during THAT season and she accepts the invitation. Once the season ends, the Date no longer will be marked with a Star.
It was only when I was trying to pinpoint the actual moment that the Date would be added to the Calendar that I thought to look at the Dates for previous seasons. Although I had taken an Eligible Girl on a Date each season, no Star marked those Formal Dates after the season was past.
The Formal Date Star and description therefore is a temporary Calendar addition.
The reason I am posting this is because a player asked me how she could add the Night of Holies to her Calendar. I told her that she needed to ask an Eligible Girl for a Date during Winter before it would be marked on the Calendar, which was correct. What I did not realise then, however, because I had not paid sufficient attention to my own Calendar was that, once the season is past, the Star disappears...
The Night of Holies may be an exception to the general rule as it corresponds to the Starry Night Festival in other Harvest Moon games. As I am in the Winter season at present, however, I shall have to wait until next Spring to see if it remains on the Calendar afterward or not.
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 Rune Factory Frontier. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rune Factory Frontier. Show all posts
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Tip on Raising Skill Levels in Rune Factory Frontier
This is a common trick used by veteran players of Harvest Moon and Rune Factory but it may be useful to post it here for beginners. The information is included in my Rune Factory Frontier Guides by the way.
You can raise your Skills with respect to a particular type of weapon or tool simply by equipping it and swinging it. In Rune Factory Frontier, there are two times during the day/night when this can be done with the greatest benefit and least sacrifice of valuable energy or time.
Remember that time does not pass whenever your character enters a building. You therefore can use any Weapon or Tool inside your own Farmhouse or in any other building while time stands still. Energy, however, WILL be used.
The two best opportunities to increase Weapons and Tools Skill Levels in this way are whenever you go to the Laga Springs Bathhouse and whenever you return to your Farmhouse at the very end of your day.
Whenever your character take a Bath at the Laga Springs Bathhouse, all Energy is restored and both Health and RP bars are refilled. It therefore is wasteful for your character ever to leap into the bath before he has used almost ALL of his HP and RP. To do this, equip any Tool or Weapon and use it in the Bathhouse until your energy reaches the flashing red indication that respresents dangerously low levels.
Remember that every Tool has its own specific Skill and that Weapons and Magic are two different skills as well. Often a player will focus on one to the exclusion of the other in combat situations... if so, equip the type of Weapon in which your Skill Levels are lowest whenever you go to the Laga Springs Bathhouse or return to your Farmhouse at the end of the day.
When all your chores and tasks are completed and you are ready to leap into bed, do not do so without expending whatever excess energy remains. Remember, however, that you need to go to bed before 1.00 a.m. if you wish to awaken at 6.00 a.m. with both HP and RP fully replenished. Provided you go to bed before 1.00 a.m., you can use your energy to the point where the red flashing indication is displayed and still awaken in good health at 6.00 a.m.
If you employ this strategy on a daily basis, increasing skill levels that otherwise are not used sufficiently, you will be able to increase ALL Skill Levels to maximum without any difficulty.
You can raise your Skills with respect to a particular type of weapon or tool simply by equipping it and swinging it. In Rune Factory Frontier, there are two times during the day/night when this can be done with the greatest benefit and least sacrifice of valuable energy or time.
Remember that time does not pass whenever your character enters a building. You therefore can use any Weapon or Tool inside your own Farmhouse or in any other building while time stands still. Energy, however, WILL be used.
The two best opportunities to increase Weapons and Tools Skill Levels in this way are whenever you go to the Laga Springs Bathhouse and whenever you return to your Farmhouse at the very end of your day.
Whenever your character take a Bath at the Laga Springs Bathhouse, all Energy is restored and both Health and RP bars are refilled. It therefore is wasteful for your character ever to leap into the bath before he has used almost ALL of his HP and RP. To do this, equip any Tool or Weapon and use it in the Bathhouse until your energy reaches the flashing red indication that respresents dangerously low levels.
Remember that every Tool has its own specific Skill and that Weapons and Magic are two different skills as well. Often a player will focus on one to the exclusion of the other in combat situations... if so, equip the type of Weapon in which your Skill Levels are lowest whenever you go to the Laga Springs Bathhouse or return to your Farmhouse at the end of the day.
When all your chores and tasks are completed and you are ready to leap into bed, do not do so without expending whatever excess energy remains. Remember, however, that you need to go to bed before 1.00 a.m. if you wish to awaken at 6.00 a.m. with both HP and RP fully replenished. Provided you go to bed before 1.00 a.m., you can use your energy to the point where the red flashing indication is displayed and still awaken in good health at 6.00 a.m.
If you employ this strategy on a daily basis, increasing skill levels that otherwise are not used sufficiently, you will be able to increase ALL Skill Levels to maximum without any difficulty.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Upgrading Items in Rune Factory Frontier
**********************************************************************
A question was asked as to how items can be upgraded in Rune Factory Frontier. Items that are made in your Kitchen or Laboratory as well as those created in your Forge or at your Workbench all can be upgraded to Level 10. You always need to be aware of the primary rule of upgrades in this game: the actual level of the upgraded item AT BEST can be only 1 Level above the level of the LOWEST LEVEL of ingredient used. The result will be 1 Level above the level of the lowest level of ingredient ONLY if you manage to create the item 'perfectly' or 'with expertise'. Otherwise, the Level of the Upgraded Item will EQUAL that of the lowest level of ingredient.
All tools can be upgraded using nothing more than two pieces of Scrap Iron. The ordinary rules of RFF still apply, however. If the level of the Scrap Iron is LOWER than the level of the Tool, you actually will DOWNGRADE your Tool when you reforge it!
It is with respect to Recipes that include Flowers as ingredients that players usually come to realise the benefits of using Greenifier, for many important Recipes for Weapons and Accessories include one or more Flowers as ingredients. For the common Flowers that can mature within a single season, the task is fairly easy. If you are diligent in watering the Crop and use both Greenifier and Formula C on one square, you can upgrade by three or four levels sometimes in the course of a single season.
Remember that you can use Greenifier ONLY ONCE on any single square, which means that the level of any Crop that you grow can improve only by one level. You can use any of the Formulae on a daily basis, however, and with Formula C, you will speed the growth by three days. I usually use Greenifier on the middle square only and then use Formula C on the same square on each subsequent day. Otherwise, if I choose other squares to upgrade randomly, I tend to forget which square has the upgraded Crop in it!
Where the Crop is slow-growing and rare, I try to grow it on the Floating Chamber near the Water Tower. With all my slow-growing rare Flowers at the same location, I can visit them daily without spending much time or effort to do so. Until you defeat the Giant Squid in the Water Tower, however, you will spend a fair amount of time, even with the rope shortcut, simply traveling to and from the Floating Chamber. It is not as practical to grow all the Crops there until you have established the Circle Portal. Until then, you may wish to confine your rare Crops to the various dungeons in Trampoli.
A general rule of thumb is: Don't use high level ingredients on Tools, because you can upgrade them from Level 1 simply by using 2 pieces of Scrap Iron. Use your high-level ingredients ONLY when all ingredients are high-level. Otherwise, you are wasting the level because the result will be based on the lowest level of ingredient.
N.B. My advice would be to take all four Elemental Capes and create a Black Robe instead. Even a Level 1 Black Robe would be superior to all the individual Elemental Capes.
The screenshots show a Level 2 Tiara, created using Level 1 Ingredients 'with expertise'.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Seasonal Farming in Harvest Moon and Rune Factory
Crops tend to be season-specific both in Harvest Moon and in Rune Factory. Those of us who have been playing Harvest Moon games for a number of years became accustomed to a specific correspondence between Crops and their seasons.
Whether motivated by a sense of mischief or simply by a desire to 'mix things up' to make the games more challenging, some of the seasonal correspondences for traditional Crops were altered in more than one recent Harvest Moon and Rune Factory game.
For example, in Rune Factory 2, Turnips, always designated as a Spring Crop, became a Winter Crop. Pink Turnips instead were designated as the Spring Crop. Onions, traditionally a Summer Crop, became a Spring Crop. Potatoes, always associated in Harvest Moon with Spring, became an Autumn Crop. Confusing? Most definitely.
I believe that Pumpkins, traditionally a Summer Crop in most Harvest Moon/Rune Factory games, were moved to Autumn in Tree of Tranquility. (That makes more sense in terms of an Autumn Pumpkin Festival in a way but I believe that Pumpkins will continue to be classified as a Summer Crop in most games.)
When I wrote a post about Crops in Island of Happiness, and described a field in error as containing 'Tomatoes, Corn and Turnips', it probably was due partly to the many changes I have experienced as a Farmer in Harvest Moon and Rune Factory. Of course, the third Crop in the field consisted of Onions, not Turnips. (In my defence, I wrote the post after a virtually sleepless night, battling a rather nasty infection that caused high fever, terrible headaches, earache and sore throat.)
Another fact that has complicated my Farming expertise somewhat is the ability to grow Crops from ALL seasons simulaneously on Whale Island in Rune Factory Frontier, making it quite possible to have Corn, Tomatoes and Turnips on the same field... Nonetheless, it is embarrassing to make a mistake like that in a published post, and I am glad that some one caught it quickly!
One can become so accustomed to our Harvest Moon universe, certain fundamental rules relating to farming, mining, fishing and even social interactions that appear to be writ in stone... the unverse therefore is intensely real and one sometimes expects that these rules, like the 'laws of Nature' are unchanging. Making ANY assumption in a new game that is based on past games is a mistake unless proven by actual experience because the creators of any game are like Gods who can, in a single act, reverse any or ALL of the laws. The worlds of Harvest Moon and Rune Factory are detailed and complex, with characters who appear in more than one game and items, such as lithographs, Pirate Treasure, Fossils of Fish and Wonderfuls that acquire their own reality due to Harvest Moon, irrespective of any separate identity they may or my not possess in the 'real world'.
It is important for any Harvest Moon or Rune Factory player, myself included, ALWAYS to read the description of any item in any new game. Any bag of seeds that you purchase comes with a detailed description, including its Seasonal correspondence.
I never made the mistake of actually planting Turnips in Summer in Island of Happiness... but I did make the mistake of planting Turnips in Spring once in Rune Factory 2. Force of habit... and that can be a liability as well as an asset for a veteran player.
Whether motivated by a sense of mischief or simply by a desire to 'mix things up' to make the games more challenging, some of the seasonal correspondences for traditional Crops were altered in more than one recent Harvest Moon and Rune Factory game.
For example, in Rune Factory 2, Turnips, always designated as a Spring Crop, became a Winter Crop. Pink Turnips instead were designated as the Spring Crop. Onions, traditionally a Summer Crop, became a Spring Crop. Potatoes, always associated in Harvest Moon with Spring, became an Autumn Crop. Confusing? Most definitely.
I believe that Pumpkins, traditionally a Summer Crop in most Harvest Moon/Rune Factory games, were moved to Autumn in Tree of Tranquility. (That makes more sense in terms of an Autumn Pumpkin Festival in a way but I believe that Pumpkins will continue to be classified as a Summer Crop in most games.)
When I wrote a post about Crops in Island of Happiness, and described a field in error as containing 'Tomatoes, Corn and Turnips', it probably was due partly to the many changes I have experienced as a Farmer in Harvest Moon and Rune Factory. Of course, the third Crop in the field consisted of Onions, not Turnips. (In my defence, I wrote the post after a virtually sleepless night, battling a rather nasty infection that caused high fever, terrible headaches, earache and sore throat.)
Another fact that has complicated my Farming expertise somewhat is the ability to grow Crops from ALL seasons simulaneously on Whale Island in Rune Factory Frontier, making it quite possible to have Corn, Tomatoes and Turnips on the same field... Nonetheless, it is embarrassing to make a mistake like that in a published post, and I am glad that some one caught it quickly!
One can become so accustomed to our Harvest Moon universe, certain fundamental rules relating to farming, mining, fishing and even social interactions that appear to be writ in stone... the unverse therefore is intensely real and one sometimes expects that these rules, like the 'laws of Nature' are unchanging. Making ANY assumption in a new game that is based on past games is a mistake unless proven by actual experience because the creators of any game are like Gods who can, in a single act, reverse any or ALL of the laws. The worlds of Harvest Moon and Rune Factory are detailed and complex, with characters who appear in more than one game and items, such as lithographs, Pirate Treasure, Fossils of Fish and Wonderfuls that acquire their own reality due to Harvest Moon, irrespective of any separate identity they may or my not possess in the 'real world'.
It is important for any Harvest Moon or Rune Factory player, myself included, ALWAYS to read the description of any item in any new game. Any bag of seeds that you purchase comes with a detailed description, including its Seasonal correspondence.
I never made the mistake of actually planting Turnips in Summer in Island of Happiness... but I did make the mistake of planting Turnips in Spring once in Rune Factory 2. Force of habit... and that can be a liability as well as an asset for a veteran player.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
'Heart Events' and 'Story Events' in Rune Factory Frontier
In Harvest Moon, there usually is a sequence of Events known as 'Heart Events' that are the foundation of your character's courtship of any Eligible Girl or Eligible Bachelor.
In Rune Factory Frontier, each Eligible Girl has her own 'Story' and there is a still that is included in the 'Memories' section of the game only when her Story is completed. Although the Events in an Eligible Girl's Story have been called 'Heart Events', strictly speaking, they are different, as you evidently CAN experience them after marriage. True 'Heart Events' cannot be experience once you marry.
In fact, one player actually took another Girl out on a Date in Rune Factory Frontier AFTER marriage to Mist!
I always experience all possible Events BEFORE I save a Marriage to any Eligible Girl or Bachelor either in Harvest Moon or Rune Factory. I therefore had completed all the Stories in Rune Factory Frontier while remaining single. I should not have made an assumption to the effect that these Stories could be equated to Heart Events in every respect.
In any case, my Guides will be revised to include the information that the Stories of other Eligible Girls can be completed after you marry some one else. What you cannot do is marry an Eligible Girl if you have not completed HER Story yet.
In Rune Factory Frontier, each Eligible Girl has her own 'Story' and there is a still that is included in the 'Memories' section of the game only when her Story is completed. Although the Events in an Eligible Girl's Story have been called 'Heart Events', strictly speaking, they are different, as you evidently CAN experience them after marriage. True 'Heart Events' cannot be experience once you marry.
In fact, one player actually took another Girl out on a Date in Rune Factory Frontier AFTER marriage to Mist!
I always experience all possible Events BEFORE I save a Marriage to any Eligible Girl or Bachelor either in Harvest Moon or Rune Factory. I therefore had completed all the Stories in Rune Factory Frontier while remaining single. I should not have made an assumption to the effect that these Stories could be equated to Heart Events in every respect.
In any case, my Guides will be revised to include the information that the Stories of other Eligible Girls can be completed after you marry some one else. What you cannot do is marry an Eligible Girl if you have not completed HER Story yet.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Autumn Date and Wedding with Tabatha
A friend of mine who goes by the name of LeonWolf recently sent me the text of Tabatha's Wedding, which he had transcribed carefully. I thanked him and told him that I actually had made a video of the entire sequence, although I had not added the text to my guide yet.
While adding the text to my Courtship and Wedding Guide today, I wished to refer to my old video for confirmation of one word. Rather to my surprise, I could not find it on YouTube.
In fact, I never had uploaded it, nor had I uploaded many of the similar videos I made of Autumn Dates and Weddings with other Eligible Girls. I have an entire folder named 'Other Dates' filled with videos of Date Events with various Eligible Girls, still waiting for me to upload them...
Here then is the video of Tabatha's Autumn Date and her Wedding Event. It differs a little from that of other Eligible Girls in that Bianca actually is included in the Proposal Event.
I was unable to add much in the way of text to the video as it originally exceeded the 10 minute limit imposed by YouTube. I would like to dedicate it to LeonWolf, however, and to thank him again for his painstaking transcription both of Anette's Proposal/Wedding and that of Tabatha.
While adding the text to my Courtship and Wedding Guide today, I wished to refer to my old video for confirmation of one word. Rather to my surprise, I could not find it on YouTube.
In fact, I never had uploaded it, nor had I uploaded many of the similar videos I made of Autumn Dates and Weddings with other Eligible Girls. I have an entire folder named 'Other Dates' filled with videos of Date Events with various Eligible Girls, still waiting for me to upload them...
Here then is the video of Tabatha's Autumn Date and her Wedding Event. It differs a little from that of other Eligible Girls in that Bianca actually is included in the Proposal Event.
I was unable to add much in the way of text to the video as it originally exceeded the 10 minute limit imposed by YouTube. I would like to dedicate it to LeonWolf, however, and to thank him again for his painstaking transcription both of Anette's Proposal/Wedding and that of Tabatha.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Shooting Star Event in Rune Factory Frontier
A number of Eligible Girls will speak of Shooting Stars and Meteor Showers in Rune Factory Frontier. You will find Uzuki at the Conservatory one night wishing upon a Shooting Star and it is possible that Mist's wish on a shooting star is the cause of the appearance of all the Turnips in your house after you 'find' the Turnip Constellation in the night sky. It is Cinnamon's Story, however, that is connected to a Shooting Star Event in which your character takes part.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Consolation Prizes for losing the Quiz Contest
I have learned NOT to trust dialogue in Rune Factory Frontier. In my first year, I won the Quiz Contest and made a simple video about it, showing some of the questions that can be asked as well as the effects of 'Super Gramps Time'.
At the end, the Consolation Prize for the losers was announced and declared to be 'Int. Vitamins'.
I thought about that and realised that Intelligence Vitamins, with a Skill Level Requirement of 90 and a number of rare ingredients, including Tuna, Little Crystal and Blue Crystal, was far more valuable a prize than all the fruit that Freyr 'won'.
In the 2nd Year, therefore, I decided to lose the Contest.
Rather to my disgust, the Consolation Prize when I lost was FRIED PIKE. No mention whatsoever of the valuable Int. Vitamins.
Furthermore, Mist was a participant in the 2nd Year, and her habit of following Freyr into whatever square HE chose made it more difficult to win the Contest. I replayed the Event a few times. Each time Freyr won, the Consolation Prize for the OTHER participants was Int. Vitamins. Each time Freyr lost, HIS Consolation Prize was FRIED PIKE.
Super Gramps Time proved to have a multitude of variations as well. In one case, one randomly selected character was given the opportunity to make bonus points form the last question. In another, the person with the lowest score was given a bonus, much like the result Freyr experienced in the first year. The most unjust 'Super Gramps Time' result, however, is shown in the following video, where every one EXCEPT Freyr can make 10 extra points from the last question. Here is a video that shows the Quiz Contest in the 2nd Year, with Mist's participation and the most unfair Super Gramps Time... It includes clips showing both Consolation Prizes as well as the end.
At the end, the Consolation Prize for the losers was announced and declared to be 'Int. Vitamins'.
I thought about that and realised that Intelligence Vitamins, with a Skill Level Requirement of 90 and a number of rare ingredients, including Tuna, Little Crystal and Blue Crystal, was far more valuable a prize than all the fruit that Freyr 'won'.
In the 2nd Year, therefore, I decided to lose the Contest.
Rather to my disgust, the Consolation Prize when I lost was FRIED PIKE. No mention whatsoever of the valuable Int. Vitamins.
Furthermore, Mist was a participant in the 2nd Year, and her habit of following Freyr into whatever square HE chose made it more difficult to win the Contest. I replayed the Event a few times. Each time Freyr won, the Consolation Prize for the OTHER participants was Int. Vitamins. Each time Freyr lost, HIS Consolation Prize was FRIED PIKE.
Super Gramps Time proved to have a multitude of variations as well. In one case, one randomly selected character was given the opportunity to make bonus points form the last question. In another, the person with the lowest score was given a bonus, much like the result Freyr experienced in the first year. The most unjust 'Super Gramps Time' result, however, is shown in the following video, where every one EXCEPT Freyr can make 10 extra points from the last question. Here is a video that shows the Quiz Contest in the 2nd Year, with Mist's participation and the most unfair Super Gramps Time... It includes clips showing both Consolation Prizes as well as the end.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Secrets of Brodik and Kross Revealed
Both Kross and Brodik are extremely colourful characters. I tried to delay Brodik's departure from Trampoli because I found his dialogues so entertaining but in the end, I had to let him go.
Here is Part I of Confrontations with Brodik:
Even cutting out most of the actual combat, the video threatened to exceed YouTube limits. Part II therefore will show the actual little Secrets that are revealed after the Confrontations.
Here is Part II:
Here is Part I of Confrontations with Brodik:
Even cutting out most of the actual combat, the video threatened to exceed YouTube limits. Part II therefore will show the actual little Secrets that are revealed after the Confrontations.
Here is Part II:
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Friday, July 10, 2009
A Cheater Can Prosper at the Coming of Age Festival
One could spend a lifetime exploring the various nuances of every Harvest Moon and Rune Factory game, tracing Events to their inspirations in prior games, following characters and their families from generation to generation and village to village.
Even a single Festival or Event can have many different variations, however. One of the most delightful experiences I had in playing Harvest Moon was in Island of Happiness, when my character actually choked on a rice cake in one variation. It was the fifth time I had reloaded the Festival Event when I experienced that...
After all the characters who warned about the dangers of choking on Rice Cakes in various Harvest Moon games in the past, it was wonderful to discover the little Event in IoH. It is random and one could attend the Festival year after year without ever experiencing it...
The creators of these games are amazing. A player like myself, after playing any Harvest Moon or Rune Factory game begins to ask: 'What if...?' and then one tries the unexpected.
The Cheating Events at the Coming of Age Festival offer an ordinary player years of enjoyment as he/she participates and perhaps is able to experience a different Event each year. By reloading without saving, I tried to experience all of them for this video, but an entire day in real time later, I had to move on without ever being able to catch Erik's Event. Another year, perhaps...
Another result came from my question to myself of 'What if...one tried to cheat Stella?'
Here are the various Events that can occur at the Coming of Age Festival in the 2nd Year. The real difference between the 1st Year Contest and those in subsequent years is your own character's ability to cheat.
By the way, I made another video some time ago about the 1st Year Contest. It shows the traditional result if your character wins honestly, among other things.
The philosophical implications of this Contest are extremely interesting. Many characters will muse about the Coming of Age Festival and ask why it involves a Treasure Hunt. Other characters will speak of the significance of the Festival in the past, when historically it DID represent a true 'coming of age' ritual.
In Trampoli, in Rune Factory Frontier, however, it is as though the 'Lord of Misrule' had taken control of this ritual, turning it on its head. Instead of being a Festival where children can prove themselves to be adults, it is a Contest where adults vie for the privilege of showing themselves to be children in their behaviour.
Stella, when giving the rules warns:
Stella: Also… listen. Today is the Coming of Age Day. Which means I won’t allow any childish behaviour such as cheating, all right? If you’ve found Golden Turnip, bring it here to me before the sun sets. Don’t be late.
In the first year, I failed to recognise the extent of the mischief in the design of this Festival. In fact, the entire Contest is centred on cheating. Some one ALWAYS cheats! At first, a player may think that the cheating Event is random. As you will see in the video, however, it occurs every time your character participates in the hunt for the Golden Turnip.
Both Rune Factory 2 and Rune Factory Frontier are very sly at times. This is one example of the type of humour that makes both Harvest Moon and Rune Factory great.
At the same time, serious philosophical statements always are a part of the tapestry of existence in these games.
Kross' dialogue on the occasion of the Coming of Age Day fills this role.
Kross: I just can’t learn to like the Adventure Contest… Heh… You should never let children carry weapons. You will ruin them if you do.
Freyr: The Adventure Contest is where they go treasure hunting.
Kross: …
Kross' dialogue appears to refer to the Adventure Contest in Rune Factory 2. There is no danger, nor any chance of combat in the Coming of Age Day Contest in Rune Factory Frontier, but the Adventure Contest at the start of Autumn in Rune Factory 2 required exploration of the Caves.
From RF2:
Yue: Tomorrow’s the Adventure Contest. It’s dangerous! You should make sure you’re stocked up on items from my shop to keep you safe!
Me: You’re a good saleswoman as always, Yue. If I need anything, I’ll buy it from you.
Tanya: Tomorrow’s the Adventure Contest. You need to be thoroughly prepared before you head out! Now might be a good time to restock your weapons.
Julia: Tomorrow’s the Adventure Contest. A weak girl like me has no place participating in something like that. But you can count on me to cheer you on!
Freyr: I must say, I’m pretty excited for the Adventure Contest.
Julia: I’ll be cheering for you while I’m relaxing in the bath.
Freyr: Doesn’t really sound like you’ll be cheering me on at all…
Douglas: Tomorrow’s the Adventure Contest. ‘Adventure’… Now there’s a word that gets my heart racin’!
Mana: The Adventure Contest is really quite exciting, isn’t it? Maybe I should sign up too!
Dorothy: The Adventure Contest is tomorrow…
Freyr: Adventure Contest? Sounds exciting!
Dorothy: Freyr, if you do enter the contest, please don’t go anywhere dangerous, okay?
Freyr: Well, I don’t take any unnecessary risks, but if I’m going to compete, I have to give it my best shot.
Natalie: Are you competing in the Adventure Contest, Freyr? Be careful not to get hurt.
Incidentally, I made an error in this video when I wrote that the Red Core is required to unlock the Snow Ruins. It is the Relic that is required, and that is the one item that will be obtained only once from the Giant Slime of Lava Ruins. I should have consulted my own Guid... it has been a long time since I first unlocked the Snow Ruins.
Even a single Festival or Event can have many different variations, however. One of the most delightful experiences I had in playing Harvest Moon was in Island of Happiness, when my character actually choked on a rice cake in one variation. It was the fifth time I had reloaded the Festival Event when I experienced that...
After all the characters who warned about the dangers of choking on Rice Cakes in various Harvest Moon games in the past, it was wonderful to discover the little Event in IoH. It is random and one could attend the Festival year after year without ever experiencing it...
The creators of these games are amazing. A player like myself, after playing any Harvest Moon or Rune Factory game begins to ask: 'What if...?' and then one tries the unexpected.
The Cheating Events at the Coming of Age Festival offer an ordinary player years of enjoyment as he/she participates and perhaps is able to experience a different Event each year. By reloading without saving, I tried to experience all of them for this video, but an entire day in real time later, I had to move on without ever being able to catch Erik's Event. Another year, perhaps...
Another result came from my question to myself of 'What if...one tried to cheat Stella?'
Here are the various Events that can occur at the Coming of Age Festival in the 2nd Year. The real difference between the 1st Year Contest and those in subsequent years is your own character's ability to cheat.
By the way, I made another video some time ago about the 1st Year Contest. It shows the traditional result if your character wins honestly, among other things.
The philosophical implications of this Contest are extremely interesting. Many characters will muse about the Coming of Age Festival and ask why it involves a Treasure Hunt. Other characters will speak of the significance of the Festival in the past, when historically it DID represent a true 'coming of age' ritual.
In Trampoli, in Rune Factory Frontier, however, it is as though the 'Lord of Misrule' had taken control of this ritual, turning it on its head. Instead of being a Festival where children can prove themselves to be adults, it is a Contest where adults vie for the privilege of showing themselves to be children in their behaviour.
Stella, when giving the rules warns:
Stella: Also… listen. Today is the Coming of Age Day. Which means I won’t allow any childish behaviour such as cheating, all right? If you’ve found Golden Turnip, bring it here to me before the sun sets. Don’t be late.
In the first year, I failed to recognise the extent of the mischief in the design of this Festival. In fact, the entire Contest is centred on cheating. Some one ALWAYS cheats! At first, a player may think that the cheating Event is random. As you will see in the video, however, it occurs every time your character participates in the hunt for the Golden Turnip.
Both Rune Factory 2 and Rune Factory Frontier are very sly at times. This is one example of the type of humour that makes both Harvest Moon and Rune Factory great.
At the same time, serious philosophical statements always are a part of the tapestry of existence in these games.
Kross' dialogue on the occasion of the Coming of Age Day fills this role.
Kross: I just can’t learn to like the Adventure Contest… Heh… You should never let children carry weapons. You will ruin them if you do.
Freyr: The Adventure Contest is where they go treasure hunting.
Kross: …
Kross' dialogue appears to refer to the Adventure Contest in Rune Factory 2. There is no danger, nor any chance of combat in the Coming of Age Day Contest in Rune Factory Frontier, but the Adventure Contest at the start of Autumn in Rune Factory 2 required exploration of the Caves.
From RF2:
Yue: Tomorrow’s the Adventure Contest. It’s dangerous! You should make sure you’re stocked up on items from my shop to keep you safe!
Me: You’re a good saleswoman as always, Yue. If I need anything, I’ll buy it from you.
Tanya: Tomorrow’s the Adventure Contest. You need to be thoroughly prepared before you head out! Now might be a good time to restock your weapons.
Julia: Tomorrow’s the Adventure Contest. A weak girl like me has no place participating in something like that. But you can count on me to cheer you on!
Freyr: I must say, I’m pretty excited for the Adventure Contest.
Julia: I’ll be cheering for you while I’m relaxing in the bath.
Freyr: Doesn’t really sound like you’ll be cheering me on at all…
Douglas: Tomorrow’s the Adventure Contest. ‘Adventure’… Now there’s a word that gets my heart racin’!
Mana: The Adventure Contest is really quite exciting, isn’t it? Maybe I should sign up too!
Dorothy: The Adventure Contest is tomorrow…
Freyr: Adventure Contest? Sounds exciting!
Dorothy: Freyr, if you do enter the contest, please don’t go anywhere dangerous, okay?
Freyr: Well, I don’t take any unnecessary risks, but if I’m going to compete, I have to give it my best shot.
Natalie: Are you competing in the Adventure Contest, Freyr? Be careful not to get hurt.
Incidentally, I made an error in this video when I wrote that the Red Core is required to unlock the Snow Ruins. It is the Relic that is required, and that is the one item that will be obtained only once from the Giant Slime of Lava Ruins. I should have consulted my own Guid... it has been a long time since I first unlocked the Snow Ruins.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
A Personal Note about Bianca in Rune Factory Frontier
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One of the most appealing aspects of any Harvest Moon or Rune Factory game must be the dialogues, whether vital to progress or completely incidental, whether they are sly references to other games or 'red herrings' designed to make the player believe he/she is about to uncover a secret...
When a player made a comment about one of my Rune Factory videos on YouTube to the effect that he/she did not care for the game because it had 'too much dialogue', I was tempted to respond that any player who does not appreciate the dialogue in Harvest Moon or Rune Factory possesses the wrong frame of mind for ANY game in the series.
When my character spoke to Bianca and she mentioned a patterned sword she had purchased, my heart quickened momentarily. She then crushed my incipient hopes but her final statement was so much like my own experience in life that I had to share it here.
Here is the dialogue:
Bianca: I found a decorated sword the other day.
Freyr: I didn’t know you collected swords, Bianca.
Bianca: I don’t collect swords. I just bought it on a whim. But I can’t remember where I put that sword. I haven’t seen it since I had it sent home.
There are few correspondences in reality between my life and Bianca's life. I do not live in a mansion, nor can I afford expensive items 'on a whim' and I actually DO collect swords... We do have one thing in common, however: 'I can't remember where I put that sword. I haven't seen it since i had it sent home.'
I laughed when I experienced that final bit of dialogue. It sums up my domestic life, although my motivations and Bianca's lack of motivation are worlds apart. I tend to put my most valuable or prized possessions 'somewhere safe' which inevitably means 'someplace hidden'. I then forget where that safe location was. As some one who is too clever for her own good, I sometimes NEVER find the prized possession until many moons have passed and the reason for the search no longer is valid.
Ah well... perhaps that patterned sword Bianca purchased will be found and given to my character in Rune Factory Frontier. What do you think? After all, Ganesha gave me a beautiful blade in the form of Tyrfing.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Uzuki and the Rainbow
Every Eligible Girl in Rune Factory Frontier has her own Story. Some are linked to the main plot and the defeat of Gelwein, for example, is an intrinsic part both of Mist's story and of that of Iris.
Uzuki's tale is not connected at all to the main plot. Her quest in Trampoli is a search for her missing Elder Brother. It is only in completing her Quest that she discovers the importance of Trampoli in her own life.
For me, it is the character of Tsubute that makes Uzuki's character and 'Story' appealing. I almost would marry Uzuki simply in order to bring the faithful retainer into my household, although the implication in the Congratulations he makes on the occasion of my character's wedding to any other Eligible Girl is that he considers me to be nothing better than a 'ruffian'.
In any case, here is the conclusion to Uzuki's Quest:
Uzuki's tale is not connected at all to the main plot. Her quest in Trampoli is a search for her missing Elder Brother. It is only in completing her Quest that she discovers the importance of Trampoli in her own life.
For me, it is the character of Tsubute that makes Uzuki's character and 'Story' appealing. I almost would marry Uzuki simply in order to bring the faithful retainer into my household, although the implication in the Congratulations he makes on the occasion of my character's wedding to any other Eligible Girl is that he considers me to be nothing better than a 'ruffian'.
In any case, here is the conclusion to Uzuki's Quest:
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Surpringly Humble Selphy...
Selphy may be a princess in disguise but when you court her seriously, taking her out on a Date or actually marrying her, she will exhibit a rather surprising humility and a real desire to please. Conscious of her keen individualistic personality, she will assure you that she wishes to be a good wife, giving the same consideration to your character as yours does when he vows to be the best husband possible after the marriage ceremony. Here is Part I of the courtship of Selphy:
Part II shows the Wedding and start of married life:
Part II shows the Wedding and start of married life:
Dates in Rune Factory Frontier
Having organised Dates with almost every Eligible Girl for Autumn, reloading afterwards in each case, I have discovered a few useful rules about Dates in general:
1. You can wait until the day prior to the actual set Date to ask any Girl for a Date, but on the actual Date day set by the game, you will not obtain the Date option from ANY Eligible Girl. In other words, your 'last chance' to ask any Girl for a Date is the day prior to the Date;
2. There are two different Date Events: If the Eligible Girl is at 8-9 Hearts when you meet her for a Date, you will experience the 'short form' Event that will end BEFORE the picnic and you therefore will not have the option to propose to the Girl. If, however, the Eligible Girl is at 10 Hearts, she will bring food for a picnic and, after consuming the food noisily, you will have the option to propose to her. Whether she accepts or refuses depends on whether you have met all Marriage Requirements, both general and specific. In other words, you need to have completed the Girl's Story as well as the Double Bed and so on.
3. If you make a Date with one Girl and then ask a second Girl for a Date, you will lose almost a full Heart with the second Girl but the Girl you attempted to 'two-time' will remain oblivious of your dishonourable conduct. Your original Date will stand and her heart level will remain constant.
4. If you make a Date with an Eligible Girl and then 'stand her up', there are NO consequences whatsoever. Her Heart Level remains constant and she will not even scold you for not appearing!
5. If you tell the Girl after eating her food that it was NOT delicious, there will be no negative consequences in terms of Heart Level. In fact, in most cases, althouggh she will burst into tears, she will tell you rather docilely that she will try better in future!
6. Whether you meet the Girl 'early' or 'late' is irrelevant in terms of changing her Heart Level. There usually is a different dialogue depending on the time when you meet her. For a noon Date, you can meet the Girl ordinarily as early as 11.30 a.m. and as late as 1.00 p.m. but she will leave the screen shortly after 1.00 p.m.
As a matter of fact, if you are NOT at Lake Poli at 11.30 a.m., the Eligible Girl will walk into the screen at approximately 11.40 a.m. but if you enter the screen at 11.30 a.m., you will find her there and be able to initiate the Date Event immediately.
7. A very minor point, but one that I tested. Once you initiate the Date Event, you must see it through to the end, whether or not it is the 'short' or 'long' form of the Event. After walking to the centre of the bridge for the Autumn Date, you cannot leave without experiencing the next part of the Event. If you attempt to run away, the Girl will stop you again and again until you speak to her voluntarily to share your enjoyment of the view!
I am making a video about all of this... I have footage of poor Selphy standing at the entrance to the bridge humming the Song of Trust while my character stands there without engaging her in dialogue. After 1.00 p.m., she sadly leaves the area...
1. You can wait until the day prior to the actual set Date to ask any Girl for a Date, but on the actual Date day set by the game, you will not obtain the Date option from ANY Eligible Girl. In other words, your 'last chance' to ask any Girl for a Date is the day prior to the Date;
2. There are two different Date Events: If the Eligible Girl is at 8-9 Hearts when you meet her for a Date, you will experience the 'short form' Event that will end BEFORE the picnic and you therefore will not have the option to propose to the Girl. If, however, the Eligible Girl is at 10 Hearts, she will bring food for a picnic and, after consuming the food noisily, you will have the option to propose to her. Whether she accepts or refuses depends on whether you have met all Marriage Requirements, both general and specific. In other words, you need to have completed the Girl's Story as well as the Double Bed and so on.
3. If you make a Date with one Girl and then ask a second Girl for a Date, you will lose almost a full Heart with the second Girl but the Girl you attempted to 'two-time' will remain oblivious of your dishonourable conduct. Your original Date will stand and her heart level will remain constant.
4. If you make a Date with an Eligible Girl and then 'stand her up', there are NO consequences whatsoever. Her Heart Level remains constant and she will not even scold you for not appearing!
5. If you tell the Girl after eating her food that it was NOT delicious, there will be no negative consequences in terms of Heart Level. In fact, in most cases, althouggh she will burst into tears, she will tell you rather docilely that she will try better in future!
6. Whether you meet the Girl 'early' or 'late' is irrelevant in terms of changing her Heart Level. There usually is a different dialogue depending on the time when you meet her. For a noon Date, you can meet the Girl ordinarily as early as 11.30 a.m. and as late as 1.00 p.m. but she will leave the screen shortly after 1.00 p.m.
As a matter of fact, if you are NOT at Lake Poli at 11.30 a.m., the Eligible Girl will walk into the screen at approximately 11.40 a.m. but if you enter the screen at 11.30 a.m., you will find her there and be able to initiate the Date Event immediately.
7. A very minor point, but one that I tested. Once you initiate the Date Event, you must see it through to the end, whether or not it is the 'short' or 'long' form of the Event. After walking to the centre of the bridge for the Autumn Date, you cannot leave without experiencing the next part of the Event. If you attempt to run away, the Girl will stop you again and again until you speak to her voluntarily to share your enjoyment of the view!
I am making a video about all of this... I have footage of poor Selphy standing at the entrance to the bridge humming the Song of Trust while my character stands there without engaging her in dialogue. After 1.00 p.m., she sadly leaves the area...
Friday, July 3, 2009
A Study of Brodik, Man of Mystery and Many Parts
Every one appears to love Kross and he is one of the most fascinating characters in any Rune Factory or Harvest Moon game, but I personally find Brodik equally intriguing. I refused to trigger the dialogue that would cause him to disappear from his usual locations in the South District until I had wrung every ounce of dialogue from him at 10 Friendship. The results were satisfying to me, as I was able to trigger all of the dialogues that occur at each Friendship Level.
It is not only in dialogue with Brodik or in his actual Events that one uncovers new information about him, however. This video is an attempt to share some of the interesting facts about Brodik's history and his life in Trampoli.
It is not only in dialogue with Brodik or in his actual Events that one uncovers new information about him, however. This video is an attempt to share some of the interesting facts about Brodik's history and his life in Trampoli.
Obtaining White Rose Seeds in Rune Factory Frontier
This post is prompted by a gamer's plight. Her character accidentally cut down his White Roses with a sickle, leading the player to fear an eternal state of celibacy without the capacity to create the Blue Rose that is a vital ingredient in teh Wedding Bouquet, Rune Factory Frontier's equivalent of the traditional Blue Feather in Harvest Moon.
Oddly enough, I had thought of making a video about this after Ganesha gave me ANOTHER White Rose about a season after she gave me the first one. Each season now, I experience the little dialogue with Ganesha wherein she informs me once again that having used a Rose as a model for a sketch for a customer's order, she no longer requires it and wishes to give it to me. It is interesting that Rune Factory Frontier allows your character to obtain unique items such as the Tide Cluster and the White Rose again and again, giving you the option to make errors such as the player who destroyed her crop of Roses or to create Wedding Bouquets as a cottage industry to ship regularly. Obviously, once you have harvested a crop of White or Blue Roses, you should have the means by which to create your own regular supply of seeds but in a case such as the one the player described, it is nice to know that Ganesha will continue to supply you with the occasional White Rose.
In any event, there is hope for the player who lost her original White Rose. In fact, she discovered that it was by asking an Eligible Girl on a Date that the Event was triggered again and she received another White Rose.
This detail will be added to my Guides and I will give Claire credit for the information.
Oddly enough, I had thought of making a video about this after Ganesha gave me ANOTHER White Rose about a season after she gave me the first one. Each season now, I experience the little dialogue with Ganesha wherein she informs me once again that having used a Rose as a model for a sketch for a customer's order, she no longer requires it and wishes to give it to me. It is interesting that Rune Factory Frontier allows your character to obtain unique items such as the Tide Cluster and the White Rose again and again, giving you the option to make errors such as the player who destroyed her crop of Roses or to create Wedding Bouquets as a cottage industry to ship regularly. Obviously, once you have harvested a crop of White or Blue Roses, you should have the means by which to create your own regular supply of seeds but in a case such as the one the player described, it is nice to know that Ganesha will continue to supply you with the occasional White Rose.
In any event, there is hope for the player who lost her original White Rose. In fact, she discovered that it was by asking an Eligible Girl on a Date that the Event was triggered again and she received another White Rose.
This detail will be added to my Guides and I will give Claire credit for the information.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Iris' Illness and Recovery
This two-part video deals with the Illness that Iris contracts when both Iris Blanche and Iris Noire reach maximum 10 Hearts in Trampoli.
It shows a date with Iris Blanche and the result of a marriage proposal, even at maximum Heart Level before the Events involved in her 'illness' and 'recovery' have transpired:
Incidentally, I did not 'choose' Iris Blanche on a permanent basis and in fact, reloaded after experiencing the Event... A video of a date with Noire and the result of choosing the second option at the Square will be made as well.
It shows a date with Iris Blanche and the result of a marriage proposal, even at maximum Heart Level before the Events involved in her 'illness' and 'recovery' have transpired:
Incidentally, I did not 'choose' Iris Blanche on a permanent basis and in fact, reloaded after experiencing the Event... A video of a date with Noire and the result of choosing the second option at the Square will be made as well.
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