Zodi Plays: The Legend of Zelda Spirit Tracks (Choo Choo Chosen One)

[LaZodiac]

What happens if you take a turn manually that doesn't match the path you drew on the map?

Regarding the flute: Maybe it's just how it's coming through on your recording mic, but it sounds like you're trying to spin a pinwheel or blow up a balloon. Can you whistle from a little farther away, or perhaps just blow softer? Or more across the mic than into it (lower angle), to cut down on the noise?

(I haven't played it myself, so this is just speculation)

The microphone on the DS I played this on, and the DS I record with... have the microphone on the bottom edge of the system. It is originally right underneath the DS fold. This, almost certainly, is causing Problems because I cannot blow directly into the mic and am instead blowing across it. As for my blowing style, I may be blowing too hard, or to closely, those are fine and I'll take it on advisement.

I do wonder what you mean by whistle though? Also ultimately the uh, main difficulty of manouvering the recording 3DS so that I can blew directly on the mic is... I won't be able to see the screen.

So it may be that this mechanic works PERFECTLY fine on a regular DS. But this? This not so much. And I'd argue the original probably wasn't very good either.

O also I think the train just... goes. You don't NEED to draw a path for it to go I think.

[Qwertystop]

The microphone on the DS I played this on, and the DS I record with... have the microphone on the bottom edge of the system. It is originally right underneath the DS fold. This, almost certainly, is causing Problems because I cannot blow directly into the mic and am instead blowing across it. As for my blowing style, I may be blowing too hard, or to closely, those are fine and I'll take it on advisement.

I do wonder what you mean by whistle though? Also ultimately the uh, main difficulty of manouvering the recording 3DS so that I can blew directly on the mic is... I won't be able to see the screen.

So it may be that this mechanic works PERFECTLY fine on a regular DS. But this? This not so much. And I'd argue the original probably wasn't very good either.

O also I think the train just... goes. You don't NEED to draw a path for it to go I think.

Whistling. Softly, not with fingers. "Pucker whistling" as described on that page.

I have a New 3DS XL, which has the mic at the bottom, and if I hold it at a low angle I can see the screen while my mouth points at the mic edge. It's not the easiest thing to see; I wouldn't want to do much else in the game at the same time, but I can see clearly enough to tell which game is where on the home menu and scroll it left and right. The original 3DS, 3DSXL, and New 3DS look to have the same layout as far as mic positioning goes, though I don't know how recording hardware might make it harder to hold at odd angles one-handed.

So... the map-drawing just automates the turning?

[LaZodiac]

Whistling. Softly, not with fingers. "Pucker whistling" as described on that page.

I have a New 3DS XL, which has the mic at the bottom, and if I hold it at a low angle I can see the screen while my mouth points at the mic edge. It's not the easiest thing to see; I wouldn't want to do much else in the game at the same time, but I can see clearly enough to tell which game is where on the home menu and scroll it left and right. The original 3DS, 3DSXL, and New 3DS look to have the same layout as far as mic positioning goes, though I don't know how recording hardware might make it harder to hold at odd angles one-handed.

So... the map-drawing just automates the turning?

Thank you Qwerty but I meant "how would whistling help" and not "how do am whistle?" I can whistle, and I know whistling is

I will give it a try though!

And no, map drawing is just to give you an idea of your path, you still have to adjust turns I think!

[DataNinja]

The microphone on the DS I played this on, and the DS I record with... have the microphone on the bottom edge of the system.

Oh, gosh, yeah, I can imagine that setup causing a lot more grief with the flute. No question. The central mic made it easy to just center the system with your gaze and glide it along.

So... the map-drawing just automates the turning?

Yep. Basically, it just sets the defaults for you, but you're absolutely free to change it and go wherever you want. It just makes it easier to not have to worry about directions, so you can, say, make sure you're looking for wildlife on the roads or whatnot that might come later.

[LaZodiac]

DataNinja is correct on the pathing thing not me it's been Forever since I played this.

[Qwertystop]

Thank you Qwerty but I meant "how would whistling help" and not "how do am whistle?" I can whistle, and I know whistling is

I will give it a try though!

Whistling is possibly a louder or at least more vocal-range sound per airflow, which might mean less wind noise in the mic so it reads it better. Or just going directly to a vocal "aaaaaaa".

[Toric]

Or just going directly to a vocal "aaaaaaa".

I really hope that option works better. Tis many a year since I've heard the sweet tones of the Locomo scream-flute.

[LaZodiac]

I will note I have tested the screaming and I don't think it works well enough to be a viable solution.

Anyway, something I forgot to do! Since my next LP is a Vote option, it's time to... well, vote for an option!

Here is the Poll, it will survive until next Wednesday wherein it will be finished.

And here are a quick overview of the options

1: Zodi's Choice - I pick what I want. I'm feeling either the first Boktai game, or Sly Cooper 2.

2: Kid Icarus Uprising - One of the best 3DS games to ever be released, a funny (often meta) shooter/beat em up staring Pit, and a bunch of gods who make fun of him.

3: Evoland - A history lesson of the RPG genre mixed with an actual like RPG. This is blind!

4: Harvest Moon More Friends of Mineral Town - Relaxing and nice farm game. This is semi blind in that I own and have played the game, but was not good at it and did no know what I was doing. Will likely have viewer interaction to some degree.

5: Custom Robo for the Gamecube - Arena fighter robot customization game. Has a weird fake-anime art style despite being incredibly anime, also one of my favorite games as a kid.

6: Ronin - A short and sweet experimental game, referred to as a "turn based action game". You are a motorcycle girl and are going to kill everyone on your quest to avenge your father.

7: Bayonetta - M rated game, you are a powerful witch, who's gone to an island to beat up the local cult and presumably get paid.

8: Bioshock - M rated game, shooter in the vein of System Shock wherein you explore the strange, underwater libertarian utopia that has gone to **** because of obvious reasons.

9: Drakengard 3 - M Rated Game with a twist; the person who made it included all these horrible things for a reason. You are a very angry woman with a flower in her eye and a dragon friend who is going to kill every single person she knows in revenge. This is also blind!

10: Final Fantasy 12 - Weird MMO esque tactical RPG, wherein you discover what a video game would be like if the protagonist was the optional character in the party.

11: A Hat In Time - Very cute and adorable (and multiplayer!) Super Mario 64 style game, featuring a sassy girl in a hat. This is blind.

So yeah. CAST YOUR VOTES!

[Amechra]

I will note I have tested the screaming and I don't think it works well enough to be a viable solution.

Anyway, something I forgot to do! Since my next LP is a Vote option, it's time to... well, vote for an option!

Here is the Poll, it will survive until next Wednesday wherein it will be finished.

And here are a quick overview of the options

1: Zodi's Choice - I pick what I want. I'm feeling either the first Boktai game, or Sly Cooper 2.

2: Kid Icarus Uprising - One of the best 3DS games to ever be released, a funny (often meta) shooter/beat em up staring Pit, and a bunch of gods who make fun of him.

3: Evoland - A history lesson of the RPG genre mixed with an actual like RPG. This is blind!

4: Harvest Moon More Friends of Mineral Town - Relaxing and nice farm game. This is semi blind in that I own and have played the game, but was not good at it and did no know what I was doing. Will likely have viewer interaction to some degree.

5: Custom Robo for the Gamecube - Arena fighter robot customization game. Has a weird fake-anime art style despite being incredibly anime, also one of my favorite games as a kid.

6: Ronin - A short and sweet experimental game, referred to as a "turn based action game". You are a motorcycle girl and are going to kill everyone on your quest to avenge your father.

7: Bayonetta - M rated game, you are a powerful witch, who's gone to an island to beat up the local cult and presumably get paid.

8: Bioshock - M rated game, shooter in the vein of System Shock wherein you explore the strange, underwater libertarian utopia that has gone to **** because of obvious reasons.

9: Drakengard 3 - M Rated Game with a twist; the person who made it included all these horrible things for a reason. You are a very angry woman with a flower in her eye and a dragon friend who is going to kill every single person she knows in revenge. This is also blind!

10: Final Fantasy 12 - Weird MMO esque tactical RPG, wherein you discover what a video game would be like if the protagonist was the optional character in the party.

11: A Hat In Time - Very cute and adorable (and multiplayer!) Super Mario 64 style game, featuring a sassy girl in a hat. This is blind.

So yeah. CAST YOUR VOTES!

Drakengard 3 would be interesting to watch you go through, but that's not a game to record blind. Oh dear lord I wouldn't record that one blind. That way lies madness.

[DataNinja]

Anyway, something I forgot to do! Since my next LP is a Vote option, it's time to... well, vote for an option!

It's times like this that I wish that I could vote for multiple, because, man, there are several I think it'd be cool to see played. I demand electoral reform.

[LaZodiac]

Drakengard 3 would be interesting to watch you go through, but that's not a game to record blind. Oh dear lord I wouldn't record that one blind. That way lies madness.

I should note I am Familiar with it, if Blind. I've played a Yoko Taro game or two in my time, and I'm aware of the reputation of Drakengard as a series. I would be prepared... for the most part.

It's times like this that I wish that I could vote for multiple, because, man, there are several I think it'd be cool to see played. I demand electoral reform.

Once I'm popular enough to start having to cull the selection via Patreon Polls, then we will have electoral reform. This I promise, and I do actually keep my promises so there it goes.

[Amechra]

I should note I am Familiar with it, if Blind. I've played a Yoko Taro game or two in my time, and I'm aware of the reputation of Drakengard as a series. I would be prepared... for the most part.

The final boss for Drakengard 3 is how Yoko Taro lets you know that he hates you and everything you stand for. I won't spoil why, but it really is just plain rude.

[DataNinja]

Once I'm popular enough to start having to cull the selection via Patreon Polls, then we will have electoral reform. This I promise, and I do actually keep my promises so there it goes.

Doesn't help me now, though.

[Qwertystop]

Well. That's a tricky vote (between Custom Robo and Kid Icarus).

I wasn't actually thinking of screaming, though that would be funny. I meant more holding a note singing. "aaaaa" not "AAAAA".

[LaZodiac]

How about a Zelda? That sounds cool yeah?

Zodi Plays: The Legend of Zelda Spirit Tracks [4] Forest Temple

Video Length: 21:46

In this exciting episode, we ride our train off to the first dungeon; the Forest Temple! Much like Phantom Hourglass (and in retrospect a lot of Zelda's probably) the highlight is the dungeons, and we start off on a pretty good one. While it's not very elaborate, the Forest Temple in Spirit Tracks is a really solid first dungeon. It's not too hard, but not too easy either I think. The enemies within (minus the Spinenuts) all interact with the dungeon item, either due to removing the stank left behind by the Vengas, removing the stank from the Bubbles so you can hurt them, or using the Blastworm's as possible objects. It's actually pretty cool! Minus the fact that uh, you need to get used to using the Whirlwind, which requires standing ramrod in place, swiveling with he stylus, and blowing into the mic. This at least doesn't require THAT much effort, but it takes a bit for me to get the hang of things and I end up kinda straining myself. Oops.

Not helped that the boss, Armoured Colossus Stagnox, requires the Whilrwind almost exclusively. First to blow the stank from his (or her, she does give birth to all those Blastworms) butt so you can slice it up, then to blow Blastworms back at her to stun her during phase 2. This is actually a pretty cool boss fight, even if it's not all that difficult. IT also shows the weird cutscene oddity with this game; the rooms and bosses that involve both screens being used are positioned to sync up together! The cutscenes otherwise are not! It's so weird, since the tech is clearer there to make it work properly, they just don't use it 100% of the time.

At any rate, we slay Stagnox, unseal the Green Force Gem (bet you were expecting something other than one of these!) and reconnect the spirit tracks to the Spirit Tower, fixing one fourth of the tower. We get a heart container for our trouble, and the satisfaction of having blown a monster to death. Sweet!

Hope you all enjoyed, I'll see you all next time for our first dip into the game long dungeon that is the Spirit Temple. Take care.

[DataNinja]

Yay, a Zelda!

Spoiler: Signs on the Tracks

Show

The one single time they're used is when transporting passengers. They'll get in a snit if you ignore them.

Note that the Song of healing is One Time per excursion into a dungeon. You only have to leave and re-enter the dungeon to reuse it. Not, like, come back to this temple to refresh it. Thankfully. I... did not know this on my playthrough, and so never used it.

Spoiler: Stamps

Show

I think it starts after heading back to Aboda the first time after clearing the temple. Preeeeetty sure there's no reward from it besides getting to wear your conductor's uniform at any time, though. It's the thought that counts, though, Niko.

Ah, yeah, this is the mechanic I thought the PH keys also had. Pretty sure you can kill the keymasters, but they also come back, IIRC, and you have to drop the key to attack... which usually means one of the other ones'll just come in and yoink the key back to the start.

Hey, now, Stagnox is a mom. Can't you tell from all the larvae she's spawning at you that are clearly not her species?

Sweet, 1000 force gems. We're rich!

I imagine they don't have code for non-temporary items to be on the ground, I guess?

[TheWombatOfDoom]

Spoiler: Zodi's Train of Though (4)

Show

How about a Zelda? That sounds cool yeah?

Zodi Plays: The Legend of Zelda Spirit Tracks [4] Forest Temple

Video Length: 21:46

In this exciting episode, we ride our train off to the first dungeon; the Forest Temple! Much like Phantom Hourglass (and in retrospect a lot of Zelda's probably) the highlight is the dungeons, and we start off on a pretty good one. While it's not very elaborate, the Forest Temple in Spirit Tracks is a really solid first dungeon. It's not too hard, but not too easy either I think. The enemies within (minus the Spinenuts) all interact with the dungeon item, either due to removing the stank left behind by the Vengas, removing the stank from the Bubbles so you can hurt them, or using the Blastworm's as possible objects. It's actually pretty cool! Minus the fact that uh, you need to get used to using the Whirlwind, which requires standing ramrod in place, swiveling with he stylus, and blowing into the mic. This at least doesn't require THAT much effort, but it takes a bit for me to get the hang of things and I end up kinda straining myself. Oops.

Not helped that the boss, Armoured Colossus Stagnox, requires the Whilrwind almost exclusively. First to blow the stank from his (or her, she does give birth to all those Blastworms) butt so you can slice it up, then to blow Blastworms back at her to stun her during phase 2. This is actually a pretty cool boss fight, even if it's not all that difficult. IT also shows the weird cutscene oddity with this game; the rooms and bosses that involve both screens being used are positioned to sync up together! The cutscenes otherwise are not! It's so weird, since the tech is clearer there to make it work properly, they just don't use it 100% of the time.

At any rate, we slay Stagnox, unseal the Green Force Gem (bet you were expecting something other than one of these!) and reconnect the spirit tracks to the Spirit Tower, fixing one fourth of the tower. We get a heart container for our trouble, and the satisfaction of having blown a monster to death. Sweet!

Hope you all enjoyed, I'll see you all next time for our first dip into the game long dungeon that is the Spirit Temple. Take care.

Fairy ability is interesting....Song of Healing, eh?

I'm of two minds with the mic use. On one hand, it utilizes something unique to the system, which is neat. On the other hand, its limiting the game to that system alone, unless another has a mic. And based off of the location of the mic, it can be...finicky, as we've seen. I like that theyre making the game unique, but maybe they could have done a better job implementing it? Alternatively, this would be hell on someone who has lung issues or breathing issues...

Face energy! Hmmm, not something I can track. XD But I like the term.

Mothula! Oh ****...oh it only shoots bubbles? Thank God, almost got PTSD... Oh cool it can reflect your gusts back. Also, killing an enemy with an enemy it summons is a neat way to rack up kills. Not counting missed bubbles that it launched at the wall, but any you reflected back counted as a bubble kill also!

Hmmmm. Stagnox is a giant insect...I wonder what she'll end up being in the groupings... Like we made Tula's part of the mold group for being armored bugs... it also ends in nox, which i wonder if it's any reference to Hinox? Hmmmmm...

So...why are Vengas and Blastworms names significant in regards to Stagnox?

---

EPISODE 4 KILL TALLY!

Green Spinenut - 1
Red Spinenut - 2
Vengas - 7
Bubble - 4
Mothula, Winged - 1
Blastworm - 22
Stagnox - 1

Style Points - 0

Missed Rupees - 0 (x4 combo!)

---

Spirit Tracks
Total Kills
(As of Episode 4)

Bubbles - 4
Chuchu, Red - 12
Crows - 1
Keese - 5
Rats - 4
Phantoms - 1

Insects
Bee Hives - 3
Mothula, Winged - 1
Blastworms - 22
Vengas - 7
Stagnox - 1

Spinenuts
Spinenuts, Red - 23
Spinenuts, Green - 1

Total Things Dead - 47

1st Place - Red Spinenuts, at 23!
2nd Place - Blastworms, at 22!
3rd Place - Red Chuchus, at 12!

Total Style Points - 0

Total Missed Rupees - 0
Total Lost Rupees - 0

[LaZodiac]

So...why are Vengas and Blastworms names significant in regards to Stagnox?

They're... not? I was saying their names will mean sense in a moment because Vengas explode into gas clouds as a vengeance move, and Blastworms are worms that explode. Self evident names.

[TheWombatOfDoom]

They're... not? I was saying their names will mean sense in a moment because Vengas explode into gas clouds as a vengeance move, and Blastworms are worms that explode. Self evident names.

Oooooooooooooooh. Totally misunderstood where you were going with that. so vengas for vengance, blast worms for blasting...

[Ninja_Prawn]

With the vengas, I thought you were meaning because they go boom, boom, boom, boom! ...

[LaZodiac]

With the vengas, I thought you were meaning because they go boom, boom, boom, boom! ...

Someone with photoshop and time on their hands, you know what to do with that album's cover art now I suppose.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

This is why I never played either of the DS Zelda games. Using a stylus instead of a d-pad for movement, and physically blowing on your DS for mechanical action? Yea, no. Like Stark said: Bad Plan.

However, Zodi commentary is always entertaining.

[DataNinja]

This is why I never played either of the DS Zelda games. Using a stylus instead of a d-pad for movement, and physically blowing on your DS for mechanical action? Yea, no. Like Stark said: Bad Plan.

However, Zodi commentary is always entertaining.

I know I personally didn't mind it, but I do agree that having an option for a different control scheme would have been nice. ...far too many games do try to force not-thought-through gimmicks onto you.

I feel like with the DS the way it is, trying to aim in a circle with it would have been an issue (Hello, Super Mario 64 DS) because of the awkwardness of the D-pad for omnidirectionalism. So, with the way the stylus is, using one hand to aim, and the other hand to hold the DS, the blowing does serve a purpose of being able to activate it immediately, instead of having to take the stylus away from the end to push a button.

[LaZodiac]

Hey let's do some training today.

Zodi Plays: The Legend of Zelda Spirit Tracks [5] Spirit Tower Block One

Video Length: 24:59

Look it's hard to come up with funny titles ALL the time okay? Anyway, in this exciting episode, we blitz our way back to the Tower of Spirits so we can see about getting our next rail map. On the way we encounter some nasty Dark Trains that can instantly kill us if they do much as touch us, which is going to be... let's say a bit of a hassle with regards to traversing the world. They can't be killed, just stunned, so we're always going to have to deal with this looming threat of "we're on a collision course and I can't actually adjust our path" and that's just unfortunate. It's weird because like, in terms of "you are a train conductor video game" this kinda rules, it feels very much like you ARE piloting a train and have to make every move in advance. But mechanically it's kinda awful garbage that just moving across the game world is THAT dangerous.

At any rate, we get to the Spirit Tower relatively unscathed and begin climbing it once more. We encounter some new enemies (Miniblins on Armos, Geozards) that we need to dispatch and new puzzle elements to keep in mind (riding on Zelda's shield, blowing wind at fans though this isn't actually NEW, persay). All in all I like it, though it's pretty clear that we're missing a lot of stuff in this cube that we'll need other floors and other items to get too. It's over relatively quickly though, another trade up from Phantom's Ocean King Temple.

With the Snow Realm rail map acquired, we can now go wherever we wish! Only it turns out the monsters of the world are getting more restless, so we uh... actually need to stop by Castle Town to talk to Alfonzo. He'll know what to do to deal with these porcine threats to our poor train's safety! And he does... only he has to take us home to Abode Village first. And that's where we leave it off for today.

Hope you enjoyed, I'll see you all next time for a good and happy fun time. Take care!

[DataNinja]

So... the Dark Trains, uh, they've always been the creepiest part of the game for me. Their music is fierce, but, most of all... the question I've always asked myself since the first time playing the game... what happened to the people that were onboard the other trains when they were turned into Dark Trains???

To be fair, with regards to the inevitability of crashing...

Spoiler

Show

The Dark Trains you actually can outrun while going backwards, as long as you keep them stunned. As long as a 2nd one doesn't come at you, and you land cannon shots, you'll be 100% okay. It's just awkward and making you need to go out of your way. It's the Armoured Trains that are Big Problems.

"The Rail map must be here because I'm back to my old self!" ...not because of the Rail Map five feet in front of you?

[LaZodiac]

It's officially Wednesday in my time zone, so it's time to announce the winners!

Y'all did a three way tie good jorb. Zodi Choice is going to be "not choosing" and because one of the game's is short and one is long, we'll be doing both one after the other!

So, after Spirit Tracks, our next LP is... Ronin. And then... Custom Robo for the Gamecube.

[DataNinja]

Technically, isn't your choice choosing both?

We just can't make your life easy, though, can we?

[LaZodiac]

Technically, isn't your choice choosing both?

We just can't make your life easy, though, can we?

Zodi's Choice, like many things I do, is arbitrary and silly.

Naw it's good. I honestly really wanted to show off Ronin so this works real well.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Ronin looks like the precursor to Mark of the Ninja. Which is a compliment, by the way.

[LaZodiac]

Onwards, to further Zeldas!

Zodi Plays: The Legend of Zelda Spirit Tracks [6] Rabbitland Rescue

Video Length: 23:18

In this exciting episode of Spirit Tracks, we prepare to leave the Spirit Tower... only to be horribly menaced by boars in a very clear and present attempt to tell us we really, truly have to go do this plot thing or we'll die. This is a conflicting thing for me because on the one hand, we do NEED the thing it's telling us to go do, both to defend ourselves and just progress in general. And if we went all the way to the edge of this realm to find that we needed to choo choo all the back... that would be bad. But ruthlessly beating the crap out of you is probably not great design either. At any rate, we return to Castle Town and pick up Alfonzo, who is ready to go back to Abode Village.

Once back home, we're given the cannon for our train so we can defend ourselves, and Grandpa Niko gives us his stamp book. Now, he never managed to get the stamp machines to STAMP anything, in his youth, so I have no idea how he knew what these things were, but hey it's a game long side quest. Let's get it done! And we do so, revisiting all the areas related to the Forest Temple and getting them stamped (plus some treasure chests and loot on the side). Then we're off... only to encounter a second game long side quest; Rabbitland! The... odd fellow who runs the place gives us our bunny catching net and tells us to go forth and catch bunnies so that we may frolic in peace. We'll attend to this as we can.

And that's... basically it. We end off this episode in the land of the Anouki once more. I'm curious if they'll have any fun puzzles with horrible punishments like last time, because I truly genuinely do not remember. This is one of the fun parts about playing a game I played and beat once long ago; I remember just enough to not be blind, but I forget so much details it may as well be blind. It rules.

Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed. I'll see you all next time for... snow. More snow.