Author: therealtcv

Wednesday Media Review: Pokemon Scarlet/Violet DLC 1: The Teal Mask

Written by TheChoujinVirus

Note: Though I’m trying to keep it spoiler-free, there are some spoilers to the game’s DLC, so you’ve been warned

For those familiar with my last review of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, I’ve disclosed that the game has two DLC stories announced called The Treasure of Area Zero. The first was The Teal Mask, released September 13th of this year. The Next DLC is known as The Indigo Disk, which is officially announced to be released on the 14th of December of this year. This review will discuss the first DLC for Scarlet and Violet, The Teal Mask.

Summary of the Game

The game is similar to Scarlet and Violet, so if you want to know the gimmicks of S/V, then click here to review Vanilla Scarlet and Violet.
The Story of the Teal Mask picks up with your character going on a school trip led by Ms. Briar to a region called Kitakami, an isolated region near a mountain. Here, we are introduced to the new characters of the DLC. The first are the siblings Carmine and Keiran, two Blueberry Academy students living in Moussi Town.

They serve as your rivals and the guides to Kitakami as you explore this old region and learn of its history and the myth surrounding a group of Pokemon: Ogrepon and the Loyal Three(Monkidori, Okidogi, and Fezandipiti). Alongside the main story is a side story with a Pokemon photographer named Perin, who is here in Kitakami searching for an elusive Pokemon known as the Bloodmoon Ursaluna that lurks in the timeless woods. Your travels will also show you the return of old Pokemon like Vulpix, Sandshrew, and Vikavolt. You’ll see some brand new Pokemon native to Kitakami, such as Polchageist, a Grass/Ghost type resembling an old Japanese Teacup, and Dipplin, a candy apple evolution to Applin. Once your journey ends, you’ll learn the truth about Ogerpon and the Loyal Three. Not to spoil the ending, the story is not what it seems.

Masked Greatness: What makes the game great

The Teal Mask has one benefit that I love, and it’s the whole story of the DLC. Besides the basis of the story, it can be started anytime (before you complete the story or after you do) with the Pokemon scaling in level up to level 60s, so even if you beat the story, you can still get some strong Pokemon.
Another is the return of several Pokemon from the older games. Seeing oldies like Vulpix and Ludicolo is excellent. Still, I love seeing the return of Transfer-only Pokemon such as Shaymin and some Alolan variants of the Kitakami Pokemon like Geodude or Sandshrew.
Lastly, Ogre Oustin’ is one intriguing new mini-game that adds post-game fun. Though I’ve learned that you can’t beat said difficulty on normal or higher, getting items such as Mochi that can adjust Effort values and stats is fun. According to Serebii, completing the most challenging difficulty rewards a rare Shiny Munchlax.

Hidden Flaws: Things that make the game lack

Despite the impressiveness of the DLC, The Story of Kitakami and the region is lacking. The issue boils down to the story; we feel a bit bony. Kitakami, compared to Paldea, feels more petite than usual, and the story kind of ends quickly even when you take your time (It took me two days to complete the DLC), so if you’re expecting a few-day odyssey, you’re going to be a bit disappointed. Finally, the one big issue I feel is annoying is that you don’t have access to out-of-region Pokemon in the Pokedex. In some older games, you could flex between the Native Regional variant and the other variants (such as in Sw/Shi, where you could look at each version of Meowth and Persian). Even with the DLC, you can get a Galarian and Alolan Meowth and still won’t get a dex entry, regardless. However, I hope we see that in the future for Indigo Disc if the leaks are accurate.

Fun Tidbits

Connecting Pokemon Go to your copy of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet gives you some great perks and benefits. First, you can transfer Postcards you’ve acquired in Go to Scarlet and Violet; it has the unique ability to change the pattern of Vivillion found in Paldea (as all Paldea Vivillion have the Fancy pattern); this makes acquiring some patterns like the Elegant Pattern, or River Pattern. On Pokemon Go, you gain access to the Coin Bag, which behaves like a similar item, the Mystery Box, for catching Meltan. In this case, the Coin Bag lets you capture the Roaming form Gimmieghouls, a form found exclusively in Pokemon Go (but you do find them in S/V but are not able to capture them)

Conclusion

Does the Teal Mask work well? I’d say it’s an excellent start for Scarlet and Violet. Sure, it’s short, but exploring a whole new area outside Paldea is sound. It also gives some hope for the next part as we explore the fabled Blueberry Academy. Don’t worry; we’ll be doing the review for the next one very soon.

Sources Cited

Monday Mumbles: AI Art and Writing

Written by TheChoujinVirus

Note: the following is based on my own opinions and not on anything else so do not take things personally.

Artificial Intelligence, the greatest thing everyone hopes of having. From having Siri or Alexa play your music at the comfort of your home to having Cortana turn on your X-Box. Hell, i dream of a day of having the stuff from Star Trek. Though now we are seeing a new trend that some are embracing: AI Art and AI Writing. Now I’m sure everyone and their mother has heard about AI art due to how folks either praise it to high heaven or use it a lot or simply from what’s going on in Hollywood. But for the everyman who’s clueless the biggest issue of AI art and writing is simply this: It copies things via algorythms and uses it to creates on what it’s told. In short, it more or less digitally borrows art from other artists in a form of digital tracing. For Writing, it’s the same and just copies from any source and writes it down.

How does that make Ya boy feel? Well it kinda makes getting into the field of art or writing a bit tricky due to having your work scrutinized over the fear that if they hire you, they’ll find out you never drew or wrote your work. I may be a hobby writer, but I’ve known a few artists feared that their work may be stolen by some AI algorythm so someone who’s too lazy to pay money for someone to draw the art or just someone lazy to not learn how to draw said art or write their own. Which usually means for some jobs, you need to prove your own work, proofreading and all.

Now, AI isn’t that bad as there is some perks. For example, AI Writing can provide you with something akin to a base to help you write a promt or give you a good example to help out. For drawing, AI art can do well with backgrounds so some artists use it as a way for simple backgrounds or other things.

Though in the end, it seems that folks have buffers against AI art and writing’s rampancy for now….which is good for ya boy, which means he won’t be replaced by a robot.

(Late) Wednesday Media Review: Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

Written by TheChoujinVirus
Note: The following review may contain some spoilers to the game in general.

Happy Wednesday! It’s ya, boi Choujin. Another year, another Pokemon game was released, as always. Though this time, it’s a whole new ballgame. No, seriously, it is surprising. Released on November 22nd, 2022 for the Nintendo Switch. We’re talking about Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, or Generation 9, for the Pokemon franchise. It’s known to have its issues, but can they be overlooked for the game in general? Well, then, the only way is to find out.

Gameplay and story summary

Like all Pokemon games, to give a ballpark (to understand the mechanics of Pokemon, refer to my old Sword and Shield review) but to give a recap about the game’s story. You are a trainer in the region of Paldea and a student of the Uva/Naranja Academy (Uva is Violet, and Naranja is Scarlet) during their yearly event known as the Treasure Hunt that takes you all over Paldea, from fighting gym leaders to fighting titans and even a rival gang. You do this adventure with one of the newest starters: Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly.

. This is the game’s feature: Three Stories intertwined instead of one. One story as old as the series is: Traveling Paldea collecting gym badges while battling Nemona on your quest to be Champion. The other stories have a unique take: One has you helping a student named Arven learn the secrets of the Violet (or Scarlet) book and the connection to the Herba Mystica: herbs that can create Titan Pokemon you fight. The last one has you dealing with a gang of student delinquents called Team Star for someone named Cassiopea and their assistant Penny, in which you learn more about the team and their founding. Throughout each of the stories, which can be done in any order and in between, you’re accompanied by a strange Pokemon named Mirridon(Violet) or Korridon (Scarlet), who serves as your mount and mode of transportation throughout the game’s journey. Over time, they can gain unique powers like swimming in water, climbing cliffs, and flying across the skies. There is one final story that explains the origin of the gimmick, but to figure that out, you’ll have to complete the three stories to find out.

Which now moves us to the newest gimmick in Scarlet and Violet. While Gen 6 has Mega Evolution, Gen 7 with Z-Crystals, and Gen 8 with Dynamax/Gigantomax. Generation 9’s new gimmick is called Terastallization. You can activate this feature during the battle and change the Pokemon to its “Tera Type.” For example, a Pikachu with the Flying Tera Type, when Terastallization is activated, will become a Flying type instead of its usual Electric Type, which can override Pikachu’s original weakness and resistance. Also, it becomes more potent if said Pokemon uses the move Terra Blast or a move tied to the Tera Type. In short, Terastallation is useful for offensive or defensive reasons.

But battles aren’t the only new feature introduced. Another feature is the “Let’s Go” feature. Your lead Pokemon can follow you when pressing the LR or R button. They will also automatically attack any Pokemon around them. It makes battles instant and boils them down to Pokemon-type matchups. If the matchup favors your lead, it won’t lose much health; if it doesn’t, it’ll lose health. They can continue until they run out of energy, which they won’t fight anymore. It’s helpful in quickly gaining experience and resources for crafting TMs. Still, in the Team Star fight, dealing with the Star grunts who will send hordes of Pokemon against you is a core feature.

Another exciting feature improved on from Gen 8 is the ability to set up a Picnic. Like in the last gen, you can set up a small area for a picnic where you can wash your Pokemon and two things. First, you can make sandwiches to provide bonuses to your exploration, like a better chance at finding items, gaining more rewards, hatching eggs faster, or even finding shiny Pokemon. It’s also the method of Pokemon breeding. No more days of having to go to a Daycare; your picnic is the daycare. If you also have the Mirror Herb item, one can teach a Pokemon moves it may not learn through TMs or leveling up.

The final new feature introduced is Tera Raids. Throughout the world, you’ll see crystal dens erupting out of the earth. They are known as Tera Dens, which contain rare or valuable Pokemon (usually with a different Tera type). You battle this Pokemon with up to 3 AI-controlled players (or human-controlled players) against this Pokemon in real-time (Which means there’s no turn-based combat in a Tera Raid) as you fight the creature. However, don’t think the battle is easy, as the Tera Raid Pokemon will employ tricks like applying a barrier that requires Terrastation, attacking multiple times, or even removing negative stats from itself while debuffing the whole party. Beat the Pokemon before time runs out to have a chance to capture said Pokemon to your party. There’s so much content that it’s hard to go through much of it, but the game.

Treasured Positives: The good Features

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet has many good features, making it a great introduction to Generation 9. One such is evident in the new Terastallation feature. It reminded me of the original gimmick attack from the Gold and Silver games of Gen 2 called Hidden Power. It’s a creative nod to that old move and makes the gimmick more open compared to things.


Another benefit, though not mentioned before, is the Union Circle in the game. You can join up to three other people in your game to have your friends travel with you in Paldea, which, by the way, the open world of Scarlet and Violet allows you to have an authentic Pokemon experience that isn’t railroaded as well as being able to find Pokemon in other versions if your friend has the opposite version. Also, the  Lastly the three stories are fascinating. Without going into spoilers, they fit well into the lore of the Paldea region. They can be tackled in any order with the free roam, though sometimes that leads to some problems in the game.

Not so Treasured Issues: The bad

Though the game is fun, the game has some issues. The obvious Snorlax in the room is the game’s performance issue. The game has moments where performance can flare up, like in some areas of water or environmental things like rain and wind. I’ve had only two crashes in the game so far.
The second issue that feels backward is the lack of customization for the Player Character. In older games up to Gen 6 (with some exceptions), you could customize your trainer in various clothes that made your character stand out. Scarlet and Violet only give you limited choices in uniforms and clothes. No dresses or custom garments. You’re stuck with one uniform with four “Seasonal outfits” as the main, with maybe customizable stuff like hats, glasses, hair, phone case, socks, and shoes. Beyond that, there is nothing much there.
Lastly, the big issue is that there’s not much post-game.
Spoiler alert aside, after beating the game, there’s barely anything beyond Tera Raids, rematching with Team Star’s Admins and the Ace Trainer Tournament. Nothing much outside of that, and it can be annoying.
The upcoming DLCs will add more content to the game, so a review of that will be planned in the future.

Conclusion

Scarlet and Violet, though with some bugs, isn’t a disappointment, in my opinion. Sure, The Pokemon Company may need to slow down the releases. Still, otherwise, the game is a solid addition to this generation.

Note: I will review the gameplay of the DLC when they arrive, so do keep an eye out when it’s done.

Cited Source

https://scarletviolet.pokemon.com/

Monday Mumbles: Writer’s Block and Priorities

Written By TheChoujinVirus

Note: the following is based on my opinion, so do not be offended.

Good evening, everyone. It’s ya boy Choujin here, and man, do I have a lot of things to take care of and multitask. Let’s just say you need to regain priorities after returning to work. Though it’s nothing new, it’s just frustrating. What does it mean? It means your boy has a bit of a chaotic basis that needs to be reorganized. Is it easy? Not really? However, you just need to deal with many annoying things that show up.

Now, one thing we know we cannot control is the chaotic nature of things that show up. Sometimes, other chores get in the way, and sometimes, you get distracted by something that pops up. It’s just frustrating when one tries to get something done. It’s almost as though fate’s trying to keep you from your objective. It’s like, “Why don’t you let me do what I need to be done?! I need to make sure some of my projects are done before the end of the week”. I guess you need time to plan ahead in what needs to be done, but I don’t know….it feels so frustrating.

But everyone needs to do it, even if it requires some actual management of what I’m doing. Whether it’s to prioritize what is necessary between my home and projects. Consider thinking about what is important and make time for that. If it’s a challenge, like for me, for starters, remember that personal growth is a challenging but doable path.

Monday Mumbles: The Job Market

Written By TheChoujinVirus

Note: The following is based on my own opinions and not the reflection of others. Do not take it personal.



Happy Monday, everyone; it’s ya Boi Choujin here, and I’m back and better than ever. Let me tell you, during my one-year hiatus due to having a job, one thing that’s a pain besides writing this is making the time to do this.

Now, that’s one thing I had to admit. I’ve learned that when you’re hunting for a job, it’s trying to get the job needed. When I started job hunting in 2019, it was hell to find a job for anything. I had an advantage in 2022 due to the Great Resignation, in which you had many people quitting. The position of choice was being a housekeeper (then assistant maintenance) for a senior living company. I was lucky to get that job, though things about that were simply due to desperation, as positions can be a real pain for employers to fill in.

However, sometimes, what can be an issue is due to the training requirements. I wasn’t even trained in being a housekeeper or maintenance, so I had to quickly get myself on a crash course in learning the positions. Repairing or cleaning is one thing, but you have the “professional” aspect that can be annoying. I understand you have federal codes and safety values, but sometimes, giving a crash course into someone’s work can frustrate the new person on the job and the employer. So acquiring the job wasn’t a cakewalk, but I had to learn to be quick on the draw less you want to end up failing that probationary period.

One thing I liked about doing my writing as a hobby or career was that I was my own boss and was responsible for due dates on reviews or even on projects of commissions. The thing that was a pain was financial stability. You can do well writing, but if it doesn’t pay the bills, you need it to be. Now, the job I had, I liked for the financial freedom. Though if money was the lifeblood, I’d do something high-end rather than taking any position. Though sadly, that’s society and thems the breaks.

I mean, I know work is intended to be the backbone of society. Still, the truth is that sometimes there’s no such thing as bad jobs (save for illegal crap or Crypto bro junk), but occasionally bad employers. I won’t mention if this is related to my last workplace, as that would be vindictive. Still, I’ve seen and heard of people who may neglect their workers, the safety requirements, or other things that seem to show up. Such items may include forcing overtime without pay, keeping things under wraps such as understaffed workers, or even lack of proper training. High bars are typical when it comes to that, but it can lead to some tossing that bar aside. It may sound good, but the bad thing is it can put a bit of a “Buyer’s remorse” when it turns out the skill doesn’t matter.


It may sound like a ramble, but hey…I do like having to work for anything. It’s not about paychecks or basis; it’s doing what I like to do. Whether it be writing or wanting to work in maintenance.
Sometimes, I wonder if the best solution is to strike out on your own.

Oh and lastly, after quitting your job, it sucks when you have to readjust to a new life. I should know, it basically took me a while to get myself back to writing this blog.

Reintroductions and Scheduled Plannings

For those wondering who I am, let me introduce myself.

I am TheChoujinVirus, an aspiring writer, Twitch Streamer, and creator of The Bird’s Nest, my blog. I must admit I have neglected my blog for a year since I had my job (keyword: had as I left my job around two weeks after this article’s creation). So, for those wondering what I do? Well, Usually I’ll do three types of writing:

Mumbles: A “What Really Grinds my Gears” article where I vent my opinion on certain topics

Media Reviews: A brief review of media like movies, TV or video games as I give the good and the bad

Fan-Work: Random stories, poems and other works that help me out.

My schedule of these will usually be every odd Month of the week. So a reminder:

Monday: Mumbles

Wednesday: Media Review

Friday: Fan-Works

I may try to diversify what else to do in a way to bring others and hopefully give more time to finish some stuff.

Though with that, expect ya boy to get back by next Monday. Until then, peace out y’all!

A brief talk about some new schedules

Hello everyone, it’s ya boy Choujin here. I’m here to have a bit of a talk right now. It’s not bad news it’s some good news.


First off, I’ve got myself a job! That’s right, ya boy’s got actual work. Now the good news is that it means I got a means to put a paycheck on myself. However, this also means that I may not have the time to write mumbles or reviews on some things (especially with my schoolwork.)

Though here’s what’ll happen….

With my current work schedule, I’ll be working Fridays through Tuesdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. giving me Wednesday and Thursdays off (though that can change).

So our Tuesday Mumbles will be moved to Wednesday and media review will be done at the same time, but fan-writing may take a while to do and probably moved to Wednesdays or Thursdays when they’re ready. Either way, going to get myself adjusted with my work schedule and my hobby.

But do not worry, this blog won’t be abandoned or left to rot

(Late) Tuesday Mumbles: The Ukranian Crisis

Written by TheChoujinVirus

Notice: The following is based on my own opinions and isn’t made to disrepect anyone.

Heya everyone, sorry for the lateness of the mumble, ya boy’s been doing some jobhunting and such on his quest for the much needed job. Though as I’m watching the news, it gets me worried more than getting a job. The current crap going down in Ukraine.

For those who have been hear for a year and remembered this blast from the past (wow, that old eh?) but to summarize the whole thing. Vladamir Putin has decided now is the time to invade Ukraine. This is heavily condemned by everyone with a sane brain. Also feels powerless to sit here and watch that mess going on out there. Though I am glad that there are people condeming this whole mess and some are willing to donate (Here’s something provided by Vox) Heck, some are even leaving their homes in the states to help their homeland, that’s something honorable and something I respect.
However, there’s another camp that seem to behave like Putin’s cheerleaders or to use this as a potshot to nail those on the Left for some twisted reason. I mean, what more would you want the US to do that won’t end with a nuclear war or retaliation that could make World War 2 look like a sandbox brawl.
Helping a nation without pissing off a war is something that requires some help and basis. Though in my opinion it feels that some just want to crap on this situation for political pot shots.
To that, I have to say this.

People are dying in a massive land war of the 21st century and we’re resorting to in-fighting because you either simp for a dictator? I’d maybe rethink one’s priorities before resorting to that basis of stupidity.
With that, I do hope this can end and maybe show the world (and future nations) why these kinds of conflicts are no winners.


(Sorry for the short mumble, but job hunting has been pulling my attention)

(Late) Friday Fan-Work: Scared Straight

Written By TheChoujinVirus

Happy Saturday everyone, It’s ya boy Choujin here.

The funniest thing was I forgot I had a story to post here. Something I did as a final for my English Creative Writing class last semester and something that was a random piece of fiction written.
For those wondering, it’s a piece of segment themed around a couple finding a creative way to get their nephew to focus on his schoolwork over gaming.

SO with that, sit back, relax, grab a snack and enjoy this little story I call: Scared Straight

scared_straight_fdDownload