Continuing the series of projected updates to Granado Espada from the Version 3.0 cycle, which is currently undergoing testing in kGE and has now been published to the doratomo.jp fan site:
- A new feature, the Team Arena, where you can do the usual plethora of boss hunting and rare-loot gathering, but with an extra bonus of having some sort of assistant personnel in there with you and your squad. From the little I could understand of the rudimentary translation into English, the assistant personnel - actually soldiers from the towns - grant buffs and debuffs to you and your squad, the better to take the bosses out.
- The Super Fight admission times will be reduced to just five minutes from the opening of the portals, rather than the current ten. Admission will now be secured through larger versions of the Ferruccio Espada statues - sort of like the Pioneering Memorials blown up to around thrice the usual size. Still not as large as the one in the Ferruccio Junction, of course.
- Seventh Barracks! Now it's possible to have up to 63 characters to choose your current MCC team from!
- Modifications to the Colony Buffs the Family's Protection buffs [thanks to commenter Souken], which look like they've been adjusted upwards.
- It's your birthday and you're logged in to the New World? Then you'll be receiving a Birthday Gift Box! There will be cake, a birthday firecracker - I wonder if it really does proclaim "Happy Birthday!" when you set it off - and at least a pair of wings for you! No word on the wings' duration, though.
But the thing that has me MOST excited about Granado Espada 3.2 is of course none other than THIS:
Yes, a PET PANDA! The official name of this cutest critter of them all is "Panpan." No word on stats, abilities, or cost yet but I DON'T CARE - wantwantwantwantwant. Pandas Rule!
Sorry for the delay in new posts. It's been a bit of a madhouse; it got to the point where I was not even able to log in to the game.
Today's entry over at doratomo.jp is devoted to showing off a new crop of back costumes. From my fuzzy deciphering of the translation, it looks like the costumes are only for Expert-level and above, with the notable exception of the standard Satchel in the final photo.
Since the flags are named for ranks of nobility - Earl, Knight, Grand Master [not a noble rank per se, but a rank that was used by associations of nobility such as the Knights Templar], Archduke, Marquis, and Viscount - it's an intriguing idea that maybe they DO have something to do with noble ranks in the New World.
The Grand Master flag.
The individual pages for the flags show that there is a hierarchy to this ranking: from lowest to highest, the ranks are Knight, Viscount, Earl, Marquis, Archduke, and Grand Master.
Blue Chrysalis Wings on Selva.
Additional new back costumes include two variations on the now-familiar Chrysalis Wings: a blue version, and a violet version.
Morada Puesta de sol.
Two pairs of Sunset Wings are also featured, similarly in blue and in violet. Since the wings are named in Spanish as "Puesta de sol", the blue version is called Azul and the violet, Morado.
Golden Archangel Wings on Lisa.
The standard Satchel is on Selva; the new version is on the elementalist.
Just prior to the Satchel and to its new variation, there is also mention of the Golden Archangel Wings, as well as the silver and gold versions of the Phoenix Wings.
I said I had to feed my GrabberPo, so I bravely entered the Poison Yard tonight with a few good raiders:
As it turns out, the Super Fight maps currently AREN'T PK heavens. Instead, everyone plays nice because everyone's farming for the stones that can be exchanged for Fesos.
As a precaution, squad leader Fiksdotter advised everyone to tag themselves as "Farmers" while inside PY, and to observe a few rules of conduct that he had laid out beforehand. Once inside, though, it was pretty much every pioneer for his or herself, with assistance given when someone got accidentally killed.
At the end of the night, here's the NineMoons family haul:
w00t! I've already converted those stones into Fesos. Now I have to make plans for the next farming session. ^^
This year, it's my current leveling team in Rembrandt, marking Halloween with some good old-fashioned scares!
Anthy and Furyk taunt each other in their Croc and Bear suits, respectively, while Siuan looks on. Special guest appearance by the Winterlake family, DFL of ShenAnCalhar faction.
People are still wibbling out over Grabber/Pilfurr/Poppet, and wondering when Buppet/Broomy/Moppet will be out, and worrying about getting the fesos needed to keep them both alive. We haven't even started talking about the Grabber Lady yet, only Ferruccio knows when we're going to get THAT one....
And now here comes an update that will bring in a fourth pet, in Granado Espada Version 3.1.04.
Meet Pigling.
[Incidentally, that MCC team is quite beautifully dressed. The male elementalist looks especially dolled up for the occasion, to say nothing of his female counterpart and the male musketeer. It seems like Version 3.0 is the version where the male elementalist gets a lot of costume love....]
Anyway, the thing about Pigling is this: you have to pay real money to get her. The doratomo.jp article that's the source of this post's information and images guesses that the price may eventually be something around 10,000 Won.
Quickie conversion rates:
1 South Korean won = 0.0679724619 Japanese yen = 0.00104722366 Singapore dollars = 0.0337880175 Philippine pesos = 0.000701 U.S. dollars
So,
10,000 South Korean won = 679.724619 Japanese yen = 10.4722366 Singapore dollars = 337.880175 Philippine pesos = 7.01 U.S. dollars
What justifies spending that money? Well, the article claims that while Pigling has essentially the same skill set as Grabber/Pilfurr/Poppet, she has a wider range for picking up objects and a faster pick-up time. To balance that out, she goes through her Activity Power much faster, i.e. you need to feed her more often than for the other pets.
Today's the third day since acquiring the pet egg - so my current leveling team cleaned out the last of the rats from the Bahia Greenhouse. Here's what happened next:
Squee! One more visit to the Pet Expert!
Yes, you get to name your pet/s. You'll find out what I named mine in a second.
Access Pet Information by hitting Alt + P.
Pick "Pet list". Now you know that I named my Grabber after the Kung Fu Panda!
And there's the little guy, along with his owners! Meet the newest member of the family, Po NineMoons!
***
Problem is, I don't have any Fesos to buy Po some pet food, so I've sent him back home to hibernate for now. I guess I've got to go off and think about ways to earn some Fesos so I can see him in action, and keep him fed too. *sigh*
It took me a damn long while to patch in, but I'm back in the New World, and here are a few things I've noticed along the way.
Changes to UI and Game Mechanics
New login screen, showing what seems to be the haunted town in the upcoming Errac area.
STILL stuck with the Beta Test fonts, though.
The lower portion of the Barracks screen, showing the modifications to the "Start a team" fields.
STILL no Channel 3-4-5 or so, though.
The lower portion of the standard UI screen showing the family members, skills, HP/SP, and other quick information. Notice that the colors of the basic and stance experience bars have been changed.
Improved navigation ability in the Mini Map. Click on a place in the Mini Map and your characters will automatically move to that place. The red dot means I was looking for Claire - she's not in yet though.
Full lists of features and patch notes here and here.
Want to receive updates about Granado Espada from anywhere in the world?
Want to know just how many fan blogs exist for Granado Espada?
Want a way to find all of them without breaking a sweat?
Want a way to keep track of all of them easily?
Then you've come to the right place. As promised earlier, it's time to let you all in on a couple of secret techniques that I use to keep track of news, updates, opinions, and blog posts that all talk about Granado Espada.
Welcome to:
NineMoons's Guide to Staying Updated with Granado Espada!
Starring three popular web-based services: Google's webmail service Gmail, related service Google Alerts, and the social bookmarking site Delicious!
Part I: Getting a Gmail Account
Click to Gmail. You should see something that looks like this:
If you don't have a Gmail account yet, click the "Sign Up for Gmail" link located in the second blue box on the right. Follow the instructions carefully. It's a quick and painless procedure that should take just a few minutes.
Signing up for a Gmail account means that you can now access all of Google's other services, including - ta-da! - Blogger!
If you already have a Gmail account, skip on ahead to the next step.
Part II: Creating a Google Alert
Without logging out of your Gmail account, open another browser window or tab and click through to Google Alerts. Here's what that page looks like:
Since in this case we want to create a Google Alert for something specific, type in the following in the box after "Search terms:"
"Granado Espada"
This is you telling Google to:
- Look for ANYTHING on the Internet that mentions Granado Espada, be it news articles, blog posts, general web page content, or even video and audio descriptions
- Collect a little basic information from each mention. This includes the title of the article/post/content/description in which the mention was found, a paragraph or two [usually the first one], and the complete URL of that mention.
- Sort these pieces of information, and send them on to you as an email.
Fill in the "Your email:" box with the email address that you want to receive the alerts at, and click "Create Alert".
This is how I find out all the blogs and fansites that talk about Granado Espada!
After receiving enough of these alerts, you might realize that the list is getting too long for a blog sidebar or a links page. You might also want to find a better way of letting others know that you've found this amazing collection of Granado Espada links. The quickest way to do that, I've found, is to use a social bookmarking site. The one I use is Delicious.
Part III: Collecting Links with Delicious
Click through to Delicious and you should see this at the top of the page:
If you don't already have a Delicious account, click the green "Join Now" box and follow the steps to getting an account. If you have one, just click the blue "Sign In" box to go to your page.
To save a new bookmark, after logging in, just click the "Save a new bookmark" link on the right-hand side of the page and follow the instructions there.
You can also install a Delicious widget in your browser for easy, one-touch bookmarking.
Want to know how effective Delicious is at keeping track of links? Check out my own page:
See that red box near the bottom right? It says I have 182 bookmarks saved to my Delicious account - and most of them are Granado Espada links that I've found through the Google Alerts function!
If you'd like to become my contact on Delicious - and thank you! - just check out this widget on the left-hand sidebar:
Click the "Add me to your network" link to go to that Delicious function.
***
While this blog post is dedicated mainly to my fellow Granado Espada bloggers, I'm also putting it up so that we can all share the experience of finding all the wonderful and informative sites out there that talk about this amazing game. I hope that it helps you, and I hope that it helps broaden the community and its reach.
If y'all were wondering what I was going to be up to during this week's Server Merge: I actually drew up a list of things to do. Yes, GE is ALWAYS on my to-do list, but I also have to balance the things I do on this blog with my actual work in real life, from the job that pays the bills to the freelancing and the articles I write for Game! Magazine.
Anyway, here's a teaser for what I'll be working on to unveil during the days of no GE. The thing I'm working on has something to do with each of these familiar GE faces:
Princess Gabriella.
Simon Ayende.
Gerard Lauren.
And what am I to do with these illustrious leaders? Well, right now, that's for me to know and you to find out - and you will, when the servers go down.
*NineMoons turns into a fox!*
***
On a world-news note, I always want to stop and think whenever I see Simon Ayende's quote in his screenshot. Yes, okay, I'm a dyed-in-the-wool Republican, but am I the only one who sees some significance in his statement, or its relevance to today's global issues?
I said that I would wait for this to be resolved before I blogged about it. One weekend later, nothing has been done beyond a nonspecific announcement of investigations to be done.
I had actually challenged the IAH moderator who stepped into this issue to reveal the results of the investigation, if any, to the public.
[The moderator appeared on Page 5; my challenge on Page 6.]
The community has kept the thread alive throughout the weekend. We're still waiting for a response, if any should be forthcoming, on this matter.
In the meantime, please feel free to debate this issue in the comments, as well as in the original forums post.
STOP PRESS: Here's the IAH response: Official Announcement for Notice Abuse. Read and learn, think about it, and if you have any more questions - I know I do - take 'em to comments ^^
I gathered a large group of friends around me to begin, and even advertised briefly in City of Auch:
Points to ponder for anyone who wants to try this:
- Save in Cite de Reboldoeux. Really. Or put a warp point right next to Pioneering Officer Christelle, since she's the NPC what deals with factions. It's Christelle who levels your faction from 1-50 - pay her 10,000 Vis for each level - and it's Christelle who gives the triggers for the Faction Level 51 and 52 Quests.
- Faction Level 50: Start by defeating the Great Hill Giant at E5 in Vegas Javier. Make sure you've got the Honey Water quest item on hand to trigger its appearance. Kill it in 30 minutes to get its Crystal.
Killing the GHG is best done with a LOT of buffs on hand. Bring buffer scouts, at least one Vicente Rio, and at least one elementalist with you.
- On killing the GHG, hand in its Crystal to Christelle, then grab the Raid Key to Prison de Joaquin - Corridor of Assize 1. Open that door at J7 of the Prison de Joaquin, The Mohrgus.
Here's the squad at the beginning of the Corridor of Assize mission:
- After finishing the Corridor of Assize, report back to Christelle. She will give you the upgrade to Faction Level 51, and then send you to Princess Gabriella of the Royalists to continue to Faction Level 52.
Here's the Faction Level 51 leader's glow:
- At Royalist HQ, Princess Gabriella will ask you to deliver a Secret Letter to Simon Ayende of the Republicans. Schlep over to Auch; just before entering the Republican HQ Simon will drop a passionate speech on your head. Go in, deliver the letter, finish the dialogue, and return to the Princess with the reply.
- Once you've assembled the final group to take on the Shadow Temple mission with you, talk to the Princess again to enter the instance.
Here's the second squad, with a few more members.
- Take out the six sub-colonies and the central one inside the Shadow Temple, and click on the Flag that appears to finish the quest.
- Return to Gabriella for the last bit of dialogue, then to Christelle, who will give you a Royal Scroll and the choice to select your side: Royalists, Republicans, or Neutralists. Oh, and you'll get the Faction Level 52 leader's glow!
I give profound and groveling thanks to all the smexy people who helped me achieve my goal of being a Faction Leader - see above for all the names!
Dovie'andi se tovya sagain - It's Time to Toss the Dice.
In this blog entry I am proud to unveil my latest plan in the New World of Granado Espada: to be a faction leader.
Yes, I've been part of at least four factions already - in Cervantes, Æphemeral and WrathOfGod; in Carracci, Takhisis and Covenant - but I've always been just a member or, in one case, deputy leader, but without the glows.
The entire point of me undergoing this exercise is to experience the Levels 51 and 52 faction quests, and, yes, to wear the glowing light rings o' doom.
So, without further ado, the faction:
Shen an Calhar: the Band of the Red Hand, the guerrilla army of Matrim Cauthon, and a major military force in the deceased Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time fantasy book series. By virtue of his marriage to Tuon Kore Athaem Paendrag, who was once the Daughter of the Nine Moons and is now Empress-presumptive of the Seanchan, Matrim, or Mat, is now the Prince of the Ravens.
The Band of the Red Hand fell in the final defense of the ancient country of Manetheren, and was said to be "the thorn in the Dark One's foot, the bramble to his hand". Its original incarnation had been composed of a large number of brave and valiant heroes, who fell to the last man as they bought their civilian compatriots just enough time to escape slaughter.
Now, the Band has been revived by Mat as an all-new army, with tactics borrowed from many of the world's greatest generals. Its symbol is a large red hand; its motto is Dovie'andi se tovya sagain, meaning "It's time to toss the dice", an ironic homage to Mat's love of gambling and seeing battle as the same; and its unofficial anthem is "Dance with Jak o' the Shadows", this being an idiom for "going to battle - and death". ["Jak o' the Shadows" is an in-universe name for death.]
Dance with Jak o' the Shadows [The lyrics have evolved as Mat and the Band accomplish more and more great deeds.]
We'll drink the wine till the cup is dry, and kiss the girls so they'll not cry, and toss the dice until we fly to dance with Jak o' the Shadows.
We'll dance all night while the moon runs free, and dandle the lasses upon our knee, and then you'll ride along with me, to dance with Jak o' the Shadows.
We'll sing all night, and drink all day, and on the girls we'll spend our pay, and when it's gone, then we'll away, to dance with Jak o' the Shadows.
There're some delight in ale and wine, and some in girls with ankles fine, but my delight, yes, always mine, is to dance with Jak o' the Shadows.
We'll toss the dice however they fall, and snuggle the girls be they short or tall, then follow young Mat whenever he calls, to dance with Jak o' the Shadows.
There're some delight in ale and wine, and some in girls with ankles fine, but my delight, yes, always mine, is to dance with Jak o' the Shadows.
We'll toss the dice however they fall, and snuggle the girls be they short or tall, then follow Lord Mat whenever he calls, to dance with Jak o' the Shadows.
Anthy NineMoons as the leader of ShenAnCalhar Faction.
I hope to be able to tell the tales of my own faction's exploits as the days go by.
Way back in June, Blacksword kicked off a special series of posts called the Granado Espada What If Specials. The point of the posts was just pie-in-the-sky dreaming about the game, lots of "What if...?" questions, and the general fun that resulted from his readers also going off on speculative tangents.
The first post involved what he called the Trinity Bond. I quote:
The Trinity Bond
A bonus buff is given to a family depending on what kind of characters are in the team, these stats varies on what kind of character combination the family used.
The idea, clearly, comes from the MCC and the aspect of "themes" in the game, such as RNPCs that complement each other, or use the same general type of combat style, etc.
And now on doratomo.jp we receive word of an upcoming Version 3.0 feature called, what else, the MCC Buff!
It is essentially the same idea as the Trinity Bond: bonuses are granted to a specific set-up of three characters, which are related to each other through storyline, fighting style, type of character, etc. In this first edition, all the teams are composed of various RNPCs.
Check out the first six official MCC Buff-ed teams!
Team One: Reboldoeux Soldier, Coimbra Trooper, and Auch Infantry +1 each to AR and DR
Team Two: Edward Jameson, Gavin Jameson, and Selva Norte +5% to ATK, + 20 to DEF, +10% to ASPD
Team Three: Lorch, Najib Sharif, and Grace Bernelli +10% to Hit Rate, +5 to Penetration, +5% to ASPD
Team Four: Soho the Wind, Gracielo, and Jean-Pierre Gascon +1000 to HP, +5 to DEF, +1 to DR
Team Five: Rescue Knight, Grandice, and Romina +10% to Move Speed, +10% to Resistance [all?]
Team Six: Ramiro, Tiburon, and Claire +2000 to HP, +1 to DR
We can probably hope that there will be more teams granted the MCC buff in the future. A thread in the forums, 3.1 team system, is already pumping out suggestions for other "theme" teams.
[I also took the translated stats from that thread - credits to TS 5aaur.]
My own theme team and MCC buff candidate: Irawan + Feng Ling + Bai Hu, with bonuses that perhaps come from a synergy of Irawan's power, Feng Ling's speed, and Bai Hu's balance.
