#hfw out of bounds

[robo-dino-puppy]

horizon forbidden west | talanah 59/?

extreme lens flare version XD

[anime-grimmy]

Soooo, you've probably noticed Ive been replaying HZD recently so my mind's been stuck on the franchise for a while.

I finally took the time to actually try and experience Burning Shores for the first time, this time with an unbiased opinion.

Bcs, ngl, when it came out, I was very negative towards it for a couple of reasons. It already started out with me not being able to freaking play this DLC, even though I was so excited for it, cos while HFW was on PS4, the DLC wasnt. And Im wasnt going to buy a whole ass PS5 just for a DLC.

(I will get it once I buy a PS5 for MH Wilds though).

And then, ofc, the elephant in the room - Seyka, or rather Aloy's relationship with her.

I'll preface this with, though it should be obvious with my content, I do NOT have a problem with Aloy being in a gay relationship.

What rly irked me, and honestly still irks me, is that Aloy finally gets to experience new feelings IN A FUCKING DLC. AN EXTENSION A LOT OF THE PLAYERBASE WONT PLAY.

The second reason I didnt enjoy this decision was bcs it felt so rushed. I mean, we're talking about Aloy here! Miss "I dont have time for feelings bcs I gotta save the world"! Miss "I barely just learnt to let others in"!

From what Ive heard, the DLC is over the course of a few weeks/months, so it's not like they fell in love just like that, but Ive also heard that while playing you do not get a feel for that passage of time. I'll have to experience that for myself though.

Now that Ive had some distance from the franchise though, my feelings have changed a bit

Im not going to lie and say I now loooove this decision. No, I am still miffed such enourmous character developement for Aloy is stuck IN A DLC. Not to mention that it was such a bold move to try this with a new character, cos this relationship being perceived well hinges on the player liking Seykay and that fast. Imo she's a fine character but also nothing special.

Now, I do have to say, I am really happy that Aloy has finally come so far that she allows such intimate feelings to develop, or rather, that the devs let her be this way. I know a lot of us still perceive Aloy as this single minded protag, that wont let anyone in bcs "the mission is too important", so Im glad Guerilla shows us that Aloy has undergone quite the growth.

Im also pleasantly surprised that Guerilla has the guts to include romance for Aloy, bcs they were one leg in the "strong women need no (wo)men" pit, so it's great to see they dont let Aloy fall into that trope.

Now, for the FUN part.

I actually have a conspiracy theory, ie I am gaslighting myself on why such a big thing is stuck in a DLC.

I think Guerilla is testing the waters to see how players react. I am pretty sure they can gather the data on what dialogue options players used, so Im thinking this:

Guerilla is trying to gauge the player reaction on a) Aloy developing feelings, b) players thinking Aloy is ready/willing for a relationship, c) same sex relationships. They tried killing quite a few birds with one stone.

I have seen quite a few teasing, winky face posts and replies from Guerilla staff about romance options in the third installment, so my guess (delusion) is that the relationship is hidden in the DLC so Guerilla can plan on how much and obvious to include several romance options in the last title.

I know this is all just wishful thinking, but even if Seyka is a good character, I hope to fucking god that they dont just take that relationship decision away from us, esp with a character bound to a DLC.

Guerilla gave us such a wonderful cast of characters over the last two games, and if they want to give Aloy an "end game" in the third title, I hope they do let us choose with who. Or at least I hope they dont force a relationship we cant choose onto us.

Cos as much as Aloy is her own person, it is still US that make the decisions in game. Through our individual playstyles , we give Aloy our own interpretation. Now, we cant change her core values, but still, I hope to GAIA that Guerilla will give us enough wiggle room.

(Guerilla, Im begging you, Ive already waited 8 years, please dont let my ship sink)

[h0riz0nstuff]

The Lone Wanderer (11)

Naked Sun

[justahorizonmainblog]

HFW Glitched Photomode Spots 3

Some of these spots might already be known about but I figured I would make a easy to find list of some cool spots to take pictures. All these are doable/available in Patch 1.17. Underneath Far Zenith Base Part 1 Location: Left side underneath Far Zenith Base Instructions: Once you have access to the base (https://youtu.be/G6cJK2uj33w) you can go through a lot of walls. Note: Underneath the Far Zenith base is a mess but you can usually call your mounts to get around or out. If you follow the way I went you get stuck in water that flashes depending on which direction you face your camera (I cut that out). You can see a pair of stairs in the water through the wall.

Underneath Far Zenith Base Part 2 Location: Center underneath Far Zenith Base Instructions: Once you have access to the base (https://youtu.be/G6cJK2uj33w) you can go through a lot of walls. Note: Underneath the Far Zenith base is a mess but you can usually call your mounts to get around or out.

Underneath Far Zenith Base Part 3 Location: Right side underneath Far Zenith Base Instructions: Once you have access to the base (https://youtu.be/G6cJK2uj33w) you can go through a lot of walls. Note: Underneath the Far Zenith base is a mess but you can usually call your mounts to get around or out.

Far Zenith Base Cave 1 Location: Right side of Far Zenith Base Instructions: Once you have access to the base (https://youtu.be/G6cJK2uj33w) you can fly in to the cave. Note: The water seems to glitch and trap you if you touch it so you need your Sunwing to fly close to get out.

Far Zenith Base Cave 2 Location: Left side of Far Zenith Base Instructions: Once you have access to the base (https://youtu.be/G6cJK2uj33w) you can fly in to the cave. Note: It seems like you can't get out once you are in.

[foibles-fables]

hey foibs, I was just wondering which convos in HFW made you feel socked in the head with potential het (ew lol) romance for Aloy? I know I was shook to my core when Avad was coming on to her as usual and she didn't completely shoot him down..:// but what else? i don't mind spoilers lmao I'd rather know and be emotionally ready.

On another note, with how much more prominent and uhhhh eligible male npcs seem to be, my biggest fear deadass is that there will only be straight romance in Horizon 3. one fear meme

Hey hey, yes of course! First off, I wanna go back and clarify that my "like being socked in the head" description in that last post was not about the characters making the comments, but about the obviousness of the comments themselves to the player. Same goes for much of the HFW writing in general, lmao. In any case, I could have worded that a lot better in the moment--I'd hate for anyone to think it was a negative evaluation by way of the former interpretation. I don't do that stuff around here (nor at all)!

You nailed it: first interaction there was the Avad one. Both the brain and heart selections contain a "maybe later, Player" that the dialogue doesn't even attempt to mask. Problematic in other ways, given that it's the only time we speak to him in-game and it kinda...reneges on his development in HZD, but alas, compelling evidence for a Horizon Zero Three choice mechanic nonetheless.

The second is Erend, predominantly by way of the little bonus scene you can share with him before the final mission. Another example of how the Player can choose to get closer to a certain ally. No real spoilers! It's really a nice little scene. I actually have a...whole tinfoil theory about the strangeness of Another Certain Questline's ending that hinges on the inclusion of "have a drink" at the Base. But maybe THAT'S a post for another time, hahaha.

If there is romance in HZ3, the above certainly implies that it would be a fully-optional player choice mechanic, and not a narrative-bound arc. The fact that it seems like they're trying to go all-out Bioware backs this idea as well. Also, I highly doubt the only options will be M/F. If nothing else, Tilda and Elisabet's relationship confirms that potential--and if that happens, and is addressed explicitly within HZ3 as a function of multiple choices both M/F and F/F and other identities, I will welcome optional BiLoy with enthusiastically open arms. The arcs of certain women [StrainingKid.jpg] do leave them very much open for romance. I still have major criticisms about how HFW treated its female side characters, both new and returning. But thinking optimistically, it's something that could still be corrected come HZ3.

[your-loveable-tiger]

Firstly, I want to say thank you for taking the time to reply.

1. I can’t really comment on Nil’s arc in HFW as I haven’t completed the gauntlet runs, perhaps he has improved and while unlikely he may grow on me. I can’t say I understand his popularity, for multiple reasons that are my own, I don’t like him. I’ve played HZD three times and killed him twice in the play throughs. I get that he can be a powerful ally, but for me he always seemed like a great danger and threat. until I finish HFW I can’t comment on if Nil’s appearance in HFW makes logical sense, after completing it I may agree or I might feel that he could have been swapped out with a new character or another one from HZD.

2. I remember that Gaia cast as well. it was such a great one that truly delved into Aloy as a person. Yes, the options we are given as players are bound by Aloys’ own morals. She could have thrown the rock at Bast or let it drop, she could have spared Olin or avenged Rost and the fallen Nora, she could have ended Nil or let him leave. She could be aggressive, or cunning or compassionate everytime she speaks to someone.  Aloy has the capacity to be vengeful, to be petty, to be kind, to attempt to relate to others or seek solitude. all of these options could be true.

While it is Aloy’s journey, we are there with her, and I still think our choices should have had some weight.

TBH, I wish Nil wasn't in HFW. My personal dislike for him aside, it sucks because we as players had the choice to decide his fate in HZD but then he pops up in HFW invalidating the choices made by some players. If Olin had appeared in HFW I'd be annoyed even though I personally spared him, I don't doubt others chose not to and I find it annoying that our choices in HZD didn't matter in HFW. The Witcher 3 allowed choices made in Witcher 2 to be imported over. What do you think?

I understand your reasoning, it can be pretty frustrating when games retcon a player's actions. It really would have been simple for a quick little questionnaire asking about your previous actions in the game. However, I think it would have been disappointing for the people who chose to spare Nil to not see him again. Even though keeping him ambiguous (as they did with Olin) could have made him a Schrodinger's Nil, I think there's a few reasons he's left alive.

1. His arc isn't over. Smarter people have said this better than me, but Nil has growth to be made. We've seen it between hzd and hfw, how he's found a way to get his kicks and his adrenaline pumping without actually killing anyone. it may be through semi-lethal robo-horse racing, but it's a step in the right direction for him, and although his role is lessened in fw compared to zd, I think it hints at more Nil to come. Though I will say, I think the reason he exists in fw (despite his possible death in zd) is really because Guerilla didn't think he'd be so goddamn loved. They may not have planned for a resurgence of Nil in the sequel, which is why his fate can be left up to the player in the first game. Then, once they saw how popular he was, they decided to include him in the sequel. I will at least give props for not just making him a throwaway, it seems hey really did put some care into his character in the Forbidden West.

2. Something said in one of the GAIA Casts has stuck with me since I heard it. They talked about how the current games are not our stories, they're Aloy's. That's what makes it different from an RPG, of course, but every choice in the game was one Aloy would make. An example they used is how you can't kill the guards or citizens, because Aloy wouldn't do that. Every choice offered to the player is one in a spectrum of choice Aloy would make, with some more likely than the others, but of course she can only actually choose one. So Now I suppose it comes down to this question, do you actually think Aloy would kill Nil? I'm sure that answer has a different response depending on who you ask, but personally, I don't think she would. Even if she does think Nil is a bit of a Problem, I think it may be hard for her to turn her bow on someone she fought beside, no matter the circumstance. Listening to the two dialogue options in Cause for Concern, she seems far more genuine when she decides not to kill him. She recognizes that he's not exactly.. well, but he is still a powerful ally, and she thinks he deserves a second chance (just as Avad did). If she accepts, she sounds far more resigned, with a "if this is the way it has to be" sort of outlook.

In the end, I think Nil's return in HFW makes logical sense, and even if does go against some player's actions, it still fits well into the narrative, and can even give insight into the Aloy of Zero Dawn.

[puclpodcast]

PDL Week 4 Recap

PDL Week 4 Recap

This is the final week before the first bye week and teams are giving it all they have got before a well deserved week of rest.

DEP vs. BAL: 2-0

NWN vs. AUK: 0-4

HEH vs. MIN: 0-3

VAV vs. DCC: 0-4

TOT vs. MIL: 0-3

BFS vs. MID: 0-3

COG vs. ITA: 6-0

SHS vs. LOL: 6-0

SLC vs. JAX: 3-0

NJJ vs. HFW: 0-5

BEN vs. PIP: 3-0

NYY vs. BLP: 3-0

This week the Corsola Cola Division played off against the Rhyhorn Steakhouse and lets just say that Corsola Cola can’t overpower the flavor form the Rhyhorn Steakhouse. With 5 out of the 6 games going in favor of the Rhyhorn Steakhouse division. The same  outcome happened between the Green Tauros division and the Toxapepsi Division. The hooves from Green Tauros stopped the Merciless flavors of Toxapepsi in almost every match. The past 3 weeks have pinned division vs division and those matches overall were closer with the Rhyhorn Steakhouse coming out with the most wins of all the divisions thus far. Is this telling of how things will look for playoffs or is this just week 4 madness stretching across the conference. I guess we will find out soon enough. 

I have to mention how impressed I am with how well teams are adapting to this format and improving already. A bunch of team got their first win, or made strides towards the top of the standings, with now only 3 teams left undefeated. What’s becoming more and more apparent is that the teams that do good prep usually come out on top. There is one match in particular that highlights how useful prep can be when your opponents don’t expect something. That would be the AUK vs NWN game. Sparky! Coached his team through a difficult match up and showed why he is a force to be reckoned with this season. (If you want to see Vileplume, tied for #3 on the MVP leaderboard, sweep a team I recommend checking out the HFW vs. NJJ game.)

AUK Side: DG6G-WWWW-WWWL-B2AY

NWN Side:  AEJG-WWWW-WWWL-R29W

Pick’ems

These are becoming tougher and tougher to pick correctly with the majority of teams this week with only 7 correct. However no one got a perfect week so they do not get mentioned here. The reason for that is because of the 4 Pick ‘em upsets. Despite COG being 3-0 ,at the top of the standings and a previous UUTC winner, the majority of picks 9 went in favor of ITA the most current UUTC winner. While this is not a traditional upset it is one in terms a pick ‘ems. The second one comes at SHS taking down LOL with the same margin 9-4. NYY gets their first win over BLP who came off an upset win last week. Those picks were 10-3 in favor of BLP. Finally there was one person who called the BEN upset over PIP this week. Clearly and match no one saw coming.

Trades

Here are the Trades from week 4 that will be live week 5 after the bye

DCC Tyranitar T1 Free Agent Reuniclus DCC Hitmontop T4 Free Agent Aerodactyl NYY Azumarill T1 Free Agent Tyranitar VAV Rotom-W T1 Free Agent Azumarill VAV Gardevoir T3 Free Agent Meloetta VAV Altaria T5 Free Agent Servine

  DCC after a rough start made some necessary changes to help improve their matchups in weeks to come by adding Aerodactyl and Reuniclus to their roster. Some fancy mon dropping in free agency allowed NYY to drop Azumarill to pick up the Tyranitar that DCC dropped and VAV picked up the Azumarill. VAV also added Meloetta dn servine to their roster which is bound to bring in new energy to the team.

Interview with Hydra

This week I’m joined by (In my opinion, one of the better battlers in PUCL) Hydra.

C9: Thank you Hydra for taking the time to answer these questions for the fans. Being randomly selected for first pick of the draft, how did you feel about?

Hydra: Whenever I see I’ve gotten first pick in a league, there’s always a rush of excitement due to all the options it gives for starting a draft. So, I was definitely happy that I could build a plan that didn’t have to factor being sniped in round 1.

C9: How do you think that impacted your draft, if at all?

Hydra: Due to the way PDL does S-tier picks, there’s a cost associated with picking the usual draft format no-brainers like Tapu Koko or Celesteela, and you can’t just jump on one of those round 1 without consequences. Additionally, the mons I ended up desiring weren’t ones I usually see taken quickly in draft format. As a result, I don’t think it ultimately influenced my draft much.

C9: What are your goals for this season of PDL?

Hydra: I’d ideally like to use all of my Pokemon to their full potential, and with a wider variety of sets. Last season I was using pokemon with more straightforward roles (also there were some Free Agency trades over an awkwardly long period of time,) and as a result there just wasn’t as much variety week to week.

C9: Who are most looking forward to battling this season?  

Hydra: Geo for sure. Going off his record he seems like a strong battler, and we may or may not have had disagreements in the past involving a flying prehistoric pokemon with facial hair.

C9: Is there anyone you are glad you don’t have to face in the regular season?

Hydra: I’d say Thatch. I faced him twice last season, and although I can’t recall if it was bad plays, prep, or just an unfortunate draft matchup, I lost to him both times. So, it’s nice to not have to worry about a third match (at least until a potential comeback in season 3!)

C9: I know I’m not looking forward to our match, week 7, but either way it should be a fun battle.

Hydra: I’m flattered by your dread! But as long as we’re not going to fight twice in a row like we had to in the UUTC, it should be fun. Back-to-back battles aren’t usually a great time, but maybe that’s just me.

C9: Why did you choose the team name, The Norwalk Nosepass?

Hydra: I’m glad you asked- it’s the violently creative combination of my hometown, Norwalk, and a pokemon that possesses my favorite type, Nosepass. Despite both this Connecticut town and gen 3 Pokemon lacking any noteworthy characteristics I can discern, I’ve got a fondness for both of them.

C9: Were there any secret techs that you brought for your matchups that you didn’t get to showcase?

Hydra: There’s surprisingly already been a few. Though I did get to show off Shattered Psyche Serperior (EM Mirror Coat being the base) as a finishing move, it didn’t prove to be the surprise game winner I thought it would be as my opponent didn’t bring the Pokemon it was meant to break through, Amoonguss. I feel like I might end up bringing the other wacky techs again sometime soon, so I’ll keep quiet on those.

C9: Who would you say is the mon you are most excited to use on your team this year?

Hydra: Surprisingly, it’s proven to be Miltank. I wasn’t terribly excited about using it at first, and simply picked it to add some bulk to my draft. But it’s been a very effective and versatile Pokemon, so much so that every week so far I’ve had reason to breed a new set on it. Makes sense considering usable stats for several roles, an expansive movepool, and three good abilities to pick from.

C9: Let’s learn about you as a pokemon Fan. When did you start listening to PUCL?

Hydra: I was really into the VGC15 meta, especially post worlds, and at the time was also expanding the amount of different podcasts I listened to quite a bit. PUCL was the only one I could find that covered the format and competitive battling overall in any meaningful sense, and I’ve been a listener since.

C9: What pokemon generation did you start with?

Hydra: For me, it started back- I mean, right around gen 4. No particularly interesting story to tell, unfortunately. I’d been obsessed with the cards or anime from time to time, and eventually got Pearl upon hearing about from my older brother (but not yet understanding) the wonders this franchise had to offer in video game form.

C9: What is your favorite region?

Hydra: I’d probably go with Hoenn. As far as I remember it has the most diverse locations (and did a lot of them first,) featuring volcanoes, forests, deserts, pillars that touch the sky, and just the right amount of water. Now that I think about it, Alola is probably just as diverse in terms of locations, but it needed multiple islands to get that done so I’ll stick with Hoenn.

C9: Who is your favorite pokemon?

Hydra: Hydreigon! Ever since I first saw it and its incomparably cool typing browsing Serebii while waiting for BW’s American Release, it’s been my favorite. Worth even the absolutely ridiculous grind for level 64 and a 4x weakness resulting from it being too broken in gen 5. Snorlax and Psyduck would be my honorable mentions.

C9: If you had to pick: Attack or Special Attack?

Hydra: I’d go with Special Attack. Intimidate is gross, and moves like Psyshock or Secret Sword mean you can get the best of both worlds going with Special sometimes.

C9: What is your battle style:  Stall/Hyper Offense/Bulky Offense/Balance?

Hydra: I generally lean Hyper Offense, simply because it’s quicker/easier to build for and battle with, which of course means more time for more battles!

C9: Do you prefer Speed or Trick Room?

Hydra: The answer’s probably obvious to anyone who battled me in the UUTC this year, but Trick Room. The setup is convoluted of course and means that you’re often better off going for straight speed in singles, but the payoff is immense when it works. It’s usually my default strategy when trying to figure out a new VGC format as well.

C9: What is your favorite Weather; Hail/Sand/Rain or Sun?

Hydra: Definitely Hail, partly due to it being the underdog of weather conditions for so long and me being a New Englander who doesn’t mind the cold weather. Hail was my favorite playstyle in the previously mentioned VGC15, as Blizzard would largely tear apart CHALK type teams if you had Heatran covered. The new tools it got in gen 7 finally put it on par with the other weather conditions too, so it’s less of an uphill battle to use it now.

C9: Electric/Misty/Grassy or Psychic Terrain?

Hydra: Grassy Terrain! I like Bulu a whole lot, and the effects of Grassy terrain lend themselves better than the other terrains to building defensive cores. Heatran’s another Pokemon I really like, and it can form an impeccable core with Bulu thanks to the three effects of Grassy Terrain that all benefit it.

C9: Favorite status to inflict: Sleep/Freeze/Paralysis/Burn or Poison?

Hydra: Paralysis for me. Even though it only cuts speed by 50% now, that’s still enough to make most things slower than even a lot of your walls, and that 25% chance of total immobility can mean you pulling of all kinds of things you otherwise couldn’t. And of course, I thought that the animation for it looked really neat in Diamond and Pearl.

C9: Have you watched the Pokemon anime? If yes, what is your favorite Theme song?

Hydra: I unfortunately haven’t watched the anime in quite some time, so it’s hard to say. But, I’ve heard that a Patrat goes for a high five but gets left hanging in one of the Black and White theme songs, and that sounds fantastic to me, so I’ll go with that.

C9: Thank you Hydra, for joining us today! We will be back in 2 weeks after the week 5 matches. See ya soon

from PDL Week 4 Recap

[robo-dino-puppy]

adventurers

[robo-dino-puppy]

more far zenith launch facility, out-of-bounds edition

[robo-dino-puppy]

horizon forbidden west | erend 58/?

[robo-dino-puppy]

horizon forbidden west | talanah 46/?

[robo-dino-puppy]

night in the royal maizelands

[robo-dino-puppy]

precarious perches

[robo-dino-puppy]

the fort, explored

[robo-dino-puppy]

horizon forbidden west | sylens 11/?

[robo-dino-puppy]

there is a LOT of stuff out of bounds in the meridian area of the map! i wanted to compare some spots that exist in both games, but it's kinda long so there are timestamps if you want to skip around - the estate near the end is the most interesting imo :)

the map was clearly copy/pasted but there are updated and missing textures (and ones that weren't updated that say they need to be haha) - was this the start of the rumored hzd remaster? or are the assets just ones that happen to exist in both games and were carried over because we get close to them in the "legal" area of the spire? and it's a small itty bitty thing that will be in a future video, but there's something i came across that definitely doesn't exist anywhere in hfw's map that i remember... (spoiler: it's banuk T_T)

(why are all the handholds missing texture??? that's what i really want to know lol)