majkatten · 4 years ago
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a drawing i did for my friend of her lavellan Tellavis
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preciousmetals0 · 5 years ago
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3.28 Million Lost; Micron Moves; Cheesecake Blues
3.28 Million Lost; Micron Moves; Cheesecake Blues:
Denial, Seems It Had to Come
I warned you it was coming. I warned you it’d be bad.
Relied on me to say it all. (Any Sevendust fans out there? No? Oh well…)
Weekly jobless claims arrived today, and they were record-breaking. The U.S. Department of Labor reported that 3.28 million Americans filed for unemployment benefits last week.
That��s 15 times the number of people who filed two weeks ago … and five times the previous record of 695,000 claims set in 1982. It was more than the peak number of claims during both the Great Recession and the Great Depression.
3.28 million Americans out of work — all because of the coronavirus (or the panic along with it).
The situation is so bad — How bad is it? — that Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell appeared on the Today show to reassure Americans that the U.S. central bank is on our side.
“The Federal Reserve is working hard to support you now and our policies will be very important when the recovery does come,” Powell said.
The Takeaway: 
Let’s think about the situation for a minute.
The head of the U.S. Federal Reserve — the guy who’s responsible for the country’s most powerful financial institution — felt it was necessary to reassure the American people on a popular morning show.
On one hand, that’s somewhat comforting … Powell taking time out of his busy day to tell everyone that it’ll all be OK.
On the other, it shows just how badly the situation has deteriorated. We now have the head of the Fed offering reassurance, not some lackey.
Oh, and those 3.28 million jobless claims? The market shrugged them off.
It seems that most of Wall Street believes that the worst is now behind us. Peter Boockvar, chief investment officer at Bleakley Advisory Group, summed up the Street’s opinion pretty well:
We all know the pain being felt and the economic damage being caused by this damn virus but because we are so close to getting past the worst of the spread, we need to start getting creative about what the restart will look like.
So close to getting past the worst of the spread?
The U.S. is about a month behind Italy in terms of COVID-19’s spread, and Italy hasn’t even peaked yet. We’re three months behind China, and it’s just now seeing the end of community spread. Both countries went into complete lockdown. While individual states have gone this route, the U.S. as a whole has not.
As hopeful as I want to be … as hopeful as Wall Street wants to be … we aren’t close to getting past the worst of the spread.
As the nation’s top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, put it: “You don’t make the timeline, the virus makes the timeline.”
But … but the $2 trillion coronavirus rescue bill!
Yes, I hear you out there … protesting my negativity again. The Senate’s bill will blunt the impact, to be sure. But it can’t stop what’s already happening. Despite reassurances that everything will just bounce back … that this isn’t really a long-term economic problem in the U.S. … let me tell you now: It is.
What? You think the U.S. economy could just hire back those 3.28 million out-of-work Americans tomorrow if the coronavirus magically disappeared? Nope. It doesn’t work like that.
But, while the U.S. economy is going down, down in an early round, sugar we’re going down swinging. And Great Stuff will be your No. 1 with a bullet. A loaded market complex … cock it and pull it.
Now, here’s the thing — and listen up, all ye positivity seekers!
Just as the virus chooses the timeline for this whole crazy shebang…
Only you choose your investing timeline. Only you decide if you keep hanging in there.
If you ask expert Charles Mizrahi, the situation is crystal clear. You could either:
Capture peak gains like 300%, 500% and 600%.
Or let the market turmoil and the virus’s impact eat away your financial future.
Gains like those? In this kind of market?!
Yes, dear reader — there’s potential in any market. See, according to Charles: “What you do in this current meltdown will make all the difference on what your net worth will be in the next five years.”
So, while other folks around you join the fleeing fearful, you have a chance to gain a leg up. In fact, Charles Mizrahi thinks this moment is so crucial he recorded a special video presentation on how to leave all this market panic behind.
Click here now.
The Good: Remote Connections               
Investors are falling in love with Micron Technology Inc. (Nasdaq: MU) in a hopeless place today.
The flash memory maker beat Wall Street’s second-quarter earnings and revenue estimates and issued solid third-quarter guidance.
In fact, Micron appears to benefit from COVID-19 lockdowns around the world. In its post-earnings conference call, the company highlighted rising demand for PCs, notebooks and other devices as more people work and study from home.
Furthermore, Micron noted additional demand in the data center market, as companies push to beef up cloud computing storage and performance amid spiking remote demand.
While now is clearly the time to be cautious about buying anything in the market, Micron is one company to keep on your short list of potential winners in this brave new world.
The Bad: 1 Bourbon, 1 Scotch, 1 Beer
Wanna tell you a story about the Cheesecake Factory Inc. (Nasdaq: CAKE) blues…
I read the headlines one particular Thursday and saw that Cheesecake Factory had lost its jobs. But that don’t confront me, long as I get my money next Thursday. Next Thursday come, and they didn’t have the rent … and out the door I went.
Seriously though, the Cheesecake Factory just sent a letter to its landlords that it won’t pay rent in April due to the coronavirus. Here’s an excerpt from a letter to landlords from CEO David Overton:
The severe decrease in restaurant traffic has severely decreased our cash flow and inflicted a tremendous financial blow to our business. Due to these extraordinary events, I am asking for your patience and, frankly, your help.
And it’s not just Cheesecake Factory acting kinda funny … everybody funny … now you funny too. Retailers, from clothier H&M to fast-foodie Subway, are all struggling to make rent.
If anything reinforces the idea that the COVID-19 situation is far from over, it’s retailers not paying rent. I don’t know about you, but I think it’s time for a few drinks.
The Ugly: Old Junker
Growing up in rural Kentucky, I lived through the great Ford versus Chevy wars and endured many a heated argument on the topic. “Ford Don’t Make Junk” was among the many stickers plastered on the windows and tailgates of F-150s for as far as the eye could see.
Turns out, those bumper stickers weren’t quite accurate. Today, S&P Global Ratings cut Ford Motor Co.’s (NYSE: F) bonds to junk status. The ratings firm lowered Ford’s credit rating to BB+ (junk status) and said that it may lower its rating further as the coronavirus’s impact spreads.
S&P isn’t alone in its “junk” rating on Ford, however. Moody’s Investors Service cut its credit rating on the Big Blue Oval twice in the past month, citing a “credit shock” for automakers across the board.
But Ford has an answer … it plans on reopening production at key plants in April, including its Dearborn, Michigan, and Kentucky truck plants, its Kansas City Assembly Plant’s transit line and its Ohio Assembly Plant.
That’s all fine and dandy, but I’m pretty sure the United Auto Workers Union will have something to say about this. And it won’t be pretty.
You Marco, I Polo … it’s Reader Feedback time!
Let me just say, you guys have been busy … or maybe you’re just bored after being locked in your homes for days on end.
In the past week, Great Stuff received a veritable flood of comments with two common themes: You absolutely despise bailouts (especially for airlines) and you don’t think the market rout is over.
Let’s dive right into your comments:
The Unfriendly Skies
NO BAILOUT TO THOSE WHO BOUGHT BACK STOCK
— Stan B.
Airline bailout NOT. Only if that Airline assists our American citizens stuck away from their respective residents need to get home. Not for anyone just traveling. Bailout? Why do they need it as they have gouged the travelers for transporting their necessary luggage to the tune of millions of dollars of profit while still collecting their usual air fares. Why should we bail out these huge corporations. Use that money to help the smaller companies to keep their doors open. I personally am sick of seeing billions bailing out these high corporations that only turn around and use that money for the top management so called golden parachutes. Stop this madness of government bailouts.
— Peggy B.
Pigs to the trough, as usual. And, why should it shock you that R’s have no problems throwing tons of money at pillars of industry? Well, not exactly industry. Finance! That’s the magic word The Graduate should have been told. Not “plastics,” “finance”.
— Joe S.
Let them go under.
— Tony C.
Wow … the sheer vitriol dripping from your comments is … honestly, it’s a bit impressive. I don’t know whether to be proud of you or to start locking my doors.
As I’ve said several times here in Great Stuff, I don’t like stock buybacks — at all. It’s a company telling me they have nothing better to do with their money … nothing to invest or reinvest in. No new ideas to grow.
And now, those companies are paying the price. Well, somewhat of a price. A lot of them just got bailed out by the government … again.
It’s Not Over
Still doesn’t feel like the bottom.
I don’t see enough anger / despair that would mark the point at which all the buyers are exhausted.
Love your work – thanks!
— Gary W.
I believe it’s not over till people go back to work… I am a supplier to GM, laid off until the 13th… even then I could be laid off longer depending on how orders rise or fall… at the time of the layoff orders were down 15% before the virus hit…
— Timothy C.
Most of your subscribers, I’m sure, want rosy pictures. Most investors do. They want to catch the bottom of the V. This time it’s an L, though.
By end of May most airlines in the world will go bankrupt. Restaurants, bars, gyms, taxis. Hotels, travel agencies, tourist attractions. Shops, malls, import/export companies. Trucking, railways, bus liners. Cinemas, museums, stadiums…
Investment banks with derivatives exposure, ETF spinners, trading houses, oil companies, automakers and aerospace are in trouble. Possibly miners too. And schools.
But investors want to believe that the FED is going to fix it all. Thing is, we should hope the FED doesn’t try. If they do, we’re all going to wake up with 1000s of $ in our pockets, and nothing to spend it on.
The ONLY moneys (FED or fiscal) that should be spent is on buying test kits from Russia, respirators from Elon Musk, hospital beds and walls. The ONE thing we need is a victory against the virus. Nothing else.
— Dan W.
Dan the man, you hit the nose on the head … or something like that. And Timothy, you are absolutely right.
This is what Great Stuff has said for a while. You can pass a $2 trillion spending bill to help things along, but it won’t magically rehire 3.28 million workers filing for unemployment. It won’t stop the virus from spreading.
Hunker down, dear readers. It’s going to be a rough ride. But, if you stay tuned in to Great Stuff and BanyanHill.com, I promise to keep telling you like it is and help guide you through the storm.
Finally, a shoutout to Angela O., Christine P., Phil G. and the others who have offered Great Stuff support for telling you the truth. Sticks and stones … you know. Thank you all!
Have you written in yet? What’s stopping you? Drop me a line at [email protected] and let me know how you’re doing out there in this crazy market.
That’s a wrap for today. But if you’re still craving more Great Stuff, you can check us out on social media: Facebook and Twitter.
Until next time, good trading!
Regards,
Joseph Hargett
Editor, Great Stuff
0 notes
goldira01 · 5 years ago
Link
Denial, Seems It Had to Come
I warned you it was coming. I warned you it’d be bad.
Relied on me to say it all. (Any Sevendust fans out there? No? Oh well…)
Weekly jobless claims arrived today, and they were record-breaking. The U.S. Department of Labor reported that 3.28 million Americans filed for unemployment benefits last week.
That’s 15 times the number of people who filed two weeks ago … and five times the previous record of 695,000 claims set in 1982. It was more than the peak number of claims during both the Great Recession and the Great Depression.
3.28 million Americans out of work — all because of the coronavirus (or the panic along with it).
The situation is so bad — How bad is it? — that Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell appeared on the Today show to reassure Americans that the U.S. central bank is on our side.
“The Federal Reserve is working hard to support you now and our policies will be very important when the recovery does come,” Powell said.
The Takeaway: 
Let’s think about the situation for a minute.
The head of the U.S. Federal Reserve — the guy who’s responsible for the country’s most powerful financial institution — felt it was necessary to reassure the American people on a popular morning show.
On one hand, that’s somewhat comforting … Powell taking time out of his busy day to tell everyone that it’ll all be OK.
On the other, it shows just how badly the situation has deteriorated. We now have the head of the Fed offering reassurance, not some lackey.
Oh, and those 3.28 million jobless claims? The market shrugged them off.
It seems that most of Wall Street believes that the worst is now behind us. Peter Boockvar, chief investment officer at Bleakley Advisory Group, summed up the Street’s opinion pretty well:
We all know the pain being felt and the economic damage being caused by this damn virus but because we are so close to getting past the worst of the spread, we need to start getting creative about what the restart will look like.
So close to getting past the worst of the spread?
The U.S. is about a month behind Italy in terms of COVID-19’s spread, and Italy hasn’t even peaked yet. We’re three months behind China, and it’s just now seeing the end of community spread. Both countries went into complete lockdown. While individual states have gone this route, the U.S. as a whole has not.
As hopeful as I want to be … as hopeful as Wall Street wants to be … we aren’t close to getting past the worst of the spread.
As the nation’s top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, put it: “You don’t make the timeline, the virus makes the timeline.”
But … but the $2 trillion coronavirus rescue bill!
Yes, I hear you out there … protesting my negativity again. The Senate’s bill will blunt the impact, to be sure. But it can’t stop what’s already happening. Despite reassurances that everything will just bounce back … that this isn’t really a long-term economic problem in the U.S. … let me tell you now: It is.
What? You think the U.S. economy could just hire back those 3.28 million out-of-work Americans tomorrow if the coronavirus magically disappeared? Nope. It doesn’t work like that.
But, while the U.S. economy is going down, down in an early round, sugar we’re going down swinging. And Great Stuff will be your No. 1 with a bullet. A loaded market complex … cock it and pull it.
Now, here’s the thing — and listen up, all ye positivity seekers!
Just as the virus chooses the timeline for this whole crazy shebang…
Only you choose your investing timeline. Only you decide if you keep hanging in there.
If you ask expert Charles Mizrahi, the situation is crystal clear. You could either:
Capture peak gains like 300%, 500% and 600%.
Or let the market turmoil and the virus’s impact eat away your financial future.
Gains like those? In this kind of market?!
Yes, dear reader — there’s potential in any market. See, according to Charles: “What you do in this current meltdown will make all the difference on what your net worth will be in the next five years.”
So, while other folks around you join the fleeing fearful, you have a chance to gain a leg up. In fact, Charles Mizrahi thinks this moment is so crucial he recorded a special video presentation on how to leave all this market panic behind.
Click here now.
The Good: Remote Connections               
Investors are falling in love with Micron Technology Inc. (Nasdaq: MU) in a hopeless place today.
The flash memory maker beat Wall Street’s second-quarter earnings and revenue estimates and issued solid third-quarter guidance.
In fact, Micron appears to benefit from COVID-19 lockdowns around the world. In its post-earnings conference call, the company highlighted rising demand for PCs, notebooks and other devices as more people work and study from home.
Furthermore, Micron noted additional demand in the data center market, as companies push to beef up cloud computing storage and performance amid spiking remote demand.
While now is clearly the time to be cautious about buying anything in the market, Micron is one company to keep on your short list of potential winners in this brave new world.
The Bad: 1 Bourbon, 1 Scotch, 1 Beer
Wanna tell you a story about the Cheesecake Factory Inc. (Nasdaq: CAKE) blues…
I read the headlines one particular Thursday and saw that Cheesecake Factory had lost its jobs. But that don’t confront me, long as I get my money next Thursday. Next Thursday come, and they didn’t have the rent … and out the door I went.
Seriously though, the Cheesecake Factory just sent a letter to its landlords that it won’t pay rent in April due to the coronavirus. Here’s an excerpt from a letter to landlords from CEO David Overton:
The severe decrease in restaurant traffic has severely decreased our cash flow and inflicted a tremendous financial blow to our business. Due to these extraordinary events, I am asking for your patience and, frankly, your help.
And it’s not just Cheesecake Factory acting kinda funny … everybody funny … now you funny too. Retailers, from clothier H&M to fast-foodie Subway, are all struggling to make rent.
If anything reinforces the idea that the COVID-19 situation is far from over, it’s retailers not paying rent. I don’t know about you, but I think it’s time for a few drinks.
The Ugly: Old Junker
Growing up in rural Kentucky, I lived through the great Ford versus Chevy wars and endured many a heated argument on the topic. “Ford Don’t Make Junk” was among the many stickers plastered on the windows and tailgates of F-150s for as far as the eye could see.
Turns out, those bumper stickers weren’t quite accurate. Today, S&P Global Ratings cut Ford Motor Co.’s (NYSE: F) bonds to junk status. The ratings firm lowered Ford’s credit rating to BB+ (junk status) and said that it may lower its rating further as the coronavirus’s impact spreads.
S&P isn’t alone in its “junk” rating on Ford, however. Moody’s Investors Service cut its credit rating on the Big Blue Oval twice in the past month, citing a “credit shock” for automakers across the board.
But Ford has an answer … it plans on reopening production at key plants in April, including its Dearborn, Michigan, and Kentucky truck plants, its Kansas City Assembly Plant’s transit line and its Ohio Assembly Plant.
That’s all fine and dandy, but I’m pretty sure the United Auto Workers Union will have something to say about this. And it won’t be pretty.
You Marco, I Polo … it’s Reader Feedback time!
Let me just say, you guys have been busy … or maybe you’re just bored after being locked in your homes for days on end.
In the past week, Great Stuff received a veritable flood of comments with two common themes: You absolutely despise bailouts (especially for airlines) and you don’t think the market rout is over.
Let’s dive right into your comments:
The Unfriendly Skies
NO BAILOUT TO THOSE WHO BOUGHT BACK STOCK
— Stan B.
Airline bailout NOT. Only if that Airline assists our American citizens stuck away from their respective residents need to get home. Not for anyone just traveling. Bailout? Why do they need it as they have gouged the travelers for transporting their necessary luggage to the tune of millions of dollars of profit while still collecting their usual air fares. Why should we bail out these huge corporations. Use that money to help the smaller companies to keep their doors open. I personally am sick of seeing billions bailing out these high corporations that only turn around and use that money for the top management so called golden parachutes. Stop this madness of government bailouts.
— Peggy B.
Pigs to the trough, as usual. And, why should it shock you that R’s have no problems throwing tons of money at pillars of industry? Well, not exactly industry. Finance! That’s the magic word The Graduate should have been told. Not “plastics,” “finance”.
— Joe S.
Let them go under.
— Tony C.
Wow … the sheer vitriol dripping from your comments is … honestly, it’s a bit impressive. I don’t know whether to be proud of you or to start locking my doors.
As I’ve said several times here in Great Stuff, I don’t like stock buybacks — at all. It’s a company telling me they have nothing better to do with their money … nothing to invest or reinvest in. No new ideas to grow.
And now, those companies are paying the price. Well, somewhat of a price. A lot of them just got bailed out by the government … again.
It’s Not Over
Still doesn’t feel like the bottom.
I don’t see enough anger / despair that would mark the point at which all the buyers are exhausted.
Love your work – thanks!
— Gary W.
I believe it’s not over till people go back to work… I am a supplier to GM, laid off until the 13th… even then I could be laid off longer depending on how orders rise or fall… at the time of the layoff orders were down 15% before the virus hit…
— Timothy C.
 Most of your subscribers, I’m sure, want rosy pictures. Most investors do. They want to catch the bottom of the V. This time it’s an L, though.
By end of May most airlines in the world will go bankrupt. Restaurants, bars, gyms, taxis. Hotels, travel agencies, tourist attractions. Shops, malls, import/export companies. Trucking, railways, bus liners. Cinemas, museums, stadiums…
Investment banks with derivatives exposure, ETF spinners, trading houses, oil companies, automakers and aerospace are in trouble. Possibly miners too. And schools.
But investors want to believe that the FED is going to fix it all. Thing is, we should hope the FED doesn’t try. If they do, we’re all going to wake up with 1000s of $ in our pockets, and nothing to spend it on.
The ONLY moneys (FED or fiscal) that should be spent is on buying test kits from Russia, respirators from Elon Musk, hospital beds and walls. The ONE thing we need is a victory against the virus. Nothing else.
— Dan W.
Dan the man, you hit the nose on the head … or something like that. And Timothy, you are absolutely right.
This is what Great Stuff has said for a while. You can pass a $2 trillion spending bill to help things along, but it won’t magically rehire 3.28 million workers filing for unemployment. It won’t stop the virus from spreading.
Hunker down, dear readers. It’s going to be a rough ride. But, if you stay tuned in to Great Stuff and BanyanHill.com, I promise to keep telling you like it is and help guide you through the storm.
Finally, a shoutout to Angela O., Christine P., Phil G. and the others who have offered Great Stuff support for telling you the truth. Sticks and stones … you know. Thank you all!
Have you written in yet? What’s stopping you? Drop me a line at [email protected] and let me know how you’re doing out there in this crazy market.
That’s a wrap for today. But if you’re still craving more Great Stuff, you can check us out on social media: Facebook and Twitter.
Until next time, good trading!
Regards,
Joseph Hargett
Editor, Great Stuff
0 notes
recentanimenews · 5 years ago
Text
Craft & Wield Your Arsenal Against an AI Menace in DAEMON x MACHINA
There are only two things in this world that are completely and wholly synonymous with anime. The first is magical girls. The second is, of course, giant robots. In the decades since Mazinger Z exploded onto the scene in the early 1970s and established the mecha genre as we know it, countless anime fans in Japan and abroad have found themselves fascinated by these flying hunks of metal battling out among the stars. Many of anime’s most well-known and highly regarded properties are mecha, such as Patlabor, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Tenga Toppen Gurren Lagann, and the unforgettable Gundam franchise. Seriously, stop a random stranger on the street and show them a picture of your favorite Mobile Suit. After you correct them it’s not a Transformer, their next guess will probably be Gundam.
  This widespread fascination with mechas in media has also translated to the world of video games... somewhat. Plenty of games that let you pilot giant robots have risen over the years, though few have received widespread acclaim. The many Gundam and Super Robot Wars games have found their audiences mainly in fans of the shows they’re based on, while others carve out their own niches among mecha fans. Xenogears, Metal Wolf Chaos, and the Armored Core games may not rank among the most well-known franchises worldwide, but the fan bases they’ve found are nothing if not passionate about their mech games of choice. Armored Core in particular comes up more and more these days as a franchise that mech fans would like to see revitalized, especially given the FromSoftware pedigree behind it. Though it seems there’s no end in sight to the Armored Core drought just yet, a few series veterans have stepped in to fill the void with their new title DAEMON x MACHINA.
    DAEMON x MACHINA is a third-person action game developed by Marvelous for the Switch. This post-apocalyptic mech-piloting game takes place hundreds of years after the Moonfall―a cataclysmic event where pieces of the moon broke apart and fell to Earth. This unleashed a new form of energy across the Earth called Femto that corrupted AIs and turned them against humanity. Pushed to the brink of extinction, humanity now resides within a union of nation-conglomerates called the Oval Link. This Link is overseen by a group called Orbital tasked with contracting out various mercenary groups to forge the last line of defense against the AI threat.
  The stage that DAEMON X MACHINA sets for its story is a dire one indeed, though the game struggles with how much it tries to convey that. Players take on the role of “Rookie,” a custom-created character who sort of comes out of nowhere to join Orbital and wade into the world of mechs and mercenaries. After becoming accustomed to piloting the mechs (known as Arsenals) and passing the certification exam, you’re introduced to the Hanger, which is where you’ll spend all your time outside of missions. This enclosed area is your hub for viewing your Arsenal, purchasing upgrades, swapping out equipment, and accepting missions. The Hanger is populated with a handful of NPC mechanics with little to say, and outside of them the only other humans ever shown in the game are your fellow mercs. 
    There’s a civilization left to protect in DAEMON x MACHINA, but its complete absence from the game makes it easy to forget about. There are references to human refugee camps and settlements, but for whatever reason all your battles take place far, far away from them. The arenas you’ll be fighting in are total wastelands, complete with abandoned cars to throw and decaying buildings to topple on enemies. The saturation slider is turned up all the way as you battle under a blood red sky to industrial metal tunes as if to say “The world is already over, so just go hog wild in your giant robot.” DAEMON x MACHINA’s story is serviceable, and that’s all it really needed to be. I’m not saying that fans of mecha games don’t care about the stories at ALL, but let’s be honest, what the fans want most is to pilot giant robots and have fun doing it. 
  With that in mind, let me simplify things a bit. If you love to obsess over numbers, stats, and builds, DAEMON x MACHINA is probably for you. If you love convoluted control schemes that put you in situations where you’re holding virtually every button on the controller down at once, DAEMON x MACHINA is probably for you. If you love to feel like you’re actively fighting against the sheer weight of a zillion-ton metal behemoth while you’re playing video games, DAEMON x MACHINA is probably for you. If you like to build Gunplas and paint them purple and green like Unit 01, DAEMON x MACHINA is probably for you.
  Everything in DAEMON x MACHINA is designed around making you feel like an extremely cool person flying an extremely cool mech. The character customization options are rad, if a bit lacking in accessories compared to NPC pilots. The Arsenal customization goes far more in-depth, with loads and loads of swappable equipment to unlock and upgrade throughout the campaign. There are plenty of builds you can fashion for your mech depending on how you want to approach the mission. Whether you want to play go agile or tanky, melee or sniper, land or sky, the options are there for you. The customization goes even deeper as you can change your Arsenal’s paint job and cover it in unlockable emblems if you so desire. 
  In addition to affecting your own health and defense, the parts you outfit your Arsenal with have their own individual durability stats. If they take enough damage, these parts can break completely, leaving you more damage-prone and potentially missing an entire arm to attack with. Luckily, whenever an enemy Arsenal is downed in a mission it can be scavenged for parts. If you’re missing an arm or weapon, you can find a downed Arsenal and replace it with one of theirs. If all your gear is in good condition, scavenged parts are automatically sent to your Hanger for future use. While you can buy new equipment in the Hanger, scavenging off dead enemies was how I acquired nearly all of the equipment that I used throughout the game. 
    All these various stats and customization options were a little overwhelming for me, I’m not gonna lie. I found it hard to judge what builds to go for or what parts and weapons to bring to different missions because there was no real indicator what worked best against the enemies I would be facing. The most common enemy types all go down pretty quickly, but most of the game ends up being spent fighting other Arsenals. Without a database of them and their own builds its tough to get a sense of what works best against them without a bit of intense observation and a lot of trial and error. 
  This overwhelming feeling extended into the gameplay. Arsenals are big and complicated, and not only are you flying them all around everywhere, you’re doing it with a total of six different weapons attached. There are a total of sixteen buttons across both Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons, and most able-bodied people hold controllers with four fingers on a button at a time: both thumbs on the analog sticks and both index fingers on the triggers. At any given moment in DAEMON x MACHINA you’ll probably be holding down six buttons at once and still feel like you aren’t holding enough. Whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing is all up to you. 
    While I did admittedly find it overwhelming (and frankly uncomfortable for my tiny hands) at times, I found it oddly appropriate. Have you ever looked at the cockpit inside of a plane? Imagine if that plane had two legs and arms and the dexterity to point accusingly at their archrival. It only ever became a hindrance when it came to the auxiliary weapons such as grenades. These weapons were mapped to the X button the Joy-Cons, so readying a grenade meant taking my thumb off the right analog stick to press the button. Problem is, that’s the stick that controls camera movement. Grenades were ultimately useless to me because there was no way to even aim them while inside the Arsenal. It seems like a major oversight, but fortunately controls are remappable and not every auxiliary weapon requires camera control anyway.
  While Arsenal control is awkward and clunky in an ultimately appropriate way, controlling the pilot outside of it feels plain bad. Your created characters in DAEMON x MACHINA aren’t solely there to look at in cutscenes, by the way. During missions you can bail out of your Arsenal and fight enemies on foot. However, I found there’s little―if any―reason to do so. The weapons at your disposal are much more limited and there’s no way to recover health if you’re hurt outside of your Arsenal. Also, the levels are clearly designed for Arsenals alone, so it’s easy to get caught on the collision of slight inclines that Arsenals just glide over. 
    You can eventually upgrade your pilot to a point where they can manually repair your Arsenal when outside of it, but the repair process is painfully slow and your Arsenal just takes more damage since it’s just a sitting duck out there. You can already find health canisters scattered throughout levels, so the only time being able to repair your Arsenal on foot would be when it’s destroyed and you’re automatically ejected from it. Unfortunately, the repair ability doesn’t work on Arsenals that have been destroyed. At that point your options are to either die or hope you’ve already taken enough health off any remaining enemies that you can just find a secure corner and cheese the rest of the fight out. Which, to be fair, that’s how I beat the final boss.
  The final boss, by the way, is terrible. It completely defies all strategies you’re taught to utilize up to that point throughout the game. Unlike every single other arena up to that point, there are no health or ammo pickups to be had. If your armor is destroyed, there are no enemies around to strip for parts. After trying it a few times I was so frustrated and in such disbelief over it that I turned to the internet for answers and found a good amount of others who had been stumped by it. I found out there’s a completely un-telegraphed gimmick to beating it that never actually worked whenever I attempted. I eventually managed to beat it and as a courtesy here’s my advice. Equip one of the katana weapons, upgrade chain attacks in the body mods, equip HIGH defense armor, and just go in over and over until it’s dead. If you can see ANYTHING other than the boss’s character model clipping through the camera then you’re doing something wrong. 
    Bee-lining through the story took in all about 16 hours, but there’s plenty left to do beyond that. As you progress through the story you’ll unlock side missions that can earn you parts and credits, and there are roughly as many side missions in DAEMON X MACHINA as there are story missions. If you’re tired of playing alone, there are also online modes available to players with a Nintendo Switch Online membership. You can play co-op missions with other players or face against them in 1v1 and 2v2 matches. My experience with the online modes is rather limited, but I found co-op missions went by extremely quickly given how many high-level players are there to farm for gear. I couldn’t find any 2v2 rooms open in the middle of the day on a weekend, but finding partners for 1v1 deathmatches was pretty easy. If showing off your cool mech design and challenging other players over who the better pilot is sound appealing to you, I’d definitely give these modes a shot. 
  The big question you’re probably still wondering though is, “If I like Armored Core will I like this?” As to that, well, I don’t know. I’ve never actually played a single Armored Core game before, and while DAEMON x MACHINA does seem similar to what I’ve seen of those games, for all I know the feel could be entirely different. I do know that there is some Armored Core pedigree behind it, though. Armored Core series producer Kenichiro Tsukuda acted as producer on DAEMON x MACHINA. Legendary mech designer Shoji Kawamori―who designed mechs for Armored Core, Macross, Patlabor, and many others―returned as well. The pedigree seemingly ends there, unfortunately. Marvelous developed and published this game, and a quick look into their previous output reveals few mechs and a lot of Senran Kagura.
    So while I can’t guarantee this is exactly what you want or are looking for, I can say that I had a real great time with it. There were things I found myself wanting from this game that it didn’t deliver. I wanted my character to be more like a character. I wanted to make decisions and bond with my fellow pilots. I wanted to join a group of mercs and fight it out among the rest for supremacy. The more I played and the more I wanted these things, I realized I was looking at DAEMON x MACHINA the wrong way. Those kinds of RPG elements might belong in game like, say, Battletech, but that’s not what DAEMON x MACHINA is about. Though limited in its scope, it dials in on what it believes matters most to mecha fans: having fun being a pilot. DAEMON x MACHINA bogs you down so many stats and parts and controls because it knows that’s what being a pilot means. And once you’ve finally crafted and mastered your own perfect mech, it sets you loose under its blood red skies and tells you to let ‘er rip.
  REVIEW ROUNDUP
+ Beautifully saturated wasteland environments 
+ Epic industrial metal soundtrack
+ Deeply customizable mechs
+ Controlling Arsenals feels clunky and convoluted in all the ways it should
+ Co-op and Vs. multiplayer options let you show off mechs and challenge fellow pilots
+/- Intriguing setting that the story does little to deliver on
- Control outside the Arsenal feels useless
- Abysmal final boss encounter
  Are you a fan of mecha games? Where does DAEMON x MACHINA rank among your favorites? Let us know in the comments below!
      -----
Danni Wilmoth is a Features writer for Crunchyroll and co-host of the video game podcast Indiecent. You can find more words from her on Twitter @NanamisEgg.
Do you love writing? Do you love anime? If you have an idea for a features story, pitch it to Crunchyroll Features!
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kenpaisworkshop · 6 years ago
Text
Sinquest: Soul and Sand: Part I
“The Desert Jewel of Chazin”
Subject: @sin-quest Characters: Ken’pai the Mechanist, Tomis the Warlock (owned by @tomis-jb) Warnings: None
[--PREVIOUS--]  ==========  [--NEXT--]
It was a stifling mixture of sun and sand as the two travellers hopped off the caravan, gazing into the city gates of the great desert capital of Chazin. The sound of boots and...claws wafted into the air as grains gently blustered all about them.
“I don't know why I let you drag me all the way out here,” said the first one. He was a walking contrast of the environment; black robes, black boots, black...everything, save for a white skull-like mask concealed by an even blacker hood. Not many knew of the warlocks, as they were a rare breed, but they had a tendency to stand out. Hiding wasn't exactly something they felt was a necessity.
His companion was an even stranger case. A bit taller, he dressed rather plainly, a brown collared tunic tucked into dark-grey trousers, and a large backpack, with several pouches for extra storage in the straps. His ensemble wasn't exactly the point of contention.
It was the scales. Green with flecks of red, to be precise. He was one of the Lizard-folk.
He reached into a pouch and fished out a pair of cyan-tinted goggles, matching his reptilian eyes. He pulled the straps behind two long horns protruding from the back of his head, stretching the lenses out to cover his face. A large snout breathed in, and he exhaled out of a toothy mouth, his lips curling back into a sort of smile.
The lizard-man tugged at his black leather gloves and gazed down at his feet. They were bound by straps, which made for more comfort for his digitigrade feet, letting his toe-claws sink into the warm sands.
“I didn't drag you anywhere, Tomisss,” he hissed with a grin, “I was going to come out here whether you came along or not.”
The warlock shook his head. “Yeah, well, somebody's gotta make sure my precious protege keeps his scales attached.”
“Protege, is it? Hah...I suppose I'll take the compliment. Besides, you can't possibly say this place is all bad. It's so warm here...it's relaxing.”
The lizard-man looked at Tomis again, noting his clothing.
“Well, for me it is.”
“Of course it is, Ken'pai. Remind me again what we're looking for?”
Ken reached back into his bag, feeling around a bit before pulling out a large parchment and unfurling it. It was a somewhat old map of Chazin, a city divided into four quarters with a fading red circle marked.
“I'm looking for a friend of Master Gray's. According to this he's in...the east quarter, one street over from the Great Well.”
Tomis gazed at the distant structures looming in the distance. “Haven't really been here before, but I'm guessing something called a “Great Well” won't be too hard to spot.”
Ken chuckled. “Oh no, trust me, we'll just keep going straight down this road. We definitely won't miss it.”
The two stepped through the gates, drawing attention from the guardsmen and citizenry alike. Ken'pai wondered which of the two was drawing more attention, but it was already clear that he knew. His head began to droop, his right arm clutching nervously at his left one.
Lizard-men were even rarer to find in society than warlocks, and they were even more visible. It was a common occurrence that Ken'pai never got used to. The stares. And who could blame them? Lizards didn't wear clothes, didn't speak fluent common. Most people were often surprised to see one standing all the way upright as it walked.
And he was always an “it.” Not a person. Just a species. A monster.
A black-gloved hand rested on Ken'pai's shoulder. “Stop worrying about it. Focus,” Tomis whispered.
The only person who ever showed him kindness, outside his late Master, Gray, Tomis' company was always appreciated, far more than Ken ever let on, and he often wondered if the feeling was mutual. He supposed it was, otherwise he'd find himself walking down the streets alone. Feeling the daggers in everybody's eyes piercing his heart. Alone.
“Thanks,” he said, shaking his head and focusing on taking in the sights instead.
The streets themselves were teeming with wayfarers, citizens, and adventurers, all hailing from all walks of life. The sides were packed with booths, each one manned by merchants selling all kinds of wares, and as they came to an intersection, they could see that even those streets were lined, almost eternally with more and more booths.
Most of the buildings were standard-issue, many roofs having their own furnishings, bordered by parapets in matching styles with the others. Several brightly colored fabrics and banners fluttered in the desert breeze, criss-crossing over the streets with such density that the shade was more than welcome.
Ken pointed at the taller buildings, which all had immense domed roofs, with large crystalline spires protruding out the top.
“Chazin's probably the only nation that harnesses electricity at this rate,” Ken'pai explained, “those crystal spires act like lighthouses in the desert, so lost travellers can at least find their way home to the city if they're lost at night. It's been said that they can be seen from over thirty miles away.”
“Huh.”
Ken began to sound a bit more excited, finally having the opportunity to teach his friend for a change. “They still use magic in order to power their lights though, but there are probably enough magicians outside of the Mages Guild willing to offer their services. I've thought about helping them out, but I'm still unsure of the design. It's tricky, and runs on water, but...although this place has plenty, they could run out much faster than expected, and--”
Tomis pointed to the looming structures jutting up from the center of town. “What about those?” He interrupted.
“You'll see. We're almost there.”
The two walked in silence for a ways, finally coming to the center of town.
...if one could call it a “center.”
What would normally be a great town square was taken up instead by a sprawling chasm, easily five or more miles in diameter, braced with exquisite masonry to keep the sides from caving. Several nets lined the perimeter of the cavity at several different heights, a safety precaution to keep citizens from falling below.
Deep down in the chasm was perhaps the greatest body of fresh water that a desert had any right to see.
Ken'pai pointed at the structures again. They were actually titanic windmills one at each cardinal point around the well, operating a pulley system that drew water from the lake in buckets that rivaled the size of a small house. Once they reached a certain height, they were “tipped,” pouring into stone-worked troughs, each leading deep underneath, into the heart of each quadrant of town.
“Those troughs feed into smaller resevoirs for each quarter of the city. They're still massive, and if by some chance they're overfilled, the excess just pours back into this, the Great Well.”
The warlock folded his arms. “You seem to know a lot about this place.”
Ken leaned forward, resting his elbows on the dividing wall as he watched the systems work their autonomous magic. “I've been here a couple of times. Master Gray was thinking of relocating here. The Mages Guild don't have much sway on this country, you see. Magic is still important, yes, but this is a place of commerce and, more recently, industry. Factories have started springing up here more and more, and I'm sure you noticed all the construction going on.”
Tomis scanned the horizon for a bit. “...Not really.”
“No? You didn't see the scaffolding lining most of the buildings as we went by? Covered with all the fabrics, banners, and sheets? Heh, it's clever, isn't it? They hide it, make it look like it's part of the structure. 'Good for business,' they say.” He pushed himself off the wall and turned to the right. “C'mon, East Quarter's this way. Almost there.”
They followed the rim of the Great Well, finally coming upon yet another street, fittingly called “East Street,” which led all the way down into another inevitible city gate. They didn't have to go nearly as far, turning right again at the first intersection.
They finally came upon a building with a large door with chipping blue paint. Ken'pai rapped on its surface four times before holding his fist to his chest in anticipation. A small panel in the door slid open briefly, then slid shut before the door's locks opened with an audible thunk.
It swung open and revealed the face of an older elf, a long white beard draping over his chest as his lips curled up into a smile.
“Scales! You came!”
Ken'pai nodded and shook the man's hand. “Old Man Loch! It's been what...eight years?”
“Hah, all grown up I see. And your common is inpeccable!”
The lizard-man smiled. “Yep, all grown up, at least in the eyes of my former tribe.”
Loch turned toward Ken's companion and offered a hand. “And you are...?”
The warlock didn't accept the handshake, but still gave a courteous nod. “Tomis.”
“Tomis, alrighty. Come in, you two, come in, get out of the heat.” Loch said, gesturing with a wave.
The two stepped into the rather modest home, Ken having to duck his head slightly to get under the arch in the entry way. Loch led the two to a small table set by four chairs, covered in several books that had seen more than their fair share of use. The entire home was besieged by knowledge, tomes stacking almost to the ceiling in just about every square foot of floor-space, leaving a few narrow pathways to important facilities.
They sat down as Loch pulled out a few pieces of parchment. Drawings.
“This is why I sent for you. Well, I sent for 'Gray,' which I suppose means you're doing good work.”
“Thanks,” Ken nodded. “Doing my best. Clever, hiding it in a book like that.”
Loch nodded. “I figured you'd find the message soon enough. How'd you like it? The book, I mean.”
Tomis snorted amusedly. “He devoured it in the first night like a sweetroll at dinner. You're going to have to find something more challenging.”
“Impressive! It's probably the most intricately detailed manual I have,” Loch professed.
Tomis leaned in a bit. “Then you're going to have to work harder.”
Ken'pai could feel the smirk beaming behind the mask. It was nice, seeing his friend act more jovial. “It was a fantastic read though. I hadn't been to Chazin in years, so reading your manual on the Great Well windmills got me excited to see the real thing!””
The warlock tilted his head. “Oh?”
“Ah,” Ken realized, “I suppose I should explain. Loch here is the chief architect and engineer for the city of Chazin! He designed those huge windmills in the Well, whereas before there were about twenty all scattered about.”
Loch nodded again. “Yeah, they were made of smaller parts, more prone to breaking down. These larger ones have much more difficult parts to craft, but it's much easier to spot problems down the line, and since the water production is so high, shutting down one of the mills for a few days doesn't disrupt the water flow.”
Tomis looked around at the house, not taking too long to take it all in again. “You're the chief engineer and you live in such a cramped place?”
Loch sighed. “Yeah. Chazin is a sprawling metropolis, but space is at a premium, and we're certainly having a problem with overcrowding. Even the royal palace has been sectioned off for boarding a little bit. Expanding into a desert is...tricky. We've already made these huge walls, making more will take years, if not decades to complete. Then there's the problem of getting the sand out, expanding the well's reach, probably having to build more reservoirs...yeah. We're working on it, but it's a process, to be sure.”
“I could help if you'd like,” Ken'pai gestured, “maybe you could use a mechanist on the team.”
Tomis shook his head. “Ehh...not a great idea--”
He craned his neck sharply toward the door, standing up.
“I'll be outside.”
Ken nodded. “Alright, I'll be along in a bit.”
The warlock said nothing, letting the door close itself as he passed through.
“He going to be alright?” Loch queried.
“Yeah. He's more protective of me than I thought he would be, not that he's wrong. If the mages catch wind of a lizard-man making Master Gray's machines, it wouldn't be too hard to spot me. We've had to be careful.”
“That's good. You're a good kid, if you need anything, you can ask me. I've got a spare bed if necessary.”
“Appreciate it. So what exactly is the problem you're facing?”
Loch spread out the drawings on the table. One of them showed a sketch of what appeared to be an old set of ruins.
“This set of ruins here runs right alongside a supply route out in the Sandsea. It's actually a tomb for an ancient prince of Chazin dating back about a thousand years or so. It's a nice enough place, but nobody's been able to get inside the inner chambers. Nobody's been able to figure it out.”
“...You want us to go grave-robbing?”
“No, far from it. See, a few seasons back, something happened. Trade barges across the sea have been attacked by some sort of monster coming out of the ruins. The smaller sand skiffs can outrun it, but not the bigger ships when they're loaded down with cargo and sinking into the sand.”
He lifted the second parchment and placed it on top of the first. It showed a sketch of a humanoid figure, that appeared to be made of large blocks of stone. The size was rather intimidating, if the human-sized scale next to it was any indication.
“This was done by an artist on a passing skiff that was en route to Chazin. It's the clearest picture we have of the creature. It started appearing around the tomb, almost as if it were protecting it. We're not sure if it moved in like a stray monster, or if it...originated from the tomb.”
“Like a defense mechanism?”
“Yes,” Loch nodded. “Perhaps a couple of spelunkers found a way to wake it up.”
Loch pointed a finger at one of its elbows.
“Look familiar?”
Ken'pai lifted his goggles and squinted, before flaring them open again as he gasped.
“That's a...a ball joint!”
“Yes. Those large stone blocks seem to be attached to some kind of metal skeleton. The kind you and Gray have been known to build for some of your constructs.”
“...I notice the eyes and the center of its chest have a blue glow, too.”
“Yes...we're not sure what to make of that,” Loch sighed.
“I do.”
Ken'pai looked at his right arm, sweeping his left over it as he focused his eyes. Slowly, a brass-colored gauntlet began to form as his hand passed by, going all the way up to the shoulder. A blue aura surrounded his left hand as he pointed it at the table, the light transferring over and becoming a tiny sphere. Soon, tiny brass-like parts came into focus, attaching themselves in intricate ways. Once the construct was finished, Ken'pai sent a jolt of electricity down his gauntlet-covered arm, arcing it into his construct.
When it was finished, a small spider-like robot began to walk around, happily whirring and chirping as it explored the table. Its eyes glowed a brilliant cyan, and at the center of its mass was a small cyan light as well.
“It's Soul Magic. That thing was made by Soul Magic.”
Loch smiled. “Incredible. Gray taught you how to do that?”
“Nope. Tomis did. He taught me how to summon these things from...my soul, I suppose. Certainly makes it easier.”
“So...you think somebody with Soul Magic made this?”
“Maybe, but you might be right, it might be a defense mechanism. This little guy here won't go away unless he's completely dismantled and its 'soul' is shattered. Something that big, well, I'm sure merchant ships aren't equipped enough to handle something like that.”
“Hmm. You think you're up to it?”
Ken'pai lowered his goggles again and snapped them onto his face.
“Guess we're going to find out for ourselvesss,” he hissed.
So this was my first real exercise in trying to describe a city of my own creation. I had a few reference points, namely a city in The Last Remnant, although I tweaked the design enough in my brain for it to be differentiated enough. I really wanted to get the mechanical ideas across, which is also something I’m getting some experience in. I’d better, Ken’pai wouldn’t let me live it down!
This will run in three parts, four if it runs longer. It was originally just supposed to be two, but...well I let the story get away from me. ...not that I’m complaining.
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