Part 22: Wheel of Wasted Time

Update 22: Wheel of Wasted Time

Well, that entire trip to the Dum Dum Factory was entirely pointless.

It's almost like that entire detour was...dum.

I'd tell you to get out, but then I'd have to do this flying solo and yeah that shit ain't happening.



On my way back to Noise Desert, I kicked a tree out of spite and ran into the last version of Cardmon. This one has four translucent cards circling it; I'd mention what it drops on defeat, but A) it's a Card pack, because it always is and B) the fucker ran away before I could kill him to find out exactly which one.



Anyway, there's only one other place a Resistance could be, if they're not in the Secret Room. Ugh...



S Noise Desert, like in Asuka Server, introduces a new enemy. And only one, which makes sense since it's a tiny screen.



Name: Quetzalmon
Level: Armor (Equivalent to a Champion)
Location: Amaterasu West - South Noise Desert, Mobius Desert, Mirage Tower

Drops: None

2 STR, 3 DEF, 3 SPR, 4 WIS, 2 SPD,
2 FIRE, 2 WATER, 2 ICE, 2 WIND, 2 THUNDER, 2 MACHINE, 2 DARK

EXP: 223, BIT: 440

Regular Attack: No Element
Technique: None

They're using a lot of Armor Digimon in this game, which makes sense; when it came out, Tamers (Season 3) had just been released, so they didn't have many other Digimon to draw on. Given that there are nine Digi-Eggs in total (not counting the Digi-Egg of Miracles or Destiny, since those are special and don't get used often) and six Digimon that can Digivolve using said eggs, that's 54 Digimon that they can use without having to be creative.

And we all know about this game and creativity.



This jerk's here. Hi, buddy.

Trooper: Hey, you! Who are you?! You're suspicious. Let's Digimon Battle to see who you are!

So, uh, I've typed those three lines out so many times that I tried it without looking at the screenshots, and the only mistake I made was saying 'find out who you are' instead of 'see who you are'.

Quality writing.





Renamon's ice techs are starting to get nasty, and they'll only get more powerful once I finally start using Sakuyamon instead of grinding up Gallantmon for future reasons.



Anyway, yeah, we're heading to Mirage Tower again. Hope you guys remember how to get there, or good luck wandering around.

Oh right, that annoying grid puzzle way back. Was kinda hoping this desert would be shortened, but I was a fool to hope.

Especially when there are jerks to fight:


In-game model:

Name: Vademon 2* (Red Colored)
Level: Ultimate
Location: Amaterasu West - Mobius Desert

Drops: Cursed Puppet

3 STR, 3 DEF, 2 SPR, 4 WIS, 5 SPD,
2 FIRE, 2 WATER, 2 ICE, 2 WIND, 2 THUNDER, 2 MACHINE, 2 DARK

EXP: 232, BIT: 460

Regular Attack: Thunder Element
Technique: Hold Beam (Prevent enemy from digivolving)

Fuck this guy because of that Thunder element and Freezing Digimon. (I'm still salty about BK KingNumemon.) The only other encounter in the area is Quetzalmon, so he'll be showing up a lot.



Guilmon: When can I get out? I think the exit is somewhere around here...

This Guilmon shows up when you first enter the Mobius Desert, so get used to seeing him every time you reset the area.



Monmon: I did it! The tower is just down the road!

And this Monmon is planted two south and two west from the entrance screen. As much as I think the game is terrible about its Circuit Board, I have to admit they did a good job here.

Yeah, it's strangely considerate.



Because Mirage Tower is one screen west from the Monmon. Fun fact: It took me two tries to reach Mirage Tower, since I got turned around thanks to a Vademon fight that took five times longer than it should have and went south one too many times.



What's this? A welcoming party? Do we have to kill them?

Default response!



Kite: What, a password? Um...
Kite proceeds to have no fucking clue about any goddamn password.

Don't do this to me game. Don't make me fucking backtrack AGAIN.



Kenny: Kite, it's me, Kenny!
Kite: Hey, Kenny! You're OK?
Kenny: Yeah! I was able to join the Resistance! This is now a base for the Resistance!
Kite: Wow, right on, Kenny!
Kenny: I know! Come and meet our leader! He might know something to help you. It's this way!

So, uh... Not gonna mention to your buddy that we're not evil? Just gonna let us... walk in?

I was expecting another tedious sidequest..and then Kenny recognizes you.



Okay, then. Hey, pal, you suck at being a guard.

Tamer Heinrich: It's boring to be on the look out. I want to fight them too!

He only has Caterpies on his team. Don't judge.


Click for music

Metal Gear this ain't. So what's the regular rabble have to say to us?



Resistance's Tina: We fight from this central location!

This is, by the way, literally as far west as we can get.



Tamer Murdock: Things are really getting out of hand... Worrying about it here won't make a difference. So, why don't we try a digimon battle for fun?




I'm starting to get an inkling of how the A.o.A was able to kick them out of their city.

How the hell can you be scrubbier than Team Rocket?



Tamer Takuya: You don't look that strong... Well, let's see how good you are in a battle.





H-Kabuterimon might be dangerous, if this were our first time encountering one, but we've already dealt with it before. That said, green Kuwagamon? Really? This late in the game?

...holy shit I'm turning into Giver. Oh god.

Yes! The Giver disease is starting to affect you! Give in to condescension and badassery, Yeti!



Guard Banch: Are you a spy of the A.o.A?!

Yes.

Might have been nice to think about that before letting me into your secret base.



Still a pretty area. Probably the best-looking area in all of West Sector, though this color palette is less terrible than the Asuka colors.



Courageous Kenny: He's really brave and everyone respects him!

Chuck.

This Game.



This guy's name is Chuck.

This game, yes.



It... it's really Chuck. I don't even know why this confuses me, it just does.

You're obviously supposed to chuck the game, DUH!

Leader Chuck: I've heard about it from Kenny. Good luck on defeating the A.o.A!
Kite: Yeah, good luck to you too!



Leader Chuck: All we can do is hold down the fort.
Kite: I'm all right. Don't worry about me!
Leader Chuck: I'm sorry you came all the way here. If we can get Amaterasu City back, I'm sure we can help. But I didn't think they would reprogram Knightmon.



Leader Chuck: Once it starts moving, the way to stop Knightmon is... you need the four Code Passes of the City Leaders. But all the Leaders are caught, so there's no way... City Chiefs of the A.o.A must have taken them...
Kite: ...I see. Those A.o.A!

I read that last line in the tone of 'those meddling kids and their dumb dog!'

I knew it! We must defeat all 8 Gym Leaders to get to Amaterasu! Fuck that, Yeti, try and beat Knightmon without it,

Kite: I'll never forgive them for using DIgimon for evil!



Leader Chuck: If there's a chance, we'll make a stand. Just wait until then! Well, anyway. Good luck!
Kite: Yes, sir!

So. Kite, you're not gonna mention anything important? Like, about, say, the fact that you have two of the color passes, or that you're there on behalf of the International Whatever Police?

That would require Kite being smart enough to disclose that info. Yeti, pls.



Alright then. And these jerks still haven't moved out of the way. Nothing to do but head BACK to Asuka City and talk to Lisa and tell her all about how we couldn't get any help, then.



Being frustrated is no excuse for Yeti



I have a problem with randomly attacking trees, but I'm trying to kick the habit.



Anyway, this is Orange Snimon. It's sure orange.



Regardless of all that, this stupid hole seems to be the fastest way between West Sector and Asuka Server. I don't have to worry about going through the Bug Maze or walking all the way back to South Sector.



To make things better, I can almost understand how to get between the places. I just have to take the first south exit I find and I'll wind up here.




Remember when we had to walk everywhere? Those were dark times. I still wish I got an airship, though. Don't all JRPGs have one of those?

That's Digi-cist.



We're back!



Keith: All of us will stop their plans!

And fuck you too, game-Giver.

Zero confidence in Yeti.



Nick: Don't give up and let's fight!



Yes we did! Only we didn't tell them anything important or relevent after finding them, so we came back here. By the way, they have no idea you exist.

Kite: Yes. I met up with the people of the Resistance!
Lisa: Good job! You're great Kite![sic]
Kite: But to get into Amaterasu City, we need the four Code Passes to stop Knightmon.
Keith: Code Pass? ...what's that?!

I hate you, Kite.

Amazing.



Kite: ...ID pass with colors? Then these Red ID and Blue ID?

I HATE YOU, KITE.

AMAZING.

Lisa: Yeah, that's it! Why do you have it?
Kite: The A.o.A City Chief I defeated had them!
Nick: Then if you get the other two, we can beat Knightmon!
Keith: Yeah! Then the other City Chief must have it as well!



Kite: Oh, but wait! We gotta do something about Bai Hu City... The security there is really tight!
Lisa: Oh, really? ...Hmmm... What to do...



Lisa: I know! We can get the Resistance to help us! They're in the Mirage Tower, right?
Kite: Ye-yes!
Lisa: OK, I'll go ask them. Keith, let's go. Nick, you stay here!



Kite: OK, then I'll go back to Bai Hu again!
Teddy: Good luck, Kite!
Kite: Yeah, leave it to me!

So, let's just sum up what happened here, shall we?

First, we went to Amaterasu, West Sector on the slight chance that there might be a Resistance group somewhere that we could fight, on the off chance that they might be able to help us get to the president in Amaterasu City.

Then, once we found them, we chatted to the leader (who's named Chuck, by the way, a good Japanese name) and didn't tell him about our own resistance group, or the fact that we'd taken out two of the City Chiefs and picked up ID Passes they dropped, even after he specifically told us that the City Chiefs had the ID Passes we needed to stop Knightmon.

After that, we returned to Asuka Server and talked to Lisa - wherein she proceeded to tell us that hey, we have the ID Passes needed to stop Knightmon! And that maybe we should work with the Resistance to stop A.o.A! The stuff we should have told the Resistance to begin with.

Here's a good way to get around this bullshit while keeping the exact same amount of backtracking: when talking to Chuck, work on a plan that requires both the Resistance and the Police to distract the A.o.A troopers blocking the entrance to Bai Hu City. Then, Kite heads back, tells Lisa what we learned (i.e. there's a Resistance, we need to get into Bai Hu City to get the third of the Color Passes that we need to stop Knightmon, and that Lisa and Keith need to help make a distraction.) Then we head back. Boom, no idiotic protagonist and you still have to backtrack to pad out gameplay.

I think I used to like this game, once upon a time.

And, unlike Kite, you got more critical. And played better games. I mean, before the backtracking was just silly. I.e., get item to make a fat Digimon move out the way. But now that the plot is kicking in, it's just stupid. Kinda lost some of its charm.



Well, that's irrelevant. I suddenly realized, a few updates back, that I'd done something terrible.



Mr. : Ronin Helmet, admired by all members!

I'd missed auctions.

That's it! Abandon the LP!

So, the auctions we missed, and their time-tables:

1) Ronin Blade
Legendary samurai sword.
Time of Auction: After talking to Patamon at Suzaku City and after the earthquake.
Cost of Auction: 4,000

2) Sniper Goggle
Legendary sniping goggles.
Time of Auction: Defeat the Qing Long Chief
Cost of Auction: 6,000

3) Divine Crown
Crown with a divine light.
Time of Auction: Once you have gotten the Digi-Egg of Knowledge.
Cost of Auction: 6,000

4) Brave Helmet
Engraved with crest of courage.
Time of Auction: After you have defeated the Genbu leader.
Cost of Auction: 8,700

By the way, yes, that means that the Ronin Blade is only available in that brief moment after you've talked to Patamon and triggered the earthquake, but before you've fought Bulbmon. I got distracted by doing plot-relevant things and made the mistake of not doing extra backtracking. (I'm horrible, I know.)

Don't worry, all of these items are obtainable later, it's just that they'll each cost more than what all of them cost put together if we got them at the option. Well, I have the money to burn.

I mean...there's no real reason to go back to the Auction to check things. When the plot gets rolling, the player wants to get right in and check it out, not go back to a location we don't know contains anything new.



Starting to get pricey.



A brief stop at the Digi-Lab to Load some Techs and then a trip through the Circuit Board later, and we're at Bai Hu City's entrance. Good news: whatever the fuck Lisa and Chuck have done, they've distracted the guards.



It's also empty in town, too. All of the A.o.A troops must be out in Mobius Desert, getting lost.



Quick upgrade, even though we just had one in Mirage Tower. My funds are starting to get a little damaged, though I still have over 100K BITs and am getting more every fight. Things are starting to get expensive - 22K per weapon, on average.



Renamon: I'm just going to quietly watch the fight between humans.

Did this Renamon miss how the A.o.A is literally enslaving Digimon? This line in particular, by the way, is the best hint that the 'game' we thought we were playing really is just an access port to the Digital World, with some MAGAMI stuff hooked up and co-opting pre-existing towns for their own use.

Someone brought this up in the thread as the premise for this game. I've been under the assumption that this was an MMO of sorts. Because, y'know, the game basically said that in the first update. So, if going by this dialogue, that means that it's just a Digital World some asshats took advanatge of and made a game out of it.

Now, this fixes some issues I've had with the story, but now it just adds a few more because

A) Something like this could have been a cool reveal, instead we get humans in Digimon suits;

B) Could have gone towards developing Kite as a character, whereby he drops a small bit of his happy self to ensure the safety of all Digimon. Imagine more quips from Kite about the A.o.A.;

C) Might have helped some of the more casual fans get intrigued in the lore, thereby increasing sales;

D) Have to go back and remember each point of stupidity -- like Vemmon -- and kinda rationalize it with a new premise. Now the plot is structured in such a way that it needs to be seen again;

Ugh.



Wait, what? There are A.o.A troopers here? WHY aren't they trying to stop us?

Trooper South: I didn't think taking over the server would go this well! The Real World will be ours in no time.
Trooper West: I wanted to go suppress the Resistance too! But it's my job to guard here!
Trooper North: The A.o.A will win! And the world will be ours!
Trooper East: We are guarding this area. If the Resistance comes, we'll capture them!

Yeah, you're doing a great job guarding the area, pal.

The combination of Kite's pose and Yeti's commentary is almost perfect. I admit, I laughed.



Idiot Troopers aside, we need to fight the Chief, and here he is.



Bai Hu Chief: That's right... What do you want?
Kite: Give me the White ID Pass that you have!
Bai Hu Chief: I see. Heh heh heh! No matter what you do, victory will be ours! Now it's time to learn your lesson!



Oh shit! That's two good pre-fight lines in a row. It's sad that it qualifies as a record.

Hooray, a boss!

Fight time!

The first matchup we're going with is Renamon vs. Rockmon. Ideally, I'd have some Water techs, but Rockmon's defenses are high enough that my two physical attackers really aren't that useful. Snowstorm spam it is, then.

Also, because the Chief switches Digimon once Rockmon hits low health, I took advantage of that and got a Mega Strength off in the fight.



Second fight: Veemon vs. Gryphonmon. Veemon's got good enough Wind Resistance to tank the Sylph Storm blows, and he's fast so most regular attacks are just blocked.



Final fight: Monmon vs. Ebidramon (pink). We've already seen the full bio for this shrimp recolor, since it's what we'll fish up if we fish in Central Park. More importantly, Cannondramon learned Fish Buster so shrimp.



Kite: huh?[sic] Is this...? Yeah! I got the White ID Pass! One left to go. Let's hurry!



Good news: we don't have to talk to anybody else. Just go straight for... Xuan Wu? City. I think that's the Chinese name for it, at least. The Chief there will have the Black ID Pass, and then we can go take care of Knightmon.

I don't foresee ANY detours in the path ahead. None at all.

Of course not.