Skies of Arcadia - Part 23 - Isle Be Back

Skies of Arcadia continues, as we visit our new pirate base for the first time, learn a huge amount about the mysterious Ramirez, and discover that something very odd has been happening while we were away in Yafutoma...
Skies of Arcadia is tragically completely unavailable to purchase on any currently existing store, and was also never released on PC. If you want to play it yourself, your options are the GameCube and Dreamcast versions, which were the only releases. Sorry.
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Fanfare for Space, Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
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[@killean2645]

Crescent Island is the best base in gaming history imo. It really makes me wonder why there aren't any other RPGs that try to replicate the feature. Every other game's base building features pales in comparison to Skies of Arcadia.

[@katieheys3007]

Yup, it really let you out your own personal touch on a little thing.

[@samuelturner6076]

It's certainly different but iirc FE Fates My Castle has a good bit of customisation.

[@cyriell]

Disagree myself, its undoubtedly cool especially on that scale for that time but if we compare it to todays base building its rather simple and its like skyrim housing, you just throw money at a ai and the change happens, personally i prefer stuff like f76 where you can build anywhere and go into detail

[@StoneColdMan2294]

Well from memory the suikoden games have a good system that’s similar (some of the best RPGs of all time that people don’t talk about)

[@BardMichaelKelly]

@@StoneColdMan2294 - When Jon started talking about the upgradable base in this game, I immediately thought of Suikoden.

[@CommissarMitch]

So I looked it up and Izmael increases the attack of the Moon Stone Cannon by 100. Take of that what you will.

[@mikedanilov8978]

Someone's probably already figured it out in the comments before me, but the only way for the whole "if you go east you travel west, if you go south you travel north" thing to work if for the world to be... donut shaped. Skies of Arcadia is set on a donut shaped planet.

[@thatguyoverthereinth]

There was a civilization game iirc "call to power" (best civ game imo) that had a donut shaped map that worked like this map.

[@Sankey84Gaming]

@@thatguyoverthereinth I remember that map it was so crazy and also my favourite.

[@thatguyoverthereinth]

@@Sankey84Gaming why did they get rid of it in the later games?

[@Sankey84Gaming]

@thatguyoverthereinth not a clue, but it was after that that they started going away from everything is in your city to nothing is in your city instead its around your city.

[@Caio22011]

​@@Sankey84Gamingthat was just the last game though?

[@twitchyb9950]

Given that Aika drew herself as a cat when trying to come up with a flag, perhaps she also does the drawings that are meant to be her imaginings. Maybe she has a whole journal of them!

[@nogravitas7585]

Aika's shameful collection of artwork featuring her self insert cat OC and Vyse holding... *wait* can you still call it "holding hands" if one of them has paws?

[@hylianmarc4745]

The cutscenes when the party arrive in a new land are shown from Aika's perspective/imagination, the pictures of bad things happening to vyse (example, catching fire in Nasr, freezing in the lands of ice etc)

[@supersasukemaniac]

and also, with the wanted poster of "Vyse" becoming available, suddenly Piastal saying she's been hunting Vyse for 7 years is starting to make sense.

[@TheLazyFinn]

Wayyyy of base here

[@g80gzt]

This series is absolutely something I'm invested in I know this because I was confused when Enrique was on the bridge, because I had a dream he died and was basically immediately replaced by a pirate called "Adoriguo" or something

[@Rateus_Johanson]

Let's go. Half coconut island! Hope it has a rum lake in it. 15:20 I think this is the most excited I've ever heard anyone about a meeting room (and that shouldn't be surprising in the slightest, it's bang on trend). 38:25 Nega-Scott! :-o

[@VyseRogue13]

Hope you have been leveling your Silver magic Jon.

[@BattleUnit3]

Spoiler Can't believe they put 20k bounty on Vyse! Like come one, Vyse's armor costs that much. Raise it 100k atleast!

[@donovanfaust3227]

Well it's assumed you keep whatever loot you gain from a bounty. Not exactly like a bounty is going to need it if they're either dead or captured, even though in Skies of Arcadia bounties seem to be less about doing that than it is to just kick the contracts' butts I guess. Yeah on second thought raise the bounty.

[@guy_autordie]

This game is just amazing, and the writing is good, i mean solid. Why did I never heard about it before your playthrough? Quick question: it feels like we are at the middle of the game, but are we really at the middle? or more like 40% done?

[@cochemoche]

You know, if we're just now getting to the pirate base being upgraded, and down the line it'll be upgraded more, it makes me wonder roughly how far into the storyline we've already come?

[@the_Book_778]

I love that Jon has used the same title for this episode as he did for his video on Supermarket Simulator but with the appropriate spelling change on the noun. Also I can't wait to see what's going to happen next time with this doppelganger.

[@cebraulkenne8571]

Welcome to Fallout of Arcadia base building.

[@FonVegen]

My first time watching a playthrough of this game, and that base building aspect on its own is fantastic!

[@oliwoodstar]

Oooh the new base has a creepy murder basement

[@saag024]

Considering Jons history there will be no murder in the murder basement, unless it doesn't look like a murder basement then you'll know the complete population was crucified

[@robert23456789]

Oh I do love myself a creepy murder basement

[@oliwoodstar]

@@robert23456789 all it needs is the upgrade to full open plan bathroom

[@librarianseth5572]

Correction: it has a plucky rebel basement

[@danielcampbell9457]

@34:36 not gonna lie, that literal transformation actually kinda blew my mind a bit.

[@XMarkxyz]

Also Piccolo, the name of the bird, means "little one" in Italian By the way I'm loving this series

[@BardMichaelKelly]

Pretty soon they're going to have to rename him 'Gigantesco'..

[@Jon_the_Wizard]

Ohh boy. That fight Jon's going into? That's one of the REALLY hard bounty fights. Like, it's not enough that they force you to fight the fight the game's way, but on top of that it's one where the enemies REALLY bring the pain. If you're not properly leveled and kitted out to the nines, you're in for a LOT of agony.

[@TheLazyFinn]

For me the robo guy and Piastol 4 and 5 were the worst (second to last and last), damn instakills!

[@Jon_the_Wizard]

@@TheLazyFinn Once again, you fight the fight the game's way or you will be punished. It is non-negotiable.

[@TheLazyFinn]

@@Jon_the_Wizard Yea the bounty bosses are like puzzles, but I like it actually! I play a lot of Marvel Champions so I guess that explains it....

[@Jon_the_Wizard]

@@TheLazyFinn Shin Megami Tensei might be right up your alley.

[@TheLazyFinn]

@@Jon_the_Wizard I dunno, I tried Persona but that didn't really click with me

[@katieheys3007]

Jon's word of the day on this one is "Mosey"

[@LordRunolfrUlfsson]

(15:40) It occurs to me that since the real goal is to keep anyone from using the Moon Crystals to activate the Gigas and become a tyrant, the smart thing to do would be to sail out to various obscure places around the world and toss the crystals over the side to be lost in the deep. Of course, Fina probably has specific orders to return the crystals to her own people, who probably think they're the only ones worthy to control them.

[@danielmcdonagh1693]

My assumption is that the crystals would float to stay within the navigable band of altitude that everything else rests at, since they're moon crystals. You could certainly hide them in the dark rift or somewhere obscure like that, but it's probably not possible to put them anywhere that you, and thus anyone else, can physically reach.

[@MadTurnip]

I guess the reasoning is the same as with the One Ring: such powerful items can't be hidden forever, they tend to resurface sooner or later.

[@BardMichaelKelly]

I was just thinking on how maybe Fina should make a little trip back home to the Silver Civilization to drop off the crystals whenever they get a new one, so that Vyse and co. aren't carrying around multiple WMDs. I don't know anything about where the story is going, but my assumption is that once the party has all of them, they'll somehow either get defeated or tricked into giving them up (like what happened back with Belleza) and all of the moon crystals will wind up in Valuan hands for the final crisis at the story's climax.

[@LordRunolfrUlfsson]

@@MadTurnipnice reasoning, but since it hasn't even been considered, it has no basis. Tolkien explained why it wasn't an option in LOTR.

[@consolescrub4031]

There's probably an argument that the crystals are detectable in some way (or a risk of them being able to be detected later like how more of the world is traversable now which would defeat the whole purpose). Honestly I feel the bigger plot point would be that the Giga are getting close to the edge of obsoletion compared to the highest end military warships. Sure, we've seen them wipe the floor with conventional armadas but we've also seen a Valuan flagship win the 1v1 and Enrique implied they intended to make more of them. (I'm sure there's a bit of protagonist logic going on but if the Valuans put all their Giga R&D effort into just making better airships and upping their production, they could probably just moonstone cannon down any Giga their enemies can reactivate.)

[@ccameronn9833]

Jon you say no one dies, WHAT HAPPENED TO DRACHMA?!?

[@stephaniefabbro3963]

After several times playing I've never noticed that the Crescent Isle theme is the amped up version of the deserted isle theme!!! These are the subtleties that make the game and the playthrough so great :)

[@derekskelton4187]

Hey Jon have you ever seen Tim Cain's youtube channel? Seems like something you'd love as a Fallout fan. Cool guy

[@donovanfaust3227]

Doc: Thanks for really going out of your way to help out my daughter here. I was really struggling finding a way to help her with her trauma after the incident. Jon: No problem, I did it all for the crap your bird hocks up evrytime I feed it anyways. I know that getting your daughter back to some semblance of normalcy is priceless to you but to me it was a lot of money and useful items. No thanks necessary I did it purely for selfish gain.

[@fraggelofthewastes]

Belle looks just like me when I get the notification that Jon just dropped a new episode of Skies of Arcadia.

[@librarianseth5572]

Day 140 of requesting Age of Mythology - a full playthrough if possible. I kind of liked the original version of the base made of logs, it had a bit of an Oregon Trail vibe to it without involving Dysentary. I also can't help but think that the stone used in the second version had to be shipped in, which will alert any enemy forces where your base is unless all the delivery attendants are killed/ paid off. Then again, the dolphin flag probably means subtlety was never in the cards.

[@jessie699]

Day 166/1230 of requesting Jon play a game nobody will remember, like Majesty: A Fantasy Kingdom Sim.

[@pardoe17789]

It feels weird to have an election without the only poll that counts...a MATN WORMS Special!

[@FailcopterWes]

Red clothes? I bet it's Belleza (I'm pretty sure that's not how you spell it) in disguise again.

[@OracleSpeaking8]

Ok I just GOTTA know, how is Jon getting this footage??? I want to play this again so so so SO badly but I'm terrified my current TV will bork up the graphics if I hook my Gamecube to it 😓

[@BardMichaelKelly]

I was wondering this, too.

[@DenisQC]

Probably Dolphin emulator. It’s pretty much the only way to play now since the game is rare and expensive

[@Plokia66]

Love this island customisation! So enjoying this game. ^_^

[@arcimpulse8254]

First! Thank you for sharing something you love with the world.

[@idccharls6003]

Hey John will you try until then game it has the same vibe of unpacking

[@ecurps1]

3:55 Three fresh young girls to take care of Vyse's cannon, eh? X3

[@Mathmachine]

That title makes me think the new pirate base is just a place in California.

[@robert23456789]

So there home less taking drugs leaving nedels everywhere and have a super bad government

[@falloutfan2502]

But... where did she GET a picture of Vyse????

[@supersasukemaniac]

Uhhh... the moon did it?

[@falloutfan2502]

@@supersasukemaniac Story checks out.

[@ecurps1]

17:15 Vysicle..? .....Bicycle....? >groans< +2

[@jamesrockall7317]

Will there be a worms election special?!

[@Isabingus]

Lol merida confirmed weeb x)

[@Allesef]

Jon: Jumping in to defend slavery is NOT a good look. Jon in every grand strategy game: Welcome to my "establish a slave class" speed run!

[@shadowingyou]

Vyse became his father!

[@Colette-q1c]

i know Jon said it, but i love seeing little bits of his personality reflected in this game!

[@samuelturner6076]

We're moving up in the world, let's just hope we can clear our good name once the weekend comes.

[@XMarkxyz]

01:55 The gold must flow ideed When will you take a look to old Dune games? Some even defined the real time strategy genre

[@LifeInGeneral-z6f]

Woah! Pump the breaks! Your telling me you just handed a scroll written in Yafutoman to Brabham with no pictures but he understands the designs with perfect clarity. The truth is, he has no idea what the scroll says, but you mentioned flying at high altitude so hes just going off that....or maybe just the moon.

[@hylianmarc4745]

It's blueprints, so more than likely filled with pictures, I'm sure that's more than enough to work with. If not, then there are two Yafutoman natives living on the island, I'm sure they could translate if need be.

[@ozidarkstar9956]

always looking forward to the next ep

[@Castlemight]

Day 66 of requesting Jon play Okami HD

[@Gbusjones]

Fun

[@JonVonBasslake]

I love how the game subtly implies that Vyse, Aika and Fina are a throuple

[@inkyGhosty]

Good Afternoon, Jon. Also, first. EZ