Two Weeks N' Two Days

My, how fast the days goes by.

Looks like I've been gone for about 16 days... and of course, there's a reason for it.

Holidays! But it's only for a week, the other week was just an extra I decided to add in myself. lol

So, this means the Metal Saga Adventures will be back up? Both yes and no.

"Yes" as in it will be up. "No" as in not constantly.

While I was gone, World Of Tanks had released the 9.14 Update. This update revamps the physics of the tanks to a more "realistic" feel and you can now use a so-called 'handbrake' (Spacebar Default) to immediately stop your tank or to perform slick drifts and quick maneuvers.

The update also changed almost all of the sound in-game to make tanks' engines sound better, for example. Gun sounds have also been replaced with more powerful ones, so now they don't sound very lackluster. Bigger caliber guns will have thunderous roars while smaller ones will vary... but still sound good.

Those are the main course of the update. There's still more, of course.

Small stuff like updated minimap to have the view range circles similar to XVM and the long awaited HD-modeled IS-6 that tons of people are waiting for. It now looks more like an IS-4 now... and it might be just me, but the front turret of the IS-6 seems to be more easy to penetrate then ever for some reason.

Had some fun with the new update. Even got some replays that shows how they perform. The WZ-111 was apparently on sale, so I decided to grab 'em and also topped up on some gold... It's been quite some time since I've last played World Of Tanks.

It's a good tank. Faster than the 112 in speed and fire rate (just a bit) and also the 120mm side armor. Only problem with the tank is the pike-nose design on the front.

One of these days, I'll be getting the WZ-111 1-4 for that "fast" IS-7 feel. I'm going down the Maus and IS-4 route, so it's a good tank to keep around.

Huh... now that I noticed, I have the 112, 113 and now the WZ-111. Collection? Might as well.

Now, back to Metal Saga. The last one that I've posted on stopped at part 3 of the playthrough. But if you think you don't like waiting, I've already uploaded a bunch of the playthrough to my YouTube channel... I think the last I've uploaded was part 15.

So yeah... tons to catch up on for that one. Yikes.

Truth to be told, I actually have plenty more of the Metal Saga Playthrough videos saved on my computer.

Let's see here... about another 33 parts saved here. Hmm... this might take awhile.

The best part about all this: I'm still adding more and more, 'cause I'm not finished with the game... yet.

But why still post them here when it's on YouTube already, you say? Well, it's called "Metal Saga Adventures" for a reason. It's just the playthrough video with some backstory placed in it. Oh, and don't forget about the pictures.

And also sometimes the occasional sidetracking of the whole thing just to explain some real world tank counterparts and history.

Sorry, I'm a tank freak... just in case you didn't notice.

So yeah... even when enjoying my holidays, I was still getting video materials for upcoming posts.

I plan to do a slightly different post in the future. The post will just be me discussing certain tank stuff. It'll probably be very boring, but I feel it needs to be done. It's not that serious, but it's something that I've been very concerned about.

And when will all this will happen? Well, you definitely don't have to wait another 16 days for it to appear, though... whichever is the one's gonna be first, that is. So with that, I will bid y'all adieu for now... and will catch ya on the next post!

-Panzer Fist-

Metal Saga Adventures 2

In this post, it will include 2... yes, TWO videos. Both part 2 and 3 of the Metal Saga Playthrough.

Why two videos? Well, I didn't take that much screenshots in these clips. Let's see... I took only four pictures in between parts 2 and 3.

Sorry, got too deep into the game that all of my focus was on Metal Saga itself.

So without any other stuff to declare, I give you part 2 of the Metal Saga Playthrough.

Continuing from the last MS Adventures, we proceed to the Hunter's Office to get our very first bounty reward. Not quite an amount... it's more like pocket money's worth of reward. Then it's time to leave the Junkyard and onward to Newfolk!

But then, we got messages... messages from Gary's dad and Scarlet. She gave us some newbie tips that can be very helpful for a person who's new to Metal Saga.

One of the few tips she sent.

After fighting our way through some sunflowers that shoot missiles and other assorted weird... stuff, we finally reached Newfolk. Nice place, with peaceful music playing.

And of course we met Nikolai, the "mechanic god".

Too bad we can't take him along, though. Repairing vehicles will be a breeze for him. Instead, we can ask his daughter, Misha or son, Kiriya to tag along. They are still learning the mechanic ways, but they know enough to keep the vehicles in tip-top shape.

I went with Kiriya on this one. He's the "active/aggressive" mechanic while Misha is more of a "support/passive" mechanic. Originally the classic go-to mechanic for every game I start out.

Time to get a vehicle for him!

But there are certain moments where I picked Misha instead. It's just personal preference, anyways.

And then there's part 3 of the playthrough...

Sadly, there's only ONE screenshot taken during this playthrough... It's a picure of the Mosquito "tank" [or more specifically, tankette] just before I went to claim ownership of it.

Found in the parking lot.

Found a Demag for Kiriya first before I went to get the Mosquito. The halftrack's a good vehicle, but it's quite similar to the Buggy. The Mosquito however, is more of a tiny tank. Even though you can place a cannon on one to make it look more like a tank, I prefer this vehicle to have a missile pod instead.

Now, some tank history: the Demag is based of the german WWII halftracks, the Sd.Kfz. 250. It's not really the 251 version as that one was created by the Hanomag company, hence then it's called the Demag in the game as the Demag company made the lighter version, the 250.

Sd.Kfz. 250 [Demag Built]

Sd.Kfz. 251 [Hanomag Built]

Some links to both the Demag and Hanomag halftrack info page below... and yes, I know... Wikipedia...

Sd.Kfz. 250 [Demag Built]

Sd.Kfz. 251 [Hanomag Built]

Renamed it to Hanomag instead, as it's more accurate. The vehicle in the game is given a big gun and tons of armor tiles, thus it's no longer a "light vehicle". Looks like I've forgotten to place quotes for the Demag's name in the game... Looks better as "Hanomag" instead.

As for the Mosquito, it was renamed to the Wiesel 1A1. The tank is pretty much the same... although I do not know why it was nicknamed Mosquito in the game.

Maybe because it's quick, small and it stings you and you don't see it coming? Could be.

Here's a link to the Wiesel 1's info... below.

Wiesel AWC

This was supposed to be renamed to Wiesel AT [Anti-Tank] but it just doesn't feel right. The reason I wanted the cannon replaced because I wanted at least one vehicle using the SE [Special Equipment] weapon. The first few vehicles you find have the Main Gun slot, y'know... cannons.

The closest Wiesel 1 with a missile pod [TOW]

Of course, I did get around to changing it to equip SE weapons, but that's all in another part of the playthrough.... much, much later that is.

Technically, the Buggy was not supposed to have a Main Gun, but instead a missile pod. It makes more sense as I have yet to see actual photos of buggies with tank cannons... they only carry missile pods or recoiless rifles as of now.

There was a picture of a Wiesel 1 with a supposed "turret", but that's not a cannon... it's only a large-caliber machinegun.

Notice the turret, but the gun seems small.

I guess I'm going off topic right now, seems like I've talked more about the real life counterparts rather than the game itself. But, more will come in the next Metal Saga Adventures update!

-Panzer Fist-

Old, but Gold - Metal Saga Adventures 1

Truly one of the most satisfying games that I've played in my life.

And here it is: Metal Saga. Or by it's full title: Metal Saga - Chains Of Sandstorm.

Japanese Logo. English version only has "Metal Saga".

It's an okay JRPG, but it has a surprise: you can drive and collect tanks! Oh, and some occasional armored vehicles too. Made in 2005, I've first played this game back in 2007. Found this game out of curiosity so I decided to play it.

It reminds me of Super Mario RPG since they are both JRPGs, and Super Mario RPG was one of the first types of RPGs I've ever played in my life. Good times with that game...

I've lost count how many replays I've had with Metal Saga, but I definitely know that it's above ten times. There's just so much to discover... plus this game is not really known to people, so it wasn't really noticed. I also did not have a computer in the earlier years, so I have to resort to taking notes.

Still have 'em somewhere... just waiting to  be found...

So now, let's get to the game. I've decided to make a playthrough of it... don't know if I will stop right at the end of the game or continue after it, though. Will have tons of pictures and parts of videos placed.

Each part will be roughly 30 minutes long. I tried to record past 40 minutes but the game craps up and crashes after that. So this is the longest I can record for each part of the playthrough. No facecams, voice overs and stuff like that, it's just pure gameplay.

So, without further delays, here's the first part of the Metal Saga playthrough. Enjoy.

The game starts out with the usual title screen, and has two options:

English Metal Saga version.

Started a new game and had to place a name. Decided to put 'em as "Gary". Then came the situation to be a hunter or a mechanic...

Believe it or not, the other option leads to an ending.

Gone with the obvious route... And of course, the mother [Nina] was not quite happy about it.

Obviously, the father.

Y'know what they say: like father, like son. Following in our father's footsteps to be a great hunter.

Then we met his friend, McKinley outside of our home.

He thought the main character was the father...

...for a while, at least.

And so, we begin our adventure... or preparation. Went to the Hunter's Office since Nina wanted us to go there first. Mother's knows best.

Once inside, someone talked to Gary. Not sure who this person is, but she know him. Gave him a little tip about a vehicle somwhere in the mountain of junk right behind his town... and she doesn't need it as she's doing fine without a vehicle.

Hmm... did she put it there for us? I wonder...

She didn't say where, so likely we'll never see her again.

She takes her leave soon after that, and told him that they might meet up again sometime... So now I went around town to see the other characters... and preparing to go to the Junk Mountain for my first vehicle, until I met this boy who gave me a tip [not really].

It's like he wants me to get it.

And we're off to Junk Mountain! Guess what Gary found around the hills...

It's the "stowed" vehicle the girl told us.

It's a buggy! It seems to have a gun on it's side... definitely set up by the girl in the Hunter's Office for us [for whatever reason].

 Halfway through the mountain of fighting knives strapped to bikes and fuel tanks with spider legs, we met a fellow hunter. Gave us some hints that there was a cannon somewhere around this area, but he hasn't found a vehicle yet for it.

A free cannon... just waiting for Gary.

He must be blind to be able to miss the buggy back at the hill.

On the way to the buggy, we found another vehicle! But...

Yeah, what he said.

It looks like a Tiger I. Rusted to hell... won't be moving anytime soon.

After some long walks and eradicating some Junk Zombies with guns, we managed to reach to the buggy. Awesome...

The vehicle... just an arm's reach away...

Not really big with naming stuff... sorry.

Wandered around and found a locked safe... Unlocked it and got some gold!

PIN number doesn't change at all.

Fought my way through some monsters until I reached the outlaw of the Junk Mountain, Trash Heap. Some guy outside said that we have to be roughly level 4 [or was it 3?] to survive a battle with him.

Eh... we have a vehicle. No problemo! Let the battle begin!

Trash Heap outlaw.

The battle with it was... mediocre. But at least I don't have to go through that again. And then it's time to go back home...

And that was Part 1 of the Metal Saga playthrough. There's plenty more adventures to have, as it's just the beginning...

-Panzer Fist-