#otherwise events don't get randomized and it becomes very repetitive....

[nicole-the-hololynx]

please nico tell me about the chao adventure games! ive never heard of them

(also its rly a shame theres no chao transfer equivalent for the ports)

yeah it's a real shame 😔

Anyways on the Chao Adventure games!! there's two of these, Chao Adventure for Sonic Adventure and Chao Adventure 2 for Sonic Adventure 2 (simple!)

Most of my experience is with the first Chao Adventure, so that's the one I will focus on. Chao Adventure 2 is similar but I'm not familiar enough with it to comment much. Don't assume anything here applies there.

Chao Adventure is a game you can download into your VMU which lets you take one of your Chao around with you! It's kind of like a Tamagotchi. The game mostly revolves around your Chao going on a trip. You can choose what area your Chao will go to next, and at certain spots in the map you can meet up with the SA1 cast, who will give your Chao a permanent stat bonus as a gift!

A Chao walking through a Shrine... image from Chao Island

Through the game you can battle other Chao, earn rewards such as rare fruits you can't find in the base game, and mostly just raise your Chao's stats in an environment where you don't have to worry about them aging. It's very useful for getting those Chao Race Emblems more easily!

To me the main thing that sets Chao Adventure apart from its later counterpart the Tiny Chao Garden is that your Chao is a lot more involved! Chao in this game LOVE to talk to you. They're constantly making comments, asking questions, and the like. It makes me connect more to this little virtual pet!

It also helps that thanks to both SA1 having a much simpler Chao system and the VMU itself having very simplistic graphics, your Chao tends to resemble its proper 3D model closer in this one (animal parts are still gone, but you can now see the Chao change design depending on its type, and the colors can't be off since this is a 1 bit display lol)

Look at this lovely face! 😊 Sprite ripped by UltimaNumber255

It's a fun enough game and a nice time waster, which is why I sometimes take it with me on trips :P it's a bit sad that the Tiny Chao Garden doesn't have anywhere near the same scope, but I imagine trying to do a game like this on the GBA would take up a lot more resources...

Can't end this without mentioning the two major flaws it has tho. They aren't the fault of the game, but rather seem to be inherent flaws to the VMU....

The game uses up WAY too much storage!! After installing Chao Adventure, you're only BARELY left with enough storage for the SA1 save file!! And also the VMU loves to chug through batteries. I can't really afford to keep it going for too long!! Clock batteries are also very expensive in my country so I've had to start importing them in order to keep the game on.

Still a very fun experience tho, and one I very much recommend if you can get a Dreamcast! Or if you love Tamagotchi or similar stuff! (and if you can pay for batteries...)

[lostfracturess]

Hi! I'm a s&c reader and I really like the way you write! Your fanfic is very good and addictive, not only because of the events, but also because of the quality of the writing.

I was wondering if you have any writing advice?

Bye~

thank you so much!! of course, i've giving a few writing tips here before. here are more i can think of rn:

read yourself: by reading yourself (fanficiton or not) you become a better writer. immersing yourself in different styles and genres really broadens your understanding of writing and also let you explore what you enjoy and what not.

write regularly: practice makes a huge difference. don't get stuck on perfectionism in your early drafts (which i'm terrible at). just getting words on the page is the first step.

find your voice: your unique way of putting words together is what makes your writing stand out. don't be afraid to experiment with tone and language. you don't have to have everything set from the start, you can explore and have fun with language as you go!

i've been experimenting a bit the last few chapter with s&c with my writing myself and make it more "visceral" or how you would call it, like really gripping and "ugly" in the way you describe feelings.

i think r. f. kuang (poppy war trilogy) does this so excellently and i really like her writing style. she was always a big inspiration for me.

plotting: some writers like detailed outlines, while others prefer to discover their story as they write. when i get stuck with writing i often plot more. than i think it's easier to write but also i'm so impatient and just want to write instead of plotting... so you'll have to experiment to see what works best for you.

reverse plotting:  if you're stuck with plotting, start with the ending you want and brainstorm how your characters might arrive at that point.

specificity over generalities: instead of "big tree," can it be a "towering oak" or a "gnarled willow"? instead of "nice day," describe the "crisp air" and "bright sunshine." this makes the scene more vivid for the readers.

add sensory details: don't just tell the reader what's happening, describe what it smells, tastes, sounds, and feels like.

don't be afraid of using the word "said": maybe it's just me but some authors shy away from that, which i get because it reads so repetitive but i rather read "said" a few times in a scene with a lot of people, instead of loosing sight of who said what.

notes on your phone: often i get random thoughts and i then have to immediately write them down in my notes app because otherwise they would slip again out of my brain. so whenever you have a good scene in mind or see something (in a movie or what) you like, just write it down and come back to it later.

vary sentence length: mix of long sentences and short, impactful sentences creates a rhythm in your writing. a lot of long sentences in a row can feel slightly boring otherwise. try to break it up with some short ones in between.

ask yourself questions: does this scene help the plot? or is it just for fun? what should the reader know after this scene? or with what feeling should the reader be left? is this character's motivation clear? this will help you identify potential weaknesses in your writing.

lastly but most importantly! don't compare yourself to others: it's so hard to not compare yourself with other, i know that myself all too well, but writing is a journey and for most of us a hobby. focus on writing what you really like and celebrating your successes, no matter how small!! ♡

hope these will help you a bit! sending you love ♡