-Pendy
Head webmaster of the Dragon Quest Dragon Warrior News Network

Recently, I purchased Grandia 2 for my dreamcast at Walmart. It didn't work. I returned it for a replacement that also didn't work.

More recently, I purchased Resident Evil: Code Veronica X for my PS2 from the same store. It barely worked -- the FMV constantly skips and stutters. I returned it for a replacement -- with exactly the same problems.

I need your guys help. Has anyone else out there had problems with these two games? Both of my systems work perfectly with the other games I own.

Does the GIA know anything? Do your readers know anything? Help!

-Aaron Gover (aka VincentValintine)

-Stronski

Despite Drew's normal...non-hapiness, I'd put good money on it he had far more fun doing that edition of DA than he's had in a long time.

I couldn't think of anything to write in otherwise, but could I snag a leftover Sexalicious award?

And on a side note...wouldn't a well done dance remix of Luna''s Boat Song kick some serious ass? I've become obsessed wiht the idea lately, I think I'm gonna put some time in on my Music Generator and ACIDXPress....too bad I can't distribute it...stupid copyrights...

Peace,

-A very perplexed at all the hapiness Ray

I also thought of a book that should become an RPG, also too late for Brooke's column on the subject, but Drew didn't give us a topic so I hope you'll find room for it. The latest collected volume of the comic book Bone, "Ghost Circles", has recently been released, and thinking about Bone's story up to that point, it seems to me that it's well suited to be an RPG.

It begins with our heroes, a trio of strangely cute little humanoid cartoons, cast out of their home to wander in the wilderness: the level-headed (though shy) Fone Bone, and his cousins, the greedy, ill-tempered Phoney Bone and the happy-go-lucky Smiley Bone. They run into plenty of opposition as they cross the miles of fantastic terrain, from locusts to stupid, stupid Rat Creatures, to a dragon that turns out to be far more friendly than most RPGs' dragons, and more hostile woodland creatures could be added to increase the possible combat. The lushly illustrated environments are a great part of Bone, though, and perhaps it would be better as an action-RPG or something like Mario RPG in combat and overall simplicity, as few of the characters ever use weapons or other typical RPG items, and fighting usually involves more running and dodging than striking for the little Bones.

Since they pick up additional characters along the way, such as Thorn, an orphaned teenage girl who lives in the forest on her grandmother's farm, and Lucius Down, the gruff, burly inn-owner in the town near Thorn's home, there would be room for a changing party, especially since they're often split up and travel individually with other friends and allies. There are bits that are quite reminiscent of RPG sidequests, such as the Cow Race subplot, where Bone attempts to steal Thorn's heart as his cousins attempt to steal the townspeople's money with a gambling scheme. Through the whole series an underlying plot begins to emerge, revolving around the Bones and the people they've met, and their relationship to the Hooded One, a powerful person or thing not of this world, and to a fallen empire that once ruled all the lands they've passed through.

Bone is a story of high adventure, with endearing characters, fleshed-out settings, a good balance between humor and drama, and above all, enthralling, well-paced storytelling. It's the kind of characters and story that people should be coming up with for RPGs. If some RPG creators could come up with as nice a visual style as Bone's writer/artist Jeff Smith, that wouldn't be too bad either...

-Paul Segal