Miscelleneous Touhou thoughts and commentary.

[Der_Bright_Poster]

Yandere Dev just posted some love for Touhou. Here, https://youtu.be/xvAmCSnBjbI Awesome!

[Shizzo]

Mmmm... Imagine if like.. the touhou games would have the other touhou games' scoring mechanics?

Like... imagine if MOF had LoLK's Graze-To-Get-Lives mechanic, or SA had DDC's reach-to-the-PoC mechanics.

I wonder if it would make any of the games easier/harder!

[danyun]

if MOF had LoLK's Graze-To-Get-Lives mechanic

I would've 1ccd MoF by now.

Someone will probably do something like this someday.

[NuclearFalcon]

Now I am really curious about PCB with mechanics other than the Borders and different mechanics for getting lives.

[Shizzo]

PCB with Ten Desire's spirit mechanic.

Stage 4 would've been 10 times more fun.

[Failure McFailFace]

LoLK with SA communication meter

[Mеа]

LoLK with MoF system. Oh you bombed? Here have a debuff.

Edit: this strays from touhou somewhat, but UFO with DDP DFK's laser cancelling system. Get wrecked, Shou, ex Kogasa. The inevitable revenge bullets would even make things quite interesting.

[Shizzo]

LoLK with MoF system. Oh you bombed? Here have a debuff.

Edit: this strays from touhou somewhat, but UFO with DDP DFK's laser cancelling system. Get wrecked, Shou, ex Kogasa. The inevitable revenge bullets would even make things quite interesting.

Oh the joys of fighting Sagume with low power!  :V


Also imagine Impossible Spellcard with Fairy Wars' freezing. 

(Let's forget Gold rush is a thing)

[TresserT]

Imagine UFO with GFW freezing. Half that game is lasers and fireballs... and then if the patterns were made GFW levels of density and speed o_o

[Raikaria]

Mmmm... Imagine if like.. the touhou games would have the other touhou games' scoring mechanics?

Like... imagine if MOF had LoLK's Graze-To-Get-Lives mechanic, or SA had DDC's reach-to-the-PoC mechanics.

I wonder if it would make any of the games easier/harder!

Wouldn't a scoreing system only change the difficulty if the game was points-> lives? A change to the score system probobly wouldn't effect any games post UFO.

Although if bombs drained your power in EoSD it would make EoSD harder. Points = lives there; and power is not that common.

[shoryusatsu999]

All this talk about giving some games mechanics from other games has got me wondering if there could be a shmup (not necessarily Touhou) where most of the underlying gameplay mechanics could be altered both before and during the game itself. For example, there could be an item that trades a life stock for a health meter that's filled to a certain point based on how many lives you had before you picked it up, or another item that turns a medal-based scoring system into a chain-based scoring system.

[Tribow]

Yuugi would make a very good bartender.

[Abraham Lincoln]

I FINALLY thought up of a plot for my Touhou x Inside Out crossover fanfic. A disastrous event occuring outside Gensokyo lands several "emotion balls" into the secluded land and several characters get hold of the "emotion balls". Coming into contact with these spheres turns one into the living personification of whatever emotion each sphere's colour corresponds to.

This is still too similar to HM.

(Sorry if it's the wrong topic to post this.)

[Failure McFailFace]

I FINALLY thought up of a plot for my Touhou x Inside Out crossover fanfic. A disastrous event occuring outside Gensokyo lands several "emotion balls" into the secluded land and several characters get hold of the "emotion balls". Coming into contact with these spheres turns one into the living personification of whatever emotion each sphere's colour corresponds to.

This is still too similar to HM.

(Sorry if it's the wrong topic to post this.)

inb4 kokoro

Seems like a neat idea. I wouldn't be surprised if Kokoro or Koishi appears in some shape or form.

[PK]

I have been wondering about this for a while, but evil nazgul's "what if answer" gave me inspiration.

Do youkai really need Gensokyo after all? If Clownpiece, Junko, and Hecatia are from outside (Junko is kind of weird though, i'm not even sure what she actually is), wouldn't this mean the outside world is still full of gods and youkai? Add also Mamizou and the hobgoblins, that were doing just fine without Gensokyo before Nue and Yukari brought them inside it.
Sometimes i think Gensokyo is just Yukari's plaything and that even without it youkai could survive (not sure for gods). Besides, she seems to have done nothing about Sumireko's kamikaze ideas. What if Reimu failed because she slipped on a banana peel, and Sumireko succeeded? Everything goes to hell because of that?

Another thing is Reimu being vital to Gensokyo's existence, which i believe being bullshit just like heaven being filled, or shinigami going around killing hermits and celestials (both the thing proved to be false). That's because:
-Aya's reaction in SSiB. For those who don't know, when Reimu was kept on the Moon, Aya simply talks with herself about finding someone else.
-The thing above being taken into account in "Strange creators etc etc.", where for what i could understand by google-translating it, it says it's the youkai who choose the shrine maiden (so "Hakurei" might not even be an actual lineage, but a name taken from the shrine).
-The original purpose of the barrier: sealing youkai away. If taking down the barrier was as easy as killing a single person, it means the plan was really bad made from the start.
-Rinnosuke saying that it's Yukari's power that keeps Gensokyo separated from the Outside World, and that no human or youkai can oppose her.
-Reimu going to the Moon, twice, where no one can assure her safety (add also the danger of the travel). The 1st time was even Yukari's idea, and i don't think she would risk Gensokyo to steal some sake (i know it's Yukari we're talking about, but she can't be THIS weird :V).
-PCB saying that the original barrier was made by some priests, but then youkai put "an even stronger power" at work. The power of youkai outclasses that of humans, so a youkai-made barrier could (or already did) substitute the original one.
-Reimu addressing Yukari as the "creator" of the barrier in WaHH. This is kind of weird since i'm not sure what she meant.

My theory is that they do need some poor soul who manages the barrier, but not specifically Reimu or someone related to her. AFAIK, Ran and Yukari are the ones known to protect the barrier from "erosion".

I know both the things have probably been talked about many times, but i came here only recently so i'd like to know your ideas.

[Sagus]

Gensokyo allows youkai to develop an identity beyond of what humanity's fears and imagination visualizes them, as discussed by Byakuren, Miko and Kanako during the titular symposium in SoPM. In there, they are "real". They can live in the Outside, sure, but their whole sense of self is dependant on humanity's whims. IIRC, Ichirin talks about it in her ULiL ending, on how the atmosphere itself of the Outside World seemed to be denying her existence (or something to that effect).

Hecatia, Junko and Clowpiece aren't really from the Outside World, they're from Hell (at least I'm assuming Junko ended up there; don't see how she'd know Hecatia otherwise). Heaven, Hell, Higan, the Netherworld, Makai, etc. aren't really a part of Gensokyo or the Outside World; perhaps they have their own way to sustain youkai/gods/whatever.

Also, it seems that Yukari just acts if something really potentially catastrophic that she's not sure of the cause is happening. If she didn't act, it's probably safe to assume she didn't think it would be as dangerous as you'd think.

Regarding Reimu not being vital to Gensokyo... I agree with you, actually. It always felt weird to me, for the reasons you described. Maybe something bad would happen if she died, but likely not Gensokyo's destruction.

[Drake]

"Reimu dies and Gensokyo explodes" is a meme. There's never been any indication that such a thing is true. The shrine maiden's job is to manage and upkeep the Barrier so that it isn't broken, similar to saying that a regular shrine maiden tends to their shrine. In Reimu's case they're almost one and the same since the Hakurei Shrine lies along the boundary. In the same way that the Three Fairies now live in and support the massive tree along the Barrier, the Hakurei Shrine is another one of those points to maintain. If Reimu died and no other shrine maiden took on those duties or abilities, the Barrier falling into disarray is an eventuality, not a necessity. Meanwhile, a lot of the manual maintenance work is probably done by Yukari behind the scenes. PCB saying "Gensokyo being sealed away by priests" has essentially been retconned one way or another, since the narrative is totally backwards. It also says later that humans spirited away aren't able to return, which is totally false now.

Yukari staying out of the ULiL incident is the only thing I'm still a bit confused about. Maybe it was just a storytelling thing, but it seems lazy to not have a particular reason for something so apparently dangerous to not simply be whisked away by Yukari like it was nothing, because ultimately that sounds like a more likely scenario in-universe. Maybe all the power stones being activated wouldn't actually do what Sumireko figured at all and she was just being a massive drama queen as per usual.

ZUN has grouped the Lunar Capital together with Gensokyo, as well as other places like the Dream World and Hell. He has just started calling these "Otherworlds" (異界). The stuff in these worlds is what seems to thrive fantastically; it isn't Gensokyo in particular with special properties (this was known to be the case ever since SSiB, also). Hecatia and the Hell fairies live in Hell(s), Junko probably lives in the Lunar Capital, or she lives in Hell and can get to the Capital through Hecatia. The Underground doesn't count as in Gensokyo either, but those guys are all fine. Gensokyo is just Yukari's answer for giving an option for youkai living on the Outside.

Some youkai are also just fine living on the Outside. Tanuki in particular can thrive due to transformation, and note that the zashiki-warashi were "brought to the Outside World" precisely because they were being talked about. Remember that as far as Touhou is concerned, if some occurrence is ever hinted to be an act of a youkai, it's quite probable that a youkai actually did it (and similarly, if you worship a thing, a god lives in it). Youkai moving from the Outside to Gensokyo is just allowing for the humans to continue to explain things through science and skepticism without the youkai being forgotten and disappearing entirely.

[PK]

Thanks guys, glad you clarified those things to me.

[Starxsword]

Yukari staying out of the ULiL incident is the only thing I'm still a bit confused about. Maybe it was just a storytelling thing, but it seems lazy to not have a particular reason for something so apparently dangerous to not simply be whisked away by Yukari like it was nothing, because ultimately that sounds like a more likely scenario in-universe. Maybe all the power stones being activated wouldn't actually do what Sumireko figured at all and she was just being a massive drama queen as per usual.

I take it more of a story telling deal. Yukari is talking to Marisa. What she says does not necessarily have to be true. She did this before in Silent Sinner in Blue.

[Boomer]

Upon waiting for classes to start at school today, I came across the realization that Dragon Ball Z styled fights would work almost perfectly well in Touhou.  Think about it: just about all of the characters can fly, there are a lot of special moves (Master Spark anyone?), and danmaku of course.

[Clarste]

Yukari staying out of the ULiL incident is the only thing I'm still a bit confused about. Maybe it was just a storytelling thing, but it seems lazy to not have a particular reason for something so apparently dangerous to not simply be whisked away by Yukari like it was nothing, because ultimately that sounds like a more likely scenario in-universe. Maybe all the power stones being activated wouldn't actually do what Sumireko figured at all and she was just being a massive drama queen as per usual.

My reading of it was that ZUN was trying to get some of the mystery back into Yukari. If she's so predictable that fans think they can know exactly when she's going to show up and what she's gonna do, then she's already lost as a youkai. ULiL may or may not have actually been dangerous, but we also don't know how subtle Yukari's plans may or may not be. She showed up in the LoLK ending pretty much just to laugh at those of us who think we can predict her.

[the old guy]

My reading of it was that ZUN was trying to get some of the mystery back into Yukari. If she's so predictable that fans think they can know exactly when she's going to show up and what she's gonna do, then she's already lost as a youkai. ULiL may or may not have actually been dangerous, but we also don't know how subtle Yukari's plans may or may not be. She showed up in the LoLK ending pretty much just to laugh at those of us who think we can predict her.

I like this.
But i have a less interesting theory: Yukari is a time displaced Maribel, and at one point she realized that she was (will be?) responsible somehow for herself turning into a Youkai/time traveling, so then Yukari found out about Sumireko's plan to break into Gensokyo, Yukari figured out somehow that the ULiL incident is important to Maribel becoming Yukari somehow. Why? Well aside from the possible connections between Sumireko and Renko, maybe a occult ball finds it way into Maribel and Renko's hands somehow?

(This isn't to say that the LoLK ending isn't ZUN saying that Yukari isn't the benevolent overseer of Gensokyo that we think she is, i'm just sharing my miscellaneous thoughts on this subject.)

[PK]

I just read FS 34 and...

Spoiler:

seems like the incident is actually still going? It's probably not even the lunarians anymore now.
Even more important, someone who is NOT Yukari donated to the Hakurei Shrine!

:V

[kevin1127]

I just read FS 34 and...

Spoiler:

seems like the incident is actually still going? It's probably not even the lunarians anymore now.
Even more important, someone who is NOT Yukari donated to the Hakurei Shrine!

:V

Spoiler:

You mean the urban legend incident? Yes, it is still going on in both FS(34) and WaHH.(31)
Lunarians are also mentioned in both cahpter (and Sagume made cameo appearance in both chapters as well)
New chapter of FS should come out in a few days, I would like to see who would spread such an dangerous urban legend.

EDITED: By the way, guys, I just saw that the 12th Touhou popularity poll is coming on January

[Drake]

Yeah THPP is coming soon. When more details surface I (or someone else) will make a thread.

[Plubio]

 

Looks like the fairies are up again.
Welcome back.

[PK]

Spoiler:

New chapter of FS should come out in a few days, I would like to see who would spread such an dangerous urban legend.

Spoiler:

What about Kasen? She has shown the desire to see "the sky shatter" (the barrier taken down) in WaHH 25. Of course, looking at how the guy at the beginning talks about incidents coming one after another, it might be the villagers themselves who started it.

Looks like the fairies are up again.
Welcome back.

Oh my gods!

[the old guy]

Spoiler:

What about Kasen? She has shown the desire to see "the sky shatter" (the barrier taken down) in WaHH 25. Of course, looking at how the guy at the beginning talks about incidents coming one after another, it might be the villagers themselves who started it.

Spoiler:

Kasen doesn't seem like the genocidal sort. So i'm saying no on that one.

[Drake]

That suggests youkai actually died during the lunar invasion and not just get beaten up with no way to escape. Considering the Lunarians don't want to dirty the moon with death and they could probably have dealt with the youkai without killing them, the latter seems much more likely. It isn't as if huge sacrifice would have been part of the invasion in the first place considering if everyone died then there would be nobody left to teach a lesson to. The point is that the troublesome youkai were put in their place. Yukari herself surrendered when she first went to the moon, so it isn't too hard to figure that she knew the Lunarians generally don't kill, either.

[the old guy]

Considering the Lunarians don't want to dirty the moon with death

I agree with you on everything else, but where do you get this from? Didn't they try to execute Kaguya?