iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

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Strauss ⚔ @defaultscreenname.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

After some trial and error, I was able to directly insert my own art for both Face and Style Load. The process is very similar to how it can be done in the Steam version, but takes a bit more effort for it to run smoothly. #Elminage #エルミナージュゴシック #DRPG

This is a screenshot of the 3DS game, Elminage Gothic. It's showing the status window for one of my party members, an Alchemist (top screen) and the rest of my party (bottom screen). The main thing to note is that it successfully shows the PNGs I used to replace some of the default artwork. It's a little hard to tell, but transparency is present for Face Load but can really only be seen whenever you see your character's portrait on the top screen.

I'm playing this on an actual N3DS, but with custom firmware installed. If you try doing this using its in-house patching feature, it works with some caveats. From my very limited understanding, the game frequently has to "load" the custom assets whenever it needs to be presented and basically slows the whole pacing of the game as you play it. To avoid all this, I ended up have to directly replace the applicable files and rebuild the game again.

For anyone familiar with inserting custom artwork for the PC version of Elminage Gothic, the applicable files follow the exact same naming structure. From there, it's a matter of making sure the art you use is the right size. For Face Load, it's 48x48 (.png) and 256x256 (.png).

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Joe @joe-byron.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Also Toem 1 is currently under £2 on steam! I really recommend it - it’s super chill and lovely #blutoid

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Brian Groom @groomb.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

The lane outside Grandma's had a stream running down the middle of it and plenty of mud. They held hands and slithered along together. Illustration by children's author Shirley Hughes, born in West Kirby.

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Joe @joe-byron.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

My friend told me fermented food is really good for you, so this week I’ve fermented within myself a healthy dislike of Jacob Collier’s music, voice, words, face, clothing, words, attitude. And yeah I feel great! :D #blutoid

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homeo @homeo.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

powerful aura

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Joe @joe-byron.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

I finished Book 2 of War & Peace last weekend, which puts me roughly halfway through the entire novel. I was really blown away by the final set piece of the book, and the final image of Pierre at night. I’m very much looking forward to Book 3!

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Dungeonbuster @dungeonbuster.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Happy 40th anniversary, Castlevania! Konami's iconic, action packed nightmare kicked off an incredible run on this date in 1986. Japan's famous gaming weekly, Famitsu, celebrated its debut on the Famicom Disk System via a series of articles that followed in October to aid would-be vampire hunters!

This page describes the game, its many areas, and features a number of screenshots for Dracula's castle along with a few tips. It also celebrated the arrival of the game for the Famicom Disk System where it retailed for ¥2,980.

A number of other stages are described on this page including a few words on describing the dangers ahead such as using Holy Water to deal with hunchbacks to taking care on crossing a crumbling, stone bridge. Watch out for those birds!

This page belongs to the first of a series of more in-depth articles covering strategies on getting through the game in Famitsu's weekly magazine (also issued in October). This page describes the story of Simon Belmont's role in facing down Dracula who has awakened in 1876 after a century of sleep, his evil once more terrorizing the land from his 'demon castle'.

A page from another series of articles later in October from Famitsu. This time, we're at the climax of the story! Dracula awaits and the page provides a few tips on how to fight him along with screenshots of the path to his dreaded lair.

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Brian Groom @groomb.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Portrait of Lady Agnew of Lochnaw, 1892, by John Singer Sergeant, American artist (Scottish National Gallery).

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kerrik52.bsky.social @kerrik52.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

mcnostril.tumblr.com/post/6808088...

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Sasha's Retrobytes 🏳️‍⚧️ @sharkabytes.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

If only the pharaohs knew how much displaying Tutankhamun in glorious colour would be a benchmark for new computers thousands of years in the future of the 1980s. Always happy to run across a lovely photo of my current old computer obsession. 📖: Apple InCider, October 1986

A page scan of the issue on Internet Archive (Sketch the Cow) of a photo of an Apple II GS at a slight angle

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Joe @joe-byron.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Not really playing much at the moment due to work being so busy (this is a good thing -I tell myself 😅), but I did this summer get some new additions to my Ys/Ys clone collection. I love the illustrations for Ys 2 magic spells.

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Sasha's Retrobytes 🏳️‍⚧️ @sharkabytes.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

"So you want to be a pirate, eh? You look more like a flooring inspector."

A crt monitor screenshot of the secret of monkey island dos version. Guybrush stands next to the lookout and his fire

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Wario64 @wario64.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Dragon Slayer: The Legend of Heroes I & II announced for PS5, PS4, Switch, and PC (2027 worldwide from Edia) www.gematsu.com/2026/09/drag...

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MS-DOS Games, Programs, Trivia, Pixels, Grog @scumm-bar.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Gilius Thunderhead posing dramatically at the Fiend's Path

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RiffRaff @riffraff79.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Theropods sure is pretty! #Blutoid

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Joe @joe-byron.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Ah yes the correct kind of world map 🥰 #blutoid #ysorigin

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Joe @joe-byron.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

I made a Victoria sponge for the first time and it turned out well! :D #blutoid

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Joe @joe-byron.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

I got *an* ending in Talos 2. It was a really great game but became too long in the tooth by the end (my time was ~30hrs!) Completed some of the golden gate puzzles but lost interest in running around the zones (kind of killing their atmosphere). The final set of puzzles was very fun tho. #blutoid

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Joe @joe-byron.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

The next persona should be set in 19th century Russia, and you’re a young count who saunters around St. Petersburg and Moscow - goes to balls, plays cards, flirts with princesses, duels, etc. - And the dungeons are manoeuvres against Napoleon’s army (somehow). #blutoid #war&persona

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土間うまる @thisisumr.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Yes. Yes. This is the happiest I've been in some time. #blutoid

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Joe @joe-byron.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Currently listening to: Moritz Von Oswald Trio are the dopest band once you give their albums a bit of time.

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Joe @joe-byron.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

I like this door. P.s. I am not affiliated with the Unitarians, however after seeing this door - and enjoying this door so very much! - I am, for the first time in my life, considering joining the Unitarians. #unitariandoorsbro #blutoid #doortoid

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Strauss ⚔ @defaultscreenname.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

I decided to take on Incarnation right after defeating Nordetanit and somehow managed to defeat it on the first try! I was beyond ecstatic to have finally conquered Ibag Tower in its entirety. It's definitely been a ride and I learned a lot from this playthrough. #Elminage #エルミナージュゴシック #DRPG

This is a screenshot of the PSP game, Elminage Gothic. In the background is Incarnation, the final floor master the game has to offer. The beginning of the fight was definitely stressful before I could get a few casts of Miracle going. Beyond that, I was extremely lucky and was able to make it fall asleep thanks to my Valkyrie's sleep-infused attacks. This put a stop to its attacks and let me deal a ton of damage until it woke up.

Hecatoncheir (Hekankale in the English version) was also another MVP. I'm glad I made the effort to try and contract it as it made for an excellent back-up Brawler with its 6 actions per turn. It also has the Tackle EX Skill, combined with my actual Brawler party member who also had Tackle, it was easy to stop Incarnation from regenerating its HP.

This is a screenshot from the PSP game, Elminage Gothic. This is the results screen after defeating Incarnation.

This is a screenshot of the PSP game, Elminage Gothic. After over 130 hours, I think I'm just about done with my playthrough of the PSP version of the game. I'm still missing quite a bit of equipment and monsters, but overall, I'm satisfied with how much I was able to accomplish.

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Joe @joe-byron.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Book recommendation for little ones: Sibylle von Olfers’ The Story of the Root Children. Gorgeous little story about the flowers through the seasons, with these immaculate little illustrations. A very calming, beautiful book. #childrensbooks #books

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Joe @joe-byron.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Currently reading (alongside War and Peace, this is my ‘sitting in the play park’ book. W&P is a little cumbersome lol): Friend of CS Lewis, Roger Lancelyn Green’s retelling of Norse myths retains the mythic tone and logic of the stories while entangling them into one continuous narrative #blutoid

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Joe @joe-byron.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

I’m completely Norse-pilled at present and all I care about is Vikings and maybe like Anglo Saxons at a push… so you can imagine my surprise when I came across these adorable Norse invaders housed inside light bulbs in the Whitby Museum!💡 #blutoid

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GSK | ALL CITY SLOP SHOP (ETA SOON) @allcityslopshop.com · 02/09/2026

the two PC Engine Tenshi no Uta games are discounted atm ($10.57, $12.15): if Telenet ever produced any RPGs that the average person might deign to be Good, it was these, and Edia stepped but both their emulator & their locs for these reissues (that is to say, the loc's legible & not broken)

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Tenshi no Uta: The Angel Verse II: The Fallen Angel for Nintendo Switch - Nintendo Official Site

Shop Tenshi no Uta: The Angel Verse II: The Fallen Angel for Nintendo Switch at Nintendo Store. See game details, editions, and availability.

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Joe @joe-byron.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Ys X is fun so far, though it is still explaining mechanics 9 hours in. I assume freedom to explore will come. I can’t help feeling that the story would be in full swing by this point in a classic Ys game. For better or worse Ys is a full blown JRPG now 😅.

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Bowl of Lentils @bowloflentils.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

Today is the 2nd anniversary of Emio: The Smiling Man and Nintendo actually posted an illustration to celebrate the occasion on the Nintendo Today app. Still can't believe that we actually got a new installment in the Famicom Detective Club series. Even more unbelievable that it turned out so good.

Emio - The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club.

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Z3RQU4L @z3rqu4l.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Oh how far we've strayed...

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Joe @joe-byron.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Well being very slow at playing games paid off at last! 😅 Never got round to this, now I think I’ll hold off. “The Plan” as it stands now is: -Finish Talos Principle 2 (which I’m loving!) - Play Ys X (till I don’t wanna) - Replay the entirety of The Witcher 3 Remastered (when it runs well on SD)..

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Joe @joe-byron.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

I’ve noticed a worrying trend of YouTube videogame collectors (and shop owners😒) dropping over $1,000 on a single game as if it were normal (what’s that, like 800 quid?!). That’s so much effing money. I don’t think it’s normal and these guys probably shouldn’t be normalising it. #blutoid

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Sasha's Retrobytes 🏳️‍⚧️ @sharkabytes.bsky.social · 29/04/2026

Included with 1993 point 'n' click adventure game Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers is a neat 'Making Of' video showcasing its Hollywood voice cast. Behind the scenes at Sierra On-Line HQ where we get some prime Tim Curry being, well, Tim Curry at his smoothest. #VideoBytes

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