Onigiri Online (Part Three)

Menu Interface (Continued)

This option brings out the NPC Partners window.

From this window, you can see a list of the NPC Partners you've gained as you progress within the game world.

As far as I know, each of these NPC Partners brings along with them a unique feature to your gaming experience in Onigiri Online. But you may only acquire/unlock them gradually as you follow along with the main storyline quest and travel from villages to outposts to cities...

• Lady Shizuka (静御前)
  

  In charge of all your weapon appraisals, item storage and inventory.

• Yoshitsune (義経)
  

  In charge of all your weapon repairs, weapon enhancements and weapon crafting.

• Miroku (ミロク)
  

  Acts like your NPC store. You will usually approach him to buy or sell stuff like consumables, equipments or monster loots.

• Ibaraki Doji (茨木童子)
  

  In charge of all your liquor related stuff. These liquor when consumed would give you various sorts of effects like temporary buffs or heals your HP/SP. However, if you consume too much too quickly, they would make you become drunk instead.

• Momotaro (モモタロウ)
  

  In charge of all your weapon skills related stuff. These include rank upgrades and skill extractions.

• Kaguya (かぐや)
  

  In charge of all your magatama related stuff. These include magatama crafting, strengthening/customization and dismantling.

• Susanoo (スサノオ)
  

  In charge of all your monster duels and special challenges. Also has the bonus ability to improve the defenses of all NPC Partners.

• Amaterasu (あまてらす)
  

  In charge of all your Titles/Succession Name related stuff. Also has the bonus ability to offer your character extra stat points as well as improve the abilities of NPC Partners.

Well...now that your somewhat acquainted with the 8 NPC Partners and their individual functions, I would like to direct your attention to something called the "Friendship Level".

On the surface, this "Friendship Level" thingy may appear to be just a simple gauge to determine how close your relationship is to that particular NPC Partner. However, the underlying mechanics behind it is such that the closer you are to the NPC Partner, the stronger/better his or her abilities become...which ultimately determines how well he/she can perform the functions that he or she offers.

Confused? Well, let's take a look at an example then...

Referring back to the NPC Partners screenshot, you should be able to see some information regarding Yoshitsune such as her friendship level towards my character and her current ability levels.

And in order from top to bottom, her abilities are...

• Combat (at Level 4)
  This is a default ability that is found on all NPC Partners. It affects their ability to fight when you call them out using the "Accompany" button*.
  
• Polish (at Level 2)
  This ability affects the Weapon Enhancing functions of Yoshitsune. The higher the level, the easier it is to enhance a weapon as well as unlock it for further enhancements.
  
• Swordsmith (at Level 2)
  This ability affects the Weapon Crafting functions of Yoshitsune. The higher the level, the more options you have to craft and the better the chance of crafting a high grade (quality) weapon.
  
• Repair (at Level 2)
  This ability affects the Weapon Repairing functions of Yoshitsune. The higher the level, the less chance you have of getting failed weapon repairs (reduces the weapon's max durability).
  

So how do we increase this "Friendship Level" then? Simple! By offering them presents of course.

Just click on the "Offer Presents" button and select a gift to give them. (These gifts can be obtained as monster loot from dungeons or as rewards from quests.)

Depending on the gift offered, the amount of affection gained would differ. If its their favorite type of gift, then the affection gained would be more. If its not, then the affection gained would be less. (Just look for their names in the gift item's description like as shown above.)

And upon filling up this "affection bar", your friendship level (with that NPC Partner) will increase by one. However, do take note that you can't just focus all your gifts upon any one NPC Partner though. This is because there is a friendship level "ceiling" for each of them that will only be gradually raised as you progress in the main storyline plot. (Somewhat follows the order in which they've joined you. The earlier they've joined, the higher the ceiling.)

(Also note the color of each step in the "Friendship Progress" chart. The color actually serves to inform you of which ability of that NPC Partner would improve upon the next friendship level increase.)

( *

When summoned, there will be some sort of a "HP/Time Gauge" shown beside the name of the NPC Partner like as shown above. This gauge will slowly reduce itself no matter what...so long as the NPC Partner is kept out. Furthermore, it can also be reduced/depleted early if the NPC sustains sufficient damage during a fight. So take note of that as well.

The only way to replenish this gauge is to unsummon the NPC Partner and let it rest.)

This option brings out the Quest Log window.

It keeps track of all the side quests you've accepted as well as your progress in the main storyline quest.

This option brings out the Monster Info window.

It shows you information regarding the monster variety found within your immediate vicinity (on same map), your surroundings (in the region around you) or all that you've encountered so far.

Information given includes what sort of drops you can loot from the monster (only semi-useful though...when your hunting for a particular drop, for a quest or as a crafting ingredient/material), its Elemental Strengths/Weaknesses and a short description of the monster.

However, these information do not come for free. You will need to fight and kill that particular monster for a specific "card" drop (like as shown above).

For every one of these "Info Cards" that you've obtained, a specific section of the monster's info would be revealed. You will need to get 5 of these cards to complete the monster's profile, reach 100%.

This option brings out the Party Creation window.

In this window, there is a checkbox for recruitment, a textbox for you to type in a recruitment message, a "Create" and a "Cancel" button.

If you just want to create a party but don't want to be actively recruiting, then just leave the box unchecked and simply click on the "Create" button.

This option allows you to leave a party you've created or joined.

This option allows you to do active recruitment.

Should you change your mind and decide to recruit party members again (after having created a party), then this is the option to choose.

It works in the same way as that found when your creating your own party. Just check the box and type in your recruitment message. You should see a recruitment box with your message appearing above your head (like the one shown).

People interested in joining your party can then click on the box and ask to join.

This option brings out your Friend List.

To add a friend, just click on the "Friend Invite" button, type in the name of that person and send out the invitation. If that person approves the invite, you should then start to see his/her name on your Friend List as well as their online/offline status.

This option brings out the System Settings window.

You can change your screen resolutions, full screen or window mode, sound settings and mouse sensitivity settings here.

This option brings out the Presents Inbox.

Any gifts you've received or bought from the in-game Item Mall will most likely be found in this inbox. Think of it as something like your personal mailbox within the game.

(But please take note of any red words like those shown above. Especially the ones with a date on them. They will most likely be your expiry date for the mail I believe.)

This option allows you to change channels (for your existing map).

If you can't see your friend despite standing in the exact same place, then this is your likely culprit. Just check the top right corner of your screen, above the minimap, for the current channel that your in (eg "CH: 2") and switch to the same one as your friend's.

If you still can't see your friend, then chances are...you both have created your characters in different servers. (Remember the two options you have to choose between...way before you even begin to create your character? Those were your server selection options.)

This option brings out your "Quit Options".

The first one allows you to end the game and go back to your desktop. The second option allows you to return to your character selection screen.

The third and final one allows you to reset your character's position by returning you to a starting point (most likely the point where you've first entered the map from). It is useful to use this if you ever get your character stuck somehow. However, do note that it has a cooldown time to reuse, so don't abuse it.

This last option opens up the in-game Item Mall. The stuff that are sold here are mostly things that "resets your stats", "protects your weapon from failed repair attempts", "increases your item storage limit", "EXP Boosts", "protects your weapon from failed enhancement limit unlocks" and "fancy fashion items".

Needless to say, you will need to spend real life cash to buy these stuff of course.

Previous: Onigiri Online (Part Two)

Next: Onigiri Online (Part Four)

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