Romancing Saga Minstrel Song: A Remembrance

Tiba-tiba nemu file ini, hihihi…

Ini adalah English guide yang pernah saya buat (entah kapan saya buatnya) tentang game favorit saya sepanjang masa: Romancing Saga Minstrel Song, yang dirilis tahun 2005 untuk format PS2. Kadang-kadang saya masih main game ini, baik pakai PS2 ataupun via PCSX di laptop. Sepuluh tahun bersama game ini, saya masih belum benar-benar bosan karena game ini menyajikan sistem open-story. Sistem ini memungkinkan saya memilih quest apa yang ingin saya kerjakan, orang yang mana yang mau saya selamatkan dan ending mana yang saya inginkan, hehehe…  

Yah, walaupun kadang agak frustasi juga sih dengan sistem open-story yang membuat saya susah nemu item-item rare karena isi Treasure Chest-nya serba random -__-“. Frustasi tipe ini hanya comparable sama game online yang isi Chest-nya rata-rata juga random :p

Isi file ini sebenarnya panjang sekali karena mencakup sekitar 50 quest yang terdapat dalam game ini. Tulisan yang di bawah ini adalah penjelasan tentang salah satu quest favorit saya dalam game ini.

saga.wikia.com

Quest: Ailing Emperor: ER 9-13

Special scenes: play as Claudia

This quest can be very tricky because of its time sensitivity. You should build up your level while too many battles will increase your ER and fail this quest. Note that you will encounter MANY fixed battles inside Twinmoon Temple. You definitely need to get back to Melvir with Moonstone in your hand before ER14, so choose your battle carefully and do not let the ER slips off your control.

Ailing Emperor, Part 1: The Keys

Requirement: finish Free the Gecklings, Eule Gives a Hoot and Ancient Text quests.

After you decipher the Ancient Text from Geckling Tribe, you must have known about Twinmoon Temple, the shrine where Moonstone is kept by Amut and Eres. You also must have known that you will need two medallions that will act as the key to open the temple.

Soon after you reach ER9, go to Melvir’s pub and read the post about how the emperor falls ill. Find Sophia, a priest in Temple of Elore, and she will tell you about Moonstone (if you have read about this fatestone in the library, but in case she does not tell you, I told you, it is Moonstone we are heading to). Your next task is to find the two medallions of goddesses as the key to get access to Twinmoon Temple.

Go to Temple of Amut in North Estamir to get Amut’s Medallion and hear the info about the next medallion. From this moment, the quest will not continue unless you finish Eule Gives a Hoot quest, so go find Claudia (if you are not playing as her) and follow her to Mazewood (see Eule Gives a Hoot quest explanation).

After you finish Eule Gives a Hoot quest, go to the heart of Mazewood. Walk pass Eule’s Nest and you shall find the path leading to a huge tree. You will talk to the tree, or rather Cyril, about the second medallion. At the night, climb the tree and you will meet Eres, though if you are not playing as Claudia then your character might not notice it. She will give you Eres’ Medallion.

Dear Friend, Somewhere Far Away...

Hey,
It has been so long since we last met,
And talk,

Well, it doesn't look like we have really talked to each other since we ever knew each other,
Do you even remember that we attended the same high school?
I will be doomed if you forget about that -___-"

I just really hope that you don't forget that we also attended the same college after all,

You were always...
Hmm... how should I put this...
You were always... shining, like a star, so bright and brilliant,
You were... so smart, beautiful, like really, we would find all the qualities of a girl in you,
I still remember when we were both working on the same exam, you easily excelled all the questions in no time while I was still trying so hard to answer one question,

Yeah, yeah, I knew it, you might have forgotten all about it,
Not that it surprised me,
It might not be a big deal for you, but for me, it felt like a very fond memory,
You're... one of the greatest person I have ever seen,

When I looked at you, I felt like looking at the high sky,
You resembled all the possibilities, all dreams that would come true,
Everything,

To be exact, sometimes I would be so jealous at you,
For being so smart, so bright, so very very skillful,
When compared to you, I felt like I was nothing special,

I still remember the way you looked at me, some time in 2012,
You were standing there, just looking at me, saying nothing,
Even when I walked to you and waved my hand in front of you, you seemed like you didn't really see me,
The time you smiled to me was after I started to talk to you,

Dear my friend,
At that time, I didn't really think about the reason why you acted like that,
And just today, I really know what happened,
And I can somehow, relate it to the way you looked at me that day,
Well, I might not be the one you want to hear (or read) this from but... at least let me say this one thing to you,

I really understand how you feel.

Well, okay, deep inside, we are not really what people call as 'friends', but I consider you as one,
I don't really know why I consider you as one, but, you know, no matter how much I want to deny, deep inside I did admire you,
For every single thing you mastered,
For every single thing you could do while I couldn't,
And no, I am not pitying you or something, I just want to tell you honestly that I understand it, I really, really, understand how you feel,
I really understand,
I was on the same boat anyway, though, my case was not as hard as yours,

Writing this post on my blog is just a silly effort, I knew, but we never really exchange contact number or something else, right?
Like I said, we were never really 'friends' to begin with, because, yeah, we were on two different worlds after all,
You were already so high on the sky when I was just learning how to fly,

And right now, I remember about you,
The decision you made must be so hard, and requiring so much bravery to take,
Yet, despite of all the great changes, you keep standing, you keep all your rationality with you,
And I know, I have one more reason to admire you after all,

I guess you really are a very great person,

Look, I understand that maybe life can be so unfair and cruel at the same time,
But I believe, every little thing happens for a reason,
While every hello will end with goodbye, every lose will be replaced with something more precious,
It doesn't matter where we are, as long as we stay true to ourselves, we will get by anything,

I hope you're doing well at the place you are now,
I hope that happiness will always be with you no matter how many hardship may lie ahead,

I know you will be fine,
Because you are... you.

---
NB: anyway, the song of Rascall Flatts titled as 'My Wish' may convey all the things I want to say to you too.

Old Little Song

So...
There is one song I've been dreaded to hear for so many months.

Yep, because I thought it could be the dead of me,
Or... maybe I thought it made myself got lost inside the rain (ok, this is cliché)
Or maybe, I thought that it would make me jump out of the road and screaming like crazy (oh geez, this is exaggerating)

Such a long drive home,

I was not a fool, though they say I was wrong, I knew I was right,
I knew it,
I knew the result long before I even start trying,

Sometimes,
We don't even need a mirror to look at the rear side of us, because we can turn around with wide eyes,
All that matter is how to avoid bumping the rear, right?
Like an apprentice driver, traffic jam is just another challenge,
Add some heavy pouring rain, then it will be so difficult to see what's ahead,
Then at the end of the road, you will find the blue deep forest swallowing the avenue,

It is not the wrong way,
It is my way home,

Anyway,
The forest is still as blue as ever, no matter how many times the clock has been crashed and burned,
So many people talking as the time ticks, and I thought they must be talking about me,
Not that it matter to me,
Because I found my way home,
It was such a long way, like, very very long way,
Every step I take is not meant to be recovered, so yeah, there's no going back to the way it was, not that I want one,

And then, at my home today is the very first time I hear the song for this year, like I believe, that day was also the first time I ever heard the exact same singer and melody,

The same song that made me laugh in different kinds of happiness.
The pressure is long gone.

----
NB: I challenged myself a bit to write some kind of self-reflection when I found the song I stopped listening for so long, and to my surprise, my first reaction was laughing. Anyone knew what the song is? This post contains so many clue to the song btw :)

When It's Hard to Get Up

Let's just say that I spent this early morning contemplating.
It's been months since I buried my chance to continue my study, which I realized has made many people disappointed in me.

Haha, I will never forget the disappointed look on their faces when I decided to postpone my research.
Well, let's just say that it's unbearably hard for me to say that, I mean that research is a part of my dream, it is still one miraculous thing ever happen to me.

But let's just say that condition forced me to do so.

If you think I would cry over this, haha I did MORE than crying, haha..
Let's just say I escaped to my hard routine to forget my disappointment.

I was disappointed in myself, yet I could not bring myself to stand back on my feet.

It takes me a lot of time to recover, and suddenly I arrived at today.
Subconsciously I opened back my research logbook and frowned...
How did I become so cruel of myself?

As I traced back my written words on the papers I couldn't help but feeling stupid.
For giving up.
For running away.
For pretending that I can forget this one miracle ever happened to me.

I should have believed in myself.

Nobody has ever invented this research method but me, I mean look at this research progress! Without feeling too high I am in awe of my own logbook.

...
...
...

I may be too late, but late is always better than never, isn't it?
Yes I know, I am too clumsy for starting up so late, but hey, since I've been in awe with myself, I should start over.

I will start, today!

I Dream of You

This is a silly yet funny post for me so please read at your own risk.

Let's just say that today is my moment of truth,
I will face... er... some kind of trial this afternoon because of my... lack of focus, haha :p
And let's just say that I am in a pinch.
I can imagine some meaningful outcomes this afternoon, but I refuse to choose any of these possibilities.

And then I messaged my friend who used to be my partner last year, told this person everything, and this is the reply I got,
"Oh my God, I was wondering why I keep dreaming of you these days! So you're in trouble, huh? Why didn't you tell me about it instead of intruding my pleasant dreams?!"

And despite of my pinched situation, I squealed in delight.
It's great to know that we have some kind of 'invisible connection' with people.

It is just great.

(NB: actually there is one childhood friend of mine that keep bothering my dreams for some days already. The more I dream of this old friend, the more I feel like this old friend is in problem. It just that, er... I don't know whether I have to say anything or how I should contact this person. I just hope everything is alright)

Like A Hero

I simply hate people who claim what is not theirs to begin with. Depending on situation, the outcome varies from a simple smile of understanding until a full-blown raging war.

Saya tidak pernah menyangka akan menemukan hal seperti ini lagi. Tanpa saya tutupi saya akan mengatakan ini, seorang pembimbing mencoba untuk mempublikasi hasil kerja mahasiswanya. Wajar? Ya, wajar, kecuali kalau pembimbing ini ngotot jadi penulis pertama. Haha, bahkan si pembimbing ini tidak paham metode penelitian mahasiswa tadi yang memang di luar expertise beliau. Let's be clear, beliau bahkan tak tahu suka duka mahasiswa ini yang pernah gagal dalam penelitiannya dan mengulang dari awal. 

(oke stop, posisi saya disini adalah sama-sama pembimbing dengan pembimbing diatas, bukan mahasiswa, dan saya bukan pembimbing yang minta diletakkan sebagai penulis pertama)

Lalu apa yang terjadi saat mahasiswa ini mengatakan pada saya bahwa pembimbing satunya ingin menjadi penulis pertama? 

Kejadian ini bermula beberapa hari yang lalu saat pembimbing tersebut menghubungi saya dan menanyakan kesediaan saya untuk ikut mempublikasikan hasil kerja mahasiswa saya. Jawaban saya adalah bahwa saya akan ikut keputusan mahasiswa saya, jika ia bersedia maka saya pun tidak keberatan. Sang pembimbing ini mengatakan pada saya bahwa sang mahasiswa bersedia dan akan segera mengirimkan manuskrip ke email saya.

(Note: sang pembimbing ini mengaku sudah menambahi sedikit manuskrip tersebut)

Saat saya menerima manuskrip ke email, let's just say clearly that i began to dislike the advisor right on the spot. Nama beliau berada di nama pertama, nama saya ada di nomor dua, dan nama mahasiswa kami ada di nomor tiga. Kesimpulan saya hanya ada dua: satu, sang pembimbing ini tidak tahu bahwa ada etika dalam penempatan nama author, dua, pembimbing ini sengaja ingin mengambil apa yang bukan haknya.

Ketidakrelaan saya beralasan,

Satu, ide penelitian itu original dari mahasiswa, bukan ide kami sebagai pembimbing.

Dua, seluruh bahan penelitian dan biaya penelitian ditanggung oleh mahasiswa, bukan kami.

Tiga, konsep penelitian disusun oleh mahasiswa.

Empat, bidang penelitian yang diusung adalah bidang infeksi, yang merupakan bidang saya, bukan bidang beliau.

Lima, beliau tidak paham metode penelitian yang sudah dilaksanakan, yang saya buktikan dengan pertanyaan beliau yang 'aneh' saat ujian akhir mahasiswa tersebut, sehingga saya pun mencoba menjelaskan ulang metode penelitian mahasiswa tersebut. 

Enam, beliau tidak pernah banyak mengoreksi isi tulisan mahasiswa. Saya yang justru banyak mengoreksi.

Tujuh, beliau tidak menyaksikan sendiri upaya keras mahasiswa tersebut menyelesaikan penelitiannya.

Delapan, beliau kurang mujur, hahaha (atau sebenarnya mujur) karena berpartner dengan saya yang tidak pernah respek terhadap pencuri ide orang lain.

Saat saya mengkonfrontasi beliau tentang penempatan nama author ini, beliau menjawab bahwa selama ini setahu beliau, mahasiswa selalu ditulis di belakang saat publikasi. 

Which further clears her true form and intention. How many student you have deceived so far?

Dengan tegas saya katakan pada beliau bahwa menurut pengalaman saya beberapa kali publikasi baik nasional maupun internasional, tidak ada yang namanya pembedaan antara pembimbing dan mahasiswa di mata publisher. Semuanya berpangkat sama, peneliti. Dengan tegas pula saya katakan bahwa sangat tidak etis jika pembimbing meminta menjadi penulis pertama hanya karena alasan 'karena saya adalah pembimbing'.

Saya tidak terlalu peduli kalau beliau merasa tertampar, tertohok, terlempar palu, tersayat pisau ataupun terpanggang malu. Saya merasa sangat perlu memberi tahu beliau bahwa inilah prinsip saya dan saya menolak untuk menyamakan prinsip saya dengan prinsip beliau. Saya sadar kok kalau beliau sepuluh tahun lebih senior daripada saya, tapi lha terus so what?

Ini sudah jaman modern, sudah bukan jaman batu dimana senioritas adalah segalanya.

Di depan ilmu pengetahuan, pemegang ide adalah yang ada di baris terdepan. 

Setelah beberapa konfrontasi lainnya, akhirnya beliau pun setuju dengan syarat yang saya ajukan, yaitu mahasiswa kamilah yang menjadi first author, beliau ada di nomor dua, dan saya ada di nomor tiga. Penempatan saya di belakang sendiri juga bukan tanpa alasan. Lebih dari 80% isi penelitian tersebut adalah area expertise saya, maka saya lebih berhak berada di situ daripada beliau.

(Lucunya beliau mengisyaratkan bahwa beliau tidak berkenan diletakkan di nama terakhir, padahal nama terakhir justru lebih keren daripada nama yang ada di tengah)

Kedepan, saya bisa memproyeksikan beberapa hal yang akan terjadi terkait keputusan konfrontasi ini. Mungkin saya akan diblacklist oleh beliau, yang saya tidak terlalu peduli. Yang menjadi pemikiran saya adalah tentang mahasiswa saya yang masih harus menjalani masa profesi bersama beliau.

Mahasiswa saya pernah mengungkapkan rasa khawatir serupa dan sempat bingung karena di sisi lain ia pun tidak bersedia idenya diambil begitu saja.

Mungkin saya bukan orang yang paling tepat mengatakan ini, 

"Lebih baik kita kesulitan saat ini tapi kita tetap berpegang pada prinsip yang benar, jadi kita tidak akan menyesal kedepannya nanti,"

Sejujurnya juga saya bisa mengatakan hal itu karena sedikit refleksi dari yang saya jalani sih. 

Fyi, saya juga pernah menjadi korban pencurian ide dan saya merasakan sendiri bagaimana tidak enak hati yang saya alami saat tahu si pencuri tersebut dipuji atas kerja keras saya, sementara saya sendiri didepak tanpa penghargaan apapun.

I will not let myself steep so low by joining force with someone who steal ideas. I can promise this much.

'Like a hero' adalah komentar seorang teman dekat saya saat saya menceritakan hal ini. Sebenarnya bukan masalah jadi sok pahlawan sih, saya cuma melakukan hal yang saya anggap benar dan sesuai dengan prinsip saya. Saya akan menyesal seumur hidup jika saya diam saja, maka apapun resikonya, saya akan tetap berkeras kepala dalam hal yang satu ini.

Semoga Allah memberikan perlindungan untuk mahasiswa saya ini. Saya tahu ia adalah mahasiswa yang baik dan dia berhak atas semua kemudahan yang bisa ia raih. Semoga saya selalu dijaga pula dari hal-hal seperti itu kedepannya. Amiiinn..