Building Rush (time management, strategy)

Building Rush by Barbarian Games is a time management game where the player dispatches trucks to supply construction materials. The game starts off simple to allow the player to learn the rules. Latter levels are on larger maps with more details involved. The player would require skill to immediately assess the changing situation and issue orders.

Update 16 July 2016:
Building Rush 2 has been released and it is a recommended successor to Building Rush. 

A typical game in a typical map against a less than typical rival.

The rules of the game are easy to learn and understand. The player places a plant (a factory, not the biological one) from which trucks will be sent out to deliver construction material. Orders appear around the map where the player may send trucks for a price. Payment is given upon completion of delivery. Completing the last order of a location gives bonus pay.

Orders tend to appear more often where buildings are being constructed. Also, orders further from a plant cost more to deliver. Thus, it is beneficial to have plants at different parts of the map to supply orders in different locations.

Later levels will have rivals who may try to fulfill available orders (and steal the pay).

There is a tutorial to explain the rules better than the above text.

The goals of a level.

For each level, the player's performance is rated by the amount of profit earned, which is unaffected by expenditure. A medal may be awarded based on performance. Upgrade points are given based on the medal earned. Additionally, upgrade points are also given based on the amount of profit in excess of the requirement for the gold medal. There is a limited time in each level to earn as much profit as possible.

When a level is replayed, additional upgrade points is given only to and base on performance that is greater than the previous level record.

No rivals in early games.

Upgrade points can be spent on abilities such as increased truck speed and decreased costs of purchasing assets. Upgrades help the player improve his/her performance, which earns more upgrade points.

The upgrades available.

The game is the simple to learn but requires practice on behalf of the player to master. There is also the element of luck since there is a fair amount of randomness involved in where orders will appear. The latter levels have lots of details on maps larger than the game screen. Practice is necessary for the player to gasp information instantly, navigate the map and issue orders continuously.

Out of time.

Note: Gold medal in the level above screenshot required $10000. There was not enough space to display the last digit.

Phantom Chronicle: Ancient Indian Gods 2

The event where an ancient Indian God is guaranteed in an Advanced Summon of 5 or 10 Phantoms is still ongoing. The recent 4th Arena gave extra rewards for the top 100, which was:
1-10th: 25 e-Crystals and High elf arcane warrior,
11-50th: 15 e-Crystals and Cavalry Goblin,
51-100th: 5 e-Crystals.

With the e-Crystals I was awarded, I decided to do another Advanced Summon of 10 Phantoms. It was a good haul with six Phantoms with the potential to be evolved to ★★★★★:

Result of the 10 Advanced Summons.

I received Kali:

Kali, Phantom No. 329

I received two Lakshmis. Along with the one I received earlier, I can limit break her to +2.

Lakshmi, the lotus princess, Phantom No. 321

I also received Parvati:

Parvati, the divine consort, Phantom No. 324.

I got my first Norse mythology Phantom:

Jormungandr, Phantom No. 269

I got a second Poseidon, allowing me to limit break him to +1:

Poseidon, Phantom No. 167

I got a second Scathach. Although Scathach may only be evolved to ★★★★, she is only obtainable through Advanced Summons (at the moment).

Scathach, Phantom No. 200

Note that the Phantoms summoned with Advanced Summoning came with some Experience.

Also today, I received the following Phantom from the Achievement of earning 100k BPs in the Arena:

Achievement reward for 100k BPs.

***

The Advanced Summoning screen, since it is so rare to see one.

Phantom Chronicle, Contents

Ragnarok Odyssey ACE

I have been playing Ragnarok Odyssey ACE on the PS3.

It is enjoyable to observe and learn the moves and tactics, weaknesses and vulnerabilities of the opposing boss and then to develop and practice tactics and maneuvers to defeat that boss. It is very satisfying to successfully pull off a counter to a boss' attack.

An example of a satisfying counter is, at just the moment Bronzed Grendel finishes his spin attack, I bring my Mage into position to charge and fire a pair of Fire Bolts into his weak point. Move too early or too close and my Mage gets smacked by Bronzed Grendel. Move too far and Bronzed Grendel is out of range of my Fire Bolts. Move too late and Bronzed Grendel will get up, moving his weak spot to somewhere less predictable.

Now, if only I can develop that trick into firing a pair of Scorpion Thunders instead of Fire Bolts. That would be an awesome feel.

(Note: The double-Scorpion-Thunder move has a very long charge time and short range and thus, more difficult to use against an opponent that would only sit still for a moment.)

Update 18 September 2014:
The double-Scorpion-Thunder's charge time is so long that I would have to start charging right when Bronzed Grendel starts his attack. That leaves almost no time for my Mage to get into position. Fortunately, I found a Loli Ruri card that has Moonbeam Contract, which lowers the double-Scorpion-Thunder's charge time to negligible. Fighting Bronzed Grendel is going to be fun!