[p]※Monthly Nexus is a content series that started when I came across a tweet saying “We want a developer survival report” while doing a search for myself one day. It basically only contains trivial content.[/p][p](The further down the article you go, the less it relates to TacticalNexus)[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Happy New Year.[/p][p]This is the January issue of Monthly Nexus.[/p][p][/p][p]Time flies; the new year is already upon us.[/p][p]They say time flies like an arrow, and I couldn't agree more.[/p][p]Not long ago, it felt like we were still in the 20th century, but since entering the 21st century, quite a bit of time has passed.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]As the era progresses, new technologies and content inevitably rise to prominence.[/p][p]We spend our days immersed in introspective work, unaware of the flow of time as we live through each day.[/p][p][/p][p]Now then, let me introduce the articles from the January 2003 issue of Monthly Nexus.[/p][p]Has everyone gotten their hands on the PlayStation 2, released three years ago now?[/p][p]I recently got mine and am completely hooked on that latest hardware. My recommendation is Ratchet & Clank.[/p][p]What kind of cutting-edge games will appear next? I can't wait to find out.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]----[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]◆Regarding Future Plans[/p][p][/p][p]Before the 5-0 update, we were working on an Extended Screen enhancement as an additional QoL update. However, this turned out to be about three times more work than anticipated, halting the programmer's main tasks for about six days. Sorry about that.[/p][p][/p][p]I thought, “This should take just a day or two lol,” but it took far longer than expected. However, the Concorde effect kicked in--since we'd invested so much time, we didn't want to postpone it--so we're seeing this through to completion.[/p][p](Starting today, we've asked volunteer players to test the alpha version on Discord, so the Extended Screen update should be applied in about three days.)[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Chapter 5-0 will likely be ready the week after next. Gameplay-wise, it should implement fairly close to what was introduced in last month's update.[/p][p]I have a lot I want to mention about 5-0 and plan to write several hundred lines about it, but writing hundreds of lines of spoilers and reflections before implementation feels off, so I'll save that for the February update.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]----[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]◆New Feature in Development: “Pinned Memo List”[/p][p][/p][p]Previously, we created the “Alert Memo List” feature, which notifies you of memos under specific conditions. This time, we plan to add a new feature called the “Pinned Memo List” to the Extended Screen in a few days.[/p][p](We are currently having volunteer players test the alpha version.)[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]
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[/p][p]▲I'm seriously exhausted[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]In TacticalNexus, the “note-taking feature” is often crucial.[/p][p]Originally, this game targeted players who had already spent over 1000 hours playing “Tower of the Sorcerer”-type games.[/p][p]However, since gathering such a niche group was unrealistic, I envisioned the core gameplay would be “players writing notes themselves to build the game's strategy guide.”[/p][p][/p][p]This is just the ramblings of an old man unable to update his sensibilities, but decades ago, it was common to write strategy notes in notebooks and study them.[/p][p]We wanted to recreate that atmosphere, where players “write strategy notes bit by bit and use them to progress.”[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]With this Pin Memo List, you can pin notes onto the ES interface.[/p][p]You can also toggle their display per game mode.[/p][p][/p][p]This system allows you to write things like “The flow for clearing this stage,” pin it here, and then review it to some extent during your next playthrough.[/p][p]It's a very simple feature, but it might prove effective for everyone from solo players to community players... maybe.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]----[/p][p][/p][p]◆Preview of Chapter 9-1[/p][p][/p][p]Regarding Chapter 5-0, I plan to write an article next month reviewing its strengths and weaknesses. So this time, I'll briefly mention the development status of Chapter 9-1, which is scheduled for implementation after 5-0.[/p][p]However, it's a bit tricky to write well, so I'll list the points roughly in bullet form.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]\[Chapter 9-1: Sky Tactical Fortress][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]【Map-Related Information】[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]
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[/p][p][/p][p]▲Current Map Layout (Subject to Significant Changes)[/p][p][/p][p]・The main stage is planned to have 40 floors, but it has slightly fewer enemies compared to other stages.[/p][p](It might feel similar to stages around floors 30-32)[/p][p][/p][p]・It features a two-layer structure: “Lower Half of the Map” and “Upper Half of the Map”.[/p][p](You start from the lower layer)[/p][p][/p][p]・Staircases connecting to the upper half are placed at various points throughout the lower layer.[/p][p](Using these stairs will teleport you to the floor corresponding to the “top 4 squares” on the minimap)[/p][p][/p][p]・The upper layer shares the same structure as Pop (2-6) and Heavy (4-5), allowing only one entry/exit.[/p][p][/p][p]・All upper-layer areas contain Orb Jammers and Magic Jammers.[/p][p][/p][p]・Passive items are placed in the upper layer.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]【Status-Related Information】[/p][p][/p][p]・A dedicated parameter, , appears.[/p][p]This does not directly affect attack or defense power.[/p][p][/p][p]・A dedicated item appears.[/p][p]Acquiring this increases .[/p][p] is a primary enemy drop item and can also be obtained through leveling up.[/p][p][/p][p]・A dedicated system appears.[/p][p][/p][p]・Each time reaches a certain threshold, you can acquire a passive skill from the skill tree.[/p][p](Examples include a passive adding 5×LV to attack power, a passive adding 1× to attack power, and a passive enhancing the effects of specific equipment.)[/p][p][/p][p]・Passive skills can be acquired from the aforementioned skill tree and from passive items placed in the upper areas of the map.[/p][p][/p][p]・The main theme of this game is collecting on the map to enhance the skill tree and manipulate the coefficient values of for attack/defense.[/p][p][/p][p]・As a safeguard, you can consume to apply buffs to ATK/DEF or significantly recover HP.[/p][p](Avoid overusing this, as it tends to reduce your final score and makes expanding the skill tree more difficult)[/p][p][/p][p]・Currently planned, level-up bonuses will consist of one command to increase .[/p][p](This allows for highly diverse builds based on skill tree development and map exploration strategies)[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]【Other】[/p][p][/p][p]〇Fulfilling specific conditions causes the unique enemy to appear.[/p][p]It takes the form of a white owl and a middle-aged man.[/p][p][/p][p]〇 At the start of battle, it casts the spell
, dealing extremely high damage to the player.[/p][p]However, even when hit by , HP will not drop below 0 (at least 1 point will remain).[/p][p][/p][p]〇 At the start of battle, it casts the spell , copying the effects of any active spells the player has.[/p][p][/p][p]〇 Extremely high difficulty, but defeating it grants a powerful spell that can blow away most enemies on the floor once.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]【Notes】[/p][p][/p][p]・An “Attraction Orb” that moves items or enemies in front to the position one space ahead of you is planned to appear.[/p][p](May be canceled this time depending on circumstances)[/p][p][/p][p]・The direction is: “Skill trees directly grant instant passive effects affecting stats or combat,” while “upper map areas grant instant passive effects affecting equipment enhancement, keys, and orbs.”[/p][p](Staff suggested avoiding excessive complexity, which made me wonder how to handle it, but it was ultimately incorporated as “obtainable from the map”).[/p][p][/p][p]・Originally, there was a system proposal where “acquiring equipment you've never picked up before allows you to absorb its passive effects.” This sounded incredibly fun, but it was difficult to integrate, so it was postponed this time.[/p][p]However, this system will likely be incorporated into either 9-2 or 9-4.[/p][p][/p][p]・Initially, it was planned to be a much more convoluted, specialized system.[/p][p][/p][p]Initially, we considered a “system allowing special effects to be applied to weapons,” but it was scrapped because the skill tree was deemed more enjoyable without added stress.[/p][p]Regarding the build system, the opinion emerged that “shortening the time spent considering choices, like with the skill tree, is more fun” rather than focusing on elements like “frequently making long-term decisions.” This decision was made considering that feedback.[/p][p](This feels less like a specific proposal and more like a summary of ideas from staff playtests.)[/p][p]→ The idea is that prompting players to “constantly be aware of parameters” is less enjoyable than making them think “plan your build only at this specific moment.” This reduces the stress of having to constantly be aware of things.[/p][p][/p][p]On top of that, we designed a system where “in principle, you can only enter the upper area once per floor,” allowing players to decide which passives to acquire and in what order.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]----[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]◆Future Plans[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Future updates are planned in this order: Chapter 5-0 implementation → Microtransaction implementation → Chapter 9-1 implementation shortly thereafter.[/p][p]Around next month's issue, we aim to announce the general mechanics for Chapters 9-2 to 9-4.[/p][p](However, Chapters 9-3 and 9-4 may change significantly beyond recognition...)[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Just like the Extended Screen tests, Tactical Nexus is supported by all of you players in the community.[/p][p]We are always filled with gratitude. Thank you.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p] ₍₍⁽⁽🌵₎₎⁾⁾[/p][p]♪A charming dance to convey that from here on out, only trivial things are written♪[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]◆I hate every single living human being on this planet[/p][p][/p][p]This month, something like this happened.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]![]()
[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Apparently, because some time has passed since the sale, the tax information was deemed invalid, and this month's sales payment didn't come through (and because it was invalidated, I got taxed extra?).[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]The average monthly income for Japanese people is $3,000, and as a group operation, this sales amount is honestly crap.[/p][p]Or rather, TacticalNexus isn't a game we seriously expected to make money from. If you convert it to an hourly wage, it's probably around 90 yen.[/p][p]So the amount itself doesn't matter. The problem is that I was planning to use my share of this revenue to buy some premium ochazuke.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]----[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]As mentioned several times in Monthly Nexus, we are fundamentally very proactive about improving operational efficiency.[/p][p]However, “efficiency” itself encompasses various types.[/p][p][/p][p]For example, the “metaverse” is extremely powerful for collaborative work.[/p][p]However, what enhances each individual's personal work efficiency varies.[/p][p]Some staff treat casual chats with various people as their “lifework for efficiency,” while others are like old folks who just go for “walks.”[/p][p][/p][p]The ideal form of “optimization” differs for each individual.[/p][p]While I wish we could share a common form of efficiency improvement for all staff, the simple truth is that even if someone recommends a difficult task, you might think, “Huh, that's a bit much...”[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Now, what I personally recommend as “work efficiency improvement” is improving the environment surrounding meals.[/p][p]I've tried quite a few things: eating nuts, eating fish, eating meat, drinking large amounts of vegetable juice, dissolving glucose in water and drinking it. Honestly, I think it's more like a personal fad.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]And my recent personal fad is the eating habit of “eating something warm right after waking up.”[/p][p][/p][p]My living situation is quite unique, but generally, my brain doesn't function well until about 4 to 6 hours after waking up.[/p][p]I can move if I try to move, and I can work if I try to work, but my efficiency is generally about halved.[/p][p]I've always been weak in the mornings, but this has been the case for the past dozen years or so, and I've been wondering what to do about it.[/p][p](When I had a health checkup before, they said I was “quite healthy” and that my HbA1c (a kind of blood sugar indicator) was a bit low. For reference, I drink 2 liters of juice every day.)[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]----[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]There's a Japanese concept (though I believe it originated in China) called “medicine and food share the same origin.”[/p][p]It's the idea that “medicine and food are fundamentally the same when it comes to sustaining life and maintaining health, and a balanced diet can prevent and treat illness.”[/p][p][/p][p]Well, it's not like eating well will make you live for 500 million years or anything, but I like this way of thinking.[/p][p]It's not about effectiveness or anything like that; it's just that when I looked into it somewhat casually, I felt somewhat healthier.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Another concept I like is the “placebo effect.” A placebo is a fake medicine.[/p][p]This effect, where “even if it's not medicine, believing it is medicine makes it somewhat effective,” seems to mock all the intelligence in the world.[/p][p]Fundamentally, “desire” tends to work against us and is a concept we must constantly guard against. Yet desire is also the source of motivation and the basis of the placebo effect.[/p][p]Therefore, I like the idea of “acting as if I've somehow become smarter.”[/p][p]Of course, when interacting with others, that desire comes with responsibility.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Considering all this, a formula sprouts in my mind: “Eating something that feels good improves work efficiency.”[/p][p]If I'm investing funds to boost work efficiency, eating well―that's the notion I hold.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]On the other hand, “things that feel good” come in many varieties, and there's also the issue of cost-performance.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]For example, dining out at places costing tens of dollars per meal is a wonderful experience.[/p][p]But going out, arriving at a restaurant, waiting for your food, eating without much phone use, then heading home―there's no “productivity as work” in that.[/p][p]It's beautiful in terms of happiness. But it's far removed from sustainable development―SDGs.[/p][p][/p][p]Team-Nexus is an organization centered around political activities and embodies the SDGs, so for me, eating out is out of the question.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]----[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]![]()
[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Now, one thing I often eat is the “Light Meal Block.” The photo shows the one I was eating while writing this article.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]This contains a fairly substantial amount of the vitamins and minerals needed daily.[/p][p]The price is 110 yen. Roughly $0.70.[/p][p]It's quite cheap, but the nutrition itself is genuinely solid.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Vitamins are crucial for maintaining health and are components that the body either cannot synthesize or only produces in trace amounts.[/p][p]In short, they're pretty important stuff that “works wonders even in small amounts, but you won't get them unless you consume them.”[/p][p][/p][p]As for diseases caused by vitamin deficiency, probably the most famous ones are scurvy and beriberi.[/p][p][/p][p]Scurvy, for example, is a disease that sailors used to get when they couldn't get enough vitamin C. I learned about this recently (4 years ago) through Inscryption.[/p][p][/p][p]In the past, Japanese dietary habits reportedly lacked sufficient vitamin B1, leading to widespread beriberi. I learned about this recently (10 years ago) through the drama (manga) Jin.[/p][p]Lemons contain vitamin C, and pickled daikon radish (takuan) contains vitamin B1. Eating these kinds of foods helped address the issue.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]I'm not really a fan of games with hidden, undisclosed parameters.[/p][p]From my perspective, game designers in this world hundreds of years ago were more foolish than TacticalNexus designers, who at least focused on making games clearable by solo players. They took pleasure in tormenting people with incomprehensible systems. What a bunch of jerks.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]As for these vitamins, they are broadly categorized into two types: fat-soluble vitamins and water-soluble vitamins.[/p][p]Fat-soluble vitamins are problematic if you don't get enough, but getting too much is also dangerous.[/p][p]On the other hand, water-soluble vitamins are generally fine even if you get a bit too much, and excess amounts are excreted.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Therefore, foods like this and vitamin supplements sometimes contain ridiculously high amounts of water-soluble vitamins.[/p][p](While some theories suggest vitamin B6 can be dangerous in large, long-term doses, vitamin B1, for example, is often included in ridiculously high amounts.)[/p][p][/p][p]Well, realistically, vitamin deficiencies aren't very common unless you have an extremely unbalanced diet. But when you think, “Hmm, maybe I've been eating the same things too much,” that's when you might turn to these kinds of foods.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]----[/p][p][/p][p]At least in Japan, nutritional value and price don't really go hand in hand. This applies to supplements too.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]For example, you see supplements advertised everywhere as “containing 10 vitamins,” but if you check the ingredient list, quite a few only include a tiny amount―just a few percent of the daily recommended intake.[/p][p]Take DHA and EPA, which are said to have some effect on “brain health.” You generally want at least 500mg, ideally around 1000mg.[/p][p]Yet, it's quite common to find products containing only a few milligrams of these, sold as a month's supply for $40 or so. I consider this a fairly blatant scam.[/p][p](For reference, I personally use and trust products from DHC and Now Foods).[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Generally, when you hear claims like “this has great nutritional value” or “it's packed with this ingredient,” it's better to look up things like “how many milligrams of that ingredient are needed daily?” or even research the scientific papers on that specific ingredient.[/p][p]Even when we say “research paper,” there's a huge range―from papers written by people at dubious institutions to those from highly reputable ones. Statistics also involve the concept of “statistical significance.”[/p][p]The quality of data collection varies wildly too, from papers based on data from just a handful of people to those using data from over 2000 subjects.[/p][p]Over time, you develop an eye for “the level of the paper itself and the caliber of the person who wrote it.”[/p][p][/p][p]Fundamentally, opinions and ideas each have their own causal relationships. With experience, you can discern things like “how this person views things” or “where they have weaknesses in generalizing information” based on the flow of their writing.[/p][p]Sometimes, it's more important to have more points added than deducted than to write a perfect paper (eliminating all weaknesses or flaws).[/p][p]As you gain experience, you learn to apply judgments of perfection versus adding/deducting points appropriately depending on the situation, improving the accuracy of your information assessment.[/p][p][/p][p]Even with the placebo effect, there are significant differences in its level.[/p][p]Just because there's an ingredient “effective for 97% of people” doesn't mean you won't be in that 3%. Everything has individual variation.[/p][p]To give a crude example, “the reason airplanes fly hasn't actually been fully explained yet.”[/p][p]Even with specific words, technical terms, and supporting evidence presented, ultimately, whether something is truly correct often remains unclear.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Everyone wants to be right, but the quality of that “rightness” varies greatly from person to person.[/p][p]And there's no guarantee today or tomorrow will continue. For example, the probability of something like an optical camouflage gigameteorite―which even NASA hasn't figured out―hitting Earth and exploding is probably around 0.00000000000000000001% every single day.[/p][p]There might also be a 0.00000000000000000001% chance every day that Death Aliens blast Earth with a Destroy Beam and cause an explosion.[/p][p]The essence is full of unknowns. Within that, to feel a superior placebo effect, a more reliable placebo effect, it's crucial to research information and evidence, systematize the logic, and convince yourself with high precision that “this seems like it might work.”[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Now, let's return to the topic of nutritional value and price.[/p][p][/p][p]For example, among meats, chicken breast and pork loin are considered quite high in nutritional value.[/p][p]However, in Japan, these are ridiculously cheap. Specifically, at La Moo Mart, my favorite super-cheap supermarket, chicken breast sells for about 69 yen per 100 grams, and pork loin for about 89 yen per 100 grams.[/p][p]Furthermore, about five years ago, chicken breast was sold for 45 yen per 100 grams. That's $0.30 per 100 grams.[/p][p]Well, at least Japan is that kind of country―you can buy insanely nutritious stuff for insanely cheap.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]----[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]So yeah, relying on the placebo effect, I've managed to maintain a standard of living that allows me to work fairly long hours.[/p][p]However, the “not feeling very energetic when waking up” problem remains unsolved. I tried consuming caffeine, then stopped caffeine to see the difference in effect, and realized “I just don't wake up feeling that energetic, no matter what.”[/p][p](When you consume caffeine continuously, something called adenosine receptors increase, and the effect tends to weaken.[/p][p]On the other hand, these adenosine receptors return to normal if you stop caffeine for a while.[/p][p]During this period, you feel unwell, experiencing what are called “withdrawal symptoms.” Compared to drugs, though, it's a pretty mild level, and you do recover to some extent.[/p][p]In short, caffeine isn't that serious, but you could view it as a “legal stimulant” depending on your perspective. Well, the mechanism of action and such differs quite a bit between caffeine and stimulants, so this is a bit of a crude expression.)[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]So, what I'm finding really effective right now is the habit I mentioned earlier: “drinking something warm right after waking up.” This is hot and trending right now. Literally. [/p][p]About 60% of the time, just eating something warm does the trick. Or rather, even just drinking something like hot milk is pretty effective.[/p][p][/p][p]But what I really want to recommend here is Japan's pride: .[/p][p]It's like a Japanese-style risotto you make by pouring boiling water and weird powder over rice.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Instant magic―I mean, instant ramen―is powerful, ready in 3-5 minutes after adding hot water. But it ends with the problem of splattering broth.[/p][p]Eating it in front of your mouse or keyboard is simply messy. Plus, dealing with leftover broth is a hassle.[/p][p][/p][p]Also, instant ramen is a pain because it creates “waste that needs sorting.”[/p][p]Depending on the area, you have to separate paper waste, food waste, plastic waste, etc. My area is like that.[/p][p]Every time I eat cup noodles and have to put the plastic in the plastic waste bin, my heart gets caught on that feeling of “this is such a hassle,” and it wears me down.[/p][p]In my area, a 400kcal Cup Noodles costs 160-180 yen, while a 300kcal light and tasty Cup Noodles costs 90 yen. No matter how you look at it, buying two of the latter is cheaper. What were they thinking?[/p][p]By the way, I like the Chili Tomato flavor and the Curry flavor. Also, I really loved this pretty expensive one sold at Don Quijote or somewhere, which had dried onion and nori seasoning packets. Mixing things like menma, green onions, or chashu into that kind of thing is great.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]On the other hand, ochazuke doesn't splash water everywhere. If you don't have any side dishes, you only need one dish, so washing up is easy.[/p][p]An oasis springing forth in the desert of a wounded, worn-out heart. This is Japan's pride.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]As for ochazuke, the seasoning packets for it are basically 30 to 40 yen per serving.[/p][p][/p][p]Well, it's just plain delicious.[/p][p]If you remember the old Nagatanien ochazuke commercials, I think the deliciousness goes up about 70%.[/p][p]The finely chopped cucumber they used in that commercial goes well with it, so I recommend it.[/p][p]Tuna mayo with cucumber mixed in makes a pretty good side dish.[/p][p]I think it was truly amazing they did that back in the days before the term “ASMR” even existed.[/p][p][/p][p]I've long wanted someone to compile a 30-60 minute video of all the ochazuke commercials and sell it online. I'd happily pay around $100 for it.[/p][p]Sometimes I drink beer while watching the scene in D Anime Store where Kaiji gets beer from the section chief.[/p][p]In metaverse work, I think having “people in your field of view who look like they're working” is quite effective. Similarly, for Japanese restaurants, especially single-person seats, I think it would be good to offer a service where you can optionally play videos of people eating something in that kind of atmosphere.[/p][p]You can get decent monitors for around 3,000 to 5,000 by buying used ones from sellers on Yahoo! Flea Market. Electricity costs aren't that high either, so please place one monitor per table playing a meal video.[/p][p][/p][p]I think this would probably boost sales by about 20% and reduce food waste. Since this idea is free, restaurant owners reading this should immediately stop what they're doing and implement this as soon as possible.[/p][p]Thank you for your hard work. We appreciate your continued support.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]----[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Now, the planet Earth is home to many people. This world, which can be experienced with just one life, holds civilizations created by hundreds of millions of humans.[/p][p]The world is vast and constantly offers us various choices.[/p][p]Among these, what I discovered is “premium ochazuke.”[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]It is, quite literally, premium. Specifically, it costs around 800 yen per serving. That's about $5. It's equivalent to seven servings of a light meal block.[/p][p]However, what I want you all to remember is this: Japan is a country where a malicious glitch that multiplies money is left unchecked.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Actually, this Monthly Nexus is only being sent to residents of \[your country].[/p][p]I can see through your nationality and know you are from \[your country of residence].[/p][p][/p][p]Now, for Japanese residents in \[your country of residence], Japanese residents in \[your country], and \[your country] residents planning to live in Japan, there are services I want you to use for living and shopping in Japan.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]That is Amazon and Yahoo! Shopping.[/p][p]There are many other quite convenient services too―for example, I've been using kuradashi recently―but for now, I think these two are simply the strongest.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]In Japan, as part of introducing cashless services (mechanisms to simplify payment procedures), the PayPay payment system has been in use for some time now.[/p][p]Using this tends to save you about 5-10% most of the time.[/p][p][/p][p]Furthermore, Yahoo! Shopping has a glitch called “Baku-Gai WEEK” where “paying with PayPay points generally gives you about 20-25% off.”[/p][p]This is a malicious glitch, yet it's made it to this day without being nerfed much.[/p][p]And it's legal. Just by checking “roughly when Baku-Gai Week starts,” you can cut your purchase costs by about 20-25%.[/p][p]You can see which days offer how much discount by checking the Bonus Calendar page. I bookmark it.[/p][p]https://shopping.yahoo.co.jp/promotion/campaign/dailybonus/calendar/[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Furthermore, Yahoo! Shopping has a page called Bonus Selection where you can frequently find items effectively discounted by tens of percent. I check it daily. [/p][p]
https://shopping.yahoo.co.jp/promotion/campaign/bonusselection/?sc_i=shopping-pc-web-top--bonussel-more[/p][p][/p][p]However, to be honest, the items discounted in Bonus Selection are mainly those that didn't sell well.[/p][p](Food items, for example, don't usually have very high discount rates.)[/p][p]When buying discounted items from Bonus Selection, it's best to thoroughly check reviews beforehand.[/p][p]Items with many reviews and ★4.5 or higher tend to be pretty good, but those with only a few reviews are often suspicious.[/p][p][/p][p]Amazon generally offers free shipping. For items costing just a few dollars, buying them this way is fine.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]----[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Once you grasp these points, your money effectively starts multiplying by 20%. This is truly a terrifying glitch.[/p][p]Because money is a very important thing.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]I graduated high school and am probably fundamentally part of the athletic club crowd. In Japan, besides the dark war between liberal arts and science majors, the academic background war between high school and university graduates is often a topic of discussion.[/p][p]There's probably no one in Japan who hasn't seen a body on the street killed by a school cutter sharpened on a student ID.[/p][p]It's well-known that the work gloves and gloves littering Japanese roads are remnants of “academic duels.” Finding one means a duelist is nearby.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Now, in this Japanese academic background war, there's a common claim that “on average, there's a 20% difference in lifetime earnings between high school graduates and university graduates.”[/p][p]Furthermore, learning is seen as expanding possibilities, and even if one has no particular aspirations, achieving good grades in university is generally considered important.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]In this brutal academic background war, I hereby declare the emergence of a third force.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Japan possesses another form of academic background that is equally valid.[/p][p]That is the academic credential from my esteemed, authoritative, and scandal-ridden PayPay Online Ordering University Points-Earning Course.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]There is no entrance exam preparation at PayPay Online Ordering University Points-Earning Course.[/p][p]There are no interviews at PayPay Online Ordering University Points-Earning Course.[/p][p]There are no credits at PayPay Online Ordering University Points-Earning Course.[/p][p]All that exists is PayPay points.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]A university typically takes four years to graduate.[/p][p]However, graduating from PayPay Points-Earning University doesn't require four years. If you do it part-time for about 1 to 3 years, you'll generally get the hang of it.[/p][p][/p][p]In other words, it offers the best cost performance while letting you save roughly 15-25% on everyday purchases. Plus, you can occasionally save 40-70%.[/p][p]While university education includes skills and networking, if we disregard those aspects, knowledge of Yahoo! Shopping and Amazon is essentially equivalent to a university diploma.[/p][p][/p][p]In Japan, students study for 9 years in elementary and junior high school, 3 years in high school, and 4 to 6 years in university. However, our PayPay Online Ordering University Points-Earning Course doesn't require such a massive time investment.[/p][p]Yet, it possesses this level of power. This is the PayPay Online Ordering University Points-Earning Course.[/p][p]Today, I've come to end your academic credentials race. With the PayPay Online Ordering University Points-Earning Course's decisive victory.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]“Research desired items at local home centers or electronics stores while using wholesale supermarkets, Yahoo Shopping, and Amazon.” Nothing is more important than this in Japan. If anything, it's only surpassed by health, safety, peace, and relationships.[/p][p]In Japan, statistics published annually show that knowing or not knowing about the glitch called Yahoo! Shopping can change your average lifespan by 220 years.[/p][p]To survive tomorrow in Japan, you need to know this. If you don't, your neck will explode and you'll die.[/p][p]It might be hard to believe for those with an average lifespan of -140 years, but this is reality.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]----[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Starting January 30th, the Big Buying Week begins. This is usually one of the days within Yahoo Shopping events where you get the strongest point rewards.[/p][p]You should definitely be ready for Black Friday and Big Buying Week.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]And originally, I planned to have this month's sales deposited at the end of the month and distribute it to the staff at some convenient time.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Yes.[/p][p]I was planning to buy premium ochazuke during this Baku-gai WEEK at a 24% discount.[/p][p]That was my intention.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]But this is the reality.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]We are the same human beings. Yet, simply because we are from different countries, the payment failed and was tragically rolled over to next month.[/p][p][/p][p]In February, I lost my right to eat ochazuke. This shortened my lifespan by 220 years. My neck exploded.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Happiness is subjective. Subjective evaluations change drastically depending on the accompanying experience.[/p][p][/p][p]People relativize value, defining “how much something is worth,” thereby establishing economies and exchanging goods between individuals.[/p][p]Society functions this way, yet even these relativized, defined values inherently contain constantly overlooked intrinsic worth.[/p][p]Whether it's the same product or the same action, the value of things is always fluctuating.[/p][p]“Earning money” and “paying money” are, in essence, interventions into the existing value standards.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Now, imagine placing two items side by side: “Premium ochazuke purchased with sweat, a sense of accomplishment, and a real 24% discount” versus “Premium ochazuke purchased at full price with a look of agony.”[/p][p]Which offers the “tastier experience”? Needless to say, it's all about the flavor.[/p][p][/p][p]I missed out on buying that premium ochazuke with a real 24% discount. I lost a breakfast brimming with the taste of victory.[/p][p]The premium ochazuke I will likely order in the future, without that 24% discount, is essentially just salt.[/p][p]It is nothing more than the leftovers thrown to a loser along the way, and the portrait of a man gobbling it down with a look of agony can only be described as a picture of hell.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Thus, man becomes dog.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Woof. Woof, woof. Woof.[/p][p](The words of a dog frozen in defeat may no longer reach humans.[/p][p]Even if I say I was once human, who could possibly hear this howl of a defeated dog?)[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Woof, woof, woof. Woof.[/p][p](But even so, what I want to convey is this: you absolutely must not miss out on Amazon's free shipping deals and Yahoo! Shopping's Big Spending Week.)[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]WAON![/p][p](Most point cards aren't worth much. They only give you 1% or 2% at best.[/p][p]But PayPay points are incredibly powerful. Once you get through the initial hassle of setting it up, you can buy quite a lot without worrying about all the little details afterward.[/p][p]If you're staying for several months or longer, I seriously recommend looking into it.)[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Woof, woof, woof-woof. Woof-woof-woof.[/p][p](Just be careful, though: PayPay points earned on Yahoo! Shopping sometimes follow a “credited one month later” and “expire one month after crediting” pattern.[/p][p]It's wise to memorize prices at supermarkets beforehand and regularly consider which everyday items are best purchased through Yahoo! Shopping.[/p][p]Mastering this allows you to reuse your earned PayPay Points even more profitably.)[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Woof.[/p][p](Generally, earning money is often seen as more respectable, and indeed, that's not entirely wrong. Money provides means, and in countries with progressive taxation, the more you earn, the more you pay in taxes, which inevitably enriches the nation―that's one way of looking at it. [/p][p]However, “saving money” also requires “know-how.” You can typically cut unnecessary costs by 30-40%, and when it comes to computer-related items, if you learn the know-how to buy durable used items, you can save over 70%.[/p][p][/p][p]Daily necessities shopping, as the name implies, involves items purchased routinely.[/p][p]The impact of being able to buy such items at a significant discount grows stronger year by year.[/p][p][/p][p]Admittedly, learning how to save money takes time initially, but the savings relative to the time invested can be substantial. Online shopping systems are generally like this.[/p][p]Things often don't go smoothly at first, but after a few years of persistence, your expenses decrease dramatically. For those starting to live alone, researching payment systems and point systems is crucial.[/p][p][/p][p]There was a time when I spent about 10,000 yen daily on food. Had I known the power of PayPay points back then, even luxury items could have been had for around 4,000 yen.[/p][p]Luxury goods often include leftover stock, frequently appearing online at several-tenths off. Even leftover items originally priced at 10,000 yen are often quite tasty.[/p][p][/p][p]And the sheer brilliance of ochazuke―just tossing boiling water and ochazuke seasoning over rice you've boiled or microwaved―is beyond words.[/p][p]Especially since the premium ochazuke I was eyeing can be stored at room temperature, eliminating the need to hog freezer space.[/p][p]Personally, I want to consume more DHA/EPA and quite enjoy fish dishes, and premium ochazuke often contains fish ingredients.[/p][p][/p][p]Since DHA/EPA retention varies by cooking method, considering preparation, it's not necessarily the absolute best. I think canned mackerel in water and perilla seed oil/flaxseed oil are the strongest options.[/p][p]However, the larger ingredients in premium ochazuke are fantastic in that they let you get some nutrients, or at least “feel like you're getting them.” That's the placebo effect.[/p][p]Easy to store, easy to eat -- this premium ochazuke, and the fact you can buy it on Yahoo! Shopping. Knowing this will help you survive today's Japan.[/p][p]Also, if PayPay points aren't usable, just use Amazon's Time Sale or something. You can probably buy ochazuke through that from other countries too.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]----[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]◆Woof[/p][p][/p][p]Unfortunately, while writing for this month's Nexus, I turned into a dog. Writing proper sentences is now beyond me.[/p][p]Also, this month is still incredibly busy, and writing too much would just delay my work, so I'll end this article here.[/p][p](The ochazuke part was written in about two and a half hours because my personality was consumed by hatred.)[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Originally, I planned to write about “how I feel about the delay,” but since this has also turned into a delay―or rather, it's already around 2500 lines and starting to feel unwieldy―I think I'll postpone writing about that in detail for about 220 years.[/p][p]Please endure somehow while eating ochazuke.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p](To summarize roughly, the article was about this:[/p][p]・Long before developing TacticalNexus, I personally researched “how war veterans come to terms with their own mortality”[/p][p]・Considering mortality statistics in Japan and the mortality risks associated with indulgences like alcohol and tobacco, “what level of risk do people inherently accept death as a vague possibility?” “What level of workload is reasonable when turning a passion into a job (i.e., abandoning part of what one should be doing in life)?” [/p][p]・In my twenties, I experimented with things like recording physical/mental stress levels to find the absolute limit where I could still work after vomiting or maintain judgment, or manipulating my sympathetic nervous system to temporarily reach a state where “just hearing footsteps would wake me up.”[/p][p]・However, “dying” remained equally terrifying regardless of state (though “when impulsive” might be an exception; fundamentally, impulsivity or “one-shot reversal” thinking rarely succeeds in long-term work, and I avoid holding such notions altogether, so I couldn't really test it)[/p][p]・While war and terror experiences are tragic, the technical knowledge of "sympathetic nervous system (mental state) manipulation“ and ”countermeasures against fear.“ Therefore, with 40% goodwill and 60% learning intent, I aimed to spend several years directly interacting with and learning from elderly people.[/p][p]・I lived with and cared for a family member for about six years, and I've observed elderly communities. I came to realize that even in old age, people don't necessarily come to terms with their situation; rather, their essence is ”continuing to look away from death as a form of deception."[/p][p]・I learned that people with dementia also suffer greatly and are terrified right before death, making it difficult to say dementia leads to “distracting consciousness from fear” (from experience, the intensity differs between “a vague fear of death” and “the fear of imminent, non-impulsive death”; the latter, if experienced repeatedly, remains in one's memory for life).[/p][p]・I sensed that funerals are primarily for the living, and the very moment of death―which the deceased likely feared most―is rarely truly empathized with (forcing such empathy is problematic in its own way).[/p][p]・During this period, I received criticism from various quarters along the lines of “People don't live that seriously” and “That's a pre-war, not even post-war, notion.”[/p][p]・I decided to adopt the broader interpretation that “Most people, regardless of experience or intensity, cannot control themselves.”[/p][p]・I couldn't truly understand/gain a real sense of these obvious truths until I actually tried them myself, so I'm probably fundamentally inclined that way too.[/p][p]・The fact it took me six years to truly grasp this means there probably aren't that many things I'll fully understand with conviction before I die.[/p][p]・Since things are ambiguous even on a life-scale, I've decided that in smaller-scale projects or development, granularity below 2% is essentially self-indulgence. I'll handle it fairly aggressively if there's some basis or logic.[/p][p]・Supporting heavy users is “self-indulgence I want to do,” so I'm committed to addressing it to some extent regardless of the proportion.[/p][p]・ Considering human mortality rates, “development delays” are actually quite detrimental. Statistically, people will inevitably die before completion.[/p][p]・If game development spans 10 years, based on mortality trends, at least 3% of players will pass away during that period.[/p][p]・Based on such statistics, I generally ignore “events affecting roughly 2% or less” entirely, except for heavy users (as they shouldn't be prioritized over players who will die anyway).[/p][p]・↑This seems theoretical but is actually quite forceful and decided subjectively (it's justified by the principle that “if it's under 2% and we can explain the reason if it fails, we can forcefully act,” prioritizing subjective logic over objective fairness).[/p][p]・When there's sufficient backing or the resolve to accept failure, we decided to prioritize the regret of acting over the regret of not acting.[/p][p]・Based on the above principle, I acted quite forcefully on anything I felt was highly urgent, unless it crossed the line of being immediately criminal. (Similarly, even if I disliked something, I judged that if it didn't cross the line of being immediately criminal, it was unavoidable / that if I couldn't identify that line, I was partly at fault).[/p][p]・On the other hand, few things can be resolved by rushing. Rather than striving to “work tirelessly/hurry,” I found it more effective to simply continue posting information like “this is what I have.” Living with this mindset provides just the right amount of pressure and allows for appropriate relaxation.[/p][p][/p][p]・↑Trying to write these sentences “without sounding sarcastic” and “without coming across as overly righteous” resulted in a continuous cycle of making the flavor too strong and then diluting it with water, ending up with an insurmountable amount of ochazuke.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]----[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Lately, I haven't had much time to play games, so instead, I work while watching gameplay videos.[/p][p]I quite enjoy playing videos and chatting in the metaverse.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]This was a vague chat with a game designer, but we discovered that Ratchet & Clank's system―“powerful weapons cost more ammo and tend to run you into the red”―shares significant parallels with concepts like “loss-hunting” and “profit-hunting” from 2000s online games.[/p][p][/p][p]It was a common playstyle in old online games: defeating enemies often required spending resources on healing items or attack items.[/p][p]For example, when an item like “deals 1.5x damage but causes a significant deficit” was available, players faced a choice: use it for a quick fight or prioritize staying in the black for a longer battle.[/p][p]Of course, such concepts existed in many games back then, but we discussed how it was rare for an action RPG of that era to present the concept of profit and deficit so clearly and straightforwardly, in a good way, as if it were “simplified.”[/p][p][/p][p]However, this has absolutely nothing to do with TacticalNexus. Game system-wise, the concepts of “loss-seeking” and “profit-seeking” probably wouldn't translate well to TacticalNexus.[/p][p]Therefore, this is turning into nothing more than a translation of “I recently watched some old game videos and had fun” and “We're just pathetic middle-aged men trapped in nostalgia.” I'll stop here for now.[/p][p]For those of you with a PlayStation 2, I highly recommend playing the Ratchet & Clank series. Get ready to rage-quit occasionally when you hit those absurdly difficult shooting segments.[/p][p]Personally, I have fond memories of the second game, though I suspect the third is more popular. What ever happened to Angela?[/p][p]That said, even the first game, which lacked a level system, had such a polished design. I can't help but think it was actually a bit of an oddity.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]----[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Well then, I'm off to eat my dog food and go for a walk. Thanks for your hard work today.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p]