Solo Leveling: Arise Are we there yet?

 I was just watching the latest livestream, 9.0, was it?

 New stuff, blah blah, new characters, blah blah, and the maximum character level is going up to 105.  I get close and then, it changes.  My Guild leader is at level 100.

 The list of updates is here.

CM Prizm mentioned that he uses "Radiant Goon", which is what I've been using for months, but I've never seen anyone else using it in the Top 100 listed.

 

 

We still have a month and a half until one year.  That seems crazy to be playing something that long, but I've still got Honkai: Star Rail going, even though I don't play often.

I suppose it's just business and they need to keep finding ways for us to spend money.  I've spent a little, where I didn't spend any on Honkai: Star Rail and still got my characters to maximum levels.

 

There are still loads of upgrades with artifacts and weapons and skills.  I'm still trying to increase Hunter skills, so that they're all at level 7 or more.  I've leveled up Hunter weapons, even for SR-ranked Hunters.

System has managed to allow me to Advance some of the early characters and their weapons recently, which has made the game more playable.  I'm still working on the story in Hard and Reverse mode, and apparently, they've added to the story again.

 Hopefully, it will all be interesting. 

 

Update 2025.03.15: Did you try upgrading the skills on your shadows yet?

 

Update 2025.03.16: Did you make it to the next Job Change?  It took me three tries.  I noticed later that the usual 30 points didn't appear.

Update 2025.03.19: Character level is 99 and Reputation level is also up. There have been so many strange bugs.  One of my QTE skills can't decide which to use and it seems to choose the one I want in certain circumstances and everything else when I need the stronger one.

 

Update 2025.03.31: Made it to character level 100. When the game was new, character level 80 was the maximum.  Now, it's 105.

Still working on Hidden Chapter 6 and a lot of Side Chapters.  Got to get those trophies.

Our little Guild has a new member but only two of us are really able to play consistently.  Rank C1 is just beyond us.

Got Goto Ryuji and his exclusive weapon, and it's on the way to level 100.  Almost all of the in-use weapons are at level 100.

I was looking at Game8's list of SS Tier characters and I have five of the seven.  I'm a bit surprised by the way some of the characters play and the Tier where Game8 has them. 

 

Update 2025.04.07: New LiveStream with higher levels of artifacts--level 100. New character was introduced and someone called it underwhelming.  Who knows?  New Codes are here.

I chose the Phone 15 over iPhone 16e

Friday evening, I bought an iPhone 15.  I considered the 16e but I felt that it was an experiment I didn't want to try.

The 60 Hz OLED display and the Apple modem seem okay, but for someone else to try.

 Obviously, the iPhone 15 has been out for about 1.5 years and that's good.  There won't be any surprises. Whichever device I bought, the inane gestures are part of the package.  I've become so accustomed to using the Home button (since the iPhone 4S) that I will have some trouble switching.

 Given that the iPhone 15 was only about US$1.50 more per month for 24 months than the iPhone 16e, it wasn't a difficult choice.  It still has a newer SoC than the 2022 iPhone SE/iPhone 13 but it's only one generation newer.  They only had black and pink phones and I chose a black 256 GB model.  Immediately, they wanted US$99.99 upfront, plus $36 activation fee plus tax.

 AppleCare+ will be quite a bit more expensive.  I'm expecting it to be around $10 higher but it would also be higher for the 16e.

I ordered a Spigen Liquid Air case that I'd been watching for a few months.  It's supposedly 50% off at US$14.99.  I've used one on another phone and it was agreeable without being too heavy or bulky.  It's not as strong as the Ballistic cases I used to buy, but I'm not sure they're in business any longer.  I could throw the phone in those.  I ordered through Amazon, but there aren't many ways to do this now, and without a car, I just can't go to multiple stores looking for a case.

I'm not sure about the phone-to-phone transfer but restoring the phone from my Mac at USB 2.0 speeds takes too long.  I tried to do that for someone who got an iPhone 15 when iOS 17 was new and not stable and it did not work.  I'll make a backup and try the WiFi transfer.  I'm not completely sold on iOS 18, but I suspect I won't be able to replace it with iOS 17.  I'm not ready to update my Mac to Sequoia, but that may happen, as well. 

Wish me luck!

Update 2025.03.10: The phone arrived.  I asked the UPS driver to wait because T-Mobile customers have been receiving empty boxes from UPS.  After the problem I had recently with the local UPS location losing something else, I was concerned.

The Quick Start phone-to-phone transfer did not work.  It managed to transfer my SIM contents to the eSIM but that's about it.

 I backed up my phone Sunday evening and restored to the new phone on Monday afternoon.  It was better than usual.  I remember starting the restore and going to bed.

 The phone is a bit bigger and definitely needs a case because the camera module sticks out.  I wouldn't want to drop it on a table and damage it.  The Liquid Air case has such an unusual feeling.  It's grippy but smooth.  The price was right, also.  It took some time to get everything to where I can use it and shop.  I can't seem to get away from using Face ID, but I'll be damned if I want it.

The phone is faster but I don't see that it's really fast.  There is only a one generation difference between the SoC in the 2022 iPhone SE (A15) and the iPhone 15 (A16). 

Update 2025.03.18: It's been a week.  The iPhone 15 works well enough.  It's not as huge as I thought it would be because of the smaller display of the iPhone SE.  I don't like the pill-shaped opening, but it ill be okay.

 I tried the Kishi V2 controller.  It didn't work with the Nexus app, which is very different from Android.  Then, I looked at the Razer website and they mention the iPhone 15.  I suspect that they mean any USB type-C iPhone, but they only mentioned one as not working.  Maybe, in a few years, they'll have the app working with this port and not the Lightning port.  Oh, second try.  The Kishi V2 works.  The Kishi V2 Pro that comes with the Razer Edge does not.  That's the one with Force Feedback.

I haven't played as much but I haven't seen any scrolling problems, so the OLED display must be quick enough.

Update 2025.04.06: I'm thinking that I chose at the correct time.  The tariffs from the White House will have ruined the market for electronics and more.  I noticed that a photographic lens has already risen in price on Amazon.  Prices of Apple's phones may be as high as US$1000 more.