One (hopefully) final Overture story post
Jan. 14th, 2008 06:13 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rallamajoopI’m having this rather horrifying revelation about Overture.
It’s taken a couple of days of being irritated at the game for having the nerve to exist at all and gradually hunting through the web for answers to all the really difficult questions about just what we were supposed to think was going on. However, if you can somehow put aside the fact this game is simply incapable of fitting into the canon we know, has graffitied over my favourite pairing and hardly even let my favourite characters interact on screen, then I’m stuck with this nasty little conclusion about the story.
I enjoyed it.
See, almost all the problems with Overture come from the fact it’s set in a poorly defined AU. AUs don’t have to be such a mess – they did a great job with the one from the Side Red/Side Black drama CDs. The big difference is that by the end of the CDs, we knew exactly when, how and even why the timelines had diverged. On the other hand, the best we can say about Overture is, “it sort of seems like it was probably supposed to diverge around GGX somewhere or something?” Except how that still doesn’t make any sense. Maybe there’s a way of fitting it into the continuity after GG1 with a lot of effort, but they haven’t told us how, and it’s a bit unfair to expect fandom to fill in a gap that big.
Making things worse, it’s a whole different style of story, so it doesn’t even feel much like it’s part of any world we know. The only way I can get it to work at all is to assume it’s set in a world that’s completely AU, and the only things it shares with the main timeline is some of the world history and a couple of characters (and lets just say it also helps an awful lot if I patch in one of my new set of crack Sol/Ky theories to make my inner yaoi fangirl stop whinging). But if you can get it far enough that you’re looking at it basically as a story in its own right, with only minimal connection to do with the main GG canon… then I’m stuck on this problem that I did actually enjoy the story.
There are three fantastic new characters, and a new villain who I wasn’t so impressed with, but who had some interesting stuff in her own backstory. The story was full of unexpected twists, but a lot of good stories are, and once you’ve got your head around what was going on, most of the pacing and development worked pretty well. There was some very interesting development to the world – a colony of sentient Gears, a lot of new information about the theory of magic, some tantalising hints about Justice’s backstory. Sol never entirely feels like the Sol we know thanks to that voice, but damn if it wasn’t fascinating seeing him actually doing the Frederick thing for once and talking science for so much of the game. Complicated as it was (so help me) I even liked all the magical technobabble they kept throwing around. And at the end, they did leave me at least generally curious about what would have happened next.
If they ever actually got to make a GG3, anyway, which doesn’t look likely with the sales figures I’ve seen for GG2 . According to VG Charts, Overture only sold 5000 copies in its first week, and has gradually crawled its way up to around 8000 since. I’m no expert, but for a game which sells for around $70 and built for a 7th gen console, I can’t imagine that’s even going to be close to covering their development costs, let alone turning a profit. For comparison, Accent Core (which wouldn’t have had a fraction of the cost to make) sold 33,000 copies in its first week in Japan, and was up to 45,000 by the time sales had dropped off; Slash sold over 75,000 total and XX nearly 160,000. Clearly ‘more new content and story’ = ‘more sales’, but ‘leaping completely out into uncharted territory’ = bad idea. There were supposed to be plans for an English version, but I wouldn’t be surprised if even that’s fallen through with the game doing so badly. A bunch of story mode videos on youtube might well be all we ever see of GG2 over here.
So, I’m not going to try to say everyone needs to give it another chance, because the fact remains that it is one hellish mess of continuity problems, and people can’t be expected to just ignore all that – it’s a pretty major flaw (and even then, it’s not going to be everyone’s kind of story). But at least it’s restored a little of my faith that when AC+ comes out, we’re not going to discover they’ve completely forgotten how to write out a coherent storyline and have turned even our main canon into canon soup.
While I’m here, you know what? I can come up with a plausible AU timeline which makes the discrepancies from Overture make sense. It just doesn’t work the way they seem to want us to think.
The idea is that the timelines diverge before the war ends. Sol never steals the Fuuenken and never leaves the Order. Somewhere between that and the end of the war, Ky finds out about his Gear nature and past, and however the detail might work, that leads to them settling their differences. Sol’s still looking for That Man after the war though, so they go their separate ways, just on much better terms than they would have otherwise.
Illyuria could be a kingdom founded after the war ended. Ky would be an obvious candidate for king – he’s the heroic commander who saved the world and he’s a natural leader. Since he’s one of very few who knows enough about Sol’s past to realise Gears aren’t always evil, it’d make perfect sense that he’d get involved when he heard maybe-Dizzy had shown up and offer to keep her existence secret by hiding her in Illyuria. (There’s not so much I can do with the part with Ky falling for her except shrug, shake my head and make sure the AU stamp on this world is so big it’s visible from space. But aside from that, it could all fit.)
Trouble is, that’s not what they want us to think happened. In attempt to give GG2 some legitimacy, they’ve told us it’s a direct sequel to GG1 and doesn’t become AU until around GGX. All that despite the fact there’s nothing I’ve seen story-wise to connect GG2 to anything that actually happens in GG1, and a whole lot that contradicts. I have a feeling they went and forgot that GG1 had a story at all.
It’s a shame though. Gameplay problems aside (which I’m not in a position to comment on since I haven't actually played it), there’s really not that much they would’ve had to change about Overture to fix most of what turned me and so much of fandom against it.
It’s taken a couple of days of being irritated at the game for having the nerve to exist at all and gradually hunting through the web for answers to all the really difficult questions about just what we were supposed to think was going on. However, if you can somehow put aside the fact this game is simply incapable of fitting into the canon we know, has graffitied over my favourite pairing and hardly even let my favourite characters interact on screen, then I’m stuck with this nasty little conclusion about the story.
I enjoyed it.
See, almost all the problems with Overture come from the fact it’s set in a poorly defined AU. AUs don’t have to be such a mess – they did a great job with the one from the Side Red/Side Black drama CDs. The big difference is that by the end of the CDs, we knew exactly when, how and even why the timelines had diverged. On the other hand, the best we can say about Overture is, “it sort of seems like it was probably supposed to diverge around GGX somewhere or something?” Except how that still doesn’t make any sense. Maybe there’s a way of fitting it into the continuity after GG1 with a lot of effort, but they haven’t told us how, and it’s a bit unfair to expect fandom to fill in a gap that big.
Making things worse, it’s a whole different style of story, so it doesn’t even feel much like it’s part of any world we know. The only way I can get it to work at all is to assume it’s set in a world that’s completely AU, and the only things it shares with the main timeline is some of the world history and a couple of characters (and lets just say it also helps an awful lot if I patch in one of my new set of crack Sol/Ky theories to make my inner yaoi fangirl stop whinging). But if you can get it far enough that you’re looking at it basically as a story in its own right, with only minimal connection to do with the main GG canon… then I’m stuck on this problem that I did actually enjoy the story.
There are three fantastic new characters, and a new villain who I wasn’t so impressed with, but who had some interesting stuff in her own backstory. The story was full of unexpected twists, but a lot of good stories are, and once you’ve got your head around what was going on, most of the pacing and development worked pretty well. There was some very interesting development to the world – a colony of sentient Gears, a lot of new information about the theory of magic, some tantalising hints about Justice’s backstory. Sol never entirely feels like the Sol we know thanks to that voice, but damn if it wasn’t fascinating seeing him actually doing the Frederick thing for once and talking science for so much of the game. Complicated as it was (so help me) I even liked all the magical technobabble they kept throwing around. And at the end, they did leave me at least generally curious about what would have happened next.
If they ever actually got to make a GG3, anyway, which doesn’t look likely with the sales figures I’ve seen for GG2 . According to VG Charts, Overture only sold 5000 copies in its first week, and has gradually crawled its way up to around 8000 since. I’m no expert, but for a game which sells for around $70 and built for a 7th gen console, I can’t imagine that’s even going to be close to covering their development costs, let alone turning a profit. For comparison, Accent Core (which wouldn’t have had a fraction of the cost to make) sold 33,000 copies in its first week in Japan, and was up to 45,000 by the time sales had dropped off; Slash sold over 75,000 total and XX nearly 160,000. Clearly ‘more new content and story’ = ‘more sales’, but ‘leaping completely out into uncharted territory’ = bad idea. There were supposed to be plans for an English version, but I wouldn’t be surprised if even that’s fallen through with the game doing so badly. A bunch of story mode videos on youtube might well be all we ever see of GG2 over here.
So, I’m not going to try to say everyone needs to give it another chance, because the fact remains that it is one hellish mess of continuity problems, and people can’t be expected to just ignore all that – it’s a pretty major flaw (and even then, it’s not going to be everyone’s kind of story). But at least it’s restored a little of my faith that when AC+ comes out, we’re not going to discover they’ve completely forgotten how to write out a coherent storyline and have turned even our main canon into canon soup.
While I’m here, you know what? I can come up with a plausible AU timeline which makes the discrepancies from Overture make sense. It just doesn’t work the way they seem to want us to think.
The idea is that the timelines diverge before the war ends. Sol never steals the Fuuenken and never leaves the Order. Somewhere between that and the end of the war, Ky finds out about his Gear nature and past, and however the detail might work, that leads to them settling their differences. Sol’s still looking for That Man after the war though, so they go their separate ways, just on much better terms than they would have otherwise.
Illyuria could be a kingdom founded after the war ended. Ky would be an obvious candidate for king – he’s the heroic commander who saved the world and he’s a natural leader. Since he’s one of very few who knows enough about Sol’s past to realise Gears aren’t always evil, it’d make perfect sense that he’d get involved when he heard maybe-Dizzy had shown up and offer to keep her existence secret by hiding her in Illyuria. (There’s not so much I can do with the part with Ky falling for her except shrug, shake my head and make sure the AU stamp on this world is so big it’s visible from space. But aside from that, it could all fit.)
Trouble is, that’s not what they want us to think happened. In attempt to give GG2 some legitimacy, they’ve told us it’s a direct sequel to GG1 and doesn’t become AU until around GGX. All that despite the fact there’s nothing I’ve seen story-wise to connect GG2 to anything that actually happens in GG1, and a whole lot that contradicts. I have a feeling they went and forgot that GG1 had a story at all.
It’s a shame though. Gameplay problems aside (which I’m not in a position to comment on since I haven't actually played it), there’s really not that much they would’ve had to change about Overture to fix most of what turned me and so much of fandom against it.
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Date: 2008-01-29 10:49 am (UTC)Well, it's not like there's ever been any real doubt about Kaoru. May have been the first character that ever twigged me to the fact the yaoi fans actually had a point. *g*
And I don't think anything short of something vaguely Ky-shaped is likely to get any sort of greater reaction out of Sol; I love that attitude about him, that he just doesn't care what anyone thinks of him or his dick size. I'm not sure if he even cares what Ky thinks of him, but if he does, then certainly not in any traditional sense.
Heh, I think you have a good point there. Probably the only way I can think of that he'd care what Ky thought about him is the part where it irritates him that Ky actually trusts him so much, because that goes and inspires him to do crazy things like feel responsible for living up to that trust. And maybe carry out dying wishes and take command of major military installations and such.
I admit I was originally interested in them because I thought they looked pretty, and then I caught onto the rivalry thing and thought that was hot, but now...
Hey, I think "canon rival slash" was pretty much how the series was sold to me in the first place.
I really can't think of anyone else quite like those two, so you're not the only one. I don't know, maybe I'm into all the wrong ships, but just the way it's done in GG--the whole relationship could be a terrible cliché, but it has got all those twists and possibilities that make it more, and make it awesome.
Well, I don't necessarily mean like both of them together, but even individually it's hard to think of any other character quite like either of them. I mean, Ky alone inspires this massive amount of fangirling (out of me and half the rest of fandom), and I'm so used to the feeling that all the good ideas have been done already that it's weird to think I'm having so much trouble thinking of any of character who's handled quite like he is.
dammit, Ky was SMILING, he was beaten up and SMILING and Sol looked like he wasn't minding being there, and wah
andthentheyhadsex,right?Ky is really not very good at hating Sol, however hard he may try, poor guy. *g* Shame about the artist they chose to do those ending pics, but at least they pulled that one off well enough.Haha, right. Those. It's too bad nobody has translated the Night of Knives volumes yet. So listening to them is pretty much useless for me. XD;;;;
We're... hoping to get to those if we ever get the manga finished, but it's going to be a hell of a job. But for what it's worth, there's no Sol in any of them and only about one line of Ky, though I did like what I could make out of the stories of the other characters who got to appear. ^_^
no subject
Date: 2008-01-29 09:58 pm (UTC)LOL yeah. And other times, they just go crazy. Like, I don't know if you're following the publicity around Final Fantasy versus XIII, but ever since they released those pictures of some of the male characters giving each other noogies and scuffling around playfully, yaoi comms have been springing up like mushrooms. Even though we don't know anything about them yet.
Probably the only way I can think of that he'd care what Ky thought about him is the part where it irritates him that Ky actually trusts him so much,
Yeah, that's the only thing I could think of off the top of my head, too. He wouldn't give a rat's ass what kinds of bad things Ky thinks about him, short of getting some amusement out of it, maybe, but the fact that Ky actually doesn't consider him a bad guy (heh, pun not intended) where it counts probably doesn't sit well with him.
And maybe carry out dying wishes and take command of major military installations and such.
WAH. Wahwahwah. That killed me. Reminded me why I hate death stories. Sol just sounded so... ahh. It broke my heart. Why yes, I sniffled. I'm pathetic like that.
Hey, I think "canon rival slash" was pretty much how the series was sold to me in the first place.
Well, the much-hyped rival slash was the only thing that even made me touch FFVIII with a barge pole, but they lost me almost immediately. I admit I spoilered myself to hell and back for Guilty Gear before I thought of trying out the game itself.
Well, I don't necessarily mean like both of them together, but even individually it's hard to think of any other character quite like either of them.
Well, I meant both, sorry for misphrasing it. Either together or apart. They're just... well. Not easily compared to anyone else, even though your Vincent post made me laugh so hard. XD I think what makes both of them so charming is composed of several factors, though I admittedly can only speak for myself: They're both characters who are used to dealing with everything on their own--Sol through choice, Ky a little more through circumstance since he's the revered commander and everyone's looking to him to light the way, but they're both used to getting by on their own and don't really have much to fall back on, especially in terms of friends. That leaves out 90% of RPG comparisons by default, since the motto there is friendship and teamwork.
Another thing is, of course, that you won't find anyone anytime soon who has quirks like theirs--I mean, here you have this great hulking warrior who's fangirling Queen in his freetime, and the other has taken to polishing delicate sets of fine china. And then there's a hundred little idiosyncrasies that I personally have never really seen smooshed into one, like Ky's insistence to be polite even to the rudest people (seriously, his story mode in XX makes me laugh so hard). I personally consider Ky's character the harder one to pull off, because it takes a lot so he doesn't come off as pretentious or a naive goody-two-shoes. And yeah, I could go on, but tl;dr. I don't want to scare you off. XD
no subject
Date: 2008-01-29 09:58 pm (UTC)andthentheyhadsex,right?Ofcoursetheydid.Lotsofveryloudverysexymansex.*cough*Ky is really not very good at hating Sol, however hard he may try, poor guy. *g*
XDDD I actually think they do a pretty poor job of hating each other. They infuriate each other beyond reason, but the poor front is mutual, I'd say. I mean, there we have that ending, and then we have Sol practically screaming his heart out in Red Side, and you just don't produce those heart-rending acoustics unless you care for somebody a damn lot. That thing is not an "oh no, my honored rival just croaked" exclamation.
Shame about the artist they chose to do those ending pics, but at least they pulled that one off well enough.
Yeah, the art style is pretty weird... the Sol/Ky ending is actually one of the better ones from that set... Dizzy looks especially weird, along with Testament, and Sol seems awfully cheery a lot of the time. But yes, I'm grateful they got produced, for that one CG alone. XD;;;;
But for what it's worth, there's no Sol in any of them and only about one line of Ky, though I did like what I could make out of the stories of the other characters who got to appear. ^_^
Awww, that's a shame, but as long as the story is good, I can deal with it. Barely. XDDDDD And best of luck if you do decide to tackle that project... I'm doing transcriptions as a side job sometimes, and it's damn hard to even get that down, nevermind translating.
no subject
Date: 2008-01-30 02:30 am (UTC)Well, it is Squeenix *and* Final Fantasy, the yaoi is practically inevitable. Comms do sound a bit preemptive though (I mean, what would you even *call* them? We don't even know the characters' names yet! XD) but I'd be lying if I pretended to be surprised.
and that blond guy is worryingly pretty, I must admitWAH. Wahwahwah. That killed me. Reminded me why I hate death stories. Sol just sounded so... ahh. It broke my heart.
And ten years down the line, he's still bringing up Ky's name at any relevant opportunity. Serious heartbreak, poor guy. (I really must get around to listening through all those CDs again. *g*)
Well, the much-hyped rival slash was the only thing that even made me touch FFVIII with a barge pole, but they lost me almost immediately.
Hah, oh don't get me started on FFVIII - I can go on for *hours*, believe me. There was hardly any rival slash to speak of in there anyway, Seifer's role is ultimately so boring. Gimme their KH incarnations any day.
I admit I spoilered myself to hell and back for Guilty Gear before I thought of trying out the game itself.
Heh, well, when the plot is that tangled, I don't know if it counts as spoiling yourself, more like making sure you know what you're getting into.
They're just... well. Not easily compared to anyone else
I'm sure there must be other characters like Ky who've had the 'your faith's not all wrong but it needs some big-time redirecting' thing like that, but normally I find that kind of element a lot more overblown and obnoxious. With Ky, he's far too tough and sensible to lose too much to it, and while they show how he starts growing past it, they don't overly labour the point with too much religious nonsense. Sol's got some of the 'tough guy with maybe a nice side hidden somewhere deep down' thing going as well as the 'made into a monster' thing, but he never winds up just overpowered and boring and somehow it all works in a way you don't usually see. They're *definitely* products of the sort of game they were made for, and maybe I'd have an easier time thinking of similar characters to them if I had more interest in fighting games - but on the other hand, other fighting games just don't have characters this good. ^_^
I mean, here you have this great hulking warrior who's fangirling Queen in his freetime
And has a *serious* thing for his clothing-brand-of-choice. XD Serious!
(seriously, his story mode in XX makes me laugh so hard)
I loved how he was constantly being all 'I've come to warn you that you're wanted by the law! ...wait, I don't mean *I'm* after you, I don't want to fight - oh, not again!' And his horror at the idea that people had seriously been mistaking the Robo Kys for him, and him accidentally rudely leaving his sword pointing at Anji and the serious bits with Johnny and Sol and... well, all of it actually. As you may have gathered.
because it takes a lot so he doesn't come off as pretentious or a naive goody-two-shoes
And maybe that's one of the things that impresses me most about him - he could so easily have been written to be utterly obnoxious, but he isn't. I'm sure you're right anyway - it's the details that really make them awesome.
Awww, that's a shame, but as long as the story is good, I can deal with it. Barely. XDDDDD And best of luck if you do decide to tackle that project... I'm doing transcriptions as a side job sometimes, and it's damn hard to even get that down, nevermind translating.
Well there *are* other characters I'm interested in in these games, honest. >.> I'm just glad transcribing is the one thing we won't need to do - the Internets have helpfully provided us a with a complete Rikai-chan friendly Japanese script. =D Otherwise I really don't know whether it could ever happen at all. ^^;
no subject
Date: 2008-01-30 08:22 pm (UTC)and that blond guy is worryingly pretty, I must admitThey're all stupidly pretty. But I still think making slash communities for them is a bit overly hasty... I'd be more inclined to wait and see if they have any chemistry in their interactions before jumping to conclusions. I mean... I'm not very good at getting crack pairings. And yaoi just because two guys are pretty isn't really enough for me.
Serious heartbreak, poor guy. (I really must get around to listening through all those CDs again. *g*)
I finally recovered enough to listen to Black Side, and WAH. HAPPY WAH. I mean, Ky. Ky. "I feel safe when I'm with you"? I'm sorry, but... was he trying to marry Sol or something. I think he was. I feel like I can be happy again. Warmfuzzy yay! *dissolves into incoherence*
They're *definitely* products of the sort of game they were made for, and maybe I'd have an easier time thinking of similar characters to them if I had more interest in fighting games
I admit my interest in fighting games was absolutely not there before GG, and now, it doesn't reach beyond the series, either. So I can't say for sure if there are characters more similar to them out there, just from the games I've played, I can't quite find anyone who can compare.
I loved how he was constantly being all 'I've come to warn you that you're wanted by the law! ...wait, I don't mean *I'm* after you, I don't want to fight - oh, not again!'
It was brilliant. He seemed like one of those poor guys who are thrust into a "candid camera" situation, where everyone is behaving crazily and he's the only one who's normal. (Even though Ky is not normal. He's just... more sane than some others. XD)
And by gods, the Robo-Kys... I love those scenes so much. Especially the ending where he has them all in pieces and more are coming, and he's all, "Pfft, back in the war, this was nothing." I was flailing so hard when he said that. XD
Well there *are* other characters I'm interested in in these games, honest. >.>
Well, I'm, too. Really. I have yet to meet a GG character I didn't at least like (ABA excluded, because I haven't seen anything of her yet), and there are some I love a lot. It's just that whenever those two do something pretty, all my attention gets diverted to that immediately. XD
And glad to hear about the script. Transcribing is a really painful job. XD
no subject
Date: 2008-01-31 12:18 am (UTC)I'm the same, but I'm pretty sure it's not about what we do or don't know about them yet, it's about having the *first* comm dedicated to them on the web. Besides, I think we've more than established that for a lot of yaoi fans out there, it really is all about the mindless pretty.
I finally recovered enough to listen to Black Side, and WAH. HAPPY WAH. I mean, Ky. Ky. "I feel safe when I'm with you"? I'm sorry, but... was he trying to marry Sol or something. I think he was. I feel like I can be happy again. Warmfuzzy yay! *dissolves into incoherence*
*grin* My personal theory on that scene is that someone was going through the script and went, "Oh crap! Now that Ky doesn't die, we've lost all the gay in this scene! Quick, someone find a way to rewrite the dialogue to put it back in!"
There may well be more information about the relationship between those two in those CDs than most of the rest of the series put together. I mean, you've got Sol berating Ky about his hero complex and Ky arguing with him, but then later Ky's seriously wondering whether Sol was right, you've got Ky having Sol locked up for misbehaviour to make a point, but the first thing Sol does when he gets out is go running to Ky's rescue. Not to mention all the great contrast between how they each deal with I-no and all, or how much you can see that Ky really has grown up between then and the current timeline. It's wonderful. (Also, was I the only one wondering about that officer Ky has all those conversations with? Poor guy has more lines than a lot of the main series characters in that CD, but he doesn't even get a name.)
It was brilliant. He seemed like one of those poor guys who are thrust into a "candid camera" situation, where everyone is behaving crazily and he's the only one who's normal. (Even though Ky is not normal. He's just... more sane than some others. XD)
The GG plot is a loosely strung together list of excuses for two characters to fight at the best of times, but damn if it isn't good for a laugh all the same.
And by gods, the Robo-Kys... I love those scenes so much. Especially the ending where he has them all in pieces and more are coming, and he's all, "Pfft, back in the war, this was nothing." I was flailing so hard when he said that. XD
Mm, Ky being competent and kickarse. DO WANT. And the part with him coming to an agreement with Johnny and saying he almost misses the simplicity of the war, and him trying so hard to convince Sol to let him help and not wanting to have to be Sol's enemy... Damn, I think I'm going to have to go home and play back through all those scenes this afternoon now. ^^;
It's just that whenever those two do something pretty, all my attention gets diverted to that immediately. XD
Yeah, I know the problem. >.> It's not that everyone else in the games isn't fantastic in their own way, it's just that the lead characters are even more so.
no subject
Date: 2008-01-31 11:24 am (UTC)Well, I'm the first to admit that I will stare if you give me some good-looking guys scuffling around, put in order to ship it, I usually need chemistry, or at least potential for chemistry.
*grin* My personal theory on that scene is that someone was going through the script and went, "Oh crap! Now that Ky doesn't die, we've lost all the gay in this scene! Quick, someone find a way to rewrite the dialogue to put it back in!"
ROFL So true. It makes me wonder, really, what they had going on between them in the war, but half the time I'm not sure if it went above an unnamed and inexplicable attraction that kept jerking them back together like an invisible rubber band. But then again, everything's possible here. :)
Mm, Ky being competent and kickarse. DO WANT. And the part with him coming to an agreement with Johnny and saying he almost misses the simplicity of the war, and him trying so hard to convince Sol to let him help and not wanting to have to be Sol's enemy...
Gods, yes. So very yes. Those scenes with Johnny and Sol especially, because it said so much about Ky I'm not even sure how to put into words. I'd be lying if I said that I didn't have VERY high hopes for AC+... I'd just love to see the whole convoluted storyline come to a close, if Ishiwatari really decided he doesn't want to play with X-verse anymore. And the Sol/Ky side better not break my heart. *shakes fist*
It's not that everyone else in the games isn't fantastic in their own way, it's just that the lead characters are even more so.
Yeah. I already promised myself that I'd try to write something for some others... just to vary a bit, you know. It doesn't seem fair to leave them out completely. XD Or maybe I'm just crazy.
no subject
Date: 2008-01-31 01:11 pm (UTC)But if they already know they're going to rewrite them all into the same weepy uke stereotype, what does it matter what 'personality' they think they have? *headdesk*
that poor blond guy has no idea what he's going to be in forROFL So true. It makes me wonder, really, what they had going on between them in the war, but half the time I'm not sure if it went above an unnamed and inexplicable attraction that kept jerking them back together like an invisible rubber band. But then again, everything's possible here. :)
We know that band must've snapped pretty damn hard at the end, but otherwise - oh yes, open for so much lovely interpretation, that part of their history. ^_^
Gods, yes. So very yes. Those scenes with Johnny and Sol especially, because it said so much about Ky I'm not even sure how to put into words. I'd be lying if I said that I didn't have VERY high hopes for AC+... I'd just love to see the whole convoluted storyline come to a close, if Ishiwatari really decided he doesn't want to play with X-verse anymore. And the Sol/Ky side better not break my heart. *shakes fist*
Word. AC+ sure has a hell of a lot to live up to. I don't want to get my hopes up too high when things have been hanging so long, but I really want there to be some decent follow up on both those scenes - not to mention at least a dozen others. XX would be a hard act to follow, and I really don't know what to expect from them when the future of the series is in such confusion. Though there is also this promotional poster with the tagline "The coexistance of humans and Gears" over the old AC cover art of Sol and Ky, and I will be taking this as a promising sign until anything comes along to contradict me. *g* There's a line that seems to be saying something about a new beginning in there too, but that one is giving me more trouble to interpret sensibly.
Yeah. I already promised myself that I'd try to write something for some others... just to vary a bit, you know. It doesn't seem fair to leave them out completely. XD Or maybe I'm just crazy.
Well, I've written stuff for Kliff, I-no and Millia - that counts for something, right? ^^; And, uh, I totally had an idea involving Axl a while back... >.> It does make you feel a bit guilty to be ignoring so much of the cast, doesn't it?
While I'm here, I was wondering whether you might be willing to try betaing some fic for me? I could use a second opinion on the one I'm finishing off right now - a few parts of it may have wound more confusing than I meant them to. ^^;
no subject
Date: 2008-02-01 12:31 am (UTC)that poor blond guy has no idea what he's going to be in forWe should totally form a society for the protection of capable blond men who are inexplicably emasculated because of their hair color. XD
We know that band must've snapped pretty damn hard at the end, but otherwise - oh yes, open for so much lovely interpretation, that part of their history. ^_^
Yesssss. And well, I don't think it's gone entirely. Sure, whatever there might have been was dealt a heavy blow when Sol grabbed the Fuuenken and vanished into the night. And maybe I'm being a retard, but I could see their relationship growing into something else, even afterwards. (Feel free to smack me. XD)
Though there is also this promotional poster with the tagline "The coexistance of humans and Gears" over the old AC cover art of Sol and Ky, and I will be taking this as a promising sign until anything comes along to contradict me. *g* There's a line that seems to be saying something about a new beginning in there too, but that one is giving me more trouble to interpret sensibly.
Ohhh? That all sounds incredibly interesting! *tries not to get hopes up* I'd love to see a Sol/Ky ending that doesn't force them to be eternal enemies, because damn. That would be so sad for both of them. And totally not the only way things could go, so I'm really hoping for some variation. I'm actually also hoping for a Venom-path that doesn't make him the king of all things woeful, but it'll probably be a cold day in hell before that happens.
It does make you feel a bit guilty to be ignoring so much of the cast, doesn't it?
Terribly. Like I said, there's the Venom thing a friend of mine asked for, and I really want to try something with Bridget, too. Because hell, he ends up being the fandom bicycle, when he could be so much more. And maybe Potemkin. Just because he's, you know, Potemkin. XD
While I'm here, I was wondering whether you might be willing to try betaing some fic for me?
I know I already agreed to it over IM, but I feel it's at least polite to respond here, too. Gladly. :) I'm honored you want me for the job.
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Date: 2008-02-01 01:01 am (UTC)I may have to smack you for suggesting anyone would assume it *couldn't* grow into anything else afterwards - weren't we just talking about the amazing cute of their GGX ending? Ky has this serious mess of love and hate going where Sol is concerned - pretty much everything we've ever seen in canon supports that. I wouldn't be at all surprised if he's even got some leftover guilt that it was his failure as a leader that drove Sol away from the Order.
I'd love to see a Sol/Ky ending that doesn't force them to be eternal enemies, because damn.
Ha, I seriously can't imagine they've got anything remotely like that planned. The only real question is what kind of note they will leave them on - how much will be resolved directly and how much left ambiguous, or whether they will leave something they can continue on in some later game. Me personally, I'd kill for a plot that makes them work together, but we'll see what we actually get.
I'm actually also hoping for a Venom-path that doesn't make him the king of all things woeful, but it'll probably be a cold day in hell before that happens.
Oh Jesus, they are *way* overdue for some resolution on the whole Millia/Venom/Zato story. I honestly don't know what they're going to do with it, but it's dragged out long enough, and it'd be kind of annoying if they leave them just messing around with side plots with Slayer and the PWAB (probably depends whether they still want Eddie alive for one more game). Though that ending with Faust and Venom is another one I'd love a follow-up on.
And I'd maybesortalove seeing Millia and Venom forced to work together too, but again with the no idea what's actually going to go down with it all.Terribly. Like I said, there's the Venom thing a friend of mine asked for, and I really want to try something with Bridget, too. Because hell, he ends up being the fandom bicycle, when he could be so much more. And maybe Potemkin. Just because he's, you know, Potemkin. XD
I'm not sure there is much you can do with Bridget when he has so little role even in canon... though on the other hand, him trying to do his bounty hunter thing when he wound up such good friends with the Jellyfish Pirates in so many endings - that could lead to some good fun. XD And I think I'd approve of Potemkin-fic just on principle (really, why should the pretty characters get all the attention?)
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Date: 2008-02-01 10:15 pm (UTC)I would happily accept the smack if I hadn't seen people convinced that they hate each other's guts and want the other to drop off the face of the planet. And everything else... well, you might've seen by now that I'm hesitant of expressing my opinion. XD
I wouldn't be at all surprised if he's even got some leftover guilt that it was his failure as a leader that drove Sol away from the Order.
You know, that's very plausible, now that you mention it. Ky has the tendency to make everything his responsibility, even when it really isn't.
Ha, I seriously can't imagine they've got anything remotely like that planned.
I sure hope so. I'd really, really love to see them working together, even at the risk of making some plot points open-ended. Because, gods, it would be so awesome, and they'd have to really make themselves fit together (I totally don't mean for it to sound like that, honest XD;;;), instead of reluctantly doing so because circumstances (aka Order chain of command XD) demand it.
Oh Jesus, they are *way* overdue for some resolution on the whole Millia/Venom/Zato story.
Definitely. *eyeroll* I have no idea what they're going to do with it, since it's so terribly convoluted and always seems to involve two thirds (or three thirds >_>) of them dying in more or less horrible ways. I'd love to see Venom and Millia reconcile, too, whoever grudging it may be. And afaik there seems to be this GG Judgment ending where they sort of hint in that direction, if I'm not mistaken. *hasn't played Judgment*
I'm not sure there is much you can do with Bridget when he has so little role even in canon...
Well, I was more thinking of easing myself into everything by writing some backstory for him, but yeah. I know it's a stupid idea, I just liked the concept of something that doesn't involve tentacle porn.
And I think I'd approve of Potemkin-fic just on principle (really, why should the pretty characters get all the attention?)
I love Potemkin to bits. I mean, he's this HUGE guy who PAINTS PRETTY PICTURES in his freetime. And I totally adore his X+ endings with Dizzy. Especially the one where she sits on his arm like a pretty birdie. *retard* I just love it because they look so cute together. I really like the idea of Potemkin getting lots of friends. *dork dork dorkity dork*
no subject
Date: 2008-02-02 03:14 am (UTC)Ah, them. Well, those would be just the insane fanboys who'll deny anything up to and including Ky and Sol nearly making out in pictures and people who just haven't bothered to look at the canon properly at all. That takes quite a specialised level of willful blindness. So I feel quite within my rights to ignore their stupid opinions, and maybe blow rasberries at them too if I'm feeling particularly mature XD.
You know, that's very plausible, now that you mention it. Ky has the tendency to make everything his responsibility, even when it really isn't.
Yeah, there's nothing in canon specifically to suggest it, but it's not hard to imagine, all the same.
I sure hope so. I'd really, really love to see them working together, even at the risk of making some plot points open-ended. Because, gods, it would be so awesome, and they'd have to really make themselves fit together (I totally don't mean for it to sound like that, honest XD;;;), instead of reluctantly doing so because circumstances (aka Order chain of command XD) demand it.
Well, there are lots of different ways they could get it to happen - everything from actual 'work together and plan this out' to 'we just kind of wound up fighting the same people in the same place at the same time somehow'. I for one would be up for just about any of them. ^_^
I'd love to see Venom and Millia reconcile, too, whoever grudging it may be. And afaik there seems to be this GG Judgment ending where they sort of hint in that direction, if I'm not mistaken. *hasn't played Judgment*
Ooh, where'd you hear that? There seems to be just about nothing online about Judgement I can find. (And while I did actually go and buy the game, I haven't actually had the chance to hardly play it yet. ^^;;;)
Well, I was more thinking of easing myself into everything by writing some backstory for him, but yeah. I know it's a stupid idea, I just liked the concept of something that doesn't involve tentacle porn.
Oh, I wouldn't say stupid - that could be neat, actually. It's not like we ever hear much about his parents or brother, but I'm sure there could be something interesting to say about them. They must be one almighty hell of a weird family.
no subject
Date: 2008-02-02 12:53 pm (UTC)XDDDD Well, I ignore them unless they start being offensive. I really would've loved to choke some of them in the Dustloop thread about the motivational posters, where they ganged up on someone who brought a yaoi-tastic Sol picture into the mix. I admit I wasn't able to see the picture in question because the poster had to backpedal so quickly, but even if it was unpretty, dammit, they have their pictures of lolis with giant boobs. *eyeroll*
Yeah, there's nothing in canon specifically to suggest it, but it's not hard to imagine, all the same.
Yeah. I think with how adamant Ky is about saving lives, in adition to the martyr/savior complex he got settled with, it's pretty easy to see it that way. And it might be just me, but when I take into account Ky's behavior in XX Red and Black Side, where he really seems to in some way feel close to Sol despite everything, it's not that hard for me to imagine that he might have felt personally betrayed in some way, too.
I for one would be up for just about any of them. ^_^
Haha, same here. I sure hope AC+ gets a PAL release... I might just be crazy enough to import it otherwise, despite the insane pricing.
Ooh, where'd you hear that? There seems to be just about nothing online about Judgement I can find.
Well, "hear" is stretching things a bit. But there's that Judgment ending CG where they are NOT killing each other and look semi-tolerant of each other, so that has to count for something. I am really debating myself about getting a PSP, but then again, my GG skills suck so much I'm not sure how sensible that would be.
They must be one almighty hell of a weird family.
Definitely, for them to believe in a weird legend about twin boys being bad luck. It really makes me wonder about them and their village. And I don't know if I'll manage it, but I think it's terribly interesting, in a sad way, to think about what being forced to act like a girl would've meant for Bridget, especially when he was younger.
no subject
Date: 2008-02-03 01:38 am (UTC)That motivational poster thread is very much on the scary side. Same goes for Dustloop as a whole - though it always amuses me that there are a good few more yaoi fans lurking in their threads than most of the fanboys ever realise. >D
Haha, same here. I sure hope AC+ gets a PAL release... I might just be crazy enough to import it otherwise, despite the insane pricing.
I remain completely unworried what happens to it just as long as I get a translation in any useful form. A PAL release would be some kind of crazy luxury as far as I'm concerned. ^^;
and it's not like I'd wait for it anywayWell, "hear" is stretching things a bit. But there's that Judgment ending CG where they are NOT killing each other and look semi-tolerant of each other, so that has to count for something. I am really debating myself about getting a PSP, but then again, my GG skills suck so much I'm not sure how sensible that would be.
Yeah, same kind of problem. ^^; I'm really curious about some of those endings, but beating the final boss without being able to fall back on my instant kills strategy with so many different characters... not exactly going to be easy. And knowing Millia and Venom, they could just as well be threatening each other in one of their more civil sort of ways.
Definitely, for them to believe in a weird legend about twin boys being bad luck. It really makes me wonder about them and their village. And I don't know if I'll manage it, but I think it's terribly interesting, in a sad way, to think about what being forced to act like a girl would've meant for Bridget, especially when he was younger.
Yeah, it's especially weird to think of a rich family worrying so much about a belief like that. I really can't picture Bridget ever had any great angst about the girl-thing or anything though. It's really funny watching him in the game too - he can never seem to quite make up his mind whether he cares whether people mistake him for a girl or not.
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Date: 2008-02-03 11:36 am (UTC)XDDDDDDD Yeah.
I'm really curious about some of those endings, but beating the final boss without being able to fall back on my instant kills strategy with so many different characters... not exactly going to be easy. And knowing Millia and Venom, they could just as well be threatening each other in one of their more civil sort of ways.
What? They took away the instant kills? T___T Now I know I'm not going to even try this. And heh, yeah. They could be. I doubt they'd make instant friends. XD But it's really kind of rewarding to see both of them alive in the same scene for a change. As opposed to, you know, horribly killing each other and then angsting over their graves.
I really can't picture Bridget ever had any great angst about the girl-thing or anything though.
Well, no, not "great angst", but... I just thought it was unrealistic to assume that he just accepted he had to be a girl with everything it entails. Ah well, it was probably a stupid idea anyway. *tosses it out*
no subject
Date: 2008-02-03 02:00 pm (UTC)Yeah - I can see why, considering the way the game works, but it doesn't make the boss battles any easier. There's no 'beginner' difficulty setting either.
They could be. I doubt they'd make instant friends. XD But it's really kind of rewarding to see both of them alive in the same scene for a change. As opposed to, you know, horribly killing each other and then angsting over their graves.
There is that bit in one of the drama CDs where they wind up working together briefly... now I really want to see that ending just to see what actually gets said. ^^;
Well, no, not "great angst", but... I just thought it was unrealistic to assume that he just accepted he had to be a girl with everything it entails. Ah well, it was probably a stupid idea anyway. *tosses it out*
Not a stupid idea, but other than angst there are still plenty of other things you could do with a young Bridget being not-so-happy about having to pretend to be a girl. Like, going by how the older Bridget acts, it's easy to imagine him making all these random protests to his parents about he's actually a boy despite how horribly good he is at being girly. Or him being raised to the age of, oh, five or so believing he really is a girl and only then discovering that other girls don't have quite the same bits that he does. XD Um, anyhow, what I mean is if you don't want to throw it out, I'm sure there are other things along those lines that could be done. With a series like GG, there are always possibilities.
no subject
Date: 2008-02-04 10:47 am (UTC)Wah. Now I know I won't be getting this game. I would probably destroy my PSP in a fit of frustration and outrage. XDDDD
There is that bit in one of the drama CDs where they wind up working together briefly... now I really want to see that ending just to see what actually gets said. ^^;
It would be terribly interesting, at any rate. But then again, most of the plotlines they introduced are, so even at the risk of repeating myself, I really, really hope they wrap them up in a decent way.
Not a stupid idea, but other than angst there are still plenty of other things you could do with a young Bridget being not-so-happy about having to pretend to be a girl.
Dude, no. Gods, I hate cheap random angst as much as the next person, I wouldn't have done that. I just think that realistically speaking, it would have affected him somewhat. Definitely not in the way that he's crying over it, but I can picture a lot of "d'awww" moments where he'd really want to join his brother doing boy things and his parents would forbid because dang, there could be suspicions. Or the difficulties of him developing a puppy crush on a girl. Because really, how do you go about that when you're supposed to be a girl?
But yeah, that's probably just me being stupid. *hides*
no subject
Date: 2008-02-04 01:00 pm (UTC)I have a list of things I want cleared up in AC+, I swear.
I may even wind up writing it down at some point.but I can picture a lot of "d'awww" moments where he'd really want to join his brother doing boy things and his parents would forbid because dang, there could be suspicions. Or the difficulties of him developing a puppy crush on a girl. Because really, how do you go about that when you're supposed to be a girl?
Hee, and they won't let him play with trucks 'cause that's too boyish and Bridget doesn't want to play with dolls, but oh fine they can compromise on the yoyo and the teddy bear because really, how much trouble could he get up to with those? XD Actually, Bridget with a crush on a girl could be terribly cute too. I mean, that's hard enough at his age when you know what gender you are...
...oh hey, 100 comments! XD That was faster than I thought.
ye gods, we talk a lot, don't we? XD;no subject
Date: 2008-02-04 10:16 pm (UTC)Oh, please do. I love reading those kinds of posts because yours are always so neat and orderly. :)
Hee, and they won't let him play with trucks 'cause that's too boyish and Bridget doesn't want to play with dolls, but oh fine they can compromise on the yoyo and the teddy bear because really, how much trouble could he get up to with those?
Haha, exactly. I wonder if he fixed Roger up himself. And I know it would have probably happened after Bridget left home, but I still amuse myself with the thought of his horrified parents catching their son while installing a giant razorcopter into his stuffed toy. XD;;;;
Actually, Bridget with a crush on a girl could be terribly cute too. I mean, that's hard enough at his age when you know what gender you are...
Aww, yeah, it would be. And Bridget would probably be optimistic and try to proposition her anyway:
Girl: But... only boys kiss girls!
Bridget: *pout*
...oh hey, 100 comments! XD That was faster than I thought. ye gods, we talk a lot, don't we? XD;
I told you we would get them! XD And I don't mind if you don't mind. *whistle*
no subject
Date: 2008-02-05 01:34 am (UTC)Well, in this case it's likely to be huge whether it's neat or not. ^^; I mean, twenty different characters with multiple endings each, and I have way too much fun working out my theories of which are likely to be followed up on in the next game.
Haha, exactly. I wonder if he fixed Roger up himself. And I know it would have probably happened after Bridget left home, but I still amuse myself with the thought of his horrified parents catching their son while installing a giant razorcopter into his stuffed toy. XD;;;;
I think 'giant razorcoptor' is one of those words that will go on being funny to me for a good while. XD
Bridget's really one of those characters who should have no right being able to go toe to toe with the other characters, and yet... well, apparently he pulls it off somehow or other. ^^;
I told you we would get them! XD And I don't mind if you don't mind. *whistle*
And man have we ever meandered off topic getting there. XD
no subject
Date: 2008-02-05 12:47 pm (UTC)8DDDD All the more reading fun for me. *selfish* And I'd love to see which of our theories match up. XD
Bridget's really one of those characters who should have no right being able to go toe to toe with the other characters, and yet... well, apparently he pulls it off somehow or other. ^^;
Yeah. I always think of it as the other characters being gender-confused and therefore distracted. XD Or maybe Bridget has magical yoyos that pack a special punch. Or something. XDDD
And man have we ever meandered off topic getting there. XD
Well, we can rectify this immediately by talking about how Dizzy would be better off as Sin's surrogate big sister or how much I adore Izuna or how Ky has a bath in his castle à la Louis II of Bavaria, which is really more a pool than a bath and it would be awesome. XD;;;;
Also, I managed to upload Atlas Suite for you:
Part1
Part2
Part3
Part4
Now here is what you do:
1) Download all four parts into one folder.
2) Then download HJSplit. It's free and a pretty handy program for splitting and rejoining big files.
3) Run HJSplit and click on "Join". Then select the first split file, with the ending .001. If all files are in the same folder, HJSplit will continue to join them automatically, so you can just sit and watch.
4) Once you have the complete .rar archive, unzip it.
5) Unfortunately, I was only able to make a .cdi image. Therefore, you'll need Padus DiscJuggler to burn it into a playable CD (there's a free trial which doesn't expire available on the site). Or you can try mounting it with Daemon Tools.
That should be enough to make a playable CD of Altas and install it. It's got a few pretty handy features, including an expandable word database where you can, for example, input character names and their romaji so they'll be spelt correctly, or the "QuickAtlas" function, which opens up a tiny automatic translator. If you select "Translate from clipboard", any text that you copy into the clipboard will be automatically translated. I love using it for simultaneous BL game translations, but it's just as handy for websites. XD
And if you got any questions or if something doesn't work, just poke me. I'll try my best to help. :)
no subject
Date: 2008-02-06 01:28 am (UTC)Just go and encourage me with all my weird rambling, why don't you. =P
or how much I adore Izuna
...and how much I really wouldn't mind seeing a bit more of him. ^^; You might not know it, but I'd swear he's one of the biggest remaining mysteries in the game - there are all these weird hints about what he really is (and we're talking maybe even more unusual than Valentine here) that they don't quite get around to elaborating on, and it ends with Sol pretty much grabbing him before he can head off on his own in the ending sequence and saying 'you've got some explaining to do'. Only... in a relaxed sort of way XD. Izuna is like some kind of beautiful angst-free zone, *and* with one of the most refreshing attitudes to having to fight I've ever seen. ^__^
or how Ky has a bath in his castle à la Louis II of Bavaria, which is really more a pool than a bath and it would be awesome. XD;;;;
That thing is slightly terrifying. o_O It would be like all these religious figures are watching you be nude.
I'll try downloading it all this evening sometime - looks like it may take me a while. ^^;
no subject
Date: 2008-02-06 11:47 am (UTC)*rambleramblecajolecajole* 8D
Izuna is like some kind of beautiful angst-free zone, *and* with one of the most refreshing attitudes to having to fight I've ever seen. ^__^
Very much agreed. The moment I saw him doing his victory dance with the fans I knew he was going to be awesome. XD I can't help but draw parallels to my favorite BL game when I see him, because he's just too similar to Bardo in certain respects not to do it. But overall, I'm very pleased what they did with the new characters, overall. I'm usually a little scared when I hear "NEW CHARACTER INTRODUCTION" because I'm FF-scarred and they all end up being Sues/Stus, but in Overture, I have yet to meet a character I did not like. I'm very pleased that they did not turn Sin into a wanker despite him having daddy issues (and you know that he brings on my squishing urges XD), Izuna is all-around awesome and I love Paradigm even though I refer to him as a budgie. XD
That thing is slightly terrifying. o_O It would be like all these religious figures are watching you be nude.
EXACTLY. XDDDD And I have a hilarious time imagining that Ky is not bothered by it at all, but everyone else (read: Sol) is.
Sol: That half-naked old creep with the clouds is staring at me. >__>
no subject
Date: 2008-02-07 02:47 am (UTC)EXACTLY. XDDDD And I have a hilarious time imagining that Ky is not bothered by it at all, but everyone else (read: Sol) is.
That room is definitely one of those places I can't picture Sol staying more than about twenty seconds at most.