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General Trails thread (Trails of Cold Steel 4 (PS4) out now).


Armagon
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45 minutes ago, Jedi said:

I might post some art i've had commissioned from across the series, although some of it contains some spoils.

Spoiler tags!

But if you want to share, go for it~!

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Wow, I absolutely need these nenos and Father Keychain in my life, but first comes finding a job, then living in a country where people sell them.

I've been playing CS2 (I'm on Act 1 Part 2), thoughts so far:

Spoiler

I'm enjoying it so far, but I wish it wasn't so "Nobles are evil, reformists are obviously good and well intentioned and upstanding members of society". On the first game, Rean spoke about what being a noble means to him and how it is important to uphold tradition and customs, but the only relevant noble you see acting like a reasonable and remotely likable character is Rufus (who I suspect is a mastermind rather than a good guy) whereas all the others are assholish. They simplified the conflict way too much and wasted the Erebonia arc's potential.

Speaking of which, Rean trying to remain impartial is bullshit. He even aids the reformists indirectly during this Act. It's like Estelle or the other Bracers simply fiddling their thumbs after finding out about the coup d'etat in Sky FC. I wish he'd simply use the excuse that he wanted to reunite with everyone first and take advantage of his numbers to travel lightly and fast before actively joining the reformists on their efforts, rather than "muh we must decide who to aid, it wouldn't be fair without reuniting everyone first". It's not like the narrative ever tried to make the nobles' side any sympathetic.

I also don't understand why the Imperial Liberation Front is with the nobles, since they exclusively wanted to kill Osborne and they already got what they wanted. I mean, I kind of know they're against reformists because of a "guilty by association" mentality, but that is bullshit. They also didn't seem like the type of people who'd just go with whatever blatantly evil ploy the noble faction has in store, especially not Crow, so I'm just left to wonder what the hell he's thinking.

Did they really turn a 15 year-old girl into a blatant miss fanservice? Like, why.

Also, did Peri have a child with Dante?

----

By the way, I'm really bad with choosing which party members I am supposed to use. It started straightforward enough, but now I can't really choose between my team members

Spoiler

I'm using Rean - Fie - Elliot - Claire (because I want her special item in the end), but I really want to use Alisa (who I think is kind of inferior to Elliot, who's very handy with his +def and healing ability, plus his heal + cure ailments craft) and I also want to use Millium somewhat (I know she breaks the game, but I'm sort of iffy on switching Fie for her).

I mean, if it were not for Claire, I'd place Millium or even Gaius on her stead, probably.

 

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2 hours ago, Rapier said:

Wow, I absolutely need these nenos and Father Keychain in my life, but first comes finding a job, then living in a country where people sell them.

I've been playing CS2 (I'm on Act 1 Part 2), thoughts so far:

  Reveal hidden contents

I'm enjoying it so far, but I wish it wasn't so "Nobles are evil, reformists are obviously good and well intentioned and upstanding members of society". On the first game, Rean spoke about what being a noble means to him and how it is important to uphold tradition and customs, but the only relevant noble you see acting like a reasonable and remotely likable character is Rufus (who I suspect is a mastermind rather than a good guy) whereas all the others are assholish. They simplified the conflict way too much and wasted the Erebonia arc's potential.

Speaking of which, Rean trying to remain impartial is bullshit. He even aids the reformists indirectly during this Act. It's like Estelle or the other Bracers simply fiddling their thumbs after finding out about the coup d'etat in Sky FC. I wish he'd simply use the excuse that he wanted to reunite with everyone first and take advantage of his numbers to travel lightly and fast before actively joining the reformists on their efforts, rather than "muh we must decide who to aid, it wouldn't be fair without reuniting everyone first". It's not like the narrative ever tried to make the nobles' side any sympathetic.

I also don't understand why the Imperial Liberation Front is with the nobles, since they exclusively wanted to kill Osborne and they already got what they wanted. I mean, I kind of know they're against reformists because of a "guilty by association" mentality, but that is bullshit. They also didn't seem like the type of people who'd just go with whatever blatantly evil ploy the noble faction has in store, especially not Crow, so I'm just left to wonder what the hell he's thinking.

Did they really turn a 15 year-old girl into a blatant miss fanservice? Like, why.

Also, did Peri have a child with Dante?

----

By the way, I'm really bad with choosing which party members I am supposed to use. It started straightforward enough, but now I can't really choose between my team members

  Reveal hidden contents

I'm using Rean - Fie - Elliot - Claire (because I want her special item in the end), but I really want to use Alisa (who I think is kind of inferior to Elliot, who's very handy with his +def and healing ability, plus his heal + cure ailments craft) and I also want to use Millium somewhat (I know she breaks the game, but I'm sort of iffy on switching Fie for her).

I mean, if it were not for Claire, I'd place Millium or even Gaius on her stead, probably.

 

the charms can be bought here I think Roseart does do shipping anywhere, she's really nice.

http://rosestar.tictail.com/

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Spoiler

Without saying much, Rean being impartial is the biggest lie in all of CS2. Also, I don't think it's comparable to the coup d'etat in FC as Estelle and the gang WANTED to involve themselves, but they can't since the Bracers, by international law, have to be neutral since they aren't police, just mercenaries/jaegars who aren't assholes. Rean doesn't get involved because... reasons? Also, is the 15 year and peri/dante love child bit referring to Elise, Millium with alternate colors (her name isn't coming to me), or both?

Also, I forgot to say this, but does anyone else think some of the NPCs might be more developed in CS than some of the MCs (though this might change by the end of the CS saga)? 

Edited by familyplayer
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7 hours ago, Rapier said:
  Reveal hidden contents

 

 

Spoiler

Keep playing.  There's nuance, I promise, but it's backloaded.

 

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So i've started Trails in the Sky 3rd and while i am liking it so far, i do have a question. Those doors in the the shadow realm Phantasma contain doors that the game says contains "optional scenes". So am i gonna need a guide for this or will i come across them naturally? Like, i'm positive that finding all of the Sealing Stones is required by the story but i don't know about those doors.

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Trust me when I say though that you wanna see all of them though. Every single one isn't perfect, but many have some really good character development and good conclusions to many characters' arcs while also hinting what they'll be up to during other games.

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You have to revisit the first door after you get a certain fiery redhead but that's the only main door you have to repeat besides the Sun ones for different difficulties and stuff.

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I like CS I story but hate its characters. I hate both characters and story in CS II, especially Mr.Perfect. At one point, Mr.Perfect managed to sense the chaotic atmosphere in the dungeon while everyone, included Emma, are completely clueless. He also came up with perfect plans while the other smart characters like Elliot and Machias just stood there and nodded "wow you are so smart, Rean!". It's like Justice League, one person who is simply better at everything than the rest of the casts and his harem (included guys).

Edited by Magical CC
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So i know that 3rd said that the Sun Doors contain mini-games. But i completely forgot about that so yesterday, when i came across the first Sun Door with Josette and saw this

YJTZkI2.png

My mind took about a minute to process what i was seeing. I was like "wait, this isn't Trails". And then i finally recognized the Capuas and i was like "oh, this is one of those minigames the game mentioned".

15 hours ago, familyplayer said:

Trust me when I say though that you wanna see all of them though. Every single one isn't perfect, but many have some really good character development and good conclusions to many characters' arcs while also hinting what they'll be up to during other games.

I mean, yeah, that was the plan from the start. I just wanted to know if i needed a guide to find them all. Thankfully, i don't.

6 hours ago, Magical CC said:

I like CS I story but hate its characters. I hate both characters and story in CS II, especially Mr.Perfect. At one point, Mr.Perfect managed to sense the chaotic atmosphere in the dungeon while everyone, included Emma, are completely clueless. He also came up with perfect plans while the other smart characters like Elliot and Machias just stood there and nodded "wow you are so smart, Rean!". It's like Justice League, one person who is simply better at everything than the rest of the casts and his harem (included guys).

Oh my God, Rean is an Isekai protaganist.

Like, i do wanna make my own opinions on him and the rest of the Cold Steel cast when i actually get to playing the Cold Steel games but right now....my first impressions of Rean aren't that high.

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2 hours ago, Armagon said:

Oh my God, Rean is an Isekai protaganist.

He kinda is a LN protag. Falcom tried to subvert the trope (as they alaways do) but it wasn't enough what they did with Rean imo. After 200+ hours of Rean one scene will not change my opinion of him.

9 hours ago, Magical CC said:

story in CS II

The biggest Problem with CS2's story is Act 2 imo. Playing Pokemon with Students for 60% of the game is.not.fun.

The Epilogue can also go die in Fire.

 

The game should've ended with Rean's ''i am jealous'' line. Would be a much better ending than the epilogue that made me dislike CS2 so much

Edited by Shrimperor
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48 minutes ago, Shrimperor said:

Falcom tried to subvert the trope (as they alaways do) but it wasn't enough what they did with Rean imo. After 200+ hours of Rean one scene will not change my opinion of him.

The problem with subverting a trope is that at the end of the day you still used the trope. In that first particular case, it's the cringiest trope of them all and they thought making it way too serious in how it was taken by the characters somehow would make it less cringy when that's honestly the problem with the trope in the first place really.

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On 4/28/2018 at 10:47 AM, Armagon said:

Should i be expecting a super tedious mid-game boss fight in Sky 3rd?

Looks like i found it. I'm on Ch.3 and

Spoiler

I have to fight Not Kevin. He starts out with Grail Sphere which gives him one point of Guard and two points to his death tanks. And yes, they are death tanks because they can inflict instant death on you. And Not Kevin can AoE heal them. And he's probably gonna have three forms like Not Reis. 

 

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1 hour ago, Armagon said:

Looks like i found it. I'm on Ch.3 and

  Hide contents

I have to fight Not Kevin. He starts out with Grail Sphere which gives him one point of Guard and two points to his death tanks. And yes, they are death tanks because they can inflict instant death on you. And Not Kevin can AoE heal them. And he's probably gonna have three forms like Not Reis. 

 

I suddenly remember the bosses of Sky the 3rd and why it really would be much worse on nightmare difficulty

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2 hours ago, familyplayer said:

I suddenly remember the bosses of Sky the 3rd and why it really would be much worse on nightmare difficulty

Sky 3rd Nightmare is the most balanced Nightmore tbh and the most fun i had in Trails gameplaywise.

8 hours ago, familyplayer said:

he problem with subverting a trope is that at the end of the day you still used the trope. In that first particular case, it's the cringiest trope of them all and they thought making it way too serious in how it was taken by the characters somehow would make it less cringy when that's honestly the problem with the trope in the first place really.

using a Trope in itself isn't bad. However if a character is more of a Trope then a Character (which alot of CS cast are, especially Rean-sama) that's where it gets ugly and cringy

 

Edited by Shrimperor
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4 hours ago, Shrimperor said:

using a Trope in itself isn't bad. However if a character is more of a Trope then a Character (which alot of CS cast are, especially Rean-sama) that's where it gets ugly and cringy

Yeah, probably should have worded my opinion in a more skillful way. I should have said subversion of a trope doesn't mean crap if you do it horribly. AKA execution>originality, something I hope is one day in most writing 101s.

Edit: Also, since we seem to keep coming back to it, is the okatuization of niche series just an inevitability at this point nowadays? FE, SMT, Trails... There's some hope to rebound of course, but I feel like niche series are losing their niche qualities to become mainstream to get more profit a lot nowadays (whether its for necessary reasons or not is up to debate). (Note: I don't mean to sound doom and gloom of course, or sound like a complainer. I like my favorite series to get more attention, but if they have to make sacrifices to some stuff, I'm not sure if that's a good thing.)

Edited by familyplayer
Felt like bringing up something else to stoke discussion
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9 hours ago, familyplayer said:

is the okatuization of niche series just an inevitability at this point nowadays?

Seems like it sadly. Every Series tries to add popular elements, even if it doesn't fit the series. I wouldn't have minded these elements as much if the usual Quality wasn't being sacrificed by it, but in most Cases the Quality is sacrificed to push in those Elements somehow

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I love to see endless bitching about a series I like.

Time to clock out of this thread and go back to the actual fanbase, shouldn't have expected anything from this place though.

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Glad to see that any comment on the deterioration of anything or criticism is instantly put as bitching. I intentionally even added on to my edit to make sure people didn't think that I was bitching just to moan and whine. It's your choice at the end of the day to view it one way or another I guess.

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2 hours ago, Jedi said:

I love to see endless bitching about a series I like.

Time to clock out of this thread and go back to the actual fanbase, shouldn't have expected anything from this place though.

What makes Trails great for me IMO is that it features characters, not tropes.  The rift is especially noticeable if you compare the characters in Sky to Cold Steel.  I'm rather unhappy with several aspects of Cold Steel, and the more pronounced character gimmicks is first and foremost in my mind.

(Cold Steel spoiler stuff)

Spoiler

Angelica pisses me off to no end.  She has her moments where she's cool (namely in CS2), but it's almost entirely eclipsed by her tomboy-after-girls schtick.  It's near-inexcusable, because she's the daughter of one of Erebonia's major noble houses.  Compare how much characterization she gets versus the likes of Jusis.  If the game had taken the time to, say, have those two interact seriously, we could've learned a lot about the upper echelon of nobles.

Trails shouldn't be known as the game of missed character development opportunities.

If it's an issue, say so.  Don't be passive-aggressive about it.

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