Valkyria Chronicles: Where Should the Series go From Here?

[vanguard333]

Valkyria Chronicles began in 2008 and now has four main series games and two lackluster (from what I've read) spin-offs.

I'll be honest, I didn't even know about this series' existence until VC4. However, it's quickly won me over with its great gameplay and interesting story. But, as I've read more about the previous games in the series, I realized something: where can the series go from here? Where should it go? Hence this topic. 

Where do you think the series should go from here?

I have two ideas: 

1. The first three games all took place in Gallia, and game 4 may have been about the Allies Atlantic Federation, but its four main heroes were all Gallian. Don't get me wrong; I think the four heroes being from Gallia really fit the story of the fourth game. But I think the next game should stay away from Gallia. The map of Europa in VC4 shows several independent nations that the next game could take place in instead, and it would be nice to learn more about the different parts of Europa. 

2. The series' main focus story-wise has been on WW2 The Second Europan War. It might be a good idea for a future game to go back in time (comparatively speaking; I'm not saying they should include actual time travel) and focuses instead on the First Europan War. This would give an opportunity to not only flesh out more of the history and provide a more unique story, but it would also provide new opportunities in terms of gameplay: trenches, cavalry, weaponry based on that used in WW1, etc. 

[Zihark11]

I love the series a lot but ive been losing interest tbh with the spin offs. we did finally get another main western release with VC4 but idk it feels like it takes forever to complete a map. i wish i had more time on my hands to fully enjoy the game but sadly i cannot. 

one thing i gotta say i do love is the Squad stories. Great idea and gives every character a personality rather then just traits and a name. 

i personally think the series should change up where the game takes place. Try maybe a futuristic approach or go back even farther to WW1. Games got greatplay but i think they should figure out how to speed along the fights. im in general a very cautious person so sometimes me and the game dont always get along, plus if you lose you gotta start the WHOLE mission all over again. 

[Tuvy]

MAKE. THE. MAIN. CHARACTER. A. SIDE. CHARACTER.

Let me explain.

Instead of the main character being someone who commands the squad make him be a character similar to Jimmy Frank from VC4, whose story could be told through a collection of letters to his family instead of a journal/diary. Personally, I tend to like characters who aren't in the limelight all the time opposed to the leader/obvious hero. I think that Claud is infinitely better than any of the other main characters, but they should try something different for the next game. Also, just make a next game soon. Please.

[vanguard333]

5 hours ago, Tuvy said:

MAKE. THE. MAIN. CHARACTER. A. SIDE. CHARACTER.

Let me explain.

Instead of the main character being someone who commands the squad make him be a character similar to Jimmy Frank from VC4, whose story could be told through a collection of letters to his family instead of a journal/diary. Personally, I tend to like characters who aren't in the limelight all the time opposed to the leader/obvious hero. I think that Claud is infinitely better than any of the other main characters, but they should try something different for the next game. Also, just make a next game soon. Please.

So, basically make the main protagonist one of the common soldiers, rather than someone with a rank of command?

[Slumber]

On 1/3/2019 at 9:12 AM, Tuvy said:

MAKE. THE. MAIN. CHARACTER. A. SIDE. CHARACTER.

Let me explain.

Instead of the main character being someone who commands the squad make him be a character similar to Jimmy Frank from VC4, whose story could be told through a collection of letters to his family instead of a journal/diary. Personally, I tend to like characters who aren't in the limelight all the time opposed to the leader/obvious hero. I think that Claud is infinitely better than any of the other main characters, but they should try something different for the next game. Also, just make a next game soon. Please.

 

The idea is that you, as the main character, are giving out orders in the game. Characters like Welkin and Claude are commanders so that you can give out orders to your units and direct them where to go. Having the main character not be a commander would cause a pretty big disconnect between the gameplay and story. Now you're giving out orders as some rank and file scrub? Or now you're not playing as your perspective character whenever you're giving out orders, direct commands, or deciding anything at the base.

That said, I want a commander who's not piloting a damn tank. Tanks are super strong and all that, but I don't find them fun at all. And the Empire gets to have all of these fun, unique troops, yet the only unique things Fed commanders get are some slightly nicer than average tanks?

Edited January 13, 2019 by Slumber

[Ertrick36]

What I want for the direction of the series is for them to release the rest of the goddamn VC4 DLC for the PC version, but all we got is a stupid goat bleep for news.

I'd personally like something in-between what Tuvy said and what we normally get.  Basically, I want a commander who isn't this legendary student or star child - for their glories to be built on what happens in-game, rather than through exposited plot and lore.  It's annoying that every protagonist is always a damn prodigy.  I've had enough of feeling special for no reason at the beginning of the game, I want to feel like crap/a nobody and then work my way up to excellence.

Or maybe start gloriously and fall hard.  Either way, it doesn't feel very fulfilling when I start off as a star child and end a legend.  It's like going from having $1,000,000 to $1,200,000 - sure, that's a lot of money, but the end result isn't much of a success compared to what you started with.  Though $1,000,000 to $5,000... that could make for an interesting story, even if it has the potential of being really sad and depressing.  Or a great success story from $5,000 to $1,000,000.

23 minutes ago, Slumber said:

That said, I want a commander who's not piloting a damn tank. Tanks are super strong and all that, but I don't find them fun at all. And the Empire gets to have all of these fun, unique troops, yet the only unique things Fed commanders get are some slightly nicer than average tanks?

I mean, Avan didn't operate a tank, and neither did edgy boi Kurt Irving.

Thing is, armored combat vehicles are basically the spiritual successor to ye olde cavalry - a mere infantry unit, especially in WW2-esque settings, is only good for infiltration and insertion missions that require subtlety and things that can fit in narrow hallways.  So unless the game is a series of interior firefights or espionage missions, not likely we won't get a tank.

With that said, they really ought to rebalance armored vehicles so that they're fun to use.  Because as of yet, many people have found the best way to cheese the game is to use the Hafen for the heavy stuff and to chauffeur some infantry in the Cactus so that they can capture objectives in peace with little effort.  And they still need to give us more of a reason to use lancers, because even with all the balance changes I still prefer other units, most namely the Grenadiers.

[Slumber]

2 hours ago, Ertrick36 said:

I mean, Avan didn't operate a tank, and neither did edgy boi Kurt Irving.

Thing is, armored combat vehicles are basically the spiritual successor to ye olde cavalry - a mere infantry unit, especially in WW2-esque settings, is only good for infiltration and insertion missions that require subtlety and things that can fit in narrow hallways.  So unless the game is a series of interior firefights or espionage missions, not likely we won't get a tank.

With that said, they really ought to rebalance armored vehicles so that they're fun to use.  Because as of yet, many people have found the best way to cheese the game is to use the Hafen for the heavy stuff and to chauffeur some infantry in the Cactus so that they can capture objectives in peace with little effort.  And they still need to give us more of a reason to use lancers, because even with all the balance changes I still prefer other units, most namely the Grenadiers.

Pssh, nobody cares about the games that aren't 1 and 4.

Armored tanks being cavalry is one thing. But in both 1 and 4, not a ton of commanders in either game drive tanks. Since I just got through it, the only major unit in 4 I can think of who drives a tank beyond Claude is Klaus. Minerva's an upgraded Scout(Until she joins your team and she's a normal Scout), Chiara and Nikola are unique Scouts, Crymaria's a Valkyria. Then there's Belgar, but he's kind of his own bag of worms.

Have somebody else drive a tank. It's not like Claude and Welkin are the only tanks in the games they're in.

Edited January 13, 2019 by Slumber

[Tuvy]

On 1/12/2019 at 10:26 PM, Slumber said:

 

The idea is that you, as the main character, are giving out orders in the game. Characters like Welkin and Claude are commanders so that you can give out orders to your units and direct them where to go. Having the main character not be a commander would cause a pretty big disconnect between the gameplay and story. Now you're giving out orders as some rank and file scrub? Or now you're not playing as your perspective character whenever you're giving out orders, direct commands, or deciding anything at the base.That said, I want a commander who's not piloting a damn tank. Tanks are super strong and all that, but I don't find them fun at all. And the Empire gets to have all of these fun, unique troops, yet the only unique things Fed commanders get are some slightly nicer than average tanks?

2

I completely understand what you're saying. I said this without really thinking about orders because I don't really like to use them. I honestly don't think they are a huge part of the game, and I wouldn't care if they weren't in the next one, but I understand that other people like them/think they are important. I guess the way I would make it work is having the main character somehow communicate to the squad leader "Hey, can we do this?" and having him say yes. When you unlock new orders you just build trust with the squad leader who allows you to do more things. 

Also yes, tanks are dumb