NekoKnight

No no no, you need to keep the avatar (male only) but give him a canon relationship with the worst girl. You will be able to A(-) rank the other girl characters but they will just say how perfect you and the worst girl are for each other.

Hoshido as it is has a western style leadership. A king and queen, and children to inherit the throne (although I find it odd that Ryoma didn't supplant Mikoto as the head sovereign after Sumeragi's death). Sumeragi doesn't seem to fit the mold of an emperor so it would be weird to put Mikoto in an empress role. But it's your story, so you can define the political structure how you like.

I haven't given a lot of thought to the Hoshido route but if and when I do, I think it would be good to have Mikoto being in charge of ritual business, and after the death of her husband, power hungry factions plotting to overthrow her. 1. I don't think there were any theories that intrigued me but I was super excited for the premise. The advertising made the Nohr route sound like it would be a intricate political drama but then we got... well... They weren't lying when they said it'd be only slight more complicated than Hoshido, and they forgot to mention it would be a whole lot dumber. 2. As Thane said, I wish they would have developed the political entities in the setting. For having two (at least visually) completely distinct cultures, we learn very little about either. And then you have all the duchies which are hardly given any attention. They visit one, kill some people and move on to the next. Fates was just awful at world building. 3. No, the magical elements were not needed at all and detracted from focus of the plot. The amount of world building and character focus could have been HUGE, but instead we got the Invisible Plot Device Kingdom mucking everything up. Fates could have been one of the best Fire Emblem stories for discussing loyalty vs blood, selfishness vs altruism, love vs duty, and all sorts of family relationships. Instead we got angry dragons. And convenient pseudo-incest. 4. I like alternative versions of the same story. Telling the story from different points of view can give unique insight to radically different cultures and character motivations. If you chose Nohr, for example, Kamui might get along great with his siblings but forever have doubt in his mind about the sort of life he'd have if he was never kidnapped. If you chose Nohr, Kamui would have an awkward relationship with his siblings, having grown up in a completely different culture and having the guilt of turning on the people he grew up with. If you are going as far as writing your own setting, I'd try a different theme than east vs west. While certainly very compelling, there are plenty of contrasting cultures in the world to take inspiration from.

Interesting ideas. I definitely think there are creative options for bonding characters that don't require a 2nd generation. This guy gets it. No more instant marriages please. It's almost as bad as easy-bake-oven children. I don't mind gay characters in the game, however.

What matter of devilry have you created?

That's the sort of person Zoura is. I'm not saying he's a great guy, just that Kamui's treatment of him inspired him to stand up to Garon which got him killed. It sounds like Leon knew him personally, so he has a more informed opinion of Zoura than Kamui does.

Initially trusting Zoura may have been naive but he does prove himself later by protecting Takumi. Even after betraying you, he still vouches for you so apparently Kamui's mercy had a lasting effect. You talk about "focus" like they can only do one thing well. It can be a character focused story and still give us interesting villains and a nuanced conflict. Personal preference? Well yeah, I hope the stories I read have villains with greater motivations than making the protagonist sad, that the world is detailed and multifaceted, and that the protagonist makes progress towards the world they want to live in. Saying "Fates' story isn't bad, it's just not what you wanted" is taking "subjective" to a whole new level.

I do like the idea of playing Hoshido in Japanese and Nohr in English. The global language is decided by Kamui's loyalty!

I guess Nohr!Kamui just doesn't appeal to me in any way. Even if Kamui isn't a badly written character (not the same as well written character), he is still very unlikable. In Nohr he's naive, ineffectual and dangerously shortsighted. Kamui paying the price for his naivete could be a powerful theme but it seems more like everyone else is the ones who suffer for it. I can't support Kamui's actions nor can I sympathize with him because he could have avoided a lot of the tragedies had be spared a thought for what his choice meant. Nohr feels like a drawn out "Bad End". But I need to get all my tiger stamps so it's worth at least one playthrough.

I also found this weird. While Chevalier is not Nohr proper, it's still deep into the western portion of the continent. If Sumeragi had some sort of diplomatic mission (that he brings his family to, for some reason) you'd think they'd choose a place closer to the border like Port Dia or the city where the Rainbow Sage is. It's astounding that such an important event is glossed over in the story. This. Not that stories without Kamui lack merit but I think some people are really selling Kamui('s potential) short. While I think a rewrite should tone down on other character's obsession with him, the choice and everything that happens to Kamui is deeply personal and dramatic. Kamui's mixed upbringing/heritage also brings up interesting comparisons to his other siblings; for example the pain Kamui felt of never knowing his mother until she died for him, compared to the Nohr siblings having awful mothers who messed up their lives. There is potential to highlight all the things that make him different from both his families. If they were going for a theme of selfishness vs the greater good, they didn't sell it very well. When Kamui sides with Nohr, they don't explain why besides some vague promise to end the war (intense irony incoming, Kamui helps escalate the war!) from the Nohr side. Kamui just says "Sorry, I can't go back to Hoshido. That's my decision." Compare this to siding with Hoshido where Kamui specifically mentions the reasons for defecting. Perhaps you could infer that Kamui loves his new siblings too much to betray them but it's never mentioned so you don't feel the weight and personal turmoil of his choice. To add onto that, after you choose Nohr, Hoshido bias tells Kamui that he messed up by not choosing Hoshido.

No one noticed the thread necro... lol. I usually view things in their native language in possible but if the dub is good, I'll play it just for rarity of good English dubs. Dual audio should come standard for internationally released games.

Here are the changes I've made so far for Nohr [spoiler=Changes] Aqua is now a minor character who is introduced earlier. Kamui was never locked up so he is more knowledgeable of Nohrian society and the world. S/he is merciful when able but less naive than before. He is still heavily guarded, however. Kamui is 4 when he is kidnapped. And 14 years have passed since then. Kamui is still friends with Silas and didn't forget him. Flora and Felicia have been consolidated into a single character. Odin is replaced with Ophelia and she and Zero are now mercenaries hired by Leon. Charlotte and Benoit are now Leon's subordinates. Lazwald and Luna have no connection to Awakening. Nosfertatu don't exist and are replaced with bandit attacks. As there are no instant marriages or 2nd generation. Lilith, Eponine, Soleil, Foleo, Lutz, Sophie, Shigure and Odin have been cut. Anna, Midoriko, Mozume, Deere and Kana are the only characters recruited in paralogues. 3rd route and Hydra has been cut. To answer the question about Felicia, I fixed her problem by... removing her! She seems redundant with Flora and is just there for the moe maid archetype. In the story, Flora and Joker will be your attendants, with Joker joining you at the start regardless of your gender. You will go to the Ice Village early in the story, the same as the current Nohr route but afterwords you will recruit Flora, who will join you as thanks for sparing her people and for forgiving her for her betrayal (something that Kamui can sympathize with considering the choice he just had to make). I'm currently working on a rewrite of Nohr so I don't have plans for why the Nohrian characters would side with you in Hoshido (muh loyalty) but here's the gist of who sides with you in Nohr. Silas is now your childhood friend (that you didn't forget) who is a knight in service of a new character called Lord Ackerman. Ackerman is friendly with Kamui so he entrusts Silas to your care. Joker stands by you out of loyalty and Gunter is killed when he falls into the Infinite Chasm. Aqua is probably the most changed because she's just the daughter of a Nohrian chieftain who was taken in as a political hostage(You fight her and her father in instead of Suzukaze and Rinka). You spare them and she serves you out of gratitude in Nohr, or to escape Nohr in Hoshido. Suzukaze is as I described but you recruit him later (now Ashura is recruited first), after Hoshido has already been defeated. I was talking about Suzukaze. *sneaks up behind you and grabs your shoulders* Shhh, just let it happen.

The reason for his choice doesn't need to be the same for all routes, it can be a reaction to things that happen in the plot (ie not be in support conversations). For Hoshido, it's obvious. He lives in Glorious Nippon, why would he switch sides? For Nohr, at least in my story, he would decide to support Kamui because the Hoshidan resistance against Nohrian occupation was becoming indiscriminate in their targeting of Nohrians and Hoshidans collaborating with them.

Oh, I don't expect the depth a series like ASoIaF to fit in Fire Emblem (when writing my own version of the story, part of the problem is pacing exposition and gameplay when there is so much to talk about), but some of the tone and nuance would be nice. I wouldn't even describe it as hard to do. As I've said numerous times before, all the pieces for a good story are in the box, they just need to be assembled correctly.

Hm, I can't comment on Mystery Dungeon or Persona as I haven't played them but I'd describe the Pokemon games as generally being about an atmosphere of adventure (that even a kid can accomplish) more than story. Unless you want to get into the meta of certain player actions (like chain breeding, animal fighting, etc), I don't think it's really possible to be a jerk or villainous. The most you can do to your Pokemon is be shitty at battles and let them faint. It is pretty player-centric, but I can give give it a pass for being a story geared towards children. I'll take your word on the other games. Japanese gamers do seem to have a different appreciation for stories than westerners do. I feel like for a story (like Fates) handling the themes of betrayal, war, murder, incest and conflicting loyalties, it should have the maturity to not make the story all about you. Game of Thrones (or choose some other fantasy epic) would not have nearly as much appeal if the Starks were unstoppable moral paragons who never did wrong, or were excused whenever they did.

Adding onto what Sunwoo said, Silas being your follower even though you don't remember him is a little odd. Was it implied he had nowhere else to go, no one else to serve? Who knows how many years he was separated from Kamui. The fact that he sought him out, even after Kamui defects to Hoshido is a weird one. Maybe he sensed Kamui's awesome kingly attributes like Ryoma did.

What games are you thinking about? I know there are standard hero tropes, and stories where one guy is super talented and gets lots of praise but which ones actively weaken the narrative for that purpose? A lot of the criticism here for Fates' character worship is because it devalues the motivations of other characters and warps the plot. Camilla is obsessed with Kamui despite have 3 other siblings to dote on, Suzukaze and Silas will betray their country for no other reason than to be by your side, etc. The Hoshido characters reactions to Kamui is the part I find the most hard to swallow. Hinoka and Ryoma (Takumi and Sakura probably don't remember you well enough to warrant a reaction) being shocked and saddened by Kamui's choice to side with Nohr is one thing, but they act like getting him back is still a big priority. Kamui is just a single guy, a stranger by the time they meet him again.

Well, ask most people (even here) and they will tell you Fates has pretty awesome gameplay, so it's not like we have nothing good to say.

Hey now, we may be snarky and cynical but it goes along with valid criticism and a discussion of the plot. If it seems like we're having "fun" criticizing the plot, it's because to be completely brutal without even a hint of wit would be too negative. Accepting mediocrity (and for Fates' squandered potential, that's a compliment) isn't going to help us get better stories either. I think it's pretty dismissive to imply the plot criticisms are invalid, just because it's now "popular" to negatively regard the plot. If you want to look at things in a more positive light, you have a game that made people so strongly WANT to like it that they are still discussing it after 36 pages. It has inspired several people to write their own stories and think about what makes a good story and game. I wouldn't want to hang out here if it was just pissing and moaning.

Apparently, Kamui was showing "kingly" qualities from a young age, enough to make Ryoma jealous. Kamui must have been an exceptional 4 year old. Nope, no player worship here.

Perhaps they should have mentioned his feelings in the route where you oppose him. It's hinted that he is conflicted but you don't really hear about his reasoning for supporting Garon. It might be reasonable if Garon wasn't such a card-carrying villain, laughing insanely and openly talking about how he wants to make Kamui suffer. You can't put all the motivations of major characters in optional conversations.

I can give them credit for *trying* to tug at the heart strings but they just ended up missing the mark. Character deaths like Suzukaze and Lilith, for example don't have much of an impact because the characters sit in the background until it's time for them to sacrifice themselves. Even for a major character like Marx, I can't feel too sorry for because it seems like he is the author of his own tragedy. The only characters I felt bad about were Lazwald and Pieri (Hoshido route) because they died for their loyalty. There could have been more drama for fighting your siblings but the human element was undermined but everyone forgiving Kamui, no matter what he did. As for Suzukaze following Kamui, I can understand wanting to repay a debt but going as far as to assist in an invasion of your own country and killing your own countrymen is really stretching the limits of believability. At least IS gave us the foundation of a good story so fanfiction writers can give us something better.

With Radiant Dawn, you have the extremely contrived Blood Pacts which force Daein to keep fighting in a war it has no part in. The plot had to lobotomize itself to justify an ongoing war. I wouldn't describe Fates plot being ruined by it's gameplay direction because many of the problems could be fixed with tweaking and dialogue changes. Suzukaze's recruitment, for example, could be justified by saying that Suzukaze always had problems with living in Hoshido and only stayed there (in the Hoshido route) for you. Alternatively, they could have just given you another rogue ninja like Kotarou if you need that ninja quota filled. Likewise, the reason behind the war can easily be attributed to Nohr's lack of resources. The only "fucking over the story for gameplay" that I see is the children, and even then, you could implement a skill/class sharing system without resorting to a 2nd generation. Almost everything in Fates in the result of dumb and lazy writing. That's the heart of the problem though; there was so very much potential and it's depressing to see how much they hamstrung their own efforts at every step. They talked a big game and didn't deliver. I'd describe Fates as having the potential to be the best Fire Emblem story, and by its own ambition, the most botched story of the entire series.

I'm making most of those changes minus the consolidation of the sibling characters. For my story, I'm giving Hinoka more stuff to do, although Sakura will remain a more minor character. Also, I might include some of the second gen characters without any time-warping shenanigans like Lutz being the present day son of Harold. I don't want to have Hydra or Touma involved so I think I'll borrow just the first part of your backstory. Hmm, this background seems awfully convoluted. I have to ask a few questions: Why does Anankos rule indirectly (out of sight) when it would be easy to do it in person? How would Mikoto and Shenmei forget about Anankos if they take orders from him? Did the rise and fall of Hoshido/Nohr happen within the lifespans of Mikoto and Shenmei? That's a really short time frame. Why would Shenmei take the killing blow in Mikoto's place? Isn't she in charge of Nohr? Can't she just end the war herself? Why was Kamui captured in the first place? More questions/comments: Shouldn't Touma be Nohrian territory considering Nohr's past victory over Hoshido? Who does Kamui spare in Chapter 5? Why does Anankos try to kill off his own children? The Invisible History plot ought to be reworked to make it more significant. It only serves as a shoddy way of explaining the Awakening cameos, all the while making it seem like they forgot about their mission in the actual game. The marriage to siblings is pretty shaky. I presume Kamui spent most of his life with his Nohrian family so I don't see how you could have a smooth transition from sibling to romantic relationships. Hoshido is more believable, however. It's funny to think that Kamui could unknowingly marry his half sister in the Hoshido and Nohr routes. The last comment I have is about how you would frame Kamui's choice. Why would he choose Hoshido over Nohr and vice versa?

So is what you find completely random? I wanted to get some of the route exclusive items (or items that just don't show up period) but I don't want to support a business that deliberately left them out in the first place. :/