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Hawkwing

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    My Main Issue with Alm

    in Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia

    Posted

    44 minutes ago, Ottservia said:

    I get what you’re saying but it’s not necessarily a universal rule. Shounen power ups are something that definitely come to mind and fit this definition of contrived. For example, in One piece Luffy gains the power up of gear second without any training or pre-established method of aquirement so he could have the power necessary to beat the arc’s villains to which he couldn’t before. The explanation is given retro-actively in that he thought about ways to strengthen himself after his first encounter with them. I wouldn’t consider it contrived though because we are given an explanation on how it works, how he aquired it, and it’s drawbacks. Yeah it’s kinda out of nowhere but it’s forgivable because an explanation exists and it’s honestly cool as hell. And again it’s a relatively minor thing to get hung up on.

    I wouldn't call that moment a plot contrivance. We are given information of how the ability works, what causes it, what the drawback are, and I take it it is used throughout the story. It continues the narrative while also addressing the other aspects and consequences of the ability. It doesn't exist solely for the story.

    I haven't watched or read One Piece, so I can't comment on whether there was any foreshadowing or not. Nor do I know if the explanation was given retroactively or if it was planned ahead of time and thus the ability deliberately "came out of nowhere" to create a mystery. Not necessarily related to plot contrivance, but execution is important no matter the situation.

    I wouldn't say that something being left unexplained or to a lesser degree coming out of nowhere makes something contrived. The Incredibles never explain where powers came from, but the strengths and drawbacks are shown frequently in scenes both major and minor. And in the example you gave, Luffy's ability is sudden, yet it still has an explanation. A plot contrivance may utilize something that was established earlier, but for the sake of continuing the narrative than addressing the other aspects of something.

    1 hour ago, Ottservia said:

    you could also say the Rigelian vault only allowing those of royal blood to be a contrivance as well because it’s simply an excuse to have Alm get a one on one battle with witch Celica. Or as a better example, Celica being revived by Mila through falchion can also be considered a contrivance by that metric because again it just kinda happens without any pre-established explanation and only exists because well you can’t have Celica stay dead. She’s a protagonist after all. It even contradicts an earlier world building point of witches being unable to revert. There is a thematic explanation though in that this moment is supposed to be the climax and culmination of their character arcs. After they realize the faults in their own ideals they are forced to fight one another but because they believe in each other and trust in each other they are able to undo the consequences of their actions. It’s the realization that they need each other that allows them to prevail and ultimately saves Celica.

    I wouldn't call the royal vault a contrivance, since that has a logical reason for existing in it's own right, even without the story the game is currently telling.

    Alm's solo section I see existing more for gameplay reasons so that Alm gains a few extra levels to be prepared for the final boss. I wouldn't call it contrived because the scene still serves a purpose, even if it is more for gameplay than story. And yeah, it also gives an excuse for why Alm and Celia have their 1-on-1 cutscene fight (which may have been planned to happen in gameplay but was cut. She does have unused voice lines and sprites as a witch).

    I won't try to defend the Falchion revival scene. If I had to take a guess, revival springs do exist in Valentia and perhaps Mila and Duma have that kind of power, but I'm not dying on that hill. I would call it the "uses something previous establish for the sake of continuing the story" kind of contrived for this reason.

    Plot-Death, and why it doesn't work

    in Fire Emblem Fates

    Posted

    Fates tried to have dramatic and tragic character deaths, but fails largely because of how little time is spent with said characters. Mikoto is killed only a chapter or two after meeting her, fighting a character that is a unit on the other route doesn't have the same impact of you haven't played said route, and even then having a battle and death quote doesn't really make them all that separate from another boss. Shura is another sign of the games skewed priorities, given you have a choice to kill someone whose backstory is actually relevant to the war, and Kaze's situation, while it could be an attempt to show how important bonds can be, just resulted in a lot of "use/don't use this unit!" advice. Lilith's death may have had more of an impact if she was actually involved more in the story itself instead of disappearing a short time in, and the demise of the royals is sad more due to the inherit tragedy of the situation than anything else

    Other games in the series have done plot deaths much better than Fates did by spending more time with the characters beforehand and/or giving their death the right amount of narrative impact. Killing off the players units for story reasons is the only thing I have an issue with. It needlessly screws over blind players, and on future playthroughs, the unit just becomes the source of "use/don't use!" debates

    5 hours ago, vanguard333 said:

    The only thing that wasn't done poorly was the writing prose (the sentence structure and such). 

    Heck, even there Fates had room for improvement. While there is little issue on the technical side of things, it seemed like every other sentence there was something to edit to make a conversation more engaging and entertaining to go through during my first playthrough of Conquest, and the tone really did not fit in with the "sword and sorcery" setting of Fire Emblem.

    My Main Issue with Alm

    in Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia

    Posted

    On 5/17/2020 at 1:50 AM, Solvaij said:

    Additionally, I think story-gameplay integration is important and can lead to some awesome moments, but at the same time, the structure of a Fire Emblem game necessitates that you win battles, but bad things still happen. Stuff like Walhart's army chasing you around regardless of your level are sort of par for the course and I don't really think of them as flaws. On that note, I would be all for a Fire Emblem game that let you occasionally loose battles and have that advance the story in a different direction, but I feel like that's not really something the developers are interested in considering.

    I did find Walharts "million strong off-screen army" to be annoying, though more because it was a case of telling instead of showing. Yeah, I buy that fighting his main force head-on is a bad idea, but it would still be nice to see how outnumbered we are, along with how well Robin's plan to throw them into disarray worked. Telling instead of showing is a problem throughout the series, and I wish that they would take more steps to minimize the issue.

    I would say that the way Fire Emblem handles permadeath is the main reason why the series has to have the player "win" levels. Getting a TPK and loosing several high ranking soldiers in XCOM sucks big time, but you can still hire new recruits and train them up to become more competent. Whereas in Fire Emblem, you are limited in how many total units you get throughout a playthrough, as well as how many units are in each class. The only other game I can think of that has permadeath along with limited characters is Jagged Alliance, and Jagged Alliance is a game that isn't afraid to make the player loose.

    Not to say that Fire Emblem don't account for failing side objectives or having certain units be dead at specific points in the story. On the contrary, a surprising amount of attention is given to situations the player is unlikely to encounter, such as certain scenes in Blazing Sword changing if Matthew kicks the bucket early on or how Chapter 20 of Shadow Dragon has a different ending if Camus survives. They just don't change the overall plot, and though it would be interesting if it did, how well the series handles route splits is a discussion in its own right.

    With that said, I do believe Thracia 776 did the best job at having the protagonist "fail" without it coming off as cheap. It did introduce the "escape" objective, after all, and the game is not afraid to throw powerful enemies that you're not meant to defeat at you. This, along with how most of your supplies will come from stealing enemy equipment from captured foes as well as the stamina mechanic really help to sell that you are leading a rebellion against a much stronger opponent with little room to breathe. It would be interesting to see another Fire Emblem game with this kind of aesthetic and design mentality, albeit without being as new/blind player hostile as Thracia 776 could be.

    35 minutes ago, Ottservia said:

    The thing that bothers me about contrivance is that you can kind of nitpick anything to pieces if you try hard enough so at the end of the day it doesn’t necessarily mean a whole lot.

    There are differences between contrivances and nitpicks. Nitpicks are overall minor issues that at the end of the day rarely affect the larger experience. Contrivances give the sense that the story is continuing on because the plot says so instead of events proceeding on naturally. Yeah, coincidences are unavoidable in most stories, but that doesn't prevent the background, set-up, and characters from disguising this. In Star Wars: A New Hope, R2-D2 and C-3PO ending up in Luke's care may be a coincidence, but the previous scenes of rebels running away from the empire, going to Tatooine to find Obi-Wan, both droids ending up being captured and sold by the scavenger Jawas, Luke initially refusing Obi-Wan's offer to join him before the empire forces his hand, and the group going to Mos Eisley to find a pilot and ship to start their mission, all help make the audience forget that R2-D2 and C-3PO may have very well been sold to completely different characters, or may not have even been captured by Jawas at all or ended up in an entirely different situation. The series of events doesn't come off as artificial due to what it establishes and how it builds off what was established.

    Contrivances, however, happen because the writers want or need something to happen, yet in execution comes off as forced or artificial. It may not be a plot hole, but when the purpose of the scene or event is focused on continuing the story at the cost of other aspects of the character and setting, it doesn't make it better than one.  James Bond uses gadgets all the time, but if he uses one to escape from a trap when the device wasn't shown off before and it is too specific to the situation for it to have universal applications (and thus it would make sense for an agent to have it regardless of the mission), then that could be considered a plot contrivance that is there simply to have an action scene or fill the gadget quota without taking advantage of foreshadowing or explaining what other purposes the gadget to show why Bond would take it on this mission. Or a character or alien or fantasy race and so on may have an ability that may or may not brought up earlier that continues the story, but if the implications and consequences of what said ability might do outside the plot aren't mentioned or shown, then it could be considered a contrivance since it only affected the narrative when logically it should do more.

    I am no literary expert and if someone as a better explanation or examples to share, please feel free to do so. Point being, contrivances harm the story by continuing it through forced and/or artificial means. Things happen to continue the plot and nothing more, when they really should affect other aspects of the story.

    19 minutes ago, Ottservia said:

    Like in the manga fairy tail there’s a panel where a giant machine only has like six legs but in the next panel it has five and honestly if you’re gonna complain about something that minor I think you just need to stop.

    I would call that more of a technical goof than a contrivance, which depends on how the context for how forgivable or inexcusable it is.

    32 minutes ago, Ottservia said:

    Obviously things like Contrivance does matter to some degree(like Rudolf’s plan for example is really stupid) but I don’t really think it matters as much as people says it does. 

    Personally, I really wish the game focused on the "uniting two nations through a total war" part of Rudolfs plan instead of adding the goddamn "prophesy" part. Or at the very least, saying that Rudolf doesn't put a ton of stock in it but would rather be on the safe side and protect Alm from fanatics who do. It would be a small gamble in part of his larger plan than he knows full well could easily fail but could also reap much larger rewards. A gamble that wouldn't affect his goal of uniting Valentia.

    I do find the differences between Duma and Mila's philosophies and how both nations followed them to their detriment to be fascinating, and Rudolfs idea to forcibly unite both countries so that no matter which side wins, the victory need the others virtues to secure their gains, could really only work with this kind of set-up. There are hints that Rudolf attempted this with the earlier war, but stopped when Zofia surrendered and there wasn't much reason to continue due to it being a war for resources instead of conquest. It was certainly more interesting than the "commoners VS nobles" plotline they were aiming for, which the original game didn't have.

    56 minutes ago, Ottservia said:

    like if a character is straight up acting completely out of character just so the plot can go a certain direction then yeah that’s something to criticize or if a major world building inconsistency pops up. This stuff does matter but complaining about the logistics and history of the royal sword if you were to change it’s wielding requirements is just overthinking it a little too much if you ask me

    I chose the Royal Sword because as is, it currently hurts the Echoes themes, but changing the requirement may have consequences elsewhere. It might fit the games messages better, but hurt the integrity of the setting. I have no doubts that there are ways to get the best of both worlds, but brainstorming ideas is why writers get paid, and if we attempted it right now, it would be done with the benefit of hindsight.

    The League shall fall if I'm in control - A bad tactician plays Berwick Saga, Ironman mode!

    in Let's Play/Streams

    Posted

    On a random side note page 12 had enough content on it that the website kept crashing when I tried to view the 23rd update on my phone.

    On another note, it will be my Birthday by the time this reply is posted. Because I decided to start writing this near midnight. Yay

    On 5/15/2020 at 1:30 AM, The Roger The Paladin said:

    Did you play it on Maddening though? My current H5 run is reminding me just how much a degree or 2 of difficulty makes...

    Ah, yeah. I can see how Maddening can change things.

    Though if I am being completely honest, difficulty modes like Lunatic and Maddening never really interested me, at least for Fire Emblem. For the most part, I enjoy avoiding the overpowered stuff in the series, largely because one-man armies aren't always the most entertaining thing to watch with Fire Emblems gameplay, yet being forced to break the game with few options on how to do so doesn't engage me as much. I know Conquest is lighter on that aspect, but the abundance of enemy-only skills during the endgame doesn't sound fun. Heck, hearing Iago has a hexing rod among his repertoire of staffs alone killed my interest in trying the game on Lunatic.

    Shadow Dragon, though, I am more willing to give the higher difficulty a chance, although I'm taking my time with that one. I got cocky during my first run through of Hard 1, and lost a good chunk of my army before the lesson set in that, unlike Conquest, it wouldn't always be obvious how much stronger certain enemy units would be. Also, your let's play on the game is both hilarious and informative. I should get around to commenting on it sometime.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:

    Dark magic is a bad thing in FE7. In FE6 Raigh uses it and he's only a bit of a douchebag, Sophia uses it and she's only a bit of a weakling, Niime uses it and she's only a bit of a terrible grandmother, all those bosses use it and they're only greedy - I mean, heck, Peres was just a loyal guy following orders. No mention to the whole "SANITY GET LOST TO DARKNESS" shenanigan that Canas talks about anywhere in the whole game.

    Awakening has a similar trend where every character that can become a dark mage has a darker side to their personality (such as Miriels "for science!" attitude and Libra's past, among others). Not certain if Fates continues the trend with dark mages specifically, but both games were actually rather good at having characters reclass options make sense.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:

    Please forgive me, but I struggle to comprehend what you were trying to convey here.

    Other than the fact that Girls' Frontline looked semi-interesting to me until it turned out to be a rhythm game. Yeah, sorry. That ain't up my alley.

    I think that's just a minigame. Fire Emblem Heroes has something similar.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:

    That sounds a lot of fun. What did you say the game's name was, again? I don't wanna go back to find it. It's not that I'm lazy; as you know, I am spanish. I'm too busy, I've got paella to eat and bullfighting to watch before my siesta. Somehow this is, alongside the horseman PTSD, the one running gag that's survived through all four LPs. I think.

    Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. 

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:

    ...Berwick Saga is a flawless game!

    Except for RNG capture, which I imagine will become a running gag throughout this Let's Play, if it hasn't been one already.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:

    Probably because they were too busy praising him for being amazing in RD. And pissing me off in the process.

    Seriously, I'm up to part 3, and so far I've liked everything except the parts with the Greil Mercenaries. Not only is their role in the story completely predictable and devoid of anything interesting or mysterious, but their chapters are mindnumbingly easy because they're all broken units. I hate them, I wish they'd go die in a ditch and return me to Brolan and his less awesome friends. Every time I go into the base and see Ike and his goons as the playable guys, I roll my eyes and think "great, another half hour of letting the game play itself in the background".

    I take it the game doesn't have a "Speed up animations" button from Awakening onward?

    If not, that definitely seems like something to add if/when the game gets re-released (honestly, I'm still kind of surprised Nintendo hasn't jumped at re-releasing the older Fire Emblem games. More people know about the series thanks to the 3DS games, and several of them are interested in the older games but don't want to mess with emulators, so re-releases would appeal to that crowd. Not to mention fans of the original games can now get it on a more convenient system. It's a win-win situation).

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:

    That's the biggest reason I hesitate to replay this one, honestly. Not gonna lie, I feel tempted to come back to it every now and again, but it's so long for all the wrong reasons... wasting another 60 hours just to realize that I still don't like it is not what I'd call a good investment of my time.

    Yeah, my original plan was to go Blue Lions -> Verdant Wind -> Crimson Flower -> Silver Snow since several people pointed out not to do Verdant Wind and Silver Snow back-to-back due to how similar they are, but considering how long it takes to get to the timeskip, I'm honestly thinking about doing Crimson Flower afterwards largely because it is shorter than the other routes (that, and I am curious as to what Edelgards motivations are considering the war came more-or-less out of nowhere at the end of Part 1).

    While I am glad that the monastery does have a purpose and that the time spent there does pay off, I really wish the game sped up getting from point A to point B, as well as making it more obvious what stuff is optional. Especially on a first playthrough, I'm not certain how powerful my units should be before I can safely skip ahead.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:

    Yep. Chapter 22 in particular is nearly impossible to do legitimately without casualties. The chapter is begging you to warpskip it. I'd say it's around chapter 21 that the game starts going downhill in this regard. Almost every chapter from there is either bad or a warpskip-fest. Which, admittedly, isn't that different from TearRing, but at least in TearRing only Holmes is affected by this, so you can just send Renee with him and call it a day.

    I see. I'll keep that in mind whenever I get to Thracia, since otherwise I'm not a fan of warp-skipping. I get the sense I am missing out on experience, and it just feels like cheating most of the time.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:

    That seems to be mostly what The Roger explained. It's all right. But I still don't see him standing much of a chance if the entire League decided to gang up on him.

    It seems to be more of a "if this member goes rogue, do X"  plan than a "how to defeat the entire team" one.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:

    My problem with routes in FE is that, as Three Houses proved, FE isn't nearly popular or profitable enough to afford to make so many routes. The series's budget, although it's increasing with time, isn't high enough to be able to withstand this much overspending. And so, you get a half-baked title with a ton of routes instead of a solid one with just one.

    Agreed. Although I wouldn't mind something like Echoes split again, but that's partially because both routes were simultaneous, and partially because I can see several interesting gameplay ideas that could come from tweaking the map system.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:

    Well, I'm not so talented an artist, I am sorry.

    Apology accepted, and don't feel bad about it.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:

    No monsters in this one, I'm afraid.

    Aw, though it does fit in with the games down to earth nature, to be fair.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:

    Eheh... ahhh... we won't have to wait until the endgame, my friend.

    Let me rephrase that; I am both intrigued and concerned about what the final sections of the game look like when endgame enemies are commonplace.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:

    So you can kill the main character, is that it?

    Well, it's one of those "characters get knocked out instead of killed despite wielding weapons of ranging lethality" situations.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:

    Nope, but PoR is so damn easy that just using units will break it.

    So Awakening on Normal (and to a lesser degree Hard) difficulty without doing a challenge run?

    Yeah, Awakening has several elements that aren't good from a design standpoint, but as a player, one can choose to exploit or ignore them.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:

    Yes. Yes it does.

    I suppose he wants double since he needs a really good story for why the prisoner with a wyvern is missing while the Sinon knights are off on an important mission.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:

    But... Ward's medium shields weigh as much as that, if not more, and he doesn't complain about 'em!

    My guess there is that they are far more practical and efficient than the old shield despite being around the same weight.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:

    It could go both ways. I don't think it ever really comes up. Berwick Saga isn't the kind of game where the protagonist is the chosen one to meet with the gods.

    Huh. Guess we'll have to wait and see if there are other references there are to the religions background, then.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:

    It is pretty nice to not have to worry about a weapon's durability.

    That was something I did enjoy about Echoes and Fates, even if said systems really only worked in their respective games (and Fates was really hit or miss on balancing the weapons).

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:

    I'm not sure. Maybe he's just trying to dissuade Faye following the Clifford strategy guide on how to deal with your child.

    Wonder when Clifford wrote that, as well as how much money he made off of it.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:

    You know, I'm actually not sure. Canonically he probably just flips and becomes insane, but they needed some way to show that visually.

    I think magic is probably the most reasonable explanation, although I won't lie that I find the image of Owen flipping his cloak inside out whenever

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:

    Yep. Poor Daoud's determined to stop another tragedy from happening.

    Also, if you lose any of the green units, he doesn't join, which I feel implies that he's so distraught by so much death around him that he's unable to return to the battlefield.

    I honestly don't blame him at all.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:

    Well, I mean, it is, isn't it?

    I wouldn't know, and I wouldn't care to learn.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:

    Also a Breaking Bad reference.

    Never saw Breaking Bad. Don't really know if it's the kind of show I'd enjoy or not.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:

    Hah! Oh, you dastard...

    I don't have many critiques towards Metal Gear Solid 2's story, but Snake withholding information from Raiden with "you didn't ask" being his only excuse was one of them. Considering how much the guy hated being kept in the dark in the previous game, it comes off as massively hypocritical, and becomes even more egregious when Raiden does ask questions and Snake sidesteps answering, occasionally pretty clumsily.

    With that said, his "get over it" is actually rather badass.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:

    Hah! Okay, hold on, lemme check Aethin's files...

    "I think you have too many soldiers in your battle party!"

    He just says "I'll do my best!" when successfully hired.

    I see. Interesting how a different train of thought affects those kind of puzzles.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:

    5mrolyge o1ubq0dhq oDoogdeaz o

    Huh, so Ruby has a unique quote. Trying to remember if I said that before.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:
    Zjueory8 o

    Uhh! Pretty map! I haven't mentioned it, but the game zooms into the map before the prepscreen. This is handy in FoW maps, as this zoom-in does not include the fog, so you can take clean screenshots of the maps.

    Nice map, even if I do question what the rectangle of grey is about.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:
    4kaby569 o

    This is the actual team we'll be deploying. Save for Owen and Axel, this is very much the de facto B team. Derrick is the de facto leader of the B team. Mayhap we should call it the D team?

    I'm cool with Derrick being the head of the D team.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:

    Och2w4yi o

    Ey, this guy rhymes! He reminds me of the first generic soldier in Shadows of Valentia, of all characters, because he also rhymed!

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:

    Lc0i1rtr oYou can, of course, entrust this task to me, and I oblige. For I have, as I always will, this lyre by my side!

    9qk5ifz8 oNot that I can blame him. That looks like it could get tiresome fast...

    I personally wouldn't mind, but perhaps that's just my amazement at people who can rhyme on a dime.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:

    Lgjkwhcy o Except it somehow didn't knock you out too. Or Penelo, for that matter. I can imagine old Basselin would make it so the spell didn't send the lyre's wielder into a deep snore, but what's Zaiath's excuse?

    Maybe you have to aim the lyre at someone in order for the spell to take effect? Or maybe, despite being made of sound, it's not an area of effect spell?

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:
    Q1eshkbj o

    Okay! For all intents and purposes, you may think of Sherlock as the lord of the day. We've got to seize the building Penelo is standing on.

    Sadly, it doesn't seem like this map will be much of a mystery. With that said, this level might still make for an interesting story. We will have to wait and see.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:
    Umfenoiy o

    Derrick leads the charge!

    As he always shall!

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:
    Ublg0ex7 o

    I read this somewhere else. Remember how I once showed how pressing select will bring up those tiny health bars over every unit? Well, in FoW maps, pressing select will also show which units are hidden in the fog. That's actually really awesome. Without this feature, I wouldn't have ever found out that the beacons worked for the enemy as well. Which, admittedly, makes all the sense, but don't ask me to apply basic logic. Smol brain 2 smol, and all.

    That is an amazing quality of life feature that makes me sad Fire Emblem never stole it. Even though I would also be happy with Fire Emblem never again making another Fog of War map.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:
    A1kivcsg o

    You know, he could've died here.

    1tjpffzi oObo5e5xq oDqsx17sw oJct4u20y o

    Thankfully, he did well.

    Looks like we're off to a great start. All it takes is the threat of death for Arthur to do his job.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:
    Ab0nsdwy o

    Fuck's sake, really? Is this how you want to start the day? Or, well, the night, rather.

    Heh, it looks like Derrick swung so hard he dug his axe into the ground a little.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:
    Sagyw9s3 o

    ...never mind, he just doubled an enemy for the first time in all of my BWS runs. I'm surprised I managed to catch the animation in time, because this was quite the shock. I like how he nonchalantly slaps the enemy with the axe. Quite the far cry from his imposing and powerful first swing.

    Heh heh heh, so Kaga did it first!

    But seriously, despite not being a fan of Three Houses animations, I do like how gauntlet-wielding knights just slap their enemy. There is something about that that will never get old.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:
    Crtpigu8 o

    I love it, seriously. It's so pretty. Oh, wow, quite the smooth loop, too.

    When the basic healing spell is cool to watch, you've got a good game on your hands.

    And yeah, that is a really smooth loop. Even if Czene will remain at 7 HP forever.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:

    Hl5yvv9y o

    AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

    A7rwtdx8 o

    AAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaa okay good she's safe.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:
    5vrndlnh o

    Garbage!

    Tvfbpnje oIhv2ymxe o

    Thank you.

    History repeated rather quickly.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:
    Fqcc3thm oYkd5ua0v o

    Ha! Perfect!

    You are a master at screenshotting thrown axes from that exact angle.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:
    Y08wmimy o

    The lower archer woke up. Yep, he had been sleeping all this time, due to Penelo's awful music.

    Gameplay-story integration!

    Though now I have a question about fog of war rules when a unit is under a status effect.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:
    Wgqlxsh9 o

    This guy, who's just begging for Arthur or Ruby to try zooming past him. Spoiler alert, they won't.

    That is a very nasty arrow.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:
    Ampx2vbe oJl3cxhxl o

    Or this guy, who could be extremely dangerous with that thunder orb of his. What even is an old priest doing with a pirate gang?

    Either he was captured in an earlier raid and forced to heal for the pirate crew, or he's their version of Friar Tuck.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:
    Od3zdoy3 o

    66qg7wbt oPlease, take it, and use it to drive away those rotten men!

    She said to the pirate. Albeit an awesome one.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:
    Gzhymm2j oTbvwazfs o

    If he uses Hurry while dismounted, he can take cover in the house and his horse won't be in danger of instant death. Cool!

    So by getting off his horse, he can run a little farther, hide in a house, and his horse can't be hit by anti-calvary arrows?

    Videogame logic is an amazing thing.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:
    Zmyayx9n o

    Ah, wonderful! Absolutely magnificent, yes. Finally, it happened. Urggggghhh...

    Well, at least it happened now instead of in the middle of a life or death situation.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:
    Lepmmdrg o

    Hah! Derrick the dodgetank, they called him. He doesn't even move to dodge, how does that work...

    Path of Radiance came before this game, so I can't quite say that Kaga did "missing=dodging" first.

    However, the NES games do not have a dodge animation, presumably thanks to hardware limitations, and thus the NES Kaga did it first.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:
    Pplnpubw oGnomzjed o

    Hoo, boy... Berwick Saga, more like Missing Saga.

    Unfortunately, that name does seem pretty accurate.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:
    Nzpsdeso o

    I haven't the faintest idea what this is.

    Owen accidentally caused a rainstorm after casting lightning?

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:
    Ur3yxjt7 o

    Speed. Magnificent. Thank you for getting this completely useless level, Sherlock. Truly appreciate it.

    The lack of notable level ups really shows how little they matter in this game, don't they?

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:
    Ztmhaxv1 o

    Awesome! I see the power of boners love is making Sherlock behave more competently than usual.

    Or maybe he chose the Night Person trait, thinking it was actually worthwhile?

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:
    Qrwjpdmt o

    Cool, very cool. I don't remember this guy from my past runs, actually. Dire thunder is a great tome, and the Mjöllnir is a powerful thunder axe. Alas...

    How do you contain the power of lightning, much less put it in a stone?

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:

    Ovqkps27 o

    This guy could be tricky to deal with, if he's allowed the chance to cut someone.

    There are sleep arrows, sleep knives, a lyre with a sleep spell...

    Are we certain that the world of Berwick Saga didn't accidentally invent tranquilizers? It seems that if Berwick Saga was a stealth game, the protagonist would have enough equipment to pull off a no-kill run.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:
    Xsafq9ze o

    Come, and give Daddy Thunderous a hug!

    Heh heh heh, yeah now I can't get the image out of my head.

    Maruj and Guenchaos cast magic by pretending to be an airplane.  Owen casts spells by giving invisible hugs.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:
    053aqjoo oMxg8nvku o

    More strength for the pile, and accuracy. Why do all the low-growth guys get all the skill points?

    Because it is a Saint Rubenio Let's Play. You may as well trademark it at this point.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:
    Wg65vvic oFwzavsze o

    Ah, of course, you randomly have Counter and the rapier axe. Berwick Saga, folks! Where the generics with special traits are given names and portraits to set them apart... and then the regular generics are made special too, because fuck it!

    Berwick Saga: Everyone is Special! Especially Including the Bad Guys!

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:
    R8xn9nan oVdvprb6u o

    Failed poet is the best class name ever.

    Penelo has Vantage, which is garbage, because he has 17 AS and thus outruns all my army. He also has throwing knives, which are a 1-range weapon with 3 crit. The lullaby is the real problem: it has 2 range and instantly, inevitably sends the attacker into a deep slumber. It's impossible to fight him, as he'll just put you to sleep immediately.

    Seems like even one-off bosses are given some love in the class name department. Even if there is hardly anything complementary about being a failed poet.

    I wouldn't be surprised if his high speed came from running away from angry mobs that demanded he stop rhyming.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:
    Xde1zxot oNyt36goh o

    It is scripted that Sherlock will always nail his first shot on Penelo.

    Lc0i1rtr oJust where do you suppose that you were aiming at, you fool? And now, you sleep, for I can-- Hold on... T-The string... You broke the red string...!

    It seems like Sherlock can only hit something at night or when the plot says so.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:

    Lc0i1rtr oHow dare you destroy my glorious return to musical fame!

    By boring singing the audience to sleep, which... really isn't the best way to become famous. That is, unless you planned on making a reputation by recording lullaby albums.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:
    Oaiha2tr oJgu4atfj o

    They didn't. Magnanimous. That's two sniper arrows down the drain. Thanks, Sherlock.

    A downside of bow durability and arrow type being separate, I see.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:
    Kwiepkot o

    Well, at least it allowed Arthur to double. Fun fact: he holds his sword to his face for a split second before striking when he doubles. All these maps and so far I've been unable to react in time to catch that. Let's see if we can manage before the end of the game.

    Maybe he was hoping to mimic Eliwood's critical hit animation? God knows he needs all the help he can get to hit things.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:
    Mq71izva o

    Thankfully I was lucky, and he did not dodge with a 5% chance of doing so. Color me surprised.

    Drcliees oOusvvqke o

    Bastard got the last laugh...

    Though now he should probably invest some skills in weapon maintenance. 

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:
    0lh5libq o

    Jesus, another hit?! On a 18% chance? Sherlock, what's up with you today?

    Maybe he decided that because he was the main character for once, he should start preforming like one?

    That, or hitting a shot with a 18 percent chance to do so looks pretty good in a book. "Sherlock and The Musical Pirates" has a nice ring to it.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:
    Kqmswk34 o

    A poet till the end. A failed one. That doesn't even rhyme... I know you have bigger things to worry about, but...

    Don't really know if there's a fitting word here that rhymes with "alone" to be honest.

    Also, an arrow in the throat of an evil singer/poet is a pretty karmatic end.

    On 5/15/2020 at 12:29 PM, Saint Rubenio said:
    Bygc72do o

    Euilmzmc oI can't imagine Ophelia's going to be happy to see this...

    On the bright side, it's sleep spell can no longer be used for nefarious purposes!

    Although the lyre itself could still make for a solid improvised weapon...

    My Main Issue with Alm

    in Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia

    Posted

    8 minutes ago, omegaxis1 said:

    The Rigelians were driven off when Zofia Castle was liberated, not after Desaix was killed.

    You fight Zofians at Zofia castle, not Rigelians. Berkut and Renea were the only Rigelians there, presumably to sort details out with Desaix as he's the new leadership in Rigels eyes.

    You start battling Rigelians consistently after fighting Desaix a second time, largely because they are occupying former Zofian land that they gained during the previous war, and because they're blocking the way to the Sluice Gate.

    10 minutes ago, omegaxis1 said:

    No, they don't "achieve" greatness, but because they have someone that was on the top of the monarchy that was their friend more than anything. 

    Alm offered knightship to both Valbar and Leon, despite not personally knowing them. And he didn't immediately make Tobin a lord; it happened after an unspecified amount of time after he was knighted. Alm also knighted several other members of the deliverance even if they weren't a close friend because they proved their worth over the course of the war. It's possible he did this to several unspecified soldiers, because Fire Emblem is terrible about mentioning off-screen armies. Heck, even Three Houses, despite adding a battalion mechanic, cares more about characters that have a name than the countless faceless units that are slaughtered throughout the course of the game.

    My Main Issue with Alm

    in Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia

    Posted

    6 minutes ago, Jotari said:

    Unfortunately a more dynamic use of the map system is something they never would have went for because they were too loyal to Gaiden when it came to Echoes. I have long thought it was a shame that once you progress to the next chapter there is virtually zero reason to ever back track, by design. Paralogue battles similar to Three Houses is another way they could have implemented the map more. It would be especially cool if new areas behind you opened up as well in some scenarios so it's not always just revisiting a map.

    Remember how I mentioned that I would love for Shadows of Valentia to have a sequel? It isn't just for the story potential!

    But seriously, I would love to see another Fire Emblem game take advantage of Gaiden's map system. It has a lot of potential of being able to lead several different armies at the same time in a non-linear fashion, even if it would require a few tweaks.

    My Main Issue with Alm

    in Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia

    Posted

    6 minutes ago, Jotari said:

    While Ottservia is right in saying you don't really need it to result in an actual mistake or set back, you could still make for a mistake or set back in the plot while maintaining victory in the gameplay. Namely by achieving a short term goal by completing the chapter, but it resulting in a loss elsewhere. Like say in the plot people aren't sure if it's a good idea to charge a fort or something an Alm is confident they can win, only for them to win but not realize the enemy was luring Alm away to launch a counter attack on Sofia castle.

    I see what you're getting at. My concern is that several videogames have pulled similar tricks, and it doesn't have the greatest of track records. Given how Echoes map system works, I can see the idea being either really interesting or really annoying, or both.

    My Main Issue with Alm

    in Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia

    Posted

    1 hour ago, Ottservia said:

    Y’see this is what I mean when I said you’re too focused on the minor inconsistencies. Not much would need to be changed regarding the narrative. The only character you would need change personality wise is Alm because he needs to be more aggressive. Not necessarily blood thirsty but taking his sense of justice too far. Every other character doesn’t need to change for this to work. The only thing the other characters would need to do is react to it that’s it. Nothing about their personalities change or anything. They just need to react to the changes in Alm’s character. Like the thing is if other characters take action to Alm’s sudden shift in personality. THAT IS GOOD!!! We want that because it generates conflict which can be used to further solidify the themes of the story. Imagine if Alm starts acting more ruthless. His friends take notice and try to talk to him but he’s stubborn and won’t budge so he ends up driving his friends away thereby somewhat punishing him for giving into a character flaw. See what I mean? It’s better that way cause then story remains thematically consistent.

    I see what you're getting at. Though trying to argue here could get into a theoretically unwritten story. Depending on how aggressive Alm is or where it appears and so on, then either it makes sense that his friends would catch on to late what is growing in Alm or they would look foolish for not noticing what is happening to their friend. If they decide to speak up, then Alm it would either make sense for him to listen and consider their words or stubbornly ignore them, or it would come off as forced that he doesn't listen or stops being aggressive over a single conversation. Heck, why he starts becoming more ruthless in the first place could either be understandable or forced.

    It could work, to be sure, and I can image some versions where this fits in with what you're aiming at, but I also just as easily see versions that have the characters act outside of what was established about them and/or being forced to do certain things just so that the story can continue. I'm not trying to stop a discussion, but something like this relies heavily on the execution of something we don't have.

    1 hour ago, Ottservia said:

    What you seem to be misunderstanding is that a character being a hypocrite isn’t necessarily a bad thing so long as the story acknowledges that hypocrisy in some form or another. If there’s a contradiction in the deliverance’s ideals explore that. Show me what hypocrisy drives them to do and have them work to correct it. We want characters to contradict themselves cause that can be used to generate meaningful conflict.

    Where was I stating that the characters were being hypocritical? My concern is more over why a character or faction acts the way they do, and that their actions make sense. If there is a hypocrisy, there should be a reason for it that goes beyond "the story says so".

    1 hour ago, Ottservia said:

    Thing is minor stuff only matters so much to a narrative. A story is nothing more than a conveyence of ideas and messages through characters facing a series of conflicts. That’s all a story really is at the end of the day. Every aspect of a story should be beholden to its ideas as that’s why they exist in the first place. When you really get right down to it plot contrivance doesn’t really matter as much or at least minor contrivances. Simply because those things are inevitable in stories. So long as everything makes sense and remains consistent. I don’t really see much of an issue to criticize beyond that.

    The only two games I can think of that had contrivances that didn't affect the story are Grim Fandango and Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. And that's because the former didn't delve too much on the fact the characters were skeletons and said contrivances didn't affect the story itself (rather they raised questions about the setting, even if some of them were pretty clearly just a joke), and the latter used them deliberately as the story was a very meta and in-depth deconstruction of videogames. Otherwise, they're something a story is better off avoiding, and even if they are inevitable, it should not be obvious that the story proceeds because of them.

    It is possible for big picture of a story to hit the nail on the head, but for the aspects inbetween to still be problematic. The Star Wars prequels are a good example of this, as when taken as a whole, it's a powerful story about how a man with great power and high expectations fell to evil and ruin and redeemed themselves at the end. Yet the dialogue is consistently criticized, and the execution of certain scenes ends up making several moments come off as forced or less nuanced than intended. They don't wreck the greater message, but they can still damage it.

    Or to give another example, things like Falchion being locked in the vault that is only accessible to the Rigelean royal family may not fit in with the themes of Echoes, but make sense from an in-universe perspective, and would raise questions if changed. If Falchion could only be wielded by those that were strong, then it would only be a matter of time before a Duma Faithful fanatic got the idea that Duma wanted Mila dead, when it is quite clear that Duma never once used Falchion against his sister despite having it in his possession and their fights often resulted in stalemates. Or a mighty foreigner or Zofia that hated being being led by the gods/Duma could also potentially grab the sword and use it against them. Limiting it to a royal family, while not quite in line with Duma's philosophy, at the very least would place it in the hands of people that would have more to loose than to gain from attacking him, as well as being easy to keep a close eye on. It didn't stop someone from the Rigelean royal family from planting it into his forehead, though he was also crazy by that point.

    Focusing too much on the big picture or on making sure scene-to-scene elements make sense can damage the other. Both are important, and the best stories succeed in both respects. Stumbling in one however does not invalidate the success in the other (or vice versa).

    My Main Issue with Alm

    in Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia

    Posted · Edited by Hawkwing

    5 hours ago, Ottservia said:

    Here's the thing you're misunderstanding here. I don't need his recklessness to backfire which would cause him to fail because that wouldn't make sense from a gameplay standpoint. What I DO want is the story to actually make a point of his recklessness/aggressiveness in some way. Like I dunno have a scene of all them looking over a corpse ridden battlefield in some level of disgust. You can have a couple of the other characters question if this truly just to which Alm could reply "Well they deserved it". Or have a scene where an enemy commander begs for his life saying he just wants to see his family again only for Alm to cut him down in cold blood. Those are the scenes we need in this story to showcase Alm's growing lust for vengeance and justice. He slowly grows to lose sight of his original goals and it is only after he accidentally kills his own father that he's able to snap out of it. 

    I see where you're coming from. And once again, I point out that Character VS Narrative is one of Shadow of Valentia's main issues. Given what we are shown about his upbringing and friends, there isn't a lot there to explain why he would become a ruthless conqueror or kill in cold blood (not that Rigel would beg for mercy, given their whole shtick is being strong at the cost of kindess. Heck most of the Rigelian opponents don't bear any ill will towards Alm). And even if he did have a hidden bloodthirsty side that started to appear during the war, his friends and colleagues are shown to be supportive, so if this side of him started to appear, then other characters would have taken action.

    Far from saying Alm couldn't have turned out more aggressively, but it may have required altering the personalities and actions of other characters and story events in the process. He wouldn't have been taught some of Mila's values despite living in Zofia, his friends and the Deliverance would have to be willing to turn a blind eye to his ruthlessness because it gets them results, and he'd have to irrationally hate Rigel. Yet in doing so, this might contradict how the Deliverance was formed in the first place to fight against a cruel dictator that killed the innocent heirs of the otherwise hated former king, how Rigel invaded Zofia earlier because King Lima IV lied about keeping his end of a bargain (an action which none of the Zofians defend), that Mycen deliberately aimed to raise Alm with the virtues of both philosophies, and so on.

    Again, the story could altered the details I just mentioned, but it would require changing more than just Alm.

    5 hours ago, Ottservia said:

    Like you seem to too focused on the small details that don't matter instead of looking at the bigger picture. You're too concerned with minor contrivances and stuff that doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things. You gotta look at the bigger picture sometimes and ask why the events of this narrative are happening in the first place. 

    I wouldn't say that I'm ignoring the main theme. I've mentioned before that, narratively, I hate the big twist on Alm's heritage, as it knowingly shoots one of its main messages in the foot. I also don't believe that the "Commoner vs Nobility" aspect of the story was handled as well as it should have, in part due to the original game not being written with it in mind. However, it's not the only theme, as the conflicting philosophies between Duma and Mila and how following any path exclusively will lead to ruin is still prevalent throughout the game.

    Nor does it mean that the story can no longer go anywhere. Again, I've mentioned that I am interested in a sequel or expansion that shows what happens after the events of the main game because Alm didn't knowingly break the aesop he encouraged, but rather it was wrecked by something outside of his control. I find it extremely intriguing to see how he and other characters react to this twist after the excitement of fighting Duma wears off. It's also not all sunshine and rainbows, as there are several rebellions and brigand attacks after the events of the game, with a plethora of reasons that are far from unreasonable. There are a multitude of other reasons why I would be interested in Echoes story being continued, but that's the one most relevant to the current topic.

    Minor details and the whole picture are both equally important. A story can nail its themes without contradicting itself or forcing the message, but if the moment-to-moment aspects fall apart, events don't make sense, and/or the dialogue and setting do its job but little else, then the lesson can lead to a great bunch of deep discussion, but not much else. Similarly, something can fail to teach the lesson it was attempting to, but still have an interesting setting, characters, and dialogue. The game can still be engaging to go through, but ends up with discussions like this one.

    It's a reason I consider Shadow of Valentia's story to be flawed, but can't call the writing itself bad. Characters act according to the details we are provided about them. The game is filled with entertaining dialogue and interactions, and the setting itself, with two nations founded upon opposing philosophies driven to far, is rather interesting. The presentation is often complimented, and not without good reason. It is a great shame that it fails to deliver on the lessons it was aiming to tell, because it does have good messages, but it does not immediately discredit the other aspects about the story.

    40 minutes ago, omegaxis1 said:

    Because all you have going for you is Tobin. That's ALL you have. But Tobin earned a title and castle, but that doesn't mean that the nobility is gone, because a title only PROVES the nobility remains. Like I said, Tobin is an exception, not the status quo.

    Characters like Grey, Lukas, Clair, Clive, Forsyth, Valbar, Leon were all granted knighthoods in the new kingdom, and each of them came from different backgrounds. Python was offered a position, but refuses if Forsyth is alive, and a similar situation happens with Mathilda. Tobin is the only one directly mentioned to become a noble (and his ending also mentions that it was granted to him "eventually"), but that doesn't mean that other characters not directly featured in the story weren't granted titles and positions based on their actions. Alm and Celica are the only ones mentioned to have a dynasty, and we don't know if that is what either of them intended to happen.

    Simply put, we don't know if the One Kingdom of Valentia still grants positions based on birth, or if the nobility is made up of people who earned their spot, or if it is a combination of both. Or heck, it may have even fluctuated between the two extremes throughout the course of Valentia's history. The epilogues of Fire Emblem games are rarely concerned with giving us the full history of the aftermath, and Echoes is unfortunately no exception.

    My Main Issue with Alm

    in Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia

    Posted

    10 hours ago, Jotari said:

    That would have actually helped quite a bit. And they were so close to saying something like that but instead went more for "You're cool, but Imma gonna to kill all your friends real quick because those darn kids are on my property." Not only would it make more sense of the following battles, but it would also increase Celica's guilt and contribute to her decision to surrender by the end.

    Honestly, I am curious if that was something that writers/translators wanted to edit, but didn't have the time or budget to bring the voice actor back in to record new lines. While I wouldn't call Echoes rushed, there were several moments throughout the game where I got the impression the developers weren't given a lot of elbow room to alter things. Supports, for instance, are pretty limited, and while there are gameplay reasons behind this (support bonuses can turn a 70% chance to hit into a 100%, which is nothing to scoff at. Having an "everyone supports everyone" system would either break the game or require that support bonuses be minuscule), it can come off that they were added when the developers realized that they had some spare cash to spend in the voice acting budget. It's not the only example, but it is one of the more notable ones.

    ***

    On a side note, as much as I agree that Alm's recklessness or stubbornness should have backfired on him at some point, my question is how should it play out in gameplay and story? Every idea I could think of ends up falling into the "You won but not really!" or "Incompetent in a cutscene" traps that most gamers are all too familiar with and are best avoided. Far from saying it can't be done right, but I am curious on how others thought this aspect should have been implemented that manages work in both gameplay and story without pulling any cheap tricks in the process.

    This isn't to say the game didn't run into this issue already. I could point to how Alm being granted leadership of the Deliverance is a little too large a leap, but if he was made second in command or a high ranking officer, then it either would have lead to players stating "You're the second-in-command of the army, though in practice Alm may as have have been made the leader given how little that affects things", or it would have added several frivolous gameplay additions to give the impression that Alm isn't the head honcho. Or how in first fight with Berkut is considered a tough opponent by several characters when in gameplay the level is laughably easy. And I've pointed out earlier how Act 4 on Celica's side can come off as forced so that Celica and Alm's armies can be in the same location for the final battle.

    It should be noted that Echoes isn't alone here. I could point out how Awakening pulls the "we have to retreat from Walharts million strong offscreen army!" regardless of how strong your units currently are, as well as "We have to get help from the rebel army, despite the fact that they only physically appear once or twice!". Or how in Three Houses, crests are vital to the story, but in gameplay their usefulness ranges wildly, and even the most powerful ones aren't quite the gamechanger the story makes them out to be. Point being, problems likes these are nothing new to the series.

    My Main Issue with Alm

    in Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia

    Posted

    Greith taunts Celica when the battle begins that because of the negligence of the Zofia royal family, bandits like him have managed to gain power and wealth, turning Zofia into a splitting image of Rigel were only the strong can survive. One could say that all her attacks on pirates and bandits throughout her route is one way that she takes responsibility of her position and amends some of the problems that arose from her father's decadence. There is a there lesson that neglecting ones duties, even during prosperous times, can and will lead to trouble down the road, and that compassion requires action for the virtue to be worth something.

    A lot of people bash Celica's decisions in Act 4, and while I do agree that several of Jedah's speeches could have been rewritten (personally, I would have added him saying that he plans on getting Celica's soul by force if he needs to, and that the blood of anyone that gets killed in the process will be on her hands for not deciding to make a sacrifice. It would explain why the Duma Faithful still attacks you as well as add some extra weight to the decision), It should be noted that she she doesn't blindly trust Jedah. She demands to see Mila during the fight with Jedah, which Jedah agrees to before stating that his bargain was only with her and that her friends are technically trespassing on holy land and the fight happens. Both times she offers her soul, the decision is done rashly; the first at Dolth Keep when Mae is attacked, which she is reprimanded for, and the other when she sees the condition of Mila, acting before Jedah brings up that releasing Mila was outside of his control due to Mila sealing the Falchion herself.

    I do believe most of Act 4 on Celica's part comes off as forced (mostly so that both armies are in the same location for the final battle), but it's not quite as unreasonable as some people make it out to be. It is mentioned throughout the game how the lack of Mila's Bounty has lead to famine in Zofia, and Rigel would be placed in a similar situation with Duma gone. This is addressed briefly in Act 5, where Alm states that he will help with farming efforts after the land becomes barren. It may not be far-fetched to assume that a number of rebellions and brigands mentioned in the epilogue rose up because of this very issue.

    My Main Issue with Alm

    in Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia

    Posted

    Alm wasn't really all that ruthless in the original Gaiden. Sure, he has the line about crushing bastards, but that was really it, and even then it didn't automatically mean he was a merciless killer. In both the original and the remake, Alm didn't go to war against Rigel out of bloodlust or being hungry for power but rather because Rigel set aid to Chancellor Desaix which ended up escalating the conflict, which fit into Rudolfs plans of uniting the continent through a total war no matter who won. There really isn't much reason provided for why Alm should be angry at Rigel, and even the earlier invasion was a war for resources after King Lima IV lied about providing food to Rigel during a famine, and none of the Zofians try to defend his actions (heck it's mentioned that there were a number of rebellions across Lima's reign, and even the Deliverance is against Desaix more because he's a cruel tyrant than because the previous leader was a good king).

    I do agree that Alm recklessness should have been emphasized more, and it would be even more interesting to see it bite him in the butt after his earlier escapades were largely consequence free. You could technically say that this happens with Nuibaba and Rudolf, but both of those had practical reasons for attacking them, as Lukas mentions that wiping the former out would get some goodwill from the local citizens (which it does, and going after Jerome first will have the Rigelean villagers be angry at the Deliverance for killing Zeke in the process) and the latter is the Emperor of the Kingdom and outright ordered his men before the battle started that if he fell, they should surrender. This could be addressed in a sequel/expansion/DLC that shows what happened after the events of Echoes, though I'm not holding my breath (despite still hoping that we'll get one someday).

    As mentioned by others, there's not much reason for why Alm would be ruthless given his upbringing. All throughout the game he's participating in the war more to serve his nation than because he loves the thrill of battle, and he does repeat this as his reason for fighting rather often. I won't lie that him having a hidden bloodthirsty side would have been interesting, but given how much he talks and interacts with friends and subordinates, chances are that if that side of his did start to rise up and become a problem, others would have stepped in to help him overcome it. Essentially, he'd end up a prototype Dmitri if he actually got therapy.

    I do see where you are coming from, and I do believe that Character vs Narrative is one of the most noticeable issues of Shadow Of Valentia's story. There are several things that don't really fit in with the lesson the game is trying to tell, but make sense given what is established about the character in question or from an in-universe standpoint. A sword that can only be wielded by those with royal blood doesn't really fit in a story about station not mattering... but as a sign of friendship between two royal families, it's not a bad gift idea. Heck, I hate the big twist from a narrative standpoint because it knowingly shoots itself in the foot... while at the same time being extremely interested in what happens next in the world itself. Part of the reason I would love to see the story be continued is because I am curious about how all the various characters would respond to this twist when the excitement of "we have to defeat the final boss!" dies down. I am curious in seeing the various causes behind the rebellions mentioned in the epilogue. I am invested in seeing what Alm does when his forced-upon responsibilities sink in and how he faces the truth that the lesson he previously proudly proclaimed was rendered irrelevant by something outside of his control. Yeah, Shadows of Valentia could have handled its messages with more grace, but there is more to a story than just themes.

    Also dude, use paragraphs. A wall of text doesn't help to quickly identify the main points you're trying to make.

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