Interviews SF Interviews 2.0 - Florete

[___]

optional: impressions question.

will humanity exist forever or will it end at some point? What do you imagine that end will be?

favorite food when you're having a good day?

[Thane]

1. Current impressions of me? Come on, you must remember me! Though I promise I won't cry if you don't. Maybe.

2. What's your opinion on Persona 5 so far?

3. Is your last name Krios?

4. How would you improve Conquest's story?

1. Your name seems vaguely familiar but I can't quie place it. This is why I should learn people's names rather than recognize people by their avatars.

2. It seems good, except for one thing: the theme. "Stealing hearts", "showing up mean adults" and "break free from society"...that sounds so edgy and like a slightly rebellious teenager's dream, not to mention incredibly arrogant from the developers. It's my greatest concern for the game, but Atlus has surprised me positively before, so I'll withhold judgement until I can play it for myself.

3. No. I never really liked that guy in Mass Effect 2. I mean, he was alright, but you could tell everything worth knowing about him based on his first scene. I also could never take his super deep flashbacks.

Awesome role in Mass Effect 3 though, really great.

4. I've already touched upon this in a previous post, but that was more about the three route system as a whole and Revelation in particular, so I'll keep this very brief.

First of all, Garon being a monster, the crystal ball and the Hoshidan throne are things that have to be cut entirely - I'm advocating to remove all of Valla and Anankos so that you can focus on what was supposed to be the main conflict, the two nations and the choice, by the way, so this is assuming we're keeping all three routes. Conquest suffers the most for Valla's inclusion, and key information that has no reason not to be known is withheld to entice people to buy the DLC.

Secondly, give Garon proper motives and a real, less evil personality. This will go a long way in making Corrin not look like an egotistical, moronic asshole who decides to invade an innocent nation on the order of his fake father who has lied to them their whole life, killed their parents and tried killing them twice.

Thirdly, have Garon cross he line several times and make Corrin realize something has to be done. Make them interact with their siblings and plan things out, gather allies, reform the kingdom from within - you know, something like what the trailers promised.

Fourthly, more character interactions, for goodness' sake. Why is everyone an unfeeling robot in the main stories in this game? Also, have it be less Corrin-centric.

This is just an idea I've thought very briefly about, but I've also considered killing Garon off very early in Conquest and focus the rest of the story on stabilizing Xander's rule and, as revenge and for other reasons that I haven't thought off, repel the Hoshidans who are trying to take some Nohrian land while they're weak and distracted. There's much that can be done with the wonderful setting, and it's a shame that they're all structured so similarly - again, I think this is because Intelligent Systems are so afraid of making players feel like they're missing out if they don't buy all the routes, which is why the same amount of siblings die, why Corrin goes to anime limbo in all routes, etc.

Sorry for the quick answer, I'm a bit tired, I noticed, and I wrote about this earlier in a sense.

Edit: I want to emphasize the importance of actually making sure the siblings are part of the story. Think of Conquest's story right now and tell me what the siblings contribute as a whole to the story. Corrin and Azura don't even involve them in the end goal of the path; they are not even allowed to react to the things happening around them or what they're doing, and since they're never involved in the story, they can't evolve as characters. This is just dismissed by Azura saying "lol we couldn't tell you" and then not brought up again.

1) Impressions of me? You probably won't remember me but we did talk. I REMEMBER YOUR WAIFU

2) Three part question, Fire Emblem Fates. One for each. Choose a support to fix, a support to remove, and a support to add. Why or why not is optional.

3) Okay, you do not like Fates story. I do remember you saying you genuinely adored the gameplay. So I'll ask this, would you rather they be swapped? (Bad gameplay, good story for all 3 routes.)

4) Best girl in both games? >:3

Edit: Both games being Awakening and Fates. Close enough to compare. If you want to add more best girls from other games feel free.

1. You're always cheerful and fun, of course I remember you!

2. Remove: if I can't remove at least some of the romantic options the royal siblings have with each other which makes people forget there was a war and a genuine conflict in the first place and not a picnic, I'd probably remove Saizou and Hinoka for sucking so bad.

Add: Flora and Gunter. He must've been something of a father figure to them, and I would like to see him try and cheer her up. If this wasn't added, then Flora's should be changed to a support where Corrin scolds themselves for not realizing the pain Flora was in, which is absurd when you think about it.

Fix: Corrin and anyone they share a past with, or their Hoshidan siblings to add some chemistry. Xander is the only one who has a genuinely good support with Corrin, and we need more of that. Corrin also alludes to having read absurd amounts in the fortress with Jakob, Flora, Felicia and Lilith, saying there were more books there than could ever be read by one person - stuff like that is damn interesting, and I want to know more of that. We know so little about their life in the fortress.

As for the supports with the Hoshidan siblings, I want at least one of them to focus on Corrin's time in Nohr, since that's something they should all wonder about - maybe Corrin could tell Takumi stories about both the awful parts about Nohr, but also the good parts. Balance it out and nuance his perspective. Also, this could offer a chance for some world-building; different foods, clothing, culture or whatever.

3. I adore parts of it, certainly, but I think it fails in some aspects since it tries to appeal to everyone, which always waters down the quality of the work, no matter what it is. Birthright is unnecessarily simple while Revelation has a lot of horrible maps.

But yes, yes I would. I'm much more lenient on gameplay, and I would like to see the full potential of the setting realized. Bad gameplay is strictly due to developer incompetence. However, a story this bad shows not only the same incompetence, but also a complete lack of judgement and respect for the medium, the players and even themselves.

4. Damn, the toughest question in the world. Truly, you don't know a man until you know his waifu. I hope everyone realizes I don't take this super seriously.

Awakening: has too damn many. Sumia, Cynthia, Noire, Nah, maybe Lissa as well. The female cast really steals the show in this game.

Fates: Velouria or Flora, obviously. Anything else is objectively wrong.

Sacred Stones: L'arachel, of course.

11. your opinion on the Ys series, if you have one?

12. A franchise you'd like to see Fire Emblem cross over with?

13. Your opinion on Star Wars?

14. Are you afraid of death?

15. Would you rather live a long but boring/uneventful life, or a short but exciting one?

Depends on the specific show/movie.

11. I have no idea what that is, sorry!

12. Well, would it be too mainstream to say Dynasty Warriors? Pokémon would be sweet as well.

Otherwise, my answer would be the Shin Megami Tensei series. Man, that would be awesome. Too bad that never happened and never will..

13. It's alright, I suppose. Not my cup of tea though.

14. Sure, I like living. Traveling, enjoying new things etc. Would be a shame for it to just end. Of course, I wouldn't want to live forever, and I expect my outlook will change when I get older, and I don't live my life in fear at all, but sure, I don't want to die.

15. Depends on how short and how boring we're talking.

optional: impressions question.

will humanity exist forever or will it end at some point? What do you imagine that end will be?

favorite food when you're having a good day?

Everything comes to an end eventually. I know little about these things though, but if we don't kill ourselves or the planet before we can migrate from it, I suppose we'll be wiped out when the galaxies clash.

You sure change types of questions easily, huh? Hmm...favorite food when I'm having a good day...maybe sushi.

Edited July 28, 2016 by Thane

[___]

Everything comes to an end eventually. I know little about these things though, but if we don't kill ourselves or the planet before we can migrate from it, I suppose we'll be wiped out when the galaxies clash.

You sure change types of questions easily, huh? Hmm...favorite food when I'm having a good day...maybe sushi.

No need for things to get too heavy.

How do you deal with heavy atmospheres?

[Robert Stewart]

16. A pet peeve of yours that can ruin an otherwise decent story?

17. Do you have any interest in the game/series "Trails in the Sky?"

18. New York or Chicago style pizza?

19. Do you play any romhacks?

20. Favorite soda?

11. I have no idea what that is, sorry!

Action RPG series by Falcom: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ys_(series)

[Rezzy]

3. Does it bother you that capturing prisoners is treated like some sort of war crime in Fates? Zola capturing the Hoshido siblings, Kotaro capturing Kagero, etc? It seems like it would save a lot of bloodshed.

4. Do you pronounce Lyon as Leon or Lion?

5. Do you think Ryoma is a terrible king for disappearing 5 minutes after assuming power in Birthright? Going on some covert mission that could very well have been a trap, when he could have sent any of his subordinate ninjas, leaving his country confused, weak, and leaderless?

6. Do you think kids should return in the next FE and if so, how should they just justified by the plot?

7. What is your opinion on real life kids, and do you plan to have any of your own?

Edited July 28, 2016 by Rezzy

[Soledai]

11. Favorite fruit? Can it be juiced? Have you had it juiced?

12. In G-senjou, what was your opinion of Yuki?

13. Which of the seven deadly sins do you closely relate to? (or do I assume it's sloth there too)

14. What's a pet peeve you've developed since being on SF, if any?

15. What are 3 foreign meals that you'd like to try?

6. I honestly don't remember. I think I found i via YouTube somehow, just like Ace Attorney and Persona. Too bad the final entry was a bit of an anticlimax, eh?

7. Oh definitely, but I don't know where to find good ones. I've been interested in "Swan Song" for a while but haven't found a good LP. I do remember liking G-senjou no Maou when I was younger, but when I tried watching it again, the anime tropes put me off too much to enjoy it. Forced romantic interests are not my cup of tea, and even back in the day I couldn't stand the supporting cast and never watched their routes.

Haven't played the last yet, but that's generally what I hear. I have it though.

Swan Song, eh? Well, that one's interesting, but it kind of fails to explain a certain character's presence so she's kind of just there. I assume that since you're watching it, the H stuff is being skipped?

But G-senjou... putting aside Haru, Mizuha had an okay route(Her bad end was good too).

[Fire Emblem Fan]

6. Least-favorite video game?

7. Least-favorite FE protagonist?

8. Least-favorite FE antagonist?

9. Least-favorite movie?

10. Least-favorite food?

[Thane]

No need for things to get too heavy.

How do you deal with heavy atmospheres?

Coming from a family where four large egos often clash, I try to defuse them before they even appear. Otherwise I try to deal with them with either a stiff upper lip or with humor.

Depends entirely on the situation though. Some situations cause me to whine like an anime fan on prom night.

16. A pet peeve of yours that can ruin an otherwise decent story?

17. Do you have any interest in the game/series "Trails in the Sky?"

18. New York or Chicago style pizza?

19. Do you play any romhacks?

20. Favorite soda?

Action RPG series by Falcom: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ys_(series)

16. Forced romance, power of friendship, player worship and an overreliance on certain tropes, particularly anime ones. I mentioned G-senjou no Maou earlier, where there's one true path and several minor ones for characters nobody cares about. It could've been pretty good with less animoo, less high school and less romance.

17. Never heard of it; give me the scoop, is it any good? Can I buy it for 3DS or Windows?

18. I have no idea what the difference is, but I've heard from all of my Italian friends that Americans can't make pizzas. They're very adamant about that.

19. None.

20. Coke.

You seem to enjoy some obscure stuff! Interesting!

3. Does it bother you that capturing prisoners is treated like some sort of war crime in Fates? Zola capturing the Hoshido siblings, Kotaro capturing Kagero, etc? It seems like it would save a lot of bloodshed.

4. Do you pronounce Lyon as Leon or Lion?

5. Do you think Ryoma is a terrible king for disappearing 5 minutes after assuming power in Birthright? Going on some covert mission that could very well have been a trap, when he could have sent any of his subordinate ninjas, leaving his country confused, weak, and leaderless?

6. Do you think kids should return in the next FE and if so, how should they just justified by the plot?

7. What is your opinion on real life kids, and do you plan to have any of your own?

3. Yes. Zola is treated as badly as Crimson in my opinion, and is a victim of Xander's hypocrisy. The series seems to have moved away from treating war like a big deal - a conversation and a handshake later and every single thing about the conflict is forgotten and the siblings are merely reduced to shipping fodder and Corrin's accessories.

4. In my native tongue, Y's (and U's) are far sharper than their English counterparts, so I pronounce it as neither.

5. Yes, but he pales in comparison to Xander who doesn't find his spine until it's far too late and is later celebrated for having willingly taken part in a massacre.

6. No, absolutely not, nor do I think they will considering the lukewarm reception. Genealogy of the Holy War and Awakening justified their existence and revolved around it, whereas Fates did it because people liked it in a previous installment. It was most likely a sudden implementation which would explain why some of the kids are simply so boring, and them being there sticks out like a sore thumb. At this point, if they have to come back, it should be done like in FE4, since that's obviously the most natural explanation, and we're running low on excuses for aging the kids.

7. I love kids, and I definitely plan on having at least two once I find the one and a good job. Right now though, I doubt I'm father material but, hopefully without sounding too arrogant, I think I will become a good dad in the future.

11. Favorite fruit? Can it be juiced? Have you had it juiced?

12. In G-senjou, what was your opinion of Yuki?

13. Which of the seven deadly sins do you closely relate to? (or do I assume it's sloth there too)

14. What's a pet peeve you've developed since being on SF, if any?

15. What are 3 foreign meals that you'd like to try?

Haven't played the last yet, but that's generally what I hear. I have it though.

Swan Song, eh? Well, that one's interesting, but it kind of fails to explain a certain character's presence so she's kind of just there. I assume that since you're watching it, the H stuff is being skipped?

But G-senjou... putting aside Haru, Mizuha had an okay route(Her bad end was good too).

11. What's up with the juice questions? Anyway, you can't go wrong with pears. Can you make pear juice? Hmm...

12. She, more than anyone, shows that this shouldn't be a high school setting - I remember asking out loud if the game expected me to believe she was around 18. Also, the support cast in this game is pretty weak across the board; I even had to look her up to remember who she was.

13. Most likely sloth, yes. I have bouts of creativity which are often followed by unadulterated laziness. I don't think I'm very special in that regard, since it can be applied to quite a number of people, but I don't know which else to pick. I mean, everyone feels pretty much all of them at some point, right?

14. Probably unfounded Awakening bashing, since it's so frequent and accepted as the norm. I don't mind people discussing the game's many flaws, but I've seen people complain about absolutely everything, from the bloody pixel art to Virion hitting on people (the guy later said, paraphrased, "huh, I didn't know he had such variety in his supports, wops"). It's like everyone has to put the game down in order to be taken seriously and complain about it before they even know what they're talking about.

Otherwise it's probably certain recurring arguments when dealing with Fates, like claiming Ryouma wasn't justified in not handing out medicine to the princess of the country that invaded his homeland, trying to justify Corrin's inaction in Conquest by saying "they'd die if they didn't obey", ignoring not only the series norm of people defecting from the enemy side but also Corrin's own stupidity and unique position of power, and so on. It's one thing to like the story and another to use mental gymnastics to excuse certain parts.

15. Well, I often eat foreign food, and I've traveled quite a bit, so, hm...I don't know, some proper Texan and South Korean barbeque and (almost) anything Indian!

Oh right, there are H-scenes in that game. Yeah, I'd skip them, of course. I don't mind porn, but for the same reason I generally dislike fan service, it gets in the way of the plot; there's a time and place for everything.

So you've played it, then? Is it any good?

6. Least-favorite video game?

7. Least-favorite FE protagonist?

8. Least-favorite FE antagonist?

9. Least-favorite movie?

10. Least-favorite food?

6. Story-wise, it's Fire Emblem: Fates. In general, I honestly don't know, at least if I limit it to the games I've played and that aren't shovelware. I normally try and find out key things about the game before making a purchase.

Maybe Dragon Age 2 or Dragon Age: Inquisition; it's pretty much two games about nothing that do nothing but taint the name of its predecessor, and even the gameplay is lackluster - and I don't often complain about gameplay.

7. Corrin. It's one of my least favorite characters of all time; I'm baffled Fates managed to expand that list with so many entries.

8. The antagonists are the (at least localized part of the) series' biggest issue, so I guess I'll just have to choose who sucks the most, huh? Ashnard is hardly involved with the plot, but at least he's got one awesome line. Garon was a mistake, Anankos is a crybaby, Validar is one step away from literally twirling his moustache, Nergal's modus operandi is the most boring in the entire series...hm.

I'll have to go with a tie between Garon, Anankos and Nergal. While I've talked about the other two, I haven't discussed Nergal. His modus operandi is shit, his Morphs are dreadfully boring, he's woefully inept and lets Eliwood's father survive for too long and spares the protagonist and his ragtag bunch of misfits for no reason. I could go on about this, but my post is long enough as it is, and I want to go out for a run.

9. Huh...no idea. I've got a pretty bad memory, so what doesn't impress me usually doesn't stick. Either that or I repress it.

10. No idea, maybe garbanzo beans or natto.

Edited July 28, 2016 by Thane

[Robert Stewart]

17. Never heard of it; give me the scoop, is it any good? Can I buy it for 3DS or Windows?

It's on steam so you can get it for Windows. http://store.steampowered.com/app/251150/

[Soledai]

16. Last G-senjou question, what did you think of the music?

17. What other VNs have you read?

18. Furthest back you'll go for retro gaming?

19. Do you have a favorite myth? If so, what is it?

20. If you had 77.3 seconds to address the entire world(language barriers are irrelevant), what would you say?

Oh right, there are H-scenes in that game. Yeah, I'd skip them, of course. I don't mind porn, but for the same reason I generally dislike fan service, it gets in the way of the plot; there's a time and place for everything.

So you've played it, then? Is it any good?

In Swan Song's case at least, there's one H scene that helps a character's development quite a bit, however..... about that, and I must ask this, and it's a caution about the "content":

That was a rape scene. This VN has rape in it, witnessed and implied, would that stop you from reading it?

If that doesn't stop you, you've got a pretty okay(or so I think) winter set dystopian story about surviving the times.

[Moblin Major General]

2. What movie do you love to hate, regardless of quality?

3. Is Luke Skywalker a better protagonist than Corrin?

4. Is Anakin Skywalker a better protagonist than Corrin?

5. Obligatory first impressions?

[Thane]

It's on steam so you can get it for Windows. http://store.steampowered.com/app/251150/

That looks damn interesting. What are some of the strengths and weaknesses of the game? How's the story?

16. Last G-senjou question, what did you think of the music?

17. What other VNs have you read?

18. Furthest back you'll go for retro gaming?

19. Do you have a favorite myth? If so, what is it?

20. If you had 77.3 seconds to address the entire world(language barriers are irrelevant), what would you say?

In Swan Song's case at least, there's one H scene that helps a character's development quite a bit, however..... about that, and I must ask this, and it's a caution about the "content":

That was a rape scene. This VN has rape in it, witnessed and implied, would that stop you from reading it?

If that doesn't stop you, you've got a pretty okay(or so I think) winter set dystopian story about surviving the times.

16. I remember loving that intense music that often played during chases or whenever Haru thought.

The guy who wrote Death Note worked on this as well, didn't he? Death Note is one of the three anime I really like; it's too bad it got mired in forced romance and a high school setting.

17. Ace Attorney, Katawa Shoujo, Zero Escape, hmm...probably at least one more.

18. "Furthest back I'll go"? How exactly? I guess I'm comfortable with the NES.

19. What kinds of myths are we talking about? Like mythologies and ancient stories or something a bit more specific?

20. First I'd ask about the very specific time limit. Then I'm not sure I could say anything that hasn't already been said or that I'd be arrogant enough to believe other people hadn't thought about already. Should I tell them to stop being dicks? To stop committing crime? Hah, maybe I could just tell everyone to have a good day and to be nice to one another.

Ah yes, I remember that now that you mention it. No, why would that make me stop reading a good piece of fiction? I might skip it if I get uncomfortable or it doesn't advance the story.

Unfortunately, as far as I know, there's not a good LP of it, and I'm not sure I have the time to play it myself right now.

2. What movie do you love to hate, regardless of quality?

3. Is Luke Skywalker a better protagonist than Corrin?

4. Is Anakin Skywalker a better protagonist than Corrin?

5. Obligatory first impressions?

2. Sorry to sound so boring but I don't think I have any such movie!

3 and 4. Haha, I get the feeling that these are very leading questions and that you've got some spicy retort ready. However, again I'm sorry to disappoint you but I'm not a very big fan of Star Wars and don't know enough to offer a proper analysis. But, I do feel the need to instinctively reply no; off the top of my head I can't think of a worse protagonist of any professional fictional work that I could call worse than Corrin - I'm not saying they don't exist, just that I can't think of one right now for reasons stated several times in this very thread.

I'd love to hear your take on that question.

5. I've seen a few of your posts before this and I just naturally assumed you were Blah's clone.

Edited July 28, 2016 by Thane

[Water Mage]

1. How do you feel about Eirika and Ephraim as protagonist and Lyon as a villain?

2. I think we talked about this before, but what do you like about Persona 4's story?

3. What's your favorite Ace Attorney case?

4. What's your opinion on Pokemon Black&White story?

5. Did you ever play Tales of the Abyss? If you did, what's your opinion on the story?

[Moblin Major General]

2. Sorry to sound so boring but I don't think I have any such movie!

3 and 4. Haha, I get the feeling that these are very leading questions and that you've got some spicy retort ready. However, again I'm sorry to disappoint you but I'm not a very big fan of Star Wars and know very little about it. But, I do feel the need to instinctively reply no; off the top of my head I can't think of a worse protagonist of any professional fictional work that I could call worse than Corrin - I'm not saying they don't exist, just that I can't think of one right now for reasons stated several times in this very thread.

I'd love to hear your take on that question.

5. I've seen a few of your posts before this and I just naturally assumed you were Blah's clone.

That's fine, I don't really have one, either. Some people do, though.

To each their own. Anakin was mishandled, but not as badly Nohrrin. Mainly the lines and line delivery of Hayden Christensen. In a roundabout way, however, Darth Vader is sort of like Corrin, in that his constant killing of the line of succession bears no consequence.

Nah, me and blah are different enough, especially because I'm close to 5 years older than him. That, and that I'm a proponent of all things democratic, much to his chagrin sometimes.

[Rend Keaven]

1. What are your opinions on Hector as a protagonist?
2. If by some miracle Fates got the 2016 Game of the Year award, how would you respond?
3. Favourite school subject?
4. Favourite Pokemon type?
5. Do you watch Breaking Bad, if so, what's your favourite episode/moment.

[Thane]

1. How do you feel about Eirika and Ephraim as protagonist and Lyon as a villain?

2. I think we talked about this before, but what do you like about Persona 4's story?

3. What's your favorite Ace Attorney case?

4. What's your opinion on Pokemon Black&White story?

5. Did you ever play Tales of the Abyss? If you did, what's your opinion on the story?

1. I feel next to nothing about Eirika and Ephraim. They were better than Eliwood's ragtag bunch of misfits, but not by much. I also never liked Ephraim's whole "I don't fight battles I can't win!" shtick as if that could be used to excuse him taking over a castle with like four people, but maybe I'm just being overly harsh.

Lyon, on the other hand, is hands down the best Fire Emblem villain (of the localized games at least) since he actually evokes some kind of feelings from the player; I felt sympathy for his struggle, and as far as trying to negotiate with evil forces, they managed to paint it in a rather reasonable light, which is no easy to do at all. Overall, good show.

2. I like quite a lot about Persona 4's story. First of all, let's talk about how marvelously they set the tone - by showing the protagonist (I'm just going to call him Yu) traveling from the big city via train, lost in thought, having him change trains and end up in the middle of nowhere, it immediately paints a picture in the player's mindof what kind of a place he has ended up in, and the reason gets explained almost immediately. The relationship between him, Dojima and Nanako gets solidified very quickly and feels natural given the circumstances. You're then almost immediately introduced to the other three first members of the future Investigation Team, and the two murders and the discovery of the TV world happen after that.

The introduction is fairly long and exposition-heavy, definitely, but I love that it takes its time to establish who you are, where you are and why. Everyone involved has a reason to join up with you and I love how the threat of Dojima finding out about what you're doing is always there.

Then I love the cast for the most part, Naoto being the one I have the most issues with, but even she's not bad by any means. I love how they all bring something unique to the method of finding out more about the killer and how they actually interact with each other, unlike in Persona 3 where it's a one-man show for the most part, and the other cast members hardly talk to each other.

I have to give extra props for the double fake-out in the middle of the game. In detective fiction works like these, copycat killers are common, and when the third murder happens, there's not a single person playing the game who didn't know that immediately - of course, what a lot of people DON'T realize is that they perfectly, in the background, manage to show the kidnapper's modus operandi and remove suspicion from the real killer at the same time. It's absolutely genius.

This doesn't mean I don't have any problems with the story at all. Quite the opposite, in fact. The game has far too many anime moments, which while they serve to reinforce the bond between the cast to varying degrees of success, it often feels too cheesy, and they're the game's weakest moments. There's too much hero worship when Yosuke is the real hero (even if they show Yu as a reliable and fun guy to be around for a silent protagonist) and this is especially apparent with the harem option that has no bearing on the plot, and the horribly written confession scenes (Rise is confessing her love for you and is hugging you? Better just stand there motionless and silent). Marie is pretty much a Mary Sue, the finale is too cheesy and preachy, and I'm not a fan of the raised stakes in what had until that point been a much more personal story. The tone is also too happy sometimes, and the cast shouldn't all be super best friends; there should've been a bit more tension occasionally, considering what they're doing. Regardless, these complaints don't bring down the story too much, since the good parts are so fantastic.

3. 1-4 and 2-4, without a doubt. My least favorite is 5-5 for the many plot holes and the finale of the Mary Sue Athena. People who have read my posts might know that I dislike using that term, but she is one.

4. Surprisingly ambitious and enjoyable. It's still very simple, but the characters are likeable and the game doesn't treat you like an idiot. I was shocked when X&Y, in spite of all that potential, was so black and white (zing!) in terms of morality. With any luck, Sun & Moon will go back to the Black and White formula of actually wanting to offer something more substantial.

5. I never have, no. I think I tried finding it once but it was expensive as hell, I believe.

To each their own. Anakin was mishandled, but not as badly Nohrrin. Mainly the lines and line delivery of Hayden Christensen. In a roundabout way, however, Darth Vader is sort of like Corrin, in that his constant killing of the line of succession bears no consequence.

Nah, me and blah are different enough, especially because I'm close to 5 years older than him. That, and that I'm a proponent of all things democratic, much to his chagrin sometimes.

Well, Corrin can cheat and actually just set their sword to stun mode or something...

So...he's an evil clone of you?

1. What are your opinions on Hector as a protagonist?

2. If by some miracle Fates got the 2016 Game of the Year award, how would you respond?

3. Favourite school subject?

4. Favourite Pokemon type?

5. Do you watch Breaking Bad, if so, what's your favourite episode/moment.

1. I have very few. I didn't like Blazing Sword largely in part because of Eliwood's merry ragtag bunch of misfits. He killed a guard in cold blood just because he didn't help out, and then he pretty much gets a high five for it. Who is he, Corrin?

2. Well, Dragon Age: Inquisition won that award 2015 somewhere, right? I would probably get pissed but then try and calm myself down and tell myself that it didn't actually mean anything. At least Fates has some damn solid gameplay in Conquest. Of course, if they would've praised the story, I would probably have made a three hour long YouTube video about why Fates story sucks to once and for all get all of my feelings out in the open all at once.

3. English; I was always pretty good at it, even if it's hard to tell by the low quality of my forum posts.

4. God, I have so many...I think I have to go with ice though, even though there are few really great ice type pokémon.

5. I did watch it after the show had ended. I absolutely loved the premise but found myself annoyed by the copious amounts of family scenes and the fact that it never felt like Walter White actually progressed - then all of a sudden he had, what, 80 million dollars in cash? And the final villains were just so disappointing when compared to Gus.

Still, amazing acting, some really great scenes, hard to predict what would happen next, etc. I liked it.

Edited July 28, 2016 by Thane

[Robert Stewart]

That looks damn interesting. What are some of the strengths and weaknesses of the game? How's the story?

I thought this was your interview, not mine.

Hm...not sure how much I can say without getting in to spoilers.

[spoiler=A bit rambly]

Strengths for me were the unique setting(feels a bit like a blend of a fantasy, turn of the century, and modern world? idk how to even describe it). Although I admit to not playing that many RPGs, so maybe I'm wrong about that. Falcom does a nice job of worldbuilding here. Each area you visit feels unique from the others. They're also good at making even minor NPCs have reccognizable, if not terribly complex, personalities.

The characters are pretty neat too.

The game also has a really nice sense of humor. Not like it never gets serious, but it does remember to lighten up at the right moments.

I guess a (potential) weakness is that if you're not really thorough about checking everything in the game it's easy to miss stuff. Also, I feel like sometimes fighting enemies got to be a bit of a chore, but luckily that was pretty rare and the game gives you tools to mitigate it, somewhat.

I thought the story was fine, but I might not be the best judge of these things.

...I hope that sounded okay. I'm not really good about talking about why I like or dislike stuff.

Oh, and fyi if you're at all interested in this game and care about spoilers, try not to look up info about any of the sequels. Falcom is really not delicate about spoilers.

[Water Mage]

/snip

Interesting opinions!

My opinion of Lyon is very similar to yours, but another thing I also liked about him was that no matter how sympathetic he was, we can't deny that he was partially to blame for all the tragedies.

He was told not to mess with the Dark Stone, but he did it anyway and he and many innocents paid the price for his foolishness with their lives.

Sure, he wanted it to use for good things, but it doesn't change the fact using the Dark Stone's powers was really dangerous.

He has no one to blame but himself for what happened to him.

Really, Lyon is the best take of "The way to hell is paved with good intentions" type of character.

He embodies this trope perfectly.

Edited July 28, 2016 by Water Mage

[Rezzy]

8. What's your native language/country, if you don't mind me asking?

9. How do you pronounce Lyon, if not Leon or Lion?

10. What do you think of the name Rachel?

11. What names would you give your hypothetical child(ren)?

12. Aspirations in life?

[Soledai]

21. Preferred time of day?

22. Are you a better leader or follower?

23. What was your favorite dream and worst nightmare?

24. Favorite element on the periodic table?

25. Favorite magical element?

18. "Furthest back I'll go"? How exactly? I guess I'm comfortable with the NES.

19. What kinds of myths are we talking about? Like mythologies and ancient stories or something a bit more specific?

20. First I'd ask about the very specific time limit. Then I'm not sure I could say anything that hasn't already been said or that I'd be arrogant enough to believe other people hadn't thought about already. Should I tell them to stop being dicks? To stop committing crime? Hah, maybe I could just tell everyone to have a good day and to be nice to one another.

Ah yes, I remember that now that you mention it. No, why would that make me stop reading a good piece of fiction? I might skip it if I get uncomfortable or it doesn't advance the story.

Unfortunately, as far as I know, there's not a good LP of it, and I'm not sure I have the time to play it myself right now.

The retro thing was inspired by a friend who doesn't really do retro games too well, so I thought I'd form it into a question.

Essentially, is there a gen of gaming you wouldn't go back to; like a modern kid and his fancy PC or Xbox1440 or whatever refusing to play games from the 3rd, 4th, or 5th generation of gaming.

Myth as in mythology, yeah.

The time is for humor. Each interviewee I decide to question gets a random time.

It's good that that wouldn't stop you, but see I don't like to assume that everyone would be okay with that, that's what made me ask it.

[Thane]

I thought this was your interview, not mine.

Hm...not sure how much I can say without getting in to spoilers.

[spoiler=A bit rambly]

Strengths for me were the unique setting(feels a bit like a blend of a fantasy, turn of the century, and modern world? idk how to even describe it). Although I admit to not playing that many RPGs, so maybe I'm wrong about that. Falcom does a nice job of worldbuilding here. Each area you visit feels unique from the others. They're also good at making even minor NPCs have reccognizable, if not terribly complex, personalities.

The characters are pretty neat too.

The game also has a really nice sense of humor. Not like it never gets serious, but it does remember to lighten up at the right moments.

I guess a (potential) weakness is that if you're not really thorough about checking everything in the game it's easy to miss stuff. Also, I feel like sometimes fighting enemies got to be a bit of a chore, but luckily that was pretty rare and the game gives you tools to mitigate it, somewhat.

I thought the story was fine, but I might not be the best judge of these things.

...I hope that sounded okay. I'm not really good about talking about why I like or dislike stuff.

Oh, and fyi if you're at all interested in this game and care about spoilers, try not to look up info about any of the sequels. Falcom is really not delicate about spoilers.

I see. Thank you very much for your input; I've been meaning to get into another RPG, so this might be a great place to start. Is this the first game in the series, then?

Interesting opinions!

My opinion of Lyon is very similar to yours, but another thing I also liked about him was that no matter how sympathetic he was, we can't deny that he was partially to blame for all the tragedies.

He was told not to mess with the Dark Stone, but he did it anyway and he and many innocents paid the price for his foolishness with their lives.

Sure, he wanted it to use for good things, but it doesn't change the fact using the Dark Stone's powers was really dangerous.

He has no one to blame but himself for what happened to him.

Really, Lyon is the best take of "The way to hell is paved with good intentions" type of character.

He embodies this trope perfectly.

I agree, I think he's a decent villain and when compared to his fellow antagonists in the series, he's essentially god tier, since Fire Emblem's bad guys tend to lack nuance and depth, and the series' stories won't evolve until they fix that very glaring issue.

So, Persona 3 or Persona 4, mate? Also, what's your opinion of Naoto? I'm curious.

8. What's your native language/country, if you don't mind me asking?

9. How do you pronounce Lyon, if not Leon or Lion?

10. What do you think of the name Rachel?

11. What names would you give your hypothetical child(ren)?

12. Aspirations in life?

8. I tend to keep that secret since it gives me an air of mystery.

9. Since my vowels, especially the Y's, are so different from yours, spelling it out without using a phonetic alphabet would mean very little. It becomes something like LÝ-ÓNN

10. Rachel? It makes me think of Friends, obviously. Haha, more seriously though, I do like it. Is it yours?

11. Ah, this ties into my answer for question eight, since I'm uncharacteristically conservative when it comes to names. and I'll name my future kids traditional names.

12. To become a full-fledged linguist and maybe work within the EU. I also want to teach English or Spanish in Japan for a few years. I've also considered becoming a writer, and I've got a very good idea for a book, but I think I lack the skills to write it.

21. Preferred time of day?

22. Are you a better leader or follower?

23. What was your favorite dream and worst nightmare?

24. Favorite element on the periodic table?

25. Favorite magical element?

The retro thing was inspired by a friend who doesn't really do retro games too well, so I thought I'd form it into a question.

Essentially, is there a gen of gaming you wouldn't go back to; like a modern kid and his fancy PC or Xbox1440 or whatever refusing to play games from the 3rd, 4th, or 5th generation of gaming.

Myth as in mythology, yeah.

The time is for humor. Each interviewee I decide to question gets a random time.

It's good that that wouldn't stop you, but see I don't like to assume that everyone would be okay with that, that's what made me ask it.

21. Morning or night, when it's calm and quiet - not that I dislike being with people, mind you.

22. While I do I enjoy focusing on a task and let someone else worry about the details, this depends entirely on what we're talking about - in group projects, I always become the leader because I'm meticulous. Maybe I'm a bit of both.

23. Favorite dream? Probably any that gives me special powers like flying or teleporting.

Least favorite? I've got a certain fear of the deep ocean and the creatures in it, especially when it comes to mantas, and I've had many dreams where I slip and fall into pits which I can't get up from, sink to the bottom and a manta shows up and swims above me - I've also been chased by one, swimming rapidly while its shadow loomed above me and showed that it was gaining on me.

24. Uh, am I supposed to have one? This is a new one, haha.

25. Magical element? Like the four elements or can I add lightning? If we're just talking about powers, I've got a set list: teleportation, shields and lightning.

Huh, well that's weird; why restrict oneself? You could at least try it if you get the opportunity.

Ah, well aside from a few local ones, I guess I'm a fan of the story about Sisyphus.

Don't worry about me being uncomfortable or offended; what gets me is stupidity and bad writing, which is why I've gone on and on about Fates. I've never felt more insulted in my life than when playing that game.

[Sunwoo]

Jag talar inte svenska. Talar ni engelska?

Rice or pasta?

Would you rather have awful characters in an amazing story, or amazing characters in an awful story?

[Thane]

Jag talar inte svenska. Talar ni engelska?

Rice or pasta?

Would you rather have awful characters in an amazing story, or amazing characters in an awful story?

何を言っていますか、スンヲーさん？(That is a horrible transcription; I think my sheer incompetence will summon shadowofchaos or Kirokan and make them faint)

Dude, that question is far too difficult, I love both. Mankind wasn't meant to be able to answer this kind of question.

Huh, now that's interesting. The thing is, I don't think a story can be amazing if the cast actively brings it down too much. Likewise, characters can't shine if the story won't let them. I guess I'm just going to say an amazing story, since I assume I'll feel like I get some sort of payoff once I actually finish the game.

[MisterIceTeaPeach]

1. Are you excited for a certain event in near future?

2. Best day in your life?

3. Any event or situation you'd like to forget as soon as you can but can't?

4.What's the reason behind your Aigis avatar you used a little time ago?

[Sunwoo]

Egads, hiragana! Hiragana is my bane! At least I could recognize my own name in katakana

Do you prefer hiragana, katakana, or kanji?

Vikings, knights, or samurai?

Edited July 29, 2016 by Sunwoo