Lurker > Strife2

Money in the Bank is this Sunday. For two men, the glass ceiling is ready to break. Another two make their final attempts to take championships from the hands of WWE's precious golden boys. This has the potential to be the biggest non-"big 4" PPV in WWE's history...or just another fluke.

Diva's Championship: Brie Bella w/Nikki Bella v. Kelly Kelly (c)

Who cares?

Potential Match: Intercontinental Championship: Ted DiBiase v. Ezekial Jackson (c)

Sentimental Pick: Big Zeke
Actual Pick: Big Zeke

Jackson is the rare giant powerhouse that I like. As limited as he is, I can't help but root for the guy. I'm happy to see DiBiase get out of that rock he's been living under for a year, but he won't win...yet.

Big Show v. Mark Henry

Sentimental Pick: Mark Henry
Actual Pick: Mark Henry

It took him 15 years, but Henry has finally figured out what it takes to dominate in this business. I see him getting a world title run very soon, and he's going to turn Big Show into a pile of ****. Speaking of which, I wonder if they found Drew McIntyre yet after he got hit by that train last night.

Smackdown MITB Ladder Match

Sentimental Pick: Daniel Bryan
Actual Pick: Cody Rhodes

I'll dismiss Gabriel and Slater, since they shouldn't even be in this match. Kane and Sheamus don't need MITB (though Sheamus will probably win, wasting all of our time), so that leaves four midcarders with equal opportunity. Smarks will go ape**** if Bryan wins, but I get the feeling Rhodes is the next "it" guy. They've been pushing him constantly (whilst still under the radar). It reminds me of Miz' run up to MITB last year.

Raw MITB Ladder Match

Sentimental Pick: Kofi Kingston
Actual Pick: Alberto Del Rio

Unlike SD, there's nobody that I can't see winning. Mysterio and Miz obviously don't need it and Riley is just a flash in the pan (at the moment). Even so, I get sick to my stomach knowing Del Rio is the likely winner. He's like Drew McIntyre was two years ago: Overhyped, overrated, and pushed WAY too soon. He's great in the ring, but everything else about him just feels like a copout to cater to the Hispanic audience. Color me unimpressed, and call me when he doesn't suck on the mic.

World Heavyweight Championship: Christian v. Randy Orton (c)

Sentimental Pick: Christian
Actual Pick: Randy Orton

This is just sad; I wish Vince would come out to the ring and just admit that Christian isn't "his guy," and never was. I can't fathom how it took Christian this long to get into the main event and even after all this, his lack of respect backstage has turned into a storyline. The matches with Orton are great, but with Sheamus and Henry looming, Christian just looks like he has no hope of ever being "the guy" on any brand.

Main Event: WWE Championship: CM Punk v. John Cena (c)

Sentimental Pick: CM Punk
Actual Pick: John Cena

Part of me wants to be a big hoax. Punk already signed his extension, and they are simply preying on the audience in the most awesome way possible. That way, Punk can win and all will be right with the world...till Cena wins it back at SummerSlam. Sadly, the two other scenarios seem likely:

A: Cena wins...LIKE ALWAYS!
B: Punk wins, only for that Mexican doofus to cash-in and beat Punk, allowing Cena's "firing" BS to be long forgotten.

I don't see WWE going to all this trouble to push Punk for nothing, but this IS John Cena here. Either way, they've built this up to monumental proportions. Even WWE can't **** this up, right?

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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money

I figured when I heard "dating, girl, and mojo" in the same sentence. Good work, Ladykiller. Do what I have no intention to do: deal with women. I'm too busy being in love with myself and my own life.

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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money

bump

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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money

I ran myself into a corner while playing Ys. I couldn't beat a boss and couldn't back out. Quitting is not a good thing, but it had to be done. Hopefully, I'll learn what my next couple of games are going to be. Till then, SvR will suffice. Persona 3 is nagging at me for a playthrough (probably because I'm watching the anime adaptation). Either way, whatever.

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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money

Silent Hill is the perfect example for this discussion:

I played 2 way back when. I wanted to buy another copy some years later. Turns out, without even playing the game again, I dreamed about Pyramid Head and his giant ****** knife. About three months ago, I got Shattered Memories. As tame as it was, I couldn't fall asleep thanks to the "nightmare creatures." The next night, I stayed up intent on beating it to ensure it was over.

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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money

If you think you can top those, feel free.

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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money

Who put you in?


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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money

One third of our lives are spent in bed, unless we are addicted to stimulants. That means dreams are an important part of our lives. They can be pleasant, reverent, erotic, dramatic, or in this case, horryfying. I want to hear about your most terrifying dreams. What was the reaction to it?

I was home with a woman who apparently was a lover. Before I could gauge anything else from the situation, the Big Show (the wrestler) chased after us throughout the surrounding countryside and destroying everything in his path, like a giant Terminator. An hour passes by and Big Show gets caught up by several friends and family attempting to slow him down. He eventually got arrested after getting trapped in a sewer or mineshaft. I made it home, but I hadn't realized the girl's appearance was strange. She took me to my room and started some suggestive behavior. She kept forcing herself on me. I don't know how or why I said no, because she started transforming into a grotesteque succubus form after "tentacles or spider legs" climbed out of her ******.

At that moment, I woke up in this strange, shivering haze. It felt like being paralyzed by fear. I knew it was a dream, but that didn't change the reaction. I've never felt anything like it before, and I don't know if I'll ever do so again.

Your turn

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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money

I've just listened to both Spike's "What happens at the Con" audio book and Flynn's "best of" rock album (the latter is just finishing).

At the Con - The stories told ranged from a bible thumper running into a cosplayer in an elevator, to a voice actor farting in a Coke bottle, finally with a fat girl with a "$5 Hentai" sign, Spike embellishes some things of horrid (or lustfully pornographic) nature. He even throws in some random things to liven it up. It was a good replacement for not seeing the actual panel. Then again, I don't think I could manage another all-nighter if I tried.

Flynn's album - I'm not into alternative rock, but I am pleasantly surprised by Flynn's output. Songs ranged from punkish to light rock (with some solid guitar solos mixed in). Flynn's voice translates to singing, but he's not as polished compared to Brina Palencia or Christine Auten, as there were moments that he trailed off into annoying bits. That criticism is small given the fact that all the songs are decent to good quality. The last one was a joke song called "The Yaoi Song," and it perfectly fits the nature of the title.

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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money

I'm done with AniMinneapolis. You can read up on it in the newest Soapbox. It was worth it, but very exhausting.

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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money

It's the least I can do. Besides, these guys deserve all the praise they get, because it's times like these people need to realize. Anime/video game voice actors don't get enough credit.

Sporadic work schedules (for $100/$200 per hour if/when they received calls)
Limited to working in four cities (Vancouver, LA, Dallas, New York)
Drive/fly on their own dime
Are resepcted the least out of all voice acting professions (Spike's own words)

Cons are the only times they get interactions with fans, because the nature of their work keeps them anonymous to regular people. They don't take it for granted.

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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money

I'm done with AniMinneapolis, and I'm exhausted as all ****. Days 2 and 3 bled into a haze so I'll just sum them up here.

Turning the Tables - Chris Cason asked us questions about random things. I mentioned the Q&A session with Bruce Campbell from a few years ago. A teenage girl mentioned this being her first con, which was good for her. I was annoyed near the end, because some guy who busted his leg about a year ago took 10 minutes to tell a 3 minute story.

Random **** Panel - Flynn, Cason, and Rager spent more time fielding questions (and reiterating things from Friday). They just tore into each other with glee.

Final Fantasy 7 FAQ - I wanted a change of pace, so I went to a FF7 fanservice panel instead. Sephrioth and Vincent cosplayer fangirls led the panel. I find it amazing some people don't understand the game came first...what morons. The major concepts (not shocking) was the mature essence of the game, including Cloud's well-documented sexual inadequacy and innuendo. Terror stories of Emerald Weapon also surfaced, much to my painful memory.

Voice Acting Panel - Spike Spencer led this one, and he went over voice acting hierarchy, secrets, and stories of some Funimation colleagues passing out during recording sessions. I can't stress this enough, Spike is awesome. If you get a chance to meet him one day, do it. You won't regret it. I also caught the tail end of Greg Ayres' panel. He's a staunch defender of buying and supporting anime. He has the right mindset, because it's a lifeline for him and all the guests.

I bought Flynn's mix CD from his band. The ATM at the hotel broke, so I had to run 20 minutes to and back from a gas station to pay for it. I haven't played it yet (or the CD I bought from Spike), but I intend to get around it after finish my errands today. I was intent on watching anime for some time (including One Piece and Persona 3: Trinity Soul), but after one episode of each, the player took a **** and I left. I found a mother and son playing Monopoly, so I acted as the banker to lend them a hand. It's nice to see such an awesome game continue to bring people together.

Spike's Dating Cookbook - In the first adult panel, Spike refrenced journeys Barcelona and Australia (including some ugly ass women). He's an avid cook, and he stated that men need to figure that **** out (among everything else) to impress women. Relationships and dating are games of cat and mouse, and he even admitted that there's no shame in people who look to conventions to find them.

Random ****, Drunk Version - Cason, Flynn, Rager, and Spike joined up again and this was insane. Stories from the Aristocrats and Green Jolly Rancher jokes, to ****jobs on airplanes, culminating in Cason's run-in with a chubby fangirl, and Flynn impersonating everyone else. It capped an intense day of panels.

I couldn't take a bus home at that point, so I spent the next eight hours in a haze of energy drinks, sleepwalking, and Apples to Apples. I loosened up like crazy, and even began randomly impersonating Flynn and Spike before falling asleep on a couch at 4 AM for an hour at a time.

Anime Directing Panel - the final panel I went to (after escaping the NOS haze) was Cason documenting issues with acting, directing, and auditions. I asked him about the "sub v. dub" argument, and he agreed in the sense that it's odd that it's mostly Americans who find English speaking to be evil, as opposed to the contrary.

I learned that all-nighters suck balls, but it was worth doing. I express gratitude to all the voice actors and staffers. This convention was much more initimate and intense than CONvergence, and i can't wait for more next year.

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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money

I'm going out of my comfort zone today. I intend to stay up all night at AniMinneapolis to go to 18+ panels and a rave party led by Greg Ayres. If NOS is what kept me up all morning, then **** it, there's no reason not to stay at the convention site.

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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money

Thanks to JZ for Flynn's comments (which are verbatim). My take on it is I never understand why actors who have become the "voice" of a character are never penciled in until they decide to quit. This occurs to me in the case of Evangelion. Spike Spencer and Tiffany Grant reprised their roles in the English redux, while Amanda Winn-Lee (who still does acting roles elsewhere) was replaced. I'm not saying Brina Palencia isn't a good replacement. It just seems that she doesn't need to be there. Flynn is in the same situation. The Raiden character is effective because Flynn is good at it. I doubt it's a money issue. These guys don't get dirt for money ($100 per hour in a sporadic job), so the holdup doesn't make sense.

Anyway, Flynn recited lines from KH, Zatch Bell, Fantastic Four, the new Speed Racer, and something so obscure it sounded like, "CODA KEPPY!"

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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money

Had I known I would still be up, I would have stayed at the convention and gone to the rave party. Thanks for nothing, NOS...

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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money

Strife's Soapbox: Damn You Beard Itch...

I can't believe I didn't think of that.

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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money

All I know is that Kyle Orton lives as the "neckbeard guy."

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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money

YOU WON'T DEFEAT ME!

*Continues growing awesome beard*

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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money

bump

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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money

Day 1

The Northland Inn hotel is a LOT smaller than the Sheraton from CONvergence last week. Even so, the intimacy of the setting made me feel at ease.

"Tales from the Script" Panel - It was supposed to be a solo panel by Chris Cason, but three other guests crashed the party. Here's the rundown of the panelists:

Chris Cason: Straight shooter, he screwed with an audience member, who asked "What's your favorite roll?" He started talking about sushi and other random crap, which set the tone for the rest of the craziness. He did get to talk about writing scripts for anime, and called it a pain in the ass.

Quinton Flynn: he reveled in referencing his roles, especially obscure ones. I thought it was funny how he shamelessly plugged a music CD of his. FLAME ON!

Chris Rager: He sounds like a big wrestling fan, which is always a plus in my book. He dismissed the rigors of being an actor. He made light of falling off a bridge in an accident last year. He did admit that he wouldn't want Cason's job of adapting scripts for Western audiences.

Spike Spencer: He stole the show. He's off the wall, immensely charismatic, and dynamic. I couldn't stay for his 18+ panel, but I can't wait to see his voice acting panel tomorrow afternoon.

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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money

Damn...summer weather is crazy. One more hour till I leave on an air conditioned bus to be at an air conditioned hotel.

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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money

They started it back up yesterday, saying, "We're one day from the anniversary of "THE DECISION!" Guess talking about lockouts was boring.

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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money

ESPN exec: I know, let's talk about that guy we always talk about who "took his talents to south beach" last year.

Employee: But we already ran that story 364 days a year, right along side the Derek Jeter subplots. What could we possibly do to make ANOTHER story?

Exec: We'll talk to a FOOTBALL player about "The Decision." Nothing will be more engaging then a guy from a different sport who's probably never met the guy...but he's from Cleveland, so it works.

And that's ESPN everyday.

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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money

I brought this up before: I don't hate him. I hate the overexposure. ESPN has 50 million shows a day, and every single one "NEEDS" to talk about him. He's not playing right now (nor is any NBA player), so would it kill them to talk about sports that are actually doing something?

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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money

I don't normally make two a day, but there are sometimes I just need to randomly ***** about things that piss me off, including things I've already talked about. Feel free to add your own, because this is all about venting with no rhyme, reason, or expectation.

- Lebron James: Someone shoot that **** so ESPN will shut up about him. I've won the same amount of championships he has, but I don't get cover stories about *********ing a year ago. What makes him so special? On the subject of athletes...

- Pro athletes whining about ANYTHING: You get $1-30 mil a year to play a game, free ****, first class trips,fine dining in every city on the map and worldwide fame, but somehow that's not enough? You claim of depression or needing money to "feed your family." **** you. I'm a cheapass, broke college student and I don't claim to have any of the "problems" you entitled little ***** have. Be grateful anyone gives a damn about you and is willing to put money in your pocket.

- Crying Babies: movie theaters are not the place for them. If you want to go to a movie, keep your kid with a sitter and go by yourself.

- Nintendo: Learn to make a game without Mario, Link, and Samus...

- Using Facebook at public libraries and colleges: 60% of computers in use at libraries and computer labs are used for Walls and FarmVille. I seriously doubt your family would be happy to know they are spending $5000 a semester so you morons could check your Facebook status.

- Using the Tomatometer/Numbered Reviews to validate your opinion: :OH NOES! THOR'S ONLY AT 75%. I GUESS I'M NOT GONNA SEE IT! IT SHOULD BE AT 90%" I know this society is full of instant gratification, but not playing a game SIMPLY because they saw a 6 or 7, rather than reading the reviews is ridiculous.

- FIRST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!: so you're first...does that mean I'm supposed to give you a ****job?

- Neverending internet arguments/threads:

"Subs v. Dubs"
"ECW Championships is/isn't a world title"
"FF7 Remake"

It's been five years, and things like this have YET to be settled. What's worse is the arguments always have the same content and context. Wait a month, there will be another, but nothing will get accomplished.

- "WHAT?!": A wrestler stops their promo, and every crowd says this. Stone Cold unleashed that plague on wrestling, and it shows no sign up stopping.

- When the hell are Sin City 2 and Bond 23 coming out?

- Unskippable cutscenes/random encounters/lives systems in any game this generation: they suck period

- Racism/Sexism/Homophobia: People can be funny, stupid, dense, hopeless, romantic, pathetic, intelligent, etc. regardless of skin pigment, choice of genitals, and sexual orientation. One thing I won't accept about the latter is the "lisp." That stereotype is almost as annoying as crying babies. I bet people with actual speech impediments want to kick you ******* down stairs.

Blaming Obesity on Fast Food/Videogames: Anyone who becomes a fatass is their own enemy. Lashing out at McDonalds because you ate five of their biggest burgers or because you spend 10 hours playing Call of Duty is your own damn fault. Hell, I spend eight hours a day on this site and playing games, but I motivated myself to get active. I never said "The Whopper made me fat."

Blaming Violent kids on videogames: They are violent because their parents suck at raising them, not because Sub-Zero rips people's spines out.

Blaming sexual deviance on pornography: I think tentacle porn and chicks with ***** are both depraved (even for me), but I won't stop anyone from viewing it. Consider it a learning experience.

That's about all I have for now...I feel better.

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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money

Yes; I remember watching the entire series on Youtube 4-5 days straight a couple years ago. It reminded me of those good old days. Aladdin, Darkwing Duck, Ducktales, Timon/Pumbaa, X-Men, Spider-Man, AND the Tick all in the same day. SPOON!

Iago made the show.

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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money

Coming off the heels of CONvergence, Minneapolis gets an anime convention this week. While I wasn't at Anime Detour, and this is much smaller, I'm happy with the voice actor guest list. I think Minneapolis has been getting same old (Carrie Savage, Kyle Herbert, Tiffany Grant). I like them, but it will be cool to meet and listen to new people for a change.

Voice Actor Guest List

Quinton Flynn - Raiden (Metal Gear), Reno (Final Fantasy VII), Axel (Kingdom Hearts)
Greg Ayres - Featured in over 75 shows, including FMA Brotherhood, Beck: MCS, Evangelion Redux, and the Wallflower
Spike Spencer - Shinji (Neon Genesis Evangelion)
Chris Cason - Featured in over 40 shows, including FMA, Shin Chan, Dragon Ball Z Kai, and Soul Eater
Chris Rager - Featured in Dragonball Z and One Piece

The panels are a mixture of anime production, fandom, and RPG lovefests. There are Two separate KH panels, but one is led by Quinton. It will be interesting to see how involved he and the other actors get with different projects.

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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money

final bump

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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money

I had that a couple months back. I was watching the Twins game, and Justin Verlander took BP swings at some hail. I called up my mother, and she warned me it was a tornado. North Minneapolis got torn to shreds by it (if I remember correctly).

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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money

I'm now on Twitter. Strife2GFAQs.

so...what the hell do I do with it?

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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money

bump

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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money

It's about the same as any other Ys game. The problem is the framerate sucks, since it was a PS2 port.

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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money

bump

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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money

I was intent on avoiding this topic, because I haven't followed it enough to justify talking about it. However, a situation yesterday acted as a catalyst. This acts as my own fault, but it also provides a takeoff point for the Wii's current policy.

I bought the Wii simply to expand my options for Gamefly. Aside from Nintendo's first party remake fest (Super Paper Mario, DKCR, Punch-Out), there wasn't much to intrigue me. I got Secret of Mana out of the Virtual Console. To think a 20 year old game would be more enjoyable seems awkward. I felt justified in avoiding the Motion Plus peripheral. However, Red Steel 2 was sent to me by Gamefly. I quickly realized I actually needed Motion Plus to play it. I'd need it for more games too, but what's the point, when the system has a lackluster lineup?

This brings me to Rainfall. This was a chance for Nintendo of America to prove that my purchase wasn't utterly useless. Denying America games that are complete (and translated for Europe) shows us NoA's intention to kick hardcore gamers in the balls. Maybe it's the casual gaming rush, the games are niche, or they are holding them out for the Wii U. However, actions like this only add to the irritation I've felt after wasting $250 on a console. What's to stop them from screwing us over later on?

Wii U strikes me as little more than a PS3/360 that can play Mario. Even if they hold out Rainfall's lineup, that's not enough to make me forget how weak the Wii has really been.

At least DQX is on the horizon...

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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money

Imagine my disdain when I plugged in my Wii, turned on Red Steel 2 (which was sitting on the shelf for a week), and it loaded a five minute tutorial. I read on the board that I needed Plus to actually play it. Figures...what a waste of a week and a Gamefly slot. Back to Ark of Naphistim.

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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money

final bump

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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money

Bump

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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money

I get the sense that hack and slash refers to a gameplay style prevelent in God of War and Dynasty Warriors. The sense of button mashing like crazy or using repetitious combos (repetitive gameplay is another discussion all together) with literally minimal consequence. There's no sense of realism, because you can batter away at enemies and soak up damage but keep pounding till they die.

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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money

Discussion questions

1. What is your favorite RPG and why?
2. What subgenre is your favorite and why?
3. Does "RPG" do enough to describe a game in the genre?
4. If you had to chance, would you change the name to something else?
5. Would creating more defined subgenres help or hurt the appeal?

I've went through #3&4, and I have been on record that JRPGs are my favorite. Of those, I've gravitated (as Japan seems to as well) more towards anime-based presentation. It effectively melds two media (anime and games) together. That said, calling them RPGs doesn't do them enough justice. Calling Persona 4 an RPG in the same sense as Fallout, Diablo, or Starcraft seems too broad. At least by calling it an "anime fantasy adventure," you get a better sense, a narrowed perspective.

The issue is that I wouldn't know how what to call Fallout other than a WRPG. Those terms are so prevalent that it might be difficult to reclassify. However, what were Sandbox games before Sandbox? "GTA Clones." What were FPS games before FPS? "Doom Clones. I think it can be done. It might narrow the market, but it at least gives a better reference than a vague descriptor.

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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money

Game descriptors are usually straightforward:

FPS/TPS: shoot stuff
Fighting: fight stuff in arenas
Racing: race stuff
Hack/Slash: rip apart organs with ease
Open World: free roaming in game world

Each of these quickly describe exactly what the style of game. However, I never understood what "Role Playing Game" meant. In a strict sense, every game has you play a role. The only thing I can figure is it was a trope that caught on based on D&D conventions. What's more, there are many subgroups to this genre alone. WRPGs, JRPGs, Dungeon Crawlers, Anime Fantasy Adventures (my descriptor for JRPGs that are drenched in anime tropes like Mana Khemia, Persona, etc). What made this harder were mainstream titles that claimed to throw in "RPG elements."

Where does that leave RPGs? When did that category start and why does it persist today?

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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money

final bump

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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money

Speaking of SvR, I know it seems odd to think of created wrestlers like real ones. However, given I've played nonstop for 10 years, there grows an intense attachment to the creation, nurturing, and success of wrestlers. It is a very time consuming process. It takes two weeks to a month to create 50 each season. That's why I hate to get rid of superstars when they don't pan out. Whether they lost my interest or didn't win enough matches, it's a pain to replace viable members. At the other end, there's intense competition (even with AI controlled characters).

There's a slew of wrestlers in both female and male divisions vying for one prize: world titles. Winning one is as arduous as in WWE. Winning multiple turns them into main event mainstays, while 5+ creates an almost legendary stature. So imagine my surprise when Aerith won 41 world championships. I don't know how, why, how I kept track, or why, but she did. That is almost double 2nd place, and more than 2nd and 3rd combined. She became the "Undertaker" of my roster.

For years, she was highest in overall (regardless of performance). She was a rare sort that I would "give" title opportunities to on a whim, and she was favored in every match. From her entrance to the closing bell, she was peerless. That said, 10 years is a LONG time. Since I play Smackdown every 1-3 days, that equates to 25-30 years (or more) of WWE programming. Aerith had feuds and allies from all over both divisions. and had an aura of invincibility. It shocked me when I decided to take her off the roster a couple years ago. Her performance dipped, and she "retired." What's even crazier is when a spot opened back up, I created her again, where she beat the person who retired her for the world championship. Now, I find it odd to think that I've let her go for good. It's strange to think of data as such, but this isn't a normal situation. Here's the legacy she leaves behind.

Name: Aerith Gainsborough
Origin: Final Fantasy VII
Debut: 2000 (SD2: Know Your Role)
First Retirement: May 2009 (Lost World Championship to Shion Uzuki)
Re-Debut: September 2009 (Defeated Shion Uzuki for World Championship)
Second Retirement: July 2011 (Retired as World Champion)

Entrance Music: Line in the Sand (Evolution) by Motorhead
Entrance Style: Shawn Michaels
Fighting Style: Submission Specialist, Proficient Technical Wrestler (dabbled in all styles)
Finishing Manuevers: Great Gospel (Side Effect), Pulse of Life (Figure 4 Leglock), Divine Intervention (Pedigree)
Signature Moves: Release German Suplex, Strong Roundhouse Kick, Inverted Figure 4 Leglock)
Allies: AVALANCHE (Yuffie/Tifa/VIncent/Cloud), Sephiroth (LONG ago), Enforcer (my CAW)
Rivals: Everyone (at different points in time)

Career Accomplishments

Diva's World Champion (41 times: record, retired as champion)
Tag Team Champion (10 times, with AVALANCHE)
Intercontinental Champion (2 times)
Hardcore Champion (1 time)
Created Wrestler of the Year (2002-2005)
Highest Rated Created Wrestler (2002-2011: retired at 97 OVR)

I normally don't get hung up on created wrestlers (because I shouldn't), but it was a situation that had to be told. Aerith accomplished everything set out in front of her from a game perspective. It was time to move on, but there's no way I can understate the importance she had.

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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money

PERSONA 4 DONE!

Next up: Red Steel 2, Ys: Ark of Naphistim, and SvR2011

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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money

bump

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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money

I find it easier to have direct storytelling. Without words or narration to go by, a silent protagonist just forces indirect subtlety. Another aspect is these games in general tend to be VERY straightforward. It wouldn't bother me so much if we had free reign to act how we like at any given moment. We could LIVE as the silent protagonist

Maybe I just need to venture out into WRPGs more to get that fix.

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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money

It's not the characters themselves that I despise. It's the IDEA that they are all-knowing, all powerful, do-gooders that are irreplaceable. They are touted as "gods in human form," but when all the work in expanding the game world (plot, character motivation, obstacles, side stories) is done by everyone else, it just makes the silent protagonist seem lackluster. It would not be weird if you were merely in first person, as an observer. But when they take on the sense that they are "unique," that's what gets me.

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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money

Think of how long the other characters sit there and investigate the murders by themselves. Mr. Personality sits there in his chair merely as the 'aha' moment. Mr. Personality is only special because he obtains that magical MacGuffin of "Zero, another effect of silent protagonism. They only exist as the "ONLY ONE" who can handle responsibility of said power.

Another aspect is how a "silent protagonist" doesn't work in other media. Do you think they could get away with this in a book or anime series? Imagine a movie where all you have to go on is his "aura" that he's this unstoppable, infallible, do-gooder who will do absolutely no wrong. for no reason. No inner conflict, no ties to society, but suddenly, other characters look up to him as this role model?

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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money

http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/8-gamefaqs-contests/59645201

The newest Soapbox.

Today's issue is silent protagonists and how they are useless.

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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money

In Crono's case, perhaps. He willingly sacrificed himself for the safety of his friends. But what about P4's main character is special? I've thought about how to rework P4's storyline slightly to allow Yosuke to develop as both himself and the main character (rendering "Mr. Personality" useless), without losing impact of the story.

- Yosuke travels to Inaba because his parents (owners of Junes) work overseas. He will act as Junes store manager.

- He lives with Nanako and Dojima. They keep their roles as "relatives." This allows Yosuke to fulfill the role as "bridge" between father and daughter.

- Izanami, in the guise of gas station attendant, shakes his hand. He gains the power to enter the TV.

- He still meets Saki Konishi through his work. This leads to him awakening to his Persona naturally later in the story.

- His major power (Wind), is transferred to Chie, since she doesn't need to use ice with Teddie in the party. That way, he can assume the "zero" character, switching Persona as he sees fit. He gets to enter the Velvet Room and speak with Igor and Margaret.

Everything else, from special headquarters meetings to Midnight Channel specualation is spurred on by the group. His character in general is that of reluctant leader. In the actual game, Yosuke has insight into the workings of the case, motivation to solve it, and the ability (Zero Persona) to get it done. All Mr. Personality does is act as the hand of God to point out the obvious. In this scenario, Yosuke is not full leadership material, but as he works with the others, he takes full responsibility. His major backstory with Saki still exists, as do Nanako and Dojima. Social Links and dialogue trees all appear as normal. However, given Yosuke's particular relationships with each character, reactions to answers can be tailored to his personality.

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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money

Not by his own actions. Outside influences (Izanami) drove everything. The player drives the story through text (not the character himself), and the text trees are chosen by the player. MC does little more than play therapist. He is that "wall" Squall talks about all the time. We don't know what he's doing in Inaba except passing time. He is only there because the only character capable of solving the mystery doesn't appear until halfway through the game. I guess they figured "Yosuke can't carry the game, we need a mime."

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"Should I slice off your tongue or break your countless bones? Either way, I get paid; you'll bleed to death and die alone." - Blood Money