The Star Ocean Universe

First of all, I'd like to wish misskalloway a very happy birthday! May you find Star Ocean goodness and other wonderful things!

Now onwards with the rest of this entry.

As of right now, there is no official announcement about a potential Star Ocean 5. There isn't even a rumor it's production. The only news that's come about lately is Square Enix has reportedly trademarked the Star Ocean title and about the mobile trading card game set for release in Japan. I am hoping Square Enix will have a panel at Otakon so I can inquire about future Star Ocean games. One thing that may not work for any future games is the announcement of one of the key programmers leaving after fourteen years. I also don't know how "lucky" I'll get in trying to get anyone from Enix to talk about anything other than Final Fantasy. That seems to be their biggest selling point so they're trying to drive it as hard as they can, despite fans asking about other games. (This is according to my brother, who has watched some of the panels by Square Enix on G4 when it was a channel dedicated to games. I've not witnessed this for myself, but I consider my brother to be quite reliable on such matters. If anyone's experienced anything different, please let me know. I do want to hear what others have to say about their experiences.)

I bring up the subject for a Star Ocean 5 for one particular reason, aside from the forum called the Star Ocean Universe (link is: http://s1.zetaboards.com/Star_Ocean_Universe/index/ and, no, I did not start this. I found it quite by accident through facebook), is that Sony is now taking pre-orders for the PS4. There's one thing I've noticed about the Star Ocean series, and it's that there's a game for each system. The original Star Ocean was on the Super Nintendo, Star Ocean: Second Story on the original PlayStation, Star Ocean: Till the End of Time was on the PS2, and Star Ocean: The Last Hope appeared on the PS3 and XBox360. With Sony offering pre-orders with nearly every major retailer, I think it may be about time we see another game in the series.

If that's the case, what do you think we'll see? A brand new game with new characters? Or will we see a continuation of sorts, like what was done with the first two games? And what consoles do you think Square will try to sell it for? Feel free to share your thoughts!

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Countdown to Otakon

Last year, I wrote about attending conventions and posted a list of conventions in North America. I had wanted to do the same thing this year, but time constraints and a lack of motivation on my part stopped me from doing so. However, such things have not stopped me from preparing for one of the biggest anime conventions in the U.S. - Otakon. Anime Expo is the other one that comes to mind.

Two weeks from now, Otakon will come to an end. (It's Sunday, after all.) I have to say I'm very excited about attending. This has been one convention I've wanted to attend for years. The other convention meccas for me will be Dragon*Con, Anime Expo and San Diego Comic Con International. With two of them over already and one on the heels of Otakon, if I attend any other conventions this year, they'll be the smaller ones.

So let the countdown begin. My only trouble is I want to have at least part of my Fayt Leingod cosplay ready, and I know I'll be on the lookout for other cosplayers and other goodies as well.

For all of you Star Ocean fans out there, if you're going to be in attendance and want to meet up for a while, let me know. A small Star Ocean gathering would be quite awesome!

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Star Ocean: Blue Sphere - A Matter of Time

As I write this entry, I have a few tabs open for a variety of reasons. One of them is to eBay and searching Star Ocean merchandise. It's something I'm trying to keep up with in case I can find some rather awesome stuff that I can hopefully afford. (I'm bummed about missing out on an original SNES version of Star Ocean in English.) Naturally, up for grabs are the various imports for the games from around the world, including copies of Star Ocean: Blue Sphere for the Nintendo GameBoy.

I bring up Blue Sphere because of the first two Star Ocean games. They were "remade" for the PSP. While Blue Sphere has been re-released, it was for mobile devices in Japan only. At some point, I'm wondering if maybe the game will be released into the U.S. at some point for either the PSVita and/or the Nintendo DS. I don't see it being released to a major console, like the actual PlayStation or the XBox and Wii, but I do think we'll see an eventual release of the game in the U.S. If they remade the first two games, anything is possible.

I apologize for that. I've had a lot on my mind lately, most of it centering on writing original material, some health issues, and searching for work. I don't like being limited to talking about two games for Star Ocean when there are four major games and one side game (Blue Sphere for the Gameboy). Oddly enough, for me to be able to talk about the first two games (and possibly Blue Sphere), to start on the cosplay, ball-joined doll, and crafts I want to do, collect the merchandise and doujinshi . . .  all of this requires money, of which I have very little right now.

So some updates on me:

1 - I'm obviously still broke so that takes YoumaCon out of the picture for me this year and possibly Anime Apocalypse in December. Anime Apocalypse is going to be on a "maybe" list - it depends on what happens between now and the first of December in terms of a cash flow. I really do want to get back into the convention circuits so I can meet new people and catch up with friends. However, the lack of cash coming in is hindering that, and there are some other things taking priority over heading out to conventions. That could be changing soon. I received a phone call for a job interview today so I'm crossing my fingers!

2 - Health status: I'm still alive, still relatively healthy. I just now have to watch my caffeine intake and take a water pill due to my blood pressure running on the high side. I really should start taking my healthy living cues from Fayt. He's such a healthy, albeit fictional character. I think we could learn a thing or two from some of our favorite characters . . .

3 - There has been some tragedy in my family. I'm not going into details about it. Just know it was a sad time for one of my family members, and it's the kind of thing I don't ever wish on anyone.

4 - Writing progress is questionable. It depends on the story. That could change, depending on how the job interview for tomorrow goes. Yes. I am crossing my fingers that this pans out for me. The heavens above know I could use something to keep myself going. (Not working sucks. I realize I'm looking at a minimum wage job, but I don't care. Work is work.)

Beyond that, not much is new. I have no other reasons for not updating this journal regularly.

So onward with the entry! 

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Writing Conversation - What Would Everyone Dress Up as For Halloween? Part One

In the spirit of the upcoming holiday of Halloween, I'll be writing a four-part series on what I think the humans of the Star Ocean universe would dress up as to go trick-or-treating. Some of it will be guesswork, since I still haven't played First Departure and Second Story/Second Evolution, but I will pose the question to Kojika, who has played the games. If you have thoughts, please feel free to leave me a comment on what you think and why.

First of all, I'd like to say that, on the subject of Halloween, it is a holiday I think would survive in a post-apocalyptic world. It's something that, by this point in time, people will have celebrated for at least a century and more than a few decades. It would bring about a sense of normalcy after such a great deal of catastrophic destruction. Whether people would remember why the holiday is celebrated is another subject entirely.

To start, I'll be writing in the series' timeline chronological order, not in publishing chronological order. (This gives me something to actually start with since I'm familiar with the characters of The Last Hope.)

Halloween would be, in the future, like it is now - a fun time of the year that signifies change and is one of the few times where it's socially acceptable to dress up as something else. (Conventions are excluded because not all people believe it's okay to dress up for such a thing. I know a couple of people who are like that. Only the dedicated dress up year-round.) It would also be the one time of the year where people could forget about their troubles.

Since they grew up together, it isn't hard to imagine Crowe, Edge, and Reimi along with her brother trick-or-treating as a group. What would be interesting to see is if they would be coordinated in their costumes. Would Reimi insist upon a theme or would they be random? I can't see Crowe and Edge (mostly Edge) always agreeing to be what Reimi wants them to be for Halloween.

And just what do I think Reimi would want to dress up as for Halloween? A couple of costumes come to mind. If any of the Disney movies are still available, I can see Reimi wanting to be one of the many princesses, from Snow White to Ariel, from Aurora to Belle, and everyone else who she would see as beautiful, strong, independent, and pure. (Remember fellow fans, she thinks she's a monster because she knows what she is.) If not a Disney princess, then a fairy tale princess of some kind. Anything that would make her feel beautiful about herself, albeit if only temporarily.

Heading down the non-princess route, there are also the bride, bridesmaid, flower girl, housewife, chef, and maybe a delicate fairy or a ballerina. Reimi is quite the girl - feminine, pink, frilly, cute - and, as I said before, it would come down to her wanting to feel beautiful about herself. Costumes at Halloween would reflect that.

Between Edge and Crowe, I feel like Crowe would be the one more likely to accommodate Reimi in her requests for themed trick-or-treating. In my mind, it would depend on how soon he knows about being a Seed of Hope and if he knows. That's the one thing, for me, that remains up in the air, only because Crowe remained as an NPC throughout the whole game. I'm leaning towards "yes" because he's got such an excellent poker face, but it'll be unclear  and up to the player in that regard. However, I think he'd only accommodate Reimi so far based upon what he knows. Crowe is very much a leader-type character, and it would most definitely reflect in his Halloween costumes. With dreams of heading into space, that, too, would play a factor in the kinds of costumes Crowe (and Edge). Crowe definitely sees himself as some kind of a hero, but he's also quite modest about it.

Both Edge and Crowe would be Reimi's knights in the times they accommodate her for themed Halloween costumes. I can also imagine both of them dressing up as ninjas, samurai, archeologists, adventurers, pirates (what little boy doesn't want to be a pirate for Halloween? What little girl, for that matter, too?), and any kind of modern military soldier (including rank). There might be some of the cutesy stuff in there because of their parents - pumpkins, ghosts . . . typical Halloween fare - but, of the two, I think the only one who would want to dress up as something "evil", for the fun of it, would be Crowe. He's got vampire written all over him!

So what would our intrepid heroes and heroine receive as Halloween treats? Companies like Hershey's, Nestle', M&M/Mars, and Brach's are no longer in business. What would people hand out for the youngsters out and about on Halloween night? Well, if the building in Antarctica survives (it contains the seeds for all fruits and vegetables as well as herbs, grasses, and the like), I can see people giving out fruits like apples, oranges, bananas, pears, and plums. There would also be homemade caramel corn, popcorn, popcorn balls in a variety of flavors, cookies, cupcakes, and homemade candies.

As for the non-human characters, if they were to visit Earth, they wouldn't need to dress up for Halloween because everyone would think they were already in costume. The discussion for how Edge and Reimi would explain the concept of Halloween will be another entry.

Kinds of costumes and treats are definitely open to discussion. Feel free to leave me a comment on what you think.

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Writing Fanfiction Tip #7 - Write in a Logical Order And Use Logic

I recently wrote a review on a story where certain events didn't follow in a logical order. In the story, a new parent, a recently divorced dad, has moved, with his two-year-old son, to a new town. While the dad is trying to cook Ragu and pasta, the son goes outside to play, and he finds a kitten. Like a two-year-old, the boy takes the kitten back into the house, and the dad wonders where his son found the critter. This, naturally, leads to the dad asking the boy where the kitten was found and to the discovery of a dead mother cat with the rest of the litter still alive. Concerned over the kittens, the dad takes them to a local vet to find out what he needs to do in order to keep them alive. Cue the dad heading home, finishing dinner, giving his son a bath, putting the child to bed, and then heading to the pet store with the two-year-old left home alone.

This isn't a logical procession in events. Everything is okay until the dad returns home, finishes preparing dinner, and gives his child a bath so he can go to bed. It's after the child is in bed that he realizes he needs supplies for the cats in his care. Of course, my biggest problem with the procession of events is the fact a two-year-old is left unattended for at least twenty minutes as the parent rushes to the pet store with one of the kittens in tow. For someone who is a parent or who has helped to take care of young children, this is a major no-no and likely to offend and anger the person reading. It's also going to have the reader scratching his/her head, saying, "This doesn't make sense. No parent would leave a two-year-old, even sleeping, home alone. Too much can go wrong in a short amount of time". It doesn't matter if a person can be scatter-brained at times. People in real life have those moments, but I can speak with authority that a "new" parent or a single parent isn't going to leave any child under the age of 12 home alone.

And that's something a writer, any writer, must always be aware of whenever starting a story. What kind of a logical order will events take place? In the story I reviewed, for me, the logical order of events, after the trip to the vet, the dad should have gone to the pet store to get the necessary supplies, with his son in tow, after the trip to the vet or at least take his sleeping son with him when he left to get the supplies. What this tells me, as a reader and as someone who's lived with a two-year-old, that the writer of the story doesn't know what she's talking about when it comes to children and the various things that can go wrong if a parent takes his eyes off his son for a scant minute. (Note: a two-year-old can drown in a bucket of water only a quarter filled in under two minutes.)

Now, it might seem mundane and more than a little nitpicky on a logical procession of events, especially over something as simple as heading to the store. Sometimes authors will try to do something that will create a conflict or add to a conflict, but it comes at the wrong point in the story or it isn't exactly true to how a person in a similar, real life situation might behave.

Here are two examples.

Character A is an experienced bank robber and is planning his next heist. Like anyone who's attempting or has attempted the same thing, he doesn't want to get caught, and he takes the necessary precautions he's always taken before. The character in question isn't going to walk into the bank, guns ablazing and then remember to put the mask on his face to conceal his identity in the middle of the crime. Yes, doing such a thing would create a problem for him, but it would be more interesting if he happened to walk into the bank for some other reason than robbery and be caught in the middle of another robbery.

Character B is a firefighter and needs to check her equipment to be sure it's functioning properly. She isn't going to gear up, run into a place that's on fire, and then stop to ask herself if she's got enough oxygen in her tank onceshe's entered a burning building.

If you've never been in a particular situation before but want to write about it, start asking questions. If you're writing about a man who's married, a parent, but is going through a divorce, ask someone who's gone through a divorce what it was like. If you're curious about police procedures, ask your local cops or utilize a search engine. Fanfiction is something that's free for anyone who has internet access to read. If you're not getting it right, you're going to lose a reader and end up with the kind of review that I left for the author of the story with the dad and the son and the new acquisition of kittens - not a very nice one.

It's just something to think about when you start writing.

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Halloween

I'm looking for Halloween photos, artwork, fanfiction, and fan poetry for display. Photos can be of Star Ocean carved pumpkins, figures with Halloween decorations, and the like. Cosplay is definitely welcome. The only requirements are the works must be themed for Halloween and must be related to Star Ocean (obviously). Fanfiction should be limited to one-shots and vignettes, but I will accept multi-chaptered stories so long as they're complete. They can be submitted to me at luthersfayt@gmail.com and I'll accept submissions until October 30th.

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Doujinshi Call Out

Looking for doujinshi titles. Pairings doesn't matter. Rating doesn't matter. I'm trying to compile a list of all Star Ocean doujinshi. Any and all help is appreciated. You can PM me, leave me a comment, or email me what you've got.

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Convention Talk - Creating Your Cosplay

Finally! The long-awaited topic of how to create your cosplay is finally here! I know. It took me long enough, didn't it?

First of all and foremost, to start with, the most obvious thing to do if you're going to create your own cosplay is pick your character. The type of character you choose, from what I've been able to discern from others, will determine the the type and costs of materials you'll need in order to create the costume. Are you choosing Sophia? Albel? Nel? Reimi? Claude? Crowe? Arumat? Bacchus?

Once you've answered that question (and, chances are, you already know this in advance), then you can answer the question of what kinds of materials do I need to buy or will I need to buy? Will I need to find a sewing pattern? Naturally, if you're going to be sewing, you'll need fabric and thread to match the color. Other materials include vinyl (or leather, though it was recommended to me to avoid leather), plastic canvas, craft foam, paint, paint brushes, sewing needles, yarn, knitting needles or a knitting loom, embroidery thread, and maybe an empty two-liter bottle. This last item is completely dependent upon which character you intend to cosplay, and everything listed is just for the outfits of the characters. If you plan on creating the weapons to go with your cosplay, you'll definitely need additional materials, i.e. wood, sand paper, maybe cardboard, and additional paint, perhaps even craft foam and plastic canvas. (Wood and cardboard are tricky to work with because, once you screw up, you have to buy more and start from scratch.)

Please remember to take caution when you're buying the materials to craft your cosplay. The overall idea is to make something that you can wear more than once and maybe outside of conventions, too. When it comes to materials, you get what you pay for in terms of quality, and I'm not talking about the vinyl or the plastic canvas. I'm talking about the fabric and thread used to create the base of the outfit. Keep an eye out for sales at your local fabrics store. Yes, for many Americans, it's cheaper to go to Wal-Mart than to some place that actually sells a larger (and decidedly more expensive) selection of fabric, but your local fabric stores do have sales. They do also offer up coupons and additional percentages off. Be smart about buying your materials. Go for quality but get it as cheaply as you can, when you can. If you plan on creating more than just one cosplay, it isn't a bad idea to stock up on materials

Now there are some things you may not or just won't be able to make. For example, let's say you're creating Albel Nox (once again). You've bought the wig and the right kind of foot wear, have the materials to sew his outfit, it's done, but you don't have the materials for his gauntlet (nor the time, the money, or maybe even the know-how to fashion them before the convention). How do you come up with that one crucial element that separates Albel from the rest of the Star Ocean gang?

You can start by checking your local boutiques for arm-length gloves either white or violet. If you can find a white pair that covers as much of your arm as needed, you can find the right color dye so that it looks appropriate. And don't forget that, for Albel and Sophia, thigh-length stockings are in order, too. Kojika, for her Claude cosplay, found moon shoes to fit her for an appropriate look.

All of this, of course, is only necessary if you plan making your own cosplay for your next convention and is what I've learned in talking with the experienced cosplayers I know (whom I'm also very proud to call my friends). If you're buying the materials so someone else can create the costume for you, talk to that person and find out what they need and how much of it so they can do just that for you. If you plan on heading to one of the many cosplay costume sights on the web, then the best advice I can give to you is to do your research on customer satisfaction. How well did the company craft the cosplay for others? Would the customers recommend the site again? Remember, it's your money that you're spending, and I guarantee that you'll have a ball at your next convention.

Next convention talk . . . to be determined.

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Ask the Star Ocean Character Call Out, Triple the Fun: Deputy Director Shimada, Bacchus D-79, and Peppita Rosetti

Taking questions for the following characters: Deputy Director Shimada, Bacchus D-79, and Peppita Rosetti. Questions can be submitted via PM, comment or email. The only rules are a limit of three questions per character, keep it clean and "polite", and the questions must be submitted by PM, comment, or email. I'll be taking questions until midnight of October 31, 2012.

I'm at a bit of a loss as to what to write about at this moment and, with many things paused until I get my own computer or the fall, it's making things a bit more difficult.

I'm still waiting to hear back from Laura Bailey on the interview. I may just ask her on facebook instead of through her website. We'll see.

So anyway, to this gaming tip of mine. It isn't for those who've defeated Luther. Repeatedly. On the same play-through. Like me. This tip is for the beginning player and can actually be applied to most any Star Ocean game where one has the symbologists with the crappy wind up time for casting.

When utilizing characters like Adray Lasbard and Sophia Esteed in boss fights, SHUT OFF THEIR OFFENSIVE SYMBOLS AND SET THEIR TACTICS TO FOCUS ON HEALING/RECOVERY. A while back, I watched a video on youtube of a person's first fight against Luther, and I wanted to scream at the person to quit wasting his fresh sage and to shut Sophia's attack symbols off. It was very painful to watch, especially since one could see he had less than ten fresh sage left. What didn't help this player was Sophia was out undoubtedly for her plethora of symbols, both attack and healing - she and Adray are the ONLY ones who get the Restoration and Faerie Light spells. Unfortunately, she spent more time casting the attack symbols on Luther rather than focusing on healing and reviving Fayt and Cliff when they were incapacitated.

Now, I personally don't like to use either Sophia or Adray in fights. I keep them leveled up for the sake of posterity. I like to run with Fayt and Cliff with Nel, Mirage, and Albel interchangeable. Those are just my personal preferences. It helps to keep the other characters leveled up just in case they're needed in other battles. One never knows. There's just one very noticeable problem in using characters whose primary functions are symbologists. They rely too much on the symbology to fight, which wouldn't be so bad if they weren't so slow in their wind-up times for releasing the spell. Even with the accessory that cuts their casting times in 2/3, I have found that Fayt has a better wind-up time and he can heal others faster than Adray and Sophia. However, my personal preferences aren't necessarily the same as others, and I get that.

There are some other tricks when it comes to utilizing characters like Adray Lasbard and Sophia Esteed to keep them from doing stupid things - like casting Explosion when Restoration or Faerie Light is needed. One, as mentioned above, is to shut off the attack spells. This can be accomplished both in and outside of battle. Enter Symbology either in the main menu outside of battle or while in battle and used the square button to shut off all attack spells. While you're at it, shut off "Silence" and "Antidote" . . . maybe even "Angel Feather", "Power Up", and "Reflection" . . . Sophia and Adray will try to join the fray by hitting with their weapons, but there isn't much a player can do to stop them when such characters are on auto-pilot. Just be sure that they're set on Focus on Healing/Recovery, and you'll be okay.

To ensure that they have the best casting times, recruit inventors, and get into your workshops. You want the Crafting skill to invent the items that reduce casting time by either 1/2 or 2/3, 2/3 being the better option. The Star Necklace and Rapid Invocation (which can be bought in Gemity) are what a player wants for Adray and Sophia. Also employ the writers to get the Brittle Tome . . . reduce how long it takes Adray and Sophia to cast their spells as much as possible.

Also, increase their defenses with their armor and accessories and their hit and magic points as much as possible. Because they are spell-casters, both have low defense and hit points. If they don't have enough of both, they'll die quickly and you'll still be wasting your Fresh Sage and Resurrection Elixirs on them just to keep them alive.

Level them up before heading into a boss fight. If you have the strategy guide or are following someone's walk-through on gamefaqs.com, if they recommend tackling a boss at a certain level, have Adray and Sophia be at least two levels or more higher than the recommendation. The rules of battle indicate that you get rid of your spell-casters first because they can do the most damage from afar and keep your actual fighting party alive.

Finally, if you have the patience to deal with how slow they move across the battlefield, set up the other characters on whatever tactics you deem necessary for them and play as Sophia or Adray. This is actually the best method for ensuring that your party stays alive and healed without incessantly wasting restorative items like the fresh sage, analeptic, resurrection elixir, and resurrection mist.

These tips definitely apply to Sarah Jerand in The Last Hope, though there is only the accessories that can reduce her casting time (Fast Cast goes only to Myuria and Lymle) as well as any other character that has a large arsenal of attack, defense, and healing spells. Utilize your spell-casters wisely. You can save on battle times (you don't get bonus points for spending over twenty minutes in battle with Luther) and aggravation at wasting your time and restorative items in the boss fights, especially if you're already low by the time you reach said boss fights.

Every fan of the Star Ocean series has quite possibly played every game in the series. It's a bit of a blanket statement, but I'm going to hold it as being true for the most part even though I'm not in the category just yet. Chances are, it's also quite true and not just me as holding it true.

Every Star Ocean game has played out in a sequence. The first to be released, naturally, was Star Ocean 1, which was re-released to the PSP as First Departure. The hero of that game is Roddick Farrence with the backing characters of Ilia Silvestri, Ronyx J. Kenny, Millie, and Dorn (as well as others not listed in my gaming manual).

In reading a small portion of the manga, which is called And to The Far Side of Time by Kajiba Ataru, I already have a feel for the premise of the game. Stone sickness appears in the game, and the duly appointed heroes by the game's creators must find the source and the cure. The game ends, if I'm not mistaken, with the final battle being against Asmodeus. (First Departure and Second Story/Second Evolution players, if anything is incorrect, LET ME KNOW. Please! And a full cast of playable characters and major NPCs would be nice, too!)

Next in the series is Second Story/Second Evolution, with the hero of the story coming from the Kenny line introduced in the first game. I don't know the name of the planet Claude winds up on, but I know it isn't Roak. I know that the enemy is referred to as the Twelve Wise Men, and they wish to destroy the universe. Blue Sphere is a follow-up of some kind to that game.

Third official in the series is Till the End of Time. In it, our hero, Fayt Leingod, is on vacation with his family - perhaps while he's on spring break, though the manga puts it as a summer vacation to explain Sophia's being there better. I personally will lean towards spring break due to Sophia asking Fayt "Didn't you say you had a ton of homework to do?" and either his mom or his dad (leaning towards mom)  telling him to not ignore Sophia so much since she didn't have to take time out of her schedule to vacation with them . . . a new start to the game will help me to clarify that, if only for me. It is on this vacay with his family where his life is turned upside and he's chased halfway across the galaxy/universe by the Vendeeni. He, along with Cliff Fittir and Mirage Kaos, crash-land on Elicoor II, where most of his adventures take place. Ultimately, he learns of his powers, of what his parents intended for him to do with those powers, and final culmination of the series itself ends with the final battle between "God" (Luther Lansfeld/Lucifer) and his creations.

Which brings us to the Last Hope and why it was set before all three games combined. Till the End of Time pretty much ends everything since the final battle severed the ties between the Eternal Sphere and its database. Luther attempting to wipe the entire server clean didn't help. The Last Hope was one more chance at a Star Ocean game (is supposed to be the last Star Ocean game), and to tie the all of the games together. It explains why the UP3 itself is important and how it came into existence. As the players of the Last Hope know, the premise behind it is to save mankind from imminent destruction. The Earth has fallen into decay, thanks to the carelessness of war, and humans need a new home. Enter space exploration and Edge Maverick, our intrepid hero. It is because of the lessons he must learn that builds the premise of the story and ends with the final battle between he and the Apostle of Creation/Satanail/Faize.

The Last Hope is a game that a fan either loves or hates. I know of at least one person who won't play because of the graphics. I've had another tell me it didn't quite grab her the way Till the End of Time did. When I found out the timeline for the Last Hope, I was disappointed. I truly did (and still do) want another game with one of my favorite heroes, Fayt Leingod. I love the graphics for the game (the CG better than the anime), I love the characters, and I love the story, but I feel that many fans were like me upon learning of a new Star Ocean game. More of the same characters from Till the End of Time. While it does bring the other stories together by the drafting and publishing of the UP3, some things, in my mind, just create more questions than answers.

In The Last Hope, we see stone sickness appear. It's something endemic to Roak only so naturally we will see it. In reading the first chapter to the very first Star Ocean manga, no one knows what stone sickness is. Yes, the story is taking place on the continent called Muah, and it's also possible that, after three hundred some years, people have forgotten about it because it's "died" out in some way. Unless there's a war of some kind that has broken out to destroy history records, though, I'm finding it hard to believe that the healers in First Departure don't know what the disease is. It feels like a minor slip on the writers' parts for The Last Hope, but it's a major one when it comes to tying everything together. Of course, I'll know for sure when playing First Departure on how this works out.

The other thing that just seems odd is the lack of mention for the Muah in Till the End of Time. I know in First Departure the Muah will be mentioned. It's in the game's manual. But the Muah are supposedly an ancient alien race that came to Earth. Their remains and D.N.A. were discovered by Arnold Maverick, Edge's dad. The D.N.A. of the Muah are what separate Edge and Reimi apart from normal humans. The D.N.A. of the Muah is why Edge can cast spells in and out of battle and possibly why humans later on can cast offensive, healing, and support spells.

The lack of symbological genetic research in seven hundred plus years also bothers me. It feels like it's started with Arnold Maverick but then is promptly forgotten until Robert and Ryoko Leingod start their research. Robert and Ryoko are the ones who become pioneers in that field, and it's that driving force that triggers the Vendeen attacks on Hyda IV and Elicoor II. The Vendeeni are after Robert and Fayt. Why wait so long to study and learn about that particular field?

Third, supposedly, according to either the game manual, the game summary, or the strategy guide, Roak and Earth are somehow tied together, and the players are supposed to figure it out. It's because of the Muah that Earth and Roak are connected, but we never learn anything about the Muah aside from the fact that they've inhabited both Earth and Roak at one point. Beyond that, yeah, we know nothing, and it's a tease. We don't get to learn anything more because we're now too busy trying to save the universe from the Phantoms, the Grigori, and Nox Obscuris.

I also feel that, by jumping back in time by 762 after the events of Till the End of Time, it might have turned many fans off from the game. It isn't unusual for Tri-Ace and Square Enix to jump around with timelines - in a conversation about Final Fantasy with my best friend yesterday, she said as much; I've not played very many of the Final Fantasy games so the only other person I know of who could possibly disprove that is my younger brother. I'm taking her word for it, though, because I know she has no reason to lie to me about it - and the Star Ocean series seems to be no exception. The Last Hope, while giving fans another game in the series, hasn't given the fans what they truly wanted. In some emails with yet another fan, I've learned that, in Japan, the two most popular Star Ocean games are, in fact, Second Story and Till the End of Time. If I were to guess on what it is everyone really wanted to see, they wanted more of either of those two games and not another set of heroes to learn about and invest our time and emotions in through game play. We've already done that with characters like Fayt Leingod and Claude C. Kenny. We want to see more of them. I can't blame the game writers and designers for going in the direction that they did, and I do love that game very much . . . but Till the End of Time rules in my heart.

Will there be more Star Ocean games? I really don't know. I've expressed a desire to see more. However, given the lack of enthusiasm by the fans over The Last Hope, I wouldn't be surprised if Tri-Ace and Square Enix don't release any more in that series. I realize that the amount of official merchandise isn't really anything to go by . . . but there isn't much for The Last Hope in terms of it. Yes, it seems that perhaps the market for gaming merchandise is going away, but I've browsed over the North American site for Square Enix. While there isn't much for The Last Hope, Final Fantasy VII still sees a lot. :) One can only hope that we will see more games, and a re-release of Till the End of Time in the near future.

Up for tomorrow: The Cliche' of the Star Ocean Universe/Final Call for Ask the Star Ocean Character - Sophia Esteed, perhaps even a one-shot fanfic.
For Thursday: Symbological Genetics - Why Is It a New Field of Study for Till the End of Time/Call Out for Ask the Star Ocean Character - Maria Traydor
Friday: Character Study - Sophia Esteed/Ask the Star Ocean Character segment - Sophia Esteed, perhaps another one-shot fanfic
Weekend: Up in the air. Could see at least one part to Chapter Three of Destinies Intertwined by Fate. But mostly up in the air.

Hello again! Another day with another entry with another thought from me. Yeah. It may seem like I need a life, that I should stop obsessing over something that's fictional, but, well, what's science fiction today is science fact of tomorrow. Isaac Asimov proved that with his novel, I, Robot. :)

Anyway, after I wrote about Luther Lansfeld yesterday, I went and played some more Star Ocean: The Last Hope International. Discovered that there's an ending for Reimi, and I'm not sure if it's something I'm going to go for . . . despite being a trophy completionist. I'm getting off-track here. One thing I've noticed that seems to be a bit of a recurring theme with the Star Ocean games, or at least with Till the End of Time and The Last Hope, is that of genetic experimentation. As most Star Ocean players know, in Till the End of Time, the "science" experiments were Fayt Leingod, Maria Traydor, and Sophia Esteed, with each given the powers of Destruction, Alteration, and Connection respectively. In The Last Hope, it's Edge Maverick, Crowe F. Almedio (who you don't get as an AI for your team - bummer), and Reimi Saionji. These three were gifted with the genetic capabilities of an ancient alien race known as the Muah, but they're not specific powers, per se. Rather, it's the ability to adapt to a given situation and survive. You know it's going on when you see crests light up on the back of Edge's right hand and the back of Reimi's neck. Sadly, because Crowe doesn't become a playable member of your AI team, it's unclear just what exactly his adaptation skills are, but we do know he's powerful in his own right, Captain of the Aquila at a very young age and capable of using not only a gun, but twin blades as well. :) (What's not to love about that?)

( Into the details we go )
I have all sorts of interesting ideas about the Star Ocean universe that I'd like to present to my fellow fans and players. My goal with these entries isn't necessarily to influence others to my way of thinking about the fandom, but to help spread the love and to discuss all things related to the games. These games are still popular, but they're not necessarily as popular as the Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest series. This journal is also for the people who wonder what the appeal is to the games from a fan's point of view. The fans of Star Ocean know why they love the games. That's a given.

So if you're just finding this journal or if you're a die-hard Star Ocean fan, discussions on entries like this are welcome, so long as they maintain a certain social decorum and respect. Remember, each person is entitled to his or her opinions. Name-calling, pushing your thoughts on others, and blatant disrespect for your fellow fans and me will get you banned from this journal quicker than what it would take Luther to hit his almighty delete key of doom. I know I should have said this on this first entry, but it's here now. The idea is to spread the love, not turn other people away from the fandom. I also have anonymous commenting on, but if people abuse that, it will be turned off, and said person will either have to create an ID in order to post comments or leave me alone. It sounds harsh, I know, but I will not tolerate disrespect towards me or to others who may have a differing view point on these games and these characters. It's the disrespect that drives people who love the games away and keeps others who might enjoy the games from ever touching them. There is no one correct theory to any of this. :) It's all for fun, and I hope fun for all.

What's next? In terms of idea discussion and thoughts, I think I'm going to run with an idea called An Issue of Trust. There are events that have taken place in the Star Ocean games that most people who love a few of the canon pairings don't take into consideration when creating artwork or writing stories for those pairings. These are pairings that, for me, just don't work even though they are canon to some extent or another. People who like the canon pairings may want to avoid reading the next entry simply because it won't be what they want to hear. I feel that everyone has the right to choose the OTP that appeals to him (or her . . . mostly her, it seems like). I just don't feel like arguing over why, oh, say, Edge Maverick should be with Reimi Saionji over someone else, like Myuria or even heading into yaoi territory with Faize or Crowe or Arumat. The canon pairings don't always appeal to me. I understand that they appeal to others, and that's fine. We will like what we will like, and that's fine.

Until tomorrow, kiddos!!

Icon artwork done by: Blackdragon

Hello, fellow Star Ocean fans and people new to the fandom! My name is Autumn, but you may use one of the following monickers to call me by instead: Dragonfly Moonlight, Liana Bluestar, Silverblue Sakura, Fayt's Girl, or Dreaming Vision. Feel free to leave comments on any entry you find calling out to you.

Let me start off by welcoming you to this humble journal where I will discuss all things Star Ocean. This won't be just to review the games that are out there. Let's face it. There are only a grand total of five (this is counting the Gameboy Blue Sphere game) so there isn't much in the way of reviewing the games. For me, right now, that could be done in two entries, as I've only played Star Ocean: Till the End of Time and Star Ocean: The Last Hope International thus far. Even going with a merchandise list might only take an entry or two.

With this journal, I not only intend to review the games, compile a list of merchandise that's available to all Star Ocean fans, and reveal where said merchandise can be found, but showcase cosplays and artwork of others, write some character studies, discuss the high and low points of the games' plots, and post my own fanfiction for the series. I also hopefully will be able to show photos of my own Star Ocean cosplays, once I have them started and completed. Some of the merchandise that's available will take some time to compile as well, as I will be going by what's in my collection, the collections of friends from deviantArt, and what I've been able to find on sites like eBay. Any and all photos of cosplays and artwork will be credited to the proper people. There are many talented people out there, and they deserve any and all credit for their hardwork. All fanfiction in this journal will be mine. I'll post links to the fanfiction of others.

So what's first for the inaugural entry of a Star Ocean blog? The reasons for manifestation? Girl, what on Earth are you talking about? ( Cut for game spoilers )
I could keep on writing about which characters experienced growth from the moment he or she appeared in the game and which ones seemed to stagnate. I could, but I won't. That is actually an entry in its own right. This is more of a comparison between two people who manifested great symbological powers at two different points in the game (and the manga) and what caused those triggers. I realize that not everyone will agree with me on this, which is quite all right. :) I welcome all differing opinions.