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Happy beginning of March!
Mar. 5th, 2013 11:12 amIt's a few days late, but that's all right.
Everything on my end has been, well, chaotic. Between work and running into a few snags here and there, posting and writing have taken a bit of a hit for time. I've also decided, when it comes to Destinies Intertwined by Fate, I'm going to repost it. I joined a writing group, and I've posted the prologue to the site for critiquing. My goal is to really polish the story up and maybe . . . just maybe have it printed in a novel form. We'll see, though. It's the kind of story I want to see published officially, but I have my doubts as to whether or not tri-Ace and Square Enix would go for it. I am, after all, leaving out Sophia.
I will have some cosplay photos to post soon . . . like on a day where I've not slept in until 10:30 in the morning. They're also not by me (yet). We're getting there, my fellow fans! We are getting there!
*************************************************************
Cosplay/Convention Meet-ups
Now, I realize that we are a small fan-base when it comes to the number of followers and whatnot. Still, I do believe that there are some ample opportunities for meeting up.
This isn't one of those, oh, let's drive to this place and get together type deals. It'd be nice, and it's certainly possible for those who live close to one another (I can reach Kojika's home in under eight hours, either by driving or taking the bus). However, it just isn't economically feasible when a person gets right down to it.
This little shout-out is for the convention goers. As mentioned in one of the last entries, my convention goals for this year are definitely Otakon and YoumaCon with the potential for NMACon. Most of these are local conventions for me (so if you're in the Great Lakes area and wish to meet up at either YoumaCon or NMACon, leave me a comment or a PM. I will get back with you on that) so getting there isn't too much of a big deal. I will try to aim for ShutoCon, but I have no clue as to whether or not I have to work that Saturday. Anyway, those are my convention goals. Like I said, if you're going to be at any of them, especially the local conventions, give me a shout-out, and we'll arrange something.
That said, I would love it for my fellow fans to utilize these journals as a way to meet up with each other, either at conventions or on your own time. In my mind, there is no reason to be shy about any of this. We're connected by a common love for the Star Ocean series. Let's share the love.
*************************************************************
An Issue of Translation
As many people already know, many of the games we love to play are designed and created in Japan. They're released to the Japanese audiences first, sometimes even up to a year in advance, before hitting places like North America and Europe. I don't need to remind my fellow fans that Star Ocean is one such series.
However, in starting this blog in the last year, I've come across a couple of complaints from my fellow fans about character names. The complaint is that some of the names get changed in the translation process, i.e. Ratix to Roddick and Souffle to Peppita.
This isn't an uncommon complaint, in my opinion, from the fans who know how to speak and read Japanese and therefore have played the games in the Japanese. It's something I wish that I could do, but that will take some time on my part. Also, there is absolutely nothing wrong with being able to play a game in both its original language and the translated version. That's just a matter of personal preference.
However, and this comes up from talking with my younger brother about games, names, and translations, I feel that the fans who can play the games in the Japanese because they can speak it and read it tend to forget that the average gamer does not read or speak much Japanese. Otakus might be able to speak some, but the vast majority of gamers tend to speak one language. I happen to be one of them. (And I don't count knowing a few words here and there from the Japanese, Russian, Latin, German, Italian, Spanish, and French languages as being able to speak them.) The average gamer is going to look at a name like Souffle and wonder why the character is named after food. Souffles are food. There's no getting around that, and the average gamer who probably knows next to nothing about Japanese culture may not realize that the name Souffle is meant to sound exotic to the Japanese audience. Souffle isn't exactly exotic to English and French-speaking cultures. Heck, I'm going to add in most of Europe into that as well. It's just how it is.
For a moment, let's consider the latest of the Final Fantasy games of XIII, XIII-2, and XIII - Lightning Returns. In the original Japanese version, Lightning's name is Eclair. According to my brother, eclair is French for light. However, if you ask an American what eclair means, that person will tell you it's a pastry. If the translators had left Lightning's name as Eclair, I'm very certain that many people would ask the question, why is she named after a pastry? It's just how the mind works when you don't speak a certain language.
There is also one other aspect to translation that some people just don't get. This is coming more from my brother about the Final Fantasy fandom where fans have complained about how some of the names have changed, and it's in regards to the letters "L" and "R". I will use Till the End of Time for this particular example.
For those who speak Japanese, they know that there is no "L" in that language. Yet there are "L" sounds throughout the language. Azazer in the Japanese game was pronounced Azazel. Berial was Belial, and Belzeber was Belzebel. Just because there is no actual "L" in the Japanese language doesn't mean there isn't a sound for it. There were reasons for leaving the Rs in for these particular names.
Finally, there is one other aspect to translation that people really do need to consider, and that is meaning. In Till the End of Time, Luther was Lucifer*. For most English-speaking peoples, Lucifer is the name of the angel who defied God, tried to start a revolt amongst the angels, and was cast out of Heaven for his actions. A name like that with such a negative connotation isn't exactly conducive for selling games to people who claim Christianity as their religion. (That also touches upon another subject which has more to do with role-playing games and misconceptions in general than just name meanings. It's something I'm open to discussing . . . but I won't be writing about it in this particular journal simply because it heads into some completely different fan-bases.)
In conclusion, there are reasons for why names are changed in the translation process. There is nothing wrong with liking the Japanese names or meanings over the translated names and meanings. Again, that lands into the area of personal preference. I simply ask that my fellow fans, the ones who do prefer the Japanese over the translated, please remember the average player isn't like they are and respect that for many Ratix is Roddick and Souffle is Peppita. No one has to like the reasons for why something is done the way it is done. The respect, though, needs to be there. Otherwise, we're just chasing people away.
*************************************************************
Birthday and Holiday Reminders/Submission Rules for Cosplay, Fan Art, Fan Fiction, and General Star Ocean Photography
Birthday List - covering January to June
January 1 (Late; assigned by me) - Crowe F. Almedio
January 23 (official) - Claude C. Kenny
January 25 (assigned by me) - Ilia Silvestri
January 31 (assigned by me) - Ryoko Leingod
February 3 (official) - Faize Sheifa Beleth
February 15 (assigned by me) - Peppita Rosetti
February 16 (official) - Noel Chandler
February 29 (official - can swing to either February 28 or March 1) - Precis F. Neumann
March 2 (assigned by me) - Roger S. Huxley
March 16 (official) - Meracle Chamlotte
March 28 (official) - Reimi Saionji
April 10 (assigned by me) - Adray Lasbard
April 24 (official) - Arumat P. Thanatos
May 5 (official) - Bacchus D-79
May 7 (assigned by me) - Blair Lansfeld
May 13 (official) - Rena Lanford
June 1 (assigned by me) - Cliff Fittir
June 29 (assigned by me) - Maria Traydor
June 30 (official) - Lymle Lemuri Phi
Upcoming Holidays:
New Year's Day - January 1
Valentine's Day - February 14
St. Patrick's Day - March 17
Easter - March 31
Earth Day - April 22
Mother's Day - May 12
Father's Day - June 16
As of right now, I will be hosting a make-up day for birthdays and holidays. You can submit the birthday and holiday themed stories for the listed holidays.
Regarding: Fanfiction, Fan Art, Fan Poetry, Cosplay, Fan projects
I really don't have very many rules regarding what I'll accept for fan-related material. It does have to be well-written. I won't just post whatever happens to come my way for any of this. This is an open journal. You do not need to be a follower in order to read or comment on what I'm writing. I would very much like to keep it this way because one never knows when a fourteen-year-old might become smitten with Star Ocean.
So here are the rules for submitting fan-related material like fiction, art work, cosplay, and other projects.
1 - No smut. Period.
When it comes to art and photography, no nudity. There are sites out there already dedicated for such themes.
2 - All pairings are accepted.
I
don't care if it's a pairing I don't like or that I can't see for whatever reason is in my head. If you've taken the time to write it or draw it, I will post it. That means I will accept heterosexual pairings (Edge x Reimi), xeno pairings (i.e., Edge x Myuria), yaoi pairings (Luther x Fayt), and yuri pairings (Maria x Sophia).
3 - No character-bashing.
This is a little . . . sticky. Yes, you can portray Fayt or Edge or whoever as an S.O.B. - providing there's a reason for the behavior. If you're just doing it because you don't like the character, well, take it to a different site. I have goals in mind for this journal. I'm not about to risk those goals for someone who just wants to be a jerk about a character s/he doesn't like. Remember that people do have their likes and dislikes.
4 - As was mentioned above, all stories must be well-written.
By that, I mean you've taken the time to craft your story. There are no errors in spelling, punctuation, or sentence structure. I don't care if it's just fanfiction. Seriously, just because it's fanfiction does not change the reasons for why people read. Just because it's free for everyone to read (meaning you're not charging them to read it and thus you're not being paid to write it) doesn't mean you should skimp out on the technical parts of writing. Write like you care, or I will throw my pocket grammar guide at you.
5 - Themes/Genres and Crossovers
I will, for the most part, accept nearly every single theme that there is. If it's an alternate universe story, I'll accept it. If it crosses with another fandom, I'll accept it. If you're crossing Till the End of Time with First Departure somehow, I'll accept it.
Now, there are some themes out there that do venture into the adult/mature audience category that I will accept as well. Anything with graphic sex just isn't in that area. Tackling current social themes (bullying, body image issues, etc . . .) are definitely accepted.
6 - Cosplay
I definitely would love, love, LOVE it if people submitted their cosplay pictures to me. They can be from conventions or personal photo shoots. It's all cool. If anyone does the how-to as the cosplay is created, definitely would love to share those, too.
Adding In: As I'm still very much in the dark for First Departure, Second Story/Second Evolution, and Blue Sphere in terms of game play, when you submit a photo, please let me know who the character is and what game the character is from as well as where you took the photo (i.e., backyard, lake, convention, etc . . . I don't need to know your personal address) . . . I know only a few characters from each, like Claude, Rena, Ashton, Roddick, Dorne, Ilia, and Ronyx. Having the names to go with the characters portrayed will be very, very helpful. Thanks!
Most importantly, to me, is that people are having fun and sharing the love for Star Ocean. That's what this is about - bringing fellow Star Ocean fans together. I will definitely let everyone know when I'm posting their works.
One more thing - no personal attacks, no being mean to the author/artist/cosplayer for any submissions. Be respectful of each other at all times. As of this moment in time, we are not a very large fandom when compared to the likes of Hetalia: Axis Powers or the Final Fantasy series. We don't have to like a particular character or a particular pairing or even a particular Star Ocean game, but we must remember that there will always be someone out there who does. Disrespectful attitudes will certainly not be tolerated.
*************************************************************
Ask the Star Ocean Character Reminder - Adray Lasbard from Till the End of Time
Roger's segment is coming! I swear that it is! If you have some questions for Roger, I'll still accept them and add them in before I post it. In the meantime, I'm accepting questions for Adray Lasbard from Till the End of Time. Is there something about him you'd like to know? Please ask! Questions can be submitted via comment, email (luthersfayt@gmail.com and thestaroceanuniverse@gmail.com), or private message. Limit three questions per person, no profanity please. All inquiries must be in by midnight of March 28th, 2013.
Everything on my end has been, well, chaotic. Between work and running into a few snags here and there, posting and writing have taken a bit of a hit for time. I've also decided, when it comes to Destinies Intertwined by Fate, I'm going to repost it. I joined a writing group, and I've posted the prologue to the site for critiquing. My goal is to really polish the story up and maybe . . . just maybe have it printed in a novel form. We'll see, though. It's the kind of story I want to see published officially, but I have my doubts as to whether or not tri-Ace and Square Enix would go for it. I am, after all, leaving out Sophia.
I will have some cosplay photos to post soon . . . like on a day where I've not slept in until 10:30 in the morning. They're also not by me (yet). We're getting there, my fellow fans! We are getting there!
*************************************************************
Cosplay/Convention Meet-ups
Now, I realize that we are a small fan-base when it comes to the number of followers and whatnot. Still, I do believe that there are some ample opportunities for meeting up.
This isn't one of those, oh, let's drive to this place and get together type deals. It'd be nice, and it's certainly possible for those who live close to one another (I can reach Kojika's home in under eight hours, either by driving or taking the bus). However, it just isn't economically feasible when a person gets right down to it.
This little shout-out is for the convention goers. As mentioned in one of the last entries, my convention goals for this year are definitely Otakon and YoumaCon with the potential for NMACon. Most of these are local conventions for me (so if you're in the Great Lakes area and wish to meet up at either YoumaCon or NMACon, leave me a comment or a PM. I will get back with you on that) so getting there isn't too much of a big deal. I will try to aim for ShutoCon, but I have no clue as to whether or not I have to work that Saturday. Anyway, those are my convention goals. Like I said, if you're going to be at any of them, especially the local conventions, give me a shout-out, and we'll arrange something.
That said, I would love it for my fellow fans to utilize these journals as a way to meet up with each other, either at conventions or on your own time. In my mind, there is no reason to be shy about any of this. We're connected by a common love for the Star Ocean series. Let's share the love.
*************************************************************
An Issue of Translation
As many people already know, many of the games we love to play are designed and created in Japan. They're released to the Japanese audiences first, sometimes even up to a year in advance, before hitting places like North America and Europe. I don't need to remind my fellow fans that Star Ocean is one such series.
However, in starting this blog in the last year, I've come across a couple of complaints from my fellow fans about character names. The complaint is that some of the names get changed in the translation process, i.e. Ratix to Roddick and Souffle to Peppita.
This isn't an uncommon complaint, in my opinion, from the fans who know how to speak and read Japanese and therefore have played the games in the Japanese. It's something I wish that I could do, but that will take some time on my part. Also, there is absolutely nothing wrong with being able to play a game in both its original language and the translated version. That's just a matter of personal preference.
However, and this comes up from talking with my younger brother about games, names, and translations, I feel that the fans who can play the games in the Japanese because they can speak it and read it tend to forget that the average gamer does not read or speak much Japanese. Otakus might be able to speak some, but the vast majority of gamers tend to speak one language. I happen to be one of them. (And I don't count knowing a few words here and there from the Japanese, Russian, Latin, German, Italian, Spanish, and French languages as being able to speak them.) The average gamer is going to look at a name like Souffle and wonder why the character is named after food. Souffles are food. There's no getting around that, and the average gamer who probably knows next to nothing about Japanese culture may not realize that the name Souffle is meant to sound exotic to the Japanese audience. Souffle isn't exactly exotic to English and French-speaking cultures. Heck, I'm going to add in most of Europe into that as well. It's just how it is.
For a moment, let's consider the latest of the Final Fantasy games of XIII, XIII-2, and XIII - Lightning Returns. In the original Japanese version, Lightning's name is Eclair. According to my brother, eclair is French for light. However, if you ask an American what eclair means, that person will tell you it's a pastry. If the translators had left Lightning's name as Eclair, I'm very certain that many people would ask the question, why is she named after a pastry? It's just how the mind works when you don't speak a certain language.
There is also one other aspect to translation that some people just don't get. This is coming more from my brother about the Final Fantasy fandom where fans have complained about how some of the names have changed, and it's in regards to the letters "L" and "R". I will use Till the End of Time for this particular example.
For those who speak Japanese, they know that there is no "L" in that language. Yet there are "L" sounds throughout the language. Azazer in the Japanese game was pronounced Azazel. Berial was Belial, and Belzeber was Belzebel. Just because there is no actual "L" in the Japanese language doesn't mean there isn't a sound for it. There were reasons for leaving the Rs in for these particular names.
Finally, there is one other aspect to translation that people really do need to consider, and that is meaning. In Till the End of Time, Luther was Lucifer*. For most English-speaking peoples, Lucifer is the name of the angel who defied God, tried to start a revolt amongst the angels, and was cast out of Heaven for his actions. A name like that with such a negative connotation isn't exactly conducive for selling games to people who claim Christianity as their religion. (That also touches upon another subject which has more to do with role-playing games and misconceptions in general than just name meanings. It's something I'm open to discussing . . . but I won't be writing about it in this particular journal simply because it heads into some completely different fan-bases.)
In conclusion, there are reasons for why names are changed in the translation process. There is nothing wrong with liking the Japanese names or meanings over the translated names and meanings. Again, that lands into the area of personal preference. I simply ask that my fellow fans, the ones who do prefer the Japanese over the translated, please remember the average player isn't like they are and respect that for many Ratix is Roddick and Souffle is Peppita. No one has to like the reasons for why something is done the way it is done. The respect, though, needs to be there. Otherwise, we're just chasing people away.
*************************************************************
Birthday and Holiday Reminders/Submission Rules for Cosplay, Fan Art, Fan Fiction, and General Star Ocean Photography
Birthday List - covering January to June
February 3 (official) - Faize Sheifa Beleth
February 15 (assigned by me) - Peppita Rosetti
February 16 (official) - Noel Chandler
March 2 (assigned by me) - Roger S. Huxley
March 16 (official) - Meracle Chamlotte
March 28 (official) - Reimi Saionji
April 10 (assigned by me) - Adray Lasbard
April 24 (official) - Arumat P. Thanatos
May 5 (official) - Bacchus D-79
May 7 (assigned by me) - Blair Lansfeld
May 13 (official) - Rena Lanford
June 1 (assigned by me) - Cliff Fittir
June 29 (assigned by me) - Maria Traydor
June 30 (official) - Lymle Lemuri Phi
Upcoming Holidays:
Valentine's Day - February 14
St. Patrick's Day - March 17
Easter - March 31
Earth Day - April 22
Mother's Day - May 12
Father's Day - June 16
As of right now, I will be hosting a make-up day for birthdays and holidays. You can submit the birthday and holiday themed stories for the listed holidays.
Regarding: Fanfiction, Fan Art, Fan Poetry, Cosplay, Fan projects
I really don't have very many rules regarding what I'll accept for fan-related material. It does have to be well-written. I won't just post whatever happens to come my way for any of this. This is an open journal. You do not need to be a follower in order to read or comment on what I'm writing. I would very much like to keep it this way because one never knows when a fourteen-year-old might become smitten with Star Ocean.
So here are the rules for submitting fan-related material like fiction, art work, cosplay, and other projects.
1 - No smut. Period.
When it comes to art and photography, no nudity. There are sites out there already dedicated for such themes.
2 - All pairings are accepted.
I
don't care if it's a pairing I don't like or that I can't see for whatever reason is in my head. If you've taken the time to write it or draw it, I will post it. That means I will accept heterosexual pairings (Edge x Reimi), xeno pairings (i.e., Edge x Myuria), yaoi pairings (Luther x Fayt), and yuri pairings (Maria x Sophia).
3 - No character-bashing.
This is a little . . . sticky. Yes, you can portray Fayt or Edge or whoever as an S.O.B. - providing there's a reason for the behavior. If you're just doing it because you don't like the character, well, take it to a different site. I have goals in mind for this journal. I'm not about to risk those goals for someone who just wants to be a jerk about a character s/he doesn't like. Remember that people do have their likes and dislikes.
4 - As was mentioned above, all stories must be well-written.
By that, I mean you've taken the time to craft your story. There are no errors in spelling, punctuation, or sentence structure. I don't care if it's just fanfiction. Seriously, just because it's fanfiction does not change the reasons for why people read. Just because it's free for everyone to read (meaning you're not charging them to read it and thus you're not being paid to write it) doesn't mean you should skimp out on the technical parts of writing. Write like you care, or I will throw my pocket grammar guide at you.
5 - Themes/Genres and Crossovers
I will, for the most part, accept nearly every single theme that there is. If it's an alternate universe story, I'll accept it. If it crosses with another fandom, I'll accept it. If you're crossing Till the End of Time with First Departure somehow, I'll accept it.
Now, there are some themes out there that do venture into the adult/mature audience category that I will accept as well. Anything with graphic sex just isn't in that area. Tackling current social themes (bullying, body image issues, etc . . .) are definitely accepted.
6 - Cosplay
I definitely would love, love, LOVE it if people submitted their cosplay pictures to me. They can be from conventions or personal photo shoots. It's all cool. If anyone does the how-to as the cosplay is created, definitely would love to share those, too.
Adding In: As I'm still very much in the dark for First Departure, Second Story/Second Evolution, and Blue Sphere in terms of game play, when you submit a photo, please let me know who the character is and what game the character is from as well as where you took the photo (i.e., backyard, lake, convention, etc . . . I don't need to know your personal address) . . . I know only a few characters from each, like Claude, Rena, Ashton, Roddick, Dorne, Ilia, and Ronyx. Having the names to go with the characters portrayed will be very, very helpful. Thanks!
Most importantly, to me, is that people are having fun and sharing the love for Star Ocean. That's what this is about - bringing fellow Star Ocean fans together. I will definitely let everyone know when I'm posting their works.
One more thing - no personal attacks, no being mean to the author/artist/cosplayer for any submissions. Be respectful of each other at all times. As of this moment in time, we are not a very large fandom when compared to the likes of Hetalia: Axis Powers or the Final Fantasy series. We don't have to like a particular character or a particular pairing or even a particular Star Ocean game, but we must remember that there will always be someone out there who does. Disrespectful attitudes will certainly not be tolerated.
*************************************************************
Ask the Star Ocean Character Reminder - Adray Lasbard from Till the End of Time
Roger's segment is coming! I swear that it is! If you have some questions for Roger, I'll still accept them and add them in before I post it. In the meantime, I'm accepting questions for Adray Lasbard from Till the End of Time. Is there something about him you'd like to know? Please ask! Questions can be submitted via comment, email (luthersfayt@gmail.com and thestaroceanuniverse@gmail.com), or private message. Limit three questions per person, no profanity please. All inquiries must be in by midnight of March 28th, 2013.
