Hmmm, I'd have to go digging for a bunch of those. Off the top of my head I can answer the one about how far back they were planning the games, because the Gagharv Trilogy sourcebook has concept art for Trails and I think there might have been a comment in there about how long they were working on the Next Big Thing, but I'll have to check.

I don't recall any comments about debating whether to start with Liberl or Erebonia first, but I can easily point you to where they talked about planning to go straight from the former to the latter, and that Crow as a character was being created in concept during the development of FC.

Oh, and sorry for the very late response.

Oh, and sorry for the very late response.

No worries! That you responded at all is something I appreciate!

Off the top of my head I can answer the one about how far back they were planning the games, because the Gagharv Trilogy sourcebook has concept art for Trails and I think there might have been a comment in there about how long they were working on the Next Big Thing, but I'll have to check.

Ah I see, thank you very much. When mentioning things I heard about to others, I try to have sources I can point to at least.

but I can easily point you to where they talked about planning to go straight from the former to the latter, and that Crow as a character was being created in concept during the development of FC.

Yeah I remember those, and that you helped me with sourcing the latter in particular!

I don't recall any comments about debating whether to start with Liberl or Erebonia first

I *think* it might've been back when Erebonia was first planned as a single game? Or at least I think that was the case. I honestly might be mixing things up. This was so many years ago... curse my terrible memory!

Also, I noticed you joined the Falcom subreddit! Welcome! I hope you enjoy your time there. Imo, we could use another highly knowledgeable person there.

Posted by: @jumpyjunpei

Spoiler

Kuro endgame

Is it said if Van is considered to be Mixed? According to the wiki, he was born with this demonic element in him, so would that make him more of a reincarnation of some sort, or perhaps there's something screwy with whoever his parents may be? Presumably they're going to be Someone Important, so I'm wondering of the people we've seen thus far, who'd be (a) good candidate(s). We haven't had "child of an Anguis" yet and Mister Oathbreaker certainly seems fairly demonic...

One silly question about NISA's version of Zero:  Did they keep "orbal motorboat"?

Haven't gotten there in-game yet but the Steam version makes digging onto the script really easy so I can confirm that while the Bruh Moment is gone, Orbal Motorboating is still in.

Silly question, but one I'm honestly curious about what you guys think... Do you guys think Alisa Derangement Syndrome is a real thing? Seriously though. I  know people don't have an actual medical condition where they're traumatized by Alisa, and I can understand that she may not be likeable to some people for some reason or another. But the people who don't like her, REALLY don't like her. Like they dump on her more than objectively cringe-worthy characters like CS3-musse (even in CS4 I still find her really really shallow), or Angelica, etc. And if you have a discussion about it, the f-bombs come with laughing-crying belittling emojis, etc.. That's why I call it  Alisa  Derangement Syndrome, because they have made it like a personal war to destroy her name and reputation and everyone who likes her.

So I guess what I'm really asking. Do you think the Alisa hate seems really forced/exaggerated/artificial somehow? I'm not talking about the random person who simply dislikes her, but do you think some people are out there who legitimately get a little too emotional over how much they hate her, regardless of the reason?

edit: Also, for the people who know the Japanese community, is this a western community only thing assuming you don't think I'm full of dung?

Hope it's not a bother, but I'd like to do another source request! xD

Does anyone happen to know a source for the CS II content that was pulled being due to PS Vita limitations/capacity? Specifically I'd like to know where/if Kondo gave specific reasons for why the content had to be cut, and if he went into detail about what that content was. I believe it was supposed to be about

Posted by: Ghaleon

↑

Silly question, but one I'm honestly curious about what you guys think... Do you guys think Alisa Derangement Syndrome is a real thing? Seriously though. I  know people don't have an actual medical condition where they're traumatized by Alisa, and I can understand that she may not be likeable to some people for some reason or another. But the people who don't like her, REALLY don't like her. Like they dump on her more than objectively cringe-worthy characters like CS3-musse (even in CS4 I still find her really really shallow), or Angelica, etc. And if you have a discussion about it, the f-bombs come with laughing-crying belittling emojis, etc.. That's why I call it  Alisa  Derangement Syndrome, because they have made it like a personal war to destroy her name and reputation and everyone who likes her.

So I guess what I'm really asking. Do you think the Alisa hate seems really forced/exaggerated/artificial somehow? I'm not talking about the random person who simply dislikes her, but do you think some people are out there who legitimately get a little too emotional over how much they hate her, regardless of the reason?

 

edit: Also, for the people who know the Japanese community, is this a western community only thing assuming you don't think I'm full of dung?

I never really been deep into the Trails community outside of when XSeed had their forum and here. That said, I do feel like the little bits I have seen here and there in other places Alisa out of the main girls seems to get the most ire. Part of it could be the boob incident being unresolved until right before heading to the first fieldtrip, though I think it's something much bigger. The whole Harem aspect of the bonding events inevitably means that people will latch on to their preferable girl. Most of them in the main game show no romantic interest towards Rean, outside Alisa where she is considered that main love interest. So, I think people give her more ire when they are not fans of her and want a different girl to be the love interest. 

As for exaggerated/forced, unfortunately I think a lot of fans who came in for the Cold Steel series aren't the greatest with any problems they have towards the girls/women in the games. There are comments in certain places where if a guy is annoying, they will voice some displeasure, but a girl being mildly annoying sets them off hard. Alisa for one reason or another just sets those people off. Funnily enough, despite Celine being more indifferent and at time more hostile doesn't set people off, and I find her to be one of the more unbearable characters.

Crazier still for me is how much people love Emma. I see people praise her character writing and arc, but after many playthroughs of 1 and 2, and playing 3 and 4, I just don't see it. While Alisa, like most of the characters in the saga, fail to get a satisfying arc/conclusion, at least it felt like they were trying to do something and had moments for her. I prefer that to Emma, who feels pretty bland and those moments that are supposed to be a triumph for her don't feel like there was any attempt to build up to it

Posted by: Cold_Steel_IV

↑

Does anyone happen to know a source for the CS II content that was pulled being due to PS Vita limitations/capacity? Specifically I'd like to know where/if Kondo gave specific reasons for why the content had to be cut, and if he went into detail about what that content was. I believe it was supposed to be about

Spoiler

(CS II/III Minor Spoiler)

Western Erebonia

being introduced in Cold Steel II?

I've found a comment from floofy regarding where that came from (a Dengeki interview shortly after the game's release) but I'll need to go digging through some backups to see if that's the right location and exactly what was said. If it's not there it was probably the big FalMaga Q&A. Still, gives me more to work with than my perennial bugaboo, Kondo's line about the identity of the Fifth Anguis...

Posted by: TrailsofPersona

↑

I never really been deep into the Trails community outside of when XSeed had their forum and here. That said, I do feel like the little bits I have seen here and there in other places Alisa out of the main girls seems to get the most ire. Part of it could be the boob incident being unresolved until right before heading to the first fieldtrip, though I think it's something much bigger. The whole Harem aspect of the bonding events inevitably means that people will latch on to their preferable girl. Most of them in the main game show no romantic interest towards Rean, outside Alisa where she is considered that main love interest. So, I think people give her more ire when they are not fans of her and want a different girl to be the love interest. 

As for exaggerated/forced, unfortunately I think a lot of fans who came in for the Cold Steel series aren't the greatest with any problems they have towards the girls/women in the games. There are comments in certain places where if a guy is annoying, they will voice some displeasure, but a girl being mildly annoying sets them off hard. Alisa for one reason or another just sets those people off. Funnily enough, despite Celine being more indifferent and at time more hostile doesn't set people off, and I find her to be one of the more unbearable characters.

Crazier still for me is how much people love Emma. I see people praise her character writing and arc, but after many playthroughs of 1 and 2, and playing 3 and 4, I just don't see it. While Alisa, like most of the characters in the saga, fail to get a satisfying arc/conclusion, at least it felt like they were trying to do something and had moments for her. I prefer that to Emma, who feels pretty bland and those moments that are supposed to be a triumph for her don't feel like there was any attempt to build up to it

I don't visit trails communities on reddit or anything but I'll bump into them on steam forums and youtube comments and such. The boob incident honestly is just the perfect example IMO. These people rage against her (a fictional character) for not getting over the incident after like 30-60minutes of game-time, when the game makes it obvious that she did in fact feel bad and wants to apologize about it long before she actually does but just has personal problems expressing it, because character flaws need to be shunned and kicked and not actually make a character better y'know? But anyway, yeah. how dare this fictional character not get over something after a single hour when real life people have a raging hatred towards her after LITERAL YEARS for the same thing when they aren't even the damn vicitim of said incident. bwuh? I'm sorry, but those people need some serious character growth themselves IMO.

Celine doesn't bug me much but she is a cat, and I k now many people misunderstand cats in general into thinking they are like... what Celine is like. They really aren't, but people see them that way so I just see her personality as the writers making her 'cat-like' to the average person who doesn't know cats particularly well.

As for Emma. I used to like her the least of all of class 7  because she was the only person who didn't fess up to her 'secret past' like every other character. It made me think she trusted them the least. But her reunion scene in CS2 where she is actually crying and feeling like she doesn't deserve them made me forgive her instantly. I still like her the least of all the girls though. I suspect she gets a bit more appreciation from most people due to body proportions, and maybe even the glasses. I know lots of weebs like 'megane' girls. Doesn't help either that I guess she was supposed to be more of a highlight in CS2 (my least fave kiseki game), where Vita pulled a SC, where my pet-peeve for the game is the antagonists seem strangely hammed up for EVIIILL, where they otherwise feel more grounded (seriously, in CS2 vita gets crazy-eyes and talks to class 7 like she wants to murder them but by cs3  she instantly becomes more humane again).

There's a line in Sky SC where Kevin mentions that the archaism that you fought at the end of FC looks similar to one found in Calvard. With two Kuro games out, was curious if anything about that was brought up in the games or had any significant bearing on the story. I assume at most it's just a foot note and wasn't brought up again, but curious if they followed up on it in any way.  

I have a lot of various questions I'm curious about.

Which Dragon Slayer entries spun off into their own series? So far I think there is Xanadu (Xanadu, Faxanadu, The Legend of Xanadu I & II, Xanadu Next, Tokyo Xanadu), Legend of Heroes, and Monarch (Lord Monarch, Monarch Monarch). Are there any I'm missing? I heard there was a Sorcerian sequel, but I think I've only seen expansions for that game.

I've seen The Legend of Xanadu also called The Legend of the Wind: Xanadu. I've also heard that the name Xanadu was added late into development and seeing as it's also the 8th Dragon Slayer, would you say that it is also a Xanadu entry? Or is it more its own thing? And as a side question, what would you say makes a Xanadu game? I've only played Xanadu Next and Tokyo Xanadu (and TX, as I understand it, was meant to be a bit different from your usual Xanadu, iirc), but is it the bigger focus on dungeon-ing, or maybe the darker/more medieval/real world aesthetic?

What other franchises (excluding the aforementioned) does Falcom have? I know there is Ys, Brandish, and Zwei, but are there any others? Does Vantage Master have any sequel, or are there just remakes/rereleases and expansions? I think there were two Asteka games and I heard of something called the Occultic Mystery Adventure franchise which is supposedly made up of two Horror House games and Monster House? I'm not too familiar with these.

Maybe I should ask a more easy to answer question for once, ahaha. How would you all rank the Trails games from favorite to least favorite and/or best to worst? For me:

Favorite to least favorite:

1. CS IV
2. CS I
3. 3rd
4. (Tied) SC - Zero - CS II - CS III
5. FC

Best to worst (imo of course):

1. CS IV
2. SC
3. Zero
4. CS III
5. 3rd
6. CS II
7. CS I
8. FC

I haven't played some of these games in a long while so my ranking may change as I replay the series. I also haven't done all the content in some of these entries, which I also hope to change this year.

Is asking questions about other Falcom games/Ys allowed in this thread too btw? Or just Trails?

Posted by: Cold_Steel_IV

↑

Maybe I should ask a more easy to answer question for once, ahaha. How would you all rank the Trails games from favorite to least favorite and/or best to worst? For me:

Favorite to least favorite:

1. CS IV
2. CS I
3. 3rd
4. (Tied) SC - Zero - CS II - CS III
5. FC

Best to worst (imo of course):

1. CS IV
2. SC
3. Zero
4. CS III
5. 3rd
6. CS II
7. CS I
8. FC

I haven't played some of these games in a long while so my ranking may change as I replay the series. I also haven't done all the content in some of these entries, which I also hope to change this year.

 

Is asking questions about other Falcom games/Ys allowed in this thread too btw? Or just Trails?

As for me, with having recently finished my Zero replay this is my ranking based on the ones I've finished in my replay so far, from favorite to least favorite.

1. Sky FC

2. Sky 3rd (pretty close behind Sky FC)

3. Tossup between Sky SC and Zero

I have a hard time at this moment differentiating the rank between Zero and SC. SC had higher highs with it being a second game and more characters I love, but the inconsistent pacing and some weaker antagonists in Walter and Luciola drag it down. As for Zero, while not grabbing me as much compared to the Sky games the pacing is pretty solid and the final chapter has some pretty hype moments.