James

[color=royalblue]AnimeLover, I find that the [i]story[/i] of FF games is what tends to be more similar than the battle systems. The problem is when either the story or battle system is particularly bad. In Final Fantasy IX, the story was horrible. And that was a shame...because the art was gorgeous...the battle system was finely tuned and the core gameplay elements were pretty solid. But that highly redundant story just weighed it all down. On the other hand, Final Fantasy VII was a great mix of everything. The battle system was pretty well done (though not my favourite), the story was wonderful...and the characters became very likeable. Final Fantasy X is a beautiful game...it's definitely a masterpiece in its own right. The Sphere Grid is absolutely brilliant (my favourite levelling up system EVER)...the battle system is also spot on. The characters are, for the most part, very well done. But the background story (in my opinion) leaves a little to be desired so far. Some of it is pretty predictable. Of course, it's not as bad as FFIX...but it's not the best Square have come up with. So, yeah...story is key. But if the core gameplay is no fun, then it's not worth bothering with. At least FFX is great fun to play...which makes the story less important.[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by GinnyLyn [/i] [B] *whimpers at James' comment* Easy there, Jamesy, you're talking about the game I love dearly right now (although even I think it could have standed a little more sustenance). ;) *hugs her Auron vinyl fig* [/B][/QUOTE] [color=royalblue]lol...Oh don't get me wrong. I own FFX. And I adore it. But I mostly like it for its gameplay and battle systems. The story is pretty average...and some of the characters leave a lot to be desired. I still think Final Fantasy VII is the most fleshed-out game in terms of story and characters. ^_^ Anyway...I'm going through FFX nice and slow. I'm really enjoying it lol.[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by GinnyLyn [/i] [B] *whimpers at James' comment* Easy there, Jamesy, you're talking about the game I love dearly right now (although even I think it could have standed a little more sustenance). ;) *hugs her Auron vinyl fig* [/B][/QUOTE] [color=royalblue]lol...Oh don't get me wrong. I own FFX. And I adore it. But I mostly like it for its gameplay and battle systems. The story is pretty average...and some of the characters leave a lot to be desired. I still think Final Fantasy VII is the most fleshed-out game in terms of story and characters. ^_^ Anyway...I'm going through FFX nice and slow. I'm really enjoying it lol.[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by gokents [/i] [B] democrates dont know war, they know poll numbers and how to play the race card. [/B][/QUOTE] [color=royalblue]I'm no big fan of the Democrats, but you pulled that line straight from the TV, didn't you? I don't think [i]you[/i] know much about war. Anyway, for the most part...I'm somewhat surprised that the UN isn't in favor of using force. They are renegotiating the return of inspectors now...and Iraq is already saying that certain sites should be "pre-arranged" and such. What is the point of inspecting a country for weapons if you're going to [i]tell[/i] the Government where you're going in advance? And even then, the inspectors' hands are tied by them not being allowed to enter certain non-Government sites. The UN has been snubbed for the last decade. Frankly, some members of the Security Council are absolutely [i]stupid[/i] for thinking that inspections will work this time around. Of course they won't. The question is, do you enforce your own resolutions? Or do you keep chatting and pleading and demanding...and getting nowhere? I think the answer is pretty clear. If there is no punishment for crime (and not abiding by law), then where is the incentive for people to stop breaking that law? There is none.[/color]

[color=royalblue]This looks amazing. I can't wait to see more of this game. So far the art looks very much like something Yoshitaka Amano would produce. I love the clothing style (FFX-esque) and the general art style for the characters. And the in-game stuff is looking nicer than Final Fantasy X. Great stuff...[/color]

[color=royalblue]This looks amazing. I can't wait to see more of this game. So far the art looks very much like something Yoshitaka Amano would produce. I love the clothing style (FFX-esque) and the general art style for the characters. And the in-game stuff is looking nicer than Final Fantasy X. Great stuff...[/color]

[color=royalblue]As I said...if people listen to it, it's alive. Proclaiming an entire genre of music "dead" is just stupid. It doesn't achieve anything except making fans of that type of music angry. Let's face it...music is such a personal thing. We all have our own tastes. It's unfair to call someone else's favourite music "dead". Granted, sometimes the sellouts make it [i]appear[/i] dead...but even if the sellouts are popular, that's still a self evident fact lol...I mean, if these people are being heard and demanded, then they are most certainly not dead (as much as we would hope they'd go away lol).[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Wing Gundam [/i] [B][COLOR=crimson]What right does Eminem have to just make fun of him out of the blue? And whats with him at the MTV Movie Awards, come on Eminem "I will hit a girl with glass'". [/COLOR] [/B][/QUOTE] [color=royalblue]Of course, he has no right whatsoever. The more Eminem talks, the more I tune out. He's an idiot. And despite the fact that he claims to hate all the sellouts and pop icons...what is he now becoming himself? He's accepting these elements with open arms. That's hypocracy for you.[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Semjaza Azazel [/i] [B] Every genre has it's marketing puppets and sellouts. [/B][/QUOTE] [color=royalblue]That's exactly right. In reality, no music genre is dead if people are listening to it. I so often see people being intolerant of genres of music that they personally don't like -- which in itself isn't so much a problem -- but when they start proclaiming that a certain genre is objectively horrible or something...well, that's not what a music lover should be all about. There are some aspects of music (or should I say, music "culture") that I don't like. For example, I don't like the way a lot of rappers speak..not so much because they swear (swearing doesn't bug me in that sense), but all these stupid words they come up with that EVERYONE starts using. I find it infuriating at times... But then again, I don't consider this to be an indictment of the music itself. I can respect any kind of music for its artistic nature, but by the same token, some of the cultural changes and fads that follow certain forms of music can bug the hell out of me. So, I think you have to be careful. It's very easy to point out the sellouts and such...and point out the people who unquestionably follow a certain music fad in every way imaginable (including clothing, speach and whatever else). But you have to seperate that from the raw music itself. And certainly, you can't indict an entire genre of music just because it has some blatant sellouts or ripoffs.[/color]

[color=royalblue]PiroMunkie's comment was exactly right. People who are "non-conformist" are usually only fitting into the non-conformist mould. lol At the end of the day, people just have to be what they feel comfortable with. Some people feel comfortable wearing certain clothes, or having a certain hairstyle...or speaking a certain way. And really, it's their choice. The only time I dislike conformity is when people get involved against their will (or they are pressured into it by friends). But if people want to choose to conform or non-conform...who cares? It's not going to affect me personally in any way.[/color]

[color=royalblue]I think it makes up for it. I don't know about Europe, but when people talk about Australia, I think they forget that we regularly get games earlier than the USA/Europe...and in some cases, we get games that other countries never see. Did GT Concept come out in the USA, for example? I have a feeling that it either hasn't been released yet, or isn't scheduled to come out at all. In any case, it all depends. When it comes to first party Nintendo games, we usually don't have to wait very long. The biggest problem at the moment is not actually getting these games ready...it's Nintendo Australia being selective about when certain games get released. On the other hand, our release schedule for the second half of 2002 is absolutely unmatched. In some ways, the fact that we've had to wait for some of these games has been positive; it means that there is no "dry season" at all this year in terms of big releases.[/color]

[color=royalblue]Exactly. The feature is still here...nothing has been taken off or removed. ;)[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by hot head [/i] [B]In Chiago a day or two ago a 1st base coach was beaten by 2 fans that jumped on the stands...so all the baseball players beat the §h!t out of the two guys...what do you think about this??? [/B][/QUOTE] [color=royalblue]Just another example of how absolutely dumb people can be over sport. Oh and...don't use symbols to override the language censor. That's your last warning.[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Transtic Nerve [/i] [B]Pop.... pop is probably the most vague word you could ever use.... [/B][/QUOTE] [color=royalblue]Exactly. People forget that "pop" isn't really a genre of music. Pop means "popular". So, [i]any[/i] type of music can become "pop". I guess most people associate pop with stuff like Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears...and in that case, I can understand why people can dislike pop. But there is a lot of [i]good[/i] pop music out there. It depends on where you're from in the world I guess...and what kind of music is considered "popular" in your country.[/color]

[color=royalblue]Yeah, I do basically agree with that. When I talk about attention seekers, I'm not saying that these people don't feel legitimate pain. Nor am I saying that they should just be dismissed or ignored. I'm saying that their motivation is different from those who actually kill themselves. Their motivation is to attract attention to themselves. They might do it out of loneliness...boredom...fear...any number of different reasons. And there are different kinds of attention seekers also. There are people (like many in this very thread) who are merely doing it in order to gain sympathy and attention from those around them. And then there are some who [i]do[/i] suffer from legitimate psychological issues...and they are trying to get attention to satisfy a particular need (as I said, it might be loneliness or fear or whatever else). So, once again...I'm not trying to paint everyone with the same brush. I'm saying that most people who constantly discuss suicide are seeking some sort of attention. I am not naive enough to necessarily put [i]everyone[/i] in this category. And for those who do have true psychological problems, obviously, they all have different problems and different levels of depression. Furthermore, I'm not suggesting that the solution is for people to merely "wake up". And I don't believe I ever implied such a measure. I'm saying that for those who are merely talking about suicide in order to gain attention...those are people who need to find other ways of dealing with their problems. Even if they have no intention of committing suicide, they still obviously have a problem in the sense that they are [i]trying[/i] to gain attention through their fake claims. So even though they might be a less serious case...they are still a case nonetheless. In any event, I think people who are truly suicidal must also understand that their suicide might be "a way out" for them...but it is a direct attack on their family and friends. So, that is why I get annoyed at people who flippantly talk about suicide as though they have had a real experience..."Oh yeah, I was going to...but I didn't" etc... People who [i]do[/i] talk about it in those terms are the same people who [i]aren't[/i] going to do it...and who are treating it more flippantly than you or I. Those are the attention seekers...and those are the people who need to find other, more constructive ways of getting attention.[/color]

[color=royalblue]Of course, I was never implying that [i]all[/i] suicidal people are just attention seekers. Most are. Some aren't. Few people among those who you might call "suicidal" actually go through with it. And in my experience, people who constantly [i]talk[/i] about being suicidal are the ones who are actually the attention seekers. It's people who [i]don't[/i] share their feelings that are the problem. In reality, a [i]truly[/i] suicidal person is hardly noticeable to the average person. Usually, their pain is locked away and they often refuse (or are mentally unable) to ask for help. So, people who are sitting here referring to their own suicidal experiences...many of them are attention seeking. And by the tone of some of the posts here, I'm sure you can tell [i]who[/i] is attention seeking more than anything else. So yeah, there is a distinction. I don't want to paint everyone with the same brush...people [i]are[/i] different and everyone is an individual. And everyone has different reasons for doing different things. In the case of suicide though, as I said...people who readily talk about it to people tend to be those who are least likely to actually act on it. The truly disturbed/suffering people are the ones who do their best to hide their pain from others (which also makes the pain worse...which is why, if possible, it's so important to look for the subtle symptoms of severe depression and detect them as quickly as possible).[/color]

[color=royalblue]Exactly. There is really no reason to keep it here...people are complaining about something very minor in reality. If I had wanted to [i]delete it[/i]...well, that'd be different. All I'm doing is moving it to its correct home. :) Anyway, yes...I'd be happy to leave a redirection [i]and[/i] sticky it in its destination forum. :)[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by GinnyLyn [/i] [B]Mmm, I would have disagreed with you, James, back when Tamers:V2 was popular. Someone had moved it once before, and, much to the Digimon forum dwellers' dismay, it seemed to disappear from sight. I begged TN to move it back, so we could continue working on it without fear of losing the thread or someone who didn't understand Digimon completely hacking it to bits. But now...it seems as if the interest is dying...I dunno what to think... [/B][/QUOTE] [color=royalblue]It's pretty simple, really. Fan fiction goes in the Stories/Fan Fiction forum. You [i]can't[/i] miss this forum. It's within the Public Otaku section. RPGs go in Adventure Arena. Once again, you [i]can't[/i] miss this forum. The rules of the site apply here as much as they do in any other forum. It would be wrong of me to say "Oh okay, in Digimon you guys can do whatever you like...but when people in Dragonball ask for the same thing, I'll have to tell them no based on what has happened before". It's a double standard that can't continue. Now, if you would like me to make a Digimon-specific announcement about this...then I'd be happy to do so. I'd be happy to direct people to the appropriate forums. The simple fact is, everyone here [i]should[/i] be aware of the rules by now. And everyone should be aware of the basic functions of each forum. Just as the Digimon forum itself is merely a click away...so is the Fan Fiction area. There is absolutely no reason why the thread can't be moved in accordance with the site's rules. If people want to reply to these threads...they'll just have to use the appropriate forum. I don't see what's so hard about that. I mean, c'mon everyone...if you're going to be too lazy about clicking a link in your browser that doesn't say "Digimon"...well, then you surely musn't care about the story. If you [i]do[/i] care about it, then there is no reason why it won't flourish in the correct forum. It's just a matter of everyone knowing to look there. :)[/color]

[color=royalblue]I don't know if the world is more dangerous now than it has been before...it's just that now there are new issues grabbing everyone's attention. As far as the Iraq thing goes, I'm neutral on it. On the one hand it could potentially mean more terrorism...and it could take a long time to rebuild a democratic Government in Iraq. On the other hand, people said that Hitler wasn't a threat when he first came to power. "We might not like him, but he's not a threat". Bzzt, wrong! Saddam Hussein is unquestionably a threat. I watched a documentary on his life only recently...and you wouldn't believe some of the utterly [i]insane[/i], sick things he's done. He's a very sick, psychotic man. I wouldn't want that kind of man in charge of [i]any[/i] kind of military arsenal...[/color]

[color=royalblue]I'm a lot like that with my school friends. If one of my friends was ever having problems...everyone else would be interjecting with advice. And I would rarely say a word. But then that person would actually seek me out for my opinion...and not do that with the others. So I don't know exactly what they thought of me or how much they valued my opinion. I guess that because I wasn't offering it every five seconds, maybe it became more valuable.[/color]

[color=royalblue]I don't think ratings are necessary unless we're talking about RPGs or something of that nature (where there is some creative freedom allowed or whatever). Our site has very specific rules when it comes to flaming and posting coarse language. So in that sense, we ensure that children under 13 are protected from inappropriate language. By the same token, we also ensure that illegal content is not allowed (such as hentai, pirated software, ROMs etc etc). In terms of the actual theme of a thread...well, if a theme is totally ridiculous and utterly inappropriate, then we will most likely remove it in any case. But legitimate discussions do have a place here. And when discussing any subject, I always urge people to be respectful of others and to avoid swearing or flaming. So, yeah...I don't think a TV-style ratings system is appropriate. If there is a thread that you don't like or don't feel comfortable with, you simply don't have to read it or reply to it. Simple as that. We can't always guarantee 100% of the time that people won't be offended. So of course, just as we apply our own rules...we ask members to apply common sense and reason when viewing the boards.[/color]

[color=royalblue]I agree with you in that sense. The media coverage has been struggling because of the simple fact that there isn't much new information. People do want to know about September 11...but they don't want to hear what they already know. So, the [i]better[/i] media coverage is the coverage that looks at other areas...such as how the lives of the victims have been affected and other related topics (like the investigation and such). The thing I don't like about the media coverage is that some media outlets are struggling to find something new to talk about. So they simply rehash the same video and stuff...and that's not only in bad taste, it's also bad journalism.[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Lady Macaiodh [/i] [B][COLOR=darkblue] but i think "attention-getters" is a rather harsh term (even though that is essentially what they are). many people do it out of desperation, as a way of expressing to their loved ones how much pain they're in, either as a cry for help, or to be vindictive. either way, i hope those people get the help they need.[/COLOR] [/B][/QUOTE] [color=royalblue]Of course there are people who really do need help if they are suicidal. But a lot of the time, people suicide because of their own selfish reasons. I think suicide is a selfish act because it totally disregards the feelings of those around you. As I've said before...my uncle committed suicide last year. And if you ask [i]anyone[/i] in my family about it, they'll tell you one thing; it was nothing but a pathetic, selfish, attention seeking exercise. Now of course, I'm not willing to paint everyone with the same brush here. I don't for one moment believe that [i]every[/i] suicidal person has the same things going through their mind. People who are mentally unstable need help. It's as simple as that. But people who [i]are[/i] mentally stable...and who consciously know what is going on, are people whom I have very little respect for in this situation. [/color]

[color=royalblue]Guys, I'd [i]really[/i] rather if you put these types of threads in the appropriate forums. This should really go in Otaku Arena or our Fan Fiction area.[/color]

[color=royalblue]I don't even understand the point of this thread. It's not a discussion...it's not a roleplay...what exactly is it? lol Whatever it is, it's most definitely against the rules.[/color]