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Mr Poltroon

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  1. Like
    Mr Poltroon reacted to Dreamysyu in NEWS Tearmoon Empire gets an Anime Adaption   
    Here is the trailer.
     
  2. Like
    Mr Poltroon reacted to littleshogun in NEWS Tearmoon Empire gets an Anime Adaption   
    I did read the TV Trope page of it, and well turned out that there's a lot of trope related to the series so at least it's somewhat well-known. Anyway at least it's good for Mia that she tried hard to avoid her Marie Antoinette fate even though it's mostly motivated by her selfishness instead of her inner altruism, although it's obviously not stopping Mia's action to be beneficial for most of the people which may ultimately help her to escape from her grim fate. Looking from on how most of the anime only made 12 episodes per seasons, the staffs may will only be able to adapt two volume of light novel at most even with rushed pacing, so let's see on how the anime will be going later.
    PS - Just in case someone want to compare this to Bakarina because of the same 'turned the shoujo manga villainess to be better' situation, there's a lot of difference with the most obvious one is that unlike Bakarina who is from the other world Mia here is from the bad future.
  3. Like
    Mr Poltroon got a reaction from HataVNI in NEWS Tearmoon Empire gets an Anime Adaption   
    Hmm... The biggest strength of the novels, I felt, was tied to the writing (specifically, narration and descriptions). I look forward to see how it fares in anime form. The premise itself is already good enough to warrant interest.
  4. Like
    Mr Poltroon got a reaction from Flutterz in Reading Ginharu Very Slowly #19   
    Hohoho. This yet lives? Well, so do I.
  5. Like
    Mr Poltroon reacted to alpacaman in Blog: Why is everyone reading Umineko the "wrong" way? [spoilers]   
    I don't know if I would go as far as the anon in my praise of Umineko. I agree with the general sentiment that Umineko has a narrative complex enough to hold up even when compared to some of the best pieces of literature though. I heavily disagree with his point about using the original sprites though.
    If I interpret Umineko's message somewhat correctly this approach qualifies just as much as reading "with love" as my attempts at decoding its symbolism does, because you're acknowledging the work and passion Ryukishi07 put into coming up with so many elaborate murder mysteries.  I feel a bit unhappy with the way I framed my argument around the terms "right" and "wrong" and how I used them in the context of Umineko because it comes across as if I'm trying to scold people for enjoying the mystery aspect of the VN, so I edited the paragraph after the Steins;Gate example to explain more precisely what I'm trying to get at. I hope the new version makes this clearer. I also put the "wrong" in the title in quotation marks.
  6. Like
    Mr Poltroon reacted to alpacaman in Blog: Why is everyone reading Umineko the "wrong" way? [spoilers]   
    My guess is most readers fall somewhere in the middle between this and what I described above. I don't think we are very far apart on this actually and I admit I kind of failed to highlight the battle of wits aspect. It is definitely one of the things that make up a major part of the charm of the mystery genre. I'd still argue the fun in this kind of confrontation lies in the reader knowing the playing field and having a grasp on the basic rules and trying to figure out which "loophole" or which possibly tiny part of the puzzle the opponents are going to use to corner each other (I'm seriously jumbling metaphors here). It isn't just the "smart" part, it is that the solution is something you could found out yourself. The "ah, so that's what that clue was about" moment is very important imo. For example, a VN about Einstein fighting other leading scientists over the interpretation of certain aspects of quantum physics could be fun in its own way, but it would be very different from a Sherlock Holmes story.
  7. Like
    Mr Poltroon got a reaction from alpacaman in Blog: Why is everyone reading Umineko the "wrong" way? [spoilers]   
    Not to discount your initial premise or the entire post, because I think what I will say won't disprove it or anything, but I'm somewhat willing to bet that the majority of people that read Umineko for the first time do not fit into the pattern you have described.
    Many, including myself, who are fans of the mystery genre are not actually interested in solving the mysteries. The interest is in having characters be smart and do it all for us so we can be amazed. This particular type of reader is often kicked in the shin by Umineko which does not actually bother to solve its mysteries, and even when it does, it does not do so correctly*. Indeed, the novel itself dedicates many of its scenes to giving the readers clues and trying to get them to actually think and try to solve the mystery. Many of the scenes where meta Battler is alone introspecting or talking with someone else as an aside of the main plot it can often be them encouraging him to try and solve things or explaining why it's not an impossible task.
    In light of all this, it is very difficult for me to swallow that the novel did not intend to have you read it as a mystery at the start. Thankfully that isn't quite what you said and I ultimately agree that whilst the novel wants you in mystery-solving mode for the tale it wants to tell, that mode isn't the one that'll get you to the truth/meaning/whatever of the scenes.
    On the topic of my own replay, I leaned heavily into the mystery-solving aspect for my readthrough because I didn't try to solve anything my first way through, and by the end the game does give you the key pieces of info to put things together. Still, most of the more abstract scenes I do "ignore" from a mystery solving perspective even now, choosing to read them purely as character moments. I don't have it in me to try parsing them in any other way.
     
    *Which does not matter, because to somebody who isn't solving things, there are a tremendous amount of scenes of "awesome music is playing and this character might be doing something amazing" when they actually are not (Battler's the master nothing-doer while looking awesome). This works to amaze inattentive people anyhow, so Umineko's not so bad even from this perspective.
  8. Thanks
    Mr Poltroon got a reaction from Shaun in Thank you all for coming along for this ride! (Indefinite Hiatus)   
    EVN, a term that stands for English Visual Novel, and it refers to Visual Novels that were developed by English-speaking developers. Other similar terms that might be used are OELVN (Originally English Language Visual Novel) or Western VN.
    Examples consist of Highway Blossoms or Mutiny!!, and, of course, the titles in his Steam Curator page.
  9. Thanks
    Mr Poltroon got a reaction from Plk_Lesiak in Thank you all for coming along for this ride! (Indefinite Hiatus)   
    EVN, a term that stands for English Visual Novel, and it refers to Visual Novels that were developed by English-speaking developers. Other similar terms that might be used are OELVN (Originally English Language Visual Novel) or Western VN.
    Examples consist of Highway Blossoms or Mutiny!!, and, of course, the titles in his Steam Curator page.
  10. Thanks
    Mr Poltroon got a reaction from Plk_Lesiak in Thank you all for coming along for this ride! (Indefinite Hiatus)   
    "Thank you all for caming along for this ride!"
    No problem, mate. I do love some good caming about.
  11. Like
    Mr Poltroon got a reaction from Zalor in Are visual novels being treated fairly?   
    If you look at any list that recommends the "best" then the same titles will naturally appear there, because they're the more popular ones, the ones more people like.
    If you are looking to find visual novels you do not know about, you will need to venture into recommendation threads with veterans asking about them, or, better still, make one yourself, because I assure you there are people who will know of Visual Novels you may not. You just need to show what you've played or what you like.
    Discussion itself mostly takes place about either the big famous titles or the bigger recently released things, so you won't find obscure VNs by reading the discussions that are had, most of the time. So in that sense I can agree (though if you start threads about obscure titles it is likely that people who've played it before will at least browse it).
    Do you know about Symphonic Rain? Play that without looking it up any further if it looks like it might interest you (and you haven't already).
  12. Like
    Mr Poltroon got a reaction from Plk_Lesiak in The Fairy’s Song (Yuri VN Review)   
    Like, certainly, I appreciate that The Heart of the Woods masterful experience, but I know what I'm getting into if the premise is 'a goth girl meets a fairy girl and yuri ensues'. I was not expecting ebi's usual stuff, and actually hoping it wouldn't be in. This is all great news to me.
  13. Like
    Mr Poltroon reacted to onorub in The Function of Ellipses in VNs   
    And this point you made really shows the distinction between directing and writing. A way that was done that really stuck for me was that when i was playing Da Capo 2, the love interest got embarassed and instead of telling this through text, the VN only showed her changing sprites in quick sucession.
  14. Like
    Mr Poltroon reacted to Zalor in The Function of Ellipses in VNs   
    Good question, and I would say the difference is in a subtle but significant effect. A comma is a pause represented by a single punctuation point. And it represents a complete, temporary pause. An ellipse on the other hand, at least to me, illicits a feeling of hesitation or tapering off. This is because instead of stopping suddenly, an elipse extends itself, its composed of multiple periods. For instance a comma is like turning a switch off, then on again. And an ellipse is like stopping a car, and then starting it again. It doesn't stop instantly but takes a couple of seconds to fight the momentum. And then you have to start it up again. Therefore there is something certain and almost forceful about a comma, but indecisive or vague about an ellipse. So if you want to convey an ambiguous pause, I feel like an ellipse is better suited. 
    I suppose a specific example would be like this. If I wrote "hmm...", at least in my head I would continue pronouncing the lingering "mm" sound. To the point that if I wanted to technically convey how I pronounce "hmm..." without the ellipse, I would have to spell it it as "hmmmmmm". The ellipse is like hitting the break button, I don't pause immediately. But if I read "hmm," I literally stop my pronunciation after the second "m". Like a binary system of on and off, once I see that comma I fully stop, pause, and then continue. 
    This is how I distinguish the two, but I could just be weird lol 
  15. Like
    Mr Poltroon reacted to Plk_Lesiak in Sable’s Grimoire (Western VN review + developer interview)   
    But he's definitely going to make one! At least in Drakan's route. He doesn't want to disappoint his mother-in-law. Mostly because she would kill him the moment he does. *Happy Loving Family intensifies*
  16. Like
    Mr Poltroon got a reaction from Plk_Lesiak in Sable’s Grimoire (Western VN review + developer interview)   
    Sable has no Grimoire 1/10.
     
    I'll hopefully be elaborating on my overall thoughts in a more appropriate thread.
  17. Like
    Mr Poltroon got a reaction from Plk_Lesiak in Sable’s Grimoire (Western VN review + developer interview)   
    I've completed Lisha's as well as Rei's and Eth's. I have to admit, from your words, I had the impression that Sable's actions would mean there'd be no romance, but that is clearly untrue.
    As harem/love triangle anime/manga have (unfortunately) taught us, romance does not require the involved parties to be dating or even recognise feelings for one another. This game does that in spades, with Sable being loved and loving in return, though not in a romantic way. The routes often end with Sable paired up with somebody who has affection for him and to whom he cannot at this point avoid showing affection to. His intent may not be romantic, but in practice it contains all the feelings and affections I hope to attain from regular romance stories (and which sometimes are absent!). I have zero cause for complaint. Lisha's route, for instance, was beautiful with what took place within, as far as feeding my need for trust and affection.
  18. Like
    Mr Poltroon reacted to havoc in Sable’s Grimoire (Western VN review + developer interview)   
    this seems interesting.
  19. Like
    Mr Poltroon got a reaction from Plk_Lesiak in Sable’s Grimoire (Western VN review + developer interview)   
    I finished Tix's route, which I'm not sure the game even had when you reviewed it.
    Regardless, as odd as it is, I both love romance and intimacy and the direct opposite:
     
    Sable is reminding me of Nemui from Mutiny!!. A character I deeply loved for being entirely disinterested in sex in a game and world completely all for it. She was wonderful, as is Sable. As you've said, Sable isn't aromantic, but it's nowhere near his current priorities.
    Tix's route
     
  20. Like
    Mr Poltroon got a reaction from Plk_Lesiak in Sable’s Grimoire (Western VN review + developer interview)   
    For whatever reason, I've been interested in this VN since I saw this review, but I clearly didn't read it because I didn't know Sable was the protagonist.
    Anyways, I'm finally reading this and goodness me how I appreciate a magic school story of this scale with loads of characters and interactions. I haven't read any route yet. In fact, I have no idea how I'd get into a route, since the choices I've made so far have put me all over the place talking to all sorts.
    I'm properly warned not to expect romance, and frankly I'm not looking for it if the game isn't trying to tease it (as I've found out, that's the reason I tend to dislike a lack of romance; it's because it's almost always teased and used as a hook to keep one reading until the end).
    Sable is an absolutely fantastic protagonist as he is. From his interests to his interactions, where he's too honest for his own good and where he gets the exact same impressions from conversations as I do ("Something was strange about her today." or "She has a number of flaws, but maliciousness isn't one of them.").
  21. Like
    Mr Poltroon got a reaction from Plk_Lesiak in Yuri Game Jam 2019 Overview (Updated)   
    There's a like of mine here. Is this the original post except you edited it? I had no idea it had been updated!
    If the (updated) were at the start of the title then one would be more likely to realise something has changed when they see it in the recent blogposts box (for long titles the second half does not appear in the box).
  22. Like
    Mr Poltroon got a reaction from Plk_Lesiak in Yuri Game Jam 2019 Overview (Updated)   
    So I already knew about about the Manami one since I'm actually keeping up with the author myself, and it's something I'll get to someday.
    Of the rest of the original post I became particularly interested in Package Chat and I think I went as far as downloading it? Anyhow, today I'm actually quite likely to try it out, since I've somehow motivated myself to try shorter things, so much so as to risk venturing onto the realm of fan games, for example.
    (Have you played Life is Strange? Did you know it has a fan VN 'Love is Strange'? I played a route and it was the sweetest thing.
    As a result I've been inspired to infiltrate the den of wolves that is the Doki Doki Fan Game/Mod community and I've found a couple of things I might try there. Edit: Not the one you reviewed because I trust your judgement and out-of-characterness kills me inside.)
  23. Like
    Mr Poltroon got a reaction from MaggieROBOT in A second chance for Taisho x Alice!!!   
    I didn't notice this blog post until now. I'm very happy this got another chance. I can only hope this is a story I can enjoy.
  24. Like
    Mr Poltroon got a reaction from Plk_Lesiak in Looking Back On YMK: A Drug That Makes You Dream   
    It's so crazy, the way everything was so foreign to me. Everything the girls did or pushed the protagonist to do... It's so out of the realm of possibility, me even considering it or sharing any of those feelings, that I enjoyed the strange, foreign experience.
    As you might guess, I share your opinion.
  25. Like
    Mr Poltroon reacted to Plk_Lesiak in Looking Back On YMK: A Drug That Makes You Dream   
    Reading this kind of stuff always makes me realize what a weirdo I am. I never saw school as oppressive. I'm still very fond of pretty much every bit of "useless knowledge I've gathered there and was too oblivious to most things around me to even stress out about my outsider's status. Maybe also because I never experienced negative parts of school life beyond mild teasing.
    But I'm also the kind of person to whom rebelling against their circumstances is pretty foreign concept. Or rather, it took something extremely f***** up for me to actually act out. School was comforting. Clear rules, clear goals, clear future. I could stay in such system forever. You get a lot of "freedom" when you get out of it, but I feel it serves l best for people that have the energy to conquer the world. I have yet to find any use for it.
    So, if I read this VN, I find it quite likely I would feel nothing. I wonder how many people like me are there.. 
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