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[CO_Andy]

The new footage looks absolutely awesome. And even though Ep. 2 was really, really disappointing, I don't understand how you guys can't put that aside to get excited for this game.

Wow, you're like the only other person besides my friend who thinks Xenosaga is the greatest.

Here's a refresher: the Xeno 2 trailer was awesome, but once you get into the meat of the game, the "poor gameplay" starts kicking-in (or lack thereof).

 

[Bebpo]

The new footage looks absolutely awesome. And even though Ep. 2 was really, really disappointing, I don't understand how you guys can't put that aside to get excited for this game. It's not as if it's 'just another entry', but rather Namco has given Monolith Soft one more game to finish up the series, and thusly they'll be craming Episodes 3, 4, 5 and 6 from Takahashi's outline into this one single game!

No. Since ep4-6 were going to take place in another time period with a new cast, ep3 will just the current cast's story and have some type of ending that tries to resolve everything. Basically instead of being epic they're just going to make it a normal story.

Also it's not even Takahashi's outline at this point, which is why I can't really get excited. If you saw all the changes that were made to ep2's Takahashi script after they kicked Soraya off then you know that their aiming for a dumbed down story heavy with action and completely different from what was originally written. Playing ep2 and soon to be ep3 is basically playing a bastardization of a brilliant person's work. This whole project has been such a huge mess after ep1 went over budget and the sales didn't make up for it :\

 

[CO_Andy]

If you saw all the changes that were made to ep2's Takahashi script after they kicked Soraya off then you know that their aiming for a dumbed down story heavy with action and completely different from what was originally written.

Where can i find this script?

And... What action? Unless you mean the cinemas.

 

[Tellaerin]

Where can i find this script?

At one time, Soraya Saga had some information about what had been cut/altered from the original XS ep. 2 script on her site. Although it's since been removed, I took the liberty of saving the relevant information (posted below).

# The first version of the script by Soraya and Takahashi was not religiously or politically sensitive. It had just harmless chapters like:

* Ziggy's past history (as seen in The Pied Piper)
* U.R.T.V.'s past history (as seen in the Episode II)
* Shion's past history with Febronia (removed)
* Jr's rapid growing (removed)
* Both juvenile and grown-up Jr. switching available in the battle (removed)
* The ghost of the old Miltia (removed)
* The death of Sakura (removed)
* Brief reunion with grown-up Citrine (removed)
* Gaignun vs Zohar emulators (removed)
* Jr.'s transformation/overdrive (removed)
* Jr. & Albedo vs U-DO vs KOS-MOS 3rd armament (removed)
* Shion's spiritual seeking/witnessing/awakening (removed)
* The truth about KOS-MOS (removed)
* Conversation between chaos and the red cloak man (removed)
* Conversation between Nephilim and the boy with the blocks (removed)
* An antimatter annihilation of Albedo (removed)

# Removed chapter/events were rejected/deleted subjects. It's highly unlikely to be shown in the future Episode.

I was a lot happier with Ep. 2 until I saw the things that had been removed. After seeing what the game could have been, I can't help but be disappointed with how it turned out.

 

[Dr. Strangelove]

No. Since ep4-6 were going to take place in another time period with a new cast, ep3 will just the current cast's story and have some type of ending that tries to resolve everything. Basically instead of being epic they're just going to make it a normal story.

Also it's not even Takahashi's outline at this point, which is why I can't really get excited. If you saw all the changes that were made to ep2's Takahashi script after they kicked Soraya off then you know that their aiming for a dumbed down story heavy with action and completely different from what was originally written. Playing ep2 and soon to be ep3 is basically playing a bastardization of a brilliant person's work. This whole project has been such a huge mess after ep1 went over budget and the sales didn't make up for it :\

This is exactly why I'm not optimistic about Episode 3. The brilliant minds behind the original concept are no longer even involved in the project. The whole thing has basically been derailed.

 

[AgentOtaku]

That trailer is a 3 part trailer from a bundled DVD with Famitsu Weekly a couple of weeks ago.

Here is the part about battles that I had encoded
http://s30.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=34GG3P0ZJATUF1M3RR6KOK1V0K

Thx friend

 

[gamergirly]

I'm one of the few that was able to look past the horrible aspects of XS2 and really enjoy the rest of the game.

If you just kind of ignore the beginning of both CD's (especially the first half of CD2 which almost destroys the rest of the game), the game is quite good. Especially the ending to both CD's.

Yes, you do have to ignore the bad voice acting and glitches(especially at the start of battle). I enjoyed the story alot for some reason. That's what a rpg gamer is supposed to do

 

[Beowvlf]

Wow, you're like the only other person besides my friend who thinks Xenosaga is the greatest.

Here's a refresher: the Xeno 2 trailer was awesome, but once you get into the meat of the game, the "poor gameplay" starts kicking-in (or lack thereof).

Dude, why you gotta kill the dream? ;_;

And I don't think Xenosaga is the 'greatest', the series is certainly lacking in the gameplay department (battle systems aren't that great) and the lack of side quests is seriously disappointing, but I do think the narrative is brilliant, and that is the chief reason why I play RPG's.

No. Since ep4-6 were going to take place in another time period with a new cast, ep3 will just the current cast's story and have some type of ending that tries to resolve everything. Basically instead of being epic they're just going to make it a normal story.

Yeah, but wasn't there going to be correlations between the two trilogies, with key themes answered over the course of the whole saga (specifically in regards to chaos and KOS-MOS)? It's very possible that will be added in.

Also it's not even Takahashi's outline at this point, which is why I can't really get excited. If you saw all the changes that were made to ep2's Takahashi script after they kicked Soraya off then you know that their aiming for a dumbed down story heavy with action and completely different from what was originally written. Playing ep2 and soon to be ep3 is basically playing a bastardization of a brilliant person's work. This whole project has been such a huge mess after ep1 went over budget and the sales didn't make up for it :\

Whoa whoa whoa. Yes, they made a lot of idiotic changes to the outline, and omitted a few plot threads that they shouldn't have, but they're still using Takahashi's outline (to a degree). It was revealed in a thread that I cannot for the life of me find right now, but I do remember reading it. Of course, it was never explicitly stated how extensively they're using his original outline.

I have hopes that his original work will still shine through in Ep III. Fingers crossed.

 

[BlueTsunami]

Yeah, but wasn't there going to be correlations between the two trilogies, with key themes answered over the course of the whole saga (specifically in regards to chaos and KOS-MOS)? It's very possible that will be added in.

Yes. I'll spoiler tag it just in case

Spoiler

Xeno fans would usually refer to the Perfect Works books (like a Xeno Bible :lol). People have speculated that KOS-MOS and Chaos are the only cast members that make it through to the future titles (for obvious reasons). Theres also a rift in thoughts on what KOS-MOS becomes. Some think she becomes Deus (from Xenogears). I'm not sure what exactly Chaos becomes (and would have liked to see what happens with him).

 

[rod]

k started xenosaga 2 now..i hope its even remotely good. anyone know if it supports pro scan?

 

[Beowvlf]

Yes. I'll spoiler tag it just in case

Spoiler

Xeno fans would usually refer to the Perfect Works books (like a Xeno Bible :lol). People have speculated that KOS-MOS and Chaos are the only cast members that make it through to the future titles (for obvious reasons). Theres also a rift in thoughts on what KOS-MOS becomes. Some think she becomes Deus (from Xenogears). I'm not sure what exactly Chaos becomes (and would have liked to see what happens with him).

Spoiler

KOS-MOS becoming Deus certainly is a possibility (in Xenogears Deus' creators were only known as 'an ancient civilization', though they were human), though it is a bit of a stretch. It was heavily implied in XG that Deus was created and put to use as part of the Yaweh invasion system right away, not many years after it's construction; which would be necessary if it were indeed KOS-MOS.

As for chaos, it's clear he has some serious involvement with Abel's Ark (possibly even it's creator or pilot?), and my theory is he may just be the purest physical manifestation of the Wave Existence, or essentially, the one true god.

 

[Duderz]

Uh, KOS-MOS and chaos being in the entire series was confirmed by Takahashi himself, so that's not really a spoiler.

 

[B.K.]

Spoiler

KOS-MOS becoming Deus certainly is a possibility (in Xenogears Deus' creators were only known as 'an ancient civilization', though they were human), though it is a bit of a stretch. It was heavily implied in XG that Deus was created and put to use as part of the Yaweh invasion system right away, not many years after it's construction; which would be necessary if it were indeed KOS-MOS.

Spoiler

I REALLY doubt that KOS-MOS is going to become Deus. If anything, I'm betting on Omega being Xenosaga's version of Deus. In Xenogears, Deus was created as the ultimate weapon to end the Intestellar War. It also used the Zohar as its main power source. Sounds a lot like Omega to me.

 

[Tellaerin]

Whoa whoa whoa. Yes, they made a lot of idiotic changes to the outline, and omitted a few plot threads that they shouldn't have, but they're still using Takahashi's outline (to a degree).

More like, 'Yes, they abandoned the outline in all but name and completely gutted the script for Ep. 2, but if you look hard enough, you can make out traces of the original outline beneath the gore-soaked remains.'