RPG Classics Mailbag

Well, we're back again for another lovely mailbag. I should make up another award for this topic: "Most Misunderstood Topic Of All Time".

So why don'cha?

I'm LAZY.

Can't argue with that.

Anyhoo. For the slow of mind, here it is in all its glory once more: "Which artistic style of an existing RPG do you think is best and why?" Now, there shouldn't be too many different ways of interpreting this. "Artistic" means "having to do with art". It does not mean that I'm asking if 2D is better than 3D; I am not asking which game system is the best (though I may in future mailbags) I was just asking about ART. Sheesh. Well, let's see if anyone wrote in anything resembling a correct response...

Don't forget our vote!

Oh yeah, and people could vote on which mailbag host in the last little while was the best. *shudders* Up first is d galloway.

Let's see.. I have to do two things here. Hmmm, worry, worry. oh, what the heck. The kind of artistic style I prefer is a serious, straightforward design. I know I've seen it before, but I don't know who did it (if I memorized all of these japanese names, I would have no life). And the best host was Lunaris, on the sole fact that Macc can't be voted for. Bye!

YEAH! W00T! HURRAY! I'M DA BEST! Thanks you all you fidel fans! Thanks! Thanks! Mentats for everyones now!!!

Yes, yes, rub it in. Anyway, someone finally understood the question, but refused to give an answer. Better than not understanding the question at all. Here's Demolition Man:

I am writing this on November the fifth. The reason that I am writing this is because I believe there is a typo on the question, and I do not want to be seen as an idiot than I already am. But I'll assume you are asking for Artistic style of a classic rpg game.

*sweatdrop* Okay, so there WAS a typo in the question. But I fixed it after I got this, so hah!

I kind of liked the artistic style of Final Fnatasy IV. My reason is because it brings back fond memories of the good old times playing the first Final Fantasy.

And as for the latter half of the question, I really have no opinion on who is the best. I'm...sorry...

Demolition Man Out!

Wuss. We now have one from Dragon God, RPGC's very own self-proclaimed Square Junkie, though I dunno if that's anything to be proud of. 8-) Yo.

Heya Cid 8)

Ok, here's my take on your subject

Best artist, I'd have to say Yoshitaka Amano, his art is simply breathtaking, and I really liked what he did with FF9. I think the super-deformed style is better personally.

Now for the best mailbag host(besides Macc ;P) : You were all good 8) Really, I can't get a favorite here....

That's pretty much it... See you later Cid ! 8D

Another wuss. Jeez, you're not gonna insult anyone here, really! At least he answered the question, though! Yay! One correct answer. I'm counting. Next up is "Moff". I think this one's also a newbie, so !!!!!!!!?!

I think I detect some Freudian doubt in there.

SHHHH!

To the scientist and mechanic,

Whoo! Someone wrote me a letter!

Your first fan, huh?

No, um... *counts* fourth, I think. Didn't you read my mailbag?

Ironically, my friends and fellow walkers of the dark path (Zeina Zieber Zom) of RPG playing were discussing this same topic just last week. One member of this group, who shall remain nameless, holds alligance to "New School" RPGs in the vein of Xenogears and FF8, with their dynamic intros and 3D worlds. He tries daily to convince the rest of the group (read: 2 people) that these RPGs are the motes on God's cape and we are trapped in folly to belive that the "Old School" RPGs such as FF6 and Chrono Trigger could possibly better than it's newer counterparts. Yet, something, more than just storyline (which is not to say that story plays a major role) kept me to the ugly games. There had to be something that would break the logical logic that (storyline notwithstanding) the new, prettier game would almost obviously be more desired. So, I set out to find out why, and I would not rest before I had the solution. Then, two hellish days later, filled with stimulants (legal, mind you), and the peculiar sense of clarity that both hell and sleep deprivation provide, came rapture. I had found the answer. For the better the graphics are, the less I could create and modulate. The less it became a thing I could change and be mine own, and more somebody else's story I was sitting in on. The tiny pixles that make up Shadow have more space for my own mind to provide the mystery and intrigue than those most detailed polygon. The scene where Frog lifts the Masamune from the ground for the first time could be recreated internally with a thousand times more detail than the sharpest anime intro. Mine own perverted Kefka, infinite in madness, lost his charm when my freind booted up his FF Anthologies CD and showed me the Freddy Mercury incarnation that Squaresoft had imprisoned him in. And so, when it comes to the perfect art style for an RPG, I would look no further than simple 2D, for I belive that RPGs should provide a template from where the player can modify to his heart's content, rather than a full work of art that is frozen in the creator's eyes. Or maybe I'm just cranky and long-winded. Oh, well. I need to get cracking on my REM rebound.

P.S. Read Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud, chapter 4 or something is all about this sort of thing.

Before I say anything, I award you with this award:

There ya go, don't you feel special? I wasn't asking whether 2D was better than 3D, I was asking *which* 2D or 3D or 19D or whatever art style you think is best. Which is not to say that I disagree with what you're saying, but losing that "space between the pixels" definitely hasn't lessened my ability to enjoy FF9 or Chrono Cross. Okie, here's one by DarkAni:

I liked the anime-style character art of Chrono Trigger made by Akira Toriyama. Lucca, Ozzie, the artist who designed you is the same man who made DragonballZ(have you ever noticed how some of the Chrono Trigger characters bear a resemblance to a few of the DBZ characters?). I also enjoyed the anime cut-scenes put in the playstation version. The graphics in Chrono Trigger were better than any other SNES RPG I've seen.

Dragonball? That series SUCKS!

Say WHAT?

Er, I...

You are gonna be one pained pig lizard!

Eep! *rushes over to the desk and pushes a button at random* *plot hole opens under Ozzie* Phew! AAAAHHHH! *falls*

Damn! *snaps fingers and flies away*

...You can come out now.

Pant... is he gone?

No.

AAAAHHHH! *drops down again*

Heehee... anyway, that's TWO, count 'em TWO correct replies so far! Very good! Here's BSSB, long time no see!

Hello! I have returned to fill your life with golden cheeze and space ramomo! You cannot resist my funky power-camel kiss! Fear! Love! High Heels!

Now,the artisitcal style I luve ish the one of the infamous Xenogears! It's just so great,I mean it's anime-ish,yet in a 3-D world,like BoF 3 and BoF4.Except more varied! I mean,you have the the Mediterranian-style Nisan.The hardcore steampunk Nortune,Capital of Kislev,the floating city Thames!And even the utopian-like Shevat and the uber-evil,cocky,preppy Solarian Capital Eternak with it's groovy reverse gravity! And the mecha are *so* yummy! *spazzes out to a mental pic of Ramsus' gear Wyvern".

Now,taste the cool,yet gentle pulse of CRESCENT BEAM SHOWER! *lazer rain..wee!*

My vote goes out to Celes and her insane antics which make me feel like a brand new suitcase.

Should have figured. Sometimes I wonder if you're not just Celes under a different nickname. O_o Anyway, I guess we can count that as another correct reply, yes indeedy. Now. Here is an entry by Crystalys. I debated whether or not to print this, then I decided to because I'm not as evil as you might think I am.

HAHAHAHAH!

Shaddup. Anyway. You all remember the rant I was doing a while back. You know, the one about NO ONE EVER SENDING ME ATTACHMENTS. Well! Go ahead and guess what good ol' Crystalys decides to do! Yes indeed! This is the very last warning. Anyone sending me an attachment (unless it's under 20K) will NOT be printed from now on. >_< And his attachment was extremely pointless, anyway, so I did not put it up. Anyway, here's what he sent in... Note that it, too, does not answer my question.

I'm bored.
And I've come up with something... DO THE MAILBAG.
Muahahaha and stuff.
Ok now here's how it breaks down.
Some annoying guy I always have to put in> Breaks down? That's an idiot phrase.
*Kills the annoying guy and dies since he is annoying*
Crap!
*Kills the guy who just said that after he revives*
Alright I'll get strait to the point this time since I want to spend a long time about why X sucks and why everyone else who did the mailbag was cool.

The best system in an RPG would have to be Final Fantasy Tactics..
Old school graphics and Kick arse cutscenes. I enjoy old school graphics more then say FF7 or BoF4 graphics but the cutscenes are supposed to have kick arse graphics.

I'm an old school kinda guy. So I like old school pictures. And I like Japanese anime so the cutscenes (which are anime) would have to look like a jap anime if they're looking for that to make me smile :)

So that's about it. Oh and another example of this type of Graphic system would be Vanguard Bandits Lunars and another game I can't thing of the name right now.

All right! Now I get to Trash X.
Announcer: Sorry no talking about X in your post.
Why not!?
Announcer: Because you're going to make an animation of X blowing up.
I am?
Announcer: Yes! No get to it!
Umm... ok.
Ok now that X is blown up let's get on with it shall we?
Announcer: Okie dokie.
So here's the order that I liked the writers.
Discluding Sponny(because I wasn't here) Macc Dark Macc and X.
1:Celes
2:Lunaris
3:Cidolfas
4:Dark Cidolfas
5:Lucca
6:That purple robot guy (I cannot speak his name!! I cannot!)
7:Ozzie
Announcer: Why can't you say the purple robot guys name?
Umm... ^^;;; Because I feel like saying I can't now go away!
Announcer. Fine! *walks off*
That was easy.
Reasons they were what they were.
Celes: She's an insane woman with an evil monkey and a pink sheep! If that isn't #1 material then I want to blow up the world.
Lunaris: Guns guns guns!!! BOOM!!!
Cidolfas: He's a funny guy. I especially like his You messed up sign.
Dark Cidolfas: EVIL EVIL EVIL!!!
Lucca: Eh. I dunno. She's border line.
Megaman984: I said his name! *gasp*. Well I didn't like the mailbag topic so...
Ozzie: DIE OZZIE DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!! *kills Ozzie*
That's Lamer boy signing off

Good. Now do us all a favor and don't sign on again. Now comes Booken, oy...

*Town portal appear and Booken came in the room*
If i had to keep an way, it should be 2D sprites. Why? Easy, fan can edit them.
We see many fan going as 2D edited sprites here, but nobody use 3D image. Why ? It's too complex to Edit. As for the 3D Caracters, using Manga form was a good idea.

Yay!

Now for the vote *Look for Macc on the list* Dang!
*Vote for Celes*

One last thing, Ozzie, when i post you a Mailbag Reply, i expect you to Post it!!!!!!!!

This is something Booken gave me a link to so you can look at it. Note that he did NOT send it via e-mail!

Oh right * Take a step back*
I forgot * Take another step back*
Outlook bugged before i could send it
Oops *Jump in the town Portal*

Ah. Um... right. That was interesting. Still only three replies that answered my question. Let's see if Doc Shinryuu... nah.

Helooooooo! Doc Shinryuu again. I don't have much time, so I'll be brief. I think the BEST RPG format so far has been Final Fantasy Tactics. Aside from the general Krillin-itis (lack of noses) infecting all characters, the Job Class and Zodiac Sign Systems mad the game a little more interesting. As for my favorite mailbag host/hostess/person/place/thingy, it's a tie between Ciddy(you) and Webrunner. Hopefully I might be the mailbag host sometime... *gets a hopeful look in his eyes* Anyway, gotta go, I've got a part in Romeo and Juliet to play. ^_^

Heh, dream on. Only the very elite and hilariously funny get to host the mailbag!

Then why, exactly, do you get to do it?

I have an in with the producer.

And who's that?

Top secret! Sshhh! If I *say* it, then *other* people will try to get an in with him, and then I'll be out of a job! Sheesh!

*makes mental note to squeeze information out of somebody*

Well, here's one by LiteYear. I shudder at the thought.

*Dark orbs materlize through the walls, converging in the center, which creates a glowing black rob which grows until I step out of it.*

A rob? It creates a rob? Who are you robbing?

ZOINKS! *steals LiteYear's rob*

Hmmm, been a while since I've been here. Anyway, before I begin, welcome back (finally), Cidolfas. *Fanfare goes off in the BG*

Thank you, thank you... aw, I have a fan... okay, only one fan, but it's better than nothing!

Well, I missed a lot. Here, I write up this greatly devised evil plot, where nothing could possibly go wrong, only to have my computer freeze up when I hit send... *kicks Cid's computer*

Hey! Mine's an antique! You can't get stuff like this any more!

Thank goodness.

Anyway, since I don't know much about this topic, I'll make it short and sweet. Given your five choices, I'd have to go with the FF Tatics style, which I assume is the same as OB64 style. The only other style I've seen was the "sketchy, serious, wacky style", which looks absolutely appalling. I mean, look at Terra. She looks as stoned as Keith Richards except with short hair! And Leo... *shudders*

Well, now for the second part of the topic. First, let's list everyone who hosted a mailbag: Macc, Spoony, Dark Macc, Cidolfas, mmx2k, Celes, Ozzie, Lunaris, Megaman984, Evil Cid, Lucca, and that adventures guy. Next, let's strike out Ozzie, Evil Cid, and Dark Macc just for who they are. Now, I'll strike out mmx2k, who didn't do very because his topic had only four or five replies. Next, I'll axe Spoony because I didn't think his topic was interesting enough. Next, the adventures guy goes, because I just didn't really like his humor that much. So that leaves Macc, Cidolfas, Celes, Lunaris, Megaman984, and Lucca. Cidolfas can't win because he's here every week. Lunaris has to go because it was just too removed for my tastes. So, that leaves Macc, Celes, Megaman, and Lucca. Macc automatically wins the best host award, so, the award for the 2nd best mailbag host is... *opens an envlope* Celes! Runner-up: Megaman984. I hope they both return someday.

Wow, I put more effort that I thought into that. Oh well, <SNL> good night, and have a plesant tomorrow!</SNL> *Disappears in spiraling smoke*

Naturally Macc wins. DOOFUS! That's why I said he's NOT A CHOICE!

Wee...Anoter one!

Go figure. He answers the question right but messes up somewhere else. Can everyone go and buy some damn brains?!

You can't just go to the corner store and pick up brains!

Sure you can. Halloween wasn't over that long ago.

Ghhkkk! I'm gonna throw up.

Do it on Ozzie; I just got a new carpet. Let's see what Megaman984 has to say, eh?

G'hoy hoy. RPGC's resident Pit Master is here again!

Hmm... Artistic styles you say? Hmmm...

Personally, I like the style of FF1-6 and FF9. I guess I like it the best since that's the style I first encountered... Heh. The futuristic style just doesn't seem to appeal to me. I guess I'm one of those people that thinks RPGs need to take place more in medieval times rather than futuristic times... Oh well... I can't comment on the others since I haven't played them or any games that I can think of that fit in those categories.

Now, time for my semi-topic. I think I'll post my views on all of them.

X's Mailbag: I liked it, but hey, my first Mailbag response was a Battle Royale, so I guess I have a bit of a bias there. It was a bit to graphics heavy what with everyone getting a sprite, but I don't mind. It was good.

Celes: Way too weird... Sure it's funny in the chat or possibly on the boards, but it didn't seem to fit into the Mailbag.

Ozzie: Ozzie's was funny. I especially liked seeing him get hurt, but hey, that can happen in almost any Mailbag... In fact, I don't like him as the host. There needs to be some sort of omnipotent Mailbag guy that needs to hurt him.

Lun: Lun's was good. His typos were good. His rant about Garland/Four Fiends/Chaos/Donuts was good. I just wished there was more destruction. Hey, maybe Lun can take over when you get sick and tired of this, Cid.

Evil Cid: Well, it wasn't quite Evil enough... But I guess that's because the real Evil Cid is actually the Regular Cid... Hmmm.... This could get real confusing real fast.

984: No comment for obvious reasons.

Lucca: Nice to see that Cid decided to become modern and let a girl host the show, sort of... Anyway, I liked her absent mindedness at the beginning. Aside from that, it was an okay Mailbag.

Webrunner: I like Adventurers! and all. Nice to see the characters interact outside the comic. I didn't like him not posting the names of the repliers... I mistook X's reply as some lamer stealing his Ragnarok Buster... Heh... That's kind of ironic...

Overall Favorite (aside from the obvious): X. I liked X's Mailbag. It was short, but hey... What are you gonna do about it? (See. I told you this could be a whole reply.)

Man, that was unexpected. What do you know, Megamans DO stick up for each other.

They should get a life.

Indubitably. Well, that's all for today. What a waste. Next week's topic will involve the following: "What do you think of voice overs in RPGs (e.g. FFX)? Good idea, bad, or both?" So all of you reread the question ten times and make sure you understand it before writing in, GOT IT? Or I sic Lunaris on you.

You WILL repley well or I'll personaly blast yo ass to da moon!...And blast the moon too while at it.

You heard him. So go and send stuff in to cidolfas@rpgclassics.com right now! Gogogo!

Later!

AND I'M SERIOUS, FOOS! I PITY DA FOO WHO DONT READ THE TOPIC CORRECTLY! PH33R ME! PH33R ME FOREVER! I AM YOUR DOOM! I*The lights goes out while he still rambling on*