FF ramblings

[ria_oaks]

I happened to check Rpgamer.com a few minutes ago and noticed that FFIII:DS comes out today (I haven't really been keeping track...). I'm probably just being too over-emotional, but this day feels rather historic in the RPG world - the last Final Fantasy that wasn't released in the US is finally here. I checked, and it's been approximately 16.5 years since FFIII was released in Japan - well, better late than never, I guess. XD I mean sure, I played it years ago on a translated ROM and I won't be buying this version anytime soon (lack of a DS... and lack of time to play. woe.), but it's still cool to think that it's here. It's sort of a pity that the original version of the game will never make it here, most likely (how hard would it have been to include the orignal version in the new game, really...?), but the new version looks pretty spiffy. Hopefully I'll get to play it someday.

3 FF games in the past 2 weeks, 2 of which are new to the US (FFXII and FFIII:DS) and one of which only ever made it here in a mangled fashion (FFV Advance) - makes me miss the days when I could play all the time... I haven't really been into gaming as much the last few years, largely because of a. lack of time during school, b. other interests take up my free time, and c. i'm lazy., but I still get excited hearing about games and still want to play when I get the chance. I'm way behind on all the games I'm playing, but I still plan to ask for either FFXII or Disgaea 2 for Christmas (leaning towards the latter - FFXII will be easy enough to find for years to come, and it'll get cheap fairly quickly, whereas Disgaea 2 will start disappearing soon...). I am sorely tempted by FFXII, though - it's been getting fantastic reviews, and hell, it's FFXII! We've been waiting for this game for years, and it's finally here... and I really can't justify the time or money to get it. Part of me, too, is still a bit uncertain about it - but most of the reviews have said that the game is nothing like (and much better than) anything we've seen of it to this point, including the demo. I plan to give it a chance eventually, but can't do it yet.

And... I'm procrastinating. Back to my Farscape paper... it's due tomorrow at 9, so I need to get moving. Up to 5 pages, need about 12 - and I'm still blathering on about the context, haven't even gotten to analysing the series itself! Ehehehe. baaack to work.

Comments

[bk635.livejournal.com]

I watched a little bit at the beginning, but it just seemed like another episodic CSI-type show so I dropped it. It must be doing pretty well now that it's on its third season though.

[ria-oaks.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's why I didn't bother getting into it. Seems decent enough, but procedural shows bore me. Liked SVU for awhile, but it's really just the same thing episode after episode. Homicide is a far superior show, imo, or at least that type of show appeals to me much more. It had great characters and storylines and character arcs and stuff, without being soapy. SVU is trying to do character arc stuff right now and wow soap opera central ("and now Elliot will sleep with his ex-wife! And omg now she's PREGNANT! And it might not be his! Oh noes! And meanwhile Olivia (his partner) is in love with him and staring at him from afar!"). dear god why

Anyway. Procedural shows are good for what they are and all, and SVU is (was, anyway) a good and well-written show, but they're the same thing over and over and over again... I never figured out how people don't get bored sick of them. There's only so many horrific crimes to solve, and they're getting more and more absurd every episode as a result.

[bk635.livejournal.com]

Yeah.. No soap opera stuff. >.>

At first I thought they were popular because a lot of people simply don't care or don't have the time for following a show religiously. But, take CSI for example, they get consistent and high ratings each week, so that's probably not the case. I don't really know why.. :/

But I agree: they are quite boring. I was into CSI: Miami for a little while, but that didn't last long at all.

And I just find out I have Friday off.. Another long weekend. D:

[ria-oaks.livejournal.com]

I can understand why people would like them, I guess, but they don't appeal to me at all. They're fun for awhile, like SVU was, but after awhile I just get kinda bored. I need to be attached to the characters to like a show, so I'd only be into a procedural if the characters are engaging enough. Which is why I liked SVU pretty well - love Chris Meloni, of course, and hence enjoyed Elliot Stabler. But the characters don't get enough airtime doing things other than their jobs, and I don't really understand how watching a crime being solved is that interesting. In general we get attached to shows or movies or books because we care about the characters, so without that attachment what's the point? Of course, fans of say CSI are very much into the characters, so it's really a matter of how developed they are. And it can be hard on a show like that to balance character development without it becoming a soap. It's something I call "being a good writer", but anyway... This is why I pimp Homicide. :) Not a soap, not a procedural, just a really solid drama about the daily lives of police officers doing a damned tough job.

Anyway though. I know a lot of people really enjoy the actual crime-solving and such and don't want character development, so to each their own I guess. I suppose if you're interested in that kind of thing then it'd be interesting, like a medical show without the soap (early ER, from what I know?) would be interesting to those interested in medicene. In theory.

[ria-oaks.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah, and if you're free Friday do you want to hang out? I'm going to lunch with bronzejarith, prob, but we can still do something. I should be here until Saturday or sometime.

[bk635.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I guess. I don't really have anything to do Friday.

[ria-oaks.livejournal.com]

Okay, cool. I'll let you know later what I'm up to.

[bk635.livejournal.com]

Sure, call me tomorrow afternoon?

[ria-oaks.livejournal.com]

Sure thing. Or maybe even do something tomorrow, I dunno. Depends on how Mom is. I'd like to pop into Cap Mall or Park Royal, to get some stuff. Guess we could always do pool. XD Maybe I'll go to lunch w/ Cecilia at the Quay then you can meet me, or else if you want you can come along with us. Not sure if she'll want to come to pool or not, but it's hard with 3 people so... anyway, you can just meet us after, whichever.