Good gracious. Someone needs to poke me with a hot iron or something so I can remember to POST more often than what I have been. You poor poor readership.
Well, while I am still compiling data about "How to Survive Your First (and Subsequent) Convention", here's a little post ranting about one of my favorite things to do: Reading WAY too much into things.
My current epiphany? Soul Calibur (specifically IV, since that's the only game I have), and the psychology that lies in the characters. (Which, of course, reflect the people who play them.)
Soul Calibur is a delightful game series, and the fourth is practically a masterpiece (although I've heard from many that three is better, and I'll admit I'm biased towards two for playing it in an arcade once... and they have a costume for Voldo that actually covers most of his body. I love it~) The graphics are incredible, it's a 3D fighter, don't get me started on the variety of styles and moves and combinations you can implement. Each character is carefully planned out and given amazing movesets. We don't even need to get me started on how well-developed the characters are.
Which is where my fun little theory kicks in. The characters in Soul Calibur IV (and the earlier games, but since I've not played them, I shan't go into them) are highly developed, and I've noticed a startling relationship between the (hardcore) gamers, and the characters they choose. For someone who has played the game several times, and has tried out each of the characters, they usually settle into one or two they like, and this reflects in their personalities.
Examples? My Fiancee favours Maxi and Kilik, sometimes delving into Lizardman. Maxi is who he shows to everyone else, the side that is 'immature', impulsive, and slightly hot-headed, usually not thinking before he acts. Kilik however, is quiet, more thoughtful and keeps things internalized. I shouldn't have to explain where I'm going with this. Lizardman shows quite a bit through his strong instincts, and if I knew more about the character, I could give more of an analysis, but unfortunately, not so much. This also explains my hatred for Chai Xiangua, once, her voice is annoying as all heck, but more importantly, she gets paired with both Kilik and Maxi. Can we see the incited rage in the jealous girlfriend here?
A friend of mine, Nat, plays both Talim and Tira, and I had a field day with this. See, it's not just the character's personality, but also their fighting style carries heavily into this. Personality wise, he has a lot in common with Talim, the kindness, the shyness, and the desire to help people out, likewise, he's also quite determined like she is. Tira, on the other hand, he takes from her fighting style, Her fighting is quite outlandish, much like he is. (I have never known him to do things completely by-the-book. Nat has his own way of doing things.) His loyalty as well, Tira has a fierce loyalty to Nightmare, and I have never known Nat to betray anyone. (No matter how much they deserve it.)
~~~
Oh, I'm sure you're all dying to know. What are my characters, you ask? Alright. In this order:
Voldo
Yoshimitsu
Algol
Figure that one out! ... Oh fine, let the ranting begin.
As I write this up, I actually have Blind Loyalty on repeat. Voldo's themesong from SCIII (and in my opinion, a beautiful piece that makes me want to dance. Leeet's get this image out of my head.) I have quite the affinity with Voldo, and the character has a bit of a soft spot in my heart. There's the fact that I can connect with him on the level that he was shut away, kept out of society (I'll not even go into the ongoing torment I suffered at all hours of the schoolday.) Because of this, he started to see himself less and less as a human being, and his actions started to reflect this. He lost his sight, and his other senses took over for it, his movements became strange, and impossible to understand. His very existence made people doubt everything they ever knew. Now, I'm not about to say that I can seriously move like that and have forgotten my humanity, no. But I am strange, on a more understandable level, yes, but I am quite odd. On many occasions I have made people doubt everything they've ever known just by the things that I know. It's quite an interesting little thing.
Yoshimitsu, I love Yoshimitsu and wish there was more information on him, because the character is simply that delightful. His vocal tics aside (Early Modern English? Oh yes please. Bring on the Shakespeare speak~) He is a compelling character both in fighting style and in personality. As you'll see later with Algol, he has a delightful arsenal of "Special" attacks that cause wacky effects. (His "Flea" stance, for one, let's not even get into the teleportation and flying with his sword. My words.) I've always loved characters who can do things like that. Personality and history? He seeks to overthrow evil, but also forgives the sinner, while still seeking to destroy the sin. While I still have a lot to learn about "Forgiving the sinner", I also seek to vindicate people from their pains and torments, to avenge the fallen... alright, I'll stop before I go on a tangent. Yoshimitsu has lost a vital part of himself, his village, even some of his Manjitou clan, and even his arm. Likewise, he is never seen out of a mask. Figure that one out.
Algol? I'm going to dispel your fears right now and assure you that I adore him mainly for his fighting style. (Although I could do without some of his overpowered-ness. He's easy to spam, and hard to do right.) He has several special attacks (much like Yoshimitsu), and therefore is fun to use because he's not quite so conventional. However (as I've stated), his overpowered side makes him hard to use properly. So let's leave it at special attacks for fighting style. There is a bit of personality in here I can dive into. Algol has had a long history, he started as a hero who spread peace through the use of Soul Edge (ironic, isn't it?) However, his son, jealous for power, took Soul Edge, and soon became posessed, having to be slain in the process before he hurt others. Little things people don't realize: Algol has a good side. Remember that he used Soul Edge to spread peace... (through the use of extensive fighting on his own behalf, but whatever.) He has spared people whom he can sympathize with (Sophitia comes to mind. He also shows a good side in Talim's ending.) The interesting thing about Algol is that he is so ancient, that it's hard to comprehend him. Hard to comprehend him being the key words for why he ties into me. I can't tell you how many people have tried to understand how I work, and fail.
Likewise, you'll notice that all my characters of choice are male. You're totally free to have a field day with that one.
Well, that was my latest addition, feel free to write me if there's anything you think I should add.
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