Muv Luv

What the fuck? What the fuck am I playing? I'm making a thread because I have no idea what's going on, only that this is terrible.

So no love for Muv Luv?

Playing this causes an odd sensation at the crown of my skull. I think that question marks are trying to escape my brain and hover over my head.

What is this pink THING? Does she have a hairlip or something?

edited 1st Nov '10 10:04:22 AM by Arha

Oh, I've figured out why I keep thinking of Haruhi while playing this. It makes me think of the SOS Brigade's movie, only... well, you know.

your playing extra the first game mode. After you finsh It you get unlimted which is much better, but the best muv luv is the secound game alternate.

edited 2nd Nov '10 11:03:36 AM by unrealking

I know. I would have given up if Extra was all there was to it. This is probably even worse than Chaos Head was.

I haven't done either yet. Wish me luck.

Muv Luv is worth playing so that Alternative makes sense, but Chaos Head... Ugh.

On to Unlimited. Not as bad as Extra so far, so my prediction is that instead of it being outright horrible like Extra it will just be boring.

true, unlimted dosent live up to the hype, but i didnt think it was that boring.

A full patch for Alternative has been leaked. Apparently all the text had been translated but none of the images.

Oh boy, here we go...

edited 28th Mar '11 12:25:23 AM by HithertoAnIPAddress

So I didn't kill all those brain cells in vain?

You know where to find it?

edited 28th Mar '11 12:25:10 AM by Arha

Here you go: http://www.mediafire.com/?yjxcggj8gsdq54x

Use the r1 partial patch bundled with the archive to install Alternative (this will translate up to the end of Chapter 6). Then after finishing Chapter 6, overwrite data.ami with the one provided (it's smaller because the partial patch had the CG text translated while the full patch doesn't).

Haven't actually done it yet as I have a ton of things to do for the following week but /m/ and /jp/ players have verified it completely translates the dialogue text.

(edited to provide a link for a less buggy patch installer)

edited 27th Apr '11 3:36:22 AM by HithertoAnIPAddress

Finally started past where the partial patch left off (end of Chapter 6) and was almost immediately greeted with another of Yuuko-sensei's Info Dumps. Speaking as a student of the field I must say that the scenario director knows his quantum physics and did a good job in simplifying the explanations (still sophomore university science-major level though heh).

edit: Seems like I really got used to Tsukuyomi's Lieutenant voice; hearing her kind Meido voice back in the Extra world startled me for a bit.

edited 31st Mar '11 4:34:44 AM by HithertoAnIPAddress

Any change of one understanding Alternative without playing the first two games? I mean, only by spoiling myself?

I would advise you to play through all three to get the full experience; Alternative is predicated on the assumption that you had read the previous two installments (the three were supposed to have been released as a single game), and firsthand experience of the first two games pays off big-time in the third.

To put a bit more detail, Extra provides context for Takeru's motivations in Unlimited (take a typical dense and indecisive harem protagonist, drop him in the middle of a military base of an army fighting a desperate, losing war, then see him splutter and then grow up), while both Extra and Unlimited provide context for his motivations and outlook in Alternative, and makes the latter hit all the harder.

Extra is decent and over-the-top (think Fumoffu-style high school hijinks), Unlimited builds on Extra and is good, while Alternative builds on the two and is brilliant.

edited 27th Apr '11 10:11:51 PM by HithertoAnIPAddress

Oh, come now, don't try overselling it. Extra was one of the worst things I have ever read. At times it hit So Bad Its Ridiculously Hilarious but it could never be described as 'good.' Unlimited is also just kind of average.

Each one to his own opinions. I said Extra was decent, not good, but then again I enjoyed Fumoffu, as well as Extra's parodies and mecha references. I can probably give you the assessment on Unlimited; however my point regarding the critical dependence of Alternative on both Extra and Unlimited still stands.

And all that Foreshadowing: "By the way, have you got something against Sadogashima?"

edited 27th Apr '11 10:04:13 PM by HithertoAnIPAddress

Alright, this seems like the thread for this, and I don't want to create a new one just for a rant but...

Before I begin, let me just say that I've been spoilered all to hell on things, so If you're trying to avoid them completely, skip this post. I'll do my best to mask them, but I'm assuming the reader at least has an inkling as to the development of the series.

Rant:

Does Sumika ever become anything other than the Shallow Love Interest? Ever? I'm guessing I'm about 3/4 of the way through Alternative, and her entire characterization is dependent on her relationship to the protagonist. Which wouldn't be so bad, if the story didn't focus so much on her, and if it weren't for the fact that we're clearly supposed to care for her.

Honestly, I feel as though almost every other recurring character in the story is more complex and detailed than she is. Every other member of the harem feels like they could be a complete, independent character in some other story. Except her. She doesn't, and this is despite the fact that they've spent hours and hours focused on about her. Literally, the only thing important about her character seems to be her relationship to the protagonist. That, and that she got tortured by the BETA, so she's the perfect living plot device - but even then, it's just used as an excuse for showing how much she thinks about the protagonist

This is more than a little frustrating, because I've really enjoyed this series so far, and I get the feeling that this bit is going to seriously detract from my enjoyment of the climax.

edited 17th Aug '11 3:16:15 AM by HighVelocityPointyThings

Assuming you haven't finished Alternative yet, have you also been spoiled about the nature of Takeru's existence already? Just a gauge on how much I'm going to say next.

edited 20th Aug '11 7:24:04 AM by HithertoAnIPAddress

I'm currently in the middle of the Yokohama mission, and yeah, I think I know the general gist; that a lot of his weirdness is because of Sumika.

I should mention that I'm really liking it so far. The characterization issue is simply my biggest gripe with the writing.

"Literally, the only thing important about her character seems to be her relationship to the protagonist."

With regards to Sumika, yes that's been a gripe even back in 2006 when Alternative was first released (seen posts on the Hongfire thread about it). Although I myself don't really like it that much, there's a reason why Takeru (and the story by extension, as we see things through his eyes) is fixated so much on Sumika in Alternative, and it will be told at the end of the VN. Something to think about: Why are Takeru's recollections of Sumika all so clear, while those he had of the others are only momentary flashes?

"...that a lot of his weirdness is because of Sumika."

Understatement of the decade.

edited 22nd Aug '11 7:21:54 AM by HithertoAnIPAddress

Just finished it. On one hand, I regret going into this as spoilered as I was. On the other hand, I'm really effing glad I decided to put off completing the latter half of the series until after my summer semester finals.

Even knowing about it weeks in advance, I still lost it at Meiya's death, and when I saw the two dolls she'd hung up in her cockpit. Also, never thought the generic harem shenanigans in the epilogue would make me as happy.

Indirectly, though, I have identified my single biggest gripe with Age's writing during the latter half of the series. It's that the know exactly what kind of story they want to tell, and exactly what they want you to feel in any given scene, and they're quick to tell you that. Ex: why mecha are the only viable combat platform, why aircraft don't work, why they don't use nukes, why the entire fighting force consists mostly of girls, etc. This also neatly covers my problem with Sumika's character.

Going to toss a recommendation for the series in the appropriate thread, then see if I can't hunt up some transcripts of the non-translated bits.

edited 22nd Aug '11 10:50:20 PM by HighVelocityPointyThings

"...see if I can't hunt up some transcripts of the non-translated bits."

This one is (I think) during Squadron 207's graduation and the Shogun's letter:

http://www.mediafire.com/?l1c3tl5rwzh7y7j

As Takeru&co launch into space for Operation Cherry Blossom you can see Yuuko holding a photo of Marimo; she says there: "Marimo, look as your children go forth."

As for the very final sequence, it's just Chizuru proposing a new seating arrangement (Meiya, Yuuhi and Kasumi had previously taken up the seats conveniently-vacated around Takeru). The twins, of course, oppose the proposal; the rest of the girls support it. Marimo begs everyone to calm down, then to resolve the issue Yuuko proposes a cooking battle, to which everyone enthusiastically agrees, to the consternation of both Takeru and Marimo. Yuuko then calls Takeru a "love-love nucleus" (same thing she said back in Extra). Akane drops by and asks Haruko what's happening, then proceeds to tease Chizuru, who reacts in typical Tsundere fashion. Everyone then says they'll give their best shot. Takeru then gives up, telling everyone to do whatever the hell they want; enter Muv-Luv.

In addition the all-ages version added an extra cinematic for the Original Hive assault, which goes right after the orbital drop:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gKXXjUdR5A

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=537874oz

edited 23rd Aug '11 11:33:50 AM by HithertoAnIPAddress

Thanks for the links, man.