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Clarste One Winged Egret Since: Jun, 2009 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
One Winged Egret
#251: Jul 21st 2012 at 7:26:49 PM

[up][up]It feels rushed because of all the timeskips. There's no context for the beginning of the episode, and because the first two took place on floor 1 there's no expectation that floors would be skipped. I guess I mean to say that they didn't establish the premise well enough beforehand.

Pryun Since: Mar, 2010 Relationship Status: Having tea with Cthulhu
#252: Jul 21st 2012 at 7:30:06 PM

... yeah, but as a standalone episode it doesn't feel that rushed.

Clarste One Winged Egret Since: Jun, 2009 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
One Winged Egret
#253: Jul 21st 2012 at 7:32:02 PM

I said the episode was decent, didn't I?

burnpsy Since: Sep, 2010
#254: Jul 21st 2012 at 7:33:13 PM

Skipping like this did feel somewhat jarring.

But, from what I've been hearing, skipping around is par for the course here, so I'll have to get used to it.

Clarste One Winged Egret Since: Jun, 2009 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
One Winged Egret
#255: Jul 21st 2012 at 7:41:46 PM

Well, in the novels there's just one big timeskip to the 74th floor and then a bunch of short stories that take place at random moments in the middle. Episodes 2 and 3 were both originally sidestories. Of course, they feel quite different like this so I'm not sure I can judge them in an unbiased way. For example, the death of the Black Cat guild was a Foregone Conclusion because we'd already seen Kirito treating it as his Dead Little Sister in the main story (and the Christmas event in the sidestory was merely the framing of the flashback). Here, it's treated as part of a linear narrative, which makes it kind of... completely different? I've already seen other forums complain about how obvious they made the death flags, but since it was originally written as a foregone conclusion I don't know what to think about that.

edited 21st Jul '12 7:43:12 PM by Clarste

Flapjackmaka A Mulberry is a Tree... from Pennsylvania Since: Nov, 2011
A Mulberry is a Tree...
#256: Jul 21st 2012 at 8:23:31 PM

oh no, the pacing

3DS Friend Code: 0302-0823-4983 Black 2 Friend Code: 4084-3672-3624
stardf29 Since: Jan, 2001
#257: Jul 21st 2012 at 9:12:38 PM

I'd complain about the pacing, but there was no way I was going to bother with a show about a 100-floor game if they didn't skip lots of floors in the process.

So instead, I'll complain about the utter lack of Asuna in this episode.

Edit: It is odd, though, that the first floor took over a month and a couple thousand lives and now lots of people are making it to the midpoint... is it just one of those games with a really steep initial learning curve that gets easier once you get past that or something?

edited 21st Jul '12 9:14:34 PM by stardf29

Clarste One Winged Egret Since: Jun, 2009 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
One Winged Egret
#258: Jul 21st 2012 at 9:20:51 PM

The people who died early were rushing (the beta players died relatively more, actually). Now all that's left are the elite "clearers" who have the experience of clearing dozens of floors and bosses already and the mid-level folks who are trailing behind them. The weak were weeded out of the clearing group and the mid-level folks usually fight enemies that are too low level for them, ie: they killed boars in the first room until they stopped giving XP. You can also earn XP by crafting or something. The Black Cat guild died explicitly because they were trying to become a clearing group and therefore took more risks than they usually do.

Oh yeah, it's very very important to note that killing a boss opens up a public teleporter to the next floor. They don't need to kill bosses to advance after the clearing group opens the way. They didn't mention that in the show...

Although, if you think about it the game probably has a pretty steep learning curve what with the motion controls and all that.

Edit: If you've ever played World Of Warcraft, it's a lot like hardcore raiding. The clearing group is like the people going for world firsts, and everyone else is like everyone else. The clearers have no idea what to expect and are barely high enough level for it. Everyone else can benefit from the experience of the people before them, and have the time to take it easy. Of course, the bosses in SAO must be much easier than the bosses in World Of Warcraft if it's possible to beat them without wiping hundreds of times first.

edited 21st Jul '12 9:28:01 PM by Clarste

stardf29 Since: Jan, 2001
#259: Jul 21st 2012 at 9:31:10 PM

Oh yeah, it's very very important to note that killing a boss opens up a public teleporter to the next floor. They don't need to kill bosses to advance after the clearing group opens the way. They didn't mention that in the show...

Ah, I was wondering if there was something like that... Definitely would have helped for that to be mentioned.

Also, I, uh, refuse to touch World Of Warcraft. tongue Actually, in general I stay away from MMORP Gs. So I'm watching this show with none of that "background knowledge", so to speak, which might be why I'm not as interested in this show as I am in some of the other shows this season.

This is all to say, this show needs more Asuna.

Clarste One Winged Egret Since: Jun, 2009 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
One Winged Egret
#260: Jul 21st 2012 at 10:07:25 PM

I'll admit that the "haha, that's so true" experience increases the enjoyment. Although the anime's been skipping most of those little details so far, so... *shrug*

Asuna should definitely show more often in later episodes. This particular episode is written to sort of be "before they met" as it's Kirito backstory. Yes, they also met on floor one, but that seems to be a minor retcon due to the order in which the stories were written. Narratively, he has the tragic backstory before meeting the girl, which is somewhat traditional.

edited 21st Jul '12 10:12:31 PM by Clarste

Pryun Since: Mar, 2010 Relationship Status: Having tea with Cthulhu
#261: Jul 21st 2012 at 10:28:52 PM

Hey, I just realized that Kirito had death seeker tendencies too......

Those expecting asuna... she won't show up for the next episode as well. probably.

Next up is the dragon tamer chapter. New characters for all!

We might get to see a certain Curb-Stomp Battle in its full glory.

edited 22nd Jul '12 1:46:40 AM by Pryun

MurkyMuse Magical Girl Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Shipping fictional characters
Magical Girl
#262: Jul 22nd 2012 at 11:17:28 AM

Watching the episode now. It's good so far. Also really looking forward to episode 4, mostly cause of that Curb-Stomp Battle.

Edit: Just finished it. Between this ep and next, Kirito's Big Brother Instinct will be solidly established.

edited 22nd Jul '12 11:33:10 AM by MurkyMuse

People are mirrors. If you smile, a smile will be reflected.
Edmania o hai from under a pile of erasers Since: Apr, 2010
o hai
#263: Jul 22nd 2012 at 11:12:55 PM

jesus

dat

floor skipping

it's like, making me think this will be 5 episodes long or something

sheesh >_>

If people learned from their mistakes, there wouldn't be this thing called bad habits.
Thrombin excellent Since: Jun, 2010
excellent
#264: Jul 22nd 2012 at 11:29:12 PM

Did you read the novels?

ashnazg Since: Dec, 2009
#265: Jul 22nd 2012 at 11:56:49 PM

[up][up]Oh come now, I don't think you could reasonably come into this show expecting it to show clearing level by level. 100 bosses would really get old.

Though yeah, technically they didn't get to level 100...but the point is there.

edited 22nd Jul '12 11:58:48 PM by ashnazg

burnpsy Since: Sep, 2010
#266: Jul 23rd 2012 at 12:11:13 AM

[up]It would be realistic for someone who hasn't read the novel to expect a jump of maybe 4-10 levels per episode, but this big a jump?

edited 23rd Jul '12 12:11:40 AM by burnpsy

Thrombin excellent Since: Jun, 2010
excellent
#267: Jul 23rd 2012 at 12:46:37 AM

He actually jumps twice in this episode. Between the deaths of the Black Cats and Christmas, he levelled up from 48 to almost 70.

Clarste One Winged Egret Since: Jun, 2009 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
One Winged Egret
#268: Jul 23rd 2012 at 2:07:12 AM

...I think there's some confusion between the character levels and the floors of the world. Floors tend to be much more relevant. There was a jump of about 20 floors in the front line though.

Pryun Since: Mar, 2010 Relationship Status: Having tea with Cthulhu
#269: Jul 23rd 2012 at 5:41:04 AM

@ thrombin: obviously they did not read it...

Yeah, the floor the front line is on is a better indicator than character levels. Kirito is crazy grinding machine, so his level is WAAAAAY above the maximum floor. like all the time.

I really liked the part where those guys were attempting to use their crystals though.

Don't mind me, I'm just using the anime to support the LN anyway, I betcha most anime viewers who did not read LN would be What does return crystal do anyway, they also did not mention the price of those crystals. But, eh, not that important to gamers who can probably guess anyway.

Belian In honor of my 50lb pup from 42 Since: Jan, 2001
In honor of my 50lb pup
#270: Jul 23rd 2012 at 6:33:00 AM

Just got around to watching it.

~slow clap~

I said that what was needed was enough of the "backstory" to get a person attached to the characters (which, as semi-expected, was shown as "normal progression") and that bit at the end. I'm still not sure how they managed to make the rest of the episode make sense, but I congratulate them on that.

So I'll eat my pessimism from earlier, but not my words.

edited 23rd Jul '12 6:33:21 AM by Belian

Yu hav nat sein bod speeling unntil know. (cacke four undersandig tis)the cake is a lie!
kimmithy Since: May, 2012
#271: Jul 23rd 2012 at 6:28:41 PM

I'm not sure if I was reading the subs right, but can someone actually explain what a 'Beater' is? From what I got it, it was someone being in the beta test and 'cheating' because he knew what was happening in the game or was better than all the other beta testers?? I really don't see how that is cheating??? I'm just...kinda confused?

Also, is Baka-Tsuki the only one with SAO translations?

burnpsy Since: Sep, 2010
#272: Jul 23rd 2012 at 6:30:03 PM

I really don't see how that is cheating??? I'm just...kinda confused?

Butthurt normal players are butthurt.

Does that help? 'Cause that's just about the best elaboration there is for it.

Clarste One Winged Egret Since: Jun, 2009 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
One Winged Egret
#273: Jul 23rd 2012 at 6:32:54 PM

It's an insult to beta testers who do well. Insults don't have to make sense. Think of it like a racial slur or something. Just a heavy insult that's developed in their culture. I doubt the people using it would even bother to confirm if the person really was in the beta. And seriously, the beta only got to floor 9 or something so it really can't mean anything after episode 2.

edited 23rd Jul '12 6:33:35 PM by Clarste

kimmithy Since: May, 2012
#274: Jul 23rd 2012 at 6:57:18 PM

That makes sense. I just find it kinda silly since I guess these are the types of people you would want to be helping you since they know things?

Clarste One Winged Egret Since: Jun, 2009 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
One Winged Egret
#275: Jul 23rd 2012 at 7:05:03 PM

Well, they're called Beaters because they aren't helping people. The whole point of Kirito's Zero-Approval Gambit in episode 2 was to make himself and others like him a target while the rest of the beta testers or high level people would be considered trustworthy (as opposed to starting a witch hunt). I mean, it is true that Kirito ran off alone on the first day instead of trying to help the others who were still panicking. And that's clearly still eating him up inside. Beaters are "the people who left us to die."

Others, like the information broker "Argo the Rat" who you saw in episode 3 and wrote the guide book from episode 2, are not called Beaters because they actively help the people behind them.

edited 23rd Jul '12 7:06:16 PM by Clarste


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