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Multiple Interviews Discussing 'Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory'

Earlier today, multiple interviews popped up online, with several websites and publications getting a chance to interview Kingdom Hearts series director, Tetsuya Nomura, along with Ichiro Hazama ('Melody of Memory' Producer) and Masanobu Suzui ('Melody of memory' Co-Director) regarding 'Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory'. A couple of these interviews can be read below, with most of the information discussed being similar across all interviews more or less. Several interesting things to note from the interviews is that 'Melody of Memory' is meant to be a spiritual successor to the Theatrhythm games (even involving the same development team) that has been discussed as early as five years ago, along with the fact that Disney actually pushed for development of the game, and how development was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Check out the interviews below:

DualShockers:

DualShockers: Can you tell us what sparked the first idea or inspiration that went into making KH: MoM? Is it an idea you had for the series for a long time?

Masanobu Suzui: Hazama-san and I were working together to create these rhythm action game series called Theaterythm. That series had been producing titles over the span of eight years, and they had expanded from the Final Fantasy series to Dragon Quest and now we are expanding to the Kingdom Hearts franchise. Because there are so many songs that have made an impression on players’ hearts, we were very interested in the idea. At the team, we tried to develop a plan to create a game and presented it to Nomura-san. At the time, we weren’t able to move forward with the project and the idea remained up in the air. Disney took notice of it after a few years and they re-approached Nomura-san, saying, “Would we be interested in making a rhythm action game using the Kingdom Hearts franchise?” Nomura-san felt perhaps it was an appropriate time to do something like this, so that is how the project came to life.

DS: The Kingdom Hearts games have always had a strong connection to music. Which pieces of music or songs did you personally feel most passionate about including to represent the series in MoM?

MS: In terms of choosing which songs, for any Kingdom Hearts title — any song really got you to the edge of their seats. There are many songs that are very emotionally moving and some parts people would cry over. It has a lot of great songs that taps into the players’ emotions. As a player myself, there are a lot of songs, phrases, and melodies that ring true and are very impressionable. It wasn’t so much a focus on any individual piece… more like it was hard choosing. There is a limit to how many songs we can include in the game, so selecting the songs was the bigger challenge.

DS: It was initially announced that KH: MoM would feature over 140 songs. Will that include any remixes/new interpretations of past KH music? Are there any brand new songs?

MS: When you open up the title screen, you will hear a newly-arranged track for a Kingdom Hearts song. Another thing to look forward to is during the staff roll, you will hear another newly-remixed song. In terms of the actual songs that you will be playing through in the game, those will all be the original tracks. The reason we are doing that is because the point of the game is to walk you through the experiences of the various titles within the franchise and bring back those memories — “Melody of Memory.” We have so many songs to choose from and work with that we deliberately chose the original versions to incorporate into this game.

DS: Speaking of, would you say Melody of Memory is a good entry point for those who didn’t play the Kingdom Hearts series in the past?

MS: You hit the nail right on the head; it is unmistakably going to be a great introduction into the Kingdom Hearts series. Even as I was creating it I felt that revisiting some of the previous titles really jogged my memory. I even took a look at the remixes as well, and I’ve realized how long it’s been since I’ve played it for the first time. With all of the music incorporated the game, there are parts where you are taking a look at cutscenes from the previous titles and you have the narration done by Kairi walking you through the memorable scenes. It really will give you an idea of what the story’s narrative is. I felt it was a good condensed, enriched experience that brings emotional weight. I think people playing Kingdom Hearts for the first time will really get a taste of that experience. We had some developers on the team who are new to the series play the game, and they themselves were very excited about the tracks chosen. It was a great experience for them as well. They felt after playing the music portion of it, they became interested in some of the older titles and wanted to experience it in full. So we are hoping that will be conveyed to the players as well and will allow for people to get interested and learn more deeply about Kingdom Hearts titles.

DS: What was the process like of deciding which Disney Worlds would be included in MoM?

MS: With the gameplay of Melody of Memory, we have this mode called “World Tour” which you are going through the different stages and worlds. We tried to follow along with the story and the narrative of the Kingdom Hearts series. We made sure to go to areas where there was a boss fight in the specific world. We also tried to choose as many Disney worlds as possible, but we had to take into consideration where players were able to go when playing the original games. We’re hoping that it won’t feel like a rush through a collection of the entire series, but it feels robust.

DS: What were the biggest challenges in trying to implement the mechanics and gameplay of KH into a rhythm game experience?

MS: One of the few things that come to mind, we tried to reconstruct the Kingdom Hearts gameplay experience in a 3D environment. One of the things we focused on was character movements. Specifically how the characters move and their motion set. In the original titles, Sora swings his Keyblade in a very smooth movement. When you are fitting that for a rhythm game, you want to hit the button and react immediately to hit your enemies. Our challenge was how do you make it look like the movement from a Kingdom Hearts game but still have that kind of mechanic incorporated. We took a style that is utilized a lot in Japanese animation where you deliberately adjust the keyframes so the animation gets the ‘exact hit.’ That way we have that sort of button mechanic work properly, but Sora will move exactly like in a mainline Kingdom Hearts game. We worked very closely with the Kingdom Hearts team on the console games to get the movement right, and we tried to do that with all the characters.

DS: Will dual English/Japanese audio be a possibility for the release of Melody of Memory?

Ichiro Hazama & MS: It’s already set, so if you buy the Japanese version of the game you will get the Japanese audio. If you get the overseas version, you get the English voice. I’m afraid we won’t have dual-language functions.

DS: Will the online mode include rankings to keep track of the best players?

MS: It’s a bit unusual; we’ve seen Birth by Sleep do an ad-hoc multiplayer in the past, but it is unusual. It takes inspiration from the Theaterythm series. Curtain Call had the online competitive mode. It’s been about six years since the release of Curtain Call and people still love playing with each other. Fans would get together and do tournaments where they would utilize these online features and play against each other. We wanted to incorporate that with Melody of Memory as well. With this rhythm action game and following the overarching story of the Kingdom Hearts series, that is the main component of this game and we are trying to rekindle that spark of nostalgia. We believe that the fans are going to want to revisit these songs over and over again, and that’s why we thought it would be a good idea to incorporate this online mode to allow for competitive play. A quick overview of the online mode is you go in with two players and each of you will pick a song that you want to play. One of the songs get picked. So you play through the song together, and as you’re playing you are trying to sabotage the other player so you can get the higher score. You have these little tricks that you will try throwing at your enemies. Whoever gets the higher score will win that round, and will be awarded a card. The game is best 2 out of 3, so whoever wins two cards will win — and their ranking will go up. Players will be trying to rank up throughout. We’re hoping that being able to play these songs over and over again will allow for good replayability.

DS: Overall, Melody of Memory looks like it has an easygoing atmosphere, compared to the previous game in the series, Kingdom Hearts 3, which was a story climax with a strong, serious atmosphere. Is Melody of Memory supposed to be some sort of a breather before going back into more serious themes? Or can we expect serious story developments to happen in Melody of Memory?

The overall concept of Melody of Memory is to look back at what’s happened so far, so through the game you will see a mix of serious and lighthearted moments. There’s also another element that will be a big part of the plot — and we don’t want to spoil it — with some newly included scenes that you may have seen in the trailer. They might not be as robust as a Kingdom Hearts game, but we do have something prepared to give that sort of surprise that is unique to the series. And it will give you a glimpse into what’s going to come next. We hope that players look forward to it.
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Famitsu (credit to @RyujiBlades for translation):

Interviewer: Thank you for joining us. For the first question: Does Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory take inspiration from the Theatrhythm series?

Ichiro: When the project started out 5 years ago, it was called internally as "Project: Kingdom Hearts Theatrhythm".

Interviewer: You sound like that was going to be the name from the start.

Ichiro: Well, you see, Akira (Nomura) pitched the idea to me a few years back, and we decided to tackle the idea.

Interviewer: Unlike Theatrhythm, which features alternative sprites of the characters involved, Melody of Memory appears to use the actual 3D sprites of the characters. Is there a reason for that?

Suzui: The little characters you see on the loading screen were actually planned to be what you would see in the game itself. But then we also realised pretty quickly that it would look weird to rig these the way we wanted. So we decided to go with the 3D models to allow us for a more "immersive experience.

Interviewer: From the trailers, it seems the game will focus greatly on Kairi. Is she perhaps...the protagonist of this tale?

Nomura: You're correct. She is going to be the protagonist. This is also why the illustration cover shows her in a throne, like Sora. The image also shows multiple frames. Directing your attention to the Sora ones...those are the Kingdom Hearts 1, 2 and 3 endings, from Kairi's perspective, or PoV (point of view) so to speak.

Interviewer: I see!

Nomura: Though, if I'm going to be honest, this illustration was finished barely before the deadline expired. (laughs)

Suzui: Nomura's right. Since I helped supervise the project. Nomura would sketch out the draft and we would ask for the development team's opinion and input on how it can be improved or if it's to their liking. I remember placing hundreds of calls to many members so I could get their input, and eventually, we settled on a design...very close to the deadline.

Interviewer: It looks like you had a tough job delivering the illustration then.

Nomura: One of the primary reasons was that, this time, it's not just one character. It's multiple. The previous artwork I did for Kingdom Hearts III did not have anything etched in his frames, so it was much simpler.

Interviewer: What was the idea behind the graphics for the rhythm game itself?

Suzui: You see, there's a thin line between "many effects" and "little effects." If you put too many effects at once, the player could get dizzy [as if you were drunk!] and possibly have a headache from all those colours and effects,and if you add too little effects, the game will look unimpressive and boring. We wanted the player to have fun playing through the songs, while not bombarding them with effects.

Interviewer: I see. So you went with that design.

Ichiro: In the first early builds of the game, we noticed we got quite...dizzy [imagine a drunk Ichiro. You're welcome.] with how the camera moved and how the effects were laid out. It took many sessions of "Ah, maybe tweak the camera movement to be like this" and "Maybe we added TOO many effects on that part" until we got to a good result.

Interviewer: So it was a fight against dizziness [read: hangover], I take.

Suzui: Correct. We wanted the game to have the Kingdom Hearts games' dynamic while keeping a consistent speed and pace with the effects, so that players could enjoy playing through the songs without being overwhelmed.

Nomura: It took quite a while to nail the right balance.

Interviewer: How was development regarding the rhythm part of the game?

Suzui: It wasn't easy, I'll give you that. (laughs). Timing each enemy hit to the music, while not trying to overwhelm the player with inputs that would make them go "This song looks too scary for me to do...I am not gonna do it..." We wanted players to feel very balanced. So that even beginners to a rhythm game can feel that they can do it, that they can enjoy it. We experimented a lot. I mean, we raised and lowered the speed down more times than I can count! (laughs)

Interviewer: According to commercials, the game will feature over 140 songs. Will there be any arrangements? Or will they be 100% original?

Suzui: 100% original. There won't be any "Melody of Memory MIX" or any of the sort.

Interviewer: Is DLC planned for the game?

Suzui: We have no plans to add any songs via DLC, no.

Ichiro: Yes. We wish to deliver just a single package of songs, instead of just delivering a smaller amount and then having players purchase more/download more via downloadable content.

Interviewer: How were the songs picked? [NOTE: This kinda merges two questions into one, for a shorter answer.]

Suzui: Most songs were handpicked by me, Nomura and Ichiro. We prioritised mostly popular songs (basing ourselves on CD sales of said songs) and songs that just touch deeply into the fans' hearts. But...it was Yoko Shimomura who picked and arranged herself the song that you will listen as the title menu's Dearly Beloved, as well as the credits song.

Interviewer: Was Shimomura-san thrilled in composing the songs?

Ichiro: She sure was. Having played the Thearhythm games herself, she even pitched the idea to us: "Why can't we do this with Kingdom Hearts as well?"

Suzui: I once met Shimomura-san during Hanami [cherry-blossom viewing--commonly held in parks where people can see the beautiful cherry blossoms and have picnics under the trees]. She was listening to one of the Kingdom Hearts soundtracks, and just faced me and said "You know the rest, don't you?" with a big grin on her face (laughs).

Interviewer: How long is the game?

Suzui: Hmm...if I had to estimate it...assuming the player just advances straight to the ending and views the entire story, I'd estimate about 10 hours or so.

Interviewer: How many worlds does the game have?

Suzui: Around...47 or so. Out of the 47, 16 are original KH worlds and the rest [31] are Disney worlds.

Interviewer: It's honestly quite amazing that there will be 10 available languages to choose from the get-go.

Ichiro: We wanted to tackle the challenge that is releasing a multi-language game. Since this game is supposed to be fun for everyone, we also want it to be inclusive, even to non-Japanese [English] speakers.

Interviewer: Did the current Coronavirus outbreak affect development negatively in any way?

Suzui: Well, we did double the security around the SQUARE ENIX building, to ensure our workers managed to work safely, and even switched to remote development. But remote development...had its limitations. Creating assets remotely can be a bit complicated.

Nomura: Voice acting was pretty tough, especially the overseas voice acting, because the risk level of the virus fluctuates a lot from country to country, and not all voice actors are available [due to the rules of quarantine on said country.]

Ichiro: The same can be said with motion capture and acting. We had to crunch a lot of time to make sure we weren't disturbing our actors' time while also keeping within Coronavirus regulations.
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Nintendolife:

For players looking to dip their toe into the pool of this appealing action-RPG series, though, it's tough to know where to start. The universe may seem impenetrable to a newcomer, but upcoming rhythm game Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memories might well serve as the best possible introduction to this most labyrinthine of series.

"I really hope so," co-director Masanobu Suzui tells us via interpreter in a recent interview with both him and series director (and Final Fantasy series veteran) Tetsuya Nomura. Suzui-san is the founder of Indieszero, a development studio with ties to Nintendo (most recently collaborating on development of Sushi Striker and Dr Kawashima's Brain Training for Nintendo Switch).

"Obviously, at the end of Kingdom Hearts III we've kind of reached the end of a particular story arc within the Kingdom Hearts series, so I think it's a really good opportunity for fans and people who've already played the games to look back over that period, or for new players to really come in and pick that up as a good overview."

Melody of Memories was revealed back in June and fans of Theatrhythm Final Fantasy quickly saw similarities between this new game and its 3DS forebears. It's no surprise that they're similar, as Suzui-san was the director on that title, too. Given the success of the Kingdom Hearts series over the past eighteen years, we guessed that a rhythm game must have been on the cards for a while.

"The first Theatrhythm came out in 2012 and then, of course, after that we had the Curtain Call version for iOS and then the Dragon Quest version that was released in Japan," Suzui continues, "so we were obviously busy with all of that development. But Kingdom Hearts as well has an absolutely fantastic soundtrack--some excellent music in it--so we were really excited about the possibility of being able to do a rhythm game there. About five years ago, Hazama-san [producer, Ichiro Hazama] and myself took a proposal to do a Kingdom Hearts rhythm game to Nomura-san. Yes, so that was about five years ago."

The idea may have been around for a while, but timing is everything, especially with a franchise this big with multiple projects and parties involved.

"At that time, the result was that it wasn't quite the right time; it would be a little bit difficult, so it didn't go ahead. But then a bit further down the road, Disney also came back and said 'Well, have [you] considered doing a rhythm game for Kingdom Hearts? We heard that might have been something in discussion and we're quite open to that'. And so then Nomura-san took another look at things and we decided to go ahead with it this time around."

Once the green light was given, updating the basic foundation of rhythm-based battles with a fresh Kingdom Hearts spin became the focus. We wondered how much of a departure Melody of Memories is from the gameplay and mechanics of Theatrhythm. "The idea of how music is important and how gameplay is important hasn't changed at all. That's still something that is very central to this game," says Suzui. "The one thing we really wanted to consider is taking this into the direction of 3D. Since Kingdom Hearts is a 3D game, we wanted to create this in a 3D way, so we thought about how we wanted to make this and how we wanted to implement it and that's the main change."

In fact, inspiration for how the added third dimension should work in the game came from an existing source. "The initial idea that we got from Nomura-san was based on the 15th anniversary jukebox website where there was a little Sora running across the top of a musical score. Initially, we tried to build that into it, and that's eventually the direction that we went."

Implementing that extra dimension, however, presented new problems. "First of all the camera was quite difficult - it ended up making a lot of people motion sick - so we had to create a lot of different prototypes and this camera element and the action elements are areas that we've tweaked a lot as we've gone on."

Nearly two decades since the first game in the series, we wondered how the working relationship with Disney has changed over that period. Along with the excitement of having Mickey, Donald and all the other treasured characters from the House of Mouse, there must also come tight restrictions over how they're used. We asked Tetsuya Nomura if it's easier to get things done or approved now than it was 20 years ago?

"My general impression is that, for example, overseas (in this case obviously American) companies tend to change people--have personnel changes--more often than Japanese companies," Nomura says. "So obviously, whenever the person from Disney that's dealing with the Kingdom Hearts series changes, we see some changes."

In fact, in some ways, it was easier in the old days when Kingdom Hearts was an unknown quantity, as Nomura-san explains: "To be honest, in the early years not many people at Disney really knew much about Kingdom Hearts. It was a little sort of tucked away thing, if you will. But now it's more widely known, there's a lot more recognition within Disney that Kingdom Hearts is a 'thing'. So, there were some things that were easier to do when we weren't as well known, but on the other hand there are some things that are easier to do now we have that larger name recognition."

Dealing with a huge corporate entity like Disney means that internal policies can fluctuate frequently, too, which inevitably affects projects and possibilities. "In the past decade plus, there have obviously been a lot of rule changes at Disney itself so in the past some things that we weren't allowed to do, we are now allowed to do. And on the other hand, some of the things we were previously allowed to do we are no longer allowed to do. So, I think the biggest thing that hasn't really changed is that it's always changing."

Melody of Memories revisits the narrative and worlds from the entire Kingdom Hearts series, with a rich cast of characters that will feature familiar faces even if you've never touched a KH game before. "With both Kingdom Hearts and Disney characters, there's about 20-something characters in there," Suzui confirms. "There are the main parties, which have three members, and there are four of those different main parties that you can change between. In addition to that, there are the guest Disney members that will appear in their specific Disney-themed worlds. For those guest characters, when they appear there will be world-specific [details]; for example, different sounds, different symbols, etc, so you can see that kind of impact on the gameplay."

For a series was bafflingly complex as Kingdom Hearts (narratively-speaking), we imagined that combining story elements into the rhythm experience must have been a challenge. "Players will be able to follow the story through the music and through the different worlds [through the World Tour mode]," Suzui tells us. "Obviously, the important points in the plot in each world will be looked back on in cutscenes and movies as the players progress through it with Kairi's narration - Kairi's storytelling [Kairi is Kingdom Hearts III's protagonist]. This will cover events from Kingdom Hearts 1, 2, Birth By Sleep, Dream Drop Distance, etc, going on."

While you might think it's simply a case of throwing cutscenes behind the rhythm action, Suzui-san believes the narrative and gameplay nit together well. "I think that the gameplay itself--the rhythm game and the story--are quite interwoven there, quite well stacked on top of each other, if you will. We've also obviously paid a lot of attention to the backgrounds, the characters that are being used to really bring back the memories of the original games as they were, to capture that original essence. So, we think that it'll be really good in that sense for both elements."

So, the game looks to capture the spirit of the series, which should please franchise fans looking for a dose of the KH's inimitable charm on Nintendo's console. We were interested to find out more about Melody of Memories' structure and how it differs from that of Theatrhythm. We ask Suzui-san about the main modes available (including online) and if the game will feature similar Event / Field / Battle Music Stages.

"There are three what we would call different 'styles' or different 'segments' that you would play the rhythm action in;" he tells us. "That's the Field, the Memory Dive and other Battles. There are three different ways you can play in that style. But then, to widen it out to the modes, separate to those different styles of play you've got the Online Versus mode, you've got Co-op mode, then you've got the Music Select, and then you have the Main World Tour."

The game has over 140 tracks, with some Disney classics mixed in with the original Kingdom Hearts tracks. We asked about the split between Kingdom Hearts and Disney music. "We chose those 140 songs really looking at the Kingdom Hearts series and focusing on the Kingdom Hearts music," Suzui continues, "so there's not a lot of Disney songs in there really. Obviously, Disney songs that were used in Kingdom Hearts worlds will be included, but they're not really the main majority. We also discussed this--I discussed this with Nomura-san and Hazama-san as well--we really wanted to bring the Kingdom Hearts worlds to the fore and use the music that was there."

With this being the first Kingdom Hearts game to come to Switch, we wondered if the console's touchscreen or other features might be put to use. "It's all going to be button-based controls," Suzui-san confirms. "Obviously you can detach the Joy-Cons, you can split the controller up and play the Co-op mode together with those individual Joy-Cons. We've also included local play for the Versus mode, so you can play local [...] Versus instead of just online play." However, the Switch version of Melody of Memory is getting an exclusive mode: "Free For All mode, where you can play with a large number of people on local communications with the Switch." More information and details on this Switch-specific mode will be coming soon.

With time tight in our interview, we finished our conversation by asking Nomura-san how this game's development and schedule has been affected by the unusual events of 2020. Orchestrating all the elements of a project that involves both Square Enix and Disney would surely be a challenge at the best of times, let alone during a global pandemic. "It has had a bit of an impact on the schedule, which is running a little bit later than the original plan," Nomura says. "It's not a huge impact by any stretch of the imagination but, for example, it has had an impact on recording--voice recording, etc. We can't follow the same schedule we would usually be able to in these circumstances."
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IGN:

The idea for Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory dates back to the release of Theatrhythm Dragon Quest in 2015. Like Theatrhythm Final Fantasy before it, TDQ is a rhythm action game set to music from across the entire Dragon Quest series. “We thought, well, Kingdom Hearts has a lot of really great music in that series as well. Why don't we do a Theatrhythm Kingdom Hearts?” recalls Suzui.

Franchise director Tetsuya Nomura declined the pitch at the time, but Disney resurrected the idea sometime later. By that time, Nomura felt things were “lined up” for Kingdom Hearts to swing its keyblade in the direction of an action rhythm game.

“This game itself is actually very similar in concept [to Theatrhythm],” says Suzui. “The underlying concept of using music to look back across the whole series.” As a result, you can expect to play along to music drawn from the entire Kingdom Hearts timeline. But, in a change from Theatrhythm, Melody of Memory is a 3D game, which provides its own unique feel compared to its spiritual predecessors.

Selecting the songs for Melody of Memory has been a process of careful consideration. “You're probably aware that Kingdom Hearts has had world concerts taking place globally, and we use the set-list for that as one particular hint for ourselves,” explains Suzui.

“We wanted to make sure that there was no particular melody that we left out,” he adds. “So when there was a song that we absolutely couldn't include and we had to cut it down, we would always try to make sure that there was a refrain that hadn't been included.”

That completist attitude applies to not just the game's musical library; Melody of Memory’s storyline spans the entire Kingdom Hearts narrative… and beyond.

“I think it is a summary of sorts,” says Suzui. “The current story arc that came to a conclusion with the end of Kingdom Hearts 3 is all summed up here in a nice, easy to digest format. It's a really great entrance for new fans who want to come in and pick that up and learn about [Kingdom Hearts].”

“But for the old fans who've really followed Kingdom Hearts up until now and know a lot about it, there are hints about what's coming next,” he explains. “Not quite a signpost, if you will, but just a few little tidbits and there.”

While Suzui would not reveal what’s to come as part of the extension of Kairi’s story, he did say that the new scenario, written by Tetsuya Nomura, had the team “very excited, very surprised”.

Unlike the core Kingdom Hearts games, Melody of Memory is not an RPG. The musical genre has meant Square Enix has found new approaches to telling stories in the Kingdom Hearts world, via a variety of modes. For those in love with the fiction, World Tour Mode will be the first port of call, as it’s effectively the story campaign. Select Music mode is similar, but allows you to revisit single tracks that you’ve previously unlocked.

Then there’s Memory Dive, in which you can “play with some of the cutscenes and movies from past series and include those in the rhythm sections,” says Suzui. The mode is even inspired by a cutscene from the RPG games themselves, in which the characters dive into memories.

A new step for Kingdom Hearts is the inclusion of multiplayer, both competitive and co-operative. For friendly matches, the Co-op mode offers local play on the same screen, “where one player will play Sora and the other player Riku, and you'll have to cooperate to get a high score in that mode.”

The Versus mode, meanwhile, has a few more complexities. The 1v1 mode, which uses tracks that have been unlocked in World Tour mode, is played online, or locally against AI. Rounds begin with each player choosing a preference of track, and the game randomly selects which one will be played. Then it’s a race to the best score, with your opponent’s score displayed on your HUD to encourage/upset you.

During rounds, you’ll be able to make use of ‘tricks’. “There are 10 of these different types of tricks,” Suzui says. “At the beginning of the track, you'll only be able to use one trick, but towards the end you'll be able to use two simultaneously. That makes it even more tricky and complicated about how you can build these together.”

Winning a Versus match will bag you two collectible cards, and - in a move that feels very evocative of Kingdom Hearts’ kindly values - losers are more like runner-ups, as they get one card, too.
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GameInformer:

Can you discuss the creative process and how the team approached bringing Kingdom Hearts to a new genre?

Hazama: The idea was floating around for a while, it was around five years ago. [Suzui and I] kept thinking, “Oh, we would love to do a Theatrhythm Kingdom Hearts.” We were discussing it, making planning documents, and things like that. But at the time, we decided that it might be a bit difficult to move forward with the project. A few years ago, there was a separate discussion with Nomura-san and Disney. Disney actually came forward to Nomura-san, asking, “Hey, could you do this with us?” They decided that they wanted to move forward with the project and then the discussion came down to me and Suzui-san to do this project, and that's how this project came to be.

It does look very similar to Theatrhythm’s gameplay, and Square Enix had entries for Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest in that series. Why is Melody of Memory a separate spinoff rather than a new Theatrhythm game?

Suzui: As we mentioned earlier, we were talking about how we had come up with rough ideas and planning documents. But as we were discussing how we go about creating this particular title with Nomura-san, we were keen on making this 3D. With Final Fantasy Theatrhythm, you may recall we had this side-scrolling, very 2D sort of aesthetics. And then in terms of Dragon Quest, it was more of a top view where your battles are sort of going inward; there's like this field of depth. With Kingdom Hearts, we wanted to pursue the idea of utilizing the original characters. We wanted to recreate the original look of the game titles and carry that over. We also took inspiration from [Kingdom Hearts’] 15th anniversary music site. From there, we started to think, “Okay, so how do we incorporate different elements?” And Nomura-san provided feedback and a lot of the inspiration that went into the basic idea. We took that as well as some of the technical elements and the mechanics that were already existing in the Theatrhythm titles, and then thought about what kind of music and what kind of scheme of the notes that we want for players to experience. We [wanted to] incorporate those fun elements of play and make sure that we are leveraging the game mechanics of the original game, as well as bringing in Kingdom Hearts’ stylish action and incorporating the rich story behind it, especially the world settings that we've established in our series titles. We asked, “How do we leverage and keep the integrity of that?” That was our foundation for our approach. From there, we thought, ‘Okay, so we're going to build this from the ground up and we're going to bring this as a brand new title.’ That's why we decided we're going to change up the name and we weren't going to carry over the Theatrhythm title. We thought it would be appropriate and proper to have that Kingdom Hearts name. That's how we moved along with the development of it. We all had the same understanding amongst our team members that this is not a Theatrhythm game. Nomura-san also [felt] that way, so he came up with a really nice name for this title and a really nice key art as well, and we kind of expanded from there.

Will we see lots of remixes to songs, or are you mostly sticking to the originals?

Suzui: Generally speaking, we will be using the original music. We didn't want to take away from the gameplay experience from the different titles in our franchise. But that being said, certain parts of the game, like the title menu or the staff credits, will have songs that incorporate a new arrangement by Miss Shimomura, so that's something to look forward to.

Are there any new tracks in the game that we haven't heard before?

Suzui: No. There will not be any new tracks.

With over 140 songs in the game, can we expect music from every world we visited in the Kingdom Hearts series, or are some being left out?

Suzui: We actually looked at all of the tracks that were available and we revisited all the different CDs from the past and counted all the songs. Of course, we couldn't keep a full catalogue of the most recent Kingdom Hearts games like 2.8 or some of the songs in Kingdom Hearts III. We haven't gotten the full count of all of the songs that are in there, but it ended up being about 600 to 700 songs. So unfortunately, there may be some songs that are not included in Melody of Memory. That being said, from our vast library, we tried to carefully select the songs, and it's a very rich selection of over 140 songs.

How do they approach designing the different levels and making sure the backdrops match the essence of each song?

Suzui: The primary game mode that you will be playing through is what we call “World Trip.” You're literally going through [the experience] in order from Kingdom Hearts 1 and following it with the game's story. You’re looking back at the experience through the music and the gameplay, and there are various movie clips of the story that you get to experience through it. In some parts, there's some narration by Kairi, and then once you clear a few songs and different missions, you open up a gate to move on to the next section. As you progress through the game, of course, there will be different difficulties with the songs. You may notice that the enemies that appear in these stages will be from the original games, and we tried to structure it so that you're re-experiencing the different iconic moments and symbolic elements with each of the songs. Also, the enemies that you encounter will move very similarly to how they first appeared in the original titles. You experience the overall game arc as you progress through these different songs. With the narrative, it’s what we call the “Dark Seeker Saga,” which has been throughout all the Kingdom Hearts titles up to Kingdom Hearts III. We traverse through all of the different key elements through that saga in order. That's the general flow. And then with the tempo and the mood of each of the stages, we have some boss battles prepared as well. Those do tend to be a little bit more on the difficult side. So there's a good variation of difficulty levels as you play through. Now that being said, we understand that there may be players who might not be as comfortable with playing rhythm action games, and so we made sure to design the game so that players are able to complete their missions no matter what difficulty they choose.

Kingdom Hearts is an action/RPG. What kind of progression system will we see in Melody of Memory in terms of new abilities and leveling up?

Suzui: The progression system for Melody of Memory is leveling. Because it's a rhythm action game, it was a bit difficult to differentiate the different moves and actions within the gameplay. But through leveling, your character will gain higher HP, so you won't get a “game over” as easily, which should be beneficial when you're trying to clear the different stages. Plus, as you level, your attack power will also increase. Of course, bosses will need a few extra hits. But as you level up and become stronger, you won't take as long to stun them to get an advantage on attacking the bosses, and you’ll get a bonus for that. There is no ability system that you would be bolstering throughout the process. Each leader will have two different types of ranged and melee attacks, but that's about it.

How will online battles work in the game?

Suzui: Similarly to Theatrhythm Curtain Call, there is a versus match, but we expanded on that where you have one player versus one player and you compete for the higher score, and as you win, your rating will go up. With online battles, one of the mechanics is called “tricks,” where you're trying to not exactly sabotage, but get in the way of the other players so that they might trip. The goal is to get as many points without failing or tripping in your gameplay and competing for who gets the better scores.

We discussed this a little bit with Kairi’s narration, but what can we expect from the story and Kairi’s involvement in it?

Nomura: So Kairi is going to be our storyteller so to speak – what she is doing is reflecting upon the previous iteration and the history of the narrative. She is going to be talking about all of what happens within Kingdom Hearts and she's going to be bringing you through this story. And so her positioning... I'm afraid we can't delve too far into details, because it will be quite a bit of a spoiler and she is relevant to a very big part of the plot. But what she does tell through her recollection is not just the experiences that she went through, but it's all the experiences that her allies and the party members had experienced throughout the story as well. And once we go through the story of recollection and beyond that, we start to see a timeline that will connect to the future.

Is this going to bring closure to where we left off with Kairi at the end of Kingdom Hearts III and the Re Mind DLC?

Nomura: With Melody of Memory, the timeline fits immediately after the story of Re Mind. But with that being said, the story volume is not going to be as large as a mainline Kingdom Hearts title, so you may not see too big of a movement in Kairi’s time and in her narrative. Still, I think you might get a glimpse of where this might be going through this title. It's quite difficult to not spoil it, but still try to explain it at the same time. But with Kairi, her childhood is still shrouded in mystery. We haven't really delved deep into that part of her narrative, so you might be able to see a glimpse of that through Melody of Memory. But that being said, again, it's not meant to advance things significantly through this game.

The Gummi Ship was featured in trailers. How is that going to work in the game?

Suzui: It's kind of unfortunate this is going to be the last question because the Gummi Ship is just strictly going to be for transportation purposes, traveling between worlds. [laughs] Unfortunately, we won't have any sort of like customization elements or anything like that.
Click to expand...

Thread by: Meilin Lee, Sep 7, 2020, 0 replies, in forum: Kingdom Hearts News & Updates
Post
Crossover: Re: Mario's High School Days II - Age of the New World Order

~Siberia, Russia: Outside Restaurant~

“Serena…” Darien said as he hugged Serena back, with a feeling that what he was experiencing felt right, almost as though he had done this before. As Darien and Serena embraced each other, unbeknownst to the two of them, Rini and Mewtwo were watching them from the restaurant’s rooftop…

“It’s him…” Rini said. “Hmm?” Mewtwo asked, wondering what Rini was referring to. “Darien… he’s my dad,” Rini replied. “Are you sure?” Mewtwo asked. Nodding, Rini replied, “It all adds up… everything I know about my dad, and what I know about how my parents met each other… it was right in front of my eyes the whole time. I can’t believe I never noticed it before. I’ve known Serena was my mom for a while, but now that I know that Darien was my dad… I realize that all this time… I’ve been with both of my parents, fighting bad guys with them. They’re here, they’re both really here...” As tears rolled down her cheek, Rini turned around and walked away. “Rini… are you alright?” Mewtwo asked, worried if Rini would be as emotional as she was back when she first realized that Serena was her mother. As she stopped walking, Rini wiped the tears from her face, and looked at Mewtwo with a smile on her face, telling him, “Don't worry, I think I’ll be okay this time. Sorry to worry you, Mewtwo. I think… I’m just happy to be with both of my parents now… even if they don’t know it yet. But… let’s keep this a secret between us, okay?” “Very well. I won’t tell anyone else,” Mewtwo replied. “Thanks, Mewtwo,” Rini thanked Mewtwo.

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~Siberia, Russia: Restaurant~

“Well, if you ask me, I think you made the right choice,” Finn replied. Once he finished his food, Finn yawned as he told Rey, “Well, I think I’m gonna call it a night. Goodnight, Rey, Red. See you guys in the morning.” Finn then took his plate and silverware away to get cleaned, and then exited the restaurant.

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~Moon Palace - Dungeon~

Arriving at the dungeon where Zordon was, Thrax greeted him, “Good evening Zordon, how are you today?” Zordon remained silent, not bothering to reply to Thrax. “You know, I actually just came back from the Star Road, our home dimension,” Thrax said, “And I had a small discussion with someone regarding… Thanos.” Suddenly appearing alert upon hearing the name of the individual responsible for destroying his home planet, Zordon was beginning to worry what Thrax was about to say next. “If I’m not mistaken… you being alive is the reason Thanos hasn’t appeared ever since he destroyed your planet, am I correct? I wonder what would happen if I were to… oh, I don’t know… kill you right now…” Thrax said, appearing to threaten Zordon. “Don’t…” Zordon pleaded, “If Thanos returns and has his way, countless lives will be lost! You mustn’t bring him back!” “Hmph… you say that as if I care about the lives you mention,” Thrax scoffed, “My only regret in doing this is that you won’t see what Thanos gets to do once he’s back.” “NOOO!!!” Zordon cried as Thrax pressed a particular button on the wall. Zordon then appeared to be getting electrocuted inside his cage, and was crying in pain until he appeared to oompletely disintegrate, signalling his death. “Goodbye, Zordon,” Thrax said as he turned to leave the now empty dungeon.

Post by: Meilin Lee, Sep 6, 2020 in forum: Role-Playing Arena
Post
Crossover: Re: Mario's High School Days II - Age of the New World Order

~Siberia, Russia: Outside Restaurant~

“Oh, Serena, there you are,” Darien greeted Serena with a smile, “Hope you enjoyed your meal. I enjoyed the food myself. Anyway, there’s something I’ve been wanting to tell you for a while, and with the way things have gone today, I realize now is probably the best time to tell it to you. Ever since your family took me in and gave me a place to stay while I hid from the New World Order, I’ve been... developing certain feelings. The more I spent time with you, the more those feelings grew stronger. And every time I tried to push those feelings away, the opposite happened. It appeared that these feelings wouldn't go away anytime soon. And when I realized you were Sailor Moon all this time, my feelings were solidified. You know… Discord, Mewtwo, and even Connor can tease us all they want by trying to ship us, but… there is definitely some truth to what they say.” Reaching out to Serena’s hand to hold it, Darien looked at Serena’s eyes as he continued, “What I’m trying to say is… I love you, Serena. I care for you deeply, and want to be with you for as long as I live.”

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~Siberia, Russia: Restaurant~

“Wow… you had it pretty rough, huh?” Finn said after hearing what Rey said, “I guess it must’ve been a huge transition for you when you joined the Rebels and became part of a larger group.”

Post by: Meilin Lee, Sep 4, 2020 in forum: Role-Playing Arena
Post
Crossover: Re: Mario's High School Days II - Age of the New World Order

~The Capital: New World Order HQ - Haytham Kenway’s Office~

“You wanted to see me, my lord?” Charles Lee questioned as he entered Haytham’s office. “Ah, yes. Please come in, Charles,” Haytham responded as Charles closed the door behind him and approached Kenway, “Charles… you remember your mission in Osaka years ago, the one where you were wounded in your shoulder?” “How could I forget?” Charles remarked, “What of it?” “Do you remember the woman who had the Key at the time?” Haytham asked, “The one who was not to be a target?” “Oh her? True, I was told she shouldn’t be targeted when Rassilon assigned me the mission at the time, but she appeared to be someone who would hinder the goal of the mission, so I shot her,” Charles replied, “I admit, I did stretch the truth a bit when reporting to Rassilon at the time. But, no harm done. Look where we are now. We now control the world. It’s not like she was anyone of importance, am I right?” Though he was infuriated by what he was just told, Haytham faked a smile as he lied, “Of course, she was of no importance. By the way, care for a drink?” “Absolutely. Thank you, sir,” Charles replied. Walking over to a counter in his office where a bottle of champagne was joined by half a dozen glasses, Haytham took two glasses and poured champagne on both of them. As he waited for a bit, Charles eventually noticed Haytham approaching him while carrying two glasses of champagne. “Marvelous,” Charles remarked as he was given a glass. “A toast… to the glory of the New World Order,” Haytham said as he raised his glass, “May it thrive for a thousand years.” “Amen,” Charles replied as he too raised his glass. Both men then took a sip from their glass. But as Charles took a sip, he felt something strange with the way the champagne tasted. Suddenly, he started shaking violently, dropping his glass as he began to foam in the mouth and collapsed on the floor, realizing that his drink was poisoned. Haytham, on the other hand, simply glared at Charles, not saying a word. Eventually, Charles’s shaking stopped, and he was dead for good. Walking over to Charles’s dead body, Haytham spit at it as he said, “This… is for Ziio, you b*****d.” ‘Connor… I’m sorry I only just realized the truth regarding your mother’s death,’ Haytham thought to himself, feeling a bit of guilt that he never knew the true circumstances surrounding the death of Connor’s mother all these years.

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~Siberia, Russia: Outside Restaurant~

As Darien was alone, waiting for Serena in the back of the restaurant building outside, he looked up and noticed the moon in the sky, admiring how beautiful it was. But as he continued staring at the moon, he suddenly had a vision of the same palace where he shared a kiss with the princess from his dreams in an earlier vision. Darien then had a vision of Daybreak Town, a location he saw in an earlier dream, wondering if it was even a real place. Finally, Darien had a vision of three people looking at him. The first person was the princess from his dreams, while the second person was the man who strongly resembled Connor from Darien’s vision earlier today. As for the third person, it was a muscular blonde man that Darien noted shared a strong resemblance to Captain Japan. Seeing the three individuals smiling at him, Darien smiled back, feeling a strong bond with each of them despite being sure that he’s never met them in real life before. Yet they still felt very familiar to Darien, and he wasn’t sure why. Just then, Darien snapped out of his vision, shaking his head as he wondered why he kept getting these visions.

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~Siberia, Russia: Restaurant~

“You haven’t?” a surprised Finn questioned Rey, “Aww man, you’re missing out on a lot. You’ve really gotta try out Mexican food if you’ve never had some before. I also kinda have a soft spot for Italian food too.”

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~Siberia, Russia: Restaurant (again)~

As she finished her food, Rini told Serena, “Hey, I’m gonna go look for Mewtwo. Haven't seen him since we came back from the base. Don’t forget to go see Darien outside when you finish.” Rini then got up and left to look for Mewtwo.

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~Holonet News Transmission~

“This is Malva with the only news that matters, the Holonet News,” Malva stated on the only existing news channel on Earth right now, “Let’s go live to The Capital where New World Order representative, Sean Spicer, is having a town hall meeting with local citizens about current affairs.” The transmission then cut to live footage in a hall in a building somewhere in The Capital, where citizens were standing around, waiting for Sean Spicer to arrive. Eventually, the citizens were surprised when a man wearing an Easter Bunny outfit arrived with two Stormtroopers by his side, getting behind the podium and facing the crowd, ready to speak. “Happy Valentine’s Day!” the man in the outfit said as he took off the Easter Bunny head and threw it away, revealing himself to be none other than Sean Spicer himself…

“Alright, get outta here, get outta here, go!” Sean ordered those who were still standing around, “BACK TO YOUR SEATS! BACK TO YOUR SEATS! Alright, SHUT UP! SHUT UP! Don’t push me, I’m sweating my Easter eggs off in this thing! Now everybody, SHUT UP! First of all, I’m sure you’re all wondering why I’m wearing an Easter Bunny outfit on Valentine’s Day when I was instead supposed to come in as Baby Cupid. Well, it’s because an IDIOT INTERN GOT HIS HOLIDAYS MIXED UP, AND GOT ME THE WRONG OUTFIT! AND BECAUSE OF THAT, WE EXECUTED HIM IMMEDIATELY! SO LET THAT BE A LESSON FOR ANYONE WHO DECIDES TO INTERN WITH THE NEW WORLD ORDER! Now then, next on my list, I will apologize! Yes, you all got your wish today, didn’cha, huh? Spicey finally made a mistake. As we all know, Supreme Leader Harold Saxon recently ordered the bombing of several Rebel targets in Syria while eating the most beautiful piece of chocolate cake the world has ever laid eyes on. THAT’S A FACT! Okay, people loved that look on that cake! Now in justifying the Supreme Leader’s decision, I said that unlike Syrian Rebel leader, umm...” Sean suddenly stopped as he struggled to remember the name of the Syrian Rebel leader, shaking his head as he said, “The le-… the… the leader of... son of a… what is it?” Spicer then began going through his notes to try and see if the name was written somewhere. “What is his stupid name?” Spicer questioned before finding the name in one of his notes, although it was hard for him to pronounce, “I got a ‘Bazooka Felicia Ahmad Rashad’, okay? Anyway, what I said for justification was that at least Hitler wasn’t a Rebel scum, and everybody freaked. Okay? They were all like ‘Boo-hoo, boo-hoo, what about what he did with the Holocaust centers?’ AND YEAH, I KNOW THEY’RE NOT REALLY CALLED HOLOCAUST CENTERS! DUH! I KNOW THAT! I’M AWARE! I clearly meant to say ‘concentration clubs’! Okay? LET IT DROP! It would be really great if the nitpickers try and see the BIG PICTURE, AND DIDN’T SOLELY FOCUS ON EVERY LITTLE SLUR AND LIE I SAY! THAT’D BE NICE!” Taking a deep breath, Spicer continued, “Now, since we’re apparently on the subject, in the spirit of cultural unity, I thought I could shed some light on a Jewish tradition to all the goys out there. Specifically, the holiday known as Passover, or AKA… Jewish Valentine’s Day. Now bring out my baby dolls.” A Stormtrooper then brought a rolling tray with two boxes on top of it over to Sean Spicer. “All right! Okay, so here we go! Here’s Pharaoh!” Sean said as he pulled out a toy resembling an ancient Egyptian pharaoh from one of the boxes, showing it to those in attendance, “Okay? Pharoah is a bad, bad hombre. Got that? And he’s doing some really bad stuff to the Jews!” Sean then pulled out a doll resembling a Jewish man from the other box to show to those who were in attendance, “Okay? Bad stuff to the Jews. And I mean, not even Hitler-” Spicer suddenly stopped before he was about to say something he knew would be considered insensitive, shaking his head as he said, “You know what, I’m not gonna do it. Not gonna go there again. Fool me once, shame on me! Fool me twice, shame on Jews! Okay? Anyway, so you got Pharoah, who’s like ‘You guys need to start making pyramids and stuff!’ And then the Jews… the Jews, these guys pass over.” Spicer then raised the doll representing a Jewish man over the Pharaoh toy as he continued, “Literally! These guys literally float above the Pharaoh kinda like ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dreidel’. I mean, it’s amazing! And they’re like ‘Yeah, see ya Pharoah, wouldn’t wanna be ya!’ And then the Jews lived happily ever after.” Spicer then threw the doll and toy back into the boxes and rolled the tray again. Walking back to the podium, Spicer said, “Okay! So just to be super clear, as far bad guys go, the ranking is boom, right up at the top, Hitler coming in at number one. Then for number two, the most wanted man in the world right now, leader of the Rebel scum himself, Ratonhnhaké:ton. Three would be Syrian Rebel leader Ray Moss Al Ashad. Four, I’m gonna go with Pharoah. And then it gets chronologically, the rest of the Rebels take number five. So that’s about wraps it up for me. Happy Valentine’s Day everybody! Oh, and by the way, the Supreme Leaders are probably gonna bomb targets in South America tonight. Okay! Spicey’s gotta hippety-hop and get some eggs ready for Easter. And to the Rebel scum, just eat as much Valentine’s chocolate as you want ‘cause it’s probably your last Valentine’s Day ever!” Sean then left the podium, getting into a nearby cart decorated to look like a giant egg, and began driving it, crashing through the podium as he gulped a bunch of M&M’s from a single bag.

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~The Capital: Shirou Ogami’s Apartment~

As he was watching Sean Spicer on the Holonet News, Shirou switched the television off, shaking his head from what he just watched as he remarked, “What an imbecile.” Kuro, Shirou’s Murkrow, squawked in agreement.

Post by: Meilin Lee, Sep 3, 2020 in forum: Role-Playing Arena
Thread
'Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory' Confirmed for TGS 2020 Appearance
View attachment 50581

Square-Enix has confirmed that the upcoming rhythm game, 'Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory', will be making an appearance at thus year's Tokyo Game Show, with the online event taking place on September 25th at 20:15 JST (07:15 EST and 04:15 PST), and will include the following guests:
- Susumu Imata (MC)
- Ichiro Hazama ('Melody of Memory' Producer)
- Tetsuya Nomura ('Melody of Memory' Director) (is also referred to as *Voice from the Heavens*...)
- Masanobu Suzui ('Melody of Memory' Co-Director)
- Shinya Kiyozuka (Pianist)
- Yoko Shimomura (Composer)
- Kasumi Ashizawa (Game Talent)
Thread by: Meilin Lee, Sep 1, 2020, 0 replies, in forum: Kingdom Hearts News & Updates
Post
Crossover: Re: Mario's High School Days II - Age of the New World Order

~The Capital: New World Order HQ~

Having arrived at the building that once was the Imperial Palace, but was now the headquarters of the New World Order, Haytham headed down a hallway, where he found Rassilon, leaning against a wall with his arms crossed as though he were waiting for him…

“You’re late,” Rassilon told Haytham, “The Supreme Leaders have been wondering where you were.” “My apologies,” Haytham responded, “I ran into some trouble in Siberia. Tell them I will write a full report on what happened there. But, it appears that the Rebels have taken care of Castiel.” “Hmph, good riddance,” Rassilon remarked, “Now we can go back to focusing on battling the Rebels in that part of the world. Speaking of which, you wouldn’t happen to have seen where the Rebels’ base is over there, have you?” “No… unfortunately I have no clue on where the Rebels in Siberia are gathering,” Haytham lied, keeping his promise to Connor. “Very well,” a disappointed Rassilon said as he walked away. “By the way… would you be able to send Charles Lee over to my office?” Haytham asked. Nodding as he walked away, Rassilon replied, “I’ll send him over.”

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~Siberia, Russia: Restaurant~

As Discord walked over to the piano he summoned earlier, Celestia asked him, “You said you would be performing a song… any idea what song you want to perform?” “I may have an idea, but first…” Discord replied as he snapped his fingers, and was now wearing clothes like this. “So, do I look like a gay British singer or what?” Discord asked. Chuckling, Celestia responded, “You look great.” Blushing, Discord said, “Well, time to entertain everyone.” Sitting behind the piano, Discord began to play as he sang the following song…

[Discord]
There's a calm surrender
To the rush of day
When the heat of a rolling wind
Can be turned away
An enchanted moment
And it sees me through
It's enough for this restless warrior
Just to be with you

And can you feel the love tonight?
It is where we are
It's enough for this wide-eyed wanderer
That we got this far

And can you feel the love tonight?
How it's laid to rest
It's enough to make kings and vagabonds
Believe the very best

There's a time for everyone
If they only learn
That the twisting kaleidoscope
Moves us all in turn
There's a rhyme and reason
To the wild outdoors
When the heart of this star-crossed voyager
Beats in time with yours

And can you feel the love tonight?
It is where we are
It's enough for this wide-eyed wanderer
That we got this far

And can you feel the love tonight?
How it's laid to rest
It's enough to make kings and vagabonds
Believe the very best

It's enough to make kings and vagabonds
Believe the very best

“That was amazing…” Celestia commended Discord once he finished his song, having watched him up close as he played. “Thanks… it means a lot coming from you, Celestia,” Discord replied as he and Celestia both smiled at each other while staring at each other’s eyes.

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~Siberia, Russia: Restaurant (again)~

As Thor and Luna ate while sitting together and listening to Discord sing, Thor said, “Nice song. I didn’t know Discord could sing that well.” “Growing up, he and my sister loved listening to songs from the 60s, 70s, and 80s,” Luna replied, “Guess he must’ve practiced singing while listening to them.” “Yeah, you’re probably right,” Thor remarked. Looking at Thor, Luna asked, “What do you think Xion, Vanellope, and Loki are up to now?” Luna asked. “I’m sure Xion and Vanellope are safe over in Toky-, I mean… The Capital,” Thor replied, “As for Loki… not a day goes by where I don’t think of him. I truly wish he’s alright. But with him being a Stormtrooper, I just hope he hasn’t been sent on any dangerous missions.” “I hope so too,” Luna said, “Do you think, the five of us will ever be together like we were before the New World Order, just hanging out, watching the sunset while gulping on sea salt ice-cream?” “I don’t know,” Thor replied, “But as long there is hope Loki is out there, I won’t give up. I’ll keep fighting to reunite us all together.” Smiling, Luna placed her hoof on Thor’s hand and leaned against his shoulder, telling him, “In that case… I’ll keep fighting as well.” Blushing a bit, Thor simply smiled and nodded.

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~Siberia, Russia: Restaurant (again x2)~

As they were having dinner together, Connor confided to Katniss regarding what happened with Haytham earlier. “So he got away… are you sure that was the right thing to do?” Katniss asked. “I do not know,” Connor responded, “But… my Eagle Vision has never misled me before.” "So do you think your father can be redeemed or something?” Katniss asked. “I doubt it,” Connor answered, “Yet at the same time, there is a little part of me inside that feels something similar to that thought… I do not know how to explain it… but meeting my father for the first time has stirred a mixture of emotions in a way I have never felt before. It is a strange feeling.” “You didn’t know what to expect,” Katniss said, “Don’t forget… you’ve had an image of what your father was like for your whole life, but you’ve never met him in person until today. What you felt was completely normal for someone like yourself.” "Pika!” Haymitch concurred as he was eating Pokemon food specially prepared for him. As Connor was listening to Discord’s song, Connor smiled as he held Katniss’s hand, telling her, “Thank you. I could not imagine spending Valentine’s Day any other way.” “Same here,” Katniss replied, “I love you, Connor.”

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~Siberia, Russia: Restaurant (again x3)~

As he listened to Discord sing while he ate his food, Darien was thinking more and more about what he wanted to tell Serena. Once he was done with his plate, Darien told Serena, "Hey Serena… when you're done with your food, could you meet me outside? I have to tell you something while we're alone." "Huh? What are you going to tell her?" a curious Rini asked. "It's a secret," Darien replied, winking at Rini as he got up, "Take your time, Serena. I'll be waiting for you outside." Darien soon left and went outside, while Rini was wondering what could Darien possibly want to tell Serena while alone with her.

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~Siberia, Russia: Restaurant (again x4)~

“Why, I’m drinkin’ vodka, of course!” Cid responded to his granddaughter, “Don’tcha worry none… it’s jus’ for tonight! I won’ drink tomorrow, promise!” Hearing what Cid told Cindy, Natasha and Nikolai looked at each other, with Natasha saying, “20 Gil says he drinks tomorrow.” “I’ll take that bet,” Nikolai replied.

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~Siberia, Russia: Restaurant (again x5)~

“So, how’s the food?” Finn asked Rey and Red XIII as he joined them with a plate of his own, “Admittedly, I wasn’t fond of Russian food when I first came here, but over time, I’ve come to really like it.”

Post by: Meilin Lee, Aug 27, 2020 in forum: Role-Playing Arena
Thread
'Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory' Final Trailer Released + Message from Nomura

Following yesterday's reveal that 'Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory' would be released this November, Square-Enix surprised fans with the final trailer for the game, which you can check out below:

Additionally, series director, Tetsuya Nomura, left a message on the official Japanese Kingdom Hearts Twitter account, which has been translated and read below:

Thread by: Meilin Lee, Aug 27, 2020, 1 replies, in forum: Kingdom Hearts News & Updates
Thread
'Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory' Releasing November 13th!

During today's Nintendo Direct Mini, a surprise announcement was made in regards to 'Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory', confirming that the game will be releasing in Japan November 11th and everywhere else on November 13th for the PS4, XBONE, and Nintendo Switch! Check out a new short trailer below from today's Nintendo Direct Mini event:

In addition to the release date announcement, the game's cover art has been revealed as well:

View attachment 50575

Lastly, the official 'Melody of Memory' Japanese website has been updated, providing a new render of Sora, Donald, and Goofy, as well as screenshots, a list of some tracks expected to be in the game, and what appears to be the game's version of Dearly Beloved, which you can check out below:

Dearly Beloved (Melody of Memory) Download

Thread by: Meilin Lee, Aug 26, 2020, 0 replies, in forum: Kingdom Hearts News & Updates
Post
Crossover: Re: Mario's High School Days II - Age of the New World Order

~Siberia, Russia~

As Connor and Dick ran around the village, they stopped and decided it would be best to split up to find the person they were looking for. “How about this… you cover that part,” Dick told Connor, pointing to the eastern part of the village before shifting his hand to point to the western part, “And I will cover this part.” “Agreed,” Connor concurred, “The sooner we locate my father, the better.” The two then split up to look for Haytham, who was able to escape after being imprisoned by the Rebels just a short while ago. As he ran, Connor heard the sound of a twig snapping not too far from where he was. Rushing towards the direction of the sound, Connor found himself running outside the village’s border right into the snowy forest. Eventually, Connor came upon Haytham, who he found trying to run away…

“Stop, or I will shoot!” Connor yelled as he pulled out his gun and pointed it at Haytham, only for Haytham to stop and point his gun at Connor. The two were now standing still, pointing their guns at each other, with Connor telling Haytham, “Father… you will come with me now.” “I’m afraid I can’t do that,” Haytham replied, “You and I both know there are only two scenarios that happen right now. Either we both die, or… you be a good son and let me leave.” “As if I would let you return to your New World Order allies so you can reveal the location of the Rebels in this area to them,” Connor exclaimed. “Oh, you have me all wrong, Connor,” Haytham replied, “We may be on opposing sides, but honor is something I still believe in.” “What are you talking about?” a confused Connor questioned. “Quite simple really,” Haytham answered, “You Rebels helped with extinguishing the threat of Castiel. And for that, I swear… I will not say a word on the Rebels’ location in Siberia. By doing so, my debt will be repaid. We’ll be even. You have my word. All I ask is for you to let me go.” Still feeling suspicious of him, Connor used his eagle vision to see if Haytham’s aura changed, but was shocked to see he was still surrounded by a blue aura, indicating that Haytham still hasn’t reverted back to being an enemy as of this moment. And because of that, Connor was thinking that Haytham may indeed be telling the truth. Sighing, Connor lowered his gun, thinking to himself, ‘I hope I do not regret this…’ “There, see? No need for violence,” Haytham said as he put his gun away, “Now then, I really should be on my way now.” “Before you go, Father… there is one thing I would like to tell you,” Connor replied. “Oh? And what might that be?” Haytham asked. “Remember the discussion we had back in the base? Regarding the state of the world before the New World Order? Well, I have been thinking about it,” Connor replied, “I realize… you are right. Whatever happens in this war, the world truly cannot go back to how things were before the New World Order came to be.”

“I see,” Haytham commented, “So, you finally accept that the world prior to the New World Order was indeed a failure, and that the New World Order is necessary after all?” “Not exactly,” Connor replied, surprising Haytham, “Yes, the world prior to the New World Order was indeed problematic. It did cause a lot of suffering. The Rebels must not revert the world back to that condition when we defeat the New World Order. However, the system that the New World Order put in place is definitely not something to celebrate either.” “So you reject the New World Order, as well as the state of the world prior to the New World Order’s establishment,” Haytham said, “Then what are you Rebels going to fight for then?” “Simple,” Connor answered with a smile, “A brand new world. One not ruled by tyranny that strips individuals of their freedoms like the New World Order does. And not a world with the same exact problems that existed before the New World Order. Instead, the Rebels will instead fight for a peaceful world where everyone supports each other without the fear of being attacked by the leaders who rule over them, where individuals’ grievances are dealt with swiftly, and a world of true peace, united together as a single planet. That is the world I envision to follow the New World Order’s defeat, Father. And I have you to thank for making me realize that.” “I see…” Haytham remarked, not expecting Connor to come up with a new vision for what the Rebels intend to do to the world should they defeat the New World Order, “I’ll admit, that is a bit of a surprise. Nevertheless, you clearly seem intent with this new plan on what to do should you succeed in this war. In any case, may the best side in this war win. Farewell, Connor. I know I didn’t show it, but… I really was happy to see you today.” As Haytham turned around and walked away, Connor heard the sound of a wolf howling in the distance, turning around to make sure there was nothing close by. ‘I really should return to the village,’ Connor thought to himself. Turning back to see if his father was still there, Connor realized there was no sign of Haytham any longer. Sighing, Connor headed back to the village.

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~Siberia, Russia: Restaurant~

“Perfect!” Discord exclaimed as he finally finished setting up the restaurant for the Valentine’s Day Jamboree as more Rebels were coming in. “You did a pretty good job of setting up,” Celestia told Discord, “Is there anything else you need to do?” “Oh, just have to say a few words,” Discord replied to Celestia as he summoned a microphone in his paw and began to speak to those in the restaurant, “Ladies and gentlemen, thank you all for coming to the Valentine’s Day Jamboree celebrating both our recent victory and the holiday of love. We’ve got food and refreshments for everyone, and I will be soon performing a song that I hope you’ll all enjoy.” Just then, Connor entered the restaurant, which gave Discord an idea…

“Oh, and to give a few words of encouragement, please welcome the leader of the Rebel Alliance himself, Ratonhnhaké:ton!” Discord announced, surprising Connor as Discord extended his arm around him, and pulled him straight to his spot while giving him the microphone. “Say something,” Discord whispered to Connor, teleporting a couple feet away as he had a limelight focus on Connor so that he was the center of attention. Still surprised by what Discord did, Connor looked around while trying to think of what to say. Clearing his throat, Connor began to speak as he said, “G-Good evening everyone. I uhh… do not have much to say, other than how proud I am to fight along each and every one of you. Without you, there is no Rebel Alliance. Our victories are all thanks to all of your efforts. So consider this event as a way to thank you for all your hard work in keeping the cause alive. Relax, and enjoy the night. Thank you.” Those in attendance then applauded as Connor handed Discord back his microphone and went to look for Katniss. “Thank you Ratonhnhaké:ton!” Discord announced while clapping before shifting his attention back to the audience, “And, without further ado, let the jamboree begin! Enjoy!” Some Rebel volunteers then stepped out of the kitchen to hand out food and refreshments to the Rebels in attendance.

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~Siberia, Russia: Restaurant (again)~

“Oh, I’m starving!” Star happily exclaimed as food was being handed out, ready to dig in. “Yeah, I’m so ready to try out some Russian food!” Marco added. “Hey guys!” Tom said as he joined them…

“Oh, hey Tom…” Star replied, still appearing unhappy that her ex-boyfriend was still hanging around. “So, this is Earth food?” Tom asked as he was taking a bite from the dish he was served, “It’s really good!” “Well, these are actually local delicacies specific to this region. But you should see the kind of food we’ve got back in Japan,” Marco replied.

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~Siberia, Russia (again)~

“Red’s right,” Finn concurred with Red XIII when he gave a reason for what Natasha did, “It’s not just Natasha. I thought you proved yourself back in the base as well.” Once Rey and Red XIII were about to go to the jamboree at the restaurant, Finn said, “I’m coming too.” He then followed Rey and Red XIII as they headed to the restaurant.

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~Siberia, Russia: Restaurant (again x2)~

“Ah, finally! More vodka!” Cid happily exclaimed as he was given a glass of vodka after requesting some. “More? How many shots have you had today?” Natasha questioned as she was eating. “Not enough, that’s for sure!” Cid replied as he took a drink, while BB-8 watched worriedly.

Post by: Meilin Lee, Aug 23, 2020 in forum: Role-Playing Arena
Post
Crossover: Re: Mario's High School Days II - Age of the New World Order

~Siberia, Russia~

“Good. Very good,” Nikolai remarked with a smile after both Red XIII and Rey accepted his offer to join the Russian branch of the Rebel Alliance, “I look forward to introducing you to the others. For now though, it is time to celebrate. If you’ll need me, I will be at the restaurant.” Nikolai then left the scene while followed by Natasha, Cid, BB-8, and Tom. As for Finn, he approached Red XIII and Rey, telling them, “Guess we’re going to continue working together, huh? Well, I look forward to it. But if you need anything, anything at all, don’t hesitate to ask me for help.”

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~Siberia, Russia (again)~

As Connor was heading to the restaurant where Discord’s jamboree was going to take place, Dick Grayson ran towards him as he cried, “Connor!”

“Dick? What is going on?” Connor asked, wondering why his friend appeared to be troubled. “Well…” Dick responded as he quietly whispered something in Connor’s ear. “What?!” Connor exclaimed after hearing what Dick whispered to him, “We must find him now!” “Right,” Dick concurred with a nod as he and Connor hurried away.

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~Siberia, Russia: Restaurant~

Arriving with Serena to the restaurant where Discord was planning his jamboree, Darien noticed a few Rebels already in the restaurant, while Discord was still preparing as he was teleporting from one place to another while placing balloons near the ceiling, and also making a piano appear in the middle of an empty part of the restaurant…

“Stay tuned, folks, the Valentine’s Day Jamboree will begin momentarily!” Discord declared to those in the restaurant as he continued preparing for the celebration. “Darien! Serena!” Rini’s voice called out to Darien and Serena. Looking around to see where the voice came from, Darien noticed Rini on the other side of the restaurant, with Clemont and Bonnie…

As Rini ran towards him and Serena, Darien said, “Hey Rini… did you check on Sammy?” “Yep,” Rini replied, “He’s tired, so he went to bed a bit early. And don’t worry, he still doesn’t look like he knows about me or Serena being Sailor Scouts.” “Alright, that’s good to hear,” Darien remarked, “Anyway, let’s have a seat somewhere.” “Okay,” Rini replied as they looked for a table where the three of them could have a seat.

Post by: Meilin Lee, Aug 19, 2020 in forum: Role-Playing Arena
Post
Crossover: Re: Mario's High School Days II - Age of the New World Order

~Alaska - Rebel Hideout~

(1:01-1:38)

Arriving back to the Alaska Rebel hideout on his X-Wing and landing, Benjamin Clawhauser got out of his X-Wing while panting as he was greeted by his friends, Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde…

“Woah, buddy, you alright there?” Nick asked Clawhauser, “We heard about what happened on Scarif.” “Y-Yeah, I’m okay,” Clawhauser replied as he continued panting while showing his friends the flash drive that he was given, “I was given this by a Rebel on Bogo’s ship.” Happy to see what Clawhauser brought, Judy grabbed the flash drive as she said, “You got it! Thank goodness!” “But… what is it?” Nick questioned. Looking at both Clawhauser and Nick, Judy simply replied, “Hope.”

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~Siberia, Russia~

“So, the mission was a success then,” Nikolai Orelov remarked after Connor informed him of what happened at the New World Order base, “That is good news. And I am sure you will be happy to hear more good news.” “Really?” Connor questioned with a curious look on his face, wondering what Orelov might be referring to. “It is about the mission in Scarif,” Orelov replied, “I got word from the Rebels in Alaska that they were able to retrieve the S-type superweapon plans. We finally know how to defeat those S-types.” Happy to hear what Nikolai said, Connor remarked, “At last… this will be a huge advantage we have against the New World Order. Hopefully this means the tide is finally turning to our side. Thank you for notifying me, Orelov.” Just then, Connor and Nikolai noticed Finn and his team approaching…

“It seems you might be busy at the moment. I will leave you be,” Connor informed Nikolai as he started walking away, “Hope to see you at the jamboree.” “Of course,” Nikolai responded with a nod as Finn’s group reached him, “Ratonhnhaké:ton told me the mission was a success.” “Yep, it certainly was,” Finn concurred, “While we were there, we found this crate.” Tom then placed the crate of Materia in front of Nikolai for him to observe. “What is all this?” Nikolai asked. “They’re called Materia,” Finn answered, “Small orbs that can give you power even if you don’t have powers yourself. The New World Order manufactures them, and then chops each one to create pins that are attached to Stormtroopers’ armor. That is why you see Stormtroopers being able to use powers even though they don’t have powers themselves.” “When we found the Materia, we figured the Rebels can make good use of them,” Natasha added, “I’m pretty sure our friends back in Irkutsk would find them valuable.” “Hmm, interesting…” Nikolai remarked, “In that case, I will make sure to take these Materia with me back to Irkutsk.” “Great,” Finn replied, “But, uh… try avoiding the red ones… at least for the time being.” “Why not?” Nikolai asked. “They’re Summon Materia,” Finn replied, “Supposedly, they’re supposed to mimic the powers of some mythological creatures, like Ifrit or Shiva… but they haven’t been fully tested out by the New World Order yet. I’ve heard stories of them being quite unstable, causing unintentional damage when being used.” “So… we just throw them out then?” Nikolai asked. “N-no… we don’t have to do that,” Finn replied, “We can just have someone who knows how to fix things to take a look at them and make sure they’re safe to use.” “Huh, and who would that be?” Cid asked. “Umm… you,” Finn replied to Cid. “Me?!” a surprised Cid remarked as he scratched his head, “Heh, well I can’t say I ain't flattered.” “I’m sure you’ll be able to resolve this dilemma Cid,” Finn told Cid, “By the way… Rey actually picked out a Summon Materia for herself. You think you can take a look at that one too?” “Hmm, I wouldn’t be opposed to it,” Cid replied, “But who knows how long it’ll take to fix them Materia… even jus’ a single one. Could be days, and ya know we’re gonna be flyin’ back to Irkutsk soon. Unless Rey decides to join us, then that changes things.” “You know what… you’re right,” Natasha told Cid as she turned to face Nikolai while pointing at Rey and Red XIII, “Nikolai… I would like to vouch for Rey... and Red XIII as well... to join the Russian wing of the Rebel Alliance. Both of them were extremely helpful during the last mission, and I doubt Finn and I would’ve succeeded without their help.” Surprised by what Natasha said, Finn added, “Y-yeah… what she just said.” BB-8 also concurred with an electronic beep. “Hmm… I see,” Nikolai remarked as he walked over to Rey and Red XIII, “So you two are Rey and Red XIII? Just so you know, Natasha Romanoff is a very good judge of character. If she sees someone that she believes would be beneficial to the cause, she does not hesitate to recommend them to me. It is why Finn continues to assist us. So, based on her recommendation, would the two of you accept being part of the Russian wing of the Rebel Alliance? You will be part of a group that involves myself, Natasha, and Finn, along with others, with the main base of operations located west of Siberia in a place called Irkutsk. But the choice is yours alone.”

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~Siberia, Russia (again)~

“Oh, you mean with Castiel?” Darien asked Serena, “We didn’t have much of a choice. That S-type inside him may have been what was keeping him alive, but it was also what made him unstable. You saw how trying to talk to him at first didn’t seem to work. If anything, from what he told me after the S-type in him was removed, he seemed to be grateful for what we did, like he was suffering with that S-type inside him, and that he much preferred death than to continue living with that thing inside him. Don’t be troubled too much by it. Castiel is finally at peace, it’s what he wanted, and you helped him achieve that. So thank you, Serena. You did good. By the way… there is something important I want to tell you tonight. Perhaps I can tell you during or after Discord’s jamboree.”

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~Siberia, Russia (again x2)~

Arriving at Clemont's location, Rini found Clemont teaching Sammy how to code while Bonnie and her Dedenne watched…

“Oh, hey Rini,” Sammy greeted Rini, “Clemont was just teaching me how to code. It’s a lot easier than it looks.” “That’s nice,” Rini replied, “Just wanted to check on you and see if you wanted to go to a party at the restaurant that Discord is setting up.” “You mean the ‘Valentine’s Day Jamboree’?” Clemont asked as he showed Rini a piece of paper, “Discord just handed everyone in the village a flyer not too long ago.” “Looks like we’ll be seeing you there. Clemont and I will be going,” Bonnie told Rini. “Deden,” Bonnie’s Dedenne added with a nod. “I’d love to go, but as much fun as coding is, it does drain a lot out of you,” Sammy said with a yawn as he got up from his seat and was about to leave to go back to the apartment where he, Serena, Rini, and Darien were staying, “I think I’m gonna hit the hay. You guys have fun.” “Alright Sammy, see you in the morning,” Rini replied as Sammy left, relieved that Sammy still hasn’t found out that she and Serena are Sailor Scouts.

Post by: Meilin Lee, Aug 16, 2020 in forum: Role-Playing Arena
Post
Crossover: Re: Mario's High School Days II - Age of the New World Order

~Siberia, Russia~

Returning to the village on Cid’s Millennium Falcon, Connor and the other Rebels exited the ship…

“Ah, village sweet village,” Discord remarked, “If you’ll excuse me, I have preparations to take care of.” Discord then teleported away, with Darien asking Connor, “Where’d he go?” “Well, Discord had an idea to have a ‘Valentine’s Day Jamboree’, as he called it,” Connor replied, “Something to celebrate us taking over the base. He is currently at the restaurant getting things ready. You should all come by.” “Hmm, I think we will. As a matter of fact… there is one thing I feel like I have to do tonight. But first…” Darien said before turning to face Rini, “Rini, could you go check on Sammy. He should still be with Clemont.” “Okay,” Rini replied, nodding as she went to look for Sammy. Just then, a couple of Rebels from the village entered the Millennium Falcon, with half of them later exiting while carrying a wooden coffin that contained Castiel’s body. While he had a somber look on his face for a moment, Darien looked at Connor with a smile, telling him, “Thank you again, for promising to give Castiel a proper burial.” “Of course. Anything for a friend of yours,” Connor replied. Later, the other half of the Rebels that came from the village were seen escorting Haytham, who was handcuffed and being taken to be held in Rebel custody…

“So, what now? I mean with your father?” Darien asked. “I am not sure,” Connor replied as he crossed his arms, “I know his help was valuable in this mission. But in the end, he is still a part of the New World Order. And for now, he is a prisoner of the Rebel Alliance. What happens next will depend on his behavior. But right now, I must speak with Orelov and let him know what happened. Hope to see you and the others at the jamboree.” “I look forward to it,” Darien before shifting his attention to Serena, “Hey Serena, you okay?” Meanwhile, as for the other Rebels, Mewtwo simply teleported away, most likely to see what Discord was up to. “Oooh, a Valentine’s Day Jamboree! I’d like to check that out!” Star exclaimed as she left. “Uh, Star… wait for me!” Marco cried as he followed Star. “I think I should join them,” Tom commented. “Before you do, could you help me out with something first,” Finn told Tom, “That crate of Materia, could you bring it? I’d like to show it to Nikolai for a bit.” “Sure,” Tom replied as he went to get the crate of Materia from the Millennium Falcon. Remembering Rey wanted to ask Cid for help regarding her Summon Materia, Finn called out to Cid as he cried out, “Hey, Cid! Could you come out for a bit?” “Yeah?” Cid replied as he exited the Millennium Falcon…

“Could you come along for a bit? There’s something I need to discuss with Nikolai, and I think it’s important you tag along,” Finn told Cid. “If you say so,” Cid replied with a shrug, following Finn as he led Natasha, Cid, and BB-8 to find Nikolai. “Rey, Red, let’s go,” Finn told Rey and Red XIII. As for Tom, he exited the Millennium Falcon while carrying the crate from earlier, following Finn’s group.

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~Sky Over Scarif in The Maldives: Bogo’s Ship (Hallway)~

As the small group of Rebels stuck in a dark hallway got their weapons ready, they were wondering whose footsteps they heard slowly approaching them. Soon enough, they noticed Master Xehanort appear, feeling threatened by him despite his young age…

(0:00-1:01)

As Xehanort summoned his Keyblade, one of the Rebels yelled “OPEN FIRE!” The Rebels in the hallway then began to shoot their blasters, but Xehanort easily used his Keyblade to deflect blaster shots as he slowly walked towards the Rebels, killing two of the Rebels with deflected blaster shots. “HELP US!!!” the Rebel at the jammed door cried, banging on the door as he hoped someone outside would help. As he continued deflecting blasters with his Keyblade, Xehanort summoned Neoshadows and Dusks that restrained one of the Rebels…

Eventually, Benjamin Clawhauser noticed what was happening from outside the hallway, unsuccessfully trying to help open the jammed door...

“It’s jammed!” the Rebel at the door cried out to Clawhauser as both kept trying to open the door. Meanwhile, Xehanort swung his Keyblade and killed the restrained Rebel as he passed by him while continuing to deflect blaster shots, killing another Rebel in the process. The Neoshadows and Dusks then proceeded to restrain four other Rebels, allowing Xehanort to easily kill them with his Keyblade. Realizing he was never going to get out alive, the Rebel at the jammed door took out the flash drive containing the S-type superweapon plans, handing it to Clawhauser outside as he cried, “Here! Here! Take it! Take it!” Unsure of what was so important about the flash drive, Clawhauser nevertheless took it, but gasped in fear as the Rebel who handed it to him was impaled by Xehanort from behind. As Xehanort forced the jammed door open with his Keyblade, Clawhauser ran for his life as other Rebels in the area tried to track Xehanort, but were killed in the process. “R2! GET US OUT OF HERE!!” Clawhauser yelled as he arrived to his X-Wing docked in the ship...

Responding with an electronic beep, R2-D2 started the X-Wing as Clawhauser quickly jumped to the cockpit. The X-Wing soon took off in an instant, with Xehanort arriving too late, dematerializing his Keyblade as he silently watched in disappointment as the X-Wing was soon out of sight.

Post by: Meilin Lee, Aug 13, 2020 in forum: Role-Playing Arena
Post
Crossover: Re: Mario's High School Days II - Age of the New World Order

~Siberia, Russia - New World Order Base~

“So… this stuff is called Materia?” Tom questioned. “And using one can grant you powers?” Star asked as well. “That’s right,” Finn replied as he grabbed a random Materia from the crate to display to the others, “The New World Order manufactures them like this. And each one is then chopped up to create pins that are attached to Stormtroopers’ armor. That is why you see Stormtroopers being able to use powers even though they don’t have powers themselves. Like Red XIII said, the color determines the kind of Materia. Although, I know red is supposed to be a Summon Materia, but those haven’t been fully tested out by the New World Order yet. I’ve heard stories of them being quite unstable. I know they sent some to random bases to test them out, and I’m guessing this base was one of them. But, Rey… I suggest showing that Summon Materia to Cid first so he can check it out and make sure it’s safe to use.” “So, are you going to pick one or two for yourself?” Natasha asked Finn. Pondering on it for a bit, Finn dropped the Materia he was holding back into the crate, replying, “Nah. My Keyblade’s good enough.” “Yeah, and I’m a demon. My demon powers should suffice,” Tom concurred. “And I’ve got my wand,” Star added. “Well, I got nothing except karate moves and my good looks, so I guess I’ll grab one for myself,” Marco commented, grabbing a random green Materia, “Hmm, wonder what this does.” Marco suddenly felt electrocuted by the Materia, causing his hair to stand as he realized he was holding a Lightning Materia. “Marco, are you okay?” Star asked. “Y-yeah… just a little… shocked…” the electrocuted Marco replied as he placed his Materia in his pocket. “You know, I’m pretty sure Thor can help you handle that Materia. Lightning is his specialty after all,” Star suggested. “Noted,” Marco replied as he fixed his hair. “Anyway, I’m pretty sure Nikolai will be happy to see all this Materia we collected,” Finn said. “Yeah… I’m sure our friends in Irkutsk would have a great use for them,” Natasha concurred while BB-8 agreed with an electronic beep, “Let’s take this crate back to the village.” “Hey,” Tuxedo Mask called out to the group as he approached them…

“Come outside. Ratonhnhaké:ton is about to claim this base for the Rebels!” Tuxedo Mask added as he turned around and headed towards the exit. “Coming!” Natasha responded as she and the others followed Tuxedo Mask. “Let’s go, Rey,” Finn told Rey as he started walking with the group.

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~Siberia, Russia - Outside New World Order Base~

As the Rebels gathered outside the base, they watched Connor lowering the New World Order flag at the flagpole located outside the base. While that was happening, Discord, Mewtwo, and Sailor Mini Moon rejoined the large group of Rebels after having dealt with Syndrome earlier…

“You guys already took over the base?!” Discord exclaimed, “What did we miss?” Once Connor lowered the New World Order flag at the flagpole and tossed it aside, he replaced it with a Rebel flag. Rolling towards the New World Order flag that Connor tossed aside, BB-8 used his lighter to burn it while Connor raised the Rebel flag on the flagpole, eliciting cheers from the large group, with the exception of Haytham, who maintained a neutral expression on his face as he watched what was happening. Once the Rebel flag was raised, Connor took out his tomahawk, raising it high as he turned around and looked at the group and yelled, “For the Rebellion!” “For the Rebellion!” the rest of the Rebels repeated as they raised their fists and cheered while Haytham remained quiet.

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*Montage Sequence*

(0:00-0:18)

~Sky Over Scarif in The Maldives~

The two collided Helicarriers from earlier fell towards the shield gate, splitting it into several pieces and destroying it, with the deflector shield covering Scarif disappearing as a result.

(0:18-0:32)

~Scarif, The Maldives - Citadel Tower~

Following Krennic’s death at the hands of Cassian, Jyn rushed towards the console where she inserted the hard-drive earlier and pulled a lever, which began the process of transmitting data from the hard-drive to the Rebels. Jyn and Cassian smiled as they watched the transmission progress on the console screen.

(0:32-1:00)

~Sky Over Scarif in The Maldives: Bogo’s Ship~

Meanwhile, over at Bogo’s ship, a member of the ship’s crew informed Bogo, “Sir, receiving transmission from Scarif.” “Could it be?” Bogo wondered out loud as he looked down at Scarif, wondering if Rogue One was able to transmit the plans that Bodhi mentioned. After a couple of seconds, the transmission was successfully received by the Rebels, with a crew member informing Bogo, “Sir, we have the plans!” “She did it!” Bogo said, happy that the attempt to retrieve the secret New World Order plans for the S-type superweapons was a success.

(1:00-1:11)

~Scarif, The Maldives - Citadel Tower~

Wounded from his fall earlier, Cassian was limping towards the elevator while being helped by Jyn, smiling at each other as he asked her, “Do you think anybody is listening?” “I do. Someone’s out there,” Jyn replied.

(1:11-1:31)

~The Flying Dutchman - The Indian Ocean~

Watching the carnage in Scarif unfold from afar on Governor Davy Jones’s ship, Hive asked Grand Moff Tarkin, “Shall I send the order to begin targeting their fleet?” “Lord Xehanort will handle the Rebel fleet,” Tarkin responded to the S-type before shifting his attention to Davy Jones, “Governor Jones, summon the Kraken, and have it target the base at Scarif to destroy it entirely.” “Aye, with pleasure,” Davy Jones said.

(1:31-2:00)

~Scarif, The Maldives~

Going down an elevator, Cassian and Jyn arrived at the bottom of the Citadel Tower, and slowly exited the building, passing by dead Rebels and Stormtroopers on the ground. As they walked, they noticed Prompto and Bodhi up ahead, waving at them…

Waving back, Jyn and Cassian met up with the two other surviving members of Rogue One, and the four head towards a nearby shore.

(2:00-2:24)

~The Flying Dutchman - The Indian Ocean~

“Let no joyful voice be heard! Let no Rebel look up at the sky with hope!” Davy Jones ordered his crew as they were cranking a wheel, “And let this day be cursed by we who ready to summon… the Kraken!” The crank on the ship then boomed as it crashed down once it reached maximum capacity, with the boom’s shockwave spreading through the water, calling the Kraken. Soon enough, the Kraken was heading towards Scarif, with the underwater S-type raising its tentacles in order to surround Scarif.

(2:24-2:39)

~Sky Over Scarif in The Maldives: Bogo’s Ship~

Noticing the Kraken’s tentacles surrounding Scarif down below, Bogo realized that anyone stuck in Scarif right now was doomed, including Rogue One. Giving a somber salute, Bogo said, “It has been an honor, Rogue One.” Bogo then shifted his attention to his crew, ordering them, “Begin evacuating. Order all ships back to their point of origin!”

(2:39-2:48)

~Sky Over Scarif in The Maldives~

Following Bogo’s command, Rebel ships were attempting to fly away from the area, but they were soon caught by surprise as three Helicarriers appeared out of nowhere and started attacking them.

(2:48-2:57)

~Sky Over Scarif in The Maldives: Xehanort’s Helicarrier~

Inside one of the three Helicarriers that suddenly appeared, Master Xehanort watched as the Rebel ships were being attacked while they struggled to escape from the battle.

(2:57-3:30)

~Scarif, The Maldives~

Arriving at a shore while noticing the tentacles that were beginning to surround Scarif, the surviving members of Rogue One were relaxing on the sand, happy that their mission was a success, with Cassian telling Jyn, “Your father would have been proud of you, Jyn.” As Jyn smiled at what Cassian told her, the two shared a hug. “Hey,” Bodhi told Prompto, “I’m sure Noctis and Ignis would be happy at what we achieved.” Smiling, Prompto gave Bodhi a fistbump as he replied, “Thanks, pal. If this is really the end for us… then I think we had a pretty good run.” Smiling back, Bodhi sighed as he quietly began reciting Islamic prayers to himself, knowing that these would be his last moments of his life.

(3:30-3:42)

~Sky Over Scarif in The Maldives: Xehanort’s Helicarrier~

“The Rebel flag ship is disabled, Master Xehanort, but has received transmission from Scarif,” a Cyberman informed Xehanort. “Prepare a boarding party,” Master Xehanort responded as he turned and walked away. “Affirmative,” the Cyberman said with a nod.

(3:42-4:10)

~Scarif, The Maldives~

Looking up, Rogue one noticed the mighty Kraken emerge from the water in front of them, gazing at its large mouth…

“Hello, Beastie,” Jyn said as the Kraken roared, with its mouth and tentacles all around Scarif lighting up and blasting the entire area within a split second. And just like that, everything and everyone in Scarif disintegrated into ash from the Kraken’s attack, with the squid-like S-type ingesting what was left behind. But as that was happening, high in the sky, a shuttle and four TIE Fighters were headed towards Bogo’s badly damaged ship...

(4:10-4:51)

~Sky Over Scarif in The Maldives: Bogo’s Ship~

While Bogo managed to escape in a smaller ship, the remaining Rebels in his damaged ship were still trying to escape, but a small group of them were quickly trying to save the plans that Rogue One sent on a USB flash drive. “Hurry!” one of the Rebels cried as he waited for the download to complete. Once the data was saved to the flash drive, another Rebel quickly ejected it and led a small group of Rebels to try and find a ship to escape, yelling, “Let’s go! We got to go now!” The group of Rebels were running as an alarm blared throughout the ship and electrical circuits were blowing up all around them. Eventually, the group arrived in a hallway, and tried opening the door blocking their way, but it was jammed and barely opened as one of them cried, “It’s stuck!” As the lights in the hallway went out, one of the Rebels unsuccessfully tried to open the door by force, while another Rebel banged on the door, crying, “Hey! Hey, help!” However, none of the Rebels outside appear to have noticed the jammed door, leaving the small group of Rebels with the flash drive containing the S-type superweapon plans stuck in the hallway. And as they continued trying to open the door, the group of Rebels heard footsteps slowly approaching them from behind...

Post by: Meilin Lee, Aug 11, 2020 in forum: Role-Playing Arena
Thread
Unreal Engine Spotlights 'Kingdom Hearts III'

The guys over at Epic Games (developer of the Unreal Engine) have been spotlighting recent games that utilize Unreal Engine 4, and today, their focus was none other than 'Kingdom Hearts III'! Check out their video below, which gives an interesting look into how the game was developed, as well as their article (which you can read here or below the video):

Released early in 2019, KINGDOM HEARTS III by Square Enix is one of the most celebrated games of this console generation and was heralded by IGN as a “fulfilling evolution and resolution of the franchise” that “shows the series is still full of heart.”

When setting out to develop the title, the team at Square Enix had a firmly-established vision for what they wanted to create as well as a keen understanding of the challenges they would face in uniting such iconic and varied Disney and Pixar worlds within an experience that felt authentic to the KINGDOM HEARTS brand.

“In KINGDOM HEARTS III, there are more than 10 worlds in total including Disney's, Pixar’s, and the original world of KINGDOM HEARTS,” said Environment Art Director Saito Eiji. “Each world has its own design and unique taste and the biggest challenge for us was that we needed to make unique assets for each world because each world was very different from each other.”

Simply crafting assets that looked like their recognizable counterparts wouldn’t be enough though as the developers wanted to generate a sense of immersion that was more about interacting with characters and worlds rather than simply viewing them.

“Of course our most important goal is to recreate Disney Worlds in the game and make experiences that everyone can enjoy.,” Battle Director Shibata Tomokazu told us. As a result, the team wanted to create an experience that was approachable for long-time fans and those experiencing KINGDOM HEARTS for the first time. “We wanted to make the game as easy as possible to play and very accessible. Also, a good tempo when users [are] playing games is very important. We worked on the development with these things in mind as a goal.”

These fundamental goals eventually led to the interactions that players experience in the game, each of which was designed to feel authentic to the world it represented. “We tried to make each world very unique [while] having its own fun. For example, for the Pirates of the Caribbean world, you can ride on the ships, and for the Toy Story world, it should look like a toy box so we tried to recreate the unique taste for each world,” said Level Director Oono Kazuki.

Of course, crafting these characters, worlds, and experiences is no simple task, so the team would need to come together in ways that maximized efficiency and productivity. “In the art team, our policy is to empower every artist by letting them use rhythm and create material,” said Programmer Yoshioka Kunitaka. “So, basically all artists were allowed to create materials as they please, but if we give them 100% control, we could end up with super heavy materials and that could cause lots of problems. So, access to the source code was limited to lead class and in the programmer team basically we were doing the problem finding and problem-solving with regard to materials.”

Fortunately, the capability to drill down into Unreal Engine’s source code empowered the team to realize its vision for each element of the experience. “We had a lot of unique expressions or visuals we wanted to achieve and in order to make it happen, we needed to customize the source code heavily. Without source code access provided by UE4, almost all of our unique expressions couldn't be achieved, so the source code access was very helpful for us,” said Kunitaka.

Those who have played the game will have also noticed a high level of detail and polish applied to the game’s effects, which was another area where access to Unreal Engine’s source code was freeing for the development team. “The access to the source code was really helpful to the effects team as well because without customizing the engine, the effects [in] KINGDOM HEARTS III [would not be] possible,” said Lead VFX Artist Hayashi Takeru. “So, we asked for help from programmers to customize UE4 heavily and, in that sense, without source code access, we couldn't achieve the wide variety of effects used in KINGDOM HEARTS III. Also, when the animations or how the effects work does not match what we envision or what we planned, we could follow source code to see and find out what's happening inside in order to debug and see what the problem is. For unexpected motion effects or unexpected expression effects, source code access was very helpful.”

Of course, not every team member is capable of working directly with the source code, which is why the KINGDOM HEARTS III development team relied on Blueprints visual scripting as well. “So, the biggest benefit of UE4 was its ease of segmenting tasks for each function,” explained Programmer Yoshida Takeshi. “For example if you do the classic development style, programmers can be most heavily burdened and they could be a bottleneck for the entire team, but with UE4, artists or designers can do their job without support by programmers so we could develop the game very efficiently.”

With so many unique ideas for implementing the look and feel of each world into the experience, prototyping and iteration times were also big factors for the team using Blueprints. “We use Blueprints for multiple purposes, but mainly game designers use Blueprints to set the entire game flow and [to] also make prototypes using mockups made with Blueprint. After checking these ideas with Blueprint mock-up, the programming team polished it into a better performance with optimized performance, and so, the biggest benefit of Blueprint was quick integration,” said Takeshi. “We could check if the gameplay is fun or not very, very quickly and without taking a long time for the programming team and also we could avoid making the build too often but we could check our idea [simply using] Blueprint.“
Click to expand...

Thread by: Meilin Lee, Aug 7, 2020, 0 replies, in forum: Kingdom Hearts News & Updates
Post
Crossover: Re: Mario's High School Days II - Age of the New World Order

~Sky Over Scarif in The Maldives~

While the battle between the Rebels and the New World Order continued in the sky, a Hammerhead corvette that Bogo summoned arrived to the scene, speeding towards the recently disabled Helicarrier at full power as its crew braced for impact. The Hammerhead corvette then crashed into the side of the disabled Helicarrier, moving it towards another Helicarrier. The two Helicarriers then collided with each other, and began to fall slowly towards the shield gate below.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

~Scarif, The Maldives - Citadel Tower~

Climbing out of a hatch, Jyn found herself at the top of the Citadel Tower, just where she needed to be to send out the contents of the hard-drive she retrieved earlier. Heading towards a console located right under the tower’s large antenna, Jyn inserted the hard-drive into the console, and was about to initiate the transmit of data. But before she could pull a lever on the console to begin transmitting the data, Jyn saw Krennic appear, aiming his blaster at her...

“Well, if it isn’t little Miss Erso,” Krennic remarked as he slowly approached Jyn, “You may have escaped death in South Dakota. But you won’t be so lucky today.” “You’ve lost,” Jyn responded with a smirk. “Oh, I have, have I?” Krennic questioned. “My father’s revenge,” Jyn replied, “When enhancing the three S-type superweapons, he placed a flaw in all of them. He put a fuse inside each of them, and I’m about to tell the whole world how to light it.” “The shield is up, your signal will never reach the Rebels. All the ships in here will be destroyed. I lose nothing but time,” Krennic retorted, “YOU, on the other hand... die with the Rebellion.” Just then, Director Krennic was shot from behind, collapsing to the floor as he died. Looking to see who killed Krennic, Jyn was happy to see it was none other than Cassian, who ended up surviving his fall from earlier...

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

~Siberia, Russia - New World Order Base (Castiel’s Chamber)~

Releasing an energy burst, Castiel sent Tuxedo Mask, Haytham, and Connor flying away, finally freeing himself. But just as he did that, Castiel noticed Sailor Moon’s attack, shrieking as he was hit with crescent moon beams. But what happened next surprised Connor and the others, as Sailor Moon’s attack not only caused Castiel to lose his wings, but also forced the S-type that was inside Castiel to emerge out of his body. As Castiel fell to the floor, the winged S-type that came out of his body was hovering over the man that served as its host body, examining its surroundings. Noticing that he had a perfect opportunity to finish the S-type off, Connor ran towards the creature from behind, jumped towards it, and swung his tomahawk at the S-type’s head, decapitating and killing it. The S-type’s body and head then fell to the floor and disintegrated. As for Castiel, he was happy to be free of the S-type’s influence. Unfortunately for him, since the S-type inhibiting his body was what was keeping him alive, Castiel could feel that he was slowly dying, collapsing after trying to get up.

Rushing to his side, Tuxedo Mask cradled the dying Castiel in his arms as he asked, “Castiel… is it really you this time?” Breathing slowly, Castiel looked at Tuxedo Mask as he replied, “Yeah, kid… it’s really me. It’s good to see you again, Darien.” There was a smile on Tuxedo Mask’s face, but it quickly faded away as he asked, “You’re dying, aren’t you?” “Yeah…” Castiel replied, “But to tell you the truth, I should’ve been dead a long time ago. But the J.I.A.... or should I say, the Crystal Order… they decided to bring me back to life by putting that damn S-type inside me, so that they could use me. And they did, forcing me to kill B. Orchid during the Great Purge. And it continued once they became the New World Order. I did so many terrible things… I should’ve stayed dead this whole time.” “What happened was not your fault. You were just a victim, like so many others,” Tuxedo Mask assured Castiel, “At least… you’ll finally get the chance to rest peacefully once and for all. You’ve earned it, Agent Castiel.” “Thank you… Darien…” Castiel replied, smiling a bit before his eyes slowly closed, indicating that he was now dead. “Goodbye… old friend,” Tuxedo Mask sorrowfully said as Castiel died in his arms. Walking towards Tuxedo Mask, Connor knelt beside him and put his hand on his shoulder, telling Tuxedo Mask, “He must have been a good man. I promise you, he will be given a proper burial.” Smiling, Tuxedo Mask replied, “Thank you, Connor.”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

~Siberia, Russia - New World Order Base~

“HEEEYYY!!!!” Star called out to Finn and the others as she and her team approached Finn’s team. “Hey, what’s up?” Finn asked. “Uhh, who’s that?” Marco questioned upon noticing Red XIII. “Long story,” Natasha answered before noticing Tom carrying a large crate, “What’s with that crate?” “Take a look,” Tom said as he placed the crate on the floor and opened it. The crate was revealed to be full of different kinds of Materia. “Heh, jackpot...” Finn commented as he noticed the Materia inside the crate, “Looks like we found this base’s Materia.”

Post by: Meilin Lee, Aug 6, 2020 in forum: Role-Playing Arena
Post
Crossover: Re: Mario's High School Days II - Age of the New World Order

~Sky Over Scarif in The Maldives~

As the ship where Bogo was was taking heavy damage from TIE Fighters, a member of the ship’s crew approached Bogo and warned him, “Deflector shield’s down to 50%, we’re sustaining heavy damage.” “There’s no turning back now, we have to press the attack,” Bogo responded. Outside the ship, X-Wings and TIE Fighters continued battling each other, with Gold Leader Hera Syndulla looking to take down one of the New World Order’s Helicarriers…

“Hit that opening,” Hera ordered her squadron. “We see it, Gold Leader,” a member of Hera’s squadron responded, “Ion torpedoes away.” Hera then led her squadron of X-Wing pilots towards the nearest Helicarrier, with all the X-Wings launching ion torpedoes at it, disabling the massive vessel, causing it to lose power and begin to slowly descend. “That Helicarrier is disabled!” Bogo announced to his crew members. “This is Rogue One, calling any Alliance ships that can hear me! Is there anybody up there?” Bodhi’s voice pleaded via radio communication on Bogo’s ship…

“This is Rogue One! Come in, over,” Bodhi’s voice continued. “This is Bogo, Rogue One, we hear you!” Bogo responded to Bodhi. “We have the plans!” Bodhi’s voice cried, “They found the plans. They have to transmit them from the communications tower! You have to take down the shield gate. It’s the only way to get them through!” Looking out and seeing the shield gate below his ship, Bogo suddenly had an idea as he ordered one of his crew members, “Call up a Hammerhead corvette. I have an idea. Standby, Rogue One, we’re on it.”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

~Scarif, The Maldives~

As he continued grieving over the death of his friend, Prompto looked up, and noticed Stormtroopers continuing to deal with any remaining Rebels in the area. Prompto’s grief suddenly turned to anger as he got up, took one last look at Noctis’s deceased body, and rushed towards the Stormtroopers, letting out a mighty battle cry as he dodged any incoming attack and shot every Stormtrooper that tried to shoot him, trying to kill as many of them. Upon coming close to one Stormtrooper, Prompto grabbed the Stormtrooper’s blaster before he could try to shoot him, using it to smash his head and knocking him to the ground. Prompto then shot and killed the Stormtrooper he knocked down as he yelled, “This is for Noct!”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

~Siberia, Russia - New World Order Base~

"Well, that's actually more for convenience," Finn told Red XIII once the creature suggested using armor or weapons with slots for using Materia, "Using Materia can be as simple as just holding one in your hand." "But in Rey's case, I suppose attaching Materia to her staff could work best for her fighting style?" Natasha questioned as the group entered the base to see if they could find Materia inside somewhere. "Yeah, you're not wrong," Finn replied.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

~Siberia, Russia - New World Order Base (Castiel’s Chamber)~

Once Sailor Moon was able to create a barrier around herself and the rest of her group, Castiel delivered a powerful Holy attack on the group, trying to hit the group with a large orb of light. However, thanks to Sailor Moon’s barrier, the group was protected from the attack. And the barrier seemed to have another effect, with Castiel’s attack seemingly backfiring, forcing the human/S-type hybrid to fly out of the way to avoid getting hit by his own attack. “Interesting,” Haytham remarked as the barrier around the group disappeared. “What is?” Connor asked his father. “It appears to me that Sailor Moon’s wand may be what is needed in order to defeat Castiel,” Haytham responded. “So, you’re saying the strategy is to keep deflecting Castiel’s attacks, hoping that they hit him back?” Tuxedo Mask questioned. “Not exactly,” Haytham replied, “But if the power of the wand was able to create a barrier that could deflect a powerful attack from Castiel like that, then maybe the wand could deliver an attack that could give us the upper hand.” As the group saw Castiel getting ready to deliver another attack, Connor suggested, “In that case, we will have to figure out a way so that Sailor Moon gets a clear shot of him.” “Sailor Moon… we’ll try and distract Castiel. I’ll give you the signal once it’s time to attack,” Tuxedo Mask informed Sailor Moon. Just then, Castiel flew closer to the group, and raised his arms, summoning dozens of fireballs once again from the firewall surrounding the chamber, sending them towards Connor and his group, with each of them trying to dodge the incoming fireballs. Once Connor and the others avoided the fireballs, Castiel teleported near Connor and Haytham, grabbing them both by the neck, hoping to finish them off. “Castiel!” Tuxedo Mask yelled as he threw one of his sharp roses towards Castiel’s chest, causing the human/S-type hybrid to shriek in pain as he let go of Connor and his father while grabbing the rose that pierced his chest and shattering it while his chest wound healed. Castiel then flew towards Tuxedo Mask, trying to shoot energy blasts at him from his hands while Tuxedo Mask ran as he tried to evade getting hit. “At this rate, we’ll never get him to stay still,” Haytham complained as he got up. “I do not know about you, but I am not giving up just yet,” Connor replied as he ran towards Castiel. “C-Connor, what are you-?” Haytham questioned before stopping to sigh, and proceeded to follow Connor, wondering what he was planning. As Castiel continued trying to blast Tuxedo Mask, he felt Connor jump on his right side, trying to strangle him. Soon enough, Haytham joined Connor by jumping towards Castiel’s left side, leading to a struggle as Castiel tried to shake both Connor and Haytham off of his body. Noticing what was happening, Tuxedo Mask extended his cane, using it like a pole to jump towards Castiel’s back. Once Tuxedo Mask was hanging onto Castiel’s back, he used his cane to attempt a choke hold on Castiel. Seeing Castiel struggling less and less, and how Sailor Moon now had an opening to use her wand on him, Tuxedo Mask yelled out to Sailor Moon, “Sailor Moon, use your wand now!”

Post by: Meilin Lee, Aug 1, 2020 in forum: Role-Playing Arena
Post
Crossover: Re: Mario's High School Days II - Age of the New World Order

~Scarif, The Maldives - Citadel Tower: Data Vault Room~

As she and Cassian climbed up the column, Jyn reached the hard-drive they were trying to get, declaring, “I’ve got it!” Pulling the hard-drive out of the column, Jyn almost dropped it, but grabbed it at the last moment, strapping it onto her belt. “Careful!” Cassian warned Jyn, “You okay?” Nodding, Jyn continued climbing along with Cassian, hoping to find an exit at the top. Just then, however, Director Krennic and two Stormtroopers arrived at the spot where the control panel was, noticing Jyn and Cassian climbing in the column in front of them…

“Jyn!” Cassian cried as he grabbed his blaster, trying to shoot at Krennic and the Stormtroopers while trying to hang on to the column. Dodging Cassian’s blaster fire, Krennic and the two Stormtroopers began firing their blasters as well. As that was happening, Jyn climbed to a different side of the column to avoid getting hit in the crossfire. Cassian was eventually able to shoot both Stormtroopers, killing them as he told Jyn, “Keep going! Keep going!” Doing as she was told, Jyn continued climbing up. But while Cassian and Krennic continued exchanging fire, Krennic managed to successfully shoot Cassian’s shoulder, causing him to fall off the column onto one of the bars below. “Cassian!” Jyn cried as she saw what happened. As Cassian lay motionless on the bar, Jyn wasn’t sure if Cassian was dead or if he was just lying there while badly wounded. Shaking her head, Jyn realized that she had to continue with the mission, and continued climbing up towards an exit hatch. Seeing Jyn continue to climb, Krennic left the area, hoping to catch her at the top.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

~Scarif, The Maldives~

One by one, the Rebels accompanied by Noctis and Prompto were getting killed as they tried to reach the master switch that Bodhi mentioned needed to be activated. Taking a peek once more at the console where the master switch was, and the Stormtroopers behind it, Noctis sighed, realizing he was going to have to try and activate the switch himself. He then left the side of the bunker where he was taking cover, and ran towards the console while trying to avoid getting shot. “Noct!” Prompto cried as he continued shooting at Stormtroopers, “Noctis, come back!” Eventually, Noctis was able to reach the console unscathed, successfully pulling the master switch. “Yes!” Noctis silently said to himself. “Noct! Get out of there!” Prompto cried. Just then, a grenade thrown by a Stormtrooper landed near Noctis’s location and exploded, sending Noctis crashing towards the ground a couple yards away. Promto’s heart sank as he witnessed what just happened. “NOCTIS!!” Prompto yelled as he ran towards his friend, shooting Stormtroopers as he did so. He eventually reached Noctis, finding him severely wounded on the ground with blood all over his face. “Noct! Don’t go! Don’t go!” a tearful Prompto pleaded as he knelt next to his friend, holding Noctis’s hand tight, “I’m here... I’m here.” “It’s okay... it’s okay,” Noctis tried to reassure his friend as he tried to smile, “I’ll see my father again soon.” “No… Noctis…” Prompto said as tears were rolling down his face. “I am glad to have been your friend, Prompto,” the dying Noctis told Prompto, “I don’t regret any moment I had with you or any other friend I made. My only regret… was that I never got the chance to tell Lunafreya goodbye. I hope… she can forgive me…” Prompto watched as Noctis ran out of breaths, with his lifeless body now lying in front of him peacefully. Full of grief, Prompto began to weep over the body of his deceased friend.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

~Siberia, Russia - Outside New World Order Base~

“Well, that’s true,” Natasha replied to Rey when she mentioned Mewtwo using his powers to speak, “But that still counts as a creature speaking though, doesn’t it?” “Anyway... Red, do you know if there’s a stash of Materia in the base?” Finn asked Red XIII, “Usually, if not all Materia in a base are used up in creating pins for Stormtroopers’ armor, they keep some for later use. If they got some Materia left over, I’m sure the Rebels would find good use for them.”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

~Siberia, Russia - New World Order Base (Castiel’s Chamber)~

Boss Battle: Castiel
~The Unstable Human/S-Type Hybrid~

View attachment 50565

Castiel began the battle by summoning a wall of fire surrounding his entire chamber, preventing Connor and his group from trying to get out. Dozens of fireballs were then fired from the wall of fire towards Connor and his group, each trying their best to avoid getting hit. Once they avoided the fireballs, Tuxedo Mask and Connor charged towards Castiel while he was levitating around the area. Castiel, however, used his telekinetic powers to stop Connor and Tuxedo Mask from moving at all, and sent them flying several feet away. “Castiel, time to end this!” Haytham cried as he charged towards Castiel from behind, trying to impale him with his sword. Castiel, however, was too quick for Haytham, as he managed to teleport right behind Haytham and deliver a strong kick to his face, sending him flying several feet away. “Well… I certainly didn’t see that coming,” Haytham remarked as he slowly tried getting up. Turning around, Castiel took note of Sailor Moon, and flew straight towards her for an attack. Seeing what Castiel was about to do, Tuxedo Mask rushed to Sailor Moon’s aide as he cried, “NOOOO!!!” Tuxedo Mask then managed to jump on Castiel’s back, successfully stopping him from attacking Sailor Moon as he attempted a chokehold while Castiel struggled to stay in the air, jerking left and right as he tried to get Tuxedo Mask off his back. Noticing that they had an opening, both Connor and Haytham charged towards the struggling Castiel, and stabbed him with their weapons. However, that only made Castiel angrier, who let out a demonic battle cry as he released a burst of energy that sent Connor, Tuxedo Mask, and Haytham flying away, with all of them landing near Sailor Moon. Slowly getting up, Connor looked up and saw that Castiel’s wounds from the attacks he and Haytham delivered were healing. “That cannot be good…” Connor remarked, trying to figure out how to deal with Castiel. “Enough!” Castiel yelled as he summoned white light in his right hand, getting ready to deliver a powerful Holy attack on the entire group. Gasping as he saw what Castiel was about to do, Tuxedo Mask tried to quickly think of a way to avoid the attack, and suddenly had an idea as he looked at Sailor Moon, telling her, “Sailor Moon! You must use your wand to protect us! It is the only way to avoid this incoming attack!”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

~The Capital: Bar~

As he was drinking at a bar, Alan was thinking back to what happened at Nintendo High School earlier today with Manon and her Chespin, wondering if he was turning soft. He was soon joined by his supervisor from his J.I.A. days, John Garrett...

“I’ll have the same thing he’s having,” John told the bartender, Luke Cage, as he sat to Alan’s left. “Coming right up, sir,” Luke replied, preparing Garrett’s drink. “I had a feeling I’d see you here,” John told Alan, “Something on your mind?” “Did you ever… feel regret?” Alan asked John. “Regret?” a surprised Garrett questioned as he took a sip of his drink once Luke finished preparing it for him, “Don’t tell me you’re getting soft. Are you?” “No, no,” Alan responded, “Just… something on my mind.” “Well, don’t let it get to ya,” John said, “The only regrets you should have are those that make you stronger. Like what happened with me and how I regretted joining the J.I.A. Damn idiots sending me on a mission to Sarajevo, only to get fragged by an IED, and giving me excuses when I radioed for medivac. Luckily, thanks to that regret, I joined the guys who actually gave a damn… and look where I am today.” “Right,” Alan replied, finishing his drink, and placing some Gil in front of him, paying for both himself and Garrett, “Drink’s on me tonight. I’m getting tired. Goodnight.” As Alan got out of his seat and headed towards the exit, John grinned as he watched Alan leaving, holding his drink up high, silently giving a toast before taking a sip from his glass.

Post by: Meilin Lee, Jul 28, 2020 in forum: Role-Playing Arena
Thread
'Kingdom Hearts III' OST Details Revealed + Release Date
The official Square-Enix Music Twitter account surprised fans today with some details on the much requested original soundtrack of 'Kingdom Hearts III' that was announced about a month ago that should get people excited:

First off, the soundtrack has been confirmed to be released in a few months on November 11 (with the digital version of the soundtrack releasing worldwide on the same date)! Also, the soundtrack will consist of 8 discs, and will contain over 90 songs not just from 'Kingdom Hearts III', but also music from the Re:MIND DLC, as well as additional tracks from HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue, Unchained X, and Union X[cross] that never got an official release! There will also be a campaign in mid-September where fans can enter a lottery to win autographs from the composers who have contributed to the music of the series (Yoko Shimomura, Takeharu Ishimoto & Tsuyoshi Sekito). The soundtrack can be pre-ordered from the following locations at this time:
Thread by: Meilin Lee, Jul 27, 2020, 1 replies, in forum: Kingdom Hearts News & Updates
Post
OOC: Re: Mario's High School Days II - Age of the New World Order

Character reserve time...

Name: Michiru Kagemori
Description: A student at Tokyo University who graduated from Nintendo High School in the year prior to Mario beginning his time over there. During her time at Nintendo High School, Michiru accidentally came in contact with the safe containing the Relic, making her a Conduit with the ability to change into an anthropomorphic tanuki with enhanced abilities, something she has kept a secret from others.
Faction (Rebel/New Word Order/None): None
Series Character is from: BNA: Brand New Animal
Image:

Name: Nazuna Hiwatashi
Description: An anthropomorphic fox who attends Tokyo University and is best friends with Michiru Kagemori as well as her dorm roommate. Nazuna's dream is to become an idol, usually practicing for her dream by performing songs with Michiru.
Faction (Rebel/New Word Order/None): None
Series Character is from: BNA: Brand New Animal
Image:

Name: Shirou Ogami
Description: A private investigator who lives in the Capital, occasionally working with the local police department on certain cases. Shirou is a Conduit with wolf-like abilities such as keen smell and psychometry, which help him with his job as a private investigator.
Faction (Rebel/New Word Order/None): None
Series Character is from: BNA: Brand New Animal
Image:

Post by: Meilin Lee, Jul 3, 2020 in forum: OOC Lounge
Post
Crossover: Re: Mario's High School Days II - Age of the New World Order

~The Capital - McDuck Manor (Bathroom)~

Upon returning to McDuck Manor to continue with a sleepover with Webby, Lena headed to the bathroom to give some stern words to Magica de Spell, upset about how things went earlier with Magica’s money shark…

“You had the dime in your grasp!” Magica’s image in the bathroom mirror scolded Lena. “No, your crazy shark had the dime in its throat!” Lena angrily retorted, “So excuuuse me if I didn’t want to be eaten!” “You would have PROBABLY survived!” Magica exclaimed, “You cared more about your stupid ‘friends’ than you did about us!” “Your shark was out of control!” Lena replied, “The dime does neither of us any good if I’m dead. I had no choice.” “You had a choice, and you chose wrong!” Magica said, “You’re not supposed to think, you’re supposed to follow orders!” “Maybe I’m tired of following orders. I’m done,” an upset Lena replied as she turned around and headed towards the door. However, as she almost reached the door, she felt her body freeze and was struggling to move. “Wh-What?!” Lena cried before realizing that Magica was controlling her body at that moment. “Oh, but you can’t get rid of me,” Magica warned Lena, “After all, I am the reason you came to be in the first place. Don’t forget, Lena… you were never meant to exist. I’m the only one who can give you what you truly want. Your nonexistent heart’s fondest desire. Your chance to truly exist and be free.” Sighing as she realized her hands are tied in her current situation, Lena replied, “Whatever you say… Aunt Magica.”

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~Scarif, The Maldives - Citadel Tower: Data Vault Room~

“Step back,” Jyn warned Cassian as she used a blaster to shoot a hole through a glass in the data vault room in order to reach the column containing the hard-drive with the data they needed to send to the Rebels. Once the glass in front of them completely shattered, Cassian and Jyn climbed over the control panel in front of them, and jumped towards the nearest column, both managing to hang on to it as they climbed up to try and reach the hard-drive they wanted to retrieve.

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~Scarif, The Maldives~

The battle in the beach raged on, with Noctis, Prompto, and the Rebels they were in charge of retreating to a bunker as Stormtroopers were advancing towards them while continuously shooting at them. “Come on!” Prompto ordered the Rebels as they all took cover at the side of the bunker, trying to fire back at the Stormtroopers. While the exchange of gunfire continued, Noctis heard his communicator beeping, noticing that Bodhi was trying to reach him...

“Noctis? Noct, come in please,” Bodhi’s voice called out to Noctis from the communicator, “I’m tied in at my end, I just need an open line.” “We’re a little busy here,” Noctis responded, “What do you need?” “There’s a master switch, located near your location,” Bodhi’s informed Noctis through the communicator, “It’s over at a console. Outside the bunker where you are.” Taking a peek, Noctis noticed a control panel located in front of the bunker with a switch, telling Bodhi, “Found it… now to try and figure out how to get to it while avoiding Stormtroopers.”

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~Siberia, Russia - Outside New World Order Base~

Finn and Natasha looked at each other in confusion upon hearing Rey mention she’s not used to creatures talking, given the fact that it was normal for a lot of creatures to speak. “You’ve... never heard creatures talk before?” Finn asked Rey, “But… Discord and Mewtwo, who were just with us on the Millennium Falcon… they’re creatures, I suppose, and they talk. Besides them, I even knew a rabbit, fox, and buffalo who could talk back when I was in Maryland. Plus, a lot of ponies have the ability to talk as well.” “And besides, weren’t you in China before you came here?” Natasha asked Rey, “Because the leader of the Chinese Rebels is a dragon, and she talks. Not to mention, back in Irkutsk, one of the Rebels I know there is a griffin, and she talks as well.” “Either way, nice job using that Materia to protect yourself and Rey,” Finn commended Red XIII as he shifted his attention towards him, “I’m Finn. This is Rey, that’s Natasha, and this here is BB-8.” BB-8 then introduced himself to Red XIII with an electronic beep while Natasha said, “It’s a pleasure to meet anyone opposing the New World Order.”

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~Siberia, Russia - New World Order Base (Castiel’s Chamber)~

Arriving at the large and empty area that is Castiel’s chamber, Connor and the others found Castiel with his back facing them in the center of his chamber, standing near a throne and the severed head of Dr. Johann Fennhoff on the floor…

“Is that Castiel?” Connor wondered out loud. Hearing Connor, Castiel turned around and glared at the group. Gasping upon seeing and recognizing his face, Tuxedo Mask replied, “Yeah, that’s him alright. Castiel… what have they done to you…” “Castiel,” Haytham called out to the human/S-Type hybrid, “You stand accused of betraying the New World Order and abandoning our principles. In consideration of your crime, I hereby sentence you to death.” Looking at Haytham, Castiel began to slowly walk towards the group as he said with a low and creepy voice, “Haytham… Kenway… you and your allies have caused me so much pain… I won’t rest until I kill every last one of you…” “Wait,” Tuxedo Mask spoke up, walking towards Castiel. “What is he doi-” Haytham questioned before being interrupted by his son holding his arm in front of him to prevent him from interfering in what Tuxedo Mask was doing. “I promised Tuxedo Mask he can try to get through Castiel upon meeting him,” Connor told his father. “Are you all mad?” Haytham questioned, “Castiel is highly unstable, unable to control the S-Type in him. It’d be suicide to try and reason with him.” “We have to give Tuxedo Mask a chance to try,” Connor retorted. Sighing, Haytham said, “Very well. But I’m telling you, it won’t work.” Meanwhile, as Tuxedo Mask slowly approached Castiel, he said, “Hey there, Castiel… remember me? It’s me, Agent Darien Chiba.” “D-Darien?” Castiel wondered out loud as he looked at Tuxedo Mask with a curious look on his face. “Yes, that’s it,” Tuxedo Mask happily replied, wondering if he was successfully starting to get through to him, “You and I were agents in the J.I.A. We once went on a mission together in Indonesia. Remember that? You were a really good agent, Castiel. You always looked out for rookies like myself back in the day. Please, I’m asking you as a friend, Castiel. You don’t have to fight. It’s not too late to stop. Instead, try to remember all the friends you had in the J.I.A. All those whom you cared about. Think about them, Castiel.” “Those who… I cared about?” Castiel wondered out loud as he tried to reminisce of his time in the J.I.A. But as he began to reminisce, he remembered an agent he worked with named B. Orchid, and how Dr. Fennhoff forced him to kill her during the Great Purge. And as he remembered that painful memory, it triggered something inside Castiel, causing him to scream in pain as he covered his head and grew Shadow Wings on his back…

“What is going on?!” Connor wondered out loud as Tuxedo Mask watched helplessly, unsure of what was happening to Castiel. Eventually, Castiel stopped screaming in pain, and stared at Tuxedo Mask with a threatening look on his face as he summoned a fireball and sent it flying towards Tuxedo Mask. But in a surprising move, Haytham actually rushed to Tuxedo Mask’s help, pushing him out of the way and saving him from getting hit by the fireball. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” Haytham remarked as he helped Tuxedo Mask get up from the floor. As for Castiel, he began levitating as he angrily remarked with a demonic voice, “The Rebels… the New World Order… I will destroy both and claim this world for my own! No one can stop me! NO ONE!!” Taking out his tomahawk, Connor told Tuxedo Mask, “I am sorry, Tuxedo Mask, but we have no choice. We have to defeat Castiel!” Sighing, Tuxedo Mask took out his cane as he told Sailor Moon, “Sailor Moon, get ready!” As for Haytham, he took out his sword as the battle between Castiel and Connor’s group was about to begin.

Post by: Meilin Lee, Jun 30, 2020 in forum: Role-Playing Arena

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