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Re: Let's take a better look at that... *SP*
Posted By: Hawaiian Pig	Date: 9/17/10 8:07 p.m.
In Response To: Let's take a better look at that... *SP* (BlueNinja) But what's the story being advanced? : Let's have another look at the story of Reach, shall we? : Winter Contingency: As you said, this jump starts the entire game. Can't cut : this. Agreed : Sword Base: I agree, most of what happens in this level doesn't serve a real : purpose story-wise. We learn that whatever information Kat took from the : relay in Winter Contingency possibly contains invaluable information, : however. Agreed, but that information you learn has nothing really to do with what occurs in the level. : Nightfall: We learn that the Covenant have set up an entire advance party on : Reach, more akin to an invading army than a bunch of scouts. Again, how the covenant is set up on Reach isn't really a story. In a book this would just be descriptive. : Tip of the Spear: We blow up some Covie bastards. That, and we discover that : the Covenant invasion is spearheaded by a Covenant supercarrier. A covenant cruiser shows up. That's about it. Again, what's compelling about this story yet? : Long Night of Solace: We proceed to blow up said Covenant supercarrier, in an : effort to quell the Covenant invasion. It's only at the end of the level, : once the supercarrier gets turned into dust, that the real Covenant : invasion force arrives in-system, giving us little doubt that this planet, : despite our efforts, is going to fall. That's a very powerful moment. Probably the most significant thing to happen yet: We blow up said cruiser; More arrive. That's a wonderful statement on the futility of our fight, and a powerful moment in terms of providing atmosphere. But what's our story? : Exodus: This planet is going to fall. That much was established at the end of : the previous mission. Thus, it only makes sense that we try and get as : many civilians off-world as possible. We also get back in touch with Noble : Team, which once again furthers the story. We got lost and reconnected with our crew. Sounds like ODST. What's interesting about this? What's the plot? : New Alexandria: Okay, I agree, the only advancement this level delivers : story-wise is Kat's death. Everything else that happens in the level is : kind of pointless. Agreed. : And then follow the Package and the Pillar of Autumn, which serve as the : climax of the game. Finally something significant is happening. Rather than "a bunch of random shit rains down on Reach," we start doing something, we start to learn more about a mystery that had been alluded to, we start to have something more than just an objective to complete... it's not a lot, but there's something interesting here. Cortana can turn the tide of this war, neat. : The problem with the story, as evidenced by your comments, is that we already : knew how it was going to end. The Covenant would invade full-force, and : Reach would fall. That's why a lot of the story has the potential to feel : pointless, I think. It's not that we knew how it was going to end. A lot of the stuff you do has no consistency, one doesn't reasonably flow from one to the other, the plot doesn't unfold, it just occurs. A cruiser shows up, we blow it up, then we help some civilians, and ok now the doctor wants us to deliver a package that will turn the tide of the war. None of that is really explicitly linked. Except for the fact that it's all occurring on the same besieged planet. Here

Message Index

Thoughts on Reach (4K words)	Cody Miller	9/17/10 11:57 a.m.
Re: Thoughts on Reach (4K words)	General Battuta	9/17/10 12:15 p.m.
good thoughts *NM*	Schedonnardus	9/17/10 12:17 p.m.
Re: Thoughts on Reach (4K words)	terminator182	9/17/10 12:34 p.m.
Re: Thoughts on Reach (4K words)	General Battuta	9/17/10 12:56 p.m.
Re: Thoughts on Reach (4K words)	DHalo	9/17/10 6:02 p.m.
Re: Thoughts on Reach (4K words)	Ducain	9/17/10 12:43 p.m.
Re: Thoughts on Reach (4K words)	General Battuta	9/17/10 12:57 p.m.
Re: Thoughts on Reach (4K words)	uberfoop	9/17/10 1:03 p.m.
Re: Thoughts on Reach (4K words)	NeoN	9/17/10 1:19 p.m.
Re: Thoughts on Reach (4K words)	General Battuta	9/17/10 1:32 p.m.
Re: Thoughts on Reach (4K words)	gspawn	9/17/10 1:21 p.m.
Re: Thoughts on Reach (4K words)	NeoN	9/17/10 1:38 p.m.
Re: Thoughts on Reach (4K words)	BanditORR	9/17/10 2:41 p.m.
Re: Thoughts on Reach (4K words)	tln	9/17/10 1:40 p.m.
Re: Thoughts on Reach (4K words)	bluerunner	9/17/10 1:54 p.m.
Re: Thoughts on Reach (4K words)	gspawn	9/17/10 2:03 p.m.
Let's take a better look at that... *SP*	BlueNinja	9/17/10 2:01 p.m.
Re: Let's take a better look at that... *SP*	bluerunner	9/17/10 2:05 p.m.
Oh snap! *NM*	BlueNinja	9/17/10 2:09 p.m.
Re: Let's take a better look at that... *SP*	Hawaiian Pig	9/17/10 8:07 p.m.
I beg to differ.	munky-058	9/17/10 2:31 p.m.
Re: I beg to differ.	Ducain	9/17/10 5:26 p.m.
Re: I beg to differ.	Hawaiian Pig	9/17/10 6:03 p.m.
Re: Thoughts on Reach (4K words)	bluerunner	9/17/10 2:40 p.m.
Re: Thoughts on Reach (4K words)	Cody Miller	9/17/10 2:52 p.m.
Re: Thoughts on Reach (4K words)	Ze Moose	9/19/10 12:38 a.m.
Re: Thoughts on Reach (4K words)	DEEP NNN	9/17/10 2:53 p.m.
Agreed on out of bounds msgs and plot presentation	reprobate	9/17/10 5:37 p.m.
Re: Thoughts on Reach (4K words)	General Vagueness	9/17/10 5:42 p.m.
Re: Thoughts on Reach (4K words)	Hawaiian Pig	9/17/10 6:00 p.m.
Re: Thoughts on Reach (4K words)	General Vagueness	9/17/10 6:34 p.m.
Re: Thoughts on Reach (4K words)	Crab	9/18/10 11:26 a.m.
Re: Thoughts on Reach (4K words)	Hawaiian Pig	9/19/10 12:40 a.m.
DropShield is most useful on Legendary by far. *NM*	c0ld vengeance	9/18/10 10:17 a.m.
Character investment	kapowaz	9/18/10 5:34 p.m.
Re: Character investment	Hawaiian Pig	9/19/10 12:37 a.m.
Re: Character investment	Louis Wu	9/19/10 8:08 a.m.
Re: Character investment	Hawaiian Pig	9/19/10 4:14 p.m.
Re: Character investment	Ze Moose	9/19/10 12:44 a.m.
Re: Character investment	kapowaz	9/19/10 3:11 a.m.