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lowpolynpixelated · 25 days ago

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Call of Duty and the beast that must die

Written by: Clair Beckett

Upon booting up Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 for the first time I was assaulted with a modern "Marvel" type banner, proudly declaring the expansive media franchise that is CALL OF DUTY. I was then given three different screens filled with the names of game studios swallowed by the machine in the series' long and crumbling history of game after game after game. Call of Duty claims itself a pillar of the industry. One of the many posts that hold up the very sky of the video game landscape. It stands now before me, million dollar propaganda for the US military starring Spawn and Nicki Minaj for a limited time only, but only if you can pay the price of admission.

The next thing I was told, of course, was to make an Activision account. The game then prompted me to add my phone number and restart the game twice to make sure that all the personal data it wanted from me was set to go. Modern video games have gone so far beyond what they began as and yet they still ride the corpses of the culture the executives strangled to death loudly and proudly. Remember COD4? Remember Modern Warfare 2? Well we do! And we're happy to announce that we've rewritten and re-released them for $70 with extra US warcrimes written to look like the russians did it! Buy now and get a new golden skin for the gun that will only be in the cash shop rotation for the next two weeks!

Loading into the launchers that games like Halo and Call of Duty have become is insulting. But at least Halo has the dignity to somewhat look like a game instead of a collection of repackaged and hastily made content so that you can push its cosmetics exchange and season passes safely underneath some menus so they don't bother while you try to do the thing you paid for without logging in to your Microsoft account first. No, Call of Duty loads you into a fantastic screen filled with games you COULD own and cosmetics it wants you to spend the money on first. But how did this happen? I thought we were going to vote with our wallets? Show those big companies that we're not gonna take it anymore! Well, astute video gameist, we did. Or, folks like you did, and the resounding answer was "more forever so the money we're making off these pre-order bonuses and cosmetic mircotransations." Except it hasn't slowed down? Has it? So called "microtransactions" have ballooned up to upwards of $20 for single weapon skins or character packs, art that is made at the behest of artists who are cycled out of the offices like so many reams of paper wasted on stock reports.

Call of Duty wastes 0 time showing you all the ways you can spend money every way possible. If you select the game you "own" you'll first be prompted to upgrade to the ultimate edition, then when you select multiplayer you'll be prompted to purchase this month's battlepass, when you select what character you want to present as on each team you get bombarded with skins, pricetags displayed proudly larger than the actual name of the skin. Too, damn, far. Is what this nonsense is. Far be it from me to lay down my journalistic integrity for the absolute slog that fucking Call of Duty has become, but is this really what we play now? Is this what the multi-million dollar companies have to offer? Do you think that anyone working on these games had their passion cared for? Their intent respected? The answer, dear reader, is no.

No, no this isn't about video games anymore. But your average "gamer", as it were, hasn't cared about this in about 10 years. The "gamer culture" that has been fostered within the triple A sphere of the landscape is one of complacency and non questioning attitudes of "the next big thing must be the best because it's the next and the biggest!" when in actuality it's just the biggest number of people laid off without notice and the biggest return for five people in thousand dollar suits. Modern Call of Duty props itself up on the idea of legacy. The idea that the name itself is enough to warrant the money you pay for the content it will legally take away from you in a matter of a few short years so they can save on server costs. But what IS the legacy of Call of Duty? The original titles helped shape the first person shooter landscape, and the fourth title revolutionized multiplayer action games alongside the likes of Halo, but what came after? Almost immediately after COD4's smashing success it traded any sort of message and want for things like gameplay innovation or narrative cohesiveness for an iterative cycle at the behest of a publisher in some of the early days of the triple A landscape becoming a barren sprawl of corporate greed. Mind you I said some of the early days, corporate greed has always been intrinsically tied to the video game landscape but I digress. Call of Duty became one of the first annual franchises. Swapping developer each year back and forth to make games that were baseline iterative on the last promising "bigger and better but also the same, we promise" ad nauseam until something had to give. Modern Warfare 2 is heralded as a gold standard for the series, but it mostly has to do with the most memorable levels letting you gun down civilians in an airport. Otherwise it was the same jarheaded OO-RA gun em' down action that the first game had, minus some rather potent anti-war sentiments.

Call of Duty's legacy then is one of "gamer culture", fiercely embroiled in charging the most for the least at the promise of it being the very bleeding edge of what your new several hundred dollar machine can do. The idea of the annual franchise sold more than consoles it sold promises to people, and executives loved that. The culture I speak of you can see everwhere in the mid to late 2000s and early to mid 2010s before the absurdity of it all really started to take root. From Mountain Dew cans boasting cool spec ops dudes in tactical gear and offering double XP should you buy the sugary sludge, to commercials starring then YouTube celebrities famous for blowing things up with military grade firearms on empty land. Gamer culture was and still is top priority in ensuring people don't question the quality or practices of the things they're being sold now. As long as a company can tug on the heartstrings of millions by saying things like "We grew up playing (insert late 90s/early 2000s video game title here) so we get what makes games fun." They have carte blanche to repackage, resell, and further monetize things that should not cost that much if anything at all. The idea that the name "Call of Duty" should stand as the base pricepoint to sell you a launcher to host all the games you could own while barely showing you the ones you do is that corporate greed taken to such a far extreme it's maddening to think about why people aren't more fucking angry about this.

The great Stephanie Sterling has long spoken on points like this about companies like Activision/Blizzard, Nintendo, and EA. Titans of the industry now only famous for how many people they layoff every few months and how much they charge for games that shouldn't cost that much. In a 2019 article on how Apex Legends ended up saving Electronic Arts from major stock crashes, she said the following:

"Last generation saw the rise of the “fee to pay” game. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 made online connectivity obligatory for modern consoles, and it was only a matter of time because videogame publishers smelled an opportunity to make money from constant access to their customers. Full premium expansions for videogames gave way to downloadable content, which in turn gave way to microtransactions appropriated from free-to-play games. Only, they never made the games containing them free.

New “AAA” titles saw their entire in-game economies overhauled for the worse in order to support microtransactions. Dead Space 3, notoriously, had to reduce all its horror elements and become a traditional action game to support a desperate weapon crafting economy. This was excused by pundits and spokespeople as offering players a “choice,” without addressing the fact that psychologically manipulative gameplay elements were not things we could opt out of in the games we were paying sixty dollars for.

Having gotten away with it, however, publishers only grew worse. With traditional DLC, season passes, and multiple special editions, many companies have more than quadrupled down on their monetization, and modern games are slowly - subtly - starting to resemble starter packs more than finished products."

-Stephanie Sterling, "How Apex Legends Saved EA's Ass... In Spite of EA", Feb. 12, 2019

In microcosm I think this perfectly encapsulates what the new legacy of things like Call of Duty is. Full and even fuller priced games being stocked with more and more transactions to pull the most out of the consumer without giving anything meaningful in return. Virtual rewards for real world currency that can be taken away at a moment's notice. Fortnite is most famous for popularizing the "battlepass" style of monetization and rotating cash shop storefronts. By having you purchase funny in-game tokens to buy your skins it hoped to have you forget about the 30$ you just spent on said tokens. Call of Duty and its piers have no such interests. No, cold hard cash is the only way it presents its purchasable garbage and that's what you pay each time you give in to one of it's dozens of FOMO inducing splash screens and reminders. You are taken advantage of for your money. That's not even to touch on the genre destroying concept of "crossover content" which only serves to further drive the idea of sales over substance, with more of your favourite characters and celebrities being added to these games in the form of poorly animated and uncanny models for 20$ a pop.

This new form of selling a legacy can only end in more of the same. More skilled artists, developers, and writers being laid off into an industry that cannot afford to hire them back. Infinite growth has already reached it's glass ceiling and is pretending that it simply cannot see it due to it's see-through nature. These giants of the industry, these beasts, must die to see meaningful creative growth return to such spheres as the triple A landscape. The old must give way to the new, the nostalgia has been wrung out like so many drops from an already dry sponge. Name's are not worth paying for, and neither are concepts. We must think and act critically of these systems if we are to escape them. Voting with your wallet is a false initiative. Participating in the market they have a stranglehold on cannot lead to their downfall. This is all to say the following: Stop buying this nonsense. Look more into the independent scene. Find your new favourite games through channels like itch.io or the "indie" spaces on the other major storefronts. Pay for the games that care about what they are. And for the love of everything stop purchasing US Army propaganda. I'd like to recommend the likes of Stephanie Sterling, as previously mentioned, who's journalistic integrity and strength has persevered through some of the worst of gaming's tumultuous history. Jacob Geller, who's introspective analysis of video games as pieces of living breathing art tell so much about the passion and craft that goes into something as commonplace as "a video game". And finally Noah Caldwell-Gervais, a man who I can only describe as one of the most earnest, honest, and just plain down-to-earth guys to ever grace the gaming landscape. These three along with countless others are avenues into further understanding the type of landscape video games exist in in the modern day. I hope you come away from either this article or their work with something new, be it a game or a thought on all this mess. Thanks for reading.

Sources and links:

"How Apex Legends Saved EA's Ass... In Spite of EA"

Stephanie Sterling's work

Analyzing Every Torture Scene in Call of Duty — All 46 of Them (Jacob Geller)

How Many Clicks Does It Take To Get to the Center of Diablo? [A Franchise Retrospective] (Noah Gervais)

#article #my stuff #my writing #video games #writing #video games are for everyone #stephanie sterling #noah gervais #jacob geller #call of duty

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everygame · 4 months ago

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"One of the finest of his generation of critics"—Kieron Gillen (Die, The Wicked + The Divine) Fifty-two essays composing the very best of veteran video game developer and writer Mathew Kumar's "Every Game I've Finished" project, published for the first time in print with commentary from the author. Releasing October 21st, 2024 in print, and available for pre-order now for Kindle or as epub/pdf. Games covered include legendary icons (Wizardry: Proving Grounds Of The Mad Overlord), indie darlings (Papers, Please), beloved obscurities (Attack of the Friday Monsters!), Triple-A franchises (Mass Effect) and modern classics (The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild). Essays take the form of everything from straight critique to strategy guide, and represent an overview of the state of the art in video games across its history distilled into ten years of highs and lows. A book that takes video games as seriously as any art form and as deserving of collected criticism. “Mathew’s project, to finish the games he plays, and to write about those he finishes, can be simply stated but it represents a noble act of critical commitment. When taken in concert, these reviews –– unflinchingly acerbic, truthfully stated, and deeply unconcerned with external factors of fashion or consensus –– provide both a diary of criticism, and a long view of the judders and lunges of this still-evolving medium; A charter, too, for what we might cherish, and what we might disdain, in this emergent art form.”–Simon Parkin (A Game of Birds and Wolves, Death By Video Game)

---

Phew! When I announced exp. 2601 I mentioned it was the ten year anniversary of Every Game I've Finished in 2024 and that it might be important, and here it is, a celebration of my last ten years of writing that you can buy as a book that you can own in your house. I didn't originally plan it this way! I intended to release Every Game I've Finished 14>24 as a (somewhat) quick and dirty ebook release, and I did the majority of the work at the beginning of the year pre-exp. 2601, but after realising it would only take a "little" more work to self-publish the book physically I decided if I was going to vanity press, I might as well do it for real.

Of course, it's taken a lot longer than I expected, but I finally have a proof in my hand that I'm satisfied with, and it really does look very nice.

Vanity press or not, there are a few vectors to this release. Firstly, if you've ever enjoyed any of my writing of the past ten years, here's a nice way to support me and either get a lovely physical or handy digital edition. Secondly, if you haven't, here's a way to immediately get fifty-two of the best articles I've written which you can peruse at your leisure.

Thirdly, I just honestly think that there should be a culture of criticism around games just as there is for literally every other art form, and I think that this book existing makes as much sense as, say Clive James On Television, so I'm just fucking going for it.

That all said, Every Game I've Finished 14>24 is being released on October 21st 2024, and is being released in print on Amazon. I'm no happier about this than you are, but it's the simplest method. I would love to offer copies here on Ko‑fi for launch day, but they (sneakily) give author copies a long lead time and (of course) it's impossible to compete with Amazon's postage rates.

Amazon also--for bafflingly unclear reasons--won't allow me to offer a pre-order of the print edition, so please mark the date in your calendar or follow me on Bluesky or (spit) Twitter if you want to get a copy.

However! If you're just looking for the ebook, you can pre-order it on Kindle or epub/pdf right now! Subscribers will receive their shop discount on the digital edition, so don't forget you can support me for just $1 a month. This release has been, and I know it's a cliche, a real labour of love, just as Every Game I've Finished has been a labour of love for video games (even if it doesn't always read like it.) I can't wait for you to get your hands on it, and I'm so thankful for all of you who have joined me on this journey.

#gaming #video games #games #txt #text #announcement #book #every game i've finished 14>24 #mathew kumar #print #epub #pdf #kindle

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cienie-isengardu · 1 year ago

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Jango Fett and Walon Vau: The Laws, Orders, Jaster Mereel and True Mandalorians (pre-Galidraan)

for @delkios, I promise, this is about Jango and Vau but I needed to talk about Jaster first

previous part: Age Difference & Childhood Trauma

Jango Fett: Open Seasons comics and Fact Files established that between Korda VI and Galidraan passed 8 years and during that time Fett (14 - 22 years old) was hunting down Tor Vizsla and Death Watch.

Before I will bring sources and additional commentary for Galidraan, let’s take a moment to establish some available facts about True Mandalorians and Jango.

[...] The orphan was adopted by Jaster Mereel and the Mandalorians - a legendary band of mercenaries with a reputation for ruthless efficiency. Jango was forced to adapt to the Mandalorian way of life. He travelled with the nomadic warriors, learning their code of honour and familiarizing himself with their state-of-the-art equipment. The guidance of Jaster Mereel, and an allegiance to the Mandalorian community, helped compensate Jango for the loss of the mother and father he had hardly known. After Jaster’s death, Jango became leader of the Mandalorians. [Fact Files #22]

[...] As a boy, Jango was orphaned when his family was caught in the cross fire between the terrifying Mandalorian Warriors and their rivals, the Death Watch, on the planet Concord Dawn. A sympathetic Mandalorian commander named Jaster Mereel took pity on Jango and made him a cadet. Soon he was traveling with the nomadic army-for-hire as they toured the galaxy looking for a conflict, always in the service of the highest bidder. Over time, Jango rose through the ranks. When Jaster Mereel was killed in battle, Jango was named commander, the youngest in the long history of the notorious mercenary army. Since ancient times, Mandalorians were brutally effective fighters, and especially so under Jango Fett’s leadership. However, while fighting to suppress a popular revolt in the Galidraan system, the Mandalorians ran afoul of the Jedi Knights, who wiped out most of the mercenary army and delivered the survivors to the governor of Galidraan. Jango became a slave, but he used the next several years to regain his strength and plot his eventual escape. He exacted revenge on his captors, reclaimed his Mandalorian armour and set off on his own as a bounty hunter. (Bounty Hunter Game Guide)

True Mandalorians were “looking for a conflict, always in the service of the highest bidder” and described as ruthless and effective, “especially so under Jango Fett’s leadership” which implies a change (improvement) of their army. Jango in general is presented in sources as an excellent warrior and “perfect soldier” however as much as he was admired for his skills and courage, he wasn’t liked that much as a person, quite often considered selfish by his own people:

Republic Commando Order:66

"Well ... if you want something to shine bright, it has to be polished hard." Skirata wondered exactly what Jango would have done if he hadn't been there to stop Orun Wa from having the Null kids put down. Jango talked tough-was tough-but his callous attitude didn't extend to children, however brutal it looked from the outside. "Jango might have been a self-centered chakaar, but don't believe all that bluster about Boba being nothing more than his apprentice. He wanted a son, no doubt about it. He knew what it was to be a kid waiting to die, so I reckon he'd have given the aiwha-bait a good hard kov'nyn and sent him on his way." Shame you didn't do a hit more for the other boys cloned from you, Jang'ika, but I suppose you didn't have much pity left after all that happened to you.

[According to Glossary from Triple Zero, chakaar means in Mando 'a: thief, grave robber, general term of abuse]

"Deserter," the man said no hint of disapproval. "Discharged dead." Fi groped for the words. He knew what he wanted to say, but getting his mouth to obey him was another matter. He could feel sweat beading on his top lip. "Like a regular medical discharge, only a bit more serious." "It's okay, ner vod, you're among friends here," said the man. "Fett was a disgrace for letting the Kaminoans make clones for the Jedi out of him. It's not your fault." "Don't feel sorry for me," Fi said defensively. He didn't want pity. The Kaminoans didn't care any more than Fett did if the clone army was happy and well treated just as long as it won wars, but he'd had Kal Skirata looking out for him. "Our sergeant took good care of us. He adopted me as his son. We did fine." [...] "It's a small planet. A fair few Cuy'val Dar came back here when they'd finished training you." So the guy did know. The Mandalorian training sergeants handpicked by Fett hadn't all been fond of him, but they respected his prowess. And they'd been griping about life in Tipoca City. Well, there were no more secrets left to keep. Everyone knew about the Grand Army of the Republic now. It was dawning slowly on Fi that Fett, Mand'alor and bounty hunter, had been a good advert for Mandalorian grit, but his heroic status wasn't respected by some of his own people. The Alpha ARC clone troopers, hard men literally made in Fett's mold were scared of him, utterly loyal to his orders even after his death. But Fi realized that some Mando'ade here thought he was a selfish chakaar.

"Get it off your chest, Walon," Skirata said. "Come on, ner vod." Vau straightened up. "You never liked Jango, did you?" "I liked him enough. What I didn't like was how he ended up. Jango never gave a toss about anyone but himself. Some Mandalore he turned out to be-he was always away in the latter years, and he was as bad as the Jedi when it came to turning a blind eye to what was happening to his clones. No, Shysa's a fool if he thinks a Fett dynasty is good for Manda'yaim. We're better off without him." "You reckon?" "I do. Sorry, but I do. You suddenly his best mate or something?" Vau suddenly grabbed Skirata by the collar. Shab, he was strong; he almost lifted Skirata bodily as he shoved him against the bulkhead. They'd brawled many times, drawn blood, come close to killing each other, but Skirata had never seen Vau lose his temper, not once. And that was enough to stun him into silence. "Now do you see? Do you?" Vau hissed the sibilant like escaping steam. Mird cowered on the floor, whining softly. "I'm sick to death of your sentimental twaddle about Jango betraying us by letting Kamino use his genes. He did it to stop the Jedi. He did it to create an army strong enough to bring them down. You drone on about the injustice of unelected elites, my little working-class hero-well, now they're gone. Yes, it cost our boys' lives, but the Jedi are gone, gone, gone. And they won't be killing Mandalorians again, not for a long time. Maybe never." Vau was white-faced and trembling. Then he seemed to shake himself out of whatever alien persona had taken hold of him, adjusted his collar, and tugged down the sleeves of his flight suit. He was the ice-cold patrician again. Skirata still couldn't summon up any love or guilt about Jango, but suddenly it made sense, and he knew in his guts that it had been about a lot more than five million creds. Skirata thought of the abuse he’d heaped on Jango. He knew the man; he’d fought with him, in every sense of the word, and he’d also had comradely moments with him. The thought that he might have done him a disservice was one burden of guilt too many. He shut it out. If Jango had been playing the long game, Skirata had never caught a whiff of it. He knew it wasn’t all about the credits. He’d seen Jango cradling Boba in the early days, and that man wanted a son as much as any man ever had. So Skirata hadn’t looked for any motive beyond that. It was the only motive Skirata would have had. “I stand corrected,” said Skirata. How do I apologize? Where do I even start, with the osik I have to deal with now? “So I was wrong about Jango.” And now I know why Shysa wants Jango’s legacy to live on at any cost.

Republic Commando: True Colors

[...] but an ARC who’d gone AWOL was-impossible. Jango Fett had raised and trained them personally, with an emphasis on absolute loyalty to the Republic. Sergeant Kal said that Jango was an unhinged shabuir, but he always stuck to his contract, and that contract had included creating a loyal, totally reliable army. Darman had heard rumors to the contrary, and the Nulls were living crazy proof that a clone soldier could be as eccentric and wayward as any random human, but nothing had ever been confirmed.

Side note: From mando'a: shabuir - extreme insult - *jerk*, but much stronger

Republic Commando: Triple Zero

"Ordo, you just flattened an ARC trooper." "He was delaying us." "But you hit him. Twice." "No permanent harm done," Ordo said, lifting his kama to slide over the pillion seat behind Jusik. He sealed his helmet. "You can't convince Alpha ARCs of anything by rational argument. They're every bit as obtuse and impulsive as Fett, believe me."

Granted, the presented opinions are biased and definitely colored by Kamino experiences and post-Galidraan times in which Fett went into bounty hunting business instead of coming back to his shattered people (and in case of clones trained by Kal, also colored by Skirata's opinion of Jango). However Jango was also criticized by various characters as no team-player and in general, tie-in material kept pointing his solitary nature:

Republic Commando: Triple Zero

Skirata had worked out fast that Kaminoans despised everything that didn't fit their intolerant, arrogant society's ideal of perfection. So... they thought Jango's genome wasn't the perfect model for a soldier without a little adjustment, then. Maybe it was his solitary nature; he'd make a rotten infantry soldier. Jango wasn't a team player.

Yes, I know how the Kaminoans did it. They used our genes against us, the ones that make us bond with our brothers, make us loyal, make us respect and obey our fathers-that's what they manipulated to make us more likely to obey orders. They had to remove what made Jango a selfish loner, because that makes a bad infantry soldier, and you can tell from the Alpha ARCS that the Kaminoans weren't wrong. But there's one thing I don't know yet-and that's how they controlled the aging process. That's the key. They robbed us of a full life span. But we will not be defeated by time, ner vod. -ARC Trooper Lieutenant N-7-Mereel-in an encrypted transmission to N-11, Ordo

Internal memo penned by Hali Ke, senior research geneticist, Kamino, 27 BBY (source)

Jango is given to solitude and affects a disdain for human relationships and connections, yet when he agreed to help train our army, he immediately summoned a band of mercenaries who shared his background. And, of course, there is the matter of his fee: Jango seemed barely to care for the considerable sum of five million credits, but was adamant that we create an unaltered clone of himself, whom he now refers to — without a trace of self-consciousness — as his son. I have seen him return to Kamino after killing men for credits, wash the blood out of his starship’s hold, and an hour later be gently talking and playing with young Boba.

Attack of the Clones by R.A. Salvatore

Taun We seemed genuinely perplexed, and so she was, to see a human with so little apparent regard for other humans, clones or not. Of course, hadn't the Kaminoans just created an army for the Republic? There wouldn't be wars without some disagreement, now, would there? But that, too, held little interest for Jango. He was a solitary bounty hunter, a recluse - or he would have been if not for Boba. Jango didn't care a whit about politics or war or this army of his clones. If every one of them was slaughtered, then so be it. He had no attachment to any. He looked to the side as he considered that. To any except for Boba, of course.

The Cestus Deception by Steve

"Perhaps because you are the only one trained for command. That makes you more like Jango." His attention sharpened. "They say he was a loner." "Yes," she said. "But a natural leader, too. At other times he could be invisible, as I understand quite a few people learned to their brief and painful regret." Nate gave a hard, flat chuckle. Yes, indeed. "But if he wanted, when he entered a room every head would turn." She paused a beat. "Especially mine." Her voice grew softer. "But that was all so long ago. I was eighteen years old, and Jango was twenty-five." "Was he a bounty hunter then?" She closed her eyes, dredging up old memories. "I think he was in transition. He'd only been free maybe two years, since the Mandalo-rians were wiped out. I met him in the Meridian sector. He'd lost his armor somehow, and was searching for it." A ruminative smile. "We had just about a year together. Then things got dangerous. We were raided by space pirates. Our ship got blown from the sky, and in the middle of a really nasty space battle we were forced to take separate evacuation pods. I never saw him again." She paused. "I heard he survived, and got his armor back. I don't know if he looked for me." Sheeka shrugged. "Life is like that, sometimes." Her voice had grown wistful. Then she chuckled, and he drew back slightly and looked at her in puzzlement. "Why do you laugh?" "You do remind me of Jango. He always locked his emotions away. But I can remember times when he let them out of their cage." "Such as?" Her sweeter, saucier side was bubbling to the fore, and she was happy to feel it. She'd feared she'd never feel that evanescence again. ``If you're lucky, I might tell you sometime. She knew he was curious now, and pardoned herself for the slight exaggeration. In truth, Jango was a man of few words who kept his feelings in check. In his life, and his chosen lifestyle, that reserve had been vital for survival.

Fact Files #22

Despite Jango's growing stature, he began to feel that something was missing from his life. He remained a loner, but yearned for a son - someone with whom he could enjoy the paternal bond that he felt he had been denied. His ambition would be realized in the most unorthodox way.

Of course, how much of Jango’s selfishness and seclusion was a natural part of his character and how much a result of trauma (especially post-Galidraan) is up to debate, however existence of such opinions gives us a solid reason to think that as much as Fett could be an excellent or even charismatic soldier, he didn’t need be necessary an easy person to work with. There is also a young age of Jango to take into factor and his personal desire for revenge on Death Watch.

On one hand, Jango had undying loyalty of people like Silas, on the other, there was Montross. And yes, as much as Montross isn’t objective in his opinion about then Squad Commander Jango, he did bring up an interesting point about young Fett and his clouded mind when it comes to Jaster.

Montross: "I think he sometimes forgets that you're not really his son. Hnh. That`s dangerous. Clouds his judgment. And yours. One day soon, Jaster will choose his successor. And he'll need a clear head for that." Jango: “Jaster will do what’s right for the Mandalorians. He always had.” Montross: “Let’s hope we can say the same about you.” [Jango Fett: Open Seasons, issue #2]

Montross did not further argue about Jaster’s ability to make a right choice that will benefit their group but put in doubt Jango’s ability to do the same, as in: put the good of True Mandalorians above his personal feelings and desires. Did Montross act there on purpose to hurt young Fett? Most likely, as he did not like how the boy was Jaster’s favorite.

[...] He was also enraged by the attention his commander bestowed upon the daring young recruit, Jango Fett [Bounty Hunter Game Guide]

Jango became a favourite of Jaster Mereel, something that didn't sit well with one of his men Montross, who sought to lead the Mandalorians in Mereel's stead. [Fact Files vol. 3, issue 14]

Still, his final words “You’ll kill them all, Fett” proved true once True Mandalorians again walked into Tor Vizsla’s trap, this time under Jango’s leadership and Fett’s orders - that changed from evacuation to shoot at Jedi - led to massacre of his men.

The presented opinions and implications about Jango as a person are especially important in regard to Jaster Mereel. Jaster, despite more than two decades of being part of mandalorian lore, is not really developed as a character and a lot we learned about him comes from tie-in sources. He was described as:

“reformed murderer” who “held that the Mandalorians were merely highly-paid soldiers” [Dooku, JF:OS#1]

“a lawman [...] until murdered a superior officer. Wrecked by guilt [...] unable to contain his own passions, he sought to eliminate them in everyone else” [Tor Vizsla, Death Watch Manifesto/Bounty Hunter Code]

“Jaster sought true honor, not the right to ignore laws and moral codes” [Jango, Death Watch Manifesto/Bounty Hunter Code]

“deeply pious human”, who “brought a strong ethic”, and “fought tooth-and-nail to become reigning Mandalore and unite the disparate clans” [History of the Mandalorians/SW Insider #80]

“A sympathetic Mandalorian commander" who "took pity on Jango and made him a cadet” [Bounty Hunter Game Guide]

Side note: Sources about Jaster like History of the Mandalorian, Jango Fett: Open Seasons and Bounty Hunter Code were talked about in my other text - full quotes can be found there.

Additional source, The Last One Standing: The Tale of Boba Fett by Daniel Keys Moran was an original backstory for Boba whose name back then was in fact an pseudonym adopted by exiled from Concord Dawn Jaster Mereel. With Attack of the Clones, the story was retconned but it is the first material that introduced us to strong morality of Jaster:

The last statement of the Journeyman Protector Jaster Mereel, known later as the Hunter Boba Fett, before exile from the world of Concord Dawn: Everyone dies. It's the final and only lasting Justice. Evil exists; it is intelligence in the service of entropy. When the side of a mountain slides down to kill a village, this is not evil, for evil requires intent. Should a sentient being cause that landslide, there is evil; and requires Justice as a consequence, so that civilization can exist. There is no greater good than Justice; and only if law serves Justice is it good law. It is said correctly that law exists not for the Just but for the unjust, for the Just carry the law in their hearts, and do not need to call it from afar. I bow to no one and I give service only for cause.

An unpleasant grin touched the young man's lips. "You'll plead me unrepentant." Creel stared at him. "Do you understand the seriousness of this, boy? You killed a man." "He had it coming." "They'll exile you, Jaster Mereel. They'll exile you!'' "I could always go join the Imperial Academy," Mereel said, "if I got exiled. I expect I'd make a good storm." Creel overrode him: "and they may execute you, if you anger them sufficiently. Is it such a hard thing to say you're sorry for having taken a life unjustly?" "I am sorry," said Mereel. "Sorry I didn't kill him a year ago. The galaxy's a better place without him."

Even with limited material, there is visible contrast in how Jaster and Jango were perceived. Mereel is a man respecting laws with strong ethical sense, sympathetic, deeply involved in mandalorian matters. Tor Vizsla - his enemy who literally could write down any lie and slander about Jaster in his propaganda text - associated him with passion for all possible things. And yes, Tor considered it a flaw, something that Mereel was unable to contain and something, most likely alongside the wrecking guilt, that deeply affected his approach to Mandalorian Way, yet still it does not paint Jaster in the negative light as Jango being called by his own men as selfish chaakar and uncaring loner, disgrace or even claiming they were better off without him.

(And isn’t there something ironic how both Tor’s opinion and Jango’s men's critique is said from the perspective of time and somehow Vizsla - an enemy - remembers Jaster in a much nicer manner than Jango is remembered by his own people?).

Jaster’s strong sense of morality (coming mainly from tie-in material than Jango Fett: Open Seasons, the prime source) could be also an important factor in regard to Improved True Mandalorians’ brutal effectiveness under Jango Fett’s leadership.

Mind you, there are not enough direct sources to clearly support or completely refute this idea, as the original comics showed us only one mission taken by Jaster - an extraction of a rookie squad pinned down by hostile locals.

[Jango Fett: Open Seasons, issue #2]

As Jaster said, the job’s a routine extraction mission, so there is a chance True Mandalorians did some similar missions in the past. The job did not necessarily mean Mandalorians needed to kill the “enemy” of the Korda Defense Force, just that they were going to save Korda Defense Force’s people which doesn’t sound that bad from a moral standpoint.

In contrast, the only mission done by True Mandalorians under Jango Fett’s leadership we know any details about is Galidraan.

Jango Fett: Open Seasons, issue 3

I'm going to tell the governor that the insurrection is over...

"Your reign is secure" [...] "I killed your enemy now tell me where to find mine!"

Bounty Hunter Game Guide:

Since ancient times, Mandalorians were brutally effective fighters, and especially so under Jango Fett’s leadership. However, while fighting to suppress a popular revolt in the Galidraan system, the Mandalorians ran afoul of the Jedi Knights, who wiped out most of the mercenary army and delivered the survivors to the governor of Galidraan.

Fact Files vol.3, issue 14

Fett led the Mandalorians for eight years, during which the hunt for Vizsla was never far from their minds. When they discovered that Death Watch was being protected and funded by the Governor of Galidraan, they accepted a job dealing with a minor rebellion on the planet in order to get close to Vizsla. But when Jango left the Mandalorians to go and collect payment (and to insist that the governor should give up Death Watch and Vizsla to them), it turned out to be a trap. Vizsla was waiting, and Jango had to make a fighting retreat.

Fact Files #124

Eight years after the death of Jaster Mereel, Jango Fett’s leadership had ensured the survival and even the growth of the Mandalorian group. The Governor of Galidraan hired them to deal with an insurrection that threatened his tyrannical hold on power. Jango’s men did their job, but when Jango went to the Governor, he was ambushed by the Governor’s new associates - Vizsla and the Death Watch.

The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia

Mandalorians were asked by the governor of Galidraan to quell an insurrection[...]

In general, tie-in material is in agreement that A) True Mandalorians under Jango’s leadership took a job to deal with an insurrection B) governor was corrupted (working for Tor Vizsla) and his rule was even called a tyrannical one.

Korda Six was meant to be an easy job for young Jango’s sake yet still was about saving a rookie squad in need while Jango’s men took money to destroy people that most likely fought for their freedom, rights and/or democracy. All done just so Jango could get Tor Vizsla, the murderer of his biological family and surrogate father. We can’t be sure if Jaster Mereel would take that job. The retconned Jaster-Boba Fett most likely would

“What you're doing is morally wrong. The Rebels are in the wrong, and the Rebellion will fail as it should." Leia Organa could not keep the outrage out of her voice. "Morally wrong? Us? We're fighting for homes and our families and our loved ones, the ones who are still alive and the ones we've lost. The Empire destroyed my entire world, virtually everyone I ever knew as a child?" Fett actually leaned forward slightly. "Those worlds rose in rebellion against the authority legally in place over them. The Emperor was within his rights to destroy them; they threatened the system of social justice that permits civilization to exist." He paused. "I am sorry for the deaths of the innocent. But that happens in war, Leia Organa. The innocent die in wars, and your side should not have started this one." [The Last One Standing: The Tale of Boba Fett by Daniel Keys Moran]

However, would that be true for Jaster Mereel, known from Jango’s backstory? Would a person that according to History of the Mandalorians “brought a strong ethic that extended far beyond the limited Mandalorian ideology fighting for credits” be okay with destroying an insurrection against a corrupted official if he himself killed a corrupted fellow Protector and/or his superior? And yes, True Mandalorians were a mercenary band selling their martial arts for good money but that does not mean that Jaster accepted every job available.

Jaster is known for his strong moral sense that put him in collision with Tor Vizsla and Death Watch that accepted only Mandalorian laws, the law of strongest/violence. Jango too was described as having a personal honor code, but so far sources are concerned, Fett's main rule was that once you accept a job you must finish it. It didn’t matter if his target was a criminal or people forced in slave labor.

As Jango taught Boba, “Your loyalty, your honor – these are the things that matter. When you accept a mission, when you give your word, it is all that matters. As you grow into a man, you must remember: in battle, there can be no mercy. [Tales 18: Way of the Warrior]

The final difference between Jaster and Jango comes to this: Jaster wanted to be Mandalore

“[...] fought tooth-and-nail to become reigning Mandalore and unite the disparate clans” [History of the Mandalorians/SW Insider #80]

while Jango did not show that desire nor was named by Jaster as his successor.

Some sources incorrectly claim Jango was chosen by Jaster Mereel:

The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia

[Jaster Mereel] also appointed Jango Fett as his choice to succeed him as Mand'alor.

and Legacy of the Force: Revelation by Karen Traviss

"Why did Shysa think Fett should be Mandalore? Because his father was?" Jaina didn't add that Fett didn't strike her as the community-minded kind. "Bloodlines don't matter to you." "True, but Jango had a fearsomely good fighting reputation, and he was Jaster Mereel's chosen heir, so the Fett name has some power.

however Jaster Mereel, as was pointed out by comics, didn’t name his successor and as comics showed, he did not utter any last word before his death.

[Jango Fett: Open Seasons, issue 2]

Furthermore, Jango did call Montross unfit to lead True Mandalorians for leaving Jaster Mereel for death but that is it. Fourteen years old Fett did not make any claim to the Mandalore title - it was Silas, the loyal soldier, who first said he would follow Jango and no one else and other soldiers backed up that.

Jango: That's not your call to make, Montross. I say you're not fit to lead us. You left Jaster on the battlefield. To die alone. Silas: I'll follow Jango. And do one else. Montross: Is that what you want? A child leading you? [Jango Fett: Open Seasons, issue 2]

Jango was already a great soldier, however that Jaster treated him as his son, does not mean he planned to officially name him his successor, as there could be better fitted, older and more experienced Mandalorians to hold that title (and maybe, when Fett would be older, then he could be their successor). Jango himself believed that Jaster will choose what is the best for True Mandalorians.

Now, let's talk about Walon Vau and how he fits True Mandalorians in the pre-Galidraan era. We know he joined Mandalorians at a young age. We also know that True Mandalorians is a name used by Jaster Mereel to distinguish his men from rebellious Death Watch -

[The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia]

something that must have happened not so before Jango was orphaned (58BBY), however both factions were part of the same Mandalorian Mercs. So there is a real possibility that Walon Vau knew/was aware of Jaster Mereel - or was affected by his Supercommando Codex to some degree before he served under Jango Fett.

The same as Jango, Vau is presented as a very competent soldier but not exactly liked as a person, at least at the beginning of the Republic Commando book series. In general, the change in perception of Vau is the best seen through his difficult yet complex relationship with Kal Skirata however no matter how relationship warmed between Vau and other characters, the novels constantly described him as cold, detached, hard to read, sometimes even to the point he looked like he did not care about anything and anyone or generally speaking, as someone keeping his emotions under control.

In True Colors, Walon himself admitted to have “little time for anyone else, regardless of species” with the exception of Mird, the men of the Grand Army and most likely Jango Fett, for whom he agreed to train army for around decade on Kamino, cut away from the outside world. Similarly, in Imperial Commando: 501st, Ordo claimed he “had never known Vau to show the slightest interest in another living being” in the context of a romantic/sexual relationship.

(Side note: I do think Vau may be asexual/aromantic and depending on Jango Fett’s own sexuality this could be another factor why they get along better than Jango with Kal Skirata, something I talked more in another meta).

Republic Commando Prima Guide outright called Vau “borderline sociopathic”

same as The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia:

"Like his peers, Vau was a Mandalorian mercenary. As one of the Cuy'val Dar, Seargeant Vau was known for his pessimistic demeanor, and his training was noted for the worst-case scenarios [...]. Many of his graduates considered Vau to be a borderline sociopath, especially given the way he planned missions."

Side note: in the book series it is actually trained by Kal Skirata clones who use terms like "Old Psycho" and "head case" for Walon, not Vau's own men. And generally speaking most terms like crazy, psycho or other mental implications comes from Kal or his men. Jango too was insulted as unhinged shabuir.

Though from my online research I’m not sure if “borderline sociopath" truly fits the book!Vau, I think it is safe to call him an introvert who most likely falls into the spectrum of Antisocial Personality Disorder. Similar to Jango, Walon is not a person who wants or needs to connect to people, beside the few special beings - for Jango it was Jaster and Boba, for Walon Mird and his clone trainees.

However in contrast to Fett, Vau seems to have much more defined morality. Yes, Jango followed his own personal code - keep your word and finish the mission you agreed to do - yet despite himself being a slave for at least two years, this experience apparently did not create in Jango empathy for enslaved, oppressed people as in the end, he was working for those who could afford his service, which includes the corrupted politicians and criminals enriched on slavery and illegal spice. And when Kaminoan scientistpointed out he lacked morality, Jango get angry:

Internal memo penned by Hali Ke, senior research geneticist, Kamino, 27 BBY (source)

I have now logged many sessions with our prime clone Jango Fett, and concluded that he embodies his species’ contradictions. He is a killer many times over, ending the life of others without hesitation if paid to do so, yet his anger was obvious when I suggested he lacked morality.

In contrast, Walon acknowledged that he is a criminal by Coruscant standards and did not deny that at all.

Republic Commando: Order 66

“I’ve known Skirata for some years,” Vau said. “He’s a criminal by Coruscant standards. So am I. But an outright traitor - no. He’s a professional.”

At the same time, he did not allow Deltas to cross the line between soldiers and criminals, as he was adamant they won’t steal money during raid on Mygneeto Bank

Republic Commando: True Colors

"Sarge, we got what we came for. Why are we robbing a bank?" "You're not robbing it. I'm robbing it. You're just opening a door."

and

“We can empty the-” “I steal. You don’t.” It was a fine point but it mattered to Vau. Skirata might have raised a pack of hooligans, but Vau’s squads were disciplined. Even Sev… Sev was psychotic and lacked even the most basic social graces, but he wasn’t a criminal.

- even if Walon personally considered depriving his biological family of their fortune as a matter of justice, for himself and clone troopers ("I'm not robbing for gain. I'm not a greedy man. I just want justice. [...] Justice for me; justice for the clone troops, used up and thrown away like flimsi napkins.")

Side note: Kal's comment even further imply how unusual was for Vau to rob a bank in the first place:

"Unconfirmed. We lost his signal. He had kit with him that General Jusik felt you would want to recover." "What for?" "He cleaned out a bank vault. Credits, jewelry, bonds, the works. Two bags." Vau robbed a bank? Skirata was taken aback. The miserable old di'kut was game for breaking any law, but plain theft - never. This was Skirata's style, not Vau's.

Walon also did not allow Delta Squad to take part in extraction of Jilka because he considered it "too dirty and political".

Republic Commando: Order 66

"What do you want us to do, Sarge?” Vau summoned Mird back to his side with a silent gesture. “Nothing.” “Sarge, we can-” “No. You can’t. Sorry. This crosses the line from soldier to … well, I don’t want you involved with this. I needed Zey to know what I was doing, but it’s better you don’t ask why, either.” “Okay, Sarge.” Scorch activated his helmet comlink, wondering if Vau didn’t think they were good enough to take on RDS. “I’ll get the schematics of the security cells, and we’ll have you an operational plan inside half an hour.” “Scrap the plan, Scorch, but the schematics would be very welcome. Get some rest. Kashyyyk is going to wring you dry.” “Okay, Sarge.” They had time to give him a bit of help. “We wouldn’t foul up, honest.” “I know. But this is too dirty and political even for special ops. Concentrate on Kashyyyk. Real soldiering to be done there.”

Side note: Freeing Jilka Zan Zentis out of RDS custody was more done for benefit of Besany and Ordo (and Skirata) than anything else but Vau drew the line and kept to the resolution that members of the Delta Squad were soldiers first and foremost - their mission were sanctioned by Republic military and whatever happened and whoever they killed during said missions did not make them criminals. On other hand, there is something to say about Vau and how much of "dirty work" he did for Skirata clan's benefit through the whole book series.

The books also points out that despite his brutality and detachment, he cared for his own military self-respect and wasn’t one for blindly following orders:

“Are you on brigade strength again, Sarge?” Scorch asked. “No. Still civilian status.” Vau wore a slightly preoccupied frown that didn’t seem to have anything to do with the business at hand. “That way I can tell Zey where to stick his orders without feeling I’ve lost my military self-respect. An army that refuses orders is a rabble.” Scorch had heard it all before. It was like a litany, and he knew his lines. “An army that refuses orders is a danger to its citizens.” “An army that refuses orders is dead.” “You ever disobeyed an order, Sarge?” “Only when it was unlawful. And that’s not always an easy call, not when the bolts are shaving your nose hair. I’ll leave that wisdom to the lawyers sitting on their padded shebse years after the event.” Vau had never been a chatty man at the best of times; maybe this was the private Vau, the one his squads rarely saw.

Of course, what is “unlawful” in the opinion of a man that had no objection to brutalize clone cadets on Kamino or to interrogate and later kill an unarmed woman is up to debate.

Vau, for a former aristocrat, has also a very clear disdain for slavery:

Republic Commando: True Colors

"Of course," said Skirata, "we don't know if he's aware that the Republic sends out hit men to execute clones who want to try their luck in Civvy Street, either." Vau was watching the conversation with an air of boredom, which usually meant quite the opposite. He kept looking across to the one closed cabin, which had to be Ko Sai's holding cell, and exuding impatience. "If you broadcast that on the hour, all day on HNE, nobody would care, Kal. I guarantee it." "They'll care if the Seps start attacking Coruscant and interrupt their holovid viewing, all right." "But there's not going to be this massive wave of protest on behalf of Our Brave Boys. You'll be knocked flat by the wave of apathy. Goodness, our slave army, bred to fight, disposed of when it's too much trouble? What a sensible system! Good for the Chancellor! That's what we pay our taxes for!" Vau dropped the bored act and came very close to exposing emotion for once. "It saves all those civilians from having to look after their own democracy. The most you'll get is a few creds dropped in a charity box on the anniversary of Geonosis. No Senator is going to change a thing."

"Ugliness is an illusion, gentlemen." Vau began sorting through his disputed inheritance. "Like beauty. Like color. All depends on the light." The first thing that caught his eye in the family box was his mother's flawless square-cut shoroni sapphire, the size of a human thumbprint, set on a pin and flanked by two smaller matching stones. In some kinds of light, they were a vibrant cobalt blue, while in others they turned forest green. Beautiful: but real forests had been destroyed to find them, and slaves died mining them. "The only reality is action."

"You do realize," he said to Skirata, "that if the troopers were given a choice, most would opt to stay in the army anyway?" "I do. We all prefer the comfort of what we know best." "They'd be as dead as volunteers as they'd be as slaves, Kal." "But they'd have a choice, and that's what makes us free men." "Actually, that's a load of osik. Plenty of free beings in the galaxy don't have a vote and don't get a choice about what they do each day. There's a very blurred line between slavery and economic dependence."

Additional Commentary: The line: "there's a very blurred line between slavery and economic dependence." most likely is related to Vau's biological family. From the same book:

“It’s the Arakyd special, Walon. Says more about you than credits ever can.” The gangster look was less conspicuous here than full Mandalorian armor. The idea was to look like they’d come for sportfishing so that submerging Aay'han offshore didn’t attract the wrong sort of interest. “Looks rather expensive.” “Another bauble from the Vau deposit box. My great-grandfather is said to have shot a servant with it for serving his caf too hot.” Skirata almost went for the bait. “You’re just saying that to make me mad, aren’t you?” Vau’s expression was unreadable. “You know I’d never do such a thing.” Mereel put a restraining hand on Skirata’s shoulder as he overtook him. The terrible thing about Vau and his family was that it was perfectly possible.

This little story - whatever true or not - illustrates well that a person doesn't need to be shackled down like a slave to be exploited and mistreated. A servant, a free person earning their own living - may still be economic dependent on a cruel master with no protection from abuse, even if in theory applicable laws should regulate the coexistence of employer and employee. But sadly, the same as in real life the domestic help was often abused and mistreated, the galaxy far far away is too filled with corruption, greed and general lack of care for the poorest and the most vulnerable.

Vau’s point is especially interesting in regard to Jango, who at least twice took part in suppressing rebellion against the planet's potentially tyrannical leader (Galidraan) and slave revolt against Kuat elite/ Corporate exploitation, as happened in mentioned previously Tales 18: Way of the Warrior

Taking into account that Vau is

empathic enough to think there's a very blurred line between slavery and economic dependence and has some stories related to his biological family and its exploitation of other beings without an ounce of regret (slaves dying to mine shoroni sapphire, a stones used by his mother or the servant killed for trivial, petty reason)

he refused to follow orders he considered unlawful even under enemy's fire

we should ask this - did the mission on Galidraan was the line he refused to cross?

Mind you, there is not enough direct sources to prove it or reject this notion, so this is just one of possibilities, but if Walon Vau served under Jaster Mereel before Korda Six and shared similar approach to law and morality, after eight years of hunting for Death Watch (and knowing Tor Vizsla and his cunning nature, that was most likely a wild goose chase) he could become disinterested in Jango's more ruthless leadership at some point. Not enough to quit True Mandalorians but enough to notice that Jango may move further and further away from what Jaster Mereel would consider a good (morally and financial) contract for his people. After all, Galidraan was only partially about money, as it was above all a means to catch and kill Tor Vizsla, so Montross could be right, young Fett's mind was clouded when it comes to Jaster and avenging his death.

I'm not saying that Jango was a bad leader, but I think Vau not wanting to involve himself in suppressing a rebellion of ordinary people against a potential tyrant (aristocrat) fits well within established data about him. Even more if we take into account his statement:

Vau didn’t meet Skirata’s eyes for a moment, but he glanced at Jusik. “I could have been at Galidraan, but I wasn’t, and I never forgot that. Not my fight. Should have been my fight.” [Republic Commando: Order 66]

"Not my fight" most likely is about Vau's more ambivalent feeling toward Death Watch (that understandable after Galidraan turned into hatred) and recognizing that it was Jango's revenge quest but I think it may also be about the nature of the mission that went against Vau's own moral code. And another question without a clear answer is, did Vau ever disobeyed Jango's order before Galidraan?

At this moment, I think it is safe to assume that Vau knowing Jango for over two decades does not automatically mean they were close to each other from the start but considering that Jango at some point shared with Walon personal matters like childhood trauma (more details in previous part), he was no stranger either. However Jango being the Mandalore does not make him "moral authority" in Walon's eyes (the way Jaster was, maybe?) who could and in fact refused to follow orders if he did consider them unlawful. Young Jango on another hand was more concerned with his personal quest (revenge) than morality of his action and may have taken a contract that Jaster himself wouldn't. What could lead to some tension between those two, but as Galidraan and its dire consequences will shown, the potential personal conflict between Vau and Fett did not set them apart.

Next part: Galidraan and its consequences

#star wars #cienie's research #jango fett #walon vau #jaster mereel #jango fett and walon vau #true mandalorians #mandalorians

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theliterarywolf · 2 years ago

Note

The way people disavow major studios yet still almost exclusively consume media from them actually reminds me of the current community around the Sims 4.

Like there's been a lot of rushed, buggy, and lacking content lately, and folks are consistently talking about it. Yet I'll still see like "Oh wow that's not enough content for that price. Oh well, I'm still pre-ordering it lmao!"

It's really perplexing for me as someone who just won't pay money for media unless I really love it. I mean it might also be a side effect of me being a lifelong sailor of the high seas, but it means that when I DO pay for media it's almost always indie stuff, and I have more to spend on things I really want to support to begin with.

Is it really just the convenience factor? Do people have more of an issue with going through unofficial methods now?

I'm just really fascinated by folks that continuously support companies and such they clearly don't appreciate anymore

Bruh, what is going on with The Sims? I keep seeing people saying that all the new games have been ass but are still buying them AND all the content packs?

I honestly don't know why people still preorder games.

And I'm not talking about Wishlisting a TBA title on Steam, I'm not talking about buying a bundlepack the day of release, I'm talking about people dropping full price before a game comes out.

Because not only has the past decade or so in gaming shown us that you're essentially telling Triple A companies that all their crunch and fractured release plans are A-okay... Most preorder 'bonuses' aren't shit, I'm sorry. I still remember that criminal preorder stunt GameFreak pulled with ScarVio.

And, yes, I know that other regions had the special edition statue as their preorder bonus, but the fact that that wasn't universal doesn't help

I will say this, though, to connect this back to mainstream movies and television: a lot of people just... Don't know how to sail the seven seas. That combined with the fact that certain sites go down or get infected with malware all the time has kind of made this environment where piracy has gone from an open secret to people doing moral grandstanding about 'You can't pirate that content*! Think of the poor studios!'

(*The only time I'll say this is for independently published books. Especially since a good chunk of indie writers will gladly drop you a free copy in exchange for a thorough review or something)

Because, as I've mentioned before, the vast majority of piracy isn't a matter of not wanting to pay but a matter of not having a means of access to do so.

I'll once again bring up a personal example: I wanted to watch Turning Red last year but I refuse to get a Disney+ account. I pirated it, ended up liking what I saw, and when the Blu-ray came out, I purchased it.

But you have so many people going 'Wow, can't believe this studio won't stop making shitty movies! I'm going to go buy a ticket to see how shitty this movie is! Wow, this movie sure was shitty! Wow, can't believe the shitty movie just got confirmed for a sequel, how did this happen~?'

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roadtogracelandx45 · 2 years ago

Text

To Update/ Coming soon- June 14th- August 31st

** means smut

Admiral's Daughter- part 1, 2 and 3- Top Gun Maverick ff, Chasing Angels series. 2 Hangman/ Bianca/ Rooster, 3 Dagger Squad, 1. Bianca, Hangman, Coyote, and Phoniex.

Baby I Do,- Part 2* ,3*, 4,5- Elvis- Burnin' Love series- Elvis/ Sylvie

Little White Church- One Shot- Elvis- Stand alone- Elvis/Sylvie

Cowboy Take Me Away- Parts *2 and 3- Top Gun Maverick FF- Chasing Angels series- Hangman/Bianca

Save A Horse, Ride A Cowboy*- One shot- Yellowstone- Angel of Mercy Series- Lee Dutton/ Spencer Abbott

Just Dance- Part 1, 2*,3*,4* - Top Gun Maverick FF- Chasing Angels series- Hangman/Bianca

Wouldn't It Be Nice- One shot- Supernatural- Darkest Before the Dawn Series- Dean/Ellie

Secrets That Are Meant- one shot* Supernatural- Secrets That Are Meant To Kept Series- Sam/ Dean- Wincest

To Be Kept- One Shot*- Supernatural- Secrets That Are Meant To Kept Series- Ellie/Dean/Sam

Need You To Know- One shot*- Supernatural- Secrets That Are Meant To Kept- Ellie/Dean

Be My Baby Tonight- Part 1, Part 2*, Part 3, Part 4*- Avengers, Only Fools Rush Series- Steve/ Lennon, Bucky/ Lennon

Saturday's Alright For Fighting- One Shot- Fast Saga- Life in The Fastlane Saga- Vince/Sophie

On The Outside- Parts 3, 4,5,6 The Outsiders- On The Outside- implied Soda/Mattie

Game Changers- Part 2, 3,4,5.6- The Mighty Ducks- Game Changers series- Adam Banks/ Ava Bombay

I Kissed A Girl- One Shot*- Fast Saga- Life In The Fastlane Saga- Letty/ Sophie

California Girls- One Shot*- Top Gun Maverick- Chasing Angels- Phoniex/ Bianca

Courage Under Fire- Band of Brothers- Courage Under Fire Series- Bill/Olivia, Olivia/ Joseph Liebgott, Bill/ May Jenkins Parts 1, 2, 3*,4,5

Burnin' Love- Elvis- Burnin' Love Series- Elvis/Sylvie- Parts 5,6,7,8,9,10

Chasing Angels- Top Gun Maverick- Chasing Angels Series- Rooster/ Bianca, IceMav, Hangman/ Bianca, Hangman/ Phoniex, Phoneix/ Bianca. Parts 2, 3*, 4*,5,6,7

Should Be Me- Band of Brothers- Courage Under Fire series- what if- part 2- Bill/ Olivia

Charming Town- Sons of Anarchy- Charming Town Series- Jax/Ryder- Parts 7,8, 9*,10*,11*,12

I Don't Dance But For You- Top Gun Maverick- Chasing Angels one shot- Rooster Bianca-

Only Fools Rush In- Captain America- Only Fools Rush in Series- Parts 2,3,4,5*,6*,7*,8,9,10- Bucky/Hannah. Steve/Peggy

Under False Pretenses- Band of Brothers Mafia AU- Under False Pretense series- Liebgott/ Olivia, Dick/Olivia/Nixon part 2*,3*,4*,5*,6,7,8*,9*,10*

Are You Going My Way- Band of Brothers College AU- Are You Going My Way Series- Lewis/ Olivia, Buck/Olivia, Liebgott/Oliva, Bill/Olivia etc Part 2*, Part 3, Part 4*,5,6*

Please, I Need You- Chicago PD- Thin Blue Line series- Jay Libby one shot

Got You- Chicago PD x Blue Blood crossover- Jayx Libby- parts 4*, 5*, 6, 7

Don't Stop Believing- Chicago Fire x Blue Crossover- Kelly Severide. Libby Reagan- Parts 2,3,4,5,6

Through The Heart- S.W.A.T- Luca x Josie Kay- parts 4,5,6,7,8

Star Crossed Lovers- Twilight- Star Crossed Lovers series- Rosalie/Emmett/ Lily parts 1,2,3,4,5

Hearts Made of Glass- Twilight All Human- Lily/Edward- Parts 2,3,4,5

Life In The Fastlane- Fast Saga- Vince/Sophie, Dom/Sophie, Letty/Sophie, Dom/Letty, Mia/Brian- Parts 7*,8*,9,10,11

Girl from Barstow- Fast Saga- Life In The Fastlane series- One shot-

Thin Blue Line- One Chicago/Law and Order SVU/Blue Bloods crossover- Parts 2,3,4

Winter's Gate- Game of Thrones- Winter's Gate series- Robb Stark/Jonlynn- Parts 4, 5*, 6

Homeward Bound- Game of Thrones- Winter Gate series- Robb Stark/ Jonlynn- Part 2,3, 4

Second Chances- Lord of The Rings/The Hobbbit- Second Chances series- Legolas/Ilianna/ either Fili or Kili- Part 2, 3,4

Royals- Harry Potter- Royals Series- Fred/Celeste. George- part 1,2,3,4,5

Puzzle Pieces- Triple Frontier- Miller Brothers/OFC parts 1,2,3, 4

Mine now. Sons of anarchy- Jax/Ryder one shot

Night Terrors - Winter Solider and the Falcon- Bucky/Lennon one shot

Sweet as Georgia Peach- Band of Brothers- prequel story to Courage Under Fire. Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Oh My, My Love- Elvis- Two Shot- part 1, part 2

London Blue- Band of Brothers- one shot- Liebgott/ Liv- set after D-Day

London Grey- Band of Brothers- one shot- Nixon/Liv

Undercover- One Chicago- parts 2,3,4

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jozeevis · 4 months ago

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Also worth keeping in mind that, especially in the triple a industry, mass layoffs after a game releases are very common, so there is no guarantee that the team that will make the next game under that studio's logo is actually similar to the one that made the previous game you liked.

And of course the new team might do an equally good (or even better) job making the next game, you just can't expect steady quality in an industry like this; people that were instrumental to creating the game you enjoyed might be long gone and it would be almost invisible to the consumer.

And as said above, if the executives decided people will buy anything with the studio's logo and they're not gonna give the studio the budget it needs, hiring new people with the experience they need to make the next game good is also going to get even tougher, giving them a disadvantage from the start.

So yeah, don't pre-order triple a games, and remember: companies don't make games, people do.

pls love yourself and stop pre-ordering aaa games

#video game industry

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maximuswolf · 4 months ago

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Why do companies make AAA games based on previous franchises?

Why do companies make AAA games based on previous franchises? I understand the obvious "pre-established fan base", but even so, when I think of any well-received game based on a comic book, or novel, etc, I can't help but feel if it had the same systems, gameplay, graphics, but wasn't a part of an IP, it would sell a lot more. On the company side of things, if you're trying to make the best game you can, you don't need to lean on an IP and probably alienate more of your player base who may be unfamiliar with the source material.This seems especially true with live service games like Avengers that rely on as many players as possible.Take Spiderman (PS5) for example. It is widely praised, but not particularly for being a spiderman game. I imagine that if Insomniac made a game with all the gameplay systems (swinging through an open city, etc) with an original IP, it would sell more than Spiderman; Anyone can join in since they don't need to be a spiderman fan.It is also my understanding that these games are not used to market the source material, but instead cost licensing fees in order to actually use the IP.I'm curious what the community feels about triple-a games based on pre-established IPs. Are you in the same boat? Are there any games you would have it wouldn't have passed on due to it being a pre-established IP? Submitted October 08, 2024 at 08:48AM by Vangidion https://ift.tt/67Lew83 via /r/gaming

#reddit

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crunkybrewstr · 1 year ago

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Oh sweet summer child /r/wow

It's funny to see how forgetful Reddit can be. They're up in arms over Blizzard doing Blizzard shit they've been doing since MoP.

Lest we forget about the Mists of Pandaria BlizzCon campaign where if you Pre-ordered the expansion, you got Beta Access (which was drawn out in Waves). Meaning, that not everyone received Beta access at once. Lots of people were rather pissy wissy about that one. Myself included. I think I got in towards the end of the Beta.

I'm not saying Reddit is wrong for their feelings of course. Blizzard is Triple-Dick-Dipping requiring to purchase of the most expensive version. That's the old Everquest Daybreak Games bullshit model right there. Oh man, you don't even know! Go look at their Expansion tiers. Bring a bottle of Jack for the ride!

Anyways it is bullshit. I'm not saying they're wrong. Just reminding people, this has been the Blizzard way for a long time now.

The solution: stop preordering their games

#WoW #BlizzCon2023 #Reddit #/r/wow

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beatrizamante · 8 months ago

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It's no secret that Bioware has been cut 'til their bone. A lot of people were laid off. Besides, the project got cancelled what? 3 times? It was supposed to be a multiplayer like Anthem but scratched, then fucking EA put DA:I's team in Anthem and still flopped anyway. Then they had good ideas, re-hired old people that left again. Cancelled good story lines and tried again to put some kind of multiplayer because triple A industries are trash and will only ever care about money and revenue (Yes, I'm talking about DA:O, since the whole Darkspawn plot never ended and the plot they knoted this all together in DA:I was subpar at best. I loved playing DA:I, but the story of Origins is and will always be miles better).

I wanna see the game be a success, but I have literally no more faith in any Dragon Age and Mass Effect games, since I watched through the years how these games lost their soul. How the plot became shallow and even romances became so fucking... bad.

I loved literally all characters from DA:O and the Mass Effect series, but Andromeda and the next installations of DA had me having to make mental gymnastics to find reasons to play them. And while I want to see and play the game, while people buy on pre order to love or hate it, these fucking companies will continue doing a poor job at managing resources, time and good talents.

Larian proved that it IS possible to make good RPGs. Triple A companies don't care about quality. I'm happy that the devs on Bioware managed to make something nice with so little time, but feeding thia narrative will only make them continue putting insane pressure on their employees and paying BADLY, since they have a guillotine over their heads.

Like Microsoft laying off of Arkane, Tango and all the others. GREAT studios. But they only care about profit.

Assholes.

there's a line between encouraging people to keep an open mind about DAV and pretending the layoffs don't matter & the grim internal reports regarding DAI's production didn't happen and I need 'True Fans' to find it quickly

#i hate Ea #i played all bioware games #and I loved all of them #but I can SEE the quality drop and the 'fast food' gaming they are trying #EA FUCK YOY #i love da and mass effect lore #there's so much to explore #and they do so little #i'm not even talking about gameplay or graphics #but like #in dai i can count in one hand the characters that had depth #dorian #cassandra #solas #i mean personal growth #not general personality #cole s2 #and cullen #and I didn't want to romance them

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the-best-guide · 1 year ago

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Beating Old Games: Why Incentives to Discourage Pre-Owned Gaming Are Terrible

Whether or not you have the right to sell the products you bought is irrelevant: selling used games is hurting the game industry.

The same game can be bought and sold multiple times and it can be argued that those purchases are potential sales stolen from the game companies.

Game companies already use a number of methods to generate additional cash after releasing their games as downloadable content (DLC) and now have incentives to purchase new ones.

Do you buy your games second hand? Then you are the absolute scum and scum of the gaming industry. You are worse than any pirates who sail the deep seas of Warez. Or at least, the publishers want us to think. Whether or not you have the right to sell the products you bought is irrelevant: selling used games is hurting the game industry.

When a new game is traded or sold in a play store, that money is kept by the retailer instead of reaching the hands of the hardworking developers who put their blood, sweat and tears into making it for their pride and joy. The same game can be bought and sold multiple times and it can be argued that those purchases are potential sales stolen from the game companies. It's true that you don't hear the music or movie industries complaining about their chronic losses, but can making an album or movie compare to the money and effort spent on making a triple-A game title? As always, it's the consumer who decides whether a game is worth the $50 price tag, and often they decide to go with the pre-owned price instead.

Non-monetary incentives for new purchases

Game companies already use a number of methods to generate additional cash after releasing their games as downloadable content (DLC) and now have incentives to purchase new ones. Pre-order bonuses seem to be popular now with many games including additional DLC or specific in-game bonuses.

We'll look at some of the perfunctory incentives publishers offer to encourage new purchases, and which alternatives are more welcome.

Exclusive DLC and pre-order bonuses: The idea of gamers getting such collector's editions and bonuses isn't new, but lately, we've been seeing a lot of extra freebies in new games or as part of pre-orders. Huh, subject Most of this is in-game DLC, such as new weapons and armor, new maps, or other cosmetic additions that don't really add that much to the game. In fact, most of these items you can probably live without. I don't really need the Blood Dragon Armor in Dragon Age Origins and I can live without the tattoo set in Fable 3, thank you very much. I'd even go so far as to say that DLC Armor is one of the most pointless examples of DLC incentives. Although not as pointless as The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion's Horse Armor.

#BEATING #GAMES #PLAY

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mirorbdangamachine · 2 years ago

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Okay I am on an Orre kick lately and so it is time to tell you about my thoughts on if Orre had a Pokemon League

I don't have the gym leaders figured out yet entirely, but I do have eight locations for gyms in mind and where the Pokemon League itself would be featured. I'll list some names for potential gym leaders of each area too from pre-existing characters only. Should note this is working under the assumption of being set sometime after XD, so unfortunately The Under is inoperable.

Also, there wouldn't really be an order of which gym to challenge. You think the governmental structure of Orre is organized enough to let that happen? They probably can barely cobble together a list of who is a recognized gym leader and who isn't.

So with that, here is the list below the cut:

The Gyms:

Phenac City

Okay so this one is kind of a gimme answer because there is literally already a gym there of sorts. There's really not much to say other than obviously Justy is getting the promotion he deserves of being an actual official gym leader. The type of gym could be a toss-up of Ground, Water or Grass given the multiple environments inside of it. If not Justy, then perhaps bring back Trudly and Folly as double gym leaders like Tate and Liza, or even potentially have a triple battle with Bluno, Verde, and Rosso for a Fire, Water, Grass core.

Gateon Port

It is tradition to always have a port city host a gym in Pokemon, and Orre would be no different. I feel like pulling an Olivine would be fun, except this time have the Lighthouse actually be the gym itself as opposed to just where you find the gym leader. The typing would most likely be Water given the setting, or possibly Steel even given the machine shop. Some potential gym leaders could be Miror B since he performs at the Krabby Club, Perr assuming he's still helping at the machine shop and his position in Kids Grid/ONBS probably got him some cred, or maybe if he turned over a new leaf, even Zook.

Pyrite Town

We are continuing the train of the obvious choices, don't worry, the weirder ones are saved for the last few because unsurprisingly, Crime The Region doesn't have many actual towns. I feel like Pyrite would probably convert the Pyrite Colosseum into its gym, or perhaps they could go salvage a part of The Under and use its remains for it. For gym leaders, the first one that comes to mind would be Cail given that he calls himself the gatekeeper of Pyrite. Other potential candidates would be Duking as the unofficial leader of the town, Silva, who Duking left in charge of Pyrite Colosseum, or even Agnol, the Deep King of the Deep Colosseum who odds are was likely a part of Cipher. Potentially even Reath and Ferma to do the double gym leaders act like Trudly and Folly. The trainers of Pyrite actually are all pretty varied in type, so you could take your pick with any of them here. Potentially Rock or Ground simply to represent the history of the mines.

Agate Village

The last of the actual towns in game, Agate with its cliffside and waterfall and the forest and cave leading to the Relic Stone provides a good handful of locales to host a gym. Maybe there's another giant tree around we didn't notice aside from Eagun's house and something like White Tree from Pokemon White could happen. For types, a lot of the trainers use Pokemon who share a typing of Bug or Poison, and of course the obvious potential Grass motif. As for potential gym leaders, there's the obvious pick of Eagun himself considering he is the only significant NPC who lives there, and if so he's still sporting that Pikachu making him an Electric leader. Other than him, you could potentially have Rui make a return as gym leader. Or I dunno, bring back Skrub the peon. Early internet meme days all over again for the Skrub Lord.

Eclo Canyon

Probably more commonly remembered as the Team Snagem Hideout. Perhaps not the strangest idea really, you could refurbish the blown-to-smithereens base into a nice sized gym, or perhaps some kind of multi-faceted company building or factory. For a gym leader, you have any of Team Snagem members in Gonzap, or the three main grunts in Wakin, Biden, and Agrev. Clearly, all of them end up being capable battlers if you can fight them at such high levels in the post game colosseums. Along with them, you could have Wes himself here as a gym leader, but I feel like if he was involved in the League at all, it would either be as Champion, chairman, or more than likely just not involved with it at all and disappearing into the desert, and serving as a potential superboss in the post game. Aside from him, potentially bring back the imposter Fein, acting like Wes once again only to reveal it wasn't him at all and you just got your hopes up. As for types, uh, I dunno, Steel or Poison I guess, that was Snagem's MO.

Cipher Lab

If it hadn't been taken over by Cipher yet again by now, I feel like this lab would probably be converted into a proper research facility by the governing body of the region, or perhaps become an extension of the Pokemon HQ Lab. As for who the gym leader would be, assuming that all former Cipher members are arrested, the next best choice could be Chobin who might have gotten a better job here instead of working for Kaminko. Aside from him, there is of course Ein or Lovrina, though I think even if all Cipher members weren't rounded up by now, those two would definitely be ones put behind bars for crimes against Pokemon. Though some Cipher members who might work, and bear with me, could be the Hexagon Brothers. These six bumbling fools are definitely not there in scientific capacities, and odds are they most likely are more hazardous to the research being conducted anyways. However, having six different type specialists there would probably serve as great resources for research data on certain Pokemon. They could be a collective gym leader like how Cilan, Cress, and Chili were in Unova, and perhaps depending on the day or other external factors, that determines which one you face for the badge. If not them, more than likely this place would be an Electric gym.

Pokemon HQ Lab

Speaking of labs, the Pokemon HQ Lab I also think could potentially serve as a gym for one specific reason. If there ever was a "first gym" to do in the game, it would most likely be here, specifically because of the Battle Sims system. With that being what is supposed to serve as a tutorial system, I could see it easily being converted into an advanced challenge for beginning trainers, where if you can defeat it and win a badge, then you could probably face any gym. While yes, Realgam Tower is where the advanced Battle Sims happen, I have a different purpose in mind for it that you can probably guess. This way you technically don't have to have anyone be the gym leader at all, the computer itself already is. Though I suppose if you wanted a physical named NPC in charge who could potentially provide a final battle, there's Professor Krane, Lily, Jovi, and of course Michael himself. Unlike Wes, I could actually see Michael being more likely to be involved in the League as an opponent, and if not in the Elite 4/as Champion, then here as a Gym Leader. This gym probably wouldn't have any one type if Michael was the leader except for maybe Normal because of Eevee. If not, then again perhaps Electric, especially if Jovi was the leader with her Plusle and Minun.

Cipher Key Lair

Our last gym is the former Cipher Key Lair, that creepy pyramid now being converted into the world's most off-putting office space. I imagine if Clay ever had a gym in Orre instead of Unova, it would have been this. That aside, I feel like you already have a potentially cool gym challenge based on the exterior. Move those stones around and create a mini labyrinth to get inside, and then begin the ascension to the head office building just like before. Only instead of Gorigan awaiting you at the end, you have someone totally different. Some potential candidates are Zook again here instead of at Gateon Port, or perhaps Eldes since unlike Greevil and his brother Ardos, it felt like he became a better person by the end of XD. Potentially if you wanted to upgrade the ONBS station/former Kids Grid again, move them from Pyrite to being based out of here, and you could have any choice of Nett, Megg, Bitt, Secc, Marcia, or Perr if you move him from Gateon to be the leader. As for type, like Pyrite there really isn't any one choice here, perhaps Normal, Ground, or Fighting.

The Pokemon League:

Realgam Tower

So this was probably obvious, but Realgam Tower is just the perfect location for a big finale. Piercing the skies, a symbol of greed, avarice and the arrogance of humanity, having played a role in a couple crises in Orre already. Now though, it has been purified itself, becoming the home of the Pokemon League. The colosseum in the sky, standing high above the rest of the region, is the perfect place to have the final gauntlet of the gym challenge.

As for who runs this joint, I have a couple ideas, none of them fully concrete. For the Elite 4, I was thinking about a handful of candidates, such as Willie, Cail, Eldes, Miror B, Agnol, Eagun, or any number of Area Leaders from Mt. Battle like Vander or Battlus/Somek. Potentially could have it consist of a mixture of the other past Cipher members as well, like Dakim, Lovrina, Nascour, or maybe even Gonzap.

As for the Champion, I feel like it just would have to be either Wes or Michael. More than likely it would be Michael, simply because I do not see Wes wanting to have all the focus on him, let alone stay in a pretentious place like Realgam Tower all the time. Though considering there was the beta concept of Wes being the second leader of Cipher instead of Greevil, I suppose that is entirely possible. You could still very easily make Wes the leader of Cipher version three, and have him be the champion on top with all the money in the world with the betting battles and the casino below. Either way, it could work.

As for whichever of the two of them isn't Champion, then I feel like they would be the superboss of the game. Perhaps you could travel back to Citadark Isle and find them back at the top of the old Cipher HQ and square off with them. After beating them there, you would unlock them as the final gauntlet of the Orre Colosseum, which still is the criminal underworld final challenge not regulated by the League. Away from the public eye in the middle of nowhere desert, just battling for the sake of battling.

And those are all my ideas right now! I had some other potential location ideas such as the S.S. Libra, or perhaps recreating The Under and using the subway, or the Outskirt Stand. I am still formulating a bit of a story in my head, but if you have any thoughts of your own, I would love to hear them!

#pokemon #pokemon colosseum #pokemon xd #gale of darkness #colosseum #xd: gale of darkness #pokemon xd: gale of darkness #orre #pokemon orre #orre region #TPC please just bring back Orre I beg you

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