Hmm! I can't actually disagree with most of that. You're right that Lanz and Sena trying to sacrifice themselves doesn't get addressed again. The narrative space of chapter 6 (or more accurately "anything before going to origin" I guess) is the sloppiest part of the game and missing tying together the colonies and the city against Moebius. Moebius just... not... doing much of anything is weird and does come across as Z not taking them seriously, which is maybe kind of in character but also doesn't help the story? Also, that space of the story was where Z, X and Y should have been build and expanded upon too. I'm okay with putting most of the colony building stuff in side content so as to not completely overwhelm the main story with it, but you're right that they should have picked two or three heroes and their colonies to feature more strongly in the main story.
That being said, I don't think Noah and Mio are immune to this problem, because we don't get to see them process what this all means for them either! I think this is why it never came across to me as "the game priviledges these characters more than it should" and more as "this part of the game is unfortunately sloppy in many different ways". Do agree that defeating N to doesn't demonstrate that they're now capable of fighting the colonies, but I don't know if that was the intention? I guess it might be, what do I know, but it felt more like the culmination of Noah's personal arc, and the "let's build what we need to take Z down once and for all" is just absent. XD
But I think we are in broad agreement of the actual flaws of that part of the game, we just have slightly different views on it. Unfortunately, this has now led to me wanting to rewrite the post-eclipse part of the game, as if I don't have enough writing projects lined up. |D
Hmmn, in terms of which colonies should get the focus... It'd have to be ones with a commander you're forced to recruit throughout the story. The obvious choice on the Kevesi side is Colony 4 because it's already so prominent, but Ethel's situation makes that a little bit complicated, maybe? I'm not sure if she'd be better off having her post-resurrection stuff in the main story or not. Or I guess take Bolearis as a stand-in for her... Valdi doesn't do much in the actual main story after teaching you how to climb, but he's a fun character so I wouldn't mind taking him. On the Agnus side, I think Isurd would be the best choice, personally. Juniper is also main story, but more nominally than anything. Isurd definitely has the stronger presence, I feel. Cammuravi post-colony omega is an option, but given that he's all about big epic solo duels in his approach I don't know that he'd be a good choice for a story arc about coalition building and mutual support. XD Plus, I don't think his colony is actually still around anymore, or if it is I'd have to make it up wholesale and that doesn't seem worth the effort.
Re: (Lmao, god. A whole second essay)
That being said, I don't think Noah and Mio are immune to this problem, because we don't get to see them process what this all means for them either! I think this is why it never came across to me as "the game priviledges these characters more than it should" and more as "this part of the game is unfortunately sloppy in many different ways". Do agree that defeating N to doesn't demonstrate that they're now capable of fighting the colonies, but I don't know if that was the intention? I guess it might be, what do I know, but it felt more like the culmination of Noah's personal arc, and the "let's build what we need to take Z down once and for all" is just absent. XD
But I think we are in broad agreement of the actual flaws of that part of the game, we just have slightly different views on it. Unfortunately, this has now led to me wanting to rewrite the post-eclipse part of the game, as if I don't have enough writing projects lined up. |D
Hmmn, in terms of which colonies should get the focus... It'd have to be ones with a commander you're forced to recruit throughout the story. The obvious choice on the Kevesi side is Colony 4 because it's already so prominent, but Ethel's situation makes that a little bit complicated, maybe? I'm not sure if she'd be better off having her post-resurrection stuff in the main story or not. Or I guess take Bolearis as a stand-in for her... Valdi doesn't do much in the actual main story after teaching you how to climb, but he's a fun character so I wouldn't mind taking him.
On the Agnus side, I think Isurd would be the best choice, personally. Juniper is also main story, but more nominally than anything. Isurd definitely has the stronger presence, I feel. Cammuravi post-colony omega is an option, but given that he's all about big epic solo duels in his approach I don't know that he'd be a good choice for a story arc about coalition building and mutual support. XD Plus, I don't think his colony is actually still around anymore, or if it is I'd have to make it up wholesale and that doesn't seem worth the effort.