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Are You Still A Fan?

Discussion in 'General Kingdom Hearts' started by Kitty, Jan 12, 2013.

  1. XionXIV

    XionXIV New Member

    Heck yeah! I love Kingdom Hearts with all my soul. I try to play at least 20 minutes of one of the games every day. I even bug people with my constant quoting. I once got into a fight with a guy who was trying to make a case that Zelda was better than Kingdom Hearts. I quoted his ear of until I won:D. However, if you don't like it anymore, that's okay. Your opinion is your opinion and is worthy of respect. I just love it too much to ever abandon it.
     
    Last edited: Jun 21, 2013
  2. juliuxking18

    juliuxking18 New Member

    I will die a KH fan
     
  3. CutieeSora

    CutieeSora New Member

    Still a 100% Fangirl for Kingdom Hearts NOTHING in this world will change that!!
     
  4. PinealGland

    PinealGland New Member

    The fact that Kingdom Hearts is so linked to psychology, science, and spirituality is why I continue to take it seriously.
     
  5. Tsukiyo

    Tsukiyo New Member

    id say im still a fan, i havent played every game that has come out because i dont want to just go spending my money at everything square throws at me but ive always been following the series.
     
  6. Biosaber

    Biosaber New Member

    You would see in me my love for. It changed me on how I look at games and also on a personal level.. will never lose faith in this series ever
     
  7. AfritxAlchemy

    AfritxAlchemy New Member

    My journey began in 2003 with Kingdom Hearts...that was 11 years ago...
    Around the year 2008 I began to despair that I'd never get to experience the
    story in its entirety due to being jobless and penniless.

    2012 changed all that. :)

    I still haven't completed Days, Re:coded, Birth by Sleep or even 3D. Yet.

    The story is still fresh and completely unanswered...

    Am I still the same bright-eyed fan after playing the first Kingdom Hearts?

    You bet... :D
     
    Last edited: Feb 7, 2014
  8. Derek

    Derek Well-Known Member

    Ehhh hard to peg. I've been in almost every shift from the beginning starting in 2002, to casual, to more to even bother with lore and all those arguments and now I've experienced the darker side of the fandom and to my shame becoming like them for a good while.

    After ditching the old issues and the melodrama that plagued it I kinda had to review it all. After a break I can say I still love 1 which I feel did everything best by comparison to it's sequels. It's not flawless but by comparison it does little truly wrong. I also find 2 final mix fun.

    BUT! There's so much I have in terms of issues with how the series evolved. I could create two or three threads on it really just pulling from old rants alone. My disappointment is still there now even after discarding a lot of what made me so attached before.

    So I'm not sure if I'm even a fan or if I'm waiting for KH3 to see this mess resolved. I still like or support art if I see it since art of any series should be supported if it's good but I'm very unsure in other areas.
     
  9. Nova

    Nova A Ghost Staff Member Administrator

    I'm still a fan but I'm much more casual than I was in the past. Honestly I haven't played any of the hand held expansions or prequels. I've done a little research online about what's going in in the series now but what I did read just made me more confused.
    I'm a fan of Kingdom Hearts and kingdom Hearts 2. They were simpler and I liked the mystery behind the heartless and the keyblade. Chain of memories was kind of underwhelming in my opinion. Those are the only three I played and can speak for.
    After that it seemed like the people behind the game were more interested in making money off of rough convoluted spin offs than actually giving the fans what they wanted which lost my interest.

    Now, Kingdom Hearts 3 has actually sparked my interest and I have hopes for it. I may even pay more attention to the back story stuff before it comes out. But I still wonder if they waited to long and to many people moved on from the series.
     
    Last edited: Oct 22, 2016
    Kitty likes this.
  10. Derek

    Derek Well-Known Member

    I kept up with that stuff for a few years and the cause behind spin offs is honestly almost as convoluted as the story has become. Like Nintendo was the result of Days, Disney caused Coded, Chain of Memories wasn't originally intended and BBS was shifted from PS2 to PSP.
    Then there's sometimes Nomura can seem conflicting like saying there was stories he wanted to tell for a while yet saying some games are the result of external means. There's also times you'd see him saying he wishes to leave a thing ambiguous only for it to be answered in some interview later which more hardcore fans tend to treat like a bible.

    There's times Ansem or game reports can contradict as well as interviews. Things like Novels and Manga add details or even personality to characters that lack it but they'll contradict the games in places as well.
    I think the biggest problem was the games defined too much of the story. They weren't really side games. They minds well have been console line with Coded being the only true example of a "side story" by that definition. At least until it's made relevant later.
    Nomura seems to focus on things that dont need attention as well while ignoring things that could use fine tuning. Like the keyblade ceremony and 'true masters' thing in BBS.
    He also tends to make everything relevant to the point that Chi, Unchained and even some special thing in one of the concerts is canon now.

    Its....honestly just as big a mess. It's no wonder many are confused. It's convoluted. More in the sense that answers aren't in the right place or things that have answers dont need them.

    I'm highly skeptical of KH3 myself but I can still enjoy KH1 to death so with it going back to KH2 gameplay (which was just improved KH1 mechanics) I at least hope it's fun to play. I highly doubt it can pull off the story threads Nomura has created nor the absurdly high expectations of many fans.

    Sorry for the rant. It just kinda irks me in the series direction. haha ^ ^"

    I think they did. Lots of the fanbase that was in the pique of KH2 are now long gone. Either because they grew older and found things they liked better, got tired of waiting, hated how the story was spread all over the gaming system world or (and I know some will hate I say it) the fandom itself.
    I'm not sure about here but in most places there's a huge stigma against fans that "abandoned" the series after Kh2. Many apparently expected fans to buy every system, game and read every interview.

    Granted one can watch youtube but it being a game series how many are gonna want to keep up with a childhood story solely on youtube? You wanna play a game not watch it and I wouldn't be surprised if the scenes alone threw many off due to the stories continued confusing direction.

    New fans exist, usually brought in by Days or 1.5, but from what I can tell the death and low population of the few surviving forums reflects this. They waited too long.

    Annndddd I've wrote an essay, I'm sorry. x'D
     
    Kitty and Nova like this.
  11. Kitty

    Kitty I Survived The BG Massacre Staff Member Administrator

    I agree with everything Hope said (except the part about being a fan). That's how I've felt for a long time now. I used to at least be interested in KH III and knowing how Sora's story ends, but now I don't really even care about that anymore.

    I don't know that I would point to forum population/death as an actual reflection on the size of the fandom. It seems to me that forums in general are kind of a thing of the past, although maybe I just have a knack for picking fandoms that don't remain popular.

    I agree that it's likely that a lot of the original fans of KH have given up on or outgrew the series. It was a mistake, IMO, to delay KH III so much, and I also think that it was a mistake to spread the handheld "side" games onto so many different devices. I think there are probably enough new fans, though, combined with the remaining old, for S-E to turn a profit on whatever games they spew out. And I think that's really all they care about.

    As far as this forum goes, just about everyone who is here has been on here with each other for years, and we mostly all get along even if we aren't all close, so no one cares which games we've all played and where we stopped in the series (or at least no one voices such an opinion). Personally, I'm the same as Hope- I played KH I and loved it, was underwhelmed by COM (enjoyed the story, hated the gameplay), and liked KH II okay but not as much as KH I, and then I gave up on the series, at first because I didn't have the consoles to play the games, and later because I quit caring.

    I also am doubtful that there will be a satisfying conclusion. I feel like there are just a lot of loose ends that need tying up, and the game can't last forever. And I agree about the fan expectations- trying to please an entire fanbase is pointless anyway, because there are always going to be people unhappy with a direction the story takes (especially with regards to shipping, I've found), or aspects of the gameplay, but when people have been waiting for this for as long as they have, they're bound to put the game up on a pedestal and end up disappointed in it.
     
  12. Derek

    Derek Well-Known Member

    The sad part is they apparently intend to go beyond 3 and keep Sora so his story isn't ending unless something changes the stance.
    Well I guess that's a semantic since you can see 3 as an end to the entire mess started with the handhelds. The original KH1->2 trilogy felt like a solid story of it's own.

    I dont use forums as my entire basis. I do see the fandom thriving in more artistic places like DA or Tumblr or anywhere with a large gathering of artists. Youtube's fandom seems alive too but for the most part you rarely hear or or see people talking about KH.

    What I mean is the only vocal part of the fandom I see is the arts or youtube.

    I would list real life too but I'm from Kentucky soooooo no one even knows what it is here for the majority. haha

    It is all they care about. That's why I put a bit more blame on Nomura since he decided the stories of those side games. I think if they actually were just fun side stories that, while nice to play and know, but weren't necessary to know it would've really helped.
    As it stands the handhelds not only add to story but if you really sit and look at it the story of Kh3 is mostly build from and kinda resolves the mythos they created. Especially the games BBS and Chi.

    Coded was the only one that was an actual branch. You could play it but you didn't need too.

    I saw that when going through the threads here. Seems like this place was relatively spared darker sides of fandom which is real nice to see. You wouldn't believe the levels it could go on other places....
    I think that's how a lot of people feel. =) The part of the fandom that cries "abandoned" or that ostracizes tends to be the more elitist variety.

    I liked CoM in the original gameboy advance version. The gameplay fit better there imo. It was still tedious but not as bad when it's a gba game you can play in times of boredom or on the go. ^-^

    Just listing the threads to tie up would be a thread of it's own I think.

    Do you think the high expectations will have negative affects? Hmm..maybe that question is better as it's own thread.
     
  13. Kitty

    Kitty I Survived The BG Massacre Staff Member Administrator

    Last I had heard, KH III was supposed to be the end of the "Xehanort Saga", so in that sense, it should wrap up the events of all the previous games, and if Sora continues on into more games, he'd be free to start all new adventures. If done right, that would be a good enough sense of closure for me, were I going to play KH III.

    I did play the original when it came out on the gameboy advance (actually bought the GBA just to play this game, a total waste of money), and I agree that it was tedious.

    Especially since they were spread out over so many different handhelds and mobile phones, and some were Japanese exclusive, at least at first. It makes it hard to be a fan if you're poor.
     
  14. Derek

    Derek Well-Known Member

    That's what I was talking about. I'm just not sure it'll be much closure for me since I have little faith they can tie up everything. That's me though :3
    Luckily I had other things I played a lot on GBA so it wasn't a total waste for me buuuttt I could see why it would be for many. O-O I have this weird thing were I love the GBA CoM, I think the story is good, but good lord room after room after room...after room....after room....

    That also hurt it. The interview stuff that was also only Japanese also damaged it. Though I agree with the statement that a story may not be in the best direction if you need to pull interviews or game journals to explain most things. Small or a few things that's fine but for chunks of story? ehhhhh
     
  15. Kitty

    Kitty I Survived The BG Massacre Staff Member Administrator

    I think they can come up with answers to all the questions. I'm not convinced I will like those answers, but at this point, it's not like I really care, anyway.

    I would agree with that. I started getting the feeling that a lot of the story was just made up on the fly as the series went on, and sometimes plot points would need to be retconned or explained in more detail than the games were able to provide. Which isn't good writing, but there it is. *shrugs*
     
  16. Derek

    Derek Well-Known Member

    In my opinion its better or crucial that a fan do for most things. Ya know leaving to the imagination. There's some things you leave be while other things you explain so you know what's going on.
    I mean you still can, as it stands now a lot of more casual fans I see honestly make up better answers and enjoy it far better by not knowing or just saying "if it's not in the game why should I care?".

    I like to think of it as Nomura is like Kubo from bleach. Makes good ideas but isn't exactly a writer to a satisfactory level. If Nomura had writers or maybe someone to edit it would've potentially been better but *also shrugs* can't worry about what if's now I suppose. :[
     
  17. NeRo

    NeRo Your Supreme Lord And Savior Staff Member Administrator

    Am i still a fan? Well as head admin of this place i ought to be. i mean KH has and always will have a special place in my heart. ive met so many people because of this series. I've played all of the games, including the hand held spin offs which i enjoyed. I think, personally that it was a general mistake that it's been a decade since a true release. i think Square let too many projects come before KH such as Final Fantasy games, (13 and 14 and now 15) along with other smaller projects. KH3 is in the same boat as FF15 it had to develop over the years. im more than positive they had to change it many times as game engines and hardware upgraded throughout the years This may also include things such as Story developmental changes.

    Maybe i just " get it" but i dont really find the Story too convoluted maybe because ive played them all, read all the ansem reports and everything makes sense in my head. i'll always be a KH fan dont think i can find a game to ever replace it. Which should say something about the franchise. As far as the fandom goes, TBH its just as lively as it's always been its just not as heavily advertised like other fandoms that either have more content, or have current content in play. Fans like me that were kids when the first game released have " moved on" but they haven't forgotten. many of my friends see the trailers and get just as hype as any new fan if not more. I know when i watch E3 and i see " Nomura" my eyes light up and it always will. I don't really blame Square, as a indie Game dev myself. i've learned its more to making games than just MAKING games. so as easy as it would seem for them to just have made KH3 long ago, or less spin offs on diff consoles it probably wasnt that easy. Contracts were offered most likely for the games which the higher ups made the dev's work on and im sure all of that combined attributed to it being delayed for so long.

    I remember a interview i can't remember where it was or who it was with but i do recall, Square or Nomura saying that KH3 would begin main development once FF13 was on shelves, then that got turned into, once FF13 is finished FF15 will begin development and once FF15 was on Shelves then KH3 Will be next in line, and judging from events. it makes sense. .

    So yea i love KH and my love for the series wont' ever die.
     
  18. Derek

    Derek Well-Known Member

    It's one of those dividing factors. I also read them, at least played them all once and even sit through all the numerous interviews up till Chi began. In my head it also makes sense but it's because I understand it that I also acknowledge that it's convoluted.
    There's nothing wrong with complexity or convolution in any story but with this one it's kinda all over. You literally spend more time reading things than you do playing to understand and even then some things are still debatable despite a quoted answer. (like interviews or reports can conflict with themselves and each other)

    I've seen that many like to but I've also seen many that dont while some that hold the opinion if should be presented and told properly in it's medium rather than being scattered. (I've also seen variances beyond that but those three seemed most vocal)

    I personally think having your lore down to in-game reports and googling for interviews (which rely on fan translation) to be a poor choice. Damaging. Although I also think if they had told these aspects via the main medium of the story, the games, it wouldn't have been so. (although I do still think there's writing issues or giving answers to things that dont need them vs leaving things that could use them unanswered)

    So yeah kinda dividing for many. Out of all the fights I've seen from those sides I always got the impression the ones that just ignore them and make their own assumptions seemed to have the most fun or be happiest.

    Edit. Honestly an easy way to fix it would be to make a "Hyrule Historia" for KH and actually release it in more countries than Japan. Plot details, creator impressions, designs, that'd sell fast if advertised right.
     

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