The fall of the Newman race

[landman]

On 2008-05-16 07:56, Sinue_v2 wrote:
First off, has either book been translated and uploaded in the same manner in which the PSCompendium or World of PS books have? And if so, please provide a link. I will do so as well for the PSC and WoPS books if you want.

Secondly, the books are wrong then. Or the translation was wrong. The games themselves takes priority canonically over all other media, official or not. Dr. Tomrain has a human character model, with no distinguishable Beast traits. IIRC, Nor does he register as a Beast when you compare luck of Human Males and Beast Males while you have him in your party during story missions. He may be PART beast, but not a full one. And yes, they can crossbreed with other races.

The only time supplementary information is considered canon is when it's officially licensed and approved by the game designers and when there is no contradictory information on the subject in the game itself.
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Sinue_v2 on 2008-05-16 08:09 ]</font>

Isn't it officially licensed being the official guide and the official artbook?

I hardly believe in translations, that's why I always check the original version, and links? better, just took the photo with my camera




In case you are not used to reading katakana check this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katakana

Now if you provide the lines in the game where it is stated that he is human, I will check first the Japanese game and then believe those books are... inaccurate

[Myphys]

Kanal Tomrain: Human
http://www.phantasystaruniverse.com/...racters.php#12

Do they have an equivalent page on the Japanese website?

[Zorafim]

What in bloody hell happened to this thread?

[Aumi]

Rika. Nei. These two names speak volumes of the Newman race. It first became somewhat apparent in PSO, and very much so with PSU, that the Newmans are now but a mere shadow... scratch that... a pale silhouette of their former greatness.

You're right about these things. I just don't agree that Rika was better. Sure, if you look at her abilities in the game, she is better. But that's simply because it was a later game. Nei also had a reincarnation in the PS Memorial Drama CD. There she killed one of the newest Nei-models, although she herself was an old one. She was created, but it seems she had taken over the original NeiSecond's personality, unlike all the other clones. She also met Chaz/Rudy in that story. I think it played 3 years before PSIV.
Also, it would surely be possible to make some sort of assassin class, especially suited for numans, with great attack potential, evasion and some of the best support techs. They could also make a new weapon class: bar, the original small claws the numans used. But I wouldn't believe that ST would fulfill such a wish of ours.

[Mysterious-G]

Aumi, make your Newman Acrotecher.
EDIT: Or Wartecher seems even better.
It's as near as you can get it.

[HUnewearl_Meira]

They could also make a new weapon class: bar, the original small claws the numans used.

"Bar" was a pretty bad translation of "Claw", in Phantasy Star II. I would guess that they probably called it a "bar" instead of a "claw" to avoid legal issues with Marvel Comics, and their belovedly popular Wolverine. As far as the graphics of the game are concerned, there is no doubt as to what the "bar" actually is.

[Aumi]

It's just that the claws in PSO and PSU seem like some heavy/big-ass overkill weapons instead of those good old assassination-claws. What should I say... They are simply TOO BIG.

[F-Gattaca]

It's just that the claws in PSO and PSU seem like some heavy/big-ass overkill weapons instead of those good old assassination-claws. What should I say... They are simply TOO BIG.

You could always use the Yohmei A-rankers. They seem the most compact of the bunch.

And dammit.

Every time I see someone say "useless space elves -_-;;;" I wish we had more character slots so I could make a fighting-type Newman to prove 'em wrong.

Which is funny--I thought the OP's initial complaining post at least recognized the PSU newmans for what they are--balatantly Japanese--and then I read on further to see the chantings of "space elf!! SPACE ELF!!!" from others. Gee, I wonder if anyone would actually be able to tell a Japanese person from a Tolkein elf if the former was wearing spock ears? Apparently not.

Either way, I still maintain what I've said all along--I've been able to accept what became of Newmans in PSU because, from the classic games to the current installments, I can easily see how it works as the development of newmans from experimental GM prototypes to a full-fledged race to a civilization. I said it before, but even though the Numans have taken up the torch from Dezorians (no pun intended), that stage was already set by sentiments from numans I saw in PSO. Sue's bitter "Science is not as mighty as people believe" remark, for example.

Just as the founding fathers of the U.S. took a lot of stock from classical Greco-Roman architecture and whatnot, I don't see much difference in the fact that the Newmans did the same thing, just that they took it to an even greater level.

Of course, that begs the question why they would have an Asian culture to model their own off of when we never saw anything that balatant in the classic series--but then we saw hints of that in PSO, with occasional shout-outs to Japanese and/or Asian stuff. Samurai swords, etc.

[Nai_Calus]

I used to have a newman Fighgunner.

By the time I quit I had a beast Fighgunner. >_>

And last time I looked the Japanese were not lulz magicalz. The look of PSU's newman culture is Japanese, sure, but what they're supposed to be good for is in line with the standard modern fantasy version of Elves. (Which isn't even in line with Tolkein Elves, who tend to be archers and warriors and not fucking mages who can't do anything else.)

But yeah, PSU Newmans seem to be going more for the whole magically-attuned harmony-with-nature thing that tends to be associated with, yeah, elves. Sure, they're wearing bastardized kimonos, but that doesn't mean they're not space elves.

[F-Gattaca]

And last time I looked the Japanese were not lulz magicalz.

So. Phantasy Star-style magic automatically overrides a very Japanese numan culture and totally justifies calling a horse a duck (or in this case, a numan an elf)?

The look of PSU's newman culture is Japanese, sure, but what they're supposed to be good for is in line with the standard modern fantasy version of Elves. (Which isn't even in line with Tolkein Elves, who tend to be archers and warriors and not fucking mages who can't do anything else.)

I was under the impression that was exactly what typical fantasy portrayed elves as--forest dwelling rangers. If you're assuming Warcraft--which HAS tried to reseat their elves into a more magic-oriented lifestyle--is the baseline for fantasy, well, uh ... Yeah. I never played Warcraft II, but I could swear back in those days they were stereotypical AD&D-style bow-wielding ranger elves, before WC3 seriously tried to change things around.

But yeah, PSU Newmans seem to be going more for the whole magically-attuned harmony-with-nature thing that tends to be associated with, yeah, elves. Sure, they're wearing bastardized kimonos, but that doesn't mean they're not space elves.

They're only space elves to people who like epileptic tree theories, really. ("Oh yeah, the shaking trees on the first season of Lost? That's totally because the trees are epileptic!")

For God's sake, man. I know being a fanboy of Japanese culture is a stigma, but even someone with only backround awareness would recognize that "magically-attuned harmony-with-nature thing" as being a shout-out to the various philosophies and religions that are traditional to Japan--zen buddhism, taoism, and shintoism.

Especially Shintoism, with one of its affirmations being love of nature. ("Nature is sacred; to be in contact with nature is to be close to the kami. Natural objects are worshipped as containing sacred spirits.") Besides. Ever been to Shitenkaku? That doesn't look like Rivendell to me! That looks like a freaking Shinto shrine!

Actually, while we're on that subject. The ur-fantasy characteristic of Elves--which started with Tolkein, but even in standard fantasy and Warcraft--is that they are an elder race compared to humans. In cases like Tolkein's universe, they were the first "mortal" (okay ... that doesn't quite work. How about non-divine?) race awakened on Arda. Typically if an elven race wasn't among the first intelligent species, they're almost always older than the human race anyway.

In Phantasy Star, it was the humans that created the numans. This held true all the way from PS2 to PSU--and on top of that, humans created all the other playable races in both PSO and PSU.