Skull Leader

Do you guys give any credence to the Macross 2: Deck Plans Vol 3 that came out for the Palladium RPG?

They had a full multi-layer map of the Macross that sorta jelled with the DRL version of Macross City.

That version had most of the city in the engine section in multiple layers. With an EVE skyline it would give the multiple layers the illusion of living under the same "sky"

I said the SAME THING nearly two posts earlier...

If they re-cast the roles of Minmay (get Mari Iijima, she speaks english....) and Hikaru, the rest of the voice crew was pretty decent.... I could handle that so long as it was a dub of the original dialogue, not some gimped-up, feeble-minded Robotech dialogue..

It's difficult to imagine things like this, but would imagine that it IS possible.

When they redesigned the Macross for DYRL, they took care to make the interior look a considerable amout more unique than it's TV counterpart. When you build everything in Arcology style, you'd be amazed at how effectively vertical space can be used. DYRL Macross looks as though the interior were laid out in a more logical fashion. (I have Macross II deckplan sourcebooks by Palladium.. in which the UNS Macross is included. It lays out each individual deck... I know many don't consider such details canon, but they at least offer some idea.)

The video/audio quality of the FX DVD is great... just don't look for totally accurate subtitles... it isn't that they don't get the idea across, but they often "paraphrase" certain sets of dialogue... and they often leave out names (I think they assume any person could single them out of the dialogue and understand... for example: in the opening space battle, while Roy is giving the boys orders, he obviously addresses himself as "Skull Leader" over the radio, but the subtitles don't even say that Roy is identifying himself)

The DVD is certainly still a pleasure to watch... and the subs are still very readable... I happen to own both, so the question would be pretty moot for me, but I'd say so long as you weren't a script-nazi, you would be very happy with the FX DVD. Not to mention the fact that you get the original DYRL movie trailers on the FX DVD... a definate plus (the animefriend version is devoid of all extras)

Which explains why Cloud and Sephiroth are alive for this movie....

At the risk of touching off something far messier than I care to get involved with, care to explain this train of logic?

And I dislike FF7.

I second that motion. I think I'll pass on the beating of an already very dead horse.

Most of us here are diehards who have little to do with Robotech on a whole, but I would encourage you to have a look at this....

I recently decided to look into this new "Robotech: Remastered" series that has hit the market. My first encounter was a pleasant one, as the first 2-disc set (6 episodes per disc) was a mere $19.99 at my local Hastings. That price for a 2 disc set was decent so I considered the risk justifiable and bought it.

It's very much a no-nonsense DVD set, offering nothing in the way of DVD extras (some ADV previews and that's it).

The first thing you will notice is that the opening/theme has been modified. They now use only a moment of the "film" footage at the beginning and then switch to the original Japanese Macross opening footage. While the music has remained unchanged, sound effects have been altered/revamped, and the title/credit font has been very much updated.

Opening rating: 9/10 (this really is a nod to it's Macross roots.. and in my case it's appreciated)

The resolution itself has been extremely brightened... even if they didn't use animego's stock footage to work from, the colors are very bright and in many places smoothed over. There are sections with some pixilation, which many find annoying... I'm not the audio/videophile that many people are, so I was able to let it slip. It's nothing too intense, just makes the graphics look a little choppy at points. I rather thought this was well done overall though... at some points it was clean enough that I felt like I was watching newer anime (I got a similar sensation while watching the Animego set)

Resolution rating: 7.5-8/10 (it's really well done for the most part, but every once in a great while, the pixilation steps in and makes you scream)

There is supposed to be added footage, but from what I have been able to watch so far, very little has been added (for example: in Episode #1, they added the footage of Hikaru and Roy looking at Minmay's butt as she leads her little cousin home, but THAT WAS IT... they did NOT add the earlier conversation between the mayor and his friend, Global leaving the platform, the minmay footage from Hikaru's cockpit, OR Roy shooting the Zentraedi in the back).. it seems to me that they may be intent to add footage, but only where they can get away without adding any more dialogue. I guess for Robotech fans, this is boss... but Macross fans will still be seeing a hack-job. (edit: I forgot.. in Episode #1, they DID insert the footage of Hikaru and Roy in the biplanes while Hikaru was falling from the sky)

Added footage rating: 2/10 (you don't take the second least significant extra footage and add it in while shunning all the others... no difference at all! There's still much that Robotech fans won't see)

The REAL change is in the sound effects. To hack a well known phrase: "they giveth and they taketh away..." some of the changes are quite nice... others just plain suck. Rick's fanracer now sounds more like a performance aircraft instead of a flying lawn-mower. All the jet-engine sounds have been improved a great deal and sound much better (in my opinion), while gunfire has been hacked. Gone is the well known "buzzsaw" of the gunpod... depending on which scene you're watching, you'll either hear the heavy "thump,thump,thump" similar to a .50 caliber machinegun, or some kind of pulsed laser (or something inbetween). The Missile sounds and explosions have all been changed, and in most cases for the better... some aren't so hot though. The new space-battle sound effects go from decent to downright wretched. They sound pretty advanced in some places, and others sound like they were lifted from the game "Space Invaders". I did notice a couple of nice touches where dialogue was involved... while there is dialogue in an enclosed space, you can hear a faint metal-echo which typically follows with speaking in an enclosed area, also.... dialogue volume is now directly tied to their relative distance on screen (if they're really far away or part of a crowd, the dialogue is soft, as they get closer or become alone, it increases in volume)

SFX rating: 8/10 (most are really well done... but there are a few that can ruin it for anyone)

Overall, I'll rate this an 8 out of 10. The remastering of the graphics and sfx really breathe some life into some seriously old anime. I personally do not mind the change in sound effects, but I realize there are others... more purist than myself, who will shun them altogether because they are different. While obviously there is no change in the story, I think the use of the original opening footage was a plus. The voices all seem like they were cleaned up pretty nicely, and while that means Reba West's voice is that much harsher, all of the other voices (which really aren't bad) sound much better. Although I am still a Macross purist (it will ALWAYS be better than Robotech in my mind), I can honestly say I am not ashamed to own this set and I will pick up the others as I can. If you are an American fan who seriously WANTS to believe that Robotech fans have something worth watching, I think now they do. I think it's the most respectable rendition of Robotech yet. Considering the change in opening footage and the price rate, I'm almost inclined to believe that HG is starting to listen to US Macross fans a little.

If you're even a little open minded, pick it up! You won't be dissapointed.

I see this thread getting fried pretty quickly by the mods.... each post would friggin take forever.... how 'bout we just list some of our favorite classic games?

1. Final Fantasy IV (SFC)

2. Maniac Mansion (NES)

3. Contra (NES/Arcade)

4. Afterburner II (Arcade/Genesis)

5. Double Dragon (Arcade)

6. Shadowrun (SNES/Genesis... both were different and both were good)

7. Mega Man II (NES)

8. Super Metroid (SNES)

9. Legend of Zelda: a Link to the Past (SNES)

10. StarControl II (3DO)

All I ask for is one battlepod... is that too much to ask for?

I want to see bandai get of thei asses and make a perfect trasnformation chunky monkey VF-0. Hell yamato hasnt said they were making a perfect variable yet so a chunkey monkey perfect variable would be COMPETITION indeed against yamatos PVC 1/100. Not to mention licenses are for scales right? They jsut need a 1/55 license...hell even 1/48 since yamato doesnt have it yet...or do they for the VF-0? Anyhoo bandai also distributes macross 0 on dvd so I think getting the license wouldnt be that hard,

Shin, I really don't mean to sound rude or rain on your parade, but you're really drawing some SERIOUSLY off-the-wall conclusions. Bandai has done INSANELY little with their Macross license in the past several years (I hardly call model re-issues new material) What are the chances that Bandai will go from ZERO to a "perfect variable" VF-0??? Quite simply, next to none. Their 1/55 reish set was to test the waters. They didn't sell very hot from the getgo (only Max and Milia sold in great numbers.... the others didn't sell well until they hit the bargain bins) Once the Super Valkyrie struck out, Bandai bailed out while they were still ahead in the game. Speculations about potential sales of DYRL valks aside, Bandai saw a financial dead end (and I assure you, that's ALL they cared about).

Let's think about this logically. Even *IF* Bandai stepped back into the Macross market, they likely won't introduce any NEW product into the field until *THEY* are certain there is a demand for it... and in that sense, it may be too late. Yamato and Hasegawa may hold the rights for Macross Zero items. Rights to produce toys fall under a different category than producing DVDS... in terms of production rights, they're completely different entities.

It's fun to speculate, but if a comemorative project is develped, I'd look for it from Yamato or no one... I simply don't see who else it would come from.

I don't understand why people insist on asking ("which should I get: Roy or Hikaru??") I mean, c'mon now... learn to make your own decisions people... only YOU know which pilot you prefer. They now have equal quality versions for both pilots. I spent a great deal of time looking over posts and opinions here, deciding to bide my time before I bought one. I didn't consult anyone about it... and I just barely announced it when I finally ordered one. There was no choice in my mind which one to get. surely it can be this easy for everyone, right????

lol, in case you were wondering, I bought a VF-1S Hikaru....

I've not heard it personally, it was covered in an issue of Animerica a while back and recieved not so hot reviews (but then, Adam Rehorn was the one that did the review, and I find his tastes convoluted at best), you may want to try an older one before delving into her latest work.

Umm, I'd buy one and pretty damn quick too...

Kakizaki may not be the best of Skull Team, but he's still part of 'em!

I also thoroughly enjoyed Greg's work. There were one or two things I didn't agree with, but that's the way it is with ANY unofficial interpretation. I thought the artwork kicked ass. Any time you have Super VF-1Ds it's gonna be cool!

they could add another continent if they needed too... might involve shutting down a zone or two first, but we can live with that.

I'm betting it'll be an arena of some sort

so were the Kakizaki and the cannon fodder valkyries...

Enough of "The big three", let's see someone elses valk...

Ask and ye shall recieve.....

Oh HELL no.......

SDF Macross MAYBE....

DYRL????

You best back yourself off Toynami... don't mess with my DYRL......

Abombz, if you have pearls to distribute (I may have mis-read this, if I have, please correct me) why don't you give one to Vostok and everyone is happy? I'm only a part of one LS and I have no intention of getting on any others unless I need to.

Seriously though... you guys need to relax... it's just a damn game....

This is hardly unexpected... or unwanted.

If this is, in fact, how Lucas intended for the series to be seen, I see no reason why he should re-release the originals (ducks incoming flames).. it just seems ignorant to me, and counter-progressive.

I'm looking forward to these and I'll pick them up as soon as I can!

for real, yo.....

Vos, if you're having a hard time, step back for a bit and give it a small rest. I knew from the get-go that playing for early-on characters was going to be a limited experience, and I've tried my best to keep that in mind. I'm seriously thinking about yanking my Unicorn-server character and going back to focusing on the one I have on Pandemonium (I only get about 2 hours of play time every night... hardly enough to divide between 2 characters effectively)... I'd love to pt with you guys, but it's just not a very realistic expectation just now. If I divided it up, it would be ages before I was of any use to anyone (on either server). My lv.13 WAR on Pandamonium is just now starting to warm up to a truely pleasant experience (and I understand that it'll be lv.18 before I can begin do do anything really interesting)

Just think... by the time players like you and I make it to those upper levels... the ones that are there now will probably have moved on... the world will be ours for the taking (unless they keep adding on expansions for mega-high level characters)

Just be patient and relax..... everything will be cool!

I've not had any financial problems really.... usually everything I accumulate on any trip out sells, and I get more than enough to finance my needs. Goblin gear is probably one of my best sellers... and I get plenty of it.

Then again, I'm a lower lev. player (lv.13 on Pandemonium) and a War. at that... so my financial needs aren't so high. If I keep around 10k, I can get whatever I need. As soon as I hit lv.16 (or whatever the new armor point is after 11) I'll probably stick a little more back. I just laid out a pretty sum for my new Flame claymore that will carry me for several more levels.

I know I should probably put MORE back PERIOD... but I just havent.

now, my lv. 3 monk on Unicorn??? she has virtually NO financial needs... (not yet anyhow)

Only get very little time per day to play, so I have to be effective in how I spend my time there.

Abombz, Vostok... if one of you guys wants to get me a worldpass, I'll join you guys on your server now. I'm not going to ditch my current character, but I'm going to start a new one on yours (if you'll have me, that is)

lol, I'm "Lancer Koala"

Ironic... because 9 times out of 10, whenever I create a character in an RPG, his name is Lancer.... coincidence???? More likely than not.

LOL, I like the dub too. It also has the distinguishment of being the only officially translated version of Macross on the market (for what THAT'S worth...)

Roy's voice actually lines up pretty well with his personality!