Lunar Threads

I replayed the beginning of L:EB and I noticed that Ruby vacillates between enjoying adventure and trying to discourage Hiro from getting into trouble to a level that is incongruous. Some examples:

• (Intro, Hiro's not dead) "Okay, that's it. No more exploring for us. I've had it! We always end up getting into some sort of tro..." Adventurous Ruby -1.
• (Directly after exiting Dragon Ruins) "Whew! That was too close for comfort! Inferno Ghouls, booby traps, huge rocks... But, we scored a big reward this time, and that makes it all worthwhile!" Adventurous Ruby +1.
• (After Zophar curses Lucia) "Hiro, I'm scared. This is too big for us. We don't belong in this struggle. If only we hadn't taken that Dragon Eye Jewel from the ruins..." Adventurous Ruby -1.

So, if nearly getting killed by a long drop is too much, running an obstacle course while being chased by fire monsters ought to drive Ruby crazy, right? ...No, she's okay with that. They got the item. But wasn't the item a foolish risk a little bit ago...? Hrm.

Since this seemed weird, decided to compare these lines to the Japanese version (since that's how I roll) and found that they were quite a bit different. Here are some quick translations of the lines from the same respective spots in the Japanese version:

• (Intro, Hiro's not dead) "Jeez, Hiro, you always blow it right at the last moment! And then I have to..."
• (Directly after exiting Dragon Ruins) "Wow, that was a wild ride!! You've really been taking a lot of falls today, Hiro. We got one of the jewels, so why don't we head home for the day?"
• (After Zophar curses Lucia) "Ugh, my heart's beating so fast it's making me feel bad... I'm kind of scared..."

BTW, I researched on the Sega/Mega CD versions which is why I posted here, but I imagine it'd apply to the remake pretty well. The intro has the same dialog at least.

I never thought to compare the dialogue on that level (i.e., on a characterization level), so it never occurred to me. (I don't even think I took screenshots or notes of those parts you mentioned.) But now that you point it out, it sounds about right...

On the whole, though, I actually found Ruby less annoying in the English version. Something about how her crush on Hiro was even more directly stated in the Japanese dialogue. KF

Perhaps WD thought Ruby was too blase about the events in the Dragon Ruins in the original? I dunno. I guess the English version doesn't seem too incongruous to me -- in the first and third examples (fall and Zophar) she's been badly scared about something that happens, that she can't do anything about, and she's feeling fear that it could happen again. In the second, the chase, she and Hiro are actively avoiding something that might happen, they're probably pretty confident, she's up on adrenaline, and it ends with no ill effects and with them holding their prize.

It sounds like in the Japanese one she just doesn't get as scared -- or maybe it's just that the Dragon Ruins aren't intended to seem as dangerous, with Hiro's fall being just another thing he screwed up, no worse than anything else that's happened in their explorations.

Certainly an interesting change. Add to the differences section? The bit about the fall, at least.

Alunissage wrote:I guess the English version doesn't seem too incongruous to me -- in the first and third examples (fall and Zophar) she's been badly scared about something that happens, that she can't do anything about, and she's feeling fear that it could happen again. In the second, the chase, she and Hiro are actively avoiding something that might happen, they're probably pretty confident, she's up on adrenaline, and it ends with no ill effects and with them holding their prize.

You're right, there's no problem if you assume Ruby is over-reacting... Ruby is a mascot character after all, she's supposed to amuse us, and over-reaction is a good technique that's definitely in Lunar 2's repertoire. The trouble is that the 1st and 3rd examples convey a sort of timidity that I find jarring, personally. But, I expect that Ruby will be more consistently positive as I progress in the game. I don't think anyone's overall impression of Ruby is that she's a worrywart... certainly not me. She's not a party-pooper, she accuses other people of being party-poopers. I think the deal is that at this early point in the game WD is still calibrating their characterization of Ruby, since it is a fair bit different.

Kizyr wrote:On the whole, though, I actually found Ruby less annoying in the English version. Something about how her crush on Hiro was even more directly stated in the Japanese dialogue.

I'll vouch for that. In English she never goes as far as saying "Hiro is my boyfriend", (as far as I can recall,) but I know she does in Japanese. Toning that down was definitely a good move.

A few other things I noticed early in the game... In Hiro and Ruby's intro, Hiro knows about the trap in the Japanese version. Ruby has an interesting premonition that Hiro will be in danger after he decides to go to the Blue Spire (I need to check the English version for anything similar though). And there is a minor graphical bug after the Spire Guardians get Dragon Cannon'd that only effects the SegaCD version.

Maybe it's reverse psychology.

/unhelpful.