Star Wars or Matrix with GURPS rules

[Lancer]

The freeway sequence in Reloaded still stands as the greatest damned chase sequence in film history.

 

Carrie Anne Moss broke her leg doing that sequence, and the city of LA refused to let them film, insisting atleast one person would die.  They should no one could pull off such a sequence.  So they went to the desert in Australia and build a stretch of freeway just to film that.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Everyone raves about that car chase scence in "Reloaded," but I fail to see why *shrugs*. To me, it was easily one of the most uninspiring parts of the movie. It was *far* too long for a chase scene as it dragged on and on. At one point I wanted to scream-- "Ok! I get the point! Can we get on with the story already?!"

It was total overkill.

[Lancer]

All of this was very interesting, and there are answers to them. I speculated like Hell over them, after I saw Reloaded, and I went to see Revolutions to see if I had guessed right. Only Revolutions refused to give answers, and that is rather disappointing. Doesn't make it a bad film per se - as EnderWiggin says, the battle for Zion is incredible, as is the Hammer's flight back there, but plotwise the whole thing is a confusing mess that refuses to unveil its secrets. Therefore Revolutions could function only as an acition-flick, where Reloaded had depth, mystery and philosophical conundrums.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

This sounds *exactly* what happened to me with Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn. After finishing BG1, I had many questions that I was expecting Shadows of Amn to address in regards to your being a Bhaalspawn and what it meant to be one. Alas, Shadows of Amn (to my disappointment) instead of concentrating itself on developing the PC's motives and backstory chose to sidetrack the trilogy and develop Irenicus almost exclusively. It wasn't until ToB that I finally got the answers to the questions I was seeking. As a result, I ended up somewhat disappointed with Shadows of Amn despite all its technical improvements over BG1.

 

But as you can see such storyline expectations coming into a film (or game) can ruin it for you when the developers choose to build upon different aspects than what you had come in expecting. It is just best to go into a film (or game) open-minded because what you deem should be important in a sequel will not necessarily fall in line with a game developer's (film-maker's) master plan.

Of course, this is much easier said than done.

[Lancer]

The Neo-Smith fight seem was pretty disappoiting. We'd already seen Neo against a single Smith in the first movie, and Neo against multiple Smiths in the second, so returning to Neo against a single Smith was a letdown, particularly with all those other Smiths just standing around peeking - it defeating Neo was really so important, you'd have thought they'd do something besides watching with their fingers up their nose or eating popcorn or whatever... I wanted to see Neo and Smith throw buildings at each other and tear cities to shreds, since putting it on that scale would be the only way to properly reflect the significance of their battle. But... 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I thought the Neo-Smith scene was the best of the trilogy due to the major build-up -- Whereas the other fights didn't really have much at stake this one had A LOT-- the end of Zion, the end of the world, the end of the Matrix as we know it, revenge over the death of Trinity..etc. Ever since the end of the original movie, it represented the first time Smith was powerful enough to be able to stand toe-to-toe with Neo in battle. The fights previous were jokes that never gave the impression that Neo was under any danger of losing to Smith. Compared to the the final battle the previous ones evoked very little tension.

 

I also thought it was clear just why the other Smiths were standing around. It can be inferred that the first Smith, the "original" Smith had a bone to pick with Neo (remember they are arch-enemies since the original movie) and wanted to settle this dispute mano a mano. Smith also displayed the cardinal sin of overconfidence just like every other villain that has ever been devised.

 

I think throwing buildings at each other and tearing cities to shreds would have been completely over-the-top. Where would NEO have gotten these powers all of a sudden? The Chosen One is powerful, yes, but I never got the slightest hint in any of the prequels that he would be able to throw skyscrapers around and destroy cities with but the slighest gesture. It would have made sense with Smith since the movie does explain that he was getting more and more powerful (he can clone himself endlessly!) but it would have required some extra justification for NEO.

[Lancer]

It sounds like some of you were expecting Dragonball Z for the final Neo-Smith fight. Lord knows why.

[Lancer]

I'll say another weird comment.. I thought that Revolutions had more philosophy than Reloaded ever did (The original Matrix had more than either). As Enderwiggin implied, much of the "philosophy" in Reloaded was already beaten to death in the first movie.

 

The ending in Revolutions alone opened up a lot of possibilities suitable for another sequel in the form of a PnP game .

 

Out of the three, it was Reloaded that most felt like an empty action flick rather than something that had potential for philosophical reflection.

[metadigital]

I'm weirder, I didn't like the matrix movies.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You didn't like the first one, either?

 

I guess it was a bit of a androcentric fantasy; not too many strong female characters (just the token love interest and wise woman / witch clich

[6 Foot Invisible Rabbit]

It sounds like some of you were expecting Dragonball Z for the final Neo-Smith fight. Lord knows why.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

You mean it wasn't? It looked like DBZ to me. Only Goku and Vegeta grunted as much as they did.

[metadigital]

The Neo-Smith fight seem was pretty disappoiting. We'd already seen Neo against a single Smith in the first movie, and Neo against multiple Smiths in the second, so returning to Neo against a single Smith was a letdown, particularly with all those other Smiths just standing around peeking - it defeating Neo was really so important, you'd have thought they'd do something besides watching with their fingers up their nose or eating popcorn or whatever... I wanted to see Neo and Smith throw buildings at each other and tear cities to shreds, since putting it on that scale would be the only way to properly reflect the significance of their battle. But... 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I thought the Neo-Smith scene was the best of the trilogy due to the major build-up -- Whereas the other fights didn't really have much at stake this one had A LOT-- the end of Zion, the end of the world, the end of the Matrix as we know it, revenge over the death of Trinity..etc. Ever since the end of the original movie, it represented the first time Smith was powerful enough to be able to stand toe-to-toe with Neo in battle. ...

I think throwing buildings at each other and tearing cities to shreds would have been completely over-the-top. Where would NEO have gotten these powers all of a sudden? The Chosen One is powerful, yes, but I never got the slightest hint in any of the prequels that he would be able to throw skyscrapers around and destroy cities with but the slighest gesture. It would have made sense with Smith since the movie does explain that he was getting more and more powerful (he can clone himself endlessly!) but it would have required some extra justification for NEO.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

As I quoted before:

Matrix Reloaded was pretty bad, too:

...

It never delivers on Neo

[EnderAndrew]

I agree. Once you establish that reality is malleable, anything and I mean anything is possible.

 

Neo defied physics and flew leaving a mini-hurricane in his path. Yet his strength in the Matrix is finite?

 

Only if he believes it to be so.

 

Honestly, I hated how he just gave in and then "something" happened and Neo won.

 

Neo is a hacker with the power to rewrite the Matrix like no one else can. He should have ripped Agent Smith apart and "deleted" his code, uninventing all of them, as we see the viral copies of Agent Smith all die in inglorious fashion.

 

Then again with most movies, I have in my mind a far superior ending to the one I see on the screen.

[Lancer]

I agree.  Once you establish that reality is malleable, anything and I mean anything is possible.

 

Neo defied physics and flew leaving a mini-hurricane in his path.  Yet his strength in the Matrix is finite?

 

Only if he believes it to be so.

 

Honestly, I hated how he just gave in and then "something" happened and Neo won.

 

Neo is a hacker with the power to rewrite the Matrix like no one else can.  He should have ripped Agent Smith apart and "deleted" his code, uninventing all of them, as we see the viral copies of Agent Smith all die in inglorious fashion.

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Yes.. But then they wouldn't have been able to make us pay for 3 movies... or even 2. :darque:

[EnderAndrew]

Neo went to the machine city, and you explain that Neo couldn't only hack Agent Smith when he had a backdoor in said city.

 

Then Neo fights in the real world to enter the backdoor against Agent Smith, while fighting him in the Matrix at the same time.

 

I think it makes for a better climax.

[Jediphile]

Neo went to the machine city, and you explain that Neo couldn't only hack Agent Smith when he had a backdoor in said city.

 

Then Neo fights in the real world to enter the backdoor against Agent Smith, while fighting him in the Matrix at the same time.

 

I think it makes for a better climax.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

The problem with that is that Smith *IS* Neo. When he supposedly destroyed him at the end of the first movie, he accidentally gave him powers instead of deleting him. Or as Smith puts it, "something imprinted or copied". In any event, he made Smith aware and severed his connection to the system, thinking that would delete him. It did not have that effect, however.

[EnderAndrew]

In Buddhism you must conquer yourself.

 

Either way Agent Smith is not Neo. Agent Smith existed before Neo. Agent Smith is however changed because of Neo.

[Jediphile]

In Buddhism you must conquer yourself.

 

Either way Agent Smith is not Neo.  Agent Smith existed before Neo.  Agent Smith is however changed because of Neo.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Funny thing about that. Take a look at Smith in the first movie, and you'll notice that he is already pretty far gone. The way he removes his earpiece when torturing Morpheus and so being unaware of the attack by Neo and Trinity says a lot. The other programs looked shocked at what he is doing (and even ask him about it).

 

And just how can he not know about the attack? Removing the ear-piece is not a clue in itself, since he is really a program and should be able to disconnect from the system. No, there is something wrong with him even in the first movie...

[EnderAndrew]

Agent Smith is different from the other agents, and that much is certain. The other agents seem to watch him cautiously in the first movie. Programs all seem to have identity and individuality in the Matrix universe.

[jaguars4ever]

Then again with most movies, I have in my mind a far superior ending to the one I see on the screen.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I imagine so do all the folks who've seen War of the Worlds. ^_^

[EnderAndrew]

For example, War of the Worlds.

 

Tom Cruise is not the hero of the picture, merely the protagonist. No one expects him to defeat the alien menace. Yet the issue must be properly resolved. If you're going to use Deus Ex Machina (which is weak sauce to begin with) you might as well do it in dramatic fashion.

 

Instead of bacteria saving the day, it should be a third party. The alien invaders can't be the only alien race with such technology, In a crucial moment, as Tom is fleeing the Tripods after barely avoiding becoming fertilizer, they are again seemingly trapped and facing certain doom.

 

Then other aliens swoop in and destroy the tripod in stunning fashion.

[Kissamies]

GURPS = Generic Universal RolePlaying System.

 

Character creation is wide open and plenty of fun, but the rules are cumbersome, and you have to pour over twenty books.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You don't really need all those books, but they tend to kind of accumulate. Good thing that 4th edition doesn't have that many of those books yet, but it's only a matter of time. The rules are also somewhat optimised now. Interested parties should check out the free GURPS Lite.

[Darque]

Then other aliens swoop in and destroy the tripod in stunning fashion.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

But... that would be... how do I put this gently... lame?

[EnderAndrew]

It is Deus Ex Machina, and thusly lame. However, the actual ending of the movie is far more lame.

[Darque]

Dunno, haven't seen it...

 

Haven't a desire to either truth be told.

 

I'm not a fan of Tom Cruise.

[EnderAndrew]

GURPS = Generic Universal RolePlaying System.

 

Character creation is wide open and plenty of fun, but the rules are cumbersome, and you have to pour over twenty books.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You don't really need all those books, but they tend to kind of accumulate. Good thing that 4th edition doesn't have that many of those books yet, but it's only a matter of time. The rules are also somewhat optimised now. Interested parties should check out the free GURPS Lite.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I haven't checked out 4th Edition, so I will check that out.

[Darque]

There's already a 4th edition

 

Well that explains why I was able to find a copy of 3rd edition for 3 bucks.

[EnderAndrew]

So far GURPS Lite looks alright. However I am not crazy about random NPC Reaction rolls. For some reason, I think that NPC reactions should be based on role-play, and not ROLL-play.

[metadigital]

Nice homonym.