What are your hopes for Harmony?

[LunarRaptor]

In the wake of the announcement that a new Lunar: Silver Star remake is in the making, what are all of you hoping for in this newest entry into the Lunar series?

Frankly, I''m hoping the creators take the best of the original TSS and SSSC. Keep the originsl means of becoming a Dragonmaster, but have the three vile tripe sisters and the ability to keep Luna all the way until the White Dragon Cave second visit (or heck, beyond, because the only time Alex would absolutely HAS to lose her is at the Black Dragon Cave).

[NallOne]

I wouldn't mind some additional FMVs as a bit of a surprise, because I am sure most people aren't expecting them. I'd also like some of the better story elements from TSS to be carried over instead of the changes in SSS, but that is looking less and less likely. Some more bromides (if they even HAVE bromides) might be fun - especially bromides of the boys! Ramus bromide, anyone? I wouldn't mind some Nash and Kyle bromides either. And of course Alex. Four Heroes bromides? Heck I want a bromide of EVERYONE!

At the very least I would like them to bring back the Dragon Angels. I'd also like if they brought back more magic from TSS as well, namely Alex actually being a bit of an actual magician.

[ilovemyguitar]

I honestly just hope that it's good. It would be nice to get stuff like an expanded story, throwbacks to stuff from TSS that wasn't in SSSC, new cutscenes, continuity gags, etc, but I would be completely satisfied if it's just a straight-up retelling of the Lunar 1 story as long as it's well-done. I want people who have never played a Lunar game before to be able to pick it up and say, "Hey, this game is fantastic. I want to play another Lunar game!"

Edited to add some more thoughts:

I guess my biggest hope for the game is that it will adequately represent what it is that I love about Lunar. The more successful entries in the series have done a great job of balancing irreverent humor and lighthearted anime-esque storytelling with heavier ideas like the worth of a civilization's contributions to its own development and the stages of grief when one feels betrayed by someone close. My biggest fear is that this game will be technically good, and maybe even successful, but gloss over the things that made me fall in love with Lunar when I was an awkward bookworm teenager with a goofball sense of humor. I want this game to be a good representation of Lunar's biggest strengths as a series, and succeed or fail on those merits.

[Nobiyuki77]

That it's doesn't mess with a good thing too much.

And that the music is high quality

[Sonix]

As long as it doesn't use the same battle theme as SSSC. That one sadly sucked. The one in TSS was great.

[phyco126]

Music, AMVs, and Voice Acting. Its all I really care about atm. I dislike isometric veiws, but I'll learn to deal.

[Alunissage]

Fresca as a playable character, more/new spells for everyone, the absence of the thud-thud-thud cave music, and NO voice acting. I don't think I'm going to get that last one, though.

I also wouldn't mind seeing sprites with the detail and cleanness of Lunar Legend's battle sprites, because those were just charming. And actually, probably the number one change I'd like to see is the Temple(s) of Althena being more like TSS's than SSSC's. That change, coupled with the music changes, was probably the single thing that weakened the remake's atmosphere for me. Other stuff that comes to mind is the weird Lyton music, the elimination of the Silver Spire as a dungeon. and -- I can't believe I almost forgot to mention this -- the plothole of spelling out who Luna was way early and then still having the other singers kidnapped. Those are all things I'd like to be fixed. Also Althena's Sword should be somewhere other than in the very first scene you see. Honestly, I wonder if that change was made just because they'd decided that there'd only be four Dragon spells and so having a battle to get the sword with no fancy spell to earn after doing so would be anticlimactic.

I'd like to see Nash become a useful (and eventually likeable) character, too. He at least had spells other than thunder attacks in SSSC, but that wasn't that much of an improvement since one hardly uses status spells much. He was a more developed character (maybe?) in SSSC, but a "better", more admirable one in TSS, and I'd like that to show up too. It was also kind of ridiculous that he was the fastest party member and Kyle the slowest.

[swordandshield]

I want it to be another TSS basically, not a vaguely expressed one like SSS. Maybe with more of a selection in spells/abilities or better yet transfer them all from TSS and call it a day. I want it to use the same music from TSS, it was much better composed and didn't lack originality and ofcourse take out or fix the dungeon cave theme like most of us want. That theme gave me a headache!

Also I would prefer them to add back the deleted cutscenes they took out from TSS upon developing SSS and the awkward personality changes they made to Ghaleon, I feel ripped off because of that and I'll go with everyone else on this as well, NO voiceacting. I would much rather use my own interpretation to what their voices sound like and save my ears from bleeding, although Luna's singing voice even in SSS was beautiful.

While I'm on the subject of Luna, I'd also hope for her to look the way she did in TSS, she was younger. I don't like the aged one as much in SSS.

Some new AMV's would suffice as long as they don't overdo them only for fanservice and not originality.

A new playable character like Fresca and Tempest does sound like a good idea but I would hope their stories are filler at best and not involved in the main story as that would mess things up and spark confusion. If there's a new playable character the enemies should be more powerful as well, especially Ghaleon.

Overall, I just want it to bring me back to the amazement I had with TSS and not disappointment with inane things that took away the whole experience I had with TSS in the first place. I want it to be a game that blows all or most of the other games in the gaming industry out of the water and not be made into a generic game that doesn't keep it's unique charm. I want it to be a Lunar game not a carbon copy of another RPG that I can safely say this game changed my life!

To put it simply, the series has solidified my love for RPGs (and I've played a lot of them) but I want this remake to do what they did and MORE!

[Kaiya-Sky]

well since i never played TSS im hoping it will be more like it . Also like NallOne i would love some more bromides, I loved collecting them, i really hope they keep them in. A small side quest or 2 might be fun, but not necessary. I hope they keep in the quotes and references and silly stuff in that made me laugh, and don't overly censor it so its squeaky clean for kids. I would love a longer Epilogue, maybe running around the world with luna to show her all the places she missed out on or something cooler. theres some more things i jsut cant think of at the moment.
My "hopes" sort of suck lol, but even if its just a mix of TSS and SSSC i would probably be with happy it, as long as it doesn't lose its spark. I just hope i don't have to say " it was good but could be better"

[jay_are]

My hopes are simple:
That it becomes successful enough to bring a new Lunar2!

What is with all your TSS expectations? You all know it wont be a TSS, but instead, a SSS remake.

Now, that Lunar Legend overworld... ugh. I am sure we all loved walking pointlessly in SSS, and im sure all of you wanted even a TSS overworld with random encounters!

[Shiva Indis]

I also vote for inclusion of TSS elements, but I don't see it happening. It occurs to me that there might have been bad blood between Studio Alex and Game Arts, and possibly GA wouldn't even want the game to be like TSS. (Anyone read the SA article on Wikipedia? I translated that. )

I only want new animation if it's as good as the existing stuff - the budget was clearly high on SSS. I want less ham-fisted writing and acting.

I want Luna to be able to equip swords. I think I'm in luck there!

[Alunissage]

She could equip a short sword in SSS, and maybe TSS. ^_^

Also I would prefer them to add back the deleted cutscenes they took out from TSS upon developing SSS

Such as? It's been a while since I played the beginning of TSS but the only cutscene -- by which I'm assuming you mean animation -- that comes to mind as not having any comparable equivalent in SSS is Luna's farewell in Saith, because of course she comes along.

[DevNall]

Such as? It's been a while since I played the beginning of TSS but the only cutscene -- by which I'm assuming you mean animation -- that comes to mind as not having any comparable equivalent in SSS is Luna's farewell in Saith, because of course she comes along.

What about the turtle or Ghaleon's "transformation"?

[Werefrog]

What about the turtle or Ghaleon's "transformation"?

There was a turtle in TSS? Man. Maybe, I should play that game someday .

[GhaleonOne]

Yeah, you rode him to Damon's Spire.

And was that a cutscene? I don't remember it as a cutscene, just a ride on a turtle on the world map.

And yes, Ghaleon's transformation would be awesome as final boss again, but if they do, I'd love it if they explained that a bit more.

[Alunissage]

The turtle isn't animated; it's on the world map. Ghaleon's transformation, though, I had totally forgotten and shouldn't have. However, it may not fit so well with EB.

[Temzin]

I actually sort of abhorred Ghaleon's transformation scene in TSS and was delighted when he not only remained normal in SSS but also fought you in his EB armor. The grimy eye demon thing really left a bad taste in my mouth. Interestingly, you can see that they at least had some concepts for doing this in SSS, too (and thus connecting the idea to a potential change in Harmony): examine the Newtype artbook and you find a transformed Ghaleon concept sketch. Ick.

I'm all for keeping him human, especially since the 'final transformation' has become such a tired trope that a proper head-to-head duel seems more thrilling and unusual. There's always that guy in Gensou Suikoden II who you fight about four times in a row, all without a transformation. Classy.

[GhaleonOne]

The turtle isn't animated; it's on the world map. Ghaleon's transformation, though, I had totally forgotten and shouldn't have. However, it may not fit so well with EB.

I don't know. I remember the original Lunar Threads from the late 90s talking about it a lot. Most figured the scaly thing on Ghaleon's face in EB was a result of the TSS transformation.

Though, like Temzin said, having him in his EB-like getup for the final SSS fight works better.

[phyco126]

I thought that the scaley thing on his face was machine used to reconstruct his body...

[Werefrog]

I thought that the scaley thing on his face was machine used to reconstruct his body...

Bah... what do you think this is... Star Wars?