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The Episode III spoiler-filled reviews and impressions thread - Great Rumbler - 24th May 2005
Okay, I last night I got see ROTS on the DLP and...wow. It was what I'd hoped for and more. Lucas brought it. He just brought it and put it down on the table and said "Hey. Check out this shiznite." And that's what I did, and it was. Awesome. Better than awesome! VERY awesome! Palpatine was this cool, calm and collected friend to Anakin and he's telling him all this stuff and then he starts doing the Force lightening and he just goes insane. "Ultimate POWAH!!!" That was hilarious...and cool. And then Anakin gets both his legs AND his arm cut off and he catches on fire and...awesome movie.
The ONLY thing I would have changed IN THE ENTIRE MOVIE is one or two scenes with Anakin and Padme, some were just a bit on the cringe side. Other than that, though everything about this movie was just amazing. The music, the CG [which was even better than the other two movies and more realistic than ever], even the acting!! For the most part anyway, the acting was pretty good. Not Oscar-worthy, but as good as it needed to be, I thought.
Favorite scene: The scene where Anakin and Padme are standing on the balcony of two different buildings and just gazing out at the city. All you can hear is this low choral music.
Episode 3 rocked.
The Episode III spoiler-filled reviews and impressions thread - Darunia - 25th May 2005
While my opinions withstand, there's no point in trying to sway you. So, I'll talk about all the parts that I did like from Episode III:
--The scene where newly-converted Vader looks onto the gantryway of Padmé's ship and see Obi-Wan standing there... it was great, and you know that everyone in the theater was thinking the same thing: the shit's about to hit the fan.
--The scene where Mace Windu and the three other written-in-just-to-die Jedi confront Palpatine... there was so much weight to that scene, it was great! I couldn't even sit still... but then, well, we all know what happens, and then you just want to cry. :(
The Episode III spoiler-filled reviews and impressions thread - A Black Falcon - 27th May 2005
Yeah, I finally saw it, pretty good. About what I'd expect... a good Star Wars movie. Perfect? No, but good... I wouldn't say far better than the other two original trilogy films, though. I liked them too... do people like this one more because it's got more action? Because it certainly does... but that's because that's what the story demands. But I don't think that TPM or AotC are much worse at all than RotS.
Anyway... what didn't I like about it? A few things.
-Anakin's motivations: I thought it was okay. It was a little fast, but looked at in the context of him being poisoned by Palpatine's words for several years, it makes more sense... there was a lot of time for him to be corrupted to be predisposed to believe Palpatine. And his motivations for why were consistent with why he had done evil things in the past (to protect people he loves)... so, while a bit fast, it was alright.
-Padme -- her dying like that was just stupid... 'dies of a broken heart'? Oh come on... ridiculous.
-I wanted to hear Imperial March more. :)
Quote:Basically, that scene consisted of Anakin saying "this isn't the way of a Jedi" even though deep down it was about protecting the one he loves. He, at least the way the scene was designed, clearly only wanted to STOP Mace from killing Palpy (as if he could right?), and he actually was all distraught over what he just did. And yet, RIGHT after that, 10 seconds later, he SWEARS HIMSELF to the frickin' dark side and agrees to kill every single jedi in existance. What the hell? There's no way any real person would EVER make a decision that quickly.
He realized that once he'd chosen a path (and that was what that scene was, forcing Anakin to choose a side once and for all -- just like how, at the end of RotJ, the Emperor forces him into a somewhat similar situation again...), he had to stick to it. He wanted to stop Mace... and realized that the only way to do that was to go all the way and turn on the Jedi. He did it in the heat of the moment, yes, because of his feelings... but once done, he realized that there was no going back. His only choice at that time was to bow as the new Darth.
Also, I suspect that Palpatine lost on purpose... I'm not sure, but it's the kind of thing he'd do -- to force Anakin to go over to his side. It was obvious that all of his cries, 'oh no he's going to kill me' stuff, etc was fake and purely for Anakin's benefit (though Anakin didn't notice that, in that state)... so why not take the extra step and say 'he knew Anakin was coming and so he lost so that he could force him to turn on the Jedi'? It makes a lot of sense. ... now that I think about it, that's what I think happened. He needed to turn Anakin for good.
Weltall: I'm not surprised your opinion on Palpatine hasn't changed. The full, complete, and quite believable explanation we knew before RotS wasn't enough for you, so why should the additional tidbits we learn this time help? You've demonstrated a complete lack of ability to understand the concept of what a Sith is this far, so I'm not surprised at all that you continue to do so... what part of "thousands of years of ingrained and trained hatred", "diametrically opposing philosophies", etc. don't you understand?
The Sith are the antithesis of the Jedi. They exist for the glorification of personal power. What is the ultimate in personal power? Well, ruling the galaxy is a pretty good start... and destroying your eons-old rivals the Jedi probably an even better one. Doing both at the same time? Even better.
Really, it's simple. Palpatine bacame a Sith. I've said it before as all the motivation you need and I'll say it again, because it's really all you need to know. Why did he become one? That's really unimportant... there could be many believable reasons for why a Sith would pick up such an apprentice. Which one it is really doesn't matter at all. What matters is the result, and that result is a power-hungry being thirsting to destroy his bitter enemies the Jedi.
Look, it's a sci-fi movie... you need a villain! And the Sith are as good a villain as any. Better than some, really... at least they have a good reason for why they are doing what they are doing and a well-defined philosophy of beliefs that explains their thought!
The Episode III spoiler-filled reviews and impressions thread - Great Rumbler - 27th May 2005
I'm pretty sure that Palpatine lost to Mace Windu on purpose in order to push Anakin over the edge. As you'll recall, just a short while later he went toe-to-toe with Yoda and exhibitted none of the qualities shown in his fight with Windu. If Palpatine was overpowering Windu, Anakin probably would not have helped him.
The Episode III spoiler-filled reviews and impressions thread - A Black Falcon - 27th May 2005
Yeah.
The Episode III spoiler-filled reviews and impressions thread - Dark Jaguar - 27th May 2005
Well duh. Palpatine's loss was painfully apparent, and if it wasn't for Anakin being a total retard, he'd have seen it too.
The Episode III spoiler-filled reviews and impressions thread - A Black Falcon - 27th May 2005
Yes, the part after Anakin arrived... I was only wondering about the part before that. But Palpatine is more than powerful enough to know if Anakin is coming, I'd expect, so he easily could have staged the whole fight, and yeah, it's most likely that he did.
Quote:Well duh. Palpatine's loss was painfully apparent, and if it wasn't for Anakin being a total retard, he'd have seen it too.
Palpatine tried a very similar thing with Luke in RotJ, of course... the difference being, Luke didn't fall to his words, while Anakin did.
The Episode III spoiler-filled reviews and impressions thread - Dark Jaguar - 27th May 2005
Proving my point that Anakin is a total idiot.
The Episode III spoiler-filled reviews and impressions thread - A Black Falcon - 27th May 2005
Not an idiot, just a human... people don't always have control over their emotions. Anakin's problem always was that he was not able to control his emotions, and it's what brought him down...
The Episode III spoiler-filled reviews and impressions thread - Weltall - 27th May 2005
Anakin's problem is that his character was fleshed out in this decade when being whiny and emo is cool. Luke came around in the 70's, when men were still men and had cooler hair.
The Episode III spoiler-filled reviews and impressions thread - Dark Jaguar - 27th May 2005
And what about that Jedi council eh? Even the loosest military would have kicked Anakin out YEARS ago, but they kept him around and even promoted him to frickin KNIGHT.
And is it just me, or is Clone Wars actually Star Wars done right?
The Episode III spoiler-filled reviews and impressions thread - A Black Falcon - 27th May 2005
They hoped that he was not beyond saving... and, if not for Palpatine, I think that they would have been right.
The Episode III spoiler-filled reviews and impressions thread - Dark Jaguar - 27th May 2005
I'm transforming!
The Episode III spoiler-filled reviews and impressions thread - Dark Jaguar - 27th May 2005
Sorry...
Anyway, as a DECENT human being my response is:
Yeah, I see where you are going with that. I am still pretty sure he would have become some other kind of punk though. He may have just ended up shunning both the light AND the dark. Where does that put a force adept?
The Episode III spoiler-filled reviews and impressions thread - A Black Falcon - 27th May 2005
Quote:I'm transforming!
Would TC really be better off with you like that? :)
Quote:Yeah, I see where you are going with that. I am still pretty sure he would have become some other kind of punk though. He may have just ended up shunning both the light AND the dark. Where does that put a force adept?
Maybe not a Jedi, yeah (he might eventually have gotten kicked out)... but he wouldn't have become a Sith, and wouldn't have killed him. Remember, until the events of TPM the Jedi thought that the Sith died out hundreds of years earlier (800 years? Or was it several thousand? I'm not sure... either way, a long time earlier.)... the ability to hide themselves was the most important thing to the Sith in the interim, obviously. Palpatine being really good at it shouldn't be surprising. Where he differs from past Sith lords, obviously, was the ability to actually follow up on what the Sith dreamed to do and actually do it... and to do it he needed a strong second, and if Anakin is something, he's that.
Of course, the movie leaves you with some questions... as you may remember, Anakin was supposedly created by the Force ("no father", remember?)... I thought that Palpatine's story about the Sith lord who could create life was interesting, kind of a parallel to the story of how Anakin came to be... but what that means, I don't really know. :)
The Episode III spoiler-filled reviews and impressions thread - Dark Jaguar - 28th May 2005
It means that Anakin's mom was immaculatly concieved BY that sith! :D Or Anakin himself, I really wouldn't know about his mom...
...
Um, probably not, because that's just too ridiculous and if that WAS the intention it's a joke of one.
But no really, what is one that rejects both light and dark called? Since the only sides to the force are the light and the dark, what possible force could they use? The force they use can't really be said to exist so it must be called the nonexistant force. I would submit those shunning light and dark be called the Nobodies.
The Episode III spoiler-filled reviews and impressions thread - Great Rumbler - 28th May 2005
I don't think it's possible to reject BOTH. Well, I guess you could give up your force powers and try to live a normal life, but that wouldn't make you anything new.
The Episode III spoiler-filled reviews and impressions thread - Dark Jaguar - 28th May 2005
You wouldn't think that'd be possible, would you? But, it's not completely ruled OUT by what I know of the force, and if it's not ruled out, then someone can attempt it. So, what if?
The Episode III spoiler-filled reviews and impressions thread - A Black Falcon - 28th May 2005
Quote:It means that Anakin's mom was immaculatly concieved BY that sith!
...
Um, probably not, because that's just too ridiculous and if that WAS the intention it's a joke of one.
Yeah, it made me think that, but I doubt it has any basis in reality... (given that Anakin exists to ultimately destroy the Sith (and remake the Jedi), not make them ascendant forever) :) Funny concept to think of, though. :D
Quote:But no really, what is one that rejects both light and dark called? Since the only sides to the force are the light and the dark, what possible force could they use? The force they use can't really be said to exist so it must be called the nonexistant force. I would submit those shunning light and dark be called the Nobodies.
Hmm... Force philosophy... they talk about that some in the New Jedi Order books too. 'Is the Force a split between Good and Evil (Light and Dark sides), or is it a continuum'... I don't know the final resolution of that issue, really. ... I haven't read the final two NJO books... and besides, Jacen is a little bit annoying. :)
Anyway, the way most all Force users are taught is that it is a hard divide and that there really isn't middle ground... you are either Jedi or Sith. I'd imagine that in reality there is some, but I don't see much. And Anakin really isn't the one who would be there -- exposed to the Sith he has a tendency to lean towards that side, after all. If there were no Sith, I don't know... he'd probably either be a Jedi who was weak with controlling his emotions or be trained enough to not be a danger (with his force powers) and expelled (and not allowed to use them anymore).
The Episode III spoiler-filled reviews and impressions thread - Darunia - 28th May 2005
I just saw it a third time a few hours ago, and I really must reiterate all of my remarks. I can't understand how anyone else misses them. OB1 be damned, Episode III was simply not very well scrapped together from a quality sense. What it did have plenty of, though, was drama and action.
The Episode III spoiler-filled reviews and impressions thread - A Black Falcon - 28th May 2005
This make you happy, Darunia?
Quote:Chewbacca
He's a Wookie, Wookies live on Kashyyk... this is before the Empire took over and enslaved them... the Empire has to do it sometime... so why not now? (That's what I saw as happening in that film, the Clone troops turning on the Wookies and enslaving them at the end of the battle)... so why not?
Quote: I understand that the conflict was building for years, and that his angry-dark side are shown throughout Episode II (most notably when he slaughters the Tuskens), but it's the final fall that was too brief. All of that anger, building for years, should have had a huge zenith... it did not. Maybe it's just as well, because I don't think that Christenesen had the skill to perform it anyway.
Palpatine's hand was forced. With Grevious near capture, he had to act to be able to hold on to power, and that action required turning Anakin. So, he had to get Anakin to go over to his side, "ready" or not... and that is exactly what he did by telling him that he was the Sith Lord. Got him to do something he could not go back from. (And once Anakin had done it, he knew that it was final... so his reaction first of course is 'What have I done?', in shock essentially, but then he realizes what he has done, and does the only thing he can at that point: bow down to his new master.
Quote:Yoda never tried again--and in fact, it was with enormous, VAST reluctance that he agreed to train Luke. The fact that he simply leaves the hapless galaxy to the whims of Palpatine after a 5-minute battle makes me lose much respect for the wisdom of Yoda.
Because, as he said in ESB, he thought Luke was too old... remember what happened last time Yoda agreed to let a too-old person who he had questions about be trained?
Yeah, he turned into Darth Vader.
As for Yoda, he can't do much on his own once Palpatine had control of the galaxy... he could possibly have done more than he did, but he didn't want to risk being found. Come out of hiding and perhaps the Emperor would catch him, and he couldn't let that happen until he had trained someone...
Also, perhaps the years in isolation messed with his mind. :)
Quote:That one, above all, made me roll my eyes. I understand that this is a space fantasy, but they should maintain some level of realism... and that one was not at all convincingly well done. A matte painting might have served better, or maybe Lucas should have designed it to be less intricate... he has to live within his means, and computer technology, while very far, cannot create THAT convincing of a world. Not yet.
I am sure that there were real things in the movie you thought were CG and CG things you thought were real. It's not perfect yet, but it's pretty good... your unreasonable hatred doesn't change that one bit.
Quote:I see your point, but I still feel as though the Emperor from RotJ is almost a different character all together. Since this is only a difference of opinion, there is no point in arguing it.
Um... different character? I don't see how you could think that... in ESB and RotJ the Emperor is EXACTLY the same as how he is in the Prequel Trilogy! Manipulative, sneaky, trying to control all of the events that are occuring in order to get one specific ending... compare his encounters with Anakin in RotS to his with Luke in RotJ. They're strikingly similar. And in both cases, he had manipulated events on a massive scale just for force that confrontation... the difference was that in the 30-odd years since RotS, he'd lost something. He didn't seem to be quite as good as he used to... after all, the Rebels weren't caught, he didn't realize that the Death Star II was going to be destroyed (darned Ewoks, ruining all his plans... :))... while in the prequel trilogy he commanded both sides of a galactic war in order to kill the Jedi, sieze power and make one of the most powerful Jedis his successor.
Maybe that stuff about how using the Dark Side too much corrupts your mind (as well as how it clearly ages your body) has truth to it... :)
Oh, as for the acrobatics, look at the films. Lucas just wasn't as good at doing fights in the old films... the new ones have much, much more interesting duels, and the acrobatics are one aspect of this. Remember, he doesn't actually need to be agile, not with the Force... same way Yoda does his acrobatics, of course. Force propulsion. If Lucas was going to make the original trilogy now, instead of 25 years ago, I expect we'd see much more intricate and complex fight scenes.
Quote:Well maybe, but why didn't that occur again when he used so much more force lightning against Yoda a few scenes later; or on RotJ?
That might have been his first major use of the Dark Side in a long time, as opposed to using it again soon after... I don't know. I don't know the rules for how the Force operates. But it is true that using the Dark Side ages you... along stuff like the eye color change, etc.
Quote:Maybe what I mean here is that Lucas created an exodus of irrelevent characters. In ANH, there's the principal trio: Luke, Leia, Han.. (and Chewbacca and the droids.) They meet lesser characters, and fight Vader. In TESB, it's them all again... plus Lando, and maybe Boba Fett if you consider him a major character. In ROTJ, it's them all again; plus the Emperor. In these last three, he throws in major, colorful, CG-animated characters way too much. JarJar Binks? Boss Nass... Grievous, those Geonosians... I suppose it's just me, but I'd rather be watching actors than cartoon characters. That's what Star Wars used to be to me. Not a 2.5 hour-long videogame. OB1 will never understand that because he loves that new style of ultra-colorful, ultra-fake filmmaking that I loathe.
OT is about Luke, Han, and Leia.
PT is about Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Padme.
Both have large casts of backup characters supporting them, but in both trilogies there's a core group. There is absolutely no difference here between the two trilogies...
Quote:I know how good of a crafty politician he was, but a senate comprised of able-minded delegations from every civilized world, just applaudes it? I can't digest it. I'm being pessimistic maybe, but it's just not convincing to me.
Remember, the Senate is corrupt... Palpatine is hugely powerful at manipulating minds... he had a majority of them supporting him when he went into office, so should there be any surprise that after years of war the majority is even larger... opposition (such as Bail Organa and Padme) would not be so stupid as to boo... no, it makes a sad kind of sense. It's just like what happened in Germany in the early '30s. And on that topic...
Quote:Yes they did--because that was real-life. Lucas should have added that dissent in his movies to add some reality and make it more believable. Without this extra real dimension, it's just a children's movie. "Don't question it!"
There was minimal opposition in Germany to Hitler. Most people supported him. There was a small resistance, of course, but not much of one... most of the opposition that came up was from the military, when he made so many errors in judgement but kept doing things his way. And that was dealt with.
Actually, I'd say that Nazi Germany is a strong parallel to the Empire... except the resistance in the Empire was much, much more cohesive, organized, and popularly supported than resistance in Nazi Germany ever was.
Quote:I just would have liked to know where the names came from, if anywhere.
I'm sure she had been thinking about it for months.
Quote:Maybe; but I dunno... anesthesia isn't that hard in any emergency situation even in our world. I can't imagine it's difficult to come across in the Star Wars galaxy. Even just a glass of juri juice...
I do agree with you on one thing... the way Padme died was really, really stupid. Completely illogical.
Remember, the droid said 'there is nothing physically wrong with her', so you can't blame her medical treatment. It was just a stupid "romance story" plot device... you know, the one dies (or turns into a man/machine, in this case), after betraying the other, and the other dies of sorrow or whatever... lame. Unrealistic. It definitely hurt the film, I think... made it feel like a romance story element, not an event actually possible (much less likely) in "a galaxy far, far away" (that is, some other place that follows the rules of the Star Wars galaxy -- as a real, cohesive, and possible place).
OB1's response, of course, is that I don't understand romantic storytelling, but... sure, it's a common romantic storytelling element, but who says that that means it has any redeeming value? Not me!
The Episode III spoiler-filled reviews and impressions thread - Dark Jaguar - 4th June 2005
<img src="http://www.vgcats.com/comics/images/050531.jpg">
The Episode III spoiler-filled reviews and impressions thread - Dark Jaguar - 4th June 2005
(Wow I hate it when this forum malfunctions in such a fasion...)
Quad post! Isn't that like... a new record?
The Episode III spoiler-filled reviews and impressions thread - The Former DMiller - 4th June 2005
Funniest comic ever. Someone needs to forward that to OB1.
The Episode III spoiler-filled reviews and impressions thread - A Black Falcon - 5th June 2005
Quote:Quad post! Isn't that like... a new record?
No, I posted seven trying to get my post to show. :)
Quote:Funniest comic ever. Someone needs to forward that to OB1.
More lame "I hate Star Wars because... well, I do!" (and I've got a stable full of inaccurate "facts" and some opinion to back it up!)... not very funny. More stupid. Oh, there are some funny parts in the comic, but the overall tone ruins them.
The Episode III spoiler-filled reviews and impressions thread - Great Rumbler - 5th June 2005
It's funny, even though I don't agree with some of the points they were trying to make.
The Episode III spoiler-filled reviews and impressions thread - The Former DMiller - 5th June 2005
Yeah, I don't agree with everything in the comic either, but I still found it funny.
The Episode III spoiler-filled reviews and impressions thread - Dark Jaguar - 5th June 2005
I agree with pretty much everything.
I mean, "I have the high ground"? I think I can sum up my opinion on the movie like this. Great buildup, but EVERY plot point "turn" or "final execution" was flawed. It's like Lucas has forgotten how to conclude a plot point. "Okay, climactic final battle, how should this end? I dunno... how about him being slighly higher up and doing a physically impossible slash?" Woah, wait, what if, like, he was TOTALLY trying to make a spiritual point, like he was on the SPIRITUAL high ground! YEAH! :D
The Episode III spoiler-filled reviews and impressions thread - Great Rumbler - 5th June 2005
Anakin tucked in his legs to jump, Obi-wan just sent a straight cut through all three of his remaining limbs. Not that hard to do if you're a Jedi, I imagine. Obi-wan was ably to use higher ground to his advantage not only because he was ready for Anakin to jump, but also because Anakin HAD to jump to get to where Obi-wan was. He knew that Obi-wan was ready for him, but he choose to jump anyway because he was too arrogant and angry to do anything else.
The Episode III spoiler-filled reviews and impressions thread - Dark Jaguar - 5th June 2005
Yes, I know what frickin' happened. It was still pretty silly and very anticlimactic though.
And by the way, I do believe I've seen about a BILLION situations where Jedi had "the low ground" and still won. It was never even brought up as a FACTOR before. To bring it up now has all the creativity of the weird plot devices they have in comic books. You know, where a super hero has in the past saved countless people from being DROPPED into ACID but when it's somene they CARE about and the madman points it out, suddenly they are unable to do anything but rob a bank for the guy. I know it's fiction, but seriously, to what extreme does something have to be implausible before you admit that it's stupid?
The Episode III spoiler-filled reviews and impressions thread - Great Rumbler - 5th June 2005
When have you seen a Jedi win with the low ground another Jedi of near equel power and who was ready for him to jump?
The Episode III spoiler-filled reviews and impressions thread - A Black Falcon - 5th June 2005
I thought it was a fine ending... what did you want, for that fight to be LONGER? It was a great fight, but it'd already been pretty long, and it was time for it to end... and it has to end somehow. Somehow that leaves Anakin alive, despite the fact that Obi-Wan is trying to kill him. That does that... Obi-Wan thinks he's burned (or is burning) to death, and leaves, so the Emperor can save Vader... and, I'd say, did it in a believable fashion (Obi-Wan is young too and makes mistakes... as his older self (epIV) acknowledges.).
The Episode III spoiler-filled reviews and impressions thread - Great Rumbler - 5th June 2005
It was an ending that tied up all the loose ends.
The Episode III spoiler-filled reviews and impressions thread - Darunia - 16th June 2005
George Lucas could have written Episode III anywhich way---he could have made it an autobiographical epic about Jar Jar Binks' childhood on Naboo and subsequent exile---and still there would be those fans who would defend every aspect of it. "Genius!" they trumpet. "You're just not as smart as George and I--WE get it! It's really quite good."
Oh well.
*Turns attention to the summer blockbuster lineup.*
Oh yea. There is nothing I want to see.
Sigh.
The Episode III spoiler-filled reviews and impressions thread - Great Rumbler - 16th June 2005
George Lucas could have made the greatest, most epic, most dramatic Star Wars movie to date and there would be people who would bash every aspect of it. "It sucked!" they bellow. "We're smarter than George and I--WE just think he's after more money. It's really quite terrible."
Oh well.
*Turns attention to the summer blockbuster lineup*
Oh yea. There is quite a few movies I want to see.
Yay!
;)
The Episode III spoiler-filled reviews and impressions thread - A Black Falcon - 16th June 2005
Yeah, there really was no way for him to win...
The Episode III spoiler-filled reviews and impressions thread - Great Rumbler - 16th June 2005
Nope.
The Episode III spoiler-filled reviews and impressions thread - Darunia - 18th June 2005
George Lucas could have made the greatest, most epic, most dramatic Star Wars movie to date "
Yea, you're right, he could have done that, only he made Revenge of the Sith instead.
WE just think he's after more money.
Come on now... do you seriously think there's more to him than money? I mean back in the 70's, sure, when he was a revolutionary filmmaker... but he shamelessly markets and licenses every aspect of Star Wars. He must be a billionaire by now. I promise you, there is no way that a mortal man can be that successful without losing his values along the way.
The Episode III spoiler-filled reviews and impressions thread - Great Rumbler - 18th June 2005
Quote:Yea, you're right, he could have done that, only he made Revenge of the Sith instead.
What I said was no more silly than what you said.
Quote:Come on now... do you seriously think there's more to him than money? I mean back in the 70's, sure, when he was a revolutionary filmmaker... but he shamelessly markets and licenses every aspect of Star Wars. He must be a billionaire by now. I promise you, there is no way that a mortal man can be that successful without losing his values along the way.
Maybe, maybe not. Do you know what lies in the depths of Lucas's heart? A lot of people act like they do.
The Episode III spoiler-filled reviews and impressions thread - A Black Falcon - 18th June 2005
Um, if he just wanted money, he wouldn't have made the PT the way it is... have you noticed the negative reviews? ;)
They aren't there just because he's stupid, they're there because he's making the films his way, not the way "people want".
The Episode III spoiler-filled reviews and impressions thread - Darunia - 19th June 2005
Maybe, maybe not. Do you know what lies in the depths of Lucas's heart? A lot of people act like they do.
I do know what lies in the depths of Lucas' heart---pumping blood. But I also know that which lies in the depths of his Swiss bank account: the GDP of a small country. I see where you're coming from, but look at the market today: Every Star Wars character, no matter how small or insignificant, has an action figure. It seems like they deliberately crate dozens of useless back characters simply to market them to the die-hard fans. Burger King's current campaign, two dozen or so cheap, crappy, 25-cent happy meal toys which, (coincidentally?) have a Star Wars theme. Now, across the country, all the die-hards are scarfing up chicken tender happy meals. Or my favorite personal example; when I played Star Wars Galaxies last summer, and I got fucked in the ass by a hidden clause. I signed up for ONE (1) MONTH'S subscription. I then lost my high-speed connection, and didn't opt to resign up. A few months go by, and I notice that every four weeks, there is a substantial transaction made. I check my statements, and surely enough without my having known it, I'd been taken advantage of by Lucasarts' clever capitalist scheme. So, pissed off like there was no tomorrow, I called up, and surely enough, the operator confirmed that I'd been raped by a hidden clause... a sign-me-up-every-month-whout-letting-me-know clause. So, I paid $100 to play Galaxies for three nights, (yes, I only played on three occasions), and George Lucas got richer for it.
Now tell me: was my story an honest instance of miscommunication, or was it a deliberately staged hidden clause, designed to underhandedly milk those of us who don't read the fine print for our hard-earned money?
The Episode III spoiler-filled reviews and impressions thread - Great Rumbler - 19th June 2005
Yes, George Lucas hates you so much that he decided to put a hidden clause in a game he knew you'd buy in order to squeeze you for more money.
The Episode III spoiler-filled reviews and impressions thread - A Black Falcon - 19th June 2005
I wouldn't call that a "hidden clause". I think every MMORPG ever made has it set up so once you subscribe it'll keep charging your account until you cancel... it's not exactly a big secret.
The Episode III spoiler-filled reviews and impressions thread - Dark Jaguar - 19th June 2005
And if you complain, they will teleport you into space.
Suffice it to say, Galaxies is known for cruelty.
The Episode III spoiler-filled reviews and impressions thread - Darunia - 19th June 2005
Riddle me this Great Rumbler:
Q: If they have different subscription options (one month, one year, etc., at different rates,) why would they automatically renew someone's one-month account, which is obviously not what the person would want them to do, as it costs more money to be done that way?
A: EVIL, MONEY-EXTORTING SECRET-CLAUSE SCHEME!
The Episode III spoiler-filled reviews and impressions thread - A Black Falcon - 19th June 2005
One-year means "pay all at once for a year of play". "One-month" means "pay each month, and if you cancel your account will stop being charged" -- if you pay for a year, you've already paid for the whole year (or three months, or six months, or whatever). They generally give small discounts (like a dollar or two per month) for the longer periods of "pay all at once".
The Episode III spoiler-filled reviews and impressions thread - Darunia - 20th June 2005
Are you telling me that what they did to me was completely honest, and that whoever designed that system of billing didn't have the slightest intention of doing to people what was done to me--namely billing those who have no intention of paying anymore?
The Episode III spoiler-filled reviews and impressions thread - Dark Jaguar - 20th June 2005
No, it's not honest, but it's not unique either.
Lots of companies have that as standard policy. To ask them, they are doing it as a "convenience". Keep in mind they DID screw you, but this should teach you a lesson to stop being robbed :D. No really, what you should learn is to basically call before the renewal date and cancel yourself, because otherwise they WILL rob you blind.
Now I will also note that I've learned that most MMORPGs, that is, the ones NOT run by Sony, actually automatically cancel after the period you have paid for unless you pay again. Now, some of them will take an action like logging in after the date as a sign that you want to make a payment and will do so without asking, so keep that in mind.
By continuing to resperate you show your agreement with these terms.
The Episode III spoiler-filled reviews and impressions thread - A Black Falcon - 20th June 2005
That I don't mind because they make it pretty clear, I thought, that that's how it works... what I do find somewhat deceptive is the "free trial" things. Now those are tricky... sign up for a free trial*!
* - Unless you cancel before the trial ends, you will automatically start being billed for a subscription (or, at least, a month of one, depending on the rest of their policy).
Yeah, that's not nice...
The Episode III spoiler-filled reviews and impressions thread - Darunia - 20th June 2005
That's horrible. Galaxies was my first MMORPGs (whatever that means), and I didn't know any better... but one shouldn't have to. It should be illegal. Why doesn't the government crack down on rich corporate assholes who hide secret billing clauses in contracts instead of poor people who download free music? This makes me want to secede.