Episode 2 Discussion Thread

[SAJewers]

I honestly though it was too a tad too hard for World 1, especially considering it's length.

[SAJewers]

Just an aside/offhand comment here, but when I went and cleaned up the wiki, I started wondering why we stuck with A2XT/A2MBXT as the name when we ended up agreeing to multiple episodes, instead of making "Prelude To The Stupid" an Episode 0 or Episode 1, and making "Analog Funk" the next in the series. *shrug*

[ano0maly]

Isn't it because A2XT starts fresh with a new base game?

[ztarwuff]

Just an aside/offhand comment here, but when I went and cleaned up the wiki, I started wondering why we stuck with A2XT/A2MBXT as the name when we ended up agreeing to multiple episodes, instead of making "Prelude To The Stupid" an Episode 0 or Episode 1, and making "Analog Funk" the next in the series. *shrug*

Well, I did suggest way back when that instead of episodes, we just call them A2MBXT, ASMBXThree and 4SMBXT but no one agreed to it. Or at least, no one responded to say whether they agreed or disagreed with my suggestion.

[Hoeloe]

Well, I did suggest way back when that instead of episodes, we just call them A2MBXT, ASMBXThree and 4SMBXT but no one agreed to it. Or at least, no one responded to say whether they agreed or disagreed with my suggestion.

I wouldn't have minded that, but we're kind of stuck with the episodes thing for now. Maybe a future project can be ASMBX3.

[SAJewers]

Isn't it because A2XT starts fresh with a new base game?

Not really. We did update the Base Game for Analog Funk, and I don't think it would've been that hard to go back and update Prelude to the Stupid to make it work.

Just an aside/offhand comment here, but when I went and cleaned up the wiki, I started wondering why we stuck with A2XT/A2MBXT as the name when we ended up agreeing to multiple episodes, instead of making "Prelude To The Stupid" an Episode 0 or Episode 1, and making "Analog Funk" the next in the series. *shrug*

Well, I did suggest way back when that instead of episodes, we just call them A2MBXT, ASMBXThree and 4SMBXT but no one agreed to it. Or at least, no one responded to say whether they agreed or disagreed with my suggestion.

The way I understood the story back then from Demolition/Darkychao, I think it would've made more sense to have made PTTS an Episode 0, and make Analog Funk the actual first episode of ASMBXT/AMXT. I kinda wanna retcon that now, since it's more sensical to me.

[Hoeloe]

The way I understood the story back then from Demolition/Darkychao, I think it would've made more sense to have made PTTS an Episode 0, and make Analog Funk the actual first episode of ASMBXT/AMXT. I kinda wanna retcon that now, since it's more sensical to me.

While it is a little weird, I think that would cause more confusion than necessary. What might be worth doing is changing A2XT Ep 3 into ASX3, and keep A2XT as a 2-part saga.

[SAJewers]

Could we not go with A3XT now? I'd rather that than randomly having A2XT being 2 parts for some reason.

[Hoeloe]

Could we not go with A3XT now? I'd rather that than randomly having A2XT being 2 parts for some reason.

We could, but A2XT has already been broadcast as episodic for a while, and I think it would be pretty confusing to change it now. There are people who follow the series who don't follow the development on the forums, and it's bound to get confusing as to what ASX3 actually IS if we do that. I don't think there's any particular reason to change it, as there's nothing actually WRONG with having episodic installments.

[SAJewers]

No there isn't, but I feel the need to go and correct the oddity that is ASMBXT being it's own thing, when it really shouldn't be.

From what I recall, the main reason for going episodic was due to the huge number of levels we had/people were working on when we started A2MBXT, allowing us to split all the levels into two episodes, allowing us to use most of those levels with the same plot (which at the time was pretty basic, similar to ASMBXT IIRC), and allowing raocow to have other LPS in between so that he wouldn't have to LP some 200 level behemoth.

Then things changed, we went in a different direction with things, and we ended up turning A2MBXT/A2XT into a Tetralogy, while casting ASMBXT as it's own separate thing, which looking back now, was a bit of a mistake that to me, needs to be corrected. That's my thoughts.

[Hoeloe]

Then things changed, and we ended up turning A2MBXT/A2XT into a Tetralogy, and casting ASMBXT as it's own seperate thing, which looking back now, was a bit of a mistake that to me, needs to be corrected. That's my thoughts.

Sure, but I feel like it would be more of a mistake to change it at this stage, especially after Episode 1 has already been released, simply because it's become fairly deep rooted that A2XT is episodic, and while it might look a bit neater, things will get pretty confused if A2XT Episode 2 is released as ASMBX3.

If you want some reasoning for it to be episodic, I'd argue the story between Episodes 1 & 2 is much more intrinsically linked than with ASMBXT. ASMBXT ended its story, and A2XT Ep1 started a new one, but left the majority of it open for the rest of the episodes to fill, precisely because it was intended to be episodic. ASMBXT felt like a complete thing, but Ep1 feels unfinished, and it makes sense for further episodes to wrap that up.

[SAJewers]

The original Idea for A2XT being Episodic was because all 3 Episodes would tell essentially the same story, any story being left open was never intended by Demolition/Darkychao; the 4th episode somehow tying everything together in 20 or so levels.

At least, that's what I was told by Demolition/Darkychao; the 3 episodes would be mostly the same with very slight variation, and could be played in any order.

EDIT: From what I remember, the original plot of A2XT was

4 episodes, 3 of them being anachronistic, with the same story of "After ASMBXT, Demo and co have to collect super leeks. The universe explodes at the end, with someone surviving and going to another timelime to start the cycle again. In Ep4, somehow the break out of the cycle, realize what's going on, and defeat the artist. the end."

[Hoeloe]

The original Idea for A2XT being Episodic was because all 3 Episodes would tell essentially the same story, any story being left open was never intended by Demolition/Darkychao; the 4th episode somehow tying everything together in 20 or so levels.

Sure I know that, and the story has changed, but it's still wrapping up loose ends left by episode 1, while episode 1 was its own story expanding on ASMBXT, rather than trying to continue an unfinished story.

[raocow]

I don't know if this argument holds any weight, but I think going from a2xt to a2xt2 instead of a3xt is just... kinda silly and funny ?

[Mata Hari]

A2²XT

[SAJewers]

I don't know if this argument holds any weight, but I think going from a2xt to a2xt2 instead of a3xt is just... kinda silly and funny ?

I kinda agree with you there.

Also, looking back at some old posts, mainly to see if the reasoning for the episodic format wasn't eaten by the talkhaustrophe, (and this is another aside), I noticed it seems that what people wanted for A2MBXT was more of ASMBXT where anything mostly goes and it's just levels by fans for raocow, but with a slightly more fleshed-out plot and better testing/making sure people's levels were better.

[ano0maly]

Maybe we could have a poll about this? I don't think it's too late to just announce "what was known as next episode of A2XT is now known as A3XT, whereas episode 1 of A2XT is, well, A2XT". That way you're not really retroactively changing things that are already released. But personally I would prefer having A2XT with two episodes, and maybe after that start a proper sequel with a fresh mindset.

[Rednaxela]

There's a part of me that wants to say, we could rename the thing that's not yet started on but has been called "A2XT Ep 3", to be "A2XT Ep 2, Part 2"

That way the sequence could be:
ASMBXT
A2XT
A2XT Ep 2
A2XT Ep 2, Part 2

(Disclaimer: I'm not sure I'd actually advocate what I'm now saying, I just think that it needs to be said)

[128-Up]

[insert Valve joke]

[Rixithechao]

Yeah, a poll would be the best way to decide this.

Imo, if we change things let's not do it halfway -- either keep the tetralogy or make them all new-numbered sequels starting with Ep. 2. This is mainly due to plans for

Ep. 2's postgame to lead into Ep. 3, Ep. 3 ending with another cliffhanger in which Pal reveals himself as the Artist and captures everyone, and Ep. 4 wrapping up that and any remaining plot threads.

EDIT:

ASMBXT
A2XT
A2XT Ep 2
A2XT Ep 2, Part 2

The Homestuck approach works too.

[SAJewers]

I didn't think we'd already decided on the plots for after this, outside of who the antagonists will be. (and I'm personally against even thinking about the next thing until raocow's LP is finished). When i was suggesting stuff about World 9, I was thinking more of a sequel hook (like asmt had). That idea might not be as great anymore though, since we've gone in aidfferent direction.

[ztarwuff]

Well, we could name it ASXThree: Whatever happened to Episode 2?

[Rixithechao]

The

Pal is the Artist

twist is something that we've been discussing since at least the beginning of December and it's something a number of folks in the chat are excited about. In fairness, I'm behind on archiving the chatlogs and we haven't been crossposting as frequently as we probably should be, in part due to the plan for the new cutscene review and revision thread.

Speaking of which, I just went back, finished that thing up and published it. Sorry it took so long >_<

[SAJewers]

I've kinda said this before, I really don't want to consider any future things until we get to that.

Also, I just realized that I forgot an option in the poll. Opps.

[freakin whatzit]

a2xt episode 2: a3xt (asmbxt thrice extended thing)