FUCKHEAD!: A No More Heroes™ RP (I smell a Reboot/Continuation...)

[Carlissa]

I suddenly found myself without a computer, so it might be a little while before I can make my profile... TT.TT

The problem I have with Travis/Sylvia pairing is that it kind of feels... not right to me (better choice of words needed, I know). They were never appealing to me as a romantic couple because, ever since the first game, their relationship was solely based on sexual desire and manipulative motivations (Travis and Sylvia respectively). I was actually perfectly comfortable with this, as this relationship reflected both of their personalities very well. But at the end of the second game, when they develope genuine feelings for each other, it just felt so... wrong and uncomfortable.

I'm not saying that I don't want the characters and/or their relationship to develope, or that I can't see Travis be something more than a sex-hungry otaku, but the way that it happened, I just didn't like it. I would have rather seen Travis realize what a bitch Sylvia was and turned against her than fall in love with her AFTER the fact he realized what an evil, manipulative witch she was.

I'm not very good at explaining my opinions, but I really think that making them a genuine couple was the wrong way to go.

[Iblis121]

It's fine, we'll wait for you. And don't worry about your explanation xD I get what you're saying.

Honestly, I just don't like Sylvia as a character. At all. Period. On the flip side, Travis is fuckin' AWESOME. I'd rather not see them together.

PLUS, you're totally right. I thought the way the relationship happened was just weird. I didn't think it wrong and uncomfortable, I just don't think Travis is the type of person that would overlook just how much of a bitch she is. Hell, he got pissed off at her more than a few times throughout the series. I'd have liked to seen her decapitated.


On another note, I can see my formatting options in the replies again. WOO!

[Carlissa]

I liked Sylvia for the character that sh was. Her personality is obviously one that is supposed to get on someone's nerves, and that she was a character that you were almost obliged to dislike in one way or another. But she did it so well that you have to give her credit. I'm not saying that she is my favorite character, or even close to that area, but she plays her part well.

I wouldn't say I would have her decapitated, but I would have liked to see Travis hurt her in a serious way at the end of the game. I would have LOVED to see Travis make that bitch suffer!

By the way, when you said that the story was taking place one year after NMH2, did you mean one year after Bat Jr.'s death, or one year after Travis found Sylvia? I read somewhere that there was a time gap of a couple years between Bat Jr.'s death and the epilogue, but I'm not sure if it was stated in the game...

[Iblis121]

I meant a year after Travis and Sylvia got together. I never heard about the time-skip :[

[Revenent]

To reply to something said earlier, I don't think Shinobu is nearly murder-hungry enough to be Travis' girlfriend, if at all. If you think about it, the only reason she was in the UAA in the first game was to track her father's killer, and the only reason she showed up in the second game was to help Travis out, so it was never really killing for fun for her.

I also don't think Travis would have ever, EVER killed Sylvia on purpose, either, or done her real harm, no matter how much the player hates her. He already claims to not like fighting women, and the only reason he starts killing his female opponents is because that's what assassins do. I don't think he would ever kill a women who's not an opponent. I mean, give the guy some credit, he doesn't just go around murdering for the hell of it, he keeps it on the job.

Although I don't know why I'm bothering to analyze these characters so much. As much as No More Heroes is one of my favorite games of this console generation, it also represents the downfall of Suda51, at least from my view. Before NMH, we had games like Killer7; Flower, Sun, and Rain; and The Silver Case. Now we have games like Shadows of the Damned and Lollipop Chainsaw.

[Iblis121]

I don't think Travis would ever have killed Sylvia, either. I said I would have LIKED to see to seen her decapitated. I realize he has a problem with killing women, and I don't think he'd kill an unarmed...er...innocent (Even though Sylvia's anything but innocent.) When he's not 'on the job,' Travis is pretty normal.

Also...you realize Goichi Suda and Grasshopper Manufacture's first games were wrestling games, right? Super Fire Pro Wrestling. I highly doubt the release of more action oriented games is some signal of their downfall, especially since Shadows of the Damned was good, despite the shallow storyline.

[Revenent]

Well, yeah, you take what you can get early on, but that's not actually what I was talking about. Suda used to be a much deeper developer than he is now, where he just seems to be pumping out wacky game after wacky game. I miss games like Killer7 and Flower, Sun, and Rain because they had absurd and funny moments, but they were also able to have intriguing, usually incomprehensible storylines, memorable characters, and generally just had more going for them than just being weird. Now it just seems like Suda fulfills his wackiness quota with each game and calls it a day.

For the record, though, as much as I was looking forward to it, I have a deep resentment toward Shadows of the Damned, even if it wasn't horrible. It was just a waste of a purchase. The combat was repetitive and never got very challenge, the environments were samey, the storyline and characters, as you said, were shallow, and the final boss fight was an utter joke. It was the worst thing a Suda51 game could possibly be: completely generic.

Just to be clear, though, if you liked it, I don't have a problem with that. This is just my opinion.

[Iblis121]

Understandable. Yes, it does seem that the story lines are getting more shallow. I haven't played much of Shadow Of The Damned, but I enjoyed what I played, even though it was repetitive. It was a decent ga me lol There isn't much more going for it. I haven't played Killer 7, but I've been meaning to for a LOOOOONG time. I just could never find it anywhere in it's heyday, and right now I have no DVDs to burn a game-cube game onto lol. What I know of it, however, is strange.

That's why I like Suda51 games, though. They're weird and interesting lol S'Why I liked No More Heroes so much. But yeah, guess we'll just have to see how "Killer is Dead" will be.

[Revenent]

Oh, trust me, No More Heroes gets nowhere near as crazy as Killer7. They can't even stick to an animation style for the cutscenes for more than a single chapter, one of the main characters can break through walls by cutting her wrists and bleeding on them, and at one point, you literally have to shoot a dead man until his pants fall off. And the game is completely serious about it. Actually, I think it's mainly the fact that you're supposed to take most of it seriously that makes it crazier.

[Iblis121]

xDDDDDD I need to play this game.

[Styx26]

I think I'm leaning toward Nathan Copeland, if that dude hasn't been taken yet. That'd be interesting for him to make a miraculous return to living. And would doing an OC character as well be acceptable?

*The whole Travis/Sylvia thing seemed to be about nothing else but sex and murder... if there is affection there, maybe Travis got over her, maybe Sylvia has a soft spot in her heart (or wants to hook up with Henry as well... that whole brother thing XD) Who knows?

I did laugh when Travis ran out of the hotel room screaming 'DOWNWARD FACING DOG!' It was like 'Finally!'

[Iblis121]

No problem ^^ Nathan Copeland's free, so he's been reserved for you.

Yeah, the Travis/Sylvia thing was about nothing but sex and murder. I think it was Travis who had the legitimate feelings, because if he didn't look for her, they would've never gotten together xD

But yes, I WAS glad when Travis finally tapped that. He'd been working his ass off for 1 and a half games by then and he totally deserved to get laid lol

EDIT: Yes, OCs are okay.

[Carlissa]

I meant a year after Travis and Sylvia got together. I never heard about the time-skip :[

Well, it kind of makes sense that there was. After all, I don't think Travis could have found Sylvia so quickly after she left Santa Destroy.

To reply to something said earlier, I don't think Shinobu is nearly murder-hungry enough to be Travis' girlfriend, if at all. If you think about it, the only reason she was in the UAA in the first game was to track her father's killer, and the only reason she showed up in the second game was to help Travis out, so it was never really killing for fun for her.

But she really didn't seem to mind it that much either. She killed all of her classmates without hesitation in the first game, and a lot of baddies in the second. She may have joined to find her father's killer, but she wouldn't have gotten far if that was the only thing stopping her from feeling bad about killing.

I also don't think Travis would have ever, EVER killed Sylvia on purpose, either, or done her real harm, no matter how much the player hates her. He already claims to not like fighting women, and the only reason he starts killing his female opponents is because that's what assassins do. I don't think he would ever kill a women who's not an opponent. I mean, give the guy some credit, he doesn't just go around murdering for the hell of it, he keeps it on the job.

I don't think he has much of a problem killing woman anymore than he did in the first game. He didn't show any mercy to Twilight or Moonlight, and claimed his intention to kill Kimmy but was stopped when she counter-attacked. And while I agree that he wouldn't kill a woman out of the job, I don't think that he would avoid hurting Sylvia if he hated her that much. He might not KILL her, or even hurt her physically, but he would have his way with her if he really wanted to, one way or another.

(or wants to hook up with Henry as well... that whole brother thing )

They got divorced, remember? I think Sylvia is done using Henry.

I did laugh when Travis ran out of the hotel room screaming 'DOWNWARD FACING DOG!'

Is that what he yelled? I couldn't make that part out.

But yes, I WAS glad when Travis finally tapped that. He'd been working his ass off for 1 and a half games by then and he totally deserved to get laid lol

I wasn't. I thought that I would have, but the way that it happened was just... so wrong. There wasn't any satisfaction from seeing it because he didn't really earn it. The promise was that if Travis made it to number one again, Sylvia would actually do it with him. But he wasn't even at number one yet and he still got some tail. And not to mention this was right after their little argument, and this was supposed to be a time where Travis reflected in what he's been through for Sylvia, and that she really is a manipulative bitch and shouldn't be trusted. But nooooo, he decides to sleep with her instead! All that potential character development... Out the window!

[Revenent]

It was "DOWNWARD FUCKING DOG!" actually. Just confirmed on Youtube.

I always read those two differently, though. They wouldn't have put that scene in, let alone the ending, if they hadn't been trying to show that Sylvia was more than just a manipulative bitch, but actually cared about Travis and was trying to help him in the long run. I think that's a lot more character development than her turning out to be exactly what she always acted like, in any case.

[Carlissa]

But I'm not talking about Sylvia's character developement, now am I? Even if she is important to the plot, she isn't so important that her character development takes priority over the protagonist's. If she changes, then Travis doesn't need to change. If she becomes less of a manipulative bitch and becomes softer towards Travis, then Travis' attitude towards her really doesn't change (which ultimately happens). That's how I see it, anyway. Because to me, Travis didn't seem to develope at all through the game.

[Revenent]

To say that would be completely ignoring everything he went through involving his position with the UAA and what they do, whether or not its worth killing certain people to become #1, and pretty much everything surrounding the death of his friend. Just because every single aspect of him didn't change over the course of the game, that doesn't mean he didn't develop at all.

[Styx26]

(*waves at Reverent*)

Name: Nathan Copeland
Titles (If Applicable): Former 50th ranked assassin in UAA
Profession/s (If Applicable, besides Assassin): President of an underground hip hop label, Founder of a Christian religious group that spreads their word through rap music.
Age: Unknown
Nationality: Jamaican (possibly raised in Scotland or Ireland, noticeable accent)
Relatives (If Applicable): Unknown
Backstory/History: Growing up, Nathan found that religion itself was, in many ways, a business. Whether saving souls (if they paid enough) or condemning those who 'didn't deserve it', faith had been, for many years, dealt by the hands of priests and high ranking officials like that of drugs- a quick fix for the right amount of tribute. You had power if you showed enough belief in faith.
It turns out that the less than legal enterprises, such as anything involving the mob, had a similar creed. So, with that in mind, a young Nathan Copeland honed his skills on the mic and the turntables, forming an international group of rappers from all around the world, signed under one record label; HIS record label. As the money poured in, so did all the trappings; drugs, sex, decadence from every form and make.
Eventually, Nathan grew tired of his 'gilded cage', concert after concert blending into one joyless grind. One week, over several bottles of Red Stripe, he read the Gideon Bible in his hotel room, from cover to cover. When he emerged from the room, Nathan Copeland's eyes shone with the light of a fanatic. Still keeping his hold on his music label, Nathan formed a religious group, preaching the word through flowing lyrics and heart-catching beats. People loved it; most rappers from his label willingly volunteered to record songs for his group, sometimes free of charge.
Things went on like this, until one day a fight broke out in his studio. As much as 'turning the other cheek' was part of the Scripture, he didn't want to die. Using a boombox, he crushed the skulls of the two men who were attacking each other, blood splattering on the walls and the windows.
It turns out the men were part of a group called the United Assassin's Association; Nathan had killed the 101st and 100th members of the group, and as such was inducted into the blood sport. He worked his way up, hearing a rumor of the previous number 1, a legend named Travis Touchdown, and felt his blood boiling with anticipation. Eventually killing lost the edge it provided, even with the customizations of his penthouse apartment and boombox into a place of death. He wished to obtain one goal; to die at the hands of the previous number one, the man he called 'the Crownless King'.
He is shown to revere, and possibly even worship, Travis, judging from his excitement upon seeing him and how he gets the chance to fight him. In addition to this, Copeland's general demeanor towards his successful and luxurious lifestyle, and how he wholeheartedly embraces his death at the hands of Travis, suggests that he may be depressed or weary of life and hoped to seek a way out in the form of fighting Travis.
Indeed, he did find his way out. He walked through the pearly gates, after some debate between himself and the gatekeeper about his past life. Heaven was... everything and nothing like he expected. There was peace, and tranquility. Calmness and acceptance. A quiet feeling of love and the promise of never being abandoned. His heart, though, had been soaked with too much blood to be clean and completely pure. And it was, in this case, that the fighting spirit of Nathan Copeland became one of many of God's soldiers; demons and evil spirits were driven away on the ethereal plane, back to their pit of darkness...
Until Santa Destroy became a beacon to those same spirits. After the re-appearance of one known as 'Bad Girl', one of the pit's worst denizens, there had be a counter to the gratuitous bloodshed and evil that was happening in the Vegas-like Santa Destroy. Travis Touchdown killed him once already, and there would be a thankfulness with being sent to the Almighty; at the same time, he would both want to help the Crownless King conquer the new Sin City that is Santa Destroy, and bring down the organization responsible for so much carnage on the earth.
Personality: In terms of personality, Nathan Copeland doesn't exhibit many stereotypical hip hop traits beyond his appearance and some of his mannerisms, and instead speaks in a manner that Travis describes as "mystic crap", possibly owing to the fact that Copeland seems to be very religious.
Weapon/s Of Choice: His boombox, later upgraded to speakers and microphones.
Abilities & Powers (If Applicable)/Combat Skills: In battle, Copeland uses a boombox which transforms into armor covering his arms. This armor can be extended to give Copeland's melee attacks a range advantage. This boombox can alternatively be used in regular form, where Copeland is able to fire missiles from its loudspeakers. He also uses the environment in his suite, including a loose chandelier and carpets which operate like conveyor belts, to trap challengers, although Copeland himself can be affected by these dangers as well and only creates environmental hazards whilst in boombox mode.
His alliance with the angels has gifted him with some new abilities; not only can he punch with extreme force, but using his boombox, the music and beats can be focused to become a beam of sound energy, hitting with as much force as a bullet. These sound bullets can be shot over and over with working speakers, and concentrated to a laser form using a microphone.

[Iblis121]

To say that would be completely ignoring everything he went through involving his position with the UAA and what they do, whether or not its worth killing certain people to become #1, and pretty much everything surrounding the death of his friend. Just because every single aspect of him didn't change over the course of the game, that doesn't mean he didn't develop at all.

I believe that Travis' PERSONALITY didn't change drastically, and I was okay with that, but there certainly was a change. He did begin to question his reasons for killing and actively came to hate the UAA later on. His MOTIVES, however, seemed to change a lot over time. Later on in No More Heroes, it didn't seem like he really cared as much about having sex with Sylvia. Several significant things ended up happening that pretty much overshadowed that promise, and even when Sylvia disappeared, Travis continued moving on throughout the ranks. When Thunder Ryu died, Travis was deeply effected. Same with his battle with Jeane. And then when he fought Henry, he was prepared to die there. At the very least, his priorities change.

Well, it kind of makes sense that there was. After all, I don't think Travis could have found Sylvia so quickly after she left Santa Destroy.

But she really didn't seem to mind it that much either. She killed all of her classmates without hesitation in the first game, and a lot of baddies in the second. She may have joined to find her father's killer, but she wouldn't have gotten far if that was the only thing stopping her from feeling bad about killing.

I don't think he has much of a problem killing woman anymore than he did in the first game. He didn't show any mercy to Twilight or Moonlight, and claimed his intention to kill Kimmy but was stopped when she counter-attacked. And while I agree that he wouldn't kill a woman out of the job, I don't think that he would avoid hurting Sylvia if he hated her that much. He might not KILL her, or even hurt her physically, but he would have his way with her if he really wanted to, one way or another.

They got divorced, remember? I think Sylvia is done using Henry.

Is that what he yelled? I couldn't make that part out.

I wasn't. I thought that I would have, but the way that it happened was just... so wrong. There wasn't any satisfaction from seeing it because he didn't really earn it. The promise was that if Travis made it to number one again, Sylvia would actually do it with him. But he wasn't even at number one yet and he still got some tail. And not to mention this was right after their little argument, and this was supposed to be a time where Travis reflected in what he's been through for Sylvia, and that she really is a manipulative bitch and shouldn't be trusted. But nooooo, he decides to sleep with her instead! All that potential character development... Out the window!

Clarissa, there are some things I agree with you on and some that I don't. Regarding Shinobu, yeah, I believe that she eventually reached a point here killing didn't really affect her much. In fact, I might argue that killing effects Travis more than her, because even when she's killing of her on accord on Travis' behalf, she doesn't seem at all reluctant or hesitant, like Travis was.

As for killing women, well, I don't thing Travis has AS MUCH of a problem with it as he used to. HOWEVER, he also doesn't seem to like killing people who are young. He had the opportunity to kill Kimmy Howell, it wasn't her counter attack that stopped him. His words were "I can't kill a co-ed.." Same with Shinobu in No More Heroes. She was young, so he let her live.

Also, Travis totally earned that sex. He DID become number one in the first game, so I don't see it as Sylvia giving him some early. She's late on that promise she made. I totally get what you're saying about the character development potential, as well, but lets be honest: If Travis HAD turned her down, wouldn't that have been kind of a break in his character? I mean, sure, he develops, and yeah, there's more to him than just anime and murder, and sex, but he's ALWAYS been kinda smarmy. I plan on developing his character a little in this RP, though, since his goals are going to be much bigger than, you know, getting laid.

Also, just wanted to tell you about Kimmy Howell. I don't think the UAA killed her, because they've never killed someone Travis left alive (Shinobu). She's probably still been around. Maybe she can be the one to kinda fill Travis in on how Santa Destroy's changed?

(gonna come back and edit this, but I just wanted to post what I had. *waves at Reverent*)

No problem, Styx ^^ Just PM me when you're completely done, because I've saved copies of all the profiles. I'll compile them in a legitimate character profile thread when the time comes.

[Iblis121]

Okay, everyone's profiles are saved, except for Carlissa, but she's have some PC issues. Once those are straightened out and she gets a profile up, I'll make a profile thread and a few game threads.

Anybody have any ideas as to places that should be made into threads? Obviously Motel "No More Heroes" will be one. Any others?

[Brittlby]

I could use my stadium!

[Styx26]

Dr. Naomi's shop to buy/ask for better weapons!

[Iblis121]

:] The stadium can definitely still be around. It can be one of those places that are completely untouched (including the writing and bloodsmears in the basement.) Why don't we make the stadium an Akashic point? It was always kind of a fucked up place beneath the surface, anyway...

Also, sure, I think Dr. Naomi's shop would be good.

Another thing. Who's organizing the fights this time? Sylvia still? Or something else? ALSO, we need, like, two or three new assassins for Travis to kill. This is about him taking down the UAA, but I figure since  he was taken out of prison to participate, he would do, like, one or two ranking fights before finally saying "Yeah, screw this."

[Styx26]

Sylvia organized them for the group; maybe someone in the shadows was pulling her strings?

Iblis, maybe the battle with the three otaku women be the one that sends him over the edge... ah, that'd break an otaku hard.

As for the new guys... I'd offer my NC, but I kind of don't want to die at Travis's hands... maybe there's a British guy who reminds him of Henry, or Bishop?

[Iblis121]

So, Sylvia should be the one that the mayor tells to get Travis? I suppose that works, though we don't have someone playing Sylvia yet..

Yeah, that battle with the other otakus would probably be the one that made him tell the UAA to fuck itself for good. I generally like the idea of having him face assassins that 'hit home', so to speak. Assassins he really doesn't want to fight. I don't want him to fight Nathan Copeland in a rankings fight xD Can't have him dying again. Maybe Nathan tests him or something, to determine whether he's got what it takes, but that'd be around the time Nathan actually showed up.

So....anybody up for RPing as the three otaku women? Another person can make up another assassin for Travis to fight. They don't have to be, like, super developed or something. They've just gotta have personality really. They're fodder, unless any of you want to keep them around.

[Iblis121]

Just wanted to let everyone know, the Timeskip from No More Heroes 2 to this game is THREE YEARS. I figured, all things considered, that his search for Sylvia wouldn't have been quick, so two years past along his search. They got together, and then a year later this is happening.

In short, THE TIMESKIP IS THREE YEARS AFTER JASPER BATT DIES!

....just wanted everyone to know ^^