SureAI

Funny moment while exploring Ark few minutes ago.

In the Noble District, came across a poet NPC and spoke with him hoping to add to knowledge quest or maybe a "Go Here - Do That" sidequest.

No cigar, but dialogue was terrific & got me to thinking.

Player adds his own poetry to NPC and it makes little sense.

Poet NPC:

"Wow! That was brilliant! The first part captures the angst of current socio-economic conditions. While the ending... Sheer genius! Those primal sounds are intended to jolt the unimaginative bourgeoisie out of their collective complacency. True Art needs to do that, or it's a sell out! Did I get it right?"

Heh...

The writers having a bit of fun with us as we "discuss" the Enderal story?

Can imagine them chuckling.

Writer1: "Ha! Told you they'd start the metaphor, symbolism, whats-it-mean game! You owe me a beer!"

Writer2: "I never took you up on that bet! They'll fall for it hook, line, and sinker!"

Anyway, nice little touch & change from all the 'serious' stuff in the game.

Or that could be subject to interpretation...

The thought crossed my mind, especially when reading some of the more, let's say, imaginative theories about the meaning of the story. Not that I myself would write something like that, ever... .
I take it that the whole "sophisticated discussion" with the poet was rather meant as a remark about condescending intellectuals than about us poor clueless players. At least I will simply assume that Nicolas (or whoever is responsible) wouldn't be so mean to us.

Haha, no, don't worry! We all really enjoy the discussions, and most of your theories are very well thought through. And Enderal IS a game that leaves a lot of things open to interpretation and many things were intentionally left ambigious. The reason we usually don't comment is that we don't want to give an "official" explanation. Even more so (and I know that might sound ridiculous to you), I personally don't know the full meaning of some of the more symbolical scenes myself. Of course, I have my own take on why my subconscious came up with it, but actually some of the interpretation is very interesting to me. For example, I never realized that almost every character in the game has daddy issues. No idea what that says about me.

Prince Mith (Do his poems work, actually? The ones he reads in the Nobles Quarter between afternoon and night? It used to be a bit buggy) is mainly a parody of artists who take themselves to seriously. I actually had a similar discussion with someone who, in all honesty, believed that something that's popular cannot be of artistic value. Because... you know... well.

i happen to love that poet, or rather i love face-palming myself, while shaking my head laughing as he starts rattling off.
as for popular art, i'm fine with it as long as the artist is displaying an actual vision, and not merely displaying what's popular, trying to either become or remain popular. that's not art, it's just advertising (imho). i know i'm a snob, or at least i sound like one.

For me Prince Mith was the representation of a lefty intellectual in the game the moment I had finished listening to his first poem (and therefore I didn't try to read more into him either). When he then started rambling about the bourgeoisie and his social-something interpretations the case was closed for me. Apart from the obvious vocabulary Mith also fell into that category for me because he has that fancy air around him and because he looks down on popular sentiments. In my opinion the political left doesn't think highly of the common man either. Since they consider themselves to be the ones who will create a "better" world they also seem to see themselves as the better man who has to educate the rest of us retards on how to do things right.

I thought the prince was pretty funny btw. Especially when you have also read those two books related to him (the analysis book and the other one written by his popular rival Jonas something about the king and maiden devotia). Kind of odd that he has received almost no attention on the German forums. He's on the same level as the bank guy and that one seemed pretty popular.

Thanks for replies & glad everyone understood I wasn't trolling or anything.

Not sure what NPCs name was, but to answer Nicolas' question-- pretty sure dialogue worked, and was amazed at the vocabulary in a computer game! Didn't quote character verbatim, but glad paraphrase got the idea across.

Maybe confession time, because I find it interesting how people "see" things from their experience, or what they might do for a living.

My educational background is a double B.A. in English Literature / Philosophy (w/emphasis in Logic.) Master's is in Behavioral Psychology / Community Counseling. Since I don't practice, and chose to work with MDs & Ph.Ds in Applied Research, probably got it wrong!

I thought the dialogue was poking fun at critics and academia with all the scholarly, peer reviewed stuff in journal articles! (Fancy PRJ term for that would be "transference.")

As for art, had a similar experience with a jazz musician. (Also play the trumpet but not any good at it.) Met a professional musician who really believed that if his music was "listenable" then it was "popular garbage." He would rather starve and play to an empty club than be a "sell-out" and have a reputation as being in it for the money.

Takes all kinds I guess!