Assignment One Gabriel Bryant

Background Information/ Figured World

(A large social structure that has specific rules and conventions for appropriate behavior. Within

a figured world, there are many communities of practice.)

Tales of Xillia is a role playing game (RPG) for the PlayStation 3 gaming console, released in

the United States in August of 2013. This is a journey of strangers who are all brought together

for a purpose greater than each other’s individual will alone. I have chosen to observe the figured

world of Tales of Xillia because I enjoy the union of people of different creed, origin, age, and

gender to complete a task that ultimately can be the solution or the demise of a world of people

that is defenseless against the power that must be overtaken to restore the land they once loved.

The backstory and the significance of the articles that are found throughout the game are highly

relatable to my life here in our world which helps me form a bond with them making gameplay

that much easier.

Rules and Conventions

(Principles that are set in stone, whereas conventions are a socially agreed upon staple.)

This is a game that the volume will need to be up to understand and capture the full

experience of the game. Watch every cut scene. This not only helps unfold the plot but it further

explains the relationship between events and characters. Not to mention you get trophies for

watching them. Talk to EVERYONE! This enables you to unlock side missions that give a

heads up on the upcoming events in the game. Get as strong as you can as quick as you can. The

only way to accomplish that is to fight every monster and opponent that comes your way. This

also helps you to master your spirit artes (powers) and evolve your lillium orb. Although it is not

required, when battling make sure a Healer is in your party. Pick either Leia or Elize to

maximize the amount of damage repair for your party members. Open every treasure chest and

bag in sight. These contain vital items that help you along the way. Even though the game will

eventually take you to every town on the map, revisit these sites for more treasure and side

missions. Remember the trophies you can earn look awesome on your PlayStation Network

profile. Take breaks in between chapters, this keeps you from tiring yourself out or losing

interest too fast. It is wise and not considered cheating that if you have a question to look up the

answer on google. A good website to refer to is IGN for accurate and helpful answers and

information. Constantly save your progress to ensure that you are able to pick up where you left

off.

Commented [GB1]: Perhaps go into more detail and define what a role playing game is. I have played a few video games, but I am not entirely sure what an RPG is. I think with it being defined it will give the readers a better understanding of the game. -LLLB

Commented [GB2]: Make sure to define terms that the common non gamer will not understand. This will make the reading easier for the reader. A suggestion to go above and beyond would to make a vocabulary list before the paper. -KMM

Commented [GB3]: I understand from the context of your text that this is a useful website for the video game. I would suggest giving examples of some useful tips and answers that this website provides. I believe this should help the reader identify what type of information can be found on this website. -LLLB

Actors - A person who fulfills a specific role in the community.

Jude Mathis:

An aspiring doctor attending the Talym Medical School in Fennmont. He is the son is the

famous Dr. Mathis whose is known for his work with spirit fossils to heal the sick.

Leia Rolando:

A childhood friend of Jude’s, who is now a nurse at his family’s medical clinic in his

hometown of Leronde.

Milla Maxwell:

The human form of the god like spirit Maxwell. She has come to the world to investigate

the numerous deaths of spirits. With her travels the four Great Spirits Gnome, Efreet,

Undine, and Sylph to help her on her journey and to lend her their powers.

Alvin:

A mercenary from the land of Elympios, the sister country of Rieze Maxia. He is caught

on the fence between his new group of friends and the rebel group Exodus who doesn’t

want peace between the two lands. He, time after time again, betrays both groups and

eventually choses to walk the path for the greater good of the people and himself.

Elize Lutus:

A young girl with the power to heal and manifest her thoughts through her stuffed animal

booster named Teepo. She was orphaned by the slayings of her parents when she younger

so she would be able to take part in an experiment conducted to test the effectiveness of

boosters.

Sr. Rowen Ilbert:

A butler of Lord Cline and Lady Driselle in Sharilton. He is the former conductor of the

Rashugal Army and fought alongside King Nachtigal of Rashugal. His extensive training

in battle comes in handy what defeating monsters both regular and elite alike.

Artifacts -are physical objects, ideas and or emotions that have cultural relevance or significance

to a figured world and/or a specific community of practice.

Mana:

This is the amount of spiritual power that is necessary for any members of the group to

manifest Spirit Artes which can be used in combat to link with each other and make

attacks more powerful, enabling the caster to defeat the monster in a faster time.

Food:

Commented [GB4]: I like how you describe the job of each character. I think it would be beneficial to add how they are all connected to each other. Overall, the actor definitions are very easy to follow. -KMM

Food consumption in this game is different from the real world. In Tales of Xillia, food is

used to increase health, decrease damage, and even avoid weak opponents. This is

significant because it does not only affect one member of the group but all for a limited

time.

Treasure Chests, Sacks, and Alfreids Treasure

These are found all across the two worlds and the Dimensional Breach in between them.

They contain valuable items inside that help the group progress in the story one by

allowing them to trade these items for stronger weapons, upgrade the shops from which

they purchase their goods, and even equip themselves with them to increase the strength

and durability of their armor.

Devil Arms:

These are six super powerful weapons that were used by monsters to increase their attack

powers. After defeating all six beasts with the devil arms Jude and his friends gathered

them and can now use them as their own. With every battle, these weapons grow stronger

and stronger. The Devil Arms names and holder are as follows:

Folzex (The Grudge Bearer) –Jude

Dranduo (The Howling Beast) –Milla

Vicuhein (The Howler) –Alvin

Tregatoria (The Bellowing Demon) –Elize

Padvent (The Incantor) –Leia

Melandetra (The Deathbringer) –Rowen

Temporal Stones:

There are a total of four temporal stones. Earth, Wind, Fire and Water. They are found

around the Nia Khera village. The purpose for these stones are to perform “Fours

Advent” which is a summoning ritual for the Four Great Spirits.

Tomes:

All characters at some point in the game will find a tome or a book that allows the party

to access specific spirit artes and skills.

Weapons:

Every member of the group is equipped with a weapon that assists them in battle. These

are in the form of swords, gauntlets, staffs, poles, broad swords, and much more.

Commented [GB5]: For the weapons, I would suggest going into more detail about them. For example how do each of the weapons increase attack powers? As well how do the weapons differ from one to the next? -LLLB

Communities of Practice -

The people who request help and provide help:

People who request help from Jude and his friends are located in various cities in both

countries. They have pleaded for the help of mercenaries to complete a task for them,

typically defeating a monster or locating an item, that they are not able to complete

themselves. This is significant because they are now requesting for the assistant of Jude

and company because they know that they can and will complete it and report back.

There is even a reward for doing so. Their shaded way of communicating is word of

mouth through the villages.

Gaius and The Chimeriad:

King Gaius, Wingul, Jiao, Presa, and Agria are the antiheroes of the game. They oppose

the plan of Milla Maxwell and her friends. They rally against them and get into numerous

battle with the intent to defeat Milla. Their shaded way of communication is through

verbal confrontations which can be viewed in the cut-scenes.

Practice of the Community

Defeating Monsters:

The community understands that there is a growing issue with the large number of

monsters threating the life of the villagers in the lands. The only way to stop the decrease

in spirit loss and restore the peace amongst the inhabitants is to defeat the ones who

disrupt it.

Domain -

Milla’s Mission:

Although it is Milla’s sole mission to restore the spirits to the world, the problem it

addressed becomes the domain for the group. All member of the team including Teepo

fight with Milla and adopt this outlook on the situation.

Literacy Practices -Ways of communicating that are written and or spoken.

Linked Artes:

This is a simple way to communicate with your partner while fighting opponents. The

two are able to anticipate each other’s next move and respond in ample time to complete

a chain reaction of spirit artes. Words are spoken in battle which assist in the

effectiveness of linked artes.

The Act of Betrayal:

This is a general No-No for the community. Alvin, who struggles with this, quickly

understands that his betrayal leads to consequences not only for him but those who he

have betrayed. Fortunately the gang is understanding and forgiving, in moderation,

Commented [GB6]: Make sure to add the definition of domain. You are also missing a definition for Practice of Community as well. I can tell you know what these words mean in your explanations and connections with the community. -KMM

Commented [GB7]: Avoid using terms like these in a research paper. I know what you are trying to say but I think a different word should be used. For example "The act of betrayal in the community is not accepted". -KMM

allowing him to rejoin them. The positive end of his betrayals is now the group knows the

next move of the enemy group Exodus.

Cut-Scenes:

The cut-scenes that take place frequently throughout the game demonstrates the essential

communication between the actors and also helps the story progress by providing clarity

to the storyline for the user.

Observation I

The time schedule displayed is real world time of gameplay.

0-14mins:

Jude, Milla, Elize, and Alvin arrive in the Aladhi Seahaven. They are meeting an old man

who is said to have some valuable information for them pertaining to the Devil Arms that

were previously acquired. The man explains to them that to obtain the full power that the

six Devil Arms possess, they must travel to Fezebel Marsh and go through the portal that

awaits them and defeat “The One”. From the Aladhi Seahaven, the group journeys to

Fennmont to purchase supplies and food from the shops in town. They are now in Xailen

Woods, the land is covered in snow and monsters are everywhere. Immediately they are

battling the monsters.

15-22 mins:

In this span of time, 32 monsters have been defeated and the user has unlocked a trophy

titled “Deft Breaker” stating that Alvin has activated his Breaker partner skill in battle

150 times. Milla Maxwell has leveled up and has gained items to further the growth of

her second lillium orb. They have now reached Fezebel Marsh. Into the portal they go

and they end up in Magnus Zero, an alternate depiction of their world. There are small

monsters to be defeated here too right out of the portal. After defeating all of the smaller

monsters, the four walk into an area which looks similar to Fennmont where Jude’s

school is located.

23-30 mins:

There are so many portals for them to go through. Each portal takes them to a different

area in the Alternate Rieze Maxia. The locations they have entered are Fezebel Marsh,

Fennmont, Arklund Quag, Kanbalar, and Nia Khera. Jude is remaining liked with Alvin

for the majority of the battles. They are all getting stronger in attack stats. Elize took

some heavy damage in the last fight against two Tundra Plants and four Snow Wolves.

The user has chosen to eat a large bowl of Creamy Beef to increase the health points (hp)

for all members of the party. This affect will last for 3 consecutive battles.

Commented [GB8]: For this observation are you starting at the very beginning of the game itself? Or are you continuing? I think it is important to add this piece of information so that the reader can understand the development throughout the observations. -KMM

Observation II

0-10 mins:

Entering into the New Game Plus, Mill, Jude, and Alvin are in a party. They are battling

a group of Chirpees and one Toadstool Goblin. Upon defeating them, the party comes

across a treasure chest. Milla opens the chest to find a bowl of Yakisoba Noodles. In the

next battle, the user selects Jude for Milla to link with. Together, they perform a series of

linked arte chains maximizing the damage they deal to their opponent. With the power of

linked artes they party was able to defeat the monsters so fast that the battle only lasted

for 12.63 seconds. The group goes on for about 10 more battles in the Nia Khera

Spiritway. At this time the user decides to save his progress in the game at a checkpoint

book.

11-26 mins:

Milla and the group have now returned to Milla’s Shrine with the temporal stones found

in the village to perform a ceremony to summon the Four Great Spirits that Milla once

possessed. A cut-scene begins just as the three place the temporal stones and perform the

ritual. Ivar rushes in through the door to inquire what was happening. When he identified

it as the “Fours Advent” he questions Milla’s actions. She explains to Ivar that how the

four were captured by the Lance of Kresnik. Suddenly, Milla orders everyone to leave her

shrine on the account of missing the power she once had as the cut-scene ends. Milla then

walks toward the door to her shrine when she sees Jude. A new cut-scene starts with the

two about Milla Maxwells’ mission. Her plan to complete her mission is to travel to the

city of Fennmont to destroy the Lance. Although, Jude realizes that his life has and will

continue to change, he still wants assist Milla. The cut-scene ends and the two are off to

the Village of Nia Khera.

27-30 mins:

Along the way, they are facing new monsters like trents and butterflies. Unfortunately,

now the effects of the orange soup Milla ate only has one battle remaining before the

effects begin to wear off. The pair have found items like rotten bones, puff balls, and

weird fragments. Now they have made their way through the Nia Khera Spiritway and

have approached the Nia Khera Village. Here they find Alvin. Another cut-scene begins

with Milla saying that she pay off her debt to Alvin now. He interrupts her to mention

that one of the villagers were going to pay it and he was waiting on him to return. She

continued on to say that she should pay it and not the villager. Alvin replied that the

villager was so overjoyed and proud to repay the debt of Lord Maxwell and she should

better try to understand her loyal subjects and their dedication to her.

Commented [GB9]: This is very descriptive and uses good imagery. As stated before I think it would be helpful to add what some of these terms mean. For example what is a Chirpee or a Yakisoba Noodle? -KMM

Commented [GB10]: Your observations are very descriptive, allowing the reader to understand what is going on throughout the gam. My suggestion would be to add a definitions page at the start of the paper. This is so when students read the observations they will really be able to visualise and understand what is going on during the game. -LLLB

Observation III

0-9 mins:

The story continues with the party seeking the elder who was going to pay Alvin. When

they located him a cut-scene begins. The topic of origin stories is brought up. The elder

explains how he personally witnessed the “birth” or advent of Lord Maxwell himself, 20

years ago. He goes on to say how she never slept or hungered for food. Alvin laughed

and whispered to Jude an account when Milla fainted from hunger. The elder then

apologizes to Milla for being insolent.

10-22 mins:

After the cut-scene, Milla, Jude, and Alvin walk to the home of the elder. Here the elder

presents Alvin the gald in the sum of what Milla was in debt. He explains how the entire

village of Nia Khera pitched in to fulfill the cost. Once he accepted the money, off the

mercenary went out the door. Ivar returns in this cut-scene solely to accuse Jude of being

the reason that the Four Great Spirits were captured in the first place and insist that he is

the only one qualified to protect Lady Milla. Milla then explains to Ivar that if it were not

for Jude being there for her, she would have been killed. Resulting in her decision of

having Jude accompany her on her mission and leaving him to tend to the villagers as

part of his royal duty to Lord Maxwell.

23-30 mins:

Since Alvin is no longer joining Milla and Jude on their journey, the two embark on

Hamil. This way they can monitor what the Rashugal Army that is stationed there is

planning to do. The only way to get to Hamil is to walk from Nia Khera to the the Kijara

Seafalls –West Branch. The user is aware that the monsters that will be along the route

will be stronger than those fought before. In correspondence with that notice, he has

decided to have Milla eat a bowl of Fruit Yakisoba Noodles. This will increase the

party’s attack power increase by a full 30 percent for a maximum of 8 battles. 2 battles

since leaving the heart of the village of Nia Khera have been on the border of the village

and the seafalls. So far Milla and Jude have linked together to defeat 17 trents and 3

butterflies. The next battle is in the Kijara Seafalls against a group of monsters. These

monsters have been identified as Sand Crabs. There are five in this group that much be

defeated. The Sand Crabs look as if they have some form of an amour unlike any other

monster so far in the New Game Plus. Luckily they two have their activated devil arms.

After winning the battle the user runs to save the game again at another checkpoint blue

book.

Interview

Questions:

1. Tell me what you like about the “Tales of” series and do you believe with the advances in

technology and animation since the series began in 1995, Tales of Xillia reflects or

portrays realistic feature of a world?

a. The storyline and the fighting sequence are the most intriguing.

b. Yes because of the geographical features resemble those of earth but also no at the

same time because of the monsters.

2. Explain how Milla, over time, gains the trust and companionship of Jude, Alvin, Rowen,

Elize, and so many others?

a. Fighting alongside the others in combat over the course of the game showed them

that she wouldn’t do anything to harm of betray them.

3. Describe what significance Rowen has in the group.

a. Rowen is a wise old man. He has the fighting ability to dispel spirits which helps

the party by reducing magical damage taken.

4. Discuss how Alvin’s betrayal of his “friends” helped and/or hindered the goal of Milla

and the others.

a. The betrayal helped Milla to understand human emotion and thoughts a bit better.

He also provided knowledge of the plans of Exodus but sadly he also revealed the

plans of Milla and the others to Exodus so they were always one step ahead.

5. Explain how and why Teepo is a “Booster”. In other cases, do boosters react the same for

the user?

a. Teepo helps increase the flow mana in Elize. An adverse effect of using the

booster is the reduction of the lifespan of the user. As for Elize, Teepo can also

read and express her subconscious thought and emotions.

Basic questions about the interviewee:

1. How long have you been playing RPG’s similar to Tales of Xillia?

a. Since 1995, playing Sega Genesis.

2. What do you find interesting about video games that allow you to control the character?

a. I use games as an outlet. So it enables me to easily remove myself from reality

when I am the one in control.

3. How old are you?

a. 23

4. On average, how many hours a week do you play video games?

a. 56 hours if a new game is out or if I’m completing a New Game Plus.

5. What type of gaming consoles do you have in your home?

a. PlayStation 3 and A Nintendo 3DS.

6. Do your friends play the same games as you?

a. Yes, most of them.

7. How competitive are you?

a. I’m slightly competitive but not to a friendship ruining point.

8. How long did it take you to beat Tales of Xillia the first time through?

a. 2 days with a few stops to use the bathroom and eat.

9. How many trophies do you have for Tales of Xillia?

Commented [GB11]: The interview will definitely help the reader better understand what the game is about and involves. It is very informative, and interesting to as I now have a better insight of what is going on. As well it was a great addition to add information about the interviewee! -LLLB

Commented [GB12]: The questions are have just enough specificity to them that it will not confuse the reader. This interview clarifies a lot of general questions I had about the game after reading the observations. Maybe you could move this to be right after the definitions. -KMM

a. 12 and counting.

10. Would you recommend someone play Tales of Xillia or any of the “Tales of” series

games?

a. Yes to the entire series except for Tales of Graces because the graphics are

horrible.

11. What is your level of anticipation for the new “Tales of” game, Tales of Zestiria?

a. I’m quite excited, so excited I’ve already pre-ordered it for the upcoming release

next month.