Classic Sci-Fi References

I was over in Aleport today, and I accepted a quest from the Miqo'te cannoneer up on the walls. She talked about her friend C'mell getting tossed in jail, and I snorted soda out my nose. Someone at Square Enix reads Cordwainer Smith!

What references from outside the Final Fantasy mileau have you noticed?

(For those who haven't read Cordwainer Smith)

biggs and wedge is pretty hard to miss

a lot of pop culture references in this game. I love it

The quest Big Trouble in Little Ala Mhigo was my favorite :p love Big Trouble in Little China haha

http://31.media.tumblr.com/fc9fa7555...g5dbo1_400.gif

The FATE "Clever Girls" with the raptors in Central Shroud. I love Jurassic Park :D

The X-Files reference in the FATE in Middle La Noscea 'The Truth is Out There' against the Chupacubra (besides the obvious reference in the FATE's title, the Chupacubra is a monster from modern Mexican folklore which was indeed covered in an episode of The X-Files. ;)

Most FATE titles are actually puns or in-jokes to films, TV shows or songs. ;)

So Cid's ship is named the Enterprise.

SPOILER:

When you finally get it repaired and get ready to go off to the big battle Alphinaud turns to Cid and gives the command:

Enterprise.... Engage.

That was more a reference to FFIV though,as Cid's airship in FFIV was indeed called the Enterprise (and if you really want to be technical, Gene Rodenberry got the name from the real US Navy aircraft carrier anyway ;)).

EDIT: Oops! I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were meaning Alphinaud's line - which is indeed a Star Trek reference. Never mind me, carry on! :D

What? I thought all references were derived from George R R Martin?! You can't tell me that the people who write have actually read anything older than 12 years ago, or watched a show older than 3 years, can you? (Don't answer that, this question is rhetorical.)

The same is true of WoW, although must more oriented to the modern pop-culture programming. It seems that the FFXIV English writers have a far, far deeper sense of work than have been given credit for. I almost think that Lalai's introductory message upon becoming a Black Mage is based on Manos: the Hands of Fate, but maybe I'm reading that too far.

And that aircraft carrier from the myriad of ships bearing the name before that. I believe in the Enterprise series the opening shows the 33 or so ships that bear/beared that name.

There's also the Prepare to Be Assimilated achievemnts.

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Originally Posted by Gyrus

a lot of pop culture references in this game. I love it

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Personally, I just think it's cheap writing.
But I guess it makes people happy to know that what they like and know are acknowledged by the game staff. I can just ignore it for the most part.

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Originally Posted by Gramul

Personally, I just think it's cheap writing.
But I guess it makes people happy to know that what they like and know are acknowledged by the game staff. I can just ignore it for the most part.

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In my opinion, a well-written pop culture reference is one that can go completely unnoticed by those who don't get it. I don't mean it has to be really obscure or anything, it just has to fit with the narrative in a way that seems natural. For example, in 1.0 there was a Roegadyn NPC named Immodest Mouse who says, "The ocean breaths salty, and it be her briny whispers what give our salt ale its temper." I chuckled at that because I got the reference to the band Modest Mouse, but to a person who has never heard of it the dialogue would be just normal NPC chatter. Immodest Mouse is a perfectly fine Roegadyn name, lore-wise, and they very well could make something called salt ale in a place near the sea.

Quest names with references don't bother me a bit because they're sort of out of the narrative. If done right they add a bit of levity, especially if the quests aren't too serious in the first place. FFXI vets will remember the Star Onion Brigade in Windy; those quests were very lighthearted and had names like "Inspector's Gadget" and "Truth, Justice, and the Onion Way!"

Back on topic:
I don't know if it's been mentioned in other threads, and it isn't a sci-fi reference, but has anybody else noticed the NPCs in The Quicksand who describe how to beat Bowser in Super Mario Bros.?

Ifrit Bleeds we can kill it. And oldie, but certainly a goodie!

Titan's "To the last, I grapple with thee"

From Moby Dick, but I associate it more with Khan.

In the story quest where you have to go collect donations for the guy at the church near Camp Drybone, one of the people you talk to exclaims, "Be silent and take my gil!" That made me all http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs71/f/20...st-d46ok32.gif

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Originally Posted by Kennar

In my opinion, a well-written pop culture reference is one that can go completely unnoticed by those who don't get it.

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I agree. The reference to C'mell that I opened with would be completely missed by anyone who hasn't read Silver Age SciFi. The fact that Cordwainer Smith wrote about animal people, that C'mell was a cat-girl, that it perfectly fits the Miqo'te name paterns, and that Smith's C'mell spent time in jail aren't necessary to appreciate the fact that the cannoneer at Aleport is worried about being tossed in the brig for overreacting to threats outside the walls. If you do know all those things, it's worth a wink and a nudge.

Almost every single FATE in the game (if not all of them) are titled with references.

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Originally Posted by JeniLinsky

The reference to C'mell that I opened with would be completely missed by anyone who hasn't read Silver Age SciFi.

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i.e. me. :) Now that I get the reference I can appreciate the thought that went into it, whereas before I was just talking to a silly NPC who wanted me to kill a few things. This is why I like to talk to every NPC; so many of them have little nuggets of information, or just have something to say that puts a smile on my face.

Sharknado.... just throwing that out there.

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Originally Posted by Kennar

For example, in 1.0 there was a Roegadyn NPC named Immodest Mouse who says, "The ocean breaths salty, and it be her briny whispers what give our salt ale its temper." I chuckled at that because I got the reference to the band Modest Mouse, but to a person who has never heard of it the dialogue would be just normal NPC chatter. Immodest Mouse is a perfectly fine Roegadyn name, lore-wise, and they very well could make something called salt ale in a place near the sea.

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That's pretty cool. And that verifies that the Black Mage quest, "The Voidgate Breathes Gloomy" is, in fact, another Modest Mouse reference to the same song. I love finding these sorts of things, haha! And it works, too, given that the Kobold you fight with talks about the gloomy air coming out of the voidgate.

I enjoy it all it shows me that the localization team is just as nerdy as all of us I mean come on "Return of the King.... of Ruin". Destiny's child, Just talkin bout Shafts, Dragoon Age, Double Dragoon, Once you go Black, You never go Back, Bring out your dead.... just tipping the iceburg here

See signature (even if it is from 1.0) ^^

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Originally Posted by Rannie

I enjoy it all it shows me that the localization team is just as nerdy as all of us I mean come on "Return of the King.... of Ruin". Destiny's child, Just talkin bout Shafts, Dragoon Age, Double Dragoon, Once you go Black, You never go Back, Bring out your dead.... just tipping the iceburg here

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The "Bring out your dead" was a perfect achievement title for the thaumaturge class ^^
After all, they were originaly gravediggers.

Right but I can't help but think of Monty Python and the holy grail and them ringing the bell shouting that then clubbing someone because they weren't dead yet lol