Solution 9 - Unfounded Speculation!

[MikkoAkure]

Which actually reminds me, didn't someone actually suss out the Garlean cars and they turned out to be pretty similar to an actual Japanese car from the (I want to say) 80s?

I can't find my own quote but I thought I remembered posting somewhere in these forums comparing the Novus D minion and the snow-covered cars in Garlemald to an old Honda or Suzuki kei car (which were based on older European peoples' cars).

But those were meant for driving in the city instead of going on the highway. Even today I'm sure most Japanese (where the game was made) and Europeans (that the Garleans are based on) travel via rail instead of car anyway. I don't think car ownership was very high in Soviet Russia either.

[kaynide]

I can't find my own quote but I thought I remembered posting somewhere in these forums comparing the Novus D minion and the snow-covered cars in Garlemald to an old Honda or Suzuki kei car (which were based on older European peoples' cars).

They're basically that- something like the 1950-60s-ish German Goggomobil or Japanese Toyopet Master.

(Goggomobil)


(Toyopet Master)


(Our boy Nero cruising)

..those were meant for driving in the city instead of going on the highway. Even today I'm sure most Japanese (where the game was made) and Europeans (that the Garleans are based on) travel via rail instead of car anyway.

This is a very big (and interesting) misconception about Japan- my American parents couldn't really wrap their head around it. Basically, it's VERY similar to the USA, except a lot more Japanese live in Urban centers compared to Americans living in Suburbs. So, people living in the big cities like Tokyo are a lot like New Yorkers (who may or may not have a car, and don't need a car for daily life). Owning a car in a major city is almost a status symbol with how much parking costs ($100s a month just to park, and that's lower-end pricing).

People (like me) living in mid-sized cities almost all have cars and use them pretty much like Suburbanites would in USA. Soccer moms and all.

The only real difference with small-sized cities is a much more prolific use of bicycles. People DO use public transit, but it's more...a tourist thing. As in, the public transit company makes negative revenue and is propped up by the government because "what kinda city doesn't have public transit!? think of the people!" (Think Streetcars in San Francisco)

[SannaR]

Of course they have hover tech and what look like modern aircraft carriers; that can fly. So Tron gets back to the top of the pile.

[MikkoAkure]

Keeping my tinfoil hat on, the Enigmatic Maiden's color palette of white, gold, and blue along with the strange winged device on her hip are reminiscent of FFXII's Ultima, as the title of "maiden" is also the same for Virgo, Ultima's zodiac.

Back to reality, the FFIX-looking abandoned village at the foot of Solution Nine in Heritage Found is interesting, doublely so that they weren't allowed to talk about it. It's much more generic fantasy looking, as is the Enigmatic Maiden's attire, minus the green tron lines on her shoes. Solution Nine is to no one's surprise, looking to be the lost city of "gold" and it's interesting they mentioned people living forever carefree. Maybe it's possible it's a server like people had said before?

Tangentially related to Solution Nine, it seems that railroad tracks lead up to it in the new trailer through a tunnel, and unrelated to anything else, the "Bar" sign in Shaaloani appears to have changed since the original Shaaloani trailer to now say "Saloon". Back to Solution Nine, there are two new "Bar" signs in proto-alphabet and another sign that says "Owen" next to the companion cube-looking thing? Gonna need a second opinion on that one.

[Fenral]

Live letter is on and ongoing. One of the areas showed off in Heritage Found seemed a lot like the ruins of FF9's Alexandria town. No way they'd be able to say that out loud.

Solution Nine is looking more and more Allagan. Also, the mysterious girl in the artwork said something about having a key in hand, right as the montage cut to G'raha. In the spirit of entering the "it couldn't possibly be this" theories into the written record: Salina, is that you?

[Cleretic]

Much more concrete, by the way, is That Goddamn Sign in the Arcadion art is in the actual arena... in orange, where it suddenly looks a lot less like everyone's main suspect.



Alongside some of the same ads we've seen in Solution Nine, and text that seems to be a real jacked up Ancient alphabet; that says the name of the first boss, Black Cat, so that's probably the fighter promos. The sign we know doesn't resemble Black Cat themselves in any meaningful way, though; I could maybe buy the lower half as resembling their claws or their fur coat, but the head doesn't line up. So that suggests that the symbol is for the Arcadion itself, it's like the 'WW' logo for the WWE. (I had a brainwave there and tried to find the Ancient letters for 'Arcadion' in it, but no luck.)

[EdwinLi]

Maybe I watch too many plots that involve uncovering some ancient civilization that some how survived for so long but I feel like that whole Solution 9 invading the outside world in the trailer is going to be because of some paranoid antagonists that is part of their civilization that some how convinced everyone in Solution 9 that our actions for "discovering the City of Gold" and managing to enter it as a act of "Outsiders invading their home" to justify their sudden massive invasion.

Though I know plenty of people are going to enjoy the Solution 9 armor and vanity being themed as a Mad Max with a mix of Sci-fi design.

Much more concrete, by the way, is That Goddamn Sign in the Arcadion art is in the actual arena... in orange, where it suddenly looks a lot less like everyone's main suspect.



Alongside some of the same ads we've seen in Solution Nine, and text that seems to be a real jacked up Ancient alphabet; that says the name of the first boss, Black Cat, so that's probably the fighter promos. The sign we know doesn't resemble Black Cat themselves in any meaningful way, though; I could maybe buy the lower half as resembling their claws or their fur coat, but the head doesn't line up. So that suggests that the symbol is for the Arcadion itself, it's like the 'WW' logo for the WWE. (I had a brainwave there and tried to find the Ancient letters for 'Arcadion' in it, but no luck.)

Considering the theme design of the Solution 9 soldiers and gear sets we seen, I won't be surprised if the new normal raid is WWE themed.

[diamondedge83]

Back to Solution Nine, there are two new "Bar" signs in proto-alphabet and another sign that says "Owen" next to the companion cube-looking thing? Gonna need a second opinion on that one.

I haven't had time to review the live letter yet, but if it is Owen, we know he was exiled from the Allagan Empire after he stood up to the leaders while trying to find a cure for tempering which means he's done a lot of research into souls, which could very well be connected to the "Soul Supply" sign we saw in the first few screenshots of Solution 9. Fandaniel also says that Owen had come up with his own version of the Warding Scale. Perhaps Owen is alive and well in Solution 9?

[kaynide]

Re: Arcadion Black Cat

If we go with FF9 vibes, the only thing I can speculate from the words "Black cat" related are the Gimmie Cat (with a weird gimmick to get a lotta gil; kinda like Metal Slime giving XP from DQ), or, alternatively, the Black Waltz characters.

Re: S9
My vote is the Enigmatic Maiden is the AI/MCP for S9. Or a surviving Allagan.


Wild Speculation Time:

S9 is the City of Gold that was sealed off. It's been in a time/Stasis bubble. The people are surviving Allagans, or their descendants.

Alternatively, something something Kairos.

[Grivvaint]

Changing my favored theory from Solution 9 being escapees from the 12th shard to them being escapees from the Second Umbral Calamity. I'd still prefer they came from the 12th shard, but...

The Second Umbral Calamity or Calamity of Lightning came on the heels of the First Astral Era, an age where mankind learned to forge stone tools and established settlements and towns, which grew into kingdoms that soon went to war, each seeking to expand their domain. To forge their tools and weapons, mountains were gutted and skies blackened.

Nature was despoiled for countless years until the balance tipped. Volcanoes spewed black smoke that covered the skies and plunged the realm into eternal darkness. Bolts of lightning rained down from the skies for a full year and a day, forcing mankind to seek shelter in underground caverns that became breeding grounds for pestilence. In their desperation, the people prayed for salvation, giving birth to the earliest forms of magical incantations.