The Nullify Power Suit Gun (how do you explain that one?)

[Twilight-kun]

Yeah, but that was a lava monster. Use Pokemon logic. And it only takes one charged shot from Samus to freeze the monster in-game. You just need to hit it in the mouth.

Interesting note about that scene is that Anthony doesn't touch the ice platformed monster. He kinda just backflips in midair then moves away somehow. Very bizarre.

Pokemon Logic: Where your creatures can survive getting frozen, poisoned, burned, blasted by meteors, falling down fissures, surviving a blizzard

No problem! just use a revive!

pfft

Pokemon is a BAD EXAMPLE to use for Logic

(And shooting doors to open them isn't? meh)

[HYRUL3]

Interesting note about that scene is that Anthony doesn't touch the ice platformed monster. He kinda just backflips in midair then moves away somehow. Very bizarre.

It's because he's a Chozo.

[Twilight-kun]

Interesting note about that scene is that Anthony doesn't touch the ice platformed monster. He kinda just backflips in midair then moves away somehow. Very bizarre.

It's because he's a Chozo.

I'm not a Chozo, I'm a Mysterious Black Dude

[HYRUL3]

Interesting note about that scene is that Anthony doesn't touch the ice platformed monster. He kinda just backflips in midair then moves away somehow. Very bizarre.

It's because he's a Chozo.

I'm not a Chozo, I'm a Mysterious Black Dude

Mysterious because he is secretly a Chozo.

[AuroraUnitComplex]

^ A Chozo, only because he is secretly K.G. in disguise, and can never be completely erased from all dimensions of the universe.

In Halo if you charge up the plasma pistol you'll instantly deplete the energy shields of another Spartan.

It seems logical to me that there could be some kind of EMP gun or something like that, that either has very limited ammo or takes a ridiculously long time to recharge. Who knows.

You dare compare Spartan shielding to our beloved heroine's!? No but seriously, if there exists Rezbit enemies that can quickly hack Samus' suit, X-parasites that can instantly invade it or replicate it, and elevators that can (?) instantly destroy it, I don't see why it so hard for people to believe that a hand weapon in gameplay or story might exist that could catch Samus off guard or disable her suit. I suppose it's because the freeze gun doesn't look all that menacing or something.

The suit's origins have a significant impact on the story when it stops working with no explanation. Hence this thread. The only explanation given is from happy fanwanking, a manga and a comic book respectively. That's very lacking.

If it’s lacking full details, well...welcome to the Metroid series! If we had an official reference that pieced all of the games’ main story elements and all of Samus’ story background in one consistent package, that would make it a lot easier now wouldn’t it? Several members have already posted some really good reasons as to why this part of the cutscene doesn’t have to be taken so seriously, (I personally see it the same way Chris does) but if you insist on having a story explanation, one can easily see one from the game itself, and it can also be backed up by official statements. Perhaps the official statement bears repeating one last time, since I’m curious why that explanation still isn’t good enough for you.

The closest thing we have to an official explanation is Sakamoto saying that Samus loses her Power Suit after the crash in Zero Mission (and other situations when she is under pressure) because she was “unable to concentrate her mental energy.” If you’re willing to accept this as an official explanation, you can easily see the same thing happen in Other M. Ridley has grabbed Samus in the air before, but she hasn’t lost her suit during the attack. What happened differently this time? Well, it’s certainly clear to see that she was struggling to stay focused and keep her suit activated when she was being held and also when she was falling. It’s not that Ridley now has such a special new claw that can disable her suit, but that she simply wasn’t able to focus (for whatever reason). Likewise, it’s not that Adam necessarily has this special powerful gun that can instantly disable Samus’ Power Suit, but that she was simply off guard at the time while focusing on the infant metroid in front of her. (In ordinary circumstances, I’m sure she could of easily dodged or repelled that shot.) For what it’s worth, the Chozo in the SM comic explained it the exact same way over a decade ago. So, I’m curious why these explanations aren’t good enough for you.

Perhaps it’s because you’re getting it confused with the other completely different damage scenarios like when Mother Brain and the Omega Metroid attacked her and her suit remained active? If so, those could possibly be easily explained by the difference between Samus’ normal levels of mental concentration and when it’s lower.

When her mental concentration is lower than normal or critical levels: Higher susceptibility to losing suit whether from a more powerful attack or from a relatively weak one.
When her mental concentration is maintained at normal or elevated to emergency levels: Power suit remains activated and can take a heavy beating until the very last energy tank unit is depleted.

Both of these cases happen in Other M, as you can still be running around with the Power Suit activated when the lowest energy reading hovers back and forth between zero and one. So, excluding special cases perhaps like X-parasites invading her system and causing her suit to remain on, these seem to be the two main damage scenarios that are possible. If we insist on having some sort of story explanation, both scenarios can be readily explained with the idea of her mental focus and concentration affecting her suit’s ability to remain activated or sustain shielding. From what we've been given so far, that was the explanation in the SM comic over a decade ago, the explanation given by Sakamoto a few years ago, the explanation in the manga, and what was implicitly shown in both cases in Other M. Am I wrong? Or are these still not enough sources for you, Not Authorised? Will anything, short of Sakamoto personally sending you an email, be enough to satisfy you at this point?

[KingBroly]

But the thing is the game's story was sold as 'answers' but afterwards we're left with more questions than answers and for the most part fans are angry as hell. Some of the stuff comes across as 'oh, you already knew that,' this incident included.

[Not Authorised]

^ A Chozo, only because he is secretly K.G. in disguise, and can never be completely erased from all dimensions of the universe.

In Halo if you charge up the plasma pistol you'll instantly deplete the energy shields of another Spartan.

It seems logical to me that there could be some kind of EMP gun or something like that, that either has very limited ammo or takes a ridiculously long time to recharge. Who knows.

You dare compare Spartan shielding to our beloved heroine's!? No but seriously, if there exists Rezbit enemies that can quickly hack Samus' suit, X-parasites that can instantly invade it or replicate it, and elevators that can (?) instantly destroy it, I don't see why it so hard for people to believe that a hand weapon in gameplay or story might exist that could catch Samus off guard or disable her suit. I suppose it's because the freeze gun doesn't look all that menacing or something.

The suit's origins have a significant impact on the story when it stops working with no explanation. Hence this thread. The only explanation given is from happy fanwanking, a manga and a comic book respectively. That's very lacking.

If it’s lacking full details, well...welcome to the Metroid series! If we had an official reference that pieced all of the games’ main story elements and all of Samus’ story background in one consistent package, that would make it a lot easier now wouldn’t it? Several members have already posted some really good reasons as to why this cutscene doesn’t have to be taken so seriously, (I personally see it the same way Chris does) but if you insist on having a story explanation, one can easily see one from the game itself, and it can also be backed up by official statements. Perhaps the official statement bears repeating one last time, since I’m curious why that explanation still isn’t good enough for you.

The closest thing we have to an official explanation is Sakamoto saying that Samus loses her Power Suit after the crash in Zero Mission (and other situations when she is under pressure) because she was “unable to concentrate her mental energy.” If you’re willing to accept this as an official explanation, you can easily see the same thing happen in Other M. Ridley has grabbed Samus in the air before, but she hasn’t lost her suit during the attack. What happened differently this time? Well, it’s certainly clear to see that she was struggling to stay focused and keep her suit activated when she was being held and also when she was falling. It’s not that Ridley now has such a special new claw that can disable her suit, but that she simply wasn’t able to focus (for whatever reason). Likewise, it’s not that Adam necessarily has this special powerful gun that can instantly disable Samus’ Power Suit, but that she was simply off guard at the time while focusing on the infant metroid in front of her. (In ordinary circumstances, I’m sure she could of easily dodged or repelled that shot.) For what it’s worth, the Chozo in the SM comic explained it the exact same way over a decade ago. So, I’m curious why these explanations aren’t good enough for you.

Perhaps it’s because you’re getting it confused with the other completely different damage scenarios like when Mother Brain and the Omega Metroid attacked her and her suit remained active? If so, those could possibly be easily explained by the difference between Samus’ normal levels of mental concentration and when it’s lower.

When her mental concentration is lower than normal or critical levels: Higher susceptibility to losing suit whether from a more powerful attack or from a relatively weak one.
When her mental concentration is maintained at normal or elevated to emergency levels: Power suit remains activated and can take a heavy beating until the very last energy tank unit is depleted.

Both of these cases happen in Other M, as you can still be running around with the Power Suit activated when the lowest energy reading hovers back and forth between zero and one. So, excluding special cases perhaps like X-parasites invading her system and causing her suit to remain on, these seem to be the two main damage scenarios that are possible. If we insist on having some sort of story explanation, both scenarios can be readily explained with the idea of her mental focus and concentration affecting her suit’s ability to remain activated or sustain shielding. From what we've been given so far, that was the explanation in the SM comic over a decade ago, the explanation given by Sakamoto a few years ago, the explanation in the manga, and what was implicitly shown in both cases in Other M. Am I wrong? Or are these still not enough sources for you, Not Authorised? Will anything, short of Sakamoto personally sending you an email, be enough to satisfy you at this point?

That's a very good explanation, but it's still fanwanking. Don't get me wrong, I love fanwanking. I fanwank with the best of them. But it's still conjecture we're forced to make because the story itself lacks details. I come out of Other M knowing all the most intimate details about Samus Aran's amazing opposable thumb and her sweet, sweet ass (thank you camera, that was very politically-correct of you), but the person Samus Aran is more confusing to me than ever, and her power suit which I thought made sense now makes no sense at all.

BUT! I've spent so much time bitching about this story, that I'm gonna go completely off-topic to point out some plot revelations I liked. 1) With Mother Brain and the Zebes base exploded Space Pirates are no longer a threat to galactic stability - that was a major twist for the Metroid universe, which promises new and interesting enemies in future games. Awesome! 2) There really is a splinter faction in the federation that's evil and manipulating events all shadowy and menacing - that adds to the Fusion plot and is really cool. 3) The original Mother Brain was telepathic and able to control Metroids - that answers a lot of questions about how the Space Pirates were supposed to use the uncontrollable energy beings as directed weapons, and means the dead pirates in Zero Mission weren't victims of a Metroid break-out, they were FOOD. Sinisterly awesome!

[kronoridley]

Counting the what you quoted, that's THE longest post I've ever read.

[cross307]

"The closest thing we have to an official explanation is Sakamoto saying that Samus loses her Power Suit after the crash in Zero Mission (and other situations when she is under pressure) because she was “unable to concentrate her mental energy.”

That migth be the most retarded armor desing in fiction, why would you make an armor that dissapear every time you lose consentration, no wonder why the chozo became extint, when your only protection against element, lack of oxigen and attacks dissapears every time you become a little unstable.

Incidently, if the armor dissapear every time she lose focus, why the armor didn't dissapear when she was attacked by the X parasites in fussion? you can't be uncosious and focus at the same time.

[Twilight-kun]

Incidentally, if the armor disappear every time she lose focus, why the armor didn't disappear when she was attacked by the X parasites in Fusion? you can't be unconscious and focus at the same time.

fixed some spelling errors...

anyway, I'd almost think its like a self defense mechanism maybe?

[AuroraUnitComplex]

"The closest thing we have to an official explanation is Sakamoto saying that Samus loses her Power Suit after the crash in Zero Mission (and other situations when she is under pressure) because she was “unable to concentrate her mental energy.”

That migth be the most retarded armor desing in fiction, why would you make an armor that dissapear every time you lose consentration, no wonder why the chozo became extint, when your only protection against element, lack of oxigen and attacks dissapears every time you become a little unstable.

I made another long post on the previous page explaining why there are many advantages to such a fictional system and why it's not as crazy or "retarded" as some may exaggerate it out to be.

Incidently, if the armor dissapear every time she lose focus, why the armor didn't dissapear when she was attacked by the X parasites in fussion? you can't be uncosious and focus at the same time.

As I already stated above, the X parasites were a special case, because in that instance, they effectively hijacked her suit and central nervous system.

Once the X had infested my central nervous system, I lost consciousness and my ship drifted into an asteroid belt. ... However, during the journey, the X multiplied within me, corrupting large areas of my Power Suit. ... It then came to light that the organic components of my Power Suit had become so integrated with my system that it could not be removed while I was unconscious. ...the X in my central nervous system were too embedded to be removed safely.

Even if Samus was conscious at that point, she probably wouldn't have been able to remove her suit even if she wanted to, which is why the Federation had to surgically attempt to remove it. It had nothing to do with her usual focus or concentration mechanisms, since the parasites were overwhelmingly in control here. The Chozo armor was to become a host for their purposes, and the X probably kept it activated because of their instinctive hunger for "form, knowledge, and power" (as Samus explains near the end of the game).

[Cen Silver]

Lucid Flower: I could ask the same question of you. Why get so annoyed that people criticism the story?

Why do you criticize this scene, when there are hundreds of others just like it in other games? I'm only trying to better understand some of these arguments, and why some of them are even necessary?

Wikipedia:Criticism is the judgement of the merits and faults of the work or actions of an individual or group by another (the critic). To criticize does not necessarily imply to find fault, but the word is often taken to mean the simple expression of an objection against prejudice, or a disapproval.

Another meaning of criticism is the study, evaluation, and interpretation of literature, social movements, film, arts, and similar objects and events. The goal of this type of criticism is to understand the work or event more thoroughly.



I feel like some of the criticism is fair, but not all of it. Other M is not the game I would have made if I made games, and it is not the game I wanted it to be. However I was still able to find plenty of things I enjoyed about it. Some of the things about it gave me a different perspective on what a Metroid game could be like, just like the Metroid Prime games. If Some things about it left a bad taste in peoples mouths, it is fine to discuss that. So long as people try and see things outside of themselves a bit. They had different ideas when they made the game. If retro had not had different ideas we would not have gotten Metroid Prime.
The new ideas seemed to come across easier than some of the new ideas in other M.

I did not see a problem with what happened in the cut scene. Samus has limits. I interpreted what I saw as, not the suit reaching its limit, but Samus was unable to concentrate any further to keep it activated. The suit is connected to her, but dose not take all of the damage, she still feels things in there. I think mental strain is one of those things. The idea that She needs to concentrate to keep the suit on is a new idea, and they decided to use it as a device to move the story along.

You're forgetting one important factor in that case:

This is a forum.

That meanin it aint no developer thingie, where we all have to be serious and talk constructivity... sometimes people just want to vent off the crap... (ESPECIALLY Other M, MAN that was one big mothalovin load-of-CRAP).

I feel like some of the criticism is fair, but not all of it. Other M is not the game I would have made if I made games, and it is not the game I wanted it to be. However I was still able to find plenty of things I enjoyed about it. Some of the things about it gave me a different perspective on what a Metroid game could be like, just like the Metroid Prime games. If Some things about it left a bad taste in peoples mouths, it is fine to discuss that. So long as people try and see things outside of themselves a bit. They had different ideas when they made the game. If retro had not had different ideas we would not have gotten Metroid Prime.
The new ideas seemed to come across easier than some of the new ideas in other M.

Most people here (If not everyone) also enjoyed the game overall too... But comparing the news they implemented to the ones in prime is just ridiculous (Please don't take this agressively)...

the prime series was full of news, but not even by far like Other M... Prime had consistency and competence, all of it's news where... Consistent, with the Metroid series... AND even with natural gaming evolution. (Better/Deeper plots, Samus emotions and look showing off, More hunters, People talk to you...)

In it people TOUGHT before adding what would look good in it and what wouldn't, it aint just like that drama queen Other M became, thanks to a TOTALLY DICTATORIAL development method, which is the only thing i can deduce to have happened when i look at the game.
Because in it, Developers didn't look "Oh what metroid series MUST have? / Oh, what MOST FANS LOVE in this series? / What we can take from granted on sammy's phsicology based on the very little she showed on earlier games?"

Nooo... They just made of Adam (In which Fusion made a character with INCREDIBLE potential near the end) one big Son of a beach, Samus, the BADASSEST hunter in the whole universe, one little squishy... crappy... BUG, and certain cutscenes (**Ridleycoughcough**) that make me want to cry until my eyeballs BLEED to death.

And removing the gravy suite? NOT A WISE MOVE.
I personally hated that, but that's not just it.

SOME people (like me) loved it for its pwetty pwetty looks.
BUT MOST 'TROID FANS loved it for another reason:
At that rate, sammy's suit wasn't anymore just "A purple waterproof suit"... but instead, the simbol of a fully powered samus. which make people go haywire when they saw it. (Aka check Prime 1 Fans)

I did not see a problem with what happened in the cut scene. Samus has limits. I interpreted what I saw as, not the suit reaching its limit, but Samus was unable to concentrate any further to keep it activated. The suit is connected to her, but dose not take all of the damage, she still feels things in there. I think mental strain is one of those things. The idea that She needs to concentrate to keep the suit on is a new idea, and they decided to use it as a device to move the story along.

<Use of such a dramatic little trick is not authorized)

Please don't take this the wrong way, the theory itself is actually quite an awesome.

BUT not for sammy.
when i played the metroid classics, what amazed me the most was how samus could take on numerous gigantic creatures with barely a scratch. It made her look like what she was: a space WARRIOR. made her SUIT look like what it was: a WAR suit. and such a futuristic WAR suit can't take that phsycho powered suit integrity thing it's a too obvious of a flaw...

Like someone before said

"Then just put her in a room filled with shocking images and turrets" AND VOILA! sammy's dead...

I'm really sorry, the last thing i want by saying it all is to be beachy about Other M. All i wanted was to explain you why make such a big fuss of it...

[Dryn]

That migth be the most retarded armor desing in fiction, why would you make an armor that dissapear every time you lose consentration, no wonder why the chozo became extint, when your only protection against element, lack of oxigen and attacks dissapears every time you become a little unstable.

I take it your first language isn't English.

With respect to armor design in fiction, tell that to Hal Jordan.

As for the Chozo, they became extinct because they are unable to reproduce.

Incidently, if the armor dissapear every time she lose focus, why the armor didn't dissapear when she was attacked by the X parasites in fussion? you can't be uncosious and focus at the same time.

Simple. MF precedes MZM and MOM, thus, MZM and MOM retconned that part of MF. Now another explanation must be made.

[Chozo Guardian]

Apart from Samus's characterisation, the one thing that bothers me most about the plot of Other M is that there exists a gun that can completely deactivate Samus's power suit in one shot leaving her helpless for minutes afterward. Whut da hell?

I can follow the reasoning (even though I hate that reasoning) that Samus's suit is fueled by her confidence, and getting shot by someone she trusts completely would shatter that confidence, but the problem with that is that she didn't see the shooter until after her suit had broken. The player was supposed to wonder if it was the mysterious serial-killer who shot her and not the guy who actually did. I can also see the possibility that Samus's concentration was broken due to facing another infant Metroid, but that makes you wonder if all the next villain has to do to kill her is post shocking images all over the walls with turrets attached.

I'm not just asking to point out some more bad writing in Other M - this entire sub-forum is jam-packed with those - but to ask if there's any way to explain away this incredibly poorly introduced weapon. How does there exist a gun that can basically kill a fully armored Samus Aran in two shots? If that technology exists, how are we to take any future villains and boss fights seriously? Or was the suit just infected with crippling cutscene incompetence?

You make a good point, and actually, that is one thing that will be changed in the next chapter of my novelization. It is ridiculous for a puny peashooter to do that.

[Dark Echoes]

I thought the gun looked look a stapler. Unless it shoots a bullet that is capable of deactivating it, but, how would that work? Samus has been in just about everything and almost everything, Acid, Lava, you name it!
I think this is one of the weakest plot points in Other M