In the last post, I was talking about gatekeeping in FromSoft games. I left off by bringing up the ongoing debate in the RKG Discord/Patreon about the *sigh* use of summons. I sigh because it’s boring as fuck. It’s pretty much as simple as if you don’t like that the boys use them, then, BYEEEEEEEE!
Look. There are hundreds if not thousands of Let’s Plays that do it with no summons. Believe me. I’m watching one right now. And there are plenty with people who dual-wield, no shield as well. If this is what you want, there is an embarassment of riches from which to choose. If someone chooses to watch RKG, I would think it’s mostly for the bants. The way they interact is the reason most people watch. It’s why I watch–well one of the top reasons. I also love that Rory’s brain is wired differently, so he often comes up with zany ways to tackle bosses. And, he’s often his own worst enemy. There is–ok.
Let me explain. There is a new mechanic in the game that is the Flask of Wondrous Physick. In it, you can put two tears. You will be able to find tears around the world. There are maybe twenty of them? They are usually at the base of an Erdtree, and you have to fight an Erdtree Avatar to get the tear. The tears do everything from give you an extra flask (either red or blue) to more endurance to unlimited blue (mana) for a set amount of time. And more. I usually have the extra health flask and the unlimited mana for a set amount of time combo.
There is a tear that explodes when you drink the flask. Once Rory found this tear, he was enamored with it. Krupa explained that some people used it and called it the Homeward Boom (there is no Homeward Bone, an item that brings you back to the last bonfire at which you rested) because people would take it at the end of a boss fight, kill the boss and themselves, and end up back at the Site of Grace.
Of course, Rory had to do it. And messed it up more than once. Fortunately, he gave it up after using it on three or so bosses. But it was hilarious to see him pull it out! This is why I watch, to be honest. I love seeing what Rory comes up with in that brain of his. In the video below (and I started it at roughly the right spot), Rory was using it against the Putrid Avatar. Also, I forgot he was into the whip at this point. Ah, good times. He took the Homeward Boom flask with maybe three hits left on the Putrid Avatar, but was too far away. He missed, then went in to whip the Putrid Avatar (instead of using the twinblade, which is what he’d been using up until then). He whipped it twice and had one hit left when he swung the whip and the Putrid Avatar jumped up, landed on him, and Scarlet Rotted him to death.
Rory will sometimes say, “Why does this always happen to me?!” Because he does tihngs in such an unconventional way. He could have easily killed the Putrid Avatar with two or three hits of the twinblade. But, no. He had to do it in a weird/wild way. Yes, it meant having to go at it again, but it also was as hilarious.
Something funny that both Gav and Krupa have mentioned is that while Rory is one of the most positive people they know, he’s also one of the most stubborn. He will not back down, no matter what. It’s easy to see in their episodes when they suggest that he try something else. He gets a mulish look on his face and comes up with reasons not to do what they suggest. Or not. Either way, he just won’t do it.
I can relate to that. It’s hard for me to admit I’m wrong for a variety of reasons. I will admit it later, quietly, when no one else is around. Or rather, I will think about what someone told me and take the parts that are true. I will usually go back to that person and let them know that I had change my thinking–even if it’s years later.
At the start of this season, it was made pretty clear that Rory would summon whenever he wanted. My guess is that they talked about it over the break, and this was how it shook out. There have been a few times when Gav has suggested using a summon and Rory has decided to go it solo. Which is great!
I don’t care if he uses summons or not. What I care about is that he is the one who makes the choice. I don’t think that’s controversial opinion, but apparently, this is not true. Throughout the ER series, there has consistently been a tension about when he should summon. Most people are of the mindset that he should summon whenever. A very vocal minority, however, don’t like that he summons at all. Then, there are some who are somewhere in the middle. Gav had suggested summoning out in the open world, but that Rory shouldn’t summon for any red bar bosses. Well, more strongly worded it than suggested.
However it was resolved, I’m glad that it seems to be now the rule that Rory can summon whenveer he wants. The game is so huge, and he is still spending appreciable time on bosses. It’s not as if he’s breezing through it. Someone whined about how it only took him two tries to beat one of the named bosses with a summon. Here’s the thing, though. There are 238 bosses in the base game. There will be plenty of boss fighting. Even with summons, he probably will have to spend hours on certain bosses because his method of leveling is lackadaisical. Plus, he has the attention span of a gnat. He’ll be really into whatever the newest thing he sees, and then he’ll forget about it a few minutes later.
I’ll be honest. I just want them to shut the fuck up. I know that with parasocial relationships being what they are, some people feel entitled to dictate what content creators make. Well, in addition to paying for the content. To a certain extent, I get it.It’s a smaller channel, and the boys are really responsive to people in the community. They are in the Discord, chatting it up, though not as often as before. They genuinely care about the people in the community, but we are not friends. Obviously. It can be easy when you have communication with someone on YouTube to assume that you’re closer than you are.
The point is that it’s so old and tiresome. Just let people play the game the way they want. No, they don’t owe it to you to play it a certain way, even if you are giving money to them. If you truly can’t stand the way Rory plays, well, then unsub. Quietly. Without fanfare. That was my point–there are so many content creators who will play exactly as you want them to. Why persist in watching someone who doesn’t if it bothers you that much?
Life is too short for that shit.