Hey, I was wondering if I could pick you're brain for a bit if you don't mind. I'm working on little writing side-project. (At the moment its just document with a bunch of notes and one artwork/Ratatosk's true form design) Basically its my version of a Tales of Symphonia 2 re-write. The original is a guilty pleasure but I wanted to expand on some concepts, themes and story ideas they had dangling there. I wanted to ask you what would change or expand on if you had a chance to write the story?
Ooh, sounds like fun! I also love the game as it is, but I could agree that the game could have been better if they fleshed out more on the story.
For the foremost, I would’ve wanted to see new outfit designs for the Symphonia characters. Actually, before the release of DotNW, they were planning on having Okumura Daigo design new outfits for all the original members, but was cut due to time. So that would be one of my biggest wish if they were to ever do a remake for DotNW.
Seeing more into the past of Ratatosk and the 4 Heroes, the original Emil, as well as some flashback scenes with Aster and Richter would’ve been nice as well. Since Tales of the Rays talks a lot of the relationship between Ratatosk and Mithos, it almost felt like a waste that we weren’t given that in the original game. (Btw Ratatosk and Mithos as super adorable in Rays and I thank that game for everything it has to offer)
Also, as someone who loves the Tree Spirit lore in the Symphonia/Phantasia world, I would’ve loved to see more on the connections between Ratatosk, Martel, and Norn, connecting the timeline of Symphonia, Phantasia, and Narikiri Dungeon further.
Along with that, I’d say better writing for Marta’s character since the game clearly seemed like they intended the players to hate Marta (I personally love Marta but I know a lot who don’t due to her writing), ability to customize outfits, add actual animation cutscenes, some mechanical issues such as being able to level up/equip the original cast, and for my own guilty pleasure, making a playable Tenebrae/Boss Aqua and all the characters designs for the Centurions. I feel like I had a lot more but those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head. Hope it helped~
