Hi, everyone! I'm aware this is very late, but I wanted to put some finishing touches on my Splatoon #7thAnniversaryActivity Post before putting it up for the world to see! Enjoy!
1 ☆ When and why did you first start playing Splatoon?
Long story, actually. Heh heh. When I first saw the commercials for the original Splatoon, I thought it was pretty cool, but I didn't plan on purchasing a copy because I was thinking about my money. I was a kid in high school with no job at the time, so money was scarce. And yes, I was in on the ol' "Nintendo made their own Call of Duty!" meme from way back when. XD I liked the concept, but buying it was out of the question... at that time...
In late 2015, I'm surfing YouTube for funny GMod videos like I did usually. New videos would appear and I'd watch those. But as I continued down the hole, more and more new videos would use a rig model of an inkling. I was curious. "Aren't those the squid guys from that new Nintendo shooter game?" To my surprise, however, the use of inklings really worked well with the wacky world of GMod machinema and I loved the way they interacted with the Team Fortress 2 characters! Just like that, I was open to seeing more of them! Soon after that, I learned that there were entire GMod animations dedicated almost entirely to Splatoon made by fans who love the game! And those are just chef's kiss!
One day, I drew a conclusion. If Splatoon could spawn a community of fans as ionate as this, it must be that good of a game! My interest was far too piqued to not bat an eye! I looked up a playthrough of the single player campaign and gave it a watch. Let me just say that as an artist who also writes for fun, that had to be the most creative new world I've ever seen from Nintendo! Everything was just gorgeous! I was hooked! Sometimes in class, I would go on YouTube and look at more Splatoon videos instead of doing my work! I got caught at least once as far as I recall, but I had no regrets! XD
Fast forward to a time frame of December 2015 through January 2016. I've learned as much of the ins and outs of Splatoon as was possible without playing the game. I spoiled myself on all the secrets and lore. All the tidbits, character relations, Sunken Scrolls, where to find them, what they read. I didn't care that I wasn't playing the game. I was simply glad to be in the loop! So glad, in fact that I wanted to prove my appreciation as a fan of sorts the best way I knew how! I previously mentioned that I write for fun- and that's what I did. On January 3rd, 2016, I started writing the first episode of a Splatoon fanfiction...
No. It was not a cringe shipping story that made no sense. XD It was a legitimate take on what could've happened after DJ Octavio's defeat and the recovery of the Great Zapfish. Its name was 'Splatoon: Adventures of the Squad'! It mainly revolved around an oc of mine named 'Ray Jumpstarter'. He's an inkling boy with black tentacles, like Callie's, and a slightly different ponytail style than the one inkling boys had by default back in the day. A teenage artist with an initial dislike towards the Squid Sisters s in on a new ink sports competition that the pop duo hosts soley as an extra to complete a team when a couple of other teens ask for some assistance. But during the competition, he sees a senior citizen being captured by octopus people and exits prematurely to help him! Upon saving the man, Captain Cuttlefish, Ray is informed that the Octarian Army is planning a retaliation against the surface nation as payback for the capture of their emperor, Octavio! Although Agent 3 is the one who bested the monarch octopus, they are currently missing in action for reasons Craig omits... and the captain needs someone to fill in the gap. He then- [Heh, get this.]- offers Ray to volunteer as Agent 4 of the New Squidbeak Splatoon, which after a bit of consideration, he accepts.
Again, I started writing this in January 2016. So, I had no idea how quickly my 'Agent 4' idea would be rendered obsolete by a certain videogame that was revealed shortly after the Nintendo Switch. XDD I even chose a theme song for the series- that being 'Melodies' by The Living Tombstone. XD As of today, there are eight complete episodes written on Microsoft Word with an incomplete ninth. Unfortunately, life has been so busy that I haven't had the chance in years to finish the first season proper... But we're moving too far forward! Let's dial it back to late April through early May 2016.
An urge to finally get my hands on the game was bubbling in my head. One day, I learned that one of my best friends in high school had a copy of the game! "No way! Could this be my ticket?!" Some number of days later, I asked him if I could borrow his copy for a little time, which he let me! I was such a happy boy! I finished my homework as quickly as possible the day he lent it to me and I immediately yeeted the disc into my WiiU!... Ah~, I was greeted with the gender select screen. I knew it was time... I didn't have my WiiU connected to the internet at the time, so I could only play the campaign. Didn't matter, I was more invested in the lore anyway.
I beat DJ Octavio in a pretty short time. It wasn't all in one day, but it wasn't very long. I beat the game on my friend's copy of Splatoon. And, after a week or two, I was ready to give it back. It hit me. "What's the point of all this? Why have I been writing a Splatoon fanfiction, looking at all this fanart, these music videos, these GMod videos when I don't even have my own copy of the game?" At this time, I had amassed some extra change by doing chores for some of my grandmother's friends- and blew sixty of those dollars on Kirby: Planet Robobot immediately as it released that April. What harm would blowing sixty more on an excellent game I already beat be? My mind was made up. I returned my friend's copy, went to my local GameStop and purchased my own. And it had that new game smell, lolz. Perfect segue into the second question too, because...
2 ☆ How long have you been playing Splatoon?
... if this is asking how long we've been playing both titles as a collective whole, then counting the time I played my friend's copy of the original, I've been playing since a little less than a month before Splatoon's First Anniversary. Six years and roughly a month. Wow. The memories I made... And come September this year, I'm going to make a lot more. Really looking forward to Splatoon 3 and whatever else the future of this franchise has in store for us!!
3 ☆ What is your favorite Splatoon main weapon?
I'm just gonna pick my favorites from both games for these questions so I don't have to choose. XD In Splatoon 1, that is the Custom Jet Squelcher, and in Splatoon 2, that goes to the Dualie Squelchers- both versions since there is no difference in the main weapon.
4 ☆ What is your favorite Splatoon sub weapon?
Burst Bomb is my favorite in Splatoon 1! But when it comes to the sets of Dualie Squelchers, I mainly use the non-custom set for Ranked Battles as the Splat Bomb on the custom variant is only most useful for me in Splat Zones. So, I'm gonna go with Point Sensor in Splatoon 2.
5 ☆ What is your favorite Splatoon special?
Nothing beat the Kraken for me in Splatoon 1! And in Splatoon 2, for the exact same reasons as I explained in my sub weapon answer, my favorite Special is Tenta Missiles!
6 ☆ What is your favorite Splatoon gear / outfit? Show us with a picture!
I believe my profile image speaks for itself. XD
7 ☆ What is your favorite Splatoon map?
My favorite Splatoon 1 map is Mahi-Mahi Resort! Love the changing water levels adding more turf to move around on and cover! As for Splatoon 2 exclusive maps, I'll split the normal maps and make Shifty Stations their own category. Now if I had to pick just one, I'd go with Wahoo World. It's that amusement park esthetic for me.
Out of the Shifty Stations on the other hand,... Dang. What is my favorite Shifty Station? See, I could easily say M.C. Princess Diaries because it brings back the Killer Wail and allows you to team up with Pearl, but I want to give myself a challenge. I dunno. Guess I like 'em all equally for their own reasons.
8 ☆ What mode is your favorite to play?
Rainmaker! Been that way since the first game. Clam Blitz comes a close second! Yes, I like Clam Blitz. There's nothing wrong with liking Clam Blitz.
9 ☆ What are your favorite splatoon bands / songs?
Favorite Squid Squad song: Splattack!
Honorable mention: Kraken Up
Favorite Chirphy Chips song [S1]: Friends List [Shellfie]
Honorable mention: Split & Splat
Favorite Hightide Era song: Hooked
Honorable mention: Sucker Punch
Favorite Splatoon 1 band: Hightide Era
Favorite Wet Floor song: Endolphin Surge
Honorable mention: Inkoming!
Favorite Bottom Feeders song: Seafoam Shanty
Honorable mention: Shipwreckin'
Favorite Ink Theory song: Broken Coral and Riptide Rupture are tied!
Favorite Chirpy Chips song [S2]: Blitz It!
Honorable mention: Wave Prism
Favorite SashiMori song: Entropical and Chopscrewey are tied!
Favorite Diss-Pair song: Seasick
Honorable mention: Kinetosis
Favorite Splatoon 2 bands: Wet Floor, Ink Theory, Chirpy Chips, and SashiMori are at the top of my list!
10 ☆ Who is your favorite Splatoon idol?
Don't do this to me. XD Real talk, I cannot choose just one of the four. They are each totally cool in their own right for their own reasons!
- Marina's a DJ, has a beautiful singing voice, is a scientific prodigy, and she's the engineering extraordinaire responsible for some of the enemies we encounter in the campaign modes- you know, before she turned good and moved to the surface.
- Pearl can possibly spit bars for eternity if she wanted to, having a rhyme for almost every Splatfest victory! Sometimes has things to say that seem mean-spirited at surface level, but is usually just playful banter with Marina. Plus, she sunk a giant metal statue by screaming at it!
- Marie knows how to keep a cool head even in desperate situations! Also, she's an expert markswoman! She's a sassy comedian who really knows how to roast people, usually Callie. Despite this, she deeply cares for her loved ones and seems to have a motherly nature that no other NPC displays.
- Callie is almost always happy and has a big smile on her face for most of what she does! Even if she does questionable things for mundane reasons, she means good for her friends and family and is always up to serve for justice! But it's still pretty cool that she's a part-time super villain, albeit for the sake of "looking good in sunglasses". XD
With that all being said, it boils down to the music. If I am to pick a duo, the Squid Sisters take it for me! Off the Hook is amazing as well, though! Can't wait to see more of both duos in Splatoon 3!
11 ☆ What non-idol Splatoon character / NPC is your favorite?
idk never thought of it.
12 ☆ What was your first Splatfest theme? What was your favorite Splatfest theme? What teams were you on?
Well, like I said, I first started playing at the beginning of May 2016, so I missed, like, all of the original game's Splatfests. My first was Early Bird vs. Night Owl, and I'm glad it was because it turns out that I just caught this game right when character development for the Squid Sisters began to heat up!
My first Splatoon 2 Splatfest was Action vs. Comedy as I got that game as a Christmas present in 2017. I guess my favorite Splatfests were Callie vs. Marie, Squid vs. Octopus, Pancakes vs. Waffles, and Chaos vs. Order.
I was on Team Night Owl, Team Marie, Team Comedy, Team Love, Team Chicken, I believe Team Baseball, Team Raph, Team Donnie, Team Donnie for the final, Team No-Pulp, Team Squid, Team Spoon because I didn't know what to pick, Team Modern, Team Treat, Team Salsa because I didn't know what to pick, Team Hero, Team Fam, Team Waffles, Team Knight, I... think Team Hare, I don't - Team Telepo-
*exits the dimension briefly, reenters*
Ahem... Team Narwhal because btw I love Star vs. the Forces of Evil! And finally, Team Order.
As for the extras, I played for Team Mayo, Team Chicken again, Team Treat again, I think, and lastly, Team Super Star.
13 ☆ Do you prefer to play more casually or competitively?
I have an X rank in all ranked categories... But I love playing casually with friends!
14 ☆ What is your favorite achievement you’ve reached in Splatoon? Completing the story modes? Hitting a new rank?
You know what, out of both games, I've basically done everything across the board... except this one, you see. Believe it or not, I still have unfinished business to take care of in Splatoon 1. And even then, with Splatoon 3 dropping in roughly three months, there's going to be a lot of crazy new challenges to face! So to answer the question, I believe my greatest Splatoon achievement is still yet to come!
15 ☆ What Splatoon species is your favorite? (Inklings, Octolings, Salmonids, Jellies, etc.) If you could add a new species to the game, what would it be?
There're a plenty of visible species in the series and quite a few have a reason for being good! The Salmonids provided a lot of lore and they're hacka fun to fight against! The jellyfish come in a variety of shapes across Splatoon 1, 2, and the Octo Expansion- and watching them touch the ground is hilarious! XD The blobfish in Octo Expansion has actual jiggle physics accompanied with a cartoony sound effect! LMAO
But let's be real here. Nothin' beats the inklings and octolings! They are the playable characters after all and they rock the best drip! The general Octarian species follows close behind. I mean, they managed to thrive underground for over a century and their technology is strangely brilliant. Still, most of that tech is used as weaponry to try and get revenge on the Inklings when they should mainly focus on making sure their society is standing on good legs before picking fights. At least some- mostly octolings- turned good and migrated up to live among squid kind peacefully.
If I could add a new species, I'd make it playable for online multiplayer. And obviously, the best way to do that would be to choose a sea creature capable of producing and releasing ink as a means of defense. It's been seen in tons of Splatoon fanart already, but logically, sea hares are one of, if not, the only other marine lifeforms that can do that. I believe they'd make a fine addition to the playable species we have, even though they're gastropods and not cephalopods. The dev team can definitely make an exception for them!
16 ☆ What do you look forward to most about Splatoon 3?
The lore! The campaign will be the first thing I tackle when I purchase the game! I really gotta see what's up with the Octarian Army's fuzzy turn! Besides, that's what I did first with the other two games. I wonder what the next set of Sunken Scrolls will have for us...
17 ☆If you could add one new weapon to Splatoon 3, what would you add?
A new set of Dualie Squelchers! Either with the ninja or bakugan crab Specials! XD
18 ☆ If you could add one new game-mode to Splatoon 3, what would you add?
I made up this potential ranked game a long while back when I was making my own little Splatoon project! Wanna take a look? Ahem...
I would like to introduce ‘Special Clash’, the new ranked game where your objective is to earn points by splatting the opposition with your Specials! Ink around to fill up that gauge and unleash your Special when you’re ready! Starting with a one-hundred point quota, the team who has scored more points wins, and the game will end immediately if either team scores all one-hundred points! Splatting one opponent with your Special is worth three points! For example, if you catch the entire enemy team with a Booyah Bomb, twelve points will be subtracted from your quota! Don’t get splatted while using your Special though. If you do, your team will receive a penalty! Penalties are calculated as follows: x = 3 + (y/2). x is the full penalty. 3 is the number of penalty points given if someone on your team gets splatted while using their Special. y is the number of points scored while someone on your team is using their Special. y will be halved and rounded down if needed. Oh, and lastly, = is =. For instance, if you splat three opponents with your Inkjet and then get splatted while you’re using it, your team will receive a penalty of seven points. Any penalties received will attach to that team’s point quota and be added to any preexisting penalties. They’ll have to be removed in order to continue scoring points like normal; they can be removed by splatting opponents with your Specials.
One more thing: Getting assists with your Special will not count toward your team’s score nor will it count toward penalty removal. This new game ought to be a fun way for players to practice timing, controlling, and capitalizing on their Specials! Or if you simply wish to go on a splatting rampage, Special Clash is the game for you! Have fun!
So, how's THAT?! Leave your thoughts in the comments, please!
19 ☆ What do you imagine the new idols might be like in Splatoon 3?
I can always imagine, but nothing is definite until we see them. But, if I had to take a guess, I'd say they may possibly be something we haven't seen yet to change the pace and fit the 'chaos' theme that Splatoon 3 seems to be going for. Like... an octoling and a new sea creature? At least one of them being male? You never know...
20 ☆ What has been your favorite part of being in the Splatoon community/being a Splatoon fan? Any fond memories you have?
My absolute favorite part of being in the Splatoon community... is seeing the togetherness that this silly videogame about walking squids has created. Being able to converse and share ideas and opinions with others in ways that most other online games with large followings just simply haven't achieved. Showing our love with fanart, music, fan stories, YouTube videos, etcetera! It's one of the most grand displays of wholesomeness within a game fanbase in recent memory.
You see the Sonic community right now in a perpetual fuss about Sonic Frontiers for literally no reason. XDD You see Paper Mario fans in constant dispute about which three entries in that series is better based almost purely on whether a toad has hair LMAO. You see all these other shooter games like Call of Duty, Battlefield, Apex Legends, and the eight-letter F-word that shall not be named, making toxic raging YouTubers only seeking fame, only to fail and cause controversies that get them canceled... And then, there's Splatoon. Sitting in the corner where, for the most part, though not without its flaws, we spread our fresh ion with one another- for a unique and colorful world filled with wonderful, creative, and hilarious characters!
The finale of the Octo Expansion, whose Fourth Anniversary had ed not too long ago, made the implication that the evolved sea life that inhabits the world of Splatoon are humans in essence. Albeit through funny rant dialogue from Commander Tartar. XD But the point still stands. Our ancestors did, in fact, "wage wars over minor genetic deviations". And we, to this very day, "obsess over trivial fashion trends". But humans learn from their mistakes, their greed, their delusions of entitlement to instant luxury, their thoughts of superiority above others based on race, sex, religion, background, and all of the above. We may still have a whole~ lot of work to do before we can call this little blue rock in space we live on 'perfect', but we are in a much, much, much, much, MUCH better place now than we were millennia ago! And with time, I predict it will only get better. In my opinion, Splatoon lore is an abridged retelling of human history, where the Inkling and Octarian species make the same massive mistakes as the long-extinct human race- though, despite everything they've gone through, today's inklings are more than willing to accept foreign individuals with exotic cultures and lifestyles into their nation to live with them in harmony [although it's implied that most of them don't know that most of the new folks are octolings]. That shows hope that the future of our sea friends is looking fresh. A true image of 'community' that the fans have embraced better now than when the series was much younger.
Yes. What I love about being a Splatoon fan is that this franchise's community has the merit to be referred to as a 'community', something that most other games' fanbases these days simply don't have. I am very glad and proud to be a member of this following!
And there you have it! All twenty answers to all twenty questions to the Anniversary Activity! This is incredibly late, I know, but I'm a busy man with a lot to think about. Speaking of things to think about, I would like to show you something I made on May 29th this year, just in time for Splatoon's 7th Anniversary! The second image in this post should be an illustration of an octoling's eye in rainbow colors. Well, partial rainbow colors, because it was made to appear 'incomplete'. This is because it is going to be the cover of an art book I've decided to put into motion! It's going to be filled with a bunch of Splatoon fanart and ideas! We all seem to like art here, so I am looking forward to showing you what I'll illustrate! Trust me, I've got more Splatoon-related plans right now than you can wave a stick at lolz!
One of them, in fact, is fan story based on the Octo Expansion! I've posted a question about this before asking if folks thought it would be cool, but you know what? Since yesterday was that DLC's Fourth Anniversary, I've decided to make it happen- and there will be art about it! As most of us know, the story of the Octo Expansion begins after an attack by Commander Tartar abruptly ends a fight between Agent 3 and the octoling who was chosen to be Applicant 10,008, separating them. That octoling ends up exploring the deep with Captain Cuttlefish,... but Agent 3 was marooned elsewhere on their own, and we have no idea what they did to eventually find their way to the captain and Agent 8. This fan story will depict Agent 3's perspective! It will follow 'Prince Doncificus' [the first and last name of my specific Agent 3] as he finds his way through the deep without the captain at his side. He will encounter a lot of different characters and face new opponents as well. What secrets does the twisted Kamabo Corporation have hidden? Follow Agent 3's story in 'Splatoon: Young Prodigy'!!! Cool name, eh? Let me know what you think.
My final thoughts: I just want to thank you all for being one of the greatest videogame communities in existence! And I would like to thank the Splatoon series for giving me such a wonderful time in this unique world and bringing me to the awesome people that make up its fan following!
Thank you, Splatoon!! Here's to the next seven years!!! Until next time,... Stay~ fresh~!!! Woomy!! [*Super jumps into the sunset LMAO*]
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