.hack lore explanation.

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Kokuro
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Dec 11, 2017 3:07 pm

.hack lore explanation.

Post by Kokuro »

Hey everyone, long time.
Some of you are probably around from the old CC days, some of you may not be. It's all good, my name never really changes (much) haha.
(Skip to the bolded section if you don't want to read my long-winded explanation of why I want what I'm looking for.)

Anyway, on to the point of this topic. I tried using the search feature, but couldn't really find a post that answers what I'm looking for, so here I am.

I've been a long time fan of .hack since I was a teenager many moons ago. I was very wise on to the comings and goings of the .hack series up until the end of G.U. I waited with very anticipated breath for .hack//Link, which obviously never came, and then got caught up with Kingdom Hearts and my obsession took me there. With .hack//Last Recode out now though (I'm only now about to start vol. 4, I live a very busy life), the fire has once again begun burning. I started reading through some of the "unresolved plot points" thread, and realized that the .hack series has really gone down the rabbit hole, I mean further than what I thought I knew. I've managed to make out that there's this group called Mama, founded in part by Emma Wieland (who is apparently NOT dead???) and they're trying to save the world by shoving people into The World. Then there's all these other terms and stuff and while it's a bit overwhelming, I'm really excited to learn about it all........except all my searching yields me fruitless results. The .hack wikia doesn't seem to have have been updated in ages, or has very brief mentions of things I'm interested in learning about and not others.

So, I'm looking for one of two things with the ultimate goal being an understanding of the .hack Lore.

I am looking for either:
A site (or thread on here if possible) that has a thorough explanation of the .hack franchise that lists in detail the games lore and what happens behind the scenes in the real world.
Or
A way to follow along with each entry (including the ones in Japanese) that I would be able to use while I explore the games myself/lore myself


Ultimately, the second option is the hardest for me, but one that is more preferable if possible. That one would include translations of the Japanese only manga/light novels, (as opposed to in depth synopsis I'm looking for in the first option), and guides to allow me to play the Japanese games so that I could enjoy them and understand what I'm doing. I know that .hack//Link has an english patch in the works that looks like it may actually be completed, but I would need to get the game to get the files to do the patch. I imported .hack//versus a few years ago, but can't enjoy the movie due to not having subtitles (at least none I've been able to find) and can't really enjoy the gameplay because I don't know how to play. The only game I've ever played in Japanese was Kingdom Hearts IIFM (and the mobil game UX but I don't count that), and that was only possible because I had played KHII so many times prior. I want to chase this rabbit hole so badly, but I lack the current tools or information. It is one of the saddest things to me that .hack pretty much died over here in the west, but I have hopes that MAYBE with enough interest in .hack//Last Recode, things will turn around. Going off this forum, there are people on here that are so knowledgable, I know there must be a way to understand it all myself also. Thank you all for your time.
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Falions
Posts: 404
Joined: Wed Dec 10, 2014 11:15 am

Re: .hack lore explanation.

Post by Falions »

https://dothacktranslate.wordpress.com/ for all your translated .hack media needs. Link is by and large complete and Bullet is still underway. You should be able to find Thanatos Report subtitled floating around somewhere.

As for the rest... there is a thread titled "Unresolved .hack franchise plot threads" that has a lot of discussion you can catch up on, and most sub-forums have both comprehensive summaries (the Versus one is really helpful) and discussion from years ago you can read. Start by playing Link, as it's the first step into the 3rd season of .hack. Also, did you watch the Terminal Disk files with Last Recode? Those are also good.

Good luck! The best thing about this forum being up for so long is there is a wealth of great threads to go through.
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Kokuro
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Dec 11, 2017 3:07 pm

Re: .hack lore explanation.

Post by Kokuro »

I started reading the "unresolved plot threads" thread which is what made me realize how deep this rabbit hole went. I was able to piece together a bit from what I read, and re-watching Quantum and Beyond the World since then helped a bit. Unfamiliar about what the Thanatos Files are. I also don't know what Bullet refers to. :( Also, I keep seeing the abbreviation .hack//T.E. and have no idea what T.E. is. Is that supposed to be the Epitaph of Twilight Manga that was Japanese exclusive?

I'm not done with Last Recode yet so I only have the files related to the IMOQ lore (which I was already pretty well versed in). I'm assuming I have to beat the game to unlock the other 9 or so files?

I do OWN Versus, I imported it about a year or so ago, but I ended up being unable to play it due to not knowing what to do. Will the wordpress account be able to help me navigate that game? It has always looked beautiful, but I've had no idea what I was doing when playing it. Thanks again.
Lindz
Posts: 371
Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2012 4:56 pm

Re: .hack lore explanation.

Post by Lindz »

Save files from Vol.1/2/3 both during the game and after achieving "clear data" unlock 2-3 Terminal Disc reports per game. Load it on up and click on one of the "locked" files an ya should be prompted to have your data checked. After which you should get some fresh new videos!

I dun think fanslators have really gotten ta Versus yet unless I haven't been paying attention! But I played through it no trouble all the way to 100%! What'd ya have probs with?
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Falions
Posts: 404
Joined: Wed Dec 10, 2014 11:15 am

Re: .hack lore explanation.

Post by Falions »

Kokuro wrote:I started reading the "unresolved plot threads" thread which is what made me realize how deep this rabbit hole went. I was able to piece together a bit from what I read, and re-watching Quantum and Beyond the World since then helped a bit. Unfamiliar about what the Thanatos Files are. I also don't know what Bullet refers to. :( Also, I keep seeing the abbreviation .hack//T.E. and have no idea what T.E. is. Is that supposed to be the Epitaph of Twilight Manga that was Japanese exclusive?

I'm not done with Last Recode yet so I only have the files related to the IMOQ lore (which I was already pretty well versed in). I'm assuming I have to beat the game to unlock the other 9 or so files?

I do OWN Versus, I imported it about a year or so ago, but I ended up being unable to play it due to not knowing what to do. Will the wordpress account be able to help me navigate that game? It has always looked beautiful, but I've had no idea what I was doing when playing it. Thanks again.
There should be a controls thread in the //Versus sub-forum. In the story mode you just do the fights that are highlighted, and if you need to go to the forums there should be a little exclamation point denoting that. Thanatos Report is the OVA unlocked upon beating Versus. Bullet is a web-novel that was just completed this year. Again, it's also partially completed on dothacktranslate. And yeah, as Lindz says, you'll unlock new batches with each clear file. As for T.E... IIRC it's some sort of blog or podcast or something or the other that happened that revealed a lot of third season back story. You'll have to ask someone more versed than me about that one.

Also, I think that same unresolved plot threads thread just recently had a summary of the Epitaph of Twilight novel posted by Kuukai. It should be noted that Quantum is kind of an outlier, since it skews Link's canon for unknown reasons. The movie also has a director's cut ending that's an extra few minutes that shows Aura in a sort of cage to show that she's trapped, which is followed up in Thanatos Report. The third season is a bit of a mess, but like I said, Link is currently your best move. Good luck!
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(Phantom) Thief
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Re: .hack lore explanation. - .hack//Talk Event

Post by (Phantom) Thief »

Truth is most of us have been through the content so many times without a series to set this in our minds we are actually forgetting it.
As I was looking back at some of the topics it because obvious to me we are stuck in a cycle.

Anyway .hack//T.E. (Talk Event) was a live Talk Event hosted in Japan.

Reports of the information are still available at Famitsu & 4gamer. At the event CC2 discussed the different plot elements going on in the series at that time such as the connections between different organizations within the series like ALGOS, ALTMIT, CC Corp and Mama and the new technologies behind Soul Digitalize such as an Evolving Data Bug, Hermit's Black Stick, and antivirus program Sophia which are all involved in created Lost Ones.

The Evolving Virus Bug are a computer virus developed by ALTMIT to increase demand for their Sophia Security System, an antivirus system and originally a second R.A. Plan who are also a mass produced version of Aura developed by ALTMIT created from The Akashic Records.

Soul Digitalize is the process in which previous players of the game have become Lost Ones and it's connections to PWF.

PWF or Psychopathology und das Forschungsinstitut der virtuelle is
a research organization founded by Fluegel//Ryou Sogabe (main of .hack//Bullet).

Fluegel is one of eight individuals hired by CC Corp. that opposed Tokio//9 (main of .hack//Link & 2nd main of .hack//Versus) - who was able to physically enter into the game known by a process known as Real Digitalize in the middle of CC Corp's 2020 plan to capture Aura.

PWF is also the same organization that Reiko//Shamrock mentions in .hack//Quantum that have finally created a practical method for trapping players within the game and are interested in controlling the Lost Ones.

Furthermore PWF are connected//controlled by the second half of mama who are the same organization who managed to trap Hermit's mind in The World and gave him the Black Stick for manipulating data within The World.

mama are an older group within the series, now in control of a woman named Veronica Brain that is behind most of the events leading up to, Emma's Ideology, Aura's creation, and Likely 3 out of 5 Network Crisis. mama seek to digitalize all of humanity in order to stop their ongoing self destructive activities.

More Here:

http://www.dothackers.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=18924

The talk event also detailed some of Reiko Saeki reason for creating Shammrock, David's connection to NAB and so on.

Furthermore I just found this out but as it turns out despite that scene with Amagi .hack//Quantum was heavily supervised by CC2 during its production therefore much of the fuzzy canon that we complain about might be more intentional than most of us imagine. Maybe something happened with Amagi midway through. *Narrows Eyes* Maybe NAB is under the direct control of mama as well or worse.
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