[ANSWERED] Wait... what was that first cutscene?

[Hardcoded]

Potential spoilers, I guess? I'm going to hint at "The Incident", and explain a very minor mystery about the mechanics of the loops, but none of that is a particularly big deal IMO.

Literally the first thing we see in the game is Siffrin - clearly having been crying - apparently catching a star that floats down towards him and eating it.

Initial thought was, okay, that's why he's in the loop. He ate something magic. This is reinforced by 1) the "tug on your stomach" and 2) Siff getting hungrier as the loops progress. But, once you learn what really caused the loop, that goes out the window. In fact, he's not even in the loop when we start the game. We get a crystal-clear explanation for point 2, but not so much point 1. It could be that the "tug" is simply the sensation of time magic's drain on his body or a sort of reference to the "silver cord" tethering spirit and body. (Which I don't think is just a D&D thing?)

I was poking around after beating the game (and reminding a lot of people in real life that I love them), and loaded an old save to trigger the flashback to "The Incident", and that features Siff sadly eating something. I thought that HAD to be it, hit "New Game", and... well, it's not really croissant-shaped, is it?

Curious if I missed something, or if this is something "left up to interpretation".

[Jarp]

Originally posted by Hardcoded:

Potential spoilers, I guess? I'm going to hint at "The Incident", and explain a very minor mystery about the mechanics of the loops, but none of that is a particularly big deal IMO.

Literally the first thing we see in the game is Siffrin - clearly having been crying - apparently catching a star that floats down towards him and eating it.

Initial thought was, okay, that's why he's in the loop. He ate something magic. This is reinforced by 1) the "tug on your stomach" and 2) Siff getting hungrier as the loops progress. But, once you learn what really caused the loop, that goes out the window. In fact, he's not even in the loop when we start the game. We get a crystal-clear explanation for point 2, but not so much point 1. It could be that the "tug" is simply the sensation of time magic's drain on his body or a sort of reference to the "silver cord" tethering spirit and body. (Which I don't think is just a D&D thing?)

I was poking around after beating the game (and reminding a lot of people in real life that I love them), and loaded an old save to trigger the flashback to "The Incident", and that features Siff sadly eating something. I thought that HAD to be it, hit "New Game", and... well, it's not really croissant-shaped, is it?

Curious if I missed something, or if this is something "left up to interpretation".

You missed something alright. It’s a major missable story event that’s easy to not find.
It happens in act 6, but the setup for it to happen is done in act 3 and/or 4. You already saw “The Incident” which is part of the prerequisite events for this major event. There’s one other thing you need to do in act 3/4 (doesn’t matter which), and that is, if you want directions, to interact with your silver coin in front of the favor tree, where Loop is. Did you know you can show items to Loop doing that? Easy to miss that. then, once you’ve done that, play through the game until act 6. after that, did you know you can return to Dormont in act 6? You just go back through the entrance to The End room, and you’ll go back there. Some of the events that follow after that should give you an explanation.

[Hardcoded]

Thanks a bunch!

[Jarp]

Originally posted by Hardcoded:

Thanks a bunch!

No problem! Glad to help

[lonkers]

for those who didn't get the secret at the end and don't feel like going back, here is the explanation (MASSIVE SPOILERS AHEAD, DON'T READ UNLESS YOU BEAT THE GAME BUT MISSED THE FINAL STORY BEAT):

By interacting with your coin at Loop's tree in Act 6, some things happen, and you get in a fight with Loop, where they explain that they are you from another, failed timeline. They had nobody to help them, they were totally alone, and eventually lost the will to continue and gave up so completely they essentially died, died so hard they stopped thinking.

And with the last bit of life they had, they made a wish to escape this place, and the wish manifested by turning them into Loop and sending them to Siffrin/your timeline to help Siffrin.

They fight you out of rage and jealousy of YOU (this Siffrin) getting the perfect ending and escaping with their friends, meanwhile they were stuck as a different, broken person in a different body. They felt useless and defeated, like they didn't matter.

But when the fight ends, Siffrin explains that even through their differences and arguments, it was them, Loop, that helped them find a way to escape. And in that way their wish came true, Siffrin did escape, through Loop's generous help. And this calms Loop down and they eventually leave in peace, with acceptance that they weren't useless and their nightmarish experience wasn't for naught.

So with that being said...the beginning cutscene is Loop being bestowed upon Siffrin. And this is ultimately the key that lets Siffrin escape. So in a way you're right, it IS the beginning, and end, of the cycle.

In fact, you could almost say that YOU THE PLAYER are Loop's helpful interference, and the intro is the effect of you the player pressing "new game" and blessing Siffrin with the ability to eventually beat the cycle.

Although i like your thought about the croissant incident. Maybe that bad memory is what made the bestowing of Loop to Siffrin appear to him in his dream as eating a star.

(also it's kind of a howl's moving castle reference)

[Gamefan]

Originally posted by lonkers:

for those who didn't get the secret at the end and don't feel like going back, here is the explanation (MASSIVE SPOILERS AHEAD, DON'T READ UNLESS YOU BEAT THE GAME BUT MISSED THE FINAL STORY BEAT):

By interacting with your coin at Loop's tree in Act 6, some things happen, and you get in a fight with Loop, where they explain that they are you from another, failed timeline. They had nobody to help them, they were totally alone, and eventually lost the will to continue and gave up so completely they essentially died, died so hard they stopped thinking.

And with the last bit of life they had, they made a wish to escape this place, and the wish manifested by turning them into Loop and sending them to Siffrin/your timeline to help Siffrin.

They fight you out of rage and jealousy of YOU (this Siffrin) getting the perfect ending and escaping with their friends, meanwhile they were stuck as a different, broken person in a different body. They felt useless and defeated, like they didn't matter.

But when the fight ends, Siffrin explains that even through their differences and arguments, it was them, Loop, that helped them find a way to escape. And in that way their wish came true, Siffrin did escape, through Loop's generous help. And this calms Loop down and they eventually leave in peace, with acceptance that they weren't useless and their nightmarish experience wasn't for naught.

So with that being said...the beginning cutscene is Loop being bestowed upon Siffrin. And this is ultimately the key that lets Siffrin escape. So in a way you're right, it IS the beginning, and end, of the cycle.

In fact, you could almost say that YOU THE PLAYER are Loop's helpful interference, and the intro is the effect of you the player pressing "new game" and blessing Siffrin with the ability to eventually beat the cycle.

Although i like your thought about the croissant incident. Maybe that bad memory is what made the bestowing of Loop to Siffrin appear to him in his dream as eating a star.

(also it's kind of a howl's moving castle reference)

To find out more about this play the prequel START AGAIN which is all about this!