heard complaints about EOD paid off.

[ugrakarma.9416]

A common complaint about EOD was lack of benign male characters, theyre almost some sort of dumb/comical(gorrik / ivan) / psychopath(the fascist minister) or bland(detective rama). Aside gorrik, our dragonwatch pal with must screentime here was for comical relief(canach)

SotO brig back the wise/benevolent male, many ppl really liked Mabon, a search on forums topics mentioning him is almost complain about him going off too early. Lyhr, Isgarren, even "male" villains was also interesting, with except of Eparch, they didn't worked him well like did with Cerus.

(side note Eparch suffer again from the Anet sin of a rushed final boss, he can compete even with.... zaithan? Even zaithan being a simplistic final boss, at least we can say we have a long build up "hey finally we can fight the bad guy!!").

..., Also they did it at no expense of females characters,  many of them are interesting too.

So theres a evolution here.

Edited May 30 by ugrakarma.9416

[Konig Des Todes.2086]

I think you're the first person I've heard to call Rama "bland".

I think comparing Eparch to Zhaitan is an insult to Eparch. He wasn't a compelling villain, but he had far more direct presence and screentime than Zhaitan and Primordus by quite a bit.

[Kalavier.1097]

I highly doubt the complaining about character genders really affected the writing of SOTO.

You could've worded it as hailing the improvement of character writing. 

[DanAlcedo.3281]

If we go by the launch of EoD, the commen complaints (outside the Soo-Won meta) were the countless threads about:

Women = bad

Lgbt = bad

Making fascists the bad guy = bad

Obviously these threads didn't survive long (hurray mods 😘) so the only once that did were about stuff you mentioned. 

But really, remember that kitten show here on the forum? That was something else. The most toxic time I have ever seen in Guildwars history. 

Edited May 30 by DanAlcedo.3281

[Cronospere.8143]

11 hours ago, Konig Des Todes.2086 said:

I think you're the first person I've heard to call Rama "bland".

I think comparing Eparch to Zhaitan is an insult to Eparch. He wasn't a compelling villain, but he had far more direct presence and screentime than Zhaitan and Primordus by quite a bit.

I still think a lot of opportunity was wasted in building the Eparch character. I could be wrong but didnt we only see him at the end of act V and then in the end battle act VI? Thats almost the same amount as Primordus

Joko, Mordremoth and Balthazar, those had good screentime spanning over multiple releases. Kralkatorik had the best. I kind of missed that here. 

[Konig Des Todes.2086]

3 hours ago, Cronospere.8143 said:

I still think a lot of opportunity was wasted in building the Eparch character. I could be wrong but didnt we only see him at the end of act V and then in the end battle act VI? Thats almost the same amount as Primordus

Joko, Mordremoth and Balthazar, those had good screentime spanning over multiple releases. Kralkatorik had the best. I kind of missed that here. 

At the end of Act 5, in the meta, in the (main) final instance of act 6, and in the fractal.
A bit more than Primordus in GW2, which was only seen in 3 instances, twice as inanimate setpieces (Heart of the Volcano and Wildfire), and the third time was just as an animate setpiece (Dragonstorm). We never had any direct interactions with Primordus, unlike Eparch or even Zhaitan.

Not sure I'd say Mordremoth had good screentime - if you weren't sylvari, you only experienced a single line of Mordy in Bitter Harvest, the meta, and final instance. And even if you were sylvari, it's just 5-10 more lines, basically the same amount of dialogue / interaction as that fist interaction with Eparch (but you don't get to see him).

Joko, Scarlet, Balthazar, Jormag, and Kralkatorrik all definitely had good screentime, even if I don't like Scarlet or how Balthazar was... handled, to put it nicely.

[HojaDanzante.1498]

EoD was a missed opportunity to see Cantha and have an interesting story, instead we have a story that revolves around a rather insufferable empowered human woman who seems to have been taken from the same mold as Captain Marvel and her clones, who One day he woke up and created a technology more advanced than the Asura. (AI too by the way, and microwaves).

[Kalavier.1097]

41 minutes ago, HojaDanzante.1498 said:

EoD was a missed opportunity to see Cantha and have an interesting story, instead we have a story that revolves around a rather insufferable empowered human woman who seems to have been taken from the same mold as Captain Marvel and her clones, who One day he woke up and created a technology more advanced than the Asura. (AI too by the way, and microwaves).

It's quite clearly made obvious that Jade Tech is not more advanced then Asura tech, but is similar and different. And she most definitely didn't make it all in "One day". Plus she used Asura research to help her stuff out.

Asura also have AI lol.

[Trejgon.9367]

43 minutes ago, Kalavier.1097 said:

It's quite clearly made obvious that Jade Tech is not more advanced then Asura tech

Tbh that was not so obvious, with Taimi's reaction to jade powering the jade tech being like "oh and here I am using, *technobabble for asuran power source* as if it was previous century".

Taimi dialogue does alot to sell jade tech as superior to asuran tech, tho one could argue if it is to be taken at face value, considering it comes from, well, taimi.

[Konig Des Todes.2086]

45 minutes ago, Kalavier.1097 said:

It's quite clearly made obvious that Jade Tech is not more advanced then Asura tech, but is similar and different. And she most definitely didn't make it all in "One day". Plus she used Asura research to help her stuff out.

Asura also have AI lol.

Depending on what definition of AI you use, tbh.

What asura have is basically ChatGPT, and they had that since M.O.X. The sole exception seems to be Hero-Tron, and this is by design during GW2, because of the Great Golem Uprising of 1284 and subsequently installing sedition inhibitors to prevent it from occurring again.

We don't really get enough exposure to jade mechs to tell if their AI is more sophisticated. But the existence of the fractal in SotO suggests that they have (or are on the precipice of having) true AI.

As to "similar and different", I dunno. A lot of asura tech isn't actually tech, but magic used in a techy way. Jadetech uses actual modern tech terminology, with microwaves, ovens, and other modern day appliances. Asura struggled to recently create a freaking refrigerator in Edge of Destiny, and did so in the most magic way possible - by just putting a crystal infused with ice magic in a box. Outside of the mechs, jadetech to me always looks "modern day technology but with green deisgns and a touch of cyberpunk" in a lot of ways. Asura technology, charr technology, etc. never felt that way.

And the way Tyrians react to jadetech, even asura, as if it's just so much better than anything Tyrians have really give the feel that - even if it wasn't shown well - jadetech is superior to anything Tyrians have. The pre-launch trailer for it, having Kasmeer talking about how unimaginably powerful Cantha has become, only further stressed this. If Jadetech was just asuratech in level, I don't think Tyrians would be reacting this way.

Edited May 31 by Konig Des Todes.2086

[HojaDanzante.1498]

56 minutes ago, Kalavier.1097 said:

It's quite clearly made obvious that Jade Tech is not more advanced then Asura tech, but is similar and different. And she most definitely didn't make it all in "One day". Plus she used Asura research to help her stuff out.

Asura also have AI lol.

Of course Canthian technology is much more advanced than Asura, as Trejgon says, even Taimi is surprised at how superior Cantha technology is. Let's try to make sense of it, on the one hand we have the Asura civilization that since its origins has been developing and researching its own technology, Cantha on the other hand, is a civilization with 0 technological development, technologically it is equal to all human nations, and they have been semi-destroyed after the uprising of Orr, and you're telling me that a human in a matter of 5-20 years is capable of overcoming the asura from 0? It doesn't make any sense.

[Kalavier.1097]

46 minutes ago, Konig Des Todes.2086 said:

Depending on what definition of AI you use, tbh.

What asura have is basically ChatGPT, and they had that since M.O.X. The sole exception seems to be Hero-Tron, and this is by design during GW2, because of the Great Golem Uprising of 1284 and subsequently installing sedition inhibitors to prevent it from occurring again.

We don't really get enough exposure to jade mechs to tell if their AI is more sophisticated. But the existence of the fractal in SotO suggests that they have (or are on the precipice of having) true AI.

As to "similar and different", I dunno. A lot of asura tech isn't actually tech, but magic used in a techy way. Jadetech uses actual modern tech terminology, with microwaves, ovens, and other modern day appliances. Asura struggled to recently create a freaking refrigerator in Edge of Destiny, and did so in the most magic way possible - by just putting a crystal infused with ice magic in a box. Outside of the mechs, jadetech to me always looks "modern day technology but with green deisgns and a touch of cyberpunk" in a lot of ways. Asura technology, charr technology, etc. never felt that way.

And the way Tyrians react to jadetech, even asura, as if it's just so much better than anything Tyrians have really give the feel that - even if it wasn't shown well - jadetech is superior to anything Tyrians have. The pre-launch trailer for it, having Kasmeer talking about how unimaginably powerful Cantha has become, only further stressed this. If Jadetech was just asuratech in level, I don't think Tyrians would be reacting this way.

You have to remember that Asura basically hold "magitech" in Tyria at a strangehold of their own control. They don't let anybody else properly learn anything about it.

Cantha also presented a very solid first impression to try to impress the outsiders into not taking advantage of them. We quickly see the Ministry of Security isn't THAT powerful, and corruption hurts it's effectiveness greatly (Similar to Seraph being hamstrung at every turn at start of game) and Jade Tech is suffering problems that are growing in scale, and then afterwards they have to scramble to find a new way to secure their power supplies before it runs out.

Asura are also amazed because their entire lives are spent thinking it's impossible for humans to even comprehend any of these concepts tech or magic wise. The Arcane Council sends out people to try to destroy any Asura tech that has fallen into others hands, as seen in the Manor dungeon. Uenno is mentioned to have spent time teaching Statics to humans after leaving Rata Sum to get tech into more hands. 

Also, Yao directly comments at one point in trying to find an Asura energy core for their replacement limbs, should charged Jade stop becoming available.

59 minutes ago, Trejgon.9367 said:

Tbh that was not so obvious, with Taimi's reaction to jade powering the jade tech being like "oh and here I am using, *technobabble for asuran power source* as if it was previous century".

Taimi dialogue does alot to sell jade tech as superior to asuran tech, tho one could argue if it is to be taken at face value, considering it comes from, well, taimi.

Taimi comes from Rata Sum, which we know is stuck in bureaucracy and politics. The humans of Xunlai are not bound by the same rules or mindset, and thus did things she hadn't thought of.

Taimi, while being an outlier of Asura for recognizing others intelligence, still comes from Rata Sum, which treats all other races as too dumb to even be able to understand the concepts of their magitech or other items. She notes Braham understands some concepts she puts out, but to see it widespread in a human/Tengu population is another thing.

49 minutes ago, HojaDanzante.1498 said:

Of course Canthian technology is much more advanced than Asura, as Trejgon says, even Taimi is surprised at how superior Cantha technology is. Let's try to make sense of it, on the one hand we have the Asura civilization that since its origins has been developing and researching its own technology, Cantha on the other hand, is a civilization with 0 technological development, technologically it is equal to all human nations, and they have been semi-destroyed after the uprising of Orr, and you're telling me that a human in a matter of 5-20 years is capable of overcoming the asura from 0? It doesn't make any sense.

Yes, let's completely ignore the fact that they had tech of sorts (Joon replaces magically charged Amber in a lamp with charged Jade, and that starts her career), plus she had Asura research journals that she used to jumpstart her studies into tech. 

Also, Again for the third time, Asura in Tyria stranglehold tech and refuse to admit other races can understand it. Of course when they find an entire Nation of humans who not only understand the concepts of magitech and sciences, but actively apply them in daily life, they'd be amazed.

Imagine if everybody thought Chimps couldn't understand electricity or tech. And then we ran into a civilization of Chimps who had cities run by electricity and computers as well. We'd be downright amazed and in awe too.

Jade Mechs are similar in function and power as Golems. Hell, there is an entire quest chain in Arborstone where Nozomi wants you to go scan Asura Golems to help develop her own bots AI module, and give it empathy. 

Also Joon may be a major figure, but she didn't act alone. Unlike the Asura who fight each other and horde their advancements for their personal glory, Xunlai works together and teaches others.

This is literally shown in the fact they had dedicated healing and medical tech, where the Asura basically left Taimi to go fix her problems by herself.

[Konig Des Todes.2086]

54 minutes ago, Kalavier.1097 said:

You have to remember that Asura basically hold "magitech" in Tyria at a strangehold of their own control. They don't let anybody else properly learn anything about it.

Cantha also presented a very solid first impression to try to impress the outsiders into not taking advantage of them. We quickly see the Ministry of Security isn't THAT powerful, and corruption hurts it's effectiveness greatly (Similar to Seraph being hamstrung at every turn at start of game) and Jade Tech is suffering problems that are growing in scale, and then afterwards they have to scramble to find a new way to secure their power supplies before it runs out.

Asura are also amazed because their entire lives are spent thinking it's impossible for humans to even comprehend any of these concepts tech or magic wise. The Arcane Council sends out people to try to destroy any Asura tech that has fallen into others hands, as seen in the Manor dungeon. Uenno is mentioned to have spent time teaching Statics to humans after leaving Rata Sum to get tech into more hands. 

Also, Yao directly comments at one point in trying to find an Asura energy core for their replacement limbs, should charged Jade stop becoming available.

Yao considering modding his arm with an alternative battery doesn't make that alternative battery equal to what he currently uses - or the tech the batteries are for in equal quality.

Asura do have a stranglehold, but not completely as evident by Scarlet getting to learn from them. And that is not why the asura are amazed - hell, we have individuals like Uzolan who had already been doing asura level tech independently (well "independently" as he had gotten some tech from Inquest and was reverse engineering it, much like what Scarlet did). The fact the Arcane Council sends out goons to destroy tech that falls in the hands of bandits and other criminals is honestly in full support the asura are fully aware that other races can create equal or better tech and try to keep them from doing so. They were amazed because of the actual level of technology and as Trejgon said, even Taimi was talking about it as if it is leagues above asuratech. Not that humans made tech, but that they made tech that is so much superior to their own and is so widespread. I mean, hell, Taimi took days to fix the communications system that is cutting edge tech in Tyria but is everyday usage in Cantha.

The jade tech "suffering problems that are growing in scale" is only because of Void. This, and then lacking a permanent power source, does not alter the level of technology or development jadetech is at.

[Quench.7091]

Characters being portrayed as benign, even though they are not, is not a good thing. EoD drove be crazy with Joon! She had a monopoly over jade tech and overpriced it. This lead to people in the slums not being able to afford the technology that they depended on and gave rise to the Chul-Moo and the Jade Brotherhood. It's not good that the writers glossed over that.

SOTO did better than EoD in this regard. Character flaws were better explored and overtime many characters got over things like their distrust in others. Some people never got past their own personal flaws and are only giving a nod towards a potential brighter future.

 

 

BTW, when it comes to Mabon being benign, remember him saying this:

Quote

Do you think these experiments were justified?

Mabon: I do. I didn't always, truth be told, but I've seen the good that's come of them.

Mabon: You have to understand, there are things we've prevented because of them that Tyria knows nothing about.

Mabon: Everything we do comes at a price, but if what we gain in return is the safety of our world, then we must pay that cost.

Mabon: Hopefully, someday, they will no longer be necessary. If we're lucky, maybe even someday soon.

Cracked a few eggs to make an omelette there. I think that's an interesting character.

Edited May 31 by Quench.7091

[Kalavier.1097]

4 hours ago, Konig Des Todes.2086 said:

Yao considering modding his arm with an alternative battery doesn't make that alternative battery equal to what he currently uses - or the tech the batteries are for in equal quality.

Asura do have a stranglehold, but not completely as evident by Scarlet getting to learn from them. And that is not why the asura are amazed - hell, we have individuals like Uzolan who had already been doing asura level tech independently (well "independently" as he had gotten some tech from Inquest and was reverse engineering it, much like what Scarlet did). The fact the Arcane Council sends out goons to destroy tech that falls in the hands of bandits and other criminals is honestly in full support the asura are fully aware that other races can create equal or better tech and try to keep them from doing so. They were amazed because of the actual level of technology and as Trejgon said, even Taimi was talking about it as if it is leagues above asuratech. Not that humans made tech, but that they made tech that is so much superior to their own and is so widespread. I mean, hell, Taimi took days to fix the communications system that is cutting edge tech in Tyria but is everyday usage in Cantha.

The jade tech "suffering problems that are growing in scale" is only because of Void. This, and then lacking a permanent power source, does not alter the level of technology or development jadetech is at.

The difference between Jade Tech and Asura Tech lies in that Jade Tech is built by the group for the group, where Asura advance tech for the individual.

It's not really depicted as more advanced for me, but purposefully built so that more people can use and benefit from it. They go "What could benefit our society?" and build that. Asura however,  invent something because Asura inventor X wants to do something for himself, or to spite Asura inventor Y. This is shown with medical tech and Taimi. 

Taimi spent her entire life in Rata Sum having to fend for herself with little external aid besides schooling. She built Scruffy as a mobility aide on her own. She gets to Cantha, and they direct her to the medical division of Xunlai who goes "Oh yeah, we've worked on some aides/treatments for conditions like this, Maybe these leg braces/exoskeleton would work for you?"

The Arcane Council and Asura culture in general puts down other races intelligence, and doesn't quickly work to cooperate with others. Xunlai cooperates with others and works as a group, hiring in Tengu and others and training them. I have played all of GW2, and Jade Tech is similar, but different to Asura Tech. It is not explicitly shown as "Leagues above and way better then anything Asura have invented period". It's simply much more widespread and more common then Asura Tech, who don't have power grids or major tech hubs extending outside their territories.

[SoftFootpaws.9134]

4 hours ago, Kalavier.1097 said:

The difference between Jade Tech and Asura Tech lies in that Jade Tech is built by the group for the group, where Asura advance tech for the individual.

It's not really depicted as more advanced for me, but purposefully built so that more people can use and benefit from it. They go "What could benefit our society?" and build that. Asura however,  invent something because Asura inventor X wants to do something for himself, or to spite Asura inventor Y. This is shown with medical tech and Taimi. 

Taimi spent her entire life in Rata Sum having to fend for herself with little external aid besides schooling. She built Scruffy as a mobility aide on her own. She gets to Cantha, and they direct her to the medical division of Xunlai who goes "Oh yeah, we've worked on some aides/treatments for conditions like this, Maybe these leg braces/exoskeleton would work for you?"

The Arcane Council and Asura culture in general puts down other races intelligence, and doesn't quickly work to cooperate with others. Xunlai cooperates with others and works as a group, hiring in Tengu and others and training them. I have played all of GW2, and Jade Tech is similar, but different to Asura Tech. It is not explicitly shown as "Leagues above and way better then anything Asura have invented period". It's simply much more widespread and more common then Asura Tech, who don't have power grids or major tech hubs extending outside their territories.

i often explain it to players like this: asura technology is like something the government would have in the 70s/80s, and jade tech is the same technology that the consumer would own in the 90s. both of them perform the same function, but the later was made to be mass-producable, safe(-ish) and user-friendly.

[ugrakarma.9416]

6 hours ago, Morvran.8265 said:

I mean, it' better, but there's still no male character that acts even remotely manly or assertive without being portrayed as evil, and SotO still doesn't get deeper than "girlboss takes down patriarchy" so not much has changed.

Isgarren is here.

 

1 hour ago, Kalavier.1097 said:

So before I do the joke about "You played the super secret version of SOTO nobody else did."

I'd love to know your issues with Isgarren, Mabon, Galrath, Frode, Ramses, Nephus, Zizel, and such. Since those are the major male characters in the storyline (not counting side characters).

Exactly.

Also Peitha needed lots of help and allies.

Edited June 1 by ugrakarma.9416

[draxynnic.3719]

On 6/1/2024 at 7:40 AM, Kalavier.1097 said:

The difference between Jade Tech and Asura Tech lies in that Jade Tech is built by the group for the group, where Asura advance tech for the individual.

It's not really depicted as more advanced for me, but purposefully built so that more people can use and benefit from it. They go "What could benefit our society?" and build that. Asura however,  invent something because Asura inventor X wants to do something for himself, or to spite Asura inventor Y. This is shown with medical tech and Taimi. 

Taimi spent her entire life in Rata Sum having to fend for herself with little external aid besides schooling. She built Scruffy as a mobility aide on her own. She gets to Cantha, and they direct her to the medical division of Xunlai who goes "Oh yeah, we've worked on some aides/treatments for conditions like this, Maybe these leg braces/exoskeleton would work for you?"

The Arcane Council and Asura culture in general puts down other races intelligence, and doesn't quickly work to cooperate with others. Xunlai cooperates with others and works as a group, hiring in Tengu and others and training them. I have played all of GW2, and Jade Tech is similar, but different to Asura Tech. It is not explicitly shown as "Leagues above and way better then anything Asura have invented period". It's simply much more widespread and more common then Asura Tech, who don't have power grids or major tech hubs extending outside their territories.

It's also been said about the asura that the secretiveness of asura inventors means that a lot of technology is unavailable for other inventors, or even gets lost entirely, because most asura inventors are secretive and jealous about their inventions and as often as not their work dies with them. This makes them slow to evolve beyond whatever basics are taught at the colleges. While the inventions of prodigies are recorded for public access, that's essentially meaning that the only inventions that reliably go into the 'public domain' for others to work on and improve are those that were devised through the first few years of an asura's career, while they're still formally a student. The Inquest was supposedly formed as a reaction to this, but the Inquest still keeps everything it discovers in-house if it can, and generally act like a collection of Bond villains that most other factions actively oppose, so their priorities are a bit off and they regularly lose their work due to conflicts with others.

Jadetech, on the other hand, is produced as part of a commercial business which does attempt to maintain a monopoly, but nevertheless fully encourages its employees to collaborate and who's products are intended for general use rather than being hoarded like the Inquest's.

I think another consideration is that dragonjade at least used to provide a reliable and controllable energy source, while asura energy sources come across as being a bit more ad hoc, and Cantha just seems to have more people and resources available than Rata Sum.

[Blood Red Arachnid.2493]

I can tell whenever one of these threads comes up, because I'll get emoji traffic on my older posts.

The good news is that, while I had many complaints about EoD, misandry wasn't one of them.  I've read a book about the subject, titled Spreading Misandry: The Teaching of Contempt for Men in Popular Culture, by Paul Nathanson and Katherine Young.  It is... a rather dry read, actually.  It was published in 2006, so most of the examples it gives is come from movies and television shows that we're all too young to remember.  The meat is in the beginning and ending chapters, with the intermediary chapters serving as a large set of case examples.  To give a brief summation of common misandry, it follows several traits

• Men are depicted as obsolete, or incompetent.  Largely to be laughed at, or an obstacle to deal with.
• Men who are not incompetent are malevolently evil, overly aggressive and destructive for the sake of it.
• Men are depicted in modernity with technology and architecture.
• Women are seen as innocent, collaborative, pure, and intelligent.
• Any woman who is not seen as above is evil only at the direct influence of men, either beguiling or oppression.
• Women are depicted as nature, with plants, animals, rivers, and natural geological formations.
• The only "good" men are the ones who are honorary women; either an intersectional stereotype or constantly espousing the evils of maleness and the virtue of femaleness. 

If you want an example of these tropes in a more modern context, I'd go with the second season of Hilda.  That is one of those shows where, if I were to attempt to dissect and tear the whole thing down, it would require a video that is several hours long.  Every bullet point listed above is plainly shown in spades in that show, with the second season being particularly egregious.  

Because of this book, I've decided to make a small misandry test, much like the Bechdel Test or the Mako Mori Test.  It's really simple: If a show has male characters of note, there must be at least one male character who is functionally competent, morally good, and not an honorary woman.  Side corollary, if there is an antagonistic woman in the show, she must not be antagonistic solely from a man's influence.  Looking at this standard, you can see why it is I do not claim that EoD has misandry.  It has male characters that are functionally competent and morally good while being distinctly male (Gorrik and Rama).  Likewise, it also has a female character who is evil, but not from a man's influence (Ankka).  There's complaints about Gorriks hilarity, but he's still good and makes contributions in the story.  Minister Li is cited as an evil man, but Rama is fighting him by your side.  

There's roughly 90 years of examples of misandry in media that EoD doesn't align with.

[Kalavier.1097]

23 hours ago, draxynnic.3719 said:

It's also been said about the asura that the secretiveness of asura inventors means that a lot of technology is unavailable for other inventors, or even gets lost entirely, because most asura inventors are secretive and jealous about their inventions and as often as not their work dies with them. This makes them slow to evolve beyond whatever basics are taught at the colleges. While the inventions of prodigies are recorded for public access, that's essentially meaning that the only inventions that reliably go into the 'public domain' for others to work on and improve are those that were devised through the first few years of an asura's career, while they're still formally a student. The Inquest was supposedly formed as a reaction to this, but the Inquest still keeps everything it discovers in-house if it can, and generally act like a collection of Bond villains that most other factions actively oppose, so their priorities are a bit off and they regularly lose their work due to conflicts with others.

Jadetech, on the other hand, is produced as part of a commercial business which does attempt to maintain a monopoly, but nevertheless fully encourages its employees to collaborate and who's products are intended for general use rather than being hoarded like the Inquest's.

I think another consideration is that dragonjade at least used to provide a reliable and controllable energy source, while asura energy sources come across as being a bit more ad hoc, and Cantha just seems to have more people and resources available than Rata Sum.

Another aspect is how Asura are constantly trying to prove they are the smartest in the room when talking about science/tech. So they may take a 3 step process "Remove old power core/battery. Install new power core. Turn on." into a 12 step process to prove how much better they are.

Meanwhile the Xunlai just keep it at 3 steps.