Happy 4th of July, to all you Americans out there. While I try not to be too serious very often, it's important that those of us who are free appreciate and remember the lives of those who died so we could be free.

People from around the world have traveled to the United States to enjoy the liberties we often take for granted. Imagine how boring comedians would be if they couldn't make poke fun at President Clinton. And while we all complain about taxes (including myself), remember that under some forms of communistic rule, you're taxed 100% of your earnings. Suddenly, 30% doesn't sound so bad.

To those of you around the world that were wishing you had the freedoms Americans don't give a second thought about: hang in there, and enjoy RPGs if you can!

Q: So, AK, #1, do you believe RPGs should be targeted at an adult audience, a teen audience, a child audience, any combination, or hihgly intellectually advanced pachyderms?
And, #2, just what do you do other than answer questions? (#3?) Or are you nothing more than the almighty RPGuru?
-Chinju =:>
P.S. Why don't you print post-scripts, anyway?

AK: RPGs shouldn't be limited to just one age group, Chinju. You should know that! Games like Super Mario RPG are well suited for the younger lads and lassies, while I feel Final Fantasies should be targeted at the teen audience, yet appropriate for younger audiences as well. While I wouldn't recommend most RPGs to young kids, simply because of the boredom factor, many out there find them much more fun than beating people up in Tekken 3.
What do I do other than answer questions? Nothing! RPGs are life!
Just kidding, of course. I keep myself busy. I work part-time for the YMCA during most of the year, and I was working full-time for the first month and a half of the summer (I'm looking around for another full-time job for the rest of the summer, my wallet is looking depressingly empty, except for an over-abundance of frequent-buyer CD cards). I love sports with a passion, so I work out and play basketball almost daily. And as is often apparent in this column, I love music, especially the magical tunes and tones of R.E.M. I'm spending a lot of time learning the guitar on my electric bass guitar, electric guitar, and acoustic guitar. Not showing many signs of talent yet, but I'm not giving up just yet! I'm also a student; I'll be attending Southern Methodist University starting next month after a nice break from school.
Oh yeah, I also like, do stuff with friends, and oh yeah, I almost forgot! I play video games every now and then.
P.S.: They take up too much space. Wait... I just wrote that mini-novel, and I'm complaining about space? Hmm...

Q: What's up Andrew? How's life? Anyways, why hasn't there been jack on the new Final Fantasy movie? Nobody seems to care anymore! There isn't even any pictures or anything! Has Square abandoned it? Say it ain't so...
Masumo

AK: Hey Masumo, not much up here man, life's good, thanks for asking! Don't worry about the FF Movie, it's still in the works. It's being worked on at Square Honolulu, it's just that progress is slow because of the detail going into the CG-based movie. "Has Square abonded it? Say it ain't so..." It ain't so.

Q: Do you know if squaresoft plans on releasing Final Fantasy 1-6 for playstation or computer?

AK: Final Fantasy IV, V, and VI are being re-released in Japan, individually, for the Playstation, but they won't be ported over here. Eidos is translating FFV for the PC, though, although no release date has been announced.

Q: AndyK,
Does it annoy you at all that people are always asking the same questions over and over? "Are you related to Andy Kaufman, the guy from Taxi?" "Is there any way to get Aeris back?" And those repeated attempts to come up with the Ultimate Question to the Ultimate Answer... Everybody knows that you can't know the Question AND Answer for the same Universe. Just read the last chapters of Life, The Universe, and Everything, and our good truth-drugged amigo Prak explains this in greater detail. Please, encourage your readers to browse the archives to make sure their question hasn't been asked and answered already.
Steve

AK: Stevie, you've read my mind, pal. You said it all. I answer those repeat questions still because I get them in such abundance, I figure people must still be confused, so I keep answering. Remember folks, read the archives! And don't do drugs!

Q: Andrew, Andrew, Andrew! I don't know what to do! It's 2 AM, and I'm still up, and I can't sleep! I've been plagued by horrible, haunting dreams...all fueled by my times at the helm of Q&AK. What's worse, people have been writing to me in droves, demanding I either eject you violently from your article, co-host it, or start a new one. What do I do, how do I make the voices go away?
-Brian Glick

AK: Brian, Brian, Brian. Did you remember to take your medication? Here here, let Andy sing you a little bedtime song.

When I was young and full of grace; and spirited: a rattlenake.
When I was young, a fever fell. My spirit? I will not tell.
You're on your honor not to tell.
I believe in coyotes, and time as an abstract.
Can you explain the change, the difference between what you want and what you need?

I was young and full of grace; and spirited: a rattlenake.
When I was young, a fever fell. My spirit? I will not tell.
You're on your honor, on your honor.
I believe in example; I believe my throat hurts, example is the checker to the key!
I believe! My humor's wearing thin and I believe the poles are shifting.
I believe! My shirt is wearing thin and change is what I believe in.

I didn't write that song, naturally. It's R.E.M.'s "I Believe." But it's rather fitting, in an oh-so-cryptic way. I love it! Everyone chew on that one for a bit. Brian, I bet you were expecting a nice, sane, terse reply, eh? Hehehe, you wish baby!

Q: Hey Andy,
In my ceaseless quest to make you a perfect gamer, I must nag you about stupid things like this (just kidding). But it was right up my alley, so I couldn't resist.
"The new game + option becomes available after you defeat Lavos...."
This isn't nessasarily true. to get new game +, you must complete all the side quests, _and_ defeat Lavos. That's the little hook they give to access such a powerful (and usefull) option.
Wind to thy wings, buddy
---F'nor "Blackjack" Benden

AK: And I thought Locke Cole was a cool name! That doesn't hold a candle to yours, man. Anyway, yeah, I biffed up on the Chrono Trigger bit, you're right. I really like the option though, quite handy to make replays a lot less listless.