The True Meaning of "Chrono Break"

[x_XTacTX_x]

Five years ago, Square registered the trademark "Chrono Break", also known as "Chrono Brake" in Japan. After learning of the release of Chrono Trigger DS that's going to take place in Winter, something came to my attention;

What does "Break" Really mean, or allude to?

To start off, let's take a look at the first two games.

Chrono Trigger

In-game meaning: The item used to "revive" Crono on Death Peak by allowing the Crono-less Co. to venture to a time freeze at the Ocean Palace Incident, during which he is replaced by the Crono Clone gained at the Millenial Fair.

Alludes to: A "trigger", when pulled, leads to an epic series of events that transcends time itself.

Chrono Cross

In-game meaning: The long-forgotten Element of the sacred 7th innate, which, when used in a certain order with other innate elements, destorys the Time Devourer and unites thw two seperate dimensions.

Alludes to: Traveling, or Crossing, through Parralel dimensions, the Time-Space continuum, etc.

Keep in mind that the allusions are my opinion.

Now, with that cleared up, What could "Chrono Break" be? Let's take a look at the good ol' dictionary.

Chrono- prefix; A combining form meaning time; Relating to Time.

Break- verb: To seperate into pieces; Smash; Destroy.

When taking a look at the definitions, one would come to the conclusion that it pertains to something "Destroying Time". For now, this is the best plausible answer I can think of. However, the Japanese name "Chrono Brake", intrigues me. Perhaps it's simply a translation difference, but I'm not leaving any stone unturned.

Brake-noun: Any device that slows down or stops a moving machine, by pressing a block against a moving part.

This would show some relation to the act of slowing down Time until it stops compeletely. My only answer to this is an in-game item or force that is used to sow down time, or compeletely stop it. This could either be used by the protagonists as a form of weapon, or be used by the antagonist as a way to destroy time, which seems to be a recurring theme in the series.

Alas, these are only speculations. Only time will tell what the enigmatic "Chrono Break", or "Chrono Brake" means.

I'd love to hear anyone else's speculations.

[V_Translanka]

I think it doesn't matter since they no longer hold either name's trademark/copyright/whatever anymore...but if you still wanna speculate about something that doesn't exist nor looks like it will, I'm not stopping you, I guess...>_>

[x_XTacTX_x]

I think it doesn't matter since they no longer hold either name's trademark/copyright/whatever anymore...but if you still wanna speculate about something that doesn't exist nor looks like it will, I'm not stopping you, I guess...>_>

Oh, but it could exist. If sales of CT DS are huge, which i'm sure they will be, there's no doubt that Square won't think of picking the trademark back up.

[FaustWolf]

Excellent thread, Tact! I believe Square still has "Chrono Brake" trademarked, so that could still come to fruition. I imagine time stoppage could be worked into gameplay elements, making the Chrono Brake much more than a storyline-only item.

I guess I viewed the "Chrono Break" as an instrument that could "break" the flow of time, allowing time travel without the use of gates. I suppose the Epoch would already have had such an instrument though.

[x_XTacTX_x]

I guess I viewed the "Chrono Break" as an instrument that could "break" the flow of time, allowing time travel without the use of gates. I suppose the Epoch would already have had such an instrument though.

I thought it had self-contained Gates, just like the Chrono Trigger did?

[Romana]

I could really see "Chrono Brake" being an item in-game rather than a, um, "Chrono Break". It'd be neat to see it used to stop time or something, maybe as a key element of the game that you could use to access new areas and prevent particular events from happening. Like, say, bypassing a guard NPC in front of a heavily-guarded area.

OR, wow, I just got a really cool image in my head - imagine it being used in battles to use certain Techs, freezing time and performing a killer move, time beginning to move again just in time (damn unavoidable pun) for the foe to see a cosmic blade of death to the face.

[V_Translanka]

I believe Square still has "Chrono Brake" trademarked, so that could still come to fruition.

Nope, the Japanese trademark expired as well.

[neo-fusion]

But it's not like they can't pick it back up.

[Nickolz]

I could swear you would say "Brake" alluded to the slowing or complete stop of the Chrono series, while "Break" alluded to its complete destruction and obliteration... I'm kinda paranoid and pessimist. ^^

But, actually, I had never thought of what those names might refer to. The Brake ideas make remember of TimeShift. It's a FPS with quite good playability and the worst almost nonexistent story ever. In that game, you could slow, stop, go back or fast forward in time while killing enemies. So nice to see them exploding in slow-motion. It may be similar to some title of Prince of Persia, which I've never played.

But... The topic is Chrono, right? Well, these titles might also refer to some event, like the Time Crash, but even more tragic and destructive. Or not... I dunno.

I believe Square still has "Chrono Brake" trademarked, so that could still come to fruition.

Nope, the Japanese trademark expired as well.

Really? Since when?

[FaustWolf]

No way! I had no clue that Chrono Brake expired as well. When did that happen V? Should we get this Wikipedia article changed in that case?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrono_Break

[x_XTacTX_x]

They'll pick it back up. CT DS came out, it's a definite signal. I'm sure of it.

[neo-fusion]

Oh definetley... I won't be in the slightest bit suprised if we see an ending in CT DS such as this:

Text wipes onto the screen 1010 AD.... Then we see Crono, Marle, and Lucca standing at the foot of the Porre empire.

IDK it just sounds like something that could happen right?

[V_Translanka]

When did that happen V?

I'm pretty sure it happened a year or two ago. Japanese name registrations last longer, but they aren't unlimited...The source on the wikipedia entry for Chrono Break says this...

Japanese Trademark and Patent Office (2002-07-26). Retrieved on 2006-07-24. To find the Chrono Brake patent, search "Japanese Trademark Database" for "chronobrake". Click Index to find the result, and click the link.

So it's source is a few years old...I can't check their link, oddly enough, until July 7th...>_>

I'm not saying that they can't pick it back up, but since it's no longer the official name for a Chrono sequel, I just don't see the logic in continuing to refer to it as if it were. *shrugs* Maybe I'm too much of a pessimist after the horror of n00b speculation over Chrono Break...

[x_XTacTX_x]

I LIKE YOUR SHIRT.

[Boo the Gentleman Caller]

Perhaps a potential sequel won't be Chrono Break at all.  By having the title already they clearly had enough of the plot worked out to have a title.  But seeing that so much time has passed, perhaps they plan on doing something completely different, thus a brand new title?

Besides...  It's all hopeful dreaming at this point in the game.  We're only at the top of the 2nd inning, folks!

(And Boo the Gentleman Caller steps up to bat...!)