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So I have to ask: given that the fifth attributes weren't on the poll (Courage, Humanity etc) what's the deal with those? Are you going to be ignoring them entirely or levelling them up to get certain skills or what?
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Nov 3, 2014 17:20
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Man, I forgot how good the enemy design was in this game 
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Nov 3, 2014 17:42
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loquacius posted:Man, I forgot how good the enemy design was in this game A lot of the enemies are originally from the NES-era games. They just got art upgrades for the PS2.
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Nov 3, 2014 17:53
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ManlyGrunting posted:So I have to ask: given that the fifth attributes weren't on the poll (Courage, Humanity etc) what's the deal with those? Are you going to be ignoring them entirely or levelling them up to get certain skills or what?
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Nov 3, 2014 17:55
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ManlyGrunting posted:So I have to ask: given that the fifth attributes weren't on the poll (Courage, Humanity etc) what's the deal with those? Are you going to be ignoring them entirely or levelling them up to get certain skills or what? They'll be getting a few points regardless of build. For Eight, he's going to finish Boomerangs+Swords by level 29. Fisticuffs+Spears would've gotten its gold at 27. Then, no matter which build, he was going to jam every point until the low 40s into Courage for Omniheal. Yangus is a little messier since Axes+Scythes won but he'll have over 200 skill points by level 40 so there's more than enough room to get a few tricks out of Humanity.
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Nov 3, 2014 20:52
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ultrafilter posted:A lot of the enemies are originally from the NES-era games. They just got art upgrades for the PS2.
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Nov 4, 2014 01:46
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Can't believe I didn't see this until now. This game is so good for all the reasons people have already mentioned.
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Nov 4, 2014 03:57
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I played really far into this game, but I never beat it because I got caught up on a big sidequest/minigame thing near the end and burned myself out on it. It's probably the single best game I've ever played in the standard JRPG category, so I'm definitely looking forward to reading this thread. I always regretted not beating it, but there's no way I'd have the time for it these days so I doubt I'll ever get around to replaying it.
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Nov 4, 2014 05:09
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I really liked how the monster models in these later games match up to the original sprites, shows how much time and effort went into this game.
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Nov 4, 2014 06:11
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quote:"I'm going to do naughty things to you when you sleep tonight. Tee-hee!" Creepy rear end dinosaur, go away!
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Nov 4, 2014 06:18
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Level 5 Pretty much had making beautiful looking PS2 games on lockdown.
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Nov 4, 2014 06:21
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Oh Level 5 had a hand in this? No wonder it looks so good!
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Nov 4, 2014 06:22
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Robindaybird posted:Oh Level 5 had a hand in this? No wonder it looks so good!
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Nov 4, 2014 06:25
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Endorph posted:They were basically the main developers, Squeenix just oversaw the project, save for the fact that the lead writer was the usual Dragon Quest guy. Which is a very good thing, as the White Knight Chronicles thread showed us what L5 can do if left to their own scriptwriting devices.
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Nov 4, 2014 06:28
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ultrafilter posted:A lot of the enemies are originally from the NES-era games. They just got art upgrades for the PS2. This game does have new enemy designs though. I don't know if there's a resource that shows when what monster was debuted, there was something like that in place in Dragon Quest Monster Joker 2...I think the credits told you what series what monsters were from.
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Nov 4, 2014 06:31
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Waffleman_ posted:Which is a very good thing, as the White Knight Chronicles thread showed us what L5 can do if left to their own scriptwriting devices. To be fair, they also wrote the Professor Layton games all by themselves.
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Nov 4, 2014 06:55
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In general though I think Level 5 work best when they have some other creative force to give them guidance. Like compare this game to Jeanne D'Arc, released maybe a year or so later, DQVIII is leaps and bounds more interesting. Despite having one of the tamer plots as Dragon Quest games go and JDA being a game where you chase the English and their demonic hoards out of France with the power of magical girl transformations.
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Nov 4, 2014 07:05
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They also did Dark Cloud 2, another one of my all time favorite games.
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Nov 4, 2014 08:04
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Ah, DQ8. I have this game...never got past I think the third dungeon. Also, does Toriyama only know how to draw Gohan's Face for main characters? One thing I've always enjoyed about the Dragon Quest Series, is that the sound effects and music, never really change, just get better in quality, aside from boss music I think.
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Nov 4, 2014 08:19
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Silegna posted:Ah, DQ8. I have this game...never got past I think the third dungeon. No, later we'll meet Android 18 and Trunks.
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Nov 4, 2014 08:26
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ZenMasterBullshit posted:No, later we'll meet Android 18 and Trunks. And his brother Vegeta!
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Nov 4, 2014 08:45
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COR BLIMEY Loved this game, so much character! I cheated mercilessly to reduce the grinding, though.
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Nov 4, 2014 10:04
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Silegna posted:Also, does Toriyama only know how to draw Gohan's Face for main characters? I'm pretty sure Toriyama himself hasn't been very involved with any DQ game since the SNES era and except for one illustration here or there, it's mostly other people copying his style a la ghostwriters.
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Nov 4, 2014 12:49
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In fairness, Dragon Quest -Monsters- have the coolest designs so it makes up for the endless Gohan/Trunks/Bulma-faced humans. It's nice to see the monster designs so faithfully replicated in 3D, but honestly, would you expect anything less from a series so slavishly dedicated to tradition that the addition of a 'charge-up system' is considered wildly inventive gameplay design for the series?
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Nov 4, 2014 12:57
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DjinnAndTonic posted:In fairness, Dragon Quest -Monsters- have the coolest designs so it makes up for the endless Gohan/Trunks/Bulma-faced humans. From what I've heard, the series is so huge in Japan that they deliberately only release new games on Sundays so people won't skip school/work to play them. As it it were a mini holiday. With that kind of popularity, you can see why they'd be hesitant to take a risk by change things. If there's one thing hardcore videogame fans hate, it's change. Geostomp fucked around with this message at 13:06 on Nov 4, 2014 |
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Nov 4, 2014 12:59
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BottledBodhisvata posted:This game does have new enemy designs though. I don't know if there's a resource that shows when what monster was debuted, there was something like that in place in Dragon Quest Monster Joker 2...I think the credits told you what series what monsters were from. I can only think of two or three offhand that were created for the game and not recycled. So they didn't go very far out on a limb on new designs. Which on the one hand sucks, but on the other hand they made the ones they included in the game look so nice and charming that it's OK. This is probably the only RPG game you can find where drat near everything you fight is happy to be there and smiles at you. DjinnAndTonic posted:In fairness, Dragon Quest -Monsters- have the coolest designs so it makes up for the endless Gohan/Trunks/Bulma-faced humans. I'm not fond of the charge up system for certain reasons but it's nice they added a little tactical option, it can do some useful things to help you save MP/time etc.
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Nov 4, 2014 14:12
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YggiDee posted:To be fair, they also wrote the Professor Layton games all by themselves. And the Layton games not only had Nintendo ready to smack them back in line if they did anything stupid, but also have ridiculous stories with plotholes big enough to drive a truck through if you wanted to. Like, I love them because of how stupid those plots get, but a shining example of games writing they ain't.
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Nov 4, 2014 14:57
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Artix posted:And the Layton games not only had Nintendo ready to smack them back in line if they did anything stupid, but also have ridiculous stories with plotholes big enough to drive a truck through if you wanted to. Like, I love them because of how stupid those plots get, but a shining example of games writing they ain't. They're not the best written but the stories are still fun and very charming, which is what I think he was getting at.
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Nov 4, 2014 15:14
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Genocyber posted:They're not the best written but the stories are still fun and very charming, which is what I think  But yes, I generally have a huge grin when I'm playing Layton games, as even when the plots themselves are ridiculous, I still really like all the characters and the weird goofy atmosphere and how people have dialogue for everything I can poke. ... To be fair, they probably do benefit from having another company steering the plot at least, but I have definitely enjoyed Level 5's solo work as well. Like Dark Cloud 2. Also they put accordions in everything and make it work.
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Nov 4, 2014 15:53
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They really love their accordions, don't they?
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Nov 4, 2014 16:59
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I played the hell out of this game when I got it, beat the main story and got mostly through the post game stuff until I got tired and started playing other games. As much of a grind-fest as the game is, the environments are beautiful, and the fact there's a day-night cycle with tougher enemies showing up at night gives plenty of variety. There is just SO MUCH stuff in this game, I think only Rogue Galaxy rivaled it in terms of content.
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Nov 4, 2014 17:20
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Rabidredneck posted:I played the hell out of this game when I got it, beat the main story and got mostly through the post game stuff until I got tired and started playing other games. As much of a grind-fest as the game is, the environments are beautiful, and the fact there's a day-night cycle with tougher enemies showing up at night gives plenty of variety. GAH, Rogue Galaxy. I hate you so much final boss, SO MUCH. FIVE HOURS WASTED EVERY TIME I DIED.
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Nov 4, 2014 21:47
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pointlessone posted:COR BLIMEY 'orse Princess! I watched a former roommate play through most of this game and while it is all familiar so far the only things I clearly remembered were Yangus saying Cor Blimey! and 'orse Princess a lot.
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Nov 5, 2014 02:19
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 I can dedicate half an update to the first boss because this game gives its bosses so much personality.  Geyzer This update will also be mostly split between this video and the next with a tiny tiny interlude.   "Oh, how long it's been! How many people have gone and come!" "But enough with the introductions! Now for the troment of muth! Eh sure. "Ha ha ha haaa! At last! At last we feet, mace to mace, you halfwit human!   code: Curse is a shock-like ailment that's got one notable difference to it.  Eight is completely and utterly immune. He cannot be cursed. Ever.  Yangus however, has to deal with losing a turn. It's one of his rounds for only half of yours - Cursed Mist is your breathing room because he's not ramming your HP down.  Yangus's tension gets reset whenever he's cursed, so Eight is the one who spends every turn psyching up.  You can only enter the 4th stage sometimes, and this message means you can't. A shame, the NA version added a certain... something when Eight reaches the 4th stage.  Oh well, the damage multiplier is enough for me.  Sizz is his "oh gently caress" action.  Sizz is a Sizz-elemental spell that hits a group. I say this because Frizz and Sizz despite being both fire are different elements internally . And your party is one group.  Owwwww.  Still, Geyzer isn't hard if you're even slightly prepaired.  Big experience reward. This is what normally gets the party to level 6 for me.  He's got a 100% drop of the seed of strength, which obviously incrase wisdom. Nah they increase strength.  "And it's all because of you! What!? You don't know what I'm talking about...? Then you..."  The jig is up! drat! "So strong! Strong enough to withstand my fearsome might! You are no tortune-feller!" "I hear that a castle called Trodain has been cursed. That it was run over... overrun by thorns. And that only one person inside survived.  Aflashback to that terrible night not too long ago, when Trodain was ripped apart from the inside by the thorns...  Indeed, the only person who awoke was Eight. "As I thought That was you! I don't know what you want with this crystal ball..." "One last thing! Should you meet the true owner of this crystal ball, tell him this from me!" So, ware thee fell! Oh, the pain, the pain! The pain of my old wound!" Eight's Evac spell is exactly what we need to not die on the return trip!  At Farebury, Eight discards the sword for the plowshare. And then I sell it.  Aw come on! It'd be worth something right?  It's to fund the Boomerang. This baby will carry me for quiiite a while. Anyway, time to return the brystal call to the tortune-feller.  The Great Kalderasha.   "And it seems you have done as Valentina asked. You see! Even with a glass ball, the Great Kalderasha's eyes see further than you realise! But you are meddling in matters that do not concern you. And you are wasting your time. You can bring back my crystal ball as many times as you like. I will just throw it away again! "Enough! Listen to me! No one knows why I threw away my crystal ball. Even Valentina has no idea. I'm not about to confide in a stranger." But then someone interrupts Kalderasha...  "I know! I've known for ages... I know why you threw away your crystal ball." "Yes. And I don't blame you for their death." "Why not? How can you not blame me, Valentina? How can you not hate me?" "I was too young to remember, but... you were once a truly great fortune-teller, weren't you, Father? No one knew where my parents had fled to. But to you, it was as clear as day." "I was walking on air. Fortune-telling was my life. It was my soul. I thought only of myself. Be they good or bad, I cared not who asked me to use my crystal ball. I lived for the vision!" "It's all right, Father. You're a good man. You took me in and raised me, didn't you? When I was just a helpless baby. I want to see it for myself." "Oh, my sweet Valentina..."Eight and Yangus stay at Kalderasha's for the night whilst he prepares his crystal ball...  Eight awakens.  Yangus... does not.  "I must thank you and your friend. " "Many years have passed since I gazed into the crystal like this... I have to thank you for returning it to me." "Yes, yes! I see it! I see it! There is a jester! A jester breaking through the southern checkpoint! Yes! The mists are clearing! "Yes! Yeeesss! The mists are clearing!     "So where'd 'e go after that? Wot else can yer deduct?" "What else...? Let me look deeper. Hm? What's this...?" "Hm! It must have hit something very hard to do this damage. And look! Someone has scratched some letters next to the chip..." "You wot!? When I asked wot else yer could see, I didn't mean ON the ball, I meant IN the ball! Wotever Oh, come on guv!" I didn't mean for Valentina to look square in the camera like that but somehow I just couldn't bring myself to change it.  Farebury's great fortune teller is back in business, and he's patched up his relationship with his daughter.  He did this all before we even got here. The smoke plume already filled the sky in the opening. I pray we're not always seeing his wake and left scrambling...   "blah blah balls blah blah murder blah blah"   "That fiend killed his own teacher!? And you say he headed south? Then there's no time to lose, Eight! We must go after him at once! Let's be on our way!
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Nov 5, 2014 02:43
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I feel all kind of warm and fuzzy inside now that this little family drama's been played out. I don't even know if Kalderasha or his adopted daughter will have more to say about the event that got him to throw away his crystal ball, but I can kind of guess how it goes.
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Nov 5, 2014 03:14
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DQ8 is such an incredibly well-done game on pretty much every level. Well-written (it's a fairly simple story but it's still very well done IMO), beautifully animated, excellent voice acting, a great mixture of silly and serious, and it's not nearly as grindy as many other Enix games.
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Nov 5, 2014 03:16
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Sleeping with your hats and weaponry is probably really uncomfortable. Our hero duo could stand to take those off, they'll sleep better. I feel sorry for the poor Geyzer. He ended up with actual brain damage and constant physical pain thanks to Kalderasha's actions, and the heroes add to that by beating the poor guy up. You sure we're the good guys? Also I really hate the DQ spell naming convention. What the gently caress is a Frizz-element? Or a Sizz-element? Why are they different? Why can't this game use normal names?
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Nov 5, 2014 03:23
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Zurai posted:DQ8 is such an incredibly well-done game on pretty much every level. Well-written (it's a fairly simple story but it's still very well done IMO), beautifully animated, excellent voice acting, a great mixture of silly and serious, and it's not nearly as grindy as many other Enix games. Oh yeah. You can pretty much spell out most of the game's plot points about 3 moves in advance and it never really diverges from archetype, but you never give a gently caress because the writing's light-hearted and clever, and the voice acting's great and charming, and it's all delivered with masterful polish.
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Nov 5, 2014 03:26
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Blaze Dragon posted:Also I really hate the DQ spell naming convention. What the gently caress is a Frizz-element? Or a Sizz-element? Why are they different? Why can't this game use normal names? Frizz is what used to be Blaze, Sizz is what used to be Firebal. They have different resistances because
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Nov 5, 2014 03:33
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Orange Fluffy Sheep posted:You can only enter the 4th stage sometimes, and this message means you can't. A shame, the NA version added a certain... something when Eight reaches the 4th stage. I didn't know that. Yet another thing the NA version added that makes the game a whole bunch better. quote:He's got a 100% drop of the seed of strength, which obviously incrase wisdom. You clearly need such a seed.
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Nov 5, 2014 03:43
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