General Video Game Discussion

[The Dark One™]

UGH

I totally wanna play FFXIII. But like, I gotta help pay the bills here. I can't play vidjeo games without electricity... 

[Revan/anakinjmt]

Yeah, but AoF, gameplay mechanic stuff like that you don't mind. Cuz, remember back to FFXII?

Oh, and I will say this. You know that treasure chest in, for lack of remembering it's actual name, the Undercity in front of that old guy's house? I think it's called the Lowcity. Anyways, that chest in front of it? Unless you don't want a really powerful weapon later in the game, don't open that chest! Apparently, if you open that chest, the most powerful weapon in the game will disappear from some chest later in the game. I read that from the strategy guide.

And then you said this:

Thanks for the hint. I always hate that about some RPGs. There are these little subtle things that practically are impossible to know unless you are told.

[Alexisonfire]

That is an issue of game design, not an issue of whether I want something spoiled for me.

Ideally, a game should never have a scenario where something like "if you don't open these 4 treasure chests in the game, then you get the best weapon in the game" or "If you don't buy this item when you go on the school trip, you can never complete this sidequest". That should never even cross the minds of a developer. Never. If, at the end of the game, you want to go back and finish a sidequest, you should have the ability to go back and do it. You shouldn't be forced to do it been the 10th and 12th hour of the game.

The situation you described is an old, archaic approach to game design seen in almost every genre available. Thankfully JRPGs never really got to the point where they approached the level of sadism of old-school point & click adventure games, where if you don't do things in an obtuse, completely nonsensical order, you were basically screwed and had to start the game over again.

FFXIII doesn't do that. At least to my knowledge as of yet. Purely because the game cut out any of that crap altogether. Which is where the divide of the community comes in. (mini rant incoming)

Now, again, I'm not far in the game. But I'm liking the approach in FFXIII. I play RPGs for two reasons: The battle systems and the experience. This is probably why I like SRPGs so much and Final Fantasy Tactics is my favourite game in the series. There are sidequests in FFT, but most of them are just "send 3 units off to collect money and exp". The rest of the game is either spent in random battles, in story battles, or on the map traversing to one or the other.

I am really liking the approach in the battle system in FFXIII thus far and the game is constantly peeling the layers back, making for quite the intricate affair. So that's out of the way.

But the experience mainly is focused on the environment, the story, the characters, and the impact of it all.
- Despite being awfully linear, has amazing and breathtaking environments that, while barely interactive, do bring you into the experience.
- The story is something that is developing, but is still kinda confusing to me at the moment. Not in the way "This game is horrible at explaining itself" but more like "This game purposely has not explained itself yet. Details will come." Intriguing nonetheless.
- The characters, thus far, have been fairly interesting, especially in the way that they are introduced and explored, which I will save for you once you play the game. Follow PWN's advice and don't read anything about it and don't turn character names on.
- Impact? Well, that's left decided for when I am done the game.

The internet craps on the game for abandoning RPG ideals, but for me, everything I'm looking for is there.

On a completely not-Final Fantasy related note, John Cleese is going to be the narrator (of sorts) in Fable III.

Which is badass. Besides being awesome in general, John Cleese was the best thing that ever happened to Jade Empire.

[Sonic the Porcupine.]

I've heard that Final Fantasy XIII is pretty dissimilar to other Final Fantasy games, and that actually makes me interested in it.

After I get buy every other game I've been planning to buy this year. Why won't the price on Bayonetta drop? >_<

[Alexisonfire]

I would like to know who said that. And punch them in the face.

Because to me, it's like any other in the series. In that it's completely different in it's mechanics and story from it's predecessors, but when you play it, you can tell it's a Final Fantasy game.

Also, I guarantee you that within a year, you can find Bayonetta for $25 or less (probably more like $20) and FFXIII $30 or less.

[PWNr_o_NUBS]

I would like to know who said that. And punch them in the face.

Because to me, it's like any other in the series. In that it's completely different in it's mechanics and story from it's predecessors, but when you play it, you can tell it's a Final Fantasy game.

Also, I guarantee you that within a year, you can find Bayonetta for $25 or less (probably more like $20) and FFXIII $30 or less.

Aw, it's not like he said it's "completely different." I think I would agree with what he said which is that it's "pretty dissimilar."

Sure, it's basically a mish-mash of elements from X and XII (and X-2!), but it feels a lot different to me. Maybe it's because the developers finally smartened up. Just about the only archaic part of this game left is save points, which is rally weird. This is a totally different topic, but why are save points in this game? Everything is so streamlined and so fast-paced in this game, but then you have to lose progress if you're in the wrong place when you want to take a break? What strange, strange decision. Probably to appease the whiny fans who would have been lost without somewhere to save.

[PWNr_o_NUBS]

Look at your average action game, your Resident Evil or God of War or Halo. Games like these offer a single-player experience that runs about 8-15 hours. Even an outlier like Assassin's Creed II can be played to near-100% completion in 25 hours. The FFXIII team has stated they were "inspired" by games like Modern Warfare 2, which most people have taken to be some ridiculous hallucination on the creative staff's about how they think FFXIII plays like some delusional outsider's vision of a first-person shooter. What they really mean is that FFXIII opens with a 20-hour guided experience, mingling narrative and action in equal parts, with no room for straying, and thus no possibility that players will wander off-track and become lost, thereby killing the game's forward momentum. Pretty much like Half-Life 2! Or Modern Warfare! Or about any modern action game you care to name.

Double post for huge block quote lol

[PWNr_o_NUBS]

On something other than Final Fantasy for a second:


I just got three blur codes from big bobby k. Anybody want in? It's basically 20 player Mario Kart. The beta is online/one-screen only though, so if you were planning on throwing a blur party you're gonna want to wait for the full game.

[Alexisonfire]

Aw, it's not like he said it's "completely different." I think I would agree with what he said which is that it's "pretty dissimilar."

Okay, I really hope that wasn't you I punched then.

Now I feel bad.

This is a totally different topic, but why are save points in this game? Everything is so streamlined and so fast-paced in this game, but then you have to lose progress if you're in the wrong place when you want to take a break? What strange, strange decision. Probably to appease the whiny fans who would have been lost without somewhere to save.

I find it more of just a fix of the obvious question otherwise: "Why are there magic objects that allow me to shop everywhere? Are they wanting me to buy things? Is it a hint?" If the shop is packaged in with the save point, no one second guesses it. There is a save point here, obviously I can magically buy items here as well as save.

There are so many of them that I usually just soldier onto the next save point when I want to actually go to bed. Only takes a few extra minutes.

Double post for huge block quote lol

Yeah, I read Parish's review, because I find him to be the most trustworthy reviewer in the biz.

There is inspiration there, especially in the pacing. But I don't know. I can't help but have the same feeling playing this title as I have when I first played every other FF game. It's different, but so was FFXII. Yet I immediately recognized them both as a Final Fantasy game.

Also, speaking of FFXII, my prof for my game mechanics course went on a little rant about that game today. He said that as soon as the gambit system was introduced into the game he just quit because he couldn't handle it. Why? Because all he could see was commands placed into a list that is iterated through endlessly and then derives a mode of action from that list. He said that he teaches about programming, he writes papers on programming, he actual programs, and he marks programming assignments all day. He does not want to have to program his own games as well.

EDIT: Clash of Heroes is making its way to XBLA and PSN.

This sounds suspiciously like the exact same scenario that Puzzle Quest went under a few years ago. A puzzle/(RPG subgenre) game that I want on the DS gets an upgraded port on a home console that sacrifices portability for better graphics, a cheaper price tag, and the possibility of an expansion pack.

I bought Puzzle Quest on the DS. And the portability of the game was much worth it. Plus, by the time I was done the game, the furious grip it had on me had been broken, shattering to a million pieces upon slaying the final boss. So I really had no need for the expansion pack.

But I wonder if Clash of Heroes will be different in that regard. Hmmm....