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JRPG general discussion

Retr0gamer

Hmm let's see how a thread like this works.

Anyway for the first post I'd like to let people know that ATB podcast with its host Kat Bailey is back on 1up. The first episode might be Western RPG focused but the podcast is well worth a listen.

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noodler

Retr0gamer wrote: »

So while DQ11 on switch is great and all theres a few niggle.

Texture quality is noticeably reduced in many areas.

It only runs at 30 FPS which is very jarring after the 60 FPS PC version. It's even more jarring when they have turned off any motion blur effects.

Anti Aliasing is also either gone or very low and there's very low antistropic filtering.

It actually ends up looking better in handheld mode.

Platinumed it today.

140 hours. Act 3 was a bit of a slog (bit of an afterthought of an act tbh).

Still, only my second ever play after dark souls.

If you don't overlevel, and I never did since you can just run by random encounters, you'll get really decent challenge out of the bosses.

I hope you turned on the orchestral soundtrack also. I didn't know what I was missing out on til I checked it on YouTube.

PostWoke

Good to hear they stripped DQ11 of any motion blur, definitive version confirmed. Motion blur in games is sh!te and it's the first thing turned off when I'm playing on PC.

Retr0gamer

noodler wrote: »

Platinumed it today.

140 hours. Act 3 was a bit of a slog (bit of an afterthought of an act tbh).

Still, only my second ever play after dark souls.

If you don't overlevel, and I never did since you can just run by random encounters, you'll get really decent challenge out of the bosses.

I hope you turned on the orchestral soundtrack also. I didn't know what I was missing out on til I checked it on YouTube.

Well I heard that it's very easy and seemed so from the little I played of the PC version so I turned on the Draconian quests for less experience from low level thrash mobs and super tough enemies. Died a few times in the opening area but it's made it far more enjoyable. Once I started using healing items it's pretty manageable so far. I'll see if I regret it later.

The soundtrack was utter pish in the PC version, the orchestral soundtrack is gorgeous, totally changes the game and really adds to it.

PostWoke wrote: »

Good to hear they stripped DQ11 of any motion blur, definitive version confirmed. Motion blur in games is sh!te and it's the first thing turned off when I'm playing on PC.

Normally of the same opinion but when you are playing in 30 FPS the juddery motion during quick camera turns is horrible and can make you feel sick. It's grand on 60 FPS+ games.

PostWoke

Retr0gamer wrote: »

Normally of the same opinion but when you are playing in 30 FPS the juddery motion during quick camera turns is horrible and can make you feel sick. It's grand on 60 FPS+ games.

Are you saying DQ11 has frame-time issues? 30fps can be quite a smooth experience if locked and with even frame timing.

This'll be my first DQ11 experience anyway, I've held off knowing I'd rather have it as a handheld game.

Retr0gamer

PostWoke wrote: »

Are you saying DQ11 has frame-time issues? 30fps can be quite a smooth experience if locked and with even frame timing.

This'll be my first DQ11 experience anyway, I've held off knowing I'd rather have it as a handheld game.

Frame rate seems fairly smooth and mostly locked to 30 FPS. 30 FPS can be smooth but for big camera sweeps there's just not enough frames so you really need motion blurring to smooth the transition. Otherwise it looks juddery as it uses too little frames for big quick camera pans. That's the problem here.

It works a lot better in handheld mode as the screen refresh isn't as good as my IPS monitor so it adds a motion blur effect.

Evade

skerry wrote: »

Not sure if ye've been watching the updates on Sky Sports lads but we just romped home to a 3-1 victory. Wakka with a screamer to clinch it in the second half after a tight first half. Seriously though, kind of getting used to the offensive side of it but no clue how defending works. I seem to have 0% record of winning tackles but somehow managed to win, I'm sure it'll all make sense in time.

If you managed to get the Jecht Shot from the memories minigame back on the ship from Kilika to Luca a cheesy early to mid career tactic is pass to Tidus, swim up to the goalie, and Jecht Shot right in his face.

RobbingBandit

Would love Ys Origin or chronicles on switch

PostWoke

Retr0gamer wrote: »

It works a lot better in handheld mode as the screen refresh isn't as good as my IPS monitor so it adds a motion blur effect.

Your monitor is below 60Hz?

Retr0gamer

No, my PC monitor is 60Hz and a pretty good IPs monitor at that.

The Switch's handheld screen is 60Hz as well but it's not perfect and has a bit of ghosting so at 30Hz this adds a bit of unintended motion blur.

skerry

Evade wrote: »

If you managed to get the Jecht Shot from the memories minigame back on the ship from Kilika to Luca a cheesy early to mid career tactic is pass to Tidus, swim up to the goalie, and Jecht Shot right in his face.

Picked up that move alright and came in useful for a handy goal from Tidus in my first match last night.

skerry

Picked up DQ11 there in Argos. As someone had mentioned earlier reservation says DQ Builders so not sure what's going in there. €48.99 is decent price for it though.

Touch Fuzzy Get Dizzy

I finally finished FFIV, I always get before the last dungeon and stop but went back to an old save abd finished. Are Interlude or The After Years worth playing?

Retr0gamer

Touch Fuzzy Get Dizzy wrote: »

I finally finished FFIV, I always get before the last dungeon and stop but went back to an old save abd finished. Are Interlude or The After Years worth playing?

Nope, they are a bit of a chore. Didn't really enjoy them at all. The Interlude in particular basically takes you to the three most annoying dungeons in the game.

Retr0gamer

So Atelier Ryza is doing incredibly well in Japan. It scored 34/40 in Famitsu (although that means SFA) but also sold 150,000 units in a very big week of releases in Japan. Getting great word of mouth as being one of the best in the series and the new game engine is way better than the old one Dynasty Warriors engine.

Xenji

Glad it is coming out on the Switch as well, the series has always been relaxing to play in bed.

skerry

Think I'm about halfway through FFX. Probably my favorite battle system out of the other games from the series I've played, which is just as well cos the frequency of random encounters is off the charts. Such a pity they didn't implement any of the mods like the did in the releases of the other games.

Retr0gamer

I found the random battles a major problem. You are just running forward and getting into battles every few steps. Then there's only maybe 2-4 enemy formations so you end up using the same tactics over and over. It makes the random encounters such a chore.

The battle system does really come into it's own in the boss battles and as long as you don't overlevel then there's a few very challenging fights towards the end.

What disappointed me was that there's very few effective ways to manipulate turn order. I find the very best turn based battle systems, the likes of FF Tactics, Grandia, etc. are all about manipulating turn order.

skerry

Retr0gamer wrote: »

I found the random battles a major problem. You are just running forward and getting into battles every few steps. Then there's only maybe 2-4 enemy formations so you end up using the same tactics over and over. It makes the random encounters such a chore.

The battle system does really come into it's own in the boss battles and as long as you don't overlevel then there's a few very challenging fights towards the end.

What disappointed me was that there's very few effective ways to manipulate turn order. I find the very best turn based battle systems, the likes of FF Tactics, Grandia, etc. are all about manipulating turn order.

Its definitely a chore when you see a long road ahead of you and know there's a random encounter about to pop up every few steps on the way there, way too close together. It's like forced grinding, I don't mind that sort of stuff if you need to level a bit and you go to an area you know there's a lot of enemies and grind for a half hour, but it does get tedious when its forced on you and you've no way out. In the sections I've completed the last couple of nights, like you mentioned, its the same 3 enemy types that pop up together, one that's weak to physical, one that's weak to magic and an aerial one, gets a bit mindless after a while.

As much as Octopath might not be rated by some on here, yourself included IIRC, I did enjoy the battle system a lot. I know some of the battles can go on a bit for boss fights but there's plenty opportunity offered to manipulate turn order which makes things far more interesting and rewarding. Haven't played Grandia so not sure what the system is like on that but might pick up the collection on Switch at some stage to see how it compares to games I've played so far.

I'm still enjoying the game but its screaming out for a fast forward option for longer stretches. Picked up The Zodiac Age too so will give that a blast once I'm finished FFX

Retr0gamer

Grandia in my opinion has the best battle system of any RPG. Even when battles get samey there's still the challenge to beat battles without taking any damage if you are good enough.

FFX is one of the most complete games in the series in terms of story. Outside of FF Tactics it's the only one that really comes to a satisfying conclusion although on my recent replay it's a lot more obviously rushed than I remembered, especially the pathetic post game.

I hated FF12 but really really enjoyed zodiac age. Take your time with it and do the side quests as they are loads of fun.

skerry

Retr0gamer wrote: »

Grandia in my opinion has the best battle system of any RPG. Even when battles get samey there's still the challenge to beat battles without taking any damage if you are good enough.

FFX is one of the most complete games in the series in terms of story. Outside of FF Tactics it's the only one that really comes to a satisfying conclusion although on my recent replay it's a lot more obviously rushed than I remembered, especially the pathetic post game.

I hated FF12 but really really enjoyed zodiac age. Take your time with it and do the side quests as they are loads of fun.

Will definitely put Grandia collection on my list so. Been looking at a good few youtube clips on FF12 and I'm liking the Star Wars vibe, will see how much of a learning curve the gambit system is. Listening to the soundtrack the last few days and its pretty amazing stuff so I'm looking forward to giving it a go.

Only realized yesterday that I've amassed quite a few FF games, have yet to finish one though but I thing X will be my first. Started with 15, then tried 7, a dabble with 13 and currently on X with the hope of moving onto XII next. 15 didn't really grab me at all and while 13 looks super and all, the battle system isn't doing anything for me. Think I'll enjoy 7 more once I've a bit more experience with the other games, jumping back to PS era graphics was a bit jarring although I did enjoy what I played of it.

Retr0gamer

Might be worth trying the 16-bit ones. I'd be careful which versions you get though as the PS1 versions are ruined with awful load times.

FF4 is fantastic. It's short but paced so well because of it. The story is very simple but it's just so much fun. The PSP version would be the best although the DS/PC release is very good, but it's more like a harder remix of the original and recommended if you played FF4 first.

FF5 has a very simple story but a wonderfully broken job system.

And FF6 would be a lot of peoples favourite in the series and rightfully so. It's just an amazing RPG, good story with a great villain. And that soundtrack. It has a fantastic opening half with a non linear second half which has you collecting characters for you party and completing loads of worthwhile side quests.

If you like the FFXII soundtrack check out the FFTactics soundtrack. It's Hitoshi Sakimoto as well and I feel it's an even stronger OST. (And vagrant Story, not FF but it's my favourite Sound track of Sakimotos)

Sephiroth_dude

On the last chapter of TOCS, will probably finish it over the weekend and get stuck into the second game then, the third game is out this month but are they releasing a forth game in the series ?

megaten

I'd be very surprised if TOCS IV didn't come out in English. There was a bidding war for III so someone will pickup the sequel.

PostWoke

Retr0gamer wrote: »

FFX is one of the most complete games in the series in terms of story. Outside of FF Tactics it's the only one that really comes to a satisfying conclusion

? VIII's ending was very conclusive and satisfying.

noodler

PostWoke wrote: »

? VIII's ending was very conclusive and satisfying.

Fairytale ending more like

Retr0gamer

PostWoke wrote: »

? VIII's ending was very conclusive and satisfying.

No it wasn't. The story was just utter ****e.

Sephiroth_dude

megaten wrote: »

I'd be very surprised if TOCS IV didn't come out in English. There was a bidding war for III so someone will pickup the sequel.

A bidding war ? wow!

PostWoke

Retr0gamer wrote: »

No it wasn't. The story was just utter ****e.

It really wasn't, better than all tropey animu stories. Look at Type 0, very similar story, warring military academies, but its' generally reviled.

People harp on about small bits of the stories, memory loss etc., but that's such an overplayed meme at this point.

noodler wrote: »

Fairytale ending more like

You're going to have to elaborate for me.

Sephiroth_dude

Finished Tocs tonight, put 125 hours into it, straight onto Tocs 2 now, I really enjoyed the first game.

Retr0gamer

PostWoke wrote: »

It really wasn't, better than all tropey animu stories. Look at Type 0, very similar story, warring military academies, but its' generally reviled.

People harp on about small bits of the stories, memory loss etc., but that's such an overplayed meme at this point.

Eh... it's dripping with anime tropey writing. It's a god awful story with bad characters and massive leaps in logic.

It's saving grace is that it belts along at a blistering pace so never gets in the way of the game much but I wouldn't call it good.