Topic: The Chit-Chat Thread

Yeah, that, too, @ThanosReXXX .... A combination of all of those factors, I expect

@Anti-Matter - They go to school in the Mystery Dungeon!

@bimmy-lee Where they learn all about the ways of their world from the Crystal Chronicles...

@ThanosReXXX - I think there’s a bright future in wizarding. One of them shows some promise in alchemy as well. I’m really stretching here as I’ve never really played a FF game, a fact that lowers my gamer cred no doubt. I tried the one on the SNES classic, but I didn’t like the real time battles. I’m a turn based nerd at heart.

@ThanosReXXX I still need to pick up Season 6 at some point, but I have the rest of the series on DVD. XD It was a show I continued to watch online after moving into my own place (Didn't have TV, still don't really).

@bimmy-lee I'll have to ask as I'm not entirely sure what all went into that concoction. It looks kind of like A1 sauce and is in a pan. I just know they added random condiments and other things sitting around....It also isn't refrigerated or anything to my knowledge, so some of the smell is likely rancidity at this point. But MAN is it rank. XD

@bimmy-lee I've played a few FF games and while they tend to be good, I don't think they live up to the adulation they receive. Lots of - for the time - mind blowing cut scenes but I rarely get the same sort of impact from the stories that I've gotten from other JRPGs like the Xenoblade games or Tales of Vesperia.

I don't think they deserve their legendary status, but I do think they all ranged from decent to good.

@bimmy-lee Me neither, and if that lowers my "cred" in the eyes of some people, then that's too bad for them. Final Fantasy games aren't even remotely close to being the be all and end all that some people seem to think they are. At some point I guess they kind of represented the then actual pinnacle of game development in some ways, but nowadays there are SO many games in so many genres, and even in their own genre, the games have already been surpassed multiple times, so I really couldn't be bothered thinking about or even worrying about people not taking me seriously as a gamer, simply because I don't like or play Final Fantasy games.

I played the games when they were still good and devoid of overly bloated content, on the SNES. After that, they never really interested me anymore, beyond having dipped a toe here and there in the GameCube and Wii spin-offs, but even those I've never really finished.

@Tyranexx DVD, huh? Still haven't surrendered to the Blu-Ray?

@ThanosReXXX Not quite. Other matters come first. XD Partially because I'm trying to fully pay off my surgery bill by Christmas. I'm also hoping to secure a Switch soon too.

@Tyranexx - Well, we now know what would scare me the most at the old spooky house. I’ll recommend some fish sauce for the puke potion. Preferably some that’s beyond expiration and sat around at room temp for a while. I love that stuff, but it has an odor, especially if you cook with it as opposed to just drizzling it on cooked food.

@Heavyarms55 - I’ve never been a fan of long, cinematic cut scenes in games. If I’m playing a game, I want to just play. Otherwise I’d watch a movie. I dislike a lot of the human character designs as well, though the monsters can look pretty cool. Is there one you’d recommend that has turn based battles with enemies visible on the map? Not a fan of random encounters.

@ThanosReXXX - I’ve always felt like I should play a FF game, but just never really wanted to. Or, as mentioned, if I give one a spin, it’s just never grabbed ahold me. One of my childhood friends used to freak out over the first one, but every time I tried it; I just wanted to play SMB, Double Dragon, or Battle Toads instead. Since you’ve played some of the sprite based entries, which would be my preferred visual style, I’ll ask you what I asked Heavyarms; is there one you would recommend from that era that’s turn based with visible enemies?

As for gamer cred, yeah, it really doesn’t mean a thing to me at this point either. I could do a no hit Punch Out run in about 18 minutes as a kid, and that carried me through the entirety of my youth when it mattered a bit. That was my trick with my buddies. I was a good beat em up partner as well.

@bimmy-lee I might suggest that! Though the puke potion is already quite bad. XD That stuff doesn't normally bother my stomach to where I wanna get sick, but I do have a pretty acute nose. I often give people with too much cologne or perfume a wide berth for example. I can usually also tell if someone owns a dog.

@bimmy-lee Well most of the turn based FF titles, in fact all of them to the best of my memory, used random encounters, so if that's a deal breaker there isn't much I can suggest. If you're looking for a turn based JRPG that doesn't have long movie-like cutscenes or many if any random encounters... I think you want Dragon Quest 11 honestly. As that describes the game almost perfectly. The game is turn based, has short in-game cut scenes, and you can see enemies walking around and they are almost always very easy to avoid if you don't want a fight.

Most of the older FF titles were turn based or pseudo turn based but they pretty much all had random encounters from what I remember. I haven't played them all and admittedly haven't beaten any of them. I have a really bad habit of playing like 80% of a final fantasy game and then leaving it unfinished.

@Tyranexx - We have similar noses. I can get queasy from cologne and perfume. There are two people in my office who bathe in it, and it’s cheap, horrid stuff. I can smell them hours after they’ve left. I just want to tell them that whatever they’re trying to cover up can’t possibly smell as bad as what they’re using to cover it up. One of them rode in my car one time and I had to crack the window on a cold day. It took days to get the smell out.

@Heavyarms55 - I do the same thing with most RPGs. I get super into them, play them for weeks, build my character up, then suddenly stop playing for no reason at all. I think the last one I completed was Child of Light on WiiU. I really liked that one though, and it wasn’t very long.

I played the DQXI demo and really liked it. I had a voucher left after pre installing Link’s Awakening and wanted to get it, but I promised my kids Luigi’s Mansion 3. I was also concerned I’d do my shameful RPG maneuver mentioned above and never finish it. I’ll probably grab it next year. I’m also one to be turned off by a super lengthy game. I just don’t have the time I’d like to devote to it.

@bimmy-lee Well Luigi's Mansion 3 should be a fun one, and playing it with your kids makes you the cool parent.

@bimmy-lee Ugh, I definitely can relate. As much as I love both of my grandmothers, one of them uses way too much perfume sometimes.

This brings to mind a relatable clip from my childhood:

On RPGs where you can see enemy encounters coming vs. being pounced on at random: a more classic, quirky turn-based one that I would recommend trying is Earthbound. Sneaking up on enemies gives you an advantage, but they can pounce on you from behind as well.

@Heavyarms55 - Yeah, I made it sound like I regret it, but I can’t wait to give it a try. It’ll be my first in the series. It became a tough decision after the DQ demo though. I’ve been brainwashing my kids with Mario stuff for years though, so this is what I get. The mobile above their crib was Sanei Mario plushies I hung from fishing line and swivels. All the flying and swimming baddies. Their earliest memories are probably looking up and seeing Lakitu, Cheep Cheep, Bullet Bill, etc. They actually don’t play much, but they know most of the Mario and LOZ characters.

@Tyranexx - Good ole Arthur. My kids like that show. Gotta love the PBS Kid’s Club app. I finally got my chance to play Earthbound on the WiiU, and I loved it. I’d put it right up there on
my favorite games list. I haven’t done a playthrough on the SNES Mini yet, but it’s in the plans. It looks a better on the mini, it’s a lot brighter.

@bimmy-lee
Try to make it fun chores when playing RPG games.

Recommended light RPG games with Visible enemies:
1. Fantasy Life 3DS
2. Portal Knights PS4
3. Dragon Quest Builders 2 PS4 / Switch
4. Evoland 2 Switch / PS4
5. Earthlock Switch

Recommended light RPG games with Random encounters :
1. Miitopia 3DS
2. Pokemon games
3. Final Fantasy III NDS / PSP

@bimmy-lee If I ever get married and have kids, I'm gonna do the same, with Pokemon and Mario first, Star Wars and Gundam when they are a little older.

@bimmy-lee That Mario mobile sounds awesome!

Arthur started around the time I became aware that the TV really existed. The show was a staple of my childhood. I didn't like when they transitioned to computer animation vs. the old hand-drawn style, but such are the times we live in.

Glad that you have played Earthbound! I also played it (and Beginnings/Mother) on the Wii U. I need to fire it up on the SNES Classic as well at some point.

@RedderRugfish No, I noticed that as well. Maybe it got linked somewhere and got a bunch of hits.

FFI-III have fully turn-based, IV-XII have the active version, with some tweaking. XIII trilogy has the so-called conditional turn-based system. I guess XV is near enough real-time?
So, you must mean FFIV? If you really want the static turm-based battles, have you played the Tactics ones?