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Topic: Dragon Quest VIII 3D announced

Posts 101 to 120 of 133

Dezzy

Ralizah wrote:

With that said, the pop-in of environmental detail in this game is insane. I don't notice this as much in other games with more stuff on screen at a time, but it's really jarring for trees, bushes, patches of grass etc. to suddenly materialize when you're a foot away from them.

The trees I'm fine with. Those fade in slowly. Some of the grass however is absolutely insane and just pops instantly when you're about 10m away from it. Looks completely ridiculous. Would've just looked better to leave it out completely.

It's dangerous to go alone! Stay at home.

Ralizah

This game really is quite fantastic, though. Great voice acting, good character writing, fun combat system, catchy music, and some very engaging cut-scenes. The new additions are fantastic, too. Love being able to see monsters on the world map. Photo challenges are VERY fun. Constant minimap is extremely useful.

I can see myself playing this for months. Fantastic purchase.

Currently Playing: Advance Wars 1 + 2: Re- Boot Camp (NS)

GameOtaku

i still prefer the original game. Sure it's improved in some ways but took a dive in other aspects. Mainly censorship, seeing monsters instead of random and the change of the music I can't really get behind.

GameOtaku

LzWinky

Seeing monsters is worse than random? Wut?

Current games: Everything on Switch

Switch Friend Code: SW-5075-7879-0008 | My Nintendo: LzWinky | Nintendo Network ID: LzWinky

GameOtaku

@TheLZdragon
No the random battles are better. It makes you prepare better for forays into dungeons instead of hey let me side step that monster and all battles going down only to get the snot beat out of you by a boss. The way I did was to take some holy water to repel weak monsters and only fight strong ones to level up better and always have escape items or skills to get back to town quickly.

GameOtaku

Ralizah

@GameOtaku No. Random battles are terrible, randomly yanking the player out of the flow of the dungeon-crawling to combat an initially invisible enemy. This was fine years ago, as it was a concession to console hardware limitations, but now that we have the technology to actually display enemies on the map, including it in games seems... lazy. Besides integrating monsters into the normal in-game environment, it also allows the player to strategize and change how they approach environmental navigation. Do I want to try and avoid most of the encounters in a particular area because I'm injured and need to escape to safety? Perhaps I'm in the mood to level up and want to seek out particular spawns that I know provide more experience points. In general, putting enemies on the map makes a JRPG more intuitive. It also doesn't counteract planning, as monsters will frequently chase you down and trigger combat sequences whether you want to fight them or not. It just means there is less time running from battles you don't want to fight over and over, giving you more time actually playing the game the way you want and having fun.

And frankly, if a person avoids encounters on the way into a dungeon and then gets clobbered by a boss? That teaches them a lesson: battles are a valuable tool for leveling up and making money and can't be ignored.

Moreover, the censorship is minor and exists in all versions of the 3DS port.

The lack of an orchestral soundtrack does indeed suck... but the game adds enough that I still feel this is likely the definitive version of DQ VIII.

Currently Playing: Advance Wars 1 + 2: Re- Boot Camp (NS)

GameOtaku

@Ralizah
Having enemies on the map complicates things especially with one side quest you need to seek out some monsters that appeared on the map in the original now with all monsters shown finding out which ones will be a lot harder.

And if you're injured have escape items at the ready don't plod out of the dungeon and across wide open plains just escape and zoom!

Edited on by GameOtaku

GameOtaku

Ralizah

@GameOtaku Spend 5 minutes playing the game and I'm pretty sure you'll notice if there's a new enemy type on the map. It complicates nothing, and improves so much.

It was just an example. Escaping from dungeons isn't an issue in this game.

Currently Playing: Advance Wars 1 + 2: Re- Boot Camp (NS)

GameOtaku

@Ralizah
The ps2 original had monsters displayed, however it was just those that I mentioned since they are mini boss battles. One is pretty early on is a TRex with an ax, and part of the fun of the original was searching out of the way areas to find these wandering monsters. Since all monsters are displayed unless there's something to differentiate them you could be in for a rude awakening.

GameOtaku

CanisWolfred

I'd argue that a remake changing the encounters from random to visible would be a downgrade if they don't change the world & dungeon design to compensate. I definitely saw a lot of that in DQ7 3DS. The first new island you encounter is so tight and cramped, even outside the dungeon, that the encounters may as well have been random, since could barely get anywere without at least a could fights in between - and have I mentioned how tiny that island is?

I'm not saying that's the case with DQ8 3D, since there are plenty of open spaces (almost as if on-screen enemies was the original plan, before they realized they were making it for the PS2), but I'm just saying, even on-screen enemies can be obnoxious if mishandled. And Square-Enix is more than capable of mishandling things...

Anyways, the main thing for me is that DQ8 is a long game, and I can't convince myself to play it on a new platform unless there's a lot of new content. Some downgraded music and visuals is still a point against it when the biggest improvements seem to be faster loading times and visible enemies. Which is nice, sure...if you're playing it for the first time. But I've already learned to put up with those things, and I've already been rewarded with a prettier game and a better soundtrack. The only other change is portability, but at this point, that just means I don't get to play it on a large screen. I'm glad you guys get to enjoy it, though, it's just too bad this is the first time that I had to pass up a Dragon Quest remake. Then again, this was also the only Dragon Quest game I've played so far that was good enough the first time around.

Edited on by CanisWolfred

I am the Wolf...Red
Backloggery | DeviantArt
Wolfrun?

RR529

Just got it in the mail today! Only played it for an hour & a half so far. spent a lot of time poking around every nook & cranny of Farebury, but I also worked my way to the first dungeon, where I quick saved & stopped for now.

Not that I've played the original version, but I like the fact you can see enemies roaming around the world (I guess the Tales games have spoiled me with that, lol), and it's nice to know I have a big RPG I'll be sinking into for the foreseeable future

Currently Playing:
Switch - Blade Strangers
PS4 - Kingdom Hearts III, Tetris Effect (VR)

CanisWolfred

RR529 wrote:

Just got it in the mail today! Only played it for an hour & a half so far. spent a lot of time poking around every nook & cranny of Farebury, but I also worked my way to the first dungeon, where I quick saved & stopped for now.

Not that I've played the original version, but I like the fact you can see enemies roaming around the world (I guess the Tales games have spoiled me with that, lol), and it's nice to know I have a big RPG I'll be sinking into for the foreseeable future

Oh boy, you can say that again...

I am the Wolf...Red
Backloggery | DeviantArt
Wolfrun?

RR529

@CanisWolfred, yeah, I heard this one is pretty big, lol. I remember DQV took me around 60 hours to complete (about the same as the Tales games I've played). Is this one even bigger!?

Also, just to be sure, if you die do you go all the way back to your last main save, or can you go back to your latest quicksave? Just completed the first dungeon and realized there wasn't any save spots in it (even before the boss fight). This would be a bit more bearable if you went back to your last quicksave (since you could make one just before the boss), but going all the way back to your last main save in town, losing ALL of your dungeon/leveling progress would be a pain (unless you keep your experience?).

It's been awhile, so I can't exactly remember how that worked in IV & V.

Currently Playing:
Switch - Blade Strangers
PS4 - Kingdom Hearts III, Tetris Effect (VR)

CanisWolfred

@RR529 Minimum estimates were around 80 hours. Minimum. Yes, it is longer than DQV. The only one worse was DQVII, though I hear 8 at least makes better use of its time.

I am the Wolf...Red
Backloggery | DeviantArt
Wolfrun?

RR529

I'm about 12 hours in so far, and am loving it.

Just finished up the Abbey story arc in terms of progress, with the Ruined Abbey being my favorite dungeon so far (out of the three I've completed, lol). The cast is turning out to be likeable (especially Yangus, to my suprise), and Dholmagus has been a fantastic villain so far (staying just one step ahead of our heroes at all times, with his recent presence visibly causing strife in every town so far, and what few glimpses of him I've caught so far have been brutal).

I really can't find anything negative to say. I enjoy that the combat takes a classic approach and is easy to grasp (the same as all DQ games I've played, really), and I've become addicted to the camera based sidequests (every time I enter a new town or dungeon, the first thing I pull up is Cameron's Codex to see what curiosities he wants me to capture in that location). My one little nitpick is that your on screen character is determined by your lead character in your battle line-up (who is most likely to be attacked). I like having Jessica being my on-screen character, but it's not a smart thing from a line-up perspective because of her low defense in comparison to the other party members. I'd like it if your choice of on screen character wasn't linked to your battle line-up, but it's really a tiny complaint in the grand scheme of things.

Currently Playing:
Switch - Blade Strangers
PS4 - Kingdom Hearts III, Tetris Effect (VR)

RR529

Sorry for the double post, but how do you recruit Red?

I just got Madea back from her by giving her the Venus Tear but she herself seems to have no interest in leaving her house. I understand she wasn't recruitable in the original release, so does she have some more important things to do story wise as an NPC before I can recruit her, is she only playable post game, or is there something else I'm missing?

Currently Playing:
Switch - Blade Strangers
PS4 - Kingdom Hearts III, Tetris Effect (VR)

Dezzy

I think the 2 new characters are only available later on in the story.

I've just got the boat and onto the western continent. It's a very good game. My only problems with it are the 3DS specific draw distance issues. And the battles are a bit too generic for my liking.

The world, characters and storytelling are all very good though.

It's dangerous to go alone! Stay at home.

RR529

Yeah, I'm still on the Western Continent as well. I'm still moving along, but at a slower pace, as I've been grinding a lot lately. Firstly, I landed on the wrong side of the continent (and didn't know it), which resulted in the monsters being a bit tougher than I anticipated, so I grinded to overcome them (though it made the area I was supposed to be in a bit easier once I got there, lol). Now I'm just grinding for cash to buy all the best equipment in the Argonia Bazaar.

Also, in terms of sidequests, I've done all the photograph challenges available so far (except for finding those special monsters that only come out once you defeat X number of regular enemies in a region. I only have one of those), I've beaten Rank D in the Monster Arena, and gotten the first two Mini Medal rewards.

Currently Playing:
Switch - Blade Strangers
PS4 - Kingdom Hearts III, Tetris Effect (VR)

Lena_B

xPH03N1Xx86 wrote:

Please, please! I yearn for Dragon Quest 8 so bad! My favorite game of all time T ^ T

I feel you

Lena_B

RR529

Ran into my first glitch.

I had just entered the tower east of Arcadia, and whenever I pushed the statue the slime was trying to move, I coudn't do anything (couldn't move it more, let go, move the camera, or bring up the menu or photograph feature). The music was still playing though, and it wasn't frozen per se, because the MC's eyes would still blink, it's just that none of the buttons were doing anything.

Currently Playing:
Switch - Blade Strangers
PS4 - Kingdom Hearts III, Tetris Effect (VR)

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