tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2542399795044817092.post4557136495625241443..comments2023-10-30T07:13:39.494-04:00Comments on You Are Lose!: Turn-Based or Real Time RPGs?Koreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16381463148055787401noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2542399795044817092.post-47097147813845358222009-06-03T21:48:41.890-04:002009-06-03T21:48:41.890-04:00You know, its funny, I owned that game since its o...You know, its funny, I owned that game since its original release and I never finished it until last year when I was on a "Finish all the FF's I never got around to" kick which also included FF8 (terrible game, ok story, good ending), and FFX-II (exploitive, a little silly, oddly engaging combat mechanic tho, and the story was spotty but ok).<br /><br />Something about FFIX just made me stop playing about halfway thru the first two times... There's a period in the middle of the game where the story just seems like filler to make the game longer. I dunno, glad to have finished it tho and it IS a decent FF. <br /><br />Like you, I loved the turn based battle in FFX (I know I'm in the minority, but that's actually my favorite FF to date. (Before you flame me, yes, I acknowledge that FFVI and FFVII were masterpieces, ok?) I was disappointed with the real-time in FFXII (gambits! Fun! You get to program the AI for your party in C++, so we don't have to! Thanks, Square).<br /><br />As for console RPG's that have gotten real-time battles RIGHT, I suggest playing the following:<br /><br />* Rogue Galaxy (hugely underrated game. so good.)<br /><br />* Tales of Vesperia (X360) (beautiful graphics, great characters, excellent combat, and your buddy/girlfriend/wife can play as one of the other characters in battle)<br /><br />*Tales of anything else (Symphonia (gamecube), the Abyss (PS2), Legendia(PS2), etc) Just playing Symphonia and Abyss now, but they seem solid so far. Just don't get the one for PSP, it blows. I played that one first, and it ALMOST made me dismiss the entire series, which would have been a big mistake.<br /><br />* Star Ocean (pretty much any of em) - These are basically "Tales of" games in outer space... with swords, bows and magic...<br /><br />Now, here's to hoping they get the combat system in FFXIII right.Todd Lhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01289079996889542886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2542399795044817092.post-2612533540765801912009-02-20T10:25:00.000-05:002009-02-20T10:25:00.000-05:00Hey Demiath. Congrats on finishing Persona 3. De...Hey Demiath. Congrats on finishing Persona 3. Despite my seemingly constant complaining about it here, I felt the 80 or so hours I spent on the main game was well worth it. I didn't have many problems with the final boss. I had to try it twice, because the first time I had one of those frustrating "main character dies = game over" experiences on the last form. As much as I want to try Persona 4, especially since I've hard it's even better, I just don't know if I want to spend that much time on one game at this point. Maybe some day.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for calling me out on my post. Reading back over it, I find that I didn't define my terms regarding types of RPGs very clearly. I'm going to make a follow-up post soon going into more detail about the distinction I was trying to make.<BR/><BR/>I highly recommend FF9 as a light-hearted RPG romp. I particularly like how it's sort of a culmination of all things Final Fantasy from the previous versions. I've just now reached the farthest point I'd ever made it in the game, after several aborted attempts. So my next play session will be venturing into uncharted waters, halfway through disc 2. It's been a long time since I played a game spanning multiple discs. Anyway, it's serving as a nice change of pace from both Half-Life 2 and Persona.Koreyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16381463148055787401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2542399795044817092.post-21521215490914215682009-02-19T06:45:00.000-05:002009-02-19T06:45:00.000-05:00My experience with Japanese/console RPGs is very l...My experience with Japanese/console RPGs is very limited (I've first and foremost been a PC FPS/RPG gamer for many years now), but FF9 is one of those games I definitely want to get around to one day, if only for its glorious old school aesthetics. <BR/><BR/>I understand why the term "real-time" is used in this post to characterize the Active Time Battle mechanics in FF9. That said, wouldn't the conventional, bare-bones definition of "turn-based" be a system in which characters never attack simultaneously - i.e. they take turns - regardless of whether there's some kind of time management element involved or not? Using that (admittedly narrow) definition, FF9 would be just as "turn-based" as the more leisurely paced FF10, while "real-time" is reserved for games like FF12 and "Oblivion". That's the implicit distinction between turn-based/real-time I've always used, anyway, and that's why the terminology in your post initially confused me somewhat. Not that it really matters what you call it as long as it's clear from the context what you're talking about (which it certainly is in this post)...<BR/><BR/>By the way, I finally finished Persona 3 a few days ago. Took me about 95 hours or so. I had significant problems with the final boss (specifically the last 5 minutes of that fight), so I had to go back to Tartarus, kill the Reaper, unlock Monad (which I originally hadn't planned to do) and grind my way up to MC level 90, after which the Nyx Avatar could be killed off quite easily. Now I've just started playing Persona 4 (primarily just to see if it's really the noticeable improvement over P3 that most reviewers say it is), and despite being even more melodramatic and over the top in its storytelling and art design the game does look quite promising so far.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2542399795044817092.post-17460876044412223482009-02-18T10:49:00.000-05:002009-02-18T10:49:00.000-05:00No worries. True, though, that there is definitel...No worries. True, though, that there is definitely a place for both kinds of RPGs.<BR/><BR/>Good point, though, that in Active-Time-Based RPGS a la Final Fantasy, there are no rewards for performing actions quickly and efficiently. Other than completing the battle sooner, of course. It would be interesting to see an Active RPG that rewarded players for acting quickly, as you said.Koreyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16381463148055787401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2542399795044817092.post-39537640016066095812009-02-17T17:30:00.000-05:002009-02-17T17:30:00.000-05:00Mmhh, pardon that comment. I wrote it before actua...Mmhh, pardon that comment. I wrote it before actually reading the post.<BR/><BR/>Anyways, I'm with you on this one, but not only concerning the FF games.<BR/><BR/>I think the main problem with real-time battles is that it punishes the player for acting slowly but it doesn't reward her for acting quickly.<BR/>Maybe you can attack first if you make your decision before the AI does. Maybe you get an enhanced chance to do a critical hit if you are fast enough. Maybe the harder it is to access an option in the menu the more powerful it is, so bashing the attack button makes your character attack much more often wile dealing less damage than usual.<BR/><BR/>I like the concept of real-time battles, what I don't like is it's unimaginative and punishing implementation.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2542399795044817092.post-14655390705624244042009-02-17T17:16:00.000-05:002009-02-17T17:16:00.000-05:00Turn-based or action? I say both.Turn-based or action? I say both.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com