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Dragon's Dogma Demo Impressions

Eppy Thatcher

God's had his chance.
Everyone please remember as well that as far as the Pawns are concerned you only HAVE to take your pawn with you. And i'm sure there are measures you can take to have them hang back ... but there is absolutely nothing forcing you to use all 3.
 
Just beat it, the Griffin battle was way funner than the Chimera.

Pawn:

ASmpo.jpg
FtCp8.jpg


Nice. My character isn't quite as hot, but I try (I favor dark hair). Other than trying to make a black guy (not easy), I think i'll avoiding tweaking much since the game doesn't really care about how good my peoples look at all (lol).

Main G Sevothtarte
IMG_1661.jpg


Pawn Sabina
IMG_1657.jpg
 
360. It's not game breaking, but the frame rate on the PS3 version is pretty bad.

Agreed on the framerate... On the other hand the stick movement felt a bit off to me on 360 and it seems to be more blurry. Really undecided on this. And letterbox on both consoles if for shame.
 

Deadly Cyclone

Pride of Iowa State
Asked yesterday but didn't see a reply. Any way to edit the UI for the game? The mini map and stuff is all pushed in towards the center of the screen like it is formatted for 4:3.
 

ironcreed

Banned
I just switched my preorder from 360 to ps3. :x

lol

Yeah, the PS3 version is more than fine. On the 6 times I have played it so far on PS3, I have yet to have the framerate chug like some are claiming. Anyone in doubt, just look at footage on Youtube if you can't be bothered to DL the demo. It looks good, runs great and has zero tearing. But both versions are close enough that it is really not worth splitting hairs over. Can't go wrong either way.
 
Yeah, the PS3 version is more than fine. On the 6 times I have played it so far on PS3, I have yet to have the framerate chug like some are claiming. Anyone in doubt, just look at footage on Youtube if you can't be bothered to DL the demo. It looks good, runs great and has zero tearing. But both versions are close enough that it is really not worth splitting hairs over. Can't go wrong either way.

I really have no idea what people are talking about withe the framerate dropping and screen tearing.

I guess we're lucky, I don't know.

Also, what is letterboxing and why is it bad?
 

Deadly Cyclone

Pride of Iowa State
Menu screen under options. You can remove all UI

Well, I did see that, but I don't want to remove the mini map, just move it to the left about 2". I know some games (MW3) have options to re-size the UI per your screen.

I did turn off combat text though, that was a massive screen blocker.
 
My god I absolutely LOVE this fucking game. Played demo on both, and didn't notice much of a difference technically. Now I need to figure out which system to get it on. The combat is incredibly fun, especially using the rogue(?) - the fast attacks is exhilarating. It really does remind me of Monster Hunter, but I feel like I'll be able to get into this much easier.
 

ironcreed

Banned
I really have no idea what people are talking about withe the framerate dropping and screen tearing.

I guess we're lucky, I don't know.

Also, what is letterboxing and why is it bad?

The black lines at the top and bottom of the screen like you see in widescreen films. I think those with plasma television sets are worried about image retention and that is why some are complaining. Others may just find it annoying for whatever reason, but I am so used to seeing it in movies, that I did not even notice it. Even if it is being used in a game.
 
Well, I did see that, but I don't want to remove the mini map, just move it to the left about 2". I know some games (MW3) have options to re-size the UI per your screen.

I did turn off combat text though, that was a massive screen blocker.

Oh I misunderstood your question. It looks like the UI items can only be enabled or disabled and not repositioned.
 

alr1ght

bish gets all the credit :)
Tearing and sub-hd. Capcom is a shit company, but at least their games are usually solid tech wise.
 

Eppy Thatcher

God's had his chance.
There is definitely a new game+ ... they talk about it in the streams a few times.
Level cap=200
My guess for the trophies list (which i haven't seen yet ... link?) would be certain milestones and monsters? ... should be interesting.

Also... it's kind of funny to hear complaints of it being simple or a hack n slash as simple hacking and button mashing will get you killed in the game proper and the only reason you get away with in the demo is that your characters are pretty OP. I was kind of on the fence with the whole "The demo is not a good rep for the game itself..." idea... and while i stick by some of my reservations (that you would have to be intentionally ignorant when it comes to the fact that it's an open world RPG) ... it might actually have some validity when it comes to the difficulty of the gameplay. I would imagine that mashing buttons and not thinking through your encounters will get you killed just about as fast as in Dark/Demon's souls... Hell .. if you backtrack to 1-1 after destroying 99% of Demon's Souls the enemies are like flies. If that was the demo for that game people could easily say "You just mash buttons and win this game is stupid" and move on ...

You won't get away with that shit here. Just like you won't there. Quote me on it.
 

BeeDog

Member
I have no idea why Capcom insists on V-syncing the game on PS3 when the FPS keeps dropping so much. At least I didn't feel it's completely unplayable though.

Gameplay-wise, still a bit undecided. The game screams of potential, but the two short scenarios in the demo left me somewhat underwhelmed. I hoped it would grab me as quickly as Demon's Souls did, but nada.
 
Going by the impressions in this thread I was expecting much worse.. honestly, I'm not sure I've got a feel of the combat system yet, there's a nice array of abilities and options, but the lack of lock on and of a dodging mechanic for all classes (strider has one but the warrior dude doesn't? that's.. weird), plus the fact that the pawns do all the work... it was strangely fun, but I honestly have no idea if it's going to be a good game. Honestly.

Okay, this post reads really badly, but I'm confused about this game, 'mkay?
 

RPGCrazied

Member
Cause they are smart. Everyone should vsync their games. I can't believe not many feel that it makes a game completely ugly. Even if the game is triple A, if it has tearing, it goes back to the store.
 

burgerdog

Member
burgerdog from here made a video of the screen tearing. Even on 720p. I could see it, clear as day.

People see what they want to see or they simply don't know what to look for. Nobody has these super awesome OC'ed 360s that don't tear and ps3s that don't drop frames.
 
The black lines at the top and bottom of the screen like you see in widescreen films. I think those with plasma television sets are worried about image retention and that is why some are complaining. Others may just find it annoying for whatever reason, but I am so used to seeing it in movies, that I did not even notice it. Even if it is being used in a game.

I...I don't even see them.

Edit: Oh wait there they are. I didn't even notice them
 

Eppy Thatcher

God's had his chance.
Going by the impressions in this thread I was expecting much worse.. honestly, I'm not sure I've got a feel of the combat system yet, there's a nice array of abilities and options, but the lack of lock on and of a dodging mechanic for all classes (strider has one but the warrior dude doesn't? that's.. weird), plus the fact that the pawns do all the work... it was strangely fun, but I honestly have no idea if it's going to be a good game. Honestly.

Okay, this post reads really badly, but I'm confused about this game, 'mkay?

I read your post ... then looked at your avi and started to quote... then read your username and had a lawl. Well done.


People see what they want to see or they simply don't know what to look for. Nobody has these super awesome OC'ed 360s that don't tear and ps3s that don't drop frames.

I'm not saying there was NO frame skipping/dropping at all in my multiple playthroughs... but I am definitely saying it's not some chug-fest that ruins the game as some people seem to be implying. I drop a few frames when the dragon shoots his fireball (even though i can smoothly run through said fire even as the effect is finishing without jumping or skipping an animation the entire time..) and perhaps when there are all 3 of my pawns and a chimera attacking/moving/jumping and I try to pan the view 180 past them...

Even still.. no where near unplayable. Just like you say .. people see what they want to see. If you notice a framedrop/screen tearing and you don't want to like the game already ... then it's so bad it's an experience crippling fault when to the most of us.. it simply is not that large an obstacle to enjoying the game.
 

ironcreed

Banned
Hell .. if you backtrack to 1-1 after destroying 99% of Demon's Souls the enemies are like flies. If that was the demo for that game people could easily say "You just mash buttons and win this game is stupid" and move on ...

You won't get away with that shit here. Just like you won't there. Quote me on it.

Well said. Everyone who has had extensive hands-on have made it clear that while not quite as brutal as the Souls series can be, it will still easily beat you down if you venture out into over-leveled territory or do not have your party balanced properly for certain encounters. The game will require both learning and planning in order to progress, and that is why there is only one difficulty.
 
I had an easier time solo'ing the Chimera than when I had a full party; it seemed to always go after me when I had pawns, but just lumbered about when I was by myself.

Found a big rock out in the field and chucked it at the Griffin. lol
 

Anteater

Member
Going by the impressions in this thread I was expecting much worse.. honestly, I'm not sure I've got a feel of the combat system yet, there's a nice array of abilities and options, but the lack of lock on and of a dodging mechanic for all classes (strider has one but the warrior dude doesn't? that's.. weird), plus the fact that the pawns do all the work... it was strangely fun, but I honestly have no idea if it's going to be a good game. Honestly.

Okay, this post reads really badly, but I'm confused about this game, 'mkay?

Fighter has a block and a parry though!

Toss the pawns and go through the prologue again, it'll probably give you a better idea on the combat and enemy designs
 

Papercuts

fired zero bullets in the orphanage.
My X360 is as loud as a jet engine after any extended play and I fear its close to red-ringing after an alarming graphical glitchathon towards the end of the shitfest that is Ninja Gaiden 3, so will probably be electing to pick up the PS3 version of this. DMC developers, Playstation pad only seems right as well.

Although that also makes me wonder if you'd need Live Gold on the 360 version to access other peoples Pawns and upload your own.

You can use pawns as a silver member.

Fighter is BOSS, just tried it a few times again and I think a shield parry on the chimera leap attack in its face (do it early instead of parrying it when it lands) seems to be an instant knock down, I think it was at 1/4 of its last bar though, most of the other time it just stuns it for like a second, you could parry majority of the big attacks too.

Also does block uses stamina? I haven't been paying attention to my stamina and I noticed when I tried to block the chimera 's huge attack, it broke through my shield a few times, then my character ran out of stamina and out of breath, don't remember how much stamina I had when I tried to block it, but I'm sure it was low.

Block didn't use any stamina against normal enemies. I'm not sure about on big ones, but I don't think it did. Also, weirdly enough, you keep regaining stamina as usual when you roll around as a Strider.

Cause they are smart. Everyone should vsync their games. I can't believe not many feel that it makes a game completely ugly. Even if the game is triple A, if it has tearing, it goes back to the store.

I despise tearing, but I despise chugging framerates even more. One may be ugly but I feel the other fully impacts the playability of the game, and in extreme cases like Blighttown in Dark Souls or the entirety of Shadow of the Colossus, it actually gives me a headache.
 

Raw64life

Member
Played the demo on PS3 and didn't notice any staggering framerate drops. Game is fun but don't know if I will get it day 1, especially with the way new games are dropping to $30/$40 mere months after release these days.
 

Sephon

Member
Cause they are smart. Everyone should vsync their games. I can't believe not many feel that it makes a game completely ugly. Even if the game is triple A, if it has tearing, it goes back to the store.

Well in a way you can choose, since the PS3 version does vsync and the 360 version does not.
And I'm going with 360 mostly due to that, vsync should be an option like it usually is on PC.
 
Just played it last night. For such a short demo I got a LOT out of it. I replayed the segments quite a bit!

THIS is how you do a RPG. No bullshit bad combat & clunky controls like The Witcher, no vanilla bland fighting like Skyrim.
A huge open world that looked & controlled absolutely beautifully! Hard & epic fights. Strategy & ease of gameplay. Everything flowed.

This is the first game since Dark Souls That I am super hyped about. I literally couldn't resume playing my save of the Witcher 2 after the demo. It just feels outdated after playing something so much better.
 

Xater

Member
Just played it last night. For such a short demo I got a LOT out of it. I replayed the segments quite a bit!

THIS is how you do a RPG. No bullshit bad combat & clunky controls like The Witcher, no vanilla bland fighting like Skyrim.
A huge open world that looked & controlled absolutely beautifully! Hard & epic fights. Strategy & ease of gameplay. Everything flowed.

This is the first game since Dark Souls That I am super hyped about. I literally couldn't resume playing my save of the Witcher 2 after the demo. It just feels outdated after playing something so much better.

WAT?

You must have been playing a different Witcher 2.
 

geebee

Banned
Played the demo on PS3 and didn't notice any staggering framerate drops. Game is fun but don't know if I will get it day 1, especially with the way new games are dropping to $30/$40 mere months after release these days.
No staggering drops from what I saw... just a consistently low framerate. I'll have to check out the X360 demo to see how that one performs.
 
So...I played the 360 demo. A number of people are talking about the "tearing". I honestly don't know what people are talking about...although I honestly don't know what to look for.

What am I not seeing here?

You DON'T want to know. Seriously, don't look it up. You'll never see games in the same way again.
 
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