Wow, I can't believe I read the whole thing! :lol
Trin, I pm'd you my first posted reply in the thread after the announcement.
..and just as DQ8 battle song comes up on winamp. :lol
Well, like I said earlier, I do not mind the platform, as I have a half-working DS (which looks like it will need to be fixed or replaced before mid 2007).
I *am* concerned about the switch to an action rpg..as I am really not a fan of those. However, if I am able to play this online with a couple of people, then it could be fun. As long as it's not an mmorpg, I'll give the game a whirl. It could be a fun romp to play some DQ with other people. I would imagine that the job system will reappear, and actually hope that it does for this type of game. I could have a lot of fun casting Thief Nose and looking for stuff in chests or pots in town while the crappy people playing with me go to shops and stuff.
Does that mean I like the change? No. I'd prefer 9 (which I am still in shock of it being what was announced) to be like the other ones, and right now hope 10 reverts to the usual. Really, my biggest/only right now complaint about it being on the DS and not a console is that I can't make videos of it. :lol
Over the years, I've gone through many games I hold dear to my heart make big changes. Some I've recovered from and kept going with them (Castlevania, Final Fantasy), others I have long since stopped acknowledging their existence (Zelda, Mega Man). It seems as though this series has now arrived at the gauntlet.
I originally had no interest in Dragon Quest 8 due to not really liking the original 5 nor 7 much, but gave 8 a shot and was glad I did. Even if 9 blows ass, it may go back to form in 10. If 9 is awesome, by principle I'd rather it go back for 10, but if it doesn't, I'll probably give that a try too.
I know Trin was expecting a suicide note, but really, I've gotten and played through some FF games I really dislike for awhile now, even multiple times. DQ has gone through that too, except now it's reached the 'quite a change' period, which could go either way. Anyway, I'll get the game and I may love it, or I may hate it 5 minutes in. Either way, I'm buying it and hope I enjoy it, but deep down I still would like the 4th trilogy to go to a console and be what I've come to expect and love about these games.
The graphics don't matter to me, I am more in the club of the overworld possibly suffering in comparison to 8's since it is a 3d game, and more about the action rpg aspect. But playing DQ with a couple other people could be fun, even if it is not the usual DQ I have come to expect. Maybe it'll be awesome, maybe it'll suck ass. Who knows.
I'd like to end this post with a request to the mods. It's finals week right now, and I just spent over 1/4 of a day keeping up with this thread and blabbing on irc, and I shouldn't be. I'd like to request a ban until 12:01 AM EST 12/16(/06). Thanks.