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[Burning Justice]

Finished my Nightmare replay. There were a few bosses towards the end that were somewhat tough, but for the most part it got way easier. Managed to keep

Spoiler

Loa Erebonius

in a near-constant delay-lock thanks to the Arc Slash + Zeus Gem combo.

Since the PC version of CS2 isn't out yet i decided to replay the PS3 version. Good lord, the gap in graphical quality between PC and PS3 is huge. Can be hard to really appreciate it until you actually try going back.

 

[ShadowSoldier89]

I think it feels that way because everyone thanks Rean and repeats how great and instrumental he is in resolving the whole things.

that does happen, but not always. Laura thanks Elliot

 

[Niks]

Since the PC version of CS2 isn't out yet i decided to replay the PS3 version. Good lord, the gap in graphical quality between PC and PS3 is huge. Can be hard to really appreciate it until you actually try going back.

Since I just finished CS1, I was contemplating getting CS2 for PS3....man waiting for the PC release is going to be tough.

 

[ShadowSoldier89]

So its been bothering me for a while but was too lazy to figure out the cause until now. The HBAO+ implementation appears to have the nasty side effect of messing up the texture gradients on characters making the polygons super visble

HBAO+ off

HBAO+ on

And it looks much worse in a lot of cutscenes

Checking steam forums it does seem that durante is aware of issues with HBAO+

 

[QFNS]

Finally got to the end this weekend. What a ride! I heartily recommend everyone do what I did and start the game with a NG+ file and opt into the Max Bonding event bonus to allow yourself to see all fo them. Then spend the rest of the points on costumes or something and don't carry over any of the other bonuses to attempt to preseve the NG feel. Or just use Cheat Engine and cheat out the Bonding points so you can see all of them -- I didn't have that option available when I started the game, but I understand it works fine these days.

This means you get all the story stuff in one playthrough and I will say that if I played this game normally I would be super mad at the Bonding Point system not letting me see all the side stories of the various class members. I dunno what the designers were thinking, but gating off the side story content that way is super shitty. I hope it goes away in CSII and/or CSIII.

Loved the game, it really felt a lot like Trails in the Sky FC to me. Since there central conflict was a very slow burn in that game as well and we were left wanting more with the ending as well. Great time, can't wait until CSII comes out on PC as well. I would guess that will be in the next year or two.

 

[ShadowSoldier89]

This means you get all the story stuff in one playthrough and I will say that if I played this game normally I would be super mad at the Bonding Point system not letting me see all the side stories of the various class members. I dunno what the designers were thinking, but gating off the side story content that way is super shitty. I hope it goes away in CSII and/or CSIII.
.

It still exists in CS2, and CS2 even has a pretty important story sidequest only viewable in NG+...

fortunately its already been announced that all bonding events other than the final are viewable in 1 playthrough in CS3

 

[QFNS]

It still exists in CS2, and CS2 even has a pretty important story sidequest only viewable in NG+...

fortunately its already been announced that all bonding events other than the final are viewable in 1 playthrough in CS3

Well that is a bummer, but glad to hear that it is being changed in CS3.

I guess I will be cheat engining or NG+'ing CS2 then, cause who has time to replay these 100+ hour RPGs? I certainly don't.

 

[Ascheroth]

Well that is a bummer, but glad to hear that it is being changed in CS3.

I guess I will be cheat engining or NG+'ing CS2 then, cause who has time to replay these 100+ hour RPGs? I certainly don't.

I replayed cold steel 1 on pc to see all the remaining bonding events and it took me 10 hours fwiw. Still, going to us max BP in 2 from the get go.

 

[QFNS]

I replayed cold steel 1 on pc to see all the remaining bonding events and it took me 10 hours fwiw. Still, going to us max BP in 2 from the get go.

Yeah I mean with carry over for levels and maxing out Turbo mode I bet you could do it quite quickly, but as you say why even bother? Just do it from the get go and save yourself the 10 hours.

Then use that time to anxiously wait for the sequels to get announced =)

 

[Ascheroth]

Yeah I mean with carry over for levels and maxing out Turbo mode I bet you could do it quite quickly, but as you say why even bother? Just do it from the get go and save yourself the 10 hours.

Then use that time to anxiously wait for the sequels to get announced =)

Yeah, it's a stupid design decision. Glad they realized that for CS3 at least.

 

[Jonnax]

Speaking of bonding, does that carry over into the next game? Or is it more like a blank slate? Or is the assumption that Rean did every event and

Spoiler

danced with everyone at the end

? Haha

 

[Burning Justice]

Speaking of bonding, does that carry over into the next game? Or is it more like a blank slate? Or is the assumption that Rean did every event and

Spoiler

danced with everyone at the end

? Haha

Who you

Spoiler

spent the dance event with

and who you COULD have

Spoiler

spent the dance event with

both have an effect on a few scenes in the second game.

That said, your actual link levels do not carry over. The second game has its own bonding events, and your transfer data from the first game has no effect on them.

 

[Durante]

So its been bothering me for a while but was too lazy to figure out the cause until now. The HBAO+ implementation appears to have the nasty side effect of messing up the texture gradients on characters making the polygons super visble

Yes, I'm aware of this. It will be fixed eventually (certainly before CS2), but there were always other more urgent things to fix and improve since launch.

 

[Jonnax]

Who you

Spoiler

spent the dance event with

and who you COULD have

Spoiler

spent the dance event with

both have an effect on a few scenes in the second game.

That said, your actual link levels do not carry over. The second game has its own bonding events, and your transfer data from the first game has no effect on them.

Ah that's interesting. I also did the cheat engine thing to hang out with everybody. So everybody should love Rean

 

[lazerfox]

Just finished it yesterday clocking at 85 hours. You guys weren't kidding about the ending. Goddamn I wasn't expecting that at all.
Can't wait for Cold Steel 2 now. Looking at opencritic scores it's even going to be better than the first one.

Also can't praise Durante enough for the A0 PC port. It ran like a dream and turbo mode was just a godsent.

 

[kromeo]

I'm near the start of chapter 4 and steam is claiming I've played 59 hours, I assumed I was nearing the end but I've just seen there's

Spoiler

7

chapters... I've enjoyed the game a lot more than Sky and the Gagarvs but if any more of the chapters are as long as 3 I'm not sure I'm ever going to finish it

 

[Thud]

I'm near the start of chapter 4 and steam is claiming I've played 59 hours, I assumed I was nearing the end but I've just seen there's

Spoiler

7

chapters... I've enjoyed the game a lot more than Sky and the Gagarvs but if any more of the chapters are as long as 3 I'm not sure I'm ever going to finish it

The last chapter is pretty long for a good reason.

I would say you're about 2/3 in.

 

[Ascheroth]

I'm near the start of chapter 4 and steam is claiming I've played 59 hours, I assumed I was nearing the end but I've just seen there's

Spoiler

7

chapters... I've enjoyed the game a lot more than Sky and the Gagarvs but if any more of the chapters are as long as 3 I'm not sure I'm ever going to finish it

:O
I've completed the entire game including all the side stuff in 44 hours according to Steam.
(Think actual savefile is around 50-55)

 

[chaosblade]

:O
I've completed the entire game including all the side stuff in 44 hours according to Steam.
(Think actual savefile is around 50-55)

I'm guessing you had already played it on console? I think it took me closer to 70-75 hours.

 

[Ascheroth]

I'm guessing you had already played it on console? I think it took me closer to 70-75 hours.

I'm an idiot, lmao. Wrong Trails game.I was actually talking about Trails in the Sky the 3rd, someone bumped that thread earlier.
I actually finished Cold Steel in 10 hours.

Spoiler

On second playthrough with turbomode, only watching the missing bonding scenes.

Joking aside, Cold Steel took me around 80 hours, I'd say.

 

[kromeo]

Just finished the events in Heimdallr, was trying to think who C might be but can only think of Crow (lol) or Carl Regnitz who it can't have been

 

[Shake Appeal]

It took me about 100 hours, but I'm a pretty hardcore completionist, talked to every NPC twice after every story scene, etc.

 

[chaosblade]

Just finished the events in Heimdallr, was trying to think who C might be but can only think of Crow (lol) or Carl Regnitz who it can't have been

I groaned when it was revealed. Whole thing was handled so poorly.

 

[Durante]

Also can't praise Durante enough for the A0 PC port. It ran like a dream and turbo mode was just a godsent.

Thanks!

In other news I just pushed version 1.4 of the game. It fixes lots of minor text errors in English textures, and also contains a complete re-implementation of the HBAO+ integration. It now takes care not to affect cel-shaded characters negatively, especially close-up, and also respects the current area's fog settings in order to correctly fade out in the distance if there is fog.
Comparison: http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/120153

 

[Knurek]

Also can't praise Durante enough for the A0 PC port. It ran like a dream and turbo mode was just a godsent.

Wait, A0?
As in Ao + Zero?

 

[Psxphile]

Wait, A0?
As in Ao + Zero?

I don't know what A0 is supposed to represent but I'm pretty sure he's referring to Cold Steel.

 

[ShadowSoldier89]

Thanks!

In other news I just pushed version 1.4 of the game. It fixes lots of minor text errors in English textures, and also contains a complete re-implementation of the HBAO+ integration. It now takes care not to affect cel-shaded characters negatively, especially close-up, and also respects the current area's fog settings in order to correctly fade out in the distance if there is fog.
Comparison: http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/120153

ahhh so thats what it was doing. Cool to know that. Looking forward to CS2 replay with these settings.

I don't know what A0 is supposed to represent but I'm pretty sure he's referring to Cold Steel.

He was referencing the top academic rank

 

[Knurek]

ahhh so thats what it was doing. Cool to know that. Looking forward to CS2 replay with these settings.
He was referencing the top academic rank

Meh, here I thought it was some XSEED tester dropping hints of potential ED7 English release. :\

 

[epmode]

Thanks for the HBAO+ fix!

 

[ResourcefulStar]

In other news I just pushed version 1.4 of the game. It fixes lots of minor text errors in English textures, and also contains a complete re-implementation of the HBAO+ integration. It now takes care not to affect cel-shaded characters negatively, especially close-up, and also respects the current area's fog settings in order to correctly fade out in the distance if there is fog.
Comparison: http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/120153

Thank you for the patch.

If only I could install it. On GOG, the previous patch is still only available to Galaxy users, despite being almost a month old at this point. Could you make sure that a standalone patch is made available to all owners of the game this time around? I understand that there will be some waiting time involved because GOG insist on packaging all patching executables by themselves (as far as I know, at least), but better late than never.

 

[hans_castorp]

Damn, I was planning to replay it and check the new voice work but it seems my laptop isn´t powerful enough. Time to replay The 3rd I guess

Just finished the events in Heimdallr, was trying to think who C might be but can only think of Crow (lol) or Carl Regnitz who it can't have been

 

[Ascheroth]

Damn, I was planning to replay it and check the new voice work but it seems my laptop isn´t powerful enough. Time to replay The 3rd I guess

That can't be, it runs on a toaster.
Maybe you have some expensive settings enabled?

 

[postaboy]

Amazing game. It took me about 89 hours with all side quests. Cant wait to play the sequel. I'm passing on the PS3 version and going to wait for the PC version because of turbo boost.

 

[hans_castorp]

That can't be, it runs on a toaster.
Maybe you have some expensive settings enabled?

A toaster probably has a better CPU than my laptop.
It's a six-year old ultrabook.

Tt lagged in certain areas emulating Ao :/

 

[ResourcefulStar]

A toaster probably has a better CPU than my laptop.
It's a six-year old ultrabook.

Tt lagged in certain areas emulating Ao :/

Emulation is usually far more demanding than executing native code, so that doesn't necessarily mean that your laptop can't handle ToCS. If it has a discrete GPU that meets the Shader Model 5 and DirectX 11 requirements (even the low end GeForce and Radeon cards from 2011 qualify), I think there's a decent chance that it can run the game at stable 30 FPS. Remember: the game runs on Vita.

Steam allows you to request a refund for any reason if you haven't played the game for more than 2 hours. You can buy ToCS, see how it performs in the opening sequence, and get a refund if it's not to your liking. The only catch is that it usually takes about a week and a half to get the money back, in my experience.

 

[kromeo]

Damn, I was planning to replay it and check the new voice work but it seems my laptop isn´t powerful enough. Time to replay The 3rd I guess

Lol if only. My first thought was that it's probably Osborne but he didn't look tall enough me

 

[Marow]

I was thinking of starting playing this now! But before I do, I'd like some advice.

I remember seeing earlier in this thread that it's possible to download completed save files which allows you to get "unlimited bond points" or something like that, meaning you can watch all the characters' scenes without worrying.

Now, I wonder. 1) Is it worth trying to find a completed save file so I can play it like this? 2) If I do use it, is there anything I need to be aware of? Like, does it affect the story somehow?

 

[Eylos]

I was thinking of starting playing this now! But before I do, I'd like some advice.

I remember seeing earlier in this thread that it's possible to download completed save files which allows you to get "unlimited bond points" or something like that, meaning you can watch all the characters' scenes without worrying.

Now, I wonder. 1) Is it worth trying to find a completed save file so I can play it like this? 2) If I do use it, is there anything I need to be aware of? Like, does it affect the story somehow?

Yes, no.

 

[Scrooge McDuck]

I was thinking of starting playing this now! But before I do, I'd like some advice.

I remember seeing earlier in this thread that it's possible to download completed save files which allows you to get "unlimited bond points" or something like that, meaning you can watch all the characters' scenes without worrying.

Now, I wonder. 1) Is it worth trying to find a completed save file so I can play it like this? 2) If I do use it, is there anything I need to be aware of? Like, does it affect the story somehow?

If you're only planning to play it once, I say it's really worth it to see those bonding events. You don't even need to search really hard because I can give mine if you want.

It would not change the story at all apart from a very minor and optional additional scene in the last chapter. Oh, and you wouldn't get tutorial splash screens, but you could still see them via the notebook.

Just make sure you don't opt on carrying over the Notebook entries, else it would contain all the spoilerz.

 

[preta]

It still exists in CS2, and CS2 even has a pretty important story sidequest only viewable in NG+...

fortunately its already been announced that all bonding events other than the final are viewable in 1 playthrough in CS3

This is not true. The system works exactly the same way as in CS1/2.

Fortunately, though, there isn't a story-relevant sidequest hidden behind NG+ in CS3.

 

[Marow]

If you're only planning to play it once, I say it's really worth it to see those bonding events. You don't even need to search really hard because I can give mine if you want.

It would not change the story at all apart from a very minor and optional additional scene in the last chapter. Oh, and you wouldn't get tutorial splash screens, but you could still see them via the notebook.

Just make sure you don't opt on carrying over the Notebook entries, else it would contain all the spoilerz.

Oh, that's kind of you Feel free to DM me the file (and perhaps where I'll insert them, if you know) when you can, I guess!

As for the tutorial, I assume it'll be fine for most part and as you said the notebook even has them. And if not, I can look it up.

 

[shimon]

Just read through all tutorial stuff and you'll be good. Enjoy