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999 the novel (iOS) launches March 17

Thanks for the info CB, I might just dig out my DS and keep playing it there instead of on iOS, see if I can get into it some more this time.

I don't mind the puzzles in the game, I just didn't like the lengths the game went to explain each puzzle to me before I could get started on it.

What's good is on replays, you can fast forward through text that you've already seen, which is useful since it will stop once you get to some new text and you can put more pieces of the crazy story together.

But yeah, the game is most definitely not for everyone. It and VLR are super praised because of their true endings and how well the buildup up to those points work, but that doesn't mean the pacing is the best at all times. Don't feel bad if you just aren't enjoying yourself.
 

GamerJM

Banned
no shame in me admitting that i used a endings guide and had a puzzles guide open for redoing them.

I did too. I honestly think the game is worse if you don't use an endings guide since you're basically dicking around for all of the endings. And if you're redoing the puzzles there's no harm in using a guide to get through them again.
 

Past

Member
Niceee. I only finished 999 once so I didn't get the true ending. This should contain the true ending, right?
 

kiguel182

Member
I was always curious about this game but I lost my DS and, even when I had it, I could never find it.

I would have preferred it if this had the puzzles, but I might buy it. It's tempting at least.
 

demidar

Member
I did too. I honestly think the game is worse if you don't use an endings guide since you're basically dicking around for all of the endings. And if you're redoing the puzzles there's no harm in using a guide to get through them again.

It's a bit obscure to be honest, I went through the game like 5 times while keeping a sheet of notes before I went to the chart.
 
OH yeah is this coming to Android, as well?

Plus, how are they going to do a novel for this? The game has multiple endings and story branches, doesnt it?
 
I seriously don't understand how this game will work with no puzzle sections. A lot of the story comes from those sections. Will the game just jump-cut to those points or something?
 

GamerJM

Banned
I seriously don't understand how this game will work with no puzzle sections. A lot of the story comes from those sections. Will the game just jump-cut to those points or something?

From what I've read they "novalize" the puzzle sections.

Also, regarding a certain twist:
They might split the screen in two, like most DS emulators? Or maybe they added more text to that ending part so that it makes more sense without the two screens? Also, maybe the last puzzle is still in the game?
 

Bravocado

Member
Will be good for a replay since I can't be bothered doing the puzzles again.

Yeah, this is no replacement for the DS version but I may buy this novelization just to replay the story before I finally pull the trigger on VLR.

My thoughts exactly. I liked 999 a lot and enjoyed the puzzles the first few times. But I had my fill. This looks like a nice way to revisit the story without redoing the same puzzles over and over. Still glad I played the DS version first, especially since I run Android :p

Btw. don't look on the character pages if you don't already know the game.
HUGE spoilers over there and I mean it. Even if you don't know any context it will spoil most of the game.

Christ. You weren't kidding at all.

no shame in me admitting that i used a endings guide and had a puzzles guide open for redoing them.

Nah, I got through about half the endings before a friend linked me to a guide and flowchart. I never would have gotten the true ending without it. I figured most of the puzzles out myself, only used a guide for some of the last ones. So yeah, no shame, IMHO.

What sucks is I already read spoilers on the net.

I should've waited.

I've done that before too, and almost always regret it. Try to come back to it someday when your memory is hazy, it's still interesting and worthwhile.
 
I want this. Soooooo badly! Thank the Funyarinpa that it comes out at the start of my Spring Break! ^_^

Even if it's just a stripped down version of the original with no puzzles, it's just $5, and that makes it totally worth it! New artwork is just the icing on the cake! :) I'm also loving the text bubbles, reminds me a lot of TWEWY.


MAJOR SPOILERS
I'm highly curious about how they'll handle the final puzzle without the puzzle... Hopefully the impact is retained.






And yeah, tip to everyone who's new to the series: STAY AWAY FROM THE WEBSITE!!!!! It's a pretty nice site, but there's some spoiler territory material... Out of context spoilers, but spoilers nonetheless.
 
Finally, an easier way to experience the 999 story so I can play my PS+ copy of VLR.

I'd rather have my teeth pulled than play 999 on DS.

A lot of jokers in this thread. Why in Earth would you want to play VLR if you didn't like 999?

From what I can tell, because it's on a SONY Platform?

VLR is a worse experience than 999 so I don't really understand why people would hate having to play 999 on DS but want to play the inferior sequel so badly.

Even watching a LP of the DS version would be better than getting this version.
 

Korigama

Member
A lot of jokers in this thread. Why in Earth would you want to play VLR if you didn't like 999?
Buying into hype while having no clue that they're just going to get more of the same, only with weaker characters and atmosphere (and much worse payoff story-wise). If they're so desperate to play the lesser successor and can't stand icky DS cooties, they may as well just YouTube 999 or skip it altogether.
From what I can tell, because it's on a SONY Platform?

VLR is a worse experience than 999 so I don't really understand why people would hate having to play 999 on DS but want to play the inferior sequel so badly.

Even watching a LP of the DS version would be better than getting this version.
This, this, this.
 

LuchaShaq

Banned
From what I can tell, because it's on a SONY Platform?

VLR is a worse experience than 999 so I don't really understand why people would hate having to play 999 on DS but want to play the inferior sequel so badly.

Even watching a LP of the DS version would be better than getting this version.


Because when going for multiple endings on D's you have to go through all the same shit over and over but in vlr you can fast forward through it. Hoping iOS version is like the sequel otherwise I won't bother
 
Played through VLR (having never finished 999 on my DS). That being said, I feel that removing the puzzles takes away from the tension but I'll bite regardless since I love supporting VNs.

Kudos to Aksys for making the game more accessible to people who don't own handhelds.
 

okayfrog

Banned
lol @ the character pages. Jesus Christ, spoilers galore in there.

Eh, I'd say there's only one page with a big, obvious character spoiler and that's
#8, Lotus'
, since that spoils
Ace's turn.
The rest of the pages are only really spoilers if you know what's going on. But yeah, if you haven't played the game, avoid the character pages nonetheless. And any information about the game at all.
 
Because when going for multiple endings on D's you have to go through all the same shit over and over but in vlr you can fast forward through it. Hoping iOS version is like the sequel otherwise I won't bother

iOS version has no puzzles at all, so you're not "playing" it. Some critical story stuff happens during puzzle segments in 999 so there is a reason to replay them... not to mention it's trivial to "re-do" the puzzles once you know the solutions.
Also you CAN fast-forward in 999 on DS, what VLR adds is the ability to skip sections entirely.

I'm not saying the skip isn't a good addition, it's that 999 is better in basically every other way beside the lack of skip functionality.
 

Riposte

Member
You're going to have to play VLR many more times than that to finish it.

New rooms each time though. They actually made it so each major route split means an entirely new room. Pretty sure it didn't work out that way in 999 (that was more like combining choices). I also think VLR has better puzzles and, thus, puzzle rooms, in addition to having more.
 

khaaan

Member
Nice, the puzzles were probably the worst part of the game for me. I gave up on doing puzzles in 999 when I got to the final stretch of the true ending and I started following a walkthrough with VLR after I got my first ending.
 

Korigama

Member
New rooms each time though. They actually made it so each major route split means an entirely new room. Pretty sure it didn't work out that way in 999 (that was more like combining choices). I also think VLR has better puzzles and, thus, puzzle rooms, in addition to having more.
Quantity didn't equal quality in VLR's case. Not to mention that the rules and objectives of VLR's Ambidex Game didn't work the same as the Nonary Game in 999 (not to mention the lack of tension due to no time limit for the participants completing the game in VLR).
Nice, the puzzles were probably the worst part of the game for me. I gave up on doing puzzles in 999 when I got to the final stretch of the true ending and I started following a walkthrough with VLR after I got my first ending.
Except cutting out the puzzles cuts out story and interactions in 999, too. 999's puzzles weren't exactly hard anyway, certainly not compared to the ones in VLR.
 
I think the only thing I'm actually missing from this "remake" is voices. (Though, I'm sure most people would just complain about them anyways... -_-)

Thankfully there's at least the fandub that's slowly in progress.
 
Honestly the replaying part bit me harder in VLR than it did in 999. 999 with a guide you had to play what, 3 times? Whereas VLR you basically played it 20 times. Jeeeezus.
 

aravuus

Member
Was he banned for this? I don't understand why if so. We've got threads about Dolphin, PS2 and PSP emulation and even DS emulation on Android. Why would his post suddenly be a problem? Normally people are given the benefit of the doubt that they own the game they emulate...

Yeah, I'm a bit confused too. Assuming emulation means piracy is involved is odd.

Anyway, like someone said, I think even reading a let's play of the DS version is preferable to the iOS version but hell, as long as more people get to experience 999 I'm happy. Stuff of the gods.
 

GamerJM

Banned
I definitely prefer 999 to VLR but I can see why people might prefer VLR. You never have to do a puzzle twice (unless you get the game breaking bug, like I did.....I'm still sort of bitter about that....), it's bigger in scope, and in some respects the writing is more polished. 999's atmosphere, twist, themes, along with other elements that I don't feel like going into, are superior to VLR's and it makes the game better as a full package IMO, but that's not to say that 999 is definitively better than VLR.
 

khaaan

Member
Except cutting out the puzzles cuts out story and interactions in 999, too. 999's puzzles weren't exactly hard anyway, certainly not compared to the ones in VLR.

What important interaction could they not just explain? I can see getting rid of the smaller stuff but there's no reason some of the major *hint**hint* stuff can't be included. Doesn't really matter to me though, I would give those up if it also meant getting rid of puzzles.
 

InfiniteNine

Rolling Girl
Yeah, I'm a bit confused too. Assuming emulation means piracy is involved is odd.

Anyway, like someone said, I think even reading a let's play of the DS version is preferable to the iOS version but hell, as long as more people get to experience 999 I'm happy. Stuff of the gods.

I don't think he would be banned if he didn't pirate it. I played 999 on my PC after buying a copy from a GAFer since my DS with my sister who was in another city and no one had a problem with it in the OT including the Aksys staff.
 

Korigama

Member
What important interaction could they not just explain? I can see getting rid of the smaller stuff but there's no reason some of the major *hint**hint* stuff can't be included. Doesn't really matter to me though, I would give those up if it also meant getting rid of puzzles.
Not simply details important to the overarching story, but the little things that flesh out the characters, make them interesting. Basically, the same sort of quirks, humor, and bits of characterization you'd get from investigating rooms in an Ace Attorney game.

Being fine with watering down everything that would help make either the story or the characters it revolves around more interesting just to be rid of puzzles sounds more than a bit extreme to me.
I definitely prefer 999 to VLR but I can see why people might prefer VLR. You never have to do a puzzle twice (unless you get the game breaking bug, like I did.....I'm still sort of bitter about that....), it's bigger in scope, and in some respects the writing is more polished. 999's atmosphere, twist, themes, along with other elements that I don't feel like going into, are superior to VLR's and it makes the game better as a full package IMO, but that's not to say that 999 is definitively better than VLR.
For me, this was one of my complaints about it. 999 was ultimately a more personal story, whereas VLR ultimately (MAJOR spoilers)
became just another one about saving the world
.
 

Brandon F

Well congratulations! You got yourself caught!
Funny, I just started 999 on DS last night.

Really hope the adoration is deserved because so far I find the subject matter completely flies in the face of the ridiculous character art. Puzzles are kind of just ok and even for a visual novel it reads wayyyyyy tooooo sloooowwwwllly. Only put maybe 2 hours in so far, but I can't tap the screen fast enough to make the text crawl faster.

I'll keep at it though.
 
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