Dragon Quest Marathon

[Red Scarlet]

ok I had the first "omg this is so shitty" moment with DQ4

the AI control in this game sucks it's horrible and makes the game go from a solid 9 something to 6-7 and let me explain why.

who thought it was a good idea to have collective AI options instead of indivual AI options? first strike against the AI system in the game

I'm pretty sure 5 has one AI scheme applied to all, and 6 too. :lol
I can check them if you want.

the AI options are way too few and they are way too general. second strike against AI system of this game.

the AI keeps using spells and moves that clearly dont work against the enemies so you are left alone basically in the fight. wtf wtf wtf? I won the last boss fight ALONE because the rest of my party members got killed because they kept spamming the same ****ing move over and over and it didnt work

That's what annoyed me. When bumping into a metal monster, set it to Use No MP or half your party will try casting Blazemost and crap on them. Supposedly the AI learns after a couple of failures, but doesn't it only apply to that type of badguy? So basically Cristo keeps trying to cast Beat on every boss since the AI hasn't "learned" that it doesn't work on that particular boss. I could be wrong; I used the Hero/Nara/Ragnar/Alena the first time and then the Hero/Ragnar/Taloon/Alena every single other time I played the game until the remake came about.

This game is why I will always hate AI-controlled party members in any rpg. Let me check 5 and 6.

 

[Aeana]

I decided I wanted to get in on this, so I started today. I played and beat DQ1 and I'm somewhere in the middle of DQ2. I haven't played DQ1 or 2 in years... possibly not since I bought the SFC remakes in 94 or 95. I'm having a pretty good time!

 

[Error]

I'm pretty sure 5 has one AI scheme applied to all, and 6 too.
I can check them if you want.

oh shit, dont tell me I cant control my party members in DQ5 and DQ6

That's what annoyed me. When bumping into a metal monster, set it to Use No MP or half your party will try casting Blazemost and crap on them. Supposedly the AI learns after a couple of failures, but doesn't it only apply to that type of badguy? So basically Cristo keeps trying to cast Beat on every boss since the AI hasn't "learned" that it doesn't work on that particular boss. I could be wrong; I used the Hero/Nara/Ragnar/Alena the first time and then the Hero/Ragnar/Taloon/Alena every single other time I played the game until the remake came about.

yeah Im thinking about going with just 3 fighter/melee based characters and say **** you to the spellcasters in this game.

heh I dont know how they 'learn' then, in that boss fight Mara kept using bang and clearly it didnt work but shit she kept using it. I cant put Use No MP option because I want Nara to support me with her healing spells, this is so so so bad. surprisingly Hector was quite useful in the fight because he didnt any spells.

This game is why I will always hate AI-controlled party members in any rpg.

yeah and I cant blame you, seriously this is so bad.

Aena: awesome! you'll probably catch up with me quickly

 

[Red Scarlet]

DQ5 has AI for the group like 4 did.
DQ6 also has AI for the group.

But they both have manual too, as it replaced that dumb 'Try Out' option. And supposedly, the AI is a lot smarter than in 4, but I never gave it another chance due to hating AI control anyway. I've read that in 6 the only way for at least one type of monster to be at full potential (Killer Machine) is by having it on AI..on manual it only attacks once but on AI it attacks twice. That seems really stupid.

Let me get the manual and tell you what it says about the AI. I can type out what it says each one does, if you like (I just set it to Defensive mainly).

does the hero in this game learns a healus type spell? because that way I could just go with 3 melee/fighter based characters and just use the hero for support because the spellcasters in this game are going to give me serious problems.

The Hero gets the Healusall spell, but not for a long time. Cristo gets Healus. Healmore and Healall were fine enough for me to get through with just the Hero as a spellcaster. Yeah it makes the game a little less than 3 by having only fighter-type characters, but they don't cast stupid spells, only sometimes attacking the wrong monster instead. And Taloon does some fun stuff.

 

[Error]

well that would help at least

btw what about spells like sap/increase/defense in what option do they start using those spells?

 

[DownLikeBCPowder]

I ****ing love Dragon Quest.

Sometimes when I can't sleep, I turn on the NES and DQ and sit on the overworld until I pass out to the music.

 

[Red Scarlet]

well that would help at least

btw what about spells like sap/increase/defense in what option do they start using those spells?

Brey and Mara get Sap, iirc. I think Mara gets Defense. Brey gets Bikill. Cristo gets Increase. I have never had the AI ever cast any of those spells.

 

[HomShaBom]

I'm playing through DW3.

 

[Error]

Brey and Mara get Sap, iirc. I think Mara gets Defense. Brey gets Bikill. Cristo gets Increase. I have never had the AI ever cast any of those spells.

aw crap.

basically I cant rely on the spells I used the most in DQ3, wow way to go. I can see DQ4 scoring very very low when I do a rundown on all the games in the series. I'll give the remake a shot after this marathon tho.

 

[StorablePrawn]

If I didn't work all the ****ing time, I would SO be in on this.

For the time being, I think I'll do a run through the GB versions of 1-3, and probably stop there.

 

[Red Scarlet]

aw crap.

basically I cant rely on the spells I used the most in DQ3, wow way to go. I can see DQ4 scoring very very low when I do a rundown on all the games in the series. I'll give the remake a shot after this marathon tho.

go go go..the remake was fantabulous, if not ****tacular.

 

[Error]

go go go..the remake was fantabulous, if not ****tacular.

:lol

but it's in japanese! ;_; actually I'll give it a shot after I finish with this. it's looks so awesome in your vids.

 

[Red Scarlet]

Your experience with the NES version will help you retain some facets of the game, if you do your notebook thing again with 3, you probably won't have many problems at all.

 

[firex]

I still want S-E to bring over the DQ4 remake, or do another one. Hell, at this point I'd settle for the NES version on the VC, and I won't be getting a Wii for a longass time.

anyway, I try to use the AI a little bit in all the DQ games after 4 that have it (I have never played 4 and I just don't want to emulate it, since it would feel wrong to me to do that) and for 5 and 6... definitely stay away from the AI. 5's is especially pretty bad in my experience, and ESPECIALLY for those damn monsters that will force your party into an AI sometimes. 6's AI isn't terrible, but battles go by fast enough on manual when you build up your jobs to the point that you get some 0 MP offensive skills (there are tons of those), and I just don't trust the AI. I used AI a little bit in 7 and 8, and it's a lot better in those. I wouldn't trust it to help me kill a boss, but in 7 especially, it will help the random battles go by a lot faster.

 

[Error]

well the thing is not using spellcasters like brey/mara for boss fights because they are going to **** your shit up.

anyway my main party is:

1) Hero - support/attacker/tank
2) Taloon - tank/he is too awesome to not have in battles
3) Alena - nice attacker and I need a fighter/melee character that's not too expensive in terms of armor.
4) Nara - went with her because I need another support character plus her defense/attack power is not bad so far.

even AI aside, the game is loads of fun dungeons are better designed than in DQ3 imo they actually have puzzles and some are quite different from each other instead of DQ3 reliance on maze-like dungeons (not that they werent fun of course ).

 

[firex]

oh, if you want my job recommendations for people in DQ6 highlight this spoiler (leaving the names out because I don't know if you've played it any at all, and I want to leave it as unspoiled as possible):

Spoiler

hero: wizard/mage + priest -> sage -> hero (this is THE best build. when I first played through DQ6 i went wizard + soldier for the fighter-mage class, because I thought ANY advanced job unlocked the hero class... so I wound up having to grind through battlemaster since it was the fastest way to hero, and after I got the hero class I really didn't use the battlemaster skills)
first guy character you get: soldier/warrior + fighter -> battlemaster -> priest -> paladin (if you want to grind some jobs, I think paladin is a really good job in DQ6, and this guy is a pure fighter so he's a natural for battlemaster)
the first girl character you get: jester/goof-off + dancer -> superstar OR fighter + priest -> paladin OR just build her however you want (in my file, I'm still building her towards a Hero, which requires mastering 4 advanced jobs, and originally I made her a paladin)
the second girl character you get: jester/goof-off + dancer -> superstar OR wizard + priest -> sage -> soldier/warrior -> fighter-mage/magic knight -> return to sage (she is the mage character, the first 3 you get are more all-around types/fighter oriented)
the second guy character you get: wizard/mage + priest -> sage -> fighter -> paladin -> soldier/warrior -> fighter-mage/magic knight -> return to sage (a long path, but he is more of a caster/healer character, so getting him a lot of spells is useful)
optional character: beastmaster (stay as this job until you recruit a healer slime) + thief + merchant -> ranger, then you can leave him to rot in the caravan (or if you want, build him into a fighter class)
the last non-monster character you can get: battlemaster (he starts as this, and I wouldn't change his class because he only has soldier/warrior mastered!) -> priest + wizard/mage -> sage -> build this guy into a hero over time (he is arguably worth it since he can equip most of the uber gear IIRC, but in my bonus dungeon file he's still in the caravan)

I assume you've played DQ7/DW7 already, so the job system will be very familiar. But it's a lot faster and less of a grind in 6, because there are less jobs overall, but most of the same skills are still there (no hybrid skills though). A major difference is there's no godhand/summoner classes to equal the hero class for awesomeness, plus hero doesn't get all the same abilities in 6 that it does in 7. Oh, another difference is instead of monster hearts for monster jobs in DQ7, DQ6 just copies the monster taming/charming aspect of DQ5 (and in turn, this eventually made Enix produce the DQM spinoff as a way to kind of ride the pokemon wave). And the hero class in DQ6 is just godly overpowered, yet it could be pretty hard to beat the game (and I'm not even talking about the bonus dungeon, since I haven't beaten that yet) without mastering it and it's no cakewalk with it. Anyone but the hero will take a LOT longer to reach hero class, since he only has to master one of the four advanced jobs required to unlock the hero class. In hindsight, I think I prefer the FF job system, or DQ3's job system, but DQ6 at least makes the grind to mastering advanced jobs really rewarding when you do complete them.

 

[Error]

I do remember the job system in DQ7 being a grind fest tho it's been so long since I last touched the game.

thanks for the DQ6 advices will definitely keep them in mind.

 

[Error]

oh my

this game is absolutely amazing just got the magic key and it's smooth sailing right now got the hang of the AI system and its not bothering me that much I still prefer manual control tho.

torneko is absolutely HILARIOUS in battles, so awesome.

 

[Error]

am I supposed to even fight balzac now? he is pretty tough with that snowstorm spell. :/

 

[Aeana]

Finished DQ2! It took me a bit longer than expected, but it's actually a lot better than I remembered. Playing the SFC remakes really made me want to play DQ5, though. I'll have to refrain until after DQ4. I'll start up DQ3 (SFC) today.

 

[Error]

so I did beat Balzac there seemed like I had to beat him anyway and now Im searching for the zenithian armor. got everything except the sword.

after playing DQ1-3 and being more than halfway (I think) over with DQ4 I finally understand what makes these games so good. it's not the 'omg original story', neither is the godly battle system or jaw dropping graphics it's the feeling of adventure these games create not even the Zeldas (maybe the first Zelda) imo can create this type of atmosphere and it's just amazingly addictive, I think the fact that the games so far dont rely on cutscenes actually help for example...

you enter a town looking for something in a normal modern jRPG you just need to do something to trigger a cutscene and there it'll tell everything you need to know, these DQs (at least the ones I played so far) do not work like that instead you go talking to NPCs and they'll give you clues as to what's going in the town, a town's myth or legend, the origin of the town etc.. etc.. The fact that you get to discover these things by yourself and start piercing them together to have an idea more or less or what's going is so AWESOME, I wish more games did this instead on relying on 40 minutes cutscenes. let the player discover the storyline himself/herself instead of spoon feeding it with cinematic cutscenes. the reason why the DQ storylines are awesome is not because they are original it's because the way they are structured you dont have to sit down through lame cutscenes it's just you in this huge world having an adventure uninterrupted.

Dragon Quest 4 is so ****ing amazing, shitty AI control aside the game is incredible like the DQs before it just feels like huge epic adventure that very few games can really emulate if any. DQ3 still my favorite but holy shit am I having fun with this amazing game.

 

[Error]

almost done with DQ4 I think just got the entire set of zenithian armor and I got the sword too.

I'll post my thoughts on the game tomorrow when Im done with it. overall Im very very impressed with this game with just one flaw that in the end doesnt matter much because the game is SO awesome.

cant wait to replay the game later with the PS1 version that I ordered a few days ago.

 

[Error]

finished the game overall Im really impressed with it, even with it's one obvious glaring flaw the game turned to be ****ing awesome the last boss fight was very sweet.

I had lot of fun with the game but jebus the AI sometimes make me want to throw the controll to the tv. the last cave before the last place was sooooooo annoying because Alena keep using her weapon instead of attacking (wtf!?) and she did like 30 of damage instead of ~100 of damage she normally does when attacking, ironically she end up killing the last boss with a critical hit that was sweet and awesome.

my stats at the end of the game and my party were.

Roto (hero) lv 36: Zenithian Sword, Shield and Helmet. Metal Babble Armor and the Sage Stone
Taloon/Torneko lv 38: Sword of Miracles, iron helmet, iron shield, metal babble armor
Alena lv 37: Flame Claw, Pink leotard, golden barette
Nara lv 34: magma staff, metal babble shield, metal babble armor, golden barette

the rest of the characters I didnt really bother with them. I could've gone with Ragnar instead of Taloon, but Taloon was way ****ing awesome to not have in battles.

anyway onto DQ5!

I'll do a big write up later when Im done with all of them but so far the series is 4/4.

and I gotta add the random encounter rate was INSANE :lol some of the dungeons literally took me hours to complete because of the amount of battles in them.

 

[TekunoRobby]

Dragon Quest III was/is godly. I'm half replaying the GBC version. I pick it up once a week and play for a good while. LOVE IT

 

[Error]

Dragon Quest 5 rox

 

[john tv]

V is my favorite of the post-III games. IV was fantastic but something about V's story really grabbed me. The PS2 remake is excellent, too -- highly recommended. It also has some minor story tweaks that are really cool if you played the original version first.

 

[Aeana]

Dragon Quest 5 rox

Heck yeah. It's my favorite! I can't wait to get to it.

I

Spoiler

just got the Final Key

in DQ3. I'm not progressing as quickly as I would like, but I haven't had much time the last few days. I accidentally

Spoiler

found my way to the Golden Claw, and that whole sequence of being cursed and having to walk out basically chased by monsters, was really, really cool.

I'd never done that part in the game before!

 

[Crom]

Part 4 is the best. I loved playing as Taloon.
It was neat how the party members were introduced in chapters

 

[Crom]

Error2k4

I agree with the discovery thing.

In part two when the theif escaped from jail it took me a whole day to find him. I was so pissed but it was awesome when I finally found where he was.

 

[Fireblend]

I got tired of DQVIII. It was lots of fun until I noticed I was severely underleveled and there was a random battle every 3 steps. That's no fun. (And it's also the same reason why I can't beat most RPGs D: )

 

[Error]

I got tired of DQVIII. It was lots of fun until I noticed I was severely underleveled and there was a random battle every 3 steps. That's no fun. (And it's also the same reason why I can't beat most RPGs D: )

heh the encounter rate in DQ8 is VERY LOW imo compared to DQ4. if I survived DQ4 surely DQ8 is nothing :lol

 

[Red Scarlet]

Yeah, you used a Fire Claw on Alena. That alone warrants another go-around.

I've only played the original 5 once, but it seems like the fight near the end of the game

Spoiler

the last fight against Gema

was added in the remake? Was it?

 

[Error]

oh man this game is SO awesome, the hero is now 16 years old.

Spoiler

poor papas ;_; he was awesome

my only complain is the 3 party member battles wtf? that's a step back that aside this game is so good.

the battle theme of this game is awesome.

****ing damn shame SE didnt bring the remake here

 

[Red Scarlet]

If 4 goes well, maybe you can get 5 later on with the 4 party member goodnesses. I can make more musics sometime if you wish.

 

[Error]

If 4 goes well, maybe you can get 5 later on with the 4 party member goodnesses. I can make more musics sometime if you wish.

that'll be really sweet, the song that plays when you are in the

Spoiler

elves place

that you need to get a flute or something was really nice I thought.

I did notice some stuff different from the remake in the very beginning there is a scene when you are getting out of the boat and some girl gets in (unless Im talking about another game) that scene wasnt in this version.

 

[Red Scarlet]

The happy sounding song that plays in the elf world?

The part they added will make sense later on.

 

[Error]

yeah that one

 

[{Mike}]

I got tired of DQVIII. It was lots of fun until I noticed I was severely underleveled and there was a random battle every 3 steps. That's no fun. (And it's also the same reason why I can't beat most RPGs D: )

Well I had this problem, but try casting the Divine Protection spell or something from the main hero, the screen will flash white and all weaker monster won't fight you. Pretty cool when you just want to search for treasure boxes or just don't want to fight often.

 

[john tv]

I did notice some stuff different from the remake in the very beginning there is a scene when you are getting out of the boat and some girl gets in (unless Im talking about another game) that scene wasnt in this version.

That's one of the things I was talking about.

Spoiler

They did that to balance out the player's two bride choices a little more evenly so that Flora has some sentimental value when you grow up. In the SFC version, it's far more natural to want to marry Bianca, for obvious reasons.

 

[hooded pitohui]

I just started the DQV remake myself a couple months ago, but it's been regrettably backlogged in the face of FFIII, VIA, and XII. Multiples of three are hot. Once they're out of the way, I might just start a new game to refresh myself on it. I could sure go for a DQVI remake right about now.

And don't overlook Torneko's greatest adventure ever.

 

[Aeana]

I finished DQ3 a little bit ago. I'd like to thank Red Scarlet for her wonderful guide, which I used a few times when I got stuck trying to find an item (stupid orbs. ), as well has her tiny medal guide which I printed out and used as a checklist. It's unfortunate that I ended up with all of those spells on my sages, and only used a few of them. :\ I feel like I put the sages to waste.

I went ahead and did the extra stuff after the ending for the first time... was this stuff in the original Famicom game? If not, it's a very nice addition.

Spoiler

It does a decent job of tying the game into the Zenithian trilogy.

I really liked it.

I'm getting ready to start DQ4r, hopefully sometime today. I'm really looking forward to it, as I've never finished the remake completely. I usually get to the start of chapter 5 and get distracted.

 

[Red Scarlet]

I'm glad it helped, although there is a video version of my walkthrough too (but it's for just using a Hero).

The bonus stuff was added; in the NES version the game ended at beating

Spoiler

Zoma

. I'm not really sure what the connection is between the bonus content and the 2nd trilogy though (it's not called Zenith/Zenithia in the JP 4-6).

I did a video walkthrough of the remake for 4 also, but that guy's googled guide probably works too that is at gamefaqs.

 

[Remedy]

just got my ass handed to me at the Dark Ruins (DQ8). Having to grind for the second time to get my levels up

 

[Red Scarlet]

What's your equipment? Upgrading it could provide more than enough to get through there. If you want to go through that, anyway (could make the game way easier).

 

[Remedy]

What's your equipment? Upgrading it could provide more than enough to get through there. If you want to go through that, anyway (could make the game way easier).

pretty much standard stuff that can be bought in the wep/armour shops. Although i'm waiting for teh ZombieSlayer to pop out the alchemy pot.

(i looked at a faq D: )

currently lvl 26 with Hero, rest are somewhere around that.

[edit]it's dhoulmagus who banged me.

 

[Johnas]

Hey Scarlet,

Do you happen to know if a NTSC PS3 would be able to play DQVr and DQIVr? I remember hearing region free a while back, but I haven't kept up. I really want to get those games, but I guess it would boil down to getting a JP PS2 otherwise.

 

[Red Scarlet]

pretty much standard stuff that can be bought in the wep/armour shops. Although i'm waiting for teh ZombieSlayer to pop out the alchemy pot.

(i looked at a faq D: )

currently lvl 26 with Hero, rest are somewhere around that.

[edit]it's dhoulmagus who banged me.

Well, if you want to upgrade some armor, I'd be fine to help you out, but I go for top/best stuff and that might bork the game compared to what you'd get on a first play at your point of the game, so it's up to you if you want to do that (or just get an upgrade instead of 3).

I dunno much about the PS3, Ancestor. Didn't they say the BC was not region free, only PS3 software or something like that? I'm not someone to ask about that kind of stuff right now.

 

[Johnas]

I dunno much about the PS3, Ancestor. Didn't they say the BC was not region free, only PS3 software or something like that? I'm not someone to ask about that kind of stuff right now.

Alright, thanks. That's what I was thinking.

 

[Crazymoogle]

Its still region locked. Part of licensing with regards to BC is that they can't break the pre-existing region locks.

And...wtfbbq john tv, (DQ5 spoiler)

Spoiler

multiple brides in 5?!? awesome, had no idea!

:lol

 

[Error]

Its still region locked. Part of licensing with regards to BC is that they can't break the pre-existing region locks.

And...wtfbbq john tv, (DQ5 spoiler)

Spoiler

multiple brides in 5?!? awesome, had no idea!

:lol

that sucks I was thinking about buying a PS3 earlier just so I can play some JP PS1/PS2 games ;_;

like P3 Fes