Shouta
Member
Ok, I know most folks wont ever get a chance to play this but I thought Id write-up a post about it anyway.
As was announced a few weeks ago, Shining Force Cross is an Arcade game. The question popped up about what kind of game SF would make if it was an arcade game. The answer, PSO/U/MH, a game along those lines. Some folks have already found that out with the videos that were posted about the game.
Anyway, the location test is this weekend and the first day is over more or less. Its being held in 3 spots which seem to have 4 machines a piece. I went to the Akihabara Gigo when I got into town around 11:45 but the line was two pages long, sooooo many people. So I went over to the Ikebukuro Gigo and got in line there. There was a long line there as well but nearly as bad as in Akiba. After waiting like 3-4 hours, I finally got to give it a whirl in the tutorial section.
The cabinet is built for one person to sit at. It has a standard arcade stick setup in front of you and has a touch screen panel as well. The stick is accompanied with 5 buttons, Jump, Attack, Force, View, and Use. The touch screen is used for a number of in game functions but by and large the game is played with the stick.
As with a lot fancier arcade games in Japan, SFC uses an IC card to save data The first thing youre prompted to do after inserting the blank card is to input your name and create your character. Options seem a little limited but this is a location test and all so maybe itll be a little more advanced when it hits wide release. After you create your character you can start playing. I went through the tutorial mission which was quick but a decent introduction level. Seems like the structure will be one play = one mission and the pricing structure will probably be 200 yen to start, 100 yen to continue, I think.
As for the game itself, it solves my biggest problem with PSO/PSU, really clunky/robotic moving fighting. This really moves like a BEU and is smooth. You basically go around beating up enemies for loot and accomplish missions by yourself or with other players. One of the missions you could see folks doing I think, ended in a big dragon fight. So you can expect what the game is supposed to be like by looking at other games. It even has different weapon types with their own skills and quirks like two-handed sword being balanced, hand to hand being good for one on one fighting and the like. Game also seems to have a crafting system for items you pick up during battle. You can make items for yourself to use after the mission is over and before the time limit is up too.
I think most folks are wondering what you use the touch screen for. While the game is mainly controlled with the stick and buttons, a few things need to be done with the touch screen. For example, using items, and switching skills is down with the touch screen. You poke it on screen to activate or switch. I assume this was implemented to reduce the need for more buttons. It was also a question on their survey (how was the touch controls). You can also use the touch screen to grab items away from your character. You can pick them up by running into the items like normal but you can also pick up items by pointing to them on the screen. A little helpful if an item is far away from you and you cant run over to it. Other than those, it helps with character customization at the end of a round. Move items you want to use or items you want to equip with the touch screen. It was a lot easier than using simply a stick.
I can see why they did this as it is a bit of a compromise. Too many buttons or too few buttons would make the game really hard to play. Tossing some of the functions that you can do a bit more quickly by pointing than switching with a button was a good idea for an Arcade game. No multiple button presses to get an item or skill you want to use ready, just point to it on the screen.
Anyway, graphics are pretty nice as well. Colorful and the models are not bad looking. Its a cartoony looking game but still pretty good looking overall. Truthfully, I wasnt paying much to the graphics when I was up because I was just getting all the in-game stuff processed in my head.
Anyway, Im gonna try and give this a few more runs while the location test is still going this weekend and Ill update with some more impressions then
As was announced a few weeks ago, Shining Force Cross is an Arcade game. The question popped up about what kind of game SF would make if it was an arcade game. The answer, PSO/U/MH, a game along those lines. Some folks have already found that out with the videos that were posted about the game.
Anyway, the location test is this weekend and the first day is over more or less. Its being held in 3 spots which seem to have 4 machines a piece. I went to the Akihabara Gigo when I got into town around 11:45 but the line was two pages long, sooooo many people. So I went over to the Ikebukuro Gigo and got in line there. There was a long line there as well but nearly as bad as in Akiba. After waiting like 3-4 hours, I finally got to give it a whirl in the tutorial section.
The cabinet is built for one person to sit at. It has a standard arcade stick setup in front of you and has a touch screen panel as well. The stick is accompanied with 5 buttons, Jump, Attack, Force, View, and Use. The touch screen is used for a number of in game functions but by and large the game is played with the stick.
As with a lot fancier arcade games in Japan, SFC uses an IC card to save data The first thing youre prompted to do after inserting the blank card is to input your name and create your character. Options seem a little limited but this is a location test and all so maybe itll be a little more advanced when it hits wide release. After you create your character you can start playing. I went through the tutorial mission which was quick but a decent introduction level. Seems like the structure will be one play = one mission and the pricing structure will probably be 200 yen to start, 100 yen to continue, I think.
As for the game itself, it solves my biggest problem with PSO/PSU, really clunky/robotic moving fighting. This really moves like a BEU and is smooth. You basically go around beating up enemies for loot and accomplish missions by yourself or with other players. One of the missions you could see folks doing I think, ended in a big dragon fight. So you can expect what the game is supposed to be like by looking at other games. It even has different weapon types with their own skills and quirks like two-handed sword being balanced, hand to hand being good for one on one fighting and the like. Game also seems to have a crafting system for items you pick up during battle. You can make items for yourself to use after the mission is over and before the time limit is up too.
I think most folks are wondering what you use the touch screen for. While the game is mainly controlled with the stick and buttons, a few things need to be done with the touch screen. For example, using items, and switching skills is down with the touch screen. You poke it on screen to activate or switch. I assume this was implemented to reduce the need for more buttons. It was also a question on their survey (how was the touch controls). You can also use the touch screen to grab items away from your character. You can pick them up by running into the items like normal but you can also pick up items by pointing to them on the screen. A little helpful if an item is far away from you and you cant run over to it. Other than those, it helps with character customization at the end of a round. Move items you want to use or items you want to equip with the touch screen. It was a lot easier than using simply a stick.
I can see why they did this as it is a bit of a compromise. Too many buttons or too few buttons would make the game really hard to play. Tossing some of the functions that you can do a bit more quickly by pointing than switching with a button was a good idea for an Arcade game. No multiple button presses to get an item or skill you want to use ready, just point to it on the screen.
Anyway, graphics are pretty nice as well. Colorful and the models are not bad looking. Its a cartoony looking game but still pretty good looking overall. Truthfully, I wasnt paying much to the graphics when I was up because I was just getting all the in-game stuff processed in my head.
Anyway, Im gonna try and give this a few more runs while the location test is still going this weekend and Ill update with some more impressions then