Oh, I was hoping to be able to play 1 and 2 online easily.
I thought it was more rapid-fire than disjointed..there's stuff almost always happening but maybe things move too fast for what you're used to? Compared to FF1 and 2, 4 has more stuff going on constantly I'd say.
It might be the pacing. A story's pacing can make it or break it for me. Doesn't matter if its an epic story or just 2 bad dudes saving the President from ninjas, pacing is everything. In fact, that is one of the reasons why I love One Piece manga but hate most animes
To me, FFIV, FFVII, and FFVIII had the most effect on me as an RPG. They are the best games. Im one of the few that didn't like FFVI at all.
FFIV is just so epic in its scope and storyline. For once you're playing a badass, and he was a knight before. Im growing tired of the "underdog" theme in most RPGS.
Huh. Final Fantasy 6 IMO exceeded 4 in scope and storyline, not to mention execution, which was where 4 seemed ultimately hokey in spots. And 7 and 8 had their own sets of issues.
I don't like things that are meaningless and monotonous.
I do like jRPG random battles though. FFIV's included.
JayDub said:
To me, FFIV, FFVII, and FFVIII had the most effect on me as an RPG. They are the best games. Im one of the few that didn't like FFVI at all.
FFIV is just so epic in its scope and storyline. For once you're playing a badass, and he was a knight before. Im growing tired of the "underdog" theme in most RPGS.
I second this: some other FFs may have had a couple of tracks which are better, but the good thing about FFIV soundtrack is consistency in quality; that, and the choice of instruments for me.
To me it's a good thing that there are no voices in battle. I've always found them repetitive in any RPG I've played or watched: either you can grant a huge variety (or a limited number of battles) or don't even try, I say.
I second this: some other FFs may have had a couple of tracks which are better, but the good thing about FFIV soundtrack is consistency in quality; that, and the choice of instruments for me.
To me it's a good thing that there are no voices in battle. I've always found them repetitive in any RPG I've played or watched: either you can grant a huge variety (or a limited number of battles) or don't even try, I say.
Thanks for the heads-up. Looks like my worries about the mapping system will be put to rest. Some other small things can be desumed from those videos, none of which seem bad.
The more I watch videos of this, the more I am likely to import. I guess my main problem is due to the fact that I'd be grabbing both versions and my mind is saying no as well as my girlfriend :lol
But eh, I figure you only live once. The decision will come down to a coin toss sometime soon.
Well, they certainly didn't hold back with the FFIII remake (I can't believe there were no savepoints at all in the last dungeon), so I wouldn't worry about another "Final Fantasy IV EasyType". Actually, wasn't the GBA version also based on the Japanese version's difficulty?
Well, they certainly didn't hold back with the FFIII remake (I can't believe there were no savepoints at all in the last dungeon), so I wouldn't worry about another "Final Fantasy IV EasyType". Actually, wasn't the GBA version also based on the Japanese version's difficulty?
Actually the DS version of FFIII was substantially easier than the original Famicom DD version. The whole 'no more than 3 enemies' deal on top of 'balancing' the classes for long term appeal made the game a ton easier. Was kinda disappointed with that, but having seen some of the screen shots for FFIV, it seems like they have kept the number of enemies intact. I have high hopes.
Actually the DS version of FFIII was substantially easier than the original Famicom DD version. The whole 'no more than 3 enemies' deal on top of 'balancing' the classes for long term appeal made the game a ton easier. Was kinda disappointed with that, but having seen some of the screen shots for FFIV, it seems like they have kept the number of enemies intact. I have high hopes.
I'd forgotten about the enemy number restriction (though plenty of the enemies were still pretty tough, mind you - it took me forever to kill Behemoths. Maybe I just wasn't willing to grind enough. Edit: oh, and that freaking bird-man boss. Maybe the only time I've been okay ending an FF boss battle with dead party members who don't receive experience, because there was no way I was going to survive that with a full party). About the rebalancing of classes - didn't they actually weaken the two most awesome classes, Ninja and Sage? I guess that'd be a discussion for the FFIII thread instead of this one, though.
In any case, FFIII was difficult enough in comparison to the SNES releases to think that they won't mess with FFIV's US transition for difficulty concerns. The remake's difficulty vs. the original's, though - who knows.
iirc, in FF3 DS baddies had more HP than in the original release (to compensate for the lack of lots on-screen enemies I guess). plus bosses attacked twice per round and had more hp (not sure about the last one but Dark Cloud in the original version had less HP than in the DS version iirc)
I guess the thing that made me so disappointed about the DS version was the ridiculous slant there was towards Melee classes. With only 3 enemies on the screen at a time, I found it much easier to just focus fire with 3 melees and one healer rather than using a BLM or SUM. Just seemed to really trivialize the game for me. Garuda seemed so much harder in the Famicom DD version... I dunno. I enjoyed the DS version nonetheless, just seemed neutered in comparison.
Well, it is and it isn't. The stores in Hong Kong are still legit and companies are still being paid... it's just that the release date is broken. Unless you're referring to people pirating the game, then yeah; that's not cool.
Although one silver lining about the ROM being released is that it allows hackers to find out if there's anything neat hidden in there, like how we found out that DQIV is playable in English on the Japanese copy with only one small modification to the game via action replay.
Well, it is and it isn't. The stores in Hong Kong are still legit and companies are still being paid... it's just that the release date is broken. Unless you're referring to people pirating the game, then yeah; that's not cool.
Although one silver lining about the ROM being released is that it allows hackers to find out if there's anything neat hidden in there, like how we found out that DQIV is playable in English on the Japanese copy with only one small modification to the game via action replay.
Not fully, but mostly yeah. Glad I ended up importing it. This way it's actually getting played instead of just sitting there looking cool with my other DQ stuff.
oh%there/s%lots%of stuff%like this%left%%%&in%the%game%though, and the whole first section is still Japanese (except menus).
so it's not like it's the full translation. I'd say it's a T-0.5. Totally playable though.
Pretty sure someone hacked/patched FFIIII when it came out to at least translate menus. Not too sure if they will this time though...but hopefully.
If you had an action replay or you ripped the card, patched the ROM rip, and played it off an R4 or something, you could play through it in English. There are still some Japanese parts and other parts where the English is translated but not localized resulting in over-the-top accents and archaic sentence structure, but by all accounts it's very playable.
The official CGI art for Rydia is just flat creepy to me. It just weirds me out to see them sexualizing a girl that starts out the game as like 9 years old. She looks like she's in some sort of bizarre Victoria's Secret ad for chrissakes. I guess I never really noticed that your final party in that game was three hulking men and two chicks wearing lingerie.
The official CGI art for Rydia is just flat creepy to me. It just weirds me out to see them sexualizing a girl that starts out the game as like 9 years old. She looks like she's in some sort of bizarre Victoria's Secret ad for chrissakes. I guess I never really noticed that your final party in that game was three hulking men and two chicks wearing lingerie.
The official CGI art for Rydia is just flat creepy to me. It just weirds me out to see them sexualizing a girl that starts out the game as like 9 years old. She looks like she's in some sort of bizarre Victoria's Secret ad for chrissakes. I guess I never really noticed that your final party in that game was three hulking men and two chicks wearing lingerie.
I love the contrasting image given between young Rydia and adult Rydia. In fact Rydia is more adult like than many FF characters. Her reaction to Gilbert is just classic and points to her maturity despite her young age.
She shows the same amount of skin and is wearing the exact costume in the DS remake CGI as in the original Amano design so I don't see how this is a problem.
I was simply taking your argument to its natural conclusion. I guess I just don't see the problem. The renders depict a teenager in somewhat provocative dress, which is within societal norms, and certainly not something I would describe as creepy. I don't see how the fact that at some point in the game the character is nine years old has any bearing on how she's depicted after she grows up. All the characters in the game were implicitly nine years old at some point, how does the fact that it's off screen change anything?
If we were talking about a nine year old in a teenager's body that would be a different matter, but we're not, Rydia grows up normally.
You mean, making a random assumption for creating a point of content. That's called making an assumption. I would hardly say that my opinion that it's weird in this particular instance and context because she was like a 9 year old like 4 hours earlier in the game would be "naturally" extrapolated to "no women anywhere should dress provacatively becuase they were at some point underage." I don't see how that point even remotely follows what I just posted.
In any case, I just think it's weird to do that within this games context. Either way both women you get in your party are apparently dressed in lingerie :lol .
I think Edge looks pretty sweet in the artwork I've seen and even the video of him. I don't remember this many people being in the game. I just went ahead and ordered this from Play-Asia so hopefully I'll have it in time for the long weekend.
Where is it that Cecil decided to become good or evil and does it change the story much?
I can't remember since it has been so long since I've played IV.
Picked it up last night as the 3 stores around my station had broken street dates.
First off, FF4 is my fav FF, just in the fact that it is what really set me on RPGs when I first played it when I was 14.
So, booting up and seeing the CG practically brings tears to my eyes.
The opening starts with the Theme of Love and goes into a jazzed up version of the overworld theme before finishing up with the Final Fantasy Main theme.
I've played for about an hour and a bit on the train this morning and have gotten to Kaipo.
Impressions:
Graphics are pretty, it's amazing to see the same game I played in 2D in 3D.
Voices so far have been great. Will admit that Cecil voice feels a little more effeminate than I had always imagined it, but you get used to it.
Battles have been ok, pacing feels a little bit slower then the SNES/GBA versions, even with battle speed at the fastest.
I have had 6 enemies on screen at once so far in the mist cave. Don't know if that will lower with more party members.
Music so far has been good, better then the GBA version, but still not sure about the SNES version, different sound chips/instrumentation so not quite sure.
The rest of the observations may be spoilers so throwing on the tag.
Auto-battle - pressing X initiates auto battle, the characters will do the one command that you have set in the menu (for example, fight) This really doesn't speed up battle per say as you just don't have to worry about inputting commands.
Menu things - opening the menu will show the main character's thoughts. You can close the menu and press Y to switch your character on the map (cecil to **** for example) and then open the menu to see his thoughts.
You can rotate the character when looking at their status screen. You can touch the character on the formation screen to see them do a sort of battle pose.
Changes/additions - In the opening scene on the airships, there is only one battle, and you don't fight the roc/zu. You fight the floating orbs, and the battle is not scripted, but you have to actually fight.
Namingway is in the tower leading to your room when you go in for the first time. He tells you that it was a pain in the ass finding him/using him in the previous version (didn't you have to have a name card or something?) and says he'll let you change your name from the start. So I tried to change セシル to Cecil, but then namingway goes "oh crap, can't do it for some reason, out of a job" and runs off. Obviously you can't change names due to the voice acting.
When you enter the mist cave the first time, Namingway shows up and says he's got a new job and gives you the mapping function. He is now going by the name of Mappingway.
Overall I think the difficulty is a little harder as imps are hard hitters from the start and the mist dragon nearly killed me (killed **** in like two hits)
You see Pochika after Rydia summons Titan, and once you're in Kaipo he joins up and such and you can change his name. You have to go to the fat chocobo to do his training. There is a fat chocobo in Kaipo now.
That's all for now, going to play some again over lunch.
CloudV would you say you'll need to do quite a bit of grinding in this bad boy? I just got back into FFIII on the DS and forgot just how much grinding you need to do in order to advance sometimes.
CloudV would you say you'll need to do quite a bit of grinding in this bad boy? I just got back into FFIII on the DS and forgot just how much grinding you need to do in order to advance sometimes.
CloudV would you say you'll need to do quite a bit of grinding in this bad boy? I just got back into FFIII on the DS and forgot just how much grinding you need to do in order to advance sometimes.
It's a little hard to say at this point, I'm playing as I used to play it on the SNES version, which was to bull dog it through up to Mount Ordeals. How I used to play was that I never bothered gaining levels to go through the Mist Cave, and usually only stopped to at Kaipo to get Rydia to level 10 before going through the waterways. From there I never grinded for the most part until the Tower of Zot and falling into the underworld. I just recall the previous mist cave being pretty much a breeze. On a side note, it feels that the encounter rate is lower. I only had 3 battles in the cave if I recall before the Mist Dragon.
I received my first decant ability "auto potion" from Rosa in Kaipo. I haven't set it yet, because I'm not sure if you can only use it once or equip again.
Mappingway, formerly known as Namingway, was in Kaipo. Due to the earthquake, he lost his map and he is now out job again. Thusly he is now known as Livingway, and will let you look at the beastiary.
So on difficulty, I went out to level Rydia a little bit, and she was killed right off the bat 3 times, I kid you not.
The monsters all hit her right off the bat, prey going for the weak I guess. I switch row spots just in case, but even then they seem to focus on her more than Cecil. I haven't even gone to the water ways yet, but looks like I need a little grind maybe, or lots of potions!
Namingway is in the tower leading to your room when you go in for the first time. He tells you that it was a pain in the ass finding him/using him in the previous version (didn't you have to have a name card or something?) and says he'll let you change your name from the start. So I tried to change セシル to Cecil, but then namingway goes "oh crap, can't do it for some reason, out of a job" and runs off. Obviously you can't change names due to the voice acting.
When you enter the mist cave the first time, Namingway shows up and says he's got a new job and gives you the mapping function. He is now going by the name of Mappingway.
