What Are You Currently Playing?

Your general gaming entertainment thread.
From Mario to Sonic, Zelda to Final Fantasy. Talk about it here.
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Alunissage
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Re: What Are You Currently Playing?

Post by Alunissage »

Started FF8 last night. Have been meaning to play it for years. Got it when it came out, housemate play to beginning of disc 3, and then we stopped. And I'd missed some key scenes anyway.

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VidKid369
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Re: What Are You Currently Playing?

Post by VidKid369 »

Oh wow, Alunissage, what a great choice! After I finished playing FF6 - I almost kinda wanted to play all the Final Fantasy games and I really wanted to play FF8 and 100% complete it! I haven't played FF8 in years! I think it's a great game in the series even though it gets the reputation of I think being one of the worst ones lol.

Anyway,--I actually decided to play Alundra and so far I think it's great!! Have any of you guys played this one? I miss playing WD's games I love like the text basically. I haven't beaten this one yet and I have the official strategy guide for it too so hopefully that should make it easier to get everything in one playthrough.

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Alunissage
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Re: What Are You Currently Playing?

Post by Alunissage »

I played Alundra in 2002, I think. You probably will want the strategy guide, though it's a bit harder to follow than the Lunar ones (but you can see where the style came from in this one). The last dungeon is really complex.

Don't be too upset if you don't get the prize for getting all the gold falcons, or whatever they're called. A friend of mine who was a game reviewer at the time said that that was about the hardest task in any game he's played. Some of them are only available very briefly, including one near the beginning that requires completing a dream very quickly.

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VidKid369
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Re: What Are You Currently Playing?

Post by VidKid369 »

Ok, good looking out, thanks! I actually picked this game to play next since I have the strategy guide and thought it'd be an easy 100% complete. I'll try to follow it meticulously.

Anyway I just wanted to say I miss playing WD's games I much prefer their style to even Final Fantasy games. Maybe it's because I'm from California? lol I really want to run through all the WD games I have since all my time has been devoted to LUNAR I forget about all the rest.

Like, for example, I have Dragon Force for Saturn I played that one for like 5 mins. And I really, really want to get my feet wet in Growlanser. I've been looking forward to playing that one for the longest time now.

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Alunissage
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Re: What Are You Currently Playing?

Post by Alunissage »

There was a time I could tell you anything you needed to know about Growlanser II. That time has long passed, but I do still have some notes around.

I always have a harder time warming up to FFs myself. I think a lot of that is how the dialogue is presented. With Lunar TSS being my first RPG, I got used to character portraits and not having quotation marks around dialogue and other stuff like that. It does mean I'm a little more surprised by occasional funny lines, which I suppose is good.

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Re: What Are You Currently Playing?

Post by Kizyr »

VidKid369 wrote: Mon Mar 01, 2021 3:02 am Hey, guys!!! I just completed Final Fantasy Tactics (PS) earlier this morning. I did all the propositions and I did the Deep Dungeon. Kind of a short RPG.
I don't think I've ever heard anyone describe FFT as short, especially after getting through the Deep Dungeon!

It is one of my favorite games, but is it ever an epic.

I'm still kind of playing short competitive games lately (think Golf With Your Friends, Jackbox, Duck Game) before getting back into something heavy. FF7R is next on my list, and even though I have it, I just haven't had the time in weeks now to even start it up.
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VidKid369
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Re: What Are You Currently Playing?

Post by VidKid369 »

Ok, yeah I think the text-dialogue presented in Final Fantasy games seems a little funny to me, like I don't think people actually talk like that. And even classic lines like "You spoony bard!" completely went over my head, I don't find funny and to this day I really don't even understand. I don't get why people love lines like that that don't even make any sense whatsoever at least to me. I love all of Kefka's lines though he's so hilarious!

Sometimes I find people online dissing WD's Californian slang... like Bonaire for example. I grew up with people talking like that normally so I'm completely used to and unphased by it. I actually prefer that kind of translation and dialogue. Final Fantasy hasn't ever really made me laugh out loud looking at it now I suppose I find it a bit stuffy.

Lol, Kizyr! I think I clocked FFT in at 53 hours and I spent a great deal of time grinding outside of the main game, so I just felt like it was a little bit on the short side! I prefer playing 85+ hour RPGs that's typically the norm for me. 🙂 I did all the props. + finished the Deep Dungeon and I still found it a little short. I am in agreeance with you that it is an epic game. I found myself having more fun with it than when I was playing FFVI and now Ramza has replaced Terra as my fav. Final Fantasy character. I think it has great re-play value.

Edit: Alun, I just did the part you were talking about near the beginning in Olen's dream you just have to kill four Murgg and open a chest with a gilded falcon inside very quickly apparently Septimus calls out to you and abruptly ends the dream before you can possibly accomplish this task. Took me like four tries. lol

Also, it's great you still have notes for Growlanser II! I was playing it a little bit a few years ago and I recollect there's a lot of character branches and so forth.

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Re: What Are You Currently Playing?

Post by Sonic# »

I replayed Final Fantasy VIII last year! I have a lot of nostalgia for the game, since it was the first FF game I owned. In this playthrough, I admired the ambition of the scenario writing the most. The Laguna sequences in particular involve a lot of player trust for how unusual and unexpected they are.

I'm slowly playing through Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition on my Switch. I get in about a half-hour each night, usually when I'm too tired to read. I just reached Mechonis Field. I'm taking the game much more casually this time, so I haven't been too burned out by grinding up Colony 6. I've also learned how effective a Melia-controlled party can be with her ether-based buffs and attacks; Melia, Dunban, and Riki have been pretty devastating in most combats.

I've also been playing some Geneforge 1: Mutagen. It's an indie RPG, so it looks and plays a bit clunky but has decent writing (I'd play this as a D&D campaign) and intriguing combat. The sole player character is a Shaper (basically a summoner), and monsters can be shaped to help in combat. I really enjoy walking around with my menagerie of ice-breathing dinosaurs, scorpions, and acid-spitting magic worms.
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"Than seyde Merlion, "Whethir lyke ye bettir the swerde othir the scawberde?" "I lyke bettir the swerde," seyde Arthure. "Ye ar the more unwyse, for the scawberde ys worth ten of the swerde; for whyles ye have the scawberde uppon you, ye shall lose no blood, be ye never so sore wounded. Therefore kepe well the scawberde allweyes with you." --- Le Morte Darthur, Sir Thomas Malory

"Just as you touch the energy of every life form you meet, so, too, will will their energy strengthen you. Fail to live up to your potential, and you will never win. " --- The Old Man at the End of Time

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Imperial Knight
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Re: What Are You Currently Playing?

Post by Imperial Knight »

VidKid369 wrote: Thu Mar 04, 2021 5:02 am
Also, it's great you still have notes for Growlanser II! I was playing it a little bit a few years ago and I recollect there's a lot of character branches and so forth.
There are three major plot branches and then multiple endings for each branch. Some of these depend on choices you make in the endgame and a bunch are based on character relationships. If you have a save file near the end you can usually use it to go through a bunch of endings quickly (so long as you've fulfilled the requirements for said ending).

As for me I'm still playing Dragon Quest VIII. I'm about 45 hours in and am early on in the Western Continent. Specifically  I just went to the Dark Ruins and now need to visit Argonia to get the mirror so I can actually enter. I spent a lot of time after getting the ship just sailing around exploring islands and the like looking for treasure and recruitable monsters. The exploration really is a delight. I'd say it's probably on track to be either my second or third favorite Dragon Quest behind DQ5 and possibly DQ3.

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VidKid369
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Re: What Are You Currently Playing?

Post by VidKid369 »

I recall the Laguna sequences were my favorite.

Ok, good to know! I was iffy on starting up Growlanser everytime cause they ask you so many questions in the beginning I thought that had a big effect on which branch you get. 😐

Lol, that's exactly where I stopped playing on my last playthrough right when you get the ship. I need to beat DQVIII cause after beating Dragon Warrior VII I really wound up enjoying the series!!

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Re: What Are You Currently Playing?

Post by Imperial Knight »

The questions at the beginning determine your starting stats. One of the branches does have some requirements for you to be given the choice to take it, partly based on seeing some optional events (it helps to go to various towns and talk to people whenever you have the chance) and partly on your performance in battle (try to finish each battle with a rating of Mission Complete).

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VidKid369
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Re: What Are You Currently Playing?

Post by VidKid369 »

Oh, ok. I thought they were super important and WD never put out a strategy guide for Growlanser. Ok, once I pick up the game I'll try to do each battle really well.

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Alunissage
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Re: What Are You Currently Playing?

Post by Alunissage »

I thought about writing a walkthrough for GameFAQs for Growlanser II but never did. I do have a table of what the starting questions do ("translated" by me from the Japanese guide, at a time when looking up kanji was an intensely painful process involving lots of stroke counting and guessing at radicals). I can tell you that there aren't really "wrong" answers in that part, just different stats getting bonuses. E.g., one question response might be +2 HP, another +1 HP and +1 MP, and the last +2 MP (made-up example). Some of them affected types of magic/techs/skills you could learn.

To get the option for the major branch (by which I mean it has almost no overlap with the usual storyline, rather than being a variation on it), you'll want to get all Mission Completes (or nearly) in the event battles before encountering Wolfgang in the south. I think there's another requirement or two as well, but there's an internal stat that's basically how well Wein is doing that needs to be high enough to get that option, and mission rating affects that. Some conversational events and options also bump up that stat, but they're not particularly obvious that I recall.

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VidKid369
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Re: What Are You Currently Playing?

Post by VidKid369 »

I know what you mean, I wrote a walkthrough for LUNAR: SSSC that's specifically about how to get each bromide, but I just didn't upload it and I don't know if I'm going to.

Ok, well that's reassuring I was thinking whenever I get around to starting Growlanser II I was just going to answer the beginning questions in whatever way and just go on. I'll for sure try to get the Mission Completes though. Thanks guys. 🙂

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Re: What Are You Currently Playing?

Post by MaroonChan »

Final Fantasy VII

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Imperial Knight
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Re: What Are You Currently Playing?

Post by Imperial Knight »

Made some more progress in Dragon Quest VIII, specifically  I just beat Dhoulmagus. I wasn't exactly surprised to find out there's still more to do, as the game had been telegraphing that he wouldn't actually be the final boss in various way. I had seen some debate on the internet about whether it was necessary to grind up for Angelo to learn Multiheal for the battle. I did not have Multiheal and while the battle was pretty tense, I ultimately beat it just fine. I'm not really surprised by this, as I find that people usually overstate the need to grind in RPGs in general and DQ in particular. It definitely helped that I made sure everyone had equipment that gave them decent magic and breath protection (as it's usually quite important in DQ, more so than having the highest possible Defense bonuses). I had Yangus attack most turns and everyone else alternate healing when necessary with something else (attacking for the Hero, buffs/debuffs for Jessica, Cherub's Arrow for Angelo to keep his MP up). I did need to use an Yggdrasil Leaf at one point but otherwise didn't need to use any of my "break glass in case of emergency" items or abilities.

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VidKid369
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Re: What Are You Currently Playing?

Post by VidKid369 »

Nice! I've played Dragon Quest VIII twice and I always stop about halfway through, but it's such a fun game! I remember that boss fight gave me a lot of trouble. I need to pick it up again sometime soon. Plus, I had so much fun with Dragon Warrior VII I'd like to continue with the DW/Quest series! 🙂

In Alundra, I think I'm making progress. I just got the Legend Sword but I haven't tried it out yet. Supposedly some people say to not even get it cause it breaks the game--I got it anyway. The Casino opened up and I'm gonna try to win at the mini-games there today to get the Life Vessels + Gilded Falcons. The window of opportunity to get the Secret Pass is so small, it's like scary, I jumped down Lutas's chimney after Magyscar and got it then after the next event there's smoke coming out from the chimney again and you can't jump down.

Overall, the game is really fun. I was thinking of running through all of the Working Designs games I have since I'm enjoying them so much and I love the text, dialogue and writing a lot much moreso compared to say a Final Fantasy game. But, I was also thinking of just knocking out a few easy 100% Complete's like Suikoden for example I know that game by heart.

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VidKid369
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Re: What Are You Currently Playing?

Post by VidKid369 »

Hey, guys!! I 100% completed Alundra yesterday - I got all 40 Life Vessels, 50 Gilded Falcons, the 4 Magic Seeds/Books and I got the Legend Sword & Spirit Wand. 🙂 I dunno how hard this's to do but I'm sorta proud of myself lol!

I enjoyed the game I usually enjoy Working Designs's writing and the gameplay was really fun although the puzzles were pretty challenging I mostly referred to the official guide for nearly all of them. The game is pretty dark but I enjoyed the ending.

I was sleeping on what RPG to tackle next and I was thinking of: Xenogears, Tales of Destiny or Suikoden. I'm not entirely sure?

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Alunissage
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Re: What Are You Currently Playing?

Post by Alunissage »

Congratulations!

Still playing FF8. I'm not usually a maxing-out player (I like getting all the things, but don't care so much about maxing out levels), but I'm doing it almost by accident just because I'm enjoying the system so much. I'm, haha, just short of where my housemate and I quit 20 years ago. I will say that I definitely have more appreciation for Squall and his character development than I did previously, in no small part from some optional conversations that I might have missed the first time around. His obsession with Rinoa is still kind of sudden, but not as inexplicable as it had seemed.

It's really convenient having the triple-speed option when moving around, but I've managed to make myself slightly motion sick on the world map because of it, which I hadn't anticipated. D'oh.

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VidKid369
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Re: What Are You Currently Playing?

Post by VidKid369 »

I'm the same way. I like getting and doing "everything" but I don't think I've ever maxed out stats and levels just to do it. *scratches head*

Lol at speedwalking. I remember playing Final Fantasy XII on PS2 and walking around in towns was so annoying because Vaan would go so slow. I was told they fixed this in the remaster, though.

So! I decided to play Xenogears I'm still in Lahan but I got the RPS Badge. I'm trying to go around talking to everyone to make sure I didn't miss anything. To be honest I've really been sleeping a lot the past three days. lol

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