Comments on: Your Hat Is Stupid (Tactically Speaking) http://www.zacharyreese.com/2008/10/tactically-speaking/ Dot Com Dot Murder Tue, 05 Jan 2010 17:35:20 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Zachary http://www.zacharyreese.com/2008/10/tactically-speaking/comment-page-1/#comment-56 Zachary Sat, 11 Oct 2008 00:15:55 +0000 http://www.zacharyreese.com/?p=76#comment-56 You know, I've been aware of the Fire Emblem series for some time, but I had no idea it was a tactical RPG until I went to the Wikipedia page just now. The entire time I was writing this entry I kept thinking "man, I wish Nintendo would do an Advance Wars that had a true leveling system and magic and stuff." I guess they do! There's a DS version of the game coming out soon; I'm going to have to grab the Gamecube entry in the meantime. And, if you're curious, I found this on Gamefaqs: "Instead of starting off each battle with a set amount of MP, all units now begin battles with 0 MP. The MP gauge gradually increases each turn by 10 MP. Therefore, spellcasters and MP-users cannot present an immediate threat at the beginning of battles. There are ways to get around this restriction though. The methods include, but are not limited to, specific abilities that can regenerate MP and the MP Boost ability, which regenerates 20 MP per turn as opposed to 10 MP." I guess that's kind of a neat idea (seems cribbed from some tabletop games I've played), but it goes against all the standards RPG players are used to. Hell, it goes against all the standards of the game itself, with it's massive focus on power-leveling. And they don't cover this in the game or manual at all (at least not that I could find). It seems like they just crammed stuff into this game without refining or clarifying the underlying mechanics at all. As for the story in FFT... I'm pretty sure I played it to completion in high school, yet I can't remember a damned thing about the story. I tend to retain that type of stuff pretty well, so take that as you will. I think nostalgia gets the best of people sometimes. All my gaming friends tell me that Final Fantasy VII has a story "better than any novel," and... um, I imagine they haven't played it recently. Oh, and thanks for the shout out on your blog! I'll get you back sometime. You know, I’ve been aware of the Fire Emblem series for some time, but I had no idea it was a tactical RPG until I went to the Wikipedia page just now. The entire time I was writing this entry I kept thinking “man, I wish Nintendo would do an Advance Wars that had a true leveling system and magic and stuff.” I guess they do! There’s a DS version of the game coming out soon; I’m going to have to grab the Gamecube entry in the meantime.

And, if you’re curious, I found this on Gamefaqs:

“Instead of starting off each battle with a set amount of MP, all units now begin battles with 0 MP. The MP gauge gradually increases each turn by 10 MP. Therefore, spellcasters and MP-users cannot present an immediate threat at the beginning of battles. There are ways to get around this restriction though. The methods include, but are not limited to, specific abilities that can regenerate MP and the MP Boost ability, which regenerates 20 MP per turn as opposed to 10 MP.”

I guess that’s kind of a neat idea (seems cribbed from some tabletop games I’ve played), but it goes against all the standards RPG players are used to. Hell, it goes against all the standards of the game itself, with it’s massive focus on power-leveling. And they don’t cover this in the game or manual at all (at least not that I could find). It seems like they just crammed stuff into this game without refining or clarifying the underlying mechanics at all.

As for the story in FFT… I’m pretty sure I played it to completion in high school, yet I can’t remember a damned thing about the story. I tend to retain that type of stuff pretty well, so take that as you will. I think nostalgia gets the best of people sometimes. All my gaming friends tell me that Final Fantasy VII has a story “better than any novel,” and… um, I imagine they haven’t played it recently.

Oh, and thanks for the shout out on your blog! I’ll get you back sometime.

]]> By: Iroquois Pliskin http://www.zacharyreese.com/2008/10/tactically-speaking/comment-page-1/#comment-55 Iroquois Pliskin Fri, 10 Oct 2008 19:50:17 +0000 http://www.zacharyreese.com/?p=76#comment-55 thank you for two things: 1) ripping on that little ponce's hat 2) pointing out that there is no rational explanation of how you acquire MP. Every battle I was like "will I have Mp? well, no way to tell. I'll just wing it." I haven't played FF tactics all too much (it apparently has a good story), but I thought this game was just so needlessly convoluted. It's like they iterated on this series by adding all these annoying and difficult-to-understand mechanics, needless menus, and a few dozen indecipherable status effects. Seriously, what the fuck does *addling* an enemy do? Don't even get me started on that bazaar-and-auction-house-bullshit. Also, fire emblem is really good, and shining force is coming to virtual console this week. I'm playing Disgaea on the DS right now and though it's also totally indecipherable and cumbersome I'm kind of liking it. How hypocritical is that! thank you for two things:

1) ripping on that little ponce’s hat

2) pointing out that there is no rational explanation of how you acquire MP. Every battle I was like “will I have Mp? well, no way to tell. I’ll just wing it.”

I haven’t played FF tactics all too much (it apparently has a good story), but I thought this game was just so needlessly convoluted. It’s like they iterated on this series by adding all these annoying and difficult-to-understand mechanics, needless menus, and a few dozen indecipherable status effects. Seriously, what the fuck does *addling* an enemy do? Don’t even get me started on that bazaar-and-auction-house-bullshit.

Also, fire emblem is really good, and shining force is coming to virtual console this week. I’m playing Disgaea on the DS right now and though it’s also totally indecipherable and cumbersome I’m kind of liking it. How hypocritical is that!

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