Comments for all fun and games http://allfunandgames.wordpress.com (until somebody loses an eye) Mon, 12 Oct 2009 16:34:05 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on What ever happened to the world map? by Tom Baines http://allfunandgames.wordpress.com/2009/10/02/what-ever-happened-to-the-world-map/#comment-37 Tom Baines Mon, 12 Oct 2009 16:34:05 +0000 http://allfunandgames.wordpress.com/?p=97#comment-37 Don't get me wrong (and don't be put off from playing it): Crisis Core is a very entertaining game and I thoroughly enjoyed it while it lasted, and I guess if you think about it, it's a pseudo-action title (similar to Kingdom Hearts) so it can probably get away with being a little shorter. There's still a degree of exploration when you get into the field/action/mission sequences of the game, with plenty of forks in the road and the old Squaresoft dilemma: "Do I go for that chest and risk getting in 2-3 fights, or do I take a more direct route forwards?" I guess it's more the idea of the 'mission board' that I object to in principle. Sure, it may take you longer to walk from A to B to do a side quest, compared with just being able to pick it from a menu, but you get in some fights, find some hidden treasure, and generally have fun doing it. I know the reasoning for taking out the walking - it's to avoid the old fetch/carry/trade type to-ing-and-fro-ing that has had us travelling the length and breadth of Hyrule in every Zelda title since Link's Awakening (and before anybody corrects me, I know that game wasn't set <em>in</em> Hyrule, that's just the title the swap-quests started in) because invariably the person who told you that they wanted the magic bananas or some other such ridiculous novelty is at the furthest point possible away from the magic banana salesman on the map. Adding longevity in this way is in a sense 'cheating', but I think I'd rather just have the choice, something that Final Fantasy XII did do rather well - giving you the option to warp to save crystals, hop on an airship, or to slog it out on foot (or on Chocobo, even better). The thing that bugged me about the scrap item selling in XII was the fact you generally received trash until you killed 10-20 of the same enemy in a 'chain', then the items received as spoils became not only more plentiful, but better, and as a result, more valuable to sell. This in itself wasn't a bad element either, but this was only entertaining if you were in the right frame of mind to be bothered with it! Sometimes you just can't tolerate having to be careful about what you were killing - characters who were set to aggressive tactics could easily wipe out a 99-chain just as you were about to not only unlock some rare and valuable items, but also top your own personal record. So a nice idea, but there was a bit too much emphasis on it, perhaps. Maybe that could have been weighted more towards the optional, like whether you walk or warp to the next mission? Don’t get me wrong (and don’t be put off from playing it): Crisis Core is a very entertaining game and I thoroughly enjoyed it while it lasted, and I guess if you think about it, it’s a pseudo-action title (similar to Kingdom Hearts) so it can probably get away with being a little shorter. There’s still a degree of exploration when you get into the field/action/mission sequences of the game, with plenty of forks in the road and the old Squaresoft dilemma: “Do I go for that chest and risk getting in 2-3 fights, or do I take a more direct route forwards?” I guess it’s more the idea of the ‘mission board’ that I object to in principle. Sure, it may take you longer to walk from A to B to do a side quest, compared with just being able to pick it from a menu, but you get in some fights, find some hidden treasure, and generally have fun doing it.

I know the reasoning for taking out the walking – it’s to avoid the old fetch/carry/trade type to-ing-and-fro-ing that has had us travelling the length and breadth of Hyrule in every Zelda title since Link’s Awakening (and before anybody corrects me, I know that game wasn’t set in Hyrule, that’s just the title the swap-quests started in) because invariably the person who told you that they wanted the magic bananas or some other such ridiculous novelty is at the furthest point possible away from the magic banana salesman on the map. Adding longevity in this way is in a sense ‘cheating’, but I think I’d rather just have the choice, something that Final Fantasy XII did do rather well – giving you the option to warp to save crystals, hop on an airship, or to slog it out on foot (or on Chocobo, even better).

The thing that bugged me about the scrap item selling in XII was the fact you generally received trash until you killed 10-20 of the same enemy in a ‘chain’, then the items received as spoils became not only more plentiful, but better, and as a result, more valuable to sell. This in itself wasn’t a bad element either, but this was only entertaining if you were in the right frame of mind to be bothered with it! Sometimes you just can’t tolerate having to be careful about what you were killing – characters who were set to aggressive tactics could easily wipe out a 99-chain just as you were about to not only unlock some rare and valuable items, but also top your own personal record. So a nice idea, but there was a bit too much emphasis on it, perhaps. Maybe that could have been weighted more towards the optional, like whether you walk or warp to the next mission?

]]> Comment on What ever happened to the world map? by sape101 http://allfunandgames.wordpress.com/2009/10/02/what-ever-happened-to-the-world-map/#comment-36 sape101 Sat, 10 Oct 2009 01:57:25 +0000 http://allfunandgames.wordpress.com/?p=97#comment-36 Very interesting article. I never played Crisis Core, but I would be annoyed if a game forced me to go from point A to point B. I believe Squaresoft is taking up too many projects. There even working on FF14 already. That's crazy! So I completely see where you're coming from, but I some questions for you. I didn't like FF12 for it's under developed characters, but I love the game play. Didn't you appreciate how FF 12 allowed you to explore? Square isn't completely abandoning all their old tactics. Also, my hypothesis for Crisis Core is that Square spent so much time on those glorious cutscenes, that they neglected the gameplay. Would you prefer addictive gamepley over those nostalgic FMVs? Just a note: To get tons of money in FF12, just sell all those scrap items you earn through battle. The only purpose of those items is to trade them in for money. Of course, the game developers did not make that clear. Very interesting article. I never played Crisis Core, but I would be annoyed if a game forced me to go from point A to point B. I believe Squaresoft is taking up too many projects. There even working on FF14 already. That’s crazy! So I completely see where you’re coming from, but I some questions for you.

I didn’t like FF12 for it’s under developed characters, but I love the game play. Didn’t you appreciate how FF 12 allowed you to explore? Square isn’t completely abandoning all their old tactics.

Also, my hypothesis for Crisis Core is that Square spent so much time on those glorious cutscenes, that they neglected the gameplay. Would you prefer addictive gamepley over those nostalgic FMVs?

Just a note: To get tons of money in FF12, just sell all those scrap items you earn through battle. The only purpose of those items is to trade them in for money. Of course, the game developers did not make that clear.

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