tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4946916641850178817.post4116041871093476814..comments2024-01-29T18:11:40.469-08:00Comments on The RPG Consoler: Game 11: Phantasy Star II (Genesis) - Annoying HabitsZenic Reveriehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16441583549326102945noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4946916641850178817.post-50267458934806071912012-07-03T16:06:50.024-07:002012-07-03T16:06:50.024-07:00D&D? You can do anything you can think of, it ...D&D? You can do anything you can think of, it is a tabletop game. The main tricks they used back then were 10' poles, marbles (Set them down and see if they role), careful mapping, and things like that.Canageekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03770924810559440307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4946916641850178817.post-70345772372726848942012-06-30T08:03:02.399-07:002012-06-30T08:03:02.399-07:00In the Japanese version, he openly flirts with the...In the Japanese version, he openly flirts with the male characters and charges less to teach them. They changed that for the NA version to saying the male characters look smart.Jonothanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06305455959377150878noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4946916641850178817.post-16359507577443200002012-06-29T01:06:05.256-07:002012-06-29T01:06:05.256-07:00Does the game use randomized maps? Do those trick...Does the game use randomized maps? Do those tricks happen without any visual cue (could I turn around an notice the slope? Is there a brief flash when teleporting or on spinner like in Wizardry?) Is there a coordinates or map spell to give you some idea of when the game might have messed with you?Giauzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09045059974421586849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4946916641850178817.post-15144216688228083612012-06-28T15:24:50.580-07:002012-06-28T15:24:50.580-07:00It will not work against careful mapping, though t...It will not work against careful mapping, though there are maze tricks that will (Sliding walls, slopping passages that move you between levels without you noticing, rotating hallways, doors that connect via teleporation). Early D&D moduels were filled with this stuff, and mapping was critical. One of Gary Gygax's early players had perfect visual-spacial memory, so could always map in his head, better then the people trying to keep track on paper, as he could see how each level connected in space, and would do stuff like dig from one level of the dungeon to another, driving Gary nuts.Canageekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03770924810559440307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4946916641850178817.post-63118397805667133962012-06-28T12:43:38.226-07:002012-06-28T12:43:38.226-07:00It'll be interesting to see how much trouble i...It'll be interesting to see how much trouble it gives him, but I agree that he hasn't really hit a snag on mapping yet. Even the current game with not drawing side passages or doors unless looking right at them didn't seem to phase him.<br /><br />I haven't made any time to play the game since Sunday, so sorry for the lack of updates. I'm hoping to play tonight and have a short recap tomorrow.Zenic Reveriehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16441583549326102945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4946916641850178817.post-29688660254601130942012-06-28T12:04:26.681-07:002012-06-28T12:04:26.681-07:00What does a trick matter if you're the type of...What does a trick matter if you're the type of person who maps every square on a graph and tries everything on every wall several times like CA has done most of the time? It may get tedious, but through (probably multiple deaths) perserverance CA will conquer any tricks a map can scribe.Giauzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09045059974421586849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4946916641850178817.post-51642262923713873592012-06-28T11:54:25.467-07:002012-06-28T11:54:25.467-07:00Adding to this (and hey Blogger isn't being a ...Adding to this (and hey Blogger isn't being a jerk to me.... for now), I think any chance of Adelbert Steiner being a throwback is even less likely given that the wiki about him mentions Steiner is a German name meaning stone and is quite common in Europe. So the name's presence in pseudo-medieval-European fantasy is not as big a coincidence as I thought.Giauzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09045059974421586849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4946916641850178817.post-59078642985265291112012-06-27T19:54:16.574-07:002012-06-27T19:54:16.574-07:00I've read on Chet's blog that Dungeon Mast...I've read on Chet's blog that Dungeon Master: Chaos Strikes Back may use some tricky dungeon designs.Zenic Reveriehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16441583549326102945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4946916641850178817.post-29202564049556333002012-06-27T19:52:25.365-07:002012-06-27T19:52:25.365-07:00I don't know of any games, in any era, that us...I don't know of any games, in any era, that use them. I know about them from Dragon Magazine, for tabletop roleplaying games. I hear Gary Gygax, one of the cofounders of D&D liked using a lot of map tricks like them in his games.Canageekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03770924810559440307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4946916641850178817.post-24565908423698162442012-06-27T19:02:13.733-07:002012-06-27T19:02:13.733-07:00I don't know of any games that used islands du...I don't know of any games that used islands during this era on consoles. Maybe some of the later dungeons will use them. I've heard they get pretty hard.Zenic Reveriehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16441583549326102945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4946916641850178817.post-15297826333240566112012-06-27T16:17:57.665-07:002012-06-27T16:17:57.665-07:00Man, I'm a bad person. If it were me, that tre...Man, I'm a bad person. If it were me, that tree would be on an 'island' in the maze. That is a spot that will be missed by the right-hand left-hand rule. That promises to get you back to your starting spot, but not touch every spot in the maze. There are some simple maze design tricks to add islands this trick will miss. I would have used them.Canageekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03770924810559440307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4946916641850178817.post-4026118740886938602012-06-26T20:41:25.735-07:002012-06-26T20:41:25.735-07:00Ya I was actually watching you play when you visit...Ya I was actually watching you play when you visited the musician. I saw that you didn't choose no to get the option for him to teach you the music spell and you went straight to the sound test. I looked and saw you wouldn't need it for awile so I figured you would be back. As when you get to that point I don't think would be confused where to go to learn a music spell. In the Japanese version supposedly he was more overtly gay but they toned down his racy comments for the US. Although he still charges the men less than the women.Sean697noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4946916641850178817.post-23873790332325878332012-06-26T14:59:30.336-07:002012-06-26T14:59:30.336-07:00Yeah, that's what happens when I play for six ...Yeah, that's what happens when I play for six hours without posting I suppose. I was thinking about breaking it up, but didn't really know where to do it. I'll probably play tonight, so we'll see just how much the game opens up.Zenic Reveriehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16441583549326102945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4946916641850178817.post-83526244450864874032012-06-26T14:34:55.785-07:002012-06-26T14:34:55.785-07:00Well, I guess the end portion of the game takes a ...Well, I guess the end portion of the game takes a long time because.. well.. those are some -long-, -difficult-, -grindy-ass- dungeons at the end. Still, being over a third of the way (I'd guess, off hand, around 40%) is significant progress, considering this is just your second post and this is a large game for the era.killias2https://www.blogger.com/profile/00398131197947456691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4946916641850178817.post-80676076335695508262012-06-26T13:16:39.718-07:002012-06-26T13:16:39.718-07:00Unless I'm sent back to him later on, I don...Unless I'm sent back to him later on, I don't think I'd know to visit him again. Maybe I should have selected no when asked if I wanted to listen to him play? I tend to ignore choices when I think it's obvious what will happen.<br /><br />Steiner is Adelbert's last name, so maybe you're right. I've seen the name Steiner in Beyond the Beyond as well, used for the dragon companion. It'd be interesting to track names across games, but I'm not sure how many connections could be made.Zenic Reveriehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16441583549326102945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4946916641850178817.post-34390162988300476432012-06-26T13:02:15.493-07:002012-06-26T13:02:15.493-07:00Giauz
That piano teacher will teach some of your ...Giauz<br /><br />That piano teacher will teach some of your guys music (I believe I paid for Rudolf to learn this skill, which as far as I got only was good for doing a little piece of music and I think wasting some TP), but I think he just insults your women if you try to pay for them (could be where he gets the mention gay reputation).<br /><br />Also, when I saw the name 'Steiner ' I had to wikipedia Final Fantasy 9 to see if its Steiner is a reference. Sadly, 9's is named Adelbert and it does not appear he is a throwback to FF's old rival, Phantasy Star.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4946916641850178817.post-18422248225084321472012-06-26T09:45:51.377-07:002012-06-26T09:45:51.377-07:00Why do you say he's gay? Does it go into more ...Why do you say he's gay? Does it go into more detail on this in the Japanese version?Zenic Reveriehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16441583549326102945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4946916641850178817.post-40482953380750642612012-06-26T09:41:26.572-07:002012-06-26T09:41:26.572-07:00Hey, Usvestia! The first gay character in a consol...Hey, Usvestia! The first gay character in a console RPG! ...In Japan. I have no idea who gets that honor in NA games.Jonothanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06305455959377150878noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4946916641850178817.post-21887803451838511642012-06-26T08:39:19.416-07:002012-06-26T08:39:19.416-07:00Thanks, I'm glad to have caught up to you. :D
...Thanks, I'm glad to have caught up to you. :D<br /><br />I hope you enjoy the rest of the posts.Zenic Reveriehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16441583549326102945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4946916641850178817.post-44773047034456341872012-06-26T08:38:25.355-07:002012-06-26T08:38:25.355-07:00I'm actually questioning how far into the game...I'm actually questioning how far into the game I am. According to howlongtobeat.com, the fastest time means 20 more hours. I'm guessing I'll be traveling to the other planets eventually, and if there's just as much to do there, then it'll be about that long.<br /><br />To be fair:<br /><br />Yes, a lot of stories are nonsensical if you think about them too long, but there's little else to think about when wandering through the dungeons.<br /><br />Almost every game is super nested-menu-heavy; it's the kicking me out of all the menus when I choose 1 action that's getting to me.Zenic Reveriehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16441583549326102945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4946916641850178817.post-28422636921246996412012-06-26T05:34:58.417-07:002012-06-26T05:34:58.417-07:00Wow, this is right about where I left off in this ...Wow, this is right about where I left off in this game, before my save file got corrupted. Hoping you have better luck on that front, and I'll be curious to see what you think of the game's conclusion.Chalgyrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10879608925209948366noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4946916641850178817.post-84444833377879845372012-06-26T00:36:59.467-07:002012-06-26T00:36:59.467-07:00"Note: I say Shir would have been Kili becaus..."Note: I say Shir would have been Kili because I had planned to name her that; however, there's a bug in the game that doesn't allow you to change her name. This was one of the most annoying moments I had in this game, reloading multiple times to ensure I was selecting the correct option. Sorry Killias, I tried."<br /><br />Haha, thanks, it's the thought the counts.<br /><br />A few comments:<br />1. You're getting fairly far! A.. lot happens in the next third of the game or so. I'm curious to see how you'll respond, haha.<br />2. I agree about the story elements thus far, but, to be fair, I think that was pretty much par for the course in late 80's/early 90's RPGs. Hell, it's still mostly par for the course now. RPG quests typically make no damn sense if you think about them for more than a few minutes.<br />3. Yeah, now that you mention it, PS2 is super nested-menu-heavy. I can't recall PS3's too much, although I don't think it's -quite- as bad? Maybe? PS4 gives you a lot more options in terms of controlling battles, such as pre-built macros (preset orders for each part member you can save and edit), but I still think there are a few too many nested menus.killias2https://www.blogger.com/profile/00398131197947456691noreply@blogger.com