What games are you currently playing?

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: What games are you currently playing?

I'm not saying this is like a huuuuge problem that totally kills the series or anything, but it's there, and I feel it moves the focus of combat in the wrong direction. I wish they would've embraced the Bonus EXP system wholesale and dropped the per-hit EXP - then your main concern would always be something sensible and related to the in-game situation.

I guess I'm just not understanding the problem you see here beyond the healers as its the healers who are getting rewarded per action rather than per kill. EXP for hits is very meager and I'm not sending in small units to chip away at a bigger one - i'm training those small units on something more equal first. It doesn't matter how many hits I get with Lon'qu even if Astra activates, its going to be the same EXP based on his level and based on the level of his previous class before he reclassed.

[Armando]

Re: What games are you currently playing?

I guess I'm just not understanding the problem you see here beyond the healers as its the healers who are getting rewarded per action rather than per kill.

Maybe I've been doing a poor job of explaining it. Let me try again. If Awakening uses similar formulas to the previous games, you get kinda-fixed EXP for successful hits and very-level-dependent EXP on killing blows. That means killing a level 10 unit with a level 11 unit is a waste if you could've killed it with a level 9 instead. That's a real conflict of interest in a game with permadeath; but even without it it leads to irrational decisions, because normally you'd just send the guy that can kill the other guy best.

Once you know this, you'll have a hard time avoiding the urge to micromanage your fights to yield the most EXP possible. It's natural to want to game as efficiently as possible. In a game that's ostensibly a war simulator, that's pretty distracting, because the EXP is an artificial construct and here I am micromanaging my fights for the sake of something that has no bearing to the story or context of the battle.

It's not necessarily a bad EXP system, but it's not aligned to the war simulation theme of the game. Shouldn't I be more concerned with killing the enemies while taking as little damage as possible? Or some other goal like routing the enemy quickly? Past games had Bonus EXP for meeting goals like that, but it never replaced the original EXP system, so the micromanaging was still there. I feel they would've been better off just making Bonus EXP the only source of EXP and letting you attack whomever with whomever and just focus on real, relevant in-game goals.

I realize this is kind of First World Problems territory and I'm really nitpicking here, but on the other hand I think they've had enough iterations of the series to figure this stuff out. Although it really speaks about the quality of the games if that's the best complaint I can lob at them. (EDIT: Actually, my biggest complaint is the random invisible items on the floor that usually turn out to be really good.')

[Jarre]

Re: What games are you currently playing?

Recieved today Simcity 5 am installing and updating and servers seem to be stable now. Going to enjoy a good session this evening playing it.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: What games are you currently playing?

Maybe I've been doing a poor job of explaining it. Let me try again. If Awakening uses similar formulas to the previous games, you get kinda-fixed EXP for successful hits and very-level-dependent EXP on killing blows. That means killing a level 10 unit with a level 11 unit is a waste if you could've killed it with a level 9 instead. That's a real conflict of interest in a game with permadeath; but even without it it leads to irrational decisions, because normally you'd just send the guy that can kill the other guy best.

The EXP is more or less done the same, but there are the additions of additional spawned encounters on the world map, Spotpass Einherjar battles, Streetpass battles, Paralogues (side quests, quests where you add your army's offspring to the army) and the Xenologues (DLC stuff) to give you plenty of chances to keep your units up to speed.

The pair-ups can feel like pokemon training at times if you're not using these other opportunities to your advantage. The pairing up is really to protect those weaker units early on or aid in map movement where particular units can be disadvantage, such as in the desert or when facing mountainous terrain, as well as help boost morale and improve relationships. Evenrtually as you level them up or do more reclassing you'll want to pair up less since you'll have more opportunities to attack and can still get bonuses and boosts to moral by placing units adjacent to each other. In fact, there are skills in the game that provide buffs for certain units going more solo or placing units adjacent to them that you can't benefit from if you keep pairing characters up.

And the number of skills in this game is pretty amazing. The tactican by nature eventually earns a 50% EXP bonus to incentivise its reclassing and as a cute perk, it was passed on to one of the Tactician's kids. The son got all the mother's skills and the daughter got all the father's. So basically, I have another Tactician to turn into an holy terror on the battlefield.

Well, I also have the ones I picked up by Streetpass battles, but I'm reclassing those tacticans to warrios and Archers. That's another thing that does bug me, the main campaign loves to shove as many sword, lance and magic users at you as it can, but very few people skilled in the use of bows and axes. I mean, yeah, you can reclass, but I think it could have been a bit more even. I lost Vaike in the same battle I picked up another axe user, which is pretty much the only reason I didn't repeat the fight since that hatchet man didn't have crap defense.

[Armando]

Re: What games are you currently playing?

The EXP is more or less done the same, but there are the additions of additional spawned encounters on the world map, Spotpass Einherjar battles, Streetpass battles, Paralogues (side quests, quests where you add your army's offspring to the army) and the Xenologues (DLC stuff) to give you plenty of chances to keep your units up to speed.

The incentive to micromanage is still there though; now it's to avoid extra grinding. Either way it's not about being able to catch up, it's about the game experience and whether I need to be thinking about EXP payoffs in the middle of the fight. It's really more a game design/game experience thing than playability; I see they've made great strides in making sure you don't play yourself into a corner because of being underlevelled.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: What games are you currently playing?

Well, the good thing is that they the way the characters play off each other in support as well as scenes inside the barracks, you really want to work them up more with other characters just to see what they'll say at the next support rank. And a better support rank means more bonuses to other stats when adjacent or paired with that unit, even allowing for an additional attack turn rather than just one.

Well except for myrmidons, swordsman, Dark Mages, Sorcerers and Lords, they can still get a couple turns solo without that stuff and seldom worry about taking damage. That's useful, though, i can send one or two of those out to prevent being flanked and let the others take on the main force.

If I could make everyone a Myrmidon, I probably would.

[Mezlo]

Re: What games are you currently playing?

I'm playing Clash of Clans on my iphone. Anyone else play this? The wifey and I are addicted... If you have an iphone and are looking for a game you can play on it, and you enjoy building up an Army and camp, strategizing, and attacking other players, I highly recommend it...

[Malacite]

Re: What games are you currently playing?

So, Xenosaga has now rightly earned it's place among my favorite games, if nothing else (and there's plenty of reason besides this) for this gem;

Right now my only dilema is whether I want Dunban or Sharla (with Shulk and Reyn in the party) - Dunban gives a huge offense boost, but then I lose Sharla's healing, and Shulk's 1 little spell doesn't always cut it. But then Sharla kinda sucks for dealing damage, and I don't have any cooldown gems for her guns yet to slow down her Talent Gauge ><

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: What games are you currently playing?

Figure you might enjoy this track then, Mal, its from EOIV:

Hoping to get to this soon, but I'm too deep into FE:A to give it up right now.

[Malacite]

Re: What games are you currently playing?

o.o

awesome sound track. Atlus plublishes some of the best JRPGs that no one else will touch...

So, that's another game I can add to my 3DS wishlist (if/when I get one). So far I've only got this and Fire Emblem though :/ (damn you to Hell Capcom...)

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: What games are you currently playing?

Well, its Yuzo Koshiro, so awesome is expected given his history with Streets of Rage, Actraiser and just about everything else Nobuo uematsu and Koji Kondo haven't done.

3DS has a long list of reasons this year, mostly RPGs from my perspective, but that's what I signed on for anyway. Gonna have to put off Monster Hunter, though because Atlus reissued Devil Summoner and Devil Summoner 2 for PS2. I want them, Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon and Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers just a bit more. My sig with Raidou in it makes the Devil Summoner bias obvious, though.

[Icemage]

Re: What games are you currently playing?

Finished Tomb Raider on PS3. Amazing, amazing game. Crystal Dynamics have really outdone themselves with this reboot.

On to God of War: Ascension!


Icemage

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: What games are you currently playing?

So yeah, Mercury Stream screwed the pooch hard. In trying to mash-up Castevania III, SOTN and Lords of Shadow they ended up with a game that was really mostly Lords of Shadow with two unncessary characters, level ups that mean nothing since you'll just use the same combos over and over, your combos STILL don't stun enemy combos and the exploration is makes FFXIII seem like Skyrim.

Review: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate - Destructoid

The game also literally checkpoints your progress like every five seconds, so there's no incentive to take risks - this even applies to boss fights. So far the only consistent praise of seen for the game is the 3D effects, quality of the cel-shaded cutscenes and voice acting. The story, however.... not so good.

I really hope this means once LoS is done, Iga can pick up Castlevania again. we need him.

[Malacite]

Re: What games are you currently playing?

Finished Tomb Raider on PS3. Amazing, amazing game. Crystal Dynamics have really outdone themselves with this reboot.

On to God of War: Ascension!


Icemage

Yeah I was sorely tempted to get it, but just too many games and not enough money atm >_<


For the time being, I'm *loving* Heart of the Swarm, it's much better than WoL's campaign. EB also had a promo going for an additional 10% off used games (on top of my edge card so 20% off total) and I picked up Alpha Protocol and Growlanser: Wayfarer of time. No Valkyria Chronicles 2 sadly or I woulda been all over that (or Star Ocean 4...)


And Xenoblade still kicks ass. Yeah I'm set for games for a while XD (also dropped a pre-order on Pandora's Tower.) just gotta remember to pick up Ni no Kuni before it starts getting scarce. As I said though, I have *more* than enough awesome games to play now until May (plus Bioshock is out later this month too, and Seekers of Adoulin but I'm gonna skip that for now.)


@____@ my wallet weeps.

[Icemage]

Re: What games are you currently playing?

If you want to get Ni No Kuni in physical edition, you'd best pick it up ASAP. There weren't a whole lot of physical copies released, period, and a lot of stores sold out on the first day.

You could always choose to go digital and buy it from PSN, though.

---

My standing boycott of Activision continues to SC2: Heart of the Swarm. I'm sure it's good, but my backlog is legendary as it is, and that's enough reason for me to avoid it.

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God of War: Ascension seems pretty good. It's like God of War 3 in many ways so far, about an hour in. Grapple attacks are much more prevalent this time, and seem more powerful as well. No more weapon switching, too; you can find weapons in the environment that can be wielded in melee or thrown (destroyed) for a special attack. There also appear to be more moves and combos with the standard Blades of Chaos. Finisher moves on enemies are cleaned up, and you now have to dodge their attacks as you try to finish them off instead of just endlessly mashing O.

It's not setting the world on fire with its innovative gameplay, but there are some nice upgrades here.


Icemage