I'm just curious as to who has beaten or gotten far in games while not noticing some basic gameplay element.
I went completely through Skies of Arcadia not using focus. I assumed it just decreased your chance of missing next turn or something. I didn't know about it until I watched a friend play it at his house. He also missed something big; he never knew that Lunar Glyph can petrify bosses.
Ach, I've done things like this so many times. I'll brain up some examples in a bit.
I made it up to disc 3 of Final Fantasy 9 before I realized that all the skills the characters are learning have to be equippped. I just assumed that it would work automatically. Stupid me.
I do it lots. Especially on fighting games, just making up combos and such as I go along. Then I read the manual after I finish it.
Do it all the time.
Most recently, the first time through Panzer Dragoon Orta I didn't know the dash could be used offensively.
Not that often, really. I've always taken the time to do a quick flip-through of the manual before sitting down to play something. It's a habit I got into on those rides home from stores when I was a kid.
I also take a glance at the instructions on arcade cabinets, etc.
I played all the way through Wolfenstein 3D without knowing about strafing.
Played through Super Metroid without knowing about the special charge attacks with different beams equipped.
Import version of of Metal Gear Solid (weeks before US release) I fought Psycho Mantis just by using punches and kicks--didn't know about sticking the controller into 2nd port--took me 20+ minutes to beat him.
- fully understanding the junction system in FF VIII 96% into the game.
- not knowing about the super charge shot on the Ghost (flying ship right?) in Halo until after i've beaten the game and someone told me about it.
p.s. yes, i like FF VIII. :icepick:
In Xenosaga I got up to Tiamat before I even realized the game had a sphere grid. =/
I was a few hours in Final Fantasy Tactics before I realized I could change classes. I was wondering why I kept getting my ass beat in this one battle. I'll think of some more cases.
rygar nes without using any magic. once i found out about magic the gmaegot really easy, i just thought the game was hard(with only your hearts and potions.)
I remember hardly ever changing weapons or changing classes in FFT.
Same here. I probably played Doom for years without knowing about strafing there either. Kb&m paired with Quake taught me many things.Quote:
Originally posted by NeoZeedeater
I played all the way through Wolfenstein 3D without knowing about strafing.
In DMC I played through without knowing about the camera re-center button... Okay, so I only wish that was true.
I played through about halfof Xenogears before I started equipping the ether I was "buyng"...
The Ghost has a super shot? Do tell?Quote:
Originally posted by Shinobi128
- not knowing about the super charge shot on the Ghost (flying ship right?) in Halo until after i've beaten the game and someone told me about it.
For me...Playing through much of Golden Sun not really using the summons properly (no lvl 2/3/4's)...
Banshee you mean--I mix those two up all the time.Quote:
Originally posted by Shinobi128
- not knowing about the super charge shot on the Ghost (flying ship right?) in Halo until after i've beaten the game and someone told me about it.
Anyway I was playing Bayou Billy and I didn't know why the guys took 5 minutes each to beat and then I realized that I was playing Bayou Billy!
Xenosaga has... a... sphere grid?Quote:
Originally posted by Chojin
In Xenosaga I got up to Tiamat before I even realized the game had a sphere grid. =/
I just remembered my biggest blunder in this area: I used to hate the concept of RPGs as a kid (I had never played one, I just thought they were stupid because they weren't action games) and so when I recieved my copy of Dragon Warrior from Nintendo Power I was amazed to find that I absolutely adored the game. In any case, for those who don't remember, there was only one character and anything you bought was automatically equipped.
Eventually I bought Final Fantasy, playing through, buying all sorts of weapons and armor, but always kind of wondering why my damage dealt never really increased much. After passing the pirates and finally getting my characters out into the world, I ended up lending the game to a friend. He pointed out to me a week later that I hadn't been equipping anything, and was wondering how the hell I had made it that far just punching everything to death.
This happens to me sometimes, and I can't stand it. Usually, what will happen is I'll get stuck in an area, and think of the solution, but do not even attempt it, because I assume what I need to do just isn't possible within the game.
Case in point, Ico. There was only one puzzle I was ever stuck in the game. It was when Yorda is stuck in a sewer walking around in urine and feces, while I'm above her. The solution of the puzzle was to simply lean into a hole and pull her out, the only reason I was stuck was because I didn't think Ico could reach that far or Yorda could jump that high. Turns out I was wrong.
The latest time this happened to me was in Wind Waker, there's a point in some dungeon that you have to use the grappling hook to go over a lava pit, but the place I had to jump to was at a weird angle, and I kept falling into the lava, because I didn't know you could stop, and change your direction. :/
Same exact thing happened to me. Frustrating as all hell and then you just feel supid afterwards.Quote:
Originally posted by Regus
The latest time this happened to me was in Wind Waker, there's a point in some dungeon that you have to use the grappling hook to go over a lava pit, but the place I had to jump to was at a weird angle, and I kept falling into the lava, because I didn't know you could stop, and change your direction. :/
A few times. There's been games somewhere in the back of my mind where I didn't realize you could charge a shot. Names escape me.
But for me, the big one, was Mike Tyson's Punch Out.
I did not know you can press Select in-between rounds to gain energy.
I found this out last year.
there aint no sphere grid...Quote:
Originally posted by Rhydant
Xenosaga has... a... sphere grid?
I played through about 90% of DMC without realizing that you can save the amount of orbs you have at any point in the game.
I was pretty pissed when I found out about that. :mad:
I also played the whole game without the shotgun, cuz I somehow missed it. I was pissed when I found about that as well. :mad:
That's cuz you were on PCP, and weren't playing Xenosaga at all.Quote:
Originally posted by Chojin
In Xenosaga I got up to Tiamat before I even realized the game had a sphere grid. =/
This usually happens to me in every game that involves "skill points."
Suikoden III is my most recent example. Not once during the first two chapters for every character had I spent a single Skill Point, because I didn't know they were there.
By the time I figured out how combos worked in Xenogears, I was almost through disc 2, and all that was really left were gear battles.
Also, Rob, I'd just like to compliment you on your choice of avatar.
Play through all Shinobi PS2 without knowing that you could air Tate without falling
What the Hell is an air Tate?
Jump, dash, kill enemy, dash, kill enemy, dash, kill enemy... repeat until all the enemy’s are dead
Heh, same thing happened to me. I kept wondering why Citan had all these kickass combos and Fei was using the same dinky move for almost a whole disc. Suffice to say, I kept getting my ass handed to me by Deus because Fei couldn't even get into hyper-mode.Quote:
Originally posted by Pehd
By the time I figured out how combos worked in Xenogears, I was almost through disc 2, and all that was really left were gear battles.
But then I went back and learned some more combos, and showed that motherfucker who's boss. :mega:
Oh. :D
Yep. That happened to me, too.Quote:
The latest time this happened to me was in Wind Waker, there's a point in some dungeon that you have to use the grappling hook to go over a lava pit, but the place I had to jump to was at a weird angle, and I kept falling into the lava, because I didn't know you could stop, and change your direction. :/
That's all that I know of. I generally read manuals or go through tutorials fairly early in the game.
Wait, wait. So, you're telling me you can strafe in DOOM?
I went through nearly 20 hours of Dynasty Warriors 3 with a friend without knowing we could block. It was quite funny really, we would always talk about how the cpu could block and we couldn't. Finally I decided to check the manual and sure enough, you can block. There are many other instances where I went through games completely missing out on a gameplay element but I can't think of what they are. Many of them are due to a language barrier. There are numerous cases of me missing out on a big gameplay element because the game is in Japanese. That DW3 one just sticks out because I feel so stupid about it. I guess that teaches me for not reading manuals because I want to keep them in perfect condition.
Oh, this kind of qualifies, I went through Kingdom Hearts without ever upgrading the Gummi Ship. I knew you could do it, it just seemed like a pain in the ass.
EDIT - Speaking of strafing, despite having owned the game since 1997 or so I just realized you could strafe in Postal while playing it last week.
Oh, I know one. I didn't figure out how to do fully powered up super moves in KOF 97 for years.
Ha! I played through most of Final Fantasy with my Blackbelt equiped with a weapon, only to find out near the end that they are much more effective bare handed.Quote:
Originally posted by MechDeus
Eventually I bought Final Fantasy, playing through, buying all sorts of weapons and armor, but always kind of wondering why my damage dealt never really increased much. After passing the pirates and finally getting my characters out into the world, I ended up lending the game to a friend. He pointed out to me a week later that I hadn't been equipping anything, and was wondering how the hell I had made it that far just punching everything to death.
In Zelda WW, I forgot about the dang Z-lock when I'd try to use the Grappeling hook to steal items from monsters.
I remember I played Super Mario Bros. for a few months without realizing what the B button did (i.e. run and shoot fireballs).
Usually these days its something in RPGs that I didn't bother to explore till near the end of the game.
Yeah...same here. After I got the big key or whatever it was, I just saved, quit, and used the cauldron to get back where I needed to.Quote:
Originally posted by Regus
The latest time this happened to me was in Wind Waker, there's a point in some dungeon that you have to use the grappling hook to go over a lava pit, but the place I had to jump to was at a weird angle, and I kept falling into the lava, because I didn't know you could stop, and change your direction. :/
Didn't figure it out until I got back on the pirate ship, and had to pass the test.:bang:
I played a good ways into Ramparts without knowing you could rotate the pieces.
In Chrono Cross I never used duel combos or triple combos, in fact I still don't know how it works.
Sonic 1, I never knew you could get air the underwater stages by breathing in a bubble.
I must have spent 2 weeks on this one part cause I kept running out of air..