Dragon Quest 8

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19 Nov 2005, 01:36 AM
Compass

Just started it today. I was more excited for this game than anything else this year save Shadow of the Colossus and am a little disappointed right now. Some issues:

-Why they insist on forcing you through no less than eight button presses to save is beyond me. There's no "old school" charm in this.

-Loading into menus SUCKS.

-The way the overworld music instantly pops back in after a fight, only to pop back out if you leveled, only to pop right back in, is very sloppy. This is not the kind of thing I would expect from a game of this magnitude.

-The main character STILL doesn't talk. Ugh, I hate this so much. Yes, I realize all DQs have done this and likely always will. It just seems so unnatural to me, I never get used to it. Everyone's talking and here you have the main guy just standing there. Staring. Rather than drawing me in and making me feel as if I am the character, it does the complete opposite and takes me right out of the game.

-My biggest problem: Moving the camera around horizontally in free-look mode is ALWAYS OPPOSITE TO HOW IT'S MOVED WHILE PLAYING THE GAME, regardless of your camera settings. Fundamental interface flaws like this irritate me to no end (see Morrowind for an abundance) not only because they're so entrenched in the basic workings of the game, and thus impossible to avoid, but also because they're SO EASY TO FIX. I'm always baffled as to how these things make it through to submission.

Lots of little oversights. Why is there no sound effect when I apply a Seed of Defense? I just increased in power. There should be a happy little chime of some sort, no? Why do I have the monster book and item collection book from the get-go? I should earn these later on in the adventure (see DQVII). Why are there no percentage counters for these books? Why is there literally ZERO story leading up to gameplay save the brief "outline" that's presented in the opening cinema? I had to read the manual to figure out who everyone was and what the hell we were doing.

Yes, these are relatively minor issues in the grand scheme of what is almost certainly an extremely enjoyable game. Yes, I'm sure I'll get past all of them and be singing DQ8's praises later on in this thread.

One last note: The voice acting so far is awesome. Really adds to the experience. If all game VOs approached this quality I'd have a lot less to complain about.
19 Nov 2005, 02:00 AM
Chux

Quote:

Originally Posted by Compass

-Why they insist on forcing you through no less than eight button presses to save is beyond me. There's no "old school" charm in this.

Talk to dude, hit save, select file, DONE.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Compass

-Loading into menus SUCKS.

Must be your PS2

Quote:

Originally Posted by Compass

-The way the overworld music instantly pops back in after a fight, only to pop back out if you leveled, only to pop right back in, is very sloppy. This is not the kind of thing I would expect from a game of this magnitude.

If this bugs you, it's time to stop playing games.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Compass

-The main character STILL doesn't talk. Ugh, I hate this so much. Yes, I realize all DQs have done this and likely always will. It just seems so unnatural to me, I never get used to it. Everyone's talking and here you have the main guy just standing there. Staring. Rather than drawing me in and making me feel as if I am the character, it does the complete opposite and takes me right out of the game.

It's a JRPG with the same scenario director as Chrono Trigger. What do you expect.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Compass

-My biggest problem: Moving the camera around horizontally in free-look mode is ALWAYS OPPOSITE TO HOW IT'S MOVED WHILE PLAYING THE GAME, regardless of your camera settings. Fundamental interface flaws like this irritate me to no end (see Morrowind for an abundance) not only because they're so entrenched in the basic workings of the game, and thus impossible to avoid, but also because they're SO EASY TO FIX. I'm always baffled as to how these things make it through to submission.

Check the options menu chief.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Compass

Lots of little oversights. Why is there no sound effect when I apply a Seed of Defense? I just increased in power. There should be a happy little chime of some sort, no? Why do I have the monster book and item collection book from the get-go? I should earn these later on in the adventure (see DQVII). Why are there no percentage counters for these books? Why is there literally ZERO story leading up to gameplay save the brief "outline" that's presented in the opening cinema? I had to read the manual to figure out who everyone was and what the hell we were doing.

Do you expect biscuits each time you pinch one off in the lawn and don't shit your pants? Beat the first boss and quit whining please.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Compass

Yes, these are relatively minor issues in the grand scheme of what is almost certainly an extremely enjoyable game. Yes, I'm sure I'll get past all of them and be singing DQ8's praises later on in this thread.

Please prove me wrong :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Compass

One last note: The voice acting so far is awesome. Really adds to the experience. If all game VOs approached this quality I'd have a lot less to complain about.

I do like the VO's.
19 Nov 2005, 02:06 AM
Finch

Mute characters make me smile for some reason. It feels like i've said that before... Anyway, i'd rather they keep it that way. If Link ever talks, it'll be weird like Mario in a McDonalds.

Quote:

Why is there literally ZERO story leading up to gameplay save the brief "outline" that's presented in the opening cinema? I had to read the manual to figure out who everyone was and what the hell we were doing.

XD You mean it DOES explain it? I was surprised to see anything that took place before the demo. Aren't there more hints of what really happened before the game begins? I remember a little from the demo. I like that in a game, not telling the whole thing. BoF IV was good because of that.

I don't know what you're talking about on the save thing.
Chux made me laugh with the biscuits thing.
19 Nov 2005, 02:12 AM
rama

i'm about 12 hours in and have a full party. everyone's voices are still great. i keep expecting the next person i hear to suck or something. i also have the use of the alchemy pot and have made a few nice items. is there a set time for how long certain things need to...cook?
19 Nov 2005, 03:19 AM
Compass

I love how bringing up any problems with the game whatsoever is "whining". And the camera rotation issue IS NOT SOLVED IN THE OPTIONS MENU. Thought I made that clear.
19 Nov 2005, 03:27 AM
epmode

Quote:

Originally Posted by Compass

Just started it today. I was more excited for this game than anything else this year save Shadow of the Colossus and am a little disappointed right now. Some issues:

-Why they insist on forcing you through no less than eight button presses to save is beyond me. There's no "old school" charm in this.

-Loading into menus SUCKS.

-The way the overworld music instantly pops back in after a fight, only to pop back out if you leveled, only to pop right back in, is very sloppy. This is not the kind of thing I would expect from a game of this magnitude.

-The main character STILL doesn't talk. Ugh, I hate this so much. Yes, I realize all DQs have done this and likely always will. It just seems so unnatural to me, I never get used to it. Everyone's talking and here you have the main guy just standing there. Staring. Rather than drawing me in and making me feel as if I am the character, it does the complete opposite and takes me right out of the game.

-My biggest problem: Moving the camera around horizontally in free-look mode is ALWAYS OPPOSITE TO HOW IT'S MOVED WHILE PLAYING THE GAME, regardless of your camera settings. Fundamental interface flaws like this irritate me to no end (see Morrowind for an abundance) not only because they're so entrenched in the basic workings of the game, and thus impossible to avoid, but also because they're SO EASY TO FIX. I'm always baffled as to how these things make it through to submission.

Lots of little oversights. Why is there no sound effect when I apply a Seed of Defense? I just increased in power. There should be a happy little chime of some sort, no? Why do I have the monster book and item collection book from the get-go? I should earn these later on in the adventure (see DQVII). Why are there no percentage counters for these books? Why is there literally ZERO story leading up to gameplay save the brief "outline" that's presented in the opening cinema? I had to read the manual to figure out who everyone was and what the hell we were doing.

Yes, these are relatively minor issues in the grand scheme of what is almost certainly an extremely enjoyable game. Yes, I'm sure I'll get past all of them and be singing DQ8's praises later on in this thread.

One last note: The voice acting so far is awesome. Really adds to the experience. If all game VOs approached this quality I'd have a lot less to complain about.

This post astounds me.
19 Nov 2005, 09:13 AM
blueskied

Quote:

Originally Posted by Compass

Lots of little oversights. Why is there no sound effect when I apply a Seed of Defense? I just increased in power. There should be a happy little chime of some sort, no?

Sadly, they took this sound effect (and a bunch of others) out of the USA version. I've heard they thought it was too "old school" (or something). The stair-climbing sound effect is gone, the spell-casting sound effect is gone (that baffles me!!), and the item power up sound effects were muted as well. Really stupid. They could have at least REPLACED them, instead of just deleting them entirely.

The USA menu system is much slower and less intuitive than the original Japanese menu system as well. The Japanese menus have zero loading time (except the alchemy pot one, which has a second or two of load time).

It's a shame Squenix made these changes. But, they are relatively minor, so try to look past them and enjoy the game. I really think it's worth it. :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by rama

is there a set time for how long certain things need to...cook?

Some mixes take longer than others. You have to be moving around for the time to count (you can just run into a wall in a town until the mix finishes, if you like)-- just standing somewhere won't advance the alchemy pot clock.
19 Nov 2005, 09:56 AM
Chux

Quote:

Originally Posted by Compass

I love how bringing up any problems with the game whatsoever is "whining". And the camera rotation issue IS NOT SOLVED IN THE OPTIONS MENU. Thought I made that clear.

Under options there are two different inversions for the camera.
19 Nov 2005, 12:06 PM
rama

ahahaha i was running around and kept hearing a *ding* like an oven was done cooking cake or something. IT WAS THE ALCHEMY POT!
19 Nov 2005, 03:00 PM
Compass

Quote:

Originally Posted by blueskied

Sadly, they took this sound effect (and a bunch of others) out of the USA version. I've heard they thought it was too "old school" (or something). The stair-climbing sound effect is gone, the spell-casting sound effect is gone (that baffles me!!), and the item power up sound effects were muted as well. Really stupid. They could have at least REPLACED them, instead of just deleting them entirely.

The USA menu system is much slower and less intuitive than the original Japanese menu system as well. The Japanese menus have zero loading time (except the alchemy pot one, which has a second or two of load time).

It's a shame Squenix made these changes. But, they are relatively minor, so try to look past them and enjoy the game. I really think it's worth it. :)

Oh my god, telling me this makes it all worse! To think they had some of this stuff right and then broke it for the NA release is just infuriating. Yes, I know it's not the end of the world and I'm not saying the game 5u><0rZ! But little details like pleasant sound effects in the right places are important, psychologically, in how we receive a game, whether most people even realize it or not. Nintendo has always gotten this and it's part of why their games are so enjoyable on an instinctive level.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chux

Under options there are two different inversions for the camera.

Read:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Compass

-My biggest problem: Moving the camera around horizontally in free-look mode is ALWAYS OPPOSITE TO HOW IT'S MOVED WHILE PLAYING THE GAME, regardless of your camera settings.

Comprehend.

[edit]: Okay, that may have been unnecessarily smart-ass and perhaps I wasn't as clear as I could've been.

When in first person view, moving the analog stick right rotates the camera clockwise. Shift out of first person view and now the opposite is true -- moving the analog stick right rotates the camera counter-clockwise. Switch the L/R camera setting in the Settings menu and they flip-flop. But there is no way to ever sync them up so that the camera always rotates clockwise when moving the analog stick right.

The same goes for Up and Down camera movement but it's much less noticeable to me.

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