Blue Dragon

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Originally Posted by Compass

No, there is a reason for it. Games following this strict formula have proven time and again to be decent to incredible sellers -- especially in Japan. Where's the incentive to innovate?

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Which is why I'm telling you to stop buying this shit, asshole.

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Originally Posted by Compass

(and by the way, I don't buy that it was too difficult for Enix to add a couple more sprites to DW's overworld; I'd bet more on laziness)

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Enix didn't make Ultima, they only remade it.
And yes, there were technical reasons why Ultima needed random encounters.

You're also missing the point completely. The issue is not turn based this or random that. It's that there's nothing new. It's that we can now make living breathing worlds, dynamic progression, TRUE role-playing, and unprecedented interactivity, and we don't. They don't build on the same formula, they just regurgitate it.

Akalabeth came before Ultima, Mr. History. And nobody in Japan cared about those games anyway. If they're all stuck in a cycle of imitation, it started with Dragon Quest (which could have had sprites in the overworld, even if it was imitating Ultima [not confirmed]).

And what the hell are you talking about. "Breathing worlds"? "TRUE role-playing"? "Unprecedented interactivity"? These are like the taglines for Oblivion -- which, oh yeah, is not trying to be a J-RPG, and J-RPGs are not trying to be Oblivion.

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Originally Posted by Compass

Akalabeth came before Ultima, Mr. History.

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That's not the one Enix copied. Ultima is.

And Oblivion's not trying to be a J-RPG, but it's also not trying to be Treasure of Tarmin either. They're finding ways to use the technology to expand the gameplay in a way that makes their game more fun. Japanese RPGs don't try to make things better. They act like shit's been perfect all along and technology is just for the paint job.

P.S. Don't call Dragon Quest's battle system thoughtful. There is no thought needed. Turn based is fine, but if you want to make me wait, for the love of god give me something to think about while I do.

This argument is tired.

Blue Dragon sucked, and ya know what so did Oblivion, so both sides of the RPG world have fucked up so far on the 360.

There are no random battles on the overworld in any Ultima game.

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Originally Posted by bbobb

Blue Dragon sucked, and ya know what so did Oblivion.

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This explains why my views don't match yours.

Oblivion was the reason I bought a 360 and I fucking loved every second of it.

I wouldn't be surprised if the Dragon Quest guys at Enix never played Ultima. It's just as likely they were influenced by the tons of existing RPGs on Japanese computers that were inspired by Western RPGs. I have tried but haven't been able to pinpoint the exact birth of RPGs in Japan. The book Game Over claims Henk Rogers (of Bullet Proof Software) introduced the genre with Black Onyx but there other games like Danchizuma no Yuwaku by Koei which I have seen dated as 1983.

Monster Battles justify this game, imo.

You start a fight with a really strong fire and ice monster and the first they do is turn each other into super weak monsters that give you the same exp and sp, even though they now take only one hit to kill and cause no damage. It's fucking awesome.

This will get bought tomorrow, just trying look for a decent deal on it. Anyone know anything about this being maybe 50 bucks somewhere?