What video game are you playing?

[ulukinatme]

Peasants everywhere.

 

[ulukinatme]

Alright, replayed the FF7R demo on "Classic" mode. I'm severely disappointed. It's basically the same combat system except the player characters do basic attacks on their own and you only decide how to spend the ATB bars they accumulate (Spells, Abilities like Braver...yeah, it's an Ability now, Items, and Limits). Also the characters Block/Evade on their own.

There's also an "Easy" mode that's between Classic and Normal, but supposedly the combat is just like Classic so I don't know what's really different. The Action based combat style is okay...but it's not turn based Final Fantasy 7. I really feel like there should have been an option for that. The Classic mode almost involves no skill at all or strategy, it's lame. The Normal mode can be a little too involved. Why couldn't they just include a turn based option, dammit?!

Also, the demo does not allow you to swap Materia around, although that will certainly be a feature in the retail version. Unfortunately I did not see an option to configure Party AI, so we may be stuck with a dumb AI which is another problem when trying to form a strategy during a boss fight. I've got a bad feeling about this.

 

[greyhammer90]

Alright, replayed the FF7R demo on "Classic" mode. I'm severely disappointed. It's basically the same combat system except the player characters do basic attacks on their own and you only decide how to spend the ATB bars they accumulate (Spells, Abilities like Braver...yeah, it's an Ability now, Items, and Limits). Also the characters Block/Evade on their own.

There's also an "Easy" mode that's between Classic and Normal, but supposedly the combat is just like Classic so I don't know what's really different. The Action based combat style is okay...but it's not turn based Final Fantasy 7. I really feel like there should have been an option for that. The Classic mode almost involves no skill at all or strategy, it's lame. The Normal mode can be a little too involved. Why couldn't they just include a turn based option, dammit?!

Also, the demo does not allow you to swap Materia around, although that will certainly be a feature in the retail version. Unfortunately I did not see an option to configure Party AI, so we may be stuck with a dumb AI which is another problem when trying to form a strategy during a boss fight. I've got a bad feeling about this.

Tbf what you're describing in Classic sounds exactly like the original right? In the original you wait until the bar is filled to select an attack and there is an interest to select the action quickly before the enemy gets to use his attack. In the new one your character does small attacks while you wait until the bar is filled to select an attack and you have an interest to pick your attack quickly. Am I missing something?

 

[ulukinatme]

Tbf what you're describing in Classic sounds exactly like the original right? In the original you wait until the bar is filled to select an attack and there is an interest to select the action quickly before the enemy gets to use his attack. In the new one your character does small attacks while you wait until the bar is filled to select an attack and you have an interest to pick your attack quickly. Am I missing something?

Classic mode is somewhat similar to the original, but it auto Guards for you and it Auto attacks too. It's just lazy and it's too easy. In the old turn based game you had your ATB gauge and when it was full you could either Attack, Defend, cast Spells, use Items, or use a Limit. I mean, regular attacks probably make up at least 50% or more of the actions you would take in the original game, so taking those out of the hands of the player means a lot less decisions and less interaction. You didn't need to Defend quite as often, but it had it's uses.

There was a happy balance between knowing when to attack, when to fall back to heal, when to guard against a big attack, when to use specials, etc. Now all you control is the specials and heals. I mentioned how in Normal mode the boss was kicking the living crap out of me and nearly wiped out all my Potions. Doing the battle on Classic I didn't need to heal once, it was that much of a difference. I'm sure I could do the fight on Normal better than before, but you have to experience Classic to see what little input you really have. Keep in mind again that you're only controlling one character at any time, and while you can issue commands to the others or switch to one at any given time, for all intents and purposes you're locked to one character. Issuing commands is hit or miss because the AI seems to use ATB at will leaving you with no actual options. It can be frustrating, especially as I mentioned how one character may have your Cure and when someone really needs a heal the AI isn't going to heal that character and it'll spend it's ATB on whatever it wants. They BETTER have some kind of AI tweaking or this new battle system is going to completely tank against end game boss fights.

For whatever reason Square Enix continues to use other combat systems for their newer Final Fantasy games and leaves the old school turn based stuff to their Dragon Quest series. Maybe they're trying to cater to a younger generation by making this an Action Adventure game, but the success of Dragon Quest XI shows that a lot of players still crave old school turn based JRPGs. There's something relaxing and familiar about that style of RPG, and it's a proven formula. This goes back to some of my previous worries that they're going to tweak and water down this game too much in their quest for $$$ when all fans have really asked for is an updated game with modern graphics and sound. It was a damn perfect game, I just don't think this current iteration will score as well with players.

 

[IrishLion]

I've completed main story. Have 3/4 Valkyries in Midgard. I'm current working on Nilfheim with this stupid mist and changing map.

Think of the Niflheim maze as a baseball diamond where you’re running the bases. Home plate is the first area at the foot of the staircase. The traps and smaller chests will change, but the “diamond” layout doesn’t.

First, second and third base will always be the primary areas with creature battles and legendary chests.

The “outfield” areas between first/second and second/third are where you start to rack up the big prizes (anchors of fog or whatever they were called that you need to close the final realm tears).

 

[NDdomer2]

Think of the Niflheim maze as a baseball diamond where you’re running the bases. Home plate is the first area at the foot of the staircase. The traps and smaller chests will change, but the “diamond” layout doesn’t.

First, second and third base will always be the primary areas with creature battles and legendary chests.

The “outfield” areas between first/second and second/third are where you start to rack up the big prizes (anchors of fog or whatever they were called that you need to close the final realm tears).

Are the only safe zones the work shop and the realm tears area?

 

[IrishLion]

Are the only safe zones the work shop and the realm tears area?

Yes. I basically just grinded the first and second base lines 4 or 5 times, killing enemies and opening the small and legendary chests in those areas, then returning to a safe zone to 'bank' them, until I had enough mist echoes to craft one of Ivaldi's armor sets.

Once you craft an Ivaldi armor set, it's much easier to stay in the maze longer, especially if you start using enchantments that grant resistance to the fog and grant greater buffs for opening chests, as well.

At that point, you can get through the whole maze without having to return to a safe zone as long as you don't get hung up on any battles for too long. The more legendary chests you open in a single 'run' without returning to the safe zone, the more likely it is that you get an anchor of fog, which are necessary if you're determined to close all of the realm tears.

 

[NDdomer2]

Yes. I basically just grinded the first and second base lines 4 or 5 times, killing enemies and opening the small and legendary chests in those areas, then returning to a safe zone to 'bank' them, until I had enough mist echoes to craft one of Ivaldi's armor sets.

Once you craft an Ivaldi armor set, it's much easier to stay in the maze longer, especially if you start using enchantments that grant resistance to the fog and grant greater buffs for opening chests, as well.

At that point, you can get through the whole maze without having to return to a safe zone as long as you don't get hung up on any battles for too long. The more legendary chests you open in a single 'run' without returning to the safe zone, the more likely it is that you get an anchor of fog, which are necessary if you're determined to close all of the realm tears.

thank you sir, trying to log big hours this weekend

 

[ACamp1900]

Think I’m gonna try dragon quest,... it looks a lot like the originals in the videos etc,... prob pick it up with The Show next weekend. Best part is if it sucks I can totally blame ulk for it now...

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Are the only safe zones the work shop and the realm tears area?

Here's a map of the maze:

The hardest fight (and best loot) is located in right field. If you can't manage a full circuit yet, just take the right path through first base, clear right field if you can, and head back. But your goal should be full circuits, which provide ~10,000 echoes per clear. Here's what that looks like:

• After you clear home base, check the symbols on the Nornir chest there. The paddles you'll need to hit to unlock it are found (reading left to right) at third, second and first base, respectively. So I prefer to take the left path through third base, since it makes it easier to remember those symbols left-to-right than backwards.
  
• You'll either find the 2nd Nornir chest immediately before third base, or right at the end before you complete the circuit. Locate the three bells, target the farthest one first, and then quickly hit the 2nd and 3rd to unlock it.
  
• Collect every chest you find along the way. When there are multiple paths available in a corridor, it's helpful to peak before committing to see where the niches hiding chests are located.
  
• Clear third base, second base, right field, and first base in that order, then open the Nornir chest at home base, and run back to the entrance or the pitcher's mound to bank your echoes and reset everything. Hopefully you've been working on upgrading Ivaldi's Cursed Mist, as it's significantly better than the other two sets. You should equip low-cooldown Runic attacks and immediately use all of them (both Axe runics and both Blade runics) at the beginning of every fight to ensure they'll be available for the next. I prefer Leviathan's Wake/ River of Knives for Axe and Nemean Crush/ Hyperior Slam for Blades.
  
• Consider using Ratataskr as Atreus' Runic Summon. If you're: (1) wearing the Cursed Mist set; and (2) cycling through low cooldown Runics regularly and dodging/ parrying well, you'll have plenty of time to clear the entire circuit, so the real limiting factor is how much damage you're taking in the process. Having the squirrel top you off with health crystals a couple times can be very helpful.
  
• On GMGoW difficulty and/or NG+, the specific mix of enemies they throw at you in right field can make or break your run. Having an ogre you can quickly stun, mount and then use to destroy everything else makes that fight trivially easy, whereas having to face a Dark Elf Lord can waste a lot of time.
  
• You should ignore left field entirely until you're ready to face Hildr, in which case you just beeline straight to it and ignore all the other fights.

That's all I can remember at the moment.

 

[IrishLion]

I would add that clearing Hildr as early as possible is helpful, because once she's cleared, an additional legendary chest and standard mob fight take her place. Having an additional legendary chest to open at the end of a maze run greatly magnifies the amount of mist echoes you get (or gives you an additional fog anchor).

 

[greyhammer90]

What GOW did you guys play? I... uh... I smashed the zombies with my axe and did some quests for the dwarves.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

What GOW did you guys play? I... uh... I smashed the zombies with my axe and did some quests for the dwarves.

[webm]https://i.imgur.com/EwXmqBI.mp4[/webm]

You can't "just play" a game like GoW. It must be o p t i m i z e d until total mastery is achieved.

 

[NDdomer2]

Here's a map of the maze:

The hardest fight (and best loot) is located in right field. If you can't manage a full circuit yet, just take the right path through first base, clear right field if you can, and head back. But your goal should be full circuits, which provide ~10,000 echoes per clear. Here's what that looks like:

• After you clear home base, check the symbols on the Nornir chest there. The paddles you'll need to hit to unlock it are found (reading left to right) at third, second and first base, respectively. So I prefer to take the left path through third base, since it makes it easier to remember those symbols left-to-right than backwards.
  
• You'll either find the 2nd Nornir chest immediately before third base, or right at the end before you complete the circuit. Locate the three bells, target the farthest one first, and then quickly hit the 2nd and 3rd to unlock it.
  
• Collect every chest you find along the way. When there are multiple paths available in a corridor, it's helpful to peak before committing to see where the niches hiding chests are located.
  
• Clear third base, second base, right field, and first base in that order, then open the Nornir chest at home base, and run back to the entrance or the pitcher's mound to bank your echoes and reset everything. Hopefully you've been working on upgrading Ivaldi's Cursed Mist, as it's significantly better than the other two sets. You should equip low-cooldown Runic attacks and immediately use all of them (both Axe runics and both Blade runics) at the beginning of every fight to ensure they'll be available for the next. I prefer Leviathan's Wake/ River of Knives for Axe and Nemean Crush/ Hyperior Slam for Blades.
  
• Consider using Ratataskr as Atreus' Runic Summon. If you're: (1) wearing the Cursed Mist set; and (2) cycling through low cooldown Runics regularly and dodging/ parrying well, you'll have plenty of time to clear the entire circuit, so the real limiting factor is how much damage you're taking in the process. Having the squirrel top you off with health crystals a couple times can be very helpful.
  
• On GMGoW difficulty and/or NG+, the specific mix of enemies they throw at you in right field can make or break your run. Having an ogre you can quickly stun, mount and then use to destroy everything else makes that fight trivially easy, whereas having to face a Dark Elf Lord can waste a lot of time.
  
• You should ignore left field entirely until you're ready to face Hildr, in which case you just beeline straight to it and ignore all the other fights.

That's all I can remember at the moment.

not sure i know the squirrel part - help a brother out

in my ignorance last night i kept hitting home base and first base and sprint back collecting what i could and putting it in the bank. I have only purchased the talisman currently so I will keep stacking it up until i can get the whole armour set.

 

[ulukinatme]

Think I’m gonna try dragon quest,... it looks a lot like the originals in the videos etc,... prob pick it up with The Show next weekend. Best part is if it sucks I can totally blame ulk for it now...

Just a heads up, there are technically three Acts to the game. Act 1 is kind of the setup and introduction of characters along with backstory to the world. Act 2 hits hard and has the meat of the plot. Act 3 is technically the post game, but there is an incredible amount of stuff to do here and it has it's own ending so don't skip on it. It ties up a lot of loose ends.

If you have a Nintendo Switch that's probably the best system to buy the game for since they released Dragon Quest 11 S (Special Edition) for that console. It has a few more extended storylines and easter eggs inside. It also includes an optional 16 bit mode that was only found on the handheld version previously:

I'm sure you'll like that. If you don't have a Switch the game is also on Windows and PS4 and those are fine too, but you don't get the 16 bit mode like the Switch and handheld version.

 

[ACamp1900]

Me every time the God awful GoW franchise is brought up in this thread...

 

[ACamp1900]

Just a heads up, there are technically three Acts to the game. Act 1 is kind of the setup and introduction of characters along with backstory to the world. Act 2 hits hard and has the meat of the plot. Act 3 is technically the post game, but there is an incredible amount of stuff to do here and it has it's own ending so don't skip on it. It ties up a lot of loose ends.

If you have a Nintendo Switch that's probably the best system to buy the game for since they released Dragon Quest 11 S (Special Edition) for that console. It has a few more extended storylines and easter eggs inside. It also includes an optional 16 bit mode that was only found on the handheld version previously:

I'm sure you'll like that. If you don't have a Switch the game is also on Windows and PS4 and those are fine too, but you don't get the 16 bit mode like the Switch and handheld version.

I have a switch, I'll go that route... those throwback graphics... you can change back and forth at will?? If so, hype.

 

[NorthDakota]

nerds....

 

[Whiskeyjack]

not sure i know the squirrel part - help a brother out

in my ignorance last night i kept hitting home base and first base and sprint back collecting what i could and putting it in the bank. I have only purchased the talisman currently so I will keep stacking it up until i can get the whole armour set.

It's one of Atreus' runic summons. You can find the spell in a legendary chest on top of the Light Elf Outpost, an island in the northwest portion of the Lake of the Nine. Whenever Atreus summons him, he digs up gems depending on what sort of arrow Atreus has equipped: light gives you health gems, while electric gives you rage gems.

 

[ACamp1900]

It's one of Atreus' runic summons. You can find the spell in a legendary chest on top of the Light Elf Outpost, an island in the northwest portion of the Lake of the Nine. Whenever Atreus summons him, he digs up gems depending on what sort of arrow Atreus has equipped: light gives you health gems, while electric gives you rage gems.

 

[ACamp1900]

Just having fun, don't mind me,... GoW IS literally AIDS though.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Just having fun, don't mind me,... GoW IS literally AIDS though.

I get your dislike for most of the series. But God of War (2018) is a top-10 game for the current generation. You're missing out.

 

[ACamp1900]

I get your dislike for most of the series. But God of War (2018) is a top-10 game for the current generation. You're missing out.

I'm good... there's no redeeming that series in my mind...

 

[Whiskeyjack]

That series literally destroyed a whole generation of games and other franchises that adopted it's stupid mechanics... 2018 is like Jose Canseco putting out a book talking about how he cleaned up the steroid crisis that he himself basically single handed created. That franchise will forever get this from me:

I hope you enjoyed my Ted Talk.

[webm]https://i.imgur.com/BimguH2.mp4[/webm]

It ain't Santa Monica's fault that the Lords of Shadow games suck.

 

[greyhammer90]

You can't "just play" a game like GoW. It must be o p t i m i z e d until total misery is achieved.

FTFY.

 

[ACamp1900]

It ain't Santa Monica's fault that the Lords of Shadow games suck.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

FTFY.

 

[IrishLion]

Wait wait wait... I know ACamp went with an edit to take out his true feelings, but I want to know how the original GoW series ruined games that adopted its mechanics lol.

Wasn't hack-and-slash always a thing???

 

[ACamp1900]

Wait wait wait... I know ACamp went with an edit to take out his true feelings, but I want to know how the original GoW series ruined games that adopted its mechanics lol.

Wasn't hack-and-slash always a thing???

 

[ACamp1900]

I just hate those games... they are the true reason for 9/11... screw those games and their BS one button boss fights. Fucking Wuhan Virus of video games...


(deep breath)


Ok, I'm good now... moving on...