Look man, I wouldn't really give a shit if it were some joke weapon, but it's the single most powerful weapon in the game. Sure I don't need it, but it pisses me off anyway
It shouldn't piss you off. In normal play, owning the spear doesn't matter... again, it only matters in OCD 100% completion runs. The weapon is powerful, but pursuing it only ruins your play of the game (whether you find out the conditions before or after you pursue it). Maybe THAT'S the point... at what price is ultimate power?
Don't get me wrong... I'm all for transparent game design (one of the reasons I like playing Neverwinter Nights). We don't use GM screens in our Pen and Paper games. I let the dice fall as they may, and everyone can see what I roll as a GM. But the lack of said transparency (as in this case) doesn't make me angry. Part of Final Fantasy is relinquishing your control to the whim of the game designer, which inevitably involves arcane, obscure, and perhaps nonsensical bits.
It's not even ultimate power; obtaining the item will not allow you to teleport to the end of the game and say "I win!" A warp tube in Super Mario Bros. is more powerful than that spear.
39. Zodiac Spear
- treasures you must NOT obtain are (contents is listed assuming you don't
wear Diamond Armlet):
#1 treasure in front of Dalan's house in Rabanastre Lowtown (contains up
to 100 gil, Potion or Eye Drops)
#2 treasure in SE corner of Cellars in Royal Palace of Rabanastre
(contains Elixir)
#3 avoid the treasure in Confiscatory in Nalbina Dungeons (contains 316
gil)
#4 stay away from treasure among 4x4 pot grid on the Vaddu Strand in Phon
Coast (contains 2000 gil, or Knot of Rust)
- if you poke any of above four treasures, you can kiss Zodiac Spear in
[Necrohol of Nabudis / Cloister of the Highborn] goodbye
- there is one more chance for your Zodiac Spear, a mere 0,1% treasure pot
in [Henne Mines / Phase 2 Dig] - whatever the outcome, Zodiac Spear IS NOT WORTHY to restart the game for
Emphasis in the bold there. I don't understand the whining about the Zodiac Spear(other than a cruel joke on the developer's part... come on, it's a GAME! The weapon is pretty much an Easter Egg). You do NOT need the Zodiac Spear to beat the game. You only need it to fulfill the OCD part of your brain. Obtaining the Spear doesn't even make the rest of the battles trivial after the Spear... it only makes the game slightly easier.
Look man, I wouldn't really give a shit if it were some joke weapon, but it's the single most powerful weapon in the game. Sure I don't need it, but it pisses me off anyway
Just a fucking warning would be nice, just a simple "do not open" so I could blame myself when I open it, but noooooo
Besides, it's not even really about the spear, it's about the fact that they won't give you the opportunity to get the spear for literally no good reason
And don't fucking tell me I can still get it, a 1/1000 chance for it to spawn? Yeah, that's fuckin' great, I'm really gonna devote hours of my life to that bullshit
I mean fer fucks' sake, getting the Deathbringer sounds like the same fuckin' bullshit I went through to get the Demonsbane, only worse because I don't just have to beat a boss, I have to run around an area with superpowerful monsters waiting for the boss to fucking spawn and THEN I have to fucking steal the sword from it
Really this sort of game design just gets my fuckin' goat I swear
This really makes me wonder exactly how the fuck people know that the spear even exists? Doesn't everyone just open every box they see?
Yes they do! And that's why I take issue with it!
aaaaaaaaaaargh
Anyway game's pretty good I guess, when it isn't pissing me off. Shit ain't perfect though, particularly the status ailments. I have that problem with damn near every JRPG though. I'm playing Chrono Trigger right now and there is ONE (1) item used for removing all status ailments. Why can't they just do that, don't they realize how utterly irritating that bullshit is?
39. Zodiac Spear
- treasures you must NOT obtain are (contents is listed assuming you don't
wear Diamond Armlet):
#1 treasure in front of Dalan's house in Rabanastre Lowtown (contains up
to 100 gil, Potion or Eye Drops)
#2 treasure in SE corner of Cellars in Royal Palace of Rabanastre
(contains Elixir)
#3 avoid the treasure in Confiscatory in Nalbina Dungeons (contains 316
gil)
#4 stay away from treasure among 4x4 pot grid on the Vaddu Strand in Phon
Coast (contains 2000 gil, or Knot of Rust)
- if you poke any of above four treasures, you can kiss Zodiac Spear in
[Necrohol of Nabudis / Cloister of the Highborn] goodbye
- there is one more chance for your Zodiac Spear, a mere 0,1% treasure pot
in [Henne Mines / Phase 2 Dig] - whatever the outcome, Zodiac Spear IS NOT WORTHY to restart the game for
Emphasis in the bold there. I don't understand the whining about the Zodiac Spear(other than a cruel joke on the developer's part... come on, it's a GAME! The weapon is pretty much an Easter Egg). You do NOT need the Zodiac Spear to beat the game. You only need it to fulfill the OCD part of your brain. Obtaining the Spear doesn't even make the rest of the battles trivial after the Spear... it only makes the game slightly easier.
Look man, I wouldn't really give a shit if it were some joke weapon, but it's the single most powerful weapon in the game. Sure I don't need it, but it pisses me off anyway
Just a fucking warning would be nice, just a simple "do not open" so I could blame myself when I open it, but noooooo
Besides, it's not even really about the spear, it's about the fact that they won't give you the opportunity to get the spear for literally no good reason
And don't fucking tell me I can still get it, a 1/1000 chance for it to spawn? Yeah, that's fuckin' great, I'm really gonna devote hours of my life to that bullshit
I mean fer fucks' sake, getting the Deathbringer sounds like the same fuckin' bullshit I went through to get the Demonsbane, only worse because I don't just have to beat a boss, I have to run around an area with superpowerful monsters waiting for the boss to fucking spawn and THEN I have to fucking steal the sword from it
Really this sort of game design just gets my fuckin' goat I swear
This really makes me wonder exactly how the fuck people know that the spear even exists? Doesn't everyone just open every box they see?
Yes they do! And that's why I take issue with it!
aaaaaaaaaaargh
Anyway game's pretty good I guess, when it isn't pissing me off. Shit ain't perfect though, particularly the status ailments. I have that problem with damn near every JRPG though. I'm playing Chrono Trigger right now and there is ONE (1) item used for removing all status ailments. Why can't they just do that, don't they realize how utterly irritating that bullshit is?
And so on.
That is why they have multiple items for each status ailment.
I've never really minded the need for various status healing items. Kind of a tradition in FF games by now. One universal status ailment healer that is affordable kind of hurts the severety of the ailment.
jeddy lee on
Backlog Challenge: 0%
0/8
PS2
FF X replay
PS3
God of War 1&2 HD
Rachet and Clank Future
MGS 4
Prince of Persia
I have a hard time thinking you could find a single item that will magically make you all better (unless it's a megalixer!). You do need different things to heal in different ways.
But seriously? Just use Ensuna. 80% of the time thats all you need.
Topia on
0
Olivawgood name, isn't it?the foot of mt fujiRegistered Userregular
I've never really minded the need for various status healing items. Kind of a tradition in FF games by now. One universal status ailment healer that is affordable kind of hurts the severety of the ailment.
I don't really want ailments to be severe
Or if they are, make them rare and don't give bosses the ability to give you multiple ailments at once
Again I point to Chrono Trigger and how much fun that game's combat is and how it doesn't rely on showering you with every status ailment ever to make fights difficult
Playing it and Final Fantasy XII for the first time is really strange, because the things I like about XII sort of remind me of Chrono Trigger
The fact that there is no battle screen, it's just "hey here's some monsters run up to them and draw your sword and kick some ass," or the fact that placement of your party and the monsters is important, those are really cool gameplay elements
Of course Chrono Trigger gives the player a much greater feeling of strength, doesn't make you feel poor all the time, gives you lots of useful techniques which are inexpensive, and gives you a bunch of awesome items with awesome effects that stay useful well into the endgame instead of lame items with lame effects that don't help much at all
But then I guess there's a reason it's a classic. I just wish more developers would recognize why
...if status ailments aren't severe then what's the point of them?
Agree'd. Ailments add a level of skill to the fighting. It adds more than just HP and MP healing. It's ailment-management. What can you deal with? What do you need to get rid of?
I think Lost Oddysey did status ailments really well.
But then I guess there's a reason it's a classic. I just wish more developers would recognize why
Nostalgia is the reason why it's a classic, mostly, but I really don't think it's a classic because of the mundane (almost "kiddy") RPG-lite elements. It sounds like that you like a certain kind of game, and you wish developers would create this kind of game (and they do, for the most part). But those qualities may be what other people (like myself) do not like. Examples include having non-severe ailments that can be whisked away by a magic cure-all (which basically means the monsters hit your WALLET, not your health or status)... it detracts from the uniqueness and difficulty of the monster you are fighting. You SHOULD fear a cockatrice or basilisk because you may be turned into stone. I don't mind games that have cure-alls, but then why have separate ailments at all? Why not just have "Debuff -1" for everything? And that kind of thing MIGHT work, actually, in certain settings (Collectible Card Games made into video games, for example, or light Action RPGs).
Chrono Trigger is fun. But it sounds like you are trying to appreciate Final Fantasy XII as Chrono Trigger, when in reality they are separate games with separate merits. I personally love Final Fantasy XII (it dispenses with the silly "press A to continue" style combat and has a working flexible AI system), and I like it much better than Chrono Trigger for its separate merits.
Yeah, once you get mid game in any game, you usually have an accesable heal all like esuna. Also, I would argue the fact that FFXII makes money slightly more scarce, and that you don't get super crazy abilities off the bat, and have to conserve your skill points and spend wisely make it a better, more intruiging game.
jeddy lee on
Backlog Challenge: 0%
0/8
PS2
FF X replay
PS3
God of War 1&2 HD
Rachet and Clank Future
MGS 4
Prince of Persia
39. Zodiac Spear
- treasures you must NOT obtain are (contents is listed assuming you don't
wear Diamond Armlet):
#1 treasure in front of Dalan's house in Rabanastre Lowtown (contains up
to 100 gil, Potion or Eye Drops)
#2 treasure in SE corner of Cellars in Royal Palace of Rabanastre
(contains Elixir)
#3 avoid the treasure in Confiscatory in Nalbina Dungeons (contains 316
gil)
#4 stay away from treasure among 4x4 pot grid on the Vaddu Strand in Phon
Coast (contains 2000 gil, or Knot of Rust)
- if you poke any of above four treasures, you can kiss Zodiac Spear in
[Necrohol of Nabudis / Cloister of the Highborn] goodbye
- there is one more chance for your Zodiac Spear, a mere 0,1% treasure pot
in [Henne Mines / Phase 2 Dig] - whatever the outcome, Zodiac Spear IS NOT WORTHY to restart the game for
Emphasis in the bold there. I don't understand the whining about the Zodiac Spear(other than a cruel joke on the developer's part... come on, it's a GAME! The weapon is pretty much an Easter Egg). You do NOT need the Zodiac Spear to beat the game. You only need it to fulfill the OCD part of your brain. Obtaining the Spear doesn't even make the rest of the battles trivial after the Spear... it only makes the game slightly easier.
Look man, I wouldn't really give a shit if it were some joke weapon, but it's the single most powerful weapon in the game. Sure I don't need it, but it pisses me off anyway
Just a fucking warning would be nice, just a simple "do not open" so I could blame myself when I open it, but noooooo
Besides, it's not even really about the spear, it's about the fact that they won't give you the opportunity to get the spear for literally no good reason
And don't fucking tell me I can still get it, a 1/1000 chance for it to spawn? Yeah, that's fuckin' great, I'm really gonna devote hours of my life to that bullshit
I mean fer fucks' sake, getting the Deathbringer sounds like the same fuckin' bullshit I went through to get the Demonsbane, only worse because I don't just have to beat a boss, I have to run around an area with superpowerful monsters waiting for the boss to fucking spawn and THEN I have to fucking steal the sword from it
Really this sort of game design just gets my fuckin' goat I swear
This really makes me wonder exactly how the fuck people know that the spear even exists? Doesn't everyone just open every box they see?
Yes they do! And that's why I take issue with it!
aaaaaaaaaaargh
Anyway game's pretty good I guess, when it isn't pissing me off. Shit ain't perfect though, particularly the status ailments. I have that problem with damn near every JRPG though. I'm playing Chrono Trigger right now and there is ONE (1) item used for removing all status ailments. Why can't they just do that, don't they realize how utterly irritating that bullshit is?
Maybe the point is that you're not supposed to get the spear. It'd be a really cool mystery if simply nobody knew how the heck to get the darn thing, and I wish the strategy guide hadn't spoiled it. Multiple items for different status ailments is a long standing FF tradition.
Chrono Trigger's gameplay is not well designed. In a well designed RPGs you'd be forced to make choices about what equipment you'll buy. For example, do you buy everybody 2nd rate armor, or just give your main fighter a really nice sword? Combat is simplistic to the point of absurdity. Dragon Quest is still the golden standard, with bosses that will kick your ass even if you can get through their dungeon with ease.
Well, hey now, lets not get irrational. Chrono Trigger isn't such a classic because of it's deviation from standard RPG gameplay, but it definately wasn't poorly designed. What makes CT a classic is the setting, characters, plot, and solid gameplay with a few unique aspects.
jeddy lee on
Backlog Challenge: 0%
0/8
PS2
FF X replay
PS3
God of War 1&2 HD
Rachet and Clank Future
MGS 4
Prince of Persia
Geez, just looking at that picture of Sazh removes my ability to think. All I can do is kind of blankly stare at him.
Afro Chocobos man.
Afrobos?
No man.
Chocofros
It's not even a negative response. I mean, I'm pretty sure he's cool. I'd be completely certain that he's cool if I could look at him without my brain suddenly going completely blank. I'm not calling it stupid, because he seems pretty neat, I'm just saying that he does strange things to my brain functions.
Sazh.....I don't even know. Looking at that screen shot just makes me laugh. I don't know if it's laughing because I think I like him as a character (The design and the chocobo chick), if I'm thinking he'll be the comic relief role, or if I'm thinking about everything that will come from him when the game comes out (Youtube videos, etc.).
I just don't know. I'm looking forward to seeing what he turns out like more than I'm looking forward to the actual game. Which is probably a little sad.
But then I guess there's a reason it's a classic. I just wish more developers would recognize why
Nostalgia is the reason why it's a classic, mostly, but I really don't think it's a classic because of the mundane (almost "kiddy") RPG-lite elements. It sounds like that you like a certain kind of game, and you wish developers would create this kind of game (and they do, for the most part). But those qualities may be what other people (like myself) do not like. Examples include having non-severe ailments that can be whisked away by a magic cure-all (which basically means the monsters hit your WALLET, not your health or status)... it detracts from the uniqueness and difficulty of the monster you are fighting. You SHOULD fear a cockatrice or basilisk because you may be turned into stone. I don't mind games that have cure-alls, but then why have separate ailments at all? Why not just have "Debuff -1" for everything? And that kind of thing MIGHT work, actually, in certain settings (Collectible Card Games made into video games, for example, or light Action RPGs).
Chrono Trigger is fun. But it sounds like you are trying to appreciate Final Fantasy XII as Chrono Trigger, when in reality they are separate games with separate merits. I personally love Final Fantasy XII (it dispenses with the silly "press A to continue" style combat and has a working flexible AI system), and I like it much better than Chrono Trigger for its separate merits.
But see, in Chrono Trigger, I run into monsters that are unique in far more inventive ways
Like I just went through a small dungeon where I fought these things called "scouters," and there were different colors, and each color absorbed all magic cast at it except for a certain type, unleashing a counterattack if I used the wrong kind on it. Meanwhile there's warriors that counterattack if there's more than one on the screen, which meant I had to use my more powerful attacks in an attempt to one shot them so there's only one left. Not to mention the djinnis that fly around helping each other, one increasing the other's defense by crazy amounts so I have to take him out first, or the ghosts that have crazy defense and low magic resistence, or the bosses that mimic the attacks you use, so if you use physical attacks you're fucked since it uses your own strength against you. Or maybe the minibosses that have two portions of their body that are attackable, but if you attack one it does next to no damage and initiates a devestating counterattack, which basically serves as a deterrent to area attacks. Boy, those guys were a pain
All those monsters, those guys are unique. They make you use your brain and consider your situation instead of just casting Firaga at everything on the field every single time. I mean what, a cockatrice might hit me with petrify or stone. Whoop de fuckin' doo. All that does is make me curse at the screen as I use a whole turn on one of my characters to use an item or cast a spell to remove the status ailment. And if it's a boss, it'll use the time to either a) rape me a new asshole or b) cast the same thing again and give me the status ailment once again forcing me to waste yet another turn on not killing him
Maybe there is something to be said for status effects, but I don't think I've ever played a game where they weren't either a tremendous pain in the ass or so utterly trivial they might as well not even be there
Also that black guy? Has more realistic facial structure than the entire rest of the spiky haired effeminate cast of XIII. At least, the Versus cast. I haven't seen the other guys
But see, in Chrono Trigger, I run into monsters that are unique in far more inventive ways
<snip>
Which has very little to do with the relevance of using status effects to give unique abilities to monsters that you come across. It is another puzzle, just as unique as the examples that you stated. It also happens to be a puzzle that you do not have patience for, which is perfectly acceptable. Different strokes for different folks.
In response to your boss example... many RPGs have crowd control abilities which allow you to selectively target dangerous enemies by disabling weaker ones. Why shouldn't bosses be able to do the same thing to you? Things like paralyze/stun/stone are ways for bosses to apply crowd control against your ragtag group of adventurers. While the AI may be a bit wonky when they are applied, that's probably the fault of the scripting of the mob rather than the ability itself. Of course, it's annoying to you... anything that takes away control (in real life or in video games) is annoying. But shouldn't bosses, in order to truly be "bosses", have abilities on par or greater than the characters you control?
Hahnsoo1 on
0
Olivawgood name, isn't it?the foot of mt fujiRegistered Userregular
edited January 2009
But it's not a puzzle, that's my point
It's "oh he put me to sleep I'll use an alarm clock"
How is that a puzzle in any way
As for bosses using them, I have no doubts that poor scripting plays a role in their douchebaggery, but I take offense to the fact that they are even given an attack that causes more than one status effect in the first place. It seems like a way to artificially lengthen boss fights by making the player waste their time throwing a crapload of items around, which by the way is as much a hit on your wallet as using a generic cure-all, except now you have to buy five or ten of every cure item ever instead of just one single kind of item
Yes bosses should be difficult, but I would think that developers could think of better ways to make them difficult besides giving them a bunch of HP and defense and an attack that causes blind, slow, and poison all at once. Why not incorporate the environment in some way, maybe give them different phases or different attacks besides just hitting you in the face, I don't know
...this is actually sort of an interesting discussion
Posts
Don't get me wrong... I'm all for transparent game design (one of the reasons I like playing Neverwinter Nights). We don't use GM screens in our Pen and Paper games. I let the dice fall as they may, and everyone can see what I roll as a GM. But the lack of said transparency (as in this case) doesn't make me angry. Part of Final Fantasy is relinquishing your control to the whim of the game designer, which inevitably involves arcane, obscure, and perhaps nonsensical bits.
It's not even ultimate power; obtaining the item will not allow you to teleport to the end of the game and say "I win!" A warp tube in Super Mario Bros. is more powerful than that spear.
Yes they do! And that's why I take issue with it!
aaaaaaaaaaargh
Anyway game's pretty good I guess, when it isn't pissing me off. Shit ain't perfect though, particularly the status ailments. I have that problem with damn near every JRPG though. I'm playing Chrono Trigger right now and there is ONE (1) item used for removing all status ailments. Why can't they just do that, don't they realize how utterly irritating that bullshit is?
PSN ID : DetectiveOlivaw | TWITTER | STEAM ID | NEVER FORGET
That is why they have multiple items for each status ailment.
I'm not certain pharmaceutical accuracy is really necessary in a game where you have a half-rabbit on your team.
PS2
FF X replay
PS3
God of War 1&2 HD
Rachet and Clank Future
MGS 4
Prince of Persia
360
Bayonetta
Fable 3
DS
FF: 4 heroes of light
Also, most enemies weren't immune to everything.
That being said, not having a magic spell to cure oil or virus was annoying. At least with virus you could have a spell make you immune to it.
I have a hard time thinking you could find a single item that will magically make you all better (unless it's a megalixer!). You do need different things to heal in different ways.
But seriously? Just use Ensuna. 80% of the time thats all you need.
I don't really want ailments to be severe
Or if they are, make them rare and don't give bosses the ability to give you multiple ailments at once
Again I point to Chrono Trigger and how much fun that game's combat is and how it doesn't rely on showering you with every status ailment ever to make fights difficult
Playing it and Final Fantasy XII for the first time is really strange, because the things I like about XII sort of remind me of Chrono Trigger
The fact that there is no battle screen, it's just "hey here's some monsters run up to them and draw your sword and kick some ass," or the fact that placement of your party and the monsters is important, those are really cool gameplay elements
Of course Chrono Trigger gives the player a much greater feeling of strength, doesn't make you feel poor all the time, gives you lots of useful techniques which are inexpensive, and gives you a bunch of awesome items with awesome effects that stay useful well into the endgame instead of lame items with lame effects that don't help much at all
But then I guess there's a reason it's a classic. I just wish more developers would recognize why
PSN ID : DetectiveOlivaw | TWITTER | STEAM ID | NEVER FORGET
I really don't know
PSN ID : DetectiveOlivaw | TWITTER | STEAM ID | NEVER FORGET
Agree'd. Ailments add a level of skill to the fighting. It adds more than just HP and MP healing. It's ailment-management. What can you deal with? What do you need to get rid of?
I think Lost Oddysey did status ailments really well.
Thats why the magic one shot heals are so useful.
Most any other time its more economical to use the specific items for the specific ailment since you usually find buttloads of them.
Chrono Trigger is fun. But it sounds like you are trying to appreciate Final Fantasy XII as Chrono Trigger, when in reality they are separate games with separate merits. I personally love Final Fantasy XII (it dispenses with the silly "press A to continue" style combat and has a working flexible AI system), and I like it much better than Chrono Trigger for its separate merits.
PS2
FF X replay
PS3
God of War 1&2 HD
Rachet and Clank Future
MGS 4
Prince of Persia
360
Bayonetta
Fable 3
DS
FF: 4 heroes of light
Maybe the point is that you're not supposed to get the spear. It'd be a really cool mystery if simply nobody knew how the heck to get the darn thing, and I wish the strategy guide hadn't spoiled it. Multiple items for different status ailments is a long standing FF tradition.
Chrono Trigger's gameplay is not well designed. In a well designed RPGs you'd be forced to make choices about what equipment you'll buy. For example, do you buy everybody 2nd rate armor, or just give your main fighter a really nice sword? Combat is simplistic to the point of absurdity. Dragon Quest is still the golden standard, with bosses that will kick your ass even if you can get through their dungeon with ease.
Well, hey now, lets not get irrational. Chrono Trigger isn't such a classic because of it's deviation from standard RPG gameplay, but it definately wasn't poorly designed. What makes CT a classic is the setting, characters, plot, and solid gameplay with a few unique aspects.
PS2
FF X replay
PS3
God of War 1&2 HD
Rachet and Clank Future
MGS 4
Prince of Persia
360
Bayonetta
Fable 3
DS
FF: 4 heroes of light
There's no other sane reason for that stupidity.
I like the "impossibly hard easter egg" theory.
PS2
FF X replay
PS3
God of War 1&2 HD
Rachet and Clank Future
MGS 4
Prince of Persia
360
Bayonetta
Fable 3
DS
FF: 4 heroes of light
Afro Chocobos man.
I can't help but love the character already
Man that look is old, it's all about the cowboy look now.
Afrobos?
No man.
Chocofros
It's not even a negative response. I mean, I'm pretty sure he's cool. I'd be completely certain that he's cool if I could look at him without my brain suddenly going completely blank. I'm not calling it stupid, because he seems pretty neat, I'm just saying that he does strange things to my brain functions.
Chocobro.
My mind, you just blew it.
No, Chocobros are what you bred in Final Fantasy VII trying to get Golden Chocobos.
Man.
Sazh.....I don't even know. Looking at that screen shot just makes me laugh. I don't know if it's laughing because I think I like him as a character (The design and the chocobo chick), if I'm thinking he'll be the comic relief role, or if I'm thinking about everything that will come from him when the game comes out (Youtube videos, etc.).
I just don't know. I'm looking forward to seeing what he turns out like more than I'm looking forward to the actual game. Which is probably a little sad.
However, the big picture kind of gives me a Lando Calrissian vibe.
We need more Billy Dee Williams. Having him in Tiberium Wars was just a tease, He needs to be part of many many many more games.
You sir have struck at the core of my being with this desire you've wrung up from within me.
Do... Re... Mi... So... Fa.... Do... Re.... Do...
Forget it...
I hereby declare a vast internet boycott of all things Squeenix if they don't have Billy Dee Williams voicing this character.
Our campaign shall rend asunder the foundation of their globoconglomorate foundation of money and non-Billy Dee Williamsery. :!:
But see, in Chrono Trigger, I run into monsters that are unique in far more inventive ways
Like I just went through a small dungeon where I fought these things called "scouters," and there were different colors, and each color absorbed all magic cast at it except for a certain type, unleashing a counterattack if I used the wrong kind on it. Meanwhile there's warriors that counterattack if there's more than one on the screen, which meant I had to use my more powerful attacks in an attempt to one shot them so there's only one left. Not to mention the djinnis that fly around helping each other, one increasing the other's defense by crazy amounts so I have to take him out first, or the ghosts that have crazy defense and low magic resistence, or the bosses that mimic the attacks you use, so if you use physical attacks you're fucked since it uses your own strength against you. Or maybe the minibosses that have two portions of their body that are attackable, but if you attack one it does next to no damage and initiates a devestating counterattack, which basically serves as a deterrent to area attacks. Boy, those guys were a pain
All those monsters, those guys are unique. They make you use your brain and consider your situation instead of just casting Firaga at everything on the field every single time. I mean what, a cockatrice might hit me with petrify or stone. Whoop de fuckin' doo. All that does is make me curse at the screen as I use a whole turn on one of my characters to use an item or cast a spell to remove the status ailment. And if it's a boss, it'll use the time to either a) rape me a new asshole or b) cast the same thing again and give me the status ailment once again forcing me to waste yet another turn on not killing him
Maybe there is something to be said for status effects, but I don't think I've ever played a game where they weren't either a tremendous pain in the ass or so utterly trivial they might as well not even be there
Also that black guy? Has more realistic facial structure than the entire rest of the spiky haired effeminate cast of XIII. At least, the Versus cast. I haven't seen the other guys
PSN ID : DetectiveOlivaw | TWITTER | STEAM ID | NEVER FORGET
In response to your boss example... many RPGs have crowd control abilities which allow you to selectively target dangerous enemies by disabling weaker ones. Why shouldn't bosses be able to do the same thing to you? Things like paralyze/stun/stone are ways for bosses to apply crowd control against your ragtag group of adventurers. While the AI may be a bit wonky when they are applied, that's probably the fault of the scripting of the mob rather than the ability itself. Of course, it's annoying to you... anything that takes away control (in real life or in video games) is annoying. But shouldn't bosses, in order to truly be "bosses", have abilities on par or greater than the characters you control?
It's "oh he put me to sleep I'll use an alarm clock"
How is that a puzzle in any way
As for bosses using them, I have no doubts that poor scripting plays a role in their douchebaggery, but I take offense to the fact that they are even given an attack that causes more than one status effect in the first place. It seems like a way to artificially lengthen boss fights by making the player waste their time throwing a crapload of items around, which by the way is as much a hit on your wallet as using a generic cure-all, except now you have to buy five or ten of every cure item ever instead of just one single kind of item
Yes bosses should be difficult, but I would think that developers could think of better ways to make them difficult besides giving them a bunch of HP and defense and an attack that causes blind, slow, and poison all at once. Why not incorporate the environment in some way, maybe give them different phases or different attacks besides just hitting you in the face, I don't know
...this is actually sort of an interesting discussion
PSN ID : DetectiveOlivaw | TWITTER | STEAM ID | NEVER FORGET