tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7175477439968253738.comments2011-09-14T10:31:43.807-04:00What Could Have Beenkim thompsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05624109221063073963noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7175477439968253738.post-30304193457024794862011-09-14T10:31:43.807-04:002011-09-14T10:31:43.807-04:00The big curiosity I have is how much Disney's ...The big curiosity I have is how much Disney's solution to the line problem cost them.<br />I mean, you just hand out raffle tickets (different colors by event), and then security takes your ticket at the door.<br />At that point people could reserve their seats as early in the day as they wanted. Like Disney you'd have to actually go to the place your event happens to get the ticket, but then people could have more time free. They'd be lining up ten or fifteen minutes ahead of time, mostly just those concerned with sitting in the front rows.<br />More expensive (but less cheatable) is the option of including a bar code on everyone's badges (don't they already?) and giving the security scanners that add or remove a show from your schedule. Some concern that would be slower than people handing in colored tickets, but also less paper waste.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7175477439968253738.post-77395273924041296652011-08-16T20:59:39.382-04:002011-08-16T20:59:39.382-04:00I think that the core of FF12's combat system ...I think that the core of FF12's combat system is the ideal for the genre, now that they have the technology. It's basically the same as 6, except when it's someone's turn he goes ahead and attacks what he was attacking before. If you want to change how people are acting you pause the action (the big problem with 10-2's combat system being it never quite paused) and deliver alternate commands.<br />The two problems were range (your command bar could fill and you still can't attack because you're not in melee yet) and hiccups in programming, most notably (to me) the need to assign inane tasks to people to keep them from killing your steal target pre-steal.<br />So, yeah. My ideal combat system:<br />3-D but instanced, like 10.<br />Default to attack when your bar fills (fill at variable rates, allowing for "fast" characters).<br />Button lets you change what upcoming action will be.<br />Include a "hold until other dude's action is done" action as one of the options.<br />Attacking a "mobile" enemy could take extra time for melee characters; an interesting alternative to the insensible "flying but don't fly out of range like they should" high-evasion enemies.<br />Class system similar to D&D 4, taking a class gives you one of four options at each level. These can be switched around outside of combat to allow for different strategies.<br />Each character just has one class. The multifaceted level-up should give enough variability in play-style.<br />Oh, and the Kingdom Hearts style "Everyone and their mama on the heroes' side has the same XP bar, whether you're using 'em or not."Jeremy Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01939120350550211765noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7175477439968253738.post-458697839322282392011-08-09T23:34:11.487-04:002011-08-09T23:34:11.487-04:00As I said on your review of 8, this game's car...As I said on your review of 8, this game's card game was insufferable. I read somewhere that there were items to be gotten earlier than normal - items from which powerful abilities could be learned - if one could just suffer through and beat the computer. Except that never happened, because the computer started with better cards than you had and took your cards every time you lost. At least in 8 you start with a few aces-in-the-hole to get you going.<br />I also remember that 9 required you play one game of the card game in order to progress the story. Game designer's note: If your game is so bad that you have to force people to play it, you probably should spend more time trying to make it fun before you release it.<br /><br />In other news, I totally agree about the characters. They needed such better writing. The knight, even down to his facial design, reminded me of Inspector Zenigata from Lupin III, and may have been an intentional throwback to him.<br />But even Zenigata had moments of cunning and this powerful drive that makes people root for him (like a talking Wile E Coyote, really).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7175477439968253738.post-19948414574212092452011-08-05T15:53:13.365-04:002011-08-05T15:53:13.365-04:00@Matt: One of my biggest problems with replaying o...@Matt: One of my biggest problems with replaying older games are the graphics. I really want a full-sized, beautifully rendered, FMV quality, PS3 version of the game, where the only thing they updated is actually the graphics, but keep everything else the same. 3D Dot Game Hero's style maps, fight sequence and system exactly the same... Here's hoping, but I don't think that Squenix will ever actually do it :(<br /><br />Honestly, it's the graphics more than anything else that will turn me off of the older games. I can deal with the sound, the text reading, the simplistic game play (I actually prefer the menu/turn based fight systems). I have trouble looking at not pretty things. (Did I just admit that I'm shallow? Suck.)kim thompsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05624109221063073963noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7175477439968253738.post-43186094878782365002011-08-04T18:27:17.945-04:002011-08-04T18:27:17.945-04:00If you can find the GBA 'port', they added...If you can find the GBA 'port', they added even more stuff - an extra island and a few more Espers. Very nice, if you have a GameCube with the GameBoy Player attachment thingy.Matthttp://www.twitter.com/sanspantsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7175477439968253738.post-15599337489891034242011-08-03T14:42:56.566-04:002011-08-03T14:42:56.566-04:00Also, I did try, on my last playthrough to just no...Also, I did try, on my last playthrough to just not level up as much as possible. Seeing how fighting is probably the most exciting aspect of 8, this didn't work very well. Most of the rest of the gameplay is very slowpaced and not extremely exciting to play. :( And then there came a point that I just couldn't beat a certain boss being the low level that I was, but to get to the level to beat that boss, I came dangerously close to going up to the next tier. Not a good game mechanic IMO.kim thompsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05624109221063073963noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7175477439968253738.post-67311764709191403872011-08-03T14:40:59.709-04:002011-08-03T14:40:59.709-04:00Yep, in the middle of writing 9 now, and the sideg...Yep, in the middle of writing 9 now, and the sidegames come up again. <br /><br />The card game was alright in 8, until the rules started changing by where you played and I just couldn't keep up. Even with the strategy guide. Again, if I wanted to play a card game, I would have bought a card game. However, yes, I did card monsters, and I did try to collect as many of the big important cards as I was capable of. Gotta catch 'em all!kim thompsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05624109221063073963noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7175477439968253738.post-77598046513775767172011-08-01T20:03:08.618-04:002011-08-01T20:03:08.618-04:00I liked the card game in 8 - much MUCH moreso than...I liked the card game in 8 - much MUCH moreso than 9 (though I'm sure you'll get there). Particularly, I liked the fact that it was a non-combat way of getting cards that could be broken down for spell power. Kinda like crafting in WoW, there's that element of "you could spend more in-game time leveling to get stronger, or you could spend that time boosting your stats in sidequest land.<br />Except, of course, you <i>couldn't</i> legitimately power-level to get stronger. The tiered bonus effects on some of those late bosses were pretty savage.<br /><i>Oblivion</i> is a horrible offender in using this model. Near as I can tell, the best way to win that game is never to level up. The good news is that, other than when you exit the sewer at the start of the game, leveling is optional. This, of course, means your character never sleeps, but there are no in-game penalties for not sleeping.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com