Radiant Dawn style Campaign?

[Sentacotus]

So I was thinking with two visibly different factions (West and East), with what seems to be conflicting interests, and so far it seems neither is totally good or bad, what if this game will kind of follow what Radiant Dawn did in its campaign? Meaning that you play different sides/factions exploring their portion of the story? Of course I have no idea how this would work on a world map or anything.

Thoughts?

[hammerene]

That would be really nice. Maybe we would have two world maps? So the main world map is split in two (one for each faction) and as you alternate between the two sides, you alternate between maps?

It would be way interesting if depending on the faction you choose, the game's outcome and also the battles will be different. Or perhaps one decision you make in one faction greatly changes the circumstances for the other faction.

Ah, so much potential and so little time to speculate.

[Artorias]

I'd like for there to be one large map for a character of any faction to explore but depending on the faction you chose, the areas change somehow.

Like, you pick the (this is just an example) more 'ruthless' faction, then on areas you fight on everything looks a little more worn down (some places on fire, more rubble, etc) or NPCs might be afraid of you or something along those lines. Either small suble changes when it comes to the map or a large obvious change depending on what faction you pick sounds neat.

[Sentacotus]

That would be really nice. Maybe we would have two world maps? So the main world map is split in two (one for each faction) and as you alternate between the two sides, you alternate between maps?

It would be way interesting if depending on the faction you choose, the game's outcome and also the battles will be different. Or perhaps one decision you make in one faction greatly changes the circumstances for the other faction.

Ah, so much potential and so little time to speculate.

I could actually see that working and you could change maps anytime to change armies/factions but you would only unlock further chapters after certain ones would be complete.

I'd like for there to be one large map for a character of any faction to explore but depending on the faction you chose, the areas change somehow.

Like, you pick the (this is just an example) more 'ruthless' faction, then on areas you fight on everything looks a little more worn down (some places on fire, more rubble, etc) or NPCs might be afraid of you or something along those lines. Either small suble changes when it comes to the map or a large obvious change depending on what faction you pick sounds neat.

That might be able to work as well we will have to just wait and see what IS has planned.

[Anacybele]

The game having different parts and making the player use different armies like RD is fine with me, as I didn't mind that RD did it. But some characters in RD had really poor availability *cough*Tormod's group*cough* so I hope that this isn't an issue if this new game is taking this direction.

[Sentacotus]

The game having different parts and making the player use different armies like RD is fine with me, as I didn't mind that RD did it. But some characters in RD had really poor availability *cough*Tormod's group*cough* so I hope that this isn't an issue if this new game is taking this direction.

Yeah Tormod got screwed hard. I was thinking that recruited characters would stay with whatever army they got recruited with and not leave or change (unless they are a major character with some plot twist)

[Elieson]

Tormod, vika, maurim, tauroneo, the CRKs,

RD had done awful awful availability planning, and ill really hesitate to buy the game if I hear that RD style unit/army is in the works

[Anacybele]

The Crimean knights and their allies are fine, only Geoffrey from that group got screwed, imo. Kieran and the others were useable throughout all of part 2, most of part 4 and one chapter in part 3.

But yeah, the availability balance has to be done better.

Edited January 18, 2015 by Anacybele

[powerserg]

I don't think were going to get it in a Radiant Dawn style. We are likely going to be following the plot with the dancing girl and the MU regardless of what faction the player is with.

[Sentacotus]

I think as long as the recruitable characters stay with their army as soon as they're recruited and aren't recruitable at the very end it will be fine. The problem with RD's availability is that characters would leave/change armies because of the story which caused them to be unavailable for several chapters if not entire story arcs. If you have a world map with each army and once you get characters they stay with you (unless they die of course) this problem could be easily rectified.

Edited January 18, 2015 by TacoMan42

[Draco]

I'm loving some of the ideas here! I'm hoping for there to be 2 world maps or something, as someone mentioned previously. I'd like it if the perspective shifted between groups every 1-4 chapters, too.

[Florete]

We might see a similar idea story-wise, but I don't see the gameplay going the same route. RD was a departure from the norm and I don't see them using that particular style again, though I would be fine with it if they did.

[Aiddon]

might be interesting, but dear BUDDHA did RD have a wonky difficulty curve. It was more like a difficulty rollercoaster because it would be a walk in the park one second and frustrating, teeth-pulling mess the next. I think a more interesting method to do would be something like Tactics Ogre: Let us Cling Together.

For those of you who don't know, TO had a system where there were major decisions that radically changed the direction of the game. There would be completely different allegiances, different characters met, different villains, some characters would have radically different personalities, etc. The remake had a system where after completing the game once you could jump to earlier points in the game and go down a completely different branch. It's a system that has also been seen in a lot of visual novels. It wasn't like so many games that claim for your decisions to matter, when in fact all they do is affect the ending and maybe influence certain party members. If they did that that would be incredible, but I doubt it'll go that way.

[Ownagepuffs]

might be interesting, but dear BUDDHA did RD have a wonky difficulty curve. It was more like a difficulty rollercoaster because it would be a walk in the park one second and frustrating, teeth-pulling mess the next. I think a more interesting method to do would be something like Tactics Ogre: Let us Cling Together.

For those of you who don't know, TO had a system where there were major decisions that radically changed the direction of the game. There would be completely different allegiances, different characters met, different villains, some characters would have radically different personalities, etc. The remake had a system where after completing the game once you could jump to earlier points in the game and go down a completely different branch. It's a system that has also been seen in a lot of visual novels. It wasn't like so many games that claim for your decisions to matter, when in fact all they do is affect the ending and maybe influence certain party members. If they did that that would be incredible, but I doubt it'll go that way.

Oh my dear lord someone understands me. I've been pushing for a TO style story since forever. TO pulled it off to perfection.

I really hope this new FE takes a couple of pages from TO. If our new avatar plays a role in determining which army wins that would he fucking sweet.

[Book Bro]

I expect we'll have to chose a side at some point rather than shifting through separate parts like RD simply because it'd mesh better with grinding and a world map, which I expect to return.

[Aiddon]

Oh my dear lord someone understands me. I've been pushing for a TO style story since forever. TO pulled it off to perfection.

I really hope this new FE takes a couple of pages from TO. If our new avatar plays a role in determining which army wins that would he fucking sweet.

Well, there's a reason we haven't had that level of campaign: there aren't many writers on the same level as Matsuno in general let alone the games industry. Plus the game would be friggin' HUGE. I think TO took me nearly two hundred hours to get through. Once. Ogre Battle 64 also did something similar, allowing for greater variance in the campaign. I'm not expecting anything like that in FE: If just because of the insane dedication needed

[Zapp Branniglenn]

My favorite aspect of Radiant Dawn was being able to see essentially a world war from all sides as it unfolds. But I have doubts that that is the angle for this new game. I believe that the player and his/her friends will make up some third faction including warriors from both sides of the conflict as they uncover and thwart a dastardly plot happening behind the scenes of war. Maybe another resurrection of a demon king or doomsday goddess. There's not a ton of evidence to support all of that, but it seems in line with what is series standard.

Of course, I'd love if they broke the mold as well. Like I said, Radiant Dawn was the best plot in my eyes as far as incorporating war and factions. Stories like this are miles more interesting when there aren't super duper bad guys.

[Apotheosis]

Yes!

...that's all I have to say.

[nocturnal YL]

As long as we don't get another Tormod, and as long as we don't have to keep certain units for 10 or so chapters just to have them killed Orson-styled, yes.

[Marston]

I actually would like it to be more like a branching path, like Ephraim/Eirika. Basically, the start would be the same, but after a few missions you would have to choose a side and the following missions would be completely different. Maybe even up to the final instead of only a few missions.

[Psych]

What's that? Could you guys be forgetting the game where this seems to fit best? Gaiden prehaps?

[kdports]

No. If they want to avoid a confusing, complicated story DO NOT use the Radiant Dawn campaign style. Don't get me wrong, there was some awesome stuff in there, but it is too easy to screw up.

[sadAlex]

Okay, picture this.

There are two factions. East and West. The first two chapters, you play one mission as each respectively.

Then from there on it's up to you to choose to play both sides; moving up the map, recruiting allies, advancing the storyline. But there are only a set number of allies to reach and levels to play. If you wanted to play as the east the whole time you'd eventually reach the west right where you left them. But they'd be leveled up to match your characters.

This way you could recruit allies at different times in the story but they'd be significantly stronger or weaker depending on when you reached them. A lowly level 5 thief in the west campaign would be a badass level 10 assassin if the east got him first.

You could meet the other faction at their home base with 20 allies while they are just 4 or 5 strong generals(not the class).

Or you could meet in the middle and have very balanced teams and then have to make a very difficult decision on who you want to win. This would be a very fire emblem-esque way to make you build relationships and connections to characters and then have to ultimately destroy them. I think it'd be very fun to play both sides and this would add huge replay value. Although I think it would take huge amounts of work to develop the different storyline branches. And to write a story that was flexible enough to explain why each faction makes different choices each playthrough.

Of course there would have to be some kind of post game after that. So you could see the world without the other factions influence.

What. Does everyone think of my idea?

[Celice]

Personally I thought it would be really neat if you could simply choose which side to play as. It'd be really neat, and something not yet done in the series. Before you could split routes but remain as good guys (FE2, FE8), and once you played opposing sides that eventually came together (FE10 really obvious, but microcosms across all the games). But there hasn't yet been a game where from the get-go, you can choose what side to play and go through the entirety.

[TwinBlade]

Love the ideas. I'm just gonna go ahead and say that there in no split campaign (at least not in RD style) there won't be going back and forth between main characters. I'm foretelling, there is a split path, and we must choose which side to take. East vs West, we choose which side we want to back. This game is supposed to be about choices, so I think it's very likely.

What we know? The "Prince" has been called a bad boy or something to that effect, by the brigand. Maybe meaning he betrayed his country. But, the prince is wearing Eastern style clothing (I saw someone on the forums say this but I'm not sure of it's credibility.) So if that's true, if we don't get to be on the side of the East I would be very surprised. This is a lot of guesswork but I believe it is possible.