Othin

There are clear differences between the storytelling in FE6 and the games following it. Perhaps the easiest way to draw a clear line is to note that in FE1-6, scenes were only shown on the current battlefield. The only exception I know of is Roy returning through Ch7's map after Ch8. Meanwhile, in the following games, scenes outside of the battlefields became common, greatly expanding the games' room to develop the stories. So something big changed, and this guy's change in role seems like a plausible cause. Even if he was doing something before, it makes sense that he could have become able to do much more.

Depends on how considerable it is. In what you are suggesting, what exactly will ranged fighters be able to accomplish at range 2 that other characters cannot?

Alone? No, of course not. But in order to not be clones, no matter how many options the characters have, some important options need to be different. Changing or removing options for fighting at certain ranges for some characters is one effective way to do that. Without that, the characters have to establish their differences in other ways, which they haven't been too stellar at managing.

Well that's just too bad for you. Having different characters do different things instead of all being clones of each other is also nice to have. Surely you're self-aware enough to realize the absurdity of telling me "tough" when I say something and then acting like I might give a shit about what you don't want to hear me saying?

We should not think of 1 range, 2 range, or 1-2 range as the birthright of all characters. Such thinking only destroys an important part of their potential to take on different roles.

There are also many armors to kill.

It doesn't have to be as simple as being unwinnable - the effect of that would be no better than not having the option at all. Having unusually tough enemies that are still beatable, however - if you're willing to play slowly and carefully - would be another story. Meanwhile, alternative options can exist. Berwick Saga managed this sort of secondary objective a few times, such as in Exile Island: a night map with a number of powerful enemies. The simple objective is seizing the temple within 20 turns, but if you just try to rush forward to do it, it's not going to be easy. Two ballistas have range covering most of the map between them, and have huge power and high accuracy, to the point where they will OHKO mages and healers. You can't do anything about them initially, so instead, you want to take advantage of the fact that FoW applies to enemies as well, killing enemies as soon as you get near them or keeping weaker characters back to keep the ballistas from being able to target any characters unable to take the hits. There's also a lighthouse an enemy controls a bit off to the side, extending his vision, so you want to get rid of him, as well. Could you just rush towards the temple? I'm sure it's doable. I used a strategy something like that on a trial run of the map and managed to seize right before time was up, albeit while losing 6 of the 9 characters I had brought. This is just one example of the sort of way these secondary objectives can happen while being possible. Because as dondon said, conflicts don't usually end with one side annihilating the other. It tends to work out that way because of how lopsided the battles tend to be, but it doesn't have to be; there are plenty of tools the enemies can use. Having puzzles is one of my huge pet peeves in video games. A serious player would just look up the information, and the end result of the puzzle is nullified. A casual player that has to actually think about what the game shows you in order to figure out the puzzle would just waste his time. --- Personally, I was enjoying that broader discussion. I'd support just moving it to a different thread, personally; just because Mr. Moderator failed to show the proper respect for our discussion to suggest it doesn't mean we can't do it, if anyone else is interested.

Where would you say games like the Elder Scrolls series fit into this? I know I remember you complaining about them before, but they seemed to fit into the praise you were giving to games like LoZ. If they don't, where do you draw the line? Do note that I say this having not actually played any of the series besides perhaps a few minutes of Oblivion.

Okay, now we know how the word is spelled. Can we move on?

Indeed, there are games with bad gameplay. But based on your original point, you were saying that bad gameplay might be a result when focusing too much on story. Tell me: Do you know of that ever happening? Do you know of a game that failed because of gameplay being sacrificed for the sake of a good story to the point that it ruined peoples' ability to appreciate that story? There's a bit more to Olimar than that. I'm curious what anyone who feels they have indeed played both Pikmin games enough to judge might have to say about that; I didn't intent the point to be directed at you specifically.

Precisely my point.

You have Dalshien to use it and armors to use it on. That's definitely not useless.

Seems unresponsive controls and involving just one thing to do ever are the things that ruined Superman 64's gameplay. Those are not problems any remotely competent game maker would face regardless of budget. I could make a game using basic game making programs that could avoid those issues and have the baseline competent gameplay level necessary. FFVI's budget is irrelevant. It would not take a large budget to get gameplay that matches the basic results it turned out to have. That is all that matters here. --- Olimar from the Pikmin series is quite possibly the most developed character in all of fiction. I would say that stands as a testament to what video game stories are capable of.

Hammer/Armorslayer and Flame Sword/Light Sword are musts. And the Lockpick, of course. You'll be fine as long as you bring those five. Just make sure not to bring too many. The chests can only hold 16 items, and there are four items in addition to the ones you bring.

You're right, it's not shit. Regardless, its gameplay turns out basic enough that any game should be able to have gameplay as good or better with little to no trouble. FFVI is regarded as a fantastic game, and indeed, I agree with that rating. If a game just needs gameplay as good as FFVI to get people to play it and appreciate the big picture, I hardly think gameplay needs to be an overwhelming focus for games where the story can make up for the gameplay's failings.

Final Fantasy VI seems to be regarded rather highly.

http://www.feplanet.net/games/4 This might have some of what you're looking for. The FE5 section is a bit lacking, though. I thought the battle sprites were there as well, but looking now, I can't seem to find them. I know I've seen some place with some or all of them, though, so they're somewhere.

1. Really hard, from what I understand. 2. Not so tough, but weird. 3. Warp/Dance/Rescue. 4. Not usually. 5. Up to you.

Seems to me that much of this is a twisted version of the good intent to make it so that foot units have some relevant advantages over mounted units so as to keep the latter from entirely (or almost entirely) eclipsing the former.

His base Mag is 18. Not going to be easy, although an M Up staff or Pure Water would help. Hmm. You can do it if she gains Magic on 6 level-ups, promotes, and gets the full +7 from one of those two methods. A Magic Ring can also substitute for two of those points. You don't have a ton of time to do it, though.

Elite Mode FE5 is easy; just do what you feel like. Take advantage of the freedom the game gives you rather than asking us to take it away.

Indeed. The Laguz were just like any other characters, except with no weapon choice and being unable to fight half the time.

He starts off slightly below average and quickly winds up right on par with everyone else. I may have exaggerated slightly; the main point I'm trying to convey is that those of the "Marty is terrible" crowd are underrating him to a disgusting extent with no basis in reality - at least, for casual runs.

Marty's no worse than most other characters; he's fine to use.

Overlapping classes means that there are fewer total final classes (less options) and far fewer unique classes (less meaning to individual characters). Personally, that's not something I'm a huge fan of. My own three-tier branched promotion chart shouldn't take too long to finish...