Ok, who actually likes the Battle Animations for this game?

[Haar the Pirate]

In my opinion, I always thought that the battle animations in the GBA games, while expressive, were way too silly and cartoonish.

Path of Radiance went back to the realistic style used in the Famicom/Super Famicom games, but most of them kind of sucked ass. Seeing Ike perform Aether is always awesome, though.

The battle animations in Radiant Dawn were certainly better than in Path of Radiance, but the ones for third tier units activating their mastery skills was kind of pushing it...Intelligent Systems probably thought that the more powerful the class/mastery skill is, the longer and more spetacular the animation should be :P

except for Aether

Maybe it's just me, but I like the battle animations for Shadow Dragon the most because they weren't trying to be spectacular or overblown about it. Especially with the critical hit animations. Way more subdued than in the GBA games, but you can still tell that it's going to hurt. A lot.

[Rodykitty]

I agree with absolutely everything you say. I didn't realize how good FE10's animations were because I only saw vids of 3rd tier units before I got the game.

Obviously FEDS lacks some things FE3 did (some custom sprites for a couple of characters and custom Falchion animations), but they went in the right direction. I hope the next FE game is like FE10 or DS in terms of animation.

[Rewjeo]

FEDS had, IMO, by FAR the worst animations. As in, I prefer FE1's to FEDS's. In fact, it took me about 4 months to finally get this game because the battle animations were just so bad.

You complain that GBA's where cartoonish, while the FEDS general looks like freakin' plastic and I think I might just be able to pop the pegasus knight. Then the fact that they can't go back to having the weapon actually, oh, I dunno, HIT the opponent like they have been since (I think) the first game. Then everyone is, besides hair, 100% identical. Like it would really be that hard to give people certain colors of clothing. As for the critical hits, most of the time they aren't even adding anything to the actual attack, so I don't know what you mean by "you can tell that it's going to hurt." Ooh, look, I spinnededed by sword before slashing you normally! 3x damage!

Edited May 18, 2010 by Slize

[Rodykitty]

You complain that GBA's where cartoonish, while the FEDS general looks like freakin' plastic and I think I might just be able to pop the pegasus knight. Then the fact that they can't go back to having the weapon actually, oh, I dunno, HIT the opponent like they have been since (I think) the first game. Then everyone is, besides hair, 100% identical. Like it would really be that hard to give people certain colors of clothing.

Most of these complaints don't have anything to do with the animations themselves, just the pre-rendered sprites. The problem with GBA animations weren't the sprite style, but the way they're animated and the "platform" background settings that serve to confine the characters.

I want another game to use FEDS animations, because they won't be pre-rendered sprites next time.

As for the critical hits, most of the time they aren't even adding anything to the actual attack, so I don't know what you mean by "you can tell that it's going to hurt." Ooh, look, I spinnededed by sword before slashing you normally! 3x damage!

The game gives plenty of indication that the attack is more powerful than normal though the use of sound effects and hit effect + screen shake. Most people seem to expect huge telegraphing, but critical hits in FEDS (and in FE4/5) serve to surprise instead and help enforce the sense of that they're actually fighting.

[VincentASM]

I'm quite a fan of the animations from this game. They were like a cross between SNES and GBA animations, but much more smoother. Now if only they kept custom palettes (not just the hair) and the critical animations had a bit more flair.

[Scarlet]

I think that the battle animations are, while not particularly spectacular, by no means bad either. It sucks that every character basically has the exact same sprite and palette, but the animations themselves were decent - they have more variety than what I'm used to from the GBA-FEs and look pretty smooth. Different animations for double attacks (and double-crits even!) are nice though, considering that only FE10 (and to some extent FE4/FE5) had them beforehand.

[Jediabiwan]

I think they could have been the best except for 2 reasons that people have already stated. First, and by far the worst, the lack of uniqueness. If every character of the same class did not look the same, it would be awesome and really make the graphics more impressive. With out unique looks, I sadly prefer the GBA graphics. The second small problem is the lack of a custom animation for the Falchion like in the GBA games, but that is not such a big deal. I really think it would have made the weapon look more impressive though. Custom animations for each weapon would be awesome, but not necessary. Otherwise, I love the graphics, and hope to see a new game with similar style and more uniqueness.

[Rewjeo]

The game gives plenty of indication that the attack is more powerful than normal though the use of sound effects and hit effect + screen shake. Most people seem to expect huge telegraphing, but critical hits in FEDS (and in FE4/5) serve to surprise instead and help enforce the sense of that they're actually fighting.

I'm not asking for another GBA SM critical (it was awesome once, but we don't need another) but I feel as though, say, RD's SM crit was good. Actually, the FEDS SM crit was good since it made sense for it to do more damage. But, for example, Myrmidons just flip their sword once, then attack normally. Suddenly 3x damage? That makes sense. Especially since, you know, it's hard to get in a situation where you can do that/sarcasm. Being able to add a flip to your attack or have room to charge your opponent for extra damage is much harder, so it makes sense for them to be limited.

I see what you mean by "animations." If you mean the basic attack motions, then yes, I do mostly like them more than GBA. It's the sprites themselves that I really dislike.

[dondon151]

But, for example, Myrmidons just flip their sword once, then attack normally. Suddenly 3x damage? That makes sense. Especially since, you know, it's hard to get in a situation where you can do that/sarcasm.

How does the GBA myrm critical make sense? How do 90% of the critical animations in the game make sense? Try using another criterion.

[Nestling]

I hate all battle animations in general.

[El Rey León]

I liked the battle animations in how smoothly they were. Much better than the repetitive GBA ones (Mercenary jumps, hits, jumps back, jumps, hits, jumps back). But without unique sprites, they felt kind of dull. IIRC, characters only doubled using two hits when the enemy attacked first. Otherwise they would attack first, run back to their position, enemy attacks, then they attack again. I like how in FE4 and FE10, characters stayed near the enemy they were fighting, gave more of an impression of an actual fight. So there is room for improvement. It's battles should be the basis all future handheld FE titles use, just like RD battles should be the basis all future console FEs should use.

[riariadne]

How does the GBA myrm critical make sense? How do 90% of the critical animations in the game make sense? Try using another criterion.

I can think of very few critical animations that make sense. This games Fighter Handaxe critical hits are one of the few, because they put some obvious extra force into the throw. Oh, and GBA pirates, while awesome are like "wtf how does that hurt more".

[Momo]

I like them, but I find it strange that Marth's don't reflect his new parachute pants. That was the best new thing in the game, too :(

[AstraLunaSol]

I liked the battle animations in this game actually, it was realistic while maintaining a flair with the criticals.

[Rewjeo]

How does the GBA myrm critical make sense? How do 90% of the critical animations in the game make sense? Try using another criterion.

Makes sense as in it makes sense for it to do more damage, not makes sense as in it makes sense for that to be possible. Compare the SM crit in FEDS to the others. It's obvious that the SM crit will do more than a regular attack. The the FEDS Myrm's? It makes absolutely no sense. In fact, a flourish like that should actually make it LESS effective since it would let the enemy know that they're going to attack.

[Momo]

Makes sense as in it makes sense for it to do more damage, not makes sense as in it makes sense for that to be possible. Compare the SM crit in FEDS to the others. It's obvious that the SM crit will do more than a regular attack. The the FEDS Myrm's? It makes absolutely no sense. In fact, a flourish like that should actually make it LESS effective since it would let the enemy know that they're going to attack.

How does this not go for every single GBA crit?

[AstraLunaSol]

How does this not go for every single GBA crit?

One that's off the top of my head is the berserker animation, tossing an axe in the air. A huge one that that.

Edited May 19, 2010 by AstraLunaSol

[YayMarsha]

This has probably been mentioned (too lazy to read everything, ho ho), but a particular beef I had with the animations in this game involved doubling. Specifically, I always liked how Seisen/Thracia animations didn't involve a unit running back to his/her corner after attacking. From what I remember, this game only does that for sword attacks...which makes no freaking sense at all. The downgrade from the "kneel and poof" in 10 is also baffling. They added breathing, but forgot that insta-poof looks absurd? Meh.

By the way, I'm all for absurd animations. If I'm only going to watch them for a single playthrough (generally less than that nowadays), they should be fun to watch. :)

[dondon151]

The the FEDS Myrm's? It makes absolutely no sense. In fact, a flourish like that should actually make it LESS effective since it would let the enemy know that they're going to attack.

Like NotSal said, you just defeated your own argument with this statement.

[Rodykitty]

This has probably been mentioned (too lazy to read everything, ho ho), but a particular beef I had with the animations in this game involved doubling. Specifically, I always liked how Seisen/Thracia animations didn't involve a unit running back to his/her corner after attacking.

Yeah, but at least they simply leap back into the corner in a simple, "better get back" way to take attention away from this.

From what I remember, this game only does that for sword attacks...which makes no freaking sense at all.

It does it with Axes, and Armors I believe will stay close if doubling on a counter attack with a Lance, and Generals don't move at all when attacking because they have the greatest weapon ever, so it doesn't matter for them.

It's only mounts with Lances that don't have a doubling animation, although that kind of makes sense in a way to imply a more drive by hitting or jousting style with lances while riding something. A Sword or an Axe that a mount has will make the mounted unit stay up close and double attack.

The the FEDS Myrm's? It makes absolutely no sense. In fact, a flourish like that should actually make it LESS effective since it would let the enemy know that they're going to attack.

The very turn based nature of Fire Emblem lets the enemy know they're going to attack. That, and both crits of FEDS' Swordfighter animations add momentum or speed to their attack. Edited May 19, 2010 by Ilyana

[Rewjeo]

But that's basically all there is. The GBA sprites usually do more than just a flourish. Yeah, Sniper crits make no sense, but I've always thought that. But assassin crits? Freakin puts the whole body weight behind it. That makes sense. Myrm/SM? Unrealistic, but it sure makes sense for that to hurt more. Paladins? Uh, yeah that's gonna hurt more. Nomad Troopers? Same thing.

In FEDS, you've got a lot more that are simply swords spinning before attacking. I don't understand how that makes them seem like it would be a bigger increase in damage than in previous games.

[Rodykitty]

The only time a sword spins in FEDS is when the character's entire body moves in some way, when a Swordfighter spins the sword in his hand to be facing behind him/her before dashing in to strike, or mounted Social Knight/Paladin crits (which don't spin that much anyway). Almost every promoted unit in a GBA game spins their weapons for a few seconds before doing a strike where these spinning tricks are largely unnecessary to do. Your argument hinges on the two promoted units that aren't like this.

The reason the crits work to imply extra pain FEDS is that a lot of attacks have increased range of movement to build extra force in a swing, that and there is a large crashing effect whenever a unit hits an opponent with a crit.

Edited May 19, 2010 by Ilyana

[Ike-Mike]

I like how the battle animations are more or less FE3's animations in that crits are subtle to the point of being barely noticeable.

I wish IS would take an example from Pokémon Black and White though in how to do fluid animations without having to resort to CGI.

Edited May 19, 2010 by Ike-Mike

[Rodykitty]

Ideally you would trace over the 3D models in pixel, but IS may not have had time to do that (and it would take time).

[Bryan]

Ideally you would trace over the 3D models in pixel, but IS may not have had time to do that (and it would take time).

They had time.

I hate the animations in this game. The graphics were... Blegh.