Information topic (spoilers)

[Superbus]

That you write about video games 'for a living', is not an indicator of any type of skill or expertise that would allow you to give a qualified opinion about a game, especially from a skill, mechanics, and game design perspective. Given what you've written in this thread, it's likely your reviews are about as useful as any other unskilled player who is not qualified to write a competent analysis of a game. If there were any sanity in the games journalism industry, reviews would be delegated to experts by genre, instead of throwing games at unskilled journalists at random with predictably awful results.

Man, I was hoping I didn't have to pull this card... but I've been playing video games now since I can remember (I'm 30), I play enough games to know what I'm doing, and if that doesn't help or establish that I know a bit about Fire Emblem, I ran FESS for four years. My running FESS - and eventual closing of it, and recommending my members come here - is specifically why I came to SF in the first place.

Funny you criticize me for a "strawman", and yet you make so many base accusations - some of which old timers will tell you are laughably false - about me based on... what, exactly? I agree that not everyone who reviews a Fire Emblem game "gets" it - some of the past reviews I've read were infuriating - but that's the thing: every review needs to be looked at on its own merits. I'm not an "expert" on first person shooters - not like I am on, say, sports games or SRPGs - but I play them enough to be able to tell my readers what a good one is and what a bad one is, or at least justify my reasons as to why I think either way.

You would have a justifiable right to criticise me - or any reviewer - if I played a couple hours of the game and wrote up a review on that (I know some who do). I do not do that.

EDIT: I'm going to attempt to bring this back on some semblance of a topic. My Unit, even when not specifically trying to make him stronger, is insane. Mine is currently my strongest unit, level-wise - by a lot (not counting Alan and Sirius) - and pretty much rips through anything I send him against, regardless of weapon. Even if I was playing on a higher difficulty, I think My Unit would be my strongest overall character, regardless of what class I used (mine is a pirate at the moment).

Edited August 2, 2010 by Superbus

[General Spoon]

Before you throw around words like pricks, would you please take the time (despite you claiming you don't have time because you have to review video games, I'm calling bullshit since you always have enough time on your hands to troll here) to backup your accusations with examples?

EDIT: @Bus, obviously.

Edited August 2, 2010 by General Spoon

[Rodykitty]

See, I thought Lunatic mode was made as an answer to how "broken" online shop and other features are, but I guess that just isn't enough.

And I thought the other difficulty modes were in for people that want to play more comfortably, but I guess that isn't enough either.

[Celice]

EDIT: I'm going to attempt to bring this back on some semblance of a topic. My Unit, even when not specifically trying to make him stronger, is insane. Mine is currently my strongest unit, level-wise - by a lot (not counting Alan and Sirius) - and pretty much rips through anything I send him against, regardless of weapon. Even if I was playing on a higher difficulty, I think My Unit would be my strongest overall character, regardless of what class I used (mine is a pirate at the moment).

My Unit certainly seems that way. You have them for the entire game, and in the beginning, the characters in comparison with My Unit are absolute trash. Unless you want to use a specific character, experience seems to gravitate to this character. That's more level ups, and, already cool stats and whatnot is making a win combination.

It's definitely an overkill unit, and I think on the easier difficulties the AI targets My Unit over other units. But then again, when thinking about My Unit, they kinda have to be powerful... not really, but a lot of people don't sit well with having their character they made be absolute trash :/

[Panthera]

Lunatic mode I doubt was supposed to be an "answer" to such things, just yet another step to satisfy the fact that some players basically think that any game that can be beaten is too easy (not much of that in this topic, but I'm sure you've encountered the people who say "<level that everyone else in the world agrees is hard as hell> is so easy, you just have to <insert insanely complicated strategy relying on 10% chances/frame-perfect movements (depending on genre)> and then you win, god why don't they make games hard any more?!". Adding some helpful features doesn't really hinder anything; it makes it easier for the less hardcore, while the more hardcore are already inclined to do self-imposed challenges so that's not a big deal anyway (and as far as "if it exists, it ruins the difficulty" ideas go, there's a difference in my mind between something like "Don't want it to be easy? Don't use forges" where you ignore a feature that's right in front of you, and "Don't use the wi-fi shop" when you're ignoring a feature that exists outside the main game and is a nuisance for a lot of people to access in the first place)

[CO_Fimbulvetr]

I so knew this argument would surface eventually. Although I thought it would happen sooner.

Building on what Celice mentioned, it's probably a good thing My Unit good rather than bad. Frankly I don't think it would make a good impression on people who don't play the game as obsessively as some of us here.

My Unit's growths aren't that good, it's just that they're distributed well and you get get to choose a hax stat. Also, Catria is more hax so the point about My Unit isn't really that important.

[grandjackal]

I've yet to play the game, but I like the idea of My Unit, since it takes a basic idea that originated in basic RPGs, that being the Name Your Hero bit. He interacts with fellow characters, btu at the same time doesn't hog the main hero role that Marth is supposed to fill since he's supposed to be the unsung hero. I find it a very nice touch, and I like how they pulled it off.

[Momo]

I've yet to play the game, but I like the idea of My Unit, since it takes a basic idea that originated in basic RPGs, that being the Name Your Hero bit. He interacts with fellow characters, btu at the same time doesn't hog the main hero role that Marth is supposed to fill since he's supposed to be the unsung hero. I find it a very nice touch, and I like how they pulled it off.

Admittedly I can't read the game, but I think you might be a tad disappointed about that last part. Every cutscene is essentially:

Jagen: Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah (someone is attacking!)

Marth: Blah blah blah blah blah (Get ready for battle!) And what do you think, random soldier?

My Unit: Blah blah blah. (uh... stuff)

I really don't see him saying anything particularly important, if the story is the same.

[grandjackal]

Admittedly I can't read the game, but I think you might be a tad disappointed about that last part. Every cutscene is essentially:

Jagen: Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah (someone is attacking!)

Marth: Blah blah blah blah blah (Get ready for battle!) And what do you think, random soldier?

My Unit: Blah blah blah. (uh... stuff)

I really don't see him saying anything particularly important, if the story is the same.

Well, even if the dialogue is blandly executed, the point is he does keep Marth from being assassinated. In a way, that is heroic. He didn't save the world, but he did save an important figure from certain death

[Momo]

Eh, just sayin that you shouldn't get your hopes up, thinking the game doesn't blatantly Mary Sue the guy.

[Paperblade]

My Unit's growths aren't that good, it's just that they're distributed well and you get get to choose a hax stat. Also, Catria is more hax so the point about My Unit isn't really that important.

This is MU on my Lunatic+ playthrough. Started as an Armor Knight, +2 Def, +1 Str/Mag, +Skl/Spd growth. So yes, I would say MU is more hax.

Edited August 2, 2010 by Paperblade

[Inui]

I went with a Cavalier and he has stats like that but a lot more mobility. ;)

Definitely my best unit by far atm.

But I'm still in the prologue because this game kicks my ass and I don't feel like taking the time to beat it. :(

you went with the same hair style and color as I did :P

Edited August 2, 2010 by Inui

[MizuJosh]

I went with a Cavalier and he has stats like that but a lot more mobility. ;)

Definitely my best unit by far atm.

But I'm still in the prologue because this game kicks my ass and I don't feel like taking the time to beat it. :(

you went with the same hair style and color as I did :P

You do realize that's a cavalier, too. Haha.

My Unit has the potential to be the best unit in the game, I think.

[fatgamecat]

This is MU on my Lunatic+ playthrough. Started as an Armor Knight, +2 Def, +1 Str/Mag, +Skl/Spd growth. So yes, I would say MU is more hax.

When I rolled a knight through the prologue his SPD was 3 by the end of it, and I'm pretty sure I picked the skl/spd growths. How often did you get SPD to proc? Looks like quite a lot even considering the switch from knight to cavalier. How much reloading for procs did you do?

That's interesting going lances for My Unit, but it seems to me you already get a ton of good lance users including Catria. Maybe it doesn't matter though if they are just that uber.

Edited August 2, 2010 by mjemirzian

[Paperblade]

I didn't reload at all. He had... 13 at 10 as a Cavalier, which would be 7 as a Knight.

Which would be 6 in 9 levels. So 1.5 above average assuming full growth is +20%. He's gotten +2 since then although as of the end of Ch. 3 he gained 2 levels but no Speed, so I guess my luck wore out in that regard.

14 Defense is also about average, since he had a 13 base and 50% growth as an Armor, so 17.5 down to 13.5 as a level 10 Cav where he'd have a 35% growth. Armor Knight HP growth is 100% so that's expected (he has an 80% HP growth so he could actually have 30). Armor is +10 Str, and I would assume +10 since I picked Str minor, so 45% growth and 3 base + class base, giving him about 12 as a level 10 Cav, which he had, and then he has the same growth as a Cav, so that's average.

11 levels at 60% Luck growth and 3 base is average. Skill... like a 65% growth as an armor and 70% as a Cav. so 3 + ~8 + 2 = 13.

So he's like +2 over Speed and about average everywhere else.

Edited August 2, 2010 by Paperblade

[TheEnd]

Admittedly I can't read the game, but I think you might be a tad disappointed about that last part. Every cutscene is essentially:

Jagen: Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah (someone is attacking!)

Marth: Blah blah blah blah blah (Get ready for battle!) And what do you think, random soldier?

My Unit: Blah blah blah. (uh... stuff)

I really don't see him saying anything particularly important, if the story is the same.

I'd say it's more like this:

Jagen: Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah

Marth: What do you think, newcomer I bullshitted into being the leader of my personal guards?

My Unit: Blah blah blah blah blah blah

Marth: Let's go!

But of course, the story is still the same. As far as dialogues go, My Unit primarily serves as a listener for other characters.

Edited August 2, 2010 by Mr. Facepalm

[Eltoshen]

I'd say it's more like this:

Jagen: Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah

Marth: What do you think, newcomer I bullshitted into being the leader of my personal guards?

My Unit: Blah blah blah blah blah blah

Marth: Let's go!

But of course, the story is still the same. As far as dialogues go, My Unit primarily serves as a listener for other characters.

So MU is a shrink or something similar.

Interesting.

[TheEnd]

So MU is a shrink or something similar.

Interesting.

Its personality is basically "I'm loyal to Marth and my grandfather taught me that if you feel pain from training, then you should train more."

[Big Klingy]

I have something I'd like clarifying. Do your characters keep their items from the prologue, or is it like Lyn mode, where returning characters get a brand new inventory?

[Paperblade]

Characters that stay in Ch. 1 (Marth, MU, Luke, Rody, Cecil, Gordin, Ryan, Draug) keep their inventory. Any other items go to the convoy and upon rejoining the units have a new inventory.

[Dr. Tarrasque]

Episode 2 is now up for download. A No$GBA save with it here:

http://www.mediafire...a4tnippcqqabjsx

Just place it in the BATTERY folder and change its name to be the same as the ROM's but keeping the .sav extension, backing up your regular save before doing this. Another option is simply to make a copy of the ROM and rename it to be the same as the save so you don't have to worry about backing up your regular save.

Anyway, in this one you play with Katarina, Kleine and 5 Roros, 1 of them wielding the Immortal Axe (which explains his lack of Vulnerary).

Athena joins on turn 2. Eremiya and Gharnef join on turn 6.

Edited August 4, 2010 by Sirius

[Momo]

So, was it ever established wtf is with the multiple Roros? Cause controlling multiples of the same guy is freaky as hell.

[AstraLunaSol]

Eremiya and Gharnef join on turn 6.

Actually, they join on the turn after you get in the top 2 Heroes range, the same applies for the reinforcements.

Edited August 4, 2010 by Michalis

[Dr. Tarrasque]

Actually, they on the turn after you get in the top 2 Heroes range, the same applies for the reinforcements.

Ah good, gives you time to prepare for them.

[Tryhard]

If anyone was curious.

EDIT: By the way, what was up with Athena randomly just showing up? :\

Edited August 4, 2010 by Kelsper