lol

[Zerosabers]

Video Games: If it isn't finished we'll patch it later.

[Tamarsamar]

If I were to answer the title of this thread, I would probably say that I am the kind of gamer who likes to have time to think through his decisions. I am also the kind who makes a point to go in the direction he is supposed to go last. I have mentioned this before elsewhere, but I never got anywhere the one time I tried playing Super Mario 64.

[Jedi]

Is it too late to talk about FFIV? Did I miss that bus? Well Imma talk about it anyway.

When it comes to the original SNES version of FFIV, to be honest, I don't think there's much value or point in playing it these days, not when there are games like FFV, VI, VII, IX, and hey, FFIV DS, which is my favorite FF game.

The DS part really does make all the difference. It's so much better in every possible way, even in story and especially in game play. The augment system takes what was a simple and, comparatively bare-bones RPG and adds way more depth to team building and strategy. The only real issues I have with the system are that the game doesn't explain certain things about it(give X character a certain number of augments to get new augments later on, which isn't necessary to know unless you're specifically trying to get the most out of them to break the game in half in new game + playthroughs, but still) and it's difficult to experiment with in a single playthrough, which is main reason I prefer the job system(not FFIII's) but augments are a close second.

I personally think the PSP port is the definitive version of FFIV. Partly due to the fact the after years comes packaged with it, and it has the bonuses from the GBA port (iirc)

[The Geek]

I don't mind water levels. Maybe I just never experienced any of the bad ones, but they never bothered me (not even the Water Temple from OoT)

Ice levels though... I. Hate. Ice levels.

[MCProductions]

My personal nadir in video game levels are desert levels. I may have been playing too much FE lately

I swear it doesn't matter what series it is, desert levels ALWAYS trip me up.

Water levels are okay, and rarely get to me tho.

[Knight]

I love desert levels, outside of FE of course, where they're dumb.

[The Geek]

The only annoying desert level outside of FE I can think of is that one level in Super Mario 3 where the sun tries to kill you.

And maybe Shifting Sand Land.

[Sentacotus]

I don't mind water levels. Maybe I just never experienced any of the bad ones, but they never bothered me (not even the Water Temple from OoT)

Ice levels though... I. Hate. Ice levels.

Yeah its like water but a solid. Fuck that noise. I actually remember taking more damage in the Ice Cavern of OoT than anywhere else in the game.

[The DanMan]

To answer the thread's question...

I'm split. I like RPGs, and sometimes I like thinking out and really strategizing (Fire Emblem, most turn-based fare), while seemingly paradoxically my favorite series is Monster Hunter.

I play Halo for the campaign and lore (and whatever extras); I'm much more casual with its' multiplayer.

I enjoy Smash Bros., but suck at facing most human opponents.

I guess I'm in the middle of the casual-competitive split

[secondworld]

A bit late... again...

I personally think the PSP port is the definitive version of FFIV. Partly due to the fact the after years comes packaged with it, and it has the bonuses from the GBA port (iirc)

The PSP version is alright, I just don't think its presentation and localization improvements can match the DS versions' presentation, localization, story, and gameplay improvements.

Anyway, I haven't answered the thread question because... I'm not sure really. I end up playing a lot of RPGs sure, but I generally enjoy a variety of games. Hell, I'll enjoy playing CoD with some friends despite not being too into FPSs. How I play changes with whatever I'm playing so...? Maybe I'll think of something later.

[AnonymousSpeed]

I'm a hibernating gamer. I haven't actually played a video game in a while.

[tacticianwhite]

What type of gamer am I...?

Hmm.... I suppose I am mostly an RPG gamer, turn-based and real-time.

...I'm also the type of gamer who buys and plays games but never finishes them, if that counts.

[Draco]

/super late to all of this but

Final Fantasy V > Final Fantasy IV

Thoughts?

Final Fantasy IV doesn't have much going for it, honestly. They added some cool new stuff to the DS version but they also made it freakishly hard for some reason, especially later in the game. Plus the ATB is really slow.

FFV is one of the few I haven't played but I know it has the jobs and all that and I know people are into that.

But, uh, as for the type of gamer I am, I'm somewhere in the middle of hardcore and casual but I lean more toward hardcore. I play a lot of RPGs, mostly. Some platformers and fighters.

[Tamarsamar]

/super late to all of this but

Final Fantasy IV doesn't have much going for it, honestly. They added some cool new stuff to the DS version but they also made it freakishly hard for some reason, especially later in the game. Plus the ATB is really slow.

FFV is one of the few I haven't played but I know it has the jobs and all that and I know people are into that.

But, uh, as for the type of gamer I am, I'm somewhere in the middle of hardcore and casual but I lean more toward hardcore. I play a lot of RPGs, mostly. Some platformers and fighters.

[secondworld]

/super late to all of this but

Final Fantasy IV doesn't have much going for it, honestly. They added some cool new stuff to the DS version but they also made it freakishly hard for some reason, especially later in the game. Plus the ATB is really slow.

Slow ATB is the worst. Most FF games though have the option to change the battle speed, which just makes the ATB go faster or slower, so you don't have to wait as much in battle.

[Draco]

I don't get it. What does this mean?

[Carmine Sword]

I think it's supposed to be a "Seriously dude" expression, which doesn't make sense to me, as the ATB in FFIV is pretty slow and prone to bits of random pausing, at least in the Snes and Gba versions.

[Tamarsamar]

See, you guys are completely missing my problem with ATB. My problem was not that it was too slow at all, my problem was that it deprived me of time to actually think and plan out my turns! My problem was "Okay, so Kain will be ready before Rydia and Rosa, so . . . wait, crap, everybody's bars are full already, crap crap crap I'm wasting the time of multiple units trying to figure out and input the actions for one of them." It was just not a fun time at all! Especially with all the other games I could be playing, I would basically need to be compelled at gunpoint to put myself through an experience like that ever again.

Quoting because it's still mostly relevant and I do not want to waste energy ranting again.

[secondworld]

Quoting because it's still mostly relevant and I do not want to waste energy ranting again.

This is an odd case for me, as I've never had this issue nor have met anyone else who has, but:

Most FF games though have the option to change the battle speed, which just makes the ATB go faster or slower

Perhaps this would help?

[Tamarsamar]

What I would most frequently end up doing as because you can set the timer to pause in submenus, I would basically hide in the Items menu until I figured out what I wanted to do. Still, it's a system that makes me feel like any time spent not selecting an action is wasted potential, and that drove me insane.

Of course, I did have to slow it down too just to ensure that I didn't get eaten for breakfast by bosses. But anybody saying that the ATB was too slow of all things is incredibly condescending.

Look. Can we all just agree that it was poorly designed (especially when compared to something like Chrono Trigger) and leave it at that?

Edited August 20, 2015 by Tamarsamar

[secondworld]

What I would most frequently end up doing as because you can set the timer to pause in submenus, I would basically hide in the Items menu until I figured out what I wanted to do. Still, it's a system that makes me feel like any time spent not selecting an action is wasted potential, and that drove me insane.

Of course, I did have to slow it down too just to ensure that I didn't get eaten for breakfast by bosses. But anybody saying that the ATB was too slow of all things is incredibly condescending.

Look. Can we all just agree that it was poorly designed (especially when compared to something like Chrono Trigger) and leave it at that?

Look dude, I get you're frustrated, and I understand why you don't like the ATB(or at least FFIV's ATB? your CT comment has me a bit confused on that point), but can we not make such over-generalizations?

I apologize if I ever came off as condescending, I certainly didn't mean to. I can't say your dislike is unfounded or misguided, I get your points, but your attitude here seems to imply that your opinion is the truth and those who have disagreed are wrong or elitist. The fact is I legitimately don't like how slow the ATB is by default because of the time spent waiting in battles.

The ATB may not be my favorite battle system ever, but I'd have to disagree with it being objectively, poorly designed, even if it's a bit clunky in vanilla FFIV.

[Jedi]

Look. Can we all just agree that it was poorly designed (especially when compared to something like Chrono Trigger) and leave it at that?

No, ATB wasn't poorly designed. It prompts faster actions then your typical RPG, and X-2 used it perfectly. The fact that FF has gone away from it since they finally perfected it, is one of the main reasons I don't like the series as much these days. It worries me for the FF7 remake honestly. ATB makes you have to think on your feet more.

You know I like my RPG's to be active, FF did that, Legend of Dragoon (wasn't ATB but had the very cool additions system that made you input attacks). Many others did that too,

Also you cite Chrono Trigger when it uses ATB as well.

Edited August 20, 2015 by Jedi

[Tamarsamar]

You and I have vastly different opinions of an Action RPG done right. Final Fantasy at its core was not built to be an Action RPG (apart from the XIII titles, and even then that's arguable). Tales of [symphonia] was.

[secondworld]

You and I have vastly different opinions of an Action RPG done right. Final Fantasy at its core was not built to be an Action RPG (apart from the XIII titles, and even then that's arguable). Tales of [symphonia] was.

Now see, I don't consider ATB FF games to be action RPGs, so maybe that's part of why our opinions differ?

When I think of an action RPG, I think of something like Tales of the Abyss or Kingdom Hearts(first one at least, sequels blur the line between RPG and hack n' slash), where you move around the battle and actively input each attack in real time.

I consider the ATB system to be a variation on turn-based combat.

[Tamarsamar]

Now see, I don't consider ATB FF games to be action RPGs, so maybe that's part of why our opinions differ?

When I think of an action RPG, I think of something like Tales of the Abyss or Kingdom Hearts(first one at least, sequels blur the line between RPG and hack n' slash), where you move around the battle and actively input each attack in real time.

I consider the ATB system to be a variation on turn-based combat.

I was replying to Jedi; I totally agree with you on this one.

This is why I think FFX is one of the best in terms of execution. It has all of the dynamics of variable party member turn frequencies with none of the stress over lost time.