Lunar PSP

clessoulis · Post by **clessoulis** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 6:27 am

First off wtf is there no topic on this already?

Second is rather good.

My only issue is removal of a world map of traditional sense.

Each version of lunar bring something new and this time its good. GBA one was a huge step back and this is a huge step forward again.

Gil_Hamilton · Post by **Gil_Hamilton** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 12:47 pm

What are you talking about? There hasn't been a new Lunar game since the Eternal Blue remake back in 1999. I'm pretty sure I'd know if there was.

I think Game Arts went bankrupt.

kode54 · Post by **kode54** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 1:00 pm

He may be referring to Lunar: Silver Star Harmony, which was just released two days ago in the US and EU regions.

Post by **badinsults** » Fri Mar 05, 2010 1:28 am

They are almost as bad with these re-releases as Square is with Final Fantasy IV.

clessoulis · Post by **clessoulis** » Fri Mar 05, 2010 2:53 am

kode54 wrote:He may be referring to Lunar: Silver Star Harmony, which was just released two days ago in the US and EU regions.

Correct and it is great.

snkcube · Post by **snkcube** » Fri Mar 05, 2010 4:41 am

Gil_Hamilton wrote:I think Game Arts went bankrupt.

They're still alive. They did co-develop Smash Bros. Brawl not too long ago.

Gil_Hamilton · Post by **Gil_Hamilton** » Fri Mar 05, 2010 9:02 am

kode54 wrote:He may be referring to Lunar: Silver Star Harmony, which was just released two days ago in the US and EU regions.

No, I'm pretty sure that never happened.

Next I suppose you're going to tell me there was a totally original Lunar game on the DS, I suppose. Which is equally ridiculous.

Post by **grinvader** » Fri Mar 05, 2010 1:47 pm

some people missed their lunarcasm check here

kode54 · Post by **kode54** » Fri Mar 05, 2010 2:30 pm

Yes, I failed my check, because I'm not a rabid fan of the series, and in fact have no opinion of any of the games other than:

Lunar: The Silver Star - Ugh, overly frequent random encounters, but I managed to beat it anyway.
Lunar: Eternal Blue - More random battles, managed to make it 3/4 of the way through before giving up and doing other things.
Lunar 2: Eternal Blue Complete - Blessed wandering enemies, but the battles were still annoying. Cheated to get through the final area without actually fighting anything, cheated final boss, etc.

I guess I could say I'm glad I got this shit out of my system. Now, Metroidvanias, I find myself replaying on a regular basis. Oh, and FF12, the only Final Fantasy I've ever bothered to play through more than once.

byuu · Post by **byuu** » Fri Mar 05, 2010 4:07 pm

Blessed wandering enemies, but the battles were still annoying.

How can anyone in the world prefer to see the enemies on the screen? All it does is cause serious anxiety as you go out of your way to avoid them and end up getting cornered constantly anyway. And then getting pissed off that you were forced into that battle, because you had the possibility to avoid it. And supposedly the enemies are even harder to avoid on the miniaturized dungeons in the PSP port.

And if you want more realistic, go outside. One enemy sprite representing a group of enemies is just as stupid as no enemy sprite. As is the "town on one tile" concept, the leveling concept, and on and on.

My only issue is removal of a world map of traditional sense.

It was already completely bastardized in the PS1 remakes anyway. If there's no battles, there's no point in walking around. No story happens on the map.

Gonzo · Post by **Gonzo** » Fri Mar 05, 2010 4:30 pm

byuu wrote:If there's no battles, there's no point in walking around. No story happens on the map.

...

You are aware that by that logic, final fantasy mystic quest created the best way to navigate a world map?

kode54 · Post by **kode54** » Fri Mar 05, 2010 6:04 pm

Actually, I prefer the way FF12 does it over even that. Plus, if I actually want to avoid battles, I can just hold one of the trigger buttons and make a mad dash for the nearest map change point.

While still limited, wandering enemies with turn based battles can still be fun. Must be why I've managed to replay Earthbound to an all level 99 party at least a few times.

byuu · Post by **byuu** » Sat Mar 06, 2010 1:28 am

Gonzo wrote:You are aware that by that logic, final fantasy mystic quest created the best way to navigate a world map?

I would rather there be battles on the world map. If you're going to remove the basic tenants of JRPGs since the original Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest, then you may as well do away with the whole concept of a world map. It's a pointless waste of time to simply walk around with no risk or interaction.

The most annoying part about this is it's so easy to make it a configuration option.
* show enemy sprites in dungeons [on / off]
* allow encounters on the world map [on / off]
_____* show enemy sprites on the world map [on / off]

Probably an extra 40 lines of code, and people can play the game like they remember it.

I.S.T. · Post by **I.S.T.** » Sat Mar 06, 2010 5:39 pm

I don't mind the lack of battles on the overhead map. It's a nice change of pace.

Gonzo · Post by **Gonzo** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 3:55 am

byuu wrote:
Gonzo wrote:You are aware that by that logic, final fantasy mystic quest created the best way to navigate a world map?
I would rather there be battles on the world map. If you're going to remove the basic tenants of JRPGs since the original Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest, then you may as well do away with the whole concept of a world map. It's a pointless waste of time to simply walk around with no risk or interaction.

Yeah I can see your point. I always found pointless wandering with no or little interaction rather boring.
Silent Hill 2 springs to my mind is an example of pointless walking, and pointless standing around in elevators waiting for them to get where they're going.
I get it was done to create an "atmosphere of isolation", but if your still running down a tunnel in a game in the time it takes me to boil an egg and have my toast all buttered up and ready to go, then that's a long ass walk.

I personally prefer world maps without random battles though. I think it's just all the time it wastes going from the map screen to the battle screen that I get sick of. I also really hate it when you’re in an area with low level monsters. If you fight them you get bugger all exp and money and if you run, depending on the monsters and the game, you run the risk of being hit or copping a status anomaly as you flee.

I just wish every rpg had the encounter none option like Final Fantasy 8.
If you want to get into fights for exp or whatever, you leave the option off.
But if you want to solve puzzles in boss castles or walk from one town to the other without getting into a battle every three steps then you turn it on.

Post by **Agozer** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 12:35 pm

Gonzo wrote:
Silent Hill 2 springs to my mind is an example of pointless walking, and pointless standing around in elevators waiting for them to get where they're going.
I get it was done to create an "atmosphere of isolation", but if your still running down a tunnel in a game in the time it takes me to boil an egg and have my toast all buttered up and ready to go, then that's a long ass walk.

Personally, I found that to be one of the more endearing aspects of Silent Hill 2. At least that was better than 0rigins, where all the monsters that roamed the town constantly regenerated.

Gil_Hamilton · Post by **Gil_Hamilton** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 1:11 pm

So... I'm feeling less silly now, and more just annoyed.

I downloaded the Harmony demo a while back.
I rapidly determind that I will not be purchasing the full game, apologies to XSeed.
It is the WORST Lunar game I have ever played(note that I have never played Dragon Song).

The maps are broken up into 3-4 screen minimap collections, ensuring lots of black load screens as you explore.

The classic Lunar overlay menu is gone, replaced with a generic piece of crap menu screen, sorted into generic item/equip/status/save options instead of by character. This is a blasphemy before Althena herself.

The map is a connect-the-dots affair. I find this highly unappealing.

Obviously the FF-style party item bag has carried forward instead of individual character inventories.

Limit breaks. Fucking limit breaks.

The entire thing is steaming sewage, and is only good for raising my blood pressure.

Game Arts is not ACTUALLY dead, but I really wish they were.

Post by **grinvader** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 4:49 pm

Gil_Hamilton wrote:Game Arts is not ACTUALLY dead, but I really wish they were.

Only one thing to do.

byuu · Post by **byuu** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 12:02 am

Studio Alex is dead. I do wonder what they'd think of Game Arts rewriting the basic story of Silver Star before completely raping the game mechanics as they have.

Gil_Hamilton · Post by **Gil_Hamilton** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 7:46 am

byuu wrote:Studio Alex is dead. I do wonder what they'd think of Game Arts rewriting the basic story of Silver Star before completely raping the game mechanics as they have.

Yeah.

As I understand it, they got sued into oblivion.
Game Arts wasn't involving or paying them for the remakes, so they sued.
In response, Game Arts dug out the old Walking/Strolling/Magic/WTF School anime one-shot and countersued them over delays on that and kept at it until bankruptcy solved the issue.

Rashidi · Post by **Rashidi** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 7:58 am

money, the root of all oblivion
sad story, however human will never learns.

so, i'm sure there will be similar drama in the future.

Gil_Hamilton · Post by **Gil_Hamilton** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 9:13 am

Rashidi wrote:money, the root of all oblivion
sad story, however human will never learns.

so, i'm sure there will be similar drama in the future.

BUT...
THE FUTURE REFUSED TO CHANGE.

adventure_of_link · Post by **adventure_of_link** » Tue Mar 09, 2010 1:44 am

Gil_Hamilton wrote:
Rashidi wrote:money, the root of all oblivion
sad story, however human will never learns.

so, i'm sure there will be similar drama in the future.
BUT...
THE FUTURE REFUSED TO CHANGE.

CHANGE... something we can all believe in....

Gil_Hamilton · Post by **Gil_Hamilton** » Tue Mar 09, 2010 5:46 am

adventure_of_link wrote:
Gil_Hamilton wrote:
Rashidi wrote:money, the root of all oblivion
sad story, however human will never learns.

so, i'm sure there will be similar drama in the future.
BUT...
THE FUTURE REFUSED TO CHANGE.
CHANGE... something we can all believe in....