Game Questions You Want Answered (?)

Always feels weird when gaming questions pop up in the big thread in the everything else section. There must be order!

Ask away!

?
?

?

?

Are there any games that have jrpg-style combat à la FFX and are multiplayer?

Online multiplayer or local? Strictly turn-based like FFX or quasi-realtime (ATB) like most of the other Final Fantasy games?

I think all the PSOne Final Fantasy games included an option to let a second local player control some of the characters, and the Final Fantasy MMOs capture something that feels a lot like multiplayer ATB, but I'm drawing a blank on turn-based online multiplayer games without getting into F2P mobile JRPGs.

The "Tales of" Games have some multiplayer component to the combat right? Although those aren't turn based combat.

I think they're like the older FF games and let you turn over control of another character to a local player.

the only other turn based coop RPG i can think of is Divinity: Original Sin (or any of the Infinity Engine games at a pinch) but they are all about as far away from traditional FF JRPGS as you can possibly get.

Not active time battle, just turn based. Just thought it would be an interesting idea. Would have to be online multiplayer for me to play it.

Child of Light is 1.5 player and has active-time battles. Not online though.

Was it on here somewhere that I saw the Lego universe (or whichever Lego building game) wang thing? I need to pass it on to a friend.

Edit: found it http://www.exquisitetweets.com/tweet...

How much scarier are the System Shock games relative to the BioShock series? Or better put, are there more horror elements in System Shock?

shoptroll wrote:

How much scarier are the System Shock games relative to the BioShock series? Or better put, are there more horror elements in System Shock?

It's hard to quantify, especially with how dated the SS games are. I've only played 2, but it does get pretty tense, and with weapon degradation and scarce resources the stakes are much higher so running away from enemies is an essential survival strategy.

Enemies are also quite creepy too. Although that's a YMMV thing.

I'd absolutely say that SS2 is essential to at least try out.

shoptroll wrote:

How much scarier are the System Shock games relative to the BioShock series? Or better put, are there more horror elements in System Shock?

System shock 2 - yes. Definitely more horror oriented, although you'd have to take into account how much of an antique it is at this stage. That said, a lot of it is in sound design, which still holds up really well. A lot of the horror lies in situations that happen "off-screen" as well which you read/hear about in audio logs and stuff (e.g: the origin of the Midwives).

It veers WAY off into stock shooter territory by the final levels though, with some ridiculous fights and platforming it doesn't quite have the technology to pull off well.

System shock 1 - not so much. It's much too old at this point to offer much in the way of scares and that was never really the focus of it in the first place. However, the remake is looking to inject a bit more of the system shock 2 style horror into the mix going by how the demo played, so that should be interesting.

shoptroll wrote:

How much scarier are the System Shock games relative to the BioShock series? Or better put, are there more horror elements in System Shock?

I don't think so, as least not with System Shock 2. Both it and Bioshock deal a lot with disfiguration, body horror, hijacking the bodies of innocents, and an orderly society slowly turning against its best elements.

System Shock 2 might feel a bit scarier in its first half because there was a bigger emphasis on resource scarcity and weapon degradation, but you'll feel so empowered in its second half that the point is moot.

Thanks for the responses everyone, I'll probably pick them up at some point then!

ClockworkHouse wrote:

but you'll feel so empowered in its second half that the point is moot.

Oh hey, it's an RPG! (I found this to be true of Deus Ex and the original BioShock as well)

I have another JRPG question, but possibly it could extend to other genres as well. Are there any that have random missions where you have to heal your three opponents, not damage them? I'm not thinking of something where you're a medic all the time, just as a surprise change of pace.

There's a side mission in Wutai in Final Fantasy VII in which you and the Turks (your enemies since hour 1 of the game) team up to save kidnapped teammates from both sides. Afterward both teams agree to ignore each others' presence in town as they are on vacation and you are chasing after an annoying ninja. So, kinda?

Mermaidpirate wrote:

I have another JRPG question, but possibly it could extend to other genres as well. Are there any that have random missions where you have to heal your three opponents, not damage them? I'm not thinking of something where you're a medic all the time, just as a surprise change of pace.

Final Fantasy XIV, except the three opponents are your teammates, they constantly step in the fire and they yell at you if they die.

Mermaidpirate wrote:

I have another JRPG question, but possibly it could extend to other genres as well. Are there any that have random missions where you have to heal your three opponents, not damage them? I'm not thinking of something where you're a medic all the time, just as a surprise change of pace.

Undertale?

Undertale is dodging, not healing. Never wrong to play Undertale anyway though.

I don't know about a surprise change of pace. There's Princess Remedy, but that's being a medic all the time.

Gremlin wrote:

I don't know about a surprise change of pace. There's Princess Remedy, but that's being a medic all the time.

But since the mechanic is exactly the same as a combat game, (except you're shooting the germs with medicine, I guess), it doesn't really feel like "healing" to me. I don't know what the mechanic *should* be, but I think that it should at least be *different*.

Mermaidpirate wrote:

I have another JRPG question, but possibly it could extend to other genres as well. Are there any that have random missions where you have to heal your three opponents, not damage them? I'm not thinking of something where you're a medic all the time, just as a surprise change of pace.

In most Final Fantasy games, undead creatures are harmed by healing spells/items... close?

So my game time is late at night. Should a put a lamp behind my monitor or behind me to reduce eye strain?

JohnKillo wrote:

So my game time is late at night. Should a put a lamp behind my monitor or behind me to reduce eye strain?

Turn the brightness on your monitor down?

I will try that too. I did put it down 50 percent.

Obviously I have stumbled into a hot new gaming idea that will make me millions. Sweet.

beeporama wrote:

In most Final Fantasy games, undead creatures are harmed by healing spells/items... close?

You can do that in FF: Brave Exvius, but it does so little damage it's not worth it. Disappointment = total.

JohnKillo wrote:

I will try that too. I did put it down 50 percent.

You can also use a blue light filter like f.lux, and I think it's still the recommendation to not use screens in the dark, so some kind of lamp would be good I assume.

I put it down all the way and then turn down the lights to compensate. I figure eyestrain isn't so much from the actual brightness of the screen since even reflected daylight is much more intense, let alone a blue sky. I figured it was your eyes continuously having to adjust and readjust from differing ambient light sources. So it try to equalize them as much as I can, and turn the screen all the way down just for good measure.

Do videogame spiders often look like real life American spiders? I know some people have a real problem with spiders in games, sometimes I will have a bit of an "eww" reaction but not much.

I realised the other day if they were redbacks or Sydney funnel-webs I would probably s*** my pants.

Are there any RPGs with the character progression of a FF Tactics (Races, Jobs) that isn't Japanese anime style? Even better if they have tactical combat.

I love the mechanics of FF Tactics and Tactics Ogre but I've never liked anime or JRPG graphics.

mrwynd wrote:

Are there any RPGs with the character progression of a FF Tactics (Races, Jobs) that isn't Japanese anime style? Even better if they have tactical combat.

I love the mechanics of FF Tactics and Tactics Ogre but I've never liked anime or JRPG graphics.

I don't recall either of those games having artwork including characters with big heads, purple and green hair, and gigantic eyes. Memory might be playing tricks, though, since its been a long time. Heheh

Mermaidpirate wrote:

Do videogame spiders often look like real life American spiders? I know some people have a real problem with spiders in games, sometimes I will have a bit of an "eww" reaction but not much.

I realised the other day if they were redbacks or Sydney funnel-webs I would probably s*** my pants.

I think I've seen a lot of videogame monsters based on either black widows (related to redbacks) or tarantulas (pretty much harmless to humans, but they freak a lot of people out anyway), and I suspect one variety in Skyrim is based on brown recluses (nasty venom but not aggressive).

ChipRMonk wrote:
mrwynd wrote:

Are there any RPGs with the character progression of a FF Tactics (Races, Jobs) that isn't Japanese anime style? Even better if they have tactical combat.

I love the mechanics of FF Tactics and Tactics Ogre but I've never liked anime or JRPG graphics.

I don't recall either of those games having artwork including characters with big heads, purple and green hair, and gigantic eyes. Memory might be playing tricks, though, since its been a long time. Heheh :-)

Well I'm not sure what else you call it but the characters are all very cute and effeminate. I'd rather play something that looks a bit more adult.

IMAGE(http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/finalfantasy/images/6/67/Dark_knight_fft.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20130808001059)