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[Teknoman]

Orchestrated CD = Awesome. Picked it up from Gamestop today, but putting the game up for Christmas. Still not done with Dragon Quest IV, and its one RPG at a time for me per system type.


The medley is nice since it goes through just about every major theme.

 

[Zeenbor]

I'm really surprised that the two things that are centerpiece to the nostalgic marketing effort are not in the game:

1. The old SNES font.

2. "Good Morning, Crono."

I also noticed a few replacements regarding sound effects (particularly when you get the bike key in 2300 A.D.) as well as some compression with the MIDI instruments and sound effects.

The new translation is generally better, but I do feel as if some of the charm is gone. (e.g. Market guy in Truce saying, "Whadd'ya want?" in the SNES version and now some polite diatribe in the DS version.)

Spoiler

I'm only in 2300 A.D. but what's up with calling Magus the Fiendlord?? Such a weird translation... and I'd say the build-up to hearing someone called Magus during the 600 A.D. section made me wonder who he was. I don't know who is Fiendlord and maybe I don't want to because it sound ridiculous!

Some of the color palette changes are questionable... For instance, why is the dragon tank an orange instead of a yellow, like before? Marle seems like she has darker hair, as well. I feel as if some of the vibrancy of the color palette is gone in some places. I wonder why.

I was also hoping that Square Enix would fix the nagging layer restriction with any layer 3 transparency. Perfect example is when you'd do Fire Whirl in one of the domes. Whenever you had a full-screen transparent effect, like fog and one of your party members did a tech with a transparent effect, the programmers had to disable the full-screen effect so the tech would work correctly.

As for the new controls... it IS nice having a second screen to input your commands and I am using the stylus in battle, but moving with the stylus is a JOKE! It could of been done so much better (see below). During battle I'm having a hard time selecting the right guy in time (I play Active, baby), especially when I want to do multi-enemy attacks. Instead, I select the old-fashioned way (D-Pad) and confirm with stylus.

I think they should of had a 3rd option for control, where the main screen was on the bottom and you controlled the party leader like Zelda DS. This would make me use the stylus all of the time! During battle they could swap screens (which could be weird) or employ a tap-based selection and a pop-up/radial menu to do actions.

Anyway, most of this stuff is frivolous... I'm a super hardcore CT nerd (I did remake it, after all)... and I'll be sure to post more as I progress.

And if you haven't played CT before, please do! One of the best games ever!!

 

[Zeenbor]

Orchestrated CD = Awesome. Picked it up from Gamestop today, but putting the game up for Christmas. Still not done with Dragon Quest IV, and its one RPG at a time for me per system type.


The medley is nice since it goes through just about every major theme.

The medley could of been better, but it is a nice bonus.

 

[Teknoman]

Always liked Zombor's design and special attack styles. Really I like Akira Toriyama's RPG character and monster designs in general.

The medley could of been better, but it is a nice bonus.

I do wish the CD had more tracks though. Like orchestrated versions of both boss battle themes.

 

[POWERSPHERE]

So is anyone else playing it for the first time, or am I the only dude on earth?

 

[typhonsentra]

Funny thing happened to me at Gamestop when I picked this up yesterday. It was late at night and me and another game came in at the same time to pick up copies, even though it was near closing time we were the first too to ask for a copy that day according to the clerks there.

 

[MrDaravon]

Funny thing happened to me at Gamestop when I picked this up yesterday. It was late at night and me and another game came in at the same time to pick up copies, even though it was near closing time we were the first too to ask for a copy that day according to the clerks there.

I have no idea, but was there ANY marketing for the game? My best friend (who doesn't own a DS) had no idea the game was even coming out, and it's his favorite game of all time.

 

[LevityNYC]

No marketing at all.

The clerk at Gamestop was very surprised when I preordered on Sunday.

 

[LevityNYC]

Its the 75th top selling item in the video game section of Amazon.com....such a shame.

 

[Death_Born]

Its the 75th top selling item in the video game section of Amazon.com....such a shame.

You have to take into account that people may have played Chrono Trigger before...this is a port, after all, and an expensive one at that. The lack of marketing doesn't help, though.

 

[Dreamwriter]

I was also hoping that Square Enix would fix the nagging layer restriction with any layer 3 transparency. Perfect example is when you'd do Fire Whirl in one of the domes. Whenever you had a full-screen transparent effect, like fog and one of your party members did a tech with a transparent effect, the programmers had to disable the full-screen effect so the tech would work correctly.

Not possible. The DS can only do one level of transparency for the entire screen in 2D games, and only one transparent object per pixel (meaning no overlapping transparencies). It can be gotten around by using 3D polygons as 2D sprites, but that's a lot of work to fix such a minor issue in a port of a game that had the same problem.

 

[Mejilan]

There was that cool if obscure magazine ad. It was mostly a nostalgic tweak for fans, however.

 

[Dreamwriter]

I just checked it and, unless I'm doing something wrong(I switched the DS's language settings to Japanese) it doesn't seem like the US release has any Japanese text. There's no menu option in the game that I saw to switch back and forth, either.

Can anyone verify this? It would totally suck if they took out Japanese from the US release for no reason at all.

 

[Snowden]

So is anyone else playing it for the first time, or am I the only dude on earth?

Feels like the first time. I played through the game at least three times back on the SNES, but I haven't touched or really thought about it in years. Its all coming back though.

 

[Zeenbor]

One annoying bit is whenever you retrieve an item and the game plays the little jingle, it resets the previous playing track.

Spoiler

When the cook stops you in the castle, the music was perfect when he said, "That fool better come back alive." Now, instead, it starts at the beginning of the castle theme.

Not as polished!

Why do these things matter to me??

 

[Jiggy]

Okay, every last one of my previous complaints about the translation combined pale in light of the new translation for a certain iconic ending. D:

"

Spoiler

In the end, the future refused to change.

"

 

[tetrisgrammaton]

Its the 75th top selling item in the video game section of Amazon.com....such a shame.

and what was number one?

 

[Iam Canadian]

Okay, every last one of my previous complaints about the translation combined pale in light of the new translation for a certain iconic ending. D:

"

Spoiler

In the end, the future refused to change.

"

Boo.

It just doesn't flow as naturally as the original.

Spoiler

But...the future refused to change.

 

[Jiggy]

Just having two articles so adjacent to each other in such a short sentence kills it for me. Besides, in a game like this you don't frivolously sling around the term "

Spoiler

the end

"--not when there's a specific massively story-important place which literally is "

Spoiler

the end

," and yet you're not referring to that place.

 

[Deleted member 30609]

Just having two articles so adjacent to each other in such a short sentence kills it for me. Besides, in a game like this you don't frivolously sling around the term "

Spoiler

the end

"--not when there's a specific massively story-important place which literally is "

Spoiler

the end

," and yet you're not referring to that place.

Your kind ruin RPGs, video games, the internet, the joys of youth and modern society all at the same time. So fucking annoying.

I'm only half-joking.

 

[DarkCloud]

Got this today for 35 bucks on sale.

Screw you, Square Tax.

 

[Stumpokapow]

game is 44.99 in canada, not being stocked by amazon.ca

 

[Segata Sanshiro]

Just having two articles so adjacent to each other in such a short sentence kills it for me. Besides, in a game like this you don't frivolously sling around the term "

Spoiler

the end

"--not when there's a specific massively story-important place which literally is "

Spoiler

the end

," and yet you're not referring to that place.

Man, Jiggy, you are soooo incredibly strange.

 

[Iam Canadian]

No, I think he's right. That sentence does feel awkward, especially compared to the original.

Spoiler

Not as grievous a change as Frog's dialect, though.

Then again, I'm an English major too, so maybe that's why. >_>

 

[ShockingAlberto]

No, I think he's right. That sentence does feel awkward, especially compared to the original.

Spoiler

Not as grievous a change as Frog's dialect, though.

Then again, I'm an English major too, so maybe that's why. >_>

I'm an English major too and it's by far the silliest thing anyone could complain about.

 

[Iam Canadian]

I'm an English major too and it's by far the silliest thing anyone could complain about.

Well, it's not like it's going to stop me from buying the game or anything. It just irks me a bit. >_>

Spoiler

I'd have gotten it yesterday, but the stores I visited didn't have it in their systems despite actually having physical copies of the game, which really got on my nerves. I hate it when that happens.

 

[Jugendstil]

Replaying the game is such a trip, I am awash in nostalgia. I haven't played it in at least 10 years and going into it I could barely remember the majority of the game, but it's funny how much I remembered once I started playing. The game is fantastic, even if the changes in translation have totally ruined the extensive amounts of Robo/Magus fanfiction I had previously written. Damn you Squeenix! I shake my chubby fist at you!

 

[Iam Canadian]

game is 44.99 in canada

Really? Because my copy was $39.99.

Unfortunately, the Canadian version doesn't seem to come with a poster, which ticks me off.

 

[LevityNYC]

I only found out a few years ago when playing through, but did you know....

Spoiler

That when Crono is thrown in jail, if you dont escape, you are led to the guillotine and at the last minute Lucca saves you.

 

[Fuu]

I only found out a few years ago when playing through, but did you know....

Spoiler

That when Crono is thrown in jail, if you dont escape, you are led to the guillotine and at the last minute Lucca saves you.

I discovered this on the SNES version at the time, it's a neat touch.

Unrelated but I still don't understand how right after

Spoiler

Marle disappears

she manages to enter the

Spoiler

600 A.D. castle without knocking anyone out, considering Crono was blocked at the door before the "Queen" interceded

. That and the fact she can invade a

Spoiler

guarded prison all by herself

, Lucca is a damn ninja.

 

[Mejilan]

OMG, RPG filled with occasionally contrived scenarios!

 

[Fuu]

OMG, RPG filled with occasionally contrived scenarios!

And that's because I avoid thinking of the time travelling inconsistencies. :lol This playthrough was the first time I actually paid attention to the Lucca thing in 600 A.D., I usually leave these problems at the door when playing games.

I'll never understand why people treat CT's plot like it's something holy that CC trashed upon.

 

[thetrin]

No, I think he's right. That sentence does feel awkward, especially compared to the original.

Spoiler

Not as grievous a change as Frog's dialect, though.

Then again, I'm an English major too, so maybe that's why. >_>

I'm an English BA, and I think the complaint is silly. (it is pretty fucking awkward though)

I think a better line would have been "after all was said and done, the future refused to change".

 

[Segata Sanshiro]

I would have liked if that dramatically fading in text would have read "Shit son, you done fucked up."

 

[thetrin]

I would have liked if that dramatically fading in text would have read "Shit son, you done fucked up."

I think this would be the best way to translate it.

 

[Segata Sanshiro]

I think this would be the best way to translate it.

I really should be tapped for more localizations.

 

[Stumpokapow]

Really? Because my copy was $39.99.

yeah, looks like ebgames and futureshop are still doing 39.99, so i snagged it at eb. the other two chains here (hmv, bbv) had it at 44

Unfortunately, the Canadian version doesn't seem to come with a poster, which ticks me off.

at least we got an extra product registration card! awwwww yeah!

 

[NeonZ]

I'll never understand why people treat CT's plot like it's something holy that CC trashed upon.

People don't complain about CC trashing CT's plot, they complain about CC trashing CT's characters and atmosphere.

Spoiler

For the characters, Chrono, Marle and Lucca are heavily implied to have died off screen in Cross, even if none of their deaths is confirmed. Robo loses his body and becomes pretty much a tool.

Atmosphere? Cross makes most of Trigger's plot pointless in many ways. Rather than saving the world, Crono and the others just create even bigger threats, like the Time Devourer and even allowing Dalton to somehow create an army to destroy Guardia and succeeding. It really doesn't fit with the mostly positive outlook of Trigger's endings.

 

[LevityNYC]

Cross's plot was a disgrace.

 

[Shatai]

Cross's plot was a disgrace.

Basically, this. Play Cross on its own merits, look at it as its own game. Don't even try to put it beside Trigger. Even the "direct" plot connections are sparse and unconvincing at best.

 

[LevityNYC]

Its like they made an RPG, saw it turning into a Pokemon game and made some nonsensical ties to CT

No game needs this much plot.

 

[ShockingAlberto]

God, do you people have to do this every few pages

 

[LevityNYC]

Plot from Chrono Cross

Does this make any sense?

 

[Hours Left]

People don't complain about CC trashing CT's plot, they complain about CC trashing CT's characters and atmosphere.

Spoiler

For the characters, Chrono, Marle and Lucca are heavily implied to have died off screen in Cross, even if none of their deaths is confirmed. Robo loses his body and becomes pretty much a tool.

Atmosphere? Cross makes most of Trigger's plot pointless in many ways. Rather than saving the world, Crono and the others just create even bigger threats, like the Time Devourer and even allowing Dalton to somehow create an army to destroy Guardia and succeeding. It really doesn't fit with the mostly positive outlook of Trigger's endings.

This.

Chrono Cross is a great game but it makes Chrono Trigger seem very depressing.

Spoiler

If we get another sequel in the Chrono series, I really hope you get to find out what actually happened to Crono & Co. and have some way to save them. It's quite sad to think that five of the seven heroes are most likely dead while the other two have been drastically altered. I don't think every game should have a happy outcome, but there has got to be some positive outcome for these guys. It seems really against theme for Chrono Trigger for everything to turn out so grim.

 

[Tabris]

Cross's plot was a disgrace.

Cross > Trigger in Story and Setting. Trigger > Cross in Characters.

I don't understand the people who need fluffy stories and happy endings just because it's a video game.

I started replaying Trigger because of this thread (on SNES) and it's still a very enjoyable game. Small details, wonderful 2d artwork, beautiful music and enjoyable gameplay.

 

[Synless]

Cross > Trigger in Story and Setting. Trigger > Cross in Characters.

Thank you! I've always felt I was alone.....but I see there are people just like me in the world. Also Cross music > Trigger music.........only slightly though because Trigger had some great fucking music.

 

[Johnas]

Plot from Chrono Cross

Does this make any sense?

I noticed you edited. If you want to post it again, a minute ago you put a / in front of the word spoiler at the beginning, that's why it didn't work.

Spoiler

just do it like this

 

[Tabris]

If it wasn't for the songs "Scars Left by Time" and "Prisoners of Fate" (this song is more akin to his work in Xenogears) than Trigger would have the superior music track but those two songs, and especially Prisoners of Fate for me are just too good.

 

[Mejilan]

I'm so happy this thread turned back to Cross. Great job, folks. Because we really didn't have this out enough a few pages ago, or in just about every fucking Trigger thread.

 

[jett]

Cross's plot was a disgrace.

What the fuck is this bullshit? Chrono Cross's plot is orders of magnitude more complex, deep and interesting than the simple-minded Chrono Trigger.