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Dragon Quest 7: Fragments of the Forgotten Past |OT| Roman numerals are hard

Ydelnae

Member
I'm currently after
God reveals that he's out of his mind and the party needs to awaken the 4 spirits.
Will the rest of the game take me more than 10 hours? I don't have time to play these days and I haven't advanced on the story in two weeks, I don't want to send this game to my backlog.
 

Oregano

Member
I'm currently after
God reveals that he's out of his mind and the party needs to awaken the 4 spirits.
Will the rest of the game take me more than 10 hours? I don't have time to play these days and I haven't advanced on the story in two weeks, I don't want to send this game to my backlog.

I think that's definitely doable but it might be a little rushed. It's really not long though.
 

mstevens

Member
Just finished.. Definitely seemed to drag on (initially typed this as dragon...lol) during the last 25% or so. I killed the finally boss with >5 mp on every character, so I got really lucky I was able to finish it.
 

GeekyDad

Member
I am just not feeling this game at all.
I am quite a few hours in and everything just feels so bland and empty.

Like you go to an island and all that is there is 5 houses and 4 trees.
There is just nothing there. Everything is so empty and feels so pointless.

I feel like I must be missing something.

I'm 27 hours in, and though I don't feel the same ways as you do, the game has felt a like a bit of a chore to play. In a way, it has all of the charm of any great Dragon Quest game. Great NPCs, interesting and sometimes heartfelt vignettes, cute monsters, etc. But the structure of the game damn near kills it. And honestly, the pay-off of the vocations just isn't feeling good enough after how long you wait and how uninspired the gameplay structure is to get there. Back and forth through these tiny islands, scavenging for the little pieces, and god damn, if the archaic menu system isn't frustrating as hell. I don't really read video-game media much anymore, so I'm not entirely sure it's already been said, but I get the feeling if pressed, Square Enix would feign they didn't update a lot of that stuff because they wanted to stay "true" to the original. But really, some of this stuff should have been tweaked.

Kinda feeling like throwing in the towel. The game has been out a while now, I got it on release day, and I'm still just now past the Alltrades mission -- it's been that much of a chore to pick up and play. I've always felt like the DQ series is probably my most beloved RPG series, but this game... I hate to sound like I'm bashing it because I really don't want to. I can see its quality, but I'm just personally not having a great time with it. And yet, there is still a lot I love about it. Again, the DQ charm is all there...but the game design...I guess that's the part I'm not quite feeling with this one.
 

Aeana

Member
There's nothing wrong with the design of the menu system. In fact, the way the cursor memory works in the game makes it very efficient to perform any of the tasks you need to do with it. The real problem is that the western version of the game introduces a ton of menu slowdown which makes it a chore to use.
 

Arkeband

Banned
Someone needs to mod this back into the game.

CxFPRnR.png


*raises arms above head*
*skin peels off of body*
 

coopolon

Member
There's nothing wrong with the design of the menu system. In fact, the way the cursor memory works in the game makes it very efficient to perform any of the tasks you need to do with it. The real problem is that the western version of the game introduces a ton of menu slowdown which makes it a chore to use.

Glad I'm not crazy thinking there was significant lag in the menus. Driving me crazy.

About ten hours in, not really feeling this game, it's my first argon quest through and I really want to try to get to the part where it hooks me but worrying it's not coming...
 

epmode

Member
Finished this today. Good times. Now I can finally get back to Trails of Cold Steel 2!

The endgame bonus dungeon is pretty disappointing so far. Is it all just
disjointed, reused maps
?
 
There's nothing wrong with the design of the menu system. In fact, the way the cursor memory works in the game makes it very efficient to perform any of the tasks you need to do with it. The real problem is that the western version of the game introduces a ton of menu slowdown which makes it a chore to use.

It doesn't seem to work for items (probably because some are consumables) which is annoying during the Alltrades Past Scenario.

Also is level 20 the last level you can grind Jobs in the slime tablet or the first you can't ?
 
Looks like I'm edging closer to the last 4 countries of the Shrine.

Is the Providence storyline any good? I really enjoyed Wetlock's.

There a good things about it, but I think it and Vogograd are the two worst in the game.

Beat this tonight. keep in mind I'm biased. I loved the PSX version. So of course I loved this version.

Maribel top waifu. Best game in the series for sure.
 

GeekyDad

Member
There's nothing wrong with the design of the menu system. In fact, the way the cursor memory works in the game makes it very efficient to perform any of the tasks you need to do with it. The real problem is that the western version of the game introduces a ton of menu slowdown which makes it a chore to use.

If you say so...

Personally, having to constantly sort items from the main character into the bag, and all the rest that comes along with that design, is tedious. And unnecessary.
 
Wondering how far I am
just been given a key to the maze as I need to awaken the wind spirit

Fatigue has set in, like the game but it seems to drag for a bit. Rate the series so far as 5 8 4 7 6 9

May not be enjoying this as much as playing builders at the same time lol
 

ULTROS!

People seem to like me because I am polite and I am rarely late. I like to eat ice cream and I really enjoy a nice pair of slacks.
I'm at the part where
Kiefer meets Lala.

I do remember this game having a horrible translation in the PSX version. My favorite Maribel line during this episode:
I feel ugly. I need a hard drink.

Anyway, I feel this game is huge and kinda bloated, though it's still a good game for me, but I still like Builders more, lol.
 

Aeana

Member
If you say so...

Personally, having to constantly sort items from the main character into the bag, and all the rest that comes along with that design, is tedious. And unnecessary.

If your complaint is with individual character inventories, that doesn't really have anything to do with the menu system design. And if it's about moving items out of their inventories into the bag, then there exists a shortcut to move a character's unequipped items into the bag.
 

MoonFrog

Member
Got back into III (iOS) after playing this (
at the castle that was boss dungeon in DQI now
); it makes me appreciate some aspects of the later DQ class systems comparatively. Like the separation of levels and class levels, advanced classes versus only custom hybrids other than sage, physical abilities (even if the balance is wonky), etc. I do think equipment tied to class rather than character makes more sense though. It's sort of like in 6 and 7 (I imagine 9 is more like 3 in this regard but my memory of 9 is weak) have default classes for your party like a 4,5, or 8 has but then have the class system mapped on top somewhat uncomfortably and this leaves me sort of wishing the characters just grew up like 4, 5, or 8 characters would.
 
There a good things about it, but I think it and Vogograd are the two worst in the game.

Beat this tonight. keep in mind I'm biased. I loved the PSX version. So of course I loved this version.

Maribel top waifu. Best game in the series for sure.

Well...I wasn't expecting that. It pales in comparison to the rest of the other vignettes.

It's literally, "THIS STATUE R BAD, DESTROY THIS STATUE SO WE CAN STOP FIGHITNG"...all the while being so easily deceived by monsters being human when there wasn't any indication of a hostile takeover by their fellow humans?
 
Well...I wasn't expecting that. It pales in comparison to the rest of the other vignettes.

It's literally, "THIS STATUE R BAD, DESTROY THIS STATUE SO WE CAN STOP FIGHITNG"...all the while being so easily deceived by monsters being human when there wasn't any indication of a hostile takeover by their fellow humans?

If you haven't done Hubble yet it's more believable afterwards. At least the monsters
imitated a country that apparently had a history of trying hostile takeovers of other countries so yeah.
 

wagamer

Member
I think this was a good game... for the first 40 hours or so. I think I've spent 10 hours just trying to find the correct place or person to talk to, and the game has really started to drag. I'm closing 60 hours now and wouldn't want to give up now but I'm quite bored.

Currently I'm stuck
at the Cathedral of Light where everyone is waiting for the Almighty to appear, and Mervyn took off somewhere. I've spoken to everyone at least twice, visited every place I could find and can't get outside. What am I missing, how to proceed from here?
 

gblues

Banned
Finally decided to go ahead and finish the main quest. You know you are over-leveled when the monsters in the final dungeon run away from you!

Now I'm trying to get the remaining mystery fragments. Would be nice if there were a mini medal tracker like there is for fragments. Right now I'm working off a list and scrubbing the past areas. Nose For Treasure helps but it's still tedious.
 
Finally decided to go ahead and finish the main quest. You know you are over-leveled when the monsters in the final dungeon run away from you!

Now I'm trying to get the remaining mystery fragments. Would be nice if there were a mini medal tracker like there is for fragments. Right now I'm working off a list and scrubbing the past areas. Nose For Treasure helps but it's still tedious.

"Next Tablet Fragment" in the Info menu is great for tracking down fragments in locations you may have missed, since you'll already know which tablets you have when you visit the shrine (though I do think there should've been a highlight feature reminding you have many maps you've unlocked within the coloured regions).
 
Finished main story-line at 73 hours, MC/Ruff/Aishe/Maribel at 45/44/43/42 with hero/champion/champion/druid at 8/8/8/2 (burned out grinding after switching her to druid). Final boss battle was pretty pedestrian, especially once I used kaclang to avoid the 'unleash all magical energy' attack. Since MC had omniheal and 310mp, Ruff had multiheal, and Maribel had Sage's Stone (best item in game bar none, although not necessary once you have Hustle Dance), it never felt super dangerous. When cleanse went off I could immediately apply oomph/magic barrier/kabuff/insulatle in a single round. Then it was opportunistic oomphs to supplement multifist. I only ended up using one item, a magic water to replenish MP on Ruff so he could backup multiheal if required.

Favorite moments that I haven't seen touched on in the thread previously:

- first time I killed a King Metal Slime and got 33000 xp from a single fight
- first time I killed two King Metal Slimes and got 66000 xp from a single fight (!)
- the scene with the three brothers faking illness to avoid helping was somehow intensely hilarious to me
- early in the play-through my youngest daughter was watching the xp/gold tallies after fights and recognized a simple system of linear equations, and started solving for the individual monster xp/gold values; I think there's an educational title hiding in the DQ universe...

Glad to be finally putting this down. Fun to get back to DQ but a bit belabored. Should have linked class xp growth to level xp growth so it could be gamed easier.

My tendencies with the alchemy pot from DQ8 meant I never sold anything. I still have all my cypress sticks for no reason... well, the reason is because it's laborious to sell your huge hoard once you've amassed it. Did they ever explain the menu slow down disparity? Or try to patch it?

And I still have no idea what was going on with the monster ranch/haven. I built a bunch of enclosures... ?
 

MoonFrog

Member
I failed to even build enclosures...guy took my plans and no new enclosures ever appeared. I didn't do much with Haven or Meadows though.
 

NolbertoS

Member
Currently I'm stuck
at the Cathedral of Light where everyone is waiting for the Almighty to appear, and Mervyn took off somewhere. I've spoken to everyone at least twice, visited every place I could find and can't get outside. What am I missing, how to proceed from here?


. Did u get the Ultimate Key and other treasures in the Cathedral of Light?? If you have talked to everybody, talk to the guards again and I believe Mervyn will show up at the door and let you in and then you'll be guided to the altar of the Almighty where u can talk to all Kings, Queens and leaders of the world who are their and then a cut scene will be triggered where the almighty shows up and after that cut scene, you leave with King Donald. Before I leave make sure u got the ultimate key as that final key opens all doors in the game, even dungeon doors that you coulsn't open in some towns.
 

wagamer

Member
. Did u get the Ultimate Key and other treasures in the Cathedral of Light?? If you have talked to everybody, talk to the guards again and I believe Mervyn will show up at the door and let you in and then you'll be guided to the altar of the Almighty where u can talk to all Kings, Queens and leaders of the world who are their and then a cut scene will be triggered where the almighty shows up and after that cut scene, you leave with King Donald. Before I leave make sure u got the ultimate key as that final key opens all doors in the game, even dungeon doors that you coulsn't open in some towns.
Yep,
I have the Ultimate Key and I'm able to go talk to all the leaders but I can't get the Almighty scene to trigger. Based on the story I'm not sure if I have to go search for Mervyn or see the Almighty scene. Either way I can't find a way to proceed.

Sure many of the points where I've been clueless are because I'm not paying that much attention to the story. Out of all the other DQ games I've played (4,5,6,9) this is the only one I got burned out.
 
If you made it to the part where all the leaders are in the same room, then you talk to them all and try to leave the room. If the event doesn't trigger it means you missed one. Simple enough.
 
If you made it to the part where all the leaders are in the same room, then you talk to them all and try to leave the room. If the event doesn't trigger it means you missed one. Simple enough.

Yep, I thought I had talked to everyone, did another round just in case, went to leave, scene triggered.
 
Also I have no idea if this applies to the 3DS version, but in the PS1 version the specific trigger was talking to all 3 of the Cathedral Guards in the room. Technically you didn't even have to talk to any of the actual leaders(though they all have more interesting things to say than the guards so you'll want to talk to them anyway probably)
 

kromeo

Member
Is the second part of Greenthumb gardens just optional story?
Cayenne and Dill ran off together, is that the end of that island?
 
D

Deleted member 125677

Unconfirmed Member
Finished the archaeology site/ancient desert part! Hanging in there, play sessions have been reduced to like maybe a couple of hours a week at this point sadly. Long game is long! Still enjoying it, though.
 
I wound up fighting the final boss before I meant to, there were rooms in the final area that I never entered. I walked past the point of no return with the hero as a low rank druid, Ruff as a maxed out champion, Sir Mervyn as a maxed out gladiator, and Maribel as a low rank... priest. I barely won, the party had about 24 MP total and no items left at the end.

I noticed there was a tablet somewhere in Estard during the ending, but the game sorta pushed me forward before I actually found it. It's not there now, so I guess I will need to redo that fight, and without the benefit of all my Yggdrasil stuff. Thats... pretty lame.

Next time I will have two champions and non-useless Maribel though.

Also I did not realize that one the three vocations needed to unlock Hero can be another ultimate class like Champion or Druid. Pirate/Monster Masher/Paladin seems like it slowed Maribel down compared to just quickly unlocking a third tier class. Pirate and Monster Masher should have unlocked a new vocation together in this version. Armamentalist at least overlaps with the Gladiator and Sage. I could see doing Gladiator, Sage, Armamentalist, then Hero.
 

Nerokis

Member
God, this game is fantastic. One of the best written JRPGs I've played in a very long time, surprisingly polished in presentation (e.g., how characters move their lips when they speak, close their eyes when they're feeling reflective, etc.), and also a good amount of fun.

I'm around 70 hours in, and finally started experimenting with monster hearts. I'm gonna avoid getting into that, though, because I don't want to suddenly start a grindy min/maxing process, and because I don't want my hero to be a goddamn turtle for a good amount of the game. :p

That said, are there any particular monster hearts people really, really recommend using?
 
I hate monsterling hearts. Way more work them is wOrth putting in. Still... you can lam some good skills. Plat king jewels have beat abilities
 

wagamer

Member
Also I have no idea if this applies to the 3DS version, but in the PS1 version the specific trigger was talking to all 3 of the Cathedral Guards in the room. Technically you didn't even have to talk to any of the actual leaders(though they all have more interesting things to say than the guards so you'll want to talk to them anyway probably)

Thank you, probably missed one of the guards even though I thought I've chatted with all of them.

Will see if I have enough strength to finish this, the level of frustration is quite overwhelming at this point :D
 

Linkura

Member
I wound up fighting the final boss before I meant to, there were rooms in the final area that I never entered. I walked past the point of no return with the hero as a low rank druid, Ruff as a maxed out champion, Sir Mervyn as a maxed out gladiator, and Maribel as a low rank... priest. I barely won, the party had about 24 MP total and no items left at the end.

I noticed there was a tablet somewhere in Estard during the ending, but the game sorta pushed me forward before I actually found it. It's not there now, so I guess I will need to redo that fight, and without the benefit of all my Yggdrasil stuff. Thats... pretty lame.
Make sure you go through all 4 Amulet sections as they contain different items, then make sure you leave and save before attempting the final boss again to ensure you keep those items.
 
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