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[Yaweee]

It's kinda surprising how the game didn't tell me I should do this.
I mean, I talked to the lady at the Inn who said I COULD do it, but all I saw was level 1 scrubs, and I figured I would go as the story guided me.

How big can parties get? 3 or 4?
Wight? What. Is this a DQ thing? I've never really played DQ much.

So basically, I need to get some cheats for text speed and character hiding, then I need to get some party members.

Single player focus? Yay.
If I fill my party with filler scrubs from the inn, would I miss out on any story party members? (I'm guessing that there either are none, or that at that point in the story I simply choose which one of my scrubs to kick out).

It's a Dragon Quest tradition to make fundamental gameplay features either unclear, out of the way, or optional. A lot of people seem to be overlooking party members and soloing the Wight Knight.

Wights are in LOTR and D&D, so, no, not just some DQ thing.

There are no story party members. You can freely dump your characters at the inn and create/use new ones. MOST DQ games have nothing but story characters, but this and DQ3 (both focused on class systems) use a Created Main Character + Creatable and Exchangeable Companions system.

 

[BlazingDarkness]

Yes, in his defense the game doesn't really explain getting new character members AT ALL - it just makes it available to you
I also thought i'd be getting actual story characters in my team as i progressed

 

[Mejilan]

So I just picked this up and...

Why do I have to kill a "White Knight" who's dressed in all black?
Why does he kick my ass so bad? I'm level 12 from running all over the place, but he absolutely destroys me. (I am alone in my party and am not doing multiplayer dealies).

The game feels pretty stripped down and boring as is.
Do I get a proper party at some point? Or do I have to deal with multiplayer shenanigans?

I see people discussing cheats.
I've got an AceKard 2i (I have yet to dump my DQ IX to it) - what cheats are there, what do they do, and how do I enable them?

Text speed - YAY
Hiding characters - You mean when walking around on the world map? Why would you want this?
Something about tags? What are tags?

I kinda bought this on a whim and didn't really realize it was so multiplayer focused.
I want me some single player goodness.

If this is your first Dragon Quest, I'd suggest reading the manual for some of the basics. However, it's WIGHT Knight. Not WHITE Knight. A wight is a type of undead creature. This boss name is basically a wight/white/right pun however. Get used to it. And welcome to the happy-go-punny world of localized Dragon Quest. Almost every single location, character, and enemy name is some kind of gag or joke. Modern DQ localizations are always ridiculously clever. Or cleverly ridiculous.

Also, once you wrapped up the ErINN (get it?) Stornway event, you gained access to the character creation/recruitment mode, which you should definitely make use of. The game has NO recruitable story characters, so go ahead and make your own.

Finally, the game is not multiplayer centric. It's a full-fledged JRPG that happens to have an unusual amount of optional social elements. But stand-alone content-wise, it is quite a bit more robust than many earlier DQs.

Enjoy!

 

[Oxx]

I'm in the middle of a looooooooonnnngggg DQIX survey from Nintendo Europe.

They want to know everything: which DQ games I played before IX, what other games I'm into, how much I like the game, marketing, aesthetics, the multiplayer.... Seems like Nintendo are paying close attention to how the game is received.

Edit: The Slime question. :lol

 

[Owzers]

Quick question: Are the d-pad diagonal controls a little unresponsive for anyone else or is my d-pad failing? left/right/up/down seems to control fine but small pressure on the diagonals doesn't seem to want to register.

 

[STG]

I'm in the middle of a looooooooonnnngggg DQIX survey from Nintendo Europe.

link?

 

[jaundicejuice]

Quick question: Are the d-pad diagonal controls a little unresponsive for anyone else or is my d-pad failing? left/right/up/down seems to control fine but small pressure on the diagonals doesn't seem to want to register.

I have a DSi and the diagonals are just shite. I use the stylus to navigate the world and the d-pad and buttons for the battles.

 

[Deleted member 22576]

Wiped twice on Garth Goyle. :\
Second time he killed my main guy and my martial artist right off the bat with back to back attacks on each.

Then the battle dragged out FOREEEVVVVERRR with my Priest and Warrior getting coup de grâces like every other turn. Was actually pretty fun, but I'm sorta frustrated.

 

[Owzers]

I have a DSi and the diagonals are just shite. I use the stylus to navigate the world and the d-pad and buttons for the battles.

Good to know, i keep my DS in great condition since i don't play it much so i was wondering how my d-pad could be messed up. I'll probably just use the stylus too.

 

[Deleted member 22576]

Yeah, the Dpad controls stink.. but after playing so much Pokemon I'm kinda just hardwired not to go diagonal anyway.

 

[Oxx]

link?

I had an email.

If not you should be able to get it through Club Nintendo section of the NOE site.

 

[Jeels]

So a guide is telling me that

Spoiler

after i get the boat, i sail to the continent right above that looks like a desert with a town in the middle. There are no beaches so I can't dock though

 

[Aeana]

So a guide is telling me that

Spoiler

after i get the boat, i sail to the continent right above that looks like a desert with a town in the middle. There are no beaches so I can't dock though

You can dock almost anywhere. No beaches are required.

 

[MemoirsofMimi]

You can dock almost anywhere. No beaches are required.

Which part of the map is this island?

 

[BitchTits]

Edit: The Slime question. :lol

I wrote:

Recognisable
Cute
Iconic

:lol

 

[zigg]

I have a DSi and the diagonals are just shite.

Crazy, I waltz around diagonally all the time on mine. I wouldn't expect DSis to have that problem given their design. Call Nintendo?

 

[YourMaster]

Yeah, the Dpad controls stink.. but after playing so much Pokemon I'm kinda just hardwired not to go diagonal anyway.

I heard this a lot, and this is the first game for me that consistently requires the Dpad, but I have no problem at all. Just for the heck of it I'm only walking diagonally when I'm on the overworld. (DSLite)

 

[Cmagus]

finally at the final boss.Characters are between 41-44.Funny alot of the stuff i wanna do in the game is post so I felt like maybe i was rushing abit to get to that point I don't know I don't know why they gotta put things post game only.

 

[turnbuckle]

I find the diagonals to be a bit tough but I use the dpad anyways. Thumb can get a bit tired if I'm running around in circles to grind, but that's what whistle is for

 

[Deleted member 22576]

Quests don't go away after you complete the game right?
I'm saving a lot of the class specific stuff for later since I don't really want to level anything but my primary characters right now.

 

[Oxx]

I wrote:

Recognisable
Cute
Iconic

:lol

Happy
Iconic
Whipping-boy.

 

[BooJoh]

I've had no problems at all with diagonals in DQIX. DSi user here.

I remember diagonals being abysmal in AC:WW on my DS Lite, but that was just the DS Lite's d-pad being crap.

 

[Aeana]

I also have problems with the DSi diagonals, although they've gotten more managable as I've broken them in. Still, I found myself using stylus movement quite a bit in DQ9.

 

[Mejilan]

No issues with the dpad controls.
DSL or DSi.

 

[Mudkips]

My DSi diagonals do indeed suck the butt.

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

My DSi diagonals do indeed suck the butt.

Same here. And GAF told me it was the best DPAD ever. Beginning to think that it's a fanboy myth. Like Colorado.

 

[Cuu]

Batsureg Priest:

Spoiler

Yo! We have met with bodacious success. The words of the Almighty are sown far across the plains. Word!

Which of your homies do you wish to refill with life?

Yo, my skills ain't free, yo. Shall we say XXX coins? It is a tubular price, yo? Lay it on me!

Yo! Almighy one! How about hooking your faithful servant up...

:lol :lol :lol :lol

 

[Link Man]

Well, I finally finished the main story, final boss was a bit easier once I quit trying to debuff him.

As promised, here is my party:

Pretty much the only benefit to having my main guy as an Armamentalist was Acceleratle (since the Sage doesn't have it). Sap does nothing against the later bosses.

Dragona is the fastest person in my party, and her Hustle Dance is quite useful to patch my guys up at the beginning of the round. Plus, she has some pretty good buffs (if they're not blown away by Disruptive Wave, or as I like to call it, cheating).

I really like this look for Krilin, he looks like a Roman archer or something. Granted, his bow was weakened considerably against the final boss, but since I gave him some levels in Paladin, his M-Pathy was quite useful for replenishing Ed's and Dragona's MP (while Hallowed Arrow took care of his own).

Sykalios was useful for healing and buffs, and that's about it. Maybe things will get better for her as she levels up, but I'm thinking of maybe making her back into a mage for the debuffs.

Overall, great game, and I'll probably spend a bunch of time in the postgame (I spent about 70 hours in the main story, and only did two grottoes). I'll probably only post new pics if I get some nice-looking gear, but I'll continue to read the thread.

 

[botticus]

I think I've hit a wall after 96 hours. Maxed out my last two characters as Paladins and swapped my final party out to: Warrior, Ranger, Sage, Luminary. But I don't really feel like doing anything more with them. Best free game ever!

 

[Johnas]

I just noticed for the first time today that Zoom doesn't cost any MP.

Makes sense I guess, since you're making tons of return trips to Stornway for alchemy or online stuff.

Question: How can I raise the tension of my main character?

 

[Link Man]

I just noticed for the first time today that Zoom doesn't cost any MP.

Makes sense I guess, since you're making tons of return trips to Stornway for alchemy or online stuff.

Question: How can I raise the tension of my main character?

Psych Up, it's in the Martial Artist skill line.

 

[Deleted member 22576]

So I've been pretty much completely ignoring the Alchemy pot up until now. It seemed kind of intimidating and I was just really into the story.

Well, now I need a special medicine for a quest.. No problem I'm cooking it up now.. my only question is this: Where do the recipes come from? I notice that there like maybe 8 or so of them unlocked so far.. but I don't remember obtaining any recipes from drops or chests or anything. So how did they get there?

 

[Johnas]

So I've been pretty much completely ignoring the Alchemy pot up until now. It seemed kind of intimidating and I was just really into the story.

Well, now I need a special medicine for a quest.. No problem I'm cooking it up now.. my only question is this: Where do the recipes come from? I notice that there like maybe 8 or so of them unlocked so far.. but I don't remember obtaining any recipes from drops or chests or anything. So how did they get there?

The majority of them are found by searching bookcases.

Psych Up, it's in the Martial Artist skill line.

Thanks!

 

[Deleted member 22576]

Ha! I just met someone from DQ4!

 

[MemoirsofMimi]

Spoiler

WHere is the lizard to in the desert stage?

 

[LittleTokyo]

I really love all the equipment and how it changes the characters look in this game. Really its genius. Makes it feel like a loot collection type game but with solid turn based gameplay.

 

[Belfast]

There are some absolutely TERRIBLE puns in this games.

Zere.

Spoiler

Zere Rocks

/facepalm

 

[Easystride]

Spoiler

WHere is the lizard to in the desert stage?

Spoiler

It is to the left of the outside of the castle in the shaded area.

 

[MemoirsofMimi]

Spoiler

It is to the left of the outside of the castle in the shaded area.

Am I supposed to do something to lure it out?

How do I obtain the action 'clap' to lure it out?

 

[Easystride]

Am I supposed to do something to lure it out?

How do I obtain the action 'clap' to lure it out?

Isn't it one of the default party tricks?

 

[MemoirsofMimi]

Isn't it one of the default party tricks?

Nope, I only have Air Punch.

 

[Fantastical]

I really love all the equipment and how it changes the characters look in this game. Really its genius. Makes it feel like a loot collection type game but with solid turn based gameplay.

Me too! Really nice feature.

 

[Easystride]

Nope, I only have Air Punch.

You have to go under Misc. in the menu screen then assign clap to one of the buttons.
Edit: Misc. -> Assign Party Tricks -> Clap

 

[steveovig]

The majority of them are found by searching bookcases.

Ok, but should I keep checking old bookcases that I've already checked for stuff or is that pointless?

 

[Deleted member 22576]

Is there any good reading material about Dragon Quest?
I'm not ashamed to admit that I had basically never heard of the series until DQ4 came out on the DS a few years ago. But it's fast become one of my favorite franchises. I'm taking a break right now from 9 and reading some wikipedia stuff and began to wonder if there are any books or in depth magazine articles that are must reads.

 

[Easystride]

Is there any good reading material about Dragon Quest?
I'm not ashamed to admit that I had basically never heard of the series until DQ4 came out on the DS a few years ago. But it's fast become one of my favorite franchises. I'm taking a break right now from 9 and reading some wikipedia stuff and began to wonder if there are any books or in depth magazine articles that are must reads.

Check out this Gamasutra article on the history of Dragon Quest. Not sure if its what you're looking for, but it is a very interesting look at each game.

 

[Deleted member 22576]

Cool! That's about exactly what I was looking for!

 

[Lost Fragment]

Love the game, but Christ almighty do they go overboard with the puns and the wordplay. I know it's a DQ game so that sort of thing is to be expected, but it seems like they went over the script with a fine-toothed comb inserting puns and plays on words and synonyms for words so every word in a sentence starts with the same letter in every. place. conceivable.

"Optimistick"? Get the fuck out of here.

 

[Yottamole]

Check out this Gamasutra article on the history of Dragon Quest. Not sure if its what you're looking for, but it is a very interesting look at each game.

http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/dragonquest/dragonquest.htm

The same article, re-hosted on the author's own website, but with more pictures!

 

[Aeana]

It's a Dragon Quest tradition to make fundamental gameplay features either unclear, out of the way, or optional. A lot of people seem to be overlooking party members and soloing the Wight Knight.

This sounds familiar... oh, right

It's a Dragon Quest tradition to make vital gameplay mechanics possible to overlook completely (see: Monsters in both DQ8 and DQ5)

What's a Dragon Quest tradition is actually having to talk to NPCs to find out information. Try it sometime.