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[Pureauthor]

I played the first game rather recently and slayn is 100% correct, actually.

Oh. Well, I wouldn't know since I maintain my maps religiously. :lol

 

[turnbuckle]

Oh. Well, I wouldn't know since I maintain my maps religiously. :lol

 

[Pureauthor]

I go to church every Sunday too!

 

[Chrono Helix]

This is rather tempting, but I don't think i can get over the inanity of manually mapping the dungeon. I tolerated it for two games, but this is where I'm drawing the line.

I see what you did there.

 

[hikarutilmitt]

There's no key because you can use them for whatever you want. I use the 'FOE' icon to merely mark places of interest that I need to return to, or sometimes traps. Or whatever I feel like.

And I use the arrows only for dungeon floors that force you to move in a certain way. I just use doors for the secret passages.

I use the arrows for 2 things:

1) mapping out the movement of an FOE that always moves in the same pattern (other than when they chase you, of course). It helped me a lot in 2 to stay away from stupid ones I didn't want to fight.

2) marking hidden passages that I've yet to travel through form the "correct" side. This is nice when I find a passage that I cannot go through yet but found the initial exit, so that when I'm near it on the other side I can remember to check that wall. Big time saver, this. I change it to a two-way arrow once I've gone through once and can thus travel two-way all the time.

I'm actually digging this one more than 2 and I love 2 compared to 1. The sailing is so much fun for no apparent reason, too. I just need to plan my courses to get more items for more sailing. Best I've gotten so far is the raisins or peas or whatever that give 16 turns but for 70 instead of the 100 that the other gives.

 

[botticus]

I use the arrows for 2 things:

1) mapping out the movement of an FOE that always moves in the same pattern (other than when they chase you, of course). It helped me a lot in 2 to stay away from stupid ones I didn't want to fight.

2) marking hidden passages that I've yet to travel through form the "correct" side. This is nice when I find a passage that I cannot go through yet but found the initial exit, so that when I'm near it on the other side I can remember to check that wall. Big time saver, this. I change it to a two-way arrow once I've gone through once and can thus travel two-way all the time.

That's how I use them too. For FOEs that move in a straight line I just put the dot near them until I can identify their route, and put arrows on either end. If they do more complicated patterns then I tend to map out the entire path.

 

[charlequin]

Bunch of savagaes, you people. The light blue highlight color with only spot arrows is obviously the superior fashion with which to illustrate FOE pathing.

 

[turnbuckle]

So far my only complaint is that I've accidentally used an item in battle twice after using a limit skill. The menu needs to default back to attack for those of us who are used to tapping A for attack. Wish auto attack wouldn't cancel out other commands.

 

[jaundicejuice]

My order with vg+ has shipped. I'm guessing I'll have it by Monday.

 

[Neo C.]

My order with vg+ has shipped. I'm guessing I'll have it by Monday.

Yay, got the mail as well.

 

[electricpirate]

Alright, ordered from amazon. The improvements sound awesome.

I predict numb butt cheeks from playing while on the shitter.

 

[slayn]

What's the lowest level you can retire at? If I'm giving up on my hoplite it makes sense to retire instead of making a new character to get like an extra skill point or something.

 

[Augemitbutter]

artbook and game are on the way.

dunno, maybe i'll skip 2 and go straight to 3.

 

[sphinx]

My order with vg+ has shipped. I'm guessing I'll have it by Monday.

Yay, got the mail as well.

me too! Let's see how long it takes to arrive

man, having the game by monday? if you are in continental Europe Like Neo and me, no way this arrives on Monday. My educated guess is around 10 days for us.

Nice for you if you are nearer from Canada.

 

[Hobbun]

Because, while I can't overstate how terrible mechanic it is, they were otherwise very enjoyable games and dungeon crawler is one of my favorite genres. There's a reason why every crawler has had automapping since Ultima Undeworld introduced the feature. And no, using a stylus instead of pen&paper doesn't make it any better.

Well, terrible for yourself. Almost all who like the EO games, really enjoy doing the mapping of the dungeon, as well. It is such a key element of the series and one of the things that makes it so popular. I know many (well, except yourself) would be quite livid if Atlus decided to take out the mapping for future installments.

 

[jaundicejuice]

I'm Canadian, on the other side of the country though. Previous orders with vg+ have only take a few days.

 

[SatelliteOfLove]

Greensboro now, 150 miles. Closer, but not close enough.

 

[Mejilan]

My Amazon order came in. Game and art book.
You know the artwork of that well-endowed EOIII character towards the end of the artbook?
Who's idea was it to write out the word 'HUGE' with an arrow pointing straight to her breasts?
Hilarious.

 

[Volcynika]

My Amazon order came in. Game and art book.
You know the artwork of that well-endowed EOIII character towards the end of the artbook?
Who's idea was it to write out the word 'HUGE' with an arrow pointing straight to her breasts?
Hilarious.

:lol

That was so funny, here it is for people that don't have it

 

[Mejilan]

So crazy! :lol

Poofy hair.
Earrings.
Necklace.
HUGE.

 

[Althane]

Game and artbook, GET!

Artbook is great.

Game is greater.

For fun, here is my initial adventuring party (they're all level 4 right now):

Tagon - Level 4 - Prince

A self-styled prince, Tagon was the leader of a small band of mercenaries. After some frankly terrible choices in employers, his company was cut down to the man, while he managed to affect his escape. Making his way to a seaside village, he decided to start a new company, Einherjar, and lead it from the front!

...

Nobody told him this was a really bad idea, but eh. Only time will tell if the young leader will actually be able to lead, or if his leadership will end up in some monster's stomach.

Schlock - Level 4 - Gladiator

A macho-man who trained for years, Schlock was all set to enter the labyrinth, until word arrived that his fellow guild members had been in a terrible accident involving ships, sharks, and mayonaise. Now left without a guild, Schlock spent his time in the bar, unable to enter the the labyrinth without a team. Finally, when he heard a new guild was being formed, he jumped in, not even considering (or questioning) his leader's previous track record....

Bunni - Level 4 - Monk

Bunni is an adventurer from the far Eastern reaches, well trained in healing. The only one of the guild (so far) who joined after learning about Tagon's previous history, she intends to educate the young "prince", and guide him to become a great leader, for only reasons she knows.

Suggestions that she's just interested in him until he gets old enough to get in the sack will be met with a hammer. To the face.

PDCL - Level 4 - Arbalist

This guy likes bows. He likes them so much that as soon as Tagon offered him a chance to shoot, he joined the guild. He goes by "Petey" by the rest of the guild. Nobody cares enough what his initials stand for. Only Tagon (by virtue of being an ignorant leader), and Schlock (by virtue of thinking he's immortal) are willing to stand in front of him when he's waving his crossbow around. Everyone else makes sure they stand far, far behind him.

Cashew - Level 4 - Farmer

Cashew got pulled off the street by Tagon and conscripted into the guild. At the time, he thought Tagon was a real prince, and was terrified to say no. Now that he knows Tagon isn't a real prince? He's mostly just curious how long until the idiot gets himself eaten. He plans on watching that happen from a long way away though. Refuses to let go of his pitchfork, he calls it "Irma".

(I like this idea of assigning personalities to them. It's fun. :lol )

(My guild is a tragic comedy)

New Members:

Taurus - Level 1 - Zodiac

A shifty, sketchy, untrustyworthy, and sly looking fellow, Tagon hired Taurus after seeing him conjure fire from nothingness. Everyone else raised objections that the fire was more of a spark anyways, but Tagon was adamant.

There is no relation between him being hired and Cashew's allowance for the week mysteriously disappearing, leaving the farmer to go hungry.

None.

Stop asking.

 

[Hobbun]

:lol

That was so funny, here it is for people that don't have it

<image>

Oh, don't you know, they are referring to the large dress she is wearing.

 

[Aeana]

I know I'm quite late to the discussion, but I enjoy drawing maps. Perhaps it has to do with whether you played first-person dungeon crawlers in the 80s, where drawing your own maps on graph paper was a necessity. I've always enjoyed making nice and neat maps, and EO just makes it much more convenient to do so (and easier to make them look nice!).

I wouldn't want every game to have the feature (I'm kind of glad Strange Journey didn't), but it's really nice to have every once in a while.

 

[SatelliteOfLove]

I know I'm quite late to the discussion, but I enjoy drawing maps. Perhaps it has to do with whether you played first-person dungeon crawlers in the 80s, where drawing your own maps on graph paper was a necessity. I've always enjoyed making nice and neat maps, and EO just makes it much more convenient to do so (and easier to make them look nice!).

I wouldn't want every game to have the feature (I'm kind of glad Strange Journey didn't), but it's really nice to have every once in a while.

On the contrary, Eridanus NEEDED writable addendums for warps badly. :lol

Very glad I did that part in one go.

 

[Aeana]

On the contrary, Eridanus NEEDED writable addendums for warps badly. :lol

Very glad I did that part in one go.

Strangely, I enjoyed figuring out the warps, automapping that whole area, and trying to remember where they all go. Maybe I should add that to that thread about enjoying mundane things I games.

 

[lyre]

You don't really need to manually map the dungeon, it pretty much fills itself while you walk around.

Unless you turn off 'Auto fill' for your maps in the Options setting.

I wouldn't want every game to have the feature (I'm kind of glad Strange Journey didn't), but it's really nice to have every once in a while.

SJ was a game that I wished had at least annotations input. There were many cases where I wish I could mark where certain NPCs were (yes I know most of them were marked with a generic blue circle) or floors where a demon wanted to join me but couldn't because my belt was full. That and the previously mentioned Strat E warp tile map. *shudders*

Oh, don't you know, they are referring to the large .... tracts of land she possesses.

Fixed for obligatory Monty Python reference.

 

[Pureauthor]

Also the 'Dark' corridors where getting the upgrade to your suit let you see a wiregrid which didn't get put onto your map.

SJ's automap sucked so very much.

In other news, I've decided to hold off on going through more of EO3 and head back to finish off what remains of EO2's postgame. Shouldn't take too long...

 

[Aeana]

Oh, I agree about the dark zones.
Still, though, what I meant was that I enjoyed going through it without having to worry about mapping, because I was much more engaged in other things. Annotations would have been a fine addition, as would have some sort of mapping option for the dark zones, but I'm still satisfied with it not having full-on custom mapping functionality.

 

[Althane]

SJ was a game that I wished had at least annotations input. There were many cases where I wish I could mark where certain NPCs were (yes I know most of them were marked with a generic blue circle) or floors where a demon wanted to join me but couldn't because my belt was full. That and the previously mentioned Strat E warp tile map. *shudders*

That map.

FUCK that map.

I was going to draw it out by hand, but then I ran across a hand drawing someone else had already done on the Penny Arcade forums.

Still. FUCK THAT MAP.

 

[jaundicejuice]

I enjoy drawing the maps by hand in the Etrian Odyssey games. I like it in part because it's a nostalgic nod to what I used to have to do with pencil and graph paper while playing similar games as a child, but also because I think it's the best use of the DS's touch screen. The whole map making aspect kind of hammers home the sense of charting the unknown, and it's also a unique aspect that separates the EO series from every other first person dungeon crawler. That's one of the things that drove me batty about Strange Journey, not being able to at least modify and add to the auto-map.

tldr: I like drawing maps.

 

[slayn]

I'm not a fan of drawing the walls. It's pretty tedious but it doesn't bother me all *that* much.

My ideal system would be if it auto-mapped the floors/walls and just let me add all the icons on the side with annotations.

 

[slayn]

I'm trying to start putting together a conditional drop list. Let me know of any mistakes or if you know any of the ??? entries.

Stratum 1:

Spoiler

Claw Shrimp - Red Tail - kill with an ice attack
Gigapede - Large Jaw - kill with a slash attack
Venoshroom - Pseudopod - kill in 1 turn
Starry Slug - Starry Case - kill with a volt attack
Devilfish - Violet Comb - kill with a fire attack
Great Anaconda - Sharp Fang - kill with a non-physical attack
Narmer - ??? - ??? (unlocks a powerful mace)

Stratum 2:

Spoiler

Whroled Puffer - Ebony Liver - kill with an ice attack
Red Starfish - Red Bones - kill with fire
Koolasuchus - Thick Throat - kill with lightning
Great Hermit - Flawless Shell - kill with a non-physical attack
King Starfish - Cilial Sucker - kill the king first? kill while under a status effect? very unsure how to get this one.
High Walrus - Icicle Fang - kill while head is bound
Abyssal Death - Pig Iron Fang - kill with a physical attack
Ketos - Tough Membrane - ??? (unlocks Buccanear armor)

Stratum 3:

Spoiler

Dragon Egg - ??? - ???
Rattle Nozuchi - Red Iron Scale - kill with volt
Flame Lynx - ??? - Flame Claw

Sea Quests:

Spoiler

Meregho Saeno - Eastern Nest - kill while hands are bound
Hammerhead - ??? - ???

 

[Althane]

So, I get to Floor 3, and start getting my ass handed to me by the fights with the huge bird and the huge plant. Just the two of 'em, it usually ends up with at least one of my peeps dead. I'm at level 9 all around now, should I be thinking of dropping my farmer for now adding in someone who can add more to my attack, and just using the farmer for cash runs?

Also, is it me, or did they take out all FOE movement impairing skills? No more Sleep Shot? =(

(Haven't made a Bucaneer, though, so maybe that has some?)

Sailing side: I finally got the raisins (40 en for 16 turns), so I didn't have to use the stupid 70 en item, so I guess I can make more trips now, as soon as I stop running out of cash buying new armor for everybody.

Money side: I'm heavily invested in Chop, since there's a decent chance of getting Palm Wood from the chop point near the beginning. Want my farmer to get the "Rare items from gather points" skill soon (1 more level... Haven't been the most direct in spending my skill points).

Which brings up a question: I put 5 points in Earth's Bounty for Cashew. Is that skill actually worth anything,or should I just start a new farmer (It's gonna be awhile before I can rest 'em), and ignore that in the future?

 

[Pureauthor]

I would like to take the time to say that the Super Arrange version of EO3 music is facemeltingly good.

Battlefield - The First Campaign

 

[Kifimbo]

How did you get the raisins ?

 

[sundrenched]

Just got the game and on the second level now. My party is princess, monk, arbalist, farmer and zodiac.

So far my monk seems much more useful with a weapon than with his bare fists...

Any tips on how to get past the lighthouse bird on the sailing side?

I'm consistenly running out of money but that seems to be typical of every game.

Princes/princess seems to be a popular class but are they worth putting any points into their class skill? I'm concentrating on front/back row but are there any other classes that can increase resistance? Or tp regen? Right Now with my set up my princess is in the front row and it seems like a waste looking at their skill set...

 

[Althane]

How did you get the raisins ?

Uhm, I'm on Floor 2 right now, so I don't have access to the map, but basically, as far as I remember, they're to the East (right) of the starting point. If you go to where the current is (there's usually some fish around that area) there, and follow it, it should be a little island with a cottage on it to the north of where the current puts you. I'm not sure you could reach it with anything but the 70 En cheese (or whatever it is. The other one that gives you 16 moves)

 

[Althane]

Just got the game and on the second level now. My party is princess, monk, arbalist, farmer and zodiac.

So far my monk seems much more useful with a weapon than with his bare fists...

Any tips on how to get past the lighthouse bird on the sailing side?

I'm consistenly running out of money but that seems to be typical of every game.

Princes/princess seems to be a popular class but are they worth putting any points into their class skill? I'm concentrating on front/back row but are there any other classes that can increase resistance? Or tp regen? Right Now with my set up my princess is in the front row and it seems like a waste looking at their skill set...

Healer monks should probably have weapons (or books), since they won't be attacking, but front line monks will want their fists since their skills rely on fists. I'm liking Kikouken (or whatever the paralyze one is called).

No idea on the bird, haven't done that myself. Don't want to get into a fight and die horrifically just yet.

The main reason my prince is in the party is because of the HP regen skills (And the Attack/Defence orders, as well as the weapon enchants, but those get less use (because of the TP usage, I'm still early enough that I can run out of TP quickly)). I've looked at the Royal Lineage skill, but since I don't really use enhancements on HIM, moreso the othe people, I'm not sure it's useful for him.

 

[sundrenched]

Oh I see thanks for clearing up some stuff! Didn't know you can just explore around without heading for the lighthouse

I tend to be very attack minded so I like all my party members to have offensive skills. The only exception is my farmer, but I'm gonna try and team up his binding skill with the arbalist attack all binds skill

Right now for my princess I'm using back row/front row to get the attack enemy skill then I'll see how it goes. The spell buffs are mildly useless since I have a zodiac and arbalist who can both use elemental skills. But I'm siding toward the bash skill for the zodiac and general crossbow skill for the arbalist. Sigh so many choices!

Any chance of being able to max out all the skills at max level?

 

[Althane]

Oh I see thanks for clearing up some stuff! Didn't know you can just explore around without heading for the lighthouse

I tend to be very attack minded so I like all my party members to have offensive skills. The only exception is my farmer, but I'm gonna try and team up his binding skill with the arbalist attack all binds skill

Right now for my princess I'm using back row/front row to get the attack enemy skill then I'll see how it goes. The spell buffs are mildly useless since I have a zodiac and arbalist who can both use elemental skills. But I'm siding toward the bash skill for the zodiac and general crossbow skill for the arbalist. Sigh so many choices!

Any chance of being able to max out all the skills at max level?

I'm 99% sure you wont' be able to max out the skills at max level:

Max level is 71 (and if it's like EO2, increases with retiring your character, etc), which gives you 73 skill points (I think. 70 levels + 3 at the beginning, unless there's something I'm forgetting).

But a lot of the characters have specific "builds". Like Club Gladiator vs. Sword Gladiator. And of course Zodiacs have 3 different builds (do you want them to focus on Fire, Ice, or Volt?), Monks have Healing and Damage. Builds can be blended together, but pure characters have their places as well.

In the beginning of the game, you won't really have enough points to make much of a difference, but in the endgame, if your character isn't built well (you have too many points spread about too many unhelpful things), it'll be a problem. Still, don't worry about it, choose what you think works, and you'll learn as you go along.

Something to note: Stuff like the Prince's healing when he's full on health at the end of the turn probably won't be something to work on maxing out, but the one where you heal after battle seems good (and the one where you heal with every step seems great)...

But once you get tons of health, and you're healing 20 health per end of battle, it might not be so important, ja?

 

[Man God]

This game is amazingly well put together.

Max level is 99. and it doesn't take 29 revocations this time. :lol You also get quite a few extra skill points for retiring at the original max level cap of 70.

Still, not enough to max everything, but you could get most important things.

 

[sundrenched]

Urgh I'm having problems with progressing in level 2! I'm stick at the top left half, seems like all possible paths are blocked by FOEs and the mud traps are restricting my getaway from them help!

 

[Althane]

This game is amazingly well put together.

Max level is 99. and it doesn't take 29 revocations this time. :lol You also get quite a few extra skill points for retiring at the original max level cap of 70.

Still, not enough to max everything, but you could get most important things.

Ah, thank god. I would have never had the patience to do 29 revocations (much less get past the 4th stratum BUT IGNORING THAT)

Also, is anyone else mourning the disappearance of the Medic? I totally am. =(

For some reason, Healer-Monk doesn't seem to quite be the same.

 

[Man God]

Ah, thank god. I would have never had the patience to do 29 revocations (much less get past the 4th stratum BUT IGNORING THAT)

Also, is anyone else mourning the disappearance of the Medic? I totally am. =(

For some reason, Healer-Monk doesn't seem to quite be the same.

If you look at their stat progression and expected loadouts at 50+ they turn out all right.

Princess+Item healing though seems to be the way to go. Princess have great armor, great weapons, buffs, big heals by killing buffs, passive healing in battle and out of battle and debuffing. Sure Monks do great front row damage but you have so many better choices for that position while the princess can slide in whereever and do her job.

 

[Althane]

If you look at their stat progression and expected loadouts at 50+ they turn out all right.

Princess+Item healing though seems to be the way to go. Princess have great armor, great weapons, buffs, big heals by killing buffs, passive healing in battle and out of battle and debuffing. Sure Monks do great front row damage but you have so many better choices for that position while the princess can slide in whereever and do her job.

There's no difference between Prince and Princess, yeah?

I'm noticing that my Prince is a decent damage dealer, but the healing (for this level at least) is really useful (means that if I win a battle I spend a lot less TP bandaging people).

I've not used the heals through killing buffs thing, since I'm usually not a fan of dropping buffs, but I'll check it out.

Also, I'm using my monk as a back-row healer, more than a front row damage dealer. Maybe I should change that.

 

[NichM]

There's no difference between Prince and Princess, yeah?

They're all the same in the dark.

 

[Man God]

Monks in the back is a lot safer. You end up wasting those fists though.

Princess is the same class. :lol

The big heal from dropping a buff is a pretty big heal. I just got it and it does damn well.

 

[Althane]

They're all the same in the dark.

=X

I'll post my current team's skills and all when I get back from class, but I'm actually enjoying the farmer being around. Sure, he does crap damage, but the gathering means I don't have to spend points on any other characters. And it's great for cash.

Still not sure about my Arbalest though. Thinking a Bucaneer or Ninja might be a better rear-guard.

 

[Man God]

Arbalists are some of the best damage in this game, period.

Combine that shit voltron style with a Zodiac's elemental boosting properties for some absurd damage later on.

I do like my Buccaneer a lot more now that She's in the back row, though Hanging is a good fairly reliable head bind.

Farmers are a joke character...outside of farming. When their abilities work (and hitting with them is mostly Luck based which the farmers have a ton of) they work spectacularly.

I have four farmers in my gathering group. :lol

 

[Althane]

Arbalists are some of the best damage in this game, period.

Combine that shit voltron style with a Zodiac's elemental boosting properties for some absurd damage later on.

I do like my Buccaneer a lot more now that She's in the back row, though Hanging is a good fairly reliable head bind.

Farmers are a joke character...outside of farming. When their abilities work (and hitting with them is mostly Luck based which the farmers have a ton of) they work spectacularly.

I have four farmers in my gathering group. :lol

Who do you have protecting them? Keeping 4 farmers alive seems like a pain in the butt.