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NiGHTS into Dreams HD |OT| Dreaming of snow, sparkles, and nightmares [Control patch]
- Thread starter ShadiWulf
- Start date
BlazeHedgehog
Member
The music in each of the four sections of a level changes depending on the mood of your Pians. Pians being the little angel guys you see freely roaming about levels.
I think Pians naturally get happy over the course of the game, but you can accelerate how happy they get by helping them hatch eggs and such, I believe. If you kill a Pian, the opposite effect happens - especially if other Pians witness the event.
The happier your Pians are, the happier and more rich the music will sound. The sadder your Pians are, the more basic and downtrodden the song will be.
It is a weird and entirely unnecessary system that most people don't even know exists, and that's exactly why it's cool, I think, because under this weird arcade action game is this artificial life simulation for absolutely no reason.
Christmas NiGHTS came with a way to analyze your NiGHTS save file and see the current pian population and their moods, but I am not sure if that made it over in to the XBLA release.
it's stuff like this that, beyond just the core gameplay, really made me love the game. it's as if Sonic Team was overfilled with guys with great, imaginitive ideas, but not enough games to try them on.
"Boss, we've got this great idea for a psuedo-AI we call A-Life, can we put it in the game? I know it has nothing to do with the gameplay." "Sure, why not."
"Boss, nobody's going to notice the car in Mystic Forest, how about I have it follow the player... and if the player, for no real reason, goes near the garage, the car goes in?" "Yeah why not."
"Boss, how about, if in addition to having an A-Life system, we have it so that if you knock an enemy into a Pian, they cross-breed and create a weird Mepian offspring? That can then possibly also interbreed?" "... wha? you know, fuck it, go right ahead."
and then releasing Christmas NiGHTS for free (in a magazine) was a further extension of that. so many additions went into that.
it's all of these things that come together that really made the game feel like a labor of love, and in turn, made the world really feel alive. more than other games at the time, and more than so many today. all of this from what is essentially an arcade-style game.
I assume it's the same for the XBLA release, but in the PSN version you can examine the Nightopian/Mepian population in the HD release. Their moods, their appearance, whether they're... spinning around, or singing, etc, on a per-level basis.
Unfortunately, the Melody Box did not make the transition. I used to record my favorite "mixes" on tape using that.
On the Saturn version, you could reset the music by erasing the A-Life file (which I did frequently, because it took a lot of the internal memory), I'm not sure if an A-Life reset is possible in the HD version.
Upsidedown Fuji
Member
bwahhhhh said:
I know it won't happen but I'd pay 200 space bucks for Melody Box DLC.
patrickthehedgehog
Member
this might be old news, but my ticket which I submitted about the controls got this reply:
*fingers crossed*
*fingers crossed*
U n i o n 0015
Member
Sheeet, I'm crossing my toes, too...
Thanks for contacting them. It's important that they get enough tickets about this issue, the more there are the more it'll become apparent to Sega that this is important enough to fix.
SpikedGunner
Member
Here's hoping, would be great if it does mean we'll get a patch.
U n i o n 0015
Member
There are two links for Sega's support:
America: https://segaofamerica.zendesk.com/home
Europe and other countries: https://support.sega.co.uk/home
Click "submit a request" to open a ticket with support.
America: https://segaofamerica.zendesk.com/home
Europe and other countries: https://support.sega.co.uk/home
Click "submit a request" to open a ticket with support.
Upsidedown Fuji
Member
Has interest pretty much tapered off here? I was hoping that the group of people who are coping with the controls to compare scores, routes and methods on how to make higher scores.
I've found some decent routes in the low scoring Stick Canyon and Mystic Forest levels but I always get crap bosses which kill my final bonus multiplier. I wish I could just battle Reala all the time. That guy's a pushover.
I've found some decent routes in the low scoring Stick Canyon and Mystic Forest levels but I always get crap bosses which kill my final bonus multiplier. I wish I could just battle Reala all the time. That guy's a pushover.
GreenMakoEyes
Member
in the Dream Select screen or whtever you want to call it, you can select the boss battle of each dream via square button (PS3) in order to fight the bosses directly.
perfect way to to learn the boss' patterns.
Upsidedown Fuji
Member
Yes I know you can practice with bosses. But I have a few bosses that just won't give me an easy 2.0.
I do know how they work after playing the game over the years so much but I've never improved much with the most important ones like Jackle. Sometimes I go good with him but other times I totally F-up and rush into it and get bombarded with cards and time deductions. Sorry. I'm back to the Saturn version till a control patch hits. :-/
BlazeHedgehog
Member
Same. While I did admit in my review that the control issues weren't world-ending, I am finding it considerably harder to get A ranks on some stages and every time I think I want to go back and finish out the rest of the achievements I'm missing I figure it's probably a better idea to wait for the control patch, if there even is one (despite the "first patch is free" policy on Xbox Live, Sonic CD never got patched on consoles either, even though other platforms did).
Upsidedown Fuji
Member
Ahh well at least the online leader boards are still competitive enough to keep me interested. I guess I have that for now.
U n i o n 0015
Member
I'm still playing but without a control patch it's not as fun to play over and over again like the Saturn was.
IIRC, you get one free patch. SEGA could make it happen.
patrickthehedgehog
Member
What was patched on Sonic CD?
Shadow Hog
Member
IIRC it only got a patch on iOS/Android. Steam/PSN versions remain as they were.
A whole laundry list of minor inconsistencies. The one that jumped out at me was how you couldn't time travel in the veritcal conveyor belts in Quartz Quadrant Zone in the initial release, despite it being possible in every version released prior. I pointed it out in the relevant topic on Sonic Retro (where The Taxman is a semi-regular), and it got fixed.
I don't have the actual list of fixes on hand, though.
You can do mare 1 on Stick Canyon backwards for an infinite link on the Saturn and get >100k. I don't know how well it works in NiGHTS HD.
Upsidedown Fuji
Member
Now I gotta try that. I've done other level's mares backwards for higher scores but never thought of Stick Cannyon because of that wonky pair of magnets near the starting point. Thanks!
So I was playing Nights in SSF (using this <3), and I was blown away again by just how beautiful it still is now. It may be technically out of date but the art direction is still amazing.
I still hope Sega fixes the controls in the rerelease - I'd buy it in an instant if they do. But I'm satisfied with SSF.
I still hope Sega fixes the controls in the rerelease - I'd buy it in an instant if they do. But I'm satisfied with SSF.
Yeah it really is. The HD port has been really nicely done too (controls notwithstanding). The view is full widescreen, the graphics are wonderfully crisp and vibrant, the soundtrack is just as catchy as it ever was and the framerate is rock solid. I've just finished the two dream paths and have unlocked Christmas NiGHTS - but am forcing myself to hold off playing it until December
I really hope Sega patch the controls, as this really should (and could) be the definitive version.
Upsidedown Fuji
Member
Happy Halloween everyone!
So all this month Claire has been dressed up as a witch in Mystic Forest but today, Halloween, Elliott is dressed up as a vampire on the same level. Even if you aren't into the feel of the direct download port at least fire it up for the neat little Easter egg.
So all this month Claire has been dressed up as a witch in Mystic Forest but today, Halloween, Elliott is dressed up as a vampire on the same level. Even if you aren't into the feel of the direct download port at least fire it up for the neat little Easter egg.
DeVeAn
Member
Man I like how the music changes but, not hearing the original soft museum is not acceptable lol. I had to delete the a life eventually they still hated me.
Happy Halloween everyone!
So all this month Claire has been dressed up as a witch in Mystic Forest but today, Halloween, Elliott is dressed up as a vampire on the same level. Even if you aren't into the feel of the direct download port at least fire it up for the neat little Easter egg.
I would, but it won't be released on PC for a few months. :\
U n i o n 0015
Member
Welp, A-ranked all the stages and got all the achievements. Time to put this one to bed...
...which is a shame really, because if Sega ever patched the controls, I would play it a heck of a lot more. How I miss NiGHTS flying gracefully in circles around rings. Going for A-ranks used to be fun, not frustrating!
...which is a shame really, because if Sega ever patched the controls, I would play it a heck of a lot more. How I miss NiGHTS flying gracefully in circles around rings. Going for A-ranks used to be fun, not frustrating!
Just bought this game. I love the feeling of flight in this game it's silky smooth.
I don't get people complaining about the controls. Maybe it's because I never played it on the Saturn but everything feels great. Hearing people complain about barely being able to make it through rings has to be some kind of hyperbole. While I haven't yet been able to get an A rank on any stage it's because I don't fully understand the scoring system. Doing aerial stunts n this game is a breeze.
I don't get people complaining about the controls. Maybe it's because I never played it on the Saturn but everything feels great. Hearing people complain about barely being able to make it through rings has to be some kind of hyperbole. While I haven't yet been able to get an A rank on any stage it's because I don't fully understand the scoring system. Doing aerial stunts n this game is a breeze.
Try slowly moving the analog stick from hard left/right/up/down to a diagonal direction, and you'll probably notice how there's a large dead zone before it changes. It's kind of like how they fucked up Uncharted 3's aiming, though I admittedly do find this easier to deal with (probably because the game DID need to be playable with a D-pad too). Even if they never patch it a PC port would hopefully allow a user mod that lets it work with full 360 degree control.
I have to say the points where the camera switches to behind Nights are some of the weaker portions of the game. Winter Bell's is pretty cool, but Splash Garden's and Soft Museum's boarder on the unplayable. Also the on-foot sections suck, and the fact that you're forced to deliver the orbs by foot before you're allowed to dualize really sucks.
The on foot parts are where I actually think the lack of full 360 degree controls FEEL worst, even if they're not as important there as flying. It felt extremely and unnaturally stiff relative to how I remember controlling on the Saturn, even though the game was never meant to be seriously played on foot like, say, SM64.
dreamcastmaster
Banned
You answered the question right there. I'll buy when patched.
U n i o n 0015
Member
The original Saturn version controls like butter. Seriously, your finger moves and that's where NiGHTS goes. This is like playing with input lag. It's noticeable to anyone who has played the two. But I'm glad you're enjoying it; it's a fun game.
BlazeHedgehog
Member
I'm not sure what your issues are in Splash Garden and Soft Museum. Soft Museum is one of my favorite stages. It's not really difficult to control Nights when the camera is behind you.
You're not supposed to deliver the orbs on foot by the way. The only time you should be on foot is right at the start of a stage. Although I agree that they play rather poorly in comparison. Just consider it an incentive to play as Nights
I agree with you on the controls. I played the original and while there are differences it's not that big a deal in my opinion.
Stephen Stills
Member
So, I'm reading on Twitter that this has been patched and the controls are fixed. Can anyone confirm?
where exactly are you reading this?
Stephen Stills
Member
Well if that's the Trippy from that NiGHTS fansite, this does sounds promising. Off to test it out.
Phonomezer
Banned
Thank fuck.
someone test this out asap! im ready to buy if its all fixed.
BlazeHedgehog
Member
Unfortunately I uninstalled NiGHTS literally a few days ago to make room for installing Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, thinking it would need a full 7gb (it didn't). I won't be able to verify until tomorrow morning (or, er, today, I guess, but you know what I mean).
Yep. Controls are fixed. Christmas is saved!
They still don't feel 100% like the Saturn controls, more like 95% I'd say. But that's due to playing it on a different controller and not the NiGHTS 3D pad the game was made for, so it's only a matter of getting used to it a little.
Certainly not the problem it was before.
So glad they did take the time and take this issue seriously. That's the old Sega I remember and love.
They still don't feel 100% like the Saturn controls, more like 95% I'd say. But that's due to playing it on a different controller and not the NiGHTS 3D pad the game was made for, so it's only a matter of getting used to it a little.
Certainly not the problem it was before.
So glad they did take the time and take this issue seriously. That's the old Sega I remember and love.
Phonomezer
Banned
Yep. Controls are fixed. Christmas is saved!
They still don't feel 100% like the Saturn controls, more like 95% I'd say.
Agreed. Feels so much better, just had a crack at Claris' first Dream and I had to readjust to the new-old controls... lol.
Praise Jesus.
Someone should edit the good news into the thread title.