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Rune Factory 4 |OT|
- Thread starter RuneFactoryFanboy
- Start date
chickdigger802
Banned
dling this and phoenix wright demo. come on workday...
Thanks for all the details. Really was useful. Can't wait to get the game tomorrow.Hmm, it's hard to really pinpoint how long it takes to finish the 2nd arc, because it's highly user dependant. Took me about 40-50 hours myself, but could take someone else less time depending on how they play. (Which difficulty, if they focus on farming/relationships instead of plot, etc.)
It costs prince/ss points, which is a new currency in RF4 that you get from fighting monsters, winning festivals, talking to villagers, and more. You have orders which you can use to buy and build up the town, and the sprite swap feature is one of the orders you can end up getting. (The orders system is a LOT of fun and adds a lot a depth into the game!) The sprite swap feature costs only 50pp each time you swap, so it's really cheap. You can change it at any time if you have enough points!No restrictions at all.
If you sprite swap to the other main character (say you start as Frey and swap to Lest) It'll change your in-game sprite, portrait AND voice. The only thing it doesn't change is pronouns, so the characters will still call you she, princess, etc. If you switch to one of the marriage candidates or villagers, only your in-game sprite changes. Your portrait will still be Lest or Frey, but they will be silent. When you fight though, your character will use the character voice you switched to (say you switched to Leon, it'll have his voice in battle).
Also, after you beat the 2nd arc on one file, which you start another it'll be opened from the start, so right off the bat (after you select your name and see the intro of the game) you can switch your character over. No worries about the questions, I don't mind answering any of them at all
Knowing this is an option makes it all the more cool for me.
nicoga3000
Saint Nic
I've never played a RF game before...Is this one of those titles where I can take it at my own pace and just relax (with the farming), or do I need to be super focused on timing/dates in order to enjoy the full game?
Thanks for all the details. Really was useful. Can't wait to get the game tomorrow.
Glad to hear it! I wish they did have the option, but like you said earlier at least this is somewhat of a compromise
Let's hope in RF5 they will!Nico - Definitely a game where you can take things at your own pace. Don't have to worry about timing nor dates and just play as you please
Deadly Cyclone
Pride of Iowa State
I got this to do a write up on for COIN-OP.TV. This is my first foray into Rune Factory. I've never played Harvest Moon either. Does this have some similarities to Animal Crossing?
I'm anxious to see what it's about.
I'm anxious to see what it's about.
Basileus777
Member
I completely forgot I still had my SMT4 credit, it was a pleasant surprise when I went to the eshop to buy this.
Matt Attack
Member
Got an order in with Amazon earlier today, should be here Thursday. I can't wait to try my first Rune Factory!
First few minute impressions: I can't say I dig the 3D model visuals too much. They're nice and fluid, but the slightly zoomed out camera (in comparison to RF3) makes it much harder to make out the details on the character models, with the jaggyness of them certainly not helping. It's to the point where, despite technically having less detailed models, the RF3 characters feel like they were easier to distinguish due to it being easier to pick up on the differences in character models. You can barely even see the eyes for the male MC when he's just walking around.
...Outside of that though, it really is basically Rune Factory. Feels like a long since since I heard some of these sound effects.
...Outside of that though, it really is basically Rune Factory. Feels like a long since since I heard some of these sound effects.
Ah, Game Informer's Kimberley Wallace has her review up here http://www.gameinformer.com/games/rune_factory_4/b/3ds/archive/2013/10/01/royalty-isn-t-all-it-s-cracked-up-to-be.aspx. The score is 7/10 and her feeling is that:
So it's in line with previous entries, but the feeling is that for series veterans there is a little too much of "the same" and long tutorials, but I'd add that that seems to suggest that this one could help newcomers get into the series. Though a warning: The handholding apparently lasts for up to 10 hours. It's very fair though for a fan to want more and better things for the series considering it's been around for so long, and for a dedicated fan who has played through the previous games it is fair to want things to improve significantly (better, more challenging dungeons, more "thought" put into fights, etc.) rather than stay the same. And Kimberley Wallace lets us know in the review that she is a longtime fan, so I suspect her critcisms must come out of love and a desire for a favorite series of hers to be even better!
But to me, this is all that matters..."Still, the formula is still entertaining" ^_^
So it's in line with previous entries, but the feeling is that for series veterans there is a little too much of "the same" and long tutorials, but I'd add that that seems to suggest that this one could help newcomers get into the series. Though a warning: The handholding apparently lasts for up to 10 hours. It's very fair though for a fan to want more and better things for the series considering it's been around for so long, and for a dedicated fan who has played through the previous games it is fair to want things to improve significantly (better, more challenging dungeons, more "thought" put into fights, etc.) rather than stay the same. And Kimberley Wallace lets us know in the review that she is a longtime fan, so I suspect her critcisms must come out of love and a desire for a favorite series of hers to be even better!
But to me, this is all that matters..."Still, the formula is still entertaining" ^_^
Really conflicted about this game. I preordered it a long time ago and I'd buy it in a heartbeat pretty much any other month of the year. I just don't feel entirely comfortable spending $120 on 3DS games this month, and I know I'm picking up the latest Etrian Odyssey and Pokémon.
Will probably pick it up later. Don't really know what I'm missing out on either I've never played a Rune Factory game before.
Will probably pick it up later. Don't really know what I'm missing out on either I've never played a Rune Factory game before.
weemadarthur
Member
I wouldn't worry about it. Given that it's available digitally, it won't do the $100 used prices that #3 did.
chickdigger802
Banned
something you'd never notice in the trailers... but 60fps smoothness kinda redeems the ds looking graphics and barely any use of 3d for a... near launch game?
IMO between EO Untold and this, RF is the one that needs an active community more since everyone's experience should be different, which is why I picked RF first and EOU later.
First impressions:
GEEZE THE TUTORIALS. Really slow at the beginning, but things do pick up. I really liked how RF3 just kind of threw me in and let me discover things for myself. My guess is they wanted to make this super friendly to newcomers.
I couldn't stand the 3D effect at the beginning, but it's grown on me.
I think I prefer 3's setting and characters, but these ones are starting to grow on me.
Really starting to enjoy the game at this point. Same lovable dialogue, monsters, music, and gameplay.
However, I'M STUCK.
I'm doing the fishing request, I've caught a fish at the lake, but the request box is still telling me how to catch a fish? What do I need to do next?
GEEZE THE TUTORIALS. Really slow at the beginning, but things do pick up. I really liked how RF3 just kind of threw me in and let me discover things for myself. My guess is they wanted to make this super friendly to newcomers.
I couldn't stand the 3D effect at the beginning, but it's grown on me.
I think I prefer 3's setting and characters, but these ones are starting to grow on me.
Really starting to enjoy the game at this point. Same lovable dialogue, monsters, music, and gameplay.
However, I'M STUCK.
I'm doing the fishing request, I've caught a fish at the lake, but the request box is still telling me how to catch a fish? What do I need to do next?
Crap, there's no way I'll finish ToD, 2, and 3 in time, I'm about 3/4th of the way done with each of their stories though (2 is taking muuuch longer than I anticipated). Maybe...maybe I'll play 4 Rune Factory games in parallel, can it be done? Thank God for portable gaming and sleep mode though, it's so easy to kill time between classes, wish I discovered portable gaming sooner.
RuneFactoryFanboy
Member
My wife snuck out and bought this for me yesterday for my birthday!
First impressions are it's very smooth and doesn't look nearly as bad as the screenshots let on. Not only does the great frame rate help but moving around with the analog nub just helps make the whole experience feel fluid. The beginning tutorial is a bit long for me, but I suppose if this is your first RF game it's needed.
Also, what the heck is up with Xiao Pai's intro? Made me laugh and I had to re-watch it.
I only had time to play for two days worth (birthday guests didn't leave until late) but so far it's gotten me really excited for what's to come. I already like the characters and the premise. Margaret will be mine.
First impressions are it's very smooth and doesn't look nearly as bad as the screenshots let on. Not only does the great frame rate help but moving around with the analog nub just helps make the whole experience feel fluid. The beginning tutorial is a bit long for me, but I suppose if this is your first RF game it's needed.
Also, what the heck is up with Xiao Pai's intro? Made me laugh and I had to re-watch it.
I only had time to play for two days worth (birthday guests didn't leave until late) but so far it's gotten me really excited for what's to come. I already like the characters and the premise. Margaret will be mine.
Well it wasn't done right. Menu overlays and character portraits should always be on the top most layer when doing 3D, however when this game zooms in suddenly the 3D models & environment become higher than them. This messes with your eyes as now it looks like your menus and the portraits are indented into the screen. I play every 3DS game with the slider at max but this will be the first one I play with it off. Kind of disappointing but it's not the end of the world.
chickdigger802
Banned
Got around to playing a bit until day 2. Gotta love that the first thing i did on the farm was accidentally eat a weed and get poisoned. Every npc told me to go see the doctor, but no1 ever told me where the doctor was (._. ). So i explored the town and met with everyone with 0 hp until i eventually found his clinic
Been ages since i've played a harvestmoon style game... are these farm item sprites the same ones from gba era?
Also i forget, but how do you get rid of weeds? I swear there was a way... maybe that was a hoe, but right now im just chucking them around... like that if you throw them down they end up in your room somehow.
Also yea the 3d really fucks with your eyes because the text bubble is sometimes in but the characters are out... or something or something and fuck im cross eyed.
Those videos of this game do this no justice because the game is fuuucking smooth with near instant transitions. Shit reminds me of playing gba/snes era games. soo smooth so snappy.
Been ages since i've played a harvestmoon style game... are these farm item sprites the same ones from gba era?
Also i forget, but how do you get rid of weeds? I swear there was a way... maybe that was a hoe, but right now im just chucking them around... like that if you throw them down they end up in your room somehow.
Also yea the 3d really fucks with your eyes because the text bubble is sometimes in but the characters are out... or something or something and fuck im cross eyed.
Those videos of this game do this no justice because the game is fuuucking smooth with near instant transitions. Shit reminds me of playing gba/snes era games. soo smooth so snappy.
Dunno if you figured it out, but that's the request where you have to start delivering stuff to the people who requested it. It's pretty vague about it unless you actually look at the details in your journal.
Basileus777
Member
I really wish you could adjust the sound levels. The sound mix is awful, the sound effects drown out everything including the voices. Oh well, sound effects are now turned completely off.
Very disappointed in the graphics. This is simply a DS game that is running on a 3DS.
Looking at the sprites for the weeds and sticks in the field- It's just embarrassing.
When I heard Rune Factory 3DS, I thought we were getting something somewhat like this:
Instead, we get this:
uggh
Looking at the sprites for the weeds and sticks in the field- It's just embarrassing.
When I heard Rune Factory 3DS, I thought we were getting something somewhat like this:
Instead, we get this:
uggh
RuneFactoryFanboy
Member
Oh I am loving the loading times. The last two Rune Factory games I played were on consoles, so when I changed between areas and it was instantaneous I was pleased.
Yes it does! So smooth and combat feels nice.
When I looked at the Media Create sales archives to see how RFF and ToD did compared to this game, though, I think whatever the 3DS can handle is what can be done graphics-wise for now, which is a shame because it looked like the effort put into RFF wasn't rewarded saleswise (damn you Japanese Wii gamers!) But after several hours of playing I'd bet that any of my issues with the graphics would melt away (the music on the other hand...hope it's good enough to hear over and over). My copy arrives today so I'll get to see what's up firsthand soon.
^Oddly enough, RF3 feels "smoother" compared to RF1 and RF2, was RF3 running in 60fps or was it just that characters moved faster, etc? It feels "slick" compared to the "sluggish" RF2 (it's kind of hard switching between the two games when one performs better than the other).
You guys saying this is a DS game on 3DS are flipping nuts.
I played RF3 today and the stuff in this game is waaaay beyond the DS games. Is it the best looking thing ever? No. But it's no DS game either ya dorks.
Also, yeah this was an early 3DS game. Here's hoping that RF5 looks nicer.
I played RF3 today and the stuff in this game is waaaay beyond the DS games. Is it the best looking thing ever? No. But it's no DS game either ya dorks.
Also, yeah this was an early 3DS game. Here's hoping that RF5 looks nicer.
Really?
It's obvious that this game is made from the exact same code base (and probably even the same assets) from the previous DS games and just thrown onto the 3DS with zero improvements to graphical fidelity, other than a terrible implementation of 3D.
I have this coming from Gamefly as well as having Mario and Luigi 3DS out (haven't played it yet). I'm going to use the Keep it option on one or the other so I can get Beyond as well. I loved RFF but haven't played any other games in the series. How does this compare to it? A portable version seems like it'd be great..
Yep, that's what I'm hoping for too, the 3DS isn't going to put out games looking totally like Wii games (so not like RFF), but I wonder if Harvest Moon's look is what it would look like next, or if they'll...milk what they've already got (hopefully not).
RuneFactoryFanboy
Member
I wouldn't say there have been zero improvements, clearly things like the character models have been upgraded. It looks like a polished up DS game, which is why I think it started out as a DS game and was transitioned mid-development. I don't think the DS is capable of the 3D models on display at this frame rate, but I also don't think it's pushing the 3DS very hard.
Visuals are rather low on my priority list for the series and I think for anyone who's actually into it that's true as well. Tides of Destiny is by far the best looking Rune Factory and yet it's the least loved. It will be interesting to see what RF5 looks like.
It's killing me being at work today, I want to go home and play so badly.
chickdigger802
Banned
As long as a game doesn't look like complete shit but runs super slowly and has low to zero loading, thats about all i want out of a handheld game usually.
loading is ok on consoles but for some reason having a system in your hand while you watch a black screen or loading screen is about 10x more insufferable.
loading is ok on consoles but for some reason having a system in your hand while you watch a black screen or loading screen is about 10x more insufferable.
I'm really hoping the gameplay is good. I only played to the point of getting to the field and then had to go to sleep. It looked pretty rough up to that point though (graphics wise).
I absolutely loved RFF. I never really liked any of the other RFs.
Here's from the Gameinformer review:
So I'm going to prepare myself for a similar experience gameplay-wise to RF3, but with more dimension to the "social sim" aspect of the game. I do wish they'd go for puzzles in dungeons, boss battles that require strategy (and maybe even puzzle aspects too?) so if they're working on a new RF game the "adventure game" aspect is what I'd think should be improved on. I seem to recall that the dungeons in RFF had "obstruction clearing" for the task at hand in dungeons. RF1 required destroying all the monster gates to get to the bosses, and the player even had to grow crops at times, if not to replenish RP but to unlock doors. From what I've played of RF2 it has "kill these monsters, plant these crops, give these items to this statue, answer these questions" to get stone tablets to advance the story. And RF3 had magic seeds that could be used to cross water. ToD...its dungeons were about running to levers and opening doors. I am eager to see if they tried new things with the dungeons in RF4, but I wonder if they'll end up just being places to fight enemies.
You need good graphics to see the waifus, though!
(I'm personally playing to wield dual waifus in combat)
Bacon_Boss
Member
Got the game, loving it. I does feel like a step down from a new beginning though, graphically. Here's hoping 5 is more along harvest moon's graphical quality.
I ought to do the same! By that, I mean, dabble in the other things in the series. So far I've been trying to go through the main stories of the previous games, doing "the minimum to get by" and a little extra, so I'm planning to go all out with RF4, on the farming, the monster capturing, the waifuing, actually have the character marry and have children, even if the story doesn't require it, crafting the "ultimate" weapons, planting the crops that take a loooong time to grow, maxing out skills, bringing monsters and townspeople to fight in dungeons, making all kinds of different food items, armor, trying to win the festivals, catch fish...
^Oh yeah, come to think of it, I got "A New Beginning" but I haven't played it yet, maybe I'll try some of ANB so I can compare and contrast a HM game to a RF game.
H.Protagonist
[-_-]/
Yep, and actually printing a dual sided cover that takes advantage of the case design! Shame seemingly no one else cares in NA. Well, I think a few SE games did, but I suspect they're scaling back now too with this stuff.
Really?
It's obvious that this game is made from the exact same code base (and probably even the same assets) from the previous DS games and just thrown onto the 3DS with zero improvements to graphical fidelity, other than a terrible implementation of 3D.
RF4 is actually a pretty big improvement over the DS ones; I think its more of a budget issue than anything else.
chickdigger802
Banned
well the ingame character portrait art is still quite good and thats what really matters for waifu games
No one wants to marry the in game Chie model in p4, thats for sure.