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[AleeN634]

Quick question:
Is it better than the War of the Lions?

It's better in some areas for sure. I find the story just as complex (if not more so) than War of the Lions. The fact that there are branching paths and so many characters/classes helps too. The only negative I have about the game are some of the menus are very poorly designed. That being said, I still love this game.

 

[Yaweee]

Yes, the name is just different for Lizardmen and Lamia.



Though thinking about the characters I still need to get from chaos/neutral, just using story characters and monsters is going to go right up against the 50 limit. It's an issue.

At the very least, it massively limits the possibilities for "creative" non-human groups. No undead, no dragon only, no beast only, and barely any potential for demi-human only.

 

[John Harker]

That's odd. Are there often cut scenes in the World Report that don't actually play in the game?

I chose Chaos, mid chapter 2, and on a whim I was skimming the Warren Report when I noticed there was a scene about

Spoiler

Ravness dying that didn't actually play in the game. I'm about to watch it now. But I would never have known it was here if I didn't look for it

- does that happen more than once?

 

[depward]

This game is amazing. OK.

But as someone who usually doesn't like SRPGs... will this make me like them?

 

[psykomyko]

Man, I really wish I owned a PSP, I want to play this game

 

[Joule]

That's odd. Are there often cut scenes in the World Report that don't actually play in the game?

I chose Chaos, mid chapter 2, and on a whim I was skimming the Warren Report when I noticed there was a scene about

Spoiler

Ravness dying that didn't actually play in the game. I'm about to watch it now. But I would never have known it was here if I didn't look for it

- does that happen more than once?

It's not that often but it does come up sometimes.

 

[Unknown One]

That's the thing with Japanese game this generation, it's pretty backward in terms of accessibility, even if it's a remake it still counts. Some things are made inconvenient. Makes me wonder if some of the actual developers played it and go this is perfect. Lets make crafting one item at a time and have a failure rate, people like waiting.

 

[Freyjadour]

I am thoroughly burned out on this game. Just reached

Spoiler

Hanging Gardens

and I really don't have the drive to finish 14 maps of mostly "Vanquish the Enemy".

 

[ColtraineGF]

So I was playing, and I noticed that whenever I used Word of Pain at maximum distance at a certain angle, the spell's effect leaves behind a train that shows that it is indeed directing a word towards the opponent. Can anyone identify the word(s) repeated here? (image is flipped horiz.)

As far as I can see, it's "kinenokineno..."

 

[careful]

This game is amazing. OK.

But as someone who usually doesn't like SRPGs... will this make me like them?

Which SRPGs have you tried?

 

[Ferga]

god damn npcs running straight to their deaths!

 

[Hours Left]

This game is amazing. OK.

But as someone who usually doesn't like SRPGs... will this make me like them?

This is one of the most SRPGy SRPGs around, so if you are enjoying this, there is a strong possibility you'll like at least a few other ones.

Which ones have you played in the past?

 

[daffy]

This game is amazing. OK.

But as someone who usually doesn't like SRPGs... will this make me like them?

I don't think so. Looks like a great game, but its essentially a very polished remake of a hardcore tough as nails SRPG. Maybe you should start with something that blends SRPG with other concepts, such as Valkyria Chronicles I on PS3 or II on PSP. They are much more accessible for newcomers.

 

[Unknown One]

I didn't like SRPG at first when I bought FFT, but it grew on me. To me it's an acquired after getting use to it.

 

[Tawney Bomb]

This game is amazing. OK.

But as someone who usually doesn't like SRPGs... will this make me like them?

I was in your boat, I've tried Disgaea, FFT, Fire Emblem and Valkyria Chronicles and didn't care for them. But I've been playing this game almost exclusively since this past Friday and I love it. I think it allows you to level easier than the other SRPGs I've tried, as you level classes instead of individual characters.

I may retry other SRPGs after this one, seeing as this one is making me a believer.

 

[Silh]

god damn npcs running straight to their deaths!

Seriously.

Chapter 3 Neutral spoiler -

Spoiler

Having to spend a significant portion of the evening trying to save Cerya from Oz has been the biggest pain in my ass.

I was in your boat, I've tried Disgaea, FFT, Fire Emblem and Valkyria Chronicles and didn't care for them. But I've been playing this game almost exclusively since this past Friday and I love it. I think it allows you to level easier than the other SRPGs I've tried, as you level classes instead of individual characters.

Not sure about its sequels, but didn't Valkyria level up by classes too?

 

[dragonlife]

Just started and love it so far (the music is awesome), but holy hell are the menus a pain in the ass (Mainly Part and Shop). Also, they really dropped the ball with the shop...ugh. Why can't I preview how much better/worse these weapons will be on my characters!? UGH! Or am I missing something?

 

[Chairman Yang]

This game is amazing. OK.

But as someone who usually doesn't like SRPGs... will this make me like them?

No. Tactics Ogre is special in the SRPG world. The gameplay is unusually balanced, the gameplay is much more intuitive (fewer crazy/weird "systems" to get a handle on), and it's virtually alone among SRPGs in having a great story with superb writing. I'd recommend Tactics Ogre to a lot of people; I wouldn't give the same recommendation for the SRPG genre.

There are a few other great SRPGs, though. FFT is an obvious choice. Valkyria Chronicles is very different and has a lot of problems, but it's great too. Finally, check out Devil Survivor on the DS.

 

[duckroll]

Nothing sucks more than going into a battle against a bunch of dragons thinking you're totally prepared with 2 dragoons, feeling all awesome, then at the pivotal moment, you move a dragoon into the perfect spot to hit two dragons at one go for over 100 damage each... and you realize he has Beastslayer equipped instead of Dragonslayer.

ARHGAHGHA FUCK!FIHWHPOF!

 

[Crazetex]

Nothing sucks more than going into a battle against a bunch of dragons thinking you're totally prepared with 2 dragoons, feeling all awesome, then at the pivotal moment, you move a dragoon into the perfect spot to hit two dragons at one go for over 100 damage each... and you realize he has Beastslayer equipped instead of Dragonslayer.

ARHGAHGHA FUCK!FIHWHPOF!

GREAT LEADERS IMPROVISE FOR VICTORY. POOR LEADERS FLOUNDER AND SWEAR.

WHICH ARE YOU?

 

[duckroll]

GREAT LEADERS IMPROVISE FOR VICTORY. POOR LEADERS FLOUNDER AND SWEAR.

WHICH ARE YOU?

 

[Soulhouf]

Nothing sucks more than going into a battle against a bunch of dragons thinking you're totally prepared with 2 dragoons, feeling all awesome, then at the pivotal moment, you move a dragoon into the perfect spot to hit two dragons at one go for over 100 damage each... and you realize he has Beastslayer equipped instead of Dragonslayer.

ARHGAHGHA FUCK!FIHWHPOF!

And... the end of the story? Did you continue or reset already?

 

[Urban Scholar]

...Oh hey a map with dragons, let's see if I can tame one. Ah success! Hmm, what's so great about you guys again? That defense is rather up there...and those specials! Now I seek an army of dragons in those woods that opened up. Also I'm playing to be somewhat a bleeding heart in my Chaos route, "man among friends" I like it.

 

[duckroll]

And... the end of the story? Did you continue or reset already?

I continued on for over 30mins, trying to win the battle. Eventually poor tactical choices early in the map (when I thought I actually had Dragonslayer on both dragoons) caused my downfall because my troops were all stuck in the middle of the map but were unable to do much significant damage against the cluster of dragons, and because the entire middle island area was taken up by units, my archers could not reach the far end of the map to take out the weaker units using magic.

I ended up redoing the map with better preparation and it was still a relatively challenging map, mostly because it's a real test of patience in terms of how you position and plan your movements instead of rushing it. The pace of the battles in TO are pretty varied. Some maps reward you for rushing in terms of tactics, while some maps actually take longer if you rush, and rewards you instead for holding back and making sure the enemies move into the positions you want them to, before launching your full assault.

 

[Chairman Yang]

Also I'm playing to be somewhat a bleeding heart in my Chaos route, "man among friends" I like it.

Me too. It's the only path that really makes sense to me. If you're going to be a pragmatist instead, go with the Lawful route. The Neutral path is for fence-sitters who compromise their ideals but not enough to actually go all the way and be truly effective.

 

[TheSeks]

AI settings keep getting the units killed. :| Yeah, screw that. I guess I'll manually grind to prevent my "no fall/death" run from being compromised.

You guys said the forest/whatever spot for grinding unlocks in Chapter 1 after "YOU KILLED OUR FATHER, PREPARE TO DIE" dude shows up, right?

 

[duckroll]

The Neutral path is for fence-sitters who compromise their ideals but not enough to actually go all the way and be truly effective.

That's what I've been saying all along for all Japanese RPGs with meaningful chaos/law/neutral routes. The neutral route in TO and SMT games is always for the wankers. I hear lame excuses like "but that's the path of humanity" and "that's the choice a normal person would make". But you know what? This is a videogame, not real life.

The reason why normal people in real life make decisions which are closest to neutral is basically because in reality most people like being safe fence-sitters who do not desire real change, instead satisfied with relative comfort and stability. It's not a bad stance to have, but when you're playing a fantasy RPG and you have the ability to make sweeping changes based on ideology, why waste it by being a regular normal dude who wants to please as many people as possible by being indecisive?

 

[Urban Scholar]

It's not a bad stance to have, but when you're playing a fantasy RPG and you have the ability to make sweeping changes based on ideology, why waste it by being a regular normal dude who wants to please as many people as possible by being indecisive?

*Now feels bad for all the times he's gone the neutral route in his SMT games : / *

You guys said the forest/whatever spot for grinding unlocks in Chapter 1 after "YOU KILLED OUR FATHER, PREPARE TO DIE" dude shows up, right?

That's chapter 2 actually sir.

 

[Fimbulvetr]

*Now feels bad for all the times he's gone the neutral route in his SMT games : / *

Neutral in SMT 1 and 2 is less indecisiveness and more "these cults are fucking crazy, I think I'll start my own".

Human ending in Nocturne is more akin to what duckroll is saying.

 

[TheSeks]

That's chapter 2 actually sir.

FFFFF. How do you get past all these archers with a bird, two warriors, a cleric, a mage, and a knight? :|

 

[Urban Scholar]

FFFFF. How do you get past all these archers with a bird, two warriors, a cleric, a mage, and a knight? :|

Pray harder to the Great Father!!! What map is that one again I believe I forgot already.

 

[duckroll]

Man, being able to field 12 units in story battles now is awesome. The extra slots allowed me to field all 4 of my gryphons along with 3 archers, a cleric, 2 knights (both with Rampart Aura II), and 2 warriors. It made the battle really... interesting.

I really enjoyed watching my gryphons sitting on rooftops, killing archers and wizards by throwing BIG ROCKS at them. Lol.

 

[7Th]

That's what I've been saying all along for all Japanese RPGs with meaningful chaos/law/neutral routes. The neutral route in TO and SMT games is always for the wankers. I hear lame excuses like "but that's the path of humanity" and "that's the choice a normal person would make". But you know what? This is a videogame, not real life.

The Neutral route in SMT is almost always the best route to take because it is usually the one in which you get to fight all the bosses; Nocturne is the only SMT to not make the Neutral route the best of them all, and that's only because it has the True Demon route.

Neutral in SMT 1 and 2 is less indecisiveness and more "these cults are fucking crazy, I think I'll start my own".

Human ending in Nocturne is more akin to what duckroll is saying.

The only reason the Neutral/Human ending in Nocturne wasn't the best was the existence of the True Demon ending.

 

[Fimbulvetr]

I got a male Ninja and male Blade Master.

But I prefer the female designs to I retried the battle and got them instead.

 

[TheSeks]

Pray harder to the Great Father!!! What map is that one again I believe I forgot already.

The one after you get back from "YOU KILLED OUR FATHER, PREPARE TO DIE"'s place.

 

[creid]

Damn, I'm about ready for this game to be over, but I just got to Chapter 4 and it looks loooong. Oh well.

I've got a couple story characters that I'd like to use, but it would take hours to get them to be as strong as my current generics. Seems to happen to me in every Tactics game.

 

[7Th]

The reason why normal people in real life make decisions which are closest to neutral is basically because in reality most people like being safe fence-sitters who do not desire real change, instead satisfied with relative comfort and stability. It's not a bad stance to have, but when you're playing a fantasy RPG and you have the ability to make sweeping changes based on ideology, why waste it by being a regular normal dude who wants to please as many people as possible by being indecisive?

The problem with the Law and Chaos routes in Tactics Ogre is that they turn Denam into a very single-minded, kinda dumb character. Anyone with a brain could have seen that the Duke's plan in Law was going to

Spoiler

completely fall apart by the month

, for example.

 

[Fimbulvetr]

The problem with the Law and Chaos routes in Tactics Ogre is that they turn Denam into a very single-minded, kinda dumb character. Anyone with a brain could have seen that the Duke's plan in Law was going to

Spoiler

completely fall apart by the month

, for example.

It would have gone much better if

Spoiler

Vyce hadn't leaked info and the Duke had waited to see if Denam's distraction had worked instead of assuming it did.

 

[duckroll]

The problem with the Law and Chaos routes in Tactics Ogre is that they turn Denam into a very single-minded, kinda dumb character. Anyone with a brain could have seen that the Duke's plan in Law was going to

Spoiler

completely fall apart by the month

, for example.

But to be fair, Denam is a relatively simple minded character to begin with. The player's job is to decide what values Denam holds personally, but not define his character. In terms of actual characteristics, I'll say he's pretty consistent across all paths. I've always seen him as a very capable man of actions, whose actual mentality can be relatively easily swayed by those around him if they share his values.

Remember, Denam and Vyce pretty much grew up as commoners who lived as minorities throughout the blood war. I don't think they're expected to be particularly worldly or smart characters.

 

[7Th]

I guess I'm just too used to the idea that games that give you choices make you roleplay as the character whereas Tactics Ogre is just, like most SRPGs, guiding you through the narrative instead of letting you guide the narrative and the choices at the end of chapter 1 and at the end of chapter 2 don't determine the personality of Denam or even the outcome of the story, they're, at best, just letting you choose which version of the events you want to play through first.

 

[MSIMagus]

Just got off the phone with 6 different gamestops and not a single one of them had a copy of TO's guide in stock. The last place was nice enough to check their system and found that only a single store within an hour of me had the guide and it was about 50 mins away with only 1 copy listed in their system.

I strongly recommend that anyone that wants the guide check now because these things seem to be extremely limited. I managed to find a third party vendor that has them in stock for $15ish shipped.

 

[Yaweee]

Damn, I'm about ready for this game to be over, but I just got to Chapter 4 and it looks loooong. Oh well.

I've got a couple story characters that I'd like to use, but it would take hours to get them to be as strong as my current generics. Seems to happen to me in every Tactics game.

Chapter 4 really isn't that long except for the last dungeon, which is mostly "Vanquish all enemies" conditions. Fortunately, you can knock their asses in to pits for insta-kills, if I recall correctly.


It's usually easy to keep 1 or 2 story characters in your group to leech exp from story missions. It's not quick, but they'll get usable eventually.

You can also go back to random battles. Random battles have:

- a set number of units to fight based on the area
- a minimum enemy level based on the area
- The actual level of the enemies based on the highest person you bring

So you could go in to battle with a bunch of lowbies and fight a bunch of other lowbies.

 

[RS4-]

Ugh, was so close to restarting the whole game from scratch then I remembered that I can still sort of grind to get my ninja and rogue to at least level 10 instead of tackling the damn story mission at level 1 or something lol.

 

[Sir Garbageman]

Fat Bottomed Girls?

 

[MSIMagus]

Fat Bottomed Girls?

Tactics Ogre tends to have names reffrencing Queen songs. So in this case they were joking it should have been
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMnjF1O4eH0

 

[anddo0]

Getting my ass handed to me at Phorampa Wildwood.

Does your lvl matter for these battles?

 

[Yaweee]

Getting my ass handed to me at Phorampa Wildwood.

Does your lvl matter for these battles?

Yes, they follow the regular Random battle rules. The highest character you bring determines their level.

 

[Urban Scholar]

So um I noticed those dragons are particularly armored tanks. Magic seems to do nothing against them. I'm trying to recruit more for sure but any observations or tips on fighting against them? I saw the mention of dragoons but that's not happening with my party.

 

[Yaweee]

So um I noticed those dragons are particularly armored tanks. Magic seems to do nothing against them. I'm trying to recruit more for sure but any observations or tips on fighting against them? I saw the mention of dragoons but that's not happening with my party.

Melee physical attacks, particularly hammers, are useful, but it will still take a good number of hits.

Magic is actually really good, but you need the most powerful spells available and the correct skills for it. The various spell elemental buffs and debuffs can help too. If your caster is a lower level than the enemy, though, you may have issues.

Beasts and other dragons were very useful, as Throw Boulder tends to be useful, and Poison Rain can deal big damage to entire groups of dragons. Using the Beastmasters Empowered skills can make the boulders hit for ~100.

And then recruit the dragons and make them your own! They make damn good tanks (they get Rampart), and very useful 50 TP abilities)

 

[Urban Scholar]

Magic is actually really good, but you need the most powerful spells available and the correct skills for it. The various spell elemental buffs and debuffs can help too. If your caster is a lower level than the enemy, though, you may have issues.

Well no wonder my magic seems like pea shooters to them.

Beasts and other dragons were very useful, as Throw Boulder tends to be useful, and Poison Rain can deal big damage to entire groups of dragons. Using the Beastmasters Empowered skills can make the boulders hit for ~100.

?!

And then recruit the dragons and make them your own! They make damn good tanks (they get Rampart), and very useful 50 TP abilities)

...that's it I'm using my time in between class to go back into the woods and get more dragons. Also for a game with a much warranted guide I think it mighty strange it's having shipping issues.