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[ramyeon]

God damn I don't know why I never bothered to learn how to use Melia properly first time around. She's absolutely destroying everything at the moment where I'm at.

Although all I can think of when she opens her mouth is Clara Oswald. Which I'm not sure is a good or bad thing yet lol.

 

[Shadow Hog]

Honestly, as far as percentages through the game go, my take is:

20%:

Spoiler

Defeating Xord and fending off Metal Face after clearing the Colony 6 Ether Mines.

40%:

Spoiler

Visiting Zanza atop Prison Island, floating above Eryth Sea.

60%:

Spoiler

Destroying Galahad Fortress, and letting 7th into your party.

80%:

Spoiler

All the batshit insanity that happens in Mechonis Core.

100%:

Spoiler

Well, this much should be obvious from there.

Obviously the placements aren't perfectly even, but each one is tied to the tail end of a major story arc (respectively:

Spoiler

defeating Xord

,

Spoiler

fulfilling the Prison Island vision and earning the Monado II

,

Spoiler

defeating Metal Face, delivering a major blow to Egil and rounding out the party

,

Spoiler

properly defeating Egil

, and

Spoiler

wrapping up all the plot threads that opened up immediately after defeating Egil

), so it works out nicely in that sense.

 

[Xbro]

There's only like 5 areas after that (

Spoiler

Mechonis Field, Central Factory, Agniratha, Bionis Interior, Prison Island redux

), and all of them are linear or kind of small compared to the earlier maps.

If you include side/optional content available as you progress through the game, the halfway point could arguably be even earlier. There aren't as many quests in the later parts of the game, excluding post-game stuff.

Those areas are actually quite large and cutscene heavy though. So I believe everything before

Spoiler

Sword Valley

is more about travelling through tons of areas to get to the top of the bionis, while after is setting a certain goal. More stuff happens post-

Spoiler

Prison Island

than before it.

Plus, I've always considered there to be three turning points in the game.

Spoiler

Prison Island
Galahad Fortress
Mechonis Core

The post above me has a pretty good measure.

 

[Rich!]

cant fucking wait until the final battle

it always gets me pumped as hell with that music and the insane amount of concentration needed

 

[theprodigy]

Those areas are actually quite large and cutscene heavy though. So I believe everything before

Spoiler

Sword Valley

is more about travelling through tons of areas to get to the top of the bionis, while after is setting a certain goal. More stuff happens post-

Spoiler

Prison Island

than before it.

Plus, I've always considered there to be three turning points in the game.

Spoiler

Prison Island
Galahad Fortress
Mechonis Core

The post above me has a pretty good measure.

The amount of stuff that happens from the beginning of the game to

Spoiler

Prison Island

is far bigger than anything between any other consecutive segments you've listed, and it also it just feels like a proper halfway point

Spoiler

literally at the top of the Bionis, enemy levels are roughly halfway between the beginning and the final boss, roughly half the areas in the game have been visited at this point, getting the Monado II, etc.

.

I could also accept Shadow Hog's split, but even that places Valak at the halfway point instead.

 

[Rich!]

Ever since I played the game first back in 2011, I have always considered Valak Mountain as the halfway point and the playtime both at that point up to the playtime at the end of the game supports that in my case too.

 

[Rich!]

born in a world of
strife, against the odds, we choose
to fight! blossom dance!

it's a haiku. fits the 5/7/5 structure.

 

[deejay]

I just started this today and even though I'm not that far in I'm amazed at what the new 3DS can pull off. You can tell without even knowing about this game that it has an epic scope.

 

[Rich!]

I just started this today and even though I'm not that far in I'm amazed at what the new 3DS can pull off. You can tell without even knowing about this game that it has an epic scope.

you aint seen nothing yet

first few areas are the smallest

 

[Adamator]

Meh.

Nothing pops, except the UI.

Does it have depth into the screen at least?

 

[Zing]

It seems similar to Story of Seasons' 3D effect. The dialog and UI are "floating", while the actual game itself seems almost entirely 2D on a distant plane.

 

[braves01]

I picked up an n3DS last week and got this on preorder. After losing my 45 hour Wii save back in the day, I can't wait to finally jump back into this and actually finish it. Playing on a portable with sleep mode and no Wii motes or AA batteries required will make it much easier.

 

[Glix]

Meh.

Nothing pops, except the UI.

I don't need pop. I just like when there is depth, its like you're looking into a little world. It adds something for me without a doubt. I'm hoping I'll get that here.

Friday can't come soon enough!

 

[Xaero Gravity]

It seems similar to Story of Seasons' 3D effect. The dialog and UI are "floating", while the actual game itself seems almost entirely 2D on a distant plane.

This really hurts to read.

 

[Ventara]

So guys, I played the Wii version a few years back and I'm curious to know how far I am. My memory is hazy, but I

Spoiler

only had 3 (4?) party members (Sharla, Reyn & Duban? he joins you after defeating the sphere mech, I think) and I had just finished all the quests in that village that was being rebuilt. I was moving to a new area with glowing trees and whatnot.

 

[Rich!]

I don't need pop. I just like when there is depth, its like you're looking into a little world. It adds something for me without a doubt. I'm hoping I'll get that here.

Friday can't come soon enough!

Sorry but the 3D effect doesn't offer even that

Its terrible and in my usage of it, its pointless. The UI is in 3D, but the world itself isn't. At all. No depth. Nothing.

 

[chaosblade]

So guys, I played the Wii version a few years back and I'm curious to know how far I am. My memory is hazy, but I

Spoiler

only had 3 (4?) party members (Sharla, Reyn & Duban? he joins you after defeating the sphere mech, I think) and I was had just finished all the quests in that village that was being rebuilt. I was moving to a new area with glowing trees and whatnot.

Fairly early in the game. 20-ish percent, give or take?

 

[MrPanic]

Does it have depth into the screen at least?

It does for things in your vicinity, but the further away, the less depth it gets. Basically everything in the far distance looks flat because of that, causing the 3d to not look that impressive at all. The 3d near you is fine, but because it's only into the screen it doesn't look impressive either.

The main problem for me is that health bars above the characters heads are part of the gui that does pop out, so you get these popped out health bars moving around above characters that are deep into the screen. It just annoys me so I keep turning the 3d off during each battle.

 

[TheMoon]

So guys, I played the Wii version a few years back and I'm curious to know how far I am. My memory is hazy, but I

Spoiler

only had 3 (4?) party members (Sharla, Reyn & Duban? he joins you after defeating the sphere mech, I think) and I had just finished all the quests in that village that was being rebuilt. I was moving to a new area with glowing trees and whatnot.

You were entering Satorl Marsh. You were maybe close to a quarter of the way through. Suffice it to say, you barely scratched the surface.

 

[magnetic]

Is there a quick way to directly warp to different regions? Right now I have to warp to the exits of each area, go through them, and then do that again in the new area until I reach the one where I want to be, which is a bit fussy.

 

[The Elite]

Is there a quick way to directly warp to different regions? Right now I have to warp to the exits of each area, go through them, and then do that again in the new area until I reach the one where I want to be, which is a bit fussy.

I recall the OP having something about this.

 

[Ohnonono]

I have never played the WiiU version of this. I am in the middle of Etrian Mystery Dungeon and also play MH4U. This game looks really fun, but I am afraid of just not having time for it, or having to play it too broken up. Is it worth the purchase or should I wait until it can be my main focus?

 

[Glix]

It does for things in your vicinity, but the further away, the less depth it gets. Basically everything in the far distance looks flat because of that, causing the 3d to not look that impressive at all. The 3d near you is fine, but because it's only into the screen it doesn't look impressive either.

The main problem for me is that health bars above the characters heads are part of the gui that does pop out, so you get these popped out health bars moving around above characters that are deep into the screen. It just annoys me so I keep turning the 3d off during each battle.

Can you shut the bars off?

Or change their depth or layer setting or something in the options?

Are there robust UI/Graphics options? Is the bottom screen used?

 

[magnetic]

I recall the OP having something about this.

Ah, now I see it! I was searching within the ZR map menu, didn't realize I should have looked in the popup menu all the way to the left.

 

[Rich!]

Can you shut the bars off?

Or change their depth or layer setting or something in the options?

Are there robust UI/Graphics options? Is the bottom screen used?

No and no

Its as barebones a port as you are ever gonna get.

 

[Ventara]

Fairly early in the game. 20-ish percent, give or take?

You were entering Satorl Marsh. You were maybe close to a quarter of the way through. Suffice it to say, you barely scratched the surface.

Thanks! And only a quarter? Wow, I had been playing for about 30 hours, too. Friday can't come soon enough!

 

[CertifiedFP]

How's Guar Plain look in comparison to it's Smash Bros 3DS rendition? Can I assume that at least the distance doesn't look like 2D skybox?

Also, damn, the

Spoiler

marshlands

are a fifth to a quarter in? I know I took my time getting there during the small bit I played on Wii, but I'd expect it to be a bit earlier percentage wise in than that.

 

[MrPanic]

Can you shut the bars off?

Or change their depth or layer setting or something in the options?

Are there robust UI/Graphics options? Is the bottom screen used?

- Nope, above the heads is the only place the hp bar appears

- Nope, no 3d options.

- Some ui things can be turned off, but nothing that fixes the problems with the 3d. The bottom screen has a minimap and some character info. It can't be altered and the bottom screen isn't interact-able at all, probably to save more RAM to be able to run the game in the first place.

 

[CertifiedFP]

- Nope, above the heads is the only place the hp bar appears

- Nope, no 3d options.

- Some ui things can be turned off, but nothing that fixes the problems with the 3d. The bottom screen has a minimap and some character info. It can't be altered and the bottom screen isn't interact-able at all, probably to save more RAM to be able to run the game in the first place.

Also, a shame the bottom screen is pure gray/black behind the two UI elements. Would have been nice if they had the menu background of the respective zone down there as a subtle touch.

 

[TheMoon]

I recall the OP having something about this.

Doctor, you are ...

Thanks! And only a quarter? Wow, I had been playing for about 30 hours, too. Friday can't come soon enough!

30*4=120 ...sounds about right

 

[robotzombie]

Damn, I've been really itching to get this early, NYC has been letting me down

 

[B.K.]

Really? I always considered

Spoiler

Galahad Fortress/The Fallen Arm

to be the halfway point.

The Monando Archives book lists the events at

Spoiler

Prison Island

as Chapter 9 of 17.

 

[Wichu]

That feeling when you're fighting a unique monster, your party is on low health and you've used up your party gauge already, and you get a vision of it slaughtering you with a special attack - then you make a final push and manage to take it out less than a second before the vision comes true.

So good.

 

[theprodigy]

The Monando Archives book lists the events at

Spoiler

Prison Island

as Chapter 9 of 17.

hah, an official source agrees with me!

 

[TheMoon]

That feeling when you're fighting a unique monster, your party is on low health and you've used up your party gauge already, and you get a vision of it slaughtering you with a special attack - then you make a final push and manage to take it out less than a second before the vision comes true.

So good.

Hell yea!

 

[StarStabbedMoon]

born in a world of
strife, against the odds, we choose
to fight! blossom dance!

it's a haiku. fits the 5/7/5 structure.

this blows my mind.

 

[Rodney McKay]

The one by me received a bunch of copies.

Sweet, there's one a few blocks from my office, so I'll probably just drop by Friday and get one.

 

[oakenhild]

Didn't see this mentioned in the OT post...has Nintendo made any mention if they're going to be selling another batch of Shulk amiibo? Appears the only place to get one is from re-sellers for $40+ right now.

A bit odd to have a feature for a game not even out in NA yet, and the only Amiibo that works for it is sold out.

 

[TheMoon]

Didn't see this mentioned in the OT post...has Nintendo made any mention if they're going to be selling another batch of Shulk amiibo? Appears the only place to get one is from re-sellers for $40+ right now.

A bit odd to have a feature for a game not even out in NA yet, and the only Amiibo that works for it is sold out.

They haven't said anything. Have you looked in Japan by any chance?

 

[El Pescado]

Didn't see this mentioned in the OT post...has Nintendo made any mention if they're going to be selling another batch of Shulk amiibo? Appears the only place to get one is from re-sellers for $40+ right now.

A bit odd to have a feature for a game not even out in NA yet, and the only Amiibo that works for it is sold out.

There's supposed to be a restock on Shulk sometime soon actually.

 

[Fushin]

My store only has 8 copies o.o. Good thing I pre ordered, not letting this slip through my hands

 

[TheMoon]

There's supposed to be a restock on Shulk sometime soon actually.

At least in Europe, yea.

 

[ispendtoomuchmoneyongames]

Holy crap I can't wait to finally play this game on Friday. This is the most excited I've been to start a game in quite a while.

 

[The Elite]

My store only has 8 copies o.o. Good thing I pre ordered, not letting this slip through my hands

If I don't get my preorder I will just grab it digitally. I am not missing this.

 

[oakenhild]

My store only has 8 copies o.o. Good thing I pre ordered, not letting this slip through my hands

Which store (Gamestop, Best Buy?), and how did you find this out?

 

[oakenhild]

They haven't said anything. Have you looked in Japan by any chance?

I haven't, but not sure if I'm willing to pay over the $12-15 retail price for it.

eBay had a mix of NA, and Japan copies of Shulk all about the same (ridiculous) price.

I'll hold out and see if it comes in stock again. Have a feeling the scalpers are going to jump on it again though.

 

[laughingmood]

I'm sure this has been discussed somewhere deep in this thread but...has anyone tried putting this game in an old 3ds? What are the results if so?

 

[Rich!]

I'm sure this has been discussed somewhere deep in this thread but...has anyone tried putting this game in an old 3ds? What are the results if so?

A message that says that it is New 3DS only appears and it refuses to boot up.

And even with that protection removed, the game does not and will never run.

 

[Solid SOAP]

Holy crap I can't wait to finally play this game on Friday. This is the most excited I've been to start a game in quite a while.

I'm not exciting to the point of not being able to wait; truthfully I haven't been thinking about this much, but I am excited to delve deep into a huge RPG I've never touched before. I know practically nothing about the game and it's supposed to be one of the greats of the genre. I'm not sure where it will fair with me, especially with the unconventional battle system, but I haven't heard of many modern games that has such huge of a world to explore that's actually fun and interesting to explore as well! This could be trash, I dunno, but I'm willing to take the gamble because Nintendo haven't really let me down recently and I expect this to be no different. At worst I'm sure it'll be a fun diversion that lasts me quite a while.

 

[Brawly Likes to Brawl]

Replaying this has been such a joy. Another thing about Xenoblade that people don't mention enough is how well done the cutscene direction is. Monolith did a good job at making sure the player was hyped at every major moment.