My mindset on video games

[Chocoborider29]

you ppl sometimes boggle my mind with random sophistications, But, upon saying that, star ocean, a new role-playing game, is designed for higher minds as ours, including even the smallest bits of wisdom every moment of the game.
later,
Chocoborider29

[eyespewgreekfire]

Please speak coherent english in this forum. Not only does it make you look smart, it allows one to easily comprehend your posts.

[alainbryden]

There's not so much lack of coherence as a lack of grammar. Plently of punctuation... no overall grammar. And no ppl allowed. It's people. srsly now.

[Squeek]

Star Ocean 3 is not designed for higher-level thinkers.

Super Monkey Ball 2 is. Ikaruga is. Some may even say Pikmin is. An RPG is never a "high-level thinking" game.

Oh, and this belongs in General Video Games.

~Squeek

[suicidalmuskrat]

how is super monkey ball 2 designed for higher level thinkers? and i disagree with your statement about RPG's never being a "high-level thinking" game. However, that's more hypothetical, as I don't play enough RPG's to give examples. Of course "high-level thinking" hasn't really been defined very well, and could be taken a few different ways, so this discussion will probably end up being pointless, but feel free to respond.

[DracIV]

I disagree, Squeek. RPGs are actually games more apt to interest intelligent people. This Star Ocean game appears to have a solid chance of drawing the interest of many intelligent individuals. Although you may believe that puzzles are the only interesting games possible, you do not share the opinion of a vast majority of intelligent people.

Oh yeah, and kudos to Chocoborider for atleast attempting to mimic what is commonly believed to be the only speech pattern intelligent people use. More often people will look at your grammar and punctuation, Chocoborider, not your ability to talk in a highblown manner.

[jewpinthethird]

Originally Posted by Chocoborider29

you ppl sometimes boggle my mind with random sophistications, But, upon saying that, star ocean, a new role-playing game, is designed for higher minds as ours, including even the smallest bits of wisdom every moment of the game.
later,
Chocoborider29 :o

Sophistications isnt a word. But it should be. Because it sounds rad.

---

I too disagree with MrESqueek..to an extent. RPGs are usually played by higher level thinkers. Not always. Actaully, I think I am getting attention span mixed up with intellegence....

RPGers have a longer attention span than other - look! a puppy! how unoriginal! - gamers, usually, due to the slow pacing, reading, strategizing, etc.

[Squeek]

Please tell me how selecting "attack" is more complex than managing to steer a sphere across a rotating torus, or better yet, stay balanced on a scale-model of a Gamecube as it rotates on all six sides. Or, just traverse a tiny platform with no pattern to the tiles that flip over from time to time.

I don't understand. They don't code the plot to RPGs to be complex. It's usually, "hey, bad guy, I'm going to take you down!" then, "No you won't! You'll have to fight my hoardes of enemies first!" and finally "blargh i am ded." Please explain what makes exploring maps and fighting enemies in Star Ocean 3 so thought-provoking.

Of course, I don't have a PS2 so I haven't played Star Ocean 3 for more than an hour, so please give me reasons why its so thought-provoking. I would really love to hear them.

~Squeek

PS - There's a level in Super Monkey Ball 2 that I still cannot solve. If anybody can beat "Helix" (Extra Master 7 I believe) please tell me how. I managed to use a warp to pass it the first time I beat it, but it's the only stage I cannot clear.

[Moogy]

Star Ocean 3's battle system is incredibly in-depth. The plot is pretty weak, but nobody plays tri-Ace games for the plot. The battle system requires a LOT of thought to become good at; the game shoots up in difficulty about 1/3rd of the way through, and that's when you have to start thinking about what you're doing.

Star Ocean 3 is the hardest RPG ever made, hands-down.

[Squeek]

But that's not the point.

The battle system in RPGs are never as complex as traversing a course in Super Monkey Ball, or even trying to complete any stage in Ikaruga on Hard. Like I said, I didn't play much, but it was just like a fighting game to me. You run toward the enemy and hit attack. Then you are done. If you need to heal, you hit the heal button. If you need to cast, you hit the cast button.

Nothing like trying to navigate a ledge smaller than a millimeter in diameter with a huge round ball containing a monkey.

~Squeek

[StarOceanFanboy]

Finally, a chance to talk about Star Ocean! Well, it seems that what needs to be said has already been so by everyone else. But, there are a few more things I'd like to add:

First of all, MrESqueek, if you've only played Star Ocean for one hour, then you haven't even scratched the surface of the game or its deep battle system. I suggest that you find a PS2 and play it some more before you start bashing it.

Second, I like to think of myself as "sophisticated" and an "intelligent individual" (I've made all A's in school thus far, except for two B's), and Star Ocean has certainly captured my attention. Like Moogy has said, the battle system does require a bit of thought if you want to beat the game, and I myself still haven't beaten the extra, "final" boss, Freya, mostly because I haven't played the game in a few months now, but this game does get hard.

Finally, one of the main reasons I have always enjoyed the Star Ocean series is the Private Actions that affect a few key aspects of the game. You can actually have multiple endings because of this, and if two characters are close to each other, they'll do better in battle. It's mainly because of this feature that I have spent 200+ hours replaying this game (yes, I'm obsessed). This is easily the best RPG I've played, and trust me, I've played quite a few. It's the main reason I bought a PS2.

Oh, and MrESqueek, I wasn't trying to rant at you for your opinion of Star Ocean. Please, try it if you have a chance to. I doubt that you'll regret it.

[Squeek]

Completely aside from the matter...

You know what was a real intellectual game? Katamari Damacy. Has anybody gotten all the countries and unlocked the 3 bonus stages?

Anyway, I probably should play Star Ocean more, but having to drive that turtle around just managed to piss me off so much. Maybe I shouldn't have picked up from that point.

Tales was pretty in-depth with its storyline as well, but only really once you get about halfway through the game. There are also *hidden* character relationships that affect the ending of the game and one of the most important scenes in the game. One such time is deciding on one character over another without even realizing it.

Speaking of not realizing something, I just figured out that I never beat Super Monkey Ball 1's Expert course. I'll get right on it.

~Squeek

[Matthew4444]

With RPGs, they can either be a higher-thinking game or just a game of patience. You can always just level up more, buy better items, and collect whordes of treasures to power your way through. Or you can concentrate on stat builds and reaching a maximum potential for your level. But the thinking process for RPGs differs from the thinking process of other games, since RPGs are more long-term planning; SMB is more figuring out the best plan of action.

[Chocoborider29]

I agree with Matthew and FanBoy because in the matter that RPGs are taken automatically for Battle-Timers, the truth is, THIS GAME ROCKS! you dont select attack, you run the hell around! A series of puzzles and complications are mere obstacles for the real wit it takes to beat games that require such time and diligence. E Squeak, you havent played the game, and I am truly sorry If you believe that SMART PPL PLAY MONKEY BALL AND ARE CHALLENGED BY IT!

[Chocoborider29]

oh by the way, FanBoy's avatar f-rocks! okay? mf-ROCKS>

[Squeek]

I asked you once to spell my name right.

Anyway, I did say that I played the game for an hour or so. I did engage in some battles, one of which being a mini-boss. Moving on...

I SINCERELY doubt that a pre-teen could complete Super Monkey Ball, even though this may have been the intended player of the game. Sure, that person could complete beginner, and maybe advanced. That person might even get halfway through Expert. But that person wouldn't be able to completely finish it.

Take my 4-year old cousin for example. This is a pretty bad example... but he managed to complete Luigi's Mansion, 1080 Avalance, Super Mario Sunshine, and Starfox Adventures on his own. Sure, it is not the classic style of RPG we are referring to, but the adventure games all have a story.

...This is probably not making my cause any better...

~Squeek

[jewpinthethird]

You know what was a real intellectual game? Katamari Damacy. Has anybody gotten all the countries and unlocked the 3 bonus stages?

Now, I love Katamari Damacy, but how does rolling a ball around equal intellegence? Sure, you have to know when the mass is big enough to pick up other bigger whatnot, but that doesnt seem like it requires intellegence as much as it requires skill. Same goes for Super Monkey Ball, and Ikugara, they all require good hand-eye coordination, and quick reflexes more than anything.

You know what was a real intellectual game? Ico. You dont just have puzzles to solve, you have problems to solve. The level designers are geniuses and solving the puzzles are no easy task. When I game requires that you stop and think about the best way to beat a level, then I consider it intellectual, which is exactly what I found myself doing in Ico quite often. And mind you, I am not dumb...or even average. Though I wouldnt say I am intellegent...because I am modest.

CHOCOBORIDER, PLEASE READ THE FORUM RULES. NOW. AND DON'T EVER DOUBLE POST AGAIN.

[Squeek]

Well, with Katamari, I suppose you could say it's more skill than it is intellect. I was mainly referring to completing the three challenges. If you do not write out a thorough plan of action beforehand, completing the challenge is going to be impossible. You can't just do it spur-of-the-moment. And with the last one that lasts as long as it does, retrying again and again is going to waste a whole lot of your time.

With Super Monkey Ball, you definitely have to sit there and think. You can think while retrying for the millionth time, but it really does require thought. A whole crapload of thought at that. It's not just skill that will get you through Master, or Extra Master. Even with 100 lives (as I have), you probably won't pass if you just roll around and not think about anything.

Ikaruga is just skill as well... Ah, well. If we're going to say these are skill, how can one say any RPG isn't as well? You develop the skills necessary from the beginning of the game and every battle just requires you to utilize those skills.

~Squeek

[Chocoborider29]

Really, if played right, an RPG requires much more skill, due to the fact that you are required to retain even the smallest amounts of information for later use. Recent RPGs like FFonline, FF10, Morrowind,Zelda (ALL OF THE RECENT EDITIONS FOR GAMECUBE) have dissapointed me because of the lack of thought required to pass each section and event in the game. Not that they werent good games, but they just werent good RPGs.

[Moogy]

Originally Posted by MrESqueek

Completely aside from the matter...

You know what was a real intellectual game? Katamari Damacy. Has anybody gotten all the countries and unlocked the 3 bonus stages?

Yes.