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Post by spanky on Aug 11, 2020 14:06:14 GMT -5
I actually don't mind the limited inventory of Earthbound - it always forces me to actually use my items instead of hoarding them like I do in most RPGs.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 12, 2020 7:10:32 GMT -5
To be fair the limited inventory in itself doesn't bother me in Earthbound. I enjoy when a game forces me to use limited options to create a nice challenge and I think Earthbound does this well. The problem I have is the limited inventory means more time organising which I'm not a fan of.
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Post by dsparil on Aug 12, 2020 12:53:14 GMT -5
Earthbound is weird in being super quirky but also very beholden to some 80s design tropes. I think that does end up adding something to it especially since it isn't as punishing as Beginnings. I don't like slot-based inventory limits in general though, and they're very annoying when key items also use a slot so your inventory is constantly shrinking. EB at least gives you the Escargot Express even if it's a bit clunky.
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Post by kaoru on Aug 12, 2020 13:49:55 GMT -5
Yeah a lot of the archaic gameplay of the first two Mother games comes copypasta from Dragon Quest, which is probably very intentional since that's super nostalgic to Japanese players.
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Post by jorpho on Aug 12, 2020 23:35:06 GMT -5
I remember being exceptionally irritated by the way lives were used in Mario vs Donkey Kong. I recall that it wound up being easier just to reset the game entirely rather than try to use retries within a level.
But it's been quite a while. That game definitely lacked the fine-tuning of the original Donkey Kong '94 and I don't expect to be coming back to it when there are so very many other things to play.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 13, 2020 7:33:28 GMT -5
Re: Earthbound - Good point about key items taking up inventory slots, I'd forgotten that and is probably something that added to my frustration. I'd definitely prefer if key items were stored elsewhere. It definitely is a case of being very much inspired by Dragon Quest I think, I just don't remember having as much problem in that series.
For Mario vs Donkey Kong as I remember the game does save your lives at the end of the level, and I remember losing a lot more lives than gaining them. The problem comes down to lives being an archaic mechanism by that point already, and devs stuck to them a long time longer than necessary. There's really nothing gained by having lives in Mario vs Donkey Kong, just like many other games beyond the NES era. Where I had bigger issues were the controls. Mario's movement seemed stiffer to me than in Donkey Kong and I also often found myself pulling off the wrong jumps. I'd make Mario's walking speed a little faster and simplify the amount of jumps offered so the player is focused more on the puzzle element than which jump maneuver to pull off.
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Post by spanky on Aug 13, 2020 8:49:36 GMT -5
Earthbound is simultaneously archaic and forward-thinking.
For example, you have the limited inventory...but if you find a phone it's easy to call Escargot Express to pick your extra stuff instead of having to trek to a bank like you would in Dragon Quest. I also like how shops will automatically equip new items for you and buy your old ones. I don't think any other RPGs of that era do that.
The battle system is really 8-bit, but the rolling HP system gives you the opportunity to make close calls. Not only that, encounters aren't random so you can avoid them sometimes and just automatically win fights if you're strong enough. This comes in real handy after you beat the boss of a dungeon and all the enemies start running away from you, which makes it really easy to grind out extra levels or cash.
Having money being put in your bank account instead of your wallet seems weird...but it also keeps you from automatically losing half your cash if you die. And most shops are near an ATM so you rarely find yourself without cash when you need it.
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Post by kaoru on Aug 13, 2020 9:41:49 GMT -5
Earthbound is simultaneously archaic and forward-thinking. For example, you have the limited inventory...but if you find a phone it's easy to call Escargot Express to pick your extra stuff instead of having to trek to a bank like you would in Dragon Quest. Couldn't you do something similar outside of dungeons via the constantly following horse carriage in Dragon Quest V, tho? Or was that only added to the remakes?
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Post by dr_st on Aug 14, 2020 2:44:58 GMT -5
Would you say that the gun hit detection is better in the console versions? I remember it being somewhat unreliable there too, but sounds like the Win version is like the console ones? The gun detection seems equally unreliable in all versions. The jumping physics are different in the DOS version, and not in a good way. I understand them in the original console versions that had no passwords, and forced you to complete the game in one go - they were the only means to get extra continues. Storywise, they also make sens, as Jim allegedly chases PsyCrow around the galaxy, visiting different planets; this explains why each level is so uniquely different. But gameplay-wise if you don't need the continues, it starts to wear you down. Puppy Love (in EWJ2) is even worse. That could be interesting. I would personally take all levels, but reduces Andy Asteroids and Puppy Love to just a single instance in every game. And I would probably remove the slightly tedious "password-collecting" feature of EWJ2, and juts let you start on any level. Starcraft has seen a huge number of patches since its release, but I guess most of these were balancing patches, whereas some of the things you listed would be gameplay-altering features. Still, Blizzard's commitment to patch and fix their games for over a decade, taking in feedback from players is commendable and rare in the gaming world.
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Post by ommadawnyawn2 on Aug 14, 2020 4:07:48 GMT -5
SC1: They definitely did for years after its release which was great, but these issues persist. While there are mods I haven't found one that focuses on these things.
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Post by dsparil on Aug 14, 2020 6:29:40 GMT -5
A few of those changes are in Total Annihilation, and it's a shame that Blizzard didn't copy them. The move advanced unit movement and attack settings in particular are very nice. For example, setting a unit to Hold and Fire at Will turns anything into a current in a pinch.
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Post by ommadawnyawn2 on Aug 14, 2020 8:50:34 GMT -5
Cool, some are in the C&C games too. I couldn't get TA to work last time I tried, might have to try again.
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Post by ommadawnyawn2 on Aug 15, 2020 11:03:10 GMT -5
Any fast paced sidescroller GBA game: Hi-res port to a stationary console or PC.
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Post by ommadawnyawn2 on Aug 16, 2020 5:10:55 GMT -5
Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition (PC)
Structure: -Less linear structure either overtly or via more sequence breaking possibilities, and fewer one-way paths such as in some dungeons. -Less temporary dead ends (for example you can find a chicken only path and then as you enter it you need an ability for the chicken to get further and in eastern pico the galle you face a locked door after gaining the ability to get past the lava, it takes pretty long until you can dash forward, in infierno you can get to the third floor with the dash but then need an additional ability to finish all of the challenges) -Change how the game's areas are sometimes too divided between platforming segments and beat 'em up segments (makes the world feel more arcade-like/artificial than in various older MVs) -More changes to areas when backtracking through them besides the parallel dimensions differences (new enemies and/or more shortcuts such as more places to use the goat fly ability)
Rebalancing: -A bit easier to get silver coins (for suits) or ability to eventually convert gold into silver (nothing to buy with gold near the finale) -The grapple attacks start off a bit stronger -Harder flame face boss and el trio boss -Less tedious vertical segment leading to a blue mask piece -Harder timed dodges challenge (got gold on first try) and easier challenge 7 (need either 6+ stamina or the double jump), change how you can only get gold or nothing from one of the hell challenges -Somewhat nerfed intenso mode ability -Make the dodge bonus for dodging at the right time when attacked more useful -The longest combos you can do are made more useful at some parts during normal gameplay (currently later enemies either dodge during the combo or are large and don't get stunned so you have to interrupt your combo)
Fixed control/interface issues: -Annoying how every enemy attack knocks you over -Some delay before you can perform a special attack if you do an uppercut/regular upwards punch and if you press too soon then the special attack doesn't even happen after the delay (meanwhile you can follow up a special uppercut with a yellow special immediately and it will register even though there's a delay after that move as well) -No distinction between open and locked regular doors on the area maps -Icons on the area maps sometimes obscure colored block obstacles or small paths (default or zoomed out view) so you have to memorize where they were or zoom in to avoid backtracking to and from these points -Attacks are canceled when landing from jumps -Can dodge cancel out of a combo but not jump cancel - no reason? -A few leaps of faith due to not being able to look up/down -Can't zoom out the area maps enough -Chosen zoom level isn't saved when exiting the map screen -No mini-map -Have to check the area map to see how much gold you have - there's a constand GUI at the top of the screen so why not put it there -Shop menu doesn't wrap around -Can't see how many stamina or heart chunks/pieces you're holding while browsing the shop -Can't review the longer combos taught in the gym (there is a move list in the pause menu but it only shows basic moves and you can't repeat lessons) -No quest log/journal feature and relevant NPCs aren't marked on the area maps -Some area exits in the area maps look like unexplored territory - signs saying "to x area" in these spots would've been useful (the entrances to optional challenge areas like cave of madness could've also been marked with their name since they're not on the world map) -Pits look like unexplored territory on the map -Kind of unforgiving hit detection when using the yellow special attack/headbutt and you can't redirect it during its animation where you pull your head back) -Delays before you can turn around in mid-air and before your avatar lets go of a wall after grabbing onto one -Can't avoid saving at save points (automatic even if you jump over them) - can lead to backtracking if you went back to check on something and it lead nowhere -Unskippable staff roll and boot up logo
-Fixed trial & error (what the skull switch opens up, some shots from off screen (cactuses), some enemies can break your combo without an obvious warning, the portal challenge in el infierno - the camera doesn't scroll fast enough, some enemy spawning later on)
-Easier to read visuals when fighting many enemies at once - not sure how besides stronger contrasts but the game could possibly slow down slightly during a combo if there are like 7+ enemies around
-Add a way to take out more than one cactus at once by throwing their shots back at them as it makes these encounters kinda slow and basic (can throw other enemies into them though so maybe just add an enemy to each of these encounters)
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Post by scroogemcclunk on Aug 17, 2020 2:57:12 GMT -5
You could basically make those changes to Star Control 2 if you wanted to. The source code for it is available.
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