Everyone has something to remember...

[solderini]

...and this Memorial Day I remembered I have a Livejournal.

So. It's been more than two years since I last posted, and frankly, I don't feel like giving a rundown of all the crap that's happened since then. Instead, I'm going to talk about Tactics Ogre for the PSP, in list format because I've been up since 9am yesterday morning and can barely

Comments

[mad_and_crazy]

... holy fucking shit on a thingy, look who posted. :-)

Drop me a line?

[solderini]

___________________________ <--There you go!

But seriously, hi! How have you been?

[mad_and_crazy]

I'm well. Shipped a video game, moving to Vancouver, the usual. Still at the e-mail address I was at previously if you wanna drop me a more private line - or do you do the chat thing these days?

[alice_and_lain]

SOLDERINI!!!! So glad to see you posting! *give you a high-five*

[solderini]

*HIGH-FIVE BRUTHA*

I don't know how long I'll keep up the posting, but I thought, "It's about time I started communicating with people again."

So, how are you?

[alice_and_lain]

*W TO THE B...or something like that?*

Communicating is usually a good thing. I've fallen off the wagon myself. Somehow, it's too hard to post more than twice a month lately.

Alright! Could be better, could be worse. Oh! My family got a puppy since you've been incommunicado. A shih tzu and she is the light of our lives. WHAT ABOUT YOU?!

[moonsheen]

I JUST GOT THIS GAME. I am loving it. I am doing the Law route because Vyce apparently becomes pretty interesting (as opposed to...unintersting as he is in the Chaos route) but... boy did I not like some of those choices I had to make!

Also, Canopus. I love Canopus. Most useful character ever!

ALSO WELCOME BACK

[solderini]

I am so glad it was re-released.

Vyce is a complete douche in the Chaos route. He even gets a new "I'm EVIL!" character portrait. But I didn't like him to start, so I'm putting off the Law route until last, precisely because I don't want to make that choice.

Canopus is INCREDIBLY USEFUL. He loses some of his utility late in the game, but that's because he has limitations on what bows he can use. Still useful though, just not a total necessity like he is in the first couple of parts. And he's funny.

HI!

[zidane]

YOU LIVE!

--The leveling system is also well balanced. Classes gain levels, not characters, so if you have one Knight who's Level 3, and you hire another who's Level 1, that Level 1 Knight is now Level 3, or vice versa. Every class that takes part in a battle gets experience, and the amount varies depending on how many there are and what level they are compared to everyone else. However, only the characters you field in a battle get skill points, which you use to learn either new things or improved versions of skills you already have. Some of those skills can level up, which improves their range and/or effectiveness. This is VERY VERY USEFUL. How useful? Let's just say I have three Archers with Bows at maximum level, and nobody fucks with me anymore.

... Okay that more than anything makes me want to sift through all my crap to find my PSP. The horrible mechanics of leveling in the Disgaea games more or less turned me off from the tactical RPG genre (except for replaying FFT over and over).

[solderini]

I know. It's terribly disappointing.

I love the leveling-up system. It's still incredibly difficult to level up new recruits if they're not a class you already have (each new class starts at Level 1), but it's not impossible, and unlike Tactics you don't have to beat up on your own party to get any experience at all. You can still do that, but it'll only level up the individual skill you use, not give you more general experience.

Of course, you need 100 points to level up a skill and each use only nets you about half a point. But I think that's the way it should be. Practice makes perfect!

[cabbitjakie]

I must be tried because I am seeing things. C actually posted. I look forward to your next post in three years. :)

[solderini]

Wrong! I'm going for four this time.