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...where did this happen? I've never seen it here, not on GameFAQs. I've never seen it in my social circles on social media. That's pretty crappy since DQ2 is widely believed by almost all DQ fans, to be one of the hardest to get into, and one of the least liked in the series. Hell, I'd be hard pressed to find anyone here aside from myself who actually enjoys the experience thoroughly. I certainly wouldn't condemn you for not being a fan. It's a poorly paced game that jacks up difficulty sporadically due to lack of focus after you get the ship. Everything leading up to the ship is just reasonably difficult, but not obtuse, as there was definite thought put into it. However, even Horii himself has admitted in at least one interview, that DQ2 had a lot of flaws in focus due to time limitations and the sheer scope and size of the world. Plus he was busy working on marketing and coordinating with Shonen Jump to use his contacts and friends there to help promote DQ2 and by virtue of 2, DQ1. So he wasn't fully focused on game development, and this apparently occurred after the ship. So even from the creator's mouth, it's not a fully fleshed out experience, and it took until the mobile ports for some time to be spent fixing the obvious story direction flaws, and even then, it's not perfect...it would have to be remade from the ground up to properly solve the issues. ========= You were warned over that? Is that what really happened, or is there more to the story? I'm just asking because that seems a little odd. We've had talks about futuristic DQ before, and while there was a lot of disagreement, there weren't any warnings for the suggesting or postulating how it would look or play. Only when someone went out of line in how they presented their case. So I am a tad incredulous that you would be attacked for having made that suggestion. I believe I took part in the most recent discussion over it, at least a post, and I don't remember anyone shutting down opinions. I would be the closest one, but only in the sense that I don't think it would work, as DQ is..well, it's a fantasy game with some robots that pop up, and on occasion, some technological elements, but they're explained away, or done in a way that makes them magically oriented, not science fabricated. DQ7's mech base for example. The issue though is it would undermine the focus of DQ in being DQ, which is a main draw for the fanbase. I can see a spinoff series, but it's not FF, which seeks to revise and rebuild itself in some capacity each game. DQ is about maintaining a sense of similarity. Growing and developing off the same basic premise, and any complexities and add-on elements draw from that association of the similar, the known, which develops a certain harmonization where each DQ still feels like DQ, something a Sci-Fi or Steampunk world would undo. It would also kill the series far more effectively than an MMO experience ever could. It has to be mystical and magical, and mechanical elements need to have that sense of wonder, or it doesn't work in context with the flow of the series. Sure, I get the desire to see a different and new direction. I can see sci-fi elements added INTO a DQ, maybe some steampunk elements added in, but it would have to be a town, or area, not the world as a whole, or it undoes that illusion. You might say I'm shutting you down, as you clearly felt in the other discussion, but am I, and are not others allowed to disagree or present an argument why we wouldn't like it? Why it would be detrimental? ...more later, I'll return.

Out of all the words I could use to describe the DQ community, toxic isn't one of them. There aren't enough of us yet for that to be a problem, I feel.

Then maybe you should have led with that? And yeah, like@ignasia said...it's 4chan? What were you expecting. That's the troll capital of the internet.

Both invites sent.

They don't exist...they're all unique experiences. As per favourite, it depends on a lot of factors. I'll split into multiple factors: 1) Overall Favourite - 2) Content - 3) QoL / Best Balance - this one might be split into multiple if one doesn't satisfy both 4) Visual / Auditory Aesthetic - this may also be split into multiple if one doesn't satisfy both Dragon Quest I Overall Favourite - ...I don't like this game Content - ...I don't like this game QoL / Best Balance - ...I don't like this game Visual / Auditory Aesthetic - ...I don't like this game, but I LOVE the music If I had to say...put Switch on everything but Visual, in which case, the SFC version Dragon Quest II Overall Favourite - Switch (the added content to emphasize the crest search helps give grander purpose to 70% of the game, and spearheading a direction...I know this is in the iOS/Droid, but the controls are superior, as #$*! mobile controls, they're terrible, even if DQ's are particularly well done, you can't fix bad, just make it tolerable, so technically the 3DS and PS4 would fall in here too) Content - Switch + iOS/Droid (crest search focus helps move the goal posts for the main quest, instead of random wandering) QoL / Best Balance - Switch + iOS/Droid (more Zoom locations...yes please, that solves everything, though a shoutout to both the NES version, for the bug that allows for a second Waterflying Clothes, and the GBC for giving better general reductions from reduction equipment) Visual - SFC (I cannot for the life of me enjoy those models) Auditory Aesthetic - Switch + iOS/Droid Dragon Quest III Overall Favourite - GBC (Ice Dungeon, certain equipment is actually useful, whereas it's pointless in every other version, like Ortega's Helm and the Magic Bikini, the Pachisi games, the Grand Dragon boss fight, the better Content - GBC (though medal hunting is nightmarish, using codes to gain access to the second bonus dungeon, it's a fun place to be, and a cool boss fight at the end...plus that Rubiss Sword) QoL / Best Balance - GBC (two exceptions...Baramos on the SFC, mobile, iOS/Droid, 3DS, PS4, and Switch is the superior and harder battle ...due to limitations in equipment thanks to the lack of the pachisi mini-game, the mobile/iOS/Droid/3DS/PS4/Switch releases have the hardest perfect Zoma and Xenlong fights...Zoma normal is easier as EXP gains are MUCH higher, like 2x higher, so levels are generally higher on average...early 40's vs late 40's, making a huge impact on difficulty of the dumbed down Zoma battle after using the Sphere of Light) Visual / Auditory Aesthetic - SFC (that SFX reverb, that dark palette, that even the new synth renditions are barely a step up, though I will say iOS/Droid and Switch has the best quality OST) Dragon Quest IV Overall Favourite - iOS/Droid (DS for controls, but that party chat) Content - iOS/Droid (that party chat) QoL - iOS/Droid (that party chat) Best Balance - PSX (changes to the DS and beyond render the game easy mode, with the exception of Keeleon and Balzack...hero's stats especially, but also Nara have insane stat gains compared to the other versions...PSX strikes a nice even tone even the original NES doesn't have, especially as it was the first version to have full control of the party, plus the DS version's AI is terrible, and unfortunately, the best AI, even considering Cristo/Kiryl, is still the NES) Visual / Auditory Aesthetic - iOS/Droid Dragon Quest V Overall Favourite - iOS/Droid (DS for controls) Content - iOS/Droid + DS (same content really, the online feature on the DS is removed with no replacement, but it added nothing except as a lame form of sharing really silly stuff) QoL - iOS/Droid Best Balance - PS2 (the most difficult overall...I'm not sure what happened with the DS and iOS/Droid versions, but they are easier, despite virtually the same stats, my guess is higher EXP gains, and pachisi track changes to benefit stat boosts? I'd have to look into it) Visual / Auditory Aesthetic - PS2 Dragon Quest VI Overall Favourite - iOS/Droid (DS though, for play controls alone, if the Droid/iOS version ever gets released on Switch, THAT will be the superior release due to controls) Content - iOS/Droid (Dreamscape system is added to the normal game, making for a fun mini-game collection quest to access two of the best slime recruits) QoL / Best Balance - iOS/Droid (tweaks that benefit Terry, plus the earlier access naturally for Curie + Shelley, and Mercury make for a better experience) Visual / SFX Aesthetic - SFC (darker colour palette fits the world perfectly, while the remake's light and bright palette just doesn't work well, especially in this game...the SFX are just superior, especially that chill reverb sound that makes certain attacks sound like they're in an audience chamber, it adds another layer of bombast to the battle system...otherwise, the visual effects on the DS and iOS/Droid releases are superior, the models are better, and the enemy animations are top notch). Auditory Aesthetic - iOS/Droid (highest quality music, remastered synth that sounds fairly close to actual orchestration) Dragon Quest VII Overall Favourite - 3DS Content - 3DS QoL - 3DS (though it could have used more, and lacking Padfoot is a HUGE negative...the main bonus is the tracking system, so it's easy to walk away for any amount of time, and come back to a very well written story synopsis, and ample explanation for missing elements, and the various fragment tracking systems makes it easy to move forward) Best Balance - PSX (the 3DS needs a LOT of enemy work, or the EXP gains, spawn rate, and monster aversion should be tweaked to match the PSX experience, as the balance is the best in the entire series for normal play...just fight as you go, no farming until post-game, is literally KNIFE EDGE perfection tied to the tempo of the game and encounter rate, and likely levels/classes mastered at each point) Visual / Auditory Aesthetic - 3DS Special Note: iOS/Droid, if it ever comes out here, allows access to all the DLC maps without the need for the DLC system (of course being Dragon Quest, it's on-cart locked out...needs unlock keys sort of system). If we ever get a Switch release, it will be this version, and there aren't on-screen enemies, but instead random battles, as I guess the encounter rate was a massive f-up, and Arte Piazza, or the SE mobile team who worked on it clearly didn't have the resources or time to rework the system, so they just switched it back to Random Encounter, and apparently it's higher than the original, but definitely better than the general encounter rate on the 3DS, which is a plus. Dragon Quest VIII Overall Favourite - 3DS Content - 3DS QoL / Best Balance - 3DS (hardest and easiest to break and turn into an easy experience) Visual / Auditory Aesthetic - PS2 (while I prefer seeing monsters on the screen to random encounters, the changes to the landscape were tragic, and while the OST is properly integrated, I greatly prefer the more relaxed and slower tempo of the Orchestrated renditions, ESPECIALLY the battle music, which was further altered in the 3DS to a higher tempo beyond the original Japanese PS2 tempo, and it sounds off putting to me...also my second least favourite DQ battle theme...I actually prefer 11's more over time, with 9's being my least favourite) Dragon Quest IX Overall Favourite + Content + QoL / Best Balance + Visual / Auditory Aesthetic - DS (only one release) Dragon Quest XI Overall Favourite - Switch Content - Switch QoL - Switch Balance - 3DS for Normal , Switch for max Draconian run , PS4 for Stronger Monsters ...though this may change to the Switch as they worked hard on rebalancing SM Visual Aesthetic - PC (PS4 Pro looks the same, but it lacks the ability to scale up to 60FPS and for any setup with more than a 1080p screen, it lacks the blur effect, plus the ability to mod) Auditory Aesthetic - Switch (8's overworld music, symphonic tracks for 80+% of the ost, and baumrun's track) ========= I only mention the iOS/Droid as separate for DQ7 because you CAN play the other versions of the other releases via emulator, but I'm unsure where to go to get the iOS/Droid, though it's probably available somewhere on the web.

The Manga adaptation of DQVII claims that it is set in a far future of DQII. Kiefer being the descendant of DQII's Prince of Midenhall. The game also hints that since you can find a sword reaaally similar to Erdrick's sword (having the same stats too) in Melyor's Castle. If I recall correctly -which may not be the case-, in DQVIII the God Bird, Empyrea, says that she is known as Ramia in another world. Ramia being the God Bird that hatches in DQIII. Then again, the God Bird design changes from games to its remakes, making it rather difficult to know for sure what's canon. Like, the GBC remake of DQIII depicts Ramia as a peacock-like bird, while any other representation of her depicts her as she appears in DQVIII (and the Battle Road series game). I'd even say that the Joker series is happening in a far future of DQVII (since, as aforementioned, it'd happen centuries after DQII). Description of some monsters, like Atlas ("Once opposed a certain trio of warriors while in the service of Hargon"), Dargonlord ("This monarch spoken in ancient lore was once bested by the legendary dragon warrior") or Orgodemir ("In ages past, he sought to become a god") makes it sounds as if those games (DQI, II, III, and VII) happened ages ago, but in this world. There are even pieces of evidence as to why the Joker series is not happening in a far future of the Zenith trilogy with the description of the Alabast Dragon: "This regal deity is known as the Zenith dragon on another plane of existence"). Plus, the "Tachyon Sphere" if I recall, if very similar in its design to the sphere of light's seen in DQIII and I. Tho of course, it could simply easter eggs of nodes to previous games.

Dynasty Warrior-style games will never stop coming. I don’t think people realize how many are out there really. And so long as this is true, there’s always a chance the next one is Heroes III. We have a Heroic Legend of Arslan one of these things and two Attack on Titan games.

I'm a long time dragon quest fan and im upset how toxic some part of the fanbase can be, forcing me to like Dragon Quest II (horrible game imo) or downplay my opinions! Why i do have to like DQ2 and why i can't express my dislike towards it?? what?? thats what communities are for. Hell, i got warned in the dragon quest general because i want Dragon Quest on a steampunk or futuristic setting! and i like to talk a lot about Dragon Quest Heroes 3 because it's what a fan of the series would?

I mean, one of the big selling points of Fire Emblem is Support Conversations, so that makes sense.

Play Trails of Cold Steel. Your wish will be granted.

Hey, the old saying "Fire Emblem fans can't live without stirring drama" keeps proving itself true.

I bought Switch for DQXI, too! And I love it! I’ve been saving screenshots of both the Tips and the “Story So Far”. I wish the Album on Switch had organizing options. I already have almost 1000 images and videos. 30+ hours and I still haven’t gone to Kingsbarrow — I could still be playing the demo! I love taking photos. I wish they hadn’t nerfed range and zoom, but taking photos with the characters in Photo Mode is great, too! If you need pre-Hotto screen caps, just let me know where to send/put them!

Beat the Super Boss a couple of days ago. It was much easier than I thought it'd be. The new one we got for this port though was pretty tough.

My friend does the voice for Lily in that game.

Oh...I was unaware old bosses return...woulda put a spoiler tag on that but whatever.

Streaming did help. Plus I'll do little videos for Snapchat or Instagram stories. Might've forgotten to mention, during that second run through DW II, it was when I was in 7th grade. It was one of those weekends when school was out, but it wasn't Christmas yet. As John Mayer would say, one of those kind of mornings that last all afternoon. Just stuck inside the gloom. Just cold enough to not want to go outside. Nothing really going on, so I played DW II and really explored the map. Figured out the most efficient ways to get from point A to point B.

MMMMM BOP BEEEEE BOP BOP DOOO BOP

Let me know if you want any further proof.

The last thing we need is more gacha games. The thing about them is they all play the same but it has characters from a series that is popular so they become popular for that reason alone. Because fans want to get JPEGs of their favorite characters in different outfits. The one I happen to play (Love Live! SIF) I haven’t dumped any money into, but it’s the only one a play and I have the self-control to not spend money. This is not the case for everyone and I actually dropped The Simpsons: Tapped Out because I was invested enough in The Simpsons to put money into it for characters and buildings. These games are funded by whales. The sad fact is, they’re built on predatory gambling mechanics and are ripe for severe levels of exploitation, and I’d hate for Dragon Quest fans to be exploited. lol sorry that wasn’t the positive or hopeful answer you probably wanted. I find it especially weird that video game franchises need these kinds of games.

Well technically AustNerevar got all the locations, I'm just providing the images

I'd be pretty surprised if it gets an official release, but we talk about it a lot in our upcoming Slime Time podcast with Pendy (coming soon). https://twitter.com/DQSlimeTime

Personally I need more color. I'll be doing these. That bunny girl and the vibrant pinks really make these look cool. The males and females look more definitively different. While classic, each of these are three colors, tops.

It’s especially ironic given that Nevan is one of the characters you’re making. You’ll be forgiven if you dismantle that Ashlynn one. We can look the other way then.

Isn't this ironic? Me not playing 11 for 6...

https://gematsu.com/2019/10/famitsu-sales-9-30-19-10-6-19

I didn't get to progress very much due to school. And I, unintentionally, overlevelled by around 3 levels trying to get a Metal Slime to appear next to a Spitzfire and kill it (I did manage to get a Metal Slime to appear next to a Spitzfire, but it fled immediately). But I did get Sylvando to join my party, and I'm on my way to Gondolia.

I thought you did great. It was cool to hear you talk about the differences in designs and how Toriyama’s style has changed over the years. I’m also glad you mentioned how you have to think about what to do in battle in DQ2. When I played the mobile version earlier this year I found Cannock really helpful thanks to his spell set.

Well, I got back what I lost. Put the battle speed on the highest setting again and went to town. Towards the end some metal slimes showed up, and during my hunting the Raven Lunatics I fought dropped a few seeds of agility. I don’t regret dropping the Draconian setting. I’m still mad I had to repeat my progress entirely, but at least I got a few extra items thanks to all the Bunny Tails I have equipped.

Huh, I stand corrected then. I definitely remember seing the message for obtaining the yellow orb in that scene but somehow missed the one for the red. I was looking for it too. More tickington updates (through sniflheim)

There goes my plan to get one tomorrow.

I never had too much of a problem with the Spectral Sentinels. I had to repeat the fight with the first one due to an unlucky crit, but it wasn’t until I had to fight the 6th one in the final dungeon (won’t say who for spoilers sake) that I hit another brick wall. That fight was a real pain, as was the enhanced version of that boss in the post game optional dungeon. I’d put both on the same levels of bullshit boss difficulty. Dora, the 6th Spectral Sentinel, the Act 3 version of the Frozen Fjord boss, and the enhanced version of the 6th SS are the bosses I dread having to refight on my Switch playthrough. I hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate HATE those bosses.

One of the owners of RPGamer has done a complete 180 on the soundtrack. He did not like it when he played last year. He loved DQVIII's and was excited to be able to change to that. A few hours into the symphonic soundtrack on Switch and even with the choice to switch to DQVIII's he's now in love with XI's. Talked a lot about it this week on RPG Cast. I had that a bit. When we first saw the early gameplay footage of XI back in early 2017 I wasn’t impressed with the music. Didn’t hear any of it again until the Japan release from the first hour or so of footage and I found myself liking it, particularly the triumphant music before leaving Cobblestone (I’d put the exact name of the song but I don’t have my iPod handy at the moment). Got the symphonic suite in early January last year, listened through the whole thing without context, and I found myself enjoying the entire thing and relistened to it several times before DQ11 came out for us. Are there other DQ soundtracks stronger than 11’s? Yes. I still say it’s good though, and I’d put it about halfway up my favorite DQ soundtracks, maybe just at the #5 spot depending on my mood. Yes, it is hard to compete with DQ7’s soundtrack. That game has the best DQ music. No sarcasm with that either, I legit think DQ7 has the best soundtrack of a DQ game.

I put on the VIII overworld theme and hoooooo baby I remember how amazing that game was. Kind of a bummer it doesn't have the battle theme as well. Kind of puts the XI overworld and battle themes to shame.

DLC outfits do work in 2d. Though not in cutscenes Ah maybe they do! I think I figured it out: I just went to Tickington and Jade wasn't in the bunny outfit I had set her to. In the equipment menu in 2D mode the outfit selector is absent and it seems your sprites reflect the actual gear you're wearing. That would explain why Erik and the twins are still in alt outfits while im in Tickington but Jade isn't.

He never says he almost sold it. The closest he says is "I had my own plans for it but this is more important." There's no part where he gives you the orb though, it just doesn't show up in your inventory until this point. My guess is it's something mechanical with the game tracking progress. Maybe having orbs in your inventory puts you in a progression state where you can access certain things. Game code is weird like that. Spent a few hours on the slots since the jackpot bunny said that there would be a jackpot soon, but no luck there. Got bored after a while and decided to do some poker, and I ended up getting 5 of a kind! All Aces too! Set me up with a lightning lance with some tokens to spare and now im off to tickington!

I was able to do it after I cleared Act 2. I'm unsure where the trigger is exactly, but I would guess that you have to wait until then.

Just got to Octagonia, I'll see if I can't find that recipe anywhere. More about tickington:

You either need to go and buy/win a Butterfly Knife around Hotto, get the Batterfly Knife recipe in Octogonia, or get the Assassin’s Dagger in the cavern below Octogonia.

Jade is pretty great but no one can top Alena for me. Just had a ton of fun at the Casino. Had gotten just enough tokens to spin the 10 coin slots when suddenly I won 30 or 40 free silver spins and grabbed myself the bunny outfit recipes for Jade later and some Yggdrasil leaves. Tempting to go back for that spear though as I'm running spears on Serena this time and I always try to stack agility on my healers. Is it just me or are there next to no Knife recipes in this game. I've been running knives this time on Erik and I like them so far but I'm still using a divine dagger because I don't like to buy equipment in this game and was hoping I'd come across a recipe for a better one.

I played a few minutes of 1 and 2 but have gotten up to the ship in 3. 3 is my favorite in the series so I'll play it on any system I can. I was initially disappointed with the enemy designs but I like them now, they look good. The character sprites look a little off but I can deal with it.

I get it. I'm nearing 20 hours in DQXI S and it's been a bit of a struggle. Sure it's all new in 2D, but I find myself skipping dialogue because I already know & just trying to speed through areas (as much as the high encounter rate will allow me, I've not purchased as many Holy Waters in a DQ game in my life) that aren't interesting. I never replay anything but DQ and even then a long time later. 1 year isn't long enough for my brain apparently. I played a bit the beginning in 2D last night but I think I'm going to pick up my 3D save and play it that way. I'll get my fill of 2D from the Tockle stuff and enjoy the best Dragon Quest in it's amazing 3D world. Playing in 3D will also make swapping between 3 and 11 easier.

Ramia and the orbs you need to gather heavily hint at it. Erdrick’s token is supposedly designed after Ramia.

This. They can put Stella playable if they want just to have IX representation.

Sylvando, yes! She's got a different kind of weapon, yes! Shame. Shame.

All I want in Heroes 3 is for Yangus, Torneko, Ragnar, Sir Mervyn, and/or Morrie to be a playable character(s). Oh, and Sylvando because he’s so damn funny.

Jade is most likely going to be in heroes 3, she's like the most popular character in dq11 in Japan.

I would enjoy being wrong!

I recall them letting it slip that they were working on it.

Me too! Though I was like 4-5 years old and couldn't read or figure out how to Rainbow Drop. So I was max level, never finished my save on that cart before it disappeared forever.

Odd thing to be "proud" of. You play it on the system you have. If you have both, whatever, play it on what you want.