The "Tales of" Series

[Gan The Grey]

Vesperia didn't even HAVE any romantic relationships (unless you count Ristelle :P) so no, it didn't. Yuri and Estelle have ZERO romantic chemistry together, which is FINE, but definitely NOT getting Gan any of the 'payoff' he wants. (Aside: That sounds kindof dirty.)

I don't mind having a game where romantic chemistry is pretty much avoided completely. I really like Vesperia, and you're right, I can't remember there being any sort of a love story going on.

Well, here, look at it a different way. Imagine having rumors of a set of legendary weaponry being mentioned a few hours into the game. As the game progresses, you hear more rumors, but you also start finding actual evidence of their existence in ancient frescoes. Every time you think you've stumbled upon them, their legend grows more complicated, pointing you in another direction with more to go on. Finally, through hard work, perseverance and a good amount of luck, you locate the hidden dungeon said to contain them. You fight past hordes of ferocious monsters stronger than any you have ever faced, solve devious puzzles, and strike down the ancient guardian seemingly plucked directly from a previous game in the series. Licking your wounds, you stride triumphantly up to the treasure room door and extend a hand shaking with expectation...

Then you turn and leave. The dungeon collapses in on itself, entombing the weapons for all time. After you beat the BBEG, the weapons are mentioned briefly, but never get to see them, let alone use them.

And that's how I feel when a Tales game acts like they are building to a romantic relationship and then drop the ball.

[Airk]

I don't mind having a game where romantic chemistry is pretty much avoided completely. I really like Vesperia, and you're right, I can't remember there being any sort of a love story going on.

Well, here, look at it a different way. Imagine having rumors of a set of legendary weaponry being mentioned a few hours into the game. As the game progresses, you hear more rumors, but you also start finding actual evidence of their existence in ancient frescoes. Every time you think you've stumbled upon them, their legend grows more complicated, pointing you in another direction with more to go on. Finally, through hard work, perseverance and a good amount of luck, you locate the hidden dungeon said to contain them. You fight past hordes of ferocious monsters stronger than any you have ever faced, solve devious puzzles, and strike down the ancient guardian seemingly plucked directly from a previous game in the series. Licking your wounds, you stride triumphantly up to the treasure room door and extend a hand shaking with expectation...

Then you turn and leave. The dungeon collapses in on itself, entombing the weapons for all time. After you beat the BBEG, the weapons are mentioned briefly, but never get to see them, let alone use them.

And that's how I feel when a Tales game acts like they are building to a romantic relationship and then drop the ball.

I think you analogy is...pretty bad, sadly.

[Sylthia]

I actually broke down and bought some DLC costumes for Graces. Wish they weren't so expensive, though.

[Shekinah]

I actually broke down and bought some DLC costumes for Graces. Wish they weren't so expensive, though.

Now you must endure the mocking of everyone here because you bought silly video game items for aesthetic use only.

[Sylthia]

Now you must endure the mocking of everyone here because you bought silly video game items for aesthetic use only.

Not purely aesthetic, since you get the title and its associated skills as well.

[Shekinah]

Not purely aesthetic, since you get the title and its associated skills as well.

We all know what the real reason was. ;)

[Sylthia]

We all know what the real reason was. ;)

You do get upbeat battle music when you wear one of the school outfits.

[Shekinah]

You do get upbeat battle music when you wear one of the school outfits.

Yeah, it was definitely the music that made you take those outfits.

[Airk]

I actually broke down and bought some DLC costumes for Graces. Wish they weren't so expensive, though.

Yeah, Namco is really missing out here. $5 per costume is absurd. If they want to bundle like, sets of 7 (one per party member) for $15 or so, they've got my money, but $5 EACH? For THAT MANY? Haha, no.

I bought one (Anise costume for Sophie) and a couple of accessories, as a sort of gift, but that was it.

[Gan The Grey]

I think you analogy is...pretty bad, sadly.

EDIT: You know, I had a response for this, but frankly, I'm just getting tired of responding to people who refuse to open themselves to other people's opinions. So, I concede. It just isn't worth the energy, and it means nothing to my life to get you to understand my viewpoint.

[Sylthia]

Yeah, Namco is really missing out here. $5 per costume is absurd. If they want to bundle like, sets of 7 (one per party member) for $15 or so, they've got my money, but $5 EACH? For THAT MANY? Haha, no.

I bought one (Anise costume for Sophie) and a couple of accessories, as a sort of gift, but that was it.

That was my exact rant to my wife, actually. I thought there should have been a discount or something if you bought the complete set of a given costume. I bought a couple for Hubert and Sophie, since I don't like the ones they have available in-game, as well as one each for Cheria, Pascal, and Malik, because I and/or my wife liked the way they looked.

[Airk]

EDIT: You know, I had a response for this, but frankly, I'm just getting tired of responding to people who refuse to open themselves to other people's opinions. So, I concede. It just isn't worth the energy, and it means nothing to my life to get you to understand my viewpoint.

I actually already understand your point of view thank you, and half agree with it - though mostly as a change of pace, rather than as something that I consider actually 'better' in some objective way, but I like variety. Sadly, I still think the analogy was terrible, sorry. Simply because, for a lot of people (myself included) seeing a relationship in its developmental stages is at least as interesting (oftentimes, moreso. There's a reason for all the "Yeah, romance was fun and then I got married" sort of jokes) as it is to see it...post... whatever. Yeah, they could take it further along, but the uncertainty of it is what a lot of people find interesting. You could try to leave the uncertainty, but then you're not REALLY advancing the relationship. (If, for example, they kiss and then go on acting all insecure around one another, you haven't really done anything. But if sudden things are all complacent, you lose a lot of tension, which many people like.)

So your analogy crumbles because I don't think you'll find anyone who finds 'hearing' about something much fun, whereas many people DO like exactly what they're getting from these games. A better analogy might be going on a big quest to accomplish something (like, oh, saving the world) and then not really getting to see the results of all your effort. Oddly, this is something we do pretty much all the time and seem to enjoy, so I guess that analogy doesn't really support your viewpoint. But just because your analogy is bad doesn't mean I don't understand what you are asking for and even sortof why. I just think your why's aren't widely applicable, and might not actually be as satisfying as you think they might be in implementation. But we never know until we try, so yeah, it'd be nice if they tried.

Or you can just decide that I'm obtuse because I don't agree with you. Feel free. As you say, your approval isn't worth anything to me, either. I was just trying to have an intelligent discussion.

Re Costumes:
And yeah. Namco is missing out on a bunch of money from me. Remember: Me buying all the costumes at a steep discount is WAY more money for you guys than me buying NONE of the costumes at full price. :P

[CoffeeIncluded]

My copy of Tales of Xillia is sitting in a warehouse less than thirty miles from my house; I'll get it by the time I come home from my internship tomorrow. WHEN WILL TOMORROW BE.

[Surrealistik]

Never.

[Zevox]

So, I've played a few hours into it. I actually initially started with Milla, but quickly decided to switch to Jude. Besides the earlier warning you guys gave, Milla's story was starting in media res, and not really explaining anything to me, which was kind of annoying. Jude's was an immediate step up there, as you start off slower, with a decent introduction to the world and your place in it before getting caught up in the events Milla's end starts on.

So far, not far enough to say much about the story. Combat-wise I'm interested in the new linking system, though so far I haven't fully figured out how to trigger link artes consistently. I do get the impression that we're back to a system where normal attacks are pretty much interchangeable though, which is disappointing after Graces did so well revamping that. Though this might be the first Tales game where jumping attacks are worth using, too, so there's that.

I've actually spent more time playing as Milla than Jude despite switching to his story, actually. I like the arcane warrior sort of style they give her, with spells that can either be quickly released as melee effects or charged for more traditional Tales-style versions. Though I wish she didn't automatically walk forward a few paces before starting to charge up when I want to do the ranged version. Still, I like playing as Jude as well - pretty neat to have a main character for the series who is a fist-fighter instead of a swordsman, and a healer to boot. And that ability of his that has quickly spin around to an enemy's rear after backstepping an attack is pretty fun to use, as well as effective.

So yeah, not far in, but enjoying it so far .

[Sylthia]

Concerning Jude, how the heck does one become a medical student at age 15. Is he Doogie Hauser or something?

[Surrealistik]

If it helps with your suspension of disbelief (probably not), Resident Evil is even _more_ ridiculous about these sorts of hyper-prodigies; vastly more.

[Airk]

Concerning Jude, how the heck does one become a medical student at age 15. Is he Doogie Hauser or something?

Educated guess here, but probably not every society/technology level/technology requires 18 years of study for you to become a doctor. :P And if it does, you'd better start early.

[CoffeeIncluded]

It's a jrpg; he's right on schedule.

Also, in European countries, apparently you can go into a vet school program straight out of high school--a specialized veterinary program--instead of college and then vet school like in the us. If Jude went into a program like that or an accelerated program, possibly skipping a couple grades to boot, then it makes sense.

Aaagghhh I'm at my vet internship and my copy of Xillia is probably shipped home by now and there's no more appointments!

[Sylthia]

I may take a slight leave from this thread for a while, until I beat Xillia, to avoid accidental spoilers.

[Shekinah]

Xillia's text is super small. Bleh.

Also, I have a feeling I'm going to be thinking of the song "Hey Jude" a lot when I play this with Rezzy.

EDIT: residency training at fifteen... the reactions from the angry dwarf are priceless.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Wait wait wait. A full on residency? At age 15? I thought it was volunteering or an internship or clinical rotations as part of his med school training or something! It said med school student!

Sorry, but if it's a full on residency that's too much.

[Airk]

Wait wait wait. A full on residency? At age 15? I thought it was volunteering or an internship or clinical rotations as part of his med school training or something! It said med school student!

Sorry, but if it's a full on residency that's too much.

Guys, it's not OUR WORLD. Who's to say what he needs to learn and stuff? What's the age of maturity? Can he drink? Too many questions.

[Sylthia]

I can't play Xillia now, because I just got called in to see a patient. Oh the irony...

[Shekinah]

Guys, it's not OUR WORLD. Who's to say what he needs to learn and stuff? What's the age of maturity? Can he drink? Too many questions.

For some of us, the suspension of disbelief only goes too far, even when we're dealing with a different world.

Also, until I get a solid reason for why med schools allow teenagers to attend and do full friggin residencies, I'm going to call bs on the issue.

[Wolf_Haley]

GITP, no fun allowed zone

[CoffeeIncluded]

Okay, so he's a senior. Not much better, but...better. Sorry, that was just too much for my suspension of disbelief.

Anyway, I downloaded the dlc costumes that came with the limited edition, but how do I put them on Jude and Milla (well, just Milla)?

[Surrealistik]

Okay, so he's a senior. Not much better, but...better. Sorry, that was just too much for my suspension of disbelief.

Not gonna lie, the Tales series in general tends to strain it like no other.

[Zevox]

Anyway, I downloaded the dlc costumes that came with the limited edition, but how do I put them on Jude and Milla (well, just Milla)?

Get them from the DLC section of your item list first. Then on the equip screen scroll down below where the require equipment is. There's a second screen that they get added to, which also includes 3 slots for the weird accessories of the sort that Vesperia and Graces had.

Though at present, the one that is supposed to change Milla's hairdo doesn't seem to work, at least for me. Not a big deal for me I guess, as I honestly doubt I'll want to use them on the first time through anyway, but I was curious what it looked like.

[Shekinah]

A fifteen-year-old graduating medical school and on his way to residency? I still don't buy it. I do understand why teenagers are accepted as medical students, however.

All that aside, Xillia is fun.