Map System of DS

[Zeta_Nova]

How's the Map System in this game? Does it have like a city system (ala P3) where you would highlight a building and your character would go to that location. Or what?

[Emilio Morales]

Yeah, just like the most recent Megaten games:

http://nijiko.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/devilsurvivor6.png
More info and screenshots, here (http://nijiko.wordpress.com/2009/02/13/resena-de-%E5%A5%B3%E7%A5%9E%E7%95%B0%E8%81%9E%E9%8C%B2-devil-survivor-pagina-oficial-de-devil-summoner-2/)

[Jaxx-Leviathan]

Aha, that's a satisfying system. And although I'm not well versed in Spanish, I can at least tell from the pictures that one of my fave demons, Garm, are present in Devil Survivor, yay for that. Now I just need to confirm the presence of Cu Chulainn and then I'll be a happy panda.

[Zachalmighty]

Tam Lin was always my favorite demon. <3

[Emilio Morales]

Aha, that's a satisfying system. And although I'm not well versed in Spanish, I can at least tell from the pictures that one of my fave demons, Garm, are present in Devil Survivor, yay for that. Now I just need to confirm the presence of Cu Chulainn and then I'll be a happy panda.

I'm not quite sure, but I guess Cu Chulainn is in Devil Survivor, mmm I can't remember exactly if yes or no.

[SomethingDifferent]

Aha, that's a satisfying system.

For an SRPG, that is. For a more traditional RPG it's absolutely unforgivable. It takes away all the fun of exploring for secret areas, shortcuts and stuff, and makes the game's world feel extremely restrictive. The only "satisfying" aspect of it I can see is for people who are too lazy to get from point A to B on their (that is, their characters') own two feet.

[dungeon_man]

Aha, that's a satisfying system.

For an SRPG, that is. For a more traditional RPG it's absolutely unforgivable. It takes away all the fun of exploring for secret areas, shortcuts and stuff, and makes the game's world feel extremely restrictive. The only "satisfying" aspect of it I can see is for people who are too lazy to get from point A to B on their (that is, their characters') own two feet.

If point A and point B are full of interesting stuff, why make players waste a bunch of time with the dull areas in-between?

Anyway, thanks to whoever posted that map pic. Looks awesome.

[Emilio Morales]

^You're welcome! If you want so see more pics, let me know ;)

[SomethingDifferent]

If point A and point B are full of interesting stuff, why make players waste a bunch of time with the dull areas in-between?

Because world maps don't need to be dull. There's a whole lot of interesting stuff that can be done with them.

[dungeon_man]

If point A and point B are full of interesting stuff, why make players waste a bunch of time with the dull areas in-between?

Because world maps don't need to be dull. There's a whole lot of interesting stuff that can be done with them.

True, but world maps don't need to be exciting either. Just because something can be done doesn't mean it should be done. Some game designs work better without making your character take every step along their journey.

Would Wizardry or Etrian Odyssey have been improved if you had to spend time manually walking between shops instead of using a menu? No. It would just take longer to buy your stuff and take longer to get back into the dungeon where the action is. However, Ultima Exodus would have been a worse game if you couldn't fully explore the world map and find hidden towns and caves buried deep within forests or mountain ranges. It's variety, and it's a good thing as long as the developers do interesting stuff with their design decisions.

[SomethingDifferent]

True, but world maps don't need to be exciting either. Just because something can be done doesn't mean it should be done. Some game designs work better without making your character take every step along their journey.

Would Wizardry or Etrian Odyssey have been improved if you had to spend time manually walking between shops instead of using a menu? No. It would just take longer to buy your stuff and take longer to get back into the dungeon where the action is. However, Ultima Exodus would have been a worse game if you couldn't fully explore the world map and find hidden towns and caves buried deep within forests or mountain ranges. It's variety, and it's a good thing as long as the developers do interesting stuff with their design decisions.

Exactly. I completely agree with you there, and I admit I generalized it a bit by referring to the RPG genre as a whole. But my point is, many developers have been ditching world maps since the last generation started. In some games it's justified (Breath of Fire V comes to mind), but in the vast majority of games it seems just lazy to me. I mean... if Persona 2's world navigation worked so well, why not keep it in P3/4? I was quite disappointed to know the series followed the point-and-click route, and will be even more if the Persona: Be Your True Mind remake follows the same route. I guess I'm just too used to the old PSX days. >_>

[Jaxx-Leviathan]

Exactly. I completely agree with you there, and I admit I generalized it a bit by referring to the RPG genre as a whole. But my point is, many developers have been ditching world maps since the last generation started. In some games it's justified (Breath of Fire V comes to mind), but in the vast majority of games it seems just lazy to me. I mean... if Persona 2's world navigation worked so well, why not keep it in P3/4? I was quite disappointed to know the series followed the point-and-click route, and will be even more if the Persona: Be Your True Mind remake follows the same route. I guess I'm just too used to the old PSX days. >_>

I can understand your concern, I too enjoy being able to fully explore area maps in RPG's, it kinda comes with the genre. But since this is a SRPG, as you pointed out, that's why I find it satisfying the way it is. I guess they could have made it so that you walk around freely while exploring and when entering combat, the system changes to grid-based movement. But perhaps that would have been a lot of unnecessary development work which could be priortized better elsewhere.