Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies

[RedShell]

Me thinks I might be ever so slightly addicted to this game.

 

Clocked over 11 hours now and my character is at Lvl 26.

Managed to level up loads today after discovering the...

 

...Metal Slimes.

I've just got up to the point where I can make party members having had to redo from just before the Hexagon to reaching Stornway.

I still haven't got any additional party members! Been so focused on levelling up my own character/progressing through the story that I completely forgot about that feature.

Will warp back to Stornway and create an ally in a minute.

 

Speaking of warping, I had a right laugh earlier on, when I tried to warp while inside a building;

 

Manolito casts Zoom.

*smack*

Manolito bangs his head on the ceiling!

 

Classic.

 

I was hoping for more customisation (more faces and hair, etc) but what we have on offer is good.

Yeah a few more options would've been cool, I tried to make my character look like me but couldn't really achieve that due to the lack of a facial hair option.

But anyway, here I am in Dragon Quest form:

 

 

Be cool to see other people's custom characters too, so post up a pic if you can.

: peace:

[Ike]

I just connected to DQVC.. And Alena from DQIV has visited the inn and gave me a dress!

 

I'm guessing this was supposed to be reward for the slime thingy they didn't bother with?

 

Don't think I've unlocked the DQVC yet, it's not a timed event is it?

[Debug Mode]

Don't think I've unlocked the DQVC yet, it's not a timed event is it?

 

Not a clue, it just came out today so I imagine it'l be up for a week.

[killer kirby]

yeah it stays on for a week I believe, but if you update every day online you can go shopping for different items

[Ike]

Unlocked the DQVC this morning and downloaded the quests and got my dress from Alena. Also bought a load of useful items from the shops which I needed for some alchemy and complete some quests

 

Started leveling my thief. I assume they're good for farming items off enemies.

[Grazza]

What a top class and addictive game this is! I'm compiling a happy list of ways this has improved over Dragon Quest VIII. The DS may not be very powerful, but Level 5 have thought carefully about what they could improve, and they've done it brilliantly:

 

* All weapons and armour visible - OK, they are not very visible on the overworld, but it works a treat in the cutscenes and is an important improvement.

 

* Skill trees much more transparent - I don't have to waste points guessing what abilities I might get.

 

* Characters customisable by skills and profession. This may be the best, most satisfying skill system yet - deeper and more flexible than Dragon Quest VIII, but not as complicated as Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker. In theory I can make my characters experts in one field and carry it over to another.

 

* Alchemy - So much better it's unbelievable. Recipes are more plentiful, easier to find, and you just select one and it automatically makes your item. Best of all, it's instant. Yes, it stays in one place, but the time it saves you is well worth using a Chimaera Wing to get there.

 

Just to balance that off, a small grumble. As killer kirby says, the overworld is to the correct scale (unlike the NES and SNES remakes). However, I would say the overhead view this game has is not a very good compromise between that and full 3D. Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker is also on the DS and the environments are fully 3D with a lower camera angle and full, rotational camera control. As others have said there is a lot of slowdown in Dragon Quest IX when you have all your party with you, so presumably it strains the DS significantly. Personally, I would rather use my imagination for the enemy monsters and party members if it meant we could have full 3D environments instead. That said, I realise the overhead view may be to enable to the multiplayer (and no, none of my friends own this game!) But really, it's only a small grumble.

[killer kirby]

Unlocked the DQVC this morning and downloaded the quests and got my dress from Alena. Also bought a load of useful items from the shops which I needed for some alchemy and complete some quests

 

Started leveling my thief. I assume they're good for farming items off enemies.

 

I am cheating with the class a bit

 

Basically main character is doing all classes with sword skill and just maxing out the sword very very early in the game almost at 60 points on it

 

Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker is also on the DS and the environments are fully 3D with a lower camera angle and full, rotational camera control.

It might have be the true reason as to why every place you go to is small, I don't think if you made a game as huge as DQIX it could handle doing what DQ: Joker is doing. Hence why so many islands in the joker game.

 

As others have said there is a lot of slowdown in Dragon Quest IX when you have all your party with you, so presumably it strains the DS significantly. Personally, I would rather use my imagination for the enemy monsters and party members if it meant we could have full 3D environments instead.

There is the good and bad with level 5 when they make games, they sometimes go too far with pushing a system that it slows the game down a bit (I mean, the amount of loading in Dragon Quest VIII was huge) Most games I have played of theirs there is usually something bad with the game running, because there is way too much being processed.

[darksnowman]

Do we have the full details on how DLC works?

 

I thought it wasn't timed (only available for one week) if Debug Mode has been able to download the past three weeks of content? I don't wanna miss out on anything but I don't want to rush and feel forced to do stuff.

[Nolan]

I wrote down all the ingredients required to make some alchemy. It's like making science but harder

 

On the left sheet is just a list of ingredients and the required amount. In the box are the components to make a Meteorite Bracelet. Everything is is what would be needed (for me) to make a single Gold Bar to make the Meteorite Bracelet. On the right are just the alchemical formulas for each component.

 

http://img840.imageshack.us/img840/4251/0724101704.jpg

 

[yesteryeargames]

how do u download quests do u need to go to an inn? im only 3 hours into the game

[Tellyn]

I've done the whole Wight Knight storyline and assumed that Wi-Fi quests would then become available to me, but still no dice at the inn in Stornoway. When does it unlock?

 

I'm really enjoying this anyway, glad I gave it a chance despite the fact I'm not a big fan of the RPG genre. I'm finding it really compelling to play, spent most of this afternoon on it before work and I've made more progress than I ever have before in a non-Nintendo RPG.

 

The quest system reminds me of RuneScape (a good thing) since they're usually fun to do and I can take on a few without feeling pressured to complete them as part of the main storyline. The game's also beautiful, truly. I'm stunned at how Level-5 have squeezed so much out of the DS.

[killer kirby]

Do we have the full details on how DLC works?

 

I thought it wasn't timed (only available for one week) if Debug Mode has been able to download the past three weeks of content? I don't wanna miss out on anything but I don't want to rush and feel forced to do stuff.

 

The quests stay, they never go away. So if you get the game in 2 months go to the store, then you will get all the quests you got from all those weeks ago.

 

But from time to time you can get a special guest in the game, they stay around for a week. And lastly you have items on for sale, those get updated daily, so go online each day to get some good stuff.

 

 

how do u download quests do u need to go to an inn? im only 3 hours into the game

 

I think it's once you get to the area where you can change vocation (Classes)

[Hero-of-Time]

I've been on and off this most of the weekend, im finding it fun just to play in little sessions rather than big ones, which is a change of pace for me. Partly because im trying to make it last a bit longer and partly because im still addicted to Monster Hunter.

 

I created a team of the default character, a warrior, a mage and a martial artist. I may have to swap one of thier jobs for a priest at some point but at the moment this team has served me well.

 

I've just reached the town where I can change my jobs but its still not available to do yet, guess I have to do a mission or something to get this feature unlocked. Methinks I will do some grinding before I set away on the story again though as my charcters are all around the 16-18 mark and I would like them to be at least 20.

 

I found some armour today that is the spitting dabs of Vegeta's body armour from DBZ. If I can find some blue pants and little white boots he would look just like him. I was gonna make my whole team to look like DBZ characters as it was easy to make Trunks, Goku, Krillin and Bulma but I decided to just make my mates instead.

 

The game hasn't been too hard so far although my Mage keeps getting killed, not because he is weak ( yeah he has the lowest HP ) but because all the enemies keep picking on him. Just about every fight/boss fight I get into they all target him! Poor little guy.

[Nolan]

I have 56 hours now. I think I'm pretty much at the end so I'm dinking about doing quests and unlocking new classes.

 

HoT, have you put your Mage in the back row? He'll be attacked less (although still often) in the back row.

[Grazza]

My mage keeps getting attacked too... I've put her 3rd in line.

 

It sounds like I'm using the most mundane names out of everyone here - I've called my party members Gra, Dave, Kate and Nigel! I'm Gra, Dave is a "best mate" name, Kate I have no idea about and Nigel is my idea of a friendly, "support bloke"! They are Minstrel, Warrior, Mage and Priest.

[darksnowman]

I've started with the same classes as H-o-T it seems. I've not noticed my mage getting attacked in particular, though I did plonk her into the back row- the only person I've had die yet was my warrior at the Ragin' Contagion. I got careless and should have healed so she missed out on the exp from that boss. I fought three metal slimes in that dungeon, killing one and getting a nice level up for everyone in the process.

 

I'm hunting Drackmages round Zere now as I want to get their drop for the quest for Romeo. Thought I'd do that before heading back to the Starflight. I checked my quest list and I haven't found quest 001 which is weird as I'm sure I've spoken to everyone (and most of them more than once).

 

I shall post some snaps of my party if I ever get them some decent looking gear. I was saddened that the bunny tails I equipped on my chicks weren't visible. I seem to be grinding for money more than exp because playing dress up is reminding me of Animal Crossing, haha.

[Grazza]

I was saddened that the bunny tails I equipped on my chicks weren't visible.

 

It may be that they become visible when you alchemise them with other items. I remember in DQVIII there is a certain bunny girl outfit you can make, although I can't remember all the ingredients.

 

Looked crap on me anyway.

 

[Debug Mode]

I need to stop pummelling those Metal Medley's! Just currently out in the desert right now, still absolutely loving this game, despite the fact I've not found any treasure maps =(

[darksnowman]

Tempted to swap my Warrior for a Priest now that I've got the vocation changing up and running. Before doing so I went to Port Llaffan, played through the stuff there and ended up getting smacked about by the boss. I normally rely on magic to heal rather than items and by the time I got up the boss I had barely any MP left and was only carrying a handful of herbs, so it was a race to kill him quickly that I was never gonna win. Methinks my offensive tactics may have run their course and I need someone to buff and learn some proper healing spells. Running with a minstrel, mage, priest and martial artist seems a tad weak though. Decisions decisions.

[D_prOdigy]

Finding a few quests laughably nigh-on impossible. Specifically ones where you have to defeat Metal Slimes/Metal Medleys in VERY specific ways with specific party members.

 

One particular bitch is where you have to beat 3 Metal Medleys with a one-hit-KO from a spear-user's Pressure Pointer. After about 40 minutes of trying in Bad Cave, I'd managed it once. Fuckers keep running after one or two turns.

 

I'm also ashamed to say I've resorted to looking online for certain recipes for quests that require alchemy.

[Nolan]

Yeaaah that Pressure Pointer quest was a doozy. Keep at it though, you'll get there.

 

As for the Alchemy type quests I've noticed that I just found those recipes a while later on in the game.

[D_prOdigy]

As for the Alchemy type quests I've noticed that I just found those recipes a while later on in the game.

 

My impatience has been fuelled by the fact I seem to have an inordinate lack of recipes... I've just reached Upover, and despite examining every bookcase I've come across, I'm pretty certain I have less than 50% of the game's recipes recorded. Maybe there's a glut to be found towards the end of the game.

[Debug Mode]

I'm slightly annoyed you can only have 10 active quests.. I get them as I go and look out for the stuff through out my play through, so now I'l need to re-hunt all those quests I've had to quit for the time being..

 

I'm also doing the Pressure Pointer Quest right now, not even managed one!

[Grazza]

Running with a minstrel, mage, priest and martial artist seems a tad weak though. Decisions decisions.

 

Well, let's think this through. It seems normal for me, even if out of prejudice, to have No.3 a mage and No.4 a healer. You, No.1, start as a Minstrel, so it makes sense to stick with that a bit, although I would like to upgrade to a spear-user after a while. That means No.2 is your general fighter, and it's a matter of personal preference whether they're a Warrior or Martial Artist. I chose Warrior, although really I intend them to end up as an axe-user.

 

Hope that helps (probably doesn't!)

[Nolan]

Not completely relevant, but in the site Banner...Stella looks remarkably like a Bouquet of Flowers. As in, I only just noticed that it's Stella and not some Flowers.