* * * * * Chrono Trigger - Week 5 * * * * *

(Plain English: Scroll down to the bottom of the "OP" if you're lagging behind for previous weeks)


TABLE OF CONTENTS
Prologue:
i Okami Club
ii Fire Emblem Club

Epic Center:
01 Ogre Battle
24 Secret of Mana
39 Phantasy Star IV (cont'd)
67 Earthbound (cont'd)
99 Breath of Fire II (cont'd)
110 Paper Mario (cont'd)
123 Golden Sun (cont'd)
136 Chrono Trigger

(ALL VINTAGE EC GAMES ARE CONTINUED IN THEIR OFFICIAL DISCUSSION THREADS!)

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Hello, true believers! Welcome to Negative World's newest RPG-centric Club Hub, springing off the heels of the Fire Emblem Club. Way back when, Nintendo Power introduced a monthly walkthrough / in depth Role Play Game section (right around the beefiest SNES RPG era), but since they aren't around anymore to use it, Negative World will bring it out of the ashes, dust it off, and roll with it (two things of note: #1, this is not in reaction to Nintendo Force Magazine at all -- I know that because I thought of it in the shower this morning, so THERE; and #2, I just looked up "Epic Center RPG" on Yahoo, and there is apparently another RPG-based site that has that, ugh. I guess we're looking at a "Ghostbusters" / "Real Ghostbusters" thing now... Whatever..).

For anyone who grew playing SNES RPGs, and were a fan of them, they surely resonated to the point where they still hold office as some of your favorite games of your entire videogame life, systems, generations, and decades later. The NW Epic Center (run primarily by myself, with the aid of some special friends occasionally) will help to expose some of those games that didn't quite get the recognition they deserved, and also to relive some of the greatest games EVER as we play through them again -- together -- and open up a whole new dialogue on these lost treasures.


Next up..



Chrono Trigger is held by many (myself included) as The Greatest RPG of All Time, pun not intended. It is a benchmark title in the genre, and even after 20 years the game is discussed daily and held in high regard, even in the face of juiced-up, HD "masterpieces." Is simpler sometimes better? Sure, but we're not talking "Dragon Warrior" simple here; we're talking 16-bit perfection at its finest. I'm personally a bit worried about pursuing this game once more; it's been a long time since my last jog through it, and I'm afraid I might have the rosiest pair of glasses that any shot of nostalgia could ever produce. We find out later this month, for better or for worse. (C'mon, it's gonna be fine -- we're talking Chrono Trigger here!! THE BEST, JERRY, THE BEST!!)

Sunday, August 30th marks the start of Week 1 (if you prefer to start your own quest AFTER Sunday, like Monday, or Tuesday, or Wednesday, thats fine!). Golden Sun ran 6 Weeks. GameDadGrant will be our DUNGEON MASTER for this one, and we figure the playthrough to run about the same length. Less than two months. I'm told the total quest should last you between 20 and 30 hours.


See ya soon!!


CHRONO TRIGGER

Dungeon Master: GameDadGrant

You Did It! Chrono Trigger Complete:
VofEscaflowne
Scrawnton
Mop it up
Ludist210


Week 4 Complete:
GameDadGrant
mrbiggsly
DapperDave

Week 3 Complete:
Mr_Mustache (and Mrs_Mustache!)

Week 2 Complete:
Smerd
Dark weres
warerare
sirmastersephiroth

Week 1 Complete:
Anand

Triggermen:
HammerLord
Koovaps

Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5

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URL to share (right click and copy)

@Koovaps

Yeahhhh, Koovaps!

@Zero

Oh gosh, its not a huge deal. Jeepers.

@Mr_Mustache When you reference a post, it shows the person's name. The link in the opening post doesn't mention Koovaps's name.

@Mop it up

..I know, it says "Quicklink to Phantasy Star IV: Week 2." Uhh. I must be missing something.

How is that at all confusing? I'm not being a jerk, its just..thats what you're looking for, its labeled as such.

@Mr_Mustache It didn't say that the Week 1 link goes to Koovaps's post about the goals, so I (and I imagine anyone else who saw it) thought it just went to the start of the club, not to his post.

It works fine now that you've explained it, I'm just saying that you can't quietly edit something and be surprised when no one notices.

I didn't even notice that, because it is at the top and center, so I just assumed it was some header and I guess I never even read it.

It might not be a huge deal but this requires a weird sort of coordination between you and Koovaps that might not be available 24/7.

I never read it, either. I kind of skip over anything that isn't the "meat" of the post. Use big size and stuff! Copy it again later in the OP! Explain that it's the week's goals and stuff, please!

XBOB. I need your help. Or someone else's.

I did CRASH and MOONSHADE against someone, and I'm not sure if it landed, or did its intended action.
How do we know? DW, maybe you know?

@Mop it up
@Zero
@Xbob42

Ha! I put it at the top and center because somebody else asked me to do that before. NICE.

Welp, now that we all know what the deal is we don't have to talk about it anymore. Rad.

Happy gaming!

Played a little more of this game, and I gotta say that I love that there is some actual worthwhile loot laying around. Makes all that exploring really worth it sometimes!

Did the first goal of this week and the first part of the optional one. But was there any point in exploring the Wreckage yet? It didn't seem like there was anything there, except a brief lore-related conversation.

Here's a tip from the Sega Genesis Collection:

Don't reach level 99
If you manage to build your characters up to level 99, their power level will actually severely drop. Be careful not to make your party too strong.

What the mop kind of backwards design is this?!

@Mop it up Sounds like a "you loop back to zero" problem with the actual programming, I severely doubt that's on purpose.

Yeah, that has to have been some kind of a bug. It's not like you're going to level up that high on accident though and you can finish the game long before then, so it shouldn't be a big problem.

@Mr_Mustache
Yeah, there's definitely some good equipment to be found, lets me hoard my meseta. "It's not nice to open cabinets in other people's houses without their permission!" And yet I check every one. This is where all my time goes.

@nate38
That lore-related content might be all there is to it. It connects it back to III, I think.

@Mop it up
That's very interesting. I'm playing on the genesis collection on the PSP, so I'll have to keep that in mind. Can't imagine getting that high though. Maybe I'll go for it toward the end for shits-n-giggles!

Yeah, I think the wreckage was just a little optional throwback to the events of 2 and 3. It's worth doing for a couple items in there though if nothing else.

Poor Hahn feels so weak I hope he gets some new clothes soon!!

@Mr_Mustache Not only does he feel weak, but it seems like enemies always target him first. I always have to return to town to resurrect the little wuss.

@Mr_Mustache @Xbob42 I don't even use Hahn most of the time. I have him equipped with two shields and just have him defend every turn, unless his spells are needed. Also, I think he is less likely to be targeted if you have him in the back of your Order. I have Alys in front so she soaks up most of the damage, followed by the next highest DEF PWR character, and so forth down to brittle little Hahn. He rarely gets hit anymore, and never frequently enough that I can't heal him.

@Xbob42

Me, too! I hate the thought of getting off sequence on levels, too..

@nate38

Hmm, really? Moving him to the back matters? Intriguing..\

EDIT- Alys is in front of my group, too. I never moved them.

Made it through Zio's Fort today. Picked up some cool new items. Anyone else talk to the stripper/hooker in the upstairs room of the tavern in Kadary? "Oh My? Such a little boy as a customer? How adorable. I'm going to give you some great service." Definitely one of my favorite moments so far.

@nate38
There was some decent armor in the wreckage. But I think that was it.

@Mr_Mustache
@Xbob42
At least he has a shit ton of MP to cast RES with. It's about his only worthwhile attribute. I ended up giving him 2 daggers rather than a dagger/shield combo. He does way more damage; but he crumples like a sissy whenever he gets hit (which kind of happens even with the shield).

And even when I put him at the bottom of the order list, he still seems to get targeted a lot. Anyone know if "Order" actually affects incoming targeting? I thought being at the bottom of the order list was essentially the same as being in the "back row."

Glad to see I'm not the only one who was considering putting two shields on Hahn. I may do that next time I've got a spare shield or the spare funds.