Ugh, the horror of sticking DQ with a battle system like Star Ocean 3

I didn't like the look of the FF12 battle system, as it looked just like a MMORPG with a bit of optional turn-based stuff thrown in. Then again I haven't played it yet.

You just lost any RPG-cred you had there.

A little thought on the "Could it be two cartridges and could it be saved?" argument...

The DS has a bit of internal memory clearly, that is used for WIfi Multiplayer. Could that not be tapped into long enough to transfer a save between the carts?

That's what I said. The game could either use the internal memory of the DS or they could use a GBA cart to save your game to while you swapped carts.

Is it possible for a DS to access information from a GBA cart while running a DS game? I know the rumble works, but that seems more like a mechanical thing than a software program.

Edit: P.S. I think the DS has finally overtaken the SNES as my all-time favorite gaming system.

It isn't a question of the internal DS memory housing the save data. Obviously that works or the game wouldn't function. It's a question of switching carts while the DS is on so that the internal memory is viable.

Suprmallet: I don't see why that wouldn't be possible. It's just a matter of what type of functions the DS API allows for accessing the GBA slot. Clearly they can work in tandem since we have the rumble pak.

I don't remember exactly how it worked but in Castlevania DoS you could start the game with some accessory if you had beaten Aria of Sorrow for the GBA and had the game inserted in the GBA port. So, it's got to have the ability to read data from the GBA cart, not sure about writing info to it though.

The DS is creeping up on my list of favorite game consoles but it's going to be awhile before it can unseat the GBA.

There is similar functionality for the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon titles between GBA and DS.

And Advance Wars DS/ GBA 1 and 2. Also, Golden Sun 1 and 2 were somehow linked, though those were GBA games.

Action RPGs are the worst of both genres IMO. The bastard child of an action game and an RPG. I'd rather play a challenging action game without RPG leveling which can make it pathetically easy, or an RPG that is strategic and not a button-masher.

I'll make exceptions (I did enjoy Star Ocean 3, mostly, and I love Secret of Mana aka Seiken Denetsu 2) but most of the time I avoid action RPGs like the plague. My wife has a tendency to dabble in action RPGs more than turn-based ones, though, so I've had some face time with stuff like Kingdom Hearts (ugh, Disney, not a disney fan).

Teaser trailer
<embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/0smdaQL6Mlg" ></embed>

Nice. That trailer looks great. The only thing that still concerns me is how it will play single player. I've played a bunch of games which were designed to be good multiplayer but end up being less than par when played single player (crystal chronicals, xmen legends...). However if they use any of what they did in FF:XII to control the other party members it could turn out amazing.

Here's the trailer in higher quality flash video:
http://www.square-enix.co.jp/dragonquest/20th/DQ9.html#

Click on large or small.

New scan - http://img106.imagevenue.com/img.php..._122_833lo.jpg

Does this confirm that the battles are turn-based but just not random? More like Paper Mario where you can encounter or avoid on the map at will but the battle is still traditional DQ? Maybe that's just for the single player campaign too which would be ideal.

link seems to be dead.

Should work now.

Yeah, it does seem like there's turn-based battles in there. I hope it is as you described above. Like Chrono Trigger where you could see all the enemies but as soon as you bumped into them it turns into turn-based. That's what they did with the 360 RPG Blue Dragon too.

Edit: I so can't wait for this game to come out.

Ugh, how disappointing.

How so?

Guess folks really wanted them to attempt multi player action rpg though the odds of changing a series like this and having it work were largely against them for little DS title. Hell look at secret of mana, not since Snes era can a self respecting gamer say those were good action rpgs so not so easy do those right anymore. DQ9 looks hot to me.

That would be cool!

I sure hope so! I've always liked that format ala Chrono Trigger or Lunar 2 for PS1. I'm not a fan of action-RPGs. They tend to focus more on button mashing combos over tactical battles, spellcasting, healing, etc. I don't think I've loved one since Secret of Mana. Star Ocean 3 battles were kind of action-RPG; they were OK.

Looking more closely at the picture, I can see now that the multiplayer battles are turn based as well. You can see the action your teammates are selecting. I wonder if it'll have voice chat to discuss strategy or request things or if you have to rely on your friends not being idiots. Either way is cool, but I can see this as more of a FF:CC experience with 4 people in one room rather than the impersonality of playing it on the internet.

Whatever, as long as the single player quest is interesting and long, the multiplayer is just a bonus. It's DQ!

What exactly would be the point of multi-player turn-based battles? Yikes.

Anyway, hopefully they moved what they had of the action-based Dragon Quest to a new project (titled without a number so people won't throw tantrums, sigh). My friends and I had a blast with Children of Mana (even with its flaws) so we *were* really looking forward to this.

That's a good point. Multiplayer, turn-bases battles seems a bit strange. I was looking forward to this more as a single player game which is why I'm still excited for it. I'll get my multiplayer rpg goodness when crystal chronicles for DS comes out.