dsa_shea

How do you access the lands/islands that have rocks all around them?

PixyJunket

Usually that would indicate control of some sort of flying device, but I'm still early on in the game so I can't confirm that.

PixyJunket

Oh snap, Angelo is the hot guest today on DQVC, I love these cameos.

manicsounds

Beat the game once and you will get to access those areas.

dsa_shea

I did beat the game and still can't access the areas surrounded by rocks or the parts of land with a point of interest that has no access to it.

Edit: I learned how to fly.

PixyJunket

Well, I've got 38 tags between the GameStop and Best Buy events.. really bummed we can't make it to the next one as the treasure map being offered on that one features my favorite Dragon Quest end boss from the whole series. I guess there will be ways to get it later, thankfully.

We got free shirts this time, they aren't as cool as the ones they had last week (which we missed out on) and they only had large (which were too large for me and my girl and were too small for everybody else there) but hey, they were free.

I've been playing multi-player with my girl lately using a different vocation for my main.. which is kind of cool. I get to switch back to my solo game with some extra skills and stats. The way they distribute experience based on level differences sucks but I'm guessing this is to prevent you from leveling up a starting vocation a zillion times in a short period with a much stronger party.

I just got the boat in my solo game.

squidget

I just started playing this game yesterday and OMG - it is the awesome. Sadly I have missed both BB and GS events and I'm pretty bummed. It sounded like it would have been fun. Does anyone know when/where the next such event will be?

PixyJunket

The next one (and last one listed) isn't near us at all.

On the other hand, the guy at the Best Buy event said they "probably" have more planned but nothing has been announced yet (with a nudge, nudge, wink, wink).

darkside

I hit both events so far and got both T-Shirts a poster and sticker sheet. The GS only had small though so my daughter got the cool blue slime shirt and I got the slime party one from Best Buy. Sadly I was about the only person when I showed up for both events. I hung around GS for about half an hour and someone else drifted in, but no one else was there for the half hour I hung out at Best Buy so I have only added 3 tags so far to DQ IX. Unfortunately the next event isn't anywhere near my state so I'm out of luck.

Still haven't beat the game though. Only 20 hours in and I've spent a lot of time with side stuff.

UncleGramps

Missed the Best Buy event. Forgot all about it.

I'm working on fygg #6 now. The game is awesome.

PixyJunket

Strange, both of the ones I went to were very nicely sized.. and they were both far north of Dallas proper.

I'm jealous of your daughter, that first shirt is so slick.. I might have to bite on eBay for one.

Does the one you got from GameStop still have the ComicCon logo on it?

That's where I am now.. but probably have MANY more hours on my clock. I've been working around on a few different vocations here and there and trying to complete any non-alchemy related quests I come across (or ones that I don't have recipes/ingredients to).

I think I'm going to attempt another treasure map or two, I think might be ready to take on some of the lower bosses now.

Noonan

Be careful with the treasure maps. I ran into a few level 1's after I had finished the game where the boss destroyed me. I never figured out what the levels meant. All the normal enemies would run from me but then the boss was way stronger than my team. I'd suggest saving before going into any grotto.

PixyJunket

Yeah, I've attempted a couple already and been smashed, but I'm thinking I might be ready now (levels 30/31) for a couple more attempts.

Noonan

If you figure out the grotto level system, please post it up. Even though I'm done with the game, I'm still confused how I was able to finish some which were listed at level 14 but didn't have a prayer against some level 1's.

FRwL

I was wondering does this game have any story connections to the previous DQ games like the Loto trilogy (1-3) or Castle in the sky trilogy (4-6).

PixyJunket

Nope.

To be honest, to call IV-VI a trilogy is stretching it, they share a castle and a set of equipment, not much else.

squidget

I've become addicted to alchemy - I spend most of my time farming for materials and making stuff over playing through the story. I only have 2 fyggs
To be honest, I never played the Dragon Quest series before and I'm loving this one. It actually reminds me of Ragnarok Online (I would not be surprised if RO was inspired by DQ) with the equipments/monsters and map layout.

PixyJunket

If you're enjoying it that much, definitely check out IV and V when you get the chance. They don't have some of the cool new features that IX has (character creation, alchemy, etc.) but the base gameplay is pretty much the same and the Dragon Quest charm is pretty consistent through the series. V is out of print though, so it may be harder to track down.

I actually reset all my jobs again.. so I'm on my third set of jobs for my party (fourth for my main, since I have a job set aside for playing with my girl). Once I get going in the story again my characters are just going to be loaded with cool shit they can do. I've got three characters with Half-Inch and I'm seriously abusing the hell out of that to get alchemy materials and stuff to sell for money (to buy more stuff for alchemy).

I know I have always REALLY loved Dragon Quest (except my little spat with VII) but damn, this game was really made to poke at my little weak spots with RPGs. I don't see putting this down for a very long time.

dsa_shea

I just picked up both of these last Friday. I found three new copies at a local TRUS for around 28 bucks plus tax so I snatched one. I'm about 10 hours into 4 and I'm enjoying it for the most part.

pinata242

What I don't like about those middling DQ games (IV, V, and probably VI) as well as IX (for what I've played) is that there's just too much to manage.

Look, I guess I'm just not as cool as I should be, but I really liked I-III and VII and VIII because there was a small set of characters that you always had. It was story-based and I didn't mind messing with classes or jobs because I didn't have to decide between characters to use. I didn't have to mess with a wagon or an inn or make sure that I understood all the skills and abilities of 8 unique characters even though I could only use 4 at a time.

At least IV introduced the characters in their own chapters so you got a good feel of how they played on their own or in a small group before you had to start making those decisions.

I guess a lot of the charm of DQ has worn off for me as it has "grown" over the years which is also confusing because it's just the order the US was exposed. VII and VIII seemed to simplify things again but now IX just seems too generic and really wants me to play with all these classes but have no attachment to any of the characters. I just prefer a small cast on a narrative quest that matters to my characters.

Setzer

Dreaded having to play this game on the DS. An RPG of this magnitude should be on a console....that's just my opinion. Anyways, I picked up a DSi XL yesterday along with a copy of this and loving it so far. The XL really makes a difference for me.....now I don't mind that I'm playing this on a hand-held. lol

Question: I used DQVIII's strategy guide as a reference, especially the fold-out map and bestiary. Is the DQIX guide worth picking up?

darkside

I only noticed the regular DQ IX logo on the back like the one from Best Buy. She tried to wear the thing for days on end even though it fits her more like a nightshirt. I finally had her put it in the hamper. She loves the slimes and has never come close to playing a DQ game.

I tried a treasure map, but at level 26 I got destroyed. I'm past the fygg collecting part now and the game is still really enjoyable. Not sure how much longer the main story lasts. I don't want to look at any walkthroughs though I finally did have to sneak a peak during the quest for the lizard. I honestly couldn't figure that part out from the clues and spent over an hour wandering around.

squidget

I tried a treasure map last night (got it from the guy with the stuff) and the monsters were ok but the boss kicked my ass. What level should one be before starting these things?

PixyJunket

I'm about to give it another shot at ~32 (though that now includes about extra skills from another two vocation sets).

I have a hunch, even the one(s) you get early on, that they're pretty much all for post-story play though.

PixyJunket

Also, I'm not a big sales guy but DQ9 did ~132k according to NPD for July, I'm really glad Nintendo took this one under their wing.