GHNeko
11-24-2009, 11:21 PM
I was thinking about it and I dont think making ET required for VH is bad design.
It may not be GOOD, but i dont believe it's bad.
My reasoning is that you don't need to play ET Normal for Hard, and basically by completing everything in normal and hard (sans ET), you've already completely 70%+ of the offline game. You're generally be around level 40-50 around this time and by this time, you've already gotten the hang of the game, you have a decent idea of how this game plays. You've probably already been playing wifi and freeplay a decent amount.
You've got an okay character with okay equipment and okay items and an okay mag.
I think this covers a vast super majority of the casual spectrum of the game and you've already put in a decent amount of time into the game.
Then comes ET Hard. It's like a rite of passage. It's a sign that you want to dive deeper into the game. It's a sign of dedication because really.
If you're picking up PSZ for the first time and you've gotten this far, that pretty much means you've played all the zones more than 5 times, and you've been all the bosses at least 3 times. This is counting only offline quests, and not online. So with out an interest higher than an average player, the game is already coming repetitive and it's replay value is starting to ween.
The content is no longer new in SH and really, you're only gaining access to rarer items. That's it. Nothing new. you're pretty much replaying the game for the 3rd time offline. It's a homage to vets of PSO and PSU. It's a nod to us saying,
"Here. Something that isnt a joke quest like everything else in this game. I know how much you love this franchise and this game. I know how you used to spend hours hunting red boxes and doing the same stages over and over. So here. Take this quest. An embodiment of all those hours you spent playing PSO compacted into a small-by-ratio quest."
This quest. ET hard. It's the only quest. The only required ET. (For that one character)
Normal and VH are in no way requirements for anything except titles which are nothing more than achievements for those who are dedicated to the game, which ET caters to.
to me, ET Hard isnt bad design. It's a nod to the niche. a christening for casuals. a homage to hardcores.
Maybe I'm reading too much into it and it is bad design. Maybe I'm actually right and Sega tossed in ET Hard specifically for us.
Who knows, but in my head, as I am still playing ET Hard after 4 days of on and off play. I'm glad for this quest. I'm thankful. I know that players who at least make it through ET hard could be competent enough for me to play with. I know that people who play through ET hard are fans of this series and are potentially niche players or well onto their way of becoming niche.
Regardless, I appreciate ET Hard, and I'm glad its required. It's like hitting puberty in PSZ. lmao
</thoughts>
It may not be GOOD, but i dont believe it's bad.
My reasoning is that you don't need to play ET Normal for Hard, and basically by completing everything in normal and hard (sans ET), you've already completely 70%+ of the offline game. You're generally be around level 40-50 around this time and by this time, you've already gotten the hang of the game, you have a decent idea of how this game plays. You've probably already been playing wifi and freeplay a decent amount.
You've got an okay character with okay equipment and okay items and an okay mag.
I think this covers a vast super majority of the casual spectrum of the game and you've already put in a decent amount of time into the game.
Then comes ET Hard. It's like a rite of passage. It's a sign that you want to dive deeper into the game. It's a sign of dedication because really.
If you're picking up PSZ for the first time and you've gotten this far, that pretty much means you've played all the zones more than 5 times, and you've been all the bosses at least 3 times. This is counting only offline quests, and not online. So with out an interest higher than an average player, the game is already coming repetitive and it's replay value is starting to ween.
The content is no longer new in SH and really, you're only gaining access to rarer items. That's it. Nothing new. you're pretty much replaying the game for the 3rd time offline. It's a homage to vets of PSO and PSU. It's a nod to us saying,
"Here. Something that isnt a joke quest like everything else in this game. I know how much you love this franchise and this game. I know how you used to spend hours hunting red boxes and doing the same stages over and over. So here. Take this quest. An embodiment of all those hours you spent playing PSO compacted into a small-by-ratio quest."
This quest. ET hard. It's the only quest. The only required ET. (For that one character)
Normal and VH are in no way requirements for anything except titles which are nothing more than achievements for those who are dedicated to the game, which ET caters to.
to me, ET Hard isnt bad design. It's a nod to the niche. a christening for casuals. a homage to hardcores.
Maybe I'm reading too much into it and it is bad design. Maybe I'm actually right and Sega tossed in ET Hard specifically for us.
Who knows, but in my head, as I am still playing ET Hard after 4 days of on and off play. I'm glad for this quest. I'm thankful. I know that players who at least make it through ET hard could be competent enough for me to play with. I know that people who play through ET hard are fans of this series and are potentially niche players or well onto their way of becoming niche.
Regardless, I appreciate ET Hard, and I'm glad its required. It's like hitting puberty in PSZ. lmao
</thoughts>