RF Generation Message Board

Myself and the rest of the Playcast crew are really excited to see such a great turnout for this game. Though considered a classic of the RPG genre, I would guess that many people have heard of (and mispronounced), but probably never played this game.  Should be a great month!

PARTICIPANTS:
Addicted
bombatomba
Crabmaster2000
Disposed Hero
douglie007
Duke.Togo
EngineerMike
Fleach
GrayGhost81
Ikariniku
MetalFRO
NeoMagicWarrior
shaggy
singlebanana
SirPsycho
theGrue
Untrod Tripod

CHECKPOINTS:
Each Book is listed as about 7-8 hours each.  I think that the best way for us to tackle this is to finish a Book every two weeks. This means that we will discuss all potential spoilers of the first book after April 15th. Before then, you are still welcome to discuss your thoughts on the game and any gameplay mechanics you note.

April 1st - 8th = Start Book I & save before entering Darm Tower (you can't go back!)
April 9th - 15th = Finish Book I
April 16th - April 22nd = Start Book II & save at Solomon Shrine
April 22nd - 30th = Finish Book II

The suspense eeeeeees killing me!

Take it Ys-eee. You'll find out soon enough.

Giving the Turbo CD some love?!  I have it!  But the system and game are at my parents.... :(  But wait!  I have the SNES version!  But the game is at my parents... :(  But, the third time is a charm?  I have the SMS version!  And... it's at my house!  Yippee!   :beer:

I appreciate this playthrough.

We knew you would. :)

So Ys 1 & 2 then?  I have the PSP release, would that count?

That is what I will be playing. ;)

Hmm. Time to bust out the PC Engine setup. I'll try to play a little, but once Dark Souls III hits I'm going to disappear into a hole...

Before we even start, I just want to say how much I love the music, for the Turbo CD version....soooooo good. OMG, you guys have no idea how long I have waited for this. About two years! lol As Rich well knows, I have been bugging the community playthrough guys, to do this game for a awhile now.

I've beaten Ys I on my PSP but I haven't made it through Ys II yet. Count me in.

I'm going to be playing the Turbo CD version via the Wii virtual console.  I bought it several months ago in anticipation of this playthrough.  Looking forward to it!

You and me both....

And my power supply for my SMS died.  Ugh.

@Shaggy: Do you have a power supply for a Genesis Model 1?

MK-1602: for use with SEGA GENESIS 1, CD 1, CD 2


INPUT: 120V 60Hz 35W

OUTPUT: 9V - 1.2 Amp (1602-1: 10V - 1.2 Amp)


This is a good power supply to have. This is used for the Original Genesis and both versions of the SEGA CD. There are 2 or 3 different cases for the unit, but they all work the same. And a version 1602-1 which outputs 10v but works for all. It is also known as the “Black Tip”, referring to the plug color.

Polarity: Center Negative

Yes, but who knows where.  Probably at my parents. :(  If any has one let me know.

???

I'm pretty sure I'm going to play the DS version. I know it's supposed to be bad and I want to be able to comment on that. Plus I haven't played my beloved burgundy DSi XL in quite a long time.

Since Magical Starsign?

Man, just checking the "Beaten in" threads the last time I played my DS was about a year ago! I'm going for it, since I know I played my PSP more recently.

Polarity is the direction the electricity flows. The SEGA Genesis/Mega Drive and Master System have center negative polarity.
[img width=320 height=68]https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8f/Centre-negative.svg/320px-Centre-negative.svg.png[/img]

Going to start looking for either the DS or PSP port now.

I'll be on the PC port. Which I think is the same as the PSP one.

/in

does the DS version have anything different? I dont have a copy, and I really want to play, I hate digital copies so if anyone has an extra copy for anything let me know ... if it comes down to it I will buy it for my PSP for 15$ but I would rather get a real version.




if he doesnt I might have one.

Participant list updated.  Looks like another fantastic month!

I've always wanted to try this one series out. Think I'll throw the TG version onto the twitch stream and see how I do!

I'm in!  I should be able to actually post during the playthrough month, too.

I remember when this was suggested, and I still plan on playing through the Famicom versions of the games.

Now, the only question is, do I play my carts in a Retron 5 and patch it that way, or use patched ROMs in my Everdrive N8?

Usually, I always choose emulated software over emulated hardware, but... I have these carts and want them to have some use.

I think just the 3D graphics.  I know the PSP version is just the Windows remake.  Personally, I've only played the TGCD version (and loved it, especially the music).  I only considered the DS version because I hoped it would be easy to find, which it is not.  Still, I might end up going down the same route as The Beast and get the TGCD port on Virtual Console (if it is still available) or maybe the GoG release.

I'll try and dust off the old Turbo Duo and join in too!

I'm really happy to see that the participation for Ys is going to be good next month. Other than Folklore, we have had some solid months of good participation and I hope to see that continue.  We try to go off community suggestions for the most part, but we implore all of you to take a chance on some of the "hidden gems" we pick from time-to-time. Though playing the "big hitters" is fun and you typically know that you are getting a good game, it's nice to play and talk about something unfamiliar with others.

Ehhhh.  I don't know about the DS or PSP one.  Does anyone know why they start off so differently than the original?  Probably just going to play the one on Virtual Console...

I went to my parents and guess what I found?  The box to my Turbo Duo!  Couldn't find the system, though. :(  This sucks.  I want all my stuff in one spot.

I started the game yesterday, since it's my month to host and I wanted to get a feel for the game and create checkpoints if necessary.  At this point, I think it seems easiest to dedicate half the month to finishing the first book and the remainder to the second.  There is a main quest in the game, but there also appears to be some side stories, so people will have different time sinks depending on what routes they take.

The battle mechanic is interesting and though a little frustrating at the onset, I'm kind of liking it. It's pretty fun and it eliminates the typical RPG battle menus which make the game slower.  As a result, the game plays a bit more like a Zelda title with RPG touches.

Glad to hear your initial thoughts, SB. I like the battle mechanic myself. Pretty simple as long as you got the sword hitting, when you bump the enemy. What system are you playing it on?

I'm actually playing it on the PSP, since I heard favorable reviews for this system. Considering it's so short, I might go back and play the Famicom version on my Retron5 w/ translation patch.  I'm interested to see what the differences are, especially in terms of music. Though I like the gameplay of this updated version, the heavy guitar riffing music seems a little out of place to me.

I just went on youtube and listened to the PSP version of "First steps toward war", which is the main theme on the open world. I see what you mean about the shredding guitars. I am quite fond of the TurboCD version, which has more of a synth poppy, almost disco feel to it.

I just compared them myself.  I agree, I really like the original version much more.  The remake version sounds like a fan made guitar cover you would normally find on Youtube.

Wow, good point Steven.  I don't mind some of the great online wailing guitar covers (Metroid tunes especially), but yeah, this doesn't see to fit the look and nature of this game...

I played through the first shrine and got the first book tonight. The TurboCD version is really fantastic, and for a game of its age its really decent to play. Getting to play more Turbo and PC Engine really makes me wish I had picked one up back in the day. I missed out on a lot.

I think that people are going to have very different experiences with this game depending on which version they play.  It will be interesting to see how the discussions go.

Is the SMS version just Book 1?  I actually know where it is and will play that far if that is the case.  Can't find the Turbo Duo or the games. :(

I have some kind of mental block about playing pre-PS1 RPGs, but I'll try out book 1 on TurboCD and see how it goes.

I'm going to see if my PC Engine Duo will play this. If not I'll switch to the DS or PC version.

Yep, the SMS version is Book I only.


Cool, hope you enjoy it.

Today is the first day of the Ys: Books I & II playthrough.  I'll be hosting this month, so I'll be interested in seeing all of your comments regarding the game here.  I have posted some basic checkpoints in the initial post, so try to keep plot spoilers out of the general conversation unless you use a spoiler tag.  Thanks and enjoy!

@Addicted: All Turbo/PCE CD-ROMS are region free. Ys just needs a basic system card, so you should be fine.

Add me to the list than!

@Duke: I should have clarified. My PC Engine Duo probably needs its caps replaced so I'll be surprised if it plays anything.

If 8bitBernie was in charge, you'd get that cap replacement for free!

I found 8 Bit Donald posting in the 3 word story thread.  Does that count?

Fired this one up on the Wii Virtual Console and had a blast! Count me in to finish it. I haven't really played anything on the TG-16, so I'm excited to broaden my retro gaming horizons a bit.

Started last night and went from absolutely hating Ys to really enjoying it. Initially I couldn't get the game to open in a properly sized window (I'm playing on PC) and it could about 2 hours of changing game settings to finally get it to work. I like that I have the option to play in full screen or a 4:3 window with nice borders and character/enemy info.

Once I finally got everything up and running it was a nightmare adjusting to the movement which is so fast and hard to control. Then I would get lots of game overs because I didn't know you can save anywhere you want. It's was very frustrating to replay the same 20 minutes over and over again. But now I've become accustomed to all the game's nuances I'm really enjoying it. Last night I made it to the second town and did a lot of level grinding. It's so satisfying to just steam roll through enemies. ;)

Taking my son to his art class, but when I get back I'm firing it up.  Super stoked, as i haven't played the original release is years!

Just finished Book 1.  It took a little time for me to get used to the game mechanics, but once I got the hang of it, I really started enjoying this one. 

Hey Rich, guess what?

You actually found a system you can play?

I finished Book I this week too. About halfway into the 2nd

I think I'm about all the way through The Mine.  I think I might be over the average for hours, but I can't tell.  It's been a really long time since I've played this.  And the music is as great as I remember.  It is synth-tastic and gets in my head.

I'm up to the 10th Floor of Darm Tower. Making solid progress.

Spoiler (hover to show)

The vampire boss REALLY sucked.

My PC Engine Duo doesn't hate Ys Book I & II. (It freezes trying to play Ys IV)

I'm also going through the Darm Tower.

Spoiler (hover to show)

 Just made it through the mirror maze.

Im loving this, but i dont know how to get in the tower yet, but level cap at lvl 10 sucks

Yeah, it's a bit odd, but I think it works with the game.  This is changed in the 2nd Book, which allows you to go up to level 55.  This is fine, but you really see little improvement in you abilities like you did the first book.

If you think that sucks.........well, just wait.

I no longer have this game, so I won't be playing along after all.

Which version are you playing, douglie?  I'm playing the TurbografxCD port on the Wii and am currently at level 20 with no end in sight.  I was wondering about the differences between the ports and I think this might be another one.  Not sure if this makes a real difference, though, as levels could mean more in other versions.

I've got a copy of Book I on the Famicom and Book II currently on the way. I'm playing on the PSP, but hoping to put a little time into the Fami versions to get a feel for them as well.

I'm at the end of Book 1.

I'm in Book 2.

I beat Book 1 and barely started Book 2.

I have started Book I. Very early in still. Going to try and get more time in, on my next days off.

I'm about a quarter of the way through Book 2.

I just want to start out by saying that I really like the inventory and equipment system. Some games try to overcomplicate things, but in these games, there's not an overabundance of items or armor, which is kind of nice.  You tend to find items pretty often and it keeps the game fresh.

I also like how some of the items are linked into the story and you have to talk to NPCs to piece the story together. Unlike many RPGs, NPCs in this game are very helpful for the most part and since there aren't a ton of them, I never found having to talk to them taxing. I will say (and not sure if this is solely on the PSP version) that I do not care for how you begin conversations with NPCs by mere bumping into them. I know in early titles like Dragon Warrior, you have to run into them and press a button to start a convo. I often find myself running in towns and accidentally bumping into NPCs that I have to go through an entire conversation with, and this is quite annoying.  Other than that, I have very few gripes. I'm enjoying these games.

I just added some more detailed checkpoints so that we can start talking about the game before finishing Book I. :)

Almost at checkpoint 3. I'm stopping to play some Quantum Break.

Same here.  I'm in the village right before the Shrine.

 I am playing the PSP Chronicles version.  I have finished the first book, and started the second.  I think after this is done I will have to bust out the Genesis Ys III :) I didnt think I would like them this much, I think its because when I first tried a Ys game it was after playing Phantasy Star II and I was used to the random battles, and didnt like the lack of choices you have in a Ys battle.  But after play many more RPGs of all types I can enjoy this for what it is.

I may be wrong, but isn't Ys III more of a platformer?

I've been stalled out for a week now due to work getting out of hand (suddenly everyone wants seven pass DoD wipes).  Looking forward to getting back into the groove with Ys this weekend (and other games hopefully).


Oddly enough, yes.  And the first Ys game I ever played, which seriously skewed the rest of the series for me.  While I did play Ys Book 1 on a Turbo CD, outside of the music I really didn't like the game that much.  I'd say it took me almost twenty years to really appreciate what it had to offer (outside of the music, that is).  I'm still not a huge fan of the "bash into everything" ARPG thing, but I really like the music, the art, and that wonderful 8-bit way the story stays out of the way of the gameplay.  I find this therapeutic in the game way I find smashing zombies in Dying Light therapeutic.  Sometimes it just feels great to turn my brain off and bash Adol into baddies for an hour.

I can't stop rocking out in the Palace of Destruction.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pp4NNv8LTmU

END OF BOOK 1

I never want to hear the Darm Tower music again in my life.

I muted the music after awhile

Checked out what the DS and PSP versions of this game were like, and I think I definitely made the right choice with the Virtual Console. So much talking and being in hospital beds! And on the DS, you need to push a button to swing? Way to take away the thing that makes the gameplay unique. The PSP does seem to have a way better script though, with a nice nod to Hall and Oates in the first scene.

I finished the game a few days ago.  I really enjoyed it, and I'm definitely looking forward to trying other games in the series now.

And I also got sick of the Darm Tower music.

I put a bunch of time into this the first few days in April, but kinda fell off after this last Tuesday.  I had a chance to sink some time in on Monday due to being stuck in a car for 3.5 hours riding to Des Moines on a business trip, and a little in the hotel that evening, but haven't had much time to go back to it yet.  I found one of the Roda trees, but not the other yet.  I'm playing via the PSP release.  The "overworld" music is awesome, with ripping guitars shredding all over the place.  My boss was driving, and even though I had the sound turned down somewhat, he jokingly said to me, "Doesn't the guy in that game get tired of playing guitar like that?"  I've leveled to either 10 or 11, and I have the Silver Armor, Silver Shield, and a Talwar, and coupled with my HP, I'm pretty much cutting through everything like butter.  Most sections right now are a little too "easy" at my current level.  I'm having fun overall, though.  I was shocked how hard it was to fight enemies and not lose all my HP until I leveled the first time, then I was practically mowing everything down.  It seems like each time you level, you get a really significant boost to strength and ability to fight, which is a bit jarring.  It's definitely more pronounced than any other JRPG I'm familiar with.


I noticed that Hall & Oates reference, too!  I took a quick picture of it and tweeted that out, noting that any game that makes a H&O reference has to be awesome, and also wondering if anyone from Working Designs defected to XSEED, because that's the kind of cultural reference they often put in their translations.

Level 10 is the cap in the first game. The second one jacks it up to 30.

Finally got to pick up the game again after a week of downtime.  I only have four words to describe:

Spoiler (hover to show)

I hate mantis boss

Nm.  Just beat him.  Leveled to 24 and figured it out while I was doing that.


I don't know.  I'm really starting to enjoy the ripping synth solos.

Finished Book 1.  Will hopefully start out Book 2 tonight or tomorrow.

Finished! I'm glad these games were part of a RFGEN Playthrough.

Just finished Book I. Immediately started Book II then saved, to take a small break.

Thanks!  I'm really impressed with the participation this month and thought this was a good suggestion months ago. Congrats on finishing!

I've been wanting to chime in for a while, but I keep tripping over my praise for Ys (Book) 1 on Famicom.  I could ramble on and on about how good a game Ys is, but it's already a known classic.  I've never played another version, much less one of the "definitive" ones, so I can't make comparisons.

What I can say is that I wish this game had come out in America.  I would much rather the hours I poured into Dragon Warrior be spent with Ys instead.  The games mostly stack up evenly in terms of graphics, music, and design.  What makes the difference to me is that I don't have to beat my head against the turn-based grinding wall.  While there is grinding in Ys, it is a joy because it involves skill.  How you hit an enemy is important, and it makes the difference between victory and defeat.  Much better than some random dice roll deep in the game's programming bowels.

I think Ys could have been a pivotal game for me in my youth if it had come out in America, and that's something I don't feel all that often as I play through old games.

One last note, there are a few things I want to call out specifically.  I like how your character sprite actually equips its sword and shield as you do.  That helped me figure out that I hadn't, in fact, equipped those things after buying them.  I also really like the designs of the enemy sprites.  There's a lot of detail and personality jammed into a small grid of pixels.

I'm super happy I jumped on board to give this a try.

While I agree that I would have loved to see this come to North America, I can't say that I would have rather played this game as opposed to pouring hours into Dragon Warrior.  I enjoy both of these games for different reasons and Dragon Warrior seems to be closer to the pen and paper D&D experiences that I was having around the time it came out.  I feel that even though you are bashing into enemies in Ys and it certainly is more skill-based, there is still an element of "dice rolling" in terms of how much damage you cause.  Perhaps I'm more of a traditionalist, but I enjoy using healing items and resting at inns/hospitals more than just standing their and letting my health increase.  It just seems a bit more "realistic," if that's possible. 

I think you bring up a great point about Ys in that it is definitely a game for the older, busier gamer or a younger, more impatient one.  You can play through it in a very short amount of time (I think each book is 6-8 hours), and there is very little grinding that you have to do.  I guess that's probably more preferable to some, but I can definitely appreciate both. 

As nanners stated I see Dragon Warrior as more of a D & D campaign that focuses more on stats and numbers while Y's is more of a story centric action game with a small amount of  RPG elements. Both games are great for different reasons and I'm ready to start Ys III as soon as I can.

With Y's I found that as long as I hit the enemies (non bosses) off center I was able to make quick work of them.

When I first started playing Ys II I kept getting lost once you go underground. Now that I've had a near year long break from it I keep getting lost in the cave.

I am having a problem finding the statute for the Volume Fact and Iron ore underground.  I guess its time to find a map

I think you find the Volume Fact by going through the basement of one of the villager's houses.

I'm working my way thought the DS version. I'm not liking it as much but it's still a fun game.

This is correct. You will need a certain item from the caves to "jingle" to access the basement. ;)

I'm behind the 8-ball, having just completed the boss in Rastin Mine and ready to make my way to Darm Tower.  HOLY COW is the "bat" boss hard!  There's such a minuscule window to hit him when he takes form, and it's so easy to take damage when he begins to separate again.  I think that battle took me some 25 or 30 tries :P

Okay, I'm stuck. I'm in Darm Tower with Luta, and I've spoken to him 3 or 4 times. The walk through I'm using says that once you talk to him, you wait for a rescue, but nobody's coming, and I've waited forever. Anyone know if there's something else you have to do to trigger that?

@MetalFRO: Are you in the prison? Do you still have your silver items?

I waited and it took a while for him to come. Perhaps walk around the room and check the upper right wall.

Correct, I'm in the hoosegow with nary a silver item.


Okay, I'll give that a try, thanks.

Cool, thanks, i just need to get in the basement, i can't find the owner of the home to get in the basement. I did find the ore so thats something

Southwestern corner of town. House is right above the animal pen. ;)  You have the Evil Bell right?

I Have the Bell, but the guy wasn't in the house... I found another nut and he was there.. dont know why but I now about to play in the basement :)

I'm having a ton of trouble with Dark Fact. It's almost like there's no way to avoid getting pelted with the energy shots and fireballs when he's flying around. Plus, you have to hit him when he's not somewhere you'll immediately be trapped by when he clears a floor tile. The FAQ I've been using says something about being level 24, but it's not specifically for the PSP version of the game, which caps at level 10. I have equipped all the silver gear, and I equipped the healing potion beforehand, but it won't let me use it for some reason. What might I be doing wrong?

Make sure that all the items you are wearing are silver. What version are you playing? I had a hell of a time with him on the PSP

Yeah, I'm playing the PSP version as well. I think I found where you can sort of follow him along a diagonal path, and rack up several hits at once, but you really have to commit to a trajectory, because that part of the floor will be gone, severely limiting your movement after that. I'll keep trying  ;D

Took me at least 50 tries FRO. Other people playing different versions didn't seem to have as much trouble. I wonder if it is indeed a bit more difficult.

Dark Fact was a joke on the Turbo version at the level I was at. Not having a cap probably makes a huge difference.

Funny thing: shortly after my last post, I gave it a few more tries, and within 3 or 4 attempts, I had him beat.


It absolutely makes a difference.  I suspect if you had been able to level up to 15 or 20, based on how the 1st game's leveling worked, he'd be a complete joke as a last boss.  The other interesting thing was, the previous boss (or 2 bosses, since there were 2 at once) was easy, and I beat it on the first try.

Now the 2nd game, the leveling system is much more balanced, but it also makes grinding far more necessary.  I've found myself dying A LOT in the first few spots because I got so used to being able to nearly mow down everything, that I've become a touch careless, and as a result, I'm getting killed easily.  I've already farmed up to level 4 or 5, and am still finding it's not quite enough down in the Rastinnea (sp?) mine and attached shrine area.

So leveling starts over in the PSP version in Book II? In the Turbo version you keep your level from Book I and just keep going.

Yep, Adol becomes a sad sack once again.

GRRR forgot to save, worked almost an hour trying to get everything done in the ice area, and forgot to save....

Doh!  Hate to hear that...

So did everyone finish? Im still in the fire caves, and already started Bully too, and still cant put down Fallout 4... not enough time :)

I've been busy with work and home stuff, and haven't got Book 2 finished, probably not even close, as I haven't taken out the first boss in the mines yet.  Nor have I started Bully, unfortunately :(

Still working on Book II