tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-268660459652553228.post356968014751575055..comments2024-02-26T20:52:27.680-08:00Comments on Thinking Inside the Box: The Magic of ScheherazadeThe RPGeniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02752937839502693108noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-268660459652553228.post-76880529048362648132017-06-29T21:36:09.955-07:002017-06-29T21:36:09.955-07:00Yes, I actually just played that last year (or 2 y...Yes, I actually just played that last year (or 2 years ago? Recently, at any rate). So damn basic that it almost might as well not be Arabian-themed, though. Still, I was pleased to see the setting all the same.The RPGeniushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02752937839502693108noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-268660459652553228.post-62899604878233009692017-06-29T21:00:29.630-07:002017-06-29T21:00:29.630-07:00Defenders of Oasis for the game gear was another A...Defenders of Oasis for the game gear was another Arabian-themed RPG.Leresshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03756576713291735374noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-268660459652553228.post-9969179375871743252015-08-08T19:20:12.350-07:002015-08-08T19:20:12.350-07:00Thats a bit of a very hot item to touch,look at th...Thats a bit of a very hot item to touch,look at the frech people who died for making use of the prophet of islam, no one wants to touch it out of fear of losing their livesAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05317324145347285480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-268660459652553228.post-86017557752616686542015-07-05T22:25:56.246-07:002015-07-05T22:25:56.246-07:00I haven't played any of the Ultima games yet, ...I haven't played any of the Ultima games yet, and I never did play FF1, so I'll take your word for it. Someone did once describe the gist of the FF1 time travel story to me...it sounded really, really close to being artistic and intelligent, but just far away enough to wind up just being, as you put it, nonsensical.<br /><br />Yeah, a well-created dual battle system really does tend to be interesting (as battle systems go, that is, which admittedly isn't much overall). TMoS keeps it simple but effective, as does Suikoden. Other games that have done the idea well include Bahamut Lagoon (tactical + standard), and Fallout 3 and New Vegas (partial standard + first person shooter), if you're interested.<br /><br />Islam and Christianity are not far off, true, just as Judaism and Christianity are not, all being cousins of the same religious family. Still, there's a lot of subtle but important differences in the Islamic lore and history, holy figures and texts of its own that could, I should think, provide more than enough basis for some great SMT content. Atlus has managed to examine Christianity more than once and in different lights in the SMT series, so I reckon it could do something grand with Islam regardless of its similarities.The RPGeniushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02752937839502693108noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-268660459652553228.post-61642226296340215412015-07-05T09:44:57.514-07:002015-07-05T09:44:57.514-07:00If it's worth anything then the first Ultima (...If it's worth anything then the first Ultima (1981) included time travel but the majority was spent actually looking for a time machine and it was nonsensical (as was Final Fantasy 1's implementation) so MoS might be the first GOOD instance of time travel in an RPG.I didn't find the whole amnesiac protagonist thing that interesting, but that might be just because it's a bit overdone at this point.<br /><br />The dual battle system thing was creative. Only other instance that comes to mind is Suikoden and its war battles differing from random encounters.The whole troop recruitment thingy could have influenced other RPGs as well (Destiny of an Emperor which came out a couple of years later had 150 generals to recruit, and that might have influenced SMT & Pokemon's demon/monster recruitment system). <br /><br />What would SMT be able to explore from Islam that ihasn't already done so with other religions? The signs Islam has for the world's end could make a unique post-apocalyptic setting, but I don't see many ways it can be explored differently than Christianity in SMT 1&2.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-268660459652553228.post-26243619915694421212012-07-24T11:44:02.002-07:002012-07-24T11:44:02.002-07:00The number of Arabian RPGs could probably be count...The number of Arabian RPGs could probably be counted on one hand. Exile 1 and 2 are the only ones that come to mind. Doing a quick Google search suggests there is a Japanese only title called Arabian Nights on the SNES.<br /><br />I don't have as much praise for the game. I think the turn based battles weren't implemented well, and are pointless. The twist at the end felt anti-climactic when I had this goal the whole time, and I've been taunted by it during all my travels. Having the choice of the different classes through the game was a nice touch, but I didn't like that I was forced into each of them for what seemed like arbitrary reasons.<br /><br />Still, it does have a lot of innovation, just not the same polish that other 'classic' games of the time.Zenic Reveriehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16441583549326102945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-268660459652553228.post-17119648001501794372011-08-17T08:50:29.209-07:002011-08-17T08:50:29.209-07:00Regarding SO2 and SO3: Technically speaking, SO1 w...Regarding SO2 and SO3: Technically speaking, SO1 was the only 1 that involved time travel as such, so that's all I mention. But yeah, I'm aware that you spend 60% of SO2 in rural hick fantasy land, then 40% (if Rena) or 39.9% (if Claude; he DID bum around his dad's space ship for a minute) in Technologically-Advanced-But-Only-In-A-Magical-Sense-So-It's-Still-Not-Actually-Science-Fiction-At-All Land. <br /><br />I know sufficiently advanced technology is said to be indistinguishable from magic, but that doesn't mean that it's supposed to actually BE MAGIC, Enix, you miserable hacks.<br /><br />And I know that SO3 has you spend 65% of it in another rural hick fantasy land (albeit a slightly more interesting one). But those are still technically happening in the present. Still a completely disappointing and dishonest thing from a series that claims to be science fiction, and really just as bad as SO1, but not time travel.<br /><br />But yeah, check out TMoS. It's neat, and like I said, the password system means that you can basically play this RPG in multiple sittings just through a browser, without even having to go through the hassle of downloading. And as always, thanks for commenting.The RPGeniushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02752937839502693108noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-268660459652553228.post-6035006316254129442011-08-17T08:33:38.220-07:002011-08-17T08:33:38.220-07:00The setting, the style, the two battle systems, ev...The setting, the style, the two battle systems, even the fucking talking BOTTLE all sound genuinely interesting. I believe this may be a game to play and force down the throats of friends. Oh yeah.<br /><br />But...really now. Two battle systems. Only Bahamut Lagoon comes to my mind in that regard.<br /><br /><br />"See: Star Ocean 1"<br /><br />2 and 3 were pretty damn bad about that sort of thing, too. Must be a series staple.<br /><br />"I am just waiting for the day the Shin Megami Tensei series makes a game/set of games with its usual excellent religious examination focused on Islamic beliefs."<br /><br />You, me, and my entire group of local fellow SMT fans, and we cannot be alone.Ecclesiastesnoreply@blogger.com