Shin Megami Tensei IV

[noiseredux]

I guess that's where we differ in opinion. I don't really see any ending as "bad" if it's the one that my choices in the game brought me to.

Heavy Rain is a good example. At the end of my game a character died that I wish hadn't. But that's what happened in my game. It was probably what you'd call "a bad ending," but I just thought it a sad one.

I tell you this, I'm sure I enjoyed my personal experience w/ Heavy Rain and the ending it brought me far more because I didn't follow a FAQ and do things a certain way to achieve some "good" ending.

Heck, I'd rather play the game my way and see my ending for myself - and then watch the so-called "good" ending on youtube instead.

[ZenErik]

No. There is an actual bad ending that'll end the game significantly earlier. I don't want that. True ending is ideal. I'd rather to back to the law and chaos ones some other time or watch those online. But I want the most full fulfilling ending for myself.

[noiseredux]

yeah that's fine (for you). I'm not being confrontational, I'm just sort of noticing that some of us have different views of such things in games. For me, in my opinion, if my actions in a game without using a FAQ mean that my game ends up whatever - 15 hrs and someone else's and at 20 hrs or whatever, I'm really fine with it. I guess I just don't feel like I'm being robbed of any part of the experience if the outcome is from my own version of the journey.

[dsheinem]

yeah that's fine (for you). I'm not being confrontational, I'm just sort of noticing that some of us have different views of such things in games. For me, in my opinion, if my actions in a game without using a FAQ mean that my game ends up whatever - 15 hrs and someone else's and at 20 hrs or whatever, I'm really fine with it. I guess I just don't feel like I'm being robbed of any part of the experience if the outcome is from my own version of the journey.

yup. It kind of kills the fun of the "role playing" part if you are following a guide to tell you what role to play in order to get a particular conclusion.

[ZenErik]

yeah that's fine (for you). I'm not being confrontational, I'm just sort of noticing that some of us have different views of such things in games. For me, in my opinion, if my actions in a game without using a FAQ mean that my game ends up whatever - 15 hrs and someone else's and at 20 hrs or whatever, I'm really fine with it. I guess I just don't feel like I'm being robbed of any part of the experience if the outcome is from my own version of the journey.

Whatever works. I always aim for a true ending. Like in Catherine there are true law and true chaos endings. And good and bad law and chaos endings. and neutral endings. Not getting true is less fulfilling for me. So I went for and achieved true chaos in that one. I plan on replaying it and doing true law sometime. Certainly wouldn't be content with the bad versions. But that's me.

[noiseredux]

yeah, Catherine's a great example. That game's story was so dependent on those questions you'd get between rounds. So to me, seeing how MY version of the story unfolded was part of what made it so compelling of a game story. To aim for some certain ending would have made it boring to me.

[ZenErik]

yeah, Catherine's a great example. That game's story was so dependent on those questions you'd get between rounds. So to me, seeing how MY version of the story unfolded was part of what made it so compelling of a game story. To aim for some certain ending would have made it boring to me.

But if you answer every question true to yourself you'll never get a true ending. Unless you're naturally at one extreme or the other. I play a game as a game. I am playing Vincent in Catherine. Not myself.

[noiseredux]

Yes me too, but I was answering without a faq aiming for a specific ending. Like dsh alluded, if you follow a guide to answer each question, why even make the story interactive or have multiple endings?

[ZenErik]

Yes me too, but I was answering without a faq aiming for a specific ending. Like dsh alluded, if you follow a guide to answer each question, why even make the story interactive or have multiple endings?

Here is the deal. With Catherine it was easy without a guide. Just knowing the endings existed made it easy.

With SMTIV it is a bit more tricky. And there is only a 10 hour span or so where the questions really matter. Only two or three in particular that are very very significant. For my first 40 hours of gameplay I did not use a guide. And after I am locked into an ending (preferably neutral) I will once again stop using a guide. That is all.

Current progress:
lvl67
St 36
Dx 143
Ma 27
Ag 145
Lu 146

I'll avoid saying where I am to avoid spoilers.

[CavZee]

The bad ending to Persona 4 lived up to it's name. As long as there's nothing like that I'll be okay with whatever I get here.