The Desert Colossus

Hey, I just felt like ranting about the Fire Emblem series.  So to start off with, here's a conversation I had about it with Alpha over AIM.

QuoteKokiri Wolf (8:58:07 PM): If I was in charge of FE, every game would have a navigable maps where you can take a break from the story and train your units.
Jojac14 (8:58:27 PM): me likes the sound of that
Kokiri Wolf (8:58:43 PM): And one of a kind weapons, such as Lyn's Mani Katti, wouldn't break, but after a certain amount of uses you'd have to find a shop and pay to repair it.
Kokiri Wolf (8:59:06 PM): Regular weapons like iron swords and silver lances would break and you would have to buy new ones, though.
...
Kokiri Wolf (9:03:46 PM): Brigands will undoubtedly remain an enemy unit class, but I see no reason why soldier can't be a playable class.
Kokiri Wolf (9:04:06 PM): I would keep the branching promotion options.
Kokiri Wolf (9:04:51 PM): Hell, the games would be a lot more consistent with gameplay features.
Kokiri Wolf (9:05:38 PM): I'd keep on using FE 9 and 10's skill system and bring in any FE 8 skills that weren't present.
Kokiri Wolf (9:06:02 PM): Bards and dancers would get some kind of attack option so they're not utterly defenseless.
Kokiri Wolf (9:07:08 PM): Granted, they won't promote, and their Strength and Skill cap would remain at 10, but at least they'd be able to fight back.
Kokiri Wolf (9:07:51 PM): I don't care what graphics the Wii and the DS are capable of; I love the GBA FE sprites and I want to Nintendo to keep on using them.
Kokiri Wolf (9:10:21 PM): I would take Lyn's Lord and Great Lord class and turn that into an actual class.  I don't know what I would call it, but she would make a good class.  A swordfighter who can use a bow upon promotion?  Hells yeah.
Kokiri Wolf (9:11:03 PM): I'd bring back the Nomad class.
Kokiri Wolf (9:11:27 PM): And, of course, I'd have to make a Zelda game using the FE style.
Kokiri Wolf (9:11:59 PM): Gerudos will be in it, of course.  A couple of Sheikah.  Maybe a Goron or Zora.
Kokiri Wolf (9:12:24 PM): Mad Dekus would be one of the enemy units, of course.
Kokiri Wolf (9:12:27 PM): Lousy Dekus.
Jojac14 (9:12:35 PM): :roll:
Kokiri Wolf (9:12:41 PM): I want a Zelda game where we can burn them all.
Jojac14 (9:13:37 PM): :roll:
Kokiri Wolf (9:15:53 PM): I'd have to remake FE 7 and 8.  Make FE 7 more like FE 8, plus change the story slightly; I'd allow Leila to survive.  I want a female thief!
Kokiri Wolf (9:17:50 PM): For FE 8, I'd have to change Ephraim's tale so he and Duessel convinces her [Selena] to join their side; you'd still have to fight and defeat her as a boss unit, but after the chapter you'd recruit her.  And Ismaire would have to survive the attack on Jehanna Hall.  She's a freaking beast in Creature Campaign; she could have survived Caellach's blow.

Include Ursula and Lloyd as characters who survive in FE 7.  Maybe Linus; I don't know.

And huh, forgot to say it was Selena Ephraim and Duessel would convince to join Ephraim's army in FE 8.  Mage knights are cool, but I prefer Lute to become a sage.

Speaking of mage units, I'm under the impression that there's only like one shaman in every game.  I wouldn't mind having one or two more dark magic users, especially if they have the choice between promoting to druid or summoner; I found summoner to be an extremely useful class to have around whenever you needed bait or a wall to be broken through.

If they haven't done so already, a lord character should be a magic user.

As for character recruitment, I don't want any strange circumstances, like the following:

QuoteAthena
...
Getting to the stage where she can be recruited requires the player to have let some of the characters be killed permanently

If a character is to be recruited, you shouldn't be able to miss him/her.  S/he should be recruited automatically through the story or someone should talk to him/her as a green or red unit.  The game is hard enough trying to recruit every possible unit and then keeping all of them alive.

QuoteAnd one of a kind weapons, such as Lyn's Mani Katti, wouldn't break, but after a certain amount of uses you'd have to find a shop and pay to repair it.

Weapons like Auduhlma are also included in the list of one of a kind weapons, just in case the obvious needs to be pointed out.

I wouldn't mind some kind of bestiary or unit list (playable characters, enemy units, and NPCs) in the Extra section; it would be nice to look at the sort of information without worrying about stopping the game.

Paladins and Generals need to be more consistent with what weapons they can use.  In FE 7, Paladins have full command of the weapon triangle while Generals could only use lances and axes.  In FE 8, Paladins could only use swords and lances while Generals had the full command of the weapon triangle.  I think it ought to be that Paladins have the full command of the weapon triangle, Generals get swords and lances, and Great Knights gain full command of the weapon triangle (because losing the ability to use a weapon would suck).

Each class should have a roughly equal representation of male and females.  I can list very few female paladins, knights, generals, wyvern riders, heroes, and shamans.  Isadora and Amelia make paladins look sexy.

I would also love to see the return of the trainee classes; you know, Ross as a Journeyman, Amelia as a Recruit, and Ewan as a Pupil.  However, if they're going to include Super Trainee classes as an unlockable feature, then they better get some more Constitution points upon leveling up.

A Creature Campaign or similar feature should be included for after the story.  I know very few of my units hit level 20 in their promoted class (especially since I wait for them to hit level 20 before promoting them) by the time I reach the final chapter in FE 8, and Creature Campaign allowed me to hit level and stat caps, and maybe finish up reaching desired support levels.  Besides, it greatly adds to replay value.

I'm pretty sure there was something else, but I can't remember what it was.  If I remember, I'll have to write it down and post it later.

If you train Ewan to be a Shaman, you can get both a Druid and a Summoner. That's what I did.

QuoteA swordfighter who can use a bow upon promotion?  Hells yeah.

That would win epically. EPICALLY.

It would be a great addition to the series to see more variation in unit classes, yes.

I'm wondering if adding all these improvements will throw off the formula of the game though. And having everybody live whether you want them to die or not just seems too...unrealistic, I guess. I wanted Selena too, but it made sense for her to die.

Quote from: Shika on February 28, 2009, 11:04:01 AM
If you train Ewan to be a Shaman, you can get both a Druid and a Summoner. That's what I did.

ALSO what I did. Druids are cool, but summoners rule! Especially since the phantoms are used to draw attention away from your other more vulnerable units.
I miss the branch system like that. I like being able to choose between a Rogue and an Assassin, or a summoner or a druid. That game RAWKED.
Oh, and HNS, I believe Aran from RD is a soldier class. We need more dark mages.

I, too, believe Aran was from the Soldier class. Good catch.

...

Aran was a freaking beast. :D

Quote from: Shika on February 28, 2009, 11:49:02 AM
And having everybody live whether you want them to die or not just seems too...unrealistic, I guess. I wanted Selena too, but it made sense for her to die.

I don't know if it's a weakness, but I just don't like seeing major characters like Selena die.  I know she was an enemy unit, but she wasn't villainous at all, and it just really sucked to see her die; that's why I only went through Ephraim's story once.  I just saw no reason why you had to kill her.  Of course, going down Eirika's path, you see Valter kill Glen, and Glen didn't deserve to die either, but at least you didn't have to kill him.

Quote from: Shika on February 28, 2009, 11:04:01 AM
If you train Ewan to be a Shaman, you can get both a Druid and a Summoner. That's what I did.

Well, yeah, I know, but I like Ewan better as a sage, and it makes more sense story-wise since he's training under Saleh and he looks up to him.

Quote from: Zelda Veteran on February 28, 2009, 12:21:35 PM
Oh, and HNS, I believe Aran from RD is a soldier class. We need more dark mages.

I still haven't played PoR and RD yet.  Which is partially why I didn't include Titania in my statement that Isadora and Amelia make paladins look sexy; I haven't actually seen Titania in action.

Quote from: Shika on February 28, 2009, 11:49:02 AM
I'm wondering if adding all these improvements will throw off the formula of the game though.

I would have said some kind of unit customization would have been nice, but that certainly would have thrown off the formula.  But with the navigable map and branching promotions (and the special weapons not breaking, I believe), it's been done before.

EDIT:  This might be the thing I forgot to mention in the first post.

I think Nintendo needs to start giving all of the characters surnames, even if they only get mentioned in one or two support conversations.  Many characters don't play a vital role in the story, and giving them surnames would really help to flesh them out.

Speaking of supports, I was told that FE 9 changed the support system.  If someone could explain how the support system works in FE 9 and 10, I'd appreciate it.

For FE9, the support system is largely unchanged, save for the fact that compatible units need only be in the same mission enough times rather than be close to each other for a set number of turns.

For FE10...no...just no... It sucked. Basically, pretty much all units are compatible with each other; but the conversations run on templates rather than genuine, engaging conversations. Therefore, that means there is virtually no backstory at all for the characters told in supports, transferring it all to character interaction in special conversations that take place in between missions. This is probably their way of compensation.

Hmm, then yeah, I want Nintendo and Intelligent Systems to stick with the support system from FE 8.  Two compatible units just have to stay next to each other for a certain number of turns, and then they can support.

And if they have something like the Creature Campaign (which, again, every FE game should have), then it would be awesome if the secret characters could have support conversations.  There doesn't have to be bonuses involved, but it would be nice if they had supports that help flesh out their back stories as well.

Gasp!  Necro-double post! D:

But I wanted to comment on something about Fire Emblem and knew that this was lurking somewhere in GD (hurray for the Search Function!).

Anywho, in L'Arachel's supports with Ephraim, we see her overreact at the thought of seeing a naked shoulder, yet her own clothing shows off her naked shoulders.  But I suppose you can't expect any less from someone as eccentric as L'Arachel.

You know, that doesn't make much sense. Silly L'Arachel.

Still, I wouldn't have found out myself anyway, since I have her have conversations with Innes. XD

I took the time to get 100% Support Conversations.  Plus, there's a FAQ on GameFAQs that have all of the support convos if you don't feel like getting 100% or don't have the game on hand.