Graham

Yay, got the game and a PS2 on Saturday. Only been able to spend a couple of hours playing it so far though

First impressions. Graphically, the game is gorgeous. BGM and SFX are also great. Gameplay is pretty good and it's great actually being able to land on the capital ships.

I've only played through the TV missions so far. Got an 'A' grade on one stage and some 'B's, 'C's and mostly 'D's on the rest! Guess I need more practice. I gotta say though besides trying to getter a better grade, the game is not that challenging. On my first playthrough, I only died twice, one the first time I fought Kamjin on Mars and the second time fighting the Quel-Quallie with the GBP-1S. Once you are used to the controls, it's pretty difficult to die though.

Now for some complaints. Firstly the controls. I've only tried contol option A so far and I'm not that happy with it in Battroid and Gerwalk modes. As you have to use both joysticks to control movement, trying to press the thrust, missile and gunpod buttons while at the same time controlling two joysticks really needs three hands. I would have been much happier, if the gunpod and missiles had been controlled by R1 or R2 instead. Ideally, the game should have had an option to let you map the controls. Also, how do you make the battroid roll? I've done it a few times, by accident, but I've no idea how.

Next compalint. I dislike the lack of any type of speed gauge. A simple speed bar, speed display in numbers or percentage display ala VF-X2 would have been better. Also, although there is an increase thrust button, there is no decrease thrust!!!!

I still haven't figured out how to tell where the enemy missiles are. I actually prefered the method used in VF-X2, where the enemy missiles were bracketed, making them easy to track and shoot or avaoid.

My impressions are that it is a good Macross game, probaby the best so far and certainly better than the dismal M3, whose only saving grace was the awesome into movie and song. As a stand alone game for non-Macross fans it probably only rates fair.

Like many Japanese games based on a anime franchise, the developers could have taken that extra step and added more features to increase the replay value and make a much better game. Here's what I thing\k the game needed to take it from just 'good' to 'great': -

1) Add a two-player split screen mode.

2) Add a mission generator, with the ability to choose different arenas and multiple enemys.

3) Increase the playing area size.

4) Add more missions.

Graham

Oh yeah, forgot all about 'Dark Star', great movie. OK it gets added to the list. Man, it must be at least 15 years since I last watched that!

Never seen 'Assault on Precinct 13', so can't comment.

As for all the other movies, they may have been midly entertaining, but nothing I'd consider buying for my DVD collection and certainly disappointing on the basis of being 'John Carpenter' movies.

Always thought Haloween was overrated.

Graham

That's funny, John Carpenter rocks.

No, John Carpenter used to rock, but it's been a long, long time IMO since he made a decent movie.

As far as I'm concerned, the only great movies hes made are: -

The Thing

Escape from New York

Big Trouble in Little China

Any more that anybody thinks are worthy to be called 'Great John Carpenter Movies'?

Graham

kanata67,if your going to go with something in a .380,i'd recommend something by walther.the ppk & others in the series are what james bond carried & are among the highest quality in the .380's.i also owned a russian made one that was pretty nice. a .380 is only slightly smaller than a 9mm i believe.

Choosing which gun to buy based on a fictional movie character, is not a terribly good idea, especially if it is for self defense.

Personally, I'm not very fond of the PPK. Pros and cons are as follows: -

Pros

1) It's slim, thus fairly easy to conceal.

2) It points very well.

Cons

1) Very heavy double action trigger pull for the first shot.

2) People with large or meaty hands can suffer from slide bite.

3) Fires a round with marginal stopping power, even using the best JHP rounds.

4) I find reliability to be not too good.

Probably the best of the PPK type pistols is the SIG 232, but it is fairly pricy.

Personally, even just for or plinking I don't enjoy shooting anything smaller than 9mm.

Graham

I just asked my Chinese collegue and he says it's a bit unclear, but it looks like the character for 'Carpenter'.

Graham

Here's a very recent pic of my wife and I during our holiday in Phuket (Thailand) last month.

Graham

Guys, 4 topics on the new game is too many. There is already a pinned topic specifically for discussing the new PS2 Macross game.

If you want to discuss anything about the new game, please post in the pinned topic at the top.

I am closing this topic.

Graham

4 topics on the new game is too many. There is already a pinned topic specifically for discussing the new PS2 Macross game.

If you want to discuss anything about the new game, please post in the pinned topic at the top.

I am closing this topic.

Graham

4 topics on the new game is too many. There is already a pinned topic specifically for discussing the new PS2 Macross game. Please post in the pinned topic. I am closing this thread.

Graham

i have gone through a few of the TV based missions... at first they make you select what you want, DYRL style or TV, I have not yet been through the DYRL stage types yet... There are stupid time limits which are kinda stupid (like that of M3). I will play more tonight, damn I have to clear out some memory card space... Overall, this game is cool.

A few questions: -

1) Are there time limits on every stage, or just some of them?

2) What about the free missions, do they also have time limits?

3) Are the free missions identical to the story mode missions?

Graham

You gotta ask yourself one question. Are GITS SAC, Perfect Blue, Jin Roh, Akira, Cowboy Bebop etc so bad that they would be improved upon in any way by turning them into live action?

The answer, at least in my book is of course a resounding 'NO'!

I have a great respect for anime and the extremely talented people who create it and I have no desire to see their work despoiled by turning it into some bastardised, second rate, hollywood hackjob, live action abomination.

Graham

I can not think of a single example where a live action adaptation of an anime has been better than the original.

Wicked City?

Wicked City is actually one of my favorite animes. Secret agents, cool demons, sexy girls and the hero has a great gun, a custom heavy barrel .454 Casual Super Redhawk. Great anime.

The HK live action adaptation with Leon Lai was terrible, the worst part being when the Black Guard (or whatever they called themselves in the HK movie) used their powers to stop the 747 crashing into the bank of China building (IIRC). Michelle Reis was cute as always though.

Graham

Ever played Games Workshop's Judge Dredd, Graham? I know you were a 2000AD fan. I have a copy, but never played it, worth the money for all the old strips though.

Yep, being a Dreddhead I did buy it, just for the background info and art. Haven't played it though, neither do I intend to.

Graham

What is with this constant desire of some fans to want to make live action versions of anime? I just don't get it.

Is anime not good enough or something? Do you honestly feel that anime would be better if it was turned into live action? If that's the case, why bother with watching anime at all, just stick to watching Hollywood movies!

I have absolutely no interest in seeing live action versions of any anime. IMO, there are far more high quality animes being made every year in Japan than there are good movies or TV series coming out of the US.

I can not think of a single example where a live action adaptation of an anime has been better than the original.

Graham

Consider that the damage inflicted on the Earth by the Zentraedi during Space War 1 was by orbital bombardment by conventional weapons only, i.e. beam weapons and also probably conventional missiles. The Zentradi did not posses (nuclear) reaction weaponary. Thus any damage sustained by the Earth was relatively temporary in nature. There should have been no long lasting radioactive contamination

I think by the time of Macross Plus (2040), most of the Earth would again be suitable for repopulation and agriculture, either by through natural regrowth and recovery or with the aid of teraforming.

Graham

Why does the VF-1S Battroid have a VF-1J head?

Graham

Good luck with making the game work, but I have the feeling you are in for a very hard uphill struggle.

I'm a very old school table top RPGer. Played from the early-1980s to early 90s. Played mostly Runequest, Call of Cthulu and Traveller. Never into D&D as I couldn't stand the clumsy, unrealistic rules.

I've a little bit of experience with the modern D20 system and I've gotta say that it is one of the most unintuitive, overly complicated and unrealistic systems ever designed. It is also unsuitable IMO for Macross style Valk combat.

Even the old Palladium games Robotech RPG was terrible for Macross mecha combat. While it was OK if you just wanted to role play a character, it just didn't work well at simulating the fast paced dynamic nature of mecha combat in the Macross universe.

Graham

Support Big West and Macross. Buy original, not downloads or bootlegs.

Graham

Just not too sure if Graham's okay with discussing munition types here..

No problems with discussing ammunition.

G-

Yay, it's already out here in Hong Kong. That means it's at least a day early. I saw it in several shops during my lunch break today. It's selling for between HK$400 to HK$450 depending on which shop you visit.

Unfortunately, I was in a hurry so I only got to watch the opening animation once, but it looked very cool.

I really had to struggle with myself not to buy it immediately, but as my wife is going to be buying it for my birthday next week, I managed to control myself. It's gonna be a tough wait for me though.

Graham

Guys, discussions on firearms, knives, swords and fantasy weapons in this thread is fine, but please no discussion on how to make napalm, or improvised explosives.

Maybe I'm being overly paranoid, but in today's political climate talking about that sort of thing can lead to people getting arrested and the site being closed down.

Graham

I recently got back into Macross / Robotech from my youth and have fallen in love with everything Macross again. I noticed that at one point the the Yamato 1/48 TV Fast Packs were being offered for pre-order and could be purchased separately from the VF-1J bundle. However, I can seem to find anymore info on this. Has anyone pre-ordered (TV Fast Packs) them or know anything about there availability through dealers?

Yamato have never announced they would release the TV FAST packs by themselves.

If any online retailers put them up for preorder,that was their mistake.

Graham

what I'm really looking forward to is a set of GBP for the 1/48. That will be awesome.

Graham

Careful... you just started 2 polls , 6 threads and one heart...

Well, as long as I didn't stop a heart, that's OK.

Note, I only said I'm looking forward to it. I've no idea if one is actually going to be made, although the possibility is probably very high.

Graham

does anyone is still hope that bandai will make the GBP?

 

Me. Definitely.

Not really interested in the 1/55 GBP anymore. I mean if they made it, I'd probably buy one just to be a completist, but what I'm really looking forward to is a set of GBP for the 1/48. That will be awesome.

Graham

First off...Great that yammie is making a 1/60 GBP!

I'll probably wait for the 1/48 since the 1/60 line has been a total disappointment to me.

What I want to ask is why couldn't Yamato make a simple posable to be encased in the armor?  It would have to have the same dimensions as the 1/60 valks.  This would solve the problem of loose hips and such that make standing a 1/60 nearly impossible let alone with strike armor on it.  I can't see a 1/60 holding up the weight of the GBP armor very well.  A simple posable could solve that problem.  Next add in a shoulder conversion kit for those who want a transformable 1/60 in it.  If they did that I would buy it. 

Since they probably won't I'll pass. 

Unfortunately what I forsee is a lot of people screaming about how their GBP can't stand...much like the problems with the elint.  this may result in poor sales.

I think the GBP will actually make the 1/60 more stable, not less so as the armor surrounding the hips should increase stability as it should limit the amount of free rotation of the hip joint.

Graham