The Gamer's Quarter

antitype · . Joined: 11 Jan 2006 Posts: 292

So I was playing Panzer Dragoon Saga and it was running quite beautifully — that little watery oasis near the beginning of the game is one of my fondest videogame memories (nothing special about it really; it's just so serene, with nice music, a very simple and elegant water effect, and the soft wooshing of the dragon's wings — the first time I played this game I was nearly awestruck by how pretty it was) — but then all of a sudden I come out of a tunnel and I've got chipmunk voices. And now I can't figure out how to slow the game down. I've fiddled with the settings and nothing seems to help. Even the areas I'd explored before, which ran at a normal speed, are now running just a little bit too quickly.

Anyone familiar enough with SSF to tell me how I might be able to fix this?
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antitype.livejournal.com | last.fm

antitype · . Joined: 11 Jan 2006 Posts: 292

Nevermind! I just gave up and restarted my computer and now it's running fine again.

Still, we could use this thread to discuss Saturn emulation, if anyone cares to.

As for PDS itself, well, playing it again after nearly a decade is reaffirming my opinion that it was the finest console RPG of the 32-bit generation. It draws from many of the same themes as Xenogears (which is to say it borrows a fair bit from Nausicaä (though Azel is pretty much the exact opposite of Nausicaä herself)), but it does this in a more subdued and cohesive manner; specifically, it manages to hold itself together all the way to the end (and it's only about 15 hours long at most).

That, and just flying around on the dragon with true analog support is a pleasure.
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Ethoscapade · . Joined: 30 Oct 2005 Posts: 276

i have never played PDS and i may yet; that above screenshot actually shows that they had learned by 1998 how to not date 32-bit 3D too too badly, and the fact that it's not _so_ long is very encouraging.

glad SSF is working out for you!

antitype · . Joined: 11 Jan 2006 Posts: 292

Well, there are other areas where the Saturn's limitations are more apparent. Lots of places have a static "wall" not too far off in the distance to avoid nasty draw-in or a hideously cut-off edge like in Nights' outdoor backgrounds. Actually, that's probably a good example of what you're talking about — a way of masking limitations and working around them. The PS1 had shown long before then that it was far better at handling 3D, but damn if they didn't do their best to make it work for this game. It's a hell of a lot nicer to look at than FFVII, if nothing else.

Some areas just have a really nice, simple sense of design that still looks pretty to my eyes.

Morphing the dragon in real time still looks neat and is fun to do with an analog controller.

I would recommend playing it! I'd like to think it's one console experience one should not miss. It really is nice that emulation has finally come this far!
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antitype · . Joined: 11 Jan 2006 Posts: 292

I think I might just continue to amuse myself by posting nice (non-spoiling) PDS screencaps!

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antitype.livejournal.com | last.fm

antitype · . Joined: 11 Jan 2006 Posts: 292

I promise I won't do too many. Unless someone wants me to.
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antitype.livejournal.com | last.fm

antitype · . Joined: 11 Jan 2006 Posts: 292

OK, I'm done. I failed to capture any of the spectacular imagery at the end of the first disc (only three hours in!), so you'll just have to see for yourself.
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Mr Mustache · . Joined: 26 Oct 2006 Posts: 167 Location: Queens

The Mac version is very primitive/a joke intended to make me sad.
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Straight up

antitype · . Joined: 11 Jan 2006 Posts: 292

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Rud13 · . Joined: 01 Jul 2005 Posts: 130

Antitype, is this game ok with an original Saturn pad, or do I need to track down an analog pad for the full experience. I'm playing Azel on an actual Saturn here.

Haven't started it yet though!
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DonMarco · . Joined: 02 Mar 2005 Posts: 349 Location: 33903

I emulate PDS on my saturn. I should really play it again, as I don't acurately remember all the minor plot points towards the last half of the game. I remember these really bleak situations and this feeling of helplessness, but no acurate details. Fuck, now I really want to play it.

antitype · . Joined: 11 Jan 2006 Posts: 292