The future: What to keep, change, & bring back...

[Ninjalizer]

Nice topic. It's a tough one too!

What to keep / bring back
6-man party. This was perfect and I know they realized their error in S4.

War. I actually LOVED the S5 war battles. It has been the most engaging so far. It did get out of hand at times, but it kept me on my toes.

Duels. All of them have been pretty similar. I enjoy the rock, paper, scissors portion... but they should throw something else in there to spice it up. Keep the timer though!

Betrayal. It may be old or cliche' but having someone betray the team was always something I loved. I never really knew who it was... and I always got so mad at them for doing it.

Skill system. The skill system from III was brilliant. It caused you to continually build on a character and choose what to build first. 5 let it go and definitely restricted it. There wasn't as much customization.

Mounts. It was a great add in III. I don't know why they took it out. Bring it back!

Magic Drain. This was the best addition by far. V was the first time I really utilized my mages. I hated using up a spot with a mage when I had to keep them defending as to not waste their magic.

What to change

Random encounters. I agree. The whole series has a high encounter rate. It needs to change. It's extremely frustrating walking 10 steps to get into another battle. Perhaps they could even move to the "enemy on the screen" encounters so you can pick and choose if you want to battle or just run past.

Tenkai. We need something new. Perhaps a girl, perhaps a kobold, werewolf, villain, etc. Something different.

Castle. Maybe instead of a castle, it's an underground system or a fort in the woods. IV attempted to do that with a ship. It was a nice change.

Rune animations. These need an overhaul, and perhaps the new gen systems can help with this. I was playing V recently and realized how boring they were.

Unites. Ugh... V was so disappointing in this area. One person slashes, slashes, slashes, the next person slashes, slashes, and slashes. That's it? These need creativity. It seems they were better in S1 and S2 for some reason.

Battle formation. I always liked the "Grandia" system where the team ran around the battlefield instead of stood in their spot. Let them move around like a real battle would be. Arc the Lad did it well where the characters were still "fighting" when it wasn't their turn. It at least looked like they weren't taking turns.

[BlackKnightYuber]

I suppose I concede the rune affinity thing. KFCrispy, that's a good approach to take for rune magic in the future. Good call. Ninjalizer, your ideas are very good as well. The only thing I'll mention is that I always felt that it was way too easy to abuse the Magic Absorb Rune in Suikoden V. Maybe bring back mushrooms and mints from IV, or some other kind of magic-replenishing item. Perhaps a garden for growing different kinds of mixed herbs. Don't get me wrong, though. I was one of many who abused Magic Absorb, in my case with a Rage Rune equipped to Lorelai.

[Oppenheimer]

however, perhaps they can make "average" affinities a little less penalized.

They did this in Rhapsodia. I like how there are certain spells that no matter who casts them or how bad they are, they are always instantanious. The drawback being of course that runes are not equipable on everyone. But, at least the changing the elemental tile spells are equipable on everyone and everyone can cast them instantaniously. I should think/hope drops of kindness is instantaneous regardless of rune bearer as healing spells are of top importance.

They need to implement a Coliseum (Suikoden I Saturn version had one -_-) and a challenging dungeon. They would be completely optional, of course.

If they do this they should also have a New game + option. I like the way this was handled in Rhapsodia. You basically don't have much of a chance going into the Obel Ruins early with your first play through but you can get all the way to level 5 with your second playthrough as soon as the ruins open because of your superior armour and skills from your last playthrough. Considering that the enemies are based on your level this is a valid strategy as they will be of lower levels. However, level 6 chambers are pretty much still impossible to go into until you're near the end of the game because high level spells are required to kill off dragons. Anyway, I digress.

I was one of many who abused Magic Absorb, in my case with a Rage Rune equipped to Lorelai.

Magic Absorb and Zerase's star rune made the game rediculiously easy. Almost feels like cheating. But I do like that about Suikoden. They let you use various characters of various strengths. If you don't want to use one because he or she makes the game too easy you have many others to pick from.

(Warning I'm repeating myself) The one thing I really really think they need to add is a new game + where all recruitable characters are useable from the getgo. It's so frusterating to replay a game and be forced to have the same party each time for 3/4 of the game. By the time some characters you haven't played much as are unlocked the game is already over and there's nothing to do with them. The New Armes people from Suikoden V and Shoon are good examples of this.

[BlackKnightYuber]

Great idea. Of all the things they let us have for new game plus, I can't believe I've never thought of having your unlocked characters available to you. That would be a nice addition. I remember what it was like recruiting Shoon and the New Armes people, as you said. There was hardly any game left for it to actually matter, unless you held off on finishing it. There really should be a cut-off as it comes to recruiting. Let me gather all 108 stars while I still have some game left to play. As I mentioned in my initial post, the training hall from Suikoden IV would also help in this regard. Perhaps incorporate it into the colosseum that KFCrispy mentioned.

[Mikain Clan King]

I also agree with keeping the affinity system...I really liked the battle system from Suikoden 1 and 2 the best out of them all, and yeah keeping sea and land battles going in Suikoden 5 got kind of annoying. Definatly want to keep the 6 party members and a colleseum would be nice just as KFC suggested, like a FF3 (6 or something in Japan...how did they come up with that?) but with controllable options, in other words a regular random battle where someone can solo it. I also agree with the encounter rate, and they REALLY must make the magic effects in the next Suikoden spectacular...the game has alot to do with runes and they have a major impact in the story line, at the time S1 and S2 magic effects were great....they still are too, I never get bored of seeing Luc casting Shining Wind and cutting up the enemies...What they should add is more Epic boss battles, longer, harder and make it so you have to think about what your doing before you do it, other than that the regular battles could still end up being auto and in a couple turns you kill them. I think we all want another insane villan like Luca....your first time playing Suikoden 2 had you thinking he would be the final boss. I wouldn't mind another betrayal either, there has been like one in every game. I guess for 3 you could count Luc. I kind of still like the castle thing thats been going since the first game(other than S4), never really bugged me. They must also change the unites, like Ninjalizer said they were very dull and un-imaginative...and the ABSOLUTLY MUST have a rotatable camera! I always liked them staying in one spot during the battle, but if it did end up like Suikoden 3 again what would you guys think of clashing swords while the game is waiting for you to pick you next move? Say you told Gengen to attack a skeleton, when your turn is over he is still fighting the skeleton, I think it'd be pretty wierd but just want to know what your opinions are. I know they are keeping the 108 SoD because thats what the game is based on (water margin), I never did use the training hall in Suikoden 4 though...I would also as BlackKnightYuber said to choose my final party and not have to HAVE someone in it other than the Tenkai. I really want alot more runes as well and the enemies to be equipped with random combat/skill runes...so the game would be a whole lot more tactical. And another Epic storyline should be in there as well. With a storyline that great how could they not make a book (other than manga) or a movie out of it? Oh and if I haven't said it in here already I didn't really care for the S3 fighting system...interupting magic got on my nerves so much...at least make it so that everytime you get hit there isn't a chance that it cancles just add time to the cast, say a chance that it adds .2% of a turn.

Oh and I liked how Oppenheimer talked about the new game+ having all recruited characters from the beginning.

[Siel Avadon]

Rune affinity Is good I say, brings in some more then just "All is as good"

Then you can take BUckle head the warrior lvl 50 and shuffle a rune on him and toss defense spells. Why have a lower lvl mage then when you dont need her?

Nah bring back the rune lvl thing.

EDIT: Well, I also think It's okay that some chars come to the final battle by force. Why would we bring boring charachters wihtout personality there...heck. Good the way It Is.

"erh Hi...im random char number 1 named John...Im just good at fighting...so...hi..lets fight"

Or bring your own sister along? Pick the damn sister and not the random weirdo just in for the power in the punches and shoot.

[BlackKnightYuber]

EDIT: Well, I also think It's okay that some chars come to the final battle by force. Why would we bring boring charachters wihtout personality there...heck. Good the way It Is.

Ah, but boring to whom? There are many folks who prefer the more random characters to the Fliks and Viktors of the world. Like in the original Suikoden, I personally would have used Viktor in my final party, who was forced in anwyay, but I never became as fond of Flik. I was forced to use him, though. That left only 3 slots open for my own choosing. I don't think it's asking much to be able to choose your final party from all the available fighters.

[Siel Avadon]

Well with the Suikoden V retinue/Entourage you wont have problems anymore.

Bland charachters with no story are boring.

One can see It two ways, I see what you mean aswell.

[BlackKnightYuber]

I fault the writing when certain characters come off as bland. Now granted, I realize every character can't be fleshed out to their full potential. With 108 different ones, that'd be a hard thing to pack into a Suikoden game without making it the longest RPG in history. Suikoden V did pretty well with fleshing even some of the "lesser" characters out, in my opinion. Suikoden IV, not so much. I don't crap on that game as much as some, and in a lot of ways actually enjoy playing it. However, there's no doubt that the story was rushed, and as a result, character depth was severely lacking.

[vanyelvor]

they never can come out with a perfect game i mean i wish they can but sometime people quit durning the making of games i wonder how much better 3 would have been if the people didnt quit in the middle of making it

[Siel Avadon]

If for one don't want to bring a bunch of not so close and well known people along to an important game/battle/something. I bring close tied people I can trust and friends.

But then, maybe they aren' the strongest but they sure are better then those shady vagabonds who joined you, standing around the harbour!

Just a view. Suikoden Is much about friendship yeah?

[RangerDeon]

the whole battle formation thang was pretty neat and all, but I'd like for the to bring back the whole 'S ranged person not being able to attack when in the back row" idea. Because, I mean, they miss anyway so it's kinda pointless. Also, I put pure magic users in the back, and I also like to, if I'm in a rush, be lazy and just select auto attack sometimes. When that happens, the magic users attack as well. . and then sometimes, almost all of the time, the guy would perry and attack them back.

It's small, but it annoyed me a little. And yes, I am slightly positive I spelled perry wrong.

[Leingod]

I think they should bring back 2d graphicks and go all out with 3d during the battles, wars and cutscenes ,the wow factor would be greater.the battles in sIII really dissapointed me but I simply loved the mount,bring it back.
they should not bring back the fighting duos from sIII

[noodledoodle]

What to keep/bring back:

- World map ala. S1, S2, and S5. Some people may not like it but I've always liked it since it made it feel old school. Although a world map ala. Star Ocean 3, DQ8, or FF12 would be tremendous.

- 6 man controllable party members like S1,S2,S5; no Suikoden 3 or 4 battle system

- S5 war battle: That was a wonderful war system and there could be tweaks here and there, but it was near perfect for me.

- S3 skill system: Like Ninjalizer said, S5 restricted a lot of it.

- Option to put other party members in your entourage(like S5) so that you can switch them into your party without having to go to your change party member person(Luserina, Sanchez, etc.)

- Bring back some characters from before that have a major role. I'd love to see Flik, Victor,
Killey, Neclord, etc back.

- Battle formations: I loved being able to do this since it allowed for more strategy.


What to Change:

- I think Cell shading rather then 3D would look really better in this game considering the art is that of an anime.

- Make the difficulty harder and I mean WAY harder. Besides S3 and Rhapsodia, the rest are atrociously easy.

- More choices that impact the story or can potentially change the story all together. S5 had some like when Barrows asks you to become King or when you decide to protect the castle. S2 also had the Neclord run away one...I'd like to see more of that, or potentially ones that can change the story all together and not just end with a game over sign.

- More characters playable in battle: When I play S5 for example I see characters like Boz or Norden not able to be put in my party. That made me scratch my head on why not? Even characters like Gilbert in S2, he's a mercenary that fights in wars but cannot fight in regular battles? Its not much of a problem, but it does make you shake your head sometime.

- And lastly I am hoping the main character does not look like how they look in S4 and S5. I loved S5 when Freyjadour was wearing those red clothes when he was searching about Norden with Oboro or during the run away part, but his orange beginning and his butterfly clothes along with Lazlo's "I have no idea how he puts on that jacket" is just something I did not like at all. I don't want no buff main character or anything but maybe a 20 year old main character may help.

They could just make a game exactly like S5 with just a different story and I would love it no matter what so it doesn't really matter, but I think these changes would be my dream come true.

[Mikain Clan King]

Just in case you didn't remember Neclord died permanetly back in S2, so It could take place during when the Blue Moon rune was stolen.