Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies

[J Arcane]

One of the readings for this last weak was on the subject of communications theory as it relates to games, in the context of Final Fantasy XI.

My brilliant idea as a journal thesis for this week's assignment was to relate the concept of noise to "the town problem", as I've often called it, in RPGs.

Namely, that wall of pure meaningless junk you have to wade through every time you get to a new town in an RPG. You've been happily questing along, slaying dragons and what not, but then you get to a new town, and now for the next half hour you get to wander through it harassing every member of it and being inundated with inane drivel, just on the off chance that one of them will have a clue or a side quest you need.

DQ9 actually makes it worse with their quest system because that's the only way so far that you even find quests.

It's fine if that's what you're in the mood for, but if one isn't in the right mindset, it can mean break time from the game for me.

Unfortunately, I'm having a hell of a time finding the right visual aid to demonstrate the effect, at least if I'm using this game for an example. Handhelds are not so nice when it comes to screenshots and videos. And it seems that in terms of guides and maps, I need to plonk down for the strategy guide if I want any of that.

[Spigot]

Gotcha.

In DQIX the quest givers do have blue icons, which helps somewhat.

[frederec]

Can't you pick up new party members with Tag Mode turned on too?

I'm still trying to find a way to access the DLC. I want to peruse the virtual storefront and/or download the new quest before I head up to the cottage aka the place that wi-fi forgot. Where is this abbey? I'm off at Coffintown or whatever the place after Stornway is called.

Keep pushing forward. It's not too much further, but naturally, you have to complete a quest before you unlock the ability to change jobs.

[Spigot]

I don't even want to change jobs. I just want to shop online :)

[frederec]

I don't even want to change jobs. I just want to shop online :)

Ahhh. I see. Then you don't even need to wait for the ability to change jobs. As soon as you arrive at Alltrades Abbey, you can zoom back to Stornway and it'll be there.

[Spigot]

Ahhh. I see. Then you don't even need to wait for the ability to change jobs. As soon as you arrive at Alltrades Abbey, you can zoom back to Stornway and it'll be there.Well, I'm about to head to the cottage now, so it looks like I'll be ready to shop by the time I get home :)

[RandoM51]

I still wish you could access the DLC and online 'store' a little easier than it is. I'm still working on the Wight Knight quest and haven't made it to the abbey or wherever you need to be to go online or do tag mode.

It is about as easy as it gets. It isn't a matter of difficulty, it is a matter of them making you learn the game a bit before going online.

I like how it is just a quick transfer for the store/quests. Can do a driveby of an open hotspot to grab your loot, which is what I did today instead of reconfiguring the wifi at home.

[Spigot]

I'm sure the actual usage of the online stuff is simple, but if I'd known it would have taken almost 7-9 hours of playtime to open the DLC and store, I would have spent mire time on it earlier this week!

[RandoM51]

It isn't like you're going to miss anything. I'm sure the items and quests will rotate.

From yesterday's download I bought a 5k alchemy reagent, figured sooner or later it would be useful, the quest wasn't startable.

I'm finding that the money is starting to pile up now that I'm working on quests and character building while leaving the main storyline on hold. I don't buy armor/items/accessories, only spend money on giving each member of the party the best weapon I can buy/craft and rely upon the JSE for each of them(from level 15 job quests), as it has been better than anything else, even with some of my characters approaching 30.

Playing around with the different jobs I'd have to say that gladiator is the best so far, the raw damage output trumps the situational versatility of the other classes I've tried. Really disappointed with paladin and thief, will be giving hunter and martial arts a spin in the next couple days. Minstrel is pretty good too---I think, though some of the spells might be specifically for the protagonist and not just any minstrel.

I was hoping to switch my priest to paladin permanently but the paladin has a crappy mana pool, no substitute for a dedicated healer. The first special dungeon map I have has a boss at the bottom that is a nightmare without a group heal spell. He has an AOE that kills everybody in the party if he fires it off twice in a row. Single target heals don't cut it and my characters don't have enough initiative to item heal everybody else before he spams it again. Annoying, but a nice challenge compared to the rest of the game.

[Abyssion]

I haven't gotten anything good today, I probably should have bought a second miracle sword when it popped up on Sunday. Even though it is easy to get money, I didn't feel like dropping another 18,500 gold. I get one through mini-medals eventually anyway.

[Evil Avnovice]

Anyone who's headed to Comic-con may be interested in this. (GoNintendo (http://gonintendo.com/viewstory.php?id=130690))

....Comic-Con attendees who bring their Nintendo DS systems and copies of DRAGON QUEST IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies to the show will have access to a special downloadable treasure map called Mortamor, available for the first time in North America. The map will be available at the Nintendo booth for the duration of Comic-Con International 2010. To access the map, players must have their Nintendo DS system running the DRAGON QUEST IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies game and set to “Tag Mode.” Once players get to the town of Stornway, they are able to access Tag Mode at the Quester’s Rest inn.

[frederec]

Discovered something interesting today. My wife hadn't finished the first grotto yet, so I went in and played it with her. We managed to beat the boss at the bottom, and we each got maps as a result. Different maps. So I guess in theory we can play grottoes together, and trade the resulting maps back and forth with each other.

Still don't quite feel strong enough to just plunge in and beat some of the bosses. After all, the first boss is still pretty tough. But close to the end of the game, I could see this being a big time sink.

[roboninja]

I got this game last week, and have only played a little. Just glancing at this page let's me know the depth of this game keeps increasing. I just now got to create/add characters, so it seems there is a lot still to come.

[frederec]

Unlocked the sage class last night. Now I've started thinking about whether I want to set up a leveling/dungeon party and a boss party, since I have the ability to change job classes anywhere.

Also discovered that every time you beat the boss of a grotto (going after the first Equinox for a second time for a quest) you get a map. So for those lamenting their lack of multiplayer, there should be no lack of maps for you if you're playing alone.

[Abyssion]

My DQVC didn't work today... That bums me out.

Edit: This also happened last week, I think Thursday is a bad day for DQVC.

[Spigot]

Finally unlocked the class-swapping abilities of Alltrades Abbey this morning.

I'm kind of ticked. EB is having a map event at stores in my area on the 31st... of course, that day I'll be about 2-3 hours away visiting my family and nowhere NEAR any of these stores. Grr.

[J Arcane]

At least your EB is running the event.

My Gamestop never does ANY of the event things like that, for any of the games. I would have to drive to fucking Eugene to get in on any of that.

Not that I'm far enough along yet that to take advantage anyway. I just got back to Coffinwell after sealing up the "Ragin' Contagion".

[Spigot]

I mean, I do have to drive a little way to get to the EBs that are running the event but only about 20 minutes or so. It's just a kick in the junk because I could easily go THIS weekend... or week. But nooo... it has to be next weekend when I'm out visiting the in-laws.

[Doctor Setebos]

Question for those that have tried out the multiplayer: how does it work when you have two people at different levels? If I'm at level 30 and I invite a friend to play that's at level 15, and he joins me in battle, will his weapons to damage at a level 15? Or are his stats automatically upped to my level? Curious how that works.

[frederec]

Question for those that have tried out the multiplayer: how does it work when you have two people at different levels? If I'm at level 30 and I invite a friend to play that's at level 15, and he joins me in battle, will his weapons to damage at a level 15? Or are his stats automatically upped to my level? Curious how that works.

It doesn't scale anything. You are whatever level you are.

What can make it difficult is that if someone comes into my game who's way behind me in the plot, there are places (dungeons with various metal slimes, for instance), that they won't necessarily be able to go to because they don't have the ability to travel there yet, and they can't walk it on foot.

So I find it a bit easier to jump in with my wife rather than have her jump in with me, since she's the lower level of the two of us.

[RandoM51]

This game could use a respec NPC. Maybe it has one and I don't know it.

When spending your skill points keep in mind that you can raise a particular weapon on more than one class, whereas the class-specific skill line can only be raised while playing that class.

Are there enough skill points to max 1 weapon and the class-specific when playing just one job to max level?

[frederec]

This game could use a respec NPC. Maybe it has one and I don't know it.

When spending your skill points keep in mind that you can raise a particular weapon on more than one class, whereas the class-specific skill line can only be raised while playing that class.

Are there enough skill points to max 1 weapon and the class-specific when playing just one job to max level?

Actually, there are as many skill points as you want. If you level all the way to 99 (which is a bit daunting), you can reset your level to one and start over, keeping the skill points from the first time (and supposedly you get a present of some kind the first time you reset).

I think I counted it up, and you get 170 skill points for leveling someone from 1 to 99, though most of the skill points are gained in the first forty or fifty levels. A way to exploit things, especially early on, is to switch a character to a job they don't really want, level them a while, then use those skill points somewhere you do want.

[RandoM51]

Oh, i thought it went to 40.

Hmm, switching one character at a time to random jobs to build up skill points is a good idea. Just have to keep the noob alive.

[Abyssion]

I'm a sword and shield kind of person so as soon as I maxed those two out I've gone through every class I had up to level 25 or so and just poured points into the last skill set for all the passives and abilities.

I think next I'm gonna work towards whip and boomerang to mimic the hero from DQ3.

[Evil Avnovice]

The latest round of DLC. (Just Push Start (http://www.justpushstart.com/2010/07/23/first-special-guest-visits-dragon-quest-ix-north-america/))

[frederec]

I'm a sword and shield kind of person so as soon as I maxed those two out I've gone through every class I had up to level 25 or so and just poured points into the last skill set for all the passives and abilities.

I think next I'm gonna work towards whip and boomerang to mimic the hero from DQ3.

I actually went and maxed out shields for everyone relatively early so that way anyone could equip them no matter what. Considering a few of the melee classes can't equip them, I'm glad I did.

I've also gotten to the point where a couple of my characters have two different weapons they can use, so that I have a metal slime killing setup (boomerang and bows) and a regular/boss setup (axe and wand).

[frederec]

I just got my first grotto that had metal king slimes and moai minstrels. So now I've unlocked the final class of the game. And I suppose I've actually got a grotto worth sharing in tag mode. Hopefully I'll actually tag someone at the event at GameStop this weekend.

[RandoM51]

How much time are you putting into this game that you're getting maps that level? :) Think I've got all of 3 grotto maps, highest map level being 12.

[frederec]

How much time are you putting into this game that you're getting maps that level? :) Think I've got all of 3 grotto maps, highest map level being 12.

You probably don't want to know. Just a few hours ago I got the title for having clocked in 100 hours.

[RandoM51]

My party is in their mid-30s, near the end of the main storyline I think. 100+ hours? That is some stamina. I have to admit that I fell asleep during a main quest boss battle this morning.

[frederec]

My party is in their mid-30s, near the end of the main storyline I think. 100+ hours? That is some stamina. I have to admit that I fell asleep during a main quest boss battle this morning.

I think I'm gradually losing steam. I've been playing nearly constantly for the past week or so. Getting higher level grottoes requires having your main character up to as high a level as possible. I've got one of his classes up into the mid sixties. If I can start getting some of the better grottoes more consistently, it might keep me going.

[Doctor Setebos]

Okay, so I downloaded the extra quests, but they all say that I'm not able to accept them. What do I need to do in order to be able to run those quests? I'm a bit farther behind than the rest of you. I'm up to level 12 on my second vocation (got to level 18 as a minstrel) and I just got to the port with the girl who can call the leviathan.

[frederec]

Okay, so I downloaded the extra quests, but they all say that I'm not able to accept them. What do I need to do in order to be able to run those quests? I'm a bit farther behind than the rest of you. I'm up to level 12 on my second vocation (got to level 18 as a minstrel) and I just got to the port with the girl who can call the leviathan.

The first one isn't available until late in the game, at a town called Upover. The second one is available in Bloomingdale, a town you'll get to relatively soon, but I'm not sure if the quest will be available right away. The third one isn't available until after you beat the game; it's in Stornway.

[J Arcane]

I still haven't found the abbot yet. I've been taking my time.

This game feels like it needs a bit more levelling time than I've been accustomed to in the last two DQs I played, V and VIII. I need a bit of time spent at each town farming enough gold to buy all the best stuff to make sure I'm ready to go for the inevitable boss dungeon and the trip to the next burg.

Not that I'm minding much, that sort of gameplay works fine on a handheld where you can pick it up, kill a few things, then close the lid and do something else.

[Abyssion]

I think I'm gradually losing steam. I've been playing nearly constantly for the past week or so. Getting higher level grottoes requires having your main character up to as high a level as possible. I've got one of his classes up into the mid sixties. If I can start getting some of the better grottoes more consistently, it might keep me going.

This has been happening with me in P3P. I'm at over 110 hours, but I'm in the final weeks of the game. I'll start focusing on DQ9 soon enough, I've got about 40 hours into that already.

[RandoM51]

This game feels like it needs a bit more levelling time than I've been accustomed to in the last two DQs I played, V and VIII. I need a bit of time spent at each town farming enough gold to buy all the best stuff to make sure I'm ready to go for the inevitable boss dungeon and the trip to the next burg.

Not that I'm minding much, that sort of gameplay works fine on a handheld where you can pick it up, kill a few things, then close the lid and do something else.

If you stick to the plan of buying the best stuff in town for everybody you will have to grind a LOT. I pretty much gave up on that method, all I do now is worry about making sure my damage dealers have the best weapons. I just spent 30k on an axe, cleaned me out. There are some profitable alchemy recipes once you open up the shops that have the source materials but I'm just not hardcore enough to buy 3x99 ingredients, craft 99 items, sell 99 items over and over again.

Short bursts are definitely the way to play, IMHO. About 1/3 of the way through the game the world really opens up and you have plenty of things to work on besides just doing the main storyline.

I just hit 40 for the first job on each of my party of four, time to go back and find stage 2 of the job quests.

[Abyssion]

Okay, so if what I read online is correct, the event at GameStop is merely access to a dlc map sooner than when it actually comes out. The one there is supposed to have Zoma from DQ3 in it. I'm kinda excited about that.

Also Best Buy (http://images.bestbuy.com/BestBuy_US//en_US/images/abn/2010/tg/cat/35370_DQIX.pdf?h=488) is having an event not this weekend but the one after.

[frederec]

Okay, so if what I read online is correct, the event at GameStop is merely access to a dlc map sooner than when it actually comes out. The one there is supposed to have Zoma from DQ3 in it. I'm kinda excited about that.

Also Best Buy (http://images.bestbuy.com/BestBuy_US//en_US/images/abn/2010/tg/cat/35370_DQIX.pdf?h=488) is having an event not this weekend but the one after.

That's cool. I haven't found any of the legacy bosses yet anyway. And I was hoping that other people would be there trading maps in tag mode.

[RandoM51]

Game is holding out on me, 30+ dragon scales and 0 gold bars. Dang it, I want my uber falcon blade.

[Xerxes]

Okay, so if what I read online is correct, the event at GameStop is merely access to a dlc map sooner than when it actually comes out. The one there is supposed to have Zoma from DQ3 in it. I'm kinda excited about that.

Also Best Buy (http://images.bestbuy.com/BestBuy_US//en_US/images/abn/2010/tg/cat/35370_DQIX.pdf?h=488) is having an event not this weekend but the one after.

I was tempted to go buy the game just so I can get the maps. :/

[Abyssion]

I was tempted to go buy the game just so I can get the maps. :/

Well you live in Houston, if I make it to both events I can share them.... but that would require being within 20 yards of one another. O_O

Hell, I'm close to joining the DQ9 group on Facebook to see if I can find anything going on there.

That's cool. I haven't found any of the legacy bosses yet anyway. And I was hoping that other people would be there trading maps in tag mode.

I haven't been playing that much this week other than the DQVC. But now that I polished off P3P (for now...) I'll put all my focus tomorrow on this. I want to get some treasure maps in the off-chance there is someone else there at the same time I am on Saturday, so that way I have something to actually share.

[Savok]

How much stuff does the DLC add? I don't exactly have a simple way to access WiFi or game stores (hour's drive away). How much of the game would I be missing?

[Xerxes]

Well you live in Houston, if I make it to both events I can share them.... but that would require being within 20 yards of one another. O_O

Hell, I'm close to joining the DQ9 group on Facebook to see if I can find anything going on there.

That means I can keep putting off buying it until a buy 2 get 1 sale goes down. Score!

[evilgoodwin]

How much stuff does the DLC add? I don't exactly have a simple way to access WiFi or game stores (hour's drive away). How much of the game would I be missing?

A store, bonus quests (for after you beat the game), special guests that show up in your inn and give you stuff... Think that's it.

From what I've read, you don't have to get them every week. If you get them later, you'll get all of them from previous times, too, so no major worries (this applies towards guests and quests).

I'm hunting Metal Medleys... I've grown to completely hate "Raving Lunatiks" Stupid fast assholes.

[JayVe]

I got a boat, and sailed to a desert island last night where I taught a nasty princess that she really is loved. Of course, I did this by beating up a lizard-turned dragon.

[RandoM51]

New DQVC update, including 2 quests and some items. Kind of messed up, though. The announcer said a particular item was going to be in the shop but that item wasn't in my shop. I already have it anyway, though, so no big deal.

Oh, and I finally got a gold bar after 50+ dragon scales. Farming drakularges overland is faster than in bowhole.

[JayVe]

The story in this game as actually quite sad.

[Doctor Setebos]

The story in this game as actually quite sad.Do you mean "sad" as in pathetic, or "sad" as in sorrowful?

[Spigot]

Do you mean "sad" as in pathetic, or "sad" as in sorrowful?I was about to ask the same thing.

If he means pathetic, well, it IS a Dragon Quest game and plot is usually an afterthought in them. That said, I am liking the story so far in this, which is much better than I thought it would be what with the random party members in your party.

As for sorrowful, I can see that. It's also a pretty happy story in that you're busy trying to make the world a better place, but there's a lot of loss and heartbreak going on in DQIX world.

[JayVe]

Do you mean "sad" as in pathetic, or "sad" as in sorrowful?

Sorrowful.

I find the writing funny and witty, especially the very clever use of names. If the game was any less lighthearted in presentation, the stories presented in your quests could be real tear-jerkers. Yet they are presented in such a simplistic way, through art and the short narrative dialog boxes typical of games, the emotional aspect can easily be glossed over.

The more I play, the more impressed I am.

[Spigot]

I remember reading a review of this where the reviewers really moaned and whined about the translation, mainly the various accents that are used in the game. I love it as it's something different that I've only really seen in the last batch of remakes of DQ games.

Of course, I think they were based out of the UK and didn't like the attempt to write in scottish brogue :)

[RandoM51]

If you're familiar with the bible you're familiar with the main story of DQ9. Instead of a son it is a daughter, instead of nailed to a cross she is turned into a tree, etc.

[Abyssion]

...spoilers? I haven't gotten to any point where that stuff is mentioned specifically.

Edit: Thanks.

[Doctor Setebos]

I remember reading a review of this where the reviewers really moaned and whined about the translation, mainly the various accents that are used in the game. I love it as it's something different that I've only really seen in the last batch of remakes of DQ games. I especially love the accents in Dourbridge. Most notably, the "priest" at the "church" under the bridge. :D

[frederec]

I remember reading a review of this where the reviewers really moaned and whined about the translation, mainly the various accents that are used in the game. I love it as it's something different that I've only really seen in the last batch of remakes of DQ games.

Of course, I think they were based out of the UK and didn't like the attempt to write in scottish brogue :)

The translation doesn't bother me so much as grammatical issues. There is strange pluralization stuff in battle, but there's a part of me that wonders if this is a more British style.

Earlier today I ran across a new boss in a grotto. No big deal, but when he died he dropped both of his possible drops. The crazy part is the game itself even admits that one of those things had a 5% chance of dropping, and the other had 2%. It was pretty awesome. I'm finding the treasures in the grottoes to be fairly worthwhile. I've gotten a couple of pieces of equipment unavailable anywhere else (metal slime armor, for one).

[RandoM51]

I find those sorts of people just as annoying in a game as they are in real life. :p

Frederec, you probably had a red slime loading screen. And yeah, the metal slime series of gear is nice, course you won't get any of it until you've put in like 100 hours. :p

[Abyssion]

I don't mind the the grammar and accents in this game to be as bad as DQ4, I'd get a damn headache every time I would enter a new town since I had to learn a new friggin language. Everyone in every town spoke so differently it was frustrating.

[J Arcane]

The enemy are defeated.

[Xerxes]

The enemy are defeated.

I lost so bad.

Ooops wrong thread. :p

[Doctor Setebos]

Question that I can't seem to find elsewhere: what do the icons on the world map represent? I have several glowy yellow circles that I think might be towns? And a handful of red triangles that I'm assuming are dungeons. Is that correct?

[frederec]

Question that I can't seem to find elsewhere: what do the icons on the world map represent? I have several glowy yellow circles that I think might be towns? And a handful of red triangles that I'm assuming are dungeons. Is that correct?

I think that's the gist of it. I think some of the yellow dots are places you can go where people are. In other words, not dungeons, but safe places.

[RandoM51]

Places you've been.

[Abyssion]

I got back from the Gamestop thing, only managed to get 3 tags though... But I got a t-shirt!

[Spigot]

Nice. I think my friends made it to the one near my house (which is, sadly, 3 hours away right now), so hopefully I can tag them at some point and get a copy of the map.

[frederec]

Just got back from the event. We actually hit two GameStops that were participating, and I'm glad we did. At the first, we got the boss level and a level 82 grotto, which is now my highest level grotto. I got a poster, my wife got a t-shirt.

At the second we didn't get any other higher level grottoes, but it was busy enough that we got just over 30 tags each, which fully unlocks the inn in Stornway, including the basement. Note that we came into today each with just one tag (from each other). It was pretty cool seeing that many people playing this game. Met one guy who got the accolade for beating the game crazy fast. It also makes me glad to know that I was giving out one of the better maps at the second place, since my map has metal king slimes.

Now I'm really looking forward to next week's event a Best Buy.

[Vigil80]

I've been having a good time so far, but I'm starting to question why I'm playing it quite so much. Barring a day-long drive to a CoG meetup, there is almost zero chance of joining anyone for mulitiplayer or map-trading. :( Even the upcoming Best Buy event isn't taking place near me. The nearest participating store is something like 4 hours away.

[Spigot]

It's kind of stupid that it is only at select stores.

On a happier note, my friends got the maps today AND won a DSi XL. Lucky ducks! They'll trade with me when I get home.

[Mike Kelehan]

Man, I'm really unhappy that I missed the Gamestop event. I'd better hit a few Best Buys to compensate.

[RandoM51]

Got spanked in a fight with a boss who could crit attack at will, the damage from which would kill any of my party.

Took main class, main weapon, shield, and virtue to 100 on each of them and then went back and he was cake... and so was every other boss to the very end of the main storyline.

oops, guess I overdid it.

[frederec]

Apparently, if a solo level 1 paladin kills a metal king slime, for 126k experience (the extra six is from elevating shoes), you jump to level 29. It was all kinds of crazy when the game went, "you got 67 skill points." Too much fun.

[RandoM51]

boo, my best grotto is only level 51 and all it has is a level with groups of liquid metal slimes. Anything past 60th on liquid metal slimes is sloooooooow.

Think I'll unlock sage and build one of those while switching 2 of my other characters to gladiators. In the bottom of the level 51 grotto I was running into things that only my gladiator and mage could do any real damage to.

[frederec]

Yeah, I've noticed that there seems to be a threshold, where if your strength is too low, you'll do less than ten points of damage at a time, but people a bit higher will do full damage. It can be frustrating.

My metal king slime dungeon is level 66. They show up on the ninth floor among some relatively tough enemies. It's the one I share with people when I go in tag mode.

[RandoM51]

battle records at 74:58 hours played(many of these were spent sitting waiting for liquid metal slimes).

Battle Victories: 1215
Times Alchemy Performed: 83
Accolades Earnt: 56
Quests Completed: 42
Grottoes Completed: 14

Defeated Monster List Completion: 72%
Wardrobe Completion: 23%
Item List Completion: 54%
Alchenomicon Completion: 17%

Still plenty to do!

[National Kato]

I know a bunch of you are deep into the game, but at 4 hours in I'm starting to get the hang of basic mechanics. A few questions I have:

1) I started as a Minstrel. Did I have a choice I missed somewhere or is that the standard starting class for the hero?

2) I'm holding on to a lot of detritus that seems useful for Alchemy. However, I haven't been taught how to alchemize yet, so is there any worth in carrying all of this around or will I find plenty later and should sell it now?

3) Is there any way, short of facing a boss and dying, to tell if you're the right level for a quest/encounter?

Thanks in advance!

[evilgoodwin]

1) Standard class.
2) Keep it ALL. I regret selling some things, honestly.
3) Not that I've noticed, but the curve seems to be very well done where no excessive grinding is really needed. You might run into SOME bosses that don't play well with others, but nothing too terrible.

[National Kato]

Thanks, eg!

[Xerxes]

TRU has this on sale. Buy one get another for $5. Comes out to $20. Might stop by first thing tomorrow. Probably not a one left.

[RandoM51]

DQVC update today.

It is Slime Week, get your slime-themed items!
New guest at the Inn
Two new quests, including one story quest.

[RandoM51]

Found my first rank 9 grotto chests last night, farmed the heck out of them, have almost half a suit of metal slime gear already. :)

http://i34.tinypic.com/2py5fgp.jpg

3 Gladiators and 1 Sage. They kill Baramos Lv 1 in 3 rounds, no sweat.

[Abyssion]

I went by both Best Buys in Humble and neither of them had it -_- (the event I mean)

Oh well! Back to the game I go.

[Xerxes]

Odd. The Humble store is on the list. What time did you go?

[Abyssion]

I got to the one off of 59 at about 12:30ish and I drove up to the one in Atascocita about half an hour later.

Sometimes the Atascocita one is listed as Humble for some reason, which is why I went to both.

[JayVe]

http://i34.tinypic.com/2py5fgp.jpg

How did you get these images?

[RandoM51]

Step #1 Copy my save game to PC from DS.
Step #2 Convert it to RAW format.
Step #3 Open it in the dq9 save game editor, save it without making changes. For some reason this "fixed" some sort of problem that was happening with conversion to RAW.
Step #4 Load the game in desmume.
Step #5 Load the save
Step #6 Go into the equipment screens and take a screenshot for each character
Step #7 Crop&stitch them together with Gimp.

I left out a couple of hours of fumbling around with two savegame converters to get a save I could load into an emulator properly.

[Spigot]

Finished Zere Rocks last night and got my first map. Got to the boss of the grotto and died and turned off the game in frustration :)

[RandoM51]

DO NOT DISCARD THAT MAP.

Keep it, or another map with Equinox on it(keep one for every grotto boss you encounter). There are post game quests that involve the grotto bosses but it can be very hard to get back to some of them at certain points of the leveling curve due to how it awards grotto maps.

[Spigot]

I really hope that I can still get that map since I just powered off the DS when he killed me because I didn't want to lose the 5K in gold... yeep!

[evilgoodwin]

I really hope that I can still get that map since I just powered off the DS when he killed me because I didn't want to lose the 5K in gold... yeep!

I think you get the same map every time.

I always bank before I do a grotto, but I haven't beat the game yet so my grottos kind of suck.

But I had to be around level 30 to kill Equinox. At 38, my priest got multiheal, which helped, but by that point, I had a mage that I egged on constantly so she could cast Frizzle for a retarded amount of damage. I highly recommend having everyone do Martial Artist just to get psych up.

[RandoM51]

Short of corrupting the save the only way to 'lose' a grotto map is to discard it yourself.

I revocated for the first time and found my first map with Metal King Slimes on it today, hopefully not too many hours until I'm in a position to finally get some S quality grotto maps and chests.

[RandoM51]

Handy grotto calculator (http://plumeria.vmth.ucdavis.edu/~saintly/gaming/dq9_grotto.html)

Things you can do:

Plug in your level, grotto level, and max revocation number and find out what quality maps you can get.

Move your level up a step at a time to figure out what level you need to be to hit the next grotto quality level.

Plug in a map name to get the details and find out if it has a chance for metal monsters(high exp).

[Spigot]

Ok. I have that map back and this time I saved it. If you have to be level 30 to beat Equinox, it's no wonder I got creamed as I was only level 17 with my main and the rest of the party was about 22ish.

My friend is bringing over his DS with the map from the Gamespot event... Wait.. you have to BEAT a grotto to share it? ARG!

[RandoM51]

Equinox will destroy you until you a) significantly out level the encounter or b) have a priest/sage with multiheal.

[Spigot]

Equinox will destroy you until you a) significantly out level the encounter or b) have a priest/sage with multiheal.I had neither and my mana pool was almost depleted. Sigh.

[EWolfmanD]

I beat Equinox in my first grotto map when my party was in the low 20s. Then he was the boss of the second map I got and destroyed my party even though they were a few levels higher. I think I waited a long time before I tried out the first map, so I guess he was locked in at a really low level or something.

[RandoM51]

Regular grotto bosses don't level up at all. Equinox is easy if he doesn't spam AoE lightning, not so easy if he does.

[RandoM51]

Quiet in here. I'm still playing and it is spooky skeleton week on DQVC. If you're a completionist there are a couple items exclusive to DQVC that should pop up this week.

[Abyssion]

I'm still playing it too. Chugging along with my lone character. I have been going through a ton of grottoes, I still haven't gotten anything super high level yet though...

[Spigot]

Quiet in here. I'm still playing and it is spooky skeleton week on DQVC. If you're a completionist there are a couple items exclusive to DQVC that should pop up this week.I have both the skeleton shirt and trousers for sale on my store today but I have to grind 25K or so. Should keep me busy tonight.

[RandoM51]

They haven't shown up for me yet, just pirate/thug stuff which I already have. I've got 1.1 million sitting in the bank which will continue to accumulate until I get around to getting the orbs for ultimate gear.

I'm grinding PKJ now to get 6+ revocations on my main character which will lock me into getting only A and S ranked maps when finishing the Lv. 98 grotto I grind for new maps. After that happens I'll grind grottos till I get a great chest grotto to grind for gear/weapons. After that it will be time to level legacy bosses to get their gear/orbs.

...and then time for alchemiracles and getting 100% on everything else. A new quest or two each week for the post-game storyline to mix things up.

[Doctor Setebos]

They haven't shown up for me yet, just pirate/thug stuff which I already have. I've got 1.1 million sitting in the bank which will continue to accumulate until I get around to getting the orbs for ultimate gear.

I'm grinding PKJ now to get 6+ revocations on my main character which will lock me into getting only A and S ranked maps when finishing the Lv. 98 grotto I grind for new maps. After that happens I'll grind grottos till I get a great chest grotto to grind for gear/weapons. After that it will be time to level legacy bosses to get their gear/orbs.

...and then time for alchemiracles and getting 100% on everything else. A new quest or two each week for the post-game storyline to mix things up.That just sounds horrendously exhausting to me.

I just enjoy playing the game. :D

[RandoM51]

That just sounds horrendously exhausting to me.

I just enjoy playing the game. :D

This game is an albatross for the completionist, no doubt about it. If you want everything at 100% it will take a very long time.

I think I might be losing a bit of interest, all I did today was DQVC, didn't play at all. Then again I'm on the last book of the Inspector Rebus series and I really want to find out what happens there more than I want to grind 30 Platinum King Jewels.

Sad thing is that once you have everything it isn't like there is anything further to do with it beyond the weekly DQVC quests. The only thing you arguably need ultimate gear for is if you want to level up the legacy bosses to 99 and survive the fight.

[Spigot]

I've unlocked the Paladin class today and need to grind a little bit more to get the skeleton mask. I think it's the last piece of the three items in the Skellie suit.

[RandoM51]

You'll want to max the Paladin's virtue line on every one of your characters. The passive HP and Resilience boost is just what the doctor ordered so that your healers are healing each round instead of resurrecting each round of a boss fight.

Maxing the available HP boosts will give you ~300 base HP... at level 1. :)

[Vigil80]

Wait, so there's new crap on DQVC every day? I thought the salesgirl kept saying "this week..."

[Abyssion]

Each week is a different theme as far as I can tell, I don't know for how long that goes on though...

I'm debating starting an actual party in this game since I've come so far solo. Things are getting a bit rough with the way they are now. I'm kinda wondering if I can solo the Atlas grotto boss. I quick saved right before him since I had to leave for work. I gotta count HP and try to finish him off with Zam, for that one quest.

[RandoM51]

Wait, so there's new crap on DQVC every day? I thought the salesgirl kept saying "this week..."

new items every day, new theme once/week, new quest(s) and/or visitors once/week.

[Spigot]

Wait, so there's new crap on DQVC every day? I thought the salesgirl kept saying "this week..."Yeah. When they have these theme weeks and tell you ahead of time that there are neat things available, I have a hard time NOT getting OCD and trying to get all of the neat thingamies.

I have a complete skellie suit now but I just checked today's DQVC update and there's another Thug helmet and Skellie shirt available in my store and I'm going to have to struggle very hard NOT to grind the 30K that I need to buy both...

They don't always have themes for the week at the DQVC (I've only really noticed it last week with the slime gear and this week with the scary stuff). The weeks before seemed to be random assortments of things.

[evilgoodwin]

I always keep enough ingredients to create 99xEar Cozies, and after I make them and sell them, I buy the ingredients again before I buy anything else. That way I have a technically limitless supply of them, so I always have cash with just a few minutes of travelling for goods and some alchemy.

[RandoM51]

Moneymaking alchemy with store-bought ingredients from one of the alchemy faqs over at gamefaqs:

Head #35) Ear cosy
= Fur hood x 1 + Bunny tail x 1 + Lambswool x 1

Fur hood: Slurry Quay 550g
Bunny tail: Porth Llaffan 240g
Lambswool: Batsureg 180g
----
Total: 970g

Sell Ear cosy to NPC for: 1200g

Profit: 230g

Initial investment x99: 96030g
Profit x99: 22770g


Torso #7) Gold mail
= Silver mail x 1 + Gold ring x 1 + Gold bracer x 1

Silver mail: Bloomingdale 4000g
Gold ring: Porth Llaffan 220g
Gold Bracer: Porth Llaffan 350g
----
Total: 4570g

Sell Gold mail to NPC for: 4900g

Profit: 330g

Initial investment x99: 452430g
Profit x99: 32670g

Too much work for me, but then again I've yet to ever be short of money in the game.

[Abyssion]

I think I need a new sword... stuff is becoming more difficult to kill in the grottos. I'm leaning towards an uber falcon blade since I've been using the uber miracle blade ever since I could upgrade it. But maybe going melee with a solo sage isn't the best idea in the first place...

Of course it's not like I'm dying at all, but there's gotta be a more effective way of doing things.

But I have gotten all the way up to level 80 as a sage, everything else is in the 40's or so.

[Spigot]

Got wiped in the first Grotto against Demon Horse dude (blanking on his name right now). Sigh. And my party is alrady in their 30s. I'm taking a break for the night methinks.

[Doctor Setebos]

Got wiped in the first Grotto against Demon Horse dude (blanking on his name right now). Sigh. And my party is alrady in their 30s. I'm taking a break for the night methinks.Equinox, I believe. He team-wiped me, as well. We were only in our 20s at the time, though. Such a young and impressionable age. :D

[RandoM51]

Equinox is probably the only normal grotto boss you'll die against. By the time you have the levels to beat him the rest won't be such a big challenge. They give you that first map long before you're ready to do much with it.

Abyssion, if what you're noticing is that you're only hitting things for 1hp the falcon blade/uber falcon blade will actually make it worse. It means you don't have high enough attack to get through their armor and using the falcon blade lowers your attack while letting you attack twice.

You don't need a better sword, you need more levels/more strength.

[Spigot]

I did get my... 5th? Piece of Fygg tonight though. Finished up Greeble and now it's on to the Snowington Academy Of Shivering Shakes. I would just go to Wormwood but nobody likes me there and I can't do anything anyway.

[Abyssion]

I'll probably do some testing with the uber falcon blade tomorrow, I need a break from the game after doing some higher level than normal grottos. I'm hitting darkonium slimes for about 80 damage a normal attack with the uber miracle sword, sometimes I'll kabuff twice then use double up to boost my attack so I can take them out quicker.

[RandoM51]

I just use vanish and try to avoid junk like darkonium slimes.

[Abyssion]

...That's a good idea... I really need to try something like that. I've had the ability for all of 140 hours now and only used it once. That one time I used it an enemy was already on top of me and I initiated a battle so I never bothered trying it again.

Of course fighting a ton of stuff on my way down does help me get more gold. I'm hoping I'll find something with lots of LMS's or even some MKS's soon.

[RandoM51]

For LMS you're better off with slimehill, IMHO. There is a spot on slimehill where you can make the mobs spawn quickly just like in bowhole.

For MKS, the earliest you'll find them is steel or better quality lvl 50+ water grottos.

You should check out the grotto calc if you haven't already, it will help you find out very quickly if a new grotto you have will feature the metal mobs you want.

http://plumeria.vmth.ucdavis.edu/~saintly/gaming/dq9_grotto.html

Oh and along with vanish you'll want to use Treasure Eye Land. While it is useless for grotto chests(only shows red chests), it is invaluable for finding the staircase down to the next level.

[Abyssion]

So a few days ago I finallly got a water grotto with MKS at floors 5-8, and proceeded to hit 99 with Sage, Thief and Hunter. I revoacted Thief for the double steal chance accessory and the Sage since it's my favorite class. Now I'm using the Hunter class to steal seeds of strength for my Sage class.

It's going pretty well for me so far. A bit time consuming... but I'm watching TV shows on Hulu while I'm doing it.

[Samitchdoo]

I've beaten the main storyline. Now I'm going around doing various quests.

There's suppose to be gatherings at PAX and DragonCon next week for the purpose of multiplayer and tag mode. I wish I could go since the area around here is not exactly flush with DQ9 players.

[Spigot]

I've beaten the main storyline. Now I'm going around doing various quests.

There's suppose to be gatherings at PAX and DragonCon next week for the purpose of multiplayer and tag mode. I wish I could go since the area around here is not exactly flush with DQ9 players.
There's an event this weekend at Fan Expo in Toronto. That's the main reason I'm going. Yes, I'll pay ~$30 to be near fellow DQ9ers... sob...

[Mike Kelehan]

If anyone's going to be at Baltimore Comic-Con tomorrow, I'm sending my roommate with my DS in tag mode, and the Silver Marsh of Bane 58, which is entirely Metal King Slimes on B11.

[frederec]

If anyone's going to be at Baltimore Comic-Con tomorrow, I'm sending my roommate with my DS in tag mode, and the Silver Marsh of Bane 58, which is entirely Metal King Slimes on B11.

Really? That's sweet. Though I've gotten places with metal king slimes and even platinum king jewels, I've heard floors with exclusively metal king slimes are rare. I'm very jealous.

[Vyzov]

I'm just before the final boss in this game, and while I don't consider DQ IX to be bad by any means, I think it's one of the worst in the series. (DQ I wold be the worst, just because of it's age) This may be because I don't have a bunch of friends to tackle the multiplayer aspects of the game. (I've played I, III, IV, V, VII and VIII. VI will be played after this one.)

[frederec]

I'm just before the final boss in this game, and while I don't consider DQ IX to be bad by any means, I think it's one of the worst in the series. (DQ I wold be the worst, just because of it's age) This may be because I don't have a bunch of friends to tackle the multiplayer aspects of the game. (I've played I, III, IV, V, VII and VIII. VI will be played after this one.)

I'm sorry you think so. Personally I think I've played Dragon Quest IX more than maybe any other video games, ever. This is largely due to the downloadable quests and post-game stuff that has really kept it going for me. I've done a tiny bit of multiplayer stuff, but not much at all.

[Panthera]

I'm finding myself a little stalled on the last dungeon. The only other DQ game that I've played was V, and I found that one dragged painfully in the same area-ish.

[Spigot]

I still need to actually beat this. I got to the final boss and died but haven't gone back since. Sigh.

[evilgoodwin]

I still need to actually beat this. I got to the final boss and died but haven't gone back since. Sigh.

Yeah... I'm at the last dungeon and I put this down for school... I don't remember how to play anymore or what I was doing :D

[Abyssion]

I need to actually play it again, I only pick it up daily for the DQVC. I would probably have an easier time if I made an actual party, though it was fun solo-ing the entire game sans post story stuff.

[Satertek]

Picked this up on Gamefly and after only a few hours playing I'm already ready to hit the keep button. My first go at a Dragon Quest game and I'm loving it. Especially the cheesy dialog ("Benevolessence" :D)

[frederec]

Glad you're liking it. Don't forget to hit DQVC as well as the downloadable quests and such when you get to Stornway. There's only four weeks left of downloadable quests, so you're starting up at a good point, since you won't have to wait a year to see it all.