To get a Vita or not

[Rod.H]

Right with the coming of the PS Vita (and Sony's wish to finally kill UMD) I have decided to list all the games on UMD that I've got for people to look at and no doubt say it sucked, or is better on x or is available on the EU/US/JP PSN. This list is for that and may just indicate what games I thought were the best fit for the PSP.

• Ace Combat X
• Ace Combat Joint Assault
• Crazy Taxi
• EA Replay - Original Syndicate
• Gran Turismo
• Final Fantasy
• Final Fantasy 2
• Final Fantasy 4
• Final Fantasy 7:Crisis Core
• Justice League Heroes
• Lumines 1 & 2
• Lunar
• Midway Arcade Treasures:EP
• NFS:Undercover
• Ridge Racer 1 & 2
• Sakura Taisen/Wars 1 & 2
• SNK Arcade Classics
• SOCOM FTB 1 & 2
• Soulcalibur
• Star Ocean 1 & 2
• Star Trek: Tactical Assault - A game I find hard
• Star Wars Battlefront 2
• Star Wars Battlefront renegade squadron
• Star Wars:force unleashed
• Street Fighter alpha 3
  
• Tekken DR
• Tenchu
• Test Drive Unlimited
• Valkyrie Profile Lenneth

Hrmm, 33 games on UMD. I've got more games on my Steam profile (202) then that. I've probably also got more X360 games and I know I've got more manga tpb as Oh! My Goddess is up to #40. So is there any point in me staying, when most of my gaming's on or available on another system? I'd prefer to stay, and I think I should probably start looking for some 'new in box' PSPs so can have some spares for when my main one dies. Which I doubt would happen for some time considering I use my 360 & PCs more.

--Rod.H

[ECSNorway]

When did they decide to start naming game consoles after Nanoha characters?
--
Sucrose Octanitrate.
Proof positive that with sufficient motivation, you can make anything explode.

[classicdrogn]

(nods) I thought you were musing on getting a garage kit or something. Gaming... Honestly, I use my PSP more for the web browser as a fic reading device than for games, but Macross Ace Combat, Ace Frontier, and Triangle Frontier are among my favorite games, all PSP only as far as I know, and LEGO Star Wars II & III are the others I go for most, with Kingdom Hearts BBS trailing somewhat after that. None of which are on your list, however. I guess you should just decide of any of your UMD games are things you'll want to play more/again later... since it sounds like you're not going to trade in your PSP anyway, I don't see that it's really any choice to make besides "Do I want a PS Vita?" and "Is it within my budget?"

- CD
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows

[robkelk]

When did they decide to start naming game consoles after Nanoha characters?

Hey, I'd go for a Shamal...
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

[Rod.H]

Hmm, you mean you've missed those jokes, cos you didn't know of the existence of the Playstation Vita. It's being released today/tomorrow(US/AU). I also missed a game: Macross Triangle Frontier, so that's 34 games.

Unfortunately to some, the real joke is that currently none of the Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Portable games are available for digital purchase from any of the PSN stores and therefore cannot be legitimately played on a PS Vita as it like the PSP Go before it, are lacking a UMD drive.

I'm keeping my current PSP 2000, as it's a special Final Fantasy 7 edition one. I'm almost regretting trading in my 1000 for it, aside from the fact that it's much lighter. Actually, I think I might have some trouble tracking down a 'nib' spare as I can't recall seeing one on the shelf in any of the usual places, for some months.

--Rod.H

[s3yang]

When did they decide to start naming game consoles after Nanoha characters?

Or maybe some guy at Sony likes cars as much as the guy that came up with the Nanoha names.

[ECSNorway]

When did they decide to start naming game consoles after Nanoha characters?

Or maybe some guy at Sony likes cars as much as the guy that came up with the Nanoha names.

If Subaru made cars as cute as a certain bluenette, they'd get more of my business.
--
Sucrose Octanitrate.
Proof positive that with sufficient motivation, you can make anything explode.

[Star Ranger4]

so, an you gotta da Vita, yet?
Hear that thunder rolling till it seems to split the sky?
That's every ship in Grayson's Navy taking up the cry-
NO QUARTER!!!
-- "No Quarter", by Echo's Children

[Logan Darklighter]

so, an you gotta da Vita, yet?

Darn you to heck! I saw the thread title and was going to pop in and use the SAME joke!

[robkelk]

Hmm, you mean you've missed those jokes ...

That doesn't really matter. This is the Drunkard's Walk Forum – silly tangents are mandatory!
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

[Bluemage]

Lumines, Valkyrie Profile, and Star Ocean were good.  Dunno about the rest, though.  I spent most of my time on Dissidia and Disgaea- both of which are on the Store for the Vita.
I would know.  I already got mine, and I like it.  Wipeout (my only game for it right now) is quite good.  There are a couple things to consider before you buy one, I think.
-It's big.  Like, DSi XL-sized big.  Can be difficult to hold, too.
-It's a new Sony product.  Make sure you can exchange it, if something goes wrong.  I'm on my second one.
-Buy the biggest memory card you can get.  Seriously.  Games are slightly cheaper when you download them, and you don't have to fiddle with cartridges.

---

My Unitarian Jihad Name is: Brother Atom Bomb of Courteous Debate. Get yours.

I've been writing a bit.

[Rod.H]

Well the biggest PS Vita memcard Australia can officially get is 16GB. Also I'm not fussed about size 'cos I use my PSP-2000 in a grip frame for other wise I get some annoying finger aches.

[classicdrogn]

Since you do play Triangle Frontier, any idea how to get Ranka's good date locations to come up in the rassin' frassin' academy mode? In sixteen attempts, I haven't been able to complete her route. On the plus side, the only benefit to doing so is the Nyan-Nyan shop becomes free once you get all missions to S-rank, and with all the Nyan-Nyan points from the multitude of playthroughs I already bought everything I hadn't unlocked normally with the missions...

- CD, whose skills are not up to getting all-S anyway
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows

[Rod.H]

Ya, I've got it but I've yet to mess with academy mode - way too much Japanese text for me to currently handle - I've been playing the deathmatch off and on. I'm probably waiting for a translation walkthrough. That's how I got through Sakura taisen 1 - old school fanlation mode, I'd either my laptop, iPad or desktop's browser open to a translation and played on my PSP the current section, paused and changed the page. It didn't work too well for ST2 has the translation was/is incomplete.

[classicdrogn]

You don't actually need to read the japanese text for the most part - the translation guide up on Gamefaqs is enough to get by, I find. I've got an even shorter "events that make a difference" timeline that I step through it with - it's barely a page long, so I'll paste it in here. Of course, you still have to do the dating thing to raise your love-meters enough (four big hearts for the best bonus) to earn lots of red, green, and blue points and buy your stats up, and you have to play the academy through half a dozen or so times before you stop getting bad grades on things, but people have gotten close to max characters without cheating. I, having already hacked my PSP, and put about a hundred hours into Ace Frontier to raise not just my pilot's stats but also my wingman's too all-99's, hav eno compunctions aginst turning on the ol' cheat machine and making it so in MTF, since apparently people stop learning anything after they leave high school. Grumblemutter curse... they should have just made it so you buy the skills with dating sim points, and let the pilots' ability scores increase by experience like the first two games.

Anyway, to explain my notation: An underscore means it doesn't matte what choice you make in that space, a capital O is when you make the choice, and the small latters stand for the choices made. Simple, yes? I note that you have to play through the Academy three times before Omake Mode is available. Of course, you have to play throught he academy eighteen times plus whatever it takes to get Ranka in order to get all the story segments (Klan and the rocker-dude have different endings based on your pilot's gender, so twice each for them - also, Klan likes people from the third homeworld option (planet Zola from Dynamite 7) more, it seems she's got a kink for marsupials.)

The date locations changing isn't on here - that happens on month 12, 3, 6, and 9, and the music changes also.

_ _ _ 2057-09-w1 Start date

_ _ _ 2057-11-w1 EX Gear course (rings in grey tunnels)

O _ _ 2058-01-w2 Omake mode option: 1 yes, 2 no

_ _ _ 2058-02-w1 EX Gear course (rings in green tunnels)

_ _ _ 2058-04-w1 EX Gear course (rings in canyon)

_ _ _ 2058-06-w1 EX Gear course (targets in room & mini-VF-1s)

n O _ 2058-09-w2 Blond dude: Will you be a pilot? y yes, n no

Choosing “No” means you'll be in the shelters during Vajra missions,

_ _ _ 2058-11-w1 EX Gear course (melee dummies in grey tunnel)

_ _ _ 2059-02-w1 EX Gear course (boxes in grey tunnels)

n y O 2059-02-w4 blond dude: Join who? n N.U.N.S., s S.M.S

_ y _ 2059-04-w1 EX Gear course (rings & platforms in space)

n y s 2059-04-w3 VF training vs Q.Rea Klan-Klang & two Ace Q.Rea wingmen

n y n 2059-04-w3 VF training vs VF-171 ace

n y s 2059-05-w1 Medical checkup, heal some HP & MP

n y _ 2059-05-w1 VF vs Vajra Sm, Lg & Sm Ship

n y s 2059-05-w3 Lose some HP & MP

y n / 2059-05-w3 What do you want healed? HP top, MP bottom

_ y _ 2059-06-w1 EX Gear final (rings/targets/box in field w/ hangars)

y / O 2059-06-w2 Blonde chick asks who to join: s SMS, n NUNS, c civilian

n y _ 2059-07-w1 VF vs Vajra cocoons & Lg ace in grey tunnels

_ n _ 2059-07-w4 What do you want to lose? HP top, MP bottom

n y _ 2059-08-w1 VF mission

..... NUNS vs Vajra 2 Sm ships, Lg

..... SMS vs Vajra ship, Lg Ace, Carrier

n y s 2059-08-w2 VF mission escorting VB-6 w/Ranka vs Lg & Sm Vajra

n _ _ 2059-08-w3 Curfew! No more dating for you!

y / _ 2059-08-w3 (fake choice, yes or ok) YF-25 vs Alto YF-25 in canyon

n y _ 2059-08-w3 VF mission escorting Battle Frontier vs Lg Vajra Ace

y / _ 2059-08-w4 YF-25 w/Alto YF-25 vs. Micheal & Luca YF-25 over islands

n y _ 2059-08-w4 VF mission vs Vajra larva swarms, Lg, & Lg Ace

n y _ 2059-09-w1 VF mission 2-part:

..... NUNS

.......... 1 vs Vajra Sm, Lg, & Sm Ship

.......... 2 vs Ghost V-9s, VF-27s, & Battle Galaxy

..... SMS

.......... 1 vs giant holo-Ranka

.......... 2 vs Ghost V-9s, VF-27s, & Battle Galaxy

Ending the various routes with 500+ ability points will give a restricted skill:

..... Omake: Sense of Rhythm (Auto) 1.2x Song power

..... NUNS: Max World (command): Timestop

..... SMS: Pine Cake (auto): return to 100% HP at first death

..... Civilian: Supporting Fire: a (kind of weak) Macross Cannon fires from behind you

About Supporting Fire, the only real use for it is if you're stuck in an unarmed craft like the SNN Civilian Valkyrie from Macross II, it's big and impressive looking but the VF-25G's sniper laser is about as powerful. The damage may increase with more hearts between you and your Operator, though, I was testing it with a new pilot. The most useful command skill is unquestionably the little blue-green splashy squirt, found normally on Sivil but buyable in the Academy mode, which turns you completely invulnerable for ten or fifteen seconds. With the SP star auto-skill that makes all SP abilities cost one bar less on the pilot and max Arousal (the last Ability number) you actually gain SP enough faster than keeping this skill constantly active uses it to spam special attacks as well. I'd expect trying that tactic in multiplayer mode to result in frustrated cries to stp being so cheap, however, since it's even more cheesy than Max WOrld which at least costs enough SP you're not likely to use it often. Best auto skill is likewise the SP star, with the bleeding yellow star and yellow/black striped demolition trigger box tied after that, giving x1.5 and x2 damage versus enemy aces and ships/bases respectively after that, and a toss up between the targeting retucule (ignore enemy forcefields, IE kill bosses quick) or the VF-1J head with a gleam (double lock-on range and missile target lock speed, IE kill minions faster) for fourth place. If you don't fly with a wingman, like in deathmatch mode (and possibly for use by wingmen, though the two translations I've seen disagree on that - thouh my wingman has been unusually non-dying and has that skill) the four-pointed blue star with a fighter form in it is better than Ace KIller, because it gives you x1.5 damage versus all enemies and boosts your Defense as much to boot.

- CD
--
"Anko, what you do in your free time is your own choice. Use it wisely. And if you do not use it wisely, make sure you thoroughly enjoy whatever unwise thing you are doing." - HymnOfRagnorok as Orochimaru at SpaceBattles
woot Med. Eng., verb, 1st & 3rd pers. prsnt. sg. know, knows