Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past: Difference between revisions

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{{Translation|'''Dragon Quest VII'''|ドラゴンクエストVII エデンの戦士たち|Doragon Kuesuto Sebun Eden no Senshi-tachi|literally meaning; Dragon Quest VII: Warriors of Eden}} is the seventh installment of the popular ''[[Dragon Quest (series)|Dragon Quest]]'' series of role playing games and the first in the series to not be a part of a larger trilogy.
{{Translation|'''Dragon Quest VII'''|ドラゴンクエストVII エデンの戦士たち|Doragon Kuesuto Sebun Eden no Senshi-tachi|literally meaning; Dragon Quest VII: Warriors of Eden}} is the seventh installment of the popular ''[[Dragon Quest (series)|Dragon Quest]]'' series of role playing games and the first in the series to not be a part of a larger trilogy.
It was the first main series ''Dragon Quest'' title to be released outside of Japan since the release of ''[[Dragon Quest IV]]'' in North America in [[wikipedia:1992 in video gaming|1992]], and the last ''DQ'' title to be released in North America with the ''Dragon Warrior'' name.
It was the first main series ''Dragon Quest'' title to be released outside of Japan since the release of ''[[Dragon Quest IV|Dragon Warrior IV]]'' in North America in [[wikipedia:1992 in video gaming|1992]], and the last ''DQ'' title to be released in North America with the ''Dragon Warrior'' name.


The game follows the Hero and his friends as they discover secrets about the mysterious islands surrounding their isolated home of [[Estard]], the only land mass in the entire world. Through some ancient ruins, they are transported to the pasts of various islands that used to exist and must defeat evil in each new location.
The game follows the Hero and his friends as they discover secrets about the mysterious islands surrounding their isolated home of [[Estard]], the only land mass in the entire world. Through some ancient ruins, they are transported to the pasts of various islands that used to exist and must defeat evil in each new location.


==Gameplay==
''VII'' is best known for its immense playtime. Without completing the game's side quests, a single game of ''Dragon Quest VII'' can take a hundred hours or more. In terms of gameplay, not much has changed from previous installments; battles are still fought in a [[wikipedia:Turn-based_strategy|turn-based]] mode from a [[wikipedia:First_person_(video_game)|first person]] perspective. In the original PSX version non-battle sequences are rendered in 3D, with battles themselves still portrayed two dimensionally. The ability to talk with the party characters in and outside of battles was added to this game, adding a great layer of depth to each party member and setting a standard that would be continued in future installments. Party members will offer advice about battle strategies and plot points, or simply comment on how they feel at a given moment when this feature is used. There are four ways and means of locomotion: feet, boat, magic carpet, and sky stone. Each of these can move across different terrain, and all four will be required to finish the main plot.


The main flow of the game is different than the other ''Dragon Quest'' games; instead of exploring one large world, the party goes to separate continents by placing stone shards into their appropriate pedestals in the Shrine of Mysteries. Once all of the missing shards are located and placed for a particular pedestal, the party is transported to the trapped location in the past. After solving whatever problems plague the location, the party then travels back to the present. From there, they can travel via boat, carpet, or sky stone to the modern version of the location they just saved. These saved lands appear on the main map, although the originals (from the past) can only be revisited through the ruins.  
==Setting==
''VII'' is best known for its immense playtime. Without completing the game's side quests, a single game of ''Dragon Quest VII'' can take a hundred hours or more. The main flow of the game is different than the other ''Dragon Quest'' games; instead of exploring one large world, the party goes to separate continents by placing stone shards into their appropriate pedestals in the Shrine of Mysteries. Once all of the missing shards are located and placed for a particular pedestal, the party is transported to the trapped location centuries in the past. After solving whatever problems plague the region, the party then travels back to the present. From there, they can travel via boat, carpet, or sky stone to the modern version of the location they just saved. These saved lands appear on the main map, although the originals (from the past) can only be revisited through the ruins.  


Like most of the other ''Dragon Quest'' games, this game has several mini-games to participate in. The Haven, similar to the one in ''Dragon Quest IV'', lets the player recruit people from various towns. They then live in the town, which changes depending on the type of people living there (e.g. several merchants will bring more stores to the town). As usual, a prominent feature is the casino: poker, slot machines, and luck panel can all be played in ''VII''.
==Plot==
The Ranking Association allows the player to compete for the highest stats, like the Best Dressed Contest from ''[[Dragon Quest VI]]''. The player can also [[Monster recruitment|catch monsters]], although they are only displayed in the [[Monster Meadows]], unlike in ''[[Dragon Quest V]]'', where monsters fought alongside the party. Blueprints are found to add new environments to the park, allowing space for nearly every monster.
{{spoiler|start}}
''Dragon Quest VII'' tells the story of a young hero, the son of a prominent fisherman in the village of Pilchard Bay on Estard Island, the only land mass in the world, and his friends in a fantastical, medieval-like world. They set out on adventures through the world's past and learn about its history. Upon discovering different lands in the past and solving the troubles, they reappear in the game's present-day map.


===Monstrous Vocations===
The party begins their adventure when the hero and Kiefer discovers a mysterious stone fragment of a map his father brings home from a fishing trip. Further investigations lead him to discover that the world he lives on, which seems to consist of only his small island, used to contain many continents that have somehow been sealed away. By placing found shards on pedestals in Estard's ruins, the Hero and his friends are sent to different lands in the past which the party eventually realizes. Once they solve the problems in the area's past, the land masses appear in the present.
''Dragon Quest VII'' retains the vocation system introduced in ''VI'' for learning abilities. The game also includes '''thirty-four''' Monster Vocations, which can be unlocked by using the appropriate Monster Heart at [[Alltrades Abbey]], or by mastering prerequisite Monster forms. This allows a party member to transform into a monster during battle, gaining the resistances (and vulnerabilities) of that species.


===[[Monster Meadows]]===
After the world is restored, Orgodemir, the Demonlord, disguises himself as God and seals several of the islands away once again; this time Estard is sealed as well. The party sets out to revive the elemental spirits: Wind; Fire; Earth; and Water. Orgodemir is then revealed as the Demon Lord to the world whereupon he claims to have done so to trick humanity. Orgodemir then raises his Dark Palace and with the aid of the Flying Rock, the party confronts him in a final battle.
The ability to [[Monster recruitment|catch monsters]] functions similarly to the Super Famicom version of ''VI'', although they no longer participate in battle. Instead, tamed monsters are sent off to a nature preserve called [[Monster Meadows]]: here the monsters can be seen in their natural environment and be interacted with in the same manner as human NPCs. Blueprints are found to add new environments to the park, allowing space for nearly every monster.
{{spoiler|end}}


===[[The Haven|Immigrant Town]]===
'''''For a full synopsis on events that happen in Dragon Quest VII, click on the Dragon Quest VII navigational tool.'''''
The Immigrant Town in the original PSX, similar to the one in remakes of ''Dragon Quest IV'', lets the player recruit NPCs from various towns. They then live in the town, which changes depending on the type of people living there (e.g. a high concentration of merchants will begin to turn the town into a mini-Mecca). The town will change suddenly once its population reaches a benchmark, with each stage having its own treasures to find. If the player is dissatisfied with how the town developed or missed some items, they can revert to a previous stage by kicking out enough citizens.
 
In the 3DS remake, the town is renamed to The Haven, where monsters who have managed to become human can be sent after encountering the player.


===Attribute Contests===
The Ranking Association allows the player to compete for the highest stats, like the Best Dressed Contest from ''VI''. The player can have their strength, wisdom, and style evaluated by a serious of judges, receiving excellent prizes if the competing character wins.


==Characters==
==Characters==
*[[Hero (Dragon Quest VII)|Hero]] — The Hero has no default name; as is traditional in the ''Dragon Quest'' series, the name is supplied by the player (however, he is called Arus in the official manga). The Hero is a lifelong native of the town of [[Pilchard Bay]] on Estard Island. He is good friends with Maribel, daughter of the mayor, and Kiefer, prince of Estard Castle. In particular, he has a fondness for going out on impromptu "adventures" with Kiefer. It is one such adventure than begins the story of the game. In terms of gameplay, the Hero is a well-rounded character who will do well in any vocation.  
{{main|List of characters in Dragon Quest VII}}
*[[Hero (Dragon Quest VII)|Hero]] — The Hero's official default name is "Auster"; as is traditional in the ''Dragon Quest'' series, the name is supplied by the player (however, he is called Arus in the official manga). The Hero is a lifelong native of the town of [[Pilchard Bay]] on Estard Island. He is good friends with Maribel, daughter of the mayor, and Kiefer, prince of Estard Castle. In particular, he has a fondness for going out on impromptu "adventures" with Kiefer. It is one such adventure that begins the story of the game. In terms of gameplay, the Hero is a well-rounded character who will do well in any vocation.  


*[[Kiefer]] — Kiefer is a prince of [[Estard|Estard Island]], and the presumptive heir to the throne. Far from anticipating his elevation to kingship, however, Kiefer seems to resent his royal blood, and is a source of endless worry and frustration to his family and advisers. Kiefer, for his part, spends much of his time in search of excitement and adventure, and has found a kindred spirit in the Hero, whom he considers his closest friend. Kiefer is incredibly strong, with a high physical attack statistic and naturally high hit points. He is the most powerful character available early on in the game. On one trip to an ancient land, Kiefer falls in love, and remains behind. Upon returning to the present, the hero finds out that Kiefer has become a famous guardian of the [[Roamers]], and is the biological ancestor of almost an entire culture/continent. Kiefer is also the main character of the game ''[[Dragon Quest Monsters: Caravan Heart]]'' as a young boy.
*[[Kiefer]] — Kiefer is a prince of [[Estard|Estard Island]], and the presumptive heir to the throne. Far from anticipating his elevation to kingship, however, Kiefer seems to resent his royal blood, and is a source of endless worry and frustration to his family and advisers. Kiefer, for his part, spends much of his time in search of excitement and adventure, and has found a kindred spirit in the Hero, whom he considers his closest friend. Kiefer is incredibly strong, with a high physical attack statistic and naturally high hit points. He is the most powerful character available early on in the game. On one trip to an ancient land, Kiefer falls in love, and remains behind. Upon returning to the present, the hero finds out that Kiefer has become a famous guardian of the [[Roamers]], and is the biological ancestor of almost an entire culture/continent. Kiefer is also the main character of the game ''[[Dragon Quest Monsters: Caravan Heart]]'' as a young boy.
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*[[Aishe]] — Aishe is the lead ritual dancer of the Roamer tribe, an ancient race of people charged with the stewardship of a temple necessary in the act of calling forth God. Raised and trained at swordsmanship as well as gypsy dancing, Aishe is a more than capable fighter and will do well in any physically-oriented vocation. Although capable of doing both significant physical and significant magical damage, Aishe stands in contrast to Mervyn, in that her magic skills tend to lag slightly behind her physical statistics.
*[[Aishe]] — Aishe is the lead ritual dancer of the Roamer tribe, an ancient race of people charged with the stewardship of a temple necessary in the act of calling forth God. Raised and trained at swordsmanship as well as gypsy dancing, Aishe is a more than capable fighter and will do well in any physically-oriented vocation. Although capable of doing both significant physical and significant magical damage, Aishe stands in contrast to Mervyn, in that her magic skills tend to lag slightly behind her physical statistics.


==Plot==
==New features==
{{spoiler|start}}
===Player conveniences===
''Dragon Quest VII'' tells the story of a young hero, the son of a prominent fisherman in the village of Pilchard Bay on Estard Island, the only land mass in the world, and his friends in a fantastical, medieval-like world. They set out on adventures through the world's past and learn about its history. Upon discovering different lands in the past and solving the troubles, they reappear in the game's present-day map.
*Total play time is now marked next to save files.
*The ability to change message display speed and audio settings has been moved from the start screen to the in-game menu.
*All items can now be bought in bulk, not just weapons and armor.
*Brief descriptions of items are displayed when the cursor hover over them in the menu.
*The [[Big Book of Beasts]] debuts, displaying monster actions, exp total, gold total, number defeated, and what item is dropped per species.
*If the player accidentally presses a button when there is nothing to interact with, no time-consuming message is displayed.
*When an item or gold is found, a small icon will appear over the protagonist's sprite along with the traditional jingle.
*The contents of bookshelves has been embellished, with hints for the area, anecdotal stories, and bad jokes found in several.
:*A mimic for books has been added as well.
*Characters will typically move and gesture while speaking, making it easier to tell whom is talking.
===Battle refinements===
*The maximum value for all stats has been set to 999.
*A.I. strategies can be assigned to specific characters now instead of group-wide orders.
*The menu for spells and skills have been split into three categories--''Offensive'', ''Defensive'', and ''Other''.
*Status buffs and debuffs for allies and enemies now expire after a number of turns, along with [[Paralysis]].
*[[Cursed]] equipment has been reinstated, requiring the use of a priest to remove.
*''VII'' includes '''thirty-four''' Monster Vocations compared to the previous game's two, which can be unlocked by using the appropriate Monster Heart at [[Alltrades Abbey (Dragon Quest VII)|Alltrades Abbey]] or by mastering prerequisite Monster forms. This allows a party member to transform into a monster during battle, gaining the resistances (and vulnerabilities) of that species.
:*In the 3DS remake these vocations are often the only way to permanently learn excellent abilities.
 
===[[The Haven]]===
Returning from ''III'', the boom town side quest has been reworked from a passive sequence to one the player controls directly. The Haven lets the player recruit people from various towns in the PSX version, which changes depending on the type of people living there (e.g. several merchants will bring more stores to the town). In the 3DS remake the system is dependent on [[Traveller's Tablet]]s after a brief tutorial, and the culture of the settlement is no longer variable. Additionally, all the inhabitants of the haven are reformed monsters instead of mundane folk, with the syntax of their past life carrying over into their current persona.


The party begins their adventure when the hero and Kiefer discovers a mysterious stone fragment of a map his father brings home from a fishing trip. Further investigations lead him to discover that the world he lives on, which seems to consist of only his small island, used to contain many continents that have somehow been sealed away. By placing found shards on pedestals in Estard's ruins, the Hero and his friends are sent to different lands in the past which the party eventually realizes. Once they solve the problems in the area's past, the land masses appear in the present.
===[[Party chat]]===
The ability to talk with the party members in and outside of battles was first added to the series in ''VII'', adding a great layer of depth to each party member and setting a standard that would be continued in future installments. Party members will offer advice about battle strategies, remind the player about important plot points, or simply comment on how they feel at a given moment when this feature is used. The use of this feature adds considerable personality to each character, so much so that party chat was frequently used as a marketing device for remakes of older titles in Japan.
:*Due to the tendency of party members reminding players what to do, the memory spells seen in ''VI'' and ''III'' have been removed.


After the world is restored, Orgodemir, the Demonlord, disguises himself as God and seals several of the islands away once again; this time Estard is sealed as well. The party sets out to revive the elemental spirits: Wind; Fire; Earth; and Water. Orgodemir is then revealed as the Demon Lord to the world whereupon he claims to have done so to trick humanity. Orgodemir then raises his Dark Palace and with the aid of the Flying Rock, the party confronts him in a final battle.
===[[Excellence Grading Organisation]]===
{{spoiler|end}}
The E.G.O. contests allow the player to compete for the highest stats, like the Best Dressed Contest from ''[[Dragon Quest VI]]''. Excellent equipment is awarded to anyone who can topple the reigning champions, two of whom are NPCs that can be found in the larger world.


'''''For a full synopsis on events that happen in Dragon Quest VII, click on the Dragon Quest VII navigational tool.'''''
===[[Monster Meadows]]===
The ability to [[Monster recruitment|catch monsters]] functions similarly to the Super Famicom version of ''VI'', although they no longer participate in battle. Instead, tamed monsters are sent off to a nature preserve called Monster Meadows: here the monsters can be seen in their natural environment and be interacted with in the same manner as human NPCs. Blueprints are found to add new environs to the park, allowing space for nearly every monster.


==Development==
==Development==
[[File:Tomes of Torment.jpg|border|left|thumb|250px|The ''infamous'' planning document for VII. Every line of dialogue, plot synopsis, character connections, item purposes, and battle details were written by hand over the course of development.]]
[[File:Tomes of Torment.jpg|border|left|thumb|250px|The ''infamous'' planning document for VII. Every line of dialogue, plot synopsis, character connections, item purposes, and battle details were written by hand over the course of development.]]
''Dragon Quest VII'' was designed by series creator [[Yuji Horii]] and directed by Manabu Yamana. Shintaro Majima signed on as art director, while series veterans [[Akira Toriyama]] and [[Kōichi Sugiyama]] designed the characters and composed the music respectively. Horii has stated in interviews since the game's release that the team focused more on the puzzle solving aspect and the individual stories of the antiquated towns than the game's overarching story. For inspiration, the team pulled from the Old Testament of the Bible, incorporating several judo-christian themes into the backstory and the scenarios of several plagued towns.  
''Dragon Quest VII'' was designed by series creator [[Yuji Horii]] and directed by Manabu Yamana. Shintaro Majima signed on as art director, while series veterans [[Akira Toriyama]] and [[Kōichi Sugiyama]] designed the characters and composed the music respectively. Horii has stated in interviews since the game's release that the team focused more on the puzzle solving aspect and the individual stories of the antiquated towns than the game's overarching story. For inspiration, the team pulled from the Old Testament of the Bible, incorporating several judeo-christian themes into the backstory and the scenarios of several plagued towns.  


The game was officially announced in 1996 and originally planned for the [[wikipedia:Nintendo_64DD|Nintendo 64DD]]. On January 15, 1997, it was announced that development had been moved to the PlayStation. By the next day, both stock in [[Wikipedia:Sony|Sony]] and Enix rose significantly in Japan. By 2000, ''Dragon Quest VII'' was predicted to be so successful in Japan that it would "create a 50 billion yen effect on the Japanese economy", said research firm DIHS. ''Dragon Quest VII'' would go on to be released on August 26, 2000 and sold 4.06 million games in Japan alone, becoming one of the highest selling games of all time and ''the'' highest selling title in the series until the release of ''IX'' in 2009.
The game was officially announced in 1996 and originally planned for the [[wikipedia:Nintendo_64DD|Nintendo 64DD]]. On January 15, 1997, it was announced that development had been moved to the PlayStation. By the next day, both stock in [[Wikipedia:Sony|Sony]] and Enix rose significantly in Japan. By 2000, ''Dragon Quest VII'' was predicted to be so successful in Japan that it would "create a 50 billion yen effect on the Japanese economy", said research firm DIHS. ''Dragon Quest VII'' would go on to be released on August 26, 2000 and sold 4.06 million games in Japan alone, becoming one of the highest selling games of all time and ''the'' highest selling title in the series until the release of ''IX'' in 2009.
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==3DS version==
==3DS version==
===Changes in the 3DS version===
===Changes in the 3DS version===
* A radar has been added to make finding the stone shards easier than ever. A new character stationed in the Divine Shrine has also been added that gives players hints to finding them as well.
*A radar has been added to make finding the stone shards easier than ever. A new character stationed in the Divine Shrine has also been added that gives players hints to finding them as well.
* Streetpass stones, a place in the immigrant town to go online to trade them with other players. Bringing streetpass stones to the immigrant town unlocks new dungeons, and special story scenes. You can also get Streetpass Stones by making a party of monsters from your monster park and sending them into a special randomly generated dungeon.
*Streetpass stones, a place in the immigrant town to go online to trade them with other players. Bringing streetpass stones to the immigrant town unlocks new dungeons, and special story scenes. You can also get Streetpass Stones by making a party of monsters from your monster park and sending them into a special randomly generated dungeon.
* Party member appearance change immediately after switching vocations.
*Party member appearance change immediately after switching vocations.
* Party member appearance also changes immediately for monster vocations, not just upon mastery like in the PS1 version.
*Party member appearance also changes immediately for monster vocations, not just upon mastery like in the PS1 version.
* Weapons and shields are displayed in battle.[[Image:Running_From_The_Fiends.png|right|border|350px]]
*Weapons and shields are displayed in battle, some of which are animated.[[Image:Running_From_The_Fiends.png|right|border|350px]]
* Vocation ranks go up faster.
*Vocation ranks require fewer battles to advance.
* Spells/skills for second and third tier vocations are only usable when in that class, giving the last part of the main game more balance.
*Spells/skills for second and third tier vocations are only usable when in that class, giving the last part of the main game more balance.
* Overall simplification and re-balancing of which vocations get which skills, including elimination of the hybrid skill system. These skills have not been removed, however.
*Overall simplification and re-balancing of which vocations get which skills, including elimination of the hybrid skill system. The skills in question have not been removed, however, and are now available through normal vocation advancement.


==Related media==
==Related media==
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Image:DQ VII PS1 Disc 1.jpg|Disc 1
Image:DQ VII PS1 Disc 1.jpg|Disc 1
Image:DQ VII PS1 Disc 2.jpg|Disc 2
Image:DQ VII PS1 Disc 2.jpg|Disc 2
Image:DQ VII PS1 Instruction Manuel (Front Side).jpg|Instruction manuel front cover
Image:DQ VII PS1 Instruction Manuel (Front Side).jpg|Instruction manual front cover
Image:DQ VII PS1 Instruction Manuel (Back Side).jpg|Instruction manuel back cover
Image:DQ VII PS1 Instruction Manuel (Back Side).jpg|Instruction manual back cover
Image:DW VII PS1 Case (Front Side).png|PlayStation (NA)
Image:DW VII PS1 Case (Front Side).png|PlayStation (NA)
Image:DW VII PS1 Case (Back Side).jpg|
Image:DW VII PS1 Case (Back Side).jpg|
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[[Category:Dragon Quest VII|*!]]
[[Category:Dragon Quest VII|*!]]
[[Category:PlayStation games]]
[[Category:PlayStation games]]
[[Category:3DS games]]
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