RPGWatch Feature - Fell Seal: Arbiter's Mark Indie Showcase Interview

I am a fan of FFT and this game is its real successor, however, from the tactical point of view, this game must have Line of Sight, because without it, it acts unrealistic for tactical game, and the rotating camera is also something that could be implemented but not as urgent as the Line of Sight.

Originally Posted by screeg
Two people did this in 2.5 years full-time. That is staggering.

No way, they certainly had hire, without mentioning testing support free or not.

Originally Posted by Ryzwitcher
I am a fan of FFT and this game is its real successor, however, from the tactical point of view, this game must have Line of Sight, because without it, it acts unrealistic for tactical game, and the rotating camera is also something that could be implemented but not as urgent as the Line of Sight.

I'm not sure I remind well, but if I do the no LOS choice was to avoid troubles coming from fixed camera and relatively complex terrains with many reliefs.

And I don't think the game is 3D, again if I remind the reason it was a balance between cost and appeal aspect, release a game as ugly than is FFT isn't possible anymore, and release a game as new XCOM is generating skyrocket budget costs.

The other missing element is that height has no influence, in fact a bit anyway because I think it's easier to jump down than jump up. But the answer if I remind well was it was too difficult to tune and balance for the game-play.

That say I agree that lack of FOS, and of FOW and obstacles as a consequence, is in de-favor of the game when compared to FFT. But FSAM hae many positive when compared to FFT. At end, it's still one of the rare major release of Tactical games of the last twenty years.

Originally Posted by purpleblob
The devs keep referring to Final Fantasy Tactics but I've never played it, so it doesn't really provide me with much information.

Any Watchers playing this? Please share the impression

Eventually it's a bit unique in Tactical Games, it's jobs systems and some Final Fantasy used jobs systems too, perhaps you played one.

In Tactical games, party building is a problem, the more builds are possible, the more it's difficult to tune difficulty for combats and it's major for Tactical games. And then came Tactics Ogre and later Final Fantasy Tactics.

So first point, it's a tactical game with a lot of building possibilities which is quite rare for tactical games.

The job system is that any character can learn all the classes, and a character can select a main class and some key abilities picked from all classes known by a character. In FSAM it's two passive and one counter. Plus everything bring by main class selected. Such system is prone to grinding, which is tedious for most western players and it's a major problem for FFT and Tactics Ogre. FSAM achieve what I thought impossible, make a FFT like game with no grinding required at a difficulty challenging enough.

Another aspect is 3D terrains, so many tactical games just give up on heights and just use flat terrains, in FFT, more than in Ogre Tactics, the terrains have a lot of relief and add a lot of complexity to the gameplay. FSAM is almost on par with this approach, except that LOS is ignored and then obstacles and fog of war too. But the terrains are still a lot more complex than usual tactical games with flat terrains or even with more simple relief.

And the last aspect is there's a lot of work on tactical value, from depth to diversity.

But don't except anything else like for story aspects, and frankly neither in FFT which has an overhyped writing, a lot too constantly serious, and abusing of killing characters up to make it too much a routine you don't bother on finally.

I don't revive many threads around here, just not something I'm a huge fan of, yet in this case I will because this game is that worthy. I've been playing this game for a couple of weeks now, my squad is around level thirty, I don't know how much more of the game is left but I've enjoyed it immensely. If games like Tactics Ogre or Final Fantasy: Tactics are to your liking, you will love this. I've been posting some thoughts and experiences as I've journeyed through this game and I'll have more to say once I have finished it.