2019-11-02 05:12:17

Hi all,

So, in the interest of not cluttering up a thread in New Releases with game questions, spoilers and the like, and letting Aaron hopefully comb through bugs and issues more easily, I thought I'd post this thread here.

You aren't going to be punished if you post somewhere else about the game, but I ask that you please try and discuss the game here, rather than in the New Releases thread. The last Manamon thread got to 150-something pages, and that's just excessive. I say that, after being a large part of why it occurred. So let's start by doing better this time.

Okay, with that said, my initial impressions so far.

Sound design is good, and I like the music. I wish it could be a little quieter, but it doesn't get in my way. I'm a fan of Manamon 1's fight music thus far over Manamon 2, but the latter isn't bad by any means. Creature sounds are pretty good.
As for creature designs? I...am a bit mixed on this. Dageetle, for instance, just sounds awkward, as does Flarebra. I'm only in the power plant thus far, though, so I may find manamon names I really enjoy later on.
As for design choices overall? We have a physical sound move, in Decibel Tackle; thank goodness! We also have some neat abilities; I like the stone type Turrubble's ability where if you hit it super-effectively, it will always calculate using its defense stat. That's actually a really neat trick. I also enjoy the sprinkling of Tangeria manamon into the game, especially Zapistan at a very low level in the aforementioned power plant. I'm hoping we see plenty more ghosts and some good shadow and ice types.

Now, for my issues. None are huge yet, but I've got a couple.
First, the script. I'm already liking the potentially increased depth here, but this script really, really could have used an editor. The lack of commas is the same problem I've been reporting since 2014 with Paladin of the Sky, and this would be easy to fix. It disappoints me that such a simple thing was either not caught or not cared about.
Second, this game seems considerably harder than the first, in the sense that stronger manamon are available earlier on. There's a trainer who uses a mreaking medical miracle on a route just after the first stadium, for instance; admittedly, he gives a lot of gold, but that's definitely a step up. Now, I don't really mind extra difficulty in and of itself, but I hope this doesn't lead to power creep.
third, and I remain open on this one...it looks like teachable moves are not a thing, or at least not yet. So it looks like every member of species x will essentially have the same moves available. This is definitely a disappointment, but if I'm wrong about this, I'll go ahead and eat crow. Let's just say I'm hoping for better than last game, and am also hoping that the mentioned improvements to old manamon actually make sense. Giving Snowmonno 5 extra defense won't make a difference, for instance, so if that's what Aaron considers an improvement...I mean yeah, okay, but it's not a selling point.

As stated, these are early impressions, and are mutable. I'm generally liking the game thus far, and am really going to let it come down to the wire as to whether or not I buy it. I likely will, but am not sure.

One question, while I'm here.

Does anyone know how the heck to set the switches on the second floor of the power plant? I seem to have gotten into a situation where no switch makes a sound, but the force field is still there, so I...kinda don't know what I'm supposed to do here.
I think a little hint in game somewhere (even just a sign you can read, in the guise of a worker safety bulletin or something, would be helpful.

Anyway, enough out of me for now.

Check out my Manamon text walkthrough at the following link:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/z8ls3rc3f4mkb … n.txt?dl=1

2019-11-02 05:32:29

Honestly, I think that I'll probably just end up sticking to the first manamon game. I bought it at the time because it was fun; it's frustrating that the developer seemingly ignores any feedback given to him after the beta period, especially when the beta has not even been advertised.
It I'll give it some time though, and try out the demo. I do enjoy the first game, despite it's faults.

Prier practice and preparation prevents piss poor performance!

2019-11-02 05:35:05

It was a private beta. So that's no surprise. Not every developer offers a public beta period. me included.

Much less active on this forum than in the past.

Check out my live streams: http://lerven.me
follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/liamerven

2019-11-02 06:05:02

You'll know you have the switch set correctly when the sound slows down, there will also be a slight accompanying buzz to go along with it.

Take care, it's a desert out there.

2019-11-02 07:12:42

My own impression from the demo, it's about what I expected for a second Manamon game. My only real gripe is the fact that the game still has these random places where a map is just seemingly stretched for absolutely no reason, or the branching paths that lead nowhere at first glance. But that might just be a me thing. Like I understand it may be something to try and indicate that yes, this place is huge. But, I can't speed up my movement, there's no bicycle or running shoes. So at that point, to me it kinda feels like just deliberately making the player take longer to get somewhere.

"You know nothing of death... allow me to teach you!" Dreadlich Tamsin
Download the latest version of my Bokura no Daibouken 3 guide here.

2019-11-02 07:36:45

I personally don't mind bigger maps just for the sake of it. Exploration is part of the game.

Further impressions.

And if it's not obvious, please consider this thread full of spoilers.

I've now gotten to Shadow Canyon. Favourite manamon so far, at least as far as its cry: Skelitten. I wanna get one and name it Church. Bonus points if you get the reference. On the other hand, Torchin is a really neat idea, makes me think of the Chandelure line from generation V of pokemon, but its cry is...just off to me. I like the whole idea of hyper forms, and at least this sorta retcons what was going on with Irroadium in the previous game. Alternate forms are neat, too. Ghost Lonar? Very neat concept.
I'm also appreciating that Eshkin seems to be a somewhat more complex villain. Those grammar/comma issues are really starting to bug though; every time I see one it kinda jolts me out of the story a little bit.
I am also simultaneously frustrated and excited by all the water, logs and rocks that are in the way blocking stuff. Ditto locked chests. I hope there is a way to come back and unlock them all.
I still only have six of eight coins, I feel like I must be missing one somewhere as I've only got two from the power plant. I expect the eighth is up that damn tree? It seems like this game is going to make you backtrack a little bit.
There is no indication, in the water-type city, the peninsula area, that it's cold there. Yet there's a huge preserve of ice manamon nearby? Don't get me wrong, I love that there are ice types nearby, but would this really work in an area experiencing drought? And if so, how? Maybe this is answered later, but I've yet to find it.
I also got some sort of crypt key from that preserve, so I'm definitely curious what that leads to.
The new types of mananets are neat, and the new types of evolution items means this will definitely be a game to sink my teeth into.
I thought the puzzle in the second gym was nifty without being infuriating. Thanks for throwing the plant starter a bone with a water stadium to chew on. Also, that vapour garment is bloody interesting.

Okay, again, that's enough out of me.

Check out my Manamon text walkthrough at the following link:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/z8ls3rc3f4mkb … n.txt?dl=1

2019-11-02 07:56:56

There is a third coin in the powerplant. You won't be able to get the last one until you get the rope.

Take care, it's a desert out there.

2019-11-02 08:28:46

@1: I don't know why you even bother with keeping it contained, the topic about manamon2 in the new releases roon has already grown to the size of four pages since yesterday, so, again, why even bother?
Anyway, I think the proper place for such discussions is clearly the game's thread in the new releases room, so I suggest closing this topic or something and just move the posts in that thread. What do you think?

2019-11-02 08:31:44

@jayde Ehh, different strokes for different folks I suppose. I don't mind exploring if I know where I'm going is actually gonna lead somewhere... but something like a dead end path that just goes on for ages only to go absolutely nowhere, or a path between two parts of a map that's just... straight, with nothing whatsoever in between the two actual map portions just strikes me as unnecessary though. But again, that's probably just me. big_smile

"You know nothing of death... allow me to teach you!" Dreadlich Tamsin
Download the latest version of my Bokura no Daibouken 3 guide here.

2019-11-02 08:42:15

please label the spoilers more clearly.

I found one thing that could be troublesome. You can pick up a tadder at level 3, but it has no attack, so leveling it up iskind of impossible. Unless you do what I did. Spoiler right here, so if you haven't made it to the art city don't read.

Use a weaker manamon while you are fighting with the art lover against the thieves. Let it die, then bring out tadder and let the partner manamon kill one of the foes. Your tadder will get xp and level up to level 4 where bubble is aquired.

2019-11-02 08:50:58

Okay.

slight
spoilers

Would love a tip on how the heck you're supposed to kill this ghost dude in the castle in Shadow Canyon. It says stuff about how he's fazing to a certain type, so I figure okay great, hit him with something that type is weak to or at least neutral to. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't. Once I made a mistake when he fazed to shadow, and used a shadow move on him, and it did neutral damage, yet in another instance, I tried using an earth move when he was fazed to something where earth would do neutral damage and it didn't work. Either this is buggy or else it's a whole lot more complicated. Also, his Eclipse Rocket or whatever is doing some pretty big damage for this part of the game.

spoiler
end

As regards exploration, the nature of a lot of games (read: not just audio games) is that sometimes you're gonna find dead ends. It happens in pokemon, it happens in Metroidvania-style games, it happens everywhere. Look at it as eree experience, unless you run away from everything. Now, what I personally dislike are rooms that are pointlessly big just for the sake of it. paladin of the sky had this problem.

Check out my Manamon text walkthrough at the following link:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/z8ls3rc3f4mkb … n.txt?dl=1

2019-11-02 09:25:09

Spoiler

If I remember that fight correctly, you have to hit him with the same type as what he's phased to. Just keep widdling away at him.

Take care, it's a desert out there.

2019-11-02 11:29:40

Hi.


It's like pokimon so isn't for me.

I'm gone for real :)

2019-11-02 11:31:29

slight
spoiler

Yup, that was what I had to do.

Interestingly, I am at a part in the game where I feel I may have screwed myself over. Facing the big giant spider boss thing, and it's a really neat idea, but uh...what do you do against the insta-kill webs? I have no revives left. I can't just bring stuff back. It seems like he's always got a web going even if he's confused or paralyzed, so my heavy hitters (Lamplare, Shadina, and the grass starter) get decent hits off and then just die, and I'm screwed.

That being said, I'm not crying foul, I'm just confused.

Oh also? I found an optional area, but apparently it's locked behind the full version. Now at least I know of one more place to use my crowbar.

I feel like I'm approaching the end of the demo now, and I'm a bit more impressed than before. Types have better representation (there are a ton of insects now, which is cool) and some strong moves of certain types exist where they didn't before. I also think I may have found a Rhinodyo baby form. Some of the designs interest and impress me more than others. A few feel flat to me, some feel downright interesting, so that's a win, because that's about what one should expect from a title like this.

Check out my Manamon text walkthrough at the following link:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/z8ls3rc3f4mkb … n.txt?dl=1

2019-11-02 11:36:07

I think that all games like this should give a hint as to what you have to do in various locations, or even just navigational aids.

Though our eyes may fail, our ears prevail!
User Karma, every little helps

2019-11-02 14:56:13

All right, another question.

Slight
spoilers

I got past the spider boss, mostly just had to outmuscle it. Now I'm in Mechano City, just fought a three-on-one battle and was told to copter back to Brightenburg. I did so. The silly Eshkonite grunts are still blocking the east section. How do I make them move? If I have to play this music minigame, that's...really going to annoy me. I've tried it twice and I suck at it, because it's very, very exact. I didn't sign up to play rhythm mini-games, I signed up to play manamon.
Incidentally, having said music hall person say "almost completely optional" is really silly. If something is optional, then you don't have to do it. If you have to do it, then it's not optional. There is no such thing as almost completely optional.

end
spoilers

I'm really liking the environmental stuff to play with, and think this is a good step up from Manamon.

Oh, sorry. One more question.

slight
spoilers

I went into a house in the south part of Brightenburg, found a dude who talked about a stash near a tree with a mark at eye level. I found the tree, but nothing happened. What am I missing?

Check out my Manamon text walkthrough at the following link:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/z8ls3rc3f4mkb … n.txt?dl=1

2019-11-02 15:41:25

lol
slight
spoilers
there is a house at the north side of Brytanburg North, if you collect all the hidden gold in second flore, at the right side small rooms, you get a fight

2019-11-02 15:45:27

Yup, I found that one already, don't worry.

Check out my Manamon text walkthrough at the following link:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/z8ls3rc3f4mkb … n.txt?dl=1

2019-11-02 16:18:29 (edited by boy 2019-11-02 16:21:07)

What kind of stats is the plant type starter supposed to have? In Manamon 1, Leefox seemed to have balanced stats, but someone on this topic said that plant type starter hits hard. Does that mean that I should save and keep picking until I get one with high physical attack or special attack? Rite now I just finished the fight with the hyper Mondevol, that was hard. I confused it with Owlaw's Magic Lights attack, used a Power Potion on the standered-shadow type, Pixer, and pounded on it with Pixer, Owlaw and the water type starter who's name I can't remember right now. Anyway, back to the game after I finish work and step aerobics.

Barren Byron used Nature Overdrive!

2019-11-02 16:54:05

Has anyone else thought of making a sort of hidden item list? Best results would be if everybody contributed, but here's what I've found and actually remember off the top of my head.
Obviously, spoilers
In your house, inside mom's room in a little dead end passage past the item is a rare jewel
In Konduan City, look east of the museum... in that little gap between the museum and that east wall is a sweet tonic, run north through it mashing enter.
On the art museum's second floor, mash enter... a lot. There's a small pile of gold somewhere just in the middle of the floor, and something else in that little area to the west. Note that this one may be a little off.
I'm taking my time getting through the demo, so unfortunately I haven't quite moved on from here yet. I will today though.

"You know nothing of death... allow me to teach you!" Dreadlich Tamsin
Download the latest version of my Bokura no Daibouken 3 guide here.

2019-11-02 17:05:53

So not sure if I just annihilated too many ferals while exploring and searching for new stuff to catch, or maybe my team is still a bit small, but, it feels like the level curve of the game is a little slower than Manamon 1's was. Right now I have

Spoilers

Ribignis, Normammal and Colovaird, all at level 23. I'm by the second stadium and still fighting a lot of level 17s in tamer fights. Hoping I get the copter soon, so I can fly back to the stat checker and look at a bunch of intriguing new things I've caught and add 1 or 2 to my team. I just don't want to add something if it's got like 3 terribly underdeveloped stats. I definitely need more types though. That Stone/Ghost with Entrap, in particular, is very bad news for this team.

I'm with Jaide on the improved diversity of types, including insect. Some of the names feel like they could be a little better, but naming things isn't my forte either and it doesn't impact my enjoyment, so I'm not at all throwing stones here. The new net types are cool, hope we can buy them at some point!

2019-11-02 17:10:14

I'm just happy that all the manamon from the last game have abilities and updated stats. Using one of my favorites, bombasect, doesn't feel like I"m shooting myself in the foot. It seems to have a much better hp progression, and parasitic is nice if we get more undead and bug drains to boost.

  Also, all the boss fights in the game don't make one feel under prepared when not expecting some kaiju running at you late game. One should be expecting hard fights from the get go.


  Quick question though. Remind me, but doesn't one get a Dusocket or however that spelled using a soulless heartstone or whatever it's called? because if that's the case, uh, one can get one of those before the Hyper Mondeval fight.


  I sort of overheard there was another treasure chest key in Struggle Cave. I don't quite see one, unless it's a hidden item. Kind of want to pry into that chest in the Power Plant, or the one in the cave itself to see which is better. Can one give a hint which floor it is on?

The answer to your question is forum.audiogames.net/search

2019-11-02 17:18:40

i happenned to find it, but forgot its location

2019-11-02 17:27:57 (edited by Vazbol 2019-11-02 17:52:42)

Oh, so it is gettable early on without strength. Whelp, tiem to stock up on encounter downs then and run back. Kind of actually want to check up on some gronks I caught anyway and might as well run all the way back.

  Granted, I also might be tempted to roam about that Soulfear caves again to see if I can find that darn Lindworm for the sidequest.

The answer to your question is forum.audiogames.net/search

2019-11-02 18:28:45

Have there been any clear winners that have emerged yet? I realize a lot of this is dictated by what you have to fight. Even so, in the first game at least, there were manamon of any given type that were clearly preferable to any of the others with that same type. Is it like that here as well?