Looking at it now maybe I just need to see it on a bigger screen or something, but I just don't get why JRPG's don't seem like they have evolved in graphics and animation since the PS2 was released.

It doesn't make the game, but hell it doesn't hurt either.

IU looks good IMO(but still pales in comparison to White Knight Chronicles)

Yet i am not hyped enough about IU to be sure if i'll purchase it.
But if the story/characters,the voice acting{which seems a little odd in the trailers}and the overall atmosphere are turning out to be good{from MY point of view},it could easily become a musthave candidate for me.

IU looks interesting but I'm not getting it(atleast not right now anyway) as I am getting ToV instead

Yes it does seem familiar neh?

ah well i cant figure out how to align it properly but the link is here:

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a348/kwoksta/showimagephp.jpg

Infinite Undiscovery: Battle System Discovered

Uncover the details of tri-Ace's new combat system.

by Hilary Goldstein

US, August 25, 2008 - Square Enix is gaming's preeminent Japanese RPG developer/publisher. Steeped in decades of tradition, Square Enix has made a push in the past few years to modernize its combat systems, drastically altering its turn-based combat and in some instances embracing a real-time combat system. Infinite Undiscovery, from developer tri-Ace, brings us full real-time combat.

We spoke with Hiroshi Ogawa, Director at tri-Ace to get the low-down on how Infinite Undiscovery's combat works and to understand why the developer chose to create a system quite different from Star Ocean's.

IGN: Why did you choose to use real-time combat for Infinite Undiscovery instead of a more traditional system?

Hiroshi Ogawa: We wanted to take a different approach to creating a battle system within a real-time world. Creating a game that offers the adrenaline rush you get from encounters in a real-time world, whether from making discoveries in an environment where time is constantly flowing, or interacting with various enemies, was the basic concept behind development.

IGN: You can direct other team members to perform specific attacks. How does that work?

Ogawa: There is a system called Connect Action, which enables the player to receive assistance from different characters by "Connecting" with one of three party members. Generally, your comrades will operate according to their AI capabilities, continuously attacking in coordination with Capell's condition. However, when the player uses the (X) or (Y) button while Connected, they can activate the Battle Skill (or Connect Skill) that is preset to that command.

Furthermore, there are certain Connect Skills that are not used automatically by the AI such as Aya's "Ravaging Raptor," which can only be activated through the Connect commands.

IGN: How many different characters are there who can join your team?

Ogawa: There are 13 different characters who can join the main party, and another 5 "Secondary" characters who can join secondary teams, for a grand total of 18 unique party members.

IGN: How does Capell's flute work?

Ogawa: The flute does not inflict direct damage, but performs important supplementary functions. It comes in handy when you are in a situation in which you must aid your comrades in battle.

IGN: Is this something that's upgradeable?

Ogawa: You cannot upgrade it, but progressing in the story or acquiring new musical scores will enable you to learn more songs, increasing your flute skills. In the beginning, the one song you can play is only good for "making noise."

IGN: Can you give some examples of some of the songs you can play?

Ogawa: You can do things like discover treasure chests that are invisible due to special powers, create a barrier that blocks all magic attacks, or increase your party members' strength. There are other compositions that aren't very useful in battle, such as a song you play in town to earn some extra money.

IGN: Can you explain how the party system works?

Ogawa: The basic party is comprised of four members, including Capell, who leads the pack. The party members will act freely based on their action guidelines and personalities, but you are also able to select different methods of combat by regulating with the Connect System.

Also, in particular situations, it is possible to create multiple parties (three parties with up to 12 members). However, the main party remains the only party that can be directly controlled. The other two parties act automatically according to the objectives that have been set within a situation. If these parties come across each other during battle, there is also a possibility that they will aid each other.

IGN: Is there a limit to how many parties can be formed? And how often will you need to form parties in Infinite Undiscovery?

Ogawa: As mentioned above, there is a limit of three parties with up to 12 members. The system does not call for Capell to fight on his own, so players must form a party to advance in the game.

IGN: Why did you decide to create the party system? What do you feel it brings to Infinite Undiscovery that you couldn't have achieved with a traditional single-party system?

Ogawa: I suggested that I would like to see players enjoying "communication with comrades" in a real-time world. I wanted players to experience the adventure by interacting with characters that are not simply pawns (or units), but are actual comrades with their own personalities. To enhance the experience, we have prepared a variety of dialogue for many types of situations.

Infinite Undiscovery has a system that does not provide too many commands to control the actions of party members, so at times it may feel restrictive, but that is all part of our intention. These characters will advance and attack as they see fit. Travelling alongside characters with personality, who won't necessarily listen to your every command – this element is probably what sets this game's system apart from traditional offline RPG party systems.

IGN: How do you upgrade your character for battle?

Ogawa: You can upgrade characters by leveling them or upgrading their equipment. However, it may also be just as effective to capitalize on the game's action element, mastering the Deflect Drive and polishing your personal skills to advance through combat.

IGN: Can you enhance weapons in any way?

Ogawa: It is possible to produce strong equipment through Item Creation. This doesn't necessarily apply to weapons per se, but using a feature called Enchant Creation grants special effects to characters for a limited time. The time allotted for a particular effect will diminish in real time, so utilizing this feature may take a little getting used to, but once you get the hang of it, it will work to your advantage in combat.

IGN: The E3 demo seemed heavily weighted towards combat. Is there a lot of combat in Infinite Undiscovery or is there a good balance between combat, exploration and story?

Ogawa: It's difficult to state in simple terms, as these elements (combat, exploration, and story) are not implemented as separate systems in Infinite Undiscovery, but it would probably be safe to say that combat takes up a large percentage of the gaming experience. However, we have also prepared a significant volume of dialogue that unfolds in towns or through events to portray a variety of situations. Overall there is a good balance that doesn't lean too heavily on combat.

IGN: The battle system seems very similar to what has been described for The Last Remnant. How do the two differ?

Ogawa: It may be similar in the sense that both games have large-scale battles that revolve around a party system, however, there is a fundamental difference between the two; namely, that Infinite Undiscovery is based on a "real-time battle system with action elements" and The Last Remnant is based on an "innovative turn-based battle system." Our goal is to provide two completely different experiences through these games, so it would be great if players could play both and compare for themselves.

IGN: Many consider Star Ocean: Till the End of Time to have one of the best combat systems Square Enix has ever produced. Why not utilize that in Infinite Undiscovery?

Ogawa: Our fundamental principle was to develop under an entirely new concept, so we have intentionally avoided the continuation of familiar elements such as "Power Balance" and "CP."

However, the controls may provide a similar feel to that of the battle systems for Star Ocean, so we think that fans of the traditional system will be able to enjoy Infinite Undiscovery just as much. We hope that fans will enjoy Infinite Undiscovery, as well as the upcoming Star Ocean: The Last Hope.

http://uk.xbox360.ign.com/articles/902/902393p1.html