@Lestatdark,
What are your thoughts on FF13 as both an FF style game and a jrpg

In the official FF13, I posted a long link about the mechanics of the Upgrade system and the intricancies of what's the best Gil/EXP ratio for any tier in weapons and also about the increments used in the accesories mechanics. 

I think that helped a lot of people back then Sadly, I just don't see much more movement there about  people still playing FFXIII, most just moved on. As it happens with most FF's and RPG's in general, most people just don't look into all the possibilities that the games can offer, they just content themselves with finishing the game. 

Upgrading weapons/acessories in FF13 is pretty much only a requisite if you want to get further down the optional missions, given the increase in overall difficulty, but to get through the game, you can just scratch the surface of the system and still do pretty well.  

As an FF style game, FF13 differed a lot from the formula, more than any new FF game usually does. 

Not in terms of giving us a new battle mechanic, but also on giving us a completely different story and game progression mechanic. Although in most parts it resembled FFX's structure, FFXIII was much more linearized and script-dependant. That enabled some trully amazing set pieces, like chapter 7, 8 and 12, but it sacrificed some freedom and extra content (more than the usual JRPG has) which are kinda of the banners of any FF game. 

As an JRPG, it fits pretty much in the mold. It wasn't anything that the genre hasn't seen before. Even Parasite Eve, which I love, is heavily linearized, even though you have a pseudo-world map. Every chapter is scripted and you can only do set pieces. That doesn't detract from the feeling of the game, if it's done well, like Parasite Eve did.

I didn't see any westernization in it, quite the opposite. Structurally, it's very much JRPG in every core element, like the battle systems, story progression, character development, overall micromanagement and content. 

@lestatdark, i know u are right. but u,mjk45,me and other ppl i know , dont do things that way. it does make me happy to have u guys and others like skeeuk,ssendahdavic,darth and others who do enjoy rpg's and everything they have too offer, as friends.

I'm glad that I've met quite some people in here who also follow the same way of playing with RPG's. 

Each RPG has a realm of possibilities, which take quite some time to figure them out, but that only adds to the overall experience. And there's quite a few number of RPG's which have more content beyond the main quest itself.

Games like FFX, FFXII, Lost Odyssey, Lufia 2, Parasite Eve, Demon's Souls, Pretty much every Dragon Quest, Star Ocean 3, Tales of Phantasia and many others, offer the gamer the similar, if not more, amount of hours in side-quests and extra content. 

@lestat ,i agree all mission based games and jrpgs tend to sit in that mould are linear by there very nature its how you disguise that fact that matters.
having said that FF13 being linear did not worry me to much it was more the lack of depth and characterisation of the main and lesser npc's, the lack of interaction with the lesser npc's can be explained away by the story especially on grand pulse less so on cocoon,so FF15 will be interesting to see if this lack of interaction was story led or engine lead,
Not much as been said about the Eidolons i thought they where useful early but as the game progressed the TP consumed could be put to better use as techniques.

are u guys getting : trinity universe and ar tonelico 3, ateleir rorona when they are released stateside ?

will u get dragon quest 10 for the wii, when it releases most likely in 2011 ?

Of course, every new Dragon Quest is an instant buy for me

I'm currently replaying Dragon Quest V and Dragon Quest IV on the DS. They're amazing, albeit much easier than their original counterparts.

@lestatdark, thats cool. i have them both, just havent played them yet on the ds. what is the impression u got from them, besides the easier difficulty setting? would i still like them ?