This tutorial will explain how to play Dungeons & Dragons Tactics ... if only the game would load! This video rip from PSP GadgetZ shows loads upwards of twenty seconds -- isn't that unacceptable in this modern age of PSP gaming? Hopefully, the gameplay will prove enjoyable enough to warrant such lengthy loads.
Dungeons & Dragons video reveals lengthy loads
Reader Comments
(Page 1)2. Too bad the gameplay does not, in fact, save this title. It's missing many crucial elements of D&D play, and is extremely buggy. I've had my copy crash my psp 3 times now. You can find lengthy lists of flaws and problems on several forums right now.
Shame, really.
3. Crash your PSP? Are you using one of those hacked firmwares? The hardcore D&D folks I know have mixed feelings about this game, but it is clearly one of those 'for the fans' things.
4. I bought this game the day it was released and was quite disappointed. There are lengthy loads and the music cuts out frequently when entering menus and when saving. As a D&D player, I was VERY disappointed that multi-classing and prestige classes were removed. Re-reading the interviews, I noticed that Atari reps avoided mentioning multi-classing, even though this was mentioned early on. I also didn't like that they removed and changed many important aspects of the game. If you read a review that the game is too close to D&D rules, they are obviously not a D&D player. Many of Atari's initial claims have proven false. I mean, it's not a TERRBILE game, but it is certainly not worth $40. One would have figured that with all the delays, Atari would have made a quality product that went above and beyond.
5. @Firemouse
Crashing? I have not experienced that. Are you using an iso?
6. Hmm, do not be misled. The load times to access an adventure are, indeed, lengthy. However, once *in* the adventure, there is NO loading, not when moving through fog of war, not when accessing inventory, not when leveling up. I much prefer that they upfronted all the load time to leave my 90 minutes of adventuring load free.
Further, I think a reasonable way to describe this game is to call it D&D meets D&D Miniatures. They implemented as much as they felt they could, but what is missing gives it a stripped down Miniatures-like feel ( which is not a bad thing ). I find the gameplay, about 10 hours in, deep and enjoyable. Just don't get hung up on every missing aspect of D&D.
Finally, glitches... I own the UMD and have experienced two psp-reseting glitches in 10 hours. It is slightly annoying, but as I tend to save one or two times in the middle of the adventure, it has never been a complete loss.
- trystero
7. PSP developers should really make this part of the optimizing process, it's just sloppy coding at this point.
8. I've been running it as an ISO since the game came out and haven't had a single bug or crash. Also, load times are zero to none. CFW FTW.
Posted at 9:11AM on Aug 21st 2007 by jesus torres
9. Response to trystero:
I was going to go into a lengthy explanation, but you've pretty much summed it up.
The game freezes certainly do happen with the UMD, but I don't think it's a deal-breaker. I love the game. Saving often is a must.
I think the big mistake here is that ALL new games, console OR PC, should have an online update button in the menu. It's one thing to let a game slip out with some bugs, and it's another to make it impossible to patch.
In all fairness to Kuju, though, a game like this has a billion possible actions, taking into account Class, Skills, Scrolls, etc. To bug test every possible action in the game would take 50 testers a year. It would be so simple to limit infrastructure connectivity to upgrades / patches.
10. Also, 20 seconds to load a game map that may last 2-3 hours is hardly what I'd call excessive. Do your homework. Perhaps Fanboy should PLAY the game, not just remark about a YouTube video.
"Hopefully, the gameplay will prove enjoyable enough to warrant such lengthy loads" --- ??? It's been out a week already. Save your comments for after you've tried it.
11. Interesting comments. As many of you will know from my posts here, complaining about PSP loadtimes is somewhat of a pastime for me, yet with this game I don't find it to detract from the experience.
I guess two things come into play - you *do* get hour(s) of play for each once out of the tutorials and trivial first couple of missions. The other is that there are enough *other* issues that 20 - 30 seconds for a load is not such a big deal.
But the explicit loads are the *only* loads! Games like Chili Con Carnage, Madden, MLB '07 The Show, etcetera had 30 second 'wake-ups'!
Another thought - they should really have done something to streamline the tutorials ... they come off like a v1.0 PC RPG badly in need of patching.
Speaking of which - love that idea.
12. I think my biggest disappointment was that the game was the lack of multi-classing and prestige classes. These were supposed to be in the game and there was no mention of their removal. I would have been willing to completely overlook everything else if it only had that. I mean, the game is pretty fun, but for me the lack of multi-classing leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
13. Seriously, it's only like 20 seconds to load a level. How many console games don't have loading times at the start of a level? But importantly, once the level loads, that's it. None of the loading every action like you get in Spectral Souls or Astonisha Story. And the levels are huge!
As to crashing, I have to think it's related to the new Russian firmware. I haven't had any problems with it.
14. @JeremyR
No, it's not "the new Russian firmware." Stop trying to smear their reputation. I use m33 and have NOT experienced any crashing. In fact, I have had absolutely no issues with their firmware releases. Their 3.52 m33-3 pissed me off, but with their fourth patch, I feel comfortable with them once again.
15. Re: GoBob - I think the point was about custom firmware. When there are crashes and you are using hacked firmware, I am personally of the opinion that you have no right to complain about game stability - because it was designed to run on legit firmware.
16. @txa1265
Looking at the forums, it appears that people running official firmwares are also experiencing crashing.
17. OK, thanks for clearing that up - are you talking about the Atari forums?
18. I googled "dungeons and dragons tactics crash" and found a few things. One being the GameSpot forums. It's really a mixed bag of people having issues, from those with custom firmware and isos, to people with official firmware and the UMD. I still have had no issues with my custom firmware and UMD. It seems pretty widespread.
19. I am all legit - official firmware, UMD, never hacked, etc. I was rolling along fine but now I crash in a specific cpot every time. I can't complete this particular adventure because of the crash.
This is hardly the only bug I've seen. There are lots of sounds cuts, choppiness, weapons & hit points mysteriously disappearing, etc.
Also, (and this is a personal taste thing) it moves really slow. I love RPGs, and I've played both Brotherhood Of The Blade games & Dungeon Siege on the PSP (all of those games have longer and more numerous load times than D&D Tactics, BTW), but I can't say I really like this one. I'm an old school D&D Player from the first "blue book" basic set (1980-something) so it's not the D&D rules. It's just tedious to move your whole party 1 character at a time, and simple fights take way too long. Damn the werewolves for their damage reduction!
I'm really disappointed with this game. I really wanted to like it.
-geekd
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1. How many consoles take 20 sec or more to load??? You
can't expect console quality gaming to load in a DS like manner. If the game is good I will happily wait 20 secs....
Posted at 11:54PM on Aug 20th 2007 by PSP_Amigo