Trails of Cold Steel (and the Kiseki series in general)

[Eluvianii he/him]

I'm thinking about something. If things follow the usual pattern, we won't get Hajimari until around 2022. How viable will it be to release a ps4-exclusive game by the time ps5 will have already 2 years in the market?

Edited April 30, 2020 by Eluvianii

[Weltall]

Given that the PS5 features backwards-compatibility, PS4 games should remain viable for a good while longer than PS3 games did after the PS4 came out. If nothing else it could be released digital-only (which NISA is doing with a Vita release of Utawarerumono right now) but I don't think a physical release in 2022 would be unreasonable.

[Eluvianii he/him]

Though, from what I undersand not all games will be compatible. So even if they choose Hajimari for that feature it probably would be a while before it gets added to the list, no? I'm not that well informed about the new generation.

[Briar King]

Yes the PS5 BC rumor was a huge let down from what the hype was generating.

[Weltall]

2 hours ago, Eluvianii said:

Though, from what I undersand not all games will be compatible. So even if they choose Hajimari for that feature it probably would be a while before it gets added to the list, no? I'm not that well informed about the new generation.

I'm not either, but Falcom has a history of waiting a while before jumping consoles so they've got incentive to make sure their games are playable when their fans jump to the next generation while they're still working for the PS4. For reference, that console released in Japan in February of 2014. Falcom's first game for the PS4 didn't get released until September of 2016 and the first game they developed exclusively for the platform was a year later still.

So between that and the fact that we'll probably have eighteen months to two years between the Japanese release and an English one for Sony to do whatever they need to and I'm not too worried about Hajimari's viability.

[Eluvianii he/him]

I hope you're right. I also think for current consoles it's better to wait for the mid-generation mark so no thinking about ps5 until 2024.

Not that I've ever had a current generation console but still 

[Briar King]

Oh dang my edit didn’t go through. Basically I just said I was right with Machias. I mean it was so obvious they were doing that move. And I’m kinda both laughing and cringing at the same time because now almost every npc is having dialogue about the reveal from the night before...

but I’m totally enjoying the game. Have 42 hrs clocked so far. Only in the 20’s lvl wise.

[Pathfinder]

If we are talking builds, then I just gotta represent my team one more time lol. I don't remember a lot of the quartz's names, but Gaius with his starting quartz increasing his evasion, coupled with the auto cast evasion boost at the start of every battle coupled with the quartz that draws aggro and increases counter damage results in everyone in the first round attacking him, missing him, and dying by his counter attack. Any that live, then die from his attack that hits a whole bunch of enemies, coupled with the quartz that massively increases the damage on your first attack in an encounter. He was KOing everything in the final chapter on my way to the final boss. If I wanted to let Gauis chill for a bit, Emma with the quartz that gives a 90 percent chance of her magic critting, coupled with her massive magic damage, and spells that take up the entire field means everything dies in one round. Those two killed things so fast and often, that my build for Fie where every attack she does puts a 90 percent chance of a random status effect using smoke bomb to hit all enemies redundant since they are all dead already. 

[Briar King]

Oh I’m sure I’m only at the top of the ice berg. I’m nowhere near being able to experiment yet with quartz combos/abilities.

 I’m still so low in power that success in battle means I have gotten a double or trip advantage encounter. Even these low lvl enemies can do massive damage before I’m able to take them out if not.

[Briar King]

How useful is Alisa’s starting quartz Angel overall? I changed hers with that Scepter one to get some Sepith flowing in. I also bought another from the engineer guy back at the school but I never equipped it on anyone. Just bought since I had the funds available. I also missed these Carnelia ch 1&2 in Celdic. Will I be able to go back and buy?

[Pathfinder]

12 hours ago, Briar King said:

How useful is Alisa’s starting quartz Angel overall? I changed hers with that Scepter one to get some Sepith flowing in. I also bought another from the engineer guy back at the school but I never equipped it on anyone. Just bought since I had the funds available. I also missed these Carnelia ch 1&2 in Celdic. Will I be able to go back and buy?

Personally I never had much use for it, and later there is a quartz that personally I think is better, but it is part of a plot point, so I won't elaborate further. Regarding purchasing quartz, sometimes it carries over, and sometimes they are available for a limited time. The guide specifies but its been a long time since I've played so I couldn't tell you off the top of my head. Also some of the better/best quartz are hidden or require specific actions (choosing a specific dialogue choice at a specific time for instance) so if you don't want to miss them, I would recommend the guide. But do whatever is most fun for you. 

[Weltall]

12 hours ago, Briar King said:

How useful is Alisa’s starting quartz Angel overall? I changed hers with that Scepter one to get some Sepith flowing in. I also bought another from the engineer guy back at the school but I never equipped it on anyone. Just bought since I had the funds available. I also missed these Carnelia ch 1&2 in Celdic. Will I be able to go back and buy?

I don't believe that you can get the Carnelia books if you miss them. Micht's pawn shop does randomly allow you to purchase volumes of Red Moon Rose you missed but he doesn't carry the others.

As for Angel, it's a good Master Quartz for a caster, especially if you want to use Space-elemental Arts. It will eventually teach most of the magic of that element and has a very nice effect at max level that makes them even better. Its primary effect is a nice panic button to have in tough fights without sacrificing an accessory slot. So yeah, it's got uses but it pretty much comes down to your play style.

[Briar King]

Well I ll be bummed if I can’t go back and get it, if I can’t I ll ask one of you fine peeps that have no need to fear spoilers post me a link for ch 1 and 2 of it in time.

[Weltall]

Fortunately, there's easily available copies of the books (and most in the series) online.

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

If you're worried about spoilers and miss any future chapters, the safest way to do things would be to use the 'next chapter' button at the bottom just after the Japanese text, since the main page for Carnelia mentions something that's... well, it's not a spoiler if you've played all the previous games (and read some side material) up to that point but as you're just starting with Cold Steel, it'll give something away that's more fun to find out for yourself.

[Eluvianii he/him]

Tangentially related but, now that I'm done with Xenoblade, I think I can move on to the Gagharv Trilogy. Prophecy of the Moonlight Witch first, right?

Edited May 2, 2020 by Eluvianii

[Briar King]

Jusis is quickly turning into a fav. He seems to be the one that best fits my preferred role like a FF Red Mage type. Balanced fighter/mage.

annnndddd I really need to open another slot for Emma and give her a move quartz.  She is so limited next to everyone else.

Edited May 3, 2020 by Briar King

[aneonfoxtribute]

Typically balanced characters in Trails aren't great (for instance, when Estelle, the Sky main character, becomes a regular non required party member in 3rd, due to her balanced playstyle of being able to be either magic or physical, she was often overshadowed by the other choices that did one thing REALLY well.) In Trails oftentimes I find myself using the absolute most powerful at what they do. I typically have a pure magic user, an evade tank, and usually two physical damage dealers, but one of them is the main. 

[Briar King]

Machias pretty balling to I won’t lie being able to pop so many people in the opening move. Almost like a craft but not.

[Weltall]

On 5/2/2020 at 3:04 PM, Eluvianii said:

Tangentially related but, now that I'm done with Xenoblade, I think I can move on to the Gagharv Trilogy. Prophecy of the Moonlight Witch first, right?

Yeah. The first two games were released out of order in English and it doesn't make a huge difference in the long run (you really just need to play Song of the Ocean last) but that's the first game in Japanese release order.

On 5/3/2020 at 2:08 AM, aneonfoxtribute said:

Typically balanced characters in Trails aren't great (for instance, when Estelle, the Sky main character, becomes a regular non required party member in 3rd, due to her balanced playstyle of being able to be either magic or physical, she was often overshadowed by the other choices that did one thing REALLY well.)

While it's true that by the time you get to The 3rd her balanced nature means she stands out less, it's worth noting that her S-Craft is one of the hardest-hitting in the game second only to Sakura Morning Moon (which is single-targeting).

[Briar King]

Back at Academy after Bareahard. That was a rather fun field study. People are getting thrown at me left and right and I’m lost but going with it. 
 

Now I have to go around talking to everyone. I have a love hate relationship with this. So time consuming to get to everyone after each advance but most people are filling out this world with nuggets.

[aneonfoxtribute]

46 minutes ago, Briar King said:

Back at Academy after Bareahard. That was a rather fun field study. People are getting thrown at me left and right and I’m lost but going with it. 

Three of those people are extremely notable for appearing in or being referenced in other games. Baron Bleublanc, the blond haired man at the end, and most important of all, everyone's favorite NPC Anton, all appear in past games. Though this is the blonde haired man's first physical appearance, he is in the Carnelia books, and also talked about by Carnelia herself when she is met. 

[Briar King]

Is there any anime in this world? 

[Weltall]

2 hours ago, aneonfoxtribute said:

Though this is the blonde haired man's first physical appearance, he is in the Carnelia books, and also talked about by Carnelia herself when she is met. 

He's also one of the protagonists of a sidestory manga called The Ring of Judgment which takes place just prior to the start of the Crossbell duology.

31 minutes ago, Briar King said:

Is there any anime in this world? 

Do you mean 'Does this world have an equivalent of anime?' or 'Is there anime of this world?'?

For the former, no, not yet. The world has just figured out how to do video recordings but the whole idea of moving pictures as entertainment is in its infancy at the time of the series. It's a detail that gets revealed in one of the novel series, specifically in the 'Gambler Jack II' books you can collect in Cold Steel 2. It's basically very new in Calvard and virtually unknown anywhere else, and consequently they haven't really had time to develop the concept of animation as another medium.

For the latter, there is a two episode OVA that retells a (very paraphrased) version of the first two-thirds of Trails in the Sky SC but nothing specific for Cold Steel.

Oh, and in a cute bit of meta-humor, in Tokyo Xanadu (a game set in a near-future alternate Earth) there's a multimedia franchise which includes an anime series, based on the Cold Steel characters. Or more specifically, based on a pair of silly costumes for Rean and Alisa that were originally part of a CS2 preorder campaign in Japan, which has been spun off into a whole alternate universe called Mahou Shoujo Magical Alisa. Which is now making its way back to the games that gave birth to it as a 3d shooter minigame in the upcoming Hajimari no Kiseki.

Edited May 4, 2020 by Weltall

[aneonfoxtribute]

Was he in Ring of Judgement? I read that before doing Crossbell and I don't remember him in it.

[Weltall]

He's only the most important character in it after Estelle and Joshua... Think of it as a good reason to reread it.

Edited May 4, 2020 by Weltall