Am I the only one who finds the PS1's multi-disc games fascinating? You really feel like you get your money's worth!

[The Count | 526]

Yeah, that's a good point. Gran Turismo, X-Files, Driver, et al. All longer games than many single disc games.

[Estil | 1,261]

4 hours ago, The Count said:

Yeah, that's a good point. Gran Turismo, X-Files, Driver, et al. All longer games than many single disc games.

I bet you must love multi-disc games because you get to count the extra discs!  

And why didn't you take the million dollars for winning this game?  You could've counted the money!  

 

[Sumez | 2,933]

19 hours ago, Estil said:

One thing I've noticed is that usually it seems on these multi-disc PS1 games the last disc tends to be MUCH shorter than the previous ones...any reason why this is typically so?

Because the ending is on the last disc, and probably has a really long FMV  

In a PlayStation game, the size taken up on the disc almost always directly relates to video files, and not actual in-game content.

Edited September 5, 2021 by Sumez

[Estil | 1,261]

11 hours ago, Sumez said:

Because the ending is on the last disc, and probably has a really long FMV  

In a PlayStation game, the size taken up on the disc almost always directly relates to video [and audio] files, and not actual in-game content.

I know that, what do you think I am, stupid?  

[Tanooki | 4,930]

4 hours ago, Estil said:

I know that, what do you think I am, stupid?  

 

Edited September 6, 2021 by Tanooki

[phart010 | 1,705]

I like multi-disc PS1 games.
 

But something I love is a really solid single disc PS1 game.

[Estil | 1,261]

3 hours ago, phart010 said:

I like multi-disc PS1 games.
 

But something I love is a really solid single disc PS1 game.

For example, the MegaMan Legends trilogy...oh wait, that's three discs...

[DoctorEncore | 3,690]

My early experience with computer gaming was using 5.25 inch floppies booting from DOS, so I was absolutely blown away when Final Fantasy 7 came on three discs. I thought it was super cool.

Edited September 7, 2021 by DoctorEncore

[Estil | 1,261]

1 hour ago, DoctorEncore said:

My early experience with computer gaming was using 3.5 inch floppies booting from DOS, so I was absolutely blown away when Final Fantasy 7 came on three discs. I thought it was super cool.

Even cooler than Dr Mario...being on (back then) all three Nintendo systems (NES/GB/SNES)?  

[Estil | 1,261]

I was just curious if they did this and sure enough there were a few PS2 games that came on two discs!  Now some of these don't really count (the second disc just has bonus behind the scenes stuff or a demo of another game or each disc is a seperate independent game, like FF Chronicles/Anthology).  But a couple major blue chip RPG series (Grandia 3 and Star Ocean 3) are for real two disc games!  Wow those must really be some giant epic quests eh?

https://gamicus.fandom.com/wiki/List_of_PlayStation_2_video_games_with_multiple_discs

[MagusSmurf | 577]

Never played it but based on all I've heard, while Grandia III's battle system is supposedly pretty good, epic is...proooobably not the right word for that game!

[Estil | 1,261]

Well I'm now working on Grandia and let me tell ya, it don't get more JRPG than this!   No really, it not only has the cute chicks in your party but is nice and colorful and they got cute facial expressions (like when Sue and her sidekick puffy wins a battle) and the dialog mug shots remind me of the way Misadventures of Tron Boone done it.  And I think this may be my first true 3D polygon sort of PS1 game since Dragon Quest 7 and before that of course, the MegaMan Legends Trilogy from way back in my college days (early 2000s).  I'll probably work on Star Ocean 2 next and I think they did a Secret of Mana sequel on PS1 also?  I mean, the PS1 is just as if not more famous for its JRPGs as the SNES was, correct?

I sure will find out just what the PS1 can do and why it was so groundbreaking and legendary in the first place right?  

Edited September 23, 2021 by Estil

[ScaryD | 237]

When I was a kid Quest for Camelot came on 10 5.25 in floppy disks. I always thought that was interesting. Developers were working hard to make a very large expansive world while the media technology of the time created limitations that developers still pushed through.

[Estil | 1,261]

3 hours ago, ScaryD said:

When I was a kid Quest for Camelot came on 10 5.25 in floppy disks. I always thought that was interesting. Developers were working hard to make a very large expansive world while the media technology of the time created limitations that developers still pushed through.

Wasn't this back when computers didn't necessarily include a hard drive?  Oh boy heaven help if you didn't have one back then...

[ScaryD | 237]

3 minutes ago, Estil said:

Wasn't this back when computers didn't necessarily include a hard drive?  Oh boy heaven help if you didn't have one back then...

Luckily my computer had a hard drive but it would have been a lot of disk changing if I didn’t.

[Estil | 1,261]

6 minutes ago, ScaryD said:

Luckily my computer had a hard drive but it would have been a lot of disk changing if I didn’t.

You know when I first got a proper computer for college use back in fall 2000 it was a rather middle of the road computer...but it did have what was then a HUGE 40 GB hard drive.  I think the average back then was 10-20 GB.  Who would've thought 20 years ago we'd someday be able to have half a terabyte micro SD card that's the size of a pinky nail for <$100?

[MagusSmurf | 577]

On 9/23/2021 at 5:06 AM, Estil said:

I sure will find out just what the PS1 can do and why it was so groundbreaking and legendary in the first place right?  

Well if you're looking specifically for this, in regards to JRPGs? I'd recommend FFVII, FFVIII, FFIX, FFT, Chrono Cross, and Xenogears. Yeah, they're all Square games. Those six seemed to be the ones people discussed, remembered, and formed communities around. They're not the best six or the best-selling six, but I'd say those are the six from that era that felt the most relevant and that people look back on. Something about Square's presentation, ambition, and storytelling really seemed to strike a chord.

There's also Suikoden II. The game made very little impact upon release and sold miserably (at least in the U.S.) but it's critical acclaim since then has been through the roof and it's a staple on top 100 RPG lists. It does benefit from playing Suikoden I beforehand, which isn't quite as good, but I is at least fairly well-paced, short (for an RPG) and painless to get through so it's not really a problem.

Star Ocean 2 is pretty good. Cool battle and upgrade systems and all. It's just not one of the first games I'd point to if you're looking for what most captivated people back in the day about PS1 RPGs.

Edited September 24, 2021 by MagusSmurf

[Estil | 1,261]

1 hour ago, MagusSmurf said:

Well if you're looking specifically for this, in regards to JRPGs? I'd recommend FFVII, FFVIII, FFIX, FFT, Chrono Cross, and Xenogears. Yeah, they're all Square games. Those six seemed to be the ones people discussed, remembered, and formed communities around. They're not the best six or the best-selling six, but I'd say those are the six from that era that felt the most relevant and that people look back on. Something about Square's presentation, ambition, and storytelling really seemed to strike a chord.

There's also Suikoden II. The game made very little impact upon release and sold miserably (at least in the U.S.) but it's critical acclaim since then has been through the roof and it's a staple on top 100 RPG lists. It does benefit from playing Suikoden I beforehand, which isn't quite as good, but I is at least fairly well-paced, short (for an RPG) and painless to get through so it's not really a problem.

Star Ocean 2 is pretty good. Cool battle and upgrade systems and all. It's just not one of the first games I'd point to if you're looking for what most captivated people back in the day about PS1 RPGs.

Well I already covered the three FF's years ago (obviously I wanted to tackle the old skool DQ's/FF's first when I started my RPG (I guess it turned out JRPG) quest in 2013)...as for Chrono Cross I thought the general consensus was it's very much like "New Coke" compared to Chrono Classic (Trigger)?

But yeah, I'll check out a preview of the beginning of the games you mentioned (I'll probably already do Star Ocean 2 next after Grandia; it's interesting how both the first Star Ocean and first Tales of (Phantasia) games are the biggest SNES games ever released at 6MB (or 48 "megabits") ).  Remember one of my main prerequisites is that there better be cute chicks in your party  

[Estil | 1,261]

Say, how come of all the double disc games there are for the PS1, why the heck does a casino game (Golden Nugget) of all things need two discs?  It is kinda neat that Batman (Burt Ward) is in the game though  

[Sumez | 2,933]

On 9/16/2021 at 5:44 PM, Estil said:

Wow those must really be some giant epic quests eh?

Are you just routinely ignoring the point where multiple discs are used to store video clips, and not actual game content?  Though for PS2 games and forward, voice acting probably plays a big role, too. Especially in games with different localizations on the same release.

Lost Odyssey on Xbox 360 is on four DVD discs btw.

Edited September 27, 2021 by Sumez

[Estil | 1,261]

1 hour ago, Sumez said:

Are you just routinely ignoring the point where multiple discs are used to store video clips, and not actual game content?  Though for PS2 games and forward, voice acting probably plays a big role, too. Especially in games with different localizations on the same release.

Lost Odyssey on Xbox 360 is on four DVD discs btw.

I can't believe the Xbox 360 of all things would need four discs...I mean aren't DVDs way bigger and don't need it?  And I'm sorry to have to disagree with you but video clips are part of the game content.

[Sumez | 2,933]

Sure, but they don't really change the game's "epic quest" scope. Like you said, there's apparently a casino game on multiple discs. 

Edited September 27, 2021 by Sumez

[Estil | 1,261]

23 minutes ago, Sumez said:

Sure, but they don't really change the game's "epic quest" scope. Like you said, there's apparently a casino game on multiple discs. 

I am in fact curious why that is...I mean that is a bit unusual game genre for multiple discs...

[TDIRunner | 2,727]

46 minutes ago, Estil said:

I can't believe the Xbox 360 of all things would need four discs...I mean aren't DVDs way bigger and don't need it?  And I'm sorry to have to disagree with you but video clips are part of the game content.

According to Wikipeida, not only was it four DVDs, but four dual layer DVDs.  Also, a game called Blue Dragon for the 360 was on three discs.  

[captmorgandrinker | 1,649]

1 hour ago, Estil said:

I can't believe the Xbox 360 of all things would need four discs...I mean aren't DVDs way bigger and don't need it?  And I'm sorry to have to disagree with you but video clips are part of the game content.

It's a 360, not a PS3 (which can read a 50GB dual layer blu-ray).