Disgaea -Hour of Darkness

[Bassman]

Yesterday was pretty much a 12 hour session (I finish 12:15 on a Friday).

My Laharl is at about 17 and is nearly off the first page, he now has Fire and Mega Fire though!! I have a Ronin and Bushi (Lvl 21 and 22). Lvl 23 Star Mage (over 400 SP) and Lvl 24 Red Mage (around 350 SP). The other two mage types are at 17 and 18. Flonne is now at 20 with a very expensive bow, as her healing spell is very useful if there are no enemies near!

Against suitable enemies the Star Mage can dish out over 240 Hits which makes the Lavish Halll a breeze if the enemies attributes are right. I don't take any hits at all.

I am just aboout to start the next Chapter. The Ronin and Bushi are now Demon Rank 4. I haven't bothered about a Thief yet, though I have a Rogue.

[E. Randy Dupre]

That's not true - a senator kill does not count as an ally kill, so won't stop you getting that.

Scrub that, then. The guy I was talking to must have killed one of his party without noticing it at some point.

[macosx]

I've got to wave the white flag here. I was intrigued by you guys raving about this game, but it's too much for me. My only dalliance with turn based strategy is Advance Wars and the amount if time and dedication that this game takes is extreme. Even the tutorial took hours! One for the turn based strategy hardcore fan I think and the kind of game that maybe signposts how certain genres of game have matured.

[BEBOPlover]

I've got to wave the white flag here. I was intrigued by you guys raving about this game, but it's too much for me. My only dalliance with turn based strategy is Advance Wars and the amount if time and dedication that this game takes is extreme. Even the tutorial took hours! One for the turn based strategy hardcore fan I think and the kind of game that maybe signposts how certain genres of game have matured.

The beauty of the game is that you don't have to indulge in half of the options to finish the game. But I tell you now, when you understand one of Disgaea's many intricacies that is when your life begins to wither away.

Last weekend I finallt understood how to creat more powerful weapons. I've literally spent 20 hours just doing that. Never mind the main story.

Top 10 game all-time. Really.

[edandersen]

Word of warning chaps: this game uses the PS2's low resolution mode (ala PS1 stylee) - I've just tried the game on my widescreen TV (of gamesTM fame) and the picture bounced up and down for 30 seconds before something inside blew up with an audible bang. Turns out the PS2 doesnt send a proper sync signal or something in low resolution mode, and some tellies don't like it. If your TV is half decent, you wont have a problem, but old tellies might bounce the picture.

From the rec.games.video.sony FAQ:

The Playstation, perhaps to save money or processing power, skips even-numbered scanlines on the TV screen when it is in lo w-resolution (around 320x240) mode. Zenith TVs don't know how to cope with this properly and go whacko, either causing the image to bounce up and down, lopping off the top or bottom of the picture, displaying it in a shrunken-down image, or just plain not showing anything on the screen.

I don't know what the **** a Zenith TV is, but this is what happened to mine - I havent played any PS1 games on my PS2, but I assume they use the same low res mode that disgaea uses. Only difference is, this goddamn telly fried itself.

The TV wont show anything now

[Bassman]

I have a Sony Widescreen and the American version of the game. Looks OK to me.

Had a good day's playing. Laharl has just declared himself overlord. I just did the first installment of the next chapter... the ones with the Zombies.

I have made extremely good use of the "invincibility" map and eventally managed to get Etna to do something to cause hits so that she could dispose of the "stack".

I seem to have been ignoring Laharl. Top Character is a Level 48 Star Mage. She has Fire, Ice and Wind magic as well though not of the Mega variety on those three yet. Next is now Etna who has all her own specials plus standard and mega on all the mage types. Had to get a Star and Prism Mage via her to get all those. Then comes the Prism Mage.

The Lavish Room is good to get a new character started. The Star Mage will now wipe the three movers in that room first hit (well most times anyway).

[nips]

It's not really suprising that a Sony TV is compatible with a Sony product.

[edandersen]

It's not really suprising that a Sony TV is compatible with a Sony product.

Aye. I've looked into this this morning and Sony Europe will take your PS2 and change the video chip for free - but I doubt they would do it to my modded white jpn one

The TV is well and truely knackered. I'm moving house tommorrow, so its one less thing to pack, I suppose.

[SuperBrother]

Was it your free TV Ed? It's be a shame to see that blow after all the hassle you had getting hold of it.

[Bassman]

Well, the Star Mage is Lvl 50, Etan is Lvl 43 and has pretty much every spell going (up to mega levels anyway). Latest acquisition is a Dragon who is currently on Lvl 31! Working through Episode 7 at the moment.

[edandersen]

Was it your free TV Ed?

Aye, twas. Wanted an excuse to get a new one anyway. One not made of 50p components.

This game is so incredibly in depth, its not funny! I'm on chapter 4 with level 12ish chaps. Are am I the only finding there is pretty much one set way to effectively beat each stage?

[Bassman]

I suppose the only variable is the mix of characters.

In Chapter 7 I just used 2 characters on one map. Not preumably everyones tactic I suppose.

I now seem to be unable to progress beyond Chapter 7. There is no new area in the main selection screen. Does Laharl need to get over Level 40 or something (currently on Level 35 or so)?

Getting my Star Mage to about Demon Level 6 unlocked the Cave of Ordeal. Now all I need to do is get the Assembly to pass it. I have yet to find out how you bribe the Senators. I can't seem to find the option anywhere. The GameFAQs guide I referred to didn't seem to help either.

[TheShend]

When you 'bribe' the senators, is it not when you give them items their interested in, such as candy etc? To 'sweeten' their mood in your favour even.

[Bassman]

That is what I am trying to find. Where do you give them candy?

[TheShend]

Place your cursor over the senator you want to bribe and press X, this should give 1 or 2 options. You can then run through your itemsto pick which one you want to give.

Bear in mind some senators prefer particular items to others. But it'll tell you how much he/she likes your highlighted item.

Also, levelling candy etc improves it's ability to sway a senator.