Western RPG's and JRPG's?

  I was just playing Game Dev Tycoon the other day, and I noticed something very peculiar about the genre for making games. When I decided to make a Dungeon/RPG game, "Labyrinth Doom", I thought I was making a JRPG, otherwise known as Japanese Role Playing Game. I got and average of 8.25 in the reviews, and I pondered on why it wasn't higher. I then researched a developmental report for the game, and I came across the fact that the A.I. was not very important, or neutral. Normally in a JRPG, you would need decent A.I. for it to be decent. So the only other sort of RPG it could be is a Western RPG. Now, you may be asking yourself, what is the difference between the two? Well, I'm here to tell ya'.
  JRPG's originated first in Japan, hence the name. They are also known as turn-base RPG's, as you take turns battling opponents. You would have your character(s) in a battle, and the enemy would be there also. However, the attacking didn't start immediately. You would have a range of options to choose from, like escape, attack, skills, or items. You would choose the command you want, and proceed until you have chosen a command for each of your characters. Then the battle would begin. Depending on speed is when the players and enemies attack. So the enemy may attack first, but you can still attack after it, assuming you don't die. Once everyone has attacked, you start to choose your move again. This would repeat until there is a winner. There are other elements of JRPG's, but this is the core part of it.
  Western RPG's are similar, but still different. I will post the similarities in the next paragraph. The big, massive thing about Western RPG's is the open world and endless quests. This means you can choose your character, go do a tutorial or something, then you are free to do whatever you want. Really. The best example of this is the Elder Scrolls Series, or more specifically, Skyrim. Here you start off editing and making your own character. You go through a cut-scene and then go through a small tutorial that takes about an hour. When your done with that you can do anything. Of course, there is a main goal you go after, but there is tons of side quests to do and terrains to explore. the options are nearly limitless. There are some other key differences too, like real-time action battles. No turn based strategy; full on brute force.
  Now, there are a lot of similarities, and I will go over them briefly. One is that there is tons of gear and magic and items to collect. Both games offer stores and shops to purchase new gear and equipment. In Western RPG's, it tends to rely on exploration, but there are stores too. There are also most commonly character creation and classes for you to experiment with. Major classes include magicians, assassins, and warriors. There more character creating in Western RPG's, but you aren't completely limited in some JRPG's.
  Now what is the point of this blog post? Not much but to inform you of what the difference between the two are. I would love to go into more depth on this, but this post is way overdue, and it is 11 at night, so I am going to go ahead and end it with this. I personally think that JRPG's and Western RPG's are both great, and one shouldn't resist buying one, as you won't regret it. But don't get any new Final Fantasy games, get the old ones, like FF VIII and down. :)

  Hey guys! :D So this one is very late, but I have good reasons. I was gone pretty much all Saturday, and when I got back, my modem broke, and it was broke all Sunday too. But it got fixed today, so I was able to just get this in. I would elaborate more, like how Pokemon is a very popular for of JRPG"s, but I didn't have it in me. I might go back and edit this later to make it better. Also, I won't be able to post this weekend because my and my family are going camping. I might be able to get a timed post in, but I am not certain. Just be on the lookout. If not, I should get one up Monday. I hope this posting late doesn't become a habit!

Gaming From a Perspective: Zelda and Items

  You are probably wonder what Gaming From Perspective is, huh? Well, if you must know, it is a blog I have created (duh) to talk about gaming related content. There really isn't a specific topic of interest I cover, but a large variety. I do tend to lean on the side of Nintendo though, so probably more blog posts about that. I post every Saturday, assuming I am not sick or on a vacation. I will notify you ahead of time if possible. There isn't much to cover in this basic description post, so I will go ahead and start a topic post! These will be the most frequent and these are the ones which will happen every Saturday. I also might post at intervals in the week if breaking news comes out, or I just feel like it. But let's not get off track. So what is the topic I will be covering, you may ask? Well, if you saw the title of the post, you would know it is about Legend of Zelda Items.

  Now, before I can cover the topic at hand, I must say that the Legend of Zelda is my favorite video game series as of right now, and has been since I was eight. I have played and beaten ever core Zelda game except Four Swords Adventure, A Link Between Worlds, and Spirit Tracks, but I should be playing Spirit Tracks soon. Now about the items. Zelda has been known for it's creative items. The boomerang being one of the most odd. Who would have ever thought that trowing a boomerang at a giant pig creature could freeze him in his tracks. I sure didn't, and I don't think anyone else would have either. But it seemed to work in the first Zelda installment, and has reappeared in about every Zelda game to date, even being the most powerful item in the game in Link's Awakening. Bombs are another key item in the Zelda franchise, along with potions, but they appear in more games than just Zelda. Don't forget the Bow and Arrow, which have been in literally every canon Zelda game except Zelda 2, but it's a black sheep anyways. Those are probably the most recognizable Zelda items, but they aren't the best. And by best, I don't mean opinion, but I mean powerful and most useful.
  I don't count the sword, as it is the primary weapon, and can't be switched out for anything. The closest item to the sword that still counts as an item is the hammer. Appearing in the early 3-D Zelda titles and some 2-D, along with a minor appearance in The Adventure of Link, the hammer has been a power-house item that is even sometimes stronger than your sword. It is also very handy in the final battle with Ganon in Ocarina of Time, if you didn't get the Biggoron Sword. Besides it's power, the hammer is also necessary for progression like most Zelda items. It is used to crush pressure plates which you were not heavy enough to step on yourself. It is also used to kill bosses, like Volvagia and Helmaroc King. But other than that, there isn't much use for it.
  Not all items can be good though. Some are bad, as the last sentence implied. The most notable bad items could be recognized in Zelda 2, but none of them do anything, so I won't mention them. Two of the worst actually appear in one of my favorites, Skyward Sword. First the gust bellows. This thing is a joke. There is absolutely no point in this item but for it's home dungeon, and some very minor other places. It wasn't fun to use, and the boss battle with Ghoma was annoying, not fun. Minish Cap has a similar item with the Gust Jar, but it is a lot cooler. Another item is the Mogma Mitts. Even worse than the Gust Bellows. All it does is let you dig up stuff! A waste of a dungeon item, I think. Now, I know it lets you go underground, but it didn't help solve puzzles or fight bosses. The Fire Sanctuary was one of the better dungeons of the game, but the item sucks. Funny, my two favorite dungeons of the game, Lanayru Mining Facility and Fire Sanctuary, have my least favorite items.
  Now on to the weird, creative items. I don't think of them as bad though. The most notable is the Spinner in Twilight Princess. It was odd, and only used once or twice outside of the dungeon, but I liked it. I was fun to jump of walls on to other walls and avoid obstacles, and other neat things. The pinball like boss fight with Stallord was fun and challenging too, even if it wasn't boss materiel. One of the newer weird items came out in the new Zelda title, A Link Between Worlds. the ability to turn into a painting and travel in walls!? Through em of the first time I heard it, and I didn't like it. It is just a weird concept all together, and I didn't want it in my Zelda game! It just seems a bit childish. I have heard from other people that is cool and is used in a lot of interesting puzzles, so I have a little better look on it now. Also, as I have said at the beginning of the topic, I have not played it yet, so it won't go on my bad item list. And even if I thought it was bad, I still would put it on my strange item list, as it is. Strange.

  Well, I hope you enjoyed my first of many blog posts! If you liked it, you can always follow me, plus one me, or add a comment. I have a lot more to add on this subject, so if you would like to see more Zelda and Items, let me know! :) Any help would be appreciated! Thanks for reading, and signing off!