Chrono Trigger DS - [localization] differences between DS and SNES versions

[FantasiaWHT]

+1 to finding the PSX version annoying near to the point of unplayable from load times.

I've discovered why grind fests in RPG's turned from fun into incredibly annoying, and its how slow the battles are - load times being a part of that.

[badinsults]

You raise a lot of good points, but still... they could load the entire SNES rom into RAM, so why is there load time?!?

The main issue is that the PSX was not powerful enough to emulate the snes, and it doesn't use the rom at all (except possibly to get graphics tiles). The PSX version does have the snes rom on it (and it can be loaded in snes emulators), but the game itself is PSX code.

Still with the many games I have, I just can't see myself going through Chrono Trigger again, even with a new dungeon.

[j_factor]

You raise a lot of good points, but still... they could load the entire SNES rom into RAM, so why is there load time?!?

What makes you think the entire game could be loaded into RAM? The Playstation only has 2MB of RAM... that's enough for a 16-meg game. Isn't Chrono Trigger 32 megs or something?

[kupomogli]

Well no. I won't sell all my discs and I'm quite used to load times, but for a port of a SNES game, I'm amazed it's as bad as it is. You'll never find a bigger Chrono Trigger fan than me I promise, but I just don't like that version. At all.

Considering you said it's "unplayable' but would say that other games are playable with the loading times, must mean you don't think the game is that good. If you look at it this way. The game is good whether it has a half second load time or a one second load time each screen.

Looks like you're not as big a Chrono Trigger fan as you thought if you can't stand an extra half second/second worth of load time.

[c0ldb33r]

What makes you think the entire game could be loaded into RAM? The Playstation only has 2MB of RAM... that's enough for a 16-meg game. Isn't Chrono Trigger 32 megs or something?

You've got a point, sort of.

I just checked wikipedia. Chrono Trigger for SNES was a 32 megabit cart. The Playstation has 2 Megabyte of main RAM. 32 megabits = 4 Megabytes. So, the Playstation couldn't hold the entire SNES rom in RAM at one time, but it could hold half of it. And when it needed to load, it would only need to load 2 MB of info.

The whole thing seems cheesy to me. I expect that the original Playstation could probably have emulated the SNES, but Sony or Square was concerned about licensing issues with Nintendo, so didn't want to work on creating a SNES emulator on a Sony product (maybe - I dunno, I'm just pulling this out of my ass, but it makes sense to me).

[TonyTheTiger]

Looks like you're not as big a Chrono Trigger fan as you thought if you can't stand an extra half second/second worth of load time.

To be fair, the load times are far worse than a half second/second. It can take up to a full 7 seconds to load the menu and another 4 to get back out. And any area that has an extra layer like snow or fog (Mount Woe, for example) the game itself runs sluggish for most actions. A casting of Lightning 2 takes two, maybe three times longer. So no matter how good Chrono Trigger may be, the port is horrendous. Significant technical problems can mar an otherwise good experience. I dealt with it but I can't say that I'd be that enthusiastic of revisiting that version now that all the extras can be found on the DS.

[j_factor]

You've got a point, sort of.

I just checked wikipedia. Chrono Trigger for SNES was a 32 megabit cart. The Playstation has 2 Megabyte of main RAM. 32 megabits = 4 Megabytes. So, the Playstation couldn't hold the entire SNES rom in RAM at one time, but it could hold half of it. And when it needed to load, it would only need to load 2 MB of info.

2MB is a lot for the Playstation to load, actually. It wouldn't have as many load times, but each load time would be pretty long. Actually, though, if the post above is accurate in its description of the load times, it would still be better. 2MB on a 2x CD-ROM drive should load in about 7 seconds.

But I suspect the Playstation version of the game is significantly larger than the SNES version (even excluding the FMVs).

The whole thing seems cheesy to me. I expect that the original Playstation could probably have emulated the SNES, but Sony or Square was concerned about licensing issues with Nintendo, so didn't want to work on creating a SNES emulator on a Sony product (maybe - I dunno, I'm just pulling this out of my ass, but it makes sense to me).

I doubt Playstation could have emulated SNES. There's an SNES emulator for Dreamcast, and it's less than perfect. Although, it is easier to make an emulator specifically for one game than it is to make a general emulator.

[kupomogli]

To be fair, the load times are far worse than a half second/second. It can take up to a full 7 seconds to load the menu and another 4 to get back out. And any area that has an extra layer like snow or fog (Mount Woe, for example) the game itself runs sluggish for most actions. A casting of Lightning 2 takes two, maybe three times longer. So no matter how good Chrono Trigger may be, the port is horrendous. Significant technical problems can mar an otherwise good experience. I dealt with it but I can't say that I'd be that enthusiastic of revisiting that version now that all the extras can be found on the DS.

Well, actually I said second/second and a half for the PSX version, but I also said that was only for switching areas and the start of battles. Anyways, actually started the game and was playing it up to where you talk to Marle at600 A.D. I ended up getting about three to four seconds for opening the menu, didn't even time closing the menu. I ended up getting seven seconds when naming any of the characters.

Afterwards I actually started playing a new game plus on the SNES. In my opinion new game plus sucks because it carries absolutely no difficulty though, so I may start a new game after I finish 7th Saga.

[TonyTheTiger]

Well, actually I said second/second and a half for the PSX version, but I also said that was only for switching areas and the start of battles. Anyways, actually started the game and was playing it up to where you talk to Marle at600 A.D. I ended up getting about three to four seconds for opening the menu, didn't even time closing the menu. I ended up getting seven seconds when naming any of the characters.

The load times can vary depending on where you are. Either way, it's annoying because the menu isn't something you use only rarely. When the game freezes for a time in and out of it you soon realize just how much you actually do use the menu. I remember a few times where I thought, "I'll wait until the next battle to heal because I don't want to go into the menu." It's certainly much worse than what you find in that version's contemporaries like Final Fantasy VII, VIII, Chrono Cross, etc.

Afterwards I actually started playing a new game plus on the SNES. In my opinion new game plus sucks because it carries absolutely no difficulty though, so I may start a new game after I finish 7th Saga.

Well, that's sort of the point. Because of the multiple endings you have to be able to beat Lavos at just about any time and having the opportunity to one shot your way through the game is attractive to people who want to play through it but don't want to put in the time that a normal playthrough requires.

[kupomogli]

Well, that's sort of the point. Because of the multiple endings you have to be able to beat Lavos at just about any time and having the opportunity to one shot your way through the game is attractive to people who want to play through it but don't want to put in the time that a normal playthrough requires.

I know that, but it still sucks playing through the New Game+. I've only actually completed the game in that mode on the SNES once when I originally watched all the endings and the PSX version so I could unlock all the ending listings on the bonus mode.