I've picked up Chrono-Trigger for the DS recently, and I have to say I am really enjoying it so far.
The only thing I am not entirely comfortable with is the real-time combat system. While I appreciate the added challenge and increased "realism", it's sometimes frustrating, especially when you are fighting three X monsters and it takes you time to figure out which of the three X buttons that show up when you try to attack is mapped to the X monster on the far left.
The game's option page allows you to switch from this "Active" combat mode to the "Wait" mode, which according to its description seemed like it should make combat become completely, or at least mostly, turn based. In practice, I see no difference whatsoever when switching between the two modes.
So my question is twofold:
- What are the differences between the two combat modes?
- Is there some sort of trick for successfully switching to "Wait" mode?
Thanks
Best Answer
In Wait mode if you're in a command menu (i.e. choosing an item or tech to use) time effectively stops. In active mode, Active Time Battle bar is always going; that's the one that fills up and your character can act when it's full. This includes yours and the enemy's which you can't see.
When you're just in the main combat screen and not in a particular menu there is no difference.
Once you learn dual-techs you might actually prefer Active mode, because in Wait mode you would have to sit in the main screen waiting for both characters to be ready to act, whereas in Active mode you can just select the tech while waiting and then just choose it.
That's actually one of the reasons that Wait mode doesn't make it completely "turn-based" the way you expect it to. You sometimes need to wait till 2 characters are ready to act simultaneously and if time stopped when it was 1 character's turn, you wouldn't be able to do so.