SPECULATION: Drop Bar Missing in KINGDOM HEARTS HD Dream Drop Distance Footage

[Oracle Spockanort]

Kingdom Hearts fans are well aquainted with the strugges of managing the Drop Bar in KINGDOM HEARTS 3D [Dream Drop Distance]. Trying to push through to a boss battle as either Sora or Riku could mean dropping in the middle of a battle and losing your momentum. Dropping too soon would only mean missing out on extra Drop Points and bonuses to give to either playable character. Not to mention some worlds would speed up the Drop Bar's depletion, which made KINGDOM HEARTS 3D one of the more frustrating titles in the franchise to play.

It seems as though people's issues with the Drop feature in KINGDOM HEARTS 3D [Dream Drop Distance] may possibly be resolved. In the latest trailer for KINGDOM HEARTS HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue, footage from KINGDOM HEARTS HD Dream Drop Distance has the Drop Bar missing from the game's head-up display (HUD).

 

The Drop Bar has been shown in recent appearances of KINGDOM HEARTS HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue, specifically in the demo for KINGDOM HEARTS HD Dream Drop Distance that has been shown off at many different game shows and expositions this summer. Despite that, the latest footage for KINGDOM HEARTS HD Dream Drop Distance appears to intentionally not show any Drop Bars despite having a fully-functional user interface (UI) and HUD along with Drop Points present.

Is it possible that there might be a mode that eliminates the automized Drop Bar added into KINGDOM HEARTS HD Dream Drop Distance? Visit our forums or drop a comment below and let us know what you think!

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[Dark Wing]

maybe the drop bar disappears during combat so you can't drop in the middle of a fight?

 

[Chaser]

maybe the drop bar disappears during combat so you can't drop in the middle of a fight?

That would make sense for bosses, but for regular rights? It seems unlikely.

What's weird is the 60fps footage and recent demos had the drop gauge but now it's missing from this trailer and Famitsu scans...

 

[VoidGear.]

I really don't get the problem with the drop gauge. The only problem I ever had was that monstro boss fight with Riku because I went in with little drop gauge left. But there are items for that, right

 

[OathkeeperRoxas XIII]

I never had issues with the gauge because I never forget Drop me Nots.

Seriously if someone forgot those, a hindsight on your fault

 

[catcake]

The drop bar was a pretty big part of the game's flow, so removing it would be a significant change. I somehow feel they wouldn't do that. I personally don't mind either way, I never really had much trouble with the drop gauge, but it doesn't add anything good to the gameplay either. Would be kinda neat if they actually listened to the people and took it off, because I know many people found it annoying.

 

[MaxialstarOA]

I'd like to offer my point of view in this situation. I think the mechanic will be forced in the first playthough of the game, then when you reach the moment before the final boss, you'll surely get a pop up that will say that you can turn off the drop bar, so you can focus on postgame content like collecting chests or other stuff.

 

[Muke]

I'd like to offer my point of view in this situation. I think the mechanic will be forced in the first playthough of the game, then when you reach the moment before the final boss, you'll surely get a pop up that will say that you can turn off the drop bar, so you can focus on postgame content like collecting chests or other stuff.

Aaah, this could be possible! It's like when you have to play through a game first before unlocking a harder mode!

 

[Taochan]

I never dropped until I was done a world anyway to keep Sora and Riku close to each other, so I'm pretty happy with this.

 

[kirabook]

I could have sworn there was news that it was missing/not returning ages ago

 

[catcake]

Aaah, this could be possible! It's like when you have to play through a game first before unlocking a harder mode!

I hope they don't pull that again. I don't mind a game that I play for the first time being easy, but at this point I really don't want to go through another proud run just to unlock critical. Really hope they've removed that part. I think it's pretty obvious that many people playing 2.8 have already played DDD, possibly several times. It's only fair to give access to the good stuff without having to go through everything again.

 

[Hirokey123]

If the drop gauge can be turned on an off I'm fine but we better not lose the ability to switch stories on command and the drop bonuses. The best thing I loved with how DDD did with its story was how even when Sora and Riku were apart they were able to help one another using this gauge. It gave it a unquie sense of teamwork so unlike CoM or BBS you never felt like you were traveling alone, Sora and Riku were linked supporting one another with every single thing they did. You made a dream eater? Both had it. You found a command or item? Both had it. You killed an enemy you got drop points which was used to boost one another. As long as this element still remains I am okay with the drop gauge being able to be turned off. I REALLY don't wanna play DDD if I can't use affinity drop boost+food, that gets you 400-500 LP per minute and made unlocking grids soooo much quicker and easier.

 

[Ballad of Caius]

Never had a problem with it personally, but having the option to not activate it would be interesting. Maybe you can manually Drop...?

 

[Muke]

Never had a problem with it personally, but having the option to not activate it would be interesting. Maybe you can manually Drop...?

Droping manually would not be a new mechanic. You could do that in DDD

 

[FudgemintGuardian]

The sudden absence is really weird. The Drop Gauge was never an issue for me. Heck, I never even needed a Drop Me Not.

If it shuts off during boss fights I'd understand but these are normal fights showing.
So either....
1. The Drop Gauge shuts off during all fights
2. There will be an option in the Menu to shut off the Drop Gauge
3. The Drop Gauge was removed completely.

 

[MATGSY]

And nothing of value was lost.

 

[Xagzan]

I'd be down for no drop bar, but then when would you switch between the two?

 

[VoidGear.]

I'd be down for no drop bar, but then when would you switch between the two?

a) at certain segments of the game / after completing worlds (during regular gameplay)
b) at free will (post-game)

Edit: Oh lmao, I thought my post was lost but it was in a different thread. I'm sorry.

 

[Xagzan]

a) at certain segments of the game / after completing worlds (during regular gameplay)
b) at free will (post-game)

Edit: Oh lmao, I thought my post was lost but it was in a different thread. I'm sorry.

Yeah my bad, I had a bunch of threads open at once and mixed em up.

 

[Royce & Mueller]

No...Drop bar hasn't been removed:
http://images.khinsider.com/Kingdom...ots/Site Update - 12 15 2011/Characters09.jpg

http://images.khinsider.com/Kingdom...ots/Site Update - 12 15 2011/Characters10.jpg

They sometimes remove it for demos and exhibitions, like back then. Why would they get rid of it altogether...if Yasue just a few months ago not only confirmed its presence, but even stated that drop rate depletion was tweaked for consoles?

Now, would it be *nice* if an option to turn it off is added post-game? Sure. But I'm not betting on it. It's in the game's damn title even...