The Very Big Final Fantasy XIII Thread

[Kim]

Originally Posted by krogothwolf

FF VI has a pretty bad speech just before they fight Kefka.

Yeah, but that speech is awesome for Kefka being all "Fuck you guys, I'll just blow it all up again."

[Professor Smarmiarty]

You need a suitably rousing speech when you are going to fight a scary clown.

[bluestarultor]

Done derailing the thread, so I'm gonna reply to this.

Originally Posted by NonCon

I'll say what I've said elsewhere...

The first fight in the game, the enemy attacked right before Lightning did, and Lightning decided that she'd just run against the geometry of his arm for a second or two instead of, you know, attacking. Great start, game!

Other than that, it's okay. Combat is still boring as fuck because usually all I do is press auto-battle, since when I was playing with Lightning, I didn't notice Blitz for a while, and now I'm playing as Not-Seifer, so the same is happening here.

Odd glitch, didn't run into anything like that. Possibly a collisions issue? Weird.

Lightning has Blitz, Snow has some nifty hand grenades starting out. They're infinite, but once you get further, they fall off the radar. You'll probably have to buy them back later, but we didn't get that far yet.

There also seems to be the gaping plot hole of why are Sahz and Lightning even together. It just throws them together in the beginning, and I have no idea how they're together and why they're grouped up. It seems they just met, and aren't too fond of each other. SO WHY ARE THEY TEAMED UP? Blergh.

Sahz is pretty awesome, even if he suffers from "Haha the animal can talk but he's the only one who can understand it" durpa durr syndrome.

It uses flashbacks to explain how everything got the way it is. For a spoiler: The two don't know each other, but he tags along because he needs help to do what he thinks he needs to do and they're going the same direction. They don't share as common a goal as he believes at first, though.

Also, I miss my normal levels. Combat feels kinda pointless right now, since half the time I don't get anything, and the other half of the time I get potions and maybe a Phoenix Down. No thanks, game. I don't think I've used an item yet, I don't need any more. I guess I get components, which maybe I'm supposed to sell for money? I dunno, maybe I'm supposed to save them up for something, so that's what I'm doing now. Only thing I can buy at the store right now is more items anyway, because fuck this game be eeeeeaaaasy.

Actually, if you're not a l'Cie yet, you're not gaining any EXP. There's a Sphere Grid-like system in place again, but it doesn't kick in until you get changed.

INLINE EDIT: Let me clarify that. Where in FFX, you needed Sphere Levels to move around and Spheres to unlock crap, here you gain CP, which is a fancy way of saying EXP you can put towards any node adjacent to a lit one on the grid at any time, without needing to worry about movement, even if you can't fully reach it yet. Also, everyone has their own fully unique grid, with different abilities in different orders, stat boosts, unique abilities, and "specializations" in certain jobs, meaning what they're essentially designed around. Like, anyone can become a Medic, but it's one of Hope's major functions and he's just plain better at it than others. [/edit]

ALSO, do not underestimate the utility of items. You will use them much more later. ALSO ALSO, do NOT sell your components. This was said before, but it's a bitch to collect them and you'll be very sorry if you wipe out your stock, because they upgrade all your equipment. You'll get "credit chips" or some crap later which sell for a lot and aren't good for upgrades.

Also, @Blues, you complained a lot about having to sell stuff for money in XII, but I don't think I've noticed you do the same for this game. Any particular reason why, or does the game start handing out money like candy after the tutorial?

It does not, sadly. That's a major complaint for me. Gil is incredibly hard to come by for a good chunk of the game. The only reason it's not a deal-breaker is because you'll find all the equipment and most of the items you'll need if you're thorough, so you can focus on buying components. If you miss a weapon, it will break your bank. Literally, you'll have to scrape for the Gil and then wipe it out to pick up one you missed.

But short of supplementing your component stock and paying for not being a good enough raider, there's really very little use to the shops in this game. There will come a point where you'll be able to farm money-giving components from enemies, but you'll probably find yourself sitting on it because upgrading your weaponry is free, minus bought components.

[krogothwolf]

Hand Grenade gets replaced by Blitz for Snow.

[Meister]

God fucking dammit I'm starting to get interested after all.

[Melfice]

Originally Posted by Meister

God fucking dammit I'm starting to get interested after all.

I told myself I wouldn't pick it up, when I first heard of it. Final Fantasy XII was something I could not get into, at all. The whole mechanics of the game did not agree with me. Eventually got a guide. Who knows? Maybe it's just the first bit that's irking me? Got through that "first bit" (don't remember exactly where) and decided to sell it anyway.

The more I heard about this one, though... Yeah. I've got it lying next to my PS3. Were it not that I'm playing Metal Gear Solid 4 (and surprisingly liking it!) and Yakuza 3, I'm sure I'd be much further in. The bit controlling Lightning and the bit with Snow (Halfway through the character introductions now?) sold it for me. Maybe it'll completely suck much later on, but so far... I'm liking it!

[Nique]

Played about 30 minutes of this at a friend's house.

It is a really pretty game, but that just makes the uninspired character designs all the more dissapointing. I like the Chocobo-in-the-hair guy and Lightning is pretty good, but everyone else looks like a cheap stripper. Yes the dudes too.

I had heard a lot of hub-bub about the battle system and even though it's fast it seems pretty boring?

And why the hell can't I view a full stat sheet? I get all of 2 stats and elemental defenses showing up, yet there's armor that boosts the defense? What is that? Is defense that weird percentage mechanic?

[bluestarultor]

Originally Posted by Nique

Played about 30 minutes of this at a friend's house.

It is a really pretty game, but that just makes the uninspired character designs all the more dissapointing. I like the Chocobo-in-the-hair guy and Lightning is pretty good, but everyone else looks like a cheap stripper. Yes the dudes too.

I had heard a lot of hub-bub about the battle system and even though it's fast it seems pretty boring?

And why the hell can't I view a full stat sheet? I get all of 2 stats and elemental defenses showing up, yet there's armor that boosts the defense? What is that? Is defense that weird percentage mechanic?

Battle gets better after you unlock the classes. The system is actually DESIGNED to be slightly abusable, in that if you switch between one set of classes and a similar one (Paradigm Shift), you can insta-fill your ATB bar. The game literally expects you to do this. If you're not constantly switching Paradigms, you're doing it wrong and it will grade you down based on your battle time. It's very tactical in a way.


Armor doesn't raise your defense so much as it adds to your HP, from what I can tell. If there is a true defense stat, the only way to raise it would probably be with buffs. Not 100% clear on this, myself.

[Nique]

I mean, it's just HP, MP, STR and MAG? Nutty. Also Paradigm Shift is eerily reminiscient of dress-spheres/ grids, and the leveling system is pretty much a spin on FFX's which would then make FFXIII = FFX + FFX-2? I'm ok with this. I imagine some people are not?

[Azisien]

Once the game actually lets you play the combat system is pretty damn fun I don't care what no one thinks otherwise!

I need one of my characters to learn Haste ASAP though, having 4 ATB bars without Haste provides these jarring moments of nothingness in a really fast combat environment.