The Very Big Final Fantasy XIII Thread

[bluestarultor]

Also, the "belt" on his collar is actually snaps.

[Meister]

Plus I've totally seen jackets like that with two zippers more than once.

In pink or baby blue and on girls, okay, if you want to split hairs, fine, but then again it's Final Fantasy, isn't it. And two belts isn't so uncommon either; point is while I know what you're saying and while all the elements are there that particular character may not be a good example because as Final Fantasy characters compared to real life go he's not all that outlandish.

[Kim]

Originally Posted by MFD

See, now this I take issue with. The tutorial is by no means mandatory, and really just flows pretty seamlessly with the story. There's no Moogles randomly walking on-screen to show you how to use Eidolons.

Instead, they present you with a brief text tutorial when you encounter your first Eidolon, and ask you if you even want the tutorial.

It's pretty much how every tutorial goes.

No, it's still bullshit tutorial nonsense because you can't level or anything for the first two hours (and even then the game limits how much you can level and in what classes, though it gets better later on), you can't level your equipment for the first five hours, you don't have eidolons for any characters for the first eight hours (and I'm still waiting on eidolons for *most* of my party), etc.

The first five hours at bare minimum are absolutely fucking terrible in every goddamn way, and it's only when the combat opens up to actually being almost fun that the game becomes playable, rather than pure shit. The writing in the beginning is also pretty terrible, but it's leveled up to being boring. Yes, the game's writing being boring is an improvement over how it started.

[Melfice]

Originally Posted by Meister

Plus I've totally seen jackets like that with two zippers more than once.

In pink or baby blue and on girls, okay, if you want to split hairs, fine, but then again it's Final Fantasy, isn't it. And two belts isn't so uncommon either; point is while I know what you're saying and while all the elements are there that particular character may not be a good example because as Final Fantasy characters compared to real life go he's not all that outlandish.

I think that I've seen men's double-zipper jackets while I was working in a clothing warehouse a good while back. So it's really not all that weird for men either.

Anyway, like I said earlier: If I hadn't seen his name in the credits, I wouldn't have thought this was Nomura's work at all. It's some of the most normal looking clothes he's drawn. Probably ever.

[Art of Hilt]

Originally Posted by NonCon

WHY DOES HIS BELT HAVE A SCARF
I- I DON'T EVEN
WHAT

The belt has very strong opinions on Palestine.

[EVILNess]

That "elbow pad" is on his upper arm and actually is his weapon.

[Meister]

Originally Posted by EVILNess

That "elbow pad" is on his upper arm and actually is his weapon.

Yeah, I'm prepared to argue the gloves and the jacket and all but that is just weird. I'm picturing something like Macho Man Randy Savage, amidst all the futuristic weaponry and magic, just elbow-dropping Malboros and Tonberrys left and right.

[EVILNess]

Originally Posted by Meister

Yeah, I'm prepared to argue the gloves and the jacket and all but that is just weird. I'm picturing something like Macho Man Randy Savage, amidst all the futuristic weaponry and magic, just elbow-dropping Malboros and Tonberrys left and right.

It's some kind of machine that increases his strength so he can punch things with his bare hands.

[MFD]

No, it's still bullshit tutorial nonsense because you can't level or anything for the first two hours (and even then the game limits how much you can level and in what classes, though it gets better later on),

Oh, OK. I thought you meant just the tutorials in general. I dunno, though. I didn't really notice not being able to level up. You weren't l'Cie yet, therefore you couldn't do anything interesting. There's really no leveling in the game except for Job Role levels, and you don't start getting different roles for awhile in the game.

you can't level your equipment for the first five hours, you don't have eidolons for any characters for the first eight hours (and I'm still waiting on eidolons for *most* of my party), etc.

Again, I missed nothing about leveling equipment. In fact, all I did was question all the components I had acquired. Oh, and waiting until that point was fine, because then I had tons of Components to level my weapons.

Also, your timing is so off. I used no walkthrough, and in six hours I was at the end of my first disc. I can't specify exactly when I got Odin and learned to use him. I'd say a more conservative estimate would be two and three hours, respectively, though, for leveling items and getting your first two Eidolons. I'll admit I'm still waiting on a third as of Chapter 6, though.

Also, while you were waiting for all that stuff I was, goshdarnit, enjoying the game.

The first five hours at bare minimum are absolutely fucking terrible in every goddamn way, and it's only when the combat opens up to actually being almost fun that the game becomes playable, rather than pure shit.

Huh? I enjoyed the first dungeon, which I assume is what you meant by "the first five hours" (somehow you tend to exaggerate playtimes). And combat opens up maybe an hour into the game. I mean, jeez, dood. FFV didn't start you out with Crystals, FFVI didn't start you out with Magicite, and FFVII didn't start you with Materia. You could argue that combat didn't open up for an hour or so in those games, as well. Get a grip. It takes you maybe an hour to become l'Cie.

The writing in the beginning is also pretty terrible, but it's leveled up to being boring. Yes, the game's writing being boring is an improvement over how it started.

I dunno, I think Sazh is written pretty well. Vanille, too. Her only problem is the voice actress. Hope and Snow are annoying. Lightning is... well, not much of a talker.

Also, I'm not sure how the game's writing relates to your hatred of "the tutorial section".

To wit! I don't see how "before the combat system opened up" is any worse than any other Final Fantasy game "before the combat system opened up." The writing is subjective, but I enjoyed myself playing the game, and will continue to do so. Feel free to not enjoy the game and play for more than eight hours despite the fact that you hate it.

[Kim]

Because "before the game opens up" in FFXIII means AUTOBATTLEAUTOBATTLEAUTOBATTLE at worst and ATTACTATTACKATTACKATTACKBLITZ!ATTACKATTACKATTACK at best. It's boring, incredibly repetitive, and the reason not being able to level roles or equipment yet is such a big deal is being able to do that that it would be the sole motivation to do these battles, so without it, the battles are even more of a pointless, annoying waste of time than they were already.

Sazh is likable. I think I'm still in chapter six. Unfortunately for Sazh they decided that telling what happened to him was better than really showing it, so the only scene that might have emotionally involved me in the experience was a let down. The other characters are boring.

The bad writing has nothing to do with the gameplay, but the writing was at its worst during the early bits, so it serves to make a bad section even worse. They give you several "oh no somebody died" bits in the first hour, which causes you to feel nothing, because the only characters it affects are characters who are still completely unlikable. I don't care that Serah died, because I don't care about Snow or Lightning, and I don't know Serah at all so I can't really care about her either. I don't care that Hope's mom died, because I fucking hate Hope, and I know nothing about her or their relationship, so I can't really feel for her. Both of these moments fall to pieces because the pacing is complete and utter shit. Since these things are the primary motivations for several characters, this is very bad. So, the first couple hours of gameplay establish that I don't like the characters, I don't like the gameplay, I don't care about the motivations of the characters, and I don't even know what the fuck is going on half the time.

FFXIII seriously has one of the worst introductory sections I have seen in my life.

Originally Posted by MFD

Feel free to not enjoy the game and play for more than eight hours despite the fact that you hate it.

The game is better now. Still not that great, but better. Besides, if I had a choice, I'd be playing Persona 4. Or Infinite Space. Or Pokemon SoulSilver. I don't really have a choice.