Final Fantasy XII

From Sonic to Mario to Final Fantasy to Soul Calibur and everything else, talk about videogames here

Moderator: sonic

User avatar
marto_motoko
Posts: 536
Joined: Sun Nov 27, 2005 6:54 pm
Location: Ni'ihama

Post by marto_motoko »

Jeni Nielsen wrote:
::coughomegamark12cough::

There's always an enemy out there who is stronger than you. TRUST me. :)

T_T I don't know if I like the sound of that Jeni.... sounds too tough.

mm
Image
Who are you? Who slips into my robot body and whispers to my ghost?
User avatar
sonic
Special
Posts: 274
Joined: Wed Nov 23, 2005 10:03 pm

Post by sonic »

Oh gawwwwd! I'm still playing this game, even after buying it on it's release date! It truly is the never-ending game... :arrow: :cry: *despairs*.

I am actually 130+ hrs into it now, and I'm still only about halfway through the game. Balthier's recently made his revelation about where he's from and what he was, and it's one of the most interesting character developments so far, but it's so little after so much *darn* "questing" that I almost don't care. I'm almost at Archades at last, wayhay! And I've *finally caught up on my hunts and done every single one they've offered me so far except for the Roblon (too many skeletons around it, they mob my party). I actually stopped playing it for half a year before I picked it up again last December. I get bored with it really fast, so I play it in spurts.

I think I've realised the problem with a game like this for me. You see, I don't *hate* the new gameplay entirely, so it isn't unplayable. And when I haven't played it in a while and then I go play it again, I become really addicted for a time to going through these vast places fighting things and using the liscence board. Then after a few weeks, the dull dreary repetitiveness of it hits me again, and I realise with despair that I've been doing the same thing in the game for weeks with nothing different to do, and still only really inching closer towards the end of the game. So not wanting to waste my life on it, I give up for a while. Then it starts again. I like the uniqueness of the game and even the concept of the gameplay, and in all honesty it's the game I have the most desire to play when I want to play a game now, but when I'm playing, I'm a bit bored. It has too much of that time-wasting online RPG factor; I don't feel like they got the balance right with it. Part of the problem is that I am used to obsessively going everywhere that an RPG will let me, and doing all the sidequests and things that they offer me. Up until now it hasn't been a problem, but in this game it's overwhelming because the open-endedness means they just keep throwing stuff at you (this is why I don't enjoy online stlye RPGs, lol), and the areas are so vast. Yet even though killing the same monsters is boring, I can't seem to stop myself incase I "miss something". I also feel like the things in the game are so strong that if I don't do all these things now, I'll only end up having to severly level up later >_<. And no matter how much money we have, we always need more >_<.

Hmm... A never-ending Final Fantasy, that has just enough of the elements of Final Fantasy in it to make me feel a need to play it and beat it, but not enough of it strongly to make me not bored when I'm with it; that's torture! Imagine being compelled to play through a game that you kind of like but find tedious at the same time... yup, it's just cruel.

On the plus side, the characters have grown on me. (They'd have to, I've been staring at their backsides for a year and a half, lol). Balthier is great, one of the greatest FF guys since Wakka in my opinion; and certainly the coolest along with Squall. I still really like Fran, I have a lot of respect for her and find her people quite interesting with their harsh "deserter" policies. Basch is easily my next favourite character now; I like him more even than Fran perhaps in some ways. He started out kind of generic to me, but I do think he's quite good (might have something to do with my making him the weilder of a powerful axe; making him deal extremely high damage, lol). And Ashe... I still think Ashe is alright, though not the greatest 'princess' character they've done. I like her internal conflict- I think I can understand her more now- but I wish she didn't look like she had a bad haircut half the time. Can't say I'm looking forward to FFXIII's "Lightning" -the female Cloud- she looks to have even more unappealing design looks-wise. Well, Ashe is a tough girl with alot on her plate, and I like that so hey. Penelo grew on me, though I feel like she's a character who *wants* desperately to fulfill her potential of being a Selphie or Rikku type character, but tragically can't because she's not in that kind of game, but more a sobered-out western RPG type universe. If she was in one of the FF games of those other characters, she would excel as a character and enjoy every minute of it, lol. And Vaan... still a big yawn. Though it's funny how everyone else keeps telling him off. Ashe just did it to him in the Sochen Palace Cave, right made me grin (Vaan: "Even we didn't recognise our princess." Ashe: "Yes, I noticed"). Bwa ha ha, quite amusing.

Incidentally I got all excited last month when I found some FFXII figures for half price in a local shop. But they were all Vaan x_x :evil: (What?? Argh, why no Balthier or Ashe :(...)
User avatar
Jeni Nielsen
Posts: 405
Joined: Sun Nov 27, 2005 7:35 am

Post by Jeni Nielsen »

I beat 12 quite some time ago, and I thought it was a really sweet game. We now have a DS with the sequel game so I'll be playing that shortly.

I have such a crush on Balthier. :)
User avatar
sonic
Special
Posts: 274
Joined: Wed Nov 23, 2005 10:03 pm

Post by sonic »

Yeah, he really is cool ^_^

You almost making me feel weird though, lol- when playing the game I kind of put 'myself' in there as him a little (though not so much as with Ziggy in Xenosaga). I don't know why I do that when playing RPGs with a male character I really like (I guess in FFVIII it was Selphie and Rinoa though, so that's okay- it's girls sometimes).

Balthier's voice is great. Yay- a game character with an English accent who's cool (and who also doesn't sound fake)! My favourite line: "I knew that Fran didn't like being tied up!" Ahh! LOL LOL, that's so good :lol:. I really like him and Fran as a couple, so I was disappointed that there was no Fran action figure to go with him. And no Basch either >_<

Jeni, I have a question though- how long did it take you to complete it and do "everything" in the game (all hunts, sidequests, espers, boss monsters, complete exploration of every area, etcetera)?? I only ask because I can't believe that I've played it for 120+ hours and am only what feel like halfway through it. I don't have that much time to play games lately, and it feels like this game just eats up all of it with no signs of ever letting up. I'm ready to move on- that many hours of the same gameplay, however "innovative" it's supposed to be for an RPG is too easily boring. But I want to finish it because I like the characters now, and I want to really 'complete' all of it because that's what I have done with every other FF I've played. Most FF games take as long as I have played this one so far at the very most to beat it- I'm having some serious trouble working out how to pace myself with it (ie. when to not explore and do hunts, and just move forward with going from A-B instead. I tried to do that at first, but they throw too many distractions your way for my liking). I guess what I'm trying to say is I find it a bit overwhelming, the time it takes to explore and do things... For instance, should I really be Level 47 to 55 already before I've even gotten to Archades yet? Or was trying to get every hunt they gave me done before I got there a bit too much? (To be honest the way they talked I was worried the hunts would go away at some point if I didn't do them). Ack- advice on how to play the game is appreciated. Also, does it get any more complex than simply "overpowering" your enemies with Quickenings etcetera at any point? It feels like that's been the general jist of the gameplay for the last 120+ hours; no really 'clever' fights yet (like Seymour in FFX or Ultimecia in FFVIII -which, granted, was a final boss fight and the most engaging one in my opinion to date).
User avatar
sonic
Special
Posts: 274
Joined: Wed Nov 23, 2005 10:03 pm

Post by sonic »

...Also, have you still not played FFVIII yet? Such a pretty game...
User avatar
Jeni Nielsen
Posts: 405
Joined: Sun Nov 27, 2005 7:35 am

Post by Jeni Nielsen »

Sylphisonic wrote:Yeah, he really is cool ^_^

You almost making me feel weird though, lol- when playing the game I kind of put 'myself' in there as him a little (though not so much as with Ziggy in Xenosaga). I don't know why I do that when playing RPGs with a male character I really like (I guess in FFVIII it was Selphie and Rinoa though, so that's okay- it's girls sometimes).

Balthier's voice is great. Yay- a game character with an English accent who's cool (and who also doesn't sound fake)! My favourite line: "I knew that Fran didn't like being tied up!" Ahh! LOL LOL, that's so good :lol:. I really like him and Fran as a couple, so I was disappointed that there was no Fran action figure to go with him. And no Basch either >_<

Jeni, I have a question though- how long did it take you to complete it and do "everything" in the game (all hunts, sidequests, espers, boss monsters, complete exploration of every area, etcetera)?? I only ask because I can't believe that I've played it for 120+ hours and am only what feel like halfway through it. I don't have that much time to play games lately, and it feels like this game just eats up all of it with no signs of ever letting up. I'm ready to move on- that many hours of the same gameplay, however "innovative" it's supposed to be for an RPG is too easily boring. But I want to finish it because I like the characters now, and I want to really 'complete' all of it because that's what I have done with every other FF I've played. Most FF games take as long as I have played this one so far at the very most to beat it- I'm having some serious trouble working out how to pace myself with it (ie. when to not explore and do hunts, and just move forward with going from A-B instead. I tried to do that at first, but they throw too many distractions your way for my liking). I guess what I'm trying to say is I find it a bit overwhelming, the time it takes to explore and do things... For instance, should I really be Level 47 to 55 already before I've even gotten to Archades yet? Or was trying to get every hunt they gave me done before I got there a bit too much? (To be honest the way they talked I was worried the hunts would go away at some point if I didn't do them). Ack- advice on how to play the game is appreciated. Also, does it get any more complex than simply "overpowering" your enemies with Quickenings etcetera at any point? It feels like that's been the general jist of the gameplay for the last 120+ hours; no really 'clever' fights yet (like Seymour in FFX or Ultimecia in FFVIII -which, granted, was a final boss fight and the most engaging one in my opinion to date).
I did not beat it 100% at all. I just beat the game for story. I was about level 55 or 60 to beat the boss at the end and it was pretty easy. My boyfriend did however beat it 100% I think it took him about 115 hours or something like that, all I remember was that it took over his life for a very long time. You have to be at level 99 (and some of your characters should be too). One hint for leveling up and getting more license points is to remember that your points are divided amongst the group you're fighting with. The fewer players you have in your party the quicker they level up. Also it's probably beside the point for you now, but the more you level up Van in the beginning the better since all the new party members are added in at Van's current level. The more leveling up you do in the beginning the better so I don't think you have to worry about it. Just also know that there are some hunts that come up that are impossible to do at first.


I'm forgetting which guide he used, but I know gamefaqs.com has some great ones.
User avatar
sonic
Special
Posts: 274
Joined: Wed Nov 23, 2005 10:03 pm

Post by sonic »

Yeah- the stupid Roblon is the only one that's been too hard since the White Mousse (which was easy once we were not all at baby-level anymore).

I have no problem filling up my liscence board; I already have 3 quarters of it completed so far and the rest is largely not as useful. I'm actually more worried that it's going to be done pretty soon and then that will be it for developing the party that way. Perhaps I shouldn't have had the golden amulets equipped, lol. Vaan is actually only level 12 as I don't like him, while Balthier is level 55. I actually think the game is a bit too easy, the only real difficulty is the vast amount of time it takes to see everything. I should point out that I completed the Bur-Omisace (after you have Mateus and have fought the Judge) portion of the story about 60 hours into the game, and 40 hrs later I arrived at the next real part of the game, the trip into the Sochen Palace Cavern to get to Archades. The 40 hrs was spent completing every single hunt (except the Roblon) that the game gave me, and completely exploring every single area in between being at Bur-Omisace and going to Archades for treasure etcetera. I also did the Barheim passage side-quest, the big dinosaur thing in the hidden part of the Estersand, several messanger jobs, killed the bomb blocking the path in the Salika Wood, and... beat the extra wall monster in the Stillshrine of Miriam, amongst others. All of that took 40 hrs, and I kept expecting it to end but it didn't. I am just feeling overwhelmed, because it doesn't feel like it should take so long to get from A to B and do a few chores along the way. Even knocking off ten hrs or so for when I may have left the game on for a while not doing anything, and then gone and saved that time, that is still colossal. If your boyfriend did it all in the time it's taken me to go halfway trying to do it all as I go, I take my hat off to him. Did he wait until near the end then go back and complete everything? Maybe that would have been easier; the hunts would go down in seconds rather than 10-20 minutes for big ones that way...

Okay, if level 55 is way too easy to beat the boss on, I guess I should just avoid fighting anything else when possible and try and make my way to the boss as quickly as possible ^_^ I've been using Zalera (the esper I gave to Fran) a lot too whenever I just want to blaze through a section, so it was at least well worth doing that fight and the fight against Adremelecht early on ^_^. btw- thanks for the tips :P
User avatar
sonic
Special
Posts: 274
Joined: Wed Nov 23, 2005 10:03 pm

Post by sonic »

I'm forgetting which guide he used, but I know gamefaqs.com has some great ones.
Guide? Oh I don't use guides; it ruins the fun of figuring it out yourself (typically). Literally the only things I've used any guides online for in FF games was how to solve one of the temple puzzles I was stuck on and bored with in FFX, what enemies I needed to steal from to get the items I wanted, and to find out how the date mechanics worked in FF7. I wanted Barret, darn it! But I never could get that to work... :?
User avatar
Jeni Nielsen
Posts: 405
Joined: Sun Nov 27, 2005 7:35 am

Post by Jeni Nielsen »

Sylphisonic wrote:Yeah- the stupid Roblon is the only one that's been too hard since the White Mousse (which was easy once we were not all at baby-level anymore).

I have no problem filling up my liscence board; I already have 3 quarters of it completed so far and the rest is largely not as useful. I'm actually more worried that it's going to be done pretty soon and then that will be it for developing the party that way. Perhaps I shouldn't have had the golden amulets equipped, lol. Vaan is actually only level 12 as I don't like him, while Balthier is level 55. I actually think the game is a bit too easy, the only real difficulty is the vast amount of time it takes to see everything. I should point out that I completed the Bur-Omisace (after you have Mateus and have fought the Judge) portion of the story about 60 hours into the game, and 40 hrs later I arrived at the next real part of the game, the trip into the Sochen Palace Cavern to get to Archades. The 40 hrs was spent completing every single hunt (except the Roblon) that the game gave me, and completely exploring every single area in between being at Bur-Omisace and going to Archades for treasure etcetera. I also did the Barheim passage side-quest, the big dinosaur thing in the hidden part of the Estersand, several messanger jobs, killed the bomb blocking the path in the Salika Wood, and... beat the extra wall monster in the Stillshrine of Miriam, amongst others. All of that took 40 hrs, and I kept expecting it to end but it didn't. I am just feeling overwhelmed, because it doesn't feel like it should take so long to get from A to B and do a few chores along the way. Even knocking off ten hrs or so for when I may have left the game on for a while not doing anything, and then gone and saved that time, that is still colossal. If your boyfriend did it all in the time it's taken me to go halfway trying to do it all as I go, I take my hat off to him. Did he wait until near the end then go back and complete everything? Maybe that would have been easier; the hunts would go down in seconds rather than 10-20 minutes for big ones that way...

Okay, if level 55 is way too easy to beat the boss on, I guess I should just avoid fighting anything else when possible and try and make my way to the boss as quickly as possible ^_^ I've been using Zalera (the esper I gave to Fran) a lot too whenever I just want to blaze through a section, so it was at least well worth doing that fight and the fight against Adremelecht early on ^_^. btw- thanks for the tips :P
er you should probably level Van up a bit. You don't want later characters to join at a level 12 ^_^ (there's a NPC that joins your party later and he joins at whatever level Van is). :D
User avatar
sonic
Special
Posts: 274
Joined: Wed Nov 23, 2005 10:03 pm

Post by sonic »

er you should probably level Van up a bit. You don't want later characters to join at a level 12 ^_^ (there's a NPC that joins your party later and he joins at whatever level Van is).
OOOOOHHH HECK >_< !!!

Thanks for the advance warning, Jeni. Is it Larsa? Oh please don't let it be Larsa; I like him and I couldn't bear it if I'd condemned him to being a wimp like Vaan... If it's Reddas or anyone else though, I don't care.

Darn, I just know it must be Larsa >_<. Poor guy, he's receiving that accessory that increases your EXP right away! I like RPGs- you can be as evil as you like to the people you don't like, and as nice as you want to the characters you do like :wink: (it's therapeutic).

...Although I have to say, I have used my level 12 Vaan in a lot of the harder hunts, and he actually holds up just fine. That's why I never felt the need to level him -I do make use of all six characters, I just don't have him in the party when the fight ends much, in order to give the EXP to the characters I care about more. In every FF I ever played before this (well, except for X-2), I had completely lame characters I almost never used past their introduction, and "favourites" who would be in my party all the time and get really strong. Not once did I ever use Irvine, Zell, Tidus, Auron, Locke, or Cait Sith when I didn't have to (I would have avoided Cloud too, if FFVII would let me- I didn't like having to choose between Yuffie and Tifa or Red and Barret, lol- oh right, and Aeris and Vincent). This FF is different because I've used more characters more often...

I think I know a way to deal with the Roblon's skeleton army now, so that's my next side activity. I tried to avoid hunts, but when a Viera asks me to help her get her rucksack back from a monster, I just can't say no >_< ... (I am sad, lol).
Post Reply