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[Zzoram]

Meh, the main story in ME2 is rather short and doesn't conatin that much. A lot of it comes from doing the sidequest and loyalty missions. But the thing that impresses me with that game is the amount of background info and detail about the ME-universe. If there are some plot holes there then I don't mind because I never spotted any while I played.

Anyways, now I'm off to start chapter two in FFXIII!

Bioware isn't that good at main quest stories, but they are great at stuff like character loyalty missions and origins.

Also, I really like how the Mass Effect codex has all the important entries voiced. They should've did that with the FFXIII "Events" datalog, given all that space on the BD-50.

I like how when you load the game, it displays the latest "Events" datalog to remind you where you are in the game.

 

[Peff]

I had this question as well. Nobody answered

I answered earlier though at the end of the boss strategy post The -strike attacks count as physical, whereas the Ruin attack for COMs count as magical. This is so you can use them for enemies inmune to one of them.

 

[Cep]

Fixed.

Saved me from having to do it.

If there are some plot holes there then I don't mind because I never spotted any while I played.

And you should be grateful for that. I found a major plot-hole within my first couple of seconds of ME1.

 

[LowParry]

So who would Squall be in FFXIII? Cause that guy's a fucking dipshit. Can't be Snow.

 

[rush777]

Getting it this week can't wait.

 

[Tamanon]

So who would Squall be in FFXIII? Cause that guy's a fucking dipshit. Can't be Snow.

Early Lightning?

 

[Majine]

The AI is really killing me. When I want a debuff on the boss from our saboteur, he basically goes "screw that", and does something else. Fuck! Why is there no online modes? I need real people with brains.

Yeah, I libra'd.

 

[Cep]

Early Lightning?

Definite shoe-in for the Squall Award of dipshitttery.

 

[Zzoram]

I found a major plot-hole within my first couple of seconds of ME1.

Do you mean how the body should have incinerated if falling through an atmosphere? That's the first thing I thought.

 

[Fun Factor]

You mention FFXII and best VA in the same sentence but don't use them together?

And characterization? lol

What I mean is FFXIII is using the same type of high quality VA (except Vanille) as FFXII, but with an actual plot & constant characterization scenes throughout, rather than having one cutscene every 15-20 hours.

 

[WanderingWind]

So who would Squall be in FFXIII? Cause that guy's a fucking dipshit. Can't be Snow.

You said it.

 

[entremet]

I'm having a hard time in Chapter 11 with

Spoiler

Vanille's Eidolon. I always run out of time. Currently, I only have 3 ATBs, so that may be an issue. Any tips? I've used the Saboteur/Sentinel Paradigm, but I again I always run out of time.

 

[Dresden]

Lightning actually has character growth outside of "........Rinoa...........must...........save her."

 

[Zzoram]

The AI is really killing me. When I want a debuff on the boss from our saboteur, he basically goes "screw that", and does something else. Fuck! Why is there no online modes? I need real people with brains.

Yeah, I libra'd.

That'd be a really cool way to add online co-op. Have the host control the party leader and the partner play as the 2nd member.

 

[Nose Master]

So true. Lightning/Sazh/Hope. Best group. An alt group I like to have is Lightning/Fang/Vanille.

I use fang instead of Lightning. The sentinel and saboteur trumps the extra damage from Lightning, usually.

 

[Fimbulvetr]

Early Lightning?

Eh.

Lightning is a bitch because she gave up her childhood for someone she loved.

Squall is a bitch because of abandonment issues.

What I mean is FFXIII is using the same type of high quality VA (except Vanille) as FFXII, but with an actual plot & constant characterization scenes throughout, rather than having one cutscene every 15-20 hours.

The VA in XIII didn't touch XII's, period.

Also you might wanna look to the SMT/Mother series, FFTactics, and Vagrant Story for great characterization.

 

[LowParry]

You said it.

Snow is irritating. Hrm. Perhaps that is a correction connection. Squall = Snow. Lightning just doesn't fit that bill to me. She gets better and I thought she was just a hard ass to start. Being the "over protective sister" type.

 

[careful]

Early game Hope made me want to punch my TV. He's more tolerable now, but I will never forget.

 

[Llyranor]

As much as I love online co-op and wish JRPGs actually had them, not really sure this is the ideal game for that. Sounds like a good idea on paper (other players replacing AI), but the execution would be pretty awkward. If the main player is anything like me, s/he'd be swapping paradigms every 5-10 secs or so. It'd be a pretty bad experience for player 2/3. At the pace the gameplay works at, planning things between players wouldn't work fast enough.

 

[Cep]

Early game Hope made me want to punch my TV. He's more tolerable now, but I will never forget.

Truth be told, they are all pretty irritating early game.

 

[WanderingWind]

Lightning actually has character growth outside of "........Serah...........must...........save her."

The evidence is piling up. Snow = Squall.

 

[LowParry]

I use fang instead of Lightning. The sentinel and saboteur trumps the extra damage from Lightning, usually.

Ah. I keep Lightning in for the Launch effect. If you can get your times in right with the AI, you can keep a enemy floating the whole time till the timer goes down. Fang's great with Sentinel. Add that with two Ravage types for magic and faces melt. Though the occasional switch to a Commando type is needed to keep the timer slowed.

 

[Dresden]

Also you might wanna look to the SMT/Mother series, FFTactics, and Vagrant Story for great characterization.

For SMT, the Persona line, maybe... Most SMT games focus on sweeping themes of FUCKGOD rather than actual characters.

Tactics? You had Delita and Ramza. The other characters were usually introduced, fought/recruited or killed, then abandoned. Look at Agrias, who had one line total after the conclusion of Chapter 2.

You have a point about Vagrant Story.

 

[Fun Factor]

Eh.

Lightning is a bitch because she gave up her childhood for someone she loved.

Squall is a bitch because of abandonment issues.


The VA in XIII didn't touch XII's, period.

Might wanna replay the games again, Lighting VA is pretty much on-par with the Queen, only with actual scenes to flesh out the character.

Also you might wanna look to the SMT/Mother series, FFTactics, and Vagrant Story for great characterization.

:lol

 

[RustyNails]

If I dismantle an upgraded weapon, do I get the components back?

 

[Fimbulvetr]

Might wanna replay the games again, Lighting VA is pretty much on-par with the Queens, only with actual scenes to flesh out the character.



:lol

Ashe has scenes that flesh her out and doesn't sound like a tone deaf nobody.

And what do you mean ":lol"?

 

[Solideliquid]

It's a pickle alright, but the bird says no. Awesome game so far, but Vanille is kind of ruining it for me. She's FF's Jar Jar.

 

[Zoe]

Well as soon as you hit Gran Pulse say hello to grind-land. Any semblance the game had of a difficulty-curve goes straight out the window in favour of a difficulty-kick-your-ass-send-you-home-crying. Which is a shame, I was really enjoying being able to play through the story segments without grinding for 6 trillion hours but that came to end when I landed on Pulse.

I haven't done any grinding in the game yet with ~5 missions left. You don't need to attack the Pulse enemies on the field to get to where you need to be. Doing the first 28 missions (most of which fall along the story path) is all you need. The next chapter will be difficult and take work, but it's manageable.

(Ch. 11 question, possible spoilers)

Spoiler

So, what's the general consensus on the monster hunt missions? I've done up to 15 at this point (though I was just shy of 5-starring that last one, sadly) and was wondering how far I can expect to get on them with the pre-completion cap.

I made it to mission

Spoiler

50

before I felt I hit the final cap.

Spoiler

I was able to keep my guys alive for the next mission, but my stats weren't cutting it and I got hit with the death timer

.

 

[Hy_]

Do buffs/debuffs stack? Sometimes auto-battle will use it multipule times in the same ATB queue. Also any benefit to stack provoke?

 

[Zoe]

Ah. I keep Lightning in for the Launch effect. If you can get your times in right with the AI, you can keep a enemy floating the whole time till the timer goes down. Fang's great with Sentinel. Add that with two Ravage types for magic and faces melt. Though the occasional switch to a Commando type is needed to keep the timer slowed.

Fang and Snow have Launch as well.

 

[Fimbulvetr]

For SMT, the Persona line, maybe... Most SMT games focus on sweeping themes of FUCKGOD rather than actual characters.

Tactics? You had Delita and Ramza. The other characters were usually introduced, fought/recruited or killed, then abandoned. Look at Agrias, who had one line total after the conclusion of Chapter 2.

You have a point about Vagrant Story.

Just because SMT hates Christianity doesn't mean the characters don't exist. Play Nocturne or Digital Devil Saga.

And with tactics I was referring to WOTL which actually does have extra scenes/missions based around fleshing out your crew.

And yes, I have a point about Vagrant Story.

 

[Cep]

Just because SMT hates Christianity doesn't mean the characters don't exist. Play Nocturne or Digital Devil Saga.

And with tactics I was referring to WOTL which actually does have extra scenes/missions based around fleshing out your crew.

And yes, I have a point about Vagrant Story.

You have an Altar to Matsuno in your closet, don't you?

 

[Kagari]

Fangu.

 

[Fimbulvetr]

You have an Altar to Matsuno in your closet, don't you?

You don't?

 

[Fun Factor]

Ashe has scenes that flesh her out and doesn't sound like a tone deaf nobody.

There was like 2 or 3 scenes throughout the game from what I remember, Lighting had that much characterization in the first 5 hours.

 

[Fimbulvetr]

There was like 2 or 3 scenes throughout the game from what I remember, Lighting had that much characterization in the first 5 hours.

Your memory must be faulty then, yeah FFXII's story fades a bit during the middle part but that doesn't suddenly make it so than no character is developed.

And Ashe couldn't have possibly been as fleshed out in the first 5 hours because she hadn't even joined your party yet.

 

[marathonfool]

Do buffs/debuffs stack? Sometimes auto-battle will use it multipule times in the same ATB queue. Also any benefit to stack provoke?

Provoke doesn't always force the enemy to attack the Sentinel. Sometimes Provoke it twice will work because it is a dice roll. And I think it has area effect.

The Challenge ability you learn later on forces an enemy to attack the Sentinel without dice roll. I think this works for a single enemy

 

[Rpgmonkey]

I actually use both Sazh and Hope . Buffs make everything such a cakewalk.

THANK YOU. :/

 

[Cep]

You don't?

No.

Spoiler

It is in my living room

 

[Zoe]

The Team NORA people sound better than the main cast :lol

 

[Fun Factor]

Your memory must be faulty then, yeah FFXII's story fades a bit during the middle part but that doesn't suddenly make it so than no character is developed.

And Ashe couldn't have possibly been as fleshed out in the first 5 hours because she hadn't even joined your party yet.

What's bad was Ashe was the only character that had anything related to a fleshed out story & even that was so short & in small burst.

Compare that to FFXII, 12 hours in & I already know all of Lightings reasons for fighting, escaping, attitude to others & further character advancement.

 

[Hy_]

Provoke doesn't always force the enemy to attack the Sentinel. Sometimes Provoke it twice will work because it is a dice roll. And I think it has area effect.

The Challenge ability you learn later on forces an enemy to attack the Sentinel without dice roll. I think this works for a single enemy

So it doesn't stack? Meaning the more I cast it the more time that enemy is occupied. Or it's more of a set time limit, which gets refreshed after the last provoke? Do SEN become essential later on? Snow was useful for those damn gatling gun motorcycles, but other than that they don't seem to carry their weight. Wonder if I should invest more CP or not.

 

[truly101]

Nocturne does not have great characters or characterization, the story is not particularly great either. That game succeeds on battle system, demon fusion/party building, music and art style. When people list this game as an example of a great story or characters, I don't see it.

 

[Tamanon]

I think when folks are talking SMT for story/characters they're talking more along the lines of the Persona games or the Digital Devil Sagas.(Argilla <3 <3)

 

[Papercuts]

These bosses are getting tiring as fuck.

Chapter 10:

Spoiler

Cid...not too bad, but takes awhile. He has a sliver of life left, I just staggered him meaning I was going to win, then he does that stupid juggle into air combo thing and lightning fucking died. The party losing because the leader falls is SO FUCKING RETARDED. I really don't feel like playing that shit again.

 

[truly101]

I think when folks are talking SMT for story/characters they're talking more along the lines of the Persona games or the Digital Devil Sagas.(Argilla <3 <3)

I didn't think the characters were that great in DDS1 either, but I've only played 1, haven't got to 2 yet. Persona 2,3 and 4 is a different matter

 

[Fimbulvetr]

What's bad was Ashe was the only character that had anything related to a fleshed out story & even that was so short & in small burst.

Compare that to FFXII, 12 hours in & I already know all of Lightings reasons for fighting, escaping, attitude to others & further character advancement.

Yeah, I guess if you completely ignore Balthier and Basch.

We already know Ashe's reasons for fighting as soon as she's officially introduced to the party for the first time. You see her attitude toward the others change, you see her question her initial decisions, and come up with new answers for herself.

 

[mjemirzian]

Hmm.. since this thread seems to have collective amnesia regarding previously posted help/strats, I am going to repost this collection of spoiler free advice including all the most annoying bosses.

http://tbtactics.blogspot.com/2010/03/want-to-be-good-at-ffxiii.html

 

[Kagari]

These bosses are getting tiring as fuck.

Chapter 10:

Spoiler

Cid...not too bad, but takes awhile. He has a sliver of life left, I just staggered him meaning I was going to win, then he does that stupid juggle into air combo thing and lightning fucking died. The party losing because the leader falls is SO FUCKING RETARDED. I really don't feel like playing that shit again.

I also hated the reliance on the party leader... and no swapping leaders mid-battle...

 

[marathonfool]

So it doesn't stack? Meaning the more I cast it the more time that enemy is occupied. Or it's more of a set time limit, which gets refreshed after the last provoke? Do SEN become essential later on? Snow was useful for those damn gatling gun motorcycles, but other than that they don't seem to carry their weight. Wonder if I should invest more CP or not.

I'm not sure how long the Provoke effect lasts. I assume just for the next turn. I could be wrong. Maybe someone can help us if it stacks or not.

I use Sentinel as part of a MED/SEN/MED or COM/SEN/MED for those times when you need to raise the downed team member or safe healing. Or if a boss has a single powerful attack. Sentinel seems like an intermediate paradigm like Synergist or Saboteur.