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[Semblance]

I'm only about five chapters in but I like this game - a pretty good deal actually - and I really don't know why. The cast isn't anything special to me, I think the only one I kinda sorta like is Lightning even though she's a stereotype like everyone else, not to mention that awful Tegan and Sara mullet / rat tail haircut she's rocking. I actually don't mind Vanille either, I almost think I like her, which is surprising because I hate super perky characters (Rikku made me want to hang myself, and Yuffie was worthless). Combat is snappy but I'm not really doing much, and the story is fine but I'm not blown away either. And yet, yeah, I'm having fun. Maybe it's just the newness and I won't care too much for the game once that wears off, but I don't think so.

The world seems really interesting. Music is fantastic too. Nothing really bothers me actually, aside from Hope. I know Japan's manchild shut-ins need somebody to relate to, but Jesus. The world did not need another JRPG with a tween who has no balls.

 

[ScrabbleBanshee]

Quick Question:

When I should I start upgrading weapons? I got the ability, but am wondering if I should save my spoils for weapons later on in the game.

IMO, it's not worth waiting to start upgrading some of the earlier weapons because they are cheap to upgrade where the later weapons cost a lot... just like the crystarium as you go up in level, earlier it takes less cp and later it takes a ton to advance.

 

[Dedication Through Light]

WOW the chapter 9 boss fight at the end is taking so long, Im virtually staying in the Paradigm "Solidarity" the whole time which seems to be working, lol. Still only halfway through with his health , 20 more minutes to go, lol.

I wonder what the target time was?

 

[Scythesurge]

I can understand what people are complaining about, the game never really establishes a full sense of "world." I was confused about coccoon for a while as well, at first I thought it was just like a colony built by the fal'cie. I now understand that is its own world.

 

[RPGCrazied]

Spoiler

I never really used a sent BUT I think it would really help if you switch Lightning with fang here. Debuffing is extremely important and you'd still get a sent. Whenever things get a little too rough just summon an eidolon. They will help take off some HP from the boss and restores everyone's health back.

Ill try snow as sent, sent absorbs damage.. and damage from party members?

 

[140.85]

Er...WOW. GAF, I am disappoint.

What happened here? I'm upset at reviewers and many people on GAF right now.

This FF is GREAT. I'm probably halfway through and I'm pretty confident this is going to join 6,7 and 10 as one of my favorites. SE should be really proud of XIII and ignore the stupid.

LOL @ EDGE. A 5? Really? This game is a lot of things but average is not one of them. Total failure. Pathetic.

 

[Volcynika]

Ill try snow as sent, sent absorbs damage.. and damage from party members?

Sentintels can basically get enemies to only attack them, which can take the heat off other party members.

 

[DarkKyo]

Nevermind my question. Was way too easy to figure out when I went looking ._.

 

[RPGCrazied]

Sentintels can basically get enemies to only attack them, which can take the heat off other party members.

oh.. well this wrath attack hits the whole party for massive damage. I thought I heard sent's can absorb party dmg also, maybe not

 

[Volcynika]

oh.. well this wrath attack hits the whole party for massive damage. I thought I heard sent's can absorb party dmg also, maybe not

Nah, the AOE attacks can still hit everyone if they're in the damage radius.

 

[RPGCrazied]

Oh I know that, i mean would it hit for less with a sent in the group?

 

[Llyranor]

One Sent ability is to reduce party damage when they're the target of the AoE. Forgot the name.

 

[usea]

Quick Question:

When I should I start upgrading weapons? I got the ability, but am wondering if I should save my spoils for weapons later on in the game.

If you're a completionist or perfectionist or anything like that, you should wait until late-game to upgrade anything. If you're just playing the game and don't really care about maxing out anything, do it any time.

By the time you can upgrade efficiently, you're long past actually needing the upgrades.

 

[Manmademan]

Er...WOW. GAF, I am disappoint.

What happened here? I'm upset at reviewers and many people on GAF right now.

This FF is GREAT. I'm probably halfway through and I'm pretty confident this is going to join 6,7 and 10 as one of my favorites. SE should be really proud of XIII and ignore the stupid.

LOL @ EDGE. A 5? Really? This game is a lot of things but average is not one of them. Total failure. Pathetic.

Agree with this completely.

 

[RPGCrazied]

well my snow is maxed out in sent atm, maybe I'll try that.

and I guess shell would help also. I need to rethink this fight. lol I grinded more on pulse to get most of the team above 3k health.. cept hope is still at 2600 or so. ;/

 

[Widge]

I would love to return to a world thats more "magical and mythological"

Well, from what I gather you need Agito.

XIII - Future
Versus - Present
Agito - Past

 

[Fenderputty]

IMO, it's not worth waiting to start upgrading some of the earlier weapons because they are cheap to upgrade where the later weapons cost a lot... just like the crystarium as you go up in level, earlier it takes less cp and later it takes a ton to advance.

I've upgraded to level two on all weapons and I got to thinking that it would be a waste if a new weapon came along.

Are there any upgrading/deconstruction guides out there?

If you're a completionist or perfectionist or anything like that, you should wait until late-game to upgrade anything. If you're just playing the game and don't really care about maxing out anything, do it any time.

By the time you can upgrade efficiently, you're long past actually needing the upgrades.

Hmmmm ... I'm not a perfectionist and if what you say is true, then I should probably not worry so much.

 

[The Elite]

I've actually known what Coccon looks like compared to Pulse for a couple of years now. There was an image (in game, not posted above) that clearly showed both. I can't recall where I saw this now. It's weird that they haven't really shown anything comparing the two worlds since.

 

[Tom Penny]

I've enjoyed the game so far. Just finished chapter 5. I had no expectations going in so maybe that is why. Chapter 4 was way too long and rather boring but overall I don't mind that it's been linear. Only thing I don't like is that you run into enemies with a party that does not have any of the abilities to attack their weakness of the enemy even when your skill trees are full. It's sucks getting zero stars on battle. Is there a trick to those battles?

 

[DarkKyo]

Real question this time:
Say I unlock a +20 HP crystal on the sentinel job for someone on their crystarium. Does that 20 hp get applied to this person in general, or just under sentinel? Same goes for strength, magic etc.

 

[levious]

Real question this time:
Say I unlock a +20 HP crystal on the sentinel job for someone on their crystarium. Does that 20 hp get applied to this person in general, or just under sentinel? Same goes for strength, magic etc.

attributes and techniques get applied the character in general, only abilities are role specific.

 

[luxarific]

Question here!
For end of chapter 9:

Spoiler

About to go fight the fal'cie sanctum pope(keep retrying). I want to grind first. Is there any way to get on the platforms to the left and right of the room in the long room before fighting him? I see item balls and plenty of enemies over there so I feel like I should be able to get across to fight/grind somehow. Thanks!

There is a

Spoiler

big button on a post at the left or right edges of most of the platforms. If you move your character near them an "Activate" indicator should pop up in the middle of the screen. Activate the button and a ramp/staircase will slide out.

That room is probably the best places for grinding gil in the game - you can just go up and down collecting chips. I got bored doing it after two passes, but I'm regretting I gave up so quickly - would love to have the money to buy the catalog in Chapter 11, but I don't have enough gil, grrr.

 

[grumble]

I got this game, and I am thoroughly enjoying it. It doesn't make much of an attempt to hide the linearity of the game's design, and up to this poing (Ch.7) there are no sidequests whatsoever, but the battle system is WICKED (as in by far the best out of all the FF games), the story (outside of a handful of stupidity) is actually solid (though kind of juvenile in presentation), and it's nice to look at.

I'm hoping they make a XIII-2, with somewhat more open game design and some more sidequests and atmospheric flavour like that. There were ridiculous points. At one time, the game has you follow lights to 'find your way', despite the fact that it's a STRAIGHT PATH. I suspect that they were originally going to make the game less linear but decided against it later on.

It's a lot like FFX actually in that it's linear, but FFX did a better job of hiding it via some branching pathways that usually were blocked until the story progressed.

 

[Skilletor]

You are not on chapter 9 if you just got a new role. Look at your save file or the datalog.

You're right. Wishful thinking on my part. I'm near the end of chapter 7.

I don't know if I'm going to make it to chapter 11.

 

[DMeisterJ]

Question here!
For end of chapter 9:

Spoiler

About to go fight the fal'cie sanctum pope(keep retrying). I want to grind first. Is there any way to get on the platforms to the left and right of the room in the long room before fighting him? I see item balls and plenty of enemies over there so I feel like I should be able to get across to fight/grind somehow. Thanks!

Yeah, there should be activators on each platform that will make bridges appear that you can walk across.

 

[DarkKyo]

attributes and techniques get applied the character in general, only abilities are role specific.

Great, thank you very much.

 

[teh_pwn]

Quick question, if I got my 3 main crystarium max out, should I even bother with the rest. I remember reading that it would hurt me later on if I have more then 3 crystarium. I'm in chapter 11.

There's a ton of diminishing returns on secondary set. Takes like 5x the CP points and you get dick stats (ex: +3-8 strength)

I only teched Synergy so I could have a 3x synergy paradigm. Works pretty well, but it took 300-400k points.

Spoiler

The CP expands in one of the last chapters, and it has tons of major stat bonuses in your main 3 that costs 3x less than the secondary. It's very hard to grind CP points in the last chapter because everything is an HP supertank and only drop 3-5k average. You do get an opportunity to warp back to Pulse just before the end, but I rather would have kept a ~300k for this.

 

[BluWacky]

Real question this time:
Say I unlock a +20 HP crystal on the sentinel job for someone on their crystarium. Does that 20 hp get applied to this person in general, or just under sentinel? Same goes for strength, magic etc.

Stat increases apply in general - so whatever job you're doing you still have that extra 20hp. It's only abilities that are job-specific (and role levels but I suppose that goes without saying).

 

[roxya]

Party conflict spoilers up to/including chapter 9:

Spoiler

I think having the conflicts between Hope and Snow, Sazh and Vanille were good, but I didn't for one second buy that either Hope or Sazh would even consider murdering someone. It just didn't fit their characters at all.

I'm really loving the game, just those parts came off a little awkward for me.

 

[gamergirly]

Er...WOW. GAF, I am disappoint.

What happened here? I'm upset at reviewers and many people on GAF right now.

This FF is GREAT. I'm probably halfway through and I'm pretty confident this is going to join 6,7 and 10 as one of my favorites. SE should be really proud of XIII and ignore the stupid.

LOL @ EDGE. A 5? Really? This game is a lot of things but average is not one of them. Total failure. Pathetic.

Well it's obvious from most GAFers posting in this thread that the game is starting off(good to great range), overall. I guess the question is does it continue to be like that after halfway through the game. I'm definitely, in my own playthrough, am noticing some things missing. Things that I feel are needed. Many of the negative reviews or comments I've seen seem to happen after the midway point.....

 

[robot]

Probably old and already noticed but:

Spoiler

The town Palumporom name sounded really familiar, and sure enough - it was the name of the twins in FF2(4)!

 

[dollartaco]

I guess I'm among the people who didn't like FF until XII, which I never completed.

When I heard how confined and linear XIII would be, my hype went negative. I had no plans to buy it, but I did want to see what was going on so I started tuning into Justin.tv streams. It got to the point where I was watching too many streams to justify not playing the game.

After a dozen hours of XIII, I'm actually a bit grateful for its linearity. Freedom in games is something I love -- an open world takes advantage of the medium -- but I'm finding that I like to be led much more than I would have thought. The only sense I can make of that is that it's almost paralyzing to walk into the shampoo isle at Target. Too many choices! Coming from my mouth, though, that's heresy. Looking back at XII, I can now appreciate why I never finished it.

J.J. Abrams had a TED talk in which he showed everybody his "mystery box." He's never opened it because it was far too interesting to be fascinated with the possibility it contained. I think that's sort of how I feel about a lot of open-world games. XIII calms the OCD reaction I had with XII. "I have to do everything or I'll have done nothing."

Other surprising positives:
-Battle system. I like being the coach on the sideline, orchestrating the strategy.
-Characters. You're actually allowed to not like them for their flaws. They're all driven by fear.
-Visuals. Surprising because of how immaculately crafted they are. Part of the experience.

 

[Jrmint]

Question.

Does anyone know if Lightning's -strike abilities in Ravager are based off of strength and magic skill? Or just 1 or the other?

 

[140.85]

Many of the negative reviews or comments I've seen seem to happen after the midway point.....

I haven't noticed this myself. Generally what I've read is a lot of hyperbole about it being trash through and through. Which of course it isn't.

 

[Llyranor]

Think someone confirmed earlier in the thread that it's strength-based. Ruin is magic-based.

(apparently)

 

[Scythesurge]

Question.

Does anyone know if Lightning's -strike abilities in Ravager are based off of strength and magic skill? Or just 1 or the other?

I'm pretty sure they are strength based.

Edit: Beaten above.

 

[Shrennin]

I rented the game because I wasn't sure whether or not I would like it based on some impressions (linearity, no towns, etc.) and I gotta say, I like it.

It's not my favorite RPG this generation, but it's a solid one. It feels like an old school JRPG even though it's a lot different in many respects. I guess it's just been a long time since I've played a Final Fantasy (never got XI or XII) but the characters, visuals, battle system are all fantastic. Sure, some of the characters can get annoying (I'm looking at you Vanille and Hope!) but I love the more unique take (so far) of their purpose.

Anyway, that's how I feel so far, things can change. Right now I'm currently at

Spoiler

Lightning and Hope's encounter with Odin.

 

[Ponn]

This game is just pure awesome. I cannot believe the lower scores some people are giving this game. Well actually I can, I am betting some those people gave up on the game within the first few chapters and based their reviews on that which is so so wrong. If I were to throw blame at Squenix it would be for dragging their feets on those chapters and making people wait till chapter 10-11 to get into the REAL game. Or at least they should have had a disclaimer saying "Please, play this game till chapter 11 before making a decison"

The battle system is just so beautiful and wonderful. It's like the furthering idea of the FFX and FFXII battle systems and sphere grids taken to their blissful conclusion. I can't understand people bitching about not being able to directly control all the characters or the auto option for your leader. I just want to scream YOU ARE DOING IT WRONG! Thats why you all are losing so much and complaining about enemies and bosses. The system is in the paradigm shifting and for once in a RPG having to utilize ALL your classes. All those buffs and debuffs that people never use and just hit the fight button repeatedly with the occasional lighting or ice doesn't cut it. It makes battles interesting again, I don't understand why people aren't excited about this, you aren't just smashing x button to fight, you have to think and strategize your battles with staggering.

I finally made it to chapter 11 and yes, I started dying and having to retry. I don't feel its because of a sudden difficulty increase though. I feel more like the training wheels have been taken off and I have been told to go at it on my own. It's the enjoyable part of MMO's with every kinds of monsters on the field and some may be more powerful than you but you are given the option of taking them on at your own pace and using strategy to take on foes that may be well above you. I have been grinding the last hour on a King Behemoth that would normally wipe the floor with me but using a combination of preemptive strike and the right paradigm and certain bonuses i'm instead beating him in 20 seconds flat farming his cp. That is the true beauty of this battle system. Don't neglect classes but embrace them and you will have an easier time and be more engaged to get more out of this game.

Heck I was guilty of thinking Light would be stuck as a Ravager for me but as soon as I hit chapter 11 i'm finding i'm frequently staggering opponents then switching to Commando with her.

And to those wondering if they should upgrade and when I gotta say I did do two upgrades early which helped me out a bit. Subtly at first but you start noticing the effects after awhile. I upgraded the axis blade and the whistlewind scarf. Good lord my damage output with Lightning is just wonderful now. I made a bee line for her 5th ATB gauge and wow. Fang still only has 4 ATB gauges but Lighting is really close to filling up all 5 or her gauges TWICE and attacking right as Fang fills her four and attacks for the first time.

 

[Jrmint]

And to those wondering if they should upgrade and when I gotta say I did do two upgrades early which helped me out a bit. Subtly at first but you start noticing the effects after awhile. I upgraded the axis blade and the whistlewind scarf. Good lord my damage output with Lightning is just wonderful now. I made a bee line for her 5th ATB gauge and wow. Fang still only has 4 ATB gauges but Lighting is really close to filling up all 5 or her gauges TWICE and attacking right as Fang fills her four and attacks for the first time.

Great overall write up Ponn, quick question about the part I quoted though.

You said you made a beeline for that 5th ATB slot. I was really struggling with whether or not I should do the Ravager or Commando (where that 5th slot is) next part first since it is obviously a very big CP investment that can have repercussions. So you went all the way Commando to the 5th slot and haven't felt limited with the Ravager role in Chap 11? Hope that makes sense.

 

[Dedication Through Light]

One of the only criticisms I have for the game, after beating chp 9 boss on the 4th attempt (X_X, doom argh!), is that the game is hard to see when fighting larger foes. Half the time I thought I wasnt doing damage when, just nudging the camera a bit, the damage numbers was shown in like some weird position on the enemies body.

 

[painey]

I wish there was a good complete mission guide online.. im right at the point of no return until post-game and trying to do the hunts before I depart so im fully stocked up on CP but the mission structure is in-game is like pulling teeth and now i've done mission 30 i'm on my own.

 

[Hcoregamer00]

I LOVE this game, I put a couple more hours in it over the weekend.

The battle system is so great, and I love Sphere Grid 2.0. I said before that I believe that the Sphere Grid is one of the best level up systems ever put in an RPG. I am so happy that it has new life in FF13.

 

[DMeisterJ]

I'm on chapter 9.

How long until this game is over?

Give me a rough estimation in terms of hours.

I think I remember reading that the end of chapter 9 is the 'halfway point' of the game?

So, double how long it took you to get there?

^

Could be wrong though.

 

[LowParry]

Made it to Gran Pulse. Satisfied. Now the CP grind begins along with Mission runs. Did the first couple which weren't that bad at all.

 

[Ponn]

Great overall write up Ponn, quick question about the part I quoted though.

You said you made a beeline for that 5th ATB slot. I was really struggling with whether or not I should do the Ravager or Commando (where that 5th slot is) next part first since it is obviously a very big CP investment that can have repercussions. So you went all the way Commando to the 5th slot and haven't felt limited with the Ravager role in Chap 11? Hope that makes sense.

Thats the beauty part of this. I just started chapter 11, i've been farming that King Behemoth on the way to your first objective. He drops 4k in cp. I'm about 3 or 4 crystals from my 4th role levels for 3 characters. I'm going to hit those in the next 10 minutes then move on with the story. That should give me a leg up for awhile.

I haven't felt limited in Ravager for Light, mostly because I have Hope in my main party. You really have to keep an eye on the enemies you are fighting and what they are weaker against. I used to just get them to stagger with Relentless and stay in Relentless but i'm finding more of the enemies take more damage from regular attacks while staggered (the King Behemoth for instance, Hope tops out at 5-6k in damage per hit with ravager while my Light as Commando is maxing at 10-12k per hit). I had to create a perm spot for Aggression in my Paradigm Deck for this reason. I am planning on keeping Light well balanced between Commando and Ravager though, even it means the occasional grinding. I'm going to get her 4th role level in Commando here then move on with the story but I will invest the majority CP from here into getting her to 4th role with ravager.

 

[Widge]

I think even recommending that wait until Chapter 11 is too much. I feel that as soon as you hit the crystal lake, thats when things start getting tasty.

 

[darkpaladinmfc]

I'm on chapter 9.

How long until this game is over?

Give me a rough estimation in terms of hours.

I'm near the beginning of Chapter 9 myself, but I've heard Chapters 1-10 make up 1/3 of the game, and 11-13 make up 2/3 if you do most of the missions.

 

[ScrabbleBanshee]

I can understand what people are complaining about, the game never really establishes a full sense of "world." I was confused about coccoon for a while as well, at first I thought it was just like a colony built by the fal'cie. I now understand that is its own world.

For a while I thought cocoon was a shell surrounding pulse, in that, pule was the planet and cocoon was something that covered it and the people lived on the inside surface in some kind of reverse gravity... ridiculous, I know, but they really didn't do a great job explaining the whole pulse/cocoon thing... and they also don't do a great job explaining the whole fal'Cie thing for ages. I mean, they all "look" like big neon nightclubs.

 

[gamergirly]

I think I remember reading that the end of chapter 9 is the 'halfway point' of the game?

So, double how long it took you to get there?

^

Could be wrong though.

 

[luxarific]

And to those wondering if they should upgrade and when I gotta say I did do two upgrades early which helped me out a bit. Subtly at first but you start noticing the effects after awhile. I upgraded the axis blade and the whistlewind scarf. Good lord my damage output with Lightning is just wonderful now. I made a bee line for her 5th ATB gauge and wow. Fang still only has 4 ATB gauges but Lighting is really close to filling up all 5 or her gauges TWICE and attacking right as Fang fills her four and attacks for the first time.

A question about this scarf: I usually have it equipped, but I've been hesitant to upgrade it because I've noticed that when I switch paradigms after running through my string of actions, the switch will interrupt the paradigms/actions of my other party members. I'm worried that the interrupt interval will get even greater if I upgrade the scarf (i.e., my character will have finished their action queue, at which point I'll want to switch to another paradigm to get the full ATB bar. But the switch will interrupt the other characters who've just completed one or two actions. I'm worried that an upgrade to the scarf will mean the player character's ATB bar will fill even faster, resulting in the other characters only pulling off one action before the switch to a new paradigm.) Have you noticed this effect with your upgraded scarf? Maybe I'm just imagining it and/or am switching paradigms incorrectly (I try to do it right about when Lighting is doing her last backflip animation).

I'm also wondering if the slight differences in how quickly the various ATB bars fill up has an effect on what spells/actions the non-player AI chooses. E.g., for some reason, Vanille doesn't ever seem to cast Cura even in situations where it would be extremely useful (two characters below 50% health - she always casts two individual Cure spells). I'm wondering if my constant paradigm switching is in effect influencing the AI to only queue up 1-ATB segment actions, instead of more costly spells.