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[Kagari]

I'm struggling to think of the last PS360 game that used CGI. :lol

Might be the only game to use 1080p native, anyway. A few games have had CG openings or whatever.

 

[careful]

How much time do you think was spent designing and animating the summons? Outside of spamming Hetacon for beating Adamantoises, I've used summons maybe once or twice all game (60 hours). Am I doing it wrong? It just seems like such a waste of resource for Square to design and animate this complex gameplay sequence that barely gets used. No wonder the game took so long to make.

 

[Oli]

I must be one of the few with absolutely zero interest in Tales of Vesperia. So tired of Tales games, and I already have a Yuri (Hyuga) to love.

I also love this game's battle system too much to want to play any other RPG at the moment (aside from Demon's Souls).

ToV was fun, but imo FFXIII is the superior game.

I realize I might be in the minority on this, but FFXIII's characters are far more likable than the ToV cast. I hated pretty much everyone in that game, and there was so much exposition dialog nonsense that I nearly went insane.

Still, I played it for about 40 hours and finished it. I just like FF more I guess.

 

[FateBreaker]

Does anyone know if the death spell can work on Long Gui?

ToV was fun, but imo FFXIII is the superior game.

I realize I might be in the minority on this.

That's pretty darn weird. In terms of characters, story, and direction, Vesperia is pretty much better than FFXIII in every single way.

 

[marathonfool]

Does anyone know if the death spell can work on Long Gui?

The Shao Gui and Long Gui are immune to death.

 

[FateBreaker]

The Shao Gui and Long Gui are immune to death.

Dang. Oh well. Thanks!

 

[N30RYU]

Finally got it. The clock says 129h but the actual time it took me was around 160h (restarting the game because I couldn't get the loot was half the time).

Good stuff

107h

 

[ZephyrFate]

ToV was fun, but imo FFXIII is the superior game.

I realize I might be in the minority on this, but FFXIII's characters are far more likable than the ToV cast. I hated pretty much everyone in that game, and there was so much exposition dialog nonsense that I nearly went insane.

Still, I played it for about 40 hours and finished it. I just like FF more I guess.

Well then I'll avoid it. I wasn't planning on buying it anyway, but thanks.

 

[Firestorm]

ToV was fun, but imo FFXIII is the superior game.

I realize I might be in the minority on this, but FFXIII's characters are far more likable than the ToV cast. I hated pretty much everyone in that game, and there was so much exposition dialog nonsense that I nearly went insane.

Still, I played it for about 40 hours and finished it. I just like FF more I guess.

Yuri > any character in Final Fantasy XIII. Vesperia's battle system was much better than Final Fantasy XIII's which is what cinches it for me. I'll reserve final judgement for once I'm done the game (just at Chapter 11 now), but something tells me my opinion will hold. I know a lot of people were going gaga over the FFXIII battle system but, although it's fun, it could have used more development.

Speaking of Yuri Lowell, I should check to see when that movie is going to be released on BluRay.

 

[Rpgmonkey]

Wish this game had a good non-mission boss. Like Omega Mk. XII.

In fact, I wish this game got Ultima or Omega Weapon as bosses in the first place.

I have this feeling that if Final Fantasy XIII International happens, it's going to be such a kick-ass game, and the West will get absolutely none of it...

Speaking of Yuri Lowell, I should check to see when that movie is going to be released on BluRay.

May 28th.

Well now I feel like playing ToV and I don't even place it that high among the series or in my fav. RPGs. :lol

 

[Papercuts]

Why does the game do needlessly retarded things at times? Chapter 11 spoilers:

Spoiler

I just got to the last Eidolon fight, Vanille's, and WTF? Why am I only using Fang and Vanille? The entire party is here, but suddenly vanished in that whole cutscene.

I like the idea of these fights, but the execution on them is pretty much terrible, can't wait to pass this and be done with them.

 

[ZephyrFate]

Yuri > any character in Final Fantasy XIII. Vesperia's battle system was much better than Final Fantasy XIII's which is what cinches it for me. I'll reserve final judgement for once I'm done the game (just at Chapter 11 now), but something tells me my opinion will hold. I know a lot of people were going gaga over the FFXIII battle system but, although it's fun, it could have used more development.

Speaking of Yuri Lowell, I should check to see when that movie is going to be released on BluRay.

How, exactly, does FFXIII's battle system need more development? I can't think of one thing that needs to be added.

 

[JetBlackPanda]

I have a question from chapter 5-6

Spoiler

Snow was captured by fang, then the next scene snow is working with them?

Did I miss something?

 

[entremet]

How, exactly, does FFXIII's battle system need more development? I can't think of one thing that needs to be added.

I would like to prioritize certain buff spells over others. The AI has a basic formula--Haste always go first, which is understandable, but Protect and Shell take priority over Bravery and Faith. I would like to be able to reverse order priority in certain instances.

 

[Rpgmonkey]

Why does the game do needlessly retarded things at times? Chapter 11 spoilers:

Spoiler

I just got to the last Eidolon fight, Vanille's, and WTF? Why am I only using Fang and Vanille? The entire party is here, but suddenly vanished in that whole cutscene.

I like the idea of these fights, but the execution on them is pretty much terrible, can't wait to pass this and be done with them.

The game is so lucky that that's the last one, because it was definitely going to be the last straw for me. They basically took the terrible execution of the previous fights and put it all into one for the finale. :lol

Didn't find a single one of them fun at all, which is a shame because they probably could have been.

I have a question from chapter 5-6

Spoiler

Snow was captured by fang, then the next scene snow is working with them?

Did I miss something?

Spoiler

Snow gets introduced to Cid and learns that Cid isn't the same as Sanctum, and is trying to work with the l'Cie.

 

[Unknown Soldier]

I have a question from chapter 5-6

Spoiler

Snow was captured by fang, then the next scene snow is working with them?

Did I miss something?

Nope. Just read the Datalog.

 

[ZephyrFate]

I would like to prioritize certain buff spells over others. The AI has a basic formula--Haste always go first, which is understandable, but Protect and Shell take priority over Bravery and Faith. I would like to be able to reverse order priority in certain instances.

This is not always true. It all depends on the type of enemy you face and what types of attacks they favor. If the enemy primarily bombards you with high damaging physical or magical attacks, the AI should definitely favor Protect and Shell first. However, I usually have Bravery and Faith come out first, at least in Chapter 13 against turtles.

 

[Dedication Through Light]

I would like to prioritize certain buff spells over others. The AI has a basic formula--Haste always go first, which is understandable, but Protect and Shell take priority over Bravery and Faith. I would like to be able to reverse order priority in certain instances.

Unless you make your playable character as the one that casts the buffs. I think the way the game gets around it is by having them cast haste first, it will just be like a few mere seconds in which you wont have bravery and faith.

 

[ZephyrFate]

Being able to customize AI for one.

I can't remember how many times I've died because the AI was completely incompetent.

I have never had this issue. You're boggling my mind. The times I've died have been completely my fault because I did not switch Paradigms at the right time. The AI works only if you use Libra and switch between Paradigms.

 

[B.K.]

Being able to customize AI for one.

I can't remember how many times I've died because the AI was completely incompetent.

Just being able to turn abilities on and off like in the Tales games would have been a big help.

 

[Papercuts]

The game is so lucky that that's the last one, because it was definitely going to be the last straw for me. They basically took the terrible execution of the previous fights and put it all into one for the finale. :lol

Didn't find a single one of them fun at all, which is a shame because they probably could have been.

Any tips for it? I have around 200K CP for Vanille, never use her. Not sure which area to focus it on for this.

 

[cress2000]

I would have liked to be able to tell my characters to scatter or something. It was bullshit when my Sentinel decides to get close to everyone else against enemies with AoE attacks and have no way to tell them move the hell away.

 

[Cep]

I completely agree with Himuro on just about everything, but I would forego any changes JUST for the ability to have formation changes similar to how we can change paradigms.

Hell, maybe even have formations be part of that.

Oh, and fuck the crysidium.

 

[Papercuts]

Switch to Sab (Vanille) and Commando (Fang).

Heal when necessary.

Easy.

I'll try that, I think I should just realize Sentinel is complete crap and stop using it for anyone. :lol

 

[Dedication Through Light]

I have never had this issue. You're boggling my mind. The times I've died have been completely my fault because I did not switch Paradigms at the right time. The AI works only if you use Libra and switch between Paradigms.

I have to agree with you there. I died only when I double did an action that the computer did in terms of healing (Ie using Esuna as they were in the process of using it, curing too much, etc), losing track of the paradigm that I wanted.

 

[Crash Station]

I have never had this issue. You're boggling my mind. The times I've died have been completely my fault because I did not switch Paradigms at the right time. The AI works only if you use Libra and switch between Paradigms.

As much as I love the battle system and have been defending it in this thread, there are definitely some problems. The A.I. can't account for every strategy, especially ones that only a human could pull off. For example: Saboteur fills up the stagger gauge faster than ravager but they will just stop acting altogether if the enemy is fully debuffed.

 

[Papercuts]

Read my edit.

I typed com instead of sen.

Com might work too since they both chain. I was trying Med/Sen but my vanille only has 3 ATB slots and is a shitty medic.

 

[Rpgmonkey]

Any tips for it? I have around 200K CP for Vanille, never use her. Not sure which area to focus it on for this.

Well I had to do a bit of leveling first because Vanille's HP was so low, it killed me before the Doom counter could, lol. Just make sure you work on boosting her HP.

After that, personally I stuck with SAB/COM when it does Looming Wrath, and MED/SEN when it starts attacking.

 

[Firestorm]

How, exactly, does FFXIII's battle system need more development? I can't think of one thing that needs to be added.

You said you aren't picking up Vesperia because you're tired of Tales games, so I assume you've played Abyss or Symphonia. The very general AI controls in that game would have been absolutely perfect. Then I wouldn't have my medic and spellcaster caught up in AoE attacks that my Sentinel is supposed to be taking. The only thing you can do in FFXIII is the equivalent of pressing up/left/right/down on the D-Pad in Tales of Vesperia to change the general strategy.

Of course, there's a bit more to it as in this case the attacks change along with the behaviour, but a little bit more control wouldn't have hurt.

I'll try that, I think I should just realize Sentinel is complete crap and stop using it for anyone. :lol

I'm finding Sentinels essential for survival right now. The mobs just destroy me.

Rule of Gran Pulse seems to be: Stay away from things that look scary or roam in packs greater than two.

 

[Papercuts]

I don't see com being nearly as useful in the fight. When I first got into the fight and tried the various paradigms before my game over, I tried out Fang with com and honestly, it's not a suggested strategy partly because Vanille is so weak. If you have Fang utilize Sen, she not only directs the majority of damage to her only, she also decreases damage taken. This allows Vanille to concentrate on debuffing the enemy with Sab, bringing the meter up at a steady pace.

But try Sab/Com and report your results, I could be wrong.

It raises the meter the quickest but I can't do it for long. I should be able to beat it if I mix it all up--do it during Looming Wrath like rpgmonkey said, then quickly swap to sab/sen with the occasional med/sen or med/com if I just need to quickly heal up.

I'll take another shot tomorrow though, I played this way too much today. I'd still like to know why the rest of the party are just standing there watching this happen. :lol

I'm finding Sentinels essential for survival right now. The mobs just destroy me.

Rule of Gran Pulse seems to be: Stay away from things that look scary or roam in packs greater than two.

Really? I don't touch Fang or Snow at all, I've just been using Lightning/Hope/Sazh and mainly sticking to Com/Syn/Syn, Com/Rav/Rav, Rav/Rav/Rav, Med/Syn/Med, whatever. I would like to swap Sazh out for someone else but I am addicted to Haste and no one else can do it(yet?). I've been able to beat the first 15 missions, fight king behemoths, etc. without much trouble.

 

[ZephyrFate]

You haven't had a sentinel use mediheal or whatever instead of provoking? Or a character casting anti-fire or whatever the fuck it's called in FF13 instead of shell or protect?

The lack of ai customization when the game relies so much on it, is such a shame. Even Dragon Quest IV, a 20 year old game allows you to change AI behavior.

Like with everything else in the game, Square Enix opted to take the easy route and control the game for you.

All of my Sentinels use Challenge --- > Mediguard/Steelguard/Vendetta. Never had this change, ever.

When my characters use Barfire or an elemental-dmg-reducing spell, it's because the enemy starts out the battle with elemental spells, or uses them frequently.

I fucking love the AI in this game. It's what I wanted in Persona 3.

Over time, your Sentinel will take all hits that the enemies throw at you. When my medic/spellcaster are caught up in spells it's because I'm not using a Sentinel.

 

[Papercuts]

Actually after the fight, the party doesn't say shit. They aren't even there. The whole thing makes no sense. It's like I'm controlling Lightning and all of a sudden there's this cutscene between Vanille and Fang and no one else is nearby. It was so random.

Not surprised because that's exactly what happens BEFORE the fight. Oh hey this crazy ass thing just leapt out of the ground, nobody cares.

 

[Rpgmonkey]

Actually after the fight, the party doesn't say shit. They aren't even there. The whole thing makes no sense. It's like I'm controlling Lightning and all of a sudden there's this cutscene between Vanille and Fang and no one else is nearby. It was so random.

Forget the scenes with bad dialogue and crazy terminology, that was the worst story moment in the whole game for me.

At least those felt coherent within the game (craziness and all), this part just pops up with 2/3's of the party randomly disappearing, and there was no continuity at all with what just happened.

There had to have been some cut content there.

 

[Papercuts]

Forget the scenes with bad dialogue and crazy terminology, that was the worst story moment in the whole game for me.

At least those felt coherent within the game (craziness and all), this part just pops up with 2/3's of the party randomly disappearing, and there was no continuity at all with what just happened.

There had to have been some cut content there.

Spoiler

There was probably a part with Vanille/Fang only that got cut, probably in Gran Pulse by themselves. IIRC every Eidolon fight only had 2 people in the pary(or 1, I guess), plus that part is randomly all nice and outside right out of a cave, and then you seem to go right back into a cave, lol.

 

[Unknown Soldier]

"When the fuck are they going to make out out and rub clits already?"

In Japan at least, a scene like that available via DLC would make Squenix millions and millions of free yens. :lol

 

[_Xenon_]

How, exactly, does FFXIII's battle system need more development? I can't think of one thing that needs to be added.

How about telling Hope to cast protect first instead of casting enfire non-stop while the whole party is beaten in the face? And it seems the party member never knows how to combine different buffer / healing spells like protect + shell or ensuna + curasa + curasa. The lack of custom party member AI (or gamebit) really makes some of the battles frustrating. The game (including hunting missions) is still beatable but the battle system is definitely far from perfect.

 

[ZephyrFate]

How about telling Hope to cast protect first instead of casting enfire non-stop while the whole party is beaten in the face? And it seems the party member never knows how to combine different buffer / healing spells like protect + shell or ensuna + curasa + curasa. The lack of custom party member AI (or gamebit) really makes some of the battles frustrating. The game (including hunting missions) is still beatable but the battle system is definitely far from perfect.

Again, really, I don't see how people have these problems. My Synergists use the buffs I need -- Enfire so I can do some damage, THEN some protective buffs afterward.

 

[Cep]

How about telling Hope to cast protect first instead of casting enfire non-stop while the whole party is beaten in the face? And it seems the party member never knows how to combine different buffer / healing spells like protect + shell or ensuna + curasa + curasa. The lack of custom party member AI (or gamebit) really makes some of the battles frustrating. The game (including hunting missions) is still beatable but the battle system is definitely far from perfect.

And it is a damn shame because the battle system is probably the most original this gen (on consoles anyway), and it has absurd potential, but so far, X-2 still reigns supreme.

XIII:I probably will fix most of the issues if it is ever released. I just hope we get it here as DLC.

 

[Firestorm]

Really? I don't touch Fang or Snow at all, I've just been using Lightning/Hope/Sazh and mainly sticking to Com/Syn/Syn, Com/Rav/Rav, Rav/Rav/Rav, Med/Syn/Med, whatever. I would like to swap Sazh out for someone else but I am addicted to Haste and no one else can do it(yet?). I've been able to beat the first 15 missions, fight king behemoths, etc. without much trouble.

I'm normally very underlevelled in the games I play and Final Fantasy XIII is probably no exception =P

 

[Rpgmonkey]

That was awful.

I was facepalming the whole scene.

"When the fuck are they going to make out out and rub clits already?"

:lol

Spoiler

There was probably a part with Vanille/Fang only that got cut, probably in Gran Pulse by themselves. IIRC every Eidolon fight only had 2 people in the pary(or 1, I guess), plus that part is randomly all nice and outside right out of a cave, and then you seem to go right back into a cave, lol.

Spoiler

I can see something like that happening right as they arrive on Gran Pulse. Like Vanille gets blown away from the group or something, and Fang goes to find her.

Guess they didn't want to keep doing the two-man parties after you finish chapter 9.

:lol

 

[ULTROS!]

So assuming most of the people here finished the game. How did you guys find the game and does it live up to the Final Fantasy hype?

 

[ZephyrFate]

I will say that it's undeniable that the Chapter 12 opening FMV is the best the series has ever had. And I thought Vivi vs. Black Waltz III couldn't be topped.

 

[jiggle]

How do you find the game and does it live up to the Final Fantasy hype?

doesn't quite live up to the hype, but it's a decent turn for the positive after the horrid XII

 

[Crash Station]

:lol

Spoiler

I can see something like that happening right as they arrive on Gran Pulse. Like Vanille gets blown away from the group or something, and Fang goes to find her.

Guess they didn't want to keep doing the two-man parties after you finish chapter 9.

:lol

Seems like a reasonable theory. It really makes no sense at all even in the context of the game otherwise. If they

Spoiler

said something like "this is my battle", it would be fine albeit a bit cliche but everyone just disappears for no reason.

 

[Nose Master]

I love the battle system, but some AI tweaking would be nice. Telling them what priority to cast spells, what spells not to cast on people... I mean, I know Vanille needs that constant Enfire, but other stuff.

 

[IronFistedChampion]

Alright, I just got control of Fang. Should I fully level up Commando and only concentrate on that or should I split it up evenly? What is she best at?

 

[burgerdog]

Just need the treasure hunter achievement. Do I need to have every item on me at once or can I sell stuff to save some farming time?

 

[grumble]

Alright, I just got control of Fang. Should I fully level up Commando and only concentrate on that or should I split it up evenly? What is she best at?

you should get enough XP to level up her classes evenly. I used her mostly as COM w/ a bunch of SAB, but her SEN was useful in really hard fights. Frankly, I maxed them all out pretty quickly, no grinding. Don't overthink it.

 

[ZephyrFate]

Just need the treasure hunter achievement. Do I need to have every item on me at once or can I sell stuff to save some farming time?

Have everything on you at once. You only need to hold it.

 

[burgerdog]

Have everything on you at once. You only need to hold it.

Bleh. Managed to get 3 dark matters before the shaolong gui made me nerd rage. Bay is the lamest attack in this game, I feel like that fight is completely luck based.