Final Fantasy XIII |OT|
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Deleted member 30609
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the pre-rendered backdrops had a hundred million times more visual charisma than anything in ten, twelve or thirteen, that much is true. the series lost a lot in going 3D.
Found both CTB and ATB 3.0 fun in their own ways, but XIII did make my enjoyment of the average battle last a bit longer. Indifferent on random encounters. FFXIII's dungeons aren't good enough for me to really care about that. Cutscene skipping is certainly always an improvement.
I feel it's enough that it's an improvement in some ways, but somewhat stagnant in others.
RadioHeadAche said:
I find them as fun as the "visible symbol" stuff.
Personally, I never made a preference. With how I usually play RPGs, nothing really changes whether there's random encounters or not, lol.
I tend to end up fighting just as much in dungeons either way, symbols make the overworld easier to traverse and avoid danger, but with random encounters grinding/farming is far less tedious and places like dungeons usually have fewer scripted battles and more interesting and/or varied enemy setups/encounters.
Thrakier said:
But that is part of the story. You are effectively on the run from the opening incident, isolated from the populous. It wouldnt work by having some little shanty between locations for your guys to sit and have downtime. Plus the storytelling dynamic of having the team in pairs would have been a nightmare to structure logistically.
I mean you do get those two towns, that city and the Nautilus where you can go and pick up on the typical FF banter from the NPCs... and I did. Attitudes towards the l'Cie threat, wonderment at the displays on the Nautilus all spoken about. The typical Final Fantasy banter.
Might have been posted, I found this interesting:
http://uk.gamespot.com/pages/forums/show_msgs.php?topic_id=27187101
FFX maps vs FFXIII maps.
http://uk.gamespot.com/pages/forums/show_msgs.php?topic_id=27187101
FFX maps vs FFXIII maps.
Unknown Soldier
Member
I do like that they implemented a system similar to the Persona titles where if you run into the monster's back, you get advantage to open the battle. It's too bad Squenix dispensed with the Persona system's giving the enemy the advantage if they run into your back.
DangerousDave
Member
M°°nblade said:
Also, the "surprise attack" mode is probably the best i've ever seen in an RPG. Is very important, because it has much more effect than the regular "surprise attack" that gives you a single extra attack, it's sometimes the only possibility to kill some mobs, specially with big groups.
And it's much deeper than the regular "surprise attacks" of other RPG, because of the different view arcs of enemies, sound detection (running will make turn most of the wolf-like enemies), several enemies in a group, with different movement and facings (instead of the single iconic enemy in the non-combat map that represents several enemies in the combat, of most games), and the careful placing of the enemies, that allows the user to use the terrain (higher grounds, platforms, turns) to hide and surprise.
RadioHeadAche
Member
What really irks me about random encounters is interrupting exploration. For example, when I'm trying to walk around the town of Zozo in FF6, it's really annoying to stop every few steps to fight a monster and then continue. Also, if a monster happens to carry a certain valuable item to steal, or gives a good amount of gil, exp, ap, etc. it's really annoying to have to run around in circles until you find them (even worse when it's a rare enemy). Sure, I end up getting some experience, but there are other things I could be or want to be doing.
Unknown Soldier
Member
Widge said:
The problem with just a map layout is it fails to convey how much more limited and on-rails you feel in XIII compared to X. I really enjoyed running through X's series of tubes, but there were several points in XIII when I couldn't stand it anymore, especially in Chapter 10.
Widge said:
But that's just a excuse for the real reason, which is that they didn't have time or resources to make them in the scale of the rest of the game. You can also spend as much time as you want in Chapter 11 yet your characters' brands don't get any bigger, I don't think freezing time for towns would have been a problem.
D
Deleted member 30609
Unconfirmed Member
this is an extremely deceiving comparisonWidge said:
I just finished the game a couple hours ago after burning out on the final dungeon. I don't know why it took me that long, but my brain pretty much had enough of the relentless dungeons.
I still really enjoyed the majority of my time with the game, but I think it has some serious, fundamental pacing and variety issues.
I still really enjoyed the majority of my time with the game, but I think it has some serious, fundamental pacing and variety issues.
DangerousDave said:
XIII's preemptive strike system was sorta cool, the camera ruined most of my interest in it until I got to Pulse though. :lol
Blue Dragon still has the best encounter system of any RPG I've ever played though. You can pick which monsters around you that you want to fight, kill monsters without ever even getting into battle with them, making certain monster setups can have good or bad results, you can surprise monsters, you can get surprised by monsters too, and monsters can be attracted or repelled.
I think this is the kind of stuff JRPGs should be doing if they're not going to use random encounters. There's some cool stuff you're able to do with the idea, it's not like it has to be so straightforward.
This reminds me that I still need to get Breath of Fire V since it supposedly has a really interesting encounter system too...
RpgN
Junior Member
The game not having real towns and mini-games are falid complains, but saying that Oerba town is boring and not liking it and compairing how it's better done with other FFs?
Oerba town is just as atmospheric as the other towns in FF9, 8 etc.
You see that town ruined and there are still remains left that people used to live there. A small class room that is ruined, has books lying around, the clock not moving and some light coming out of the window as a small hope. Vanille's house is FULL with details, the kitchen with plates and whatnot. A mini chocobo doll hanged up on a wall, if you click on the description it says that lots of young kids used to have those. Pakuti, a malfunctioning pet robot that belonged to Vanille, you could find the parts back to repair it. And when you did it would help you and explain more about the world. The garden on top of the class room looks gorgeous, full with flowers and ruined of course. You could easily make Oerba sound interesting as well if you want to Himuro.
Oerba town is just as atmospheric as the other towns in FF9, 8 etc.
You see that town ruined and there are still remains left that people used to live there. A small class room that is ruined, has books lying around, the clock not moving and some light coming out of the window as a small hope. Vanille's house is FULL with details, the kitchen with plates and whatnot. A mini chocobo doll hanged up on a wall, if you click on the description it says that lots of young kids used to have those. Pakuti, a malfunctioning pet robot that belonged to Vanille, you could find the parts back to repair it. And when you did it would help you and explain more about the world. The garden on top of the class room looks gorgeous, full with flowers and ruined of course. You could easily make Oerba sound interesting as well if you want to Himuro.
True, but it is an entirely different type of visual charisma. 3D environments will always feel less unique than still images because they consist of assets that are smeared out over an entire road/level/chapter. In FFXIII you sometimes have to manipulate the camera to be able to see the beauty. With still images, the best camera perspective was already chosen for you and concentrated on your display. Also see Resident evil.Durante said:
I know I wouldnt complain if S-E decided to make a Final Fantasy game with 3D characters running around in gorgeous full HD 2D backgrounds.
Finally got my 1000/1000 in FFXIII and it took me a total of 85 hours... which some of that was being paused didn't know it would add to the overall time. Farming Dark Matter was really annoying... who thought that "Bay" followed up with "Quake" was a good idea. It was just so random and my record time on one of them bastards was 1:56. Even after getting 4 Dark Matter I barely had enough Gil after selling EVERYTHING and just going down the list and checking everything off for that Treasure Hunter Achievement ( Made a seperate save File )
If gil was given out a little more it certainly wouldn't have ruined the game... it just made getting that last Achievement a 10 hour grind-fest.
If gil was given out a little more it certainly wouldn't have ruined the game... it just made getting that last Achievement a 10 hour grind-fest.
RpgN said:
It's atmospheric? I felt it was dull. You spend all this time walking there and when you get there it's just another dungeon, it was hardly rewarding at all. The mixture of metal homes with stone ruins didn't work so well, leading the town to lack cohesion in its culture. When you don't care about Vanille, then would you care about all the details of her home? The way you describe it, Oerba can only be interesting if the player is invested in Vanille. Otherwise it is a dead dungeon.
Interest in a world can be built with setpieces. But genuine atmosphere and life is breathed into a world via people, not pretty scenery. Oerba is an example of how stupidly centered the game is on the characters, because that 'town' was built solely for Vanille. What about the other people that existed on Pulse? What about those crazy fal'Cie worshippers mentioned in the novels? Where are the vestiges of their existence? Even Nautilus, self-indulgent as it is, is a better example of atmosphere, detail, and world-building than Oerba.
RpgN
Junior Member
It might have been dull and lead to fights one after another. We're talking solely about towns telling you that something has happened without words, just scenery telling you a past. This is what Himuro was talking about and showing pictures of towns of FF7, 8 and 9 and I'm saying that you can view Oerba town the same way as those places. If you feel that way about those towns, then I don't see why Oerba town should be any different. Yes, it centered around Vanille even though some parts where about all the people living there. It's okay to not like it because you don't like Vanille, but saying that this town is not atmospheric and doesn't tell a history, it's wrong to say so when it's clearly there.
I'm not one of the people who hate towns, I think it's a shame the game didn't have some traditional towns with NPCs. But what's there is there. You don't have to either close your eyes and say the game doesn't have this or that or either saying that whatever the game does is amazing.
I'm not one of the people who hate towns, I think it's a shame the game didn't have some traditional towns with NPCs. But what's there is there. You don't have to either close your eyes and say the game doesn't have this or that or either saying that whatever the game does is amazing.
There are many here who enjoy this game and even vocal criticizers are playing it to the end but because of the same discussions taking many pages of the thread since it was created I'm pretty sure in the future there will be a lot of "huh, I remember GAF hating FFXIII" posts. :lol
DangerousDave
Member
When FF VII lauched, FF VI was the tru hardcore FF fans game, VII was for newcomers and 3d-whores.
When FF VIII lauched, FF VII was the tru hardcore FF fans game, VIII was for newcomers and emos.
When FF IX lauched, FF VIII was the tru hardcore FF fans game, IX was for newcomers and kids.
When FF X lauched, FF IX was the tru hardcore FF fans game, X was for newcomers and casuals.
When FF XII lauched, FF X was the tru hardcore FF fans game, XII was for newcomers and mmo fans.
When FF XIII lauched, FF XII was the tru hardcore FF fans game, XIII was for newcomers and graphicwhores.
When FF VIII lauched, FF VII was the tru hardcore FF fans game, VIII was for newcomers and emos.
When FF IX lauched, FF VIII was the tru hardcore FF fans game, IX was for newcomers and kids.
When FF X lauched, FF IX was the tru hardcore FF fans game, X was for newcomers and casuals.
When FF XII lauched, FF X was the tru hardcore FF fans game, XII was for newcomers and mmo fans.
When FF XIII lauched, FF XII was the tru hardcore FF fans game, XIII was for newcomers and graphicwhores.
Foxtastical
Member
No. I couldn't keep playing. Gave it my best until chapter 7 or so.Fuu said:
SonicX_Zero
Member
Just got started on chap. 11 and holy fuck this place is huge! :O
Rpgmonkey said:
The other guy was crazy, this is much better, though it needs one addition:
When FF X-2 launched, FF V was the tru hardcore FF fans game, X-2 was for the hardcore-er and girls.
rayner said:
Post FF6? Yeah.
Fuu said:
But that behavior is pretty par the course for longtime fans. They will bitch, but try to finish it anyway. Happened a lot for FFXII.
Also, the retrospectives that put the game into a positive light are done by the games hardcore fans who, after the release of a new FF, have worn out their opposition enough to say good things about the game without anyone disagreeing.
You think the haters are looking back at 12 fondly? Hardly.
nelsonroyale
Member
Ugh, not this rubbish about FFVI being the pinnacle of the series...
nelsonroyale
Member
Personally, think pre-rendered backgrounds look flat and interactive, like pretty wrapping paper...
FFXIII looks absolutely amazing...
FFXIII looks absolutely amazing...
RuneFactoryFanboy
Member
So I finally got a groove down for killing Adamantoise and slammed through them for a few hours last night. Found a few Ignots and 3 Traps.
I have 2.5 million gil right now and two fully upgraded ultimate weapons. I'm gunning for that Treasure Hunter trophy but I'm unsure how much Gil I should amass before I stop grinding. Any suggestions?
I have 2.5 million gil right now and two fully upgraded ultimate weapons. I'm gunning for that Treasure Hunter trophy but I'm unsure how much Gil I should amass before I stop grinding. Any suggestions?
Lince said:
It took me ~ 3 hours to get 4... I swear Bay was always followed up with Quake to a full Dazed party... ALWAYS. If all you have left is "Treasure Hunter" you can acquire each item... make a checklist and once you get it sell it... but with 5 million gil you really should be set.
RuneFactoryFanboy
Member
Thanks for the reply. Yeah, I'm only concerned about the trophy and not actually having a "complete save". Out of all the trophies Treasure Hunter is the only one to me that is not actually fun to obtain.lljride said:
I think I will stop grinding for now then and work on taking down the missions. I can't get Treasure Hunter until I nab that Gold Watch anyways.
I've heard that all the Adamantoises turn super powered after I beat the last mission. I currently farm the one in Eden, does he change too? I ask because if for whatever reason I need to farm even more Ignots I don't want to ruin my streamlined farming system I've got going.
RuneFactoryFanboy said:
Do you have all the Acessories acquired? For the Trophy you need at least 5 Dark Matters ( 4 Acessories + 1 Weapon ) and @ 840K each you are better off farming those than paying Gil. If you have that done you may need 1 more trap, Upgrade a Genji Glove and dismantle to get it, save dismantling your Maxed Ultimates to sell for Gil. With 2.5 Million you should be good... just make a sepearte save-file.
WrenchNinja
Member
Finally beat the game. Took 54 hours, was grinding for a couple of hours just to max out some of the roles for the characters. The ending was...something. Though there was like one thing that bugged me during the final boss section,
Anyway, I liked the ending. It was kind of happy and kind of melancholic at the same time. That Leona Lewis song that people bitched about before the release fit pretty well.
By the way, this is the first Final Fantasy I've bought and completed.
Was never a huge fan of the series, I've played a little bit FFI, FFII, FFIV, FFVI, FFVII and FFXII. The most hours I put into any of them was VII and XII, didn't beat either. Got up to the 3rd disc for FFVII and quit and got up to Pharos Lighthouse in FFXII and quit that. But this is the first one I've beaten and really enjoyed. Who cares if there aren't any traditional towns or some illusion of exploration. This game is great, the only real problem I had with it was the first three hours.
What the fuck was up with Fang? What was she even trying to do? Why was she going to attack Vanille? Also why did everyones brands change into Fang's type after they became Cie'th?
Anyway, I liked the ending. It was kind of happy and kind of melancholic at the same time. That Leona Lewis song that people bitched about before the release fit pretty well.
By the way, this is the first Final Fantasy I've bought and completed.
Was never a huge fan of the series, I've played a little bit FFI, FFII, FFIV, FFVI, FFVII and FFXII. The most hours I put into any of them was VII and XII, didn't beat either. Got up to the 3rd disc for FFVII and quit and got up to Pharos Lighthouse in FFXII and quit that. But this is the first one I've beaten and really enjoyed. Who cares if there aren't any traditional towns or some illusion of exploration. This game is great, the only real problem I had with it was the first three hours.
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