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[SlasherJPC]

Alright just a small thing from really early on chapter 1... how is it that...

Spoiler

The mom falls and dies yet snow does the same fall and lives...

Does not make sense!

 

[Slacker]

very true. And believe it or not, I really like X.

Spoiler

got major FFX vibes when they first saw the fal'Cie thing that had the "Song of Yevon"-esque opera chanting in the background.

XIII is just awesome so far.

FYI it helps if you say "Spoiler from chapter 1" or something before your spoiler. I have no idea what's behind that black box so I don't know if I should read it.

Word to everyone with the FFX comparisons, I got that impression too. I'm about four hours in and I'm loving every minute so far.

 

[Evlar]

Regarding the chats...

I actually think XIII handles this very well. Previously games would have you walking to each person to get one or two lines in a text box. XIII delivers all of these things without taking you out of the game. If you walk up to people they usually have something to say and what they say is just about as important as any other random NPC in previous FF games. I think this looks much nicer than cutting to dialog boxes. Your party also has things to say while running around.

It's an elegant solution that feels more natural.

I agree. This is a change I've wanted for years to both reduce tedium and increase immersion.

 

[BertramCooper]

I agree with those who say the game's linearity is similar to that of FFX's. However, I think the poor camera might make it feel more linear, just because it's so restrictive. I keep trying to pull it out to make the game world feel a bit less cramped and claustrophobic, and it fights me every step of the way. I'd much rather have a fixed camera (a la FFX) than this piece of shit.

Also, it seems like any time I actually switch paradigms, my battle rating automatically gets docked a star or two. On the battles where I just use one, I almost always get 5 stars. Speaking of which, are the stars important, or meaningless? I seem to remember reading that they affect the number of CP points you receive, but I'm not certain.

 

[SlasherJPC]

FYI it helps if you say "Spoiler from chapter 1" or something before your spoiler. I have no idea what's behind that black box so I don't know if I should read it.

Word to everyone with the FFX comparisons, I got that impression too. I'm about four hours in and I'm loving every minute so far.

I usually do but I stated really early on. I figured it was a given. Though with how some people play I guess that could be a few hours in.

 

[twisteddeeds]

im still waiting on my pre order arriving D: (shakes clenched fist).... feckin parcelforce

 

[Slacker]

Alright just a small thing from really early on... how is it that...

Spoiler

The mom falls and dies yet snow does the same fall and lives...

Does not make sense!

This is the same world where you hand a child a loaded machine gun and let her point it at you saying "bang bang!" You gotta take it on their terms. Also, doing flips while shooting is a more valid evasive maneuver than ducking behind something.

 

[SlasherJPC]

This is the same world where you hand a child a loaded machine gun and let her point it at you saying "bang bang!" You gotta take it on their terms. Also, doing flips while shooting is a more valid evasive maneuver than ducking behind something.

Very true! :lol I just think it takes away the emotion from the

Spoiler

mom dying

in the first place. Just makes me think she was a pussy lol.

 

[LiK]

Half the script:

Ah
hmm
unn
ah!
mmm
gnnn
rrrgg
Oh...
Mmmm
Eh
a..
eng..
ugh
hmph
onnnn
nnnnn
annn
eee
mmnph!
oh!
eh?
.....



It got old in the first 5 minutes.

I notice in anime that localizers always puts in grunts etc when they're not in the original Japanese tracks. It's like they need the characters to constantly make noise to show they're doing something when they don't need to

 

[borghe]

Also, it seems like any time I actually switch paradigms, my battle rating automatically gets docked a star or two. On the battles where I just use one, I almost always get 5 stars. Speaking of which, are the stars important, or meaningless? I seem to remember reading that they affect the number of CP points you receive, but I'm not certain.

stars affect your ability to get BETTER items after combat. However they have no ability to affect getting more items after combat.. this is how I understand it.

also, can anyone describe the quality of the CE guide as a well, an actual guide? Is it hyper detailed like a great FAQ (or the awesome Versus FFVII guide) or is it pretty lightweight. The actual package looks super nice but if it's ultra fluffy I will just pass on it.

 

[HamPster PamPster]

Alright just a small thing from really early on chapter 1... how is it that...

Spoiler

The mom falls and dies yet snow does the same fall and lives...

Does not make sense!

Moms are tough

... Heroes are tougher

 

[SlasherJPC]

Moms are tough

... Heroes are tougher

Alright and with that statement, thats what I'm sticking with. :lol

 

[The Elite]

I notice in anime that localizers always puts in grunts etc when they're not in the original Japanese tracks. It's like they need the characters to constantly make noise to show they're doing something when they don't need to

I notice this in almost every Anime as well. It drives me nuts.

 

[Evlar]

also, can anyone describe the quality of the CE guide as a well, an actual guide? Is it hyper detailed like a great FAQ (or the awesome Versus FFVII guide) or is it pretty lightweight. The actual package looks super nice but if it's ultra fluffy I will just pass on it.

Would like to know this as well.

 

[Peff]

Stars give you a better chance of earning rare items at the end of a fight and also how many Technique Points you recover after the fight. CP depends on the enemies, each one gives a set amount.

I skimmed through the guide yesterday and I found it to be pretty good, as usual coming from Piggyback. There is a smaller walkthrough without spoilers and another which has more detailed information, maps with all the items, enemy description and data, very detailed information about weapons and the upgrade system...

 

[Windom Earle]

Question: Will I ever need to stop using "auto battle" constantly? I don't like using it, but so far (around 6h in), it's just the quickest way to handle enemies.

 

[Ponn]

"HUH, WHAT" *moans, grunts*

My only complaint so far is Vanille. I don't condone violence against women but damn sometimes I wish Sazh would turn around and just slap that annoying nymph sometimes.

Good lord, that one scene right before you break into two groups and she just falls to the ground and starts writhing and squirming around moaning looked like it was taken from a freaking porno. It's obvious what their intention with her was with the "ahem" certain Japanese audience.

Question: Will I ever need to stop using "auto battle" constantly? I don't like using it, but so far (around 6h in), it's just the quickest way to handle enemies.

Thats the intent from what i'm gathering. Don't fight it, just use it. You can use the Abilities option and stick exactly what you want in there (you can even change in the options screen to default to Abilities instead of Auto-****). Just don't feel like you HAVE to not use it. Think of all the other Final Fantasy games you have played and how much you are just sitting there the whole time hitting the button repeatedly for Fight to get through battles. Hell, even with AutoBattle i'm still finding myself tapping the button thinking it will make it move faster.

It lets you concentrate on more important stuff like Paradigm shifting and your/enemy health and stagger.

 

[edgefusion]

I nominate Snow as the biggest douche in gaming. Every time he yells (which is often) I think of, "I should've been the one to fill your dark soul with liiiiiight". It sounds like they got someone on the cusp of puberty to do his va.

 

[Lothars]

I was wondering when you guys went to pick up your games did they have many FFXIII Collectors Guides avilable? I haven't checked locally yet but I want to get the collectors guide asap and I am still getting the game soon but just want to make sure that I get the collectors guide.

 

[Oyashiro]

Hm... I'm on Chapter 9 already, but I feel like maybe I should buy the guide. It looks really nice, and besides, I hear that Chapter 11 is basically the half way point of the game, so it wouldn't be a total waste. Should I do it, GAF?

 

[CruxisMana]

Chapter 4:

Spoiler

God, the Sazh/Vanille sequences suck. The battles took forever since 2 Ravagers struggle to stragger enemies. It's amazing how easy the battles became as soon as Lightning came back.

Do people recommend upgrading your weapons as soon as you unlock the ability to do so, or waiting a little longer to get different base weapons/more components?

 

[witness]

Well I rented the game yesterday, I'm not really into jrpg's but I just needed to play this game after all the hype. All the damn grunting and moaning is beyond annoying like everyone said, vanille drives me insane, but the game looks amazing and the combat is really fun so far. I am enjoying it for the gameplay, but the characters and dialog are bananas. With the talk about how the gameplay gets better as you go I will see it through for now.

 

[LowParry]

Yeah, those first couple of hours are really painful. So basic and blah. Once you get abilities it gets a whole lot better. Though...I'm stuck on a frakin boss.

Spoiler

Odin. What am I doing wrong? What's the key to killing the bastard?

 

[Scythesurge]

I nominate Snow as the biggest douche in gaming. Every time he yells (which is often) I think of, "I should've been the one to fill your dark soul with liiiiiight". It sounds like they got someone on the cusp of puberty to do his va.

Kanji :-( (from Persona 4)

 

[iratA]

I'm on chapter 6 now. All I can say is holy shit this game is a looker. I thought Uncharted 2 would be the last game to blow me away visually this gen. But FF13 just looks so damn pretty. Its a marraige of tech and art that just sings, in the same way I feel about Uncharted 2. The superb use of colours and the attention to detail is just off the hook. How long did it take them to make this game again?!

Oh and I hope I've got a lot more to go because I don't want this ride to end anytime soon.

 

[Ponn]

Yeah, those first couple of hours are really painful. So basic and blah. Once you get abilities it gets a whole lot better. Though...I'm stuck on a frakin boss.

Spoiler

Odin. What am I doing wrong? What's the key to killing the bastard?

I died the first time and wiped the floor with him on my retry. Here is what I did

Spoiler

He's susceptable to magic, fills his meter right up. You have to create a paradigm with Lighting medic and Hope ravager. You will probably spend most of the battle with that paradigm just sitting there healing yourselves, mostly Hope while Hope nails him with magic. If you see an opening switch to the ravager/ravager and lay into him a little bit but not too long and go back to medic/ravager.

Done and done.

 

[LowParry]

I died the first time and wiped the floor with him on my retry. Here is what I did

Spoiler

He's susceptable to magic, fills his meter right up. You have to create a paradigm with Lighting medic and Hope ravager. You will probably spend most of the battle with that paradigm just sitting there healing yourselves, mostly Hope while Hope nails him with magic. If you see an opening switch to the ravager/ravager and lay into him a little bit but not too long and go back to medic/ravager.

Done and done.

Hrm. I've had the same sort of idea though I get hit pretty hard overall. Maybe I'll go back to get some more points in for more stats then give it a try again. Or maybe my brain was just in slow mode since it was 3am at that attempt.

 

[Wilsongt]

What the hell?!?!? Does the first boss at the end of the Crystal level have a one KO attack? Even with Lightning in full HP he still kills her with the Crystal Rain attack.

I died there five frickin' times. The best thing to do is to give Lightning an accessory that beefs up her HP, I think it's the Silver Bangle. I think I had her HP at about 455 or something and I managed to survive Crystal Rain. Then it becames a race against the clock to heal up and continue to stagger him.

 

[polyh3dron]

I died there five frickin' times. The best thing to do is to give Lightning an accessory that beefs up her HP, I think it's the Silver Bangle. I think I had her HP at about 455 or something and I managed to survive Crystal Rain. Then it becames a race against the clock to heal up and continue to stagger him.

OK so I'm not the only one :lol

Yeah you just have to almost anticipate the enemy's attacks and change to sentinel, heal up, quickly go back to the assault paradigm, stagger him, go nuts on him, rinse and repeat. i had to use a couple potions too.

 

[Windom Earle]

Thats the intent from what i'm gathering. Don't fight it, just use it. You can use the Abilities option and stick exactly what you want in there (you can even change in the options screen to default to Abilities instead of Auto-****). Just don't feel like you HAVE to not use it. Think of all the other Final Fantasy games you have played and how much you are just sitting there the whole time hitting the button repeatedly for Fight to get through battles. Hell, even with AutoBattle i'm still finding myself tapping the button thinking it will make it move faster.

It lets you concentrate on more important stuff like Paradigm shifting and your/enemy health and stagger.

Thanks, makes sense I guess. Still not sure if I like it, but too early to judge. Overall, the game feels great

 

[Davedough]

So I got cock blocked by my wife last night and was only able to get about 2 hours of gameplay in. I only got to the part where

Spoiler

Lightning and Snow find Serah and she turns into crystal, then the Sentinel Army starts trying to destroy the fal'Cie vestige

.

Battle system... boring, but it'll get better so I'm not pressed. Characters, they're tolerable, but controlling Vanille, the way she runs... holy crap is that bad. I honestly dont mind her voice so much, its her manerisms. Snow is a little too cliche, but workable. I love Sazh.

My big thing tho.... will the story be explained any further along the way? Right now I'm so confused about

Spoiler

fal'Cie are part of The Purge and the enemy of Cocoon and turn into l'Cie which appear to be feared, but turn into harmless crystal when they complete their Focus which I'm assuming is a mission they're given when a normal human is marked by the l'Cie. I just dont understand all the interconnection going on there.

Either way, cant wait to get home tonight and play again. I only got a taste and I'm left wanting MOAR.

 

[NaughtyPrawn]

Few hours in and its starting to get better. I can't believe I ran around trying to kill everything even before I was getting any CP for it. I still feel like I'm in the tutorial stage of the game

 

[Ponn]

Hrm. I've had the same sort of idea though I get hit pretty hard overall. Maybe I'll go back to get some more points in for more stats then give it a try again. Or maybe my brain was just in slow mode since it was 3am at that attempt.

He does hit hard.

Spoiler

Hope is pretty much going to be your main damager in that battle. I think I only switched to ravager/ravager like twice tops before i had to switch right back

 

[Lyonaz]

Hm... I'm on Chapter 9 already, but I feel like maybe I should buy the guide. It looks really nice, and besides, I hear that Chapter 11 is basically the half way point of the game, so it wouldn't be a total waste. Should I do it, GAF?

I caved and ordered the Collectors Edition, 30 euro + 6 euro shipping, hopefully I get it tomorrow. They processed my order and sent it out.

Well clocked in about 40+ hours now, just went past

Spoiler

Oerba

and the boss fight at the end of that was epic. Love the music. Of course the fucker casts doom on me and I die with only 1% health left on him, I also didn't have 2 paradigm shifts that would have been very useful. Good thing you get a shitload of cash when you do the miniquest here.

Spoiler

Fixing Vanille's Bhakti robot

Something like 600,000 gil. So now I'm going to upgrade my team's weapons and 5 star that bitch

 

[Slacker]

Battle system... boring, but it'll get better so I'm not pressed.

My big thing tho.... will the story be explained any further along the way?

Yep the battle system gets way better very soon, and make sure you read the entries in the datalog for a little more explanation of the game's world and story.

 

[Erasus]

My big thing tho.... will the story be explained any further along the way? Right now I'm so confused about

Spoiler

fal'Cie are part of The Purge and the enemy of Cocoon and turn into l'Cie which appear to be feared, but turn into harmless crystal when they complete their Focus which I'm assuming is a mission they're given when a normal human is marked by the l'Cie. I just dont understand all the interconnection going on there.

Read the datalog!

Up on Chapter 5 now and I love it. Battle system really opens up, and the story is more developed now. Cant say I have had troubles with any fight really.

Is it good to buff up/debuff at the start of a normal figh, or should I just go Rav/rav/rav?

 

[blizzardjesus]

Mass effect 1: 7 hrs in bored gave up,
FF13, 7 hrs not bored want to keep playing,
So far so good. Love the simplified battle system.

 

[jon bones]

datalog is so useful to clear things up. wish i could read it at work :lol

 

[Windom Earle]

Mass effect 1: 7 hrs in bored gave up,
FF13, 7 hrs not bored want to keep playing,
So far so good. Love the simplified battle system.

Agreed, tried playing ME twice, but it's extremely flawed and boring. FFXIII may be much more linear, but sometimes this is a good thing. Overall ME has a better setting and story though.

And it does not have horrible characters called Vanille. God, I hate everything about her.

 

[Sydle]

Through most of Chapter 3 and it's really started to pick up. I'm enjoying the battle system a lot, and the story has grabbed my interests. So far, so good.

My only complaint is that the CG on the 360 version is compressed to hell and back. It's quite distracting, but not so distracting that I need a PS3 for this game. In game is quite beautiful.

 

[ElFly]

I wonder if I should stop reading the datalog.

The game must be a lot different without doing it.

 

[DangerousDave]

everything about vanille is fucking horrible

Not really. She has very nice tits.

 

[Zeliard]

Yeah, the datalog is great. Clear, concise and interesting. The events tab is quite useful as well.

 

[gray_fox224]

The soundtrack is marvelous...

 

[LowParry]

Not really. She has very nice tits.

And people wonder where the gaming community is going these days...


And people. You got to get past that first 2 - 3 hour hump. It fucking suck, I know. But it gets a whole lot better. Really really really does.

 

[Dra-Q]

Not really. She has very nice tits.

Well, thank god that Dōjinshis have no audio, eh?

 

[blizzardjesus]

Agreed, tried playing ME twice, but it's extremely flawed and boring. FFXIII may be much more linear, but sometimes this is a good thing. Overall ME has a better setting and story though.

And it does not have horrible characters called Vanille. God, I hate everything about her.

She's not that bad, she has asburgers or something, but is pretty useful as a healer.
Just remember in japanese she is that high piched voice character type, you don't have to suffer that indignity in english.

 

[LCfiner]

Chapter 4:

Spoiler

God, the Sazh/Vanille sequences suck. The battles took forever since 2 Ravagers struggle to stragger enemies. It's amazing how easy the battles became as soon as Lightning came back.

Do people recommend upgrading your weapons as soon as you unlock the ability to do so, or waiting a little longer to get different base weapons/more components?

concerning the chapter 4 stuff. those enemies get knocked down more quickly if you use rav/sab. knock done their defense with deprotect and deshell then switch to rav/rav and see how quickly you can stagger them.

just in case you run into this situation again down the line.

 

[ULTROS!]

4-5 hours in, Chapter 3.

What's Vanille's weapon supposed to be? A fishing rod whip?

 

[acevans2]

I had to watch the trailers I had on my PS3 again to reinvigorate myself to play more.

Chapter 4 and 5 are both terrible. I'm actually not out of 5 yet, stuck on the boss

Spoiler

Aster Protoflorian

. It is taking foreeeeeeeverrrrrrrr.