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[Lord Azrael]

Only got my game on Tuesday so I just finished up chapter 4. Noctilum blows Primordia out of the water, holy shit. Mind you, not that Primordia isn't awesome!

I know a lot of people are griefing over affinity mission oversights; luckily I already have all the items needed for Lin's first affinity quest without having had to grind

 

[Munter]

Finally got my copy yesterday, but was busy so have only just started the prologue. Can't wait to get my teeth into this over the weekend!

 

[BudokaiMR2]

Honestly, If I were you, I would take my time and enjoy the game unless you want that Skell really really badly. There's a lot of stuff to do before you get it so I'm in no rush. I'm 30 hours into the game and I still don't have them, but it's fine because running and exploring on foot is still really fun.

Yeah pleeeaaaase don't rush to get the Skells.

I played the game that way upon the JP launch (actually rushed as fast as possible to get the flight pack even) and it just resulted in me burning out.

I am only now going back to finish the game. I really think I would have finished it without a break if I had taken my time with the early parts of the game.

The Skells are obviously really cool, but the part of the game where you play without them is just as fun and unique.

OH

MY

FUCKING

GOD

THIS ENTIRE TIME I WAS DOING GROUND COMBAT WHILE MY FRIENDS DID SKELL. THINKING IT WAS BECAUSE I HAD TO LEVEL UP CLASS. AND LO AND BEHOLD CLASS LEVELS UP WITH YOU EVEN IF ON SKELL.

ALL THIS WASTED TIME HAHA. But I'm only getting like 30 points each major level up. As long as I can reach the last class it's fine since I was planning in staying in this blast fencer tree, but jesus good thing I didn't experiment too much early on.

LOL I actually do that on purpose all the time just because it is cool to be on the ground with your party member's giant robots flying over you head wailing on enemies.

 

[kuroneko0509]

post-game (after chapter 12) related

Spoiler

I believe we can use/add Lao after finishing the main story, but where the heck is he? unless the statement on wiki is totally wrong

 

[Kiryu]

Quickie!

Which should I use armor on Lin?

(Vivid Ryg)
(-322) HP, (+5) Defense, (+20) Total Ranged Attack, and (+20) Ranged Attack

or

(Vivid Armor)
(-82) HP, (+19) Defense, (+20) Total Melee Attack, (+20 Melee Attack)

Im little lost because Lin's tank. She can use gatling gun or shield... so help me ;3;

One more question!
What's Elma and Hope's best stats to improve since I will use them all the way in the game. I gotta have my hoes!

 

[Xenoboy]

How many affinity missions does each character have?
I want believe it's 5, but I'm not sure.
What affinity missions did ya'll like?
I've only done Repair Job and We Were Soldiers. I liked the latter more. Elma is so honorable.

 

[Shun]

Just finished this late quest and shit this Nopon is THIRSTY. The scenarios can be equally weird and hilarious.

Spoiler

Literally goes out of her way to play with other Nopon dudes then she fakes being pregnant to get out of her current relationship. Asks me to get her materials to help with the birthing process.

 

[HiroTSK5]

Chapter 12 question: I've leveled up to 50 and am now in the market for the higher grade Skells, do I need the Lvl 50 Amdusias to fight the boss or will any of the other Lvl 50 Skells do?

 

[Shun]

Chapter 12 question: I've leveled up to 50 and am now in the market for the higher grade Skells, do I need the Lvl 50 Amdusias to fight the boss or will any of the other Lvl 50 Skells do?

Bosses recommend heavy melee types to last longer since battles will be drawn out. If you want you should at the very least go for Lailah and go through with a Ranged set up, missiles, beam gattling, and a tackle to guarantee binds.

Money is easy to get in this game anyway so keep spending.

 

[Admiral Woofington]

Why the fuck does the main story have an affinity quest with an affinity level tied to it as a pre req?

I can't advance to chapter 8 until I apparently give Lao at least one heart. Fair warning to those of you who don't use Lao, do so asap apparently. I already have Gwyn prepared because I have to use him fairly often but now I gotta basically carry Lao as dead weight throughout all of these normal and basic missions to get him to 1 heart. Beautiful.

Any other person I should have to a certain heart level for main story purposes besides Gwyn?

edit: also chapter 8 only has a 3 people max party?

OH BOY CAN'T WAIT TO HAVE TO BRING DEAD WEIGHT. Ah whatever, with skells the deadweight thing ain't so bad now.

 

[Jolkien]

Anybody else gets disconnected randomly ? And it's not my WiFi because I'm using it at the same time on other devices and they don't cut.

Huge oversight to make you quit to title screen to reconnect, this game does so many things right but so many annoying things at the same time.

 

[Palculator]

Why the fuck does the main story have an affinity quest with an affinity level tied to it as a pre req?

I can't advance to chapter 8 until I apparently give Lao at least one heart. Fair warning to those of you who don't use Lao, do so asap apparently. I already have Gwyn prepared because I have to use him fairly often but now I gotta basically carry Lao as dead weight throughout all of these normal and basic missions to get him to 1 heart. Beautiful.

Any other person I should have to a certain heart level for main story purposes besides Gwyn?

edit: also chapter 8 only has a 3 people max party?

OH BOY CAN'T WAIT TO HAVE TO BRING DEAD WEIGHT. Ah whatever, with skells the deadweight thing ain't so bad now.

Yeah, it's bollocks. Since I'm still relatively early in the game (can't really play much during the week) I'll keep in mind to spread affection and experience evenly among party member to avoid this.

I salute you for braving bad quest design as a warning for the rest of us (Ø_–)7

 

[HiroTSK5]

Bosses recommend heavy melee types to last longer since battles will be drawn out. If you want you should at the very least go for Lailah and go through with a Ranged set up, missiles, beam gattling, and a tackle to guarantee binds.

Money is easy to get in this game anyway so keep spending.

Easy, but time consuming, unless there are non-FrontierNav means of getting quick money.

 

[Auto_aim1]

You only need Lao and Gwin at one heart for the main story. It's not too bad actually. Just do a bunch of green missions and you'll get it.

 

[sciencerob]

Is there a wway to have normal music/volume on your main screen while your map is open on the game pad?

 

[Ryouji Gunblade]

I assume you should use as much EXP gain gear as you can to level up characters that are not Elma or Lin.

 

[kuroneko0509]

dammit ticket farming nerfed in this one (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━&#9531

 

[Admiral Woofington]

Yeah, it's bollocks. Since I'm still relatively early in the game (can't really play much during the week) I'll keep in mind to spread affection and experience evenly among party member to avoid this.

I salute you for braving bad quest design as a warning for the rest of us (Ø_–)7

As far as main campaign goes:

- Get Gwyn and Lao to 1 heart if you don't wanna have to grind affinity. Which the fastest way to do so is to do a buttload of normal missions (each heart took a decent amount of normal missions)

- Best party set-up: Elma, Lin and [blank]. Aka always bring Elma and Lin with you. They are never NOT necessary for the main plot missions, which are always the hardest, so you want them to be your same level and not underleveled or you'll have to grind outside of what you' have to do for yourself.

- As for fourth party member it's a toss up. Best advice is probably to do a non-important party member. Aka bring one of the ones you gotta go out of your way to recruit instead of those given to you on a silver platter as those 3-4 tend to be the ones they decide to restrict for x and y affinity/main mission.

 

[Xane]

I need three hearts for Doug's affinity quest.


RIP.


Affinity farming is by far the worst aspect of the game. It just feels random.

 

[Admiral Woofington]

I need three hearts for Doug's affinity quest.


RIP.


Affinity farming is by far the worst aspect of the game. It just feels random.

3 hearts? Good luck with that. I needed 2 hearts for Murderess and it easily took 15-20 if not more normal quests.

Elma and Lin I have at 5 because I always have me so every little decision I've made alongside combat has gotten them that far.

 

[Palculator]

Should've added night crawling for added bonding mechanisms.

 

[Syn23]

Chapter 6 spoilers:

Spoiler

I know it's impossible, but I'd really like to have him in my party: http://abload.de/img/wiiu_screenshot_tv_012xo71.jpg

 

[Diffense]

There are a lot of baffling decisions like that in the game, but the way affinity quests are handled is the most notable. Since they can trap you in a cycle of torturous grinding often enough for saving beforehand and seeing if you need to reset to be the most common strategy suggested for them; it's ridiculous that an option to abandon them wasn't implemented. Even if you'd have to restart them from the beginning and any characters introduced in them unceremoniously disappeared, it'd be a better option than the one they have now.

There is the option to scout a high-level character just to get through (if all four party members aren't "required"). Between being able to purchase enemy drops using reward tickets and being able to recruit strong avatars to help you, I think it's pretty hard to get stuck (with the exception of rare blue diamond drops and when you have to use a certain party).
EDIT: I forgot they'll even drop boss levels for some (story?) quests if you keep losing.

BTW, scouting an avatar earns division points towards your blade level (which are boosted for mediators I think).
It also raises the chance of getting "division support" from the division the avatar belongs to during battle.
You have to pay at the scout console and you get 120mins. The ones you meet out in the field stay with you for 30 (real) minutes.

 

[HawthorneKitty]

Any tips on getting Tectinsula back moss, they aren't dropping and I'm not entirely sure I'm targeting the back or now...

 

[Teknoman]

Is it better to have other people's character as a 4th, or should I just recruit other npcs?

 

[Admiral Woofington]

Outside of the obvious complaints in the game, I think one that is seriously hurting much of the possible enjoyment of affinity and main mission quests is how little your character ever matters.

Most of the times you're made to feel important is in a few normal quests when people go "WHOA you're [name] from Team Elma?! You're a legend!"

But for most of the other missions with cutscenes/dialogue it's basically Elma and Lin and the other major characters bonding and having fun while you're standing there like a ghost seeing everything, and once in a while they throw you a bone and let you choose 1 dialogue option which might give you direct input in this conversation for like a line or two before they all gather back together and start being best buddies again.

I didn't need to be the hero everybody looks forward to, and I appreciate the fact you'll always be the third member of Team Elma and that she's the leader.... but it would've been nice if characters acknowledged you more in big dialogue moments instead of you just being a tourist.

 

[It's Reyn Time!]

There was a nice little nod to the original game while I was playing last night. (Random quest spoilers) Tatsu's

Spoiler

mother was talking about the Heropon (Tatsu in this case) being chosen every year to go and kill a nasty God, rather than just being a good warrior or someone they want out of the village for a while like in the original. It's nice that Riki left a mark on the Nopon all this time later.

Also your team's (mistaken) reaction to Tatsu being a Riki-esque dad of many Littlepon "So you're just some middle aged deadbeat?!"

 

[Golnei]

Affinity farming is by far the worst aspect of the game. It just feels random.

Especially since affinity quests are such a huge part of the story as a whole, they really should have included some way to gate them less arbitrarily. Some level of affinity-related requirement makes sense, but making them so high for everyone other than Elma and Lin might not have been the best idea. It'd be better if there were ways to raise affinity outside of decisions and dialogue - bringing back the first game's gifting system or having inactive party members around NLA give you affinity-raising basic missions could both work to make it less tedious. It's a shame the models are too hideous for a face-rubbing mechanic to make any sense, but that shouldn't have gotten in the way of an ability to either date party members or set them up with each other.

There is the option to scout a high-level character just to get through (if all four party members aren't "required"). Between being able to purchase enemy drops using reward tickets and being able to recruit strong avatars to help you, I think it's pretty hard to get stuck (with the exception of rare blue diamond drops).

EDIT: I forgot they'll even drop boss levels for some quests if you keep losing.

They do help, but even then; the presence of a simple option to abandon a quest would be a tiny change to make things so much more convenient. As it is, it's not going to ruin anyone's save file; but it leads to a lot of arbitrary tedium.

 

[BassForever]

Outside of the obvious complaints in the game, I think one that is seriously hurting much of the possible enjoyment of affinity and main mission quests is how little your character ever matters.

Most of the times you're made to feel important is in a few normal quests when people go "WHOA you're [name] from Team Elma?! You're a legend!"

But for most of the other missions with cutscenes/dialogue it's basically Elma and Lin and the other major characters bonding and having fun while you're standing there like a ghost seeing everything, and once in a while they throw you a bone and let you choose 1 dialogue option which might give you direct input in this conversation for like a line or two before they all gather back together and start being best buddies again.

I didn't need to be the hero everybody looks forward to, and I appreciate the fact you'll always be the third member of Team Elma and that she's the leader.... but it would've been nice if characters acknowledged you more in big dialogue moments instead of you just being a tourist.

Same awkwardness happens in story missions where your 4th character is flexible. Lao says he wants to come with me to search for a piece of the life hold, I add him to my party, but he says nothing during any of the remaining story scenes :X

 

[Golnei]

Same awkwardness happens in story missions where your 4th character is flexible. Lao says he wants to come with me to search for a piece of the life hold, I add him to my party, be says nothing during any of the remaining story scenes :X

I guess that's one area where budget concerns come in, but in scenarios like that where it's highly likely you'll have an optional character in your party, giving them one or two lines would have helped enormously.

 

[mrpallyguy]

I think that they should have had some premade spoken lines at least for the main char tbh.

 

[FeD.nL]

Why did I had to put this on my x-mas list?! The wait..

 

[Chazbc24]

one heart for two characters is nothing. affinity is optional along with 98% of the sidequests. Its just there to encourage you to use all the characters while u explore everything the game has to offer. It's like u guys want this to be as linear as possible the majority of complaints on this board are "why can't i get from point a to point b faster?" well, youre missing the point of this game. play something more linear.

 

[ivysaur12]

I guess that's one area where budget concerns come in, but in scenarios like that where it's highly likely you'll have an optional character in your party, giving them one or two lines would have helped enormously.

Agreed. I don't mind the silent protagonist, but this would have helped immensely.

 

[Admiral Woofington]

Same awkwardness happens in story missions where your 4th character is flexible. Lao says he wants to come with me to search for a piece of the life hold, I add him to my party, be says nothing during any of the remaining story scenes :X

I would have been satisfied if they let you interact with people more during main story missions. Maybe give you 2-3 affinity missions that deal with you,

I just find it funny that I have 5 stars with Elma and Lin in affinity, which theoretically means I'm like a brother to them in any other game, but everything Team Elma is Tatsu and Lin growing close, Lin and Elma having dialogue.

Did the game never consider giving you a nickname/forced last name? That way characters could have addressed you more. But considering you're the character that is walking around recruiting people to your personal search party nobody acknowledges you. Silent protagonist shouldn't mean you're a ghost. It should mean you never directly speak to people besides a few dialogue options, but that you still like matter somewhat.

I matter dammit!

 

[Diffense]

Any tips on getting Tectinsula back moss, they aren't dropping and I'm not entirely sure I'm targeting the back or now...

You could try exchanging for reward tickets in the network area of the barracks.

 

[Golnei]

I think that they should have had some premade spoken lines at least for the main char tbh.

With the amount of VAs involved, especially for the Japanese release, that could have gotten very expensive.

one heart for two characters is nothing. affinity is optional along with 98% of the sidequests. Its just there to encourage you to use all the characters while u explore everything the game has to offer. It's like u guys want this to be as linear as possible the majority of complaints on this board are "why can't i get from point a to point b faster?" well, youre missing the point of this game. play something more linear.

If it had a similarly-sized party to the first game, and the only content tied to affinity were the heart-to-hearts, that'd make sense; but the 'optional' affinity missions are a massive part of the game's overall narrative, combined with a cast much larger than the first game's. They clearly want you to see as much of it as possible, so the tedium involved is more grating than the requirements for the first game's far more nonessential heart-to-hearts.

 

[Chazbc24]

With the amount of VAs involved, especially for the Japanese release, that could have gotten very expensive.



If it had a similarly-sized party to the first game, and the only content tied to affinity were the heart-to-hearts, that'd make sense; but the 'optional' affinity missions are a massive part of the game's overall narrative, combined with a cast much larger than the first game's. They clearly want you to see as much of it as possible, so the tedium involved is more grating than the requirements for the first game's far more nonessential heart-to-hearts.

xenoblade made you accumulate affinity between other members, as well, which evens things out a bit. there's also a larger amount of side quests to do in this game as compared to the original so more characters kind of go hand and hand. Basically, if your set out to see everything then the quests provide more enough experience for you to gain affinity between you and your squad.

 

[Vampirolol]

After MGSV and this I think I'm really good at making my own pace, no OCD on subquests and more focus on what I actually like. That's how people should play in my opinion, still some things are bullshit like "find X in Oblivia, good fucking luck!" but I have no problem using internet for help. 26 hours and I'm doing the Skell quest btw.

 

[Chazbc24]

this game (and xenoblade chronicles) is awesome because you really can get as in depth as you want and still get enjoyment.

the game does not obviously expect you to do everything, but it does reward you for it. If you are going out of your way to use a character that is non-essential, but you are drawn to, you are rewarded with affinity quests that give you insight into that character and even gives you their unique ability. if not then they'll just fade out into the background. This is why affinity is a thing.

im working on doug and hope. their battle convo is very cringy. im glad i got to see it.

 

[Qurupeke]

So, there's bunny armor and it seeems so difficult to build.

 

[Diffense]

one heart for two characters is nothing. affinity is optional along with 98% of the sidequests. Its just there to encourage you to use all the characters while u explore everything the game has to offer. It's like u guys want this to be as linear as possible the majority of complaints on this board are "why can't i get from point a to point b faster?" well, youre missing the point of this game. play something more linear.

I agree that the purpose of the affinity mechanic is to encourage the player to use different party members. These systems (affinity, survey rate requirements etc.) are the ways that the game offers guidance through its large amount of content and gives structure to gameplay. Basically, even in a open game, you have to be given reasons to do one thing or the other and then given a reward for accomplishing tasks. A reward is a restriction lifted (in gaming and in life). So no, you don't get Skells right away for example.

 

[Raide]

How do I share screenshots?

 

[Delio]

So what are the good early game level grind spots? Early as in I'm only lv 15. If it's just missions then thats fine.

 

[Diffense]

How do I share screenshots?

Press home button during gameplay then selet the miiverse icon. You'll be given the option to save screenshots to your (private) album or add them to a (public) "play journal" post. I think once they're in the album you can get the url and share.

 

[Quadraxis]

Just got my first skell. The whole feel of the game changed with it and i still need to adjust to it. I loved exploring on foot and now i have the feeling i will be lazy when there is a mech right besides me XD

Btw when buying weapons for your skells, can you actually see what art that part gives you? I can't seem to find it when looking in the shop at new parts and i would like to know it before i buy it.

 

[ShockingAlberto]

Press home button during gameplay then selet the miiverse icon. You'll be given the option to save screenshots to your (private) album or add them to a (public) "play journal" post. I think once they're in the album you can get the url and share.

Or just use the Internet Browser and upload to imgur or minus.

 

[Admiral Woofington]

Just got my first skell. The whole feel of the game changed with it and i still need to adjust to it. I loved exploring on foot and now i have the feeling i will be lazy when there is a mech right besides me XD

Btw when buying weapons for your skells, can you actually see what art that part gives you? I can't seem to find it when looking in the shop at new parts and i would like to know it before i buy it.

not really no. They follow logic though.

melee weapon- orange

ranged weapon- yellow

shield - blue/aura

But a lot of the weapons are confusing in name tbh.

 

[Diffense]

Or just use the Internet Browser and upload to imgur or minus.

Interesting, didn't know that.

 

[RagnarokX]

https://miiverse.nintendo.net/posts/AYMHAAACAAADVHkr9lKd-A

Everything the light touches is our kingdom.