I've got some hints for people who are lacking money and need good items to loot from plentiful enimies.

About 8-12 hours into the game


About 12-16


About 14-20


I spent a while getting money and levelling up to get all my characrters top of the range stuff and I've found it pretty easy for all enimies besides some bosses which I think about technicks;)

Too bad I opened up certain treasure chests in the beginning of the game. Of course I didn't know better without the guide book with me at that time.

Picked up my pre-order on Wednesday, along with the LE guide (cover came out to be Basch, was hoping for a Fran, Ashe or Penelo though), and finally got around to playing it last night.

http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/7291/dsc01022bc2.jpg

Only played about 2 hours or so in the game, and liking it so far. Though the camera controls are really bugging me, they're the inverse of what I usually like to set them to be, options to switch the controls would have been nice (would it really have been that hard to add?). The battle system is interesting, I like how you can run around and try to avoid the enemies' attacks (well, try to reduce amount received), though the camera once again makes it a little frustrating (for me anyway). Not really liking the License system though, seems like a pain in the ass. So pretty much you have to get a license to use a equip or use a specific spell, and then you have to buy it? Purchasing the equip makes sense, but magic? That's just unusual, same thing with having to purchase a license to equip certain weapons/gear.

Moving on, the voice acting is outstanding! The different accents really adds to the game's universe/atmosphere. However, the audio quality is kinda bugging me, when the VA's speak it's like you can hear actually hear the static from the recording. Similar to the problem I had with RE4, it's only really noticeable for the ingame cut scenes. The scenes that I really noticed it were the ones with Vaan and Penelo, just before and after Vanye's CG intro (the consul ceremony thing). Did anyone notice this? Does it improve or become less apparent as you progress?

And another thing:


BTW, anyone noticed that Vaan wanting to become a Sky Pirate is somewhat similar to the storyline of Tetsuro wanting to become a Space Pirate in Galaxy Express 999? Seems like, to me, that they had a little inspiration from Leiji Matsumoto's work. I'm guessing Balfier would kind of be like Captain Harlock.

I had the misfortune of opening up every treasure chest (or pot, 'cause that's what they look like) I found too, thus ruining my chances of getting the secret item.

I got past the place I was stuck in last time (Twas at the Leviathan) I posted. Whoo! I just ran around


Now I am at the Westerland(sp?) and that place is tough, so I'm levelling up now in the desert. I'm keeping the entire party balanced. They're all at level 11.

The Hunts are getting to be a lot tougher now. The first few were easy, but the Nidhogg and the Wraith are hard.

I'm probably the only one who doesn't see any problem with the audio quality.

I'm still very pleased with the voice acting. I personally think Balthier and Vayne give the best performances.

Hantei, DAMN YOU I wanted the Basch cover! I got the faggot Vaan, I don't really like that guy. You'll find out about Basch and Reks later on, soon enough.

http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/7291/dsc01022bc2.jpg

I'm guessing by that image that the artbook is detachable, as well as the rip out poster at the end of the book?

I think you must be talking about the Griomoire's (sp?) pack. Like what seanne said, they're basically items that enable you to get superior loots from certain enemies. I heard one of them (cost 22000/25000G) will really come in handy when you're against some skeletons in Golmore jungle (might be wrong on the location). Also, there'll be several events that'll trigger the appearance of these items at Bazaar.

Spats, the art book fits into one sleeve, and the guide into the other. The sleeve is a picture of the judges marching. Pretty fucking badass. Also, the poster tears out of the end of the guide.

I wound up with Penelo for a guide. At first I was pretty "meh." But she's actually cute, and I like the cover the more I look at it.

I forget how many hours I'm up to now between exploring, doing hunts, and levelling up, but I just got out of the Barheim Passage and am heading to the aerodome in Rabanastre to leave for the next part. So far I'm having fun, the voices are pretty cool. Balthier's voice is more...strong than I imagined but I've grown to love it (and Fran's accent is great, really perfect for her). Vaan's voice was a nice surprise (not whiny or whatever like I would've expected to come out of him from looks alone) but the actor seems to really keep his lines brief and quick. Like he just ...says them. Probably the only emotion I've heard so far is when we saw Basch for the first time since the opening.

Anyway, I was trying to hunt a Cluckatrice but got my ass handed to me when I found it so I think I'll get back to killing it and its little babies a bit later when I've levelled up more... It was already hard enough trying to beat the Wraith. Everyone had Doom cast on them but I had nothing to get rid of it. I was lucky enough to beat the Wraith, but I forgot that unlike other games...the infliction won't go away once the battle is over. So everyone still had Doom cast on them and everyone was on, like, count 2. So I hightailed it for the exit to Lowtown and JUST reached it by the time everyone hit 0, but was already on my way out and safe.

Thanks, yeah I wasn't too sure how to open up the guide, lest I accidentally rip off the art book if I didn't know how to slide it out properly, but good to know. I also wouldn't have mind a Penelo cover. Just anyone, and I mean anyone, besides Vaan, which as luck would have it, I got stuck with =/.

I personally don't like it. It's not bad nor annoying, but I just don't think it fits her. But then again some others think it works for them. I think Marquis "Irish" voice is a bit overdone. When he spoke about the history of Dalmasca and the Archadian Empire, I thought it was a relatively elderly man speaking, but he's more in his fourties to fifties, but not elderly.

If you're in the Estersand, there's a rare encounter with Cluckertrice which has protect casted on him - you'll see the blue hexagon by the health bar of the enemy, and that's the one (use Libra to confirm it's called the Nehkbet, according to my guidebook). He has a very high HP and strong attack. I recommend you take him out (cast protect on yourself and work up some good cure gambits) when Basch is a guest character. This way you have 4 characters instead of the normal three. He's tough, but beatable.

Marquis Ondore has a pseudo-Indian accent, not Irish.

Bhujerba is supposed to be Middle-Eastern, as far as I can tell.

East Indian, I'm guessing? Weird, I don't quite hear Indian, actually. But that's quite alright, I like his voice now. It's alright for me to listen.

Here's one for you bunch of humps:

When you're first dodging out into the sands to kill that tomato thing, in the main square before you hit the east gate, there is a Bangaa that asks you to give a package to his friend outside. What the hell does this accomplish? Dudes didn't give me shit.

I'm hunting the Cluckatrice in the Giza Plains North Bank right now, one of the elite marks given out by Montblanc. This Cluckatrice has a lot of HP, and even it's chicks are hard to dispose of. And when they all gang up on one character...oy. I don't have Basch as a guest anymore though :( I was sad when I learned I could only have three in my party. If I can't beat it just by levelling up, then I'll probably just resort to chaining Quickenings repeatedly....now that I finally have them worked out.

Same, did the guide say anything? I forgot about that until now, and haven't checked yet. Perhaps it's something for a recurring item later. Now that you mention it, I must check ^__^.

Oh shit talk about wrong monsters! You seem pretty far, I've only done 2 hunts (pretty sad), and am up to rescue

Pretty sure he gave you a new bazaar option if it's the one I'm thinking of.

I know Gatsby, the contact for the 2nd mark, informed you about the 18,000 bazaar Griomoire's pack thing. Damn, now I know what I'm reading for a bed time story before night night.

I've only had a few hours to play, and I've spent them in the sands killing stuff. I'm just past the ceremony where Seymor, I mean, the Consul, gives his speech. But I'm on Lvl. 4 and I've killed 7 cockatrices. WATAP.

Yup I just pulled out the art book and the guide book free from the sleeves. This is fucking quality stuff, and not bad for $26.00 (20% discount and $5 preorder discount), so I'm happy with this, besides getting Vaan for the cover.

And I thought I was playing it slow. I just reached the sky city, which is an even nicer looking than Rabanastre (and feels just as big, even though it's a small town). Also, I don't see what the big deal is with that scene with Penelo.



Also, did that NPC Moogle just say



I'm enjoying the sheer massiveness of this game. I hope I'm not even 1/4 done.

Yes, that NPC Moogle did say



Spoil tagged, because SOLDIER COMMANDS FOR IT TO BE SO.

There's a reason I spoiler tagged it, for the anal folk here (that includes me; I know it's NPC dialogue, but still). :/

As for real spoilers, I have a question.



If this actually gets explained later, then please refrain from answering.

Does anyone know what all the limited edition guides look like collectively? I know I'll probably never look at the art book more than once, but having an aesthetically pleasing cover would be nice.

Yeah, that's all my spoiler said.

I finally picked up the game and LE guide today. I had to go to a second GameStop to get the Balthier cover because the GameStop I had the CE reserved at only had three LE guides (Basch, Penelo, and Vaan). The guy looked at me funny and tried to tell me that no one can tell what cover they're getting because the guide is shrink wrapped so tightly. How I'd love to show him my Balthier guide. (I managed to get my discount at the second GameStop when I showed the cashier my receipt, so yay!)

I haven't gotten very far, though. I'm only about 2 and a half hours in and I'm considering waking up early tomorrow to play it. The pseudo-Gambits suck. I can't wait until I get the real ones to play around with.

I'm at the Stilshrine of Miriam struggling with Mateus (the second Esper). It would be an easy enough battle were it not for her stupid ice elemental things that are immune to damage of any kind -_-

Now, my opinions of the game thus far. In one word: AMAZING! It's all I hoped it would be and more: fantastic dialogue, complex story, beautiful graphics, and, most of all, amazing voice actors. Marquis Ondore's voice is really the only one that bugs me...why the fudge does he sound Indo-British?

The battle system is wonderful. I played FFXI for probably three years so I fit right into FFXII's battles (since they are almost identical). I had trouble with the inverted camera at first, but I got used to it quickly. The sound quality of the voices in some of the cutscenes is a tad fuzzy on my craptastic TV in my room, but sounds great on our HDTV downstairs. I like the Liscense Board, I know, sorry lol. I've only done the tomatoe monster hunt, and I started the Thextra one...but got so wrapped up in the story that I just forgot about it for a while.

Hantei:

If you are finding it REALLY difficult, I haven't done it yet but