[PS2] Final Fantasy XII

This is possibly one of the best user-friendly games I've played in a while. I stopped my gaming just to come to GFF to post my thoughts before I forget.

When you're just starting the Palace of Rabanastre,

not really a spoil, but it's about the saving system:

It tells you with a no bullshit - straight faced manner that this level isn't exactly easy and you might not making it out alive in one piece the first try, so they immediatel suggest you create a new save file, just in case. So you are still under powered, you can go back to the old save file before entering the Palace and power/level up then.

Major props to SquareEnix for letting players heed that. Sure it might seem a bit juvenile, but I can tell that they wanted to make the player feel adventerous, not frustrated.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

I just exchanged my FFXII CE for a new one and I still had the same problem with the bonus disc . It doesn't play the commentary by the music composer on neither my dvd player or my PS2. Now I'm going to have to exchange it again. Hopefully the 3rd time is the charm.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Mmm, I haven't had problems with my bonus disc so far, but I've only seen like 2/5s of the development interviews, mainly the story planning and the translation. I'll check it out and tell you if I'm having any problems.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

So what is everyone's curr4ent part Setup?

Mine;

Quote:

Vaan

Weapon: Daggers/Ninja Swords
Armor: Light
Technicks: Steal, Libra, 1000 Needles
Magic: Time

Ashe

Weapon: Swords
Armor: Heavy, Light and Shields
Technicks: Attack Break
Magicks: Green

Balthier

Weapon: Guns
Armor: Heavy and Light
Technicks: Charge, Coin Toss
Magicks: Arcane

Fran

Weapon: Bows/Crossbows
Armor: Mage
Technicks: Charge
Magicks: Black

Basch

Weapon: Great Swords/Breakers
Armor: Heavy
Technicks: Defense Break, Focus
Magicks: None

Penelo

Weapon: Pole/Staffs
Armor: Mage
Technicks: Charge
Magicks: White

Also, a poster at Game FAQs was kind enough to make a english License Grid:

Topic:
http://boards.gamefaqs.com/gfaqs/gen...topic=31465570

Grid:
http://home.comcast.net/~jhunwung/LicenseGrid.png

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Originally Posted by Spatula

LOL, this was why Ashe had the hots for him.

Well I'm first I'm like, he's cute in a 15 year old boy sort of way. Once he started talking, HELLO sexy man! Yeah these characters are all too young to be drooling over... but then again, I'm just getting old and out of that range

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Originally Posted by gaming

Doesn't Europe use PAL system or something?
And US use NTSC or something... Can I like order from a store in the US and still play it here in Europe?
I want to play it now too, especially now that everybody in here are saying so much good stuff about this game

You have to have a modded PS2 or just use Swap Magic (really cheap) ,if you want to go cheaper use an memory card exploit. I know i know, waiting sucks...it's the Euro curse.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Guess what, it turns out that the full batch of FFXII CEs have the same problem. I don't know if this is the case with ones not in my area but he tried several in the store and they did lock up when he tried to view the music commentary. This was one of the parts I was looking forward to most of the dvd but sadly I guess that I'll never see it. He emailed someone regarding this issue and told me that probably all of the dvds have this problem and that there was very, very little chance that Square would go back to fix it. Oh well....at least the game isn't defective!

There's nowhere I can't reach.

That's quality control for you! (and me too ;___; )

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Most of the praises I have so far have been reiterated in this thread, so instead I'll just list the minor gripes I have so far.

1. It copies a LOT from FFXI: This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but after years of development to the point of hospitalization, I figured Matsuno would work on creating his own thing instead of copying most of the battle system from another game. Auto attacks, monsters linking, Chocobos with a time limit, magic aggro, and other elements give me a strange case of deja vu.

2. It doesn't copy FFXI's First Person View: This game was begging for a first person camera angle. There's so many knicknacks and details to view, but instead I'm constantly rotating the right analog stick in a vain attempt to catch it all. This is my biggest letdown so far, since the feature was promised a while back.

3. Voice Compression: The voice audio has a tiny bit of compression. It's especially noticable whenever Penelo talks. Again, this isn't a big deal, but since I recently tried FFX again, I can confirm that the voices were a lot clearer in that game. I guess this is due to fitting everything in one disc, but would it have killed Square to spring for dual layer?

4. It's Hard: Not hard enough to frustrate me; On the contrary, I welcome the challenge. But I bet it will frustrate newbies or anyone who wasn't well versed in FFXI (monsters linking=not a good thing). Although I do with there was an auto-targeting option (where after you kill one monster, you automatically attack the linked monster; in this game you target it, but you have to manually set attack again).

5. No customizable controls: The controls for the camera are reversed to how I usually have them, and there's no way to set it to my preference. I can adjust, but I wish you had the option.

And now some misc comments.

1. I like how even though the game doesn't have progressive scan, it's one of the highest res PS2 games I've ever played.

2. Vaan is definetely not like Tidus. He's more cynical than I thought.

3. Is it me, or do Chocobos sound more like horses in this game? I could swear I heard one of them "neighing" in the opening.

4. That Penelo sure is a cutie.

5. I've spent at least 2 hours in Robanastre, and my mouth still hangs open. It has the massive size of Bastok, but with far more detail and an excellent placement of NPCs (thank god you don't have to talk to all of them).

5. Vaan's ribs are freaky looking.

6. Do you need to buy a license for every single piece of equipment in the game?

7. Are there any early spoilers in the bonus disc? If so, when's a good time to watch it?

That's it so far. I'd rave more about the opening, but I wouldn't be saying anything that hasn't already been said. When that guy way back said that the story was "so good that the previous FFs should be ashamed of themselves", he wasn't kidding. Not that I would dare forsake the last 11 games, but right from the start you know that they're taking FFXII seriously. No spikey haired heroes, space whales, or moon aliens here. This is a story of War, and what it does to people. I know everyone is crazy for Balthier, but I seriously love Basch for the moment in that he represents the maturity of this new story (he's not afraid to get his hands dirty if he feels he's doing the right thing).

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

I agree about the controller customisation since I really wish I could invert the controls and I also wish there was a "First Person" camera view too, likewise I literally had Vaan standing there so I could rotate the camera every which way possible to marvel Rabanastre's architecture or just to watch the townsfolk go about their business.

I also ran into my first environmental change last night too which was pretty wicked over in the Westersands...

Spoiler:

...where one time it was perfectly fine and then at a later visit a huge sandstorm has enveloped the area.

Anyways I'm off from work so now I can jump back into the game. Also thanks to those for throwing props towards the thread!

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by SOLDIER

.

6. Do you need to buy a license for every single piece of equipment in the game? YES, but later in the game you'll get an equipment which allows you to double the points you earn every battle...i had like tons of points left

7. Are there any early spoilers in the bonus disc? If so, when's a good time to watch it? Dunno

That's it so far. I'd rave more about the opening, but I wouldn't be saying anything that hasn't already been said. When that guy way back said that the story was "so good that the previous FFs should be ashamed of themselves", he wasn't kidding. .....

About the bonus disc, i know nothing.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Looking over the guide it seems each character is a blank canvas, completely customizable for battle. I know this seems good, but I like a little direction; I'm afraid I'll miss out on something restricting a character to a mage or long distance attacker. This is all not mentioning having Espers restricted to one character permanently along with quickenings. So I have a few questions....

Does all the choice making become over whelming? Do you ever regret making a perminent decision?

Where does each character start on the License Board? Since the board is very organized with similar abilities and what not grouped together, it seems moving along will result in a character who only specializes in one strict area. Or do I have the concept of moving around the License Board completely wrong?

Do characters have their own quickenings, unlocked via a quickening box on the License Board? Or are their specific quickenings on the License Board which can be distributed to any character?

For me, it seems the game is too customizable. I'd hate to get 20 hours into the game only to find I made the wrong decision giving an esper to the wrong character or granting one-time abilities to the wrong character.

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by SOLDIER

Although I do with there was an auto-targeting option (where after you kill one monster, you automatically attack the linked monster; in this game you target it, but you have to manually set attack again).

There is, set your gambits for:

Foe: leader's target -> Attack
Foe: nearest -> Attack

In that order, and have everyone's gambits on.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Quote:

5. No customizable controls: The controls for the camera are reversed to how I usually have them, and there's no way to set it to my preference. I can adjust, but I wish you had the option.

Yeah I'm more accustomed to moving the stick left, therefore moving the screen left, but this is reversed. I'm used to it now.

I think the difficulty has spiked right up after I bought the 2nd "boss", those 4 flam thingies.

Can someone tell me why Balthier is basically what Han Solo is to Star Wars? The coolest character. EVER.

Target: Friend
Action: Fire.

kekekeke, I just do this for the hell of it, and to see who bites the dust first and last.

Also, my bonus DVD with the Music Composition part isn't working, who else Majario is experiencing this?

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Are all you people with Bonus DVD music segment problems watching the DVD on your PS2?

That's crazy talk. Stick that baby in a DVD player or your computer. I tried it on my standard Samsung DVD player and it was able to play that chapter.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Quote:

When that guy way back said that the story was "so good that the previous FFs should be ashamed of themselves", he wasn't kidding.

I couldn't agree less. Both the story and the characterization are really quite week, but most of all - completely unengaging. Just like in previous PS2 Final Fantasies I find myself not really caring one bit about the characters or the story. And the so-called negative aspects of the SNES and PSX installments that you mentioned is exactly what I'm missing with this game.

They are much of what made the storylines engaging and magical back in the day.

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Is Bonus DVD PS2 use only? Or I can play it on my PC and Home DVD player as well?

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by B4-Hunter

Is Bonus DVD PS2 use only? Or I can play it on my PC and Home DVD player as well?

It's a regular DVD. It'll work in any DVD player.

majario has just run into some major bad luck is all =p

I was speaking idiomatically.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JazzFlight:
Are all you people with Bonus DVD music segment problems watching the DVD on your PS2?

That's crazy talk. Stick that baby in a DVD player or your computer. I tried it on my standard Samsung DVD player and it was able to play that chapter.

That's the thing. I tried to play that part in both my dvd player and my PS2 and both didn't work. Lucky you Jazz.

Edit - It worked when I put it in my computer. I don't know why it won't play in the PS2 and as for my dvd player, maybe it is too cheap. I guess I'll buy a better dvd player later on. I'm glad that the dvd isn't messed up though. Yay for me!

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

about weapons

Spoiler:

when do good swords come available? I have vaan up to sword 6, and yet i have yet to see swords from swords 2, like acient sword an zwill blade.. damn so much wasted LP.. oh well :0

FELIPE NO

When it comes to equipment and magic, don't buy licenses for what you don't have yet.

Aim for getting the augment squares first, stuff like HP+ and spell cost-10%.

Also aim for getting all 3 quickenings for your main characters as soon as possible. Each quickening multiplies your max MP by a full bar. You really need this for everyone if you're going to be relying on healing spells.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Originally Posted by Black Mamba

Does all the choice making become over whelming? Do you ever regret making a perminent decision?

Not really. The only thing you might have some problems with deciding is what type(s) of armor you want to use. There are few permanent decisions to be made so that's not really a problem.

Quote:

Where does each character start on the License Board? Since the board is very organized with similar abilities and what not grouped together, it seems moving along will result in a character who only specializes in one strict area. Or do I have the concept of moving around the License Board completely wrong?

The begin in pretty much the same spot [afaikr] (one for each part of the board). And since you can always get more license points I don't think you'll find youself with "characters who only specializes in one strict area". If you want a certain ability - all you gotta do is kill some enemies.

Quote:

Do characters have their own quickenings, unlocked via a quickening box on the License Board? Or are their specific quickenings on the License Board which can be distributed to any character?

Spoiler:

There are specific quickening boxes on the board and when someone "learns" one of these boxes, it dissapears from all other characters' borads. Quickenings are character specific (if you look at the same box on different boards the quickening in question will have different names) and there are three for each character

Quote:

For me, it seems the game is too customizable. I'd hate to get 20 hours into the game only to find I made the wrong decision giving an esper to the wrong character or granting one-time abilities to the wrong character.

The best thing I think is to choose three characters you want and then use them all through the game. Since there is little differance between the characters now that everyone can equip everything.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Yeah, that was my concern as well, for example keeping Balthier as a gun user or Vaan as a melee, but with all the changing around, that's quite nice. Maybe they'll ALL be long range specialists. Heh, but of course there's draw backs to that, I'd imagine.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

After finishing JAP version with all character using Axe it's obwiosu that sometimes the easiest way is the best way =) No my whole 6 characters are using swords & shield. First thing that I'm boosting is Block, Power, Speed and HP. Rest goes in to the magic. It's really easy when you know what to do =)

For bosses it's best to get one Mist Combo for each character and use triple tech to finish the fight in blink of an eye.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Thanks for the reply seanne. The rest of my concerns can easily be answered once I begin the game.

Thanks again!

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?