Final Fantasy VIII General Discussion

[Jason Tandro]

Doing my usual Final Fantasy retrospective journaling on Live Journal. Here's my first entry for this game: http://jasontandroplay.livejournal.com/39410.html

And yeah Triple Triad is fun af but the rules are obnoxious though as I've gotten better the only two rules that I still hate are Random and Same Wall. Same and Plus can be hugely to your advantage if you know how to play them and can turn a one-sided losing streak into a come from behind victory.

And we all know how much Irvine likes to come from behind.

 

[Tetsujin]

Done with the mission in Timber. Love the convoluted plan to kidnap the president

Also, the bit with the guards on the train using sensors, requiring you to either stop or move to avoid detection...you can literally just run straight over them as soon as you have control. Completely pointless.

The thing about the Galbadians' plan...they wanna broadcast via radio to make a worldwide announcement and reach areas that are not connected by cable.
Buuuut...since radio waves went kaput 17 years ago, who would even be watching? I'd assume people without cable would just...not have tv?
Sure, if there was an advance announcement of them fixing the jamming problem and people would know to keep their old-ass antennas ready or something like that...but it seems like the whole thing was a surprise and happened on short notice.

The whole thing seems kinda dumb

 

[Kuja9001]

I like how Squall has unique limit break animations for some bosses. In the case of El Viole (or whatever the English version might call him cba to look it up) he jumps up and knocks him down to the ground before slicing right through. It's pretty neat.

Norg has one too.

 

[Happy Little Lemon]

@Tetsujin I'm of the opinion that the Galbadian government is just a badly run madhouse See also General Caraway running around the street in front of the Presidential Palace explaining the top secret plan to shoot the Sorceress dead. Presumably at the top of his voice, and apparently having cut off traffic to the area, since there aren't any buses running while he does this, not at all suspicious, or obvious

No wonder the crowd is cheering during Ultimecia's speech, never mind magic, they were probably just looking forward to seeing her brains fly everywhere!

 

[Flintlock]

I never actually knew that Squall has different limit animations for some bosses. I guess I've always paid more attention to the trigger bar.

 

[RedFFWolf]

I like how Squall has unique limit break animations for some bosses. In the case of El Viole (or whatever the English version might call him cba to look it up) he jumps up and knocks him down to the ground before slicing right through. It's pretty neat.

Norg has one too.

Loved that video so much. I remember noticing the different animations after Squall knocked Elvoret to the ground, but never took paid as much care or attention until the Bahamut battle, which was really blatant. Always such a joy to see certain boss fights have such animations (especially Ultima Weapon attempting to fight back) - once you see it in any battle, the battle can only be completed via Renzokuken. And hitting the trigger each time for it gives a very satisfying rush, ooooh.

I also love the quick, intense sounds of the Renzokuken against Adel, as if a furious demand for the release of Rinoa.

 

[Cthulhu]

lawls he's like running across Bahamut's wing like a boss.

I never noticed the animations, was probably too busy getting those FUCKING triggers right. I don't even remember the trigger bar thing.

 

[Clement Rage]

Wow, I'd forgotten how good the music was.

Never noticed that animations, that's some serious attention to detail.

Since the broadcast is basically a threat, they want to broadcast to other countries on different cable networks. Dollet at least will be paying attention as it's their comm tower.

 

[Tetsujin]

Since the broadcast is basically a threat, they want to broadcast to other countries on different cable networks. Dollet at least will be paying attention as it's their comm tower.

They're not broadcasting to cable, they're broadcasting via radio to areas that don't have cable. =P
But none of these should be receiving in the first place.

 

[ForceStealer]

I definitely never knew about the special animations either.

 

[Ite]

I noticed only on Disc 3, when fighting Cactuar King and Bahamut. I so rarely use limit breaks that I haven't seen most of these. Thanks for the vid!

 

[Russell]

I love this game but it hasn't aged to well...

Spoiler

 

[Flintlock]

^ Most of that is just JPEG artefacts. Compare this screenshot. Probably emulated but still.

 

[Lex]

^That's definitely emulation. The anti-aliasing is so strong.

 

[Cthulhu]

Notice also the difference between the (static/2d) background and the rendered 3D models. I do like to think the emulated version is closer to how everyone remembers it though . I mean the models were just so much better compared to FFVII's, and FFVII was (or looks like) one of the first games even using 3D. When you compare FFVII with FFIX, you can see how much they managed to improve themselves in terms of what they could do with the hardware. Although it might have had to do with how much money they could invest into developing the games and their technologies, too.

 

[Tetsujin]

Done with disc 1~

Always hated how Quistis left her post before the assassination attempt to apologize to Rinoa...
Really? You're gonna endanger the mission because you might have hurt somebody's feelings? This couldn't have waited until after...why?
Also, why the hell are the other two going with her?! You couldn't have left Zell and Selphie behind in case something dumb happens like, oh I don't know, getting locked into Colonel Carway's mansion?
It's so incredibly dumb.

Why does the Colonel even have a frickin time lock for his room? Simple key not fancy enough for you or what?
Why does he discuss the plan directly in front of the presidential palace, in public?

The assassination attempt was kinda shit too.
Why lock Edea into that arch? You only warned her, you dumbasses!

Amateur hour on all fronts here to be honest.

I love the whole parade though. Music is so good, too.
Edea just looks so creepy and powerful here. Don't fuck with a witch.

Also, I contemplated getting the Lionheart Gunblade on disc 1...but decided I couldn't be bothered. Not that big of a deal anyway and would just mean tedious grinding for certain ingredients and cards.

 

[Ite]

Neat! Caraway is a General in the NA release.

 

[The Twilight Mexican]

Yeah, his rank was given as colonel (大&#20304 in Japanese, but I imagine they changed that for the NA release because it was also stated that Caraway was the highest ranking official in Galbadia's military. That wouldn't sound right to our ears, so they must have changed it to general for that reason.

 

[Kuja9001]

I like how Squall has unique limit break animations for some bosses. In the case of El Viole (or whatever the English version might call him cba to look it up) he jumps up and knocks him down to the ground before slicing right through. It's pretty neat.

Norg has one too.

Loved that video so much. I remember noticing the different animations after Squall knocked Elvoret to the ground, but never took paid as much care or attention until the Bahamut battle, which was really blatant. Always such a joy to see certain boss fights have such animations (especially Ultima Weapon attempting to fight back) - once you see it in any battle, the battle can only be completed via Renzokuken. And hitting the trigger each time for it gives a very satisfying rush, ooooh.

I also love the quick, intense sounds of the Renzokuken against Adel, as if a furious demand for the release of Rinoa.

Here's Norg's version

 

[Ite]

I'm floating on Balamb, Disc 2, just got challenged by the Card Club's Jack -- my first CC challenge ever! Man I'm teenager-stoked. He hangs around by the directory after the NORG fight, for the curious

Edit: from zero to hero!

Spoiler: CC Members Part 1

I've since fought Club (black-haired dude between the dorms and cafeteria) Joker (training area) Diamond (twin girls, by the directory again) and Spade (2F overpass, the guy who first gives you cards)

The latter of that group are pretty tough. My cards of choice are Gargantua, Siren, Sacred, Diablos, and Zell. It's been that way since I got Brothers at the Tomb, as I accidentally got Gargantua from Card-ing a thrustaevis enemy. Diamond is the only consistent challenge for me since Timber and its (imo excellent) "Same" rule. Current rules in Balamb Garden are "Open" Trade Rule: "All."

I've really conquered this system and it didn't take nearly as much re-loading as I'd been led to believe.

 

[Obsidian Fire]

If you think Triple Triad in FFVIII is hard you should see it in FFXIV. There you're limited to one 4* or 5* card and four 3* cards (or lower). And of course you can't spread/delete rules since it's an MMO. Fortunately you can have five decks saved at once...

 

[Blade]

If only Duel Monsters combined with FF artwork...

 

[Tetsujin]

Spoiler: Prison break and shit

"...fuck my life."

Sums up my feelings about this segment. The constant running around in circles, going up, down, up and down and up again is incredibly boring. Especially if you wanna go all the way down to find the magazine for Zell (which I did).

But hey, amidst all the chaos and escaping, there's always time for more card games.

Also, Moombas. They seem a bit out of place in this environment...maybe even in the entire game.

I do wonder why Squall isn't dead after what happened at the end of disc 1 (inb4 someone posts the "Squall is dead" theory yaddayadda).

 

[Obsidian Fire]

Moombas are one of the FF creatures I wish could have joined Chocobos, Moogles, Tonberries, etc. as recurring creatures. If I had to pick one FF creature to get a plushy of, it would be a Moomba.

At least you're not crazy enough to go and grind 10 Rosetta Stones from the card player in prison... Having Abilityx4 on all my characters was just to good to pass up...

 

[Happy Little Lemon]

If I had to pick one FF creature to get a plushy of, it would be a Moomba.

Maybe that is what Selphie had in mind when she wanted to skin one in the prison? I wouldn't put taxidermy past her