Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age

[Ite]

And uh Necron.

 

[Russell]

I mean, we never actually see the Occuria do anything, but they're the whole reason the plot happens.

Occuria?

I'm starting to think I've never played this game. >.<

Spoiler

(God like beings that control the FFXII version of materia that allows them to write history the way they want, but one is talking to Cid to give humanity control over itself; right? In a very basic forgetful nutshell.)

 

[Tennyo]

You got it.

Spoiler

Getting rid of them is basically Vayne's sole motivation.

 

[JechtShotMK9]

#VayneWasRight

That moment at the end when you finally fight the guy, and he's, like, "who are you people, again?"

 

[lithiumkatana17]

#VayneWasRight, but his way of going about it was back asswards.

Still hot tho.

 

[JechtShotMK9]

I dunno. If Ashe and Vaan are indicative of most Dalmascans, they got what was coming to them.

#AllForVayne

 

[Kuja9001]

I'll be going into this blind aside from knowing names. What should I expect?

 

[JechtShotMK9]

I'll be going into this blind aside from knowing names. What should I expect?

A pretty disjointed story, with great music, Balthier being amazing, and beautiful locales.

 

[lithiumkatana17]

A good story with beautiful locations and characters, wonderful music, a politcally driven plot with loads of fun side quests, hunts, and optional shit to do.

 

[Unit-01]

I'll be going into this blind aside from knowing names. What should I expect?

A pretty disjointed story

Why do people say this about the story? It really isn't. The focus isn't on Vaan sure, but I wouldn't say the story is disjointed.

 

[Ite]

I'll be going into this blind aside from knowing names. What should I expect?

Expect a much smaller-scale story than you're used to from FF, with many of its deeper mysteries hidden from player and PC alike. It's mostly a war story, with two or three small regions and a more intimate exploration into their politics and peoples. The battle system is aesthetically different but functions like ATB at lower levels. The Gambit system was derided for removing control from the player (to quote Penny Arcade: "the game is masturbating.") but your mileage may vary (I like it).

 

[JechtShotMK9]

I'll be going into this blind aside from knowing names. What should I expect?

A pretty disjointed story

Why do people say this about the story? It really isn't. The focus isn't on Vaan sure, but I wouldn't say the story is disjointed.

Hey, I like the story, but it's inconsistently paced. Probably comes of the issues with the development. It feels like there were multiple people coming up with plot points as they went.

Great setting, great political backdrop. Story's just okay.

 

[Lulcielid]

EDIT: times are in PDT

Square-Enix released their E3 Schedule, regading FFXII: The Zodiac Age specifically:

Wednesday, June 15:

• 12:30PM to 1:30PM &#8211; Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age: Gameplay Walkthrogh and Q&A Hosted by The Completionist Game

Youtube & Twitch channels.

 

[lithiumkatana17]

Square-Enix released their E3 Schedule, regading FFXII: The Zodiac Age specifically:

Wednesday, June 15:

• 12:30PM to 1:30PM – Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age: Gameplay Walkthrogh and Q&A Hosted by The Completionist Game

Youtube & Twitch channels.

Woohoo! Who wants to watch this with me?!

 

[Lulcielid]

Forgot to put in the orginal post, times are in PDT)

 

[lithiumkatana17]

A pretty disjointed story

Why do people say this about the story? It really isn't. The focus isn't on Vaan sure, but I wouldn't say the story is disjointed.

Hey, I like the story, but it's inconsistently paced. Probably comes of the issues with the development. It feels like there were multiple people coming up with plot points as they went.

Great setting, great political backdrop. Story's just okay.

Blajheargnzxcmbltuatrnl

As much as I love the story, I have to admit that he's right about the inconsistent pace, Sic. You gotta admit that it sometimes pulled the drag chute on the plot, and you'd be mucking through 3 locations before you had a cutscene or some type of exposition.

 

[Tennyo]

Square-Enix released their E3 Schedule, regading FFXII: The Zodiac Age specifically:

Wednesday, June 15:

• 12:30PM to 1:30PM – Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age: Gameplay Walkthrogh and Q&A Hosted by The Completionist Game

Youtube & Twitch channels.

Woohoo! Who wants to watch this with me?!

I'll be at work D:

 

[lithiumkatana17]

Square-Enix released their E3 Schedule, regading FFXII: The Zodiac Age specifically:

Wednesday, June 15:

• 12:30PM to 1:30PM – Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age: Gameplay Walkthrogh and Q&A Hosted by The Completionist Game

Youtube & Twitch channels.

Woohoo! Who wants to watch this with me?!

I'll be at work D:

NUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU--

 

[Lex]

We're going to have to sort out a timetable for the TLS stream because we're doing all the conferences, so hopefully none of the important stuff overlaps.

Although tbh the only thing that trumps SE's streams is the Sony conference. And possibly EA.

 

[Tetsujin]

The conferences are all before E3 so there is no overlap.
Sony is on Monday at 6pm PST and the XV ATR is at 8pm though so assuming Sony is two hours it's gonna be immediately after that.
(Monday meaning very early Tuesday morning for us Euro folks T__T)

 

[Fangu]

Hey, I like the story, but it's inconsistently paced. Probably comes of the issues with the development. It feels like there were multiple people coming up with plot points as they went.

Great setting, great political backdrop. Story's just okay.

I'm fairly sure this is related to how the story was majorly rewritten right before going into production. Originally there was no Vaan - the lead was Basch. Penelo probably represented 'the people' alone (without Vaan), and there is reason to believe the '2 years later' originally were a much bigger time gap, seeing that you didn't need the Reks + Vaan connection (my theory is that the initial tutorial was to be with Basch, not Reks) plus the fact that the Salikawood looks kind of overgrown for just 2 years of no using of the roads. (I also have this theory that part of Balthier's character were written into a new character, Reddas, seeing as they wanted Balthier to be 21 instead of Basch's age. (Basch was dropped as a protagonist as they wanted to 'youngify' the story, so that makes sense.) I wrote a post about this years ago - contains plot spoilers of course.)

So there's that, this feeling that the story originally had a different twist/ subtle storyline with older characters. And then then there's the fact that there's a looooot of gameplay and grinding compared to how much story you get. I almost lost interest in the game when I reached the Phon Coast and had just that one cutscene, because I'd started forgetting about the plot. (And then they tried fixxing XIII with putting MOAR story in that game and we all know how that went...)

 

[ForceStealer]

So there's that, this feeling that the story originally had a different twist/ subtle storyline with older characters. And then then there's the fact that there's a looooot of gameplay and grinding compared to how much story you get. I almost lost interest in the game when I reached the Phon Coast and had just that one cutscene, because I'd started forgetting about the plot.

Which is also as far as I've ever gotten

 

[JechtShotMK9]

Hey, I like the story, but it's inconsistently paced. Probably comes of the issues with the development. It feels like there were multiple people coming up with plot points as they went.

Great setting, great political backdrop. Story's just okay.

I'm fairly sure this is related to how the story was majorly rewritten right before going into production. Originally there was no Vaan - the lead was Basch. Penelo probably represented 'the people' alone (without Vaan), and there is reason to believe the '2 years later' originally were a much bigger time gap, seeing that you didn't need the Reks + Vaan connection (my theory is that the initial tutorial was to be with Basch, not Reks) plus the fact that the Salikawood looks kind of overgrown for just 2 years of no using of the roads. (I also have this theory that part of Balthier's character were written into a new character, Reddas, seeing as they wanted Balthier to be 21 instead of Basch's age. (Basch was dropped as a protagonist as they wanted to 'youngify' the story, so that makes sense.) I wrote a post about this years ago - contains plot spoilers of course.)

So there's that, this feeling that the story originally had a different twist/ subtle storyline with older characters. And then then there's the fact that there's a looooot of gameplay and grinding compared to how much story you get. I almost lost interest in the game when I reached the Phon Coast and had just that one cutscene, because I'd started forgetting about the plot. (And then they tried fixxing XIII with putting MOAR story in that game and we all know how that went...)

This is all true as well, but I was referring to the director having a nervous breakdown and being replaced with the FFII guy. Who was probably also the sick bastard who came up with the demented method of cheating yourself out of the Zodiac Spear.

 

[Lulcielid]

The only reason why manage to reach the ending in XII was(and still partially am) because was just a big FF fan(boy) otherwise I would have quit long before that. The pacing XII was starting to kill my interest.

 

[JechtShotMK9]

But speaking of the Phon Coast, you know those beautiful locales I mentioned earlier? That's one of them. That whole trip from the prison to Arcades is damn pretty.