There's this one thing I've been curious about lately. I've beat this game, and I never got that idea about it, but after seeing some comments on Revenant Wings, and seeing this pic, I started to wonder...
I didn't get any Ashe/Basch vibes either. Then again... I still haven't had the heart to finish the game. But still, I'm far enough to at have at least know what the character relationships are like. I dunno, maybe I'm thick too
[quote author=juniper link=topic=340.msg9300#msg9300 date=1232334956]
Is Akihiko Yoshida trying to say there is something going on between Ashe and Basch or something? It's such a weird drawing. o.O
[/quote]
Not Yoshida, that's Hideo Minaba
I'm as far as the Phon Coast and so far I haven't seen any sort of romantic anything going on between Ashe and Basch, however I have heard that apparently
they are married in Revenant Wings
I don't know if that is true or not. It's just a rumor I've heard. I wish that game was for PSP! D:
I haven't been able to get into XII. I want to, I really do, mostly because I adore Final Fantasy Tactics and I would love to scour XII for references (unfortunately there are far more references of Tactics Advance which I don't really care for). Now I have to wait till I get home anyway, but I will give it another shot when I do. I just can get it to grab my attention, I dunno why.
The political intrigue is interesting, but when you only care about two of the characters...
[quote author=ForceStealer link=topic=340.msg9726#msg9726 date=1232466739]
but when you only care about two of the characters...
[/quote]
...you're doing it wrong, especially if it's Vaan and Penelo you're referring to . Outside of the beginning of the game, they have no real role whatsoever, at least in my experience.
The other characters are pretty well rounded, and aren't complete 'tards. Ashe has a bit of Yuna over her (omg i hav 2 be awesoem 4 my pplz!1!11! or something), but not as annoying. There doesn't seem to be one particular main character, which SE hasn't done since FFVI (not counting XI, dunno about Tactics), which I think is awesoem.
The story is quite neat too, but I'm sure that's mainly personal.
I finally got back into this game after getting it from my cousin's house, God did that seem to take forever. Anywhos I started tackling some sidequests and I'm trying to desperately farm gilz because you have no idea how hard it is to get loot when you're at around level 60ish . . . it's murder!
I adored the storyline for FFXII--the fact that it strayed away from the romantic elements of some of the previous installments and tackled more "mature" issues really intrigued me. In fact the whole political and territorial war part of the plot sucked me in from the start and compelled me to beg my stepdad for the game (he nabbed the collector's edition so i get to see eyecandy and watch videos liek srsly.)
@Cthulhu: Honestly I liked all of the characters, I thought that they were portrayed pretty realistically. Well with the exception of Ba'gammnan or whatever who was there purely for some comic relief and mischief. Although I have to say that Vaan and Penelo were pretty useless in terms of advancing the plot--they only tagged along because of the thrill of "OMGZ! liek we getz to go on 4n adv3ntur3 guyz!!111"
Still the whole "family" like element of the party's interactions was just awesome and I'm going into a rant now . . . let me just . . . stop.
I think that's why a good bunch of FF fans couldn't get into FFXII. It tried to do something different with the brand, but people said the story was boring (political) and the characters had no development (romance/angst).
The story isn't weak or underdeveloped, but it is very subtle and doesn't insult the player's intelligence.
Even characters who weren't prominent, like Vossler, Reddas, and hell Judge Zargabaath(!!) were developed with minimum screentime.
The time and effort that went into Ivalice, its history and bestiary was fantastic and proves that a lot was put into this game.
[quote author=ForceStealer link=topic=340.msg9726#msg9726 date=1232466739]
I haven't been able to get into XII. I want to, I really do, mostly because I adore Final Fantasy Tactics and I would love to scour XII for references (unfortunately there are far more references of Tactics Advance which I don't really care for). Now I have to wait till I get home anyway, but I will give it another shot when I do. I just can get it to grab my attention, I dunno why.
The political intrigue is interesting, but when you only care about two of the characters...
[/quote]
You know, I felt like this the first time I played the game. I didn't find myself really taking to any of the characters with the exception of Penelo because I thought she was cute. I found myself really dislkiking Vaan because of the fact that he seemed to be getting the main character rep even though he didn't really deserve it as well has having a really annoying monotone voice that bothers me greatly. And the other characters just didn't grab me. Plus the begining of the game is just hours upon hours of wandering through desert.
But I think it's just my personal opinion that I just don't like deserts (drove to LA from Minnesota and went through the desert, not fun D: )
But I spent the money on the collector's edition of not only the game but also the guide, so I figured I should at least try to finish it. It took me a few months to get into it, but after my memory card died I did restart it, and I noticed things that I had missed my first time through and found it a bit more interesting. Also the desert wasn't as hard to get through since I knew what was coming.
And now I don't know where I'm going. I've finally gotten beyond Mt. Bur Omisace and the storry is starting to pick up and get better. I would say if you can at least get out of the desert, you may find yourself pleseantly surprised.
[quote author=Masamune link=topic=340.msg9876#msg9876 date=1232490974]
I think that's why a good bunch of FF fans couldn't get into FFXII. It tried to do something different with the brand, but people said the story was boring (political) and the characters had no development (romance/angst).
The story isn't weak or underdeveloped, but it is very subtle and doesn't insult the player's intelligence.
Even characters who weren't prominent, like Vossler, Reddas, and hell Judge Zargabaath(!!) were developed with minimum screentime.
The time and effort that went into Ivalice, its history and bestiary was fantastic and proves that a lot was put into this game.
[/quote]
Oh most definitely. No one can say that no effort was put into XII. Some of the ideas may not have worked with a lot of people, but it doesn't mean that the staff slacked off at all. Just the opposite. A lot of effort was put into world building.
I've also been reading a book lately that takes place at the height of the Roman empire and it's been interesting to draw parallels beteen Rome and Archadia. At least for me. Because I'm a nerd.
[quote author=Cthulhu link=topic=340.msg9792#msg9792 date=1232480648]...you're doing it wrong, especially if it's Vaan and Penelo you're referring to . Outside of the beginning of the game, they have no real role whatsoever, at least in my experience.[/quote]
HA! Vaan and Penelo? They're the two I care least about. One of my major character problems I have with XII is how little a role (read: none) Vaan has for a main character, he's merely along for the ride.
The two characters I was referring to were Basch and Balthier. "Couldn't get into" may have been misleading, I did get 15 hours in, I just had to convince myself to play a lot of that and finally lost interest. But I did start a new game and when I get home I'll take another stab.
Also in defense of my intellect, I love political intrigue-driven storylines. Nor do I seek love stories in FF (after how well it went in FF8....). However, simply the story of political powers loses something without relatable characters being affected by it.
Sorry, I didn't have too much else to add, but I couldn't let it go into record that I was partial to Vaan and Penelo
Vaan isn't really the main character, he's what you call an 'Everyman'. He's there to interact with the more important characters and provide a window into Ivalice from the lowly streets of Rabanastre. But I wouldn't say he has no connection to the story either, because all of the party were victims of the Empire.
[quote author=ForceStealer link=topic=340.msg10131#msg10131 date=1232531976]
However, simply the story of political powers loses something without relatable characters being affected by it.
[/quote]
Now that you mention it, a lot of the political bollox doesn't affect the main characters directly, it seems like the whole political story seems to revolve outside of the main character's own quest(s) (weren't they getting stones or something?) and only occasionally do they link up with the political story, through characters like that kid and Vayne and at one point the war itself.
So far from what I can tell they are after the nethicite in hopes that it will help to stop the war that is coming. Whether or not they succeed I do not yet know, obviously.
At least that's what I'm thinking right now. To be honest I never really gave it much thought but now I'm not quite 100% sure exactly why they are doing so.
And dude I had a question to ask but now I suddenly can't remember it. :-\
How does the political power struggle in FFXII not effect the main characters when:
1.) Vaan lost his brother and family to it.
2.) Penelo lost her family to it.
3.) Basch lost his freedom, honor, family, and home because of it.
4.) Ashe lost her kingdom because of it
5.) Balthier lost his father because of it.
I mean, at the very least one *should* be able to relate to Vaan and Penelo, and understand the rest. FFXII's political/territorial story is definitely very real and relatable. War can tear families apart (Basch and Noah) and destroy homes (Vaan and Penelo). It's what makes war the ugly thing that it is.
Yes, I know about that, but they already have the Dawn Shard. Now it's time to go get the nethicite from the Draklor Laboratory, and I just realized I'm not 100% sure why unless it's just to destroy it before Vayne gets a chance to use it.
