Playing FFVII for the first time thread

[AvecAloes]

I never knew she was going to die. When I first played FF7 (in 1997) I didn't have the internet, and I didn't know anyone in real life who'd ever played it. In a way it's funny because there's a screenshot of her death scene on the back cover!

It was definitely a huge shock then, and it's really a shame that a lot of the people who pick it up now already know what's going to happen. I honestly played through the rest of the game expecting her to pop up somewhere, or that there would be a way to save her or something. It sounds stupid now, but it's really easy to see why a lot of people thought she could be revived, and a lot of the rumours on the net were believable when I finally managed to get 56k in 1999.

When I first played, I knew she was going to die, but I didn't know when in the game it was going to happen. I fully expected it to be at the very end, or at least very very near to the end, and so was really caught off guard when it actually happened. Unfortunately, the impact was somewhat dampened for me since I knew it was coming and therefore braced myself to not be shocked by the occurrence in and of itself by telling myself I didn't like her Having played CC, I have gained a new appreciation for her character, though.

 

[Ryushikaze]

So, there's no issues in taking Aerith into the Gi cave, in fact, if you want to add Aerith back into your party, there are only a few places where the game out and out crashes on you, though there are plenty where it gets buggy.

As for getting the Tifa date, remember that Tifa has 30AV to start, Aerith has 50.
The most arbitrary things change these values. Literally. Telling Jessie you look forward to it in the train home from the first mission means you lose 3 AV from Tifa.
Telling Tifa you need to go rescue Aerith in the Don's mansion makes her gain 3 AV.

Taking Aerith to see Barret and Dyne fight to the death nets her +10 AV. the same only nets Tifa +3 and Yuffie +2.

http://www.gamefaqs.com/ps/197341-final-fantasy-vii/faqs/2385

If you want to try and engineer the damn thing.

 

[Alex Strife]

When I first played the game, I obviously didn't know she was going to die. No Internet even though I knew people who played the game (I actually had four classmates who got the game!! Actually two, with one of them playing it for a while after his brother got a PSX from someone else, for a while, and another of the guys played on someone else's PSX), I finished it before they even started it.

So yes, it really surprised me. So much. I was shocked, and strangely I didn't really think of getting her back until I started reading rumors. However, the rumors were only to bring her back, gameplay-wise, and not in storyline terms. So I never paid too much attention to that. To be honest, even though I'm a Cloti, the scene of her death is still powerful, to me. It may be cliche to say this but... "games are not this good nowadays".

Also, I'll confess that I got stuck in the snow far more than I'd like to admit. I was in the room with the Icicles, and I didn't know you actually had to kill them in a fight. Doh! I found out when, after months of being stuck (remember, no Internet), I was showing the game to my neighbor, and suddenly killed one of the Icicles, and it fell down. I was like:

 

[Selphie Tilmitt]

Urghhh Shinra mansion. Darn pumpkin head, confused my team and Cloud wiped us out with Aqualung! Reloaded and persevered through the whole mansion deal. Like Danseru I used a guide for the safe because seriously screw dat place and I forgot the numbers anyway. Lost number was easy. That's what happens when your characters are over L30 and are at L3 Limit (Tifa) and you've back tracked to pick up goodies like Big Guard, Aqualung and Beta. I had Aerith Fury Brand Tifa after she used her limit so she could do it twice in a row!

Obtained Red XIII's L4 manual (he's still only L1/B2!), picked up Odin, pestered Vincent, went to library, saw Sephiroth, this was funny because I'd already been through the mountain section already, picked up the Destruct Materia, tried to leave basement, Vincent joined. Aerith learned Planet Protector from a random battle before leaving the mansion

The girls are beating out Cloud so far as limits goes! I think this is because Tifa is so fast she goes first a lot/gets moar turns faster esp with Active max and Aerith doesn't have to kill as much stuffs.

**

Thanks Ryu

Telling Jessie you look forward to it in the train home from the first mission means you lose 3 AV from Tifa.

Ooops.

Based on from the link Ryu posted I did a check list/value progress/end values result thingy from my file -

Starting Values -

Aerith - 50
Tifa - 30
Yuffie - 10
Barret - 0

To Jessie (Looking forward to it) -3 Tifa (27) (Here, I just thought I was being nice/not being a jerk to Avalanche!)
Flower - Give it to Tifa +5 Tifa (32)
"Give me something hard" +5 Tifa (37)
"How can you say that" +5 Tifa (42)
"Next to you who wouldn't" +5 Tifa (47)
Get to last care of lockdown without getting caught +5 Tifa, +5 Barret (52 Tifa, 5 Barret)
Push a wrong barrel -3 Aerith (47) (forgot how it went/wasn't using guide, I usually make her fight anyway because I know she can/like her playstyle)
Push a right barrel +1 Aerith (48)
Push a right barrel +1 Aerith (49)
Be strong! +5 Barret (10 Barret) (I actually thought I was saying this to Tifa )
Tifa is my girlfriend! (makes sense b/c of Compilation) -5 Aerith (44)
Go on to Sector 7 +1 Aerith (45)
Cloud was chosen by Don, didn't see the Yeah his name is Barret option <_<
In sewers, talk to Aerith first +3 Aerith (48)
Let's hope so +3 Aerith, -3 Tifa (Aerith 51, Tifa 49)
Barret take care of her! +2 Barret (12 Barret)
Tifa in team after first party split up Shinra HQ Tifa +2 (Tifa 51)
Spoke to Barret first in Shinra cells +3 Barret (15 Barret)
Leave it to me +1 Tifa (Tifa 52)
Aerith in party after leaving Midgar +1 Aerith, Tifa in party after leaving Midgar +1 Tifa (Aerith 52, Tifa 53)
Woman in Kalm "You're full of it +1 Aerith, +1 Tifa, +1 Barret (Aerith 53, Tifa 54, Barret 16)
Girl in Kalm "Yeah maybe" +1 Aerith, +1 Aerith, + Barret (Aerith 54, Tifa 55, Barret 17)
Skipped Fort Condor because Lex is right, my monie, ooohh my monies!
Recruited Yuffie, +10 Yuffie (Yuffie 20)
I'll take you someday, Yeah +2 Aerith +2 Tifa (Aerith 56, Tifa 57)
Gave Yuffie Tranquiliser +4 Yuffie (Yuffie 24)
Gold Saucer "Go together" Aerith, Aerith +3 (Aerith 59)(was trying to be fair, Tifa was picked in Shinra cells)
Dyne, Take Tifa, Tifa +3 (Tifa 60) (makes sense for story)
Gongaga "... jealous, envious" +2 Aerith (Aerith 61)
Talk to Tifa +1 Tifa (Tifa 61)
Didn't find the Barret options in Cosmo Canyon
End Results -
Aerith - 61
Tifa - 61
Yuffie - 24
Barret - 17

Stuffs different from my previous runs -

*I usually just have Aerith fight instead of bothering with barrel silliness
*I sometimes say "Barret's snoring kept me up" because this amuses me
*I usually pick Aerith + Red XIII instead of Tifa + RedXIII for first party split in Shinra HQ, for gameplay/limit training reasons , Tifa/Barret having already gotten some in earlier with Cloud going through the building at the start
*I usually talk to Aerith first, before Barret/Red XIII in the Shinra cells
*I usually take Aerith with Barret in the desert, bias because she's my favourite character but again also for gameplay reasons, by this stage on my normal train/grind happy type files Aerith usually has Fury Brand for limit trainings.

Still gathering my thoughts on this. I will say this though does getting the Cloud and Aerith date again invalidate Cloud and Tifa/the Compilation later?, no of course not. At the same time my appreciation of OG Cloud and Aerith hasn't really been dampened either though. Probably should keep that kind of stuff for the LT thread though.

 

[Kermitu Kleric Katie]

Dammit, I think my brother used my account to post gibberish because I do not remember posting aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah bbcbbvgbzx bv

 

[Kermitu Kleric Katie]

Here's a hint: if you want the Tifa date, but don't feel like following a walkthrough, a for sure way to get her would be to tell her "leave it to me" at least 60 times when you're in the cell in the Shinra building.

 

[Danseru-kun]

It was definitely a huge shock then, and it's really a shame that a lot of the people who pick it up now already know what's going to happen.

It's a shame that SPOILERS AERIS DIES! I didn't experience the shock players got when she died. Well to be fair, I played CC too after I actually watched all the cutscenes. Okay I know it's not necessary to compare Zack and Aerith but I can't help it since their deaths are the saddest to me in FFVII. Aerith was a flower girl who turned out to be the last Cetra that can save the planet and was murdered by Sephiroth because she was interfering with his plan. Zack on the other hand was a great 1st class SOLDIER turned lab rat gunned down by mere grunts when he's running for his life and trying to get back to his girlfriend.

I think if you know what was coming, say equal aesthetics, Zack's death will have more impact. But if you have no idea that SPOILERS AERIS DIES! Her death will have more impact or shock factor.

@Danseru-kun - the most emotional reactions you get are from Tifa and Yuffie. Yuffie's reaction is so sad:

My gawd Yuffie's reaction is so heartbreaking...

Also, I know you've said you've visited the hermit, but here's when it's useful -

Spoiler

You need to speak to him when the last two digits of the number of battles you've fought matches. He tells you how many battles you've fought, so if he says 122, 133 etc he'll wake up and give you an item. Odd and even numbers matching gives you a different item (for a total of two) but only once.

The last time I visited he said I've fought around 470 battles but I'll go to him again. But fetching the buggy and going through Junon is such a pain.

 

[TotoroTori]

Just reading this topic and smiling a bit. I am so proud of you for playing Final Fantasy VII.
And on the certain scene I was sorta spoiled years back when I was looking for help on Final Fantasy X, and when I got to the scene on my first playthrough I was "Why does this seem so----oh my gosh" I think I dropped the controller and was "My healer!" she just had this smile and a look that was "I did it!"
I have to say what happens afterwards in the mountains I got super confused is all I was saying....
And I was still hoping for Zack to appear though I didn't know who entirely who he was I just had a feeling he was important.

 

[Danseru-kun]

'Kay my values, gosh I shouldn't have pushed the wrong barrels.

Aeris: 50 - 12 + 19 = 57
Tifa: 30 -2 + 43 = 71
Yuffie: 10 +14 = 24
Barret: 0 - 3 + 1 = -2


Talk to Jessie twice on the train home from the first mission: didn&#8217;t talk to her twice or cannot remember
When you enter Seventh Heaven, and you have a flower:
"Give it to Tifa" (+5 Tifa) -
If you talk to Tifa while she's behind the bar:
"Give me something hard" (+5 Tifa)
When Tifa accuses you of leaving your childhood friend:
"...Sorry" --
When Tifa asks how you slept:
"Next to you, who wouldn't?" (+5 Tifa)

Tifa: +15

Getting to the last car of the train without getting caught by the Security Lockdown: (+5 Tifa, +5 Barret)
When Barret asks if you're alright:
"(I don't know if I can hold on)" (-3 Barret, +1 Tifa)
When Aeris is fleeing the guards, if you:
Push a wrong barrel (-3 Aeris) &#8211; twice I think
Ask her to fight them (-1 Aeris)
When Aeris asks if Tifa is your girlfriend:
"Yeah, that's right" (-5 Aeris)
After you get through Sector 6 to the playground:
"Take her home." --

Tifa: +6
Barret: -3
Aeris: -12


If Tifa is chosen as the Don's date:
"We gotta help Tifa!" (-2 Aeris)
When everyone lands in the sewer:
Talk to Tifa first: (+3 Tifa)
When Marlene tells you about Aeris:
"Let's hope so" (+3 Aeris, -3 Tifa)
When you first meet Red XIII:
"Tifa, I'm countin' on you!" (-2 Tifa)

Tifa: -2
Aeris: 1


If any of the following are in your party after you agree to split up:
Tifa (+2 Tifa)
Aeris (+2 Aeris)
When Tifa asks if you can break out:
"(Leave it to me)" (+1 Tifa) &#8211; I think I clicked this a few times because I don&#8217;t know what I should do next, say 5 times
When you get the option to think about Barret, Red XIII or Aeris:
Whomever you think about first: (+3 Aeris)
Whomever you think about second: (+1 Barret)
When you choose your party after escaping Midgar:
If Aeris is in it: (+1 Aeris)
If Tifa is in it: (+1 Tifa)
When Barret leaves, and tells you to get a move on:
"Wait a sec" --
"Is that all?" (-1 Barret)
"Right" (+1 Barret)
Talking to a woman in Kalm, who says Mako energy is convenient:
"Yeah, maybe"
(-1 Aeris) if Aeris is in party
(-1 Tifa) if Tifa is in party
Talking to a girl upstairs, who thinks the old life is better:
"Yeah, maybe"
(+1 Aeris) if Aeris is in party
(+1 Tifa) if Tifa is in party

Tifa: +8
Aeris: +6
Barret: 1

Fort Condor
-----------
When you first talk to the old guy in Fort Condor:
"I guess so" (+5 Barret, +3 Aeris, +3 Tifa)
After the old guy tells you about his problem:
"All right" (+5 Barret, +3 Aeris, +3 Tifa)

Barret: +10
Aeris: +6
Tifa: +6

Meeting Yuffie
--------------
"Not interested" (+2 Yuffie)
"Petrified..." (+2 Yuffie)
"Wait a second!" (+2 Yuffie)
"That's right" (+2 Yuffie)
"Let's hurry" (+2 Yuffie)

Yuffie: +10

The Cargo Ship
--------------
On the Cargo Ship, if Yuffie asks you for Tranquilizers:
"Here, use this" (+4 Yuffie)
When Aeris asks you about the Airship:
"I'll take you someday" (+2 Aeris)
When Tifa asks you about war:
"Yeah..." (+2 Tifa)

Tifa: +2
Aeris: +2
Yuffie: +4

Gold Saucer
-----------
When you first enter the Gold Saucer, you will have the option of talking to
members of your party and asking them to accompany you:
Talking to Aeris:
Go together (+3 Aeris)
Talking to Tifa:
Go together (+3 Tifa)

Corel Prison
------------
Depending on who you choose first to accompany Barret to see Dyne:
Tifa: (+3 Tifa)
Gongaga
-------
After either Aeris or Tifa (or both) meets Zack's parents:
Talking to Aeris --
"Poor guy" (+1 Aeris)
Talking to Tifa (+1 Tifa)
Cosmo Canyon

Tifa: +6
Aeris: +4

LTD related stuff: even if Aerith has 20 points more than Tifa, you can raise her affection values to the maximum of 26 before you even had the chance to raise Aeris'. So I never really think that Tifa has that much of a disadvantage. I still believe the Aeris date is the best in the storyline but it being a "default" as an argument against Cloti is very weak.

 

[Danseru-kun]

40-ish hours into the game

SNOW SNOW SNOW
ICICLE BOSSES!?
Froze a few times because I can't land either because of stupid controls or poorly designed terrain
Fought the two headed dragon without wearing anti-elemental rings, survived. know when you get a ring like that, wear it because it's needed but I was lazy.
CRATER!
Clones are really CREEPY falling from the cliffs, I kept on trying to jump down because I thought they were showing me the way
Winds knocked me down a few times
I gave the materia to Red XIII (then regretted giving it to a dog) LOL that some members don't want it.
ZACK POLYGON! *gets emotional*

Dun dun dun

I think the revelation of what really happened in Nibelheim is the most painful part in the story for me, I love it how they showed Cloud twitching and his "madness" is effectively shown through flashes. Ow poor Cloud.
Okay, literally HALF naked Sephiroth
LOL Hojo!

"You proved the Jenova Reunion! You're awesome, what number are you?"
"I dun't have one, gimme one!"
"Gah you're a failure don't speak to me!"
LOL

JUNON ACTION! WEAPON ATTACK! It's honestly the most suspenseful part for me, second is the first mission. I loved the whole let's escape feel. THIS SHOULD BE RENDERED IN NEW GRAPHICS BECAUSE IT'S AWESOME!
Barret in hancuffs is sooo cute while walking.
LOL Scarlet bitchslapped Tifa
Took me a while to realize I had to walk towards reporter Yuffie because I cannot see Barret blending into the background
I mashed my way in freeing Tifa from the chair, it's so cute
LOL poor troops falling from the building while trying to capture Tifa. I actually feel sad for Shinra grunts dying because they're not really evil (from their comments) and just ordinary boys having dreams of their own.
Tifa and Scarlet bitchslapping contest is the most epic mini-game ever, I won

Anyway, got on board with the Highwind, Yuffie is so cute lying there sick
Spoke to everyone, including the pilots I shouldn't be disturbing
Landed on Mideel, found Cloud
Oh poor Cloud and Tifa, sucks that I don't have Tifa in my party for now. But it will be even since Cloud and Tifa has the highest level in my party.
Bought new expensive weapons, spent the fortune I made from the snow.
Tried to land on the forest near Cosmo Canyon because it looks like there's hill with a flower there that I can go, but I can't land
Thinking of going first to Wutai... or not

Epic, the second disc is just epic. *claps*

 

[LicoriceAllsorts]

After I lose Cloud I fly the Highwind all over the Planet and go for a many adventures as I can with Tifa as my party leader. I know that it's a bit out of character; left to her own devices, Tifa would choose to rush to Cloud's side rather than go jumketing around the world hunting monsters and earning gil. I tried to breed and race chocobos without him, but I couldn't.

Here's a question: can the Wutai sidequest be carried out with Tifa or Cid as the leader? Just wondering.

I agree with you about Sapphire Weapon - it's my favourite bit and I would love to see it remade.

 

[Lex]

Yeah, you can do the Wutai sidequest at any point in the game.

The only thing that bothered me about having Tifa as the party leader was how little it actually meant in terms of story. She becomes the party leader and literally the next/only thing to do is lose her as party leader and get Cid instead. She didn't even get one boss

 

[Tennyo]

When I first played, I did know that Aerith was going to die. My reasons for being surprised by when it happened, though, are probably a bit too LTD related and will probably piss people off. Even though I think I've said it before.

 

[Vendel]

When I first played, I did know that Aerith was going to die. My reasons for being surprised by when it happened, though, are probably a bit too LTD related and will probably piss people off. Even though I think I've said it before.

Don't hold back. Share with the class.

 

[Danseru-kun]

Okay I checked again and I'm just 40 hours into the game to be exact, I said a wrong estimate.

Finally got a Bolt Armlet from the hermit
Went to Wutai with Cid as leader of course, his comments are win
Pulled the other lever in Yuffie's house, but it's the same eitherway
Gawd I didn't know Don Corneo is a pedo, I didn't research on him much. I wished I had done this sidequest using Tifa
Rude: ......
I'm liking the Turks better
Did I mention that I think I ship Scarlet and Rufus now... NOT YET SURE OKAY?
Went to Corel first, train action FTW.
Got stuff from the poor people
Lately I went around and talked to people and it's awesome how they changed what people were saying now that Meteor is falling.

Next stop: Fort Condor

 

[Ryushikaze]

End Results -
Aerith - 61
Tifa - 61
Yuffie - 24
Barret - 17

Stuffs different from my previous runs -

*I usually just have Aerith fight instead of bothering with barrel silliness
*I sometimes say "Barret's snoring kept me up" because this amuses me
*I usually pick Aerith + Red XIII instead of Tifa + RedXIII for first party split in Shinra HQ, for gameplay/limit training reasons , Tifa/Barret having already gotten some in earlier with Cloud going through the building at the start
*I usually talk to Aerith first, before Barret/Red XIII in the Shinra cells
*I usually take Aerith with Barret in the desert, bias because she's my favourite character but again also for gameplay reasons, by this stage on my normal train/grind happy type files Aerith usually has Fury Brand for limit trainings.

Still gathering my thoughts on this. I will say this though does getting the Cloud and Aerith date again invalidate Cloud and Tifa/the Compilation later?, no of course not. At the same time my appreciation of OG Cloud and Aerith hasn't really been dampened either though. Probably should keep that kind of stuff for the LT thread though.

You'll also be getting the 'High Highwind' on your playthrough, since Tifa wound up with +50 AV in the end.
And yeah, Matt's suggestion to spam 'Yeah we can' is totally valid. Likewise repeatedly failing to get Yuffie at the last moment and spamming the barret convo in Cosmo are great ways to spam their AVs to get their dates for certain.

'Kay my values, gosh I shouldn't have pushed the wrong barrels.

-snip-

LTD related stuff: even if Aerith has 20 points more than Tifa, you can raise her affection values to the maximum of 26 before you even had the chance to raise Aeris'. So I never really think that Tifa has that much of a disadvantage. I still believe the Aeris date is the best in the storyline but it being a "default" as an argument against Cloti is very weak.

Yeah, I got Tifa's date my first game just by generally being nice to her, and Aerith.
I also figure even if you're roughly equally nice to both of them, and trade off on which one you 'favor' Tifa winds up 2 to 5 points Ahead of Aerith, provided you choose options that don't favor either of them when you have the chance.

After I lose Cloud I fly the Highwind all over the Planet and go for a many adventures as I can with Tifa as my party leader. I know that it's a bit out of character; left to her own devices, Tifa would choose to rush to Cloud's side rather than go jumketing around the world hunting monsters and earning gil. I tried to breed and race chocobos without him, but I couldn't.

Here's a question: can the Wutai sidequest be carried out with Tifa or Cid as the leader? Just wondering.

Yes. Same with Cid. You can also recruit Yuffie and Vincent and get different dialogue at those times.

Yeah, you can do the Wutai sidequest at any point in the game.

The only thing that bothered me about having Tifa as the party leader was how little it actually meant in terms of story. She becomes the party leader and literally the next/only thing to do is lose her as party leader and get Cid instead. She didn't even get one boss

Cid really doesn't either, but he at least has a mission.

 

[Kermitu Kleric Katie]

A great way to get the Barret date AND the HA Highwind scene is to take advantage of both Tifa and Barret's Affection point spam moments when you have the chance. You can also take advantage of Tifa's Affection point spam moment to get her Affection to 120+ so that you can get a secret line of dialogue when you talk to her in Gongaga.

 

[Kermitu Kleric Katie]

Oh, and Danseru, technically Don Corneo is an ephebophile, not a pedophile. Pedophiles are attracted to pre-pubescent children. Nevermind the fact the Yuffie is legal in many states anyway, including my own.

 

[Selphie Tilmitt]

*noddits*

Yeah. I've also learned a lot from this play through from following Danseru and from how close I came on my own file that it's not as hard to get the Tifa date as some might think and that there's actually a lot more balance between the two main girls as far the date mechanics go as long as you're trying to be fair. I think it's interesting as well you can also get Tifa's AV so high before even meeting Aerith and thus already having the high affection version of the Highwind at default too! I also think it's interesting the Aerith version for the Gold Saucer was used at the Final Fantasy 25th Anniversary event but at the same time I wouldn't rule the Tifa version as impossible for canon/turning up later. It'll be interesting to see how this year's Memorial Ultimanias turn out. Anyway I think for main plot/story purposes on the whole both Aerith and Tifa make sense for the Gold Saucer date but I still wouldn't seriously put Barret or Yuffie on the same level as them!

I'm glad I'll be getting the high affection version of the Highwind scene, also makes sense in the story.

Taking a break from the main plot currently. Training my limit breaks and stuffs for 'chievos.

*Played Mog House for 30 GPs
*Saved on world map and did Speed Square, kept reloading until I scored over 5000 (actually saw a video about this about hitting the zeppelin for mass profits but it was still a while before I actually managed to do it, not as easy as it looks ) and recieved the Umbrella for Aerith!
*Fought battles to get a Bolt Ring and Mythril from sleeping old man
*Traded in Mythril for a Great Gospel manual
*Learned Meteor Strike
*Learned Pulse of Life
*Learned Great Gospel
*Made futile attempts to get GPs from the Motorcycle mini game (incidentally I remember people pointing out Aerith was still in the truck here and I remember this from previous runs but here on this new shiny PC rerelease version the graphics make it clear Tifa is also still in the truck w/th Aerith. Kind of cute no? **)
*Discovered the 3D battle game was better for the GPs. Even managed to defeat the third dude some for 30 GPs a pop.
*Fought at the battle arena with Aerith and eventually winded up with over 40'000 points before I ran out of GPs
*Traded in my BP for a Champion Belt, Pre-emptive materia, Enemy Lure Materia, an S Mine and two Bird Wings.

Haven't decided what to do next yet, whether to work for some more GPs so I can keep trying at the battle arena until I score over 50'000 so I can get the Omnislash manual - or go to Wutai

This is my Aerith set up - Aerith L35, Umbrella, Gold Armlet, White Cape (to block Frog/Mini slots), Limit L4, HP+ (L2), Enemy Skill, Counter Attack + Deathblow

Great Gospel is very useful in the battle arena and with Umbrella Aerith's base physicals do 500~ up to 1000~ w/th crits. So the best I can hope for is various materia breaks followed by an all materia break for the final fight for max BPs off invincibility and physicals. Weapon break is a pain though. Once I was fighting those wolves from outside Nibel and they kept fully reviving each other with Howling. Eventually I made a guesstimate and had Aerith whittle down each target's HP regularly switching between them without finishing them off then when they were all low on HPs finishing them off quickly, took some more HPs than I'd calculated and the wolves deciding to spam Fang or howl aimlessly at the end but I finally finished them off.

Danseru can I make a Clerifa sig from your balls? **

 

[Tennyo]

imho I've always felt the Aerith date was the one that should be canon. It makes the most sense, and it closes a minor arc that was started when Aerith and Cloud first meet. The Tifa date is nice, but Aerith just makes more sense. It's also more believable that Aerith would have the guts to drag Cloud on a date than it is that Tifa would.

Don't hold back. Share with the class.

haha

 

[Ryushikaze]

I just presume they all happen because I CBA to figure it out and the delicious schadenfreude of the dates wearing him down til he doesn't even bother with Barret

 

[Tennyo]

Yuffie kissing him probably sucked the life out of him.

 

[Danseru-kun]

*noddits*

Yeah. I've also learned a lot from this play through from following Danseru and from how close I came on my own file that it's not as hard to get the Tifa date as some might think and that there's actually a lot more balance between the two main girls as far the date mechanics go as long as you're trying to be fair.

You're actually doing better than me. I failed at the Mog game and never attempted to play the roller coaster. Now Gold Saucer is closed...

I also just got Aeris' third limit break and nothing more because I'm actually rushing to finish the game asap before my final exams. But I'll be sure to play at my maximum at my 2nd playthrough

Danseru can I make a Clerifa sig from your balls? **

Play with my balls as much as you want

@ Tennyo

I actually agree with you. I believe the Aeris date is the most plot relevant, meaningful and actually strengthens the Clerith elements in the game, if it's canonized I'll be happy.

In short, for me the Aeris date and the HA HW scene should get the same treatment. Or as an alternative, it's not impossible that all the dates happened. Cloud can be asked as many times as possible

 

[Vendel]

@ Tennyo

I actually agree with you. I believe the Aeris date is the most plot relevant, meaningful and actually strengthens the Clerith elements in the game, if it's canonized I'll be happy.

In short, for me the Aeris date and the HA HW scene should get the same treatment. Or as an alternative, it's not impossible that all the dates happened. Cloud can be asked as many times as possible

The reason the date sequence isn't treated the same as the HW scene is because the date sequence is pretty much meaningless to the narrative.

And as an aside. How can the Aerith date strengthen the "clerith" elements of the game? Cloud is clueless.

 

[Selphie Tilmitt]

Thanks Danseru! *glomp* **

**

Couldn't Cloud have been less clueless after the date? I dunno personally I always thought Cloud being clueless to Aerith and Tifa's feelings didn't negate his own emotions. I always thought that deep down in Cloud on some level the real Cloud had to be aware of his journey with Aerith, Tifa, and everybody. Makes more sense with the Highwind scene I think - they confirm that their feelings match, I think this means realising just how much they've come to know each other and realise what they mean to each other as adults, not the same feelings they had as kids when it was ideals they were chasing and they didn't really know who the other was proper, their journey as adults was deeper, stronger. As for Aerith the Aerith date/s just fit in better with the Cait Sith scene at the Temple of the Ancients and Cloud's strong reaction to what happened to Aerith at the Forgotten Capitol I think. Again the scene with Cloud and Aerith after what Sephiroth did was picked for showing at the 25th Anniversary and according to what online translators on an article about what was said at the event/why stuff was shown it refers to this as Cloud's "care" event and Cloud "pours out the emotion" Again based on main/core cast's journey together from Midgar I think this scene works the best/makes most scene to Cloud on a personal level with either Aerith or Tifa. Again as with the date I don't think it would be quite the same with Cid or Vincent, I can't see Cloud taking them in his arms Tifa though yeah.

I'll make no bones about thinking Cloud was initially attracted to Aerith, he likes her smile, eyes, he agrees to the date offer in the church at the time (unless somebody can come up with a good arguement as to why a nod and Cloud immediately taking on Aerith's request to protect her after her offer isn't an agreement , after he'd asked for payment and apparently accepted the type offered ;p), flirting kinda with her, smiling and laughing together with her during the game, that there seems to be something between them "When talking about the "rare smile which Aerith brings out in Cloud during the game, the FFVII Ultimania Omega says that &#8220;there seems to be something between them"
that there seems to be something going on between Cloud and Aerith that Tifa isn't/Tifa doesn't feel a part of at the time "FVII: Seeing Cloud and Aerith developing their world together before her eyes, Tifa inadvertently lets her peevish feelings slip. Tifa&#8217;s profile, 10th Anniversary Ultimania]" Cloud telling Aerith he'll be there for her at Cosmo Canyon, being interested in her past, being curious about, wanting to know if she was close to her past boyfriend, etc, etc. So yeah I'll admit it I think Cloud was initially attracted to Aerith on some kind of level at least, even if it was a base/physical/chemical one

Now as to whether any attraction Cloud might have had to Aerith was at all his or whether it was all ZaCloud or Zack now that's a whole different debate ball game!

Again though I think the real Cloud was in there somewhere because he remembers Aerith later on in the game too, like when you return to Cosmo Canyon he says he remembers Aerith a lot, and in the ending.

The main difference though is I don't think any Cloud and Aerith or ZaCloud and Aerith or w/e snazz negates Cloud and Tifa/the Compilation.

I will be honest again and say I -think-/personally believe (not going to present/try to reinforce it as fact) that Cloud cared deeply for both girls and I have fond memories of times/scenes Cloud spends with Aerith but at the end of Advent Children Cloud wants to live