The Next Community Playthrough

[Lex]

God if you people want to do a community playthrough of FFX when the HD release comes out that'll bring me to 3 seperate concurrent playthroughs. 100% on PS3, 100% on Vita, and the community playthrough.

I find myself not having a problem with this at all. Not one tiny bit

The thing is, I haven't scratched my X itch in several years. I was going to do a playthrough when they announced the HD version then decided to wait. In the time since then I've played every FF from III - XIII-2 aside from XI and X. And X is really high on my favourites list. I'm dying to play it again.

HURRY UP SE

Also I don't see them releasing it in February. I could easily be wrong, but would they release it so close to LR? March seems the most likely at this point, if not May.

 

[Tetsujin]

Also I don't see them releasing it in February. I could easily be wrong, but would they release it so close to LR? March seems the most likely at this point, if not May.

May is past Winter though.

 

[Lex]

I realise that, but unless they whack it out in January, March is kind of already pushing it for "winter".

And for some reason I just don't expect them to release it on the time they've promised. Could be all those other (every game ever aside from XIII-2) that's been delayed

 

[Flintlock]

Thanks for ugh-ing my first two nominations I know they're not great games, but that's part of why I'd rather do them with other people. I would like to play them at some point.

I'd also like to add FFT to my nominations. I'm a big fan of FFTA and FFTA2, and I've been meaning to play the original (or War of the Lions) for ages.

 

[Fangu]

I think it would be cool to do I. If X is voted as the winner, I am out

XII. I still need to try a self-imposed challenge on that game. Either with IZJS rules or using only two characters, probably.

I finished Fran/Balthier and I'm thinking of doing Vaan/Penelo - still up for it if you want to do Basch/Ashe It's quite easy as long as you find the strategic places for getting gil and LP (and Hi-Potions), which is really all you need in that game (plus the occasional Ether and debuff potion of course.)

 

[Dawnbreaker]

I'm going to thank everyone who mentions I. In the event that it does get picked (not anticipating that!) I can promise that if any of you have ANY questions I can answer them.

I like most of the suggestions, although I'm partial to V since I never beat it but always wanted to. Same goes for XII.

 

[ForceStealer]

The poll should be a multi choice one, I think. Since people seem to have a couple they're okay with, and we play the one with the most.

 

[Lex]

It will be. At least, that's what we did last time. We just didn't have a nomination thread last time

 

[AvecAloes]

I am prepared to create all of the dupe accounts in order to play either of my games.


I mean, wait, what? <_<

 

[Flintlock]

I finished Fran/Balthier and I'm thinking of doing Vaan/Penelo - still up for it if you want to do Basch/Ashe It's quite easy as long as you find the strategic places for getting gil and LP (and Hi-Potions), which is really all you need in that game (plus the occasional Ether and debuff potion of course.)

I would do Basch/Ashe, yes But you know me; I'd try to do it without any additional grinding. I say "additional" because, unlike any other Final Fantasy game, I do normally grind a little in XII when I reach the Golmore Jungle for the first time.

 

[Lex]

Because unlike most FF's, XII is hard when you don't grind.

 

[Fangu]

I disagree, I've found that equipment is way more important, plus getting all the Augments on the licence board, they help A LOT. I don't think you need to get any higher than level 25-30 to beat the game. I think about 3 grinding pitstops should do it (like the Jellies in Henne) but I wouldn't call the game a grinding game, although I felt like that during my first playthrough. Grinding for LP, sure (getting the 2xLP Golden Armlets helps), but not for EXP.

 

[The Twilight Mexican]

What are the best/most strategic level-whoring spots anyway? I only played through XII once.

 

[Fangu]

It depends on if you want EXP or LP, or both, and if you want to exploit glitches (like Dustia farming with Vaan at the beginning of the game) or not. I recently learned that if you keep the Barheim Passage dark, it will spawn some skeletons that are really good for grinding. Then the guys at Ogir-Yensa (there's a ton of them) are good for general EXP and LP and you need to go through that place anyway. Then there's a spot in the Stilshrine of Miriam, and of course the Jellies at Henne which are seriously win to grind. For higher level grinding, the skeletons at the western hidden part of Nabreus Deadlands. That's all I can think of at the top of my head... but there's probably a lot of others. I'm gonna go through a few speedruns for my next F&B and I'll probably make a list then

 

[Dawnbreaker]

On the top of FF grinding: has anyone ever done an article explaining the best places to grind in FF7? Would be useful, imo.

 

[Flintlock]

There's no need to grind in FFVII, imo

Though if you really want to, the obvious places are pretty well known, like the Mythril Mines cave early on and the area where Movers spawn in the Northern Crater near the end of the game. It might be interesting to see exactly which locations produce the fastest EXP, AP or Gil by looking at encounter rates, enemy formations, monster attributes and yields, but it would be a time-consuming job.

 

[Lex]

Actually the best place for a big level jump early in FF7 is when you get the buggy (and you can do it before then but it's way more difficult and silly time consuming).

I'm talking about setting off the alarm in Junon. It spawns Disc 2 monsters that give you a ton of experience for that point in the game, and you can jump from about level 15 - 50 in a matter of a couple of hours. Then you never need to level again Easier and faster with Aqualung, which is why I'd suggest getting the buggy first. Plus the first time you go through Junon you just have Cloud by himself so it's kinda suicide.

But yeah, you really don't need to grind in VII. Also the fastest way to grind to 99 in FFXII is the bats in the closed of section of the henne mines. Sleepga + Curaja their asses with every party member. It's really addictive. Also they take 20 seconds to respawn so it's super fast too.

 

[Obsidian Fire]

God... the alarm in Junon... get everyone's limit breaks, level up all your materia at once... yeah... what were they thinking by giving us that spot?

 

[Flintlock]

Lex, you're right, but I take issue with this sentence:

Then you never need to level again

Because you never need to level in FFVII anyway!

 

[Joe]

Kay now I'm adding FFXII to my vote.

 

[ForceStealer]

It depends on if you want EXP or LP, or both, and if you want to exploit glitches (like Dustia farming with Vaan at the beginning of the game) or not. I recently learned that if you keep the Barheim Passage dark, it will spawn some skeletons that are really good for grinding. Then the guys at Ogir-Yensa (there's a ton of them) are good for general EXP and LP and you need to go through that place anyway. Then there's a spot in the Stilshrine of Miriam, and of course the Jellies at Henne which are seriously win to grind. For higher level grinding, the skeletons at the western hidden part of Nabreus Deadlands. That's all I can think of at the top of my head... but there's probably a lot of others. I'm gonna go through a few speedruns for my next F&B and I'll probably make a list then

I appreciate this and it's very useful to know. And when/if I play it again, I will use this along with my printout of the LB (because denying you the ability to plan was just the dumbest design decision).
But I just hate that it's necessary in this game. Yes, I'm sure you don't, strictly speaking, NEED to do it. But for any kind of normal playthrough for someone who doesn't know the game inside and out, yes, you have to. If XII wins I will play with you all, and I won't be upset or anything, but I don't think it'll get my vote. At least not until we get this rumored ZJS HD release.

 

[The Twilight Mexican]

I like to think the hidden tiles on the LB wasn't Matsuno's idea. I hope so anyway.

 

[Joe]

When I played my only run through of FFXII I didn't ever farm. =/

I also took on Gilgamesh way too early but managed to do it with help from my good friends 99 Phoenix Downs.

 

[AvecAloes]

So when do we get to vote? Did you mean next Wednesday, in your OP? I am so ready to game!

EDIT: Ninja'd, off course

 

[Ami]

Please make the voting thread soon. I remember watching Lex and hearing Carlie play the IX one when I was relatively new way back when, so I'd love to participate this time.