A MONUMENTAL SELF INDULGENCE

Final Fantasy VI--Sabin's Blitzes

2011-10-21T10:45:00.000-04:00

Having trouble inputing Sabin's Blitzes? In the right-hand column of his list are arrows going in all directions. I work with both types of controllers, new and old.

When I returned to the old controller, it was because I play in our basement, and am using a recumbent stationary bicycle to keep fit. There is very little space for anything, much less a nice setup with everything right in front of me. Just the monitor. On a basket-cart, no less.

Before you run out to buy a controller that has the arrow pad with all the directions:

The kitty-corner pointing arrows, such as the second one in each of the right hand list of blitzes, can be duplicated by simply hitting the previous direction a second time. Thus, for the Aura Cannon you would tap down--down AGAIN--and left. It's actually simpler than the multidirectional arrow pad, and tons simpler than those combinations in the left hand column.

Really, no combination is all that difficult, but it took me a while to figure them out. I simply purchased the fancier controller. I was resigned to losing the blitzes in the right column, except one day, I accidentally whacked the old controller as if it were the newer one, getting my blitz. These were blitzes I could only watch in the arena, when Sabin went on automatic. Now they are second nature to me.

Nice, huh? Wish someone had tipped me onto that years ago.

Why settle for one "cheated" weapon when you can get two?

2011-05-26T10:21:00.001-04:00

Final Fantasy IV (Final Fantasy Chronicles for Playstation)

Newer twist on an old trick.

Ok, so everyone knows the weapon duplication trick:

A: Go to battle, select Items, then select a blank spot, and then select a character's weapon. This leaves the character without a weapon, so it's best to choose an easy prey, and be sure not to kill it too soon.

B: After the battle, select Weapons, then select the character's empty hand, and then select the recently eliminated weapon in Items.

Voila! Two weapons! Select the doubled weapons, then select the empty Items slot. Finally, equip one weapon from the two. Magnifico, no?

New twist. Go for only the weapons that can be used by Edge with the Throw command. My personal favorites are the Holy Lance and the Masamune. When you have two or more, at Step B, rather than select the recently eliminated weapon, select from your growing pile of previously amassed weapon. You still get two weapons, but now you've left the weapon from Step A by it's little lonesome. Instead you will drop the doubled weapons into an empty slot. Equip one weapon from the two.

Ta-Dah!!!! There are now two weapons to add to your stock pile!

pb
Little Pond

Gamers come out on top

2009-02-07T15:20:00.002-05:00

The one sector of the economy not really touched by the recession (yet) has been video games and consoles. After all, gamers have always had to fit in their solitary interests.

Games have always had to come after food, lodging and work. Gamers simply worked them in, and they always will.

My NintendoDS came from Santa, and I purchased two used games to begin. My kids got me a new crossword for DS, too.

Good to go, you know.

I just had the ultimate nerd dream...

2009-01-24T08:27:00.003-05:00

and I am so ashamed of it I can only blog it here for posterity.

It included Star Trek elements, only through virtual reality.

It include virtual reality, of all things.

It included gamers and geeks of all stripes.

And the piece de resistance: it included zombies.

I gotta get rid of my job and find something new.

Or maybe I should stop playing video games.

Is this what happens when we get old?

pb
Little Pond

Beyond the Fields

2008-08-21T14:14:00.002-04:00

Fifteen years have passed and Josey is bored. It was okay raising little Aerith, but living with Vincent was no slice of Heaven.

Time to move on? You bet.

So let's move on in Time! This is one of a few concept chapters I am producing to start the new book: Beyond the Fields.

Warning: It is not Final Fantasy.

pb
Little Pond

2008-07-23T10:07:00.002-04:00

I am so very let down by finishing the book. I can't decide if it's because I miss my little world or if I miss creating it.

Fishing around right now for people to populate the next book. Thinking about setting it in Kalm or maybe the Junon area. Remember that the Junon area touches on Fort Condor. I already have a few characters in mind and some interactions, so it's a given I will go ahead.

But when? The next book will be much freer and will end with Advent Children.

The End

2008-07-18T14:15:00.002-04:00

Or rather, the denouement.

Who is the Dragon Lady? Read the ending to Josephine's Destination.

Is the Planet still angry? If you've seen Advent Children, you know the answer.

More to come? Who knows?

Finished so soon?

2008-07-09T14:14:00.002-04:00

NOT. One more chapter, a sort of afterword. A few people have asked me to continue the story, but I haven't a hook for the next book.

Gotta have a hook, especially with fanfiction. Otherwise we are all the same.

I like the part about not being much of a hero(ine), but how far can that go before it gets tiring?

So, anyway, the point is that the last chapter is up soon; it's really the denouement and wrapup; and that will be it for a while.

Theoretically the next book will coincide with Advent Children. Anyone interested in being an extra?

pb

2008-06-24T23:03:00.002-04:00

After the battle, comes peace, but at what price?

So they say.

Josephine returns to Nibelheim.

The last book of the trilogy is nearly finished.

Taken aback.

2008-06-14T11:13:00.002-04:00

That phrase sounds so contrived, but for once it fits perfectly.

My loving godmother did not love Lucrecia's Legacy. In fact, she asked me not to send more chapters.

She found it "creepy," in her words.

I hadn't thought about the Goth aspect as being creepy. Just Goth. Did she think my little sister was creepy when she was going through her Goth-chick phase? I didn't.

So obviously, I am not thinking everything through properly.

I am aborting the whole experiment. There are three chapters available for print, if anyone's interested. It was a lot of work, and there won't be more.

The two chapters remaining to Angry Planet are still coming, because I will not leave the work unfinished. There are enough notes to finish it, even should something happen to me. Some one should give them to my sister to publish them, I guess.

Seems like it's time to go back to being an old lady.

pb

Just added features to Josey books

2008-05-11T08:04:00.000-04:00

Recently we have been getting requests to provide a book. You know, a dead-tree edition.

Well, most people don't realize that publishing is a hugely difficult business for first timers. "Breaking in" means submitting manuscripts and suffering literally hundreds of rejections before being accepted. Then the process moves into even worse difficulties.

It can take decades. Literally.

Unless one self-publishes. Self- (or vanity) publication can cost thousands.

I don't have thousands for that sort of thing.

However, for the dearest person in the universe, I can work miracles. For my godmother, I will even fly to New England, although the very thought makes me gag and sweat icewater. For my sweet godmother, who suffers from macular degeneration, I am creating printer-friendly versions of these books.

They will be beta tested locally and presented when I work out the bugs.

For my darling aunt, I have also prepared an explanatory foreward followed by a simple, one page glossary that should ease the transition for any non-gamer. Gamers are highly adaptive, and shouldn't need this stuff, even with unfamiliar territory.

Update: If you've already gone through the first three chapters, here is a followup glossary to finish the book.

Everything can now be found on the Vincent's Valentine website.

On Edge

2008-04-20T11:18:00.002-04:00

Josephine is wrapping things up in Edge. Soon Vincent will join her for the trip back to Nibelheim.

And that will be the end of my book. I'm itching to move along myself: planning a project to run through and compare all the Final Fantasy Series, minus the online game. That means I need to get my hands on a simulator for Final Fantasy 3, the one originally not released in the US.

I'm contemplating purchasing the DS, but I hate to pickup another platform. I simply don't enjoy using them.

And I never played Tactics, although I am getting little tastes of the one on PSP. That's not for me, either, I don't think. I am so in love with the beautiful worlds created in the other FF games, and don't care to eliminate that in favor of tiny, albeit portable, size.

Darkness on the Edge of Midgar

2008-03-25T11:04:00.002-04:00

Josey finally connects with her parents and daughters.

Naturally, she arrives with all her baggage and special effects.

What would you expect from the Dragon Lady, eh?

pb
Little Pond

Aging fan girls are funny.

2008-03-14T22:59:00.002-04:00

The trilogy is nearly done, and I need to rest. I've looked at the figures and really, not many people are reading the books.

All with no feedback. A labor of love, so to speak.

Two years and nothing to show for it.

2008-03-06T10:11:00.002-05:00

So the Bad Guys are out of the way, and the ranch is safe.

Josey and Vincent have reunited and it feels better than good.

But all the activity is working up an appetite.

Just another morning on Josey's Angry Planet.

Work Before Pleasure

2008-02-09T20:23:00.001-05:00

You know Josey. She's all business, except when there's some hanky panky to be enjoyed. Also, she manages to get a Glow on, even in that awkward situation.

A little dunk in the pond not only doesn't worry her, she seizes the opportunity for a little experimentation.

As usual, Vincent Valentine has other ideas. After all, it's his day, and I can't resist a Valentine's Day chapter this year.

Happy Valentine's Day to all you lovers out there. For the rest of us, there is chocolate.

Enjoy.

We meet again...

2008-01-20T13:50:00.000-05:00

Josey and Vincent have some issues to resolve.

This will be the last chapter of Part I of the Angry Planet.

Not that the book will be much longer, only that we don't want to spend much time waiting for the darned thing to load, right?

Very, very busy

2008-01-06T14:23:00.000-05:00

I am really scouring the Great Crystal at Girvuvegan in Final Fantasy XII. Got some really interesting loot, but nothing much is happening with it. The real prize would be another Brave Suit--got the last one in the Henne Mines, while trying unsuccessfully for Ribbon.

BTW, I've tried everything for a Ribbon, clocking over 100 extra hours trying to do so. I would appreciate any suggestions from anyone on this. I have been to the Henne Mines, hoping to open just the right treasure chest. Managed to defeat Zodiark in the process.

Scoured the living daylights out of the Ozmone Plains, killing every chocobo in the place, red and black, literally hundreds of them. Never even saw a Level 99 Red Chocobo, let alone fought one.

Been back and forth, hundreds of time, hoping to open the proper chest on the Cerobi Steppes, and climbed the Pharos at Ridorana until I'm sick to death of the darned deidars, chimera brains and, yes, the Magic Pots (who aren't worth the trouble of defeating or teasing with an Elixir).

Yep. Finally gave up. Now I'd like to defeat the Last Mark, so I'm getting comfortable in the Crystal. It's going to take a while, I think.

So, how do you like the Damascene Band? Finally found what I needed to make a real one. Love the styling! It will go wherever Josey has to deal with it. Pretty trinket and so much trouble... Watch for the next chapter of Angry Planet soon--later this week, I hope. Maintaining the continuity is giving me so much grief!

Looking For Trouble

2007-12-10T22:44:00.000-05:00

And finding it.

We already know that Josey doesn't know how to mind her P's and Q's. Now she's rabble rousing in the hills around the Port of Junon. All on a belly full of beer.

Josephine moves out on her own.

2007-11-24T11:35:00.000-05:00

The Angry Planet regains a road warrior. Josephine immediately finds the local watering hole.

More artwork from the true human behind Sebastian Cyan.

Enjoy.

Still Plugging Away at FF12

2007-10-27T11:16:00.000-04:00

My third trip through Ivalice, and now I'm playing the Hunt for all it's worth. And it's worth a lot, making the acquisition of weapons, armor and tools so much easier. The only way to really explore the darned game.

Meanwhile, back at the Angry Planet, Josephine is redirecting her frustrations. What would any hormonally overcharged, slightly frustrated, single do? Road Trip!

My head is full

2007-10-16T23:11:00.001-04:00

of all the music that Final Fantasy 12 has to offer. That is a sure sign, if you've ever read this blog, that there will be some extensive experimenting and blogging in the future.

I'm in my third play-through.

There is just one problem: I don't really care about the characters. The world is beautiful, the questing is unending and full of variety, but the people are, well, ***eh***.

In fact, the only characters that are half-way interesting are non-players. I liked Dr. Cidolphus and Al Cid Margrace and the Occurian Venat. Dr. Cidolphus is a wonderfully tragic character, Al Cid is warm, funny and over the top, and I have to love a god who comes to ground to instruct us and gift us with magic goodies.

Those characters had interesting facets that were simply not there in our heroes.

Am I the only one who feels this way?

Something Entirely Different

2007-10-08T23:29:00.001-04:00

We are simply spending too much time writing our trilogy. Not a bad thing really, but an all consuming one.

Except.

Except we are also playing Final Fantasy XII for the second time. This time I am spending more effort on the hunts. And am paying more attention to the full motion video.

My favorite playing character is Penelope: she seems to have the best mist moves, the most luck for chaining them, I guess. I'm a little tired of the long mist sequences, though.

Story-wise, I really like Dr. Cidolphus. Sort of a Prometheus character, albeit one who is completely at peace with the road he chose and its consequences.

Most fun surprise: Al Cid Margrace, Prince of Rozarria. What a kick! In fact, he is the best item gleaned from the entire game. I love all the strange ways he harkens back to other games.

I am not alone in feeling this way. This site is amazing.

Much more soon on FF12.

Trouble in Paradise

2007-10-07T22:44:00.000-04:00

You knew it couldn't last:

Monsters are threatening the Keep.

Can Jo ever hope for peace in Nibelheim? The Angry Planet's getting all riled up again.

Sorry, sort of

2007-09-27T09:24:00.000-04:00

If you were wondering: yes, I did forget to post the next chapter here.

Little Bit of Lore

Actually a lot of lore. Shinju Kameko is making her mark as she nears her dotage.

I've actually painted myself into a bit of a corner. Josephine has been given an armor ornament with signets of the two families, Valentine and Lindorm.

Not an artist, I am still searching for just the right demon to work into the design. The coiling dragon by Joel Coletta will be the other figure. This may take a very long time...

Did Somebody Say Akasha?

2007-08-25T21:33:00.000-04:00

Dragon magic goes back to their basic, first element: Akasha. These creatures of the sky work their wonders well beyond our reach, but the enchantment is undeniable and infectious.

Fini absorbs a full dose of Akasha while training with Esmerelda.

It has been a fully fertile summer and the fall promises a rich harvest. The Planet doesn't seem so Angry.

For the moment, anyway.

2007-08-11T17:51:00.000-04:00

Here a Dragon, There a Dragon.

There's an awful lot going on

2007-08-04T10:53:00.000-04:00

in Nibelheim these days. New people and new experiences.

Calming the Angry Planet should always seem so pleasant!

Kid's almost here...

2007-07-23T11:06:00.000-04:00

but will the parents stop fighting long enough to deliver him or her?

Before they can calm the Angry Planet, Vincent and Josephine need to settle themselves down a bit.

Is this the calm before the storm?

2007-07-07T15:59:00.000-04:00

The next chapter of Angry Planet is up!

Expectations.

It may seem strange, but I am hoping the next chapter will be the halfway point in the book.

Frankly, I am tired of always working. It's summer, and I need a break.

So do the people of the Nibel militia. And the road is calling Josephine.

Chapter Two

2007-06-30T20:15:00.000-04:00

of Angry Planet is up.

Lady Kameko has a new Baby?

Yep. She also has a horrific story to tell.

Don't they all?

Heck, don't we all?

Book Three of the Dragon Lady Trilogy

2007-06-23T20:52:00.000-04:00

IS UP!

Angry Planet: Josephine's Journey is now posting. Chapter One, while it is a two-part narrative, doesn't really have an overall name because it our heroine hasn't yet taken full stock of her situation.

If this is your first visit, or you simply are confused about all this.

Lucrecia's Legacy is the first book. Josephine gets sucked into rescuing the Planet with Avalanche a band of misfit terrorists.

Dragon Lady: Josephine's Journal tells what happened to her after Meteorfall.

Part Three will conclude her experiences tied to Avalanche and the Nibelheim Militia.

The artwork is in!

2007-06-12T10:36:00.000-04:00

So how do you like our Great Northern Lindworm?

He is the concluding masterpiece for the end chapter of Dragon Lady; Josephine's Journal.

This piece, along with one that we will later showcase in Book Two, is the work of Joel Coletta, who not-coincidentally provided the character of Sebastian Cyan, one of our new friends in Nibelheim.

His external links can be found here and here. Enjoy.

Book Two will begin to publish shortly.

2007-06-10T19:48:00.000-04:00

The last chapter of Dragon Lady: Josephine's Journal is here.

Sorry about the artwork; it didn't make it.

Part One

2007-06-04T12:12:00.000-04:00

is coming to an end. Who knew that adding a few characters to Josephine's Journal could create so much story line?

I did. But it was still a great experiment, and the real life counterparts of the characters seem to be enjoying themselves enormously. But characters seem to beget characters, so it is time to wind down the Nibelheim chapters.

In fact, readers should recognize the approach of the climax to the first part of Dragon Lady in Hatching Schemes.

Also, if you count the chapters in Lucrecia's Legacy, you were probably thinking we were overdue for a real happening.

The Dragon Lady Faces the Future

2007-05-26T14:53:00.000-04:00

By now you should know Fini. She's proactive. Time to survey the resources at hand.

We will closing our Nibelheim chapters soon. The Planet waits for no woman. And Fini waits for no man.

Another chapter in Dragon Lady

2007-05-19T18:26:00.000-04:00

Tired of "baby on the way" stuff? Go here for some Chocobo wrangling in Nibelheim.

No promises though.

The Dragon Lady is getting very busy.

2007-05-10T22:57:00.000-04:00

Is it just my imagination, or does Josephine always seem to wind up in bed with Vincent Valentine?

Pillow Talk.

Dragon Lady; Josephine's Journal.

Finally

2007-05-05T22:19:00.000-04:00

After days and days of desperate diagnosing and data doping, the latest chapter of Dragon Lady: Josephine's Journal is finally posted.

Fini adjusts to the latest medical news and her new friends hope to rescue a dejected suitor.

And yes, I am learning to love my new computer.

As promised...

2007-04-22T12:25:00.000-04:00

The latest chapter of Dragon Lady: Josephine's Journal.

Revelations and Overtures.

And introducing Esmerelda! Or at least, giving her a name and a face...

It took forever to make her look as I imagined. Not a Disney dragon, and not one that snorts fire. She would be about the size of a Clydesdale horse, and a little prone to sunbathing at idle times. And a baby on the way!

A Taste of the Future

2007-04-20T11:23:00.000-04:00

New chapter coming up, Saturday, Sunday at the latest.

How about a taste of something closer to the ending? No real spoiler here, if you've seen Advent Children.

Mayumi looked at Arisu and they nodded as one. They knew they were caught in their lie.

"We thought you wouldn't remember. You'd forgotten so much,
so we planted the suggestion to ease your mind about your own sons.
"They're the 'three lost boys' to us. They were our first assignment, our first babies, years ago."
"So whose are they?" No time for fantasies now; the guys needed facts.
"Sephiroth clones, all engineered for different strengths of character. We trained them to be killers. Fini, we love them. Please don't hunt them." Their begging made me want to retch.
"They have kidnapped the innocent sons and daughters of Midgar. We will do what's needed to rescue the children. Vincent said they are absolutely ruthless. You taught them well."
"We didn' teach them that. We taught them to love one another." Oh, brother. I stopped the oncoming litany of their virtues with a wave of my hand.
"They do that, all right. The unfortunate fact is, they hate everyone else on the Planet. And they are focussed on ultimately killing us all, including you and your current charges."
See you this weekend.

New Art

2007-04-16T09:17:00.000-04:00

For those of you who've read the last chapter of Dragon Lady; Josephine's Journal our latest illustration: Desiree going into her limit break.

Photoshop trick, I admit. It's what I do.

And the latest chapter: Slept Out and Reeled In

Soon to come: Revelation and Overtures

More from Nibelheim!

2007-04-07T16:18:00.000-04:00

Next chapter of Dragon Lady: Josephine's Journal:
Mommy and the Monster

2007-04-05T09:27:00.000-04:00

New chapter to Dragon Lady: Josephine's Journal--Questionable Intentions.

Another of the Nibelheim vignettes.

Josey leads her own party

2007-03-29T14:22:00.000-04:00

in the next installment of Dragon Lady; Josephine's Journal.

This is the first of a few chapters featuring my coworkers. Some without their cooperation. It should be pretty clear who cooperated and who didn't.

It's been lots of fun.

Vincent catches up

2007-03-24T19:56:00.000-04:00

in the next chapter of Josephine's Journal: The Planet's Best Maki.

If you are just tuning in for the first time since Lucrecia's Legacy, the second book starts here.

And, of course, the beginning of the story.

I'm still trying to coax a review from my son-in-law. Not a writer, you know. We'll have to see.

Weekend Warrior

2007-03-19T10:54:00.000-04:00

This was a real gaming weekend.

My son-in-law conquered Dirge of Cerberus. He really enjoyed the game and took exactly 28 days to finish it. Keep in mind that he works full time, does all his own home repairs, and has a rather large circle of friends that keeps his wife and him busy. Oh, yeah. He's married to my older kid, and I bet she runs him in circles.

Preliminary diagnosis. Good game. Lots and lots of very long video clips. He was also struck by the times that it seemed necessary to fight a (literally) endless parade of enemies. I did explain to him about "leveling up," how it was common in Final Fantasy, and he accepted that as a new concept.

So it was a real shoot-em-up, with an annoying tendency to bring in the hyper little cat. We've dubbed those parts the "stupid stuff." I printed out the earlier pan by my coworker (See a few posts below.) so we can get a more coherent review for a real post.

In the meantime, Josephine's Journal has another entry: Restoration. Additionally, my coworkers are really getting into the darned thing. Fortunately, it will not be necessary to alter the forthcoming chapters much. We need the characters, anyway. And they will provide artwork! A preliminary icon at right will be used when we rework the site next month.

The Morning After

2007-03-15T11:20:00.000-04:00

New chapter to Josephine's Journal.

Dragon Lady from the first chapter.

Lucrecia's Legacy for background, if you are puzzled.

Final Fantasy XII

2007-03-12T15:09:00.000-04:00

would be a very good starter game. I can see a new gamer simply playing it through to the end. Then he or she would wonder what all the extra "stuff" was about. Thus would a wonderful, longtime relationship start.

There is way, way too much stuff in this game. I should have finished it about 40 hours ago, but I keep moving along laterally into tangents. Sure as can be that anything familiar will result in a great weapon or something.

And I am almost certain that the end will come along as a disappointment, besides. Because of that, I have stopped seeking the extra Espers and I've stopped accepting new hunts. And if a side quest gets complicated (I should know by now that it is too easy to overthink these things) I leave it for later.

So I am about 2/3 of the way through and looking for the laboratory. There are so many threads left untied, it looks like I'm doing macrame. My husband asks about some of the side quests, and I tell him I'm saving them for later.

There won't be a later, this time around. I just want to finish the game while I still like it.

After weeks of being teased as a BlogGeek,

2007-03-10T10:19:00.000-05:00

I am now succumbing to the very worst. Two fanfictions, except that the second story is not contained within a game. And my real-world tormenters are preparing to join me.

You will recall the scathing review of Dirge of Cerberus, written by my friend and coworker.

His external links can be found can be found here and here.

He will join Josephine in Nibelheim. As will another coworker, who will remain nameless, until she chooses otherwise. I'm punishing a third fellow-geek who began the torment. She's not slated until later, although you may guess which she is when the Nibelheim chapter publishes.

If you know any of these people, you will readily recognize them through their weapons and limit breaks, among other things. These characters are a few chapters away.

Right now: Jenova's Joke or Hojo's Revenge

If you are new to Josephine's adventures, you may wish to start with Lucrecia's Legacy.

Or maybe you didn't know that the second book is trickling out? Start from the first chapter of Dragon Lady.

Also, we will begin to illustrate soon. I am a huge devotee of fan art.

Very Busy with Final Fantasy XII

2007-03-03T14:31:00.000-05:00

but not too busy to neglect Josephine's Journal.

New chapter here: Celebrations.

The experiment with Dirge of Cerberus is ongoing, although my current tester is purchasing a new home. Haven't seen him in a while. The last I heard he was a bit non-plussed by the Cait Sit chapter, same as everyone else.

Fairly warm winter day, cold beer, and my PS2.

Leave me alone. I'm busy.

Josephine's Journal

2007-02-26T11:11:00.000-05:00

The next chapter:

Nibelheim: The Militia and The Manor

To start with the first chapter

Both our heroes are ready for a real homecoming. Party hearty, as we used to say.

More soon.

Dragon Lady is up.

2007-02-17T09:37:00.000-05:00

Lucrecia's Legacy has a sequel.

Dragon Lady is now ready to begin posting..

If you already read the first chapter, you may want to start here, with Vincent's Decision.

Dirge of Cerberus is now in the capable hands of my son-in-law, PoppaDog, an experienced shootist. MammaDog has reported that he is slightly miffed by the chapter with Cait Sith. That is the Chapter that stopped me. While I have no doubt that I will find my way past it, PoppaDog is already a little non-plussed by the constant references to the real story line. And they say all game-geeks are alike...

HeeHee. I expect to hear from him this weekend.

As promised...

2007-02-10T08:39:00.000-05:00

The review by proxy on Dirge of Cerberus. I wish you could see the great font he used. Maybe you can, if you check out his URL at the bottom. This review is verbatim.

Dirge of Cerberus Review

Concept: An interesting premise, an FF shooter, but Final Fantasy has always followed 2 rules. Each story is a stand-alone, and…it’s an RPG. These two rules, however, seem to have been flung, screaming from the halls of Square/Enix. That, and the fact that they turned one of the best characters into a Beyond the Grave (Gungrave) knockoff, kicks the score down a few notches. Score: 7 (Average)

Graphics: As most Final Fantasy games of late, it seems that the graphics in Dirge of Cerberus are the true focus. With FMV’s that look as if they could have been taken straight out of Advent Children, and environments that have been beautifully rendered, it seems that the developers wanted to, primarily, show us the pretty. Score: 10 (Outstanding)

Sound: The soundtrack was of FF quality, the sound effects were excellent…if somewhat annoying at times, and the dubbed voices (including David Blucas of Cowboy Bebop fame) fit very well…if only Vincent did more than grunt. Score: 8 (Very Good)

Playability: Abysmal. Sluggish directional and aiming controls, Poorly designed item select system. You have to constantly think about which button you’re pressing. Nothing comes reflexively. It detracts from what would otherwise be a semi-decent attempt at a shooter. Score: 4 (Bad)

Entertainment: Any entertainment I might have had while playing this game was quickly destroyed by the ruination of the character and the poor controller-to-human interface. Square/Enix has done Advent Children, they’ve done Last Order…for God’s sake, let it end. We’re five games past 7. For the good of the gamer community, STOP MAKING FF VII SEQUELS! Score: 3 (Painful)

Replay Value: Low. I quit playing out of disgust before I hit the third act.

http://xianthian.deviantart.com/

http://xianthia.proboards105.com/

As I said before, I will ask my son-in-law to play D.O.C. Not that I disagree with the above. Just that I am hoping different equipment will change some of the negativity.

Next week: Lucrecia's Legacy; Josephine's Journal (Dragon Lady)

Found in the Colorful Images Catalog

2007-02-07T08:17:00.000-05:00

Do Not Meddle in the Affairs of Dragons, for You are Crunchy and Good with Ketchup.

My proxy tester has given up on Dirge of Cerberus and returned the game. He absolutely hates how slowly the controls respond.

Hey, maybe there are times when the slowed reactions of Multiple Sclerosis have a benefit! I will take it up again, and I will look into asking my son in law, the shootist.

Reactions to Dirge of Cerberus

2007-02-05T11:23:00.000-05:00

I've temporarily dropped D.O.C. It is both time-consuming and very draining for me. Remember, one of the symptoms of MS is undue fatigue. Factor in Seasonal Affective Disorder for the full, long, sad story. In fact, my stand-in is having some of the same trouble. (Not with MS or SAD.) He is a young, married man from Advertising Graphics, and agreed to play the game to see if he likes the shooter aspect and enjoys the story. This is a hybrid game, a shoot-em-up that has a real story line to watch, and he is accustomed to both RPGs and shooters.

This first proxy is very catholic in his gaming tastes and doesn't really harbor a preference for any genre. (When he is finished, I will hand D.O.C to my son-in-law for thorough testing by a real shootist.) We hope to have a first-person review begun by him soon.

--Regarding Dragon Lady, the sequel to Lucrecia's Legacy: the first chapter is nearly ready for publication.

This time around was very different from writing Lucrecia's Legacy. There is no game to use as a backdrop, and the information I need may still be forthcoming from Square Enix. For example, I've already made changes that conform to Advent Children, and a few to Dirge of Cerberus. It would be a shame to alienate readers because of jarring inaccuracies. Introducing a non-game character as narrator is tough enough.

--Regarding Dirge of Cerberus: I was very disappointed in the changes made in Vincent's character. He does a lot of grunting and just looking dumb. Vincent was never at a loss for words in FFVII! He speaks very eloquently, almost pedantically. By all rights, he should sound a little quaint for a while, although natural changes occur over time. Same as anyone else learning a dialect. But to make him barely articulate is ridiculous!

The character, Josephine Lindorm, (Fini to some, and Jo to Captain Cid) on the other hand, is loquacious but not especially erudite. She speaks in broad strokes of modern English, with plenty of slang. This would be normal for a woman with teenaged children. (Honestly, though, I can only speak for myself and those around me.)

Dragon Lady's chapters do come more slowly. Playing makes things percolate and mature. I really have to work the language to make the creative juices flow without a game to follow. But there is a whole (FFVII) world to explore, and this woman had previously been tied to a family. She will likely make some minor mistakes, but with consequences that could seem dire to a mature lady.

Remember, Josephine is virtually immortal. Her attitude, too, has been irrevocably changed by Hojo's experimentation. He used some of the same experiments on Lucrecia, so she knows what may lie ahead. Now she can easily avert physical harm, but must learn to protect herself from emotional pain. Lucrecia's tragedy would seem to be that isolation was her greatest danger, yet Fini craves solitude, and will go to great lengths to achieve it.

Family used to be of prime importance to Fini, but Meteorfall has left her with four children that are not really hers to raise or even enjoy. Furthermore, her own body is now unfamiliar to her. It is not the body she knew a few years ago. She is a forty-something lady in a rather young shell, and it may not age at the proper pace of normal humans. Both boon and bane, this gift will take some getting used to.

Josephine may be the perfect companion for Vincent Valentine. He thinks so, anyway. She's oblivious: happily unattached--and unwilling to sustain an attachment. They will need to come to terms that satisfy their conflicting needs for love and independence.

It's a mess, but love is rarely tidy. With age comes wisdom, but with love thrown in, all bets are off.

Game Geeks Got Help?

2007-02-03T11:34:00.000-05:00

We have an old copy of Torin's Passage, that was a favorite of my daughters when they were little. It will not play on any computer or console, now.

I assume we need some sort of simulator.

Help, anyone?

Leave a comment and I will answer.

2007-01-30T11:00:00.000-05:00

The first local reactions are in for Dirge of Cerberus!

My tester has taken a decided liking to the upgrading system for Vincent's weapons. As I expected, he is not at all put-off by the constant onslaught of enemies in certain situations. He loves extending out the chains, too. (Chains are just beginning to grow on me in Final Fantasy XII.) Nor does he feel a need to save the limit breaks for the boss monsters.

My first proxy seems very catholic in his gaming tastes and doesn't really harbor a preference for any genre. When he is finished, I will hand D.O.C. to my son-in-law for thorough testing by a real shootist fanatic. We hope to have a first-person review begun by him soon.

Other gamers seem interested in testing, too. See, I think everyone wants to compete, but still play alone. Just the opposite of the online phenomenon. Strange, huh?

Dragon Lady, the sequel to Lucrecia's Legacy, the first chapter is almost ready for publication. I will post shortly, but not before I am convinced the wording is nearly perfect.

This time around was very different from writing Lucrecia's Legacy. There is no game to use as a backdrop, and the information I need may still be forthcoming from Square Enix. For example, I've already made changes that conform to Advent Children, and a few from Dirge of Cerberus.

Regarding Dirge of Cerberus: I was very disappointed in the changes made in Vincent's character. He does a lot of grunting and just looking at people. Vincent was never at a loss for words in Final Fantasy VII! In fact, he speaks very eloquently, almost pedantically, and continues to do so in Advent Children. He should sound a little quaint for a while, although natural changes occur over time. Same as anyone else learning a dialect. But to make him barely articulate is ridiculous!

Our character Josephine, on the other hand, is loquacious and not especially erudite. She speaks in broad strokes of modern English, with plenty of slang. This would be normal for a woman with teenaged children. (I can only speak for myself and those around me.)

Dragon Lady's chapters will come more slowly. Playing the game makes things percolate and mature. So, I really have to work the language to make the creative juices flow, this time around.

Bear with me. It's coming, I promise.

Final Fanatics Rejoice!

2007-01-14T14:41:00.000-05:00

The new shooter, Dirge of Cerberus, does indeed have a lot of explanatory FMV. It apparently is not necessary to be any good as a shootist, so go for it. My biggest kvetch has to lie in the Point of View orientation. It is murder to keep spinning around for a good view.

BTW, that is also my complaint with Final Fantasy XII. I really need FF12 as a rest from DOC. It is exhausting for me to keep up with all the constantly oncoming enemies in that shooter. I have a half a mind to hand the darned thing over to my son in law and let him clean up the mess. Then I can view the memory capsules at my leisure. But that is so much worse than cheating.

Not that I am totally against cheating. Heh Heh.

Much better, thanks.

2007-01-08T11:50:00.000-05:00

I still suck, but I spoke with my son-in-law, who suggested two things:

Switch back and forth, playing in tandem with him. He's a shootist. Or,

Look for the trick, because there's always a trick.

So, I started again. This time I played it my way. I'm taking my time, and searching for the cool stuff.

I still suck, but I'm having more fun, and I am advancing.

Also, I'm nearly ready to post the first chapter to Lucrecia's Legacy, Part 2: Josephine's Journal.

So it may be a good New Year after all.

Happy New Year, or I Suck...

2007-01-01T16:13:00.000-05:00

It all depends on how you look at it.

Dirge of Cerberus is a shooter. I am a RPG-er. My battles are totally comical in this game.

But I need to follow the details of this game. Because I finished Lucrecia's Legacy. It is now time to begin Josephine's Journal, and I insist the details must be accurate according to the world created by Square/Enix. Ergo, no details can mess with the backstory of Dirge of Cerberus. I must play the game all the way through.

One other note: there is a game that also deals with the Turks. I will need to follow that game, too.

Someone told me I am hardcore; if I were thirty years younger, I would not be embarrassed.

PostMortem on Experiment w/o GFs

2006-12-17T21:59:00.000-05:00

I still think Final Fantasy VIII can be played without GFs. Right now I am too sore with Nintenditis in my arms to try again soon. Should you be masochistic enough to try:

1--keep all character levels similar. Especially do not let Squall's go higher than the rest. Remember that your enemies level up to the highest level of your characters. It may be necessary to kill Squall and leave him dead a while to accomplish parity.

2--do not toss or sell out all your items. Be absolutely certain that each item is kept for its purpose.

3--ignore the stuff that makes your SeeD levels go up. All that brings is money, and you will still have tons.

4--be nice in all your choices of dialog. You need all the outside help you can get.

5--escape is very often your best friend.

I got to the fight with Raijin and Fujin before I gave in. I'm pretty certain that it would have been doable if Squall were not level 100. That battle wasn't even half way through the game, so a more reasonable level would be 30. Selphie--alone--beat Raijin at his highest level. Going into the battle with both of them, we really needed all the guys.

This experiment has been a heckuva struggle, and I don't know when I will try again. I would love to hear from anyone else who has tried. Contact me if you have. Just curious.

Lucrecia's Legacy is complete now.

FF8 Experiment is Over

2006-12-16T20:55:00.000-05:00

Finally managed to beat Raijin using Selphie. Raijin will go after the boys first and will not kill the girl until the two soldiers are gone. He declares he doesn't hit girls, but as soon as they are defeated, he dispatches the girl in two hits. Selphie can hold her own as long as the two soldiers remain.

The next battle is immediate, with no opportunity to raise the fallen. Since Raijin downs Squall and Zell first, they are already gone. I do not doubt the battle is not impossible, but the last several weeks have left me with Nintenditis in both arms.

I will reinstate the GFs and admit I am a wuss. I want to finish the game before Santa delivers Dirge of Cerberus and FF12!

Meantime, I am also done with FanFicking2006. Final chapter of Lucrecia's Legacy can be read here.

Because Josey Lindorm is not a wuss.

Still at it around Balamb--FF8--More stuff

2006-12-11T22:27:00.000-05:00

While it doesn't look totally impossible, I may not be able to beat Raijin and Fujin.

At this point, Squall is maxed out, and Zell is at level 80. I will be trying everyone, leveling them up as I go along. I suspect, though, that we are just about done with this experiment.

Lucrecia's Legacy has a penultimate chapter.

And the ending.

Weekend 12/09/06: I've learned two things.

1--it is not good to let Squall's level go much higher than the others. The weaker ones are not up to the battles. I won't go back now to start over, but should you want to try this experiment, leave his numbers low. Kill him if necessary before the end of a battle.

2--Raijin will not hit at the girls until the two soldiers are gone. Try to keep them alive as long as possible. Looks like Rinoa may be able to pull this off. By the way, Selphie is still available for the battle with Raijin, but she is not able to fight outside Balamb, so she cannot level up. Right now, he drops her with one blow--4,000 hit points, leaving very little time for to spin for her magic.

Your problem is obvious...FF8

2006-12-01T15:02:00.000-05:00

We are currently in Balamb, trying to fight Raijin and Fujin. More correctly, just Fujin. By now, Squall is maxed out, and can only gain strength through items that are not readily available, and upgrades to his gunblade.

Seems like that would make it a breeze? Well, no. In Final Fantasy VIII, all enemies level up with your characters. Right now that translates to a Raijin who can knock my people out with two blows. Squall is always in the party, right? And Zell must be there, because it is Balamb. Even at level 70, he is only marginally useful here. That leaves:

Rinoa, whose Angelo breaks are not enough to kill Raijin in two blows. Invincible Moon does not last long enough to do the trick.

Quistis, whose magic is barely better than her hits.

Irvine, who is useless without decent ammo, which simply won't be available until maybe Esthar.

Selphie, who shows the most promise. Her special skill Rapture does not remove Raijin. The End would work, but is so rare, we are dead long before it shows. Ultima may work, but I need my other guys to last long enough to chip away at the numbers. Her protective Wall does not work against Raijin.

This may be the end of our grand experiment. I will keep at it, though, because luck plays a huge role in most of these breaks.

FF8 with no GF's is a ton of work.

2006-11-25T13:59:00.000-05:00

It must have dawned on the creators that FF7 didn't really need magic at all. They corrected in spades!

At the moment the Garden transforms, Squall's level is 80, Selphie's is 60 and so forth, according to limit breaks. The more magic, the more useful. That should mean that Quistis will become much more helpful soon. Except for the randomized Angelo Reverse, Rinoa's breaks are still not very good. Zell's are worse and Irvine's, the pits. All this will likely change as we collect the needed items for weapons and magazines for skills.

Money is practically useless, so I am taking whatever time I need to move levels up and to collect junk shop items. Since we aren't becoming great SeeDs, we are emphasizing compassion and heroism in all our dialog choices. Nice guy all the way.

There is a new chapter to Lucretia's Legacy. Josey's attempting to be more proactive.

About That T Rex...

2006-11-16T08:40:00.000-05:00

After the Missile Base consumes your first group, you will switch to Squall's team. This go-around, I chose the worst possible alternates. With Selphie gone, there is no real magic. She's your best ally apart from Squall.

I figured my real test would be T Rex, and I was right. Quistis becomes good only in the yellow zone. Then Aqua Breath rules for as much as 800 hit points. Zell really needs to go over to Manual right now, so I'm heading back outdoors to practice keying in the Dolphin Blow, which gets about 270. (These figures apply to T Rex only). And it is paramount to make Squall's every single hit count.

With their numbers in the low 30's, the battle is winnable. But I had the absolute worst luck of getting two T Rexes in a row! Let me stress that luck plays a huge role in this battle: Optimally, the monster should wipe out Zell first, and lower Quistis into the yellow zone. Then hit Squall a few times. But we cannot control the enemy without GF's, so luck has to do it. And high levels.

I said it before, and I'll say it again. All signs do not point to absolutely being able to finish the game without GFs.

Fun to try, though.

FF8: District D Prison

2006-11-12T15:59:00.000-05:00

This is a snap after Deling City. I actually took some time to play cards, in hopes of gathering some good stuff. But that is a waste of time, since most items are easy enough to buy. There's more than enough money. If you have nothing but time, try for the rare items. Keep in mind: "no GF's" means some will be useless, although you can sell them.

In the prison, ramp up for encounters with GIM52A, who will drop missiles for Quistis' blue magic. All others are a piece of cake.

Ditto for Galbadia Missile Base. Here, however, beware of the Boss battle in the end. This is a fake battle, where there is a maximum limit on damage allowed in any one hit. BGH251F2 can wipe out a character in a single shot, but it's still an easy battle, designed for entertainment only. Even without GF's, 10 minutes is enough, but you can select 20 to make the battle comfortable. I finished with only Irvine, and he made out just fine; remember, the boss battles don't accrue experience.

Check your brand new Weapons Monthly Jun edition for items you may need around Balamb.

And yes, that would include the characters lost in the self destruction of the prision. You don't really believe that those three kids were killed after all that work, do you?

Deling City without GFs

2006-11-04T19:32:00.000-05:00

I gave up trying to win the Brothers. For now, it would be all luck. Back to Deling, especially the sewers.

First I leveled Selphie up into the 40's. This gives her a lot of opportunity to use magic. I was able to get the items I needed to remodel Squall's gunblade to Shear Trigger by fighting Wendigo. And mostly losing. It took a lot of patience, and I'm not certain that it was necessary. Just get two characters levelled up really high.

For me, Selphie in one party and Squall in the other made Deling City doable.

It was fun to have Rinoa along, but at this point her limit breaks were too iffy, too randomized. In the future, I will be certain not to develop her weaker breaks.

I am beginning to wonder if Irvine will be useless. We will never be able to refine his ammo.

Zell would be better if I specifically selected out his major attacks. In the future, I will test this, but for now I enjoy watching the randomized duels.

Quistis has only four blue magics, but they are sufficient for most battles. I spent over two hours in the Deling sewers, levelling up the weaker members. There didn't seem to be any penalty for overstaying before the big show. It is already obvious that we will have more than enough money for items, since they can only be used between battles.

Most important: bring lots of potions to the sewers and keep the hit points hovering just above the yellow zone.

Iguion is a snap even if left up to Irvine, and the sorceress fight is one of those (at least partly) faked battles, designed to move the characters to the District D Prison. There's a quick visit with Laguna and Kiros. Follow the same guidelines in battle and enjoy the limit breaks.

We made it to Disk 2 without the GFs. Did I mention there would be spoilers?

Weapons in GF-less Final Fantasy VIII!

2006-10-30T13:52:00.000-05:00

I never realized it, but weapons can be leveled up in the Junk Shops without having the referring magazines. One simply need visit the Junk Shop wherever you are and check for available upgrades.

What this means for the GF-less player is: do not toss or sell anything before you check for possible upgrades. Upgrade and then check to see what will be possible soon. You should do this as regularly as you check items for Quistis' Blue Magic.

I am currently around Deling City, and on my way to the Tomb of the Unknown King. Remember: I don't need the GF's, although I would be inclined to battle them to test my limits now.

Lucretia's Legacy is essentially finished: Josephine gets stupid while battling her boss.

Fighting with the Owls of Timber

2006-10-12T11:23:00.000-04:00

Not much challenge here. Fight the GeroGero anyway you like, it is rather a faked battle. A setup to change the direction of the story. The nonsense with the trains is more challenging than the battle. Enjoy the story and mind your manners at the Resistance leaders house: She knows how to handle unruly kids.

Another chapter to Lucretia's Legacy:

Zen and the Madwoman.

And now I've reached an inevitable juncture. Fini's back story is coming to its scheduled close, with the battle at the Sister Ray with Professor Hojo.

Off the web, we will be consumed with the details of a family wedding, at the end of October 2006. I cannot predict what I have time to do or otherwise over the next few weeks.

Writing Lucretia's Legacy has been a pleasure, but a writer needs readers. Mentally there is enough material to take Fini all the way into Advent Children and beyond, but it has not been put into writing. Old woman, you keep a lot of secrets in that head of yours...

Do I continue the story to its end? patbakerATstnyDOTrrDOTcom

FF8, Dollet: No GF's yet

2006-10-01T19:29:00.000-04:00

Biggs, Wedge, Elvoret, The Black Widow.

Once your party's levels reach 10 or more, you can probably move on to the Dollet SeeD exam. Don't count on much leveling before the tower. Many of the points will be wasted on Seifer. Let him have them; soon Selphie will join. Then you can save at the tower, exit it and move around for some random battles.

By the way, this will play havoc with the distribution of your battle meter. But you've already blown that all to hell by not equipping the GF's.

If you're still with me, you can level up to the teens and then climb the tower. You will get no further chance to save, or even restore your party until you defeat Biggs, Wedge, and even the Elvoret.

Your best bet is to dedicate Sephie's limit break to spinning for full cure. It comes up surprisingly often. Squall and Zell can use theirs for the humans and the Elvoret. The battles are long but not especially difficult.

Now for the Black Widow. The thirty minutes allotted you are plenty. Run like hell whenever you can. Wait until Zell says "Let's get the hell out of here!" before you hit L1/L2 to escape. Be sparing with your keystrokes. You will fight some five or so times and then the FMV takes over and Quistis rescues your group.

So far so good. No GF's needed yet. Go to your graduation party and meet Squall's love interest. Don't cry for Quistis, she's plenty messed up just yet, but she'll get over it. Just be sure to fill her up on each blue magic as it presents itself and she'll be fine.

Do not forget to return to Cloud's room and look for the Weapon's Monthly issue there. I missed my opportunity and have been paying in spades: I've had to raise levels significantly to make up for it.

The mission in Timber should go quickly. We're not playing cards nor seeking drawpoints. Concentrate on moving the story forward, and collecting the various magazines that aid your weaponry and limit breaks.

So far, GF's are for wimps and wussies.

FF8 with no GF's starts pretty slow...

2006-09-24T13:12:00.000-04:00

The major obstacle shows in the very first battle. No GF, no Item command. And Items cannot be refined. That means no healing during battles, only afterwards. It is paramount that characters be leveled up before any major battle. And save, save, save. Save early and often.

Try out all unfamiliar items: some pertain to Qustis and her limit break, Blue Magic. Others are for the junk shops and leveling up the weapons. Then sell those you can't use.

Don't even think about Boss monsters until your characters are up to Level 10. That's if you are lucky. It takes very little time to raise Squall and Quistis to 15. Then keep their numbers in the yellow zone, and enjoy quick battles and frequent limit breaks. You are ready for Ifrit, but probably not T-Rex.

This is not a game I've ever played so slowly before, so I still don't know if it works to the end. I'll keep you posted.

Lucretia's Legacy: has one more chapter.

Editor's note to newbies: the storyline follows the game, but will probably not go to the end. I've inserted a character--the raisonneuse--because everyone pretty much knows what the others are thinking. Fini, or Josephine, is a character that came up while I played the game (dozens of times!) who simply asks the usual questions and reacts to conversation and action more like a normal, everyday, 21st Century person.

Right now there's enough advance work to take us to Midgar and the epic battle with Fini's exboss, Professor Hojo. I actually know a few people like Vincent, Barrett, and Captain Cid, and I enjoy putting words in their mouths.

The latest chapter: Dissing and the Dissed.

FF8 Ultimecia: Don't give me no Griever!

2006-09-17T19:32:00.000-04:00

Every rule changes. You can Draw, but should only Cast. You can use magic, but may waste a turn on a useless one. Physical attacks should be monitored for damage points. Counter is not recommended. Except for a few spectacular slaps, you shouldn't take many physical hits.

--Play to the strengths of each character. Consider the limit breaks:

If Squall has the Lionheart, his is the best of all. He needs Item to dispense Aura Stone.
Quistis should have both Mighty Guard and Shockwave Pulsar. She should dispense Aura Magic.
Even if you are good with keying his moves, keep Zell for Item, Revive, and Recover.
Stock up on Pulse Ammo and give Irvine every opportunity to strut his stuff.
Patiently spin for Full-Cure and other Forbidden Magic, and Selphie becomes indispensible!
Damage to Rinoa randomly makes Angelo appear, but Angelo Combine almost always delivers. Invincible Moon and Wishing Star work wonders. She should also Revive, Recover and use Magic.

--By now you should have collected just about anything possible from Esthar Shops and upgraded all weapons.

--Simplify! Refine everything up to maximum. Work your way up to Mega Phoenix, Mega Elixir, Phoenix Pinion, Holy War, Friendship and Aura Stone. Use up all compatibility items, but don't plan on using GF unless your hit points can't be restored. Keep them for that eventuality. SELL THE REST, even though money is useless now; same goes for the Cards. Modify the living daylights out of them.

--Hoard Magic. Most magic and magic items don't deliver enough punch in the last battle, but you need all the magic you can get for each character! Refine your magic as much as possible. You can Junction to adjust for each character's weaknesses. Just watch the stats or use Auto.

Kill off the lesser magic ONLY if it takes room from the better stuff. DO NOT DELETE OR PARE DOWN YOUR MAGIC, EVEN IF YOU DON'T INTEND TO USE IT. Magic is randomly stolen and eliminated during the last battle. Useless magic is taken just as readily as the good stuff.

Save! Make a separate SAVE of this new configuration. Don't overwrite your last save, just in case you make a judgment error. You simply don't know how useful or useless anyone or anything is until the last battle. For instance, I rarely use GF in the last battle, they are often wiped out before they can perform. (That in itself is better than losing the character!) On the other hand, I was impressed by Rinoa/Angelo's Wishing Star and stunned by Invincible Moon. Another writer called them "useless." Not true.

Aura Stone is absolutely the most useful Item now, as is Aura Magic. Victory belongs to the tortoise, not the hare. The ability to stay alive, using limit breaks will prevail. Keep up the hit points and maintain Aura.

Glitch watch: When Ultimecia speaks to the party, hits may be neutralized. The whole battle must run its course, there is no pre-emption. (I've watched Irvine's hits go to "0" during some parts, even though previous hits were 9999. They later regain effectiveness. Seems a little faked? I thought so, too.) See next post for another disasterous glitch.

Using the above guidelines, I've never lost the battle. Show's pretty good, too. Follow the ending all the way to "The End." No kidding, the credits go on forever, but the last scene is defining. And, by the way, no star field, just black screen when it's truly over.

Remember the meaning of the single feather.

You ever heard this one?

2006-09-16T22:09:00.000-04:00

Finally got to the Ultimecia battle. She picks just the women. Quistis has Item and a raft of Aura Stones; Rinoa has Recover; and Selphie Revive. Pretty much it.

Lots of Shockwave Pulsars, an all-too-brief Invincible Moon, and even a few Wishing Stars. We were all the way to the end of the last battle.

And Gilgamesh shows up. Fried the game!

I could barely see the graphics and couldn't read anything at all. I listened for the Limit Break Sound and kept hitting whatever was the default.

I lost Quistis and Selphie and acquired only Squall. He alone survived the next Ultimecia attack. I heard the Limit Break Sound and tried to select it. Lionheart! Even without getting a Perfect.

But I'd still lost all writing. Put a crimp in the ending, all right. Pretty much have it memorized, anyhow. Credits were fine, as were all the full motion video clips.

My next post will be on divesting the characters of everything unnecessary, selling all the extraneous items and playing the Last Battle pretty bare.

After that, in the spirit of this blog, we are going to play without GF's and magic.

We may find that Guardian Forces are for wusses, after all.

The Last GFs--Final Fantasy 8

2006-09-10T14:19:00.000-04:00

The Tonberry quest was tough, but the Eden sidequest was the worst. I'm trying to play like a normal gamer. That put me at a disadvantage when I got to the Undersea Laboratory.

Final Fanatics know that we can always fine something right smack in the middle, or under, the largest ocean. Thus it is with the Undersea Laboratory. Go looking: there is an arrow of land pointing right at it. But the riddle of the various levels going down to the excavation site (isn't there usually an excavation site also?) totally escapes me. I must have lucked out entirely the first few times, using my treasure-seeking techniques.

There may be clues to the riddle of the energy usage. I've tried and tried and can't figure it out: I'm just not good with numbers. I'm not that sort of geek. Checking around each level does turn up the console for the door to the furnace/boiler room, and there's the extra energy needed. Switching between players will showcase Zell's special intervention at the door to the excavation site, too.

When you open the sealed door, the party's abilities as outlined below will suffice for defeating Bahamut. I enjoy using Rinoa for her Angelo combinations, too. This is not a tough battle, so let hits point drop to the yellow zone, and get some practice with the limit breaks. Quistis' best are White Wind and Mighty Guard. Irvine should be equipped with Pulse Ammo for the Hyper Shot. Selphie and Zell should be healers, since one can't count on their limit breaks. (Although if you are nimble-fingered, Zell can use his most violent moves successively.) And Squall's Lion Heart can end the battle at the beginning.

The same configuration works for Ultima Weapon: just remember to draw Eden at the beginning. Concentrate on using Aura and keeping people alive. The limit breaks will chip away at the monster, who has tons of hit points.

At this point, all the questing should have raised everyone's levels, especially Squall's, almost to the max. If not, then Cactuar Island will raise the GFs and abilities in short order. Or you can go to the Islands Closest to Heaven and Hell, using both Move-Find and Enc-None to clean up on the many draw points there. Junction the suckers and you are good to go anywhere and kick some serious enemy butt.

Got GFs? Back to Esthar to visit with dear old Dad, and plan the demise of Ultimecia. Her castle is the best part of the game, in my book.

Questing FF8

2006-08-31T09:04:00.000-04:00

Once the Lunatic Pandora is safely over Tears Point, it's time for Side Quests. No Final Fantasy is worth its salt without its sidequest. I honestly don't understand people who skip them, unless, of course, the player is varying the game in order to create a new challenge. See here.

In Final Fantasy 8, the toughest side quests involve collecting Guardian Forces. In fact, I simply dropped the Triple Triad card game (scroll down for various posts) in favor of dedicating myself to gathering GFs. The one that has always bothered me was the Tonberrys, or Tonberries, if you will. Tonberry and Odin are in My Blue Heaven on the Centra Continent.

The earliest this can be attempted comes with the mobile Garden. It is extremely tough, and it can be incidental to collecting Odin. Since the Odin quest is a puzzle, the easiest way to find Odin is to junction the No Encounters ability. The time limit becomes negligible and the player can enjoy the puzzle.

Collecting Tonberry is simple, but not easy. Tonberries come at the player at practically every step in My Blue Heaven.

Tonberry is weak to Demi; Diablos is good for 9999 each time. Best bet: the player with Diablos summons him each time. Forget Mug; Chef's Knives drop after the battles.

Keep Squall in the Yellow zone of hit points. Hit the O button until Renzokuken comes up.

A different player should have Revive, Restore, and Auto-potion, all at once. Be sure to sell any Potions and High Potions, so that only X potions are available. Do not use the healer for Squall, just for the others.

The third player becomes the summoner, and should also have Magic. Have a lot of Lifes. This player will revive Squall, keeping him in the yellow zone. Do not cure him.

The battles become routine: two Diablos, a couple of Rezokukens, raising the fallen, and keeping everyone but Squall up to max. The excitement comes when the Tonberry King appears, after some 15-20 battles. Don't use Demi or Diablos, but keep up everything else. It's a longer battle, but not very difficult. The King will eventually fall, apologize, and join the party.

I haven't yet decided which GF to quest next.

A Recommendation Regarding Triple Triad

2006-08-13T22:40:00.000-04:00

Newcomers to Final Fantasy 8 should concentrate on the story line, battles, drawing magic and Guardian Forces, and enjoy the show.

That said, experienced players can alter the game significantly by jumping whole hog into the side quests. They are absorbing and time consuming; some result in significant rewards. The card game, Triple Triad is an ongoing game within the game. It's fun to guess which players may yield rare cards, and there is a certain logic to their selection.

Triple Triad is simple: higher number takes lower number. "Rules" make the game more challenging, attaching themselves to the player as he or she passes through geographic areas. It is possible to elminate them by backtracking and playing in regions with simpler rules, but the risk is that players may infect the old region with the rules he or she is carrying. One can collect enough rules to eliminate any possiblity of winning at all.

An independent game "guide" states that the Random rule should be avoided at all cost, but there is a way to level the playing field. Of course there are some cards that I prefer to use, but I can usually mentally arrange a random set to work as well. In fact, I prefer to retain the "Open" rule at all costs, to help me plan; I am not good with numbers and I need the visuals to help me along.

If the Random rule deals up too many junky cards, use the Card Mod ability to convert them into items and tools, if only to sell them or toss them out during battle. Clearing out lower cards increases the chance of a decent hand.

Practice, practice, practice. And don't be shy about saving a great win and resetting a disasterous defeat.

Bottom line: do not allow rules to accumulate if they become confusing. Reset when necesary, and master them one by one. And the Queen of Cards you first meet in Balamb Station may be able to eliminate a rule if you check in on her once in a while.

Card Quest

2006-08-05T21:49:00.000-04:00

Otay. I'm sick to death of playing Triple Triad. Did finally pursue the Card Club in Balamb Garden/Ship. This is an excellent way to collect the higher cards, which are good for Card Mod purposes.

Once again, I'm struck by how much Girls Rule in FF8! Could this be why many guys hate the game? Look to the ladies in Balamb Garden to complete your quest. Otherwise, the Joker in the Training Area is pretty good. Mix it up, though, because you will drain off the good cards if you gain any skills.

By the way, should you find yourself over your head in a region's rules, return to the Garden and look up your friends. That should reset back to the rules you're used to following.

Meanwhile, I'm returning to game play. It's time to take on Galbadia Garden and one of the more exciting sequences of the story. I want more Guardian Forces. Summoning is one of the prettiest features of any Final Fantasy. Get a load of Shiva,if you doubt it!!

(BTW: Let me go on record here. The premise of this game is immoral: no one should be collecting up orphans for their militia, no matter how noble their aim. Yeah, sure, it's just a game. But still immoral. SeeDs are still kids, even at 16 or 17. Guess that's why I like Seifer and his buddies: their little clique is based on romantic ideals, no matter how wrong they go. Like my kids and their buddies.)

Geriatric Geek Girls Go for it!

2006-07-06T10:52:00.000-04:00

Just kidding. But I couldn't resist the link to this tidbit of pop culture. Remember to follow the links. Just kidding about Geriatric. I'm not, anyway. Geriatric, that is.

Not yet, anyway.

Did you ever dream you had the powers you got in a video game?

You know you have.

But did you ever know you were dreaming, and even played around with it before you woke?

Can't remember the name for that sort of dream (lucid dreaming?), but I've done it. Been doing it since childhood. It's going to take forever to finish Final Fantasy 8 this time around. I just know I'm going to dream about the card game.

Play. Win. Save. Play. Lose. Reset.

BTW, girls rule in FF8! Win rare cards from the good Doctor in the clinic, and the Quistis wannabes in the classroom.

This always happens

2006-07-01T20:19:00.000-04:00

Whenever I play Final Fantasy VIII, it always strikes me how easy it is to let this one lie.

The artwork is almost uncanny, but the story is not captivating.

Currently I am in the desert prison and it's time to bust out. A lot of this story will happen on its own, whether I make it change or not. But the whole point is to make the subtle decisions that will change the characters' reactions.

And I don' t much care. It's an exercise, moot, academic. I don't identify with anyone, and the only interesting character might be Cid. He gets no play, and very few lines.

The card game is a good challenge, and I will probably play it to the hilt. Yes, even in the desert prison. So far, the best gamer with the best cards has been the drunk in the alleyway behind the television station. I'll be watching for gamers as "we try to escape." Some escape. All the while challenging gamers.

More later.

Update: The card-playing inmates are definitely worth a visit or two. No more, though. Except for one GF card, the fellow in the alleyway still rules!

Advent Children: The Postmortem

2006-06-13T09:21:00.000-04:00

Too many loose ends to count! Here are my top ten quibbles:

1. The Shinra thugs care more for the sick kids than Cloud or Tifa, who are just self-absorbed teenagers. Denzel spends so much time on his own; perhaps only Marlene adopted him.

2. Not much is rebuilt, but there is a monument to Meteor, of all things.

3. How come the Forgotten City is now just a cycle-ride away? If it is on the same continent as the North Crater, then it would take a boat or airship to get there. Right?

4. The general population wears only gray, black, and tan. There was an awful lot more color only two years ago. Were bright fabric dyes destroyed by Meteor?

5. Reno easily scrambles up walls, but Rude can’t. Why would Rude even attempt it if he really cannot?

6. How did wheelchair-bound Rufus learn to fall so slowly? I want to learn; it would ease my acrophobia.

7. Why are there only three mutants? We clearly saw that Hojo was a busy little mad-scientist, with many pods full of man-creatures. Apart from their obvious androgyny, why are these three so different from Cloud? What makes them the “larvae” of future Sephiroth incarnations? And who bore them? These guys are hot stuff, clearly enjoying themselves, so maybe their host-mothers didn’t pine away and die, but rather gloried in their roles. Mutant Ma Barkers, so to speak?

8. I adored Barrett, Cid, and Red XIII, although the last looked like a motorized Muppet, his very cultured voice notwithstanding. He needed more to do and say; they all should have had longer parts. I personally would have been happy to sit through a longer, more detailed show, just to watch the two men banter and bicker.

9. One the other hand, I still despise the Cait Sith portrayal. What a waste of CGI and sound track. I would have greatly preferred even a short cameo of Reeve over all the scenes with the mouthy, hyperkinetic little toy. Reeve himself sounds almost like a Texan, so what’s with the Highland accent?

10. Steam-punk Bahamut still trumps everything for being totally out of place, design-wise. The absolute low point of the whole show. Of all the wonderful variations of it throughout the entire game series, why that silly rendition?

Just kidding, mostly. If you’ve seen Advent Children, you’ve already formed your own impressions. I’m not here to change your mind. These are all just quibbles. Before I began to pick it apart, my first viewing was a lot of fun. And I loved watching the second disk; the extras were interesting and informative. For me, it is nothing shy of wonderful to be able to finally see and hear the Geek Gods who put this stuff together. I was glued to the screen, in awe of their prolific imaginations and ever-expanding skill. They always raise the bar in just about anything they try. Can’t wait for their next trick!

We are not worthy! We are not worthy!

Penultimate Post on AC

2006-06-11T16:55:00.000-04:00

If you scroll down, you will find quite a few posts on Final Fantasy: Advent Children. Overall, I'm satisfied that I got my money's worth. But tonight I will watch it one last time, before I stow it for future reference. The short voice-mail cuts interest me the most this time. They are perhaps the greatest ties into the original game, and I thought they were rather artfully inserted.

Please, no more about the bloodlessness of the movie! There is never much blood in FF games. The extensive splotching trail left inside Shinra HQ was simply quite literally that: a trail allowing the gamer to move on to the next scene. It's silly to expect bloodiness in a game/movie that's rated T for Teens.

My next project is already in progress: a complete review of Final Fantasy 8, perhaps the most universally hated installment of the series. Not my least-liked choice, but certainly in the lower echelon. In fact, I haven't much played it. I find the side-quests dissatisfying and, except for the trio of bully cadets, the characters don't grab my interest or empathy. I was never a bully myself, but have sometimes had success in converting my tormenters into, well if not friends, at least less hostile truce-keepers. There is always some sort of redeeming characteristic in everyone, and bullies are no exception. I found Fujin and Rajin endearingly loyal to Seifer, who was almost innocent in his fantasy of becoming a Knight.

Final note regarding AC: does anyone have the translation to the song played after the credits, with Cloud driving his cycle through the countryside?

And so, Grasshopper...

2006-05-25T11:05:00.000-04:00

After Googling "Advent Children" and "reviews," I had a totally zen experience. Everyone has an opinion, and none match mine, or anyone else's! One hand clapping. I don't know if it validates all of them, or negates all of us.

Or are we just a figment of SquareSoft's imagination? I'm beginning to think so. What we think doesn't matter: the movie is what it is, and it's all deliberate, no doubt.

Verdict for now:

Final Fantasy Fanatics absolutely should buy the movie. RPG fans who have played FFVII should rent the movie once. Video game fans, maybe ditto. Everyone else, give it a miss.

Advent Children: Some Negative Conclusions

2006-05-21T21:18:00.000-04:00

The absolute nadir of the movie was Bahamat. Maybe I understand the why (maybe not at all), but I think there are times when friends shouldn't let friends go nuts on cels. This Bahamat was out of place, totally jarring, and unfortunately, it was in a comical way. Yes, yes; I realize that it was some sort of classical style, and for all I know it reflected the true mythic origin of Bahamat. And I did watch the extras on the second disk. Not convinced. Frankly, the stylistics just plain lost me.

Almost in the way SteamPunk looks on just about anything but Wild, Wild West. Visually interesting, but time spent studying the details gives me the impression someone was trying way too hard. And the little horsey (or were they human?) teeth made me laugh out loud, wondering if it could be defeated with some Oral B Superfloss.

That said, the fight sequences were pretty convincing, but only if the viewer was completely informed as to the limit breaks involved. Otherwise, my guess is the usual reaction would be "Huh?" It seemed somewhat off-handed. Lots of buildup with little action effects.

Another gripe (they are just gripes... you know, warmed brandy snifter in hand) is the minimalist treatment of Cait Sith. What did he do, besides make a lot of comical noises? In the last scene, my first impression was that he was a toy hanging from Marlene's arm. No matter how many scenes I slowed and froze, he just seemed to be there "for the record." If something was cut, why not include it on the extra disc?

I loved the expanded characterizations of the Turks. Buddy films always amuse me, and Reno and Rude were a lot of fun. Rather heavy-handed on the slapstick, though. That said, both Rude and Reno were slamming, perfect ringers for my impression of them in the game. Given the number of shrines to them on the Internet, it was obviously a very good move to include them. Still, I am not too sanguine about the faintly homosexual undertones. Perhaps a gay reader could set me straight on this, no pun intended.

Ditto for the enemy gang. Was one a female? And if she was, why wasn't this clarified? What about the "crying" thing? How old were the mutants, if Cloud was their "Big Brother?" Does all that make HoJo their "Father?" Like Jenova being their Mother? Were they formerly Cloaked Clones? What did I miss, since I can't place how, or where they came about?

Now that I've had my say, I would like some more views (and reviews) on this important first: A Final Fantasy Game Movie. Yeah, it's that historic: everyone should own a copy. And if you don't yet have The Spirits Within, you should. The comparisons? To me it seems there is no comparison: NOT apples and oranges. More like pineapples and hand grenades.

pb
Little Pond

Advent Children Followup

2006-05-10T09:12:00.000-04:00

Got the first negative reaction to FFVII/AC. From a real video game nut, who thought it was a lousy movie. This was a very strange moment for me. Movie? What Movie?

Advent Children is not a movie. It is a video game that plays itself. It is full of battles and motorcycle races and motorcycle racing battles. It is an extension, an adjunct if you will, to the original video game itself. The goal was a followup to the video game, so how could it be anything else?

It was wonderful to check in with all the old characters and to see the connections with the new ones. The only major ones missing could surely come together in a sequel game. Anything is possible in Final Fantasy.

It never occurred to me that some people were waiting for a movie. That was Final Fantasy: The Spiritis Within. And I am sure they complained about that one, too.

Get over it.

pb
Little Pond

Advent Children!

2006-05-07T21:53:00.000-04:00

Love it!

Seen it three times now, not counting times I skipped through it.

So much gratification. And some surprises. SquareEnix is amazing.

Definitely more to come.

pb
Little Pond

I'm Done for Now

2006-03-19T14:20:00.000-05:00

As yet, I have been unable to beat the American Monsters without materia. Can't even get very far. And I don't want to bother with allowing "just one" materia, such as the Underwater Breathing or whatever. It's getting boring as hell to keep trying with different characters and combinations.

They are incredibly difficult to defeat with materia. If you can manage it, let me know. Right now there is not even the slightest evidence that this could be doable. Sorry, guys.

If you are a first time visitor, here is the main premise of this site. There are also a few reviews of other Final Fantasy games here and here and a few other minor entries. It is not a large site and there are no photos or graphics. I'm not that sort of a fangirl. Really just sort of an Internet junkie.

pb
Little Pond

Regarding Updates

2006-02-20T21:35:00.000-05:00

This site is being updated occasionally, as promised. Most recently, two updates to sections 4 and 10. Also, those who like unusual secrets, see here. No help, just something odd.

Apparently, the male allies cannot be set up to go on the date at Gold Saucer. I did everything I could to make it Barrett Wallace, and I wound up with Aeris. But it's fun to see all the unexpected results throughout the game, expecially how the male allies react to the trip in Round Square. And the trick still works for Yuffie and Tifa. Thanks to Artemis and her detailed instructions.

Also coming: a review of Final Fantasy V. My review of Final Fantasy VI is here. While I believe FFVII is the absolute best of the series, VI and V come close. Each FF is enjoyable for its own sake, for its own reasons, although admittedly most are flawed in either theme, tone, gameplay or maybe just execution. (For instance, I found both X and X-2 to be depressing in tone and mechanical in gameplay. One can accidentally finish the darned things, while barely trying. I hate that.)

On the other hand, I don't play online, and probably never will, so that scotches XI. Tactics is still waiting for me to either lose my job, or become totally bedridden (but still able to use my hands!) : it really looks like it deserves my total attention from start to finish.

Anyway, thanks for your interest.

pb
Little Pond

I know I promised a review of Final Fantasy V

2006-02-11T19:57:00.000-05:00

But I am one of those lame-brains who can't keep the new numbering straight. What we have is a review of Final Fantasy IV, originally released as Final Fantasy II. By the way, I will always associate II as being Mystic Quest. I purchased MQ to teach my kids how to play RPG's. They never became addicted to the Final Fantasy series, though. New boyfriends, new buddies, new jobs--all contributed to their tastes evolving out into other gaming circles.

So, without any further blather

Review of Final Fantasy IV

Cecile's quest is reputedly the longest of the series. The saga starts in an over-world, moves from one continent to the next, goes into an incredibly extensive underworld, travels to the moon and back, and then returns to the moon for the final battle against the ultimate boss, Zeromus.

Overview:
Cecile, a knight with dark powers, begins the quest when he's expelled from his post in a newly corrupt kingdom of Baron. Accompanied by faithful childhood friend, Dragoon Kain, he begins a long adventure to get to the bottom of the king's evil change. His journey will ultimately take him from dark into light.

Every Final Fantasy has a love interest: FFIV's is Rosa, a white sorcerer, who joins forces with them despite Cecile's protests. He also collects Rydia, a child magician with the ability to call monster-allies; the Karate master Yang; Edge, a ninja prince; various other mages, and even a royal bard, all playable characters for limited periods at different points in the story.

The usual magic types can be taken for granted: White is largely defensive and curative; Black includes attacks and status changes. Callers summon supernatural creatures to take a devastating whack at the enemy. Mages often are not as strong as the warriors, and with few exceptions, weapons are specialized to each archetype.

My favorite situation in FFIV would be the magnetic cave, where no one can use metallic weapons. This is essentially a setback. Final Fantasies always include some such challenge; a gamer can also expect to lose an ally or two, here and there, to death, debilitation, or desertion. At least one will never return.

Game play:
Your character moves in all directions on the map, and changes scenery according to your ability to travel. Final Fantasies begin with "shank's mare." Walking moves to some sort of land- or water-going vehicle. In some games, animals are enlisted: most notably the series signature Chocobo, a cute, lively bird ridden like a horse, or more analogously, an ostrich. (Remember Swiss Family Robinson?) Other games feature dragons, which strikes me as a very D&D touch. But FFIV features Cid, and as in many other Final Fantasies, he's an engineer, making airships ubiquitous and the conveyance of choice. So no surprise there. But FFIV's ultimate vehicle is the Big Whale, acquired quite late in the game.

Battles are turn-oriented. Everyone gets a shot, so it's important to plan ahead. Sometimes a character or enemy has a status change that will either allow extra turns, or skip turns entirely. This is actually a strategy that can be used and must be guarded against in any battle. Both magic and items can effect these changes and they increase the challenge of any battle. Some items are as good or better than magic. The best items cannot be bought.

FFIV weapons, roles, and magic go according to the character's class. For instance, Cecil is a dark knight, and cannot use restorative magic. Rosa is a white mage, and cannot carry a sword. Karate master Kang exclusively uses claws, some of which have magical effects. And Edward actually battles with his harp. God, I love this game!

Aesthetics:
Originally released in America as Final Fantasy II, Square first featured Cecil and the gang on Super Nintendo. Blocky pixies and insanely bright colors were the hallmark of the Golden Age of Super Nintendo. One can either be enchanted or incredibly irked by such details, especially wooden, heavy-looking airships and the incessant marching-in-place of otherwise stationary people in towns and buildings.

Note: the absolutely hilariously incorrect grammar and wordings that made the early games endearing are gone from the Playstation remakes. Just a very few stilted phrases are left to remind us of our Japanese benefactors.

Watch for theme melodies that correspond to characters and situations. The music is tinny and fun, if very repetitive. But these quibbles apply to every game from the Golden Age and earlier. They are what make these little dinosaurs such gems, wonderful relicts of a bygone time that we can call up at will on our consoles. The latest advances make them seem all the more precious, in every sense of the word. Even as I type, I am using my remote game controller to check on details. And I'm itching to play it all over again. But I have promises to keep…

Side quests:
No spoilers here. My favorite is the Frying Pan. Also, be on the lookout for the Rat's Tail. And please tell me if you manage to achieve the Pink Tail. I've been playing this game since its initial release Stateside. Never even seen the Pink Puff, let alone defeat the darned thing. And yes, I've tried every trick in the book, or rather, on the Internet, literally playing for many hours at a time. Way too much effort has been expended in the quest for the Pink Puff by this old lady!

Final Footnote:
This was the Final Fantasy that most caught my children's interest. They would play out the parts with their friends, calling each other Cecil, Kain, Edge, etc. My youngest was even Rydia one Halloween, complete with green sparkle in her hair and glittery makeup.

Oh, well. When geeks grow old, it isn't pretty.

pb
Little Pond

Final Fantasy VII can be played without Materia!!!

2006-02-09T09:30:00.000-05:00

No sweat. In fact, materia actually hampers your progress when you use it. The Two-Edged Sword sort of thing.

I saw a lovely graphic of the Nail Bat on the Internet captioned "Materia Slots are for Wusses!" This was a revelation, and an inspiration. I began the experiment forthwith.

Actually, it is so easy to play without materia, that I finished the game in record time (for me) while still enjoying all the side quests that did not involve materia. And there were a few surprises, too. It is not all straight forward.

If you want to contribute, just comment. I may check your suggestion and post it separately, with attribution. And a link, if you have a site. Be advised that I will delete any abusive comments. This is my site, and I can do what I want.

Cloud starts with materia. There is no remedy for this. But back at Tifa's 7th Heaven in the Sector 7 Slums, Barrett asks for help with the materia. After this, you can remove them at will. Watch the stats as you do this, and you will understand why materia is not always a good thing. Then they can be sold (usually for 1GP) or deleted.

You will need items to make up for the lack of magic. Some battles rely on magic. But plenty of items are merely magic in item form. Dazers, for example, are a wonderful thing.

Points to consider:

1--With no materia, there is no need to waste time stealing, mugging or morphing. You don't need all that stuff. There's more time to enjoy watching the fights themselves. I never paid much attention to how the various weapons looked, even though I knew they were all different, and that some even deviated from the norm for the character: Barrett especially has some very esoteric devices, and the corresponding moves!

2--With no materia to buy, you will have tons of money for weapons, items, or even that stupid little chalet on Gold Coast. Actually I found that I didn't need the chalet, after all. I just built up plenty of items from level-up battles.

Don't go crazy with the armor, either. With no magic, your limit breaks are all important in the boss battles. Just keep plenty of restorative items and be a little patient in battles. Some battles become routine, while others become rather scary. Especially where an enemy has an instant kill skill.

3--Since materia affects all your characters' stats, you will immediately notice that your characters are much stronger than they would be with materia.

4--Unfortunately, if you love your little chocobos, you will miss them greatly. No materia, no chocobo. For you chocobo fans, it may be necessary to make an exception with Chocobo Lure. I made no exception.

If you simply cannot part with your chocobos, maybe you would be interested in the Chocobo Manifesto. Of course a real "chocobo-head" already know this one!

And no chocobo means the Ancient Forest will have to wait until the death of Ultima Weapon. Since Cloud's Ultima Weapon is dropped during that battle, the Apocalypse will already be superceded. However, the Minerva is a nice piece of armor and well worth the trip.

One special note regarding those Rilfsacs that are nearly impossible to hit: Bring lots of magic items, or better yet, equip your characters with weapons whose attack is 255 (Tifa's God's Hand and Vincent's Sniper or Long Barrel) and have at them. The rest of the enemies are wusses by the time you reach the Forest. This is an excellent place to level up, if you need it, or to achieve the higher limit levels before the North Crater.

5--No materia means no summoning. Most battles move faster this way. Since some side quests involve summons materia, this may eliminate them. Condor fort's ultimate prize is materia, but other prizes are awarded from battle to battle. Seems rather random, but you can count on two decent weapons and a high level item or two.

6--Almost anything that "requires" materia to move ahead in the game can be replaced by leveling up, or learning the trick built in by SquareSoft. The first example I found was crossing the swamp to the Mithril Mine. You don't need a chocobo. The Zolom will knock out a character during battle. After it wipes out the remainder with Beta magic, one character keeps the group going, giving you a chance to run to the mine side of the swamp, usually unchallenged.

Some enemies have a magic side and a power side. Go after the power side first. For instance, Ying-Yang in the Shinra mansion seems nearly impossible to kill unless you go after Yang with your weapons. The default will usually be Ying, and Ying takes very little damage from most hits. Keep selecting until you are sure to hit Yang. Lost Number is the hidden boss behind the safe door in the Shinra mansion, and it also has a magic-sensitive side. Ignore it and fight exclusively with hits. Keep at least one person for healing and reviving. Set all limit breaks to the first level and the fight is a snap. Don't be afraid to use higher level items in any boss fight, as there will be plenty of opportunity to restock before the next boss.

And don't get stuck just on higher limit breaks, either. They may be less helpful than a lesser break, especially when magic is really the ticket. Diamond Weapon is another boss requiring magic. Items are perfect, right? No, because even high level items won't take many hit points. And many limit breaks are totally wasted. One notable exception would be Vincent's Death Gigas. The LiveWire attack works like Super-Bolt. And it's being used continuously, without waiting to fill the limit meter again.

7--Some parts were a surprise, as I said above. The arena battles seemed impossible before leveling up to over 70. After that, they went so fast, it was a disappointment. It was actually no fun, it was so easy. I went back and tried again at lower levels, say about 38 to 45, and they are much more exciting. With Xpotions from Wutai, and an emphasis on items and limit breaks, they are doable, indeed.

When Cloud is invited to fight in the arena in exchange for the Keystone, winning or losing doesn't affect the outcome of the game. In fact, Dio will award two accessories for success, but the ones I got I already had.

8--Because the stats rise with the Ultimate Weapons, don't be in a hurry to get them. I did hurry, and found that the challenges of the North Crater were greatly reduced. At that point, leveling up was unnecessary.

9--The final battle is easy with no materia, although it may take longer. I once accidentally went into the end battle with no magic, and wound up throwing money to win the battle. Even money is unnecessary with no materia. Once again, there is more leisure to enjoy the ongoing show of the final battle.

10--Occasionally this no-materia thing backfires. Barrett's Missing Score dropped his attack down to next to nothing, his stats changed to favor magic and killed several points off his strength. Unacceptable, and with no materia, even leveling up wasn't much help. Vincent lost some power, also. I am still experimenting with his. On the upside, Yuffie's attack took 9999 points each time, as did Cloud's. Watch all your stats carefully.

And last, I have not yet fought the American Weapons without materia. The Emerald weapon without the Underwater Materia.... Seems impossible. And I am used to Final Attack for the fight with Ruby weapon.

I'll be adding to this site again, filling in the details as I replay over the next few weeks in the North Crater.

pb
Little Pond

Raining Excavators

2006-01-01T20:45:00.000-05:00

Hey, has anyone else hit this amusing glitch?

I had it happen one night while digging for Cid's Mop at the Excavation Site. I'd selected two spots and set the men, crossing paths with one of them on the ladder. When I selected the next spot, the man went right past me, up the ladder, and then jumped down from the second level to the selected spot. The next two men did the same, so it looked like it was raining men.

This apparently can happen sometimes. As yet, I haven't managed to figure what triggers it, except starting at level two and descending the ladder. After that, it seems random.

pb
Little Pond

A Review of Final Fantasy VI

2005-12-04T15:17:00.000-05:00

A review by a gamer is sorely needed for Final Fantasy VI. Written for a website that was soliciting reviews. However, said site was subsequently lost during an unrecoverable brain fade. The darned site had so many ads on it, something leached onto my PC, and everything needed to be cleaned out and defragged, etc.

Hate to waste a good review. If you've never played FFVI, there are no spoilers below.

Overview:

A power mad emperor intends to use long-forbidden and mostly-forgotten magic to rule the world, by draining the lifeforce from magic users, called Espers, kidnapped from their own separate realm. The resistance aids and finally enlists an escaped prisoner who seems a unique hybrid, both human and magic user. They are hunted and harassed by the emperor’s insane right-hand man, who has his own evil designs, and absolutely no scruples whatsoever.

Gameplay:

This game allows movement in all directions on a world map, with towns, camps, towers and hideaways, some with distinct climates and ecological environments. Playable characters are assembled as the story advances, allowing up to fourteen, including hidden ones that must be sought in unusual circumstances. Once the resistance fighters are brought together, there is no main character: all have stories to tell and issues to resolve before the game is won. The Espers are also appropriated and become allies that can be called to battle and provide various classes of magic. Each human has skills to learn and refine, based on various archetypes: thief, ninja, warriors, princes, and some surprises, like the artist and nonhumans with special abilities. Each takes a turn in battle, using the special skill and acquired magic.

Items, armor, weapons and relics that allow special attributes and abilities are collected as the game advances, as loot dropped by (or stolen from) vanquished enemies, treasure in chests and purchased in stores. There are puzzles to solve and victims to rescue. Later in the game a battle Coliseum allows the gamer to bet specific items for desired prizes. Opportunities arise to quickly acquire magic or experience, usually in the form of a special environment with very difficult adversaries. For example, an innocuous-looking cactus with legs can be fought in the desert for magic points and gold pieces.

Aesthetics:

Final Fantasy VI has the classic bright, contrasting colors and (primitive) graphics from the height of the Super Nintendo era. Nearly every element of each screen shot is now considered iconic, such as the multi-leveled towns and blocky, two-dimensional buildings and furniture. Even the little characters play through their full-motion scenarios as pixies, the same that fight the battles and move across the world map. The sound is quite good, appropriate to battles, magic and situations. The music is catchy and particular themes are attached to each character. Character themes and battle music tend to become earworms, haunting the player, unintentionally hummed or whistled during work or daily life. This is especially true for the operatic aria (!) sung in the first half of the story.

Extras:
Side quests are a must for any Final Fantasy and this one has so many that, even after countless replays the gamer will always find something new. There are different approaches to be tried, including denying magic to a character for an entire game, or keeping weapons and armor light to increase speed or enhance magic power. Various scenes can also play out differently, according to the character chosen to lead the party, another signature of the series.

Difficulty of gameplay can be controlled by speed of advance through the story line. For more challenge a gamer can simply push on quickly, without leveling up or acquiring stronger weapons and armor. On the other hand, more careful exploration, collecting of clues, and building of skills and experience can ease the transition through the levels. There is just as much fun and challenge for the impatient gamer who finishes in 40 hours, as for the methodical treasure hunter, wringing out every secret.