Welp, I was going to splurge on that until I realized I really don't need more dust collectors. Hopefully, there'll be a standalone steelbook version.
Wish granted:
Okay, I think I understand what they mean by "Includes digital code to unlock Original Soundtrack Background Music in-game", as in you enter the code in-game and it downloads the MP3s to your machine so that you can take them to whatever music device you want to play them on. But the way it's worded is terribad, and seems to imply that without that code, you don't get any background music when playing the game. They really should have removed the "in-game" bit there and explained where the code itself is within the package where to enter the code. Nitpicking for sure, especially as I'm just gonna get the standard digital version.
I read that as, "there's an altered soundtrack in this version of the game; this DLC allows you to unlock the original soundtrack's background music in-game." But I could very well be wrong.
Want to find me on a gaming service? I'm SwashbucklerXX everywhere.
Depends on your play style, but I'm a huge fan of the Teamwork tree in the Ascension grid. A lot of passive abilities that'll increase the party's damage output, etc.
Depends on your play style, but I'm a huge fan of the Teamwork tree in the Ascension grid. A lot of passive abilities that'll increase the party's damage output, etc.
I agree with this. Try to take advantage of the link strikes via positioning and staying close to your bros.
So I just started XV and the combat system feels pretty ass.
it got a lot better once I turned on wait mode but I still am not really getting the intricacies.
Anyone have tips?
It took me a while to get use to the combat, probably longer than it should have. The biggest tip I think I can give is there's a difference between "chain attacks" with a weapon and "finishers", and the game does a bad job at describing this. Holding the attack button results in a chain of 2+ attacks that's unique to that weapon type, or in the case of royal arms can be unique to that weapon. Holding a movement button while doing a chain attack results in some changes to the attack, like dodging to the side while striking. At any point during that chain, letting go of the attack button and immediately pressing it again (when the weapon disappears) will result in a "finisher", which is a single much stronger attack. Some finishers, like the greatswords with it's AOE circular sweep, result in significantly different attacks than typical. Here's a page with a longer summary.
Some other pointers:
* You obviously already turned on wait mode, which is step 1. Any time you feel like you need a second just don't press any buttons and you'll go into wait mode so you can analyze the battlefield.
* Scan the enemies in wait mode to see what their weapon and elemental weaknesses are, rather than having to keep switching between weapons to find vulnerabilities. In general you'll do much more damage than your allies, so save all the best weapons for yourself to swap to when necessary.
* Whenever a block prompt comes up on your screen, stop whatever you are doing and hold the button. Blocks, and especially parries that result in link strikes, are much more powerful than regular attacks. With certain fast enemies like the "dogs" early on it's almost better to make dodging and blocking your primary focus, and only attack as a counter immediately after a dodge.
* If you're in the thick of things, roll-dodge (tap the dodge button while holding a movement direction) or even warp strike out of the center of the battle. Especially if you're fighting larger or slower enemies. Doing that will let you get behind them for blindside attacks (1.5x damage, also triggering link strikes) and often puts the focus of their attacks on your allies instead of you.
* Don't be afraid to start a battle with some magic, especially against large groups of enemies like drop ships. Magic nodes are plentiful, so craft whenever you can, even if you don't want to add items to improve the magic quality.
Honestly a lot of it just takes practice, it took me a few hours before things started clicking and I felt like I had the hang of things.
Square should take notes from Horizon ZD. That's how you do an open-world game. Densely populated with fun activities; side quests that don't feel shoehorned in, but fit organically within the world--and even branch out into other miniquests; good dialogue; good characters; good story; good combat.
And I will totally drop preorder dollars on that steel book FFXII! I still have my PS2 one.
So I just started XV and the combat system feels pretty ass.
it got a lot better once I turned on wait mode but I still am not really getting the intricacies.
Anyone have tips?
1. Magic is OP. Like really, really OP. Combine full stack elements (99 of each) + some curative items for big damage and, perhaps, even curing for you. Given how few flasks you have at the start, save for boss fights. Also - magic can and will hurt your companions. And no, they don't get out of the way when you're throwing flasks.
2. The camera sucks. It just does. So, like Javen says, do your best to not get surrounded (easier said than done) and try not to fight near trees, shrubs, or anything else that can block your view.
3. R1 (I believe) soft locks your targeting onto an enemy. Gotta hold it. The bros attack whatever you're actively targeting, so be sure to keep something targeted at all times to focus damage. While targeting, you can flick the right stick to change targets.
This is important, as, while you'd think the AI would be smart and make Gladio the tank, Prompto the DPS, and Ignis the support naturally, and have them work as a team from the start, it doesn't. Without you targeting a specific enemy, they do their own, usually separate, thing. This is not Xenoblade. The bros are dumb.
4. Prompto and Ignis die. A lot. Especially Prompto.
5. Teamwork ascension grid is life. It makes the bros less squishy, and gives them some things that they probably should've had at the outset.
6. There's an ability - I don't remember what tree it's in - that essentially auto-scans an enemy for weaknesses when you target them. Get it. It'll let you know weapon and elemental weaknesses of an enemy in the top left corner of the screen.
---
Ultimately, the combat in this game is broken. That's why elixirs are for sale at every store at a reasonable price. You're going to get swarmed, you're going to get in the danger zone repeatedly, your companions will drop like flies... it's how the game 'works'. For a game that has an emphasis on group combat (and fighting groups of bad guys), it's lacking in some basics, like:
A ranged opener (hey, Prompto, maybe use your gun from range?)
Smarter companions (gee, maybe run away when I'm going to throw a magic grenade? or prioritize and focus on targets without me needing to hold your hand?)
Crowd control abilities (Bueller? Bueller?)
Also, once you have them, summons are op and some of them can be specifically triggered:
The first summon: is triggered when you have dead/downed allies. The more that are down the more likely the summon. This summon only works out in the open (not indoors or underground).
The second summon operates on a timer. The longer the fight goes on the more likely it is to trigger. This summon works anywhere.
The third summon is triggered when noctis is downed. This summon only works in certain outside areas.
The fourth summon can end up getting summoned any time one of the other summons could have been triggered.
So I just started XV and the combat system feels pretty ass.
it got a lot better once I turned on wait mode but I still am not really getting the intricacies.
Anyone have tips?
It took me a while to get use to the combat, probably longer than it should have. The biggest tip I think I can give is there's a difference between "chain attacks" with a weapon and "finishers", and the game does a bad job at describing this. Holding the attack button results in a chain of 2+ attacks that's unique to that weapon type, or in the case of royal arms can be unique to that weapon. Holding a movement button while doing a chain attack results in some changes to the attack, like dodging to the side while striking. At any point during that chain, letting go of the attack button and immediately pressing it again (when the weapon disappears) will result in a "finisher", which is a single much stronger attack. Some finishers, like the greatswords with it's AOE circular sweep, result in significantly different attacks than typical. Here's a page with a longer summary.
Some other pointers:
* You obviously already turned on wait mode, which is step 1. Any time you feel like you need a second just don't press any buttons and you'll go into wait mode so you can analyze the battlefield.
* Scan the enemies in wait mode to see what their weapon and elemental weaknesses are, rather than having to keep switching between weapons to find vulnerabilities. In general you'll do much more damage than your allies, so save all the best weapons for yourself to swap to when necessary.
* Whenever a block prompt comes up on your screen, stop whatever you are doing and hold the button. Blocks, and especially parries that result in link strikes, are much more powerful than regular attacks. With certain fast enemies like the "dogs" early on it's almost better to make dodging and blocking your primary focus, and only attack as a counter immediately after a dodge.
* If you're in the thick of things, roll-dodge (tap the dodge button while holding a movement direction) or even warp strike out of the center of the battle. Especially if you're fighting larger or slower enemies. Doing that will let you get behind them for blindside attacks (1.5x damage, also triggering link strikes) and often puts the focus of their attacks on your allies instead of you.
* Don't be afraid to start a battle with some magic, especially against large groups of enemies like drop ships. Magic nodes are plentiful, so craft whenever you can, even if you don't want to add items to improve the magic quality.
Honestly a lot of it just takes practice, it took me a few hours before things started clicking and I felt like I had the hang of things.
I just sat down and completed this games story. 25 hours in total. And I never knew that chain attacks finishers thing.
I think that speaks volumes as to what the game explains.
Glad I won't have to hold down R1 anymore. Still wish they had an "instant turn" option, but at least they're prioritizing making the combat faster.
Also impressions claim Episode Gladio plays dramatically different from the original game. Having a unique playstyle for each character ramps up my interest.
So I just started XV and the combat system feels pretty ass.
it got a lot better once I turned on wait mode but I still am not really getting the intricacies.
Anyone have tips?
It took me a while to get use to the combat, probably longer than it should have. The biggest tip I think I can give is there's a difference between "chain attacks" with a weapon and "finishers", and the game does a bad job at describing this. Holding the attack button results in a chain of 2+ attacks that's unique to that weapon type, or in the case of royal arms can be unique to that weapon. Holding a movement button while doing a chain attack results in some changes to the attack, like dodging to the side while striking. At any point during that chain, letting go of the attack button and immediately pressing it again (when the weapon disappears) will result in a "finisher", which is a single much stronger attack. Some finishers, like the greatswords with it's AOE circular sweep, result in significantly different attacks than typical. Here's a page with a longer summary.
Some other pointers:
* You obviously already turned on wait mode, which is step 1. Any time you feel like you need a second just don't press any buttons and you'll go into wait mode so you can analyze the battlefield.
* Scan the enemies in wait mode to see what their weapon and elemental weaknesses are, rather than having to keep switching between weapons to find vulnerabilities. In general you'll do much more damage than your allies, so save all the best weapons for yourself to swap to when necessary.
* Whenever a block prompt comes up on your screen, stop whatever you are doing and hold the button. Blocks, and especially parries that result in link strikes, are much more powerful than regular attacks. With certain fast enemies like the "dogs" early on it's almost better to make dodging and blocking your primary focus, and only attack as a counter immediately after a dodge.
* If you're in the thick of things, roll-dodge (tap the dodge button while holding a movement direction) or even warp strike out of the center of the battle. Especially if you're fighting larger or slower enemies. Doing that will let you get behind them for blindside attacks (1.5x damage, also triggering link strikes) and often puts the focus of their attacks on your allies instead of you.
* Don't be afraid to start a battle with some magic, especially against large groups of enemies like drop ships. Magic nodes are plentiful, so craft whenever you can, even if you don't want to add items to improve the magic quality.
Honestly a lot of it just takes practice, it took me a few hours before things started clicking and I felt like I had the hang of things.
There's a youtube channel that displays all the moves, but I'm on phone right now.
Glad I won't have to hold down R1 anymore. Still wish they had an "instant turn" option, but at least they're prioritizing making the combat faster.
Also impressions claim Episode Gladio plays dramatically different from the original game. Having a unique playstyle for each character ramps up my interest.
Would love confirmation that the World of FF patch is coming to Vita as well as PS4, wouldn't be surprised if it's PS4 only...
So if their plan for the additional cutscenes is to just say "Oh here's what this guy was doing", I really don't think that's enough. You may have solved the plot hole, but it's not enough to make me care about it.
And regarding the mystery of a particular character in Chapter 13....
part of me actually likes not knowing how Ravus died. Having Noctis stumble upon the aftermath of his battle, dead bodies strewn about...I think it's cooler imagining how the fight went down, rather than what most likely is going to be a dramatic cutscene showing the battle.
I also can't shake my head hard enough that they show the Emperor of the empire exactly once in the entire game. Showing an additional cutscene with him in chapter 13, the near-end of the game, doesn't even come close.
Ditto the other old guy played by Steve Blum. I bet he shows up in one of the character DLCs.
I'd say FFXV had the most squandered villains, but the Judges still sting the most (as well as FFXIII's baddies; I bet you totally can't name the blue-haired guy without looking it up).
Zilla36021st Century. |She/Her|Trans* Woman In Aviators Firing A Bazooka. ⚛️Registered Userregular
I might be wrong, but just upping the power of the ring doesn't seem like it will make Chapter 13 any more fun.
The shader & sound effect for the holy spell is awesome the first time you see/hear it... but the 30th? I really don't know how to 'fix' that chapter.
I might be wrong, but just upping the power of the ring doesn't seem like it will make Chapter 13 any more fun.
The shader & sound effect for the holy spell is awesome the first time you see/hear it... but the 30th? I really don't know how to 'fix' that chapter.
If you read the article they talk about adding new gameplay segments including
playing as Gladio
I keep saying this, but the easiest fix they could do for Chapter 13 is get rid of the slow walk that you're always forced to do in dungeons.
What a goddamn dramatic improvement it would be if they got rid of that shit altogether.
I might be wrong, but just upping the power of the ring doesn't seem like it will make Chapter 13 any more fun.
The shader & sound effect for the holy spell is awesome the first time you see/hear it... but the 30th? I really don't know how to 'fix' that chapter.
If you read the article they talk about adding new gameplay segments including
playing as Gladio
I keep saying this, but the easiest fix they could do for Chapter 13 is get rid of the slow walk that you're always forced to do in dungeons.
What a goddamn dramatic improvement it would be if they got rid of that shit altogether.
Honestly just adding cutscenes that flesh out
Revis and Aldercapt is a huge addition.
That was the biggest flaw, they needed more screentime.
I might be wrong, but just upping the power of the ring doesn't seem like it will make Chapter 13 any more fun.
The shader & sound effect for the holy spell is awesome the first time you see/hear it... but the 30th? I really don't know how to 'fix' that chapter.
If you read the article they talk about adding new gameplay segments including
playing as Gladio
I keep saying this, but the easiest fix they could do for Chapter 13 is get rid of the slow walk that you're always forced to do in dungeons.
What a goddamn dramatic improvement it would be if they got rid of that shit altogether.
Honestly just adding cutscenes that flesh out
Revis and Aldercapt is a huge addition.
That was the biggest flaw, they needed more screentime.
They needed more than two minutes of it.
Which is why I don't think two more minutes is going to cut it.
Just showing what happens to them isn't enough, other than giving you that information from a plot standpoint. It does't mean you'll automatically start caring.
I might be wrong, but just upping the power of the ring doesn't seem like it will make Chapter 13 any more fun.
The shader & sound effect for the holy spell is awesome the first time you see/hear it... but the 30th? I really don't know how to 'fix' that chapter.
The question, really, is whether or not increased power = decreased casting time/cooldown. Because the ring is already crazy powerful, it just takes too long for that power to actually be used in a practical way.
That said, the proposed changes are merely lipstick on a pig. The underlying problem - the design of that entire section of the game - still isn't addressed. Not that I would expect that.
So if their plan for the additional cutscenes is to just say "Oh here's what this guy was doing", I really don't think that's enough. You may have solved the plot hole, but it's not enough to make me care about it.
And regarding the mystery of a particular character in Chapter 13....
part of me actually likes not knowing how Ravus died. Having Noctis stumble upon the aftermath of his battle, dead bodies strewn about...I think it's cooler imagining how the fight went down, rather than what most likely is going to be a dramatic cutscene showing the battle.
I also can't shake my head hard enough that they show the Emperor of the empire exactly once in the entire game. Showing an additional cutscene with him in chapter 13, the near-end of the game, doesn't even come close.
Ditto the other old guy played by Steve Blum. I bet he shows up in one of the character DLCs.
I'd say FFXV had the most squandered villains, but the Judges still sting the most (as well as FFXIII's baddies; I bet you totally can't name the blue-haired guy without looking it up).
I remember (from FFXIII) Evil Mecha-Space Pope. And the alternate form of Evil Mecha-Space Pope. And the one that was really irritating to fight and eventually cast DOOM on the party.
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ShadowfireVermont, in the middle of nowhereRegistered Userregular
I might be wrong, but just upping the power of the ring doesn't seem like it will make Chapter 13 any more fun.
The shader & sound effect for the holy spell is awesome the first time you see/hear it... but the 30th? I really don't know how to 'fix' that chapter.
If you read the article they talk about adding new gameplay segments including
playing as Gladio
I keep saying this, but the easiest fix they could do for Chapter 13 is get rid of the slow walk that you're always forced to do in dungeons.
What a goddamn dramatic improvement it would be if they got rid of that shit altogether.
The slow walk would help, but getting rid of about half the chapter would be better. There's too much wandering down long hallways.
I might be wrong, but just upping the power of the ring doesn't seem like it will make Chapter 13 any more fun.
The shader & sound effect for the holy spell is awesome the first time you see/hear it... but the 30th? I really don't know how to 'fix' that chapter.
If you read the article they talk about adding new gameplay segments including
playing as Gladio
I keep saying this, but the easiest fix they could do for Chapter 13 is get rid of the slow walk that you're always forced to do in dungeons.
What a goddamn dramatic improvement it would be if they got rid of that shit altogether.
Honestly just adding cutscenes that flesh out
Revis and Aldercapt is a huge addition.
That was the biggest flaw, they needed more screentime.
They needed more than two minutes of it.
Which is why I don't think two more minutes is going to cut it.
Just showing what happens to them isn't enough, other than giving you that information from a plot standpoint. It does't mean you'll automatically start caring.
It's a start. I'm interested to see what we'll get.
I might be wrong, but just upping the power of the ring doesn't seem like it will make Chapter 13 any more fun.
The shader & sound effect for the holy spell is awesome the first time you see/hear it... but the 30th? I really don't know how to 'fix' that chapter.
If you read the article they talk about adding new gameplay segments including
playing as Gladio
I keep saying this, but the easiest fix they could do for Chapter 13 is get rid of the slow walk that you're always forced to do in dungeons.
What a goddamn dramatic improvement it would be if they got rid of that shit altogether.
The slow walk would help, but getting rid of about half the chapter would be better. There's too much wandering down long hallways.
It sounds like they're actually adding more hallway shenanigans as there's now going to be a section where you play as Gladiolus and Ignis. Which, I mean, really?
They should just end the hallway shit after the first section. Because that's where the novelty wears off and the realization that you're stuck playing a really bad Resident Evil game for the next too damn long sinks in.
Get to the 1st door, have a cutscene showing Noctis starting on the next section, maybe with Ardyn watching from a distance. Cut to Gladiolus and Ignis. Maybe have a fight or two. Cut back to a weary Noctis finally finding Prompto. Continue on as normal.
Congratulations, you've gotten the point across without wasting time or boring/frustrating the players.
IMO, the patch reads like a classic case of not recognizing when to self-edit. Chapter 13 isn't going to be less terrible by making it longer or bigger.
I might be wrong, but just upping the power of the ring doesn't seem like it will make Chapter 13 any more fun.
The shader & sound effect for the holy spell is awesome the first time you see/hear it... but the 30th? I really don't know how to 'fix' that chapter.
If you read the article they talk about adding new gameplay segments including
playing as Gladio
I keep saying this, but the easiest fix they could do for Chapter 13 is get rid of the slow walk that you're always forced to do in dungeons.
What a goddamn dramatic improvement it would be if they got rid of that shit altogether.
Honestly just adding cutscenes that flesh out
Revis and Aldercapt is a huge addition.
That was the biggest flaw, they needed more screentime.
They needed more than two minutes of it.
Which is why I don't think two more minutes is going to cut it.
Just showing what happens to them isn't enough, other than giving you that information from a plot standpoint. It does't mean you'll automatically start caring.
It's a start. I'm interested to see what we'll get.
Certainly. As I said before, the complaints people have about FFXV can, for the most part, be easily fixed with minor tweaks. The fact that SE seems commited to going beyond that makes me quite interested what this game is going to look like a year from now, if not more.
But regarding the plans to include more story content, I really don't think rolling them out a couple of cutscenes at a time is a good idea. You have to make it worthwhile for the people who played through the game to go through it a second time, which is why any dramatic additions to the story should be served alongside any major gameplay revisions/additions.
The chapter 13 case is kind of what I'm envisioning, since it's new cutscenes rolled out with new gameplay improvements (allegedly). Still, is that enough to get people who don't have a save close to the start of that chapter to replay it?
Hmmm...I don't think they "fixed" the ring the right way. Even if it's "Super Powerful" (tm), it still takes up a weapon slot. Maybe assigning it an Accessory slot and tweaking it's effects would've been a better way to go about it.
Him: Man, did you see that Final Fantasy XII collector's thingie?
Me: Yeah, kinda dumb.
Him: Who wants busts of the JUDGES? And who is this Basch guy? Some new character?
Me: No, he was one of the main characters in the game.
Him: He was? Are you sure?
Me: Yeah.
Him: I don't remember him at all. Wait, wasn't he some fake guy that Vaan was pretending to be in that mini-game?
Me: Well yeah, but not fake, he was like the most wanted guy and they were trying to get attention...
Him: Nope, don't remember.
Me: He was actually supposed to be the main character originally.
Him: No wonder Japan decided to go for Vaan.
I admit, I also find Basch rather bland, but at least I remember he was *there!*
Want to find me on a gaming service? I'm SwashbucklerXX everywhere.
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FencingsaxIt is difficult to get a man to understand, when his salary depends upon his not understandingGNU Terry PratchettRegistered Userregular
Should have just told them Bach was the Obi-Wan.
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AxenMy avatar is Excalibur.Yes, the sword.Registered Userregular
edited March 2017
At the ripe ol' age of 37 36 Basch was deemed too old.
I suppose in Japan guys have their own version of the "Christmas cake" too.
Axen on
A Capellan's favorite sheath for any blade is your back.
I might be wrong, but just upping the power of the ring doesn't seem like it will make Chapter 13 any more fun.
The shader & sound effect for the holy spell is awesome the first time you see/hear it... but the 30th? I really don't know how to 'fix' that chapter.
If you read the article they talk about adding new gameplay segments including
playing as Gladio
I keep saying this, but the easiest fix they could do for Chapter 13 is get rid of the slow walk that you're always forced to do in dungeons.
What a goddamn dramatic improvement it would be if they got rid of that shit altogether.
Honestly just adding cutscenes that flesh out
Revis and Aldercapt is a huge addition.
That was the biggest flaw, they needed more screentime.
They needed more than two minutes of it.
Which is why I don't think two more minutes is going to cut it.
Just showing what happens to them isn't enough, other than giving you that information from a plot standpoint. It does't mean you'll automatically start caring.
It's a start. I'm interested to see what we'll get.
Certainly. As I said before, the complaints people have about FFXV can, for the most part, be easily fixed with minor tweaks. The fact that SE seems commited to going beyond that makes me quite interested what this game is going to look like a year from now, if not more.
But regarding the plans to include more story content, I really don't think rolling them out a couple of cutscenes at a time is a good idea. You have to make it worthwhile for the people who played through the game to go through it a second time, which is why any dramatic additions to the story should be served alongside any major gameplay revisions/additions.
The chapter 13 case is kind of what I'm envisioning, since it's new cutscenes rolled out with new gameplay improvements (allegedly). Still, is that enough to get people who don't have a save close to the start of that chapter to replay it?
I think FFXV is beyond the ability of minor tweaks to repair. It's not just about the cut scenes of what the NPCs are up to, it's about the main cast being involved in the story throughout. TBH, anything less than a full remake of the story wouldn't be enough to get another playthrough from me. Not that I expect FFXV: A Story Reborn; that kind of treatment makes sense for an MMO but not for a single player game. Ultimately I hope that what Square learns from these criticisms is to make a great game at release and not years later.
Posts
Well, it is a fine fanny.
EDIT: Hell of a TOTP
That is something I will happily throw money at. And it can go right beside the steelcase of the original release.
Okay, I think I understand what they mean by "Includes digital code to unlock Original Soundtrack Background Music in-game", as in you enter the code in-game and it downloads the MP3s to your machine so that you can take them to whatever music device you want to play them on. But the way it's worded is terribad, and seems to imply that without that code, you don't get any background music when playing the game. They really should have removed the "in-game" bit there and explained where the code itself is within the package where to enter the code. Nitpicking for sure, especially as I'm just gonna get the standard digital version.
In 'Config' you can change between 'Original' and 'ReOrchestrated' under the soundtrack option
The arranged OSTs for re-released games have almost always been better, the exception being FFX, so I'll likely stick to the new FFXII arrangement.
Blog||Tumblr|Steam|Twitter|FFXIV|Twitch|YouTube|Podcast|PSN|XBL|DarkZero
Gilgamesh is the main antagonist, and Okabe is doing a remix of Battle on the Big Bridge.
Episode Iris will be coming next, since the Prompto and Ignis episodes were deemed unimportant.
it got a lot better once I turned on wait mode but I still am not really getting the intricacies.
Anyone have tips?
Dodge a lot, you really don't want to get surrounded by enemies.
I agree with this. Try to take advantage of the link strikes via positioning and staying close to your bros.
It took me a while to get use to the combat, probably longer than it should have. The biggest tip I think I can give is there's a difference between "chain attacks" with a weapon and "finishers", and the game does a bad job at describing this. Holding the attack button results in a chain of 2+ attacks that's unique to that weapon type, or in the case of royal arms can be unique to that weapon. Holding a movement button while doing a chain attack results in some changes to the attack, like dodging to the side while striking. At any point during that chain, letting go of the attack button and immediately pressing it again (when the weapon disappears) will result in a "finisher", which is a single much stronger attack. Some finishers, like the greatswords with it's AOE circular sweep, result in significantly different attacks than typical. Here's a page with a longer summary.
Some other pointers:
* You obviously already turned on wait mode, which is step 1. Any time you feel like you need a second just don't press any buttons and you'll go into wait mode so you can analyze the battlefield.
* Scan the enemies in wait mode to see what their weapon and elemental weaknesses are, rather than having to keep switching between weapons to find vulnerabilities. In general you'll do much more damage than your allies, so save all the best weapons for yourself to swap to when necessary.
* Whenever a block prompt comes up on your screen, stop whatever you are doing and hold the button. Blocks, and especially parries that result in link strikes, are much more powerful than regular attacks. With certain fast enemies like the "dogs" early on it's almost better to make dodging and blocking your primary focus, and only attack as a counter immediately after a dodge.
* If you're in the thick of things, roll-dodge (tap the dodge button while holding a movement direction) or even warp strike out of the center of the battle. Especially if you're fighting larger or slower enemies. Doing that will let you get behind them for blindside attacks (1.5x damage, also triggering link strikes) and often puts the focus of their attacks on your allies instead of you.
* Don't be afraid to start a battle with some magic, especially against large groups of enemies like drop ships. Magic nodes are plentiful, so craft whenever you can, even if you don't want to add items to improve the magic quality.
Honestly a lot of it just takes practice, it took me a few hours before things started clicking and I felt like I had the hang of things.
And I will totally drop preorder dollars on that steel book FFXII! I still have my PS2 one.
1. Magic is OP. Like really, really OP. Combine full stack elements (99 of each) + some curative items for big damage and, perhaps, even curing for you. Given how few flasks you have at the start, save for boss fights. Also - magic can and will hurt your companions. And no, they don't get out of the way when you're throwing flasks.
2. The camera sucks. It just does. So, like Javen says, do your best to not get surrounded (easier said than done) and try not to fight near trees, shrubs, or anything else that can block your view.
3. R1 (I believe) soft locks your targeting onto an enemy. Gotta hold it. The bros attack whatever you're actively targeting, so be sure to keep something targeted at all times to focus damage. While targeting, you can flick the right stick to change targets.
This is important, as, while you'd think the AI would be smart and make Gladio the tank, Prompto the DPS, and Ignis the support naturally, and have them work as a team from the start, it doesn't. Without you targeting a specific enemy, they do their own, usually separate, thing. This is not Xenoblade. The bros are dumb.
4. Prompto and Ignis die. A lot. Especially Prompto.
5. Teamwork ascension grid is life. It makes the bros less squishy, and gives them some things that they probably should've had at the outset.
6. There's an ability - I don't remember what tree it's in - that essentially auto-scans an enemy for weaknesses when you target them. Get it. It'll let you know weapon and elemental weaknesses of an enemy in the top left corner of the screen.
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Ultimately, the combat in this game is broken. That's why elixirs are for sale at every store at a reasonable price. You're going to get swarmed, you're going to get in the danger zone repeatedly, your companions will drop like flies... it's how the game 'works'. For a game that has an emphasis on group combat (and fighting groups of bad guys), it's lacking in some basics, like:
A ranged opener (hey, Prompto, maybe use your gun from range?)
Smarter companions (gee, maybe run away when I'm going to throw a magic grenade? or prioritize and focus on targets without me needing to hold your hand?)
Crowd control abilities (Bueller? Bueller?)
So, really, temper expectations.
The first summon: is triggered when you have dead/downed allies. The more that are down the more likely the summon. This summon only works out in the open (not indoors or underground).
The second summon operates on a timer. The longer the fight goes on the more likely it is to trigger. This summon works anywhere.
The third summon is triggered when noctis is downed. This summon only works in certain outside areas.
The fourth summon can end up getting summoned any time one of the other summons could have been triggered.
I just sat down and completed this games story. 25 hours in total. And I never knew that chain attacks finishers thing.
I think that speaks volumes as to what the game explains.
Glad I won't have to hold down R1 anymore. Still wish they had an "instant turn" option, but at least they're prioritizing making the combat faster.
Also impressions claim Episode Gladio plays dramatically different from the original game. Having a unique playstyle for each character ramps up my interest.
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There's a youtube channel that displays all the moves, but I'm on phone right now.
Would love confirmation that the World of FF patch is coming to Vita as well as PS4, wouldn't be surprised if it's PS4 only...
So if their plan for the additional cutscenes is to just say "Oh here's what this guy was doing", I really don't think that's enough. You may have solved the plot hole, but it's not enough to make me care about it.
And regarding the mystery of a particular character in Chapter 13....
I also can't shake my head hard enough that they show the Emperor of the empire exactly once in the entire game. Showing an additional cutscene with him in chapter 13, the near-end of the game, doesn't even come close.
Ditto the other old guy played by Steve Blum. I bet he shows up in one of the character DLCs.
I'd say FFXV had the most squandered villains, but the Judges still sting the most (as well as FFXIII's baddies; I bet you totally can't name the blue-haired guy without looking it up).
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The shader & sound effect for the holy spell is awesome the first time you see/hear it... but the 30th? I really don't know how to 'fix' that chapter.
If you read the article they talk about adding new gameplay segments including
I keep saying this, but the easiest fix they could do for Chapter 13 is get rid of the slow walk that you're always forced to do in dungeons.
What a goddamn dramatic improvement it would be if they got rid of that shit altogether.
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Honestly just adding cutscenes that flesh out
They needed more than two minutes of it.
Which is why I don't think two more minutes is going to cut it.
Just showing what happens to them isn't enough, other than giving you that information from a plot standpoint. It does't mean you'll automatically start caring.
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The question, really, is whether or not increased power = decreased casting time/cooldown. Because the ring is already crazy powerful, it just takes too long for that power to actually be used in a practical way.
That said, the proposed changes are merely lipstick on a pig. The underlying problem - the design of that entire section of the game - still isn't addressed. Not that I would expect that.
I remember (from FFXIII) Evil Mecha-Space Pope. And the alternate form of Evil Mecha-Space Pope. And the one that was really irritating to fight and eventually cast DOOM on the party.
The slow walk would help, but getting rid of about half the chapter would be better. There's too much wandering down long hallways.
It's a start. I'm interested to see what we'll get.
He has been in prison for awhile.
It sounds like they're actually adding more hallway shenanigans as there's now going to be a section where you play as Gladiolus and Ignis. Which, I mean, really?
They should just end the hallway shit after the first section. Because that's where the novelty wears off and the realization that you're stuck playing a really bad Resident Evil game for the next too damn long sinks in.
Get to the 1st door, have a cutscene showing Noctis starting on the next section, maybe with Ardyn watching from a distance. Cut to Gladiolus and Ignis. Maybe have a fight or two. Cut back to a weary Noctis finally finding Prompto. Continue on as normal.
Congratulations, you've gotten the point across without wasting time or boring/frustrating the players.
IMO, the patch reads like a classic case of not recognizing when to self-edit. Chapter 13 isn't going to be less terrible by making it longer or bigger.
Certainly. As I said before, the complaints people have about FFXV can, for the most part, be easily fixed with minor tweaks. The fact that SE seems commited to going beyond that makes me quite interested what this game is going to look like a year from now, if not more.
But regarding the plans to include more story content, I really don't think rolling them out a couple of cutscenes at a time is a good idea. You have to make it worthwhile for the people who played through the game to go through it a second time, which is why any dramatic additions to the story should be served alongside any major gameplay revisions/additions.
The chapter 13 case is kind of what I'm envisioning, since it's new cutscenes rolled out with new gameplay improvements (allegedly). Still, is that enough to get people who don't have a save close to the start of that chapter to replay it?
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Him: Man, did you see that Final Fantasy XII collector's thingie?
Me: Yeah, kinda dumb.
Him: Who wants busts of the JUDGES? And who is this Basch guy? Some new character?
Me: No, he was one of the main characters in the game.
Him: He was? Are you sure?
Me: Yeah.
Him: I don't remember him at all. Wait, wasn't he some fake guy that Vaan was pretending to be in that mini-game?
Me: Well yeah, but not fake, he was like the most wanted guy and they were trying to get attention...
Him: Nope, don't remember.
Me: He was actually supposed to be the main character originally.
Him: No wonder Japan decided to go for Vaan.
I admit, I also find Basch rather bland, but at least I remember he was *there!*
I suppose in Japan guys have their own version of the "Christmas cake" too.
I think FFXV is beyond the ability of minor tweaks to repair. It's not just about the cut scenes of what the NPCs are up to, it's about the main cast being involved in the story throughout. TBH, anything less than a full remake of the story wouldn't be enough to get another playthrough from me. Not that I expect FFXV: A Story Reborn; that kind of treatment makes sense for an MMO but not for a single player game. Ultimately I hope that what Square learns from these criticisms is to make a great game at release and not years later.