[thetrin]

Can be really hard, can be really easy. Lots of folks seem to have had trouble at points where I didn't and vice versa for example. It's a crapshoot at times though. This is one of my complaints with the game's battle system, It's pretty poorly balanced across the entire game. Without a customization system that can be adjusted on the fly, it makes the only option to get through certain things either a lot of trial and error or grinding until you're strong enough to make it through. That's a helluva big annoyance when the game is as linear as 13 is.

Honestly, Shouta, i really don't agree. in 13, I did find a few sticking points, but all that was involved in finding the rhythm of a battle was switching up Optimas/Paradigms and giving it another a crack. The fact that you can restart right before the battle justifies this kind of tactic.

It's hardly a crapshoot. Also, I don't think I ever grinded in 13.

[worldrevolution]

Can be really hard, can be really easy. Lots of folks seem to have had trouble at points where I didn't and vice versa for example. It's a crapshoot at times though. This is one of my complaints with the game's battle system, It's pretty poorly balanced across the entire game. Without a customization system that can be adjusted on the fly, it makes the only option to get through certain things either a lot of trial and error or grinding until you're strong enough to make it through. That's a helluva big annoyance when the game is as linear as 13 is.

I think it's a mistake to lump the Optima shifts into the battle system and not the customization system. You can customize on the fly - the Optima system. Keeping your Crystarium up to date makes that customization more effective.

The game is difficult in that you have to find out the right optima setup and gimmick of a fight. But once you find that out, you really can't lose save for not being quick enough in changing your Optimae or getting hit with a death spell. I never thought I was 'underleveled' or too weak in the game, I just felt I didn't know the right times to change my setup and the right time to attack/buff/heal whatever. So I don't really understand how the difficulty isn't balanced throughout the game? The fact that people use different Optima setups for different fights even proves there are multiple ways of tackling the same fight. But in a sense, every enemy has a script and you have to figure out how to dance to it.

[Shouta]

Honestly, Shouta, i really don't agree. in 13, I did find a few sticking points, but all that was involved in finding the rhythm of a battle was switching up Optimas/Paradigms and giving it another a crack. The fact that you can restart right before the battle justifies this kind of tactic. It's hardly a crapshoot. Also, I don't think I ever grinded in 13.

It's a crapshoot because there isn't a consistent level of difficulty, not that the battles are a crapshoot (though there is one or two like that). You find one area difficult, I don't. I find one area difficult, you don't. That's pretty random.

I had to grind a few times in the game myself and I almost never grind. Regardless though, there aren't many ways out of a situation if your optimas are right but you're still losing.

[Nakazato]

Looks like FOX is spamming the commercial XD

[DMPrince]

watching FOX and saw the 360 only commercial. nothing but CG. and the Leona Lewis song. Blegh.

[Shouta]

I think it's a mistake to lump the Optima shifts into the battle system and not the customization system. You can customize on the fly - the Optima system. Keeping your Crystarium up to date makes that customization more effective.

I disagree, Optimas are battle system and not customization. Just because you can adjust who does what role doesn't make it a part of customization because it just determines their actions and skill sets. A customization system is supposed to allow you to control the growth of your characters in directions you prefer. Optimas don't do that. Maybe if you had fine control of the Optima like a Gambit but not like it is right now.

So I don't really understand how the difficulty isn't balanced throughout the game?

Again, as I point out to trin, it's not balanced throughout the game because there isn't a unanimous sense of difficulty level for everyone. A lot of RPGs are balanced out so that the game is generally of equal levels of difficulty at whatever point for all players. 13 so wildly fluctuates and there are so many parts that people don't agree on that it isn't balanced across the entire spectrum of the game.

[Blueblur1]

Sweet OP, Kagari.

[Diablos]

Honestly, Shouta, i really don't agree. in 13, I did find a few sticking points, but all that was involved in finding the rhythm of a battle was switching up Optimas/Paradigms and giving it another a crack. The fact that you can restart right before the battle justifies this kind of tactic. It's hardly a crapshoot. Also, I don't think I ever grinded in 13.

So I guess it was pretty easy for you?

[Witchfinder General]

My local EB had the guide (no limited editions left) but not the game. Ah well, only one sleep left.

The guide's nice, though.

[Aspiring]

My copy shipped today. Will arrive tomorrow. I am excited to play, but just want GOW3 :lol Oh man, this sucks. Too many good games in such a short space of time. With work and family WHEN are you meant to play them all? I still am playing Heavy Rain as well!

Anyway ordered the Limited Edition, and comes with a FF13 calender as well. Hopefully its good.

[DarkKyo]

Question because I couldn't find it around here:
When you change weapons does it change your weapon appearance in-game?

[Diablos]

My copy shipped today. Will arrive tomorrow. I am excited to play, but just want GOW3 :lol Oh man, this sucks. Too many good games in such a short space of time. With work and family WHEN are you meant to play them all? I still am playing Heavy Rain as well! Anyway ordered the Limited Edition, and comes with a FF13 calender as well. Hopefully its good.

So don't buy GOW3 until you finish FFXIII. It won't go anywhere.

[Nakazato]

My local EB had the guide (no limited editions left) but not the game. Ah well, only one sleep left. The guide's nice, though.

overstock.com has the CE Guide for 22 dollars

edit for anyone have theres ?? whats all included ?

[Aspiring]

So don't buy GOW3 until you finish FFXIII. It won't go anywhere.

Easier said than done! I will just have to try my hardest to show equal love. GOW3 aside from GT5 is my most anticipated game. So would be impossible to not buy it.

[KTallguy]

Question because I couldn't find it around here: When you change weapons does it change your weapon appearance in-game?

Yes.

I never grinded in FFXIII, even when I found certain bosses challenging.
There are a few guys in the later part that one shotted me, I avoided them :D

[thetrin]

So I guess it was pretty easy for you?

No, it was a challenge. I just found solving a problem with a boss of a tough encounter very fluid.

Question because I couldn't find it around here: When you change weapons does it change your weapon appearance in-game?

Yes, of course.

[Cloudy]

Sweet OP, Kagari.

lmao, where's your avatar from? :lol

[Diablos]

No, it was a challenge. I just found solving a problem with a boss of a tough encounter very fluid.

Ah.

(I find your avatar... amusing.)

I can't wait for this game. UGH. I better get it no later than the 10th. Maybe Gamestop will ship it on the 8th so it gets here on the 9th. Yeah right. :lol Of course, when I preordered FFXII from Gamestop.com, I got it the day it came out... and I only paid for 2-day shipping.

[DarkKyo]

Ah thanks. Well I've really only seen Lightning with her original sword from all the art/trailers, so I did not know.

[inner-G]

Gamestop just texted me and there's gonna be a midnight launch here!

26 hours, zomg!

[Nakazato]

OMG OMG OMG I cant believe IT'S ALMOST HERE !!!!!

[aryies]

heads up to anyone in sydney area, if you are a regular customer at funlands games @bankstown, they have at least the ps3 version for sale. didnt ask about 360. about to boot it up :D

[DualShadow]

heads up to anyone in sydney area, if you are a regular customer at funlands games @bankstown, they have at least the ps3 version for sale. didnt ask about 360. about to boot it up :D

Do people still need pic's even tho its close to release? It's another 9 hrs till midnight release here in Aus :|

[wonkafest]

Got a text from gamestop a few hours about the midnight launch, and amazon shipped my CE strategy guide. :D

[DigitalDevil]

Do people still need pic's even tho its close to release? It's another 9 hrs till midnight release here in Aus :|

it depends, but more than likely not.

[Stefan™]

Less than 24 hours until I have this game in MY HANDS.

[Nakazato]

Less than 24 hours until I have this game in MY HANDS.

:lol

[InfiniteNine]

Less than 24 hours until I have this game in MY HANDS.

DEAR MY FRIEND I will as well. I got some nachos and a pizza set to be delivered about the time the time UPS delivers packages. :lol

[DualShadow]

DEAR MY FRIEND I will as well. I got some nachos and a pizza set to be delivered about the time the time UPS delivers packages. :lol

So the question is will you eat first or play first? :P

you can prob do both, but greasy controls are terrible :lol

Edit: Is there a new game+ option? If so, whats different about it?

[GrumpyAlien]

I am so excited. Gamestop called yesterday and asked if I wanted to come at midnight and I decided against it. Tues morning I go in and get my LE guide and FF XIII PS3. I can't wait!

I also plan on playing it as slowly as possible and making it last much longer than it should. Probably through lots of farming and building up weapons/accessories. The cool thing about level caps for chapters is that you aren't going to obscenely overpower yourself early on, and then breezing through the rest of the game.

[InfiniteNine]

So the question is will you eat first or play first? :P you can prob do both, but greasy controls are terrible :lol Edit: Is there a new game+ option? If so, whats different about it?

I'll probably finish off the pizza first, then have the nachos for quick bites during the game. :lol

[dreamer3kx]

Yay, tomorrow!

[BocoDragon]

I guess I'll go to the midnight launch tomorrow... but it's really just to guarantee that I get all the preorder junk with it.. The idea of standing in line with fellow nerds doesn't sound that fun really, and I'm not sure how much I need to be playing the game super-late into Tuesday morning... How early do I usually have to show up for these things?

[h3ro]

My LE guide just shipped on Amazon. :D

So close.

[Cloudy]

Bestbuy.com just charged me for my faceplate :D

[Cloudy]

You know one game that I didn't see mentioned in this thread regarding "linearity"? Xenosaga. There really weren't any "towns" in those games either. It was basically the cutscenes, character interaction (with NPCs in some areas) and dungeons.

I know the series has its haters but the plot and characters were good enough that you didn't really notice that after a while :p

[Dark Octave]

I guess I'll go to the midnight launch tomorrow... but it's really just to guarantee that I get all the preorder junk with it.. The idea of standing in line with fellow nerds doesn't sound that fun really, and I'm not sure how much I need to be playing the game super-late into Tuesday morning... How early do I usually have to show up for these things?

I wish I could do a midnight launch. I don't get it, movies come out on Fridays while games come out on Tuesdays. Working people can't do shit on a weekday, so we have to suffer the additional Wed, Thurs, and half of Friday (which feels like a week into itself) to get some decent hours in.

Anyway, I'm still deciding on PS3 or 360. HD clarity or Achievements and friends list.

[Alucrid]

LE guide shipped from Delaware which isn't far from Philly. Can't wait, should be here by the 9th but hopefully it comes a day early.

[wonkafest]

How early do I usually have to show up for these things?

Just show up around 11:30.

[BocoDragon]

Just show up around 11:30.

Thank you.. that does clear things up a bit.

I'm glad I don't have to show up 3 hours early with my hair spiked like Cloud. :lol

You know one game that I didn't see mentioned in this thread regarding "linearity"? Xenosaga. There really weren't any "towns" in those games either. It was basically the cutscenes, character interaction (with NPCs in some areas) and dungeons. I know the series has its haters but the plot and characters were good enough that you didn't really notice that after a while :p

Xenosaga was pretty hated on right out of the gate with Episode I. I know it has its fans.. but then again, so will FFXIII.

[Kagari]

Doing Fal'Cie Titan's trials now :o Even though they're just more missions...

[Shalashaska]

My copy shipped today. Will arrive tomorrow. I am excited to play, but just want GOW3 :lol Oh man, this sucks. Too many good games in such a short space of time. With work and family WHEN are you meant to play them all? I still am playing Heavy Rain as well!

I got Heavy Rain yesterday. Getting FF XIII on Tues, God of War Collection & 3 next week and Valkyria Chronicles at some point. :D

[Dedication Through Light]

LE guide shipped from Delaware which isn't far from Philly. Can't wait, should be here by the 9th but hopefully it comes a day early.

Mine shipped from there too! Hopefully it somehow ends up in our mailboxes on tomorrow! lol.

[FateBreaker]

You know one game that I didn't see mentioned in this thread regarding "linearity"? Xenosaga. There really weren't any "towns" in those games either. It was basically the cutscenes, character interaction (with NPCs in some areas) and dungeons. I know the series has its haters but the plot and characters were good enough that you didn't really notice that after a while :p

You're right with the town thing for the most part, but the dungeon designs were not very linear. Some were pretty darn big and impressive, such as that one in the big gnosis

[Square Triangle]

It's 24 hrs awayyyyy! So freakin' pumped.

[D23]

got a txt from gamestop! wooo hooooooo, debating if i should pick it up on monday night or not... hmm probably not!

[hateradio]

Bestbuy.com just charged me for my faceplate :D

Never seen anyone be happy about getting charged for anything outside of gaf.

[Shadow780]

forget about the mid-night, Amazon Release-Date Delivery, WHO'S WITH ME?!

[BocoDragon]

forget about the mid-night, Amazon Release-Date Delivery, WHO'S WITH ME?!

Sounds wonderful.

Canada doesn't have this. Amazon.ca is somehow amazingly shit compared to .com

[Volcynika]

forget about the mid-night, Amazon Release-Date Delivery, WHO'S WITH ME?!

High five!

Amazon represent!