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[keanerie]

I love Tactics Ogre and all, but that has got to be the dumbest subtitle ever. EVER.

Supposedly it's from a Queen song - apparently, Queen references are a repeated motif for Matsuno. Oh yeah, and it's the best subtitle ever.

 

[ChunderMan]

you + me = calculus

calculus + (2 * mime)

 

[Error]

awesome game

RESPECT!

 

[Vandiger]

If there is one game I love to death its FFT. Its a freaking shame there hasn't been a decent sequel to it. I just wish I could experience the ups and downs like the first time I played it.
Oh yeah, Ninjas rule

 

[Grayman]

Great game. The first battles are the hardest. You might have to go make a few levels when you see the first green dot before going to the first red dot.

on my first playthrough I liked lancers and ninjas the most. I also had second ability of item on everyone, gained jp up whenever I didn't very explicitly need another skill there, I got counter attack and move HP up from monk on everyone fairly early on.

Just a warning. I thought the hardest fight in the game was late in the game. I think it was the battle before getting

Spoiler

Orlandu

and it was nothing but an assortment of Chocobos at or above my level. Needless to say I had to gameshark to get through it since it was to the point where before I could even more Chocobos had already rushed in and killed off two or three of my characters before my first turn.

Big load of bullshit IMO.

You leveled enough that big badass chocobos would show up but not high enough to kill them

My advice is don't underestimate the Samurai class, they have the best class skills in the game as far as I am concerned. "Two Hands" takes away your shield but massively increases the amount of damage your weapon does. "Blade Grasp" is BAR NONE the best defensive ability in the game. It gives you a huge evade % against enemy weapons, yes even arrows, the skill LIES in it's description. And by major I mean they'll have ~3% chance of hitting you. I get it with every damn character I have.

this takes a lot of stat tweaking doesn't it?

 

[Johnas]

I played through this game years ago, got one battle away from the end of the game (unknowingly) and just couldn't get past it (didn't level grind, and got stuck there) so I just put it to the side to deal with it later. This spring, I started over and went all the way through. The game is pure greatness. As others have said, the story becomes semi-nonsensical, but the gameplay is ace, the options are endless, the graphics are great for a PS1 game, and the music is for the most part godly. I have the soundtrack, I could never begin to count the number of times I've listened to it.

Not to derail, but if you have time you should check out Vagrant Story while you're at it. It's different, but excellent all the same. Especially in the musical category.

 

[trancejeremy]

To my mind, FFT is perhaps the most overated game ever. It's a lousy tactical RPG because you get so few characters on the screen at the time. The story blows on several levels. Mostly because you the player aren't the main character, but basically 2nd fiddle. It's completely linear. And don't get me started on the ending. But one of the most ridiculous I've ever seen in an RPG.

Where it is good is the job system, but the game itself is pretty much so easy, you don't need to mess with it.



The Ogre Battle series is very much heavily influenced by Queen (at least when the main designer was still @ Quest). The name of the games ("Ogre Battle" and "March of the Black Queen" are also Queen songs), the places, even having things like Hawkmen in it (which come from Queen's role in Flash Gordon). "Let Us Cling Together" is perhaps a goofy name for a game, but it was a Queen song which is partially in Japanese.

There are some Queen references in FFT, though not as blatant.

 

[DeathbyVolcano]

This game shitted out on me when I bought it. I got to the opening sequence explaining the backstory, then I tried putting in my name and it wouldn't go beyond that screen. It wouldn't let me press start to continue, or press done or whatever.

It made me very sad,

 

[joelseph]

To my mind, FFT is perhaps the most overated game ever. It's a lousy tactical RPG because you get so few characters on the screen at the time. The story blows on several levels. Mostly because you the player aren't the main character, but basically 2nd fiddle. It's completely linear. And don't get me started on the ending. But one of the most ridiculous I've ever seen in an RPG.

Where it is good is the job system, but the game itself is pretty much so easy, you don't need to mess with it.



The Ogre Battle series is very much heavily influenced by Queen (at least when the main designer was still @ Quest). The name of the games ("Ogre Battle" and "March of the Black Queen" are also Queen songs), the places, even having things like Hawkmen in it (which come from Queen's role in Flash Gordon). "Let Us Cling Together" is perhaps a goofy name for a game, but it was a Queen song which is partially in Japanese.

There are some Queen references in FFT, though not as blatant.

I would argue that both games are great, it's my opinion that FFT came at a better time and was made more available, and thus is the game everyone fell in love with. To say its the most overated game is crazy talk. It was the game that really hooked me, tactical gaming has been tops for me since. And I bet I am not alone in that regard. =)

 

[firex]

I really don't like FFT that much due to the lack of balance and largely overpowered story characters, but the first tip I can provide: Learn Yell for Ramza asap and you can use that to build levels/job levels. Don't try to master every class - while it can be done, it's pretty damn boring and you don't need every class's ability on a single character. Instead you should focus on 4-5 characters knowing the different classes spread out. Keep your army roughly the same level. Ramza will almost always pull way ahead of my army any time I play FFT, but as long as the rest of them are built up a lot too it's all good. One good way to do this is make Ramza a monk and learn Chakra, then find some area that's all flat on the same height, surround him with your other 4 and let them all beat him up while he uses Chakra to heal himself. They'll all level up fast if he's way ahead of them, won't really do much damage to him, and if you've built up your speed enough with Yell then you don't run much risk of dealing with the enemies on that map (especially if you go and kill them off aside from the last one, and just leave that one weak and then retreat from it).

Nearly anything in this game can be overpowered if you break it enough. Yell alone can really break the game. It's a bit tedious to build stuff up, but it's worth it in the long run.

Oh, and IMO melee classes >>>> caster classes in this game, as the magic is largely shitty aside from summons or using calculators.

 

[ccbfan]

Ah my favorite game ever.

I have played through this game over 30 times (19 SCC, 5 TDD, 1 single ramza, ect)
Here's a few suggestions.

1. Math, Drawout, Item and Summon are the best skills in the game. All are magic attack based.
2. For the Generic characters wizard and geos have the best base stats and equips which makes them the best base class.
3.Hats>Helmets
4.Robes>Clothes>Armor
5. Do not use these things if you want the game to be fun and not incredibly easy - Orlandu, Math, Blade GRasp, Auto-potion, Hamedo, Move MP up + Mp change combo, abandon, chantage, excalibur, ect.
6. Females characters are much stronger in magic while male charcters are much stonger in physical.
7. Download the battle mechanics guide. This is the FFT Bible, there is enough info in there that I could make simulation with the exact battle system of FFT.

8.Powerful yet not cheap character combos.
a)Ninja with martial arts (This is much better than a monk with two hands)
b)Wizard with drawout and MA atk up
c)Ninja with jump and a flail equiped.
d)Any magic class with summon
e)Chemist with battle skills




Oh and Knights are the worse class in the game.

 

[Fusebox]

Is this Final Fantasy Tactics for GBA? Or the same thing? I didn't make it past the snowball fight at the start, I just wasn't feeling the whole facing and positioning feature so I played Fire Emblem instead, now that was awesome.

 

[SatelliteOfLove]

Ramza as a Lancer/Chemist, Samurai, Time Mage/Summoner, Story Character.

Geomancers are spotty damage-wise, and the really good procs off their spells are usually rare ground types.

Archers use high ground as an advantage. You usually start off down on the bottom. Yeah.

Ninjas need Shields and Reflect pre-cast on them since they're usually deep in enemy lines alot.

Summoners NEED NEED NEED the cast-time quickening skill leaned from the Time Mage prereq. In fact, all casters save Calculators do.

Spoiler

Wiegraf/Velius

is one of the sickest, funnest boss fight/sequence/pain train series ever.

 

[BulletSmoke]

Great game, you won't regret it. I wonder whey they haven't done a console sequel yet?

 

[Son of Godzilla]

Make a team of

* Chemist
* Ramza (Make Knight, then eventually a Monk)
* Archer
* White Mage
* Black Mage
* Squire -> Knights


Mix it up with that and you'll eventually get to the point where the powerful characters join and you don't need anyone else.

If you want to just play it to complete it you don't need the more advanced jobs, it's a waste of time.

You were a gamer point whore since the day you were born, weren't you?

And like it's been said, just stay away from the stupidly cheesey stuff and grinding and the game is very fun and very difficult. Of course. if you grind alot yet avoid the cheesy shit then the random battles the game throws at you get quite hard too. Also ditch the stupid storyline characters. The cute little graphics for samaurai and time mages alone make them outclassed.

 

[BocoDragon]

Yeah... those storyline characters....

In a typical playthrough of FFT, you develop your own superteam that is quite able to dispatch all enemies, though with a healthy level of challenge, and then the game dumps all these massively overpowered story characters on you near the end of the game... They're so overpowered you'd think they'd been pumped up with a Gameshark....

 

[KyanMehwulfe]

It can be really fun to develop a theme for your army. For example, my most recent file is of zealous, religious knights. All my generics have Priest and Knight training, super high Faith, perfectly set-up Zodiac Signs, etc. My best master file is of whom I call my Poachers. They stick to more natural or earthly Jobs like Archers, Ninjas, Geomancers, etc, and I usually have 2-3 with Secret Hunt so that I can Poach every monster I come across. My fur shop is full of hundreds and hundreds of items at around 250 hours.

I've done a lot of others. Files inspired by other settings, like a Ninja file back when I was hardcore into Tenchu on the PS1, or a Dragonlance file after I finished reading the two core trilogies once.

 

[demi]

You were a gamer point whore since the day you were born, weren't you?

The more advanced classes are a waste of time and offer nothing new.

 

[ethelred]

Amazingly, it's the first and still the best. <3 Matsuno

One thing on which Tsubaki and I shall always agree... oh, wait. There's our love of Sting, too. Okay, two things.

That's a filthy lie! The story is absolutely superb, but most people don't realize this for two reasons:

1. It's ridiculously hard to keep track of all the names, and therefore it's hard to absorb the story properly until the 2nd or 3rd time through the game.

2. Engrish

The story IS superb, but I think most people just get caught up on point one -- an inability to deal with the large cast and the well developed world with lots of geographical and historical references.

As to point 2... well, honestly, MOST of the main story in the game is written okay, honestly; it's nothing *outstanding* like what Smith did with Vagrant Story, but there aren't really many problems with it.

The only big flaws in the translation are: the quest dialogue, which is ancillary to the game; the Daravonese tutorials, which are ancillary to the game; the tavern rumors, which are pretty important in getting a grasp of the overall depth of the story; a few names getting mixed up on L/R in various points -- Queen Ruvelia/Luveria is a good example. Overall, though, it's fine. And yes, the story is superb -- even if it's copied almost entirely from Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together.

I love Tactics Ogre and all, but that has got to be the dumbest subtitle ever. EVER.

FFT ****ing rules. Enjoy. Oh yea, and take it slow, and don't rush.

:lol

It's a great subtitle! I love the use of Queen stuff in the series -- Ogre Battle, March of the Black Queen, Teo Torriatte (Let Us Cling Together), Seas of Rhye, etc. Matsuno just loves Queen -- it's the same reason you get a chapter in FFT called Somebody to Love.

To my mind, FFT is perhaps the most overated game ever. It's a lousy tactical RPG because you get so few characters on the screen at the time. The story blows on several levels. Mostly because you the player aren't the main character, but basically 2nd fiddle. It's completely linear. And don't get me started on the ending. But one of the most ridiculous I've ever seen in an RPG.

Disagree. While much of the game's plot is cribbed from TO: LUCT, and is inferior to the original's plot, it's still pretty great -- the characters are interesting, as well as the history and competing motivations and interpersonal rivalries that exist for them; the world is a really fascinating place, and it's no wonder they've been able to stretch Ivalice out over so many games now, because there's such a nice amount of depth to it. Great villains, and some fantastic narrative overall.

 

[jiggle]

What's great about this game is there are so many ways to play it.


Calculators are all powerful for obvious reason.


But I wanna recommend dancers & bards combination. You can use them to lower every single mob's speed to 1 and increase your pt members to max. Awesome way for skilling up (dont' actually remember how to skill up in this game >< ) iirc. This also gives you the luxury to steal every single item you want, like the Genji set


Now i wanna replay this on PSP or PS3 D:

 

[Dice]

There are just too many options and personal taste involved with the actual tactics, so I'll give you some real advice:

READ THE STORY UPDATES IN THE MENUS, THE CUTSCENES ARE ONLY LIKE 20% OF THE STORY AND YOU'LL BE TOTALLY CONFUSED

 

[ethelred]

There are just too many options and personal taste involved with the actual tactics, so I'll give you some real advice:

READ THE STORY UPDATES IN THE MENUS, THE CUTSCENES ARE ONLY LIKE 20% OF THE STORY AND YOU'LL BE TOTALLY CONFUSED

Very good point. To really get a lot of what the game offers, you have to dig deeper than the cutscenes. Read the encyclopedia entries on the characters to find out about their backgrounds, and more importantly, what's happening to them during the current events. And constantly check the taverns to see if there are any rumor updates, and read those, too.

These things lay out a lot of the background for the game in terms of the political rivalries and the overall structure of Ivalice... and the character bios are just invaluable for understanding who they are and what's going on with them.

 

[Grayman]

Ninjas need Shields and Reflect pre-cast on them since they're usually deep in enemy lines alot.

I found ninjas worked fine with some support because two sword slashes from a ninja kills most enemies. Although I usually held my units back one turn always if they were going to be walking into the thick of battle by rushing ahead.

I stayed away from flails because they did really random damages. Although a good flail hit would do more damage than a ninja sword they did low damage attacks that were a waste often too.

 

[Red Scarlet]

Have fun playing. Agrias is cool.

 

[ethelred]

Have fun playing. Agrias is cool.

I liked her, too.

I actually prefer using the story characters, like Agrias, Mustadio (and yes, even Rafa and Malak, who can be fantastic characters if you tweak them right) much, much more than generics, through every one of my playthroughs of the game. There's a much stronger connection to them, I think, and it's just always more enjoyable to use unique characters like that.

 

[Fady K]

This game was a major disappointment for me after the great time I had with Tactics. And I want to forget that Sakimoto worked on this soundtrack.

 

[Error]

This game was a major disappointment for me after the great time I had with Tactics. And I want to forget that Sakimoto worked on this soundtrack.

what!?

you mean Tactics Ogre? FFT is like a carbon copy of TO with some changes here and there to appeal to the FF crowd. oh and the OST rocks.

 

[Pureauthor]

This game was a major disappointment for me after the great time I had with Tactics. And I want to forget that Sakimoto worked on this soundtrack.

See, they're are/were three games discussed in this thread, all with Tactics in their title.

Could you be a bit more specific?

 

[Fady K]

Sorry guys for not being specific!

Error, I meant the disappointment was Final Fantasy Tactics Advance - the story, the OST (big time), the characters.

I LOVE tactics ogre (kiss ass soundtrack indeed)

 

[gblues]

Really basic hint. There are random encounters on the map, fight these. Don't assume like I did that you just need to hit up the main fights, otherwise about halfway through you'll get to a castle (Riovaness, I think??) and get stuck on the second fight because you're not fast enough. And there's no way out of the castle. I actually had to erase the game and start over.

Also, calculator + ninja = teh win!

I almost--almost had the same problem. I was getting owned in the second half of that fight. Then, I read a FAQ with a cheese way to handle the fight:

Spoiler

At the end of the first fight, when you're down to just one bad guy, have all your party members use Yell (I think--the one that buffs your speed) until you're all moving faster than the last enemy; then use Accumulate to buff attack. When you kill the last bad guy and the transformation occurs, you keep all your buffs and can seriously pwn the 2nd fight within 3-4 hits.

 

[stiltskin]

this really is one of the best ps1 games out there. and probably one best srpg's around. if u can get by the first 10-15 hours, the rest is pretty smooth sailing. by that point u will have the battle system down pact and u can sit back and enjoy the story. Ivalis is definately the coolest FF world.

 

[Fady K]

this really is one of the best ps1 games out there. and probably one best srpg's around. if u can get by the first 10-15 hours, the rest is pretty smooth sailing. by that point u will have the battle system down pact and u can sit back and enjoy the story. Ivalis is definately the coolest FF world.

Exactly, my friend. That world is in FFXII

 

[Red Scarlet]

In name only, unless there are a lot of connections to FFTA; none come to mind from FFT.

 

[Fady K]

In name only, unless there are a lot of connections to FFTA; none come to mind from FFT.

Actually, its more than the name. From what Ive played and read as well, the settings are similiar, some of the races introduced in Ivalice FFTA are in FFXII, even heard rumors of

Spoiler

Montblanc

being in the game.

 

[Pureauthor]

even heard rumors of

Spoiler

Montblanc

being in the game.

*weeps*

 

[Red Scarlet]

Actually, its more than the name. From what Ive played and read as well, the settings are similiar, some of the races introduced in Ivalice FFTA are in FFXII, even heard rumors of

Spoiler

Montblanc

being in the game.

I also said none came to mind from FFT, not FFTA. "unless there are a lot of connections to FFTA; none come to mind from FFT". I was talking about places, people, etc. Some races from FFTA are in there

Spoiler

and there is a little Moogle named Montblanc in 12.

I mean actual locations, none from FFT appear to be in 12, so it's Ivalice in name only as far as I know. I did not play much of FFTA, so I don't know what from that might be in 12 location/people-wise, but I really didn't see anything from FFT.

 

[demi]

I also said none came to mind from FFT, not FFTA. "unless there are a lot of connections to FFTA; none come to mind from FFT". I was talking about places, people, etc. Some races from FFTA are in there

Spoiler

and there is a little Moogle named Montblanc in 12.

I mean actual locations, none from FFT appear to be in 12, so it's Ivalice in name only as far as I know. I did not play much of FFTA, so I don't know what from that might be in 12 location/people-wise, but I really didn't see anything from FFT.

I think it's aimed more towards FFTA than FFT with the races and such, especially since the confirmed spoiler -- have you played FFTA?

 

[Red Scarlet]

I got to around the 3rd battle (after some 'find grass' or some mission) and turned it off. Not too far.

 

[Aeana]

I mean actual locations, none from FFT appear to be in 12, so it's Ivalice in name only as far as I know.

There are actually a few locations from FFT mentioned in FF12, though mostly in the bestiary. I do remember one in particular that is mentioned in dialogue text, though:

Spoiler

Ordalia

, as well as one placename with some apparent link:

Spoiler

Zertinian Caverns in FF12, Zeltenia in FFT

. You don't go to anywhere from FFT, but there are indeed references.

 

[Lady Bird]

I mean actual locations, none from FFT appear to be in 12, so it's Ivalice in name only as far as I know.

It's the contrary than what you think, actually. The fact that FFT's locations don't appear on FFXII's part of the world only proves even more that both worlds are indeed the same.

Spoiler

FFXII takes place centuries before FFT and Vagrant Story (Year 704 Old Valendian, according with the Opening FMV), when the technology was still powered up by the magicite stones (known as the holy stones in FFT), and the Kiltia religion was still dominant (I think it was). At the end of FFXII, Balthier leaves a note to Vaan and Penelo saying something like "I found Clabados's hidden treasure." Glabados is the last name of St. Ajora, and will be the name of the dominant religion centuries later. Magicite eventually loses it's power during the time St. Ajora was alive, and technology falls. The races also get extinct somehow. I know that VS takes place in the "New Valendian" era (Matsuno talked about it in an interview), but I don't remember exactly the year. The cult named Kiltia in VS is somehow related with a "force" that is the source of magick, the darkness, much like the mist in FFXII was (Mist is related with the Oquelias, thus it's related with the Kiltia religion). Both mist and the darkness have some similatiries, but some differences as well. Maybe the mist suffered some modifications through the history of Ivalice? There are more connections, but I don't remember them all.

Some references that connect FFT/VS with FFXII are pretty vague, while others are blatantly obvious. But one thing I can say for sure, all those references/coincidences aren't random. Matsuno clearly choosed them carefully, as they follow a certain timeline without contradictions.

 

[Red Scarlet]

There are actually a few locations from FFT mentioned in FF12, though mostly in the bestiary. I do remember one in particular that is mentioned in dialogue text, though:

Spoiler

Ordalia

, as well as one placename with some apparent link:

Spoiler

Zertinian Caverns in FF12, Zeltenia in FFT

. You don't go to anywhere from FFT, but there are indeed references.

I didn't really read much of what was said in the bestiary, and the two Z places seemed similarly named, but not the same place/name.

Spoiler

Ordalia

doesn't ring a bell..where was that?

It's the contrary than what you think, actually. The fact that FFT's locations don't appear on FFXII's part of the world only proves even more that both worlds are indeed the same.

That would be contradictory to my response of 'you do not go to the same areas', which is what I was stating. Looking at the map you put up, I can see why that is. I was unaware of them being different parts of a larger map, so while playing, it didn't seem as though it was the same world, or a different part of the world that wasn't in Tactics. I can see what the answer to that is, now though. Thanks.

Different time periods makes sense, but what I was trying to refer to was "don't expect to go to Riovanes, or other locations that were in FFT". That's pretty much it.

I was simply responding to "Ivalis is definately the coolest FF world. Exactly, my friend. That world is in FFXII", as so not to get people's hopes dashed by thinking they'll see some familiar locales from FFT in FF12. That's cool that some stuff is mentioned a couple of times, though..when I play 12 in English, I'll probably catch some more stuff in the bestiary and such (in theory). I'm simply stating that I didn't see much connection between the two world's topography/locations, and said in (spelled differently) name only.

Looking at that map, there seems to be a bit more of the world to be uncovered in some later game, so that's cool. I wouldn't likely know any similarities/references from FFTA or VS, though.

 

[ethelred]

I didn't really read much of what was said in the bestiary, and the two Z places seemed similarly named, but not the same place/name.

Spoiler

Ordalia

doesn't ring a bell..where was that?

Spoiler

Ordalia

is the kingdom Ivalice is at war with prior to the start of the Lion War in Final Fantasy Tactics. It's where Balbanes and Orlandu fought together.

 

[Red Scarlet]

Oh, ok. Is that mentioned in the intro, or waaaaaaaaay into the game when you talk to Orlandu?

 

[Error]

did people really bother with Story characters? I didnt, they kind of break the game imo.

 

[ethelred]

Oh, ok. Is that mentioned in the intro, or waaaaaaaaay into the game when you talk to Orlandu?

It's primarily discussed during the tavern rumors as well as in lots of character bios (they mention Marquis Elmdor having fought in the war as well). It's also mentioned in several location bios, like for Zeltennia Castle and its environs. And I think they mention it in the cutscene when

Spoiler

Balbanes

dies.

did people really bother with Story characters? I didnt, they kind of break the game imo.

They don't break the game at all -- with the exception of Orlandu, who I do not use. The others? Yeah, I use them all the time. I prefer a party exclusively of story characters -- same as in Tactics Ogre and most other SRPGs. I prefer them to generics.

 

[Zaptruder]

Oh that's just great.

Walk into a FF Tactics thread, and walk out spoiled about FF12. :/

 

[Error]

I prefer generics (building your own army=fun), story character may not break the game but they make it a cakewalk.

edit: for clarification

 

[jett]

Still Matsuno's bestest.

 

[ethelred]

I prefer generics (building your own army=fun), they dont break the game but they make it a cakewalk.

FFT is a cakewalk no matter what you do. It's one of the easiest Square games ever made. Complaining about the story characters making the game too easy is like complaining that a spring shower will get you a little bit wet when you're sitting in the ocean.

I find taking characters with preset abilities, strengths, and limitations, and creating strategies for developing them while working within the confines of their limitations and assets... to be much more strategically rewarding than playing around with nameless blank slate generics.

Finding new and interesting ways to make Rafa a worthwhile character is far more entertaining that tweaking the hell out of Toby, Joshua, and Rrrjerofeiohfeoi the Squires.

Still Matsuno's bestest.

Yeah, I agree, Tactics Ogre is still Matsuno's best. But FFT is pretty good, too!

 

[Red Scarlet]

It's primarily discussed during the tavern rumors as well as in lots of character bios (they mention Marquis Elmdor having fought in the war as well). It's also mentioned in several location bios, like for Zeltennia Castle and its environs. And I think they mention it in the cutscene when

Spoiler

Balbanes

dies.




They don't break the game at all -- with the exception of Orlandu, who I do not use. The others? Yeah, I use them all the time. I prefer a party exclusively of story characters -- same as in Tactics Ogre and most other SRPGs. I prefer them to generics.

Oh, ok..been a long time since I've looked at those or tried to read what they were about.
The only 'game breaking' story characters are probably Orlandu and

Spoiler

Cloud

. Agrias + Meliadoul was fun; nearly as powerful as Orlandu, but not quite. And it gave Meliadoul a more "human opponent" expertise and Agrias a bigger "monster expertise" and good against humans, too.

ftw