Help FFXIII: Just started XIII, a couple questions...

[Addicted2INK]

I just started XIII on 360. I have already played and platinumed XIII-2. I am about 45 minutes in (I am a little past the part where you get paradigms), and I got a couple quick questions before I get to far into the game:

Is it me or are the controls different (worse) then XIII-2? Moving the character seems similar, but the right stick that controls where the character looks seems really slow making uncomfortable running.

The crystarium points... When I am upgrading the crystarium, if I chose a certain path when it gets to a fork am I able to still go back and do the other upgrades? Basically is it like XIII-2 where I believe you have to upgrade a certain way to get all levels to 99?

Is the entire game a forced path to travel? I know there are no towns, but will I always be on a forced path like the start of the game? Am I able to go back and replay areas? I am really only concerned with if there is an achievement I can miss and not be able to go back and get. I notice there are a lot of secret achievements and I don't like using any walkthroughs or guides until after I complete the game if I can't figure out an achievement or is absolutely necessary because I can't progress in the game.

Well, I am sure I will have more questions as I go along. Thank you.

 

[Shaissa]

first question, the controls as far as the battle screen are a little different, and it might feel more "uncomfortable" cause of how the game is set up.

second question, you can go back when you get that "fork" in your path, usually its just one or two other upgrades on the other side anyways.

third question for the most part till chapter... i think it was 10..might be later... the game is very linear and a straight path for the most part.

 

[Exoskeleton]

Is it me or are the controls different (worse) then XIII-2? Moving the character seems similar, but the right stick that controls where the character looks seems really slow making uncomfortable running.

Yea They improved that walking thing in the sequel. It's not just you

The crystarium points... When I am upgrading the crystarium, if I chose a certain path when it gets to a fork am I able to still go back and do the other upgrades? Basically is it like XIII-2 where I believe you have to upgrade a certain way to get all levels to 99?

You can go back I believe. You can fully upgrade all characters with all skills without missing a single thing. Go back if you want. It's not much of a problem in this game since you may often end up with tons of points to max out the crystarium levels in the beginning(or at least if you're grinding a bit in the beginning).

Is the entire game a forced path to travel? I know there are no towns, but will I always be on a forced path like the start of the game? Am I able to go back and replay areas? I am really only concerned with if there is an achievement I can miss and not be able to go back and get. I notice there are a lot of secret achievements and I don't like using any walkthroughs or guides until after I complete the game if I can't figure out an achievement or is absolutely necessary because I can't progress in the game.

Okay so most of the game is a forced path BUT there is one small section with missions you get to do that makes the game not so linear. You cannot go back and replay most levels but the big wide non linear level with the missions is accessible near the end of the game and you can beat the game and load the save to return there and finish all the missions, thus obtaining a fair amount of the hidden trophies. The only trophy I'd guess would be difficult getting is the one with obtaining every weapon and item in the game. That one may require another play through and I personally just couldn't find the will to do that.

 

[Addicted2INK]

Okay so most of the game is a forced path BUT there is one small section with missions you get to do that makes the game not so linear. You cannot go back and replay most levels but the big wide non linear level with the missions is accessible near the end of the game and you can beat the game and load the save to return there and finish all the missions, thus obtaining a fair amount of the hidden trophies. The only trophy I'd guess would be difficult getting is the one with obtaining every weapon and item in the game. That one may require another play through and I personally just couldn't find the will to do that.

Not that I always trust reviews, but after the reviews and gameplay so far (although very early), I do not think I will want to play threw a second time either. I will enjoy the game because how much I am of FF that even a shitty game can keep me interested for a play through and basically my OCD makes me have to platinum the game regardless of quality of the game. I am a wicked completionist. Which leads me to another thing I forgot to ask:

I notice I do not get gil from battles. Does this mean I will have to rely on selling things? I hate selling weapons, accessories, and equipment. I don't even like selling the components unless I know they are fairly easily re-obtainable. That's how much my completionist OCD kicks in, ha-ha.

 

[Addicted2INK]

I had to look this up as I couldn't figure it out to save my life. Tell me if I got this right; you can only go up in your stage of your role by what level you have reached in game? I didn't want to read too much into it because I hate relying on guides for any bulk or substance. Is this supposed to make it so you can't just relentlessly grind in the beginning to stack your character in early levels and early enemies?

 

[C i d]

I had to look this up as I couldn't figure it out to save my life. Tell me if I got this right; you can only go up in your stage of your role by what level you have reached in game? I didn't want to read too much into it because I hate relying on guides for any bulk or substance. Is this supposed to make it so you can't just relentlessly grind in the beginning to stack your character in early levels and early enemies?

Yes. The game limits you from over levelling by putting a cap in the crystarium. Once you fill up everything, you can only continue grinding once the crystarium levels up as the story progresses to the next chapter.

Come to think of it, FFXIII is really restrictive in so many ways for about 3/4 of the game...

Good luck in your playthrough anyway!

*moved to FFXIII help booth*

 

[Addicted2INK]

Ummm... So once SAB has cast all its spells on an enemy they stop casting and just sit there and watch? I noticed since I am early in the game and Vanille only has Deprotect and Deshell. When you get to the point for 3-way battles. I want her to cast something so the gauge to stagger doesn't empty so quickly as it does when you only have a RAV attacking but if the spells are all cast she just sits there. So annoying when fighting Pulsework Soldiers and they barely take damage unless staggered and I only have Sazh as RAV or SYN and Vanille RAV, SAB, or MED.

 

[C i d]

Ummm... So once SAB has cast all its spells on an enemy they stop casting and just sit there and watch? I noticed since I am early in the game and Vanille only has Deprotect and Deshell. When you get to the point for 3-way battles. I want her to cast something so the gauge to stagger doesn't empty so quickly as it does when you only have a RAV attacking but if the spells are all cast she just sits there. So annoying when fighting Pulsework Soldiers and they barely take damage unless staggered and I only have Sazh as RAV or SYN and Vanille RAV, SAB, or MED.

After casting deprotect and deshell right after stagger, just switch to double ravagers. That's the only way you can deal maximum damage anyway.

Though I could be wrong. It's been a long time since I played the game. Are the paradigms set by default and you can't change it at this stage of the game? Is there a RAV RAV paradigm?

 

[Addicted2INK]

No I could change them. It was only a short period I.was stuck with.those.two with only those roles. The problem I was having was if Vanille cast the Deprotect and Deshell on the Pulsework Soldier then I beat the other party and I am stuck with this Pulsework Soldier full health and Vanille sits there doing nothing. Yea I can switch to RAV RAV at this point but it is.useless because the Soldier takes almost no damage unless staggered and you can't get him staggered at that point in the game with just RAV RAV you need to start attacking or cast with COM (you don't have at that pot) or a SAB but Vanille won't do anything as a SAB because the Soldier already has both status effects. She just sits and watches, get what I mean. I know its confusing. So I am forced to RAV RAV for 5 minutes. They aren't necessarily hard to beat this way just time consuming and annoying .

*Because when you start the gauge with a COM attack or SAB cast the gauge doesn't empty so quick. If you can only use a RAV it empties too quickly you. can never fill it to cause stagger.

 

[C i d]

No I could change them. It was only a short period I.was stuck with.those.two with only those roles. The problem I was having was if Vanille cast the Deprotect and Deshell on the Pulsework Soldier then I beat the other party and I am stuck with this Pulsework Soldier full health and Vanille sits there doing nothing. Yea I can switch to RAV RAV at this point but it is.useless because the Soldier takes almost no damage unless staggered and you can't get him staggered at that point in the game with just RAV RAV you need to start attacking or cast with COM (you don't have at that pot) or a SAB but Vanille won't do anything as a SAB because the Soldier already has both status effects. She just sits and watches, get what I mean. I know its confusing. So I am forced to RAV RAV for 5 minutes. They aren't necessarily hard to beat this way just time consuming and annoying .

*Because when you start the gauge with a COM attack or SAB cast the gauge doesn't empty so quick. If you can only use a RAV it empties too quickly you. can never fill it to cause stagger.

Oh I get it now. I thought you were referring to a situation after the stagger bar has been filled fully.

I assume that Sazh cannot access COM at all at this point in the game? If that's the case, I'm afraid I can't find a good solution for you. Sorry about that.

 

[Kinikko]

I'm pretty sure Sazh starts with COM as a class. It's one of his "three main roles" or whatever, even though he sucks pretty bad as one.

 

[Addicted2INK]

Yea he didn't have COM yet. It was only like 5 battles I was stuck in those circumstances and the issue would only happen some times. It didn't make it hard to beat just annoyingly long. I posted.it mostly just to point out I don't understand why they would make it so if the enemy your targeting already has all the status effects the SAB is able to cast then she just sits there and watches and does nothing. Even if there is other enemies she won't focus on a different enemy and cast she just focuses on the enemy you do as normal and watches you fight.

*You probably wouldn even notice this except early in the game when the SAB only has two casts and only with enemies that can take good amount of damage and are easily susceptible to the casts, Pulsework Soldier only one theissue happened for me to notice.

 

[C i d]

Well FFXIII isn't exactly amazing in terms of gameplay. We, the players, just have to deal with it
Well anyway, get COM as soon as it is available.

 

[Paddy McGee]

I'm pretty sure Sazh starts with COM as a class. It's one of his "three main roles" or whatever, even though he sucks pretty bad as one.

No. He's the only character who starts with only one role: RAV.

Anyway, make sure to use your role boosts well- you can deal more damage if you, say, switch to COM when an attack starts.