Board 8 > what is going on in that ffviii intro (playthrough/spoilers)

(+) Yeah! (+)

my forehead hurts
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SeabassDebeste posted...

my forehead hurts

well that's what happens when you take a gunblade to the face
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wait this is just training?

WHY DID THAT GUNBLADE FALL OUT OF THE SKY
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god, i'm bad at keeping up with playthrough topics but i should really try for this one.

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SeabassDebeste posted...

wait this is just training?

WHY DID THAT GUNBLADE FALL OUT OF THE SKY

it's the value of cinematic presentation

the feather didn't literally turn into a gunblade
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Yeah it's like an anime opening that was also depicting a real event pre-game.


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I'm sorry, is this a blind FF8 playthrough topic

....tag

MartinFF7 posted...

I'm sorry, is this a blind FF8 playthrough topic

....tag

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i just spent 30 minutes reading an in-game explanation of a card game and junctioning

neither really makes sense but i guess we'll see from experimentation
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The game doesn't explain junctioning the best, so feel free to ask if you can't figure it out.

The card game is fun and easy to learn, but the starting deck they give you sucks. You might be better off waiting until you get better cards.
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Short version, none of your stats in this game are going to rest on leveling, just in what you junction to points like Strength/Vitality/whatever. And what you can junction depends on the GF

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Good luck with the playthrough!

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Dont believe anyone's lies that you're not supposed to fight random encounters either.

A myth from people who don't understand how to play the game.

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Oh have fun! By far one of the best Final Fantasy games.

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Sniperdog117 posted...

Oh have fun! By far one of the best Final Fantasy games.

Good man

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pjbasis posted...

Dont believe anyone's lies that you're not supposed to fight random encounters either.

A myth from people who don't understand how to play the game.

Not leveling is basically easy mode. The game rewards levels by scaling enemies by level by far more than your party could scale by level.

LeonhartFour posted...

the feather didn't literally turn into a gunblade

what? this changes everything about ff8 for me

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Tag

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Leafeon13N posted...

Not leveling is basically easy mode. The game rewards levels by scaling enemies by level by far more than your party could scale by level

Yes I know this is the same flawed logic everyone uses. Doesn't change what I said. The AP and item drops make you far stronger than enemy levels can keep up with, plus many bosses have fixed levels.

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Well, that, and proper junctioning will always keep you ahead of the enemies. The game allows you to avoid fighting should you so choose but it's certainly not a necessity.

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So okay, I'm like 1:40 in but I've accomplished significantly less than what that time might imply. We wake up in the infirmary (my forehead hurts) and find out... it was all training. Seifer needs to take a chill pill. We're in a SeeD academy (known as a Garden) in Balamb to train mercenaries. We're greeted and escorted to class by Instructor Quistis, who plays so hard into the hot-for-teacher trope it's embarrassing. (She later points out that she suspects her presence causes male students to choke on their practical exams.)

I spend the next 40 minutes or so logged onto Squall's school terminal, going through every tedious and confusing explanation. The instructions will be reiterated several times by Quistis in the next hour but it's hard to internalize everything. On the other hand, the world-building around the school is interesting. Particularly like the complaints about people using magic and weapons in the rush for cafeteria hot dogs, and the bulletin board being hijacked by people just messing around.

When I finally get out, I'm beset by a new student, who transferred into this Garden from one of the others, presumably. I escort her to the atrium and then set off exploring all the regions Squall explains. The school is really busy with foot traffic! Almost everyone is going somewhere, which gives a great visual effect, though the vast majority of the trafficking folk is incredibly forgettable (lots of "I'd better work hard!" types). On the other hand, the fixed-location NPCs are great. The cafeteria is the most enjoyable place; evidently Seifer is part of a disciplinary committee, and Raijin (who wrote on the bulletin board, and looks far older than the age limit of nineteen) is kinda fun and bumbling as Seifer's lackey. We've got people who talk about how they are loser and therefore "SaaD" (love it!) and self-avowed Quistis Fanboy #1... yeah.

Quistis awaits outside the gate (which takes an absurd number of contentless screens to get to), and then we're suddenly off to the world map. One thing I immediately hate is that there's no way to center the camera; I'm told to go East to the Fire Tavern, but I spend 20-30 minutes getting into battles not realizing that 1. you can walk into those textured forests, which are not walls, and that 2. the minus button (and not the plus button) toggles the on-screen map. The forests contain significantly more damaging enemies.

The encounter rate seems absurd on the world map at times, But the cave is actually super-close to the Garden, so in we go. I request 40 minutes so I can take notes, but we waste Ifrit in about 10-15 minutes total. (Quistis tells me to use Ice magic a lot during this time, but... er, I have none except Shiva.) I obviously do use Shiva a few times in the dungeon, and three times against Ifrit, which wastes him. (He also comments on how tough Shiva is.)

With the Fire Tavern checked off, we're able to go for the SeeD exam, but first it's time to ditch Quistis and change into our school uniform (which the rules otherwise do not require us to wear.) There's a save point outside Squall's dorm, so we'll grab that one and rest for now.

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* lots of talk about GF but what about that feel when no GF

* With Quistis departing, Squall is sporting all three of the GFs I have (Quetzlcoatl, Shiva, Ifrit). He's got Draw and Magic and... either Item or... something else? I'm very open to hearing about how I should junction things.

* One nice thing about the excessive tutorial is that I finally learned what all the stats mean. Who knew that Spirit referred to magic defense?

* Squall looks more emo than I thought he would - he looks like he's wearing eyeliner. Otherwise he looks cool, though his teeth looked rough in the intro video. Possible that's introduced by the HD remaster.

* Fun watching Squall and Seifer sprawl out in the back of the classroom.

* Why do you run when you don't hold B, but walk when you do? I mean I guess it's not a bad feature, but it's weird.

* Why are all the instructor NPCs faceless?

* Shiva's near-nakedness always makes me feel weird playing the game.

* Fun school detail #1: Raijin loves the saga of Pupurin - he has "Goodbye, Pupurin" overdue at the library and has on hold "Welcome Back, Pupurin."

* Fun school detail #2: the random sprinting hot dog guy who attracts Seifer's attention.

* Fun school detail #3: that guy talking with the girl about how he wasn't a big fan of her fave murder mystery book... but who will obviously be reading the next one.

* Timing the Gunblade right is unintuitive and doesn't feel very good. The animation is just somehow a second too early or too late for me to time right. I hit on it only 40%-60% of the time. I've also yet to let Squall reach Limit Break territory and wouldn't want to waste that.

* The four FF games I've played in any singificant capacity before this are 4 (DS), 6, 7, and 10 (about a third to a half of the game). FFVIII immediately differs by having a really slow intro. It hasn't paid off yet, but I'm not too concerned about that. I'm hoping that there's something cool that happens in most of the school grounds areas, because it's massive.

* On the other hand, FFVII showed me that battles were going to get longer to the point where ATB felt like a bit of a chore with long summon animations and changing camera angles, and FFVIII isn't changing that. Part of why I'm playing older RPGs instead of newer ones is for their relative quickness, but this hasn't been super-encouraging! We're starting the game with the best method of attack being Summons.

* I've heard FFVIII's soundtrack is supposed to be great, but I don't think there's been a single notable track yet (other than possibly the boss theme, which I'm looking forward to experiencing in a more involved battle).
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SeabassDebeste posted...

* I've heard FFVIII's soundtrack is supposed to be great, but I don't think there's been a single notable track yet (other than possibly the boss theme, which I'm looking forward to experiencing in a more involved battle).

You weren't a fan of the intro song?

Other than that - most of the best songs come later in the game. FFVIII has a wild intro, then starts slow in basically every way, music included.

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SeabassDebeste posted...

* Squall looks more emo than I thought he would - he looks like he's wearing eyeliner. Otherwise he looks cool, though his teeth looked rough in the intro video. Possible that's introduced by the HD remaster.

His HD Remaster is based more on the Dissidia version, where he does look more emo. In the original, he looks much more like the version you see in FMVs in the original.

SeabassDebeste posted...

* Why do you run when you don't hold B, but walk when you do? I mean I guess it's not a bad feature, but it's weird.

Because running became the default when you move starting with VIII, which makes sense, because everyone runs 99% of the time anyway.

SeabassDebeste posted...

* Timing the Gunblade right is unintuitive and doesn't feel very good.

Really? I almost never miss with Squall's gunblade. It'll become second nature soon enough.

SeabassDebeste posted...

We're starting the game with the best method of attack being Summons.

yeah this is a common misconception that most first-timers make when playing FFVIII (including me!)

don't become overly reliant on GFs and learn how to use Junctions to enhance your strength and magic instead

Also, prioritize learning refining abilities on all your GFs. It's the easiest way to get good spells to junction.
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LeonhartFour posted...

Also, prioritize learning refining abilities on all your GFs. It's the easiest way to get good spells to junction.

This is by far the best single piece of advice for a first timer.

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pjbasis posted...

plus many bosses have fixed levels.

Which bosses? I remember every boss in the game scales up with you until a certain point where they hit a level cap. In theory you could over level yourself to pass the cap and have an easier time, although that would probably be more effort than it's worth, and the strategy of keeping your levels low while boosting your stats will make you a much stronger overall.

I'm not saying that's a good strategy for a first time player, or even someone who wants to enjoy the game since it can be kind of boring to curb stomp every battle, but I wouldn't say that it's not the best way to become as strong as possible.

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Draw from everything at least once to see what it has, ESPECIALLY bosses

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Yes, always draw from bosses because some of them have GFs that you can only get from them.

Well, kinda, you do get a second chance if you miss out, but not until literally the last dungeon of the game, so there's not much point!

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One of the biggest things I remember about scaling is that at low levels a lot of enemies are missing key abilities.

That said, last time I played FF8 I stayed at level 1 and kept the party in yellow health for the entire game. It was easy mode for sure. There is no boss in the game that survives this strategy.

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Yeah the gameplay loop is make sure you learn your refinement abilities from your GFs. You have to dive through some menus to find your GF abilities, and then you can personally select which of their abilities to learn next. The refinement abilities have Mag-RF in the name. With those you can turn some items you have dropped from enemies into magic spells without having to use the Draw command excessively (but you should always have at least one character with this on, and try drawing from every new enemy you see, especially bosses!)

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play more FFVIII
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Yes I know this is the same flawed logic everyone uses. Doesn't change what I said. The AP and item drops make you far stronger than enemy levels can keep up with, plus many bosses have fixed levels.

The answer is to learn Card and THEN battle. Carded monsters give AP and drops but no EXP.

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Well there are multiple ways to make an omelette or something

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Played a bit more last night. After getting changed, it's time to take that exam. Our team consists of Zell ("Lively? More like loud") and Seifer. Squall is extremely reticent on the ride over. Seifer is our team captain, and after a very nice cinematic of the ships pulling onto shore, it's time to start the exam.

One of the things that's immediately unsettling is how excited the SeeD candidates are to kill the enemy. Squall is included - for the most part, he's just bored and wants something to do. We (Group B) wind up storming in, with Groups A and C on the periphery, and quickly secure Central Square. Since that seems to have been too easy, we wind up running up Communications Tower (with some cool music!) to fight some more guys. Selphie, the girl from earlier, replaces Seifer seamlessly. (Seifer's gunbalde is more intuitive for me than for others.)

Biggs and Wedge are up there. They're trying to do some sort of weird summon thing? I go slowly through hack-and-slashing them until I finally get tired of it and use a few summons. During the fight, a massive boss sweeps them away, and I have to take care of it instead, which winds up netting me a new GF, Siren.

With his dying breath, Biggs/Wedge curses me with a giant mechanical Scorpion, for some reason. This thing has 5500+ HP and can't be beaten at my current strength, because it regenerates to 100% health after getting low enough. Zell tells me to run the first time, but I ignore it until it actually does regenerate; then I get the picture that it's a recurring enemy to damage and then run from. It's kind of a clever design, but not getting any exp from it is very unsatisfying!

When we hit the sub, Quistis winds up annihilating it with a machine gun, and then it's back to safe harbors. Seifer goes back in his car, and I'm stuck with Zell and Selphie again. We hole up in one of the beach town hotels and save.

I'm using Draw a lot. I didn't realize at first you could Draw on ???. Have Esuna, Scan, Protect, and Blizzard on some guys in addition to Fire and Thunder from before. I've also got the three GFs all on their Refine skills. Think some might have learned it. What do now?

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* Seifer says to save the EXP for one of the enemies for him. I don't intend to, but he actually does land the killing blow.

* It's hilarious how much of a tryhard Seifer is. He HATES when people wish him luck (though Quistis laughs this off) and he has a secret dream... a ROMANTIC dream.

* Zell is mostly kinda annoying for now. He's a character who I feel would work better with a sprite. Has potential though.

* I like the Chrono Trigger style of party members running around behind the lead character.

* I was bothered by Zell's teeth again.

* Cute dog is cute.
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SeabassDebeste posted...

(Seifer's gunbalde is more intuitive for me than for others.)

Huh, I always struggle with Seifer's.

SeabassDebeste posted...

Zell tells me to run the first time, but I ignore it until it actually does regenerate; then I get the picture that it's a recurring enemy to damage and then run from. It's kind of a clever design, but not getting any exp from it is very unsatisfying!

You actually can ultimately defeat it if you're willing to stick it out. You have to run from it the first time you fight it, but you can drain its HP to zero any other time after that.

SeabassDebeste posted...

I've also got the three GFs all on their Refine skills. Think some might have learned it. What do now?

Go to Abilities in the menu and click on them, and it should let you scroll through your item inventory. Anything you can refine should be white, and it'll tell you what they refine into.

For instance (I'll put it in spoilers in case you don't want specific pointers), learn Life Mag-RF from Siren, and you can refine 10 Curagas from 1 Tent. Buy 30 Tents, and you instantly have 100 Curagas for each party member. Curagas junction extremely well to HP, so stick it on that and you should be nigh unkillable for a long time.

But yeah, after you learn refine abilities, prioritize HP-J, Str-J, and all of those next because they unlock stats for you to junction spells to. Eventually, you should be able to get a GF loadout for everyone that has all those stats unlocked.
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SeabassDebeste posted...

It's hilarious how much of a tryhard Seifer is. He HATES when people wish him luck (though Quistis laughs this off) and he has a secret dream... a ROMANTIC dream.

seifer the best
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I find Seifers gunblade harder too

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Mag-J is pretty important too at least in the early game because the higher your magic stat is the more spells you get from each draw.

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Me and friends used to say "chickenwuss" all the time as kids thanks to him.

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Grand Kirby posted...

Which bosses? I remember every boss in the game scales up with you until a certain point where they hit a level cap.

Oh actually you're right I think that's what I was thinking of. While it'd be dumb to grind in a game like this, the fact that it actually is possible to grind and still stomp from pure leveling is the opposite of what everyone says.

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pjbasis posted...

Oh actually you're right I think that's what I was thinking of. While it'd be dumb to grind in a game like this, the fact that it actually is possible to grind and still stomp from pure leveling is the opposite of what everyone says.

not quite. High level random encounters can actually be very dangerous if you dont prepare for them carefully.

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Tag

Triple Triad is the absolute best

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The primary issue is that if you're not careful with how you handle increasing your character's stats (which a LOT of new players have difficulty with because off FF8's incredibly unique and unusual stat system) you can easily level up without gaining the strength needed to handle the enemies who level up with you.

I feel like there's a bit of a tier list on how well you can play FF8 and achieve good results in how grow your characters.

From newbie to more experienced player:

• Stumble your way through the game without understanding Junctioning and GF abilities, level up normally, spam Summons, and eventually struggle when enemies start to outclass you

v

• Avoiding leveling up and using Junctioned magic to boost your stats and carry you through most of the game by keeping enemy levels low.

v

• Using Junctioned magic, refining, GF abilities, and other bonuses to play the game as it was intended and maintain a balance between your strength and the enemy strength

v

• Avoiding leveling up and using Junctioned magic to boost your stats and carry you through most of the game then after you learn all the stat boosting abilities powerleveling your characters to become gods and thoroughly crushing the end game enemies and super bosses

Well, that's how I progressed over the course of the many times I've replayed this game. I'm not saying one way is objectively better than the other (and wouldn't say an easier way is more fun), but there are definitely different levels in how you decide to play the stat system in this game that open up more possibilities the more you understand how it works and what you can do with it.

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Tag

When I played I didnt avoid leveling at all, but I made sure to get all of the cards/magic I could at any given point so I was still stomping everything

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So I get back to Garden, where people are deliberating who passed the exam. Xu is impressed by Squall, and Quistis of course takes credit. The principal is there as well; he says our actions were impressive, to which we respond with Squall's catchphrase: "...whatever."

We also run into Seifer, who is pretty bitter about not getting to finish the job at the Comm Tower due to the time limits. Evidently that was the real goal of the G Army, whose name I'm not really gonna remember. Quistis drops by to tell us that following orders is also important, and that Seifer will never become SeeD. Knowing coming into the game that Seifer is Squall's rival, and after that thrilling intro scene in which Seifer leaves his signature on Squall's face, it's kinda surprising that Squall is promoted before Seifer.

Which, of course, he is. Selphie and Zell, too. This game is still, like, bizarrely low-stakes. We then change into our SeeD outfits, which are crackin', for a ball. At this point, Squall is accosted by Selphie, to whom we agree to run the School Festival.

After that, a girl whom I can only assume is Rinoa. (Wasn't Squall hugging her in the intro? Due to having the same hair color and everyone continuously changing outfits, she doesn't look very distinct from Selphie yet. The way Squall reacts to her is entirely different, though - while he's still a bit reticent, his jaw literally drops. The new girl brings an electric energy; while she has yet to show much beyond fantasy-girl, that alone is captivating enough now. That dance scene is legit thrilling - like something out of a Jane Austen movie.

When the dance is over, we hang out outside and Quistis comes out again. This woman is so damn thirsty for Squall. She tells us to meet her in the training area later, which we do, and she warns us about the T-Rex and advises us to use Sleep on it. I quickly check, and nope, I do not have Sleep... however, the only enemy that appears in the training zone is a venus flytrap that happens to drop Sleep. Neat. I keep Drawing on them over and over, but they seem to have an inexhaustible supply, so at some point I stop Drawing and start just killing them. (If there is only one at a time, that is - I run from any more than that.) We do encounter one T-Rex early on, but Quistis is unable to put it to sleep because it turns out that the strength of junctioned magic depends on the quantity of magic you have (and Quistis only has 9 Sleep at the time), so we run from it. By the end of it, Quistis has 50ish Sleep, but we don't encounter any more T-Rex.

We reach a romantic makeout spot where Quistis tell us that she's been sacked as teacher, and that she's only eighteen. That makes some of the fixation on Squall less weird, but it's still pretty weird. Like, hot teacher, okay. But a hot teacher fangirling over her student? Ehhh. Anyway, Squall destroys her emotionally ("Go talk to a wall... I don't want to carry anyone's burden." LOL), and then we encounter a quick boss along with (sigh) a damsel in distress. It has a main part up top and four little minions, but they're so weak that two GFs annihilate them without further comment. Then it's just a matter of a few strikes to finish it off.

More to come.

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* This didn't come up this segment, but the backstory of the world involves some witch. Might be of note!

* I wasn't bothered by Squall's teeth this time.
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I always thought it was weird we never get to reenter that area with Quistis and Squall after the dance again.

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What if your opinion about headmaster Robin Williams?

Also, you're playing the remastered version, right? So you miss out on this classic moment:


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SeabassDebeste posted...

I keep Drawing on them over and over, but they seem to have an inexhaustible supply, so at some point I stop Drawing and start just killing them

Yeah, you can keep drawing over and over again until you hit 100. The enemies never run out of spells. You only run out of room.

Also, the dance scene is fantastic. Squall literally trying to walk off the dance floor in the middle of it cracks me up every time.
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The dance scene is up there as one of the best Final Fantasy moments.

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