Let's Play Final Fantasy Tactics (Update 10)

[Xor]

If it'll make you feel better I could kill off someone else.

 

[Major_Blackhart]

Nah, but if you do bring me back, make me a sexy knight with huge tits and a cock to match.

 

[lightbane]

Will you try to obtain the special characters?

 

[Xor]

You mean

Spoiler

Cloud, Worker 8, etc

?

Yeah, I'll get them towards the end. Although I'll have to look up how because I don't remember.

Also, I won't be doing Deep Dungeon. The makers of the Insane Difficulty mod recommend you to be level 99 when you try the new Deep Dungeon and I just refuse to grind up to that point. It's also supposed to be the hardest challenge in the game and I'm having difficulty with the regular battles.

 

[Major_Blackhart]

Yes, but at 99, you'll be much better equipped for the task, especially if you poach to get the uber weapons in the game.

 

[Xor]

I'm probably not going to be able to update until Sunday. I'm busy all day tomorrow and Saturday I'm going apartment hunting which will probably take up most the day. And I have finals to study for.

Yes, but at 99, you'll be much better equipped for the task, especially if you poach to get the uber weapons in the game.

Monsters have higher stat growth rates than humans with the patch. The best items won't really make up the difference.

 

[Damned Registrations]

I'm curious what he could have filled it with to make it a genuine challenge. By the time you've grinded to 99, you obviously have your ideal jobskills on everyone, and access to all the special characters and best items. Special enemy only equipment/classes/stats/abilities would do the trick I suppose. Would be a bitch fighting against a boss with 100 brave, 0 faith, bladegrasp reaction, innate no charge, and a custom spell that just crystalizes the target. (You can make such a thing by dicking with gameshark codes, so it's more than viable for the rom hack.)

Hell, you could even make an enemy with 20000 HP, 100 brave and Hp Restore reaction. Would need Rafa or Malak to kill it. What a laugh that would be.

 

[Monocause]

I have a rather weird issue with the game. It emulates perfectly (with some stutter when lightning changes, but that doesn't bother me much). However there're two thing wrong: first, the plot text that appears on-screen (like this one here: http://archaicsoft.com/img/lp-sd3/FFT0041.jpg) shows up extremely slow, no idea if it was intended but I guess it wasn't.

Second, world map doesn't show up. It's kinda difficult to describe and I can't be arsed to take screenshots. I can see it when I scroll around but when I don't I see a black board with some spot lightning on it. My guess is that the config I use has issues with texture lightning in general - perhaps the slow text is somehow related to that too. Dialogue text renders normally.

What emulator do you guys use? Care to share a proper config? These issues are relatively minor but the slow plot text does get annoying.

 

[Xor]

I have both of those issues. The plot text being slow was there in the original game, and the map issue is a problem that I've been too lazy to try and fix. Scrolling or opening the menu usually causes the background to reappear anyway.

 

[Monocause]

I have both of those issues. The plot text being slow was there in the original game

Someone should nuke japs again. How can anyone even think that watching single letters slowly appearing on-screen can be fun?

Thanks for the reply. I'll manage without the WM then, too lazy to activate my google-fu too. Cheers!

 

[Damned Registrations]

The text thing is a weird one. First of all, I'm guessing it's a lot less annoying in japanese, where every character is a whole word anyways. Second, for some reason they decided each line should take the same amount of time to display, regardless of how many characters are in it. So some lines aren't so bad, but for others you get

T      h     e      L     i       o       n           W       a      r

Still, all the other text in the game is fine, just the in between chapter narration that's weird. What :enraged: me was when I bought the PSP version remake only to discover that they had fucked the port so badly the combat sounds weren't synched with the animations. It's what spurred me to hack my PSP when I found out you could play the PSX version on an emulator on the PSP faster than their fucking remake.

 

[spekkio]

I just wanted to post that I've tested PSP version on JPCSP and it works. Slow as fuck but works.

Still, it's much better idea to use PSX version with Easy / Hard version of 1.3 Patch and PSP retranslation.

 

[Xor]

I know I said I would try to update this yesterday, but I've been crazy busy over the past few days. Beating these insane difficulty battles usually takes a few hours for each battle, plus all the time it takes to type up the dialog, plus the 30 minutes to an hour I spend editing everything, resizing images, etc. I don't really have that kind of time right now. I may have to put future updates on hold until finals are over and I'm moved into my new place.

In any event, I'll try to finish the next update today. I was kind of stuck on the 2nd out of 3 fights last night, but I was really fucking tired last night so maybe I just wasn't thinking clearly.

 

[spekkio]

Beating these insane difficulty battles usually takes a few hours for each battle

I'm too much of a casual gaymer recently for such things.

 

[Major_Blackhart]

The fuck. WHen is this shit getting updated fag?

 

[Xor]

I have three finals left and I just finished the last programming project I had due. After that I have to move the rest of my shit to my new place. Which won't have internet until late next week. At some point I'll find time to finish update 10. I finished 2 of the battles at the monastery and they were both pretty fucking brutal.

So yeah, I don't know when I'll be updating this but I will update it. After finals are over and I'm finished moving I'll have a lot more free time to play Tactics.

 

[betamin]

You better.

 

[Xor]

Update 10 - Everybody Hates Prosper

Last time we met Olan, a random guy who some thieves were trying to kill. Then we visited Lesalia and talked to Zalbag, who told us to go back to Russia Igros. After that we talked to Alma but were ambushed by the Spanish Inquisition. Now we're going to Orbonne monastery where Alma tells us another zodiac stone is waiting.

And we're off to a great start.
*sigh*

U, ugh...Alma...Why are you...here?

What happened?

It's dangerous...here. Hurry...run. They...came for the Holy Stone 'Virgo'...

Holy Stone!? Then Alma was right...

The stone's been a royal treasure for generations...When Princess Ovelia came here, they gave it to us as proof of her status.

Who are 'they'? Who's trying to get the stone?

You're Alma's older brother Prosper, aren't you? Don't get any more involved. You'll be killed.....

"Wait! It must be here somewhere! Look for it!"
"We can go underground from here. Let's go!"

I'm a fugitive, branded by the church as a 'heretic. Is it because of the stone? Please tell me. Who are they?

I think it was because we killed that cardinal, Prosper. The stone was there, sure, but the murder is probably what they're pissed about.

High Priest and his sect are trying to regain power. First, they're reducing Larg and Goltana's military power by causing in-fighting. If the war drags on, it not only reduces their power, but trust in the royal family.

This is useful exposition.

What's the real reason for collecting the stones...and reviving the Zodiac Braves?

To gain the people's trust, of course.

But the Cardinal's already joined Lucavi. If it's only the stone's power, it'd be strong enough to replace the military. Funeral wants that power?

Again, the High Priest is named Funeral. And it turns out he's evil. Someone probably should have seen this coming.

You're different from your brothers. More like Balbanes. Perhaps you might be able to destroy their ambition.

We can't leave Simon alone. Hide in a safe place!

....OK, I will.

Oh for fuck's sake Prosper don't leave the zodiac stone with Alma. You're leaving a completely defenseless girl with a wounded old man alone in a place that's being invaded by an unknown number of enemies. You moron.

If I don't come back, make sure to throw it in Burgrosa Sea. OK?

I regret I can't help you. I wish I were born a man...



OK, I didn't expect to find some Codexian fetish material in this game. Seriously. Even after the gay joke earlier, or a tentacle rape joke I couldn't make because the screenshots didn't come out.

Don't be silly. You're the only one I trust.

Brother...

Take care of Simon!

Battle 29

The fuck? I'm pretty sure the Onion Knight is exclusive the the PSP version of this game. But for some reason we get one on our team in this fight.

OK, so basically this fight didn't go very well.

This time we pulled everyone back and made the lancers come to us. Hopefully we can do them enough damage that they die before they can rape us.

One of the lancers has Hamedo and a really high brave, meaning attacking him in melee is basically suicide. But he can't counterattack Andhaira's throw ability.

And with the lancers dead, we can take out the time mages.

This fight wasn't too difficult.

Uh oh.

Underground! Let's go!

Battle 30

Heretic Prosper, hand us the stone!

No, why don't you give me yours? Do as I say and I'll let you live!

You think you can beat us?! Then I'll take it by force!

OK, this is going to be a problem.

Yeah, I'm not even sure how we're going to win this fight.

Ugh. This fight was seriously fucking brutal. I don't have many screenshots either. Most of them would just have been the party being slaughtered, though. So, skipping to when I finally beat the fight...

Though you're a Beoulve, you don't obey your brothers. Why?

Because they're assholes.

It's because I'm a Beoulve that I don't obey them! The name shouldn't be used for self-gain, but rather for divine 'justice'! During the War, my father fought and died to save the people from invasion...Beoulves must not fight for a defunct royal family, but only for Noble rights.

Then, let's fight together! Our goals are the same! Listen well, Prosper! The Glabados want a world where all people are equal! St. Ajora's ideal world, is 'God's world'! You know people don't trust the royal family or nobility! We must do something with Ivalice before it is ruined!

You started this war! Was that the will of God?

Certain sacrifices must be made for the revolution! Decadent royalty and nobles must pay! For the people! Now, cooperate with us. As Delita did!

I guess we know who Delita is working for now.

but what you really want is...a stronger army than the Knights, and the evil power to control the people.

'Evil power'? No, the stone is 'holy'!

Is that why it turns people into DEMONS?

We want to guide people by God's miracle! Never "evil power"!

You know the Cardinal joined Lucavi, right? If that's not 'evil power', I don't know what is!

What do you mean? You killed the Cardinal and took the stone from him!

After he turned into a fucking DEMON.

But he died because he was secretly collecting the Holy Stones for us.

I can't die...I must bring the stone back! Prosper, The next time I see you, will be your last! Remember!

Wait! Izlude!!

Battle 31

Oh look. We left Alma alone and she got captured.

Oh hey, it's our old friend Wiegraf. He was the leader of the Death Corps all the way back in chapter 1.

You, come this way!

Help me! Brother Prosper!

Kidnapping count: 5

Here's Prosper! It would be a fatal mistake to underestimated them! Don't let your guard down!!

Finally I can avenge Miluda's death.

So Wiegraf opened this fight by killing Cleve, our only healer. Yeah.

And he has Hamedo so we're not going to touch him in melee. Fucking hell.

After a few more attempts, Cleve didn't die to Wiegraf's opening move.

Been a long time, Prosper. Glad to see you again!!

You've become a dog for the church and have forsaken your ideals!

You don't understand how hard it is to fulfill your ideal. Even if your ideal is great, it's just a dream if you can't fulfill it! So how can you fulfill it? You need power! That's the politics of the world! I can see it clearly now! You can't fulfill your dreams without power! You say I'm a dirty dog of the church! Go ahead!! I don't care! You can despise me, but I'll be laughing at the end. You'll all submit to me!

So it turns out Wiegraf has basically completely abandoned his principals. Which is too bad, he was a pretty cool guy.

Since the objective of this fight is to kill Wiegraf, the plan here is basically to murder the shit out of him.

Even if you couldn't fulfill your dream, your people wouldn't have forgotten you. Your ideals and actions inspired your people and even stirred up the old Noble customs! Your actions have meaning only if they hold true to your ideals. Miluda and your old comrades would be disappointed with your current choice of actions.

Probably not smart to bring up Miluda, Prosper, since you're the one who killed her.

If you need someone else to fulfill your dreams, it loses its value. Wouldn't you agree?

You say you are different? You say you depend on no one? You'll never know the feeling of the 'Meager'! You may think you know it, but you've never lived it! You'd never know! 'Reality' is far harsher than you can possibly imagine. Why do you blame me? You have no right to blame me!

We've managed to drop Wiegraf to half health already. This is actually going pretty well.

Oh FFS.

With a little help from Andhaira, Volourn takes out Wiegraf.

I'm...a member...of Zodiac Braves... with 'Aries'... I... can't... lose... like this!

Where are you! Wiegraf!

Wiegraf isn't in very good shape.

Don't worry...about me...Just...go!

Go....Izlude....

Uh...why are you even kidnapping Alma? Why not drop her and take Wiegraf?

Sorry, Wiegraf!!

Wait! Izlude!!

Damn...I can't die here. I can't face my dead allies without avenging Miluda...No...I don't want to die...

Oh shit.

What....? The stone...spoke...?

Is this the stone's secret?

God dammit.

Wiegraf.......!

Prosper, its power is magnificent! No, not just the power. Centuries of knowledge ingrained into my brain.

Hya, ha...superb...Superb power........!

Well at least we didn't have to fight him one on one. I'm glad that will never happen.

What is this book?

Germonik, a disciple of St. Ajora wrote it....It had been missing...till I found it in the underground library....It explains in detail about the Zodiac Brave Story...

Please don't try to talk!

That's all right.....I'm a sinner...I knew of the church's wrongdoing...but said nothing...You can bring them to justice with this book!

Well, that's convenient.

You can bring Alma back with this book...

Simon!!

Whew, now I can finally rest. Take care of the rest...Prosper......You're just like Balbanes...when he was young.

Simon!!

Well, Simon's dead, Alma's been kidnapped, and Wiegraf has turned into a fucking demon. So all in all, it's been a good day. Might as well go to Dorter and see if there's some new shit we can buy.

God dammit Prosper, we can't take you anywhere.

Where is Alma?

If you want her back, come to Riovanes Castle. But you must bring the 'Germonik Scriptures' given to you at the monastery.

Oh come on, we just got those!

What does it mean to you?

Haven't you read it?

Prosper can't read.

Oh, that's hilarious. They give you a choice.

No, not yet. Is it an important book?

A blissful ignorant. Your life's in danger, and yet you don't even realize the importance of the book. Well...no matter. You've been warned.

That's it for now. Next time we'll make our way to Riovanes, and that will take us to the end of chapter 3. Some fun fights in Riovanes.

 

[Damned Registrations]

You actually can read the book. I can't remember what menu it's buried in though.

Also, those fights look awesome. You're going to need some seriously power gamey shit to handle the endgame if it keeps ramping up like that.

Lastly, you forgot to mention something about Olan... his last name is Durai. As in, the Durai report, which is the narration of this game.

 

[Xor]

Also, those fights look awesome. You're going to need some seriously power gamey shit to handle the endgame if it keeps ramping up like that.

Yeah, Izlude was fucking absurd. But Wiegraf was surprisingly easy, mostly because he just rushes your party while his backup takes their time, and a few AOE effects made most of them waste their turns healing.

Lastly, you forgot to mention something about Olan... his last name is Durai. As in, the Durai report, which is the narration of this game.

Oh yeah, I was pretty sure he had some purpose but I couldn't remember what it was.

You actually can read the book. I can't remember what menu it's buried in though.

I checked, and I decided to do this.

Update 10a - A Wall of Text

Special bonus update!

"The text was in an ancient holy script with drawings in places. It was damaged and hard to read. I wondered what was written in it? Then, I saw some words in a language I recognized. Somebody had written some notes in the 'Ikoku language'. Who could have done it?"
"Judging from the ink, the older notes were written years ago. But the newer ones were written only days ago. It smudged when I rubbed it. The ink was not yet dry. They were written by the same person. I realized Simon had been slowly translating this book over the years."

"It says, This is written by a follower of St. Ajora, Germonik...Germonik...? I'd heard that name before...Must've been in history class."

Or it could have been when you read the title of the book.

"Then, it came to me. Germonik was the disciple who betrayed St. Ajora by selling him to the Vudora Empire.....It was amazing Germonik's book was even still in existance!"
"Calming myself, I turned the pages. Then, I found something more amazing than the historical legacy in my hands. I thought Germonik compiled St. Ajora's words in this book. But I was wrong. It's a record of St. Ajora's activities. And not the St. Ajora we know. A record of Ajora, the human."
"First off, St. Ajora is not human. I'm not a true believer in Glabados like Zalbag, but I do believe St. Ajora was a 'Child of God' sent from Heaven to save this troubled world. Rather, I should say I did believe......until I read this book..."

"The day St. Ajora was born in Bervenia of Lesalia, he stood up, walked to the well and said, 'Calamity will come from this well soon. We must seal it so people don't drink the water'. Days later, plague swept over Bervenia. The people who drank the tainted water died...But the only family who believed him didn't get sick and survived. Since then, people called him 'Miracle Child', 'Child of God'. When St. Ajora turned 20, he became a 'Savior', and was sent to Heaven as 'a member of God'...

Yeah, but did he turn water into wine or raise the dead?

"Long before Ivalice was united, it was divided into 7 small kingdoms: Zeltennia, Fovoham, Lionel, Limberry, Lesalia, Gallionne, and Murond. As the kingdoms continued to increase their territories, the wars continued. In the several hundred years of war, an ambitious young king was born in Murond. Though he lead an army large enough to cover Ivalice, the way to victory was long and hard. Using the secret method from an ancient book, the king tried to summon an evil spirit and use its power. But the evil spirit killed the king and tried to destroy the world..."
"One brave with 12 followers collected the 'Zodiac Stones' from all over the world and revived them. They destroyed evil in an instant and succeeded in sending the evils back to Hades. This is how they became 'Saviors'. That's the Zodiac Braves' legend. Ever since, every time the world is in danger, they appear, save the world and disappear."
"When St. Ajora was alive, similar things occurred. The King of Limberry summoned an evil spirit to take over Ivalice. The world once again fell into crisis. St. Ajora collected the 12 Holy Stones, just like the legend, formed the Zodiac Braves and killed the evil."

"The Yudora Empire was afraid of Ajora who was gaining power, announcing the arrival of God's kingdom. Yudora sent troops against one of his sects. The priests of Fara, the largest sect then, were afraid of St. Ajora's power. He was caught and executed at Golgorand Execution grounds after Germonik told of his whereabouts for money."
"But St. Ajora was a 'Child of God' and the priests of Fara were smitten by an angry God. After the execution, the base at Fara, Murond sunken by various natrual disasters."

So St. Ajora is God's member?
I love this game's translation.

"And that's all I know. All anyone in Ikoku knows of the 'Myth' of St. Ajora. But the St. Ajora in the 'Germonik Scriptures' was a totally different person...Ajora was not a 'Child of God', but a human just like us. An ambitious revolutionary who fought to fulfill his dream. Moreover, he loved peace and was not a hero who risked his life for others."

"A founder of an advanced new religion, Ajora was a threat to the Empire. But Ajora had another 'side' to him other than being a priest. He was a spy who entered enemy territory agitating and gaining information. Anyhow, Ajora was a threat to the empire. The empire sent Germonik to find proof that Ajora was a spy. Yes, Germonik was also a spy of the empire watching Ajora's activities."
"They say Ajora tried to revive the Zodiac Braves. Germonik found some Holy Stones to prove it. But, what does that have to do with reformation? I don't know if young King Limberry really summoned an evil spirit. At least nothing is written about it in the book. However, it's a fact that Murond met with natural disaster and sunk into the sea at the time of Ajora's death. "

"Despite rumors of its existence, no one ever saw the 'Germonik Scriptures'. I don't know whether the book tells the truth or fabricates Ajora's great achievements...When I was a heresy examiner for the church, many examiners felt afraid to show people the book. The High Priest probably felt the same because everything the book said was true."
"After Ajora's death, the church had to unite St. Ajora with God making him divine. To do that, unsuitable facts had to be deleted from the history and St. Ajora had to become a 'Child of God'. They were wise to use the Zodiac Brave story, widely believed in Ikoku. It was easy to make people believe the Zodiac Braves led by Ajora killed an imaginary evil spirit."

"At the same time, I'm guilty for not bringing it to light, even though I knew the church was lying. Why? Because if I told people about the book, I was afraid they would take the library away from me. I would have been devastated if the library was taken away from me because it satisfied my thirst for knowledge. But my curiosity got the best of me."
"Simon spoke of 'An imaginary evil'. But I sensed a scheme by someone other than the High Priest, after seeing the berserk power of the Holy Stones."

 

[lightbane]

I like how hilariously GRIMDARK FFT is. Too bad that Ivalice, as a setting, has not been used much. It has tons of potential, specially post-ITZ/Dark Ages' Ivalice (where the Nu Mou, Moogles and co died and only human backstabbers blondies survived).

Indeed Prosper, Comunism here in Ivalice eventually makes you a demon (literally).

PS: Oh, and thank you for the update

 

[Clockwork Knight]

"One brave with 12 followers collected the 'Zodiac Stones' from all over the world and revived them. They destroyed evil in an instant and succeeded in sending the evils back to Hades. This is how they became 'Saviors'. That's the Zodiac Braves' legend. Ever since, every time the world is in danger, they appear, save the world and disappear."

fuck yeah!

wait...that's not right.

 

[Major_Blackhart]

Tell me that quickly devolves into an orgy of rape and jizz.


Also, nice update. Fucking loved this game.

 

[spekkio]

Great job, mang.
I plan to test the 1.3 patch soon.

 

[mediocrepoet]

Does the 1.3 patch make the battle difficulty bullshit? The original difficulty gets ridiculously easy - I seem to recall beating the final battle in 1 or 2 actions in the first round but this seems to devolve into "flip a coin, heads your [healer/plot character/etc.] dies, tails he doesn't and you can actually attempt the fight."

Making a game harder and interesting is one thing, forcing you to reload a few times to even have a reasonable shot at it is retarded.