No experience gained from combat?

[Del Murder]

I just read in a review that you don't level up from experience gained in combat, but only from quests. Does that mean fighting regular battles is useless? What do you all think about this? I haven't gotten the game yet so I haven't experienced it.

[Loony BoB]

It's true, you gain experience by completing quests rather than through battle. However, to complete quests, you need to have time (you can pause time using EP) or items. You get items and EP through battle. So effectively, you still level up through battle. If you stop fighting monsters you'll probably find yourself running out of time extremely quickly.

[Sephiroth]

You need to focus on fighting the bigger monsters that give you 4 EP in Easy Mode for your Chronostasis. As you cannot defeat them that easily first you should combine it with Bio and Overclock to get them in Break mode.

To get stronger use your efficient new costumes, abilities and equipment. Later you can also improve the equipment with equipment shops but first only abilities.

[Loony BoB]

You get four EP in easy mode? Bloody hell, that's a lot. I guess they really meant it when they said 'easy'. x_x I get a couple EP per "big monster" in my normal mode game and I can farm them efficiently enough, and some of them are easier than the monsters that give lower amounts of EP.

[DMKA]

Well, that would explain why I'm doing terrible so far. I wasted a whole day looking for those passcode numbers. I haven't even left Luxerion (sp?) yet and I'm about to be through my third day. I can't beat the the second major boss fight because I'm just too weak. Is there some easier way to find quests to do? I just happen to find them on accident so far.

Needless to say there's no way I'm going to beat the doomsday clock on this playthough. :p

[Loony BoB]

Tips (all without spoilers, don't worry)...

Keep battling to ensure EP stays high. If your EP runs low, that's a concern. Learn where monsters spawn and which monsters give you the most EP, and focus on going to these spots when you need to farm EP. While farming EP, you'll also gain enough items to clear a lot of quests, particularly the ones you get by speaking to Chocolina.
Keep using Chronostasis as often as possible until you run out of things to do. Keep in mind that completing one quest sometimes unlocks new quests, so don't be afraid to travel around. Talk to anyone who you haven't spoken to, and if you forget what items you need, check the quests area in the DataLogs which will tell you what items you need for a quest and how many you have. If you don't need an item for a quest, it'll tell you whatever else you need to do. The first thing you do when you leave the Ark is use Chronostasis, too - it means your battles will regain the EP for the next game hour. No point in farming EP if you're at cap!
Don't worry too much about time slipping by early in the game. The longer the game goes on, the more actions you unlock, the better gear you get, the easier you will find farming EP, the easier it will be to remain in near-permanent Chronostasis. Each main quest you complete will increase your EP cap, too. Once you reach around day five or so, you should hopefully have completed a couple of the main questlines and be rather settled in permanent Chronostasis.
Don't expect your hand to be held by a tour guide. You won't have everything presented to you on a map at all times. Sometimes you have to listen to what NPCs are saying! The story won't force you to enter a new area, either. In a complete shocker for those who are used to linear storytelling, there will come a time that you have to think for yourself and take matters into your own hands. I'm talking traveling to other areas. So, let's give that a tip of it's own...
Travel to new areas the moment you run out of things to do. I personally suggest visiting a new region every day from day two/three onwards. There are a lot of great things you can pick up from the various areas and some of them will help you in the other areas. For example, you might pick up some great elemental spells in one area and they will be very effective against enemies in another area.
Complete the city quests first. I don't know if it's just me, but I found the city questline bosses far easier. I personally started in Yusnaan up to the point that I couldn't progress without passing a lot of time. At that point I jumped over to Luxerion and pushed through that storyline, then returned to Yusnaan.

[Sephiroth]

I was done after the first complete day with almost all storyquests and sidequests in the Japanese version. Just use Chronostasis, refresh with Behemoths or such and Break enemies in Overclock mode.

[Loony BoB]

Easy Mode, Normal Mode, or...?

[Sephiroth]

Easy Mode, Normal Mode, or...?

It was easy mode but that is also possible on normal, hard gets a little more difficult except you use the guard strategy which lets you recover your EP very easy.

[sir helix]

Just curious, when the clock runs out and you seat art from day 1, anyone know if you keep your gathered items/attribute lvls?

[Noctis Caelum]

Just curious, when the clock runs out and you seat art from day 1, anyone know if you keep your gathered items/attribute lvls?
Of course you keep the things that you obtained. And you always get something new when you go on the Ark.

[sir helix]

Sorry I ment when your out of days and you restart from day 1

[Sephiroth]

Yes.