XIII: The Strength Thread

[Future Esthar]

I am not disrespecting opinions,I am just asking why.

[Loony BoB]

For me, anything involving time travel or time compression is annoying and unwanted. I dislike such things because they are so inherently flawed particularly time compression. But this thread is about FFXIII, so let's not get off topic. If you want to discuss whether people dislike time compression and why, you should probably start a thread in the FFVIII forum.

[finaloblivion]

The story telling in FFXIII was an insult. Most of the important information is told throught the datalog and alot of other information was told through constant flashbacks. From chapters 2 through to 8, very little actually happens regarding plot. Our characters are running away, we have no idea if they are going to save or destroy the world and from chapter 12, it's motivational speaches in most every cutscene, despite our heroes not really knowing what they plan to do.

this is a strength thread, and some people are here saying they like the story....so why not post in the flaw thread if you dislike it so much?

[seiferalmasy2]

The story telling in FFXIII was an insult. Most of the important information is told throught the datalog and alot of other information was told through constant flashbacks. From chapters 2 through to 8, very little actually happens regarding plot. Our characters are running away, we have no idea if they are going to save or destroy the world and from chapter 12, it's motivational speaches in most every cutscene, despite our heroes not really knowing what they plan to do.

this is a strength thread, and some people are here saying they like the story....so why not post in the flaw thread if you dislike it so much?

Funny, i was just thinking this too.

Yip, sorry Shin, as much as this game is a disease, you should stay to the flaw threads

[Shin Gouken]

The story telling in FFXIII was an insult. Most of the important information is told throught the datalog and alot of other information was told through constant flashbacks. From chapters 2 through to 8, very little actually happens regarding plot. Our characters are running away, we have no idea if they are going to save or destroy the world and from chapter 12, it's motivational speaches in most every cutscene, despite our heroes not really knowing what they plan to do.

this is a strength thread, and some people are here saying they like the story....so why not post in the flaw thread if you dislike it so much?

Funny, i was just thinking this too.

Yip, sorry Shin, as much as this game is a disease, you should stay to the flaw threads

Or i could just paste my thoughts on the subject into my sig =)

Well, i apologize, yes you are right, there is a thread for negative opinions.

However, i merely answered a question somebody asked regarding why the story was so good, if people would like to expand on the subject i'd love to hear it.

[Skyblade]

For me, anything involving time travel or time compression is annoying and unwanted. I dislike such things because they are so inherently flawed particularly time compression. But this thread is about FFXIII, so let's not get off topic. If you want to discuss whether people dislike time compression and why, you should probably start a thread in the FFVIII forum.

I direct you to Chrono Trigger.

The Chain Meter (not the Stagger System, just the Chain Meter itself). A refinement of the attack chains from X-2, but it actually lets you continue them across multiple turns and see precisely what effect they have. The choice between Ravagers and Commandos was one of the most interesting in the new battle system, constantly allowing you to balance raising the damage each later hit does versus dealing huge burst damage right now.

[Loony BoB]

Oh, I liked not having to worry about MP at all. The idea that bigger spells just require more skill slots and thus take up more of your turn is really neat, for me. It's still balanced, too - for the most part, the small hits and the big hits are both useful in their own rights.

[Del Murder]

Not having MP worked fine in this combat system. Even though it wasn't my favorite system it was innovative, and a lot better than FFXII.

[Future Esthar]

The choice between Ravagers and Commandos was one of the most interesting in the new battle system, constantly allowing you to balance raising the damage each later hit does versus dealing huge burst damage right now.

Oh, I liked not having to worry about MP at all. The idea that bigger spells just require more skill slots and thus take up more of your turn is really neat, for me. It's still balanced, too - for the most part, the small hits and the big hits are both useful in their own rights.

Can´t agree the most.

[Cloudane]

Yeah, having to heal up after battle is something I didn't miss at all. It was just a faff for no good reason, much like tents (prior to FFX).

[finaloblivion]

Well, to answer your question shin, I think that the use of the datalogs made absolute sense. I also enjoy this storytelling device in games like Mass Effect as well. I think that leaving a lot of the back story and mythology to items such as the Codex or Datalog left more room in the actual dialogue and gameplay for character development and interaction.

In other FFs, you walked around and gathered information and backstory from NPCs and whatnot, or the characters talked about it amongst themselves. Usually, I wouldn't really enjoy having to walk around towns and talk to people and watch their animations just to find out specific things. While the story in XIII is nothing that's radically different or anything, I do feel that the way the character's interacted with each other and the different tentions were something unique and also thoroughly enjoyed by me. Other people, as well. But, if the characters were talking all the time about the history of fal'Cie and Pulse and the War of Trangression in the dialogue, it wouldn't leave a lot of room for the other things the staff wanted to pay attention to. And that's also not to say they didn't talk about it at all - they did, as real people would. When the information was relevant to the situation, say...when Fang or Vanille would offer little tour guide-y quips throughout your travels on Gran Pulse. That sort of stuff makes sense and I like it a lot. It wasn't the actual story itself that was SO great, it was the way the people inside the story reacted to their situations and each other that made it awesome for me. It had a touch more humanity than previous FF titles.