My FFX Challenges journal

[Ergroilnin]

Hello there guys.

Few of you may already know me from my FFIX Challenges journal found at: http://home.eyesonff.com/final-fanta...s-journal.html

Since I already finished all three challenges I wanted to do on FFIX, I decided I will do some challenges at my second favourite FF, FFX. Right now I am still testing the game since I no longer have the playstation, just the game, so I am replaying the game at own sphere game, initial equipment challenge, which to be honest shouldn't even be called a challenge. It's more like I want to try if the game runs well in all parts since this is my first time emulating playstation two. I would be the most displeased to start some hardcore challenge just to find out the game always crashes at like Macalania or something.

Still so far it seems that everything runs just fine, so perhaps in two or three days, I will start first real challenge.

What I would like you guys to do, is to decide which one should I start with. There are many challenges I really want to do and I will eventually do everyone of them, but I am not sure which should be my first. That is why you can vote or post your ideas on which that should be.

Challenges I consider:
1) NSGNSNCNONENNENBB - No Sphere Grid, No Summon, No Customization, No Overdrives, No Escape, No No Encounter, No Blitzball
2) Yuna Only Challenge (when Yuna isn't available, I would let other characters level up, but they can't be used when Yuna is available) and either No Summon, or Own Sphere Grid, not sure which one, you choose?
3) Rikku Only, No Sphere Grid Challenge (same as Yuna Only, when not available, others are allowed to level up, but can't be used once Rikku is available)
4) No Sphere Grid, Initial Equipment Challenge
5) No Sphere Grid with Dark Aeons Challenge

Thanks beforehand and look forward to my journies through the world of Spira.

[Carl the Llama]

I vote 1, start with the toughest then all the others would be much easier ^^

Good luck with your challenge hope to see some updates as you progress

[Necronopticous]

Hey there. I embarked on uncharted territory with my NSGIENC challenge nearly a decade ago, and the thread from my attempt is still up:

http://home.eyesonff.com/final-fanta...-spoilers.html

Might give you some ideas! Good luck with whatever challenge you decide to pursue.

[Jinx]

If you give us that hard of an options, we're going to choose it for you. Every time.

I'd personally love to see you do it, but I'd prefer that you post more pictures than you did in your FFIX thread. As interesting as your challenge might be, if it's all words, it's not as interesting! I want to see some of the action you're facing!

Looking forward to seeing you do this crazy challenge........

[Ergroilnin]

Yeah Necro, I saw your thread, read it thoroughly and enjoyed it. Since it's so hard and actually impossible to get past Seymour Omnis, I wouldn't go as far as NSGIENC, but NSGIE alone is very possible.

To be honest though, since I want to try all of the challenges, or well probably only four of them seeing as playing two yuna only challenges would get boring and since NSGIE and NSG with dark aeons can be combined until the very end, I still can't decide what would be best to start out with, easiest? hardest? random? That's why I started up the poll, so I can either go by major choice or at least see which challenges would interest the community more.

EDIT: to Jinx: yes i know, I also wanted my journals to have many more pictures but I usually really couldn't think of what exactly would be the right thing to screenshot. Any ideas? Some battles? Or what? Perhaps I could try recording them and putting them on youtube and fill up the journals with them? Actually that sounds like a good idea, I will look on that.

[Ayen]

I'm not a stinking conformist -flips hair- Yuna only, no summons!

[Jinx]

Yeah, videos would be great! It would make us appreciate your struggle more.

[Pete for President]

Go big or go home! Challenge #1 : ) Get ready to steal like crazy!

[Ergroilnin]

So a little update on my thoughts. I will be reducing the six challenges to four, effectively combining some of them. I won't be doing a separate NSGIE and NSG with Dark Aeons, for these two, I will simply finish the game in NSGIE format and afterwards backtrack and start the NSG Dark Aeons by breaking the IE, since doing two separate NSG runs only for this would be really pointless.

Second, I won't be doing the Yuna's challenges as I posted them up, instead I will do only one and that will be Yuna Only, No Summons, Own Sphere Grid.

Also for both Yuna and Rikku only challenges I decided I won't use the sphere grid of the others while the respective characters aren't available so the challenges can actually be counted as a Single Character Challenges.

[Ergroilnin]

Okay guys, the NSGNSNCNONENNENBB Challenge won the vote so I'll be starting with that. Considering it's Christmas time, family meetings etc., the first part will probably have to wait a few days. I will play a little each day, but I doubt it will be enough for a decent update so be patient and enjoy holidays with your families and friends in a meanwhile

[Karifean]

I'd be more interested in seeing some X-2 challenges myself, so maybe someday if you have time...

Although NSGNSNCNONENNENBB does sound like quite a sick challenge.

[Ergroilnin]

Well to be quite honest, I never ever really played FFX-2. I finished 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12 many of them multiple times but I only played about 2 hours of FFX-2 and I was disgusted with it since back then FFX was my favourite FF and I hated the way too big change to Yuna's character, basically making it FF version of Charlie's Angels. I will take my time to actually get through the game after I am done with my FFX challenges though so I can actually say how bad, good or mediocre game it was.

Are there any truly interesting challenges that can be done on FFX-2?

[Ayen]

Well to be quite honest, I never ever really played FFX-2. I finished 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12 many of them multiple times but I only played about 2 hours of FFX-2 and I was disgusted with it since back then FFX was my favourite FF and I hated the way too big change to Yuna's character, basically making it FF version of Charlie's Angels. I will take my time to actually get through the game after I am done with my FFX challenges though so I can actually say how bad, good or mediocre game it was.

Are there any truly interesting challenges that can be done on FFX-2?

I hear you there. X is my favorite as well and Yuna is my favorite character and when I first played I hated the creative directions and still do to an extent. I always imagined Yuna staying in a position of leadership to help rebuild Spira from the ground up and move on, but over the years I've come to appreciate it as just a fun, campy game that tries too hard to cater to girls (or more their idea of what girls like) while trying to keep their male audience.

I think trying to get a perfect 100% game is probably the toughest challenge on there >.>

[Karifean]

Are there any truly interesting challenges that can be done on FFX-2?

Well there's enough you can do with the Via Infinito alone. Just try getting through it without "Flee", "Escape", "Finale" and the Cat Nip and Iron Duke accessories. For extra fun, ban the Mascot dressphere as well.

But there's a ton you can do with the main game as well. X-2 has very versatile gameplay. For instance, a Level 1/1/2 challenge. Or an initial dressphere, no accessories challenge. Attempting to defeat Angra Mainyu or some Via Infinito bosses with those restrictions. Not to mention the International/HD version is even more versatile. There's a lot of possibilities.

[Ergroilnin]

Okay guys, I had some time to play in last three days so I am bringing you the first update on the NSGNSNCNONENNENBB Challenge! And don't worry, as I promised, there will be videos and pictures. Although I really wanted to embed the videos, it seems I can do that with only one per post, so I will be only posting links for the videos, sorry folks.

First of all I will give big credits to this guide created by zzanmato GameFAQs: Final Fantasy X (PS2) NSGNSNCNONENNENBB Challenge Guide by zzanmato

I am following his guide so I am not doing this purely from my own knowledge about the game. I hope you don't mind guys, since this challenge is one of the hardest challenges on FFX and there are lots of necessary preparations and things that have to be obtained in order to pass the game.


Now for the actual progress.

There isn't really much to describe about the beginning of the game, I ran through Zanarkand and did the forced Overdrive with Auron. Then in the ruins I loaded all the Al Bhed Primers I had from my first playthrough. I didn't get them all though so there are still about ten primers left. It doesn't really matter though since the reward for collecting them all would only provide me with gil as I can't use them for customization and neither for overdrives.

When Rikku appeared I remembered that long ago I thought she was indeed naked under those green things.



I think you can't really blame me huh?

In the water I took an opportunity to steal a few grenades, about 30 of them so I have few when I get Rikku on Moonflow. There is actually also a possibility of getting infinite potions from one of the Al Bhed on the ship, he gives you three each time you surface back on the ship. But I didn't really get much since it isn't needed and is kinda annoying. After Sin blew me to Besaid I got items from each of Auroch's members. It should be actually noticed that in this game there are tons of NPCs who gives you free stuff, sometimes pretty good stuff too.

The first trials are easy to solve and I also got the Rod of Wisdom from the destruction sphere's chest, it's nice thing to have. After leaving the village I backtracked to get the Energy Blast for Valefor, which may prove useful way later on the forced summoning in Via Infinito. I always wondered just how did a dog dug up an aeon overdrive but now that I think about it, it could be perhaps a reference to FFVIII's Angelo and his item finding. Or not, who knows.

On the way to the boat there are few forced encounters and one of them is forced summoning of Valefor, the purest way to stay true to the rules is to summon Valefor since you got no choice but let her get killed by the garuda and finish it off with normal characters so I did just that.

On the board we get to see Tidus being perverted and Lulu begging for getting raped really, just look at this!



Okay now what the f- Sin? Attacking once again gosh. This isn't really hard battle so I decided it's not worth it to record it just yet, just some long range attacking on the Fin and few attacks with Wakka and Tidus on the underwater boss.

Now for Kilika, this is the first "real" area with encounters and stuff so it's going to get a little more interesting from now on. Since I needed NulBlaze Shield for Tidus, I got to fight it out with Lord Ochu now. I am sorry guys, I had recorded this one but something went horribly wrong and I couldn't put it up so just believe me on this one that he wasn't overly hard really, just some attacking and healing. As for the Sinspawn though, I got the video so here comes the first one!

Sinspawn - YouTube

Kilika's Cloister of Trials isn't hard either but the Red Armlet for Kimahri from the Destruction sphere chest is really important so I made sure to get that.

After tons of scenes, learning the Jecht Shot and MORE scenes I get to buy the awesome Rulebreaker and Stunning Steel from the O'aka and go save Yuna. And since it is a boss battle, here goes the next video!

Crane - YouTube

I find it funny how they don't show Lulu jumping on the board. Also you could see me killing myself and letting Tidus do the rest. Apparently according to the guide this improves the chances of getting the equipment for the living character and I wanted the Lightingsteel which I got.

Now for the one and only force Blitzball match of the game. I usually can win this match thanks to the Jecht Shot but i decided that to keep the truest to the No Blitzball rule, I should lose it. But it kind of made me mad since I hate the Luca Goers, they are incredible assholes.

Auron reapears and he's cool as hell. I love how he grins when the fiend looks at him. And for some more badassery we got Anima showing off right after, she is truly horrifying. Too bad I won't be getting and using her in this challenge.



Random Garuda about to be pwned.

Damn though after all that Auron got pretty horny I guess because for Tidus it is time for some surprise buttsex!



Or at least I always think of that when I see this shot. "It's all right. It's gonna be quick."

And before I completely leave the Luca, there is just one more thing I gotta go through.



HAHAHAHA right Tidus? Now don't get me wrong I personally don't mind this scene too much, but it simply became more legendary than Auron's guardianing. For a lot of people this scene makes them shiver.

Well after Tidus hurts his sides, we can finally move on to M'ihen Highroad, which is really the first dangerous area. There are few encounters which, if you get unlucky with being Ambushed and the fiends attacking wrong people, it can lead to Game Over screen. There are also tons of people giving out free stuff. Actually most of the NPCs here do give something. I got through without much problems though and save in the Al Bhed Inn.

Since Tidus is childish, we gotta get that Chocobo eating fiend right? Seems like it's time for another video!

ChocoboEater - YouTube

As you could see, I wasn't able to push him over the edge but it doesn't really matter so it's fine really. I get the free Chocobo and loot all the cliffs for some nice weapons 'n stuff.

After Seymour shows off, it's time for Mushroom Rockroad. This place is actually really dangreous. Those fungus fiends (forgot their name) like to counter any attack with sleep on everyone at the worst possible time and the fiends are getting stronger and tougher to kill as well. This place is usually where people start to get the Game Over screen. I got through without one but since I need to do some expensive shopping here before the next boss, I had to grind for about two hours for the Gil, once being too daring and getting wiped out, so this too is my first game over of this challenge. Not much was lost really so I didn't mind.

Now since what could be better idea than to electrocute spawns of something that wipes out peoples in matter of seconds right? I mean, WHAT COULD GO WRONG RIGHT? Well basically it's another boss battle time! It is really long battle so if you are watching, feel free to skip through the video really.

Gui1 - YouTube

As you could see, it wasn't exactly a very hard battle but a really lenghty one.

Gui2 - YouTube

The second one is a pushover alltogether though, Seymour easily wipes him by himself. Interesting note is that this is the only place in the game, where you can see his overdrive should you wait for it to fill up.



Well and that's it for now guys, looking at the whole post, it got really big so I hope you don't mind. After all there was quite a lot of progress done. I will be posting updates about twice a week I guess so I have enough time to get actually some progress done. I would be very grateful if you could leave your comments about how you liked the style of this post so I know if I should keep it up like this or change anything. Thanks!