Topic: Who Needs the Fight Command, Anyway? Let's Play Final Fantasy 6 Advance! (Read 46963 times)

R^2 · « **Reply #320 on:** October 23, 2013, 12:20:12 PM »

Back in the present, the people of Albrook are not happy with current developments.

R^2 · « **Reply #321 on:** October 23, 2013, 12:26:43 PM »

All right, before we leave this world behind, there's one last thing to do: bag an Intangir.

Since it's so damned difficult and tedious to do legit, we're going to cheese it.

Echo Screen!

Setzer's Slots command has many different possibilities. You may get a powerful attack, you may summon a random esper, and you might get a mismatch that heals a uselessly small amount of HP for the party.

And true to the gambler's roots, the rules are stacked in favor of the house: the RNG for the game often makes it flat-out impossible to get the best combinations. Even if you match jackpot on the first two reels, the last one will skip the match on the last reel no matter how good your timing is.

For whatever reason, using an Echo Screen as soon as the battle starts gives you one "fair" spin, and by "fair" I mean "you can pause the game to make sure the reels provide you the symbols you're looking for."

I see no reason not to stack the deck back in my favor.

Joker's Death kills all enemies, even if they're otherwise immune to instant death. (Careful with it: the game makes 7-7-BAR a lot easier to get than 7-7-7 -- and the BAR retargets Joker Death at your own party.)

Intangir still gets his death counter. Alas, poor Setzer cannot reap the benefits of his own longshot gamble.

In the game's coding, Joker Death is a modified Level 5 Death spell... and Level 5 Death is a Lore. So after using Joker Death, Strago learned Level 5 Death. Close enough!

I'll take it!

R^2 · « **Reply #322 on:** October 23, 2013, 12:36:07 PM »

Music: Save Them!

"Why 3?" "Because fuck you, that's why! Get below deck!"

Celes for the pain, Locke for the loot, Strago for the Lore.

Naturally, the Imperial Air Force interferes in the approach.

Which means there are several battles with Sky Armors and Spitfires before you can accomplish anything.

R^2 · « **Reply #323 on:** October 23, 2013, 12:44:58 PM »

That... is... something strange.

The odd creature floats around the airship, giving you enough time to fight off a couple more Sky Armor/Spitfire pincer attacks.

Before dropping off... Oh, dammit.

Ultros: This is our last battle! Promise!

Oct, oct, octopus, Ultros.

Loves to tease us, Ultros.

He'll be popular, Ultros!

Raw wheat, raw rice, Ultros.

Shabba dabba doobie dabbAAAAAAAHHH SHIT

Ultros: Mr. Typhon's taciturn, but his strength'll blow you away! Heh-heh...

It's a few more Thundaras before Ultros paffs like regular enemies dying do. I guess this really was our last battle.

Typhon's a bit tougher, but he's weak to water and I brought Strago. Aqua Breath is water/wind, so it does more damage than I've seen any other attack so far do.

When Typhon runs out of HP, he uses a partywide Snort attack. Call it a draw?

...except you're blown off the airship entirely.

R^2 · « **Reply #324 on:** October 23, 2013, 01:00:19 PM »

On the way down, you're attacked by the Air Force and his two attached armaments. He's totally not a reference to the R-9 fighters from R-Type.

Missile Bay fires Missile and Launcher. Laser Gun uses Atomic Rays, Magitek Laser, and Diffracting Laser.

Like most machines, they're weak to water and electricity.

It's a tool for Edgar.

The Bit is not even remotely like the attack-absorbing Bit from R-Type. Well, except in that it absorbs attacks -- namely, using magic or summoning espers will draw the magic harmlessly into the Bit. It's like a permanent Runic for the enemy side.

Air Force then starts counting down to use Wave Cannon. A chargeable Wave Cannon is totally not at all like the chargeable Wave Cannon attack used by the R-9 figh-- okay, fine. It's an R-Type reference.

While Celes and Locke chip away at the Bit so they can start using their magic again, Strago just goes to town with Aqua Breath. Lores don't count as magic for the purposes of Runic, so they pass right by the Bit system too.

Thankfully, the airship was directly over the Floating Continent when Typhon blew everyone off.

Mothra · « **Reply #325 on:** October 23, 2013, 01:06:57 PM »

Quote from: R^2 on October 23, 2013, 12:44:58 PM

Shabba dabba doobie dabbAAAAAAAHHH SHIT

So, one thing I noticed about Mr. Chupon, that I never noticed before?

His ass? IS ANOTHER FACE. If he wasn't already nightmarish enough, the man is a living flying demon catdog.

Also apparently that's an exhaust pipe poking out from his midsection. Which... raises many other questions.

I mention this because, even knowing this, and even taking into account that Mr. Chupon is perhaps the single most horrifying monster in any Final Fantasy game, the friendship between he and Ultros is by far the most adorable companionship in all of gaming.

R^2 · « **Reply #326 on:** October 23, 2013, 01:15:27 PM »

Shadow: Tried to off me the second I had served my purpose...
Party: Shadow! We thought you were dead!
Shadow: Is Interceptor all right?
Party: He's fine. Come on, let's go!
Shadow: Just leave me here.
Party: Sorry, that's not happening!

Shadow joins the party. The conversation implies that Interceptor isn't present now, but I'm not sure if it's actually the case that Interceptor is left behind somewhere while Shadow is fighting on the Floating Continent. I can't recall if I've ever seen him counter with Wild Fang or Takedown up here.

Anyway, after all that fighting -- from the dozen or so Sky Armor/Spitfire fights, to Ultros and Typhon, to Air Force -- everyone's exhausted and running low on MP. I stop for a rest before taking on the Floating Continent.

In addition to being a straight-up maze, the Floating Continent has plenty of hidden paths. This was an unadorned hillside before the party approached it and opened the way forward.

Powerful monsters roam the Floating Continent, above and beyond any that were found when the continent was earthbound. Misfits are the most common, and are fond of refilling their HP at a party member's expense with a draining Lifeshaver attack. Dragons counter attacks with Snort and hold Genji Gloves as their rare steal -- I don't need to stockpile them here, since now they'll appear on the Veldt and I can stock up there if I want. Apocryphos counter attacks with Level 3 Confuse, Level 4 Flare, and Level 5 Death when they're alone, so I pick up those Lores for Strago. Finally, Brainpans are the most annoying enemies around; they attack with Smirk to cause Stop status, then follow with 1000 Needles -- but that's another Lore for Strago.

Gigantos opens the battle with two strong attacks and a near-fatal Throat Jab. He continues that sort of thrashing throughout the fight, and counters attacks with more Throat Jabs. There are two ways to win: summon Phantom to vanish the whole party, meaning all of Gigantos's attacks miss...

...or just nail the sumbitch with Level 5 Death.

Your reward is a new ninjato for Shadow to use.

A² · « **Reply #327 on:** October 23, 2013, 01:17:13 PM »

Final Fantasy XIII-2 - Ultros and Typhon DLC Battle (Uninvited Invertebrate)

R^2 · « **Reply #328 on:** October 23, 2013, 01:24:07 PM »

Quote from: Mothra on October 23, 2013, 01:06:57 PM

So, one thing I noticed about Mr. Chupon, that I never noticed before?

Did you not ever see his summon in Final Fantasy 7?

http://youtu.be/AvErgY6HpX8?t=6m34s

Makes it pretty obvious there's another face back there. Not sure what the deal is with the exhaust system, though.

Roger · « **Reply #329 on:** October 23, 2013, 01:37:30 PM »

With Yoshitaka Amano on art duty, sometimes it's just better not to ask.

R^2 · « **Reply #330 on:** October 23, 2013, 01:54:46 PM »

It's a delicate balance, doing a Let's Play. I somehow have to show that this dungeon is the most difficult so far, without resorting to "and then there's THIS hidden path, and I fought THIS monster, and THIS monster, and then had to find the hidden path HERE..." without it getting dull. There's a lot less context in a screenshot LP, it's true.

After going through almost the entire Continent, including the late-dungeon save point, you're given a chance to return to the Blackjack. Strange that you're given the chance now, because by the time you're strong enough to get this far you're probably strong enough to muscle through and finish the dungeon.

Although I will grant...

Music: Battle to the Death

There's this guy between where we are now and muscling through to finish the dungeon. You know you're in trouble when the boss has a new, unique battle theme!

Ultima Weapon: I am power both ancient and unrivaled... I do not bleed, for I am but strength given form... Feeble creatures of flesh... your time is nigh!

What? Oh hell no. I reload from save probably fifteen or twenty times.

...so many times, in fact, that I miss the "Stole Ribbon!" window when it pops up. But I stole a Ribbon, Ultima Weapon's rare item. I didn't get a single Genji Glove or Angel Ring while I was here, so I'm damned sure not missing out on this one!

Ultima Weapon has strong physical hits and uses powerful magic. He starts using Flare and Blaze, and as he drops in HP, he starts mixing in Quake, Meteor, and Bio. Near 0 HP he uses Mind Blast to cause a bunch of status ailments, then starts charging up Flare Star for massive fire-elemental damage to everyone involved.

But Ultima Weapon is another beast borne of magic power. Once he runs out of MP, he dies -- and does so without starting his "low HP" attack patterns. So while using Rasp to deplete at most 300 of his 5000 MP is a slow method to defeat him, it's certainly safer.

Yep. Just take it slow.

After helping defeat Ultima Weapon -- he was good at handing out Hi-Potions -- Shadow excuses himself from the party.

R^2 · « **Reply #331 on:** October 23, 2013, 02:00:40 PM »

Music: Catastrophe

If Celes isn't in the party, she walks up to fill Shadow's now-vacant spot. So there's really no reason to bring her along because she's a part of this scene anyway. Oh well.

Gestahl: Behold! The Warring Triad!

The statues glow, and the sparkles flowing between them start getting rerouted into Gestahl instead.

In response, Gestahl knocks Celes aside and paralyzes the rest of the party. There's a pause after he blasts Locke and Strago, as if to say "What, really? You didn't bring anyone else? I've got this extra blast right here just in case. Nobody, though? Huh."

R^2 · « **Reply #332 on:** October 23, 2013, 02:14:21 PM »

Gestahl: Why don't I give you and Kefka the task of creating progeny to populate my new Magitek empire?
Kefka: Kill the others and we'll forgive your treachery!

After Celes turns around, Gestahl takes a step to the left and speaks his line.

Kefka starts, and panics a little. Gestahl just ignored him and offered the world to Celes! Raw deal!

Celes turns, lunges, and stabs... oops, Kefka. That blade was clearly meant for Gestahl, but the two of them moved around while her back was turned.

Despite having been in fights before, Kefka panics at the sight of his own wound.

R^2 · « **Reply #333 on:** October 23, 2013, 02:19:01 PM »

Mothra · « **Reply #334 on:** October 23, 2013, 02:20:43 PM »

Quote from: R^2 on October 23, 2013, 01:24:07 PM

Quote from: Mothra on October 23, 2013, 01:06:57 PM
So, one thing I noticed about Mr. Chupon, that I never noticed before?

Did you not ever see his summon in Final Fantasy 7?

http://youtu.be/AvErgY6HpX8?t=6m34s

Makes it pretty obvious there's another face back there. Not sure what the deal is with the exhaust system, though.

Huh. Never knew he was in 7. Weird.

Glad his summon's about as batshit as it should be.

I love that, at no point during FF6, were Ultros and Mr. Chupon on anyone's side.

R^2 · « **Reply #335 on:** October 23, 2013, 02:23:13 PM »

Kefka approaches the Triad and is knocked away.

Gestahl: Kefka, stop! If you revive them, they'll destroy the very world we want to rule! There's no value in that!
Kefka: Shut up!

A fight swoosh! For...

Gestahl and Kefka!

Kefka: Mad...? Emperor Gestahl, what are you saying? This is the perfect chance to show them the power of the Warring Triad!
Gestahl: Oh, Kefka... You poor, hopeless thing! I'm afraid you leave me no choice! No hard feelings, now... I'm just going to use this power you've unleashed to put you to sleep...

R^2 · « **Reply #336 on:** October 23, 2013, 02:25:10 PM »

Kefka mockingly wags a finger.

Kefka mockingly wags the other finger.

R^2 · « **Reply #337 on:** October 23, 2013, 02:29:27 PM »

Kefka kicks Gestahl before answering:

Kefka: By standing at the center of the Warring Triad, of course! They absorb all the magic sent their way. ...Or hadn't you noticed?
Gestahl: ...!
Kefka: Triad! Your first victim has stepped forward! Show this useless old man your true power!
Gestahl: No! Kefka! Stop playing around!
Kefka: I said, SHOW HIM YOUR POWER!

A lightning bolt strikes, barely missing Gestahl and Kefka.

Wow, I'm really bad at taking screenshots of lightning bolts. Another strikes just behind the two again, blasting them away from one another.

Kefka: You're way off! Where're you aiming!?

Kefka: More to the right!

Gestahl makes it a few steps before being knocked down by another near miss.

ZOT

R^2 · « **Reply #338 on:** October 23, 2013, 02:33:29 PM »

Kefka kicks Gestahl a few more times.

As when Leo died, the screen goes dark with Kefka laughing.

Kefka turns, warms up...

...and flings Gestahl to his death.

Fling!

Well, that's no good.

R^2 · « **Reply #339 on:** October 23, 2013, 02:37:18 PM »

Shadow swoops in from... uh, somewhere...

Scoops up Celes from where she was hanging onto the cliffside...

...and shoves one of the statues up against another, pinning Kefka between them.

The Triad being moved out of alignment breaks the spell paralyzing all party members not named Celes.

The party charges in to help, but is blasted aside by a wave of force from the Triad.

Shadow: I'll find my way back! Trust me!
Kefka: You can't escape me!

Kefka hucks another sparkle of magic a few screens to the right of the center stage where the Warring Triad stand.

There's a time limit. Needless to say, you want to be off the Continent before it runs out.

News:

Author Topic: Who Needs the Fight Command, Anyway? Let's Play Final Fantasy 6 Advance! (Read 46963 times)