Where Have I Been?

Hey Everyone,

It makes me happy to see that some people have taken time to read over this blog and get some enjoyment out of it. I loved replaying FF1 and suffering through FF2 for the sake of sharing it with others interested in these games. When I got to FF3, I experienced a lot of difficulties using the methods I used in the past to play.

There was as point where it started to feel like work and that I did not enjoy it that much. There were other times where I had technical difficulties. At the end of the day, though, I made excuses for something that was really not a big deal. This isn't my job-it's my hobby!

That being said, sharing my gaming experiences with other people has been one of my life's passions. It's funny how something so seemingly bland can be such a motivation for others. If someone had told me that I should watch every episode of Breaking Bad and give my thoughts on it, I would have laughed in their face. I LOVE that show, but really, a Let's "Watch"? Now one of my favorite podcasts is Talking Simpsons, hosted by the wonderful Bob Mackey, who does something just along those lines, taking a chronological approach to one of my favorite shows of all time. I find it funny that a TV show with so many episodes I've seen countless times could be enriched with others' perspectives. It reminded me of why I liked Let's Plays in the first place.

I've grown up a bit since then, and I've come to the realization that we are not all superstars in everything that we do. We have our careers and our personal lives. We are not perfect in everything, and we have a limited time on this world. Video games are to me what TV may be for my friends and co-workers.

All too often, I see people post on forums asking others how to enjoy their hobby. Here is a short list:

What game should I play next?
How long should I play this game?
Should I have to fully complete every game I own?
Look at my Steam Backlog of SHAME!!

I've fallen into "analysis paralysis" several times in my life as well. When I do, I remember that the purpose of games is to have fun and take a break from regular life. So what if I end up not playing or enjoying a game that I own? So what if I never go to finish a game I've owned since I was a kid? Did I enjoy it? Great! Did I not enjoy it? That's OK too! Nobody has to tell you how to enjoy your free time except for yourself

This post has gotten pretty long, so I'm going to take a step back and remember why I started writing this. I always felt a little guilty that I never finished doing the FF3 section of the blog. I don't know if I will ever come back to doing what I do in this format again, but rest assured, I look forward to sharing my experiences again in the future soon.

I would be lying to you if I said I knew when I would again and in what form. I hope you've enjoyed what I've done here, and you may see me here again soon!

In the meantime, if you want some perspective from people who are very passionate about games, I recommend checking out the crew at USGamer.net as well as the Retronauts podcast.

Until next time!

Final Fantasy III Part 3: The Cave of Seal

A New Party Member?
The Cave of Seal proves to be more difficult than I remembered. I am not sure whether it is because...

• I am not strong enough,
• I am in a hurry,
• or I have horrible luck!

In order to make it to the deeper parts of the Cave of Seal, you need to find a button on a pile of bones in the room where you can't go any further. Imagine if I hadn't spoken to the king's ghost in the castle and learned that tidbit of information. Of course, there were only three piles of bones, so if I had gone there, would I have stumbled upon that anyway by pressing buttons (The FF series teaches you to press buttons almost anywhere, the best offender being the abundance of Elixirs inside of clocks in FF6!). Like any competent RPG adventurer, I know that people have valuable information (sometimes).

After making my way into the next area, I meet Princess Sara, who holds a Mithril Ring that can be used to re-seal Jinn. Apparently, the earthquake that knocked the Crystal underground also released Jinn from his curse, causing the townspeople to become ghosts. Sara quickly dismisses her own combat ability and asks to join the party so we can help her seal him away. Having been drained of my energy, I make my way back to town a couple times to shop, heal, and save.

Princess Sara has a technicolor dream cape!

See?

A Bargain That Can't Be Beat!

While back in Ur, I learn something that really blows my mind. In FF3, you can buy single items or in clips of 4 and 10. Imagine my shock when I realized that as I bought larger clips of items, the price decreased. The citizens of the world of FF3 must believe in passing on bulk savings to their customers. FF4 has a similar shop setup if I remember right, so I will definitely check to see if this same rule applies (my memory fails me at the moment).

They're still working on their company logo.

A Difficult Case

One of the many games I played while taking a break from FF3 was FF10, touted as both the last great FF and the first bad FF, depending on your perspective. I am located somewhere in the middle of the spectrum, but if there is one thing that we can all agree on, it's that it is not as painful when it comes to difficulty level. For example, each character has a distinct advantage over certain types of enemies, you can swap out party members in mid-battle, you can increase stats more quickly through the Sphere Grid system, and the battles are for the most part "fair". While there are a huge number of super bosses to fight (especially in the International/HD Remaster versions that are out) that leave you only to grind and make ultimate weapons, the game is designed with the mindset that the player in fact wants to experience the story. FF1 through 3, however, seem to play by a different set of rules. I have this gut feeling that the team was excited about their story but wanted the players to have to earn the right to experience it (what a way we've come in RPG storytelling if this is the case).

That being said, FF3 has proven to be very challenging in the very second area of the game, the Cave of Seal. There are multiple factors in the difficulty, including:

• A lack of accessible revival items. If you die, you need to hoof it back to town (looking forward to the Life spell!).
• Sleeping does not revive dead characters!
• You are painfully open to critical hits when attempting to run away (one of the many times I reset while working in this area).
• Your characters are prone to miss, a lot (Who knew the undead could move so fast?)!
• Sure you can dual-wield, but that makes you squishy. Let's make a choice, people!
• High encounter rate.
• The limited MP charges as in FF1. However, by the time I reached Jinn, Trevor's Red Wizard MP had up to 8 charges for level 1 spells and 2 for level 2 spells, so this will not be so bad in the future.

By my third attempt, I finally reached Jinn, who proved to be an absolute buttercup compared to the random encounters. I think that there is beauty in the fact that the journey there is harder than the end (Contra or Gradius, anybody?), but I wonder if this will always be the case.

So long Jinn. We hardly knew ye... 

Wondering what my prize was for my hard work?

Did he keep it behind his throne?

And so ends my session for now. I am hooked on this game despite the difficulty, so I will be back soon enough. After all, I need to give Cid back his airship...

Next time: Final Fantasy III Part 4: Wasteful Resources and a Mid-Life Crisis?

Please leave feedback below. Thank you for reading!

Final Fantasy III Part 2: Getting Reacquainted

So after not engaging in the World Tour in over a year and switching hardware, I did not have all of the same tools as before. With my files in mixed formats and hours of recorded footage, I decided it was easier just to start over again. I will not re-write about the very beginning since you can read all about it in Part 1. It is pretty much the same exact thing I did in the first post (I even named my crew once again after members of the Belmont family.).

What Did I Do in Final Fantasy III Today?

I decided to go with an aggressive party format. Simon and Julius are Fighters, Rikter is a Monk, and Trevor is a Red Wizard. My favorite part of any FF game with a flexible job system is that you can readjust your party for the challenges that arise. This of course is different from the original FF in which your party is set. There was only one opportunity for the party to change classes, and that was an upgrade more so than an a straight-up class change. Having played through the DS remake in the past, I know that I will need to change classes to accommodate more magic-heavy areas later on. For now, like in most RPGs, the beginning is about whacking enemies and gaining some levels. 

Did you know magic is an item in FF3? You didn't? Let me tell you all about magic then! Anyone can equip magic, even if they cannot use it. That way, if you plan to switch a Fighter to a Red Wizard, they will be ready. Of course, the direction you change classes is critical. For example, if you switch from a Fighter to a Red Wizard, you will be able to cast magic but won't have any MP. If you switch from a Red Wizard to a Fighter, you will lose all of your MP because Fighters can't cast spells. Don't think you can switch again and get that MP back. It's gone, baby gone until you go back and restore your MP. Finally, you are not married to your magic. If you don't want a character to have that spell any longer, you can convert it back to an item and give it to somebody else for awhile. I think you can even sell back spells you aren't interested in keeping (since each character can only learn up to 3 spells per magic level). The ability to equip and unequip magic is leaps and bounds better than FF1, where once you buy it, you have it, for better or worse.

Storywise, I returned to the boys' hometown of Ur, where the elder told us that he knew that they would be chosen by the Crystal and that we have to go bring back light to the crystals (although we don't know why they are losing their light). I took some time to walk about the town and remembered that it does not cost money to sleep here. At the Inn, you can just sleep in any bed without cost, and in the Elder's home, you can heal all HP and MP or resurrect dead allies free of charge. I can't remember if that service exists in other towns. There is even a piano in the bar like in FF5. I forget if you can "level up" playing the piano like you can in FF5.

What strikes me most about Ur is that you can get in random encounters in parts of the town. In fact, the first time I fought the Werewolves, I was completely clobbered. I quickly reloaded, bought new equipment for my party, and returned with much better results. My main prize was the Cure spell, another of which I found in the next area.

What's Happening in the Plot?

When I reached the town of Kaustus (spelling?), I found out it was a real ghost town (ugh!), with flat ghosts walking around. One of these ghosts is Cid, who lets us use his airship to try to take down Jinn, an evil demon who has turned this town and the castle of Sasonne into ghosts like him. The airship feels pretty useless because it can't travel over mountains, but it helps me cross the river into the Cave of Seals and through the forest to the castle without any random encounters to deal with. I picked the castle clean and even scored the Wight Slayer, which makes my Red Wizard great against the undead. I have to admit I got my butt kicked and had to reload because I wanted my whole party to get experience from the Griffon guarding that chest. After going into the Cave of Seals, I find some treasure, fight some battles, and head back out to heal, get recovery items, and save. It has been a very long day, and there will be plenty of new posts coming soon.

Let me know how the new format style is working with you. It is a work in progress!

Next Time: Final Fantasy III Part 3: The Cave of Seals and Beyond

Thanks for reading!

I'm Back!

After a long time of not playing the classic FF series and blogging about it, I decided to get back to it today. However, I am working on a different format.

I will still be blogging about my adventures. However, I will be focusing more on reflections/anecdotes/observations about the game more than being the "tour guide" Let's Player that I have been in the past. After all, if you want to see everything that happens, you can see all of it through the many YouTube LP's that exist.

So What Went Wrong?

There are several reasons why I stopped. Of course, most of them are excuses:

• I actually managed to reach areas further into the game. However, I used different ways to record them (my emulator at the time did not want to cooperate with video recording, so I experimented with Twitch and also streaming. The idea was to stream/record my video game footage and then write/snap pictures about it. However, the more I tried this, the less willing I became to write about it. What started out as something fun was becoming incredibly tedious to me. It didn't gel with what I had been working up towards.
• Work did become busier. Of course, that's truly an excuse because I still had plenty of free time when not spending it with other people. I filled that time playing a multitude of other games.
• I felt like I was being just like every other LP'er out there. My intended purpose of the blog was to write about my experiences playing the game, which then turned into making sarcastic (although I did have fun with it!) comments whenever possible. I don't want to be yet another drop in that bucket. I will go elsewhere for that.
• Many of my friends stopped participating in LP's and streaming. This was perhaps the biggest reason why I halted my journey. That's probably the lamest reason why I stopped. After all, my girlfriend reminded me that I do enjoy projects like this.

So now I am back, and although the format is a bit different (For example, I will not be keeping track of every item I pick up--we can read a guide for that.), I am back doing what I love: talking about the games I enjoy.

SO LET'S GET BACK TO IT! :-D

Final Fantasy III Part 1: Back to the Basics

Hello everybody, and welcome to the next chapter of Final Fantasy World Tour! This time around, we are playing Final Fantasy III.

For the uninitiated, Final Fantasy III is not to be confused with Final Fantasy VI, the one that stars Terra and Locke on the Super Nintendo. The original FF3 was released in 1990 on the Famicom (the Japanese equivalent of the NES). It was only in Japanese. Much like the original FF2, FF3 likely did not arrive here because FF4 was already in production for the SNES and to be released shortly after, and since FF1 came to the US in 1990, there wasn't much point to release it. Video game production must have been expensive considering cartridges and translation. Makes me appreciate how easy it is to publish a game these days (not to say it’s gotten any cheaper considering the staff and production values, but that’s for a different discussion).

FF3 was eventually remade and re-released for a plethora of consoles, including the DS , PSP, iOS, and Android. I tried playing the fan translation a long time ago but eventually stopped to play other games. It wasn't until later when I bought it for the DS that I fell in love with the game. In my opinion, it has everything FF1 has but taken to the next level. In sticking with my tradition of playing the original version of each game, I will be playing the Famicom version of FF3. Many thanks to whoever fan translated this game for our enjoyment.  I will update this when I find more info, but for now, let’s get started. I’ve been dying to play this game since I started the tour last year!

The Prologue

We’ve been upgraded to two prologue screens!

Looks like we have crystals again. I knew there was something missing from FF2.

Orphans, the cheap source of RPG hero labor for generations!

When I open up a new game, I’m greeted with one of my worst nightmares in RPGs.

I’m so bad at naming characters. Let me take a moment to think this over…

Once I finish naming my party members, I am immediately thrown down a dark chasm (like any normal Saturday evening!).

You know, I have a similar reaction when I fall into pits in the other games I play!

My heroes take a few steps forward while bickering at each other when I am thrown right into the first battle (and in typical old-school fashion, there is no tutorial in sight!).

Ladies and gentlemen, introducing our four heroes for FF3--The Belmont family! You may recognize them from the Castlevania series! Richter has been changed to Rikter to fit the name in the game. My runner up party consisted of FF villains, but that may have been confusing.

As you may have noticed, our party looks identical. In fact, they play identically too. Each character can only fight, use an item, or run away from battle. We’ll discuss the game play system as more of the game opens up, but for now, let’s enjoy the cookie cutter action. The battles flow quicker than they do in FF2. There are less messages flying across the screen. The first fight is straightforward, and the goblins don’t stand a chance!

Everybody gained one level after the very first battle. Not bad!

The game finally gives me free reign to play, so I immediately open my menu to see what’s available.

Final Fantasy III doesn't just use orphan labor. It’s the official employer of onion children.

As usual, I’ll put a treasure haul at the end of each section. It’s fun to look back and see all the riches I collect throughout these games.

Treasure makes our RPG world go round!

As I approach a strange rock and a wall, the game declares its contempt for my intelligence.

Not sure what to do. Maybe I should phone a friend!

I walk across the broken wall and find another rock. It makes the screen shake, but nothing exciting happens. When I pick up a second Leather Shield, I take a look at the equipment menu.

Wonder how much damage Simon can do with TWO shields...

You can tell they’re kids. Look at Rikter and Julius’s mouths! Were they eating popsicles before adventuring?

After grabbing some more treasure, I open up the inventory to see a beautiful thing:

Gone are the days where 3 Potions would take up 3 item slots!

I play with the buttons on the controller and find out that the select button changes who is walking in front. I’m partial to blue, so Rikter will be our walker.

Seems safe.

Recovery spring!

While treasure hunting, I fight more battles and notice that whenever I select an enemy, a number appears over it. It’s nice to see which targets I have selected instead of relying completely on my memory.

Experience points! I'm so glad to see you again! FF2 did horrible things to you...horrible...

As I fight more battles, I’m also happy to report that when I kill a target, my other party members will automatically adjust their target. That means no more air swatting!

Before I know it, I’ve finally reached the altar of the Wind Crystal. Let’s watch what happens...

Unfortunately, once again, the tools I used to capture footage in the previous games have failed me. I have now switched to the XSplit Broadcaster, which is a good tool to use for streaming. After streaming to my TwitchTV page, I transfer it over to YouTube. It’s not very high quality, but at least there’s no watermark at the bottom right of the screen, and it cuts down on how long it takes for my videos to upload to YouTube. I’m going to continue to investigate to see if I can improve the quality, but since we’re working with NES games right now, I’m not very concerned right now. In fact, it makes it sound even more like an old game! Any additional suggestions are appreciated of course.

The boss battle is straightforward, and other than the round where pretty much everybody misses, not much happens. The game treats us to some opening music and credits, where I’m pretty sure the game originally lists Nasir, Sakaguchi, and Uematsu for programming, design, and music composition. Instead, we get to find out who fan translated the game. I have mixed feelings about this, because although credit for translation is needed, credit also needs to be given to the original designers of the game. They'll probably be listed in the end game credit as well. During this sequence, I appreciate the return of one of the iconic Final Fantasy songs, and I’m moving on out of the Altar Cave!

It's so bright outside! The music is fantastic! Click here for a link to the song.

Thanks FF3! I'll be back momentarily!

Altar Cave Treasure Haul: 2 Leather Shields, 3 Potions, and 2 SouthWinds (ice attack item).

Back for Seconds

An hour and a half later, I continue my game and investigate the “powers” that the Crystal mentioned.

If only getting a job in real life were this easy. I only need 8 Capacity to change jobs.

This is the first Final Fantasy game with the changeable job system (the first game's class system was more traditional in the line of you stuck with one class and graduated to a better class as you progressed) You’ll see that this game is quite flexible as we get down to business. Now I’ll be right back after making a few quick adjustments.

That's alarming! Has anyone else been told this when they applied for their current jobs?

Kids sure grow up fast!

For the uninitiated, here is a summary of my current classes: The Fighter is a traditional RPG tank. He wears heavy armor and can use a variety of weaponry. He can't use magic but makes it for it in power and defense. The Monk is a martial artist. He can't take damage as well as the Fighter, but he packs quite a punch and can use his fists or nunchucks! The Red Wizard is a hybrid of sorts. He can use Black Magic (attack) and White Magic (healing and support), along with a variety of weapons and armor. He's not as good a wizard as the Black and White Wizards, and he's not as good of a fighter as the Fighter, but he's a perfect blend when you need variety.

Thinking about my awful experience with using multiple weapons in FF2, I wonder if I can equip multiple weapons in FF3 without losing all of my accuracy. Editor's note: It's great!

I step back inside to see if there’s anything I missed on my way out and realize that the entrance does not match the exit. Is there something else to be seen?

WHOA MAMA! What a haul! But this makes me wonder: Why did our heroes walk straight to the pile of skulls instead of get the treasure on their first run?

Oops! I forgot to heal before coming back!

That answers my question. Trevor hits like a truck with two weapons equipped!

Altar Cave Treasure Haul 2: Sleep spell, 2 Long Swords, Nunchuck, and Copper Ring.

Before walking back out of the entrance (I’m not going down that hole again!), I put on my brand new nunchuck but find that Rickter’s attack drops. I’ll wait to see if I can get a second nunchuck before switching to them.  I try to give Julius one of the Long Swords, but he is unable to equip it. I also give Julius the Sleep spell. Let’s take  a quick look at the Magic menu.

After playing around with it, I learned that swap lets me trade magic with my party members, and item allows me to unequip the spell (meaning that spells are not permanently equipped!). This will be useful if Julius changes to a non-magic class. Finally, just like in FF1, we have returned to MP charges and 8 levels of magic instead of universal MP.

Coming next time! Final Fantasy III Part 2: The Great Outdoors and the Spooky Quest!

Thanks for reading, and leave your comments below!

Final Fantasy II Finale

Well, this is awkward.

Final Fantasy II finale was teased on August 15, 2012, and today is April 30, 2013.

In this video series, V, Mr. M, Shank, and LadyB356 join me as I defeat my "white whale" of the series--Final Fantasy II! There are plenty of laughs, menu browsing, unusual conversation, long battles, and bad voice acting along the way as we seek to find the answer to the ultimate question--Will this ending make more sense than Final Fantasy?

Glad to have you here. This video series has been a long time coming, with several technical difficulties in recording, encoding, and publishing along the way. I apologize in advance for the watermark. I hope you enjoy the show!

Check out all three parts below:









Words cannot describe the relief I am experiencing as I prepare to press PUBLISH. There is nothing more to say about Final Fantasy II. It's over to me, and the only time I may ever replay it is on PSP. Moving on!!
Coming soon! Final Fantasy III: No, Not the One with Terra! Thanks for reading, and leave your comments below!

Help! All Suggestions Helpful!

To my video editing buffs out there:

I normally use Pinnacle Studio for video editing because it came with my capture card. While trying to edit my recording for the FF2 finale (which is currently in .avi format), the video looks fine when I watch it on my computer, but as soon as I import it into Pinnacle to be edited, it becomes extremely fuzzy looking.

Is there any *good* free editing software out there? All ideas helpful. Thanks!