Final Fantasy XII

I'm talking about the weather mechanic. Not sure if this also appeared in other FF games made after (I don't think so?). And it's not just FF, it's the gaming industry in general. Of course, there might an exception here and there, I don't know every game there is, but I feel like this particular aspect of FFXII is lost.

But first: what is the weather mechanic I'm talking about? Well, in FFXII, some regions could have a change in the weather, like sandstorms in the desert, rainy in the plains, foggy in Golmore Jungle, Feywood or Giruvegan, and things like that. The different weather also affects abilities. If it's raining, you get a boost in Water-elemental spells (or was it Thunder-elemental? I think the Thunder-elemental is just if it is also thundering); being super sunny in Sandsea powers Fire-elemental stuff. Little things like that. For the most part, you barely even notice a thing. And personally, for a long time I thought the weather was just aesthetic. It doesn't affect gameplay in a huge way, but does change a few things that, if you know, may or may not help you. I still mainly enjoy it for the aesthetic purposes.

And I miss these changes that FFXII has. Because, having these changes in the weather like that, allowing to pass through a region twice in complete different situations, just feels so magical to me. And it gives a bigger world development, I believe. Because it shows that a region doesn't get stuck in a single weather all year, but it does change (and the Giza especially changes the whole map). Then again, games aren't made like before, so bringing something like this back might be difficult, with the fact the whole terrain would possibly have to change, and coding that to happen ever now and then likely isn't easy. And even for just aesthetic reasons, it's just easier to have the story passing through the place two different times and the moments being completely played under different weather, rather than the weather changing around whenever you're off doing sidequests.

Either way, I really like this mechanic, and the fact it feels lost still saddens me, but I kinda get it too. Just wanted to share this. It's funny to look at FFXII and see just the amount of revolutionary steps it took for FF. Though some might be shared with FFXI, I wouldn't know.

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure loves killing off dogs.

MLP loves killing off kings and parents of orange earth ponies. (Yes that stands for what you think, what did you think it was some prissy show?)

FFXII loves killing turtles, or at least making the player do so. Urutan Eater, some of the hunts, Pandaemonium...

What does Square have against turtles in this game? HatesCockatrices (HCBailly) commented on this in his playthrough.

Final Fantasy lovers endlessly debate on which entry ranks the highest. The mantle often goes to FFVII, but there are plenty of fans who have a deeper fondness for FFVI, FFX, or FFXIV. FFIX has had a resurgence in popularity in recent years, and is now regarded as among the very best. And yet, FFXII is rarely spoken about with the same admiration, despite how beautifully crafted it is. It was bold to do away with the random encounters, but this decision gave players far more freedom in exploring. Square also made progress in FFXII less reliant on grinding, which has been a major flaw in the series since Day 1. Even though the franchise regularly relies on nostalgia, FFXII incorporates none of the iconic Summoning monsters, like Ifrit, Ramuh, or Bahamut. Instead, the creators devised brand-new creatures to summon, all of which can be controlled in the open world for the first time. Even though modern games still struggle with AI partners, the gambit system that governs the actions of the protagonist's teammates is easy to manage and incredibly efficient. Since The Zodiac Age remaster has been released on most systems in recent years, now is the perfect time to revisit Final Fantasy XII.

I know I have a post on this already but I'm not getting any responses for how to do this if at all possible. If I don't get answers I am never playing this game again and deleting it off my Switch and demanding a refund.

1.) Is it at all possible to change a character's license? Characters in the game said you could do so at the bar but it seems you can't, I went over to the bar to change the license but it still wouldn't let me. I want to use a spear instead of a dagger as it will be a better weapon, not only slightly stronger but also better range as well, yet because I used a dagger to kill enough enemies to sell stuff to buy a spear...

So, is your character stuck with whatever license you first put them to and they're only stuck with one type of weapon, magick, technick, etc., and potentially screw you over if you don't set any White Mages? Or the right character as a White Mage leaving you in some scenarios without any?

And if so, which ones do you recommend I give each characters? (Well, the dagger one Vaan is stuck with)

2.) How do I change party leader? It says I can but I didn't find that option on the party menu or the field/battle menu. (I really wanted to play as Balthier once I get him)

Also, when I get 4-6 party members, will I be able to choose my party like in the original version or not?

3.) Gambits. I can turn them on and off on the field/battle menu, but there's nothing in that or the party menu about how to set gambits. How do I do that? Why is this game either telling you you can do stuff you can't, or so cryptic as to how?

I gambled and got it for Switch. It will be a while before I get around to playing it, so until then, any tips I should know about, particularly for things that might be easy to miss, and in some cases, only have one chance at? Such as the Blood Sword from II, Ultima from VI, powering up the Freelancer in V, the Ribbons in VII, etc.?

Again, this is the Zodiac Age version, the only one you can find on Steam (and the easier of the two, from what I hear, unless you're more familiar with the original, also from what I hear)?

If it's something that getting it is harder than the boss or enemy it helps you beat, it might not be what I am looking for.

And whatever level up system it has or the whole "license" system whatever that is (I didn't pay much attention to that on the playthrough video I saw), it'll be easy to figure out once I start playing (similar to the Paradigm system in XIII), right?

I didn't see it before but I just found out it is on the Switch. Should I get it?

Are there any particularly difficult or annoying parts to it I should be aware of? (As far as what you have to do to beat the game, or get stuff that would make other parts a lot easier)

One thing I do know based on HGBailly's playthrough that kinda puts me off is that, similar to XIII, you don't get gil from beating enemies like in most other games, you have to sell items you get from enemies. So how hard is this to get enough to account for both better items to buy and sleeping at an inn when you need to recover?

I mean, of course Balthier and Ashe are appealing as well as Vayne being high up my list of villains, but I'm not sure how much fun I'd have with it and want to be sure before I gamble.

Aside from literally everything this game has to offer, because it's simply that good, from awesome story, views and music to the different placement of the characters and their interactions, like how Basch, despite serving the princess, bounds a lot with Vaan and Penelo (most definitely thanks to Reks and the fact they're of "low birth") or how Vaan finds someone to confine into in Ashe and that helps her understand, if ever so little, how her people feel, which would later help her in her own reign, the NPCs of the world of Ivalice from FFXII add a lot to the game that can be easily left unnoticed.

I dare say that the NPCs in FFIX give a lot of life to its world, especially with so many having names for no reason whatsoever. In FFXII is more or less the same.

While you don't talk with literally everyone, the ones you can interact with, and more, those related to sidequests, be them big or small, give a whole lot of meaning and expension of the game's world.

I'll provide some examples: Gastly, the one of the Thextera hunt. He posts a bill of it because his business, and consequently his and his wife's lives, depend on the cargo that the Thextera will most definitely be in the way, so it comes to you to defeat the beast and ensure his business doesn't die. And by defeating it, he'll place some Bazaar goods, and are they good. They are the monographs, expensive as heck, but awesome for loot.

Here's another, Ktjn. A viera in Rabanastre who followed her sister's footsteps and is now lost. Was what she did right or wrong? Should she truly follow her sister or find her own path? And you help on that. This character grows with the answers you provide her, and it's pretty heartwarming, at least to me.

I'll list a few more, but it's never over in these:

• Elder Brunoa of the Giza Plains tribe. The Croakdile hunt, from Sadeen, her husband, the fact you retrieve the ring, she reminisces of the time her husband went after the ring after she had lost it. A tragic story, truly. But nonetheless heartwarming because of how you manage to bring them together, sentimentally of course. Oh, and of course, seeing Sadeen disappear. The fact he literally stays in front of where her tent is located (but because he appears during the Rains the tent isn't there) is so..... Sweet? I don't know, that's not exactly the word I want and none comes to mind.

• Speaking of Elder Brunoa, the whole Giza tribe is interesting. The men go to work, go mining, hence why you only see women and children in the village in the Dry, the children make sunstones to then sell, Lesina trades with the Garif, Dania takes care of the cockatrices. It's beautiful to understand the way they work, truly.

• Cotze and Northon, from the Earth Tyrant sidequest. It's wholesome to hear them talking about their childhood and how they'd sneak into the desert, with a Windvane to transverse the sandstorms. And consequently of that sidequest, it's pretty sad Rimzat didn't get the chance to discover the reason behind the sandstorms.

• The Rocktoise and Carrot elite hunts. Two different pets that went savage and you'll definitely not be able to defeat them right after you've accepted them. But seeing the owners being reunited with their pets, and in Pilika's case, you also getting her diary and, by reading it, discover of their other pet, it's so sweet.

• The airship sidequest, of Ann and her sisters fighting against the notorious Lirschell boys. It's really interesting, the girls just want to be left alone and get a gift for their mother, but the boys want to marry all of them. And now you gotta travel in all airships and deliver a letter in order to inform all the sisters of what's going on.

• The Fafnir hunt. Easily considered the hardest non elite hunt, Fafnir is given to you by a member of the Kiltias, Ieeha. Thing is, once you're finally done with it, you discover the guy died, protecting the mountain and refugees, no less. And so the viera, named Relj, whom he had always tried to interact with, to make her interact with others and not be so negative, to contribute in taking care of the refugees, rewards you in his stead and realizes the true nature of Humes, because for her the fact they were all helping each other was pointless and stuff. And after that, she decides to teach how to create some medicines, that in turn help a lot in healing everyone around. The tragedy stroke and the character had a change of heart and it's beautiful to watch it unfold.

There's a lot others I could talk about, but for now, I'll mention only these. But then again, everyone, relevant or not so much, creates the beautiful world that is Ivalice and its people.

Truly, the NPCs of this game in specific have such interesting stories. Highly recommend everyone to discover them.

I wonder what AI art generation can do with the names of some of the most well-named areas in FF12....

Let's have a look!

Chamber of First Light

City of Other Days

Corridor of Ages

Dell of the Dreamer

Demesne of the Sandqueen

Echoes from Time's Garden

Field of the Fallen Lord

Footfalls of the Past

Garden of Life's Circle

Hall of Lambent Darkness

Hall of the Wroth God

Path of the Firstfall

Paths of Chained Light

Rays of Ashen Light

Realm of the Elder Dream

Starfall Field

Throne of Veiled Gods

Trail of Fading Warmth

Vale of Lingering Sorrow

Walk of Torn Illusion

...and a special set, just for the Necrohol...

Cloister of Distant Song

Cloister of the Highborn

Hall of Effulgent Light

Hall of Slumbering Might

Hall of the Ivory Covenant

So very impressed with what the AI has come up with!

I designed a series of bank notes for the Archadian Empire, with various denominations of Gil!

Here's the recto (front) of the 1000 Gil note, as an example:

You can check out the album, with all 8 notes (front and back), here. Enjoy!

Making a chain of 50 for Montblanc I do early in Lhusu Mines, no big deal.

Urutan Exile needing 100 Urutans dead? Easy peasy.

256 enemies for Larva Eater? No problemo. I found the perfect spot.

But..... Where's my reward for a 999 chain?

It was still worth it for the levels, which was why I came here in the first place.

The half mark:

Vaan was the last boy to reach lv.80, my goal. At 859 of chain, not bad. All boys started at lv.71, girls started at lv.70. still took the boys a while, uh?

The 1000 monster of the chain, telling me there's a maximum of 999 of chain

You know Jovy? In FFXII? The one who they always call after you complete a hunt and then he runs away. After some hunts, I guess it's all the hunts from Nalbina, he says you are his new hero.

I just now realized, now that he told me his story, that his original hero was Reks, Vaan's brother.......

He says he got accused of stealing when he didn't steal anything and a boy came and saved him. He states the boy had lost his parents and was taking care of his younger brother. Time later, his hero gets mixed in King Raminas's assassination. When Jovy went to visit the place where his hero had died, they thought he was there for work. Jovy also says Vaan looks a lot alike his previous hero.

He is talking about Reks. I'm 100% sure.

When did you find this out?

Also, Jovy, how dare you tell Vaan is better than Reks? Everyone knows Reks is better.