I am playing FF7 for the first time

[oggyraiding]

What also strikes me is how kind of far-out some of the enemy designs in this one are compared to other FFs.  Things like the metal egg with eyes that hatches into other eggs, the triceratops with tank treads, guy swinging on a pendulum, bit disappointed that the Midgar Zolom is just a big snake.

Don't forget Hell House! I like how they tried to give it context in the Remake, whereas in the original it was just so out of place and weird.

[Rodan]

there's a real fascinating dolls-house quality to the pre-rendered backgrounds in this game that I'm only just starting to appreciate.

One of those wonderful impressionistic sensations you used to get with gaming, where it fires your imagination and suggests such a richer, larger environment.

[Pink Gregory]

One of those wonderful impressionistic sensations you used to get with gaming, where it fires your imagination and suggests such a richer, larger environment.

I mean in distinction to other games with pre-rendered backgrounds and not just full 3D games, especially the other FF games that have them (though I haven't played 9).  I find 8's environments fascinating and often achingly beautiful but they were very much going for analogues of real world locations with more recognisably humanoid models. 

7 on the other hand is often toy-like and much, much stranger, even the scale seems more appropriate to the squat, simplistic character models, especially when you get out of the impossibly huge spaces of Midgar and you get incongruous things like the Gold Saucer or Costa Del Sol.  It feels audacious, thrilling.

[Rodan]

@Pink Gregory Yeah, I totally get what you mean, squat is the word. I think the perspective on interiors also adds to it.

[C_Larence]

I mean in distinction to other games with pre-rendered backgrounds and not just full 3D games, especially the other FF games that have them (though I haven't played 9).  I find 8's environments fascinating and often achingly beautiful but they were very much going for analogues of real world locations with more recognisably humanoid models. 

Check out this thread of high quality 9 backgrounds and then play 9, it's the best!
https://www.neogaf.com/threads/the-lost-art-of-final-fantasy-ix-mama-robotnik-research-thread.551612/

[Pink Gregory]

I'll get there eventually!

think I mainlined a load of action games and roguelikes in a row so I needed a break and apparently this was it

[bgmnts]

I mean in distinction to other games with pre-rendered backgrounds and not just full 3D games, especially the other FF games that have them (though I haven't played 9).  I find 8's environments fascinating and often achingly beautiful but they were very much going for analogues of real world locations with more recognisably humanoid models. 

Play IX immediately you savage.

[Pink Gregory]

Play IX immediately you savage.

Incidentally FF7 may (hopefully) be the first one I finish. 

Got about halfway through 4, but drifted off, don't think I liked it that much, Spoony Bards aside

Actually got to the final boss of 5 but couldn't quite do it, this was at least 10 years ago

I have a save about 90% of the way through 6 (on a SNES Mini, oddly enough) but I resolved that I wanted to do some of the optional stuff like the dragons and the tower of sages (?), thus I drifted off

Got to the entrance to Ultimecia's castle on 8 after multiple plays and restarts - I would have been much younger so had no idea about junctioning - but I got obsessed with trying to get Eden out of whatever weapon it is that's in the deep sea facility, so consequently drifted off

Got stuck for ages on a really difficult Seymour fight on 10, then got stuck without enough items or underlevelled on the next boss

[bgmnts]

Got to the entrance to Ultimecia's castle on 8 after multiple plays and restarts - I would have been much younger so had no idea about junctioning - but I got obsessed with trying to get Eden out of whatever weapon it is that's in the deep sea facility, so consequently drifted off

This is exactly where I quit (cheated in the remaster). Don't think I've legitimately finished an FF myself, the end game is grueling to me.

[Rodan]

feel like pure shit just wanna go to GOBLINS BAR

[Pink Gregory]

Basically impossible to not know that Aeris gets filleted, but it's still a moment.

[dontpaintyourteeth]

Basically impossible to not know that Aeris gets filleted, but it's still a moment.

The sad Aeris music that continues to play through the boss battle... bad times

[Pink Gregory]

been on the end of a few knowlsepoles in my time I tell you

[Pink Gregory]

what's this horrible fucking snowboard bollocks then

[dontpaintyourteeth]

what's this horrible fucking snowboard bollocks then

It's marginally less annoying as a Gold Saucer mini game but yeah it's not great. Too many obstacles. Cunt just falls over constantly the first time you do it. Not sure why it's there- when did Cool Boarders come out?

[Rodan]

Great music in the snow bit though.

First ever playthrough, I lost my save around here. That theme is extra melancholic for me.

[Glebe]

Great music in the snow bit though.

Smashing soundtrack, one of the greats surely.

[dontpaintyourteeth]

Love the whole soundtrack but it's this one, isn't it? This is THE one, marvellous

[Glebe]

Joyous.

[Pink Gregory]

So I've got the Highwind, should I be doing anything else before I go and get Cloud?

Already done Yuffie and Red XIII's special limit break thingies.

[Pink Gregory]

hiya vincent mate

have I done everything massively late?  Because I can do chocobo stuff now but the Gold Saucer is closed because of the meteor

[Mister Six]

It'll reopen after a certain point in the story.

[Pink Gregory]

Really is refreshing that the main story really revolves around Cloud and Tifa (after a certain point obvs.) and everyone else, even Barret, are just a rag tag gathering of chumps.  Suddenly Cid's in charge, and his characterisation so far is smoking and cursing, brilliant.

[Pink Gregory]

just had a little poke at Emerald Weapon.

Yeah so...bit of a mountain to climb there.  Probably not going to bother, Cloud's up to level 52 and I assume I'm in the final third of the game, haven't really struggled with anything thus far.

[Thursday]

Yeah Emerald is real endgame stuff, much harder than the actual final boss. Requires some real cleverness with the systems and/or hours and hours of grinding. Also an incredibly convoluted series of sidequests/actions to take that you'd never predict to get some materia that will be very useful although possibly not essential.

[dontpaintyourteeth]

Ruby is easier to beat than Emerald.

But they're both much tougher than the final boss obviously

The prize for beating Emerald was better than the one for beating Ruby. But it's not essential to do either one tbh

[Pink Gregory]

Ruby is easier to beat than Emerald.

But they're both much tougher than the final boss obviously

The prize for beating Emerald was better than the one for beating Ruby. But it's not essential to do either one tbh

I'm not gonna tbh, even with the 3x speed grinding is just anathema to me.  At least in FF8 you get the only summon that can do >9999 damage from the optional weapon, like you say, not really necessary.

[Rodan]

By lads enjoy one of the best games ever. See you for the cricket next time x

[Pink Gregory]

By lads enjoy one of the best games ever. See you for the cricket next time x

I was genuinely doubtful of it's repuation but...yeah it really is, even being cognisant of its shortcomings.

Having it on handheld with a pause/resume function helps a lot in making in stick 15+ years later, as does the presumably faster loading times.

[dontpaintyourteeth]

I'm not gonna tbh, even with the 3x speed grinding is just anathema to me.  At least in FF8 you get the only summon that can do >9999 damage from the optional weapon, like you say, not really necessary.

This is true, though I personally don't use summons on FF8 because a) the animations are interminable and b) I usually fanny about with Card Mod and that to make physical attacks ridiculously strong