bradyguide worth picking up?

[Stilgar]

I don't normally buy strategy guides, and I especially never buy ones by fucking brady games. That said, FF12 is humongous, with a shitton of stuff that a person normally wouldn't find without some outside help.

For instance, I'm on my first playthrough, just made it to the Phon Coast hunter's camp (have no idea how far storywise this is, since I'm trying for the most part to not look up a bunch of stuff about this game the first time through), and I already have like 65 hours on the game >.>. All 6 people are level 36-37, I have a crapload of licenses, and I've done almost all the hunts available so far, but my weapons and armor are all still shit, and I struggle to afford magic and teks...

Anyway, I don't poach or steal from 90% of mobs, I only happen upon rare game on accident (since I don't even know they exist, much less the pop conditions), I found the Exodus esper tonight and got owned hard lol, I ventured into Barheim on a hunt but hightailed it out of West Annex after with a megatrain of undead on me... lol. I have 16/18 quickenings and I can't get anything but Inferno....

I'm having a blast not having a fucking clue what's going on half the time, but after I beat the story I want to get 100%. I may just do a 2nd playthrough since I'd like to try a different license progression.

So is the bradyguide a perfect compilation in a handy and easy to use book, or should I just use gamefaqs or something online?

[Resin]

The guide isn't bad, though it isn't perfect, either. Really, the best tools to use to get the game completed @ 100% would be the guide + gamefaqs.com. Even that doesn't give you absolutely every last treasure and map, but it's pretty close.

[Quicklet]

I agree that the guide + gamefaqs is a good combination. The guide is a good reference for looking up drops/poaches/steals and they have a good compilation of side quests in there. Unfortunately there are a fair number of errors in the book. Their method of map-providing is a little disappointing too. Basically they provide maps (with treasure information) throughout the walkthrough and for some of the side quests, but they usually only provide the area that pertains to the walkthrough / side quest, which means you may be flipping through the book trying to find a particular map to an area. This is particularly a problem is areas like Barheim / Lhusu where only a portion of the map is used for storyline and the remainder is unlocked later on.

[Resin]

Yeah, that and the lack of spawn conditions for a lot of the rare game are my biggest issues with the guide.

[izembo]

its worth it just for the maps, the lack of spawns on rare mobs and no complete map compedium is all thats really missing.

[Stilgar]

The maps? I can't see any need at all for any maps outside the ones the game gives you. Even when you have to find an urn for the map or 'candle,' it's not like it's hard.

The maps in the book have the pops of rare treasure or rare game?

I'll probably just stick to the internet, but sometimes you see a guide on sale for like $5. Anyone have any of the JP guides? The Ultimania books in particular.

[strikers]

opps

[Scythiroth]

http://wiki.ffxiclopedia.org/Main_Page

Thats a very well orginized site that has everything the Brady guide has, plus about 100x more content.

That is for FFXI.

[Khelek]

someone with the bradyguide should scan the maps for the internets <_< anyone up for it?

[Stilgar]

someone with the bradyguide should scan the maps for the internets <_< anyone up for it?

lol what is it about these Brady guide maps?

The maps in game are really well done, probably the best map system I've ever seen in a game.

Guess I'll have to stop by somewhere tomorrow and look at the guide in person, even though I despise EB/Gamestop shitholes.



Maybe Target will have it.

[Raineer]

someone with the bradyguide should scan the maps for the internets <_< anyone up for it?

lol what is it about these Brady guide maps?

The maps in game are really well done, probably the best map system I've ever seen in a game.

Guess I'll have to stop by somewhere tomorrow and look at the guide in person, even though I despise EB/Gamestop shitholes.



Maybe Target will have it.

It's probably the 4 seconds it takes to load and 2 seconds to get back to the game everytime that most people dont like. I find it irritating as well.

PS2 limitations to be sure

[Resin]

someone with the bradyguide should scan the maps for the internets <_< anyone up for it?

lol what is it about these Brady guide maps?

The maps in game are really well done, probably the best map system I've ever seen in a game.

Guess I'll have to stop by somewhere tomorrow and look at the guide in person, even though I despise EB/Gamestop shitholes.



Maybe Target will have it.

It's probably the 4 seconds it takes to load and 2 seconds to get back to the game everytime that most people dont like. I find it irritating as well.

PS2 limitations to be sure

lolPS2limitations :D

The other thing about the guide's maps is that they have (for most of them, anyway) all the treasure marked and a chart of what you can get with and without armlets.

[Quicklet]

The other thing about the guide's maps is that they have (for most of them, anyway) all the treasure marked and a chart of what you can get with and without armlets.

Yeah, this is basically the point of the bradyguide maps. I don't even remember if they have decent maps of The Great Crystal / some other places though. It's annoying when you're looking for treasure-only equipment and you're not sure where to look for it.

[Resin]

No, actually--getting around the great crystal the first time was hell. I ended up drawing up my own maps as I went along. Kinda reminded me of the old-school FF days. :D

[izembo]

theres no maps for non storyline places + great crystal, and if you want a map of somewhere you gotta find where it was in the book for story. like i said i wish it just had a map compedium at the back and it woulda been great.

[Stilgar]

It's probably the 4 seconds it takes to load and 2 seconds to get back to the game everytime that most people dont like. I find it irritating as well.

PS2 limitations to be sure

I can honestly say that not once did I notice an abnormally long load time accessing the map. Nothing at all like, say, the load times in the PS1 remakes of Chrono Trigger or Tactics Ogre when you'd access the menus.

So, no one has the Japanese Ultimania guides?