Apparently you missed my other post where I corrected myself...

Ummm edit?

Anyway I forgot to comment on this game earlier!

I loved FFTA with really the sole exception of the law system, which was in my opinion occassionally game-breaking.  Sometimes when something like Swords or Attack would be banned, you'd be in a really tough spot.  Also the system favored the computer because computer players could not be jailed.  It was also a useless system, because if you kept track of the laws you could always just wait a day or two until the laws were in your favor.  The minor revisions to major features such as that one have me really excited.  Furthermore, handheld games still weren't taken very seriously when FFTA came out, so now that they are, I can only imagine FFTA2 will be that much better.

I loved FFTA with really the sole exception of the law system, which was in my opinion occassionally game-breaking.  Sometimes when something like Swords or Attack would be banned, you'd be in a really tough spot.

Personally when i entered a battle I would check the current laws and try to set my characters up so they would be able to do something without breaking the laws(even if really wanted to level a job that used swords or whatever). though it can hard to do early on when you have few characters who don't have alot of job/abilities options, the beginning laws aren't that bad.

Also the system favored the computer because computer players could not be jailed.

This is not true in the least, only a few computer characters cannot be sent to jail and they only show up on certain missions(a lot of missions, butt 99% of computer characters can be sent to jail(they just didn't break laws very often).  As luck would have it, in FFTA2 the computer is not affected laws in the least and breaking a law once means you can't bring any characters to life if they die(as well as certain mission where breaking the law mean you failed).

Personally I liked FFTA's law system and was dissapointed that many laws where removed for the English version, the less then/greater then damage/cure laws were awesome.  BTW there are laws in FFTA2 that put the Japanese FFTA laws to shame.

This is not true in the least, only a few computer characters cannot be sent to jail and they only show up on certain missions(a lot of missions, butt 99% of computer characters can be sent to jail(they just didn't break laws very often).  As luck would have it, in FFTA2 the computer is not affected laws in the least and breaking a law once means you can't bring any characters to life if they die(as well as certain mission where breaking the law mean you failed).

Sorry, I thought I remembered that the AI characters would never, ever be jailed.  I think that much of the fun of games like this is carefully tweaking your character builds, and I think that the law system works directly against this as it randomly and arbitrarily gives advantages and disadvantages to using specific builds.  But apparently you like the system because it forces you to make a more diverse party?  Different strokes I guess.

Not just any Grimoire

Grimoire... of the RIFT

Sorry, I thought I remembered that the AI characters would never, ever be jailed.  I think that much of the fun of games like this is carefully tweaking your character builds, and I think that the law system works directly against this as it randomly and arbitrarily gives advantages and disadvantages to using specific builds.  But apparently you like the system because it forces you to make a more diverse party?  Different strokes I guess.

The problem with specific characters build is that eventually you'll always be doing the same thing every battle, the laws made it so all those abilities(and jobs) you would never use, not because they bad, but because they we're not the most efficient or whatever would actually see some use and occasionally making some of the battles actually challenging(the DMG2 laws come to mine, as well as the DMG/Cure </> laws from the Japanese version(those were my favorite laws)).  Also most of the time any specific build you made for a character would be usable, only being screwed over by laws once every 4 battles are so and as you already mentioned checking the upcoming laws make avoiding them easier and the law cards can practically break the game if you use them right.

The problem with specific characters build is that eventually you'll always be doing the same thing every battle, the laws made it so all those abilities(and jobs) you would never use, not because they bad, but because they we're not the most efficient or whatever would actually see some use and occasionally making some of the battles actually challenging(the DMG2 laws come to mine, as well as the DMG/Cure </> laws from the Japanese version(those were my favorite laws)).  Also most of the time any specific build you made for a character would be usable, only being screwed over by laws once every 4 battles are so and as you already mentioned checking the upcoming laws make avoiding them easier and the law cards can practically break the game if you use them right.

Well my original point was that the law system is ultimately pointless because you can always waste a day or two until they are in your favor.  The higher concepts of forcing you to reconfigure your party or have a diverse group of characters are therefore made null.  I think that most people agree that the law system is stupid and really frustrating and makes you feel like you've been punished occasionally for absolutely no reason.  The sequel seems like it will reward you for fulfilling secondary objectives rather than punishing you for not meeting arbitrary ones, which in my opinion is much better game design.  But maybe the cool thing is that we're both happy!

I don't have anything else to contribute to this topic other than I have owned FF12 since 06 and I'm 80 hours in and still haven't beaten it.  I don't even remember if the game had a story, all I know is that 90% of the time was spent fighting monsters to afford better equipment.

Hopefully this time my magic won't miss. It did this almost 60% of the time in FFTA.

The laws in FFTA weren't even random, they are based on the day + where you are in the storyline.

Laws were never a hassle. If you kept your party full of diverse job classes, you could pretty much catter your battlers to fit the situation. Like, keep a large party instead of a small one. *Had a full roster.

FFTA was really gay sorry. The feel of he game sucked, the quest system sucked, the story REALLY SUCKED the law system was awful etc.

I recently have replayed FFT and Tactics Ogre and I hope this game is much more like them.

Yeah FFTA kinda blew, it was a little bit fun for a while, but ultimately fft was way better in every way. So I hope its just more like the original tactics instead of the kiddy-ised garbage ffta was.

i don't think there's been an rpg with an adult main character in like 6 years.

i don't think there's been an rpg with an adult main character in like 6 years.

Lost Odyssey and a lot of others I guess and I think I'm just being a jerk so nevermind.

I thought the first FFTA was great, and a good throwback to tactics ogre. I just hope they put some better multiplayer options in there now.

I thought the first FFTA was great, and a good throwback to tactics ogre. I just hope they put some better multiplayer options in there now.

i've only played it on an emulator, in japanese, but from what i've heard i believe there are no multiplayer options, just item trading or something.