Trails to Azure

[Dave55811]

So, as of Wednesday (July 17th), at 4:09PMCST, I started Trails to Azure.  As of this moment, I am almost done with Ch.2, Day 1.  It's taking a little while because there are a lot of optional events, and along the way I've taken the opportunity to get some grinding in, which has resulted in being able to acquire all items (parts, paint-jobs) for my car...at least all the ones available at Genten.  Admittedly, one possible reason why it's taking a while is because of a guide I was recommended by my fwiend; I printed it off and, well, we're looking at a total of 155 pages.  I'm about a little over 10% through it (if not 10% through the game).  But, this guide includes sequential lists of optional events, as well as lists of missable items and recipes, therefore it's best to follow this guide word-for word.  However, it would appear as though following it word-for-word will ensure that you're earning everything, at least DP.  My point here is that conducting this practice on the guide is why it's taking a little while.....and, by little, I'm talking about nearly 20 hours of playtime thus far.

 

Per my understanding, Trails from Zero was meant to serve as a "slow burn"; because it is the introduction to the Crossbell Arc, the story focuses more on fleshing things out, such as introducing the characters and shedding light on certain plot points....and, because this is part of Kiseki, you will run into some familiar faces from the Liberl Arc (TitS).  Trails from Zero certainly culminated into some extraordinary events, but it seems like it is during this game, Trails to Azure, that shit will get real.  Actually, shit gets real in the Prologue chapter, because it's (kind of) a repeat of the final boss battle from the previous game.....yet, that's not all there is to it, because guess who's making an appearance.

 

Anyway, that's where I'm at thus far in Trails to Azure.  As always, spoilage from Trails FC, Trails SC, and Trails 3rd are okay in this thread......and so is spoilage from Trails from Zero.  But, let's keep spoilage of Trails to Azure restricted to.....well, restricted to my progress, I guess.  Expect updates now and then.  Until then, welcome to the Trails to Azure thread.

[Zemekis]

19 hours ago, Dave55811 said:

I'm about a little over 10% through it (if not 10% through the game).  But, this guide includes sequential lists of optional events, as well as lists of missable items and recipes, therefore it's best to follow this guide word-for word.

10% through the total page count, or the walkthrough? A lot of those pages must be item/spell/recipe lists. You probably can't do a 1:1 page conversion for progress. If you were at Ch2 already, and then put in a full day after that, you're much farther than 10%.
 

19 hours ago, Dave55811 said:

Trails from Zero certainly culminated into some extraordinary events, but it seems like it is during this game, Trails to Azure, that shit will get real.

Yeah, that's what I said and I'm sticking to it. Zero sets up the political/economic/geographical/social landscape for Azure. I never meant to imply that Zero is boring or doesn't go anywhere, but it's certainly not as bombastic as Azure will be by the end. I can't really get into it yet for obvious spoilage reasons.
 

19 hours ago, Dave55811 said:

guess who's making an appearance.

You may find this interesting.

19 hours ago, Dave55811 said:

so is spoilage from Trails from Zero.

Shortly after you finished Zero, the thread spun off into a few different discussions. I want to pick your brain a little bit regarding the ending of that game. How did you feel about Joachim as the antagonist? The whole Gnosis thing? How about Wazy/The Testaments versus Wald/The Saber Vipers?

Thoughts on Erebonia, Liberl & Calvard as they pertain to Crossbell? The power-play between neighboring countries is central to about 50% of Azure's story.

[Dave55811]

5 hours ago, Zemekis said:

On 7/21/2024 at 1:10 PM, Dave55811 said:

I'm about a little over 10% through it (if not 10% through the game).  But, this guide includes sequential lists of optional events, as well as lists of missable items and recipes, therefore it's best to follow this guide word-for word.

10% through the total page count, or the walkthrough? A lot of those pages must be item/spell/recipe lists. You probably can't do a 1:1 page conversion for progress. If you were at Ch2 already, and then put in a full day after that, you're much farther than 10%.

Derp; I fucked that up.  I had the tab open for over 12 hours and I put in some updates before deciding on making this thread, but I clearly missed something.  Furthermore, at the time of this post, I'm past 32%, about to wrap up Day 3 of Ch.2.

 

8 hours ago, Zemekis said:

On 7/21/2024 at 1:10 PM, Dave55811 said:

Trails from Zero certainly culminated into some extraordinary events, but it seems like it is during this game, Trails to Azure, that shit will get real.

Yeah, that's what I said and I'm sticking to it. Zero sets up the political/economic/geographical/social landscape for Azure. I never meant to imply that Zero is boring or doesn't go anywhere, but it's certainly not as bombastic as Azure will be by the end. I can't really get into it yet for obvious spoilage reasons.

I think maybe I can expect Trails of Cold Steel I to have that "slow burn" thing, too?  I shouldn't assume, even if I've done two arcs of Kiseki.....or, rather, one and a half.  It'll be two after I finish Azure.  But anyway, considering that Cold Steel is four entries, it sounds like I should strap in, because the "shit getting real" will last longer than the Liberl Arc (3) and Crossbell Arc (2).  But, let's not get too ahead of ourselves.

 

5 hours ago, Zemekis said:

On 7/21/2024 at 1:10 PM, Dave55811 said:

guess who's making an appearance.

You may find this interesting.

It's funny that you bring that up, because when I typed in "Campanella" one day, I found a bunch of things not pertaining to the character, including what that surname means.  Something about it might fit well, too, considering that we're in Crossbell.  Get it?  "Bell"?  Hurr-hurr-hurr-hee-hee.

 

On 7/22/2024 at 9:17 AM, Zemekis said:

On 7/21/2024 at 1:10 PM, Dave55811 said:

so is spoilage from Trails from Zero.

Shortly after you finished Zero, the thread spun off into a few different discussions. I want to pick your brain a little bit regarding the ending of that game. How did you feel about Joachim as the antagonist? The whole Gnosis thing? How about Wazy/The Testaments versus Wald/The Saber Vipers?

Thoughts on Erebonia, Liberl & Calvard as they pertain to Crossbell? The power-play between neighboring countries is central to about 50% of Azure's story.

Dr. Joachim was a bit like Weissmann, in the sense that he came off as a goof, but at the end it was revealed that he was the big bad.  Now that I think about it, I should've suspected that there was something going on when KeA didn't want to stay overnight at the hospital with Joachim, but I thought at the time that KeA was so attached to Lloyd and crew that she didn't want to part ways with them, which made perfect sense.

 

Gnosis is certainly an interesting topic.  I think one time I said "I want to try some of that," but after beating Trails from Zero, I realized that I shouldn't.  However it works, Gnosis is capable of heightening the user's cognitive capabilities to the point where they can see everything, including the fate of the world around them, and possibly even be able to control causality.  The ability to control causality might have something to do with how, say, a gambler taking Gnosis is constantly lucky, and subsequently achieves massive wealth.  In short, Gnosis endows you with powers like that of a god.  But, is it okay that the trade-off is that you turn into a demon?  Some people might be okay with that, and perhaps that isn't so bad as the fact that you will die in the process.  The only way you'll be saved is if someone from the Gralsritter pops in and does his holy magic to save your soul.  Whats-his-name from the Prologue, the guy who was Elie's grandfather's secretary; he was lucky that Father Kevin was around.

 

Concerning the Saber Vipers & the Testaments, I'm under the impression that they're rivals, but their respective leaders have diplomatic relations of sorts.  Though, it looks like those relations are over since Wazy decided to join the SSS.  However, given how fiery Wald (leader of the Saber Vipers) is, I think the Downtown District will be okay.....then again, I haven't checked the Trinity bar yet, to see if the Testaments are still active.  Maybe I'll pay them a visit when I'm on Trails to Azure today.

 

Where I'm at in the story for Trails to Azure is the point where it's revealed that Erebonia and Calvard are utilizing their respective assets to conduct activities in Crossbell.  Lechter was revealed to be one of "the Ironbloods", and it sounds like the Red Constellation is being used as a proxy.  Kilika wound up getting a job at the Rocksmith Agency, which I remember hearing about in the TitS trilogy (Trails 3rd?  I forget), and as far as I know, she's busy committing information control....though, I am uncertain as to what Heiyue's role is; I don't know if they're a Calvardian proxy, but it wouldn't surprise me if that were the case.  All the while, it sounds like both their governments are dealing with problems on their ends; Erebonia is on the brink of a civil war, and Calvard is experiencing political strife of some sort, with people wanting to cap President Rocksmith.  Some of Calvard's political strife is on the socio-political level, as they're dealing with issues that are the consequence of "diversity".  When I heard that, I was like "Ooooo; I like where this is going."

As for Liberl, it's gotten to the point where I got to see some familiar faces.....the first one being Sieg.  Apparently, KeA can understand Sieg.  But anyway, after that, I got to see Princess Klaudia and Captain Schwarz; they wanted to talk to the SSS about their issues, which was during that time when all these details about Erebonia and Calvard were revealed.  And so, with everything built up to what it is now (especially after the side-quests, some of which were rather revealing), it sounds like things are going to get interesting.  Orchis Tower is looking to be a catalyst, the target for a significant terrorist attack.  Who will the terrorists be, though?  After doing a recent hidden side-quest, I have a hunch as to who it will be....but, I won't place my bets.

 

I apologize for the wall of text concerning how I'm receiving the story to this game; I just appreciate how it's portrayed, and I think my way of describing my reception is appropriate.  But, I can see more and more why Kiseki needs to be gatekept.  There are more and more people out there who are so obsessed with politics that they think everything is political, and you can imagine (or preferably not imagine) what it would be like if those such people took over Kiseki.

[Zemekis]

1 hour ago, Dave55811 said:

I got to see Princess Klaudia and Captain Schwarz;

Are you getting close to the Trade Conference, then? That part is pretty great. Can you imagine any other game in which a Trade Conference is an exciting highlight? All the heads of state, many past characters & a vague threat loom just around the corner. I was on the edge of my seat for that entire portion. TAKE IT SLOW AND TALK TO NPCS. It will pay off in ways I can't spoil just yet. I'll give you a hint though, the character you should pay the most attention to is accompanying the Erebonian representatives. Here's a spoiler-free hint:

 

Use the Switch's video capture feature if you must to re-read this character's dialogue a few times. I revisited this scene earlier today & the foreshadowing is insane.

[Dave55811]

9 minutes ago, Zemekis said:

Are you getting close to the Trade Conference, then? That part is pretty great. Can you imagine any other game in which a Trade Conference is an exciting highlight? All the heads of state, many past characters & a vague threat loom just around the corner. I was on the edge of my seat for that entire portion. TAKE IT SLOW AND TALK TO NPCS. It will pay off in ways I can't spoil just yet. I'll give you a hint though, the character you should pay the most attention to is accompanying the Erebonian representatives. Here's a spoiler-free hint:

 

Use the Switch's video capture feature if you must to re-read this character's dialogue a few times. I revisited this scene earlier today & the foreshadowing is insane.

Thank you for the advice.  I am at the part where I am patrolling the Trade Conference.  I managed to speak to every NPC before talking to Lechter (as listed in the guide).

 

I've been making it a habit of capturing screenshots (at least) of conversations with the OG crew.  The SD card I have in my Switch can only store 1,000 30-second clips, though, so I can't guarantee that I will have a proper sequential list of video-clips.  I'll be sure to capture what I can before whatever transpires, though.  In fact, I've got over 24 hours on time put into this game; with where I'm at right now, perhaps I could afford to take things slowly.....at least for this event.

[Zemekis]

43 minutes ago, Dave55811 said:

[Thank you for the advice.  I am at the part where I am patrolling the Trade Conference.  I managed to speak to every NPC before talking to Lechter (as listed in the guide).]

...

[I'll be sure to capture what I can before whatever transpires, though.]

Cool! Keep us posted, I have a zany theory to share once you're slightly deeper into the game.

[Dave55811]

So now I'm on the Intermission chapter, putting me over 38% into the game.

 

I was advised to pay attention to some dialogue while patrolling the Trade Conference, and there were a couple things I noticed.....one, in particular, being some chick, a student.  For better or for worse, though, the guide revealed her name.  As the conference progressed, I saw her again during a patrol, and she was speaking to someone on her phone.  She was then told "I love you," by someone, a chick she was speaking to over her phone.  According to the guide, you need to play Trails of Cold Steel I to understand what's going on.  I'm only guessing here, but it seems like something was going down in Erebonia....or, might it have had something to do with the attack that took place here?  During Ch.2's climax, Erebonian terrorists had joined forces with Calvardian terrorists in an attempt to kill both Chancellor Osborne and President Rocksmith.  The terrorist attack was ultimately quelled, but it was revealed that Red Constellation and Heiyue were, in fact, proxies of their respective governments (Erebonia and Calvard).  Even more curious is the possibility that this terrorist attack was staged, so that both leaders could guarantee pushing their policies upon Crossbell.  However, Mr. Crois had one more topic to bring up during the Trade Conference, or rather, one more card to play.....his announcement of Crossbell becoming an independent nation.

 

21 hours ago, Zemekis said:

Cool! Keep us posted, I have a zany theory to share once you're slightly deeper into the game.

I took screenshots of every single piece of dialogue during the Trade Conference, but sifting through all that is going to be quite a doozy.  God knows that all those files (totaling well over 2,000) will take a while to move into my HDD.....or not?  Most of them are screenshots; it shouldn't take too long.  Then again, I'm not exactly planning to share my Switch Album here on Kametsu....if only because there's no way to.

[Zemekis]

33 minutes ago, Dave55811 said:

I took screenshots of every single piece of dialogue during the Trade Conference, but sifting through all that is going to be quite a doozy.  God knows that all those files (totaling well over 2,000) will take a while to move into my HDD.....or not?  Most of them are screenshots; it shouldn't take too long.  Then again, I'm not exactly planning to share my Switch Album here on Kametsu....if only because there's no way to.

You may have gone a little far with that. I mainly wanted to discuss what

Spoiler

Towa

was talking about.

A lot of it is vague because it concerns the events of ToCS I, but I love how they retroactively added her in because as the story develops in later games, it would make sense for her to be at the Trade Conference. She wasn't there in the original release, from what I understand. Nor was Juna at the Academy. There are several Cold Steel characters added in, you may have noticed a Jaeger with a dialogue portrait as well.

Obviously these are cameos so you aren't meant to gain too much from them, but I appreciate the attention to detail that having characters added in where they should have been for consistency.

I think Towa mentions the Reinford company, which will have some interesting connotations in the next game. 

The Trade Conference really goes haywire, it's a highlight for most players. Things only ramp up from here so buckle up. I'm looking forward to reading what you make of it all.

[Koby]

Yeah

Spoiler

Towa and Juna

scenes were all retconned into the games in later builds of it.

 

Have you ever played Tokyo Xanadu eX+? That game is kind of a mix of Trails and Ys, in that it has more Ys-like combat but Trails-like story and even some Trails characters (or rather versions of them: same look, same first name, different last name) make appearances in it. Some appear as simple wall art in the game, etc. Anyways it's nice to check out if you're a Trails fan anyways. Seems they may be working on another Xanadu game now.

 

There's also Nayuta which is a spin-off of Trails, but there has always been rumors circulating that it's actually more connected to the Trails game world than officially confirmed. For one thing, it's suggested that the main character is

Spoiler

Towa's grandfather.

 

[Zemekis]

I think there were more characters added retroactively than just those two? Although they're more minor. I put a question mark after that statement because some of the characters are from ToCS III which I haven't played yet so I can't confirm. Also, a certain jaeger may have been in the original release of Azure, but just given a portrait in the re-release. I found an article detailing it, but it contains outright spoilers for Cold Steel I. Read at your own risk if you haven't rolled credits on Cold Steel I.

Spoiler

Article detailing Cold Steel cameos in Azure

Wayback Machine | Archive.ph | GhostArchive  (I hate link rot)

 

19 hours ago, Koby said:

Have you ever played Tokyo Xanadu eX+?

Nope, as far as that series goes I've only tried Faxanadu. Looking at the more recent releases, I would be interested, Looks good.

19 hours ago, Koby said:

There's also Nayuta which is a spin-off of Trails, but there has always been rumors circulating that it's actually more connected to the Trails game world than officially confirmed. For one thing, it's suggested that the main character is

  Reveal hidden contents

Towa's grandfather.

 

I have a copy of Nayuta, just haven't played it yet! I've heard the rumors. How interesting. I also came across the rumors that the upcoming Kai no Kiseki will tie Nayuta to the main series somehow. Time will tell.

[Dave55811]

So now I'm on Ch.3, Day 2.  I got finished with the side-quests, including the hidden ones, as well as getting all decorations for my crew's rooms, and along the way I've been getting some fishing in.  It'll be a while yet before I finish the shit with the fishing; all I need to catch is a catfish, then I can duel against the last two fishermen.  Erebonia wants to take over the fishing guild in East Street, and that isn't sitting well with me.

This post was conceived yesterday, but I had put it off due to being busy with other things, and eventually it got to the point where I came as far as I am now in the game, so I had to leave out the part where I did a side-quest involving Vice Commissioner Pierre, whom I suspect is pussy-whipped....or at least ultra-paranoid, because it was revealed that the guy his wife was seeing was just a real estate salesman.  But I guess one thing that's relevant is those blue plants that popped up when these cryptids showed up within Crossbell.  Shamefully, I forget the name of the plants right now, but it is the plant that was named in the previous game, it being a key ingredient in the Gnosis pills.  Although they've been growing on Septium veins, I suspect that there's something "inter-dimensional" about them.....if only because the cryptids are inter-dimensional.  I'll resolve this mystery somehow.

 

Anyway, the Intermission chapter climaxed with an encounter I'm only too familiar with....even if it was the first time since, what, February?  You know, that tune playing, followed by the formal introduction of an Ouroboros Enforcer.....this one being Enforcer No.0, Campanella, the Fool.  I didn't fight him.....and, honestly, I'd hate to see what fighting him is like.  If he can change environments at the snap of a finger, I'd think he's capable of some ultra-metaphysical shit that defies scientific description so much that it could reasonably be considered sorcery.  Like, good God**; just who the fuck is this Campanella dude?  Earlier this year, I was told "pay attention to this guy" (not verbatim) by @Zemekis before I got started on Trails SC, and I've seen what he's capable of in Trails SC.  He made an appearance in Trails 3rd, revealing how close his ties are within Ouroboros, and at one point he broke the fourth wall, but aside from that, he hosted that "Who Wants to Be a Mirannaire?" game, which was actually not as cruel as I was expecting; I thought Campanella was going to kill us if we failed in his quiz show.

Oh, and now I'm suspicious about Mariabell, after what she was telling KeA right at the end of the Intermission chapter.  Now that I've had time to think about it, there was certainly something worthy of concern when factoring in how she collected Rosenberg dolls, but most especially how she revealed a bit of herself in that one side-quest in Ch.2 (I think) when I had to go rescue her dolls.  It just didn't occur to me at the time.  This might be the third time I realize that I encountered a "pattern".  Either this story is good at hiding things before our eyes, or I'm just stupid.

 

On 7/24/2024 at 2:07 PM, Zemekis said:

You may have gone a little far with that. I mainly wanted to discuss what

...

was talking about.

I guess, but can you blame me?  The people making Kiseki are seeking to make the most ambitious story in videogaming.  Because everything is connected between different arcs, I don't see how it's unreasonable to be prudent, if not shrewd.

 

On 7/24/2024 at 2:07 PM, Zemekis said:

I think Towa mentions the Reinford company, which will have some interesting connotations in the next game. 

The Trade Conference really goes haywire, it's a highlight for most players. Things only ramp up from here so buckle up. I'm looking forward to reading what you make of it all.

Reinford is based in the Erebonian Empire, if I remember correctly.  That name, along with Verne, has been brought up now and then.  I bet they've got nothing on ZCF, though......well, actually, that's debatable, because as we've learned in TitS, Orbal tech is perfect until someone turns it off.  The other countries' vehicles run on steam, but at least they're not susceptible to Orbal shutdowns.

 

** = Considering the subject matter here, perhaps "Goddess" or "Aidios" would be more appropriate, but when I'm serial about things, I just use the most direct vocabulary at my disposal.  Often injudiciously, too, but nevermind that.

[Zemekis]

5 hours ago, Dave55811 said:

Shamefully, I forget the name of the plants right now, but it is the plant that was named in the previous game, it being a key ingredient in the Gnosis pills.

 

I'm drinking some Yuengling and writing this while Cold Steel III installs/updates on the PS5 a few feet behind me! I'm so excited to be free of FF7 Rebirth after 4 months. Half of that was me not wanting to play it and dragging my feet or playing other multiplayer stuff with friends. Plus Wild ARMs on Mondays/Thursdays with @Starwind55 Look forward to my Cold Steel III thread! You better visit my thread once you get there after all the attention we've given you  3-day weekend for me, couldn't be happier today.

 

5 hours ago, Dave55811 said:

I guess, but can you blame me?  The people making Kiseki are seeking to make the most ambitious story in videogaming.  Because everything is connected between different arcs, I don't see how it's unreasonable to be prudent, if not shrewd.

Yes, I can. taking 2,000 screenshots of a single game isn't normal, much less of a single event within one chapter of a game. Nor is locally storing footage of all your gameplay. You're welcome to do it, but I'm also welcome to blame you for being a wackjob.

 

5 hours ago, Dave55811 said:

Reinford is based in the Erebonian Empire, if I remember correctly.  That name, along with Verne, has been brought up now and then.  I bet they've got nothing on ZCF, though......well, actually, that's debatable, because as we've learned in TitS, Orbal tech is perfect until someone turns it off.  The other countries' vehicles run on steam, but at least they're not susceptible to Orbal shutdowns.

I'm more into Reinford stuff than ZCF. Both have their advantages, but ultimately Zeisscels can cope & seethe.

Spoiler

I'm being contrarian for the sake of jokes. Just in a great mood this afternoon.

 

5 hours ago, Dave55811 said:

the formal introduction of an Ouroboros Enforcer.....this one being Enforcer No.0, Campanella, the Fool.  I didn't fight him.....and, honestly, I'd hate to see what fighting him is like.  If he can change environments at the snap of a finger, I'd think he's capable of some ultra-metaphysical shit that defies scientific description so much that it could reasonably be considered sorcery. 

Can't comment on most of that, but I do appreciate that Campanella has a little more stage time in this title. I missed him in Trails from Zero! Bad guy or not, when the baddies are out in force, the plot moves! In my experience, the first game of each arc is a very slow burn/setup entry. Perfectly fine, just slow. Once Campanella shows up, the tension ramps up so palpably. Come to think of it, has Campanella had any interaction with the playable party since SC? I remember his appearance in "Who Wants to Be a Mirannaire?", which is sort of a non-canon minigame...and that one cutscene with the Grandmaster. I'm asking about direct party interaction.

My game is ready so I bid you adieu until later this evening.

[Dave55811]

EDIT/UPDATE (2024/07/28; 1:05PMCST)

As of last night, I began Ch.4.  Just now, I got finished with a real tough one; after a few defeats, I was finally able to defeat Uncle Sigmund.  I should be getting 5 bonus DP, but just to play it safe, I'm making a separate save file.  That being said, this fight is just another reminder of why I grind, and I haven't been grinding lately.  Maybe I will in this chapter; I need to max out the slots of my party's Enigmas, and look into getting Lv.3 Quartzes.

 

Story-wise, the Red Constellation has laid siege to Crossbell, culminating in the destruction of the IBC.  Sigmund escaped via a small airship, which is carrying Shirley, Wald, and of course a crew of Jaegers.  At the time I suspended the game (to take a break), Campanella and the Steel Maiden watched from atop the Times Department Store.  Actually, having brought up the Steel Maiden, perhaps that would be the best justification to grind, because I was told to prepare my anus** before fighting her.  I don't know when I'll be fighting her, but it might be smart to stock up and power up.  I just hope it isn't timed like my fight with Sigmund, though.

 

 Contents of my original post can be found here:

Spoiler

On 7/26/2024 at 4:53 PM, Zemekis said:

"Pleroma".  I think I keep calling it "Plemora".  No wonder I forgot the name.  But, yes; that is the plant in question.  I can speculate as to how it's applied to pills; I'd imagine that it's like alchemy, where you take a plant and grind & mash it in a bowl.....kind of like how it's done in Kingdom Come: Deliverance, or perhaps not.  The real question is how the hell people are able to procure vast amounts, because I'm assuming this is something inter-dimensional.  Maybe I'll find out some day.

 

On 7/26/2024 at 4:53 PM, Zemekis said:

I'm drinking some Yuengling and writing this while Cold Steel III installs/updates on the PS5 a few feet behind me! I'm so excited to be free of FF7 Rebirth after 4 months. Half of that was me not wanting to play it and dragging my feet or playing other multiplayer stuff with friends. Plus Wild ARMs on Mondays/Thursdays with @Starwind55

Congratulations on beating FF7R.  Just be careful with drinking and typing; I speak from a little experience on that, that drinking and typing produces, well, unwanted results.  But anyway, I could argue that cracking open a cold one after beating FF7R is quite valid.  I haven't done it, myself, but based on my experience with the game, and hearing about yours, I can understand why.

 

On 7/26/2024 at 4:53 PM, Zemekis said:

Look forward to my Cold Steel III thread! You better visit my thread once you get there after all the attention we've given you 

Fair enough; it's the least I could do.

 

On 7/26/2024 at 4:53 PM, Zemekis said:

Yes, I can. taking 2,000 screenshots of a single game isn't normal, much less of a single event within one chapter of a game. Nor is locally storing footage of all your gameplay. You're welcome to do it, but I'm also welcome to blame you for being a wackjob.

Well, each screenshot was a sequence of dialogue, which I could, hypothetically, look back on in case I missed something.  But, I guess I overdid it, because there was only one thing I had to pay special attention to.

 

I may be a whack-job, but I think that's part of how I get shit done.  It may involve me doing things my way, but it's all dealt with in the end....or so I'd like to think.  The only time I'd take issue would be if what's done is done, and I receive nothing but scolding and condemnation for it.  The best example I can think of, which isn't a personal experience, would be like how those bitches on The View got on that guy's ass for taking that horse-dewormer (Ivermectin?) to rid himself of CoViD.  Like, Christ alive; he was able to rid his body of CoViD, even if he used an "unofficial" method, which I guess is why he was getting harped on, but if it worked, shouldn't that be all that matters?  No, say the bitches on The View.  Like, what's the problem?  They weren't harmed by his choice, yet they're still screeching at him.  Then again, why did he go on The View?  What well-minded man would go on that show?  But, I should stop here.

 

On 7/26/2024 at 4:53 PM, Zemekis said:

I'm more into Reinford stuff than ZCF. Both have their advantages, but ultimately Zeisscels can cope & seethe.

Well, in fairness, there are some visual differences between the machinery both companies shell out....not that I've seen enough to make a proper judgement.  Reinford's vehicles might be steam-powered, but being as they're part of the Erebonian Empire, I'd think that their vehicles consist of big fucking tanks designed to steamroll and level a city.

 

On 7/26/2024 at 4:53 PM, Zemekis said:

Can't comment on most of that, but I do appreciate that Campanella has a little more stage time in this title. I missed him in Trails from Zero! Bad guy or not, when the baddies are out in force, the plot moves! In my experience, the first game of each arc is a very slow burn/setup entry. Perfectly fine, just slow. Once Campanella shows up, the tension ramps up so palpably. Come to think of it, has Campanella had any interaction with the playable party since SC? I remember his appearance in "Who Wants to Be a Mirannaire?", which is sort of a non-canon minigame...and that one cutscene with the Grandmaster. I'm asking about direct party interaction.

I don't recall seeing Campanella interact with my party since Trails SC.  And by "interact", I omit something more direct such as combat.  I don't know when I'm going to fight Campanella, but I ought to not look forward to it.

 

I speculate that "Who Wants to Be a Mirannaire?" was meant to be a side-bonus of sorts, better described by you as "non-canon".  Though, given what Kiseki has revealed about these big bad folks, I can honestly picture Campanella doing something out of left field like hosting a game-show.  Of course, I was expecting these Ouroboros Enforcers to be ultra-Xcore ball-breaking operatives who have no time for speeches before epic battles, the types that will kill you if you lay eyes on them, that sort of thing.....but, I suppose that would make them uninteresting, and since Kiseki is recognized for utilizing anime tropes, I can see how that spares no room for such blandness.  Hell, that can all be accentuated by the appearance(?) of the Grandmaster, which took me by total surprise.

 

On 7/26/2024 at 4:53 PM, Zemekis said:

My game is ready so I bid you adieu until later this evening.

Enjoy.  You've earned it.

 

** = Actually, I was told "prepare your ass", but when I read that, I was reminded of that old meme pic of that one barbecue guy grinning.

Edited July 28 by Dave55811
Updated my progress on Trails to Azure.

[Zemekis]

On 7/26/2024 at 8:48 PM, Dave55811 said:

Just now, I got finished with a real tough one; after a few defeats, I was finally able to defeat Uncle Sigmund.

That one was pretty rough, but not the worst in the game. Azure sets a new bar for difficulty (at least optional difficulty). Did you figure out how to beat Sigmund yourself, or did you use a guide of some sort? I found a cheese strategy on YouTube.

[Dave55811]

1 hour ago, Zemekis said:

That one was pretty rough, but not the worst in the game. Azure sets a new bar for difficulty (at least optional difficulty). Did you figure out how to beat Sigmund yourself, or did you use a guide of some sort? I found a cheese strategy on YouTube.

I got lucky with Uncle Sigmund, honestly.  It must have been my third or fourth attempt, and at some point, time was running out, as there were only seconds left.  Tio and Randy had fallen in battle, so I decided "Fuck it!" and enacted desperation by just laying basic attacks on him.  However, I didn't realize he had so little HP left, so when Lloyd landed that hit, I realized that I felled him.  Like, I saw that his HP bar was less than 1/8 or 1/16, but I swear I saw that much HP left in my previous attempts and he actually had thousands more HP.  Maybe I'm starting to perceive information incorrectly at this point in my life.

 

Speaking of difficulty, I've been playing on Normal.  Maybe it's just as well.....but, also, difficulty levels in RPG's (especially JRPG's) is something that I still have trouble accepting, if only because it's a concept I didn't grow up with.  I figured that RPG's were what they were, which overall wouldn't necessitate difficulty levels.  But, it would appear as though, in order to master a Kiseki game, it'd be required to do a New Game+ on the highest difficulty level.  This is at least the case with the Crossbell Arc games.  Call me a fake fan, but I don't see myself replaying these games in the distant future.  I don't know; I'm just "old-fashioned" about JRPG's, but maybe it's just a personal thing, knowing that RPG games from the 90's up to at least the early 2000's were meant to be grandiose experiences from start to finish.....though, they did contain some replay-value, such as FF7 with its inclusion of breeding Chocobos, and FFX had that one "Monster Arena" where you could fight unique breeds of monsters.  But, regardless of my feelings (or something), the Kiseki games have NG+ options and that's all fine and dandy.

[Zemekis]

On 7/29/2024 at 6:28 PM, Dave55811 said:

Call me a fake fan, but I don't see myself replaying these games in the distant future.  I don't know; I'm just "old-fashioned" about JRPG's, but maybe it's just a personal thing, knowing that RPG games from the 90's up to at least the early 2000's were meant to be grandiose experiences from start to finish.....though, they did contain some replay-value, such as FF7 with its inclusion of breeding Chocobos, and FFX had that one "Monster Arena" where you could fight unique breeds of monsters.  But, regardless of my feelings (or something), the Kiseki games have NG+ options and that's all fine and dandy.

I'm confused what you mean here. Are you saying that they aren't grandiose if they have replay value or sidequests? I replayed FF VII, VIII (in particular), IX & X many times each. FF VIII was a common pop-in and play game. I don't know if I'd consider you "old-fashioned" about JRPGs since you've played like 6 of them. Am I completely missing what you're getting at here? I guess I don't understand what's "old fashioned" about not wanting to complete/master a game?   Sorry, I know this looks rude in text, but I'm genuinely curious. By the way, I wanted to remind you to check in with me when you finish Cold Steel II, there is a canon NG+-only scene.

 

Uncle Sigmund was a beast. I had to try 2 or 3 times, myself. Not an easy battle, but not the hardest Azure has to offer (I think I already said that, oops). You will probably need a cheese strategy for the more difficult one(s). I've had experiences like you describe with Sigmund's health bar. When I was a kid & my boss strategy was far less refined, a lot of battles came down to scanning enemies to see their remaining HP & praying the next hit kills them. I remember a lot of this with Pokémon Yellow Version. The game shows the enemy health bar, but not the actual number of HP remaining. Hitting the enemy and watching the bar deplete but not knowing where it would stop....nerve-wracking for a 6 or 7 year old!

 

I'm curious now, do you have your difficulty set to Easy? Normal? I can't recall. I feel like you mentioned it earlier, but I can't be arsed to look through all our Kiseki threads right now (at work).

Make sure to let us know when you get to the big bad optional boss! Perhaps you can drop a few screenshots or some footage too! I'd like to see that fight again and how you solve it. Maybe you're already past it since it's been a few days. No, I'm not talking about optional NG+ superbosses for those in-the-know. I'm talking about:
 

Spoiler

This one. [Alt link because Archive.today is having issues]

 

Edited July 31 by Zemekis
Adding clarity to which boss I'm talking about

[Dave55811]

3 hours ago, Zemekis said:

I'm confused what you mean here. Are you saying that they aren't grandiose if they have replay value or sidequests? I replayed FF VII, VIII (in particular), IX & X many times each. FF VIII was a common pop-in and play game. I don't know if I'd consider you "old-fashioned" about JRPGs since you've played like 6 of them. Am I completely missing what you're getting at here? I guess I don't understand what's "old fashioned" about not wanting to complete/master a game?   Sorry, I know this looks rude in text, but I'm genuinely curious.

Oh; I could've sworn I said that I have experience with RPG's when I was a kid.  Maybe I didn't state it here on Kametsu, and as such, I'll disclose that I have played some RPG's when I was a kid.  Games that come to mind are Secret of Mana, Chrono Trigger, and Super Mario RPG.  I've also played The Legend of Zelda, and my last one was Ocarina of Time on the N64, which I never beat.  Perhaps my most definitive RPG experience was Final Fantasy VII on the PlayStation back in 1997.  In December of 1998 I returned to that game, and was able to breed a Gold Chocobo, so I could acquire those hidden Materia, especially Knights of the Round.  Though, I never did beat those Weapons.  Oh, and though I said FF7 was "definitive", my last great RPG experience was Final Fantasy X on the PS2; I got it in early-January of 2002, and went back to it in order to explore some secrets, such as hidden locations in the world (to find Aeons), and the Monster Arena.

 

As for them being "grandiose", I think I worded that poorly.  RPG games back then were such that they were lengthy experiences, and once you beat them, that was it.  The "grandiose" bit could imply that they were meant to be epic experiences, such that you wouldn't expect out of an action/adventure type of game.  RPG's back then didn't have New Game+ nor difficulty options, at least as far as I'm aware of.

 

Kiseki is a very unique experience, in the sense that it is modern, but the way they're experienced harks back to tactical JRPG's, though it reminds me of Final Fantasy X.....not that that's a bad thing.  The "modern" bit has to do with temporal circumstances, as well as them having New Game+ and difficulty options.  I guess, at the time Trails FC came out, JRPG's had evolved to the point where replayability was implemented, including the two features that I mentioned.  I think I had "moved on" from JRPG's at that point in my life; I recall being more interested in military-themed games back in 2004.

 

Oh, but despite what I said about how "I beat an RPG and that's it," I noticed this:

3 hours ago, Zemekis said:

By the way, I wanted to remind you to check in with me when you finish Cold Steel II, there is a canon NG+-only scene.

....and, er.....damn.  Well, I don't know when I'll get to Cold Steel II, but I guess I have to be ready for something here.

 

3 hours ago, Zemekis said:

Uncle Sigmund was a beast. I had to try 2 or 3 times, myself. Not an easy battle, but not the hardest Azure has to offer (I think I already said that, oops). You will probably need a cheese strategy for the more difficult one(s). I've had experiences like you describe with Sigmund's health bar. When I was a kid & my boss strategy was far less refined, a lot of battles came down to scanning enemies to see their remaining HP & praying the next hit kills them. I remember a lot of this with Pokémon Yellow Version. The game shows the enemy health bar, but not the actual number of HP remaining. Hitting the enemy and watching the bar deplete but not knowing where it would stop....nerve-wracking for a 6 or 7 year old!

I think it took me 2-3 times, too.  I still attribute it all to luck, though I was trying different methods and Orbment loadouts with each attempt.  The worst part was that it had a time-limit, and I fucking hate time-limits.  This was a fight where I had decided "I'm not going anywhere until I beat this guy!" because there's no other way to procure that bonus DP.  So, despite me enacting desperate measures as there was almost 10 seconds left, by some miracle, my last attack knocked him out.  Despite my victory, I sometimes think about what it would've been like if I was stuck there to this day.

 

3 hours ago, Zemekis said:

I'm curious now, do you have your difficulty set to Easy? Normal? I can't recall. I feel like you mentioned it earlier, but I can't be arsed to look through all our Kiseki threads right now (at work).

Normal.  I think it was by your suggestion half a year ago that I play these games on Normal.  I've stuck to Normal ever since....and perhaps it's for the better, because these games can still deliver unto you an ass-kicking, even if you're high-level.  I can only imagine what Hard & Nightmare are like.  Hell, the guide I have for Trails to Azure mentions Nightmare mode monsters, and some of the descriptions are such that I'd have to "git gud" and use other methods besides my tried-and-true methods.....and, I think I already have to do enough adapting when necessary on Normal mode, thus Nightmare would be too much.

 

3 hours ago, Zemekis said:

Make sure to let us know when you get to the big bad optional boss! Perhaps you can drop a few screenshots or some footage too! I'd like to see that fight again and how you solve it. Maybe you're already past it since it's been a few days. No, I'm not talking about optional NG+ superbosses for those in-the-know. I'm talking about:
 

  Reveal hidden contents

This one. [Alt link because Archive.today is having issues]

Well, I'm still on the "Finding your Friends" part of the Finale chapter.  The only "big bad bosses" I've encountered are cryptids, but I don't think they count.  There are some Monster Extermination side-quests that I have yet to do, but the guide is telling me to get all my friends before tackling them.  All I have left to do is rescue Elie, and then I will tackle those extermination requests.  Like I said before, I'm following this guide word-for-word.

[Lonewolfe187]

Got this game last year long with from zero and it was ok thats really bout it.

[Dave55811]

EDIT/UPDATE (2024/08/01; 5:05PMCST)

As of 3:31PMCST, today, after what must have been about an hour, I finally defeated Ouroboros Anguis VII, Arianrhod.

 

I don't know how I manage to pull this off sometimes.  I will say that this fight was a game of patience, and it is when her mask comes off that shit gets real, because she quicker, more resilient, and will sometimes have two subsequent turns to deliver attacks.  Basically, make sure you're well-supplied, equip your team with accessories that prevent fainting & sealing, and when the shit gets real, keep your team huddled together and keep buffing them and placing physical guard (via Tio's Zero Field and/or Adamantine Guard)....also, considering using A-Reflex and/or Reflective Chocolates, because Arianrhod will sometimes cast spells, that, when reflected, can deal a fair amount of damage to her.  Consider having an ATS buff and casting Spark Dyne, and perhaps also Flare Butterfly and Crimson Ray, in an effort to whittle away at her.....but make sure you don't run out of EP; like I said, make sure you're well-supplied.

 

Like I said, it's a game of patience, but it can be done.  Do NOT break the pattern of buffing & protecting your teammates.  As for who to use?  Well, I used Lloyd, Rixia, Tio, and Wazy, and I had Elie & Randy in the background....but, I don't know if it matters who you use, just as long as you play it smart.

 

Previous update can be read here:

Spoiler

EDIT/UPDATE (2024/08/01; 1:09PMCST)

I think Trails to Azure is going to take quite a while longer.  At the rate I've been going, I thought I'd have this game beaten by early next week.....but, I'm at the point where I'm fighting Ouroboros Anguis VII, Arianrhod, the Steel Maiden.  I got wasted twice in total.  I'm not going anywhere until I pound this bitch.  That's right; you heard me.  I'm not progressing any further until I pound this bitch.  I want that DP.  Ugh; I think this is bordering towards innuendo, so I'll stop here.  But before I stop, I'll say that I'll be getting some grinding in today, preferably for ingredients, because the Merkavah doesn't have something set up where I can exchange regular ingredients for monster ingredients.

 

Trails to Azure, I don't like you right now.

 

 

On 7/31/2024 at 4:43 PM, Lonewolfe187 said:

Got this game last year long with from zero and it was ok thats really bout it.

Ah.  Well, this is all part of my experiencing the Kiseki series.  People can have whatever opinions they want about this game and/or the other games in the series.

 

Though, I will update this part and admit that I'm in a rough spot in the game right now.  I'm expecting to get reamed over and over and over again by the Steel Maiden, and I don't have enough monster ingredients to make CP-boosting foodstuffs.  I guess the thing here is that "Trails is great until bad thing," this case being that I'm stuck trying to defeat an overpowered boss.  The Steel Maiden is optional, but if you're a life-long gamer like me, you'd know that "optional is mandatory", and I'm not about to make compromises on this.

Edited August 1 by Dave55811
Updated my post, detailing my current progress.....also updated my reply to Lonewolfe187.

[Zemekis]

On 7/31/2024 at 7:26 PM, Dave55811 said:

Trails to Azure, I don't like you right now.

Do you only like games when they're Easy? Arianrhod is a bitch, and probably the single most annoying part of the game, but it's also the most accomplished feeling I've had up to that point in the series. I can't think of another fight that feels as tough. Cassius in the 3rd? Or perhaps Sigmund, for some people? For me Arianrhod set a new bar that isn't often reached throughout the series. A true optional-to-beat boss that makes perfect sense to be optional, for once...considering that she is more or less some sort of paranormal/supernatural entity. I forget who says it (Elie or Tio), but if the legends are correct, Arianrhod should be hundreds of years old. Don't worry about spoilers. At my point in the story I don't have further confirmation as to her background. There is a manga that delves into her a bit deeper I've yet to read. Rather than being butthurt, I see the battle as a series high-point for those of us who strive to complete the games fully (or mostly fully, short of NG+).

You don't have much left to go, I think she's near-ish to the end. Did you notice anything about her Stahlritter?

Spoiler

They have portraits when they talk.