Got the book today. It’s very nice but I really wonder why the maps couldn’t include labels of where each crystal/blue gate leads to. 9__9 I haven’t really gone through the book thoroughly so I dunno if there’s some flowchart or any equally handy chart that’ll list where all the gates are and their destinations.
Hmmm … I’m thinking I should make a list of everything I want to achieve before the end of the game such as monsters, items, equipment, and fragments cuz there sure is a lot. @_@; Yeah, I do realize that I can continue after completing the main story but I pretty much lose motivation at that point so I might as well get as much as I can now!
I’m definitely not aiming for all 160 Fragments because I detest things that require luck to obtain like the Lucky Coin one which requires you to get 7,777 coins from the slot machine. I have better things to do than sit at a bloody machine and hope that it’ll give me jackpots. I also don’t think I’ll be going for the Paradox Endings. I might though … if I’m feeling masochistic enough one day.
On the subject of slot machines, apparently, auto-playing them is a very bad thing to do even when the machine “is on fire” or “like a hot summer’s day”. According to the guide, the chances of winning are reduced if you just sit there and hold onto the L1 button (PS3 version). 😦 The Eternal Crystal which, I believe, can only be obtained if you have a save file of FFXIII on your console’s hard drive, is supposed to better the odds. Dunno how much help it is but since I’ve been doing the L1 thing, I suppose I wouldn’t notice any difference. 😛
On a somewhat unrelated note, I’ve been looking at incoming search terms for my blog and thought that I should address a few things that haven’t been answered in my previous entries (see More FFXIII-2 babbles~ (minor spoilers) and FFXIII-2: About getting 100% on the maps for Oerba 200 AF & Academia 400 AF):
- Where are the three fallen stars in Yaschas Massif 01X AF?
The “three fallen stars” for the Mirror of Atropos fragment/quest in Yaschas Massif 01X AF are actually crystals. Ivory and Onyx Crystals are fairly easy to come across. Mog Hunt is needed for the Onyx one. The Emerald Crystal requires the Mog Throw ability which isn’t available until Sunleth Waterscape 300 AF. See screenshot here for the Emerald’s location.
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Edit on Feb 17th: Since there’s a bunch of search terms that lead to this entry, I figure I should just show the locations so here, I’ve done a crappy scan of the map from the guidebook. The locations of all “stars” are indicated by the blue and white squares numbered 3 to 5.
. - How to get the sixth/6th fragment in Yaschas Massif 110 AF?
You can’t get this until you obtain a sidequest from Bresha Ruins 100 AF. Then you have to go to Yaschas Massif 100 AF to get a key item called Thorne’s Information from Uma. She can be found in the area where you met Hope and Alyssa in Yaschas Massif 010 AF. Finally, return to YM 110 AF and use Mog to reveal the wandering spectre in the dead end of the east side of the map (Pass of Paddra). Answer his question and you should receive the fragment.
. - How to solve Temporal Rift puzzles (especially the clock puzzles/Hands of Time)?
The only Temporal Rift puzzles that aren’t randomized in the games are the Tile Trials and Crystal Bonds. There are video walkthroughs for these on YouTube by various players. However, you are essentially on your own for any clock puzzles because someone or some people at Square Enix were sadists. Hell, it’s probably payback for all the flak gamers gave them for FFXIII. 😛 Seriously though, these things are randomly generated so the chances of you getting the same puzzle as someone else is unlikely.
. - How to get 100% completion for the Bresha Ruins map?
Completing it is only possible once you gain access to its 100 AF era. Basically, you need to travel to the Ruins in 3 different eras in order to get 100%. The grassy area right of the stairs on the east side of the map can be reached in 005 AF while riding on the back of a chocobo. Just get onto the slab of rubble that’s on the stairs and leap into it.
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In fact, if you’re finding that you can’t get 100% on maps and still have some locked areas in the Historia Crux, there’s a good possibility that one or two of those locked ones are a location you need to go to get to places you can’t in the current map. However, the exception to this is The Archylte Steppe. There’s a good chance you’re just missing this little stump of land. In the image, I state that you need a chocobo.I’m not 100% sure about it but the gap does kind of seem too large for the Anti-Grav Jump to work. I’ll try to make the jump without the bird and update this part with my findings.
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Edit on Feb 12: Looks like attempting to jump to the pillar with the Anti-Grav Jump falls just short so I would still recommend a chocobo.
- Where are all the red cactuar statues in The Archylte Steppe? Where is Immortal? Ochu? Yomi?
See here: https://koukoupuffs.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/steppebosses.jpg
Oh, and those waystones? Some of them only appear in certain weather. .__.; Sorry about neglecting to mention that in the image but here’s the info:- The two statues on the east side of the map appear in all weather conditions.
- The one on the west side of the Grave Ridge only appears in cloudy weather. It’s also hidden in a whirlwind.
- Out of the two in the Clearwater Marshes, one of them appears only in stormy weather. I THINK it’s the farthest one.
Also, all of them need Moogle Hunt except the one closest to the Nomad Camp.
- Why isn’t Miss Horizon taking the Academia map for the Paradox Professor sidequest? It’s at 100%!
Despite the fact that the map shows 100% for Academia 400 AF and 4XX AF, there’s actually one more year to explore. Progress the story a bit more to get to the final Academia era.
. - What gates goes to/How do I get to [ location name ]?
The story/shiny gates shouldn’t be too much of a problem since you have to go through those ones so getting the corresponding artefacts generally come in some story-related event or finishing Live Trigger conversations with key individuals. It gets sort of tricky when you’re doing sidequests because you have no idea if the Crystal/Blue Gate that’s in front of Serah and Noel will bring you to the location you want. It doesn’t help that you’re also limited to about 8 Wild Artefacts prior to Episode 5. Lucky for you, I’ve compiled a mini guide that pinpoints blue gate locations AND their destinations~! Check it out here: https://koukoupuffs.wordpress.com/2012/02/09/ffxiii-2-crystal-gate-locations-destinations-minor-spoilers/
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Still on the subject of the Wild Artefacts, you can technically get the 9th one from Serendipity but only if you’re up to doing some chocobo racing, playing the slot machines, or even grinding for gil to exchange for the required 10,000 Casino Coins to obtain it. (You’ll need 100,000 gil if you’re taking this route. Monsters with the Gilfinder II ability can speed things up a wee bit.) However, if you wait until after Episode 5, you will get a Fragment Skill that will bring the price down to 7,500 Casino Coins or something. BTW, the 10th Wild Artefact is also found in Episode 5.
. - What are Time Reversals? How do I do a Time Reversal? What is the point?
To do a time reversal, you will need to find the respective Seals for each location. I think the main purpose of a reversal is to allow you to select other conversation choices as well as try different things like taking on Atlas without weakening it first in Bresha Ruins 005 AF. (This is a very bad decision if you haven’t been regularly beefing up your characters and monster ally. Actually, I’m not sure it can be defeated without using the device. ^^; I tried it a couple of game hours back but one punch from Atlas did the entire party in. Haven’t tried it again since.)
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There may also be instances where you actually need to reverse time to get to certain areas. For example, on the 51st floor of Augusta Tower 200 AF, if you left certain rooms facing a certain way after taking off to the Historia Crux, it may not be possible to rotate them back without the control panels on the inner-most walkway which, if I remember correctly, disappear once you get the key for the 52nd floor. So if you performed a time reversal here, you can redo the tower again and have access to the panels.
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Oh, time reversal may also be needed if you’re going for any trophies that require 5-starring certain boss fights.
koukoupuffs 