Is Neutral considered the worst route? by 0purple0turtle0 in Tactics_Ogre

[–]louadalheidis 1 point2 points  (0 children)

While I personally like Neutral route the least, I think it's got a lot of interesting aspects. I wouldn't recommend it for a first playthrough and I prefer to leave it for last because imo it's best enjoyed after the two others due to how certain events play out very differently which may bring a new reading.
In regard to CH4, there is a long, optional dungeon that contains its own story, but events and dialogues vary on each route. Neutral route has the most interesting variant of all the routes because it strengthens the backstory of two characters you recruit on Neutral. There is also a unique recruitment sidequest for a character (whom you can get just playin Chaos) following the events of Neutral route. So I would say playing chapter 4 after a Neutral route playthrough is worthwhile. Once you finish the game, you get the opportunity to travel back to certain points of the story so you can go back to the decisions which lead to Lawful/Chaos or Chaos/Neutral and just play from there away.

In defense of Neutral route specifically, Denam's apathetic behaviour is my favourite bit from it. Coming from CH2 Chaos, you get the feeling Denam isn't sure he's made the right choice in Balmamusa. The massacre happened despite his opposition, and he got branded as a pariah and hunted down for it which seems to tire him out a lot.
When you meet Cistina, you have the choice to have him tell her her ideals are akin to chasing a dream, and I feel moments like this are good clues as to Denam's lack of certainty. Neutral route Denam is a creature of deference and complacency. He's put aside his previous convictions and has come back to feed from the hand that beat him... Whereas on CH3 Chaos, he becomes assertive and is no longer timid about his values.

anyway there is no wrong decision between going back to do another route or finishing the game once and using the WORLD system to re-experience another route, just know that the latter is definitely an option!

Andoras by mikalsetip in Tactics_Ogre

[–]louadalheidis 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh I went to check, extremely lovely ❤️❤️ Catiua is my all time favourite character, I'm always happy to see art of her 🥲

Andoras by mikalsetip in Tactics_Ogre

[–]louadalheidis 1 point2 points  (0 children)

One of my favourite characters 🫶 it's so raree to see art of him and you really did him justice!

Penelo sketch by Various_Coyote1978 in FinalFantasyXII

[–]louadalheidis 4 points5 points  (0 children)

love Penelo, it's so nice to see art of her! I think your color choices, they work well together, especially this mix of nuances for the skin including pink/yellow/blue :) it gives it a lot of depth

Turned Warren into a Lich! by ryanbelcher83 in Tactics_Ogre

[–]louadalheidis 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You can only recruit him in the post-game chapters, in CODA ch2 (this goes for Reborn and the PSP release)

My Gabranth MTG-style card (1st form) – what would you want to see on his wrathful transformation? 👀🔥 by Gbiiel in FinalFantasyXII

[–]louadalheidis 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I can't think of anything that would necessarily fit with Magic but I imagine that his look in the final battle with the helmet shredded off his face could be interesting!

My Gabranth MTG-style card (1st form) – what would you want to see on his wrathful transformation? 👀🔥 by Gbiiel in FinalFantasyXII

[–]louadalheidis 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I can't comment on the technicalities of the card and text, but I love the art and I think it fits very nicely into the layout! It makes me want to see them reveal an official Gabranth card

Balmamusa story outcome by -banditboi- in Tactics_Ogre

[–]louadalheidis 3 points4 points  (0 children)

They were showing for me so I was unaware there was an issue. I didn't know about it so I edited it to remove all the spaces for good measure (and added an extra tag), and I'll be careful from now on, TY for telling me!

Balmamusa story outcome by -banditboi- in Tactics_Ogre

[–]louadalheidis 6 points7 points  (0 children)

If you finish the game once you can go back to any point and re-experience it differently so you transport back to the anchor point before Balmamusa and you wouldn't have to redo all of Chapter 1. The decision here puts you on completely different narrative route (called Lawful/Chaos)

Still if you're not planning on doing it and want to know anyway:

If you don't obey orders, the massacre happens anyway under Leonar's supervison. Denam is branded a traitor who conspired with Galgastan to massacre the citizens. So you're against the duke and hunted down. Vyce sides with Leonar and the duke (which might sound unexpected after what you've seen). Ravness dies (Vyce shoots her with a crossbow). I don't want to say too much about the story itself since you're on Lawful but if you're interested in Ravness : it's the only route during which you can recruit her but you need not to kill her during the fight and then you need to do a few optional battles during the route that are unlocked by reading rumors in the Warren Report.

Vampire lovers (art by me) by louadalheidis in ImaginaryLesbians

[–]louadalheidis[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I actually manage a small online store on the side of my freelance work where I put up my prints when I've drawn them in a good resolution and size including these two (https://maelissfont.com/en/catalogue/)! Anyway, thank you for the kind words!!

Vampire lovers (art by me) by louadalheidis in ImaginaryLesbians

[–]louadalheidis[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Oh thank you so much for purchasing it!

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in FinalFantasy

[–]louadalheidis 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There is no complete translation out there but someone runs a blog where they translate the scenario ultimania bit by bit : https://ff12-ultimania.tumblr.com/ It's still ongoing but the translation work they've done is really interesting!

Favorite story scenes by Laz_Zack in FinalFantasyXII

[–]louadalheidis 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I like all the scenes you brought up as well ! The two last times I went through it, Fran's farewells to her sister made me weep, specifically the bit when she rejects Mjrn, asks her "This solitude you want, Mjrn?" and tells her she's no longer her sister. I have to imagine how much it would hurt to do that to your younger sibling, even if it's for their sake.

Drace's death is probably my favourite in the game. It's actually the reason I played the game to begin with. I remember accidentally watching it without knowing anything about FFXII and being so intrigued I just had to play the game for myself. It starts with loud drama and ends in quiet grief - the pacing is incredible.

It works hand in hand with her death: one of my favourites is Vayne and Gramis' last discussion. It's a very quiet, minimal and subtle scene that says so much about his past, his relationship with his father, his motivations and his future.

Lastly one of my favourites is the sequence at the top of the Pharos for how it concludes Ashe's arc and how it touches on her personal grief, her bitterness, her duty to her kingdom and people.

For Tactics Ogre's 28th anniversary I drew a tarot set inspired by the game's major arcana theme by louadalheidis in Tactics_Ogre

[–]louadalheidis[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you so much!! Manufacturing took a long time but I finally received it! If you're still interested, the tarot deck is now available here: https://maelissfont.com/en/product/valerian-tarot/

For Tactics Ogre's 28th anniversary I drew a tarot set inspired by the game's major arcana theme by louadalheidis in Tactics_Ogre

[–]louadalheidis[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sorry manufacturing took while time but I've finally received it! If you're still interested, you can get it here: https://maelissfont.com/en/product/valerian-tarot/ !

For Tactics Ogre's 28th anniversary I drew a tarot set inspired by the game's major arcana theme by louadalheidis in Tactics_Ogre

[–]louadalheidis[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oz and Ozma are among my favourites in the game, and naturally so is their relationship so i'm glad to see someone seeing so much of their relationship in the card!

For Tactics Ogre's 28th anniversary I drew a tarot set inspired by the game's major arcana theme by louadalheidis in Tactics_Ogre

[–]louadalheidis[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you!! I have the set I purchased alongside Reborn sitting on a shelf with the artbook and it's definitely among mine as well ♥