Too Hard?!

[markandrewkinzett]

Is it just me or are some of the sidequests in FFX just too hard. For example the Chocobo Catcher Race, The Butterfly Hunts and dodging 200 Lightning Strikes in a row. I have achieved completion on them all (Butterfly hunt is the worst followed by the chocobo race then the lightning strikes) but why ar they so hard to do any views on this would be appreciated!!!

[Locke4God]

YES, the sidequests are rediculously stupid hard,,,,

Do what I did. REFUSE TO PLAY THEM!

Seriously. Play them just because they are there? WHY? Even if they aren't fun? Challenging is one thing, but some of those in 10 were just flat out annoying. I actually liked the butterblys, but Lightening bolts? You're a tool if you did that, because how mindless was the guy in charge of creating that exciting challenge? I mean I'm not going to jump lightening bolts because some unimaginative douche at square decided he didn't want to design something more interesting. Know what i mean?

[Alpha]

No I don't know what you mean, Locke, and you need to stop assuming that anyone who plays a game in a different manner to yourself is somehow stupid or obsessed.

When Sir Edmund Hillary was asked why he climbed Mt Everest (he was the first person to do so), he replied "because it was there".

Buy yeah, these are hard. Wel actually just the choobo race. Takes me the better part of a day to get my time down to zero.

[Locke4God]

LOLOL,,, I'm sorry, did you just compare jumping 1000 Lightening bolts for a video game to the accomplishment of climbing to the highest place on the planet?

Really?

[Alpha]

No, I compared Sir Ed's rationale for doing something difficult for the sake of doing something difficult, because it existed, to doing something, in a video game, that is difficult, "because it is there".

Look past the subject and see the principle. Woods for the trees, yeesh.

[Diamond Dust]

I would much rather climb Everest than dodge 1000 lightning bolts in a video game.

[Locke4God]

Ditto to Diamond Dust,

And ALPHA,,, do you think Sir Edmond would have ever in his life laid around dodging lighting bolts? NOT A CHANCE. He would have said anybody who did so was a lazy s*&#.


There's no principle there bud. There's using a truly inspiring and accomplished man's words to justify laying on your couch. How noble of you.

[Bleachfangirl]

There's no principle there bud. There's using a truly inspiring and accomplished man's words to justify laying on your couch. How noble of you.

You're not a very agreeable person, are you? Whatever. If you don't fancy challenges, don't take them on. Maybe some people like accomplishing full-completion of games because they think the extra side quests are fun. Not everyone is you.

I never bothered with the side quests myself because I've always been a lazy gamer. I just powered through the game for the main story and left the rest behind. Those challenges are challenges for a reason. =P You didn't have to complete them to beat the game, so I think they're just there for anyone who has extra time and interest.

[Dan558]

YES, the sidequests are rediculously stupid hard,,,,

Do what I did. REFUSE TO PLAY THEM!

Seriously. Play them just because they are there? WHY? Even if they aren't fun? Challenging is one thing, but some of those in 10 were just flat out annoying. I actually liked the butterblys, but Lightening bolts? You're a tool if you did that, because how mindless was the guy in charge of creating that exciting challenge? I mean I'm not going to jump lightening bolts because some unimaginative douche at square decided he didn't want to design something more interesting. Know what i mean?

again I find myself surprised to agree with Locke, I mean in the grand scheme of things video games are fairly useless, doing ridiculous and unfun things in them is the pinnacle of useless.

Video games are a fine way to pass the time but there is certainly a low limit to how accomplished one should feel about doing useless side missions or challenges. It's silly when someone brags about beating X in Y amount of time, or did 100% of useless Z collecting only for the sake of collecting. Challenge: punch a wall 1000 times in the same place without stopping. Going to do it? because that's about as useless as some game accomplishments and often times just as excruciating. Then people say "look what I did!". That's the extreme of things, sorry to say it but the pathetic line has to be placed somewhere and in the gaming community of late it seems it's non-existent at times. Not FFX in particular, comparatively that stuff is easy to the junk people brag about in gaming these days.

As for my experience with these? None were too hard but they were so boring (lightning dodging) or useless I also walked away from them. Like I could see myself dodging 200 lightning bolts but why? I'd rather study to better myself in life then burn out my eyes staring at a fool jump lightning for hours, not that I studied instead but I'm sure I did something more productive with my time overall (picked up one piece of litter BAM! More significant) with the time I saved NOT doing it.

[Locke4God]

Well said Dan.


I loved your quote on bragging. Gotta love all those braggers out there. You know who you are. We're all impressed I can tell you. ;-)

[Josh_R]

Whatever. If you don't fancy challenges, don't take them on.

This. Video games are hard. If they weren't what is the damn point in em'. They are side quests, meaning optional. If they are to hard for you don't f*ckin do em. Go through the story, and don't whine.

[Locke4God]

Who's whining? I didn't say they were hard. I said they were mindless. I gladly avoided them but that doesn't change the idea that if you spent hours completing them that you're a tool. They've made way smarter sidequests and games. Completing stupid ones doesn't get me off but I mean feel accomplished if you like.

[Josh_R]

Who's whining? I didn't say they were hard. I said they were mindless. I gladly avoided them but that doesn't change the idea that if you spent hours completing them that you're a tool. They've made way smarter sidequests and games. Completing stupid ones doesn't get me off but I mean feel accomplished if you like.

Well first off I don't do them just to accomplished. Is it hard for you to except that maybe some people actually enjoy doing these. Calling someone a tool for doing them seems a little harsh, maybe you should take a little look at some of your posts, and think about who the tool truly is.

[Locke4God]

No its not hard to accept at all. But that doesn't make it a good thing either. Some people enjoy drinking and driving, cheating on their spouse, or eating poop!!! But those are ok because they enjoy them right? Just that simple.

All I'm saying is if you got to one of those, found them frustrating, and then spent hours doing them anyway because they were there. Then that's the definition of being a tool.

if you liked them though then cherio!

[Fred]

I actually enjoyed the butterfly hunt. Something about making Tidus walk around in a crystal forest, catching cute little blue butterflies, amused me. Especially when I made him catch the red ones and he got mauled by the monsters. C:

[Zargabaath]

I never found them too hard that it would take hours. Though hours in this instance could mean 2 hours or any where up to 10 hours. A bit vague.

The two hardest were: 1) Lightning Dodge 2) Butterfly Catch. The Butterfly catch was difficult because I sometimes had a hard time distinguishing the correct butterflies to touch. The Lightning Dodge I would somewhat strain my eyes anticipating the next lightning strike and get hit around the 50-70 mark so I opted to pass on that sidequest.

The Chocobo race I find to be one of the easier sidequests. May take me three to five tries before I get the correct time.

I don't know if these sidequests are mindless otherwise they wouldn't take hours and hours of sitting, not laying, on the couch. It takes a person's attention to accomplish them. Dodging 200 lightning bolts requires good reaction timing.

All I'm saying is if you got to one of those, found them frustrating, and then spent hours doing them anyway because they were there. Then that's the definition of perseverance.

I agree. Shouldn't give up because something is difficult. That leads to bad behavior to more important things like school, work, & especially life. Oh-oh, suicide.

[Locke4God]

Good Points Zargabaath!!!

If they're easy, and you can do them quickly then, definately,,, YAY,,, play away,,,, that makes it fun.

I did the butterfly hunt like Fred did, and I totally agree, running around through that place felt fun and alive, and it only took me a couple of tries for each.

Conversely after getting hit by the 5th bolt after 20 tries, and after not coming close in the chocobo race after another 20, and not having an ounce of fun doing either one, I decided I wasn't going to play something that wasn't any fun just for the sake of doing it. Plus, esspecially with the lighting bolt thing, I just immediately felt that it was a low brow kind of side game. Not a lot of thought went into it. It didn't require any cleverness or strategy, or using your brain to work anything out. It was just jumping bolts. YAWN.

[Alpha]

It wasn't fun FOR YOU, Locke.

The lightning bolt side-quest didn't require any thought or strategy, in your opinion. Interesting that you still failed miserably at it.

Plus, the butterflies, the lightning bolts, and chocobo raising are all prequisites to get three characters' ultimate weapons. Perhaps that's not as crucial for the NA version, which lacks the dark aeons, but these are pretty much neccessary for these side quests -- which I found very challenging (read: enjoyable). In fact, I STILL have not beat Penance. Mo'fo is a hard nut to crack.

[Locke4God]

Lol. Nice try alpha. "interesting that you failed,,," implying that by calling them stupid and then not doing them means I'm dumb. LOLOLOLOL. Again nice try but its been made clear that I'm above mindless sidequests and would prefer more of an intellectual challenge and not a mind numbering challenge. Give me puzzles and riddles to solve. Not button mashing crap.


And prerecs? "ooooooooooh! Must have shiny ultimate weapon at all costs.". I'm not going to endure some developers crappy mini game to get an "ultimate" weapon. If the game is fun then sure but not if its as bad as lightening jumping.

[Zidane77]

Is it just me or are some of the sidequests in FFX just too hard. For example the Chocobo Catcher Race, The Butterfly Hunts and dodging 200 Lightning Strikes in a row. I have achieved completion on them all (Butterfly hunt is the worst followed by the chocobo race then the lightning strikes) but why ar they so hard to do any views on this would be appreciated!!!

I don't think they're nearly as hard as the side-quests in KH2, that is something i gave up on.
FFX i finished everything though and i like KH better.

The chocobo race was easy, but part of the butterfly catching and the whole lightning strikes was incredibly hard, and took a lot of effort.
So yeah i agree, besides it was horribly boring, sometimes the side-quests especially in FFX/X-2 are just too much crap.

[Locke4God]

You make a good point Zidane.

You see I always thought the Chocobo race was the most difficult and the Lightening one just tedious and annoying, while I REALLY ENJOYED THE BUTTERFLYS!!!!

BUT,,, it seems that many actually found the butterflys more annoying than the race, so I wonder which one is actually less favored?

[Xanatos]

While I do agree that most of those sidequests are tedious, and hard, completing them is well worth as ultimate weapons come handy in battle against dark aeons, and penance, that goes for international version only I'm afraid.

[loaf]

None of them are "that" hard.

Everyone thinks Lightning Bolt Dodging is so hard when it's easy to do when you control the lighting strikes.

The butterfly catching is probably the most annoying once since if you mess up one little thing you have to restart the whole challenge.

The racing is easy, but sometimes you get a bad race which just ruins everything.

The rest are simple tasks.

[Locke4God]

Oh well yeah. I guess after playing every game 30 times it would get easier right loaf

[Zidane77]

You make a good point Zidane.

You see I always thought the Chocobo race was the most difficult and the Lightening one just tedious and annoying, while I REALLY ENJOYED THE BUTTERFLYS!!!!

BUT,,, it seems that many actually found the butterflys more annoying than the race, so I wonder which one is actually less favored?

Side-quest is possibly the easiest when you enjoy it, of those 3 i only enjoyed the chocobo racing.
So that was really easy for me.

[markandrewkinzett]

I can see there is some very different opinions on this subject so I think as I posted this thread in the first place I should make my opinion clear too. Firstly where has anyone got 1000 lightning strikes from? You only need to doge a maximum of 200 so if you have been tryiong to dodge 1000 in a row I can understand why you wouldn't bother. However I personally complete these difficult sidequests for three reasons. Firstly the Celestial weapons are awesome and in my opinion are well worth the effort neede to get them all powered up. Secondly I still find some of them difficult but when you manage to complete them you get good items (sigils) a great sense of achivement and doesn't anybody like a challenge anymore? I relish a challenge and that is my third reason even though it can begin to annoy me!

[lady ashe]

i really dont get the sidequests, why dodge lightningbolts anyways? 200 in a row will take forever

[nickness89]

Wow, I think this thread is having it's time of the month xD

I'm not getting involved.

I will say though, that these three quests were difficult.

Butterfly Hunt - I thought this was the easiest, I managed to memorise where the blue butterflies would appear, and completed it in around 45 minutes.

Lightning Strikes - I have a form of Tourettes, very very mild form, and I barely ever get tics, but when I was doing lightning strikes, the screen flashed, I got nervous and my wrist would keep twitching, which meant I kept getting more stressed with it, and my body would writhe while trying to press X in time lol. But this took about 2 hours.

Chocobo Catcher - This was the hardest for me, and took me about 2 days to complete, I just wish it was real life, then I could take an AK and blitzs the f*ck out of those damn seagulls!!

[Hero without a Name]

The lightning bolt was difficult, as was the getting 0:00...believe me I tried multiple times. Is it difficult? Yes Is it impossible? No...why isn't it impossible. Because they wouldn't of put it in the game if it was. Sure maybe you need to have extreme hand eye coordination, but at the end of the day. I failed to do it. I did defeat the game, but I have never face the dark aeons or pennace...and if I tried, I would be destroyed in like....5 seconds.

[lady ashe]

i could never beat the dark aeons, the longest ive last for is two moves for each person