Final Fantasy XV Progress

[Andromeda]

With Final Fantasy XV releasing tomorrow, the regular habit of a progression thread only makes sense. This is spoilers free, so anything you post needs to be safe for anyone to read. Apart from that though, update on anything you feel is relevant to your play and start conversations. Since Final Fantasy XV is more open than more recent FFs, where people are and what they've been up to can vary to some degree, especially on discovering hidden dungeons, do special side-quests, etc. So share everything you've been up so long as it doesn't spoil story events.

You can ask questions if you're having trouble on something. Everyone posting will likely be pretty invested and should have good information help.

Basics:
Level of Party
Time Played
Current Gil
Area
Chapter

Anything else you want to include, like equipment, upgrades, cool magic you've crafted.

[otomo]

I just started. I watched the movie first and then the anime before actually playing (which I recommend, you feel much more attached to the characters to start, which is good because chapter 1 is kinda dry story wise). My takeaways are here: Final Fantasy XV First Impressions | The Writings of Jon Del Arroz

I'm about 1 hour in, lvl 5, done a couple of the side quests for hunting. No cool gil or anything like that. I'm taking my time exploring and figuring it out. Fighting system is unique and frustrating at the same time -- not that I'm losing battles but I just feel I'm not doing well with it.

[Andromeda]

I managed to get in about 6 hours before stopping. I had the unfortunate run in with a lv15 cactaur just outside of the first camp I stayed at. So that was an exciting way to get things starting. But having fun picking up side quests and hunts, though a little bug that I had 7k exp that I wanted to sleep on, but couldn't because the chapter end and turned it. I wanted to get back down to a hotel that would double the exp.

Currently sitting at:
Noctis lv 15
Gladiolus lv 14
Ignis lv 14
Prompto lv 14

Fishing is still lv 1, only did a little.
Survival is lv 3
Cooking is lv 3
Photography is lv 4

Been have a lot of fun seeing the pictures that Prompto grabs.

Got the Engine Blade and Drain Lance upgraded.

On Chapter 3 now.

Got 1670 gil.

[otomo]

I managed to get in about 6 hours before stopping. I had the unfortunate run in with a lv15 cactaur just outside of the first camp I stayed at. So that was an exciting way to get things starting. But having fun picking up side quests and hunts, though a little bug that I had 7k exp that I wanted to sleep on, but couldn't because the chapter end and turned it. I wanted to get back down to a hotel that would double the exp.

That Cactuar is super annoying, I had the same issue. I still haven't moved out of the first area really because I'm running around sidequesting too much. I feel like I finally don't feel at odds with the game though after about 3 hours. How'd you amass 7k xp? playing through nighttime?

[Andromeda]

I ended up going through a lot of chapter 2 without sleeping. So stacked up a lot. It came from side quests and story quests. And yeah a lot of it was going through night twice. I had 5k and I was trying to get to a hotel and ended up the wrong way and just kept going. And that pushed the story on. Which kept giving me more exp. And before I knew I was at 7k an wanted to double that really badly.

[otomo]

Now at lvl 17

Fishing 2
Survival lv 3
Cooking lv 3
Photography lv 4

9 hours in, finally went through chapter 2 which was a breeze at my high lvl. I messed around on every side quest I could find, found a lot of those missing map pieces but ended up skipping the one at the southern checkpoint with the big dungeon you need to be lvl 45 for (a sidequest appeared telling me that lvl is how I know). Time to take an eyes break.

[Homura]

Currently in Chapter 3
All characters lv 23
Fishing lv 2
Survival lv 4
Cooking lv 3
Photography lv 5
Play time is 10:03:24
Gil total is 5,165
Location: Chocobo Ranch in Duscae

I think my level is on the high side. I read Andromeda's post earlier and got kind of inspired. I stayed up two nights making about 10,000 EXP on a variety of short sidequests and then went to the hotel by that beach resort place with the couple that never, since the game started, seem to have taken a rest from splashing water on each other. It costs like 10,000 gil to sleep there so I had to sell some of the stuff I've collected from animals, etc. I made sure to keep at least one of everything in case I ever need them for something, and also just because it's nice to have. Next morning I had gone up almost 10 levels. Made me feel really smart although of course it was not even my own idea.

I'm really enjoying this game so far. I feel like just the way Final Fantasy X combined JRPG with the Adventure genre, with all the puzzles and cutscenes, Final Fantasy XV is like a cross between the modern open-world RPG and games like Deadly Premonition and Shenmue. Most of the quests are your typical MMORPG stuff, to be honest, but all the realistic details like having to make sure you eat the right food, having to find a place to sleep, driving the car and listening to music, running very long stretches and almost getting exhausted watching your characters wearing themselves out -- it all makes it feel like I'm actually living the lives of these people rather than playing a game. It's so immersive. My only real gripe is that I'm pretty sure my interest for these characters and the central conflict would be more or less non-existent if it weren't for Kingsglaive and the Brotherhood anime. I also think the beginning in a Final Fantasy game should be far more spectacular than the one in here was. You've all heard it, but car trouble?!?!

[Andromeda]

Pretty much ignore the main story today focusing on only doing side quests. There is a ton of things to do and finally went into that dungeon only to find out it was a lv50 dungeon. So I stole all of the items and left before fighting boss. I'll be back later on that. I did get my chocobo rental available now. And I like the emergent quests that pop up while you're driving. Found someone in need of help along the side of the road.

Noctis lv24
Gladio lv 23
Ignis lv 23
Prompto lv 23

Fishing lv 2
Survival lv 4
Cooking lv 4
Photography lv 5

I finally found some more fishing spots so I got it leveled up some more, almost lv 3 on it.

Current time 11:15
Current gil: 5550

I spent some one the hotel to get the double exp and one one a 1.5 exp boost. So I got some good amount, I had 11k on the 1.5 boost, put it up to like 16-17k.

[Zargabaath]

Party Level: 13
Time: 10:30
Gil: 4,640
Chapter 2

Fishing: 2
Survival: 4
Cooking: 3
Photography: 4

So far I've been doing a lot of exploring in the initial area. I too found that dungeon with the lvl 50 enemy - scared that crap out of me. But I am really digging this exploration, it gives it a Xenoblade Chronicles (and X) feel. There is danger to be had at night or during the day in certain areas. What lurks deep in the dungeon? I really like how in a dungeon parts that have not been explored the party slowly walks almost like creeping. While, traversed parts of the dungeon the party returns to regular walking speed. A sense of suspense that adds to the feel of the game.

I am digging the magic system for the most part - discovering combinations is really fun. Drawback is magic can hurt the party as well. Has anyone equipped magic to their other party members and seen them cast it? I gave something to Ignis and he didn't do anything with it. I wish there was some sort of commands or AI settings that we could've tweaked.

Also, a bestiary would have been nice so I could brush up on what enemies are weak against. I have libra for Ignis and don't want to play in wait mode. I've been "Active" throughout FF.

[Andromeda]

I got a lot more questing done today and finished chapter 5. To answer your question, Zargabaath I have seen them use magic I equip to them. They tend to be even more reckless than me with the use and I try to lay it down in advance. But I don't know what the criteria the AI has for using it. I ran into some Couerls this time and they hit like a truck despite only being a few levels ahead of me. Not sure why, but they could instant KO me. So they were a huge pain in the neck to deal with. I was able to find one of the hidden map pieces, but the first one I found I still can't locate. Been getting annoying for me. Stocked up on exp and got Noctis almost 20k before bonuses. Noctis lv 36 Gladio lv 35 Ignis lv 35 Prompto lv 35 Fishing lv 2, almost 3. Survival lv 5 Cooking lv 5 Photography lv 6 My chocobo is lv 5 now, got two medals and it's pink. Current time 20:34 Current gil 16,860

[Zargabaath]

I looked into it and it seems they'll use magic if the enemy is weak or neutral to the element. Ignis has used it a few times and hasn't been too bad. So it has worked out for me. I got up to 14k before bonus recently. I went from lvl 20 to (currently) 25. Got into chapter 3 yesterday and I am trying to accomplish everything I can before moving on with the story. I am even going back to Leide(?) to do some hunts that have unlocked. Just over 18 hours in and I don't have nearly as much gil as Andromeda.

[Andromeda]

I was going to post last night, but I stayed up late beating the game, so I just went to bed after the credits rolled. So I'm catching up for that. I figured as much about the AI using magic. Figured it had to be a case that they'd only use it when they knew it would be effective. And all that gil I had is gone now. I ended up buying a few weapons and that drained me. I had to get by the rest of the game on a few gil and selling some items to get potions. Thankfully, I made it, but heavens it was not easy.

Noctis lv 47
Gladio lv 44
Ignis lv 43
Prompto lv 43

Fishing lv 3
Survival lv 7
Cooking lv 6
Photography lv 8

Current time 33:07
Current gil 1040

My chocobo is lv 6.

I'm off to unlock the flying Regalia now, however that is done and start doing more hunts for the weapons and ultimate weapons. Looking forward to fully exploring the world now that I finished the main story.

[Michael Swayne]

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Does this answer your question?

[Martial Master]

Time: Roughly 22 hours
Levels: Average of 31
Chapter 6
Royal Arms: 4
Chocobo Lv: 5
Location: Old Lestallum

[Homura]

Noctis lvl 45/Fishing lvl 3
Gladiolus lvl 43/Survival lvl 6
Ignis lvl 42/Cooking lvl 4
Prompto lvl 42/Photography lvl 8
Play time is 36:57:52
Gil total is 19,436
Location: Middle of the road, southwest in Cleigne

I beat the game too. I thought this was a very different Final Fantasy, but on its own terms I enjoyed it quite a lot. The ambience of the world was nice enough to make me want to keep playing after the story too. Today I got all of the royal arms except two that you should be like level 50+ for. Now I'm doing sidequests for the Weaving a Tapestry trophy (80 sidequests completed) and making more EXP that I'm going to triple at Altissia in the hotel that costs 30,000 gil. When I was playing the story I kind of liked how long the loading times were. It always felt anticlimactic to me when you can suddenly just start zapping around in open-world games and especially in FFXV where it takes so long to get somewhere in the first place it would feel dumb. Now that I'm doing all these small, simple quests though it's kind of annoying, I have to admit. I feel like I'm watching loading screens more than playing.^^

Does anyone know if there is anything worthwhile outside of the Platinum? I don't think I'm the kind of person who would bother collecting the best weapons just for its own sake, but for example what does collecting all the map parts do? Are there any cool, secret dungeons? Is there more story?

[Andromeda]

There are a lot of secret dungeons or if you will, non-story required dungeons. One of the best things in the game is found by way of the airship. Its an awesome dungeon and the best secret dungeon in any FF and possible any RPG I've played. Overall, probably one of the best designed things in the game is the dungeon design. Whoever made them played a lot of Dark Souls, with inter connected paths, shortcuts to unlock and tightly wound around layouts. There are also the super bosses like any good FF has. I know of two, the Adamantoise and another that's lv120. For the main story be fairly short, there is a ton of content in the game.

[Homura]

Ohh, nice! I think I know which place you mean. I saw some footage of what looked to be a dungeon full of jumping puzzles where gravity kept changing. In that case though, there should be plenty more for me to explore. I wonder if there are more things you can only do with the flying car. It's such a cool thing I'm surprised they didn't make it into a part of the main story; it would be strange if it only gave you access to one extra dungeon. Apropos more optional stuff, I noticed some of the bonus dungeons have these weird vault doors at the end of them. I wonder what that is all about.

Anyway, today I managed to get the trophy for 80 sidequests, the one for unlocking 50 skills (IIRC) as well as the one for takng off with the flying car. That was a memorable moment. It's also surprisingly satisfying to get sidequests done using it as opposed to by fast-traveling all the time, even if I had basically wrecked it after 3 landings. I'm impressed how you seem to be able to get around the whole world with no loading screens while fast-traveling takes ages. I guess the game just continuously loads content when you are moving. On second thought, that is kind of obvious.

By the way, whose bright idea was it to release The Last Guardian a week after FFXV?? At any other time of the year I would have gotten it..

[Andromeda]

I've been working on gathering exp for a big level up moment. Noctis has 125k and the others have about 100k and I'm going to the hotel that gives 3x exp. I just hitting up more quests and then I'm going to start grinding out my levels. I also started messing around with the monster arena, it's pretty fun.

Noctis lv 47
Gladio lv 44
Ignis lv 43
Prompto lv 43

Current time 45:44
Current gil 462,054 I might have sold something worth 500k

Fishing lv 3
Survival lv 7
Cooking lv 6
Photography lv 8

I've finished all of the upgrade quests for the Regalia, though the monster arena still has an upgrade that I want, increases the speed. And it also has a really good fishing rod that I want to make it easier to catch fish for my fishing skill. I also completed the Pitioss Dungeon which is amazing and the best dungeon that I've played before.

And yes, for open world games they are constantly loading and unloading areas of the environment as the player moves about. Fast travel warps the player to a specific location, that is likely not even loaded in memory, thus it all needs to be loaded in full before letting the player in.

[Tiffany]

Oh goodness, I don't know exact numbers for my characters.

Noctis: 68
Gladio: 65
Ignis: 65
Prompto: 64

Noctis is still level 1 for fishing. I haaaaate fishing lol. Prompto is level 10 for Photography. Iggy and Gladio are around 5 or 6 for their skills.

I've got the achievements for beating Ifrit on normal (didn't realize that was gonna be a thing) and getting Prompto's skill to level 10. Also got the one for the 50 abilities. Noct's is gonna be a pain, I really dislike fishing lol.

[Andromeda]

Fishing levels pretty easily, but if you want to make it easier on yourself. You can do the monster arena, earn the fishing reel item from there, the attack is 330 and I found a fishing rod by the lake northwest of Lestallum which is 210 for defense. That should make it easier and faster to quickly get fish. So you don't have to do the mini-game for long.

I've been doing a few things on the side.

Noctis lv 99
Gladio lv 99
Ignis lv 99
Prompto lv 99

I finished leveling them tonight. I cashed in the exp I had been sitting on coming out to more than 300k per. Then I converted everything I had into expericast magic, which once I finished totaled 1 million exp and converted that into 3 million exp at the hotel and I was 99. Now I'm going to work on getting the rest of the dungeons cleared along with the other royal arms I'm missing.

Fishing lv 5 almost 6, just one more fish should do it.
Survival lv 8
Cooking lv 6
Photography lv 8

I did a lot of fishing last night trying to get a fish for a quest. Still haven't gotten it, but I did level up fishing a lot. So I'm hoping that it'll be easier to get it.

Chocobo lv 7, finally leveled up again.

Current time 51:27
Current gil 404,403

[Tiffany]

Is that the quest for the cat? I haven't bothered too much with anything fishing type (suppose I made that clear ha ha, did I mention I hate it? ) but thank you for the tips! I'll look for those items and hopefully that'll help me.

Noct is 69, all others are 68.

Kweh (my chocobo) is level 9, haven't dabbled much in the racing if I'm honest. I tend to leave the things that annoy me until the very last lol.

Any fave sidequests? I liked the one about the black chocobo.

[Andromeda]

No, it was a just a fisher quest where I needed a specific fish to turn it. The cat quest I was lucky and had tried out fishing before that quest and the first one I caught was the fish I needed for the quest. So it was really easy to do. So far most of the quests I've done haven't been too memoriable, but I still got plenty left to do. I do enjoy the Deadeye quest a lot. And I like the emergent quests like driving and hearing someone calling for help or seeing someone pulled over on the side of road with a broken down car.

[Tiffany]

Finally made it to the secret dungeon! Tho I think I have to wait until it's dark to get inside.

Holy Moly trying to land the car. 😂 it was pretty brutal.

[Zargabaath]

Noct is level 45 and the rest of the crew is 44. Just started chapter six with my timer over 39 hours. I finally moved along in the story after having like 32 hours and still in chapter three. I maxed my chocobo in that chapter (3) giving an idea as to how much I traveled. I do kinda wish there was like a step counter to see how many I have taken.

In chapter three I explored all, that I could, of Duscae and most of northern Cleigne. I was a little worried about not being able to continue to explore after chapter three with the events of Ch. 4 & 5 but the latter chapter opens up again and I did some more exploring and quests. I currently got around 35k in gil. The hunts and the photography side-quests are a good source of income and I really only buy curative items with the occasional ingredient or memory of past FF games. As for the royal arms I have eight and use them sparingly. I don't know if I will push in the story or continue to do some side-quests.

Has anyone else enjoyed the Justice Monsters Five arcade game in FFXV? It took me a couple of times but I got the hang of it and it is real simple and offers some nifty rewards. I would've liked if in-game there was some mention of what the rewards were in specific ranges instead of trial.

[Martial Master]

Finished FFXV at the 37 hour mark. May go back for post-game later, but for now, no regrets as to the game. Not the best FF ever, but well worth the playing.

going to play a rom of FFV and maybe either FFX remaster or FFtype0 on PS4 for a while after this.

[nix]

Decided to take a leap of faith and got it.

I'm on chapter 4? Just got the car back

level 33-34

I've been doing alot of side quests, hunter quests. so way over leveled for the story quests.

Disappointed in the combat, its just doing your best to attack mobs from behind/side and button mashing until other mobs swing at you. Very boring and lacking tact. I am super bummed that Final fantasy combat has deteriorated to button mashing like this

With regards to presentation, the questing is repetitive and generic, and the game is laden with bugs and clunkyness.

For instance, Was doing the get the car back quest, got to the part where ive to warp stab 6 guys without them noticing me, just as the cut scene ends, i dont take a step and next of all they're all running towards me like i set off an alarm????? Then at the end im trying to summon ramuh im clicking the button it tells me to press over and over again and nothing, only after running around for 2-3 mins does it eventually go off, having to waste potions to maintain running around and not start that train wreck of a quest over again

Then after i decide to do some low level quests before i head back to update next main quest. I go to do a pick up quest, guy tells me i need to disarm 5 traps nearby (its a level 10 quest) i got to the area and there these two lvl 37 leopard animals that kick the ****ing **** out of my lvl 33 characters. I decide, **** it ill kill them and waste countless pots/phoenix downs just to kill them, then i start what can only be described as the worst quest ever created in any game ever... EVER. I'm running around a 100 yard circle looking for 4 traps, which are hidden in bushes, behind rocks etc, it takes me a good 15mins to do this..****ing nightmare

Anyway, i was gonna try do all quests, but the clunkyness of the option menus and the irritating bugs i keep coming across, i might just zip through the story as quick as possible and then trade the game in

10 years for this? How many years did the witcher 3 have? and that is vastly superior in EVERYTHING so far, i cant think of a bad thing to say about that game. Sure the quests do get a bit repitive but you dont start feeling that until towards the end of the game, not the bloomin start >=(

[LocoColt04]

PS_Messages_20161209_121140.jpg

Chapter three, relatively early still. Running all the sidequests ever.

[01habbo]

All my characters are at 41, I'm at chapter 5. The problem I'm finding is that I'm way over levelled for the story, so have started to limit the number of side quests that I'm doing. I'm now limited myself to do side quests at the same or under the level of the current story quest.

Favourite quest so far has been Titan, just the scale of that fight was so exciting. Dead Eye was pretty memorable too because I could compare to the Duscae demo, and see what improvements they made. Pretty good introduction to the use of magic and how the environment can be used to damage foes. Unfortunately no Ramuh this time to help, but it made it even more exciting not to have Ramuh because I remembered how terrifying Dead Eye was in the demo.

And yeah Ramuh takes a while to summon, as I figure for the others too, you just hold down the buttons and he should appear, before you get killed, hopefully. Summons are pretty much only to be used in a desperate moment and I think it adds a challenge.

The only thing that annoys me is the camera, it gets stuck behind bushes mostly and I have no idea what I'm fighting. But that's the only issue I have, the only other bug I saw was two Gladios in a photo which made me laugh. Other than that I'm loving this game, and looking forward to any DLC that Square Enix release for this.

[nix]

Just finished the game, massive disappointment. what a mess of a game, its clearly an unfinshed game with zero fine tuning.

The boss battles were far to long and lacking any element of skill to win them, just button mashing and warp striking. It was impossible to actually die, just use a pot, do as much damage as you can before you get one shotted and then another pot. a horrible horrible game.

It was decent up until you fight

SPOILER!!:

leviathan

and then the game just takes a nose dive.

So after finishing it, i save my game and think to myself, ill load it up and give the flying car a whirl before i cash it in tomorrow and get pretty much all my money back. I lost interest in doing the side quests when i realised the combat was never going to get any better/fun.

Anyway, i load up the save and it takes me directly back to the place i was right before i went to fight

SPOILER!!:

ifrit

and i couldnt see a way to warp out or anything, so it make me do the final bosses again? why? to what end? why the fuck would anybody do those fights a second time?

Anyway, id give the game 2/10, it looked amazing in alot of parts and it had some women with great tits. The rest of the game was a pile of shit and FF7 is fucking doomed..

[GypsyElder]

(I Just got to Insomnia)

Okay, aside from the poorly designed side quests (they were all meaningless and redundant) I was really pleased with the first half of the game. After Altissia, I played some sort of cheap Resident Evil knock-off for a few hours and then the game is like "LOL okay final boss soon." Where's the rest of the game? please tell me It's not that short?

If I didn't take the time to grind all the silly side quests, I probably could have beaten the game in like a day and a half.

Also, where's all the story at? I felt like I hardly got much considering I'm used to long drawn out dialogues in every FF.

I feel empty