Part 71: Around the World
Chapter 70 - Around the World
Last chapter we had finally acquired our airship, the Highwind.
Before we go on, let me point out something.
The moment you exit to the world map you're greeted with this. It's the same music that played in the Northern Cave.
It sets the tone for the world you're now in.
It's eerie. The game pretty much greets you with both that music and the meteor in your face, as if announcing that doom is near.
Right now we're just enjoying flying around, around the wo-OrLd around the wo-OrLd.
Life is beautiful around the world. Also, remember that pudding to the right of the highwind? We still can't get there - the Highwind can't land on forest areas.
All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream.
I'm sorry, I'm too busy moping for Cloud.
As you have noticed, this is where CD 2 "opens up", kinda like CD 1 when you leave Midgar. You now have the world map all yours again but more accessible...
And likewise, every NPC will have something to say about the end of the world.
I've mentioned once, but I like the attention to the detail of the old FF games. Small things that keep even the smallest of the game NPCs consistent, like this senile old man who said crazy things back in CD 1.
And similarly, all the NPCs that you met in CD 1 while travelling around the world.
I would say something snarky but then I remembered the dinosaurs so yea, that's life.
Makes sense, if they're gonna use the rocket. We now know our future locations, but we can't just go there yet.
I CAN'T STAND THEM USING MY ROCKET TO SAVE THE WORLD.
Yep, it still looks more tilted than the Tower of Pisa, and you're still obsessed with a gigantic phallus.
A man of simple needs. Ashton would be proud.
With the new world there also comes new stuff to steal.
The [Fourth Bracelet], God only knows why the name, is a very strong piece of armor that also gives +20 Magic. It has a lot of MDef too - the biggest in the game.
Since Armor MDef doesn't work, this officially makes this item the biggest waste of an attribute in the game. HOORAY!
A friendly reminder that gazing at rockets is not healthy and CAN and WILL ruin families.
These people won't need these things when the meteor comes down so we're doing them a favor.
Next stop: Nibelheim.
This is a little something that happens if you played the piano in the flashback way back and told Tifa you "jammed it".
I'm not sure how or why he'd forget an Elemental materia there. Maybe it grew from his residues and/or bodily fluids.
Next stop: Cosmo Canyon. Bugenhagen should have one useless thing or two to say about this situation.
I know, right? Such a poor sense of fashion. I myself would have preferred it to be pink.
Hahahaha.
I can accept this characterization of what these people would do if the world was about to end. Drink.
Interesting. Let's check it out.
My faith in science will keep me safe in the afterlife.
Huh.
Somebody in Cosmo Canyon is no longer selling a Healing Materia
.The bag in the bottom contains both an Elixir and a Magic Source.
Some more NPCs doing their things. Everyone's got their own apocalyptic schedule.
Merry Christmas everyone.
I told you he'd say useless things.
Hey, speak for yourself. I'm here to find out how to stop the cataclysm.
Indeed, Cloud has......, a most terrible malady.
So terrible Squall almost died from it.
Thank you for calling Bugenhagen Helpline. For help with FF7's plot, press 1. For help with the Carnival Night Barrel, press 2.
Seriously? After all this time translating the same term, the guys decided to put "Life's dream"?
So yea. Things are not looking very good.
This game is not very sensitive to grad students.
Some more flying around. There's now this huge crater near the Junon area.
Flying to the far north, there's this previously unaccessible house amidst the mountains. Let's check it out.
Oh look, a Green Chocobo!
Oh.
KILL IT, KILL IT WITH FIRE.
What's it with old people in this game becoming horribly deformed monsters?
Huh.
We're off to a great start.
There you go.
It's worth mentioning...
While the Chocobo Sage looks a LOT like the Cetras in the [Temple of the Ancients], they don't use the same model.
The Chocobo Sage is one of the most infuriating, if not downright THE most infuriating character in the game.
The reason is pretty obvious by now.
Let me put it this way - Remember when we captured our first Chocobo, way back in the Chocobo Farm? There's an entire minigame devoted to capturing Chocobos in this game, as you may have noticed from the many different nuts and greens being sold throughout the game.
The problem is - the mini-game is extremely esoteric and, while it's possible to figure it out by yourself, the entire thing is an excuse to give helplines and gaming magazines something useful to tell you back in the day, since God knows this game is easy.
Enter Chocobo Sage. He's supposed to be your in-game link between total oblivion and actually understanding what the hell is going out without resorting to trial-and-error. But for the most part, the best he'll be able to offer you are his nuts.
This is because he only remembers a new piece of information every four battles you fight.
Which makes this effectively an information grind which we won't be doing right now. Either way, we have our first piece of information - the Green Chocobos are Mountain Chocobos.
"Chocobo breeders aren't famous for their creativity."
Indeed, we need to find out a way to get ourselves one. It might allow us to get to the weird pudding structure near Cosmo Canyon.
But it won't be right now.
Read the next screenshot text in Prof. Farnsworth's voice.
Yea. It definitely won't be right now.
FF7 has plenty of islands all around that we can now access. This one is to the south of Cosmo Canyon.
This one is special because its desert features Cactuers. Not to confuse with Cactuars, which we fought in the Gold Sausage desert. They're annoying with enormous dodge-rate and high damage.
After a lot of Lasers slowly reducing their health to something manageable, we Morph them. They're the prime source of [Tetra Elementals].
It goes without saying I got three of these.
Talking about Gold Saucer, this should be a great time to have some fun.
Oh, Corel.
Such a lovely place.
Oh for fuck's sake.
Cmon man, Tifa's anxious to do some gambling.
Fine, we'll go find Cloud. Geez.
NEXT TIME:
Searching for friends! More depressive stuff! How many song references can I put in one update? Who knows!
Music we've listened in this update:
The Great Northern Cave - An amazing, dark, depressive theme that shows the meteor means business.
Chapter 70 Bugs & Bytes
The Highwind Dynasty
As the name implies, the Highwind airship is based on Cid's last name.
Both Cid and Highwind are recurring names in the FF franchise, although for the most part they're unrelated. Going all the way back to Final Fantasy 2, Highwind has since become a surname associated with Dragoons, a class/job of lance-wielding knights capable of jumping very high and fall down impaling the enemy.
Cid is the modern version of the Dragoon. Like most Highwinds before him, he also uses a spear and one of his limits is the trademark Jump ability from the Dragoons of the old.
Although Highwind does fit the theme of an airship, it's the name Cid that was previously related to the craft back in FFII as an airship commander and again in Final Fantasy III (not VI) as an airship engineer.
In a way, Cid Highwind combines both trademark names associated with flying high, although probably not in the order you'd expect.
Overflowing with Tips:
Like everything in this game, the Chocobo Sage's tips are based off a counter (your Battle count) that can be overflown. In this case, they're using a signed 16-bits integer that will eventually go negative to -32768, glitch and turn it impossible for you to get his tips until you're back to positive again. Hooray!
Luckily I don't think there's anyone in the world who's actually played over 32767 battles in the same game, or so I hope. On the bright side, if you get to exact 32767 he'll glitch and spit out all of the tips continuously, thus curing him of his old age issues. It's a miracle!
