PS1/2 Star Ocean: Till the End of Time Question

[Inunah]

My sister was playing Star Ocean: Till the End of Time today, and started complaining that Symbology doesn't always allow the player to select it in the battle menu. This doesn't appear to happen at any specific times or when she's low on MP or Fury or anything. We don't have the instruction booklet, as we bought the game used, and googling has not found even one webpage that includes this problem.

So I ask you, GBATemp. Why doesn't Symbology allow the player to select it sometimes?

 

[SylvWolf]

It's been a while since I played it, but I'll try to answer.

So Symbology is grayed out on the Triangle menu when you have enough Fury and MP to cast? It could be due to cooldown or something. I seem to remember there being a period of time after casting/using an item when you couldn't use one again. Maybe I'll pop the game in for a sec to test a few things.

EDIT: Well that doesn't seem to be it. The only times I can see it grayed out are when the character's in motion (e.g. sidestepping) or when the character doesn't actually have any Symbology to use.

 

[Inunah]

It's been a while since I played it, but I'll try to answer.

So Symbology is grayed out on the Triangle menu when you have enough Fury and MP to cast? It could be due to cooldown or something. I seem to remember there being a period of time after casting/using an item when you couldn't use one again. Maybe I'll pop the game in for a sec to test a few things.

Oh.

Well, we don't know....
It's greyed out even when there's enough fury and MP.... Even at the beginning of the battle sometimes, I think.
I don't know, I have yet to start my own file on that game.

 

[SylvWolf]

Are you talking about the party leader, as in the character you control at the beginning of battle, or one of the other party members? If it's the leader I'm out of ideas, but the other party members might be doing something at the time (even at the beginning).

 

[Inunah]

Are you talking about the party leader, as in the character you control at the beginning of battle, or one of the other party members? If it's the leader I'm out of ideas, but the other party members might be doing something at the time (even at the beginning).

Well, it's the leader.

And sometimes my sister gets auto switched from playing the leader to playing some stupid guy I don't think she likes, too.

That have anything to do with it?

 

[SylvWolf]

Erm. There should be no auto-switch IIRC... That's L1 and R1, maybe she's spamming buttons lol. Honestly, I can't think of anything. I might be forgetting something about the game, but nothing I could recreate in a few battles.

 

[BoxShot]

Who's the leader? Probably won't help as almost everyone learns symbology sometime in the game.

Actually I don't even remember who doesn't learn any. I know Cliff and possibly Roger doesn't. Not sure about Albel, Peppita, and Mirage though.

 

[Inunah]

We got our PS2 used, and L2 is kind of wobbly. Might be defective and causing the switch to a diff party member at the start, but I don't think L2 is a switch party member button.
I think the leader is... Ummmmmmmmm...... Dumbass... What's his name. The Leingod kid. If it helps, it auto-switches her to Cliff or someone sometimes.

And hmmmm...... That's about all I know.

 

[BoxShot]

We got our PS2 used, and L2 is kind of wobbly. Might be defective and causing the switch to a diff party member at the start, but I don't think L2 is a switch party member button.
I think the leader is... Ummmmmmmmm...... Dumbass... What's his name. The Leingod kid. If it helps, it auto-switches her to Cliff or someone sometimes.

And hmmmm...... That's about all I know.

Are you far into the game? I don't think he learns symbology until late 20s(?) unless you gave him a book. His name is Fayt.

 

[Inunah]

We got our PS2 used, and L2 is kind of wobbly. Might be defective and causing the switch to a diff party member at the start, but I don't think L2 is a switch party member button.
I think the leader is... Ummmmmmmmm...... Dumbass... What's his name. The Leingod kid. If it helps, it auto-switches her to Cliff or someone sometimes.

And hmmmm...... That's about all I know.

Are you far into the game? I don't think he learns symbology until late 20s(?) unless you gave him a book. His name is Fayt.

She's just past the Kirlsa Caverns. She gave him a... decrepit tome, or something like. She's pretty sure that gave it the problem or it's just one she's self-inflicting. They can use it just fine when they're not being played, though. It's only the player character that can't use it.

She'll figure it out; she's always been one to go through things blind before having an epiphany and realizing what she's doing wrong (because she always does it wrong on the first try). xD

EDIT: She accidentally set the leader to Cliff.

One problem solved...
But still, why is Symbology saying "no, no clicky me"?