Final Fantasy IX shows this MUCH better, which each character physically transforming and glowing red when they enter Trance Mode, which are the Limit Breaks for that game. I think a screenshot of the 3 person party with one or two of them in trance mod would work, or a before and after comparison.
(In fact, this form of Limit Break actually serves as a plot point in the game, both when it's first introduced, and for a boss late in the game.)
edited 13th Jan '11 7:18:09 AM by DRCEQ
One Winged Egret
FF 7 changes the attack command to the word "Limit Break" in colorful rainbow letters. A screenshot showing that and the caption "But what if I just want to attack?" or something like that would work well imo.
Got this off GIS pretty fast. An ingame screenshot of the moment when Zidane first enters Trance Mode. Steiner asks him what's going on, to which he responds with this.
(Edit: found a clearer picture.)
edited 13th Jan '11 7:32:31 AM by DRCEQ
The Other Troper
This should have a before and after. Or better yet, a before, trigger, and then limit break picture.
I'm on the internet. My arguments are invalid.
It's not a great screenshot, but here's Trance Zidane fighting next to normal Steiner.
Mighty pirate!
Trance pictures need some way to tell them apart from Super Mode.
One Winged Egret
Yeah, the key point about Limit Breaks is their activation condition. Trance is a Super Mode, that happens to be activated via Limit Break. A picture of the former without the latter is meaningless.
In that case, the best I can offer in terms of in-game screen shots is this.
I think we may have to go back to FFVII, which had a highly visible Limit meter in the UI. Even then, the condition for filling it isn't apparent from a still image, though.
But soft! What rock through yonder window breaks? It is a brick! And Juliet is out cold.
Mighty pirate!
Possibly three images - Regular Zidane, Zidane getting hit in the face, and then Zidane in Trance?
^That would be better. As is, I have no idea why he's pink in the second picture. It could be one of the Standard Status Effects or something
Infinite Tree: an experimental story
I don't know if I can find a screenshot of him getting hit. Might have to move to fan-art for that.
One Winged Egret
![[up]](https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/smiles/arrow_up.png "[up]"){kind=icon}
He does kind of look like he's poisoned or something.
Or we could just drop the Zidane idea because it wasn't particularly good in the first place.
If you have a better suggestion, lets see it. At least I'm providing some possibilities.
edited 13th Jan '11 8:56:45 AM by DRCEQ
One Winged Egret
Court Dragon
Maybe a multi-panel thing from Arc Rise Fantasia?
Each Excel Act is preceeded by the words "Excel act", and some of them (Ignis Beat comes to mind) are pretty obviously powerful.
Maybe if we preceed it with the tutorial line "Excel acts are extremely powerful. You won't be able to use them all the time"?
Anyway, if you feel like using any of them, here's an exhibition video (warning, lots of spoilers after 5:21)
Would a pic of a Final Smash work?
Belief or disbelief rests with you.
One Winged Egret
If you also show them breaking the Smash Ball and such, probably.
amateur lurker
Being the person who tossed in the image of Squall making with the shiny, I feel sort of obligated to contribute to the discussion.
I'm not familiar with any actual examples - but is anyone familiar with any game in which a message actually pops up that says something along the lines of: "Critical HP/dead allies/whatever level reached! Maximum Phlebotinum Power Unlocked!" That would probably give this page the best bang for its buck - an exceptionally powerful thing, unlocked given certain in-battle prerequisites.
Unfortunately, again, I'm not actually familiar with any examples of such.
Bump.
Rhymes with "Protracted."
Tylerox9
Well, just throwing a ff7 example is too easy, and a ffix example doesnt seem strong enough. Squall is a very logical and one of the most familiar holders of this trope. So how about an updated version of his limit break.
edited 21st Mar '11 12:18:46 AM by Tylerox9
Squall readying his Limit Break is indistinguishable from readying a non-limit-break spell or special attack unless you know the game well enough to remember the pose, which given that it's 11 years old now is getting to the point where it asks a lot.
Of course, showing "special attack unlocked trough taking damage or some other in-battle requirement" isn't easy. I don't have many ideas. Thoughts?