The World of Ivalice

Final Fantasy XII takes place in a world known as Ivalice, you may remember it from Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. Well, this game is alot bigger than is GBA counterpart.
Throughout the game, in dungeons, cities and overlands the map will be very useful. Distinct areas are connected by lines which run between blue marks. Due to hardware limitations, you must pass through the blue lines (represented in gameplay as a line of blue dots) to move through to the next area.

There are also icons for shops and other locations scattered over the maps. By pressing X you can bring up a icon key which will define each icon for the area. The name of the area you are currently in is located at the top of the map.
Although the function of the map is the same wherever you are, you will have to fill in your maps by either exploring the area or purchasing maps from the Moogle merchants around the world.

As with any RPG, you should speak to as many people as you can wherever you go. They can be very valuable sources of information. The shop system in FFXII is slightly different to what you may be used to. In other games, each town offers a different set of weapons, armor, items etc. as you progress through the game. In FFXII most merchants sell the same items in every town. This doesnt apply all the time, but for the most part you can expect the same weapons to be sold at most weapon shops, same armor etc. Rabanstre is the main hub of commerce in ivalice, so you will usualy find the most items in the shops there. New items are usualy added as you progress through major story points, so be sure to check back from time to time.

When outside of the towns you will encounter a number of enemies. For information on the battle system, see the battle system page. As well as encountering enemies, there are also treasure chests scattered over the world. These are usually random, and like monsterse will re-spawn after re-entering an area, unless opened. Keep your eyes open, they are hidden all over the place, usually tucked away in corners. Although they arent a life or death affair, it never hurts to gain a few more potions or some extra gil.

There are many ways to travel around the world, one easy way is through the use of the orange Teleport Crystals. These look the same as the save crystals except for their color, they even allow you to save. Once you locate one its position will be marked on your map, and by using a Teleport stone you will be able to teleport to any previously activated crystals. These stones can be hard to come by, however, and selling for 100 gil can be tempting earlier in the game. It would be smart to hold on to as many as you get your hands on.