hi - i feel a little dumb asking this, but I don't know what to press once I initiate a red spiral. i just end up getting a time's up message, and doing little damage. any help?

You are actually doing the right thing I think you probably just don't have quickenings on your other party members yet, yes?. What will happen is once your other characters have Quickenings too, you can press R2 and then one of the symbol buttons (X, Square, circle) and it will chain your quickening with another characters.

It works the best once everyone has all 3 quickenings.

And there is still some luck to it. Its perfect to have 3 Mist Charges (you unlock those on license board) unlocked for each character then you will get much better chance (chances) to roll some really good quickening like Black Hole or you will be able to summon some really cool Esper thatrequires 3 Mist Charges.

The way quickenings work - you not only need 3 Mist Charges for each character unlocked you will also need some luck and very good skill to roll out one of the high end quickenings. Because time bar moves faster as you get to the "top of the ladder" of the quickening level. In other words if in the beginning you get few seconds to press the button then further up you will have only 1 second not to just press the button but you will have to be able to shuffle the timing bar and also press the button of the appropriate quickening that will (if will) become active.

I still can't get a hang of it. I yet have to unlock 3rd quickening for 3 more characters but I miss quite often on the shuffling and pressing still. People here on the forums brag about having 50 hit Quickenings (which I find hard to believe) yet when I can do 12 at the max so far. I guess it all requires some experience. So whenever you get a chance - work on unlocking Mist Charges on the license board for your characters and train yourself in running Quickenings.

Good Luck!

The best I have gotten is 15 and that's only with the shuffling going in my favor towards the end. You are right - it DOES takes some luck, and some quick thinking....

yes ..also you can do a chain with only one character..i made a 7 hits chain with basch alone..with his 3 quickenings.
also i only got 11 max chain...
what i have noticed is that time ..is shorter every time you chain...
but if you chain with another character it's not that short...
i mean a 3 qknings chain with basch will end up with time bar going really fast..but if the fourth is vaan's red spiral..time bar won't go so fast...anymore..
or maybe it's just my imagination...

saludos

As everyone else has said, it's all about luck and perhaps more reflexes than skill. Just about any foe can be defeated with one or two good quickening chains, but, then again, that tactic is a little cheap...

quote Superslut

As everyone else has said, it's all about luck and perhaps more reflexes than skill. Just about any foe can be defeated with one or two good quickening chains, but, then again, that tactic is a little cheap...

wats cheap?