Final Fantasy IX features Active Time Events (ATEs) that offer insights into character perspectives and can influence trophy progression. Choices made during ATEs, such as Vivi's decision in Treno, can lead to missable scenes, impacting achievements like "Movie Critic." Managing these events is crucial for a complete experience.
Active Time Events (ATEs)
ATEs are short, optional scenes that provide additional story context and character development. They often appear in the corner of the screen, prompting you to view them. Some ATEs are mutually exclusive, meaning a choice in one can make another missable. For example, in Treno:
- After a scene, you gain control of Zidane. View Eiko Talks Life.
- Descending the tower triggers How He Ended Up Here.
- At the end of this ATE, you have a choice for Vivi: to stop by home or stay in Treno.
- Choosing to visit home provides an extra scene.
- Choosing to stay in Treno allows you to win a special card in the Tetra Master tournament, though this card can be obtained later.
While some ATEs are missable based on your choices, this generally does not affect the Movie Critic trophy/achievement if you are following a comprehensive walkthrough. If you let Vivi visit home, ensure you ignore him initially in Treno to try and trigger the ATE for doing so while still in Treno. Retrieving Vivi from Quan's Dwelling might cause you to miss this specific ATE.
Stellazzio Coins
Collecting Stellazzio coins and returning them to the Queen in Treno yields valuable rewards. If you have found three new Stellazzio coins, you can hand them over to receive an Elixir, 10,000 Gil, and a Black Belt. The Queen's location is north of the Bishop's House area.