Finished it last night. The machines not being in the first 2 games makes sense to me. The 4 lighthouses were known because they were still semi-active and could be seen from frw away. Luna Tower and the lense were hidden underground and in the cloud beyond an impassible wall. Only elders are obscure groups knew about them and their powers and kept it a secret for good reason.
The game was amazing up until you got to the boat then it kind of felt rushed. Himi character was unneeded as was Brigg's son. Definitely worth the buy for any RPG fan and I can't wait for another(that rushed ending and cliffhanger just scream that another game was being worked on.) Hopefully the next will be more challenging and we better be able to transfer data.