Where is final fantasy going?

[Cloud_Lion_Heart]

Is it just me or does it seem like they are trying to commit suicide? Final Fantasy use to have the same battle system from FF1 to FF10-2. FFTactics, FFTactics advanced, FF12, FF11, FFCrystal caravan, FFdrige of cerberus, and other games are completly different.

But due to all the games that final fantasy really ownes, there arn't really too many other titles with so many in the series. what other games do you know that have more then 12 titles.

Another question is, Do you think Final Fantasy is losing fans due to stupid ideas about how it could be? I think they should make more like FF 7 and FF8. not like 12 and how 13 is going to be. and in FF11 you had to power level for months just to get going in the game. Is it outragious or am I just going over the top?

It just seems like there tired of the old games and looking for a new stlye. DO you like the stlye?

[Renmiri]

I liked XII battle engine

didn't like the story style

[Firo Volondé]

I think they should make less like FFVII.

Regarding the battle system, I prefer I-X to XII on the first playthrough, but after I finish XII, it'll probably be the game I like replaying the most. The original battle system, especially X, is horribly slow when you're at the point of trying to unlock Nemesis. I still have nightmares about my search for 10 Tonberries. :mad:

Square is always changing their style. One look at the transition from VI to VII (and to a lesser extent, IX to X) is proof enough for that. They can display themselves as the masters of riding purple porcupines naked for all I care, as long as they make non-crappy games. FFXII and FFXIII pass my test.

[Marshall Banana]

Another question is, Do you think Final Fantasy is losing fans due to stupid ideas about how it could be?
Nah. I think Final Fantasy fans are just becoming increasingly harder to please.

[Jessweeee♪]

I think they're doing a fantastic job. I like what they've been coming out with, and I like the previous games, too. So far, nothing has topped FFX for me, but FFXIII looks awesome. Now if I can just get a PS3...

[Cloud_Lion_Heart]

Did you kniow in FF13 Shiva can turn into a bike?

ANd what about the world map. They haven't had a game with one of those since FF9. How many miss the world map? Come on people.

[Ramza Beoulve]

what other games do you know that have more then 12 titles.

Megaman
Castlevania

But, every Final Fantasy has been made to different types of gamers, you'll find classic gamers that maybe will love some of the future ones (Fabula Nova Crystallis will last around 10 years, so expect another FFVII-series look-alike) or new gamers that love the actual ones or the older ones. There are different battle engines, different style of traveling, different type of history, but at last, each Final Fantasy apply for different gamers, it's just a fact of life. I like every Final Fantasy, because they are different "Final Fantasies", they are great, all of them. Just, enjoy them! and quit complaining.

[Jessweeee♪]

Did you kniow in FF13 Shiva can turn into a bike?

ANd what about the world map. They haven't had a game with one of those since FF9. How many miss the world map? Come on people.

I heard =o

The world map was nice n.n
The only complaint I have about it is all the hours I spent going into the wrong places figuring out where to go next DX

[Zeromus_X]

Another question is, Do you think Final Fantasy is losing fans due to stupid ideas about how it could be?
Nah. I think Final Fantasy fans are just becoming increasingly harder to please.

I couldn't think of what to say until I read this!

[Mirage]

Is it just me or does it seem like they are trying to commit suicide? Final Fantasy use to have the same battle system from FF1 to FF10-2. FFTactics, FFTactics advanced, FF12, FF11, FFCrystal caravan, FFdrige of cerberus, and other games are completly different.
Um, no? The games didn't have the same battle system through 1 to 10-2. What are you talking about?

[Hazzard]

Every Final Fantasy has to change, at least in one way or another. What are you on about? The battle systems change frequently, and FFI-X-2 was still full of changes in loads of ways. Also they aren't committing suicide, and you've got to learn to recognize that after they sell the game, them and the gamers are receiving a wealthy prize. (Nice rhyme, ehh?)

[The Crystal]

What i don't like and don't understand about FF, is "FFXIII Fabula Nova Crystallis". 6 games that happens in diferent worlds, with diferent characters, and diferent stories.

........

...This isn't exactly like the games in FF series? So, instead of calling them "FFXIII" they couldn't call each game, FFXIII, FFXIV, FFXV, and etc? WTF!

And the world map. I like world maps.

[Dynast-Kid]

What i don't like and don't understand about FF, is "FFXIII Fabula Nova Crystallis". 6 games that happens in diferent worlds, with diferent characters, and diferent stories.

........

...This isn't exactly like the games in FF series? So, instead of calling them "FFXIII" they couldn't call each game, FFXIII, FFXIV, FFXV, and etc? WTF!


They're different games each based on the same legend of a magic crystal. Different stories, same background.

[Ouch!]

I like the variety in the Final Fantasy series. Really, if things stayed static, the games would start to get boring. There has to be innovation, and there has been innovation. We'll stick merely with the gameplay modifications.

Final Fantasy II was a drastic step away from the original in many ways. It attempted a new leveling system (although they didn't balance it properly until the GBA port).

Final Fantasy III introduced the new class system. I've not yet played it, so I can't comment much more on that.

Final Fantasy IV was the first to use an assigned class system.

Final Fantasy V went back to a class system similar to that of FFIII.

Final Fantasy VI made use of espers to give all characters access to spells and summons while seperating characters into semblances of classes similar to that of FFIV through individual abilities.

Final Fantasy VII used materia.

Final Fantasy VIII used the junctioning system.

Final Fantasy IX was a throwback to the class system, but it used equipment to teach abilities.

Final Fantasy X used the sphere grid.

Final Fantasy X-2 used the class system with a spin through dress spheres.

Final Fantasy XI implimented the class system in a manner very similar to that of Final Fantasy Tactics.

Final Fantasy XII used the ADB system.

The only games that I can't acknowledge the drastic differences in are III and V, but that's 'cause I've not played III at all and very little of V.

It's only natural that the games will continue to change. Innovation is necessary to keep both the series and genre alive. As for complains about spin-offs, I supposed I can agree to that. All the Final Fantasy VII games are starting to make me sick (the only one I was ever really interested in, and the only one that looks like it'll be good is Crisis Core). Otherwise, un-numbered Final Fantasy games usually just use the name to sell. I know the Final Fantasy Legend series has a different name in Japan (although I cannot remember which it is).

By the way, Final Fantasy Tactics is freaking amazing. Leave it be.

[Ashley Schovitz]

What are you talking about the battles in each game seem different to me if not just being slightly different X-2's was the best before XII came out.

[Discord]

Haven't played FFXII yet. As long as the story's good, I like it. Though being a weird thing to say about a video game, gameplay is only secondary to me.

[Takara]

The only games that I can't acknowledge the drastic differences in are III and V, but that's 'cause I've not played III at all and very little of V.

Well, V improved the job system from III by adding the ability to add a second skill combined with the one of your job. For example, if you turned one of the characters in a Dragoon, you could give that character black magic, for example, on top of the Dragoon's jump ability. In FFIII, if you chose a job, you only got the skills for that job until you decided to change to another one. So your Dragoon couldn't use black magic.

[Zora]

The only games that I can't acknowledge the drastic differences in are III and V, but that's 'cause I've not played III at all and very little of V.

Well, V improved the job system from III by adding the ability to add a second skill combined with the one of your job. For example, if you turned one of the characters in a Dragoon, you could give that character black magic, for example, on top of the Dragoon's jump ability. In FFIII, if you chose a job, you only got the skills for that job until you decided to change to another one. So your Dragoon couldn't use black magic.

That is one change. The other change, perhaps the bigger one, is that the jobs were no longer scattered in power. Unlike FFIII, where the jobs are really scattered in power. This made Final Fantasy V have a lot more strategy. FFIII was just hack away and keep your units alive...

[Elpizo]

The only games that I can't acknowledge the drastic differences in are III and V, but that's 'cause I've not played III at all and very little of V.

Well, V improved the job system from III by adding the ability to add a second skill combined with the one of your job. For example, if you turned one of the characters in a Dragoon, you could give that character black magic, for example, on top of the Dragoon's jump ability. In FFIII, if you chose a job, you only got the skills for that job until you decided to change to another one. So your Dragoon couldn't use black magic.

That is one change. The other change, perhaps the bigger one, is that the jobs were no longer scattered in power. Unlike FFIII, where the jobs are really scattered in power. This made Final Fantasy V have a lot more strategy. FFIII was just hack away and keep your units alive...

That strategy won't always work unless you level up a lot. (Big Rat, Garuda <_< ) Agreed FF III NES in the end had Ninja and Sage, but the DS version fixed the job-balance a lot, so choosing jobs is now totally upon the player, adding a bit of strategy to it, or personal liking.

[Wolf Kanno]

No, Tactics has the best version of the job class system in the series. Counter, support and movement abilities... your customization options are unlimited.

As for the topic...

The series has always been about innovation so it's logical that it will continue to evolve one way or another. Lately, I'm getting the feeling that Squenix is starting to work on the concepts of reinventing "fantasy". Many of the projects helmed by Nomura/Nojima/Kitase always take a much more "interesting" approach to their ideas of fantasy and world design.

Sakeguchi/Amano/Uematsu teams tried to create the most epic of fantasy stories and kept trying to reinvent the games. N/N/K as I've stated took this concept and decided to try and escape the normal trappings of "high fantasy" while Matsuno's team tried to bring a sense of realism by placing greater emphasis on history and politics in their game desings. All three styles are successful and all three teams have done their fair share of triumph and failure. I think this is one of the reason why the series has always kept my interest.

[Zora]

The only games that I can't acknowledge the drastic differences in are III and V, but that's 'cause I've not played III at all and very little of V.

Well, V improved the job system from III by adding the ability to add a second skill combined with the one of your job. For example, if you turned one of the characters in a Dragoon, you could give that character black magic, for example, on top of the Dragoon's jump ability. In FFIII, if you chose a job, you only got the skills for that job until you decided to change to another one. So your Dragoon couldn't use black magic.

That is one change. The other change, perhaps the bigger one, is that the jobs were no longer scattered in power. Unlike FFIII, where the jobs are really scattered in power. This made Final Fantasy V have a lot more strategy. FFIII was just hack away and keep your units alive...

That strategy won't always work unless you level up a lot. (Big Rat, Garuda <_< ) Agreed FF III NES in the end had Ninja and Sage, but the DS version fixed the job-balance a lot, so choosing jobs is now totally upon the player, adding a bit of strategy to it, or personal liking.

FFIII DS did NOT fix it, it just made it better. But Ninja is still overpowered and some jobs become utterly useless (like Scholars)...

[Bolivar]

No, Tactics has the best version of the job class system in the series. Counter, support and movement abilities... your customization options are unlimited.

As for the topic...

The series has always been about innovation so it's logical that it will continue to evolve one way or another. Lately, I'm getting the feeling that Squenix is starting to work on the concepts of reinventing "fantasy". Many of the projects helmed by Nomura/Nojima/Kitase always take a much more "interesting" approach to their ideas of fantasy and world design.

Sakeguchi/Amano/Uematsu teams tried to create the most epic of fantasy stories and kept trying to reinvent the games. N/N/K as I've stated took this concept and decided to try and escape the normal trappings of "high fantasy" while Matsuno's team tried to bring a sense of realism by placing greater emphasis on history and politics in their game desings. All three styles are successful and all three teams have done their fair share of triumph and failure. I think this is one of the reason why the series has always kept my interest.

you're forgetting the missing link though - Itou. In effect he's been the connecting factor among the different changes in the series - creating ATB as we know it, reinventing the job system in V, battle mechanics in almost all of them, materia, junction, directing FFIX...

and now co-directed XII. One of my few problems with this game was the storytelling, and I think the fact that you had a seasoned vet handling the mechanics, and a relative newcomer to FF handling scenario, the disparity between the two departments is really obvious.

I'm not worried about the series' direction, because all the people that made FFV-FFVIII really great games are still working on the main series - the only one who is probably the biggest mistake that they let go is Uematsu, because no one can fill his shoes. I only hope down the road they bring him back, because he's probably been most influential on the entire series. But I think they did ok with music in XII.

Plus you have the Ivalice team bringing their creativity into their own little world inside FF. FFT, TA, and XII are all great games for 3 completely different platforms, so it'll be exciting to see where they go from here.

XIII looks like nothing i've ever experienced in a game. it's also like a FF series within an FF game, so it'll be alot of content for a while.

[Lynx]

ive been thinking of this myself lately. not that i was dissapointed in FFXII or anything but even though i liked the ADB i prefer a real RPG. i want random battles and victory music and real stratagy.

also even though i enjoyed FFXII's story adn thought FFX's was not too bad none of the characters really struck me as awesome. also each story seemed so predictable.

lets look at the complexity of FFVI story. its returners vs empire. then the empire is crumbled by kefka. he's freeing espers. collecting them. destroying the planet. so you must travel aorund the planet collecting friends while each has there own story as it is. plus your characters are constantly together, apart, together, apart and so on. i mean it wasnt complex in understanding what was going on but complex in that so much was happening and constantly changeing.

but i must say as for final fantasy versus xiii it looks like its heading in a whole new direction and im not at all dissapointed in the way it looks so far.

[Crizpy]

I want to fly around with an airship/ride around on a chocobo on huge worldmaps, looking for treasures and hidden islands.
Want the old turnbased battlesystem.

Now that I know this aint gonna happen, I think Final Fantasy is kinda over for me. I will buy the new games regardless, but I dont think I'll enjoy it that much. FFXII was a letdown, and I hate it.

But either ways I still got the good old games I keep replaying over and over again :>

[Goldenboko]

Is it just me or does it seem like they are trying to commit suicide? Final Fantasy use to have the same battle system from FF1 to FF10-2.
No, not at all, I through III are turned based. IV-IX used an ATB system (which was slowly upgraded over time), X used a new type of turn based where you dictate the turns, and X-2 used a new type of ATB where the type of moves you use dictate how long you wait until your next attack, and your attacks can actually slow down your enemies.


FFTactics, FFTactics advanced, FF12, FF11, FFCrystal caravan, FFdrige of cerberus, and other games are completly different.
FFT and FFTA are some of the most popular games in the series. Also FFXI was an MMORPG, there was basically no other way for them to make that system. As for FFXII many people are saying that's the best battle system they've played on an FF. CC, and DOC aren't part of the mainstream games, it makes sense for their battle styles to be different.




Another question is, Do you think Final Fantasy is losing fans due to stupid ideas about how it could be? I think they should make more like FF 7 and FF8. not like 12 and how 13 is going to be. and in FF11 you had to power level for months just to get going in the game. Is it outragious or am I just going over the top?
Your being Outrageous. Let me restate FFXI is an MMO! Thats how MMORPG's are, if you can't deal with it, don't buy/play MMORPGs. Please don't sit here and say they need to get back to making FFVII and FFVIIIs (My least favorite of all the FFs), FFXII had an excellent battle system, its flaw was its lack of character development.



It just seems like there tired of the old games and looking for a new stlye. DO you like the stlye?
The games have been constantly evolving and changing. If you can't agree with that play FFI and compare it to FFVII.

[Elpizo]

FFIII DS did NOT fix it, it just made it better. But Ninja is still overpowered and some jobs become utterly useless (like Scholars)...
Ninja's defence sucks and they can't equip everything anymore. If there's one job in III DS that I heard is overpowered, it's Geomancer (but I never used it). I never bothered with the Ninja in the DS version, Shurikens are still expensive and their are better ways of dealing damage anyway (Knight+Ultima Weapon+Ragnarok+Haste > Ninja+Shurikens). So nah, Ninja's aren't overpowered anymore. And Scholars can still be useful beyond just the Hein battle, if one is just willing to raise their job level and steal those nifty spell-items.

[aquatius]

I like turn based battle and random encounters, I loved FFIX. But I hat the new ones like FF12.

[Mirage]

FFXII is as turn based as the PS1 titles, the turns are just handled a bit differently.

[Craig]

To the BARGAIN BIN.

[Hambone]

I support Square's decisions 110%. I was very skeptical of XII's battle style, but now it is SO addicting. For that, I am now very open to any changes Square makes. I just hope they continue making Final Fantasy games even when I have children. They shall play it all day and so shall I. xD

[Northcrest]

I think that they were just trying to test out new ideas for Final Fantasy and its future. Like as Hambone said the FFXII battle system really was good.