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Cobrakai
03-26-2009, 11:57 PM
Alright, so I've been planning on making this movie for awhile, but like all side projects of mine, it got kind of tossed aside. I first played FF3/6 when I was like 12, and it obviously had a huge impact on me. I've always wanted to see a live action version of it, but unfortunately, that never happened (yet!)

The farthest I got with it was simple costume design via wowmodel viewer and a flimsy storyline, but here goes:

It reads more like a fanfic (dear god) because I had to come up with a "Where are they now?" sort of filler between the end of the game and the beginning of MY story.
I'd show you my costume designs but I lost 'em in a format :/

SO, feel free to bust my rocks on my ideas, I thought some of them were just plain nifty, and the story itself acts as somewhat of a segway into FF7 (I know, I know)
The FF7 stuff is to broaden my audience. Let's face it, some kids grew up on FF7, and the youngins be playin' WoW.


Here's the gist:

- Our heroes dissipating over the world to begin their new lives after the end of 'The Great Battle'
- Terra falls into a coma
- The rise of the new Emperor
- Rebuilding/ Repopulation of Doma & Narshe & Figaro

The intro is set to the beginning music from FF6, using short pans and whatnot explaining all of that crap over the last 4-5 years.

The coma thing is a copout, I haven't found anything to replace it yet. But at the end of the intro we hear Terra whisper something about another war and her eyes get all magic like. This explains that magic still exists somehow. (This also explains why Terra didn't "disappear" at the ene dof FF6.) Also, during the above intro we see
the new emperor "searching for something" amongst the ruins of Kefka's Tower.

So then another 4-5 years go by (blackscreen with this info, nothing fancy.)

We see several plot explanations involving the training of the now somewhat grown kids from Mobliz, Doma, Narshe, etc. etc, for the upcoming war Terra predicted. Basically how the game was when it first started. However magic isn't a big deal now, but people are curious as to how it still exists.

During these plot explanations, it is understood that the New Emperor is with our original heroes and sympathetic if not intrigued by what went down in FF6. It's obvious villain construction. So anyway, he invades Narshe (with the new imperial army, that's right, they're back) and kidnaps Terra in her comatose state.

So at this point in the story we see similar patterns repeating themselves from the original. This is done on purpose as somewhat of a tribute, I'm hoping it won't be too hokey. Anyway, so now the Returners start to gather to get Terra back. Here's a list of what our original guys were up to during the panning from earlier and how/when they gather to get Terra back:

-Locke & Celes: I thought it'd be neat if they settled down, it's obvious from the ending of the game. I think Celes has a moment where she realizes her magic skills are back somewhat, but doesnt tell Locke until they find out about Terra's being kidnapped. The are unaware of the impending war until they are notified by Setzer.

-Setzer: Upon hearing the news about the war (4-5 years ago), he is given the task of training the kids from Mobliz into a somewhat elite group of fighters that use primarily lances. (This is in reference to the Crimson Wings or w/e from FF2 AND the Dragoons from pretty much all FF games.) Setzer pilots the airship with a Lieutenant Highwind leading the troops.

Anyway, these guys show up to inform Locke and Celes, who are the first gathered to bring Terra back from the clutches of the Emperor.

-Edgar & Sabin: I thought it'd be neat to show them in a Chocobo Race out by Figaro Castle, complete with a cameo of the Black Chocobo Rider from FF7. Then Setzer and friends show and the Figaro brothers agree to go.

-Gogo: I wasn't sure whether or not to include Gogo what with the rumor that he is really a she, and she is really Darryl. Either way, my idea was to have him/her fighting in the Coliseum when they pick him/her up. Also, there could be a cameo by Ultros who could now have been promoted to the fight announcer.

-Mog: Limited by graphics in what I can or cannot do with Mog. I know http://wowrpg.net/lifeisdebt/Smileys/classic/sad.gif

-Cyan: They arrive at Doma and Cyan, now King of Doma, refuses to help them. His spirit was broken somehow after the end of FF6, and even though he rebuilds Doma, refuses to bring anymore pain to his people.

-Gau: He is training at the university in Jidoor. To impress his father. He also refuses to go.

-Strago, Relm, Shadow, & Duane: After FF6, Relm and Strago go back to Thamasa and bury Shadow. Strago then dies a few years later. Before Strago dies, Duane is taught the ways of the Blue Mage.

--So at this point it's somewhat confusing. Basically what happens is that shortly after the end of FF6, Terra's coma is magic related, revealing the entire plot that magic is still alive somewhere, somehow. And she talks in her sleep revealing that there will be some sort of event that the Returners need to be informed of. But it's just mumbling and incoherent, very ambiguous. So the Returners get ready for another war. The only problem is that some people know about it and some do not. I contribute this to the fact that everyone spreads apart after the end of FF6 to live their own lives and all that. Plus, suspect is placed upon the New Emperor, so they want to keep it under wraps. (the people that DO know.)--

If there were an easier way to do this, believe me, I'm all ears.

Anyway, so Relm and Duane are brought into the story via an "investigation" at Thamasa. The New Emperor is making a first strike against some of the more threatening members of our original FF6 team. Celes could end up being a double agent (again), so Locke isn't a threat. Relm and Duane would, Cyan and Gau would NOT, since they refuse to go. Or the emperor could destroy Doma again, being too much for Cyan to handle. I was going to have a dream sequence where he sees his wife and son, and they convince him to fight. Gau's father could be killed, inspiring him to go.

But anyway, Umaro ends up showing up at a certain point, being 'unloaded' from the airship.

The final battle is somewhat FF7 Advent Children inspired, but this way we have a back story and some less predictable stuff going on. A major problem I'm facing is recreating each character's own personal conflicts since they were all basically resolved at the end of FF6.

So I'll try to sum it all up here:

FF6 ends.

Returners go on living their lives and split up. (4-5 years pass)

Terra goes into a magic coma. Warns of trouble in the next few years. (Whoever would be taking care of her at this point.)

That guy tells a handful of others, training ensues.

New Emperor is 100% against magic and begins many excavations and investigations during this time. Seemingly harmless. Rebuilds the Imperial Army. (all this during the 4-5 year period)

Terra gets kidnapped by the Emperor/ Imperials.

Emperor commands first strikes against the remaining Returners (to exterminate them).

Returners gather together again during this time (avoiding extermination). Gau and Cyan say tough :bou::bou::bou::bou: and refuse to help.

Setzer + airship meet the Returners and figure out a game plan. Possible subplot with Celes as a Spy.

Final Battle at the newly discovered Magitek facility/imperial HQ takes place.

Terra turns herself into magicite. The Returners summon her to win. Character's resolutions to their conflicts are as follows: (none of these are set into stone, like I said. It's a tough act to follow.)

Locke - Defeats his inability to save people when he chooses to kill Celes sicne she's a baddie.

Celes - Cannot escape her destiny as a baddie via magic infusion. Tough nuts.

Relm - Gains her late father's acceptance through vindication that she's a true warrior minus the lack of emotion, in that Shadow abandoning her was the right thing to do. Daddy issues lol.

Gogo - I want to reveal his/her identity as someone from the game, but no idea how or who (FF5 problem can be resolved via a long line of Gogo's, kind of like the Dread Pirate Roberts.)

Umaro - Just a hulking beast. Perhaps something involving his love of Mog?

Terra - Finally accepts her fate and makes the ultimate sacrifice.

Edgar & Sabin - Not much here. I just see them as the bash brothers from the Mighty Ducks.

Setzer - The only thing I can see here is his transformation from a selfish gambler to a hardened general. Or if Gogo ends up being Darryl that'd be neat to have them together again.

Duane - His journey is the same as the original Returners. He fights for his wife and baby, kind of like Cyan but they aren't murdered and he uses the Blue Magic.

Gau - His struggle between man and beast is ended when he realizes that primal instincts dont take away from his newly learned humanity.

Cyan - He is finally reunited with his wife and child and freed from his depression via glorious death on the battle field.

I think that's everyone? I don't know how many fans I'd piss off with making Banon or Vargas the New Emperor, but I really want to have him be someone from the original story that is NOT Kefka.

Any criticsms, anachronisms, or anything else that you'd like to point out or suggest would be much appreciated. I want to discuss this stuff with other fans, but without ruining the story once this bastard starts making its way into a machinima.

blackmage_nuke
03-27-2009, 08:58 AM
I cant see why Banon would destroy the very returner's he was the leader of and i cannot see how Vargas can become the new emperor considering how he is dead and has no previous leadership experience.

Also your story seems abit sad, not to say that sad stories arent good stories but FFVI is all about hope and survival and happy things. Its a romantic story that makes you feel good inside, the ending is rather 'disney like' where everything turns out great. Making it a tradgic end just doesnt fit.

At the end of VI they resolved any inner conflicts and showing that theyre resolutions were all broken down doesnt make it too enjoyable unless it were seen by someone who was rather cynical or just didnt like FFVI.

I also have no idea what a machinima is so maybe im missing something.

Golden Warrior
03-29-2009, 04:51 AM
Hmm,

I don't see how Celes would turn evil. Unless maybe the magic left in her did something to her because when they killed Kefka, he was the source of magic in the game after they killed the three goddesses and Celes was somehow influenced by that since she was artificially infused with magic? It seems like a big stretch to me though.

I'm also curious, why use Duane? It's not like he joined the party and fought against Kefka. He was nothing more than a family man that was taking care of his wife and kid along with the rest of the survivors. I can't see why someone like that would suddenly want to rise up in arms to fight unless maybe the empire comes in and starts killing the people he wants to protect.

Cobrakai
03-31-2009, 07:33 PM
I cant see why Banon would destroy the very returner's he was the leader of and i cannot see how Vargas can become the new emperor considering how he is dead and has no previous leadership experience.


It's just for twist value. But you're right. The Banon twist would have involved a much more elaborate scheme, even farfetched. And I don't want a farfetched twist, just something for shock value.



Also your story seems abit sad, not to say that sad stories arent good stories but FFVI is all about hope and survival and happy things. Its a romantic story that makes you feel good inside, the ending is rather 'disney like' where everything turns out great. Making it a tradgic end just doesnt fit.


I didn't really elaborate about the ending, but the main idea is that Terra becomes the last known esper and buries herself underneath the earth, to have her become the Ultimate Weapon from the FF7 series. I wasn't a gigantic fan of FF7, so I'm not sure if the lore works out, but this is another "neat" thing I'd like to chain the two games together, even though they are thousands of years apart.

The entire Final Fantasy genre is about cyclical patterns, my story plays off of that in a sort of Star Wars fashion, in that the 1000 years war in the FF6 universe was off by a bit, and the REAL war is happening now. Its like Star Wars in that the "prophecy" about Anakin is really about his son, Luke.

And as far as the story goes, it needs to have conflict. The resolutions are there, just not EVERYONE gets to have a happy ending. Shadow died at the end of FF6, I don't see what was very happy about that.



At the end of VI they resolved any inner conflicts and showing that theyre resolutions were all broken down doesnt make it too enjoyable unless it were seen by someone who was rather cynical or just didnt like FFVI.

The main point of my story is to revisit our old friends as a tribute, not for it to be canon in anyway. I thoroughly enjoyed FF6, which is why I want to revisit it and use it as the base for my film.

But that's my biggest dilemma and why I posted here. I want some diehard opinions on how to NOT ruin my movie for the FF6 crowd.



I also have no idea what a machinima is so maybe im missing something.

A machinima is a movie which uses computer graphics as its visual medium. I have chosen the video game World of Warcraft, and through use of an editor, I feel it will appeal to both Final Fantasy and Warcraft fans.





Hmm,

I don't see how Celes would turn evil. Unless maybe the magic left in her did something to her because when they killed Kefka, he was the source of magic in the game after they killed the three goddesses and Celes was somehow influenced by that since she was artificially infused with magic? It seems like a big stretch to me though.


It is as much of a stretch as magic still existing in the first place. Celes was infused with magic just like Kefka was. She has a tendancy for betrayal, which she showed in the Magitek Facility.

Perhaps to explain the whole "magic still exists" thing, the New Emperor could digup the remains of the goddesses and rebuild them somewhat. Then just triangulate them and BAM, magic's back. Is that really too farfetched?



I'm also curious, why use Duane? It's not like he joined the party and fought against Kefka. He was nothing more than a family man that was taking care of his wife and kid along with the rest of the survivors. I can't see why someone like that would suddenly want to rise up in arms to fight unless maybe the empire comes in and starts killing the people he wants to protect.


I don't want Duane to become another Cyan. The idea for Duane is to fill in the role of Strago, for nostalgia purposes. Duane witnessed the heroism from the original Returners, why would he refuse to help them out in defeating a new threat to the very family he has loved and protected for all of these years?

This also encourages the cyclical patterns that I was refering to earlier.

Also, I did want to mention that any and all posters who have a hand in developing this thing will receive full acknowledgements as consultants if you so desire.

I appreciate your feedback! Keep 'em comin'!