Medieval Final Fantasies vs Modern Final Fantasies...

[SuperMillionaire]

Do you like Final Fantasy better in a medieval setting (I, II, III, IV, V, IX) or in a modern setting (VII, VIII)? Or perhaps you like a setting that's in-between medieval and modern (VI, X)?

[VeloZer0]

There should be a 'like both' option.

[scrumpleberry]

I have to say I don't like the MODERRRN settings much, even though I enjoy FFVII. The other 2 kinds are lovely.

[PuPu]

In between is...steampunk?

Sure, that one

[SuperMillionaire]

There should be a 'like both' option.

That's the in-between option.

[Rostum]

Honestly pure medieval just bores me.

I like a mix and play on sub genres and settings. I'm a fan of vivid and lush colours, organic and hard structures. I'm not sure what exactly that fits in to, but I'd wager it's something along the lines of naturism mixed with technology.

Steampunk also bores me simply because it's been done to death (though there are occasions where I can say "wow!"). I'd rather go for more surreal settings I suppose. Form over function preferably.

I'd much prefer to explore worlds that you see in Riven and Myst III, which are far more engaging, though in the later series of Final Fantasy we are seeing much more punctual and life-filled worlds.

[SuperMillionaire]

So you like in-between, then. So do I.

[Vermachtnis]

I like Medieval with dragons and castles and stuff. Magic is more fun than technology. You don't have to explain magic.

[Raistlin]

I tend to prefer medieval fantasy settings.

[VeloZer0]

I like Medieval with dragons and castles and stuff. Magic is more fun than technology. You don't have to explain magic.
lol, what I like the most is not modern settings so much, but where magic is well explained and clearly defined, like a branch of science.

[Saber]

I perfer modern since it is hard to base a fantasy off modern made up planets. Some things differ. somethings are more advanced as some are not. Its just harder to do when you think fantasy. Modern breaks the code and expands past Diablo and D&D while keeping it an RPG.

[Slothy]

As long as the games are good I could care less either way.

[Depression Moon]

There should be a 'like both' option.

That's the in-between option.


Doesn't sound like it. You described in between as VI and X. What is other?

[Vermachtnis]

I like Medieval with dragons and castles and stuff. Magic is more fun than technology. You don't have to explain magic.
lol, what I like the most is not modern settings so much, but where magic is well explained and clearly defined, like a branch of science.

That's not for me. I like it more when it's vague. Like take the mana in your soul, chant an incantation link your soul to the planet's soul and blow :bou::bou::bou::bou: up! It's more magical when it's not explained.

[Bastian]

100% absolutely pure "medieval" (if that's the term we're going with). That what hooked me on FF in the beginning and why it was such a "culture shock" for me when I tried to play VII. It was not "medieval" at all.

Give me I-V&IX any day of the week over the other ones.

[Lunatic_High]

In general I prefer the games set in a modern era.

Although I would never dislike or be put off playing a game just because it is set in the medieval era.

[SuperMillionaire]

There should be a 'like both' option.

That's the in-between option.


Doesn't sound like it. You described in between as VI and X. What is other?

Any other type of setting you can think of. I like both medieval and modern, but I like fantasy stories best when mixed together.

[Rebellious Eagle]

Since my favorite games are VI, III, and X, I'd have to go with in-between. I really don't like the modern FFs as much as the medieval ones, though.

[Flying Arrow]

100% absolutely pure "medieval" (if that's the term we're going with). That what hooked me on FF in the beginning and why it was such a "culture shock" for me when I tried to play VII. It was not "medieval" at all.

Give me I-V&IX any day of the week over the other ones.

But by the end of of IX, any pretense of a purely "medieval" setting was out the window. Hell, same with IV and V.

I'm not trying to troll here, but you really were so put off by VI-VIII because of the settings? I always found FFs VI-VIII to be the height of Square's creativity with the series (as far as world-building goes). Different strokes, I guess.

To answer the original question, originality is key. I love unique and strange settings, but a traditional "medieval" game world can be just as great when done well (hello there, DQVIII).

[SuperMillionaire]

100% absolutely pure "medieval" (if that's the term we're going with). That what hooked me on FF in the beginning and why it was such a "culture shock" for me when I tried to play VII. It was not "medieval" at all.

Give me I-V&IX any day of the week over the other ones.

But by the end of of IX, any pretense of a purely "medieval" setting was out the window. Hell, same with IV and V.

I'm not trying to troll here, but you really were so put off by VI-VIII because of the settings? I always found FFs VI-VIII to be the height of Square's creativity with the series (as far as world-building goes). Different strokes, I guess.

To answer the original question, originality is key. I love unique and strange settings, but a traditional "medieval" game world can be just as great when done well (hello there, DQVIII).

But only VII and VIII were truly modern. VI and X are in-between medieval and modern.

[VeloZer0]

To me a lot of FFVII seemed to scream out to me 1900 ish. (Obviously some things were more advanced.) Obviously very modern compared to a medieval setting, but it seemed far from 'modern' to me. (Obviously the revisionist compilation f***ed it all up.)


To answer the original question, originality is key. I love unique and strange settings, but a traditional "medieval" game world can be just as great when done well (hello there, DQVIII).
Exactly. It is the quality of the world that is created, not the level of technology that is important.

[SuperMillionaire]

I heard that FFVII was set in 2007, according to the FFWiki. And judging from all the technologies they have that we have in real life, that's clearly a modern setting.

And the quality of the world is important too, no matter the type of setting.

[Momiji]

Other. While my main preference is for the medieval type Final Fantasy games, I have to say I love VI's setting, and X's setting is pretty neat too.

[RedPouch]

Other. While my main preference is for the medieval type Final Fantasy games, I have to say I love VI's setting, and X's setting is pretty neat too.
When you think about it, it's generally kind of hard to solidify any FF as being in a single "era" as they generally have elements of medieval, modern, and futuristic in a way [obviously] so when I think about this more, I'm having a harder time deciding. I'll always love medieval stuff though.

[Mirage]

"Both" is not the same as "in between"

Both would mean that you like FF games with futuristic settings, and also FFs with medieval settings.

In between would mean that you like FF games to have a setting that is a mix of modern and medieval times, or that it's somewhere in between those two, such as the 1800s would be.

I don't think any of the poll options fits my opinion well enough for me to vote.

I like Final Fantasy games that have a modern/futuristic setting, and those that have a setting that's time-period-wise in between medieval and modern/futuristic, such as FF6, whose technology level I would estimate to be somewhere around 1700-1800s earth (excluding the magitech stuff, which obviously isn't possible in our world). I prefer the games to not be too medieval-like.

[SuperMillionaire]

Oh, I get it now. I like both too, but I like it best in-between.

[Bolivar]

There's never been a "pure medieval" Final Fantasy, RE: Wind Shrine FFI.

I prefer both. I like going out and fighting Dragons with Swords in FFVIII as much as I like taking out laser guns and missile defense systems of a sky fortress in FFV.

[RedPouch]

I agree, though I think I'm more partial to the dragons and swords bit. Also, I think that FFV wasn't the best example. I think any of the Shin-Ra sequences or maybe something like the Magitek factory from FF VI would be a better example of a "technology/modern" standpoint. Or maybe even the Floating fortress from FF I.

[Jessweeee♪]

Eh. There were medieval games I loved and didn't, there were modern games I loved and didn't P:

[Lightening]

a mix is fine, i don't like it if it gets too modern.

[RedPouch]

I'm actually surprised at how many people love medieval and mixed, as opposed to modern.

[SuperMillionaire]

Why is that, Khalin?

[RedPouch]

I figured that EVERYONE would be all "LOL MEDIEVAL THAT TRASH IS FOR KIDS. I NEED MANLY GAMES WITH MODERN SETTINGS!!!" etc. because I see that kind of nonsense on all sorts of message boards and whatnot.

[SuperMillionaire]

Oh... yeah, now that you mentioned it, I'm kind of surprised too.

[VeloZer0]

Well, seeing as FF did originate in a predominantly medieval setting, you would expect long time fans to have a favorable view of the 'era'. This is about what I expected.

[SuperMillionaire]

Really? I was thinking that modern would get more votes due to the immense popularity of VII.

[VeloZer0]

But remember, most longtime FF fans despise FFVII for it's fan base. I always assumed that the shift to 'modern' it brought in is associated with the same negative sentiment.

[Miriel]

In between is...steampunk?

Sure, that one

I think steampunk is so pretty. Love the juxtaposition of new and old and new that's made to look old and vice versa.

If I had to straight up choose, I'd choose medieval, but I do like when it's a little more of a mix. FFVII was a lot more modern but I think it had a nice blend of the industrial and the more rustic/nature based stuff. Midgar may have been "modern" but places like Kalm and Gongaga definitely had more of an old school feel. When I think about modern, I'm actually thinking about more futuristic elements which make games less fantasty/fantastical and more sci-fi.

[SuperMillionaire]

But remember, most longtime FF fans despise FFVII for it's fan base. I always assumed that the shift to 'modern' it brought in is associated with the same negative sentiment.
Now that you mention it, yes, that makes sense. Essentially it's VII and VIII against all the others.



In between is...steampunk?

Sure, that one

I think steampunk is so pretty. Love the juxtaposition of new and old and new that's made to look old and vice versa.

If I had to straight up choose, I'd choose medieval, but I do like when it's a little more of a mix. FFVII was a lot more modern but I think it had a nice blend of the industrial and the more rustic/nature based stuff. Midgar may have been "modern" but places like Kalm and Gongaga definitely had more of an old school feel. When I think about modern, I'm actually thinking about more futuristic elements which make games less fantasty/fantastical and more sci-fi.

Indeed, VII and VIII were more sci-fi than true fantasy.

[Mirage]

I think "true fantasy" is such a silly term. There's no reason "fantasy" should be exclusively "omg lotr-like medieval setting".

[SuperMillionaire]

Well, the older FFs felt more "magical" than VII.

[Rodney]

Modern all the way.

[Mirage]

Well, the older FFs felt more "magical" than VII.

That's got nothing to do with them being "fantasy" or not :p.

[Vermachtnis]

Wasn't there a big, long-ass discussion about Fantasy VS Sci-Fi here awhile back?

[SuperMillionaire]

Where was that at?

[Kenshin IV]

They're all fantasy games, so what does it matter? If all they did was recycle the same setting it'd be stale and boring.

[Tyrant57]

I would say the steampunk games, (VII, VIII, X, XIII) are more futuristic than they are modern. I would have to say that that futuristic ones are better just because VII and VIII were the first ones I Played and enjoyed the most. Although IX is a close follow up...

[Forsaken Lover]

VIi is most definitely not futuristic. It's behind us in most areas.

VIII is only futuristic in Esthar.

And who cares what type of setting it is. As long as it's decently done, that's all that matters.

[SuperMillionaire]

VII, VIII, and X definitely have a "futuristic" essence about them, but not too futuristic.

[black orb]

>>> Medieval, like Tactics..:luca:

[SuperMillionaire]

That's the Ivalice Alliance, which also includes FFXII.

[The Crystal]

If FFVII is considered "futuristic/modern", then FFVI should be the same. Because there is nothing medieval about Magitech Armors, or factories, or Esper's research facilities.

[eestlinc]

i thought ff6 was the first game that shocked me with technological elements, not ff7. ff7 is basically the same level of technology as ff6. ff7 seems more prevalent because you spend so much time exploring Midgar in the beginning, and the graphics are better. If ff6 started with a long quest inside Vector, it'd be the same thing.

[VeloZer0]

i thought ff6 was the first game that shocked me with technological elements, not ff7. ff7 is basically the same level of technology as ff6. ff7 seems more prevalent because you spend so much time exploring Midgar in the beginning, and the graphics are better. If ff6 started with a long quest inside Vector, it'd be the same thing.

I've never thought of it this way, but I agree with you completely.

[Brennan]

In-between, but leaning more to the medieval side, because when I think of "Fantasy", I think of medieval mages and such.

[SuperMillionaire]

If FFVII is considered "futuristic/modern", then FFVI should be the same. Because there is nothing medieval about Magitech Armors, or factories, or Esper's research facilities.

Actually, it would be somewhere in-between medieval and modern. FFX is the same.