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View Full Version : Why do so many people think that "IIII" was a mistake?



MJN SEIFER
04-25-2010, 10:51 PM
Just wondering... I mean Square obviously did it deliberatly, as they already made "Final Fantasy IV" (not "IIII")

blackmage_nuke
04-25-2010, 10:55 PM
Well the thing about mistakes is you still make them every now and then even when you know the right answer.

Saber
04-26-2010, 01:02 AM
I take it we're talking about the clock in the temple of ancients? I always figured 4 could be taken as IV or IIII. It depends on what people are use to.

Blackjack
04-26-2010, 01:42 AM
To lazy to type it all out so I'll just paste this

"A 'mistake' supposedly exists in the clock puzzle at the Temple of the Ancients. We all know the roman numeral representing the number 4 is IV. Well, in the game we see IIII in the puzzle instead. I've been told the ancient Romans had actually used IIII to represent 4, and it was only changed to IV during recent times."

silentenigma
04-26-2010, 01:48 AM
Roman numeral clocks (at least the ones I've seen) all generally use IIII. And that's the only place I've ever seen IIII. So it's not really much of a mistake.

G13
04-26-2010, 02:42 AM
I've heard IIII is another way of using 4, but IV is used more often. Maybe whoever designed that part liked IIII better.

seiferalmasy2
04-26-2010, 06:39 AM
Roman numerals - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_numerals#IIII_and_IV)

The notation of Roman numerals has varied through the centuries. Originally, it was common to use IIII to represent four, because IV represented the Roman god Jupiter, whose Latin name, IVPPITER, begins with IV.

Not a mistake.

Also, That clock was a much more difficult minigame in the Japanese version which was taken out for US/EU release. I will ask about trying to get it restored.

MJN SEIFER
04-26-2010, 02:15 PM
I'm pleased I'm not the only one who realizes that the "IIII" thing wasn't a mistake :D. Infact I think using the "older" method works better in a place like The Temple of The Ancients, so it's better as IIII than IV in that way.

To seiferalmasy2: How was the clock room different in the Japanese game?

seiferalmasy2
04-27-2010, 01:14 PM
In the Japanese game you couldn't control the dial, it was more to do with working out where the hands would end up after the spin and was a much more difficult puzzle. You couldn't just plant it on the correct numbers.

Mo-Nercy
04-27-2010, 02:02 PM
To be honest, I've never noticed the IIII on the clock in the Temple of the Ancients. Hmm.. but, I do believe the clocktower at my uni uses IIII.

I like the look of IV better though.

Mercen-X
04-27-2010, 07:29 PM
I like IIII better in representing 4 since IV could be mistaken as "InterVenous"...

Clo
04-28-2010, 03:08 AM
I'm just kinda amazed at myself that I've played this game probably over ten times over the course of 10 years and never once noticed this.

Powers of observation; I do not have them.

Hot Shot
05-08-2010, 05:34 PM
The first time I played it, I didn't even notice. But on my second play through I barely noticed it but I didn't think twice about it because I knew that it meant "IV", but I didn't know until now that IIII could be used instead of IV.

Personally, I don't like the way IIII looks, it's just too long. IV looks muc better and sleek compared to its counterpart.

Mercen-X
05-10-2010, 11:30 PM
I'm just kinda amazed at myself that I've played this game probably over ten times over the course of 10 years and never once noticed this.

Powers of observation; I do not have them.

Trust me, you've noticed. We've all noticed. Just didn't care. Naturally, therefore, you wouldn't bother to remember.

Aerith's Knight
05-11-2010, 12:49 AM
I like IIII better in representing 4 since IV could be mistaken as "InterVenous"...

It's IntraVenously, and seriously, who would put that on a clock? :p

That Japanese minigame was prob taken out due to the enormous amount of time it would take to do it.

seiferalmasy2
05-11-2010, 01:56 PM
I like IIII better in representing 4 since IV could be mistaken as "InterVenous"...

It's IntraVenously, and seriously, who would put that on a clock? :p

That Japanese minigame was prob taken out due to the enormous amount of time it would take to do it.

It doesn't take THAT long to do it...it was prob taken out because someone said "hey westerners won't like using their brain or getting frustrated" VII is afterall too easy.

Hopefully a guy I know can place it back as I think taking away a minigame like that kinda lessens the game.

Mercen-X
05-12-2010, 05:38 PM
I like IIII better in representing 4 since IV could be mistaken as "InterVenous"...

It's IntraVenously, and seriously, who would put that on a clock?:screwy::objection::cool: :confused: :cry: :p :thumb: :smug:

Jiro
05-15-2010, 04:50 AM
I recall a debate about how VIII could have been IIX or something of the sort once. As I thought then, who cares? We all get the idea.