Definitive or Open to Interpretation

[Wolf Kanno]

Another thread brought up a question I've long wondered about among fans and non-fans of FFVIII. Do you feel that VIII was purposely written so awkward to allow the player to create their own conclusion to the story, or do you think it has a definitive message and some fans are just looking too deeply into things because they don't like the "real message" of the game? I'll add a poll, but I prefer discussion.

[Evol]

Another thread brought up a question I've long wondered about among fans and non-fans of FFVIII. Do you feel that VIII was purposely written so awkward to allow the player to create their own conclusion to the story, or do you think it has a definitive message and some fans are just looking too deeply into things because they don't like the "real message" of the game? I'll add a poll, but I prefer discussion.

It doesn't have to be one or another.
You don't need the rest of the world to agree with you.
The interpretation of the story belongs to you only.


Do you feel that VIII was purposely written so awkward to allow the player to create their own conclusion to the story

I think it's written pretty well only lack certain aspects.
A reader can't always be right about the writer.
We need to seek the answers for ourselves.


do you think it has a definitive message and some fans are just looking too deeply into things because they don't like the "real message" of the game?

We can have our own theories that we believe to be true.

[Hollycat]

Needs new poll option:
It is open to interpretation, which is nice, although a definitive answer would also be nice.

[Shinwa Tsuki]

I love a vast majority of the theories, although I would have liked it if the game was clear about Ultimecia's origin - I hate that some fans seem to think that Ultimecia is Rinoa's future self, which I find insulting to Rinoa.

[charliepanayi]

It's not a proper FF game if you understand the whoe plot and storyline. Personally I like the way it allows you to piece together everything. The Rinoa = Ultimecia and Squall is Dead theories can do one though. I like my endings happy!

[Chris]

I didn't understand 80% of the storyline the first time I played through it. It took me two or three playthroughs for me to somewhat grasp what the story was about, but even now, I'm not 100% sure. I am currently playing through it again for the first time in a long time, and now, I definitely understand why so many people feel the need to find reason and story where the isn't really any. I love the game, but lack of character development doesn't exactly help the already mediocre storyline.

A pea is green, regardless of how much I want it to be blue. :|

[Shinwa Tsuki]

Oh there's definitely character development with Rinoa, Squall, and likely Ellone the others may have subtle character development. I agree with charliepanayi, the Squall is Dead theories are insulting as well to Square. The concept of time travel, as well as the time-loops, are interesting. I just wish Square had translated or published an English language version of the Final Fantasy VIII Ultimania - as well as the Ultimania for IX, those would help explain a vast majority of things that are not explained in the game itself.

[Jiro]

It's confusing, but I don't think it was done that way to leave it open to interpretation. I'm glad it was though, because it spawned this amazing rewrite (http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?428367-Final-Fantasy-VIII-The-Altimate-Rewrite-Part-I).

[Forsaken Lover]

It has a definitive message.

These theories are nonsense. I can tolerate R=U because it's interesting but Squall is Dead just bugs me.

EVERYTHING GETS WEIRD AFTER DISK 1 SO IT'S ALL A FANTASY!

Except it doesn't. Mostly everything after Disk 1 has its origins in Disk 1. NORG, Seifer's romantic dream, Adel, the Laguna flashbacks - all these things are based on stuff we get in Disk 1.

The only thing that comes out of left field and is totally unnecessary is a time traveling Sorceress FROM DA FUTURE.

I will not attempt to cover up the game's clumsy writing under pretentiousness.

Really when you think about it, these attempts to explain away stuff are just insulting the game more and marginalizing what it did right. I like FFVIII more or less while also recognizing how very flawed it is. To be a true fan is to understand precisely how and why what you love sucks.

[Loony BoB]

For me, it is probably in line with their thinking on other games in the series: There is an intended and rather fixed storyline, however Square-Enix enjoy not telling the users exactly what it is/was. This is because they prefer their fans to discuss between themselves what the 'true' storyline should be. I am happy for this - if they did not leave so much still open for discussion, a lot of these forums would be far less active! FFVII and FFXIII both strike me as other great examples of the development team not wanting to be drawn into telling users what is right and what is wrong.

[Phoenix Rising]

I'm a fan of the open interpretation, for it has spawned many great theories, many of which actually make more sense than the official story of the game after Disk 1.

[I Don't Need A Name]

Some of the theories are fun and interesting, I'll give you that. R=U, even Squall is Dead are fun ideas. But ideas are all they are. Too much fan wanking ruined the story of this game a long, long time ago.

[charliepanayi]

I can't agree with that at all, I don't see why people arguing about theories online affects how you see the storyline of a game. I like the storyline and it doesn't matter if someone comes up with some daft idea about what happened in the game.

[Shinwa Tsuki]

If anything the R=U and Dead Squall theories are more insulting to the game and the creators, not to mention to Rinoa. The other theories, however, are interesting. I enjoy reading theories on why Laguna is Squall's father (which I do believe) and Ultimecia's origin are fun reads for me.

I would prefer to be able to create my own theories, without the Ultimania (for VIII or IX) that is more challenging then for VII.

[charliepanayi]

Laguna being Squall's father isn't a theory though, that one is official.

[Shinwa Tsuki]

Some would say it is a theory, others would say it is official. Still, I find it to be an interesting read and it actually enhances the story for some.

[Jessweeee♪]

It's open I think. If you can make an outlandish theory sound a tiny bit believable then there's room for interpretation (whether you meant for it or not).

I hate when there's a theory thread and some people have to shit all over it. Now simply discussing their negative opinion is inoffensive of course; there's nothing wrong with saying "I don't really like this theory because of reasons." But when the discussion becomes less about the theory and more about the fans behind it and it goes something like "hurrr it's not canon you guys are retarded" I'm just like well no shit it's not canon that is why it's called a fan theory because a fan made it up for fun now gtfo :mad2:

[Shinwa Tsuki]

Fair point, Jessweeee♪, but I have attempted to read the R=U and the Dead Squall theories.

[Wolf Kanno]

Some would say it is a theory, others would say it is official. Still, I find it to be an interesting read and it actually enhances the story for some.

This one has been confirmed though. The game featured the not so subtle dialogue with Kiros and Ward on the Ragnarok at the end of the game, but also the 20th Anniversary Ultimania confirmed their relationship on the relationship chart, same with Shadow and Relm's relationship which also never received confirmation within the game but was also not so subtly hinted at through Shadow and Relm's dreams. So some things do get answers eventually.

My issues with the subject of fan theories comes in two flavors, when the theorist try to pass off their theory as fact in unrelated thread and basically derail the thread into their fan theory. My other issue comes when the theorist get disruptive and highly defensive when people start poking holes into their theory, and they ultimately start to ignore the facts to suit their theory much like my example conversation above. The last time I got into this debate, the theorist began to disregard several sources and said they weren't true because they pretty much prove the theory is wrong, one source was the Ultimania which isn't unusual for theorist to disregard, but the theorist also started to disregard actual facts given in the game bu Ellone and Dr. Odine. At which point, I have to wonder why bother debating your theory if your not going to accept anything but your beliefs as truth with no evidence to support it. They've now just wasted their time and other people's time on an debate with no real catharsis.

[Shinwa Tsuki]

Well, without the Ultimania in the English language - I ask you, how are some of us English speakers supposed to know things that are only in the Ultimania? True, we can track it down online, but I have personally seen very little in way of translations - if you could point me to a site that offers more then a few pages that are translated I would concede. I don't mean to attack, I'm trying to say simply that sometimes getting the facts would be a bit challenging - especially for FF8 and FF9.

I am ignorant of things that have been confirmed but are unfortunately unavailable to English speakers. I am very sorry if I come across as rude, but I honestly did not know that there was a 20th Anniversary Ultimania - or even that some things have been confirmed. I'll leave this thread then, unless someone can point me to a translation site that offers the Ultimania for FF8 and FF9 in English.

[I Don't Need A Name]

As WK said, desregarding Ultimania is basically disregarding fact. However, Shinwa Tsuki, being ignorant of Ultimania is also very acceptable. Very few people know the contents of it, due to the reasons you specified.

I also have extreme problems with fan theories such as one I remember in the past where they made a mass theory because the moon was a certain colour of red in a literal second of an FMV, and that this should obviously symbolise something (or some such nonsese). I'm fine with ideas when they have decent information backing them up (not to say I will agree with them, but they can be interesting) but when theories arise how english teachers try to force symbolism in books and poems, which were never intended to be there.. That, I can't abide

[Chris]

That is a very good post, and I couldn't agree with you more. ^

[Loony BoB]

I always assumed Laguna was Squall's dad. I mean, sure, he didn't say "Squall, I am your father", but it was so blunt and in your face they may as well have done just that and then slapped you in the face with a birth certificate written on a trout for good measure.

[Roogle]

I think that a majority of the unanswered questions of Final Fantasy VIII have been dealt with in some way by the developers, whether through interviews or an Ultimania type of release in Japan. The story is somewhat straightforward and it seems pretty definitive to me, but when it comes to storytelling, the reader is the one who has the final interpretation.