Final Fantasy Evolution (FFE)

[Cylest]

Okay guys, here's the situation, and I want everyone to be honest. Myself and several of my friends have been kicking around the idea of creating our own FF (of course Square would still be at the helm of constructing the game, but the whole concept of the game itself would be created by non-Japanese...a first in the history of the series). Okay...back on topic. We had been kicking around several names, and FFE as you can clearly read as the title of this forum is Final Fantasy Evolution has come to mind. Same goodness we've all grown to love, but with some new systems. We've rejuvenated all systems and key components of the series. The magic will be comprised from FF7 (with the Materia) and FF8 (the different levels of each spell). We've also added a few of our own spells which in my opinion will breathe new life into this slightly stagnant pool of magic. Characters will level up, none of that crap from X (and if I just offended anyone, I apologize. We're all entitled to our opinion right?) The ability system from FF9 will be brought back, but with a twist. If any of you are interested in what exactly we have come up with for the new systems, just say so when you post. Oh yeah, and...the gameplay will be open ended. That's right, no more having to complete a side quest by a certain part of the game, you the player will get to decide. I have more to say, but i'll wait and see which beats out the other (good or bad replies). Let me know what you all think.

[Trumpet Thief]

chaos: Well the only thing I can really say is: Easier said than done. The name does grab attention, though. :)

[Cylest]

That's true. Besides, the only thing we've completely finished so far are the different in-game systems. We have yet to even look at the story line. Though we're not going to let Sakaguchi create this story...unless of course everything we think of is complete crap or too alike any of the other FFs. It's a long road ahead.

[Zell's Fists of Fury]

Will the characters have large talons?

[Cylest]

Will the characters have what?

[Trumpet Thief]

chaos: Large Talons! Haven't you heard of 'em? :love:

[Cylest]

I don't understand a word you just said boy. But seriously...I dunno. We would have to find out from all of the potential players (you guyses) on what kind of characters interest you the most. The silent type (Squall) or the slightly over-annoying type (Tidus).

[Trumpet Thief]

Rubedo: I feel offended... :( *Runs off into the night*

[Ultima Shadow]

TT, XD! :D

Well, there should be 1 character like Vincent and Shadow etc. The "dark" kind of character. But only 1 of that kind is enough. As long as Ultima Weapon is an extremely powerfull super boss, I'll be happy. :p The ATB system is a must!

However... like TT said, this is not an easy task.

[Cylest]

Maybe I will, gosh!

Well...we have worked on some of the characters. They will be fresh outta high school (bout to start college) when the city they live in is attacked. 3 guys and a girl. all three guys are immediately drafted into the army, where they soon meet the fourth character (also a soldier, but...almost the highest military rank, it's a rank that we're going to create), anyway...the girl at the beginning of the game is also a character, though the story will follow the three that were drafted. In the meantime a lot of things happen within the government. You don't want me to ruin the plot twists do you? Majority of characters are military-based, but only one of them acts that way (the high-ranker, Zehn Trebunoch). Okay...what else do you want to know? Ask wisely, for I have killer skills with the bowstaff.

but of course, the ATB will be reborn. as well as a whole lot more Forbidden Magic spells. the abilities will be nice (and i use that word lightly). all the boss fights will be memorable...heck, we're trying our best to push the envelope on this one. in my opinion, it's time that FF got a makeover...but in a manly kind of way. more bloodshed, more violence. heck, they're catering to people who are in their later teens to early adulthood (and beyond), if a kid plays the game...who cares? i mean, they play sex and the city on tbs for crying out loud (which by the way is not as racy of a show that one would think), but still...you get my point. i think that if a 7 yr. old can handle seeing a boob they can most definitely handle seeing someone get ripped in half (dang...i said too much).

EDIT: Don't double post. -Murder

[RedCydranth]

Will any of them train to be cage fighters? Or have experience in the octagon?

Seriously, This idea has been batted around by every group of american teenagers who love FF. My friends and I once created an FF game (it was numbered 10 because that was the next number chronologically when we decided to start the project)

We had all 8 characters, the base storyline, magic evolution system and everything possible except the ability to actually create it.

We went back to old school FF2 magic evolution, but not as abusive as theirs. We also went with a more Suikoden-esque weapon system where each character owns a weapon and they just "upgrade" that single weapon rather than buy whole new ones at every town. They'd upgrade more like Secret of Mana than Suikoden though. Where an Item is neccessary for the desired weapon level (like the weapon orbs in SoM).

Magic would be bought like in early FF games, but certain characters would be better with certain spells to diversify them all. Like one character was so bad with fire spells it would occasionally backfire and hurt him, however with Ice he was top notch. We also had a berserker style character who was a GOD with magic, but since you have no control over him, how fast his magic would evolve was up to him NOT you the character. Our Berserker is much more usable than FF5s and Umaro.

Base Plot:

Since anyone can remember it was always illegal to travel outside your villige's "grounds" and anyone who did would be prosecuted by the gods. The main character Ace (pure coincidence with EoFF's Ace Party and Suikoden 3's character) and his friend Raj were adventurous and troublesome (aren't all main characters?) It was known that there are other colonies and villiages on the world, but since the gods disallowed travel there was no way to know for certain anything about any of them. Gott, the villiage (we named it Medina, but we forgot there was a Medina in CT) scientist discovered a vast cave hunderds of feet below his house. The game began as Ace, Raj and Gott explore the cave and find that the Gods weren't god, but that they were an advanced race who use their planet as an experimental colony planet and once they find this out and that these caves (which is filled with, of course, monsters) span the planet They travel the world secretly spreading the word that their "gods" aren't gods at all and for their planets freedom must stop them.

Through development of story you meet 5 other characters and several nemesises from both the planet and the "gods".

One thing we did not include was any summons because that was the main advantage of the gods. They had control over legendary beasts (Shiva, Bahamut, Ifrit, Odin, etc) and it was these beasts that enforced the villiage ground barriers. Eventually you go from region to region to destroy these guardians/summons. So, in essence by the time you end the game you have 2 completely different maps, Overworld and underground. And through the usage of both you could get just about anywhere.

Well, there you go. There was a LOT more but I figure I'd toss out that idea and see if it helps you out any. We liked the idea of having as little "technology" as possible because we thought that all the roads and technology in 8 made it less FFish. Armies and whatnot seem to SeeD like. Also, We wanted to return to FF roots while still creating a thoroughly entertaining game. My friends that created this with me and I no longer speak much, because they went to college and I moved away from the area. I remember most of the stuff, but the details I don't, My friend Andy would.

Anyhow, good luck and If you would like my creative assistance I'll do what I can to help because creating an FF game is my dream.

[rubah]

ff9's ability system sucked.

and more than ff8 had levels of magic. yay ff4, 5, 6, 7, 8, x, and x-2. unless you mean something than 'fir3' or 'firaga'.

This is all.

[strawberryman]

Should have one of the characters use a giant pair of scissors.
BATTLE SCISSORS!

[Rase]

All I can say is good luck, sounds as though you know it's not going to be easy.

[DJZen]

All I'll say is that a topic like this springs up once every couple months. I've never seen anyone mention finishing 50% of a game.

[Cylest]

Any help would be appreciated. The rest of my group is getting a bit agitated because i'm not all that crazy about the amount of technology they want in the game. I want to take the series back to its roots as well, but they outnumber me four to one. I could leave, but I didn't create the story so I couldn't take that with me...but they would be screwed because I did create the battle system and ability system. Creating a FF is my dream too, but I don't see myself going to Japan. Though I am going into programming...but seriously, if any of you have any ideas you want to share, please do. And...if anyone is interested in creating a FF just let me know. Cause the odds of me quittin the band are looking really good. Anyone out there need someone with a good battle/ability system? Cause if you do...as of now, i'm available.

The ability system has been upgraded a bit. You can think of it as that from FFT, but not so mundane. You won't Master any of your abilities/skills just by gaining a certain amount of AP (though you will...i'll go into more detail later). Each character has their own unique fighting style, and different "classes" if you will are created from those styles. Like in all FFs before, there are default abilities/skills...now the character has the ability to create their own fighting style as they play throughout the game. In order for some "new" abilities/skills to be Mastered, you must have Mastered its prerequisites. However, their are some "new" abilities/skills that are completely independent of others. Until Square figures out a way to create a fighting system as physically close to real-time fighting (and the fans want that), the majority of these abilities/skills are going to be support-based moreover action-based. I've seen the magic system...it's very similar to 8 and 10. Me personally, I don't like it. I'll write more, but I want to see what you guys think thus far.

EDIT: See my above comment. -M