New main character archetypes

[playaGAW]

Why don't they try something different when making characters for the mainstream FFs. What about a bunch of ugly main characters while the villains age good-lookin. How about playing as somebody who wants to take over or destroy the world but you don't find out its a good reason until the end. What if the main character wasn't even human? A Mog like character but main instead of background. Shoot I'd even like to play as a monster for once or even one of the countless pawn soldiers killed in a random battle. Except I don't die and the story involves the scrutiny of the battle of the big boys (as in world saving hero v.s. villain). While you watch it out. Gotta think of a way to explain that clearer. The character can go through his own battles that are climatic and changing but in the end you can see how the world altering effect ot the big hero/villain battle effects his/her life and that of the civilians. That can still be done with action and an intriguing story.

There are many more ideas that can come out of my head but most RPGs have the same character types. Does anyone else want a change in the way the stroies and characters are potrayed within the same constricts in most RPGs and Final Fantasy (6 being kind of an outsider in my opinion because the lead character was up for debate).

[Zeromus_X]

Well, characters in any form of media are always going to fall under some sort of category or archetype. I don't really understand why people complain about it. Yes, it's nice when there's a very rare unique character, but I don't expect any game to break the mold any time soon with some new character type. These stock characters are inevitable.

I don't really care. I hope FFXIII's main character (not Lightning) won't be a ditz or some 'omg save me!!11one1' character, but I wouldn't really mind either way. Although the idea of new character types being made is very interesting. With FFs being made with different development teams each game (like Tales), it's certainly possible some writer will have some unique ideas.

[playaGAW]

I know that there are always going to be a certain category a character isin. What I'm saying is the same archetypes are being used over and over.

[Zeromus_X]

Yes, that's the point. Of course they'll be used over and over. That's why they're stock characters/archetypes/what-have-you.

[Azuka-San]

I like the Final Fantasy series just as it is now...:D

[Nakor TheBlue Rider]

personally ive always wanted to see a very physicly strong female who retains her feminine side while being stronger than many of the males.

i think that would be rather ground breaking.

[Angelroo]

personally ive always wanted to see a very physicly strong female who retains her feminine side while being stronger than many of the males.

i think that would be rather ground breaking.

That would be very cool. I like those kind of females the best. Paine was a bit too masculine, though. She was alright, but she was just a supporting role. And I can't say about this new heroine. I would love a main female who isn't a weakling, but not overly-masculine. Like Riza Hawkeye from FMA. yeah...

[DeathKnight]

this new babe "Lightning" is cute...but her facial expressions.....are.....empty.....or I don't know. Her clothes are alright....not impressive.

I just hope the main character(which is supposed to be a girl) is better.

[drunkymonkey]

I personally really want a main character who doesn't have a dark past.

[DeathKnight]

I personally really want a main character who doesn't have a dark past.

I want a TALL main male character :irked:

I'm tired of shorties! :twak:

[Setzer Gabianni]

All main characters have some sort of emo past, and are half the time orphans. That'll never change.

~Setzer Gabbiani

[drunkymonkey]

That's not true at all (at least outside the FF series).

[Nakor TheBlue Rider]

a hero has to have that kind of past.

its one of the rules when writing a hero role.

you learn that in like grade 11 or 12 english.

Of course the Protagonist of a Final Fantasy wouldnt necisarly HAVE to be a Hero.

in fact it'd be fun to play a protagonist in an FF who had thier own dark and possibly evil reasons for going after that "Ancient sword" or "All Powerful Summoning Magic"

or even one who said "screw saving those innocents, i look out for number one"

[drunkymonkey]

a hero has to have that kind of past.

its one of the rules when writing a hero role.

you learn that in like grade 11 or 12 english.

Of course the Protagonist of a Final Fantasy wouldnt necisarly HAVE to be a Hero.

in fact it'd be fun to play a protagonist in an FF who had thier own dark and possibly evil reasons for going after that "Ancient sword" or "All Powerful Summoning Magic"

or even one who said "screw saving those innocents, i look out for number one"No, he doesn't. Heroes in other types of media don't always have to have dark pasts. If you have ever read Discworld, very few main characters in those books have dark pasts, and they're some of the best books you'll ever read, and you can sympathise with the characters just as much as a character who has a 'dark and mysterious past.' It has come to the rather silly point where people with 'dark and mysterious pasts' aren't 'mysterious' at all, they're bland and predictable. You may argue that Discworld is a comedy book, but it has stories that would be able to run along just as well if it didn't have any humour attached to it.
You don't learn anything about narrative, you pick it up and make your own opinions about it. I'd rather take the view of someone who has been writing for twenty years rather than an national curriculum.

[DeathKnight]

Seems A LOT of people here haven't played Tales Of Symphonia or Thousand Arms. Not all heroes need to be parent-less or have a DARK/EMO past.

[playaGAW]

I know what Elmo is but what's an Emo???

[drunkymonkey]

I know what Elmo is but what's an Emo???If this is a serious question, look here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emo_%28slang%29).

[mesmerized]

i think that the way that characters are built is a very important ingredient that makes final fantasy unique

[playaGAW]

I know what Elmo is but what's an Emo???If this is a serious question, look here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emo_%28slang%29).
Never saw those in school so I can conclude we didn't have them. Maybe I'll meet an Emo in college.

Anywho back on subject I do want to see a main character that specializes in something other than a giant sword. Magic, spear, something other than a giant sword. We haven't had the option since the old FFs.

[Nakor TheBlue Rider]

i didnt mean that a hero has to be "Emo" or have a "dark/mysterious past" but rather that the hero must have suffered in thier life. A hero who goes through no tribulations is not a Hero at all.

[playaGAW]

The tribulations can happen in the present instead of the past.

[Nakor TheBlue Rider]

but since they wont be a hero until after the tribulations, that really would be the past.

but i know what you mean.

Also...

playaGAW: I do want to see a main character that specializes in something other than a giant sword. Magic, spear, something other than a giant sword. We haven't had the option since the old FFs.

In Final Fantasy Tactics you could choose, in FFIX your main Character used a Dagger, and also in Final Fantasy XI you choose, also in Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicals, and Most Recently in Final Fantasy X-2

the only games that are relativly recent that force you to use a character who wields a large sword would be FFVII, FFVIII, and FFX.

although i agree that its more fun being able to choose and see some diffrent weapons, it looks like SE is done with swords anyways, FFXIII has shown that Guns are gonna be the new over used weapon of choice.

[drunkymonkey]

i didnt mean that a hero has to be "Emo" or have a "dark/mysterious past" but rather that the hero must have suffered in thier life. A hero who goes through no tribulations is not a Hero at all.

Rubbish. Thinking like this is derogative for creativity, and certainly unoriginal and likely to bore the player. They'll very likely be unimpressed or bored finding out about the past of the hero because they've heard the same (similar) dribble 500 times before.
What you are basically saying is that someone who ends up fighting a dragon because he feels like doing it to save people, and not to aveange the death of his dear old father who died at the breath of the same dragon doesn't qualify to be a hero. And I thought selflessness was pretty heroic.


but since they wont be a hero until after the tribulations, that really would be the past.

I don't think you read that properly. What he is saying is that the hero could get this tribulations during the course of the game, and not from before it started.

As I said before, any look at the world of books would confirm my argument that heroes can be ordinary people, or extraordinary people, who do not have dark, mysterious pasts, or ones full of tribulations.

[Nakor TheBlue Rider]

someone who goes and slays a dragon, who is doing so for a reason like the felt liek it or simply to challange themselves is not really a hero.

example:
an evil sorcerer kills a dragon to get an amulet that has some magic power, hes not a hero for killing the dragon, because he then uses the amulet to destroy thousdands of innocents.

to whom would he be a hero, to the villages he saved from the dragon, and then destroyed himself?

however if the sorcerer has experinced turmoil in his life, perhaps at the hand of the peasants who shunned him as a child for using magic, he may be a hero.

[Prancing Mad]

In my game that I worked on a lot when I was younger, you kill the good guy in the end. You spend the whole time trying to kill the "dark god" only to find out he was the only one who knew what was going on behind the scenes, and he could have stopped the real evil. In the sequels, you have to right the wrong and do it yourself. My story was frickin' wicked.

[King-Killer]

Why don't they try something different when making characters for the mainstream FFs. What about a bunch of ugly main characters while the villains age good-lookin. How about playing as somebody who wants to take over or destroy the world but you don't find out its a good reason until the end. What if the main character wasn't even human? A Mog like character but main instead of background. Shoot I'd even like to play as a monster for once or even one of the countless pawn soldiers killed in a random battle. Except I don't die and the story involves the scrutiny of the battle of the big boys (as in world saving hero v.s. villain). While you watch it out. Gotta think of a way to explain that clearer. The character can go through his own battles that are climatic and changing but in the end you can see how the world altering effect ot the big hero/villain battle effects his/her life and that of the civilians. That can still be done with action and an intriguing story.

There are many more ideas that can come out of my head but most RPGs have the same character types. Does anyone else want a change in the way the stroies and characters are potrayed within the same constricts in most RPGs and Final Fantasy (6 being kind of an outsider in my opinion because the lead character was up for debate).

...
Metal Gear Solid 4

it's not an RPG, but it's just what you've said.

[drunkymonkey]

someone who goes and slays a dragon, who is doing so for a reason like the felt liek it or simply to challange themselves is not really a hero.

example:
an evil sorcerer kills a dragon to get an amulet that has some magic power, hes not a hero for killing the dragon, because he then uses the amulet to destroy thousdands of innocents.

to whom would he be a hero, to the villages he saved from the dragon, and then destroyed himself?

however if the sorcerer has experinced turmoil in his life, perhaps at the hand of the peasants who shunned him as a child for using magic, he may be a hero.But you are assuming that the person slaying the dragon either has to have a dark past that tells him to kill the dragon, or a material/evil need. Someone could just go up and kill the dragon because he feels it is the right thing to do. Sure, s/he may get a reward for it, but s/he would still be doing it because s/he believed it was the right thing to do. Perhaps 'feeling like it' does not make you a hero, but 'feeling like it because it is the right thing to do' is a lot more plausible.

Here's an example of my own.

A warrior goes off to kill a Necromancer because he quite wants the sword the necromancer guards because it's shiny and it will definitely help him in battle. He also knows that the necromancer is quite an evil bloke and not at all about to talk through things in a logical manner or kiss a small baby or do anything sporting. He knows that the village next to his cave suffers horribly from it. That gives him extra incentive, and a lot more reason to do something than if another necromancer with the same sword lived a few hundred miles away from civilization.

That, to me is a hero. He does things not because he has a past that tells him to, and not because he's a machine of war turned good, or anything like that. He is doing it plainly because he thinks it is the right thing to do. If written about well, and if given another character, then a hero like this can be just as compelling as a hero who has a bad past.

[Quifinator]

Why did they have to make a women " the main character " like bring back the good old days with Cloud n Tidus.....No offence to any females it's just i can't really idolize a female character:D

[Nakor TheBlue Rider]

dude quite complaining, there are like 95% of games with male main characters.

Even the newest final Fantasy games that have lead females seem to have lead males who play an equal part in story and battle.

For example FFXII you might say "Ashe" is the main character but id say "Vaan" is just as much a main character as she is.

And im sure the same type of thing will hold true for FFXIII

so the only FF where your really forced to have a female main character is FFX-2 and that is really nothing to complain about since it suits the story and its a minority as far as games are concerned.

personally id like to see some shift in the ratio of sexes in games to reflect the current shift in the video game audiance. Many more girls are getting into games and i dont think its fair to have such a high percent of male lead characters.

Also having a female love interest for the main male character who is either helpless or ends up being the whm/blm/smn is just getting too old.

[Roto13]

In Baten Kaitos, Kalas is an orphan, sure, but he's also evil for the first half of the game.

[Nakor TheBlue Rider]

what about a game where you play an evil guy and all his minions and these 6 pesky "hero" people keep ruining your plans and killing your minions.

the final battle is you vs them 6

[marysonnie]

I hope the main female characters are interesting. They always have the same types throughout Square games:

the 'magic' girl (main love interest) - Aerith, Rinoa, Garnet, Yuna

the 'angstier' girl - Tifa, Quistis, Freya, Lulu

the 'hyper' girl - Yuffie, Selphie, Eiko, Rikku


Granted, I'm making blanket statements, but they ARE easy to stereotype.

[Dragon Mage]

When will they make a strong female lead character that kicks some serious as*, independant, is anything but weak, fragile, delicate, dainty, ect., and the male lead really likes, but she has no interest in him? That's what I want to see.

And for those who can't take a female lead seirously, I laught at you. The worst thing you could do is underestimate your opponent.

[RiseToFall]

I hope the main female characters are interesting. They always have the same types throughout Square games:

the 'magic' girl (main love interest) - Aerith, Rinoa, Garnet, Yuna

the 'angstier' girl - Tifa, Quistis, Freya, Lulu

the 'hyper' girl - Yuffie, Selphie, Eiko, Rikku


Granted, I'm making blanket statements, but they ARE easy to stereotype.

No, your not making blanket statements, it's all very true.


When will they make a strong female lead character that kicks some serious as*, independant, is anything but weak, fragile, delicate, dainty, ect.,

From the looks of it, now.

[chionos]

the best game to contrast FF's heroes, that I've played recently, was god of war. Revenge, hatred and anger are the hero's motivations. He rallies against fate and destiny and the very gods. FF heroes, on the other hand, blunder from one thing to the next, swept along by fate; the goodness in the world propels them to remove the evil, and really they're powerless to do anything else.
To contrast the two, if Katos was Cloud in FFVII, he'd harness Meteor himself and destroy Sephiroth and half the world with it the second Aeris dies. Then he'd take all the women of the world and create a giant harem and have lots of meaningless sex, then kill all the women.
FF heroes are not the typical heroes of the past. They are the embodiment of geek-turned hero. They're rennaissance men, emo and metrosexual: able to romance the ladies, not just overpower them then move on. They are what a geek would imagine himself as if he wanted to be a hero.(theoretically) They play the silent moody game to get attention(squall), or are flamboyant to the point of annoyance to get attention(zidane); the whole point of being a hero is the prestige and attention they get along the way. I think, in FFX-2, SE tried to delve into what a female geek daydreams. Male geeks dream of big equipment(with obvious phalic innuendo), fast cars, and female attention. SE decided that females dream of dressing up and being superstars. Obviously SE's experience with female psychology was extremely limited, because they didn't quite get the formula down. I would like to see them figure out what girly geeks really daydream, and make a hero out of that, but for that to happen SE's going to have to be thinking of marketing the game toward the mindset of a female gamer, and I don't think that that will ever happen. Their formula addressed to young male guys seems to work for them so I don't think they'll break the mold anytime soon. So even with a female lead, we're still going to be getting a female from a man's perspective, and we all know how well men understand women.
Pratchet's Rincewind(a total coward that runs from every situation and who always seems to end up as the hero somehow, through no fault of his own) would make a helluva lead methinksbut I'm content with whatever cliched slop SE turns out. I just can't help but enjoy whatever bullcrap they choose to spoon feed me.

[Dragon Mage]

SE decided that females dream of dressing up and being superstars.
Ew, no. That honestly sickens me. :barf:


Obviously SE's experience with female psychology was extremely limited, because they didn't quite get the formula down. I would like to see them figure out what girly geeks really daydream, and make a hero out of that, but for that to happen SE's going to have to be thinking of marketing the game toward the mindset of a female gamer, and I don't think that that will ever happen.

Well it's not like Japan is enthusiastic about women's rights. As long as they see women as 'lesser' than men, you're not likely to see a good depiction of a female heroine. And the very fact that they won't gear the game towards a female gaming audience proves that discrimination.
:hot: :mad:


Their formula addressed to young male guys seems to work for them so I don't think they'll break the mold anytime soon. So even with a female lead, we're still going to be getting a female from a man's perspective, and we all know how well men understand women.

Oh, dear lord...a man's perspective. God help us all. :rolleyes2


Pratchet's Rincewind

lol great books:lol:

[Mercen-X]

personally ive always wanted to see a very physicly strong female who retains her feminine side while being stronger than many of the males.

i think that would be rather ground breaking.Personally, I think Tifa Lockheart already fit that bill. Why do the girls always have to be pretty though? In my opinion there should be a ruddy biker dike from mars who has a girlie personality.


I personally really want a main character who doesn't have a dark past.
Well, a dark past does make a hero. You can't be called a hero if you haven't overcome something bad. If you have yet to face anything whether physical or emotional, then you're a wannabe (with the capacity to be a hero, of course.)


Anywho back on subject I do want to see a main character that specializes in something other than a giant sword. Magic, spear, something other than a giant sword. We haven't had the option since the old FFs.You're talking about Final Fantasy? Only the one character (Cloud) has specialized in a "Giant Sword." Most other games merely have it around as an option.

I really dig the idea of playing as a soldier who is merely following orders. Or a civilian drafted into a rebellion. Or a monster serving an overlord. Or even a robot that was originally built for target practice.

[My_car_is_faster_than_you]

personally ive always wanted to see a very physicly strong female....Personally, I think Tifa Lockheart already fit that bill.....

I think not. Tifa was a girl girl (not even 500 lb men have that kind of frontal anatomy), and wasn't all that intimidating. I'd love to see a female Sephiroth type of strong (minus the darkness and evil). Like a gorgeous elegant (Tifa is NOT elegant) lady in her mid twenties that is an extremely good sword fighter, or something like it. (Hehe, I've written a novel already, and that's one of the main characters.)




I personally really want a main character who doesn't have a dark past.

Zidane, gotta love him. I want to see another Zidane, or at least a regular ordinary kid that embarks on a quest or adventure. And also one that DOESN'T get super powers, but uses his will instead to survive.

[Mercen-X]

Tifa was a girl girlWhat the heck is a "girl girl"?

I'd love to see a Sephiroth type of strong. Like a gorgeous, elegant (Tifa is NOT elegant) lady in her mid twenties that is an extremely good sword fighter, or something like it. (Hehe, I've written a novel already, and that's one of the main characters.)
I think you'd like Aurumae (one of my characters). She's not very talkative, but she's a lot more fun than X-2's Paine. To sum her up: introverted (thoughtful) knock-out blonde samurai-botanist, 1/10 of a group of subjects originating of illegal laboratories. Like her 9 friends, she can be frighteningly dangerous, but she's a lover . . . especially to flora (plant-life).

[Dragon Mage]

What the heck is a "girl girl"?

A 'girl girl' is a female that is overly feminine. And I mean overly. Because of Tifa's...assests, she is defined as a girl girl. A non-girl girl char. would be one who does not display any of the sexist attributes applied to women by the opposite sex. Such as; a non girl girl char would be slim, not well endowed (interfers with fighting), very strong, takes a hit and doesn't even notice it or just keeps on going, extremely skilled in chosen art of warfare, very fast, and so on and so on. And most of all a non-girl girl is not blond or in any way unintelligant.

[Laddy]

How about this I'm a creative guy so here's a good main character story: A MODERN girl who lives with her BIOLOGICAL parents who are rich, with a depressed soldier older brother and a blaonde cat-lady black mage who acts a ton like Rikku but around 21-or something....I warned you...

[rubah]

a hero has to have that kind of past.

its one of the rules when writing a hero role.

you learn that in like grade 11 or 12 english.No, he doesn't. Heroes in other types of media don't always have to have dark pasts. If you have ever read Discworld, very few main characters in those books have dark pasts, and they're some of the best books you'll ever read, and you can sympathise with the characters just as much as a character who has a 'dark and mysterious past.'
You don't learn anything about narrative, you pick it up and make your own opinions about it. I'd rather take the view of someone who has been writing for twenty years rather than an national curriculum.

The Hero Archetype worked well enough for Shakespeare. Didn't you ever study Julius Caesar(10th grade usually I think, not 11th or 12th)? Tidus is comparable to Brutus in the sense that they're both tragic heroes :]

As for Discworld, Sam Vimes is one of the most heroic men in there, and you can hardly say his past was not dark. He was alcoholic, bitter against the world etc, at least until he met Sybil:] Rather similar to Squall, no? They both thought they knew the true nature of men, and how to cope in the world they lived in, but a girl discovered a new side to them xD

Lu Tze is a hero (and one of my favorites <3). He was orphaned, and ended up in the care of an organization. He overcomes those slight flaws and saves the world.

So no, PTerry knows that good heroes sometimes need dark backgrounds, and he's given his some.

There's nothing wrong with learning how to write. It can't hurt you unless you treat it as formula. Knowing the theory always helps. And the national curriculum is generally based on people who wrote just as much as your favored authors, and not only that, they were the subject matter of those authors' schooling just as much as yours :p


I hope the main female characters are interesting. They always have the same types throughout Square games:
. . .
the 'angstier' girl - Tifa, Quistis, Freya, Lulu . . .

I'd hardly call tifa angsty xD



FF heroes are not the typical heroes of the past. They are the embodiment of geek-turned hero. They're rennaissance men, emo and metrosexual: able to romance the ladies, not just overpower them then move on.
See notes on Shakespeare and the tragic hero archetype xD


How about this I'm a creative guy so here's a good main character story: A MODERN girl who lives with her BIOLOGICAL parents who are rich, with a depressed soldier older brother and a blaonde cat-lady black mage who acts a ton like Rikku but around 21-or something....I warned you...
So you think that rikku is a good hero? xD

my apologies for necroquoting :]

[Mercen-X]

What the heck is a "girl girl"?

A 'girl girl' is a female that is overly feminine. And I mean overly. Because of Tifa's...assests, she is defined as a girl girl. A non-girl girl char. would be one who does not display any of the sexist attributes applied to women by the opposite sex. Such as; a non girl girl char would be slim, not well endowed (interfers with fighting), very strong, takes a hit and doesn't even notice it or just keeps on going, extremely skilled in chosen art of warfare, very fast, and so on and so on. And most of all a non-girl girl is not blond or in any way unintelligant.Sylvieve is a white-haired ninja. She's certainly "not well endowed," can appear or disappear in a flash, and a terror with her Duos Blades. She wouldn't notice taking damage if driven into a frenzy which is very likely as she's actually somewhat psychotic early on.
Aurumae, I still like the most though. She's honorable, calm, and conscientious. She can take control of any crazy situation (without usurping authority from their leader) based on the respect she has from others.

[Ashley Schovitz]

I like the Final Fantasy series just as it is now...:D

[Laddy]

Um....the cat-sister was Rikku-like....

[Dragon Mage]

Sylvieve is a white-haired ninja. She's certainly "not well endowed," can appear or disappear in a flash, and a terror with her Duos Blades. She wouldn't notice taking damage if driven into a frenzy which is very likely as she's actually somewhat psychotic early on.

.....And not insane or loses control. What i meant by not noticing when taking a hit, was that she has complete control over her emotions and can control her pain. Example: she gets shot in the shoulder-she doesn't stop and fall to the ground, she slices the guy's head off. She will finish the battle, and her wounds won't in any way hinder her.

[Mercen-X]

Oh! . . . hmm . . . okay, well I don't think I have a character like that yet . . . but I do have several titles in development. Somebody should find a way to submit these ideas to RPG makers . . . especially Square Enix (as this primarily concerns FF).

[Wolf Kanno]

I'd love to see a female Sephiroth type of strong (minus the darkness and evil). Like a gorgeous elegant (Tifa is NOT elegant) lady in her mid twenties that is an extremely good sword fighter, or something like it. (Hehe, I've written a novel already, and that's one of the main characters.) [quote by My_Car_Is_Faster_than_You]

"cough" Faris "cough" Seriously, with the exception of the localization(sp?) which how would I describe... horrendous. Faris was a very strong-willed, powerful female character who never liked to play by the rules of others (mostly men) and she was a warrior and a pirate to boot.

As for the whole "what makes a hero" debate. I would say that Wild ARMS 2 explores this concept very well. A hero is a sacrifice for the people. Since people cannot help themselves they place their hopes and dreams on the abilities of another individual to help them cause they refuse to help themselves. Ultimately, a "hero" is something that other people call you.

I don't believe you need any other prerequisite.
Look at Alex in Lunar:Silver Star Story, he's just a young boy living in a small backwater villiage who dreams of becoming like his hero, the Dragonmaster Dyne. Through the course of the game he overcomes many tribulations and heartaches, but he achieves his goal. He has no horrible traumatic past. Just a tale of a boy growing up and learning about the world while he tries to live his dream of adventure. Did I mention that BOTH his parents are alive and well, and nothing horrible happens to them.

Now I understand that the brooding loner who is trying to avenge the death of his lost love who was murdered by the main villian who happens to be his twin brother is far more interesting than young little dreamer who just happens to be the nicest guy around and wants to help everyone while he tries to achieve world peace because that would just be neeto for everyone (gasps for breath) but what I think we're all looking for here is a more balanced approach. Now personally, I can deal with emo and I can deal with the boy scouts (not as well though) but god knows I can't deal with whiny which is what always happens when the main character is Joe Somebody who just happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and gets dragged into the greater struggle that is unfolding in the world.

What I would really like to see is a main character that has more selfish reasons for doing what they do or one that actually doesn't completely disagree with the antagonist and may actually help them as the story unfolds. While we're at it, why not have a hero that doesn't mind playing as dirty as the atagonist?

...I'll shut up now...:eep:

[The Unknown Guru]

How about playing as somebody who wants to take over or destroy the world but you don't find out its a good reason until the end.

Ever played Golden Sun/GS:The Lost Age? Kinda fits that description.

[Cloudane]

What about a bunch of ugly main characters

That one's been done already (http://www.finalfantasyxii.com/)

[Nanteos]

Well, Ashe really doesn't fit the "clingy" stereotype. She's a strong woman who wants to fight till the end to restore her kingdom. And (at least in my game), I've made ashe a sword wielding powerhouse.

[Sorceress_Louella]

what about a game where you play an evil guy and all his minions and these 6 pesky "hero" people keep ruining your plans and killing your minions.

the final battle is you vs them 6

although that is somewhat interesting, what i had in mind was playing as the enemy and having an option/several options at once, to have fun bringing everything into chaos. going against a group of heroes who ruin your plans, are just like playing as the hero and ruining a certain enemies' plans repeatedly. not all that different really. it could be like one of those 'choose your own adventures' books we've read when we were younger. you know, turn to page so-and-so for this option, turn to page so-and-so for another option.

another interesting thing would be where you could choose to be good or evil. or maybe even choose to do good things sometimes and bad things other times lol, and whichever action you choose has an impact on future game events.

[Setzer Gabianni]

What about a bunch of ugly main characters

That one's been done already (http://www.finalfantasyxii.com/)

LOL, I don't think so.

At least there's more eye candy in XII then there is previous FF's.

XII also has an older dishy male villain :love:

[McLovin']

In 6 you could be a moogle. Mog could have been the true main character if that is how you want it.