What World? There's no Timeline, shut up.

[Dr. Acula]

I'm gonna try and attempt to connect all the FF's with my own timeline thingy. Might take a while though, I need to gather some info from the FF's I haven't played. This should be fun.

[,,,]

I think it's obvious that all of the FFs are connected. They all have characters named Cid. Many of them have magic, chocobos, and moogles.

Also, all of them have trees, mountains, and oceans. They have humanlike characters as well. This is obviously designed to show the series is all connected.

Furthermore, imps/goblins exist in other RPGs as well, and other RPGs have magic like "cure" and "fire." This shows that not only do all FFs take place in the same world, but all RPGs, in fact, take place in the same world.

My red pen and "final fantasy" have been mentioned in the same sentence, just now. My red pen and "final fantasy" are all a part of the same world. My world exists within final fantasy, not the other way around. that's how science works!

[Wolf Kanno]

Well I'll first start off by saying that I must remove my argument about this going against the creators wishes as I have yet to find a quote. I was wrong Bolivar.

Though I find it amusing that several fans have heard of him supposedly saying it yet there is no documented proof. I did learn a few things about the man...

Favorite FF villain: Garland
Favorite FF: FFIX
Actually was working a bit on FFXII though he doesn't appear in the production credits but only in the "Thank You" section.

He likes Gears of War and Zelda.
His mother died in the middle of production for FFIII.

Back on topic...

I think it's plausible to connect some of the FF's but it's impossible (without taking a few liberties) to have a "Universal Connection Theory" mostly cause certain games are so radically different from the rest of the series mostly FFVI, VII, VIII, X, and XII.

Now while VII and X are officially connected, this still leads to issues with VI, VIII, and XII. While FFI, III, IV, V, and to some extent IX can be somewhat connected. FFII is an oddity but would most likely work in the "Crystal" FF's rather than the other ones.

The major problems are lack of the four elemental crystals in all the games, the lifestream/farplane, espers(FFVI), GF's and the Sorcerors, as well as materia and spheres.

With the different planet theory and ignoring some factors it's possible to build a timeline. In the different universe/dimension theory I feel the entire Connection Theory becomes a moot point and a same planet vast timeline theory is just improbable.

[BG-57]

Putting it all together, I feel there is sufficient evidence that there are at least three different worlds that the FF series takes place on:

1) Spira (FFX, FFX-2)

2) The Planet (FFVII)

3) Ivalice (FFXII, FFT)

Also the events in Spira would logically predate those in the Planet (although if we involve time compression, cause and effect may be thrown out the window). I feel strongly that the events of FFXII predate not only FFT, but FFVII as well (since it seems that FFVII and FFT happen at the same time).

As for the other games I see no way (as of yet) to connect them to each other beyond shared themes.

[Mercen-X]

I think it's obvious that all of the FFs are connected.
Also, all of them have trees, mountains, and oceans.

My red pen and "final fantasy" have been mentioned in the same sentence, just now. My red pen and "final fantasy" are all a part of the same world. My world exists within final fantasy, not the other way around. that's how science works!

I feel that there are at least three different worlds that the FF series takes place on:

1) Spira (FFX, FFX-2)

2) The Planet (FFVII)

3) Ivalice (FFXII, FFT)

What about I-VI & IX. In nine, a second planet is mentioned, from which Garland is transporting information on his entire world, meant to be programmed into the manufactured creatures, of which Kuja and Zidane originate.

We're also forgetting another major player. Cloud, Tifa, Vincent, Yuffie, Sephiroth, and Zack (as well as a guardian creature very similar to Red XIII) all take part in the Ehrgeiz tournament. What do you make of that?

[bipper]

We're also forgetting another major player. Cloud, Tifa, Vincent, Yuffie, Sephiroth, and Zack (as well as a guardian creature very similar to Red XIII) all take part in the Ehrgeiz tournament. What do you make of that?

cameo's = $$$$$

[BG-57]

What about I-VI & IX. In nine, a second planet is mentioned, from which Garland is transporting information on his entire world, meant to be programmed into the manufactured creatures, of which Kuja and Zidane originate.

Theoretically the world of FFIX and the 'other world' could be two of those three I mentioned that have been remodeled, like what happened in FFVI (although there's no evidence to support that line of reasoning). Same deal with FFI-FFIV; they haven't been tied to each other in any canonical way.

We're also forgetting another major player. Cloud, Tifa, Vincent, Yuffie, Sephiroth, and Zack (as well as a guardian creature very similar to Red XIII) all take part in the Ehrgeiz tournament. What do you make of that?

I'd file that under the same category as the parallel Aeris in FFT (same name, same profession, same appearance but not the FFVII Aeris).

cameo's = $$$$$

That too.

[Mercen-X]

I'd file that under the same category as the parallel Aeris in FFT (same name, same profession, same appearance but not the FFVII Aeris).

It is funny though. They all do have the exact same professions. Cloud is an ex-SOLDIER, Tifa is a bar owner, Vincent is a former Turk, and Yuffie is a materia-thieving ninja. I think they would more properly list it under a forced participation by warriors of far-off-world origin. Or maybe they're all actors portraying a role. After all, none of their attacks actually match up against the VII style. Cloud's Omni-Slash could be V2 or something . . .

I'm making excuses and then trying to shut them down. XiXiXi.

Planet: Val Spiritus (has no meaning)
Timeframe: X year (does not yet matter)
Timeline: journey begins the year, tragedy occurs near middle of year, evil is defeated by the end of the year
History: Life-changing and world-altering events familiar from all previous titles, four light warriors, people from Firion to Lightning are present in heroic epics throughout time, etc.
Tragedy: the villain is destroyed by his more evil twin
Journey: must find the item of power before villain can use it for his plot and stupidly destroy everything
KEY: a shiny trinket with no obvious value that apparently holds evergrowing power
Twist: the villain has a third twin who is the...
Hero: a villainous upstart hoping to avenge his brother by destroying his other brother and thereby taking the world for himself
Dilemma: he gets distracted by surprises, nice people, and shiny objects
Villain: a dragoon of valiant descent
Problem: he is distrusting of everyone

Mechanics: battles play like traditional Final Fantasy titles, except tactics from Dragoon, Legaia, Shadow Hearts and other well-thought games are sneakily included, while special attacks appear mostly at random. More powerful LIMIT BREAKS or what have you are performed using mini-game play methods, like having a trigger finger or using the play-buttons/D-Pad to articulate an attack.

[Renmiri]

The "Planet" in FFVII is named Gaia in some Advent Children publicity material from SE.

We had the same debate at Wikipedia

[BG-57]

It is funny though. They all do have the exact same professions. Cloud is an ex-SOLDIER, Tifa is a bar owner, Vincent is a former Turk, and Yuffie is a materia-thieving ninja. I think they would more properly list it under a forced participation by warriors of far-off-world origin. Or maybe they're all actors portraying a role. After all, none of their attacks actually match up against the VII style. Cloud's Omni-Slash could be V2 or something . . .

I'm making excuses and then trying to shut them down. XiXiXi.

Again FFT provides the mechanics for your first suggestion: the transport device that carries Cloud over from the Planet to Ivalice. The actor angle is interesting, but I'm not sure what could be made of it.

The "Planet" in FFVII is named Gaia in some Advent Children publicity material from SE.

We had the same debate at Wikipedia

There's no reason why it can't have more than one name, although 'the Planet' is the established term.

[Mercen-X]

You know what I forgot? There's also materia in the Ehgeiz dungeon-crawling mode. As if there's an area within near the core of the planet that acts as a gate to other realities or what have you.

[Wolf Kanno]

Why in god's name are we trying to connect Ehrgiez of all things into the FF world? We might as well start work on Chocobo Mystery Dungeon and Chocobo Racing:rolleyes2 Hell lets not forget that Tobal no.2 has a Chocobo in it

Let's try to stay focus on the main FFs and worry about spin-offs later.

So how would one go about overcoming the "Magic" issue in the FF series, since it is most likely one of the greater inconsistencies in the series. VII (and to a possible extent X) have Materia but VI has espers, VIII and XII has your party drawing forth power from the world around, IV and IX gives the impression of "natural ability" while I, II, III, V, and once again XII has your party purchasing spells which gives the impression of latent ability that needs to be honed carefully through possible scrolls and written incantations.

Obvioulsy VI and VIII are going to cause the most problems as well as materia to some extent.

[BG-57]

I'm surprised nobody brought up KH.

Anyways the cop-out explaination would be that there are about 10 or so different worlds that the FF series take place on.

It would be harder to integrate them to 3 or so worlds. Maybe like new energy production technologies: we've been burning wood and peat for thousands of years but using nuclear power for less than a century. As new technologies come along they displace old ones. Could magic work that way?

[Mercen-X]

Why in god's name are we trying to connect Ehrgiez of all things into the FF world?

Just messing around.

So how would one go about overcoming the "Magic" issue in the FF series, since it is most likely one of the greater inconsistencies in the series.

I haven't played enough of the games to answer that.

[Dr. Acula]

My half-assed attempt to explain inconsistancies in magic in the FF Series that WK mentioned. It's probably not very accurate in some parts.

---------------------

Pre-FF1:

-Monsters take over the world (sent as punishment for people's sins by the gods)
-Magic is created by the various gods of the world and given to a select few people to help stop these monsters, and the gods have an entertaining time watching them try to control it.
-Magic is taught to those who want to be taught, and is seperated into White and Black Magic.

-FF1 occurs

Pre FF2:

-Magic is written into Tomes, and given to shopkeepers around the world for the use of the general public.
-Ultima magic is hidden, as too many people have abused its power and killed themselves in the process of using it.

-FF2 occurs

Pre FF3:

-Monsters sent by the gods of the world are sent to Earth to aid particular people, under the name "Espers", or "Summons".
-A law is passed that the general public can no longer use magic... only people with particular "jobs" can use them.

-FF3 occurs

Pre FF4:

-The gods give specific people the talent to learn new spells as the gain experience, with the exception of Call Beasts (Summons) which are forced into their own land and will not aid anybody until a person from the town of Mist defeats them.

-FF4 occurs

Pre FF5:

-Because magic is getting too commonplace, the "job" system is reinforced and people have to pay money to learn spells, but cannot use the spell unless they have that job or have mastered that job.
-Some spells are given a new name, such as "Time Magic", "Red Magic", and all-new "Blue Magic".

-FF5 occurs

Pre FF6:

-Espers are given Magicite form when they die.
-Magic is given to Espers, who are the only ones that can teach magic, except for those that have been infused with stolen magic.
-War of the Magi occurs, and Espers flee to their own world.

-FF6 occurs

Pre FF7:

-Espers give up their magical rights, and some give magical ability only to the Cetra (Ancients). The rest let their magic flow out of them- and their spirits, too- and form Mako, which eventually crystalizes and hardens to form Materia. Espers, now called Summons, lose their Magicite form (probably thanks to evolution )
-Humans learn how to use magic from Materia.

-FF7 occurs

Pre FF8:

-Summons come out of their Materia form, and are eventually discovered by man. Renamed "Guardian Forces".
-Junctioning system is established. Some GFs remain to be discovered by man later, and Ramuh, the leader of the GFs, is never found until the next FF era.

-FF8 occurs

Pre FF9:

-Junction system is abolished.
-GFs are renamed Eidolons, and the job system is reinforced yet again, so now only specific people can use magic.
-The town of Black Mages is built (probably built over the remains of FF2 and 4's magic town, Mysidia ).

-FF9 occurs

Pre FF10:

(SPOILER)Crap... I know next to nothing about the magic system in FF10...
-Eidolons are renamed Aeons, and only one or two people can summon them.
-The job system remains.

-FF10 occurs

Pre-FF11

I'm gonna skip this part, as I know nothing about FF11.

-FF11 occurs

Pre-FF12:

-New Espers are created, and the others go into hiding.
-Licences are created.
-Magic once again has to be bought in order to be used, and a person must have a licence to use it.

-FF12 occurs