Disc 4... Unecessary?

[Rantz]

Necron is, as I see it, not as much of a "random dude that wants to destroy everything" as he is a metaphor for the destruction (or deterioration) of memories. If you think back, a whole lot of the plot revolved around lost memories (Zidane's past, Garnet's original home, Vivi's "origin").

Overall, I think the plot is not quite as loosely held together as it may seem at first sight. I'm not talking about Future Esthar style theories, I mean there is likely to be at least some thought behind it, even if you have to look for it at times.

[Serapy]

It won't be necessary if the game file is smaller than 4 CDs but the game is actually bigger, so that's why they added one more CD to fit the data (4th CD) which is necessary.

[Northcrest]

Actually I thought disc was really necessary. From my memory they did say something about the Original Crystal in Disc 2 or 3. The idea of Memoria and the Crystal tower I thought was need because in disc 3 they never killed Kuja. Though I do agree that the Necron idea was kind of like where the heck did that come from, but I did like having the extra battle.

[Aerith's Knight]

i think this idea came forth from the fact that in disc 4 the story speeded up until a point where you were thinking: what the hell!?!

i think they could have slowed it down and round it all up nicely.. but they would have needed a 5th disc for the credits and ending scene

[FF9master9]

I dont think disc 4 was a waste a time, because u would not be able to fight ozma, and hades. plus u wouldnt be able to get the best weapon in the game. but i do agree the final guy was a waste.

WOOT CHOCOBOS!!!!

[Roogle]

I can understand the point of view of the opening post. I feel that quite a few of the Final Fantasy titles tend to lose a lot of their storyline and gameplay focus at the end, as the only thing that remains for the player to do are several or few sidequests and take on the last boss in a final dungeon sequence; additionally, many of the bosses from Final Fantasy games have little or no connection to the main storyline over the course of a majority of the game. Examples of this type of final boss include: Ultimecia, Necron, and Yu Yevon.

[Rianoa]

it probably needs a whole disk for the unesscesary long ending to the game

[charliepanayi]

I can understand the point of view of the opening post. I feel that quite a few of the Final Fantasy titles tend to lose a lot of their storyline and gameplay focus at the end, as the only thing that remains for the player to do are several or few sidequests and take on the last boss in a final dungeon sequence; additionally, many of the bosses from Final Fantasy games have little or no connection to the main storyline over the course of a majority of the game. Examples of this type of final boss include: Ultimecia, Necron, and Yu Yevon.

Ultimecia actually has a lot of connection to the storyline for most of the game in FFVIII. She's the one possessing Edea for the first two discs for one. And Necron and Yu Yevon only add on one battle, they hardly stretch the games out that much.

And to thelast poster saying FFIX had a 'unnecessarily long ending' - WRONG.

[Drummakid_22]

I love the ending/Necron. I'm the type that likes the philosophical stuff, so I drool over Necron's ramblings every time I read them. Who cares where he comes from, he's insightful!

I definitely agree with you....the entire 4th disc kinda put things into perspective for me and made me think alot about my life and how I think of things....like when Zidane thinks he has no purpose or when Necron speaks of how fear controls our thoughts and actions...all so0o true....really makes me think and appreciate life yeh know??

[The Crystal]

I think some people didn't understand what I meant. I'm not saying they should make the first 3 discs exactly like the originals, and then "cut out" the last one.
What I'm saying is that they could have resolved everything on disc 3. For example, instead of Kuja knocking-out the party and destroying Terra, the party could fight Trance Kuja and beat him right there. Or just fight normal Kuja and beat him.
Thereby we wouldn't have all the random things that didn't make sense on disc 4.

[mose-schrute]

Don't forget that the 4th disc has the best music in the game. =]

Anyway, I think the 4th one was entirely necessary. I wanted to play IX as long as I could and I didn't care how dragged out the story was. Like a true Final Fantasy game it needed that very last boss you never thought you'd have to fight and a location you never thought you'd have to go to.

[Forsaken Lover]

I think some people didn't understand what I meant. I'm not saying they should make the first 3 discs exactly like the originals, and then "cut out" the last one.
What I'm saying is that they could have resolved everything on disc 3. For example, instead of Kuja knocking-out the party and destroying Terra, the party could fight Trance Kuja and beat him right there. Or just fight normal Kuja and beat him.
Thereby we wouldn't have all the random things that didn't make sense on disc 4.

So....

Party: Oh snap! The villain just got all the power he's strode for the entire game!
Kuja: Mwahaha! I am invincible!
Party: *beats him*

.....crickets chirp.

Worst. Ending. Ever.

You don't have the villain finally achieve ultimate monstrous godly power and then lose in the same few minutes. That just be pathetic.

And everything on 4 wasn't random. It was just new information and relevations. We learned more and the story further developed. That is a good thing.

[Vyk]

You don't have the villain finally achieve ultimate monstrous godly power and then lose in the same few minutes. That just be pathetic.

That's actually how a climax does work in a lot of cases. Especially in movies and such

[Forsaken Lover]

Well, movies are way different than RPGs in...amost everything. They follow basic storytelling rules and types but the format is different because one is a game, the other is a movie, difference in time of the game compared to the time of a movie, etc..

Out of all the RPGs I've ever played, I can't remember the final villain being endowed with the godly evil power and then losing right then to the party. I'm not saying it hasn't happened. It probably has in a few games but I just don't think it's a very apt move. You do want to impress upon the player that this is the super bad you've worked your ass off for hours to stop and how epic this battle will be.

[Goldenboko]

Without disk for this game would feel very unfinished for me. Sure you kill Garland in disk three, but Kuja is still a big enemy.

And considering the party couldn't defeat Kuja, ever, (it more or less appears during the last fight he toys with you, I mean him not using Ultima right away doesn't make sense :P) it wouldn't make sense if the party just crushed him right away.

In fact, I loved that the party got humiliated there, it really but a sense of "woah" in Kuja's power. Also, Kuja's motive of wanting to kill everything. I thought that reaction was most fitting to his character. Over and over Kuja is shown as selfish, and selfloving, when he finds out he's got a designated time-limit to life, I thought his, "If I can't live then no one can!" Attitude completely fit his character.