Whether or not you like Final Fantasy VII, you can't deny the impact it had on the FF series and on RPGs as a genre. So what was it about this game in particular that put FF on the map and brought in so many new fans? Was it the use of 3D visuals? Simply the timing of it being released for the upstart Playstation system? Or was it something in particular about the game itself (because it was so awesome)?

So do you think if, say, FFVIII came out before VII the series would still had become as popular? Was the world just waiting for the next-gen RPG to hit or was it FFVII in particular that made FF mainstream?