FFI Re-Imagined

[Depression Moon]

Why couldn't it be light and colorful on the PS3?

[Cihnyl]

As cool as it would be to have FF Re-Imagined into a new game, I can't help but think they would have to do so much work to it they might as well just make a new game from scratch.

That's what I think too. Well, I've never played the game, but I've watched my brother struggle to understand the world map, environment, and surrounding objects. So from what I've seen, I'd say they should make a complete new game based on it (...though, isn't that what Final Fantasy IX was for?).

Even if they did revamp the game, I'd probably end up playing it anyway.

[ReloadPsi]

Why couldn't it be light and colorful on the PS3?

Because brown and grey games are the PS3's selling point for some stupid reason.

[nectarsis]

Wouldn't this idea effectively be what is FF III (Famicom)?

[Lamia]

I guess I am in the minority here. I don't think that the Four Warriors of Light need to be fleshed out. I mean, maybe it's because FFI was my first FF and while I love the way the series has evolved the first FF was a different kind of game. Your warriors are supposed to be nameless because it is about your choice. You choose the name and job class.

I would definitely play a re-imagining though. But I think instead of trying to make FFI like later FFs, that they should soup up what is already there. A dramatic graphics overhaul is a must. Maybe there should be more job classes and abilities and greater visual customization of your characters. It would be like a Western RPG exceptyou get to customize FOUR characters :P The world would also need to be expanded and made more interesting to fit with modern times, as the original is a very simple and short game. In conclusion, a re-imagining would be like an open world Western RPG, but with improved turn based battle system and a JRPG art style.

[Bolivar]

Your warriors are supposed to be nameless because it is about your choice. You choose the name and job class.

That's how I feel.

I'd like a PSN/XBLA remake with modest 3d, but high resolution graphics, preferably a more chibi art style like FFIX. Add in all the standard job classes we've come to know and love, like Dark Knight, Geomancer, and Dragoon. Balance them so they're all useful. Bring in more weapons and items, especially ones we've gotten used to, like Gladius or Gungnir. Throw in a novel customization system, again, like FFIX's abilities. Give us the ability to catch Chocobos, and throw in a moggle here and there.

Now, let us connect via PSN/Xbox Live where we can bring one character online to form parties with other players, with matchmaking to ensure similar levels/points in the story. Let us run around the dungeons free like in FFXII, but when you're in a "battle radius" with an enemy, you and whoever you're matchmade, also in that circle, get assigned turns in the battle. Maybe make a randomized loot system like Diablo II to make it addicting. Matter fact, give us a few procedurally generated dungeons to keep us coming back for more.

But keep the dungeon/town/world map design the same. The only issue is you might need to rebalance that section after the Dark Elf episode where you leave the huge pond/sea in the middle and start branching out to go after the crystals. You know how they just let you go back and get a ton of free items? Yeah, that might need to change or people might be at unequal footing at similar points in the multiplayer.

[VeloZer0]

I'd like a PSN/XBLA remake with modest 3d, but high resolution graphics, preferably a more chibi art style like FFIX. Add in all the standard job classes we've come to know and love, like Dark Knight, Geomancer, and Dragoon. Balance them so they're all useful.

Maybe they could do something like have you pick from 6 at the start and then get the chance to chose between two different class upgrades.

Even cooler would be getting the choice between two different upgrades every crystal. The downside of this is that you need to make 13x6 new classes. Given this I would advocate having the characters start as teenagers/young adults, and have the original class change quest make you adults? Or work out some system that gives you some tangible benefit from each crystal. (While keeping the spirit of not changing classes.)

You know how they just let you go back and get a ton of free items? Yeah, that might need to change or people might be at unequal footing at similar points in the multiplayer.

That was the best part of the game for the OCD treasure hunter in all of us.

[Bolivar]

Maybe they could do something like have you pick from 6 at the start and then get the chance to chose between two different class upgrades.

Even cooler would be getting the choice between two different upgrades every crystal. The downside of this is that you need to make 13x6 new classes. Given this I would advocate having the characters start as teenagers/young adults, and have the original class change quest make you adults? Or work out some system that gives you some tangible benefit from each crystal. (While keeping the spirit of not changing classes.)

Upgrading every crystal is a good idea, maybe instead of a class change (to cut down on jobs) you could choose from a set of abilities and stat boosts, like choosing to give your Warrior something like Cover or a desperation attack.

Going with your aging idea, I think it would be cool if after each crystal your characters got slightly more badass-looking after each one, instead of all at once with the Castle of Ordeals, more like Ramza in the FFTactics chapters. Maybe give the warrior a slick shoulder plate or give the B.Belt a bandana after Lich. Or, going with the customization theme, let the players choose. That would probably increase the novelty of the online element, if one players thief looked a little different from another player's thief.

That was the best part of the game for the OCD treasure hunter in all of us.

Maybe it would be a good idea then to randomize some of the loot, and have the rest determined by your party composition, like a party with a red mage would get some slick red coat or a party with a black mage would get a pointy hat with some abilities.

[Jiro]

Upgrading every crystal is a good idea, maybe instead of a class change (to cut down on jobs) you could choose from a set of abilities and stat boosts, like choosing to give your Warrior something like Cover or a desperation attack.

That's a pretty neat idea.

[VeloZer0]

That would actually be really cool, with each of the abilities affecting the character art in some small way. Like having counter give you some spikes on your pauldrons, or cover making your shield appear slightly larger.

I would also go as far as make these upgrades 'upgrade' when you change class.

[KentaRawr!]

A new game following the same premise would be really cool, but I'm not sure if I'd like the developers to be limited to the game's original formula. Although, I think that if they remade FF5 in the same way suggested here, it'd be all kinds of awesome.

[ignoman]

I don't think they need to augment the story any (I think it's fine, with plenty of fantastic elements, time travel, what have you).

Part of the game's charm is that the characters are YOURS, and it would be kindof a shame to see it turned into another RPG with tons of canned dialogue and personality.

There are, however, many things they could do to make the game more modern:

• Additional class options. There's no reason why other fantasy staples couldn't be implemented, like druids, rangers, barbarians, chemists, acrobats, what have you.

• Real time (FFXII) style battle system. I think you could pull it off *without even changing the underlying mechanics at all*, and that would be quite cool.

• More dungeons. Longer dungeons. Randomly generated and placed dungeons so the adventure is new every time.

• More challenging monsters. Stronger bosses. More powerful spells. Melee classes have it easy in FF, it'd be good to see the mages bringing some *real* power against some truly challenging opponents. Mages are supposed to be glass cannons in D&D, they have the glass part down, but when you shoot a cannon it should only fire *once* and it should hurt *a lot*.