What does this story mean to you?

[VeloZer0]

I think theme is a poor way to convey a concept. Not only is it easily open to misinterpretation it also focuses the attention on determining what exactly the theme is rather than if the idea had any merit in the first place. For instance we are all about to embark on a conversation of how FF shows "In the end, anyone who tries to grab Ultimate Power just ends up wrecking tit for everyone else, and outright destroys their humanity" when in reality it is just a story someone wrote to show whatever the hell they wanted, completely groundless in any actual real world fact. Thematic study is essentially the triumph of emotional opinion forming over ruling reasoning.

(Yes that is right, I am sidetracking and I don't care.)

[Flying Arrow]

You say it's a story 'to show whatever the hell the writer wanted'... and yes, that's exactly it. That's what a story is, though. A story is just a guy's ideas put into the form of fiction. Whether or not it's based on real world fact is beside the point. Analyzing a story is to analyze the craft of the ideas in that story: how they're put together, what context they provide for one another, etc. The theme or message could be utterly absurd or groundless, yes, but that's just the nature of ideas. I argue that most stories are put together in such a way so that events convey a line of thinking or identification for the reader/viewer/player to interpret. In VI's case, the theme I brought up was something I traced across the game's plot arc. The game directors put the story together in a certain way, which may have been because they sincerely believed in the message or because they were paid to make something meaningful out of the toy they were building. A message is still a message though.

I get what you're saying about stories being a poor way to convey ideas, but stories are also art and entertainment. I don't think any writer really thinks that his or her story is clearer than an essay or something on the subject. The writer puts it together, and we as players determine what it means. We could determine that analyzing it is pointless and silly and then go ahead and dodge interpreting it, and that's fine, but then we're still ignoring the craft that has gone into the telling of the story.

And I'd also disagree that thematic study is simply emotional opinion overruling reasoning. Thematic study based entirely on 'emotional opinion' is problematic in that it may suggest an agenda the interpreter is projecting onto the story. One can be very reasonable in looking at the cogs of the story and how they function together and then make a claim about what it means.

If you're saying that interpretation like this is more or less just playtime for huge nerds, I wouldn't disagree though. I just disagree that interpretation is inherently fruitless.

[Silent Warrior]

Hm... As soon as people start talking about what a work of art or fiction means, my hackles rise. (My stubble seems to itch, too.)

BUT: I'll bite. But while I can't say the story 'means' anything to me, I just feel/felt it's a moving account of the 'little guy' (you need to be swedish for that to translate as intended) simply fighting tooth and nail, and to the hilt, for a cause they believe in (Gau, Mog, and optional characters excepted). Of course, the story itself has a whole lot more going on (Cyan = ouch...), but that's it in a nutshell. The little sprite-ies keep on going, so what if the world comes to fiery end along the way? (Uh, should I have marked that as a spoiler?) Mostly, though, I play through it to get to the end credits - though the 'instruments' aren't of super fidelity, that's some way gorgeous music taking place, right there. Oh, and the esper world - 7/8 magic! (Most underrated gaming tune in history?)
The rest of the game is... well, just so much fiction, like any other book/movie/game. I can't say I reflect too much on any of its 'finer points' - spares my sanity for Ultros' displays. I'm probably not japanese enough.

[Spooniest]

If you're saying that interpretation like this is more or less just playtime for huge nerds, I wouldn't disagree though.

I find it necessary at this juncture to point out that we're all posting in a forum that is entirely centered around Final Fantasy, so, um...yeah? This whole forum is playtime for huge nerds, which we all are. So I agree with said point as well.

The big kicker for me is that around the time this game was released, the very idea of "thematic content" in the story of a video game was beginning to gain ground. Super Mario World notwithstanding, games like A Link to the Past, Mega Man X and even a relatively low-budget game like Lufia and The Fortress of Doom were starting to have some kind of statement of thematic content, an over-arching message in the story, rather than just "there are bad guys, kill they ass."

The themes of these particular stories tended toward the bittersweet, probably because it was the general thread running through most popular fiction of the time. The question I wonder about is, "Why?" Why is the general tone of Final Fantasy 6 so desperate? What is this inherent longing that is being put forth, and where did it come from?

I suppose that if enough people ask such questions, someone will try to find out (presumably from the writers of said stories). The problem is that we've continued to write video games off as "mindless" even though they've proven to us, since that time, to be thought-provoking. When Symphony of the Night started with an (albiet horribly acted) intro where Richter and Dracula have the beginnings of a philosophical/theological argument, I started asking questions.

So more on topic, what questions and thoughts does Final Fantasy 6 raise in your mind? I know this is all very purple and "deep," but see exhibit A (quoted above) for an explanation of that.

[Flying Arrow]

If you're saying that interpretation like this is more or less just playtime for huge nerds, I wouldn't disagree though.

I find it necessary at this juncture to point out that we're all posting in a forum that is entirely centered around Final Fantasy, so, um...yeah? This whole forum is playtime for huge nerds, which we all are. So I agree with said point as well.

I find it necessary myself to point out that what you quoted from wasn't meant in a disparaging way against this thread. Reading it over again I feel like it comes off as holier than thou, but it's not really how I meant it at all. I was just trying to distinguish where I differ from Velo's objection with regards to interpreting themes in fiction.

But just so I can add something more relevant:

FFVI tells us that a weird purple octopus can rise above his nature as a mischievous and creepy stalker by landing a cushy ticket taker job after the world ends. It's inspiring, really, if you're a sea monster.

[Spooniest]

But of course. All Final Fantasy nerds here, don't be shy now, is all I wuz sayin'.

I for instance, think that what this game majorly says to anyone who identifies with Kefka (you know you're out there, you complete monsters) is an object lesson in honor.

Don't stab people in the back to grab power or two Hot Magitek Knights, a Painter, a Samurai, a Moogle, a Yeti, a Treasure Hunter, a King Mechanic, a Kung-Fu Master, an Old Blue Mage, a Ninja Assassin, a Gambler, a Feral Child and a Thing that can do all that stuff by itself will scale your debris-infested tower and beat the living turds out of you till you are stone dead.

And once again, I'm just sayin'. We've all played this game and know exactly what I just said is true about it.

EDIT: And another thing!

This game can be played with the idea that it's all about the fact that the character sprites are now as big as Super Mario. Two Italian brothers, one a fighter and the other an engineer, who hop on turtles, throw fireballs and beat bad guys. A Princess, in the Opera scene. Heck, Mog is even just a little bit like Toad. And Setzer's starting to look a fair bit like Geno to me...

EDIT EDIT: And don't get me started on the "Jump" attack granted by the Dragoon Boots.

[Greatermaximus]

Fiction's Upper Limit

-Satisfying a fan base.

There's something and someone new to learn in this series. Also, fiction is an escape from reality. And a way to inspire new ideas or for something to enjoy.

Everyone has their reasons.

[silentenigma]

I'm pretty sure it's about diversity and acceptance.

[Cihnyl]

Simply, I feel the basis of the game is to convey a message. By subjective measure, the very essence of the game is—with more desire comes distraction, thus forming a disconnect from reality, which is the contrived narrative running the game seeking to embroider the inevitable epileptic turmoil, having cotton soaked in this clothing to give the story clout. So, a story of fulfillment, but actually empty (I believe what I described is hopelessness). What really folds my mind to wedge into this, are the episodic memories of Kefka's unrelenting prowess of manipulation, which consisted of ulterior decay, by his own self-centered admission, led everywhere to ruin. Kefka, to me, is the epicenter of the game, inasmuch of him bearing influence on every part of the story. So it is this, what led me to whetstone my comprehension of the story at the time I played through it. With that, to simplify, desire causes perilous disconnects.

As a throw-in, I acknowledge my point is whisper-thin, but hey, my two cents. How can you live without my two cents?