Final Fantasy: Full Weapons and Armor set or Weapon/Accessory combination?

[Jiro]

The more the better I suppose! Let me customise sections of platemail!

[Iceglow]

I like both systems, though what bugs me about XII in particular is that when you equip the different armours it doesn't update your characters model which was a missed opportunity I feel. In previous iterations of the game you could understand it because the consoles didn't quite have the power for all the things needed. FFXII however probably could have had it, I'd have loved seeing my characters running around in armour sets instead of civvy clothes.

[Del Murder]

Or better for balancing!

What does that mean?

[Mirage]

Balance in a single-player game? Bwahahaha.

[VeloZer0]

Balance is a single player game is different than balance in a multipalyer game. Despite the name balance only implies balance in a multiplayer setting, something being balanced in a single player game means it is close enough to not detract from the fun.

[Mirage]

Of course there is a certain degree of balance in single player games too, but because of the nature of single player games, there usually only a very little effort made to ensure all characters are roughly equally useful thorough the game, and huge imbalances/borderline exploits are rarely ever patched, partially because patching pre-PS360 era was pretty hard to do, but that just means you need to spend more time playtesting.

Some examples are:
Certain Enemy skills that are extremely powerful and obtainable early in the game (hi2u Beta, aqualung, white wind)
Certain limit breaks/overdrives (Duel vs Selphie's Slots, Omnislash vs Tifa's slots, attack reels vs whatever that thing auron had.)
Certain stat boost possibilities (speed junction in FF8), and the ability to gain extreme stat boosts in general early in that game
Maria in Star ocean 3, Reimi in SO4

The reason these imbalances aren't a big deal is that ultimately, single player games are human vs CPU, and the CPU is never going to complain about being curb-stomped (well not until we have true AI).

[Bolivar]

But when it comes to Final Fantasy, a series all of us here have played numerous entries of multiple times, balance is very important for people who like me, who like to enjoy the stories without having roll their eyes at the gameplay.

[VeloZer0]

Yes, and no. Just because a game becomes unbalance for longtime fans who examine it in depth doesn't mean it was poorly done. I am strongly of the opinion that if you play the game for the first time and it is naturally obvious how to break it they didn't do a great job balancing. But I give them a full pass if it takes effort to find the broken parts, ie you don't just naturally stumble into them.

If someone is dedicated enough to a game to replay it for years then they are also dedicated to take some of the balancing unto themselves, choosing to not use skill 'x' or character 'y' and so forth.

[Hollycat]

full armor is definately winning.

[Mirage]

But when it comes to Final Fantasy, a series all of us here have played numerous entries of multiple times, balance is very important for people who like me, who like to enjoy the stories without having roll their eyes at the gameplay.

It's not that I don't think balance is important. I'm just saying most of the FF games are terribly unbalanced. If you can't see that, you can't be looking too hard for it .

[Bolivar]

But when it comes to Final Fantasy, a series all of us here have played numerous entries of multiple times, balance is very important for people who like me, who like to enjoy the stories without having roll their eyes at the gameplay.

It's not that I don't think balance is important. I'm just saying most of the FF games are terribly unbalanced. If you can't see that, you can't be looking too hard for it .

I wasn't necessarily responding to you, but thanks for mildly insulting me nonetheless.

[Del Murder]

I still don't understand what having accessories over armor has anything to do with balance.

[Mirage]

But when it comes to Final Fantasy, a series all of us here have played numerous entries of multiple times, balance is very important for people who like me, who like to enjoy the stories without having roll their eyes at the gameplay.

It's not that I don't think balance is important. I'm just saying most of the FF games are terribly unbalanced. If you can't see that, you can't be looking too hard for it .

I wasn't necessarily responding to you, but thanks for mildly insulting me nonetheless.

In that case, I'm sorry for directly responding to your post. If you want to, I could change that to a plural you, not you you.

[Bolivar]

I still don't understand what having accessories over armor has anything to do with balance.

The greater breadth of options the player has, the greater the likelihood they can break the game.

[VeloZer0]

Defends what you define as options. If you have 4 pieces of armor but all they ever do is add +def and you have two accessories that have creative benefits the two is far more breakable.