Square Enix Fan: Then and Now

[Edge7]

To the older members of the forum: Have you ever gone back and read your older posts? It's a bizarre feeling.

Granted, I don't have nearly as many posts as some other members who've been here as long as I have, but all the same, it's kinda weird seeing how frequently I posted, and how silly those posts seem to me now (keep in mind, I was 12).

These were days when I would write goofy, funny-in-my-head stories about Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts characters, and gush over how awesome I though the Compilation of FFVII was, despite the actual quality of the various releases. I would contribute to forum games and I loved using smileys (a little too much).

It's absolutely surreal to read how excited I was for FFXIII, and how disappointed I was by FFXII (holy crap did my opinion change with age), and how even still, I'm eagerly looking forward to the adventures of Noctis (although time has slowed down my anticipation).

Growing up is really weird. Though I don't really see myself as jaded or anything, it's clear that I had so much more enthusiasm in my youth. These days, it seems like I'm calling Square Enix out for all their business decisions and waiting for them to move on from FFXIII. What's even more bizarre is that you could say I'm an even bigger fan of Square now than I was back then because of all the SNES and PS1 classics I've played and cherished since joining EoFF. It's all just kind of funny, I suppose.

So, the reason I'm posting this Thread is for some of us to reminisce; about Square, our first experiences with Square and EoFF, and how we might've changed since then (if at all).

EDIT: Whoops! meant to post this in the General SE forum. Who would I contact to have it moved?

[Fonzie]

I refuse to read them for I will turn red if I attempt too.

I regret every post I've ever made a year past.

[Edge7]

Yeah, I feel that. I always figured nothing changed with the way I conducted myself online, but my God was I wrong.

[Jiro]

I was a lot less jaded and easily impressed. I was also an idiot but those are not necessarily related. I'm glad I can construct proper sentences these days.

[Sephex]

I was more forgiving of Square games back then. I still very much enjoy Final Fantasy, but mainly releases in the 90s.

As for my personal posts? Yeah, I acted like a jerk hole back in the day, but I was also a lot younger and took way to many aspects of life seriously. I don't worry about it. I mean, if someone wants to call me out on something I said years and years ago, they can, but I'm not that person anymore.

[Bolivar]

I don't regret the conduct of the posts too much since we could always be a little smarter about how we interact with others on the internet.

I was actually looking at older discussions a few weeks ago and I had to smile about what a blast it was to dig deep and over analyze every insignificant aspect of these games and tease eachother about their opinions and such. It made me sad I'm not in those kinds of debates anymore because I still feel JRPGs are the best gaming has to offer.. It's partially because there's only so much you can say about the same group of old games; I've moved on to other series and genres because you really had to if you wanted to stay involved with new games last generation. Square just hasn't kept releasing enough fuel for the fire. Too many cross-overs, spin - offs and remakes and while I actually enjoy the hell out of my fair share of those, I can't say they've released enough ambitious and interesting titles to keep us talking how they used to.

A lot of the posters from those debates have moved on, some from the site, others to different sub-forums so the memories are a little bittersweet.

[Edge7]

I feel that. I remember studying the menu for FFXIII's concept trailer religiously; and it ended up being a completely different game. Ah well.

[Jiro]

I remember how excited we all were by crazy futuristic Final Fantasy XIII and how it was all going to be REAL TIME AND FREE MOVEMENT BATTLES and then none of that happened really

[Rostum]

Ah, the times when we'd all be super excited about the next Final Fantasy. Those were the days that hopefully we can re-live when they finally put FFXIII to rest.

[Skyblade]

Honestly, I don't see that I've changed that much. I'm still obsessive and overly analytical. I still love gushing about the games for hours on end.

I feel almost as though the forum has moved on without me. As though no one wants to talk about the games anymore. I spend more and more time in the General forums, because the FF forums have gone silent. The jubilant enthusiasm that marked this site when I joined seems lost.

No one wants to discuss the games anymore. Even when Square releases a new game, the conversations seem distant. When I joined, I would spend days on the Final Fantasy forums. I would write up interpretations of plots, or strategies. We would debate character strengths and relationships. And we would struggle in the epic war to indoctrinate the latest newcomer in our own beliefs about a game before someone else did.

Now, though, that all seems lost. Every time a new title comes out, I watch as the discussion collapses and people lose interest. I grow sad at how many discussion threads end with one of my posts, waiting for a response that never came. I still long to discuss Final Fantasy Tactics A2 in more detail, or to find someone who wants to talk about Type-0, or discuss the nature of the world and relationship between races in Crystal Chronicles. But I feel I'm one of only a few soldiers in a war being steadily lost.

Part of this is Square's fault. The diminution of the series over the years is directly responsible for the lack of excited newbies in the forums. There was a time when it felt like there was a new member every week, always gushing about the game and bringing up their favorite points. The new games don't have the same spark, and neither does the fandom. So much of the old series has been tapped out, the old members find it hard to find new topics in them to engage the discussions.

We keep trying. So many great new ideas and features implemented by our staff, trying to spur discussion or bring in new community elements. But I fear that the spark may be beyond our ability to rekindle. So many gamers these days who never played FFVI or FFVII, or who don't know what it was like to grow up around some of the most immersive worlds ever crafted.

I mourn for what this forum has become, what this fan base has dwindled to. I wonder how many come here for the games, or how many come here for the incredible community of friends that has seen them through years of tough times. I weep for a world that lacks the joyous youths who were always constantly amazed by the brilliant worlds Square envisioned and realized in their games. And I fear for the future of a world that is growing up obsessed with graphics and FPS games, never staring in child like wonder at a world of Moogles and Espers, never weeping at the triumph of a villain, or cheering at the heroes who refuse to give up.

Time moves ever on, and the series continues. I can only hope that it can recapture those sparks that made it what we all loved so long ago. That Final Fantasy XV, or Kingdom Hearts III, or Bravely Default, or Agito may finally bring back the wonder of Square's incredible world-building, and revitalize the fans and forums once again.

Until then, I'll be waiting, and hoping.

[Jiro]

I would love to discuss Type-0 with you, Skyblade. But until Square Enix decides that it is fit for a Western market, I won't be able to play it.

[Edge7]

My brother recently imported Type-0. He's told me good things, but as I don't own a PSP, I can't even hope to borrow it.

Anyway, in response to Skyblade, I gotta say that I think the forums have died down because Square hasn't given us anything to look forward to. I joined the forum after I was introduced to the series through FFIV Advanced, and at that time, everyone was buzzing with rumors of KH3, FFXII and XIII, along with The Compilation of FVII and a variety of other SE projects. Now that we've talked about KH3 to death, the joy that KH3 is actually a very real project has been watered down by the fact that between KH 2 and 3 have been prequels, midquels and filler, with no end to the series (or, at least Sora's Story) in sight. Despite looking forward to FFXIII back in the day, I've now realized that I have no taste for FFXIII's universe, and SE has refused to move on.

The hardest thing about being a Square Enix fan currently, is that they're focusing all of their effort into Final Fantasy XIII (a series that, regardless of one's personal opinion, has a rather divisive status among the fanbase), Final Fantasy XIV (which I would play if I had a steady source of income to pay for the subscription), and capitalizing off of fan nostalgia with games like All the Bravest and, to a less shameful degree, Theatrhythm. Sure, they have projects off in the distance, but they haven't done anything to get us excited about them.

The problem is, Square Enix has been trying to make FFXIII into a CoFFVII, or an Ivalice Alliance, or hell, even a Spira Trilogy (which I'm actually glad they're making a FFX-3), but FFXIII doesn't have the same kind of legacy FFVII, X, or Tactics had. I feel like the best possible thing for them to do right now is move on. When they get to that game that IS a resounding success, and make more games in THAT universe, that's when the fandom will have some more life.

I don't know, admittedly, I've kinda been rambling, but I honestly think SE's biggest flaw right now is that they're not giving us anything new. Even FFXV is just some game that's been announced 8-9 years ago. Everything we've ever wanted to talk about back in the day has already been talked about, and anything new that's been announced lately isn't really all that new.

[Crop]

A nice post, Skyblade, and I think that there are a couple of factors related to the problem.

Firstly, when this forum was first made, there were already a good number of FF games out. People could all talk together about games they had enjoyed over the last 10 years, it was new and fresh.

Second (and most importantly), check out this wiki page - List of Final Fantasy video games - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

If we just go by the main series here, in the space of 6 years we had 6 games released (VII - X-2), and they were arguably among the best games of the series. Then check out what happened next - There was a three year gap between X-2 and XII, followed by another 3 year gap between XII and XIII. So we went from 6 games in 6 years to 2 games in 6 years, and the quality of the games themselves got arguably worse too.

That, coupled with the fact that we get announcements 20 years before a game is released, means that this is all Square-Enix's fault.

[Ayen]

I like how the games that took longer to make are lesser quality than the games that were shorter to make.

You'd think it'd be the other way around.

[Del Murder]

I'm still excited about new games from Square. Some recent ones (The World Ends With You, KH: Birth By Sleep, Bravely Default) have been superb. They still know how to make great RPGs, just not with the Final Fantasy label. I admit that I probably have nostalgia glasses when it comes to the earlier games, and I don't think SE will ever make another FF that will fully satisfy me. I think part of that is also due to changes at Square: the loss of several key people from their glory days and their shift in focus to a much more corporate mindset. I've changed as well. I was probably a lot easier to satisfy back then and I had a much narrower outlook on the world and much different priorities. We all grow up and change (both people and companies) and the changes aren't always in parallel to each other.