FF fans?

[Besimudo]

What is an FF fan? Or more importantly what generation is an FF fan. Clearly, the FF generation cannot be defined as its legacy exhibits humble beginnings in 1987 on the Famicon. This era entitles only those above the age of 30 to call themselves FF purists. However, such a designation ignores the FF renaissance in 1997 that included those older members of generation Y (the emerging) and the more geekish Xer's (the established) correspondingly. Why this order? For Generation Y FF7 bridged the RPG - gamer mainstream void, thus videogames welcomed RPG into the spotlight... for X'ers it was merely another great game... to be hailed along with Street fighter 2, Daytona and for the older - Double Dragon. Thus, the experience for these older gamers was not a defining moment in the demographics video gaming history... they would have already experienced such highlights through the latter games.

Anyhow, I like to leave posts fairly open... but the big question is - Did this game define a generation of gamers like Street Fighter 2 had previously.

[nik0tine]

Did FFX define a generation of gamers? No.

Is that what your asking?

[Big D]

What is an FF fan? Or more importantly what generation is an FF fan. Clearly, the FF generation cannot be defined as its legacy exhibits humble beginnings in 1987 on the Famicon. This era entitles only those above the age of 30 to call themselves FF purists. However, such a designation ignores the FF renaissance in 1997 that included those older members of generation Y (the emerging) and the more geekish Xer's (the established) correspondingly.

Yup. Thus, "an FF fan" is not any single category or generation, as such. Basically, it's anyone who regards themself as a fan reasonably. Someone who's played just one title in the series could make a claim to fanship. Had-core types might disagree, but there's no denying that a person can become an enthusiast even after a limited exposure. Take a look at EoFF... predominantly in their teens, but with many in their twenties and some beyond that. More than just the one generation. Numerous backgrounds, too - Asian, English, Continental European, North and South American, Australasian, Pacific... nearly every continent and area is represented. Many of us have different personal or family situations, too - some are wealthy, others not so; some have full time jobs, others are students. We're home to Brucker-hailers, Bored Atheists of the World, Christians, Buddhists, Muslims and others too numerous to name.

The arts, it can be said, transcend many boundaries. "Music is the international language" will be a familiar phrase to many here. Television is an all-pervasive medium, and no city is without its visual artworks - whether in a frame in a gallery, or spray-painted onto an innocent's fence by a tagger. Video games are another form of storytelling, like books or movies; thus, they can cross boundaries in a similar way, subject to certain limitations. Only those with access to a TV or computer can readily become FF fans, and a fondness for fantasy helps too.

Maybe some of the games 'define' individual gamers - those with a particular affinity for, say, FFVI or FFVII, who adore and immerse themselves in their preferred fictional world moreso than any other. However, I don't think any single game can define a gaming era, or more importantly, the people of that era. There's so much diversity out there that we each create our own definitions. Any attempt to make an all-encompassing conclusion quickly becomes little more than a 'sweeping generalisation'. For instance, my 'gaming persona' is defined by such titles as the 16-bit Ecco the Dolphin and Jurassic Park, and later entries such as FFVII and VIII, Metal Gear Solid and Gran Turismo. These titles do not by any means define me 'as a person', although FFVII easily ranks as one of my more profound fictional influences.

[fire_of_avalon]

I'm pretty much in agreement with Big D on this one, gaming is a varied and diverse hobby with varied and diverse enthusists, especially nowadays. When I was very young, and even before my time (which actually seems really bizarre to be) it could be said that a certain game defined a generation of gamers because there were far fewer games, heck far fewer consoles even, than there are now. Perhaps the original did have it's own little section of gamers who praised it above all other games, but I'm quite sure these gamers also had other favorites.

However, I do believe that the concept of gaming itself has gained enough momentum since before the time I could even hold a controller to become sort of a definition of who we are as a society. Our forms of entertainment have evolved into real works of art, in many cases, with intricate plot lines and touching music to name off two of several instances. I don't think Final Fantasy by itself defined a generation, but I think it is a very substantial part of all forms of video gaming, which certainly has it's part in the definitions of the past couple of generations.

[m4tt]

Clearly, the FF generation cannot be defined as its legacy exhibits humble beginnings in 1987 on the Famicon. This era entitles only those above the age of 30 to call themselves FF purists.

Over the age of 30? I know people my age who have played every single FF game out there. And I'm not over the age of 30.

[Flying Mullet]

However, such a designation ignores the FF renaissance in 1997 that included those older members of generation Y (the emerging) and the more geekish Xer's (the established) correspondingly.

I would just like to point out that FFVII was not a "renaissance" for the Final Fantasy series; it was merely the point at which the Final Fantasy series went mainstream. With Final Fantasy VII Square decided to heavliy market the series in the states, including advertising to television and "mainstream" magazines instead of just print ads in hobbiest gaming magazines. Most of the reason people love Final Fantasy VII is because Square made an effort to push Final Fantasy VII onto people. Also, Final Fantasy VII is the first Final Fantasy to be produced for the Playstation, which in turn means that SCEA (Sony) had a part in the game. Final Fantasy VII was meant to be a "flagship" game showing off the capabilities of the Playstation (with the FMV's) in hopes that people would flock to buy the game and the system that runs that game, thus making both Square and SCEA (Sony) money.

Over the age of 30? I know people my age who have played every single FF game out there. And I'm not over the age of 30.

Agreed. I've played every Final Fantasy game as they've been released in the states since FFI and I'm only 26.

[Jebus]

I would just like to point out that FFVII was not a "renaissance" for the Final Fantasy series; it was merely the point at which the Final Fantasy series went mainstream. With Final Fantasy VII Square decided to heavliy market the series in the states, including advertising to television and "mainstream" magazines instead of just print ads in hobbiest gaming magazines. Most of the reason people love Final Fantasy VII is because Square made an effort to push Final Fantasy VII onto people. Also, Final Fantasy VII is the first Final Fantasy to be produced for the Playstation, which in turn means that SCEA (Sony) had a part in the game. Final Fantasy VII was meant to be a "flagship" game showing off the capabilities of the Playstation (with the FMV's) in hopes that people would flock to buy the game and the system that runs that game, thus making both Square and SCEA (Sony) money.


Agreed. I've played every Final Fantasy game as they've been released in the states since FFI and I'm only 26.

I agree, but couldn't they at least have a better game as their "flagship?" Of course maybe they just wanted their "best looking" game to do it.

Anyway, FFVI marked an era alright. It marked the era where square thought that the story was so unimportant as it could be superceded by the graphic quality. The games have been getting prettier and prettier and the story has been getting worse, with the exception of FFT, which kicked ass.

Also, I've played every Final Fantasy game, including FFIII and I'm only 18. *wins* :D~

[Jolts]

[long, boring speech]

HEY! Listen to me when I'm talking to you!

Technically, a Final Fantasy fan would anyone who plays and liked any of the Final Fantasy games. Now, superfans...that's a whole 'nother story .

[Flying Mullet]

Superfans tend to scare me, no matter what they are a fan of.

[Del Murder]

I am a very big FF fan. I have played and beaten all the games released in this country except XI and CC, and still await future installments with excitement.

[Besimudo]

"Did FFX define a generation of gamers? No."

er... FF7 you mean?


Indeed. I feel that I adressed many of Big D's concerns about the game becomming mainstream and the fact generational experience was marginal. The main point I wished to focus on was how much impact FF7 actually made on the gaming world, as did Street Fighter 2 before it. The earlier titles FF 1-6 and Street Fighter (1987) laid the foundations for a reinnovation for these games that appealed to wider audiences. Both RPG and Fighter existed in 1985, yet it was not untill 10 years past that these games became the norm in Japan and America (except for sports games the Yankies love the sports titles).

On the experience of gamers, allow me to proceed with this analogy - Did you grow up listening to Madonna? Did you collect the merchandise? Or do you have a ticket to the tour of 1984? Clearly, I do not! However, does participating in a retro binge of 80's mania warrant an individual to become a Madonna fan? Certainly not! Put simply, how can a person in retrospect possibly understand or experience the whole scene that was Madonna. This rule applies to games also. Merely playing a download is a world apart from having played the game in its premier days... Besides the Kazaar generation just sees FF7 as a crappy version of FF10, and alarmingly, as Big D pointed out,the PS2 generation is rising to dominance. These new leaders of Eoff never played FF7 when it was released and at best they probably only watched as their older siblings clock FF7 in 1997.

"Now, superfans...that's a whole 'nother story ."

Good point. "Super Fans" are a worry... I was simply looking for those who played FF7 when the game was a premier title "back in the day".
Besides, Super fans are generally endemic and there is not much we can do about them! Just allow them to collect the Tidus Doll with matching blitz ball...

[Yamaneko]

The FF Fan cannot be defined. We are all, yet we are nothing. We are everywhere, yet we are nowhere. The FF Fan is still going to soccer practice twice a week. The oldest of the FF Fans are out of college, but still live with their parents. The FF Fan is now mainstream. He/her is not a nerd for using the Internet. The FF Fan even has a girlfriend. The FF Fan will create the new atomic bomb. The FF Fan resides in us all. After all, don't we all have a little bit of FF in us?

To answer your question, I don't know.

[Flying Mullet]

I agree that there are different types of Final Fantasy fans, much like there are different types of sports fans. For example, you have the "purists" who have played the series from the beginning and are appalled that the series sold out with Final Fantasy VII. Then you have those who learned of the series FFVII onward and love it and often get in fights with the purists as to what is good or bad about the series. And of course you have the bandwagon riders that love the latest game because all of their friends love it or they see tv commercials about it. But all in all I'm glad that there are different types of fans, because it makes discussing the games interesting and fresh.