ff12 the end? or a new(arguably horrible) beginning?

[Aphelion]

I think FFXII will be very entertaining. I'm expecting a 100-hour play time, lots of side-quests, a good story (not a great one, though) and a solid character development method (leveling-up weapon levels, for example). Trust me: innovation is a MUST in any RPG series.

[Sarkis]

the type of play that Final Fantasy XII is building up seems to be the similar to that of the greatest Squaresoft creation to date, Secret Of Mana, no random battles, AI characters etc. So how can anyone complain at all, i just hope that the AI characters dont get stuck all the time like in Secret of Mana when turning a corner. Those were the days.

I hope that it ends up a good thing. I fermly belive that FF12 stands on the edge this game will be a great sucess or a terrible failure. It's got alot rideing on it and Squar-enix has played with it alot thus far so nbody can say whats going to happen untill it happends. Im glad this topic is serving it's intended function. To bring to light the thoughts of board members regarding this terning point in final fantasy. I truly hope that ff12 shines through and proves to be the best ff to date but i am worryed my fears will be a reality and it will be a terrible game that will only please the gamers who play it simply becouse it says final fantasy. Oh well only time will tell.

[Cyraniel]

FFXI's story is better than a few offline FFs. Really, were games like the first FF and FFIV really that deep or complex for some of you? I understand that most people who "try" FFXI don't think it has a story because it doesn't start until you get to a decent level.

The "FF feel" is just something people use to complain why they think an FF sucks because it isn't exactly like their personal favorite FF. I think most FFs have gone through the "not an FF" slandering.

Everyone talks about how the new oldschool or whatever is like FF9, but I found it a complete mockery. It was like they through a bunch of garbage from older games in hoping some people would buy it just for the nostalgia. Many did, and that's all they get from it.

i reckon that if it stays the same then it will be stuck in a rut people always want new things so thats square is giving them like when X had a more japanese feel to it than the previous ones which had up to six had with a sort of european feel to it while VII had an anime feel to it VIII was the same then it went to the eurpean fantasy feel again then japanese haven't played XI so i don't know what the feels like. i really do think that XII will be good on no basis at all except that its an rpg series that has survived this long so thats worth my time

WTF?

EDIT: I'd also like to add that just like some supporters of the ATB system find the fighting in FF1-3, and 10 to be slow and unrealistic, some people find the ATB to be just the same. Also, what's wrong with FFX-2's battle system? It seems like Active Time Battle at it's climax.

That's just my 2 Gil and 50 GP...

[Mirage]

FFX-2 has the best battle system in any offline Final Fantasy. I'm also a fan of job systems. Those two things are the reason I still play and enjoy FFX-2. Battle mechanics are important for me.

Personally, I think FFXII will be great. As far as I've gathered, you will be able to get better at specific weapons, like in FFXI and FFII. That is a feature I like. It also looks like the battle system will be sort of a one-player version of the FFXI battle system. By that I mean auto attacking until a different command is done, then ordering the party members to use special abilities or protect themselves when needed.

I don't see a problem with fully customizable characters, as long as you can't change them whenever you want. If you look at for example Ragnarok Online and FFX's sphere grid (or even Esper bonuses in FFVI): You can build your characters however you like, but their build is more or less permanent (there are clear spheres, but it takes some time and effort to get enough of those). Another systems I like are job systems. A clearly defined role, but with the possibility to mix it with other jobs (White mage with black magic for offense, knights with the evade of a ninja). I prefer these two systems to materia/junction-like systems, even though I greatly enjoyed those too. It was just a bit silly that you could change a characters build and purpose completely by pressing like 4 buttons. What seems to be the characteristics for these groups are that in the first group, the characters get their strength from their bodies, while in the second, they get their strength from magical items and spiritual beings. I prefer "I'm strong because I train hard" to "I'm strong cause i have 1337 equips".

[trombonepirate23]

Don't forget that its usually the characters and story that makes a game great. At least for me. The only FF's I did not enjoy were the ones that had stupid characters. Basically only FFX-2. I hated the girly popstar princess theme of the game and I refuse to play it more than 15 minutes into it. I've watched my little brother play it and I despise it... Other than that my only complaint for the whole series was FFIX, which wasn't that bad of a game, but the silly stupid characters made it hard to get into.

Think FFVII (cloud, sephiroth), FFVIII (squall, seifer), FFX (seymour, auron), et cetera where the characters were awesome and you got totally into the story. So far FFXII looks to have the same immersing story and the same dark yet cool characters. I preordered mine and I can't wait.

As for the battle systems, they've changed every time. Even if this one is the farthest its ever been- so what? Assume for 10 seconds that the game coming out right now wasn't a FF game at all. You guys wouldn't be b1tching and whining! you'd be like "CRAP WHAT AN AWESOME GAME I CANT WAIT TO GET IT", but because its a FF game, there's a stigma, that it has to be a "certain way" for it to be acceptable and any change to the essential core of the game is highly unwelcome.

Anyways I can't wait.

[Lionx]

How does unique and inspiring characters make the game bad? >_> Its ilke Wind Waker but better. Freya was one of the best characters as well as Zidane and Vivi. Totally reminds you of old FFs.

[Sarkis]

I'll agree FF-X2 Did better in the battle area then most ff games did however the story sucked and it was way to short. I did like the dress systum it was a interesting look at the classic ff job systum but im very happy it's not a standered. Besides Not only was Vegnagun corny but way to easy.

[Vaprice]

Dear Sarkis,
Hopefully you will respond to this, but you said that FFXI and FFXII is not a Final fantasy game......well then How do you KNOW what a Final fantasy game is?

FFVIII-futuristic FFVII-still semi-futuristic FFIX-related back to the original versions.

How can one define a FF game?

SQUARENIX IS JAPANESE!!!! Which means they're going through his whole faze of "OOO JPOP?!!!! I wanna make a character like Se7en!" Is there something wrong if the main character looks somewhat like a girly man?!?! Nuuuuuu~ I think we should give this game a chance, I expect this to be a good game, a very good game, with a new battle system unlike all the other ones *except for FFXI*

I find this game as well as FFVII: Advent Children FFVII: Dirge of Cerberus and many more of the FF's to be GREATS amoung the gaming industry!!!! rwar!

[neverforgetthem625]

I don't think anyone should be judging this game before they try it.

I think it will be a great game, and the only thing 'non-FF-ish' about it to me is the lack of random battles and the no-romance storyline. I think the romance aspect of the game between the lead male and female characters made FF a better game to me.

Everyone has their own opinion about FF that will probably change with each FF game you play. I used to think FFIX was the best FF ever made till I played X.

To make an good game, Square Enix has to keep up with every other RPG that's out there constantly changing the market. I mean, how many FF gamers have tried another RPG between FF games? A lot. SO if all they did was add new characters with a new storyline, we would have carbon copies of every single FF.

All in all, just give it a chance before you condemn it. Who knows, you might like it.

[Sarkis]

[QUOTE=Vaprice]Dear Sarkis,
Hopefully you will respond to this, but you said that FFXI and FFXII is not a Final fantasy game......well then How do you KNOW what a Final fantasy game is?

FFVIII-futuristic FFVII-still semi-futuristic FFIX-related back to the original versions.

How can one define a FF game?

SQUARENIX IS JAPANESE!!!! Which means they're going through his whole faze of "OOO JPOP?!!!! I wanna make a character like Se7en!" Is there something wrong if the main character looks somewhat like a girly man?!?! Nuuuuuu~ I think we should give this game a chance, I expect this to be a good game, a very good game, with a new battle system unlike all the other ones *except for FFXI*
QUOTE]


I never said FFXII Wasent Final fantasy i just said that based on what i know about the game it's a step in the wrong direction. Whats the point of an RPG without Random battles? now it's just an action adventure game. I dont realy want to play Devil may cry meets FF. Action adventure is nice But i play Final fantasy becouse it has allways been a great RPG game. Inovation is great i just fear there changeing to much. I blame Enix i personaly feel they shouldent be aloud anyware near Final fantasy they should leave it to Square soft. But im sure enix hs there team working with the FF team to make the next line of games. forgive me if it's a little xenophobic in a way but i dont want there "new ideas" poluting FF's quality. For example no random battles, what the hell is that?

As to it being a japanese franchise and thus suffering from a nasty pop band craze you are correct, i feel thats exactly whats happening. I dont mind Pretty boy heros but this guy........if you will excuse my vulger analogy he looks like some kind of porn star. IMO this charicter has no class, perhaps they will make up for that with a good personality but if hes anything like Tidus you can forgit that.
Lets face it pop stars do not make good models for fantasy hero's.
How meny of you would like to see one of the members of N'Sync swing around a sword and takeing don monsters? it's a comical thought but not a serius one, But i guess thats a more amarican point of veiw and thus completly out of any of our hands.

As to Final fantasy XI not being a FF game well it is and it isent. I never said it wasent Final fantasy I just said it shouldent have a Number it's not an RPG and there for falls into the same area as Final fantasy tactics and mystic quest. Both great games......ok Final fantasy tactics is a great game FF Mystic quest is just and example. :rolleyes2 but thats what i ment. Final fantasy 11 is a MMORPG and is there for a spin off of the Final fantasy games. they gave it a number to sell more copys, not that it realy would have mattered. If they had called it Final fantasy Online it would have sold just as well in amarica at lest. From what i can tell it wasent very well recived in japan when it first came out but since it's been out there for what 2 years now? It's become alot more populer there as well as here and in Europe.

As to Advant Children and Dirge of Cerberus i can only pray they dont mess those up im realy lookinfg forword to them. If they have the origenal FF7 team working on it then we have nothing to worry about But if anybody else is on the job i would save my mony and wait to see what happends. they allready botched one movie, oh the horror of spirits within.

[GooeyToast]

I think FF12 is gonna be the fresh new thing that rpg fans everywhere are looking for.

[Croyles]

change is squares motto. they said from the first few games that no new final fantasy will be like the other, ruling out certain typical final fantasy things of course, chocobos and the like. Which i think is much better than recycling the same game play like capcom did with resident evil before 4 came out. I still love those games though!

[Rengori]

Capcom and Koei are notorious for recycling games.

[Lionx]

FFXI has a very involving storyline...is FFX not an FF because its turnbased? Or os FFVII not one because it uses the old Speed highest goes first like in FF1? =/ Its still FF as long as it has the name..cept Mystic Quest...that one was just...wtf were you thinking!?

[crashNUMBERS]

I still have high hopes for this game!! What do you think lionx??