You're Wrong!

[Alexander]

And Selphie and Irvine?

Plus, Edea wasn't developed. She just changed because Ultimecia wasn't in her anymore. And Fujin and Raijin don't change. Raijin said they are with Seifer. Always. So, if they seem more mature, that's because Seifer changed.

And Zell's change was so minimal that doesn't even count. IIRC he didn't even get sad.

I think what people fail to understand about the supporting playable characters in FF8 is that all of them, save Quistis, are mainly designed to add comic relief to the game. Zell is the outspoken, over energetic, testosterone pumped moron; Selphie is the sweet, happy-go-lucky yet psychopathic teenage girl and Irvine is the visually appeasing sexual deviant. None of these characters were supposed to provide any serious depth to the game, so should really be considered in the same manner that Quina is in FF9. Quistis, being a more serious character, is developed to a certain extent. Unfortunately, due to the early appearance of Rinoa in the game, all of her development had to be dealt literally in the first few hours of gameplay. There is brief evidence later that she has changed, but since it is no longer of relevance to the game it is only mentioned in passing. Fujin and Raijin do change towards the end of the game, they realize that no matter how important it was to maintain there “posse”, it wasn’t worth becoming what Seifer had turned into. As for Edea, even though she didn’t really change her personality, I think the tragedy of what had fallen upon her made her far more interesting than anything she ‘learned’ from the experience. The whole “Sacrificing herself in order to keep Ultimecia away from her orphans” thing made her at least a very virtuous character. Headmaster Cid may not have been the most interesting character (unless you count his uncanny resemblance to Robin Williams), yet he too was developed quite significantly during the game. He starts as the usually “authority” figure, but then you begin to realize that he has no real power over the Garden. I found his reasons for creating Garden most interesting, as was his dealings with Gardenmaster Norg. Character development doesn’t necessarily involve the characters changing (e.g. all of the characters in The Glass Menagerie, Shinji Ikari in Evangelion etc.), it sometime just means an examination of a character’s background.

I've always known that, and I've never liked that. I want characters with development in FF, if you're going to see them a lot in the plot.

And I've never complaint about Edea, huh u.u

And Shinji Ikari is a piece of crap. 'Nuff said.

And I won't post here anymore. No one posted why they dislike some FF, everyone here is proving me "wrong" because I said what I think. u__u

[RedCydranth]

Wow... I can't believe this in in comparison... FFIX has WAY more character development than VIII. Zidane's inner struggle to love Garnet (someone above typoed Garret twice, leading me to believe they are either a fool, or are consistant with typoes), His hatred for Kuja, but the realization that he's his brother factors in. Also the interaction he has with Vivi, Steiner, Amarant and Freya are more than Squall has with the rest of his team. Steiner has his loyalty to Brahne wash away when she dies, causing him to lose focus on whats important in life. He was forced to realize that he has been a tool for the queen and not a person with his own emotions for so long and that once he comes to grips with these newly found emotions he starts to feel a care and devotion to Beatrix. Vivi has a real identity crisis because he looks at everyone else and notices no one looks like him, he cant remember any semblance of childhood and wants to know where he came from. When he finds out that he's destined to just stop he becomes depressed that he isn't what everyone else is. But with the help of Garnet, he soon relaizes that he may be different, but he can still live a useful life, while he still has it. He realizes that his friendships he has made make him more special than any others of his kind and that fuels his emotions throughout the rest of the game. Garnet has been pampered and protected all her life and everyone sees her as a feeble princess, but what she desires is to be her own person, so she escapes the castle with tantalus and realizes just how sheltered her life was. She sees the views that people have towards her family and realizes that her mother isn't as beloved as everyone had told her. She also has to come to grips that her mother wasn't her mother and that she was a summoner much like Eiko. Her interactions with Eiko bring her to face the reality of who she truly is and that her priorities lay with helping the people of her country. Freya is in search of her long lost love and she will do anything to find him. Once she does, and she finds out that his amnesia forces him to not remember her at all, she becomes lost. Her entire quest and life goal complete, but ruined at the same time, where does she go from here? What does one do when their goals in life are complete? Ultimately Freya decides to help Zidane with his life.

Eiko, Amarant and Quina's stories arent that developed but they are still better than FFVIII's. All of them except Squall, Rinoa and Laguna are bland and are virtually the same. "I'm an orphan, what ever shall I do?"

Even if you pull together decent stories for all the FFVIII characters, FFIX's characters stories are still more believable. Also, the interactions between the characters and the friendships that were created throughout IX were genuine and emotional. Squall wasn't friends with Zell, Selphie, Quistis or Irvine for quite a long time, they were just on assignment with him. Rinoa, he had a crush on, Seifer was his rival but also friend in some aspects. FFIX were a team of friends on a mission to discover themselves and life, similar to what we all as humans are. We all go through similar struggles as the characters of FFIX. Zidane tries to figure out the point of his life, don't we all? Garnet worries that she will not be who she always was and that once she becomes queen she will change. Sure we all arent gonna be kings and queens but we worry if we will change when we get a new job, or grow up (for when we were younger). Freya is scared that she will not be remembered after she dies, and we all want to make some impact on humanity before we pass. Vivi wonders the point of existance, as we do when we look up at the stars and think of the grand scheme. If the world is going to end at some point isn't everything we do pointless? If death is imminent, why do anything worthwhile in life? Steiner has a conundrum of figuring out his path, is it okay to do the same thing all the time? Often as people we get trapped in our own little anthill and we work so hard not realizing that there is so much more to life than what we do on a daily basis. Eiko just searches for acceptance. We all want to fit in somewhere, we eek our way through life looking for people and places where we feel accepted and welcome. And yes, Quina even has issues. Is it so bad to do what you want? Do you always have to do what others tell you to do? In life we can decide to make our own paths or follow ones set for us, neither choice is the easy one. FFIX is about life itself, each of the characters go through a series of questions that we all do at one point in our life. This is what sets FFIX so far above the other FF games in terms of realism. This is why I hold FFIX so dear to my heart.

[ThroneofDravaris]

And I won't post here anymore. No one posted why they dislike some FF, everyone here is proving me "wrong" because I said what I think. u__u

Actually, I’ve refuted a few people on there opinions o FF games here so far. The only difference is, you have continued to post, so you’ve provided me with more points to refute. And everyone here has posted an opinion on an FF game (Save DJZen *grumble*) its just that either I’ve already refuted the points they were making, or I agree with them. Please don’t think that people are merely against you, we’re just arguing the idea’s that are put forward that we disagree with. It’s just that most of them have come from you…

You’re right though, this thread has become WAY too much about FF8, or comparing FF8 with FF9. Maybe some more points on FFX, FF7 or any of the earlier games would be good. I know that lots of people had issues with X/X-2, and I have reasons why I think these issues are exaggerated…

[Alexander]

Well, since RedCydranth totally ended the comparision between FFIX and FFVIII (and he told the turth about FFIX *___*), I think someone will say something about another FF soon. If not, I myself say xD~

[theoryonlyworksintheory]

ff9 characters are more believable, a rat girl, a monkey clone, and some made up he/she are more believable? and Zidane has no inner struggle whatsoever to love Garnet
Squall has been haunted all his life by abandoment issues from his childhood and not knowing his parents he loathes himself and completely isolates himself. He's forced into a leadership role he doesn't want. Then he sees the person the abandoned him while he was child and then she disappears just as quickly, obviously he has problems in the beginning of the game. He goes through a major change through the game. He meets Rinoa and finally starts to warm up afterwhile. Then what happens she's possessed and he feels its them against the world. HIS inner struggle to love Rinoa is won and for a very short amount of time he has to deal with the fact that he might have to fight against the very people that he has become friends with to save the one he loves. He and Rinoa clearly have alot of turmoil in Disc 3 over the possession, it's them against almost everyone else, and i know there's alot more i'm forgetting
Rinoa has problems with the family, being devastated about her mother's death and her father's attitude of ignorance about her. She barely has anyone until Squall comes along. She goes through alot of agony because of Squall's whatever attitude and then is possessed. She has to deal with all the problems that encompasses including her thought that she might be killed by the person she desperately loves.
Edea obviously has to deal with her actions when she was possessed and the people she killed. Deep inner turmoil that one.
Cid has to watch his wife like this.
Zell has to deal with being adopted when he thought his parents in Balamb were his biological ones.
Laguna probably changes the most. Having to deal with a war and losing his closest friends for years. Then falling in love with Raine who is adamant to not feel the same way. Having to deal with Elle being Kidnapped and the thought that he might have prevented it. Raine dying. Being captured in Esthar. Then having to deal with the pressures of being a president, and Squall has way more of an interaction and connection.
Seifer has to deal with his inadequacies as a student and Seed and takes it out in rebellion he feels lost and is manipulated by Edea and then Ultemecia. i think that connects because haven't we all been lost and the love story obviously connects to people, this game is all about finding yourself I think and thats what most of us try to do our whole lives.
They were all together as children, orphans. They obviously binded. The opinion that monkey boy and co. are more believable is yours but i'd rather stick to mine. ff9 is mediocre. mediocre interactions, definetly mediocre story and script. That's what makes 8 so special the interactions and emotions and twisted storyline spanning 20 years of the game and many characters. Many other characters go through small changes that i haven't listed and many other emotions are expressed, i'm just not feeling that poetic and eloquent to day so i tried to right down the basics. Clearly you didn't you threw in your own speculation on life that has nothing to do with the game not that bothers me. More people should use their brains and express theirselves. Oh and what issues does quina have what to eat for dinner?

[RedCydranth]

Well, since RedCydranth totally ended the comparision between FFIX and FFVIII (and he told the turth about FFIX *___*), I think someone will say something about another FF soon. If not, I myself say xD~

I gain yet another faithful follower! LOL. I speak the truth always, my friend, its whether you want to be enlightened or not. Follow my words and the truth ye shall find.

Okay enough self lovin' for now. I think we should switch gears and compare earlier FFs.

QUESTION: Which was better? FFI or FFII. Why?

[Alexander]

Tie.

FFII has a fun level-up system, and magic in FFII is very fun as well.
Normal FFI system is fun, too, and White Mage x4 is a hell of a challenge \o\

FFII's storyline looks like Star Wars way too much, but FFI has a -oh so damn cheesy- plot. I mean, your PCs don't talk, not even once. XD

FFII has actual characters. XD~
FFI has a original plot. Even if it is a cheesy one. I -loved- the Chaoses.

I can't really decide which one is better. I prefer the original, and Origins' FFI over original and Origins' FFII, but DoS FFII just pwns DoS FFI in every way. XD

[Hroth]

I didn't bother finishing either FF1 or FF2 cause the story was way too hard to like, follow. I didn't know where to go and when so I just let it go for now. I think that FFVII really sucks. FFVII and FFX were both RPGs for the market and for more people to buy than for actual RPG fans. They were for wide audiences so the story didn't get too deep and the characters were sort of lacking. I did fall in love with Aerith but that is the only character I liked in that game. Square did make Aerith lovable so people would feel bad and hate Sephiroth for it but if you think of it, Square was trying too hard to make people hate Sephiroth: Burning down Nibelheim, Killing Aerith, Slashing Tifa etc etc. They wre trying to make it a game it actually wasn't. Now, I think many many many people think FFVI is the best because it is one of the only actual RPGs in the FF series, FFVII was for marketing, FFX and X-2 was as well and FFI was their first try so they couldn't really make it deeper as it was one of the first RPGs. FFVI and FFIX are somewhat underrated for their actual "RPGness", the FFIX character devellopement system is great, teaching them all these abilities and what not, making them stronger, equipping whatever you want in order to have that kind of power in a certain section of battle and what not. Also, the game is simply magical, I mean come on. It's like watching a Disney children's movie, it may sound dumb but when you were 4, it wasn't. Basically, FFIX is a Disney movie for older people who still have a heart. It is wonderful and the characters are really loveable, fine Quina sucks but whatever, all the others are. There is no reason to dislike FFIX, if you do you hate RPGs or you know nothing about them or the only other valuable reason not to like FFIX is not liking medieval scenes, which is weird but it's a matter of taste. FFVI has a beautiful mix of deep storyline with many branches and layers and a cast of loveable characters that kept you wanting to play, oh and Madonna was in it so come on. The character developement system in FFVI was great as well, you could have so many different combinations that would suit you however you'd want them and with so many characters, there was really no way to be bored. So basically, I think FFVII is over-rated but was a good marketing option for Square. FFX and X-2 was a very good marketing option and a good first look at next-generation FFs. And I think that FFVI and FFIX are real RPGs that, for that reason, dissuaded some people from playing them because it got too deep and too RPG for them. So these are my two cents.