FFIX=rushed?

[crazybayman]

This was a great game, and I was so pleased to see FF go back to a medieval theme.

However, the 2 main things I would have liked to seen done better was:

1. I found it hard to take it seriously. Steiner was a complete moron. He was a knight, I would have liked to see more knight-worthy qualities, like thinking for himself, and acting in the best interest of EVERYONE. I know he provided comic relief, but the whole stubborn (and blind) loyalty to the clown-queen and princess became annoying. Bawling out "PRINCESS!!!!" when they were undercover was annoying, and not particularly funny.

And then Quina......my god.......big, fat, annoying retard. I didn't ever use IT when I had a choice.

2. Trance could have been done better. It actually played NO role in my playthrough, because it used to kick in at the most unuseful times. Never during a boss fight, when my HP was down and I needed it the most, but rather against some plant that was almost dead anyways.

The goods outweigh the bads by far in this game, I just decided to list the 2 main things that could have been done better. The fact that Zidane actually acted like the confident, breathing, male hero that he actually was, was great. As well, I loved the medieval theme. It was refreshing after the futuristic angst in FFVII and FFVIII. A great throwback to the first generation games.

[Cid Vicious]

What should've been improved?And how the hell were they going to improve it? People don't like it because they got stuck on the whole futuristic view that when FFIX came out with this more medieval look, they thought it sucked. The battle system was the same. The story had just as much depth as the others. Nothing was held back in this game. Only gamers and their thoughts that it sucked just because it was different form the newer FFs. They did all they could: the cut scenes were magnificent and beautiful, the abilities and side quests were kept you busy and gave you very good items and weapons, there is nothing to complain about. Another reason some people didn't like it was because there were different races where in FFVII and FFVIII there were pretty much just humans. The fact is, Square pulled out all the stops while it's the gamers and their views that made the game seem bad.

I agree with this post.

[Fantasy Fan]

A surge of emotion can bring great strength.

That's one part I wasn't so keen on. Why on Earth would you use a surge of emotion against a bug or a plant? Nine times out of ten the Trance thing was wasted, that annoyed me.

I liked the game but found the battle system really sluggish, there was a good long gap between the time you pressed X to attack and when the character actually moved.

but the Trance bar doesn't fill up instantly, you have to wait a while, and the most common time it happens is boss battle. Which makes sense.

[Heero Yuy NWZC]

You might not've liked trance because you didn't use it responsibly. You just trained and leveled up and crap without taking to consideration your trance gauge. If you watched that while training or getting through an area that would most likely have a a boss at some point, you could've prolonged its activation and thus could've used it later on. Not my problem you don't care or use it right. Its yours.

[boys from the dwarf]

FF9 rushed? thats rubbish. im sure there could have been minor improvements but FF9 is the best game i have ever played. if you say the storyline has been rushed i may have to kill you. its got good mystery and as ive said many a time before, garland on the pandemonium and the "your not alone!" scene are probbably the best scenes on any game. the storyline is better than a lot of books and films ive read and seen. the gameplay was good and i loved the characters and battle system and choice of abilities. i like the characters having fixed ability sets. im not against the job system, in fact thats a big reason FF5 is one of my favourite FFs. i guess the gameplay could have been minorly adjusted but id barely notice the difference. FF9 is a great game and if it was rushed, its the best rushed game ever.

[grimloch]

You might not've liked trance because you didn't use it responsibly. You just trained and leveled up and crap without taking to consideration your trance gauge. If you watched that while training or getting through an area that would most likely have a a boss at some point, you could've prolonged its activation and thus could've used it later on. Not my problem you don't care or use it right. Its yours.

How would I do so? Going out of my way to time a "surge of emotion" is bothersome. The Trance was a nice idea but was fairly badly executed.

On the subject of rushing things though, Amarant definitely needed more fleshing out. Even a little sidequest or backstory would have been allright. That's the only rushed thing that springs to mind off the top of my head.

[Fantasy Fan]

You might not've liked trance because you didn't use it responsibly. You just trained and leveled up and crap without taking to consideration your trance gauge. If you watched that while training or getting through an area that would most likely have a a boss at some point, you could've prolonged its activation and thus could've used it later on. Not my problem you don't care or use it right. Its yours.

How would I do so? Going out of my way to time a "surge of emotion" is bothersome. The Trance was a nice idea but was fairly badly executed.

On the subject of rushing things though, Amarant definitely needed more fleshing out. Even a little sidequest or backstory would have been allright. That's the only rushed thing that springs to mind off the top of my head.

yeah, I mean one powerful attack just when you're about to die to finish off a foe is much better isn't it?

[LunarWeaver]

yeah, I mean one powerful attack just when you're about to die to finish off a foe is much better isn't it?

Yes, I hate the Trance system.

I'm not sure I'd say the game was rushed... Its environments and CG are beautiful, and plentiful...The towns were big, the effects were flashy, the story was good... Heck the battle screen looks so good it takes 20 minutes just to load it.

I suppose like any game they couldn't fit all the things they wanted into it... But I don't see Square necessarily rushing a Final Fantasy game either. The ps2 was looming though, so it's possible... but didn't this start production soon after VIII's production began, both at the same time? That's rumor-speak though, I don't really know... But if that is the case that's quite a while.

Plus, I think this one has awesome music too... Many prefer the other's music over this one, but something about it always sticks with me. When I hear the battle theme I feel the need to go pwn somebody.

Overall, I can't imagine being happier with it I suppose... Maybe if Zidane had more then a few skills that were good *cough* but that's minor.

[eestlinc]

well, it does seem like the designers kinda rushed through the last section of the game. For example, they should have made you fight all four shrine guardians with two party members each.

I still think it's a great game though.

[J.Raven]

One thing apart from the missing kissing scenes was the trance. If it came up just as the battle ended, tough luck, that trance would have to be worked up again.

Although FF7 didn't have this problem, I got real bored with it that I stopped halfway at Disc 1. FF9 kept me going all the way to the end. Rushed or not I think they did a pretty good job with the story. When the game ended, I felt the story was so rich it deserved a sequel. That's what I just want to remember it as. FF9 was my first console and first RPG game ever. And it was jackpot first time I played it.

My expectations of a good final fantasy story must have been set high otherwise I wouldn't have gotten bored of FF7.

[Bart's Friend Milhouse]

It could of been a lot better, and I the reason they rushed it

I think I might agree with you here. The game did seem to hit the same routine at the Disc 3 point. New Dungeon - Boss, New Dungeon - Boss, New Dungeon - Boss. I can't even think which boss went with which dungeon. The battle system for me was way out of 7 and 8's league (eg the more experienced players and those who understood the battle system didn't have the chance to abuse it).
But most people who post here seem to have liked it and would probably disagree with me and I think that is what matters in the end. Pleasing the majority

[-N-]

For example, they should have made you fight all four shrine guardians with two party members each.

ding

It wasn't a rushed game, but it was in a different style. I really disliked it the first time I played, but I revisited it again six months ago and I appreciated it much more. Regardless, even when I disliked it I wouldn't attribute it to the game being rushed, I would attribute it to the developers trying different things that I wasn't down with; that's all. However, I do think it rocks pretty hard now.

And if you want to manipulate Trance, just equip High Tide and adjust your Spirit.

[Tainted Angel]

This was a great game, and I was so pleased to see FF go back to a medieval theme.

However, the 2 main things I would have liked to seen done better was:

1. I found it hard to take it seriously. Steiner was a complete moron. He was a knight, I would have liked to see more knight-worthy qualities, like thinking for himself, and acting in the best interest of EVERYONE. I know he provided comic relief, but the whole stubborn (and blind) loyalty to the clown-queen and princess became annoying. Bawling out "PRINCESS!!!!" when they were undercover was annoying, and not particularly funny.

Some Knights from the Empire of Man (Warhammer Fantasy) might also be as stupid. MIGHT.

And then Quina......my god.......big, fat, annoying retard. I didn't ever use IT when I had a choice.

I never liked her and always has the formation based around 'trying to keep the weirdone away from other characters. She's useful, the frog sidequest is nice (free ethers and potions).

2. Trance could have been done better. It actually played NO role in my playthrough, because it used to kick in at the most unuseful times. Never during a boss fight, when my HP was down and I needed it the most, but rather against some plant that was almost dead anyways.

There is a learned ability to quicken trance and I usually played through and kept seperate save points. hell.. once I even kept random battling to get near a trance for three of my charcters in burmecia before the first Beatrix battle.

But yes.. a 'not this battle' system where trance is reserves for two battles would have been nice.

[Fantasy Fan]

all the FF Knights/Warriors/Fighters are stupid. Just watch 8-Bit theater. You'll know what I mean.

[crazybayman]

all the FF Knights/Warriors/Fighters are stupid. Just watch 8-Bit theater. You'll know what I mean.

I've watched it. I don't think the creators had that in mind when the games were created.

And the FF1 fighter/knight didn't have a personality. None of them did.

Saying that ALL FF Knights/Warriors/Fighters are stupid is a bit of a generalization. Tidus, Auron, Squall, Cloud, Cyan, etc weren't bumbling fools. No one was like Steiner. When I first saw the game, I just hoped Steiner wouldn't be a complete tool. But he was. Like no-one else in FF history .

Some Knights from the Empire of Man (Warhammer Fantasy) might also be as stupid. MIGHT.]

Again, not like Steiner was.