Jobs? Where did you go???

[NINJA_Ryu]

With the new release of FF5 and FF3 comin out soon, with FF67 at a later date, i must ask. Why the skip in the ability of jobs over FF4? Is it the story? Is it because it was meant (american version at least) to introduce new people to the game? Or was it simply a change of pace?

Answers and disscussion proceed!

[Evastio]

I'm guessing it was more for a change of pace.

[Kawaii Ryûkishi]

Restricting the party members to specific classes serves to make them more unique in battle. More importantly, when it's tied into the story, it even bolsters the depth of their character. They did the same thing with FFVI.

Would Lydia's role in the game's story be nearly as special if every character could be a summoner? Would it be nearly as memorable that Lock demands to be called a treasure hunter if everyone could be a thief? Why not just let everyone turn into a crazy pink Esper while you're at it?

[NINJA_Ryu]

Didnt know about FFVI one there, didnt play much of it. But the general consensus im ehearing is that they liked to shake it up a bit. To tie the charachters jobs more closely in with the story, and not as loose as in the FF before or after, am i right?

[Kawaii Ryûkishi]

Yes, prettymuch.

[Crossblades]

Every once in a while an FF game needs to have characters with fixed classes. It would make the story unique.

[feioncastor]

It's what makes FF4 so fun. You'll have a Black Magic user in your party for a while, and then right before a big boss fight, the mage will leave and you'll have to fight the boss without the black magic that you've become so dependant upon, mixing things up a bit.

[Sefie1999AD]

Having fixed classes also means you'll need to use all your characters and know how to use their special abilities. With fixed classes, you can't have a Juggernaut Tank character who deals 99,999 damage with his sword, takes 1 HP damage from every attack, can heal the party with Curaja and can cast Meteo and Bahamut, making the other characters pretty much useless. This not only makes your characters more individualistic (nobody is a carbon copy of one another), but it also adds challenge to the game.

[Ender]

Meh. As has been said, forcing your characters into one job facilitates storytelling. Rather than relying on a more general, heroes try to stop villain's scheme of destroying/taking over the world plot, you can actually drive the story with the characters. Indeed, I think many consider FFIV to have one of the best stories in the series.

But really it comes down to personal preference. In the FF series so far I've found I've enjoyed the extra dimension of customizing, "building" and experimenting with my characters over more restricted "interactive storytelling" like that found in FFIV. It's not that big a deal for me though; I do appreciate the change up--if the games all played the same they never would have gotten so many people to play all of them.

[Martyr]

If it's any help, people seem to think that FFIV and VI have the best storylines and character development, and this is definietlly one of the reasons.

Personally, I think that the best storyline and character development belongs to FF3, but I'm usually outvoted.

[Zechs]

Its a different approach to the games base. What is focused on in one may not be carried immediately by its predecessor, but may come back later. 1 (in a way), 3,5 and X2 only focused on job classes. The rest are implemented characters with their own personality and hence certain job titles issued.

[Kawaii Ryûkishi]

There's also the third type, in which there are no distinct jobs but every character can still do everything, such that the only real distinguishing characteristics between them are their Limit Breaks (or Limit Break equivalents).

[ValiantKnight]

1. Fixed but diff parties
2. Do anything
3. Jobs
4. Fixed
5. Jobs
6. Do anything but also kinda fixed a small amount I guess
7. Do anything
8. Do anything
9. Fixed mostly
10. Fixed til you get key spheres
T. Jobs
X2 ?


Something like that?

[Fatal Impurity]

Every once in a while an FF game needs to have characters with fixed classes. It would make the story unique.

so is this why FF10 has become so popular? if so how FF9 has gained its righteous place in the FF Hall of fame?

[bipper]

Jobs? Where did you go???

The economy went to [img]/xxx.gif[/img][img]/xxx.gif[/img][img]/xxx.gif[/img][img]/xxx.gif[/img] in a few games - Jobs were just hard to find.

I honestly agree that a class is a very descriptive element that is both fun to tweek your characters stats and even their attitudes in an role-playing sorta way. I do like the challenges put for in IV and the individualistic attributes played into VI, but I do love the job system - especially in V.

I do agree that the games are far better suited with a mixed approach, catering to different groups of fans at different times. It ads individuality to the game itself.