Saving the Final Fantasy series.

[Rezfon]

I don't really class them as final fantasy anymore. Sure they have the name but it's not the same people making the game and quite frankly it shows (see FFX-2 or FFXII)

Or FFX! Oh wait, scratch that, FFX was quite good.

FFX was the last one made before the creators left so thats why

 

[Arsen]

The fact that the final fanrtasy series is constantly being reinvented shows that it's always changing. It doesn't need saving because it's practically a self sustaining trademark, the name alone brings in the money. Anyone who complains about Final Fantasy not needing change needs to replay the games and reanalize themselves as a fan.

Have you EVER played FFT or FF6?

 

[santaandy]

I agree, the FF series does not need saving. Tweaking, perhaps, but not saving. I am interested in FFXIII and looking forward to seeing what it will bring.

 

[-Seraph-]

The fact that the final fanrtasy series is constantly being reinvented shows that it's always changing. It doesn't need saving because it's practically a self sustaining trademark, the name alone brings in the money. Anyone who complains about Final Fantasy not needing change needs to replay the games and reanalize themselves as a fan.

Have you EVER played FFT or FF6?

Yes I have, whats your point. All i am saying is people should't complain about change and that it canbe a real good thing. No other franchise that I know of has reinvented itself so many times.

 

[anti_strunt]

...constantly evaluate your brand loyalty...

Better yet: never develop one in the first place. It's pretty darn stupid, after all.

 

[Arsen]

The fact that the final fanrtasy series is constantly being reinvented shows that it's always changing. It doesn't need saving because it's practically a self sustaining trademark, the name alone brings in the money. Anyone who complains about Final Fantasy not needing change needs to replay the games and reanalize themselves as a fan.

Have you EVER played FFT or FF6?

Yes I have, whats your point. All i am saying is people should't complain about change and that it canbe a real good thing. No other franchise that I know of has reinvented itself so many times.

What I am saying is that they stuck to certain time periods, therefore becoming more authentic worlds instead of this "let's make some wacky setting" shit Square-Enix has been doing as of late.

This isn't change, this is digression.

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

Am I going to need to do a fully researched piece to prove that FFXII has a more authentic world than any Final Fantasy other than Tactis (they were designed by the same guy)?

Fine, I guess I'll get to that. Keep a weather eye on the forums children.

 

[Sasha Janre]

I'm also confused as to why people hate FFXII so much. Yeah you 'could' let the gambits do everything for you, but I never did that. It was nice having the other two characters be able to automatically heal/revive someone who died (this was invaluable when doing those harder hunts, like the wyrm in the paramina rift, gilgamesh, or the hell wyrm .. the marathon battles where your mist attacks didn't do enough damage) so that was nice. It was easy to lose the story if you paused for too long and did hunts like I did, but the characters were real, and it didn't have an ending where it forced characters into pairings. People more or less went back to what they were doing before, or found a new purpose.

I enjoyed it. Sure it might not be fantastic in everyone's eyes, but it wasn't a bomb, either. Hell, I even liked Vaan; I understood where he was coming from. He was rather overshadowed by Balthier's charisma and Basch's ...well Basch, but still, the cast worked well and the voice acting is the best I've ever heard in a game.

Going on topic though, I'm with the others who say the series doesn't need saving, but tweeking in various areas. Keep experimenting with the battle system, ease up on the stupid mini-gams and let us EXPLORE. That's what I really liked about FFXII (And KH1) was the ability to explore the worlds we were plopped into. Granted, the Pharos is the worst offender for being too damn long to get through, but ... lots of fun running around exploring the areas.

I like the games. They're about the only games I can consistently play well and finish, so i like them for that. The stories are fascinating no matter what direction they go in and I'll buy the three versions of FFXIII (the main game, Versus, and Agito for the PSP) so .. yeah. Not really going to change my mind on that.

Jeebus. This post got really long ... XD;

 

[Mr.Pandah]

If anyone honestly thinks anything past FF9 is worthy to stand next to the previous titles...then they are probably below the age of sixteen, love J-Pop Anime, or were introduced to the FF series from anything past 9, or have exceptionally horrible taste in story structure, mood, and plot development.

This is not a good avenue for the series to take, it lacks the straightforward Good versus Evil aspect that made the others so prevelant. Not too mention the characters all look like they've just stepped out of some ecstacy ridden rave concert with the pacifiers in their mouths.

Apologies for enjoying a video game. I'll be sure to talk to you the next time I decide I want to have fun.

 

[Bob_F_It]

Save? It needs saving? Sorry, but please point me to a link or even a magazine that says that the series is on a sucking spree. Also, the official definition of a recession is two consecutive quarters of negative growth.

The other thing I'd also say is

They changed it, now it sucks

is a fucking annoying attitude which is the polar opposite of inovation.

 

[Arsen]

Save? It needs saving? Sorry, but please point me to a link or even a magazine that says that the series is on a sucking spree. Also, the official definition of a recession is two consecutive quarters of negative growth.

The other thing I'd also say is

They changed it, now it sucks

is a fucking annoying attitude which is the polar opposite of inovation.

It's one thing if you keep the essential elements which made the series good in the first place, but this isn't innovation it's quantity over quality. Now we have an entire generation of kids growing up that don't even know the origins to the series and if they do, they rarely consider it to the be the pinnacle of the series.

 

[Arsen]

Sorry, but just because it is "new" and what you consider innovation doesn't automatically qualify it for the term. Many, many fans have left the games that were fans of previous installments due to these lack of elements, lack of solid architecture within the worlds, etc.

Face it, they are lesser forms of the series. Compare anything past 8 to FFT, FF6, and FF7. You will see a MAJOR drop in quality.

 

[bazookabob]

A little less androgyny would be nice. XII is by far the worst offender for this. I'm not asking for all the men to be gigantic mountains of muscle or for the women to all have gigantic chests that are guaranteed to cause their spines to give out in about five years and dress like prostitutes. I'm just asking for characters that people can relate to that look, dare I say it, some what normal. I find it hard believe that almost every male in Japan looks like they could be mistaken for a female by an observer who isn't intoxicated.

Note: This does not apply to the animal-like humanoid characters, I doubt most people consider a six foot six walking female rabbit human a normal sight.

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

Sorry, but just because it is "new" and what you consider innovation doesn't automatically qualify it for the term. Many, many fans have left the games that were fans of previous installments due to these lack of elements, lack of solid architecture within the worlds, etc.

Face it, they are lesser forms of the series. Compare anything past 8 to FFT, FF6, and FF7. You will see a MAJOR drop in quality.

No you won't, you will see a rise in Over Production... there's a difference. And this trend STARTS with VII, come on now, FMV, Minigames up the yin-yang, a plot that is ADMITIDLY more anime influenced than any other Final Fantasy before it... yeah.

 

[Arsen]

Sorry, but just because it is "new" and what you consider innovation doesn't automatically qualify it for the term. Many, many fans have left the games that were fans of previous installments due to these lack of elements, lack of solid architecture within the worlds, etc.

Face it, they are lesser forms of the series. Compare anything past 8 to FFT, FF6, and FF7. You will see a MAJOR drop in quality.

No you won't, you will see a rise in Over Production... there's a difference. And this trend STARTS with VII, come on now, FMV, Minigames up the yin-yang, a plot that is ADMITIDLY more anime influenced than any other Final Fantasy before it... yeah.

So what you are telling me is that you view everything past seven to the pinnacle's of the Final Fantasy universe over it's predecessors?

Not that the extra features aren't nice, but just because it "looks better" and may have more side quests doesn't qualify it as being superior.

 

[Bob_F_It]

Save? It needs saving? Sorry, but please point me to a link or even a magazine that says that the series is on a sucking spree. Also, the official definition of a recession is two consecutive quarters of negative growth.

The other thing I'd also say is

They changed it, now it sucks

is a fucking annoying attitude which is the polar opposite of inovation.

It's one thing if you keep the essential elements which made the series good in the first place, but this isn't innovation it's quantity over quality. Now we have an entire generation of kids growing up that don't even know the origins to the series and if they do, they rarely consider it to the be the pinnacle of the series.

Ok, so if I get my son Super Mario Galexy, am I suddenly obliged to dart around car boot sales looking for a SNES. There also doesn't appear to be a problem with keeping with the [a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Final_Fantasy_I_and_II_(compilations)"]origins[/a].

Sorry, but just because it is "new" and what you consider innovation doesn't automatically qualify it for the term. Many, many fans have left the games that were fans of previous installments due to these lack of elements, lack of solid architecture within the worlds, etc.

Face it, they are lesser forms of the series. Compare anything past 8 to FFT, FF6, and FF7. You will see a MAJOR drop in quality.

You're starting to sound like a fanboy. I will also cite FFX as one of the high points of the series. That was the second-to-last original game of the main series.

 

[Sylocat]

So what you are telling me is that you view everything past seven to the pinnacle's of the Final Fantasy universe over it's predecessors?

Rule #1 of The Escapist: Anyone who likes anything I don't like is a fanboy.

 

[Galletea]

I didn't like 12. It was beige and uninspiring. Maybe I could've forgiven the lesser woes if it were not for the terrible pacing of the story. I like all the others except X-2, and I hope that they get it right this time.
I'm happy for them to change whatever they like as long as the pace of the story keeps me interested. It looks more colourful than XII so it's already an improvment.