You own Square-Enix: What's the next step for Final Fantasy?
- Thread starter SalamanderJoe
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This, so much this.King Toasty said:
Personally if I was somehow put in charge, FF would be scrapped, maybe there'd be a FINAL game (or two) that kills everyone off to appease the continuists.
Well, while I think it over, I guess that first I'd make a mix-n-match game, where you could choose what parts of the games you liked and combine them. Like, let's say the battle system from 12, some characters from any previous versions, etc.
Stop making Final Fantasy Characters Agnsty Teenager's Who are Undernourished and oh what ever! Keep making them! Means more Money for me.
Honestly, I'd probably go back to the old RP games coz I honestly have far too much fun making characters.
...I'd make movies too...
...I'd make movies too...
id release Kingdom Hearts 3 for the 360.
OT: I would get rid of the retarded characters and mechanics and go back to basics. like way basic like ff1 basic. with the job system of tactics. Yes. then roll in money.
OT: I would get rid of the retarded characters and mechanics and go back to basics. like way basic like ff1 basic. with the job system of tactics. Yes. then roll in money.
I would not release FFXIV on PS3 and start on FFXV. I'd hire some western writers and game developers to help me breathe new life into a tired and aging JRPG formula. Then I'd make the story coherent and make all the characters have real personalities and look like they didn't all wake up with bedhead and put some jell in it. Oh, and I'd also put the rest of the budget into making Just Cause 3 the best game ever!
Make it less linear, more cities more explorable a few more side quests. Allow full control of your party, 4 people in a party if possible, medieval setting, less whining people (relegate to minor characters if possible) , add when possible a super sane party member (i.e one who shoots the villain in the leg and then begins asking question rather than ask the villain how to stop them after they activate the macguffin after a lengthy questioning session) . Also make the turn based combat more strategic by adding new things if possible.
I would make FFXV the last FF game. The setting would be subdivided into 20 Kingdom Hearts-sized areas, 15 main and 5 optional, that (save the wholly original last level) serve as tributes to each of the main series games and to each spin-off series. Battle system would be non-random encounters and turn-based, mixing the best of classic and modern. It should give most FF fans a warm, fuzzy wave of nostalgia and hopefully grant them a satisfying farewell.
Then I'd start a new IP because not enough AAA game companies have been doing that recently.
Then I'd start a new IP because not enough AAA game companies have been doing that recently.
Hmmm... My Next Step for Final Fantasy. The series really has gone downhill since Square merged with Enix and half the original development team quit (FFX and beyond).
First off, I would go back over the old games and see what magic systems people liked the best, and what was the most effective. My own personal favorites are Magicite (FF6) and Materia (FF7) combined with spells at certain levels (FF4). None of these systems are overly complex or confusing, which is good. Perhaps a hybridization of all three has potential.
Tied into the Magic system is the Summons. Should only certain characters or classes/jobs (more on those later) be allowed to use summons, or should everybody? Should they Persist? Limiting it to certain characters or jobs allows for more character variety, while allowing every character to do it lets you use favorite characters rather than forcing a player to use a character for specific abilities.
Combat System. Oy... here's the big one. Personally, I think the classic FF combat system hit it's peak with FFX. That said, I would try to go for something similar to the Combat system of Chrono Trigger. No special screen if possible, moving enemies, ability and magic combos, and a smooth pace only marginally slowed for the bigger or longer spells and abilities. The ATB gauge can be replaced by the "who's next" window FFX had. Just try to keep it simple for players to learn by gradually introducing mechanics, but not SO gradually that you are still getting tutorials halfway through the game (I'm looking at you, FF13).
Pigeon-holing characters into only being able to use one type of weapon is terrible and it needs to stop. It leads to silly shit like looking for the latest model of combat glove or the Special Walking Stick Of The Gods. I mean, really guys? Every combat archetype or job needs at least two kinds of equip-able weapon, from Spiked Gauntlets to Cestus to claws to swords (there's LOTS of kinds of swords out there!) and knives, bows and crossbows to staves, rods and wands. Also, in this day and age, I don't think it's too much to ask that each weapon gets a different graphic or some kind of visual effect to go with it (Lightning Sword can look the same as a Longsword, just with arcs of electricity or sparks or something). The weapons and armor available can drastically effect character roles as well.
As for story and world... I'm all about exploring and side quests along with steady plot advancement. The ability to backtrack to certain or most areas is nice too. Fighting some gnarly monster on top of a mountain that you didn't necessarily NEED to climb for the extra awesome loot or Uber-spell is great.
Character development has gotten to be something of an issue for the FF series ever since Final Fantasy 7. Characters are getting more and more stereotypical (go cry emo kid, leave saving the world to somebody who gives a shit) and less engaging. People love Sabin and Edgar because they were interesting and funny. Locke was awesome because even though he had a tragic past and made mistakes, he didn't turn into a brooding pussy about it. Palom and Porom were good because thier chibi and loli wasn't pushed into your face in every dialog (and they save you from dying in the best manner ever). Alternatively, nobody gave a shit about Hope because he was constantly pushed in your face and utterly worthless for half the game. He went from a pity case to Real Damn Annoying very easily.
I'd go back to large open worlds full of spots to explore and check out. FF13's tunnel-vision gaming really... wasn't all that great for me. It showed a real lack of story-telling finesse, instead opting for railroading you into the story (such as it was).
So those are in my opinion the major fixes the FF series needs, or could benefit greatly from IMO, and where I would start.
First off, I would go back over the old games and see what magic systems people liked the best, and what was the most effective. My own personal favorites are Magicite (FF6) and Materia (FF7) combined with spells at certain levels (FF4). None of these systems are overly complex or confusing, which is good. Perhaps a hybridization of all three has potential.
Tied into the Magic system is the Summons. Should only certain characters or classes/jobs (more on those later) be allowed to use summons, or should everybody? Should they Persist? Limiting it to certain characters or jobs allows for more character variety, while allowing every character to do it lets you use favorite characters rather than forcing a player to use a character for specific abilities.
Combat System. Oy... here's the big one. Personally, I think the classic FF combat system hit it's peak with FFX. That said, I would try to go for something similar to the Combat system of Chrono Trigger. No special screen if possible, moving enemies, ability and magic combos, and a smooth pace only marginally slowed for the bigger or longer spells and abilities. The ATB gauge can be replaced by the "who's next" window FFX had. Just try to keep it simple for players to learn by gradually introducing mechanics, but not SO gradually that you are still getting tutorials halfway through the game (I'm looking at you, FF13).
Pigeon-holing characters into only being able to use one type of weapon is terrible and it needs to stop. It leads to silly shit like looking for the latest model of combat glove or the Special Walking Stick Of The Gods. I mean, really guys? Every combat archetype or job needs at least two kinds of equip-able weapon, from Spiked Gauntlets to Cestus to claws to swords (there's LOTS of kinds of swords out there!) and knives, bows and crossbows to staves, rods and wands. Also, in this day and age, I don't think it's too much to ask that each weapon gets a different graphic or some kind of visual effect to go with it (Lightning Sword can look the same as a Longsword, just with arcs of electricity or sparks or something). The weapons and armor available can drastically effect character roles as well.
As for story and world... I'm all about exploring and side quests along with steady plot advancement. The ability to backtrack to certain or most areas is nice too. Fighting some gnarly monster on top of a mountain that you didn't necessarily NEED to climb for the extra awesome loot or Uber-spell is great.
Character development has gotten to be something of an issue for the FF series ever since Final Fantasy 7. Characters are getting more and more stereotypical (go cry emo kid, leave saving the world to somebody who gives a shit) and less engaging. People love Sabin and Edgar because they were interesting and funny. Locke was awesome because even though he had a tragic past and made mistakes, he didn't turn into a brooding pussy about it. Palom and Porom were good because thier chibi and loli wasn't pushed into your face in every dialog (and they save you from dying in the best manner ever). Alternatively, nobody gave a shit about Hope because he was constantly pushed in your face and utterly worthless for half the game. He went from a pity case to Real Damn Annoying very easily.
I'd go back to large open worlds full of spots to explore and check out. FF13's tunnel-vision gaming really... wasn't all that great for me. It showed a real lack of story-telling finesse, instead opting for railroading you into the story (such as it was).
So those are in my opinion the major fixes the FF series needs, or could benefit greatly from IMO, and where I would start.
I'd probably do just what they're doing: release a new game every few years, make it as beautiful as possible, come up with bizarre combat systems and minigames, in short just keep churning 'em out. When you have a franchise like Final Fantasy you keep making games, it's how you profit.
I've never been what you'd call a fan of the series but I've played a couple and liked them pretty well. I give Square credit for switching up their systems every time they make a game -- not every system works but it's a hell of a lot more original than the endless clone franchises like Madden.
Edit: And what the guy above me said.
I've never been what you'd call a fan of the series but I've played a couple and liked them pretty well. I give Square credit for switching up their systems every time they make a game -- not every system works but it's a hell of a lot more original than the endless clone franchises like Madden.
Edit: And what the guy above me said.
Sir John the Net Knight said:
there is nothing wrong with a different opinion, and I'll admit saying "kill the franchise" is a bit too far, but it has gone on for to long. and well...they just aren't very good "games" if they were movies, I could understand it.
and there is no such thing as 'antifanboyism' it's just called having a different view.