Ivalice Alliance

[FlippyD]

Ugh... Final Fantasy... It's dangerous to speak out against that golden cow, especually around here.

The Final Fantasy series... Really should have ended with VII. It was good, but then Square made too much money off of VII, the fans got rabid and it became an embarassment to call yourself a fan of Squaresoft products (instantly conjuring images of pimple-faced teenaged boys with long ugly piss yellow hair and tin-foil slabs of compensation posing with half-naked portly women in halter tops, straps and mini-skirts contorting 'V' with their fingers and wincing at greasy cameras.)

I still play FF games, I just don't let people know when I'm playing them. I find some enjoyment, but I don't see why people go completely batsh*t over the stuff. They're "ok" games, not great but "ok". They usually start off alright and end up slightly above average. Besides, the main FF production team isn't there anymore, they all left (apparently they were tired of FF too and wanted to pursue their own projects.)

Everyone has their own opinions about which FF games were good and which ones where bad. Here's my shopping list of the damned,

Good:
FF6, FF7, FF Tactics, FF Tactics Advanced, parts of 12 (I haven't finished it yet, and I don't think I ever will.)

FF1-5 are too old for me to play and really enjoy. I was weaned on Chrono Trigger. 8 was just a flashy game that took everything 7 did wrong and amplify it. 9 was good but... I felt Square's heart wasn't in it. 10 was too... Bright, colorful and soulless. 11 sucked... It's the worst MMO ever. It's like Square purposefully did everything you can do to make an MMO suck and did it. It's like a console RPG. MMORPGs work because they're designed like PC games. Why should I have to click my heels three times to attack anything? Why do I have to play with Japanese gamers? Why can't I choose what server to be on? Why can't I change my display settings? Why are the towns boring and dull in design when every other FF game has great backgrounds? What's the damn point behind Play Online and why is it necessary? Why can't I use WASD right out of the box or configure my keyboard to use it like any other MMO? Why when running the game on my shiny new Alienware PC does it look like a PSX era game? Why do you have to have a full party after level 10 to do anything? Why can't I play a moogle/Veera/Esper or any other race worth playing?

No, anyone who likes FFXI I'm convinced is more in love with console RPGs than MMOs. That said, there's nothing wrong with it, it's just that PSO did everything FFXI did before Square, and much better. Why should I use a half-baked ATB system in a real-time game setting?! GRRRRR Makes me so furious! And the fact that anyone who enjoys FFXI has always told me that they won't play WoW or Guild Wars because apparently they aren't able to make stupid asian style pseudo-medieval andyogynous dorks (though I'm sure there are intelligent FFXI players out there, if you want to prove me wrong please do so. I'll be more than happy to listen to how anyone could find any enjoyment in that game, cause I sure couldn't. And I played Maple Story.)

 

[Mega Flare]

Im probley one of the biggest PSO fans here but saying its better then FFXI? Thats just bull. PSO sucks. Its not good at all. All that it really had going for it that it was addictive. All PSO is pressing A over and over again. Okay now back on Subject. There is a Trailer for FFT for the PSP now. I would give the link but im to lazy to go get it. If you want it, Go to google. Then google news and search ether Final Fantasy Tactics or PSP

 

[Prexus]

Final Fantasy XI is regarded as having some of the best graphics of any other MMO. I think EvE Online won the award, with FFXI not far behind.

Your 'shiny new alienware PC' must not be as good as you thought.

 

[xmcdohlx]

Well, this topic is becoming very subjective, so don't get offended or anything. But IMO...Final Fantasy Tactics Advance SUCKS. BIG TIME. it was a total waste of money, its an insult to the original and glorious FFT.

I don't know why, I'm not a Nintendo basher (in fact I've been looking desperately for a Wii with not luck T.T), but ever since Square "left" Nintendo for PSX things really changed between Nintendo and Square, now Square-Enix. Where's the good old FF1-6, Chrono Trigger (don't like it very much, but I admit it's a great RPG with a solid fanbase), Sword of Mana, Super Mario RPG? Gone. Ever since Square-Enix started doing projects for Nintendo again they became...too simplistic and yes, kiddy. FF:CC and FFTA are a total disgrace to the FF series, I remember when I got FF:CC and went to test with some friends, we were like "hell yeah! FF multiplayer!" but we ended up extremely dissapointed. FF remakes on GBA pro tho =)

meh, enough ranting and wall of texts, but yeah ionno wtf is goin on with square-enix doin those kind of games for nintendo, and now making sequels for CC (4 DS AND WII) and FFTA2. *sigh*

 

[Prexus]

I think Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles was an amazing game. It was a bit repetitive, but lots of fun.

Although I do agree with you on Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. A total insult to the original. While I liked the wide variety of classes, the skill levelling system (pretty shamelessly stolen from Final Fantasy 9) was stupid. It discouraged you from selling old loot, which was almost necessary to be able to buy anything new. Also, having a Viera Red Mage different from a Human Red Mage, as far as what skills are available and what weapons give them to you, was a cop out. It could have been done nicely, by adding some sort of ultimate skill to each that was widely different from the other races, giving you a reason to ever level two difference races up, but they didn't do that.

 

[Mega Flare]

in FFTA there was not Human Red Mage. And who sells there equipment in RPGS? in about 90% of all RPGs i play i still have all the equipment that i bought

 

[xmcdohlx]

News on FFT PSP:
http://pspupdates.qj.net/Jump-Festa-trailer-of-Final-Fantasy-Tactics-Lion-War/pg/49/aid/76425
http://pspupdates.qj.net/FFT-The-Li...row-plus-first-images-UPDATE-/pg/49/aid/76321

 

[Dopples]

11 sucked... It's the worst MMO ever. It's like Square purposefully did everything you can do to make an MMO suck and did it. It's like a console RPG. MMORPGs work because they're designed like PC games. Why should I have to click my heels three times to attack anything? Why do I have to play with Japanese gamers? Why can't I choose what server to be on? Why can't I change my display settings? Why are the towns boring and dull in design when every other FF game has great backgrounds? What's the damn point behind Play Online and why is it necessary? Why can't I use WASD right out of the box or configure my keyboard to use it like any other MMO? Why when running the game on my shiny new Alienware PC does it look like a PSX era game? Why do you have to have a full party after level 10 to do anything? Why can't I play a moogle/Veera/Esper or any other race worth playing?

No, anyone who likes FFXI I'm convinced is more in love with console RPGs than MMOs. That said, there's nothing wrong with it, it's just that PSO did everything FFXI did before Square, and much better. Why should I use a half-baked ATB system in a real-time game setting?! GRRRRR Makes me so furious! And the fact that anyone who enjoys FFXI has always told me that they won't play WoW or Guild Wars because apparently they aren't able to make stupid asian style pseudo-medieval andyogynous dorks (though I'm sure there are intelligent FFXI players out there, if you want to prove me wrong please do so. I'll be more than happy to listen to how anyone could find any enjoyment in that game, cause I sure couldn't. And I played Maple Story.)

THAT'S CAUSE ALL MMOS ARE SO RADICALLY BETTER! H'YUCK!


In all seriousness, there's a reason FF11 was voted as best MMORPG of the year by a huge number of sites/magazines. The graphics ARE amazing. You just have to configure it. And you can't do that ingame you know ':| Try going to the PlayOnline folder in Program files and select FF11 CONFIG. ZOMG, BETTER SETTINGS. Anyways, you'll notice the difference. Onto the gameplay, I'm 50/50 on it. I think it's great when fighting bosses and such, but soloing with it is mundane and boring. I had more fun moving boxes out in my backyard then I did soloing a mage character.


One of the reasons I play though is that more mature players seem to play FF more then WoW or Guild Wars. It's also a really helpful community (Not the End-Game Linkshells though. They're kinda elitist), and they are usually glad to help you out, as long as you pay em back.


Also, I'm in the same boat with you on FF12. I just lost interest suddenly.

 

[FlippyD]

THAT'S CAUSE ALL MMOS ARE SO RADICALLY BETTER! H'YUCK!


In all seriousness, there's a reason FF11 was voted as best MMORPG of the year by a huge number of sites/magazines. The graphics ARE amazing. You just have to configure it. And you can't do that ingame you know ':| Try going to the PlayOnline folder in Program files and select FF11 CONFIG. ZOMG, BETTER SETTINGS. Anyways, you'll notice the difference. Onto the gameplay, I'm 50/50 on it. I think it's great when fighting bosses and such, but soloing with it is mundane and boring. I had more fun moving boxes out in my backyard then I did soloing a mage character.


One of the reasons I play though is that more mature players seem to play FF more then WoW or Guild Wars. It's also a really helpful community (Not the End-Game Linkshells though. They're kinda elitist), and they are usually glad to help you out, as long as you pay em back.


Also, I'm in the same boat with you on FF12. I just lost interest suddenly.

Ok, I'll talk to you because you don't seem mentally deficient. ^_^

Thank you for clearing up the thing about the graphics, though it kind of annoys me that you have to configure graphics outside of the game and that the game doesn't auto-configure the graphics (and for everyone else, as I said the resolution was PSX era quality. That's not an issue on my end. I can show you screenshots of Granado Espada, HL2 and Vampire:Bloodlines running on my machine. All games, by the way, you can change the setting with easily.)

I didn't say all MMOs were better (I've played lots of Korean Ragnarok Online ripoff MMOs and smalltime American LotR wannabe MMOs) but FFXI didn't seem user-friendly at all. If I'm playing an online game on the PC I'm going to be using standard keyboard controls (WASD + mouse.) I pushed every button on the keyboard and didn't find the menu. It wasn't until later I figured out the scroll button did that. The whole system is backwards, it's more like a console RPG than a PC MMO. You can't have a game where the [Esc] key does nothing and not ask for trouble.

Reading what you said, I want to give FFXI another try but... I deleted my account and all the files, and it takes 2 days to download the game and update it with all the patches (even WoW doesn't mess around that long) and that's on a DSL line (I'll be on 56k until after Christmas since I'm spending it with relatives.)

But about FFXII it... It was alright until...

Spoiler

The "bad guys" attacked the religious refugee camp in the northern mountains. It was a cliche and empty move. All they had to do was go in and get the kid. Causing a disturbance that huge would bring Arcadia down in ways they politically can't afford at the moment. Plus, I as a player didn't give two shits about some Nu'Mou freezing their butts of on a glacier while worshipping some guy stuck in an eternal nap of intelligence.

FFXII looses it's momentum after you make it across that desert ocean place. And it's strange how Balthier and crew can't take their aiship two inches without some magical unseen force screwing up it's odometer or something.

 

[Anonymous]

I think Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles was an amazing game. It was a bit repetitive, but lots of fun.

Ugh, it was horrible. Maybe it only works as multiplayer, but single player was the most frustrating and boring game experience for me this year.

 

[FlippyD]

Ugh, it was horrible. Maybe it only works as multiplayer, but single player was the most frustrating and boring game experience for me this year.

Multiplayer wasn't all that great either unless you like beating your friends with your SP because they forgot to pick up the magical bidet.

 

[Prexus]

Yes, it only works as multiplayer. Especially when you are competitive about your goals.

 

[Fafnir]

FF:CC was good the first time through. Really loses its appeal once you've done every dungeon though.

It's no PSO, but it's an okay dungeon crawler.

 

[Mega Flare]

PSO was only better cause of its addicitveness

 

[Dopples]

Ok, I'll talk to you because you don't seem mentally deficient. ^_^

Thank you for clearing up the thing about the graphics, though it kind of annoys me that you have to configure graphics outside of the game and that the game doesn't auto-configure the graphics (and for everyone else, as I said the resolution was PSX era quality. That's not an issue on my end. I can show you screenshots of Granado Espada, HL2 and Vampire:Bloodlines running on my machine. All games, by the way, you can change the setting with easily.)

I didn't say all MMOs were better (I've played lots of Korean Ragnarok Online ripoff MMOs and smalltime American LotR wannabe MMOs) but FFXI didn't seem user-friendly at all. If I'm playing an online game on the PC I'm going to be using standard keyboard controls (WASD + mouse.) I pushed every button on the keyboard and didn't find the menu. It wasn't until later I figured out the scroll button did that. The whole system is backwards, it's more like a console RPG than a PC MMO. You can't have a game where the [Esc] key does nothing and not ask for trouble.

Reading what you said, I want to give FFXI another try but... I deleted my account and all the files, and it takes 2 days to download the game and update it with all the patches (even WoW doesn't mess around that long) and that's on a DSL line (I'll be on 56k until after Christmas since I'm spending it with relatives.)

But about FFXII it... It was alright until...

Spoiler

The "bad guys" attacked the religious refugee camp in the northern mountains. It was a cliche and empty move. All they had to do was go in and get the kid. Causing a disturbance that huge would bring Arcadia down in ways they politically can't afford at the moment. Plus, I as a player didn't give two shits about some Nu'Mou freezing their butts of on a glacier while worshipping some guy stuck in an eternal nap of intelligence.

FFXII looses it's momentum after you make it across that desert ocean place. And it's strange how Balthier and crew can't take their aiship two inches without some magical unseen force screwing up it's odometer or something.

Oh, the updates are quick if you buy the new 2007 Vanadiel Collection, most of the files needed before are there, so on cable, it took me about...an hour and a half. On DSL, I can imagine it being 3 hours at most.

 

[xmcdohlx]

yap vana diel collection 2007 rocks.
i think imma grab it n play ffxi again xD

on other news:
Wii getting a new FF (not CC) NOTE: IT'S A RUMOR
http://wii.qj.net/RUMOR-Wii-to-get-...hat-isn-t-Crystal-Chronicles-/pg/49/aid/76648

 

[Anonymous]

It doesn't say new. It says remake.

Yay. Another remake.

 

[xmcdohlx]

if it's ff7 i will oficially bomb square-enix's offices

 

[Vash]

It doesn't say new. It says remake.

Yay. Another remake.

The one on the DS is not a remake =P

 

[Anonymous]

Did I say it was? I was refering to the rumor xmcdohlx posted, which is about a FF title for the Wii, not the DS.

The one on the DS is a sequel. Slightly better, but not by much.