FFXII

[kainemaxwell]

We know a few prelim character designs for FFXII have come out, but what would you like to see done in FFXII?

[Dahne]

No more damned stupid love stories!

[PDorr3]

I would love to see TRUE fantasy setting, for example alexandria in FFIX. I love those type of settings, NO MORE FUTURISTIC CRAP :angry:
Im happy they will be using the world from FFT:A which is fantasy enough for me :D

[WiseSalesman]

I'd like there to be a REASON to have so many different characters, instead of having every character be able to learn every skill.

I'd like to see a decent storyline overall, not a bad one with a few shining points. The last good overall epic we saw was FFVI.

I'd like to see some actual strategy in the game, rather than being able to go out and level up to solve all of your problems (if you ever encounter any problems in the first place).

Furthermore, on that note, I'd like some difficulty. I don't want to make it through the whole game without dying (like I did in FFIX).

I'd like to see them throw out the character designs they've already released and work up new ones that don't look like rejects from The Bouncer, but I guess it's too late for that.

[Spoony Bard]

Yes, less love story, at least as the main plot element.

And more war. Its been a while since there has been a giant war scenario in a Final Fantasy. I demand body count.

[Dahne]

While we're at it, I want Yoshitaka Amano back.

[kainemaxwell]

I'd like there to be a REASON to have so many different characters, instead of having every character be able to learn every skill.
You mean like different characters of different classes (Dragoon, Knight, Mage, Thief, etc)?

[Nick Goracke]

I'd like to see some actual strategy in the game, rather than being able to go out and level up to solve all of your problems (if you ever encounter any problems in the first place).


Can anybody name an RPG where this was the case? Breath of Fire 5 had limited encounters, but with the intention that you would keep starting the game over (with higher stats). Trying to remember Chrono Cross... did that have some sort of "level" cap?

The one thing I like about the Final Fantasy series lately is that if you have enough ingenuity, you can completely avoid leveling up (crazy side-quests aside). I can only hope for another game with enough customization options (and to a point, battle strategies like FFX) where this is the case...

I just hope they keeping going in new directions. We've been playing the same medeival/fantasy games for the last 15 years. Let the Suikoden series continue to do the old-stlye right, and bring me more industrial worlds like FF6, futuristic worlds like 7, or crazy mixes like 8 and 10...

[Kid Fenris]

Oddly enough, many of the suggestions above have already been adopted by the developers. In interviews, director Yasumi Matsuno has mentioned that "love" won't be the game's main theme, and that its setting will have a distinctly medieval appearance. Final Fantasy XII is, after all, the game that inspired the alternate world visited in Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, if that makes any sense.

1up.com has an excellent article detailing all that is known about the game so far. It should also include a link to a roundtable interview with the staff.

http://www.1up.com/article2/0,4364,1388091,00.asp




I'd like to see some actual strategy in the game, rather than being able to go out and level up to solve all of your problems (if you ever encounter any problems in the first place).


Can anybody name an RPG where this was the case? Breath of Fire 5 had limited encounters, but with the intention that you would keep starting the game over (with higher stats).

Several recent RPGs have adopted systems in which bosses were always a few levels higher than your characters. The Lunar remakes did this, if memory serves, and Xenosaga might have, though I don't remember clearly.

And though I agree that Final Fantasy titles typically negate the need for more than the usual battles, I wish that the next game would boost enemies' stats as your characters increase theirs.


While we're at it, I want Yoshitaka Amano back.

Eh. While Amano's a highly talented artist, I think he's run his course with the Final Fantasy titles. I'd sooner see him go on to other projects, like another collaboration with Neil Gaiman. The character designer for FFXII, Akihiko Yoshida, has shown himself to be capable of excellent work (Vagrant Story's art, for example), so I'd give him a chance before going the "I WANT THE SEXY DWARVE" route.

What do I want to see in FFXII? Airships that can be customized, bought, sold, and perhaps even piloted like fighters. Some of these ideas were suggested back when Square was considering Final Fantasy IV for the Famicom, but their potential was ignored. Airship battles are supposedly part of FFXII's storyline, so I'm hopeful.

I'd also like it if the game ditched random combat and let the player see battles coming, much like Chrono Cross, Xenosaga, Grandia, and numerous PC RPGs. Sudden encounters are a concept long out of date.

And I want a world map.

[Dahne]

Oh, there's a new designer for FFXII? I thought the characters still looked Tetsuya Nomura-esque, but I didn't look that close.

[WiseSalesman]

some stuff

You officially have the best name on this entire board. Yes, even better than Spastic Fuctard.

[kainemaxwell]

Several recent RPGs have adopted systems in which bosses were always a few levels higher than your characters. The Lunar remakes did this, if memory serves, and Xenosaga might have, though I don't remember clearly.

Lunar: SSSC had a system where the Bosses level was relative to yours times something. I forget excatly now... @_@

[kainemaxwell]

Several recent RPGs have adopted systems in which bosses were always a few levels higher than your characters. The Lunar remakes did this, if memory serves, and Xenosaga might have, though I don't remember clearly.

Lunar: SSSC had a system where the Bosses level was relative to yours times something. I forget excatly now... @_@

[Nick Goracke]

And though I agree that Final Fantasy titles typically negate the need for more than the usual battles, I wish that the next game would boost enemies' stats as your characters increase theirs.


Come to think of it, didn't 8 have random enemies leveling up?

Kinda funny when you think about it - I've finished all of the games mentioned in this thread, yet I can't seem to remember if any of them incorporated features like this for sure!

Breath of Fire is kind've interesting in that it takes the idea to the extreme... I kind of like Vandal Hearts in this respect, though - there ARE enough enemies to go around if you play your cards right, but it requires excellent battle strategies. Kind've hard to carry that over to a traditional RPG, though.

[Nick Goracke]

And though I agree that Final Fantasy titles typically negate the need for more than the usual battles, I wish that the next game would boost enemies' stats as your characters increase theirs.


Come to think of it, didn't 8 have random enemies leveling up?

Kinda funny when you think about it - I've finished all of the games mentioned in this thread, yet I can't seem to remember if any of them incorporated features like this for sure!

Breath of Fire is kind've interesting in that it takes the idea to the extreme... I kind of like Vandal Hearts in this respect, though - there ARE enough enemies to go around if you play your cards right, but it requires excellent battle strategies. Kind've hard to carry that over to a traditional RPG, though.

[zmweasel]

Several recent RPGs have adopted systems in which bosses were always a few levels higher than your characters. The Lunar remakes did this, if memory serves, and Xenosaga might have, though I don't remember clearly.

Lunar: SSSC had a system where the Bosses level was relative to yours times something. I forget excatly now... @_@

LUNAR 2: EBC had static boss stats, but SSSC's bosses were dynamic, with each major stat being a certain number multiplied by Alex's current experience level. For example, the Saline Slimer (near the beginning of the game) had stats of:

Hit Points = 80xAL, Attack = 2xAL, Defense= 1xAL, Agility = 1xAL, Wisdom = 1xAL, Magic Endurance = 1xAL

Whereas the last of the three witches (near the end of the game) had stats of:

Hit Points = 210xAL, Attack = 4xAL, Defense= 3xAL, Agility = 1xAL, Wisdom = 4xAL, Magic Endurance = 2xAL

I'm 99% certain that one of the early Ultimas used a similar system, but for ALL monster encounters. Anyone know which one it was?

-- Z.

[zmweasel]

Several recent RPGs have adopted systems in which bosses were always a few levels higher than your characters. The Lunar remakes did this, if memory serves, and Xenosaga might have, though I don't remember clearly.

Lunar: SSSC had a system where the Bosses level was relative to yours times something. I forget excatly now... @_@

LUNAR 2: EBC had static boss stats, but SSSC's bosses were dynamic, with each major stat being a certain number multiplied by Alex's current experience level. For example, the Saline Slimer (near the beginning of the game) had stats of:

Hit Points = 80xAL, Attack = 2xAL, Defense= 1xAL, Agility = 1xAL, Wisdom = 1xAL, Magic Endurance = 1xAL

Whereas the last of the three witches (near the end of the game) had stats of:

Hit Points = 210xAL, Attack = 4xAL, Defense= 3xAL, Agility = 1xAL, Wisdom = 4xAL, Magic Endurance = 2xAL

I'm 99% certain that one of the early Ultimas used a similar system, but for ALL monster encounters. Anyone know which one it was?

-- Z.

[SoulBlazer]

FF VIII had a very nice experience/leveling system, one of the reasons I really enjoy the game. You did'nt have to level up in the game in order to advance -- the monsters powered up with you. So if you were weak, they were weak -- if you were strong, they were strong. Kept the challenge about the same. You could really do what you wanted as far as your levels went.

[SoulBlazer]

FF VIII had a very nice experience/leveling system, one of the reasons I really enjoy the game. You did'nt have to level up in the game in order to advance -- the monsters powered up with you. So if you were weak, they were weak -- if you were strong, they were strong. Kept the challenge about the same. You could really do what you wanted as far as your levels went.

[pango]

8-bit graphics :D LOL

[pango]

8-bit graphics :D LOL

[atomicthumbs]

No more damned stupid love stories!


I LOVE the love stories! They're one of my favorite parts (especially in FFVIII)!

[atomicthumbs]

No more damned stupid love stories!


I LOVE the love stories! They're one of my favorite parts (especially in FFVIII)!

[Stamp Mcfury]

I would love to see TRUE fantasy setting, for example alexandria in FFIX. I love those type of settings, NO MORE FUTURISTIC CRAP :angry:
Im happy they will be using the world from FFT:A which is fantasy enough for me :D

Amen I would really like to see a FF game that feels closer to the 8-16 bit FF games myself.

But FFXII is being set in Ivanlice were FFT and FFTA was set (FFT was my favorite FF game for the PSX it seemed to retain the old 8-16 bit FF feel) it seem like it would be. Unless they set it like 3000 years after FFT.

[Stamp Mcfury]

I would love to see TRUE fantasy setting, for example alexandria in FFIX. I love those type of settings, NO MORE FUTURISTIC CRAP :angry:
Im happy they will be using the world from FFT:A which is fantasy enough for me :D

Amen I would really like to see a FF game that feels closer to the 8-16 bit FF games myself.

But FFXII is being set in Ivanlice were FFT and FFTA was set (FFT was my favorite FF game for the PSX it seemed to retain the old 8-16 bit FF feel) it seem like it would be. Unless they set it like 3000 years after FFT.

[Trellisaze]

I'm 99% certain that one of the early Ultimas used a similar system, but for ALL monster encounters. Anyone know which one it was?


The closest I can come up with is Ultima III, where the monsters themselves didn't have the stats bumped up like that as you got more experience, but the parties of monsters you fought everywhere got more powerful as you did.

[Trellisaze]

I'm 99% certain that one of the early Ultimas used a similar system, but for ALL monster encounters. Anyone know which one it was?


The closest I can come up with is Ultima III, where the monsters themselves didn't have the stats bumped up like that as you got more experience, but the parties of monsters you fought everywhere got more powerful as you did.

[WiseSalesman]

Edit because I'm an idiot.

[WiseSalesman]

Edit because I'm an idiot.

[Daltone]

I'd like to see an end to 'filler' duneon crawls, which are one of my pet peeves. Getting from point A to point B should not take an hour because of a billion random battles IMO. I want to play an RPG because of the plot, not to kill the same 3 monsters by selecting the same commands over and over again. *ahem* ...so perhaps just toning down the random battles would please me too.
Oh, and a combat system eerily similar to Knights of The Old Republic would make me a very happy bunny indeed.

[Daltone]

I'd like to see an end to 'filler' duneon crawls, which are one of my pet peeves. Getting from point A to point B should not take an hour because of a billion random battles IMO. I want to play an RPG because of the plot, not to kill the same 3 monsters by selecting the same commands over and over again. *ahem* ...so perhaps just toning down the random battles would please me too.
Oh, and a combat system eerily similar to Knights of The Old Republic would make me a very happy bunny indeed.

[kainemaxwell]

But FFXII is being set in Ivanlice were FFT and FFTA was set (FFT was my favorite FF game for the PSX it seemed to retain the old 8-16 bit FF feel) it seem like it would be. Unless they set it like 3000 years after FFT.
Where'd you hear this?

[kainemaxwell]

But FFXII is being set in Ivanlice were FFT and FFTA was set (FFT was my favorite FF game for the PSX it seemed to retain the old 8-16 bit FF feel) it seem like it would be. Unless they set it like 3000 years after FFT.
Where'd you hear this?

[hezeuschrist]

http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/rpg/finalfantasy12/news_6084068.html

Q: The limited edition poster that came with Final Fantasy Tactics Advance featured a Judge. It looks a bit similar to the FFXII logo designed by Yoshitaka Amano.

Yoshida: Very keen observation! This poster is actually an image of the "Judge", which governs the power and authority in the world of Ivalice.

Q: There seems to be a number of other races aside from humans, in FFXII.

Minaba: The races in FFIX were modeled on humans, but the races in FFXII are fundamentally different from humans in their biology. We hope to give different characteristics to different races, like we did in FFTA.

Q: Mr. Yoshida designed the Bangaa race for FFTA?

Yoshida: I did the original designs for the Bangaas. They were originally created for FFXII, but came out first in FFTA.

[hezeuschrist]

http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/rpg/finalfantasy12/news_6084068.html

Q: The limited edition poster that came with Final Fantasy Tactics Advance featured a Judge. It looks a bit similar to the FFXII logo designed by Yoshitaka Amano.

Yoshida: Very keen observation! This poster is actually an image of the "Judge", which governs the power and authority in the world of Ivalice.

Q: There seems to be a number of other races aside from humans, in FFXII.

Minaba: The races in FFIX were modeled on humans, but the races in FFXII are fundamentally different from humans in their biology. We hope to give different characteristics to different races, like we did in FFTA.

Q: Mr. Yoshida designed the Bangaa race for FFTA?

Yoshida: I did the original designs for the Bangaas. They were originally created for FFXII, but came out first in FFTA.

[kainemaxwell]

Very intresting article! So perhaps 12 will be a true sequel, of sorts, to a previous FF title.

[kainemaxwell]

Very intresting article! So perhaps 12 will be a true sequel, of sorts, to a previous FF title.

[WiseSalesman]

Very intresting article! So perhaps 12 will be a true sequel, of sorts, to a previous FF title.

God, I hope not.

[WiseSalesman]

Very intresting article! So perhaps 12 will be a true sequel, of sorts, to a previous FF title.

God, I hope not.

[Nick Goracke]

Very intresting article! So perhaps 12 will be a true sequel, of sorts, to a previous FF title.

No.

Read this article first (already posted above):

http://www.1up.com/article2/0,4364,1388091,00.asp

Followed by this roundtable discussion:

http://www.1up.com/article2/0,4364,1395719,00.asp

I think it covers everything known about the game so far. I remember Square taking a lot of measures to give IX kind of a "stealth" release in Japan. Ended up being the worst selling game of the PlayStation trio... so I can't imagine WHY they're being so secretive this time around. They at least hint at more details being available in the coming months, though, so maybe I'm just being impatient!

[hezeuschrist]

That's interesting that 9 was the worst selling in Japan while in the states it caugh fairly high accolades. Overall rated higher than any other FF PSOne title. Intersting.

http://www.metacritic.com/games/psx/scores/

I love that site so much.

[Stamp Mcfury]

I'd like to see an end to 'filler' duneon crawls, which are one of my pet peeves. Getting from point A to point B should not take an hour because of a billion random battles IMO. I want to play an RPG because of the plot, not to kill the same 3 monsters by selecting the same commands over and over again. *ahem* ...so perhaps just toning down the random battles would please me too.
Oh, and a combat system eerily similar to Knights of The Old Republic would make me a very happy bunny indeed.

If you think random encounters are bad in FF games you should play Vay for the Sega CD. Don't know if they would do that so many other RPG's use random encounters and dungeon crawls as the Meat-n-Tatters of the gameplay. Not just Japanese RPG's look stateside ones like Fallout and Baldurs Gate even they use random encounters and dungeon crawls.