Author Topic: What would make a good final fantasy story  (Read 1520 times)

Genesis

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What would make a good final fantasy story
« on: December 16, 2007, 04:18:24 pm »
Their have been good ff stories in the past, but i want to know what would make the perfect ff storyline.

FaustWolf

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Re: What would make a good final fantasy story
« Reply #1 on: December 16, 2007, 05:48:42 pm »
I'm ready for a respectable woman as the lead protagonist - preferably not white; scenario writers need to mix things up more. We'll have to see how things go with Lightning in FFXIII. I'd go for a storyline that's psychologically deep, dark and moody, like what Xenogears and Chrono Cross have. And Yasunori Mitsuda should do the music -- that doesn't really have anything to do with your question, but just sayin'.
« Last Edit: December 16, 2007, 05:57:01 pm by FaustWolf »

Sora

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Re: What would make a good final fantasy story
« Reply #2 on: December 16, 2007, 07:33:43 pm »
FF6.
also, ToS.

Romana

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Re: What would make a good final fantasy story
« Reply #3 on: December 17, 2007, 04:33:17 am »
I'd personally like to see another FFVI or FFVII-styled plot, but explained in more detail and given more depth.

FFVI especially for the steampunk.

grey_the_angel

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Re: What would make a good final fantasy story
« Reply #4 on: December 17, 2007, 07:19:22 pm »
I'm ready for a respectable woman as the lead protagonist - preferably not white; scenario writers need to mix things up more. We'll have to see how things go with Lightning in FFXIII. I'd go for a storyline that's psychologically deep, dark and moody, like what Xenogears and Chrono Cross have. And Yasunori Mitsuda should do the music -- that doesn't really have anything to do with your question, but just sayin'.
technically, yuna was asian and garnet was a midget

FaustWolf

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Re: What would make a good final fantasy story
« Reply #5 on: December 17, 2007, 08:02:18 pm »
But weren't Tidus and Zidane the main protagonists in FFIX and FFX? I guess it depends on how you interpret the storylines. And Garnet being a midget didn't make her any different than anyone else in FF9.  :wink: I want to see diversity! And diversity isn't necessarily accomplished by sticking a monkey tail on some characters and not others.
« Last Edit: December 17, 2007, 08:04:46 pm by FaustWolf »

Kebrel

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Re: What would make a good final fantasy story
« Reply #6 on: December 17, 2007, 08:49:08 pm »
Diversity, eh?

Maybe FFX-2 works, lets see Yuna is asian, prude, and a preist turned bounty-hunter. Rikku is arabic, ADHD victim, and Has yet to discover clothes. Paine is caucasian, punk-goth, and is slowly goning butch.

FaustWolf

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Re: What would make a good final fantasy story
« Reply #7 on: December 17, 2007, 09:03:19 pm »
Hm, that's interesting Kebrel; I guess I never thought Yuna looked "Asian", or that Rikku was Arabic at all. Is Rikku really supposed to be Arabic? I'm shocked. At least she has eyes that look like cinnamon swirls. That's a start.

Kebrel

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Re: What would make a good final fantasy story
« Reply #8 on: December 17, 2007, 09:17:10 pm »
I know its FinalFantasy but I would like a good hard sci-fi story like Xenosaga. Too many of them turn in to games like Starocean or Rouge Galaxy which is just another fantasy game but "in space".

Hm, that's interesting Kebrel; I guess I never thought Yuna looked "Asian", or that Rikku was Arabic at all. Is Rikku really supposed to be Arabic? I'm shocked. At least she has eyes that look like cinnamon swirls. That's a start.

Ja, I got an Arabic vibe from all the Al Bhed in both X and X-2.

XcyrusX

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Re: What would make a good final fantasy story
« Reply #9 on: December 18, 2007, 01:03:23 am »
Their have been good ff stories in the past, but i want to know what would make the perfect ff storyline.

Something to do with Crystals.....And the end of the world.

dan_death

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Re: What would make a good final fantasy story
« Reply #10 on: December 18, 2007, 03:37:24 am »
Is there one where you can choose your own path? And decide what you want to do instead of having to stick to one story line?

FaustWolf

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Re: What would make a good final fantasy story
« Reply #11 on: December 18, 2007, 03:55:53 am »
Ah, the freedom v. depth conundrum. I prefer branching storylines myself, but they are SO hard to pull off with a good amount of depth and character development. It essentially multiplies the scenario writers' task. Can you imagine the work Tetsuya Takahashi would have had to go through for a branching storyline in Xenogears? That would have been freaking amazing, but depending on the number of branches it probably would have killed the poor guy from mental exhaustion.

The last game with a very good branching storyline I can think of would have been Tactics Ogre. Chrono Cross counts too, but the course of the storyline isn't affected all that much by deciding whether or not to save Kid, for example -- she lives either way, and the main thrust of the story ends up being the same. If memory serves, that is.

Daniel Krispin

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Re: What would make a good final fantasy story
« Reply #12 on: December 18, 2007, 04:44:39 am »
How about this: not having an 'unlikely' hero, or a kid hero. How about having someone as the main character who is actually already experienced in heroic type activities. An adult, rather than a kid. Ever see that in FF? Not recently at any rate. The adult roles seem to go to the supporting cast, but it'd be nice to see the hero have a surfeit of confidence, which most of the ff heroes seem to have lost.

For example, have an Auron sort be the hero.

That might provide something new. Other than that... well, don't look to me, I'm not a good story writer. Heh. Most of my storylines borrow heavily from ancient writings. Which I suppose could work. I mean, adapt the premise of the Seven into a FF game? Hey, could work. You could have the protagonist be a hero or prince who is rallies the other heroes to him in order to fight his brother who has outsted him from his throne. His brother, however, wouldn't be 'evil', per say, and it could have a great deal of ambiguity as to rightness. All along you could have skirmishes between the supporting heroes of the one brother, and those of the other. Things like that. Or the hero needn't be one of the brothers, but maybe only one of the supporters.

Basically, it could involve not finding some super items, or killing a really evil arch-nemesis, but finding (and selecting?) the seven heroes that are your allies in your endeavour. Something like that. The setting could be whatever. It doesn't have to be set to any one thing. But one thing I think that FF must have is more choice. I think you really have to be able to choose - decisively - which characters will be with you and which won't. Have more variability in the main character towards better or worse inclinations. Seriously, how hard is it to do this? Good grief, I can do simply triggers like that on an old RPG maker... if I can do that, I'd wager SE could do it with FF. RPGs have gotten way too linear it seems. I mean, it's a simple choice, but even the 'fight/join' decision with Magus, or the 'save/leave' Crono one, made CT really interesting. I think FF needs to start doing things like that, and actually allowing you to make decisions that affect the gameplay.

Chrono'99

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Re: What would make a good final fantasy story
« Reply #13 on: December 18, 2007, 09:39:44 am »
How about this: not having an 'unlikely' hero, or a kid hero. How about having someone as the main character who is actually already experienced in heroic type activities. An adult, rather than a kid. Ever see that in FF? Not recently at any rate. The adult roles seem to go to the supporting cast, but it'd be nice to see the hero have a surfeit of confidence, which most of the ff heroes seem to have lost.

For example, have an Auron sort be the hero.

Initially, Basch was designed as the main protagonist in FFXII. Late in the development stage, they created Vaan and Penelo and decided to make these 2 the main protagonists instead of Basch. It's such a shame...

FaustWolf

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Re: What would make a good final fantasy story
« Reply #14 on: December 18, 2007, 11:50:42 am »
Basch would have made an interesting protagonist; wonder how radically different FFXII would have turned out in that case?

Daniel, didn't you write Twilight of Fate? Don't sell yourself short as a writer -- it reminded me of Tolkien, but that can only be a good thing. It rocks from what I've read of it so far.