Super high quality old school style Final Fantasy, never to happen?

[bigjoe]

We've seen Final Fantasy of late. Its been taken in new directions lately, to avoid the antiquity, I guess.

And theres been a couple 2d to 3d remakes. The first, FF3DS , was a bit underwhelming to me, but I'm actually quite enjoying FF4DS.

My question is this: Do you think a super high quality 3d , but old school style final fantasy would be interesting? I'm not talking about FF7 style either. Im talking about something in line with the more fantasy/NES/SNES art style and play, but with no holding back graphically. For engine and battle it would draw perhaps from FF4DS or something, but expand upon it.

I know most people are past the old turn based thing right now. But I think an old school style FF in 3d with an interesting enough story and means of conveyance would be awesome, and an excellent nod as well.

[AtmaWeapon]

Honestly I hope not. I loved FF4DS but one thing that I am beginning to despise about graphically rich RPGs is the ever-increasing length of random battles. Spells take a little longer, attacks take a little longer, and all in all I find myself not liking RPGs lately because of how little the percentage of the time I actually feel like I'm playing the game.

[bigjoe]

All design aspects would be taken into account. When I said "plays like SNES", I meant just that. Your attacks are quick, do damage, you move on. Without battle-dragging, is your opinion changed?

Forgive the lack of depth and imagination with these posts here. I could have done a lot better, but frankly, Im just not in a "write an essay" mood. Perhaps tomorrow.

[Beta Link]

Honestly I hope not. I loved FF4DS but one thing that I am beginning to despise about graphically rich RPGs is the ever-increasing length of random battles. Spells take a little longer, attacks take a little longer, and all in all I find myself not liking RPGs lately because of how little the percentage of the time I actually feel like I'm playing the game.

Yeah, I agree. I've been playing FFVII lately, and every time I summon in battle, it takes so ridiculously long for the attack to actually happen.

But honestly, I'd love to see a high-quality oldschool Final Fantasy. Same goes for Zelda. I'd like to see Pokémon ditch the turn-based fights though, but whatever. I have FFIII DS, and I like it. You're right though, I was sort of underwhelmed by the graphics too.

[AlexMax]

My question is this: Do you think a super high quality 3d , but old school style final fantasy would be interesting?

You mean like Dragon Quest VIII (http://www.gzgameshop.com/Catalog/ProductDetails.aspx?product_id=38545) and Lost Odyssey (http://www.gamestop.com/Catalog/ProductDetails.aspx?product_id=39277)?

[MasterSwordUltima]

I think all those problems would be solved if Yoshitaka Amano did the character designs again. And I doubt anyone is going back to quick spell animations because then the reviews will say how lackluster it is, and therefore less profit.

[Modus Ponens]

Lengthy spell animations wouldn't be a problem if the game's action continued while they were going on. If anyone here played Final Fantasy X-2, he or she might recall that in that game, ATB gauges continue to fill and enemy and player actions continue to occur even while someone is attacking, casting a spell, etc. This gave rise to really neat-looking situations wherein, say, a wolf is jumping up to attack Yuna, and Rikku shoots it out of the air before it gets there. Despite almost everything about that game, I still thoroughly enjoy it, and the way it runs its ATB system has a lot to do with that.

[MANDRAG GANON]

i don't see why they don't just make it so you hit the button to cancel the animation like they did with summons in FF4ds. That way you get an crazy ass animation that looks awesome but you dont have to watch it all the time.

As far as old school high quality RPG. I'd love to see it, I love the styles of the old school Final Fantasy's, I'm so glad they made 9 similar in style. I really hate the futuristic starwars crap they've been pumping out as of late. I mean the games are decent but they hardly live up to the name "Fantasy " anymore. I find the idea of a knight in shinning armor talking on a cell phone to be retarded. If they want technology they should go back to the steampunk styles of 6. Atleast it makes more sense then.

[bigjoe]

You mean like Dragon Quest VIII (http://www.gzgameshop.com/Catalog/ProductDetails.aspx?product_id=38545) and Lost Odyssey (http://www.gamestop.com/Catalog/ProductDetails.aspx?product_id=39277)?

Lost Odyssey actually looks interesting. And I could get it, as I own a 360. I have trouble transitioning away from Final Fantasy as a series itself, though. Just a strange thing I have. I mean, if some badass retro-esque but high quality Final Fantasy were to just materialize out of nowhere, it would be a dream come true.

I am going slow with FF4DS. It was a turning point in the series to me, and the remake is quite breathtaking. I dont want to burn it out too fast.

[MasterSwordUltima]

This gave rise to really neat-looking situations wherein, say, a wolf is jumping up to attack Yuna, and Rikku shoots it out of the air before it gets there.

You had me in the beginning, but lost it around the bold.

[Modus Ponens]

Well, yes, I must admit to being very put-off by almost all of the ridiculously campy gunplay in that game. However, it looks cool when someone's friend is being attacked, so she shoots the monster attacking her to stop it. I suppose it would look almost as cool (or just as cool, or perhaps cooler) if she ran up and used a melee attack instead.

[MasterSwordUltima]

Its just such a downer how all of a sudden they have guns. Why didn't they use them before? Would've made a lot more sense than dolls and staves. Bleh.

However, having the stuff constantly going on is a very neat idea. Its still turn based, but more interactive. That I like.

[Modus Ponens]

The guns could have been a very recent invention. Like, very very recent. ... ... Or I guess not at all never mind.

Srsly tho, yeah, more RPGs should have ATB systems that work like FFX-2's. Or, better still, my badass idea: turn-based combat, á la Final Fantasy X or Tactics, but while you're sitting there deciding what to do, there's a battle going on. It's all for show, mind you; nobody actually gets hurt until an action is taken, but it looks a lot more exciting than everyone just standing in lines and having stupid idle animations where they breathe heavily and wave their swords around. And the stronger your party is compared to the enemies, the more it looks like you're going to win in the "mock battle": your fighters are easily parrying and dodging enemy attacks while landing their own, and your spellcasters are taking it easy in the back, maybe swinging their staff a little here and there. On the other hand, if the enemy party grossly outmatches the good guys, then the mock battle looks the other way around.

This is my cool idea. Please don't steal it.

[Pryme8]

You mean like Dragon Quest VIII (http://www.gzgameshop.com/Catalog/ProductDetails.aspx?product_id=38545) and Lost Odyssey (http://www.gamestop.com/Catalog/ProductDetails.aspx?product_id=39277)?


wow I hadn't seen a Dragon Quest since back in SNES days... I might have to go out and get this one, they were my favorites!

[Saffith]

Yes, I have to say I'd like to see more of that sort of thing. I played through Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne recently. Quite interesting. Previous games in the series were first-person SNES RPGs, and it doesn't deviate far from those. Similar sort of battle system, and the dungeons are even long, empty, repetitive hallways that fit a grid, with static images for some of the rooms. Very retro. Seriously, they could've made largely the same game on a 16-bit system. Really a very good game.


As for FFX/X2: no machina, remember? They could've used guns before, but they would've been defying Yevon by doing so. That wouldn't have looked good.