Why are old school RPGs held in such high esteem?

[Drewbacca]

My point was that they don't play alike. I'm guessing you don't understand the definition of that word either?I did earlier. As for FFX versus FFVI, FFVI is still largely in the "power" state of mind while adding various character-specific attacks. Choosing your party will determine what you're able to do in combat, but selection of Espers can distribute special abilities and careful management of them is the only way to get as strong as possible (just playing straight through it's impossible to do things like reach 9999HP). But even with different techniques for each character the "power" aspect shines through, allowing one to force their way through anything. However, if one doesn't want to force then there are many ways of finding workarounds by exploiting character techniques.

FFX is based more on an RPS technique, with different kinds of attacks (each character specializing in different ones) being the only way to counter types of enemies. They used an in-battle character selection process to help this, which can be further modified by the Sphere Grid and the player's choices therein. There's a method that should be taken and is more obvious, but there's also alternate paths that can change what the character has access to in battle and where they specialize. Rikku isn't good against flying enemies but Wakka dominates there. Tidus isn't good against mechanical enemies but Rikku dominates there. And so on. It's a faster-paced scheme that is about individual application moreso then sheer strength (which will only take you so far in FFX), which even spreads to the boss battles as most of them need to have area-interaction performed on them before they can be hurt or to remove their most powerful attacks.

With the early FFs they were very much alike but that changed massively as they went on. FFV was about customization, FFVI was about character-specific attacks, FFVII was about combos, FFVIII was about Juctioning, FFIX was about timing, and FFX was about RPS. They share a number of things (what with them being the same series and all), but each amplified areas the others didn't and thus each needed to be played differently. Play FFIX like FFVIII and you'll get slaughtered, play FFX like FFIX and you'll get nowhere.

Okay. I guess I understand the differences in strategy. Thank you.

But I still don't think the battle system, the technical way you play the game, is much different between games.

In the example with an imp, or imp boss you'd still simply attack him with your sword and he'd die. I didn't notice any of this in the Final Fantasies and I never had a problem with them. I just cure when I'm low in health, attack with the power hitters and cast with the healers and wizards (or magicians).

If you use this strategy, you can beat any enemy in a Final Fantasy game.

i've been coding gba demos in my spare time, but you won't see me acting like a pompous ass.

...a few lame game demos is infuriating. either show us this masterpiece of game design, or shut up about it.

Nice. That is funny. It really is.

[epmode]

heh. this thread is bringing out the worst in me.

[Drewbacca]

Frogacuda agreed with me about the strategy part, atleast. He's never had to think really hard about strategy in a Final Fantasy either.

[epmode]

i don't think anyone disagrees with the fact that final fantasy hasn't evolved very much over the years. what's getting everyone riled up is all your talk about Gameplay vs. Control. oh, and all the game development jabs, but i covered that already.

[Drewbacca]

Oh, BTW Mech Deus. Can you further design the Juctioning System and other differences. It would help me differenciate further between them and what I missed by using a similar strategy

[xS]

Actually boss encounters involved quite a bit of skill, if you played without levelling up. The rest of the battles were filler though.

[Drewbacca]

i don't think anyone disagrees with the fact that final fantasy hasn't evolved very much over the years. what's getting everyone riled up is all your talk about Gameplay vs. Control. oh, and all the game development jabs, but i covered that already.

No. They change everything up, according to OmniGear:

That's not true at all.

Anyone who's played more than one Final Fantasy knows that they change everything up with each new installment. They're all completely different games.

[JM]

Oh, BTW Mech Deus. Can you further design the Juctioning System and other differences. It would help me differenciate further between them and what I missed by using a similar strategy

Man, it is posts like this that are adding fuel to the "Bad at the English language" fire. I make my share of mistakes, but if I'm not sure about what I have typed, I will copy it into a program with spell check. It doesn't take long, and it helps a lot.

JM

[Drewbacca]

Actually boss encounters involved quite a bit of skill, if you played without levelling up. The rest of the battles were filler though.

I level up, go in to a boss battle. Lose, go level up a couple more levels, come back, level up. Putting Materia and trying to make that in to strategy is no different from FF3's Esper learning system.

In FF2 they just gave it to you as you levelled. But in the end the product is the same. This is what makes a Final Fantasy feel like a Final Fantasy. I never said it was bad, I own almost all of the Final Fantasies.

My point still is:

Final Fantasy relies on characters and story as a main attraction and not their game engine.

[Rich]

But I still don't think the battle system, the technical way you play the game, is much different between games.

Battle system != Gameplay.

While the battle system through the Final Fantasy series has remained mostly the same, the preparation for the battles throughout the Final Fantasy series (part of the gameplay) has changed dramaticly, as Omnigear has pointed out. (junction, materia, sphere grid, etc.)

My 2 cents.