Post by wafflerevolution on Sept 8, 2013 21:31:46 GMT
Aspro73 interviews Paully3443 about collecting and playing Final Fantasy
We've head the story behind the name of Final Fantasy so many times, that it pains me to even recount it, but for hose who have not heard it, apparently Square was about to go out of business, but the small team of developers gave it their all and created one last game together, that they hoped would be successful enough to save the company. The game was their Final Fantasy, so that is what the called it. Is that the truth of it, or did the game have a different name when it came out in Japan that has a whole different meaning?
You are right to a point, director Hironobu Sakaguchi said "humorously" that this would be his "final" game has he was tired of action games and wanted to tell a story more then anything. He came up with the idea to make a large world map with an engrossing storyline to try to grab a new attention to his work. Quoting Wikipedia "Sakaguchi stated that the game was titled Final Fantasy due to his personal situation, that if the game failed, he would quit making video games and return to university and be forced to make up a year and be friendless." I love that last phrase, "be friendless". It truly is an epic storyline.
In playing through Final Fantasy, I don't remember anything particularly evocative of the title in the story... I mean, actually now that I think of it, I don't even remember the story of the first Final Fantasy, what is it?
The story is about 4 "Light Warriors" who travel around and such but the main goal is to defeat the four "Element Fiends" and such. The game has 3 Magic based & 3 Physical based styl3s all of which can be upgraded such as Fighter or Warrior into Knight etc. The world has 4 continents, one for each of the elements you are trying to find. That is a summary as if you haven't played it, I insist you do and I won't spoil much more.
Oh, I've played it, and I enjoyed it. When was the first one published in Japan and subsequently the West?
Final Fantasy was first released in Japan in 1987 and 1990 in the North America.
Eighteen years is a long time, but even so it seems like it has been longer that Final Fantasy has been around. How many games have been released in the west under the Final Fantasy banner?
I guess it depends if you would include spin offs such as Final Fantasy Mystic Quest and Tactics. If you include only the original series, they are waiting number 13, like most of us. Every game that has been released in Japan has subsequently hit the North American shore at some point. Again this is the main series only. If you go to Gamespot, type in Final Fantasy, you get around 100 results, total released in the US on all systems, including Mobile and PC it should be around 70-75, including all remakes etc...
Was X-2 the best selling in the series?
Did I read this question correctly? The answer is No, it wasn't. Within a year of the release it sold 5 million copies in Japan and North America combined. It was voted as the 32nd best game of all time by readers of Japanese magazine Famitsu. For a comparison, FF XII sold 2.38 million in its first 2 weeks in Japan and 1.5 million in its first week in North America.
Thanks for clearing that up. I guess maybe I was thinking about the install-base of the PS2. Which is the most difficult for collectors to nab?
Several limited edition consoles are out that can be difficult, right now the Crisis Core PSP is a tough find. The Wonderswan is a little harder to find, but the one that still is producing has to be FF VII. Just browsing on a few sites, the Original release, with the misprint of the i being omitted from the word "masterp ece" on the back of the case, will fetch a hefty amount of cash, specifically if it is still sealed. Even the GH version will still run you $45-60 for the most part with deals and auctions varying slightly.
Is there a clear delineation between which Final Fantasy games are turn-based and which are action (in terms of their naming protocol)?
For the most part that would be a "No". The only Final Fantasy games that having something in the title that would through out what the game refers to is Final Fantasy Tactics and its sequels etc. The true FF series is for the most part turn-based but with different variations. Some of the other releases FF XII Revenant Wings is more of a Action RPG, same with Crystal Chronicles.
Speaking for myself, I was disappointed in the inclusion of XI in the main series. I always felts that XI should have been called Final Fantasy Online, or something similar, but not take a numbered title. Am I wrong?
I agree with you completely, FF XI is not in the same league as its' predecessors and installments released since. It stands alone in a huge MMORPG world that shouldn't be lumped in as FF XI. FF Online would have been a nice touch, or even Final Fantasy Worlds since it was truly a huge game.
Let's get the numbering straight, the SNES Final Fantasy games for the west are not numbered as the were in Japan. This has since been rectified in re-releases, but on the SNES : FF2 W = FF4 J, FF3 W = FF5 J, and from then on we synced up with Japan on the numbers right?
Actually FF3 W was FF6 J, FF5 J wasn't released in North America until it was released on the Playstation, it was also released on the GBA. FF VII is where Japan and North America get back on track. Confused yet?
From the time Secret of Evermore and Chrono Trigger were released, through until Final Fantasy Tactics Advance was released for the GBA, Square did not publish on a Nintendo platform. Did Final Fantasy suffer or prosper because of this?
As a matter of opinion, I would say it was a good choice as if you look at sales of the Sony Playstation and it's library, it had much more success than the Nintendo 64 did. FF sold more games on the Playstation then it would have on the 64 no doubt in my mind. Nothing against Chrono Trigger and SoE, both were outstanding games, Chrono probably top 10 of all time, but I do feel success was had with Playstation more then Nintendo could have had with any system out through that time.
Do you think the Sony / Square marriage will ever break up for the numbered series of Final Fantasy?
My opinion is that that would be doubtful. SquareEnix has had explosive success in the first two Sony consoles, PS1 & PS2, and with only a few titles hitting other consoles and with the exception of the GBA, Square has done rather poorly compared to what Sony/Square did with FF VII - FF XII. I think you might see a remake of a game here and there like the GBA did with a few of the older Nintendo releases -- notice they stopped with FF VII, where Sony took over.
Why don't people like the leveling system in FF2 (The Japanese FF2)?
Some people didn't like it, others did. To put it in a nutshell, your experience was based on the actions you perform while in battle. Such as, if you use physical attacks nonstop with a sword, you will develop strength and accuracy. If you use magic you will learn that magic faster. If you use lots of magic, say Fire, and then decide to stop using Fire in the game, and use physical attacks then your magic will eventually go down. If you use almost all your HP in battle, you will gain more HP at the end of battle, same with magic points. So i mean you could really farm a battle out early and get beefy at times. You could even attack your other party members to max out your HP early in the game. So it was good idea, just had flaws that made it a less then stellar game.
Personally, I dug it.
Me too!
Was FF2 (Japanese) developed by the same team who did Final Fantasy 1?
Not completely, Several members of the first games team worked on it but not all. Hironobu Sakaguchi did work on it and decided to focus more of his efforts on character development and try to make them feel like human beings with emotions.
After Square unsuccessfully attempted to enter the movie making business with their film Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within they were once again in difficult financial position and were acquired by Dragon Quest developer and publisher Enix. In your perspective was this good or bad for the Final Fantasy Franchise?
I think it was a great deal for both sides. Many people don't know or remember that this deal almost didn't go through because of the failing of The Spirits Withing. Enix was to afraid to be associated with a company that loses money. A bold statement from Enix considering what Square had put out before the merger. Square-Enix released FF XI: Rise of Zilart here in the states which was the first game to be released under "Square-Enix" name, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles was four months later.
What do you think of the games and materials released as spin-offs of Final Fantasy VII?
I think some of the spin-offs and other releases have really done some great things, others haven't faired as well. Successes coming to mind right off the bat is the recently released Crisis Core for the PSP. CC has really brought an added story to the original game, as it acts like a prequel. I have stuck quite a few hours into it and have really enjoyed it, and most people have of what I am hearing. One game that really got forgotten about what Chocobo Racing for the Playstation, released in July of 1999. Gamespot only gave it a marginal 4.4 score while users give it a 7.4. People don't think of this game as a spin off but it really is. Chocobo Racing didn't appear until FF VII in Gold Saucer as a Mini-Game which you actually need to acquire some great one of a kind items(ahem Knights of the Round Materia). Another spin off I didn't spend a lot of time on simply because I am not a big fan of the genre, but was compelled to play it due to the story, was Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII. I am not a huge fan of shooters, and this game brings awkward camera angles, a so-so gun selection however does have a good story with a few good extras.
For someone who has never played FFVII, such as myself, do you think it is possible for them to play it now, in 2008 and enjoy it?
If you haven't played FFVII yet, stop reading and go play it already! The game itself is a masterpiece, from the music to the graphics - remembering that it was released in 1997 - right down to the story that, if you have a heart, brought a tear to most of our eyes at some point. It is in a very short stack of games I have played through several times. Investing over 500 hours into the game, I know anyone who loves RPGs can sit down and enjoy this game from start to finish.
Paully, thanks for sharing your expertise with the rest of the Candid Collectors' Union.
We've head the story behind the name of Final Fantasy so many times, that it pains me to even recount it, but for hose who have not heard it, apparently Square was about to go out of business, but the small team of developers gave it their all and created one last game together, that they hoped would be successful enough to save the company. The game was their Final Fantasy, so that is what the called it. Is that the truth of it, or did the game have a different name when it came out in Japan that has a whole different meaning?
You are right to a point, director Hironobu Sakaguchi said "humorously" that this would be his "final" game has he was tired of action games and wanted to tell a story more then anything. He came up with the idea to make a large world map with an engrossing storyline to try to grab a new attention to his work. Quoting Wikipedia "Sakaguchi stated that the game was titled Final Fantasy due to his personal situation, that if the game failed, he would quit making video games and return to university and be forced to make up a year and be friendless." I love that last phrase, "be friendless". It truly is an epic storyline.
In playing through Final Fantasy, I don't remember anything particularly evocative of the title in the story... I mean, actually now that I think of it, I don't even remember the story of the first Final Fantasy, what is it?
The story is about 4 "Light Warriors" who travel around and such but the main goal is to defeat the four "Element Fiends" and such. The game has 3 Magic based & 3 Physical based styl3s all of which can be upgraded such as Fighter or Warrior into Knight etc. The world has 4 continents, one for each of the elements you are trying to find. That is a summary as if you haven't played it, I insist you do and I won't spoil much more.
Oh, I've played it, and I enjoyed it. When was the first one published in Japan and subsequently the West?
Final Fantasy was first released in Japan in 1987 and 1990 in the North America.
Eighteen years is a long time, but even so it seems like it has been longer that Final Fantasy has been around. How many games have been released in the west under the Final Fantasy banner?
I guess it depends if you would include spin offs such as Final Fantasy Mystic Quest and Tactics. If you include only the original series, they are waiting number 13, like most of us. Every game that has been released in Japan has subsequently hit the North American shore at some point. Again this is the main series only. If you go to Gamespot, type in Final Fantasy, you get around 100 results, total released in the US on all systems, including Mobile and PC it should be around 70-75, including all remakes etc...
Was X-2 the best selling in the series?
Did I read this question correctly? The answer is No, it wasn't. Within a year of the release it sold 5 million copies in Japan and North America combined. It was voted as the 32nd best game of all time by readers of Japanese magazine Famitsu. For a comparison, FF XII sold 2.38 million in its first 2 weeks in Japan and 1.5 million in its first week in North America.
Thanks for clearing that up. I guess maybe I was thinking about the install-base of the PS2. Which is the most difficult for collectors to nab?
Several limited edition consoles are out that can be difficult, right now the Crisis Core PSP is a tough find. The Wonderswan is a little harder to find, but the one that still is producing has to be FF VII. Just browsing on a few sites, the Original release, with the misprint of the i being omitted from the word "masterp ece" on the back of the case, will fetch a hefty amount of cash, specifically if it is still sealed. Even the GH version will still run you $45-60 for the most part with deals and auctions varying slightly.
Is there a clear delineation between which Final Fantasy games are turn-based and which are action (in terms of their naming protocol)?
For the most part that would be a "No". The only Final Fantasy games that having something in the title that would through out what the game refers to is Final Fantasy Tactics and its sequels etc. The true FF series is for the most part turn-based but with different variations. Some of the other releases FF XII Revenant Wings is more of a Action RPG, same with Crystal Chronicles.
Speaking for myself, I was disappointed in the inclusion of XI in the main series. I always felts that XI should have been called Final Fantasy Online, or something similar, but not take a numbered title. Am I wrong?
I agree with you completely, FF XI is not in the same league as its' predecessors and installments released since. It stands alone in a huge MMORPG world that shouldn't be lumped in as FF XI. FF Online would have been a nice touch, or even Final Fantasy Worlds since it was truly a huge game.
Let's get the numbering straight, the SNES Final Fantasy games for the west are not numbered as the were in Japan. This has since been rectified in re-releases, but on the SNES : FF2 W = FF4 J, FF3 W = FF5 J, and from then on we synced up with Japan on the numbers right?
Actually FF3 W was FF6 J, FF5 J wasn't released in North America until it was released on the Playstation, it was also released on the GBA. FF VII is where Japan and North America get back on track. Confused yet?
From the time Secret of Evermore and Chrono Trigger were released, through until Final Fantasy Tactics Advance was released for the GBA, Square did not publish on a Nintendo platform. Did Final Fantasy suffer or prosper because of this?
As a matter of opinion, I would say it was a good choice as if you look at sales of the Sony Playstation and it's library, it had much more success than the Nintendo 64 did. FF sold more games on the Playstation then it would have on the 64 no doubt in my mind. Nothing against Chrono Trigger and SoE, both were outstanding games, Chrono probably top 10 of all time, but I do feel success was had with Playstation more then Nintendo could have had with any system out through that time.
Do you think the Sony / Square marriage will ever break up for the numbered series of Final Fantasy?
My opinion is that that would be doubtful. SquareEnix has had explosive success in the first two Sony consoles, PS1 & PS2, and with only a few titles hitting other consoles and with the exception of the GBA, Square has done rather poorly compared to what Sony/Square did with FF VII - FF XII. I think you might see a remake of a game here and there like the GBA did with a few of the older Nintendo releases -- notice they stopped with FF VII, where Sony took over.
Why don't people like the leveling system in FF2 (The Japanese FF2)?
Some people didn't like it, others did. To put it in a nutshell, your experience was based on the actions you perform while in battle. Such as, if you use physical attacks nonstop with a sword, you will develop strength and accuracy. If you use magic you will learn that magic faster. If you use lots of magic, say Fire, and then decide to stop using Fire in the game, and use physical attacks then your magic will eventually go down. If you use almost all your HP in battle, you will gain more HP at the end of battle, same with magic points. So i mean you could really farm a battle out early and get beefy at times. You could even attack your other party members to max out your HP early in the game. So it was good idea, just had flaws that made it a less then stellar game.
Personally, I dug it.
Me too!
Was FF2 (Japanese) developed by the same team who did Final Fantasy 1?
Not completely, Several members of the first games team worked on it but not all. Hironobu Sakaguchi did work on it and decided to focus more of his efforts on character development and try to make them feel like human beings with emotions.
After Square unsuccessfully attempted to enter the movie making business with their film Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within they were once again in difficult financial position and were acquired by Dragon Quest developer and publisher Enix. In your perspective was this good or bad for the Final Fantasy Franchise?
I think it was a great deal for both sides. Many people don't know or remember that this deal almost didn't go through because of the failing of The Spirits Withing. Enix was to afraid to be associated with a company that loses money. A bold statement from Enix considering what Square had put out before the merger. Square-Enix released FF XI: Rise of Zilart here in the states which was the first game to be released under "Square-Enix" name, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles was four months later.
What do you think of the games and materials released as spin-offs of Final Fantasy VII?
I think some of the spin-offs and other releases have really done some great things, others haven't faired as well. Successes coming to mind right off the bat is the recently released Crisis Core for the PSP. CC has really brought an added story to the original game, as it acts like a prequel. I have stuck quite a few hours into it and have really enjoyed it, and most people have of what I am hearing. One game that really got forgotten about what Chocobo Racing for the Playstation, released in July of 1999. Gamespot only gave it a marginal 4.4 score while users give it a 7.4. People don't think of this game as a spin off but it really is. Chocobo Racing didn't appear until FF VII in Gold Saucer as a Mini-Game which you actually need to acquire some great one of a kind items(ahem Knights of the Round Materia). Another spin off I didn't spend a lot of time on simply because I am not a big fan of the genre, but was compelled to play it due to the story, was Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII. I am not a huge fan of shooters, and this game brings awkward camera angles, a so-so gun selection however does have a good story with a few good extras.
For someone who has never played FFVII, such as myself, do you think it is possible for them to play it now, in 2008 and enjoy it?
If you haven't played FFVII yet, stop reading and go play it already! The game itself is a masterpiece, from the music to the graphics - remembering that it was released in 1997 - right down to the story that, if you have a heart, brought a tear to most of our eyes at some point. It is in a very short stack of games I have played through several times. Investing over 500 hours into the game, I know anyone who loves RPGs can sit down and enjoy this game from start to finish.
Paully, thanks for sharing your expertise with the rest of the Candid Collectors' Union.