Just can't get into classic Final Fantasy

[Strategist's icon Strategist Strategist]

Not the most smooth of solutions but you can run from encounters.

That is the solution. Especially for zero grind, low level challenge runs of Final Fantasy.

 

[Pandaprewmaster325]

That is the solution. Especially for zero grind, low level challenge runs of Final Fantasy.

At least in 4 and 5 I think escaping is pretty fast especially if you instantly run before battle commences , in 6 they seem to made it harder to run which is sad unless its locke that guy is so good at running.

 

[Leifang]

That is the solution. Especially for zero grind, low level challenge runs of Final Fantasy.

Why run if you can equip no-enc items, and at least in Steam versions there's usually a toggle to disable random encounters (or make them appear more often when you're farming).

 

[Strategist's icon Strategist Strategist]

Why run if you can equip no-enc items, and at least in Steam versions there's usually a toggle to disable random encounters (or make them appear more often when you're farming).

Back in my day they didn't have these new fangled no-encounter settings!

 

[Leifang]

Back in my day they didn't have these new fangled no-encounter settings!

This thread is about not being able to get into Final Fantasy now and even if OP agrees to disagree, there's probably someone reading or Googling that having the same problem, and one of most annoying things is easily fixable.

The other is unskippable cutscenes, FFX is infamous for that and SpecialK lets you speed them up to basically instant. Same for Blitzball. There are also ways to cheese some of the annoying minigames, like lighting dodge or the baloon race, thankfully.

So anyway, modern FF re-releases generally have QoL features built-in: no-encounter, God mode, and 2x-3x speedup are usually toggles on F1-F3, and there's endless gil and all items cheat, but those kind of spoil the game but well, that's an option.

The only FF game that is missing them on Steam specifically, is FF7 (it has those features in newer Microsoft Store Windows version), but on Final Fantasy 7 I recommend installing mods with 7th Heaven, that tool will download fan patches that let you toggle speedup anyway.

Oh, EMULATORS have speedups too, and save states. Not sure about no-encounter cheats on them, maybe there's a cheat table that does that?

 

[hazys]

I think IV is definitely the best entry into classic FF. Or Dawn of Souls I, if you're a bit nasty.

 

[starseeker300]

Or Dawn of Souls I, if you're a bit nasty

what do you mean by that?

 

[hazys]

It's more crude and difficult and less like the rest of the series lol

 

[starseeker300]

It's more crude and difficult and less like the rest of the series lol

how is the dawn of souls ports not like the rest of the series. If anything I'd say it brings ff1 and 2 more in line with the snes games visually and mechanically, making them more liek the rest of the series if anything

 

[MasterEn]

how is the dawn of souls ports not like the rest of the series. If anything I'd say it brings ff1 and 2 more in line with the snes games visually and mechanically, making them more liek the rest of the series if anything

i agree. the only thing that makes his words make sense is the extra dungeons, and the first 2 are somewhat like training grounds. unless he is confusing it with the psx version or something.

 

[hazys]

Hmm maybe I'm misremembering DoS, but FF1 is still a game with blank-slate party characters and a somewhat open progression which the series would be quick to abandon

 

[MasterEn]

Hmm maybe I'm misremembering DoS, but FF1 is still a game with blank-slate party characters and a somewhat open progression which the series would be quick to abandon

possibly. when was the last time that you played it? time can affect memories in strange ways.

 

[Graw]

Hmm maybe I'm misremembering DoS, but FF1 is still a game with blank-slate party characters and a somewhat open progression which the series would be quick to abandon

Yeah all versions of FF1 have a blank party you make yourself. The original version of FF3 has the same thing but the 3d remake changed them into named characters with unique appearances.

To op. Maybe you'd like Dragon Quest better? I've found as I get older I prefer them to the Final Fantasy games even though I was never a big fan of Dragon Quest when I was young and actively disliked the original Dragon Warrior on the nes. The only Final Fantasy games I really enjoy playing today are FF1 and FF5 because FF1 is quick and fun to playthrough and FF5 is one of my favourite games of all time and the job system never gets old and I don't care what anyone says I enjoy the story and characters way more than the overrated video game opera and the edgy try hard anime sci fi games that came after.

 

[SolemnlyDoc]

I've tried getting into the originals, I know there's fun to be had there but I may just be too spoiled to my action-adventure games. The VII remake is fun and XV is my favorite of the series, but man I just can't force my way through the originals either. I'm glad other people enjoy them, but they just aren't for me.

 

[Graw]

I've tried getting into the originals, I know there's fun to be had there but I may just be too spoiled to my action-adventure games. The VII remake is fun and XV is my favorite of the series, but man I just can't force my way through the originals either. I'm glad other people enjoy them, but they just aren't for me.

I haven't tried any of the newer Final Fantasies after XII. I played a bit of the demo of FF7 remake but at the time I was playing Dark Souls and the combat felt like a watered down version of that and I just couldn't get into it.

 

[Pandaprewmaster325]

And that's why remaking these games from 1-6 bringing 3d modern graphics while keeping to the game original artstyle like FF6 more grim tone or 5 more shiny and lighthearted tone or 2 being tragic (while hardly ever feeling like it) or 1 a classic adventure , people already love these games I don't see why a FF6 or 2 remake would be a bad idea it would finally fix all shortcomings of these old games and hopefully maybe win a game of the year instead of a funny robot platformer winning it.

Damn you square why you starve us of good games getting modernized properly...

 

[Graw]

And that's why remaking these games from 1-6 bringing 3d modern graphics while keeping to the game original artstyle like FF6 more grim tone or 5 more shiny and lighthearted tone or 2 being tragic (while hardly ever feeling like it) or 1 a classic adventure , people already love these games I don't see why a FF6 or 2 remake would be a bad idea it would finally fix all shortcomings of these old games and hopefully maybe win a game of the year instead of a funny robot platformer winning it.

Damn you square why you starve us of good games getting modernized properly...

I'd be pretty stoked for an HD-2D remake of FF5 with an expanded job system personally. FF3 and FF4 already had 3d remakes. I don't really think 5 would benefit much from going 3d. 4's story was more cinematic and benefitted from the 3d by expanding its cutscenes. Five's cutscenes tended to be more over the top and exaggerated to try and convey emotions and I think it would look kind of goofy if they made it 3d but changing them to be less cartoony would ruin the tone of the game.

I'm generally not a fan of it, but I think 5 would actually suit more of a cel shaded, anime type look than realistic 3d. Something like DQ VIII's style but not Akira Toriyama style designs. You could keep the more lighthearted tone and exaggerated expressiveness without it looking so goofy and cartoony.

 

[HyperTurboFox]

Play the PSP version of FF4 and you won't regret.

 

[Pandaprewmaster325]

I'd be pretty stoked for an HD-2D remake of FF5 with an expanded job system personally. FF3 and FF4 already had 3d remakes. I don't really think 5 would benefit much from going 3d. 4's story was more cinematic and benefitted from the 3d by expanding its cutscenes. Five's cutscenes tended to be more over the top and exaggerated to try and convey emotions and I think it would look kind of goofy if they made it 3d but changing them to be less cartoony would ruin the tone of the game.

I'm generally not a fan of it, but I think 5 would actually suit more of a cel shaded, anime type look than realistic 3d. Something like DQ VIII's style but not Akira Toriyama style designs. You could keep the more lighthearted tone and exaggerated expressiveness without it looking so goofy and cartoony.

Well going into a detailed temple of wind or the getting to see a massive library of ancients and getting to do battle of big bridge in 3d would be so cool , I think 3d allows for more meaningful expressions for characters as proven by FF8 giving each character a very unique attitude and making them more memorable of course we are no longer in the 90s era when things like that were cool and new.

Choosing an artstyle that suits the game would be one of the first things when doing a remake personally I want a remake of 2 since they can do a lot with it.

 

[Graw]

of ancients and getting to do battle of big bridge in 3d would be so cool , I think 3d allows for more meaningful expressions for characters as proven by FF8 giving each character a very unique attitude and making them more memorable of course we are no longer in the 90s era when things like that were cool and new.

Meh. Realistic 3d ages poorly. I've seen it happen tons of times over the years. Stylized designs tend to age a lot better.

personally I want a remake of 2 since they can do a lot with it.

You should check out the SaGa series. The series director is the guy that created Final Fantasy 2. After FF2 Square assigned him to work on a Tetris like game for the gameboy, he said fuck it and decided to make another rpg instead and try and refine what he did with FF2 and created SaGa which was released as Final Fantasy Legend outside Japan. Square liked it and just let him have a series to do whatever he wanted. There's a whole bunch of SaGa games. The games all use a similar skill and stat growth system to Final Fantasy 2 but vastly improved. There's a bunch of remasters that have been put out that are pretty well done. The newest is a 3d remake of Romancing SaGa 2.

 

[Pandaprewmaster325]

Meh. Realistic 3d ages poorly. I've seen it happen tons of times over the years. Stylized designs tend to age a lot better.

You should check out the SaGa series. The series director is the guy that created Final Fantasy 2. After FF2 Square assigned him to work on a Tetris like game for the gameboy, he said fuck it and decided to make another rpg instead and try and refine what he did with FF2 and created SaGa which was released as Final Fantasy Legend outside Japan. Square liked it and just let him have a series to do whatever he wanted. There's a whole bunch of SaGa games. The games all use a similar skill and stat growth system to Final Fantasy 2 but vastly improved. There's a bunch of remasters that have been put out that are pretty well done. The newest is a 3d remake of Romancing SaGa 2.

No not necessarily realistic graphics especially considering Final Fantasy.

Yeah I'm gonna try every square RPG they are really good at making games.

Also the realistic vs stylish argument can be observed in Final Fantasy 7 and 8 artstyle with 7 aging better graphics wise.

 

[Graw]

Yeah I'm gonna try every square RPG they are really good at making games.

Yeah you usually can't go wrong with a square rpg. They have a few duds but the majority are better than most.

 

[Natsuyasumi]

Just wanted to post a little update here:
Since I initially wrote this post, I have played all the way through Final Fantasy VI to the end. What a great game. 10/10. I still prefer the gameplay of Chrono Trigger, but the story and characters of FFVI are much more grounded and real.

While I was at it, I decided to play the first FF, one I’ve always wanted to play. I had wanted to play the 20th anniversary version on PSP, but the Pixel Remaster is available on Apple Arcade, so I went that route. It was obviously far less of a moving experience, but still very enjoyable for what was one of the very first JRPGs.

And now I’m finally finishing FFIV, the 3D remake. I bought it for iPhone 10 years ago and have slowly chipped away at it over the decade. I’m now at the sealed cave and am going to play it to the end.

The graphics disparity I mentioned earlier stopped bugging me at about the 10 hour mark, and I have since stopped noticing altogether.

I’m glad I decided to “power through” a little bit and let these games grow on me. I’ve wanted to play them since I was a little kid and it feels good to have them under my belt now.

The last classic FF I want to play before moving on to the 3D entries is II, the black sheep. I’ve read the story is more grounded and interesting (albeit somewhat ripped from Star Wars) and I want to see what the leveling system is like. Even if it’s janky, I appreciate the experimental approach.

Anyways, just thought this would be a good way to end this discussion.

Thanks

 

[Graw]

Just wanted to post a little update here:
Since I initially wrote this post, I have played all the way through Final Fantasy VI to the end. What a great game. 10/10. I still prefer the gameplay of Chrono Trigger, but the story and characters of FFVI are much more grounded and real.

While I was at it, I decided to play the first FF, one I’ve always wanted to play. I had wanted to play the 20th anniversary version on PSP, but the Pixel Remaster is available on Apple Arcade, so I went that route. It was obviously far less of a moving experience, but still very enjoyable for what was one of the very first JRPGs.

And now I’m finally finishing FFIV, the 3D remake. I bought it for iPhone 10 years ago and have slowly chipped away at it over the decade. I’m now at the sealed cave and am going to play it to the end.

The graphics disparity I mentioned earlier stopped bugging me at about the 10 hour mark, and I have since stopped noticing altogether.

I’m glad I decided to “power through” a little bit and let these games grow on me. I’ve wanted to play them since I was a little kid and it feels good to have them under my belt now.

The last classic FF I want to play before moving on to the 3D entries is II, the black sheep. I’ve read the story is more grounded and interesting (albeit somewhat ripped from Star Wars) and I want to see what the leveling system is like. Even if it’s janky, I appreciate the experimental approach.

Anyways, just thought this would be a good way to end this discussion.

Thanks

I wouldn't skip out on V especially if you enjoyed FF1. FFV has the best iteration of the job system and some of the most fun gameplay mechanics of the classic FF games. It's a lot more enjoyable than FF2. The SaGa series is a better representation of FF2's gameplay systems. FF2 is kind of broken and really not a great game to round out your classic FF experience.

 

[MasterEn]

The last classic FF I want to play before moving on to the 3D entries is II, the black sheep. I’ve read the story is more grounded and interesting (albeit somewhat ripped from Star Wars) and I want to see what the leveling system is like. Even if it’s janky, I appreciate the experimental approach.

that's a bit hilarious to say, since 4 took much more inspiration from star wars than 2 did.
your characters will gain stats by performing various actions during battle. attacking gives you strength and accuracy, being hit builds up hp and defense. casting magic builds up mp, spirit and intel. dodging attacks builds evasion. spells and weapons have their own levels that increase with use.
i can always go into more detail if you want. the different versions have small tweaks to the overall system.