re: Final Fantasy XV Thread

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You couldn't have multi character party systems with huge overworld and underworlds with combat that included magic, summons, and techs, and have airships, etc with real time combat. They had to compromise and turn based is how they fit all that on the hardware of the time.

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I don't see that they've taken the depth of options and strategy and brought it to real time combat. when they do that, turn based or time turn based combat will then be obsolete.

xv is a step in that direction, but for those who like the strategy and number of options, it's not there yet.

The sphere grid was terrible.

2d sidescrolling still works too. A couple of years ago shovel knight was as good as any game. There is still a place for it just like turn based combat.

Shovel Knight was good, but now we are talking about SNES style 16 bit graphics. The game was good but it is still a novelty.

I was getting frustrating trying to type on my phone about this topic so I fired up my Surface Pro with a keyboard bc I have a lot to say.

I get where you are coming from that say this game is different from the glory days of FF. It hardly resembles a "true" FF game when you look at it on the surface and play it. To me, it should be that way. FF was also a series about changing things up and taking risks. The 4-12 run is a perfect example of that. The only things that loosely tied them together WAS the turn-based battle system and certain plot elements such as crystals.

Final Fantasy has always been about a group of characters that save the world more or less from certain destruction. THAT to me is FF. We follow these characters and grow to relate and like them during the journey. That is what makes a FF game and 15 succeeds at that. The turn based system was and is a huge factor of the identify of FF, but it didn't make the games. Crisis Core is another favorite FF of mine and it isn't turn based either.

I totally get the nostalgia and it's easy to call them out on changing things up, but with the way games are designed now and the power these machines have, Square is experimenting with new techniques and I applaud them for it. I agree with Fox. If nothing else, this is a huge step in the right direction and now that they have the core combat system in place and working well, they can now refine it and make it better than turn based ever was.

My point is, I get that turn based is closely related to what you think a good FF game is, and it is certainly part of what made those early games, but sometimes things need to be shook up to see if we can evolve and become something greater. I feel like South Park is nailing this season with the member berries. People seem to be content with the way things were if they were great and tend to rather stay in that nostalgic area rather than evolving towards a different, but maybe better, maybe not, future.

Musick, your last paragraph pretty much sums it up.

We all grew up playing FF games a certain way and that sets our expectations for future installments. Whenever we see change that we don't agree with, we're tell them to "get off of my lawn."

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have done, I haven't played the game yet. I'm more making the point that turn based games still have a place today and can be used

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absolutely

I prefer it for final fantasy as of now, but if they're able to bring everything you love about turn based to real time combat (if that's even possible) then I think it will be obsolete

I agree to an extent. SE is stuck between a rock and hard place. There was a time when they set the standard for how an RPG plays. The earlier games had a nice balance of gameplay and story telling, which the recent titles have struggled with since they can't seem to figure out what their identity should be. It's a case of trying to emulate others without being the innovator that they once were.

Nevertheless, these types of games always appeal to me, so as long as they keep the core elements of what make a FF game, then I'll enjoy them.

Yes. Also keep in mind this game was never intended to be a numbered installment. I realize it has been in "development" for 10 years, but maybe the story elements and gameplay were meant to be an experiment or test, as you mentioned.

Maybe they wanted to test people's reaction to a shift in gameplay to see how the series should evolve. Maybe once they realized people wanted a more open world, action-based RPG, they decided to go ahead and make it XV.

Whatever the case may be, I think they need to make story telling in an interesting world their main focus before diving into the mechanics. Re-capture that story driven gameplay that made VII and X such great installments.

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Maybe they wanted to test people's reaction to a shift in gameplay to see how the series should evolve. Maybe once they realized people wanted a more open world, action-based RPG, they decided to go ahead and make it XV.

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If they listen to actual feedback and don't get blinded by big sales or comfortable with solid reviews, then they can get this series back to prominence. But they also need to drop the fricking online shite and sequels

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but to imply the only reason game designers made turn-based games (or side-scrollers) was because they were constricted by technology is obviously false.

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Thank you.

Id be happy if they would bring back the liscenes grid like 12. Really free up that customization of your squad. I think that was one of the best ideas they had. I happen to think 12 is their best work from a gameplay stand point. Just missed it with the story.