Final Fantasy Gets Creator, FFVII, Clock Spinoffs

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Final Fantasy Gets Creator, FFVII, Clock Spinoffs

Posted by simoniker on Thursday July 22, 2004 @08:03PM from the all-by-myself dept.

Thanks to 1UP for noting that Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi has founded his own independent development company, according to Japanese magazine Famitsu Weekly. The company will be using "a small group of elite creators", planned to include "artists Yoshitaka Amano and Takehiko Inoue" - the article author also mentions: "Sakaguchi was ousted from any position of significant responsibility at Square after the multi-million-dollar boondoggle that was Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within." Elsewhere, RPGFan mentions a third Final Fantasy VII spin-off has been announced, following the CG movie Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children and the mobile phone-based Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII, but "no release date or platform information has been given so far" for this new title. Finally, Warcry reveals the Final Fantasy XI clock, due out Fall 2004 in the U.S., and featuring "the time, day of the week, date and year in both [Final Fantasy XI's game world] Vana'diel and also here on Earth."

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A bit harsh, aren't we? by KDR_11k · 2004-07-22 20:21 · Score: 1

Is it just me or is it a bit harsh to oust a designer that made so many successful games just because he fucked up once? I mean, tg\he same happened to Gunpei Yokoi (creator of Metroid, Kid Icarus and the Virtual Boy...). Okay, official story was that he resigned, but we know how far to trust those, right? Either that's a cultural thing or someone's seriously overreacting...

--
Justice is the sheep getting arrested while an impartial judge declares the vote void.
sephiroth by incubusnb · 2004-07-22 20:26 · Score: 1

somehow, someway, Sephiroth is needed in this game, it wouldn't be Final Fantasy 7 without the most feared and beloved villian in a Video game Franchise

--
/. is overrun by bed-wetting elitist nerds
let it be known, for anything other than servers, a *nix OS sucks
1. Re:sephiroth by cgenman · 2004-07-22 20:47 · Score: 1
  
  Sephiroth: I will be in this game, will I? Maybe that's what you think. Maybe that's what you've thought all along. In my veins courses the blood of the ancients. I am the rightful heir to this game. This game is not about me. This game is me. You stupid fools. This game is my mother. I am my mother. Mother, I shall return...
  
  [Meanwhile]
  
  Kefka: Ahem. There's SAND on my boots.
  Mook #1: Kefka, what are you doing?
  Kefka: Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha! I'm poisioning Sephiroth's lunch. Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha!
  Mook #1: But that's the catering cart! If you do that, you'll kill the entire production team!
  Kefka: Out of the way, Mook. Nothing can stop me now. Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha!
  
  [Production team collapses on the floor]
  
  Kefka: Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha! I will destroy everything! I will create a monument to non-existence! Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha! Die! Die!
  
  [Sephiroth falls to his knees]
  
  Sephiroth: Death awaits you all. But do not fear... for it is through death that a new spirit energy is born. Soon, we will live again as a part of me.
  
  Kefka: This is sickening! You sound like a chapter from a self-help booklet! Prepare yourself! Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha!
  
  Sephiroth: You stupid fool. You have never even thought about it. All the spirit energy of this Planet. All its wisdom... knowledge...I will meld with it all. I will become one with it... It will become one with me.
  
  Kefka: I hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate you!
  
  Sephiroth: Ha, ha, ha...... Stop acting as if you were happy. There's no need to act as though you're angry either. Because, Kefka. You are...
  
  [Sephiroth falls over dead]
  
  Kefka: Poor old...oh well, what a worthless excuse of a villan!
  
  --
  The ______ Agenda
2. Re:sephiroth by Anonymous Coward · 2004-07-22 21:19 · Score: 1, Insightful
  
  I think we need a law against Final Fantasy fan fiction. Wait, there already is one!
3. Re:sephiroth by cgenman · 2004-07-23 11:48 · Score: 1
  
  That was strung together from actual quotes from the two villans. It's interesting that they are the two most beloved Final Fantasy villans, yet they have such distinctly different styles and emotional levels. Kefka is a paper think lover of destruction and mayhem, who loves what he does and wouldn't think twice about kicking an inferior if it would scrape mud off his shoes. Sephiroth is an emotional bundle of contradictions, fleshed out in a confused man with delusions of grandeur. Both are evil, of course, but besides attempting to destroy the world, they're very different characters.
  
  --
  The ______ Agenda
Giant, terrible projects aren't undertaken solo by cgenman · 2004-07-22 20:28 · Score: 3, Insightful

Despite how terrible The Spirits Within really was, the other people at the company who greenlighted and went along with the project deserve blame too. Hironobu Sakaguchi played a pivotal role in their resurrection from total bankruptcy, eventually having a hand in everything good Square put out from the Final Fantasy series to Einhander, Parasite Eve to Bushido Blade. He interrupted the streak of great games to focus on making movies, a tragic mistake which nearly cost the company it's existence (again). But this is the man who shaped Japan's premier RPG series while it was still Japan's premier RPG series. While I wouldn't give him an extra large Christmas Bonus for The Spirits Within, he does deserve a second chance, with a little oversight and the promise that he will never try to turn square into something other than a videogame company again.

There was more than one guy involved with Microsoft Bob. There was more than one guy who approved Clippy. There was more than one person who looked at the specs and decided that a 64 bit password on a wireless network would be secure enough. Why, then, is the man who was at the forefront of Square's shared delusion suddenly the sole heir of the blame? Do you want to be led into battle by a general who believes himself to be infalliable, or do you want to be led by someone who has had some experience and hard-learned lessons under his belt?

--
The ______ Agenda
1. Re:Giant, terrible projects aren't undertaken solo by dammitallgoodnamesgo · 2004-07-22 22:02 · Score: 2, Interesting
  
  There was more than one guy involved with Microsoft Bob
  Actually, that was a woman. Melissa Gates.
2. Re:Giant, terrible projects aren't undertaken solo by DrWho520 · 2004-07-23 00:27 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  Ofcourse they are not undertaken solo. But then again, neither are they an anarchist undertaking. A project like this is a make/break opportunity. And while Hironobu may have already "made it" by this time in history in some peoples eyes, if Spirits had succeeded, the project would have brought him to an entirely different level. I think Hironobu and Miyamoto would be heard in the same breath throughout the industry...if Sprits had succeeded. Great rewards come from great risk.
  
  Reward is separted from punishment a line of varying width called failure. They key to success is finding where the line is thickest (the obnoxious number of sequels we see on the market today) for low risk/low return success or finding the genius to skirt the line at the thinnest point you can find an still succeed, high risk/high return. The higher the risk, the higher the ramifications. Do not forget, Square spent some 140 million dollars on this project. They pulled in about 30 million in the US theatres. The company almost ended. This was a high risk/high return opportunity, but the risk was too high.
  
  Now while Hironobu did not go solo on the project, he was most certainly the lead on the project. He called the shots. The more authority one has in a company, atleast where I work, the more autonomy on has. I am certain the reins were thrown off years before. I am also certain some doubt was expressed by Square executives that a video game company was trying to produce a movie. I am also certain those fears were assuaged by Hironobu himself, placing his reputation on it. While it was approved activity, I am certain everyone involved understood the ramifications if Spirits failed.
  
  Yes, Hironobu did not go about this process solo. However, he lead the charge from the only place to lead a charge, the battlefield. He was a casualty. Check that, he was the famous casualty. How about the general staff, the renderers and artists. They were not to blame, they were just doing their jobs on a failed project. It is hard to fault them, the movie was visually spectacular. What about the composers? I thought the score was on par with anything Sqare has ever released. Are they casualties? How about the writers? Is it ultimately their fault for creating an unappealing story, or were they just writing to Hironobu's vision? What about the lieutenants on the project, the people whos careers would have been built, made, on Spirits? Are they casualties? Did they retain their jobs? We will never know, because no one talks about them. They are not famous.
  
  A monumental failure occured and the lead on the project was held responsible. What a shock. The bigger they are, the harder they fall unless they trip over their own feet. No one is immune to responsibility if their botch job is bad enough. This one was huge.
  
  --
  The cancel button is your friend. Do not hesitate to use it.
3. Re:Giant, terrible projects aren't undertaken solo by Zangief · 2004-07-23 01:13 · Score: 1
  
  I guess this is tipical of japanese companies. Remember Gumpei Yokoi in Nintendo? Virtual Boy? He had to left the company after the VB fiasco, and went to another company to design a competitor for the gameboy (I don't rememeber the details, but he later died in a car accident).
  
  Those wacko japanese.
4. Re:Giant, terrible projects aren't undertaken solo by kabocox · 2004-07-23 01:50 · Score: 1
  
  Why, then, is the man who was at the forefront of Square's shared delusion suddenly the sole heir of the blame?
  
  I'd say he is the management fall guy. Would you rather have to "punish" an entire team for their work, or just one higher up manager that gave the go ahead and approved it?
5. Re:Giant, terrible projects aren't undertaken solo by Cecil · 2004-07-23 02:45 · Score: 1
  
  I dunno, I didn't really think TSW was that terrible, myself. Obviously 'terrible' was how it did at the box office, but the movie itself wasn't bad. The story was too spiritual for the North American market to really accept it, and I think that's what killed it. If they had released it in Japan (did they?) I suspect it would've done much better over there, but they're not a big enough market to make a dent.
  
  I know that if the story had been different, I would've been able to recommend it wholeheartedly to my parents, grandparents, and some of my friends. The graphics were (and still are) groundbreaking. Truly the state of the art in CG. ILM, Pixar, they don't do anything close to that -- admittedly they also don't spend that much per film.
  
  Anyway, I hope FF:TSW is remembered for the huge leap forward in computer generated films that it is. Yes, I even bought the DVD.
  
  --
  Random and weird software I've written.
6. Re:Giant, terrible projects aren't undertaken solo by Anonymous Coward · 2004-07-23 03:37 · Score: 0
  
  No, the film was terrible, like Highlander 2 terrible. So bad that we fought the Iraq war b/c Saddam had purchased several hundred copies on DVD and the CIA though he was stock piling giant bombs. Thank you I'll be here all week, don't forget to tip the waitress.
7. Re:Giant, terrible projects aren't undertaken solo by king-manic · 2004-07-23 04:45 · Score: 1
  
  I dunno, I didn't really think TSW was that terrible, myself. Obviously 'terrible' was how it did at the box office, but the movie itself wasn't bad. The story was too spiritual for the North American market to really accept it, and I think that's what killed it. If they had released it in Japan (did they?) I suspect it would've done much better over there, but they're not a big enough market to make a dent.
  
  a few corrections.
  s/spiritual/vacuous/
  s/Japan/Anywhe re/
  s/better/worse/
  
  --
  "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."
8. Re:Giant, terrible projects aren't undertaken solo by Hobart · 2004-07-23 05:14 · Score: 1
  
  There was more than one guy involved with Microsoft Bob.
  Actually, that was a woman. Melissa Gates.
  Actually, Melinda Gates née French.
  
  --
  o/~ Join us now and share the software ...
No offense, but he had it coming by MMaestro · 2004-07-22 20:30 · Score: 1

At least from the business perspective. Think about it, the guy is a dinosaur by any perspective. When Final Fantasy IX came out, people were bitching about the 'old school' look being too 'kiddie'. Given the attitudes of most modern gamers these days (read : immature or impatient), theres no way he would've been able to lead a huge company like Square (now SquareEnix) into the 21th century of games.
Or for a simplier comparison, if Final Fantasy 1-6 was released in its purist form (no graphic upgrades, no loadtimes, no FMVs, etc) do you REALLY think it would last in today's market? (After removing the 'you have to get it because its an old school game' factor)
1. Re:No offense, but he had it coming by Anonymous Coward · 2004-07-22 21:37 · Score: 0
  
  I agree with some of your point here, but calling the attitudes of those who disliked FFIX "immature or impatient" is a bit wide of the mark. While I don't think it was a terrible game, there are some fairly objective arguments that can be made for it being the weakest of the modern FF games.
  
  The plot was, by the standards of FF6-FFX, extremely weak. Character development, particularly of the main character, was non-existant until about 80% of the way through the game. You spend most of the first half of the game moving from town to town, with each town getting destroyed as you leave... gets repetative fast.
  
  The combat and character development system was pretty shoddy. Sure, it was hard, compared with FF7 and FF8, but it wasn't interesting. The system for learning skills made spending a *lot* of time levelling up from random fights pretty much essential; something you could largely get by without in FF7 and FF8, if you were only playing the game for the plot. The combat system really didn't add anything; the only change of note was the move from limit breaks to the trance system... a system which seemed badly implemented and didn't even do anything notable to some of the characters. Moreover, the combat ran extremely slowly; even random encounter battles could take a long time.
  
  The graphics weren't great; FF7 had lower detail models, but it had a certain "clean" look that worked quite well. FF8 tried and (just about) failed to do "realistic" graphics, but at least it was ambitious. FF9's graphics just looked cluttered and it had *severe* slow-down in places.
  
  Ultimately, it broke with the established Final Fantasy tradition of adding something new and different with each installment. Retro-gaming may be the "in" thing in some circles, but we expect a bit more from Square than a shameless nostalgia trip.
  
  While I did get some enjoyment from FFIX, I always got the impression that it never had their full attention; that it was just something they slipped out while working on the far more ambitious and far superior FFX.
2. Re:No offense, but he had it coming by chigun · 2004-07-23 15:34 · Score: 1
  
  i agree with most everything you said there, especially the plot comment. i can vividly remember the plot for FF1, FF5, FF6, and FF7 out out the first 9 (i have not played FFX or FFX1), but i cannot for thelife of me remember even the smallest detail from FFIX even though i played the game till finish. i can't even remember the main character or the main villain. FFVII on the other hand, i could probably name almost all the characters, the plot wasn't just something to move the gameplay along, and it had an extraordinarily memorable villain in Sephiroth, a great hero in Cloud.
  
  --
  swanker than you
sakaguchi by vehn23 · 2004-07-22 21:00 · Score: 3, Interesting

This is my favorite (only) square related story and no one ever believes me but.. Back in 2000, I was getting out of EQ after having played it since release. I was on the most JPN-heavy server and in the main (NA) uberguild. Anyways I was in the process of selling my account piece by piece on ebay and the winning bid for one of my better items had an interesting @square.com email. After a small amount of checking I discovered it was the head guy himself. I received payment from his assistant and transferred the item to him in game. There was a couple interesting things about him. One was that he was decked in armor he could not possibly have obtained (lustrous russet). The that he was a female woodelf bard. *sigh*
Hmmm... by Thedalek · 2004-07-22 21:27 · Score: 2, Interesting

Rumors and heresay. Must be slashdot.

In the linked article, it is stated that Amano and Inoue are likely collaborators: Not that they are or definitely will be linked to the company.

And, strictly speaking, doesn't Kingdom Hearts count as a Final Fantasy property, what with all the characters it uses? I think it most likely that Squarenix plans on making a fourth Kingdom Hearts game.

However, should they decide to do something else based around themes and characters from FFVII, a flat out update of the PS1 game to PS2 (or PS3) graphics and gameplay would be a welcome addition to the lineup. Especially if you could resurrect Aeris. Fanboys have been drooling over that idea for a few years now.

--
Happiness is relative, Based upon the way we live.
1. Re:Hmmm... by Thedalek · 2004-07-22 21:49 · Score: 1
  
  I'll beat the spelling-sticklers to the punch here: I meant "hearsay", not "heresay" or "heresey." Sorry.
  
  --
  Happiness is relative, Based upon the way we live.
2. Re:Hmmm... by Pluvius · 2004-07-23 04:34 · Score: 1
  
  However, should they decide to do something else based around themes and characters from FFVII, a flat out update of the PS1 game to PS2 (or PS3) graphics and gameplay would be a welcome addition to the lineup. Especially if you could resurrect Aeris.
  
  Resurrecting Aeris would've completely broken FF7's story. If you'd thought about it, you would have realized that yourself.
  
  Rob
AERIS WILL NOT BE RESURRECTED! by I(rispee_I(reme · 2004-07-22 22:29 · Score: 1

no revisionist history, please
1. Re:AERIS WILL NOT BE RESURRECTED! by KDR_11k · 2004-07-22 23:37 · Score: 1
  
  Reminds me that I don't know a single game where your job is to revise history...
  
  --
  Justice is the sheep getting arrested while an impartial judge declares the vote void.
2. Re:AERIS WILL NOT BE RESURRECTED! by ALeavitt · 2004-07-23 01:31 · Score: 1
  
  Revisionist history? American fanboys are the only ones who see Aeris' death as history at all. In the Japanese version of the game, resurrecting Aeris was part of a late-game side quest. There are relics of this side quest left in the American version, like the materia allowing players to breathe underwater, but the side quest itself was replaced with the various Weapons to destroy. So, depending on how you define your Final Fantasy "history," Aeris was resurrected.
  
  --
  This sig has been stolen. Return it to its original user for a reward.
3. Re:AERIS WILL NOT BE RESURRECTED! by May+Kasahara · 2004-07-23 01:51 · Score: 1
  
  What? That's bullshit.
  There is no way to resurrect Aeris, either in the Japanese version of the game, or the American one. If there was such a way, then the fanboys would've discovered it a long time ago.
  It's true that there are a lot of artifacts of abandoned sidequests in both releases of the game (entire maps, hidden areas, etc.), but there wasn't any subtraction/alteration to the US port of the game as signifigant as what you mention.
4. Re:AERIS WILL NOT BE RESURRECTED! by ALeavitt · 2004-07-23 02:05 · Score: 1
  
  No alteration to the US version of the game? Import the Japanese version and find Emerald Weapon. Yeah, no alteration...
  
  --
  This sig has been stolen. Return it to its original user for a reward.
5. Re:AERIS WILL NOT BE RESURRECTED! by GregChant · 2004-07-23 02:08 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  From Coming to America: The making of Final Fantasy VII and how Squaresoft conquered the RPG market (Section Title: Let's just kill Aeris... Drama is everything):
  
  Still, players hoped for a "better" ending, and for quite a while a rumor circulated online that Aeris could be resurrected. It all started with a post on a newsgroup by an American player who played the Japanese game and completely misunderstood a scene at the end of the second disk to mean a failed resurrection of Aeris. Then somebody who went by the name of "Ben Lansing" saw the post and decided to post on the newsgroups claiming that he was a translator at Square USA during the production of the game, and had inside knowledge on how Aeris could be revived. He supported his claims with the supposed changes made to the US version of the game, such as the Underwater materia and the new FMV sequence which he said was that of Aeris' resurrection (it was actually for the Diamond Weapon monster). He also pointed to many places in the game where the relevance to the story was unclear (such as the sick man in Midgar) which he wove into his elaborate instructions for the revival process. The whole story was too complicated to describe in detail here, but the release of the American version finally revealed many of his claims to be false. Despite many inconsistencies in his claims, many people believed him, and there were even staunch supporters who claimed to have successfully revived Aeris using his instructions. Anyway, "Ben Lansing" eventually posted that the whole thing was just a hoax, and laughed at the general stupidity of American players.
  
  Joke's on you, buddy.
6. Re:AERIS WILL NOT BE RESURRECTED! by ALeavitt · 2004-07-23 02:15 · Score: 1
  
  D'oh! Ok, ok, I admit I was wrong... but the Weapons still aren't in the Japanese version. ...
  
  Right?
  
  --
  This sig has been stolen. Return it to its original user for a reward.
7. Re:AERIS WILL NOT BE RESURRECTED! by GregChant · 2004-07-23 02:56 · Score: 1
  
  It was the main premise behind Final Fantasy Tactics.
8. Re:AERIS WILL NOT BE RESURRECTED! by Azrael+Newtype · 2004-07-23 03:27 · Score: 1
  
  In the initial version, correct. In the rereleased "International" version, yes. I never really understood that whole business, unless they just mean that it's a Japanese port of the version everyone else got, but whatever. It's actually rather standard practice to add stuff like that (bonus, mildly amusing but ultimately pointless except to say you did it) in, but changing the plot in that significant a way would be rather abnormal. They did, however, remove the credit card from the US version. Not that this has anything to do with.... what?
  
  --
  I'm always right and I can prove it, because to the best of my knowledge, I've never been wrong.
9. Re:AERIS WILL NOT BE RESURRECTED! by May+Kasahara · 2004-07-23 04:03 · Score: 1
  
  I said no signifigant alteration. Hidden bosses are one thing, Aeris being revived is a whole 'nother can of worms.
10. Re:AERIS WILL NOT BE RESURRECTED! by May+Kasahara · 2004-07-23 04:05 · Score: 1
  
  Thanks, yo :)
  Additional info, for the curious:
  -Lansing's Original Rumour
  -Lansing's Confession
11. Re:AERIS WILL NOT BE RESURRECTED! by May+Kasahara · 2004-07-23 04:14 · Score: 1
  
  Yep, yep. And there's been "International" versions of various other Square games since then.
  Final Fantasy VII/International Differences
12. Re:AERIS WILL NOT BE RESURRECTED! by Hobart · 2004-07-23 05:36 · Score: 1
  
  I predict an FF7 port to the PSP (Playstation portable), with city-to-city Sony tours letting people resurrect Aeris a-la Mew from Pokemon. You heard it here first.
  
  --
  o/~ Join us now and share the software ...
Final Fantasy XI Clock? by Dizzle · 2004-07-22 23:34 · Score: 1

What's next, Final Fantasy XI: The Toilet Sheets? Final Fantasy XI: The Lunchbox? Final Fantasy XI: THE TOILET PAPER!?

--
-Dizzle
"I most likely AM so interested in myself."
1. Re:Final Fantasy XI Clock? by foidulus · 2004-07-22 23:38 · Score: 1
  
  What exactly is the difference between Toilet Sheets and Toilet Paper?
2. Re:Final Fantasy XI Clock? by Dizzle · 2004-07-23 00:42 · Score: 1
  
  Crap. I totally messed that one up. Just mod me down then. :(
  
  --
  -Dizzle
  "I most likely AM so interested in myself."
3. Re:Final Fantasy XI Clock? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-07-23 03:42 · Score: 0
  
  Screw those, I want Final Fantasy XI: THE FLAMETHROWER!
4. Re:Final Fantasy XI Clock? by pat_trick · 2004-07-23 08:16 · Score: 1
  
  Nah. Final Fantasy XI: The Breakfast Cereal.
Revisionist? by Thedalek · 2004-07-22 23:51 · Score: 1

It's not revisionist unless it depicts only the scope of the original. If it continues past the end of the original, anything goes.

Besides, since when are video games considered "history?" How can any specific event be canon if the entire story can end with the death of the main character at any time? Mario dies on world 1-1, and so he never rescued the princess, and Super Marios 2, 3, World, Land, RPG, and 64 never happen (although Paper Mario could still happen, since that seems to be a different "Mario"). I don't know how that would affect Mario Kart, Tennis, or Super Smash Bros., though.

Don't tell me your actually taking continuity within video game series seriously.

--
Happiness is relative, Based upon the way we live.
1. Re:Revisionist? by Pluvius · 2004-07-23 04:37 · Score: 1
  
  It's not revisionist unless it depicts only the scope of the original. If it continues past the end of the original, anything goes.
  
  Uh, you yourself said that you were talking about a straight remake of FF7. Such a thing obviously wouldn't continue past the end of the original.
  
  Rob
Thank god... by Anonymous Coward · 2004-07-22 23:58 · Score: 0

Sakaguchi made Square to what it is today... ever since he gave up director role (after FF5), the games have all slightly suffered, until he was finally kicked off... and FFX and FFX2 have been horrible. Luckily Square merged with Enix, since the only interesting things out of that camp seem to be on the Enix side of things (Star Ocean 3 and Dragonquest 8)... Having Sakaguchi and Amano work on a project together is a dream come true for many RPG fans who remember the glory days of the genre... this new game will be more FF than the recent FFs were...
Spirits Within by Reapy · 2004-07-23 00:19 · Score: 1

What I don't understand is why they made the movie so different from final fantasy games. I mean, they had some similar type plot things going on, had a cid, and all that, but why the sci fi all of a sudden? If they had just done it in the style of the final fantasy games, it probably would have done loads better. Well, maybe not, I don't know if mainstream usa is ready for final fantasy yet. Actually, I hope it never does. If that happens, it'll be as bad as watching ring wraiths chasing a mcdonalds happy meal down the road.
1. Re:Spirits Within by KDR_11k · 2004-07-23 01:29 · Score: 1
  
  Weren't the later FFs pretty much steampunk/scifi? The only incoherence I see is that it involved real locations. Oh, and that it didn't have random encounters, but I bet they'll remedy that in FF:AC
  
  --
  Justice is the sheep getting arrested while an impartial judge declares the vote void.
2. Re:Spirits Within by Rallion · 2004-07-23 02:23 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  Well, maybe not, I don't know if mainstream usa is ready for final fantasy yet.
  
  Well, there's your answer. I wouldn't personally say that your statement is true, but I bet a lot of people think it is. Basically, all the fantasy elements were stripped out of the movie. No magic! The most fantastic things were a bunch of alien ghosts.
  
  I think a real Final Fantasy would have done fine, myself...certainly not worse. LotR (while I highly doubt a FF movie would approach those numbers) proved that America can suck up fantasy if it's presented well.
3. Re:Spirits Within by Pluvius · 2004-07-23 04:31 · Score: 1
  
  Why do so many people think that TSW was so different from the Final Fantasy games? It's a rehash of FF7, for crying out loud!
  
  Rob (Cid + Chocobos != Final Fantasy)
4. Re:Spirits Within by Reapy · 2004-07-23 05:02 · Score: 1
  
  What i meant was the, and i'm not sure on the word for it, machina? Basically the fantasy setting with machines and swords. This was a strictly sci fi plot with some magic thrown in. I didn't see any pointy hair or sword swinging heros.
  
  It was a light themed final fantasy. World destroying, gaea, worlds with spirits. Great, that's like every other fantasy and sci fi theme out there. I guess it's hard to describe, or I don't want to spend time trying to do it, but if you examine the look of the world in the games vs the look of the world in the movie, you should at liest see the difference. When I get into a final fantasy game, I feel like i'm playing a final fantasy game. When I look at a final fantasy cgi, I feel like it's a final fantasy cgi. When I watched the movie, i had to struggle to feel the connection. It was there, but just very subtle.
  
  By the way, I own and really do enjoy the movie, and didn't mean to be putting it down. I just felt they would have better taken a risk on a movie like that with one that was themed like their successful games, rather then something completly new.
5. Re:Spirits Within by Pluvius · 2004-07-23 05:32 · Score: 1
  
  I think the word you're looking for is "anime." It wasn't anime enough. And anime is a style, not a theme. TSW's theme was the same as that of any other FF.
  
  Rob
Reason Why by Anonymous Coward · 2004-07-23 00:33 · Score: 0

Congratulations! I think you may have hit upon the reason it did not do well! Good job, have a cookie.

I owe all my success to dictionary.com.
Vana'diel Timer? by damien_kane · 2004-07-23 01:45 · Score: 1

Ermmm... There's already a great Vana'diel timer available online. I use it regularly (and will be using it soon to time my RSE runs).

Take a look Here for a Mozilla/Gecko/DOM-Compliant version, or Here for the updated version (sadly, only IE-Compatible right now).
Credits to Pyogenes for the timer.

Anyone on Kujata send me a /tell sometime (AlexisLucia).
And now, the obligatory push for my LS site: The Magitek Army
1. Re:Vana'diel Timer? by damien_kane · 2004-07-23 01:47 · Score: 1
  
  Sorry, the LS site is magitekarmy.com
  Damned slashdot redirectors...
  
  Oh ya, and the 2 minute wait...
2. Re:Vana'diel Timer? by DJ+Wipeout · 2004-07-23 21:22 · Score: 1
  
  The great thing about this clock is the timers. There are four of them, one for each city, and each one can be set individually as either a countdown timer (up to 99:99:99) or a regular daily alarm clock, in either Earth or Vana'diel time. All can be enabled/disabled indvidually and plays the relevant city theme.
  
  It just rocks.
  
  And besides, it looks cool.
  --
  Kuroshiro
  Phoenix
  LS: ShirtNinjas
FFXI Clock by iCEBaLM · 2004-07-23 04:43 · Score: 1

Why buy an FFXI Clock when you can use the Virtual Vana'diel Timer?
Great by Pluvius · 2004-07-23 04:48 · Score: 0, Troll

So the one game that should never have a sequel is going to have at least three of them, all at once.

Thanks, Square! Just keep milking that cash cow while you drive away all your fans in droves!

Rob
But that movie was great, damnit! by Stormwatch · 2004-07-23 12:55 · Score: 1

Why didn't people like that movie? It was great. It was a beautiful supernatural sci-fi fairy tale. Of course, if you were expecting a dumb action flick as those Hollywood churns out all the time, you're bound to be disappointed...

--
Circumcision is child abuse.
Dumb... by Anonymous Coward · 2004-07-24 00:22 · Score: 0

The only problem with SquareEnix at the time Is the last 4 letters, it shouldn't of ever changed from Squaresoft...

Square will never be the same... and its all thanks to those last 4 letters, Enix...