Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Impressions

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Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Impressions

Posted by Hemos on Monday September 6, 2004 @04:06AM from the who's-gonna-watch-it dept.

Tim Butler writes "1UP.com has posted impressions of Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children from the premiere screening at the Venice Film Festival. The article also reveals that the film won't be ready until next spring -- but may clock in at more than an hour and a half in running time (is a big screen release a possibility now?)."

180 comments

Holding out hope. by slusich · 2004-09-06 04:07 · Score: 4, Interesting

I'm just hoping they did a better job on this one then on the last FF movie. The last one looked gorgeous, but the plot was almost non-existent. It was as if they had spent every ounce of effort producing the visuals, and someone had forgotten to bother with a script. I loved FF:VII as a game, and I'm holding out hope that the movie will live up to the name this time. Of course, I'm also hoping for a direct to DVD release since I refuse to go to a theatre any more.

--
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1. Re:Holding out hope. by BigHungryJoe · 2004-09-06 04:08 · Score: 1
  
  FF VII was my favorite, with FF X falling close behind.
2. Re:Holding out hope. by AndyChrist · 2004-09-06 04:13 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  Was FFVII the first one you played?
  
  Almost invariably I find this to be the case with those who call it their favorite.
3. Re:Holding out hope. by jaredcat · 2004-09-06 04:15 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  Actually as sucky as the last FF movie was, it's plot had every element of a FF game story...
  
  . A small team of unlikely characters fighting impossible odds.
  . A government with factions out to kill that team.
  . The earth nearly destroyed or in its final days.
  . People with magical/spiritual powers.
  . Some kind of religeous overtones.
  . Scary monsters everywhere!
  . A top bad guy evil character, out to get our team!
  
  I think what made it suck was that those good game elements that play out over 40 hours of interactive gameplay as you are descovering the world don't neccesarily make a good 2-hour non-interactive movie where there is a lot of exposition and all of these elements are crammed together.
  
  The difference in the plots between FF: TSW and FF VII: Advent Children is that the FFVII Universe is already established (as the most popular FF of all time), and pretty much anyone wanting to see FFVII has already a good idea of the backstory. That allows for better storytelling.
4. Re:Holding out hope. by nkh · 2004-09-06 04:16 · Score: 1
  
  Have you tried FF6 on SNES? I would love to see a movie with FF6' steampunk ambiance. Sadly, I find that Square moving from fantasy to SF was a bad decision.
5. Re:Holding out hope. by satoshi1 · 2004-09-06 04:20 · Score: 2
  
  FF7 was the first I played. Then I played FFX, and then FF4. So far, FF4 is my favorite. I've beaten FF7, I'm probably very close in FFX (the cloister of trials in zanarkand), and in FF4... I forget at the moment -_- But I like it much better than FF7 and FFX.
6. Re:Holding out hope. by Speare · 2004-09-06 04:35 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  Actually as sucky as the last FF movie was, it's plot had every element of a FF game story...
  You forgot the glue that binds every Final Fantasy premise: an ally character named Cid.
  
  --
  [ .sig file not found ]
7. Re:Holding out hope. by GT_Onizuka · 2004-09-06 04:36 · Score: 1
  
  Apparently you've never played FF IV, or VI, or Tactics. VII is a great game, but it reminds me of the whole Halo situation. People who think Halo is the best game ever, have ONLY played ONE FPS, and it hapened to be Halo on the X-Box.
  
  --
  If you take out Country Kitchen buffet, old people won't know what to do.
8. Re:Holding out hope. by Grab · 2004-09-06 04:39 · Score: 1
  
  "Looked gorgeous"?
  
  Maybe in stills. In the film though, it became obvious that the animators had never seen a human moving. Bugs Bunny cartoons had more convincing animation than FF did.
  
  Not to mention the few places where the animation broke down. Watch Aki's forearms and wrists - I noticed them break into rectangular surfaces at least twice during the film. A valiant effort, sure, but ultimately an attempt that failed, and not just due to the absence of a script - technically the visuals weren't up to it either.
  
  Gollum made it because he *did* look human, and the acting was good enough as well that you never even thought about it. FF only got to the "nearly" stage on looks and the animation screamed "FAKE! FAKE! FAKE!". By falling into the Uncanny Valley, it only succeeded in looking strange and slightly creepy.
  
  Grab.
9. Re:Holding out hope. by Anonymous Coward · 2004-09-06 04:40 · Score: 0
  
  Actually, there was a character named Cid it FF:TSW. He was the doctor that Dr. Ross worked for. He sounded a lot like Donald Sutherland.
10. Re:Holding out hope. by MMaestro · 2004-09-06 04:42 · Score: 2, Informative
  
  Cid didn't appear in the series until FFIV, and in VI he was originally working for the bad guys. I'd say a more appropiate subject would be the airships/spaceships(FFVIII) since those appeared from THE beginning of the series (FFI)
11. Re:Holding out hope. by Anonymous Coward · 2004-09-06 04:53 · Score: 0
  
  You're not close to finishing. You still have Sin to contend with. And lots of sidequests, though you didn't say whether you had done any of them. I probably had a dozen hours after Zanarkand before I got to the final showdown, but I play kinda slowly.
12. Re:Holding out hope. by jandrese · 2004-09-06 04:55 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  I'm not sure I'd really tout FF Tactics for it's storyline either. It's got a great battle system and a fiendish (if somewhat predictable) AI, but the storyline was a convoluted mess that at best didn't detract too much from the gameplay.
  
  --
  
  I read the internet for the articles.
13. Re:Holding out hope. by Cid+Highwind · 2004-09-06 05:03 · Score: 1, Funny
  
  You forgot the glue that binds every Final Fantasy premise: an ally character named Cid.
  
  I'm glad SOMEONE noticed...
  
  --
  0 1 - just my two bits
14. Re:Holding out hope. by Cecil · 2004-09-06 05:09 · Score: 0
  
  FF4 (aka 2) was my first, but FF7 is my favourite.
  
  --
  Random and weird software I've written.
15. Re:Holding out hope. by TheAvatar666 · 2004-09-06 05:20 · Score: 0
  
  In the movie he is called Sid, with the S. There are no moogles or chocobos. Not every element, specially the characteristic ones I mentioned.
16. Re:Holding out hope. by jaredcat · 2004-09-06 05:21 · Score: 1
  
  There was a Dr. Sid in FF: TSW! He was voiced by Donald Sutherland of all people. Dr. Sid was the batty professor who came up with the idea that spirits from plants and dying children would defeat the alien monsters.
17. Re:Holding out hope. by Dirtside · 2004-09-06 05:26 · Score: 0
  
  Well, here's a data point against it: I played FF1, FF2, and FF3 long before FF7 came out (those are all the American designations, btw), and FF7 is still my favorite. :)
  
  --
  "Destroy science and religion. Science would re-emerge exactly the same; but not religion." - Penn Jillette, paraphrased
18. Re:Holding out hope. by Anonymous Coward · 2004-09-06 05:30 · Score: 0
  
  Gollum made it because he *did* look human, and the acting was good enough as well that you never even thought about it. FF only got to the "nearly" stage on looks and the animation screamed "FAKE! FAKE! FAKE!". By falling into the Uncanny Valley, it only succeeded in looking strange and slightly creepy.
  
  Funnily enough, I got the opposite impression of the two. Gollum sucked. His movements were all grossly overexaggerated, and his hair moved so unnaturally, and was so obviously CG, that it was a constant distraction all the time he was on screen.
  
  FF:TSW, meanwhile, was sufficiently obviously animation that it fell short of uncanniness, and I was able to suspend disbelief well enough to enjoy the film. It probably helped that I was younger at the time, too.
19. Re:Holding out hope. by Anonymous Coward · 2004-09-06 05:32 · Score: 0
  
  Another data point against this statement: I played in the order FF6, FF4, FF5, FF7, FF8 -- and FF7 is my favourite of those.
  
  Only the first disk and a half, though. The good bits in the rest are too far apart.
20. Re:Holding out hope. by hunterx11 · 2004-09-06 05:42 · Score: 1
  
  Clearly he should duke it out with Duncan Idaho.
  
  --
  English is easier said than done.
21. Re:Holding out hope. by Sylver+Dragon · 2004-09-06 05:43 · Score: 1
  
  I distictly recall a Cid being in FF2 (US version/numbering). He was the inventor of the airship, and joined the party. FFI, however didn't have one, unless you named one of your characters that.
  
  --
  Necessity is the mother of invention.
  Laziness is the father.
22. Re:Holding out hope. by AndyChrist · 2004-09-06 05:56 · Score: 1
  
  The ones I'm right about aren't replying. You have to get them individually.
23. Re:Holding out hope. by GreyWolf3000 · 2004-09-06 06:01 · Score: 2, Informative
  
  Actually, Cid appeared in Japan's FF2.
  
  --
  Slashdot: Where people pretend to be twice as smart as they really are by behaving like children.
24. Re:Holding out hope. by wheany · 2004-09-06 06:02 · Score: 1
  
  Actually they have the same monsters. Their looks may be a little updated, but there's always Bombs and Behemots and Cactuars in the games.
25. Re:Holding out hope. by LtOcelot · 2004-09-06 06:05 · Score: 2, Interesting
  
  Another take on this is that FF game plots have always been weak, but the interactivity distracts players from that. They've been considered "good" relative to other games, but the average quality of game plots in general is pretty poor.
26. Re:Holding out hope. by sabernet · 2004-09-06 06:34 · Score: 0
  
  I played just about each and every one of them now, although I haven't played 10 much at all. In my opinion, the one with the most "theatrical" feel to it as well as the most defined image, FF6(FF3US) would be the best in that field. FF7 had the best characters, period. And the story was failry deep[albeit not as deep as FFX, it was easier to absorb) FF4 has the nostalgia kick as well as being the biggest jump in technology FF has seen.(ATB, operatic music, etc...) Besides, Kain was cool:) FF8 made excellent strides in gameplay as well as having one of the cooler weapons(gunblade was cool, try to dispute that;P) but the story was horrid and jammed together in a nonsensical mush. FF9 was fun and lighthearted. Which was fun:) FF1 was great, and even the story(or what story there was) was interested and deep in those days. Playing it now is just plain frustrating though(walking the map for three days just to find out what to do next was somewhat aggravating). But hay, Chaos was cool:) [anyone ever able to beat Warmech?]
27. Re:Holding out hope. by lavar78 · 2004-09-06 06:43 · Score: 1
  
  I don't think it was quite as convoluted as everyone says. Most of the twists and turns were rather cool. Most importantly, it's an excellent game regardless.
  
  --
  "Dave, I stand still--the conclusions jump to me!" - Bill McNeal, NewsRadio
28. Re:Holding out hope. by Anonymous Coward · 2004-09-06 06:45 · Score: 1
  
  "FF7 had the best characters, period."
  
  That is a god damned joke.
29. Re:Holding out hope. by king-manic · 2004-09-06 06:45 · Score: 1
  
  I'm not sure I'd really tout FF Tactics for it's storyline either. It's got a great battle system and a fiendish (if somewhat predictable) AI, but the storyline was a convoluted mess that at best didn't detract too much from the gameplay
  
  You mean the translation was a bloody mess. the original story line came through, but with a bit of engrish confusion. It was said to be a very nainced storyline in japanese.
  
  --
  "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."
30. Re:Holding out hope. by OoSync · 2004-09-06 06:47 · Score: 1
  
  ut hay, Chaos was cool:) [anyone ever able to beat Warmech?]
  
  Yeah, I beat a Warmech, but never a Warmech and Chaos afterwards. That was a plain dirty trick by Square ;)
  
  --
  
  I always get the shakes before a drop.
31. Re:Holding out hope. by shish · 2004-09-06 06:57 · Score: 1
  
  I think most people find their first to be their favourite - like many things, there's the magic of it being new; despite all the FF games being very different, the magic of newness only happens once.
  Come to think of it, my first was actually mystic quest, a sort of Fisher Price My First RPG, made by square to introduce people to RPGs without all the scary stats. FFVII was my first real one though, and is my favourite; I liked 6 the one time I played it through, but 7's sidegames and subplots* mean I've put more time into it that all my other games put together.
  * Many of the subplots were never finished, and that's why I think it was so popular - there's always something out of reach, which gives plenty of room for thought (eg Did anyone ever get past the guard dog in the first screen of the underwater reactor sequence? There's an arrow saying that there's a door there, but the dog is in the way...)
  
  --
  I mod down anyone who says "I will be modded down for this", regardless of the rest of their comment
32. Re:Holding out hope. by drsquare · 2004-09-06 06:59 · Score: 1
  
  Funnily enough, I got the opposite impression of the two. Gollum sucked. His movements were all grossly overexaggerated, and his hair moved so unnaturally, and was so obviously CG, that it was a constant distraction all the time he was on screen.
  
  Yeah, they say that the CGI was great, but I though it still looked rather out of place and awkward. Gollum was treated like a cartoon with the graphics and the over-acting, which didn't really fit in with a live-action film. The eagles were awful as well.
  
  I think the spider was a lot better, and the cities, although I think some of them were modelled properly. Although did anyone else feel that the distances in the film were too short? Minas Tirith and Osgiliath were 20 miles apart, but in the film they looked a short walk away, and Mordor only looked a couple of miles across.
33. Re:Holding out hope. by Bendebecker · 2004-09-06 07:02 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  You forgot the effeminate men and strong powerful but still good looking women.
  
  --
  There's a growing sense that even if The Future comes,
  most of us won't be able to afford it.
  -- Lemmy
34. Re:Holding out hope. by Mold · 2004-09-06 07:23 · Score: 1
  
  Did it have chocobo? I don't remember any of those.
35. Re:Holding out hope. by Daetrin · 2004-09-06 07:52 · Score: 1
  
  You forgot the glue that binds every Final Fantasy premise: an ally character named Cid.
  And the "some kind of crystal" thing. Unfortunatly Square has been falling down on that one a bit after FF9. And did FF8 have any? I really can't remember much about that game.
  
  --
  This Space Intentionally Left Blank
36. Re:Holding out hope. by Anonymous Coward · 2004-09-06 08:05 · Score: 0
  
  The knees on this supermodel are entirely too sharp!
  
  <fark>
37. Re:Holding out hope. by Fwonkas · 2004-09-06 08:08 · Score: 1
  
  The first one I played was FF4 (FF2 US) back in '92 or whatever. I've played every one since then, except for that gamecube one. And I never had the patience to beat Tactics.
  
  I doubt my opinion will be too popular, but I thought that 7 was the best until 10 came out. 7 is definitely my favorite, though. If that makes sense.
  
  I also think that 8 gets a bad rap. Definitely one of the better ones. 9 was my least favorite.
  
  I know old-school FFers are supposed to think that everything after 6 is eye candy. Sorry - can't say that I agree. I think they get generally better with each new game. I even enjoyed X-2, as silly as it was.
  
  --
  COMPUTER! Whatever happened to Blueberry Muffin?
38. Re:Holding out hope. by hajihill · 2004-09-06 08:26 · Score: 2, Informative
  
  You had to 'camp' the thing that guards the lode stone (basically walk back and forth across that square to keep fighting the monster), then in no time everyone in your party is level 50...
  
  Now that doesn't mean a ton if you go out with a mixed party, but if you manage to struggle through with 4 black-belts then you can take warmech and chaos in one attack per. No problems there...
  
  Besides Warmech was in the castle of air just before tiamat, right? Chaos was really just a transmogrified Garland and was in a different dungeon altogether.
  
  The first FF was definitely my favorite. I even managed to beat the game with four white wizards, and again with four black wizards though those times it was really difficult.
  
  Hail FFI! One of my favorite console games of all time, but then again I still think the Gold Box Adventure series from SSI are great, and still play Zork to pass time... but that's just me.
  
  --
  Of blankness, I know nothing.
39. Re:Holding out hope. by WWWWolf · 2004-09-06 08:31 · Score: 1
  
  The last one looked gorgeous, but the plot was almost non-existent.
  
  "I am particularly enjoying the visual effects. The script is a little weak, dost thou not think?" - Iolo (incidentally describing Every Play And Movie Ever Made[tm])
  
  Final Fantasy movie was, at least in spirit, rather close to FF series (well, I'm not familiar with FF series in particular, but even I could spot dozens of things that were, ahem, probably typical to the genre.)
  
  CRPGs rarely have overly complex plots either, there's mostly just recycling of the same old stuff - but at least they bother to get the nitty-gritty details different in each part. And in my opinion, that's okay, if a little bit predictable. What I don't know is what is a good plot? Before you say "unusual", I usually have to say that "usual" can also work. Details matter - often even more than the actual bigger picture. (You can get away with "they take the Ring to the Mountain and destroy it there" synopsis if you spend a thousand pages describing how it's done while keeping it interesting enough...)
  
  Argh, I should get to sleep...
  
  Of course, I'm also hoping for a direct to DVD release
  
  Don't worry! What I heard is that it is direct-to-DVD. (Or, more likely considering my unfortunate geographical location, direct-to-overpriced-DVD-and-bittorrent release. =)
40. Re:Holding out hope. by Obiwan+Kenobi · 2004-09-06 08:39 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  I think the reason for this assumption is that FF7 truly showed what RPGs could do with next-gen hardware. Before FF7 there were no 3D worlds, no 3D monsters, no true spatial and particle effects.
  
  The storyline was so intriguing thanks to the amazing visuals that it simply took the gameplay to a new level.
  
  They also killed a major character, a love-interest no less, right in the middle of the story. This, to my recollection, had never happened in such as quick, brutal and shocking manner before.
  
  It may sound silly, this is a video game yadda yadda, but the immersiveness of this game is unparalleled in any other Final Fantasy to date. They seem to be so hot on Amazing CGI Scenes and SUPER HUGE MONDO MONSTER SPELLS that take (I kid you not) 2 minutes a pop to pull off, that they leave the gameplay and the richness behind.
  
  That's not to say they haven't come close, but that's also to say that the magic in FF7 has yet to be repeated.
  
  The next final fantasy will be a continuation of the FF7 story. That has never happened before (the revisit of an older universe to tell a continuating tale). This alone tells the power it had not only on gamers, but on SquareEnix as well.
41. Re:Holding out hope. by Pluvius · 2004-09-06 09:18 · Score: 1
  
  Either you're trolling or you haven't played more than one or two FFs. Or both. If all of the FF games are the same, then all of the games in every other series are the same as well.
  
  Rob
42. Re:Holding out hope. by Pluvius · 2004-09-06 09:28 · Score: 1
  
  I know old-school FFers are supposed to think that everything after 6 is eye candy. Sorry - can't say that I agree.
  
  Hell, you might as well just say that they're completely wrong. You know, because they are.
  
  Rob
43. Re:Holding out hope. by Pluvius · 2004-09-06 09:36 · Score: 1
  
  Or maybe so many people like FF7 because *gasp* it was good?
  
  Sorry, bub, your argument was discredited a long, long time ago. Personally? I started playing FF right from the beginning, back in 1990. FF7 and FF8 are tied as my favorite FF. Besides, even if your argument did hold any water, all it would prove is the inane obstinance of the nostalgia freaks who can't handle their games maturing beyond their simplistic plots, characters, and gameplay.
  
  Rob
44. Re:Holding out hope. by Pluvius · 2004-09-06 09:39 · Score: 1
  
  Uh-huh.
  
  Rob
45. Re:Holding out hope. by Pluvius · 2004-09-06 09:43 · Score: 1
  
  FF has always had a fusion between the magical and the technological. FF7 is hardly more science-fiction than FF1 (remember Warmech and the time-travel plot that FF8 rehashed, among several other things?) is. The "movement from fantasy to SF" is just a figment of detractors' imaginations.
  
  Rob
46. Re:Holding out hope. by Zork+the+Almighty · 2004-09-06 09:50 · Score: 1
  
  As I recall, Cid did appear in FFI. He was in one of the towns.
  
  --
  
  In Soviet America the banks rob you!
47. Re:Holding out hope. by hc00jw · 2004-09-06 10:00 · Score: 2, Informative
  
  FF7 was the first I played. Then I played FFX, and then FF4. So far, FF4 is my favorite. I've beaten FF7, I'm probably very close in FFX (the cloister of trials in zanarkand), and in FF4... I forget at the moment -_- But I like it much better than FF7 and FFX.
  
  Sadly, Final Fantasy VII was the first real FF game us Europeans *could* play! Yeah, we had the original, the game boy titles, and Mystic Quest. One of those wasn't actually a FF game, (Adventure), one was the worst game ever (Mystic Quest), one was relegated to frustrating history lesson (akin to the original Metroid) (the original), and the other three game boy games don't even really bother mentioning.
  
  So you can imagine what European gamers experienced when they finally got their hands on FF7? All the evolution of the other titles, all experienced in one glorious game.
  
  Having said that, Future Play, an old (fantastic) U.K. SNES magazine, still managed to rate FFVI as the 6th best SNES game of all time, and IV in the top 20 (iirc that one), despite the fact that most readers didn't stand a chance of getting hold of a copy! Hell, they even ran an article every issue on the secrets of the Final Fantasy games! I didn't know what they were talking about until I picked up my playstation with VII bundled, of course...
48. Re:Holding out hope. by Pluvius · 2004-09-06 10:20 · Score: 1
  
  Nope. There was a rumor that the invisible person in Coneria was Cid, but it turned out to be a bug (and the dialogue was that of a female character, at that). And the doctor who helps you out is named Dr. Unne.
  
  Rob
49. Re:Holding out hope. by 0racle · 2004-09-06 11:54 · Score: 1
  
  FF2(US) was FF4.
  
  --
  "I use a Mac because I'm just better than you are."
50. Re:Holding out hope. by Zangief · 2004-09-06 12:00 · Score: 4, Interesting
  
  The first FF I played was FFVII. However, after liking a lot said game, I went back, and played the older ones. I have played FFI (never finished that one...is way too primitive), FFIV (hyped by nostalgic fans; good if you like basic rpgs), FFV (good game, a shame that west skipped this one) and FFVI (f*cking great game).
  
  FFVI is my fav. The history is great, the fact that you could select (at some point of the history) which group of characters follow, and a lot of other small details that help making the story a little less linear, make it a winner.
  
  Yeah, FFVII was good, but:
  -Had a lot of long cutscenes.
  -Summons were way too powerful (and boring. Here is a hint: play the game without ever using summons, and the game quality will go up a little)
  -Way too easy (even without summons).
  -Very linear game.
  -Worst. Ending. Ever.
  -Horrible load times for battles.
  -The battles were tiring. (When I was reaching the end of the second disc, I started playing without volume, because the battle theme was driving me mad).
  
  The bottom line: great story, and 3D characters against good (at the time) 2D backgrounds don't
  
  FF8 fixed the summoning problem (replacing it with the renzokuken problem, which was worst. :), and a great ending. However, you couldn't care less about the villain (Ultimecia? who the heck was her...pseudo-spoiler: some people say she was Rinoa), and the magic system was broken. I liked FF7 best.
51. Re:Holding out hope. by Red+Alastor · 2004-09-06 12:36 · Score: 1
  
  But it has :
  
  No sword.
  No summon.
  No typical FF magic (fire, ice, life...).
  No muggles.
  No boss fight (and no final boss).
  No typical items (potions, ethers, phoenix down).
  
  I would have like on top of that see the character camp in the middle of a field. To see them improve their skills (level up), etc.
  
  It lacked too much FF elments for my taste.
  
  --
  Slashdot anagrams to "Sad Sloth"
52. Re:Holding out hope. by lavar78 · 2004-09-06 13:27 · Score: 1
  
  one was relegated to frustrating history lesson (akin to the original Metroid)
  Come again? The original Metroid is one of the finest games of the 8-bit era. I'm not sure I understand what you mean.
  
  --
  "Dave, I stand still--the conclusions jump to me!" - Bill McNeal, NewsRadio
53. Re:Holding out hope. by lavar78 · 2004-09-06 13:39 · Score: 1
  
  I'm in the same boat. Back in the NES days, I was a Dragon Warrior kind of guy, so my first FF was VII. I went back and played the others. FF6 is by far the best game in the series. For one thing, I think the ensemble cast worked better than having one less-than-interesting main character (see Cloud, Squall, Zidane).
  
  --
  "Dave, I stand still--the conclusions jump to me!" - Bill McNeal, NewsRadio
54. Re:Holding out hope. by lavar78 · 2004-09-06 13:42 · Score: 1
  
  I agree with you. They aren't all eye candy after FF6. However, none of them are as good as FF6.
  
  --
  "Dave, I stand still--the conclusions jump to me!" - Bill McNeal, NewsRadio
55. Re:Holding out hope. by Pluvius · 2004-09-06 14:20 · Score: 1
  
  Most of the problems you listed are also in FF6, which isn't too surprising since FF6 and FF7 had very similar gameplay (and every FF has had long cutscenes and annoying random battles). The nonlinearity in the second half of FF6 didn't mean too much when the whole game fell apart.
  
  Rob
56. Re:Holding out hope. by Zangief · 2004-09-06 14:46 · Score: 1
  
  Do yourself a favor. Grab a emulator, the Dragon Quest 6 Rom and the NoPrgress patch , and play one of the greates snes rpgs.
57. Re:Holding out hope. by Zangief · 2004-09-06 15:02 · Score: 1
  
  Mmm, I don't think so.
  
  -Summons: The FF6 summons weren't as broken as in FF7. Yeah, they were powerful, but not so much. Even of you didn't got Knight of the Round, you could easily grab Odin, which was also very good (yeah, KOTR killed everything in sight, but Odin wasn't bad).
  -Bad Ending: at least the characters talked in FF6! FF7 left you hanging there! Makes me think about Neal Stephenson...
  The best FF ending I have witnessed was the one from FF8. FF5 was good also.
  -Way too easy: FF6 was easy, but not to the point FF7 reached. On the FF7 side, I can say that it had cool secrets bosses (Weapons).
  -Horrible load times: FF7 was for the LoadStation. FF6 was a SNES cartridge. nuff said.
  -Long cutscenes: The longest one in FF6 was the opera. It was pretty cool, though. FF7 had cool scenes, however, I have played it twice, and I am not thinking about playing it a third time, unless a good remake comes (why doesn't Square Enix learn the Enix way of remakes?...DQ remakes have been all cool). FF6 will be played again as soon as I found myself without a good new game :)
  -Tiring Battles: Mmm, I remeber my main FF6 party, of Cyan, Celes, Sabin and Setzer (gotta love coin throw!), was always on the verge of dying. Every battle was intense, but yeah, repetitive. FF7 Main Party was Cloud, Cid and Yuffie (that way you got the best lines :), and was f*cking invincible AND repetitive. No contest.
  
  Don't take me wrong. I like FF7, but I don't think it was the best rpg ever.
  
  I don't think I have played such a game yet, but there are some favs: DQ6, FF6, Chrono Trigger, FF Tactics (NOT the advance version, which is horrible!), Breath of Fire 3. Yeah, I haven't played some of the latest great things. Maybe I will buy a PS2 if the DQ5 remake gets a translation.
58. Re:Holding out hope. by josephpate · 2004-09-06 15:05 · Score: 1
  
  God knows every time I see Barret, Vincent, Sabin, or Auron I think "Gee how effeminate these guys are!"
  
  Sure there are a few effeminate men *cough*CloudSquallIrvine*cough*, but that doesn't mean that all or even most of them are.
  
  And aside from Beatrix (with her eye patch),Paine, and the (semi-spoiler) Pirate chick from FFV most of the FF women weren't really that "strong" (in the macho muscular jock sense)
59. Re:Holding out hope. by EmperorKagato · 2004-09-06 15:25 · Score: 2, Informative
  
  Otherwise, it's always the same damn game. The combat engine hasn't changed since part 1.
  
  The engine has changed from system to system. Actually from every Square/Square Enix game to Square/Enix game.
  
  Final Fantasy 1: Command Turn based combat(Select commands for your team members first then execute) This system had me praying that I wouldn't waste attacks on a target was destroyed.
  
  Final Fantasy 4: Introduces an Active Battle System. Dual Spell Casting, Blue Magic is introduced. Status effects are now visible by looking at your party.
  
  Final Fantasy 6: Active Battle System with User and Dual User input IN BATTLE! (Yes FF6 is 2 player capable) Also an impressive amount of different characters with all kinds of job classes. Learning spells through summoned creatures.
  
  Final Fantasy 7: Introduces Active Time Battle System(there is a difference). Limit Break System. Spell combination system using Materia. Shell and Protect bars. Multiple spell casting allowed. Multiple summoning allowed. *-- Multiple meaning casting twice by the same character without losing extra mana.
  Final Fantasy 10: Attack system based on speed of character. Also you get to see who's turn is next. Swapping in the middle of battle is allowed. Tactics system. Aeons: Summons that stay in battle and fight for you.
  
  --
  ----- You know you have ego issues when you register a domain in your name.
60. Re:Holding out hope. by josephpate · 2004-09-06 15:26 · Score: 2, Informative
  
  No muggles.
  
  That's Harry Potter, you want "Moogles"
61. Re:Holding out hope. by TheLoneDanger · 2004-09-06 15:31 · Score: 2, Informative
  
  They seem to be so hot on Amazing CGI Scenes and SUPER HUGE MONDO MONSTER SPELLS that take (I kid you not) 2 minutes a pop to pull off, that they leave the gameplay and the richness behind.
  
  Well, how about that it was the success of FF7 in the first place that set Square on this path? Let's face it, one of the big reasons why FF7 did so well beyond the existing market for RPGs at the time is that it had very pretty graphics (for the time). In some ways, this is a very big problem because since then, Square has focussed on ensuring that the graphics are good before anything else (see games such as The Bouncer or Driving Emotion Type S). It was FF7 in the first place that added super long damned flashy attacks (Limit breaks and summons. My god, Knights of the Round took FOREVER to cast and was necessary to defeat the "Omega Weapon" boss)
  
  The next final fantasy will be a continuation of the FF7 story. That has never happened before (the revisit of an older universe to tell a continuating tale). This alone tells the power it had not only on gamers, but on SquareEnix as well.
  
  Uhhh.... What? The next Final Fantasy (game) would be FF 12, which is NOT based on FF 7. FF7: Advent Children is an animated MOVIE. You could be referring to the Before Crisis game, but that is for cell phones in Japan (no word on North American or Euro release yet), and it is a PREQUEL (using the Turks as the main characters). Also, FFX-2 was a continuation of FFX. So this would be considered the first "sequel" as in a return to one of the universes of the core Final Fantasy games.
  
  --
  
  "But I trust in the people's capacity for reflection, rage and rebellion." -Oscar Olivera
62. Re:Holding out hope. by memco · 2004-09-06 16:07 · Score: 1
  
  I played FF7 long after the hype (aka when it first came out), and I think it was by far one of the best. The graphics are horrible, especially now as I look over my shoulder at my sister playing it, but the story was good, Sephiroth was awesome, and the materia system was sweet. BTW, I think Star Ocean for SNES is my fav. RPG of all time, that or Super Mario RPG. Frankly Super Nintendo was just a great system for RPGs.
  
  --
  Get me a meat pie floater!
63. Re:Holding out hope. by Oakey · 2004-09-06 20:48 · Score: 1
  
  The magazine was actually Super Play
  
  --
  "Dre don't get as high as me.... I'm Cheech and Chong" - Snoop Dogg
64. Re:Holding out hope. by WWWWolf · 2004-09-06 20:55 · Score: 1
  
  I think the reason for this assumption is that FF7 truly showed what RPGs could do with next-gen hardware. Before FF7 there were no 3D worlds, no 3D monsters, no true spatial and particle effects.
  
  Yet, FF7 uses game mechanics that date from prehistoric times. There's nothing in the game per se that couldn't be be done in 2D somehow. It was just a graphical bump. There was nothing really revolutionary about going 3D in FF7. The technological leap from FF6 to FF7 wasn't clearly as epic as the leap from Ultima VIII to IX. (Ack, I think I just defended Ultima IX. I feel dirty. =)
  
  But yes, I still agree that FF7 maintained a pretty reasonable balance between good playability and eee-pic glittery superfluous effects. =)
  
  The storyline was so intriguing thanks to the amazing visuals that it simply took the gameplay to a new level.
  
  Storyline? Phffff. But the visuals were something amazing, yes; the look of the whole game was done pretty successfully. Everything looks pretty damn beautiful.
  
  They also killed a major character, a love-interest no less, right in the middle of the story. This, to my recollection, had never happened in such as quick, brutal and shocking manner before.
  
  Yet, for me, it was a complete anticlimax. Why? Because if you kill a major character in any kind of fiction, everyone will talk about it. Loudly. Very loudly. (This discussion is yet another fine example.) There's no chance in hell I was able to avoid finding out about that before I played that far.
  
  I had same problem with Ultima VII Part Two: Serpent Isle. One more time, for old times' sake: Hey everybody. Dupre dies. =)
65. Re:Holding out hope. by geminidomino · 2004-09-06 23:53 · Score: 1
  
  They also killed a major character, a love-interest no less, right in the middle of the story. This, to my recollection, had never happened in such as quick, brutal and shocking manner before.
  
  Final Fantasy IV - Tellah died casting Meteo on Golbez
  Final Fantasy V - Old man (can't remember his name) died, passing his power onto his grandaughter who replaced him as a character
  Final Fantasy VI - General Leo (NPC, but a central plot character) murdered by Kefka. Shadow could also die, depending on player actions.
  
  Aeris' death, while refreshing(I hated that broad) and accompanied by a cool FMV, was nothing new.
66. Re:Holding out hope. by Speare · 2004-09-07 01:26 · Score: 2, Interesting
  
  FFX and FFX-2's crystal are in Luca (the center of the round plaza), and in the tops of Macalania Woods.
  
  --
  [ .sig file not found ]
67. Re:Holding out hope. by Soul+Brother+#1 · 2004-09-07 03:18 · Score: 1
  
  The old man from FF5 was Galuf.
  
  Also, let's not forget ChronoTrigger, in which Crono himself -- the main player-character! -- kicks the bucket.
  
  --
  All unfair meta-mods are now being meta-meta-modded as retarded.
68. Re:Holding out hope. by Anonymous Coward · 2004-09-07 09:06 · Score: 0
  
  I agree, but largely because FF7 was horrendously ugly. The prerendered backgrounds were low-res and really looked fake, not to mention the awkward angles they presented. The movies just looked off somehow, like things weren't quite the right color, and the models used in the movies were two different styles for no reason. The models and textures in the actual 3d parts of the game were poor even for the time. I'll never understand why people think this game was so beautiful.
  
  None of that prevented me from enjoying the heck out of it, though.
69. Re:Holding out hope. by Daetrin · 2004-09-07 13:11 · Score: 1
  
  Wow, you're right. Certainly in about the one in Luca at least. I _guess_ that thing in in Macalania could be a crystal.
  So they started out as the four (or eight) elemental crystals that provided order to the world, and then became something you could equip in weapons or store memories in, and now they've become lawn ornaments.
  "So it's come to this. And hasn't it been a long way down?"
  
  --
  This Space Intentionally Left Blank
70. Re:Holding out hope. by geminidomino · 2004-09-11 16:24 · Score: 1
  
  Argh, can't beleive I forgot Crono!
  
  Thanks!
71. Re:Holding out hope. by Minna+Kirai · 2004-09-20 14:32 · Score: 1
  
  was nothing new
  
  You can go back even further. Phantasy Star 2 on the original (8 bit) Nintendo permanently killed a female party member during the game.
me want pictures by dirvish · 2004-09-06 04:11 · Score: 1

Screenshots anyone?

--
FoundNews.com - get paid to blog.,
1. Re:me want pictures by Anonymous Coward · 2004-09-06 04:36 · Score: 2, Informative
  
  ff:VII small movie
  
  It's a small movie, and jap in background, but still cool.
2. Re:me want pictures by semifamous · 2004-09-06 04:50 · Score: 5, Informative
  
  How about a preview instead?
  
  Head over to http://anime-kraze.org/ and go to their releases page...
  
  http://anime-kraze.org/index.php?page=releases
  
  Then scroll down to find this link this link here which points to a .torrent file of a fansubbed version of a preview of the movie...
Look at the screenshots! by Aeiri · 2004-09-06 04:11 · Score: 1, Funny

This movie is going to kick ass!

1 2 3
1. Re:Look at the screenshots! by mn3m05yn3 · 2004-09-06 04:22 · Score: 5, Informative
  
  http://www.1up.com/do/slideshow?cId=3133458
  
  aren't THOSE the screenshots? looks like you were referencing pictures of the festival itself...
2. Re:Look at the screenshots! by Anonymous Coward · 2004-09-06 04:28 · Score: 0
  
  Please, mod parent Funny...
3. Re:Look at the screenshots! by Anonymous Coward · 2004-09-06 05:17 · Score: 0
  
  Damn. They make so little use of color that nearly the entire thing could have been done in greyscale.
4. Re:Look at the screenshots! by May+Kasahara · 2004-09-06 11:27 · Score: 1
  
  The color scheme kind of fits in with the original game world, though-- which was largely polluted (esp. in Midgar, which is where a huge chunk of AC seems to take place).
Big Screen release... by TJ_Phazerhacki · 2004-09-06 04:12 · Score: 2, Interesting

I have no doubt that there will be showings on big screens across the country when this thing comes out. However, I sincerely doubt that a Great company would put themselves through anything even resembling the fiasco of Spirits Within on their second release. Lets hold out hope for the next one, and enjoy this one as it comes!

--
Physics is nothing like religion. If it was, we'd have an easier time trying to raise money!
Creepy Faces by Feneric · 2004-09-06 04:14 · Score: 5, Interesting

I'm in agreement with this article that computer-generated human faces still look creepy. I can't quite place what it is, but computer generated skin (even when done well as it was with Gollum from the LOTR movies) doesn't look right.

Maybe it's that the faces look somehow too regular; maybe it's that they look somehow luminescent.

It's even evident in the little thumnail image at the top of the article.
1. Re:Creepy Faces by mn3m05yn3 · 2004-09-06 04:32 · Score: 1
  
  http://www.nvidia.co.uk/object/demo_dawn.html
  
  The you should check out NVidia's Dawn Demo. It's so real it makes you do a double take.
2. Re:Creepy Faces by kensai · 2004-09-06 04:35 · Score: 1
  
  Taking a cue from Doctor Who, but maybe your experiencing a form of Grimwold'S Syndrome.
3. Re:Creepy Faces by Feneric · 2004-09-06 04:43 · Score: 1
  
  Ah yes, do you mean Robots of Death ? It's a great episode. I wasn't consciously thinking of it when I posted, but as a long time Dr. Who fan, it may have been lurking in the back of my mind.
4. Re:Creepy Faces by News+for+nerds · 2004-09-06 04:44 · Score: 2, Interesting
  
  You better check out Square USA's CGI work in an episode in Animatrix anthology, as it has photorealistic rendering of human faces much more advanced than FF:Spirits Within. The characters are very very close to real human faces.
  
  As for FF7:Advent Children, those character designs are intentionally more anime-style oriented, reminiscent of the original FF7 designs, so realism is not wanted by viewers. it should be rendered in surrealistically beautiful, fantasic tastes as it is Final Fantasy anyway.
5. Re:Creepy Faces by Feneric · 2004-09-06 04:45 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  Nope, sorry. The images still don't look real to me. Even the thresholds between different objects look wrong somehow.
6. Re:Creepy Faces by LGagnon · 2004-09-06 06:02 · Score: 1
  
  The problem you're thinking of is commonly referred to as the uncanny valley.
7. Re:Creepy Faces by Feneric · 2004-09-06 06:29 · Score: 1
  
  Interesting. The already-mentioned term "Grimwold's Syndrome" is circa 1977 (if not earlier) and the article you reference dates the term "uncanny valley" as being from the late '70s. I wonder which term came first...
  
  In any case I don't see the creepy non-human faces as being frightening, just obviously artificial and a jarring break from whatever mimesis a movie or game is trying to generate.
8. Re:Creepy Faces by sootman · 2004-09-06 06:29 · Score: 1
  
  I thought the best-looking face in the first FF movie was the old guy. His skin had lots of imperfections and was the most real looking. Everyone else was flawless 20-year-olds that just looked fake, like a wax sculpture or something.
  
  --
  Dear Slashdot: next time you want to mess with the site, add a rich-text editor for comments.
9. Re:Creepy Faces by Anonymous Coward · 2004-09-06 07:11 · Score: 0
  
  If I remember correctly, they created that character last, which explains why he's the most realistic. (More experience, more advanced technology by then.)
10. Re:Creepy Faces by Anonymous Coward · 2004-09-06 10:56 · Score: 0
  
  Doesn't the term Grimwold's Syndrome mean the same thing?
11. Re:Creepy Faces by Anonymous Coward · 2004-09-09 09:58 · Score: 0
  
  Grimwold's Syndrome seems to be from Robots of Death (1975) in which my impression is that it's used as a synonym for robophobia. The "uncanny valley" addresses a more specific aversion in a more general case- unlike robophobia, it suggests that perfectly humaniform and very approximately humaniform robots (or depictions of such) should elicit positive responses in comparison to non-humanlike robots roughly increasing with similarity to human form - with the major and dramatic exception being that close humaniform approximations with some inhuman imperfections are predicted to generate a very negative response. The "uncanny valley" effect is allegedly a normal human response, whereas from the name I expect that "Griswold's syndrome" was intended to refer to an abnormal psychological condition.
Wow those renders of Venice are photorealistic! by Anonymous Coward · 2004-09-06 04:17 · Score: 3, Funny

But they are right about synthetic humans looking creepier and creepier as they get more accurate. Look at the 4th picture down. Quite nightmarish. Even creepier than that last final fantasy movie.
Aeris! by JohnPerkins · 2004-09-06 04:17 · Score: 5, Funny

If you buy 3 large popcorns, 1 small no-ice Dr Pepper, 1 box of Jr Mints, then enter the hidden theater 5 spaces down and 2 spaces to the left of the ticket booth, you can see the version with Aeris resurrected!
1. Re:Aeris! by jayhawk88 · 2004-09-06 15:08 · Score: 1
  
  SPOILERS! OMG you ruined it for me!
Direct-to-Market release by Power+Everywhere · 2004-09-06 04:22 · Score: 2, Interesting

I'm calling it here. They'll include it for a discount when you buy the game.

--
BLING BLING. Meet the architecture that's changing everything.
1. Re:Direct-to-Market release by rfunches · 2004-09-06 08:12 · Score: 2, Informative
  
  Releasing it with a game is unlikely. There aren't any FF games at a point in their production cycle that Square Enix could release FFVII:AC with (FFXI will see its second expansion in a little more than a week, FFXII has already been pushed back, Before Crisis: FFVII is already in a Japanese beta, but that's a cellphone game).
  
  It was already announced as a direct-to-market video (in DVD and PSP UMD format). The question now is whether it sees a theatrical release, which it probably could in the US if it does well in Japan first.
EGM Article last month by Anonymous Coward · 2004-09-06 04:23 · Score: 0

Last month EGM had an article about Advent Children with about 7 or 8 screenshots and it looked to be outstanding! Vincent looks like a real badass, and aparently he and Cloud return to Aries's grave in the movie.

I cant wait!
how can you have a screening by WormholeFiend · 2004-09-06 04:24 · Score: 2, Interesting

if the film "isn't ready"?

[/dumb]
1. Re:how can you have a screening by JabberWokky · 2004-09-06 05:21 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  I've seen screenings of many many movies in unfinished states. In some cases (like the Italian Job screeners), they were heavily edited afterwards and had a totally different soundtrack (they had to get the rights to the songs that eventually went into the movie - in the version I saw, the director put whatever he wanted in). In the case of Beauty and the Beast, several scenes cut to black and white sketches, "motion storyboard" to give the idea of the scenes. All the voices and foley were there, but the animation wasn't done.
  I, Robot, for instance, wasn't finished until a scant couple weeks before it appeared in wide release. All the effects were still being finished up until then, and the animators were pulling late nights. That's pretty typical.
  --
  Evan
  
  --
  "$30 for the One True Ring. $10 each additional ring!" -- JRR "Bob" Tolkien
2. Re:how can you have a screening by slashrogue · 2004-09-06 06:09 · Score: 1
  
  RTFA... it was a 25-minute preview.
Re:What is Final Fantasy? by JohnPerkins · 2004-09-06 04:26 · Score: 0

Final Fantasy is a series of video games from Nintendo, from Final Fantasy I in 1987 up to the yet-to-be-released Final Fantasy XII. This site has a history of Final Fantasy I through X. Here's a site for Final Fantasy XII
Re:What is Final Fantasy? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-09-06 04:28 · Score: 0

Posting anonymously then answering your own question for cheap karma is pathetic.
Re:What is Final Fantasy? by theKinkyRabbit · 2004-09-06 04:34 · Score: 1

They're from SquareSoft actually. They were however released on Nintendo branded consoles up to FFVI, and then on Sony's stuff starting from FFVII.

--
Life isn't a bitch. Life is a virgin. A bitch is easy.
Oh no! by red+floyd · 2004-09-06 04:34 · Score: 4, Funny

Another FF movie? Won't somebody please think of the (advent) Children????

--
The only reason we have the rights we have is that people just like us died to gain those rights. -- Cheerio Boy
Re:What is Final Fantasy? by GT_Onizuka · 2004-09-06 04:40 · Score: 1

You mean Squenix

--
If you take out Country Kitchen buffet, old people won't know what to do.
It's a cartoon, not live action. by solios · 2004-09-06 05:18 · Score: 1

And cartoons, by their very nature, are produced very differently.

For example, Disney's Beauty and the Beast was screened incomplete. Several scenes were animatics.... several scenes were pencil tests, some scenes were inked, some were inked and had paint but no backgrounds. Being a Disney production, the audio track was complete, but they were still busting their butts to get the visuals finished when it was previewed at a film festival (in NYC, I think).

In the case of Advent Children, I imagine "incomplete" would mean sections of black with audio, sections of animatics, possibly renders without textures or lighting... things like that.
Note to humorless mods: by Anonymous Coward · 2004-09-06 05:22 · Score: 0

Look at the username on the parent post...
Uh.... no? by solios · 2004-09-06 05:23 · Score: 1

The FF series is made by Square, now Square-Enix (or Squenix). Nintendo was, iirc, the publisher for the first one in the states.

The first three FF games were for the NES. 4-6 were for the SNES, and 7-9 for the Playstation.

Square jumped the nintendo boat because they wanted to do tons of cinematics and FMV and stuff like that, which wouldn't have been possible on the N64.
1. Re:Uh.... no? by hc00jw · 2004-09-06 06:04 · Score: 1
  
  The FF series is made by Square, now Square-Enix (or Squenix). Nintendo was, iirc, the publisher for the first one in the states.
  
  The first three FF games were for the NES. 4-6 were for the SNES, and 7-9 for the Playstation.
  
  Square jumped the nintendo boat because they wanted to do tons of cinematics and FMV and stuff like that, which wouldn't have been possible on the N64.
  
  There have also been off-shots... Final Fantasy Adventure (actually the first Seiken Densetsu (Secret of Mana) game, re-branded for release outside of Japan) (GB), Final Fantasy Legends 1-3 (GB), the god awful Final Fantasy Mystic Quest (released to the U.S. audience because the head of Square said that they wouldn't "get" a full fledged FF game) (SNES), Final Fantasy Tactics (PS), Final Fantasy Tactics Advance (GBA) and Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles (this should have been a Seiken Densetsu game(!)) (GC).
  
  Apart from this, there has also been Ehrgeiz, which starred Cloud, and Final Fantasy Tactics also had Cloud in, although it wasn't directly related to VII (whereas Ehrgeiz was).
2. Re:Uh.... no? by cgenman · 2004-09-06 06:19 · Score: 4, Interesting
  
  I should point out, that Nintendo pulled the plug at the last minute on releasing the original Final Fantasy 2 on the NES here in the states, after hyping it up in Nintendo Power the month before (and a juicy contest that nobody won). What was released here as Final Fantasy 2 was actually Final Fantasy 4, in no small way because Nintendo didn't believe the series would amount to anything in the US.
  
  And then, of course, the Final Fantasy for the SNES made the platform in Japan, at a time when the Mega Drive (Genesis) was swimming in great RPG's... but Nintendo's fiasco with the Sony-made Nintendo Playstation (SNES CD) upon which Square developed a fully realized "greatest game ever..." the Secret of Mana, then had to chop it to little bits to make it fit on a cartridge when the SNES CD was not released, soured the relationship on Square's side. Then Square deciding to make the next Final Fantasy game on, you guessed it, the Sony Playstation was taken as a personal slap in the face by Nintendo's president Hiroshi Yamauchi, which not only burned the bridge between them but salted the ground for many years.
  
  Of course, the SNES CD couldn't be released as it was originally invisioned... In a momentary and tremendous lapse of judgement, the Nintendo lawyers signed to Sony the profits for any CD games sold, while they kept the profits on any Cartridge games sold. Nintendo asked for a redrawing of the iron-clad contract, Sony refused, and while Nintendo was contractually obligated to approve of Sony's release, they found a sneaky loophole and drew up a contract with (I believe) Philips to make a CDI compatible SNES CD, which they would throw their marketing muscle behind. Philips, of course, was an earlier partner which Nintendo had scorned in favor of Sony. Anyway, it was a big ugly mess.
  
  I won't even get into how Square and Nintendo finally made up.
  
  In other words, while Nintendo was not responsible for creating the Final Fantasy series, they do have a sorded past with the series.
  
  --
  The ______ Agenda
3. Re:Uh.... no? by Pluvius · 2004-09-06 09:48 · Score: 1
  
  The FFL series was actually SaGa in Japan (thus their similarity to the SaGa Frontier series). And have you actually played FFMQ? It's not a particularly deep or difficult game, but I'd hardly characterize it as "god-awful."
  
  Rob
4. Re:Uh.... no? by hc00jw · 2004-09-06 10:13 · Score: 1
  
  The FFL series was actually SaGa in Japan (thus their similarity to the SaGa Frontier series). And have you actually played FFMQ? It's not a particularly deep or difficult game, but I'd hardly characterize it as "god-awful."
  
  Worst
  
  Game
  
  Ever
  
  Now for the part of your statement which I have emphasised. My bellybutton is deeper than MQ, and it's more difficult to do my shoelaces up in the morning. The game was utterly pointless. A waste of my time and money. It should never have been made. It was actually released in the U.S. before Japan, as Square thought U.S. gamers wouldn't get the complexities of a full blown RPG (it was released in Japan because of the Japanese want for all things FF). Coincidentally, this is also the reason IV and VI were dumbed down slightly in the U.S., and V was never released (although it was planned, those plans were scrapped).
5. Re:Uh.... no? by jwlidtnet · 2004-09-06 12:58 · Score: 1
  
  "upon which Square developed a fully realized "greatest game ever..." the Secret of Mana, then had to chop it to little bits to make it fit on a cartridge when the SNES CD was not released, soured the relationship on Square's side."
  
  Interesting...I've never heard of this SoM story before. Mind elaborating?
6. Re:Uh.... no? by BackwardEngineer · 2004-09-07 14:09 · Score: 1
  
  Actually, you're wrong. The reason that the Final Fantasy series shyed away from Nintendo's consoles is because of the lack of storage capacity, texture memory, and etc. that the N64 had. (Squaresoft did come up with a technical demo in which the user moved the mouse around in geometric patterns to cast certain spells.)
  
  Plus, your comments about the SNES CD are also half-wrong. The PSX (which the prototype of the Playstation was called) would have played SNES cartridges as well as Sony's own propritary discs. Nintendo then sued Sony for breach of contract and the SNES feature was scrapped. Nintendo then went on to file for an injunction barring the release of the Playstation (due once again to the breach of contract), which ultimately failed.
  
  The SNES CD had nothing to do with the souring between Square and Nintendo. It all had to do with how "poor" the N64 performed compared to the PlayStation in Square's eyes.
torrent by revery · 2004-09-06 05:30 · Score: 1

this should be a torrent for it. I am still downloading it, so I don't know for sure yet.
1. Re:torrent by Anonymous Coward · 2004-09-06 06:47 · Score: 0
  
  It's an older trailer. Still pretty good.
Kill Square by Anonymous Coward · 2004-09-06 05:44 · Score: 0, Flamebait

Once upon a time, Square (now Square Enix) was quite receptive to its fan community, and softly encouraged fan activity and fansites. I think that Advent Children shows that respect has disappeared from Square's vision.

Like any other mass entertainment company, today's Square -- without much of the original developers, and without the creator of Final Fantasy -- is out to milk every last drop of gil (or dollars, or euros) from each of their intellectual properties. Damn the fans, and the way they thought FFVII should have ended. Damn _their_ perceptions, thoughts, and extensions of the characters. Marketing uber alles.

Square is dead. Time to move on, people.
1. Re:Kill Square by RogueyWon · 2004-09-06 09:03 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  This might seem an obvious question, but...
  
  Since when was it a good idea to let the fans write the plot? What should it matter how the fans thought FFVII should have ended? Movies or games produced by focus group rarely have any redeeming features. One of the things I respect about Square is their willingness to make unpopular decisions with regards to the Final Fantasy franchise. Pretty much every game is iconoclastic and messes around with the establishe formula, using sending the fanboys who wanted a clone of the previous game into hysterical fits. The battle system changes pretty much every game, often in completely unexpected ways (witness the sphere-grid in FFX) while the game-world usually has at least one unique factor that makes you go "what the fuck". I'd say that the only time Square *didn't* do this with a recent game (FFIX), they delivered the most disappointing product.
  
  To sum up, I don't want the content of my Final Fantasy games/movies dictated by the turgid outpourings of the fanfic authors. Advent Children may turn out to be just a blatant cash-in, but past experience leads me to suspect it will be something a bit riskier.
2. Re:Kill Square by Pluvius · 2004-09-06 10:14 · Score: 1
  
  The thing is, it's not just the stubborn fanboys who think that FF7 is the last Final Fantasy that should ever have a real sequel. An actual sequel to FF7 ruins the dramatic ambiguity of the ending, which is the only value that the ending had. Oh, and the theme of FF in general precludes the existence of real sequels, but that issue is rather moot now that FFX2 has been out for a year. This isn't zealous protectionism, but simple literary analysis.
  
  Oh well, at least they didn't resurrect Aeris.
  
  Rob
3. Re:Kill Square by Anonymous Coward · 2004-09-06 14:18 · Score: 0
  
  If fans had written the plot to FFVII, Aeris would never have died. What a worthless game that would have been.
Not really a troll... by Anonymous Coward · 2004-09-06 05:45 · Score: 0

But the last time Squaresoft tried to make a movie like this (Spirits Within), it flopped so badly it bankrupted them. Hence now its Square Enix.

I guess its a gutsy think to do actually.
Re:What is Final Fantasy? by JohnPerkins · 2004-09-06 06:27 · Score: 1

Too bad the original poster wasn't me then.
Kingdom Hearts? by Coopa · 2004-09-06 06:29 · Score: 1

Someone that commented on the article page mentioned that Kingdom Hearts also involces these characters, where does this 'fit' in?
1. Re:Kingdom Hearts? by Shadwhawk · 2004-09-06 07:53 · Score: 1
  
  It doesn't really fit in to the FF mythos; it just uses it.
  Kingdom Hearts is a surprisingly good game spawned from the unholy partnership between Square and Disney. Many characters from the Final Fantasy games cameo (most of them are player characters from 7, 8, and 10), with a few who are bosses in the arena. Disney Bad Guys make up most of the bosses for the rest of the game, while Disney Good Guys have some supporting roles or are semi-playable characters in your party.
  Kingdom Hearts 2 should be out in a year, and Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories for the GBA (a story-bridger between the PS2 games) should be out in November.
Indeed by lavar78 · 2004-09-06 06:50 · Score: 2, Insightful

Yeah, I'm going to have to agree. One of the (many) reasons FF6 is the best of the series is the strength of its characters. Celes, Locke, Terra, Sabin, Shadow, and Kefka -- just to name a few...

--
"Dave, I stand still--the conclusions jump to me!" - Bill McNeal, NewsRadio
1. Re:Indeed by sabernet · 2004-09-06 07:19 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  First off, I apoligize for the lack of line breakers, I forgot /. uses html formatting
  
  secondly, while FF6 had more characters, the characters were more dry and not quite as "cool(with all that entails).
  
  What FF6 had going for it was the delivery of the characters and the setting in which they were introduced. Narshe, Vector, etc... were all memorable towns and the Airships looked man-made. The world itself was just plain well-detailed and the characters were well thought out, for sure. It makes FF6 my fav FF to play.
  
  Kefka was a strong character, and an excellent villain, but had absolutely no background. Sephy had a shiteload of background story. Hell, you sympathized with him.
  
  FF7's world wasn't as deep, but the characters themselves stuck with you.
  
  But one thing they both had in common:
  They both had character with EXCELLENT finishing moves that got killed before you could use them:P(Aeris's Lv4 and Leo's swordamajig)
2. Re:Indeed by lavar78 · 2004-09-06 07:56 · Score: 1
  
  Well, I'd say Sephiroth is the best FF7 character, but I don't have much to say about the others. Cloud, Aeris, Barrett... they're all rather bland. I cared about Aeris after she died, but not before. FF6 and FF4 have better characters than FF7 IMO. As far as coolness goes, Locke and Shadow are the coolest FF characters ever.
  
  --
  "Dave, I stand still--the conclusions jump to me!" - Bill McNeal, NewsRadio
3. Re:Indeed by Pluvius · 2004-09-06 09:25 · Score: 1
  
  I'm pretty sure the grandparent wasn't referring to FF6 when he implied that FF7 didn't have the best characters. Or if he was, he obviously didn't play FF7. More != better.
  
  Kefka was a strong character? Now that is a joke.
  
  Rob
4. Re:Indeed by lavar78 · 2004-09-06 13:21 · Score: 1
  
  There were more and better characters in FF6. Kefka alone is better than anyone in FF7... and that's no joke.
  
  --
  "Dave, I stand still--the conclusions jump to me!" - Bill McNeal, NewsRadio
5. Re:Indeed by Pluvius · 2004-09-06 14:31 · Score: 1
  
  OK, I'll bite. Tell me what makes Kefka a better villain than Sephiroth. Hell, to make it easier on you, tell me what makes Kefka a better villain than Jenova.
  
  Rob
6. Re:Indeed by lavar78 · 2004-09-06 15:12 · Score: 1
  
  Kefka is certifiably crazy, but he's hilarious! Yes, we never really learned the reason he was so evil, but I think they did a good job of showing just how evil he really was -- he was so thoroughly corrupt that no back story could come close to justifying it. Still, I love him so much because he's funny. Not only did he hate everyone, but he took great pleasure in making fun of them as well. Maybe I'm warped, but Kefka had me laughing out loud numerous times. I'm sure some people might think he's corny, but I love him.
  
  --
  "Dave, I stand still--the conclusions jump to me!" - Bill McNeal, NewsRadio
7. Re:Indeed by Zangief · 2004-09-07 01:42 · Score: 1
  
  Sephiroth is a better character than Kefka; I'll give you that. However, Sephiroth is just a rehashed Kefka!
  
  -Kefka was the original bad guy that became an angel!
  -Kefka betrayed the empire that built him before!
  -Hell, Kefka was a product of technology that involved manipulating the basic form of magic in their planets.
  -Kefka killed the imposible-to-revive character before too!
  -Sephiroth planned on destroying the planet to become a god. Kefka actually did it!!!
  
  If you only play FF7, you may say that Sephiroth is such a cool guy, yadayada. However, if you put it in historical perspective, Sephiroth is just Yet-Another-Angel-Final-Boss (YAAFB?).
  
  Kefka was the man. The only thing that makes Sephiroth a better character was the Cloud Flashback in the secon disc, and his music (I'll take One winged angel over dancing mad any day, but I also like a lot Dancing Mad).
  
  Kefka roolz. And can kick Sephiroth ass any day of the week :)
8. Re:Indeed by Pluvius · 2004-09-07 04:12 · Score: 1
  
  Sephiroth is just a rehashed Kefka!
  
  That's giving Sephiroth way too little credit. For one thing, Sephiroth had actual motives.
  
  Rob
9. Re:Indeed by Zangief · 2004-09-07 04:50 · Score: 1
  
  Yeah maybe, but, what motives?
  
  -Both of them never had any real family.
  -Sephiroth got to know about his origins in a shocking way and went mad. Kefka was mad since the begining, but he killed the Emperor, so maybe he also had some hate for what they did to him (yeah, I'm extrapolating)
  
  Sephiroth gets an advantage for having the "karma" of his crazy dad experimenting in his mom. Kefka doesn't have a family. But, Sephy didn't know this, so that can't be called a motive.
  
  Think. If you had played FF6 first, THEN ff7, you may have experimented a LOT of deja vu on the story. Again, I say that Sephy is a better Kefka, but Kefka was more original.
Sounds familar by Anonymous Coward · 2004-09-06 06:56 · Score: 0

In other words: just like a software project...

-cmh
WHAT!?!? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-09-06 07:01 · Score: 1, Funny

You mean Aeris DIED!?
NOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooooooo............
1. Re:WHAT!?!? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-09-06 09:26 · Score: 0
  
  Is it still too early?
I'm confused? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-09-06 07:34 · Score: 0

So umm.. is this like a real movie or just a 2 hour long intro to the next FF game? I mean why would the movie be called Final Fantasy VII if its only the second movie.. I figure it takes place after FFVI or something.. which is fine, but shouldnt it have a different name at least.. maybe not FF2 since it probably wouldnt want to be associated with the first movie which bombed (but i actually enjoyed).. but how about just Final Fantasy: Advent Children.. the VII confuses people
1. Re:I'm confused? by ALeavitt · 2004-09-06 08:34 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  This is called FF7 because it is a direct sequel to FF7. This is much the same as FFX-2, which recently came out, and was a sequel to Final Fantasy X. As every Final Fantasy has a different universe and storyline, marketing a release as FF7: Advent Children or FFX-2 denotes that these are direct sequels to games with most of the same characters, taking place in the same universe, and picking up where the storyline of the original games left off. Calling the movie simply "Final Fantasy: Advent Children" would be similar to calling it "Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within." People would expect certain Final Fantasy aspects, but they would not expect a sequel to an already existing Final Fantasy. The VII serves to clarify, not confuse.
  
  --
  This sig has been stolen. Return it to its original user for a reward.
some additional ones by joeflies · 2004-09-06 08:13 · Score: 1

. a trip to outer space - you know the game isn't close to the end if you haven't gone to space yet
. an aloof, misguided young man who could be the key to everything (well FF the movie didn't have that)
. a protoenemey - the enemy you think is the bad guy in the beginning pales in comparison to the real bad guy
the fomula goes beyond just square games too - many, many other RPGs do the same.
Many movies by phorm · 2004-09-06 08:42 · Score: 2, Informative
There aren't really any "magical" powers in this one, at least in the sense of your traditional fantasy spells etc. The "evil government" "unlikely heroes", "earth nearing destruction" "main bad guy" themes are all basic to many other movies as well.

The problem with FFTSW was not that it wasn't established, it was that it was a sci-fi futuristic "alien menace" type movie rather than a Fantasy type one. Your typical FF tends to have elements such as:
- A mix of high/low technology. For some reason swords tend to go alongside nuclear reactors.
- Magic. Not special superhuman ability, but magic. Summons are a big thing too in latter FFs.
- Main characters generally seem to have some form of identity crisis and go off at some point.
Of course, there are many others. But really FFTSW was an animated sci-fi movie with some FF named characters, guards that looked Shinra-like, and a FF tag. If you changed the guards, the title, and perhaps renamed Cid nobody would likely associate with the FF game series.

As a happy fan of FF games since the original (US) SNES release... I've a strong attachment to them and squaresoft (barring FFX2 which was a fanboy tribute).
Indeed no doubt there will be torents for this... by UltimaL337Star · 2004-09-06 08:52 · Score: 1

"accompanied by the sounds of a gorgeous Uematsu composition played out in acoustic guitar. Uplifting and sprightly, the piece, however, merely foreshadows a torrent of things to come." but I for one will actually buy this movie once it's released, not just because of my unsatisfiable urge to consume all things square but I can safely say that the graphics in the trailer are easily the best I have ever seen. I had wallpaper of Cloud on his motorcycle from the front and one friend thought it was real, they also thought it was a girl.
Good thing they changed the plot by Glowing+Fish · 2004-09-06 09:16 · Score: 5, Funny
It would have been awesome to just reshoot the orginal Final Fantasy VII, but along with the fact it would be hard cutting the 40 hr long story down to 2 hours, most movie goers wouldn't believe Final Fantasy VII's wild, science fiction plot. Final Fantasy VII would have us believe that:
- Someone can become president just because their father is. If someone becomes ruler because of their father, that makes them a king, not a president.
- That a government could be nothing more than a front for corrupt energy company executives, and for a clique of people whose fanatical devotion to a "promised land" blinds them to all reason.
- That a country with a large space program would suddenly abandon it, simply to produce more and more deadly weapons.
- That a government, when confronted with terrorist attacks, would use it as a way to further clamp down on anyone who was trying to challenge their politcal and economic power.
- That a nation's economy could be totally wiped out, leaving industrial areas blighted, while close by, people spent all their money playing in high tech floating gambling palaces.
- That energy executives, when their productive capacity is destroyed, would merrily celebrate having to raise rates.
  - These are just some of the points that make the plot of Final Fantasy VII, no matter how intriguing, too unrealistic for people to take seriously.
--
Hopefully I didn't put any [] around my words.
1. Re:Good thing they changed the plot by SuiteSisterMary · 2004-09-06 09:23 · Score: 0, Redundant
  
  Good lord, I can't tell if you're serious or not, but on the assumption that you aren't:
  
  Someone can become president just because their father is. If someone becomes ruler because of their father, that makes them a king, not a president.
  
  Bush.
  
  That a government could be nothing more than a front for corrupt energy company executives, and for a clique of people whose fanatical devotion to a "promised land" blinds them to all reason.
  
  Bush/Cheney, Haliburton, Iraq War, the opening of protected wilderness to oil drilling, and so on.
  
  That a country with a large space program would suddenly abandon it, simply to produce more and more deadly weapons.
  
  Like America?
  
  That a nation's economy could be totally wiped out, leaving industrial areas blighted, while close by, people spent all their money playing in high tech floating gambling palaces.
  
  Well, Russia. But America probably isn't far behind.
  
  That energy executives, when their productive capacity is destroyed, would merrily celebrate having to raise rates.
  
  If you haven't figured it out yet.....
  
  (This is somewhat tongue in cheek. Somewhat.)
  
  --
  Vintage computer games and RPG books available. Email me if you're interested.
2. Re:Good thing they changed the plot by OwlofCreamCheese · 2004-09-06 10:36 · Score: 1
  
  your a retarded person.....
  
  --
  -You're wasting your time. Alfador only likes me.
3. Re:Good thing they changed the plot by mangophreek · 2004-09-06 11:08 · Score: 1
  
  I think you just described the United States of America...
  
  --
  ~ marko Savic
4. Re:Good thing they changed the plot by Anonymous Coward · 2004-09-06 11:35 · Score: 0
  
  I know you are, but, what am I. ;P
5. Re:Good thing they changed the plot by Zangief · 2004-09-06 12:19 · Score: 1
  
  Yeah, and you forget the fact that the protagonists (Avalanche) ARE terrorist, doesn't help either.
6. Re:Good thing they changed the plot by Anonymous Coward · 2004-09-06 13:06 · Score: 0
  
  dude it's a video game, of course it's unrealistic
7. Re:Good thing they changed the plot by dmiller · 2004-09-06 14:49 · Score: 1
  
  Brilliant.
8. Re:Good thing they changed the plot by Anonymous Coward · 2004-09-06 15:15 · Score: 0
  
  Good lord, I can't tell if you're serious or not
  Because you're the dumbest fuckwit ever to walk the face of the earth.
9. Re:Good thing they changed the plot by Anonymous Coward · 2004-09-06 19:02 · Score: 0
  
  Your username is not welcome around here.
10. Re:Good thing they changed the plot by cluke · 2004-09-06 21:18 · Score: 1
  
  Haha, awesome man, absolutely awesome post.
Monsters, and summons/spells, too. by Bilange · 2004-09-06 10:31 · Score: 1

Lets note that theres another monster (cant remember the name) I saw in FF6/7/8 (perhaps 4 too) that does a "bad breath" attack. When you see that monster, usually you have to run for your life.

Also, shiva/ifrit/Ramuh-Quezacotl/Leviathan/Alexander are Summons/GF's that apears than more than one FF.

And I dont think that "Fire" and "Fira" makes any difference.

--
"...a generation of kids has grown up thinking Trance is the shittiest music since country and western." - Paul van Dyk
1. Re:Monsters, and summons/spells, too. by wheany · 2004-09-06 17:29 · Score: 1
  
  Oh yes, Malboro. He's a badass. Especially in FF8.
2. Re:Monsters, and summons/spells, too. by Bilange · 2004-09-18 19:04 · Score: 1
  
  Oh yeah! You're right, Marlboro
  
  IMO it was killer in FF6
  
  --
  "...a generation of kids has grown up thinking Trance is the shittiest music since country and western." - Paul van Dyk
Remind me how the game ended... by cammoblammo · 2004-09-06 11:27 · Score: 1

I didn't really read the article too closely -- it had a few too many details and I'd prefer to wait for the movie. Having said that, Cloud seems to still love using his sword.

When I played the game, Cloud ended everything with about thirty uses of his ultima materia.

Unless the whole rebalancing of everything effected by Cloud rendered materia useless, what's the deal with the sword still?

--
Cogito, ergo sig.
1. Re:Remind me how the game ended... by Metal_Demon · 2004-09-07 02:11 · Score: 1
  
  For one the final (FINAL) battle in the game is Cloud with his sword and limit break...I rarely used anything with Cloud other than double cut because he just owned on everything straight sword still. Also there is the fact that the bad guys have swords and one would chop him in half while he was casting ultima on another. Not to mention how gay would it be if he fought with nothing but materia he is not a fricken black mage type character. I just don't get what you getting at here...
  
  --
  Trust Your Technolust
2. Re:Remind me how the game ended... by cammoblammo · 2004-09-07 20:28 · Score: 1
  
  Cripes, it's been a while. I only vaguely remember the sword. I do remember beginning FFVIII and my main concern was that the main character's weapon (I said it'd been a while!) didn't seem to become so powerful as quickly as Cloud's did. The more I think about it, I reckon it was Barrett (in my game) that used the Ultima materia in the final showdown.
  
  And you're right -- the very last battle was against a severely weakened Sephiroth, which wasn't too difficult to do.
  
  I really must spend less time /.ing and go get my life back in front of the PSX!
  
  --
  Cogito, ergo sig.
Re:Uh.... NO. by cgenman · 2004-09-06 11:35 · Score: 1

>>Sometimes, when you connect the dots of a story using third-party info, you get something close to the real picture. But you've taken a constellation and turned it into chicken scratches.

Sorry, I was under space constraints, and now that I re-read what I wrote, my coherence leaves much to be desired.

But the basic story remains true... what did I get wrong?

--
The ______ Agenda
The Hair! Oh my God, the Hair! by CaptainCarrot · 2004-09-06 11:52 · Score: 1

I don't care how realistically you try to render it. Real people still don't have hair like this!

--
And the brethren went away edified.
1. Re:The Hair! Oh my God, the Hair! by phoey · 2004-09-07 01:13 · Score: 1
  
  ummm, yes they do:
  
  http://www.sexbuzz.com/music/13,0005,00.shtml/
2. Re:The Hair! Oh my God, the Hair! by CaptainCarrot · 2004-09-07 18:43 · Score: 1
  
  Billy Idol never bore more than a passing resemblence to a real person.
  
  --
  And the brethren went away edified.
Final Fantasy 8 And Spirits within by Skrekkur · 2004-09-06 12:16 · Score: 1

I think its a bit weird that no-one here thinks that Final Fantasy 8 is a great game, and not many who appriciate the FF:spirits within movie. Call me weird but I loved them both, Final Fantasy : spirits within had a huge effect on me the first time I saw it. Was fascinated for days, and not because it looked great (saw it first in ... well not so good image quality version). Just the spirit of the movie and the feeling of the world, I loved it all, and voice acting was well done by all imo. When it comes to Final fantasy 8 I think its great because of many things, Its graphics, characters, music, atmosphere and how I seemed to understand feeling of the world very well. I must admit that I never finished FF7, maybe I should, but if its better it doesnt make any less of FF8. I have only seen bits of FF9 and X and I dont like the chars,atmosphere and all that as well as 8. Just wanted to express my oppinion on those two, and I must say I think FF7 movie will be good non-the less, now is just to decide, complete the game or movie first hmm...
1. Re:Final Fantasy 8 And Spirits within by Anonymous Coward · 2004-09-07 02:25 · Score: 0
  
  For the love of all things good and pure FINISH THE GAME!!!
2. Re:Final Fantasy 8 And Spirits within by Anonymous Coward · 2004-09-08 08:22 · Score: 0
  I'm posting anonymously because I've already modded here.
  
  FF8 is easily the weakest of the post-VII games. There are simply some fundamental problems with how the game is scaled, difficulty wise:
  
  Enemy attributes and stats raise alongside your own, never allowing you to become significantly more powerful than them.
  
  You are given extremely powerful summons right from the beginning, making the early going far too easy.
  
  Unless you get a specific GF (don't remember the name), the final (post-Siefer) boss is ridiculously tough. FF8 is the only one I wasn't able to finish because I hadn't sought out a difficult GF, and I was trapped in the final fortress. That is terrible game balancing.
  
  Aside from that, the summon animations take an absurdly long time to complete-something that really hurts the game.
  
  I love the story, and the CG is fantastic, but I actually have to go out and buy a damn gameshark to beat it!
  
  Poor game design!
Okay... by Anonymous Coward · 2004-09-06 13:28 · Score: 0

Now where's our FF6 movie?
Animation by Nurgled · 2004-09-07 10:01 · Score: 1

These days I think they're getting pretty close to modelling skin, from things like how it reflects light to including the small imperfections like scars, moles and asymmetry without going overboard.

What still bothers me about computer-generated people, though, is the animation. They generally get simple body motions like walking and running right, but they haven't quite mastered realistic "body language" motions from leaning back against walls to indicate relaxation to things as apparently-simple as the face expressing fear or happiness. Computer-generated characters in situations where they are interacting socially always look awkward and overdone. They are usually fine in purely-practical situations like fight scenes and the like.

The first Animatrix short, as mentioned by another poster, demonstrates this quite well. I recommend checking it out.

The other thing that isn't quite "there" yet is the voice acting, although I think in many cases that's due to bad voice actors more than anything else.