Futuristic FF or Traditional Fantasy FF?

[Mr. Gorilla]

I'm not much of a fan of the whole "swords and sorcery" type thing that plenty of RPGs tend to have; the atmosphere is generic, and the game industry is so highly saturated with such games that it makes you wish the "traditional fantasy" genre would just die.

This is why I like the atmospheres in the later FFs more, because they mix it up a bit. They tend to be futuristic, but they distinguish themselves from other futuristic games by including elements from traditional fantasy, such as swords, magic, and dragons, and somehow manage to make them all work together. This "mixture" keeps the series fresh, and the atmosphere interesting.

Now, of course, one can argue how a blade-wielder in a futuristic world like FFVII wouldn't make any sense (But, of course, some can argue that these swords are "technologically advanced" and "empowered" with special abilities or whatever), but it isn't best to question such things; fantasy isn't about the world as it is, but about what the world would be if it was based on imagination.

Well, anyway, I lean towards "futuristic fantasy" settings. What about you?

[Hynad]

That mix of futuristic stuff and Fantasy has been present in older games of the series as well.

You get airships in plenty of them and you even get one that can gets you to the moon in FF IV.
In VI, you have plenty of hi-tech stuff like the Magitek Armor, Edgar's "Tools" and the Magitek Factory...

The look of those things have improved significantly with each new console generation, but the futuristic parts have been present long before FF VII.

[Larsal]

mix of both is the best. FFXII was way to much medieval. and FFX was way to less.
futuristic is ok but no to much. im not a sci-fi fan. the setting in FF6/FF7 and FF9 was perfect.

[Hynad]

Yeah, because FF IX is SO MUCH LESS medieval than XII...:wtf:

[Zezlar]

I don't really care as long as it has the Final Fantasy Logo on it and it's in my house.

[NikDK]

Yeah, the mixture in FFVII to FFIX was perfect.

[Hydromancer]

I also prefer a mix of both but more traditional fantasy than futuristic. This is why I loved the atmosphere in FFXII but it let me down in other areas...

[Larsal]

Yeah, because FF IX is SO MUCH LESS medieval than XII...:wtf:


what ever <_<

[Sanji]

I don't care. The important thing is that they're good. I'm kinda sick about medevial, but if it's done good I can't see why I shouldn't like it.
FFXIII looks really good at the moment, I'm not disappointed.

[Richese]

FFVII-VIII were great, but I loved the atmosphere in FFIX. You don't find lovely places like Lindblum, Dali or Black Mage Village (To name a few) in FFX. FFXII was gorgeous, but lacked soul.

[pseudocognition]

I'm not much of a fan of the whole "swords and sorcery" type thing that plenty of RPGs tend to have; the atmosphere is generic, and the game industry is so highly saturated with such games that it makes you wish the "traditional fantasy" genre would just die.

This is why I like the atmospheres in the later FFs more, because they mix it up a bit. They tend to be futuristic, but they distinguish themselves from other futuristic games by including elements from traditional fantasy, such as swords, magic, and dragons, and somehow manage to make them all work together. This "mixture" keeps the series fresh, and the atmosphere interesting.

Quoted for Truth.

It takes a lot more effort on the part of the designers to step out of the box, and I appreciate that. That's one reason why I don't like many WRPGs. They lean on European fantasy, which bores me to tears. No matter how they design it, an elf is an elf is an elf is very lame. Never got into WoW for that reason, and even D&D was a tough sell for me. I had to really work my character to be even remotely interesting given the classes, and roleplaying was kinda dull despite the creativity of my friends.

I like the later FFs more, too, because they start to combine genres. I especially like FFXIII so far because it has the detail and mood of a high fantasy world but the look of something more futuristic. Good shit.

Loved FFXII as well, the middle eastern touches were delicious. Game designers don't look to the middle east or africa enough, their histories are full of incredible designs...

[Little Miss Scarlett]

I prefer mixed, it's always much more interesting.

If I had to choose between the two I'd have good traditionl rather than good futuristic. But, like some people have said, it's harder to get traditional right, so I guess I'll all it equal.

[Pain Clone]

I will play any ff game no matter what but im more into the futuristic kind of setting tbh.

[Dream Machine]

Erm, FFIX wasn't 'medieval' exactly. it had airships and weird contraptions aplenty. I kinda would have said it was Steampunk or something.

I agree with Little Miss Scarlet, only the other way round :lol: Both can be good, but I lean slightly toward futuristic stuff.

[Hisakata]

Personally I like both. I don't lean to either of them. So long as the game keeps me captivated and playing till the end, I'm good :D

[Mr. Gorilla]

That mix of futuristic stuff and Fantasy has been present in older games of the series as well.

You get airships in plenty of them and you even get one that can gets you to the moon in FF IV.
In VI, you have plenty of hi-tech stuff like the Magitek Armor, Edgar's "Tools" and the Magitek Factory...

The look of those things have improved significantly with each new console generation, but the futuristic parts have been present long before FF VII.

FFI to FFV, however, leaned far more heavily towards traditional fantasy than later titles did. VI changed it up by being much more steampunk-ish, and VII was the first truly "futuristic" FF. It could even be called "cyberpunk-ish," in some respects.

Not that FFI through V were bad; they were great games (Except for FFIII; was never able to get in to that one.) It's just that the fact that they leaned more heavily on traditional fantasy wasn't very appealing.

[Hynad]

I enjoyed the time were Crystals were the center of the story and setting. Most classic games have that.

FF XIII is going to be the most futuristic of them all according to the producers, but I enjoyed FF VIII's setting and mood even if it was very futuristic (although the story was somewhat disappointing) so there might be hope if they manage to make me care about the story and it's characters (something more emotionally engaging than XII -even though it's one of my favorite game in the series- would be greatly welcome).

[Mr.FreeFlow]

Final Fantasy should do something like Earthbound next. ('w')

That would be cool with me.

[Fenryr]

Great topic first of all.

Second of all, I much prefer the mixed setting. I lean more towards futuristic however as pseudocognition mentioned perfectly here:

It takes a lot more effort on the part of the designers to step out of the box, and I appreciate that. That's one reason why I don't like many WRPGs. They lean on European fantasy, which bores me to tears. No matter how they design it, an elf is an elf is an elf is very lame. Never got into WoW for that reason, and even D&D was a tough sell for me. I had to really work my character to be even remotely interesting given the classes, and roleplaying was kinda dull despite the creativity of my friends.

But as much as I enjoy futuristic settings, a well made slightly medieval design such as in FFIX is more than welcomed. I'm not sure what FFX counts as, but FFX remains one of my all time favourite games. The story was so connecting and really magical for me.

So now I wait patiently for XIII to be released. The futuristic setting again is what really attracts me to it.

[Naunen]

In this day and age, I lean more towards traditional fantasy as long as there's always innovation to the fantasy. A little modern is all right. The futuristic feel in the newer FF games (except for IX and XII) don't appeal to me so much because it's, you know, futuristic. Out of the three titles of FNC so far, I'm more hyped about Agito.

[chaosblade77]

I prefer an almost modern setting, maybe slightly futuristic (cyberpunk? Maybe) with the typical fantasy elements like magic and swords and stuff. I loved Midgar in FF7, the Imperial base in FF6, and the setting for Versus looks really appealing to me, just to throw some examples out there.

I don't mind traditional fantasy elements or purely futuristic elements. Based on those two alone I'd lean toward futuristic, and the more modern references it has (bullets over lasers, cars still have wheels, etc) the more interested I'll be in it, obviously. I felt "at home" with the setting in Cowboy Bebop even though it's clearly futuristic, for example. Some parts more so than others. That's not a game though, but it works as an example.