on an earlier thread I said that I didn’t like final fantasy VII because of the turn based system. However, I think I saw somewhere that final fantasy has a more conventional game play. Is this true? if it is, I may consider playing it.
FF8? It’s still pretty-much turn-based, and uses the somewhat controversial junction system. Some people I know love the junction system, others hate it. I’m sort of in the middle–it reminds me both of FF6’s Guardian system and FF7’s materia system. What I don’t really like about the combat system is the lack of choices you really have going into battle, the whole draw thing to some degree, and the whole thing that the enemies all level up with you, so there is never a time where you have unambigious superiority.
Other game things bothered me too–the cutscences for a summoning and some other magic is just too darn long (I swear, it was almost like FF7 where you could double-cast KoR and then mimic it twice, so while it runs six times you get up, go to the bathroom, make a sandwich, grab a soda, and go sit back down to do the whole thing again.) Plus, I lost interest somewhere between the second and third discs (the storyline wasn’t all that compelling to me) and gave up. I might finish it someday, or I might just pick up FF9 and 10 and maybe Kingdom Hearts instead.
what is the junction system?
Well, basically, you use a certain summoned creature–called a Guardian Force or GF in this game, if I remember correctly–and assign it to a character. For example, you could assign Quetzocatol to one character, Shiva to another, and so on. Now, like the system in FF6, as the character levels up, the GF also levels up and new abilities become available to the character. Also, the more time a GF spends junctioned with a particular character, the higher the affinity, and the more powerful the GF becomes, along with some other effects.
Seriously, it’s kinda hard to explain, especially since I haven’t played the game in a couple years. I’d suggest just plunking down the cash, since it’s now pretty cheap, or giving it a rental.
Funny, I remember when turn-based was the convention.
At any rate, I believe all the FF games use turn-based combat to a greater or lesser degree. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
I believe the upcoming Final Fantasy: Chrystal Chronicles on the Gamecube is supposed to not have the turn-based combat.
The junction system in FFVIII was a double edged sword, really. I rarely ever used magic; mostly because I didn’t want to mess with my stats, and also because I usually had my spells up to their max of 100, and with 100 spells like Aero or Ultima linked to the Attack stat, who needs magic? Interesting concept, but there’s a big flaw there.
The problem with Junction is this:
It makes the game way too easy. FFVIII is the stereotype of the entire FF series(and othe rip-offs). It is exceedingly easy and story-driven. As soon as you discover the Ultima draw point you have to pay for, you can get unlimited Ultima and junction it to whatever stat you want.
Here is the system to making the game easy.
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Make money. It’s easy, just fight battles and money comes to you quickly.
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Go to that place in the north where the “bald people”(I forget their names) live and draw from their Ultima draw point.
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Go away and junction the Ultima. Come back when it is ready agian and repeat.
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Get powerful enough to go to the Islands of Heaven and Hell, defeat monsters and draw all powerful magic ther and junction it.
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Win game.
Mahaloth, I might be mistaken (it has been a few years since I played it…BTW, still my favorite game of all time) but wassnt there only like 15 times you could draw out ultima? I remeber for some reason being able to do it a few times, but then after that you were stuck.
what I meant by a conventional game play was that the opposing sides are not taking turns fighting. Most video games are like that. That what was meant by conventional.
I’m pretty sure it was unlimited. Even if not, then it is definately unlimited on the Islands of Heaven and Hell, and you can easily access them if you only have 15 pulls from the Ultima Draw Point.
Personally, I loved FFVIII. However, I hated the damn card game they kept trying to make you play. I haven’t played FFIX since the first day I got it simply because I saw that they had a card game too.
[Comic Book Guy]
Worst. Side game. EVER!!!
[/Comic Book Guy]
-LA
Hell, I didn’t even bother to draw magic from enemies. I went to the Islands of Heaven and Hell just to build experience and AP for my Guardian Forces, so I could have more stats to junction magic. Drawing magic was just an obstacle and a time waster for me. I had Squall’s attack power up to 255 (or was it 100? Can’t remember the maximum), so most enemies were total pushovers. No need for magic, except maybe for healing if necessary.
By the way, the “bald people” are called the Shumi Tribe. I can’t believe I remember that, I haven’t played the game in over a year.
On preview, Lord Ashtar, I hated that damn card game too. I’m just glad it wasn’t crucial to finishing the game. I played it once, decided I couldn’t stand it, and never played again. I only played it in IX when it was absolutely necessary, in the Tournament in Treno. Grr.
what are the rules to this FF8 card game?
I loved the card game. It was an excellent little game. Some of the rules were very frustrating and random and also once you figured out how to manipulate the rules it bacame way to easy but it really forced you to use your mind and plan ahead. FF IX’s card game was completely different and not nearly as fun since it had a lot of randomness in it.
Although to become the best at the card game required you to spend basically every hour of every day trying to figure out how to snag all these rare cards…
Anyway FF VIII is a pretty cold and inpersonal game. FF IX was a much warmer and friendier game.
And ALL Final Fantasy games since 6 are easy once you figure something out. For FF X I had something that made the final battle so easy it was embarassing. I mean 2 hits and the bad guy’s dead!
But these games are cheap so why worry too much about it. Pick up the game for $14 or however much and see if you like it. It’s all to personal preference anyway. If you don’t like it stop playing and you’re out $14, no big whoop. I mean I hate FF VII. VIII and X were OK and I loved IX. But there’s no way to tell if this is really helpful to you until you play it.
Although you may want to read the reviews from GameFAQs. I see they range from 2 out of 10 to 10 out of 10.
I’m not being mean, but that doesn’t answer my question.
Well, as asterion said, FFVIII is turn based, just like FFVII. Basically, VI through IX (the only ones I have experience with) have very similar gameplay as far as battles go. They may have different magic systems and different stories, but the actual gameplay is similar. Build experience, acquire items, fight, travel, etc.
What exactly do you mean by “conventional” gameplay?
Sorry, I wasn’t trying to. The rules for the card game are can be pretty long to explain and if you click FAQs and Guides after clicking my reviews link and scroll down to “Card FAQ (NA)” and then in that search for “Triple Triad Rules” you can read a list of all the rules you may come across as they vary. There may be some mild spoilers there. Just try not to reach beyond that section.
If you choose the first FAQ by KatanaSoul and do a search for “Battle Basics:” it will take you to a very large and detailed battle analysis. Although Cephiroth’s FAQ has a really good “B A T T L E T U T O R I A L” That’s section IV.
Going straight to these two sites will answer your questions and shouldn’t fill your eyes with game spoilers. Although your question is still unclear. All characters and enemies are either not ready for attack or ready for attack. You can see your indicator building until it’s full and when it’s full you can attack. If your enemy fills his before you he can attack before you. I believe if you fail to launch your attack he can get ready after you but still attack before you. Of course I believe you can turn off this “Active Time Battle System” and operate solely on a turn based system. I don’t remember what FF VII had but I think it was similar, and you could turn it off too.
Hopefully someone can back my up on the option to switch the battle mode.
So you can have it either way. Isn’t that what you’re asking about?
Oh, maybe he was drawing a distinction. I’ve been playing with ATB and other similiar systems for so long I forgot about the wait function.