User:Deckiller/Gameplay of Final Fantasy

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The gameplay aspects of the Final Fantasy series have evolved over the course of the series. Each game introduces a modified version of a system seen in the previous games, or a new concept entirely. However, each game in the series has common themes and concepts related to its gameplay.

Contents 1 Basics 1.1 Game screens 1.2 Battle system 1.3 Character development 1.4 Limit Break 2 Magic 3 Items 4 Currency 5 Equipment 5.1 Weapons 5.2 Armor and accessories 6 Travel 7 Enemies 8 References 9 See also 10 External links

[edit] Basics

[edit] Game screens

The games typically have several types of screens, or modes of interaction, broadly categorized as:

• Battle screens — Battles occur on a separate type of screen (or arena), usually with a change of scale and a backdrop "arena" that usually generically represents where the battle is occurring in the game. (For example, a random battle in a desert gets a desert backdrop.) Plot-relevant battles (as opposed to battling random monsters) may have a specially built battle screen/arena, however. In Final Fantasy VII and later, these screens are fully 3D, using higher resolution versions of the characters, but very restricted in size. Final Fantasy XI and XII do away with "scene-battles": battle sequences occur on the main field screen.
• Field screens — These are where the main interaction between the characters occurs, and most of the exploration of the world occurs on these screens. Dialog mostly occurs on these screens. Final Fantasy VII marked the point that Final Fantasy would have realistic computer graphics, while Dragon Warrior stayed with anime style cel-shaded graphics. Prior to Final Fantasy VII, they were pseudo-orthographic, using a simple 2D engine. Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VIII, and Final Fantasy IX used pre-rendered and pre-painted backgrounds over which 3D models were overlaid. Final Fantasy X used a completely 3D field screen system, which allowed the camera angle to change as the characters moved about. The 3D field screen was kept for Final Fantasy XI and Final Fantasy XII, but with a new camera system which can be adjusted by the player.
• World screen — A low-scale screen used to symbolize traveling great distances in times that would otherwise slow the game down unacceptably plot-wise. These are usually not scaled, as a character may appear the size of a small mountain. Relatively little plot occurs here, but there are exceptions. Final Fantasy X did away with this, and simply made the distances between areas smaller, often classed as areas in themselves.
• Cutscenes — These scenes are non-interactive playback that usually provide instructions for the player or advance the plot. They can either be pre-rendered video (FMV), or they can be executed in with the same engine (or a slightly modified engine to allow for more detailed expressions) as any of the three display modes above. Tutorials often manipulate the menu screen detailed below. In some cases, pre-rendered video is overlaid with real-time rendered field screen graphics (full motion video-3D).
• Menu Screen — This screen is used for navigating your party's status, equipment, magic, etc. This screen is usually a very simple blue-table layout, with a gloved hand to select one's options. In some games, the option to change the color or texture of the tables is given.
• Mini-games — The games often feature various minigames with their own graphical engines. Examples of these are the "Tetra Master" card game, featured in Final Fantasy IX, and then featured as a separate game shipped as part of the Final Fantasy XI PC game.

[edit] Battle system

See also: Square Enix battle systems

The Final Fantasy series started with a simple menu-driven, turn-based battle system, but has moved to include more real-time and semi-real-time elements as the series progressed^[1] before finally going real-time in Final Fantasy XI and Final Fantasy XII. Most games in the series utilize an experience level system for character advancement,^[2] and a point-based system for casting magical spells.^[3] Since Final Fantasy III, most games in the series feature a variety of "special commands," over and beyond the traditional "Attack," "Defend," "Cast Magic," "Item," and "Run" battle commands, such as the ability to steal items from enemies, or performing a leap attack. Often these special attacks are integrated into the "job system," which has appeared in several games in the series and spinoffs.^[4]

Final Fantasy through Final Fantasy III all featured a traditional turn-based battle system. The player would input all battle commands at the beginning of each combat round, which would then be carried out in an order generally determined by the speed rating of each participant. Starting with Final Fantasy IV, and continuing until Final Fantasy IX (and revived in Final Fantasy X-2), the "Active Time Battle" (ATB) system was used. The ATB system was semi-real time, and assigned every participant in combat a time gauge. When a specific character's time gauge was filled, the character could act, which would then reset the timer. Generally each of these games included both "active" and "wait" modes: when "wait" mode was chosen, then all activity relating to the time gauge would pause whenever the player was using a submenu to choose a magic spell, item, or special attack. In "active" mode, time would pass even if the player was using a submenu, allowing attacks to be performed while the player was issuing commands. This allowed the player to play in the mode that best suited their personal preferences and could be changed at any time through the menu screen.

Final Fantasy X abandoned the ATB system in favor of the "Conditional Turn-based Battle" (CTB) system. In the CTB system, every participant in battle would be ranked according to speed. As this ranking was displayed on screen during battle, it was possible to know when a character and/or enemy would move several combat turns in advance, and to plan battles accordingly. Because the CTB system was completely turn-based, the time gauge was absent. Using this system, a character's actions also dictated when they would be able to go again, and possibly affect when the target went next.^[5] This system was originally used in the spinoff, Final Fantasy Tactics and its sequel Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, although the terminology was not.

Final Fantasy XI features the RTB (Real Time Battle) system of combat. Unlike previous Final Fantasy games, this type of combat is confluent with time. Combat does not stop when scrolling through the menu or choosing certain options, but rather your character is allowed to move freely around the screen and the gameplay continues while selecting options.

Final Fantasy XII features a combat system similar to Final Fantasy XI, called the "Active Dimension Battle" (ADB) system. The system is similar to the RTB system in that characters are free to move about during battle, and after targeting a monster, the character will automatically perform basic attacks. However, there is also a visible ATB-like time gauge showing when a character can act. "Active" and "wait" modes have also been implemented. An important addition to this game's battle system is the Gambit system, in which the AI of party members can be set so that they will automatically perform certain actions as defined by the player. Each character can have a series of if/then commands defined, and the character will execute the first action the character is able to execute for which a condition is true.^[6] During a battle, the player may override the default action of any character, revise the gambits specifications, change which characters are in the current party, or turn gambits off for one or more characters.

Unlike previous games, battles in both Final Fantasy XI and Final Fantasy XII take place on the field screen, with no separate battle screen resulting from "random encounters".

At E3 of 2006, Square Enix presented a short demo of Final Fantasy XIII, in which the battles had a battle menu for inputting commands at the bottom of the screen but was not well-noticed because the battles themselves appeared to be completely cinematic in nature.

[edit] Character development

Main article: Final Fantasy character classes

In the Final Fantasy series (and RPGs in general), characters become stronger by increasing their statistics. (will expand)

The character class system is one of the most common methods of character development in the series.In Final Fantasy I, the player allocates permanent class selections to the four playable characters at the beginning of the game.^[7] Final Fantasy III and Final Fantasy V changed the formula by allowing the player to change a character's class, as well as acquire new and advanced classes and combine class abilities.^[8][9] In Final Fantasy Tactics and Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, classes are once again chosen by the player from one of the two starting jobs; however, characters must meet prerequisites before changing classes.^[10][11] Character classes were re-introduced in Final Fantasy X-2 as "dressspheres"; these classes are gradually acquired and can be changed at any point, including battle mode.^[12] The classes that appeared in Final Fantasy XI, the first MMORPG title in the series, have certain unique implementations that more closely follow MMORPG convention.^[13]

Other Final Fantasy installments deviate from the class system by allowing flexibility in character growth, or featuring pre-determined jobs. Characters in Final Fantasy II are molded according to their performance in battle.^[14] Final Fantasy IV introduced characters already locked into a class; abilities related to the character's class are learned as the character gains experience points.^[15] In Final Fantasy VI, VII, and VIII, characters begin with equipment and attack proficiencies similar to character classes, but the player can allocate magic and statistical bonuses.^[16][17][18] In other words, classes are not specifically defined in these installments.^[19] Final Fantasy IX have predetermined "dormant abilities" similar to IV; however, the characters in IX learn abilities by wearing equipment instead of gaining levels.^[20] Final Fantasy X introduced the sphere grid; characters began at certain areas of the grid, which represent traditional character classes by their statistical bonuses and abilities. In Final Fantasy XII, the player can mold characters into anything, without restriction of traditional classes.^[21][22]

[edit] Limit Break

Limit Breaks (sometimes shortened to Limits) are powerful combat moves that generally occur when a character has taken a large amount of damage in combat. Subsequent games in the series have used similar mechanics with different names. 'Limit Break' has been popular slang for similar attacks or abilities in other role playing games. Several other games have adopted systems similar to the Limit Break mechanic.

The term Limit Break was first used in Final Fantasy VII, though the same concept was first introduced three years prior in Final Fantasy VI. In the Japanese versions of the Final Fantasy series, FFVII is the only one to actually use the term Limit Break. It is only outside of Japan that Limit Break has become a generic and all encompassing term for this sort of move or action in the Final Fantasy series and other RPGs. They are also compared to the super combos in fighting games such as the Street Fighter series. Limit Breaks are also used in a similar fashion in the White Wolf (pen and paper) role playing game Exalted.

[edit] Magic

Main article: Final Fantasy magic

Magic is one of the two principal forms of attack in the series (the other being physical attacks). Although the specific features of the magic system vary significantly from game to game, many concepts have remained consistent throughout the course of the series.

[edit] Items

"Items" are collected objects that may affect the status or health of a character or enemy. Many objects are one-use and include a limit to how many are stocked in the party's inventory.

Recovery items heal Hit Points (HP; health) and Magic Points (MP; magical usage). In every installment, the basic HP-recovering item is some form of potion. The items' names varied in earlier games, such as being called "Heal Potions" in the first game, "Cure Potions" in the English translation of Final Fantasy IV (called Final Fantasy II) and "Tonics" in the English translation of Final Fantasy VI (called Final Fantasy III.) Other variants, which heal more HP, include the mid-level "Hi-Potion", the high-level "X-Potion", and the multi-target "Mega Potion". Since Final Fantasy IV, the lead MP-recovering item has been the "Ether". The name is derived from Aether, a classical term used in midaeval times to describe a possible substance between air, earth, fire, and water. Its effectiveness varies from game to game. The English language localization of Final Fantasy VI renamed the Ether to "Tincture," and also featured a second-level MP-restoration item, "Hi-Ether", which was renamed simply "Ether" in the English localization. The Turbo Ether (also known as "Dry Ether") has appeared in recent games and restores either a significant or complete portion of a character's MP.

The "Elixir", which appears in most Final Fantasy games, is an HP and MP recovery item. Some games include the Megalixir (or Mega Elixir), which fully restores the party's HP and MP. Other items recover both HP and MP at specific locations. "Tents" are often used on field maps or at Save Points as replacements for an Inn as they restore some of the party's HP and MP. Variants such as Cabin, Cottage, and Sleeping Bag restore more or less HP and MP; sometimes to only one character. In Final Fantasy IX, Tents can be used during battle, although there is chance of being inflicted with abnormal status effects when used.

The series' designers elected to include items to heal status effects (conditions that alter a character's performance in battle) without resorting to an inn or tent. For example, "antidote" heals poison and venom, "echo screen" vanquishes silence, and "eye drops" cure blindness. Some status recovery items allude to classical literature. For instance, the "Mallet", which is used to treat "mini", is a reference to the Japanese folktale of Issunboshi, where a magical mallet is used to transform the one-inch tall hero to full size; additionally, the frog-curing "Maiden's Kiss" refers to The Frog Prince.

The "Phoenix Down" (also translated as "Phoenix Tail") is used in all Final Fantasy games to revive an unconscious party member with a small portion of their HP. In some of the earlier games, the word was translated as "FenixDown" because of size issues with fitting English letters in the space previously occupied by Japanese characters. A Phoenix Down often instantly kills or inflicts maximum damage on undead and other creatures harmed by curative spells. The item is supposed to be the feather of a Phoenix, a common symbol of life and rebirth; "down" refers to the down feathers of a bird, the undercoat of feathers beneath the visible layer on top. Other representations of the Phoenix Down include the bottled tears of a Phoenix, bolted quivers and bead necklaces. Variants of this item include the Phoenix Pinion and Mega Phoenix, which revive all party members.

There are other basic items seen throughout the Final Fantasy series, including the "Gyshal Greens", which can be used to catch and feed chocobos (FFVII), summon a pet chocobo (FFVIII), or ride a chocobo (FFIX). The "Rename Card" renames characters that have already been named. This first appeared in Final Fantasy VI, though the character Namingway had a similar function in Final Fantasy IV. In Final Fantasy VIII, a Rename Card renames Guardian Forces, and Pet's Nametag renames Rinoa's pet dog name. In Final Fantasy IX, the Namingway Card had the same effect, and in Final Fantasy X, it was used to rename Aeons. All Final Fantasy games also have "key items", which must be acquired to further the game's story or complete a sidequest. Examples of key items include the "Nitro" from the original Final Fantasy, the "Huge Materia" from Final Fantasy VII, and the "Supersoft" from Final Fantasy IX.

[edit] Currency

Gil (Japanese ギル giru) is the name of the fictional currency used in every game in the series, although English translations have occasionally replaced it with "GP" or simply "G". "Gil" is both the singular and plural term for the currency; it is one of the few elements shared by the otherwise unrelated Final Fantasy games, along with chocobos, airships, Moogles, and Cid.

Gil can be used to buy weapons, armor, items, and accessories at the many stores and vendors throughout the worlds of the Final Fantasy games. Gil is earned primarily (sometimes exclusively) through fighting and winning battles or the sale of unwanted items, but many games provide other ways of earning the currency; in Final Fantasy VIII, for example, the player receives periodic wages according to his or her rank in the "SeeD" organization. Sometimes, the player can earn gil through minigames (such as those found in Final Fantasy VII's casinos), or through completing various tasks or missions. Still other means of earning gil exist, but the majority of these methods usually yield negligible amounts. Some games in the series, starting with Final Fantasy V, have characters or abilities that lets the player toss gil at an enemy in order to inflict damage; this ability is known as "Coin Toss".

[edit] Equipment

Main article: Final Fantasy weapons and armor

[edit] Weapons

Weapons are integral parts of gameplay. Generally, they increase strength and magical statistics, and increase the damage dealt by playable characters during battle. Several have seen recurring use throughout the series; others have been influenced by a variety of mythological and fantasy concepts. Interspersed between unique weapons are a graded scale of other, more common weapons, usually sold in shops. They are typically, with only a few exceptions, labeled according to the following progression, from weakest to strongest: Bronze, Iron, Steel, Mythril/Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, Crystal, Adamantite (found in FF1) /Adamantine. Armor typically follows the same alloy progression. Moreover, armors of "Genji" series are seen in Final Fantasy IV, Final Fantasy V, Final Fantasy VI, Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy IX, Final Fantasy Tactics, and most recently in Final Fantasy XII. Although not an alloy, "Wooden" weapons and "Leather" armor are also often seen throughout the series.

The Final Fantasy installments feature several types of projectile weapons, including bows, balls, guns, boomerangs, and launchers. Gunblades have a gun-like handle which contains a firing mechanism but are not considered projectile as the firing mechanism only makes the blade vibrate causing extra damage, and does not fire any actual shells. In some installments, such as Final Fantasy IV, ammunition (bullets and arrows) is limited; others, like Final Fantasy VIII and Final Fantasy XII, have unlimited kinds of ammunition. Other installments, like Final Fantasy VII, omit ammunition completely Some of the common recurring projectile weapons include Yoichi's Bow^[23], the Full Moon boomerang^[24], various shuriken, and projectile launchers with names similar to boomerangs, like the Rising Sun in Final Fantasy VIII.

Throughout the series, knives and daggers serve as key weapons of thieves, ninjas, and other similar characters. One such example is the Catclaw, taken from the works of fantasy author Fritz Leiber. It is depicted as a hooked dagger (or dirk) in his stories but has undergone a number of changes in the Final Fantasy series. In some games, such as Final Fantasy IX, the Catclaw appears as a claw-like weapon for the thief and ninja character(s).

Swords are commonly seen throughout the series, and come in various forms. Elemental swords, which include a certain element, such as fire or wind, during the attack, are seen almost every installment in the series. Some elemental swords launch an additional magical attack during battle, such as the Lightbringer in Final Fantasy VI. A fake version of the powerful Excalibur sword, called Excalipoor, appeared in Final Fantasy V, Final Fantasy VIII, and Final Fantasy Tactics and deals one hit point of damage during battle. The Masamune also appears as a sword in several games, and is one of the most powerful weapons in the early installments. Another sword is the Ragnarok, which shares a name with the Norse word, Ragnarök, meaning "End of the Gods".^[25] The Blood Sword is common throughout the series, with a frequent trait of the weapon being its ability to drain HP from enemy targets.

Two common swords seen in other games after their appearances in the series are the Buster Sword and the Gunblade. The Buster Sword (バスターソード) was featured in Final Fantasy VII as the default weapon of the game's protagonist, Cloud Strife, and the one he wields on promotional footage and during cutscenes. It is a large sword in comparison to the protagonist. The Buster Sword appears in the games Kingdom Hearts (PS2) and Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories (GBA). However, a weapon of the same name also appears in an earlier RPG, Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals,^[26] as well as its pre-cursor, Fortress of Doom. There is also Fenrir which resembles Cloud's buster sword in the Kingdom Hearts series. The sword also appears in Cloud's possession in Itadaki Street Special, and as both Cloud and Zack's weapon in Ehrgeiz. It is also seen in Final Fantasy XII as a weapon held by Gilgamesh (although the one with Gilgamesh has replica written on it's side), and in Final Fantasy Tactics Advance as a normal weapon. It also appears in the original Final Fantasy Tactics as Materia Blade.

A Gunblade is a sword with a revolver or pistol embedded in the blade. The layout of such a weapon differs from a rifle with a bayonet in that the edged component has an integral barrel, rather than being attached to the end of the barrel. In essence, the gunblade has a pistol to supplement a sword, while a bayonet is a blade to supplement a rifle. The gunblade does not fire projectiles, despite its name. Triggering a round in the gun chamber sends a shockwave through the blade, increasing the damage potential to whatever the blade strikes at that moment (confirmed by the Final Fantasy VIII Ultimania, an official publication of Square-Enix^[27]). The weapon played a significant role in Final Fantasy VIII, where it was the weapon of choice of the protagonist, Squall Leonhart, and his rival, Seifer Almasy.

The most powerful weapon used by the main character is often known as The Ultima Weapon. (Note: In Final Fantasy VI, it was translated as "Atma Weapon," though this was finally correct in the revised translation in Final Fantasy VI Advance.) It appears in the Final Fantasy I portion of Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls as a treasure that can be carried over via the cleared data. In Final Fantasy V Advance, it can be obtained by defeating Neo Shinryu, one of the game's strongest bosses, in the "Shinryu's Lair" section of the Sealed Temple. In Final Fantasy VI, the title of "Ultima (also known as Atma) Weapon" is given to two very different subjects: The first is a pair of swords, the power of which is based on the hit points (HP) of the wielder; the more HP the character has, the stronger the power of the weapon. The second subject with this title is a large, dragon-like boss with a special affinity to magical attacks.

In addition to the types of weapons above, Final Fantasy includes whips, dice, staffs/rods, lances, axes, and other common weapons.

[edit] Armor and accessories

Like weapons, armor and accessories are items equipped to characters to alter their performance. Many pieces of armor from the series appear in multiple titles. One of the most common sets of equipment is Genji, which consists of a shield, helmet, body armor, and sometimes shoes. Some armor featured in the series is named after metals or stones, such as bronze, iron, silver, mythril, gold, emerald, diamond, and crystal; others are based on colors or spells. Armor and accessories used in the series consist of bracers, shields, rings, bangles, shoes, helmets, body armor, robes, and dresses. However, not all games in the series have an armor system; for example, Final Fantasy X-2 uses the equipping of accessories instead of armor. Final Fantasy VIII uses stats increases from equipping Guardian Forces, a form of summoning in the game, than the use of armor. In many of the games, armor or accessories in the game could only be equipped in a certain job class like Black Mage with a Black Robe, or a Warrior with the Warrior's Shield.

Several individual pieces of armor and accessories recur throughout the series. Two of the most common are the Aegis shield and the Protect Ring, which provide various effects for the character, depending on the game. The Golden Hairpin almost always benefits the spellcasters in the party. For example, in Final Fantasy VI and Final Fantasy V, they were accessories that reduced spell costs by half; in Final Fantasy Tactics, they were head armor that gave a significant boost to the maximum MP value and nullified the silence status effect. The Ribbon is an item in most Final Fantasy games that allows the equipped user to become immune to all status ailments. Most times, it appears as a helmet; in some games, such as Final Fantasy VI, it is an accessory or a special item.

In Final Fantasy IV, most armor and equipment are part of a set, such as Genji or Shadow. In Final Fantasy V, the Bonemail, the Cursed Ring, and the Thornlet provide large statistical boosts but simultaneously inflict the wearer with a specific status ailment. Most armor in Final Fantasy VI can be grouped into one of four categories - body armor, shields, helmets, and relics. Body armor generally boosts defense; however, some provide bonuses to evasion (Force Armor) and MP (Minerva). The most powerful shield, the Paladin Shield, is only available after wearing the status ailment-inducing Cursed Shield. Some helmets provide status adjustmnets to numerous areas. Finally, Relics are special accessories which can be equipped independently of any armors or other accessories already in use. They typically confer special abilities or statuses on either the user or the whole party.

Final Fantasy VII was the first game in the series not to feature shields, helmets, or body armor. Equipment was reduced to one weapon, one defense item (usually an "armlet" or "bracelet"), and one accessory per character. Most weapons and armlets in the game feature slots into which Materia can be inserted to increase the user's stats. In Final Fantasy IX, armor and accessories also provide new spells and abilities for characters to use. Many of the summons in the game are learned by equipping jewels as accessories. The Hawaiian equipment is inserted for comical reasons; the equipment offers little in the way of attributes and is useless in battle.

In Final Fantasy X, armor is not interchangeable between characters; the player must purchase armor for each party member, as each person equips a different type of armor. Like the weapons in Final Fantasy X, armor in the game can be customized with up to four different features, which provide abilities or raise the battle power of the character who equips it. Those armors designated for different party members but bearing the same features usually have similar names (i.e. White Bracer versus White Bangle). Many of the armors and armor abilities from Final Fantasy X appear again in Final Fantasy X-2, although they are referred to as "accessories" and cannot be customized by the player. Many accessories take the form of clothing items or pieces of jewelry (i.e. Gold Earrings) rather than shields or helmets as in previous games. Signature armor items from previous Final Fantasy games also make appearances (as accessories), including the Gold Hairpin, Ribbon, and Power Wrist. Final Fantasy XII featured a typical armor and accessory system, although licenses have to be acquired to equip them.

[edit] Travel

• Airship (Final Fantasy)
• Other modes of transport on world map
• Chocobos

[edit] Enemies

Main article: Monsters of Final Fantasy

Monsters are common antagonists to the playable characters, with usually no relevance to the storyline. Most monsters come from cultural mythologies and folklore, such as Greek mythology. Humans and demi-humans are also common enemies. Boss battles are seen in every installment in the series as well.

The original Final Fantasy borrowed several monster types from the Dungeons & Dragons RPG; these monsters appear throughout the series (see section).^{[citation needed]} Although the original Final Fantasy had a handful of humanoid bosses and pirates, Final Fantasy II expanded the humaoid bestiary with soldiers and other servants to the Empire; this expanse into humanoid enemies can be seen in the remainder of the games in the series.^{[citation needed]} Beginning in Final Fantasy III, some enemies and bosses talked during battles.^{[citation needed]}

Several entries in the series provide backstories on the origins and motives behind monsters. In Final Fantasy VIII, monsters are sent to the game world from one of its moons via a burst of energy from the moon called the "Lunar Cry".^[28] In Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy X-2 these hostile monsters are better known as fiends, which are monsters manifested from the restless spirits of the dead and driven by malice to devour those alive.^[29] In FFX-2, these Fiends are classified by type.^[30] In Final Fantasy XII, the monsters have differing origins; however, most are the result of a mutation caused by an overdose of any exposure to the Mist.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] References

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

NOTE: an in-universe and out of universe perspective can be mixed; we can discuss the equipment and cite a few examples (buster sword, etc.). Most of the out of universe meat will be concentrated in the three subheadings under the basics section; the preceding sections just provide an overview of the other gameplay elements.