Sandy

Ooh la lah! I promise that when I become the Emperor of the World, you'll get to be my Court Artist (and that's a command, not a request ;) ). I'm in pretty boy heaven! You have got major talent, and your style appeals to me like flowers to bees. I envy your skill to make the clothes actually look like clothes, not just textures painted on a body. I think I can see why your professor ignored your art. One word: [B]homophobia[/B]. Keep 'em twinks coming!

Semmy is right, Sakaguchi's [I]Mistwalker[/I] is making two [I]completely[/I] new RPGs for Xenon (said to be the name of the new generation Xbox, if I understood right.) There are already few sketches around the net from the games (or at least one of them), but they are too vague to say anything about the games themselves (although similar magic-meets-technology style like in the FF-series seems to be in the new games as well).

I know it sounds dull, perhaps, but I have to go with Final Fantasy VII, for mostly the same reasons as stated by other people above. It might be the fact that I haven't played that many RPGs outside the FF-series, but I can't think of any game even outside the whole genre that could beat the amazing storyline and depth that FF7 has. Sure, it was my first RPG as well, but I think I would've felt the same way about it even if I had played other RPGs before it. Just for the heck of it, here's the list of the RPGs I've played: [B]Playstation:[/B] Final Fantasy 6, 7, 8, 9 [B]Playstation 2:[/B] Final Fantasy 10-2 Unlimited Saga (for 5 hours, but I might play it more someday... It's just so effing bad!) [B]Gameboy Advance:[/B] Pokémon Sapphire (you count it as an RPG, don't you?) Final Fantasy Tactics Advance Golden Sun: the Lost Age Final Fantasy 1&2: Dawn of Souls [B]PC:[/B] Grandia 2 These are the games I have played through, or at least owned. I've of course tried out various demos of other RPGs, like Diablo, but action-based (or hack&slash based, what ever you want to call it) roleplaying is not my cup of lemon tea. As you can see from the list, it is pretty dominated by the FF-series, but I still claim that it is the best of them all! However, I'm planning to buy Shadow Hearts Covenant when it reaches this corner of the world, just because I've heard so much good about it, so maybe it will change my opinion (although I doubt it...). Disgaea is also in my target, I'm just waiting for the price to go below the obnoxious 65 ?!

[quote name='Annalisse][color=#404142]There are plenty of homosexual [men] whom, if you looked at them, you would [b]not[/b'] be able to deceifer their homosexuality.[/color][/quote] I disagree, I can spot them with my unerring Gaydar [SIZE=1](TM by [I]Will&Grace[/I])[/SIZE], Mother Nature's gift to us gay men! ...Yeah, I wish. Anyhow, I'm not completely buying that "anybody can be anything - there's no way of telling it" -stuff. Sure, from some people it's[I] harder [/I] to tell, but just by walking to a Gay Night Club you can see that most of the people there belong there. ;) But like life goes, there's diversity in everything - including gay people. Some are muscular jocks or hairy bears but STILL there can be that glint of something that hints that they might be interested about the same gender. Maybe its the way they act with other guys, or the way they secretly observe hunky studs that pass them... It's hard to specify just [I]what[/I] it exactly is. I have been "out of the closet" for over a year and a half now, and I've gone through quite a change from an uncertain and shy teenager to happy and virile young man - and you should hear the way I speak nowadays, especially when the subject is the hunkier gender. :blush: Anyhow, to add something to the actual topic, not so long ago I took a Gender Test at the website of a local organization defending the rights of sexual minorities. The calculation of the result was a bit quirky, but I think it will suffice to say that I had 2 femininity points and -6 masculinity points. :p So I wouldn't neglect that "gay men are feminine" -clause just yet, James. (And I surely DON'T wear pink tanktops and glittery tiaras!) My [I]own[/I] theory about genders is that every man and woman situate to a different point in the masculine-feminine line, despite what kind of playthings he or she is born with. It all comes down to our minuscule life-partner DNA, that pretty much defines who we are. So yes, I believe that people are born with more or less masculinity or feminity. However, what sexual tendencies they will have when they grow up is affected by many other things besides DNA, like the values, tolerance and principles of the upbringers and the environment, the models they give etc. You can't point out one exact reason that makes people straight or gay, and the sexuality can indeed "change" with life (although it can be debated wether it is real change or just denial). This is all a very complicated issue with no clear answers, but at least I've now given my opinion and thoughts and point of view as a gay guy (aka my two cents).

ACTUALLY, before you start this thing, you should take a few things in consideration. The person who is writing this is responsible for making two previous OtakuBoards Survivors (The Freakshow and the Final Fantastic Survivors), and he (that is I) can tell you that it is NO PIECE OF CAKE, if you indeed wish to take this through all the way. My two games both lasted nearly half an year each, and they demanded constant brainwork from me: I had to invent challenges, keep the players interested in the game and lure people to cast votes (it is amazing that IMO the most fun part of the game was so unbearable to some people). You should also consider the setting of the game. Anime/Manga is an excellent idea, and very suitable for this forum, but to send the players just to a simple island... I think you should think something better... Like a city/world/theme park inspired by various anime/mange series. It would really inspire the players to do better as well. Returning back to my Survivor RPGS, for example in Final Fantastic Survivor the players lodged at airships while travelling to the worlds of the different games in the series. MY POINT IS that you should NOT rush into a major project like this with "I had this idea so let's see if it works". They NEVER do, that way! But these are all suggestions and my opinions, so if you really think you're ready to give your effort to the game, then I wish luck to you, and cross fingers that the game succeeds.

I have a question for you: [B]How many nuns could a nunchuck chuck if a nunchuck could chuck nuns?[/B] Bleh, lame joke...

I've also played the demo version of Tombi (and finished it, even). The gameplay was something I have never seen in any other game: it was platform jumper combined with puzzle solving and spiced up with brilliant graphics, inventive world and absolutely hilarious characters. And I got that impression from just fifteen minutes of playing. Unfortunately I don't think it was ever even released in Finland, or then it was pulled out from the market very soon. Cursed be the European publishers...

You've both made great entries, Zid and Ohkami, but I fear that this board might have too few people who're interested in this game... But I'm not going to throw in the towel just yet; let's see this through the weekend, and hope at least one other person will sign up. I still believe this game has much potential.

[CENTER][B][U]FINAL FANTASY[/U] Strayed Souls[/B][/CENTER] [I]Four souls, awaken from their eternal slumber, meet in a otherworldly dimension... One knows it as the Lifestream, to the other it is the Farplane, third thinks it is Heaven, but to the fourth it is just Hell... To those four souls appears a fifth one, who has lived a dozen lives but has yet to be born... The fifth has been given the task to guide the four through the strange realm of memories and prophecies... Together they will encounter lost friends and fallen foes, trying to seek out the ultimate truth behind this final fantasy...[/I] Aside the Dante's [I]Divine Comedy[/I], this is a game that was inspired by the [I]Soul of Rebirth[/I] feature in the recent remake game [I]Final Fantasy I&II: Dawn of Souls[/I]. In that feature four characters that had lost their lives during the FF II game wake up in the Afterlife to mend something that has been left unfinished. This game has a similar type of idea, but instead of using characters from any one game, it combines at least four different games under one game. The point here is not to make one of those cheesy cross-over games where Cloud fights Squall and nothing makes sense. On the contrary, this game is trying to dig into the essence of what makes Final Fantasy games so fascinating and unique. To be a part of this game, you will have to know your FFs, naturally, but I also [B]require talent[/B] to ponder these things, and [B]dedication[/B] to stick around. The players will have a huge effect on how the plot will advance, who they will meet in the Afterlife, and to what conclusion this all will end. Due to the game being so demanding, I have limited the amount of players, besides me, to [B]four[/B]. The characters are predetermined, and won't be negotiated upon. [B]One person can apply to as many of the four characters as they want[/B], and it is recommended if there are many who want to play the same character, because naturally there can be only [B]one player per one character[/B]. The four playable characters are listed below. To apply, you have to write a [B]detailed biography[/B] for the character(s) you choose, creating them a history from their birth up until the point where they die in their respective game. Because many things are left open in the games, you are encouraged to use your imagination to create for example a family and a hometown for your character, yet you have to be loyal to the original storyline that involved the character. I will make the final decision on who will get in after I've found a sufficient player for each character. Enough said, here are [B]the Four Souls[/B]: [INDENT][B]Aeris Gainsborough (FFVII)[/B] A heiress to an ancient race who gave up her life to save millions of others, but for some reason she was unable to merge to the Lifestream completely, and something of her remained alive. [B]Auron (FFX)[/B] Warrior who lived half-life for ten years until his soul was released upon the destruction of the evil entity known as Sin. But the soul couldn't find peace afterall, and he was reborn in the Afterlife. [B]Raine Loire (VIII)[/B] A strong-willed woman who protected her loved ones against the tyranny of the Sorceress Adel, and died while trying to hide them. However, her love kept her soul strong, and now she has arisen to face the truth. [B]Clyde "Shadow" Arrowny (FFVI)[/B] Once a lowly rogue, then a notorious ninja, but ultimately he too sacrificed himself for a greater cause. Still, something was left unfinished, preventing him to find the eternal rest.[/INDENT] Here is my character, the fifth one who will act as a guide to the other four: [INDENT][B]Cid (all/none)[/B] A soul that has lived a dozen times in a dozen different dimensions, but at the same time it has never been born. He truly has the essence of mystery in him.[/INDENT] Here it is, apply well, and the journey to the Afterlife can begin!

I'm not so keen on the villain-idea, because firstly it would double the number of players, and finding dedicated players is probably the hardest thing to do in recruitment. Secondly, the deceased villains have almost always turned up either a personification of pure evil or just starking mad - that would lead, imo, to a minimal character development - thing that would be the essence of this game. But let's say I put this up to the inn. It would probably go under the category of [M-LV], just to highlight the mature theme of this game - it would be far from naive sword-swinging, and nearer to a philosophical trip to the core of the series. I, myself, would play "Prototype Cid", leaving the parts of Aeris, Auron, Shadow and Raine available for four other players. I reckon that five would be a perfect number of players for the game to go forward without being too slow-paced or on the other hand too hasty. I think the structure would be the traditional first-come-first-served, despite the modern fashion of using the chapters. Also, the party would have at least some kind of contact with each other, like in the shape of Cid that could transport himself where-ever in the Otherworld the characters were. And as said, the players are encouraged to add other deceased characters from the series (friend or foe likewise) as NPCs in their postings. Okay, good, this will work... (just psyching myself up here) I'll post the recruitment thread to the Adventure Inn this weekend. Apply well, and you're in. ;)

Apparently this [I]isn't[/I] such a great idea that I first thought, considering the lack of interest it has gained... :blush: Yet, I'm willing to give it a try if there's at least few people that really think this could be mind-intriguing (which it is to me - just think of the dimensions this game could go!) On the other hand, if there are more than three skilled people who take interest in this, I was thinking to add a fourth character, [B]Raine Loire[/B] (practically the only character that died in FFVIII). That way the game could bring depht to that game, too. And I totally agree with Zidargh about adding the numerous important NPCs that lost their lives in the stories into this game. Many of them were left very one-sided, and this would be a great chance for people who were bothered by this to actually do something about it. I would think this game to be a kind of combined sequel to all Final Fantasy games that have characters included (namely FFVI, VII, X and perhaps VIII). But wether this starts or not, I leave it to you guys. ;)

[quote name='Meggido']My only suggestion is not to get rid of any Quest items. The missions give you everything you should need to finish all 300 missions. I had done 299 and found that I needed a blackthread to do the last and the missions with black threads can only be completed once.[/quote] OMG, I had the same EXACT problem in my second game! Just guess how much it pissed me off to have like a dozen [I]White[/I] Threads when I needed a black one! :bawl: Okay, it was my own fault that I ditched it when I had it... I just thought it was one of those recurring items that only take extra space in my inventory. Playing all 300 missions [spoiler]and more with Cid after them[/spoiler] was my main goal when I started the game second time through - and how wasted those 100+ hours turned out to be... :(

Ooh, I'm always into pretty boys - even if they are "slightly" mangled. ;P This sketch of yours is really very interesting, as it's giving me two completely different vibes: like first I'm all hawt and kewl, but then like ew and gross! Neat! :D

I can totally relate to the Gemini horoscope! Geminis are said to have two very different sides in them that come out in different situations. They are also very creative, but on the downside they don't have very good concentration. These all apply to me. Just to assure you, here's a description I found from another site: "[B]Gemini (May 21 - June 21): [/B] Geminis are versatile, sociable, expressive, inquisitive, inventive and intelligent. On the other hand, they also tend to be absentminded, conniving and fidgety, and lack an attention span." It's downright ghastly how good that describes me! My big sister is also a Gemini, and though we have quite different natures that description relates pretty well to her as well. It's [I]magic[/I]!

Let me think for a second... "Sometimes, the fire in their eyes is the only way to see the unseen through the Darkness of the Storm"? Um, did you make that up youself? Cause I don't get it... (stupid little me) But I really like the zombie(?) face in the background, the right eye's gleam through the darkness is very effective. The font of the text is nifty (very gothic), but perhaps it could be more processed, maybe add some shades to it, or make it 3D? (These are just suggestions of a viewer, mind you.) But the image is quite impressive, I have to say.

I sure am glad to be a full member of this board, because being a "newbie" would be just too darn hard these days. :smirk: Just a passing thought...

I'm a bit hesitant to start a new FF-RPG considering how the previous ones have ended, but I think I have at least a decent idea here, one that could be improved to a point of high quality. The idea was born when I was playing FFI&II: Dawn of Souls (GBA). In that game there was a special feature at the end of FF II that allowed you to play as the supporting characters that had died during the main plot (feature called Dawn of Rebirth). I thought it would be great to create a game where people would play as the deceased characters of the later games of the series, so I started brainstorming. This is what I've got so far: [CENTER][U][B]Final Fantasy: Essence of Eternity [/B] [/U] (tentative name): [I]Three lost heroes meet in the Otherworld... One knows it as the Lifestream, to the other it is Farplane, to the third it's just Hell... The three are guided by a fourth, one who has lived a dozen lives but has yet to be born... Together the four must find their way back to peace, whether it is in Life or in Death.[/I][/CENTER] Alright, I know there's not much story here yet (exactly why I decided to post this here in the Underground), but I was thinking that the story would be weaved by the heroes' journey through the Otherworld, like in Dante's Divine Comedy. Maybe they would meet old friends and defeated foes, maybe this would be a chance to dig deeper into the personalities and histories of the four characters. This certainly intrigues me. Who are the four, you ask? Here they come: [B]Aeris Gainsborough [/B] (FFVII) A heiress to an ancient race who gave up her life to save millions of others, but for some reason she was unable to merge to the Lifestream completely, and something of her remained alive. [B]Auron[/B] (FFX) Warrior who lived half-life for ten years until his soul was released upon the destruction of the evil plaguing his world. But the soul couldn't find peace afterall, and he was reborn to the Otherworld. [B]Clyde "Shadow" Arrowny[/B] (FFVI) Once a lowly rogue, then a notorious ninja, but ultimately he too sacrificed himself for a greater cause. Still, something was left unfinished, preventing him to find the eternal rest. [B]Cid[/B] (all/none) He has lived a dozen lives in different bodies, yet he has never been born. He is the essence of a mystery. An interesting bunch we've got here, right? Now, unfortunately (or fortunately, how you take it) there would be room for only three players besides me, so the three must really be up to the fun. But before I sent this to the inn, I want opinions about this? Could this succeed, is four players too few, would anybody be interested to join me in this etc.? Again I'm having a good feeling about this... (but oh how many times has the feeling been worth nothing...)

Actually, Carbuncle is drawed from [spoiler]either Iguion you fight when you go save Rinoa in Galbadia.[/spoiler] LeonWolf, you should go to the Tomb of the Lost King, there you'll get a GF if you solve the maze. Also, use the Magic Lamp Cid gave you at some point, but beware: the battle inside it isn't an easy one. I don't recal any other GFs you could get without drawing them from the bosses, at least not as early in the game as you are. But don't worry: when I played FFVIII for the first time, I missed a whole lot of stuff, mainly because the secrets of the game are often something you just have to KNOW, it's pretty darn hard to just bump into them (for example, encountering PuPu the Alien). To my opinion this is the biggest problem of this game. Otherwise I really learned to love the story and the characters (especially all the hunk-a-licious guys!!!) when I played it the second time around. It really deserves it's FF-title. :)

Surprisingly, to me FFX-2 wasn't a disappointment at all, because I already knew its downsides (like the lack of a consistent plot and lame music (except the two main themes)) when I bought it, which helped me enjoy the good sides (like the positive attitude and hilarious humor). My biggest disappointment was Unlimited Saga. It taught me not to buy games I've heard nothing about. I bought it in a naive belief that it would be at least a decent RPG, having been made by Square Enix and all, and the idea seemed quite intriguing with seven different heroes and plotlines that merge near the end. How wrong I was... Okay, I have to admit that I have played it less than ten hours, and with only one hero, but the system is just so awful and confusing and unfair, and the characters are shallow and stereotypical, and the graphics suck major arse! I couldn't believe they would make such games like that in these modern times... ONLY good side in buying the game is that I got FFX-2: Eternal Calm along with it. It soon cleared out to me why it was included... *sulk* Those were the sixty euros I never get back...

I agree with [spoiler]the white-cloaked man in the wheelchair being Rufus Shinra[/spoiler] as he is in the cast list, plus you can see the person's sleeve in one shot (it's not like supporting fictional characters could ever change clothes or anything...). Also, check out the NEW OFFICIAL SITE UPDATE! Info about Marlene, Yuffie, Cid, Reno, Rude, Denzel and Zack have been added to the Characters-sections (wonder why Red XIII isn't there...).

[QUOTE=James][color=#707875] At least the player had somewhat of a choice in Final Fantasy VII (is the rumor that you can date Barret at the Gold Saucer true? lol). I remember frequently rejecting Aeris in favor of Tifa. Aeris was incredibly, incredibly lame. At least Tifa seemed to exist on planet Earth.[/color][/QUOTE] Yes, you can actually go on THE date with either Aeris, Tifa, Yuffie or Barret, depending on how you treat each of them in the game before the scene (I haven't tried the trick myself, but I saw this guide that instructed with details how to do it.) And FFXII is definately going to change many things that the fans have gotten used to - wether it's good or bad is everybody's own opinion. However, [spoiler]I'm not 100% sure that Penelo and Vaan are steady at the beginning of the game, they just... well, seem to live together. What I'm sure of is that Vaan will not hook up with Ashe, like everybody assumed when the two of them were first announced.[/spoiler] I'm not sure how many really thought Tidus and Yuna's love was something special and unique and larger-than-life... Not me, for one. Anyhow, FFX's theme was Love & Peace, and FFXII's theme seems to be War & Freedom. They're really on different levels, those two. But all we poor fans can do is wait... *sigh*

This is my kind of topic. :D I can honestly say I really love FF-series, and it's not just because "I don't know of better". I've tried to search some different RPG, but they all tend to go more on the hack'n'slash-side (meaning that you just advance from mission to another simply slaying monsters.) My main attractions to the FF-series are the looks, the story, and the gameplay - all of which are IMO in balance in almost every part I've played (VI-IX, X-2 & TA). The graphics have always astounded me (although FF7 is hardly comparable to FFX anymore, but in its time it was something awe-inspiring). I enjoy playing games that look good. Added to that are the always unique and complicated plots (well, save FFTA which had a boring goodnight-story). I've always loved the cast of playable characters in each game, since they have always at least tried to step aside from the traditional knight-princess-wizard -roles. Each character has its own personality and a place in the respective world. Also the worlds - an entire new dimensions - have intrigued me greatly. Exploring in the game is great fun! And one can't forget the surprising (unless you've spoiled yourself in a web-board) twists and turn that the stories take. It's really like playing a movie, and I don't find anything bad about that. Gameplay has also been perfect for me. At the beginning it's always easy, but as you advance and level-up, new features add challenge to the battles. I'm not one bit bothered by the fact that the system changes in practically every game - I get bored quickly. What I wish is that they'd bring the ability-systems outside the battle more (like in Golden Sun-series), allowing you to use spells and other skills to progress through dungeons etc. It would add a whole new dimension to the series (although I have a hunch that they'll add something like that to FFXII). So here's my reasons why I play the series - and would like to play all the parts of it. It just leaves me graving for more... :P Right now I'm constantly hunting new tidbits from FFXII, which I predict will change the direction of the series a whole lot.

Thanks for the comments, Shy and Arcadia! They're much appreciated. :D I just wanted to tell that I've finished my next chapter (okay, it could still use some polishing), and I'm eagerly waiting for a chance to post it. This is beginning to take shape, this game, which is nothing but good. What worries me is the SLOWNESS that this game proceeds! I mean, five posts in over three months?! What's going on? I really hope this game doesn't die, but honestly, this "speed" isn't very motivating... I don't think I signed in for an eternity project. ;) I'm not sure what one could do to speed things up, but let's at least try, okay?

I noticed that too, but I don't think it's another FF7 spin-off but a compiling name for the three spin-offs already published. But we'll just have to wait for new information.

So now we have AC, BC and DC. Notice a pattern here? :smirk: Squenix is really taking advantage of this Polymorphism(tm)... I'm no fan of Action-games, but Mr. Valentine does look awfully luscious in his own angsty way. I'm actually glad that the FF-mark is spreading outside the RPG genre, so perhaps I'll get that FF fighting game I've dreamed of. (he he, Tifa beating Cloud's arse... It's funny how a pasifistic person such as moi can enjoy games like Tekken so much.) But we'll just have to see where the Promising Path of Polymorphism(tm) leads us...