Gaming Most Efficient Ability System?

[spike speigel]

The Final Fantasy games have always had some strange yet cool ways of Leveling up or ability gaining in their games. From The normal level raising aspect to the sphere grid, they've all been very diverse. SO, which do you think is the most efficient way to gain abilities and [B]WHY[/B]? Don't forget the why, people. I don't wan't to see any one or two word posts. And please no spam. I'll post my choice later.

[Guest Zeh]

[color=royalblue]The best system ever designed was the job system for FFT. It offered more choices than any other game. You could make a character you wanted to play not one the game makes you play.[/color]

[zidane11]

I like all of them. I love materia, I love experience points. There is just something about leveling up. I don't mind spending a couple hours just getting stronger. It's just the idea of having this bad a** character.

[Bremma]

Im not sure.. I like Espers in FF6, cuase that means over time, everyone can have the same spell set. But the sphere grid could od the same AND up your chara stats. Tho, personally, Im partial to just normal leveling up like in FF4

[Desbreko]

[color=indigo]I think my favorite, out of the ones I've used (never used the job system or sphere grid, so I can't say about those), would be FFIX's magic system. It's kind of like the plain leveling up system (FFIV), mixed with the Magicite system (FFVI). You can pick and choose which spells and abilities to want to learn by equiping certain weapons, but at the same time, not everyone can use every spell and ability.

I think having everyone being able to learn magic just makes it way too easy, so that's why I didn't pick the Magicite system. I mean, in FFIV, you have two party members (with your end party, anyway) that could use white magic, and one only had weak white magic. You actually have to make sure that your white mage can get off a cure spell in time to keep someone from dying, instead of just using the next person in line to heal them, when everyone can learn magic. You also can't just sit back and have everyone casting Ultima and just totally breeze through boss fights, either.

[size=1][color=royalblue]FFVI - Vanish/Doom... - [b]Tasis[/b][/color][/size]

And by the way, I added the Item/Ability system from FFIX to the poll, since there's room for more options. :)

[size=1][color=royalblue]You'd really like the Sphere Grid methinks 'sko ^^;; - [b]Tasis[/b][/color][/size][/color]

[Flash]

Materia was the most [i]believable[/i] system, if you follow me. It made sense--Materia held the wisdom of the ancients, and the power of the elements of the planet. To use it, you placed it in Materia slots on your Armour/Weapon. Elemental/Status Materia gave the properties of the Materia junctioned with it.

FFVIII's GF/Junction system was kinda cool, but was way too easy to manipulate. Not to mention it didn't make any sense--Junction magic to HP? How? Where is this Magic? What do you Juntion it to? o_O;

FFV's Job system was cool. I liked that one alot, but I don't think it was the most efficient system, and that sorta is what this poll is about, heh.

I think the most efficient system was... FFI's system. Ya choose a class, you level them up, you upgrade them to their respective classes, and so on. No confusion, very straight foward, and fun.

I edited the Poll to include FFVIII and FFI on there.

[GinnyLyn]

[color=royal blue]I've only played 7 and up (not even that much of 8, really), and I must say, I liked them all.

7's Materia was great because of all the new graphics you got to see as the Materia got stronger--plus, [i]any[/i] member could use the Materia, provided they had the slots.

8 I didn't play much. The Junction bit confused me the little time that I did.

9's system reminded me of 7's--except that only certain charas could learn certain things. Made sense, really--big burly guy healing and summoning? The plus here was, once the spell or ability was learned fully, it STAYED learned. You just had to have enough thingies...stars, gems, whathaveyou?!...to activate them.

10's was a lot closer to 7's, in that everyone could learn the same thing, regardless. The sphere grid was a little less...available? (for lack of a better word) than the Materia--all that moving your character around the grid. Even with the special spheres that could plunk each chara anywhere plus the Level Locks, it wasn't as great as I originally thought. The concept is still sweet, though.

My vote would prolly be with the FF7 Materia system. [/color]

[Dan L]

I like the system in 7.. I just like the whole thing with materia carrying abilities and levelling up as you use them.

As for 8.. I'm playing that right now (not [i]right[/i] now, obviously), and the Junction system is easy to understand, but far too magic-dependant, in my opinion. Without any magic Junctions, the characters have very little strength whatsoever. The HP and attributes don't go up a [i]huge[/i] amount from the start of the game, and the increase due to junctioning is set, rather than proportional to the size of the value.

In short, if you could cheat 100 ultimas, and other strong magic into your file at the start of the game, you'd have no problems at all until near the end.

I played too little of 9, too long ago to actually comment on the system.

I liked the sphere grid in 10 as well, as it was.. well.. progressive, but not set.

[Mitch]

[color=red] Hmm...I really don't understand quite what you mean by [i]efficent[/i], it's kind of a broad word that can be taken many different ways. So for the count, I'll just say what my favorites are.

I really like the Materia system in Final Fantasy 7. I think that, along with many other things, were what made it a good game for me. I also love some of those insane combos you can make with materia, heh. I used to have a strategy guide that showed a few that I lost to my friend....and man, those were some crazy combos. Not to mention the level of personalization that system allows as well.

The magicite one made FF 6 a lot easier that it should've been. Here I am, at the end of the game. I go to the forest, and just train the beejesus out of my characters. Now they are almost all level 99, with [i]every single spell in the game[/i]. Just makes the game way too easy. And then, with exp. eggs to increase the process, and also economizers to totally make MP obsolete. Oh, and not to mention the stat-improving additive of having certain magicites equipped to a character. A rather not well-balanced system if you ask me. But sweet anyways, heh.

The junctioning system of Final Fantasy 8, when it goes to the junctioning magic thing, just got [i]way[/i] too tedious for me. i did like junctioning aeons (Sorry, I can't remember what they're called in 8, been awhile)
[size=1][color=royalblue](They be called GF's, Smootch - [b]Tasis[/b])[/color][/size]
But really, I hated the magic drawing system when I get down to it. Although somewhat intuitive, I'm sure they could've found a better way of using it.

The Sphere Grid in X was quite intuitive and was very well in its own. It really gave me a sense that I was actually gaining abilities on a set way, and that there were many other avenues to follow and achieve. 'Sko, if I were you, I would at least give X a try.
[color=indigo]Oh, I'd [i]love[/i] to try FFX, it's just that... Well, I don't have the money for a PS2. >_< - Desbreko[/color]

Anyways...so there's a small rundown about what I think of a few systems in the Final Fantasy universe.[/color]

[James]

[color=#507AAC]I think IX's system was probably the most practical.

But I like X's the best, simply because it allowed for 100% flexibility in all situations; you could make each character as individual or as similar as you wanted...and you can even control when their speed and health increases. In other games, much of that happens automatically.

So, that's one aspect of FFX that I really enjoyed. ^_^[/color]

[conpiracymonki]

[b][size=1]
I didn't really like FFX's sphere grid system o.o'
It just seemed like a giant circle that had little lines sticking out of it here and there. I mean, it wasn't like you could really choose how the characters levelled up. They just happen to start off at different points of this odd modified-not-to-look-like-yet-pretty-much-still-is circle.

FF9. I thought this one was quite nifty, like Ginny said, in that every character was different and couldn't all just learn everything and be the same. And the way you couldn't just put on everything you'd learnt was nifty too, in that you had to pick and choose for bosses etc. Nifty nifty nifty.

FF8. Too complicated when you first start. But then it kinda eases into it all, and it becomes too easy.

FF7. Like FF9's, in that you couldn't just put everything on. Made you have to think now and then. And I liked the way you could link materia together ^_^[/b]

Overall, I like FF7's ability system. I'd like FF9's better, but it'd needed something extra, like say some sort of linking abilities sytem. Except that'd be too complicated then. Somthing like that.
*shuts up, and decides not to comment on FF4-6, as he is not good with them*[/size]

[Mako]

Personally, I liked the junction system best. It provided the most flexibility and originality. You could basically make any characters you wished into a powerhouse, the only drawback was that you couldn't really use your magic too much.

Materia was by far the easiest to use, but didn't have quite as much customization as junction does.

[NeoCactuar]

Materia all the way, like flash said, it makes sense, and it was easy and fun to use. Leveling up abilities and what not.

And James i know what you mean about FFX, but it wasn't [i]that[/i] flexible.

People start in respective places, surrounded by respective abilities, it take quite a while before you can start to really customize them.

[Sandy]

I personally hate doing all that re-equipping like you had to do in FF7 and FF8. It's like you have a perfect party with good materia/magic equipped/junctioned, and then comes a plot-twist and *poof* all gone, and you have to re-equip all the characters again - not to mention when you changed parties! Veeery frustrating.

In FF6 the relic=ability was good, but it kinda had the same problem. Thank life you could only put two relics/character! Esper-system is good, too, but I feel sorry for all the early espers who go useless once Tritoch, Alexander, Bahamut and co. step in the picture... :(

Final Fantasy 9, on the other hand... it is simple, it is quick, it is easy to use, and it doesn't make your life a living hell! ;) So that is my choise. :D

[James]

[color=#507AAC]FFX was easily the most customizable system. I don't know what the complaint is there. Being the most customizable doesn't necessarily mean that it's the best, though.

I mean, with FFX...you could even decide where you want to update small issues such as health, speed or accuracy. In addition, it was still possible to have a job system of sorts, but also to provide individual characters with important specific abilities. That's what I loved about FFX; the characters were truly my own creations. I can control every single aspect of their development. Even the amount of control over Aeons was great, I thought.

Oh and...Tasis/Desbreko, please don't use the edit feature to post discussion responses in other people's posts. That's a lazy way of furthering the discussion. The edit feature should [i]only[/i] be used for Moderation/corrective purposes. Next time, I urge you to use the quote feature and actually create a proper post.[/color]

[Break]

[size=1][color=crimson]Well, I must say, I have enjoyed every single Ability system on the FF games (apart from FFVIII's). Materia, for me was the most fun way to go about getting new ablities, they weren't permanent and you could switch around a lot; I liked it. I only had a brief encounter with FFV's Job System, but I did enjoy it a lot, the different classes and all things they can learn really interests me for some reason.

The Junction System on FFVIII was pretty easy to use, but just [i]so[/i] bloody confusing, full of HP"%J%P%%H; you get what I mean. I really didn't like it, and it wasn't at all efficient. But, in my opinion, the Sphere Grid of FFX is totally the opposite, efficient, fun, easy to use.. the only problems I've had with it so far is missing one ability and having to go all the way back to the start and learn it. Highly annoying.
[/size][/color]

[conpiracymonki]

[b][size=1]Well I still don't like the sphere grid system. It wasn't really like you chose when to upgrade your speed etc. You just ran a line and got anything in the way >.>

If it was like something where you had, say, different spheres and had to use them to almost buy speed/hp/abilities etc, then I'd say you had control. Or if you could make lines yourself from sphere to sphere, or something.

But the way it is in FFX, it just seems like the only thing you could do was move forward, backward, and teleport. Me no likey.[/b][/size]

[spike speigel]

Wow, lot's 'o posts. Thanks to anybody who added to my poll!


My favorite would have to be the Job system from FF5. You could choose what class you wanted for your character and then change it any time you wanted to. Plus, you could mix certain abilities of the other classes in with another. You could give a White Mage the strength of a Monk, or you could give a Dragoon black magic. I thought that that system worked the best.


The Sphere grid would have to be a close second. Like a few other people stated, it gave you control over your characters leveling up. You could change many things with each level you gained. You basically created your own characters.

[James]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by AJeh [/i]
[B][b][size=1]Well I still don't like the sphere grid system. It wasn't really like you chose when to upgrade your speed etc. You just ran a line and got anything in the way >.>[/quote][/b][/size]

[color=#507AAC]Yeah but, you have to understand...the way that the Sphere Grid progressed was no different to the way that Final Fantasy VII, VIII or IX progressed. The difference is that with X, you were able to choose [i]when[/i] to upgrade specific features. Moreover, you had the ability to choose which "job" that your character would lean towards.

Clever use of the Sphere Grid system will result in more perosonalization, in my opinion, than any other Final Fantasy game.[/color][quote][size=1][b]

If it was like something where you had, say, different spheres and had to use them to almost buy speed/hp/abilities etc, then I'd say you had control. Or if you could make lines yourself from sphere to sphere, or something.[/quote][/b][/size]

[color=#507AAC]Well, that's essentially what you did. lol You used spheres to buy speed/hp/abilities. And you [i]can[/i] make the lines yourself; it just depends where you want to go.

Bear in mind that it's unfeasable to go from say...a black mage spell like Fire and then suddenly earn Hasteaga or something.

No other Final Fantasy game allowed such immediate progression, either. If you'll remember, in Final Fantasy VII, you had to let your materia "mature" over time. So essentially, the time for maturity compared with the time to move through the Sphere Grid is quite comparitive. No FF game has ever allowed you to become all-powerful immediately. The benefit in FFX in particular, is that you have more control over the direction that individual characters take. The spheres surrounding each "group" are relevant (for the most part) to a certain job or class. The beauty is that you can primarily be a Black Mage, but you can learn some specifics of a thief, for example. This allows for an unprecedented amount of flexibility in character creation.[/color][quote][b][size=1]

But the way it is in FFX, it just seems like the only thing you could do was move forward, backward, and teleport. Me no likey.[/B][/QUOTE][/size]

[color=#507AAC]That's somewhat true, but once again...it's no different to any other FF game. All FF games essentially have a similar system when it comes to the utilization of experience points and stuff. It's just that they go about it in different ways.

As I said, FFX allows for the kind of specific customization that is hard to find in other FF games. So it depends what you like; if you want a more automatic progression, you can simply follow the lines in the Sphere Grid to their natural course. However, you can also reverse (which costs less spheres) or take detours in order to gain unrelated abilities.

From personal experience, I've never really had a situation where my characters have been so absolutely customized. The only exception might be Final Fantasy Tactics, which has quite an in-depth growth system.[/color]

[GinnyLyn]

[color=royal blue]The greatest impact I've seen in the few FFs that I know (again, 7, 8, 9, and 10) would be in the Sphere Grid, though. As many pointed out, flexible customization is a beauty.

My primary example is Auron. The worst magic user, and arguably the slowest fighter. Once I got the general run of his area of the Grid (power and HP), I quickly took him through Kimahri's small area to Rikku's and Tidus'. Tidus' provided Agility, while Rikku's provided badly needed Speed. Pretty soon, I had a powerhouse that could strike first or carry the group away from battle before the enemy even moved. [i]Very[/i] nice (especially in Omega Ruins--downright necessary). Though my small attempt to extend his power into the realm of magic failed rather miserably. V_V;

Such incredible enhancements like this I never really noticed in the other games (that or I'm blind). The other systems tended to carry a watered down version of this. [/color]

[James]

[color=#507AAC]Ginny's hit the nail on the head. ~_^

That's what I'm referring to. The level of customization for your character is much higher than you'll get with other Final Fantasy games.

Having said that, not everyone wants to sit there and develop their character's tiniest attributes. For newer or less experienced players, I can see how this might be daunting. Even some more experienced players may still prefer to develop characters via a slightly more automated system.

So that's fine; I'm not trying to say that the Sphere Grid is necessarily the best system (because that's subjective), I'm just saying that it's probably the most in-depth...which is why I personally enjoy using it. ^_^[/color]

[Darkness]

Well, I like just leveling up, but FFX's sphere added to it. The only thing is that with Kamari (sp?), it was impossible to really make him good. True, it allowed room to customize to a point, but veering from the beaten path usually made your character worse. So I think that straight leveling up is the best