Discuss Final Fantastic idea for a quality RPG

[Sandy]

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...)

[Zidargh]

I think I've been involved with pretty much all of your FF RPG's. It is ashame that Final Fantastic Survivor was the only one that survived but you know.

I honestly feel that having only 4 people involved with the RPG would really benefit you. For example; Less confusion; Quickens the pace; Less co-ordination needing to be organised and fitted.

As for the story, I think it sounds wonderful. I was thinking a couple of months ago about how that would be a good idea, but unfortunately, I've decided never to create any more RPG's. However [i]joining[/i] one would be a different story altogether.

I feel this could be an incredibly emotional RPG, I know I was in tears about even some of the minor characters of FFVII.

(I'd love to explore the [spoiler]Biggs, Wedge and Jessie[/spoiler] after-story of FFVII. I loved them three.)

So you can count me in if you decide to do it, which I really hope you do.

[Sandy]

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. ;)

[Semjaza]

I think it sounds interesting. I, personally, would not be likely to try out, but I would think you could easily gather up four or so people that would do quality work. A lot of times I think most RPGs here die because there's just too many characters and no one knows where to go next.

I don't know if this will work with your ideas, but one way to increase the character count would be to allow people to play deceased villains as well. There's obviously quite a bit of them.

[Sakura]

[color=Navy]I'm interested in joining this RP, and as Zidargh said, it was a shame that only Final Fantastic Survivor....survived.

It's good that you've decided to limit the number of characters, and I think that having Raine around would be a good addition, since not all that much was known. But I don't remember when she died...I've probably just forgotten though since I haven't played it in a long time.

I'm certainly interested in how the story will turn out.

I also think that Semjaza's idea would be intriguing because then there'd be like two different joined up teams of the dead.

If this gets up and running, you can count me in as a part, I love anything to do with Final Fantasy.
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[Zidargh]

[QUOTE=Sage]

But wether this starts or not, I leave it to you guys. ;)[/QUOTE]

Oh, just create the damn RPG. ^_~

One thing about the villain-story; It would be best that you divided the 'good' and 'villain' stories up with either different post backgrounds, or font colours and titles. I think the two stories should coincide only rarely, just to show a more wider view of the afterlife.

Perhaps they could battle. Or perhaps they could call a truce, like Final Fantasy VII's Midgar Return [spoiler], where you had the opportunity to fight the Turks to the end or not. [/spoiler]

I know I'm a slow poster in Hero, but that is because I lose inspiration just like that, and that post will be done tomorrow Saturday. No lies. But I'll definitely stand by this one.

And SA [i]will[/i] join, he's just being Mr. Cool. (Well he won't without persuasion.)

[Sandy]

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. ;)