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Caves of Narshe Forums > Final Fantasy I > Final Fantasy I made me mad


Posted by: Spooniest 17th August 2016 15:09
Here is a master list of all the things that used to irk the shit out of me about FF1.

- "Pick your targets and go!"

This is the most common and most cited reason why the early FF series was so irritating to play. FF1+2 had this thing, where if one person killed a goblin, then the other people who had also targeted that goblin in the same round would then take their turns and say "DURP WHERE IS GOBLIN" and you'd get a message that the attack was, and say it with me,

"Ineffective"

For this reason, when you target enemies in FF1+2, you have to make each character target only one enemy. When an enemy has a lot of HP (like an Ogre or Giant), this becomes oddly problematic if you don't know exactly how many HP the monster has, and aren't willing to memorize the guide or have it handy as you play. You have to figure out how much damage you think will kill the monster, calculate the damage output of your team, and only attack with enough people to kill it, whilst giving those others not attacking the strong monster something else to do.

While this way of thinking is the core of basic gameplay, at some point during FF3's development, someone came along and said, "this is annoying. Why can't we just roll a die to see which monster they'll attack next if the targeted monster is missing?"

And there was much rejoicing.

- "Life in battle? What nonsense"

You may not revive someone in battle. And the message that the game gives you is related to the above complaint.

"Ineffective now"

Anyone who is trying for the first time to revive someone in battle and doesn't know that it's not allowed by the rules of the game, and gets that message, isn't in the mood for the vagueness of the instructions the game is giving them. They have a character lying dead on the field, for goodness' sake. Maybe their Knight is dead. And when they get the message "Ineffective now", and realize they just wasted a LV5 (OR 8) Magic Charge for nothing...man, that's not cool.

Not cool!

- "BeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeOOOP! BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEoop!"

Let me put it this way: the sound effects in this game are irritating. Sometimes I think if I have to listen to the dialogue box open and close one more time, I might rip my ears inside out. The "Iris Out" sound effect is also irritating. The others are relatively inoffensive, but those two in particular stand out. Not to mention, have you ever pressed B before the characters were done moving on the "Formation" screen? That sound is no fun to listen to either.

And don't get me started on the "You are walking while poisoned" sound.

- "WHOOOOOOOOOOOO are you...who who? Who who? Cuz I really wanna know!"

The main characters aren't what you'd call dry as much as skeletal. None of them speak, they never leave the party or get captured and there is absolutely no way to invest yourself in them other than keeping them fed for battle with potions.

I feel like quoting T'Pau from "Amok Time"

"I can forgive such a display ONLY ONCE!"

The blandness of having a story about people who are only there to be your personal monster killing tank driven around by a remote control loses this game a lot of points. Even Dragon Quest gave the main a backstory. FF says they "arrived holding an ORB." That's literally it. "Oh you must be the prophesied LIGHT WARRIORS! Right this way, step right into the King's chamber, let's get moving now"

- "How can I help you?"

By not making me buy Heal potions one at a time, please and thank you. I lose more 15 minute chunks of gameplay that way. It is literally a matter of having the money and pressing A over, and over and over and over and over and over AND OVER.

Hate it.

- "My turn to be leader nya nyaaa"

When a character is so much as poisoned, the game places them in the rear of the party, and requires that you first detoxify them, and then go to the Formation screen and rearrange your party the way you want it.

Annoying.

- "You must be this tall to get on this ride"

Grinding. Grinding grinding grinding. You cannot beat the Marsh Cave without doing something about your weapons/magic situation. It is ridiculous the prices the Elves charge for their shit. Holy mother of mercy the Mythril Sword. I don't know why they took it out of the newer versions (perhaps because they made it harder for the LIGHT WARRIORS to miss), but 4000 Gil is a lot of money for something that basically will make mincemeat of anything but SCUM in the Marsh Cave (SCUM are the green slimes that are immune to physical attacks, yeh? I might be wrong).

...I guess all those things, and there are no drums anywhere in the music. That would get fixed by 3 as well smile.gif

Any beef you have with FF1? Let's hear it, get on with it.

"Yes, get on with it!"

Posted by: Glenn Magus Harvey 19th August 2016 16:19
Sounds like you're talking about the NES version?

I think party members automatically retarget if the target dies, in the remakes.

And the sound effects you're complaining about sound like NES sound effects. Well, that's just the nature of the sound system to some extent...well, okay, fine, they could also have done the sound design better.

I suggest playing on an emulator with a turbo button.

Posted by: Magitek_slayer 12th September 2016 14:40
In the earth cave and marsh every time i cant run or i get one shotted makes me want to punch a puppy.

Seriously:Nothing in the world is more irritating than having a fight every step against a enemy you cant run away from.To me, its just infuriating.

The fact that some classes are near or useless like thief.

Posted by: Rangers51 12th September 2016 14:47
Quote (Glenn Magus Harvey @ 19th August 2016 10:19)
I think party members automatically retarget if the target dies, in the remakes.

...

I suggest playing on an emulator with a turbo button.

Yes to the first point, agreed to the second. As much as I liked the original NES version back when I was at single digit age, this is the one US-released Final Fantasy game that I can't advocate going back to at the expense of the remakes. The original was a great version of a really good game, but it's a product of its time and it has aged the worst out of any of its Western peers, by a long shot. I don't see myself ever going back to it even with fast-forward capability; the GBA and PSP versions are just so much more enjoyable for me.

Posted by: Glenn Magus Harvey 12th September 2016 16:50
Quote (Rangers51)
the GBA and PSP versions are just so much more enjoyable for me.

But those have MP instead of magic slots, right? I guess that's one conceivable reason someone might want to return to the original...

Posted by: Rangers51 12th September 2016 17:27
Quote (Glenn Magus Harvey @ 12th September 2016 10:50)
Quote (Rangers51)
the GBA and PSP versions are just so much more enjoyable for me.

But those have MP instead of magic slots, right? I guess that's one conceivable reason someone might want to return to the original...

Yes, all the remakes save PSX have the more recent takes on magic usage, I believe - though it's been many, many years since I looked at the PSX version and I could be remembering incorrectly.

I mean, don't get me wrong, I think there are several good reasons why one might want to play the original, and they're all valid: nostalgia, challenge, availability, etc. Just, for me, I'd rather not play a version that, as the thread title says, could "[make] me mad." smile.gif

Posted by: Ejoty 10th November 2016 00:15
I agree that the original NES version is no fun to go back to. I tried for like 20 minutes and lied to myself that I'd continue the quest sometime. That's after I was spoiled by the PS1 version. cool.gif ph34r.gif

It doesn't make me mad though. I like going back to those ultra grindy simplistic days. It's like when I play Super Mario 1 and feel the less forgiving play control and say, 'all right, let's tough it!'

happy.gif

Posted by: Dark Paladin 10th December 2016 12:45
I find that it helps to go back to the games that FF1 pulls inspiration from - particularly TTRPGs. I've never played AD&D/2nd Ed AD&D, but I find FF1 to be an adequate adaptation of the editions that predate any that I have played, while greatly improving on the details that baffle me as I read about them without having directly having experienced them.

Apparently, exploration of the history of something you're interested in will go a long way to helping you appreciate the thing you're into.

Posted by: Kame 1st January 2017 22:20
When I was in college I tried replaying this game on the NES. It wouldn't hold a save so I had to leave it on for days (and it would mess up). My biggest dislike of the original has to be the "ineffective" hits. Other things like the grinding don't bother me as much.

Posted by: Zephir 29th January 2017 07:48
I still have the original NES and cartridge in a storage bag, so I use an emulator. Once in a blue moon (every couple years) I'll dust it off and replay the original NES version. Even after all this time, I still quite enjoy it, but I'm just odd like that.

With regards to the "ineffective" messages, I consider it part of the strategy; I calculate and estimate which hits are likely to fell a baddie, then plan accordingly. If one hit misses, oh well, it was probably planned that way (such as when two baddies are left and I have four attacks coming at them). On the other hand though, I've gotten pretty good at predicting damages and what's needed to drop certain beasts.

I guess it's just my inherent adaptability at work; I'll adjust to whatever's in front of me, so the inadequacies and difficulties of the game aren't bothersome to me personally. The music doesn't bother me, either; I find it quaint. Also I can't hear it well anyway on 20x speed. =)

Posted by: Spooniest 30th January 2017 09:37
Another thing that bugged me about FF1 was that if there were no ships left but Bikke's, and there was no bridge leading to Corneria, how did the LIGHT WARRIORS get there?

...I guess a wizard did it

Posted by: grimlock1972 27th April 2017 21:59
hello all. I agree about the thief being near useless in the NES original;being a drag and the marsh cave being a pit of death and despair if you try to go in too early.


I much prefer the remakes, currently playing a run on the GBA port. My only complaint is the Ninja being green rather than the original Red.

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