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I read this on Wired and it made me laugh.

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Soul wrought of Terra infintum, I am here. I am Heaven's Dark Salvation

I wish I could've stayed as blissfully ignorant as this guy did for so long.

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I find your lack of faith disturbing...

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My virginity was such a terrifying social liability that I'd begun to hide it. I'd awkwardly change the topic, or head to the gaming store and illicitly thumb through a Final Fantasy game guide -- which had grown as huge and thick as an LSAT preparation workbook -- in an attempt to fake familiarity. It was like looking at porn to figure out how sex works.

I could lawl forever from that.

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Arts

Farts

Twarts

He started with a wrong game. But well, good to see another fan being born ;)

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You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one...

Damn, that's a well-written, thoughtful, interesting article. To be honest, Final Fantasy isn't the only series to have a steep accessibility curve like that, and having put-downs within fan circles is in a way part of gamer culture (i.e. "u havnt play3d ff7? lol ur ghey") and only makes it harder. I agree with Zombie that the author of the article should have started out with a more traditional game in the series to break his FF cherry, but alas no. Good article, though.

Edit

sentence structure, yo

This post has been edited by laszlow on 9th February 2007 14:15

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this is a blog mostly about comics and videogames
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I always try to convince some of my friends that each game is totally seperate from all the others, but they won't have any of it.
"Yes but there are things that remain the same in each sequel, are there not? That's what I've read."

Technically yes... but that doesn't make a damn difference to how much you enjoy the game! Just try it! You'll love it, trust me.

"Hmm, nah, seems silly to try getting into it now."

Argh! Oh well, their loss.

This post has been edited by fatman on 9th February 2007 15:02

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'Let that be a lesson to all oppressive vegetable sellers.'

I know how he feels, I never got into Final Fantasy until last Summer. How did I manage to avoid it for so long? I kept telling myself that I wouldn't understand what was going on because I didn't think that each game had a totally different idea and story. At one point, I was saying that Final Fantasy was stupid. Now, I'm in love.

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Why, hello guys! Haven't been around here in a loooong time!
http://dragcave.net/user/LadyTwi
http://www.backloggery.com/ladytwi

this was very hilarious, thanks for the link.

At first I thought at the end of the article he would write something like "Never shoulda played the game." But it turned out he liked it, so that's cool but yes, he did miss some greater Final Fantasy titles, and 12 maybe wasn't the best Final Fantasy to start with. But I think if he would play the (S)NES Final Fantasies theres a slight chance he wouldn't like it-graphic wise, but hey, I dont know him.

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Kel'Thuzad: She is persistent. Reminds me of you, death knight.

Arthas:Shut up you damned ghost.

-Warcraft III Kel'thuzad comparing Arthas and Sylvanas Windrunner.

Quote (Dragon King @ 9th February 2007 16:06)

But I think if he would play the (S)NES Final Fantasies theres a slight chance he wouldn't like it-graphic wise, but hey, I dont know him.

Well, the guy did say in the article that he's been gaming since 1979, so I assume he wouldn't have a problem with old-ish graphics. But of course, there's no way to know.

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this is a blog mostly about comics and videogames
END SPOILER

I think the important part of his trying (regardless of where he started), was that it did in fact wet his appetite for more. You may not necessarily have to play ALL of the games, but even if slightly, check out the "firsts."

Dragon Warrior: The first. Period. (Made by Enix, so still of the SquareEnix family)
FF1: The first of the Multi-Character RPGs.
FF4: The first ATB
FF5: The first Jobs (Changable)
FF7: The first 3D
FF8: The first new Magic system
FFX: The first new Level system
FFX-2: The first sequel
FFXI: The first FF MMORPG
FF-Tactics: Umm... Duh. (Starts humming, "One of these things is not like the others")

Branch from there... sorry FFVI fans, but your story is the only thing that makes you special. Same goes for FFIX, that, and your learning of abilities through weapons(Loved it! ).

There were slight differences in some of the others, but there is nothing really substantial in the others change-wise. I guess my "changes" are actually game mechanics that have evolved in the series.

This post has been edited by leilong on 10th February 2007 02:28

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If internal struggles were as enjoyable and glamorous as the self conflicted wars within video game characters, we would all be statues, reveling in perpetual self war. -Me

Play me on Rock Band 2, GH-WT, or any other Xbox GH!
Xbox Gamertag-MeanJerry

Uh... FF3 had the first (changeable) job system, not 5.

And I would say FF7 was the first one to really branch out with the magic system, not 8.

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With the lights out
It's less dangerous

That was absolutely brilliant.....

As I was reading it I kept thinking that he's just writing this as a gimmick

Quote (A_True_Stigma @ 10th February 2007 00:09)

Uh... FF3 had the first (changeable) job system, not 5.

And I would say FF7 was the first one to really branch out with the magic system, not 8.

FF5 was the first in English. This guy is reviewing for uneducated masses. Better approach from that perspective.

But as for the FF7 comment: I'm so used to materia, that it didn't even occur to me that it was also a magic change.

I still think that VIII should make this list somehow tho...
How about...
First Final Fantasy with an extreme negative reaction by fans? I mean... seriously! Check the FF8 section of the forum and just listen to em gripe!

... oh... wait...

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If internal struggles were as enjoyable and glamorous as the self conflicted wars within video game characters, we would all be statues, reveling in perpetual self war. -Me

Play me on Rock Band 2, GH-WT, or any other Xbox GH!
Xbox Gamertag-MeanJerry

Quote (leilong @ 9th February 2007 21:23)

I think the important part of his trying (regardless of where he started), was that it did in fact wet his appetite for more. You may not necessarily have to play ALL of the games, but even if slightly, check out the "firsts."

Dragon Warrior: The first. Period. (Made by Enix, so still of the SquareEnix family)
FF1: The first of the Multi-Character RPGs.
FF4: The first ATB
FF5: The first Jobs (Changable)
FF7: The first 3D
FF8: The first new Magic system
FFX: The first new Level system
FFX-2: The first sequel
FFXI: The first FF MMORPG
FF-Tactics: Umm... Duh. (Starts humming, "One of these things is not like the others")

So instead of "all", he only has to play "almost all". That sounds fair. So you can't have any understanding of the series until you play ten games? I don't think that those "firsts" are terribly important (first sequel? new level and magic systems? lame). Seriously, why are those important? I gather that all he's trying to do is gain an educated opinion on the series, not become an accomplished FF scholar.

I'd say you have some decent FF experience if you play one of the SNES games, one of the PS1 games, and one of the PS2 games. That's three generations, three different evolutions of the series, and a pretty high chance of playing three very good to excellent games. Just avoid VIII, X-2, and XI, the latter because it's an MMORPG that differs too much from the FF narrative style and the two former because they simply aren't worth playing.... The NES games really aren't necessary to play for a casual RPG fan, but if he wants to be hardcore, then sure. But necessitizing playing eight games? Bogus.

And by the way, FF VI not possessing any important first? It was the first game in the series to allow you to change between characters in a single party by choice, it was the first game in the series to possess unique AND non-unique character abilities (everyone can use Magic, but only two characters can use Tools, etc.), and it was the first game in the series to feature "limit break" attacks. Those elements sound kinda important to me.

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this is a blog mostly about comics and videogames
END SPOILER

Also, 8 wasnt the first with a new magic system.

I dont know about 1-3, but 4's magic system was learned through levels, and 5's magic was bought. So 5 at least was the first one with a "new" magic system.

Unless of course you're talking about Drawn magic having limited uses before you have to Draw again, in which case, then I suppose it's correct.