/vr/ - Retro Games

If you do one thing well people will keep dumping bigger and bigger shit on you, no matter how much you don't want it.

Meanwhile, assholes who fuck things up spend their lives moving from job to job, no matter how much approval they seek.

Feminity is dominant over masculinity.

>>1184163

A bunch of kids enter a dance competition to save the rec centre.

The epitome of 1990's "2deep4u" animu nonsense.

I always hear it's about romanticism vs reality. (e.g., Seifer's "dream", Laguna's unrequited love, etc.)

Honestly, FFVIII seems like the standard evolution from VII. VII focused on subtlety and mood, and VIII exemplified that, to the extent of where the plot was incomprehensible. One thing is certain, you have to admit it had some memorable scenarios, retarded or not.

Or maybe it was all just 90s animu bullshittery.

I think it's significant that it's one of the few Final Fantasies with a female villain. Ultimecia isn't just some abstract concept given female form, she's a legit woman with funny feet and magic powers.

>>1184163
I think it's symbolic of destiny and romance.

Like >>1184329 says, romance is quite obvious, most characters have some sort of romantic ideal that drives them through their lives. Romance is also what makes Squall mature into his destiny and what ultimately overcomes Time Compression.

Destiny mostly comes from the time loop. All of the game's events start because you beat it in the first place. Utimecia is trying to escape her foretold destiny, and in doing se she ultimately causes her destiny to be foretold in the first place.

But it's not just about submitting to fate, it's also about overcoming it. Ultimacia does this the wrong way: she wants to deny all reality in order to avoid her fate. Squall and Rinoa do this the right way (through romance, you could say) because Rinoa is fated to become a sorceress and thus an enemy of the world, but their love saves her. She embraces the reality and so she is able to change it.

By the way, I love Ultimecia as a character (you know, when she's within Edea) and I like both angles: her being a witch trying to escape her fate, and her being Rinoa. The latter one ties in perfectly with the theme of destiny the game has, and if this is true then maybe this destiny IS being changed with romance.

I think >>1184342 is right and >>1184182 also makes a great point, VIII emphasizes feminine power. Witches are the makers and the destroyers of the world, and knights are there to preserve or slay the powerful female. Women have power over the universe, men just make mock-ups and fight amongst themselves. And while Hyne seems to be male, the only ones able to whitstand using his power are female.

The moon being the source of monsters is also maningful in this respect. You can overanalyze this and say that the Lunatic Pandora is phallic and causes a reaction from the moon, which is traditionally a feminine symbol. Monsters can be seen as the wrath of the feminine towards the symbols male dominance.

>I am asking for your interpretation of the story. Its meaning.

Guardian Forces are bad, mmkay. You shouldn't junction a Guardian Force. mmkay

(unless you like losing your memory and bringing the wrath of a sorceress)

It is mostly about love.

God damn you Squall, you had an intelligent, hot, reliable, overall 10/10 who wanted your cock in the form of Quistis Trepe, and you forgo that for... Rinoa? RINOA?

Makes my balls twist every god damn time I think about it. You stupid bastard, Squall.

ANOTHER ff8 thread? for FUCKS sakes.

I remember a website or video or something that had all these crazy connections I never picked up on.
One off the top of my head was that Seifer had seen the movie Laguna had made and that was why he wanted to be a 'sorceress knight' and also why he held his gunblade like he did.
I never made that connection.

>>1184521
Rinoa is an azun qt tho. Never really saw the appeal in Quistis.

>>1184562
Nice

>>1184428
I don't get people who think the first disc is the best one. Disc three is way more interesting, that's where all the weird shit goes down.

>>1184163
>What do you think FFVIII is about?
R=U

true fans don't give a fuck what the developers said about it

>>1184428
You pretty much covered everything I wanted to say, but I always interperted one thing differently: Squall and co. escape the time loop at the end, Ultimecia does not. She will be born, hated, cause time compression and be slain. Her passing her powers to Edna in her dying breath combined with her previous actions will ensure the seeds of hate for sorceress' are planted and this cycle will continue to infinity.

I'm probably reading too much into things, but that's how interpeted it.

>>1184562
Blind mown.

Anyway, it's about coincidence. Rinoa isn't Ultimecia, that GF just happens to have a familiar name. Squall just happens to meet Rinoa, and they just happen to meet a giant spaceship with unlocked doors right before they die. Ultimecia wants to force all time to coincide, the heroes stand for coincidence as serendipity - which are just different forms of the power of love (aka coincidentally finding meaning in another person). This is conveyed through imagery which hangs together not at all or, in writing terms, how someone with a totally different mind possesses Laguna and then makes him do all the things he was going to do anyway and win all the fights he was going to win anyway. I conclude that Squall is dead but that all the things which happen in his dream would have happened anyway because he happens to have extrapolated everything perfectly.

>>1184428
>Squall and Rinoa do this the right way

I don't agree with that. I think it's ALL about how you can't fight fate. By trying to change things, Squall&co just happens to trigger what started it all. There is no changing it, by definition anyway, because within a time travel story like this one, their present during the game wouldn't exist without their actions in the future (at the end of the game).

I think a very important point about FF8 that's interesting and that many people forget/don't realize, is that there is no vilain (hat's connected to fate in a way too).
There is just two sides which are enemies, they both want to kill each others because the other ones wants to kill them.
Ultimecia knew that a SeeD from the past would come to kill her, it was written, so that's why she decided to use time compression and to kill all SeeDs.
The SeeDs were created BECAUSE Edea knew that a bad sorceress somewhere in the future would be dangerous. It's all a circle, Edea is not more a vilain than the protagonists.

Squall actually says it while Major Caraway is showing them around before the parade. He says to Irvine it's only a matter of 2 sides fighting each others, no bad guys.

The funny thing in all of that : remember what the mayor of Horizon said? He believed that if people simply talked, all matter could be solved. If Ultimecia and the SeeD had talked, they might have understood all that and settle for peace... But then again if that was the case, Ultimecia wouldn't have died and therefore wouldn't have come back into the past while dying, and therefore Edea wouldn't have created and therefore the game wouldn't exist at all, so that's a time paradox, which brings us back to... fate. There is no fighting it.

>>1185652
>t's all a circle, Edea is not more a vilain than the protagonists.

oops I mean Ultimecia

Anyway - anyone else noticed that, during the scene when Laguna is in Deiling at the bar, the soldier that's jealous of Laguna is actually Caraway just before he got promoted? He was jealous of Laguna being with Julia in her room, so he used his influence to send him abruptyl far away to war which is why they got such an unexpected notice.
If you talk to Caraway later on during the game when coming back to his manor, he'll tell you that he became general right at that time. And, when talking to Raine at the start of Disc2 you learn that Caraway got with Julia by comforting her from Laguna leaving.... it was all Caraway's doing. Some people who dismiss FF8's brillaint storytelling call that a "theory" though just because it's not directly told to the player, but that's how FF8 works, you have to put 2 and 2 together to understand all the small things.

Also, funny how Laguna COULD have been Rinoa's father if he wasn't so pissed drunk and passed out during that night with Julia in her room...
But that wasn't Squaresoft's intention, their intention was to show that Laguna and Julia were in love but their love couldn't be; but what happened is that their love was so strong it passed on to their respective children, Squall and Rinoa, and the love story finally happened. Call that fate, as well. (and people say the love story was shoehorned...)

>>1185549
>coincidence coincidence coincidence
>and they just happen to meet a giant spaceship with unlocked doors right before they die
There are no conincidences in fiction, because fictional characters don't possess free will. The space sequence represents Squall finally accepting someone into his world, the indifferent and lonely void he had retreated into. That's why he finds Rinoa, they are drawn together by love. It's why the Ragnarok manifests itself out of nowhere to fill the void and offer comfort, Squall's world has changed for the better. Ragnarok is even color coded red for love.

>>1185851

>>1185851
That's some farfetched interpretation you're given here. I guess it would be nice for highschool grade literary analysis, but the in game facts are different.

it is EXPLAINED in game why the Ragnarok is there.

Lunatic Pandaro is some sort of perfect gravity point between their earth and their moon, which means that things that are around that point don't go drift in space and just remain there, forever.
THAT is why they chose that point in space to setup lunatic pandaro, so that they are sure that Adel remains there, stuck, forever.

As for the Ragnorok, it was used to send Adel there. Then, they lost contact with the team inside (the alien attack, apparently). So, the Ragnarok never got to come back, and since it's at that point in space, it just remained there.

It's all explained. You just need to pay attention and to put 2 and 2 together, (what is said inside lunatic pandaro, what is said once Squall&Rinoa contact Esthar from inside the Ragnarok, and what Laguna tells you once you meet him in Esthar)

>>1185862
Author intent is outdated, get over it.

>>1185886
>lunatic pandaro

huuuh why did I say that... I mean, the spacestation. I forgot its name. Lunatic Pandora is the giant pillar in Esthar attracking the monsters... anyway you get my point

>>1185886
I am aware of all of that, and it doesn't conflict with my interpretation at all.

>>1185851
Also, Squall had already accepted Rinoa in Disk2 when he gives her a tour of the BGU. True that this scene is optional (and even most of the dialogue is easily miss-able EVEN if you didn't take Rinoa with you there, but it's still there)

>>1185914
The fact that it is optional is evidence that Squall hasn't reached the point you think he has. Later on the same disc, he still HESISTATES going to Rinoa's rescue, he isn't ready to be open about his feelings. Disc 3 Squall doesn't hesistate, he jumps into space which is far more dangerous and less likely to succeed.

>>1185929
He never hesitated at the end of disk2, he didn't want to rescue her himself and he ordered Zell to go do it.

That has nothing to do with him opening his feelings or not. He's just doing his job well, he has a WHOLE garden under attack to take care off as well as planning the counterattack, hundreds of people depend on him, so he decided it wasn't time for him to go do personal errands and that Zell could do it very well.

He just happened to be save her by accident.

What what time 'kompression' exactly? what did it do, and why did ultimecia want to do it? This game's story is such a god damn mess

Been a while since I played this. What was time compression again, and why did Ultimecia want to use it?

>>1185941
That's just the thing, though. He hides behind the impersonal. His work is more important than the woman he loves, he can't abandon the masses for one person, he has no time for a romantic rescue. "Zell, get some rope and save the love of my life for me to show how much I care". It's almost comical.

>>1185954
Time Compression what Ultimecia wants to create. A world in which past, present and future all make one and in only her could exist.

She wants to use it, thanks to hers and Ellone's powers, (and does use it at the end of the game) because she knows that SeeD will one day come to kill her, it was prophecied (because, after she dies at the end of the game Squall&co go back in the present so their epic story of how they saved the universe was told for generations), and she thinks that time compression will be the only way for her to be untouchable. She only wants to survive, not to be killed (just like the heroes who want to survive FROM time compression).

During the ending turns out that time compression isn't such a big deal as The Power Of Love (tm) is enough to get out of it. Derp.

>WORDS WORDS WORDS
Whatever.

The overarching theme is: growing up.

You have a group of child soldiers who are destined to battle a sorceress from the future. Seifer seperates from the party early on to persue a childish fantasy, becoming the sorceress's Knight (his romantic dream). Squall learns that he has to abandon his stoic shell and accept the help of his friends to accomplish their goal. Squall grows because he leaves behind his childhood fears and misgivings, Seifer is stunted because he chases after his fantasy.

Play it again, bearing in mind that the primary theme is loyalty.

>>1184163
Im pretty sure its about the card game. Mainly due to the fact that the card game was the only fun part of the entire game.

Can someone give a summary of this game? Played it as a teen and the story went over my head.

>>1184562
Whoa there.

>>1185659
Wait, it all makes sence and is bit-by-bit clever, but let's not get carried away and call FFVIII's stirytelling brilliant. It really isn't.

>>1190146
Angsty teen in a mercenary academy, who repeatedly shrugs off his horny instructor, falls for an asian girl. She hires him to liberate a city and adventure (or stupid shit, depends on who you ask) ensues after he fails to do so.

>>1190218
Remove angst and this is now Harry Potter.

Add in plot turns pulled out of the ass to produce FF8 again.

>>1190146
As several people above already mentioned, a talented young female military academy instructor takes her favourite student to a pretty place to kiss and he does refuse. That really is the whole gist of it.

>>1190241
Potter was angsty as fuck, and had the same sort of attitude to females.

>>1190248
Books were a little different. And Harry was more hurt by being an outcast then satisfied with it like Squall.

I dunno FF8 had elements of good story in it, but some of the shit it pulls out a different parts when it writes itself into coincidence corner are painful. Neat ideas though and it did a lot of different stuff I liked.

FITHOS LUSEC WECOS VINOSEC

is an anagram for the two subjects of the game:

SUCCESSION OF WITCHES
LOVE

It's a fantasy story about the succession of sorceresses through weird-ass time travel. Besides that it is a love story above all else.

There really isn't much more to it than that.

The witches are the best part of FFVIII. They're weird as shit and have great designs. Awesome boss tunes too.

>upside-down Santa boot

Worst FF logo ever

There's nothing deep, it's a love story. A guy with abandonment issues has his icy heart melted and learns to trust people again

>>1185884
>Author intent is outdated

>>1190614
>tfw no GF

>>1190241
Harry Potter fell for an asian girl? I didn't know that.

Did he have memory loss too?

What is the time travel shit in FF8 about?

>>1190654
Did you miss the part he snogged Cho Chang or what?

no remembers that FMV scene where zell was being plowed by skwall?

>>1190690
sauce?

>>1190667
I've never even read/watched any Harry Potter, so I don't know.

>>1190625

>>1190625

FFVIII is a teenage love story, no different than the Twilight of now. Everything else is just there to support that idea, the rest of the story is flimsy as cardboard in the rain. It deals with growing up, finding yourself, and falling in love.

I still love the shit out of it anyway.

>>1191819
And everyone growing in an orphanage and having amnesia due to using GFs but except for some random NPCs early in the game they don't tell you until right before it's relevant.
Also, I'm not sure why Laguna was important or how the hell did he become the president of the biggest superpower in the world.

>>1191827
>Orphanage
Deus Ex Machina. It fits thematically, but it's far too convinient and unlikely, even for a story with monsters on the moon.

>Laguna
Laguna is the one who successfully executed the plan to trap the Sorceress Adel 18 years before the game begins. Himself, Kiros, and Ward never actually had GFs, Ellone used her time travel power to send Squall and Co.'s GFs to Laguna and Co.. Laguna and Kiros refer to this sudden power as "the faeries". As a result of Laguna's success, he was hoisted to the office of President in spite of qualifications. Also, less important details include: He almost banged Rinoa's mother and he fathered Squall.

>>1190690
You're misremembering it. Zell just goes down on Squall briefly.

>>1191827
>Also, I'm not sure why Laguna was important or how the hell did he become the president of the biggest superpower in the world.
The point of the flashbacks is that Laguna's journey is a parallel to Squall's, but he experiences it differently because of his much more positive attitude. It's all directed at the player, not the characters.

ugh OP, this is the kind of idiocy that makes everyone hate FF fans... thanks for making my stomach churn..

>>1192039
But all fanbases have people getting this autistic. And not only is it fun but where do you think we are?

>>1184163

I feel bad for Square circa 1999. They were obviously hot on the heels of an unexpected success and had to capitalize on it quick, and FF8 was the disastrous result. It was a zany hodgepodge of forced new ideas, the expulsion of all traditional elements, and populist appeal designed by committee all wrapped up in a shit burrito while trying to attempt to tell something of a meaningful love story. Honestly if there is a theme to represent the game it's probably what >>1184173 said. At least that's what I'll accept because the game is just miserable and incomprehensible by any other standards. It's bad when a minigame is better than the game its included in.

At the very least FF8 caused Sakaguchi to want to return to the roots and led to the creation of FF9 which is basically just a great game.

>>1192074
>making up idiotic theories and then having a tantrum when some one doesn't agree with you over and over and over in circles
>fun
yeah... sounds like a blast

The world was the best they've come up with since FFIII IMO. Sort of dream-like, modern and futuristic at the same time. Really the last time I remember feeling truly immersed in a video game.
>>1192341
IX was retarded for its own reasons. For one thing I thought it was very bland in comparison to the other PS1 FFs, but y'know, diff'rent strokes. VIII's not without it's problems but it's kind of like the "final" Final Fantasy for me. Never really could get into them afterwards.

I really like the "Squall's dead" interpretation, probably because FF "died" for me after that game.

>>1192382
>dream-like
I have to agree. There's something about FFVIII that's purely ethereal. It doesn't always make sense, but that could be said of most dreams.

>>1190258
Potter was ridiculously, annoyingly angsty in the books. I haven't seen the movies.

>>1190523
True. The game should have been about Seifer and his strife to reconcile his knithood dream with what Edea, his mother-figure, was actually doing with Galbadia.

Seeing a dull fuckwad like Squall command the garden you dropped out could have been a powerful scene.

>>1192382
FFIII was 100% medieval.

>>1192468
I played it as FFIII, but it was really VI.

>>1184521

You are going to like me. You are going to like me. Did it work? Teehee.

>>1192365
>not having autism
Look at this guy

>>1192365

>people discussing in a perfectly civil manner
>citing events that happen in the game to back up theories
>idiotic

Fuck off. What do you think people should do, dump pictures of the FF girls?

And eat a dick with your ellipses, too.............. Faggot.