Was FF8 made on drugs?

[Anonymous No.4402668]

FF8 appreciation thread. I just beat it after years of calling it shit. No one told me that it had the best final boss battle in the franchise. Decent game overall, I just wish characters other than Squall actually got focus and development.

But what the hell is up with all the trippy shit that goes on in this game?

[Anonymous No.4402736]

What trippy shit? The Laguna sequences? its a good game for its mechanics and the boss fight is fun at the end. Really Ultimicias Castle is just fun in general

[Anonymous No.4402790]

Was I the only one who found it weird there was a race of aliens that would metamorphose into red hedgehogs, another alien species that would frequently abduct animals, and a huge variety of alien species which would invade from the moon at regular intervals and yet no one seemed to care?

[Anonymous No.4402957]

>>4402736
I should have made a list during my playthrough but off the top of my head:

There's the whole Squall being stabbed through the chest thing that gets brushed off.

Ellone's unexplained power where she puts you into the consciousness of someone in the past.

Everything about Adel, including her junctioning Rinoa onto her.

The Galbadian President's body double revealing itself to be a grotesque demon.

The time compression sequence has some flashing scenes that are just weird, and I forgot where it happened, but there's a flash of Squall with a hole in his face.

Fighting the different sorceresses after time is compressed.

The fight with Ultimecia.

The moon shooting out an army of monsters every now and then.

That Rinoa scene replaying over and over in the ending.

The Garden master being some sort of weird thing and then going into a cocoon after you beat him.

>>4402790
>no one seemed to care
That's what I was thinking. There's a lot of shocking things that happen in the game that just get brushed off or aren't explained at all.

[Anonymous No.4402970]

I kind of got the impression that squall erased himself from the timeline? and he was observing the ball from the third person outside of time and just imagining himself interacting with rinoa? it was kind of confusing, I'm sure there's tons of established fan theories on everything.

[Anonymous No.4403021]

>>4402957
>Fighting the different sorceresses after time is compressed.
Why did they have a caterpillar motif? Also you know, why were they mutating at all?

[Anonymous No.4403041]

>>4403021
I was wondering what that implied for Rinoa, though Edea didn't mutate so maybe it all depends on how you use your powers.

[Anonymous No.4403049]

>>4403041
I think it was meant to represent a radical change in one's capabilities.

[Anonymous No.4403053]

>>4402790

[Jibwib Simmerstim, Esq. No.4403085]

>>4402957
It's a surreal game. It's why it's one of my favorites.

[Anonymous No.4403121]

>>4402790
Those aliens are the monsters you're fighting for the entire game, and there are heavily armed people throughout the game. I'm pretty sure they care about that the same way you care about wolves and bears

[Anonymous No.4403126]

>>4402790
Also it's common knowledge that monsters are lunarian in nature

[Anonymous No.4403129]

>>4403121
Imagine you knew a vast amount of alien species drop from the moon routinely. Now imagine absolutely no one questions why.

>>4403126
I think that may just be common knowledge in Esthar though, at least that's what my flawed memory would guess at. Seems like outside of Esthar people are less educated on most things, and something like the Lunar Cry might be common knowledge to Esthar citizens and utterly unheard of anywhere else. I could be wrong though. Not like its ever brought up until Esthar.

[Anonymous No.4403134]

Is the one with punching game in the sky?

[Anonymous No.4403141]

>>4402668
>anything remotely minutely creative happens in a game or movie
>LOLOL WAS THIS MADE ON DRUGS XD
Fucking god.

[Anonymous No.4403187]

>>4402957
look up the Squall is dead theory, it kind of helps to explain why there's so much batshit craziness going on from Disc 2 onwards

>b-but the creators denounced that theory!!

pic related

[Anonymous No.4403192]

Quistis was my first video game waifu, she looked just like my gf's sister.

[Anonymous No.4403193]

>>4403141
wat if wen mario got the mushrooms he got high ololololololololol

[Anonymous No.4403195]

>>4403187
>yfw Squall denounces his name and tells people to call him Leon in the KH games

[Anonymous No.4403196]

>>4403187
Squall is dead is such a shitty theory. It adds absolutely nothing and diminishes the few things still interesting about FF8. If you want a fun, non-canon theory then take R=U

[Anonymous No.4403205]

>>4403187
How does making the story completely pointless make it less boring? Since it means that everything after disc 1 doesn't happen and is meaningless.

Plus it's just describing any hero's journey which has a "Belly of the Whale" moment.

[Anonymous No.4403212]

>>4403129
>There was a being called "Hyne". "Hyne" created the world, and battled many beasts all the while
That's from the Ultimania. The monsters are probably just a natural constant.

>>4403187
That's a shit theory. It renders the whole game pointless. I'm more fond of the R = U theory.

[Anonymous No.4403218]

>>4403205
By that argument, EVERY videogames story is meaningless. You're seriously going to tell me that all of the weird coincidences don't at least add up a little? Seifer(Rinoa's original love interest) becomes a huge asshole, Rinoa falls in love with Squall, ALL of the answers Squall had about himself in Disc 1 seem to become magically solved throughout the rest of the game. In my opinion it's a lot more interesting, since it's something that isn't explicitly told to you and you can interpret it how you want really.

[Anonymous No.4403223]

>>4403212
http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Great_Hyne#Story_of_Hyne_from_the_Final_Fantasy_VIII_Ultimania_Omega
That's pretty weird. Humanity was created as tools for the original holder of the sorceress power?

[Anonymous No.4403228]

>>4402957
To be honest in a world with Cure, Cura, Curaga, Potions, Hi Potions, and Phoenix downs being stabbed in the chest with a giant ice crystal is just a minor inconvenience for a magic user.

[Anonymous No.4403230]

>>4403218
>By that argument, EVERY videogames story is meaningless.
Not him, but how the fuck did you get that out of it? Dead Squall would make all of his actions throughout the game past disc 1 affect absolutely no one in the setting except for his own delusional self. Instead of becoming the legendary SeeD and slaying the ultimate Sorceress at the end of time, he's just some loser having spastic power fantasies as he dies/in limbo. Its dumb as shit.

[Anonymous No.4403236]

>>4403228
How common are magic users anyway? Not doubting Squall could have received treatment, but outside of sorceresses and GF's humans can't use magic right?

Also did they use magic to heal Squall's face at the beginning? Because you'd think they would have, but it left a scar whereas Edea's ice spear didn't.

[Anonymous No.4403540]

>>4403236
When do you ever see him shirtless to see if there's not a scar?

[Anonymous No.4403542]

>>4403212
>I'm more fond of the R = U theory
You know the devs shot that theory down, right? Also the Squall is dead theory as well.

[Anonymous No.4403551]

>>4403542
I hate that R=U is confirmed untrue. It's like the ONLY way that Ultemecia's motives or even her existing makes any more sense than a Necron

[Anonymous No.4403561]

>>4403196
This gentleman gets it

[Anonymous No.4403569]

>>4403551
Frankly, SE was retarded to straight out deny the theory. They could have released a 5 page web pamphlet made by an intern with lightly photoshopped FF8 screenshots that hints at the theory and retroactively increased their old game's plot quality by 10 times, in the process boosting purchases and interest for the game as well.

[Anonymous No.4403580]

playing FFVIII was probably my favorite part of 2017. I was drinking coffee, working less, meditating more. second half of the year i got laid but that first part with FFVIII was better imo. she cheated... kinda spoils all that

[Anonymous No.4403625]

>>4403236
>GF's humans can't use magic right?

Of course they can, it just takes years of training to obtain optimal results. What, did you think all those Galbadia soldiers were junctioned to a GF?

[Anonymous No.4403630]

>>4403129
Well I know how the tide works but I don't study gravitational physics because of it

[Anonymous No.4403634]

Triple triad is kino

[Anonymous No.4403779]

>>4403223
It's not uncommon for gods in FF to be pretty shitty/just see humans as a pawns.

>>4403551
Aside from the R=U theory, it just could be seen as a tragic, self-fulfilling prophecy. The only reason Ultimecia and future sorceresses were hunted were because of the fact that a sorceress named Ultimecia would go on to do what Ulty did. Young Ulty was hunted for what older Ulty would go on to do. I think that's a decent enough backstory, even if R=U is "deeper"

[Anonymous No.4403806]

>>4403540
He mentions it when he wakes up in disc 2

[Anonymous No.4403825]

>>4403779
>It's not uncommon for gods in FF to be pretty shitty/just see humans as a pawns.
Hyne's backstory doesn't really make him sound like a real god though, just a strong mage who created a species to labor for him.

[Anonymous No.4403837]

No, what you're perceiving is just Masato Kato.

[Anonymous No.4403869]

>>4403837
Is that the japanese name for Mario Kart?

[Anonymous No.4403872]

>>4403869

Nope.

[Anonymous No.4404039]

>Laguna turned out to be the president of the most advanced nation on the planet
Can’t say I saw that coming

[Anonymous No.4404049]

Ellone was a sorceress.

[Anonymous No.4404095]

>>4402668
DUDE WEED LMAO

The legend goes that Squaresoft stuffed the lead people in a room and made them come up with something. A gas leak plus usage of unused elements from FFVII may explain it.

[Anonymous No.4404136]

>>4404039
Why does Ellone even show you Laguna in a dream, anyway?

[Anonymous No.4404149]

>>4404049
But the game said that she isn't a sorceress. There's a lot of things that go against "only sorceresses can use magic"

How does Selphie's limit break work? How does Angelo's more magical attacks work?
How does Quistis' Blue Magic work? How does Zell's fancier limit breaks work? How does Edea use her limit break even though she passed her powers onto Rinoa?

>>4404136
She wanted to change the past by making Laguna not go looking for her once Esthar takes her away. She feels guilty for basically breaking up Laguna and Raine and leaving Squall an orphan.

[Anonymous No.4404170]

>>4404149
>How does Edea use her limit break even though she passed her powers onto Rinoa?
Isn’t that Ultimecia junctioned onto Edea from the future?

[Anonymous No.4404196]

>>4403187
> it kind of helps to explain why there's so much batshit craziness going on from Disc 2 onwards
The dream thing starts at Disc 1, so it doesn't explain shit

[Anonymous No.4404203]

Why does Ultimecia need Ellone anyway? What is Ultimecia even doing? She's looking for Ellone, but why? Why can she only use time compression once she gets to Ellone? How did Ultimecia even possess Edea? You need to know the person you want to possess. If Edea doesn't exist in the future, how did Ultimecia possess her?

[Anonymous No.4404218]

>>4404203
>How did Ultimecia even possess Edea?
With this bad boy

http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Junction_Machine_Ellone

[Anonymous No.4404293]

>>4404149
>what is junction

Ellone was a sorceress.

[Anonymous No.4404319]

Squall should have a scar on his shoulder after this, right?

All my FF8 porn is ruined.

[Anonymous No.4404338]

>>4404319
most porn is during disc 1 before they're too traumatized by their childhood memories to want to fuck eachother.

[Anonymous No.4404343]

>>4404319
>>4403806

[Anonymous No.4404382]

>>4402668
They were eating rotisserie chicken.

[Anonymous No.4404394]

So does Adel... have a...you know?

[Anonymous No.4404397]

>>4404394
no

[Anonymous No.4404398]

>>4404394
Technically not, but her clitoris is so large that it can function as one.

[Anonymous No.4404401]

>>4404394
No, she's a woman, just very masculine in appearance.

[Anonymous No.4404413]

>>4402957
you forgot the part where you have to float through space to grab rinoa

that part made this weird emptiness and sadness wash over me and i stopped playing the game for years

[Anonymous No.4404417]

>>4404401
But Adel is pretty.

[Anonymous No.4404443]

>>4404417
Nope. Also how did Laguna manage to trap Adel in space?

[Anonymous No.4404468]

>>4404443
First he pushed her into a ziplock freezer baggie.
Then they launched it into orbit, where she floated around for 17 years.

[Anonymous No.4404475]

>>4403837
From what I can gather, Kato didn't work on FFVIII. I can see where you'd make that assumption because he was a big part of what made Xenogears and Chrono Cross so trippy

[Anonymous No.4404786]

Damn it feels good to see an appreciation thread for VIII after the consistent flood of bashing threads

Something about it is so unique and always amazes me

[Anonymous No.4404921]

>>4404786
The constant anti-FF2 and anti-FF8 threads finally got me to finish both games at least. The initial whiplash always put me off about halfway into each.

[Anonymous No.4404970]

Why does the moon spawn monsters?

[Anonymous No.4404974]

>>4404970
It's just a tryhard attempt to be different and "outdo" Final Fantasy 7. I can deal with Ellone being a living plot device, but that whole space sequence and the moon shitting out monsters because reasons is just a transparent attempt at the game saying "You actually go to space in this one!"

[Anonymous No.4405078]

>>4404974
Name one (1) FF game with an all around credible plot from A to Z. I'll wait.

[Anonymous No.4405119]

>>4405078
Tactics.

[Anonymous No.4405125]

>>4405119
Kinda says a lot about a series when it has over 15 main games and only the spinoff has a coherent story

[Anonymous No.4405923]

>>4405125
I think II and XII feel a little more grounded in reality, if only for their plots initially being based in politics. To be fair to the other games though, you can't expect a fully coherent plot because they're fantasy games. With that in mind, you go in with a willing suspension of belief as you slowly learn the rules of what's considered "normal" in that world and don't expect the games to break those rules. FFVI does a good job of this from the get go. Magic exists because of Espers, who exist because of the Warring Triad. Normal people can't use magic. Terra isn't normal. Neither is Magitek, which is revealed to exist because the Empire is exploiting Espers. Normal people can use magic with magicite. Every supernatural story element is explained and revolves around the Warring Triad. FFVI could reveal there was a Warring Hexagon all along and it wouldn't be farfetched.

In VIII's case, the questionable parts of its plot don't even break the rules it established, people mostly have a problem with it because it expects you to take a plot seriously that hinges on coincidences and Ellone's unexplained power.

"What a coincidence, we all grew up in the same orphanage together!"

and

"What a coincidence, monsters came from the moon and it's happening at the same time that we're in space!"

"Yeah, didn't you learn this in school/didn't you know that GFs make you lose your memory?"

Aren't strong enough reasons for you to continue to want to suspend your disbelief.

[Anonymous No.4405940]

>>4404475

Kato absolutely worked on some of the story for VIII. He did all of the story for Cross, but only designed an area for Xenogears. Not sure why you thought he had anything to do with the script for 'gears.

[Anonymous No.4405949]

>>4405923

>To be fair to the other games though, you can't expect a fully coherent plot because they're fantasy games.

Nah, I totally can expect that. Final Fantasy VIII is just Lazy Writing- THE GAME! and some people who grew up with it can't accept that.

BTW- II and XII were produced by people from outside the normal Final Fantasy team. That's why the writing is a bit better.

[Anonymous No.4405950]

>>4405923

My preference with storytelling is "Do one thing and do it right." I don't tend to care for games that have tons of subplots and nonsensical characters, which is unfortunately a vast majority of Final Fantasy games. So while I did enjoy Final Fantasy II, it was because the story focused on a consistent overarching theme, not just because the plot was based in politics. (And aren't most FF plots based in politics?)

[Anonymous No.4405998]

>>4405949
I genuinely enjoyed the game, but the more I think about the plot the more it starts to feel a little crumbly.

>>4405950
>I don't tend to care for games that have tons of subplots and nonsensical characters
I actually don't think FF games have too many subplots. At least compared to other JRPGs I've played. Minstrel Song is actually one of my favorite games for having exactly those things. Interesting world, interesting characters and a lot of subplots to further develop the former.

>>4405950
>aren't most FF plots based in politics?
I guess "based" was a poor choice. Consistent overarching theme fits the bill better, you're right.

I think I'll finally get around to finishing Tactics soon. Contrary to the last two FFs I finished (II and VIII), I only see Tactics getting praise.

[Anonymous No.4406160]

It's my favorite FF.
--best soundtrack
--almost no monster recycling
--tons of sidequests
--triple triad is addictive as hell
--Edea is under-rated; probably because her character would have had more impact if she turned out to be Raine
--some of the summons have their best versions in this game

[Anonymous No.4406185]

>>4405125
You realize "Plot" and "Story" are different things?

[Anonymous No.4406196]

All the coincidence stuff can be a conciouss desing choice a psychological trick or something. It just obviously didnt translate well to the vast majority

[Anonymous No.4406202]

>>4406160
Ultimecia should have been Ellone.

[Anonymous No.4406269]

>>4405923
It's not much a of coincidence since everyone at the Garden was a war orphan. This is was right after the Sorceress War.
The White SeeDs that escorted Ellone around were also orphans raised by Edea too.

The G.F. memory loss side-effect might come out of nowhere if you don't read about it at your terminal or talk to specific NPCs that explain how the Garden's train SeeDs differently.

Also, it wasn't a coincidence that the Lunar Cry happened while they were in space. Ultimecia told Seifer to excavate the Lunatic Pandora. The plan was always to collect Adel, sealed or unsealed. The fact that Squall took Rinoa into space was a bonus that sped things along.

A better question to ask: Why did Rinoa go into a coma in the first place? And why did she wake up in space, what changed?
So like, Seifer is commanding the Galbadian army during this time, but as far as they're concerned Edea should still be in charge. Unless the entire chain of command knew Ultimecia was possessing Edea that whole time? Idk, I'll have to replay disk 3 again.

[Anonymous No.4406284]

>>4406269
Yeah, I know. Honestly, the twist wasn't even as bad as people claimed it was, to the point of dropping the game. I guess the hate it gets is just part of a circlejerk.

>Why did Rinoa go into a coma in the first place?
I assumed that was just a side effect of someone inheriting a sorceress' powers. Sure, it doesn't happen to her when she inherits Adel's powers later or to Edea when she inherits Ultimecia's powers, but their bodies were probably just accustomed to having sorceress powers already.

>And why did she wake up in space, what changed?
My guess is that Ultimecia just threw her away once she realized Adel was going to be released. Though I'm pretty sure you fought Adel as Adel so... I don't know? She must have been waiting for Rinoa to inherit Adel's power? So she fell for Laguna's plan.

>>4406269
>So like, Seifer is commanding the Galbadian army during this time, but as far as they're concerned Edea should still be in charge. Unless the entire chain of command knew Ultimecia was possessing Edea that whole time? Idk, I'll have to replay disk 3 again.
No, that's definitely how it happened and I was confused too. Wedge was even upset at the idea of taking orders from "some kid". Seifer probably inherited the role. It was the President -> Edea -> Seifer. Cut out the president and Edea and Seifer's the de facto person in charge. I won't be surprised if other soldiers walked away after Seifer took over, but Galbadia's political state never got any focus.

[Anonymous No.4406286]

>>4406269
I like to think that stupid bitch was still carrying around the Odine Bangle from disk 1.
And it just sorta slipped off while in zero gravity.

[Anonymous No.4406359]

>>4406286
But what about the power of teenage hormones?

[Anonymous No.4407878]

The only thing I don't like about FF8 is the concept of children sent off to war school then sent off to fight everyone else's wars.

It reminds me of African nations and their child soldiers. But Squaresoft wanted to pander to teen no matter the logic

[Anonymous No.4408000]

>>4407878
Not to mention that most of the students themselves are orphans of war. It seems cruel, but they must have been brainwashed by Cid to think that they're protecting the peace.

[Anonymous No.4408018]

>>4408000

Cid is evil Jap Robin Williams.

[Anonymous No.4408046]

>>4407878
Japan tends to view war with a very negative opinion.

[Anonymous No.4408049]

>>4408046

Not before American occupation they didn't. And they better find their balls again or they're going to adorn China's red scales right after they finish with Taiwan.

[Anonymous No.4408057]

>>4408046
Modern Japan. Imperial Japan were fucking barbarians. The details of the Nanking Massacre are horrifying.

[Anonymous No.4408061]

>>4408057

Let's stop pretending all of Asia hasn't been a very savage place for a very long time. The rest of the world may have signed the Geneva convention; they however never got the memo.

[Anonymous No.4408160]

>>4408061
Now that I think about it, you're right.

[Anonymous No.4408163]

>best ost
>best final boss
>best summons
>best CGI sequences
>can customize the fuck out of your stats
>ps1 aesthetics

Why do people hate this game again?

[Anonymous No.4408173]

Ooo

[Anonymous No.4408180]

>>4408163
they can't handle how good it is

[Anonymous No.4408215]

>>4408163
Because everyone but Squall is forgettable.

[Anonymous No.4408218]

>>4408163

Because FF:VII was darker and better, so many felt disappointed.

To be honest I liked Cloud much more than Squall, and Tifa much more than Rinoa. Laguna was kind of a wimp too but I really liked the dude with the Qatars.

[Anonymous No.4408219]

>>4408215

Quistis is many things. "Forgettable" is not one of them.

[Anonymous No.4408243]

>>4408218
>FF:VII was darker
More edgy, yes
Darker no

[Anonymous No.4408250]

>>4408219
>Quistis is many things
And "flat character" is one of those things. Everything you know about her you only know because the game tells you so.

[Anonymous No.4408257]

>>4408163
Because none of those are true except for the customization aspect.

And PS1 warping texture aesthetics are terrible. 7's untextured aesthetic is better.

[Anonymous No.4408261]

>>4408250

Could you please type out something that isn't blatantly nonsensical?

Thanks.

[Anonymous No.4408262]

>>4408261
It is pretty clear what he said. Your waifu a shit. She has no character at all and is irrelevant to the story after the first few minutes.

[Anonymous No.4408267]

>>4408261
Who is Quistis? Quistis is smart. Quistis is good at Triple Triad. Quistis thought she was in love with Squall.

The whole demotion from instructor thing doesn't even go anywhere. Next to Irvine she's the most boring character in the game. I like her design and she's great in battle, but don't be a waifufag.

[Anonymous No.4408273]

>>4408267

Where was she supposed to go from being demoted?

>>4408262

No, he said you don't know a thing about the character except what the game tells you Well guess what?

THAT'S TRUE FOR EVERY CHARACTER IN AN RPG, EVER.

[Anonymous No.4408298]

>>4408257
Name a better OST, final boss, a FF game with better summons and better CGI scenes then. Back your shit up senpai.

[Anonymous No.4408307]

>>4408298
6 and 7 have a better OST
7 has cooler summons
X has a better final boss (Braska's Final Aeon) and better CGI (who cares about this??)

I don't dislike 8 though. I like that they tried something different. Even if it often doesn't work and the story is retarded, it is nice that they didn't just rehash 7.

[Anonymous No.4408317]

>>4408307

The final boss of X was a metaphysical dream fluke, dude. Not exactly Shakespearean material there.

[Anonymous No.4408318]

>>4408307
>6 and 7 have a better OST
I'd agree with being on par but straight out better? No.
>7 has cooler summons
Nope that's wrong.
>X has a better final boss
Alright where's the camera? You fooled me

[Anonymous No.4408334]

>>4408317
He's cool and is perfectly fits in with the story. I think FF8 is actually a better game than X, but Ultimecia is boring villain who, in typical FF fashion, is never encountered at all until the end.

[Anonymous No.4408338]

>>4408334
Kinda like the IX one then? IV too out of my mind

[Anonymous No.4408343]

>>4408334

How does a boss who's final form is a floating liver fluke even make sense?

[Anonymous No.4408350]

>>4408338
Its really just those (the original is narrative enough for that to matter), but they are amongst the most popular, especially 4.

6 and 7 have the same boss: "this dude is now an angel and has a comically overwrought choral theme song".

[Anonymous No.4408385]

>>4408343

Yevon always was a powerless space parasite. It had to beckon willing subjects to become Sin and wreak havoc on its behalf since it was in fact powerless and couldn't do anything through direct action. It wouldn't have made much sense for Yevon's physical appearance to resemble your typical JRPG eldritch abomination instead.

[Anonymous No.4408494]

>>4407878
>Think of the children
Yes. Those poor innocent children.
Graduating from a garden variety military academy (pun intended)
Then commissioned to work as mercenaries, bodyguards, defense corps, and specializing on assassinating sorceresses. On a plant where monsters frequently invade from the moon and civilization constantly fall to ruin under the tyranny of witches.

[Anonymous No.4408584]

>>4408163
9 has better CGI if only because it doesn't have anything matching Zell's demonspawn appearance in 8's FMVs.

[Anonymous No.4408590]

>>4408163
>best ost
FF14 and FF6 disagree with you.

>best final boss
FF14, FF7, FFX, FF6 all disagree with you.

>best summons
FF7 disagrees with you.

>best CGI sequences
FF14 disagrees with you.

>can customize the fuck out of your stats
Through the shittiest system in any FF game.

>ps1 aesthetics
FF9 beats you around the head with its superior PS1 aesthetics.

[Anonymous No.4408615]

>>4408590
XIV is NOT RETRO

And Kefka's fight is really lame. God-tier music aside, he's easy as shit. Ultimecia throws everything at you and you really get the sense that you're fighting the most powerful sorceress. VI is my favourite FF, but VIII's final fight is much better.

[Anonymous No.4408627]

>>4408590
>FF14
Nigger where the fuck do you think you are

[Anonymous No.4408631]

>>4408590
I want MMO fags to fuck off forever

[Anonymous No.4408637]

>>4408338
Both Zemus and Ultimecia are present in the game's plot in the sense that they control someone else. In terms of literally out of nowhere it's probably:

Necron = Cloud of Darkness > Zemus > Ultimecia

You at least get a glimpse of Ulty before you meet her face to face.

[Anonymous No.4408639]

>>4408637
I'm happy for IX fags that the last boss isn't Kuja. Never could finish IX because it's pace is too slow for me and no matter how hard I try I end up dropping it, also always thought Kuja was an ass antagonist.

But then who the fuck is this Necron?

[Anonymous No.4408653]

>>4408615
Get fucked, backseat moderator.

[Anonymous No.4408661]

>>4408653
Eat shit looks like you like it a lot

[Anonymous No.4408760]

>>4402668
idk i'm getting ready to play it. Not even sure if the disks I have work or not. It's been sitting in my closet for 4 or 5 years waiting to be played.

[Anonymous No.4408932]

>>4408639
The Ultimania says that he's the personification of death that Kuja awakens due to his fear.

My interpretation is Kuja kills your party with Ultima (the battle is scripted to end with it). Necron is horny off of Kuja's fear and wants to end everything so you fight him and he lays off. He says that it's just for a while as "this isn't the end", "as long as there is life", etc.

The secret boss, Hades uses a scrapped design for Necron that would have made it easier to get, as he looks like Death.

[Anonymous No.4408985]

>>4408932
Doesn't Necron come because Kuja blows up THE crystal and so Necron figures mortals are ready to die?

[Anonymous No.4409237]

>>4408639
>But then who the fuck is this Necron?
The Eidolons are born from the memories accumulated in Gaia's crystal. The only memories that Terra's crystal accumulates are of death. Thus Necron is Terra's sole Eidolon, who is following Kuja's will to end existence by destroying "the" crystal. Or rather the memories inside it. Both Terra and Gaia's crystals are already fused at this point. And Terra's crystal allegedly has fused with other crystals in the past. And they're fighting inside the crystal's memory. The "sum" of all life that it accumulated. Necron intended to void it all so that it would be a "Zero World". I think it was trying to say that memories are what propagate life.

[Anonymous No.4409240]

>>4402668
it was all a dream, squall already died after disc 1

[Anonymous No.4409247]

>>4403212
>That's from the Ultimania.
Hyne gets mentioned as early as Disc 1 Balamb. Go into the house of Zell's neighbour and the old dude will tell you the whole story of Hyne.

[Anonymous No.4409256]

>>4409247
Yeah, I know. There's two stories about Hyne in-game and then the info from the Ultimania. The wiki said that the two stories in-game kind of conflict, so I just copied and pasted the Ultimania's story since it should be the most legit.

[Anonymous No.4409493]

>>4408243
FFVIII isn't even dark though either. Honestly the plot in FFVIII is almost as unpredictably bad as the dialogue in The Room. Its entertaining though, just a little "out there" and cvlt

[Anonymous No.4409559]

>>4408273
>Where was she supposed to go from being demoted?

She should reflect on the event more than once and bring it up more often than never.

[Anonymous No.4409567]

>>4408639
>But then who the fuck is this Necron?

[Anonymous No.4409667]

>no item chests
>no equipment system
>leveling up is bad
>no standart rpg dungeons like caves, forests, mountains
Name one other RPG that breaks the genre like this.

[Anonymous No.4409689]

>>4408215
>squall doesn't give a shit about anyone and would probably forget your name if you don't see him for a week
>you play as squall
>every other character seems forgettable and unimportant
>you can't even customize their name

Prove me that all of this wasn't a Kojima-tier meta shit.

[Anonymous No.4409690]

>>4409667
>no standart rpg dungeons like caves, forests, mountains
>Game literally starts in a mountain cave

What did he mean by this?

[Anonymous No.4409696]

>>4409690
What I meant was random dungeons that RPGs put between towns to pad the game. Every dungeon in this game including that one is a plot related location. There's not a single "you have to go through this random cave to reach your next destination, lol" moment in the game except maybe the salt flats. Any other time you just rent a car and that's it.

[Anonymous No.4410053]

>>4408385
>space
Since when was Yevon from space?

[Anonymous No.4410203]

>>4409667
ffxi
ffxii
ffxiii
ffxiv
ffxv

[Anonymous No.4410810]

>>4410203
Those games are not retro

[Anonymous No.4410889]

>>4409667
>Leveling up is bad
Bad is a strong word. Scaling is only a punishment if you're doing challenge runs like Speedrunning or "No Junction" that require bosses to be nerfed.
Or like, if you want to get the Lionheart on disk1 you need lower party lvl to get a drop.

I mean, battles aren't really "harder" they're just "longer", and that presents more of a challenge with countdown timers.
I think Diablos is objectively easier at lower levels because otherwise he'll curse the party so they can't use limit breaks - which is what people rely on.

[Anonymous No.4411246]

>>4410889
Can you explain why leveling isn't bad? Your stats are primarily coming from junctions, which are independent from level. So all leveling effectively does is make enemies noticeably stronger.

[Anonymous No.4411273]

>>4411246
Yes, and?
Do you see a relative challenge as a punishment? Is it "bad" because the game is scaling the difficulty based on your experience; maintaining a flow state that you probably missed out on because you use a walkthrough like a dirty cheater.

[Anonymous No.4411294]

>>4411273
No one is mocking you for leveling up in FF8. Its just a fact that leveling up just makes things harder rather than making things easier like in most games. Cool your jets.

[Anonymous No.4411364]

>>4402736
I literally never finished the last castle since id be too tired by then

Get item
Get limit break

End game dont even unlock save holy war is stupid

[Anonymous No.4411405]

>>4411246
>Can you explain why leveling isn't bad?

Enemies don't just scale up in stats, they also drop new items, have new items to mug, etc. You aren't going to get your hands on these items until you start leveling up and fighting more challenging versions of these enemies. (Although you can just abuse the LV up / down command ability to the same effect)

You need these items to mod your equipment, teach Quistis new blue magic limits and do a ton of other really useful things, like refining items to powerful spells.

[Anonymous No.4411478]

>>4408057
hell yeah bro for knowing history.

[Anonymous No.4411485]

>>4408590
ff xi and xiv aren't real numbered entries anon. get fucked. also, i like ffvii a lot, but sephiroth is pretty easy to defeat.

[Anonymous No.4411669]

>>4402668
Best JRPG ever
Anyone who disagrees can suck my BBC

[Anonymous No.4411680]

>>4404974
You go to space in 7.

[Anonymous No.4411685]

>>4411405
>Enemies don't just scale up in stats, they also drop new items, have new items to mug, etc.

Items are useless though.

[Anonymous No.4411686]

>>4411680
You go to space better in ff8

[Anonymous No.4412284]

>>4403141
my dad does this
I've heard him say he thinks the beattles and stephen king are aliens because they come up with shit no one else does. I tried explaining to him that it's just drugs fucking up their brains, but he's a christcuck so you can't explain anything to him.

>>4403187
I like the rinoa=ultimecia one, and none of the "debunkings" are convincing at all
but the "squall is dead" one uses the fact that a lot of crazy shit happens after him getting icicled....but forgets the crazy shit that happens before, like the whole first mission or the president doppleganger and all that

>>4403192
me too, her movie sequence face is just so perfect

>>4404039
pic related

>>4404970
each final fantasy has an origin for monsters; ff8's wasn't plot related so they had to do *something*

>>4408163
the game is VERY boring to play, despite your entire list being absolutely true

[Anonymous No.4412961]

>>4411685
He probably means items that you can use to refine into spells and weapon parts.

[Anonymous No.4412962]

Also, items are beyond useful. It's best to reply on items instead of wasting magic stock. The only time I ever set Magic as a command was to scan enemy levels so I would know when to mug/kill them.

[Anonymous No.4412965]

>>4405940
>t. guy who doesn't do any research
He was a planner for Xenogears so he had some story contributions to it even if Takahashi helmed it. Kato has no listed credits or relations to FFVIII

[Anonymous No.4412969]

>>4404974
>>4411680
>>4411686
FFIV did the "monsters coming from the moon and go there to fight them" long before FFVIII.

[Anonymous No.4412975]

>>4412284
>but forgets the crazy shit that happens before,
I posted a theory of mine before. There are large periods of time between Squall's missions because the side-effects of GF use cause him to forget all the mundane things, making the game seem very episodic. Yes, the whole Garden shebang happened, but what's to say he forgot the resolution because it wasn't an intense or important moment for him?

I feel a lot of FF8's plot went completely unexplained and was left unclear for the player to come to their own conclusions, but considering FF's general audience and the poor storytelling, it's not surprising

[Anonymous No.4412980]

>>4412284
>none of the "debunkings" are convincing at all

From Yoshinori Kitase, the producer of FF8 (among others):
"No, that is not true,” Kitase said. “I don’t think I’ll incorporate that even if we do remake the game. But that being said, both Rinoa and Ultimecia are witches, so in that sense they are similar, but they’re not the same person."
https://kotaku.com/is-squall-really-dead-final-fantasy-producer-addresses-1800007113

That should be all the convincing you need, the producer thinks it's stupid.

[Anonymous No.4413040]

>>4412980
Yeah well his game is stupid.

[Anonymous No.4413041]

>>4413040
This is the most childish response I've seen in some time, and that's fucking saying something.

[Anonymous No.4413054]

>>4412980
I don't take producers opinions with too much weight, they aren't always the most familiar with the products they produce. Their job is to manage people and finance, now if a director or lead writer said something I might lend an ear.

[Anonymous No.4413058]

>>4412980
>>4413054
Actually it looks like that guy is the director, not the producer as was said.

[Anonymous No.4413094]

>>4412980
I don't give a fuck what he says, the theory makes more sense than his game.

[Anonymous No.4413287]

>>4412975
>I feel a lot of FF8's plot went completely unexplained

I feel a lot of jrpgs from this era had deeper meanings but it's completely lost on western audiences because of the translations.

Like, it took me years to connect the dots that Squall had abandonment issues. I mean, his profile in the manual says "a lone wolf". But I never saw it as a character flaw.

Actually, thinking about it now, I don't know if a better translation could have painted a better picture of him or not. You have moments with Quistis and Rinoa that showed he has intimacy issues. Tells Ellone not to rely on him. But in between all that he was supportive of Irvine when he got cold feet, and rescued Zell in the prison.
I kinda assumed Seifer was Squall's rival because he was so tough on him. But he's more like his senpai. Squall only uses a gunblade because Seifer does. He was actually kinda grateful to him when they're standing around at the fountain in Dollet.
It's just that Squall is weirdly indifferent towards Seifer after that. Like, they assumed Seifer was executed, but they see him during the parade and all Squall says is "Seifer is alive." It's so blunt and indifferent. You don't really know how he feels about it. And of course you have to fight him. And even during the electro-shock torture they never mention how their relationship has changed. No "why?" or any talk of pretenses.

[Anonymous No.4413297]

>>4413287
>Squall only uses a gunblade because Seifer does
Is that true? I don't recall

[Anonymous No.4413390]

>>4413297
We know Seifer was inspired by Laguna's film about the sorceress' knight wielding a gunblade. That was his "romantic dream" and why it was so easy for Ultimecia to use him.

Squall doesn't state a reason for using gunblade, as much as I can recall. But since they're the only Gunblade specialists in the Garden, and were training together in the beginning, it makes since. Squall was either his rival or protege.

[Anonymous No.4413468]

>>4413390
I have a hard time seeing a protege relationship

[Anonymous No.4413842]

>>4413468
Maybe protege is too strong of a word. But Seifer is his upperclassmen.

I have a harder time seeing them as rivals. They never compete. They basically sit next to each other in class. Fujin and Raijin seem to be on pretty good terms with Squall. His name almost fits thematically. Fujin and Raijin are Wind and Thunder. "Squall" a sudden violent gust of wind.
You just know Seifer was meant to be Zephyr, the westerly wind "gentle breeze". As their names imply, they are opposites.

Squall doesn't want anyone depending on him. While Seifer wants to be someone's knight. Seifer is secretly selfish, but Squall is secretly selfless.

[Anonymous No.4413854]

>>4413842
>You just know Seifer was meant to be Zephyr

Hmmm. Siefer. Zephyr. Yeah saying it out loud they really do sorta sound alike. Especially if go at it with a Japanese inflection

[Anonymous No.4413860]

>>4413287
>I feel a lot of jrpgs from this era had deeper meanings but it's completely lost on western audiences because of the translations.

I agree that was certainly part of the problem but only a small part all the same. Even if was better it would still wouldn't change the fact the non protagonists still act like idiots most of the time and that's if they're even given the chance to do anything at all. No one has an arc, no one has motivation or goal. And even from what we can understand the plot is just dumb.

[Anonymous No.4413938]

>>4413854
Edea, Medea?
You know how they are with Rs and Ls.
Rinoa, Lynoa?
Selphie "Serufi" Seraphim?
Quistis "Kisutisu" is suppose to be a french name
Quincey, Quintessa, Quintonice, there's a lot of variations to it.

A lot of weird names and spellings in this game.

[Anonymous No.4413949]

>>4413938
>Medea?

OH LERD!

[Anonymous No.4413954]

>>4403551
That theory being a thing makes less sense than Necron does. Necron comes out of nowhere and engages in the plot. Ultimecia has had all the time in the future to become a villain and thus is a villain from disc start to disc finish.

Games in which the villain gets their own sympathy arc or more backstory than is even remotely necessary are the worst. It's like Suikoden Tierkreis. You will never understand why the One King exists unless you get the bad ending. That's terrific! All you need to know about a villain in any game is where the villiany starts and where they go from there.

[Anonymous No.4413957]

>>4412975
>I feel a lot of FF8's plot went completely unexplained
A lot and I mean a LOT of the fluff about the game world and why things happen how they happen is all explained through dialogues with either NPCs or party members. Laguna dumps a shit ton of exposition on you, as do all the people in that ass backwards city.

In regards to Squall you can actually pinpoint the exact moment he stops being so distant. It's when you reunite with the rest of your then assumed dead party members at the fisherman's horizon.

[Anonymous No.4413963]

>>4406269
>The G.F. memory loss side-effect might come out of nowhere if you don't read about it at your terminal or talk to specific NPCs that explain how the Garden's train SeeDs differently.

It's not even that it comes out of nowhere though. There's also the issue that the big problem, the memory lose is never actually directly experienced in game outside the need to explain the twist.

Why do Squall and the rest never experience memory loss even after using GFs every which way? They lost a huge chunk of their past with whatever minor amount of GF use they had before the start of the game but GF usage only increases as time goes on an there's no indication they so much as forgot what they had for breakfast. Hell the way the game presents the first time Squall even uses a GF was the start of the game but no indication of anything there. And Im not an expert on amnesia but the amnesia we get is too selective. Only plot convenient things are forgotten and then nothing else ever. We don't even get signs that the characters realize they're forgetting things. Amnesia or not they should at least be aware there are blanks in there life, yeah they where young when they where at the orphanage but they weren't infants. If I suddenly forgot every thing that happened to me before I was 9 Id be rather quite alarmed.

Of all the problems with the GF memory thing foreshadowing is the least important. No the biggest issue is it doesn't fucking work.

[Anonymous No.4413972]

>>4413963
It's actually extremely foreshadowed. Anyways G.F. memory loss affects long term memory. So it's not so much as you getting alzheimer's as you literally losing the capacity to maintain distant long term memories. You can bet your ass Ellone probably use to tell kid Squall all about Laguna but he can't remember fuck all about it.

It's not laserpointed amnesia if that's what you're curious about. There would be no way for you to notice there's a blank in your memory if you have no reason to try and recall your childhood.

[Anonymous No.4413981]

>>4413972

That's not foreshadowing. That's the developers realizing they DIDN'T foreshadow shit and put in some flavor text to try and scotch tape the problem after the fact. Real foreshadowing is interwoven into the narrative in a proper and meaningful fashion. It's not some asshole NPC you probably won't even talk to and a data log entry.

Also as I said above there's the greater issues involved with it too.

[Anonymous No.4413992]

>>4413981
That is foreshadowing. Literally all of the nuanced information of the game is implemented in flavor text and unique NPC dialogue. All issues in regards to awareness are non issues because the characters themselves hint in extremely obvious ways whats happening. That was the point. It was storytelling through the world.

On the topic of the so called data log your first two G.F.s are linked to that thing. And the SeeD exam is also using questions taken directly from the panel. The game couldn't say "please for the love of god look at this" any harder.

[Anonymous No.4413997]

>>4413992
>That was the point. It was storytelling through the world.

And it was awful. It's lazy. You can have any NPC explain anything but it doesn't matter or help the story. It's a cheap work around and the story suffers for it. It's not the players job to do homework for your plot to make sense. They created a shitty world with a shitty plot with no consistency.

And again there's the issue of everything else I brought up.

[Anonymous No.4414006]

>>4413997
>to do homework
You what? Doing your homework would be buying the ultimaniax and translating it. Shocking that this may be there used to be a day where people actually talked to NPCs and read game text.

And what are the rest of the issues you're talking about. The only plot convenient thing that's forgotten is them growing up together at the orphanage and Edea being their Matron. And you said "there's no signs the characters realize they've forgotten things" but there are and I showed them in an image. However even if we left the memory loss alone and completely omitted it, that point would have very little longstanding effects on the overall plot. Nothing they forget is actually critical at all and only serves as a framing device for them to reflect that the flowerfield at the lighthouse is where they would all meet if they got lost, which is where they meet up at alllll the way at the end of the game.

And that's it. Nothing else. Ellone's role in Ultimecia's plan has nothing to do with memory loss. Nor does the plot progression. It's a small segment of about 15 game minutes that people get hung up on for some reason. Even though this unimportant aspect of the narrative is still foreshadowed and explored through the world itself.

[Anonymous No.4414097]

Really though, what was up with the orphanage shit? How do you even write something like that?

[Anonymous No.4414098]

>>4413842
>They never compete
The intro to the game is them sparring and going too far. And IIRC while Seifer is older, he was basically held back for being a dipshit.

[Anonymous No.4414107]

>>4413963
That's a good point. Squall and co have pretty damn severe memory loss compared with how long they have been using GFs (I'm guessing a few years).

[Anonymous No.4414474]

>>4413938
I always imagined Rinoa to be a fucked up version of Lenore/Lenora.

>>4413963
Yeah, I really wish that they at least ran with the amnesia shit. Make it so that it feels like they're actually paying a price for using the GF and not just forgetting (relatively inconsequential) plot elements. You know what would have been really great? Zell not recognizing his mother on his revisit to Balamb or Selphie not even remembering that she went to Trabia Garden until someone has to remind her. Little moments that could be passed off as goofs or character quirks. Squall in particular could have had his severe memory issues be chalked up to him just being "Whatever..."

[Anonymous No.4414679]

>>4402668
quite possibly the only ff game where i never use a chocobo.

[Anonymous No.4414683]

If there was ever more to Ultimecia's identity, she would be Ellone as a sorceress in the future.

Dr. Odine thinks Ultimecia is using his invention. But what if she's actually just Ellone using her own power. Only, she can't connect with her past because she too has the junction amnesia. I mean, Ultimecia was only decade short of Time Compression? Come on.

[Anonymous No.4414708]

>>4414474
>Zell not recognizing his mother on his revisit to Balamb or Selphie not even remembering that she went to Trabia Garden

See that could have made for some really heavy chilling moments. Imagine Selphie seeing all her old friends wounded and dying around her and only treating them like strangers in need. What if Rinoa who never suffered memory loss suddenly forgot her dad or her old team.

[Anonymous No.4414837]

>>4414708
It's disappointing. FF8 has some plot elements that could make for a really dark story but it never goes anywhere with them. There's this one line where one NPC talks about the GF induced amnesia and then says something like "it's better for a solider to forget". It comes across as silly and forced since the amnesia is only ever relevant in the orphanage reveal.

Maybe they changed the direction they were heading with the story at some point? It would explain the stranger elements that stand out.

[Anonymous No.4414865]

>>4414679
Even 1?

[Anonymous No.4414934]

>>4414679
Speaking of, who looked at Amano's art and got a golden chicken out of it?

Though I'll admit the golden chicken is the more memorable and iconic design.

[Anonymous No.4415065]

>>4414934
I always wonder how Amano feels when he sees the final product of his design.

[Anonymous No.4415112]

>>4408334
>>4403551
Can't believe I'm about to defend FF8, but Ultimecia's motive is one of the only things they actually didn't explain shitty. The problem was that the translation subtly botched "Edea's" speech in Deling City, which is the single most important exposition in the game.

https://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/197343-final-fantasy-viii/43179495

[Anonymous No.4415143]

>>4413963
>Why do Squall and the rest never experience memory loss even after using GFs every which way?
Like I posted >>4412975 , he is experiencing memory loss, and you as a player do not see his memories either.

[Anonymous No.4415150]

>>4412975
While I don't think that's canon, it would explain how quickly your SeeD rank fluctuates.

[Anonymous No.4415183]

>>4415112
Does anyone know why they used sorceress instead of witch anyway? Witch carries a lot of meaning and in the vaguely European world that VIII places in it seems even more appropriate. Sorceress just isn't as loaded and the way Ultimecia goes on about being treated would come along stronger if they did use witch. Sorceress almost sounds respectful.

[Anonymous No.4415425]

>>4414837

Also why is it that only the party uses GFs? I mean you fight the good goon who has one you can draw but surely it should be wider spread if there are active detractors. Instead it's only the party who gets them and the only time a foe does is when it's a means to getting you a new one.

What if the GFs where closer to the espers. What if part of the plot was the weaponizing of them. What if they agreed to help the party but at a cost they may or may not see fit to share with them.

Also it seems sometimes they have personalities and goals of their own but you never really see anything come of it. In some capacity they must be able to choose their own masters.

[Anonymous No.4415469]

>>4415183
I think they had more Greek influences. Sorceresses were empowered women, rulers, commanding respect.
Edea (Medea), Adel (Adaliah), Ultimecia(Artemisia), Ellone (Hellen)

Adaliah was killed by Esther. Possibly a biblical allusion in there.

[Anonymous No.4415482]

>>4414474
Rinoa was DEFINITELY supposed to be Lenore. I could have sworn I even once found an ancient forum post in English from before the game came out in America where she was being called Lenore. I made a long post on some FF forum once with a theory there might have been a connection with The Raven (there's some weird symbolism going on in the intro with all the feathers and Edea's bird mask- what even is that?) but it got lost when the page froze lol :'(

[Anonymous No.4415492]

>>4414708
Or side quests with scenes like this that you can't trigger until meeting a requirement of maxed out compatibility with multiple GFs. Each character could have had one for their ultimate weapon or something.

[Anonymous No.4415558]

>>4415492

Remember when weapons mattered. If there's one thing I hate about games like 8 and 10 it's dumping gear

[Anonymous No.4416050]

>>4415558
What do you mean? Weapons were pretty important in both 8 and 10.

[Anonymous No.4416751]

>>4416050

The only weapon that matters in 8 is the Lionheart

[Anonymous No.4416763]

>>4411273
>Skill level : Arousal

[Anonymous No.4416807]

>>4416763
sece

[Anonymous No.4416975]

>>4416751
Well, Squall's weapons in general since his limit breaks are tied to it.

[Anonymous No.4417232]

>>4411246
For general challenge. If you wanted an easy playthrough where the game never gets harder than spamming GF's, equip enc-null and walk through it. It was designed in that level. That's why bosses give you 0 (0) experience but give you AP so that your personally strength increased but not the challenge that you faced. For people who want to play through for no other purpose than to experience the story, that's this option. It's also why cheat modes are added to the PC re-re-re-releases of many mainline games. So you can opt out of the challenge entirely and just enjoy the story.

For people who wanted a more traditional final fantasy experience. They leveled up. The difficulty of fights became relative to your progress and because you didn't encounter many of the same enemies (reskin besides that is) when you jump into the next level bracket for challenge and drops you would experience a more kinetic playthrough. That's how it SHOULD have worked.

How it actually turned out is that people used enc-null and then talked about how leveling up is handicapping yourself. It reminds me of a review I saw for FFX on steam where somebody actually bitched that the ability to max out your stats in items made the game too easy. Like what?

[Anonymous No.4417245]

>>4417232
The point of the post (>>4409667) was that FF8 was different from most JRPGs in a lot of aspects, such as leveling mostly just making the game harder rather than easier (since stat gains were largely disconnected from level gains). It wasn't to complain about not leveling up making the game too easy or say that playing without leveling up is the right way to play.

[Anonymous No.4417257]

>>4415183
they were called witches in the japanese version

[Anonymous No.4417287]

>>4417257
>>4415183

Sorceress sounds a good bit more intimidating. People hear witch they think Halloween.

[Anonymous No.4417503]

>>4414934
They sort of kept closer to the pink Amano art for the Chocobos in the FFV OVA. Except the Chocobos now look like brain-dead pink dodos.

[Anonymous No.4417505]

>>4414934
They sort of kept closer to the Amano art for the Chocobos in the FFV OVA. Except the Chocobos now look like brain-dead pink dodos

[Anonymous No.4417720]

>>4414934

I suspect that Amano had an ongoing feud with whomever was in charge of the in game models

[Anonymous No.4417763]

>>4403551
Everything you need to know about Ultimecia's motives is in the actual game. Simply apply everything she says while she is possessing Edea to her.

[Anonymous No.4417828]

Bought it, played it and loved it on release back in 99. Honestly had no gripes at all with the junction system (found it refreshing yet familiar like materia) story or characters. Maybe I was just a proto-hipster or something at the time but I found the game to be an upgrade from VII through and through. Plus that trippy ending still is something to see today.

Thanks for reading my blog.

[Anonymous No.4417876]

>>4405119
Then you realize that it's a Quest game disguised as FF.

[Anonymous No.4417891]

>>4417876

How is this a bad thing?

[Anonymous No.4417972]

>>4417763
I forget, how exactly does everyone know the legend of the SeeD who defeats the tyrant Ultimecia?

[Anonymous No.4418036]

>>4417972
because it happened?

[Anonymous No.4418043]

>>4418036
In the far future. Why does everyone know about it?

[Anonymous No.4418054]

>>4417972
What are Squall and co?
What is telling about past event to future generations?

People at Balamb and Esthar knew about Squall and co. going to the future and defeating Ultimecia in there and told about it to their children. This isn't rocket science Anon.

[Anonymous No.4418062]

>>4418054
Wasn't the legend already a legend during the events of the game?

[Anonymous No.4418097]

>>4418043
This. I don't get it too.

>>4418054
I still don't get it. This doesn't make any sense. How do they know it BEFORE squall beats ultimecia?

[Anonymous No.4418098]

>>4418097
Ultimecia possessed Edea flat out says it to Squall co.

Post Ultimecia possessed Edea knows things Ultimecia did due to the possession.

[Anonymous No.4418102]

>>4402668
I beat this for the first time a few months ago and it really has become one of my favorite games. Driving the Balamb garden around totally caught me off guard on how crazy the events happening in the game are. The trippy shit is super fun and interesting, I just wish the plot was better written. Like for example I think the Ragnarok is the coolest ship in any RPG ever but the way they get it and how it gets back to earth makes no sense at all. Some guy randomly decides to call this lost spaceship from an air traffic tower, and just gives Squall all the info on landing and keeping it without even asking who he is? That's really lame considering some interesting storyline potential. That's just one thing though, this game so huge. It would be the best game to benefit from a remake right next to FF7.

[Anonymous No.4418105]

>>4418098
Then why persecute witches if everyone KNOWS that Ultimecia will be defeated anyway?

[Anonymous No.4418113]

>>4418105
try reading >>4417763 again. pay attention this time.

[Anonymous No.4418165]

>>4418043
>>4418097
I'm pretty sure something like Time Compression won't be forgotten so soon. Sorceresses were already stigmatized after Adel's era so I can only imagine how they'll be treated post-Ultimecia.

>>4417972
Ultimecia is killed by a legendary SeeD. The people in FF8 know that this happens because it happens in the game. The final battle becomes a story that is passed on in the game's world. Ultimecia is STILL going to be born though, her dying in the past doesn't stop her from being born in the future. Witches go on to be prosecuted and let's imagine something like the witch trials happen. Ultimecia is most definitely not someone born and named Ultimecia. She most likely just decided to don the "Ultimecia" name, thus Ultimecia never existed and is a self-fulfilling prophecy. Ultimecia is the result of Ultimecia. We know that Ultimecia is going to be killed by a legendary SeeD because it technically already happened. Ultimecia knows this, and thinks that Time Compression would be a way to avoid her fate, not realizing that Time Compression is also the way the legendary SeeD gets access to her.

For all we know the exact details of what happened over the years were lost and the story becomes "Ultimecia overthrows the world before being defeated by a legendary SeeD".

[Anonymous No.4418245]

>>4418165
So a time paradox, huh?

It could be argued that Adel was indeed evil, but humans made a mistake and assumed everyone is evil, until they fucked with the wrong sorceress who then said: "So, you think all of us are evil, and despite us pleading with you you STILL can't forgive us Adel? Very well, I will show you true evil."

So Ultimecia was innocent at the beginning but chose to become evil, just as humans were evil at the beginning when Adel attacked them, but chose to become evil as well and take revenge way to far and kill innocent witches.

[Anonymous No.4418248]

>>4418245
just as humans were innocent at the beginning*

fixed

[Anonymous No.4418698]

>>4418245
Pretty much. I love her backstory. The Extreme's eerie, melancholic intro along with her declaring "I am Ultimecia" has a lot of weight once you understand it. She's one of the better villains IMO.

[Anonymous No.4418749]

>>4418245
>>4418698

I think the biggest mistake FF8 makes is constantly reminding us of a better story we're not playing. Laguna's rise from doofus soldier to president of the most powerful country in the world is not only more interesting, it's straight forward and makes goddamn sense.

I don't know why so many JRPGs feel the need to over complicate their plots with a bunch of twists and turns that don't help the story and only exist for the sake of twists and turns

[Anonymous No.4419863]

>>4418749
>the biggest mistake FF8 makes is constantly reminding us of a better story we're not playing
That's how I felt when fighting the different witches through history. FF8 would benefit from a compilation more than FF7. There's so much to expand on as opposed to making shit up.

[Anonymous No.4419965]

Just started replaying the game. Why the fuck does everyone shit on Seifer so much? Just finished the Dollet mission, and all any instructor or staff member ever says to Seifer is how much of a worthless piece of shit he is and how he'll never be SeeD. Like I get that he's a troublemaker who has been held back for bad behavior. But he's also just as good at combat as the star student Squall, and his flagrant ignoring of orders actually ended up benefiting the mission (purely by coincidence tho). Plus how the fuck is constantly belittling him going to make anything better? Its really no wonder at all he defects first chance.

[Anonymous No.4419972]

My favorite game ever. I almost lost my mind grappling with the theory that Rinoa is Ultimecia. As the story goes, Rinoa inherits Edeas powers and Adels and it is believed that a sorcerous can live forever unless mortally wounded. The events of the game pass and Rinoa considers this to be the greatest experience of her life. SeeD being trained soldiers think about it as just another job and go their own way. Rinoa grows depressed and misses her friends whom eventually die while she lives on. She reminisces about the past for centuries and in her despair decides to attempt to compress time so that she can live the best moments of her life over and over again.
Rinoa's white wings turn black over time symbolizing her descent into depression. Ultimecia's castle is located at Edea's house where she and Squall promised to meet each other if they were ever separated. Ultimecia also summons Griever, Squalls lion.
God level story. Also, Squall is not dead because Edea's ice lance hit him on the right and missed his heart completely.

[Anonymous No.4419974]

>>4419972
nice pasta, also rinoa is not ultimecia

[Anonymous No.4419976]

>>4419974
It's my pasta, saved to my phone, so thank you. Prove that she isn't.

[Anonymous No.4419980]

>>4419976
>>4412980

[Anonymous No.4419982]

>>4419976
why? you haven't proven that she is

[Anonymous No.4419983]

>>4419982
I offered an argument and you just said that she isn't.

[Anonymous No.4419986]

>>4419980
Don't believe it.

[Anonymous No.4419992]

>>4419983
a fanfic isn't an argument

[Anonymous No.4419998]

>>4419986
>lol I know more than the people who made the game
pathetic

[Anonymous No.4420002]

>>4419976
>Prove that she isn't.

They would've said she is. In the same way they explicitly make reference to Laguna being Squall's father. If they wanted to have that le epin twist they would've left in some clue along the lines of two legged lion bears calling her Ultimecia

Besides, what would be the point of the story if it was meaningless? Rinoa is essentially doomed from the beginning and nothing that Squall does to save her means anything

[Anonymous No.4420012]

Am I missing something here?

Edea inherited her powers from Ultimecia
Rinoa inherited her powers from Adel AND Edea(Ultimecia)

So E=U, and R = A+ U

But then Ultimecia, eventually down the line, inherits Rinoa's powers. So
U = R
U = A + U
Which doesn't make any sense. Do sorceresses lose some amount of power when they transfer? Did Rinoa defuse her sorceress line? Is there something I'm missing?

[Anonymous No.4420015]

>>4419998
>they backpedal

[Anonymous No.4420020]

>>4419992
Why does Ultimecia summon Griever? Why is her castle located where Squall and Rinoa promised to meet each other? Why do they look so similar? Why are they the only two known sorcs with wings? Why does Ultimecia hate SeeD????

[Anonymous No.4420029]

>>4420012
How can Ultimecia possess Edea while Ultimecia has her powers and Edea has the same powers???

[Anonymous No.4420032]

>>4420029
Junction Machine Ellone

[Anonymous No.4420034]

>>4420020
ask the people who made the game

[Anonymous No.4420048]

>>4420032
Mmm maybe. JME is how she sent her consciousness back but it's still a paradox for the same set of powers to be in use at the same time by two different people. This same paradox applies to Rinoa and Ultimecia being the same person with the same set of powers in use at the same time.

[Anonymous No.4420060]

>>4420020
>Why does Ultimecia summon Griever?
She summons the most powerful GF shaped by Squall's mind as Griever. She doesn't actually name the GF, she just calls it the ultimate one.

Why is her castle located where Squall and Rinoa promised to meet each other?
I don't remember this part well enough to answer. I see this on the wiki though "As explained by Laguna before the party departed, the only way for them to exist in a time they don't belong to, is to believe in each others' existence and to imagine themselves in the place they want to be alongside the people they want to be with." Everyone remembers the orphanage, now, and Rinoa thinks of it as a place to reunite with Squall. It makes sense that the party pops out of Time Compression at the orphanage.

Why do they look so similar?
They don't, they just performed a face overlay for thematic reasons. Show someone both characters and they wouldn't guess a resemblance.

Why are they the only two known sorcs with wings?
Edea has a feather collar. Adel has non-feathery wings. Its a sorceress motif.

Why does Ultimecia hate SeeD????
Because they persecute sorceresses for generations.

[Anonymous No.4420070]

>>4420060
Whoops, forgot to greentext. Just rewatched the time compression cutscene, the party makes a clear decision to focus on going to Edea's orphanage:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8MN_0-XqEg
>Zell: Yo! Where we supposed to go!?
>Squall: To Edea's house!

[Anonymous No.4420072]

>>4420020
Ultimecia being Rinoa because she supposedly to has or knows about Griever is the very worst "proof" you can make for the R=U theory and it has been proven false both by the game itself and the FFVIII ultimania guide:

First of all the scan info you get from scanning Griever says this:
>In Squall's mind, the strongest GF. Through Ultimecia's power, continues fighting without vanishing.
This alone strongly hints that Griever only exists in Squall's mind. In sort Griever is to Squall what Sonichu is to Chris-Chan; his vision of a perfect being.

Here's Griever's description on pg. 247 of the FF 20th Anniversary Ultimania File 2: Scenario guide:
>Legendary lion praised as the king of beasts
>The animal called a lion doesn't exist in this world beyond the imagination.
>This aloof figure is attractive to Squall, featured on his Gunblade and accessories, and firmly locked in the foundation of his mind.
>The witch Ultimecia materializes Griever as a G.F., pulled from an image in Squall's mind, and utilizes him in battle.

Also, here's her Japanese dialogue in that scene: "Your thoughts, I shall summon the most powerful of things [from them]. The more strongly you feel these thoughts, [the greater] shall be that which torments you."
Ultimecia kreated Griever right there on the spot from the image of him in Squall's mind and she didn't have or even know about it before. This also rules out Squall being Griever, as many R=Utards seem to assume as well.
BTW: Ultimecia 's ability to read peoples minds is also demonstrated during the fight against her when she takes your magics and GFs away from you and her ability to give life to inanimate objects is demonstrated during disc 1 when she gives life to the Iguana statues.

[Anonymous No.4420076]

>>4420072
Also you guys REALLY need to let this R=U thing go, we have already wasted more than a fucking decade talking about this bullshit. The fact is that Ultimecia is Rinoa's foil in similar manner Seifer is to Squall and that is all there is to it no matter how much you try to grasp straws towards your precious fanwank theory.

https://www.gamefaqs.com/ps/197343-final-fantasy-viii/faqs/34215
What I want everyone who still tries to talk for the R=U theory to do is to go to above link, ctrl+f [UR1] and read the full analysis there. It is written by the exact same people who originally came up/popularized the theory in early 2000s so does it give the theory more than a fair shake but eventually comes to the conclusion that none of it holds up in the end.

Also here is a link to an interview where Kitase the director of FFVIII denies the theory:
http://kotaku.com/is-squall-really-dead-final-fantasy-producer-addresses-1800007113

tl;dr: When both the people who came up with the theory and the story director of the actual game say that Rinoa isn't Ultimecia that should be the end of discussion.

[Anonymous No.4420084]

>>4420060
She refers to the ultimate summon as Griever. I'll argue harder when I get home.

[Anonymous No.4420105]

Okay you guys win. RIP obscure theory dreams.

[Anonymous No.4420106]

>>4420084
You're right, further in the fight she does. Though going by the scan (which notes the connection between Griever and Squall's own mind) and the japanese version >>4420072 "Your thoughts, I shall summon the most powerful of things [from them]. The more strongly you feel these thoughts, [the greater] shall be that which torments you." I believe their is sufficient evidence to conclude that Ultimecia could summon Griever without having intimate knowledge of it beforehand. The intention seemed to have been to summon something that Squall looks to as a symbol of absolute power, and to twist that power against him. Not to summon something of emotional attachment for herself.

[Anonymous No.4420372]

>>4419976
>Prove that she isn't.

Easy: If she where, that would have been interesting.

[Anonymous No.4420376]

>>4420060
>Griever


Heh. To anyone who argues that Squall's not an emo faggot, I want you all to stop and think about the fact that he has an imaginary lion he named GRIEVER. GRIEVER.

[Anonymous No.4420434]

>>4420376
http://dilkashi.tumblr.com/post/72561002022/squall-whatever-leonhart

Except Squall isn't an emo faggot. He's just awkward and doesn't know how to express himself properly, actually apologizing when he's expected to emote. I don't know WHY they decided to change his varied responses with "Whatever..."

You want to know who's an emo MC? Terra, but no one goes around giving her shit. It's not Squall's fault that Nomura designed him. Squall is my favorite character in VIII.

Cloud > Bartz > Squall > Zidane > Terra > Cecil = Firion

[Anonymous No.4420459]

>>4420434
>Except Squall isn't an emo faggot.

PRETEND LION. NAMED GRIEVER.

>Terra, but no one goes around giving her shit.

Terra had actual goddamn problems. She was tortured and manipulated to serve as a living weapon of war against her will.

What did Squall have? Yeah he grew up in an orphanage (Not that he remembered) but he was always surrounded by people who loved him, never went hungry, never went cold except when his emo ass stood out in the rain, and got to go to the prestigious Military academy that was apparently made to do nothing but suck his dick.

[Anonymous No.4421001]

>>4420459
Squall isn't emo. He is introverted and independent. I hate it when people misuse the term emo. Emo music died in the 90s.

[Anonymous No.4421024]

>>4403228
The ice lance didn't even hit him in the heart...it hit his right side so lol. That theory is fun but stupid.

[Anonymous No.4422086]

you know those spin off that are "this set in high school"?

that's FFVIII Final fantasy: high school edition

[Anonymous No.4422094]

>>4402790
They also didn't care about the good guys being a school that raised orphans as child soldiers

Said child soldiers having to fight witches and entire armies

that the school that raised the child soldier was raised by a shady alien in the basement of the school

that there was a dragon shaped ship just floating in space

and that the fucking gunblade can't even shot bullets (yes I mad)

[Anonymous No.4422102]

>>4422094
Tell me how you expect this to shoot bullets.

[Anonymous No.4422107]

>>4422102
at least have it shot magic bullets (they did it in KH thank goodness)

[Anonymous No.4422579]

>>4421024
>it hit his right side so lol

It was also the size of a large dog

[Anonymous No.4422924]

>>4417828
same here

[Anonymous No.4422941]

>>4419863
A FF8 spin-off where you play as SeeD sent throught the world on several missions with Squall as a 40yo Headmaster.

Think of Type-0 in the FF8 universe.

[Anonymous No.4422959]

>>4419965
He's got an ego that needs tempering. Which is what instructors do.
It takes Fujin and Raijin, his loyal posse, to walk away from him to make him realize what a fool he's been.

This is also a pretty standard Fantasy trope. Witch uses boy's insecurities and arrogance to bend him to her will. The whole "They're holding you back" gambit.
As seen in "The lion, the witch, and the wardrobe" between The Snow Queen and Edmund.
And "The Neverending Story 2" between Xayide and Bastion.
and "Kingdom Hearts" between Maleficent and Riku.
and many many more.

[Anonymous No.4422981]

>>4404970
Because monsters lice on the moon and procreate. Then when there are a lot of them the pull on the moon from the earth draws them in. Then they start the processing process again.

[Anonymous No.4422984]

>>4422579
I think you could probably survive that in irl with modern medicine desu.

[Anonymous No.4422990]

>>4419998
So FF7 and FF10 are connected?

[Anonymous No.4422997]

>>4422990
In the sense that they're both steaming piles of shit, yes.

[Anonymous No.4423009]

Let's talk about the parade and how Edeas float was facing the wrong way for the sniper shot.

[Anonymous No.4423042]

>>4422959
Directly telling your student that he's going to fail over and over just doesn't seem like the right move. Everyone just openly displays their contempt for Seifer right off the bat.

[Anonymous No.4423061]

>>4423042
He's an asshole right off the bat so it makes sense.

[Anonymous No.4423064]

>>4423061
But which came first?

[Anonymous No.4423071]

>>4423064
The flashback in Trabia Garden tells us that Seifer was a nigger even as a little kid so I'm going with Seifer.

[Anonymous No.4423150]

>>4419965
It was his last year at the Garden. This was his last shot at becoming a SeeD. He was basically a short-sighted banchō archetype that was destined to be a wash up. He needed to learn his opinions don't matter since he's not the one calling the shots.
His combat skills wouldn't matter if he can't respect authority or the chain-of-command.

[Anonymous No.4423160]

>>4423009
Gee, it's almost like Galbadia Garden saw an opportunity to use Balamb Garden as a scapegoat.

[Anonymous No.4423257]

>>4423150
>This was his last shot at becoming a SeeD
Wait, it was? They said you can stay in the Garden and try to become SeeD until you're 20 and he's only 18

[Anonymous No.4423260]

>>4423257
He was probably on probation already before the game started.

[Anonymous No.4423628]

>>4423257
Right. So only a year left give or take. It's assumed the games starts in March, because of graduation (Japanese School year) and the first Weapons Monthly you get is also the March issue.

We don't really know what the Garden's School year is like. Or if Seifer would continue to have opportunities to become a SeeD. That would be taking things for granted. He'd need to start making other arrangements since he hadn't been approved yet.

[Anonymous No.4423676]

Seifer and Rinoa would never have worked.
Seifer doesn't like dogs.

[Anonymous No.4423741]

>>4422984

There is ZERO way that didn't take out a chunk of his lung

[Anonymous No.4423785]

>>4423741
Okay, so in a world with magic this is easily survivable.

[Anonymous No.4423802]

>>4423785

If you just say magic can fix anything then you remove all tension.

[Anonymous No.4423818]

>>4423802
Disagree. I am talking about healing a not-that-bad of a wound with magic as opposed to making the world all gum drops and lolly pops with magic.

[Anonymous No.4423874]

>>4423628
The game kind of implies that the SeeD exams happen throughout the year, there's also some dialog that suggest that it's a kind of opt-in exam. There's the very missable group of students in the cafeteria that talk about becoming SeeDs during the game, and they eventually do if you keep checking up with them.

My guess is that you just need to pass the written exam (which probably qualifies you for the field exam for a certain amount of time where you'll need to retake it) and the field exam is just a regular mission that needs SeeD assistance, like the Dollet mission was, and the Garden just sends a couple of students along with a not too crucial objective.

[Anonymous No.4423882]

Here is food for thought for people who still take Squall is dead seriously:

When Edea spears Squall through the chest she deliberately hits him in the right side(see pic), this is to keep him alive, left chest = dead, center = risking hitting his heart or cutting off trachea. Now at the time Edea is being possessed by Ultimecia who in turn knows about the prophesy of "legendary SeeDs" from past killing her. But she doesn't know which SeeD's. Because of this "Edeamecia" wants to interrogate Squall to find out more about SeeD and the Garden. She needs to find the people who will stop her reign as Sorceress and kill them. Squall and co. are purposely imprisoned kept alive for this. The reason why they interrogate Squall instead of Quistis or Zell is because the interrogation is done by Seifer as "Edeamecia" is busy organizing the missile strikes against the Gardens. Seifer in turn has a grudge against Squall and personally wants to interrogate him because of this. Also Seifer clearly says that he wanted to start with Squall because he "liked" him so much. This is why Squall's life is spared and why he is interrogated by Seifer who as a former SeeD cadet knew that the leader of the mission was either Squall or Quistis and they would have more information than others.

Also why there even is a reason to explain why Squall's wound is healed as it's made by the most adept magic user in order to incapacitate Squall and not kill him. How does that work? It's magic. How was he healed? It's magic. Magic in a FANTASY game in a world where we have curative spells, Phoenix Downs and stuff like that completely healing those wounds is perfectly reasonable. Also as for the actual wound he doesn't look at his bare chest either, so it could be possible that he does have a scar, it's also possible that whatever means used to heal him didn't leave a scar. The thing is we never get to see if there is a scar in there.

[Anonymous No.4423889]

>>4423882
This is a great post. Should note though that Phoenix Downs reverse K/O aka knocked out as opposed to *DEAD*.

[Anonymous No.4423903]

>>4423889
And Life wakes you up but you're still half asleep whereas Full Life wakes you up fully with lots of energy.

[Anonymous No.4423914]

>>4423889
yeah in the japanese versions the dead status is called incapacitated

[Anonymous No.4424045]

Parade route angles lmao

[Anonymous No.4424367]

>>4402668
It was made by a creative team who was on top of the world after FF7 became a massive success, and they felt like they could do anything they wanted.

As much as I hate the game for being largely incoherent and having dumb mechanics and none of the actual charm, atmosphere or general playability that made FF7 so well-loved, I do appreciate that they tried something different, because they easily could have just phoned it in and made FF7.5 and still gotten plenty of praise.

[Anonymous No.4424928]

Final Fantasy 8's world is so fucking comfy. It's like a mix of 80's/modern/post-modern/sci-fi and it actually feels like a world people would live in and it all works so well.
I've been searching my whole life for an RPG/JRPG with a simialr feeling world to FF8, does anyone know of any at all?

[Anonymous No.4425154]

>>4424928
I felt like there weren't enough locations, honestly. I loved the world, but it felt like it wasn't that evenly distributed. There's only about three towns and then these massive cities. Like where's the small forest town in Esthar's forest? Or the small mountainside village in Trabia? The desert town near the prison?

It felt like you were already past that point where you could only access half of the original accessible locations.

[Anonymous No.4425167]

To answer your question though, there's really not much I can think of off the top of my head. Outside of Romancing SaGa Minstrel Song, SaGa Frontier and Skies of Arcadia. A world that feels alive is one of the things that FF has consistently does well from 7 onwards that people seem to ignore.

[Anonymous No.4425206]

>>4402668
Shrooms we're still legal in Japan when it came out, so probably.

[Anonymous No.4425213]

>>4405078
To be honest, this. Coherent plots were never SE's strong point. Cutscenes were.

[Anonymous No.4425215]

>>4408267
One thing we can all agree on though is that Selphie could literally be deleted from the game and nothing would change.

[Anonymous No.4425217]

>>4408590
>14
>Not 11
Oh no, it's retarded.

[Anonymous No.4425235]

>>4425215
Her and Zell. Zell arguably moreso since Selphie at least had her missile mission.

[Anonymous No.4425251]

>>4425215
Are you fucking retarded? Selphie is one of the best characters? Who would be the messenger in her place?? Who would sing on trains? Who get get fired up to fuck shit up after Galbadia launches missiles? The entire missile base mission was her idea. Who would plan the garden festival? Who would be the most adorable female character in the game? Who would one shot the Omega Weapon? Selphie literally invented the selfie in 1999.

[Anonymous No.4425253]

>>4425235
Pretty sure Zell and his constant bickering is part of the reason why Squall became more social over the course of the game. Somewhat similar to how Naruto kept annoying Sasuke into not being a cunt.

[Anonymous No.4425309]

>>4408590
>14
>10
Not retro you mong.

[Anonymous No.4425390]

>>4423874
According to the classroom terminal:
You need to be 15-19 years old.
Pass the written & field exam
And finally, be approved by the Headmaster.

I think you can talk to Cid "about Seifer" at one point in the orphanage. There might be a clue there.

The misconception is that the point of going to the Garden is to become a SeeD. But SeeDs are just mercenaries for Balamb and Tribia. A venture that Cid proposed to Norg 12 years prior to the game.
Galbadia Garden students are recruited into the Galbadia Army.

[Anonymous No.4425456]

>>4425154
I guess, but FF8 really swaps quantity for quality in my eyes. Look at FF 1-6 and every town is pretty much identical, then look at 7-9 and there aren't as many but they're so much more distinct and memorable. Especially 8.

More than makes up for it for me. I love FF8's world. Mmmmm-mm. Fuckin' buttah.

[Anonymous No.4425651]

Its like Philip K Dick did final fantasy. After no one understood a outside the box plot, they never tried again. Weird modern mystery is way better than the buzzword fest of ff12 and 13

[Anonymous No.4425656]

>>4423818
>I am talking about healing a not-that-bad of a wound with magic

Loosing a third of your torso is THAT BAD an injury

[Anonymous No.4425660]

>>4424928
You could go to France senpai because it's based off locations there / europe major cities in general

[Anonymous No.4425662]

>>4423882
Worst case is squall can never lift that arm over his head because he doesn't have that shoulderblade anymore LOL

[Anonymous No.4426051]

>>4425660
I'm a britfag, maybe that's why I like the world so much

[Anonymous No.4426053]

>>4425456
>Mmmmm-mm. Fuckin' buttah.
Are you fucking autistic?

[Anonymous No.4426056]

>>4425235
>and Zell
Duel is the best limit break in the game though, it can one shot Omega

[Anonymous No.4426063]

>>4407878
not only that, but they're given memory erasing monsters as well
cid is evil

[Anonymous No.4426546]

>>4426056
Zell and Squall's Limit Breaks are too OP. I avoided using them because it just felt like cheesing. Plus they're both just too fucking long.

[Anonymous No.4426557]

IIRC Irvine's limit break has the potential to do the most damage assuming you max out Irvine's strength, buy shitloads of Fast Ammo and tap the R1 button like the motherfucking fist of the north star.

[Anonymous No.4426610]

>>4416975
Weapons were kind of important to Irvine and Selphie too.

Selphie because Strange Vision gives her 255/255 hit rate without junctions.

Irvine because base damage is the single most important stat in rapid ammo's damage calculation, and makes the difference between doing under 400 damage per shot and doing 1200+ per shot.

[Anonymous No.4426621]

>>4426557
Pulse ammo will hit for 10k per hit far before he hits 255 strength. The most I be ever gotten our of a limit break with him was 5 or 6 shots so 50 or 60k. I used to use Zell and Irvine but haven't used them in years so my Irvine/non magic user memory is rusty.

[Anonymous No.4426626]

Playing 8 with Squall + two casters is the way it was meant to be played. Cerberus for double and triple mhmm. Junction Zombie to both of your casters status attack and have the other caster cast Life for mega lol.

[Anonymous No.4426630]

>>4426621
That feeling when I did not even read your whole post. I doubt you can do more than a good set of pulse ammo hits with fast ammo.

[Anonymous No.4426636]

>>4426557
>IIRC Irvine's limit break has the potential to do the most damage
No, it's Zell. By a HUGE margin.
You get fast enough alternating between the first two hits and you can land a million points of damage or more.

[Anonymous No.4426674]

>>4415469

Fun Fact: On the spanish version, Ultimecia is called "Artemisa". Also, in almost every game here, "Ultima" is spelled "Artema", supposedly as a misstranscription from the japanese "Arutema" (Ultima).

[Anonymous No.4426782]

>>4417720
Maybe. Amano's work is pretty out there, and 'adapting' it for pixels probably wasn't easy.

Also, how did the wispy surreal art style of Amano get picked for Final Fantasy in the first place?

Don't get me wrong, I love Amano's art, it's beautiful and moody. I own an art book of his and I would love more, but surely there were artists who were a better fit for square's outings.

[Anonymous No.4426859]

>>4426782
Maybe he was cheap? I just don't get it, you generally want someone who would think outside of the box the way Amano does, but they dumb down his designs so much it's like why even bother. I mean, look at FFV.

The only FF that stays loyal to his art is II.

[Anonymous No.4426863]

Though IX is the one game where I definitely 100% prefer Amano's artwork over what we got. Everyone looks great.

[Anonymous No.4427000]

>>4426863
Disagree. Part of the charm associated with 9 (at least to me) is how cartoony it feels. 9 is the one universe in the series that truly feels magical. This magic would be lost with grittier characters.

[Anonymous No.4427050]

>>4426859
6 is the closest to what a game would look like based entirely off his style.

[Anonymous No.4427074]

>>4426636
Zell’s takes way too long for my taste, I typically bench him. Not saying you’re wrong though

[Anonymous No.4427125]

>>4427050
But Nomura did all the character and monster design on that one, didn't he?

[Anonymous No.4427131]

>>4427125
He is credited with that, sure. But it is very clear who's style he is working in. Given that most of the enemies look like they are taken straight out of an Amano painting.

[Anonymous No.4427145]

>>4426863
I didn't think that it was possible for ff9 characters to look any gayer but here we are. This is gayer than aids.

[Anonymous No.4427153]

>>4427074
Zell's near-infinite damage limit break should be used only in case of Cactuar, Tonberry or Malboro.

[Anonymous No.4427192]

>>4426863
Amano is my favorite of all the character designers FF has had but his art style does not work with Itahana's and Minaba's designs at all which screw you, look great. It makes me sad that Itahana barely gets any work and Minaba is an art slave for shitty mobile games now.

[Anonymous No.4427356]

>Minaba is an art slave for shitty mobile games now.

[Anonymous No.4428218]

I would be a bdsm slave for Quistis desu

[Anonymous No.4428302]

>>4428218
That's Xu's job.

[Anonymous No.4428334]

>>4427050
I love FFVI. I remember going to bed when my older brother was playing it and waking up to the world of ruin the next morning. I didn't believe him when he told me what happened.

[Anonymous No.4428348]

>>4428334
Wish more games had sudden, unexpected tone and setting shifts

[Anonymous No.4428371]

>>4426863
If the game was made in this style it would've gone from 9/10 to 11 for me

[Anonymous No.4428412]

>>4428302
Yes. Oooh Xu could discipline me all day everyday.