The Lessons Not Learned.

[Midareyukki]

We talking the actual FF2, or the horribly mistitled EN FF2 that was actually FF4? Because the actual FF2 was somehow good and terrible at the same time. FF4 I just formed no strong opinions about because it was kinda run of the mill.

As for FF8 - I liked it too, and I enjoyed the junction system. I found it to be a nice way evolution of FF7's materia system, but evidently a lot of people disagreed.

No, actual FF2 xD The one with David Bowie as the main antagonist :^)

The only thing I complain about in FF4 is Rosa. I just... I just didn't like Rosa xD I can't tell you why. I like Edward of all things, not Rosa.
idk, younger me was weird and had a bad impression.

I couldn't grasp the way skills levelled up in FF2, I was super focused still on getting levels for characters, and then I just dropped it halfway. I know how the story ends, but that's bc google exists and I am a gigantic nerd.

I think for FF8 it was a byproduct of both "Draw and Junction having so many effects that people were overwhelmed" and "Quistis's early explanation was super vague and people just didn't get it". And yes, for clarification: I'm spitballing here. All I know is that people found Junction to be complicated in comparison to the past, more straightforward Final Fantasy levelling/skill/stat systems. Justifications, if there were any because some comments just straight up didn't say anything more, were varied.

[Absimiliard]

Developer 1: "Players felt the Junction and GF systems were overly complex. They didn't like it."
Developer 2: "They did? Okay, make something twice as convoluted and put it in FF9."

A conversation that happened. ....Maybe.

On a barely related note, it fascinates me how different FFXI is from all the other titles. Some of this is obviously because it's an MMO (and borrowed heavily from EQ, like nearly all extant MMOs), but even taking that into account it's way off in left field. Some of its mechanics are still interesting to this day. Like magic bursting? I'd have loved to see something akin to that in FFXIV. Many things in XIV were clearly inspired, if not outright taken (then heavily modified) from FFXI. Pity they took so few of the really neat things.

[Thaciscokidd]

Developer 1: "Players felt the Junction and GF systems were overly complex. They didn't like it."

Players felt the Junction and GF systems were overly complex.

The Junction and GF systems were overly complex.

The Junction and GF systems

[VelKallor]

To sum up

The lessen we have learned are :

1. That some people, no matter what is given them, will always sneer and say they can do better.... when they clearly cant. Dont care how many "outlines" you write, when you have the calibre and actual literary capability of writing at Natsuko-san's level, let me know.

I wont be holding my breath.

2. That yes, the story wasnt perfect, nothing ever is, Endwalker, however, stands head and shoulders above other MMO writing, viz the massive praised heaped upon it by multiple sites and venues. I and others have enjoyed it, which stands in stark contrast to the ridiculous claims of one who says "he speaks for many".

No.

3. That some people will again sneer at weapons design submissions..yet cant ....or wont.....show us their own. Jonathon Livingston Seagull defined these people as the ones who enjoy clipping the wings of others...since they themselves cannot fly ( Dont laugh, read the book, you may be very surprised )

4. That some people define "adult" as unable to enjoy simple things, with a grim, humourless , colourless worldview I thank the living God every single day I dont suffer from. The day I stop feeling that sense of wonder, of laughter, the day I cant stop to admire the many glories we see around us with the wonder and discovery of a child, the day i cant sit with a book and die laughing, the day I feel too "adult" to sit in a library and enjoy Goosebumps or Enid Blyton's beautiful books, the day I play the MSQ and spend my time dissecting it to find the flaws according to my "sensibilities of what is proper"....yeah thats the day I stop living.

and last

What lesson was not learned?

We did not learn the lesson offered to us by people who presume that they know better than we ourselves do. When someone sets themselves up as " Do as I say and do what I think, I know whats best for you" ( in this I hark back to an earlier comment where said person was telling us what we SHOULD play instead..that alone is beyond arrogant. Sorry, true.), that anyone could even presume to TRY and know whats best for me is ludicrous in the extreme.

Every game has flaws. Every game has things that we think could be done better, I concur, with the caveat that IF we followed that line, we would be running from pillar to post when said commentators have 10000 different ideas, none of whom can agree on any one point, all of which THEY think is the best course.

Game design by committee??

That way lies utter insanity.

[Absimiliard]

When non-JP people start referring to others, particularly those they've never met and will never in their lives interact with, with the -san suffix, you know the conversation has run its course.

[VelKallor]

When non-JP people start referring to others, particularly those they've never met and will never in their lives interact with, with the -san suffix, you know the conversation has run its course.

Oh please...

One does not have to be Japanese to know and use the proper etiquette for that persons language. People can learn other languages, or hadnt you heard? I studied basic Japanese, and will continue to do so as I plan on traveling there. It helps to be able to think in that language, and to use the proper etiquette naturally...wouldnt you agree?

I know the proper forms of personal address in Russian, German, Greek, Chinese, Japanese, French, Italian, Latin....your point is?

For example: were I to meet her or another Japanese lady. I would NEVER use - chan as a suffix, because THAT is reserved for family or close friends only.

In order to speak a language to an acceptable standard you need to be able to think in it, because your mode of address is unconscious, a learned behaviour in a specific culture.

By the way, you also notice I refer to her as Ishikawa Natsuko-san, which is AGAIN the proper way to address her and refer to her, family name first, first name last

When in Rome...y'know?

[Elissar]

Tbh i never expect anything and i'm always satisfied with almost everything that we have.
Yoshi P already told us that is hard to satisfy every need in only one game.

FFXIV still carries some scars from 1.0 in terms of design or preferences, i do not expect any huge changes in the way they plan and do stuff.



I'm more curious about the next FF MMORPG.

For now, pandaemonium, twelves, island sanctuary, criterion/variant dungeons, sightseeing logs and beast tribes is holding my sub. I won't be hyped for the MSQ until 6.5.

[AwesomeJr44]

By the way, you also notice I refer to her as Ishikawa Natsuko-san, which is AGAIN the proper way to address her and refer to her, family name first, first name last

I can't seem to find where the 'san' part is. The official credits for the game must be referring to her wrong then I suppose. Damn those incorrect credits!!! *shakes fist at the sky*

[VelKallor]

I can't seem to find where the 'san' part is. The official credits for the game must be referring to her wrong then I suppose. Damn those incorrect credits!!! *shakes fist at the sky*

Yeah , see, theres you, and then theres my native speaking Japanese teacher at a famous Australian university.

Which one do YOU think i should listen to?

And then theres this this:

https://90dayjapanese.com/japanese-name/

Also, as you may already know, the surname always precedes the given name when addressing someone’s name in Japanese.

and here

Japanese naming conventions arrange names as follows: [FAMILY NAME] [given name]. For example, YAMAMOTO Yukio (male) and SATŌ Akari (female).
The family name (known as ‘myouji’ or ‘ue no namae’) is inherited patrilineally from one’s father and shared with other siblings. It always comes before the given name.
The given name (known as ‘shita no namae’) is chosen at birth as the individual’s personal identifier.

Why would you use Japanese name order in a different language? All it does is create confusion about which is her first name/surname imo.

Because its the correct usage?

[Ayche]

If I wished to show respect, I would call her Ms. Ishikawa
Play it safe with "Ms." since I am not aware of her marital status.