This page will contain discussion groups about Final Fantasy, as they become available.Final FantasyAmerican box art for Final Fantasy I.Final Fantasy (Japanese: ファイナルファンタジー Fainaru Fantajii) is a popular series of role playing games produced by Square Enix (originally Square Co., Ltd.). It may be the most widely distributed "game series" of all time, including both standard console games and portable games, a massive multiplayer online game, games for mobile phones, a computer-generated movie, two anime series, and an upcoming direct-to-DVD movie. The first installment of the series premiered in Japan in 1987, and Final Fantasy games have subsequently been localized for markets in North America, Europe and Australia, on nearly every modern video game console, including the Nintendo Entertainment System, the MSX2, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, the Sony PlayStation, the WonderSwan Color, the PlayStation 2, IBM PC compatible, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo GameCube, and several different models of mobile phone. Future installments will also appear on the Nintendo DS and PlayStation Portable. It is Square Enix's most successful franchise, having sold over 60 million units worldwide to date. As of early 2005, eleven games have been released as part of the main series, as well as several more spinoffs and related titles. OverviewSquare Co., Ltd. first entered the Japanese video game industry in the mid 1980s, developing a variety of simple RPGs for Nintendo's Famicom Disk System (FDS), a disk-based peripheral for the Family Computer (Famicom, known internationally as the Nintendo Entertainment System). By 1987, declining interest in the FDS had placed Square on the verge of declaring bankruptcy. At approximately the same time, Square designer Hironobu Sakaguchi began work on an ambitious new fantasy role playing game for the cartridge-based Famicom, inspired in part by Enix's popular Dragon Quest (also known as Dragon Warrior). Recognizing that the project could very well turn out to be Square's last game, the project was entitled Final Fantasy. Far from being Square's last hurrah, however, Final Fantasy I reversed Square's lagging fortunes, and became Square's flagship franchise. Following the success of the first game, Square quickly began work on a sequel. Unlike a typical sequel, Final Fantasy II featured entirely different characters, with a setting and story bearing only thematic similarities to its predecessor. This unusual approach to sequels has continued throughout the series, with each Final Fantasy game introducing a new world, and a new system of gameplay. Many elements and themes would recur throughout the series, but there would be no direct sequels until the release of Final Fantasy X-2 in 2003. In a way, the Final Fantasy franchise has been a creative showcase for Square's developers, and many elements originally introduced in the series have made their way into Square's other titles, most notably two of its other major franchises, SaGa and Seiken Densetsu. Common themesAirships have appeared in every Final Fantasy game (Final Fantasy IV shown).Though each Final Fantasy story is independent, many themes and elements of gameplay recur throughout the series. From the strong influence of history, literature, religion and mythology on the story to the frequent reappearance of certain monsters and items, these shared elements provide a unifying framework to the series. Some key objects and concepts that have appeared in more than one Final Fantasy game include:
Design
Artistic design, including character and monster design work, was handled by renowned Japanese artist Yoshitaka Amano from Final Fantasy I through Final Fantasy VI. Following Amano's departure, he was replaced with Tetsuya Nomura, who continued to work with the series through Final Fantasy X, with the exception of Final Fantasy IX, where character design was handled by Shukou Murase, Toshiyuki Itahana and Shin Nagasawa. Akihiko Yoshida, who served as character designer for the spinoff title Final Fantasy Tactics, as well as the Square-produced Vagrant Story, has been announced as the designer of the upcoming Final Fantasy XII. In October 2003, Kazushige Nojima, the series' principle scenario writer, resigned from Square Enix to form his own company, Stellavista. He partially or completely wrote the stories for Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VIII, Final Fantasy IX, Final Fantasy X, and Final Fantasy X-2. Square Enix continues to outsource story and scenario work to Nojima and Stellavista. Music
Nobuo Uematsu was the chief music composer of the Final Fantasy series until his resignation from Square Enix in November 2004. His music has played a large part in the popularity of the Final Fantasy franchise abroad. In the 2004 Summer Olympics, the American synchronized swimming duo consisting of Alison Bartosik and Anna Kozlova were awarded the bronze medal for their performance to music from Final Fantasy VIII. Uematsu is also involved with the rock group The Black Mages, which has released two albums of arranged Final Fantasy tunes. Other composers who have contributed to the series include Masashi Hamauzu and Junya Nakano. Final Fantasy soundtracks and sheet music are increasingly popular amongst non-Japanese Final Fantasy fans and have even been performed by the London Symphony Orchestra. On November 17, 2003, Square Enix U.S.A. launched an America Online radio station dedicated to music from the Final Fantasy series, initially carrying complete tracks from Final Fantasy XI in addition to samplings from Final Fantasy VII through Final Fantasy X. Many video game and MIDI world wide web sites offer renditions of Final Fantasy musical pieces. An orchestral Final Fantasy music concert in the United States was performed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra at Walt Disney Concert Hall on May 10, 2004. That concert was a three-day sell out. The next performance was February 19, 2005 in Rosemont, Illinois by the Chicagoland Pops Orchestra, and currently, as of 2005, the "Dear Friends" concert is on tour in the US. Music from Final Fantasy was first performed outside of Japan as a part of the Symphonic Game Music Concert series in Germany. The Final Fantasy soundtracks have also joined the catalogue of the iTunes Music Store. While the music in games offers wide variety, there are some frequently reused themes. The games often open with a piece called Prelude, which was a simple arpeggio theme in the early parts, with further melody parts added in latter installments. The Prelude is actually based off of Bach's piece by the same name. The battle sequences that end in victory for the player in the first ten installments of the series would be accompanied by a victory fanfare that used the same nine-note sequence to begin the fanfare, and it has become one of the most recognized pieces of music relating to the Final Fantasy series. Graphics and technologyThe 8-bit and 16-bit generationsFinal Fantasy began on the Nintendo Family Computer ("Famicom," known internationally as the Nintendo Entertainment System) as Final Fantasy I in 1987, and was joined by two sequels, Final Fantasy II and Final Fantasy III, over the next three years. On the main world screen, small sprite representations of the leading party member were displayed because of graphical limitations, while in battle screens, more detailed, full versions of all characters would appear in a side view perspective. The same basic system was used in the next three games, Final Fantasy IV, Final Fantasy V, and Final Fantasy VI, for the Super Famicom (known internationally as the Super Nintendo Entertainment System). These games utilized updated graphics and effects, as well as higher quality music and sound than in previous games, but were otherwise similar to their predecessors in basic design. The text of the Japanese language versions of early Final Fantasy games was comprised purely of kana. Much of the dialogue was simply clumps of text, making it especially hard for older gamers and foreigners learning Japanese. Finally, in Final Fantasy V, the games began to use kanji. This would continue to get more advanced in Final Fantasy VI, and the trend would continue to make the games much more erudite. CD/DVD-based generationsFinal Fantasy VII was the first game in the series to incorporate full motion video.1997 saw the release of Final Fantasy VII for the Sony PlayStation and not Nintendo 64 as originally anticipated. The characters and entire game world were now 3-dimensional, with fully pre-rendered backgrounds. Final Fantasy VII was also the first Final Fantasy game to use full motion video sequences, part of the reason why the game spanned a full three CD-ROMs. However, Final Fantasy VII's FMVs often lacked consistency, with characters appearing tiny and very indistinct in one scene, and extremely detailed in the next. Released shortly after Final Fantasy VII, the spinoff title Final Fantasy Tactics, once again utilized sprites for the characters. As the only real user-interaction outside of battle was menu-driven, the developers saw no need for fully 3D-rendered overhead graphics. Starting with Final Fantasy VIII, the series adopted a more photo-realistic look. The full motion video sequences utilized a display technique wherein video would play in the background while the polygon characters would be composited on top. Final Fantasy IX returned briefly to the more stylized design of earlier games in the series, but maintained most of the graphical techniques utilized in the previous two games in the series. Final Fantasy X was released on the PlayStation 2, and made use of the more powerful hardware to render certain cutscenes in real-time, rather than displayed in pre-rendered video. Final Fantasy X was the first game in the series to use voice overs to any degree. Final Fantasy X-2 utilized the same game engine as Final Fantasy X, and was aesthetically not much different. GameplayGame screensThe games typically have several types of screens, or modes of interaction, broadly categorized as:
The games often feature various minigames with their own graphical engines. Battle systemFinal Fantasy borrowed many gameplay elements from its primary rival, the Dragon Quest franchise. As such, Final Fantasy uses a menu-driven, turn-based battle system. Most games in the series utilize an experience level system for character advancement (although Final Fantasy II did not), and a point-based system for casting magical spells (though Final Fantasy I, Final Fantasy III and Final Fantasy VIII all featured different approaches). Most games in the series (from Final Fantasy III on) feature a variety of "special commands," over and beyond the traditional "Attack," "Defend," "Cast Magic," and "Run" battle commands, such as the ability to steal items from enemies, or performing a leap attack. Often these special attacks are integrated into the "job system," which has appeared in several games in the series (Final Fantasy III, Final Fantasy V, Final Fantasy Tactics, Final Fantasy X-2). Final Fantasy I through Final Fantasy III all featured a traditional turn based battle system. The player would input all battle commands at the beginning of each combat round, which would then be carried out based on the speed rating of each character. Starting with Final Fantasy IV, and continuing until Final Fantasy IX (and revived in Final Fantasy X-2), the "Active Time Battle" (ATB) system was introduced. The ATB system was semi-real time, and afforded every creature in combat a time gauge. When a specific character's time gauge was filled, the character could act, which would then reset the timer. Generally each of these games included both "active" and "wait" modes: when "wait" mode was chosen, then all activity relating to the time gauge would pause whenever the player was using a submenu to choose a magic spell, item, or special attack. Final Fantasy X abandoned the ATB system in favor of the "Conditional Turn-Based Battle System" (CTB). In the CTB system, every creature in battle would be ranked according to speed. As this ranking was displayed on screen during battle, it was possible to know when a character and/or enemy would move several combat turns in advance, and to plan battles accordingly. Final Fantasy XI featured a fully real time combat system similar to that employed by the game EverQuest: when confronted with an enemy, a character would automatically perform basic physical attacks unless otherwise instructed by the player. Early details suggest Final Fantasy XII will adopt a similar system. Unlike previous games, battles in both Final Fantasy XI and Final Fantasy XII take place on the world map, with no separate battle screen. CriticsAlthough the franchise is extremely popular, it is not without critics. Some cite a lack of interactivity (overuse of full motion video), rigid and often linear story structure, and unoriginality. More recent installments of the series (following its premiere on the Sony PlayStation in 1997) are especially attacked by critics within the video game community. Nintendo's Legend of Zelda, Konami's Suikoden, and Square Enix's own Dragon Quest franchises are strong competitors of Final Fantasy. Fans of these games often argue that the nostalgia factor plays a significant role in many of the negative critical responses to post-Final Fantasy VII installments. Of the more recent installments in the series, Final Fantasy XI and Final Fantasy X-2 have been most frequently singled out for criticism. A number of diehard fans have accused Final Fantasy XI for neglecting the traditions of the series by switching to a massively multiplayer online format. On the other hand, the single-player Final Fantasy X-2 has attracted negative attention for its status as the first direct sequel to a previous Final Fantasy game, and for its supposed overreliance on fan service. The gamesNote on numbering systemOriginally, Final Fantasy II and III for the Famicom and V for the Super Famicom were not released in America, so Square of America decided to change the numbers of the US releases to hide this fact. Final Fantasy IV became "II" and VI became "III". Starting with Final Fantasy VII the pretense was dropped, and all subsequent games used their original numbering, leading to an apparent "jump" over 3 games. This has been a source of much confusion, with many American fans continuing to refer to IV and VI by their American numbers. To solve this, many fans use the disambiguating suffixes "us" and "j" for American numbering and Japanese numbering respectively, e.g. FF3us or FF6j. Later ports include translations of the Japanese games with their original numbering. Final Fantasy IV was released in Final Fantasy Chronicles for the PlayStation, while Final Fantasy V and VI were released in Final Fantasy Anthology for PlayStation. The original Final Fantasy I and Final Fantasy II are released in Final Fantasy Origins, and for the Game Boy Advance as Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls. Final Fantasy III has not yet officially been released in the US, and never rereleased on any platform in any market, but Square-Enix currently plans to release it for the Nintendo DS. Main series
Direct sequels, spin-offs, and related gamesUntil the release of Final Fantasy X-2 the idea of a "direct sequel," that is, a game which picked up directly from the story of a previous game in the series, was unprecedented in the series. Starting with that game, however, several such sequels emerged, especially the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII series of games/movies, all of which continue the story of the game Final Fantasy VII. This is most likely a result of the merger with Enix, which was well-known for producing sequels and spinoffs associated with the Dragon Quest series.
Compilations and collections
Final Fantasy in other media
This page about Final Fantasy includes information from a Wikipedia article. Additional articles about Final Fantasy News stories about Final Fantasy External links for Final Fantasy Videos for Final Fantasy Wikis about Final Fantasy Discussion Groups about Final Fantasy Blogs about Final Fantasy Images of Final Fantasy |
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This is most likely a result of the merger with Enix, which was well-known for producing sequels and spinoffs associated with the Dragon Quest series. The CNN Center headquarters is located in Atlanta, GA. Starting with that game, however, several such sequels emerged, especially the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII series of games/movies, all of which continue the story of the game Final Fantasy VII. Georgia is also home to Ted Turner, who founded TBS, TNT, and CNN, among others. Until the release of Final Fantasy X-2 the idea of a "direct sequel," that is, a game which picked up directly from the story of a previous game in the series, was unprecedented in the series. state). The original Final Fantasy I and Final Fantasy II are released in Final Fantasy Origins, and for the Game Boy Advance as Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls. Final Fantasy III has not yet officially been released in the US, and never rereleased on any platform in any market, but Square-Enix currently plans to release it for the Nintendo DS. See also List of radio stations in Georgia (U.S. Final Fantasy IV was released in Final Fantasy Chronicles for the PlayStation, while Final Fantasy V and VI were released in Final Fantasy Anthology for PlayStation. It also operates, in whole or in part, several radio stations as Georgia Public Radio (GPR). Later ports include translations of the Japanese games with their original numbering. Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB) operates nine major educational television stations across the state as Georgia Public Broadcasting Television. FF3us or FF6j. The three largest Protestant denominations in Georgia are: Baptist (51% of total state population), Methodist (12%), Presbyterian & Pentecostal & Episcopalian (tied 2%). To solve this, many fans use the disambiguating suffixes "us" and "j" for American numbering and Japanese numbering respectively, e.g. Religiously, Georgia is overwhelmingly Protestant:. This has been a source of much confusion, with many American fans continuing to refer to IV and VI by their American numbers. Females made up approximately 50.8% of the population. Starting with Final Fantasy VII the pretense was dropped, and all subsequent games used their original numbering, leading to an apparent "jump" over 3 games. 7.3% of its population were reported as under 5 years of age, 26.5% under 18, and 9.6% were 65 or older. Final Fantasy IV became "II" and VI became "III". Racially, Georgia is:. Originally, Final Fantasy II and III for the Famicom and V for the Super Famicom were not released in America, so Square of America decided to change the numbers of the US releases to hide this fact. More than half of the state's population lives in the Atlanta metro area.
Fans of these games often argue that the nostalgia factor plays a significant role in many of the negative critical responses to post-Final Fantasy VII installments. Its per capita personal income for 2003 put it 31st in the nation at $29,000. Nintendo's Legend of Zelda, Konami's Suikoden, and Square Enix's own Dragon Quest franchises are strong competitors of Final Fantasy. Georgia's 2003 total gross state product was $320 billion. More recent installments of the series (following its premiere on the Sony PlayStation in 1997) are especially attacked by critics within the video game community. Several highways and short line railroads also traverse the state. Some cite a lack of interactivity (overuse of full motion video), rigid and often linear story structure, and unoriginality. Atlanta is still a major railroad hub for CSX and Norfolk Southern, in addition to being a major airport hub now as well. Although the franchise is extremely popular, it is not without critics. Georgia is also the largest state east of the Mississippi River, since West Virginia seceded from Virginia during the Civil War. Unlike previous games, battles in both Final Fantasy XI and Final Fantasy XII take place on the world map, with no separate battle screen. The state is an important producer of cotton, tobacco, and forest products, notably the so-called "naval stores" such as turpentine and rosin from the pine forests. Early details suggest Final Fantasy XII will adopt a similar system. The capital is Atlanta, in the central part of northern Georgia, and the peach is a symbol of the state. Final Fantasy XI featured a fully real time combat system similar to that employed by the game EverQuest: when confronted with an enemy, a character would automatically perform basic physical attacks unless otherwise instructed by the player. The highest point in Georgia is Brasstown Bald, 4784 feet (1458 m); the lowest point is sea level. As this ranking was displayed on screen during battle, it was possible to know when a character and/or enemy would move several combat turns in advance, and to plan battles accordingly. The central piedmont extends from the foothills to the fall line, where the rivers cascade down in elevation to the continental coastal plain of the southern part of the state. In the CTB system, every creature in battle would be ranked according to speed. The northern part of the state is in the Blue Ridge Mountains, a mountain range in the mountain system of the Appalachians. Final Fantasy X abandoned the ATB system in favor of the "Conditional Turn-Based Battle System" (CTB). Georgia is bordered on the south by Florida, on the east by the Atlantic Ocean and South Carolina, on the west by Alabama, and on the north by Tennessee and North Carolina. Generally each of these games included both "active" and "wait" modes: when "wait" mode was chosen, then all activity relating to the time gauge would pause whenever the player was using a submenu to choose a magic spell, item, or special attack. (See: list of Georgia counties.). When a specific character's time gauge was filled, the character could act, which would then reset the timer. There is no true metropolitan government in Georgia, though the Atlanta Regional Commission and Georgia Regional Transportation Authority do provide some regional services, and the ARC must approve all major land development projects in metro Atlanta. The ATB system was semi-real time, and afforded every creature in combat a time gauge. All taxes are collected by the state and then properly distributed according to any agreements that each county has with its cities. Starting with Final Fantasy IV, and continuing until Final Fantasy IX (and revived in Final Fantasy X-2), the "Active Time Battle" (ATB) system was introduced. Up to 1% of a SPLOST can go to homestead exemptions. The player would input all battle commands at the beginning of each combat round, which would then be carried out based on the speed rating of each character. Local taxes are almost always charged on groceries but never prescriptions. Final Fantasy I through Final Fantasy III all featured a traditional turn based battle system. Counties participating in MARTA have another 1%, the city of Atlanta (in two counties) has the only city sales tax (1%, total 8%) for fixing its old sewers. Often these special attacks are integrated into the "job system," which has appeared in several games in the series (Final Fantasy III, Final Fantasy V, Final Fantasy Tactics, Final Fantasy X-2). Each county may add up to a 2% SPLOST. Most games in the series (from Final Fantasy III on) feature a variety of "special commands," over and beyond the traditional "Attack," "Defend," "Cast Magic," and "Run" battle commands, such as the ability to steal items from enemies, or performing a leap attack. Georgia has a modest income tax and a 4% state sales tax, which is not applied to groceries or prescription drugs. Most games in the series utilize an experience level system for character advancement (although Final Fantasy II did not), and a point-based system for casting magical spells (though Final Fantasy I, Final Fantasy III and Final Fantasy VIII all featured different approaches). So far, only Columbus, Augusta, and Athens have done this. As such, Final Fantasy uses a menu-driven, turn-based battle system. Georgia does not provide for townships or independent cities, but does allow consolidated city-county governments by local referendum. Final Fantasy borrowed many gameplay elements from its primary rival, the Dragon Quest franchise. Conversely, the city of Sandy Springs is one of the largest in the state (over 80,000), but is not legally so since it is not yet incorporated, although a referendum is planned for the summer of 2005. The games often feature various minigames with their own graphical engines. Every incorporated town, no matter how small, is legally a city. The games typically have several types of screens, or modes of interaction, broadly categorized as:. Besides the counties, Georgia only defines cities as local units of government.
Final Fantasy IX returned briefly to the more stylized design of earlier games in the series, but maintained most of the graphical techniques utilized in the previous two games in the series. Before 1932, there were 161, with Milton and Campbell being merged into Fulton at the end of 1931, during the Great Depression. The full motion video sequences utilized a display technique wherein video would play in the background while the polygon characters would be composited on top. Georgia also has 159 counties, the most of any state except Texas (254). Starting with Final Fantasy VIII, the series adopted a more photo-realistic look. House of Representatives. As the only real user-interaction outside of battle was menu-driven, the developers saw no need for fully 3D-rendered overhead graphics. As of the 2001 reapportionment, the state has 13 congressmen and women in the U.S. Released shortly after Final Fantasy VII, the spinoff title Final Fantasy Tactics, once again utilized sprites for the characters. senators are Saxby Chambliss (Republican) and Johnny Isakson (Republican). However, Final Fantasy VII's FMVs often lacked consistency, with characters appearing tiny and very indistinct in one scene, and extremely detailed in the next. At the federal level, Georgia's two U.S. Final Fantasy VII was also the first Final Fantasy game to use full motion video sequences, part of the reason why the game spanned a full three CD-ROMs. Judges for the smaller courts are elected by the state's citizens who live within that court's jurisdiction to four-year terms. The characters and entire game world were now 3-dimensional, with fully pre-rendered backgrounds. Justices of the Supreme Court and Judges of the Court of Appeals are elected statewide by the citizens in non-partisan elections to six-year terms. 1997 saw the release of Final Fantasy VII for the Sony PlayStation and not Nintendo 64 as originally anticipated. In addition, there are smaller courts which have more limited geographical jurisdiction, including State Courts, Superior Courts, Magistrate Courts and Probate Courts. This would continue to get more advanced in Final Fantasy VI, and the trend would continue to make the games much more erudite. State Judicial authority rests with the state Supreme Court and Court of Appeals, which have statewide authority. Finally, in Final Fantasy V, the games began to use kanji. The state Constitution mandates a maximum of 56 Senators, elected from single-member districts, and a minimum of 180 Representatives, apportioned among representative districts (which sometimes results in more than one Representative per district); there are currently 56 Senators and 180 Representatives. The term of office for Senators and Representatives is two years. Much of the dialogue was simply clumps of text, making it especially hard for older gamers and foreigners learning Japanese. The Lieutenant Governor presides over the Senate, while the House of Representatives selects their own Speaker. The text of the Japanese language versions of early Final Fantasy games was comprised purely of kana. Legislative authority resides in the General Assembly, composed of the Senate and House of Representatives. These games utilized updated graphics and effects, as well as higher quality music and sound than in previous games, but were otherwise similar to their predecessors in basic design. (See: list of Georgia governors.). The same basic system was used in the next three games, Final Fantasy IV, Final Fantasy V, and Final Fantasy VI, for the Super Famicom (known internationally as the Super Nintendo Entertainment System). States, most of the executive officials who comprise the governor's cabinet are elected by the citizens of Georgia, rather than appointed by the governor. On the main world screen, small sprite representations of the leading party member were displayed because of graphical limitations, while in battle screens, more detailed, full versions of all characters would appear in a side view perspective. Unlike the federal government, but like many other U.S. Final Fantasy began on the Nintendo Family
Computer ("Famicom," known internationally as the Nintendo Entertainment System) as Final Fantasy I in 1987, and was joined by two sequels,
Final Fantasy II and Final Fantasy III, over the next three years. Both the governor and lieutenant governor are elected to four-year terms of office. The games often open with a piece called Prelude, which was a simple arpeggio theme in the early parts, with further melody parts added in latter installments. As with all other U.S. While the music in games offers wide variety, there are some frequently reused themes. The state capital is Atlanta. The Final Fantasy soundtracks have also joined the catalogue of the iTunes Music Store. For over 130 years, from 1872 to 2003, Georgians only elected Democratic governors, and Democrats held the majority of seats in the General Assembly. Music from Final Fantasy was first performed outside of Japan as a part of the Symphonic Game Music Concert series in Germany. Until recently, Georgia's state government had the longest unbroken record of single-party dominance of any state in the Union. The next performance was February 19, 2005 in Rosemont, Illinois by the Chicagoland Pops Orchestra, and currently, as of 2005, the "Dear Friends" concert is on tour in the US. The state's legislature also met at other temporary sites, including Macon, especially during the Civil War. That concert was a three-day sell out. Georgia has had five "permanent" state capitals: colonial Savannah, which later alternated with Augusta; then for a decade at Louisville (pron. Lewis-ville), and from 1806 through the American Civil War at Milledgeville. An orchestral Final Fantasy music concert in the United States was performed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra at Walt Disney Concert Hall on May 10, 2004. state to approve a literature censorship board in the United States. Many video game and MIDI world wide web sites offer renditions of Final Fantasy musical pieces. On February 19, 1953 Georgia became the first U.S. launched an America Online radio station dedicated to music from the Final Fantasy series, initially carrying complete tracks from Final Fantasy XI in addition to samplings from Final Fantasy VII through Final Fantasy X. On July 15, 1870, following Reconstruction, Georgia became the last former Confederate state to be readmitted to the Union. On November 17, 2003, Square Enix U.S.A. This event served as the historical background for the book and movie Gone With the Wind. Final Fantasy soundtracks and sheet music are increasingly popular amongst non-Japanese Final Fantasy fans and have even been performed by the London Symphony Orchestra. In December 1864, a large swath of the state was destroyed during General William Tecumseh Sherman's March to the Sea. Other composers who have contributed to the series include Masashi Hamauzu and Junya Nakano. On January 18, 1861 Georgia joined the Confederacy and became a major theater of the American Civil War. Uematsu is also involved with the rock group The Black Mages, which has released two albums of arranged Final Fantasy tunes. This day is now known as Georgia Day, which is not a public holiday, but is mainly observed in schools and by some local civic groups. In the 2004 Summer Olympics, the American synchronized swimming duo consisting of Alison Bartosik and Anna Kozlova were awarded the bronze medal for their performance to music from Final Fantasy VIII. Massive British settlement began in the early 1730s with James Oglethorpe, an Englishman in the British parliament, who promoted the idea that the area be used to settle people in a debtors' prison. On February 12, 1733, the first settlers landed in the HMS Anne at what was to become the city of Savannah. His music has played a large part in the popularity of the Final Fantasy franchise abroad. In 1724, it was first suggested that what was by then a British colony be called Province of Georgia in honor of King George II. Nobuo Uematsu was the chief music composer of the Final Fantasy series until his resignation from Square Enix in November 2004. The conflict between Spain and Britain over control of Georgia began in earnest in about 1670, when the British, moving south from their Carolina colony in present-day South Carolina met the Spanish moving north from their base in Florida. Square Enix continues to outsource story and scenario work to Nojima and Stellavista. The local moundbuilder culture, described by Hernando de Soto in 1540, had completely disappeared by 1560. He partially or completely wrote the stories for Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VIII, Final Fantasy IX, Final Fantasy X, and Final Fantasy X-2. Early on, a number of Spanish explorers visited the inland region of Georgia, leaving a trail of destruction behind them. In October 2003, Kazushige Nojima, the series' principle scenario writer, resigned from Square Enix to form his own company, Stellavista. Main article: History of Georgia. Akihiko Yoshida, who served as character designer for the spinoff title Final Fantasy Tactics, as well as the Square-produced Vagrant Story, has been announced as the designer of the upcoming Final Fantasy XII. Navy ships have been named USS Georgia in honor of this state. Following Amano's departure, he was replaced with Tetsuya Nomura, who continued to work with the series through Final Fantasy X, with the exception of Final Fantasy IX, where character design was handled by Shukou Murase, Toshiyuki Itahana and Shin Nagasawa. Several U.S. Artistic design, including character and monster design work, was handled by renowned Japanese artist Yoshitaka Amano from Final Fantasy I through Final Fantasy VI. The state tree is the Southern live oak (Quercus virginiana), the state bird is the brown thrasher (Toxostoma rufum), and the state flower is the cherokee rose (Rosa laevigata). Some key objects and concepts that have appeared in more than one Final Fantasy game include:. Ray Charles sang it on the legislative floor when the bill passed. From the strong influence of history, literature, religion and mythology on the story to the frequent reappearance of certain monsters and items, these shared elements provide a unifying framework to the series. The state song, Georgia on My Mind by Hoagy Carmichael was originally written about a woman of that name, but after Georgia native Ray Charles sang it, the state legislature voted it the state song. Though each Final Fantasy story is independent, many themes and elements of gameplay recur throughout the series. Georgia is also known as the Peach State or Empire State of the South . In a way, the Final Fantasy franchise has been a creative showcase for Square's developers, and many elements originally introduced in the series have made their way into Square's other titles, most notably two of its other major franchises, SaGa and Seiken Densetsu. Georgia is one of the fastest growing states in the nation, with an estimated 8,829,383 people in 2004. Many elements and themes would recur throughout the series, but there would be no direct sequels until the release of Final Fantasy X-2 in 2003. Georgia's population in 2000 was 8,186,453 (U.S. Census). This unusual approach to sequels has continued throughout the series, with each Final Fantasy game introducing a new world, and a new system of gameplay. It was the thirteenth colony and became the fourth state, ratifying the United States Constitution on January 2, 1788. Following the success of the first game, Square quickly began work on a sequel. Unlike a typical sequel, Final Fantasy II featured entirely different characters, with a setting and story bearing only thematic similarities to its predecessor. Georgia was one of the thirteen colonies that revolted against British rule in the American Revolution. Far from being Square's last hurrah, however, Final Fantasy I reversed Square's lagging fortunes, and became Square's flagship franchise. postal abbreviation is GA. Recognizing that the project could very well turn out to be Square's last game, the project was entitled Final Fantasy. Georgia is a southern state of the United States and its U.S. At approximately the same time, Square designer Hironobu Sakaguchi began work on an ambitious new fantasy role playing game for the cartridge-based Famicom, inspired in part by Enix's popular Dragon Quest (also known as Dragon Warrior). Non-Religious 5%. By 1987, declining interest in the FDS had placed Square on the verge of declaring bankruptcy. Other Religions 1%. first entered the Japanese video game industry in the mid 1980s, developing a variety of simple RPGs for Nintendo's Famicom Disk System (FDS), a disk-based peripheral for the Family Computer (Famicom, known internationally as the Nintendo Entertainment System). Other Christian 1%. Square Co., Ltd. Roman Catholic 6%. As of early 2005, eleven games have been released as part of the main series, as well as several more spinoffs and related titles. Protestant 84%. It is Square Enix's most successful franchise, having sold over 60 million units worldwide to date. 1.4% Mixed race. Future installments will also appear on the Nintendo DS and PlayStation Portable. 0.3% American Indian. The first installment of the series premiered in Japan in 1987, and Final Fantasy games have subsequently been localized for markets in North America, Europe and Australia, on nearly every modern video game console, including the Nintendo Entertainment System, the MSX2, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, the Sony PlayStation, the WonderSwan Color, the PlayStation 2, IBM PC compatible, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo GameCube, and several different models of mobile phone. 2.1% Asian. It may be the most widely distributed "game series" of all time, including both standard console games and portable games, a massive multiplayer online game, games for mobile phones, a computer-generated movie, two anime series, and an upcoming direct-to-DVD movie. 5.3% Hispanic. Final Fantasy (Japanese: ファイナルファンタジー Fainaru Fantajii) is a popular series of role playing games produced by Square Enix (originally Square Co., Ltd.). 28.7% Black. Part of the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII series. 62.6% White non-Hispanic. Cell-based OAV serving as a prequel to Final Fantasy VII from Zack's point of view. Interstate 285 (the Perimeter around Atlanta). Last Order: Final Fantasy VII — forthcoming
Part of the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII series. Interstate 85, Interstate 185, Interstate 985. CGI OAV serving as a sequel to Final Fantasy VII. Interstate 75, Interstate 475, Interstate 575. Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children — forthcoming
Original 25 episode television anime series featuring concepts and creatures from the Final Fantasy games. Interstate 16, Interstate 516. Final Fantasy: Unlimited — 2001
Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within — 2001
Released in Japan as Final Fantasy I & II Advance. Remake of Final Fantasy I and Final Fantasy II with bonus quests and dungeons. Final Fantasy I & II: Dawn of Souls — 2004 — Nintendo Game Boy Advance
Compilation of the PlayStation remakes of Final Fantasy I and Final Fantasy II in special edition packaging with omake extras, under the title Final Fantasy I+II Premium Package. Final Fantasy Origins — 2002 — Sony PlayStation
European version – released in 2002, a compilation of the PlayStation remakes of Final Fantasy IV and Final Fantasy V. North American version – released in 1999, a compilation of the PlayStation remakes of Final Fantasy V and Final Fantasy VI with a special edition soundtrack CD. Final Fantasy Anthology — 1999/2002 — Sony PlayStation
Compilation of the PlayStation remakes of Final Fantasy IV, Final Fantasy V and Final Fantasy VI in special edition packaging with omake extras. Final Fantasy Collection — 1999 — Sony PlayStation
Final Fantasy I.II — 1994 — Nintendo Family Computer
Compilation of Final Fantasy VII series
Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles — 2003 — Nintendo GameCube. Including Weapons, Moogles, and Items. Features Cloud, Yuffie, Cid, Aerith, Sephiroth from Final Fantasy VII, Squall and Selphie from Final Fantasy VIII, Tidus and Wakka from Final Fantasy X, As well as many other references to previous Final Fantasy Games. Sequel Currently in Production. Game created by a working group of both Square and Disney. Kingdom Hearts — 2002 — Sony PlayStation 2
Ehrgeiz — 1998 — Sony PlayStation
Racing game featuring characters from both Chocobo's Mysterious Dungeon and the Final Fantasy series. Chocobo Racing — 1999 — Sony PlayStation
Remade for the Bandai WonderSwan in 1999. Never released in North America or Europe. Chocobo's Mysterious Dungeon — 1997 — Sony PlayStation
Final Fantasy Tactics Advance — 2003 — Nintendo Game Boy Advance. Final Fantasy Tactics — 1997 — Sony PlayStation. Final Fantasy Tactics series
Final Fantasy Mystic Quest — 1992 — Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Released in North America as Final Fantasy Legend III. SaGa III — 1993 — Nintendo Game Boy
Remade for the WonderSwan Color in 2002. Released in North America as Final Fantasy Legend. Makaitoushi SaGa — 1989 — Nintendo Game Boy
Final Fantasy XII — 2005 (announced) — Sony PlayStation 2. Rise of the Zilart and Chains of Promathia were both included in the European release of the game in 2004. Rise of the Zilart was included as part of the original North American release of the game in 2003. Two expansion packs have been released: Final Fantasy XI: Rise of the Zilart (2003) and Final Fantasy XI: Chains of Promathia (2004). Also known as Final Fantasy XI Online: it is the first MMORPG in the series. At E3 2005, an Xbox 360 port was announced. Ported to the PC in 2003. Final Fantasy XI — 2002 — Sony PlayStation 2
Not to be confused with the SGI demo produced alternatively called either Final Fantasy X or Final Fantasy SGI. Expanded "international edition" released for the PlayStation 2 in 2002. Final Fantasy X — 2001 — Sony PlayStation 2
Ported to the PC in 1999. Final Fantasy VIII — 1999 — Sony PlayStation
Ported to the PC in 1998. Expanded "international edition" released for the PlayStation in 1998. Final Fantasy VII — 1997 — Sony PlayStation
Included as part of Final Fantasy Anthology (North American version only). Ported to the Sony PlayStation in 1999. Originally released in North America as Final Fantasy III. Final Fantasy VI — 1994 — Nintendo Super Famicom/Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Included as part of Final Fantasy Anthology (North America and Europe). Ported to the Sony PlayStation in 1998. Unofficially translated by RPGe (1998). Original version was never released in North America or Europe. Final Fantasy V — 1992 — Nintendo Super Famicom
Remade and edited to reduce difficulty level as Final Fantasy IV Easytype (1992). Originally released in North America as Final Fantasy II. Final Fantasy IV — 1991 — Nintendo Super Famicom/Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Original version was never released in North America or Europe. Final Fantasy III — 1990 — Nintendo Family Computer
Reissued with Final Fantasy II as part of Final Fantasy I.II for the Family Computer in 1994. Original version was never released in North America or Europe. Final Fantasy II — 1988 — Nintendo Family Computer
Remade for the CDMA 1X WIN W21x series of mobile phones as Final Fantasy EZ. Remade for NTT DoCoMo FOMA 900i series of mobile phones as Final Fantasy i. Remade for the MSX2 in 1989, the WonderSwan Color in 2000, and the Sony PlayStation in 2002. Reissued with Final Fantasy II as part of Final Fantasy I.II for the Family Computer in 1994. Original version was released in Japan and North America, but not Europe. Final Fantasy I — 1987 — Nintendo Family Computer/Nintendo Entertainment System
Menu Screen — This screen is used for navigating your party's status, equipment, magic, etc. In some cases, pre-rendered video was overlaid with real-time rendered field screen graphics (FMV-3D). They can either be pre-rendered video (FMV), or they can be executed in with the same engine as the field screens. Cutscenes — These scenes are non-interactive playback that usually advances the plot. The world screen was eliminated in Final Fantasy X. These are usually not to scale, as a character may appear the size of a small mountain. Relatively little plot occurs here, but there are exceptions. World screen — A low-scale screen used to symbolize traveling great distances in times that would otherwise slow the game down unacceptably plot-wise. Final Fantasy XII will do away with "scene-battles": battle sequences will occur on the main field screen. In Final Fantasy VII and later, these screens are fully 3D, but very restricted in size. (For example, a random battle in a desert gets a desert backdrop.) Plot-relevant battles (as opposed to battling random monsters) may have a specially built battle screen/arena, however. Battle screens — Battles occur on a separate type of screen (or arena), usually with a change of scale and a backdrop "arena" that usually generically represents where the battle is occurring in the game. Final Fantasy X used a completely 3D field screen system, which allowed the camera angle to change as the characters moved about. Final Fantasy VII, VIII, and IX used pre-rendered and pre-painted backgrounds over which 3D models were overlaid. Prior to Final Fantasy VII, they were pseudo-orthographic, using a simple 2D engine. Final Fantasy VII marked the point that Final Fantasy would have realistic computer graphics, while Dragon Warrior stayed with anime style cel-shaded graphics. Dialog mostly occurs on these screens. Field screens — These are where the main interaction between the characters occurs, and indeed most of the exploration of the world occurs on these screens. Rebellion — Story-wise, many entries in the Final Fantasy series feature a plotline about rebellion against either an economical, political, or religious power (Final Fantasy II 's Emperor of Palamecia, Final Fantasy VI 's Gestahl's Empire, Final Fantasy VII 's Shinra Corp., Final Fantasy VIII 's Sorceress, and Final Fantasy X 's Yu-Yevon, to name a few). Crystals — Most Final Fantasy games feature some obscure reference to elemental crystals, and the stories of Final Fantasy I, Final Fantasy III, Final Fantasy IV, Final Fantasy V, and Final Fantasy IX, Final Fantasy XI, and Final Fantasy Tactics Advance revolve around such Crystals. The motion picture Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within also featured a character named "Sid," presumably an alternate spelling of the more traditional "Cid." In a similar vein, characters named Biggs and Wedge (homages to the Star Wars characters Biggs Darklighter and Wedge Antilles) have appeared in Final Fantasy VI to Final Fantasy X-2 (inclusive). Although he is never the same individual, he is usually presented as an owner, creator, and/or pilot of airships. Character names — A character named "Cid" has been present in every Final Fantasy game since Final Fantasy II. Lastly, summoned monsters (also known as Espers, Guardian Forces, Eidolons, or Aeons) such as Bahamut, Shiva, Ifrit, Leviathan and Ramuh have appeared in almost every title in the series. Certain monsters also reappear frequently, including Goblins, Tonberrys and Cactuars. Creatures/monsters — Creatures such as Chocobos and Moogles have appeared in most games in the series. While these are present in many console RPGs, Final Fantasy also has a standard list of items which may be used to cure specific ailments; for example the "Echo Screen" cures silence and "Soft" cures petrification. Status ailments and cures: Characters in Final Fantasy games are usually subject to a number of standard "status ailments" which cause deleterious effects, including silence, poison, petrification and confusion. Later additions have included blue magic (sometimes referred to as "Lore" or "Enemy skill"), which incorporates specific special attacks learned from monsters, and time/space magic, which includes status affecting spells such as "Haste," "Slow," or "Warp.". White magic and black magic represent healing/support and attack magic, respectively, while red magic incorporates elements of both healing and attack magic, at reduced effectiveness. Magical styles — Magic in the Final Fantasy series is generally divided into different schools, which are usually named after a specific color. In Final Fantasy X-2, the "Dresssphere" system actually allowed a player to switch a character's job during the middle of a fight. Additionally, several installments in the series (Final Fantasy III, Final Fantasy V, and Final Fantasy Tactics) have utilized a "Job" system wherein the player is able to switch character classes in between battles. Even in games where the player is not given the choice of choosing class alignment, these classes often play an important background role in the story. Character classes and the Job system — Playable character classes have included the Fighter, White, Black, Red, and Blue Mages, Black Belt, Thief and Mime. In many games, most notably Final Fantasy IV and Final Fantasy IX, the presence of airships is a key component to the story itself. Airships — Powerful airborne vessels which usually serve as a primary mode of transportation for the player. |