Class System

The class system will inherently be tied in with the characters due to the original nature of Final Fantasy I - where you pick your classes as the first thing you do in the game, and they become your characters. Although this project aims to eliminate the "class as characters," the game still wants to offer the user an element of choice.

The original Final Fantasy I classes to choose from were:
Fighter - physical, can wield most weapons, heavy armor
Black Belt - needs no weapons nor armor, physical
Thief - Able to steal and run away easily from enemies
Red Mage - Capable of both black and white magic
White Mage - healer, defensive healing magic
Black Mage - offensive attack magic

The original classes and their "promotion" counterparts


 I will base the class system here on the latest game, Final Fantasy XIII. Each character has several classes they can switch between (see battle for more information on how the classes are used in battle.)

Each character will be able to switch between four classes, which are pre-determined by the game based on their personalities, backstories and attributes. The game will follow on from the previous game with the same classes, as they predominantly make up the main classes of the role playing game:

Medic - Healer, Healing Magic
Commando - Offensive, Physical Attacker
Ravager - Offensive, magical attacker
Saboteur - Defensive, sabotage magic on enemy
Synergist - Defensive, boosts party's attributes
Sentinel - Defensive, tank, built to take damage and distract.

As there are only four main characters, allowing each character four classes will allow the player plenty of choice and allow them to strategise fully, without making it too easy by not allowing full access to all classes. Final Fantasy XIII allowed each character three initially with the option to open up other classes with complex leveling, however, given the four characters, four classes each allows the user plenty of choice. This project initially aimed to use three, but found the lack of choice frustrating and difficult.

Storme

Due to her backstory, Storme will also be able to play as a Rogue as her default class, and can only use three other classes (in her case, "saboteur" and "sentinel" roles,) Whilst this is unconventional for Final Fantasy XIII, who does not have any deviations from the other classes, it is similar to Yuna's role as a Summoner in Final Fantasy X. This again, ties the class system to the narrative and makes her a unique character.

The character's classes are as follows:
Lockus: Commando, Ravager, Sentinel, Synergist
Lockus is a well-rounded character, as he is the default party leader. Thus, he is able to attack offensively and defensively. His other class roles are that of protection and support, reflecting his character. Although Rudd leads the journey, Lockus' role as the first, default party leader make him the archetypal "hero," and thus, he has the most "heroic" set of classes.

Storme: Rogue, Saboteur, Sentinel, Commando
Storme's default class is of course, the rogue. With higher physical strength and defense, she is built as an excellent physical attacker, and defensive tank. Her other two roles reflect her nature and backstory - the rogue (the thief,) and the saboteur (playing dirty.)

Myrren: Medic, Synergist, Ravager, Saboteur
Myrren is in training to be a doctor so it makes sense that two of her classes are healing/improvement magic. With weak physical abilities, Myrren rounds off with sabotage magic and offensive magic. Myrren's ravager abilities greatly improve in Chapter III  and she gains offensive Outrage moves at this point, allowing the systems to reflect the narrative, making the whole game feel more cohesive.

Rudd: Commando, Ravager, Sentinel, Medic
Rudd, as mentioned on his character page, is very physically strong - simply due to his longevity and background as one of the Leifenish. As the oldest character and unofficially quest leader, he is also able to perform as a medic. Although Rudd's magic is initially weak, if the player chooses to pursue his magic in leveling up, Rudd's magic will far exceed the other characters, at a high obtaining difficulty.

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Leveling System

Leveling is again, an integral part of any game. In the role playing game, reaching a goal is not defined by reaching the end of a level as with a puzzle game or platformer, but levels are used to further the user's chances of reaching the next goal area and beating the next boss, thus, beating the game.

Square has, like the battle system, developed and refined the leveling system over the course of their games. The earlier games used a linear leveling system, having the characters level up when they have gained enough experience points (EXP), based on their base stats. Certain characters will naturally have a higher base attribute, and will level up easier on, say, attack.

Final Fantasy X introduced a "point spending system" that allowed the user to customise their characters. The game removed the numerical level on all characters. Characters are awarded "spheres" in place of EXP, and the user can go into the Sphere Grid and upgrade their characters by spending spheres. The grids themselves are relatively linear with a few split off points for certain abilities. For example, you could pay four spheres to have Tidus' health expand by 150pts. This system had it so all the characters were interlinked on one large grid - you can see a full map of the grid here.

Final Fantasy XII brought back the numerical figure, but also kept a sphere grid like system by using a "license board," where characters had to obtain licenses in order to user certain abilities. This system was criticised for being overly complicated, and it was laborious to level up characters this way.

Final Fantasy XIII returned to the sphere grid, renaming it the Crystarium and replacing Sphere Grid with Crystogen Points. Each character has separate grids for each of their roles, and the abilities the character can gain in this grid depends on the role. I.E. Healing magic is only available in the "Medic" part of the grid.

Proposal
This project will further the development of a point spending system, as they allow for more customisation than a linear base-attack style levelling system. By allowing more customisation, the user will be able to feel more engaged with their characters and similarly, the characters' potential for certain abilities will be affected by their personalities and stories, tying the system to the story.

However, in order to expand on it, Final Fantasy I reboot will aim to move away from the linear grid and allow the user more choice in leveling up certain abilities. Instead of the user being able to max out an area, unable to progress any further until they have reached a narrative point in the game, the game aims to have almost unlimited abilities to allow the user to develop their characters in their most ideal way.

Previous: Battle System | Next: Class System

Battle System

Given that Final Fantasy I is a role-playing game, the battle system is vital to the games' success. The system for Final Fantasy I (original) is outlined below:

Final Design

Development Process

I based a lot of the battle system on the previous games and did my research into what was successful with the games and what wasn't.


Whilst Square kept up this template for their earlier games, the later games see them experimenting and moving to a range of other systems:

• Final Fantasy VII had a "time-based" system, where instead of the characters taking turns, the characters would move based on when their time bars had fully loaded. Whilst this was still, in effect, turn-based, moves such as haste or slow would directly affect how slowly the bar loaded.

• Final Fantasy X returned to the original turn-based system but with a new element: as X allowed the user to choose between more than four characters, characters could be swapped in in the middle of a battle (previously something the user could only do at a save point/world map)

• Final Fantasy XII attempted a more "real-time" based system, where the user was still able to control the characters movements in battle. The user could run the character up to the monster and attack, then run around to try and dodge. This game also brought into automated battling for the other party members - the user can set "gambits" that determine how an inactive party member (you can switch any time in battle) acts.

• Final Fantasy XIII introduced the "paradigm" system that the franchise is still using as of the latest game. In battle, the three active characters can have their classes altered in order to create combinations. I.E. you could have "combat clinic" which is MEDIC, MEDIC, SENTINEL (tank) when health is running low. Similarly to Final Fantasy XII, the other, inactive party members act automatically based on their class. The party's health also heals immediately after battle.

Proposal
For the Final Fantasy I reboot, this project aims to combine several of the best elements from the battle systems to further the paradigm system that Square is currently working with. This will predominantly be a mixture of Final Fantasy XIII's system and Final Fantasy X's. The main elements will be:

• Ability to switch characters in battle - as there are only four main playable characters, there are less party options and thus, it makes more sense and is less frustrating/effort for the player to switch characters in with ease. It also allows for more strategising.
• Each character will have three classes (more on classes here) and the user will be able to pull up the Paradigm menu to change the current classes active. 
• Like Final Fantasy XIII, and to a degree, Final Fantasy XII, the user will be able to use an "auto battle" command to execute a simple attack, or has the option to choose a more complex sequence of movements. This reflects the same system as Final Fantasy XIII, and also places more emphasis on the use of paradigm shifts and classes as being the primary way of strategy - most boss battles will require a good knowledge of the classes and shifts.

Setting Paradigms in Final Fantasy XIII

Limit Breaks/Overdrives/"Special Abilities"

 The previous games have always allowed the characters a "special ability" or "special move" that does extra damage to an enemy. This was called a 'Limit Break' in VII, an 'Overdrive' in X, and 'Mist' in XII. This was eliminated in XIII in place of the stagger system. The stagger system provides all enemies with a stagger bar, which when reached, makes them vulnerable allows all characters attacking to do extra damage to an enemy. Whilst it is clear why this was chosen over characters' individual moves, this reboot will return to the original system.

Applying Vincent, Final Fantasy VII's limit break


By having each individual character have their own unique set of moves, it further adds to the user's engagement with them and prompts them to further develop their abilities, and thus to continue the game. Whilst the stagger system was effective, it did not help with characterisation as it removed the chance for characters to be able to have their own unique moves.

Thus, Final Fantasy I will return to the "limit" bar growing as the character takes damage. Whilst the characters reach their limits in Final Fantasy VII, they will reach Outrage in Final Fantasy I reboot, which will allow them to execute a powerful move.

Summons
Summons are used in all Final Fantasy games. Whilst some (Final Fantasy VII, VIII,) allow all characters to use summons, Final Fantasy X had only the summoner character, and Final Fantasy XIII had each character assigned an "eidolon". Final Fantasy I reboot will continue on with this system, as the main aim is to create a character-driven game and narrative. By providing set summons to each character, it allows for further characterisation and development.

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Gameplay/Mechanics index

• Battle System
• Levelling System
• Class System

Other Considerations

Whilst this project focuses on the characters and story with some additional minor focus on how the systems above would be altered, there are still a huge number of systems involved in Role Playing Games. Below is an outline touching upon several other integral systems to the Final Fantasy games and how they could be altered in line with this project:

• Inventory system
  Inventory systems are integral to role playing games, and have always been to Final Fantasy. The inventory system as of the last few games is simple and self-explanatory: items are grouped by their function and type. Weapons are grouped together but may be equipped and upgraded through the 'equipment' function. Healing, boost and other in-battle items are similarly grouped together. The main update for the inventory system for this project would be to update the graphics to match the theme of the updated game (colour scheme, use of font, use of backgrounds and placements)
• Weapons equip and upgrade system
  Similarly to Inventory, Final Fantasy as a franchise has a relatively simple weapons equipment and upgrade system. In the "equipment" menu, the player is able to browse through their acquired weapons to view their various statistics and augmentations. The player can then upgrade weapons using simple item synthesis (based off items collected off defeating enemies or in treasure chests throughout the game) and equip weapons. This is the model the last few games have used and whilst it could be further updated, this project sees no need for it.
• Use of vehicles
   integral to the Final Fantasy series. As this project aims to move from a world map style into seamless environments, this will heavily affect the use of vehicles. The original Final Fantasy I had a whole range of vehicles that the user needed to use to navigate - airships, ships, a canoe, - and to remove these would be removing a large part of the game. Instead, this reboot proposes that the majority of scenes on vehicles would move to cutscenes with battle encounters throughout. The user would be able to decide to go through "coordinate setting" (similar to the Airship in Final Fantasy X,) and again, similar to Final Fantasy X, the user will be able to navigate the players inside the vehicle as it automatically travels, as opposed to controlling the vehicle directly. This will allow for an element of freedom for the user.

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