Final Fantasy Zero: Design Diary continued

[I'm A Banana]

and those are available as independant finished chapters?... where?

Not available yet because the Black Mage was the first job I did, thanks to the requests on this thread (before the crash). So I haven't written them as of now.

 

[Land Outcast]

Not available yet because the Black Mage was the first job I did, thanks to the requests on this thread (before the crash). So I haven't written them as of now.

Good to know I'm not missing anything

 

[Cynlas]

I'm open to suggestions and to answering questions about what I have planned now, too.

Well, since you left the door open on that one, and since you have it on the current list, what are your intentions with the theif job? D20 has their primary abilities as simple skills, so are you going to follow that line as well, or make things like "Steal GP" a class ability outside of the Sleight of Hands/Pick Pocket skill, like the FF games tend to? If the latter, how are you distinguishing them so that a non-theif with the appropriate skill cannot simply duplicate the job-ability?

Also, how are the Bishop and White mage different? I haven't gotten around to playing TA yet, so I am not familliar with the bishop job.

And finally, are the Samurai's abilities going to be internal or sword-dependant like in FFT? I'd go for the former myself, but thats just me (though perhaps requiring a katana to activate any/all draw ability would be acceptable, with the different swords perhaps modifying a particular samurai ability).

 

[I'm A Banana]

Well, since you left the door open on that one, and since you have it on the current list, what are your intentions with the theif job? D20 has their primary abilities as simple skills, so are you going to follow that line as well, or make things like "Steal GP" a class ability outside of the Sleight of Hands/Pick Pocket skill, like the FF games tend to? If the latter, how are you distinguishing them so that a non-theif with the appropriate skill cannot simply duplicate the job-ability?

The "Steal X" line of abilties are going to be granted thief abilities that will mostly work off of an Agility check. The "Fingers" skill allows anyone to grab a few coins or hide a dagger. The Steal abilities are basically walking up to a target in combat and just grabbing what you want. Steal GP, Steal Heart, Steal Weapon, Steal Clothes, Steal Abilities....lots of cool potential.

Also, how are the Bishop and White mage different? I haven't gotten around to playing TA yet, so I am not familliar with the bishop job.

White mages are healers/defenders/buffers that work largely as spellcasters. Bishops have a limited selection of powerful attack and condition spells (petrification, judgement bolts, the whole OT thing), good armor, and mid-range weapons...they're more military, white mages are more focused.

And finally, are the Samurai's abilities going to be internal or sword-dependant like in FFT? I'd go for the former myself, but thats just me (though perhaps requiring a katana to activate any/all draw ability would be acceptable, with the different swords perhaps modifying a particular samurai ability).

The idea right now is to go with a slightly more Cyan/Cloud/Squall kind of Samurai. Powerful mystical sword techniques. So the draw-out abilities will be more internal.

Though with the way equipment is abstracted, you could easily make it part of the equipment in flavor.

 

[Cynlas]

Sounds great all the way around.

 

[GnomeWorks]

I've been watching this project for awhile now, and I have to say, KM - you're doing one heck of a job.

One thing I am rather interested in is how you handled the blue mage. I have been a fan of blue magic since I played V maybe four years ago...

Regardless. I have one question regarding blue magic for you.

Do you plan on Aero being a blue spell? And, if you are following the convention of most FF's with the progression of the base black elemental spells, will there exist the same for Aero?

 

[I'm A Banana]

Do you plan on Aero being a blue spell? And, if you are following the convention of most FF's with the progression of the base black elemental spells, will there exist the same for Aero?

Aero will be both a black and a blue spell (hehehe, a bruised spell!) It'll have the same progression of the other elemental spells (spell, spell-a, spell-ra, spell-aga, spell-agara, ultimate element). Of course whether or not the blue mage gets to access those largely depends on what monsters the GM is using, but you wouldn't be playing a blue mage if you didn't accept that little caveat.

I like the blue mage. I love the caller. I like the complex classes a lot. That's part of why I'm saving them for once I've done the more basic jobs. SAVE THE DESSERT FOR LAST!

 

[GnomeWorks]

Aero will be both a black and a blue spell (hehehe, a bruised spell!) It'll have the same progression of the other elemental spells (spell, spell-a, spell-ra, spell-aga, spell-agara, ultimate element). Of course whether or not the blue mage gets to access those largely depends on what monsters the GM is using, but you wouldn't be playing a blue mage if you didn't accept that little caveat.

Out of curiosity, for the fourth one, why aren't you using spell-aja? That precedent was set by the GBA port of IV, in case you're wondering.

The reason I ask is because it was the only numbered set of elemental spells the blue mage had access to, and it has irked me since then that aero was either removed or given to a different color.

I would hope that the blue mage wouldn't have the ability to learn white or black (or gray or green, or whatever) spells from monsters, since that wasn't how it worked in the series. Of course, you've said several times that you're trying to get the feel of the story and avoid emulating the mechanics completely, but I think the blue mage would lose a bit of flavor if they could learn white and black spells using their method.

I like the blue mage. I love the caller. I like the complex classes a lot. That's part of why I'm saving them for once I've done the more basic jobs. SAVE THE DESSERT FOR LAST!

Hmm, fair enough.

I look forward to seeing the finished blue mage, whenever you get around to it.

 

[I'm A Banana]

Out of curiosity, for the fourth one, why aren't you using spell-aja? That precedent was set by the GBA port of IV, in case you're wondering.

Ah, probably because I haven't been able to afford that purchase yet. What's the qualities of -aja? -ra affects a group, -a is second tier power, -aga is third tier power....what's -aja do? Inquiring minds!

I would hope that the blue mage wouldn't have the ability to learn white or black (or gray or green, or whatever) spells from monsters, since that wasn't how it worked in the series. Of course, you've said several times that you're trying to get the feel of the story and avoid emulating the mechanics completely, but I think the blue mage would lose a bit of flavor if they could learn white and black spells using their method.

No, I agree completely. Aero is just one of those spells that appears on both the black and blue mage spell list (like how some cure spells appear both on the white and red spell lists). And it needs to be used as blue magic to be learned as blue magic, so the blue mage won't be learning Aero from goblin black mages who may happen to have it. However, he may be learning it from fan-style monster constructs at about the same time that the black mage is discovering it through research.

Kind of like how a blue mage can learn Explode from a bomb. However, if a caller can summon Bombos (the spirit of bomb monsters), the caller could learn Explode too.

There are some overlap in spell lists, just as there are in some FF games. Still, like in D&D, there's diminishing returns when you have two people who do the same thing.

I look forward to seeing the finished blue mage, whenever you get around to it.

Expect it to appear some time around when the monsters start cropping up, so definately you'll see something before the system is a complete game. It'll probably be one of the first non-essential jobs I do.

 

[GnomeWorks]

Ah, probably because I haven't been able to afford that purchase yet. What's the qualities of -aja? -ra affects a group, -a is second tier power, -aga is third tier power....what's -aja do? Inquiring minds!

Hmm... difficult to say, really. Spells in IV could be split to affect a group no matter what tier. -aja is above -aga in terms of power. Beyond that, there's really no difference.

It could be comparable to Fire 4 and such from Tactics, I imagine.

No, I agree completely. Aero is just one of those spells that appears on both the black and blue mage spell list (like how some cure spells appear both on the white and red spell lists). And it needs to be used as blue magic to be learned as blue magic, so the blue mage won't be learning Aero from goblin black mages who may happen to have it. However, he may be learning it from fan-style monster constructs at about the same time that the black mage is discovering it through research.

Good to hear.

Kind of like how a blue mage can learn Explode from a bomb. However, if a caller can summon Bombos (the spirit of bomb monsters), the caller could learn Explode too.

I am rather intrigued by this concept...

There are some overlap in spell lists, just as there are in some FF games. Still, like in D&D, there's diminishing returns when you have two people who do the same thing.

I don't disagree with overlap in spell lists. Though I imagine that the base list of blue spells should be relatively distinct from the other lists... white wind and mighty guard are almost solely within the realm of blue magic, and I wouldn't want to see them in the other colors.

Expect it to appear some time around when the monsters start cropping up, so definately you'll see something before the system is a complete game. It'll probably be one of the first non-essential jobs I do.

I wouldn't call it non-essential, it's almost as quintessential in FFs as the black mage, at this point. But I'll look for it when you start working on the monsters.