In this thread, i invite people to give their ideas, meaning what they want and what they don't want in the next Final Fantasy game FF XV. I m pretty sure that most of us, FF fan were a bit dissapointed by the last 2 FF, FF XII and FF XIII. Not that the games were bad, but we sure were expecting more and was not quite satisfied. I will start by saying what i want in the next FF and what i don't want. I invite you to do the same because i will count how many people want to same things and show what we would like the next FF to look like.

- I m tired of those 6, 7 people party, i want a 10 party and some hidden characters. Each characters should have their special ability just like in FF VI, and i want to game to force u to use those characters, for example you  need to have 2 parties (some place maybe 3) to do some part in the game. I want to be betrayed by someone unexpected.

-No more than 3 black magic user, no more than 3 healer, no more than 2 summoner but that doesn't mean that they should be 8  persons since 1 can be a black magic user and a white magic user

- I want to be able to go back to most places i visited before. In the 3rd of 4th dungeon, i want an area where monsters are impossible to beat at first but will be able to go back hours later in the game after reaching a certain level and get the special treasures or items in that area

- I want confusing dungeons, puzzle, trap doors, treasures garded by hard monsters

- I want 2 or three amazings vilains, i want unexpected villains (probably one of the guy that will betray me). I also want less politics in the story

- Well for the battles i would like to be able to control all my characters, at least they should give the option to do it like that. characters that don't battle get only half the points. i would also like a 4 party battle insted of 3 party battle but i will live if it still stay 3.

-There should be a considerable amount of special items that you can get only on the first time u visit some places or dungeons. Meaning if u don't get it the first time, u won't get it again even if u come back. That will had some replay value later after one finishes the game but didn't get that special item.

-Please make the side quest and side stories meaningfull, no more hunt mission. Just tell me that there is a rumored dungeon east of this village, no one knows the entrance but it is say if ( the requirements to get into the dungeon). Other dungeons that can be open by planting a special sword into a stone (lol arthur and excalibur).  Some sealed door that can be unlock by two powerfull magics, one white and the other black. All thoses things that will force you to develop all your characters

Well that is all i can think of so far, i will add some later and i will keep track of your requests and create a table later with the results.

Edit: so far in 40 replies most people want no linearity,more characters, better story. Some want to be able to control all characters during battle . And just a few like the way ff is going

i want whatever they give us never even been slightly dissapoionted with any of them so far so leads me to believe next one will be great

As long as they give me full control over the party I have only one request: Drop the whole cyberpunk-manga-realism thing. It's getting old. How about something resembling the first half of the 20th centuary. Maybe some '50s rock'n'roll in the soundtrack.

Seriously guys, 7, 8 and 9 all had their own unique style but everything since 10 has just copied 8.

didn't play 11 12 or 14 did you?

FF 6 was the one final fantasy that I stopped playing half way through when it was released on the PS1 in Europe. I eventually finished it when it was rereleased on the GBA. It had to many Characters you had to level and to fit in the story, the "blue mage" was way to time intense for me to learn everything, permanently missables are just a bad idea, etc.

I would be pretty disappointed with the next FF if it should develop in your direction, but tastes are different.

I felt that the PS1 FF were the perfection of the way the SNES FF were. Then they took a comletely new direction and evolved to a next level. FF X was the best FF by far because it offered so much more depth. Graphics and Voice Acting helped to tell one of the best Stories in Video Games History. For me it was the "almost perfect RPG". I absolutely loved it. The only downside was that you had to almost fulfill your Sphere Grid to beat those Dark Aeons if you wouldnt try the Zanmatou way. It took to much time.

FF X-2 had a strong Job System and it took the story one step forward. It was nice to see what happens to a world that has overcome it greatest threat and could live in Peace now... soon after the beginning of the calm the next conflict arrives because various groups were trying to take the lead. It had a nice concept and since there was no actual threat it started pretty light hearted. I can't say much bad things about it.

FF XII had a pretty good story. But it was the first one that left the path of "1 main Hero and 1 main villain". The whole party had no "real leader". That concept is pretty interesting because you have to think about why everyone is in the party and who is your real enemy. It told the story of a war... but not from the perspective of one of the 2 strongest nations. It showed what it means for a small country to be overrun by an enemy way stronger and how the normal people can handle with it.

FF 13 was my best Gaming Experience of this Generation. It took storytelling to a whole new level and I bet that Versus XIII will even top that (thanks to Tetsuya Nomura). Can't say something negative about it. The fighting system is fast paced and you have to think about the right paradigma for each situation.

The one thing that makes Final Fantasy something special is the strong Focus on storytelling from a Japanese point of view. They put so much effort in the motivations of the characters and try to put much depth in the story and characters.

That is the reason why i totally dislike WRPGS. They lack the depth in storytelling. It is all about "gameplay".  Oblivion was the most boring RPG that I have ever played because of its generic story...and I played it more than 40 hours...I hate that sidequest focus. They are meaningless in almost every case and repetitive. Sacred 2 had around 500 Sidequests.... I stopped reading what to do in the sidequests because they were almost always kill X enemies and collect Y items.... We had to play it through 4 times for the Platinum trophy...  and after each playthrough we wondered what that whole game was about. So bad storytelling... but hey, it had 500 Sidequests and a huge map where you can kill random enemies to get random loot.

Well, it has to be a matter of taste... WRPGs are strong mostly in the US/UK anyway. Maybe thats why FF 13 got so many bad reviews there and got more positive ones in Continental Europe and Japan...

Anyway, I hope Square-Enix will not "westernize" Final Fantasy and continue to stay away from Moral Systems, Decision Making and hundreds of meaningless Sidequests.

It's been done before in this very series.

Always thought a playable character (maybe not main) turning on you mid game would be a good twist but it's not story I'm concerned about.

I agree with a few of your points. More party members would be nice, 8 plus on a 3 member battle party game. I'm not worried about developing characters because as I found in FFXII, leveling everyone is a silly idea. Stick with your favourites and have a system like FF6,7 and 8 where they are customisable battle skills (so they can be anything) with their own personal weapon choice and special abilities as well.

Contained battle where I can play as everyone, less manic paced, more reserved like previous games let me make the decisions for everyone. Like FFs used to be.

And make Summons actually handy, like in FF6 where they were needed to learn skills, FF7 where they were generally more powerful then you, FF8 where they were needed for junctioning and FF9 and 10 where they were integrated into the story nicely. In FF12 and 13 I hardly used them (FF13 to revive my party :?)

Other then that, I'm open to new interpretations.

If the whole game wasn't so redicuously linear that'd be a start...

Maintain the good graphics and music, and the atmosphere unique to the Final Fantasy series.

Take lessons from Dragon Age in story and dialogue.

Take lessons from Demon's Souls in dungeons and character building.

Continue to innovate combat.

That should get the series back on track.

FF VII was the only Cyberpunk FF before FF XIII and FFVI was Steampunk. FFXII was set in a fantasy medieval world.