Lookout! This isn't just a post!: This post is pretty long. I'm going to break it into sub-sections so that people don't get burnt out reading it. When you're ready to continue, just scroll down. TL;DR is an automatic failure. You'll never see the ending that way!
4nn4-chan said:
and everithing happen during FF VII (original or remake) IT'S canon.
I'm confused by this statement. Not everything that happened during Parasite Eve was cannon. The game has two different endings, and if memory serves, the ending for the regular mode was the cannon ending (since in the Ex-ending I believe Eve actually dies permanently and Aya loses all of her powers which were supposedly derived from Eve inside her, which ruins continuity). I don't see why anything that occurred during an Ex-Mode remix would have to be Cannon. In fact, it would be the perfect excuse to just let people play around and have their "alternate universe" type stories. If crazy stuff is kept non-cannon, I really don't see the problem with it and I'm a diehard "don't mess with FF-VII" fan.
I mean, nobody (okay I won't say 100%-nobody since I was appalled by the comments in SoS' LTD FAQ) has a problem with the fact there are already alternative scenes which aren't considered Cannon in FFVII (the high affection scene with Tifa under the Highwind is cannon, while the other isn't for example). Exactly why would adding new alternate non-cannon scenes be any different, other than just spicing up the game?
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Ryushikazi said:
Keep in mind, Anna, that all these suggestions are basically 'No, not really' bonus items, that would be quite explicitly not the actual story.
An example of worthwhile explicit nonsense in a game is Tales of Destiny, which has a almost certainly unwinnable early game boss fight.
If you win the fight, you get a game over that says 'Yeah, you were too awesome, have fun!'
Likewise Chrono Triggers joke endings.
Pretty much this (props for the Tales of Destiny reference; I <3 that game). I'm a very "don't fix what ain't broken" person, and FF VII is sacred to me; but even I can understand the appeal for certain things. I mean, an Ex-Mode that's non-cannon basically lets you have your cake and eat it too.
You get all the glory of bonus content, replay value, and could let your fanbase just go gaga over stuff like Aeris Revivals, playable Sephiroths, new date scenes, new materia, new weapons, alternate endings, and so forth. Stuff like that adds replay value. Is it part of the official story? Nope. Knights of the Old Republic cannon says the main character is a man, but you're allowed to make the main character a woman anyway. Why? Because it makes the game more fun for people.
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4nn4-chan said:
and it's okey can use cloud with the female dress, but honestly i don't see how everybody can have alternate outfits. except for cid and yuffie (that can retourn to their home) nobody can return to their home so i don't see how they can change their clothes.
Have you never slept somewhere away from home? You normally bring a change of clothes. Not sure if you noticed, but you can carry 99 of every consumable item in the game, no problem. You literally carry around all the pieces of the Don quest dress (dress, wig, tiara, underwear) right down to the northern Crater (check your Key Items). What exactly makes it so hard to think that Barret might have his "marshmallow" sailor uniform stashed somewhere; or that Tifa might have her cowgirl outfit?
Not to mention the number of times that you stop to rest at an Inn, have access to stores all over the world, have an airship (home away from home), can purchase a villa, etc. The idea that they have plenty of time to take on and off armor, swap materia, spend nights at inns, and traverse the world on foot, but not have the opportunity to put on a different shirt just seems insane to me.
I actually recommended that as a change because it's the least invasive thing you could do, but would be something long-term fans and casual players could enjoy; 'cause honestly it's purely aesthetic.
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Also, keep in mind that the 2nd set of suggestions was stuff that could be cool if Squeenix actually could pull it off elegantly; which I expressed doubts in. The actual
suggestions I had put forth were non-invasive things like alternate outfits, an Ex-Mode with the option for harder encounters (Legend of Mana allows you to reply the game on Normal, Hard, or Nightmare) for those who want to experience the game with their items in tow all over again, or who want a harder challenge. The last bit was a few new optional dungeons and/or more weapons to challenge to epic battles, like with Ruby & Emerald. Maybe adding a Sapphire, Onyx, Lapis, and Topaz weapons just for people to clash against for the sake of doing so (again, like with the original additions of Ruby & Emerald who were
not in the original Japanese release).
about the Ex mode...well, if you can easy beat Sephiroth with KOTR and some other attack, i don't see the problem in the fight agaist Rufus, or other boss. you just need KOTR, Ultima, comet, 4-slash, counter and it will be the most easy game ever made. and after two or three replay you will have 3 KOTR, a dozen of Enemy'skill materia and a lot of unique materia. and that are only the materias.
Hence the desire for an Ex-mode. Make stuff harder. If you got to restart the game with all your shiny materia reset to 0 AP (1st level), you could play through the beginning of the game with a new set of options (honestly stuff like Ultima / Knights would be pretty useless early in the game given the extreme amount of MP/AP they require to rev up).
Combine this with an option to crank up the enemies several levels, improved defenses, more tricks (imagine if Reno traps 2 party members in pyramids at a time during his first encounter instead of 1! That battle would be hard, and you would need stuff like x2 cut to win the battle, since using a standard physical attack would leave you with 2 members left to get trapped - game over), and you could really make some folks happy. I'd recommend doing this like Legend of Mana. Give people the option to play through on increased difficulties (ok, Ex mode, which mode shall we play? Bodyguard: Normal difficulty. Rebel: Hard difficulty. Ex-SOLDIER: Hardcore difficulty).
There's a lot that I think that could be done
if properly executed to breath a refreshing new life into Final Fantasy VII, add replay value, and fun things for us long time fans; as long as the cannon isn't raped in the process, and it's still the same game. I just really don't trust Square-Enix to do that. I've been burned too many times.