How differently would the game look proportioned?

[Angel of Iniquity]

Yes, the character designs is one of the main reasons why I cannot take it seriously as older games.
If it were proportioned, I might respect it a little more.

[GypsyElder]

You are missing out. That's all I'm going to say.

This isn't the first time I've heard this. -_-

[Angel of Iniquity]

You are missing out. That's all I'm going to say.

This isn't the first time I've heard this. -_-

Don't worry, I have played this game, and beat until the third disc. I am beginning to play again from the 2nd disc.

I find that I cannot attach myself to characters of mis-proportioned size.

[Diamond Dust]

Is this thread a wind up?

The characters are disproportionate? It's a fantasy game, the clue is in the name for starters? And what makes them disproportionate anyway?

[Xanatos]

Is this thread a wind up?

It's not even funny how petty some people are.

Yes, the character designs is one of the main reasons why I cannot take it seriously as older games.
If it were proportioned, I might respect it a little more.

Older games? You mean LEGO Final Fantasy VII, Cloud's defying gravity hair, NES & SNES era characters with huge heads, and gender issues...it's called fantasy for a reason.

I find that I cannot attach myself to characters of mis-proportioned size.

No midget friends I asume.

I always though personality comes first to educated psychologist such as yourself, in games if nothing else as virtual beauty doesn't mean a thing, guess I was wrong.

[Dodie16]

To me, it would lose some of it's charm if the main characters looked "more proportional". There's a certain kind of whimsy that I feel comes from the way they look, and I like it. ^^ To each their own though. At least you're giving it a chance and playing it. There's been people who outright refuse to play the game because of the way the characters look.

[GypsyElder]

You should also keep in mind their ages. Garnet is only 16 and Vivi and Eiko are children. Amarant is taller than all of them and Beatrix and Steiner are somewhat around the same level.

I agree with Dodie, it's absolutely ridiculous how people refuse to play because the characters aren't as tall as they want them to be. In the gaming world that sounds completely stupid to say the least. I can relate though, FFIII DS was hard for me to get into. It felt more childish than the NES version for me and it turned me off, so I switched back to NES. However, if DS version was the only version I still would have played. It wasn't so much the character proportions just the overall feel compared to the NES version was different for me.

[Cain Highwind]

No midget friends I asume.

I always though personality comes first to educated psychologist such as yourself, in games if nothing else as virtual beauty doesn't mean a thing, guess I was wrong.

Hey now... Let's not get into a mud-slinging contest.

It's not the proportions that bothered me about FFIX, I just thought the art design and style was very un-FF like and hard to get into. I really had to squint at some characters, namely Freya and Amarant to get a grasp on their looks. Even the older sprites did a better job at conveying the characters.

Just IMO. I recently bought FFIX off the PSN, and I'm thinking of replaying it one of these days.

[Xanatos]

Hey now... Let's not get into a mud-slinging contest.

My apologies Cain, actually that should be directed to my main man psychologist.

What I meant to say without sounding like complete douchebag, looks, especially in games such as Final Fantasy where characters look far from normal, should matter the least, if at all, let alone to prevent you from attaching to characters.

[Angel of Iniquity]

My apologies Cain, actually that should be directed to my main man psychologist.

What I meant to say without sounding like complete douchebag, looks, especially in games such as Final Fantasy where characters look far from normal, should matter the least, if at all, let alone to prevent you from attaching to characters.

I am sorry, I didn't meant to offend you if I had.
It was a typo, what I meant to say was other games, not older games.

And yes, you are correct about personality, which is why I actually like this game, I just find if they were proportioned right, as in correct body to head size, I may enjoy this even more. That is a big statement because I close to putting this in my top 3 Final Fantasy's.

With a serious story, I find that character designs can help.
Super mario sunshines characters were obviously not correct in terms of shape, but how mature the story was, basically allowed it.

I also understand it is a "fantasy" game, it was just an after thought.

I should revise my question.

How would YOU take the game if the bodies were proportioned.

That is what I initially meant.

[Xanatos]

Actually I was the one apologizing to you for behaving like a douchebag in post prior to that.

How would YOU take the game if the bodies were proportioned.

It would certainly lose it's charm, from setting to character design almost every game in franchise has it's own unique style. Despite it's serious story Final Fantasy IX is in general light hearted, it's huge homage to older titles where characters weren't, though for well known reason, actually proportioned.

[Angel of Iniquity]

Actually I was the one apologizing to you for behaving like a douchebag in post prior to that.



It would certainly lose it's charm, from setting to character design almost every game in franchise has it's own unique style. Despite it's serious story Final Fantasy IX is in general light hearted, it's huge homage to older titles where characters weren't, though for well known reason, actually proportioned.

Well then thank you.

I believe that is one reason why i like this game, because it is light hearted. And though it has a serious story, it has enough in it to acclaim it's character designs.

[hummbe]

if the characters were proportioned according to the real world, princess garnet would look like alizée

[Angel of Iniquity]

if the characters were proportioned according to the real world, princess garnet would look like alizée

I couldn't help but laugh when I googled her image.
I could land a stratofortress on her head.

Anyways, yes, i can definitely see the resemblance.
I also did not find anybody in the game attractive, not a bad thing as that isn't what I find first, but it is rare when i see a game without an attractive character.

[Linus Li Lelouch]

You know, I've been around gamers a very long time, almost 17 years now, 20+ playing, and I've seen some crazy ass excuses for why a person would not like a game.

Some examples:

1) The music is off

2) The voices didn't sound right

Theres a lot of reason but those 2 are the main ones that caught my eye, this sounds like the words of a hardcore gamer to me, but I respect your decision nonetheless, just saying damn, people are getting picky more and more.

I'll edit more of a post later, kinda buzzin, so I gotta go, but that's my main points.

[Angel of Iniquity]

You know, I've been around gamers a very long time, almost 17 years now, 20+ playing, and I've seen some crazy ass excuses for why a person would not like a game.

Some examples:

1) The music is off

2) The voices didn't sound right

Theres a lot of reason but those 2 are the main ones that caught my eye, this sounds like the words of a hardcore gamer to me, but I respect your decision nonetheless, just saying damn, people are getting picky more and more.

I'll edit more of a post later, kinda buzzin, so I gotta go, but that's my main points.

I am sorry if I offened you, but you mistook this post.
I really like the game, but like... Let's say Heavy rain. It was a great game, but the un-simplistic controls may make you wonder about the alternitive.

Same here. I like the game, just wondering if I would like it more, which i believe I would.

[matt]

Are we really discussing this, no offence but its a game, I have to say I have never noticed any thing wrong with the way the characters look, Vivi and Eiko are small cos they are kids, Amarant is just like a sterotypical bouncer (massive) and Zidane isn't that small is he?

[Angel of Iniquity]

Are we really discussing this, no offence but its a game, I have to say I have never noticed any thing wrong with the way the characters look, Vivi and Eiko are small cos they are kids, Amarant is just like a sterotypical bouncer (massive) and Zidane isn't that small is he?

O.o, You can basically say that for every other FF subject on this forum.

Although they are small, they have really awkward body shapes. Gigan heads and mini bodies.

[ZenMonkey59]

It's an homage to the older games...so yeah, the art style is cartoony.

I for one love it...a nice departure from the intense realism of VIII and VII. Though the characters in VII are cartoony outside of battles and cutscenes.

[FF9isthebest]

You are missing out. That's all I'm going to say.

This isn't the first time I've heard this. -_-

I agree 100%, the games cartoony style is why I prefer it to the others, FF7, FF8, FF10 all those builds are generic and boring, FF9 felt unique.

[NeoAquarius12]

I am posting in here because I would like to see if anyone wants to take up the challenge of drawing these characters in a more proportionate way. What would they look like? I think the charm might deplete a little, but it could definitely raise the sexy factor. haha.

[loaf]

You can't draw them in a proportioned way. You would have to make them on a 3D Modeling Program to see a "proportioned" version. Whichever way "proportioned" is to you guys...

[SuperSabin]

I'm playing this game myself, the characters were meant to look funky. Its like the NES & SNES days when early RPG characters looked small and chunky (no rhyme intended). To me, FF IX and a lot of cutesy stuff in it and I like cutesy (I got a soft spot for that).

Maybe its one of those games where it takes time for the character design to sink in and you learn to appreciate it in the end? welp theres my two cents.

[Nidogod]

I'm playing this game myself, the characters were meant to look funky. Its like the NES & SNES days when early RPG characters looked small and chunky (no rhyme intended). To me, FF IX and a lot of cutesy stuff in it and I like cutesy (I got a soft spot for that).

Yeah, that. It seems odd that you can not like these characters as much as older ones due to their cartoonish physiques when the reason they look like that is entirely to serve as a 3D representation of the character models of older games.

[Tydis]

If I remember right character these days are looking pretty unique are you still playing classics?

[+ Revenant +]

Don't worry, I have played this game, and beat until the third disc. I am beginning to play again from the 2nd disc.

I find that I cannot attach myself to characters of mis-proportioned size.

So you couldn't attach yourself to most Final Fantasy characters before VIII?

The game would look very different if the characters were more proportional. It would also look a good deal too serious, especially for the dialogue. So I was satisfied with the style they chose. But for all those who are curious, here are some original character sketches.





More are here: Creative Uncut - Final Fantasy 9 Art / FF9 Art / FFIX Art / Pics / Pictures / Images

[the_savior21]

this question is ridiculous, like its already been stated its a FANTASY

[Sheechiibii]

Have you played VII? Did you enjoy that more than IX and could you take those characters seriously? The characters were just as disproportioned in that, more so I'd say actually, than in IX. Did you ever think that perhaps these characters in this land are not the same as the humans we would normally think of? A bit like elves or dwarves; a form of humanoid that is dominant on Gaia. That's the way I always saw it - I didn't think that they were supposed to look the same as real humans, they are fictional people from a fictional land and if you look at it that way then it might be easier to take them seriously.

Xx..xX

[Kyrel]

Have you played VII? Did you enjoy that more than IX and could you take those characters seriously? The characters were just as disproportioned in that, more so I'd say actually, than in IX.

Pretty much this.
Except the unproportional design was part of the game's concept, and not graphical limitations like in VII. Sounds like a petty reason not to play a game.