character growth (spoilers sorta)

[Eaglestrike]

That's probably the character most little teenage boys are supposed to identify with. I'm guessing that Tidus/Vaan/Hope are characters the "average demographic" can relate to in some way, making them similar in appearance and personality. I'd say Vaan isn't nearly as similar as Tidus/Hope, but I know most other people would say so.

[Lucavi]

I dunno, they always seem like the one that's completely out of place in fantasy games where eventually the heroes are going to be slaying some big dragons and fighting massive bosses.

The whiny guy that just sits around and says "this sucks! Why am I here?!".... I just want to tell him to go the fuck home. Typically, though, they always (somehow) end up becoming extremely powerful someway or another.

I'm glad FFIV didn't have anyone like that. Everyone (except for edward, but even he had his reasons) wanted to fight, so no one had to question their resolve. Maybe it makes for weaker writing, but its certainly less annoying initially.

"We fight because its the right thing to do, and because we're the only ones around strong enough to get it done!" I still like that old nostalgic mindset.

[dejet]

I dunno, they always seem like the one that's completely out of place in fantasy games where eventually the heroes are going to be slaying some big dragons and fighting massive bosses.

The whiny guy that just sits around and says "this sucks! Why am I here?!".... I just want to tell him to go the fuck home. Typically, though, they always (somehow) end up becoming extremely powerful someway or another.

I'm glad FFIV didn't have anyone like that. Everyone (except for edward, but even he had his reasons) wanted to fight, so no one had to question their resolve. Maybe it makes for weaker writing, but its certainly less annoying initially.

"We fight because its the right thing to do, and because we're the only ones around strong enough to get it done!" I still like that old nostalgic mindset.

Depends really, both work well. In this case they have hope as this shy kid who had to deal with something no one wants to deal with. A death of their mother. He in turn makes himself a somewhat outcast person, this changes as he sees the *way* and keeps trucking along finding what he needs.

In the game he always had a reason to fight... His life, it just took him time to find out why its worth fighting for and so on.

Then again you can make a game where the person is just the shit and runs over everything with power unlike any other. I find this to be a harder way of writing, as you dont have growth of a person really. Ya its fun for a time(prototype style hello) but in the end you cant really have a bond to the person if you dont see them grown as a person. Thats how I see it anyways. Same could be said about FF10 as you pointed out.

[Lucavi]

I hate Hope, and then grew to first respect, and later, to like him. That, for me, says that the story was written well, because I cared enough about him to feel something towards him, rather than cold indifference; a kind of "whatever, he's a character in the game, but meh" disposition.

I know I wasn't the only one, though, who thought he was gonna bust out his summon when he confronted Snow on that building top. Hatred manifested into magical energy? SAAASUUKKEEEEEE!!!!

[Eaglestrike]

I dunno, they always seem like the one that's completely out of place in fantasy games where eventually the heroes are going to be slaying some big dragons and fighting massive bosses.

The whiny guy that just sits around and says "this sucks! Why am I here?!".... I just want to tell him to go the fuck home. Typically, though, they always (somehow) end up becoming extremely powerful someway or another.

I'm glad FFIV didn't have anyone like that. Everyone (except for edward, but even he had his reasons) wanted to fight, so no one had to question their resolve. Maybe it makes for weaker writing, but its certainly less annoying initially.

"We fight because its the right thing to do, and because we're the only ones around strong enough to get it done!" I still like that old nostalgic mindset.

I believe that's the point of the character. The world is supposed to seem similar to the real world in some way and Hope is someone "normal" and that's one way someone will deal with shit getting thrown his way in such a scenario. It adds a certain familiarity to the world when you can identify with characters and see yourself as them or see how similar that person is to someone you know or might see in a "real world" story.

While I for sure am a fan of games being games and not like the real world and such, games are a pleasant escape from the real world, I think there's a pretty enjoyable balance between them in recent FF games. They have "real" characters in a fantasy world, it fits nicely.

[Lucavi]

I believe that's the point of the character. The world is supposed to seem similar to the real world in some way and Hope is someone "normal" and that's one way someone will deal with shit getting thrown his way in such a scenario. It adds a certain familiarity to the world when you can identify with characters and see yourself as them or see how similar that person is to someone you know or might see in a "real world" story.

While I for sure am a fan of games being games and not like the real world and such, games are a pleasant escape from the real world, I think there's a pretty enjoyable balance between them in recent FF games. They have "real" characters in a fantasy world, it fits nicely.

Sazh seemed more like the "real" character than Hope did, to me. Hope just seemed like another Tidus, although with a much more realistic setting to him. Sazh, from the beginning, seemed like a fairly normal guy, especially when contrasted to the super-agile Lightning. He complains about his age (despite looking no more than mid-30's), is fairly clumsy at times, is likable, has experienced true tragedy, and didn't need to "grow" as much as the others - he only really needed to find the strength to continue the path that was forced in front of him.

I'm not saying that Hope is a bad character - he's very well done, but I think Sazh represents the "everyman" much more accurately than Hope. Besides, while no blacks (myself included) keep birds in our hair, we -could-. No kid will ever be able to have hair like Hope.

[Eaglestrike]

Sazh seemed more like the "real" character than Hope did, to me. Hope just seemed like another Tidus, although with a much more realistic setting to him. Sazh, from the beginning, seemed like a fairly normal guy, especially when contrasted to the super-agile Lightning. He complains about his age (despite looking no more than mid-30's), is fairly clumsy at times, is likable, has experienced true tragedy, and didn't need to "grow" as much as the others - he only really needed to find the strength to continue the path that was forced in front of him.

I'm not saying that Hope is a bad character - he's very well done, but I think Sazh represents the "everyman" much more accurately than Hope. Besides, while no blacks (myself included) keep birds in our hair, we -could-. No kid will ever be able to have hair like Hope.

Which seems more real would depend on your age, I imagine. Sazh is a real character for an older guy, Hope is a real character for a teenager.

And about the hair, Zac Efron would like to talk to you.

[Lucavi]

Zac Efron isn't human, I swear, and yeah, I guess you're right. I'm 26, and have seen a lot of RPG protagonists come and go.

[Elcura]

I thought Sazh and Hope were the most realistic/believeable. I know people hate on Hope because he's whiny, but what would you expect when all that shit gets thrown at you and suddenly you've become an enemy of the world? It seemed only Light and Snow really wanted to bring the fight, everyone else was just finding ways to survive and escape, but eventually all came together in a good way.

[Eaglestrike]

I thought Sazh and Hope were the most realistic/believeable. I know people hate on Hope because he's whiny, but what would you expect when all that shit gets thrown at you and suddenly you've become an enemy of the world? It seemed only Light and Snow really wanted to bring the fight, everyone else was just finding ways to survive and escape, but eventually all came together in a good way.

Oh yeah, Hope was annoying but completely justified in being the emo bitch he was at the start. I mean I'm pretty sure the first few chapters happened in only a couple days time and that's a lot of shit to get thrown at you.

[dejet]

After reading everything sorta happy to see that people changed their outlook and it was not just me.