Can't We All Just Get Along!? (A Response to: Why do they want to split us?)

by Mistcaller 

I feel for you. I can just tell, instantly, how many people you pissed off with that editorial. You must have gotten 800 flames or so from rabid CT and FF2/6 fans.

What you said about the Old School RPGamers is very true. Most feel that they do have a right to say that New School RPGamers don't know what a REAL RPG is, that they only like FF7 and FF8 because of the FMV sequences, the battle system, the graphics. And they somewhat do have that right. Why? Because there are A LOT of people like that, who just jumped on the RPG bandwagon at FF7 for those reasons. I know a lot of people like that. If they played an old school RPG, they would hate it, and they wouldn't give good reasons why. There are quite a few new school RPGamers like yourself, who liked the game for the plot and characters and whatnot, but not a lot. Which is why many Old School RPGamers trash the new school. I remember once reading a review of Lunar: SSSC (Very old school, for those of you who don't know). This is, basically, what it was like:

"This game sucks. That is why they did not put any screen shots in the back of the box. The whole game costed me 54 dollars. I played it and the first thing i said was WHATS WITH THESE GRAPHICS?! there like gameboy graphics, the only thing good about this is the anime scenes and the voice, if i had know the graphics were that bad i would have just gotten some game boy color game and a anime video! There is one good part and thats the end, you can go back and view all the anime scene which is a nice feature that they should add to all games."

It is why Old School RPGamers feel they have a right to say things about the New School RPGamers. People like that, who care only about graphics.

Continuing with your editorial, I see you have tried out 4 old school RPGs. I've, personally, never heard of Terranigma and I've never played Tales of Phantasia so I won't pass judgment on those. But, I have beaten both Chrono Trigger and FF3/6. There are a few problems I have with your mini review of both:

1. It appears that you didn't play either of them for a very long time. Many extremely good RPGs start out a little boring. I never found Chrono Trigger at all boring, but I will admit that the beginning of FF3/6 is like watching paint dry. I suggest you give them another chance, at least until you've gone about 5 or 10 hours in the game (I know that sounds like a lot, but bear with me).2. I can see how the battle system of CT is tedious in the beginning (it's same old same old until you get techs). Let them gain a few levels, play with the techs, then the battles are better. And don't worry about getting magic so early in FF3/6, you lose it immediately after the intro (except in Terra and Celes, but they barely have any to begin with) and don't get it again for awhile. I'm wondering though, you say you get magic too early in FF3/6, but you have magic right from the begining in FF8.

We're already too old to understand the better graphics and plots? That's funny. The graphics of FF8 are incredible, I'll admit that in a second. But, I always just loved the cute little ones from old school games; this is personal taste, not a widespread opinion. The plots today are good, but confusing. I beat FF7 and I still haven't figured out that plot. You can't say that ALL old school RPGamers dislike the new games. I like them a lot. I just like the old ones better, but I can see how people nowadays wouldn't. Most RPGs are produced for the mass market. They're all very modern, advanced graphics, advanced battle systems, advanced plots. Look at SaGa Frontier; so many people hated it, because they didn't like the graphics or the battle system or the plot. It just wasn't ... modern *shudders*. I loved all 7 of the plots, the battle engine, and the graphics. Call me a radical :). You know why I really think many new school gamers don't like old school RPGs. The graphics. The battle engine. The innocent plots. The same reason most teenagers hate country music, or the old rock and roll bands. It's just so ... OLD. A lot of people won't even give something half a chance if it's old, including RPGs. How many teens do you know that probably think 'My Generation' was written by Limp Bizkit? That they don't even know who 'the Who' is? Maybe you're just too young to understand old school games, with there older graphics and plots ;) You youngins', don't have no respect for Crono and Cecil and Cyan *waves cane at new school gamers* agh, sonny, get me my arthritis medicine so I can play Final Fantasy 5 ...

Three years ago, you could still find SNES RPGs. Saying that there was never a good RPG before FF7 is ridiculous, if there was never a good RPG before then, we wouldn't have old school gamers (this is all subjective, of course, depending on your point of view). In fact, most old school gamers like modern RPGs. And you're very right, there shouldn't be old school gamers and new school gamers, there should just be RPGamers. How ridiculous is it, that new games will bash old when they've barely played the old games? Same goes with old school gamers who have barely tried new ones. Why can't we all just get along!? C'mon, all your RPGamers reading, get in the Holiday spirit. Old and New school, everyone join hands. Let's all sing: C'mon on people now, smile on your brother, everybody get together, try to love one another right now