h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

See also A266131, particularly 'Using Italics'.

So all the game titles should be in italics?

Very well then, quick go-through to change them...

It doesn't actually mention game titles; I've always assumed, however, that they're to be treated like book and film titles.

Going offline to revise logic.

Well, I've been through and changed to a sort of standard system, which I intend to keep unless someone tells me otherwise:

Full titles of the games or the series name should be in italics, so Final Fanatsy VII or the Final Fanatsy series.

Abbreviated names such as FFVII are not in italics, and there is no space between FF and the number, as above.

When referring to multiple games at once, as I do sometimes (such as FF VIII and IX) nothing is in italics, and there is a space between the FF and the first number, representing the fact the FF refers to both of them. Basically, as I've just writen it.

I'm completely ignoring the stuff it says in the guidelines about using words for numbers, as that doesn't (or shouldn't at least) apply when the game names are written out in the games using Roman numerals. Similarly, I would call it Final Destination 2 if I mentioned it, rather than Final Destination Two

I think that's about it.

Best of luck with the revision and exams if you're still on, RFJS_. Still, always remember the best thing about logic...it's ever so logical.

Actually, games aren't in italics, and I've never quite known why. I suppose because you wouldn't italicise 'chess', 'Monopoly' or 'Buckaroo', although nowadays most games are more akin to films than Pac-Man.

So if you don't want to italicise them, you don't have to, although it might look nicer.

Okay, I stand corrected. *Slaps wrist.*

Regarding the anime (whose titles will still have to be italicised) -- I'm not sure the response to FF:U has been _that_ generally negative; which sources did you use? Oh, and I haven't checked, but what I recall reading is that Legend of the Crystals is far more loosely linked to FF5 than Advent Children is to FF7.

Tonberry hasn't always been invariably green; Mister Tonberry (according to my memory; but http://www.ffcompendium.com/h/monster.shtml gives 'Master'), found in FF7's North Crater towards the end of the game, is as far as I remember a sort of purplish colour (with a rotating star above his head).

On the basis of a quick Google search, my memory seems to have been mistaken -- but serendipitously I did find references to a Master Tonberry in FF10 that isn't mentioned on the last page I linked to.

http://www.ffcompendium.com/~Skylark/ff10/qmastertonberry.htm

Well, I've put them in now and so I can't be bothered to go and take them out unless I have to.
I shall alter the things about the anime. I think I'll just ignore how successful or not they were, as people will have too diverse opinions on it.

As for Tonberries; I think it's probably accurate enough to say that they're usually green then. Am just off to change appropriately.

I've finally (no pun intended) got th FF7 Entry ready for upload; I may tweak it a bit before bringing it to Peer Review, but A2713556 is ready for the Writing Workshop, so I've sent it there. I've put quite a bit of explanation into the Review Conversation: F57153?thread=431416. It's basically as promised, except that I decided trying to comment on the plot theories with Advent Children coming up would be a waste of quite a lot of time, since the target has started moving again rather quickly.

I've given a general description of gameplay, since it can't be assumed that people will read the hub Entry first, but mostly it's game-specific stuff.

One thing I forgot to note in the Review Conversation: the structure of the Entry is not dissimilar to the FF9 one, but I've put the gameplay/graphics/sound stuff before the story-and-characters sections so that I can explain what Materia are before referring to Aeris' 'useless' Materia.

One thing we need to think about is how we're going to put what'll end up as a large group of Entries through Peer Review; the more we link unedited Entries to each other, the less able we'll be to put them through individually, or a few at a time. Currently I've linked to the existing Edited Entry on the series; I'm not sure whether your hub Entry will be copied over it and given the same A-number or whether an Edited version would be created separately.

Oh, and regarding an earlier query, I noticed a reference to 'FFVII' on the official Advent Children site. One of only a few bits in Roman characters, admittedly...

The Entry's coming along nicely. Just a few minor points of contention for the moment:

There are three versions of Bahamut in FF7 (Bahamut, Neo Bahamut & Bahamut ZERO), not two.

As I recall there had been no trips into space before the one that occurs during the game; that's why the failure of the rocket launch was such a source of concern.

I'm not sure FF8 really was simplified; I recall complaints that the Junction system was too complicated. (Oh, and I don't recall seeing an explanatin of what 'rows' are; if there isn't one, it's probably worth putting in.)

Making good progress.

Dealt with some of the points:

Now you mention it, I remember the three forms; I just wasn't sure between two and three when I wrote it and obviously plumped for the wrong one.

As for the space journey thing, I can't remember exactly whether that was the first time or not. You're probably right, however - you know the game better, and it makes more sense.
However, despite remembering writing something about it, I can't find it!

I've now said FFVIII was "in many ways vastly simplified" and added a footnote to the effect of your comment on the Junctioning system.

And added a description of "rows" in the bit about the fighting.

To all:
I'm now nearly finished...I think. As soon as I've done the FFIX, FFX and FFX-2 specific bits in the "evolution" section, that is probably it - unless someone else says something. So when they're done, please consider it Scouts?

Oh, and I've also changed my mind and am taking my other article out of Peer Review. I'm not bothered with it becoming "an official review" any more - even if that is possible, which I'm coming to doubt.

'There have been trips into space' -- in the FF7 section. Is that what you're looking for?

Did you consciously decide not to include many references to visual developments, i.e. Mode 7, and the increasing use of 3D? It's entirely reasonable not to (and I did, after all, go on quite a bit about technical stuff in the FF7 Entry; it's not as though that stuff needs to be in the hub, and it isn't even essential to have it in the game-specific Entries), but since it's part of the series' evolution I thought I'd better ask.

Given that this one's going to need fairly regular updates if it's to be kept up to date, I think leaving it at FFX-2 for now sounds reasonable. You may get advised to include references to forthcoming games in the series, though.

That would be it; changing it in a sec.

I intended to keep describing the graphics down to what is there at the moment: 1) you describe it in the FFVII guide and I would now probably just reproducing it in my own words (something I am _very_ good at); 2) I don't really know all that much about it; 3) if I was to say anything it would probably just repeat myself/you. As that point just repeated the first two.

I'm going to stop at X-2, when I've done X and it; then update when new games come out. I've already mentioned that FFXII is coming out soon, and if any more is wanted, then it'll have to be asked for...or waited for.

Ooh...only about four months 'til its release. (Taking into account that most games I want are always delayed releases - although I recal FFX actually came out BEFORE it was due. If only that was something that happened twice in a lifetime...)

Another FF game on the way? Nooooo. I still haven't finished FFX

I got stuck trying to fight Dark Yojimbo. I didn't realise that if you save the game midway it resets the battle. I overwrote my good save and lost all my money

Luckily, one of my friends has a near-perfect save with all of the weapons, monsters and dosh, so I might have to acquire that so that I can take on that final bonus monster...

Just had another look at this entry; I think it's nearly there and has come on greatly since its first version. I think the only thing that's really lacking is a general deeper level of explanation of some of the elements. There's a visible level of enthusiasm for the subject, but sometimes it feels you're skimming past things that non-fans might need explaining further. For example, I think it'd be helpful to explain that Shiva is generally presented as a svelte, beautiful woman who channels the powers of ice (quite unlike her male representative in Hindi mythology), while Ifrit is a fire-breathing demon fond of hurling meteors at enemies.

I'd suggest replacing 'Continued Points' with 'Recurring features' or something along those lines. Continued Points sounds a little like a literal translation from the Japanese (and boy did I see a lot of what when I was working with SquareSoft).

But aside from that, I think this is a really good overview of the series as a whole.

Having spent yesterday evening wandering around FF7's Debug rooms, I'm inclined to think there are worse things than literal translations (and how literal can a translation from Japanese really be?); but yes, I'd go along with Jimster's points.

One other thing to consider would be adding some links to FF-related sites; there are some very good ones available.

Having read the opening paragraphs on Square Enix again, I think they might lead some people to wonder why you've mentioned Breath of Fire, which wasn't even made by Square or Enix, and Kingdom Hearts, but not Square's more famous works like Seiken Densetsu (the Secret of Mana series) and SaGa. My guess is that KH is there because of its links with FF; but if that's the case, it may be worth spelling out. I'm bringing this up partly because it's occurred to me that it's probably worth mentioning Final Fantasy adventure (actually the first Seiken Densetsu, but renamed in the West, and the game Sword of Mana was based on; a bit FF-styled -- you get to ride a chocobo -- and not terribly good) and Final Fantasy Legend 1-3 (in reality the first three SaGa games); although they're not canonical, and therefore don't warant more than a passing mention (in spite of which I've found a few links to give you further information and a better idea of what I'm talking about), they were released under the FF name in the West, and so it's probably worth noting their existence.


http://mmxz.zophar.net/rpg/mana3/som3.html
http://www.planetnintendo.com/secretofmana/
http://www.daena.net/mana/fans/members.php?id=all
http://gameboy.ign.com/articles/158/158020p1.html?fromint=1
http://www.rpgamer.com/news/Q4-2001/122101b.html
http://www.fantasyanime.com/mana/ffadvent.htm
http://www.fantasyanime.com/saga/fflabout.htm
http://gameboy.ign.com/articles/158/158022p1.html?fromint=1

Not that I expect this to turn into a history of Square, you understand; I'm just suggesting that these things are worth noting.

It shouldn't need much more work now (especially if an Italic says so).

Oh, and another possibly useful link: http://www.ffcompendium.com/h/excross.shtml

OK, put in some stuff about SaGa and Mana series - in the explanation of how the games were released rather than in the bit about Square Enix, as I felt they were more relevant here; put in some details about some of the recurring summons; renamed "Continued Points"; removed some of the details about BoF, seeing as they weren't very relevant.

I personally feel that the points about KH are already made clear - you think I should put in some more detail?

I'll have to decide what outside sites to link to; I'll have a look-see and decide over the next few days.

Any suggestions as to anything else I need to explain more to any non-fans?

Phew, if I'd seen how much I was going to end up writing before I started, I'm not sure I would have done! But it's been good fun, interesting - I'm sure I've learnt far more than anyone who reads it will - and it'll hopefully all be paid off before too long.

'Phew, if I'd seen how much I was going to end up writing before I started, I'm not sure I would have done!'



The stuff on KH is clear enough; what concerned me was the fact that mentioning it and not also mentioning Square's more famous series looked a bit... odd, and no reason was given for the choice.

Off to look at the updates.

I like the new footnote. Maybe you could say on what formats the Romancing SaGa and SaGa Frontier games were; but then again, that's perhaps beside the point for an FF Entry.

For the benefit of deprived people who don't know what anime is, I recommend linking the word to A487604.

'a multiplayer but offline game'

As far as I'm aware FF:CC has a single-player mode; possibly this should be changed to 'predominantly multiplayer'?

'a cross between this series and Ogre Battle'

You'd better explain what Ogre Battle is, and/or link it to a suitable site. A quick search produced possible links for the SNES and N64 incarnations:

http://www.rpgclassics.com/shrines/snes/ogrebattle/
http://www.fantasyanime.com/legacy/ogrebattle.htm
http://ogrebattle64.8k.com/

'which will be the first time this particular game in the series will be re-released'

Since these are rumours, the future tense may not be the best option.

'FFXII, back to the original style last seen in FFX'

Meaning, 'not a MMORPG' (='Massively Multiplayer Online RPG -- and no, I don't like the term much)? It's probably worth clarifying.

'he always uses the attack Zantetsuken'

The name wasn't used in the FF7 translation; it became 'Steel-Bladed Sword'. There seem to be some differences as to whether it ought to be steel or iron:
http://www.ffwa.org/ff7/summonmateria.html
http://www.lupinthethird.org/faq.htm
http://www.matrixcity.org/ff8/guardian.html

'find the 'materia' appropriate to the summon.'

You'd better say what Materia are.

I don't think there's any reference to the fact that there's no story continuity (except between X and X-2); that may be worth clarifying.

Okay, enough nitpicking. It's late.