Topic: The Final Fantasy Legend (GB)

[TerraEsperZ]

Sorry for how chaotic this thread is turning out to be, but it's at least an accurate depiction of my thought process whenever I'm working on a personal project.

So, where are we with this?

First of all, I've decided to limit the thread to the Game Boy version of the game only and to start another thread for the Wonderswan remake, if only because I'd like one of the threads to have some sense of order. Plus, I won't be forced to hop from one game to the other constantly to keep up on both sides.

Secondly, I've removed all the earlier maps and replaced them with updated version taking into account the criticisms I've received as well as incorporating various corrections, additions and better names. Lessons learned with this set will be carried over to the remake's.

*This is why I usually always wait until I've fully mapped a game before doing the map legend and trying to be "artistic". As you can see, I tend to change my mind quite often before settling on something that satisfies me.*

Oh and finally, everything shown on my map is real and nothing has been extrapolated thanks to those nifty camera codes! I'm saying this because some off-screen areas are different here than on the maps in that previously mentioned "Nintendo Player's Guide - Game Boy".

[TerraEsperZ]

Just a heads up that I've resumed mapping this game. I finally managed to work through the issues that were driving me nuts, namely how to point out the stores/guilds that weren't identified without obscuring the map too much (solution: add a bordered icon/label over the sellers and simply *try* not to get annoyed by it). Also, how to reconcile having maps where areas are divided by floors and some where they aren't (solution-of sorts: stop thinking about it).

Yeah, I've got issues.

[Troy Lundin]

Seems like we share some OCD issues. You are using the same solution for your first issue as I did for my FFVIa maps. Also, I tend to over-think things and it really gets to me. For my FFVIa maps, the bordered, 16x16 pixel image I use has to be in the exact location that the event occurs, as well. My program tells me exactly where ports happen and I have to put the icons there or I will explode.

Glad I'm not the only one that's insane.

[TerraEsperZ]

...And almost a year later, I'm *again* resuming work on this. I've spent the last few days porting everything to GIMP while trying to learn the basics of it; it's taken some time but the added flexibility for labeling is much appreciated.

At the time I stopped, I had mapped most of the rest of the game (excluding the last part of the Tower as well as the second version of it) but never posted it since I was changing layout and lettering scheme every hour or so. I should post updated versions of all existing maps as well as newer ones in a few days.

Although most of my insecurities about labeling have been taken care of, there was a special case I wasn't sure how to handle. See, there's a map early on where the treasure needed to leave the first world is hidden, as well as the boss guarding it. However, you can only obtain said treasure (and fight the boss) when you come back to that map after completing a whole bunch of stuff in that world. I wasn't sure if I should point out the location of the treasure and the boss since they only appear much later on. I *hate* stuff like that where a map changes just enough to want to point it out but not enough to justify putting together a second version of it.

[Grizzly]

In my Secret Of Evermore maps, I used splitscreens for the parts that changed after returning to early locations with a flying vehicle obtained late in the game (Windwalker). For example on https://www.vgmaps.com/Atlas/SuperNES/SecretOfEvermore-Prehistoria-WesternSwamp.png. For very small changes, I added them directly into the original maps.

[TerraEsperZ]

Okay, so here's another update with some actual content for once.

Regarding my last post, I decided not to include the "hidden" bosses to avoid unnecessary clutter. Besides, if you're playing the game and following the story, you should expect them to attack you in those specific instances. There are a few maps later on where I've actually included a "before" and an "after" version since it was warranted.

Anyway, I've been playing around with the format a little, fixing some font errors I did as well as adding a border to make the label text more readable, changing some location names based on the actual game text, rearranging rooms placement and other such stuff.

-Bandit's Lair has been renamed to Bandit's Cave. The game makes it clear that Bandit is an actual guy so that part is unchanged, and since he's in a cave...
-Sea Castle has been renamed to Undersea Castle. The game calls it The Castle at the Bottom of the Sea but that's way too long. I changed it for Undersea to be consistent with Undersea Town.
-Byak-Ko's Hideout has been renamed to Sacred Palace. It is named as such in the game by an NPC as the resting place of the White Sphere but it wasn't obvious at first that he was talking about this place.

I've updated the first post with the following:
-World 1: Overworld, Base Town, Town of Hero, Castle of Armor, South Town, Bandit's Cave, Castle of Sword, Castle of Shield
-World 2: Overworld, Port Town, Northeast Island Town, Old Man's Cabin, Seafloor, Undersea Town, Undersea Castle
-World 3: Overworld, Sky Town, Flying Castle, Hidden Town, Resistance Base, Jail, Sacred Palace
-World 4: Overworld, Southwest Town, Library

[TerraEsperZ]

I've updated the first post with the following:
-World 2: Overworld Surface, Overworld Seafloor (both renamed for better clarity)
-World 4: Akiba Town, Ameyoko town, Atomic Power Plant

[TerraEsperZ]

I've updated the first post with the following:
-World 1: Overworld (I've reduced the size of the map's border area to comply with the same standard I've used for the smaller maps)
-World 2: Overworld Seafloor (same thing)

[TerraEsperZ]

I've updated the first post with the following:
-World 1: Base Town (added which floor of the tower the door leads to)
-World 2: Overworld Surface (idem)
-World 3: Overworld (idem)
-World 4: Overworld (idem)
-World 4: Skycraper

[TerraEsperZ]

I've updated the first post with the following:
-Tower
-Paradise Side-World: Overworld
-Paradise Side-World: Paradise Village
-Torture Side-World: Overworld
-Fish Statue Side-World: Overworld
-Cloud Side-World: Overworld
-Lake Side-World: Overworld
-Forest Side-World: Overworld
-Forest Side-World: Forest Castle
-World 4: So-Cho's Grave
-Flower Side-World: Overworld
-Flower Side-World: Old Man's Hut

Almost finished! Only three maps left...

[TerraEsperZ]

I've updated the first post with new versions of every maps as well as the last three:
-World 1: Base Town (Revisited)
-Tower (Exterior)
-Creator's Paradise

Before submitting the whole thing to the site, I'd like some more comments on these supposedly 'final' versions. I most likely won't be changing much (if anything) at this point but you never know, I might have made a few mistakes somewhere since I've never fully mapped a JRPG before. The only major changes since the last update has been:

-Changing the background color from black to dark grey in order for black map areas to have visible boundaries;
-Changing a few names, including the world names to follow the generally accepted convention of 'World of SOMETHING' format. It's no more clunky than using 'Bandit' and 'Creator' as proper names and everyone's been using it, including the instruction manual. Also, I decided to use simply 'Tower' for the tower interior that you travel through for most of the game while using 'Tower (Exterior)' for when you climb the outside of it near the end of the game. The reasoning behind not also using '(Interior)' for the first map is that it would be redundant to have to add it to every tower entrance label;
-Adding the location of a few items that are obtained by NPCs.

Anyway, please comment so I can send this to JonLeung .

[snesmaster]

I just got done checking out your maps, and they look great.  The labels are well placed and easy to follow.  I like the way you split of the floors for multiple floor areas.  They ready to be uploaded to me.

[TerraEsperZ]

Thanks. They've now been submitted.

[JonLeung]

Thanks.  They've now been uploaded.

Awesome job, TerraEsperZ.  As I mentioned to you, though I haven't played many original Game Boy RPGs, for whatever reason I have a fascination with how these epic adventures can fit in such a small cartridge.  With the miniaturization of everything technological, that some people can carry the entire Super NES library in their cell phone, it's hardly surprising now, but in 1990, having just one big handheld game blew my mind.  I guess considering at the time handheld games were otherwise like Game & Watches or Tiger Electronics games...  Though now I should really play some of the GB FFs to see if they're as amazing as I've always imagined.

I find it interesting that of the four Game Boy (non-Color, non-Advance) FFs, Final Fantasy Adventure (RyuMaster), The Final Fantasy Legend (TerraEsperZ), Final Fantasy Legend II (maquiladora) and Final Fantasy Legend III (Dammit 9x) are each entirely mapped by different mappers.  Nothing wrong with that, of course.  Just an observation.