Rules of Engagement

I'd like to take a moment to make it clear just exactly what I do, and do not, intend to do here, and by what rules I plan to abide during my quest.

Starting with Final Fantasy 1 I plan to play and complete each game in the series, in order, to the fullest extent possible including side quests and additional content. I do not intend to play FF X-2 as I don't truly consider it a part of the series and its storyline is extremely achievement based, meaning that you can only fully experience the various branching paths by playing the game over repeatedly. I also don't intend to play FF 11 because, as an MMO, it has no clear ending. Oh, and I won't be playing any of the spin offs - no FF Legends, Tactics, Crystal Chronicles, etc. As much as I love these additions to the FF world, I need to be at least partially realistic in this endeavor.

The allotted timeline is 365 days, beginning on 9/14/09. That said, I am a student and currently enrolled in an MA program. If at any point adhering to this timeline endangers my studies I will have to amend it.

Strategy Guides: As a general rule I don't use strategy guides until I'm about 90% of the way through I game. I used to use them from start to finish and eventually realized that doing so eliminated all of the surprise and much of the challenge. I prefer to play the game, and then go back right at the end and look for anything that I've missed along the way. That said, I'm also committed to achieving 100% completion of each game. This causes something of an internal conflict. My solution is to reserve the right to consult a walk through if I feel I'm in danger of missing something that I won't later be able to go back for. For the games that I've played before this will likely result in my usual 0 walk through consultations prior to the end of the game. For the games that I've never played I may sneak a few peeks along the way. Either way I'm likely doomed to failure on the 100% completion goal, but all I can really do is try.

Playtime: A couple of my friends have expressed interest in joining me on my quest. With that in mind I disclose that I may not always be the person in possession of the controller during given points. I fully to expect to be playing 80% of the time at minimum, but 11 games back to back is a lot of game play, and it might be nice to hand the controller off for an hour every now and then. I do, however, vow to be present and engaged for 100% of the time.

This is not an inauspicious quest, as those of you who have played some or all of these games will know. Many of the later Final Fantasy titles require upwards of 100 hours of game play apiece to complete in their entirety, and I have graduate course work and a regular life to consider. Its more than possible that I won't succeed in this quest, but I appreciate your support while I try. Thank you.