Will: I guess that these anime choices can you help in setting the world up. Especially the city central to the story.
*Code Geass: The Britannian Empire and its goverment, “non-giant robot tech”, the Knights of the Round
- Evangelion: City scape, inhuman experimentaion
- FMA: Lab 5, inhuman experimentaion
- Trinity Blood: Vatican and its agents
*Doctor Who: Cyberman armor design
In terms of characters, I would go for the summons. I got a example for it
Same goes for the monsters, with Behemoth to made a example of.
Behemoth, Pretty much a “what if Arch Azul (FF7 DoC) and Gigandeath Hell (Den-O) have a baby that wears a Grand Fisher mask (Bleach)”.
Update: Something seemed to be missing in my setting evaluation- and I think I’ve spotted it: The Monsters. FF has a lot of monsters unique to its setting (Bombs, Cactuars, etc.) Some of these have actually been given specifics origins, some of which are quite involving (the Cactuar quest in FFX2 was fun. 
). I’m thinking that maybe I should prepare a list of those FF-only monsters and figure out their origins for Infinity; I could find the seeds for many stories there. What do you guys think?
Wil: I can start you out. Since FFX-2 and FFXI, we have been getting a bestiary of which monster is which and catergorized ala Pokemon.
EDIT: Thanks for spell check
Beasts
- Lupines
- Admantoises
- Basklisks
- Behemoths
- Coeurl
- Dual Horn
Fiends
Birds
Beastmen
- Goblins: LotR-style
- Sahaguin: Read some HP Lovecraft.
- Lamia
- Merrow
Insects
Fairy
Plant
Magic
- Bomb
*Iron Giant
- Golem
*Chimera: FMA-style
Amorph
*Flan
*Hecteyes
Otherworld
- Mind Flayer: Read HP Lovecraft
we have been getting a bestiality of which monster is which
Uh, you mean “bestiary”. I hope!
:hahaha;
Too busy right now, but I’ll be back for an assessment of the FF monsters.
Wil: Well I can provide some inspiration for the summons that you can use.
Bahamut: Could done in the style of Dorugoramon (Digimon)
http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/8...goramonog6.png
Titan: Similar to Bolt Gundam (G-Gundam)
http://www.collectiondx.com/gallery2/gallery/d/53317-3/P7240021.jpg
fractyl, I have a quick question. Why would Wil use designs and concepts, for the summoned creatures, which there are enough of across the series, from stuff from outside the Final Fantasy series?
After all as I said, there are enough slight variations on some of the main summons to get plenty of inspiration from. Without the need to draw in things from outside sources.
I’m sure Wil appreciates the input, it just begs the question why?
Fract is a very visually-oriented writer, HS; we talk about his character designs all the time. I, however, tend to work on the story first and leave details like visuals for later. Still, I appreciate the suggestions- I’m going to have to describe the Summons at some point, after all. 
Heaven’s Soldier: Like Wil said. Besides, you’ll be surprised of design similaries. Remember, inspiration is a two-way street, same basic with design. But as Wil is the creator, he has the right to add his personal touches. I only provided the parts he might like to use in piecing up the summons for his story.
- monster/summon: I guess for a “Necromancer” job (FFV).
Phantom: Based around Ghostfreak’s first form (Ben-10) with elements from the ghosts of FFXII and FFTA2.
Hmm… well that’s fair enough, I guess people just work through things differently… and it’s not unheard of to use aspects of designs from outside sources.
It just seems rather odd to me is all. When we have enough design variations for each of them already.
But oh well… if Wil wants to use them that is his choice… I’m sure whatever he does will be good, it always is.
Ok, let’s continue! After much research, I’ve narrowed the FF- specific Monsters to these:
- Ahriman - the Winged Eyeballs. Actually, I suspect this is FF’s version of D&D’s beholders, only altered (same way as the Piscodaemon is just a thinly-disguised Mind Flayer) but it may be unique enough to include. No ideas on its origins yet.
- Atomos - I’ll probably have this as a unique monster, probably a living portal to… somewhere.
- Behemoth- Classic FF monster. No ideas yet, though I’d like to explain why it summons meteors when they die.
- Bomb - This is easy: they ARE living bombs, created to fight mages, as they explode when magic is used against them. Given most armies in Gaia have Black Mages in them, it makes sense. They just escaped their creators and reproduced in the wild.
- Cactuar - An intelligent race that starts as normal cactus and then grow humanoid. Intelligent but not evil. This is not known by most people, as they do not “talk” in normal language.
- Chocobo - All colors present. Most are used as steeds. Few can fly. See note above for the rarer Fat Chocobos.
- Coeurl - Actually, this creature was stolen from an old SF story, but nobody remembers it anymore, so they’re unique to FF now. Basically, psionic pathers.
- Death Claw- a race of monsters whose bodies resemble claws (vaguely). Not sure if sentient or not.
- Deathgaze- No ideas yet.
- Enkidu- Gigamesh’s companion. Not sure what form it’ll take.
- Flan - Hmm… lots of RPGs have slimes-with-faces… not sure if I’ll use it.
- Four Fiends - Classic FF enemies; I’m definitely using them. But, why are they demons? Being elemental shouldn’t make you evil…
- Gilgamesh- you gotta have old Gil!
- Magic Pot - Ohh, definitely. But no ideas about what they are yet.
- Malboro - Gotta have it. Plenty of carnivorous plants in fiction, but not with Foul Breath. No, it doesn’t sing.
- Mover - A mystery: they travel in trios, use group magic. A single creature with three bodies? Probably alien.
- Orthros - We WILL tease the octopus, kiddies!
- Shinryu - Hmm… maybe a Weapon?
- Tonberry - in FF11, they’re what’s left on an ancient cult to an evil goddess, who live far underground. (actually, that’s wrong, they are actually deformed humans from before the great cataclysm, but I’m going for the false origin here, fits much better in my opinion.)
- Weapons - Giant living monsters created by The Ancients to be used as weapons (duh). Now that their masters are dead they roam the farthest regions of the world, waiting for new masters…
Hmm, not bad. Of course, there ARE other monsters (goblins, dragons etc.) but I want to focus on the FF-exclusive ones.
Next up: an essay on the FF Job system, as it applies in Gaia Infinity!
Just read your monster ideas Wil, and had a couple of suggestions… of course feel free to ignore me if you want.
The Four Fiends as you said are meant to represent the four elements, which you are right shouldn’t make them evil. But I was thinking their evilness could be explained in a couple of ways. One option is that they were created (by some higher power/being) to be the guardians of the element crystals (which the series has had a lot of), and so would attack anyone who tried to get close to the crystal. They might have been nice to worthy/chosen travellers at some point, but centuries of fighting off all maner of thieves could have tainted their views of all people.
Another option is that they the elements incarnate that have been corrupted by the damage and neglect that the races have shown/done to the world. Now wanting to give back some of the trauma that they have recieved.
Other than that I really like some of the ideas you have for those monsters Wil.
