Board 8 > How important to you is saving your favorite Final Fantasy characters?

(+) Yeah! (+)

It's that time again! I think I finally have the options the way I want them to be. (Also, posting this on a day with an early round makes sense.)

I am also happy to report that my goal from last year has been a success. I wanted to care even less this year and I didn't save until halfway through, didn't offer a trade until today (inside the top 30), and have been as casual as can be with it in general. That's significant progress - and I intend on not caring at all next year since this has been good for my mental health. We'll see if the peer pressure beckons, though.

What say you?

what if i want to time my saves perfectly but for fun instead of it being actually important

Chaeix posted...

what if i want to time my saves perfectly but for fun instead of it being actually important

You would vote option 1.

ok

I voted option one because I get the discord ping so I generally do time my saves, but the thirty seconds it takes to save every hour isn't that big of an investment. Option one makes me sound more obsessive than I feel. It's just the only one that fits if I make an effort to save each hour.

I seldom drop in.

I participate casually

UltimaterializerX posted...

Second option is worded beautifully, and its what I chose.

For me its basically replaced what site contests used to provide, plus an extra sense of community and friendship. Its definitely been a huge net positive.

This is the best part of it. I just don't like getting wrapped up in obsessive behaviors over what's supposed to be fun. It's been more fun for me to be casual.

Mobilezoid posted...

I voted option one because I get the discord ping so I generally do time my saves, but the thirty seconds it takes to save every hour isn't that big of an investment. Option one makes me sound more obsessive than I feel. It's just the only one that fits if I make an effort to save each hour.

You said the same thing last year. But that option is meant for people who time their saves regardless of what's going on. For example, imagine you're in a work meeting and, instead of focusing on what your boss wants you to, you're saving your favorite Final Fantasy characters. That sounds pretty obsessive to me, when you could wait until after the meeting.

no way I'm missing a save because of my boss

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/d/dce4b3ff.png

Currently, I am at a 1

But I'd like to get down to 5 or maybe even a 9

I have tried to put limiters on things, but I'm still there every day

True freedom is in not caring enough about caring too much to care about limiting yourself

I signed up for team adrenaline

Lopen posted...

True freedom is in not caring enough about caring too much to care about limiting yourself

^
The freedom to care and take naps anyway

I went from a 9 to a 1 to a 9 and now a 1 again

These contests aren't as much fun if you're not all in

I stay up until 5am to save my favorite characters but I don't time my saves perfectly so 2 it is

I'm a 4 but swap out favorites for "characters i like"

Which basically means im around for the whole contest. So i voted 2.

Don't really feel adrenaline or anxiety from it anymore though.

Theres more than just the Fire Emblem one? Interesting.

"I live my life a quarter mile at a time" but it's "I live my life starting at 12pm EST"

I dare you to show up and try

Unless your favorites are bad characters

There used to be drama on the board it just all got funneled over there

I do it some years; I dont do it others. I like to support other peoples longstanding efforts.

Ive never cared about stats but it would be weird if the contest didnt have them so I just ignore them for the most part.

EDIT: Oh. This was asking how important SMFFFC itself is to me.

Well, it brings me back to the board most years, so at this point, its practically the board itself in my eyes. I wouldnt say its extremely important to me or anything. But I like to be a part of it.

The most dramatic thing on the board this year was a tepid debate over whether female Tseng would be more popular than male Tseng

It was about as boring as the character himself

I legit think people judging my idea of chaos and speculating on what character I'm maining is in contention for biggest board drama of the contest

It's that tame these days

I member when there was so much drama we had overflow discussion topics

MZero posted...

I member when there was so much drama we had overflow discussion topics

And then it all migrated to the Discord

There really isn't much actual drama in the discord, just the bad actors that want to think there is

That is not true. Lots of people on the discord are extremely rude

And extremely Reno too

Mobilezoid posted...

That is not true. Lots of people on the discord are extremely rude

Rude isn't in this contest

I don't know about reno or rude but there are some in there that are scarlet for sure

I think the last time I voted I caused a rallying scandal

I'm note really sure I understand the purpose of it. For example, my favourite FF character is Squall. If I participated, then I'd vote for Squall every round as often as I am able, then I'd do the same next year and the year after that. But from what I'm hearing, nobody actually does that, you pick different characters to get behind each year, as evidenced by having different winners each and every year.

So to me, the fact that you're voting for FF characters is arbitrary as you're essentially trying to create the best rally? What you're voting for could be anything.

Unless I'm completely missing the point?

Cavedweller2000 posted...

For example, my favourite FF character is Squall. If I participated, then I'd vote for Squall every round as often as I am able, then I'd do the same next year and the year after that. But from what I'm hearing, nobody actually does that,

I do it and you can too

Unless this counts as rallying then forget I said anything

Cavedweller2000 posted...

I'm note really sure I understand the purpose of it. For example, my favourite FF character is Squall. If I participated, then I'd vote for Squall every round as often as I am able, then I'd do the same next year and the year after that. But from what I'm hearing, nobody actually does that, you pick different characters to get behind each year, as evidenced by having different winners each and every year.

So to me, the fact that you're voting for FF characters is arbitrary as you're essentially trying to create the best rally? What you're voting for could be anything.

Unless I'm completely missing the point?

The big misconception here is that the contest is actually called "Save My Favorite Final Fantasy Characters" not "Save Your favorite Final Fantasy Character"

We have nominations now but originally it was just a selection of the host's favorite characters I guess. Anyway, you don't have to actually save your favorite. Most people like several characters and want to give their second or third or just some character they like some shine

Of course, you're also free to just save your favorite and a lot of people do

Everybody has been nice to me in the Discord

I like the narratives that emerge every year. Each round is its own thing dependent on numerous factors (start time, who shows up when, etc). A character can be strong but falter due to sheer bad luck. A weaker character, with the right eliminations, can pick up unexpected steam. You go in saving your favorites or some other project, but chances are they eventually go out. Then all the people who were supporting that character scatter to other ones, so the next round is completely different. This is especially pronounced late-game where saves start rising so fast. A character can be the first to get ten saves one day and then die when they need thirteen saves because no one else joined the team. It's just fun to see it all play out and who comes out on top each year.

i save so that i may one day win the pulitzer prize in fanfiction

Cavedweller2000 posted...

If I participated, then I'd vote for Squall every round as often as I am able, then I'd do the same next year and the year after that.

evil thrives when good men do nothing

pj gets it

Cavedweller2000 posted...

I'm note really sure I understand the purpose of it. For example, my favourite FF character is Squall. If I participated, then I'd vote for Squall every round as often as I am able, then I'd do the same next year and the year after that. But from what I'm hearing, nobody actually does that, you pick different characters to get behind each year, as evidenced by having different winners each and every year.

So to me, the fact that you're voting for FF characters is arbitrary as you're essentially trying to create the best rally? What you're voting for could be anything.

Unless I'm completely missing the point?

Some people do just go in and support the same character over and over every year, but a lot of people just get bored and want to switch it up. Or their favorite wins so they want to get their next favorite a win.

Things have mellowed out a lot in recent years. Far far less drama than there used to be.

Every time I casually browse here and see a contest topic, I always debate if I want to open it, knowing if I do, I'll feel compelled to keep voting until it's over. I usually ignore them.

Cavedweller2000 posted...

If I participated, then I'd vote for Squall every round as often as I am able,

You can only save him once a round. Which means making trades for the other saves he needs.

And he probably won't win so you will need to try again the next year.

And thats how you become a regular.

*sits down*
*turns SMFFFC on lunatic difficulty*

it's saving time

Slightly different point but what the game brings home is just how ridiculous FF's cast of characters is. There is no other IP where I care about the 50th, or even the 75th, character anything like as much as in FF. Indeed I probably care about my 50th favourite FF character more than all but the top 4 or fewer characters in 95% of media series.

i save to be a part of history

Don't stop us now the moment of truth
We were born to make history

and every year this maybe are our last chance

Kotetsu534 posted...

Slightly different point but what the game brings home is just how ridiculous FF's cast of characters is. There is no other IP where I care about the 50th, or even the 75th, character anything like as much as in FF. Indeed I probably care about my 50th favourite FF character more than all but the top 4 or fewer characters in 95% of media series.

One Piece, Wheel of Time, and the Cosmere i can definitely get to 100 characters that i care about.