Final Fantasy 6: Tensei

Introducing: Final Fantasy 6: Tensei
Latest Update: 15 September 2014

A large-scale hack, FF6: Tensei is an attempt to rebalance both the game and the world. With a smaller cast of characters -- nine playable main characters, with three hidden secondary (non-plot) characters, compared to the original games twelve-and-two -- a revisited and revised equipment list, and a massively overhauled ability system, FF6: Tensei is be a brand new experience to fans of the original game, while still maintaining a familiar, nostalgic framework.


New Features:

• Random Stat Increases at Level Up: Instead of using the Esper system, characters have a chance at a stat increase at each level -- the higher the stat, the greater the chance it'll increase, favouring a character's primary stats over their secondary ones. Of course, if you're unlucky, the wrong stats will increase -- or no stats at all.
  
• Stat Bits, Golden Apples, and Soma Drops: On the other hand, you can permanently increase your characters' stats through items! But be careful, there are only a few in the game... Unless you know where to look.
  
• Costumes: An entire set of battle sprite-changing gear! Will your characters go around dressed as a Soldier or a Merchant? Will they dress up as an Imp or a Moogle for Hallowe'en? Or will they be perfectly lazy and be a white sheet Ghost?
  
• New Town and Dungeon Maps: Some will be altered only a little, some will be redrawn completely... And some that are otherwise unchanged may have a few new surprises.
  
• New Spell List: With the rebalanced ability system, the spell list will be divided evenly between Black, White, and Time magic -- but only certain characters can learn given spells, and most won't have access to the spell list at all.
  
• New Abilities: Sabin now uses the Mantra ability to protect his allies; Leo wields Breaks to debilitate enemy spell-casters. There's an entire new set of ways to heal and to harm.
  
• Third Slot Abilities: With magic restricted to certain characters as their primary ability, the third ability slot remains empty -- that is, until you start finding relics to expand your skill-set. Will you use the Gear Brace and grant your characters the Magitek ability? Or will they use the Blaster Gem to Ravage their foes with elemental physical strikes?
  
• New Characters/Revised Character List: The cast is smaller, some familiar faces are nowhere to be found, and some new people are joining your team -- General Leo will be a permanent playable character, and newcomer Amelia -- Relm's mother -- is the resident dancing geomancer.
  
• Defined Character Roles: By limiting characters' access to certain skills, there's a certain level of strategy involved in planning your team, as each character's ability is useful in different circumstances.
  
• Hidden Characters: Say goodbye to Gogo and Umaro, and say hello to a few old friends... But just who is it who wandered through the Dimensional Rift? Spoilers, love. Spoilers.
  
• Brand New Script: A necessity with the other changes, much of the dialogue will be either heavily revised or completely new.
  

Tentative Features:

• New World Map: With a slightly altered flow-of-events comes a brand new world map!
  
• Summon Shop Ability/Item: Stuck in the middle of nowhere with nary a Potion or Ether to be found? Just give a whistle and the Moogle-Order Mall will deliver right to the flap of your tent! Just expect to pay a little more for the service; it's not easy carrying a Remedy through Kefka's tower!
  
• FFX-Style ATB: Need some time to figure out what you're doing? Take all the time you need -- no one else will have a chance until you make your decision.
  

A proof-of-concept video has been uploaded, featuring the game's prologue (through the battle with Whelk). Primarily showcasing the game's new commands -- Pray and Ravage -- this video also features a taste of the revised script (including swearing and some adult themes, for those who would prefer to avoid that), as well as a new graphical feature: two characters sharing a sprite sheet, but on different palettes in-battle (which is impossible in the game's base code).

This will be an excellent hack according to the details you posted...

I'm looking forward to play it!

So much people are launching their innovative version of ff6...
Interesting, but it's the second hack on the same day that i saw who talks about the interdimensional rift... won't you risk to get the same ideas from the other mates, all in one shot?

Thanks, Madsiur! I'm looking forward to finishing it, although I don't imagine that'll be happening any time soon. So, so much to do yet. (I still need to figure out a way to get all the characters I want with the limited number of usable palettes; as it stands right now, I think I need three more than are actually available, so that's going to require some, uh, interesting hacking.)

it's the second hack on the same day that i saw who talks about the interdimensional rift... won't you risk to get the same ideas from the other mates, all in one shot?

The Rift is a recurring concept through the series, originating in FFV, and there are lots of ways to work with it. I'd be surprised if anyone else is intending to use it in the same way I am, aside from the obvious 'people come through it from one world into another.'

Nice, nice. Sounds promising and a lot of fun! Glad to see someone as capable as yourself start up a project. Looking forward to this one. =)

Wow, this sounds really promising; No more Gogo? Damn.... Glad to hear that more hacks are inovating the Interdimensional Rift into their Hacks, because I really Liked the Concept in Final Fantasy V

...and newcomer Amelia -- Relm's mother -- is the resident dancing geomancer.

I can predict here some event(s) with Shadow, which will/would bring an interesting view on Shadow's past.

very interesting concept, I look forward to seeing it come to fruition

good luck to you

Finally, an update! A proof-of-concept video has been added to the first post, also available here. As a note, the current script revision includes swearing and some adult themes; I'm undecided if I'm going to keep going in that direction for the new script, but it's definitely a possibility, and I know some people would prefer to avoid that in their FF6 hacks.

The current state of the hack would be impossible without LightPhoenix, whose FF6 Skills hack (the Blitz/SwdTech have menus in battle mod) is the basis for the new Pray and Ravage skills.

The entire set of eight abilities will not be available by default in the finished game, for either command, but it's a chance here to show them all off. Martyr may be replaced in subsequent versions by a modified Life spell, as it's something lacking in the current Pray skillset.

I'm excited to see the video, but it's private. Just an FYI.

As for swearing/adult themes, I usually choose a clean version if it's available, but as long as they're not in excess, I'm not going to complain about it. I know a few people were unhappy with uncensored BNW. I have a weird feeling that not very many people would care if you weren't hacking something from their childhood though...