What Needs to Be Hacked?

Looking at FFVI as a triumph for an earlier era, and something we love and want to improve, I'm curious what opinions you all have about what actually needs to be changed, to make it better for you or for the new players?

Here's mine:

Graphics is an obvious pick for me, but I still love the graphics, and people still play games on their phone with terrible silly graphics so I think there's some hope that this area doesn't limit the game.

One of the reasons I keep going back to FFVI is because the gameplay is really quite good.  For some reason most newer RPGs I play have terrible itemization and monster variation.  FFVI is limited in this area by its 255 item index, but its 500 monster index is more than most games that I come across.  Items aren't too great in FFVI but there are a lot that change the gameplay significantly.  Unfortunately the bonuses to stats are limited to +/- 7, +25/50% damage and HP, and there could be much cooler bonuses/effects.

The spells and abilities available are huge but very limited when comparing some characters.  All characters can use magic, but Locke can only steal in addition to that, which is boring and mostly pointless.  Shadow's throws are boring and rarely used if items are actually valuable.  Relm's sketch/control just annoys the hell out of me.  Setzer's randomness takes away from your ability to strategize.  Runic can be powerful but is also passive and boring.  Rage is almost too much to choose from, and Gau's uncontrollability and randomness can make it annoying, though I often like Rage (but rarely use Gau much).

The story I find to be the best part by far, which is what makes it eternal I think.  However, there are many sections I don't like (Phantom Train, Owzer's, Ultros fights, Wrexsoul) and sometimes the dialogue is just not good.  The story falls apart in the World of Ruin, which is a big let down.

Esper level ups are also cool but oddly done.  Vigor and Speed are useless and HP/MP+ are as well.

When fighting you can't see what afflictions monsters have--especially if they begin with them.  Monster AI is limited also but can have nice randomness.  Many of the monster graphics look dumb, though I think many others look awesome.  Physical attacks are limited on both the monster and the hero side, with no difference between slashing/piercing/blunt etc.

What really makes FFVI have such potential in my mind is it can be modded to change almost all of this.

What do you guys think?

I still like the concept of busting that 255 item restriction. Lot of work but can be done. Number of overworld palettes too but I'm not sure if that is even possible. A larger list of usable commands would be fun too, or even 5 commands per character but that's pushing it.

Looking at FFVI as a triumph for an earlier era, and something we love and want to improve, I'm curious what opinions you all have about what actually needs to be changed, to make it better for you or for the new players?

If we had some sort of canon info about shortly before or after the game timeline, incorporate this in the game in some way. This could include WOR PC characters taking the guests spots (not permanent guests), item expansion, monster expansion, new maps, more events, more bosses, new commands, spells. All those things that are possible but that would be on top of existing content, not replacing it.

Also fix all bugs and nested conditionals for AI scripts or other AI improvements would be cool.

What really makes FFVI have such potential in my mind is it can be modded to change almost all of this.

Same goes for the GBA port. It's like if you had a block of ceder and oak and you would state the ceder offers more possibilities because you only have furniture blueprints and tools for ceder modeling.

Nice. Also I'm not saying the GBA version isn't as good for modding. I just know FFVI SNES can be modded in these ways, so my statement was based firmly inside my limited circle of competency.

Nice.  Also I'm not saying the GBA version isn't as good for modding.  I just know FFVI SNES can be modded in these ways, so my statement was based firmly inside my limited circle of competency.

Sorry I misunderstood and I understand your point