The use of revival items/spells in RPGs.

Ok, so your fighting a tough enemy and he kills one of your guys. No problem, you probably have a stash of Phoenix Downs or your white mage has Raise/Life. You bring em back, and continue on as usual.

Why is it then, when someone dies in the storyline, does everyone suddenly become retarded and not use said items or spells?

FFVII for example.

I think it was a great plot twist that aeris died. The only thing nagging me was the fact that nobody used an item or revival spell.

Now I know what your thinking:

"Alerith you silly boy, in battle, you only get knocked out. You don't actually die."

Ok, Ill go with that for a few seconds.
..
..
..

Ok, im done. If that was the case, then why would you end in a game over? Are you so knocked out that you don't realize something is eating your face?

And why else would the spell be called "Death"? Sure "Knock Out" doesnt sound as cool, but at least it works!

And what about in FFX? If your main party dies, you get the ol Game Over. Your secondary party characters just walk away and go "Shit.....oh well. The world is doomed now."

A character dies in battle, someone revives them.
A character dies otherwise, everyone plans a funeral.

Wth?

Here's my theory.



"Death" in a battle isn't really death. You're really just getting beaten to within an inch of your life, and you've been knocked unconscious. The Phoenix Down revives you from your KO'd state and restored some of your health.
Like, in a battle, you can react, and dodge attacks. Maybe not completely dodge them, but make it so they avoid hitting vital organs, and thus you just pass out from loss of blood.

If everyone gets knocked out, then there's nobody left to stop the monsters from having their way with you, and eating your faces off and shit. THAT'S why it's game over if everyone passes out.

As for the Death spell and FFX's game over, I've got nothing. =\


Aeris was stabbed through the stomach. It's a little more serious, I guess.
Or was it more through the heart than the stomach? Either way, what I'm getting at is that Sephy hit a vital organ, there. That's serious shit.


Eh, that's what I think.

And what about in FFX? If your main party dies, you get the ol Game Over. Your secondary party characters just walk away and go "Shit.....oh well. The world is doomed now."

  I noticed that too... they fixed that in FF12.

How about; it's that way to make the game work =/

Some FF's even call it "K.O." or "Swoon" (Ha, that was my favorite.) status, rather than Death. Anyway it doesn't matter.

Because if it worked on actual dead people... nobody'd be dead! You'd have people living forever, and there'd be some really gross old wrinkly people walking around.

Lol, I know about that thing, too. This here describes it really good:

"Mommy, why didn't they just use a Phoenix Down on Aeris?"
Don't expect battle mechanics to carry over into the "real world."

That's why I like to use the term "Defeated". If your party members all are defeated the bad guys kill them. Bang! Game Over!

So hey, Phantasy Star 4? Play it.

So hey, Phantasy Star 4? Play it.

The whole death/pheonix down thing has bothered me since I was like 11. And when Genreal Leo died in FF6. I was like, 'hey this guy is awesome, pheonix down the guy already!' So i've also wondered why if you die in battle a pheonix down is okay, but in a cut scene you're permanently gone.

I've always wondered why that worked.

Behold, a prime example of a plot hole.

No no no. When a cutscene starts, you're teleported to an alternate dimension where the physics are different.

Silly humans.

Actually, that bugs me to, but how else, as Roph mentioned, could you make game mechanics work?

Did anyone read my post yet?

What post?  I don't see any post.

 

It's just how a game works. I suppose we could always complain to the maker.