Games Section - Blitzball

1. Introduction
2. Character Stats & Equipment
3. Abilities
4. Hotbar
5. Positions / Class
6. Linkshell / Team
7. Game settings
8. Fouls and Penalties
9. Engaging and Endurance bar
10. Gameplay
11. Rewards
12. Summary

1. Introduction

Blitzball. A brilliant sport introduced by Square Enix in Final Fantasy X has been re-designed for Game On! Players will control only their own characters instead of a team, and play online against other players for rewards. Customizing their characters appearance and skills make each player unique. Skill is vital and when to use abilities as your HP drops 1HP per 3 seconds throughout the game! A fast paced revival of an already brilliant mini game, please enjoy!

2. Characters Stats & Equipment

Every activity is linked in Game On! to other games. Stats are a key part of the game and especially Blitzball. The core stats are the same throughout the game, however each core stat contributes to each players Blitzball stats. The stats are:
• HP – obviously health.
• END  (Endurance) – This figure is your stats for amount of damage you can withstand before loosing the Blitzball.
• BLK (Block) – This figure shows your Blocking skill when intercepting the ball.
• ATT (Attack) – This figure shows your attack power, when tackling an opponent player.
• PAS (Pass) – This figure shows how much power you pass the ball with, lower the chance of an opponent “Blocking” and intercepting.
• SHT (Shot) – This shows the power of your players shot, like passing, this lowers the chance of a player “Blocking”, intercepting of indeed saving a shot at goal.
• CTC (Catch) – This shows your ability to keep hold of the ball on the field, or how good you can save the ball when in goal.
• ACC (Accuracy) – This shows how accurate your passes and shots are
• SPD (Speed) – This figure represents your characters speed in the water
Some Players “Core” stats play an importance and enhance just some of the Blitzball stats. These stats for example are based on a core stat (STR for example), divided by a set figure, then the result is rounded DOWN to the nearest whole value before being added to a Blitzball stat for a minor boost. These are:

Defender       Midfield & Balanced            Striker
“STR” ÷ 4 ATT + “STR” ÷ 5 PASS +         “STR” ÷ 3 SHT +
“VIT”  ÷ 5 END + “VIT”  ÷ 4 END +         “VIT”  ÷ 3 END +
“DEX” ÷ 6 ACC + “DEX” ÷ 5 CTC +         “DEX” ÷ 7 ACC +
“AGI” ÷ 5 SPD + “AGI” ÷ 4 SPD +         “AGI” ÷ 6 SPD +
“MND” ÷ 4 CTC + “MND” ÷ 5 Tech ACC + “MND” ÷ 5 CTC +
“INT” ÷ 4 CTC + “INT” ÷ 5 Tech ACC + “INT” ÷ 5 Tech ACC+

Character races will offer only one stat increase, and one stat decrease. These are:

HUME: STR+5 MND-5
ELVAAN:        DEX+5 STR-5
TARU-TARU: INT+5 VIT-5
VIERA: AGI+5 CTC-5
MITHRA:        DEX+5 MND-5
GALKA: VIT+5 SPD-5
GOBLIN:     Tech ACC+2% HP -5%

Equipment can be general, Blitzball specific, Race specific or Position/Class specific and can offer stats boosts and effects (for example : “Underwater Materia” to stop HP dropping by 1HP per 3 seconds for the first 5 minutes of a game)



3. Abilities

Abilities per position to be posted up on a later date – Just ironing out a few things on that one.

4. Hotbar

The Hotbar was introduce in Final Fantasy XIV and was really a fantastic way to get an MMORPG onto console. Easy to use and setup I have included it in this game. The Hotbar is setup on the Blitzball menu to include abilities and techniques your character has. It can only be altered in the main menu, not during game. I am designing for PS4 and PSVita so will use triangle, circle, square etc to explain. There are three Hotbar selections. Each have 4 slots to place abilities. The central otbar is used when only ∆, ○, □ and X are pressed. The left selection is used when the player hols the L1 trigger, whilst pressing the ∆, ○, □ and X buttons. And the same for the right selection whilst holding the R1 button and pressing the ∆, ○, □ and X buttons.

5. Positions / Classes

There are four “Positions” or “Classes” a player can level in Blitzball. These classes or positions are what give players their stats, and abilities. Players can level each position or class up to max level, then switch out to a different position and begin levelling that position instead. Each class requires different skills to use and each has their advantages and disadvantages. These positions are:
• Defensive
• Midfield
• Striker
• Balanced – Stats are the same as “Defensive” but with an addition of CTC+20 and a reduction of HP-7% at the start. Also they share some abilities of Midfield, as well as Keeper abilities.
A quick explanation now to CTC(Catch). Players who choose “Balanced” will be the teams Keeper, but with abilities to get out of the goal to tackle, block and use abilities that a Defensive or Midfield Player could use. However the Keeper can also “Heal” players with their abilities. CTC stat is depleted by these abilities at a cost. Abilities will be posted up on a later date.

“Flying” Goalie/Balanced Player and the CTC (Catch)
Players who choose to be “balanced” are both defenders and goalies. It is recommended that a player who chooses this position remains in the goal at all times, however is possible to simply be a defended who can run into the goal zone to become a “flying” goalkeeper. This has its risks however.
When an opposing player shoots for the goal, a goalie must be in the goal zone. If a keeper is in the goal zone as the shot enters it, they computer will automatically perform the save (if the shooter’s stats outmatch the keepers). If a keeper is not in the zone as the balls enters it, the goalie will not attempt the save.
Ok so someone has to stay in the zone and be equipped to do the job… If they stay in the zone the entire game, wont it be boring for them? Possibly, that’s why it was chosen to give the Keeper player the choice to leave the goal and perform as a defender, as well as use abilities to help the team. They have abilities that can enhance players, heal, remove status effects and also set traps on the field.

6. Linkshell / Team

Linkshells are from Final Fantasy XI and XIV. They are your own groups of players for those who are unaware. So in World of Warcraft, these would be your Guilds. In Star Wars Commander these would be your Clan’s and so on… In the Blitzball Linkshell menu it will show members names, and then levels per Blitzball class. Also your Linkshell will have to name their team. Players are invited to games through the leader/co-leaders invites.

7. Game Settings

Adjust length of time for the game that is set before the matches start… that’s it. All referee settings and game settings are synchronized to ensure fairness.

8. Fouls and Penalties

They always happen. Fouls occur when players are attacked without having the ball. When this occurs the player who performed the attack looses 25% of their current HP, and is stunned for 45 seconds (unable to move). Also any status effect inflicted on attacked players is nullified and they are granted “Regen” effect for the 45 seconds the attacking player is stunned for.

9. Engagement and Endurance Bar

When a player is attacked, the endurance bar will be reduced by the attacking players stats. However if the attacking player cannot take down the player, their endurance bar will remain the players max endurance minus attackers attack stat for 3 seconds. After 3 seconds, their Endurance stat will be max again.

10. Gameplay

That gameplay is fast, fun and social. It cannot be played offline as all other team members are actual players. No AI involvement other than the referee.

11. Rewards

Rewards come as titles, Gil, craft items and activity based equipment. This activity based equipment can be Blitzball equipment, Chocobo digging equipment, Chocobo racing equipment, Trta Master card enhancements and so on. These are given through personal achievements (Score 100 goals for example) as well as weekly server tables.

12. Summary

I really loved blitzball. Ever since I played it on FFX I knew this would be a great stand-alone game if created right. I believe I have just got the balance right to make it a success, and with the other mini games invovled in “FF:GO!” I believe it would be a huge success.

Demo coming soon…