Well, I have integrated the "Character Concepts" chapter into my existing D&D campaign without incident, but a whole lot of additional backstory for one of the PCs (whose player is semi new to RP, and so is a little on the shy side of things) to which I have been able to add a bit of additional depth to the campaign (she chose the Repentant Sinner), along with a Free Spirit. Obviously not everyone has chosen one yet, but I also didn't make it mandatory (though the free feats make it desireable).
As I am not a "D20 or Die" type of gamer (having been around far too long for that), I too have looked at the returner system. While I do have a preference to true percentile systems, Returner's FFRPG requires far too much spontaneous and complicated number-crunching to resolve anything in a timely fasion, making it, ultimately, unsuitable for my gaming table, and that is when you are using the pre-calculated setups. Were I one who could produce the mathematical answers "instantly" like some sort of Savant, then maybe it would be playable for me.
While I love complex systems, and would (and have) gladly spend hours creating (and even helping others create) characters and whatnot using complex algebraic formulas; once you hit the Tables, it must be able to function quickly and efficiently. This is where, IMHO, the Returner system falls short, as does other systems I like. For instance, the Phoenix Command system utilized in Living Steel was great, in theory; but in actual play it was too labor intensive to be playable, particularly the combat system where speed and efficiency was needed most. It is also here, in the combat phase, that Returner, again IMHO, falls down.
Anyway, back to FFZ. I certainly like what you have so far, and like everyone else I am anxiously awaiting more crunchies. As you are currently working on the Tribes section, I'd like to ask you for more detail as to why you chose to blur the distinction between social groups and biological races and incorporate them into a single concept of "Tribe"? For instance, an Al Bhed really isn't distinct from a Human other than as a cultural thing (which the idea in D20 is that such distinctions relate to available bonus feats and skills), but a Lupine is certainly distinct in all basic capabilities from a Tarutaru. Further, are you going to include in some future chapter a breakdown of the tribes and jobs available by FF "world" for those who'd like to re-create a particular setting?
As I am not a "D20 or Die" type of gamer (having been around far too long for that), I too have looked at the returner system. While I do have a preference to true percentile systems, Returner's FFRPG requires far too much spontaneous and complicated number-crunching to resolve anything in a timely fasion, making it, ultimately, unsuitable for my gaming table, and that is when you are using the pre-calculated setups. Were I one who could produce the mathematical answers "instantly" like some sort of Savant, then maybe it would be playable for me.
While I love complex systems, and would (and have) gladly spend hours creating (and even helping others create) characters and whatnot using complex algebraic formulas; once you hit the Tables, it must be able to function quickly and efficiently. This is where, IMHO, the Returner system falls short, as does other systems I like. For instance, the Phoenix Command system utilized in Living Steel was great, in theory; but in actual play it was too labor intensive to be playable, particularly the combat system where speed and efficiency was needed most. It is also here, in the combat phase, that Returner, again IMHO, falls down.
Anyway, back to FFZ. I certainly like what you have so far, and like everyone else I am anxiously awaiting more crunchies. As you are currently working on the Tribes section, I'd like to ask you for more detail as to why you chose to blur the distinction between social groups and biological races and incorporate them into a single concept of "Tribe"? For instance, an Al Bhed really isn't distinct from a Human other than as a cultural thing (which the idea in D20 is that such distinctions relate to available bonus feats and skills), but a Lupine is certainly distinct in all basic capabilities from a Tarutaru. Further, are you going to include in some future chapter a breakdown of the tribes and jobs available by FF "world" for those who'd like to re-create a particular setting?