Square Enix Co., Ltd. (formerly Square Co., Ltd.) has created three specific battle systems for use in their role-playing games. Generally, battle systems are the core engine for fights between characters and enemies. Each battle system made its first appearance in the Final Fantasy series, with subsequent overhauls introduced in subsequent games, such as Xenogears and Chrono Cross. The first three games in Square's Final Fantasy series use a traditional turn-based battle system with no elaborations. Many other Square/Square Enix role playing games feature one of the innovations listed below. SQUARE ENIX (Japanese: スクウェア・エニックス) is a Japanese producer of popular video games and manga. ... Square Co. ... This article is about traditional role-playing games. ... For the first installment in the series, see Final Fantasy (video game). ... This article or section may contain original research or unverified claims. ... Chrono Cross ) is a console role-playing game created by Square Co. ...

Active Time Battle

Picture showing the ATB in Final Fantasy IX

The Active Time Battle (アクティブタイムバトル, Akutibu Taimu Batoru^?) system (ATB) in a console role-playing game is an alternative to a turn-based system designed by Hiroyuki Ito during production of Final Fantasy IV for the SNES (originally known as Final Fantasy II when it was released in North America). It has been used primarily in Square Enix's Final Fantasy franchise, although it has appeared in a few other games, including Square's own Chrono Trigger. ImageMetadata File history File links Activetimebattle. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Activetimebattle. ... Final Fantasy IX ) is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square Co. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Role-playing game (video games). ... Hiroyuki Itō (JP:伊藤 裕之) is a game director and designer for Square Enix, and is most known for his work in the role-playing game series, Final Fantasy. ... Final Fantasy IV ) is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square Co. ... SQUARE ENIX (Japanese: スクウェア・エニックス) is a Japanese producer of popular video games and manga. ... For the first installment in the series, see Final Fantasy (video game). ... Chrono Trigger ) is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square Co. ...

On the battle screen, a status summary of each character is displayed. These encompass HP levels, MP levels (where applicable), and an ATB gauge.

The ATB gauge determines when a character can take action. When the gauge is filled completely, the player can issue an order to that character.

In Final Fantasy X-2, some abilities require time to charge before attacking, while others, such as a standard attack, work immediately with a recovery time afterwards. If a character uses a charged ability, and then a no-wait ability, she can attack twice in a row. Sometimes an action will require both charging time and a recovery period.

The main deciding factor in the length of the time meter is the ability that is used. More powerful abilities will take longer to charge and recover from than normal attacks. The length of the time meter and the speed in which it charges is also affected by a character's "speed" attribute, which can be altered by certain items, equipment, abilities, spell effects (Haste, Slow, etc.) or leveling up.

Not all of this applies to every role-playing game that uses Active Time Battle, and some are much less complex, but it is a general idea of how this battle system works.

Though not technically called Active Time Battle, the battle systems of the Grandia series of video games uses a battle system very similar in concept to ATB systems. Grandia is a Console role-playing game series created by Game Arts. ...

The first game to make use of this system was Final Fantasy IV, but it did not have the ATB meter, all following installments of the main Final Fantasy series have used the ATB system until Final Fantasy X, though the ATB system did return for the sequel, Final Fantasy X-2. Final Fantasy X-2 ) is a console role-playing game (RPG) developed and published by Square Enix Co. ...

Example diagram of the ATB system from its US patent application

A common element in the ATB system was how the battle started out initially. Although this could be applied to the various other turn-based systems, Square games used them the most. The first of these was the "Preemptive strike" which gave the player a free turn in the beginning, without retaliation from the enemy. The second was "Back attack", which is the preemptive strike for enemies, although if the ATB system in the allowed for characters to be in a front or back row, every character's row position was reversed (all front row characters were in the back, and vice versa). A third was side attack, which the player's characters were split up into two groups that attacked the enemy from both sides. Not only did the player gain an extra turn, but physical attacks do more damage if the player attacks an enemy that's facing away. The last one was "Pincer attack" or "Attack from both sides", which is the same as side attack, only at the enemy's advantage.

Square Co., Ltd. filed a United States patent for the ATB system on March 16, 1992, under the title "Video game apparatus, method and device for controlling same" and was awarded the patent on Feb. 21, 1995. A patent is a set of exclusive rights granted by a state to a patentee (the inventor or assignee) for a fixed period of time in exchange for the regulated, public disclosure of certain details of a device, method, process or composition of matter (substance) (known as an invention) which...

Conditional Turn-Based

The "Act List" from Final Fantasy X appears in the top right hand corner

A battle system for computer role-playing games, the Conditional Turn-Based Battle (CTB) system, or the Count Time Battle (カウントタイムバトル, Kaunto Taimu Batoru^?) system in Japan, designed by Toshiro Tsuchida of Squaresoft (now Square Enix) is used in Final Fantasy X, Final Fantasy Tactics and Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. Similar battle systems have been seen in games by other publishers, such as Electronic Arts' The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age. Such other systems are not actually known as CTB systems, however, as that name refers explicitly to Square Enix's implementation. Furthermore, the details of the system are not constant across the three games in which it has been implemented. Image File history File links FFXbattleexample. ... Image File history File links FFXbattleexample. ... Final Fantasy X ) is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square Co. ... Role-playing battle systems is a systematic set of rules to determine how battle should flow in an role-playing game. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Toshiro Tsuchida is the man behind the Front Mission series. ... Square Co. ... SQUARE ENIX (Japanese: スクウェア・エニックス) is a Japanese producer of popular video games and manga. ... Final Fantasy X ) is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square Co. ... Final Fantasy Tactics ) (often abbreviated as FFT) is a tactical role-playing game developed and published by Square Co. ... Final Fantasy Tactics Advance ) is a tactical role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix Co. ... EA redirects here. ... The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age Categories: Computer and video game stubs | 2004 computer and video games | GameCube games | PlayStation 2 games | Xbox games ...

The "Act List" from Final Fantasy Tactics

At its most basic, CTB is a turn-based system which does not operate in rounds. That is, though each character's turn is atomic, the order of the turns does not guarantee that each participant in a battle will have an equal number of turns. Characters with higher speed will be able to take more turns than slower characters, thus making speed much more important than in other turn-based battle systems. Furthermore, spells and abilities can modify the turn order (called the Act List), as some abilities require a longer cool down time. In general, weaker abilities tend to require less cool down time, thus introducing a trade-off between speed and power. ImageMetadata File history File links Final_Fantasy_Tactics_Battle_Sys. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Final_Fantasy_Tactics_Battle_Sys. ... A turn-based game, also known as turn-based strategy, is a game where each participant plays in turn. ... Look up Round in Wiktionary, the free dictionary Round might mean: In mathematics: A round number is one that ends with one or more zeroes. ... In computer science, an atomic operation is an operation during which a processor can simultaneously read a location and write it in the same bus operation. ... After exercise a similar procedure to warming up must be followed in order to prevent discomfort. ... A Tradeoff usually refers to losing one quality or aspect of something in return for gaining another quality or aspect. ...

The system is distinguished from Square Enix's Active Time Battle system by the fact that when a character's turn begins, all action stops while the player decides upon an action. This shifts the focus from reflexes and quick decision-making to strategy and careful planning.

Final Fantasy X featured an augmented CTB system, allowing the player to substitute characters while in the middle of a battle (the "party interchange system".^[1])

More recently, the Ubisoft game Heroes of Might and Magic V features a battle system reminiscent of the CTB system (although the CTB scale, showing the order of turns, is often incorrectly referred to as an ATB scale).
Ubisoft Entertainment (formerly Ubi Soft) is a computer and video game publisher and developer with headquarters in Montreuil, France. ... Heroes of Might and Magic V (sometimes referred to as Heroes V or HoMM5) is the fifth installment of the Heroes of Might and Magic computer game series. ...

Real Time Battle

An Active Dimension Battle in progress in Final Fantasy XII

The Real Time Battle (RTB) system is a combat system introduced in the MMORPG Final Fantasy XI. It replaces the random encounter game mechanic that has featured in past Final Fantasy games, instead allowing players to view the location of nearby enemies on the game map, therefore allowing one to move around the landscape during battles, or to avoid battles altogether. Characters also attack automatically once they target an enemy, whereas special commands and magic can be inputted by the player at any time. This system was later adapted for single-player use by Final Fantasy XII as the Active Dimension Battle (ADB) system, which sports a time meter similar to that seen in the Active Time Battle system indicating when the characters will perform their next action. Image File history File links Final_Fantasy_XII_JAP_FF12. ... Image File history File links Final_Fantasy_XII_JAP_FF12. ... Final Fantasy XII ) is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix for the Sony PlayStation 2 video game console, and the twelfth installment in the Final Fantasy video game series. ... An image from World of Warcraft, one of the largest commercial MMORPGs as of 2004, based on active subscriptions. ... Final Fantasy XI ), also known as Final Fantasy XI: Online or simply Final Fantasy Online, is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game developed and published by Square Co. ... A random encounter is a feature commonly used in hack and slash role-playing games and computer and video games whereby encounters with non-player character (NPC) enemies or other dangers occur sporadically and at random. ... A game mechanic is a rule or set of rules intended to produce a set of outcomes in a game. ... For the first installment in the series, see Final Fantasy (video game). ... Final Fantasy XII ) is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix for the Sony PlayStation 2 video game console, and the twelfth installment in the Final Fantasy video game series. ...

See also

• Final Fantasy magic
• Final Fantasy weapons
• List of Final Fantasy armor and accessories
• Final Fantasy items

This article needs additional references or sources to facilitate its verification. ... The following are major weapons in the Final Fantasy computer role-playing game series. ... The following is a list of armor and other equippable items from the Final Fantasy computer role-playing game series. ... In the Final Fantasy series of role playing games produced by Square Enix (originally Square Co. ...

References

External links

• Final Fantasy - Active Dimension Battle on Neoseeker