Editing Final Fantasy Tactics (section)

===Design===
Matsuno's prototype was originally closer to his previous real-time strategy game ''[[Ogre Battle: The March of the Black Queen]]'' and would have featured 2D graphics; some sample images were produced, but this concept was then scrapped.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.gamesradar.com/games/final-fantasy/final-fantasy-tactics-was-originally-an-rts-rpg-inspired-by-the-directors-cult-classic-super-nintendo-game-but-his-boss-said-not-this-one/ | title=Final Fantasy Tactics was originally an RTS RPG inspired by the director's cult classic Super Nintendo game, but his boss said "NOT THIS ONE!" | date=June 20, 2024 }}</ref> Matsuno then aimed for a tactical RPG that would be accessible, something he originally aimed for with the ''Ogre Battle'' titles and later felt he had failed to accomplish with ''Tactics''.<ref name="FamInterview"/> When deciding how to differentiate ''Tactics'' from his earlier title, he placed a focus on individual character growth similar to the main series, contrasting against the army-based simulation of ''Tactics Ogre'' while keeping its chess-inspired gameplay.<ref>{{cite video | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYAd9Pv2sxU | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/KYAd9Pv2sxU | archive-date=December 11, 2021 | url-status=live | author=[[Square Enix]] | date=April 14, 2011 | title=Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together Developer Diary – The History of Tactics Ogre and Final Fantasy Tactics | medium=Web video | publisher=[[YouTube]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref> While Matsuno designed most of the rest of the game systems, due to staff shortages and needing to focus on the scenario the battle system was designed by [[Hiroyuki Ito]].<ref name="FFTinterviews" /><ref name="VSU" /><ref>{{cite web|title=A Conversation With the Creator of Final Fantasy IV |author=Parish, Jeremy |website=[[1UP.com]] |date=April 15, 2011 |url=http://www.1up.com/features/final-fantasy-iv-creator-conversation |access-date=April 13, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150404131218/http://www.1up.com/features/final-fantasy-iv-creator-conversation |archive-date=April 4, 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Ito disliked tactical RPGs of the time, growing bored with their mechanics, so designed the battle system to be engaging and feel fast and exciting.<ref name="FFTinterviews" /> Matsuno had to push against Ito's wish to simplify the class system.<ref name="MatsunoLong" /> The level design, which used compact [[diorama]]-style levels, was chosen to allow the intended 60 frames per second, carrying over the smooth gameplay experience gamers expected from the genre. The small scale of battles also reinforced the personal nature of the game's narrative conflicts.<ref name="FFTinterviews" /> Level design and mastering continued until a week before the game shipped.<ref name="FamInterview">{{cite magazine |script-title=ja:松野泰己インタビュー|magazine=[[Famitsu]]|publisher=[[Enterbrain]]|date=October 18, 2002|issue=2002–11–01|lang=ja}}</ref>

Under Matsuno's direction, the game's design strayed significantly from Sakaguchi's original concept, particularly in its narrative tone. Matsuno at the time described his wish for the narrative to emulate "a sense of swashbuckling heroism".<ref name="FFTinterviews" /> His aim was to create a ''Final Fantasy''-themed morality tale. Matsuno stated that the game's thematic use of class-based society was derived from his experiences within game production companies, observing their hierarchy and how senior designers were treated as royalty.<ref name="VSU">{{cite book |via=Studio BentStuff |url=http://www.bent.co.jp/main/works/um05/naiyo_fr.htm |script-title=ja:ベイグラントストーリー アルティマニア |trans-title=Vagrant Story Ultimania |script-chapter=ja:開発者インタビュー |trans-chapter=Developer interview |publisher=[[DigiCube]] |year=2000 |language=ja |isbn=978-4-925075-75-6 |access-date=August 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120505222154/http://www.bent.co.jp/main/works/um05/naiyo_fr.htm |archive-date=May 5, 2012|url-status=live}} ([http://shmuplations.com/vagrantstory/ Translation] by Shmuplations. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726130101/http://shmuplations.com/vagrantstory/|date=July 26, 2020}})</ref> The story premise of a long-suppressed account of ancient history was inspired by the discovery of the [[Dead Sea Scrolls]], and the story of ''[[The Name of the Rose]]''.<ref name="MatsunoLong">{{cite web|url=https://news.denfaminicogamer.jp/interview/180522|script-title=ja:『FFタクティクス』松野泰己✕『FFXIV』吉田直樹対談──もはやゲームに作家性は不要なのか？ 企画者に求められるたったひとつの資質とは？ |trans-title="FF Tactics" Yasuki Matsuno x "FFXIV" Naoki Yoshida Talk ──Do games no longer need authorship? What is the only quality required of a planner? |language=ja|website=DenFamicoGamer.jp|date=May 22, 2018|access-date=July 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180522034838/https://news.denfaminicogamer.jp/interview/180522|archive-date=May 22, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> For ''Tactics'', Matsuno created an entire new world dubbed [[Ivalice]], which he would use in multiple later projects.<ref name="MatsunoIvalice" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamesradar.com/final-fantasy-tactics-a2-interview/|title=Final Fantasy Tactics A2 – Interview|author=Nutt, Christian|publisher=[[GamesRadar]]|date=May 12, 2007|access-date=February 21, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180217095311/https://www.gamesradar.com/final-fantasy-tactics-a2-interview/|archive-date=February 17, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Ivalice was designed as a complex setting with a deep historical background.<ref>{{cite web|date=2004|title=Interview|url=http://www.ffworld.com/?rub=ff12&page=interview_jp-mai04 |website=FFWorld|access-date=May 25, 2007|language=fr|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011201410/http://ffworld.com/?rub=ff12&page=interview_jp-mai04|archive-date=October 11, 2007|url-status=live}}</ref> He described it as a blank canvas on which he and later others could create narratives.<ref name="MatsunoIvalice">{{cite AV media | author=[[IGN]] | date=May 3, 2018 | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rk_WL6wZ5tE | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/Rk_WL6wZ5tE | archive-date=December 11, 2021 | url-status=live | title=Final Fantasy 14: Why Ivalice is the Perfect Location for FFXIV | medium=Video | access-date=September 7, 2021 | format=Web video | website=[[YouTube]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref> While some aspects of the ending were left ambiguous, Matsuno considered the narrative complete on its own.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://dengekionline.com/elem/000/001/911/1911654/|script-title=ja:『FFXIV』リターン・トゥ・イヴァリース完結記念! 秘話満載で贈る松野泰己氏＆吉田直樹氏特別対談 |trans-title="FFXIV" Return to Ivalice Completion Celebration! A Special Talk with Mr. Yasumi Matsuno & Mr. Naoki Yoshida Presented Full of Secrets |language=ja|website=[[ASCII Media Works|Dengeki Online]]|date=May 3, 2019|access-date=September 7, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210715192640/https://dengekionline.com/elem/000/001/911/1911654/|archive-date=July 15, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref>