The Mad Bishounen

Well, more of an epiphany. I realized you can trace the evolution of Final Fantasy gameplay through its experience systems, and that it's an oddly logical progression. Observe:

FFI: Straight-up XP - > levels - > power. Easy.

FFII: XP goes out the window for horribly broken skills-get-better-as-you-use-them hidden stats.

FFIII: XP returns, but the hidden stats based on usage return in a dumbed-down form in the job levels.

FFIV: XP and XP alone, in the model of FFI

FFV: Perhaps the crucial turning point in the evolution of FF gameplay, the XP system is supplemented with a secondary XP, in this case job points, which yield abilities.

FFVI: Next logical step: XP and AP

FFVII: As VI, but AP goes on Materia instead of characters.

FFVIII: XP alongside leveling up GFs instead of leveling up Materia

FFIX: Deliberate throwback to VI's system, almost verbatim.

FFX: XP and AP have bastard child, the Sphere Grid.

FFXII: Sphere Grid grows up, changes name to License Board and marries a girl from the traditional XP clan.

It's really kind of cool that you can see the development of their gameplay ideas over each iteration. Heaven only knows what XIII is going to do, of course.