Magitek Research Facility (Final Fantasy VI)

The Magitek Research Facility is an unrevisitable location in Final Fantasy VI located in the imperial capital of Vector. It is where experiments on espers are carried out, and is where the empire's Magitek weapons are produced. The facility was developed sixteen years ago.

Story
The Returners infiltrate the facility with the help of a Returner member stationed in Vector, and make their way through the facility to try and find the captive espers used to power the Gestahlian Empire's Magitek weapons. They spy Kefka torturing two espers before throwing them into a garbage chute, laughing at the power he has gained from them, as well as hinting at his plans to restore the Warring Triad using the espers' magic.

After acquiring the help of the two as magicite, the Returners climb up to the main lab where six espers are held captive. The Returners shut down the machine, but the espers are already too weak from the experiments, and turn themselves to magicite. Cid arrives and speaks to Celes and Locke, inquiring about rumors that Celes is an imperial spy. Kefka appears and insists the rumors are true, and has two imperial soldiers attack the group. To prove her loyalty, Celes teleports the imperials, herself and Kefka away.

The fighting damages machinery in the room that begins to explode, and Cid and the other Returners flee to a mine cart. The Returners ride it to safety, meeting up with Setzer and escaping Vector on the Blackjack. The events trigger a shift in the Third Gestahlian Campaign—the empire's supply of magic is cut off, but they acquire the knowledge of magicite as a superior source of magical energy than the forced extractions from live espers. With this information, and due to the devastation caused by the Returner raid, the Magitek Research Facility is dismantled soon after, but pieces of it make up the debris used to form Kefka's Tower in the World of Ruin.

Areas
The first area of the facility is the Magitek Factory, where the empire's weapons are produced. Many one-way lifts, cranes and conveyor belts make for a complex maze, and there are a handful of hidden passages. A garbage chute where Kefka dumps the espers Shiva and Ifrit has two doors: one to a Save Point, the other leads to a long stairwell that leads up to the Magitek Research Facility, where the espers are being kept. A lift from the facility leads to a mine cart track leading out of the facility.

Enemy Formations
Magitek Factory=
 * Sergeant x2, Belzecue x2
 * Sergeant, Belzecue x2
 * Proto Armor, Onion Knight x2
 * Onion Knight x5
 * -|Garbage Chute=
 * Flan
 * Flan x4
 * Flan x6
 * Ifrit and Shiva (Boss)
 * -|Stairwell and Hallway=
 * Trapper x3
 * General x2
 * General, Onion Knight x2
 * Destroyer x2
 * Lenergia
 * Lenergia x2, Destroyer
 * Number 024 (Boss)
 * -|Mine Cart=
 * Magna Roader (Purple)
 * Magna Roader (Purple) x2
 * Magna Roader (Purple), Magna Roader (Red)
 * Magna Roader (Red) x4
 * Number 128, Right Blade, Left Blade (Boss)
 * -|Outside=
 * Sergeant x4
 * Chaser
 * Chaser, Onion Knight x3
 * Left Crane, Right Crane (Boss)

Development
One of the greatest challenges in making Final Fantasy VI was the rail scene where the Returners ride their way out of the Magitek Research Facility. Square used the Super Famicom screen support mode known as Mode 7 and painstakingly illustrated the graphics one dot at a time to create a mock 3D effect. Although producing these graphics was a huge undertaking, the results were far rougher than the developers had hoped. In the end, this section didn't leave a lasting impression as had been intended.

Musical Themes
"Magitek Research Facility," also known as "Devil's Lab" in Kefka's Domain, is the background theme of the Magitek Research Facility.

Final Fantasy XIV
The Magitek Research Facility appears as an area in the final dungeon, the Praetorium.

Theatrhythm Final Fantasy
The Magitek Research Facility appears as the Battle Music Sequence (BMS) for "Battle to the Death".

Theatrhythm Final Fantasy Curtain Call
The Magitek Research Facility returns as the BMS for "Battle to the Death."

Final Fantasy Record Keeper
The party has infiltrated the Imperial capital of Vector in hopes of waking Terra. Aided by their fellow Returners, they enter the Magitek Factory where the espers are being held.

Magitek Factory (Classic)= Lv. 18
 * Difficulty


 * Completion Reward
 * Gil x1,500


 * Mastery Reward
 * Lesser Fire Orb x5
 * Stamina Shard x2


 * First Time Reward
 * Summoner
 * Mythril x1


 * Enemies
 * Goetia
 * Hunting Hound
 * Imperial Soldier
 * Iron Fist
 * Onion Knight
 * Ifrit (Boss)
 * Shiva (Boss)

LV. 30
 * Target Score
 * Exploit Ifrit's weakness to ice attacks.
 * Exploit Shiva's weakness to fire attacks.
 * -|Magitek Factory (Elite)=
 * Difficulty


 * Completion Reward
 * Gil x10,000


 * Mastery Reward
 * Gaia Vest (III) x1
 * Stamina Shard x1


 * First Time Reward
 * Mythril x1
 * Stamina Shard x1


 * Enemies
 * Goetia
 * Hunting Hound
 * Imperial Soldier
 * Iron Fist
 * Onion Knight
 * Ifrit (Boss)
 * Shiva (Boss)


 * Target Score
 * Exploit Ifrit's weakness to ice attacks.
 * Exploit Shiva's weakness to fire attacks.