SE wishes to "Illuminate" the future.

[Wolf Kanno]

Remember Crystal Tools and how awesome it is with... FFXIII and now XIV? Looks like SE is making its replacement already (http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=262918).

My god Squenix, you've barely used the White Engine despite touting it for half a decade and you're already getting ready to dump it in favor of a new engine?

[ShinGundam]

Remember Crystal Tools and how awesome it is with... FFXIII and now XIV? Looks like SE is making its replacement already (http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=262918).

My god Squenix, you've barely used the White Engine despite touting it for half a decade and you're already getting ready to dump it in favor of a new engine?
BTW, White Engine is Tools set not actual game engine :p and it is PS3's Cell-based not Cross-platform friendly.

[VeloZer0]

They have to keep all those legions of coders they hired to make FF13 busy. I mean what else are you going to spend you HR budget on, writers and game environment planners? :lol:


EDIT:

The existence of a new engine was originally revealed in a recruitment listing that used used iconic Final Fantasy 7 character, Cloud Strife's eyes, sparking yet another rumour of a remake.
Ahahahahaha

Thinking about it, maybe starting the next gen engine now isn't a bad idea. Not that I don't think launching your flagship title on a new console 4 years after it is released is an inopportune development cycle.

[Wolf Kanno]

Remember Crystal Tools and how awesome it is with... FFXIII and now XIV? Looks like SE is making its replacement already (http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=262918).

My god Squenix, you've barely used the White Engine despite touting it for half a decade and you're already getting ready to dump it in favor of a new engine?
BTW, White Engine is Tools set not actual game engine :p and it is PS3's Cell-based not Cross-platform friendly.

Actually, I believe the "White Engine" was simply a place holder name for what became Crystal Tools and was meant to be cross-platform technology created for better facial modeling and working with 3D games. ;)


In 2004, the company wanted to a "common 3D data format" to work on. This decision occurred as hardware manufacturers started offering new details on the current generation of hardware. Square's Research and Development Division was established on September 2006, and they announced an engine, then nicknamed "White Engine." At GDC, Murata unveiled its official new name: Crystal Tools, which reached version 1.0 on September 2007. (Internally, the team is working with v.1.1 of the tools.)
The development team requested extensive use of character close-ups and stylized expressions. Visuals are of the upmost importance for Square Enix. "When you look at the screen, it should look cool, or you should feel good."

GDC08: Square Enix unveils Crystal Tools engine | Joystiq (http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/22/gdc08-square-enix-unveils-crystal-tools-engine/)

Also:
‘Crystal Tools’: Final Fantasy Engine Renamed, Supports Wii | GameLife | Wired.com (http://www.wired.com/gamelife/2008/02/finalfantasy/)

Square-Enix Rechristens White Engine, Plans To Bring It To Wii (http://kotaku.com/359811/square+enix-rechristens-white-engine-plans-to-bring-it-to-wii)

GDC 08: Square Enix's White Engine renamed Crystal Tools- Destructoid (http://www.destructoid.com/gdc-08-square-enix-s-white-engine-renamed-crystal-tools-71782.phtml)

The articles point out the purpose of the engine was being able to make it easier to build 3D games on multiple platforms although its still up in the air if it will work on the Wii.

The problem here is that when the White Engine was originally announced, SE said it was PS3 exclusive but as early as 2007, they started saying it was multi-platform (http://www.psu.com/news/1252) based game engine. I wouldn't be surprised if the PS3 exclusiveness was either a mistranslation or more likely an idea SE quickly changed their mind on seeing as how a year into its development the White Engine was starting to be touted as multi-platform.

**************************************************

On topic though, it sounds to me like Luminous might be developed for Eidos more than SE's flagship series since it incorporates technology from previous Eidos titles (http://www.andriasang.com/e/blog/2010/09/02/square_enix_next_gen_engine/). That or SE is hoping to build a more flexible game engine for both Japanese and Western developers.

[black orb]

>>> Lol SE..:luca:

[Mirage]

FF14's graphics aren't even DirectX 10, so yeah.

Does it look pretty? Yeah. It it anywhere near cutting edge graphics technology? No, far behind.

If they want impressive looking games in a few years from now, it is kinda obvious that they have to start working on the tech for that already now.

[Depression Moon]

I care less about their games looking pretty and more about them actually producing the good games I've been waiting for.

[Mirage]

There's always Versus 13. Our last hope.

[razorrozar7]

I care less about their games looking pretty and more about them actually producing the good games I've been waiting for.

Won the thread.

[Del Murder]

There's always Versus 13. Our last hope.
No. There is another...

[Bolivar]

You really can't blame Square Enix, it's the nature of the medium now that it's such a calamity to make a game that actually looks good and doesn't have many obvious imperfections. It's a highly risky thing and like Mirage said, they need to start now if they want to do it.

Also, it does seem from the article that maybe this is an eidos engine.

Also, this could potentially be a very lucrative proposition. Looking at how successful and widely adopted the Unreal Engine 3 was at the beginning of this generation, it's up for grabs whoever makes the industry standard for the beginning of the next generation. Crytek seems confident that they've already done it but they need to get out there and try to make it happen (I personally know people at IllFonic, the first company licensing CryEngine 3 for their game Nexuisz and apparently Crytek is very hands on in sending people to come and help you with the development).

If Square Enix actually made that engine, it would be a massively beneficial thing for the company. Also their developers wouldn't have to be sitting on their asses waiting for it to come and then being rushed because you've taken so long this generation to release something.