VERSUS XIII still not in 'Full Production'!

[nirojan]

Nomura's interview with Famitsu has shed light on alot of thing the 1st production team at Square Enix has been upto. Apparently KH3 will begin soon and will be the finale for long time antagonist Xehanort.

And on VERSUS XIII they're using controllable cutscenes and Noctis has a camera phone, so we can take pictures whenever we like. The HQ model and LQ models aren't that different (with the exception of hair quality) and there were 3 screen shots that Nomura showed Famitsu (SE would not allow them to be published), but the Famitsu editors were really impressed. They said it looked like actual photos. And (the kick to the groin is) Nomura also said that core development team has yet to enter full production on the title. They have begun recording voices now, and they're recording 4 voice actors at the same time to recreate realistic conversations (peoples voices overlap) which is pretty cool.

Sources:
Japanese (http://www.ff-reunion.net/ff/2011/07/13/ffv13_famitsu__nomura_interview)
English (http://www.andriasang.com/e/blog/2011/07/13/nomura_on_ff_versus_xiii/) translated courtesy of Andriasang

Slightly disappointing that they haven't ramped up earlier, especially since they already showed gameplay videos and whatnot. Hopefully TGS this september will shed some more light on the much anticipated title!

[champagne supernova]

I'm actually not disappointed that they haven't ramped it up yet, because they want to get the idea nailed first. Once the ideas are nailed, it will probably take about a year for the rest of it to be designed (I mean, they have the models, the story, apparently one amazing graphics engine).

Makes me more optimistic than XIII, which probably called a development team in when the core ideas weren't actually nailed down, leading them to continually shift. Same as Duke Nukem Forever - vision first, implementation second.

But this game is sounding more and more impressive.

[Dreddz]

That is quite worrying and a little confusing. I assumed that when a game is in "full production" is when the engine and assets are created, and from the trailers already released it seemed like they were well under way with that stuff.

Hopefully all these delays are to the games benefit. Square always assure us that the game is coming along smoothly but I'd argue the game has been in somewhat of a development hell for the last few years. Why on earth would they take so long to get this game made?

[champagne supernova]

That is quite worrying and a little confusing. I assumed that when a game is in "full production" is when the engine and assets are created, and from the trailers already released it seemed like they were well under way with that stuff.

Hopefully all these delays are to the games benefit. Square always assure us that the game is coming along smoothly but I'd argue the game has been in somewhat of a development hell for the last few years. Why on earth would they take so long to get this game made?

No, full production is much later than that. The core development team develop the game engine, concept art, concept storyline, core gameplay, etc. Once the game engine has basically been perfected, main characters have been designed, the story is almost done and the core gameplay is in place, they ramp up production. This is where they convert a lot of the design ideas for places in the world into the game, fill it with additional characters, make it feel like a real world, etc.

But the key work is done before they ramp up production.

Versus XIII hasn't been in development hell. If Famitsu is right and they can't believe that some of the real-time rendering isn't pre-rendered, they've used the time well to develop something amazing. Development hell is Duke Nukem where, once they're at the stage Versus is at right now, they decide to go back and change the core again.

If Versus is going to be ramped up soon, it'll probably find a release date near the end of next year in Japan.

[nirojan]

I dunno, I always though 'full development' included all that. Maybe SE views their development cycle in different ways than most other companies....or atleast Nomura does.

[champagne supernova]

I dunno, I always though 'full development' included all that. Maybe SE views their development cycle in different ways than most other companies....or atleast Nomura does.

Yeah, maybe they haven't phrased it properly. It's clear that they have a battle system, world map, storyline, models, textures, game engine, gameplay etc. I mean, they're already recording dialogue. They've basically got the final idea of the game and the tools to make the game in place, now it's more the grunt work of using the tools to flesh out the idea and refine.

[DMKA]

Man, this may be the longest development time of any FF game ever.

It's probably not going to come out until the PS4 does, but man it's probably going to be AWESOME!

[10-Breaker]

Well, the trailers sure haven't looked bad. And if they take time to perfect it, it might be a sign that this is the new form for Final Fantasies.

Na there won't be PS4 for a long time. PS3+ or PS3Xtreme or something like that. It's so modifiable.

[Del Murder]

I think Versus is going to be SE's Duke Nukem Forever. :D :(

[Sword]

Final Fantasy Versus XIII Development Clarification : The Silent Chief (http://thesilentchief.com/2011/07/14/final-fantasy-versus-xiii-development-clarification/)


For Final Fantasy Versus fans who have been waiting since 2006 to get their hands on Tetsuya Nomura’s new role playing game for the PS3, hearing that the game was currently in “pre-production” stages was a bit hard to believe. Nomura stated as much in a brief interview with Famitsu but apparently what he actually meant got lost in translation.

Thankfully someone familiar with the language at Neogaf read over interview and clarified Nomura’s statement.

I’ve looked at the actual wording for what Nomura says and the sentence in question literally means “preparing to enter mass/full production.” What this means is that the game is getting ready to go into beta, or the final phase of development. Speaking with some people who actually know about game development, they also agree that this is the case AND the developers for Final Fantasy XIII said the exact same thing before they also went into beta.

Many would believe that pre-production equals planning/concept stage but after the gameplay trailer shown earlier this year ( which Nomura said was from an older build ) it’s pretty obvious that FFvsXIII is well beyond that point.

[phorcephoenix]

i am dying to play this game. i cannot wait. since its' announcement, way back when, i was more looking forwards to this title than i was XIII (but i had extraordinary hopes for both games [XIII was the first 'let-down' in my eyes that had been titled FF])
but come on. what the hell is the point in announcing a game 5 YEARS before it is even nearly ready? i literally cannot get my head around that. i mean, 5 YEARS. it's getting to the point where the only news we are getting is so totally insignificant, being told that there is 'no news' on the title, or being told that it won't be appearing at any of the game shows / conventions.
i'm fast losing patience with this title. i am dying to play it but come on. 5 YEARS and it still isn't on its' way. and the worst thing is, that unless they are localising it simultaneously with the Japanese version, it could be another 6 months to a year before an English version is ready. that would be 6 YEARS and that's only hypothetically speaking if the game were to go gold in the next week or two. which it obviously isn't going to.
i'm really starting to think that this game, if it does ever see the grace of light, may never make it out of Japan. and if that is the case, i will be pissed.
and if it does get the worldwide release that it boasted about on that debut trailer from 2006, this had better be a perfect game. i mean, with the years and years and years that this has spent in development, there is literally nowhere for Squenix to hide behind for this game.
fingers crossed that that was a mistranslation (as suggested above) and that we will finally get a release date the next time we hear about it. (i'm thinking maybe a late 2012 japan, early 2013 [if lucky] worldwide)
i'm annoyed.

[Bolivar]

^ There's no way they'd keep it only in Japan after the money they spent. The name alone gets it 1 million units sold.

Going into Beta sounds like good progress since from what I've heard Alpha is the real nightmare of the development process. I really hope this can make it Q4 2012 and early 2013 in US... ugh that's such a long time from now...

[Wolf Kanno]

At this point in time, I'm concerned that the game won't live up the crazy expectations fans are giving this game. While it looks impressive, I'm not sure if I would be calling it the "second coming of FF" like some fans have been. I'm more concerned that the title will remain in development hell and not see a release outside of Japan until its clashing woth some other major event like what happened to DQ4 and FFIX, when both were released around the time of next generation consoles.

At least this game seems to have more focus than XIII did, which means its already doing better in my book. Is it sad, I want it releases soon so Nomura can finally tell KH fans he's working on KH3 and have them all stop whining around about when the game is coming out? :eep:

I've also read somewhere, that since KH3D and Versus XIII are being co-developed at the same time, that the combat systems will actually share some similarities, in other words, KH3D will offer a sneak peak at some of the stuff Versus XIII will be able to pull off.

[Bolivar]

I've also read somewhere, that since KH3D and Versus XIII are being co-developed at the same time, that the combat systems will actually share some similarities, in other words, KH3D will offer a sneak peak at some of the stuff Versus XIII will be able to pull off.

This is just insane to me. How many games has Nomura made since the development of Versus began? Dissidia 1 & 2, The World Ends with You, Lord knows how many Kingdom Hearts spin-offs... Do you think they need to make these handheld spin-offs in order to fund the production of a home console title, or are they just so disorganized and unfocused that there's no hope of them pulling off big budget, big team projects anymore?

[Wolf Kanno]

To be fair, his role in developing Dissidia 2 was minimal, mostly character designs and some producing input. Same with FFXIII and the Compilation of VII (except AC of course). I think Versus XIII is a pet project of his, which was not meant to be more important than his flagship series Kingdom Hearts, so I'm not surprised its been on the back burner while we've seen 3 spin-offs, a remake and now two more KH side stories in the works (BBS2 and KH3D). Its fans who have propelled it into something grander, when in reality its a pretty experimental game with some of the technology its utilizing. Hell, it will be the first FF Action RPG since FF Adventure on the Gameboy.

Of anything, the game is shaping up to be like FFXII, which was also mired down by a super long production schedule but when you finally saw how freaking ambitious the title was, it made sense. The difference here being that Nomura didn't have a nervous breakdown (probably cause he's been focusing on multiple projects) and SE has learned with both XII and XIII, that its sometimes better not to rush an ambitious high profile project. I only wish Square knew this back when Xenogears and Vagrant Story were in development. :roll2

[Bolivar]

I only wish Square knew this back when Xenogears and Vagrant Story were in development. :roll2

Oh man, playing through Xenogears for the first time right now (literally), it's crazy how disjointed it is at times and just how plain bad some other things are. It took me 10 hours to finally get into it, but once you're hooked it's pretty amazing.

[Jiro]

I certainly think it'll be overhyped now. Second coming it probably ain't, but it should be a decent game nonetheless.

[nirojan]

Hell, it will be the first FF Action RPG since FF Adventure on the Gameboy.


Looks like someone forgot about Crisis Core: FINAL FANTASY VII.

[Wolf Kanno]

I try really hard to. :eep:

[ShinGundam]

Hell, it will be the first FF Action RPG since FF Adventure on the Gameboy.


Looks like someone forgot about Crisis Core: FINAL FANTASY VII.
CC feels like follow up to the original Parasite Eve based on camera system,encounter system and one playable character.

[Wolf Kanno]

I'd argue its more like Kingdom Hearts actually, especially since its a battle system that asks you to dodge roll, block, and use semi-menu based magic. Its even got KH1's awful camera. :jess: