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Freya
12-07-2015, 03:25 PM
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Final Fantasy VII Remake's key developers Yoshinori Kitase and Tetsuya Nomura recently had an interview with Famitsu (http://www.famitsu.com/news/201512/07094721.html). Thanks to translation by Siliconera (http://www.siliconera.com/2015/12/07/final-fantasy-vii-remake-details-on-its-action-midgar-exploration-and-cross-dressing/), we have their highlights of what had been discussed. So far they have touched on the cross dressing to the different eposodic entries. Check it out!


The official title is Final Fantasy VII Remake. Square Enix thought about adding some kind of subtitle that is related to the game’s story, but they decided not to, since they didn’t want to give the wrong idea of it being some kind of “Legends” or a sequel-type game. They thought of different ideas, but in the end, they figured that having “Remake” in the official title would make it easiest to understand.
Final Fantasy VII Remake will be done in multiple parts, rather than a single entry. The reason for this is because doing a full remake of Final Fantasy VII using today’s technology would be a lot of work. Kitase felt that having the “voluminous” feeling you get from Final Fantasy VII wouldn’t be able to work with just a single title for an HD remake.
Nomura also commented on the subject saying that they would also have to make a lot of cuts if they decided to make it all under one title, and they would have no choice but to make it into a Final Fantasy VII “digest,” and they felt that it would be pointless to do a full remake if they were going to do just that.
For example, you’ll get to explore various parts of Midgar that you weren’t able to in the original version; however, in order to do that, it would need to be pretty dense. Of course, that also means that some parts will be cut from the game, but overall they’re adding much more to it.
As far as models go, Visual Works director is taking care of it, but they’re also getting a lot of help from external sources. Roberto Ferrari, the Italian designer for Square Enix, is focusing his work on sub-characters like Biggs and the others that we saw in the recent trailer. Additionally, Square Enix will get help for roles such as programmers, planners, and other core members from external companies.
Some of the other companies that will be helping include CyberConnect2, who’ve also helped in the development of Final Fantasy VII: G-Bike.
Kitase says that CyberConnect2 have experience and great knowhow in action games, and he feels that they have a special sense for cinematics; however, since their production “taste” is different from that of Square Enix’s, along with some complaints from Nomura, they decided to make the latest trailer closer to their own style.


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The characters we saw in the recent trailer looked very close to actual humans, and Nomura says that it’s their current goal to make it as realistic as possible.

Square Enix is not using models from Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, as it’s something from over 10 years ago, meaning that its technology is too old, and that it looks a bit too “deformed” when they look at it now. For the remake’s visuals, they’ve done numerous adjustments and balances between realistic and deformed parts of eyes, nose, hair, and other parts. They were finally able to settle on something they all liked.

Everything that was shown in the latest trailer is from in-game footage, and not pre-rendered material. After the camera goes close up on Cloud when he’s on the train, it’ll throw you right into the game. Nomura says that as far as quality goes, they’re still brushing up on it, and they’re only going to keep making it look better from here.

Famitsu mentions that Cloud looks a bit thin in the video, but Nomura says that it’s likely due to lighting, and also because of his pale skin.

Next, they ask if that means we’ll get to see Cloud in his cross-dressing appearance. Nomura responds with a laugh saying yes, the cross-dressing scene is in the game, but they haven’t done the design for it yet.

Square Enix was originally going to go with Barret’s Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children design, but they decided on going with a new design from scratch. Nomura says that they’ve wanted to make all the party members revamped from the beginning.

When asked whether the battle system will be closer to Kingdom Hearts or Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, Nomura says “if anything, it’s action,” and it’s completely different from Crisis Core. It might not be as much of an action title as say Dissidia Final Fantasy on arcade or the Kingdom Hearts series, but it leans more towards there.

There is an ATB gauge, but it won’t be like the original version where you get to attack when the gauge fills up, but an action-based system that can only be done through the Final Fantasy VII Remake. Kitase says that they may even change the name to something else other than ATB. Nomura also teases that the part you’ll want to pay attention to is how “the ATB gauge may also turn red.”

Parties will consist of three members, and you’ll get to freely switch between the characters, but it won’t be a requirement, as you can stay as the same character for the entire time.

As far as the battle tempo goes, Nomura wants to make it close to that of Dissidia Final Fantasy on arcade. He says that what we saw in the trailer is simply the base of Final Fantasy VII Remake’s battle system, and that he’s currently thinking of some kind of original structure for the battle system that adds a strategic element, in the midst of being able to switch through characters, an action that involves more than simply hitting enemies.


So that's what they've shared so far. Thoughts? Opinions? They haven't made cross dressing Cloud YET but it will be coming. Anyone think he'll look pretty?

Fynn
12-07-2015, 03:39 PM
That ATB thing kind of makes me thing of Secret of Mana for some reason.

Sephiroth
12-07-2015, 03:59 PM
So it is episodes. Whatever that means and how it is gonna be done. I am for more than just a compressed version so that is okay for me.

Shaibana
12-07-2015, 04:13 PM
''the cross-dressing scene is in the game,'' aaahahahaha
im glad they didnt choose to shorten everything up so it would fit on 1 disc! :D

Fynn
12-07-2015, 04:16 PM
You know, I think this actually may be a good thing. Not only will the game have everything it had before in it, but there's room for even more stuff. And since I can wait for this, I really hope they'll release a complete edition later so that I can purchase it then and go at my own pace instead of just waiting for new chapters to come out :3:

Zanmato
12-07-2015, 04:40 PM
Episodes? That's not my cup of tea...

I feel that it'll make the game more linear than any other FF and be more like an action game than RPG, but it's just me...

Del Murder
12-07-2015, 05:20 PM
Some interesting stuff. Hopefully the episodic format will allow us to play it earlier than we would have otherwise and it sounds like it will result in more content overall. It just may end up that this is a $100 game...

All the design choices make sense and I like how it looks so far. Not sure what they mean by making battles at the same tempo as Dissidia. Those battles could take a long time and they are one-on-one...

Sephiroth
12-07-2015, 05:22 PM
Oh man, the final battle Cloud VS Sephiroth could be very much like Dissidia.

Wolf Kanno
12-07-2015, 05:28 PM
^ He mentions that its the Arcade version of Dissidia that is in Japan right now, not the PSP one. Yeah, the battle system looks like Crisis Core with elements of Seiken Densetsu 3 in there with the charge meter. Fox I believe theorized that moves may have a cool down aspect. It will be interesting to see but I'm more concerned with how magic works because I traditionally hate how it works in Action-RPGs as it limits them when they are not AoE and wonder how the Materia system will be altered to work within the confines of the new battle system.

Mirage
12-07-2015, 06:07 PM
I'm just glad the crossdressing scene is in the game.

Freya
12-07-2015, 06:16 PM
I made sure to mention that part an extra time just for you, Mirage.

Mirage
12-07-2015, 06:20 PM
:love:

Ayen
12-07-2015, 06:46 PM
There's the Square Penis I remember.

-takes out detonator and set off a chain of explosions of their headquarters-

:)

Bubba
12-07-2015, 11:09 PM
The way they've designed him... Cloud will make a beautiful lady. He wouldn't even need make-up for me to choose him at Don Corneo's mansion.

Oh, and there is no news of Mukki yet. This displeases me.

Everything else is awesome though. I don't care whether it's on one disc or five, full-game or episodic. We all know we'll be buying it on day one whatever format it is in.

Skyblade
12-07-2015, 11:11 PM
The way they've designed him... Cloud will make a beautiful lady. He wouldn't even need make-up for me to choose him at Don Corneo's mansion.

Oh, and there is no news of Mukki yet. This displeases me.

Everything else is awesome though. I don't care whether it's on one disc or five, full-game or episodic. We all know we'll be buying it on day one whatever format it is in.

If every episode is "it's own story, with all the content of a full game", then we can expect every episode to retail for at least $50.

In which case, I probably won't buy it.

Mirage
12-07-2015, 11:15 PM
One thing we know about the game that hasn't been mentioned yet, i think.

It's running on Unreal Engine 4, instead of that engine they just made for FF15. This is why their development cycles take forever. They make huge complex engines and use them for one single game then move on to spend forever on making yet another engine that will be used for just one game.

Elpizo
12-07-2015, 11:39 PM
As far as the battle system goes, being able to switch on the fly to other party members is good, but I hope we'll be able to set AI for the ones we are not controlling. And I don't mean XIII's poor paradigms, but a return of XII's gambits, if nothing else. Preferably with even more gambit options for an even higher degree of customizing the AI.

Not sure how the fight against Safer Sephirot would work in an action-based battle system, though.

Fox
12-07-2015, 11:44 PM
Not sure how the fight against Safer Sephirot would work in an action-based battle system, though.

I wonder if we'll be able to fly around, Dissidia style?

That is technically canon within FFVII itself, all the characters zipped around Sephiroth before the 'Birth of a God' fight started.

Skyblade
12-07-2015, 11:45 PM
As far as the battle system goes, being able to switch on the fly to other party members is good, but I hope we'll be able to set AI for the ones we are not controlling. And I don't mean XIII's poor paradigms, but a return of XII's gambits, if nothing else. Preferably with even more gambit options for an even higher degree of customizing the AI.

Not sure how the fight against Safer Sephirot would work in an action-based battle system, though.

Funny. I remember this awesome game where I had full control over all my party members, and could direct them to attack whichever targets I wanted or heal me when I needed freely.

What was it called again..?

Oh, that's right!

Final Fantasy VII

Sephiroth
12-07-2015, 11:46 PM
As far as the battle system goes, being able to switch on the fly to other party members is good, but I hope we'll be able to set AI for the ones we are not controlling. And I don't mean XIII's poor paradigms, but a return of XII's gambits, if nothing else. Preferably with even more gambit options for an even higher degree of customizing the AI.

Not sure how the fight against Safer Sephirot would work in an action-based battle system, though.

The purple heaven manifest of the lifestream could consist of multiple layers that people can fight on, similiar to how the FFVI heroes levitated one layer up and up and up to fight Kefka. Sephiroth could fly around with the heroes for example being able to jump around on rocks. Same goes for Rebirth Sephiroth with the exception of him being stationary. Well, Sepher Sephiroth could also be mostly stationary.

The WEAPON battles could be some of the greatest battles in the game. Fighting gigantic bionic creatures, greater than shown in the original (probably still not as great as shown in the story) and jumping up to them. destroying several parts of their bodies and stuff.

Fox
12-07-2015, 11:47 PM
The Weapon fights could be half-battle, half Shadow-of-the-Colossus style climbing puzzles.

Hold me I would die of joy xD

Sephiroth
12-07-2015, 11:49 PM
The Weapon fights could be half-battle, half Shadow-of-the-Colossus style climbing puzzles.

Hold me I would die of joy xD

That is pretty much what it would end up like probably. Not really climbing around the same style, but attacking several parts on several levels.

Elpizo
12-08-2015, 09:58 AM
As far as the battle system goes, being able to switch on the fly to other party members is good, but I hope we'll be able to set AI for the ones we are not controlling. And I don't mean XIII's poor paradigms, but a return of XII's gambits, if nothing else. Preferably with even more gambit options for an even higher degree of customizing the AI.

Not sure how the fight against Safer Sephirot would work in an action-based battle system, though.

Funny. I remember this awesome game where I had full control over all my party members, and could direct them to attack whichever targets I wanted or heal me when I needed freely.

What was it called again..?

Oh, that's right!

Final Fantasy VII

Don't have to tell me, I would have preferred just classic ATB over another action-RPG title. But now that we're stuck with it, being able to freely control each of your three party members on the fly is at least something. It, sadly, could have been worse.

Aerith's Knight
12-08-2015, 07:34 PM
If this really is an action RPG, they've already lost me. I don't really want to play a FF game that is not turn based.

And no, I'm not a grumpy old grandpa. I'm just grumpy.

fat_moogle
12-08-2015, 09:30 PM
If this really is an action RPG, they've already lost me. I don't really want to play a FF game that is not turn based.
That's a shame. Aerith will be disappointed in you, Sir "Knight".

Aerith's Knight
12-09-2015, 08:34 PM
If this really is an action RPG, they've already lost me. I don't really want to play a FF game that is not turn based.
That's a shame. Aerith will be disappointed in you, Sir "Knight".

Dang it, stop pressuring me! I just don't have the faith in action RPG's anymore. :cry: It all went downhill after KH2, and the battle system was the weakest part of that game.

In action RPG's, there is no strategy, it's a whack-a-mole simulator with some combo's. At least, most of the time.

Mirage
12-09-2015, 08:40 PM
With high enough levels, no RPG needs strategy.

It's been quite a while since I played an action RPG where a good strategy didn't greatly increase my chances of success.

Of course, an action RPG allows you to replace some stratey with good timing and reflexes. But then again, knowing exactly when to execute a skill or attack kind of goes back to the strategy part of it.

Fox
12-09-2015, 08:44 PM
And I also think it's easy to give the original FFVII more credit than it deserves on the tactical front just because it was turn based. There's a reason the 'Attack' command was at the top of the list and not in a menu somewhere - because it's what you would use 80% of the time. And of course in FFVII your MP didn't regenerate over time, and Ethers weren't anywhere near as plentiful as potions, so you were encouraged to be somewhat frugal with spending it.

So with battles heavily utilising the 'Attack' command, a lot of the depth of FFVII came from building your stats and your gear to best take advantage of that. That side of things is unlikely to be affected by a transition to an action RPG

Del Murder
12-09-2015, 09:23 PM
Yeah FFVII was not super strategic. I just prefer the flow of turn-based combat, but there was nothing about FFVII that was any more strategic than Secret of Mana or Kingdom Hearts. It was a fairly easy RPG as they go. Attack/Limit Break most of the time, and pepper in some magic for enemies that resist physical or come in large groups.

Mirage
12-09-2015, 10:05 PM
Yeah, basically just build your characters for a single type of attack, then spam that attack and heal/buff as necessary. Unless you're playing a challenge of some sort (like low level), that gets you through almost all battles.

Fynn
12-09-2015, 10:27 PM
If this really is an action RPG, they've already lost me. I don't really want to play a FF game that is not turn based.
That's a shame. Aerith will be disappointed in you, Sir "Knight".

Dang it, stop pressuring me! I just don't have the faith in action RPG's anymore. :cry: It all went downhill after KH2, and the battle system was the weakest part of that game.

In action RPG's, there is no strategy, it's a whack-a-mole simulator with some combo's. At least, most of the time.
Someone hasn't played the later games, like Birth by Sleep or 3D :p

Formalhaut
12-09-2015, 10:28 PM
I'm fine with turn-based, and I'm fine with Action RPGs. The main thing I look for is a way to pause the action so I can assess the situation and figure out what to do next. I'm not necessarily the best at thinking fast, so some way which stops the gameplay while I scan the field would make me happy. A Mass Effect/Dragon Age style method where you can issue commands while under the spell of strategic pausing would suit me best!

From what I'm seeing so far, the game looks good! The episodic format is new, but if done well could really flesh out the characterisation and plot some more than what we saw in the original. I'm more focused on the story to be honest; as long as the gameplay is half-decent I wouldn't mind.

Skyblade
12-09-2015, 10:35 PM
With high enough levels, no RPG needs strategy.

It sounds to me as though someone hasn't played Bravely Default. Grind all you want. Those bosses will eat you alive if you don't use good tactics when you take them on.


It's been quite a while since I played an action RPG where a good strategy didn't greatly increase my chances of success.

Of course, an action RPG allows you to replace some strategy with good timing and reflexes. But then again, knowing exactly when to execute a skill or attack kind of goes back to the strategy part of it.

It's been quite a while since I've played an action RPG where reaction time was less important than tactical thinking.

Mirage
12-10-2015, 12:41 AM
With high enough levels, no RPG needs strategy.

It sounds to me as though someone hasn't played Bravely Default. Grind all you want. Those bosses will eat you alive if you don't use good tactics when you take them on.

I have, actually. Just not to completion.

FinalxxSin
12-10-2015, 05:58 AM
There are some pros and cons to the multi-part release. One pro would be that all the intended content would make it into the game, especially the "expanded" content. A con to this is that the game would be broken up and pauses may occur between each installment, which may kill interest. For now, I am going to wait and see how the execution goes, because that is going to extremely vital. I don't mind the changes to the game. I played the original, but it didn't leave a lasting impression with me. It had a good story imo though. The changes me enjoying the remake more than the original are fairly high.

Ayen
12-10-2015, 06:00 AM
There are some pros and cons to the multi-part release. One pro would be that all the intended content would make it into the game, especially the "expanded" content. A con to this is that the game would be broken up and pauses may occur between each installment, which may kill interest. For now, I am going to wait and see how the execution goes, because that is going to extremely vital. I don't mind the changes to the game. I played the original, but it didn't leave a lasting impression with me. It had a good story imo though. The changes me enjoying the remake more than the original are fairly high.

Agreed about the execution. I'm curious to see how they go about it.

Baked Moogle 420
12-11-2015, 04:20 PM
Hopefully the mini games at gold saucer will be there too! Including the moogle one!

fat_moogle
12-11-2015, 06:29 PM
Hopefully the mini games at gold saucer will be there too! Including the moogle one!
I was humming the Gold Saucer theme to myself on the bus this morning to town xD

Mirage
12-12-2015, 04:19 AM
I just hope that if it's one game split into several episodes, playing each new episode lets you backtrack to anywhere you could go in the previous episode. I don't want to have to exit the game and start a different episode to go to a certain area, or anything. I haven't played many episodic games so you'll have to excuse me if this is how it usually works.