Final Fantasy XII HD?

Hugely encouraging news.

Originally Posted by DMKA

True, Final Fantasy XII is one of the best looking, if not the best looking PS2 game. However, the graphics aren't the problem; it's the resolution of everything that's the problem. It's easily the worst looking PS2 game I've ever seen when played on an HDTV.

God, this is the truth so bad. I tried to play it some years ago running my PS2 to a 50" plasma and it looked like absolute trash. I was very disappointed.

Originally Posted by DMKA

Honestly, the graphics are so good that it would be the easiest HD remake SE has done. If you know what you're doing, and have a system that can handle it, Final Fantasy XII looks unbelievable on an emulator.

Maybe I'll mess around with this sometime. I've not dug into PS2 emulation very much. I always heard that it was one of the least emulatablle machines and people have hit a lot of road blocks with it. Probably doesn't matter much though. I pretty much only emulate on portable devices. I've just lost my ability to sit down, tethered to stationary screen, and play an RPG.

I think an HD FFXII rerelease would probably be the final push for me to buy a Vita.

I never played it, but being someone that liked the newer battle system changes that Square started implementing I think I would enjoy it. Hopefully this happens.

Originally Posted by Hypoallergenic Cactuar

Originally Posted by Mirage

Way to enforce classical gender roles, HC.

I'm pretty sure that even 100 years ago it wouldn't have been acceptable for even women to walk around in a bikini. Hell, stop showing your ankles you dirty hussies.

This is pre-Ajora Ivalice we're talking about, Hypo. Remember the standard armor for the Dalmascan military consists of a sports bra and not much else.

This is some bulltrout. Make the VII or earlier generation HD remakes. I don't care if it's more work -- it makes more sense and people demand VII more than they demand XII.

I really wish they would make a remake of IX .

I might buy this if it has the Zodiac Job System thingy because I never got to play it that way. I wouldn't otherwise because I have XII and it looks fine and there's no need for another one.

I would buy it. I never had the IZJS version and Trial Mode looks pretty awesome. Heard a lot of good about that final battle on Stage 100, too.

So that would mean it would be for PS4, right?

Originally Posted by Shiny

This is some bulltrout. Make the VII or earlier generation HD remakes. I don't care if it's more work -- it makes more sense and people demand VII more than they demand XII.

^ This so much

Final Fantasy IX HD would be so awesome.

They've already made higher resolution remakes of 1 and 2!

Originally Posted by maybee

Originally Posted by Shiny

This is some bulltrout. Make the VII or earlier generation HD remakes. I don't care if it's more work -- it makes more sense and people demand VII more than they demand XII.

^ This so much

Final Fantasy IX HD would be so awesome.

Me playing VI kinda has me thinking what if it was made as a modern game. Granted, IX HD would be awesome and I know that it, a VII HD, or XII HD would make some fans happy.

Just like the X/X-2 HD is making some happy already.

Originally Posted by Mirage

They've already made higher resolution remakes of 1 and 2!

Yes, they did. However, those were NES games placed onto the PS1/GBA/PSP and still were firmly 2D. They were not given the treatment that X/X-2 HD is.


The only issue with games older than X being converted to HD is that they would essentially have to re-make the game from the ground up. It would be worth it, but I can see SE doing it for one older game, which would more than likely be FFVII.

Originally Posted by TheDesertedOne

Yes, they did. However, those were NES games placed onto the PS1/GBA/PSP and still were firmly 2D. They were not given the treatment that X/X-2 HD is.

Actually, it pretty much is an analogous situation. 1, 2 and 4 on the PSP had their textures, sprites and backgrounds enhanced, so that they fit the HD resolution. X/X-2 is getting the same, the graphics were 3D from the get-go, only textures and character models are given a higher resolution. A similar remake for the PS1-era games would require them to completely redraw the prerendered backgrounds, making work on such a remake far more costly.

Originally Posted by maybee

Originally Posted by Shiny

This is some bulltrout. Make the VII or earlier generation HD remakes. I don't care if it's more work -- it makes more sense and people demand VII more than they demand XII.

^ This so much

Final Fantasy IX HD would be so awesome.

The problem with remastering PS1 games is that they can't reuse hardly anything from them. In most HD remakes all they do is adjust the resolution, expand the mesh for player characters and major enemies, and use hd textures on everything else. However, the polygon count in PS1 games is so low that merely adjusting the textures would look awful on any game, be it the blocky FF7 or the less so FF9. In order for them to make an HD version of any PS1 game, they would have to completely remake the game or it would look simply awful. Redoing textures is much simpler than creating all new meshes for every enemy and repainting all the backgrounds and redoing all the magic, and basically recreating all of that as a new game. FF12 has poly counts equivilent to the average current gen game up to about last year, making it a far simpler and far more attractive remaster than any of the PS1 games.
When they say remaking 7 is impossible, what they are really saying is that completely rebuilding the game from scratch would tie up most of the companies resources as they would have to make it perfect to satisfy gamers. While the end result would most likely be FF7 with graphics as good as Advent Children, it would take them far too long for it to be feasible. After all, they are already almost bankrupt and they have to pay their employees.

That is why a few years ago SE said they wouldn't consider remaking FF7 until they had regained their glory or surpassed it. They can't afford to remake 7. But 10 and 12 only need new textures.

TL;DR
They literally cannot afford to remake 7.

Originally Posted by TheDesertedOne

Originally Posted by maybee

Originally Posted by Shiny

This is some bulltrout. Make the VII or earlier generation HD remakes. I don't care if it's more work -- it makes more sense and people demand VII more than they demand XII.

^ This so much

Final Fantasy IX HD would be so awesome.

Me playing VI kinda has me thinking what if it was made as a modern game. Granted, IX HD would be awesome and I know that it, a VII HD, or XII HD would make some fans happy.

Just like the X/X-2 HD is making some happy already.

Originally Posted by Mirage

They've already made higher resolution remakes of 1 and 2!

Yes, they did. However, those were NES games placed onto the PS1/GBA/PSP and still were firmly 2D. They were not given the treatment that X/X-2 HD is.


The only issue with games older than X being converted to HD is that they would essentially have to re-make the game from the ground up. It would be worth it, but I can see SE doing it for one older game, which would more than likely be FFVII.

2D games were still firmly 2D, 3D games were still firmly 3D. I don't share your opinion that 3D = better.

Originally Posted by Mirage

2D games were still firmly 2D, 3D games were still firmly 3D. I don't share your opinion that 3D = better.

When did I say 3D > 2D? I happen to like both whenever done right.

My point was that making a 3D remake of a 2D game would take more effort than to simply make a 2D remake of a 2D game.

So then it's no problem that the FF1+2 remakes were remade in higher res 2D. I'm so glad we agree!

Originally Posted by Hypoallergenic Cactuar

After all, they are already almost bankrupt and they have to pay their employees.

Square Enix is nowhere near "almost bankrupt." Your analysis was spot-on up until that point (namely that a remake of PS1-era titles are just that--remakes, not remasters), but despite some disappointing releases financially recently, Square Enix isn't anywhere near bankrupt. Take a look at their financial reports; despite a bit of a downturn, they're doing fine and still have plenty of cash on hand.

Based on a conservative estimates of active subscriptions to FFXI (approximately 300,000), they're pulling down $54 million in annual subscriptions alone (and to a game for which development and maintenance ten years into its lifecycle is comparatively cheap). Even if Final Fantasy XIV is only moderately successful, an MMORPG with even only a few hundred-thousand subscribers is basically a license to print money.

Final Fantasy VII would be enormously expensive to remake, and I don't anticipate that we'll see a remake for a current generation console ever. I would not be surprised, however, if they went with a PSVita remake or something similar to that. I'd eat up PSVita remakes for VII, VIII, and IX.

Originally Posted by Ouch!

Originally Posted by Hypoallergenic Cactuar

After all, they are already almost bankrupt and they have to pay their employees.

Square Enix is nowhere near "almost bankrupt." Your analysis was spot-on up until that point (namely that a remake of PS1-era titles are just that--remakes, not remasters), but despite some disappointing releases financially recently, Square Enix isn't anywhere near bankrupt. Take a look at their financial reports; despite a bit of a downturn, they're doing fine and still have plenty of cash on hand.

Based on a conservative estimates of active subscriptions to FFXI (approximately 300,000), they're pulling down $54 million in annual subscriptions alone (and to a game for which development and maintenance ten years into its lifecycle is comparatively cheap). Even if Final Fantasy XIV is only moderately successful, an MMORPG with even only a few hundred-thousand subscribers is basically a license to print money.

Final Fantasy VII would be enormously expensive to remake, and I don't anticipate that we'll see a remake for a current generation console ever. I would not be surprised, however, if they went with a PSVita remake or something similar to that. I'd eat up PSVita remakes for VII, VIII, and IX.

Excuse me if I was wrong, I was under the impression that they were still in the financial crisis they were a few years ago.

Never liked XII. Not interested. It probably wouldn't be released for any system I own, anyway. THANKS OBAMA. AND SQUARE.

Originally Posted by Hypoallergenic Cactuar

Excuse me if I was wrong, I was under the impression that they were still in the financial crisis they were a few years ago.

Square Enix hasn't been in a financial crisis since the launch of Final Fantasy XI. Recently they've had a string of disappointing launches for title, but nothing that could be considered disastrous. Additionally, they just announced today that Final Fantasy XIV has reached 960,000 applications for beta. I'd wager that they're going to be okay.