Graphics...

I'm living in Japan for a few months, and I've seen the start of Final Fantasy X-2. Is it just me, or are the graphics worse than FFX? Like, much worse...

I read somebody's dad picked it up for them - does it play fine on European PS2s, or do you need to get them chipped or something? Whilst I don't know much Japanese, I can't think of a more fun way of learning!

Somebody also said about the "mission complete" things - aren't these just the same as finishing a fight, but for when you've had lots of fights in a row? Surely it helps keep the game flowing?

Oh, and shouldn't the FFX-2 forum be a seperate forum, rather than hidden within the FFX forum? It took me a while to find it...

Oh, and of course - any ideas on a European release date for FFX-2?

Please try not to put any spoilers in this thread - pretty please? I mean, I still haven't completed X yet (or IX... or VIII!)

Zild

It looks to me like the graphics are better, but I haven't actually played the game.

"Mission Complete" might refer to the additional experience points you get for completing a scenario. At least, that's how I think it goes. You also get EXP at the end of the fight, as you normally would, but you get more upon completing the mission. Again, I haven't played the game yet, so I'm not a 100% sure about these things.

Final Fantasy X-2 having its own forum, hmm? Maybe after the US release.

Myself I Couldnt Really Tell The Diffrence I Belive The Graphics Are Better Though

Strange... they looked worse to me for some reason...

The guy was playing it on one of the original PS2s - maybe they've re-designed the graphics chip or whatever since then? I don't know, I'm useless at this kind've thing...

Is there a decent minigame in FFX-2?

On a slight aside, anybody know WHY Squaresoft decided to make a sequel to X? Not that X didn't deserve a sequel or anything, but... didn't VII and IX?

(Oh again - no VIII, IX or X spoilers please...)

Oh, and any sign of XI anywhere outside of Japan? If not, I'll definitely have to move here after uni...

Zild

Before the game was made, Square repeatedly commented that they were making improvements to the graphics engine of Final Fantasy X, not making it worse.

Also, I think the company realized that a sequel to one of the other games would've been more popular, and at one point a sequel to Final Fantasy VII was being discussed in an interview with some developers from the company, but it was all just that--talk. I think Square wanted to take what they still had going for them and just take their most recent work for a quick sequel.

I don't know about the minigames, but I heard some of them are a little on the hard side. Some are required for some missions, too.

Quote:

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On a slight aside, anybody know WHY Squaresoft decided to make a sequel to X? Not that X didn't deserve a sequel or anything, but... didn't VII and IX?

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I'd had this theory goin' on inside my head. We all know that there's a worldwide economy crisis. Japan's economy hasn't been doing too well & unemployment is high. Many Japanese companies have closed or have been declared bankrupt or have retrenched many of their workers. Once an asian economic giant, Japan has now been cut down to size (unfortunately...given that the Japanese are incredibly hardworking)

So I have this theory that Squaresoft needed a 'quick-fix'. The formula:

1)Take an existing storyline (FFX) .. bcos this saves time as you don't have time to come up with a completely new storyline
2)Expand on the story
3)Cut out a few gaming techniques/strategies 'cos they save design time
4)Have characters with skimpy clothes to attract more male buyers/gamers' $$
5)Have characters that change clothes often to attract female buyers/gamers' $$
6) Have graphics that took less time to develop (hence the lousier quality that Zild mentioned). But have very good graphics for some scenes ( such as the music video/singing scenes. & (SPOILER) Yuna's Dream where she & Tidus are running away from the guards
7) Have soundtrack that takes less time to compose & use a composer who is not as 'developed' (ie cheaper to hire) than the one who composed all the other FF soundtracks. (For those who don't know, Squaresoft changed composers for the 1st time with FFX-2). This is the reason why FFX-2 soundtrack has a 'j-pop' feel to it.....it's much easier to compose/synthesize.


So I believe that the whole reason for Squaresoft to develop a sequel was to come up with a quick money making game that would sell millions. I'm not saying the game is bad. I'm just stating my theory on why I think they came out with a sequel rather than sit down & spend quality time coming up with an entire new FF game. ;)

I wonder if it'd be too late to make a sequel to FFVII...

Perhaps some of the more recent FF fans might even consider going and buying VII if they hadn't already...

Though on the flip-side, some people might not buy the second if they never played the first one...

*Wonders how good FFVII would look to somebody who bought it today...*

Hmm... I also wonder if Suaresoft didn't shoot themselves in the foot a little, making XI an online-only game... even with such a dedicated fan-base, I can't see many non-Japanese buying it, due to modem, connection and subscription costs. Worse still, I think Squaresoft must have agreed, since there seems to be no sign of it being exported...

Still, I'd buy it. I'd even buy it on PS2 if it was availale for PC... but that's prolly just cos I'm stupid!

Zild

the reason that ff7 is not getting - nor ever will get a sequal is BEACUSE its good. Square has stated lots of times that if they did make a sequal it most likely wont live up to expectaions to such a popular game and they dont want to dispoint fans with a sub-par sequal, (and the fact that they would need a new engine to make it on) while ff10 is good in some peoples eyes, many fans wouldnt be disapointed by a sub-par sequal to it, and the engine is already there (and plus they needed something to do while ff11 is being screwed around)