13 things you should know about FFXIII on the PS3.
1- Of the many teams within Square-Enix, which one was tasked with creating the first next-gen
Final Fantasy? Why, the same folks who made the previous '' new
Final Fantasy title for the next generation of Playstation''! Namely, the team behind
Final Fantasy X for the PS2.
2- Producer Yoshinori Kitase outlines FFXIII's basic concept as the ''formal evolution of
Final Fantasy. In
FFX, we tried to conclude and wrap up the traditionnal RPG. In this game, we'd like to show the next form of RPGs. To be more specific, in the traditional RPG, the game flow is pretty the same: You go into a town, talk to people, go out of town, and enter battles. We want to start looking at that flow and revolutionize it in a way that it may surprise people to learn that this is a
Final Fantasy game. I'm thinking it will be an extraordinary new form in RPGs.''
3- Director Motomu Toriyama on his experience in creating
FFX and applying that experiences to
FFXIII: ''We learned how to exceed and evolve the portrayal of the dramatic essence by showing the small changes in expression and emotions from what we did on
FFX. I would be lying if I said we would be able to go back to the PS2 after creating the
FFVII technical demo for the PS3''.
4- To that end, here's what we heard about the combat system: it's still good ol' Active-Time Battle ''Bar'' (ATB), except it's been tweaked to be even more faster and a bit more ''actiony'' (as indicated by the trailer). The development team also cryptically mentioned the use of an ''added time axis,'' which could mean anything from timing button presses that pull off special attacks to abilities that alter time within battle.
5- Another big factor in the combat system is the use of the vertical axis. Notice that gray thing on the heroine's finger? That controls gravity. You (or she) snaps it on and off effortlessly. Combine her ability to control gravity with her acrobatics, and you can see how vertical position in combat is now more important than the previous FF titles.
6- Weapon desing is being handled by Tetsu Tsukamoto, who worked on the costumew design fo FFX-2. His experience in creating multiple costume changes for the FFX-2 girls probably helped in desinging a gun that transforms into a sword.
7- Kitase on the game engine: ''A team of experts was formed to develop a special engine with a vast array of elements capable of handling cinematics, advanced audio processing, graphics-engine physics calculation, and special effects rendering. This impressive development platform is called the White Engine.
8- Toriyama on the female character that was shown in the trailer: ''I wouldn't say that she's the main character. It just happens to be that she was the character that we chose to feature in the trailer. However, it is true that we wanted to have a strong, independent woman as one of the main characters in the game. To accomplish this, we asked character designer Tetsuya Nomura to design a strong, and independent character, both mentally and physically. She was the end result.''
Noruma interjects, ''The order I got from Toriyama was to create a muscular and athetic gril. I had a lot of trouble trying to create her.''
9- Toriyama on the setting of
FFXIII: ''The world of
FFXIII depicts a level of civilization more advanced than ever seen before in the
Final Fantasy series. This futuristic world exists in a time when technology and magic have combined and developed into new form. We decided to go for a more futuristic, sci-fi look because we thought that it would fit the new worldbeing portrayed on the Plastation 3 and serve as a indicator as to what the futur of gaming might be.''
10- Coproducer Shinji Hashimoto on the overall nature of Fabula Nova Crystallis projet and its effect on
FFXIII: ''Consider that development platforms but featuring different worlds and stories that are bound by a common mythology, these independent
FFXIII evolve uniquely. The Fabula Nova Crystallis projet is not a collection of sequels or ports but several original titles that exist alongside each other.
11- Why put sush a big emphasis on a freakin' crystal? Kitase answers, ''Because the crystal is the symbol of the [I]FF/I] series. The compilation of
FFVII games has the central theme of the original
FFVII, but this project is starting from zero. So that's why we though it would be good to create a centerpiece for this project and freely evolve from there.''
12- Chocobos:choc: :choc2: , moogles:mog: , and traditional spell names will still be present.
13-
FFXIII online? Kitase mentions, ''It's still to be determined; if anything, it will be an extra feature but it won't be one of the main features.''
