Final Fantasy XIII

[Bolivar]

I stand by what I say. To me it just seems like their trying to be as gimmicky as possible and trying to take "cool" and "badass" to whole new levels.

Really what's so wrong with just a regular sword or a character that doesn't mirror someone who already exists?

what's wrong with it? it's been done over and over, again and again, for the last twenty years. square's just trying to do new things with the genre that havent been done before. as much of a fan that i am of traditional RPG stylee, i don't want to buy the same game for the rest of my life. I love RPGs, and i hope that in the future that companies like square continue to show me things ive never seen before - graphics wise, and theme/style wise. also, no need to trash on a game that no one knows truly ANYTHING about.

No reason NOT to either.

And I agree I like seeing new things. But the summons being mechanical transformers? A main character that's quoted by the makers themselves as just being "A female Cloud", and very little talk about the characters and story and more talk about the graphics and action battles. Really I don't see a redeeming feature about the game as of yet except it'll have the flashiest graphics in the series on a new game engine they will just toss out when they make XIV anyways. Unless SE throws out some sort of crazy new info that is actually half decent, I'm holding to it looking to be a bad game as of now.

LOL, you say "redeeming feature" as if the game's already in the hole. Like others have said, it's so absurd for you to take such an extreme position on something that... doesn't.... even.... exist yet.

If all this "Trendy Pessimism" wasn't childish enough, the most hilarious part of it all is that this game is being made by the same people who brought you Final Fantasy VI.

[Bahamut2000X]

If all this "Trendy Pessimism" wasn't childish enough, the most hilarious part of it all is that this game is being made by the same people who brought you Final Fantasy VI.

Sakaguchi, Amano, and Uematsu?

Really now, just cause it has a few of the same names means nothing, especially when it's not getting produced or directed by the SAME PEOPLE AS VI. If you took Chris Nolan and any other influential person off the crew of Batman, I guarantee you the next one would look nothing like it. Let alone the fact that SE now is FAR different and more seeming to be money grubby then they were 15 years ago.

As for my reasons, I think their well founded, so let me explain so you can understand what I'm getting at as I see no one seems to 'get' my thought process here.

The main character Lightning if quoted as being a "Female Cloud" by SE. To me that just sounds like SE being lazy and trying to cash in on a popular but arguably not well created character. Seriously how hard it is to me a UNIQUE character rather then just make Cloud with boobs?

They then decided to remake all the summons into transformers. Now I suppose this one is a bit of personal preference, but to me it just seems stupid to make the summons everyone knows and loves....into robots. Transforming ones at that. It seems like their just trying to up the 'coolness' factor and make everything into robots that transform. To date I've only seen one transforming robot genre actually pull it off....and they didn't take themselves seriously.

Really this is about all SE has TOLD us on the game minus some plot details and that they have way too much going into the graphics design and probably not enough time being dedicated to the actual game itself. It's sad when you hype up a game's graphics more then the game itself. SE of all people should know graphics don't sell a game or make a movie.

[Ashley Schovitz]

I believe a lot of people seen a movie or bought a game because it looked cool.

[Serapy]

I think it might sell well due to the FF customers base. Assuming that reviews for FF13 is a totally awesome game, then people might likely be attracted to it and buys it.

[Vivisteiner]

Sakaguchi, Amano, and Uematsu?

Really now, just cause it has a few of the same names means nothing, especially when it's not getting produced or directed by the SAME PEOPLE AS VI. If you took Chris Nolan and any other influential person off the crew of Batman, I guarantee you the next one would look nothing like it. Let alone the fact that SE now is FAR different and more seeming to be money grubby then they were 15 years ago.

True

The main character Lightning if quoted as being a "Female Cloud" by SE. To me that just sounds like SE being lazy and trying to cash in on a popular but arguably not well created character. Seriously how hard it is to me a UNIQUE character rather then just make Cloud with boobs?

But thats got nothing to do with her personality. Nomura was just involved in the design and that was right at the beginning. Months later and Lightning seems to have evolved into a very different character when compared to Cloud. She sems more expressive for a start and a little comical even.

They then decided to remake all the summons into transformers. Now I suppose this one is a bit of personal preference, but to me it just seems stupid to make the summons everyone knows and loves....into robots. Transforming ones at that. It seems like their just trying to up the 'coolness' factor and make everything into robots that transform. To date I've only seen one transforming robot genre actually pull it off....and they didn't take themselves seriously.

Thats not necessarily true. We only know that for Shiva and Ifrit. Carbuncle and Siren however have no obvious mech parts.

Really this is about all SE has TOLD us on the game minus some plot details and that they have way too much going into the graphics design and probably not enough time being dedicated to the actual game itself. It's sad when you hype up a game's graphics more then the game itself. SE of all people should know graphics don't sell a game or make a movie.

Actually, they've told us quite a lot about FFXIII's story which is quite political. They've talked about the rushi (luci) who have been selected by the farushi. They've talked about the prejudice people in Cocoon have towards people in Pulse and how they view them. They say that Lightning and 'Mr 33cm' will have a complex relationship. They say that only Rushi have the ability to summon, presumably because they are chosen by the crystal. We also know that summons are summoned by some discs. Its unfair to say its about graphics only. That's far from the truth.

[Raebus]

Wait till the games out before saying its going to fail or whatever. Some of you are so damn critical about these things.

Ps, this thread is stupid.

[Bolivar]

If all this "Trendy Pessimism" wasn't childish enough, the most hilarious part of it all is that this game is being made by the same people who brought you Final Fantasy VI.

Sakaguchi, Amano, and Uematsu?

Really now, just cause it has a few of the same names means nothing, especially when it's not getting produced or directed by the SAME PEOPLE AS VI. If you took Chris Nolan and any other influential person off the crew of Batman, I guarantee you the next one would look nothing like it. Let alone the fact that SE now is FAR different and more seeming to be money grubby then they were 15 years ago.

As for my reasons, I think their well founded, so let me explain so you can understand what I'm getting at as I see no one seems to 'get' my thought process here.

The main character Lightning if quoted as being a "Female Cloud" by SE. To me that just sounds like SE being lazy and trying to cash in on a popular but arguably not well created character. Seriously how hard it is to me a UNIQUE character rather then just make Cloud with boobs?

They then decided to remake all the summons into transformers. Now I suppose this one is a bit of personal preference, but to me it just seems stupid to make the summons everyone knows and loves....into robots. Transforming ones at that. It seems like their just trying to up the 'coolness' factor and make everything into robots that transform. To date I've only seen one transforming robot genre actually pull it off....and they didn't take themselves seriously.

Really this is about all SE has TOLD us on the game minus some plot details and that they have way too much going into the graphics design and probably not enough time being dedicated to the actual game itself. It's sad when you hype up a game's graphics more then the game itself. SE of all people should know graphics don't sell a game or make a movie.

1) - it's been established that Sakaguchi's creative impact on the early titles, up to 6, is non-existent, he was more responsible for bringing teams together and laying ground rules for the work. See the "not another zozo thread" for my explanation.

2) - Hiroyuki directed the battle side of things, but other than that - the scenario, the plot, everything down to the Opera Scene that gets flouted around the Internet as the pinnacle of RPG gaming - you have Yoshinori Kitase to thank for that. Then you have Tetsuya Nomura, who has been confirmed for XIII, and a list of developers who have been with them since VI who are probably returning -Tetsuya Takahashi, Ken Narita, Takaharu Matsuo, Shinichirou Hamasaka, yusuke naora, and hideo minaba - all people who you don't hear normally because it isn't as trendy to name them as the big 3.

3) - Amano IS working on FFXIII, and Kitase has stated in an interview that the title designs reveal alot about the game, and that his artwork is having a big impact on the installments. As far as uematsu, it's sad he's leaving, but music is requested & selected by the director.

Once again, your pessimism is absurd. The statement "a female Cloud" could mean anything - that she has light hair & wears suspenders/or that she uses a sword and is also proficient at black magic (as we've seen). Yet you take such a small comment and assume that it MUST mean that all creativity will be forsaken on the project... This assumption is a) overly-dramatic and b) leaves me guessing as to what your actual point is.

And of course SE will spend time discussing the graphics - their history as a company is almost synonymous with outstanding graphics. They pulled off a 3d game on the NES. FFI's battle presentation blew Dragon Quest out of the water. This continued with the advent of the SNES and was a big part of FFVI and Chrono Trigger. Both these games have great graphics, even by today's standards (just because it isn't 3d doesn't mean it's not good). As far as 2d tiles and sprites goes, it doesn't get much better than that. VI utilized 3d on its world map and its battle animations were pretty damn good. It goes without saying where their most critically acclaimed games, FFVII and X, went with the graphics avenue.

[Vivisteiner]

^All 3D Final Fantasys go with graphics. FFVII, VIII, IX, X and XII were all phenomenal for the time.

[Northcrest]

What machine does Ifrit turn into Vivisteiner

[Bolivar]

^All 3D Final Fantasys go with graphics. FFVII, VIII, IX, X and XII were all phenomenal for the time.

well, out of those IX is the only one that didn't make any improvements on what came before it, but the quality and usage of FMV in it was still pretty phenomenal.

[Vivisteiner]

^FFIX's graphics are considerably better than FFVIII's in some cases.

FFVIII's in game graphics looked horrible sometimes. When the party was running with you their legs were all really jagged.

But the FMV and battle differences were minor.

What machine does Ifrit turn into Vivisteiner

The news reporter guy said he didn't know. He said he saw Ifrit transforming, but he didnt know what into.

[Wolf Kanno]

I believe the game will sell well cause it has the FF moniker on it and its one of the main series. I believe it will get outstanding reviews cause most FF get really high marks cause they are good. Only the PS2 era FFs ever got mixed reviews and even then I never saw any of them get below an 8 out of 10, or 4 out of 5 stars.

Part of it has to do with brand recognition, part of it does have to do with the fact SE makes good games. The plot has me intrigued (though I was hoping we could tone down summoners being central to the plot) and if the battle system works the way I think it does then the gameplay will be awsome unless they pull a X and nerf the difficulty again (is it so wrong to see the game over screen once in awhile?). I can't comment on music but graphically, though pretty, I feel it looks like a mix of VIII and X with a little of Spirits Within thrown in... just prettier...

I agree with Bahamut 2000X to a point, that until recently, SE has told us nothing of value to want the game outside of graphics and tech talk (Someone needs to tell Nomura and Kitase to STFU about specs and release a smurfing demo if they want to sway people) but the PS2 era FFs all got the same treatment. We didn't get any real info on XII until the demo with DQVIII and when it was finally release in Japan. Just a pretty trailer for four years...

I still feel that the "Transformer" summons is laughable and I doubt I'll ever be able to take them seriously (especially if they go all Voltron on me and merge together to form the "ultimate summon"). I don't have anything against them being machines or digital, but doubling up as vehicles just seems odd and frankly stupid to me... Also, what little of the videos I've seen makes it look like Devil May Cry meets FF. its so over the top with its action that it looks ridiculous and sometimes I feel the whole project should be renamed "Final Fantasy TO THE EXTREME!!! *cue explosions and guitar rift*. I'll admit its not the type of path I want the series to go down.

For the most part I'm skeptical but for now I'm watching and waiting. Despite my feelings, I know it will do well unless it really is awful which seems unlikely to me. Of anything, I can only say that with what little they've shown, they have been unable to win my attention or my excitement for the game. In a way, it reminds me of stuff I've seen before and I get a "been there, done that" feeling from the project. Whether its good will be left up to when I finally play it but that may be awhile cause my lack of excitement for it means it will be many years before I get around to it...

[Nifleheim7]

I think i'm the only one here who likes the concept of mechanical summons.

[Wolf Kanno]

I think i'm the only one here who likes the concept of mechanical summons.

I don't mind them being machines or digital. Having them transform into everyday objects kinda bothers me cause its pretty cheesy in my opinion. If it makes you feel better, I wasn't a fan of Ark in IX either...

[Roogle]

I stand by what I say. To me it just seems like their trying to be as gimmicky as possible and trying to take "cool" and "badass" to whole new levels.

Really what's so wrong with just a regular sword or a character that doesn't mirror someone who already exists?

what's wrong with it? it's been done over and over, again and again, for the last twenty years. square's just trying to do new things with the genre that havent been done before. as much of a fan that i am of traditional RPG stylee, i don't want to buy the same game for the rest of my life. I love RPGs, and i hope that in the future that companies like square continue to show me things ive never seen before - graphics wise, and theme/style wise. also, no need to trash on a game that no one knows truly ANYTHING about.

No reason NOT to either.

And I agree I like seeing new things. But the summons being mechanical transformers? A main character that's quoted by the makers themselves as just being "A female Cloud", and very little talk about the characters and story and more talk about the graphics and action battles. Really I don't see a redeeming feature about the game as of yet except it'll have the flashiest graphics in the series on a new game engine they will just toss out when they make XIV anyways. Unless SE throws out some sort of crazy new info that is actually half decent, I'm holding to it looking to be a bad game as of now.

I think that we must wait for several more months until the story of the game is trickled out into Japanese gaming magazines. Square Enix has been judicious, as of late, in giving away plot elements before the release of a game. This may be a marketing technique designed to create an air of mystery or intrigue to casual fans; as you can see, the only parts of the game that we have seen are all of very intense, tough moments as the characters face off against impossible odds and seem to be victorious whilst remaining virtually unscathed.

I do not like all the moments of omnipotence in the trailers, and I would like to see someone encounter difficulty of some kind — much of what we see looks so effortless that I cannot imagine anyone having a problem with the game if the concept revolves around tough, masculine characters who face impossible odds at any given time. Rather, when I say that I want to see someone encounter difficulty of some kind, I mean that I think we need to see a boss battle or something out of the ordinary in the gameplay to let gamers know that what appears to be the concept of the game does not affect or influence storyline or gameplay too drastically.

Many Playstation 3 games revolve around similar character archetypes and their gameplay is usually adjusted in which gamers will have a much easier time with the game than the days of starting at Level 1 with no weapon, armor, or magic.