Wada: "FFVII remake = 10x the length of FFXIII project."

[Mikeneko Rocker -- Tim]

Source: Sankaku Complex (NSFW)

Square Enix’s CEO has claimed that a remake of Final Fantasy VII would be a difficult proposition indeed, which by his estimation could take 10 times the development time Final Fantasy XIII took.

Square Enix CEO Wada tweeted thus:

Regarding an FF7 remake:

We get this question all the time from lots of countries. At this level of quality it took us 3-4 years to finish FF13, but if we were to finish a FF7 remake at the same level of quality it would take 10 times as long, so it’s a difficult issue and not just something we could start at any time.

However, with the request being so frequent it’s something we keep to heart.

Naturally there are those who are quick to begin making disparaging comments about the relationship between Final Fantasy XIII’s notorious linearity and the likely development time (“It’s because there are towns!”), as well as those who are left wondering about Square Enix’s constant vacillations over the feasibility of such a remake in the face of what must already be the most anticipated remake of videogame history.

I take it that since most a gamer nowadays is a graphics whore, they'll spend the most time on graphics, obviously.

I'd like to read your opinion on this.

[champagne supernova]

Well it'd take them a year to just to figure out what exactly they had done with the storyline after the additions around the game.

[ChickenHeart]

That's a let down ;( i woulden't mind FF7 with ps2 graphics, however i still don't want a ff7 remake. Give the limelight to IX, VIII or VI, n'awh well.

[Levian]

30-40 years to finish a FFVII remake? slackers!

[Sephiroth]

I bet they have already started to remake it but it should be a surprise.

If they would use a greater team than just their Final Fantasy VII team they would be able to remake it way faster.

[Mirage]

Sounds like bullcrap to me.

[VeloZer0]

All the plot, game system and balancing are already done. SE has a game engine already to run it all. Essentially all they have to do is slap new textures/models on everything. I don't see how that would take 30-40 years.

Maybe if they insisted in making every single cutscene in the game an FMV like FFXIII. In fact, if they just dialed the graphics down maybe 20% it could be done in the time frame of a normal game. I'm so glad that it never even occurred to them.

SE's attitude on this one is really pissing me off, even though I don't actually want to see a remake.

[champagne supernova]

All the plot, game system and balancing are already done. SE has a game engine already to run it all. Essentially all they have to do is slap new textures/models on everything. I don't see how that would take 30-40 years.

They'd have to work all the other Compilation stuff into the plot. And redevelop the battle system - way too slow for this day and age (compare XII's to it if you don't believe). And make materia more of a balance to get right.

And then they'd have to do something about the World Map. And fly an airship. That is where the problems lie. I don't know how many field screens there are in VII, but they tend to be quite small, so I reckon that XIII is actually bigger in that department than VII. If not, it is a tight run thing. So I think the World Map is their biggest issue.

[Mirage]

All the plot, game system and balancing are already done. SE has a game engine already to run it all. Essentially all they have to do is slap new textures/models on everything. I don't see how that would take 30-40 years.

They'd have to work all the other Compilation stuff into the plot. And redevelop the battle system - way too slow for this day and age (compare XII's to it if you don't believe). And make materia more of a balance to get right.

Not really. There is little change to be found in the battle systems of all the other remakes they have been printing money with. The biggest change is perhaps in FF1, where they went from a "x uses of spell level y per day" system to a straight MP system.

Well, most of the older games weren't remade, though, just ported to a newer console.

[silentenigma]

Wada: "We're too cheap and lazy to hire quality programmers for a project the scale of FFVII."

[Wolf Kanno]

I'm calling shenanigans and like Sephiroth, I feel this game is probably already being worked on and has been since the Compilation was announced.

Personally, I still feel it would be better if SE made the main game use the KH/Crisis Core engine and then used the Advent Children stuff for the cutscenes with maybe a few more scenes given the full CGI treatment. At least this way we don't have to suffer through the god awful AC desings of the characters and stick to the game's anime roots in terms of design.

I also don't see why they really need to add the Compilation info to the main game. I know too many VII fans who said they would probably not like the game as much if they tried to pack all that BS into the game. My feeling is why bother? It would be better to make the game you know that sells than try to tamper with it and get the ire of the fans.

[VeloZer0]

All the plot, game system and balancing are already done. SE has a game engine already to run it all. Essentially all they have to do is slap new textures/models on everything. I don't see how that would take 30-40 years.

They'd have to work all the other Compilation stuff into the plot. And redevelop the battle system - way too slow for this day and age (compare XII's to it if you don't believe). And make materia more of a balance to get right.

And then they'd have to do something about the World Map. And fly an airship. That is where the problems lie. I don't know how many field screens there are in VII, but they tend to be quite small, so I reckon that XIII is actually bigger in that department than VII. If not, it is a tight run thing. So I think the World Map is their biggest issue.

They don't HAVE to do any of that stuff. World Map and airship aren't a problem at all, it is just SE is now overly pretentious with creating such visually consistent games they are letting it put a damper on game design. Do it the same way, with different thing to different scale on the world map.

[Sephiroth]

I'm calling shenanigans and like Sephiroth, I feel this game is probably already being worked on and has been since the Compilation was announced.

Personally, I still feel it would be better if SE made the main game use the KH/Crisis Core engine and then used the Advent Children stuff for the cutscenes with maybe a few more scenes given the full CGI treatment. At least this way we don't have to suffer through the god awful AC desings of the characters and stick to the game's anime roots in terms of design.

I also don't see why they really need to add the Compilation info to the main game. I know too many VII fans who said they would probably not like the game as much if they tried to pack all that BS into the game. My feeling is why bother? It would be better to make the game you know that sells than try to tamper with it and get the ire of the fans.

I hope they use Cloud like they did in Dissidia. Obviously his original hair cut is okay during FMW scenes. But for Sephiroth I hope they use his Advent Children face and not his Crisis Core face. In case they remake it.

And the world map cannot be that big deal. The old school Final Fantasy world map is made for Final Fantasy XIII Versus as well - so for Final Fantasy VII it cannot be that complicated. More the discussion about how they censor the Honey Bee Manor or scenes like Aerith's death because with new graphics it is something different.

But it won't take 10 years. 5 years maximum I say as soon as they really start with all of it.

At the end of the last year Square told us they would announce a great game. And I bet it was not the same announcement they did one week ago for this card game. So perhaps they will give us some news this year about Final Fantasy VII.

[Jessweeee♪]

From the sound of it, it'd become another Duke Nukem Forever if the went on with it

[seiferalmasy2]

Source: Sankaku Complex (NSFW)

Square Enix’s CEO has claimed that a remake of Final Fantasy VII would be a difficult proposition indeed, which by his estimation could take 10 times the development time Final Fantasy XIII took.

Square Enix CEO Wada tweeted thus:

Regarding an FF7 remake:

We get this question all the time from lots of countries. At this level of quality it took us 3-4 years to finish FF13, but if we were to finish a FF7 remake at the same level of quality it would take 10 times as long, so it’s a difficult issue and not just something we could start at any time.

However, with the request being so frequent it’s something we keep to heart.

Naturally there are those who are quick to begin making disparaging comments about the relationship between Final Fantasy XIII’s notorious linearity and the likely development time (“It’s because there are towns!”), as well as those who are left wondering about Square Enix’s constant vacillations over the feasibility of such a remake in the face of what must already be the most anticipated remake of videogame history.

I take it that since most a gamer nowadays is a graphics whore, they'll spend the most time on graphics, obviously.

I'd like to read your opinion on this.

The gamer today seems to see no issue with the fact that what they are saying here is:

"We prefer graphics to a great game like VII"

Maybe if they weren't making ridiculous cutscenes and polishing single rocks for 3 days? hmmm....