FFVII REMAKE CONFIRMED

[Odysseus]

Was it not painfully obvious just based on the trailers? I know I went through the stages of denial when they only ever showed midgar stuff (not that I mind.)

 

[Jairus]

I figured it would be just Midgar early on, since FFVII's content density is way too big to fit into a single game and retain any sense of good quality. I'm sure there'll be so much to do in the game that it won't feel like it's too short at all.

 

[Misterbadguy]

Remember BarrettBoy & ArmouredHamster's Final Fantasy Comics? Because Google doesn't. Fortunately I saved them all.

Also FFVII Remake delayed - ah, it wouldn't be the same without a delay. It's a pity all the trailers haven't been shown in a Square-Enix "Closed Mega Theater" instead of YouTube, and we don't have to rely on a translated description of the trailer from Famitsu. Also, what's with worldwide releases? Trailers shouldn't even have English subtitles IMO. In the old days apparently the only way to keep up with far-flung unbroadcast Formula 1 races was to read descriptions of them in the weekly motoring magazines, and it wasn't clear who had won, or why - that's what the old days of AC.net was like. Now people are ripping the entire game from a leaked demo. What a world.
I waited for XV for 10 years, downloading every trailer in the highest possible quality, then watched Kingsglaive a few months before the game's release, and didn't buy it. I still haven't. There's still a chance for FFVIIR to grab defeat from the jaws of victory.

Dude, no way, I'm BarretBoy! That's kickass that you enjoyed our silly wee comics enough to have saved them - I still talk to ArmouredHamster on the regular, I reckon he might still have the source files for 'em as well as the parody animation he did for the AC Complete trailer!

 

[Ite]

Honestly though seeing as how much they’ve bloated the Midgar section and added entire parallel plots, dialogue, monsters, and quests, it really seems like the reason they are staying in Midgar isn’t the wealth of OG content that they can’t possibly include... and more like they are saving money and time by re-using the urban assets. And they get to release at least two more full priced games after that.

I’m glad it’s being delayed. My hype balloon has farted to pretty much empty at this point and I’m going in with my expectations firmly managed.

 

[Makoeyes987]

I mean, what other stuff from the OG could they have included or expanded upon that they haven't? At most the Midgar part of the game was 2 hours.

The first part was gonna be bloated and just totally extra the minute we knew they wanted to make the whole game just the Midgar portion of VII. I mean, they were honest. This is gonna be a piecemeal project with each part as its own full game and expansion.

If the content fits and is the size of a full game with enough actual content to be a full game, how is it a rip off?

 

[Ite]

Because they said they would give us an ice cream cone, and are giving us a quarter of an ice cream cone with a fruit smoothie on top. We’ll get the rest of the ice cream cone later, with a few more smoothies to boot. Each is the price of a full ice cream cone. Like, thanks? Really it comes down to whether or not I’m going to enjoy the fruit smoothie, but it’s understandable that people are upset, don’t you think?

 

[oty]

It's understandable, but Midgar was heavily underused in the original FFVII. It was an amazing place to have all kind of different sidequests and missions but the OG had different plans for the story. That's why they are adding so much now. Which kinda eases me somewhat. I always tought Midgar wasnt very well utilised. Even the developers have stated similar things.

 

[Makoeyes987]

.....But who doesn't like smoothies?

But, I get it. Ice cream is the preferred dessert. And they're spreading it out and now we gotta wait longer for it. I'm hoping it's only 3 games, to match the number of discs. Anymore and it's gonna be ridiculous.

 

[Ite]

It really depends on the smoothie, which none of us can really say until April 10. But... I felt the same way about the Hobbit movies.

 

[ForceStealer]

At most the Midgar part of the game was 2 hours.

It's more like 6-7, in fairness.

I didn't love the breaking into pieces thing back when it was announced. But everything they have shown since then has looked so incredible that I've made my peace with it. As I said before, I'm just approaching this to enjoy it for what it is. Dig into this treating it like a Midgar tech demo, exploring every nook and cranny, even if they never release another part.

To suggest that blowing up Midgar to a full size game as a method to save money is silly and needlessly cynical. They could have made the whole game for less money by simply going for less graphical fidelity. They're diving deep into the world because they want to give it a full treatment. That could turn out to be a mistake, but it's not to save money, come on.

 

[Ryuman]

I think that while they could've probably done more than Midgar, they still wouldn't have been able to do the whole story. There are probably a lot of factors that led them to making Part 1 only Midgar and personally I don't really mind, especially since the game isn't even out yet.

 

[ForceStealer]

Sure they could have, if they just made it like Dragon Quest XI. Complete with cell-shaded graphics, a super-deformed world map, and the biggest city in the world being like 3 screens.
Again, I know some would prefer that, but doing it this way is not the cheaper option.

 

[Makoeyes987]

I mean, if I think of it as an unbiased consumer, I am very annoyed at the fact I'm having to pay for FFVII three or more times because they decided to break it up in to pieces.

...But if I look at it as an FFVII fan and see what they're doing with the installments, I like what I see and if the game is fun with an interesting story, well done characterization, dialogue, and enough content to occupy my time, I will be satisfied and able to enjoy it.

Which is what I've seen from the promotional info to even the spoilers.

The only issue I have is the wait, and if the game can come out in a timely manner (which Kitase even said they've already started on Part 2) then I won't be bothered. I only want them to get it right. No development hell ala Versus XIII, and no hollowed out amusement park set pieces ala KH3. I want them to nail the landing the first time, not have to build up to it. If it means waiting a month, then I'll wait a month.

Ideally, the FFVII Remake project should not be longer than 5 years. It should not overstay its welcome, so to speak.

 

[The Twilight Mexican]

Agreeing hard with @ForceStealer about this approach not being about saving money -- at least not in the "cheaping out" sense. More like, this was never going to happen any other way, unless the game was divided into sections and the sales of earlier installments could pay for the development of the later installments.

They were never going to be able to do a remake of FFVII at this level of graphical fidelity as a single release. Just straight up.

Honestly, I'm still far from convinced it will see completion with this approach either.

 

[oty]

Like the other parts wont come out?

 

[The Twilight Mexican]

Like the other parts wont come out?

Maybe I'm being too cynical about it. I just have such doubts.

 

[Jairus]

But do you really think they would have started it if they didn't think they could finish it? They have to know what that would do to the fanbase.

 

[The Twilight Mexican]

But do you really think they would have started it if they didn't think they could finish it?

Do I think they would have started it if they didn't think they could finish it? Of course not.

Do I think they start things without knowing they can finish them? Well now, that's a different question.

 

[oty]

I mean, these games are like assured financial success. As a company, they would probably rather do them than any other game wouldnt they? (by an economical standpoint ofc).

 

[Cannon_Fodder]

I understand the skepticism about them finishing the whole remake project. A very generous timeline is that they finish the project by 2024, and some days it feels like we'll all be dead way before that.

 

[Kain424]

You know, it's funny. I've been in these communities for over two decades, and I've seen all kinds of posturing. All kinds of talk from people saying they'd pay "anything" "hundreds of dollars" for a Remake. All that stuff. Then, when it is finally announced, I swear some of these same people are balking at the price. Whining about splitting what amounts to a near unrivaled in scope version of something they've been clamoring for.

It certainly appears they are making something along the lines of which we'd hardly have ever dared openly wish for. It's an expanded, next-gen rendition of our most treasured videogame experience. Well, in many cases. It's crazy what they're planning on doing. But some folks will never be happy.

I mean, these games are like assured financial success.

They really aren't though. If they fail to please the die hards, they'll lose a substantial base for future installments. If they fail to please most people, it was a very expensive endeavor that was for nothing.

even if they never release another part.

And that is a possibility we have to me somewhat ready for. They are bending over backwards on this game, and it still might not be for everyone.

 

[Theozilla]

This first installment would have to seriously bomb/underperform financially in order for SE to not complete. While one could say the chance of that happening isn’t a non-zero % chance, I think it’s still extremely unlikely. Like even with some of SE’s biggest infamous costly productions like FFXIV 1.0 or Versus XIII’s development hell, SE still found a way to turn those projects around. So even on the off chance this first installment could somehow not be financially profitable initially, SE could likely find a way to make it work in the end.

 

[oty]

They really aren't though. If they fail to please the die hards, they'll lose a substantial base for future installments. If they fail to please most people, it was a very expensive endeavor that was for nothing.

Thing is, you could say the same for every mainline FF. There are people that literally dont trust SE more to buy FFXVI after XV's fiasco. There is always a risk, and a developer never exactly knows what the reception will be. FFVIIR would probably give more money than almost any other title, and since there's a risk for every title, that's a done deal. Not the same risk, since FFVIIR failing (just the tought pains me but ok lol) would probably hit the company more than other titles, but just as with every game, every risk is a risk willing to take if the good outcome is good enough. And this game's good outcome is a really good one. Like lots of money and lots of trust.

 

[Kain424]

I do think this game will be a smash for SE, don't get me wrong. But they haven't put out their projections for it. If it does not do well, I would expect them to either half-ass the following entry of scrap it altogether. Maybe even delve into the pachinko business like Konami. I remember Wada wanted to focus on mobile and smaller spin-off titles, though the new fella in charge seems considerably less inclined to follow that route.

But yeah, that's just the cynical part of my brain talking. From everything I've heard (early reactions are near rapturous) and everything I can see (hell, even those 1st Class Editions sold out pretty damn fast) it seems like they've already made a mint. Looks good from here.

 

[Makoeyes987]

Yoichi Wada was a big reason S-E back in the early aughts wanted Square to focus heavily on mobile and diversify their releases on handhelds and consoles. He wanted to branch out and spread their IPs across the spectrum.

In hindsight the mobile direction was a good one, but it's also that reason we had so much stuff spread across so many differing platforms with disparate quality. Which I'm happy to say doesn't happen as often anymore. Can't say I was a fan of his direction. And I'm glad his idea of not doing the Remake turned out to be another stupid decision they went against, as well.