Final Fantasy XV (was Versus XIII)

[Lex]

Oh stop,

No

it's not a huge problem for us, Lex, relax. I was just expressing why I thought it might be premature to be disappointed. I didn't say you weren't allowed to be. Excuse me.

I should note that it wasn't specifically you, although I do now notice that you posted on the previous page something which has the exact same phrasing I referenced XD. I've also been harangued for this opinion elsewhere.

It's fair to make the viewpoint that it's premature to be disappointed in FFXV, but that's not what I'm disappointed about. As I've said, the game might be the best game ever, and I hope it is. What I'm disappointed in is that it has essentially been confirmed that this game is completely different from the one I was looking forward to. I was expecting some changes, not "the tone of the original game is gone", which is what I see.

Compare these and you'll know what I mean:

No doubt the second one looks awesome, and it is, I've got it. It's just not what I was expecting from the re-brand, and I'm not happy that this "tone shift" has been all but confirmed in that live update thing.

Also to the room at large, starting an opinion with "eh" is really rude where I come from and it just sets me on edge. It's been brought up before by people other than me and I tend to just ignore it, but irl here when people say that, it's a swift "lol fuck your opinion you idiot" and has merited a punch to the face in real life arguments. I'm not about to stop anyone from using it, I'm just letting you guys know why some people think it's rude and maybe you've seen that mentioned before on TLS, I know I have. It obviously means something very different outside of where I am.

 

[Tetsujin]

So since the demo patch will be out tomorrow...anyone planning on streaming? Because I'd watch.

 

[Hisako]

Saw the trailer for Demo 2.0, was not sure if anything changed superficially Did they improve performance?

Also to the room at large, starting an opinion with "eh" is really rude where I come from and it just sets me on edge. It's been brought up before by people other than me and I tend to just ignore it, but irl here when people say that, it's a swift "lol fuck your opinion you idiot" and has merited a punch to the face in real life arguments. I'm not about to stop anyone from using it, I'm just letting you guys know why some people think it's rude and maybe you've seen that mentioned before on TLS, I know I have. It obviously means something very different outside of where I am.

I suppose this is where our differences lie at, because to others it might seem like you're interpreting apathy or a disagreement as a hostile confrontation of your views.

I understand if it was, like, a specific fan thread for something and someone came in just to say "I don't care about this something" just to fob someone off, but in this instance people do care about the subject in question. We care about FFXV, and I'm pretty sure the vast majority of us cared a hell of a lot about Versus XIII too! "We didn't know a whole lot about the game in the first place" doesn't really translate to "You're not allowed to be annoyed", or "lol fuck your opinion you idiot".

A punch to the face in a real life argument seems to me to be a rather hostile analogue, to be honest (though you said this is a sort of a passive-aggressive cultural thing? which is fair). You're perfectly entitled to express why the change in tone disappoints you (and anyone else who implies otherwise elsewhere is a butt), just as much as others should be able to express their indifference in the matter.

 

[Lex]

I will stream but I'm painting today so I don't know when, It might have to wait until tomorrow.

I suppose this is where our differences lie at, because to others it might seem like you're interpreting apathy or a disagreement as a hostile confrontation of your views.

I understand if it was, like, a specific fan thread for something and someone came in just to say "I don't care about this something" just to fob someone off, but in this instance people do care about the subject in question. We care about FFXV, and I'm pretty sure the vast majority of us cared a hell of a lot about Versus XIII too! "We didn't know a whole lot about the game in the first place" doesn't really translate to "You're not allowed to be annoyed", or "lol fuck your opinion you idiot".

A punch to the face in a real life argument seems to me to be a rather hostile analogue, to be honest (though you said this is a sort of a passive-aggressive cultural thing? which is fair). You're perfectly entitled to express why the change in tone disappoints you (and anyone else who implies otherwise elsewhere is a butt), just as much as others should be able to express their indifference in the matter.

I've actually just explained this in a PM lol. I'm saying specifically that where I come from it's rude (as in yes, a passive aggressive tool for confrontation) and particularly ignorant in the way that it's used. When I mentioned punching someone in the face, I was referring to the response it has received in real life arguments (not an analogue). As in, I have witnessed verbal arguments where someone's use of "eh, blargh" has caused another person to violently react and respond with a swift left or right hook. That is how ignorant it's considered where I come from, so I can't help that it sets me on edge.

It seems to me that it must not mean the same thing (even though the "word" (noise?) has the same meaning... it doesn't carry the same weight) elsewhere, because I see people using it on this board and I'm just like... they don't get how rude that is, I don't understand.

I'm fine with it if a person is say expressing apathy toward something in particular, like "eh, I guess I'm just not really interested in this game/movie/band/product", but when it's in direct response to a person's point of view I'm just never going to like it.

Person 1 goes "OMG I really feel this way because my great uncle exploded and confetti happened, why did confetti come out of my exploding uncle I do not understand"
Person 2 goes "eh, it's like just confetti tho...."

In short (if you'll excuse my humorous example), as you illustrated people use it as a way to express their apathy toward a topic that is being discussed. In the cases where it bothers me and other people, my brain can't distinguish this from it being levelled at a person or a person's opinion. To me a person saying "eh, I disagree" is astoundingly different to someone saying "I disagree because x" because starting with "eh..." is the equivalent of saying "what the fuck are you saying you moron", not "well I don't really care" (and for the record, "I don't really care [about what you just said]" isn't any nicer tbh).

 

[Tetsujin]

So here’s a quick rundown of some of the new additions to version 2.0:

You can now fight the Catoblepas! That’s the big monster in the lake. In version 2.0 one of them comes out of the lake onto land where you can fight it. Be careful though, it apparently takes 20 minutes to defeat with all four characters at level 99 and it can still knock you out in one hit.

You can now warp out of battle to certain locations
There’s a new dodge roll!
New character interactions (in the field/environment and during camping)
New team combo attacks using all four party members
Additional side quests involving just you/Noctis and one other party member

http://eu.square-enix.com/en/blog/episode-duscae-version-20-out-today

Edit: I hear Noctis' voice is different now
Edit 2: I hear it might just be the new stuff they recorded, old lines still have him as Batman
Edit3: Backflips =P

 

[Ghost X]

That sword has a familiar design.

 

[Lex]

Is that sped up? If not, combat looks more responsive which is a massive plus. Still planning to stream, will post announcement/ in here when that's the case

 

[Miscreant]

So since the demo patch will be out tomorrow...anyone planning on streaming? Because I'd watch.

I actually streamed it last night I should have checked the forums, but I guess I can do it again after work if you want. http://www.twitch.tv/amiscreant (I only set up my Twitch 2 days ago)

I also watched Mr. Happy kill a Catoblepas at level 63, his party were dead and he had to use Ramuh twice, he barely made the kill, but the start is to bait out it's head attack, dodge and counter with an arial attack, then once you're low on MP hit the feet, keeping and eye out for its stomp attack while you regain mp then switch back to the head. You will need a big stack of potions too, one attack can potentially kill you if it makes full contact.

But yeah, the new changes to the demo are brilliant, I'm actually starting to have a lot of faith in this game, it really has the feel of the series and the world is so open, I mean this is just the Duscae region and there is already a large amount of exploring to be done. The combat feels a lot more fluent now and the little additions like linking up combos with your party and going off on little sub quests/journeys with individual party members are brilliant.

Since FFXIV I've been really impressed with this new approach Square are taking, they have really taken on board the feedback from fans on both FFXIV and FFXV. Because of it FFXIV has become a great game and I genuinely expect FFXV to end up being something special now.

 

[Tetsujin]

Gameplay-wise it really does look decent. I really REALLY wanna try it. =(

I just hope they don't fuck up the story and characters.

 

[Miscreant]

After playing the demo, the characters and world feel pretty solid, SE are usually good at making a decent story. I mean until recently I doubted this game, but I've had a massive change of heart, I really think this is going to be the FF I've waited for since the end of the PS2 era.

 

[Claymore]

Just had a quick go on the demo this morning. Definitely agree that combat is a lot more fluid and responsive, and I love the new link up attacks - it provides a much needed variety to things. I'm still lamenting the absence of magic and more visually spectacular special attacks, but I'm hoping that this issue will be sorted before the game is released.

Need to play it some more to get a complete feel of the new features.

 

[Blade]

What's this I am hearing about Stella no longer being in this game?

Care to explain this?

If true... there goes my FFVIII Ending with a kiss with Rinoa...

 

[Tetsujin]

Spoiler

 

[Ghost X]

... KANCHO!

 

[Claymore]

Ever since Advent Children, it seems that the team has been struggling to replicate and contain that essence and sensation of battle within an actual game, that sense of spectacular and fluid fights, of actually being in motion, of characters jockeying for position, and of the entire group battling as one towards a singular target. So, you can understand why the initial demo left me with a sour, and rather disappointing, taste in my mouth. Though the world looked beautiful, actual battles felt boring and generic - both to observe and to participate in.

Chain Attacks has suddenly given me pause for thought.

What felt like a generic action-RPG just a moment ago suddenly shifts and ascends, gaining tactics and giving the player options. In an instant, that sense of jockeying for position and of the group battling a singular foe just comes together beautifully. Suddenly you find yourself carefully picking through foes in order to reach the target area to initiate a Chain Attack sequence. Then the pressure mounts as you attempt to time the attacks and gamble on whether you can keep hitting them, whether to unleash the first stage of a final strike, or do you attempt to keep the sequence going in order to reach the next level of the sequence?

The moment when you witness all four characters pile in on a Chain Attack on an enemy is just ... wow.

I'm at a loss to understand why this feature wasn't present in the original demo, but it has certainly given me another view of the game and what it is trying to do with the battle system. (Though, for the life of me, I will never see Noctis hanging from his sword from a high vantage point - all whilst his team are being attacked and hurt - as anything other than silly and stupid).

I am hoping that this is only the beginning of the tweaks. Noctis' standard abilities are a little lackluster (in visual beauty), so I'm hoping that they do manage to implement magic like they mentioned they would. It would bring yet another dimension - and tactics - to battles and attain that goal which they have been trying to emulate.

The 'tours' (or side quests) feature was interesting, giving you some alone time with certain characters and upping the Chain Attack frequency. What I enjoyed most about them was that, on returning to camp, you would find the others respond to your return whilst hanging out, and you would get items from what they had been doing during their time. Pretty neat.


Overall, the new version of the demo has definitely left me with a better taste and impression of the game and its battle system. If the team can continue to take user feedback and bring more options and tactics to the table, this could become an awesome battle system.

 

[Dragonslayer Ornstein]

"I will never see Noctis hanging from his sword from a high vantage point - all whilst his team are being attacked and hurt - as anything other than silly and stupid"

Someone needs to do some video of him pulling stupid faces and going gnee naw gnee naw gnee naw and saying insane non sequitur shit when Gladiolus keeps telling him to come back down.

 

[Blade]

What's this I am hearing about Stella no longer being in this game?

Care to explain this?

If true... there goes my FFVIII Ending with a kiss with Rinoa...

Since no one's going to talk about this... I guess I'm going to to have to:

I was really expecting some Shakespearean-level drama from this game based on the trailers.

I don't want this to be nothing but a camping trip with four guys. I want Noctis to have some kind of relationship, romance or otherwise.

I hope it's not going to lose out to FFVII in terms of production.

 

[ForceStealer]

Lex and others were talking a lot about that just recently, somewhere.

Luna obviously has some sort of connection to him, they're going to see her. And the game is not JUST road trip, does no one remember the first (new) trailer in the city fighting all the soldiers and the behemoth and freaking Leviathan destroying everything?

 

[Blade]

I remember, I just... can't get the countryside out of my head.

I need OTHER cities to look at!

 

[Tetsujin]

Gamescom schedule for FFXV

Mostly irrelevant for anyone not attending but the ATR is of special interest obviously and will be livestreamed on Twitch.

 

[Misterbadguy]

I was really expecting some Shakespearean-level drama from this game based on the trailers.

I don't want this to be nothing but a camping trip with four guys. I want Noctis to have some kind of relationship, romance or otherwise.

I hope it's not going to lose out to FFVII in terms of production.

I reckon the road trip thing is just one of the facets of the game. You often find that there's a definite turning point in RPGs where things begin to change in the story; I reckon that the road trip "feel" is representative of the early part of the game, and come the turning point, it changes to a more serious drama about warring states; just look at Episode Duscae's ending for example. Square have, however, made a big deal about how strong the main four characters are, so with respect to how the game is marketed, it probably made sense to make ED about them, rather than the actual story at this point.

The Shakespearian aspect is a little more blurry though, I agree, particularly with Stella no longer in the game. That being said, Luna quite obviously incorporates elements of Stella's character design, and she's present in Insomnia during the Niflheim invasion like Stella was, so perhaps we'll see some form of the relationship that Noctis and Stella appeared to be headed towards.

 

[Tetsujin]

You can now preorder FFXV on the official SE store: https://store.na.square-enix.com/product/286810/final-fantasy-xv-ps4

 

[trash panda]

I don't know much about preordering games but I've seen my SO do it and from what I've seen, preorders usually come with goodies, don't they...







.....don't they?

 

[Tetsujin]

So apparently FFXV is nominated for a couple of Gamescom awards: http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/08/03/gamescom-2015-nominees-for-the-gamescom-awards-2015-announced

The interesting part here is this part of the submission criteria:
http://www.gamescom-cologne.com/red.../gb_gamescom_award_unternehmen_regularien.pdf

13.14. The announced launch date for the game or product in the home market of the submitting company or in the German market must be in the year after the relevant gamescom (between gamescom 2015 and gamescom 2016).

So...release before August 2016 indirectly confirmed?

 

[Flare]

Before August 2016? That seems so hard to believe.... I thought they said they were only done with half the game? Or was it more? I can't remember.
But of course, if that was true, I'd be so frickin' excited.