Hopes for Remake & Rebirth (story/content)

[ForceStealer]

Yuffie and the Wutai segment is an ideal piece of optional content. It adds to the flavor of the world, and some context to the plot, but none of the plot changes without it. Also, you can still go to Wutai without Yuffie and get some of that context, you just won't have the materia theft quest. I agree with Ite that being afraid to make something optional because a player might not see it is pompous and silly.

The plot Vincent brings with him is different, imo. Yes, the story makes sense without him, but it is fundamentally changed by it's presence - Sephiroth was born of a human woman, the role Hojo actually plays in the history of the crisis. That's a much more glaring absence.

 

[Gary Caelum]

I agree with Ite that being afraid to make something optional because a player might not see it is pompous and silly.

From the developers point of view it's not pompous and silly at all. It's a serious worry that you're putting time and money into something that only a minority of people will see, when you could instead put it into something mandatory that everyone will see. Completely legitimate thing to worry about when it comes to budgeting different parts of the game.

Maybe a better way of framing it is in terms of how hidden the optional content is. Some optional things 70% of people will find. Other optional things only 5% of people will find.

I would bet that if Wutai remains optional, it will be much more heavily signposted than it was in the original game.

 

[The Twilight Mexican]

Perhaps FFXV isn't the indicator organism to look to for this, but if it is, that would suggest they aren't too concerned about the matter. Easily half of the game's content, perhaps more, is optional -- though much of that optional stuff is signposted (often literally).

 

[Gary Caelum]

I'd say XV got the balance almost perfect. Lots of optional stuff, but most of it is very easy to find.

My only complaint about XV is that I had no idea Crestholm Channels existed at all. It's very easy to miss the entrance, and the only other way you'd know about it is if you do all of Cindy's sidequests. So I had no idea it existed until I read a guide.

 

[ForceStealer]

If you're building a world for players to explore and live in, your focus should be on making sure there are things to find. Not mandating that every player see everything. Have confidence that what you are making will be compelling enough that players will want to search and find non-obvious things.

 

[Gary Caelum]

Yes but I did want to search in XV, and still didn't find Crestholm Channels. It is accessed through a tiny little doorway through a fence.

 

[Ryuman]

To make matters worse, finding the way to the bottom tripped a lot of people up. (myself included)

 

[looneymoon]

Things that are okay: having certain optional, certain characters are not playable at launch

Not okay: main characters added later as paid DLC

 

[Kain424]

I remember when I discovered the Ancient Forest. It must have been on my third playthrough. Completely surprised me. But I don't know. Maybe developers feel such surprises aren't worth the trouble anymore.

 

[Gary Caelum]

I definitely didn't find that on my first playthrough either.

 

[Ite]

Things that are okay: having certain optional, certain characters are not playable at launch

Not okay: main characters added later as paid DLC

Nobody really expects Cid or Cait Sith to become DLC, surely!!?

 

[Tashasaurous]

Nobody really expects Cid or Cait Sith to become DLC, surely!!?

No way. Both Cid and Cait Sith are part of the main cast and are not optional in the main story of the OG. Plus Yuffie and Vincent are optional but they and both Cid and Caith Sith can't be DLC, even in a million years!

If the Remake comes with DLC, I think it'd be cool if they did Episodes of Post-Game based on the On the Way to a Smile Novel (except for Denzel since that's already been turned into an Anime OVA episode)...Not that it will ever happen considering how the cancelled DLC of FFXV ended up becoming a Novel itself. But it's nice to dream.

 

[LicoriceAllsorts]

I quite like novels.
I have a feeling I already said it in this thread, but if there's going to be new content I'd like Midgar to be more explorable. Pretty sure I'm not alone in this. I'd be happy to pay for it as DLC.

 

[Tashasaurous]

I love the FFVII novels. In fact, I already got both of them in English. The only thing I will disagree with is that the English version of On the Way to a Smile calls Veld "Verdot" since I prefer Veld, but that's really just a minor thing. The rest I enjoy. I just also wish both of them were made into CG games or like Advent Children as well.

 

[Gary Caelum]

I quite like novels.
I have a feeling I already said it in this thread, but if there's going to be new content I'd like Midgar to be more explorable. Pretty sure I'm not alone in this. I'd be happy to pay for it as DLC.

They have explicitly said it will be! https://www.digitalspy.com/videogam...-vii-remake-will-be-bigger-than-the-original/

Only problem I see with that is that you're supposed to be technically incapable of getting back into Midgar after you leave on the motorbike chase. They'd maybe have to alter that!

 

[hleV]

They have explicitly said it will be! https://www.digitalspy.com/videogam...-vii-remake-will-be-bigger-than-the-original/

Only problem I see with that is that you're supposed to be technically incapable of getting back into Midgar after you leave on the motorbike chase. They'd maybe have to alter that!

I don't see why not. Just sneak in somehow and that's it.

 

[Gary Caelum]

I don't see why not. Just sneak in somehow and that's it.

Yeah but the scene at the end of disc 2 has you sky dive into Midgar because there's no other way in. That would somewhat ruin the action!

 

[LicoriceAllsorts]

Presumably it will be explorable right at the beginning.
- Rescue Aerith?
- Explore the city first?
Or even after the first bombing raid.

 

[Gary Caelum]

Yeah I'd think so. But I just meant they might not make it their main focus if it's mainly just explorable in the first half of the first chapter.
They might focus on like Junon, Gold Saucer and Wutai instead. All potentially quite huge areas.

Part of what I loved about this game is how many interesting locations there were. Such a great and varied world.

 

[Kain424]

I can imagine there would be inaccessable areas until later. Also, other areas would change or disappear due to changes during the game's storyline.

 

[Ite]

Being jettisoned from Midgar seems to happen just at the right time. You get to know a few slum neighbourhoods, face the city’s dangers above, below, and even between the Plate. You assault the heart of the city, but the urgency of Sephiroth and the crisis for the Planet urge you forward, beyond Midgar.

I wonder, if you could “100%” the city before heading to Shinra HQ... how would that feel?

 

[Kain424]

Like crap. Gotta save that kinda thing for later to keep the urgency of those plot developments.

Well, in my (rarely) humble opinion anyway.

 

[Ite]

I’m of the same mind. Getting the Midgar Key and re-exploring the slums, Tifa’s final weapon etc. happens during the game’s true lull: the huge materia missions. If Midgar were to be expanded, IMO that’s the time to do it... but that won’t be in Episode 1.

Edit: was bored made a comic

Spoiler

 

[Gary Caelum]

I assume those are quest markers on a Midgar map and not pepperoni on a pizza, as my hungry brain first thought.

 

[Kain424]

I assume those are quest markers on a Midgar map and not pepperoni on a pizza, as my hungry brain first thought.

Same.

Edit: was bored made a comic

Spoiler

View attachment 2956

I am in love with you for this.