Hopes for Remake & Rebirth (story/content)

[Kain424]

Not sure about that at all (though I have yet to even start Kingdom Hearts III, if we're being honest). It was (relatively) recent changes in the company that made sure Final Fantasy XV ended up as good as it did, and completed at all.

The issue with a lot of games nowadays is development time. When a new game comes out, everything inside is generally several years old by the time we touch it.

 

[Makoeyes987]

Final Fantasy XV ended up as an amazing entry that's more than worthy of being an FF title. It suffered a slow start due to being rushed out of development hell (this is the same game that was trapped in its VS XIII hell) but to somehow tout that as indicative of being a failure is just plain ignorance. It's successful and loved for a reason.

As for KH3, that's an entirely different team and game series with its own unique curcumstances. It's so divorced from FF now that comparing it or trying to gleam any indication from its status is irrelevant. Those issues and development trials don't exist for FF. But yeah, that's successful too.

And DQ XI sold like gangbusters as well. So I'm not sure *what* point you're trying to make.

 

[a_apple]

FFXV was a huge disappointment imo. The world felt pretty empty, all those fedex sidequest just didn't do it for me. Not to mention that cutting out key elements from the main story and turning it into bonus material was a pretty dumb idea. I feel like the biggest problem with SE right now is, that they don't make games anymore with the intention to complete the entire story in one game but are obssesed with the idea to fragment the story as much as possible so they can milk the franchise forever. Which leads to luke warm games, that just don't have the same impact as Square games had in their golden years.

 

[a_apple]

Final Fantasy XV ended up as an amazing entry that's more than worthy of being an FF title. It suffered a slow start due to being rushed out of development hell (this is the same game that was trapped in its VS XIII hell) but to somehow tout that as indicative of being a failure is just plain ignorance. It's successful and loved for a reason.

As for KH3, that's an entirely different team and game series with its own unique curcumstances. It's so divorced from FF now that comparing it or trying to gleam any indication from its status is irrelevant. Those issues and development trials don't exist for FF. But yeah, that's successful too.

And DQ XI sold like gangbusters as well. So I'm not sure *what* point you're trying to make.

To be fair here, DQ is still mainly handeled by Enix. I'm quite suprised that you are so fond of XV tbh lol. To me, it was a big let down. Even worst than XIII was but I guess we have to agree to disagree

 

[Kain424]

Well, you already said it. That is indeed your opinion. Agreed.

On the other hand, you have what is actually a fairly interesting concept with Final Fantasy XV and it's spread of content. The anime, the movie, the prequel game, the prequel demo. It's fun. It's different. It's also something Square did back with the first Final Fantasy.



They put out the game with an adventure's guide handbook and a world map. There was also a whole special issue in Nintendo Power devoted to setting up and guiding the players. It had artwork, story, dialog, and more. It was super cool, and they did all that and more for the 15th game.

 

[ChipNoir]

KHIII definetly feels like a game where they focused entirely on presentation and gave a LOT of shortshrift to gameplay.

But I'm fine if the same thing happens to VII-R since I kinda only care about the presentation. New Threat has already given me the perfect version of VII as an actual game. I'm kinda thinking about the remake as just an interactive CGI netflix adaptation of VII.

I literally can't be disappointed by the remake to be honest. Not unless they make some massively unusual story changes.

 

[Makoeyes987]

I really don't want to bring KH3 into this because that went on an entirely different path due to the fact that it's a franchise that must juggle between it's original core concepts, Disney concepts, corporate concerns and management of said Disney concepts, while also being entirely Nomura's pet-project that is in a completely different realm in terms of goals, aesthetics, and presentation than FFVII.

Yes, KH3 had to strip some things in regards to its latest game in order to "balance" what it had to do and what it wanted to show.

But FFVII is NOT in any way shape or form in that same situation, and if it is something is seriously wrong.

Furthermore, I personally don't think it should have to sacrifice a damn thing in terms of its gameplay since it's a Final Fantasy game. That's what it will be first and foremost. It's FFVII remade.

If it can't even meet a minimum of gameplay muster that allows it be a step up from FFXV then there's a big issue. It should be challenging, it should be deep, it certainly should not be a CGI netflix adaption of FFVII.

If it becomes something like that, then it's DOA. Not just to me but a lot of fans who have played the game to hell and back. Going by what the developers have said, they want to take the gameplay somewhere dynamic and exciting. It needs to be able to stand alone as an ARPG and be fun. If the gameplay ends up at Weaksauce McCakewalk Town, then there's a big fucking problem.

That shit was able to satisfy KH3 fans to a degree but I'm almost certain if it ends up like that here? No, fans aren't gonna be forgiving of that shit.

If it can't bring something more to the table as a remake of FFVII, then why should it even exist? I don't think the remake should even be created if all it's going to do is tread familiar water and be just an upscaled glitzy presentation of the story we already know. If it can't bring something real, then it's superfluous as a game.

 

[Kain424]

Yeah, fair points. Though I think what ChipNoir is saying is that the bar is far lower for him. And honestly, it's something I've been pondering myself. I am not sure what I need from this game. I suppose I want what I got the first time, but I won't mind being surprised. If I like the gameplay, I guess I'd be ecstatic.

 

[Gary Caelum]

FFXV was a huge disappointment imo. The world felt pretty empty,

I actually quite liked this fact. Its world felt realistic. It didn't feel like a video game world like something Bethesda might make.

As long as they give you a good means of transport, I'm ok with quite empty worlds (they obviously still need plenty to do, but it doesn't need to be equally spread out across the map, is my point) The fact that it needed more interesting side-quests is largely independent of this. It could've had far better side-quests and still stuck with an empty world.

 

[ChipNoir]

Yeah, fair points. Though I think what ChipNoir is saying is that the bar is far lower for him. And honestly, it's something I've been pondering myself. I am not sure what I need from this game. I suppose I want what I got the first time, but I won't mind being surprised. If I like the gameplay, I guess I'd be ecstatic.

That's my position exactly. KHIII had more at stake for me because it was supposed to CONTINUE a franchise that I had a lot of expectations for based on Kingdom Hearts 1, 2, and Birth by Sleep which got progressively better. Everything else has so far been a major step backwards, and thus, I am on the bitter-sweet side of disappointment.

This remake I have no stakes in except for the visual presentation. Others of course can expect more because of their motivations of wanting to relive the original in a new way. My motivations are more provincial. Half of my interest is just because of all the debate the new material will provide. Even if its terrible, it'l be at least a three year's worth of conversations.

At best, it's still just an adaptation in my mind.

 

[Gary Caelum]

I want it to recreate the experience of the original game whilst feeling new and different. If this remake was a verbatim copy of the original, just with better graphics, I think I'd be disappointed.

That's mostly because I just know the original so well, that I'd know everything that's going to happen.

I hope things like the dialog are completely rewritten. The environments could be redone too, as long as they follow the same style and general structure. Things like where the safe is located in the Shinra mansion. That can be changed just to add more challenge and more incentive to explore for old timers.

 

[Castiel Strife]

Final Fantasy XV ended up as an amazing entry that's more than worthy of being an FF title. It suffered a slow start due to being rushed out of development hell (this is the same game that was trapped in its VS XIII hell) but to somehow tout that as indicative of being a failure is just plain ignorance. It's successful and loved for a reason.

As for KH3, that's an entirely different team and game series with its own unique curcumstances. It's so divorced from FF now that comparing it or trying to gleam any indication from its status is irrelevant. Those issues and development trials don't exist for FF. But yeah, that's successful too.

And DQ XI sold like gangbusters as well. So I'm not sure *what* point you're trying to make.

I loved Final Fantasy XV, too. It started out slow for me, but once I got into it I was really into it and even platinumed it. That turtle was a fun fight!

As for the whole locking us out of areas with each installment discussion, I would be okay with it only if it were like it already is on the original game, as was already suggested here. When you have the tiny bronco you can only go to certain areas, obviously, and that sort of thing. I really, really hope that they don’t lock us out of the previous installment every time a new installment releases. That’s where they need to find a clever way to do this “episodic” thing.

But we all know that if it is in three parts, it won’t be broken up the way the original game was. Not if they are going for a “full game” on each new release. If the third game equaled the third disc, there would hardly be anything left to do. All of these reasons are why I still believe two parts is the most logical way to go about this, but they probably will do at least three for the cash grab.

 

[Gary Caelum]

I'm sure you can get back to the eastern continent after leaving though can't you? Either by the Tiny Bronco or by taking the ship from Costa Del Sol?

 

[Kain424]

Yes.

I think it would be neat if in each installment, things change just a little in areas you've already been. Books on shelves could re-arrange, dirty tables could be cluttered and cleaned and vice versa. I'd like little details like that. I'm not going to be mad or anything if they don't but I am a bit OCD like that.

Anyhow, I was thinking. With the original game being ported over to the Switch here in a bit, I bet they're holding back on releasing information until after that. What do you all think?

 

[ChipNoir]

Neh, I still think they're just waiting for the new financial year. Part of that is because they'll need those final numbers to pan out to decide what kind of a marketing budget to give the remake.

 

[Gary Caelum]

I think it would be neat if in each installment, things change just a little in areas you've already been. Books on shelves could re-arrange, dirty tables could be cluttered and cleaned and vice versa. I'd like little details like that. I'm not going to be mad or anything if they don't but I am a bit OCD like that.

That sounds really cool for the 1% of people who would notice it! Lol

 

[Castiel Strife]

Yes.

I think it would be neat if in each installment, things change just a little in areas you've already been. Books on shelves could re-arrange, dirty tables could be cluttered and cleaned and vice versa. I'd like little details like that. I'm not going to be mad or anything if they don't but I am a bit OCD like that.

Anyhow, I was thinking. With the original game being ported over to the Switch here in a bit, I bet they're holding back on releasing information until after that. What do you all think?

I think they’re just letting Kingdom Hearts III settle in right now. I believe we will get a lot of 7emake news at E3 during Square’s conference. I think we will get a lot of gameplay, and a release date/window. My guess is the first part will release very early next year, January or so, like Kingdom Hearts III did this year. I’d love to see it earlier, but I just wouldn’t think they’d release it the same year KH3 released. I just hope the first part doesn’t release any later than 2020. We’ve waited patiently long enough.

 

[Gary Caelum]

KH3 was originally intended to be a 2018 game, and was finished months ago. They did delay it just to avoid the highly competitive christmas schedule.
That might mean their '1 big game a year' thing allows FF7 this year. Probably not, but who knows.

 

[Castiel Strife]

KH3 was originally intended to be a 2018 game, and was finished months ago. They did delay it just to avoid the highly competitive christmas schedule.
That might mean their '1 big game a year' thing allows FF7 this year. Probably not, but who knows.

It could be this year, but I’d assume that at the earliest the game could be ready by late 2019. In that case, it’d put them in the same scenario Kingdom Hearts III was in. Every holiday season has a lot of gaming competition. Not sure what all we will see this year, but I’m sure there will be a lot of games.

Of course, it’s possible they’re way further along than we think and that it could release earlier than the holiday season, but I just don’t foresee that.

 

[Ite]

2020 at the earliest, but I wouldn’t be surprised by no announced release date at all and another 4 years of waiting.

 

[Gary Caelum]

It could be this year, but I’d assume that at the earliest the game could be ready by late 2019.

Does anyone have any real clue as to how much work they've done on it? They frankly could have 5 years of work done, and it's almost ready for release.
Alternatively, there are the stories that say they had to throw several years of work from Cyberconnect in the trash. Hard to know what the truth is based on just rumors!

 

[pxp]

Seeing as the conversation seems to be hovering on this though I also posted in the catch all thread:

Verbatim c&p of smackynopants’ post on the FF7R Subreddit:

https://www.reddit.com/r/FFVIIRemake/comments/as9my9
Square just posted their investor briefing in which they expect a big increase in revenue (as stated before) in Q3 of their fiscal year 2020. Which means between October - December 2019. They expect 40-50 billion yen, which is double that of Q2 and Q3 of 2018 combined. This can only mean FF7R the way i see it.

Q: What can you tell us about the timeline for your FY2020/3 releases?

A: I cannot go into any detail at the moment, but I believe we will be able to make various announcements in the leadup to this year’s E3.

Q: How likely are you to reach your operating income target of ¥40-50 billion with the lineup you have planned for FY2020/3?

A: We believe operating income of ¥40-50 billion will be attainable in FY2020/3 with the lineup we currently have planned, but we still see risk of deviating from our target depending on when we release new titles and on how our development efforts progress.

Read the entire thing here http://www.hd.square-enix.com/eng/news/pdf/19q3Outline.pdf

 

[Gary Caelum]

Does Q3 of 2020 definitely mean holiday 2019 and not holiday 2020?

 

[Claymore]

A fiscal year ends in April 30th. A third of that would be as stated above, so a potential holiday release would fall around October to December 2019.

 

[Gary Caelum]

I realise that's when the fiscal year ends. But "fiscal year 2020" could still mean the year that starts in April 2020, rather than the year that ends there.

I'm just not familiar with the standard terminology for such things.