How would YOU do it?

[Lord Noctis]

If I was in charge of a remake, this is what I would do. Obviously, the story would be left mostly alone, with some added dialogue to NPCs refferencing events in CC and BC. The battle system would be a more fleshed out and fast paced version CCs.

But the thing I would add, the BIG thing, alternate endings. Basicly, you conquer the game, thus unlocking a newgame+ option. Only, in the second playthrough you will have a more Kotor like method of story progression, with something like five different endings, so you can see diferent ways the story could have gone, but obviously you would leave the original story as canon, and the others are just like a tip of the hat to fanfic writers everywhere.

 

[wayfarer]

Interesting, it certainly would be interesting to see what other endings they could come up with.

 

[Smaddy]

Definitely a graphics upgrade. Most of the backgrounds are perfectly fine, they'd just have to work on the characters. Upgraded and additional cutscenes would also be nice. And I would like to see some voice acting in it, as long as it was done well.

I don't want them to just delete the entire FFVII storyline and rewrite it, but an accurate translation, and clarification of the storyline would be nice. (It's kind of sad that it took me 12 years to find out certain aspects to the story due to mistranslation and unclear lines.) I want them to keep the humor and language of the original though (i.e. don't take all the cussing out of Barret and Cid's lines).

Make Vincent and Yuffie mandatory. This would require slight changes to the storyline, but I'd be ok with it. If they were made mandatory, they'd be included in cutscenes and conversations. I still also say, that Vincent should be required to go with you to see Hojo near the end. I wonder if any FFVII fans watched AC and went, "who the heck are these two random people? I've never seen them before!" XD

Make Aeris' death more emotional. It bothers me how after she dies, Cloud buries her, and that's it. Then it's Cloud in the shell house talking about himself. I see it as, your friend/companion was just randomly murdered and nobody really reacts at all?? And I wonder if they'd ever address the whole, "why can't you just use a Life Materia or Phoenix Down"? XD

Also, to a lesser extent, I wish they'd clarify how they got ahold of the Highwind. It's just kind of like... Shinra's out to get them, but somehow the party gets ahold of Shinra's airship, and there's no fight about it really, nor does Shinra come to even attempt to get it back.

More dungeons, or expand existing dungeons. Chocobo Breeding is a pain, but it's kind of silly how easy you can just walk into those caves and right there, Knights of the Round or whatever super-power Materia is just sitting there. I think it would be interesting to expand those caves and make them dungeons where you've got to fight a boss before you can get the Materia. More Underwater exploration would be nice too.

Northern Crater: when you split the group, they should make it where you control two parties and have to guide each one through. Anyone who's played FF6 knows it was done in the Phoenix Cave and Kefka's Tower.

I'd love it if they let us choose anyone we wanted for the party at the end of the game. I could see limiting it and forcing Cloud to be leader to go into the final dungeon, but for exploring and level grinding, why not let us choose whoever we want?

I'd like to see them change the ability system/Materia somehow. It always bothered me how it didn't matter who you had in the party, because everybody could learn every skill, and if you had a high-level Materia you could just swap it and anyone could have all the best skills. Maybe the best thing would be to somehow make it where each character has to level up the Materia themselves.

Expand and improve the Gold Saucer games. Keep the Snowboarding, I loved that game! If they added something new, I'd love to see either: a Pinball machine, or a shooting game.

 

[LicoriceAllsorts]

I like the ATB because I'm a noob with slow reflexes, and anyway the battles to me are just a chore that I must complete to be rewarded with the story.

I would, of course, upgrade the graphics on a par with Crisis Core, but keep the occassional old-style graphic for sentimental reasons.

If they retconned to include BC, the Turks would have to have a lot more screen time. Don't know if this would work, but I wouldn't complain if it happened.

I'd like to see Cloud's Limit Break system changed so that it builds up as members of his party get damaged, rather than Cloud himself, and the closer they are to him, the faster the Limit Break builds up as they get hurt. This would be more in keeping with his character.

Rufus not die.
Tseng not die.
Aerith not die....... No. That one, she's dead all right.

 

[laurence]

I would leave gameplay and story (ofcourse) as it is. Update the music and graphics quality (hopefully bring it to PC with extra settings aswell as PS3) and add in a good set of voices for the characters.

 

[wayfarer]

If it's a remake, its gonna be for the PS3, though I like the PC idea. And the ATB system is def gonna go in the trash. It's far too outdated. I could see the battle system XIII working really well. Except, obviously it'd be far more improved. XIII juxtaposed to XII would be the same as NuVII to XIII.

Obviously the graphics would get super-mundo facelift. Story left untouched except for all the other aspects of the plot introduced via compilation.

 

[Max Payne]

If it's a remake, its gonna be for the PS3

Don't bank on it kid.

For all you know, they just might go the more profitable route.

 

[Tetsujin]

...and put it on DS?

 

[Shademp]

...and put it on DS?

You, sir, are talking sacrilege and I wish to stain your zombie skin with holy water.
Hmm, and yet it almost feels like a possibility that the remake could go handheld. I get the impression games like Crisis Core, Dissidia, and FF remakes are more profitable because of their format.
But FFVII deserves to a behemoth-size-project, taking years and years and lots of money to complete just like with the FFXIII games.


Maybe I am naive to hope that the PS3 will gain popularity in the years to come and that the FFVII remake will appear just in time for this. Then again I have no argument, other than the aesthetical one, as to why the remake should be on PS3.

 

[Max Payne]

I hope it turns out to be multiplatform, on PS3, 360, and PC. That way I could just get the superior version.

 

[ForceStealer]

But exclusives (for any system) are, in general, much better in terms of graphics and such because its optimized for that system. MGS4, for example. Not that you couldn't optimize a multiplatform game, but they don't.

and you know a "more profitable route" with an FF7 remake is a bit of a non-issue. It would make a profit on just about anything.

 

[Max Payne]

But exclusives (for any system) are, in general, much better in terms of graphics and such because its optimized for that system. MGS4, for example. Not that you couldn't optimize a multiplatform game, but they don't.

MGS4 is a poor example. There are multiplatform games with better graphics and gameplay than MGS4 like Mass Effect. The "exclusives are better in general because they're optimized for one system" arguments are nonsense. MGS4 was poorly optimized too, needing installations regularly after each chapter, and the framerate issues, bad shadows, and disappointingly low res textures.

You can have an incredible game on multiple consoles and it not be compromised in the slightest. All you have to do is tailor the game to each console's specific strengths. Look at Bioshock, Dead Space, and several other games that deliver a stunning experience on several different consoles.

If anything, multiplatform games failing on one system versus another only ever happens because of developer laziness. Not because being on one platform is a huge advantage versus being multiplatform.

and you know a "more profitable route" with an FF7 remake is a bit of a non-issue. It would make a profit on just about anything.

No shit, it'd just make even more on multiple consoles.

 

[ForceStealer]

I didn't mean exclusives suffer because of console differences, just because they spend time porting which could be spent elsewhere. Laziness, as I said. I didn't mean it had to be for PS3 either, I only used MGS4 because I thought it did look really good, Uncharted's a good example if you'd prefer. Mass Effect is also a bad example as the PC version is buggy as shit. Bioshock took a year to port correctly.

Like both you and I said, if the developer does it right, multiplatform doesn't doom the game to mediocrity, but you know developers don't all that frequently. And would SE? I dunno, The Last Remnant had terrible problems on both platforms it was released on.

 

[Max Payne]

I didn't mean exclusives suffer because of console differences, just because they spend time porting which could be spent elsewhere. Laziness, as I said. I didn't mean it had to be for PS3 either, I only used MGS4 because I thought it did look really good, Uncharted's a good example if you'd prefer. Mass Effect is also a bad example as the PC version is buggy as shit. Bioshock took a year to port correctly.

No time is spent better elsewhere if that time equals buckets more of money. Uncharted and MGS4 look good, but they're nowhere near amazing or good enough looking to make a case on them. Uncharted 2 and Killzone 2 maybe, but that's nothing a good PC can't achieve.

I have had no problems whatsoever with the PC version of Mass Effect, nor have my colleagues. Bioshock didn't take a year to port correctly, hell, it took several months after the PC and 360 releases before it was announced for PS3, and that time taken to port it was well spent. It doesn't matter how long it takes either, as long it turns out a good product, if anything, rushing several versions of a game so they'll all meet the same release date has been detrimental a couple of times. But the game was still multi-platform before the PS3 version and performed fine.

Same goes for Far Cry 2, DMC4, Prince of Persia, Prototype, Dead Space, Red Faction, Army of Two, Street Fighter 4 and most recently Batman: AA. None of those games have any significant differences from version to version. And still managed to be very entertaining experiences. Hell, Batman has stunning visuals on all platforms, as did Dead Space.

Like both you and I said, if the developer does it right, multi-platform doesn't doom the game to mediocrity, but you know developers don't all that frequently. And would SE? I dunno, The Last Remnant had terrible problems on both platforms it was released on.

It has happened enough not for people to base arguments off the assumption that multi-platform=lesser game before the fact.

I highly doubt FF13 is going to be compromised simply because of it being multi-platform. SE isn't stupid enough to make a multi-platform game and have the quality be compromised from version to version. They've already made an assload of money from working on several different platforms this generation, from 360 to DS.

SE has pissed me off on more than one occasion, but they know how to make money.

 

[Makoeyes987]

Still say a card based battle system for an FFVII remake would be best. And it could be in the style of the DS FF remakes like FFIV on the Nintendo DS. It'd be perfect, Square would turn a profit, and the DS would get another awesome game to add to its library.

 

[Max Payne]

Keep on trolling Mako.

But in all honesty, I wouldn't mind a DS or PSP remake

 

[Alex]

Finally, somebody talking some sense.

Card based battle system and some chibi-style character redesigns.

Shit would be SO kawaii

 

[Makoeyes987]

Definitely would. It'd make millions and get a perfect Famitsu score. Everyone knows DS games are more innovative and stylish because of the touch function and stylus. It's the best selling and most technologically innovative hand held ever made. And FFVII deserves something unique since it's the best and most unique RPG ever created.

 

[Smaddy]

Finally, somebody talking some sense.

Card based battle system and some chibi-style character redesigns.

Shit would be SO kawaii

Actually I'd rather have a puzzle-fighting game. Could match up blocks of colored Materia crystals. That'd make for an epic final battle vs Sephiroth.

 

[ForceStealer]

You're point's taken, Dacon. But just to clarify, I wasn't referring to differences between versions, I just meant overall quality of the game.

 

[Max Payne]

Well so did I

I'm just saying, there's no reason to assume that it'd be of lesser quality if it were multi-platform.

 

[Makoeyes987]

It's pretty obvious it would be if it were on the 360. It'd look like shit. 360 graphics aren't anywhere close to Blu-Ray High Def. If it were on the 360 it'd probably fail miserably since no FFVII fans even buy X-Box games.

 

[ForceStealer]

Man, you are bored these days Mako, aren't you?

 

[Makoeyes987]

Man, you are bored these days Mako, aren't you?

....Yeah.

 

[Max Payne]

Lol. Unsuccessful troll is unsuccessful.