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Will the remake go more episodic after Part 1? (split from official tweets thread)

X-SOLDIER

Harbinger O Great Justice
AKA
X
With COVID being a thing making remote development a bit different than working as in-person teams, I'm even more curious if they're looking more at something that's focused on doing another full game release like the 18 chapters that we got, or if they have a smaller & more focused workflow that'll let them do something like release a 3-6 chapter episodic release that's focused around a particular arc.


X :neo:
 

Kain424

Old Man in the Room
Could happen, though.

They could put together a little arc about Nibelheim, Kalm, and the Chocobo Farm. A sort of semi-open world type game. You gotta level, explore, search, and finally scrounge together some things to capture some chocobos to cross the marsh. On the other side, there'd be some sort of boss battle. Maybe even Sephiroth or Jenova again if Kitase's feeling truly showy about Sephiroth. Or maybe fight the Turks there or in the mines.

Point is, there are a number of things they could do in DLC form. Especially if they keep the chapters thing up. That could constitute a few chapters right there. Keep some folks playing. Possibly piss off others.
 

Tetsujin

he/they
AKA
Tets
I find it just as likely as them doing FFXVI or any other mainline FF as an episodic title, which is not very likely at all. I think the only reason this comes up is because in their heads people still sort of see Remake as one title released in parts since it is adapted from a single game, rather than viewing it as a proper franchise/FF sub-series on its own.
They're gonna release every part like a full-fledged main entry with all the fanfare that entails.
 

Kain424

Old Man in the Room
Honestly, I could see them doing both. Putting out a few chapters here and there, but then selling a full dozen and a half or whatever later. A way to double dip, so to speak.

I agree that people think of it as a single game. But that's because that's kind of how they've marketed it. The title on this last release does not separate it from further entries either. Unless they actually call the next chunk of plot FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE PART 2 or something.
 

Odysseus

Ninja Potato
AKA
Ody
I really doubt they'd do episodes like that, I feel like the plot pacing would get way too clunky if we got like 3 chapters a year or whatever. I'd much rather just wait and get a full game all at once.
 

Kain424

Old Man in the Room
That just it, isn't it? They're going to do what they're going to do. We didn't ask for the multi-game release, nor would most people have even considered it. But what makes sense for them will be what they do. And if Nomura gets it his way, they may very well put future chapters out in that manner.
 

Tetsujin

he/they
AKA
Tets
I think most people take Nomura's statement out of context. It was said in response to the question of whether it's gonna be a trilogy.

Kitase said: "We have a rough idea on that, but it’s not been completely decided yet. It’s impossible to talk about this right now. It seems that many people think it will become a trilogy."

"It all depends on how many parts we make,” said Nomura. “If we separate it into bigger chunks it will take more time, but if we take smaller portions it can be done on a shorter span. Personally, I would like to deliver it fast.”


So this is how I'm understanding this: If they were to stick to an arbitrary trilogy format without cutting any major content like they promised they wouldn't, parts 2 and 3 would likely be even bigger and take even longer to make than part 1. So instead they might just do more than 3 if necessary.
So it's smaller portions in relation to how long it would take if they stuck to a trilogy format rather than making smaller games than part 1, which is what a lot of people seem to assume he means.
 

The Twilight Mexican

Ex-SeeD-ingly good
AKA
TresDias
I think the only reason this comes up is because in their heads people still sort of see Remake as one title released in parts since it is adapted from a single game ...
Mostly it still comes up because of those comments from Nomura you quoted in your last post. :wacky:

So it's smaller portions in relation to how long it would take if they stuck to a trilogy format rather than making smaller games than part 1, which is what a lot of people seem to assume he means
But this reading has to assume he meant "bigger games than part 1" when he said "If we separate it into bigger chunks it will take more time."

I think he just meant a generic hypothetical sense of "bigger" and "shorter," in relation to one another's hypothetical lengths, rather than in comparison to anything specific.

So, to my mind at least, the possibility of an episodic release format from here on out is alive and well.

I find it just as likely as them doing FFXVI or any other mainline FF as an episodic title, which is not very likely at all.

FFXIV, though? I mean, yeah, each expansion is "a full game," but each expansion is also released first as a large chunk, then as a series of episodes.
 

Eerie

Fire and Blood
I think he just meant a generic hypothetical sense of "bigger" and "shorter," in relation to one another's hypothetical lengths, rather than in comparison to anything specific.

This is exactly what he said. Do we make big installments ala Remake part 1, or do we do something more episodic, with little bits spreads over numerous releases? When people say it's going to be a trilogy (or more), they're thinking big games, because honestly, that is more fitting to Remake. But there is a possibility of it being episodic with little content every time, like one or two per town, but I think this wouldn't work well with the game. First we'd need yearly releases for those to somewhat work, and second, it'd feel a bit chunky and unfulfilling, as we as players would feel that there is very little progress on the main storyline.
 

Tetsujin

he/they
AKA
Tets
But this reading has to assume he meant "bigger games than part 1" when he said "If we separate it into bigger chunks it will take more time."

Yeah because I'd assume a trilogy would force them to blow up the scale of the next two games even more than part 1. Looking at what is still left to adapt from FFVII, that would seem inevitable imo.

FFXIV, though? I mean, yeah, each expansion is "a full game," but each expansion is also released first as a large chunk, then as a series of episodes.

Apples and oranges. :monster:
Fine then, "mainline single player FF" :P
 
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Wol

None Shall Remember Those Who Do Not Fight
AKA
Rosarian Shield
A single FFXIV expansion has more content than FFVIIR.
 

X-SOLDIER

Harbinger O Great Justice
AKA
X
I think most people take Nomura's statement out of context. It was said in response to the question of whether it's gonna be a trilogy.

Kitase said: "We have a rough idea on that, but it’s not been completely decided yet. It’s impossible to talk about this right now. It seems that many people think it will become a trilogy."

"It all depends on how many parts we make,” said Nomura. “If we separate it into bigger chunks it will take more time, but if we take smaller portions it can be done on a shorter span. Personally, I would like to deliver it fast.”

So this is how I'm understanding this: If they were to stick to an arbitrary trilogy format without cutting any major content like they promised they wouldn't, parts 2 and 3 would likely be even bigger and take even longer to make than part 1. So instead they might just do more than 3 if necessary.
So it's smaller portions in relation to how long it would take if they stuck to a trilogy format rather than making smaller games than part 1, which is what a lot of people seem to assume he means.
Mostly it still comes up because of those comments from Nomura you quoted in your last post. :wacky:

This is the primary reason that I mention it. :awesomonster:

The other component parts to their collective statements is connected to how Remake is currently made, and how games are built to work compartmentally for PS5. You'll have the ability to only keep sections of games installed – like just the Single Player or just the Multiplayer. That's intended to help prioritize what gets out onto the onboard SSD to benefit from optimized performance, and what gets stored elsewhere.

What that means from a development standpoint is that if you have a game that's broken down into isolated Chapters (which Remake already does) it's beneficial for you to allow users to be able to only keep certain chapters installed as they need/want to play them. That's why I've suggested that there's a decent possibility that the follow-up games to Remake could just plays through the exact same main menu & interface, like you're continuing playing Remake and just picking back up of your existing Save file – sort of like you did with the original games when you swapped disks.

They can still do the full gigantic title launch of however many games they want, but that also means renaming each release. If they just want to release the Expansions, they can label them more softly as a release like FFVII Remake "Journey to Junon" (Contains Chapters 19-24). The architecture of the PS5, the existing chapter segregation of Remake, and the development structure that it allows means that Remake could just continually expand its story over time, and always just be called "Final Fantasy VII Remake". Plus, they already did this exact thing with FFXV's content, and even had sections that were level-capped – so it's not really something that's new or unexpected from them at all.

The benefits are that there's less time between releases which helps people stay in touch with the storyline as a single cohesive narrative, they're regularly getting income as soon as those pieces of development are completed, and they can continually bring in user feedback from a regular audience (which they do all the time via the Twitter account that this thread is about), and that allows them to keep in touch with their fanbase as they develop. I think that it's probably a sort of thing that we might start seeing more is that big games launch, but that they have the ability to grow more naturally over time.



X :neo:
 

Eerie

Fire and Blood
like you're continuing playing Remake and just picking back up of your existing Save file – sort of like you did with the original games when you swapped disks.

The main problem to that, and I remember a reddit post explaining this, is that your original play of the game is override by what you do after completing the game - aka hard mode, dress choices, resolutions, etc. You are invited to continue to play and make other decisions to see it all, but then they don't save the original playthrough you went through, so I find it difficult to think that there will be any carry over. Maybe (hopefully) the chapters will start at 19, but I don't see how they could carry over an original game that doesn't really exists anymore, unless you replay it before starting the next part or something.
 

X-SOLDIER

Harbinger O Great Justice
AKA
X
The main problem to that, and I remember a reddit post explaining this, is that your original play of the game is override by what you do after completing the game - aka hard mode, dress choices, resolutions, etc. You are invited to continue to play and make other decisions to see it all, but then they don't save the original playthrough you went through, so I find it difficult to think that there will be any carry over. Maybe (hopefully) the chapters will start at 19, but I don't see how they could carry over an original game that doesn't really exists anymore, unless you replay it before starting the next part or something.

First: Would you mind linking that Reddit post that you're referring to, so I can see what evidence there is around what you're talking about?

Second: I'm not even sure that the what you're talking about even makes any difference at all whether or not it's there. Even the minor background-specific data around things your Chapter 1-18 specific character interaction in your initial playthrough aren't preserved somewhere in the save file, I don't really see those changing much of anything that the next game won't be capable of establishing. Not to mention that your Save File still has all of your Weapons, Materia, Levels, Items, Accessories, Character Equipment Setups, etc. – and that's what most people care about being able to carry over, since all of that other stuff is always functionally invisible.

That's also the most logical reason for setting the character level cap in Remake at 50, so that you can take all of the original Save data into the start of the next game's content without needing to worry about anyone's save data being over-leveled – even if you DID play through everything in Remake and max out everything for everyone.



X :neo:
 

Eerie

Fire and Blood
Found it, luckily I had saved it, cause it's a month old already.

Also, I don't think we'll be starting at lvl 50, IMHO, we'll probably (or rather at best) start around lvl 20-25 to make people feel that their character is not a "noob", but when numbers are getting too big, it's also starting to be a bother to balance everything (MMO player who's just went through a big level squish lmao, but has seen a few ones already). Because after playing Remake part 1, there will still be grind and levelling in part 2, so it's going to get exponential really fast if we start at level 50 IMHO. I may be wrong, and we may start at level 50, but I'm not so sure about that. Some are already saying we'll start fresh anyway, like lvl 5 or something, but I think it's too harsh. Especially if the numbering will start at chapter 19.
 

Tetsujin

he/they
AKA
Tets
I also think rather than starting at level 50 they'll gradually raise the starting and max level per game to preserve some of that sense of progression of power throughout the story. This is of course me still assuming they absolutely treat every entry as a separate game and there'll be no carrying over of save files outside of maybe some kind of small bonus for having a completed game.
I know some people suggest every game will start you back at lvl 1 to which I'm gonna go UM AKSHUALLY it won't because both OG FFVII and VII Remake effectively start at lvl 7 after the first battle :awesome:
 

Kain424

Old Man in the Room
There also exists the possibility of the future chapters being treated to an expansion, and as such the leveling system will be slightly modified during every release. If you have yourself at level 50, the cap would raise for the next bit of chapters and you would find yourself with the same health and gear but now at level 25 or 30.
 

Odysseus

Ninja Potato
AKA
Ody
I've been wondering how they're going to handle Nibelheim. In the original it comes after you've just gotten done escaping Midgar, so an hour long story breather where you don't battle much or level up at all makes sense. In the remake that's where part 2 is inevitably going to start, and due to the way it's presented it will probably take longer than an hour. Would they really dedicate so much time to story right at the beginning with no actual level progression until hours in?
 

Theozilla

Kaiju Member
I've been wondering how they're going to handle Nibelheim. In the original it comes after you've just gotten done escaping Midgar, so an hour long story breather where you don't battle much or level up at all makes sense. In the remake that's where part 2 is inevitably going to start, and due to the way it's presented it will probably take longer than an hour. Would they really dedicate so much time to story right at the beginning with no actual level progression until hours in?
Perhaps they might go a controversial route and take page from FFVIII and have the Nibelheim flashback told over multiple parts/locales instead of just one big done and over flashback in Kali. Like Cloud is telling the story as the party travels throughout the Eastern continent with the finale of the flashback finishing either around when the party is about enter Junon or perhaps the Cargo Ship to Costa del Sol, making the sudden “ending” of flashback coincide/parallel the encounter with Sephiroth and Jenova on the ship.
That way the narrative emotional pacing of the OG (where the first Jenova fight could happen within a couple of hours of playtime after Kalm) where the weird inconsistencies in Cloud’s story is still fresh in the player’s mind which then is amplified by Sephiroth’s dismissive attitude on the ship, can be then replicated by the Remake.
 

Eerie

Fire and Blood
Yeah the more I think about it, the more I am sure they're going to take a different path to handle that flashback. I'm not sure how they're going to handle it just yet, but since we'll be barely starting a new game, putting the flashback at Kalm feels rather weird. Some have said maybe the game will start with the flashback, but eh, starting should be with the whole party I feel? Like, you're starting a new game, you'll want to see the fighting system, the materia, the maps (is it open world or not, though I am sure it quite won't be like in the OG), how it carried over or not before seeing only young Cloud, Tifa and Sephiroth for who knows how long?

So I am ready to see that part completely changed and implemented in other ways. Maybe we'll see it even after Junon, so it can be a breather somewhere else.
 
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