Final Fantasy XIII: Your Questions Answered [2/12]

[Gingerbread Lesbian]

As promised, the guys over at PlayStation.Blog US have had their own chance to talk Final Fantasy XIII with the game’s Producer, Yoshinori Kitase, and Director, Motomu Toriyama. I know that those of you eager to get your hands on the game (as I am!) will relish this opportunity for more insight from the men behind the development curtain. As well as a written interview with these gentlemen, you’ll also find a video interview between the US Blog’s Jeff Rubenstein and Yuji Abe, Final Fantasy XIII’s Battle Director. It’s a good thing the game is out soon, or all these interviews would be little more than some sort of teasey torture.

Just a few weeks to go…

Here are the interviews, courtesy of the US Blog’s Chris Morell -

Earlier in the week, we told you we’d be meeting up with Square Enix to talk Final Fantasy XIII with Producer Yoshinori Kitase and Director Motomu Toriyama, along with the Battle Director Yuji Abe. So all your questions went to the former, which you can read in full form below.But the FFXIII love fest didn’t end there. With the game less than a month away (March 9!), Jeff and I got to play a nice chunk of the game…enough to get familiar with the battle system to chat all about it with Mr. Abe. In the video, you’ll get an in-depth look into the game’s battle system, which I have to say, once you understand it, it’s quite intense.

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PSB: With western RPGs becoming so popular, how were you influenced in Final Fantasy XIII to encompass all audiences?
Kitase/Toriyama: No games were a direct influence in particular, but we definitely looked at the FPS genre and other Western games to incorporate more speed and increase the pace of gameplay in Final Fantasy XIII. In terms of the FPS genre influence, the story progression of FFXIII is very similar to that (FPS) genre in the sense that different challenges and situations are presented to the character one after the other. That’s how they progress in the storyline.

Of course, there are a lot of North Americans that imported the game. What do you say to those who say the game might be too linear? Does the accusation bother you?
The earlier part of the game was intentionally created to be a linear experience because we wanted to make the experience similar to a movie or drama where players really get to know the characters and what is behind their actions.

And also, since this is a brand new system for FFXIII, we wanted to take the correct steps to make sure players can control that system at will. So it is a surprise that so many people are commenting that the game is linear, but once you get into the area of Pulse in the game , it’s much more of a free world and the battle system really comes to life. And once you have a good idea of how to control it, you can go full force and it should be a completely different experience.

Do you think that the idea of RPGs from the 80s and 90s being wide open is a dated stereotype?
There’s sort of a template to the RPG system, traditionally, where players would go to the town and find out information through text, leave town to fight monsters and then come back to town and buy health and items, etc. FFXIII didn’t really look for some sort of template to follow, but we tried to go out and create and set a new trend for RPGs. So there isn’t really a thought to stick to tradition.

How long would a play-through of the game with missions take?
As far as hours, of gameplay…if you play straight through the story it would be about 60 hours of gameplay. But if you decided to play through all the missions, it would be, well, basically eternity. It could last forever. The enemies in the Pulse area are much stronger, as well, so there’s lots of replay value there.

What is the native video resolution and audio format on the PS3?
Final Fantasy XIII runs in 720p and Dolby Digital 5.1

Final Fantasy traditionally chooses a song to accompany the game. Why did you go with Leona Lewis in the Western version instead of a traditional Japanese artist?
Previous FF titles brought over the Japanese songs to the Western versions of the game, but we felt that with a song that’s sung in a language that’s understandable to North American or European users, it would bring the game closer to the player and depart from the idea that Final Fantasy is a game that comes from overseas. Overall, it would tighten the relationship between the player and the game, so that’s why we decided to go with an English theme song.

Are they any plans for PlayStation Home integration with FFXIII in North America?
As you know, there’s some activity in the Japanese PlayStation Home but for North American activities, things are still in the planning stages and there’s nothing confirmed at this time.

How does Final Fantasy XIII compare to the First Final Fantasy game that you worked on?
(Toriyama): The first FF game I worked on was FFVII, and similar to XIII, it was a title that brought a drastic series as a whole (moving also from the Nintendo platform to PlayStation), the graphics were extremely renewed and different, so there was a huge jump there.

For FFXIII, it’s the first time the series is coming to high-def consoles, and the graphics are so high-quality that you can express very detailed expressions and emotions.

So did you see a lot of the same challenges with FFXIII that you saw with VII?
The challenges were different because with FFVII, the team was in the dark and 3D graphics were so new that they really had to figure things out from scratch. So they got a hold of the 3D technology with VII, and fined tuned it for X, so with XIII, it’s kind of going along the same path. The team already has this knowledge and skill to work on 3D graphics, but of course with XIII things are so much more polished and the level of the CG movies are on par with movies. The team is really looking to inspiration for movies for comparison points for FFXIII. So the challenges were different for both games.

What did you learn from working on your first high-definition FF game?
One thing that the team, and especially the art team can take from the experience of developing FFXIII to future titles is the CG tech, especially the textures for the characters. For previous gen consoles, the art was essentially drawn and it was more of illustration work. But for FFXIII, a lot of CG tech was involved and getting the art and texture of the skin right was a key component for FFXIII…definitely something that the team will take to future titles.

And of course every developer is really looking to make their characters and worlds look as realistic as possible, but we wanted to go one step behind and evoke emotion through the characters. The shine of the lip or the look of the stockings can evoke a sexual tension. The same goes for the male characters…we want the fans to think they are cool, and they are more than just a game characters.

What was it like working on the PS3 for the first time?
The PS3 is definitely a spectacular machine and the team was really able to realize its visions for the characters and graphics, and at the same time, were able to have big onscreen battles going on. The PS3 hardware was something that really helped envision the game.

I heard there was content removed from the original game? Could it possibly resurface as DLC?
Regarding the DLC content, we feel that the final product is 100% enjoyable…it’s the complete package. So we’re not planning any DLC at this time. In regard to the rumored cut content, we feel it was taken out of context. There are a lot of ideas that are brought to the table, and then the team takes the best ideas out of those, and the final product is polished that way. There was content that were “ideas” that didn’t make the final content, but the team isn’t looking to release that as downloadable content.

In FFXIII, it seems like there’s a movement toward more realistic characters. What’s the direction you’re going with these particular characters?
There is definitely a conscious movement toward depicting emotion and realism for the characters. The team wants to create characters that mature audiences can relate to, as well.

Any news on Agito or Versus?
No set date yet, so you can keep on the lookout for new information. And though we can’t really go into detail, a quick overview of the status of development; 100-200 staff members from FFXIII are now finished with the game, and all the people that have been working on it, they have all this knowledge of PS3 tech (and PSP) and they can bring it to these different teams and the development speed will probably increase.

Source: Official Playstation EU Blog

 

[Abstract Debauchery]

So it is a surprise that so many people are commenting that the game is linear, but once you get into the area of Pulse in the game , it’s much more of a free world and the battle system really comes to life.

Only that... it doesn't. It just a huge big open circle map. A few entrances and exits that all lead to tunnel maps. It's still linear.

Regarding the DLC content, we feel that the final product is 100% enjoyable…it’s the complete package.

Even if we don't like the game, we love that statement. We're tired of companies half-assing a game and fixing it later with DLC. Do you remember the days when video games were great without needing DLC? We do, and we miss it.

For FFXIII, it’s the first time the series is coming to high-def consoles, and the graphics are so high-quality that you can express very detailed expressions and emotions.

Too bad making video games in HD takes a long ass time and isn't very versicle in the long run.

 

[Stoic Hero]

Tsukianei, name a game that isn't linear at all. Really, I'd like to know one game you find completely open world. Besides MMORPGS (which are still, in a sense, linear) every game is linear. You can't fault FFXIII for being linear. Halo 3 is linear. Modern Warfare 2 is linear. Mass Effect is linear. Fallout 3, with all of its sidequests and open world, is still linear. The game can't possibly live up to your standard of "non linear" because it doesn't exist.

I'm looking forward to Versus most, but XIII and Agito should still be fun. I can't wait to sink hours and hours into this game.

 

[Abstract Debauchery]

Tsukianei, name a game that isn't linear at all.

Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind

Also, we know what you're trying to pull. The story of a game is always going to be linear. However, gameplay doesn't have to be. In Morrowind, you didn't even have to get started with the story if you didn't want to. You could quite literally go out and do your own thing without ever touching the main quest line. Storywise, that's about as non-linear as you can get.

Gameplay wise, it isn't linear at all.

You can't fault FFXIII for being linear.

The hell we can't. If a game is bad/average/good or whatever you feel like calling it, we can fault the game for whatever we damned well please.

Halo 3 is linear. Modern Warfare 2 is linear. Mass Effect is linear.

Halo = Shooter = Linear
MW2 = Shooter = Linear
Mass Effect = rpgesque shooter = Linear story, not so linear gameplay.

Also, just like Morrowind, the story is linear, just like with any other RPG, however, the gameplay is completely open.

Take FFIX for example. The story is completely linear, but if you want to stop with the story, go explore, play mini-games, side-quests, whatever, you had the option to go about in a huge world ad do that.

Linear stories are fine, linear gameplay sucks.

The game can't possibly live up to your standard of "non linear" because it doesn't exist.

You have no idea what our "standard" is, therefore you can't comment on it. Also, we've played plenty of non-linear games in the past which we have loved to the fullest extent possible.

Hell, we've even loved some completely linear games (Threads of Fate AKA Dueprism for example). However, changing the entire face of a series and releasing it as something else is a different story.

You can't slap a sticker that says "ice cream" on a pile of dog poo and call it ice cream.

Sure, we don't like FF. It's not like SE went out of their way to make the game linear. There is only so much you can do with a game like that while trying to make it in HD while it's your first time making a game fora new console.

I'm looking forward to Versus most, but XIII and Agito should still be fun.

Agreed.

I can't wait to sink hours and hours into this game.

If you're speaking of FFXIII, then good luck with that. We won't be wasting our money on it, that's for damned sure.

 

[Stoic Hero]

Morrowind, regardless of how many sidequests you could embark on, was still a linear experience. You still had only one goal in mind: to complete the game. The major quests all brought you to that goal. I understand you're saying the gameplay isn't linear, but I argue that neither is Final Fantasy XIII's. The crystarium(alium)? whatever it's called system allows you to customize your characters how you want to. Want Lightning to be a fighter? You can do that. Want her to be a fighter/defender? She can do that. Want her to be a fighter/healer? That to. Whatever you want. And the sidequests, the ones like in Morrowind that you could embark on at the beginning of the game, are at the end of the game. There's no difference except you get to experience the game in a more linear and arguably more coherent fashion before you can go on those sidequests. Also, you can choose if you want to fight each battle, or if you would rather go on. You can choose to make the game more difficult or easy depending on how much time you put into fighting.

I think I see your beef. You want sidequests scattered throughout the story and not just tacked on at the end of the game, because Final Fantasy IX is just as linear as any other Final Fantasy, it's just filled with sidequests at different intervals. I understand and sympathize, I feel that the game should be this way too. But I think you're judging Final Fantasy XIII a little unfairly by criticizing its linearity. I hope that you experience the game for yourself rather than let a predetermined bias keep you from enjoying what's showing to be a very good game. Who knows? You may get past its linearity and grow fond of it.

 

[Abstract Debauchery]

Morrowind, regardless of how many sidequests you could embark on, was still a linear experience.

So despite the fact that if you were walking, it would take you about an hour to hit the other side of the map if you're walking in a straight line with no enchantments, it's still linear?

Despite the fact that while looking for certain objects in the game it could quite literally take days to find it, it's linear?

You still had only one goal in mind: to complete the game.

Wrong, when we played that game, our goal was simple, to have fun. We owned that game for a year without ever playing through the story. If you didn't want to complete it, you didn't have to. Because there were plenty of other things in that game to do.

If you say that by going in a game with the simple goal of completing it makes a game linear, than by that definition, every game is linear.

The crystarium(alium)? whatever it's called system allows you to customize your characters how you want to. Want Lightning to be a fighter? You can do that. Want her to be a fighter/defender? She can do that. Want her to be a fighter/healer? That to. Whatever you want.

By that definition you're saying that FFX wasn't linear at all in terms of gameplay. Character customization doesn't equal non-linear gameplay.

Throughout the game you are still walking in a straight line, until you reach Pulse, which is a giant circle area, where the entrances and exits all lead to more "tunnels".

And the sidequests, the ones like in Morrowind that you could embark on at the beginning of the game, are at the end of the game.

The sidequests in Morrowind and the ones in FFXIII can't be compared. In Morrowind, sidequests could take hours of your time, perhaps even days. You had the entire map to explore while trying to find what you had to do.

In FFXIII, you walk down a straight beaten path, kill something, done. Unless it's in Pulse, where you walk around a huge circle map, kill something, done.

We think that you and us have two completely different personal definitions of the word, "linear".

You can choose to make the game more difficult or easy depending on how much time you put into fighting.

This is just our personal opinion here, but FF shouldn't come with a ranking system or a difficulty setting.

I think I see your beef. You want sidequests scattered throughout the story and not just tacked on at the end of the game

Close, but no cigar. We want a Final Fantasy that isn't linear in terms of gameplay, and features some sort of open exploration besides walking down narrow paths. Like in the good old days.

(Which, from like we said earlier, is piratically impossible with today's consoles. Note that in another thread, we mentioned this game as the death of FF in general, simply because every old school fan should know be aware that everything that made FF in the first place has been thrown right out the door.)

because Final Fantasy IX is just as linear as any other Final Fantasy, it's just filled with sidequests at different intervals.

FFI - IX were not completely linear in terms of gameplay like FFXIII has proven itself to be.

But I think you're judging Final Fantasy XIII a little unfairly by criticizing its linearity.

We've criticizing more than that in other threads.

I hope that you experience the game for yourself rather than let a predetermined bias keep you from enjoying what's showing to be a very good game.

From reviews praising it, and from reviews damning it, we've read almost nothing we like about this game. We played the demo and couldn't stand it, read every article we possibly could and didn't like a word said about it. We even watched people livestream their playthroughs of the entire game, and we saw nothing that we liked. It was almost as if watching a slow motion train wreck.

The "you have to play it before you can criticize it" argument is invalid anyway.

Hell, a friend of ours in buying it, and he said he would let us borrow it if we wanted to. We took him up on it, and we can promise you, our view isn't changing. We're not wasting our money, and we are skipping this game. If FFversusXIII, Agito, and FFXIV don't deliver; we're done with the FF series; period.

Who knows? You may get past its linearity and grow fond of it.

Although it's not just the linearity we're talking about, we seriously doubt we will like much of anything about this game.