Mounds of Content Cut from Final Fantasy XIII

[Tom Goldman]

Mounds of Content Cut from Final Fantasy XIII

Just how much content had to be dropped from the finished release of Final Fantasy XIII [http://www.amazon.com/Final-Fantasy-XIII-Playstation-3/dp/B000FQ2DTA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1278964269&sr=1-1]? An official crapload.

Most videogame developers have to cut game content that ideally would be left in, but in the case of Square Enix's Final Fantasy XIII this may have been a larger amount than normal. FF Reunion [http://www.ff-reunion.net/ff/2010/01/13/ff13_developer_interview_part_deleted] has summarized an interview with Final Fantasy XIII art director Isamu Kamikokuryou where he says that "enough content was deleted from the project to make an additional game."

Kamikokuryou went on to detail some of the stuff Square Enix left out. One of the cut areas involved main character Lightning's home and included a park of some sort. Also cut was a secret base for Snow's resistance group Nora that was inside of a shop. Finally, Kamikokuryou revealed that amusement facility Nautilus Park included a zoo at one point, which was axed. They cut out the damn zoo! Some of this may be lost in translation as I have not played the game yet and the interview was done in Japanese. I would assume that there are many more areas Kamikokuryou did not cover.

The Final Fantasy games are known as the supreme burritos of gameplay, and hell, from Final Fantasy XIII [http://www.amazon.com/Final-Fantasy-IV-Nintendo-DS/dp/B00184219U/ref=sr_1_2?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1280783937&sr=1-2]. Kamikokuryou states that the content was removed due to game volume and balance concerns.

It's a shame that stories like this make most people, myself included, wonder if the evil profit monster was part of the reason for the cuts and we'll be seeing it as DLC sometime down the line, especially if it was an entire game's worth like Kamikokuryou says. Still, it is true that lots of content is cut out of videogames that developers just don't have time to include, which could be the case here. Final Fantasy XIII looks like it'll be worth a play anyway, even if it is a little emo [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/97456-Final-Fantasy-XIII-International-Trailer-is-Emo].

Sources: Siliconera [http://www.andriasang.com/e/blog/2010/01/13/ffxiii_deleted_content/]


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[The DSM]

Thank god.

For once I agree with cutting things, it would get boring before it finished if they left all of it in.

Just throw in an ultra hard dungeon/boss as DLC and ill be fine.

 

[Therumancer]

My immediate concern is whether or not the evil specter of censorship was involved here.

 

[Lucane]

Thank god.

For once I agree with cutting things, it would get boring before it finished if they left all of it in.

Just throw in an ultra hard dungeon/boss as DLC and ill be fine.

But it could it have more content for the same price you could rush true half the game an still be playinga a full game if the amount cut is to be believed.

My immediate concern is whether or not the evil specter of censorship was involved here.

I'm a lil' curious on weither or not this had anything to do with it's announcement of coming to 360 and then them needing to figure out what they can cut to make everything work.

 

[SUPA FRANKY]

*Horrible images of FFX-2 flash in mind*

Dear god be DLC. NEVER make that mistake again!

 

[Dapper Ninja]

Does anyone else smell the nauseating stench of DLC?

 

[Lucane]

Does anyone else smell the nauseating stench of DLC?

At least it doesn't sound like day-1 DLC.

 

[John Funk]

In all fairness, the fact that we haven't seen it out already as DLC means that it was likely cut for a reason. Cutting unfinished or unpolished content to make a better game is fine by me, and if work goes into it to make it up to par with the rest of the game than I see no reason it shouldn't be DLC.

 

[Trivun]

I extremely hope to see it released as DLC. Some of this stuff sounds awesome, and I'd be happy paying extra to see it included, especially given how cool FF XIII looks to be so far. Let's just hope that Square Enix do decide to release this content eventually, as it seems like it would definitely be worth it.

 

[jh322]

My immediate concern is whether or not the evil specter of censorship was involved here.

what kind of zoos have YOU been to?

 

[Krakyn]

from FFIV to FFXII I've probably put at least 700 hours into the series myself (which makes me feel like I might have a problem).

Only 700 hours? I usually put in around 200 hours per installment. On VII and X, I put in at least 300.

You don't have a problem, trust me.

 

[Fightgarr]

I'm actually genuinely happy they're cutting off gameplay that doesn't necessarily have to be there. I found that while I played through Final Fantasy XII I grew bored of the game because they added just a bit too much additional content. The thing was, it wouldn't be a problem (what with it being optional and all) but given the amount of money you get through the regular story, you're characters will be severely under-powered if you don't do a lot of the side-missions. Maybe I was just bad at the game, but that's how I felt. If content is but because of system limitations, that sucks. But if content is cut because it was filler, all the power to them.

 

[Simalacrum]

aaaand here come the army of Sony fanboys claiming it wouldn't have been cut if it was left as a PS3 exclusive...

 

[Gaderael]

aaaand here come the army of Sony fanboys claiming it wouldn't have been cut if it was left as a PS3 exclusive...

That's what I thought when I read the article. If that were the case though, what was stopping them from having it span multiple DVDs for the 360 version?

 

[Therumancer]

My immediate concern is whether or not the evil specter of censorship was involved here.

what kind of zoos have YOU been to?

I'm tempted to exploit an opening like that, but the mods might not appreciate it.

I was referring to what might have been caught he didn't mention there, rather than what he did.

I'm being very good in this thread, I was tempted to comment on how I noticed the mounds having been cut given how flat chested lightning is for an anime babe. But I was good and didn't... ooops err... well I almost did I mean.

 

[MelasZepheos_v1legacy]

They cut enough content to make a whole 'nother game.

I know they said they weren't going to do another FF, but does anyone else see the wording of that as a little suspicious?

 

[ZippyDSMlee]

I'd rather hope for a finished version released a year later.....I wish more devs did that it make it worth while to buy a special edition at launch price....but no rush,wank,crap out DLC and move on.....

 

[Andronicus]

My immediate concern is whether or not the evil specter of censorship was involved here.

what kind of zoos have YOU been to?

Hehe, sorry just had to quote that. It made me crack up.

I wonder why it's always the zoo [http://bioshock.wikia.com/wiki/Zoo]?