Last Story Dev: Wii U Looks Promising for JRPGs

[Fanghawk]

Last Story Dev: Wii U Looks Promising for JRPGs

The Last Story's lead designer is considering the Wii U for his next project.

Whether you love or hate the Wii U's touchscreen controllers, we should all be able to agree that if implemented correctly, <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/117664-E3-ZombiU-Makes-a-Case-for-the-Wii-U-Controller>they would provide unique gameplay options for console players. The real question is which console genres are best suited to touchscreen controls? Blizzard has already speculated that the Wii U <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/117970-Blizzard-Considers-Starcraft-II-for-Wii-U>might be a good fit for RTS games, but The Last Story lead designer Takuya Matsumoto thinks that role playing games could benefit from a touchscreen design scheme, including JRPG games in particular.

"I feel that the Wii U's interface, as with other tablet devices, works best for browsing and arranging information," Matsumoto said. "One merit is the ability to use a touch screen to directly manipulate information, such as looking up a monster's weak point or, like with a car's GPS, as a tool to understand battlefield conditions on a sub screen. This special feature will likely bring about opportunities for deep research into JRPG strategy."

The Wii U will already highlight resource management gameplay elements in its upcoming ZombiU, but Matsumoto might have a point that JRPGs would make good use of a touchscreen as well. After all, the definitive version of the much-ported JRPG Chrono Trigger was the Nintendo DS edition with its dual-screen and touch-screen features, which sets a precedent for the kind of JRPG Matsumoto envisions for the Wii U.

Sadly, the JRPG has he'd like to do a role playing game for the Wii U, so if The Last Story goes well, hopefully we can see what he has in mind in the future.

Source: Joystiq

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[RaikuFA]

Question is, are we going to get them?

Thats the bigger issue.

 

[The White Hunter]

It's okay. If there is one thing JRPG fans are used to, it's waiting their turn.

Oh you funny man you

To be honest yeah, makes perfect sense to put all the item management and menu crap on the touch screen.

 

[Ukomba]

People mock it, but the tablet control seems promising for several genres. So much so that I can easily see the other consoles doing something similar at launch or after. They copied the stupid motion controls after all, and this seems far more useful.

 

[Dragoon]

It'd be perfect for a Pokemon game with the Wii U controller being used for all the menus and moves while the action's on the TV.

 

[Shoggoth2588]

It's okay. If there is one thing JRPG fans are used to, it's waiting their turn.

You win!

---

Question is, are we going to get them?

Thats the bigger issue.

...do we know if the Wii-U is region locked yet? I can't read Japanese and I know its an uncommon skill but it would be better than nothing.

---

I can see the Wii-U tablet being useful for JRPGs. Take for example Final Fantasy 13: it seemed like the kind of game that resented the fact that it had to have player-information at all on screen. With the Wii-U, all of the character info and, game-play options can be on the tablet. HP/MP + character actions can be carried out on the touch-screen which leaves the TV free to show off the spectacle of that Firaga-Blade-O-Death attack you just used. Furthermore, you could maybe include a little QTE or something on the touch-screen to guarentee a critical hit (like hitting L1 as Squall at the right time when doing a normal attack only...anyone can do it and you'd swipe a finger or, stylus across the Wii-U tab's screen or something).

Honestly though I think the best thing you could do with the Wii-U tablet would be centered around bringing more RTS titles to the Wii-U and for most other games reserve the Wii-U tab for item management and/or a mini-map screen. I also like the idea of using it in Metroid and, Arkham City as a scanning tool.

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People mock it, but the tablet control seems promising for several genres. So much so that I can easily see the other consoles doing something similar at launch or after. They copied the stupid motion controls after all, and this seems far more useful.

Didn't Microsoft reveal something like that after E3? Where they were working on an app for Window's Phones and, tablets that allowed you to control PCs and Xbox 360? Or maybe I'm confusing that for Window's Glass or whatever its called.

 

[Ukomba]

It's okay. If there is one thing JRPG fans are used to, it's waiting their turn.

You win!

---

Question is, are we going to get them?

Thats the bigger issue.

...do we know if the Wii-U is region locked yet? I can't read Japanese and I know its an uncommon skill but it would be better than nothing.

---

I can see the Wii-U tablet being useful for JRPGs. Take for example Final Fantasy 13: it seemed like the kind of game that resented the fact that it had to have player-information at all on screen. With the Wii-U, all of the character info and, game-play options can be on the tablet. HP/MP + character actions can be carried out on the touch-screen which leaves the TV free to show off the spectacle of that Firaga-Blade-O-Death attack you just used. Furthermore, you could maybe include a little QTE or something on the touch-screen to guarentee a critical hit (like hitting L1 as Squall at the right time when doing a normal attack only...anyone can do it and you'd swipe a finger or, stylus across the Wii-U tab's screen or something).

Honestly though I think the best thing you could do with the Wii-U tablet would be centered around bringing more RTS titles to the Wii-U and for most other games reserve the Wii-U tab for item management and/or a mini-map screen. I also like the idea of using it in Metroid and, Arkham City as a scanning tool.

I wouldn't mind a Google translate version of a jrpg. I would be awkward as hell but if it's understandable that would be fine. Could make for some more classic engrish lines.

 

[ScruffyMcBalls]

I love JRPGs. I can bust their balls all day, but they're just way too much fun and even if the story can be taken seriously one thing that persists is that fantastic (and awesomely broken) gameplay. The only way current and previous entries in the genre could be advanced in any real way would be with touchscreens. I've been down about the Wii-U over recent months, but the more I think about it, the more I believe that this is the only platform I really wanna play on. The idea of stripping away HUDs, putting them to a screen that's in my hands in increase immersion (despite what other people claim), and allowing me to scroll through menus like I can with a DS, but on my TV, I can't wait.

As for Fanghawk suggesting that a JRPG title might never make it to the system, I say bullshit. Feel free to believe it but I don't. JRPGs are still strong, not as strong as they once were (by far) but we're seeing a recent revival, especially with the last bunch of big JRPGs being brought over to a new region based on fan request. There's a market for them and Nintendo's always been interested in that market. We'll see one, and it'll be great.

 

[xedobubble]

You know, at the absolutely most basic level of interface, having a touchscreen means that we can basically fake having a mouse interface with the WiiU. And then you could make the touchscreen resemble a qwerty-style keyboard and type with it. So a clever programming team could theoretically make the WiiU match the interface of most standard computer games, I would think.

I'll wait to see what they actually do with it, because it's the software that will sell it. But I think integrating the tablet (which is a moderately popular technology all on its own, apparently!) is opening up a lot of great doors for this machine.

 

[VoidWanderer]

*Goes to make a comment and re-reads last paragraph*

I'll agree with that.

It also might help if they release some games from Japan to... the rest of the world.

I, for one would love a Zoids game, and I can probably think of a few other games I would love to play.

 

[GloatingSwine]

I can see the Wii-U tablet being useful for JRPGs. Take for example Final Fantasy 13: it seemed like the kind of game that resented the fact that it had to have player-information at all on screen. With the Wii-U, all of the character info and, game-play options can be on the tablet. HP/MP + character actions can be carried out on the touch-screen which leaves the TV free to show off the spectacle of that Firaga-Blade-O-Death attack you just used. Furthermore, you could maybe include a little QTE or something on the touch-screen to guarentee a critical hit (like hitting L1 as Squall at the right time when doing a normal attack only...anyone can do it and you'd swipe a finger or, stylus across the Wii-U tab's screen or something).

The problem with this, like the problem with everything to do with the WiiU tablet, is that the tablet screen is not in the same visual field as the TV screen.

You can't export real time critical information to the tablet because in order to look at that information you have to look away from everything else.

Chrono Trigger DS works so well because the touchscreen and standard screen are in the same visual field, and the informational element of the touchscreen (HP/MP) is right at the top of it to boot.

At best in a JRPG you could put your command menu on the touchscreen, rather than on the TV screen, but you're still running into the problem that you have to look away from what's happening on the main screen to choose your next attack, meaning that you actually lose the advantage you were supposed to be gaining (did that attack you just used work on this enemy? Have to hold off looking for that Potion in your inventory until you find out because you'll have to look away and miss it, hope you don't need to heal...)

 

[scorptatious]

Well, it looks like whether or not I get a Wii-U is going to depend on whether I enjoy The Last Story or not. Of course chances are, if I enjoyed Xenoblade Chronicles, then I might find something good in The Last Story

9 more days...

 

[Veylon]

The problem with this, like the problem with everything to do with the WiiU tablet, is that the tablet screen is not in the same visual field as the TV screen.

You can't export real time critical information to the tablet because in order to look at that information you have to look away from everything else.

Yeah, this really is the one key thing wrong with WiiU.

In a way, though, this is the logical conclusion to the desire to "unclutter" the main screen in favor of cinematics: move all the status stuff to a whole other screen. It also illustrates why this is a bad idea.

I do have one idea with the Wii U that couldn't be easily done with another system: take notes. It could be like a little notepad. Except that paper notepads are already plentiful and cheap, but people aren't used to writing stuff down any more, so maybe...

 

[Awexsome]

Quite frankly, off the top of my head, any game that requires any form of inventory or map could be improved with that touch screen.

 

[Ghonzor]

The Wii U looks promising for nothing

 

[Battleaxx90]

Well, it looks like whether or not I get a Wii-U is going to depend on whether I enjoy The Last Story or not. Of course chances are, if I enjoyed Xenoblade Chronicles, then I might find something good in The Last Story

9 more days...

I've played both games, and believe me, I'm having trouble deciding which one is better. Yeah. You heard me.

OT: If the guy who made The Last Goddamn Story says that the WiiU might make some good JRPGs, then I have no reason to disagree with the dude. Looks like I might be getting a Wiiu after all...

 

[Frostbyte666]

A sound idea but I just don't like the idea of having to look away from the tv to check inventory, health, etc on the touch screen and by time I'd look up again I may have missed something important. I mean having to constantly split your attention like that would annoy the hell out of me and I'd rather just have it all there in front of me as a handy reference on the 1 screen.

 

[Epona]

Whether you love or hate the Wii U's touchscreen controllers, we should all be able to agree that if implemented correctly, they would provide unique gameplay options for console players.

No, it's just the bottom half of a DS/3DS. Nothing unique about that. BTW, console players also play on handhelds.

What's unique again?

After all, the definitive version of the much-ported JRPG Chrono Trigger was the Nintendo DS edition with its dual-screen and touch-screen features, which sets a precedent for the kind of JRPG Matsumoto envisions for the Wii U.

Wow, these guys really are out of touch. I'll bet very few people used the touch screen on Chrono Trigger DS.