The more time passes, the more correct I think Keiji Inafune [http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2014-02-25-why-arent-more-japanese-developers-crowdfunding] is.
Square Enix Recommitting to JRPGs After Bravely Default's Success
- Thread starter StewShearerOld
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Good. They figures out their problem.
I hope they just don't go from improbably-coloured hair donning, angsty fucks who lead perfectly comfortable but "emotionally scaring and burdening" lives and then do stupid, wildly irresponsible - morally and legally - shit like shuting down hospitals and murdering hundreds of innocent gaurds..
to basically the same thing but "Potions" instead of "X-Packs".
I hope they just don't go from improbably-coloured hair donning, angsty fucks who lead perfectly comfortable but "emotionally scaring and burdening" lives and then do stupid, wildly irresponsible - morally and legally - shit like shuting down hospitals and murdering hundreds of innocent gaurds..
to basically the same thing but "Potions" instead of "X-Packs".
Yeah, I know he was actually a central part of the story. I just meant he might have been made a semi-childish bishonen pretty boy to appeal to the general masses in Japan, like if the game was made for America he'd be a gruff testosterone overdosed jerk type of athlete(A guy Augustus Cole would tell to chill) to appeal to the general masses there.elvor0 said:
I don't like that audience surrogate trope, though. It's usually cheap feeling to me. 10 really pushed it, too. The previous ones were better with different people knowing about different things. (For example: Zidane knew about the world and had street smarts, while Garnet had extensive knowledge of history.) Two leads as surrogates(Tidus and Vaan) was just a warning that by the time of the writing for 13 started they just got lazy and put most of the story into those text files you pick up in random spots. 12 did have flavor text in the bestiary for useless but interesting facts and Ondore's memoir's detailing events right before and during the game, but those weren't the meat of the story.
Also I think I read, that before the general scenario was finalized, the lead character was supposed be more like Auron if not exactly him and there would be no guy from Dream Zanarkand, just a quest to defeat Whale-Gojira. They could have made Tidus less whiny, though.
You really must try 1-6.Niccolo said:I'll be honest, I really don't know much about the earlier games. X was the first one I actually got to play, since when I was younger (And even today!) the classics are rarer than hen's teeth here in Western Australia. The only physical copy of FF7 I ever saw was for sale at a low low price of a hundred bucks, and when I tried to order FF3 it got lost in the mail since our postal service treats packages with all the delicacy of a drunken elephant. They're starting to appear online - 7 appeared recently on Steam and I suspect 8 will follow, while 3 (6?) is on the ipad.Denamic said:
And I never said 10 wasn't good - I thoroughly enjoyed FFX, but I just wanted to avoid triggering a flamewar since it seems to polarise people a tad. And I find if I say "I enjoyed" rather than "I thought it was good" less people try to derail the thread
Although... you enjoyed FF12? Power to you, then. I tried to get into it but I just found the whole thing clunky and clumsy.
The may seem simple in certain aspects (like FF6's gameplay is simplified compared to - say, FF4 but they explored New ways to tell game narrative as well as the job systems and are very charming games. The GBA remakes are some of the best, the real FF3 on the DS was nice too.
nice, now i cant wait until square figures out:
"oh, so you dont need a completely ridiculous budget to make a good game!"
also can i get this game on PC plz? i have a 3DS but games are expensive for that damn thing
"oh, so you dont need a completely ridiculous budget to make a good game!"
also can i get this game on PC plz? i have a 3DS but games are expensive for that damn thing
why buy physical? steam has FF7 for 12 bucks, and just a few days back it has on sale for just 4 bucksNiccolo said:I'll be honest, I really don't know much about the earlier games. X was the first one I actually got to play, since when I was younger (And even today!) the classics are rarer than hen's teeth here in Western Australia. The only physical copy of FF7 I ever saw was for sale at a low low price of a hundred bucks, and when I tried to order FF3 it got lost in the mail since our postal service treats packages with all the delicacy of a drunken elephant. They're starting to appear online - 7 appeared recently on Steam and I suspect 8 will follow, while 3 (6?) is on the ipad.Denamic said:
And I never said 10 wasn't good - I thoroughly enjoyed FFX, but I just wanted to avoid triggering a flamewar since it seems to polarise people a tad. And I find if I say "I enjoyed" rather than "I thought it was good" less people try to derail the thread
Although... you enjoyed FF12? Power to you, then. I tried to get into it but I just found the whole thing clunky and clumsy.
I care nothing for Final Fantasy anymore, unless its a GOOD port (or over haul) of an older FF title I liked, it might as well not exist. That said, Square still owes us a GOOD Parasite Eve, another Secret of Mana. They have other, better IPs they been doing nothing with.Grenge Di Origin said:
I'd rather see some news on those IP then the one they've driven so far into the ground they need a skilled team of excavators to dig it out.
Some of us have been telling them this for years. Now fund a proper Xenogears/Saga addition!
Ahem.
This is good news, provided it is not a cruelest April Fools. Bravely Default is indeed an enjoyable game, well put together, though they made some significant mistakes along the way that I hope they'll remedy as they move forward.
First, I hope this will convince them once and for all that Japanese audio absolutely needs to be an option in any Western versions, if it was in the original JP version. I'm still rather frustrated that the Android version of Final Fantasy IV (3D remake) HAS the Japanese audio in the game files, but unless you turn your entire Android locale to Japanese and thus accept written text and UI in Japanese as well, you can't access the JP voice overs! There is a large contingent of the JRPG fanbase who prefers Japanese audio - a much larger one that will buy the game specifically for its inclusion! People want to experience the closest thing to the creator's vision as possible, and many have at least some understanding of the language, yet not enough to play the entire thing in its native language, text included. Consider them similar to fans of French cinema or Italian opera. If Square finally realizes that they do best when they make what they are passionate about, not designed-for-export tripe, then ensure we get the same vision. I personally would rather see the game without a localized voice over set at all, just including textual subtitles, if it means more Japanese titles get released outside Japan.
Second, on a related note, while keeping the original language vocals included, keep the game's content included as well. Square has a LONG history of editing their games for foreign release, a fact of which Bravely Default is only the latest. Be it removing "objectionable" material like Bravely Default's costume changes, to game mechanic restrictions (ie Final Fantasy IV Easy Type only being released to America in the SNES days etc...) This self-censorship is abhorrent, and dilutes the experience of the game. Even when the changes are relatively small (like changing costumes because they're too revealing), it still brings the game away from the original vision that the most fervent fans want to see! If Square can get over the idea that what they make is "too weird, too sexy, to Japanese etc.." for Western markets, they will further cement themselves amongst the fanbase that is most interested in their games.
Finally, now that they realize that there is a fanbase interested in the great games that come from passion, I urge them to break out of the mindset that has confined them to certain parameters over the years. I'm glad that some of this success has come from the PC market for instance - I want to see more JRPGs and Japanese titles in general released on open platforms like the PC and Android, as opposed to exclusively console based! Bravely Default is an excellent title, but why wasn't it released in parity on Android? I was very lucky that my girlfriend had recently gave me a 3DS as a present, because I was not going to buy the platform and would have missed the game otherwise! Square has done very well on GooglePlay (they have an excellent, 3D remake version of FFIV: The After Years!) - why was it not released there? Why was it not released on Steam, where you could invite Steam friends to help rebuild Norende instead? I believe this is one of the very biggest factors in ensuring that the most JRPG fans the world over will be exposed to Square's titles. Don't limit things to console releases, with their pathogenic control and money siphoning middlemen, but release your games on the most open platforms around, especially PC! This also ensures you never have to compromises regarding your game's content. There's no worry about not being able to fit the Japanese audio track, or that if a single store doesn't want to sell a version of your game with skimpy costumes you're done for! Start introducing Square's best on Steam for instance, and sales will only explode!
Ahem.
This is good news, provided it is not a cruelest April Fools. Bravely Default is indeed an enjoyable game, well put together, though they made some significant mistakes along the way that I hope they'll remedy as they move forward.
First, I hope this will convince them once and for all that Japanese audio absolutely needs to be an option in any Western versions, if it was in the original JP version. I'm still rather frustrated that the Android version of Final Fantasy IV (3D remake) HAS the Japanese audio in the game files, but unless you turn your entire Android locale to Japanese and thus accept written text and UI in Japanese as well, you can't access the JP voice overs! There is a large contingent of the JRPG fanbase who prefers Japanese audio - a much larger one that will buy the game specifically for its inclusion! People want to experience the closest thing to the creator's vision as possible, and many have at least some understanding of the language, yet not enough to play the entire thing in its native language, text included. Consider them similar to fans of French cinema or Italian opera. If Square finally realizes that they do best when they make what they are passionate about, not designed-for-export tripe, then ensure we get the same vision. I personally would rather see the game without a localized voice over set at all, just including textual subtitles, if it means more Japanese titles get released outside Japan.
Second, on a related note, while keeping the original language vocals included, keep the game's content included as well. Square has a LONG history of editing their games for foreign release, a fact of which Bravely Default is only the latest. Be it removing "objectionable" material like Bravely Default's costume changes, to game mechanic restrictions (ie Final Fantasy IV Easy Type only being released to America in the SNES days etc...) This self-censorship is abhorrent, and dilutes the experience of the game. Even when the changes are relatively small (like changing costumes because they're too revealing), it still brings the game away from the original vision that the most fervent fans want to see! If Square can get over the idea that what they make is "too weird, too sexy, to Japanese etc.." for Western markets, they will further cement themselves amongst the fanbase that is most interested in their games.
Finally, now that they realize that there is a fanbase interested in the great games that come from passion, I urge them to break out of the mindset that has confined them to certain parameters over the years. I'm glad that some of this success has come from the PC market for instance - I want to see more JRPGs and Japanese titles in general released on open platforms like the PC and Android, as opposed to exclusively console based! Bravely Default is an excellent title, but why wasn't it released in parity on Android? I was very lucky that my girlfriend had recently gave me a 3DS as a present, because I was not going to buy the platform and would have missed the game otherwise! Square has done very well on GooglePlay (they have an excellent, 3D remake version of FFIV: The After Years!) - why was it not released there? Why was it not released on Steam, where you could invite Steam friends to help rebuild Norende instead? I believe this is one of the very biggest factors in ensuring that the most JRPG fans the world over will be exposed to Square's titles. Don't limit things to console releases, with their pathogenic control and money siphoning middlemen, but release your games on the most open platforms around, especially PC! This also ensures you never have to compromises regarding your game's content. There's no worry about not being able to fit the Japanese audio track, or that if a single store doesn't want to sell a version of your game with skimpy costumes you're done for! Start introducing Square's best on Steam for instance, and sales will only explode!
Personally I don't think the 'X-2' thing was a bad idea. When you're spending a lot of money creating these cutting edge graphics/worlds, it lets you recycle those assets and assign a B-development team to making what is essentially an expansion pack, while the A-Team begins on the next full release.Whatislove said:
No, the real problem is they spent half the console life cycle developing only one single player FF game, releasing little else in that time, and when everyone hated it rather than focus on getting something new out the door they spent considerable resources getting not one but two followups to the crappy FF instead.
It should be a simple two step decision process really:
1. The FF game was popular and well received by fans
2. You can release the followup 'expansion' without diverting attention from the next full FF release
That's all they need, do that and I'll have no problem with XV-2 and XVI-2 and so on.
Ok fine, I will buy Bravely Default despite my dislike for the demo version (yes someone link me that the demo itself was badly done).
Wow, those Lightning Returns sales must have scared the shit out of someone.
Still, bring over the Dragon Quest 7 port, and work on some new (and decent) Chrono and Parasite Eve Material, and all will be forgiven. And while we're on the subject of something that isn't supposed to be selling anymore, you have those Fear Effect games under the eidos label. Can we try a kick at old school survival horror?
Still, bring over the Dragon Quest 7 port, and work on some new (and decent) Chrono and Parasite Eve Material, and all will be forgiven. And while we're on the subject of something that isn't supposed to be selling anymore, you have those Fear Effect games under the eidos label. Can we try a kick at old school survival horror?
Sounds like a plan to me. Glad they have decided to take this road back. I rarely see JRPGs stocked on shelves anymore at stores. Hopefully Square can bring life back into this area.
Eh I'm not bothered about Surrogates so long as they're used well(like I feel Tidus was) and not just a excuse to spout a glossary, but I happen to particuarly like 10, so I'm a bit biased towards it, and I enjoyed the story and world it was set in so y'know, different strokesHairless Mammoth said:
As much as I hated Vaan being shoehorned in, he luckilly still never felt /too/ much like the lead, Ashe, Balthier and Bosche all still took the majority of the stage, I mean you can quite clearly tell Vaan was just dropped into a lot of the cinematics by how little he does. That and strangely he didn't do too much exposition talk either. FF12 has a rich world to be sure, but I never felt lost or in need of a surrogate, everything was weaved in quite nicely.
13 was fucking awful for no exposition though, I know characters inhabiting the world would know the terms, but I dont! My girlfriend tried to play it recently and we noticed that by 2 hours in, they've thrown terms around like confetti, yet failed to explain almost any of them. Fal'cie and L'cie; two very important terms ain't explained properly, nor are they in the glossary, despite being a main plot point.
Mind you, you shouldn't ask questions about anything in 13. For if you do, a Michael Bay Transformer will appear from nowhere and slap you into submission till you stop asking questions or attempt to leave the path, like the indomidable will of Square Enix made mainfest. "NO WE WONT TELL YOU WHATS GOING ON, AND NO YOU CAN'T LEAVE THE PATH, STOP WHINING AND GET ON WITH IT. AND DONT TOUCH THE FUCKING CONTROLLER!"
I didn't get much of a sense of 'all or nothing' from the quotes, just from the article title so I'm not certain they'll do that, but I hope not, because they'll probably find making nothing but RPGs to be a mistake, and because more front mission.
I know it exists and people are bent about it not coming across the pond. Past that, don't own a Vita, and don't really want one so I kinda have no reason to pay further attention to it.Grenge Di Origin said:
Fixed it for you :3 Cause I can think of several other IPs that would fair better back in their creators hands, like ... oh, say a certain blue robot....
yeah pretty sure this is an april fools joke.
i honestly don't believe the top brass at sqaure enix are capable of making any good decisions anymore.
i honestly don't believe the top brass at sqaure enix are capable of making any good decisions anymore.