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[Y2Kev]

FFXII also took forever to come out.

Yes. It became the rare example of a game in development hell that turned out truly marvelous.

(For the sake of discussion, the announcement -> release cycle for 12 was shorter. Or is shorter? I don't even know how to compare it against Versus' developmental abortion.)

 

[MagicWithEarvin]

FFXII also took forever to come out.

But they had a genius at the helm in Matsuno, and it took a while to release due to his health issues. There have been no reports about Nomura having health issues that is a detriment to his development, just a bunch of other reports about Nomura telling people to "be patient".

 

[Alex]

A world weary look is probably easier to achieve when you're not seventeen and look like you collect swords cheap swords off the shopping channel and watch the Matrix every day.

Noctis just looks like the same self-parody that so much of the series has slumped into lately where they seem to have completely forgotten why anyone liked this stuff to begin with. See: every FFVII product that isn't the original FFVII, Lightning and all the other forced gloom that was seemingly imagined as some beloved series staple at some point.

Still the best Nomura art in ages though, at least it's visually consistent to look at, reminds a bit of FF8. Only the main character really looks shitty to me. I did like XIII-2, so I'm not fully bitter on the series at the moment, it was the dumb fluff/content chock sequel I wanted out of the original game after hearing impressions.

Still, even if this did suck, I'd wind up buying it day one anyway, because I am a moron and I've been buying into this series for wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy too long.

 

[Meccanical]

But they had a genius at the helm in Matsuno, and it took a while to release due to his health issues.

You actually believe that crap.

 

[Alex]

I thought the issue was Matsuno was trying to go too far off the beaten path and got the slam put down from management. But I'd imagine anything involving that game is a lot of hearsay or guesswork.

 

[DCharlie]

So only "emos" and "goths" can be depressed?

a quote from a real life friend : "I'm not going to listen to the blues.... it makes me feel so down" - NO SHIT. Please fill him in, Elton!

Versus is like my massive 14 inch penis - no one has seen it, some people are impressed by it despite having only seen me post videos of what i claim is my 14 inch penis, but ultimately it doesn't exist in any real form. When i finally show you my penis and it's about the size of a baby carrot, most people will laugh, point, and ridicule but i guarantee there'll be a segment who say "i don't like big penisis anyways! HYPED!"

 

[∀ Narayan]

You actually believe that crap.

He dropped out of development halfway due to health issues, didn't he?

 

[DCharlie]

I thought the issue was Matsuno was trying to go too far off the beaten path and got the slam put down from management.

more like : to finish the story will mean we have to delay --> management pimphand.

I don't know how Versus has gotten away with being a 6-7 year project without showing anything of any note.

 

[Utako]

He dropped out of development halfway due to health issues, didn't he?

And then stopped working with Square entirely after that.

Something is suspect in that situation, no?

 

[ZenaxPure]

more like : to finish the story will mean we have to delay --> management pimphand.

I don't know how Versus has gotten away with being a 6-7 year project without showing anything of any note.

Because again: it hasn't been in development for 6 years.

Here is a decent example I guess, look at how many games Matsuno worked on from FF12's announcement to it's release (spoiler alert: it's just FF12). Afterwards go look at what Nomura did from FFvs13's "announcement" up until now.

Edit: Should probably point out though as far as I'm concerned the real reason FF12 was awesome was Ito and not Matsuno Ito for FF15 please.

 

[laika09]

And then stopped working with Square entirely after that.

Something is suspect in that situation, no?

Matsuno lied about his health so Square could fire him because facts and video games. You heard it here first.

(they later reconvened for TO:LUCT to throw everybody off)

 

[Chinpoko_Master]

I don't think the notion that the main character of this game looks "emo" is that far fetched.
It's not what I would describe him as, but I still think the character looks like typical Tetsuya Nomura garbage. It's like he's running out of stupid outfits and haircuts to give his characters.

And despite what he says about the main character not being a moody boy or whatever, that impression certainly didn't come off in any of the trailers I watched. He looks like Cloud Strife 3.0 and lacks any kind of interesting personality whatsoever, as he generally maintains the same indifferent, disinterested facial expression 99% of the time.

 

[encephalon]

For those of you saying "TGS," the last time we had a big reveal wasn't E3 or TGS.

The most curious thing about this all is about a month ago (maybe more) Nomura said he would be able to reveal info on Versus soon. Either that means that E3 is indeed the stage for a new Versus trailer that S-E is concealing or something is wrong again.

For those of you wondering how the game could take 6 years, it really hasn't been in development for that long. Not even FFXIII was in development immediately after they announced it. Both games were postponed by Square's decision to try and work on a middleware engine (which Square is attempting yet again), with Versus not being in actual development until FFXIII was completed.

But they had a genius at the helm in Matsuno, and it took a while to release due to his health issues. There have been no reports about Nomura having health issues that is a detriment to his development, just a bunch of other reports about Nomura telling people to "be patient".

I'm pretty sure his "health issues" were a breakdown due to stress over development of the game that forced him to leave the project.

 

[Infinite Justice]

its like a running joke at this point.

 

[b3b0p]

Do you just chose not to read? What kind of dumb question is this? Just look at this thread. Many posters commenting that they are disappointed that Versus XIII is a no show. Comments that they hope the game still makes it. Many threads on this same exact game that has so little actual media. A thread will be made about the slightest info as well. And you want to ask does anyone care?
In your opinion sure.


Versus XIII seems to be new. It seems to be a very new direction for FF, in gameplay, atmosphere, and visual design. The idea that they should just drop it and make something "new and wonderful" is dumb. What would that be?

Which is something Versus could easily do.....

I really don't think ant FF spin-off has had the development time, resource, creative talent, and overall seemingly production quality of Versus XIII. Why you want to call it in off-shoot makes no sense. Just kind of makes you sound a bit nu-informed.

Dang man, harsh. Why so serious? It was more like a tongue in cheek comment. I'll refrain from now on. It's just been so long between updates and all it seems that the game has been one of the easier to forget. Something like, "Oh yeah, we still have Versus XIII coming. I forgot about that."

By new and wonderful, I meant, put resources on a new franchise perhaps. I was looking at The Last Guardian for example or The Last of Us. I'm a sucker and always excited for a new Final Fantasy. So, I do look forward to it.

 

[KingJ2002]

I believe Final Fantasy Versus 13 no longer exists...

Square-Enix will showcase this as Final Fantasy XVI in the future. They're introducing too many new features not to just call it a new installment in the series.

FF13's saga is a big fat fail... no need dragging down other games into it

 

[dramatis]

Dang man, harsh. Why so serious? It was more like a tongue in cheek comment. I'll refrain from now on. It's just been so long between updates and all it seems that the game has been one of the easier to forget. Something like, "Oh yeah, we still have Versus XIII coming. I forgot about that."

By new and wonderful, I meant, put resources on a new franchise perhaps. I was looking at The Last Guardian for example or The Last of Us. I'm a sucker and always excited for a new Final Fantasy. So, I do look forward to it.

Their efforts on new franchises this gen haven't done so well, which is why they're falling back on churning out more big brand stuff.

The actual new stuff like their Unreal project, the Unity action game and other mystery projects probably only got underway last year, I doubt we'll be seeing those before Versus 13 anyway (hopefully).

 

[Misguided]

Yea, Johnny Cash is worse.


I hurt myself today
To see if I still feel
I focus on the pain
The only thing that's real

Get out.

 

[Marlowe89]

I believe Final Fantasy Versus 13 no longer exists...

I respectfully and humbly disagree.

Spoiler

It never did.

 

[Imm0rt4l]

After 13 and 13-2 turned out to be dreck, does anyone even care about Square shitting or not shitting out another turd again?

This. I for one am not surprised and given Squares recent track record, I'm left not really giving a damn. Pathetic though.

 

[Reg]

Maybe it'll come out and be the best game ever.

 

[toastyToast]

I stopped expecting anything out of this game a while ago

SE floundering is too damn funny

 

[billy beane]

Eh, not too surprising. I'm sure this would be a bigger announcement at TGS.

 

[Ravage]

Not surprised at all. I remember Kagari mentioning this in some other thread.

 

[Styles]

Looks like this game won't make it before 21/12/12. DOA.

 

[DR2K]

it better, didn't they announce that months ago? Like January?

HD towns are hard.

 

[dark_chris]

Fuck Square at this point.

 

[charlequin]

I thought the issue was Matsuno was trying to go too far off the beaten path and got the slam put down from management. /QUOTE]

The problems SE experienced in developing XII were literally identical to the problems they experienced developing XIII and that they are experiencing now in developing Versus: they develop in a waterfall fashion, with producers and directors who are used to working with teams small enough that they can direct everyone on their own and keep the whole scope of the project in mind at a single time. For games that follow a well-oiled template within a technology level the team is competent to handle (like FFX) that worked out okay; for any project with a more complex design like XII or that exceeds the team's technological scope like XIII (or, even worse, like Versus, both) that process falls apart completely and ultimately leads to a game that isn't content-complete shipping years later than intended.

Because again: it hasn't been in development for 6 years.

This is a meme people like to trot out, but it really doesn't do much to factually excuse Versus' intolerable project management. Nomura has not done very much of substance outside the Versus sphere in this time (even the series he's most involved with, Kingdom Hearts, has been stalled on progressing to a new numbered entry because of his inability to work on it during this time window.) Even if we allow that Versus was still early in pre-production when it was announced in 2006, and allow both a long, relaxed pre-production window of two years and a development-resource-switch to XIII for a year (itself indicative of fundamentally incompetent and disastrous project management), Versus is still clearly in development hell -- that still puts it as a game with two years of preprod and three-ish years of full development that still has effectively nothing to show for it and which is in such a state that it can't even be trotted around to trade shows and magazines to prove it's a real product that might release someday.

 

[ZenaxPure]

Nomura has not done very much of substance outside the Versus sphere in this time

What does this even mean? Nomura has had large roles on a lot of games this gen, they have just all been on handhelds and have been related to more than just the KH series.

that still puts it as a game with two years of preprod and three-ish years of full development that still has effectively nothing to show for it and which is in such a state that it can't even be trotted around to trade shows and magazines to prove it's a real product that might release someday.

A quick internet search for FFvs13 production resulted in two things over and over, first is a link from 1up in July of last year where they talk about how the game is not even in "full production" (whatever that means) and this great thread Kagari made the same time somewhat explaining that stuff. Based on those it does not sound like the game has been in "full development" for 3 years, or at least full development in normal people terms (instead of whatever that means in Square-Enix language). If anything all we could gather about the game is they've been actually working on it as a real product for 2 years tops, but even that is an unknown for us in all honesty.

Now, I am not going to disagree with you that all of that is mess. It is very true, I however, don't really see the point in getting worked up over it like a lot of people do. SE has put out a ton of games this gen (a lot of great ones at that), almost all of them have just been on handhelds is all. Perhaps this is a problem for a lot of people but on a personal level I don't really care, I spent more time with my DS this gen than I did with my Wii/PS3/360 combined. Partially due to SE's strong presence on those platforms.

 

[Dash Kappei]

I always waited patiently for this..... calming every disappointed fan in the past years, finding excuses for the delays.

But now.... SCREW THIS!

I thought this will be release a year after FFXIII..... then I said a year isn't enough so maybe Dec 2011 for JP and Spring 2012 for NA, but then FFXIII-2 happened and I said of course they don't want to take the spotlight from this game so maybe a year after it.

BUT NOW, I don't think it will be released this holiday season in Japan and earlier next year for NA EU...... F**K THIS!


How long it's going to take them to show the game at E3?

If you want to release the game late 2013 or even earlier 2014 fine by me.... I SWEAR IT'S FINE BY ME, but at less show a freaking new footage from time to time to calm us a little.

you can't keep doing this to your fans!!!!!

I'M sooooo angry and pissed off that in the FIRST TIME I stopped caring about the game.

Screw you.... release this whenever you are going to release it, I'M DONE HYPING MYSELF FOR IT.

I swear I heard a shotgun sound while reading this, also a few broken feet bones

 

[jaxword]

Get out.

He's right, though, those lyrics could easily fit into a Linkin Park song.

 

[darkwing]

don't worry, there is TGS

 

[Man God]

Even if we believe the no one worked on Versus until some date only four years ago argument the main point still stands.

Don't announce shit unless you intend to bring it out in a timely fashion. It does you no good at all.

 

[zerokoolpsx]

Not even a playable demo of any kind? It ain't coming out until 2014. Any longer and it might as well be developed for the next gen consoles.

 

[sublimit]

I'm sure that by the time this game gets released (that is if it gets released) it will look outdated and people will rip it apart saying things like "all this time was for this?"

What looked cool in 2009 will look plain and unimpressive in 2013-2014.

 

[Alastor]

I'm sure that by the time this game gets released (that is if it gets released) it will look outdated and people will rip it apart saying things like "all this time was for this?"

What looked cool in 2009 will look plain and unimpressive in 2013-2014.

CG cutscenes will be top-notch.

Spoiler

Scrap the game and release this as a movie/cg anime?

 

[sublimit]

CG cutscenes will be top-notch.

Spoiler

Scrap the game and release this as a movie/cg anime?

It seems that pretty CG cutscenes is the only thing SE can do right this gen.

 

[sixteen-bit]

Wow, that's unacceptable.

 

[spirity]

When this game finally comes out.. and it disappoints.. hoo boy.

You guys are building this game up to be something no game could ever be. Putting way too much importance on it. You are going to be crushed because of the expectations you'll have, and it won't be SE's fault.

 

[Krev]

It's hilarious how this game's development is hurting both the Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts franchises.

 

[throwawayname]

don't worry, there is TGS

Square Enix presents: Private Theater Press Only Trailer

 

[UberTag]

Square Enix presents: Private Theater Press Only Trailer

The reason those screenings are private is that they just pump the air full of hallucinogenic drugs, right?

 

[jimmypython]

It's hilarious how this game's development is hurting both the Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts franchises.

I'm positive that Osaka team is more than capable to handle KH3 now.

 

[Cake Boss]

So they dont even have demo ready from what looked playable in that trailer.

 

[Krev]

I'm positive that Osaka team is more than capable to handle KH3 now.

But will Nomura give them the go-ahead? And if he does...why didn't they go straight on to KH3 after Birth By Sleep?
This game's protracted development has already indirectly damaged the Kingdom Hearts brand.

 

[Father_Brain]

It's hilarious how this game's development is hurting both the Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts franchises.

Yeah, I love how a few people seem to be using "well, it hasn't been in active development since 2006!" as a sort of defense. It's been active enough to prevent a console KH game this entire generation.

 

[Go_Ly_Dow]

I'm positive that Osaka team is more than capable to handle KH3 now.

Handheld > HD Console's is a huge transition.

They could struggle if they didn't have enough experience throughout the team.

But will Nomura give them the go-ahead? And if he does...why didn't they go straight on to KH3 after Birth By Sleep?
This game's protracted development has already indirectly damaged the Kingdom Hearts brand.

Maybe since BbS sold a pretty decent amount and they thought handheld spin-offs would be a nice constant source of revenue for the company.

 

[Krev]

Maybe since BbS sold a pretty decent amount and they thought handheld spin-offs would be a nice constant source of revenue for the company.

It was a dumb line of thinking after Birth By Sleep's disappointing western sales.
Kingdom Hearts is a franchise that should make more money in the west than it does in Japan. Maintaining momentum outside of Japan is and was important, but they handled the franchise like a bunch of idiots.

 

[Vinci]

It's hilarious how this game's development is hurting both the Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts franchises.

What's going to be impressive is when Versus comes out, sells several million copies, and everyone tries to shrug off this fact with, "Well, it sold well!" There is no way Versus could ever sell enough to offset the damage S-E has likely sustained by not having a Kingdom Hearts game this generation.

 

[Meccanical]

What's going to be impressive is when Versus comes out, sells several million copies, and everyone tries to shrug off this fact with, "Well, it sold well!" There is no way Versus could ever sell enough to offset the damage S-E has likely sustained by not having a Kingdom Hearts game this generation.

They did have a KH game this generation.

On the 3DS.