Final Fantasy VII Remake is a multi-part series
- Thread starter PhillipCostigan
- Start date
BlazingDarkness
Member
The original game was full of invisible walls. You were restricted to certain areas of the world map by terrain, or lack of vehicle, do you not remember? You only have true free roam with the Highwind, late into the game. The titles which contain the weapons will be when that weapon appears in the plot, just like the original game, why does this change? It's not like you can encounter the weapon at any time in the original game, is it?
Square Enix possibly has the biggest line up of new games they've ever had.
True, it does. But what will they do when you get the Highw-...
You know what? I won't even start to wonder about it. You probably won't even have the chance to fly around with it freely anyway.
What we got with MGSV
Part 1
31 Unique Missions
Part 2
6 Unique Missions
12 Hard modes of Part 1 missions
Replaying 1st mission
If MGSV was released as 2 games for say $40 each, maybe we could have gotten 2 seperate parts of 31 Unique missions and a proper ending.
If part 1 released a year earlier Konami would have gotten some decent sales numbers and maybe the execs wouldn't have gotten pissed at Kojima and we'd still be getting Silent Hills.
So my kneejerk reaction last night was "well, fuck this, it's going to be another Nomura arenafest"
But, now that I've had time to digest it, I have a little more hope that it could work. The short gameplay footage from PSX makes it look like it's based on FFXV, so I think getting from Midgar to Kalm in this remake is going to be a lot more involved than just "run 100 miles in 30 seconds, maybe fight a random battle". They could absolutely break this game up into:
Episode 1: Midgar and East continent
Episode 2: West continent and Northern continent
Episode 3: Full world map
It staggers development in a way that's easier for Square as they don't have to build 80% of the world in the first go (if they were doing it based on the discs), and you get two games that have a variety of huge open areas loaded with hunts and side quests (could easily stretch that to 40+ hours). With the work in place from Episode 1 and 2, development of the final chapter is just the outlier islands and a bunch of story in the environments from the first two games.
That being said, it's SquareEnix, so I'll still brace for the worst. But I'm not ready to declare it ruined just yet.
But, now that I've had time to digest it, I have a little more hope that it could work. The short gameplay footage from PSX makes it look like it's based on FFXV, so I think getting from Midgar to Kalm in this remake is going to be a lot more involved than just "run 100 miles in 30 seconds, maybe fight a random battle". They could absolutely break this game up into:
Episode 1: Midgar and East continent
Episode 2: West continent and Northern continent
Episode 3: Full world map
It staggers development in a way that's easier for Square as they don't have to build 80% of the world in the first go (if they were doing it based on the discs), and you get two games that have a variety of huge open areas loaded with hunts and side quests (could easily stretch that to 40+ hours). With the work in place from Episode 1 and 2, development of the final chapter is just the outlier islands and a bunch of story in the environments from the first two games.
That being said, it's SquareEnix, so I'll still brace for the worst. But I'm not ready to declare it ruined just yet.
Haunted
Member
This approach will allow them to skip all of the weird content that people have been questioning how to handle.
Each game might focus on a couple set pieces, the "highlights" of FFVII, so to speak. I'm guessing the focus will be on those pieces that pertain to the main storyline and give the whole thing a much more linear direction. They'll be able to leave out freeform world map travel, grinding and leveling up by fighting random monsters, ignoring several of the irrelevant "side" towns that are just there for worldbuilding flavour and additional shops.
No more Costa Del Sol.
I'd have to dig into a full list of locations and plot events to make a decision which places will still be in there and which ones will go.
Each game might focus on a couple set pieces, the "highlights" of FFVII, so to speak. I'm guessing the focus will be on those pieces that pertain to the main storyline and give the whole thing a much more linear direction. They'll be able to leave out freeform world map travel, grinding and leveling up by fighting random monsters, ignoring several of the irrelevant "side" towns that are just there for worldbuilding flavour and additional shops.
No more Costa Del Sol.
I'd have to dig into a full list of locations and plot events to make a decision which places will still be in there and which ones will go.
BocoDragon
or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Realize This Assgrab is Delicious
No way in hell you get the highwind in the first game, anyway.
Do you even get it on the first disc? I think no. Tiny Bronco all the way.
Exactly.
I don't really want to derail the thread and start talking about MGSV and how this approach could have been better for it, but it's a very good example of how this very well could be a good thing for the FFVII remake.
Nemesis121
Member
Hype level just went from 100 to 5....
Yabberwocky
Member
Hojo and his beach babes were my gloriously bizarre Costa Del Sol highlight.
That's right. I am talking about the later parts of the game.
RedRedSuit
Member
A sequel or new mainline FF was always superior. Artists should create new things, not rehash. The risk is higher, but so is the reward. This whole enterprise is creatively cowardly, particularly for a series that has always stood out by NOT rehashing and going somewhere new on a regular basis. It's what built up the series' reputation in the first place.
However, IF you're going to rehash, at least do it such a way that doesn't turn the whole enterprise into an extended multi-year torture session for your fans.
BudokaiMR2
Member
Am I the only one who thinks a full fledged release could have worked and been more feasible if they didn't go with a action battle system and instead just stuck with the ATB system?
Of course creating the environments and such is going to be a huge undertaking, but I feel that making a solid battle system and balancing every single encounter over the span of the entire game is an even bigger job for them to pull off.
BocoDragon
or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Realize This Assgrab is Delicious
Now this would kinda disappoint me.
I am hoping that a multiple-release game with saves that continue over will allow them to include as much as they can of the original game... not cut it.
immortal-joe
Member
It really was too good to be true. So I suppose episode 1 is "Midgar".
Physically upset right now man, damn.
Physically upset right now man, damn.
I predict episode 1 is up to Junon, with Jenova on the boat as the final boss.
Buying a house in Costa del Sol was a bit of a letdown. Let's hope Cloud & co have a wicked party there in the remake.
Buying a house in Costa del Sol was a bit of a letdown. Let's hope Cloud & co have a wicked party there in the remake.
Too be honest I was expecting a pretty bare-bones and linear remake prior to this news. I get that doing a $60 standalone remake and making it look like that PSX trailer while keeping everything that happened in the original intact is extremely difficult/impossible, but if they do release this in multiple "parts" (however the hell they do that) it better have the full world map and side quests intact. Right now I'm remaining cautious but I see no reason to completely disregard this project just yet.
I'm also inclined to believe that this is being done because the developers realized that it was the only way. This decision may actually cost them overall sales.
Slightly off-topic but I would be fascinated to find out how much this the overall remake will cost. It sounds like it may one of the most expensive games ever made.
Yes it was. It was ported to PC but why on earth should its exclusivity matter? Oops
I'm also inclined to believe that this is being done because the developers realized that it was the only way. This decision may actually cost them overall sales.
Slightly off-topic but I would be fascinated to find out how much this the overall remake will cost. It sounds like it may one of the most expensive games ever made.
BlazingDarkness
Member
But how is it a problem? When you get access to the Highwind, the whole world will be opened to explore, just like in the original game.
Releasing the remake as separate titles doesn't mean it becomes super linear.
BocoDragon
or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Realize This Assgrab is Delicious
They could have done a REmake style "graphical overhaul" of VII no problem.
The problem is that most the fanbase asking for a remake clearly want VII to be a kind of beautiful and relevant AAA RPG again. Can't do that by just cloning the ATB and making HD versions of the old environments.
So no end game for the first two episodes? can't imagine a FF without actual endgame content, plus they really have to make a good first game for people to consider buying the other 2 episodes, FF mainline sequels always sell 1/2 of what the original did.
And I'm still confused about the engine they're using, is it still UE4 or are they back to Luminous?
AzureFlame
Member
No way episode 1 is just midgar, things will be great man don't worry, each episode will be a satisfying full fledged game.
Jonneh3003
Banned
If its loyal to the original disc structure which are all fairly lengthy, sure. If Midgar in itself is a disc then WHAT.
BlazingDarkness
Member
Rubbish.
Nomura specifically said they didn't want to make a 'digest' of FFVII, which is precisely what you are suggesting.
Releasing it in parts let's them retain as much content as possible, and embellish it. Nomura stated it will be denser in content than the original game.
They said Multipart not Multiplat.
DistortionOfReality
Member
Haunted
Member
With the fidelity and amount of attention to detail we've seen of these first few Midgar scenes, I think this is precisely how much they can include realistically while still completing all the episodes in our lifetime.
It was always either this or compromise the game instead.
Been saying this for years now since the time people started asking for FFVII remake, that recreating the game in modern day 3D would be a monumental task because of how much work needs to be put in to recreate all the areas and content in the game with modern day 3D. Some more time will be spent on making sure that the recreated art is close to the original.
Been saying this for years now since the time people started asking for FFVII remake, that recreating the game in modern day 3D would be a monumental task because of how much work needs to be put in to recreate all the areas and content in the game with modern day 3D. Some more time will be spent on making sure that the recreated art is close to the original.
BocoDragon
or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Realize This Assgrab is Delicious
I fear he's right. I fear it is just Midgar.
Personally I want more. Midgar was interesting because it fooled you into thinking this was all there was to the world, and then BOOM... it opened up into a larger world. This really was a shock at the time because they hadn't publicized world map screenshots at all (I had an FFVII website before release so I'd know /old)
If Midgar is just part 1 and the larger world is part 2... it completely ruins that feeling.
You don't have to get to Aerith's death as in the original.... Maybe get to the first Jenova fight on the boat?
Maybe so...
Ghost Slayer
Member
If they still find a solution for overwolrd in remake then I can see them stop episode 1 at Midgar so they can release it as soon as possible, no way they want to delay it to nextgen again like Versus XIII (or FFXV but you know it's still hurt)
Doubtful as the amount of content per discs was based mostly on how many fmvs were on the disc. The more I think about how vast this game is the more it seems implausibly to do this in any kind of viable way with the money/time/quality pie-chart - unless the fan really want to pick up the slack with their wallets.
SlipperyFishes
Banned
But does it beat the biggest lineup ever in Xbox history?
Yabberwocky
Member
Yeah, I never bothered to buy the house because of it. The gang hanging out there would be great! (Or alternatively, Cloud could customise the house with chocobo-themed furniture and appliances.)
Original Final Fantasy didn't cost 180 dollars/euros, so I don't really understand these "it makes sense if every part covers one disc". And they will 100% ask for full price each of these titles.
Oh well, still interested but need more information, why they couldn't just make a simple remake
.
Oh well, still interested but need more information, why they couldn't just make a simple remake
.BocoDragon
or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Realize This Assgrab is Delicious
Original Final Fantasy didn't cost 180 dollars/euros, so I don't really understand these "it makes sense if every part covers one disc". And they will 100% ask for full price each of these titles.
Oh well, still interested but need more information, why they couldn't just make a simple remake
As if that alternate world GAF thread wouldn't be just as depressing... or 10x as depressing....
CosmicGroinPull
Member
That's all I need to know. I can get the game sooner, while SE gets some funding/more time to create as much content as possible. As long as they don't split it into too many parts, and each part has ample content, I'm happy. It's a win-win.
Haunted
Member
I don't think that last quote is a contradiction with my prediction.
They'll be able to focus on the locations that are chosen in-depth. The Midgar we've seen here already feels denser and more fine-grained than the bits of Midgar we've visited in the original.
Keep in mind that this isn't what I would most like them to do, but a prediction what they will do looking at development realities and SE's current capabilities as a development studio.
One of the more interesting parts for me, is how are they going to handle the transition between episodes/games. Can someone pick up FFVII:R-2 and play like Mass Effect, or will you need to have a FFVII:R-1 completed save file?
Will little Jimmy's mother pick up FFVII:R-2 for his Christmas present to find he can't play it because he didn't play the first yet?
Will little Jimmy's mother pick up FFVII:R-2 for his Christmas present to find he can't play it because he didn't play the first yet?
