Final Fantasy XV Gamescom Active Time Report - CNN reporting live from disaster scene

I think we might have a time-skip in this game. Like, 22-year old Noctis and then 32-year old Noctis.

"That dog actually plays a really big part in the events that take place a little later in their lives - after the young-man phase," Tabata says.

That's what I thought immediately too.

This artwork makes them look like grown men:
P2rfpWb.jpg
But it could also be a later-history interpretation of what the "legendary heroes" of the past looked like.
 
The "boy band" is coming from the fact that they all wear the same style of clothing. It looks very strange and I don't really get the reason behind it. That's not what a group of guy friends does.

Not in the west. But in the east, it's pretty much Yakuza/Triads mafia influenced.

JapanYakuza-621x323.jpg
 
Wait, so this game's story spans years? Flashbacks, we knew were going to have some significance(they were even present in the old Versus trailer). But, in the present era, Noctis and grew are already "young men". So, there's going to be a leap in time and we are going to continue to play as them as, say, late 20-30-somethings? That would... be interesting!

Most likely due to the deal with Roen.

Wonder who idea it was Nomura or Squares?

Knowing both Square's knack for licensing name brand and Nomura's love of hip fashion, it's a toss up to who's idea it actually was.
 
Talking only about clothes here, and not the actual characters, the perfect party to me would be current Noctis, current Gladio (minus red soles), old Prompto and old Ignis (new Ignis would also work just as well, I guess, his clothes are somewhat common).

About the actual character redesigns, I think Prompto is the only one I'm not too fond of, but I also have nothing against the new one. His hair looks awful though.
 
That's what I thought immediately too.

This artwork makes them look like grown men:

But it could also be a later-history interpretation of what the "legendary heroes" of the past looked like.

Koozek posted a tidbit of information regarding the dog's significance that makes it seem like the game's story doesn't focus solely on Noctis's "young adult" years, but beyond.

EDIT: OOPS, you meant that! Sorry.

And I recall someone saying they thought the figures int he sky were them in the artwork. What if the figures in the sky are the "towering" legions behind them? Maybe they are the Lucian royal ancestors. I mean, there seems to be some sort of significance on family in this game(like I said, the mafia always tended to be a family run operation) and in Duscae, they make significance over Noctis's phantom swords/Armiger blades(that they belonged to former leaders of Lucis).
 
Wow they must really have nothing ready. Telling us the story while putting the camera on a glared piece of artwork? I would be surprised if this comes out even in 2017. What the hell have they been doing since the development of Versus 13 wasn't that like 9 years ago!?
 
Yeah, but those outfits changed during the Versus era. See the 2011 trailer.
Yeah, I know those were never the final designs. I just think that if they stayed closer to the simpler look it would be better. Like Prompto's hair looks less fake, the clothes look more regular, etc.

But the character designs are pretty much the least of my personal concerns. I'm more concerned about the development hell, and overall homogenizing the story to fit being a numbered game. Like making Luna the love interest instead of being a reluctant adversary. I'm worried that there's like a checklist now like: Love story, convoluted save the world plot twist, airships.

I mean airships are awesome, but they obviously don't even know how to incorporate them. If they don't fit in the game, I'd rather just leave them out instead of shoehorning them in to feel more FF-like and make them DLC.

I know that XV is an evolution of Versus, so I'm ok if it doesn't fit the roman numeral series that well, but it seems like Square doesn't think so.
 
That doesn't seem related to me. They're wearing suits

You could relate it to just Nomura balancing between using it as an influence while still having each main cast look unique in XV. All of Regis' boys before the redesign all wore suits. They're supposed to be like a mafia family if Tabata hasn't rewritten that part out.

ocwkodggen.jpg
 
Most likely due to the deal with Roen.

Wonder who idea it was Nomura or Squares?

It was honestly probably Nomura, the Roen deal was part of a sweeping art direction shift to a photo realistic art style. An art direction they couldn't realize, hence the birth of Luminous and the realization that the PS3 just couldn't do what they needed.
 
We have expectations and plans in place for various contingencies. If it does well and people enjoy it, very naturally people will want to spend more time in that world. We've been setting up possibilities and contingencies plans for having tales and experiences in that world. Before that, in the same way they gave me a chance to make the game, it'd be good to have younger development talent opportunities to take on those projects.
If Tabata's entire reasoning for drastically changing Nomura's story was to make Final Fantasy XV a standalone game, then why is he suddenly turning around and saying sequels are possible?
 

Actually, THIS is the nice tidbit:

"She's a much stronger, more determined character," Tabata says. "She's got her own willpower and objectives that she acts upon. In some ways, Noctis is the weaker character. Maybe he's the one who's going to need protecting." Tabata made sure to bring out the vulnerability, but also the defiance in Luna's eyes when she gets pushed in the trailer to showcase this aspect of her

had they shown this better in the trailer i'd be less worried =|

Maybe the change was that they'll fight at the same side? Or maybe this is just some PR talk and i'm being optimistic because i'm still in denial =P
 
Am i the only one who liked the idea of telling the incipit of the story with artworks?
I mean, i want to see story related cutscenes when i play the game, not before.
 
If Tabata's entire reasoning for drastically changing Nomura's story was to make Final Fantasy XV a standalone game, then why is he suddenly turning around and saying sequels are possible?

Well, FFXIII-2 pulled its story out of nowhere, FFXIII didn't need a sequel, but they made one anyway.

It's not that much of a contradiction to me, it went from something that needed to be a trilogy or whatever to something that maybe just doesn't end with Noctis dying so they can come up with some random bullshit to have a sequel if they feel like it'll make them money.
 
You could relate it to just Nomura balancing between using it as an influence while still having each main cast look unique in XV. All of Regis' boys before the redesign all wore suits. They're supposed to be like a mafia family if Tabata hasn't rewritten that part out.

ocwkodggen.jpg
They're not looking like part of a mafia family like in that picture (where everyone is again wearing suits btw). They look like they're coming straight from a fashion show.
If the mafia look is what they're going for, it's not working.
 
You could relate it to just Nomura balancing between using it as an influence while still having each main cast look unique in XV. All of Regis' boys before the redesign all wore suits. They're supposed to be like a mafia family if Tabata hasn't rewritten that part out.

ocwkodggen.jpg

Regis' new outfit still has some chalk line marks in the fabric though... kind of funny since it makes it look like he's in an ordinary suit with a high fantasy cape+sword combo hahahaha

gamescom_noctisregis.jpg
 
That doesn't seem related to me. They're wearing suits


red soles are their discerning feature? really?
The reasoning behind it doesn't matter as much as the perception.
Red soles? No its the all black clothing, the other side is supposed to be wearing all white.

if you don't care about the reasoning then why bother asking about the reason?
 
Actually, THIS is the nice tidbit:



had they shown this better in the trailer i'd be less worried =|

Maybe the change was that they'll fight at the same side? Or maybe this is just some PR talk and i'm being optimistic because i'm still in denial =P

The way I understood that was that Luna doesn't have her character development tied to the main party's progression, she'll probably go out on her own to find her own answers and later join the party with crucial info and/or a key item that will make all the difference, instead of having her storyline being developed only when she and Noctis cross paths, which would make sense for a rival role who fights Noctis against her will.

It's my way of believing Tabata without suddenly seeing Stella as some sort of damsel in distress. Maybe it went like fight 1, fight 2, fight 3, stella joins the group to take on the big bad who was manipulating her, end, and now they wanted her to go after her own objectives instead of just waiting for Noctis to show up to continue with her arc.

But that STILL doesn't explain why they couldn't keep her fucking name.

I was never a fan of the mafia inspiration... I don't want to play as the bad guys.

Imagine if they gave them Nazi-inspired clothes >_>

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They're not looking like part of a mafia family like in that picture (where everyone is again wearing suits btw). They look like they're coming straight from a fashion show.
If the mafia look is what they're going for, it's not working.

Suits are suits. I'm not seeing how it's any different from the real Yakuza picture...
 
Wait, so this game's story spans years? Flashbacks, we knew were going to have some significance(they were even present in the old Versus trailer). But, in the present era, Noctis and grew are already "young men". So, there's going to be a leap in time and we are going to continue to play as them as, say, late 20-30-somethings? That would... be interesting!



Knowing both Square's knack for licensing name brand and Nomura's love of hip fashion, it's a toss up to who's idea it actually was.

That would be super interesting! FF XV as bildungsroman, showing us Noctis and friends growing into their responsibilities, and then where their choices take them and their kingdom down the line....

Plus I want to crack heads as old-Cor.
 
That would be super interesting! FF XV as bildungsroman, showing us Noctis and friends growing into their responsibilities, and then where their choices take them and their kingdom down the line....

Plus I want to crack heads as old-Cor.


Considering tabata mentioned they're going for one game and not "a world of versus epic" in one of the ATR's then that means they condensed sequels into one game. So the getting older factor makes sense.
 
"She's a much stronger, more determined character," Tabata says. "She's got her own willpower and objectives that she acts upon. In some ways, Noctis is the weaker character. Maybe he's the one who's going to need protecting." Tabata made sure to bring out the vulnerability, but also the defiance in Luna's eyes when she gets pushed in the trailer to showcase this aspect of her

Luna:"C'mon Ste...Luna, you can do it! You are strong and determined enough to manage this!!"

*1 hour later*

Luna:"Yes, the cake is finished! I did it! Noctis will be so happy!"

Noctis:"Hey honey, I'm going out with the bros! See ya!"

Luna:"But Noctis...I just made you your favorite cake! I needed so much willpower to finish it in time!"

Noctis:"Sorry babe, but I gotta hang out with the bros, before you get kidnapped or beaten up so the plot can move forward!"

Luna:"Ok, I'll patiently wait for you here while you live all kind of cool adventures!"

*Noctis goes off the door*

Luna:"OMG!! I just realized something! c'mon Luna, you have to protect Noctis"*runs after him*

Luna:"NOCTISSS!!! DON'T GO YET!!"

Noctis:"huh?"

Luna:"Damn you silly prince, you forgot the umbrella! look how cloudy it is!"

Noctis:"Thank you Luna, you saved me again!"

I mean the FFXV party doesn't looke like the people in that picture.
They're not wearing suits.

They are weaing more "modern" suits, so to speak. The style is similar, but less classic.

See below
 
I hope Noctis appears in KH3. Maybe then we can see Stella used in an original KH3 subplot involving her and him. One can dream lol.
 
That would be super interesting! FF XV as bildungsroman, showing us Noctis and friends growing into their responsibilities, and then where their choices take them and their kingdom down the line....

Plus I want to crack heads as old-Cor.

No way SE Japan is going to age the cast. My impression was that "after the young-man phase" is the present time, not the future. Before the start of the game Noctis and friends were just spoiled teenagers carefree rich teenagers, and after the intro they are trusted into a wild and dangerous world for what is basically their coming-of-age journey.

Tabata has done it with Cid in Type-0..well, close enough

Cid in Type-0 is the villain though.
 
The way I understood that was that Luna doesn't have her character development tied to the main party's progression, she'll probably go out on her own to find her own answers and later join the party with crucial info and/or a key item that will make all the difference, instead of having her storyline being developed only when she and Noctis cross paths, which would make sense for a rival role who fights Noctis against her will.

It's my way of believing Tabata without suddenly seeing Stella as some sort of damsel in distress. Maybe it went like fight 1, fight 2, fight 3, stella joins the group to take on the big bad who was manipulating her, end, and now they wanted her to go after her own objectives instead of just waiting for Noctis to show up to continue with her arc.

But that STILL doesn't explain why they couldn't keep her fucking name.
I'm betting it's either because an alignment changes or some prophecy/foreshadowing stuff that was name related...

If it's the first case, then in versus she would be a pawn of her father before the invasion that sees through his evil plans and then switch sides, as you said, and now in FFXV she would be the heir of an evil mastermind who was capable of killing his own daughter in order to get a magic crystal, leaving said daughter pissed and thirsty for revenge...(i mean, her country's army DID try to kill her =|)

Rebooting her name would be a nice way of keeping part of her story while fooling us into thinking she is a damsel in distress now

see? Seeing it that way wasn't so bad =), now back to reality... we know nothing and she still looks meh :|
 
Considering tabata mentioned they're going for one game and not "a world of versus epic" in one of the ATR's then that means they condensed sequels into one game. So the getting older factor makes sense.

I would genuinely be into this. I tend to really like novelistic perspective shifts in my RPGs, either in time, or between different characters.

But it's a little hard for me to imagine SE actually doing this, so I'm guessing there was a translation error/misunderstanding somewhere.
 
If that scene is significant, like Regis performing some kind of ceremony passing the Armiger stuff to Noctis, or whatever's happening, it's possible that the physical sword he has out (remember that they summon them, there's no reason for him to carry one around) and his cloak/clothing might just be ornamental, worn over a suit or in place of a suit.

It isn't like he's walking around every day and sleeping in it.
 
If that scene is significant, like Regis performing some kind of ceremony passing the Armiger stuff to Noctis, or whatever's happening, it's possible that the physical sword he has out (remember that they summon them, there's no reason for him to carry one around) and his cloak/clothing might just be ornamental, worn over a suit or in place of a suit.

It isn't like he's walking around every day and sleeping in it.

I read it as the morning after a night of battle, in which, to defend Lucis, Regis had to do some serious shit (shit that potentially cursed young Noctis w/ the ability to see the light of the dead or whatever), and as the sun dawns Regis considers the weight of his actions and their likely impact on his son.

But I may be way over-interpreting!
 
I read it as the morning after a night of battle, in which, to defend Lucis, Regis had to do some serious shit (shit that potentially cursed young Noctis w/ the ability to see the light of the dead or whatever), and as the sun dawns Regis considers the weight of his actions and their likely impact on his son.

But I may be way over-interpreting!

Well either way when we see them in suits summoning their Armigers, they're clearly being ambushed.

And even in Duscae when Noctis and co are out and about, they're not really out there looking for 'combat', they're just exploring. If their car didn't break down they wouldn't have to be going after behemoths, in other words combat is being forced upon them by the situation at hand.

So this whole "they aren't mafia anymore" is a little too early to be freaking out.
 
If that scene is significant, like Regis performing some kind of ceremony passing the Armiger stuff to Noctis, or whatever's happening, it's possible that the physical sword he has out (remember that they summon them, there's no reason for him to carry one around) and his cloak/clothing might just be ornamental, worn over a suit or in place of a suit.

It isn't like he's walking around every day and sleeping in it.

That's what I thought until he was wearing it when Noctis goes out on his adventure.

7e8wkpw.png


To be fair the signing ceremony was coming up, or was the same day, but it seems kinda weird that we coincidentally only see him the times he wears this. At the very least it does help him stand out as King.
 
No way SE Japan is going to age the cast. My impression was that "after the young-man phase" is the present time, not the future. Before the start of the game Noctis and friends were just spoiled teenagers carefree rich teenagers, and after the intro they are trusted into a wild and dangerous world for what is basically their coming-of-age journey.



Cid in Type-0 is the villain though.

I suspect you're right. I do think it would be neat though.
 
I read it as the morning after a night of battle, in which, to defend Lucis, Regis had to do some serious shit (shit that potentially cursed young Noctis w/ the ability to see the light of the dead or whatever), and as the sun dawns Regis considers the weight of his actions and their likely impact on his son.

But I may be way over-interpreting!

That would be pretty cool. Real history has quite a few stories of Pagan kings promising to convert to Christianity in the middle of a battle in order to turn the tide of war. Maybe this is a somber take on this concept -- striking a deal with dark gods.
 
That's what I thought until he was wearing it when Noctis goes out on his adventure.

7e8wkpw.png


To be fair the signing ceremony was coming up, or was the same day, but it seems kinda weird that we coincidentally only see him the times he wears this. At the very least it does help him stand out as King.

That's pretty much how I see it, when he's out and about he probably wears something to distinguish himself as King, since he isn't wearing a crown or anything. Behind closed doors he probably tosses it off and sits down at the round table and sorts out politics with his "knights" in his pleats and striped suit.
 
I'm betting it's either because an alignment changes or some prophecy/foreshadowing stuff that was name related...

If it's the first case, then in versus she would be a pawn of her father before the invasion that sees through his evil plans and then switch sides, as you said, and now in FFXV she would be the heir of an evil mastermind who was capable of killing his own daughter in order to get a magic crystal, leaving said daughter pissed and thirsty for revenge...(i mean, her country's army DID try to kill her =|)

Rebooting her name would be a nice way of keeping part of her story while fooling us into thinking she is a damsel in distress now

see? Seeing it that way wasn't so bad =), now back to reality... we know nothing and she still looks meh :|
Oh you didn't need to convince me, I really don't mind, but I don't mind either way, I wouldn't be pissed in the final game trying to interpret the symbolysm and saying "MAN IT WOULD WORK MUCH BETTER IF ONLY SHE WAS CALLED LUNA INSTEAD OF STELLA", I really can't see any reason to make that change that would be worth it.

Maybe they just didn't think people cared that much for characters they knew so little about and it was a no brainer for them to change it just to match a little better.

Or perhaps is the Freya part that's really important to the story, and Lunafreya just sounds much better than Stellafreya, and is close enough to Star for it to work. Who knows.

That's what I thought until he was wearing it when Noctis goes out on his adventure.

7e8wkpw.png


To be fair the signing ceremony was coming up, or was the same day, but it seems kinda weird that we coincidentally only see him the times he wears this. At the very least it does help him stand out as King.

It's his king garbs or whatever, and he wears them on top of the signature mafia-styled suit, makes sense to me.
 
That's pretty much how I see it, when he's out and about he probably wears something to distinguish himself as King, since he isn't wearing a crown or anything. Behind closed doors he probably tosses it off and sits down at the round table and sorts out politics with his "knights" in his pleats and striped suit.

I highly doubt that. A redesign is a redesign.
 
You could relate it to just Nomura balancing between using it as an influence while still having each main cast look unique in XV. All of Regis' boys before the redesign all wore suits. They're supposed to be like a mafia family if Tabata hasn't rewritten that part out.

ocwkodggen.jpg

Wow I just realized how cool that motif is, men in suits summoning swords, and men in robes/armor wielding guns.
 
Oh you didn't need to convince me, I really don't mind, but I don't mind either way, I wouldn't be pissed in the final game trying to interpret the symbolysm and saying "MAN IT WOULD WORK MUCH BETTER IF ONLY SHE WAS CALLED LUNA INSTEAD OF STELLA", I really can't see any reason to make that change that would be worth it.

Maybe they just didn't think people cared that much for characters they knew so little about and it was a no brainer for them to change it just to match a little better.

Or perhaps is the Freya part that's really important to the story, and Lunafreya just sounds much better than Stellafreya, and is close enough to Star for it to work. Who knows.



It's his king garbs or whatever, and he wears them on top of the signature mafia-styled suit, makes sense to me.

I was trying to convince myself D:
 
Noctis might be a sword summoning sorcerer, but he still needs three bodyguards to back him up. I know we got the impression from the first FF Versus trailer that he sits on his throne all gloomy and only emerges to wreck fools, but the story's changed since then.

On the other hand, Luna's clearly gone through some struggles, and she's escaping from the city in Duscae's epilogue looking like she just had to strangle a whole box of puppies.

In my experience, usually fiction sets up the good guy who's had the world handed to him on a silver platter like pampered Noctis up for some kind of fall, and the good guy (or girl in this case) like Luna who's had to fight through adversity has 'real strength'. Whether that's used just to teach Noctis a lesson to not be an overconfident punk or what, we don't know, but the odds of her being used like a dishrag plot device are slim.
 
That would be pretty cool. Real history has quite a few stories of Pagan kings promising to convert to Christianity in the middle of a battle in order to turn the tide of war. Maybe this is a somber take on this concept -- striking a deal with dark gods.

Indeed -- would also make the Noctis/Regis relationship potentially more interesting than just: Regal and caring dad who inevitably dies and his revenge-seeking son (mind you, I'm fine w/ the latter too, if it's well executed).
 
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