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[xs_mini_neo]

well... yeah, to some it really is.

I personally have no problems with the current system, but I don't think that seamless battle transitions is an unreasonable ask in today's day and age.

It shouldn't be as important as the game being good. I see too many out there who are focused on the tech side while the rest suffers.

The game looks fantastic and I can see why people are excited, but charging 60 bucks for a demo is the most outrageous tactic I've ever seen in the world of video games. It's inexcusable. I don't see how someone purchasing this couldn't feel at least a little bit of shame for letting Square take advantage of him like this.

At least Tobal No. 1/Parasite Eve/BFM are better than AC. The price must be a test...

 

[brandonh83]

which FF score does the music most closely resemble?

Oh come on. Its looked different in natural way. I dont expect a magical castle with lava and steam machinery in the middle of a plain

sure, and I love XII, but just talking about level repetition, well it was. the lighthouse was like 100 floors of the same crap, as was Giruvegan.

 

[MassiveAttack]

The game looks fantastic and I can see why people are excited, but charging 60 bucks for a demo is the most outrageous tactic I've ever seen in the world of video games. It's inexcusable. I don't see how someone purchasing this couldn't feel at least a little bit of shame for letting Square take advantage of him like this.

The demo isn't $60.

 

[Amir0x]

pretty much every level in most RPG's look the same... the ones I've played anyway. even FFXII, which had arguably the largest and coolest locales, had viciously repetitive area design. each different place varied enough from the last but once you see the first section you've basically seen the following 39.

I am not sure I follow your logic. I mean seriously, every level in most RPGs look the same? What? No they don't. Plenty of RPGs with extremely varied locations and dungeon design. Anyway, you seem to be confusing repetitive level design and repetitive set pieces. At least, that's my best guess... not sure how to take the "different place varied enough" but then "you seen one section you seen the following 39" parts of your statement. If it's varied enough, then it wouldn't be repetitive, no?

Final Fantasy X had a wide variety of interesting looking locales, and the backgrounds themselves were novel and colorful and well designed. The actual DUNGEON, however, was a series of mostly direct corridors with little variation, extremely little room to explore and even less room to get lost. And they even had MAPS, god knows why...

 

[NeoUltima]

People complaining about the demo being linear...? Gotta remember this is from the beginning of the game, which isn't the time to get players all confused about where they are suppose to go. It should be a time to get familiar with the game.

And even if the final game ends up as linear as FFX I wouldn't mind too much...

BTW, does FFXIII have a world map you traverse? If so that would definitely help the game[not necessarily the dungeons themselves] to be less linear.

edit: No world map , Thanks Kagari

 

[Kagari]

which FF score does the music most closely resemble?

Reminded me a lot of FFX.

 

[vilmer_]

I should have f*cking ordered this FFS.

 

[MrDaravon]

The game looks fantastic and I can see why people are excited, but charging 60 bucks for a demo is the most outrageous tactic I've ever seen in the world of video games. It's inexcusable. I don't see how someone purchasing this couldn't feel at least a little bit of shame for letting Square take advantage of him like this.

Even ignoring the fact this is factually incorrect, the "Complete" version of AC that comes with the demo is only about $10 dollars more than the regular version that doesn't come with the demo. So, you are paying $10 dollars for the demo. If you're someone who is at the point where you have NO interest in AC and you actually pay the ~$70 for AC Complete, I think you lose all ability to bitch about it.

 

[Kagari]

People complaining about the demo being linear...? Gotta remember this is from the beginning of the game, which isn't the time to get players all confused about where they are suppose to go. It should be a time to get familiar with the game.

And even if the final game ends up as linear as FFX I wouldn't mind too much...

BTW, does FFXIII have a world map you traverse? If so that would definitely help the game to be less linear.

No, Versus will be the one with the world map.

 

[charsace]

Watching the stream and the magic is being thrown like grenades.

 

[EviLore]

FF13 didn't need incredible character models or hair physics or any of that. It needed to move forward from variations on a 20+ year old battle system, while putting more in the hands of the player.

I see amazing cutscene graphics, gameplay graphics similar to something like Mass Effect, and about the same level of overall interactivity as something like FFX. A giant Too Human-style corridor with a group of enemies or a cutscene every set distance. Click on the menu item and have the character do a canned attack, x100,000.

My brain can only handle this shit for so many decades, despite the addictive nature, and no amount of production values can obfuscate it. Currently uninterested.

 

[Ether_Snake]

I mentioned this before, the designs we have seen for dungeons since FFX are like this because they can't fit that much in memory without long load times, so they instantiate set pieces. It's also quicker to produce than "real" environments (like a castle with an actual entrance, soldier's barracks, etc.) because they don't have to produce assets that will be used over just a few meters.

It's a shame, but I expect no different for FFXIII, because again creating nice assets takes too long. So expect long roads/hallways with instantiated objects, some switches here and there and such, some elevators, etc., but no unique areas unless it's something story-related or a boss area or some such.

 

[Llyranor]

I can't view the stream so well, but can you actually input commands to all party members, or all the non-main chars using AI/gambits or something?

 

[jeremy1456]

Watching this footage has actually made me interested in this game again.

I really hope that travel in the game isn't as linear (hallways) as it was in FFX.

 

[lupinko]

Well what I'm probably going to do is just sell off the movie to my friend who is a Final Fantasy fan anyway.

I'm keeping the demo.

 

[AgentOtaku]

Not crazy about the battle music ...it's essentially the same as the one that was in that first trailer from a couple years back right?

...sounds ...too cheesy =/

 

[BlazingDarkness]

so, xiii/versus = most impressive lookin ps3 games? yeah.

 

[Kagari]

I can't view the stream so well, but can you actually input commands to all party members, or all the non-main chars using AI/gambits or something?

Read the OP.

 

[jeremy1456]

FF13 didn't need incredible character models or hair physics or any of that. It needed to move forward from variations on a 20+ year old battle system, while putting more in the hands of the player.

I see amazing cutscene graphics, gameplay graphics similar to something like Mass Effect, and about the same level of overall interactivity as something like FFX. A giant Too Human-style corridor with a group of enemies or a cutscene every set distance. Click on the menu item and have the character do a canned attack, x100,000.

My brain can only handle this shit for so many decades, despite the addictive nature, and no amount of production values can obfuscate it. Currently uninterested.

Since when has FF needed to do anything besides be released? A mainline FF game is guaranteed huge sales no matter what.

 

[charsace]

I really think cybernetics will be the reason why people can use magic in this FF. This would explain why summons transform into vehicles.

 

[brandonh83]

I'll bow out of the design argument because Im having to type with a PS3 controller and that makes it painful to keep up with this kind of discussion. This is not surrender!

 

[HK-47]

I really don't feel like having this same argument with the same hypocrites over and over again, but it's simple.

I am judging the game by what I see, the same as those who are effusive in their praise. I will not tell you to NOT praise it simply because you seen only a small segmented chunk. Likewise, you will not tell me to stop being negative simply because I saw only a small chunk.

I made it clear that this is just a demo and it's too early to say how it'll be throughout the game. However, it IS more than enough to be worried about the direction the game is going since the demo was remarkably similar to the Zanarkland segment of FFX, a game IN THE SAME FRANCHISE which really was all corridors.

Are we done with the whining about complainers?

I'm not praising it merely observing it, so dont paint me as something I'm not, as you love to do in arguments. Your complaints started off reasonable until you repeated yourself several times and started acting like the whole game was gonna be like this. I get that you are worried about it ending up like Zanarkand, but while that was an area that could have been more opening, these roads dont really seem like they could be that way.

 

[BlazingDarkness]

I can't view the stream so well, but can you actually input commands to all party members, or all the non-main chars using AI/gambits or something?

support characters are AI in the demo, you can input their commands in the full game

 

[EviLore]

Since when has FF needed to do anything besides be released? A mainline FF game is guaranteed huge sales no matter what.

I didn't realize that my personal opinion on how something looks has to correlate with historical sales figures. My bad!

 

[seat]

If you're someone who is at the point where you have NO interest in AC and you actually pay the ~$70 for AC Complete, I think you lose all ability to bitch about it.

This is the exact impression I'm getting from people in this thread, buying a four-year-old movie that they know to be awful just to get their hands on a demo that they're foaming at the mouth to get their hands on. I'm surprised more people aren't complaining about it, to be honest.

 

[Ether_Snake]

So I missed a stream? Argh.

 

[Kyoufu]

Since when has FF needed to do anything besides be released? A mainline FF game is guaranteed huge sales no matter what.

He isn't talking about sales. He is talking about what interests him in an RPG, and so far FFXIII doesn't.

Personally, I think it looks amazing and its foolish to think the entire game is one long corridor from a demo. A fucking demo.

 

[Tom Penny]

Looks good. Only thing I can't stand is the damn line that goes across were it say help in battle. Is that really necessary? It would look alot cleaner without it.

 

[TTP]

So I missed a stream? Argh.

It's still going.

http://ja.justin.tv/esegk

 

[HK-47]

FF13 didn't need incredible character models or hair physics or any of that. It needed to move forward from variations on a 20+ year old battle system, while putting more in the hands of the player.

I see amazing cutscene graphics, gameplay graphics similar to something like Mass Effect, and about the same level of overall interactivity as something like FFX. A giant Too Human-style corridor with a group of enemies or a cutscene every set distance. Click on the menu item and have the character do a canned attack, x100,000.

My brain can only handle this shit for so many decades, despite the addictive nature, and no amount of production values can obfuscate it. Currently uninterested.

Its also about as linear. Reminded me of the broken roads on Feros. So hooray for WRPGs regressing and JRPGs staying the same. What else is new? =|

 

[BamYouHaveAids]

Since when has FF needed to do anything besides be released? A mainline FF game is guaranteed huge sales no matter what.

How does the finacial success of the franchise invalidate his complaint(s)? Why as a consumer are you more vested in the finacial aspect of the franchise rather than the gameplay?

 

[Tiduz]

am i the only one who DOES NOT

want the battle system to change too much?

i loved X battle system, but hated XII, i guess im the only one who likes the ''old'' system.

xii just didnt feel like a ff game too me, didnt finish it cause i couldnt enjoy it, summons were fucked up too compared to x.

 

[Amir0x]

I'm not praising it merely observing it, so dont paint me as something I'm not, as you love to do in arguments. Your complaints started off reasonable until you repeated yourself several times and started acting like the whole game was gonna be like this. I get that you are worried about it ending up like Zanarkand, but while that was an area that could have been more opening, these roads dont really seem like they could be that way.

Repeating myself, what a crime!

Anyway, it is only a worry. A fear of what FFXIII could become, judging from a little demo. It is not me saying "I KNOW THE WHOLE GAME WILL BE CORRIDORS." It is me saying "that demo was one huge corridor, extremely reminiscent of FFX, I am worried the whole game would be like that. Let's hope not!"

 

[ant1532]

- Advent Children inspired action

lol. cmon amirox, that is your stupidest complaint ever. God forbid the action onscreen is actually entertaining rather then simple dull sword slashes....

 

[BlazingDarkness]

the corridor structure is there because this is the beginning of the game, and the passage have triggers in them to stage opening battles/ situations so you can learn the battle system
it will obviously open up afterwards

 

[MvmntInGrn]

wow at the live video.

Visuals are nice and so are individual animations. Seems a bit clunky looking when walking around though.

Looking good though.


EDIT: Very FFX looking to me. Thats a good thing in my book though.

 

[jeremy1456]

He isn't talking about sales. He is talking about what interests him in an RPG, and so far FFXIII doesn't.

Personally, I think it looks amazing and its foolish to think the entire game is one long corridor from a demo. A fucking demo.

Oh, sorry Evilore. My bad.

 

[charsace]

am i the only one who DOES NOT

want the battle system to change too much?

i loved X battle system, but hated XII, i guess im the only one who likes the ''old'' system.

xii just didnt feel like a ff game too me, didnt finish it cause i couldnt enjoy it, summons were fucked up too compared to x.

Should be obvious that Square is going into the wrpg realm with its battle system.

Animations need work. Some of them just don't look right. The dash is too humanish.

 

[HK-47]

Repeating myself, what a crime!

Anyway, it is only a worry. A fear of what FFXIII could become, judging from a little demo. It is not me saying "I KNOW THE WHOLE GAME WILL BE CORRIDORS." It is me saying "that demo was one huge corridor, extremely reminiscent of FFX, I am worried the whole game would be like that. Let's hope not!"

I'm just saying the area they chose for the demo didnt really allow much else. It would have been nice to get multiple locations like in XII

 

[APZonerunner]

the corridor structure is there because this is the beginning of the game, and the passage have triggers in them to stage opening battles/ situations so you can learn the battle system
it will obviously open up afterwards

This is what we all need to hope, but we also all need to bear FFX in mind (which never really opened up) as we do so.

 

[HamPster PamPster]

Oh god I can't watch the stream - its just too painful

Its still over a year away for me T^T

Plenty of time to save up for one of those fancy next gen gaming consoles though

 

[sh4mike]

FF13 didn't need incredible character models or hair physics or any of that. It needed to move forward from variations on a 20+ year old battle system, while putting more in the hands of the player.

I see amazing cutscene graphics, gameplay graphics similar to something like Mass Effect, and about the same level of overall interactivity as something like FFX. A giant Too Human-style corridor with a group of enemies or a cutscene every set distance. Click on the menu item and have the character do a canned attack, x100,000.

My brain can only handle this shit for so many decades, despite the addictive nature, and no amount of production values can obfuscate it. Currently uninterested.

You're speaking for a lot of us who choose to remaing silent out of fear.

 

[Kyoufu]

This is what we all need to hope, but we also all need to bear FFX in mind (which never really opened up) as we do so.

Can we stop comparing a PS3 game in 2009 to a PS2 game in 2001? Seriously....

 

[Amir0x]

I'm just saying the area they chose for the demo didnt really allow much else. It would have been nice to get multiple locations like in XII

Ok, I understand. I hope you're right

lol. cmon amirox, that is your stupidest complaint ever. God forbid the action onscreen is actually entertaining rather then simple dull sword slashes....

Advent Children action is some of the least entertaining action of all time. I guess that's where our difference is

 

[Relaxed Muscle]

Its also about as linear. Reminded me of the broken roads on Feros. So hooray for WRPGs regressing and JRPGs staying the same. What else is new? =|

It just one section in the game, a a very story focused one, there's a lot of scripted events going on, so obviously isnot the best place to give the player 45 different paths and gigantic areas to explore.

We maybe should wait a bit more, before bashing the linearity of FF XIII.

 

[Tiduz]

Should be obvious that Square is going into the wrpg realm with its battle system.

Animations need work. Some of them just don't look right. The dash is too humanish.

i actually like what im seeing here, it reminds me of x but ''evolved''. this is what i wanted, begone stupid gambits!

 

[Ether_Snake]

Cool thanks.

I like the battle music!

 

[xs_mini_neo]

lol. cmon amirox, that is your stupidest complaint ever. God forbid the action onscreen is actually entertaining rather then simple dull sword slashes....

It's entertaining, but it also brings too much attention to itself. It can get distracting because you know they are doing it to spice things up...mediocre things, that is.

You're speaking for a lot of us who choose to remaing silent out of fear.

lol

 

[tanod]

I think inserting battle transitions (if they stay in the final product) will be a HUGE step backwards for the series.

I'm really skeptical of the battle system but like FFXII's demo before it, the FFXIII demo's battle system is not gonna make sense / look fun until it's properly balanced and has the important last minute tweaks done, and until it's English for that matter.

Also, agreeing with Ami: if the final game is a corridor-fest ala FFX, then there's a big problem. A RPG without exploration and treasure hunting is not an RPG, it's an action game with menus. If the weapon system is like FFX and the character development is linear with no unique skills ala FFX, biggest goddamn disappointment ever. That's a lot of ifs though.

Sazh is awesome.

Probably been mentioned already: Anybody else recognize the girl in the cloak at the end of the demo as Nomchan? I thought she was from Pulse. Isn't this demo from the beginning of the game? Those people in the beginning being transferred to some prison?

 

[NeoUltima]

am i the only one who DOES NOT

want the battle system to change too much?

i loved X battle system, but hated XII, i guess im the only one who likes the ''old'' system.

xii just didnt feel like a ff game too me, didnt finish it cause i couldnt enjoy it, summons were fucked up too compared to x.

I wouldn't say XIII's battle system is like Xs'.

X was totally turn-based, XIII seems to be going back to the ATB system, but with a twist. If I understand it correctly....you have 3 segments on you ATB gauge, you can do as many commands as how many bars are filled up. i.e. You can act as soon as 1 bar is filled, or you can wait until all three are filled and perform a combo. I assume that as you level up, the number of segments will increase so you can perform more elaborate combos.