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Xenoblade Chronicles X - Twitter & Website updates thread

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Gonna bet money on some sort of install from the disc being implemented.

Thanks.

Neat that they are finally using installs. Though I bet this is the only Wii U game to do so unless Zelda has an optional one as well.

Yeah Wii U discs are 25 GB. The same as a single-layer blu-ray. It's plenty of space for games at this technical level usually. For instance the PS3 had less than 10 dual-layered (50 GB discs used) games I think.

This also kills any chance of having dual-language options on disc. They could still offer it as a downloadable option like Final Fantasy.
 

Rootbeer

Banned
The art design in this game is amazing. Sadly it's also amazing how fugly most of the characters' faces are. :(

I hope they have nice 2D artwork in the menus, because I certainly don't want to look at these abominations all day long. It's also funny that all "pretty" characters look bad

I agree with you :(

I know this game is going to be a great experience but the ugly characters are a huge disappointment

The xenoblade models actually looked better which is amazing to me... lower res and poly yes but the actual designs looked better

And I'm going to miss not having my cutie Shulk in the party, none of the new characters are adorable o_O
 

L~A

Member
I really doubt it, to be honest. Reason they ran out of space is probably because of all the VA (they did mention there was a lot of it), and lots of music from the looks of it. This usually takes a loooooot of space, unless you compress everything like crazy.
 

random25

Member
This is probably the biggest Wii U game yet in terms of file size. I can't go digital even if I want to because it may take me forever to download this thing lol.

I'm interested about the optimization they will implement. What I want in Xenoblade before was the fast loading times for the most part.
 

duckroll

Member
I wonder how many of the cutscenes are pre-recorded movies instead of realtime. That's something Monolithsoft did with Xenosaga as well, which resulted in excessive storage issues. The reason why they did that was because when they had a lot of cutscenes which cut from one scene to another in totally different places, and they didn't want to ruin the pacing with long loading screens between scene. That might not be as much of an issue today though. Loading stuff from disc on the PS2 was slowass.

I really doubt it, to be honest. Reason they ran out of space is probably because of all the VA (they did mention there was a lot of it), and lots of music from the looks of it. This usually takes a loooooot of space, unless you compress everything like crazy.

Audio really doesn't take up that much space, especially not for games. Compression for audio is very efficient, even at high quaity.
 

duckroll

Member
I don't think too many of the cutscenes will ne prerendered, with your character being fully customizable and all.

That's only an issue with cutscenes where the player character is actually involved in though. Usually in Takahashi stories a huge portion of the cutscenes are used to show other perspectives and factions, character flashbacks, as well as large scale battle scenes.
 

L~A

Member
Audio really doesn't take up that much space, especially not for games. Compression for audio is very efficient, even at high quaity.

Really? I clearly remember some games having some rather heavy audio files... though maybe that's because they didn't need to compress it.

Well in that case, lack of dual-audio wouldn't be because of space. But I have no doubt it'll be there.
 

duckroll

Member
Really? I clearly remember some games having some rather heavy audio files... though maybe that's because they didn't need to compress it.

Well in that case, lack of dual-audio wouldn't be because of space. But I have no doubt it'll be there.

For a large open world RPG, I'll be pretty surprised if the audio is more than 1/3 of the overall capacity. For HD gmes, stuff like textures and movie files would eat up space the fastest. If they're running out of space due to audio, it's by far the easiest to reduce space on. With textures and movies, lowering the quality affects the game experience in much more obvious ways. Like with FFXIII on the 360. Lol. :(
 
I'll be getting both versions. The eShop version being pre-loadable just makes it irresistible, along with faster loading of course. The physical copy will sit nicely on my shelf. Might even get two copies just to keep one sealed; a first for me.

I already have Xenoblade on Wii still sealed in my library ;)

I have to compare how much it would cost me to have faster shipping + import taxes compared to eShop + "sealed" Physical slow-ish shipping.
I missed the news that the game is going to be preloadable...then again I'm 100% positive I would need to delete all my games on the built-in HDD for this one :D I may need to look into an external HDD, as it's already a problem to juggle through what I own right now.

Really nice tweets by the way, I'm glad they use what's available to them to the max.
 

Laconic

Banned
Personally, I am going to circumvent any potential issues with loading times, by feeding my collector's addiction.

Re: I'm keeping my physical copy sealed. :)
 
Thanks.

Neat that they are finally using installs. Though I bet this is the only Wii U game to do so unless Zelda has an optional one as well.

Yeah Wii U discs are 25 GB. The same as a single-layer blu-ray. It's plenty of space for games at this technical level usually. For instance the PS3 had less than 10 dual-layered (50 GB discs used) games I think.

This also kills any chance of having dual-language options on disc. They could still offer it as a downloadable option like Final Fantasy.

I think dual-audio is still possible (completely depends on the file size of the game of course). I mean it's not like they will have pre-rendered cutscenes with lip-sync for two languages requiring several GB worth of content for another language like Final Fantasy. Though, it's still quite possible the audio files will take up enough space to require a download I suppose (if they even bother with dual-audio).
 
really hate that I will spoil the game watching Japanese version videos waiting for US release

and gamexplain seems to import WiiU titles to play through so I know videos will be up

too hyped

Hmm... all this talk about dual-audio reminds me... what about XC3D?

I wonder what that cart size will be
 

TriBlade

Member
really hate that I will spoil the game watching Japanese version videos waiting for US release

and gamexplain seems to import WiiU titles to play through so I know videos will be up

too hyped

This is what I'm planning to do, but I'll stop watching after the first major area to provide further spoiler.
 

ozfunghi

Member
[Kawabata] Xenoblade Chronicles X is using up most of the space on the Wii U disk. It's really, really close to the storage limit. (To the point that at one stage we were considering using more than one disk for the game). To enjoy playing, the enormous seamless map must load quickly (which was achieved through the hard work of our programming division), but we had help from Nintendo proper implementing a further improvement to what we had. I believe we're going to reveal the details of that on the official page in the future, but to people considering purchasing the packaged version of the game, as one of the game's developers, I highly recommend you make use of this improvement.

Maybe using that extra 1gb of RAM by making OS sacrifices when the game is loaded (no swapping to the browser and back, no miiverse etc...)? After all, the RAM is inside every WiiU, but not every WiiU has an exteral HDD connected.
 
Maybe using that extra 1gb of RAM by making OS sacrifices when the game is loaded (no swapping to the browser and back, no miiverse etc...)? After all, the RAM is inside every WiiU, but not every WiiU has an exteral HDD connected.
that seems more likely to me. It would be sad not to be able to post screenshots though...
 

chadboban

Member
Maybe using that extra 1gb of RAM by making OS sacrifices when the game is loaded (no swapping to the browser and back, no miiverse etc...)? After all, the RAM is inside every WiiU, but not every WiiU has an exteral HDD connected.

So, sort of like what Smash Bros and Monster Hunter 4 do on the non-new 3DS?
 

TheMoon

Member
Maybe using that extra 1gb of RAM by making OS sacrifices when the game is loaded (no swapping to the browser and back, no miiverse etc...)? After all, the RAM is inside every WiiU, but not every WiiU has an exteral HDD connected.

Nah, more RAM doesn't necessarily solve that problem. Having the data in the memory already would. Hence the part about it likely using some form of installation process.

So, sort of like what Smash Bros and Monster Hunter 4 do on the non-new 3DS?

They need this because they need more RAM to run properly, not because their cart is bursting with data.
 
And using more of the RAM would not be something special for the retail-version. The download-version would benefit as well

Sounds more like optional installation for faster loading times for me.
(Maybe it's something completely weird like an own USB-drive/ROM. In Monado-Form;-) )
 

Phamit

Member
Maybe using that extra 1gb of RAM by making OS sacrifices when the game is loaded (no swapping to the browser and back, no miiverse etc...)? After all, the RAM is inside every WiiU, but not every WiiU has an exteral HDD connected.

It's sounds like a optional thing for buyers of the disc version, an install option sounds more likely then a option to reduce OS features for the disc version
 
Still, if there was a game to need Nintendo to reduce the amount of RAM reserved for the OS, it would be this one. I would sure as hell take an extra 512MB for a better draw distance/bigger environments.
 

ozfunghi

Member
Nah, more RAM doesn't necessarily solve that problem. Having the data in the memory already would. Hence the part about it likely using some form of installation process.

They need this because they need more RAM to run properly, not because their cart is bursting with data.

He's saying the solution, is for the large map. He isn't saying not everything fits on the disc. They at one point considered using a second disc, but not anymore, meaning thàt is not the problem at this point. So the problem isn't the data storage, it's streaming the large world map. So yes, obviously extra RAM would help with that if the "regular" RAM is already used up. It would give them 1GB of extra RAM to preload the map relative to the players position.

I'm not saying this is the most likely answer, but it could, theoretically, be a possibility. You are right that this could also possibly benefit the players with the downloaded/installed game, but most likely loading from HDD/flash is faster than from the disc, and that may just be enough of an edge to not include it in the e-shop version.

This is just speculation of course, but so is anything until we have confirmation. I would just think it very unlike Nintendo to "force" users to buy a 3rd party accessory in order to play a game the way it should be played. They can't expect users with the basic version to all buy new HDD's or users with the deluxe version to whipe their flash memory or buy a HDD in order to play the game "the right way".

Giving you the option to forfait certain OS features while playing the game to get the game to run better, or wait a couple of seconds for the map to load if you don't wish to forfait those OS features, seems like a rather democratic way of solving things, without forcing people to spend more money.
 
Another idea that comes to mind, for the disc-version they could use parts of the internal Flash-storage (lets say 2-4GB) as cache/swapfile to improve loading times and streaming of the environment.
 

ozfunghi

Member
Another idea that comes to mind, for the disc-version they could use parts of the internal Flash-storage (lets say 2-4GB) as cache/swapfile to improve loading times and streaming of the environment.

Yes, but like i said, the basic version only has 8GB of which 5 are reserved by the system. So you only have 3GB. With savegames and game updates, those 3GB could be gone very soon, even if you don't download games from the e-shop. Hence, you either force the basic WiiU owners to buy a HDD, or to wipe all their game data, just for them to play the game "like it should be played". Personally, i think the RAM/OS solution to be more elegant, completely optional on a "per play" basis and non-intrusive.
 

duckroll

Member
Maybe using that extra 1gb of RAM by making OS sacrifices when the game is loaded (no swapping to the browser and back, no miiverse etc...)? After all, the RAM is inside every WiiU, but not every WiiU has an exteral HDD connected.

No, that's definitely not what he's talking about. He's talking about something that would only affect those who play the retail version (disc version), and it would be an optional thing to improve loading speed. It's almost certainly an install option, especially when Takahashi already talked about how the digital version loads faster than the disc version in the Famitsu interview.
 

ozfunghi

Member
No, that's definitely not what he's talking about. He's talking about something that would only affect those who play the retail version (disc version), and it would be an optional thing to improve loading speed. It's almost certainly an install option, especially when Takahashi already talked about how the digital version loads faster than the disc version in the Famitsu interview.

That doesn't change anything. Like i said before, they don't have to use the same solution in the retail version. If the digital version loads fast enough due to it being loaded from flash or HDD, doesn't mean they couldn't come up with a different solution for the retail game.

That doesn't mean it's more likely, but it's still a possibility and one that personally, i'd prefer.
 

jorgejjvr

Member
Guys, who else thinks we need a overall thread all about xenoblade? Story, characters, music etc, just everything. I'm talking xenoblade chronicles and X, everything xeno, I guess xenosaga could fit in as well

Anyways, for all xenoblade fans, you HAVE to watch these two amazing tributes. You must have finished the game, otherwise there are spoilers. These are incredible, must watch

http://youtu.be/sJMNwBcMNWw

http://youtu.be/Z6QX2BZSW1E
 

TheMoon

Member
Guys, who else thinks we need a overall thread all about xenoblade? Story, characters, music etc, just everything. I'm talking xenoblade chronicles and X, everything xeno, I guess xenosaga could fit in as well

Anyways, for all xenoblade fans, you HAVE to watch these two amazing tributes. You must have finished the game, otherwise there are spoilers. These are incredible, must watch

http://youtu.be/sJMNwBcMNWw

http://youtu.be/Z6QX2BZSW1E

that doesn't really make sense until the new one is out. until then there's always the community thread about xenoblade. mods would move a "general xenoblade thread" to community anyway and probably note how there already is one over there.
 
Guys, who else thinks we need a overall thread all about xenoblade? Story, characters, music etc, just everything. I'm talking xenoblade chronicles and X, everything xeno, I guess xenosaga could fit in as well

Anyways, for all xenoblade fans, you HAVE to watch these two amazing tributes. You must have finished the game, otherwise there are spoilers. These are incredible, must watch

http://youtu.be/sJMNwBcMNWw

http://youtu.be/Z6QX2BZSW1E

sad it did not get an HD remake instead this game should never be a small screen thing

but as much as I love Xenoblade we see no real connection to X as of now
you can make a Xeno series community thread I guess
 

jorgejjvr

Member
that doesn't really make sense until the new one is out. until then there's always the community thread about xenoblade. mods would move a "general xenoblade thread" to community anyway and probably note how there already is one over there.

sad it did not get an HD remake instead this game should never be a small screen thing

but as much as I love Xenoblade we see no real connection to X as of now
you can make a Xeno series community thread I guess
Its there a xeno community thread made? I unfortunately can't make one because I'm a junior member. However, if anyone could I would love to see a xeno community thread where we can talk all things xeno!
 

TheMoon

Member
Its there a xeno community thread made? I unfortunately can't make one because I'm a junior member. However, if anyone could I would love to see a xeno community thread where we can talk all things xeno!

There shouldn't be a Xeno-community thread since there is no Xeno community. The games have nothing to do with each other. Especially not the ~blade games with ~saga and ~gears. That's like a Mario OT where you talk about platforming Mario, kart racing Mario and baseball Mario at the same time. A complete mess.

This is what exists in the community board:

Xenogears |OT| from the PSN re-release.

Xenoblade |OT| from the original Japanese release in 2010.

Xenoblade Chronicles |OT| from the PAL release in 2011, borrowing memes from other games still.

Xenoblade Chronicles |OT| from the NA release in 2012, now including its own memes.

What you could make, because it's missing, is a Xenosaga Community |OT| ... now that would make sense since that is one trilogy and it's not represented yet in any form.
 

Quadraxis

Member
Anyways, for all xenoblade fans, you HAVE to watch these two amazing tributes. You must have finished the game, otherwise there are spoilers. These are incredible, must watch

http://youtu.be/sJMNwBcMNWw

http://youtu.be/Z6QX2BZSW1E

Nice tributes, especially the first one. That scene at
Galahad Fortress
is so well done. I'm replaying Xenoblade atm on the Wii u(40 hours and at
Mechonis Field
) to keep myself busy for X, and the story is just as nice as it was the first time as you now notice little things that foreshadow other events ;). Also playing with english voices makes for a drastic difference compared to japanese, it feels kinda fresh that way.

Replaying the game makes me long more for X though :(. Give us a release date already :p
 

L~A

Member
Looks like someone else's tweeting today.

[小島]ユーザーの皆さんにはいつもお世話になっております。XenobladeXディレクターの小島です。ゲームの中身について色々と情報が解禁となってきましたので、この場でのそちら方面は僕の方から

https://twitter.com/XenobladeJP/status/562162198030450688

まずはご挨拶がわりにプレイ時間の表示について。Xenobladeはどんなに長く遊んでも99時間59分でクリアできるということが一部で話題になりましたが(?)、今回はそこ、見直しました。

https://twitter.com/XenobladeJP/status/562162289420144640

先日ファミ通さんのインタビューで高橋が「300時間」という数字を出していましたが、もちろんちゃんと表示されます。もっと長時間やり込んでいただいても全然大丈夫なようにしておきました。

https://twitter.com/XenobladeJP/status/562162410400653312

Mentions the Famitsu interview.
 

raven777

Member

basically they are saying Xenoblade Chronicles had a problem that the playtime only showed upto 99 hours 59 minutes. With Xenoblade X, they fixed it. So when you play 300 hours, like Takahashi did with his final game check in the famitsu interview, it will show up as 300 hours in the game.
 

random25

Member
Didn't Xenoblade Chronicles display play time exceeding 100 hours? I can't remember but I felt that it was the case.
 

duckroll

Member
Today's Tweets are by Koh Kojima, the director of Xenoblade X. Like raven777 said, he's basically just addressing the issue of playtime display. In Xenoblade the play counter doesn't go beyond 99 hours no matter what, but they've fixed that, which is why Takahashi was able to claim that his playtime is over 300 hours in the Famitsu interview. Lol.
 
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